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“Shoo be doo ba~" Levy hummed to herself as she picked a daisy and smoothed out the stem before nestling it into the pattern of black braids she'd assembled in Gajeel's coarse hair.
Levy was seated in the grass of their new guild hall's farm land, Gajeel's head in her lap, his eyes closed. Her hands stilled in their work of tying off the seventh braid. Had he fallen asleep? She didn't blame him if he did, having someone run their hands along your scalp felt good, like a luxurious massage mixed with an itch relieving back scratcher… if that made sense.
Gajeel cracked an eye open, the harsh angles off his face more pronounced under the spring sun, his piercings shined, his rustic red gaze cutting through the buttery sunshine like pea soup. "Why'd you stop?"
"Oh, um... because..." She trailed off, distractedly brushing a stray blue curl behind her ear, and leaving a trail of pollen in its wake.
Gajeel huffed and licked the pad of his thumb, then used that finger to wipe the gold spores from her cheek. "...because you thought I'd fallen asleep." He finished for her, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.
Levy puffed her cheeks out. It wouldn't be the first time. Gajeel always seemed to pass out after a battle, like a battery that needed recharging. Levy still remembered when he'd conked out on that stone bench after their war with Tartaros.
Currently Lily had his head propped up against the space where Gajeel's shoulder and Levy's knee cap met, dozing peacefully in his small form. She'd thought both cat and owner had taken the opportunity for a nap. Levy looked back at Gajeel's smug face, frowning to herself, looks like I was half right.
Levy went back to her braiding, a task to occupy her hands and eyes so they wouldn't stray back to Gajeel, his amused eyes, that troublemaker smile. "I didn't think you'd let me put flowers in your hair, otherwise." She answered honestly, Gajeel wasn't exactly the flower kinda guy.
"What do I care if you wanna put some weeds in my hair? They'll be down the shower drain tonight anywa-OW!" Gajeel exclaimed when Levy flicked his nose.
"Don't ruin the moment." She chided.
Gajeel stuck his tongue out and used one finger to pull down his eyelid. Levy flipped him off in turn and he chuckled, catching her finger with his. "Gotcha, shrimp."
"You're supposed to try and catch my nose." Levy leaned forwards, so that she was a shade over him, bright glaring light shining around her form as reached her arm down and poked his nose. "Boop."
Gajeel's face scrunched up and Levy laughed, rolling back up. Her outreached hand now in a fist with her thumb between her middle and forefinger. She wiggled her thumb, grinning, "Well, I got your nose!"
He snorted and looked away, a faint blush tinged on his cheeks. Levy resisted the urge to giggle, he could be so shy sometimes.
She picked another daisy from the patch next to her, poking it in between the middle of a braid. She followed that pattern over and over again, pick, poke, repeat. Gajeel kept still as she worked, body sinking back into relaxation, his eyes dropped. It was so peaceful out here, no squabbling guild mates, no crisis that needed to be averted, just Levy, Gajeel, Lily, and the open sky. She could get used to the country life. Quiet, content, and-
"NATSU! GRAY! Get back here!” A very angry voice yelled, and shivers crawled down Levy’s spine, she knew that voice. It belonged to none other than the Fairy Queen, Erza Scarlet. What did the boys do this time?
“Shit shit shit!” Natsu came in view over the hill, scared out of his wits. Levy heard Gray scream, then it was suddenly cut off. He'd been caught. If anything that made Natsu run faster, repeating his mantra of; shit shit shit.
Gajeel sat up, annoyed at the interruption. “Piss off, Salamander.”
Natsu didn't listen, plowing through the clearing and Levy yelped as he stomped through the patch of daisies then started climbing up a nearby tree.
“NATSU!” Erza appeared over the hill, dragging Gray behind her. He had a very large bump on his head and a black eye. Gray saw them and muttered a weak, help.
But nothing could help him now. Levy certainly wasn't gonna put herself in a situation where Erza’s rage could be turned. She just gave him a sympathetic smile, sorry. Gray turned pleading swollen eyes on Gajeel who just snorted and shook his head, no way in hell frosty.
“Have you seen Natsu?” Erza asked them, eyes scanning the countryside, but she didn't think to look up. Levy risked a peek up at Natsu who was signing cut throats motions, eyes begging them to keep quiet. Levy made a zip lip gesture, even miming throwing away the key. Natsu put his palms together, praying his thanks.
Gajeel put his hands behind his head and flopped back down in the green grasses. “Why should I care where Salamander is?”
“Well…” Erza looked around again, searching for her prey. Levy held her breath counting the seconds. “...if you see him let me know.”
Then a spring updraft blew through, stirring up pollen and rustling leaves. Pollen like that… in a dragonslayer’s nose.
“A-ah-”
Uh oh.
“ACHOO!” The sneeze shook the tree, leaves raining down.
Erza’s head snapped up, spotting him as he rubbed his snotty nose with his sleeve. Looks like the jig is up. “Natsu.” She growled.
“Eep!” Natsu squeaked, and hugged the tree trunk.
“Ha, loser!” Gajeel laughed, a jeering finger pointed up at Natsu, the ‘loser’.
Natsu scowled. “Says the guy with flower braids in his hair.”
“I'm not the one up a tree.”
Natsu stuck his tongue out at him.
Gajeel turned to Erza, his arm transforming into an iron blade. “Want me to cut down the tree?”
“No!” Natsu exclaimed.
“Yes,” Erza countered, glaring daggers at Natsu. “that would be much appreciated, thank you Gajeel.” Then after a beat she added, “and I think your hair looks beautiful.”
“Gihi, let's get to chopping.” The spikes on his sword started to spin around, like the treads on a chainsaw. Erza took out her own weapon, a gleaming one handed axe, deadly sharp. Levy shivered, ‘Rest In Peace, Natsu’.
Natsu looked like he was gonna be sick, his face turning green. “Fuck you!” He yelled, whether it was directed at Gajeel or Erza (or both) was a mystery. He then took the smart decision and jumped out of the tree, rolling onto his feet, and started running.
Erza cursed, and started charging after him, poor Gray still caught in her grip, whimpering. “Running will only prolong your suffering!”
Gajeel huffed, his arm turning from metal back into tanned skin. “Wimp.”
Levy stifled a giggle behind her hand.
Next to her. Lily started to stir, yawning and rubbing his eyes. “What was all the commotion.”
“Salamander being a coward.” Gajeel wrinkled his pierced nose. “You wouldn't see me shaking like that.”
“Not even if it was Erza you were facing?” Levy asked coyly.
“Pshh, Titania? I ain't scared of her.”
“Hmm.” Levy hummed, letting him know she didn't believe a word.
Suddenly Gajeel was an inch away from her face, and Levy’s stomach dropped, butterflies fluttering. “W-what are uh… what are you-” Her face was beet red, the giant encyclopedia of words in her brain failing her.
“Gihi.” Gajeel pulled back and Levy could breathe again. “Just wanted to see what you would do.”
“Meanie.”
“Gihi.” That goddamn laugh again.
She crossed her arms, jutting out her lip on a pout. “Well maybe... it was your way of getting back at me for teasing you.”
“Y-you’re over thinking things, ya bookworm.” Gajeel scoffed and looked away.
“No I'm not, I'm always right.” Levy countered and Gajeel snorted, mumbling something about overconfident nerds.
“Gajeel,” Levy tugged on his arm, and he turned around to look at her, a scowl on his face. Levy liked to think of that scowl as his resting face. “It's okay that some people are stronger than you. And if you’re… intimidated, by Erza I don't blame you. I am too and I've known her since I was little.”
He huffed, “It’s not the fact that Titania could kick my ass that I'm… that I don't like.”
Levy turned her curious, big brown eyes, on him. “Then… then what don't you like?”
“I don't like that- that there might be… be some big strong bad guy out there that's stronger than me. How am I supposed to protect you? Protect my new…” Gajeel hesitated, almost afraid to express any kind of sentiment or attachment, like it was a dependency.
“...family.” Levy finished with a knowing look, it was a look she'd perfected over the years. Smart, clever, intelligent, that was the kind of praise that preened her feathers, that made her want to learn even more, she wanted to know it all.
Gajeel picked at the iron studs on his forearm. “Yeah… that.” He curled in on himself, growling and snarling, “I hate it! I fucking hate that feeling I have. Like I can't protect you, like my home will be wrenched out from under me. I'm soft and weak-”
“-You are not weak.” Levy cut in firmly, a voice that was not to be disagreed with. “You’re stronger than you were before, you have a family that supports you and a cause you're proud of. That's what will make a real difference in strength.”
“But now I feel like I have something to lose!” He finally looked up at her, yelling in her face. “You! Lily! The guild! If I'm not strong enough-”
“Well what about smarts?” She asked, “brains over brawn. You don't have the win every battle, you just have to win the war.”
Gajeel laughed, a bitter sound. “What war? With Acnologia it was one way annihilation! We were helpless! I was helpless!” His throat bobbed, eyes watering as he gazed down at the green grasses, he dragged a finger through the strands, so full of life, vibrant and beautiful. Not like the ugly, rugged, hunk of rock he was. “... and I call myself a dragon slayer.”
“It wasn't annihilation. We survived.” Levy took his hand in hers, placing his thumb over her wrist, so he could feel the beating pulse. “We survived.”
“Y-yeah…”
“Say it!” She demanded and he recoiled, eyes wide with shock at her sudden ferocity. “Say we survived.”
“We…” Gajeel swallowed thickly. “we survived.”
“That's right. We were smart. When we saw our offense wasn't working, we poured our hearts into our defense. Thanks to that, and the First Master, the founder of our family. We survived! We made it out! And we came back home!” Levy was crying now as well, fat globby tears streaming down her rosy cheeks.
Gajeel wanted to reply, but his own voice was too choked up, so instead he used action. He lifted a hand to her cheek, smoothing away her tears. Levy leaned into the touch, shuddering, but passion still burned in her eyes, an ever glowing torch that would light their way. Beautiful. “You're beautiful.”
Levy sniffed, her nose red and runny. “You're- You’re not so bad yourself.”
Gajeel chuckled, shaking his head at this situation he'd gotten himself in. She was always surprising him.
“Could you two keep the flirting down a notch, please?”
Their heads whipped around, to see Lily, a grumpy little ball of black fur. “I’m still here remember?”
“Aww! Come here Lily!” Levy grabbed him and started hugging him, or as Lily saw it: squeezing the life out of him. Gajeel barked out a laugh, but it was cut off as Levy grabbed him and started ‘squeezing the life out of him’ as well.
Fuck Acnologia, Gajeel thought, Levy McGarden is gonna be the death of him.