War on Literature

Sometimes Gajeel liked books. Sometimes Gajeel loathed them. Sometimes Gajeel wanted to chuck a book across the room just to get a certain bookworm's attention. Is there such a thing as super-fluff? Well I think this qualifies.

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail

Gajeel couldn't possibly believe it. Here he was, in a library, sitting in front of Levy, waiting for her to put down her book. Gajeel could think of a dozen other things he could be doing right now, but he was just sitting here... IN A LIBRARY!

Gajeel had sought out Levy for a question and found her entranced in a novel in a way he'd never seen before.

It wasn't like Gajeel hated books; he didn't have much personal interest in the things past the fact that Levy loved books.

And at this point, that fact was becoming more of a con than a pro.

Gajeel grumbled to himself and considered his possibilities.

He could get her attention like a normal person, but his pride was getting in the way.

If Gajeel acknowledged that he had to fight for Levy's attention, even if it was from bound up paper, Gajeel felt like he was placing books on the same level as a rival of sorts.

And Gajeel most definitely needed to destroy all rivals.

Levy would destroy HIM if he did so.

Gajeel changed tactics and stared at the little bookworm, gazing unabashedly. He could just picture the scene with the greatest satisfaction of her cheeks heating up at the surpise of Gajeel focused completely and totally on her. He wouldn't say he played hard to get- he gagged just thinking about it- but his focus was usually on becoming strong and beating people like Salamander and that Scarlet woman.

And it just so happened that today he was focused on Levy.

For the longest time there was no movement. All of a sudden, Levy started to squirm, but Gajeel realized it was because her book was getting climatic.

He would just have to entertain himself until she noticed him.

"Hey shrimp," he said in a low voice. If she had heard him, she made no appearance of it. Gajeel shifted into a more comfortable sitting position.

"Listen," he said in a casual tone, "if you look up in the next five seconds I'll dance on top of this table naked."

Levy was still engrossed in her book and the five seconds passed. But Gajeel wouldn't say he wasn't relieved.

"If you look up now," Gajeel thought carefully, "I'll read the rest of the book out loud to you." He paused. No response. Gajeel snorted, even a book idea couldn't beat the book itself.

"If you look up now... I'll take you on one of those cheesy dinner dates. The ones with flowers, restaurants that make you pay too much for food with names that even you can't pronounce."

Levy had yet to look up, but Gajeel couldn't help notice her eyes were moving more slowly than before.

"I'll wear matching sweaters with you for a week."

Thank God she didn't look up on that one.

"I'll write a song about you."

Okay that one was a lie. Technically he had already written a song for her, but he wasn't going to tell her that.

"If you look up now, I'll... tell you about my childhood."

That one wasn't easy to say, but Gajeel noticed she had been staring at a certain point in her book for almost 30 seconds now.

Gajeel refrained from grinning. He decided to see if he really had her attention.

"If you look up now, I'll jump over this table and ravage you until you're so hot and bothered your brain starts leaking out of your ears."

Gajeel had watched as Levy's eyes had jolted from the point in the book and had begun reading faster than normal. But she couldn't hide the red blossoming on her cheeks. Heck, he could even feel his ears heating up. But Gajeel knew it. He had her attention.

He figured she wasn't going to respond to anything so he decided to tease her a little more.

"If you look up now, I'll call you sweet cheeks for the rest of the year instead of shorty."

He would rather kill himself first.

"If you look up now, I'll buy you the biggest, most expensive book you want as long as you read it to me backwards while sitting on your head."

Levy must have completely given up the pretense that she was reading because she was staring at her book, her eyes unfocused. She was waiting for something, but Gajeel couldn't figure what.

"If you look up now..." Gajeel stared at the ceiling, "I'll answer any 3 questions you ask about me."

Gajeel relaxed on the bench and continued to stare up at the long vaulted ceiling. Was this library really under Fairy Tail?

"If you look up now," Gajeel didn't know what he was saying anymore, "I won't eat iron for at least a month."

"If you look up now," Gajeel closed his eyes, "I'll confess my..." he didn't finish the sentence. Perhaps he wouldn't. The game had gone on long enough and Gajeel began considering whether he wanted to go back upstairs or actually get her attention.

"What would you confess?" a voice started him from his thoughts. He opened his eyes. The little script mage was peering down at him. So that's what got her to look up.

"Hey shrimp," he grinned up at her.

"What would you confess?" she insisted.

"I was going to confess something?" He tilted his head, still grinning. But Levy wasn't about to give up. She vaulted over the table and landed on top of Gajeel's legs.

"Wait a second-" Gajeel tried to sit up but Levy pushed him down.

"You were going to confess to me," Levy was blushing, but her eyes were determined.

Gajeel attempted to hide his splutters, "and why would I do that?" we both know the feeling is mutual, why go through stupid crap like that?

Levy understood him clearly, "because it means more coming from your mouth." Gajeel grabbed her wrists and pulled himself up in one fluid motion.

"Wha?" she was splayed on his chest and had to crane her neck to look up at him. He grinned and leaned in so close their noses touched.

"What did you want me to do?" he asked playfully.

"Your f-feelings," Levy may have been caught off guard, but she was not shied away from her objective.

"My feelings," one of her waves of hair was ticking his face so he tucked it gently behind her ear. Levy waited with anticipation for the words Gajeel would choose. Of course they weren't going to be poetic, but considering it was Gajeel, it would get the job done.

His smirk had slowly devolved into a contented expression.

"You know," he nudged her ear with his nose, "I kind of liked idea of watching your brain leak out of your ears."

"Gajeel!" she hissed, her face flushing. He grinned against her face.

"Levy McGarden," he announced her name in full. Levy held her breath. His was warm on the side of her cheek, leaving her cheeks red. Was he prolonging the silence for dramatic effect, or did he just not have the words? She was about to get up when his grip tightened on her wrists.

"You are amazing," he said softly. Levy stared into space. Gajeel had released her wrists, but she was still touching his chest. He let out a breath and pressed his lips to her cheek. He lifted his leg over the bench and stood up. Levy sat silently, his few words rolling through her head.

"But really, really short," Gajeel snorted.

"GAJEEL!" She flung her book at him and he ducked, grinning.

"Gihihi, that's not the way to treat literature, shrimp," he tutted, "I thought you knew better."

"Come back here so I can beat in your unromantic head," Levy frowned.

"Don't worry, you're still amazing," Gajeel shook his head, and began walking up the stairs, "amazingly small."

Levy charged up the stairs after him. The whole guild watched the spectacle as the little bookworm chased the grinning dragonslayer out of Fairy Tail.

"What's up with them?" Gray jerked a finger.

Natsu shrugged.

"They're just insane," Happy smiled, well, happily.

"GAH! PUT ME DOWN GAJEEL!"

"Why?"

"SO I CAN BEAT YOU UP PROPERLY!"

"That's putting it mildly," Pantherlily said thoughtfully.

Done.

Not my best one-shot, but it's a start.

To all you GaLe lovers, I hope you enjoyed!

(Reviews, reviews)

Thanks for reading! :)