A/N: Hey guys! Thank you so much for taking the time to check out my first work! I appreciate every one of you and I can't wait to hear what you have to say about my story! As I said, I will be putting warnings at the beginning of chapters that need them and I will place a "*" before the paragraph that contains what the warning was for! I don't want anyone to be uncomfortable, so if there is anything that I miss when putting up warnings, please don't be afraid to let me know and I will fix it right away! There shouldn't be too many instances where warnings are needed as this is in NO WAY based solely around violence or smut but I will be sure to warn every time!

That being said, there is a small bit of violence towards the end of the chapter that will be marked with a "*" so if you don't want to read it, find the next "*" after it!

Again, thank you guys so much for reading and please let me know what you think! 3 I have the first 2 chapters written so I will be posting both now to get you lovelies started!

College Days:

As her first college finals drew close, a determined Levy McGarden retracted all of her spare time that was usually spent on reading and pushed it towards her studies. The small, blue-haired woman was usually a focused person to begin with, but the pressure of finals drawing near forced her to be even more immersed in her work. She was in a few writing classes but she didn't feel like she really had the imagination to create her own stories. Levy was more interested in editing. The idea of helping people reach their goals thrilled her and just the thought of being the first person to ever read a book, despite it being published or not, made her giddy.

Levy didn't like to look at herself as someone who was too focused to enjoy life or friends, but lately she just hadn't been up to talking with pretty much anyone. She used to spend a lot of time with her best friend Lucy, and though they are currently rooming together at Fairy Tail University, they didn't spend as much time together as they used to. She knew it was her fault; Lucy was always inviting her to go hang out with her and her "not" boyfriend but she was too worried about her classes to want to go out and have fun. She knew her and her best friend were still doing great, but she really was beginning to feel like she was missing out. She was going to make up for it, but she decided to wait at least until after her finals were over.

Just as she had decided that she would make it up to her best friend, Lucy came striding into the room looking as if she was on cloud nine. The usually bubbly and talkative blonde walked in to their shared room, plopped herself down on her bed, and let out a blissful sigh, clearly looking for a response to her unspoken greeting.

"You look happy Lu; did you finally make it official with Natsu?" She teased.

Lucy's face turned a bright pink as she sat up straight and huffed. "What? N-no! We aren't a thing Levy. I refuse to be the one to ask him and I don't think that he's even interested in me that way anyway." A soft pink glow creept up on her cheeks as she looked towards her feet. Her gloom only lasted mere seconds before she was all smiles again. "Buuut," she chirped, "he did invite me to a party this weekend at his fraternity and I plan on looking irresistible! There's no way he won't at least be looking but maybe I'll have him beggi-"

"You're so gross, Lu." The bluenette laughed, happily interrupting the the flow of words coming from her friend. She couldn't help but be happy for her, despite how bad she felt about not going out with her since they started college. Levy really just wanted nothing more than for her friend to be happy.

"You're just jealous." She retorted. "Luckily, you won't have to be for much longer because you are coming with me!"

Worry and discomfort snuck their way onto Levy's features as the same feeling found a place in her gut. Not only was she busy with schoolwork, but the prospects of a night out really wasn't what she wanted to deal with at the moment.

"I... I don't know about that, Luce. I've got a lot on my plate right now. Finals are in two weeks and I-"

"Will have a week and six days to study for it. Come on, Lev. We've almost made it through our first semester as hot college girls, and you haven't gotten out even once! I've let this go on for too long, Levy. You're coming with me to this party! We're going to go, have a few drinks, make all the boys wish they were with us, and have a good time. You're going to work yourself to death if you don't take a break."

The small girl paused to consider what her friend proposed. She was right after all; she hadn't come out with Lucy even once since they moved in together and she was going to make it up to her after finals, so why not now? "I suppose, but-"

"Great! You can borrow something of mine if you don't have anything to wear." She cheered, triumphant from their short-lived battle. A soft smile settled on her lips thanks to the blonde's offer.

"That's okay, Lu. I've got clothes. Besides, there's no way that I could fit into anything you own. If you haven't noticed, I'm lacking a bit in areas that you certainly aren't." She chuckled. Though she was joking, she knew she was speaking the truth.

"I guess you're right," The blonde sighed, "but I'll still help you choose what you wear! You're going to be a knockout! Trust me, all the boys will be staring at my little Levy!" She ended her sentence with her lips pursed as if she had been talking to a child. The kind of face that accompanied the voice you use when pinching an infant's chubby cheeks.

"Lucy! I-I don't think that I want them all to stare at me." Trailed off the petite girl.

The bustier of the two softened her features. "It'll be okay, Lev. I'll be with you the whole time and if it really does get too much for you, we can go home whenever you want. I just want you to relax and have some fun! Get your nose out of a book for once and enjoy the parts of college that don't include studying and working all day! I have a good feeling about this, Levy." Lucy comforted.

She knew everything would be okay if she had her best friend at her side, but she just couldn't shake away her nerves. She hadn't made any friends here yet, unless you count the teachers and her boss, but she's guessing you don't. Levy was just worried she was going to make a bad impression and ruin the night and possibly her best friend's chances with her pink-haired person of interest.

Lucy stood up to interrupt Levy's thoughts again with a unexpected but soft kiss on her forehead and a pat on her shoulder as if she could feel the anxiety growing within her. "It's going to be okay. Now get back to studying," she smiled, "you're going to miss out on it tomorrow and I know you like to be ahead." The blonde got up and strode out of the room with confidence, ecstatic about her victory.

I guess I'm staying up a little late tonight. The thought flew into Levy's mind. At least she had some time to catch up for her soon to be missed day of studying beforehand; it makes getting back into work so much easier when you don't have extra work to do. After a moment of reflection over the recently ended conversation, she sighed and turned her attention back to her laptop and let her fingers fall back into place over the familiar keys.

Saturday: Party Time!

The bluenette opened up her eyes and stretched her arms way above her head as she sat up in her cozy bed that morning. It didn't seem like today was any different from the others she had experienced so far at the University. It was nice and sunny outside, though she could tell it was cold beyond the window. She pulled her blanket over her shoulders and stood up to quietly head over to grab her things for a shower. The petite girl usually jump-started her mornings with a shower so she could be warm and refreshed before completing her tasks for the day.

After grabbing some new clothes and a towel, Levy snuck past her sleeping roommate who must have come home later than the poor girl had been up studying. She took a relatively quick shower and slowly made her way back to her room, refreshed and awake. As soon as she walked through her door, she was surprised to see her blonde bestie sitting up in bed, being as she usually doesn't wake up before noon most days.

"Good morning, Lev!" Lucy smiled brightly. "Today's the day we're going to make all the boys want you and hopefully one boy in particular want me." She gave Levy a cutesy wink as she tossed her covers aside. "Now I know it's early-"

"It's 9 already, Lucy, it's not that early."

"Maybe to YOU, Miss I-Always-Wake-Up-On-Time-And-Attend-All-Of-My-Classes. But for some of us, this is way early." Remarked the busty blonde with sass.

"Okay, fine. It's early. Continue." She insinuated for her friend to carry on with what she was saying before she had interrupted her.

"Anyway," she started, regathering her thoughts, "I know that it's early, but I was hoping that we could maybe go shopping today before the party? I still have to shower and get ready but I think it'd be nice if we got lunch and bought something new to wear tonight!" She looked at Levy's face and noticed a twinge of uncertainty. "I know we were just going to wear something normal, but I know I really want to knock the socks off of Natsu and I want to get you something too!"

After a few silent moments of thought had passed over her, Levy reluctantly agreed. "You've already got me going out so I guess heading out a little bit earlier wouldn't hurt."

"Yay!" She bounced, suddenly visibly excited. "I'll get ready then!" Lucy ran off towards the showers, cute outfit in hand.

Two hours later, they were off. They first headed to a diner for some lunch, then to the nearby mall to find their new party attire. After having only been in the mall for less than half an hour, Lucy found her perfect outfit first and quite easily. They had gone into a store that displayed a bunch of short dresses in their window, despite the weather growing colder by the day. The two of them had wandered in and Lucy found the perfect outfit only a minute later. It was a two piece that went together so well you'd think it was a dress. The skirt was a deep blue and had a thin gold line across the bottom and the top matched that beautiful blue with an assortment of those gold lines over the chest with a gorgeous white bow that was adorned by a large blue gem in the center at the neckline. Lucy's favorite part however was the identical white bow that hung just above her butt and the fact that it came with matching stockings. Lucy was smitten with the ensemble and purchased it without hesitation.

With the easier to shop for of the two girls out of the way, the difficult times commenced. They walked through store after store and found nothing the bookworm really liked. Lucy tried to help, but nothing she had picked out caught her eye. She didn't want it to be sexy or intricate like Lucy's chosen dress. She wanted something simple that spoke to her so she could continue to wear it on a regular basis and not waste Lucy's money. She had never been able to justify a purchase that she couldn't use more than once. The tiny woman knew she didn't ever have to worry about growing out of it at least, as she was beyond done growing. She'd just have to stay this small forever.

After what seemed like hours of searching, she glanced past the rack of clothes she was at and her eyes settled on a soft dress in the most beautiful yellow she had ever seen. It was a simple dress with a white bow at the top like Lucy's that tied around the neck delicately. Hooked to the hanger dangled two sleeves of the same color, both sides adorned with the same white bow as the neckline. Tired of searching, she made her way over to it and a smile rested on her lips.

"This one." She told her friend matter-of-factly. The way her eyes lit up over the dress made Lucy know better than to argue.

"You're going to look so good in that, Levy." She cooed, thankful they found something her stubborn friend loved. The price tag was easy on the eyes as well so she was not going to complain.

They purchased the dress and went ahead and made their way back to their dorm to get ready. Surprisingly, it had already gotten close to 4 o'clock though the outing didn't feel like it should have lasted that long. The pair knew that the party started at 7 so they began their return trip to their shared dorm posthaste.

Once they were finally back in their room, they quickly changed and fixed their makeup and hair to reflect their newly dawned outfits. Eventually pleased with their looks, they headed out to Natsu's fraternity. As soon as they headed out the door however, the bluenette's nerves settled back into their usual spot in her stomach.

"It's going to be super fun, Levy. You'll see." Lucy beamed, seemingly having picked up on her friend's worries. Levy took a deep breath as they approached the already booming building and walked inside. The place was huge and absolutely breathtaking- or would be without all of the people crammed inside of it. She desperately looked around for something to comfort herself when she finally saw a bookshelf. She knew that at the very least, she'd be able to find a book and hide until Lucy was ready to leave if she started to have a bad time.

"There he is! Come on, Lev!" Lucy grabbed her small arm and pulled her in the direction opposite of her safety bookshelf. She relinquished control to Lucy and reluctantly followed her down the large hallway.

"Natsu!" She squeaked, clearly dying to see his reaction to her new wardrobe.

"W-wow Lucy..." He blushed. From the look on his face, he loved it, and quite possibly her, not that he'd admit to that. "You look great!" He flashed a huge smile in her direction and the blush that grazed her cheeks was brighter than she'd ever seen on anyone. "So, I see you finally got Levy out of the dorm!"

"I know! I knew I would wear her down eventually." Turning to her friend, she gave her a nudge and a comforting smile. Levy smiled back, letting her know she was doing okay even if she didn't feel like she was.

She pulled Lucy close so she could whisper where Natsu wouldn't hear. "I'll give you guys some alone time." She said with an uncharacteristic wink. "I don't feel up to socializing yet, so I'll just be by the bookshelf in the front room, okay?" She hoped she'd let her go, just walking in here was a feat for the bookworm and she needed to hide behind the safe and encompassing spine of a publication for a bit before she was ready to really talk to people.

Lucy gave her small friend a faint nod with a light smile and softly reminded her to call her if she needed her as she'd only be in the next room. She agreed to her terms and watched her happily drag Natsu towards the drinks. Sighing after having won this round, Levy made her way to the bookshelf and scanned it for something she hadn't read before. Glancing around to be sure no one was watching, she grabbed a book to her liking and rushed to the corner of the room and sat on the floor away from the crowd. She opened it and began to immerse herself into the tale to distract her from her surroundings.

She read the contents on the thin, worn pages for what only felt like a couple minutes until she looked down to see she had a message from Lucy.

Lev! I think Natsu might actually like me ? someone tried to grab my butt and he decked them so hard! Anyway, I know it's only been an hour but I wanted to be sure you're ok! We're just in the next room if you want to join us?

Lu xxx

She smiled at her phone before she realized that it had indeed been a full hour that she'd been sitting on the floor. Slightly disappointed about leaving the writing, being only halfway through the story, the small bluenette decided to get up and join her undoubtedly worried friend.

Alright Lu, I'll be right there

Lev xx

She gently placed the book back on the shelf and swiftly jotted down the title into a note on her phone for future reference. Turning away from the shelf, she made herself as small as she could to push through the loud group of people. They're unusually loud actually... what's going on? She sheepishly pushed through a few more people to get a look at what was causing the commotion.

Two men, one of them much larger than the other, seemed to be getting into a fight. Her stomach turned on itself as her nerves returned from their brief reading break. The larger man was littered with scars and piercings seemingly from head to toe. They covered his arms and face and gave him a dark presence. His long black hair stayed behind his shoulders without help and added to his fearsome gaze. The man he was glaring at was much smaller when you compared muscle but not too much shorter. His black hair matched that of the larger man but was significantly shorter in length. From the chanting of the circle of people who had gathered, she guessed their names were Gajeel and Rogue, though she had no inkling as to who was who.

The smaller man landed a decent punch right in the long-haired man's face. A shiver raced down her spine as she realized she couldn't stand to be here and that she needed to find Lucy fast. She tried to disregard the scuffle and push past people only for a passage to open for her. A gift from the Gods? Maybe.

She took the chance to run through the opening and immediately realized her mistake. The two men were the reason for the opening and just as she had entered the passageway, the smaller man dodged a punch that came straight for her. A gloved fist hit her small frame right underneath of her eye and she heard the whole room go quiet as she fell. Her face burned and she could barely see out of that eye but she knew she was crying. She felt hands on her and many different voices asking if she was okay. She silenced them all in her mind and rushed for the door. She heard the voice of the man who had struck her chasing after her as she attempted to sprint to safety.

"Hey! Come back here, Shorty! I didn't mean to hit ya! I'm sorry!" He-Gajeel, she had learned from the gasps and accusatory remarks- called.

He was fast but she couldn't bear look at him so she just kept running. Her legs unceremoniously carried her until she returned to her familiar dorm and crawled under the covers in an attempt to cry herself to sleep as quickly as possible. All she wanted was to avoid letting her thoughts linger on the event. She knew that he had stopped following her after a while but she also knew that if she slowed down, she might have stopped and bawled right there in the street. She pulled the covers over her head to block out the noise and the glaring lights of the streetlamps outside. She had closed her eyes and tried to forget the pain radiating from her eye when she heard the door swing open, revealing Lucy and Natsu and thankfully, no Gajeel.

"Levy, oh my God!" She cried, "I heard the room get quiet and all I saw was you running; what happened?" I could hear the tears behind her voice begging to come out.

"It's nothing. Just some stupid boys in some stupid fight and stupid me ended up at the receiving end of a fist." The broken girl sobbed, mostly angry but with a tinge of hurt.

"It's not nothing. I am so sorry that I made you come to that dumb party, Lev. I won't ever make you go somewhere ever again. Oh Levy, I'm so sorry." Lucy finally let the tears fall from her eyes as she held her companion's hand to her head. Nastu's arms slipped around her waist and the bluenette could tell from his silence that he was growing angry as well.

"Who was the one to punch you? Rogue or Gajeel?" He demanded.

"Gajeel... I think..." Levy managed to squeak out.

"I'm going to make him regret that." His voice went hard. "No one hurts my friends, not even my friends." Natsu removed his arms from Lucy's waist, curling swiftly back from where he came and sped out of the dorm, gleaming with determination and purpose.

"He didn't mean it! I don't think..." Levy called after him. After receiving no response, Lucy leaned through the doorway to yell her own thoughts to him.

"Natsu! Please be careful!" She begged, wanting to follow but knowing her place was with her friend. She returned to her spot at the edge of her bed and began to look over her injuries. Luckily, Gajeel had just missed her eye and only busted open her cheek. It was already puffy, hindering her vision, but at least she wouldn't have a full on black eye.

"I know that the boys get into fights, but they aren't really bad people." Lucy said, out of the blue, her face turned to the floor. "I just want you to know that they aren't bad guys." Worry clouded her eyes and she dropped the subject as she got up to grab the first aid kit.

Lucy cleaned the wound and put some bandages over it and they never spoke of that night again. She doesn't know if she never brought it up out of guilt or respect, but the bookworm gladly tried to keep that awful night and that large, dark man out of her thoughts.