Author's Notes: Hello everybody! Here's another chapter. I'm thinking maybe one more chapter after this one (filled with lemony goodness, I promise) and maybe an epilogue after? Not sure yet. Oh and Levy might seem a bit OOC here but everyone has a breaking point and I feel like this would be how Levy's would be. Enjoy! :)

Chapter 5 – Anger

The Iron Dragon Slayer was terrified.

No, scratch that. He was scared shitless.

He felt a sharp wound in his pride by the fact that a mage that was only half his size was causing a shiver to run down his spine (which rarely happened unless it was Mira, he was convinced the barmaid was Satan in human form). But he was paralyzed in the doorway, trying to decipher if he was still drunk and having a case of schizophrenia or if a very red-faced, pissed off Levy was actually there.

His question was answered when Levy's sharp voice broke the silence.

"Gajeel Redfox, you have some explaining to do, you asshole!" the blunette fumed, her voice quivering slightly at the end. Gajeel could swear he saw steam coming out of her ears.

The first coherent thought Gajeel had was that Levy speaking in indecency was so very hot. Plus he realized an angry Levy was a very sexy Levy, but those thoughts were highly inappropriate at the moment. Gajeel shook his head and blinked, mind adjusting back to the matter at hand.

"Levy I-" Gajeel began, trying to think of something to calm the enraged mage down. Gajeel was a man without many words so this was going to be challenging...

Levy looked up at him, deep hazel eyes clashing with blood red. The usual joyful hazel was now stormy, painted with anger and hurt. He sighed in defeat and pulled her into his house, closing the door behind them with his foot.

Levy huffed in annoyance as Gajeel led her to the couch. He dropped down next to her, pulling his hands through his dark hair and letting out a frustrated grunt. He glanced at the Solid Script mage, who was now pouting with her arms crossed over her chest. He knew that face – it was the same face she made before she hit him with that damn bag at the S-Class exams. He winced at the memory.

"Don't make that face, Shrimp. You know I don't like that face."

Levy chose to ignore him and pouted even more, letting out a small huff in addition to her pout. They held gazes for a moment; Gajeel silently pleading while Levy was still glaring. This was almost comical since it was usually Gajeel who wore a menacing glare. Gajeel couldn't help but find that Levy's face, her cheeks now puffed out in annoyance, was adorable.

God he had become so damn sappy.

He decided against voicing his opinions to save himself from a smack in the face as his eyes dropped down to the red satchel next to her. Uncomfortable silence fell between the two and Levy finally dropped her pout, her anger beginning to dissipate.

"Why have you been ignoring me?" She questioned, quivering slightly as she placed a timid hand on his knee. He frowned, trying to form an answer to describe the war waging between his head and heart without sounding like a complete fool.

"I've been confused." Gajeel responded slowly, watching Levy's face intently. She made a face as if to say "no duh".

"So you thought ignoring me would solve the issue?" She used a patronizing tone, causing Gajeel to tense up. He grabbed Levy's hand and started to distractedly play with them, not wanting to look at her face. This was very unusual for him, he never initiated contact with another person unless in battle. But damn, Levy just made him do things he never would have thought of doing.

"I'm sorry," he began, stealing a glance at Levy's face again. Her gaze began to soften. "I don't deserve this. This friendship and these feelings towards you. I don't deserve you in general. You're small, you're liked, and hell you're fucking adorable," Gajeel paused and looked up at Levy, his heart thundering in his chest. "I'm a goddamn monster. I can't go back and change what I've done. I'll just hurt everyone again. We," he pointed to him and then to Levy, "this should have never happened." Gajeel felt a sharp pain in his heart knowing that although this friendship shouldn't have happened, but he had wanted it so badly. Although he knew he didn't deserve her, it was almost as if an unknown magnetic pull drove him to this small mage. She was almost like a drug, intoxicating him with every smile and every melodic laugh. It was tearing him apart. He used his other hand to cover his face in stigma.

His confession caused Levy's hand to tense up slightly, but Gajeel continued to play with her small hands; it was unusually soothing. They fell into an uncomfortable silence and Gajeel focused on her petite hands, examining them as if they were the most interesting things in the world. He had never talked about his feelings to another person, ever. He had only ever talked heart to heart with his cat Lily, but even then he never confessed anything so heavy like this. Plus, he had never complimented anyone outright like this either. Well that lengthens the list of things Levy makes him do. He felt like he was beginning to lose his "arrogant asshole" image.

"You should leave." His voice was grave and scratchy, it almost startled him at how drained he felt.

Silence enveloped the two and Gajeel continued to wallow in his own self-pity, waiting for Levy to get up and leave.

But then he felt a punch. Then several other ones up and down his bicep.

"Stupid Gajeel! Stupid stupid stupid!" Levy hissed, continuing to hit him. Gajeel fell off the couch in shock, landing on the floor. Her punches didn't hurt at all considering her arms were tiny but it startled him that Levy was actually hitting him.

Levy got off the couch and followed Gajeel to the floor, straddling him. She grabbed his collar, her face red and panting lightly. Gajeel had never seen this side of her.

"What are you saying 'you don't deserve me'? It's more like I don't deserve you!" Gajeel, still stunned at Levy's attack just stupidly gaped up at her. "You're strong, you're reliable, and hell, you're actually useful in a fight!" She slowly let go of his collar and slumped down on top of him, burying her face in his chest. She wiped away a stray tear on her cheek and mustered up the strength to look at Gajeel. "That night-" she paused and took in a deep breath, looking straight into Gajeel's red eyes. "It was the past. It is the past. I forgave you for that a long time ago," She fell onto his chest, burying her face in his shirt. "I wanted this. Well, whatever this is." She mimicked Gajeel's movements from before and pointed to herself and back at Gajeel.

"Do you not understand? If I held anything against you for that night...we would never have been friends," she paused, and buried herself deeper into his chest. "I would never have fallen in love with you." She clenched onto his shirt tighter, sounding defeated. Her voice was barely a whisper and even with Gajeel's heightened senses it was challenging to make out what she said. Gajeel almost choked as her words started to sink in. Levy had just confessed to him.

Levy had just confessed to him.

Gajeel was drunk. Yes, that was the most logical explanation. This was just another one of his fantasies, a delusion he created in his own head. Levy would never confess to him…right?

But Gajeel could feel her rapid heart beat on his chest, her tears beginning to soak his shirt. He could feel the trembles of her cries and the weight of her body on his.

No, this wasn't a fantasy anymore. This was real.

Gajeel couldn't contain the spread of warmth he felt in his chest. He broke into a massive grin and embraced her in a hug, all the guilt, pain, and pent up frustration disappearing as his heart was filled by those three words. She lifted her head in confusion and Gajeel didn't hesitate. He planted his lips on hers, closing his eyes and for once, letting his heart take over his mind. She was reluctant at first, but she moved her lips in sync with his, letting a small groan escape her lips. Gajeel took this opportunity and slid his tongue into her mouth, letting out a small moan as he tasted her.

When they broke apart for air she had a confused look on her face, her fingers caressing where his lips had been. Although she had tearstains down her red tinted cheeks and her eyes were slightly puffy from crying, to Gajeel she was breathtakingly beautiful. He pulled her to his chest again and smiled.

"I love you too."

*makes inhuman fangirl noises*

Honestly, I was going to make Gajeel take charge and let him confess first but a badass Levy seemed too good to pass up ;)

Until next time!

Thanks for reading :)