Fairy Tail 1. My Mr Darcy

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of its characters!**

**Please leave a review telling me what you think, and leave suggestions for pairings or themes!**

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><p>"Happy Birthday, Gajeel!"<p>

The iron dragon slayer mage looked up grumpily from the plate he was hunched over at the guild's bar. A tiny, blue-haired girl stood on her toes beside him, grinning cheerfully and holding out a package wrapped in brightly colored paper with a large blue bow stuck to the top of it. He grunted and turned back to his meal, grumbling as he shoved another spoonful in his mouth.

Levy's smile faded slightly, and she poked at Gajeel's shoulder with the package. "Gajeel? Is something wrong?"

"Who told you it was my birthday?" he growled, sitting up straight on the bar stool and crossing his arms over his chest. The dragon slayer towered over the small girl in this position, but she didn't seem to notice his menacing stature. Instead she giggled as she thrust the present into his arms.

"I read the guild member files all the time, silly," she laughed. "I got you a present!" Gajeel looked down at the rectangular object in his hands and grunted.

"Thanks, shrimp," he said gruffly, a light blush warming his cheeks. Levy poked his arm.

"Well open it first!" she insisted. A shout came from across the guild, and Levy glanced over her shoulder.

"I'll be over in just a second!" she called, then turned back to the bigger mage. "I'm sorry, I have to go; I promised Jet and Droy I'd go on a short mission with them today." She started to leave, then turned back once more. "I hope you like your present!" she laughed before heading off to join her teammates.

Gajeel watched her go, then turned back to the bar, turning the package over in his hands. He'd never gotten a birthday present before; dragons weren't really in the practice of buying presents, and none of the other guilds he had belonged in kept such extensive guild member records, so no one usually knew when his birthday was. To him, birthdays were just like any other day. But it was just like Levy to go out of her way to make such a silly thing special for a person. A small, rebellious voice in his mind told him that Levy hadn't given birthday gifts to any of the other guild members, save for Lucy, but he shrugged the thought off. Glancing around to make sure no one was watching him, the dragon slayer slipped a large finger in the opening in the paper and carefully popped the tape off, taking care not to rip the wrapping. Maybe it was silly, but dragons had a tendency to hoard things, and Gajeel definitely wanted the keep the paper from his first ever birthday present. Unfolding the end of the package, he slid out... a book.

Gajeel couldn't help but chuckle. Yep, just like Levy, alright. He folded the wrapping paper carefully and tucked it in his pocket, then turned his attention to his new book. Or rather, new to him. The dark green, cloth-bound book was obviously well-read; the bottoms of the covers were worn where the book had been held many times, and as he flipped it open he could feel that the pages were beginning to take on the soft texture of over-handled paper. He shut the book again and ran a hand over its binding, his mouth turned down in a frown of concentration. Yes, it was well-read... but obviously well taken care of as well. Gajeel wondered if Levy had bought it second hand, and sniffed lightly. If she had, she'd done so long ago; the cloth smelled just like the little blue-haired mage.

"What the heck am I going to do with a book? Reading's a waste of time," he grumbled as he lightly tossed the book onto the bar, though if he was honest with himself, it touched him that she would give him something she'd so obviously enjoyed. Thinking about that gave him a twinge of guilt, and he pulled the book back to him, mumbling to himself. He looked it over again. The title was embossed in gold near the top of the cover.

"_Pride and Prejudice_, huh?" It sounded interesting enough. Maybe he could give it a try. He wasn't doing anything else today, anyway. He flipped it open to the first page and began to read.

"'It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife_,_'" Gajeel read aloud. He grunted. Was this a romance novel? He glanced around, looking to see if anyone had heard him reading the book. If anyone had, they didn't seem to have paid much attention. Still, this wasn't the kind of thing he wanted to be caught reading; it would ruin his image for sure. The dragon slayer slipped the book into his pocket while he ate the rest of his meal, then left the guild quietly. Back at his small apartment, he lit a lamp, sat on his bed, and pulled the book out again.

_Am I really going to read this thing? _He wondered to himself as he read over the first line again. Apparently, he was. He settled against the wall behind his bed, frowning in concentration. The old English style was kind of difficult to understand, but surprisingly, Gajeel enjoyed the story. So much so, in fact, that he didn't notice the sinking sun outside his window.

"'With the Gardiners they were always on the most intimate terms. Darcy, as well as Elizabeth, really loved them; and they were both ever sensible of the warmest gratitude towards the persons who, by bringing her into Derbyshire, had been the means of uniting them,'" Gajeel read, letting out a yawn as he reached the end of the book. He shut the book with one hand as he rubbed his eyes with the palm of the other, finally realizing how long he'd spent reading. He moved to put the book on the shelf near his bed, and was surprised when a slip of paper fell out from between the final page and the back cover.

Placing the book on the shelf, the mage bent and picked up the slip of paper. He immediately recognized Levy's elegant script. He cleared his throat and read it to himself out loud.

"'To my Mr. Darcy, I hope you love this book as much as I do! Love, Levy.'"

Heat rushed to Gajeel's cheeks and he quickly reread the note, hoping he hadn't missed something. Was this really... what he thought it was?

The dragon slayer's mind raced as connections started forming in his mind, all building up to one big picture. Little comments, small glances directed his way... It had all been so obvious, and yet it had taken something like this to make him see it. Could it be true? Could Levy... really see him in that way?

And what of his own feelings? If she did feel this way about him, did he return the sentiment? He'd worked hard to make sure she'd been protected, yes, but he'd done that to help kill the guilt of what he'd done to her before... hadn't he? He had to admit, the closer he'd gotten to her, the more he craved her company. He admired the strength of her spirit and her cheerful, friendly manner. And she looked practically angelic as she read her books, the rest of the world fading away in the background to her. She really was quite beautiful.

Gajeel read the note over again. "'My Mr. Darcy'..." he mused aloud, thinking back about the story he'd just read. And surprisingly, the dragon slayer began to laugh. Not particularly socially adept, seemingly stand-offish, but quite different beneath the rough interior... Gajeel had a lot more in common with the character than he'd thought. And she had seen it all along. Levy...

The mage grinned gleefully, unable to contain himself. He'd been denying his feelings, even to himself, for far too long. Tomorrow, he would tell Levy how he felt about her. And he knew just how to do it.

The guild was bustling the next morning. Gajeel struggled to look through the crowd, searching for a flash of blue hair.

"If you're looking for Levy, she's reading out back," Mirajane commented as he rested against the bar. Gajeel gaped at the bartender in shock, wondering how she could possibly know what he was doing.

"I'm not blind, you know; I see the way you look at her," she teased with a wink. "Now I suggest you get on out there before you lose courage." Regaining his composure, he nodded his thanks and headed out back.

Levy reclined against a tree trunk, a large book propped open on her knees. Gajeel walked up to her, reciting his line in his head. The tiny mage didn't look up from her book; she was completely immersed, and the dragon slayer couldn't completely suppress the smile tugging at his lips. He cleared his throat. "Levy?"

The girl shook her head in surprise and looked up, her face lighting with a cheerful smile. "Gajeel!" she chirped. "How are you?" He nodded, suddenly feeling a bit bashful. What if she thought this was stupid? Well, it was too late now.

The large mage knelt down on both knees beside her, reaching for one of her hands and folding it in both of his own. Levy's eyes widened in shock, her mouth shaping an 'o' of surprise. "Levy..." Gajeel began, then cleared his throat again. "Levy, you must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you." He looked deeply into her eyes, desperately searching for her approval there. A delighted grin spread across Levy's face, and she leaned forward, wrapping her arms around the dragon slayer's neck. He grunted in surprise, then hugged her back delicately, afraid he might hurt her if he hugged too hard.

"You got my note," she hummed into his neck. A 'yeah' was all he could manage. All too soon, Levy pulled away, and Gajeel had to fight the urge to pull her back. Instead, he sat beside her beneath the tree and she leaned against his arm. They sat in happy silence for several minutes, both marveling in the joy of newly realized love. Occasionally Levy would let out a contented sigh, and Gajeel would just smile, glad to know he was the one who caused that sigh. Levy was the first to break the silence.

"You know, that's actually the line Mr. Darcy said right before he was horribly rebuked by Elizabeth," she commented. Gajeel grunted and wrapped his arm around the small mage's shoulders.

"Don't ruin it, shrimp."

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><p><strong>Leave a review and let me know what you thought! Also, if you have a pairing or idea you'd like me to write about, leave that in a review too, or send me a PM! Thanks so much for reading!<strong>


	2. Watching

**A LucyxLaxus oneshot, requested by LeprechaunGreen!**

**I'm trying out a new style this time, so let me know what you think! As always, please review; I love feedback!**

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><p>He's watching me again.<p>

I don't even have to turn and look this time; I can feel his gaze on the back of my neck. He's been doing this all day, every day, since three days ago. I know he's waiting for me to make my announcement... but I'm just not quite ready yet.

To be completely honest, the idea is still sinking into my mind. What this means, how everything is going to change. And while it's the most wonderful thing that's ever happened to me, I want to keep my joy for myself for a little while longer. I know that it's selfish... but it's what I want all the same.

I keep replaying in my head everything that happened that night. The perfect little midnight picnic that Laxus set up in an adorable little rowboat just for us- he said he wanted everything to look as beautiful as me, though he claimed that he failed. The sparkle of happiness and pride in his eyes when I told him it was perfect. We've been dating for some time now, and while he'd taken me on plenty of romantic dates, never had he done something quite so elaborate before. I told him as much. He said that he thought that the third anniversary as a couple was worth a little extra attention. The moonlight on the water was one of the most beautiful things I'd ever seen, and all the fireflies around us made me feel like we were dining among the stars.

He'd been quieter than usual while we ate. Then again, I was perfectly happy to simply eat and gaze at the beauty all around us. Finally I asked him if something was on his mind. In answer, he moved closer to me, and-

"What's on your mind, Lu-chan?"

I shake my head, snapping out of my reverie and turning to see Levy plop herself down on the barstool beside me, her arms filled with large books.

"Oh, just daydreaming..." I trail off with a small smile. Beneath the bar table, the fingers of my right hand ghost over the top of the fingerless glove I wear on the other hand, just barely feeling the ring the glove conceals on my ring finger. I sneak a glance at Laxus, and I am rewarded with a warm smile and a nod before he turns to speak with Bickslow. I'm glad he's letting me take all of this at my own pace.

I look back at Levy, running my fingertips over the ring once more. She's become completely immersed in her books already. I let out a light laugh, then prop my right elbow on the bar table, resting my chin in my hand, already beginning to slide back into my daydream. _One more day..._ I think. Yes, tomorrow. I'll announce our engagement tomorrow.

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><p><strong>Thanks so much for reading! Please leave reviews and suggestions for whatever pairings or ideas you'd like to see me write about! Constructive criticismpraise/adoration/any kind of review will be much appreciated!**


	3. Candy Hearts and Chocolate Kisses

**Hey everyone! I've got a special surprise for you! What collection of romantic one-shots would be complete without a Valentine's Day entry? But I'm not just giving you one pairing, oh no; I'm giving you three! It was hard to pick only a few pairings, but I tried to pick the most popular ones based on reviews and PMs I've gotten. So without further ado, here's a Valentine's Day Gajevy/Lalu/Jerza Triple-Fic!**

**One quick note: The Love, Trust, and Fairy Dust collection of one-shots are not necessarily connected- unless I state specifically that one story is a sequel or prequel to another story in the collection, you can assume that the events from previous stories do not impact what happens in newer stories. (Example: In Watching, Laxus and Lucy were engaged. In Candy Hearts and Chocolate Kisses, they aren't even dating.) However, all three of the stories in this triple-fic are connected! **

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><p>"So remind me again why tomorrow is so special?"<p>

The iron dragon slayer stood before Levy, arms folded across his chest, his expression huffy. The blue-haired mage matched his pose, staring him in the eye. Though the girl looked tiny compared to the man before her, she matched his intensity completely, and Gajeel already felt himself backing down. This was a losing battle. He could feel it.

"_Because, _Gajeel, it's Valentine's Day. Our first one together. Doesn't that mean anything to you?" Levy had had it with Gajeel's negative attitude about the upcoming holiday. A sheepish look flashed over the bigger mage's features, but it was gone so quickly that Levy thought she might've imagined it, and was replaced by a mocking grin.

"Well squirt, dragons don't put much stock in silly little holidays. Valentine's Day, a day all for love and romance... ha! Never heard anything so ridiculous in my life," Gajeel laughed. His smile quickly faded as he watched Levy's face go beet red. She turned away from him as she replied, her voice thick with disappointment and embarrassment.

"I see. Well, if that's what you think of it..." she trailed off and stalked away, her fists balled up at her sides. Gajeel started toward her, then stopped himself, his dragon pride keeping him from chasing after her. All he did was say he thought the notion was silly. Wasn't he entitled to his own opinion?

"Don't you think that was kind of insensitive?"

Gajeel whirled around to see MiraJane standing at the bar, drying out a mug she'd just washed. He frowned at her.

"Don'tcha know it's not polite to listen in on other people's private conversations?" If the question was meant to intimidate the woman, it didn't work. Instead she shrugged, setting down the mug and reaching for a newly-cleaned plate.

"You were talking right in front of me. Don't you know not to have private conversations right in front of someone?" She had him there. He watched her as she calmly finished drying the dishes, waiting until she turned to him with a questioning expression to speak again.

"Okay, fine, maybe it was a little over the top. But who cares?"

"Levy cares."

The dragon slayer had no argument for that. It was clear from her reaction that the script mage was upset by Gajeel's view on the holiday, but for the life of him he couldn't understand why. He told her he loved her every day. Why did he need a special day to show her that?

"But why-"

"This is the first time she's gotten to spend a Valentine's Day with somebody, Gajeel. She finally has someone to go on a special date with, and someone to spend time with at the Valentine's Day party here at the guild. Just because the day isn't important to dragons doesn't mean it's not important to humans. If there was a special holiday that dragons had that humans don't, don't you think Levy would do her best to celebrate that with you?"

Gajeel was completely deflated. Mira was right, of course. That's exactly what Levy would do. She would read every book known to man about the holiday and not only celebrate it with him but go to every extreme to make sure they celebrated every single aspect of it. Guilt settled over the mage, thick and heavy, and he sat at a barstool, looking helpless.

"What do I do?" he asked. Mira couldn't help but laugh gently at his sudden mood change, which made him frown at her.

"Sorry, but sitting here isn't going to help you." The white-haired woman pointed at the door. "I suggest you head over to the library and do some research on Valentine's Day. You'll figure out what to do, I'm sure."

Gajeel nodded and headed toward the door, shouting a thank you over his shoulder at Mira. He had a feeling that he had a lot of work to do.

The next morning, Levy awoke to a knock on the door. Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, she opened it to find not a person, but a jar, filled to the brim with candy hearts. On top of the jar was a note, which she picked up and scanned over quickly.

"Roses are red

Violets are blue (even though that's absolute bogus because violets are purple)

But neither are anywhere near

As beautiful as you.

Dear Levy, Happy Valentine's Day. It would make me very happy if you would join me for dinner tonight before the party. I'll pick you up at 5. Love, Gajeel

P.S. Sorry for being a blockhead yesterday."

The tiny mage laughed at his side comments, folding up the note and picking up the jar. How had he known she loved conversation hearts? She shook her head, a giant grin spreading across her face. She should've known he'd come through for her.

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><p>Lucy tapped her pen on her lower lip. A blank piece of paper had been sitting in front of her for over an hour now, completely untouched. For the life of her, she could not figure out what to write!<p>

Hoping that no one would see her, she snuck a glance across the room. Laxus sat with Bixlow and Freed, laughing as he won yet another card game. Bixlow and Freed looked determined to win the next round, but Lucy knew Laxus would beat them again. She smiled to herself, then turned back to her paper. How could she possibly word this?

"What are you up to, Lu-chan?"

Lucy looked over to see Levy plop herself down in the seat beside her, carrying a large jar of conversation hearts. As she sat, she selected a pink one and popped it in her mouth, then offered the jar to Lucy.

"And do you want a candy heart?"

The celestial mage made a face. "Uh, no thanks Levy..." she turned her down. Personally she though conversation hearts tasted like chalk. "I'm just trying to write a letter. Where'd you get the candy from?"

Levy beamed at her question. "Gajeel gave them to me! Yesterday he didn't seem too sold on the idea of Valentine's Day, but something must've persuaded him otherwise. He's taking me out to dinner before the party tonight. Who are you going to the party with, Lu-chan? And who's the letter for?"

Lucy's face turned dark red, and Levy's smile turned to a wicked grin. "Ohhh, so THAT'S what you're writing about? Who are you asking?" As if it would answer her question, the blue-haired girl began to look around the room for Lucy's secret crush.

"Hey! He'll see you!" the blonde whisper-shouted, which only made Levy's grin grow wider. "I'll tell you if you'll stop looking around everywhere like a prairie dog!" Levy immediate stopped looking around, staring Lucy straight in the eyes instead. Lucy suppressed a small groan. "It's Laxus, okay?"

Levy's smile became calmer, and she reached for Lucy's hand, giving it a squeeze. "You two would make a really good couple. And you're a great writer; I know you'll think of something to write for him." Glancing at the clock on the wall, the script mage stood up, picking up her jar of candy hearts. "I'm sorry, I'd stay and help but I have to get ready for my dinner with Gajeel! I'll see you at the party at 7, Lu-chan!" she said as she hurried toward the door. Lucy watched her go, then let her eyes slide over to where Laxus was concentrating hard on his cards. A wide smile lit her features. That was it! Hurriedly she began to write down her idea, before she forgot it.

Finishing her note, Lucy folded it got up, walking by Laxus and his group on the way to the bar. As she walked by, she slipped the paper to Laxus and hurried on, hoping he wouldn't see the tips of her ears turning red. Before she'd even gotten to the bar, she felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see the lightning dragon slayer standing behind her. He held up the note, one eyebrow raised in a quizzical expression.

"I'm your King of Hearts?" he asked. Lucy's face, previous only slightly flushed, now turned dark red. She knew it was a stupid idea. Laxus laughed and pulled her into a hug, to her surprise. "Well, I'll be your Valentine's Day party date, on one condition."

"What's that?" she asked, still shocked at her position in his arms.

"You have to be my Queen." That made Lucy laugh, and she returned the hug.

"What about Freed?" She joked. The green-haired man blushed, embarrassed at being caught watching the two of them. Laxus turned around, confused at what she meant, but laughed when he saw his friend trying to hide behind the back of the chair he was sitting in.

"He can be the Jester."

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><p>The Valentine's Day party was in full swing. Erza watched from her seat at the bar as Levy danced by with Gajeel. The tiny mage was teaching him how to waltz, and the dragon slayer's face was screwed up in concentration as he attempted to follow Levy's footwork. Erza chuckled to herself and took another bite of strawberry cake. Mira leaned across the bar, watching Levy and Gajeel as well.<p>

"He's not the most graceful, is he?" she joked to her friend. Erza smiled and shook her head.

"Not exactly, no," she replied, looking over the room. Laxus and Lucy sat in a far corner, laughing at a joke Freed was telling them while Bixlow was hanging paper hearts on his "babies", who seemed to enjoy the attention. Natsu and Gray were fighting, as always, with Juvia watching them, or at least Gray, intently. Happy was attempting to offer Carla a fish, but the female exceed didn't seem extremely impressed with his gift.

Over toward the snack table, Lisanna chatted with Elfman and Evergreen, who still seemed to be trying to keep their mutual attraction a secret. Wendy and Romeo were helping themselves to heart-shaped cookies and strawberry cake. Erza remembered her own cake and happily took another bite.

"No date for you this year, then?" Mira asked, pouring herself a glass of ginger ale and taking a drink. Erza shook her head, a slight smile gracing her lips.

"No date. Besides, this sort of get-together isn't really my thing, you know? Too rowdy."

Mira nodded, finishing off her glass. "True enough. Are you going to stick around much longer then?"

In reply, Erza stood up. "Actually I think I'm going to head home now. You think anyone will mind if I take some cake for the road?"

"No, go ahead," Mira laughed, then gasped as Erza picked up the entire box of cake and left with it. "I didn't mean that much!" she called, but Erza was already gone. She shook her head, laughing at her friends antics.

Erza walked to her apartment and stood at the door, flipping through her keys. She was just about to the correct one when some movement caught her eye. She quickly unlocked her door, put the cake inside on the kitchen counter, then came back out to investigate. Near the door, a package wrapped in brown paper and tied with twine sat waiting for her. A slip of paper attached to the string reading "Erza Scarlet" fluttered in the breeze. Smiling to herself, the mage stooped and picked up the box, then gently shook it. She could only hear a light rumble of small objects being shuffled around. Carrying the package into her apartment, she untied the string and pulled the paper off, then opened the box. On top was a note written on the back of a flyer for a local grocery store in some far away town.

"Erza, I hope this gets to you alright. I couldn't bring it myself and I'm not sure how trustworthy this delivery boy is. I told him to make sure it got there on Valentine's Day, but in case it doesn't I just want you to know that I was/am/will be thinking about you, both that day and every other day. I wish I could be there with you. I wish I could kiss you. But these are the only kisses I can give to you now. Think of them as IOU's. I'll see you again someday. I love you."

Erza sat on her couch, smiling at the note as tears welled up in her eyes. There wasn't a signature. There never was. But she knew, all the same. Blinking hard, she reached for the box and peered inside. Chocolate kisses lined the bottom. She selected one and popped it into her mouth, then sank back into the couch, running her thumb over the side of the paper as she read the note over and over again, knowing that his hands had touched that paper, he had written those words for her.

She got ready for bed, taking the note and folding it. She pulled a small box out from under her bed and put the note in it, mixing in with all the other notes he'd sent her. Some were romantic. Some were not. But they were all from him. Erza's smile grew bigger as she pushed the box back under the bed and climbed in among the covers. She sighed, snuggling into her pillow, and whispered her reply, just like she always did.

"I love you too, Jellal."

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><p><strong>So there was your triple-fic! I tried to include a couple extra ships, even if they didn't get the spotlight. Please post a review telling me what you thought, and I'm always open to new ship suggestions! Your input is of the utmost importance to me! Thanks for reading!<strong>


	4. Fairy Flowers

**Hello again! Sorry it's been so long since the last update; I've had a very busy month! I've been getting a lot of requests for Elfman and Evergreen lately, so without further ado, here they are! Please remember to leave a review! Reader feedback is one of the most important parts in my writing!**

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><p>The man paced behind the guild hall, glancing anxiously at the door every time he heard a noise. He tried to convince himself that the sweat running down the back of his neck was because of the hot summer sun above him, but he knew better. There was no way of getting around it- Elfman was nervous.<p>

Giving a grunt of frustration, the man flopped down on a chair someone had put outside, propping his chin on one hand and staring dejectedly into space. A bouquet of flowers dangled from his free hand.

"I told her to be here at two..." Elfman whined, sliding his eyes over to look at the door again, just in case she'd managed to slip out it without him noticing. If that was what he expected, he was disappointed. He huffed again, sitting up straight. "This just isn't right! She shouldn't keep a man waiting like this!" Just then the door opened, and Elfman jumped to his feet, hiding the flowers behind his back. Evergreen walked out. She did not look happy. Her eyes quickly locked on to the man.

"I suppose there's a good reason I missed out on an easy mission just to see you, isn't there?" she demanded, hands on her hips. Her glasses flashed, making Elfman swallow hard. Her looks weren't deceiving- she really _wasn't _happy.

In reply, Elfman produced the flowers from behind his back, extending them to Evergreen. She took them, blinking in surprise. "I, uh, just wanted to give you these. For the summer solstice, you know. Important holiday for flowers." Though he began his sentence looking at Evergreen, his eyes quickly flitted away in embarrassment. The woman examined the bouquet, smiling slightly.

"Well thank you, Elfman," she murmured, apparently deep in thought. "This is quite an interesting mix... Foxglove, and cowslips, and... pansies..." She pulled a pansy out of the bouquet to look at it closer. Elfman turned red with embarrassment.

"They're just some random flowers I picked, nothing special about them..." he mumbled, suddenly thinking that this was a very bad idea. Evergreen shook her head, smiling more broadly.

"No, these are fairy flowers. Foxglove, worn by fairies for hats and gloves. Cowslip, a much loved flower of the fae, and pansies..." She fixed him with a flirtatious grin. "Pansies are used as a love potion by the fairy king Oberon. Are you sure you picked these randomly? After all, they don't typically come in bouquets together, and they don't typically grow in the same places, either." Elfman hadn't thought he could get any redder, but he found out now that he could. However, Evergreen wasn't ready to let him off the hook just yet. "What's more, the summer solstice isn't for another two weeks."

Elfman swallowed hard again. "Well, I just thought you might like them, then... Knowing that you like fairies so much and all... They're the only things I could find out about that fairies like that would be good to give you..." He was slowly making for the door to the guild. If only he could escape inside, he could get out of this awkward situation. Why would he have ever thought that this would work?

Laughing, Evergreen closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around Elfman's waist in a hug. Surprised, the man paused a moment before returning the hug.

"You know, you don't have to have an excuse to give me flowers. But you _do_ have to tell the truth."

Elfman looked down at the woman and gave a guilty laugh. "Well, then I suppose I should tell the whole truth then, huh? I actually got the flowers for you... because I wanted to ask you to dinner." Evergreen removed herself and stepped back, looking surprised. Elfman's face reddened once more. After a brief pause,

"Yeah, Elfman, I'll go to dinner with you," she replied, gracing him with a warm smile, which he returned. "I could expand on your knowledge of fairies, if you'd like." He reached out, laughing, and took her hand, walking with her back to the guild.

"You know, Ever, I'd like that a lot."

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><p><strong>I hope you liked the story! Please remember to leave a review! Also, just a note- I not only accept suggestions for pairings, but situations (ex: first kiss, fight, proposal, first date, etc.) and settings (ex. the beach, the guild, on a picnic, etc.), so please send suggestions for any of these three things you'd like to see me write about! Thank you so much for reading!<strong>


	5. My Little One

**Hey everyone! I know I have a lot more pairing request to fulfill, but I'm in a very Gajevy-like mood today! Please enjoy!**

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><p>The room was dark, save for the sliver of light coming from the door Gajeel had pushed ajar. He slipped inside and closed the door, wincing at the small 'click' of the latch. His eyes adjusted quickly to the gloom, and the outline of a crib took form. Moving slowly so as not to make noise, the dragon slayer made his way over to the crib, peering over the edge at the sleeping form inside.<p>

A small child lay in the crib, her tiny arms clutching a blanket to her chest. A mess of hair, dark as the night around her, splayed out on the pillow. Gajeel smiled to himself, watching her soft breaths stir a wisp of hair that had fallen in front of her nose. His chest filled with a warm sense of pride. He glanced around the room, finding an ottoman and carrying it over to the crib. Settling down, he leaned against the crib. The wood creaked, and he caught his breath, watching the little girl nervously.

A faint, sleepy coo escaped from the child, her eyes fluttering open and searching through the darkness. Gajeel stood and reached into the crib, caressing the little one's cheek. "Shh, shh," he whispered, hoping she'd fall back asleep. The girl yawned and snuggled her blanket against her chin, her eyes drooping shut once more. The dragon slayer let out a relieved sigh and sat down again, leaning this time against the wall rather than the crib and closing his own eyes. He could hear soft footsteps in the hallway, and he opened one eye slightly to see Levy peek into the room. Seeing him, she crept into the room, coming to stand beside him.

"Gajeel? Something wrong?" she whispered, placing a hand tentatively on his shoulder. He sighed, reaching up and placing his hand on hers. Levy smiled to herself- he could be surprisingly gentle when he wanted to be.

"Just couldn't sleep," he replied, turning to watch the sleeping girl beside him again. He squeezed Levy's hand. "Hard to believe she's turning two already... It seems like just yesterday she was hardly bigger than my hand..." Levy stifled a giggle.

"And like it was just yesterday that you were telling Natsu that if his son ever hurt your precious treasure you'd skin him alive." The dragon slayer let out a soft grunt.

"I still would; that little runt is nothing but trouble. He's not coming anywhere near my daughter."

Levy rolled her eyes, smiling as she kissed Gajeel's cheek. "Honestly, little Igneel reminds me a bit of you, and if you think our daughter takes after me, then... Well, look how we turned out." she teased. Gajeel's features darkened.

"No way is my little girl going to end up with any kid of Salamander's." He crossed his arms across his chest, glaring up at his wife. Levy shook her head, smiling.

"Whatever you say, Gajeel. Just remember in the end it won't be your decision," she said with a wink. Gajeel opened his mouth to reply, but she pressed a finger to his lips, silencing him. "I'm going to bed. Join me soon, okay?" She left quietly, leaving the dragon slayer alone with his daughter. He looked over at her, his expression turning from one of defiance to one of pleading.

"Really though, Kaida, don't end up with someone like your papa. We dragon slayers are a load of trouble, and you've got too much of your mother's charm to have to settle for the likes of us," he whispered to the sleeping girl. Kaida sighed in her sleep, bringing a soft smile to her father's face. He stood and leaned over the railing of the crib, careful not to make the wood creak again.

"But if you do... show him some of your old papa's fighting spirit, eh?" He leaned down and kissed the girl's cheek gently, making her face screw up, though she slept on. He laughed and crossed over to the door, making sure not to open it too wide and wake his daughter with the light from the hallway. He had nearly closed the door when he paused and stuck his head back in the room.

"Good night, my little one. And happy birthday."

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><p><strong>Hopefully I didn't depart from character too much on this one! I just thought the idea of Gajeel as a father is just too cute, and I have a feeling that a little girl would have the iron dragon slayer wrapped around her finger in no time. In case you wondered, "Kaida" is a Japanese name meaning "little dragon". I really hope you enjoyed the story! Please leave reviews; I love to read them and use them to better my writing! Until next time, happy reading!<strong>


	6. A Poorly-Timed Mission

**Hello again! I'm so sorry it's been so long since I've updated! The summer has been SUPER busy! But I'm back, and happy to be here! Lately a lot of you have been requesting a Carla and Happy pairing, so here's your Chappy oneshot! Enjoy, and don't forget to write a quick review letting me know what you think! Make sure to read the note at the bottom for important info on my next upcoming story!**

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><p>"I knew this was a bad idea." Happy blushed as Carla stood across from him, her arms crossed and her tail twitching unhappily.<p>

"Aye. But I didn't suggest they go by train," the blue exceed pointed out. Carla's tail twitched again.

"No, but you're the one who suggested they go in the first place, without looking at the date the mission needed to be accomplished by!" she snapped back at him. Happy looked down at his paws. She was right, of course.

"We could've flown them...?" came his hesitant suggestion. Carla executed an expert eye-roll.

"Yes, because we definitely have the power to fly Natsu and Wendy practically the entire way across the continent in two days." Her words dripped with sarcasm. The group's troubles had started the day prior, when Happy had brought Natsu a mission request from a sleepy little town called Jiora. The village had recently been overrun with odd, fire-breathing lizards the size of large dogs, and had injured several of the townspeople. At the first mention of fire-breathing lizards, Natsu had jumped at the mission, asking Wendy to accompany him to help heal the people who had been injured by the strange creatures. The young girl had accepted, and they set out with their exceed partners towards Jiora. They'd been walking for a few hours before Wendy re-read the missive, and saw that the request asked the guild to please send help before the town's annual festival, which was in... three days. The trip to Jiora was a little over a week by foot, so the two had no choice- they went to the nearest train station and bought two tickets to Melchiore, a city about an hour's walk from Jiora. The two dragon-slayers were, of course, immediately fairly incapacitated the moment the train had begun to move, despite Wendy's magic to counteract the motion sickness. As a result, they had sent Happy and Carla out to get some air, and the two exceed perched on top of the train.

Happy slumped down against the railing there, feeling unfairly punished for merely suggesting the mission. He wished Carla would at least be a little nicer about it. The female exceed sighed and sat next to him, closing her eyes and concentrating on the comforting feeling of the wind blowing through her fur. After a few minutes of silence she sighed again and turned to Happy.

"I guess it's not your fault that Natsu and Wendy didn't read over the mission better before they decided to take it," Carla admitted, sounding a little reluctant. Happy's eyes widened in surprise at her words.

"Oh! Yeah, I guess, but... I should've read it, too," he replied, not quite believing that Carla was forgiving him so quickly. The other exceed sniffed.

"Yeah, well, they're the mages. They should know better. In any case, we're already on our way now, so there's not much we can do about it anymore." Feeling that the discussion was finalized, Carla shut her eyes again, leaning back against the rail. Happy sat uncomfortably for a moment, still wanting to talk. He wasn't used to all this silence. He almost wished Carla would go back to being angry with him so that she would keep talking.

"Hey, Carla...?" he began tentatively. The other exceed opened one eye to peer at him grumpily. In all actuality, she'd actually begun to drift off to sleep. Happy swallowed hard but continued anyway. "Would you care to go down to the dining cart and get some fish to eat?" He watched her with hopeful eyes. Carla frowned.

"I don't like fish," came her reply. Happy's shoulders slumped, and he looked down at his paws, feeling bad for forgetting that.

"Oh, yeah..."

Carla watched him slump down, looking completely put out. She sighed in resignation. "But, I suppose the dining cart will have other food beside fish. Come on, let's go," she said, standing up and running her paws briskly over her skirt, smoothing the imaginary wrinkles in the fabric. Happy practically shot up, looking overly-excited.

"Yay, let's go!" he exclaimed, his disappointment from earlier completely disappeared. Carla rolled her eyes, suppressing a smile as she followed the blue exceed down to the dining cart. He was kind of a pain in the neck, she decided, but Happy could be kind of cute sometimes. But only sometimes.

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><p><strong>I hope you enjoyed the story! Make sure to write a view letting me know what you think; your feedback is super important to me! And now, for the information you've all been waiting for!<strong>

**Here in the USA, things are starting to cool down a little, and school is back on it's way! But that doesn't mean there isn't time for summer to have one more big blowout! Soon I'll be writing my Super Summer Special! Like my Valentine's Day Special, the Super Summer Special is going to be another triple fic, so leave a review or send a PM to me about which three pairs you want to see in the special, and when I get ready to write, I'll put in the most popular three couples! Don't be afraid to suggest a couple I haven't written about yet! Stay tuned! **


	7. Sand and Sun, Oh What Fun!

**Hey there everyone! The weather's getting pretty chilly here some days, so I definitely needed this to help me warm back up! It's the story you've all been waiting for- the Super Summer Special! I've been thinking really hard about a good theme for the special- my original thought was a theme park, but with our dragonslayer friends, that has the potential to get really messy!**

**And of course, *drumroll* here are the pairs that will be featured in the triplefic! Gajevy, LaLu, and Gruvia! Enjoy!**

_**On a side note, NaLu actually had the third top number of votes, but since LaLu had more and I couldn't really involve Lucy in two different pairings happening at the same time, Gruvia got the third spot. But! To make it up to all you NaLu fans out there [and because I enjoy writing about pairings I haven't tried yet], the next oneshot will be a NaLu fic! Stay tuned!**_

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><p>It was the perfect day for a trip to the ocean. Everyone in Fairy Tail could sense the impending autumn, but that day the sun was bright and warm, and a warm, gentle breeze was blowing through Magnolia. And so, just in case this might be the last true summer day, the whole guild had traveled down to the nearby beach. Once they got there, most of the members had headed straight to the water, but Gray wasn't particularly fond of swimming. Instead, he had sprawled out on the beach, enjoying the warmth of the sun on his skin.<p>

"Gray-sama! Look what Juvia has made for you!"

The ice-make mage glanced over from where he lay in the hot sand, gazing up at the cloudless sky. He'd been laying there for at least an hour or two, and absentmindedly he wondered if he had a sunburn. His eyes grew wide as he saw the enormous sand castle beside him. Juvia kneeled beside it, gesturing proudly with both arms.

"Do you like it, Gray-sama? You can be the king of your very own castle now! And Juvia can be your queen!" The woman let out a squeal, cupping her face in her hands as she immediately began to dream up a romantic fantasy for the two of them. In her mind, Gray leapt from his spot in the sand to pull her in a tight, passionate embrace, dipping her backwards, his lips mere inches from her own.

"Don't you know, Juvia? You've always been my queen," he whispered, his voice husky. He moved even closer. She could feel his warm breath brush gently against her lips

"Oh Gray-sama! You're just too much- Juvia cannot stand it!~" Juvia sighed aloud, giggling to herself and shaking her head dramatically, a bright red blush spreading across her cheeks.

In reality, Gray watched the water mage with amusement, shaking his head at her antics and standing up leisurely, brushing sand off his swimming trunks as he wandered around the sand castle to look it over. It was very large, with plenty of room for a couple of people to comfortably sit together in- that is, if those people wished to sit very close to each other. The walls were high, reaching nearly up to his chest. Juvia had obviously spent the entire time the guild had been at the beach creating the structure, as quite a bit of detail had been put in the corner turrets and the walls. Gray glanced towards the ocean, where the water glittered only a few feet away from the castle.

"Hey Juvia?" Gray began, coming around to the woman, who was still rolling around in the sand, absorbed in her romantic dream world. At the sound of his voice, she sat up abruptly and grinned at him.

"Yes, Gray-sama?" she replied cheerfully. Gray gestured to the water.

"Don't you think this thing is a little close to the water? If the tide comes in, it'll hit the-" As if answering his question, a tidal wave rolled in just at that moment, turning the castle wall closest to the ocean into a soggy lump of sand. Juvia's face fell, tears already gathering in the corners of her eyes.

"Gray-sama... Juvia is so sorry... She did not mean for your castle to be destroyed... Juvia only wanted to do something nice..." She hung her head, shoulders already beginning to shake. Gray frowned, squatting down beside her and patting her back somewhat awkwardly.

"Hey, don't cry Juvia. We'll build a new one." He pointed further up the beach. "Over there, where the tide can't get to it. We'll do it together." Juvia's face brightened immediately, bowling Gray over as she wrapped her arms around his waist in a hug.

"Oh Gray-sama! You are too kind to Juvia! Let's go build it now!" she cried gleefully, grabbing his hand and practically dragging him to the spot he'd pointed out. Gray rolled his eyes and followed along good-naturedly. It WAS his idea, after all.

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><p>"What about this one?" Gajeel asked, holding up a rock he'd found. It was smooth to the touch and gleamed in the sunlight. Levy held out her hand for it, smiling at him.<p>

"Well, it's still not a sea shell, but if you like it we can take that one too," she laughed, dropping the rock in one of her plastic pails. She held two, a blue one and a red one. The blue pail was nearly empty, containing only a few small sea shells. The other pail was getting pretty heavy, being a fourth of the way full with smooth, shiny stones. Gajeel had offered to go sea shell hunting with the tiny script mage, but so far he seemed mostly attracted to the interesting rocks they'd found. Levy didn't really mind, considering her plan for the sea shells had been to make a present for Gajeel anyway, so if he preferred the stones then she would use those instead. Gajeel frowned as he glanced in the two pails.

"Sorry, I'm trying to look for shells but the rocks are more interesting. They're distracting me," he grumped, shoving his hands into the pockets of his swim trunks. His shoulders hunched in embarrassment. Levy giggled and patted his arm.

"It's okay, I like the rocks too. They're really pretty Gajeel, you have a good eye!" she praised him. The dragonslayer's shoulders hunched more, as if he could cover up his blush that way. Levy pretended not to notice, already scanning the ground again. "Do you have a rock collection?" she asked nonchalantly. Gajeel grunted.

"I collect a lot of things," he muttered, not exactly answering the question. Usually he tried to collect only important things, but sometimes the dragon in him just had to have something particularly attractive, even if it didn't have much actual significance in his life. Gajeel didn't really collect any one specific thing. Mainly he just collected things he liked. Levy giggled, but said nothing more about the subject. Instead, she picked up a nearly perfect sand dollar and carefully deposited it in her blue bucket. Gajeel silently added another stone to the red one, and Levy suppressed a grin.

The two walked side by side for some time, stopping occasionally to chat with some of the other guild members that were scattered around the beach. As they got further from the water, Levy spotted Gray and Juvia further up ahead, building a humongous sand castle. A wide grin spread across Levy's face, and she grabbed Gajeel's arm, pointing gleefully.

"Oh look, Gajeel! They're making a sand castle! Can we make one too?" she asked, her eyes shining with excitement. Gajeel laughed, a mischievous smirk on his face. He ruffled her hair, making the script mage frown.

"Sorry squirt, but dragons raid castles; they don't build them," he teased. Levy's frowned deepened, until a new idea brought her smile back.

"Well, then can I bury you in the sand?" she asked. It was Gajeel's turn to frown.

"Why would ya wanna do that for?" he questioned, looking suspicious and even going so far as to take a few steps back from the blue-haired mage. Levy giggled and shook her head.

"Not like that, silly! I'll just bury you from the neck down- I'll leave your head out. Then you can try to get out of the sand, and if you can't get out then I'll help dig you out! It's fun! Don't you trust me?"

Gajeel looked doubtfully at the sand for a moment, then shrugged. After all, it couldn't possibly be that bad, and he was certain he could get out the sand without Levy's help if he needed to. He gave a sigh of resignation. "I suppose if you really want to," he finally relented. Levy clapped her hands.

"Okay! Now lay down in the sand here! We're far enough away from the water that we won't be bothered by the tide here," she commented, trying to make Gajeel feel more at ease. He laid down as he was told, watching Levy as she began to push sand up against his legs and sides. The sand was soft and warm, and eventually Gajeel had become comfortable enough that he drifted off to sleep, allowing Levy to finish her work.

"Gajeel! I'm done! Wake up and take a look!"

The dragonslayer was awoken by the sound of Levy's voice. He opened his eyes to find her kneeling beside him, a wide grin on her face. He felt heavy from the neck down, and as he craned his neck he could see that he was, indeed, covered in a thick layer of sand. Looking more carefully at the sand around him, he saw that Levy had shaped the sand to make it look as if Gajeel had a mermaid's body, complete with- to Gajeel's utter horror- a sea shell bra made from some of the shells Levy had picked up earlier. His eyes bugged as he saw the shells, and he let out an angry shout.

"HEY!" he yelled, struggling from side to side in his sand enclosure. Levy giggled as he wiggled around. Gajeel glared at her, stopping the giggle in her throat. "Squirt! When I get out of here, you're going to GET IT!" The last two words were shouted as he burst from the sand. Levy let out a delighted shriek, hopping quickly to her feet and taking off down the beach towards the water as quickly as her legs would carry her. Gajeel followed, hollering in mock rage. He finally caught up to the tiny mage at the water's edge, and he scooped her up easily in his arms, displaying a wicked grin. Levy grinned sheepishly back as he carried her further into the water, until the water was up past his hips.

"H-hey Gajeel, pretty funny stuff, huh?" she said, trying to keep the nervousness out of her voice. Gajeel only grinned wider, and Levy swallowed hard.

"I told you you were going to get it, shrimp," he replied simply, then dropped her unceremoniously into the water. The girl came back up quickly, shaking the water out of her eyes.

"Hey!" she sputtered indignantly at Gajeel, who stood before her with his arms crossed, looking satisfied with himself. He chuckled at her expression and ruffled her hair, which only made her frown more deeply.

"You had that coming."

"Whatever," she grumped back, splashing him. Gajeel laughed and scooped the girl up again, giving her lips a quick kiss. Mischief sparkled in his eyes.

"What's that, squirt? Looking for round two?"

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><p>Lucy poked at a crab with a stick, laughing as the tiny creature skittered away from her. Ever since she was little, she had always looked for tidal pools whenever she came to the beach. Her mother would make Aquarius watch her while she played in them, picking up the creatures that lived in the shallow pools or building little huts for them to hide in. Aquarius would usually complain the entire time, but Lucy still loved the pools, even after she'd made the poor choice of picking up one of the crabs and had gotten her finger pinched. Of course, now Lucy knew better than to pick up the creatures, but she still found the tidal pools fascinating.<p>

"Whatcha up to?"

The voice startled her, but after her initial shock she smiled up at Laxus, who'd come up behind her. She patted the sand beside her, and the man sat down.

"Hey Laxus. I'm just looking at the tidal pool. I used to play in them all the time as a little kid," she explained, running a finger gently over the top of a sea star. Laxus laughed softly, peering into the water.

"I loved these things too- Gramps would bring me down here and I would look for sand dollars. I have a whole collection of those. I'll have to show you sometime." He smiled over at her, and Lucy nodded.

"I would really like that," she said softly. She leaned back, propping herself up with her arms behind her. Laxus mimicked her pose, reaching over to cover one of her hands with his. Lucy smiled at his touch, sighing as she scooted closer. Before them, the sun was beginning to sink down into the horizon, and the sunset painted a beautiful spray of pinks, oranges, reds, and yellows across the sea, with just the slightest tint of purple betraying the coming nightfall. Lucy let her head rest on Laxus's shoulder, and he moved his arm to wrap it around her.

"It's been such a lovely day. I wish summer would never end," Lucy sighed wistfully. Laxus gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze.

"It will be back again next year, and then we can even more fun," he laughed. Lucy nodded, laughing with him. Laxus continued, "Are you done with the tidal pool? I think the tide will be coming in soon."

In answer, Lucy stood and stretched. "Yeah, I'm done. Where is everyone, anyway?" Laxus stood as well.

"Actually, that's what I came over here to talk to you about. The others are all wanting to play a few games of Marco Polo before we head back to the guild. Do you want to play?" He gestured further down the beach, where several of the others were waiting for them. Lucy could see Levy with Gajeel already in the water among many of their other guildmates, and Gray was being dragged away from a magnificent sand castle by a very excited-looking Juvia. With a giggle, Lucy turned back to Laxus, who was watching her expectantly. She flashed him a wide grin.

"Of course I do! I'll beat you there!" she challenged, then turned and ran down to join her guildmates. Laxus laughed at her antics and followed. Today, he would let her win. But only today.

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><p><strong>Hey there! I hope you enjoyed the Super Summer Special! I know the stories were a bit cheesy this time, but we all need some fluff in our lives! Please, please, <em>please <em>write reviews telling me what you thought! Your feedback is my inspiration for new stories, and without that inspiration, it takes me _forever _to write anything new! Not to mention I just absolutely love reading your reviews and using them to better my writing!**

**Also! Since we already know what pairing the next fic will be about, I have a new request for you! Please send in suggestions for the sort of situations you would like to see in my upcoming stories. Weddings, proposals, picnics, family life- you name it, I just might use it! Even if I don't use all the ideas in the very next fic (I can only do so many at a time, you know!), I still may use your idea in stories to come. Have a great day, and happy reading!**


	8. Treasure Hunt!

**Hey guys! Sorry it's been so long- this semester has been crazy... But here it is, the newest chapter, with an all-new pairing for this one-shot collection: NaLu! Keep those reviews coming; the more suggestions I get, the more likely it is that I'll get up a new chapter quickly. Send pairings! Send situations! Send them all! And, of course, let me know what you think of the stories! I love your feedback!**

**Now, without further ado, here's Treasure Hunt! Warning: contains poilers from the manga chapter Special Mission: Beware of Guys Who Show a Keen Interest**

**I don't own Fairy Tail or any of its characters!**

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><p><em>Lucy<em>

_Meet me in front of the guild hall tomorrow at noon. Bring Virgo. Don't be late!_

_-Natsu_

Lucy scanned the paper again, wondering if this was some kind of joke. She'd been through this whole thing with Natsu before. Was he seriously looking for that stupid photo album again? And did he really think she'd help after last time?

She'd awoken that morning to find the paper on her bed. Natsu must've left it there when he "visited" the night before. Or maybe he snuck in again while she was sleeping? She supposed it didn't really matter how he'd gotten it there- the real question was whether or not she'd go. She glanced over at her celestial keys, lying on her bedside table. Virgo's key lay on top, shining in the sunlight filtering in from her bedroom window. Lucy gave a sigh.

"I guess it couldn't hurt..."

The blonde glanced at the clock. 11:30. If she was going to make it, she had to head out now. She scooped up her keys and went on her way to the guild. She didn't bother to change clothes- why should she if they were just going hunting for that album again?

Natsu awaited her at the guild, leaning against the door with his arms crossed over his chest. He grinned mischievously as the blonde came into view.

"Lucy!" he shouted, waving at her enthusiastically. The celestial spirit mage noted that for once, Happy was nowhere to be found. That was odd... the blue exceed rarely left Natsu's side. She shrugged it off anyway as she picked up her pace to reach the guild.

"Luce, did ya bring Virgo?" Natsu glanced at her hip, where Lucy had tied her keys to her belt. She picked out Virgo's and wiggled it at the dragon slayer.

"I've got her key right here."

"Great! C'mon, let's go!" Natsu grabbed her wrist and practically yanked Lucy back down the path she had just come up. The blonde let out a huff of annoyance.

"Will you at least tell me where we're going to go? Are we looking for that stupid photo album again?" she complained, jogging to keep up with Natsu and to prevent her arm from being yanked out its socket. Natsu shook his head, grinning over his shoulder at her.

"Nope! This treasure's even better!"

Lucy rolled her eyes. So it _was _treasure that he was searching for. That figured.

The pair stopped just beneath a tree, the same one Natsu had taken Lucy to before when he had asked for Virgo's help. The blonde couldn't help but notice that the ground there looked like it had be disturbed not too long ago, but she shrugged it off. Sure, it was a little strange, but everything that involved Natsu tended to be a little on the weird side. Natsu stood facing her, fists rested against his hips.

"Alright! Get Virgo out and have her dig here!" he demanded, a wide smile on his face. Lucy crossed her arms, giving the dragon slayer her best scowl.

"You could say please, you know. And wasn't this where you were wanting to look for that photo album last time? I thought you said we weren't looking for that," she reminded him. Natsu shrugged.

"Yeah, it's the same place, but now I know what's buried here is even better than the photo album. C'mon, Luce, just have Virgo dig here, please?"

Lucy sighed, pressing her fingers to her temples. "Fine, whatever. I guess you did say please..." She disconnected Virgo's key from her belt and unlocked the celestial spirit's gate. The maid spirit appeared quickly, bowing to Lucy.

"Hello, Princess. Are you in need of my assistance?" she asked politely. Lucy nodded.

"Yes, Virgo, could you please dig here, please, until you find something - anything - interesting?" she requested, pointing at the spot Natsu indicated.

"Of course, Princess." The celestial spirit began her work, digging quickly through the ground. It wasn't long before she popped back up, holding an ornate box in her hands. The box was made of wood and decorated with an elaborately carved dragon. Virgo tried to hand it to Lucy, but the mage shook her head, pointing instead at Natsu.

"No, give it to him; he was the one looking for it," she instructed her. Virgo bowed and gave the box to Natsu, who thanked her.

"Is that all, Princess?" the spirit inquired.

"Yes, thank you for your help, Virgo," Lucy replied, closing the spirit's gate. Reattaching the key to her belt, Lucy propped her hand on her hip, watching Natsu, who was simply looking at the box. "Well? Aren't you going to open it?"

After a pause, Natsu shook his head, holding out the box to her. "No, I'm too nervous. You open it, Lucy." The girl's eyebrows raised questioningly as she took the box from him; it wasn't like Natsu to get nervous about things like this, and if she didn't know better she would have sworn that she saw a faint blush on the dragon slayer's cheeks. She turned her attention to the box, running her fingers lightly over the carvings. It really was beautifully decorated. Carefully, she opened the lid.

Lucy let out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding when she saw that the box contained only a folded piece of paper. She began to laugh. "Natsu, I think you got a dud! I mean sure, the box is really pretty, but all that's in here is a piece of paper!" She laughed even harder, feeling silly for having gotten so nervous about it herself. Natsu gave her a questioning look.

"Well, what does the paper say?" he asked. Lucy stopped laughing. She supposed she probably _should _at least read the paper; they'd gone through so much work to get it. Picking up the paper, she carefully set the box down at her feet and unfolded the slip.

_Lucy,_

_If you're reading this, I convinced you to come treasure hunting with me. But you know, I've already found my treasure- that is, if you'll have me. _

_Be my girlfriend?_

_-Natsu_

Lucy sputtered in surprise, looking over the paper at Natsu, who was definitely blushing at this point. He grinned at her, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment.

"So, uh... What do you say?" he asked, trying to sound nonchalant. Lucy grinned back at him, giving his shoulder a playful punch.

"Sure, flame-brain," she teased, "I'll be your girlfriend."

Laughing, Natsu scooped her up in a bear hug. Out of seemingly nowhere flew Happy, who'd known the plan all along and had perched at the top of the tree to watch the proceedings. He swooped around their heads.

"You _liiiiike_ each other!" the exceed teased, pointing at them. Lucy laughed and rolled her eyes.

"We sure do, Happy. We sure do."

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><p><strong>Things I apologize for: Taking forever to update and having a really lame chapter title.<strong>

**Things I don't apologize for: Super cheesy love notes and an ultra super cheesy ending.**

**Please write reviews and send in your thoughts! I really need your help to fuel new story ideas! I love hearing back from you guys! With enough reviews and PMs with new ideas, I just might be able to whip out a Winter Special this year! And you know what that means: another triple-fic! So please, please, _please _keep those reviews coming!**


	9. Sneaky Sneaky

**Hey everyone! It's almost that time of year again- Valentine's Day! Just like last year, I'll be doing another TripleFic! Keep the suggestions coming; I've got a lot of ideas for a lot of pairings and I can't wait to write them! Anyway, this is a Gruvia fanfic inspired by the idea TheLibraryWitch gave me! So you know the drill- read and PLEASE write a review!**

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Fairy Tail.**

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><p>"Did you hear something?" Lucy asked, glancing over her shoulder. She could've sworn she heard some sort of rustling in the bushes as she and Juvia passed by Magnolia Park, but her companion shook her head.<p>

"No, Juvia did not hear anything. Perhaps Juvia's love-rival is imagining things?" the rain mage replied with a smile. She had, in fact, heard the rustling. She knew exactly where and who it had come from, too, and she couldn't be happier. But Lucy didn't need to know that. As it was, the blonde shook her head.

"How many times do I have to tell you I'm not your love rival?" she grumbled. She supposed it WAS possible that she was imagining things, though. Still, she gave the landscape a quick scan before turning back to the path. Juvia's grin widened as she followed her friend. Suddenly, she had an idea.

"Juvia wants to go to the mall, Lucy!" she announced suddenly. Lucy blinked at the blue-haired woman, whose smile was growing wider by the second.

"Uh, okay? I thought we were going to the bookstore though?" Lucy asked. Juvia nodded.

"Oh, yes, we can go there afterwards!" she replied cheerfully. Lucy thought for a moment, then shrugged. She could use a few more outfits anyway; her clothes were beginning to look a bit torn up after all the fighting the guild had been doing lately.

"Alright. Why do you want to go to the mall for, anyway?" she inquired as the two changed direction slightly to start heading for Magnolia Square Mall. Juvia shrugged slightly.

"Juvia wants to find a new swim suit," she said simply. Lucy raised her eyebrows.

"A swim suit? But it's kinda cold out for swimming..." she reasoned. Juvia smiled back at her.

"Juvia just wants a new one." Lucy sighed.

"Well, whatever. You don't mind the cold, who am I to stop you? As long as we can go get some regular clothes, too."

The two made light chatter as they made their way to the mall. The halls were crowded with hurrying shoppers, which was perhaps why Lucy had the odd feeling someone was following them. They finally made their way to Just Add Water, a specialty swimsuit store. Juvia gave a little squeal and pulled Lucy into the store with her, her friend laughing as she followed. It wasn't long before both of Juvia's arms were piled high with swimsuits and she had headed into the changing room to try them on. Lucy waited outside the changing room, leaning against the wall and resigning herself to a long wait. She was surprised when Juvia burst out of the stall, clad in a skimpy black bikini.

"Lucy! What do you think of this one?" she asked, a little overly-loud. Lucy glanced over her shoulder as she heard a cut-off "Irk!" as Juvia emerged, but turned back when she didn't see anything unusual.

"That one's cute, Juvia. I didn't really expect you to come out and show me, though," she said, laughing. Juvia shrugged.

"Juvia wanted your opinion! Juvia will try on another now!" The blue-haired woman disappeared back into the stall as Lucy shook her head. As she leaned back against the wall, she saw a clothes rack with no one near it move. She was just about to go look when Juvia reappeared in another swimsuit. Putting the rack out of her mind, Lucy provided her opinion on about fifteen different swimsuits. By the end, she'd forgotten all about the strange movement. Juvia bought her two favorite suits, and they left the store to head to the dress shop.

Six dresses later, the two exited the store laden with shopping bags, their arms linked together.

"So, Juvia, off to the bookstore now?" Lucy asked. Juvia nodded.

"Let's go!"

The two had barely left the mall when a familiar white-haired figure burst between them, shoving Lucy out of the way and taking Juvia's hand.

"Well if it isn't the lovely Juvia? How are you today my princess?" the man said, raising her hand to his lips.

"Oh, L-Lyon!" Juvia stuttered, surprised.

"Lyon! It was YOU who's been following us around all day, isn't it!" Lucy scrambled up from the ground, pointing accusingly. Lyon blinked.

"Uh, no? I haven't seen either of you until now. What do you mean, following you around all da-" Lyon was cut off as a dark-haired man tackled him to the ground at Juvia's feet.

"Hey you bastard, Juvia's mine!" the newcomer growled.

"GRAY-SAMA! Juvia just _KNEW _it was you! Yes, Juvia is all Gray-sama's!" The woman squealed, wrapping her arms around Gray's bare torso. The ice mage's face turned a bright red as Lyon glared up at the two. Lucy's face dropped.

"Wait... You _knew _he was following us?" She gapped at her friend, looking between her and the man she was clinging to. "Is _that _what all those swimsuits were about?" Juvia nodded proudly, snuggling a still-reddening Gray.

"They did look good..." Gray muttered. Lucy stared at the pair disbelievingly before slapping her hand on her face.

"Whatever, whatever. I'm going to the bookstore, Juvia. I'll... meet you there, I guess," she said exasperatedly, picking up her shopping bags and leaving the others. Juvia squealed and hugged Gray tighter.

"Did Gray-sama mean what he said when he said Juvia was his?" she asked, beaming up at him. He looked away, cheeks reddening once more.

"Don't read too much into it..." he grumbled. Juvia squeezed him again, then grabbed his hand.

"Come on, Gray-sama, we need to meet Lucy at the bookstore!" she proclaimed, tugging him along. Gray followed with a shrug, leaving Lyon still laying on the ground. The white-haired man jumped up, pointing at the pair.

"I'll get Juvia one day, Gray! Mark my words!" he shouted. Gray glanced over his shoulder at him.

"Heh," he laughed, moving his arm around to hug Juvia's shoulders, to her great delight. And the two walked off, leaving a steaming Lyon behind.

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><p><strong>A little bit of a different feeling to it than usual; let me know what you thought! I love to hear from you! Happy Reading!<strong>


	10. Sweet Surprises

**Hey there guys! I know it's a little late, but between a busy schedule and not many reviews coming in to help motivate me, the Valentine's Special took me a little longer than usual to write. While a few of you sent in some fun ideas for some one-shots, I really wanted to do a continuation of last year's Valentine's Special. So, without further ado, please enjoy Sweet Surprises!**

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><p>[Note: This story is a sequel to last year's Valentine's Special, Candy Hearts and Chocolate Kisses. If you have not read that chapter, I would suggest doing so before reading this one.]<p>

The Valentine's Day party was already in full swing when Laxus lead Lucy through the doors to the guild. A band was playing upbeat, lively music while couples danced on the floor. Gray appeared to be leading a swooning Juvia in a kind of modified tango, and had somehow lost his shirt without missing a beat. Gajeel and Levy were dancing beside them, attempting to copy their dance steps, but both were laughing so hard that they couldn't keep up. Happy was, once again, trying to offer Carla a fish as a present, which the white exceed turned her nose up at. Erza sat on a stool by the bar, chatting happily with MiraJane. Wendy and Romeo sat by the snack table, telling each other jokes and eating their fill of heart-shaped cookies. Laxus raised an eyebrow as he looked down at Lucy, who was grinning at the sight.

"Looks a whole lot like all the other Valentine's Day parties, doesn't it?" he asked. Lucy shrugged and laughed.

"Oh, you know how Fairy Tail is. Some things just never change!" she exclaimed happily, taking his hand. "Come on, let's go dance with the others!" Laxus laughed, allowing himself to be pulled through the crowd to the dance floor.

Several hours later the two collapsed into chairs next to a table, both out of breath but grinning from ear to ear.

"I haven't had that much fun in forever!" Lucy exclaimed, leaning back in her chair. Laxus laughed, leaning back himself.

"You're quite the dancer; I think you could give Gray a run for his money," he joked. The blonde rolled her eyes and shoved him lightly.

"Oh, stop," she giggled. "You're not too bad yourself." Laxus ruffed her hair.

"Hey, I'm going to go get some punch. You want some?" he asked, standing up and stretching.

"Yes please! Oh, and piece of cake too, please!" Lucy exclaimed. The man laughed and leaned down to kiss her cheek playfully.

"Anything for you, my queen of hearts," he teased, heading off towards the snack table. Lucy turned her gaze to the dance floor, where Levy and Gajeel were still dancing, though the music had started to slow down a little. A sly grin grew on her lips as she watched them.

"Whatcha thinking about?" Laxus' voice startled her as he sat down across from her, placing a plate of cake and a cup of punch in front of her before digging into his own piece of cake. Lucy giggled and leaned forward, and Laxus leaned in to get closer.

"Okay, don't tell anyone... but I'm helping Gajeel plan an awesome surprise for Levy," she whispered. Laxus grinned at her.

"Ooooh, a surprise? Can you tell me about it?" he asked hopefully. Lucy shook her head, making him frown grumpily.

"No way! You could spoil it! Besides, you'll find out soon enough. Gajeel's supposed to give me the cue any moment now!" Laxus rolled his eyes and shrugged, laughing as he went back to his cake.

"Alright, alright, I'll let you keep your little secret for now," he said through a mouthful. When he was finished with his cake, Laxus shifted his chair around to sit side-by-side with Lucy, and she leaned thankfully against his shoulder, suddenly feeling very tired. He put his arm around her and absentmindedly rubbed her arm.

"I love you," he whispered to her. She nuzzled his shoulder.

"I love you, too."

"Hard to believe it's been four years since our first Valentine's Day party together, huh?" Laxus mused softly. Lucy looked up at him happily.

"It's been a great four years, though. And it's so nice seeing everyone finding their matches, too," she commented. Laxus nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, I'm glad Gray finally gave in about Juvia. Sometimes watching the tension between those two was almost too much to bear," the man laughed. Lucy was about to reply when she noticed that Gajeel and Levy were leaving the dance floor and heading towards the hallway that lead to the lawn behind the guild.

"Oh! I think our plan is about to go into action!" Lucy squealed softly. Laxus grinned at her, finding her excitement contagious. As Gajeel followed Levy through the doorway, he turned back to Lucy and gave her a subtle nod. Once the couple had gone out of sight, Lucy sprang up and went to the doorway, listening for the outside door to close. Once she heard it, she turned back to the guild and raised her voice.

"Alright everybody, I'm going to need your help setting something up!"

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><p>Gajeel led Levy to a bench outside, sitting down beside her. She immediately cuddled up against him in the cold, and he wrapped her arms around her, blocking out the breeze that was blowing through the lawn. The two stayed silent for a long while, simply enjoying each other's presence and admiring the clear night sky. Despite the tranquility of the scene, Gajeel couldn't help but feel a little nervous about what he was planning. Levy glanced up at him, a worried look in her eyes.<p>

"Gajeel? Are you alright?" she asked, her voice concern. He smiled down at her and ruffled her hair, making the woman frown.

"I'm just fine, shrimp. Don't you worry," he chuckled. Levy's brow furrowed in annoyance.

"Ga_jeel_," she huffed, "You _know _I don't like it when you call me that!" Gajeel laughed and kissed the top of her head.

"I know, I know. But it's just so fun to ruffle yer feathers a bit," he replied, which made Levy roll her eyes as she leaned against him again.

"You're mean," she grumped, crossing her arms across her chest. Gajeel just chuckled.

"Gihihi, I know," he shot back with a grin. Levy stuck her tongue out at him, which just made him laugh harder. He glanced at the door back into the guild. He wondered if they were done setting up her surprise. He decided to give them a few more minutes.

"The... um... the stars are kinda pretty tonight," the dragon slayer said, scratching the back of his neck. Levy gave him a confused look.

"Um... yeah, I guess they are...?" Her voice was hesitant. "Are you _sure _you're okay?" Gajeel huffed in annoyance. Buying time for something like this was definitely not his forte.

"Yeah, but, um... Well, I got a surprise for ya," he said, hoping he wasn't giving too much away. Levy's eyes widened in curiosity.

"Really? Where?" she asked, looking around as if she expected to be able to find it out in the lawn. Gajeel laughed, shaking his head.

"I'll take ya to it, but ya gotta put this on, first," he instructed, removing his headband and tying it over Levy's eyes like a blindfold.

"But now I can't see!" she protested, waving her hands around in front of her. Gajeel chuckled and laughed, standing up to lead her back to the guild. Hopefully they were ready for them.

"That's the point. C'mon, I'll guide ya there," he said gently, taking her hands and pulling her towards the building.

"Gajeel, where are we going?" Levy squeaked as she bumped lightly into the door frame the dragon slayer was attempting to lead her through. Her head swiveled from side to side, as if trying to see her surroundings through the thick blindfold. The man chuckled and tugged her arm gently, still guiding her through the halls of the guild. It wasn't that far of a walk from the back lawn behind the guild to the main hall, but Levy kept bumping into things while she attempted to try to see where she was going, so the venture had been slow going.

"I told ya, shrimp. It's a surprise," he laughed, pushing a chair out of the way with his foot so he wouldn't have to try to guide Levy around it. The script mage's cheeks puffed in indignation, and Gajeel knew she was trying her best to glare at him. Unfortunately for her, the blindfold was doing a wonderful job of blocking her glare.

"I _told _you I don't like it when you call me that!" she grumped. Gajeel just chuckled again, making her frown deepen. He patted her head, marveling to himself how she could be so adorable when she was angry.

"Hey, I'm workin' on it, 'kay?" he said. Levy just stuck her tongue out at him, which made him laugh again. "Now come on, yer surprise is waitin' for ya." With a sigh of resignation, Levy followed, bumping into a few more things on the way.

Finally the pair made it to the main hall, where the band was still playing a soft melody and people were chatting around the room. Levy noted that it was unusually quiet for a Fairy Tail party, but it _was_ getting fairly late, so perhaps people were just tired. The soft perfume of roses tickled her nose, and she inhaled deeply, taking in the scent. Gajeel, with his stronger dragon senses, was on the verge of a sneezing fit, and was beginning to wonder why he picked this out of all his possible plans. Still, it would be worth it if Levy liked her surprise.

"Gajeel? Are we here? Can I take off my blindfold yet?" The girl whispered, noticing that the noise around the hall had quieted even more, and she could feel the eyes of the rest of the guild on her. Gajeel glanced around the hall, nodding to himself with satisfaction.

"Hold on, I'll get it for ya," he grunted, shifting Levy slightly to put her in the perfect position, then stepped behind her and untied her blindfold. As the fabric slid from her face, the tiny woman let out a gasp.

Hundreds of thousands of scarlet red rose petals were scattered about the floor in an enormous heart. Inside the heart, bright pink rose petals spelled out five words: "Levy, will you marry me?"

"Gajeel!" she exclaimed, whirling around to face the dragon slayer. He'd dropped to one knee, holding up a small velvet box containing an intricately carved ring, set with sparkling sapphires. Levy's hands flew up to cover her mouth as her eyes widened in surprise. Gajeel grinned up at her, one eyebrow quirking upwards.

"Well? What do you say?" He asked. Though his face and posture were relaxed, the man's heart was racing faster with each second Levy hesitated. His casual grin grew into a full smile as the woman began to nod, wiping at her eyes to try to push away her happy tears.

"Yes! Yes, yes, a thousand times, yes!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around Gajeel's neck and tangling her fingers in his thick hair. He laughed, wrapping his arms around her waist as he stood and twirled her around. Around them, the guild members let out a cheer, which quickly turned to whoops and hollers as the dragon slayer dipped his new fiance down for a deep kiss. He then pulled Levy back on her feet, grinning at the deep red blush spreading across her cheeks.

"Hey shorty, you should probably put the ring on before I lose it," he teased lightly. Her blush grew deeper as she glanced at the box he was still holding.

"Oh, yeah, um..." she mumbled, looking down at the floor. Gajeel smiled and took her hand gently, sliding the ring on her finger. She smiled down shyly at it, admiring how it glimmered in the light.

"Oh Gajeel, it fits perfectly," she sighed, pulling him into a hug.

"Well it should. I made it just for you," he replied, holding her tightly. She snuggled against his chest.

"I love you, Gajeel."

"I love you, too, Levy."

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><p>Erza leaned against the bar, looking on with a gentle smile as the couple celebrated their new engagement. She heard a sigh from behind her and glanced over her shoulder at MiraJane, who had propped her chin on both hands as she leaned on the counter, a sappy smile plastered on her face.<p>

"Aren't they just the _cutest_?" she sighed, looking to Erza for her input. Erza smiled and nodded.

"They really are pretty cute. I'm impressed with Gajeel for actually coming up with a romantic way to ask her, actually. I wasn't sure he had it in him," she agreed. Mira flashed her a grin.

"Oh, I think he's a lot more caring than you'd think at first glance," she commented, her grin turning sly. "However, he _did _have a little help from a couple of experts in romance." Erza rolled her eyes.

"I should've known you were involved," she laughed. "And I'm assuming Lucy helped with the planning too?" Mira nodded, glancing over at Lucy, who was cuddling into Laxus' shoulder across the room.

"She did. Gajeel gave us his ideas, and we told him which ones were the best and how he could improve them, and eventually we figured out the best plan of action. Getting all those rose petals sure was a pain, though," she commented, rolling her eyes. Erza laughed appreciatively, then stood up straight and stretched.

"Well Mira, I think I'm going to head home," the red-head commented. MiraJane smiled gently at her friend. She'd learned in the past few years that Erza always left the Valentine's Day party early, and that she never brought a date. While Mira wondered why, she figured that it was best to leave the topic alone. She felt comfortable playing matchmaker for most of her guildmates, but she always felt there was probably a reason Erza never had a date with her, and she didn't want to open any old wounds. So instead, she wished Erza well as the woman wandered out of the guild into the night, swiping a piece of cake as she passed the dessert table. Mira shook her head. Some things never changed.

Erza shoved her hands into her coat pockets more firmly as she walked home, a chilly breeze whipping her hair around. She knew she should probably stay at the party longer and celebrate with her friends, but she'd come to expect a very important package on the night of Valentine's Day, and she wanted to get to it as soon as she could. She sprang up the steps to her house, scanning the porch for any sign of her package. Oddly enough, the space was bare, save for the porch swing that was swaying in the breeze. Erza's heart fell as she rummaged for her keys, unlocking the door and stepping inside.

Immediately, she went to her bedroom, pulling out a small box hidden under her bedframe. She carried this back to her living room, plopping down on the couch and opening it up. Dozens of pieces of paper filled the container- scraps of newspaper, flyers for stores in far-away towns, and - Erza's favorite - one wanted poster with Natsu's face plastered on it, calling him a "scoundrel that must be caught at all costs". On the back of each paper was a note, always written in a sharp, jagged scrawl that Erza had come to love seeing. As she pulled one of her favorite notes out of the box, someone knocked on her door, startling her. With a sigh, she put back the note and replaced the lid, carefully setting the box on a side table before getting up to get the door. She opened it to find a man standing on her porch, a small package wrapped in brown paper and tied with twine in his hands. Erza's eyes flicked immediately to the tattoo she could just barely make out around his eye, difficult to see in the dark and partially covered by the dark blue hair that fell across his forehead.

"Jellal..." she breathed, almost afraid to say it out loud in case it was all a dream and she might wake herself up if she spoke too loudly. The man cast her a shy smile.

"Surprised to see me?" he asked, searching her face earnestly. A smile began to form on Erza's lips.

"Well yes, but..." Her smile faded. "Aren't you still on the run? Isn't it dangerous to be here?"

Jellal's smile turned sad as he nodded towards the house, silently indicating that they should move their conversation inside. Erza stepped aside, allowing him to enter and shutting the door behind him.

"I am still on the run, it's true, and I can't stay here for very long. But I was near Magnolia, and... I just had to come see you, no matter the cost," he explained, looking down at his hands. He laughed a little, giving a small shrug and holding out the package to her. "At least I didn't have to try to find a messenger boy who would deliver a package for me without knowing my name. Distrustful little things, messenger boys are."

Erza took the package and set it next to her other box on the table. She turned to speak to Jellal again, only to find he'd followed her to the table and was picking up the box of notes, his brow furrowed.

"Have you... gotten a present from someone else as well?" he asked, looking at it sadly. Erza blushed.

"What? Oh, no, that's not..." she trailed off as he lifted the lid and glanced inside, seeing the notes. Curious, he pulled one out, scanning its contents.

"These... These are from me," he commented, pulling out another note and reading it as well, then simply sifting through the rest of the papers. Erza could feel her blush darkening.

"Well... yes," she mumbled. A small smile tugged at Jellal's lips.

"You kept them," he sighed, putting the papers back in the box and turning to Erza. She looked away, embarrassed.

"They were all I had of you," she replied simply. She let out a small gasp as Jellal's arms wrapped around her, pulling her into a close hug. After a moment, she returned it, listening to the beating of their hearts as they stood in silence for a long moment.

"Well," Jellal finally spoke, his voice soft and thick with emotion, "For now, at least, you have all of me." Erza nodded silently, holding him close. The silence returned again, until Jellal turned to whisper into her hair.

"I love you Erza. So, so much..."

The woman sighed, leaning against him and letting a small, sad smile grace her lips. Maybe it wouldn't be forever, but at least for tonight, Jellal was here, and finally she could give him the reply she was so used to whispering into a dark, empty bedroom.

"I love you too, Jellal."

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><p><strong>Thank you so much for reading! Please, please, <em>please <em>review- your feedback is what keeps me writing! I will try to get to some of the other suggestions soon!**


	11. Sorry, Wrong Number

**Hey everyone! I'm finally finished with finals and ready to get back in the swing of summer! While I do have a scientific illustration project to work on, for the most part I'll just be working my normal job and will have time in the evenings, so hopefully this means more stories for you! In any case, I've decided to finally try out an idea I've been toying with for awhile- my very first AU! And because I just love them, of course it's got to be Gajevy! Don't forget to leave a review!**

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><p>"You <em>are<em> going to call him, right?" Lucy's chocolate-colored eyes pierce into me from across the cafe table. I slump back in my chair, nervously fiddling with the crumpled receipt in my hands. The front is uninteresting, listing common grocery store items- a carton of milk, a dozen eggs, usual things. What has me so worked up is the back, where a phone number is scrawled in black marker. Lucy correctly takes my silence for a negative reply, and her eyebrows knit together in frustration. "C'mon, Lev, you've got to do this. You've had a crush on this Derek guy since all the way back in high school, and now you finally have his number. Now you're telling me you're not gonna call him?!"

I sigh, dropping the receipt into my lap and slapping my hand to my forehead. "I don't know! I mean, he totally ignored me in high school, why the heck would he pay any attention to me now?" Lucy shrugs, unfamiliar with my predicament. Lucy is, to put it bluntly, a show-stopping blonde bombshell. Derek, along with pretty much every other boy at Magnolia High, had clamored for Lucy's attention. And in standard Lucy style she had shirked them all for Natsu, a rough-and-tumble sort of guy who, in my opinion, got way too competitive over dodgeball but was otherwise a pretty kind and was surprisingly quite a gentleman.

Generally speaking, Lucy's adoring crowd did not extend that attention to me, Lucy's slightly awkward, bookish best friend. Since we'd graduated and gone on to college at Fairy Tail University, I'd started going out a bit more and meeting new people, but I still hadn't found anyone who I'd wanted to date. At least, not until Derek sidled up to me at the party last night, told me he always thought I was adorable, slipped me the piece of paper and was gone again without another word. Derek has that dream-boy persona, with bright blue eyes and wavy blonde hair that looked like sunshine. I'd always imagined him as one of those gentlemanly characters from the romance novels I loved so much.

Lucy snaps her fingers in front of my face, bringing me back to the present from my daydreaming. I just blink at her, still collecting my thoughts. In a huff, Lucy grabs both my cell phone and the number and types it in while I desperately try to snatch at least one of them back. Finally she gives the phone back to me, already on the second ring. I swipe the phone from her fingers and hold it to my ear, trying to quell my shaking. Lucy sits back down, barely hiding her amusement. A voice on the phone answers.

"Hello?" His voice is gruff and sounds somewhat annoyed, as if I'm bothering him in the middle of something. I wonder for a split second why Derek's voice sounds so deep, but go on anyway before my sparse courage fails me.

"Hi Derek this is Levy McGarden from the party last night well actually from high school but you probably knew that and anyway since you gave me your number I thought maybe it'd be alright if I asked you to come get coffee with me some time next week?" The words spill out from my lips in a rush, a rough version of the script Lucy and I had put together when I first told her about the phone number. Lucy shakes her head in mock disappointment at my nervousness, laughing softly to herself. I hold my breath, waiting for his answer.

"Er, look, I think this Derek guy gave ya the wrong number, kid. My name's Gajeel Redfox, ain't even close to being Derek. Sorry ter tell ya that, but I think you've been played." His voice softens, as if he feels sorry for me. Which doesn't make me feel any better.

Hot rage pools in my belly and tears begin to sting at my eyes. I should've known this was all a dirty trick. Some of the guys in high school had pulled things like this before on other girls, but I'd thought Derek better than that. Apparently I'd thought wrong. I grit my teeth, trying to maintain my composure until I can get off the phone.

"Oh, I see. I'm sorry to have bothered you, I'll just hang up-"

"Hey, wait now, you said yer name was Levy McGarden? Is this the same blue-haired Levy McGarden that's in Dr. Scarlet's Children's Literature class at Fairy Tail University?"

My eyes widen in shock. How could this man know who I was? Did I know anyone by his name? Children's Lit was a pretty small class, and thinking back I remember that the first day we all had to introduce ourselves to the others and tell them why we chose to take the course. Sitting in the back corner had been a man who'd tersely introduced himself as Gajeel Redfox and informed us all that the only reason he was there was because it filled a literature credit he needed for his degree. He'd been tall and muscular, with a mess of jet black hair that fell far past his shoulders and metal studs all over his face and arms. I also remembered telling Lucy about him, and telling her that he was definitely someone I wouldn't want to cross.

"Um, yes? How did you remember me?" Lucy shoots me a questioning glance and tenses when she hears my wavering tone, but I just shake my head at her, hoping she'd wait until I was done to ask questions.

"Gihihi, yer pretty memorable, shrimp. Always acting out the parts a little in yer seat when we've gotta read out loud. It's kinda cute," he laughs. The rage is gone from my stomach, but the heat is now creeping up my cheeks in the form of a blush. Lucy seems pleased by this development and once again settles comfortably in her seat. Gajeel continues, "And obviously you remember that I'm in that class too?"

"Well yes, you're pretty easy to remember yourself," I reply, because it's true- his was a face one could remember. He laughs again.

"Gihihi, so I've heard. Anyway, it sounds like ya were lookin' forward to havin' some coffee next week, so how's about I take ya? Tuesday at 5 work for ya?" He sounds very sincere. I blink in surprise. Go out to coffee with Gajeel? He's the exact opposite of Derek... But then again, with how Derek had treated me maybe his exact opposite was really what I should be looking for.

"Um, yeah, Tuesday works for me," I answer, while Lucy shoots me a delighted smile, believing that I've scored a date with my long-time crush.

"Great, meet ya at the campus cafe at 5 on Tuesday. It's a date!" he says, and the line goes dead. My jaw drops slightly as I take my seat again, trying to process everything that just happened. Lucy leans excitedly over the table, her hands clasped in front of her face.

"You got your date with Derek?!" she half-asks, half-exclaims, looking like a child at Christmas. I shake my head no, watching confusion spread over her face slowly.

"No, not with Derek. But I do have a date with Gajeel Redfox," I explain. For a moment, her confusion deepens, then shifts to disbelief.

"You mean that scary guy from your lit class?! The one with the dark hair and red eyes and piercings?" She stammers, as if she can't believe what she's hearing. I nod, a small smile creeping onto my face.

"That's the guy." I say, my smile growing even more. "And you know, even though I didn't get a date with Derek... I think this may be even better."

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading my first ever AU! PLEASE review! I love hearing from you, it keeps me writing! And as always, happy reading!<strong>


	12. Show a Little Bite!

**Hello again everyone! It's been a while, hasn't it? Here's a new pairing for you, suggested by Cowron. As always, please leave a review when you're finished reading! I love to hear your feedback! So without further ado, here's Show a Little Bite, a WendyxRomeo fanfic!**

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><p>It was a beautiful summer day at the Fairy Tail guild. The sun was shining in a cloudless sky, a soft breeze bringing the gentle scent of flowers from the nearby rose garden to the nose of a young dragon slayer sitting on a bench outside. Despite the sunny skies, her eyes contained a storm of frustration as she slumped back and stared up into the endless blue. She was deep enough in thought that even with her enhanced sense of hearing, she didn't notice someone approaching her until they spoke.<p>

"Is something wrong, Wendy?" the newcomer asked, seating himself beside her on the bench. The girl's eyes flicked over to meet his blue ones.

"Oh, hi Romeo," Wendy sighed, straightening up again. "I'm okay, just..."

"Just what?" Romeo prodded, leaning in, his eyes wide. Wendy rubbed her temples in frustration.

"Do you ever feel like you don't get much respect because you're young?" she asked, looking down at her lap. "Because sometimes I feel like no one could ever take me seriously. I mean... Well, just look at me!" Romeo blinked in surprise.

"What about it?" he asked, looking the girl up and down. Wendy's cheeks darkened.

"Well, I'm just so... Just so... Small, and timid..." she trailed off, her hands clasped in her lap. "I want to be more strong and commanding, like Natsu or Gajeel. But I'm just... me."

Romeo nudged her shoulder, giving the girl a half-smile. "Well hey, there's nothing wrong with being you, huh?" he said. When Wendy didn't reply, he leaped from the seat to stand before her. "Besides, you're a dragon slayer! They're the toughest of the tough! There's no one who could be stronger than you!" He proclaimed, punching the air for effect. Wendy cast him a doubtful look.

"My magic is much better suited for healing, it's not really all that tough..."

Romeo huffed, blowing a lock of hair from his face. "Yeah, well, what's so bad about that? We fighters need someone to patch us up when we're hurt; otherwise we wouldn't be able to fight more!" Wendy's hands clenched into fists on her lap.

"Well I wanna be a fighter too! I'm tired of running away and always crying! I want to fight along with everyone else!"

Romeo could see the streak of a tear running down the girl's chin, and for a moment could not think of what to say. Then, he nudged Wendy again, giving her a wicked grin. "Well the way I see it, if you wanna be a fighter then you've gotta show a little bite!" Wendy shook her head.

"I don't know how..." she sighed, slumping back in her seat.

With the grin still on his face, Romeo reached over and tugged on one of the girl's ponytails. Wendy snapped her head up, fixing him with a withering glare.

"What do you think you're doing?" she grumbled, swatting his hand away. Romeo simply continued to grin, tugging her ponytail again. She gritted her teeth in annoyance, pulling her hair away from him. "Hey, stop it!" she cried, glaring even harder. The boy reached out for her ponytail once more.

Quick as a flash, Wendy grabbed his outstretched arm and pulled him towards her, flipping him easily over her shoulder with her enhanced dragon slayer strength. "I said stop it!" she growled as the boy tumbled over the bench.

Romeo landed with a thud and a groan. Wendy's eyes widened as she hurried around the bench, checking the boy over worriedly. "Oh, I'm sorry Romeo, I didn't mean to pull you that hard..." she apologized, feeling his arm to make sure it wasn't broken. Romeo's face was down in the grass, and she could hear him making a muffled coughing noise. "Are you okay?" she asked, pushing him over onto his back gently. As she turned him, she could hear that he wasn't coughing, but laughing! Color immediately rose in her cheeks as she pulled away from him.

Romeo sat up, his laughter getting louder as he wiped dirt off his cheek. "Well, see? You've got a little bite in you after all! Someone's just gotta get it out!" Wendy's blush grew darker and she turned away from him, standing and brushing imaginary wrinkles from her dress. Romeo's grin resumed its wicked nature. "Ya know, there's something kind of attractive about having a lady toss you so easily over her shoulder," he teased. Wendy shot him a glare, which just made him laugh. "I'm kidding, kidding! Gosh! But really though, you're not a weakling, obviously. So don't worry about it, okay?"

Wendy's glare softened as she looked him over. Before she could change her mind, she leaned over and gave Romeo a soft peck on the cheek. Now it was his turn to turn red. "I still think I've got some work to do... But thanks for the help, Romeo," she said softly, then turned and strode into the guild, a bit of new pride in the way she held her shoulders. Romeo touched his cheek lightly where she'd kissed him as he watched her walk away, and let out a groan as he thought about how sore his shoulder was now.

_Between the way she can throw me and the way she makes my head spin... That girl just may be the death of me._

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading! Don't forget to write a review! And as always, happy reading<strong>!


	13. Beneath the Lamppost on Third Street

**While in the middle of the previous chapter, I got the inspiration for another Gajevy AU! As always, please leave a review after reading! Thank you!**

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><p>I first met her beneath the lamppost on Third Street, a few feet away from the bus stop. Even though summer had only just ended, the rain that trickled down my neck into the back of my shirt was cold. My roommate Juvia had warned me that it was going to rain that day, but I'd been adamant that I'd checked the weather forecast and there was only a thirty percent chance of rain, so I didn't need an umbrella. I cursed myself for not listening to her as the cold rain plastered my hair to the back of my head.<p>

"Hey, are you cold?" I heard a soft voice say from behind me. I turned to see a short, blue-haired girl, a yellow raincoat cinched tightly around her and clad in bright red rain boots that perfectly matched her large umbrella."Do you want to share my umbrella? I'm waiting for bus four, so I'll be here for a while," she offered. I nodded and the girl moved closer, holding her umbrella up so it could go above my head. Or at least she tried to; she was a bit too short, so I took the umbrella and held it myself. She seemed content with the arrangement.

"This umbrella's pretty big for a little person like you," I commented, thinking that the diameter of the thing couldn't be much smaller than the girl was tall. She gave a tinkling laugh, the kind you would imagine a fairy might have.

"Oh, well, I don't like getting wet very much," she replied, motioning to her raincoat and boots. I laughed and nodded. "My name's Levy," she continued, looping her thumbs through the straps on her backpack. "I go to school at Magnolia University. Do you go there?"

I nodded. "Name's Gajeel. And yeah, I'm a sophomore here," I replied. She beamed at me.

"Really? I just started this fall, but I really like it here! I bet you can't guess my major!" she teased. I looked her over carefully.

"Hmm, I'm thinking maybe literature, or playwriting?" I guessed. Her cheeks puffed out in indignation.

"Hey, how'd you get it right? I'm double-majoring in both!" she huffed, her arms crossing her chest. Her hazel eyes scanned my face. "Well I suppose now I have to guess your major, huh?" She thought about it for a second, then held up a finger. "I know! You're definitely a music major!" she declared. I laughed and shook my head.

"Not even close; I'm studying history. I mean, I'm learning how to play guitar, but I've been told I'm pretty bad at it," I corrected her. She simply laughed good-naturedly.

"Well, I suppose I can't always be right! What do you want to do with your degree? I'm not sure what I'm going to do, but I really want to write scripts for movies some day!" she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

I smirked at her, shrugging my shoulders. "I'm hoping to do research on different country's mythology. I've a particular interest in dragon mythology, personally, but I want to study all of it. Maybe write a book or something about it if I feel like it." The girl positively beamed at me.

"You like to write too? That's wonderful! We should meet up and write together sometime!" she suggested, a blinding smile plastered on her face. She bounced on the balls of her feet, grinning up at me like that, and I felt an odd sort of twang in my chest.

"Er, yeah, sure," I replied awkwardly, the feeling in my chest making me uncomfortable. "If you're comfortable with that, I mean."

"Of course!" she giggled. "I live in Lotus Hall; there's a big commons area in the basement, we could meet there!"

"I'm in Lotus, too. Second floor," was my reply. She clapped her hands happily.

"I'm on third floor! Small world, huh? Oh, I like your piercings, by the way. Very tough-looking!" she chimed, pointing to the metal studs lining my brow. My hand lifted to touch them self-consciously.

"Really? I've been told they make me look scary," I mentioned. It was true; most of the girls at high school had steered clear of me because of them. Levy just shook her head.

"Nope, they just look super tough and cool!" Her grin was contagious, and I could feel the corner of my mouth twitching upwards. Luckily, I was saved from doing something embarrassing by my bus pulling up.

"Oh hey, this is mine," I told her, handing back her umbrella. "You're not going back to your dorm?" She shook her head, laughing.

"I'm going to the library! Oh, wait, here..." she pulled a notepad and pen out of her backpack and scribbled something on a page, then tore it out and handed it to me. The name Levy McGarden and a phone number were scrawled across the paper. My eyebrow quirked up in surprise. She smiled that cheerful grin at me again.

"Call me whenever you want to get together and write!" she called to my back as I boarded the bus, wondering why that feeling in my chest wouldn't go away. I glanced back down at the paper, and my mouth twitched back into a smile. Levy McGarden... What an interesting girl.

I called Levy the next day, against my better judgement. I was worried that maybe she would think it too forward, but there was just something about her that drew me in. She, of course, was ecstatic to hear from me again, and demanded that I meet her in the basement commons of Lotus Hall to do some writing- she was working on a script for a historical skit and wanted to know my opinion on some of her incorporation of Chinese mythology.

Our writing meetings quickly began a biweekly tradition. Every Tuesday and Thursday evening found us, without fail, in the Lotus Hall commons, surrounded by scribbled-on pages and research materials for our various projects. Sometimes I would bring my guitar and play for Levy, which she always told me was wonderful but I still think she was just humoring me. After the year was over and we both moved out of the dorms, we began to meet at each other's apartments, but we never stopped our meetings. After my graduation, I began my masters degree program and cheered on Levy as she began her senior design project. She told me she was planning on submitting her final script to a competition for a scholarship to a prestigious graduate arts college in Pagoda City, about twelve hours from Magnolia. I tried to fight off a pang of sadness in my heart as I told her I hoped she won. She definitely deserved to; her scripts were amazing, and if anyone should get that scholarship, it should be her.

A week before her graduation, I opened the door to my apartment and found Levy standing on my doorstep, a delighted grin on her face and an official-looking envelope in her hands. The second the door was wide enough, she tackled me in a hug, nearly knocking me over.

"I got it, Gajeel! I got it, I got it!" she cried happily, releasing me to bounce up and down in excitement. I smirked and ruffled her hair, trying not to let my sinking heart show in my actions.

"Calm down, shrimp. What'd ya get, exactly?" I asked, though I knew full well what it was. Her cheeks puffed in indignation and she swatted at me with her envelope.

"Don't call me shrimp, you meanie! And I got the scholarship! To the Pagoda Academy for the Arts! I'm gonna be a famous playwright!" she cheered, hugging me again. I awkwardly wrapped my arms around her, my heart sinking even further.

"Congratulations, shrimp," I told her, ruffling her hair again as I pulled away. "You really deserve it. When do you leave?" She beamed at me.

"Two weeks after graduation! Isn't it so exciting?! I'll miss you, of course... We'll have to write each other letters! That'll be fun; I almost never get snail mail anymore!" she chirped. I thanked my lucky stars that I never displayed my emotions much; as much as I was going to miss her, I didn't want to ruin this moment for her.

"It's pretty amazing. How about I take you out to dinner to celebrate?" I suggested. She happily acquiesced.

The next three weeks passed much too quickly. We celebrated Levy's graduation, then I helped her pack up her things for her move. Before I knew it, she was boarding the plane to Pagoda City, and I was left on the ground, watching her fly away.

For the first few months, we exchanged letters every week. She told me about all the projects she was working on, and I told her about my progress on my masters thesis. About five months in, she told me about Kael, a "really nice guy" from one of her classes that she was working on a group project with. He was going to take her on a date next week, she said. A few weeks later, Kael was all she could talk about, and though I tried to keep my bitterness out of my reply, apparently Levy picked up on some of it, because the next reply was a week late. The letters dwindled, until I was lucky if I got one once a month.

The months passed. I graduated with my masters and began teaching ancient history and mythology at a nearby community college. Levy broke up with Kael, which I tried not to act too happy about, and often sent me drafts of the scripts she was working on. She told me one of her scripts had been officially published, a romance, and that an acting troupe travelling through Fiore was going to be doing a performance of it in Magnolia on Christmas Eve. If I didn't have any plans, she said, she would send me a ticket to it, free of charge. I told her I didn't have any plans, and the ticket came with the next letter.

I stood beneath the lamppost on Third Street, hands shoved in my pockets, waiting for the bus. Juvia had told me to bring a scarf, but I'd refused, telling her that it wasn't that cold; I wouldn't need it. I flipped my collar up, trying to fight off the cold that was seeping into my coat. Snow fell softly around me. It was oddly peaceful, watching the flakes fall, illuminated only by the lamplight. A bus pulled up to the stop, but it wasn't mine. Bus two only went to and from the airport; I needed bus seven to take me to the theater. A few people clamored off the bus and bustled off into the night, leaving just me and a slight young woman standing in the snow. We stood there silently next to each other for a few moments before the woman spoke.

"Hey, are you cold?" she asked. I turned to her, my heart catching in my throat at the sound of her voice. Hazel eyes stared up at me, wavy blue hair surrounding an angelic face I hadn't seen in far too long. "I have a scarf here; I brought it as a Christmas present for my friend, but you can have it if you need it."

"L-levy?" I stuttered, far too surprised to keep my usual cool. She smiled happily at me.

"Surprise, Gajeel," she said softly, extending a brightly wrapped package to me. I unwrapped it to find a hand-knitted scarf. I wrapped it around my neck, a lump forming in my throat.

"But Levy... What are you doing here?" I asked, still shocked. She laughed.

"I'm here to surprise you, silly!" she giggled, twirling around. Then she frowned. "Well, technically I'd meant to surprise you at the theater but my plane landed early... but here is as good as anywhere!"

It was my turn to chuckle. "Well, I'm certainly surprised... But I didn't get you anything?" Levy just beamed at me.

"That's alright, you didn't know I was coming! Oh, and look, I have a ticket for the show, right next to you!" she exclaimed, showing me her play ticket. It was indeed in the seat next to mine. I smirked at her.

"Well, I guess I can tell you the surprise I'd been going to put in my next letter, then," I told her. Her eyes sparkled up at me as she began to bounce on the balls of her feet.

"Oh, a surprise? I love surprises! Tell me!" she squealed. I mock-frown, crossing my arms.

"Hmm, I don't know... Maybe I should wait..." Her cheeks puffed in indigence.

"Gajeel, you meanie! I gave you your surprise early! You can't just tell me about a surprise and then not tell me what it is!" she whined, giving me a hurt puppy-dog look. I sighed. There was no way I could resist that.

"Fine, shrimp, if ya gotta know _right now_. I received word two nights ago that I've been offered a position as a history professor at Pagoda University. I start in January."

Levy tackled me in a hug, knocking me to the ground. "You're moving to _Pagoda City?!_" she squealed, letting me get back to my feet. "This means we can see each other all the time again!" I nodded.

"Yeah, that's what I was hoping for when I applied for the job," I admitted, looking down at my boots. I saw Levy blush out of the corner of my eye.

"Oh... Well... I'm really happy, Gajeel. I've missed you a lot," she said softly, stepping in and giving me another hug, this one much softer. I wrapped my arms around her, holding her tight.

"I've missed you too, shrimp," I replied, my voice uncommonly deep with emotion.

"Gajeel..."

One hand moved from Levy's back to cup her neck, my fingers gliding through hair that was silkier than I'd ever imagined. She turned her face up as I pressed my lips to hers, holding her tightly. I felt her melt against me, her arms moving up around my neck, fingers tangling in my hair. Time seemed to stop. I'm not sure how long we stood there before the bus pulled up and we separated, cheeks flushed and both smiling slightly embarrassed grins. Levy slipped her hand into mine as we boarded the bus together, and I grinned down at her.

The knit scarf was still around my neck, and I felt the warm wool thoughtful, thinking about what Levy had asked me when she'd shown up. Was I cold? Well, I _had_ been cold when she'd gotten there, but I wasn't now.

In fact, my heart had never felt warmer than that night, when I kissed the love of my life beneath the lamppost on Third Street.

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><p><strong>I know this one was a little longer than usual, but I hoped you enjoyed it! Please, <em>please <em>review! I thrive on your feedback! Happy reading!**


	14. Mistletoe Mischief

**Hello again everybody! Since I didn't have time to ask you all for your vote for the Christmas Special pairings, I've chosen some of the most popular pairings so far! As always, please leave a review after reading! I welcome all criticism!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or its characters**

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><p>The guild was abuzz with activity as Fairy Tail began preparing for the Christmas party later that night. Happy and Carla were hanging garlands from the rafters, Levy and Lucy were making hot cocoa, and Gray and Natsu were arguing over who could decorate the tree better and breaking several glass ornaments in the process. One colored orb flew past Gray's shoulder and shattered against Erza's back, which of course ended up causing a guild-wide brawl.<p>

Covered by the cataphony of her fighting guildmates, MiraJane was able to slip unnoticed over to a low-hanging rafter to pin up a small green sprig, its white berries contrasting nicely with the dark green of the leaves and the cheerful red ribbon holding it up. "It isn't quite Christmas without some mistletoe," she said to herself as she returned to her place behind the bar and began restocking the egg nog for later. Her eyes twinkled with joy and mischief. "This ought to make things a little more interesting..."

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><p>The Christmas party was in full swing. Lucy wound her way through the crowd, drink-laden platter balanced on one hand as she searched for Cana. Somehow she'd let MiraJane talk her into helping serve drinks. The moment she had agreed, Mira shoved a Santa-girl costume in her hands and told her to change and be ready to go by 6. Since then Lucy's time at the party had been spent going back and forth between the bar and the floor, offering drinks to everyone but mostly getting all of her supply taken and consumed by Cana and Bacchus, whom the former had invited for a rematch to their drinking contest in Crocus. Still, Mira had promised her a break soon, and so Lucy smiled brighter as she finally found the inebriated pair and pushed her way toward them.<p>

Some time later, the celestial mage slumped down on a bench at the edge of the party, rather exhausted. While the heeled boots of her costume were adorable, they weren't exactly made for shoving through crowds for hours on end. Lucy's feet were killing her. With a sigh, she leaned back against the wall, her eyes sliding closed for a brief bit of rest.

"Nice costume you've got there."

Lucy closed her eyes tighter, not giving the speaker the satisfaction of disturbing her. She didn't need to look at him, anyway- she'd know that voice anywhere.

"Thanks Laxus. Did you come over just to give a fashion rating or do you actually need something?" she grumbled. Laxus just chuckled.

"I guess I'd be grumpy too if I had to wear those heels. I was just wondering if you were waiting for someone in particular," he replied. That made Lucy sit up, eyes open to give him an incredulous look.

"Someone in particular? Unless you mean the sand-man, I have no clue what you're talking about," she retorted, pressing a hand to her face in exasperation. Laxus raised an eyebrow at her.

"So you're just sitting here for... anybody?" he asked. Lucy could have sworn she heard a note of disappointment in his voice.

"What are you talking about? I'm not sitting here for anybody besides myself. I'm just tired, okay?" she moaned, thoroughly confused now. Laxus chuckled again, his eyes flicking up to a point above Lucy's head.

"Ah, so you just haven't noticed it yet, then," he said. Puzzled, Lucy looked up to find the sprig of mistletoe dangling above her head. An eyebrow raised in amusement, she turned back to Laxus.

"Mistletoe, huh? So that's why you came over here?" she smirked at him. Laxus looked away.

"...maybe," he admitted finally. A faint blush spread across his cheeks, barely noticeable. But Lucy saw it, and gave him a warm smile.

"Well, what are you waiting for then?" she teased gently. His eyes flicked back to her, and he returned her smile.

"You don't mind?"

"Not at all."

In moments strong arms were pulling Lucy up off her bench, enfolding her in warmth as surprisingly soft lips pressed against hers. Amazingly, the other party goers were all too caught up in their shenanigans to notice the pair, giving them a tiny bit of privacy. Lucy wasn't sure how long the kiss lasted, but she gasped for air as they broke apart, her lips tingling. Laxus looked embarrassed.

"Sorry, I, er... gave off a little static, I guess," he mumbled. Lucy smiled at him.

"I guess you could say that kiss was... electrifying?"

"That was a terrible pun."

"But not a terrible kiss."

Laxus regarded her warily. "Just not-terrible?"

Lucy pursed her lips in mock-thoughtfulness. "Hmm... Well, it might have actually been excellent but... I think I'd have to try it again to be sure," she teased. Laxus smirked at her.

"You can try it as many times as you want."

"Don't get ahead of yourself."

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><p>Lucy returned from her "break" in the hallway, Laxus emerging from the same hallway soon enough after for the few paying attention to have their suspicions, but those who did kept it to themselves. Lucy headed over to the bar to recollect her tray and start handing out drinks again.<p>

"Oi, bunny-girl! Bring one over here, would ya?" Gajeel called, waving her over. The dragonslayer stood in a corner, trying to talk to Juvia, who was practically sobbing buckets for... no apparent reason. Lucy made her way over, giving Juvia a concerned look as she handed the dragonslayer his drink.

"Is she alright?" Lucy asked, stepping around the puddle of tears forming around the water mage. Gajeel's brow furrowed.

"Yeah, she's a'right, just had too much ta drink, I guess. I can't get a word outta her about what caused it to begin with," he replied. He knocked back his drink, which sent Juvia even further into hysterics. Gajeel shook his head. "And now she's cryin' about just about everything. I really don't know what it's all about."

"Juvia, are you okay? What's wro- ah!"

Lucy turned at the sound of a new voice to watch Levy, who'd run over in concern after hearing the renewed bout of sobs, slip in the puddle around Juvia and come crashing down to the floor.

"Are you a'right, shrimp?" Lucy glanced at Gajeel in surprise at the amount of concern in his voice. Levy winced as she tried to get back up.

"I'm okay Gajeel, I think I just twisted my ankle a bit..." she replied, her tone light, but her face tensed in pain as she tried to put weight on the injured joint. Gajeel stepped forward and scooped the smaller woman up bridal-style, much to her dismay.

"Bunny-girl, you deal with Juvia. I'm gonna find some place for the shrimp to sit," he commanded. A sly grin flitted across Lucy's face.

"Why don't you take her to that bench over there? It's pretty out of the way from the party; she shouldn't get bumped over there," she suggested. Gajeel nodded.

"Good idea," he replied, already shoving his way through the crowd. Levy pushed against him.

"I-I can walk myself! I don't need you to carry me Gajeel!" she complained. Gajeel shook his head, laughing.

"Gihihi, you're so small I almost forgot I was carrying anything at all, shrimp," he chuckled. Levy's cheeks puffed in indignation.

"Stupid Gajeel! You're so mean!" she squealed, struggling more. Gajeel shook his head.

"Calm down, shrimp, I just don't want yer ankle to get more hurt going through this crowd, 'kay?" Levy calmed down at his words, a bright blush covering her cheeks. The two made it through the throng and Gajeel set the blunette down gently on the bench before sitting beside her and lifting her foot to examine her ankle, ignoring the woman's complaints.

"A'right, yer ankle looks like it'll be okay, just don't wander around much," Gajeel mumbled, still inspecting the injured joint. Levy rolled her eyes, trying to pull her foot away while holding down her skirt.

"Gajeel, put my foot down! You're pushing up my skir-!" Levy cut off as she noticed the small sprig hanging above her, clapping her free hand over her mouth. Her already-flushed face turned bright red. Gajeel followed her gaze and narrowed his red eyes at the plant.

"You okay, shorty? What's that thing?" he asked, cocking his head to the side.

"I-it's mistletoe..." Levy replied quietly, looking away in embarrassment. Gajeel's brow furrowed further.

"Why's it botherin' ya so much?"

"W-w-well, when two people meet under the mistletoe they're supposed to..." she trailed off, but Gajeel urged her on. Her cheeks flushed even brighter as she finished, "They're supposed to kiss..."

Now it was Gajeel's turn to blush as he turned away from the embarrassed script mage, unable to face her now. "Oh, uh, well... Ya don't have to kiss me, shorty, you didn't know it was here, and I set ya here so ya didn't really have a choice but ta be here..." he muttered, scratching the back of his neck sheepishly. Levy pulled her legs under her, kneeling beside him. Her whole face was flaming, but she managed to speak up in spite of it.

"Um, well, rules are rules, you know, so I think we should," she squeaked, looking at the floor as she spoke. Gajeel turned back enough to look at her out of the corner of his eye, still not daring to look her straight in the eye.

"You sure ya want ta do that, Levy?" he asked, his voice oddly rough with emotion. "I would understand if ya didn't want ta, ya know."

Levy shook her head, covering her face with her hands. "No, I- Are you really going to make me say it?" Gajeel turned now to face her fully, his ruby eyes staring into what felt like Levy's very soul.

"I just want ta make sure yer not makin' a decision yer gonna regret, Levy. I'll do it if ya want me to, but only if ya really want it. And not because of some stupid plant. Would ya want this if we weren't under this thing?"

Levy's heart felt like it had stopped. Still too embarrassed to speak, she nodded slowly, but Gajeel shook his head.

"Say it, Levy. I-" he cut off, glancing away from her to recollect himself before looking back with those soul-piercing eyes. His voice shook with emotion as he whispered, "I need you to say it out loud Levy."

Levy swallowed hard. If he could say that, then she could do it too. "Yes, Gajeel. I want... I want you to kiss me." Gajeel cleared his throat.

"Well then..." he said softly, pulling her gently to him. Impossibly soft lips pressed against Levy's and she could've sworn that the entire world melted away. Gajeel held her tenderly, like she was a fragile thing he was afraid of breaking, and she felt herself gripping his shoulders to pull him tighter to her.

"More..." she breathed as he pulled away. Gajeel was only too happy to oblige, with kiss after kiss that ached of desire where the first had filled Levy with warmth and tenderness. Both parties were breathless as they broke apart. Levy found herself in Gajeel's lap, although she wasn't sure when or how she'd gotten there. Gajeel ran a calloused thumb down her cheek, staring at her in a mixture of undisguised admiration and complete awe. Levy giggled nervously, not sure what to say.

"I never thought..." Gajeel mumbled, disbelief evident in his voice. When Levy looked at him in confusion, he cleared his throat and tried again. "I never thought you would... ever want that. I mean, I knew ya forgave me but I didn't think... I couldn't let myself believe that you'd ever want me ta..." Levy giggled again and pulled the dragonslayer into a hug. After a brief pause, he returned it, still holding her like she could break at any moment. The tiny woman pulled away just enough to look him in the eyes.

"But I do, Gajeel. I have for a long time... I just didn't know how to tell you. And if you need me to prove that it has nothing to do with this mistletoe here, then I could show you that my reaction would be the same far away from it, too. If you want, of course," she told him, emboldened by the rush of the kiss. Gajeel's cheeks blazed, but he kept her gaze.

"I'd like that, shrimp. I really would."

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><p>The partying guild had largely missed Levy and Gajeel's moment on the bench, though Lucy smiled to herself from beside a now-quiet Juvia, and Erza and MiraJane exchanged knowing looks from their place at the bar. The pair giggled quietly as the dragonslayer scooped up his new-found prize and carried her out the guild hall doors.<p>

"Do you think that they'll even come back?" Erza laughed, sipping her glass of egg nog. Mira shrugged, a mischievous glint in her eye.

"I'm not sure... But I certainly hope so. I have a feeling things will only get more interesting as the night progresses," the white-haired mage replied. Erza narrowed her eyes at her friend suspiciously.

"What are you up to, Mira?" she challenged, but the other woman merely shook her head, smiling.

"You'll just have to find out."

Erza rolled her eyes, laughing softly. "Well, whatever you have planned, hopefully it's not any more devious than your little mistletoe prank. You've already caught two couples. I wouldn't be surprised if a few more find themselves beneath it."

Mira snickered. "I think that's exactly what Juvia intends to do," she commented, nodding towards the water mage, who had escaped from Lucy's care and was now attempting to drag a protesting Gray underneath the sprig. "But no, I wouldn't consider my other plans devious. In fact, I think you'll quite like one of them, Erza."

Erza's eyes flashed at Mira's teasing tone, but she knew she would get nothing more out of her friend, so she decided to write it off as Mira simply trying to get a rise out of her. With a shrug, she went back to sipping her egg nog and surveying the party.

The night carried on, a few more couples accidentally- or intentionally- ending up beneath Mira's mistletoe. Elfman and Evergreen were caught there by "accident", though Mira claimed she'd seen the two whispering to each other before meeting beneath it. Romeo and Wendy truly found themselves there by accident while chasing Happy in a game of tag, and they settled for a quick, but adorable, peck on the cheek. Bisca had playfully pulled Alzack beneath the plant, though he hadn't exactly opposed her, while Cana and Bacchus had been shoved beneath it by equally inebriated friends. Gajeel and Levy returned some time later, both looking a bit ruffled but positively glowing with happiness, their fingers entwined with one another's.

The party had nearly wound to an end. The dancing had slowed, the food was nearly gone, and most of the guild had settled comfortably around tables, sipping what was left of their drinks and talking. It was then that the door burst open, admitting a shadowy figure to saunter into the room, his collar pulled up against the wind outside. He pulled down his hood, revealing a blue tattoo around his eye. Erza, still sitting with Mira at the bar, gasped.

"Knows how to make a dramatic entrance, doesn't he?" Mira muttered to her friend, rolling her eyes. The man glanced around the room, catching Erza's eye before approaching her with quick strides. She stood as he approached, still partially in shock.

"Jellal! What are you doing here?" she asked, eyes wide. His gaze flickered over to Mira briefly before reaching for Erza's hands, which he held in both of his.

"MiraJane invited me. She promised it would be safe," he explained simply, pulling Erza with him as he backed up slowly. The red-haired mage was so dumbfounded that she barely registered that they were moving.

"But I don't understand, how did she even contact you?"

Jellal took a few more steps back, still pulling Erza with him. She followed without thinking. "I gave her a communication lacrima that she could use if the guild was ever in danger." Erza pulled her hands away, looking slightly hurt.

"You gave that... to Mira? But why... why wouldn't you have given it to me?" she asked, staring him down. Jellal took her hands again gently and began to move them backwards once more.

"I knew if you had it, I wouldn't be able to resist talking to you, maybe more than would be safe." Erza's cheeks burned at his words, but Jellal kept talking. "I've wanted to talk to you for so long. I've wanted to see you again. I never wanted to be parted from you. And, actually, that's what I'm here about right now." He stopped moving backwards at this, and Erza nearly ran into him. She shook her head, bewildered.

"That's what you're here about? I don't understand..."

"Erza, look up," Jellal prodded gently. Erza glanced up to find the mistletoe spring swaying slightly above her. When she looked back, Jellal was digging through one of his cloak pockets. He pulled something small out, but kept it covered with his hand. Around them, the entire guild stared, no one making a sound. "Erza, you know it's not safe for me to be around here right now. With the council still after me, I can't stay where people can find me for very long at any one point. But someday... I know someday this will be over, and I can stop running. And when that day comes, I want to be sure that I'll still be able to find you here. When that day comes, I don't want to ever be parted from you again." He knelt down on one knee, opening the box in his hand to reveal a silver ring, set with ruby stones. Erza's hands flew to her mouth, her eyes wide. "That's why, Erza Scarlet, I ask of you this: when this time comes and we no longer must be separated, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

Erza's head reeled and she staggered back a step. Jellal didn't move, waiting expectantly for her reply. Tears filled the woman's eyes as she stepped forward again, pulling Jellal up silently. She placed a hand on his cheek, staring into his eyes for a moment. Slowly, she nodded.

"Yes, Jellal Fernandes. In a heartbeat," she replied, pulling him to her in a deep, passionate kiss. The guild hall erupted in cheers and congratulations as the man wrapped his arms around her, kissing her back. He pulled away to place the ring on her finger, and Erza took a moment to admire it. Jellal used that moment to pull out of her arms.

"I'm sorry, Erza, but I've already stayed too long. I need to leave now. But I love you, so, so much. And I will be back. I'll be back for you. I promise." He pressed one final kiss to her forehead, and then with a swish of his cloak, he was gone. Erza pressed her hand to her chest, staring out the door where her fiance had disappeared, her eyes wide with disbelief. Sensing this was not exactly the time for congratulations, her guildmates quietly shuffled back to their places. Mira came over, placing a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder.

"I thought you would like seeing him again, Erza, but I didn't expect... that," she said quietly. Erza turned to face her.

"Thank you, Mira. This was the best Christmas present you could've gotten me," she murmured, still a bit in shock. Mira offered a sympathetic smile.

"He really does love you, Erza. And he'll be back."

Erza turned back again to look at the door, a sad smile gracing her lips. "I know he will be, Mira. And I'll be right here waiting for him.

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><p><strong>Hope you liked the Christmas Special! As always, please please <em>please <em>leave me a review! My next story will likely be a Gray/Juvia one, so please also leave some prompts for a story about the two of them, or any other characters you'd like to see written about! Merry Christmas, and happy reading!**


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Fairy Tail, Humor, Romance