So I realized I hadnt updated in like 2 weeks and well... I'm lazy xD I've been drowning in cosplay, and freaking out because I have 6 costumes to finish for me, my brother, and my cousin by April 3rd. AND we entered a cosplay contest because if something excites you and scares the death out of you at the same time, then you better do it. But dear God theres SO much to do. So if updates are sporadic and weird, then sorry! But, at least the story isnt not on hold, right? Thanks for reeeeeading! ~Hana
"I just had one of the worst nights of my life" Lucy said as she slugged into the seat. She kicked her shoes off with a loud clank as they hit the floor mats of the pink car. Cracking her knuckles, she moved her hands up and ripped the pony tail out of her hair, rather painfully as it seemed to Levy who eyed her in the rear view mirror, and messed her hair back up into a rather flawed 'messy' bun. She itched at her bra strap, as it had been bothering her all morning, but kept the bra on nonetheless. Sighing, she reached her hand back to grab the seat belt, and secured herself in the car.
"One of the worst?" Levy looked in her rear view mirror at her friend.
"Most definitely." Lucy groaned as her hands rubbed her face.
"Sorry to hear that, you can tell me all about it later-" Levy offered, but Lucy cut her off.
"Oh Levy, I don't know where we went wrong!" Lucy pulled on her hair.
"Or you could just tell me now..." Levy muttered under her breath to herself. Gajeel heard it and let out a fast breath from his nose, almost as if he were trying to hold back a laugh.
"So what happened with the Salamander?" Gajeel asked.
"Salamander?" Lucy repeated, lifting an eyebrow in confusion.
"Oh, that's what we call him at the gym." Gajeel clarified. "All the trainers and staff have nick names that they earned within the first week or so of working there..." He trailed off quietly and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly before clearing his throat. "So, uh, what happened with Natsu?" He said, as the pink haired trainer's name rolled off his tongue awkwardly.
"Well the night was going pretty good, we clicked, talked, ate dinner... And all that was great, perfect even. Then... Oh god I cant even say it." Lucy blushed.
"Oh my god!" Levy said as she rolled up to a stop sign before whipping her head around to look at her friend. "You're telling me it was so embarrassing even you cant say it?!"
"Hey, what kind of a girl do you take me for!" Lucy puffed out her cheeks.
"You're the one who tells me things I never needed nor wanted to know." Levy rolled her eyes. "Like remember that time you told me when you and your boyfriend went to that public pool and-"
"Levy!" Lucy said quickly. "Yes, okay, I get it."
"Well I mean if you don't want to tell us..." Levy turned around and stepped on the gas.
"We had sex!" Lucy practically screamed out.
"Most people do that." Levy said calmly.
"Yeah but we... I mean he... like..." Lucy struggled to search her brain for the right words. "It didn't really work out."
"What, he couldn't get hard?" Gajeel offered.
"No, that's wasn't really a problem..." Lucy said, blushing slightly when Levy eyed her in the mirror. To think Levy was usually the one stuttering and blushing while Lucy squeezed the details of her evenings with her back in college. Oh how the tables had turned. Not that Levy wasn't still skittish and glittery at the thought of sex. After all, she was basically a self proclaimed asexual hermit for the past three years and was completely content with her Netflix account and wireless internet.
"It was more like..." Lucy trailed off.
"You didn't climax?" Gajeel offered.
"No, I mean I did, but..."
"He didn't?" Gajeel raised an eyebrow.
"No, he did, but-"
"Did he knock on the back door?" Gajeel grinned and wiggled his eyebrows at the blushing blonde.
"No!" Lucy squealed.
"How can you two discuss this so casually?" Levy asked more to herself than anyone else. Sure Lucy was blushing like crazy, but Gajeel had no problem talking about it.
"Its the same as Game Of Thrones." Gajeel offered. "I mean we can discuss that civilly, why not this?" He asked.
"I mean... y-you do have a point..." Levy tried to rationalize with herself.
"Its just because you're a virgin." He shrugged his shoulders.
"Excuse you, sir! I am not!" Levy looked at him, her mouth gaping in shock. How could he assume something, so personal about her, and not even ask to check. Sure people don't straight out ask 'are you a virgin' but in this case, maybe he could have... Although that would just make Levy blush harder and stammer over her own words before choking out her answer.
"Yeah, okay." Gajeel laughed.
"Im not! Honest!" Levy said, trying to think of something to prove it without exposing herself.
"Is she?" Gajeel turned to Lucy who nodded.
"Shockingly, no." Lucy said.
"Didnt see that one coming." He muttered to himself. "Really?" He asked. "But you're so.." He gestured to her.
"Im so what?" She raised an eye brow as she looked at him, before immediately back at the road.
"Well, you're so you." He said.
"What does that even mean?" She almost yelled. To think he thought she was a sky, innocent, ballerina. Actually, all three of those were accurate descriptions of Levy McGarden.
"You know." He said.
"Not really?" She questioned herself.
"You'll figure it out." He grinned.
"Wait, what?"
"Oh we're here!" Lucy cut in with the click of her seat belt. "Lets go watch little Levy twirl her heart out." Jumping out of the car, she lifted her arms towards the sky and jetted her left leg up, doing a fake arabesque in the drive way before skipping up the steps.
"She seems happier." Gajeel said as he waited for Levy.
"No, she just found something to distract her." She said as she slammed the door and locked the car. "She likes to watch my dancing videos anyways." She rolled her eyes remembering how Lucy would pretend to critique her dancing even though she knew practically nothing about it. Life your leg more! Relax your arms! She could go on and on, pretending to be a judge and giving Levy mock scores.
"I'm sure they're great." Gajeel smirked as they walked, and stomped, up the steps.
"Its just me." She shrugged as she walked into the house, taking off her shoes and throwing them aside. "Well, just me going through college and dancing and stuff." Levy shrugged her shoulders.
"What kind of snacks?" Lucy barraged as soon as the two walked in the front door.
"Whatever you want." Levy waved her hand. "Im going to change out of my running stuff, be right back."
"What do you feel like, Gajeel?" Lucy turned her attention to the muscular man. "We have popcorn, chips, cookies, apples if you're feeling healthy."
"Popcorn sounds good." He breathed out as he sat at the island. "So, what happened with Natsu?" He asked.
Lucy paused ripping open the popcorn packet to look at him. "It..." She took a deep breathe. "He wasn't..." Lucy closed her eyes, almost running from telling him. "Why do you want to know?" She asked.
"Well so I can make fun of him for it." He flashed his smile, his fangs glimmering in the light of the kitchen. "Well that and its always nice to had a guy friend." He rubbed his neck, nervous to tell her the truth, but decided to nonetheless. "Gray's a handful, and I'd like to spend more time 'round here... Figure we might as well be friends..." He could feel his cheeks color.
"Oh Gajeel, you're too cute." Lucy laughed at the trainer. "Levy loves that bashful stuff, you got her in the bag." She giggled as the mention of him wooing Levy made his blush deepen. "But if that's the reason, then I guess." She reached out a hand. "Friends?"
Taking her small, finger nail painted hand, he shook it with a smile. "Friends."
"Okay, but don't tell people because I don't want it going around." She said.
"Yeah, yeah." He rolled his eyes. "Spill."
"Natsu isn't really... good in bed." Lucy shut her eyes, not wanting to look at his face. Before she could do anything, be that run, hide, or cower in shame, she heard him laugh. Not a small laugh, but a big, burly, laugh. It shook the whole house.
"That's what you're so hung up on!" He asked, whipping away a fake tear.
"Well, yeah." She said. "Wouldn't you?"
"If my partner was bad in bed? I wouldn't worry about it too much." He shrugged. "Besides, I'd more than make up for it." He wiggled his eye brows playfully.
"Yeah alright." She rolled her eyes. "But like... I don't know what to do." She sighed. "I've never experienced that before."
"Not even your first time? I'm sure he was clumsy."
"No, it was with an intern for my dad's company. He was in college." She said. "So I mean... he was... uh, experienced." She said, avoiding Gajeel's gaze.
"You're telling me that your sex life has been absolutely perfect until last night?" He asked.
"Yes."
"That's bull." He fired back.
"Is not! All my... partners, have been very respectful and kind." She said.
"We're they actual boyfriends though?" He asked.
"Some of them."
"Okay, so lets subtract all the drunken one night stands, then what are we working with?"
"Well.. I guess there's been two or three serious relationships, the longest one was about seven months."
"Seven months isnt that long." He commented.
"No, not really." She shrugged. "Its not like I cant keep a man, they just give excuses and leave."
"Natsu wont." Gajeel said. "He's way too loyal. Its almost painful."
Lucy laughed. "I hope."
"Do you want to date Natsu?" He asked.
"I mean..." She wandered around the room with her eyes, as if Levy's cat shaped clock would chime her the answers.
"So that's a yes." He answered for her. "Just talk to him about it." He shrugged.
"But-"
"Okay, so what are we going to watch first?" Levy asked as she jumped off the last step of the stairs into the kitchen.
"Oh." Lucy said. "I think I'll sit this one out."
"Sorry, did I interrupt?" She asked, pushing her fingers together nervously.
"Nope, just girl talk, you know how it is." Gajeel joked. "You look like you're going to the gym." He said, eying her. She wore a pair of plain gray sweatpants that were too big for her, as the draw string was drawn all the way, and they pooled at her ankles. Her top was a simple dark blue shirt, however it was a bit small as it hugged her small chest tightly, and exposed her belly button.
"This is like a lazy day outfit for me." She looked down at herself. Maybe she should have tried a little harder to impress, but after that first date, she decided to just be herself. Her painfully lazy self.
"People work out I that kind of stuff." He shrugged.
"You don't." She said.
"Its my job to train kick boxers in a professional environment. Sorry if im not wearing gray sweat pants." He rolled his eyes mockingly.
"Well I wouldn't work out in pants. They're too hot and I cant move around in them." She moved her legs around as much as the pants would allow as an example.
"Then why wear them in the first place?" He asked.
"Because lazy days are when I want to be warm and not move around much." She said. "Get it? They're perfect for that." She smiled.
"I prefer walking around naked, but that's just me." He smirked as he noted the obvious blush on her face.
She cleared her throat before speaking. "Oh, well what do you wanna watch?" She waved her finger at him, beckoning him to the living room. Sitting down in front on the TV, she opened a drawer filled with CD cases with written titles on them. "We have recitals, competitions, practices, and classes that I've recorded."
"Which one has the best costumes?" He asked, he didnt really care about the ballet itself, he just wanted to watch the one that would be the most entertaining.
"Well ballerinas usually stick to the baby pink skirts, however recitals usually have a theme so those are more costumey."
"And practices are different from classes how?" He asked.
"Classes are when I was in college, so I'm half tired, running on a few red bulls, and falling a lot." She laughed before starting again. "Practices are when we practice for the recitals, so dress rehearsals included." She said.
"They all sound so interesting." He said, half joking but rather serious at the same time. Although he would never admit it, sometimes he'd linger by the dance class windows when he walked around the track just to see what they were up to. They were always so graceful and elegant, it was calming to watch. "How about a class?" He asked.
"Somehow I felt like you'd say that..." She laughed as she picked one she remembered well. "This was freshman year of college, and I think I'm pretty awake here." She said as she hopped onto the couch next to Gajeel and grabbed the remote. "We're working on our balançoire here, which is when you swing the working leg between front and back through first position, but we start off stretching on the barre." She pressed play, and watched the screen turn from black to a pleasant yellow and pink room.
The room was made of wood floors, stained lightly to complement the beige walls that were covered mostly in mirrors. A few ballerinas littered the floor, mostly rushing back and forth as class had just started. Brunettes, blondes, and a red head skittered about as they got ready for class. A few girls sat in the corner as they laced their pointe shoes, while some stood around gossiping.
"Where are you?" Gajeel asked.
"Right there." Levy pointed to the screen, but he had no idea where. "I don't have blue hair yet." She laughed.
"I thought you said you dyed it at the beginning of high school?" He asked.
"More like sophomore year of college." She corrected, before sticking her tongue out at his wrong guess.
"So you have your real hair?" He asked.
"That's correct." She giggled.
"So I have to figure out which one is you..." He sighed. "Who recorded this anyways?"
"The teachers recorded every class for a few reasons. Some were to send them to be audited, like approved to make sure we actually danced and didn't goof off all the time... Also so the teachers could check out forms. I had asked for a few DVD's of the first days we were introduced something new so I could study up."
"You're such a nerd." He joked, and pushed her with his elbow.
"I liked to dance!" She stuck out her tongue.
"Yeah, I got that..." He laughed as he studied the screen even more. "Are you that one?" He pointed to a small girl with black hair.
"That's Azusa." She said. "Yui affectionately refers to her Azu-nyan, and it stuck." She giggled at the small girl's nickname.
"Alright, I couldn't see you with black hair anyways." He said. "I don't think red either." She shook her head no. "But that's the right height I think..."
"Also I'll have you know I'm one and half inches taller than Azusa."
"Sure you are, Shrimp... Is that you with the pink hair?" He asked.
"That's Yuno." She said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Oh, natural color, right." He reminded himself. He watched as more girls flooded in, and by now they were all lacing up their shoes.
"I'll give you a hint." She suppressed a giggle. "Im wearing pink shoes."
Gajeel looked at the screen. "Pip..." His eyes darted to every girls set of feet. "They're all wearing pink shoes.
"Yeah..." She laughed.
"Alright, so it cant be that blonde, she's way too tall... Not that brunette amazon either..." He looked relatively stumped as he studied the screen. "Holy shit, that's you!" He said as he pointed to a small girl rifling through her orange bag in search for something.
"Yup!" She laughed.
"You're a blonde?" He said, shocked.
"Yup!"
"A natural blonde." he repeated.
"Yes sir." She smiled.
"Blonde."
"Yes."
"Like, platinum blonde." He raised an eyebrow. "Bull shit that's not natural."
"No it is!" She laughed. "I can have my mom text me my school pictures from every year!"
"People have to pay hundreds of dollars for that!" He said. "And you dye yours blue?" He asked.
"Yup, got a problem with that?" She asked.
"No way girl." He laughed, putting up his hands. "Good for you." He smirked.
"Thank you." She said as she held her nose towards the ceiling. It wasn't everyday that people actually approved of Levy's radical hair color. It was nice to know he approved of it.
"Lucy's really a brunette." She whispered.
"I knew it." He smirked.
Hours had passed and Levy kept replacing the disk in the DVD player with a new one. Each video was better than before, the jumps were higher, the turns were sleeker, and the transitions were beautifully executed. Dinner time had passed, but neither of them cared to get up, both absorbed in the world of Levy's past. Lucy had walked to the kitchen to make something for herself, but when she offered to order them pizza they both ignored her.
"Holy shit." Gajeel whispered as the class of thirty ballerinas all preformed flawless fouetté turns simultaneously in synch.
"Aren't they beautiful?" Levy asked with a hint of sadness in her voice.
"You can actually do that?" He asked.
"Yeah, well I'm not so sure about right now, I haven't in a while."
"Why not?"
"Not enough space to practice..." She said. "Although I said I'd go out for that role, I haven't actually put on my pointe shoes yet..." She admitted shyly.
"Why not?" He asked again.
"I think I'm afraid." She whispered, hoping he wouldst hear. However, he apparently had keen hearing because practically everything she muttered to herself he had heard.
"Well put them on now." He suggested nonchalantly.
"What!" She whipped to look at him, searching his eyes for some hint of sarcasm or emotion.
"Put your fancy ballet shoes on right here and now." He clarified, his tone never wavering. He was serious.
"I cant just... The floors aren't right for ballet." She looked down at the uneven floorboards with gaps in between the panels.
"Thats alright." He shrugged. "Just walk around, don't do any fancy turns."
"Wha- No, no I cant..." She shook her head.
"Need a place to practice?" He asked.
"What?"
"Do you need a place to practice?" He repeated.
"I mean technically yes, but I can just go rent a studio for a few hours."
"Come with me." He got off the couch.
"Where?" She looked at the clock. "Its almost 11!" She said.
"Its a surprise." He said as he reached his hand out to help her up. "Just come with me, you wont regret it." She lifted her hand up to his, but paused.
"No, tell me." She retracted her hand.
"C'mon, trust me!" He laughed. "Get your little ballerina bag and lets go."
"Go where?" She asked.
"To my secret layer." He rolled his eyes.
"See, was that so hard?" She asked jokingly as she walked up to her room.
"Hurry!" He said as he wiggled his phone out of his pocket to send a text.
"Where did I leave it last..." Levy thought aloud. Looking around her room she sighed at the mess. Her bed was half made, meaning the covers were falling off the side, pillows were thrown about and books were scattered on the foot of it. Not to mention books- the books littered the ground, the desk, the dresser, and practically anywhere they could be supported. Clothes were thrown on the floor and cascaded out of her closet like a waterfall of fashion.
"The closet, great." She sighed as she looked at the mess. Pulling open the doors, she looked at it all. Clothes were on the floor, falling off hangers, and there were bags thrown everywhere. Getting on her knees, she moved the huge mountain of clothes that littered the floor. Searching for anything orange, she ripped things out of the closet as fast as she could.
"This is a little messy." She heard a voice say.
"Gajeel!" She whined as she whipped her head around. "Why couldn't you have stayed down stairs?" She asked.
"You were taking a while." He said as he plopped down on her bed, making it creak. "You need more shelves in here..." He commented at her amount of books.
"I need more time to organize is what I need..." She said as she resumed throwing things around.
"Take a break from Game Of Thrones for an hour or two." He suggested.
"I'd rather have this mess..." she admitted.
"I figured." He sighed. "What color is your bag?"
"You saw it in the video, its still the orange one." She said.
"You've had the same bag for four plus years?" He asked, eyes wide at her dedication to that bag.
"No, companies require their own bags, but I threw all my stuff in my orange one." She said, half paying attention to the conversation, but mostly focused on finding the bag. "My mom gave it to my as a graduation present for High School."
"Cute." He laughed.
"Here it is!" Levy enthused as she saw the handle. Tugging on it, she noted that it was stuck under something. "Darn, its stuck." She tugged on it harder, but it didn't budge.
"Let me help." Gajeel said as he got up, and crouched behind her.
"No, I got it!" Levy said before she grabbed the handle harder, and it fell out of then closet, causing the bag, and Levy, to tumble backwards.
"Woah!" He said as he caught her before her head hit the ground. "I got you." He smiled.
Blushing, she stared into his deep red eyes that seemed to pull her very being into their gaze, causing her to forget everything and get lost into his soul. "Thanks." She said as he helped her to her feet.
"Alright, lets go."
HOLY JEEZ! There are 450 followers O.O You're gonna make me cry, you guys are too much TT^TT. I cant believe that there are so many people who actually want to read my gibberish! So, thank you! I figured this story would get like 100 people max, but here you are! I cant tell you how much I love you, reader. You. You perfect little specimen. You're great. So thank you for reading this, and following, and favoriting, and reviewing your thoughts and giving me ideas! I love them! Especially when theyre so nice! Stay awesome! ~Hana