A note to my followers: sorry for the false alert. I accidently uploaded the chapter before it was actually ready because I forgot that I was rearranging how some of it was ordered.
Anyway, I've been feeling so motivated. I even have the next chapter mostly written already. Hopefully my workaholic streak will last.
Midnightreader: not to spoil this chapter, but I SWEAR YOU ARE A PSYCHIC OR A HACKER OR SOMETHING because I literally had already written basically a slight twist on that exact scene when I got your review. Either that or I'm just incredibly corny and cliché. Oh well. Hopefully your fantasies came true.
TiPo: the LA story will come. Just not yet.
Thanks a bunch to all my lovely readers and reviewers!
Levy sat at the bar, perched on a stool, feeling very nervous.
How did I get myself into this?
As soon as Cana had officially started the celebration, everyone had swarmed the bar for beers and mixed drinks, yelling their orders to the two men behind the counter. Both of them were true professionals – mixing and serving drinks at a speed a no normal person could match.
Lucy and Levy had retreated back to their table to watch the party get going – or, in Levy's case, to watch the handsome new bartender. Everything about him was mesmerizing to her. His muscles flexing every time he shook or spun the cocktail shaker. His cocky grin every time someone exclaimed over a drink. The way he twirled the bar spoons and jiggers when he was measuring and mixing drinks. Occasionally she could have sworn that he was watching her as well, but she brushed it off as her over-eager imagination.
She thought she was hiding it pretty well… at least until Lucy elbowed her with a suggestive grin on her face. "Hmmm… see something you like? Leeevyyy~?"
Crimson faced, the bluenette hurriedly turned away from the bar and towards her laughing friend. "Lu! Not funny!"
Wiping at her eyes, the blonde patted her friend on the head. "Sorry, sorry. Anyway, weren't you going to go get yourself a drink?"
Somehow Levy managed to get even redder – Lucy honestly hadn't even thought that was possible – and starting mumbling what sounded like excuses. The only one she could make out was something about the bar being flooded with people so it wasn't a good time. Clicking her tongue in mock disapproval Lucy poked her friend in the forehead. "Ow!" Levy immediately straightened up to rub the abused spot, pouting.
Barely restraining another giggle, the blonde redirected Levy's attention towards the bar. "Look, it's already cleared up. Why don't you go now?"
Levy had to admit, Lucy had a point. Almost everyone had gotten their drinks and moved on – some were standing around talking, others were playing pool or dancing. She risked another glance at the bar, biting her lower lip. Gajeel was putting bottles back on the shelves behind the bar while Lily chatted with Cana and Laxus, who had taken a seat beside the brunette at the bar.
Sighing, Levy pushed herself up from the table. "Alright… wish me luck."
Levy really wasn't sure whether she wanted to hug Lily, or strangle him.
She had actually chickened out, and asked Lily to make her a drink instead, but the man just winked at her and dragged his protesting nephew over to do it, proclaiming that she should try the younger man's versions of her favorite drinks. Cana just nodded in agreement while Laxus looked on, one eyebrow raised questioningly at the other two. When Gajeel demanded to know why he had to do it, Lily's answer was: "I thought you liked making all the drinks? Besides," he smirked "Are you scaaared that you can't meet her standards." At this, he glared darkly at Lily, gaze promising revenge, muttering about interference and unnecessary actions. Laxus, realizing what was going on, rolled his eyes and left.
So, there she was, watching Gajeel as he made her a coffee.
Now that she was closer than before, she could see the faint scars crisscrossing his large hands. Curious, she thought back on what Natsu had said early – what kind of past did the two of them share? Now that she thought of it, she didn't know all that much about Natsu and Igneel's life before they had moved to Fiore when their group was in middle school. She wondered what exactly he had been talking about… she definitely had a suspicion of what he had meant, but was curious about the real story.
She was so lost in her musing that she didn't notice that he had finished until he set the mug down in front of her. Startled out of her thoughts, she looked up from the steaming drink at Gajeel, who shoved his hands in his pockets, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. Blushing slightly – he almost looked nervous as she picked up the drink – she wrapped her small hands around the mug and took a sip.
"Wow!" A huge smile stretched on her face. "This is great!"
He looked away, crossing his arms, then looked back and smirked at her. "Told ya I knew what I was doing, shrimp." He teased.
She pouted at him, and he just smirked even more in response. Huffing in mock anger, she went back to her drink, ignoring his odd laugh. Neither of them noticed Cana give Lucy a thumbs up from across the room.
As she drank more of her delicious coffee – he really did know what he was doing – she thought about how he had reacted when she complimented him on the drink.
She might have just been imagining it, but… she thought that she saw the tips of his ears turn red.
A girl could hope, anyway.
Like I said… cliché but fun.
Anyway, here. Have another Gajeel bonus before I give you sad backstory next chapter.
Bonus mini chapter: Gajeel's side of the story, part 2
Why did she have to be so cute? Kept running through his head as he struggled to concentrate.
Bad enough that he had been plagued with thoughts of her nonstop since he had returned the cat. But to actually be in the same building as her? Sheer torture.
He had stepped out of the back rooms after changing, ready for a standard evening… only to be confronted by the most adorable person he had ever met. He wasn't even bothering trying to deny it to himself anymore. He was totally obsessed and honestly, it scared the hell out of him.
The entire time he was filling all the drink orders, he could feel his eyes being drawn to her. Everything about her fascinated him. The way she waved her hands while she was talking. The way she bit her lip when she was thinking. And just… everything.
Sometimes, when he glanced at her between orders… he thought he saw her looking back at him. But there was no way.
Finally, with a sigh, he handed the final glass to the final person. Maybe he would be able to just hide somewhere now. After the weird thing with flame brain – idiot can't keep his mouth shut, and he didn't really want to share that particular slice of his life with her yet – he just wanted to relax.
Then he looked up.
And internally freaked out when he realized that SHE WAS WALKING TOWARD HI– oh wait she was headed for Lily. False alarm.
He wasn't sure whether to be relieved or disappointed.
Then Lily just had to drag him over to her, where he promptly lost all form of coherent though – something about coffee? Sure, sure, he liked coffee. Coffee good.
With a massive effort, he dragged what little functioning brain he had back into a pile and ordered it to make her drink. She really was driving him absolutely insane.
Once he got started, it wasn't that bad. The process of making drinks was something he enjoyed. He'd always felt more at home behind bars than, well, most other places. Especially since Metallicana disappeared. Shaking off the dismal though, he turned to hand her the finished drink.
And was once again floored by how adorable her face looked when it was all scrunched up, like she was trying to figure out some sort of puzzle– NOPE. Stop. Stop. Drink.
He set it down in front of her, holding back a smile when she looked up at him, confused. He quickly backed away, shoving his hands in his pockets, as she picked up the mug, which dwarfed her tiny hands. For one of the first times in a very, very long time, he actually almost felt nervous about presenting a drink to someone, like he desperately wanted their approval.
And when a huge smile lit up her face when she tasted it, he felt like he had been punched in the face with a magical rainbow unicorn spewing happiness or something equally ridiculous. Because that was the only explanation for how unreasonably happy he felt about her compliment. He actually had to look away to get himself under control. Once he was back to normal, he looked back at her. "Told ya I knew what I was doing, shrimp" he teased, trying to keep from grinning like a maniac when she pouted at him.
Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Lily smirking at him.
He really was doomed.
My goal for this fic is apparently to make Gajeel as cuddly and teddy bearish yet in denial as I possibly can. It's so much fun.
