Around noon Gajeel awoke in a state of full exhaustion after caring for the intoxicated Pantherlily for the remainder of the night and into the morning. His body ached from the awkward sleeping position he had placed himself into; wedged in the corner of the bathroom while holding his small friend. Pantherlily was no longer in his arms however and instead stood in the doorway with black coffee in hand for Gajeel to angrily take. Neither spoke; accepting that their actions of the previous night had been outside of each of their control. Gajeel finally stood, cracking his weary bones as his mind raced around multiple topics; mostly centered on the concept of murder. As he dressed he planned his day mentally which was growing more busy by the second. He was the definition of frustrated once his final decision was reached. If he couldn't be with Levy physically, which he knew to be out of the questions after standing her up at the waterfall, then he would have to take his physical frustrations out in another way. Revenge.

Levy watched as Gajeel entered the crowded guildhall without a word. She wanted to charge towards him and scream at him until her lungs ached like her body did from desire and rejection. However, Gajeel paid her no notice nor attention. His crimson eyes never glanced in her direction, at the nearly empty table, as he passed Mirajane who was taking orders and too hung over to notice his entrance behind the bar. Levy tilted her head to get a better view of where he had journeyed to but as soon as he was gone he had reappeared once more as though nothing had just occurred. "Is something wrong?" Lucy asked barely above a whisper as she continued to nurse her own hangover a few feet away on the bench across. Levy shook her head with a slight smile and returned to her book. She was convinced that Gajeel had simply stolen his breakfast of scraps instead of paying. I can't believe I let myself get so worked up over him only to be jerked around.

Gajeel removed from his pocket full of screws a small treat which he rolled between his fingertips before exiting the guildhall for his next stop on the road to revenge. He had noticed Levy sitting and reading alone but apologizing for something that wasn't his fault was not his style. Actions always spoke louder than words after all. He had a lot to show her.

As the sun dipped down behind the tall buildings of Magnolia Levy shivered as she returned towards the hall for dinner. The day had dragged by for the small blunette whose mind felt miles away.

Levy was back at the waterfall swimming with Gajeel in the cool summer stream; sneaking glances at his bare flesh below the clear water in the moonlight. She was down in the guilds library crypt with Gajeel's hard body pinning her down as his hands traveled down her backside. He was with her, across the kitchen table, flirting with her as they ate stew and tried, failing, to hide their pleasure at how much they enjoyed each other's company. Levy was snatched into his thick arm and pulled on top of him in the warm bath water as their bodies lay close in the confined space of the tub. His lips were smashing down on her own without any gentleness present until he pulled away to ask her to be with him and only him.

Levy stopped in her tracks and groaned. She wanted to be angry with Gajeel for leaving her alone at the waterfall but now, now all she wanted to do was kiss him again and see the same goofy grin cross his face as he attempted to force feed her stew. "What have you done with my Gajeel?" she had asked him and now, now she knew that her question had been spot on. He was hers. Maybe last night meant he had some doubts but I don't think I do anymore. I just hope me leaving with Erza didn't push him away for good. Levy groaned again and moved to quicken her pace with new determination but a voice responded to her groan. "I hear ya sister." Now more focused on the streets before her Levy was shocked to see just how crowded they were which was odd for the time of day when all shops were normally closed. The woman who had spoken was standing impatiently in the middle of a long line leading to the bakery.

"Is everything alright?" she asked letter her curiosity get the better of her.

A few of the women in line turned upon hearing her question and began talking all at once; it was hard to decipher.

"Shop owner having issue with his ovens—"

"All cake orders canceled or delayed till next week—"

"Guild he called to for help with repairs not responding—"

"Every bakery in town having the same issues—"

Levy nodded her head repeatedly before mouthing a quick apology and departing. As she continued on through town the women's words rang true. Every bakery had equally long lines of disgruntled customers waiting to be seen who looked as frustrated as she personally felt. When she opened the large oak doors of the guildhall she thought about how odd the situation was until an equally insane situation greeted her. Every member of Fairy Tail stood near the bar and kitchen screaming at Laxus who of all people was attempting to take orders for food. Another large crowd was gathered around a long table which Levy pushed her way towards.

"What's happening?!" Levy screamed to Jet who was attempting to comfort the sickly looking Droy around the long table.

"Well the kitchen is backed up because of some issues with all the stoves so Droy is feeling the pains of hunger for the first time in years." Levy shot Droy a sympathetic look until her eyes fell to Cana who looked close to passing out or vomiting at the other end of the table. Friends nearby looked as though they did not know whether to comfort the young woman or bring her a bucket. "Oh yeah, all the booze skunked too so Cana is actually sober and—" A scream shouted from across the room. Levy bolted towards the sound only to be pulled back at the last second by Lucy from Erza's growing wrath.

"What the hell is her problem!?" Levy took the shaking Lucy into her arms as both women watched Gray and Natsu attempt to calm the flaming woman's rage.

"She's hungover like the rest of us but every bakery in town is having oven issues and she hasn't had a fix of cake yet!" Both women ducked as a table was launched across the room and sadly towards Laxus behind the bar. He turned as the table splintered over his head.

"Why is he behind the bar?" Laxus bounded over the bar, electricity shooting off his flesh in waves of anger. He was done.

"Mira is trying to figure out where all the mission requests went. Her log book disappeared though we think she Erza actually destroyed it accidently." Lucy pointed to the floor where pages of paper were swirling across the ground. Levy looked at the insanity before her and turned to leave. It was obvious that today was no one's day. "Wait!" Lucy called as she ran across the room towards her with paper in hand. "You had this weird mission request dropped off for you earlier. I'll let Mirajane know that you took it!" As Lucy departed back into the chaos Levy carefully opened the paper and began to laugh uncontrollably. She looked from the job request to the insanity around her and held her sides for support as she laughed and laughed.

Request for: Levy McGardner.

Mission Details: Cave at falls.

Length: Dependable.

Reward: What you see before you. Plus more to come.

The smell of fresh herbs, steaming vegetables, and roasting meats greeted her as she surfaced through the cool water into the hidden cavern. A towel was shot her way which she graciously accepted and tied around her bare flesh; her clothes safe and dry in her waterproof pack which she dropped to the ground. A large fire was blazing in the middle of the room with their food cooking above. She looked towards her books with fear in wonder of what type of kindling he had used.

"Gihi. Mirajane's mission logbook burns nicely." He answered with side glance in her direction after judging her expression. His own body was wrapped loosely in a towel at the waist; his damp hair still dripping down his back. "Besides I needed a fire to see and to cook. Not like I can like all these fucking candles myself."

"I thought Erza destroyed the logbook?" With a flick of her wrist the cave was illuminated fully. Levy crossed the large space and sat on the edge of the bed will Gajeel finished platting their dinner. She took notice of a table, chairs, and rather large pile of metal that had not been within the cavern before. "Are those all oven parts?"

Once the food was on the table Gajeel journeyed to the bed and sat beside Levy. "Oi. Of every bakery oven and the guild's ovens too. Just enough to make them not work but not enough to be obvious."

Levy was quiet for a moment as she continued thinking. Gajeel studied her face and expression. He wanted to pull her into his arms, to press his mouth down upon her own, but not if she was still upset with him, and not if it wasn't what she truly wanted. "The barrels of liquor that skunked?"

"Rusted metal flakes."

Silence fell once more before Levy busted into laughter again which Gajeel gratefully joined. "Remind me to never get on your bad side Gajeel." Gajeel stopped laughing and took Levy's face in his hand; lifting her chin with is forefinger and thumb. Their eyes locked, neither looking away.

"You never could be." She could feel her heart pounding in her chest and knew that he could hear it too. "Decide now. All of me and only me or none of me at all."

Levy smiled "Does that mean you decided already?"

"I don't do mushy shit."

Levy rolled her eyes and batted his hand off her chin. "Gajeel you need to decide too. All of me and only me or none of me at all."

Gajeel smiled as he inched towards her on the bed and whispered into her ear sending a shiver down her spine. "We would be Mates for life. Together for the rest of our days. I would make you ache for days and scream out my name nightly in pleasure."

Levy leaned back onto the pillows with a smile. "But it's not just about the sexual shit is it?"

Gajeel chuckled at the sound of his own words leaving her lips and leaned into her; their towels still separating them. "No. I would care for you always and never let any harm come to you again. I would listen to every book you wanted to read aloud and give you what only I, an Iron Dragon Slayer could."

"What's that?" Levy felt like her head was floating as Gajeel nuzzled his face into her neck and his cool breath traveled down her pale flesh.

"An iron heart that only you hold the key to." He pulled up slightly and studied her again. Gajeel had put everything out for her and sold himself the best he could. He wanted all of Levy but needed to make sure she wanted all of him too. "You have seen my darkness now I want to give you the rest of me."

"I can't give you as much Gajeel." He could hear herself conscious side showing now for the first time. "I can't cook and I lose track of time within the pages of lost languages that sometimes I forget the days and yet" Levy lifted her legs to wrap around Gajeel's hips and slide the towel from them. With the movement of her legs her own towel parted and they were fully exposed to each other. Neither's eyes moved however. "Yet, I can also make you scream my name in pleasure nightly and beg for more with each rise of the sun. I can make time stop and disappear with every moment we lay together if we are entwined or not."

He wanted her more than ever but fought his desires to continue their game of lust. "Oi. It's not just about the sexual shit though."

"No. With every word I read I'll transport us to new worlds. On every mission I will protect us through the night with my magic and I will do what only I can do for you."

"And that is?"

Levy lifted her hand and with a small twist produced a small script of iron in the shape of a key. "I can satisfy your need for metal in ways no other woman could and never lose this key no matter how much darkness we have been through together." With another twist the iron script key vanished and Gajeel's mouth was upon her own. This time the roughness that had been present in their drunken dance was gone. Though some force was used out of eagerness more gentleness was shown. Their lips parted as their tongues greeted each other and their hands moved across flesh to explore.

No one interrupted them and stopped them from their desires for satisfaction. Gajeel lifted Levy's leg into his arm and pushed himself deep within. Their difference in size never became an issue. She fit like a glove in his chest and pulled tightly in his arms. Levy raked her fingernails down Gajeel's back in ecstasy as he removed them from the bed, her legs locked around his hips, their bond never breaking. He pressed her against the cavern wall and pumped harder, biting into the flesh of her neck as she let out small screams of joy. They lay before the raging fire with Levy riding him from above; her hips turning in interdigitate circles that made his head swim.

For days they swam, ate, and made love both within the cave and deep in the cool waters of the waterfall. Their times spent over the days moved from gentleness to rough passion with always an eagerness to please one another. Gajeel pinned Levy from behind into the rocks surrounding the pools edge. As he poured himself deeply into her he took her damp hair in his fist and pulled so her head was lifted back and he could force his mouth onto her own. He enjoyed the feelings of pleasure he gave her as she tightened from within and he released her to the waters below. She met him within the water her mouth on him as he gasped in shock and pleasure; his hands moving to cup the back of her head as she worked.

They enjoyed surprising each other as the days turned to weeks and they knew soon they would need to return if not just for more food. Gajeel would wake in the middle of the night to simply smile at the sight of her within his arms. Moments later Levy would awake to moans of joy and open her eyes to find Gajeel's mouth and hands between her thighs bringing her towards the brink of destruction only to stop himself and wait for her to beg for more; for the release only he could provide. His strong arms would hold her down as her hips bucked from the waves rushing through her core but his tongue would work on until he felt her body relax below him.

He would be cooking only to find himself pinned with a spell to the ground without the possibility of removing himself. Levy would snicker as he dug his fingernails into the rocks below his body unable to stop her from riding him until he was close to his end only to free him from magic's hold and allow for him to take the control he desperately desired.

Returning to the rest of the world was difficult especially when they both knew that the second they returned to the world they would have to part for a time if not just for recovery. Thankfully though the journey back took twice as long. The sight of Levy's dress raising with each climb or bend would drive Gajeel over the edge and he would pin her willingly to an adjacent tree. Their clothes remained on encase other travels came around. Gajeel pulled down his pants just enough to free himself as Levy pushed aside her lingerie allow for him to enter. Her legs snaked around his waist as his one hand squeezed her backside and the other was held over her mouth allowing for her to scream out with each of her finishes. He removed her breasts from her dress top and bit gently at first until he came to his end and bit enough to draw blood. The taste of her iron sweet on his tongue.

When her apartment came into view three weeks and a day later he wanted nothing more than to fallow her inside and make love to her more but he needed to return home as well. With a sigh Levy kissed Gajeel goodnight. The door closed and as they both began to step further apart; Levy deeper into her apartment; Gajeel out towards his cabin, life moved on though this time differently. This time they weren't alone. They had each other finally.