CHAPTER FOUR

"What about this one?"

Erza studied it for a moment, picking at the collar, finally shaking her head. "It's too stiff. She is a lady, after all. It needs to be soft and romantic."

"Levy is so petite, too…" Mira frowned at the rack of dresses. "This one would swallow her whole!"

Cana plucked a black dress from the rack. "This is sexy."

Levy's eyes bugged out at the 'dress' that looked more like a stringy blouse. "I— I think that's a bit too sexy, Cana…"

"Juvia thinks this one is pretty!" Juvia held out a light blue dress, fully coated in sequins.

"It looks more like a club dress though, not a first date dress," Lucy mused. "She needs something more casual."

"But still polished and appropriate," Erza added.

Cana snorted and picked up another dress. "She needs some sex appeal, Erza. The poor girl has a non-existent rack." Levy frowned, and Cana smiled regretfully. "Sorry, Lev. You've got a great ass, though!"

Levy sighed and slumped against the chair near the fitting room. After Gajeel asked her out, she'd been elated. But when Friday arrived, she realized she had nothing to wear. Unless leotards and yoga leggings counted. The dresses in her closet were way too casual and plain, and while Gajeel had seen her in all of that and never cared, she wanted to look beautiful. Special.

Lucy had opened her door early on Saturday morning, half awake and blinking, to find Levy in a full-on panic over what to wear. A quick text (and a massive cup of coffee) later, and all the girls were ready and assembled to go shopping.

News of Levy and Gajeel's blooming romance spread like wildfire once Lucy found out—as a true lover of gossip, she told everyone. She'd been ecstatic for her best friend, and happy that Natsu's grumpy neighbor had finally found someone. Of course she was a bit skeptical at first. From what little she knew of him, Gajeel didn't exactly have the best track record. But when Levy talked about him, all starry-eyed and smiley, Lucy knew what she had was something special. Even Natsu and Gray noticed a change in Gajeel, both exclaiming that they'd seen him walking through their complex whistling. They didn't even know he knew how to whistle.

They'd arrived at the mall nearly two hours ago, and so far had no luck in finding the perfect first date dress—it was proving to be a much more difficult task than Levy had anticipated. Everyone had their own styles, as well as their own opinions of what a first date dress should be. Erza, wearing skinny jeans and a classic sleeveless blouse, was more polished, and since her first date with Jellal was to a gala, her examples were a bit too formal. Cana favored crop tops and shorts, and her taste in dresses was much more…scandalous. Mira liked pink frilly things, and Lucy liked tight-fitted things. And Juvia…if it was blue, and sparkly, she was in.

Lucy pulled her long braid over her shoulder and smiled sympathetically. "Don't give up, Levy! We'll find the perfect dress."

"Yeah, we're all professional fashion consultants," Cana joked. "We got this."

Erza sat down on the sofa near Levy. This boutique was perfect for their large group—there were plenty of plush chairs to sit in. They'd kept the fact that they offered champagne a secret from Cana, though…

Erza tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Does Gajeel have any preference in clothing?"

Levy shook her head. "I don't think so. I mean, I could wear a robe and he'd probably love it."

Cana raised her brows. "Damn, girl. Get it."

"No!" Levy stammered, pink tinting her cheeks. "No! That's not what I meant!"

"I can't believe Gajeel finally found someone. He really deserves it."

Everyone turned to look at Mira, who was smiling fondly, seemingly lost in some memory. Her blue eyes sparkled with something close to pride.

"I agree," Erza said, softly. "He's certainly come a long way, hasn't he?"

Lucy smiled. "Natsu said that he's never seen Gajeel show interest in anyone. He must really like you, Lev."

Levy blushed and looked down at her hands where they rested in her lap. She knew Gajeel had a bit of a rough past. She'd never asked him about it—he'd tell her when he was ready. All her friends knew him, or at least knew of him, before she did, and so far, everyone had been amazed at how far he'd come.

"I really like him," Levy whispered.

Mira smiled. "And he really likes you. Gajeel needs some happiness."

Levy absently twisted the ends of her hair as she watched Mira adjust her denim jacket. They all seemed to know something about him. It amazed her that she didn't even know who he was until two months ago. Levy pulled her feet up, getting more comfortable.

"What was he like a few years ago?"

Lucy shrugged, as did Cana.

"I don't know," Lucy said. "I met him through Natsu last year when he moved into the complex."

Cana nodded. "I only met him when I went to visit Gray. Juvia, you've known him since you were kids, right?"

Juvia nodded as she took a sip from her smoothie. Her blue curls bounced over her shoulder. "Yes, Juvia met him in foster care."

Levy blinked. "Foster care?"

"That's right," Erza mused. "I almost forgot about that detail."

"Gajeel was in foster care?" Levy asked again.

Mira nodded sadly. "Yeah. He had a bit of a troubled past. I don't know much, only that he had a rough time with the foster system."

Everyone turned expectantly to Juvia again, and she hummed thoughtfully and put down the purse she'd been looking at. "Juvia lived with a foster family at the time, and they took Gajeel in. He was always so angry and mean, and he was constantly getting in trouble, but Juvia liked him. We were only ten. In the end, Gajeel was snapped up by the system again when he beat up one of the other kids staying with us. That's all Juvia knows."

Levy looked down. "I had no idea."

"Yeah, I didn't either," Lucy said solemnly.

Erza sighed and stood. "I'm sure it's quite personal, and he probably doesn't like talking about it. Everyone has a past, and everyone has pain they can't get over." She smiled at Levy. "I'm sure he'll talk to you when he's ready. You're good for him, you know."

"Yeah!" Cana draped her arm over Levy's shoulder. "I haven't seen that guy smile in all the time I've known him. But since he met you, that loser's like a giggly little girl."

Levy giggled. Knowing how much he'd changed was definitely pleasing, but she wanted to know more of him. There was a whole deep past she didn't know, sides of him she'd not yet been able to see. She wanted to know all of him, every dark secret, every memory. There were few guys Levy had been interested in, though many seemed keen with her. Jet and Droy, two guys she met in a class the previous year, made their affections obvious. And as sweet as they were, neither of them were her type. Then she met Gajeel and the whole concept of having a type at all shattered. Gajeel was dark, mysterious, but kinder than anyone she'd ever met. He showed it in his own way, but behind the gruff exterior was a warm heart that beat strong for her.

Not to mention, he was the most attractive man she'd ever met…. Rugged and handsome, with a dangerous flair. Tanned skin and unruly black hair that reached his lower back, with scarlet eyes that could see straight into her soul. Levy remembered trying to form her words properly when she first met him—somehow she succeeded, but in her head she sounded like a stuttering, lovesick child.

"I believe we have a date to prepare for," Erza said firmly. She stood and pointed to another dress rack. "We have five hours to find a dress and get Levy back to her apartment to get ready. Let's not waste any time!"

The search was on again. Lucy and Juvia tackled a rack that had shorter dresses, Mira and Cana looked at some racks toward the back, and while Erza rapidly moved rack to rack, examining each dress and analyzing the attributes they would highlight on Levy's petite frame, Levy flipped through a rack of more casual dresses.

This was Gajeel they were talking about. Stuffy and formal weren't within his vocabulary, and it's not like he'd be wearing a suit! He said it would be casual, and she didn't want to look like an idiot for their first date by wearing something really extravagant. Besides, Levy just wouldn't be comfortable in something covered in sequins and lace. Hangers clinked together as she scanned the rack, and when she got to the end, she hesitated.

A short, blush pink floral dress stood out on the rack. Not too formal, not too casual, perfect for a first date. The tiny straps were delicate, and the short hem had a ruffled trim. Levy pulled it from the rack. The material was a cotton blend, but it was super soft.

"I think I found one!" Everyone flocked to Levy. She held out the dress, earning several approving nods. "What do you guys think?"

"I think it's perfect!" Lucy said.

Mira and Erza nodded, and Cana examined it carefully. "Go try it on."

The dress looked ten times better on—short and flirty, the hem landed just above mid-thigh and the dainty straps showed off her delicate collar bones beautifully. She stepped out of the fitting room, several gasps filling the boutique.

"Beautiful," Juvia gushed.

"You have killer legs," Lucy said. "This looks amazing on you!"

Cana circled her. "How are you going to wear your hair?"

Levy shrugged. "I thought about wearing a headband and pulling my hair up."

"Leave some curls out so it looks loose," Mira said. She stepped up and pulled Levy's hair back. "Like this. Then it looks effortlessly sexy!"

Erza nodded in approval. "I think with a pair of flats it could be quite lovely."

"And more importantly," Lucy added, "Gajeel will lose his mind."

Levy laughed and twirled. "Thanks, everyone! I don't know how I would have done this without you!" She went back into the dressing room and slipped the dress off, tossing it over the door and changing into her clothes. Once she was changed, she stepped out and smiled. "Really, thanks so much for helping, you guys. I love this dress…"

Lucy waved her off. "Hey, we're all taken. You're the last one that needs a man, so we're happy to help."

"I hope you know I am happily single!" Cana slapped Levy on the butt and grabbed the dress en route to the checkout. "There's not a man alive that can handle all this." She motioned to herself and twirled dramatically, continuing on to the front of the store. Erza just shook her head.

"Come on, ladies!" Cana said. "Levy has a date to get ready for, and I have a lovely date with a tall bottle of wine."

ooo

A touch of makeup and a spritz of perfume were the finishing touches to Levy's first date approved look. She'd slipped into her new dress and white flats, and fixed her hair as Cana and Mira instructed. Now she had fifteen minutes to kill… Which meant she had fifteen minutes to pace her apartment and redo her hair a thousand times.

She's pulled it into a loose updo, purposefully pulling out some tendrils to look messy, and tied a white headband around her head, the trailing ribbons hanging over her shoulder. She wasn't sure where they were going. Gajeel hadn't told her anything, other than it was just casual.

What if I'm overdressed? What if he meant really casual? Like jeans and a t-shirt… Levy paced furious circles around her living room, nearly tripping on the dozens of stacks of books scattering the floor. The small living room was cozy, with a plush couch and an armchair near the fireplace, and the entire wall opposite the windows was filled with bookshelves. Those bookshelves, of course, were stuffed to the brim. Books were stacked haphazardly and crammed into every inch of space on the oak shelves, and that clearly wasn't enough room if you looked at the floor. The rug was nearly covered with books. Levy sighed—that was sure to leave a great impression… Crazy slobbish bookworm. Lovely.

A knock on her door had her nearly coming out of her skin. She jumped, flailing to keep herself upright. Her feet caught the rug, and she thrust her hands forward, catching herself just in time. After straightening her dress and moving the book that tripped her, Levy took a nervous breath and opened the door.

"Hey, shorty—"

Gajeel bit his lip. A blush, barely noticeable, dusted his skin as his eyes traveled from her shoes to her head, taking every inch of her in. If angel described her before, she was a goddess now. While she danced, she showed a lot of skin, but the exposed skin from her simple pink dress had his mind reeling. Something about the simplicity, the effortlessness of her dress made her seem to glow from within. Gajeel was at a loss for words—she looked so beautiful.

Shit… He cleared his throat and smiled. Shit! Say something, ya moron!

"Uh—" Smooth. Real smooth. He sighed and cleared his throat again as he took her hand. "You look freakin' gorgeous, Lev."

She beamed and did a little twirl, effectively taking away the last remaining ounce of brain power he had left. "Thank you! You look so handsome."

Gajeel snorted. "Just a shirt and jeans, shorty."

Levy rolled her eyes. A white button down and jeans had never looked so good! He'd unbuttoned the top button of the shirt, the collar popped, and rolled the sleeves. Usually he favored sleeveless shirts and leather jackets. But this…

Gajeel pulled a bouquet of lilies out from behind his back. When she gasped, he scratched the back of his neck and looked away, blushing all over again. She took the bouquet, and he smiled.

"I didn't know what kind of flowers you liked."

"Thank you! They're so pretty." She opened the door wider. "Here, come inside while I put these in water."

He followed her inside and immediately almost fell on a stack of books by the door. When he caught himself, he looked around and gawked. Books were everywhere. "Damn, shrimp. How many books do you own?"

Levy looked up and gasped. "Oh my gosh! I completely forgot… I swear I'm not a slob, I just ran out of room on my bookshelf!"

Gajeel chuckled. "Yeah I can see that."

While Levy arranged the flowers into a vase, Gajeel was busy taking everything in. Her apartment was exactly how he'd envisioned. Cozy and lived-in and inviting. Lots of books. Her reading glasses sat atop a book alongside a small bowl of grapes on the coffee table. It smelled of old books and vanilla spice candles and Levy.

"Okay, I'm ready!"

Gajeel turned to her and held his arm out, and when she stepped up, he lead her to the door by the small of her back.

"Where are we going?"

Gajeel wrapped an arm around her waist. "Ya like Chinese?"

ooo

When Gajeel had asked if she liked Chinese food, this wasn't what she was expecting. He did say it was casual, but this seemed a bit extreme… They stepped up to a tiny building, and she tried to hide her concern—calling it a shack would be a compliment. The plaster was crumbling and falling off the walls. It looked like it was held together by termites and super glue, and Levy had a sinking feeling that one good wind could destroy it.

Gajeel looked down at her skeptical face and barked out a laugh. "Don't worry, shrimp. We'll order to go. I know it looks like a shit hole, but trust me, they have the best food in town."

He opened the door, allowing Levy to enter first. The inside looked even smaller, if that were possible. Three small tables lined the wall up front. The cheap tile was dirty, and the man behind the counter looked like he was half asleep. Levy looked up at the flickering light with an almost accusatory glance, and Gajeel just chuckled and placed a hand on her back.

"Gajeel," the man said with a small smile. "Same as usual?"

"Yeah," he looked down at Levy. "You like sesame chicken?"

"Sounds delicious!" Levy smiled when the man behind the counter, who at first glance looked angry, smiled and offered her a free fortune cookie. "Thank you."

Gajeel glared at the man when he smirked, waggling his eyebrows at Levy when she wasn't looking. He laughed jovially and went back to give the order to the cook.

Levy was a bit…unsure when they arrived at this place. She almost walked right past it until Gajeel stopped her gently. Her shock was written on her face, she knew—it was just so unexpected. But she trusted Gajeel, so she was up for anything.

Ten minutes later, the same man returned with a paper bag full of food, and after paying, Gajeel took the food and led Levy outside.

"You up for a bit of a walk? It's not too far."

Levy quirked a brow, but laughed. "Pulling out all the stops tonight, huh."

Gajeel smirked. "Only for my girl."

And there went her face again—Gajeel was going to think something was wrong with her if she didn't stop blushing. He offered his hand, and she took it tentatively.

"I was only kidding," she said, giggling. "I actually love taking walks, so you'll hear no complaints from me!"

They walked through the campus park, crossing under the large oak trees to a small trail leading up into the mountainside behind the campus. At that point, Gajeel assured her it was a tiny walk, but she didn't mind. They'd talked the whole time, laughing and joking. As far as she was concerned, this had been the best first date she'd ever been on—and it hadn't even really started.

A few minutes passed before they reached a grassy hilltop. A willow tree perched toward the edge, and Gajeel moved her around a large bush to where a blanket had been laid out under the tree. Levy gasped. He'd thought of everything.

The hilltop was hidden from view, overlooking the campus, and while the trees kept them from being visible from the ground below, they could see everything clearly. Lights twinkled all around them from the buildings below. Fireflies peppered the landscape, and Levy sighed breathlessly. "This is beautiful."

Gajeel smiled and took her hand, pulling her onto the blanket. "It's nice up here." He sat down, Levy following suit. "I used to run all the way up here, but I stopped running. Now I just come here when I want to get away from life."

Her eyes sparkled with the reflections of fireflies, and she laughed as wind blew white flower petals from the nearby bush into her hair. "It's amazing! I would come here every day…" She stretched her arms out, enjoying the summer breeze, and collapsed onto her back, looking up at the sunset sky.

Gajeel just watched her happily basking in the evening sun, feeling the breeze on her skin. He watched as it caressed her hair and toyed with the hem of her dress, and he bit his lip.

"Why did you stop running?"

He blinked. Cancer. "Running ain't my thing. Got tired of it."

She seemed satisfied enough with his answer, and she sat up and looked at him with a brilliant smile. "I love this."

He softened. "I'm glad you like it, shorty."

Her fingers laced with his, and she smiled up at him. If he died right then and there, he would have been happy with his life. For two months she'd captured his every waking thought, his every dream. His mind constantly traveled back to her voice, the heavenly sound of her laughter, the freckles on her cheeks and shoulders. Sparkling eyes the color of honey and cerulean curls softer than silk. Her dancing—he could watch her dance forever. She'd completely taken over his mind.

He'd dreamed of what it would be like to hold her, kiss her senseless, run his fingers through her hair and make her cry out his name. He'd dreamed of a future with her, living with her and laughing with her. In just two months, she'd melted his heart, and he'd turned into some kind of cheesy wuss.

But he didn't even care. This was what he wanted. She was what he wanted.

Gajeel opened the paper bag and handed Levy one of the small takeout boxes and a pair of chopsticks. When she took a bite, sighing happily, he smirked.

"You were right," she said. "This is delicious!"

"I told ya, small fry. Best food in town."

Levy glared at him playfully. "Shorty, shrimp, small fry… What's next?"

Gajeel laughed and took a bite of his food. "Whatever comes to mind. I think it suits you."

She stuck her tongue out, then took another bite and sighed blissfully. Her toes wiggled cutely and Gajeel bit back a laugh.

"I haven't had food this good since I was a kid… My mom used to take us out for Chinese when I was little. It's been a long time."

Gajeel quirked a brow. "Has it been that long?"

"Yup." She took another bite. "One downside to ballet is the diet. Before I decided to make a future of it, we ate Chinese food a lot. I've really missed it. I've been trying to eat more during the day, but cleaner foods." She clicked her chopsticks together as she thought. "My mom actually used to get takeout a lot… She never was a great cook…"

He knew her parents had passed away a few years ago, so he didn't push the conversation further, but each chance Gajeel got to learn something about her, he took it. He soaked in this new information like a sponge.

Levy flashed him a gentle smile, setting down her takeout box. "Did you have anything you liked as a kid? I loved anything sweet. I still do."

Not getting beaten for breathing wrong? Gajeel scratched the back of his head and shrugged. "Not really. I moved to different foster families a lot, so I don't have too many good memories. Things were pretty stressful at the time. The old man I wound up with beat the shit outta me, and I was lucky if he gave me food at all." He cleared his throat. The conversation was taking a more serious turn than he'd expected, and he wasn't overly fond of talking about his past. Levy looked at him, quietly listening with a solemn expression, and he reached over to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "Now why the hell are you dieting?"

"Oh! I don't mean to lose weight or anything," she stammered, waving her hands frantically as he glared at her disapprovingly. "I just have to stay fit for ballet. So I eat clean. Lean meat, more fiber and good carbs. Lots of protein. I eat a lot, actually, just not much fast food. But it's nice to have a meal every now and then that's just…unhealthy. And delicious… You know what I mean?"

Gajeel barked out a laugh. "Well in that case, I'll just have to get you food from an Italian place I know soon."

Golden eyes lit up like the sun. "Really?"

"Hell yeah." Gajeel smirked and brushed his thumb over her cheekbone. "Gotta feed my girl right."

Levy blushed, not missing his claim. Being labeled as his girl made her want to scream like a little girl. She looked away in an attempt to hide her flushed cheeks from his line of sight. Thankfully, the sun was lowering into the horizon, casting a hot pink glow over them—she could just blame it on the light!

"So," she said a bit too abruptly, "how did you get started in mechanics? What made you decide to give it a try?"

He considered his words carefully. "Guess it was something I was always good at. I got into some trouble when I was younger, and when I started to clean up and get a job, Sting was the only person that would hire me."

"He sounds really nice."

Gajeel snorted. "He's a cocky son of a bitch, I'll give him that. But he's alright."

The next few hours were bliss. They laughed and talked about everything that came to mind, anything they could think of. Gajeel learned a lot about ballet, why she started and her goals for the future. He learned that she likes cats (he was relieved by that), and that she's terrified of thunder—she and Lily would get along well. They talked about their favorite food and college and the gym, where they wanted to go and what they planned to do after college, and as the hours passed by, Gajeel realized he'd never had such a good time just talking to someone. For the first time in years, he was perfectly relaxed, completely comfortable just sitting with her and listening.

Levy was quick-witted and intelligent and so adorably innocent at times. And the longer they talked, the harder he fell for her.

The sun had set long ago, the moon greeting the dark sky with a kiss of light. Stars twinkled all around them, and by that time, they were just content to watch the sky. Levy pointed out different constellations, telling him their stories and how they came to be. Gajeel only pretended to listen—he was too busy studying the curve of her neck and shoulders, the small curls that had popped loose from her updo and hung free around her neck, the bare skin of her back peeking out from her dress. His eyes landed on a silk size tag, which poked out over the top of the dress, and he reached up to tuck it back in, his fingers brushing her skin.

Damn… She's so soft… His touch lingered, his fingers trailing up to smooth over her shoulder, squeezing gently, leaving a scorching trail in his wake.

Levy's cheeks burned as she turned to look at him. "Wha—"

"Your tag." He cleared his throat, looking back up at the sky. "It was out."

"Oh."

Now his cheeks were burning, too.

Gajeel's eyes widened, only momentarily, when Levy leaned into his side and used his shoulder as a pillow. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close, burying his nose in her hair. "Whatcha think, shorty?" he murmured. "Are you up for a second date?"

Levy looked up at him, the sweetest smile he'd ever seen lighting up her face. "You should know by now that I'm in this. I never considered this first date as a trial. I knew this would be something I wanted to continue from the very beginning."

He chuckled. A newfound confidence pushed him forward, and in the briefest, shortest caress, his lips brushed her cheek in a chaste kiss. And then…his confidence immediately plummeted when he realized what he'd done. Gajeel jerked away from her, fully prepared to make up some shitty excuse, but when she smiled at him like that and curled closer into his side, he melted.

He smirked and pulled her closer. Somehow, he didn't completely botch it. And somehow, even more astonishing, he'd managed to convince the angel in his arms to go out with him again. Maybe he finally did something right.


A/N: I hope you enjoyed today's chapter! I really like updating twice a week now, so I'll be seeing you all again on Monday! Thank you to everyone who left a review-it made my day! Until next time :)