Chapter 8

Orange Brook

By the mages, she wasn't kiddin'!

Gajeel shook his head and clasped his hands behind his back, listening to Levy chatter away. Once she had declared their fresh start, a dam seemed to break loose on her tongue. Her mouth was constantly on the move. She peppered him with stories from the guild, tales from the adventures she and her team called Shadow Gear had undertaken, and a friendly reminder to not rile up the Guild Master when he was in a bad mood.

He listened to everything she had to say, letting her smooth, sweet voice rush over him like the wind through the trees.

Surprisingly, she also asked questions about him; what he liked to eat, where he traveled, what he did for fun. He got away with one word answers for some time, but he was beginning to find that Levy had a knack for prodding him into doing exactly what she wanted. Before he was aware of what was happening, Gajeel found himself giving longer and longer answers and even told a few stories of his own adventures. Levy listened to every word, gasping and asking questions as if she actually cared about what he had to say.

It was the most anyone had ever talked with him.

The pathway narrowed and Gajeel sighed in relief when Levy didn't seem to mind that they were walking nearly arm to arm. The tension in his shoulders eased and a lightness filled his steps. The sound of rushing water grew louder and louder until it was able to mask the sound of his pounding heart every time Levy's shoulder bumped into his.

The pathway broke through the trees and traveled along the length of a steep cliff. A raging river flowed through the canyon. Gajeel groaned and rasped a hand down his face. Levy giggled.

"Did you really expect something normal?"

"To be honest? Yes…"

He glared at the orange, frothy river. Bubbles rose and popped on the surface and the waters crashed against rocks that he refused to admit looked like giant ice cubes. The orange scent in the air grew strong and crisp. Gajeel sighed heavily, looking upriver for a low spot along the cliffside.

A tap came on his shoulder. "Gajeel, look…"

Gajeel focused on where Levy's finger was pointed, not the way his name sounded coming from her lips. Only a quarter mile away, a waving rope bridge hung over the river. Gajeel shrugged and followed the downhill pathway towards the bridge. Levy silently followed after, carefully stepping directly behind him.

Black, sleek stones anchored the bridge to the ground. Red ropes twisted along the sides and formed boards wide enough for them to step on. Gajeel grabbed hold of the ropes, which smelled suspiciously like cherries, and bounced on the first board.

"I think it'll hold. I'll go first so we know it's good for you to cross."

"Now hold up," Levy pushed next to him.

Her fingers brushed the black rocks and with a shrug, she licked them.

"Ugh," she shuddered, "black licorice. Anyway, what was I saying?"

Gajeel smirked, taking one more step forward. "That I'm gonna go ahead so we know if it'll hold yer weight?"

He smirked at the mage's glare. "Or better yet, how about I go first? If I see that the bridge won't even hold my weight, then we know for sure it won't hold yours."

"Ya calling me fat, Shorty?" He couldn't help but tease.

"Do you want me to gag you with this licorice?"

Gajeel glanced at the black rocks, remembering the time he snuck the same type of candy from a store when he was just a boy. "No thanks, you can go first."

"Good."

She stuck her tiny nose in the air, feet poised to stomp away. She passed him by and slowly placed her feet on the boards in front of them.

"I'm not that foolish," she huffed over her shoulder.

Gajeel bit back a grin. "Of course."

He waited until she was several planks ahead of him before beginning to cross. Even standing on a crickity candy bridge over 50 feet in the air did nothing to deter Levy's chatter.

"I wonder how old this bridge is. By the looks of it, it seems to be quite new, but I still don't trust these boards. It's a little hard to trust walking across candy, not that I've done it before but…y-you know what I mean!"

"Don't worry," Gajeel called out with a grin. "I'll catch you in case ya loose yer balance, gihee"

"I'm not gonna fall, you meanie!"

"Sure, sure," he muttered, tracing his finger along a strange, circular mark in the rope.

"Hey, Shrimp?" He snorted a laugh at her heavy sigh.

"What? And stop calling me that…"

"Don't these look an awful lot like bite marks? Think Flame Brain and his minions made them?"

Levy's chuckle drifted back to him. "Maybe, he does love his–"

The boards creaked and splintered. With a crash, Levy plummeted into the water below.

"Levy!" Gajeel shouted, launching over the ropes and diving into the waters after her.

The current tugged at his legs and red jacket, instantly threatening to pull him under. Gajeel waved his arms, breaking the surface with a loud gasp. Orange flavored water trailed down his face as he desperately tried to find the familiar patch of blue hair.

"Levy!" he sputtered, swallowing orange soda.

"Over he–!"

A shout cut off to his left. Gajeel leaned with the current and kicked. Levy's head floundered above the foam, her blue hair plastered to her face. She dunked under the water and Gajeel dove after her. His hand waved frantically under the waves. Something grabbed hold of his sleeve and he wrapped his arms around Levy's waist. He kicked his feet, breaking the surface right as his lungs began to burn.

"You didn't catch me, you dummy!" Levy screeched in his ear before they plunged back under the water.

His head broke the surface and he shook water from his eyes. "I didn't actually expect you ta fall, now did I!?" he shouted back.

Levy coughed and sputtered, managing to glare at him even with her arms wrapped around his neck in a death grip. They twisted and pitched in the water, Gajeel kicking desperately to keep them afloat.

"Over there!" Levy squeezed his shoulder.

The cliffside smoothed and lowered. Trees hung over the river, their branches dipping into the frothy waters. Using one arm to hold onto Levy and the other to paddle, the two desperately kicked towards the low river bank. A surge of water rushed over them, forcing them deep into the river. Levy shook water from her face and twisted until she lay across his back.

"Give me 10 seconds! Then get us closer to that embankment up ahead!" She squeezed his sides with her knees and magic flashed in her hands.

Gajeel channeled his magic, forcing his legs to turn into metal poles. He kicked as hard as he could, jamming the metal into the soft riverbed.

"Keep holding us here!"

Water swirled and rushed around them. The force of the current pressed levy against his back. Gajeel grunted, struggling to remain upright. He turned an arm into the longest piece of metal he could and jammed it into the riverbed.

"Can't hold it much longer, Shrimp!"

"I'm almost there!"

Something thunked against his head. More magic swirled from Levy's fingers. Gajeel's leg slipped, pitching him forward into the water. He sputtered, turning his opposite arm into a pole and thrust it into the soft dirt. Pain shot through the metal and into his skin.

"Shrimp!" he yelled, his metal legs slipping with each passing second.

"Got it! Go!"

Clenching each muscle against the current, Gajeel gave a final thrust with his legs. The movement shot them forward and he used his metal poles to propel them forward. Sparks whirled above his head. Levy grunted, flinging what looked like a hook and rope towards the trees. The rope wrapped around a thick branch, causing them to jerk to a halt.

Gajeel released his magic and grabbed hold of the rope tightly. His arms shook as he slowly pulled them through the water. Levy grunted, the magical rope shimmering slightly as the current threatened to wash Levy away. She tightened her grip on his sides, digging his sword into his hip, and Gajeel renewed his efforts to get them out of the water.

Levy shoved off his shoulders the moment the riverbank was within reach. She scurried up the soft dirt, reaching down to grab hold of Gajeel's wrist. He released his hold on the rope and scrambled up the embankment. He gasped for breath, flopping onto the dry grass. Levy collapsed next to him, coughing and sputtering.

"Well," Gajeel heaved, "that was exciting." Water trickled from his hair into his eyes. He blinked away the sting.

"You'll have to forgive me for declining your next invitation to river surf." Levy huffed a laugh.

Gajeel felt his own chuckle bubble to the surface. He rolled to his side, the tension from their river battle slowly fading from his tired muscles. Levy lay on her back, her hand covering her mouth. It did little to hide her giggles or the tears trailing down her face. Her cheeks turned rosy and she apologized everytime her eyes caught his gaze. Gajeel smiled, watching her. His chest filled with warmth and he reached out a hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.

Oh no…

He jumped to his feet, face flaming. "I guess we should keep goin', huh?"

Levy slowly stood, straightening out her dress and hair and seemingly undisturbed with him touching her hair. "It would be nice to rest longer, but I would like to get dry now. This looks like it might become very sticky."

She gave a final chuckle and beamed a smile at him before entering the forest. Gajeel swallowed thickly, following slowly after. He shoved his hands into his soggy coat pockets. Already recovered from their watery ride, Levy began her usual chatter and entertained him with a story of when her teammate Droy fell into a pond. Gajeel only half listened, fighting an inner battle and wondering how Levy didn't notice the danger that walked behind her.

She smiled over her shoulder. Brushed a hand on his arm to wipe off a stray leaf. Darted to his side anytime he fell behind, so close he could reach out and play with the strands of her hair. Dream or no dream, she needed to be more careful. With her kind smile and bright eyes, the way she gazed up at him with enough trust that it made him want to be a better man, he knew it was only a matter of time before the inevitable happened.

Sure, he had stolen a few kisses during jobs for Phantom Lord, but nothing serious. Nothing lasting. But he always knew that when he actually fell in love, he would fall fast and he would fall hard.

And mages help him, but he was beginning to lose his balance.