It was a day of celebration for the Fairy Tail guild, Natsu and Lucy announced that they were getting married and a huge party ensued. Levy was happy for her best friend but couldn't help feeling a little jaded. She was still too shy to let her crush know how she felt, and Cana couldn't help but notice the sour look on the bluenett's face as she sat at the bar trying not to bring her best friend down with her own sadness.

"Levy, here drink this" Cana hands her a mug.

"whats this?" Levy looks in the mug taking a whiff of the foul smelling beverage.

"That my dear friend is what i like to call liquid courage" Cana gave the small mage a sly grin. "You need to tell him, I overheard that he is taking a 5 year job request and leaves at noon tomorrow. Don't miss your chance little blue."

"WHAT?" Levy jumped up off the stool and looked around the guild for a certain onyx haired dragon slayer. He was not in his normal spot and there wasn't a brawl going on. She spotted Lily talking to Happy and Carla on the other side of the guild, picking up the mug and downing the foul drink Levy walks over to the exceeds.

"Lily!" The alcohol hit Levy hard as she made her way over to the little black cat. "Were you going to tell me?" Her face tinted red with anger and a little bit of booze.

"Levy uh.... I thought Gajeel would have told you. He didn't?" Lily took a mental note to kick the dragon slayer's ass in the morning.

"I heard from Cana that you two are going on a 5 year job, why didn't you tell me?" hanging her head to look at her feet trying to hide her tears as they erupted from her eyes. Lily tried to explain to the sobbing mage but she ran from the guild before he could get two words out of his mouth.

"Levy wait" he called after her but it was too late she was gone. She ran from the guild as fast as her drunken feet would take her, not knowing where she was going, just wanting to get away from there. As she calmed down and started to slow her pace she realized her feet lead her down the dirt path that was the road to Gajeel's home. Gajeel was around back gathering up some firewood when the breeze brought the smell of ink, paper and salt to his nose. 'Why is she here? Why is she crying?' He carried an arm full of wood around front in time to see her shake her head and turn to walk back down the dirt path.

"of course my stupid feet would lead me here." Levy shook her head at the thought and turned to leave before the dragon slayer would notice she was there.

"oi shrimp what are you doing here?" Gajeel appears before her from around the house.

"Just went for a walk," she sniffled as she was trying to hid her tear soaked face "I was just leaving, don't know how I ended up here" She started a brisk walk away from the house. Gajeel knew there was more to it than that, after years of knowing the small mage he could tell when she was hiding something. Dropping the wood next to his door, he jogged up to her, grabbing her wrist to stop her from leaving.

"Levy, you're upset, what's wrong who's ass do I need to kick for making you cry this time?" He didn't like seeing her upset, it would make his chest hurt like there was a wildfire in his rib cage and the smoke from it, making his lungs not want to expand. At hearing Gajeel's threats to kick someones ass at making her cry, made Levy livid. Always protective of her yet he was abandoning her for five years! Turning on her heels too look at the tall man infront of her, Levy clenched her fists, her eyes cutting right thru him.

"You want to know who's ass to kick Gajeel? How about your own!" She yelled at him before ripping her wrist out of his hand and stomping down the path back to the main part of Magnolia. He stood there, mouth slacked with shock at her outburst, anger was not something he seen from her often and never this much emotion behind it.

"Hey, get back here!" He slipped in to the shadows to appear right in front of her, causing her to smack right in to his hard chest. Levy braced herself as she fell back to the ground. Gajeel picked her up, tossing her over his shoulder as he walked back to his small home. "were going to have to talk about this Shrimp" he told her matter of factly as he kicked in his door. Levy beating her fists on his back, cursing at him to let her down. He tossed her on to the ratty old couch in the living room. He hadn't noticed before the red tinge of color on her face, he could swear she looked drunk. 'Levy doesn't drink though' he thought to himself as he turned to go back and close his door. "What was that all about shorty?" He leaned up against the door, arms crossed over his chest, staring at her with a studded eyebrow cocked in her direction.

"You and Lily are leaving me behind" She looked down at her hands, which were currently wrapping the hem of her shirt so tight it started to rip.

"Is that it? I didn't think it was a big deal. No one would miss me anyways." he scoffed at her comment, rolling his eyes. He hoisted himself from the door to walk over and sit with her on the small couch. ‘why cant he see?'  Gajeel gently grabbed her wrist, bringing her hands down from her face and holding them in her lap under one of his large hands. She continued to stare down, hiding her face behind her bangs. She startled when he grabbed her chin with his other hand. "Levy talk to me" His crimson eyes staring into her brown ones, bloodshot from all the crying. His expression softened as he watched the pain glint in her eyes. She couldn't hide from him this time and she knew it was now or never.

"Gajeel, everyone else can see it" she sniffled, drying up her tears. "Why can't you see that I" breaking eye contact from him, looking down at the floor again, but Gajeel held her chin keeping her from turning her head again. " I-I love you, idiot" she whispered, a single tear falling from her eye. They sat in silence for what felt like forever, she held her breath as she waited for him to react to her confession.

"I love you too Lev" He finally whispered back, dropping his hand from her chin and placing it on her arm. She looked up at him, finally able to breath.

"You...You do?"

"That's why I took the job, I don't deserve you Lev, I hurt you. " He turned away from her, getting up off the couch causing it to creak loudly. He started to walk to his room to pack, leaving the girl sitting there.

"You know I've forgiven you, even Jet and Droy have. Its all in the past now Gajeel" She got up to follow after him. In his room, the curtain was open letting in the light of the setting sun, the small room was bathed it golden light as she sat on his bed. Pain returning to her chest as she watched him prepare to leave her. He grunted at her statement. 'Forgiveness, what good is it, I did so much bad, I'd only ruin her life.' Levy stood up, walking behind him to wrap her small arms around his torso. "Gajeel?" She buried her face in to his bare back. Warm tears wetting his skin. He turned, and she nuzzled closer in to his chest. Reluctantly he wrapped his arms around her, lifting her up and sitting with her in his lap on the bed. "Please don't leave me, I-I cant live without you" He kissed her forehead.

"Levy, I've already taken the job, I can't back out now, it would look bad for the guild." he pushed her hair away from her face, tucking the wild strands behind her ear.

"Take me with you then" she put her head against his, their lips only a few inches apart.

"I cant Lev it's too dangerous, I can't put you in that kind of situation. Please don't make this harder than it already is" He nuzzled her nose with his. His eyes closing as he took in her scent. Levy watched as he closed his eyes, wondering what he was thinking about. The alcohol in her system still had her head buzzing and making the room feel like it was spinning but it didn't stop her. Leaning in to close the gap between them she pressed her cherry red lips against his. They were soft and tasted sweet but also metallic. His body stiffened at the initial shock of her lips against his but soon lost all his senses. He deepened the kiss, years of longing for this intimate touch finally coming to fruition. His left hand trailed down her back, sending shivers and waves of goosebumps all over her body. She reached up grabbing his thick mane of hair, pulling him in closer. Breaking apart to breath, Gajeel looked at the beauty before him. "Stay tonight?" he asked her, his voice thick with lust. She nodded and layed in to his chest, both bodies tumbling back on to the bed.



Morning came much too soon for the two mages. Lily had come home some time during the night and was already down stairs making breakfast. Gajeel layed there staring at the ceiling thinking about how he was going to survive the next few years without her. Wishing now he never agreed to take the job when the master offered it to him. Levy was still asleep, curled into his side. Little whimpers and moans coming from her as she dreamed. Gajeel slowly got up, as to not wake her and moved over to the desk nestled in the corner of the room. Reaching in to the bottom draw and pulling up a hidden floor, he pulled out a small metal box. Opening it to reveal a small ring he made years ago. In the center of the ring was a bright cerulean stone Lily had found on a mission, it reminded him of Levy's wild blue locks. Surrounding the blue stone were several smaller stones that shined like metal, almost like droplets of melted silver. He looked over his shoulder as Levy started to stir, snapping the box closed and shoved it in to his pocket before heading over to the bed.

"Good morning beautiful" He leaned down to kiss her forehead.

"Mmmm, morning" She rolled on to her back and stretched.

"Smells like Lily is cooking breakfast, care to join us?" He moved some hair from her face, staring lovingly at her. Levy nodded and they made their way down stairs.


"Good morning Gajeel I made breakfast" Lily called over his shoulder as he finished up at the stove. Turning around with the skillet in his hand, only to be surprised by a little blue haired fairy standing in the kitchen next to his large studded friend. "Oh!, And a good morning to you Levy"

"Morning Lily" She beamed a smile at the exceed. They sat down at the table to eat, the two boys conversing about their mission while Levy watched them. 'I could get use to this' she thought. Letting a hum of contentment escape from her chest.