Thank you RukiaCaelin, JellyTotsBeTheBest for your kind words of encouragement and comments. Means a lot.

Gajeel was surprised the short legged girl could keep up with his long strides. But she did, huffing and puffing the hole way. By the time they got to the stairs of the tail brick apartment building, Levy just let him drag her up them and collapsed as he kicked open the door. With hands on her chest she breathed heavy, attempting to revive her strained lugs. With out a second thought, Gajeel tossed his jacket aside and lifted her to her feet and walked her over to the worn sofa. Levy let the faded and worn cloth consume her, as Gajeel fell next to her she swore she heard something break from within. They sat in silents, they had just run a marathon and neither was ready to ask or answer questions.

Looking down, Levy smoothed out the light blue sweater that was now drenched in sweat. Knowing it was going to be cold that day she wore jeans alone with it, now she regretted it. Her sore feet stained inside her Converse and she wished her body would stop its aching so she could remove them. Gajeel was handling it better; although he still looked like a bear who was woken to many times. He wore a simple outfit: black jean and a tee shirt, boots prop up on the dirty coffee table. The bandanna had been removed so his mound of hair rose and feel with him.

"Sorry 'bout that" he said after along while.

"That's... okay" Levy breathed heavily.

"Not ready to talk yet?"

She nodded.

"Ight then listen," he rolled his shoulders and moved to face her, "I'm only tellin' ya this cuz' I put ya in danger today and cuz' I guess I trust you."

He paused and looked down at his hands; "for this part, I can't look her in the eye."

"See, I used to run with those fuckers. When we were all younger we joined up with this gang called Phantom Lord, I know it's a dumb name. He hit stores at night, busted up parking meters, stole head lights for re-selling; stuff like that. Most of us where just kids, we didn't know how the father you went up in rank, the darker the jobs got." He stopped. Levy noticed he was shacking now, clutching his hands with rage. Carefully, she placed a small, soft hand on his. The shacking stopped and he continued; "one day the Boss came up to me, me. That never happen. He asked me if I wanted to be a real gangster and do so real work. And like a dumb ass, I said yes. He explained all I had to do with scare this guy, take his cash and leave. I told his I was game, he smiled. Then took out a gun. I was still just a kid... I'd never seen one up close. I took it and found the guy one night." He stopped again and Levy squeezed down. "Problem was it was some old lady, but I couldn't go back. The idiot walked down some alley so I fallowed. It was going fine but she tired to run and... and...fuck."

"Gajeel, you can stop."

"No," he shook, "the piece went off. She fell. I ran, like a cowered. Found out latter she made it, but still... I left the gang after that."

"I-I don't know what to say.." Levy started.

"That's okay, don't say anthin'. Just thought you should know" he grumbled with a still lowered head. His shoulders fell and he let his hands fall to his sides. Then, a warm feeling wreathed him, tight and intense.

"Is-is she hugging me?"

She was, standing on her knees to reach his neck, the tiny bluenette was using even muscle in her being to hold him. Shocked, he felt her warm face bury into the cervices on his neck, she trembled as hard as he had been. Gajeel didn't say anything until a wetness began to pool on his shoulder; "Oi Shrimp... you better not be cryin' on me" he whispered into her ear as he returned her hug. Large arms circled her back and drew her closer, chest to chest now he could feel her rapidly beating heart.

"I am! Who wouldn't!" her yell muffled.

"Geehee, sorry to made ya cry, Shorty."

She leaned back, his hands still at her waist, and rubbed her face; "that's okay, thank you for telling me all that. I know it was hard."

"Yeah, yeah. No tellin' anybody."

"Of course!"

"Well, 'cept Juvia."

"Have you not told her?"

"Ha! No, she was in Phantom Lord with me."

"What?!" Levy screamed, clapping her hands over her mouth.

"Yeah, long story. She was a hell of a lot more pissy back then."

"Till she meet Gray" Levy giggled.

"Tch. That snowman don't see how good hes got it."

"Well, Gajeel what now?"

"Want da' ya mean?"

"Let's see; we almost get killed by thugs-

"I wouldn't say killed" Gajeel interjected.

"No, intupting. Then you drag me to your home at random and made me cry!"

"Woa woa woa, why do hostile all of a sudden?"

"Gajeel" she said sharply.

"Yeah?"

"I'm hungry."

It donned on Gajeel that they hadn't eaten much that day and he was getting there too; "good point. Come on." He removed his hands from her waist and stood. He didn't have much in the way of food but he told the cross-armed shrimp there was a great take-out place a few doors down. They looked over the menu and called for a delivery. After twenty minutes of agony there was a knock at the door, without a word; they paid, took the food and went to town. The mound of Chinese food quickly diminished as they scanned thought Gajeel's stolen Netflix account.

"Gajeel?" Levy ask with a mouth full of food.

"Hm?"

"Is that..." she whispered.

As a long black shadow slicked around the corner from the dark hallway. He pawed his way over to them slowly, weary eyes on them both. He was mostly all black save a white tipped noise. Also, his left eye was adorned with a old cut, healed by time. Creeping closer and closer, Gajeel explained; "this pain in the ass is Patherlily" he said not looking away from the television. When the feline got to Levy's leg it stopped, sat and looked up at her.

"I think he wants to say "hi". Will he bite me?"

Gajeel shrugged.

Hesitantly, she lowered her hand. After a moment of sniffing, he rose his round head to meet it. He purred softly and rubbed his small, rounded ears against her tiny fingers. Swiftly, he moved away and jumped on the sofa, settling on Levy's lap with a muffled thud. He buried his head into her and was quickly asleep.

"Gajeel I think h-"

Levy stopped when she turned to see Gajeel's face in shock; eyes wide and mouth open.

"I-I've had ya for mouths... and ya never do that!"

"Maybe he knows I'm shaken from today?"

"Fuck that! He just picking favorites! Littl' shit.."

Levy laughted, placed her food down and slide her head down to meet his sagging shoulders; "Silly Gajeel."

"What" he grumbled under his breathe, arms crossed with frustration.

"Don't worry, you're my favorite." From the fact he didn't respond told her he had to be blushing, or at the very least shocked.

Later that night, as Lily purred on her lap and the TV droned on, Levy left a wight on her. She didn't have to look to see what is one, Dory and Jet had tried this move a hundred times. Normally, they would take a stretch and rope an arm around her. Once they both tired it the same time. But Gajeel did it differently; he just did it. No stretch, no hesitation. He had placed his arm around her and pulled her closer. Their black and blue hair intertwine as he let his head fall on hers.

"Gajeel?'

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

"Anytime, Shrimp."

Soon, they joined Lily in his slumber.