Chapter 14: Taking Leaps of Faith

3rd POV

Lucy knew she was being childish, but difference was, was that she didn't care. Throughout the whole way home, Gajeel carried her like a sack, and after a few minutes, he ignored her threats, insults, and cries to let her go. The slayer wouldn't tell her this, but the whole time he had to physically force himself not to smirk in amusement, for he knew she would catch it, and then start thrashing even more. And so now, she sat on his very large couch, her arms crossed over her upper body with incidentally pushed her breasts up more, and pouted, giving Gajeel the silent treatment as well as the cold shoulder.

However, Gajeel wasn't fazed by it at all; in fact, he found it just as amusing, especially how she didn't even notice that she was giving him a better view with her arms crossed. And at the same time, he wasn't going to apologize. He wasn't the one for apologizing in the first; he'd usually ignore them or if he really forced himself let them get some sort of payback and then the two were even. And even though Lucy was different to the iron dragon slayer, there was no way he was going to apologize to her for this, because he'd be lying to her, and he didn't feel like there was anything to apologize for. She was moping, and knowing her, she'd get over it soon, and start smiling like always and at least, hopefully, it would be a sincere smile, not the bullshit fake smiles she gave around. After all, Gajeel felt like he deserve her full of sunshine and happiness smile.

He wouldn't tell anyone, mostly his pride and reputation would get in the way, but he really loved her smiles. How all of her pearly white's would show, and how sometimes her smiles were so big, her eyes would clench shut. It was those moments he had a really bad urge to slam his lips against hers and kiss her with all he's got, making her cheeks as flush as a tomato. But he managed to hold himself back, well, so far at least, he wasn't sure how much longer he'll be able to hold back, especially with his inner dragon pushing itself out to take control. Then they'd defiantly be in trouble.

"You hungry Bunny," Gajeel asked, taking a seat next to the pretty blonde. Lucy huffed in response, and childishly tilted her chin away from him, shutting away her pretty chocolate brown orbs to show the pierced man that she wasn't talking to him. "Well, you fucking forced my hand Bunnygirl."

Before Lucy had a chance to look at him in confusion, Gajeel suddenly pushed her down and got on top of her with lightning speed, and jabbed his fingers to her side. It was defiantly a sight to see, watching the Black Steel Gajeel tickle a sweet busty blonde. And the response he got from the celestial mage, was loud squeals. At first, her still stubborn mood took over, and she refused to plead for him to stop, instead, just squealing and trying to push his hands away, but that only lasted for a few seconds, which felt like hours to Lucy. "Gah-Gajeel! Sh-stop…" she gasped breathlessly, her squeals now turning to screams of laughter.

After five more minutes of the complete torture, which had turned Lucy full on red and breathless, the dragon slayer stopped, grinning with satisfaction. The blonde glared back, but only for a moment before a small, soft smile curved itself onto her face, that was until her eyes widened and her already very flushed face turned to nearly a crimson red. At first, Gajeel was confused, raising a single piercing eyebrow in questioning, until he finally realized their position; he was still on top of her, his body pushed up a little so that she didn't crush under his weight, but still, he was on top of her. He forced himself to pull back at a normal speed, and sat on the couch, pressing a fist against his mouth as he coughed, trying to rid his body of the pleasant burning sensation he was feeling after slight being pressed against her goddess like body.

"Now that you're talking to me, you better fucking tell me if you're hungry or not, because maybe next time I won't let up as fast," he threatened half heartedly, smirking at her, and once more, the old Gajeel was back. Lucy glared back at him, but it didn't last long before a smile lit up on her features. Dammit, that fucking sugary little smile; does she know what this does to me, his thoughts roared.

"You better not, or I'll Lucy Kick you," she threatened back light heartedly. "And no, I'm not hungry. I ate before I went to the train station." Gajeel nodded, and before he had a chance to say anything, his inner dragon's voice spoke up in his thoughts. This is your chance, ask her out, ask her to be your girlfriend, whatever. You already realized you got feelings for her, don't be like that dimwit of a dragon slayer Flamebrain, and man up. You don't want to be a pussy like all those other guys in Fairy Tail, waiting months and years with these feelings. His dragon berated. After that, Gajeel got so focused onto his own thoughts, that he missed what his dragon said after that. She's your mate. Those three little words would've shocked the iron dragon slayer to core, and then, he would've realized his feelings for her held deeper emotions. But he didn't hear it, so he didn't know.

Gajeel POV

My inner dragon and I are a lot alike, except his emotions are stronger than mine. We tend to rarely disagree, and he's rarely ever wrong. So when he told me I needed to man up and ask her out, instead of being like one of those Fairie pussies who like her, yet are waiting a lifetime to tell her, I knew he was right. I mean, I'm always confident, and fucking always tells it as it is, but for some reason, I'm hesitating. I'm not sure why, maybe because I don't want to screw it up with her, which is hard for me to grasp considering I've never really cared about relationships with other people, but with this blonde bunny, I don't want to risk it.

But in the end, he's right. If I don't tell her soon, I'll never tell her. And there is no way I'm going to pull a Flamebrain stunt, waiting months to just gain up the courage, or at least not doing anything Natsu would do at all. Everyone in Fairy Tail could see that the stupid so-called fire dragon slayer liked Lucy as more than a friend, you have to deaf, blind, and without a brain to not notice it. Which is probably the reason why I backed off, and instead, stuck around the girl with the kid body Levy, and also because I basically tortured Bunnygirl, beat her to a pulp, and I was too much of a scaredy-cat to face her, especially when I got the front row seat of her Lucy Kicking the Stripper or Flameidiot.

I just needed to do it.

Lucy POV

After I told Gajeel that I was no longer hungry, he got quiet. At first I was worried if something was wrong, but from the gleam in his eyes, I noticed that he was deep in thought, so, I let him be. Even though I played the silent treatment and the cold shoulder game on him, it still didn't mean I was grateful. When I was about to leave, I didn't imagine what it would be like if he had gotten to the station before I could leave, in fact, I didn't even put that variable into my head. And when he was there, I couldn't help but notice how my heart fluttered. At first I thought it was nervousness because I knew I was going to be in trouble, but then I realized it was happiness. I was happy he came to the train station. I was happy he pulled that annoying pervert away. I was happy when he told me he actually cared about me and considered me to be a friend. I was happy he took me away, despite how vulgar his method was.

I've been noticing that a lot recently; that I was always happy whenever I was with him. But there was something else I noticed, and that was this: he was always making me blush. Sure I blushed a lot regularly, but he made me blush in a way that made my heart skip and speed up. And sometimes I feel as if I can't breathe; what is with me? Why do I love being around him, and why is it that he makes me so happy?

Badum, badum… what is this, my thoughts questioned, softly pressing a palm against my heart which has sped up just by thinking about Gajeel. What is this, why I am feeling like this for a friend, and why haven't I noticed this sooner?

"Lucy," an all too serious spoke, causing me to jerk my head up to him. He… actually said my name this time… why is my heart speeding up more? It's getting kind of painful now, I thought to myself, watching Gajeel with a steady expression while I tried to calm my soaring heart. He's never said my name before, and the way he rolled it off his tongue is making me blush; gosh, I'm going to be a tomato soon again. And then, just like that, he spoke out the words I never thought I would hear, "will you be my girlfriend?"

To be continued…

A/N: Sorry, I just had to do the cliff hanger. It was practically calling my name :3 Excuse me for any grammar or spelling errors!

To ImmortalMidnight: Thank you so much, I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

To AiMila: Yes I want to start their relationship off earlier than in the other 'Lucy gets kicked off the team' stories. And besides, this is Gajeel, he's not very patient.

To SuperPsycoNutcase: I with you there! I love it so much that I hate Gajeey (or GaLe) with all of my very being, but I Levy. Hehe