131A/N Hello~ This is my first GaLe story and Fairy Tail story but I had been meaning to write one but I wanted an original idea. I finally found one! I just love this pairing so much, but please, don't expect a lovey-dovey story. Sorry if the writing is a but rough, still not quite used to writing these characters plus an O.C. I hope you enjoy the first chapter! R&R, please no flames, but I never say no to constructive criticism.
It was a nice, calm day in the town of Magnolia…excluding the guild Fairy Tail of course. The guild had always been rambunctious, and today was no exception. Coming out of the guild, ducking absent-mindedly as a barstool was thrown out behind her, Levy McGarden walked toward Fairy Hills with a smile on her face despite her obvious fatigue.
"I love Jet and Droy, but sometimes they just get too clingy. This job should be a good break from that for a bit." She looked down at the paper and read aloud, "Unknown ancient text written on cave walls, translation needed, 150,000 Jewels." That really wasn't bad for just a simple translation job.
Now she just needed to go and pack her things together. She would definitely need her book on cave writings, maybe the one on different hieroglyphics, Oh! And the one abo- her train of thought stopped as she felt a presence looming over her. She knew the presence instantly, smiled and turned to face the man she currently had quite the crush on. "Hi Gajeel! Hi Lily!"
Gajeel grunted an acknowledgment while Panther Lily stepped forward, toward Levy. "Good afternoon, Levy, how has your day been?" Levy bent down to be more eye level with her favorite, tiny exceed.
"Hectic, but that's every day in Fairy Tail. I'm about to head out on a translating job" Gajeel, who had been only listening in since that point finally spoke up.
"The lost little puppies ain't comin' with you?" He raised a metal-studded eyebrow and Levy switched her focus to the tall man, standing up straight as she did so.
"Would you stop calling them that Gajeel? And no, they aren't. I'm kind of taking this mission to get away from them" Levy mumbled the last part hoping the Iron-Dragon Slayer wouldn't hear, but he did and chuckled.
"Gihihi, never. How can I stop callin' them that, when every time you leave them at the guild they start wailing your name at the heavens?" Levy puffed out her cheeks a bit in annoyance, which Gajeel found adorable. "Yeah, well, Good luck on your job Shorty." He ruffled Levy's hair then turned to walk into the guild; Lily following behind him.
"See you when you return!" Lily said as he waved back at Levy. Levy raised her hand in departure and fixed her ruffled hair as best as she could. She let out a long sigh; Would Gajeel ever see her as more than a head of hair to be ruffled? Levy's eyes traveled to a nearby clock on top of a post on the side of the street. Crap! She only had a half hour till her train departed and she wasn't even packed. She mentally cursed Gajeel as she ran off to Fairy Hills as fast as she could in order to make her train.
Meanwhile, back at the guild, Gajeel sat at the bar next to his exceed partner and suddenly shivered. Someone wasn't thinking nice things of him, but that wasn't very unusual to him. He drank from his mug and drowned out the noise of the current brawl at the guild. Shrimp was going on a mission alone? How did he feel about this? He had no say about what she did, but for some reason he kinda wished he did. It's only a translating job, she'll be fine and you'll see her again in a week or so; he reassured himself. Wait, did he have to reassure himself? Why was he being such a pansy? More question spread like wildfire throughout his mind.
Lily noticed Gajeel's confusion and just shook his head. He was bound to discover his feelings soon, and if not, then he'd step in.
Levy made it onto her train, breathless, with minutes to spare. She made her made to an empty cabin, tugging her book filled bags along, and plopped down on the bench on one side of her little cabin. After evening out her breathing Levy sat in her cabin, and listened to the silence. She closed her eyes and took advantage of this rare serenity until the train began it's slow lurch forward. Her train would get to the Clover Station in a couple of hours where she would have to walk to the cave in the remote wilderness. She decided to read up on some of the ancient cave texts so she took out a couple books and her gale-force reading glasses and began reading.
She read the entire train ride and managed to get through a four encyclopedia-sized books. Next came the most dreaded part of her journey, trekking through the wilderness. This is where Jet and Droy would've come in handy, but no, she was ready to do this completely on her own. Levy started her long walk from the station as soon as she had figured a way to carry her bags the easiest.
It had taken three and a half hours, but Levy finally managed to make her way to the cave with the help of the map that came with the job request. She had to go through undergrowth, mud, around some quicksand, avoid snakes, bears, and even mountain lions, but she did make it and that was all that mattered.
Standing in front of the cave was a man of his mid-forties with thick-framed glasses with his nose glued to a book in hand. "E-excuse me?" Levy's voice was uncertain yet loud enough for someone to hear. The man looked up from the book at her, smiled, and snapped it shut with the hand he was holding it with.
"Ah. You must be Ms. McGarden. It is a pleasure to meet you. My name is Damian. Dr. Damian Jennings" He tucked the book under his arm and extended the other in a handshake. Levy returned the handshake and finally dropped her bags.
"Nice to meet you, Dr. Jennings; you can just call me Levy." She smiled and examined the man in front of her. He seemed nice enough, but either way she had already taken the job. No turning back now.
"Alright, Levy. I have been trying to translate these runes for a couple weeks now but nothing. I don't even have a clue as to what they connect with or what they reference" Dr. Jennings had faced the cave, let out a sigh, and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Well that's what I'm here for: a new set of eyes to look at this text. With both of our heads put together I know we can decipher this!" Levy pumped her fist enthusiastically, trying to be as encouraging as she could. Dr. Jennings nodded and faced Levy again.
"Hopefully so. Well, you have had a long journey so I hope you'll rest up before we begin. I'll need that extra set of eyes nice and refreshed for tomorrow." Dr. Jennings picked up one of Levy's bag (one filled to the brim with books) and took it into the cave despite her demands that she carry it herself.
She carried the rest of her bags into the cave and felt the wall of the cave. This would be a good get-away from her usually hectic life, plus she'd be spending it doing something she loved and would get paid a nice sum of jewels. If only it had stayed that way.
Hope you enjoyed! There is more to come!