Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail.

Ringmaster Makarov appeared over the audience once more, announcing a brief intermission would take place to allow the next act to set up.

Most stayed in their seats, but a few younger people slipped from the bigtop to wander the grounds. The break gave them the chance to seek out the stalls, the best known of which were Lucy Heartfilia's starry sky and Cana Alberona's tarot readings. No doubt the dames garnered half of their success from being fairly easy on the eyes too.

A young man and lady in their twenties found their way to Lucy's threshold. The star girl's tent was bewitched to shift colors, wisps of emeralds and sapphires and maroons twisting across the sheet. It had been a gift from Reedus on her last birthday. The young pair watched the curling hues, undulating and twisting like paint on a canvas. They discussed in hushed tones the possible tricks, wondering if there were perhaps shards of glass prisms sewn into the fabric or cleverly wired lights that caused the changing colors.

They entered the tent without a definite answer and approached a small writing desk the girl was hunched over, where she had been actively scrawling over parchment with a feather dipped in ink. Her kind brown eyes lifted to them, thick lashes closing back together with her bright smile.

"Hello there."

Paper stars hung from the small tent's ceiling, large ones and small ones, arranged across the room in utter whimsy, tiny lanterns that glowed like fires on Christmas morning. The lights caught in the depths of Lucy's eyes and backboned the two closer, deeper into her tent.

"Tell me, when is your birth date?"

The young girl recounted the date to Lucy and thanked her when she was kindly shown a paper path to follow. The man was offered the same treatment and led to an identical paper labyrinth that was on the opposite side of the girl's.

Lucy pulled two keys from the leather pouch at her hip and opened the gates.

The girl tread on and on, craning her head around in wide arcs so as to catch any source of light or movement on her way. The paper stars rose the farther she went, placed out of her reach, and the blackened room bled into a navy velvet. The paper star trail ended, only to be replaced with twinkling lights miles and miles above her. She stood before a set of stars, larger and brighter than the other's for their close distance. An outline glimmered and smiled before a young man materialized before her eyes.

He wore a pristine suit and spectacles, his red hair spread around his face like a lion's mane. The gentleman delicately took the girl's hand from her side and raised it to his lips as he bowed.

"Do not forget that you are a lion among men."

Awestruck by his grace and act, she actually believed he was Leo the lion as he lead her into a dance across the sky. Despite knowing it was merely a side show, the young lady would be reluctant to step from the sky.

The young man was in a similar situation, dumbstruck by the sight of the mermaid floating proudly before him.

Gajeel got ready as he was told, following Pantherlily's instruction so far as to wash his face and tuck in his shirt.

"See, I knew you could do it."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, mom." Gajeel glared at Lily from over the edge of the fluffy towel he dried his face on. "Too much of a dandy for yer own good."

"Say what you want, but I don't exactly see your usual tricks getting a girl on that metal studded arm of yours."

"'Course not. Why would I wanna do something like that? Dames are nothin' but trouble."

Lily folded his arms and arched his eyebrow at the sword juggler, his smile ruining all false attempts to be annoyed. "How many times did you have to say that to yourself before you actually believed it?"

"Aw, dry up and let me finish getting ready. You're the one that came in here bustin' my chops to get the show on the road to begin with." He slipped the suspenders over his shoulders and dryly stuck his hands out to his sides. "Am I presentable, mother?"

Lily snorted derisively and moved to his chest of drawers against the wall. "Not yet." He rummaged through the drawer until he found what he was looking for. "Here."

Gajeel caught the pieces of fabric tossed at him and growled, "Absolutely not. Yer off yer damn rocker if you think I'm wearing this." He held the silk tie and vest away from his person as if they were diseased.

"You are, and I'm not. This is supposed to be a nice evening and I'll not have you swaggering around like a waif. Can't let the others think I came up short somewhere in raisin' you. Besides, you don't wanna look a ragamuffin standing beside Levy now, do you?"

Gajeel cut his eyes at the older man and simmered, "Meddler. And you didn't raise me, dammit."

"The hell I did, I nursed fevers and broken arms, and cut switches from trees when you stepped outta line. I put clothes on that ungrateful back and filled that black hole you call a stomach. Three square meals a day and all."

"This mean if I don't behave, you're gonna ground me and send me to my room without supper?", he sneered, almost congratulating himself on finding such an easy out.

"No, because then you'd be happy as a lark cooped up away from the party. I hear Mira's cooking, and there's going to be dancing. Though, I feel sorry for any lady that agrees to waltz with those two left feet of yours."

"I ain't gonna dance, but I do not have two left feet." He shrugged into the vest and fumbled with the buttons once or twice, much to Lily's apparent amusement. Gajeel fed the tie around his collar and scoffed at the uneven sides. "I've never been good with these things."

It was the closest Gajeel would get to asking for Lily's assistance, but the guardian was accustomed to the roundabout ways of his charge, so he offered his help with a wide grin.

"You look handsome, I barely recognize you without the dirt." He stood back and surveyed his work, pleased that the tie was straight and the vest fit him properly.

Gajeel shoved his hands deep into the pockets of his trousers, scowling. "Gonna get hit, Lil."

"Not tonight I'm not, I've got a plate of Mira's food with my name on it and I promised Cana a dance."

"First the elephant and now the rest of 'em, huh?"

"You flatter an old man that's past his prime. It's all in good fun. Although, I can't help Aurora."

"You ever think Levy trained her to do that?"

"The affectionate tricks and endearments? Yes. However, Levy has no control over whom the pachyderm dotes on."

"I ain't convinced she didn't convince that antique to pull my hair."

Lily's booming laughter filled the room, he clutching his gut and wiping a tear from his eye, "That I'll never forget. I bet you watched that silver tongue of yours more often when you were around that elephant." Lily cleared his throat and straightened. "Speaking of which, you're going to do something with that mess too."

"Would you like my firstborn while you're at it?" Gajeel grabbed the comb from his dresser and began to pick through the unruly knots at the end of his overly long hair.

"Follow the rules just for one night, it's all I ask. I promise you'll find it to be worth the effort in the end."

He stood before the cracked mirror on his dresser, carefully winding his hair back into a braid, and snorted. "I doubt that."

Pantherlily's brows drew together and his smile faltered as he watched Gajeel fight with the errant locks. "Keep in mind: Miss Levy does not keep a beau on her arm, despite the glaring fact that there is more than one vying for her attention."

He paused, meeting the caretaker's eye in the mirror, "You tryin' to say something?"

With a relaxed roll of his shoulder, Lily looked away to survey their untidy compartment. "I am, just wondering if you'll figure it out before it's too late is all."

Gajeel groaned and threw his hands up exasperatedly, following Lily out into the narrow hallway and down to the outdoor dance floor set up for them.

Christmas lights had been strung up from wooden poles and hung over the area like stars. Lucy had hung up a few of her paper lanterns, Levy and Freed using runes and scripts to place orbs that glowed and changed colors into Lucy's paper lanterns. Earlier that day, Elfman had carried the Master's gramophone out onto a stand and made sure to have a selection of records set by the machine. Mirajane, Lisanna, and Kinana had spent their day in the kitchen, preparing marmalade and finger foods for the table spread. Macao and Wakaba were still setting up a few tables and chairs when Lily and Gajeel arrived, Freed on their coattails with tiny lights to set on the table.

Gajeel elbowed Pantherlily in the ribs and cocked his head in the direction of Natsu and Makarov, the latter of which was clearly giving the fire breather a stern lecture on how he was expected to act and how he would be met with a severe punishment should he break anything. The two chuckled at Natsu's expense and continued on to the floor.

Happy and Carla sat by the edge of the floor, Wendy and Erza talking animatedly beside them. A silk bow the color of burnt sienna was tied around Carla's neck, illuminating her amber eyes in the glittering lights, while Happy sported a lopsided bow tie, no doubt a courtesy of the flame brain.

Laughter like tinkling bells echoed in the early evening, ringing out with unbridled joy. Aurora lumbered toward the party, strings of pearls adorning her head and a silvery blanket flowing over her back and sides, floating in the breeze behind her. Lucy sat behind Levy, her bracelet covered arms clutched around the other girl's trim waist. Her friend had finally convinced her to ride with her, making her laugh with jests about 'arriving in style'.

Levy soothed her hand over Lucy's arms, holding tight enough Levy was sure she would have the imprints of the girl's bracelets in her skin. She scratched behind her elephant's ear and mumbled, "Vers le bas, girl." Aurora gracefully bowed low to the ground at her owner's command. Levy gathered her skirts tightly and slipped down the side shoulder to the ground, her feet steadying with ease. She let go of her dress and brushed out any wrinkles. "Now Lucy, please."

The bull's trunk curled behind her and wound around Lucy's waist, daintily plucking her up and setting her to the ground. The celestial mage was a spluttering mess, letting out nervous titters the whole way down.

Still unsteady on her feet, Lucy slumped into Levy's side. The elephant rider caught her with ease and balanced her back on her high heels. "See? I told you it was fun."

"I think you and I have entirely different definitions of 'fun', Levy." Lucy leaned toward Levy once more, jabbing her good-naturedly in the ribs. Levy opened her mouth to retort, but was cut off.

"My, moineau, you certainly know how to make an entrance." Lily sidled up next to the girl and returned her smile. "You two clean up nice."

Lucy piped up a thanks, bowing her head slightly and turning on her heel to skip off to Natsu, leaving Levy to murmur her own thanks as she self-consciously scratched at her head. She had had to seek out Lucy's help in preparing for tonight. She didn't dare ask Erza, she would still be tied down to a makeup chair if she had, and Juvia had still been curling her hair on the heated iron when the time came to get ready.

Lucy, Juvia, and Erza wore skirts or frocks for their acts; she was the only female that pranced around in pants. The long days of circus garb had spoiled her, as she adored the freedom her trousers had allowed her. Now, she was cinched up in proper underskirts and stuffed into a dress of delicate lace, terrified she would snag on something. Lucy had tried to convince her to wear a vibrant red dress to match her own, but Levy lacked the backbone to flaunt such a daring color. Her friend flounced around in the shimmering dress like a cardinal, the red matching well with her complexion and blond hair. She had to hand it to Lucy, growing up in circus definitely hadn't stolen her upperclass sense of style or gumption.

Levy had opted out of borrowing one of Lucy's dresses, not that it would have fit her smaller figure anyways, and chose the single formal dress she kept in her wardrobe. It had been a project Juvia had helped her sew together for rare occasions like this. The pale dress was sleeveless, but had a conservative neckline. Its bodice fit her like a glove, but fell like a shadow over her waist and calves. It was just fancy enough to please her friends, but granted her freedom of movement and, more importantly, room to breathe. The only item of her ensemble Lucy had been adamant about was her footwear. The star gazer had had the forethought to steal and hide all of Levy's well worn flat-soled shoes, leaving her only with a pair of heels the same cream shade as her dress.

She rubbed her arm absentmindedly and smiled up at the menagerie's main man, "You look quite dashing, Lily. I'll bet Cana's just itching for that dance now."

The older man laughed, deep and robust, into the artificial stars. "Thank you, Levy. I-" Whatever had been on his mind was cut off when Mirajane called Lily over, and he waved to her to let her known she had been heard. The older man turned back over his shoulder once before going to claim his plate. "Gajeel, be a gentleman and offer your arm. Escort the lady to a table."

"Mind yer own." The words were growled as Gajeel narrowed his eyes at the meddler, then huffed. He looked down at the girl beside him, nervously twirling a lock of hair around her finger and darting her gaze anywhere and everywhere at once. "Right, c'mon." He sighed and proffered an arm to her.

Levy dejectedly looped her hand into the crook his elbow and allowed him lead her to the nearest table. She wanted the rich earth to swallow her up when she had had the misfortune to catch her shoe in the hole of some animal's home. But she had to hand it to her reluctant escort, he hadn't spoken one smarmy word about the incident and merely grasped her hand tighter when it felt like she wouldn't be able to find her footing.

She slumped into the white folding chair and picked at the tablecloth. Gajeel eyed her warily, not sure how to proceed with her abrupt change in demeanor. The elephant rider had seemed fine before he and Lil' had shown up to greet her. He was almost positive he hadn't said or done anything to have her back at this stage with him.

"Oi, you doin' okay?"

Levy curled her fist under her chin and tried for a convincing smile. "It's all jake."

"Doesn't look like it to me." They might have only known each other for a few months, with even fewer conversations held between them, but he wasn't dumb. Levy McGarden was fairly easy to read, for him at least. He couldn't speak for those two jokers that fell at her feet.

"You realize what they're all doing, right?" She swiped her hand out from under her chin and flung it out in front of her.

Gajeel studied her crestfallen countenance before looking back at the food table to catch Mirajane quickly avert her eyes and Lucy cover her mouth. Lily was flapping his gums to the two, plate of food clearly forgotten. "Kinda hard to miss, yeah?"

She grumbled and crossed her arms over her chest, trying to ignore the scratchy material on the empire waist. "It's maddening and improper."

"It's a circus. What'd ya expect?"

"I know, but it'd be nice if they…stopped. I mean, it's not like we're-"

Gajeel smirked, canine catching in the ethereal glow of the lanterns. She cursed her brilliant mind for being the one to suggest them in the first place. "Not like we're what?"

"Oh, don't do that. Your sadistic mind games aren't going to fly tonight." Levy leaned forward and pointed a finger in his direction, only wavering when he let out that low, satisfied chuckle. "We're different and we hardly know each other. You like to keep to yourself for the most part, and I'm only like that when I'm in the middle of a good novel. You're sarcastic, and blunt to an improper fault, for that matter, and you drive me up the walls half the time-"

"When you're done with that palaver." Gajeel raised an eyebrow at the girl who had been engrossed in her one-sided conversation. His laugh was loud and only a few jokes away from an all-out cackle as her cheeks flamed horrendously. His laugh choked into a yelp when the elephant reached up and grabbed at the long braid he had tamed his hair into. He cursed himself for forgetting she had been there in the first place, and he hadn't even said anything bad!

Levy blushed deeper and clasped her hands over her mouth, "Aurora, arrêter." The pachyderm trotted gleefully, rattling plates and tables with the weight of her steps, over to the table Macao and Wakaba sat at with Laki. The lavender haired girl produced a hand full of sugar cubes to the elephant to stop her from tickling at her neck. Levy turned back to her company and sheepishly smiled, "Sorry."

"Don't worry about it." Gajeel let his gaze drift over the party to lock on the group of chortling hyenas in party clothes, no doubt supremely amused by Aurora's little trick. "You think I enjoy havin' Lil' buggin' into my roma- that side of things? It's not a concern of mine and I'm not actively lookin'. No offense."

"Well, neither am I. Besides, it's not like we could-," her cheeks burned again as she gestured between the two of them. "We're just too different."

"Got that right."

Levy huffed and lazily placed her chin in the palm of her hand, comfortable this time and all traces of sullenness gone. "You get nagged the whole way and back about what you should wear too?"

Gajeel snorted and seethed, "Of course. It's the reason I'm in a tie and vest."

"It could be worse. See that frock Lucy's got on display? She picked a similar bright red number for my person before I managed to slip away." The girl in question was show casing a dress that pressed even the Tail's boundaries. The hem covered her feet despite the heels she wore, but the right scandal lied in that the dress was sleeveless and clung to her bust and fitted Lucy's slender form down to her hips. The flare starting at her waist was barely a flare, but it suited her and the gold bands at the very top and bottom of the dress lent a special air to her.

"This whole thing's ridiculous."

"I don't mind the party, but the dress code can buzz off." Levy swept her eyes over his outfit, noting that he'd rebelliously rolled the sleeves of his shirt up to his elbows. "You don't look so bad, though."

Gajeel smirked at her and laughed, and an unladylike scoff escaped her mouth at his arrogance. He entertained the idea of Levy in a getup like Heartfilia's; the excess material would probably just serve to make her seem shorter than she already was. More often than not, he frankly didn't care, but he's glad the girl before him hadn't listened to Lucy.

"It would kill you to return the compliment, wouldn't it?"

"Well, seeing as anything I would say wouldn't be appropriate at a dinner table and we're not linked, I've no obligation to, shrimp."

"Fair enough." She shrugged her shoulders and set an elbow on the table to hold her head in her hand, the action pulling a falsely indignant scoff from her company.

They sat in companionable silence for a while. They laughed at Natsu's poor attempt to dance with Lucy, Elfman trying to convince Evergreen onto the dance floor, and Wendy pairing with Romeo to outshine them all. Gajeel scanned the crowd, sniggering along with Levy and taking turns to point out various scenes betwixt them. Tail loved a good party, never needed a good reason to throw one either. In an odd way, he was having a good time. Although that might be more that Lily and his team of instigators were pleased as punch he was spending it within Levy's reach and stayed out of his personal space. It was the sight of his old friend with Gray Fullbuster that had his lips turning down rather than nosy guardians.

"He treats her well."

"What?" Gajeel's head whipped back to Levy, the girl still watching the elemental pair with her nose scrunched in delight.

She faced him, still smiling and bobbing her head in the spot they had just been watching. "Gray and Juvia."

Gajeel leaned back in his chair, folding his arms and looking off to the side in the polar opposite direction of Juvia Lockser. "Why would I be concerned about what Juvia does with her life."

"You're not fooling anyone. Aside from Lily, you've known her the longest and old habits are hard to break, especially when it's someone you care for."

"So, what if I do question her good sense?"

"She talks to me, although I never quite figured out why. Probably because I let her get everything out and not bug out about the matchmaking opportunities. Either way, she confides in me and, while I'm sworn to several holy relics, documents, a couple graves, and my own soul not to tell, I can assure you. Without any doubts. However, Gray's a bit obtuse at times and that tends to grate on her patience."

"That so."

"Mhmm."

They lapsed into another peaceful silence. Natsu had finally convinced Lucy to dance with him, and he managed to only tread on her toes twice after four songs. Evergreen pretended to be put out by dancing with Elfman, the man grinning form ear to ear as his oldest sister watched the pair like a hawk from over by the punch table.

Her own plate of Mirajane's food sounded right up her alley just as Gajeel broke her from her gluttonous plans.

"Levy."

"Hm?" She distractedly peeled her eyes from the food table, forcing herself to stick her attention to him and not let them wander back to subconsciously put her plate together.

He sat quietly for a few beats, letting his eyes flick over the expanse of her not tucked under the table. "You don't look bad."

Levy swore she only imagined it, it was a trick of the changing lights, there was absolutely no way that she had seen right. Gajeel Redfox was not the type to playfully wink at someone like her.

dandy: a man unduly devoted to style, neatness, and fashion in dress and appearance.

waif: a homeless and helpless person, esp. a neglected or abandoned child.

gramophone: old-fashioned term for record player.

palaver: talk unnecessarily at length.

jake: alright, fine.

-French

arrêter: stop

moineau: sparrow

Vers le bas: down

A/N: Lucy's act might just be my favorite.

I'm going to be taking a backseat to fandom interactions for personal reasons, just need to get rid of some stress and relax for a bit. This means that I'll work on this circus au when I can, so updates might extend past a weekly thing.