"It was that most dreaded time of the year once again." Fairy tail
Laxus tugged his coat tighter around himself as he was being dragged across the streets of Magnolia, snow filtering slowly from the dark sky. Across town, the clock rang for eight in the evening, but their sounds did nothing to discourage the woman currently pulling and pushing him around. Laxus let out an uncharacteristic distressed sound from the back of his throat and cursed his stupid luck for forgetting the date, again.
âStop whining,â Evergreen called, not even bothering to turn around and face him as her heels rang against the ground, âor Iâm living you here to fend for yourself.â
Laxus rolled his eyes but followed her without another noise of complaint (she was his only option, after all) and desperately hoped Freed wonât mind a cheesy, last-minute Valentineâs gift too much.
Send me an ask with the first sentence of a fanfic and Iâll write the next five.
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First line meme (for Tolkien): "It was rare that a game of chess had such high stakes."
Maedhros narrowed his eyes and looked across the low coffee table, where his cousin sat, still considering his next move. Fingon was taking all the precious time in the world, his fingers hovering over the different pieces in turn for so long that Maedhros could clearly see the dirt gathered under his nails. Not for the first time, he tapped his fingers lightly on the table and let out a long, steady breath and Finno canât you just hurry up-
âYouâre acting as if this game will decide the fate of the world and not just who gets the last slice of Motherâs cherry pie,â Maglor called from where he was leaning against the table on Maedhrosâ right, his long, scarred fingers lightly strumming the lyre in his hands.Â
Maedhros rolled his eyes and pushed his brother off the table, a smile lifting the corner of his mouth when he heard Maglorâs startled screech and Fingonâs laughter.
Send me an ask with the first sentence of a fanfic and Iâll write the next five.
(fancy commentary courtesy to @uwu-stealer) (I LOVE YOU KIDDO)
i present to you, my masterpiece: dragon parents fix-it-fic au
this took 2 hours to write and about 1 and half to piece together AND ITS PAST 2 AM HERE AND IM EXHAUSTED SO FUCKING HAVE THIS
(this is incredibly self-indulgent and filled with headcanons and theories and my best attempt to fix the clusterfuck that fairy tailâs timeline is and fix stuff BUT I ENJOY IT SO WHOS THE REAL WINNER HERE)
I love your writing so much! Could you possibly write a Transgender Gajeel fanfic?
thank you so much, anon! here is the fic for you! sorry itâs sort of rushed, i was so touched by your words i knew i wanted to do it immediately
word count: 487
warning: im not trans, personally, so i hope i portrayed everything properly! i tried to do it as something normal, part of his everyday life, but at the same time something that makes him happy.Â
##
gajeel wakes up with a throbbing headache, pain shooting through his skull the moment he opens his eyes. he rolls around the bed, kicking off tangled bedsheets, and rubs against his temple.
taking up that drinking game last night at the guild had been a bad idea. sure, he might not have gotten drunk, but his mouth tastes as if someone died in it and his head feels as if someone was slamming it with a sledgehammer. repeatedly.Â
he drags his feet to the bathroom and tears his clothes off, then walks into the shower. the chill water is sweet relief against his skin. he sighs and presses his head against the cold tiles. water soaks into his hair but he doesnât mind it â in fact, he feels better than he has in ages.
once finished with the shower and making himself presentable, gajeel makes his way to the kitchen. wendy is already sitting on her favorite spot, a medicine book clutched in her little hands. natsu is sipping coffee. gajee grabs the cup from their hands before they can take another one.
âkilljoyâ natsu tells him, but thereâs no bite.Â
âbratâ gajeel says back, a small smile pulling on his lips. he loves his siblings more than heâs willing to say. âhow long have you been waiting?â
âabout an hourâ wendy chirps, not looking up from her studies. ânatsu didnât let me wake you up.â
âhe got practically wasted last night!â natsu defends themself. âi didnât want him to throw a hissy fit again.â
gajeel rolls his eyes, then reaches into the fridge and starts rummaging for food. heâs not in the mood for cooking, not after all the drinking last night, so some sandwiches should suffice.Â
heâs almost done with them when fingers gently run over his jaw. he looks down, confused, and wendy gives him that shy smile of hers that makes everyone coo.
âwhat is it, small fry?â he asks, lowering the kitchen knife.
ânothing.â her fingers graze his skin. âyou have a stubble, you know.â
he tries to not smile too much, but hearing her say it makes him feel warmer than heâs willing to admit. it still feels weird but fuck, how much he loves it. he knows heâs supposed to shave it, too, but he canât bring himself to do it. not yet.
âi know, wen.â he ruffles her hair, then pushes a plate over to her. âhere, eat now.â
wendy obediently picks up her sandwich and takes a bite. she hums â a soft, comforting sound. next to her, natsu hides a small chuckle and hums along.
âyouâre smiling more often now, tooâ she comments after sheâs done chewing her bite. âitâs nice.â
âi feel like smiling more.â gajeel puts his own plate down before turning around to get some coffee. âmore like myself.â
his siblings donât say anything. wendy hums again. itâs nice.
authorâs note:Â hi anon! im sorry if this story doesn't quite satisfy your request, but i was feeling in the mood of fluff more than anything else and decided to tackle a different side of pet play. i hope you like it!Â
word count: roughly 450Â
âGray.â
No reaction.
âGray. Gray.â
Again nothing. Natsu leaned over and poked their mate's shoulder.
âGraaaay!â
A low sound of disappointment came from the couch and soon enough, Gray lifted his head from where he'd laid it before.
âWhat do you want?â he asked, his voice still laced with sleep.
Natsu grumbled under their breath as they climbed into the couch and curled against him. The burn for affection sizzled and moved in their guts. They nuzzled his neck and breathed his scent it, the corners of their mouth pulling up.
âPay attention to me.â
It came out more as order than anything else. Natsu hummed and lifted their head to watch, eyes glued to their mate's face.
Gray had never been a bad actor, but his mask always seemed to melt when around them. His hand ran through their hair and they sighed softly, closing their eyes.
âAre you going to purr again?â Gray asked, mild amusement laced into his voice.
Natsu decided to not answer and instead curled further into his hold, a slow purr vibrating from the back of their throat. Gray's soft chuckle filled their ears, the sound making them smile again.
The sound of heartbeat against them, the long fingers running through their hair, the warm breath ruffling their bangs⌠Natsu loved those rare moments of comfort, when the beast inside of them wanted nothing but to curl up into him and relax.
âYou alright?â Gray asked after a while, his fingers slowing down so he could pull them closer.
âJust right, Ice Breath.â They looked up enough to give him a smile and gently push against his chin. âWhy asking?â
âYou get cuddly after an episode, usually.â
Natsu rolled their eyes and knocked against him again, making him laugh.
âI also get cuddly just because, dumbass.â
âIf you say so.â Gray's mouth pulled into a smirk and they were stuck between wanting to wipe it off and wanting to kiss him. âGoing to use your dragon instincts as an excuse again?â
âDamn right I am.â
Gray laughed and shook his head. Natsu pouted at him and lifted themselves up enough to press their lips against his. It was enough to shut him up.
âDid I ruffle your feathers?â Gray asked. His attempt to sound angry was completely ruined by the warmth in his eyes.
âShut up.â Natsu curled back on his chest, for once thankful for the couple inches height difference. âWe're taking a nap.â
âWe?â
âYes, we. Now shut up and sleep.â
âYou're getting quite bossy this morning.â
âGray, shut up and sleep.â
Natsu kissed him again, just for good measure. There had never been an easier way to shut him up, after all.
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characters: levy mcgarden and gajeel redfox
rating: gen
word count: 1,679
summary:Â
while collecting seashells, levy makes a new friend. in a rather unusual way.[mermaid au for mermay. first part of many.]
read also on ffnet and ao3
matching art piece here, drawn by me
The water was halfway up her shins when Levy saw the dorsal fin.
It had been a long day of workâsitting some village children in the morning and then running around the shop for most of the afternoon. Levy had bid her parents goodbye before running off, eager to spend the last couple hours of sunlight doing her most favorite past time.
There were, after all, some positives in living just by the beach. (Even though the breeze could turn cold in times and they ended up with more bugs than most other places.) She'd run home from her parents' flower shop and then immediately headed out to the rocky shore just outside of their humble home.
For the hour and half of fun time she'd allowed herself, Levy had managed to fill half her bag with shells. Pride filled her chest every time she'd found a different piece in the waterâsome in soft cream, some in oily blackâall unique. Some of the village kids had often called her strange for her fixation with the sea, but Levy could barely go through a day without the thick scent of saltwater and seaweed on her lungs, without the scrape of sand and wet stone against her soles.
And then she'd noticed the shark.
Sharks were not, exactly, a common occurrence at the reefs. They weren't particularly rare one eitherâsightings were known to happen at least once per week. Reef sharks were curious animals and often would wander close to the shore. There were many attractions for tourists in the area to go swimming with sharks. Back when she was little, a family friend had arranged Levy to go along one and she'd even managed to pet one. The people here, long used to their unusual neighbors, lacked some of the irrational fear inland people seemed to possess.
This particular shark, however, didn't seem to be exploring.
Levy bit her teeth as she slowly straightened up, sliding the last shell into her bag. The shore stood just to her right. 5 meters? 10, perhaps? She could run that for a second. But⌠it might be more. Without her glasses, she wasn't quite as able to perceive the distance.
And the shark⌠She couldn't pin it down. Oh, sure, the dark dorsal fin stuck like a sore thumb in the setting sun's blazing light. But what kind of shark was it? How far was it?
Could she outrun it?
Levy knelt down and dug her hand into the wet sand. Her fingers brushed something hard and smooth and she tried to take it. A gasp slipped from her lips at the sharp stinging sensation. When she pulled her hand out of the water, red dripped from her open palm.
Distress filled her mind and an uncharacteristically colorful line of curses fell from her mouth. Levy stood up, perhaps a bit too fast, and took a couple of shaky steps before she regained her balance. Her vision was swaying. She wasn't grossed out by the bloodâ she was a med student, for Heaven's sakeâbut the situation at hand terrified her. She tried to force out the violent memories of all those childhood encyclopedias about how sharks were able to smell blood from kilometers in the water, but they pushed against her walls. Her vision blurred at the edges, eyes locked on the dark dorsal fin in the distance. So Levy did the most logical thing her frantic mind could come up with.
She dropped her bag and ran.
Luck was definitely not on her side. Barely a few steps later she promptly stepped on another broken shell. Or perhaps the same one she'd cut her palm on. Burning pain shot up her leg and she cried out, doubling over into the water. The saltwater was stinging against her cuts and it made her eyes mist.
The waves splashed around her as she tried to regain her senses. The dark fin had moved closer and now she could see its colorsâa band of white around the bottom of it that slowly darkened to the oily black tip. She couldn't move, couldn't think, couldn't breatheâ
Then the water moved and the fin shifted and something big and dark began raising from the water where it has just stood.
Levy threw all sense through the window and ran in the opposite direction, screaming bloody murder.
The thing was calling her.
"Small human!" the thing yelled after her. "Don't go!"
Hallucinations. She was having hallucinations. She'd cut herself and got poisoned, or she'd inhaled too much waterâ
Something dark filled her vision and before she could react, Levy collided with a rock. The force of the impact made her lose her ground, her fingers feeling for the growing swell on her head.
It took a moment for her system to catch up, for her senses to take in her surroundings. A moment too much, it seemed. The soft sloshing of water announced the thing's arrival.
Levy turned her head around to face it.
After the initial shock wore off, she saw it was⌠a person. A weird person with gray skin and what looked like gills and fins andâ Breathe, she commanded herself and squared her shoulders. Then she lifted her head and stared right into it.
"Hello" she said, her voice as calm and even as her terrified state could keep it.
"Hello" the creature copied her, as if speaking a foreign language.
The thing was, for the lack of other words, big. The upper part of it resembled a personâthat is, if people had scales and gills. From the waist under, it looked more than a shark than anything else. A big and long and strong and most likely able to kill shark.
"You're a mermaid" Levy blurted out.
She was surely having a hallucination. Mermaids weren't realâmermaids were the dream of a small, lonely little girl with no friends and no other way to entertain herself beside old fairytale books. Mermaids were children's animations. Mermaids were not real.
The thing stared at her, dark eyes shining from under a curtain of dark, wet hair. It tilted its head to the side. Small rivets dripped down the lines of its body. A drop fell from the tip of its nose.
Levy found herself unable to move, her back pressed to the rough stone as if it could provide some protection. Despite the fear that she was probably going to die, despite her instincts screaming for her to run, she was rooted to the place. Levy was fixated.
"Mermaid" the creature repeated, as if the word was foreign to it. It probably was. "I⌠I think so?"
"You think so?" Levy asked. Laughter bubbled in her chestâat the absurdity of the situation or at the confusion written all over the creature's face, she couldn't say. "You look like a mermaid."
"I look like aâ" The thing blinked in confusion and then shook its head, sending water everywhere. Levy made a face at the sudden cold against her damp skin. It extended one of its limbsâits armâto her. Its fingers were gripping the strap of her bag. "Yours?"
Her⌠her bag. The creature was chasing her because she dropped her bag. The creature wanted to give her back her bag. The creature had probably watched her while she collected her shells and didn't want all her work to go to waste.
Levy started laughing.
Her lungs ached with the force of her laughter, her stomach spasming. The thing did not attack or threaten her. It probably did not know how to deal with hysterical girls. Poor thing. Levy leaned against the rock and lifted her head to meet the creature'sâthe mermaid's eyes. She had lost her fear somewhere along its confused expression and its calm gaze. She wasn't afraid. Not anymore.
After slinging her bag over her shoulder, she offered the mermaid her hand.
"My name is Levy. It'sâ" she giggled, "it's my pleasure to meet you. Excuse my⌠initial reaction."
The mermaid stared at her hand. In the soft light of the setting sun, Levy had to admit it looked beautiful, like a drawing out of her old childhood books.
"You're supposed to shake it" she told it when it just stood there, the top half of it half submerged into the chilling water. "And then you say your name."
The mermaid nodded slowly, then lifted its hand from the water and wrapped it around hers. Levy expected it to be cold, like fish wereâinstead, she felt a gentle, reassuring heat against her skin, smooth scales brushing her palm. Its hand was larger than her own, with longer, stronger fingers with silvery webs between them and small calluses. She could hardly believe she had been afraidâno creature with such gentle hold and such kind eyes could be dangerous to her.
"Gajeel" the mermaid said slowly, shaking her hand as it spoke. "It's my pleaâ pleaâ"
"Pleasure?" Levy suggested.
"It's my pleasure to meet you." It seemed very proud of itself. "Levy. Sounds pretty."
Despite everything, Levy giggled again. She brushed the hair from her face and gave the mermaid her best smile.
"Thank you. So does yours." She slipped back into the water with a small "plop". "Thank you for bringing my bag."
It seemed to have some trouble putting its thoughts into words. Levy winced in sympathy. Human languages were different enough from each otherâshe couldn't imagine how much harder it would be for a non-human creature to change its whole way of speaking.
"Sorry. For scaring you" it said after a while.
Levy hummed and carefully headed back to where she'd been collecting her seashells. When she didn't hear any movement behind her, she lifted her head.
"Are you coming?"
With what she was sure was a relieved expression, the mermaid swam after her. Levy smiled to herself. She'd just made a new friend. A new magical friend.
Sheâd grown up with the sight of her parents and their loving marriage, with two little siblings she adored and a beautiful family home. Sheâd learned responsibility and care and love from a young age. She knew that, in order for something to work out, one had to try. She knew that, in order to receive, one first had to give.
Sheâd learned to keep her head up and accept the hardships of life the way they are. Keep going, never give up. Fairy Tail had taught her that there was always a second chance, that there was always someone willing to accept you, no matter how broken you were.
Some days, Mirajane truly missed that small cottage just outside the village and the pink rose garden. But Fairy Tail was more of a home than a ruin in the back of her mind would ever be.
Mirajane had long learned that fairytale was but a dream. Losing Lisanna had cost her more than sheâd bargained for. But it was alright - it had been alright. Sheâd done her best to pretend to be whole, keeping the broken pieces together with sheer willpower and grief.
And then, slowly, theyâve tried to build her back up.
It was a long and painful process. Showing her brother the right way, learning to know herself again, finding her sister, learning to accept the dark sides of her soul⌠Itâd been hard. It hurt. She broke down and built it back up, tore herself and stitched it back together anew.
And Erza had been there to see it all.
Had it been any other person to witness her breaking down, over and over again, Mirajane would have been ashamed. But not Erza. Sheâd sold her heart to the red-haired beauty long before she knew what love tasted like; now, it was hard to imagine her days without her smile and her eyes and her kiss.
Erza brought out the best of her and Mira would only hope she did the same for her. She made her feel as if she was perfect and pure again, made her feel as if the scars and the screams and the blood were a faint part of her past that wonât even touch her again.
Erza made her feel whole.
Erza made her believe in fairytales again - it was impossible to not love her for it.
name: from across the ocean
rating: general
relationship: gajeel redfox/levy mcgarden (platonic and romantic)
tags:Â Alternate Universe - Modern Setting | Texting | Pen Pals | Long-Distance Relationship |Â its a chat fic | but with lots of emotion in it | Tooth-Rotting Fluff | Gajeel Redfox is an actual meme
summary:Â
for her 15th birthday, levy receives membership to an international pen pal program.
[pen pals/long-distance relationship. 2nd-anniversary gift for my beloved bailey, @blackbloodrose20 ]
also read on ao3 and ffnet!
(although it doesnât match any of the prompts, this is considered an entry for gajevy week 2019. rejoice with love!)
Membership in an international pen-pal program was not what Levy expected for her 15th birthday, but at this point, she was so lonely she was ready to accept everything.
She struggled to sit down with her broken leg, awkwardly stretching it on the small stool under her computer desk before pulling the box with the documents over. She could still hear the soft murmurs coming from downstairs and considered getting up to close the door.
Then she knocked her toes against the wall.
âNope, not today. Iâve done enough walking.â
It was hard, to maneuver her fingers into the tight space between her computer and the wall, but after the third attempt, Levy managed to find the start button and turn the machine on. The whirling noise only worried her for a moment. Grandmere had suggested they could get a new computer soon anyway.
If she was even going to need that new computer.
The program had a forum and everything established. Levy looked up the rules and the suggestions of the server then searched up some more things about proper forum etiquette just in case. The registration only took a minute at the most. Finding a proper picture of her took longer and at last, she picked the one she found best from that visit to Paris from Christmas. (Her face looked horribly red from the cold, but it would have to do.)
The forum soon matched her up with her partner. Levy watched the animation process with curiosity. Her picture appeared from a small red dot that was supposed to be her hometown. The same red dot appeared somewhere in North America and a small picture jumped from it. A thin red line connected the two pictures.
A new tab opened, startling her.
Her fingers hovered over the keyboard and she narrowed her eyes, urging herself to switch to English. The tab was almost empty, only containing a big box for messages and few small menus to the side with options for adding pictures, emoticons and other things she didnât really care about.
A green dot by the side meant her partner was online, too.
Levy bit her lip. She could always quit. She could always put everything away and hand the documents down some other kid in town, then wait for her leg to heal up and do her best to be social.
Or she could try to be brave for once in her life.
FlowerLevy: Hello?
The three dots on the screen almost drove her insane. Levy nibbled on her nails.
the_dragon_warrior: hi? iâm gajeel. whatâs your name?
FlowerLevy: My name is Levy. Itâs nice to meet you!
flowercrown: I want to die.
panthers: who do i have to kill
flowercrown: You canât just go around killing people, Gajeel.
panthers: i mean
panthers: i can try?
flowercrown: Itâs illegal!
panthers: iâm already a criminal you foolish child
flowercrown: Buying a beer that one time doesnât count.
panthers: but itâs also illegal
flowercrown: You canât offer murder every time I complain about something.
panthers: i so much can
panthers: fucking watch me tiny one
flowercrown: Stop calling me short.
panthers: but you are short
flowercrown: One day, Gajeel Redfox, your growth spurt will stop.
flowercrown: And then, Iâm going to have the upper hand.
flowercrown: Just you wait.
panthers: iâm so scarred. terrified.
flowercrown: I hate you with a burning passion.
panthers: but you love me
Levy blinked for a moment, staring at the screen of her laptop with a mixture of confusion and something she didnât recognize.
flowercrown: You donât deserve my love.
panthers: <3
When Levy touched her cheeks, she felt heat radiate from under her fingers. Something strange had settled in her stomach, making her feel as if she was going to throw up any second.
flowercrown: <3
panthers: ha! i got you to send me a heart!
flowercrown: Youâre so strange, Gajeel.
panthers: i know tiny
panthers: i know
He was horrible.
actual-disney-princess: um
actual-disney-princess: i might have done something
sunflower: Please tell me you didnât kill anyone.
actual-disney princess: i did not kill anyone
actual-disney-princess: why do you always assume that?
sunflower: ⌠Really.
actual-disney-princess: touchĂŠ
actual-disney-princess: but nope
actual-disney-princess:Â i did something better
actual-disney-princess shared a picture
sunflower: Is this a kitten?
actual-disney-princess: yup
actual-disney-princess: meet lily
actual-disney-princess: i met him today and he stole my heart
actual-disney-princess: heâs my child now
sunflower: Oh dear god, heâs so beautiful!
sunflower: Youâre going to be a good dad, Gajeel.
actual-disney-princess: dad?
sunflower: You adopted a little animal. I think that makes you a dad?
actual-disney-princess: oh
actual-disney-princess: i didnât consider that
actual-disney-princess: thatâs cool
actual-disney-princess: does that make you his mom?
sunflower: Why am I the mom?
actual-disney-princess: youâre my best friend dumbass
sunflower: Calling me your catâs mother implies Iâm your wife.
actual-disney-princess: oh
actual-disney-princess: do you wanna marry me?
Levy slammed her head against the library table, startling the small group of first-years on the next table over. Her face was burning as she awkwardly apologized to them and turned her laptop to the side. He was so dumb, it was a wonder she loved him as much as she did.
sunflower: You canât ask me to marry you just because you want me to be your catâs mother.
actual-disney-princess: umm rude
actual-disney-princess: are you going to leave poor lily motherless?
actual-disney-princess shared a picture
actual-disney-princess: LOOK AT HIS SAD KITTY EYES
actual-disney-princess: HOW CAN SAY NO TO HIS KITTY EYES
actual-disney-princess: HEARTLESS
sunflower: OKAY IâM GOING TO MARRY YOU
sunflower: Please stop, youâre making me feel like a bad person.
actual-disney-princess: didnât want to
actual-disney-princess: but at least it worked?
sunflower: You confuse me so much sometimes.
actual-disney-princess: sometimes itâs my intention
actual-disney-princess: now wife
sunflower: ugh
actual-disney-princess: i see how much enthusiasm you have, lev
actual-disney-princess: you wound me
Levy stared at her phoneâs screen for a long time, her heart beating like a hummingbird in her chest. She had trouble catching her breath, find it difficult to put her mind in a single, coherent thought.
Be brave, she urged herself. You canât hold it anymore. Itâs enough.
Her classmates had been talking about love and romance. Levy didnât care about romance. Her grandparents were strict in their care and her school was even stricter. But they were young girls, young girls with dreams of love. And they talked and gossiped and shared.
And she closed her eyes and thought for someone who waited for her across the ocean and it made her heart hurt.
Levyâd been in love with her best friends for a couple of monthsâmaybe more, who knew?ânow. And with every day that passed without telling him, it hurt her more. It had needed for her to face her old crush and listen to the girls in her class talk about their relationships for her to realize her feelings, but once she did, keeping them in her heart made her break apart.
Telling Gajeel would, at worst, probably ruin their friendship and make him hate her. But not telling him meant risking souring the warmth she held in her chest for him and truth be true, she preferred losing him and keeping the memories of the joy she had over watching their friendship turn into hate over dark feelings.
Ugh, what am I thinking about? My childish crush isnât something out of a Shakespearean drama. I should stop the dramatics and focus.
Tell him.
minicat: Gajeel?
bigcat: what up tiny?
minicat: Are you free right now?
minicat: Thereâs something important I want to talk about.
bigcat: yeah iâm free today
bigcat: whatâs wrong?
Her fingers gripped the sheets of her bed. Do it. Tell him.
minicat: I like you.
minicat: I mean, in the romantic sense.
minicat: In the sense that I want to hold your hand.
minicat: And hug you.
minicat: And kiss you.
minicat: Iâm sorry.
bigcat: wait what?
bigcat: what are you sorry for?
bigcat: iâve been into you for like
bigcat: a year or something
minicat: You what?
bigcat: ha
bigcat: ha
bigcat is calling youâŚ
Levy promptly dropped her phone, her hands shaking. She needed a couple of tries to swipe in the proper direction in order to pick the call.
âHello?â she called out, her voice shaky and breathy.
âYouâre so fucking dumbâ came the voice from the other side, cracking just a bit. âI love you so damn much, dumbass.â
She stared at her roomâs wall in awe, seeing black spots dance in her vision.
âLev? Levy, fuck, answerââ
It took her only a couple of minutesâand some more of him calling her nameâ in order to gather her brains enough to form a coherent answer.
âExcuse me, you what?â
Laugh. He was laughing, the arrogant, egoisiticâ
âI love youâ Gajeel called from the other side of the connection, his voice cracking with laughter. âSo damn much, you horrible, horrible, idiot bookworm.â
She covered her mouth to stop the choked sob for escaping, tears running from her eyes. Sheâd spent months wondering and pondering and torturing herself, and hoping, hoping for a little answer, the smallest hintâ
âSay itâ he told her. âI want to hear you say it.â
âSay what?â Levy asked, pulling her knees against her chest.
âYou know what! Say it!â
She bit her knuckles to hold back another burst of emotion, feeling fear and worry and joy mix into her belly until every breath she took was heavy and ragged.
âI love youâ she whispered, gasping.
âI know. But I do more.â
âTo Andromeda and backâ she added, and laughed, tears of joy trickling down her cheeks.
He stayed up with her for hours, until it was 3 am and the girl next door slammed against the wall and yelled for her to shut the fuck up.
âI suppose I have to say goodnightâ Levy whispered as she tucked herself into bed. âGoodnight, Gajeel.â
âNight, Lev. Will you dream of me?â
âMaybe.â She smiled. âTalk more tomorrow?â
âAlways.â
lionheart: Have you ever considered a double suicide?
black-panther: why are we pulling a romeo and juliet?
lionheart: Remember that exam I told you about?
black-panther: yikes
lionheart: Exactly. Yikes.
black-panther: sorry lev
black-panther: if it calms your heart i have finals too
lionheart: It does not!
lionheart: Why are you texting me instead of studying?
black-panther: iâm already dead inside tiny
black-panther: it wonât be much of a difference if i fail my academic career too
lionheart: I hate you.
black-panther: no you donât
lionheart: No, I donât.
black-panther: do you wanna talk?
black-panther: i have a free period in a bit
lionheart: I donât think I would be able to.
lionheart: Youâve seen my revision schedule.
black-panther: i have
black-panther: itâs ridiculous
black-panther: youâre panicking too much
lionheart: Iâm not panicking.
black-panther: you are
black-panther: i mean youâre texting me
black-panther: that means you donât want to revisit and you want to distract yourself from studying
lionheart: Iâm texting you because Iâm dating you and I miss you!
black-panther: thatâs cute
black-panther: but my point stands
lionheart: Gajeel, I need to pass this.
lionheart: My whole life depends on this.
black-panther:Â i know lev
black-panther: thatâs why i know youâre gonna do this
black-panther: and even if you donât
black-panther: that doesnât make you a failure
lionheart: GajeelâŚ
black-panther: live ainât just classes and grades and uni
lionheart: Thank you.
black-panther: wait i want to continue my tirade
lionheart: You care about me, donât you?
black-panther: iâm dating you, dumbass
black-panther: and since donât have any sort of instinct of self-preservation
black-panther: i gotta fill in
lionheart: I love you, grumpy.
black-panther: love you too dumb woman
lionheart: <3
princess: Gajeel?
dragon: hm?
princess: I might have done something.
dragon: murder?
princess: God be good, no.
princess: But⌠you might not like it.
dragon: tell me
princess shared a picture
dragon: your
dragon: your hair
princess: ⌠Yes?
dragon: it
dragon: it blue
dragon: it fucking blue
dragon: you dyed your hair???
princess: ⌠Yes?
princess: Is it that bad?
dragon: fuck
dragon is calling you...
âYou really should stop doing that and just talk to me, you knowâ Levy said softly as soon as she picked, leaning into her comfy chair and sticking her legs out.
âTurn on your camera.â
She blinked and tilted her head back, staring at the ceiling.
âGajeel, Iâm not turning on my camera, I look horrible.â
 âLevy, love of my life, sun to my moon, turn the fucking camera on and let me see you.â
Levy let out a low hum, barely containing a wave of giggles as he started cursing from the other side. Sheâd found she loved teasing himâonce sheâd gotten under his skin, she knew just how to push his buttons in order to have the most fun possible.
âAnd what if I donât?â she asked, lowering her voice to a gentle whisper.
âPlease?â
Her chest filled with warmth at the sheer feeling in his voice. Levy whispered a soft âokayâ and set the phone down by her laptop, then pressed her finger to the small camera button and waited. Her teeth dug into her lip to contain her nerves. It was rare that they talked on camera and dear God, she looked like a messâ
âHey.â
When she looked at the small screen, Levy saw her chĂŠrie and smiled at him. All the worries in her belly came to an end, however, when she met his eyes. She waved shyly at him, pulling the pillow she kept on her desk to her chest and hugging it tightly.
âHiâ she called back, hoping her smile conveyed her joy. She wanted to hide so much.
Gajeel looked almost as much of a mess as she felt. His hairâsweet goodness, it was even longer than she remembered it now!âwas tied off into a messy ponytail, his black-framed glasses almost falling off his nose. When she looked hard enough, she noticed he had added another pair of studs to his ears, bringing the total to eight. The eyeliner on his lids was just a bit smudged and from the back of her mind, she wondered when heâd put it on.
More than ever before, Levy wished she could touch him, run her fingers over his cheeks and his jaw and that small uneven bump in his nose heâd told her heâd gotten after breaking his nose when he was little; bury them into his hair and feel the silken strands between her fingers. And then, then she would kiss him, press her mouth to his, feel the warmth of his lips against her own.
âStop hidingâ Gajeel called out, a hint of amusement in his voice, and she looked up from where sheâd buried her face into her fluffy pillow. âI want to see you. Please, Lev?â
âO-okayâ she said with a bashful smile and lifted her head so she could properly meet his eyes. âJust for you.â
Even through the screen and all the kilometers between them, she could feel his gaze on her, touching her and caressing her as if it were his hands and not his eyes. It filled her with a warmth that not even the cold of the wind blowing outside could put down, that spread from the ends of her hair to the tips of her fingers and made her feel⌠Loved.
âBeautifulâ he breathed out, his eyes soft and gentle. âFuckâyou look like a goddamn angel or something.â
Levy buried her face into the pillow and laughed, laughed until her chest hurt and she could barely breathe. His words, awkward but filled with kindness and affection, were more precious to her than any high praise someone could sing her.
âDo you really think so?â she asked when she finally gathered her breath, her face flushed with warmth. âI was worried you might not like itâŚâ
âI donât like itâ he said, and for a moment her heart fell. âI goddamn love it.â
âDonât scare me like that! Silly GajeelâŚâ
Gajeel laughed and it made her heart sing along, a smile coming to her face despite her desire to pout and hide in a corner. Had he been there, with her, she would have pushed him to the ground and tackled him, hitting his stupid beautiful face with her pillow. Alas, he was far, far away, and the only thing she could do was laugh along and stick her tongue out to him in the most childish manner ever.
She loved this idiot so much.
âWhy didnât you tell me before?â Gajeel asked after some time.
âI was worried you might try to convince me not toâ Levy admitted, holding the comfy pillow to her chest and tucking her feet under her thighs. âMy grandparents are probably going to have a heart attack when they see me, but honestly⌠I love the feeling of it.â
âWell, it certainly loves you. Hell, you look amazing.â His smile made her toes curl with joy. âLike a tiny, sparkly blue diamond.â
âJust because youâre tall doesnât mean you get to make fun of us small people, giant.â
âLevy, youâre five feet nothing.â
âFive feet and half an inch!â She was exactly five feet, but he didnât know that. Yet. âIâm exactly 1 meter and 53 centimeters tall! Youâre just jealous because Iâm the perfect cuddling size!â
âLev, youâre so tiny I can probably fit you in my pocket.â His smirk only fed her sudden desire to kick him. âSo small. Bite-sized.â
Oh, if looks could kill⌠Gajeel only laughed at her, the sound sending pleasurable shivers all through her body. Levy let out a sound of defeat and buried her face into her pillow, desperately hoping it could silence her cries of anguish. Sadly, it did not.
âYouâre so cute when you pretend to hate meâ he cooed. âCâmon, blue, look at me.â
Shy, Levy lifted her head met him. Her moonâsheâd found she liked calling him that, to match him calling her his sunâhad a soft look on him. He wasnât smiling with his mouth but instead with his eyes, the deep brown-red now filled with warmth and the sort of adoration sheâd only read about in her old romance books.
âYou called me blueâ she mused. âA new nickname?â
âTo match your new hair, of course.â His smirk made her shiver. âDo you like it?â
âNo, I donâtâ Levy admitted with a bashful smile. âTo be true, I love it.â
The banner was growing heavy and her arms could barely keep holding it up, but to hell if she was going to put it down.
She'd spent hours upon hours last night to make the best possible welcome banner. In the end, what came out of her desperate attempts was bigger than anything her arms would hold, with âWelcome, Gajeel!â written in the brightest, most neon shade of pink she had been able to find after days of searching around the stores in the Parisian neighborhood her auntie lived in. Flowers and hearts decorated the bright pink letters.
His plane had landed half an hour ago. She saw it touch down and saw the bridge. She saw people coming out, luggage and everything.
He was nowhere to be seen.
Levy did her best to not panic.
She'd arrived at the airport precisely 15 minutes before the plane landed, courtesy to the poor taxi driver she almost drove insane. (She'd left the largest tip her broke student self could afford.) The first part of them was spent in pacing around and muttering to herself in a peculiar combination of french and english. The second contained excitedly bouncing around the entry doors with the banner flying in her arms, unable to contain her joy.
By now, her arms were positively dying down from the weight and the size and the effort it took to keep it up. The neon pink letters glimmered in the harsh Parisian sun. Yet Levy held it up, determined to hold out. Even if it meant muscle fever for the next week.
âYou look even tinier in person.â
Levy whipped around, retort on the tip of her tongue. She promptly hit herself in the face with the banner in her haste to fight whoever called her out for her height and their horrible french.
Then her mind registered what was actually said and she squeaked.
The person standing beside her only laughed. They were wearing the widest, happiest grin she'd ever had the courtesy to see, only mirrored by the one she'd noticed on her own face the morning when she woke up. Her eyes saw long hair and gleaming silver and incredibly impractical leather and combat boots. Her hair only saw warm red-brown eyes and a smile.
Gajeel raised one eyebrow at her, crossing his arms.
âReally?â
And then she promptly squealed and threw herself into his arms.
âI can't believe you hit me with the bannerâ Gajeel complained.
Levy was too happy to remind him why exactly she hit him, her hand tightly gripping his to the point her knuckles were almost white. He didn't seem to mind it, holding her as close as it was socially acceptable. The banner, bright pink letters and flowers and hearts, hung from her other arm, safely tucked against her side.
The sun shone brightly as she led him to the taxis lined just outside the airport. People were rushing in and out of the large building, like ants desperate to follow their High Queenâs orders. She heard a combination of languages all around her. Usually, the loud sounds and the mess and the people pushing against her would have sent her into a state of near panic. Right now however, with Gajeel gripping her as if she was his lifeline, Levy felt oddly calm.
She found she liked that feeling a lot.
His uncle waited for them by one of the larger taxis, arguing with the driver. He was just as tall and his aura just as murderous as she'd seen Gajeel's in one of his bad moods. His choice of language wasn't very far from it, either⌠The red-faced driver was almost glowing by now, bellowing insults in french and broken english in the same way.
Levy looked at Gajeel and noticed his nose wrinkling like it always did when he saw something funny.
âShould we interrupt?â she whispered, although she was sure even if she'd spoken louder, neither would have heard her.
âNah.â Gajeel snickered and pulled her closer, his fingers slipping from her grip when his arm wrapped around her. âLemme watch. It's fun as hell.â
Levy gaped, her mouth opening and closing. He was warm. Despite the searing July heat, she found herself nuzzling into his hold. His other arm followed and soon she was buried into his chest, face pressed into the faded gray shirt he wore. His scent - spice and just a little bit of sweat - made her belly curls and brought out a purr from the back of her throat. His laughter rang against the crown of her heat. Her flesh and bones melted at the warmth of his hold. She felt safe and sound. She never wanted to let him go.
It took time and strength to untangle herself from his hold. Gajeel looked like a kicked puppy and Levy had to cover her mouth to hide her giggles. He pinched her in retaliation and she yelped, pulling back and almost falling. (Again. Would she ever stop embarrassing herself in front of him?)
Just a meter or so away his uncle was still arguing with the driver, their fight growing louder by the minute. The passerby would stop and watch them. Levy felt her cheeks burn with shame. It wasn't something she hadn't seen before - her own family had no less fireâbut not for the first time, she felt embarrassed.
Gajeel either noticed her discomfort or felt in a similar situation, because he stepped ahead and grabbed his uncle's shoulder. His voice was a hushed whisper. Levy couldn't help but notice how different it sounded from when he spoke to herârougher, more natural, with an accent that made something in her tingle. His uncle let out a disappointed huff, yet still turned around and apologized to the red-faced driver about some of the words he'd used.
Levy watched the object of her affection (her silly dragon) with curiosity. To her utter surprise, Gajeel turned to the driver and spoke in clear, if lightly accented, french to him, apologizing further for his uncle's behavior and for not stepping in earlier. His uncleâwhose name was Acnologia, it seemedâlooked at him with a mixture of shame and annoyance. Gajeel ignored him and smiled with satisfaction when the driver opened the door and welcomed them in his vehicle.
After a particularly long and awkward (Gajeel had taken pity on her and let her sit by the window while he answered all of his uncle's embarrassing questions about their relationship) drive, their taxi stopped at the small square in the middle of the neighborhood. Levy got out immediately and moved her toes in her shoes, eager to take them off and dip them into cold water. Gajeel followed behind, the welcome banner under his arm and with that stupid grin on his stupid face. His uncle helped him get all his luggage.
âYou sure you're gonna be okay, brat?â he asked, setting down the last bag. âThere's plenty of space at the hotel.â
âNope. Not gonna miss a single second around Blue.â
Acnologia made a sound that could only be described as gagging and waved him off, then got back into the taxi. Soon enough they took off, the sound reverberating through the relatively empty streets.
Gajeel was frowning.
âWhat is it?â Levy asked, adjusting the knot of her ribbon.
âI imagined Paris more⌠â
âMoreâŚ?â
âDunno. More⌠Not empty.â
Levy covered her mouth and giggled. He looked so confused. She wished she could take a photo of him like this. Alas, he would more than not likely finally fulfill his threats tickle her to death if she tried. Her wish would stay a wish.
(Fortunately, she had a whole folder on her laptop saved with embarrassing photos of him. His mother had sent some - âfor posterityâ, she'd claimed - but the rest were all screenshots from their face times. She would have so much fun finally getting to blackmail him.)
âWell, itâs hot outsideâ Levy reminded him as she picked some of his bags. âAlso, weâre in the suburbs right now. Tomorrow, Iâm taking out you to see the city.â
âTaking me out?â Gajeel asked, amusement written over his face. She couldnât stop staring at him. âLike a date? Or with a sniper gun?â
âWe will seeâ she said, giggling.
Together the three managed to carry all the luggage up the stairs. Aunt Amelie was ecstatic to finally meet the âsweetheart you havenât stopped talking about for years!â. Levy gaped, torn between utter embarrassment and the urge to scream. Gajeel laughed so much he almost fell on the floor, clutching his stomach. At that point she had to hold back the desire to disappear into the floor.
They set his things in the small guest room by the side. Levy sat on the bed and watched Gajeel rummage through his bags. He was just five minutes in and the whole room already looked like a hurricane went through it. She found it hilarious.
She must have laughed out loud because when she lifted her head Gajeel was staring at her with a peculiar look in his eyes.
âWhat is it?â she asked, reaching down to slip off her shoes.
âWeâre aloneâ he muttered. âI justâitâs strange.â
Levy couldnât quite tell what he was trying to say, so she offered a shy smile. Gajeel looked equal parts confused and amazed, but when she offered her shaking hand, he reached out to grasp it with such eagerness that startled him. Taken by his momentum, she ended falling into his chest, her head knocking against him and sending her glasses somewhere in the floor.
âSorry for hitting youâ she mumbled into the fabric of his shirt. âAnd for⌠currently stepping on your feet.â
She tried not to burn as she took a step back, his laughter ringing in her ears.
âNo, itâs fine.â His hand dropped from hers, only for seconds later to wrap around her back and pull her closer. âCan I hold you for a bit?â
The question startled her, but Levy nodded her head anyway, shyly curling her arms around his middle and burying her face into his chest. The warmth he seemed to radiate filled her soul, from bottom to top, as if sheâd been drained from life for ages and only now got to feel it.
âYou feel safeâ she whispered, voice muffled by the cotton.
Gajeel let out a humming sound, his grip growing tighter around her. Instead of afraid, she felt as if she wanted to come closer and closer, until there was no space left between them. But perhaps it wasnât the right time yet.
