Thank you guys for reading! Hope you're having an awesome day. I do not own Fairy Tail or any of the characters. Feel free to leave a comment as always:)
...
Half way up the mountain and I was already exhausted. How could Gajeel keep going? Maybe it was his big broad shoulders that kept the wind at bay. Unconsciously, I started walking behind him to protect myself from the cold wind. Man the way his back was so toned only made me think back of how adorned his entire body was with muscles. Jeez. Keep your drool in check Levy! I decided to distract myself with humming instead of Gajeel's physical qualities. Gajeel looks back at me and gives me that grin again. That grin that tells me he does pay attention, and more importantly enjoys my company. Maybe that's what has got me so hooked on him. Maybe it's how every time I'm with him I don't feel the need to talk or explain myself. I'm comfortable with him because I'm not afraid of being myself.
Lost in my thoughts my beanie is swept away with the howling wind that continues to grow stronger by the minute. My shriek of protest as I try to run after it catches Gajeel's attention. He stops me from going on a very thin ledge. Pushing me against his side "Don't start blowing away on me Shrimp!"
I playfully hit him in the chest, pathetically I may add to my embarrassment. "I'm not that small!" Yet, when the wind starts howling again around us I grab Gajeel's hand for good measure. He squeezes my hand gently in his, telling me silently in his own way that he wouldn't let anything happen to me. Oh, how I could just let my legs give out at that moment.
Almost reaching the peak, I notice the wind picking up and the dark settling around us, before I know it I'm being shoved into and icy cold cave by Gajeel. I try to quickly make a fire but my fingers are having a hard time moving on their own. Gajeel slides over next to me. "Having a hard time there? Gihi." He grabs my hands together and wraps them into his. He blows hot air onto them, inching our hands closer to his face.
Curiosity getting the best of me, I reach out and gently touch a metal stud on his chin. "Wow, they aren't cold." I can't tell if Gajeel's ears and cheeks go red from my touch or simply by the sudden gust of wind that went through the cave.
"That's because they are a part of my iron-made body. It is technically my second skin."
"I never thought of it that way."
I reluctantly remove my hands from his and start working on building the fire again. Gajeel had brought stuff for s'mores so we sat by the fire telling each other stories and the best vs. worst lachrima movies we had ever seen. We had fun as we laughed at one another's sticky faces.
...
While wiping the last part of marshmallow that got stuck to my bottom lip Levy started unrolling her sleeping bag. It was so pint sized for her petite body I had to keep my smile to myself, fearing the idea of Levy hitting me with one of her books.
In my sleeping bag next to Levy's I inch closer to blow out the fire but Levy quickly covers my mouth with her hand. "NO! Not yet!" She then looks over at me "S-sorry, I didn't mean to be so abrupt." She then gives me a light smile, "I need it to do a little bit more research on what exactly the stones look like when not lit up so we don't overlook them." I grunted in response and caught her by surprise, making her finally realize to remove her hand from my lips.
I silently laid there on the freezing cave floor watching Levy work. She was focused writing notes in her small tablet and scribbling side notes to them every few minutes. Man was she smart. I wouldn't know where to start trying to read so many books in different languages looking for clues. As the hours passed by while I started working on a small iron project for Lily I could feel the temperature in the cave dropping fast, and was glad Levy caught me before blowing out the only source of heat we had. Suddenly I see Levy start to shiver inside her flimsy sleeping bag. That's it. "Goodnight Chibi, time for some sleep."
"No w-way!" she tried to argue as I wrapped my arm around her body and moved her close to me. "I-I-I'm t-tot-ally-y f-fine-ne!" Levy stuttered against my body.
"Are you trying to give Jet and Droy an excuse to yell at ME! I'm not going to let you get hypothermia dumb ass." I snarled at the thought of her two lapdogs chasing her around in worry and trying to bring me into a fight.
She laughed at my expression, leaving her hot breath to rest against my chest. "Thank you, Gajeel." Levy whispered. I put both arms around her and held her body against mine, resting my chin on top of her head. Levy's body stiffened in my arms. I was an idiot! I was about to yell at myself some more for slipping when I still didn't know of how she felt when it happened. Her entire body relaxed against mine. She let out an almost inaudible sigh against my chest, shuffling closer to me.
I was still, wide eyed, and dumbstruck. Levy was putting all her trust in me, and fucking snuggling up to me! Let me rephrase, I do not snuggle! Levy was holding onto me back! I almost didn't want to fall asleep. Despite my resistance, the intoxicating scent of Levy's natural smell with the ever present ink and parchment lulled me to sleep without my permission.
...
I woke up against a hard object. Confused I looked up and saw Gajeel sleeping. I blushed profusely, oh my Mavis! I was up against Gajeel's chest! Okay a bit exaggerated there Levs. Of course there was clothing separating us and sleeping bags useless at our waists. Lazily sighing I wrap myself up again inside his warm arms. Maybe I could persuade him for another night in a freezing cold cave. I giggled at the very thought.
Not wanting to find out if he would brush me off once he woke up I try to leave his protective hold. Not a chance, trying to inch out Gajeel's arms grew tighter around me. I could of sworn I saw his eyes open for the smallest of moments. "Gajeel!"
"What!? Five more minutes!" he turns over while still holding onto me.
"Hey! Let me go!" Opening his eyes fully he looks down at me. Those eyes pierce through me to my very soul. Some may say when they see those eyes all they see is a guarded man who is cruel and unloving. But when I see them, all I see is how much he is opening up to me. He shows me all the hurt and pain he's been through, his endless care he tries to hide in the depths of his eyes and how much he's changed. I gently put my hand to his chest over his heart. Surprised to feel how fast Gajeel's heart is beating I look back up to him. Gajeel looks at me with that same look as yesterday. Time stood still. I felt the wind pushing at my back as if encouraging me to, oh crap, nope wind was not on my side today!
The icicles that riddled the ceiling above started shaking. Without any time to think Gajeel flipped me over again, but now I was underneath his heated body while he tried to shield me from the impact. Gajeel let out a scary groan as two icicles made impact with his skin, slashing at his side. "Gajeel!" I quickly put my arms around his neck and screamed "Solid Script: Shield!" Before any others could harm him a shield materialized around both of our bodies. The icicles quickly fell all around us. "You okay?" I frantically asked Gajeel, he wouldn't budge from his spot on top of me. I slowly sat up after he didn't answer showing him in confidence that my shield would protect us. He gave a huge sigh of relief as he sat up beside me. When the last icicle fell I dropped the shield and ran to the bandages.
...
"Tch. I'm fine." I told Levy again. The icicles had made my side sting like a motherfucker but I wasn't going to admit that any time soon. Besides I was just glad the icicles hadn't shattered and pierced Levy's skin as well. Her yelling my name had scared the shit out of me, making me think they had hit her too.
"Baka! Just let me put a bandage over it okay. You're not going to act so tough when you get infected and I laugh at your stubbornness."
"I don't think I'm the only one who's stubborn in this cave right now." I mumbled and received a death glare from Levy in acknowledgment.
Levy then knelt beside me shoving my hands away from my side so she could work on it. I could see her small hands hesitate at my wound. Lifting my tattered shirt slowly I looked the other way trying not to let her see how flustered I was. She then braced one hand on my side while the other wiped at the blood. My entire body felt overheated in this stupid ice cave. I was trying not to blow this stupid place to pieces over frustration. Stupid cave, perfect chance to get Levy to tell me what was on her damn mind and icicles all did fucked it up. And now it was like the cave was mocking me for my hesitation on just kissing her straight out by making her have to place a bandage on me.
Not wanting to think about it I looked back at Levy. Her eyes focused on my side, having a pensive look on her face. "So Bookworm, what'd you find out about the weird caves?" I asked. Her entire face brightened with her smile, telling me about the new clues she had picked up on, and I felt better already.