CHAPTER SEVEN

"Well, it seems you've hit a plateau in terms of your progression."

Porlyusica looked through her papers, going over the vitals she took that morning during Gajeel's weekly appointment. Over the course of the last month or so, Porlyusica had noticed Gajeel's improvement in terms of his mood. Health-wise, he was slowly, but surely, getting worse. But for some reason, he seemed to be happier. Less bitter.

He'd arrived for his Monday morning appointment a bit early, spending those few extra minutes talking with Wendy. She'd been excited to see him, eagerly running to give him a hug. This had become a greeting Gajeel had grown used to, and in all honesty he didn't mind.

Porlyusica almost balked when she entered the lobby to call him back, seeing him laughing at something Wendy said.

They did routine stuff first. Weight, vitals, questionnaire. Typical. Gajeel had lost another two pounds since the previous month, which wasn't good, but he was apparently eating well, so that was good. Porlyusica scolded him when she asked about alcohol consumption and fitness—guilty pleasures she'd known he partook in for quite some time. No matter what she said to sway him toward chemo or a healthier lifestyle that could slow down his cancer's progression, he wouldn't do it.

Vitals were fine, all was pretty good. He did look exhausted, and from the ultrasound they did, she was able to see that the tumor had grown and the cluster had expanded to cover more area, which would explain why his current medications weren't doing anything in terms of helping his stomach pain.

Porlyusica took off her glasses and reclined in her office chair. She remained quiet for a moment, her blood-red eyes calculating and focused on the wood of her desk.

"This plateau will decline soon," she said finally. "You're progressing into final stages steadily."

Gajeel nodded once. "I know."

"You really are a fool…" She looked up to study his face. Studded eyebrows were set in a hard line. Gajeel pushed his long hair over his shoulder and crossed his arms. Porlyusica sighed. "I have to tell you… If you don't get treatment quickly, you may lose all chances. It will spread to your lungs soon. This medicine will only help you for so long."

"I understand that."

At this point he didn't know why she even tried to convince him to undergo chemo. In Gajeel's mind, he wasn't worth saving. He wasn't worth the effort. Why help scum like him to live? What could the world possibly gain from letting him live? All he ever did was hurt people. Sure—somehow he'd managed to convince Levy to date him, and he'd fallen so damn hard for her it was almost funny. But like a bastard, he would only hurt her in the end. He knew that and he still couldn't break away from her. He only ever hurt the people he cared about, so why live?

Porlyusica sighed. "Alright, fine. So once again let me ask you, have you looked over the list of chemotherapy treatment options?"

Gajeel recalled the list she'd given him in April—the same paper that he chased into the dance studio that fateful day he met Levy. Porlyusica had given him that list, a list of several different treatment options he could choose from, and pleaded with him periodically to reconsider. No matter how many times he told her he didn't want to undergo chemo, she still asked him about it.

"Not interested."

Porlyusica hung her head and nodded before straightening. "Okay, okay. Keep thinking about it." Gajeel rolled his eyes. "So how is this medication plan working for you? Fatigue still an issue?"

"When is fatigue not an issue?" Gajeel laughed grimly. "Stomach pain's a bitch."

"Well, with how far your cancer has spread, I'd be surprised if it wasn't. I can give you a new medication to at least lessen the pain, but at this point we're running out of options." She flipped through her papers again. "And the nausea?"

"Better. That hasn't been bad. Just the damn pain."

Porlyusica nodded. "How are you sleeping?"

"Like shit."

Porlyusica almost laughed. "Okay, here's what I can do. We'll try this new prescription out for the stomach pain. Like I said, it will only lessen the symptoms. You've reached that point where we can't eliminate the pain entirely."

Gajeel inclined his head in understanding.

"I can also give you some medicine to help you sleep better, so you won't feel so exhausted during the day."

"Alright."

Porlyusica rolled her eyes and scribbled down some prescriptions on his form, tearing it from its binding. "Wendy will take care of this. Do you have any concerns this week?"

Gajeel just stared at her, one brow raised.

"Right, right. Do you ever?" She stood and opened her office door. "See you next week, Redfox."

Gajeel stood and grabbed his school bag before following Porlyusica out of the office. As usual, she didn't even wave as she trudged into the next patient's room, clipboard in hand. The woman was severe and colder than a glacier, but she knew what she was doing. She was one of the best oncologists in all of Fiore, and the top doctor in Magnolia. Gajeel's case was so severe when he was diagnosed, they sent him right to her. He'd been in her care for over a year now.

After signing out on the sheet at the nurse's station, Gajeel took his written prescriptions up to the front desk in the pharmacy. Wendy was typing something into the computer, her navy hair pulled into a frazzled ponytail. She looked exhausted, like she was one step away from crazy. Though it was well masked behind a sweet smile, Gajeel could tell her nerves were frayed.

"Hey." He set the prescriptions on the counter and chuckled when her eyes lit up upon seeing him. "What's got you so down?"

"Oh!" Wendy laughed weakly. "Sorry… It's been a bit crazy today."

He watched as she took his prescriptions and looked them over before typing them into the system. She was unusually quiet. Normally she was a sweet little chatter box, always greeting him with a big smile and a hug. Gajeel frowned—admittedly, he'd grown fond of her. She was almost like a little sister to him, and he didn't like seeing her so down.

Propping one elbow on the counter, he leaned over her and raised one studded brow. "What's goin' on?"

Wendy blinked. "Nothing— It's nothing." She bit her lip and smiled. "Everything's fine." Gajeel just stared at her as she fidgeted with the prescriptions. Finally she gave in and sighed. "Just… We've had a tough day. Lots of patients needing particular care. The computers crashed this morning—thankfully we got that fixed. I've been… Romeo is mad at me because I've been so busy."

Ah. There it was. The clinic had busy days all the time, and Wendy handled it like a champ. Always did. She practically thrived off chaos. Gajeel knew Romeo to be her boyfriend. Wendy had stars in her eyes just talking about the kid, so of course a fight with him was what was really bothering her. As if she was really just stressed from a busy day at work. Ridiculous.

"Want me to kick his ass?"

Finally, she laughed—a real, genuine laugh—and shook her head.

Gajeel smirked. "Ya sure? I'll teach that little punk a lesson for messin' with my girl. Just say the word, and I'll kick his ass from here to next week."

Wendy giggled again. The twinkle in her eyes finally returned. "No, of course not! There's no need to ambush him."

Gajeel reached over and ruffled her hair. "It'll be alright. From everything you've told me, he seems like a good kid. I'm sure you'll work it out."

Too dumbstruck to respond, the young girl just stared at him, blinking. Never, not once since she'd met him, had she ever heard him speak so positively. Come to think of it…Gajeel was always angry or self-loathing. He always seemed wrapped up in his thoughts and mad at the world. Wendy knew there was more to him than meets the eye; she also knew he had scars in his past that would never heal. But beyond his tough, rugged exterior was a gentle heart. Thinking back, she'd never seen him actually show that side. Sure, she'd seen glimpses here and there, but now he seemed light and, dare she say, happy.

"Gajeel? You seem so…" Wendy moved her hands around as she searched for the right word. "Happy?"

He smirked, red eyes glinting with some kind of radiance she didn't understand. "Things are lookin' up lately, kid."

"Really? That's fantastic!" Wendy handed his prescriptions off to the pharmacist. "What's changed lately?"

Gajeel shrugged nonchalantly, but the upward pull of the corners of his mouth gave way to his happiness. Wendy cocked her head to the side and studied him. What on earth could he possibly be so happy about? From the report Porlyusica entered into the system, his cancer was way worse than it was three months ago. Maybe something exciting was happening in one of his classes? No—Gajeel didn't seem like the type to get all hyped up over college courses. Maybe Sting gave him a raise! But why on earth would he be that excited? Though it was well concealed, he carried himself with a different air. His countenance was lighter and more peaceful, almost like—

No. Absolutely not. There's no way he actually…

Wendy stood, her palms planting into the desk. "You have a girlfriend, don't you!"

Gajeel just smirked, a telling blush creeping into his cheeks.

Wendy squealed. "Oh, I'm so happy for you! This is wonderful!"

"Don't get too worked up, kid," he said, laughing. "For all I know she could wake up tomorrow and realize how much of a mistake this is."

"Don't you dare say that, Gajeel!" A nurse came back and gave her some papers. Wendy nodded and gave Gajeel a packet of medical pamphlets. "The nurse is saying your prescriptions will be ready for pick up in an hour. Can you stop by again sometime later today?"

He nodded.

"Okay, good! Here's some information on the new pills you'll be taking," she handed him a folder full of papers, then reached under the desk and pulled out a wrapped box, "and this is a batch of triple chocolate cookies I made for you! I hope you like them."

Gajeel chuckled and took the items from her hands, shaking his head. "Ya don't have to keep making these."

"I want to."

He rolled his eyes but smiled nonetheless. "Thanks, kid. They really are good…"

Wendy giggled and beamed up at him. "Thank you! Be sure to read all that information—it's really important." He nodded and waved over his shoulder. "If I'm not here when you come by later, then I'll see you next week! Take care, Gajeel!"


"Good, Levy, good! And grand jeté…excellent! Much better. Right…arms in the fifth! No, no, no…"

Levy stopped and sighed in frustration when the her trainer cut off the music. Practice was not only becoming increasingly stressful, but her first performance coming up, she was getting more and more nervous, and it seemed like practice never stopped. Between yoga every morning and classes and practice, and then of course studying for her degree, she felt as if she was being stretched too thin. There just wasn't enough time in the day, and trying to balance everything with school and her job was difficult. Not to mention her new relationship with Gajeel. That came first and foremost—he was more important.

"Here," the woman came beside her and performed the move, stretching her arms out gracefully and moving into an arabesque, "try again. More fluid this time."

Levy nodded and turned again, arching her back and extending her arms as far as she could. She beamed when Margaret nodded in approval.

"Okay, very good."

After another play through of the song, Levy moved into some basic stretches to end her practice. The arabesque was proving to be a challenge. Nerves were getting to her—now that she'd mastered the grand jeté, Margaret was telling her that her arabesque was looking sloppy. There was always something… Her debut in January was just too important. She couldn't allow slip-ups.

Margaret moved to help Levy stretch her legs, pushing against her back carefully so she could stretch against the wall, one leg extended high over her head. "The judges are coming next week to give some feedback before the performance next Friday. Are you ready?"

She almost forgot… Margaret asked a few professionals to come and watch her performance during her rehearsal next week. It wasn't her first recital or anything, so she wasn't nervous...but getting feedback always made her anxious. And knowing Margaret, she wasn't going to get anyone that would let her off too easy. If it was bad, they would tell her.

Levy let out a deep breath when Margaret pushed her a bit further, pushing her legs past a straight split. "Y-Yeah. I think so."

She let go and Levy stood and stretched her back. "You'll do fine. Work hard on that sequence with the arabesque moving into the penché. You know where I'm talking about?"

Levy nodded.

"Good. Everything else is looking great. Your grand jeté has improved drastically, I can tell you've been working hard."

"Thank you!" Levy smiled and gave a thumbs up. "I'll work hard to improve."

Margaret nodded and smiled. "Good. I'll see you on Monday morning! Practice some more this weekend."

Levy waved and watched as Margaret left the studio, sighing and slumping against the wall once she was out of sight. It wasn't that she didn't love ballet. Dance was a part of her—she couldn't imagine her life without it. But she was quickly learning that a professional career would take away some of the joy. She danced from the heart, because she loved to. But lately…it'd felt like more of a chore and less of a passion.

Levy shook her head hastily and pulled her hair up into a bun, tying a headband on her head to keep her hair out of her face. "No time to think like this! I just need to work harder."

Pressing the play button on her iPod, she moved through her routine again. Dark and mysterious and elegant moves all melded together into an abstract, but also classical, routine for her solo piece. She would be portraying Izanami, the goddess of death. Her dance told the story of how Izanami died, and how the circle of life and death was created.

Izanami was once beautiful and radiant, a goddess of creation married to Izanagi, the god of creation. When Izanami died, Izanagi was heartbroken and went to the underworld to save her. But when she stepped into the light and Izanagi saw how her body had decayed with death, he ran in fear and disgust, locking her in the underworld with an impenetrable barrier. Izanami was distraught, and promised to Izanagi that if he left her, she would take the life of one thousand humans every day, and he retaliated by swearing to breathe life into fifteen-hundred humans every day. So he left her in the underworld, and the circle of life and death was born.

Though this story had been portrayed a few times through dance as a pas de deux, Levy's instructors thought it would be more intriguing to have Levy do a solo performance from the standpoint of Izanami alone—a ballet showing Izanami's emotional heartbreak and transition from a goddess of light to a goddess of death. Margaret had said it would make Levy's debut stand out more to the scouts.

Levy hoped she was right… So far Levy felt underwhelming and she knew she had a lot of work to do if she wanted her debut to be a success. Being positive and upbeat by nature, Levy had to admit portraying someone who was dark and tragic was a challenge. But if she could pull this off, she could dance professionally. That was what she really wanted.

At least, that's what she told herself.


The week flew by, and more than anything Gajeel just wanted to be with Levy. It felt as if they hadn't seen each other all week. Brief interactions here and there, but no time for just the two of them. Although he did get the pleasure of walking her to her yoga class each morning, which was easily the best moments of his week. Something about leggings really put him in a good mood. Levy in yoga pants was a sight for sore eyes. Her legs looked killer in tight spandex, and she had the most amazing hips he'd ever laid eyes on. Not to mention her ass…

Levy was, if it was even possible, even more beautiful in the morning. Her eyes still looked hazy with sleep, the most beautiful shade of honey he'd ever seen, and her rumpled cerulean curls were pulled up into a messy bun, held away from her eyes with a headband. She never wore makeup that early, but she never needed it. Gajeel always preferred her skin clean and untouched by makeup. The freckles dotting her nose and cheeks were too cute to cover.

Those mornings he'd walked her to yoga were times he cherished. Stolen kisses and texts throughout the week were amazing, and any chance he got to hold her in his arms was like heaven. But something about seeing her in the early morning light made all his problems disappear. He didn't think about cancer, or if he took his medications. He didn't think about how badly his stomach was hurting, or when he'd have the time to fit a nap into his schedule because he was so tired he couldn't think straight. In those moments, all he saw was her. All he thought of was her. Levy was the peace in his restless soul, like a calming wave washing over him.

Aside from dreaming of every moment he'd get to see his girlfriend, Gajeel spent the week drowning in homework and repair jobs at work. Some moron thought that hair-spraying their hair while driving was a good idea, and ended up in a head-on collision. The stupidity of people never ceased to amaze the guys at Sting's shop.

Now, on Saturday, Gajeel was finally home free. After a light workout at the gym that morning and a short shift at work, Gajeel was eager to steal Levy away from her ballet practice for the rest of the day. Levy had invited him over to her apartment for dinner for the night, and he intended to get to her place as soon as possible. He knew she'd already finished practice, so all he had left to do was change and get to her place.

He stepped into his apartment, tossing his keys onto the entryway table and moving into the kitchen. There was a basket he kept hidden in a high cabinet over the refrigerator (too tall for Levy to reach but easily accessible to him) that held all his medications. It was time for round two of his pain medicine, and nausea medicine wouldn't hurt. Then there were the daily pills he was forced to take… Six pills, and a large glass of water later, Gajeel was making his way into his bedroom. Cancer always sucked. Everyone said 'look for the silver lining!' Well, with a disease that slowly killed you, there was no silver lining. It was like a parasite was living in his stomach, sucking away all his energy. The last several months had been harder than ever. He was beginning to lose weight, no matter how hard he tried to keep up his muscle mass. And the exhaustion was a constant battle… Hopefully Levy had some coffee at her place.

Static fluffed up his hair as he pulled his work shirt over his head and threw it in the hamper. A quick shower was necessary. His hair was messy (more so than usual) and smelled of motor oil and sweat—neither were a scent he'd want his girlfriend associating him with. The start of September had taken away the sweltering heat of the summer, but it was still too warm to work comfortably. Pantherlily sauntered into his bedroom, rubbing up against his ankles and squeaking contentedly.

Gajeel chuckled and bent to pick him up, scratching under his chin. "What do you want, Lil?"

Another squeak.

"We gotta work on that meow."

Gajeel sat the large cat down and gave him one more pat on the head before hopping into the shower. He managed to take a shower in record speed (which was impressive considering how long it took to wash his hair), and was out and dressed within ten minutes. Hair dried, jeans and a t-shirt on, and Gajeel was refreshed and ready to leave. Pantherlily demanded food as he perched beside his bowl near the window, and after feeding him, Gajeel grabbed his keys, hesitating when he reached the small table near the door. The papers Porlyusica had given him so many months ago were folded and stuffed under his school bag. His eyes set in a hard line as his gaze lingered a bit too long on the form. Now was not the time to be rethinking.

After being stopped by both Erza and Natsu, one for calculus notes questions and the other for a thrilling (complete sarcasm) invitation to spar, Gajeel huffed and trudged down the sidewalk to the next building over. He entered in the pass code Levy had given him, then pressed the button in the elevator for the tenth floor. All week he'd heard about her new bookshelves and how excited she was to have organization again—Gajeel was just excited he wouldn't break an ankle on one of the thousands of books she owned trying to enter her apartment. Though, truth be told, even if he tripped and broke an ankle, he wouldn't care. He was really just excited to be seeing her.

He didn't even have to knock on her door when he got there, as she was waiting with the door open. The smile she gave him when he saw her was breathtaking, and it seemed to take over her whole face.

"Gajeel!"

A sight for sore eyes… On anyone else, the short sunny dress she wore would've looked plain, but on Levy it was ethereal. Beautiful. Her only accessory was a white apron. Gajeel held out his arms, folding her into an embrace. He buried his nose in her hair, reveling in the rosy scent of her shampoo, the floral perfume against her neck.

"I missed you," she mumbled into his chest.

Gajeel laughed and hugged her tighter. "I missed you too, shrimp."

Levy took his hands and pulled him inside. "I'm making spaghetti! Come in, make yourself at home."

Gajeel nodded in approval. He'd made her promise once that when they were together, she'd forget all about the rabbit diet she was forced to maintain for her ballet career. Levy was constantly drinking water, and she ate healthier than anyone he knew. Salads, vegetables, tons of fruit. After their first date, she admitted that it had been a long time since she'd had Chinese food. When Gajeel learned of how long that actually was, he was stunned. Levy agreed to relax when she was with him. Besides, in his words, he had to feed his girl right. And Gajeel wasn't about to feed her some damn salad. So he was glad she was taking his advice and cooking something she actually would enjoy eating for once.

Fully anticipating a fall the second he stepped into her living room, Gajeel was stunned to see the floor spotless. Before, stacks of books scattered the floor, crammed into every nook and corner she could find. Books practically held this place together. Now, all her books were lined into newly installed bookshelves along the far wall. Gajeel quirked a brow.

"Damn, Lev. Looks great."

Levy giggled from the kitchen. "Thank you! I couldn't handle the books laying everywhere… You should have seen them install it, though. The guys nearly destroyed my coffee table."

Gajeel entered the kitchen, leaning against the door frame as he watched her maneuver around the kitchen. He watched her work, fluttering around the room like a butterfly caught in the breeze. She actually danced as she moved, almost as if it was a part of her—something she didn't even realize she did that made Gajeel's heart skip a beat. A pirouette here and there, sometimes a small hop, always swaying her hips to the beat of her own music. He watched as she drained pasta and mixed in the sauce before taking two bowls and filling them.

"Will you take these to the table while I get the drinks?"

Shaken from his silent worship of her, he nodded and took the food across the kitchen where a small, round wooden table nestled by the window overlooking the campus. A moment later Levy twirled into view, two tall glasses of iced water in hand. "Sorry," she said sheepishly, "I didn't have anything else."

Gajeel smirked. "Baby girl can't get alcohol?"

"No, and I don't need any, anyway." She swatted at his arm playfully, gasping when he caught her hand easily and pulled her into his chest. "Gajeel?"

His chest rumbled with a quiet 'gihihi' and he tilted her chin with his forefinger. "All ya have to do is ask, shorty, and I'll get you some wine."

Levy blushed. "I— I'm fine."

He chuckled and kissed her softly. She sighed into him, long lashes brushing her cheeks when her eyes fluttered closed. Gajeel blushed and kissed her again. She was just so beautiful. Really, how was it even possible that someone could be so beautiful? So achingly perfect. Her fingers fisted in his shirt when he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her again. Small, gentle kisses bloomed into longer kisses that tripled in passion, the searing warmth of his lips lingering against her lips each time he pulled away for air. And each time his mouth crashed against hers, the fire in her heart intensified and the butterflies in her stomach did somersaults.

Levy gasped and pulled away. "G-Gajeel!"

He laughed dazedly. "I don't know what you expect from me, shrimp. I can't keep to myself when you look at me like that."

"Well—" Levy smiled and stepped out of his grasp. "I think you're going to have to, at least for dinner."

Gajeel looked at her with brows raised. "And then?" His lips brushed against hers. "What will happen if I'm good and eat dinner?"

The blush she sported earlier was nothing compared to now. "Th-Then we can continue this. If you're good."

His raspy 'gihihi' made Levy shake her head and giggle, and she sat down across from him at the table. Levy could listen to him laugh—even talk—for hours. Forever, honestly. The gruff tenor of his voice was rich and warm and raspy, and it always sent shivers down her spine. And while his heart was guarded and he could be a bit harsh, he was never that way with her. With Levy, he was like an open book. Behind his rough exterior was a gentle heart that beat solely for her. Levy watched as he took a sip from his glass, watching as the metal studs reflected the light, or how piercing scarlet eyes lit up when he tasted her cooking. Levy had never met anyone like Gajeel, both in personality and physical appearance. Gajeel was tough and strong, a body worn and sculpted with muscle. He was scarred from a hidden past, covered in metal piercings that were unexplained, and he had a scowl that could scare fully grown men. But Levy saw past it, straight into his heart. She saw a ruggedly handsome man with emotional baggage, a body that was both alluring and scarred. She saw someone who loved wholly and deserved that same love tenfold.

"Shrimp?"

Levy blinked. "Yes?"

"You just gonna stare at me all evening or are you gonna eat?"

"Oh, I—"

"I mean, if you have somethin' else on your mind," he reached across the table to brush his thumb over her lower lip, "I'd be more than happy to oblige."

Levy squeaked and took a bite of food, earning a hearty laugh from Gajeel. Since their relationship began, he'd definitely become more confident in how he acted with her. Initially, he was the perfect gentleman. Still was. But now Levy was discovering a perverted side that, oddly enough, she loved. He could make her feel like the most cherished woman alive, and just as easily he could turn her insides to jelly and make her brain short-circuit.

"So how's your week been?" she asked. "We haven't had the chance to actually talk much."

Gajeel shrugged. "Not much to tell, shrimp. Just the same. Work has been kickin' my ass, though."

Levy nodded and took a bite of food. "You have been extra busy lately."

"Yeah, well some idiot wanted some work done on his car. Real nice car, but he wanted a custom sound system put in. Told the guy I worked with repairs, not custom installations." Gajeel rolled his eyes and sighed. "Sting—damn moron… He thought it would be a good challenge. Now he wants to start doing vehicle customizations, too."

"Oh, no."

Gajeel grunted. "I don't know how to do that. Neither does Rogue. He'll have to hire someone."

Levy giggled. "Well, did the job get done?"

"Yeah. Four times." When Levy raised her brows Gajeel explained. "Picky customer."

"Ah, I see."

Gajeel watched as she chased a meatball around her plate with her fork, his eyes softening. "How about you, shorty?" Gingerly, he reached across the table to tuck her hair behind her ear, caressing her cheek softly with his knuckles. "What have I missed out on?"

Heat rose to her cheeks. Gajeel studied her face—he wanted to memorize every last freckle, the contour of her lips, the way her eyelashes fluttered, the sparkling honey-brown of her eyes. He wanted to soak it all in, burn it into his memory and never forget. Cancer was eating away at his body, and one day he would cease to exist. The ultrasound he got earlier in the week proved that—the tumor had grown and the cancerous clusters were spreading throughout his torso. But this moment, with Levy, set him at peace and made him forget all the troubles he faced. Made him forget his past. If his body shut down right then and there, he would be satisfied.

"Well… I've just been practicing a lot," she said finally. "Yoga every morning, classes… I've been studying really hard lately, too. I have so many exams coming up… And I perform for a small panel of judges on Tuesday, which I'm nervous about. Then my first performance is next week." Levy shrugged and smiled. "Just the usual stuff."

Gajeel chuckled and stood when she moved to clear the table of their empty plates, helping her carry the dishes to the sink. 'The usual stuff' for Levy was anything but that, but if she was happy that's all that mattered.

They washed all the dishes from dinner, Levy washing, Gajeel drying. Gajeel watched as she stood on her tip-toes to put a pan into a higher cabinet, her toned legs stretching as she reached. He bit his lip when her dress rode up just a bit to reveal the silky expanse of her thighs. Levy turned suddenly, looking up at him with a curious expression.

"Gajeel—"

After a moment of surprise, she sighed into the kiss he'd cut her off with. Her fingers wove into his hair when he bit her bottom lip, and she gasped when he took her by the waist and lifted her onto the counter. Gajeel only took advantage of this and kissed her deeper, pulling her closer to his chest until she wrapped her legs around his hips. More. More. More. He couldn't get enough, couldn't get enough of her. The taste of her, sweet and warm and comforting. Her scent was intoxicating. The feel of her against him, thrilling.

Levy squeaked when he lifted her, blindly carrying her into the living room and settling her on the couch. She blinked when he pulled away, and he almost forgot himself when he took in the sight of her. Lips swollen from his kisses and skin flushed in the most beautiful way… Her curls had fallen loose around her face—breathtaking. She opened her mouth to speak but was silenced with another kiss as Gajeel removed his jacket, crawling over her. Large hands slithered around her waist, holding her closer, tighter against him as his lips scorched a trail down her neck. Levy squirmed and sighed when he nipped at her collarbone, his hands moving down to hook her knee over his hip.

Gajeel couldn't think, he couldn't see anything but her. His mind was blank and at the same time entirely full of her. All he could think was she drove him crazy. She stole all his sanity and left him gasping for air. This woman was heaven, addictive and pure and beautiful. Her gentle soul pulled him from the darkness and captured his heart.

A giggle halted him in his tracks.

"Levy?"

She blushed and looked away. "Sorry," she whispered. "Sorry, I—" Another giggle.

Gajeel blinked once, twice, then looked down to where his hand was gripping the back of her thigh. His fingers were digging into her skin, and each time he squeezed, she giggled. A dangerous grin etched its way onto his face as he locked eyes with her. "You ticklish?"

Levy's eyes widened. "What? No! No I'm— No! Please no!" Her pleas fell on deaf ears and he tickled her again.

Gajeel basked in the sound of her laughter, chuckling when she weakly slapped his chest while she gasped for breath. He stilled momentarily to let her breathe, but no sooner had she caught her breath did he continue, tickling her waist and stomach.

"Gajeel!"

He laughed darkly, enjoying her squealing. "What is it, shorty? Ya want me to stop?"

Levy had tears gathered in the corners of her eyes. "Please! Ha— Please stop!"

Ignoring her was always an option, but when she wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him tightly, he softened and held her close. He chuckled when she sighed in relief and pressed her forehead into his neck. "Thank you…"

Gajeel adjusted so that Levy lay securely against his chest, wrapping his arms around her. They lay like that for a while, Gajeel lazily stroking her hair and listening to whatever she chattered on about. He loved just listening to her. Hell, he loved her. But it was too soon. Telling her would only scare her away, and he wanted to savor every moment he had with her. After all, every moment could be his last. He wouldn't take any for granted. So if he had to wait to tell her the depth of his feelings, he would. So long as he could hold her like this, nothing else mattered.

"Gajeel?"

"Hmm?"

Levy propped up against his chest, kissing his cheek. "How would you feel about making this a weekly thing? You can come for dinner every Saturday night! That way no matter how busy we are during the week, we make time for us."

Gajeel smirked and kissed her softly. "Sounds great, shorty."

"Great! Next time you'll be the one getting pinned to the couch."

His eyes snapped open and his cheeks flushed. Levy tilted her head when she realized what she'd said. "No— No! I meant I'll tickle you next time! Not…not what you think I meant! I—"

Gajeel laughed and pulled her higher up on his chest. "Really now?"

"Gajeel! You know what I meant, and—"

"Easy, shrimp." His teeth grazed her ear. "Next time I'll be more than happy to let you pin me to the couch."

"Wah—" Her cheeks flushed, her eyes widened, and she slapped him. "Stupid Gajeel!"

Gajeel just snickered.


A/N: I hope you enjoyed today's chapter! :) Leave a review if you liked! Until next time!