This is just a one-shot with one of my many ships from Fairy Tail, Levy and Gajeel. The premise is pretty simple; the guild is doing their thing, going on jobs and stuff, and this is what Gajeel and Levy are doing. No particular timeline. The only thing to make note of is that this happens before shit hits the fan, and it's meant to be pre-Edolas so no Panther Lily. Alright, enjoy :)

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Running. So much running. Levy's feet ached from it, her heart pounded; her breath wasn't coming fast enough. What was she going to do?

She rounded a corner into what she thought was a crowded street. In her panic she'd gotten lost, and she was now in an alley with only a few rats to keep her company. They were gaining on her.

"Help!" She screamed, but her voice came out no louder than a whisper. They were the only ones who heard her.

"No, please don't…" She pleaded, tripping as they surrounded her, blocking her view of the open street. Tears were welling in her eyes.

"Shut up," They snapped. She couldn't tell which one was talking. They moved as a unit, no distinguishing features to separate one from the herd. It made them scarier somehow.

'Just get it over with,' she thought, seeing the glint of a sword in one of their hands. She tried to defend herself with magic, but the sword negated it. She was helpless in a battle of physical strength.

She could tell from their grins what they wanted. They advanced on her, their arms outstretched…

And then, suddenly, they were gone.

Levy looked up in confusion, catching sight of a large, darkly-clad man with rippling muscles and small, red eyes.

Gajeel.

Levy hadn't seen him in days; he was always off by himself. But now here he was, scattering the criminals with several punches.

They ran off with their tails between their legs, abandoning Levy in the alley with Gajeel.

"Thank you!" She began to say, tears spilling freely from her eyes. Gajeel didn't turn to look at her, just marched away into the fading light.

Levy stared after him, confusion and hurt plaguing her mind.

.

The old wooden door creaked ever so slightly as the hinges stretched open to admit the visitor. It was dark inside the tiny cottage and darker still once Levy had shut the door quietly behind her. Gajeel hadn't specifically told her she could come over, but then again he hadn't specifically said not to either.

He had been acting odd for about a week now, Levy had noticed, and she figured it was about time she found out what was what. Gajeel's place seemed like a good place to begin.

The cottage was much of what she'd expected: dust covered furniture and plain decoration. As Levy walked around, she counted a large wooden table with two chairs that didn't match, a blue couch with holes peppering the arms, and a floor lamp that was tilted to an unsettling angle. The space was stuffy and closed, not what she thought someone of Gajeel's height and size would look for in real estate.

"Ow!" She exclaimed as she bumped her hip on the corner of the dining room table. It and the chairs took up the majority of the kitchen, leaving little room to reach the low placed counter with a rusting sink. Levy turned to inspect the living room more closely; the couch was cramped into the corner opposite the kitchen, looking like someone had forced it to fit despite the fact that it was slightly too big. She raised an eyebrow.

The last piece of furniture was the lamp standing in the middle of the two rooms like a divider, shedding light on the only two doors outside of the entrance. 'All in all,' she thought to herself, 'a very small and uncomfortable space.'

Levy slipped past the lamp, trying very hard not to tip it over. If she had, it would've only hit the couch, but it was so precariously placed she feared even a nudge might snap it in two. After her initial look around, she'd determined that nothing out here was going to give her any clues as to Gajeel's odd behaviour recently. So she decided to move on to the rooms she couldn't see.

Gingerly she twisted the first doorknob she could reach, finding a 'bare necessities' bathroom on the other side of it. There was a sink, a toilet, and a tub. The walls were a peeling yellow, the floor tiles were cracked and fading from a solid black to a splotchy grey, and the only window was covered by a moth-eaten cream-colored curtain. Despite the dinge, it was impeccably clean. Levy began to picture Gajeel bent over the floor tile scrubbing mercilessly with a toothbrush; the image made her giggle. She closed the door and continued her search.

The only other door in the house led to his bedroom. She wasn't expecting much; A bed, a dresser maybe, nothing more. But when the shadow of the room was alleviated ever so slightly, Levy took a step back in surprise.

Inside the room there was only two pieces of furniture: a bed and a desk. The bed was large and plush, lumpy in a way that looked like it was overstuffed but still soft. A mass of blankets were bundled in various places, making it seem like someone had just woken from a fitful night's sleep and neglected to fix the bed before leaving for the day. There were three pillows the size of large dogs thrown at the head of the bed as well; upon inspection Levy found they were filled with goose down.

The bed was interesting on its own; she had expected his bed to be hard and simple, not comfortable and inviting, but the thing that drew her eye was the mass amounts of paper that was covering the desk in the corner. She quickly ran over and picked one up:

Blue

That was all it said. The word was written in rough handwriting, and below it were scratches on the page as if someone had attempted to write more but couldn't find the words. Levy picked up another page:

Sweet Little One

The vine is long and the thorns are sharp, but the flower at the top sings with the melody of an antique harp

Below the verse were more scratches, angrier this time. Levy gathered all of the pages, forming them into a neat pile that stacked higher than the flashlight she'd brought with her. The rest of the desk was bare once she'd move the paper, except for an ink bottle and a quill.

"They're song lyrics!" She realised with a small gasp, shuffling through the stack. She knew she shouldn't be reading these, they were Gajeel's, but her curiosity pulled at her so forcefully she couldn't say no. Settling down on the bed, Levy began to pick through the words. She read until the light no longer shone through the dusted window, bathing her in darkness.

.

"Hey,"

Levy shifted in her sleep. Her eyes were still closed and her breathing calm and relaxed, but a small smile lit her face. She was so peaceful.

"Hey,"

Her nose crinkled. She was reluctant to wake from the best sleep she'd had in a long time; her bed was so much comfier tonight, she thought she might never leave it.

"Hey!"

Finally she blinked the sleep from her eyes, realising that someone was calling to her.

"What…?" Levy yawned grumpily, stretching her arms over her head. It seemed like her bed was going to swallow her up, and she was going to let it. He mind was heavy with fatigue and the blankets were cradling her so tightly it was difficult to clear her head.

Then she caught sight of a tall, large figure standing in the doorway of what was definitely NOT her room.

She sat bolt upright in Gajeel's bed, scattering sheets of paper in all different directions. Gajeel was leaning against the doorframe in his usual attire, his arms folded across his chest, his mouth set in a frown and his eyebrow quirked over one eye. Levy felt herself begin to blush.

"What're you doing here?" He grumbled, his eyes downcast.

"I- I-" Levy stuttered. "I'm so sorry Gajeel, I just- I just came over to see you and-"

"You were snooping," He finished, returning his gaze to her.

Levy contemplated lying, but thought better of it. She swung her legs off the bed and began gathering the papers she'd thrown. "You've been acting strange," She mumbled. "I was hoping I could figure out what was wrong."

"Well sorry to squash your hope Shorty," He snapped. The red of his eyes pulsed ever so slightly with anger. "I don't need your help."

Levy flinched. His voice was harsher than normal, and the pit of her stomach was filled with nervous butterflies. She heard heavy footsteps coming towards her, and then a pull at the papers in her hands. Levy gave them over without protest, slipping the last of them into the pile before Gajeel placed them on his desk.

The room filled with silence. Gajeel was standing with his back to Levy, his posture cold and uninviting. Levy wondered if she should leave, but her determination prevented her from doing so. Gajeel was her friend, and she sort of even liked the big lummox. Therefore she would stick around for as long as he'd let her.

"You've got great potential," She said eventually. "Your songs I mean. They've got a good foundation; the lyrics just need a little fine tuning."

Gajeel huffed, glancing back at her. "You think I don't know that?"

"I'm sorry," Levy whispered. "I didn't mean any offense."

Silence settled between them once again, broken by a defeated sigh from Gajeel. "Eh, whatever." He said, taking a step towards the door. With his long legs he could clear the room in the time it took Levy to stand up. Fear gripped her and before she could stop herself she was yelling after him.

"Wait!" She screamed a bit too loudly in the quiet of the house. Gajeel flinched at the noise, but stopped all the same. He didn't say anything, so Levy took it as her cue to say something. She searched her brain.

"I never got to thank you for earlier," She said. "If you hadn't been there I'm not sure what would've happened to me."

"You're strong," Gajeel muttered. "You would've been fine. I just sped up the process."

"Still…" Her voice fell to a whisper. She thought of the men in the alley and the look on their face. She'd seen that look on so many men before; some were old and haggard, some young and finding their way into maturity. Some of the men were even large and intimidating like Gajeel, but none of these men had ever scared her. It was something you heard about in other towns, not yours. Especially not happening to you.

She never saw that look in the eyes of any of her friends. Not even Gajeel.

Gajeel was quiet again. Levy noticed that he didn't usually say much with anyone, but with her she thought he'd be different. Maybe it was a hope, maybe there was no logic behind it, but she thought it all the same. She cleared her throat, changing the topic in hopes of cracking his shell.

"Your songs… they're about a girl?" She asked, settling on something that had been gnawing at her while she'd read.

Tension shifted into Gajeel's shoulders, barely visible in the dark of night. When he didn't speak, Levy pushed harder. "Who is she?" Her foot twisted shyly. Part of her was afraid of the answer, but at the same time she was dying to know. Eventually Gajeel turned to face her, the small iron studs in his nose blinking in the dim light.

"You're supposed to be smart, shrimp." He grunted, forcing a smile. "You haven't figured it out?"

There was something sad about the smile that tugged at Levy's heart. For a brief moment, Gajeel's size didn't overpower everything else about him. She could see the emotion shining through the cracks in his carefully placed armor.

She looked into his eyes, the implication there, the knowing, and finally understanding clicked into place in her brain.

"So, all these songs…" She blushed furiously. Her mouth worked, but she couldn't bring herself to say what she was thinking. Her heart was pumping painfully in her chest; she thought it was going to burst free. She tried her best to collect herself.

"Well, that's neither here nor there," She said, crossing her arms and trying to keep her blush under control. "Most of your songs are about a girl that will remain unnamed for the time being, and that's just fine. But the others… They're so sad. I nearly cried myself to sleep," She joked, nervous laughter escaping her lips. "Are these all true?"

A curt nod. Levy could've sworn she caught sight of a blush on his cheeks as well. She shook her head; Gajeel would never blush.

"So… they're all about you then? And your life before Fairy Tail?"

Another nod

"Are you just going to sit there?" Levy laughed a sound like the tinkling of bells. Her nerves were a mess and she was sweating all over, but she held it together fairly well.

"Look," Gajeel said, his eyes on his feet, "I know I don't belong here with you people. Everyone knows it. I'm here because the Master asked me to be, but I think maybe it's time."

"Time for what?" Her head tilted to the side, her stomach bundling into a knot of nerves.

"Time for me to go."

Her heart nearly stopped. "What do you mean?"

"It's time for me to leave Fairy Tail," Gajeel explained, rubbing the back of his neck. "Go my own way for a while."

"And-" Levy's voice broke. She cleared her throat and tried again. "You just decided this now?"

"I've been thinking about it for a long time, actually. Not that it's any of your business." He quipped.

"…Why?"

Gajeel looked at her in surprise. The hurt in her voice was palpable, it took him off guard. He rolled his shoulders.

"You all have your little group here," He explained. "I'm the outsider. Juvia fit in well enough, but she came here because she wanted to. I came here because Makarov thought it was a good idea to put a roof over my head."

Levy didn't say anything, just looked up at him in confusion and anger. Gajeel tore his gaze to the wall. Why did he feel like he should be apologizing to her?

"Believe it or not it's nice to feel like I belong somewhere," He traced a line down the light wood of the wall with his finger, his expression distant as though he were talking to himself. "Even tough guys like me want a family, friends, someplace to call home. This isn't my home. It never was."

Levy was silent for a long time, letting Gajeel's words hang in the air like poison. She now knew why he'd been acting so odd recently, and why he couldn't look her in the eye when she'd told him she was happy to have him around. Her fists began to shake, her fury bubbling up into her throat mingling with the fear that was already there. Suddenly she stood.

"No." She whispered.

"What do you mean no?" Gajeel snapped, "It's not your decision!"

"If you leave here," Levy's voice was cold, "If you leave me, I will never forgive you."

"I'm not leaving anything, I have nothing to leave." His words hit her like a slap. She turned violently towards him, her voice rising with her feelings.

"You belong here Gajeel!" She cried. Her desperation to keep him here was alarming and something she didn't quite understand, but the strength of it was staggering. She'd never felt this many emotions at once, and it was scaring her. "You belong here in Fairy Tail, with Natsu and Lucy, and Erza and Gray, and everyone else! Gajeel you belong here with me!" Tears had crept into Levy's voice, so much so that she was shouting to balance the catch in her throat. "You have friends here! Fairy Tail is your family!"

Gajeel sat, shell shocked, on the bed, his mouth working while he tried to find something to say. Levy was crying openly, tears of hopelessness and rage streaming down her cheeks.

"Gajeel," She whispered. "I'm your family."

The only sound then was the light sniffles coming from Levy. Gajeel looked up at her like she was something foreign that had just smacked him in the lip. For a while neither of them knew what to say.

"You…" Gajeel began, stumbling over the words. "You think I belong here… with you?"

Levy nodded.

"I… I don't… Why do you care so much?"

"You don't have to believe me," She whispered. "You have no reason to. You're so frustrating and arrogant and most of the time I want to hit you in your big, stupid face." Gajeel's mouth twitched. "But I've never felt that way towards anyone before, and the thought of never seeing you again… I just can't let that happen. Not now, not ever."

She let her words sink in, trying to get her emotions under control. Gajeel was still stunned, unable to get his thoughts straight. After a while, when Levy had calmed down, he took a small step towards her.

"I guess… and I'm not saying I will," He added quickly, "But I guess if one person around here needs their ass saved by me I can stick around… for a little while."

Levy looked up at him then, the slight tilt of his mouth, the sparkle in his eyes, the confidence on his face that was masking the intensity of the loneliness he had felt, and she couldn't control herself any longer; her happiness and relief washed over her in waves.

She crashed into Gajeel, her arms securing around his waist, her cheek pressed firmly into the pliable muscle of his chest. She didn't know exactly how she'd gotten there, but she was there and it was all that mattered.

She heard his intake of breath, felt him stiffen, and then, slowly, his arms found their way around her small body. Levy let out her breath in a long, contented sigh, a single tear slipping from the corner of her eye. Gajeel's grip tightened on her, drawing her into him. His body closed in around her, his head ducking down to rest on the top of her head, his upper arms squeezing until all she could see was the black of his shirt. There was gentleness to the way he held her, like she was fragile and precious, but there was also tightness like he never wanted to let her go. Levy felt more tears well in her eyes, burying her face further into the width of his chest.

"What was that for?" She heard him mutter, still holding her. "Better not think I'm weak or nothin'"

"Do you have to be so pigheaded?" Levy whispered back, wiping her tears on the rough fabric at her cheek. "Everyone deserves a hug when they need one."

"I never said I needed one." Gajeel's voice was quiet and rough, like he hoped the words wouldn't push her away. In response she tightened her grip.

"I never said it was you who needed one," She told him, glancing up at his face. "You don't need to say anything," She added, seeing the panic in his eyes. "I know what it feels like to be lonely. It's hard, and it can make you feel so hopeless. But you don't have to be lonely any more Gajeel." Her face lit up in a watery smile. "I'll stay. I'll stay right here until you tell me otherwise."

Gajeel glanced down at her, a cautious vulnerability etched into his normally sharp features. "Can I… you know… not tell you otherwise?"

Levy smiled. "Of course you can."

Gajeel relaxed his grip on her, taking a small step backwards. Levy held her smile. She knew he'd stay with her for now, but she was wary. She reached out her hand and placed it on his arm.

"Well, now where am I going to sleep?" She asked, looking around the small room. Gajeel looked over at her in astonishment.

"What?!"

"Someone has to keep an eye on you to make sure you don't run out on me," Levy winked.

"I'd never run off on you." Gajeel spoke so quietly Levy barely heard him, but she did. She could tell that all Gajeel needed to feel like he belonged was acceptance and maybe just a little bit of love.

And her.

She smiled.

Gajeel huffed, leaning back on his bed with his hands behind his head. The bottom of his shirt lifted so that Levy could see a thin trail of black hair disappearing into the top of his pants. "Well the thing is Squirt, I only have one bed here, and that couch is off limits. If you want to stay the night," he glanced over at her, a devilish grin plastered to his face. "The only available spot is right here."

He patted the bed next to him suggestively. Levy balked for a moment, only for a moment, before she caught on to what he was doing. He was challenging her.

A gentle smirk slipped into place on Levy's mouth. She stretched her arms to the sky, rolling her shoulders and releasing the tension there. Gajeel watched her out of the corner of his eye, trying to hide his curiosity.

"Well I guess it'll have to do," Levy yawned, removing her headband. "It's not perfect, but it's something." And with that she jumped into the bed next to him.

Gajeel started in surprise, moving so she wouldn't land on him. "Hey!" he exclaimed, panic creeping into his features. "What'd you think you're doing?!"

"Accepting your invitation," Levy shrugged, smiling as she called his bluff. "Unless you want to take it back?"

Gajeel blinked at her, his face splitting into a wide grin. "No Squirt, I'm not taking it back…" He trailed, sitting up in the bed. "But if we're sleeping now, I need to get comfortable."

Levy's heart skipped, but she forced herself to remain calm. "Fine by me, I wouldn't want you to be uncomfortable."

She saw Gajeel pull at his shirt, lifting it up over his head slowly until it bunched to the floor beside the bed. She tried her best not to stare, but it was difficult when his naked chest was right there in front of her. He stretched then as well, flexing his muscles and preparing to sleep.

He fell next to her, pulling her against him roughly like one might crush a teddy bear. Levy yelped in surprise.

"'Night Shorty," Gajeel mumbled, triumph in his words. Levy blushed, her nose crinkling in embarrassment.

"Good night," She whispered, snuggling into his chest. Gajeel seemed surprised at first, expecting Levy to jump up and call the whole thing off, but eventually relaxed and accepted her comfortably. It wasn't long before he'd drifted off to sleep, a small smile on his lips.

Levy listened to Gajeel's breathing for a long time. It slowed and deepened as he drifted off into slumber, his chest pressing against her face with each inhale. The big idiot fell asleep faster than even Natsu. She looked up at him then, his features peaceful but still hard and sharp. She traced the contours of his face with her eyes, coming to rest on the curve of his upper lip. Gajeel had always been intriguing to her, and she'd liked him for a while now, but it was unfathomable to her that he'd ever return those feelings.

Now however, she knew what his songs were about.

He hadn't said it out loud, but Levy knew what he'd meant. The girl in his songs was her; she finally knew what his feelings were towards her and they were exactly what she wanted them to be.

Levy smiled, thinking of how even Gajeel wanted companionship when he felt like it. It was different, seeing him the way he was tonight- vulnerable and sad. She liked that she could male those feelings go away.

Without thinking, she reached up and captured his lips in hers with a kiss.

She surprised herself, and her lips froze momentarily. Gajeel stirred beneath her, seizing her stomach in fear. He was beginning to wake, but Levy couldn't convince herself to remove her lips from his. She kissed him harder, bringing him to consciousness with her actions.

Gajeel was disoriented when he awoke; all he knew was Levy beside him and a pair of soft, supple lips against his. He put those two things together and began to kiss back, still hazy from sleep.

Her hand trailed to the side of his neck, pulling him into her. Gajeel came into full awareness then, his shock overrun by his desire to kiss her. His arms tightened around her, arching her body against his. Levy deepened the kiss, tracing the edge of his bottom lip with her tongue. Gajeel met her tongue with his, cradling it with slow, lingering circles.

The bed shifted as Gajeel rolled them, resting his large body on top of her small one. Levy could feel all the hard muscles beneath his skin, warming her all over. His breathing was quick so his chest rose and fell sharply against her own. She wound both of her arms around his neck, securing her to him.

"You know, this isn't what I meant by stay the night…" Gajeel's voice was husky and rough, muffled against her lips. Levy answered by gripping him tighter.

His hands were on her hips then; gripping them and pulling them flush against his body. Levy blushed, her skin heating under his touch.

Levy moved her legs out from under him, wrapping them tightly around his waist. Gajeel growled- a quiet, low sound in the back of his throat. Levy shivered.

They kissed furiously, a clash of lips and tongue. She even felt an almost imperceptible thrust of Gajeel's hips between her legs…

And then he was off her, returning them both to their original positions. Levy took a moment to catch her breath.

"Well…" She panted, a small smile finding its way to her lips. "That was…"

"One hell of a kiss," Gajeel finished for her, smugness coming off him in waves. Levy's face was flushed from excitement.

They were both quiet for a long time, staring at each other in the low light. Levy smiled.

"Maybe we should wait a bit before we try that again," She suggested, biting her lip cutely.

Gajeel grinned. "Might be a good idea, I don't know if I'll be able to stop next time…" He began to twirl a strand of her hair around his finger. Levy's blush deepened, eliciting a laugh from Gajeel.

"Don't worry," He assured her. "Next time."

They shared a smile before settling into each other like they were meant to be there and drifting off into a deep, restful sleep.

I'm going to put this up as completed for now, but I may add another chapter later. I'll see :) Reviews are loved and appreciated!