Words (GaLe one-shot part 2/2)

    Gajeel stared at the ceiling of the infirmary at Fairy Tail struggling with several conflicting emotions. 

    After Levy had nearly been killed by a monster on their last job, he'd taken the hit for her. Pantherlilly had carried him to the cart and was taking him to the village Levy had said those words.

    "Gajeel.." she had whispered quietly, just loud enough for him to hear "I love you." 

    Gajeel scowled as he wallowed in self hatred. She shouldn't love me...I'm a monster. I hurt her and her teammates. Why would someone like her fall for someone as pathetic as me? 

    A part of him had wanted to tell her that he loved her too. That he'd been attracted to her since they'd first met. 

    But that's the sick thing..Gajeel thought with disgust. He hadn't gone after Levy randomly that night. He had seen her earlier that day when he was spying on the Fairies, she had been leaving a library with a tall stack of books in hand. 

     Gajeel vividly remembered feeling something he couldn't quite describe. An almost aching sensation in his chest.

    He remembered hating Levy for making him feel that way...making him feel like...she was something special. Something to be protected. 

    I wanted to hurt her...so I tracked her down, I could've chosen anyone. But I hunted her down. 

    Now he wished that he had gone with his instinct. To start protecting her right then instead of scarring her for life. 

    After Salamander had beaten him and he ran away to an abandoned town. He thought of her all the time. He couldn't get her out of his head. When Makarov showed up...secretly he glad he had a reason to go join the guild and then see her again. Of course she'd been terrified of him. 

    He pretended he didn't care but it had hurt him a little. 

    Then when Laxus had almost hurt her...he snapped and blocked the attack without even thinking. 

    Gajeel sighed, it was all downhill from there. He had fallen for her...hard. 

    But I can't have her...she doesn't deserve someone like me. She deserves...aw hell I don't know one of those knights in shining armor type of guys. Someone who slays dragons like me.

    "How long are you going to wallow in self pity?" Polushka, resident witch of Fairy Tail, snapped angrily from where she'd been watching him. The Master had had her watch over him to make sure his condition didn't get worse. "You're perfectly healthy and more than able to leave. Now get out!" She walked to the side of his bed rapped him on the knuckles with a walking stick. 

    Gajeel didn't even twitch. He knew if he left he would have to face Levy, something he wasn't brave enough to do. 

    Polushka huffed, and paced to the window. 

    After he'd been injured they'd taken him to the infirmary at the town. The doctor had deemed him fit for travel and then he'd been transported back to Fairy Tail. Levy had sat with Lilly in the driver's seat on the way back. 

    "Just go talk to her!" Polushka grumbled, Gajeel stiffened with shock. Can she read minds? 
    
    "Don't look so surprised," she rolled her eyes, "You've been in here for four days, and you talk in your sleep." She mimicked his voice a little, "'Levy-this', and 'Levy-that'. 'Levy don't go'. 'I'm so sorry Levy' If you love her so much just talk to her." 

    Gajeel looked away, "I don't love her." he lied bitterly. It's none of her business. 

    Polushka sniffed, "Ah..just as well. She's an ignorant spineless little girl anyway. You're much to good for her" 

    Gajeel felt a vein in his forehead bulge and he growled, "Don't you dare talk about Levy like that, bitch!" 

    Polushka slowly turned around a shot him a triumphant smile, "Oh?" 

    Shit. the old woman had tricked him. 

    Gajeel deflated scratched his jaw, "Whatever." 

    Polushka shrugged and picked up a fresh set of clothes from a chair and deposited them on the foot of his bed. 

    "Go. That poor girl had been beside herself  for the past four days. I suggest you hurry." Polushka ordered in an icy tone then left the room. 

    Gajeel sat there for a few moments then let out a rough sigh, "Aw...hell...." and kicked off the sheets of the infirmary bed and grabbed the clothes from the bed.




    Levy was reading underneath the guild tree in Southgate park. The same place where Gajeel had saved her from Laxus so very long ago. 

    There was no one else around to see the occasionally tears that splattered onto the pages of the book. It was a sweet romantic novel about a girl who fell in love with a knight. She'd already read it before. 

    The girl would be captured by a sorcerer, the knight would save her and they would all end happily ever after. 

    She brushed a few more pathetic tears from her face.

    Levy felt heartbroken. More than heartbroken, it was as if someone had shattered her heart into a thousand tiny pieces. And it hurt.

    She stifled a small sob but a small whimper escaped. Levy rubbed her eyes and mewled again when she heard the sounds of approaching footsteps. 

    Lu-chan...she thought. For the past four days every time she'd gone to hide by herself and cry Lucy eventually found her and tried to comfort her. She was persistent and refused to accept the fact that Levy wanted to be alone.

    Levy ignored the approaching Lucy and stubbornly kept her eyes on the book, clenching her hands so that the poor paperback was crumpled a bit. 

    The footsteps stopped less than a foot in front of her. Lucy was standing quietly, not speaking. Probably looking at her with the same pity filled look she'd been giving her for the past four days. 

    At least five full minutes past before her nerve broke. 

    Levy's hands trembled and she finally looked up, "Lu-chan just leave me alone!" 

    She gasped...it wasn't Lucy.

    Instead she was looking into the eyes of Gajeel. He stared down at her. Not saying anything...just staring expressionless. Levy could feel more tears spilling onto her cheeks. She saw his hands tighten into fists then his face softened into a look of regret.  

    He knelt down in front of her. Levy pulled the book to her chest like it was a shield then looked at the ground, unable to look him in the eye.

    Her heart was pounding frantically, What's he doing here? 

    "Levy...." Gajeel whispered. Levy bit her lip, determined to hold back her tears by sheer willpower. 

    "Levy look at me." 

    She didn't move, she couldn't move. 

    She heard him exhale roughly and reached under her chin and gently pulled her face up to meet his gaze. She looked into his eyes, they were close to hers. 

    Gajeel looked at into her eyes intently, as if staring into her soul then brushed a few stray tears from her face. 

    "I thought I told you not to cry...." he murmured softly with a little humor. 

    Levy blinked and nodded shakily. "uh-huh..." she gulped.

    What little mirth that was on his face vanished and he looked at her seriously. "Levy...I..." he gritted his teeth. "I...." 

    "Gajeel..." she said in a small voice. 

    Then Gajeel smiled a little and cupped her face. "Levy...I'm sorry." 

    "Sorry?" she echoed numbly.

    Gajeel nodded, "Yeah...I'm sorry for hurting you. And for being a real idiot." 

    Levy stared at him. It was the first time she'd ever heard him apologize. 

    "I know..." Gajeel continued, "That I have no right to say that, and that I don't deserve your forgiveness." 

    Levy started to say something but he kept going, "I'm a terrible person and I've done terrible things. The worst part is...I don't regret most of them. But..." He leaned a little closer, "I do regret what I did to you and I'm so sorry Levy. I wish I could take it back, and I would if I could. You have to believe me I would." 

    Levy didn't say anything. Gajeel sighed heavily then stroked her cheek with one finger, "What I'm trying to say is that...that I love you too. I didn't say it back before because...I thought it would be better that way." he chuckled darkly, "I'm an idiot, aren't I?" 

    Levy froze, her heart beat faster and faster. "Gajeel...I-." 

    He cut her off by bringing his face to hers then he kissed her gently. Levy let out a squeak of surprise then all to soon he pulled away. 

    Gajeel looked at her straight in the eyes, his face a few centimeters away. Levy realized he was waiting for her to say something. 

    "I...can't say I forgive you." Levy started quietly, and Gajeel's face fell and he looked away from her. 

    "Because....I already have." she finished and he turned back to her, eyes widened, " I've never held anything against you Gajeel. You're too important to me for me to do that." Levy smiled at him and set down the book to touch his face hesitantly. "I love you." 

    Gajeel smiled back and then kissed her again. This time he moved his lips a little rougher against hers...Levy's fluttered and she attempted to kiss him back. 

    Once again he was the one to pull away, leaving her gasping for breath. "Gihi...you have no idea how long I've wanted to do that." 

    Levy blushed and fidgeted a little with her dress. Gajeel kissed me...and said he loved me. She swore she felt like she was glowing. 

    "Gihi, you're kissing could use some work though." he teased and ruffled her hair. 

    "Hey!" she giggled and swiped at his hand. 

    Gajeel smirked playfully and kissed her again. She weakly kissed him back and quickly forgot about everything. 

    There was just the two of them. 

    And that was all that mattered. 



    Lucy peered out from behind a shop near the Southgate Park with a slight blush on her cheeks. She was so absorbed in what she was looking at she didn't notice that someone had snuck up on her. 

    "Oi Luce, whatcha looking at?"

    Lucy let out a shocked 'Kya!' at Natsu who was looking over her shoulder with Happy behind him. 

     "Shhh...!" Lucy shushed, not wanting to give away her hiding place. She'd been looking for Levy-chan when she stumbled across Gajeel and Levy under the guild tree. 

    "Ooh..." Happy whispered as he blocked Natsu's view by looking over her shoulder, "Looks like he lliiikes her." 

    "Shush you two!" she whispered and started dragging them away. "Let's give them some privacy." 

    "Aw...I didn't get to see." Natsu grumbled. "What was is Happy?" 

    "They were kis-" Happy started in a sing-song voice but Lucy started to drag them faster away. 

   Despite being irritated with her teammates, she had a soft smile on her face. 

    "Mirajane's gonna happy when she hears about this," she chuckled softly to herself. 

    "Hear about whaaat? It's no fair, you two got to look" Natsu whined.

    Lucy turned over her shoulder and smiled at him warmly, "Hey, Natsu?" 

    Natsu looked at her curiously,"What is it Lucy?" 

    She smiled again then shook her head, "Oh nothing."