Chapter 40

What Gajeel and Levy had was something difficult to understand. They are friends but it felt like there's something more to it. After all, fans didn't call them as 'one of Fairy Law's couples' for nothing before. But they both know they were less than lovers.

More than friends, but less than lovers.

It was nice to hear statements that are just statements but with the word 'but' things change. Like when people say 'I love you, but..', it was like that to them. They are more than friends. They treat each other with something more than how they treat their other friends, but they are not in a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship. And when Lucy accidentally blew Gajeel's secret, it felt more awkward walking around the hotel with just the two of them. It doesn't matter before because people don't talk about it. No one says it. But it's different when someone said it. Levy knew, somewhere, somehow they have to clear things out. She just didn't know if this is the right time, now that someone mentioned it.

"Where did that idiot said they were looking?" Gajeel said grumpily. He was walking in front of her like nothing really happened.

But the truth is Gajeel was just too scared to see what Levy's reaction was after knowing what he really felt. Did she believe Lucy? Will Levy return his feelings? Or will she turn him down? He doesn't know.

Levy stiffened and stopped walking but she continued and fell into a step beside him. "I think Lucy said they'll go to The Sabers HQ."

"Let's go check outside." Gajeel suggested and they headed to the elevators not even waiting for her.

It was a big elevator. But they both felt like it was so small that they were standing next to each other and their arms are touching. Gajeel lifted his arms and crossed it across his chest to prevent it from further touching Levy's arm. Levy noticed what he did and laced her fingers behind her. Also, preventing her arms from dangling around accidentally creating contact with his. The elevator dinged and they went out.

"Let's check the garden first." Levy said. She pointed somewhere to their left. "That way." And she led the way towards a gigantic glass door.

When she brought her arm down their hands touched and they instantly looked at each other. A tinge of red making its way up to their cheeks and they looked away continuing on their journey to find Lisanna.

Gajeel walked towards the guard that was standing by the door. "Dude, did you see Lisanna around here?"

"N-No, sir." Do they even know which Lisanna they are looking for? Levy wondered how did the guards managed to know which person they are pertaining to. But then, they were part of a band which is currently residing in the hotel so it wasn't so surprising after all.

"Useless guards!" He said and glared at the guards standing there." He turned around, clearly pissed off. "Pain in the ass." He muttered and walked away without even thanking the guard. In his place Levy bowed at the guard muttering an apology and thank yous.

"What was that for?" Levy whisper shouted when she reached Gajeel. He looked down at her and glared. "What's your problem?!"

"Sheesh. I don't really care if we find her or not. I don't have any business with her." Gajeel said with a bored look on his face. He placed his arms behind his head and started walking to the front doors."It was Natsu's problem."

Levy huffed. But he's right. This was none of their business. If Lisanna would want to talk to Natsu about something important she would just go to him sooner. Maybe she's in their HQ now waiting for them. Or probably Lucy's group saw her already.

"Fine. We'll just look at the front and we'll get back." Levy said in defeat. She was hungry herself and she felt like she just wasted her time. And what's more irritating is that her company was suddenly in a bad mood. She was getting irritated as he gets more annoying than she could handle. She doesn't like how he was suddenly like that and now he's like this. It was like he's on period or something.

Gajeel was becoming grumpier every second and it irritates her when he's muttering something that she cannot understand. He's been glaring or scoffing at the people greeting him. He ignores them and just passes by like nothing was there. It was not how Jellal trained them to treat their fans. Plus, the act Gajeel made when he asked the guard at the back door irritates her more than anything.

"What's the matter with you?" She said pulling him back ones their out of the hotel lobby. Levy couldn't take it in her anymore, she just has to give him a piece of her mind. Maybe, partnering her with him is a really bad idea, even worse than when she first thought of the idea.

Gajeel was pulled back and he turned to look at her. His eyes glaring. "Nothing." He said and looked away from her again.

Levy tugged his arm again. "I'm asking what's the problem!" She shouted this time earning glances from the people around them.

"I said nothing." He was about to turn back when Levy pulled him back again. "What do you want?" He said irritably.

"I asked you what's your problem."

"I said nothing." He clenched his fists. He didn't want to deal with her right now. He didn't want to deal with this kind of Levy right now. He was so irritated that he wanted to let something out of him but he couldn't. Gajeel was frustrated over something that he should have done before someone else did it. But too late, someone beat him into it.

"There is! Tell me!" Her eyes were boring into his. There was a blurr of white that moved fast on their side. It caught both of their attentions. "Is that Lisanna's car?"

Their eyes never left the white car's moving figure until it disappeared in the corner. "I'm outta here!" Gajeel said turning away and walking fast towards the elevator.

Gajeel entered the elevator and Levy run after him when the doors were about to close. "Made it!" She said as she breathed heavily. There was silence again. She could see their reflections on the elevator window and Gajeel was still looking grumpy as ever. "Hey! What the hell is your problem?"

Gajeel's brows scrunched together and he scoffed looking away from her.

"Just tell me!" She said tugging on his sleeves.

He growled angrily. "Alright! I was angry Lucy told you what I felt before I did!" He said without looking at her, but he could see her looking at him through their reflection on the elevator doors. "I am mad that she beat me into it."

Levy couldn't help but laugh. She giggled.

This time Gajeel looked at her. "What?"

"N-Nothing." She said and composed herself. "You're mad because she beat you into saying it first?"

He looked away and huffed in annoyance.

"Oh, Mr. Shoo-Bee-Doo-Bop you make me laugh." Levy laughed and pulled Gajeel's arm from his chest. First, he just confessed to her but really it annoys him that Lucy said it to Levy first than him. Second, Levy was teasing him of that the way he sings again. He was proud but coming from Levy.. It's another thing. Silence enveloped them. No one dared to speak, but Gajeel knew he should be the one making the move. He glanced at Levy through their reflection. Her eyes were on the ground and she was fiddling with her fingers.

Slowly, she laced her hand with his.

Gajeel looked down on their hands his cheeks getting red. "What?" He asked and looked back up at her.

Shocked, Levy pulled her hand away from his and looked in the opposite direction. "Nothing."

Gajeel felt as if he had done something bad. He wanted to say sorry to her but for what? But the feeling of her skin on his, every prickle, made him shiver. Slowly he reached for her hand and laced it with hers.

This time Levy looked at their hands then to him. "What?" He asked.

"Why are you holding my hand?" Levy asked suppressing a smile.

Immediately, Gajeel pulled his hand away from hers. He didn't know she doesn't want. Maybe, she didn't like how he reacted when he noticed what she was doing the first time. Now he's regretting everything.

A few seconds later, Levy reached for his hand again, this time lacing their entirely lacing their fingers. Gajeel looked at her but held his tongue before he speaks of anything. Levy looking at his face searched for any rejection, when there is none she smiled at him. "I want to feel what Lucy feels that time we saw them walking hand in hand."

Gajeel need not to be told twice. He grasp her hand when the elevator dinged and he pulled her out. They walked through the halls and to their HQ without saying a word, just their hands linked together. They both took a deep breath because they knew that once they entered this room with their hands like that, it's like announcing to them that finally they were together. They opened the door and went in.

Just in time that Jellal went out of his room, he looked up to them then to their hands, then back to them. The both stiffened under Jellal's gaze. "Hey Gajeel! Levy!" He said and walked away to their kitchen.

At the sound of their names Juvia emerged from the kitchen. She looked at them. "Where's Gray?"

They looked at each other and shrugged. As if telepathically asking each other why are they not surprised. Levy pulled her hand from him and went to seat at the sofa. "H-He's with Lucy and Natsu."

"Oh. Juvia will be done soon." She said and went back to the kitchen.

"What was that about?" Levy said loud enough that only Gajeel was able to hear. He sat on the other couch and reached for the TV remote.

He just shrugged and turned the TV on.

"I thought they're going to..." She pulled her hair in different direction. Frustrated that she didn't get the reaction she wanted from their friends. "What the hell was that?!"

Jellal went out of the kitchen with a mug in his hands. "What's the problem Lev?" He asked looking at Levy's peculiar behavior.

"N-Nothing." She said grabbing a pillow and hugging it.

Natsu, Lucy and Gray were walking down the halls and to their headquarters. After they had a mini argument with The Sabers band members, they went on floors asking staff and guards if they have seen Lisanna.

"In the end we didn't find her." Lucy sighed walking a little slower than the two. During the whole time that they were looking for Lisanna they wasted more time with Natsu and Gray fighting and Lucy trying to break them apart. "This is really tiring. I'm so hungry." She grumbled.

"Uhhhh, this is a waste of time. I'm so hungry!" Natsu said placing his hands behind his head.

Gray looked at him annoyingly. "We should've done this a lot sooner if you didn't suggest 'let's go to the hotel's kitchen maybe Lisanna got hungry'." Gray said in a girly voice.

Natsu glared at him. "That was reasonable! When you're hungry you go to the kitchen!"

"Not a hotel's kitchen!"

"We wasted more time in your suggestion!" Natsu bumped his forehead on Gray's pushing him backwards. "'Let's go check the bathrooms maybe Lisanna got sleepy in one of the cubicles'." He said imitating Gray's girly voice.

"You suggested that one too!" Gray said angrily pushing him back. "And I didn't sound like that you pervert!"

"Last time I check, your voice sound like that. And look who's pervert?" Natsu spat looking away from Gray. "Lucy, I don't want you to discover a bad version of the male body so don't look."

"Aaaaaah! Gray your clothes!" She shouted at the half-naked guy in front of her.

"Don't say I didn't warn you." Natsu said shrugging.

"What was that for? You're not even concerned that I see half-naked guys?"

Natsu looked at her peculiarly. "Naaaah! I know mine's way better." Lucy just huffed and looked away. His eyes widened at her reaction and walked towards her. He grabbed her hand and they walked pass Gray who was still fumbling with his shirt. Natsu turned to her but she didn't look at him. "Hey! Don't say you...?"

But Lucy didn't answer him and instead continued walking. He was getting jealous. He was just concerned that Lucy might get the bad impression of the male body because she's just so innocent in these things, and seeing Gray's first might give her nightmares. But it seems to him that Lucy might have taken it the other way.

"HEY!"

Lucy turned towards him and let go of her giggle. "I didn't even look at Gray. Silly!" She started laughing. "Why so jealous? Nat-su?" She winked at him and laughed harder.

"But you shouted!"

"Yes, I was looking down when you warned me and immediately covered my eyes. It creeps me seeing naked people when I'm not even at the beach or something."

Natsu smirked. He leaned down. "So do you wanna see —"

Lucy slapped him hard at the back of his head. "Idiot." And she walked away. She was blushing really hard as she tried to get away from the Natsu and Gray.

"Look what you've done." Gray said walking past Natsu. "Pervert."

He immediately stood up and walked alongside Gray. "Hey! Don't go any closer to my woman!"

"Oh yeah? I'm the substitute to substitute!" He said mocking.

Natsu smirked. "Have you forgotten?" There was a smug look on his face. "I'm —" Lucy turned back to them getting annoyed of their bickering. "—her boyfriend! Idiot!"

"See, you don't even have the guts t—" Natsu clamped his hand over Gray's mouth.

"Idiot! I told you to keep it a secret!" Natsu whisper shouted at Gray. He looked at Lucy and there were men in black suits in front of her. At first he thought of something bad and let go of Gray but he saw the badges on their uniform saying they were guards of the Heartfilia.

"Miss Lucy." A guy in black said as he greeted Lucy with a bow together with 2 men behind him.

Lucy stared at them and nodded. "What is it?"

"Mr. Dreyar ordered an increase in security due to present circumstances. They have arrived already and we're just here to inform you of what had happened."

"Well that explains the increase of men in black suit." She said tapping her chin with her finger. "Alright. You're dismissed."

The three men went the other way and Lucy continued to walk as the bickering of Natsu and Gray came louder and louder. She had enough listening to their fighting for the whole time.

"She didn't even hear a thing! And you're the one shouting, stupid! Look how far she is!" Gray whisper shouted.

"Just don't blab anything about that! Idiot. You've almost blown my cover."

"You're just -" Natsu head butted Gray again and pushed him back through their foreheads.

"Piece of shit!" Gray spat.

"Would one minute of silence hurt if you two just stop hitting each other or saying name after name against the other?" She shouted at them. They cowered in fear. Lucy was just so exhausted and hungry from all the walking and climbing up and down the stairs in finding Lisanna. Sure she had fun with them but isn't hunger more important than fighting?

They shook their head. "Just like second Erza." Gray mumbled under his breath.

"You bet." Natsu mumbled and the two of them snickered but stopped themselves from further laughing.

Looking at the frown on their faces, her heart softened. She just couldn't be really mad at them. She smiled and grabbed both of their hands. "C'mon. I'm really hungry!"

She pulled both of them with her arms laced with theirs as they turn on one corner.

"Sir, we have just informed Miss Lucy about the increase in security. We shall give you Heartfilia badges as sign of uniforms." Said the man who spoke to Lucy a while ago. In his hand was a bag of badges which he handed over to the leader of the newcomers.

"Alright. Thank you!"

"I would be leaving you now. Apparently, there is a white car who just passed by the entrance of the hotel." He said holding on to the mini communicator in his ear.

"That seemed to need attention." The other man said. "I'll be giving this badges and we'll head there as soon as we can."

"I have assigned stations for all of you and some will be keeping an eye on Miss Lucy. Go to Loke's office later and he'll give you your stations." And with that he left.

When the man left, the man he was talking to turned towards the new guards and gave them the badges. "You knew very well why all of you are here." He said and passed the bag of badges. "Observe the Fairy Law vocalist and keep an eye on his movements. The Heartfilia will be an easy task, but we have to keep an eye on her."

They all nodded and went out of the room.

Soon the man left in the room took his phone out and dialled a number. "Sir, we've successfully infiltrated the Heartfilia."

"I'm hungry!" Natsu shouted as they entered the Fairy Law HQ.

It was awfully quiet with just sound of the TV which was constantly being changed by Gajeel. Levy was looking at the television but was never really watching. Gajeel was justchanging the channels. Juvia was seating in the floor constantly growling as Gajeel changes the channel when she was getting to the good part of the show.

"Juvia will prepare!" Juvia said when they came in and went back to the kitchen.

Lucy followed her to the kitchen. "Let me help you with that!" She said but Juvia pushed her out of the kitchen.

"Juvia will not let you in the kitchen." She said placing her hands on her hips. "The last time you were here you broke nine plates while trying to help Juvia wash the dishes."

"But, I was sorry for that!" Lucy said insisting on helping.

Juvia shook her head. "Juvia just doesn't want more plates to die. Or you cutting your fingers again."

Lucy sighed in defeat and walked away gloomily.

"But you can help Juvia in calling them after she finished preparing!" Juvia said with a smile.

Lucy nodded happily. She was never good in the kitchen. She was really clumsy and the first time Erza taught her how to cut strawberries she ended up having bandages in almost all of her fingers. And it was just strawberries.

"Oh, where's Jellal?" Lucy asked before leaving Juvia alone.

"In his room." Juvia said without looking at her.

Lucy walked across the living room where Gray managed to steal the remote from Gajeel who looked more grumpy now. Natsu was sprawled on another couch and Levy was still hugging a pillow.

"Are you okay Levy?"

Surprised Levy looked up to the source of the voice and smiled hesitantly. She blushed. "O-Of course!"

"Did you find Lisanna?"

Levy looked down on her hands which were locked on her lap. "Uhhh.. Well.. We saw her car driving away from the hotel." She said.

It was rather odd, the way Levy was acting. Lucy knew something must have happened but she didn't asked anymore questions about that.

"See? It's nothing important." Gray said not looking at anyone of them.

Lucy shrugged and started to walk towards Jellal's room again. "Lucy why are you going in there?" Natsu asked finally sitting up from his sprawled position on the couch and looking at her with curious eyes. "My room's over there." He said pointing at another door.

"I want to talk to Jellal." And why would she want to go to his room? She was bout to knock on the door when Natsu spoke again.

"Why?"

"Natsu, I need to talk to him about the Band Battle." She said and knocked on the door. Soon Natsu was beside her and opened the door without even waiting for Jellal to let her enter. "Hey—!"

"I don't have to knock on Jellal's room." Natsu said walking past her and sitting himself in one of the beds.

"Why are you here anyway? I have to talk to him about the Band Battle." Lucy said walking.

"I want to hear about the Band Battle." He said pausing. "Besides, I don't want you alone in a room with another guy." He mumbled the last words but Lucy heard it all.

Her face softened and walked over to him ruffling his hair.

"Uhhh, you do know I'm here right?" Jellal said having the courage to stop the, before anything goes out of hand.