Author's note: Alright, I had this stuck in my head for awhile. I was in my pool one day when this idea came to me and I just felt the need to get it out there. This story takes place immediately after the Tartaros arc, and I'm just writing as I go. Plus with today's new chapter, I was so moved by it I decided to release it earleir than I intended. Worlds Apart only has a few chapters left before it's done and I'm releasing a non romance Fairy Tail story soon.I don't own Fairy Tail. Well, here it is! P.S. I wrote this before Chapter 396 so Idk if Gajeel will enter Dragon Force sometime yet, but I did slightly update it. I just realized the amount of mistakes in this so I'm fixing it up a bit. (Truly sorry!)

I Don't Want to Hear The Bells

Chapter 1: Confessed Feelings.

It was almost a week since Tartaros was defeated. So much had changed after the defeat of the demon guild and E.N.D. Minerva was tried and convicted by the new Magic Council for crimes against the public. However, Sabertooth spoke out for her and Sting managed to get her a lighter sentence. Minerva was now sentence to spend the rest of her life in Sabertooth with no possibility of leaving the legal guild (not that she was complaining) But Erza did manage to make a new friend out of this as well.

Gray and Juvia had become inseparable since Juvia managed to defeat Keith and get Gray's father to heaven. So in a way to honor both of the ice mage's parents; Juvia and Gray bought a small plot of land in the town's graveyard and got a tombstone in honor of them. Lucy and Wendy became the new celebrities of the guild. Although Lucy was mourning the loss of Aquarius; it didn't take long until The Celestial Spirit King appeared before Lucy and repaired Aquarius's key, reuniting the two. And Wendy became popular not only for her new hairstyle and for managing to get all the guilds to band together and stop the Face machines. But for managing to enter Dragon Force. And Laxus, The ThunderGod tribe and Yajima were cured of their poison and were as good as new again!

The repairs to the guild hall were going smoothly. Everyone was happy that the war against Tartaros was over. Well everyone except Levy McGarden. She was lost in thought most of the time this past week. She was always staring off into space or looking at her bandaged injuries. No one really knew what was going on in that little blue-haired bookworms head. But whatever it was; it seemed important.

"Levy-Chan!" Lucy happily screamed.

"Hi Lu-chan." Levy solemnly replied.

"Is there something on your mind?"

"Yeah, but I don't want to talk about it. I'm going to go for a walk. I really need to clear my head."

"Alright Levy-chan. If you need someone to talk to just let me know." Levy gave her a small smile and nodded. She got up and walked away from the guild. During her walk Levy watched all the couples as she walked by. Some in the park cuddling; some at the new sweet shop that opened up and one who just got married at the newly repaired Cathedral. Levy couldn't complain about being single; she didn't mind it at all. But lately; she was beginning to wish she had a relationship like that with a certain Iron Dragon Slayer. Lately, Levy began to realize how precious human life really is. How in a matter of seconds, you could lose the one you loved so dearly. She began to remember that according to Lucy; Future Lucy said that most of the Fairy Tail guild was killed in the dragon apocalypse. Levy thanked the heavens everyday that it was prevented from ever occurring.

Now Levy with the whole Tartaros situation; that was the straw that broke the dragon's back. When they were all trapped in Algeria; Levy screamed for Gajeel. Not Jet or Droy, why? Because she was afraid. She was afraid that this was the end; afraid that she would lose Gajeel after they went through so much since he joined Fairy Tail. When they were freed from Algeria thanks to The Celestial Spirit King; Levy realized how easy it was to lose your life, how easy it is to lose Gajeel. Then came the moment Gajeel almost drowned. Levy left her spot just to look for him, and she gave him her remaining air supply so he could live. Why? Because she loves him. Levy stopped mid-walk and realized something. She realized how close her relationship with Gajeel had become. She then realized she was head over heels in love with Gajeel. Levy made the decision that the next time she seen him; she would confess her feelings to him (and keep her fingers crossed that he felt the same). Levy continued her walk until she absent mindedly reached the outskirts of town.

"I told you, it's not going to work like that." said a voice.

"Shaddup cat! GRRRRRRR..." said another voice that sounded like it was straining. Levy stopped in her tracks when she heard the two speak. She knew right away who it was. Levy followed the strange growl until she reached a clearing. There in the clearing, was Gajeel and PantherLily. And for some reason, Gajeel looked like he was straining himself (or to Levy it looked like he was constipated).

"If you keep this up your going to pass out from Magical exhaustion." Lily warned.

"If Salamander and the brat could do it then so can I! GRRRRR..." Gajeel growled again before taking a stance, clentching his teeth and straining himself again. Levy watched in confusion. What was Gajeel trying to do? Levy took a step forward and soon entered the clearing.

"Hi guys!" Levy smiled. Lily and Gajeel looked her way.

"Ah, Levy. Good to see you!" smiled Lily.

"Hey shrimp. GRRRRRRR... C'MON ALREADY!" Gajeel screamed. Both Levy and Lily then turned their attention to Gajeel.

"Whats he trying to do?" Levy asked the Exceed next to her.

"He's trying to enter Dragon Force." Lily explained.

"Only because I'm the only dragon slayer who hasn't entered it!" Gajeel yelled "I'm a Dragon Slayer too! Why can't I enter Dragon Force? Salamander's entered it twice, those two morons from Sabertooth can enter it at will, and now the brat entered it! I'm the only one who hasn't been able to use Dragon Force!" He strained again but this time harder. His tanned skin was beginning to grow red and a huge amount of magic was being released.

"Gajeel! Stop!" Levy screamed "Your going to exhaust your magic! And your still recovering from Tararos-"

"Shut up! I know my limits!" Levy looked at him wide-eyed with shock. He was still recovering and any minute he could fall unconscious. He continued to strain the amount of magic he had. But it soon stopped. Gajeel fell to his knees on the ground. Levy could swear she saw a few tears fall onto the ground.

"Why..." he asked "Why can't I enter Dragon Force?" Before they could say anything; Gajeel passed out.

"Gajeel!" Levy screamed. They ran over to the Iron Dragon Slayer and checked his vital signs.

"I warned him not to exert his Magic." said Lily "To be honest, I've never seen him like this before."

"I have, the last time he was this upset was when he realized he was the only Dragon Slayer in our guild without a cat." Lily looked at Levy.

"Seriously." he said.

"No joke. For a whole day he went through every alley in town just to find one just like Happy and Carla. Then when he met you he was thrilled." Lily shook his head. Gajeel can be such a child at points.

"I'll fly him over to the guild's infirmary. I'll meet you there." Lily said after a minute. Lily then sprouted his wings and grabbed an unconscious Gajeel and flew straight to the guild. Levy watched until the Exceed was out of sight. She then decided it was time to head back and ran back to Fairy Tail.

Gajeel began to stir sometime later in the Guild's infirmary. By his bedside was Lily,Levy and the rest of Fairy Tail.

"You gave us quite a scare there Gajeel." Lily commented.

"Wha? What the hell happened?" he grunted.

"You over used your Magic and fell unconscious." Levy explained.

"Did I at least enter Dragon Force?" Levy rolled her eyes.

"If you want to enter Dragon Force so badly Gajeel eat some etherion like I did!" Natsu said happily.

"That could kill him you idiot." Gray scorned. Levy cupped her hand on top of Gajeel's. And smiled at a special moment between the two; PantherLily decided to cue the others to leave.

"Happy, Carla. I forgot my sword back at the training ground. Can you both go help me find it?" he asked.

"Aye." Happy replied.

"If we must." Carla said. The three Exceeds soon left the room. Pretty soon people began to make excuses to leave and soon, Gajeel and Levy were alone.

"G-Gajeel." Levy suddenly stuttered. Gajeel looked at her.

"What is it shrimp?" he asked.

"There's something important I need to tell you." Levy darted her eyes the other way and a huge red blush appeared on her face and Gajeel looked at her confused.

"Well spit it out shrimp." he said "I don't got all day." he looked away and crossed his arms.

Levy took a deep breath. Ok, she said to herself here it goes. Levy was about to speak when her throat stopped her from speaking. What was wrong with her?

"You ok shorty?" he asked "You look like your gonna throw up." Levy didn't know what to do. She needed to get this out to him.

"I-I-I." she stuttered.

"You what?"

"Ilikeyou." she whispered.

"What was that?" he asked her.

"Ilikeyou."

"Jeez shrimp speak a little louder will ya? If it's so important then just say i-"

"I LIKE YOU!" she screamed. Gajeel looked at Levy wide-eyed with shock. He didn't see this coming "I've liked you more than a friend for as long as I can remember. I began to have feelings for you since our time on Tenrou island. But as time passed they just kept getting stronger. When we were turned to stone by Algeria the last thing I thought about was you; the thought of losing you. I realize now that I just can't stand the thought of losing you and not telling you how I truly feel." tears began to form in Levy's eyes and fell onto the bed sheets. Gajeel was stunned; Levy just professed her love to him. So what could he say? Levy took the silence the wrong way. More tears welled up.

"Y-You don't have to say anything." she said "I'll just go." she got up and began to walk out the room when she felt a hand grab her wrist and pull her close to the owner. They were only centimeters apart. And at that moment, Gajeel closed the gap between them. Levy could swear she could feel sparks in the kiss and that the world around them disappeared. She then returns the kiss.

"Don't go running off on me shrimp." he said after breaking apart "Remember when I asked you to never leave my side? What do you think I meant? Not only that, you saved my life when I was fighting fish boy." Levy looked at him and smiled. She was thrilled that he felt the same. She then kissed him again; thrilled that she was now dating the man she loved. But this was just the beginning of their romance.