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"Happy Birthday, Gajeel!"

The iron dragon slayer mage looked up grumpily from the plate he was hunched over at the guild's bar. A tiny, blue-haired girl stood on her toes beside him, grinning cheerfully and holding out a package wrapped in brightly colored paper with a large blue bow stuck to the top of it. He grunted and turned back to his meal, grumbling as he shoved another spoonful in his mouth.

Levy's smile faded slightly, and she poked at Gajeel's shoulder with the package. "Gajeel? Is something wrong?"

"Who told you it was my birthday?" he growled, sitting up straight on the bar stool and crossing his arms over his chest. The dragon slayer towered over the small girl in this position, but she didn't seem to notice his menacing stature. Instead she giggled as she thrust the present into his arms.

"I read the guild member files all the time, silly," she laughed. "I got you a present!" Gajeel looked down at the rectangular object in his hands and grunted.

"Thanks, shrimp," he said gruffly, a light blush warming his cheeks. Levy poked his arm.

"Well open it first!" she insisted. A shout came from across the guild, and Levy glanced over her shoulder.

"I'll be over in just a second!" she called, then turned back to the bigger mage. "I'm sorry, I have to go; I promised Jet and Droy I'd go on a short mission with them today." She started to leave, then turned back once more. "I hope you like your present!" she laughed before heading off to join her teammates.

Gajeel watched her go, then turned back to the bar, turning the package over in his hands. He'd never gotten a birthday present before; dragons weren't really in the practice of buying presents, and none of the other guilds he had belonged in kept such extensive guild member records, so no one usually knew when his birthday was. To him, birthdays were just like any other day. But it was just like Levy to go out of her way to make such a silly thing special for a person. A small, rebellious voice in his mind told him that Levy hadn't given birthday gifts to any of the other guild members, save for Lucy, but he shrugged the thought off. Glancing around to make sure no one was watching him, the dragon slayer slipped a large finger in the opening in the paper and carefully popped the tape off, taking care not to rip the wrapping. Maybe it was silly, but dragons had a tendency to hoard things, and Gajeel definitely wanted the keep the paper from his first ever birthday present. Unfolding the end of the package, he slid out... a book.

Gajeel couldn't help but chuckle. Yep, just like Levy, alright. He folded the wrapping paper carefully and tucked it in his pocket, then turned his attention to his new book. Or rather, new to him. The dark green, cloth-bound book was obviously well-read; the bottoms of the covers were worn where the book had been held many times, and as he flipped it open he could feel that the pages were beginning to take on the soft texture of over-handled paper. He shut the book again and ran a hand over its binding, his mouth turned down in a frown of concentration. Yes, it was well-read... but obviously well taken care of as well. Gajeel wondered if Levy had bought it second hand, and sniffed lightly. If she had, she'd done so long ago; the cloth smelled just like the little blue-haired mage.

"What the heck am I going to do with a book? Reading's a waste of time," he grumbled as he lightly tossed the book onto the bar, though if he was honest with himself, it touched him that she would give him something she'd so obviously enjoyed. Thinking about that gave him a twinge of guilt, and he pulled the book back to him, mumbling to himself. He looked it over again. The title was embossed in gold near the top of the cover.

"Pride and Prejudice, huh?" It sounded interesting enough. Maybe he could give it a try. He wasn't doing anything else today, anyway. He flipped it open to the first page and began to read.

"'It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife,'" Gajeel read aloud. He grunted. Was this a romance novel? He glanced around, looking to see if anyone had heard him reading the book. If anyone had, they didn't seem to have paid much attention. Still, this wasn't the kind of thing he wanted to be caught reading; it would ruin his image for sure. The dragon slayer slipped the book into his pocket while he ate the rest of his meal, then left the guild quietly. Back at his small apartment, he lit a lamp, sat on his bed, and pulled the book out again.

Am I really going to read this thing? He wondered to himself as he read over the first line again. Apparently, he was. He settled against the wall behind his bed, frowning in concentration. The old English style was kind of difficult to understand, but surprisingly, Gajeel enjoyed the story. So much so, in fact, that he didn't notice the sinking sun outside his window.

"'With the Gardiners they were always on the most intimate terms. Darcy, as well as Elizabeth, really loved them; and they were both ever sensible of the warmest gratitude towards the persons who, by bringing her into Derbyshire, had been the means of uniting them,'" Gajeel read, letting out a yawn as he reached the end of the book. He shut the book with one hand as he rubbed his eyes with the palm of the other, finally realizing how long he'd spent reading. He moved to put the book on the shelf near his bed, and was surprised when a slip of paper fell out from between the final page and the back cover.

Placing the book on the shelf, the mage bent and picked up the slip of paper. He immediately recognized Levy's elegant script. He cleared his throat and read it to himself out loud.

"'To my Mr. Darcy, I hope you love this book as much as I do! Love, Levy.'"

Heat rushed to Gajeel's cheeks and he quickly reread the note, hoping he hadn't missed something. Was this really... what he thought it was?

The dragon slayer's mind raced as connections started forming in his mind, all building up to one big picture. Little comments, small glances directed his way... It had all been so obvious, and yet it had taken something like this to make him see it. Could it be true? Could Levy... really see him in that way?

And what of his own feelings? If she did feel this way about him, did he return the sentiment? He'd worked hard to make sure she'd been protected, yes, but he'd done that to help kill the guilt of what he'd done to her before... hadn't he? He had to admit, the closer he'd gotten to her, the more he craved her company. He admired the strength of her spirit and her cheerful, friendly manner. And she looked practically angelic as she read her books, the rest of the world fading away in the background to her. She really was quite beautiful.

Gajeel read the note over again. "'My Mr. Darcy'..." he mused aloud, thinking back about the story he'd just read. And surprisingly, the dragon slayer began to laugh. Not particularly socially adept, seemingly stand-offish, but quite different beneath the rough interior... Gajeel had a lot more in common with the character than he'd thought. And she had seen it all along. Levy...

The mage grinned gleefully, unable to contain himself. He'd been denying his feelings, even to himself, for far too long. Tomorrow, he would tell Levy how he felt about her. And he knew just how to do it.

The guild was bustling the next morning. Gajeel struggled to look through the crowd, searching for a flash of blue hair.

"If you're looking for Levy, she's reading out back," Mirajane commented as he rested against the bar. Gajeel gaped at the bartender in shock, wondering how she could possibly know what he was doing.

"I'm not blind, you know; I see the way you look at her," she teased with a wink. "Now I suggest you get on out there before you lose courage." Regaining his composure, he nodded his thanks and headed out back.

Levy reclined against a tree trunk, a large book propped open on her knees. Gajeel walked up to her, reciting his line in his head. The tiny mage didn't look up from her book; she was completely immersed, and the dragon slayer couldn't completely suppress the smile tugging at his lips. He cleared his throat. "Levy?"

The girl shook her head in surprise and looked up, her face lighting with a cheerful smile. "Gajeel!" she chirped. "How are you?" He nodded, suddenly feeling a bit bashful. What if she thought this was stupid? Well, it was too late now.

The large mage knelt down on both knees beside her, reaching for one of her hands and folding it in both of his own. Levy's eyes widened in shock, her mouth shaping an 'o' of surprise. "Levy..." Gajeel began, then cleared his throat again. "Levy, you must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you." He looked deeply into her eyes, desperately searching for her approval there. A delighted grin spread across Levy's face, and she leaned forward, wrapping her arms around the dragon slayer's neck. He grunted in surprise, then hugged her back delicately, afraid he might hurt her if he hugged too hard.

"You got my note," she hummed into his neck. A 'yeah' was all he could manage. All too soon, Levy pulled away, and Gajeel had to fight the urge to pull her back. Instead, he sat beside her beneath the tree and she leaned against his arm. They sat in happy silence for several minutes, both marveling in the joy of newly realized love. Occasionally Levy would let out a contented sigh, and Gajeel would just smile, glad to know he was the one who caused that sigh. Levy was the first to break the silence.

"You know, that's actually the line Mr. Darcy said right before he was horribly rebuked by Elizabeth," she commented. Gajeel grunted and wrapped his arm around the small mage's shoulders.

"Don't ruin it, shrimp."


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