A/N: Hello again and happy Friday! :) I would like to take a moment to once again remind people that I am not a medical expert. I have done as much research as I was able, but there still may be areas that aren't perfect. I also have never taken ballet, so I relied on an interesting Netflix documentary and good old google for that! Please be patient with me if there are spots that aren't one hundred percent accurate.

Thank you so much to those of you who left reviews. I can't thank you enough! You have all been so sweet and encouraging.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! Enjoy today's chapter! :)


CHAPTER EIGHT

"Gajeel!"

That voice was unmistakeable. Gajeel turned around, dodging the people walking around him, to see Juvia and Gray walking across the sidewalk. He adjusted the rolled sleeves of his button down and waved back at Juvia. "Hey."

"You got here early! Juvia called Lucy earlier, but they're running late."

Gray nodded to Gajeel, to which he nodded back. Gajeel moved aside when a couple moved past him into the swiftly filling auditorium. Tonight was Levy's first practice performance, and Gajeel was surprised to see how packed the place was. Being the star dancer in Magnolia made you well known, he supposed. Gajeel had never been one for huge crowds, but if Levy was involved, he'd be front and center if that's what she asked of him.

Hell, if she asked me to, I'd stab myself in the eye with a shard of iron.

Gajeel gasped as a searing pain shot through his stomach, earning a concerned glance from Juvia. Even Gray quirked a brow, but Gajeel was quick to brush aside their concerns. Tonight wasn't the best night to be out and about; he felt like shit, and even that was an understatement. This was definitely one of his worse days, but he couldn't care less. He wouldn't miss this for the world. His stomach was in the most pain he'd felt in months, spreading into his chest as he breathed. He was exhausted, he hadn't had a good night's sleep in a month, and if the scales were accurate (which they were) he'd lost more weight. And curiously, he was starting to have trouble swallowing—a new symptom that Porlyusica was particularly concerned about. Not to mention his plummeting appetite… Eating meals was becoming a forced habit.

A jingling tone signaled a text, and Juvia pulled her phone from her purse. Gajeel nearly laughed. The case was glittery and blue. She hasn't changed much since we were kids…

Juvia tapped on the phone for a moment and then looked up and smiled. "Erza and Jellal saved us seats inside!"

Gajeel nodded and followed them inside. The auditorium was large and grand, a velvet curtain drawn across the stage. The seats were a golden color, lined in velvet, and they looked surprisingly comfortable. Gajeel blinked, then scowled when he stepped inside and saw the hundreds of people filing into the rows of seats, their conversations melding together to make one loud roar of voices. Levy always surprised him, but her lack of stage fright was impressive. This was a huge crowd for just a practice performance, and since the ballet tonight was a story of mythology featuring different solos to showcase up and coming dancers, there were hundreds of people there to view the show. Levy, being the star of the performance tonight, should have been nervous about the massive audience. But from what she'd told Gajeel, the only thing that made her nervous was the dance. The audience wasn't even remotely a concern, oddly enough.

Juvia looked around the rapidly crowding room, Gray's hand planted protectively on her waist, and beamed when Mira and Erza stood and waved them over. They had saved an entire row toward the front. Jellal and Laxus were making small talk, both dressed in their best attire, and Mira and Erza were talking—it must have been funny because Erza laughed and nodded. When they reached their seats, Juvia kissed Gray's cheek and bounced over to where Erza and Mira stood talking.

The seating music dipped to silence as a voice announced over the speakers that the performance would start shortly, which led to a rumbling wave of sound as everyone found their seats. Though they took up the majority of their row, there were still three seats open to Gajeel's right, next to Gray and Juvia. He was about to ask who they were waiting on when the door in the back of the auditorium burst open, and an amused Cana followed in a sheepish Natsu and a very perturbed Lucy. Even over the chatter of the audience, they could here the trio swiftly moving toward them, arguing the whole time. Well, Lucy was arguing—it was very much one-sided. Apparently Natsu didn't care, as he was just letting her go.

"Sorry we're late! Someone overslept…" Lucy, followed by Cana, cut her eyes angrily at Natsu, who shrugged sheepishly.

"It's not my fault!" he said, laughing. "I was playing with Happy and we got tired so I took a nap. Could've happened to anybody!"

Gray shook his head. "Only you, flame brain."

Gajeel sighed and settled into his seat. Cana, who was sitting a few seats down, leaned forward to see Gajeel and chucked her shoe at him. He scowled, tossing the sandal back at her. "Oi! What the hell, Cana?"

She grinned dangerously. "You excited about seeing our little hottie dance?" Gajeel's blush was telling, and Cana laughed happily. She adjusted the thin strap of her dress and pulled her long curls over her shoulder as she turned to talk to Lucy.

Gajeel cleared his throat and looked out at the auditorium. He never was one to favor crowds… They actually infuriated him. But, the group he was with, truthfully wasn't bad. They were all nice. Gray and Natsu were laughing at a loud conversation Lucy and Cana were having. Mira and Erza were talking quietly as they looked over the program, and Juvia was taking pictures with her phone. Gajeel felt a bit out of place in their group, but at the same he felt at peace. They were a freakish, insanely weird bunch, but they were also warm and comforting. And damn, he had to admit—they were some of the nicest people he'd ever met.

"So how ya been, man? You're being all quiet over there!"

Gajeel looked beside him at Natsu. He blinked and shrugged. "Fine. Same as always, I guess. You?"

"Great! You've been looking a bit tired lately."

Gajeel froze. He didn't think anyone had noticed, least of all Dragneel. "Just not sleeping enough." Then he smirked. "Probably because my neighbor has a knack for spontaneous combustion…"

Natsu balked. "Hey, that was one time, man! And it was an accident."

"Two times, Natsu!" they heard Lucy yell. "It was two times, and you know it! My hair is still singed!"

Gajeel erupted with laughter, much to Natsu's shock. Lately, every time he saw Gajeel he seemed happier than the previous time. Sure, he seemed tired. And he wasn't at the gym nearly as much. But he seemed happier since he started dating Levy. Hell, Natsu actually witnessed him laugh several times. It was weird. Natsu had known Levy for years, and until she started dating Gajeel, he didn't even really know Gajeel that well. Now, he was actually opening up to them, and they were all discovering that he was a pretty cool guy. It just took some work to get to that point.

"Damn, ya pyro," Gajeel said with a laugh. "How are you even alive?"

Natsu grinned and shrugged. "I dunno. Luce says the same thing…"

"We all say that, Natsu," Gray said flatly.

Natsu swiveled in his seat so fast Gajeel thought his neck would snap. "Would you butt out, Gray?!"

Gray shook his head and laughed. Gajeel was just too focused on the fact that Gray was actually wearing clothes to hear the rest of their conversation. It was rare to see Gray in a shirt at all, unless they were in class. Most of the time the freak actually just forgot to put one on. Gajeel could never figure that out. How the hell do you actually forget to get dressed?

Gajeel combed his fingers through his hair, hoping for it to be a bit more manageable and less like a lion's mane—it wasn't. He felt so…unruly in the midst of so many well dressed people. Sure, his clothes weren't bad. But his face… He'd already caught a handful of people staring. If it wasn't the studs on his face, it was the scar on his neck, or the scowl that seemed to etch its way onto his face. Most of the time it didn't bother him, but he felt like he couldn't escape the stares. The whispers.

Erza must have noticed, because she looked up and saw someone looking at him with a less than friendly expression, and she firmly asked them to turn around and mind their own business (well, she may have asked politely, but it was absolutely terrifying). When she settled back into her seat, and her eyes met his, Gajeel gave her a small smile of gratitude. Not that he couldn't handle it alone…but having someone on your side was always nice. It was an unfamiliar feeling to say the least. With the exception of Levy—she was always on his side.

"Look, it's about to start!"

Mira's voice caught Gajeel's attention, and he tuned out of the conversation he was having with Gray and Natsu. All his focus was directed straight to the stage. The lights dimmed, people stopped talking, and the curtains opened. Once the show started, over an hour passed without even a glimpse of Levy as different dancers performed to portray different characters in Greek mythology. Gajeel barely noticed any of the other dancers. He didn't care about them at all. It wasn't until the lights dimmed until nothing lit the stage but soft spotlights and candles that Gajeel sat up in his seat. Cana noticed and nudged Mira, who giggled.

"Look!" Lucy swatted at Natsu, then Gajeel. "She's coming!"

Levy made her entrance to the stage with a grand jeté, landing on the floor and twirling into a graceful pirouette. At the start of her dance, she was acting as Izanami, the goddess of light. He watched, mesmerized, as she elongated her legs, standing on pointe and fluttering across the stage. Like a butterfly in a field of flowers, she flitted between different areas of the stage.

Then, in what he knew was the transition of the dance when Izanami's heart darkened and she became the goddess of death, the lights dimmed and the airy, white fabric she wore tore away to reveal skimpy, black tattered cloth. The glittering fabric was sheer and torn in places and covered basically the essentials—most of her skin was left bare and very exposed. Gajeel willed away the blush creeping onto his skin as his eyes widened. Breathtaking in every sense… The way she moved was both unearthly and graceful. Her solo transitioned from soft delicacy to powerful, articulate movements. Cerulean hair was pulled up into a simple bun, loose tendrils breaking free to brush her skin.

Gajeel watched as she moved into an arabesque, followed by a low dip as she extended her leg straight above her head. Her flexibility pulled a gasp from the audience, along with the breath from his lungs.

"Damn…" Gray muttered.

Cana smirked. "The girl's got talent."

Even Laxus was stunned.

Gajeel couldn't stop thinking of how perfect she was, how beautifully she moved with the music. It was like an extension of her soul, a manifestation of her radiance. The piano music intensified, accompanied by violins and cellos, and when the dramatic opera twined with the instrumental music, Levy's dance became intense and articulated. Classic ballet blended seamlessly with abstract dance—according to Levy, this would showcase her versatility, which would greatly appeal to pro company scouts. She twirled, her arms extending overhead as she spun in one fluid motion, and she fell forward gracefully. Gajeel's heart stopped when she caught herself just as she hit the floor and propelled her legs overhead into a flip. When she stood, standing on pointe, classic moves melded with abstract in a pirouette that looked almost pained, wretched—as it was supposed to be. Levy finished off with a great leap, the grand jeté Gajeel knew she was having difficulty with, and kicked her legs out into a split, landing and lowering onto on one knee and bending backward. Her back arched dramatically and her arms extended gracefully behind her head, hands grazing the floor, and when the music cut off, the whole audience stood and erupted with applause and cheering.

"That was incredible!" Mira gushed. "I can't believe that's our little Levy!"

Erza's eyes sparkled. "She was quite graceful. She executed beautifully…"

Natsu slapped Gajeel, who was still staring at the stage in awe, on the back. "That was awesome, man! Did you know she could dance like that?"

No. He didn't. Sure, Gajeel saw her in practice more times than he could count, but when she was alone she was more reserved. But this—oh, man… Levy seemed to come alive on stage. The room sparked with some sort of unearthly energy when she danced. Gajeel saw bits and pieces of her solo performance when he visited her at practice, but he'd never seen it in its entirety. And never in that costume…

Jellal came to stand beside Gajeel. "I'm sure with that kind of performance the scouts will be begging for her to sign with them."

Finally, Gajeel smirked. "No kidding. She's amazing."

The auditorium cleared, people filing out into the main lobby of the building. Performers came out and were greeted by their families, accepting heavy praise and excited hugs. Gajeel couldn't wait to see Levy. If this was what she'd been working so hard on, there was nothing to worry about. With her skill level, she could make it into any company in the world.

Gajeel followed everyone else into the lobby. He'd never been so thankful for his height before—he could easily see over the crowd of people. He grinned when a little cerulean head bobbed through the crowd. He maneuvered over to her, squeezing past people and scowling when inconsiderate people wouldn't move. Finally he caught up to her, lifting her into his arms and twirling her around.

"Gajeel!" Levy beamed at him and giggled when he spun her around, wrapping her arms around his neck. "What did you think?"

Beautiful. Alluring. The most amazing, graceful, enticing, mesmerizing thing I've ever seen? Gajeel smiled and kissed her forehead. "That was amazing, shorty. You'll blow those scouts out of the water."

"I hope so!"

Gajeel set her on her feet, nearly growling at a guy behind her who kept eyeing her. She was still in her performance outfit, which was very skimpy. She'd said it was because it was a more abstract dance that she had to dress like that—or some shit like that. Gajeel didn't like it. The guy jumped and scurried away upon seeing her protective boyfriend place a coat jacket over her shoulders.

Levy blinked but didn't ask questions.

"Levy!"

The tiny woman startled and turned around at the voice—all her friends were coming toward her. She laughed when Lucy hugged her tight, then accepted hugs from everyone else. Even the guys gave her hugs, telling her how impressive her performance was.

"That was so incredible," Lucy said. "I knew you were talented, but seeing it all pieced together is really awesome!"

Levy blushed. "Thank you! I just have two more performances now until the performance for the scouts in January…"

"You'll be amazing, shorty."

Levy beamed up at Gajeel, intertwining their fingers where he held her hand. "Thanks!" Levy squeaked in embarrassment when her stomach rumbled, and she smiled sheepishly up at her boyfriend. Natsu and Gray snickered.

"Why don't we all go out to dinner to celebrate?" Jellal suggested. "My treat."

Cana quirked a brow. "Are you buying wine?"

Jellal chuckled. "Of course, wine is included." He silenced Erza with a peck on the cheek. "And strawberry cake for you, love."

Levy smiled. "That actually sounds amazing…I'm so hungry. And I feel like we all haven't hung out in forever! Gajeel?"

He looked around at the group and sighed. Bunch of freaks…but they ain't half bad. "Sounds good."

"Great! Just let me go change, and I'll meet you guys out front."

Twenty minutes later, Levy emerged from the lobby, sighing when the fresh air hit her face. She'd changed into a short black dress and black boots that reached just over her knees. Much more comfortable than the pointe shoes and practically non-existent costume she was wearing previously… The hungry, wide-eyed look Gajeel shot her when she came outside to meet them was priceless, too.

"Okay, I'm ready to go! Where are we going?"

"Blue Pegasus? I can get us a private room," Jellal suggested.

Everyone agreed. Knowing the owner of the restaurant had its perks, and the atmosphere was elegant. Plus, the food and wine were to die for. Jellal called ahead to ask Bob about dining in the private party room while everyone else left separately. Lucy and Natsu carpooled with Gray and Juvia, Mira and Laxus riding with Jellal and Erza, and Gajeel and Levy took off in her car.

Levy rummaged in the backseat of her car as Gajeel drove, finally pulling out a soft fleece-lined pair of ankle boots—the same pair Gajeel had seen her wearing almost every time she wasn't rehearsing. Gajeel quirked brow. "What's with the boots, shorty? You wear those a lot."

Levy smiled sheepishly, not noticing his blush when she unzipped the black boot she was currently wearing and slid it off her leg delicately. "My feet are killing me. I was going to try to look pretty… Ow…"

Gajeel pulled up at the stop light, sparing a glance at her feet. His eyes widened at the blisters and bandages on her toes and tops of her feet.

"Lev…"

She hissed and pulled on the soft, but highly unattractive, boot. Then she sighed happily. "Much better…" Gajeel's appalled stare made her smile. "This is completely normal, I promise."

Gajeel didn't look convinced. "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely." Levy cast a sidelong glance at the pretty, albeit painful, black suede boots she had been wearing previously. "I really wanted to look beautiful though…"

He looked at her, shocked. "Lev, you're damn gorgeous. You look hot." He smirked at her blush and blindly reached for her hand as he pulled away from the red light. "But wear something comfortable. I could care less what shoes you wear, shrimp. You should know that. It's me."

It only took them five minutes to drive to the restaurant, and an extra two to find a parking space at the busy establishment—and it only took an extra five minutes for Gajeel and Levy to get out of the car. As soon as the car was parked, Gajeel was insistent on kicking Levy's seat back for a minute to, in his words, 'show her how beautiful she looked in that damn dress, furry boots an' all.' All things considered, five minutes and only one small hickey wasn't bad considering their track record with kisses, and considering how drunk Gajeel was just off the feel of her skin and the scent of her perfume. They were making pretty good time.

Of course, they were the last to walk into the restaurant, and if their flushed skin wasn't enough to explain why they were a few minutes late, the hickey on Levy's neck was. Mira's knowing giggle only made Gajeel grin smugly.

The separate dining room on the second floor of Blue Pegasus was luxurious and completely private—Jellal spared no expense for the occasion. Tufted velvet chairs were cozy and comfortable, sitting elegantly under a large chandelier. The table was surrounded by a sheer maroon curtain. Gajeel had no complaints; there were no crowds of people, no loud conversations floating over from the nearby table. He could just focus on Levy.

"Damn, pretty boy," Cana said, looking around the room approvingly. "You splurged on a nice room."

Jellal chuckled. "Tonight is a night to celebrate, after all. Let's just enjoy ourselves."

He took Erza by the small of her back and led her to the table, everyone else following suit. The chairs may have looked posh, but they were surprisingly comfortable, and the tall arched backs made relaxing almost too easy.

"Good evening, everyone. It's a pleasure to see you all again." Freed set a few bottles of wine on the table, smirking when Cana cheered. "Bob's gift for the evening—on the house. He wished to congratulate you, Levy, but I'm afraid he had business to attend to."

Levy smiled. "Thank him for the wine! That's so nice of him."

"My pleasure. I heard your solo tonight was quite beautiful; I wish I could have been there to see it."

Pink tinted her cheeks. "Thank you, Freed!"

Cana rolled her eyes. "So formal…"

While Freed busied himself pouring wine into the empty glasses around the table, everyone settled into their seats. Jellal removed his suit jacket and smoothed back his cobalt hair. "If Bob lets you get away later, you should join us, Freed."

Freed blinked and hesitantly looked to Laxus, who snorted and chuckled. "Why are you lookin' at me? Join us later."

Levy could've sworn she saw him blush as he nodded and rushed away to get a basket of rolls for the table.

They fell into easy conversation and laughter, and Jellal smiled, squeezing Erza's hand. "Please, order anything you like. Erza and I are happy to treat you all tonight. Especially you, Levy." Levy huffed playfully when he added, "If I see you looking at prices I'll be forced to give you a kids menu."

A rather loud 'gihihi' rolled through the air, followed by a small slap.

For a while people were content to make small talk as they looked over the menus. Freed returned shortly after with a basket of rolls, to which Natsu tore into ravenously, and took orders. Levy had been out several times lately with the ladies. The mall was a common destination for she and Lucy when they were both free, and they'd even gone out to lunch several times with the rest of their little group, but it had been a long time since they'd all gone out together—the guys included. Levy grew up with all of them, save for Gajeel and Juvia. Laxus was the bad boy big brother they never had, and Natsu and Gray had been her crazy friends since she was little. Knowing them all had been a blessing, and getting the chance to spend a night with every single one of her favorite people made her world go round.

But the man beside her, stroking her knee with the pad of his thumb, made her realize how truly blessed she was. Gajeel filled a void in her heart she never knew existed. His calm, reassuring presence was exactly what she needed when she was nervous. His strength was impressive, and his protective nature made butterflies jump around in her belly. And while he was one of the few people she'd ever met with a permanent, beyond terrifying scowl, he was also the only person she'd ever met whose laugh brought happiness straight to her soul. He was perfection. Beyond scars and years of emotional baggage was a ruggedly handsome man with a beautiful heart. Levy knew, in that moment, that she loved him. Goofy laugh, perverted streak, overprotective nature and all. She loved his quirks and flaws just as much as his highlights. And the studs marring his tanned skin that scared so many others away only drew her in. They weren't scary—they held a story. Moments of Gajeel's past.

Gajeel looked down and smiled softly, brushing the hair from her eyes and kissing her forehead. "What are you thinking, shrimp?"

How much she loved him. How she wanted to spend every moment for the rest of her life by his side. How his laugh made her heart soar and his smile brought her peace. How he was the most attractive man she'd ever known, inside and out. How his goofy side that he tried to conceal amongst others appealed to her just as much as his romantic side—the one he only showed her. How she wanted nothing more than to tell him how much he meant to her, how much she loved him, but couldn't because she was afraid it was simply too soon.

"Nothing," she said, finally. Levy leaned into his touch when he kissed her cheek.

Gajeel pulled away. "You sure?"

"Positive!"

"Get a room, you two!"

Gajeel snorted and swiveled toward Gray. "I can kiss my girlfriend if I want to, damn it."

When Juvia smiled and gripped Gray's shoulder, he turned mid-sentence to look at her. She flashed him a beautiful smile and kissed him, effectively cutting off his retort. After freezing momentarily, he sighed and deepened the kiss. Gajeel rolled his eyes. Damn ice princess sure is one to talk.

"Levy, when did you start doing ballet?"

She turned to regard Erza with a curious hum, tapping her chin. "I think I was three?"

Gajeel blinked. Damn. He didn't know that.

"My parents used to take me to town to see the ballet, and apparently I fell in love. I've been dancing ever since." Levy's eyes softened, almost as if she was remembering some distant memory. "I really love it."

Juvia smiled. "Levy's dance was beautiful! Juvia wishes she could dance like that…"

Cana snorted. "If I tried that jump-split thing, I'd break my hips."

Jellal took a sip from his wine as he listened to the conversation with keen interest. "Have you always wanted to make this a professional career?" he asked.

Levy thought for a moment, then nodded. "Well, first year of high school I did my first major competition. I'd done lots of small competitions and recitals before then, but that was my first major competition. There were over a thousand dancers competing, and I won the silver metal and an award for most potential over time. I did more contests throughout high school, and I won gold at my final competition—that's how I got this dance scholarship. Magnolia scouts were there and they offered me a full ride."

"Damn." Natsu laughed and readjusted his scarf. "That's amazing, Levy!"

Levy beamed proudly. "Thank you!"

Gajeel was too stunned to speak. He knew about her childhood in ballet, but he never realized how serious she was about it. It wasn't something he'd considered…but this wasn't just some sport for her. It was her life. She'd spent sixteen years devoting all her time and energy to the art, and it showed.

Food was delivered, and conversation nearly diminished as they dug in. Five minutes in, Natsu was already reclined in his seat, rubbing his stuffed belly happily. Lucy just rolled her eyes and laughed. As Jellal commanded, Levy didn't look at the prices on the menu, instead ordering something she actually wanted. A plate of fettuccini alfredo did the trick perfectly.

She took another bite of her pasta, listening to Mira's story from her shared class with Erza, when she happened to glance over at Gajeel. His fork was stuck in his plate of almost completely untouched food, and he chuckled over something Mira had said. Levy quirked a brow, looking from him, to his plate, and back to his face.

"Are you not feeling well? You've barely touched your food."

"Nah, shorty." Gajeel smiled reassuringly at Levy, smoothing his hand over her hair. "Don't worry, I'm just not that hungry."

Hours rolled by, and finally the group was leaving the restaurant full and content—some a bit tipsy. By the end of their meal, they still sat around and talked for at least another two hours. Even Freed and Bob, who'd returned from his peculiar business, joined in the conversation after the dinner rush died down. Gajeel couldn't quite place an opinion on Freed…and Bob scared the hell out of him, but they weren't too bad. Just weird.

Gajeel forgot what it was like to hang out with a group of people that actually cared about each other. Actually, he wasn't sure if he ever knew how that felt. But now, with a group of people he was slowly starting to consider his friends, he had to admit that it felt damn good.

"That was delicious," Mira said happily. Laxus agreed, and Mira giggled and patted his still-rock-hard belly when he groaned about being full. "We should do this again!"

Levy stepped through the door Gajeel held open for her, and they all filed out onto the sidewalk. "We should! Thank you, Jellal, for the meal!"

"It was my pleasure."

Lucy was making a wobbly drunken trail toward Natsu's car when she happened to look to her right, behind Blue Pegasus, and gasped. She pointed, her hand nearly leaving her body behind as if it had a mind of its own, and drunkenly stumbled toward a large field of white flowers behind the restaurant. It wasn't special during the day, in fact they'd all seen it dozens of times when they came by for lunch. But in the evening it was magical. Snow-white flowers dotted the field, glittering in the crisp light of the full moon.

"Oh, how beautiful…" Erza followed after her, grabbing Levy's hand and pulling her along, too. "I don't know that I've even noticed these flowers here before."

"I haven't either…" Levy whispered.

Gajeel sighed and shook his head, a small smile betraying his faux annoyance, before following them into the field. Of course with a little bit of alcohol, and plenty of time to kill, it didn't take long until everyone was reclined in the grass, looking up at the sky. Lucy and Jellal were conversing about constellations, Jellal chuckling when Lucy squealed excitedly over her favorite stars. Erza lay in the grass, her head resting in her fiancé's lap. Juvia had fallen asleep against Gray's shoulder, and Laxus and Mira…well they were in their own little world.

The idea of sitting in a damn field of flowers sounded stupid at first, but Gajeel had to admit it was oddly peaceful. And the beautiful girl in his arms made it all worthwhile.

Gajeel lay on his back, lazily stroking his fingers through Levy's hair where she rested her head against his chest.

"I'm glad we did this," Levy said sleepily. "I had so much fun."

"Me too, shorty."

Natsu sat up suddenly, looking over at Gajeel with a goofy grin. "You actually talked to us tonight!"

Gajeel blinked. "What the hell are you talkin' about? I see you every day."

The pink-haired man shrugged. "Usually we have to say something to you first. I had no idea you were so cool, man! We need to hang out more!"

"I agree," Cana said. "We never used to see you, but you're actually surprisingly cool—no matter what that grumpy pout of yours says."

"You should come with us to lunch after classes," Gray said. "Better than hanging out by yourself like some pathetic loser."

Gajeel could nearly feel a vein in his forehead twitch. "Oi! Shut up, princess."

Gray sat up, completely ready to protest, but Juvia's hand against his chest had him faltering, and after a moment, he smiled and lay back down. Seriously, she has that damned monkey whipped.

"So are you coming or not?"

Gajeel blinked. "What?"

"To lunch," Natsu said, scratching a purring Lucy's head—apparently Lucy thought she was a cat when she was drunk. "You coming?"

Gajeel rolled his eyes, but smiled nonetheless. "Sure, sure. If it makes ya happy." He pulled Levy closer and kissed her forehead.

Shockingly enough, Natsu didn't retort. Instead, he smirked and lay back in the grass. Gajeel couldn't believe it, but he was actually happy. As far as evenings when you felt like shit go, his turned out pretty amazing. Even though collapsing once he got home was a guarantee, even though he was in more pain now than he ever had been and he was so drained and sick that he felt like dying that night actually was a possibility, he still felt at peace. He'd never had a large group of friends before…

It was a great feeling.


A/N: This is one of my favorite chapters :) Writing the whole group together is just so much fun. I hope you enjoyed! Things will start to get serious pretty soon... Though, I won't say anything else about that! ;)

Leave a review if you liked! I love hearing for you :)

See you on Monday!