Disclaimer: Regretfully, I do not own Fairy Tail or these characters - I do plan to update roughly twice a week though.

"Oh! Hi guys! Funny running into you..." Levy giggled and audibly gulped at the naked yearning visible between Lucy and Natsu.

Lucy smiled and rose gracefully up from the bench. Addressing Levy, she gestured to the picnic basket. "Why don't you and Gajeel enjoy this portable feast. We," at this she pointed to Natsu, "are going back to my apartment to finish our date. I don't care who knows, we're meant to be together and don't need to hide anything."

Natsu bounced up from his seat and reached for Lucy's hand. "I'm all fired up!" Linking fingers, they raced off without another word to the flabbergasted Levy and Gajeel.

"I did tell you this was a stupid idea, didn't I Shrimp?"

"Shut up and pick up the picnic basket. We're gonna enjoy the hell out of some free food." Levy stomped her feet and crossed her arms, glaring at the Iron dragon slayer.

Gajeel smirked and docilely lifted the basket. Mira packed this, and if I know Mira like I think I do, I'm going to end up cooking breakfast for two. Gi hehe he!

"Lead the way Shrimp." Gajeel uttered this in as bored a tone as he could manage. Don't wanna let her know how much I like her. Once they get the upper hand, dames are too much trouble to deal with. Keep'em off balance and they're putty in your hands. "Ain't your curfew soon?" The tall dragon slayer looked down over at Levy and smirked.

"I might look like a child because of my short stature, but I assure you my status as an adult is not to be questioned." Levy delivered this set down ironically with her nose in the air, petulantly acting childish. "My favourite tree is over this way." Walking briskly she traversed the remaining distance to the park and entered a side entrance framed by a vine covered arch.

Gajeel happily watched Levy's hips sway under the short skirt portion of her usual dress. A group of young men swarmed out of the park as Levy stepped under the arch. Two of the males smiled and briefly exchanged pleasantries with the petite blue haired girl. Allowing his fangs to descend he made sure to glare at them as they exited the park in front of him. A low rumbling growl helped them scurry to catch up to their gang.

Standing with one hand one hand on her hip, Levy beckoned Gajeel with the other. "Come on! I'm hungry. My spot is over in this far corner."

"Don't get used to bossing me around little girl. You should try being nicer to someone you owe an unspecified favour to, gi hehe!"

"I'm sure we can come to an amicable agreement Gajeel." Levy had relaxed a bit after the failed meddling with Lucy and Natsu, and her gentle and earnest nature was settling back into place. She walked deeper into the park and followed a seldom used path to the northernmost corner. "Hey! I wonder what Mira packed."

"Don't wonder too much, open it up and find out." The basket hit the ground with a solid thunk as Gajeel dropped it in front of Levy. A tentative smile blossomed on her face and she dropped to her knees and unlatched the basket. Levy picked up the blanket nestled on top of the food and thrust it at Gajeel. Only frowning slightly, he shook it out and placed it over a thick patch of grass. As typical picnic fare was unpacked, Gajeel's anticipation died down. Where's the aphrodisiacs? Is Mira losing her touch? How am I going to get with Levy without help?

Levy sat down awkwardly, trying to keep her knees together. "You know, you don't have to stick around if you don't want to. You probably have something better to do..." She fussed with the containers of food, not raising her gaze to her companion.

"I never figured you for selfish. All that food for two people, and you don't wanna share." Gajeel's rumbling voice claimed Levy's attention and she looked up to see him cross his arms. "And" he emphasized, "after I carried that heavy, heavy basket for you. You used me for my muscles and now you don't have any further use for me. That's cold Shrimp."

Levy gasped in outrage. "That's not it at all! I made you help me find Lucy and Natsu! I dragged you out here without regard for what you might have planned for tonight! I was just...just...just shut up and sit down and eat!"

Gajeel lowered himself to the picnic blanket and sat cross-legged opposite of Levy. Snapping out orders makes Levy even sexier. He sneaked a peek at the blue haired girl and watched as she piled a plate with food. Gauging her movements, he reached for grapes at the same instant. He grinned to himself as she blushed and dropped the cluster of fruit. Silently he filled his own plate with an assortment of items and began eating. After ten minutes of reflection, he set down his plate and rummaged in the basket pulling out two small bottles of plum wine.

Levy was surprised at the suddenly outthrust bottle under her nose. "Wha-? Oh thanks Gajeel. This is a really good vintage...you like other kinds of wine?" Dumb! It's not like he picked this out on purpose! Mira packed this - he's just thirsty and anything is better than nothing! She opened the bottle and took a nervous sip, forcing her eyes to look calmly at the Iron dragon slayer.

"If yer askin' me questions, I guess I don't have to shut up anymore." His piercings glinted in the mid-evening light as he twitched his face in what Levy guessed was a smile. "I've had this wine before and It's always been good." The tension surrounding them dropped and slipped away as the sun gracefully began to sink below the horizon.

"So, what else do you like?" Levy was still concerned with keeping her modesty intact and was looking down when she questioned her companion. Gajeel mouthed the word 'you' and gave a real from the soul smile which he cut off the second Levy started to look up.

"Iron, Lily, fighting, singing, stuff like that." He snapped his features back to what most people call 'resting bitch face' and calmly kept eating from his plate. Inwardly he smirked as Levy got red in the face and squinty around the eyes.

"That's not what I meant and you know it! We were conversing about vintages. I had no idea you enjoyed fine wines." She couldn't help herself as she flat-out glared at Gajeel. I'm trying to get to know you better, and you're being an ass-hat about it. "It took me a while to grow accustomed to wine. Not everybody grows to acquire the taste for it. Both Jet and Droy prefer beer."

"I enjoy most beverages, but you won't catch me drinking milk. Judging from the size of you, you avoid milk like the plague." He enjoyed the fire snapping from her eyes and the way her minute hands clenched into the tiniest of deadly fists.

Knowing her breathing was becoming loud and unruly, Levy pushed down her irritation and compressed it into a small box in her mind, promising to deal with it later, much later. "I drink plenty of milk! McGarden's just happen to be a family with smaller sized members. Some people say what we lack in size, we make up for in brain power." She began toying with her food, pushing the remnants of her selections to the side.

Gajeel set down his food and fished in the basket for more drinks, this time coming up with two beers. "Didja acquire the taste for beer?" He unscrewed the containers and offered one to Levy. She took it and he clinked his bottle against hers. "Here's to the favour you owe me." Levy put the cool bottle to her lips and sucked down close to half of her beer.

"What on Earthland can I do for you that you couldn't do for yourself?" Levy scooted just a little bit closer to Gajeel. "You're so strong, I can't imagine what you'd need me for at all." Concentrating on this minor mystery, she took another deep drink.

The muscular man crossed his arms and looked up into the leafy canopy of the sakura trees. "I'm not ready to talk about that just yet. Just know that you'll have to trust me and do what I ask you to." He took a sip of his beer and met her innocent gaze with his intense eyes hooded. "I can tell you the speed of this favour will depend solely on you. If you're not the one to help me, it can't be accomplished."

Soft-hearted, Levy was both intrigued and humbled by Gajeel's admission. What does he mean, I'm the only one who can help him? I'm smart, but there's always somebody smarter...or cuter...better endowed...and the list goes on and on. Lightly patting Gajeel's knee, Levy downed her beer and smiled. "I'll do my best!"

I never thought you wouldn't try your best Levy. "Make sure you do, Shrimp." He laughed and finished his drink. "There's two beers left, you want another one?"

Levy nodded and giggled. "I don't usually indulge, but why not?" I'm perfectly safe with Gajeel - I'm short and not busty and while I'm somewhat pretty, I can't compete with most of the girls in the guild. He's tall, dark and sexy in a broody kind of way. He'll catch an Amazon's eye. She took a small sip of her second beer and set it down in order to gather the food containers and repack the picnic basket. Gajeel sat cross legged, nursing his beverage and watched Levy busy herself cleaning.

"Say, why wasn't Lily with you tonight?" Levy mused quietly. "Ever since you met in Edolas, you two have been nearly inseparable."

"Gi he he! No one, not even me tells Lily what he can or can't do!" Taking another swig of his beer, Gajeel inched a little closer to Levy. "He takes off with Charle and Happy sometimes. Why do you ask?"

Feeling anxious under the steely gaze of the Iron dragon slayer, the petite girl flushed. "No special reason, just making conversation. We're nakama and I don't think we've ever spent this much time together just us...alone." Levy gave a bland smile as she uttered the word 'alone', trying to gauge Gajeel's thoughts. If Lucy and Natsu can finally hook-up, then I can too. Gajeel can be practice - he still feels guilty for what he did to my team when we first met. I might owe him a favour, but he subconsciously feels a deep obligation for hurting me. This will do nicely. "Hanging out with Erza and the others is different. Speaking of that, how was that new bakery?"

Disgruntled with the path the discussion was taking, Gajeel snorted and took his time replying. "Next meeting of the Dessert Club will be at the ice cream shop in Gray's neighbourhood."

Scrunching up her face, Levy rose to her knees and brushed Gajeel's unruly hair over behind his ear and examined his ear. He faintly blushed and half-heartedly pushed Levy's delicate hands away from his head. "Oi! What do you think you're doing?"

"I was checking to see if you had potatoes growing in your ear, preventing you from understanding my questions. I asked how the new bakery was, and you deflected with a statement. What happened at the bake shop?"

"Nothin' much. Ate a bunch of sugary crap and listened to Erza pontificate over the merits of chocolate ganache versus vanilla cream filling. Juvia was kinda quiet this time though, she was busy scribbling on a bunch of napkins and when the Salamander wandered into the shop, he stank of mating pheromones."

Levy plopped down, feeling stunned. Embarrassment was forefront in her mind and then anger sparked to life within her. "You mean that you could smell that he and Lucy had been together and were a couple? If you could tell, then any other dragon slayer could have smelt the truth...and that means Lucy would never have been sure who spilled the beans!"

"I told you it was a stupid idea from the get go, Shrimp." He ran one large hand through his unruly hair and sighed. "I guess I can release you from my debt. Never figured you for a whelsher though." Gajeel put his empty drink container into the basket and started to push himself up.

Levy grabbed a lock of his hair and yanked. "I am not a whelsher. You did what I asked and I will fulfill all obligations." She glared up at his stoic face. "I don't know what it is about you, but you make me...not myself."