Gajeel was in awe at the little blunette. She was so tiny, so dainty, but she had rushed to stop him from looking in her backpack. Her eyes were so green, he was in awe. "I bet the grass is jealous." Stupid! How could he have just said that?! What was wrong with him. He saw her brow furrow in confusion as she looked to where her hand was still on his wrist. "W-What...?"
"N-Nothing." Gajeel mumbled as he shouldered her back pack, grabbed the handle of her suitcase, which was surprisingly heavy, and began walking again. He didn't wait for her to follow. He had her stuff, why wouldn't she follow? As she caught up to him, he came to a stop. Letting go of her suitcase, he set her backpack on the ground and turned towards her. She looked up at him with confusion, fear, and maybe a little hope?
Reaching his hand up, he placed it gently on her cheek after putting a stray lock of hair behind her ear. Curling his fingers behind her neck, he slowly leaned down to her, watching her eyes for any sign of resistance. She stood shock still, like a deer. Leaning ever closer, he took a quick glance at her lips before he leaned in to whisper in her ear. "We're being followed. Stay close to me."
As Gajeel pulled back from Levy, all he could think about was how good she smelled. Like weathered leather and peaches. Gajeel picked up her backpack and grabbed her suitcase handle again. He slowly began walking again. Her legs are short, but her knees are damn cute. Gajeel faltered a step. Cute knees? What the hell?! As he continued to walk, he felt her shoulder brushing against his upper arm. She's so small. But there is a fire hidden in there. Gajeel smiled to himself as he let his thoughts wander. "Trade me sides. The alley side isn't safe." He could see the shadowy figure darting around in the darkness ahead of them duck into the upcoming alley.
Thankfully she moved to the street side before they got to the mouth of the alley where the figure had hidden itself. Gajeel couldn't believe that someone would want to hurt the Shrimp, but as he heard footsteps running from the dark depth of the alley, he dropped both her backpack and suitcase and gave her a light shove. "Stay behind me."
As the figure came barreling out of the darkness, he thought he heard her whisper a name. It didn't matter right now though. He took a defensive stance between the Shrimp and the figure. Tall, slender. That meant he was fast, and slippery. It also meant his punches wouldn't hurt as much as say, Natsu's. Gajeel waited.
At the last moment, he ducked down and grabbed the guy round the waist. Using the guy's own momentum, Gajeel threw him over his shoulder and spun with his foot out, hoping to catch the guy while he was on the ground. The little monkey landed on his feet, facing Gajeel. Gajeel growled and clenched his fists. "'Yer slippery 'fer a tall guy." The smug bastard simply smiled in the dim light from the lamps overhead.
The fight got underway and was nothing more than the memory of flashing fists and the echo of flesh on flesh as each man connected blows. Gajeel got in a few good kicks. What seemed like forever passed, and both men were breathing heavily, neither ready to back down. As Monkey Boy came at him again, Gajeel faked a right hook. As he ducked the blow, Gajeel took out his feet and landed on top of him. Gajeel began to pound the daylights out of Monkey Boy. He had the nagging feeling that someone was telling him to stop, trying to pull him away. It only made him fight harder. He had to protect the Shrimp.
He pulled his fist back again and went to bury it once more into the guy's face when a flash of orange and blue blocked his view. "GAJEEL! STOP!" It was the Shrimp. She was crying. Why is she crying? "Gajeel. Look at me. Please." His eyes focused on her face. Tears trekked down her cheeks unabashedly. Her hair had come undone from her hair band. Her dress was ripped and her knees, cute knees, were scuffed and bleeding. Was there another attacker?! Did I miss someone? Gajeel began looking around frantically for the other assailant.
Small, soft hands grabbed his face. He found himself staring into the greenest eyes he had ever seen. "Let him go Gajeel. He can't fight any more. You are going to kill him." He was confused for a minute. Kill him? Gajeel realized he had been choking the defenseless man beneath him as he had repeatedly punched him in the face. The man's lips were turning blue and his face was molted red. I'm killing him. Gajeel jumped away from the man, who coughed and gasped for air.