"Honeymoon, huh?" The young farmer sitting across from him cleared his throat and tried to start up a conversation. He was obviously nervous and his smile didn't seem entirely stable as he looked over at Gajeel. "I'm Phen, my girl …I mean my wife …is Shagon."

The dark-haired Dragonslayer didn't care. But. They were on a job. He really should talk with the other couple, or at least one half since the wife seemed to be zonked out asleep. Actually, so was Levy, thank all that was holy.

Ever since his quip about his balls the shrimp-girl had been giving him the cold shoulder. Gajeel was actually a bit surprised not to have frost-bite at the moment. But that had been several boring hours ago. Now that pretty blue hair was leaning against his side, seeking him in slumber like she hadn't when awake. Which made Gajeel loathe to rouse her right now. Still. Job.

Just as the young man sat back looking disappointed, Gajeel gave a soft grunt. "Hey." He did his social bit and gave the other man his name. Testing the waters as it were. There was no glint of recognition, or fear, in Phen. A fact that he found more than a little disappointing. Gone for seven years and the name 'Black Steel Gajeel' seemed to have vanished. Damn it.

Sure he was a member of Fairy Tail now, and he doubted Master Makarov would approve of a bad reputation. Still. He'd worked hard to build up a name for himself. A fearsome name wasn't exactly the same as a villainous one, right?

Levy stirred gently, a soft sound escaping her as she shifted in her sleep. Slowly, so as not to wake her, Gajeel shifted his arm and was rewarded when she snuggled in closer to his side. The Dragonslayer moved his arm back, wrapping it protectively about her. Levy mutterd something even his enhanced senses couldn't hear and settled down, nuzzling her nose into his side with a happy sigh.

Alright. So there were perks to not being his old Phantom Lord self anymore. He frowned softly. No. This wasn't a perk and he wasn't an idiot. This wasn't real. Levy in his arms, it wasn't real. It was a job.

Except. Gajeel groaned a bit as he thought about a slip of paper that said otherwise. According to the law, Levy was his fucking wife. He closed his eyes and took a steadying breath. If he didn't watch himself his balls would stay blue the entire time they were in Burlone.

"So. How'd you two meet?" Phen asked, trying to be social.

Gajeel latched onto the conversation without thought, hoping to distract himself only to realize that talking about Levy wasn't a good way to go about distancing himself from her. "Working." He kept it short and simple. "We were rivals and then we weren't."

Phen smiled, too obviously relieved the larger male was willing to talk and relieve the boredom of the trip. "What clued you in that she was the only one for you?"

Gejeel answered without thought or consideration. "I saw her and I just knew that I needed her." As soon as the words left his mouth he knew they were absolutely true, solidifying something he'd not really put into conscious realization before. It unsettled him on a fundamental level. He wasn't used to needing anyone or anything, not since Metalicana had abandoned him.

Levy seemed to sense his unease even in her sleep. One hand rose and settled on his chest, near his heart, before it slid back down again while she pressed closer.

Phen grinned at the small display, nodding. "Not me, man. Shagon?" He looked over at his own snoozing wife. "She was a friend from when we were kids, and a good one too. Then I saw another man flirt with her one day and I knew that I couldn't let that happen. Hadn't even known I felt about her that way until then. Surprised the heck out of me."

Gajeel didn't answer, he was still reeling from his own realization. He'd not considered the matter before. But the more he examined it, the more he realized the truth. He had seen Levy and it was like the sun had shone a little bit brighter right over her. His eyes had gone to her, and stayed. But she had been Fairy Tail and he'd been Phantom Lord, which had actually angered him at the time. Gajeel knew he'd not been aware of wanting her, not then. It had just …. He'd seen her light and laughter and had felt an empty lack, a hollowness that had ached like a severed limb.

That's when he'd noticed Jet and Droy trailing behind her, all three laughing and cutting up a bit. Any fool could have seen their hearts pinned right on their sleeves for the pint-sized mage that led them. Even him. And that had nearly destroyed her. At his hands.

Phen started waxing on and on about his wife and how they'd started dating. The man wouldn't shut up. But that was fine, he wasn't exactly listening. Gajeel nodded here and there, but otherwise ignored the other couple completely.

Levy had just asked him yesterday …why Team Shadow Gear? Why had he chosen them as his target in order to incense the Fairy Tail guild?

The answer was …he was an asshole.

Gajeel's hand slid up and down Levy's back while the other reached across his own body to bury itself in her blue wavy hair. The softness of her locks made his breath catch hard within his lungs.

He'd seen Levy and he'd wanted her. Except he didn't. He didn't want to want her. He certainly didn't want to be like Jet and Droy, trailing after her merrily hoping that one day she might turn around and say something nice. Gajeel remembered how angry he'd been at all three of them. How he'd HATED Levy for trailing these men along behind her, unmindful of their feelings. Like they were accessories to be collected.

Because he'd felt the same. In one instant, she'd had him too, drawn to her and yet repulsed by what she represented. He hadn't thought, only reacted. Something made you feel bad? Destroy it.

Was it her laughter? Her smile? Her scent? Hell, he didn't know. Not then and not now. It just was. Hurting her had been an act of self-defense on his part. An asshole move, to be sure, but that's what it was. He'd done his job and tried to forget that first moment when he'd seen her, when she'd been glowing with life and laughter and fun. Out of his league.

Then Makarov had brought him into Fairy Tail and he'd thought he could ignore Levy. Yeah right. Shorty had been a revelation to him. Turned out that she wasn't manipulative, capturing hearts and making them her slaves. Levy was pretty unaware of her effect on others, he'd been shocked to discover. Instead she was smart and brave and funny and caring on a fundamental level that still left him stunned.

He was still fighting the fact that she had him wrapped around her finger. And he was losing. But the worst thing was …she didn't even know there was a battle going on.

Gajeel growled, feeling uneasy and on edge. He didn't want to want her. Levy made him vulnerable, and if he were honest, he didn't want to desire her more than she did him. And since she didn't want him like that, then he needed to find a way to not want her.

Her mouth opened and she almost said something in her sleep and then turned once more into his embrace. Gajeel's arms settled around her more firmly, for despite his resolve to push her away, his own muscles wouldn't obey.

o.o.o.o.o

"So. How did you two meet?"

Levy had been expecting the question, it was a basic one after all. And in undercover work it was necessary to stick as close to the truth as possible in order to help in remembering your stories. She still froze. Her eyes moved across the train platform to look at Gajeel who was leaning against the support beam to the water tower.

He'd been acting strangely ever since the train and stopped in order to take on water and fuel. She'd awoken feeling quite comfortable despite having slept sitting upright for quite a while, maybe the motion of the train had been soothing or something.

Gajeel had barely looked at her and only grunted a few times in response to any of her questions.

"Well? I told you how Phen and I met." Shagon said with a friendly grin. "Though it's common as dirt and twice as exciting."

Levy demurred, shaking her head gently. "I think it's sweet that you two have been together since childhood." She avoided the question about her first 'meeting' with her husband. "You and Phen seem well suited together."

Shagon blushed underneath her tanned cheeks, her own eyes seeking out her new husband as well. Phen waved at her from over with the group of men from the train as they chatted.

Gajeel wasn't with them, of course. Levy sighed internally. Drat him. Would it have hurt him to mingle and learn more about their fellow passengers? This was a job after all. At least Pantherlily was walking through the crowds and would probably bring back some good information.

"Thank you." Shagon pressed her long, sun-bleached hair back behind her ears in an embarrassed gesture. "I would say you and your husband are to, but you seem so …different to me. You're so cute and he's so ….scary."

Levy gave a disdainful look, then shrugged. "There's an old saying that opposites attract. You might say that includes us. And he's not scary." Now. She amended to herself.

"Oh." Shagon nodded thoughtfully, then glanced behind them at where Gajeel stood by himself, watching everyone with his arms folded across his chest in a rather intimidating manner. "Do you mind if I ask you a personal question?"

Levy, mindful of her need to stay close to a source of potential information, nodded a bit reluctantly. She wondered what the other young woman might want to know and just hoped it wasn't something too …intimate.

"Are mage guilds …well, we hear stories out in the farming communities. How they are so much more …well, free. That there is a lot of drinking and carrying on and the like."

Levy blinked several times in rapid succession. Not where she thought the question would go. She quickly reordered her thinking in order to answer. "Well. Some drink more than others, and some not at all. As for carrying on, well, we date and the like but I don't think more or less so than anyone else. In fact, probably less so since we go out on jobs all the time, makes it hard."

Shagon blushed slightly and nodded, though she seemed almost disappointed in the rather normal sounding answer. "Were you and Gajeel together before the wedding? Oh dear, is that bad for me to ask? Normally I wouldn't dare."

"We hadn't dated long." Levy said, still friendly even as she looked around at the other passengers, trying to peg who else might be a newlywed couple. Actually, there were several potential ones.

"No ..er, I mean …together." The words didn't give Levy her clue on what was being asked, it was the embarrassed blush heating up the cheeks of the other woman.

"Oh." Levy hesitated. She had a cover story, had even discussed it with Gajeel before leaving Magnolia. But suddenly the words were hard to say and she couldn't understand why. It was just a story for the job. "Well. Honestly, we had to get married rather quickly. Hopefully by the time we come back home my father and brothers will have forgiven us and will accept us back." She leaned in to sell the performance. "My family was quite put out with the two of us. And it won't be just the two of us for very long."

The other woman's eyes dropped to Levy's small waist as if calculating time. "Two months?"

Levy gave a jerky little nod, pretending to be a young woman caught out and pregnant while marrying against family wishes.

"Well, at least our guys step up for themselves." Shagon said with a tremulous voice full of meaning.

"You too!" Levy acted surprised, she'd guessed already from some observations throughout their shared train ride over the past day and a half.

"Actually, sadly, I'm glad I'm not the only one." The other woman smiled at her as if this shared condition made the two of them a team somehow. "My family made me feel like a disappointment when we had to move our wedding up by six months, even though we were already engaged!"

"My family was shocked and pretty much appalled." Levy said, thinking of Jet and Droy. "They think I'm an idiot for even being around him."

Behind Shagon's shoulder Levy could see Gajeel give a quick smile and wondered what had amused him? She knew Dragonslayer senses were really good, including hearing, but they were quite a bit away from him with several loud conversations being held all around them. Surely he couldn't hear this whispered exchange.

Shagon's eyes rounded in understanding, shock and a bit of awe. "Was he upset when you found out? About the baby? He didn't mind? That you …uh, well …"

Levy made a mental note to relate an edited account of this conversation to Gajeel, so their stories would match up. "He didn't mind getting me this way." She said with a bit of snap in her voice as she patted her flat stomach. "And no, he didn't complain about having to get married."

Suddenly Shagon giggled even as she blushed hotter. "Oh no, they certainly don't mind THAT part."

Shagon leaned in very close, almost conspiratorially. "I didn't care for it at first, but Phen promised it would get better, and it did. What about you?"

Levy had hoped she'd escaped this line of questioning and cast a quick look at the railway employees. They were taking their own sweet time in filling the train with necessary supplies. Damn. "Well. The first time is never much beyond awkward." She said, going from what she'd read. Not in research tomes, but in the books she read for pure enjoyment and hid from Cana who never gave them back when she borrowed. Lucy would at least return the books, not Cana though. She never lent them to Laki, as the mage thought they were perverted or something. As for Erza, she just never seemed interested.

She herself loved those books and had several favorites that she'd re-read often. Levy wondered when the next one in the Bosco Border series would be coming out.

Suddenly Levy stiffened, appalled. She was an idiot! She and the others had been away in a suspended state for seven years. That meant that her favorite authors should have published whilst she'd been gone! Several books, lots and lots of books! Her fingers twitched and she made an antsy, needy sound in the back of her throat. She needed a bookstore. Right now. Instead of having to wait for something to come out, she could binge to her heart's delight!

"Something wrong?"

"No. No. In fact, it's very, very good." Levy said in a breathless little voice that had new raspiness, her heartrate picking up significantly.

"Is your stomach alright?" Shagon sounded worried. She made vague gestures that took Levy a moment to decipher.

Stomach? Oh. The baby she didn't really have. Levy forced herself to calm down, though she fairly tingled with the need to race toward finding those wonderful books she knew were waiting for her! "I'm fine."

"I don't …." Shagon threw a worried glance behind her at Gajeel, who hadn't moved. "Oh Levy, it's scary enough being responsible for someone else. I don't know how you can be so brave."

Levy's racing thoughts screeched to a standstill. Brave? Was Shagon intimating something about Gajeel? She had called him scary once already. "Look, I know he can appear rather rough, but he is actually very protective." She said, remembering the time he'd taken a lightning strike for her and deliberately pushing aside all memory of anything before that.

"No!" Shagon shook her head in quick denial. "I meant his size! You're so tiny and I mean, look at your husband's shoulders! Aren't you terrified of giving birth? Any child of his will be huge!"

Levy went limp as she let her anger dissipate. And surprisingly enough to herself she realized that she had been angry. Upset on Gajeel's behalf for any implied insult. "We have an excellent healer." She said, then reconsidered. Actually Wendy was too young for delivering babies, they'd have to go to Porlyusica instead. She grimaced at the thought of the grouchy older woman examining her, then sighed heavily. Idiot. What was wrong with her? There would be no need and no examination. They weren't really pregnant!

"That's good. I guess." Shagon didn't sound convinced. She threw another look over her shoulder at Gajeel as if worried.

Levy frowned. She didn't like the way the other woman acted like there was something to fear. Alright yes, Gajeel hadn't always been someone she could count on and trust, but Shagon couldn't know that. So why was the other woman acting all weird?

"He's awfully large."

Was it her imagination or was there an implied question in that statement? Levy nodded, the observation wasn't really warranted in her opinion. Gajeel's height was not exactly hidden. And anyone could see how broad his shoulders were, how finely his muscles were cut.

"Is he …er, that is …large all over?"

Levy, innocent that she was despite her reading habits, didn't understand the question at first. It took at least ten seconds for her face to light up like the setting sun and her eyes to widen in shock. She shook her head wildly as she rushed to speak. "I don't think that's really something you should be asking me!" Women didn't really talk about these things, surely not? Well. Cana might, but not the others. Really. Or at least she hoped.

Shagon's head drooped and she apologized quickly, her face also reddened with a blush. "I just wondered if …I mean, he's got those piercings all over, so many of them. Is it …it …, you know, …it …does he have those metal studs …there? Does that make it feel different? Does it feel strange?"

Levy nearly fainted at the suggestion, having never even thought along those lines. She swallowed hard, her throat suddenly dry as dust, especially as she realized that Gajeel was walking over toward them. She hissed at Shagon who thankfully didn't say anything else as the large man joined them.

"They say we can board the train now." Gajeel's deep voice rumbled over them and Levy actually shivered as her skin prickled. Hyperaware of him at the moment she tried to go around him, but his reach was long enough to capture her upper arm and draw her to his side as the others moved toward the train.

The Dragonslayer leaned in and bent over so that his lips were right next to her ear. His whisper made her stomach feel like there were butterflies dancing inside her as his heated breath tickled her overheated skin.

"I think you skipped a chapter in that book you're reading us." He said.

Levy could suddenly breathe again, dark spots disappearing from in front of her vision. She licked her lips nervously as she shook her head in denial.

"I think you're skipping over the sexy bits." He teased.

Well. True. Levy gave a jerky sort-of shrug. "Read it yourself if you want." She wasn't going to read the more salacious scenes out loud to both Gajeel and Pantherlily. She'd rather face the S-class trials again. Alone. "We need to get back on the train."

"Do you have sensitive ears?" Gajeel huffed a long breath against her earlobe and she nearly went up in flames. Or melted. Never mind that these were opposite reactions. "Is that why you don't have them pierced?"

Levy shivered, unable to answer as she tried to step away.

"Well. I do have sensitive ears." He whispered. "And congratulations on expecting our child. Sorry about my shoulders."

"You could hear?" She gasped, mortified.

He grinned suddenly and Levy nearly fainted, knowing he was about to say something utterly outrageous. "If you want to know if anything else is pierced, I invite you to check for yourself. If you don't want a test drive then use another method. Hands, mouth or eyes. Your pick, though if you ask nicely I'll tell you my preference."

Levy's body contracted, each and every muscle inside her quivered for a moment and she felt like her skin might actually be on fire. Slowly she turned a wild look at him and found him smugly watching her. Her eyes narrowed dangerously. She might be small and vulnerable, but she wasn't without weapons over her own. He'd taught her the necessity of that.

Her fingers moved as she spelled a word that she called out defiantly.

Gajeel's eyes widened with shock and distress as both his hands grabbed at his throat. Gagging noises erupted from him as she turned away, walking toward the train without alone.

"Don't be late. I think they might leave you behind." She gave him one parting shot as she climbed back aboard, though not looking back. Levy was halfway down the aisle when she felt him behind her, bounding onto the train while still hacking and coughing.

Pantherlily, already on 'their' bench seat, looked up in wonder. "Has Gajeel gone rabid?" He asked in a hushed tone of concern.

"No. I just washed his mouth out with soap." Levy said in a calm but stern voice as she sat down rather primly on the bench seat, smoothing her skirt down with a small movement of her hands.

Gajeel whipped off his shirt and desperately tried to wipe the white, foamy bubbles off of his lips and tongue. She ignored his plight, waiting for him to finish. It took nearly fifteen minutes before he dropped down next to her and roughly dropped an arm around her shoulder.

"Put your shirt back on!" Levy groused, embarrassed and yet contrarily liking the feel of his bared skin. He smelled like a hint of spice, something wholly masculine. She licked her lips and looked out the window, but didn't try to pull away all while telling herself it was because of the job they were on.

With his other arm Gajeel reached across and used his index finger to press lightly against the skin of her chin. Using very light pressure he urged her to turn back toward him. "Mean." He chided, looking riled but not necessarily angry.

"I could have used something far worse than soap." She said in what she hoped was a menacing tone of voice that was probably ruined by the slight tremor even she could hear.

Gajeel blinked down at her and nodded in understanding. "Why didn't you do that before?"

When she'd been attacked by him.

"It was something I developed in your honor." She gave him a snarl-smile that was ruined by her absolute adorability in his opinion.

Gajeel nodded at her, perversely proud at this new use for her Solid Script magic. "Never waste your time with feathers and soap. Go for the really nasty when you need to fight back."

Levy blinked up at him in uncertainty. Why did he look pleased? "It wouldn't have stopped you." She said hesitatingly. "Something gross would have only angered you more. Made things worse."

Red eyes turned serious as his arm tightened around her. "A mouthful of shit would have pissed me off and made everything go much worse against you, yes. But a mouthful of poison? Or something to paralyze? Or how about something in order to knock a person out?"

Levy flushed slightly. Offensive magic wasn't really her strong suit and thinking in that manner was different for her. "Those aren't easy spells. I'm having to craft them myself. I'm still working on it."

He suddenly beamed at her. "You can do that?" Gajeel asked her, looking at her as if a bit in awe. "Make new ones? The feathers and the soap are all yours?"

Unable to help herself, Levy realized that his approval made her feel really good which was silly. She didn't need applause or anything like that. Really not. She looked away, blushing even as she nodded at him. "My magic deals in words, it's a matter of refinement and application."

"Soap was a nice touch. But you need something to incapacitate." The man she'd inadvertently married continued.

Levy looked down at her hands caught in her lap. He had a good point, actually.

"Just can you try not to use those on me?" Gajeel said, his voice whinging a bit though there was some laughter in there too.

"You deserved it." She said, not looking up at him.

"Perhaps." He admitted grudgingly. "Levy I …you should keep those spells handy." Gajeel warned her. "Maybe work on something stronger, to keep me away."

Levy blinked up at him in wonder. His red eyes were serious. He meant what he was saying. "You're my part…husband."

Long dark hair moved as he shook his head at her and she reached out, catching a handful of the wild stuff. "Don't. I'm not good at being good."

He sounded lost and it tore at her heart in a manner that any argument couldn't have touched. "Gajeel."

"If you don't want to end up making our cover story a reality, you need to run from me." He told her flat out and let her go. Moving to recline against the seat, his massive arms crossed over his chest as he closed his eyes. "Shrimp, I'll try to stay away, but make no promises."

Levy's bronze eyes widened and she hiccupped from out of nowhere, her hands moving up to cover her mouth.

She turned to look around them, realizing that Phen and Shagon hadn't taken their seats yet and the only one to overhear their conversation was the Exceed cat, Pantherlily.

The feline looked at her and the two fell into something of a staring contest until she hiccupped again, ruining the effect.

Levy McGarden Redfox turned and looked out of the train window as she felt the car lurch beneath her in preparation for continuing their journey.

She had a decision to make.

First? She was attracted, of course she was, she wasn't an idiot after all. But. Gajeel had hurt her on their initial meeting. Sometimes that feeling of helpless rage could still rear its ugly head. On the other hand, she'd seen him evolve into a protective mage, who would fight to the death to make sure she was safe. He was rough and could be mean. He was kind and could be ….Levy hiccupped again and shook her head.

Pros and cons be damned. She already knew her decision. She just wondered if she had anything in her piles of luggage that would be good for seducing her husband.

o.o.o.o.o

"Well?"

"Our information is on target. They are a real couple, it just screams out at anyone near them."

"Good. Threaten one and the other will fall in line."

"I don't know about this. They are mages."

"We need mages now, not getting it done with plain labor anymore. No. We want to find what we're looking for, we need magic." The man grinned savagely. "Fairy Tail wizards aren't very highly ranked. You saw the last time they competed at the Grand Magic Games. But they should have enough to find the treasure."

"Why don't we just hire them, like with a job?"

"Naw, they'd find it and keep it for themselves. No. This way is better. Way better. Trust me."

"I do, Phen. I do." The woman smiled at him before turning to head back toward their targets.