Fanfiction series: Odds and Ends
Title: Stare
Pairing: Gazille/Levi
Rating: K+
Word count: 811
Summary: There was an itch at the back of her neck as if someone was watching her.
Notes: Post Edolas arc, spoilers, Panther Lily (I presume everything works out well in the end of that arc)



It was an ordinary sight at Fairy Tail - Levi and Lucy sitting by the bar counter, their noses in their respective books, occasionaly exchanging muffled commentary or quoting a passage that had caught their attention. The picture was so common no one paid any attention to them anymore. Or so it seemed.

Levi rubbed the back of her neck. There was a weird itch there as if a loose strand of hair was tickling her but different at the same time. She had already retied her hair twice but the feeling didn't disappear. It intensified even more after she had pulled her hair into a high pony tail. She fidgeted again, her hand going to the back of her neck...

"Does your neck hurt?" Lucy lay down her book, looking at Levi with concern.

"No, there's just this itch I can't get rid of," Levi replied distractedly, trying to focus on the source of the itching. Loose hair? None. End of her headband? Out of the way. Some kind of an insect? She shuddered in disgust. She hoped not.

Lucy leaned back, staring at the back of Levi's head.

"I don't see anything."

"I know. It's not really a physical feeling, it's like a ghost is trailing his fingers along my neck, waiting for an opportune moment to snap it."

Lucy blinked.

"You really love horror novels, don't you?"

Levi shrugged good-naturedly and slapped at the back of her neck again.

"Or maybe it's that feeling you get when someone's watching you intensely."

The girls exchanged glances and turned around on their stools to look at everyone sitting behind them who might have been watching Levi. They found out that was quite a lot of people. It was nearing noon and the day had been rainy so most of the guild was sitting inside. There was a slight commotion in the back, presumably caused by Natsu and either Gray or Gazille. Ever since their return from Edolas, the two male Dragon Slayers fought daily, the reason for the fight being only one - my cat is bigger than your cat and various variations on the theme.

But Gazille was sitting with Panther Lily at the back table, not joining in the fight that was quickly encompassing the whole guild. He seemed to be arguing with his cat companion about something. Lucy looked around the guild again but no one paid them any attention and she conceded defeat. If someone had been watching Levi, they had been careful not to get spotted.

"It's hard to tell if anyone's watching you," Lucy spoke as she turned back to her book. Levi's gaze lingered for a bit at the back table before she, too, turned back.

"But why would anyone do that?" Levi wondered. "Do I have something on my face or clothes?"

Lucy snickered.

"Maybe they like you."

Levi blushed and ducked her head.

"Don't be silly, Lucy. If someone liked me, they would tell me, wouldn't they?"

And they dropped the subject for the time being.



"Why don't you talk to her?"

"Talk to who?"

"The blue-haired girl with a book."

"Shut up! Why would I want to talk to her?"

Panther Lily regarded his human partner with an amusement. He had spent a lot of time among humans and learned a thing or two about their behaviour. After all, humans and Exceed weren't so different when it came to emotions.

"Maybe because you have been staring at her the whole morning?" he suggested. Gazille snarled at him.

"I wasn't staring. I happened to look at her once or twice. And drop it or I'll kick your ass... again."

Lily snorted.

"We never finished our fight if I remember correctly so you never kicked my ass as you put it."

"I can do it right now if you don't shut it," Gazille threatened, standing up to tower over his feline companion. Lily merely rolled his eyes and leaned back against the wall.

"Her name's Levi, isn't it?"

"What?"

"The girl you have been watching all morning. Her name's Levi, right?"

"I wasn't watching her!" Gazille exploded. Luckily for him, the exclamation was lost in the usual bustling of Fairy Tail members beating the crap out of each other.

"Denial," Lily deadpanned. There was a beat of silence between them before Gazille sat back down, crossing his arms sulkily.

"You are too cheeky, cat."

"I'm honest. There's difference."

"If you say so."

Silence again. And almost against his will, Gazille's eyes turned to the blue head at the bar and that slender neck that was on display after she had pulled her hair up. He was an Iron Dragon Slayer and she was a natural magnet. That was the only explanation.

A quiet snicker came from beside him.

"Staring again."

"Shut up!"

And Levi rubbed her neck.


Next one is Gray/Juvia... see you in a day or so...