Welcome to Paradise

Voices

"WE'RE OFF ON HOLIDAY!"
"Did I turn the oven off?"
"I hope the weather's going to be nice."
Such was the general buzz of Fairy Tail as they gathered in the guild hall before leaving for a fortnight break in Paradise, the greatest beach resort in Fiore if not Earthland. Levy McGarden stood alone, suitcase and rucksack on the floor, and observed her bustling guildmates. Everyone was choosing who they were going to sit with for the train ride there and standing in groups of two to ten. Levy wanted to go with Lucy Heartfilia, her best friend, but her group had too many people as it was; despite her tiny stature, it would have been physically impossible to fit Levy in the train carriage.
"We'll meet up on the train, Levy-chan." Lucy had promised.
Having decided to sit with Jet and Droy, Levy picked up her luggage and started walking over to them when she felt a hand fall upon her shoulder. She looked behind her to see Gajeel Redfox wearing his usual cocky grin.
Levy always found Gajeel confusing. Sure, she liked him as a friend but recently his crimson eyes seemed less threatening and his silver tongue seemed less sharp and even his stupid little laugh made her knees feel weak and set butterflies amok in her stomach. Usually, it was easy enough to ignore but recently these feelings had become more prominent.
Could it be love? Levy had thought on numerous occasions, only to remind herself that a) there were more important things in life and b) even if it was love, Gajeel Redfox would never fall for a weakling like herself. Levy's reverie was interrupted by a small "Gihi".
"Hey, Shrimp. You seem a little lonely." Gajeel said, laughing at his own joke.
Levy just sighed and muttered, "Stupid Gajeel." Before starting to walk away.
As Levy skulked off, Gajeel's face fell. Just before she left his reach, he grabbed hold of her wrist. Levy turned around and asked what the hell he wanted.
"As I was saying before you started sulking," Gajeel replied, "I was wondering if you wanted to sit with Lily and I on the train."
"Well actually, I was gonna sit with Jet and Droy."
"Then we'll come with you." Gajeel scowled, a glint of something in his vermilion eyes.
Jealousy? Levy wondered, No, that's stupid.
"So can we go with you?" Lily asked from below, "As much as we enjoy each other's company, we'd like to spend a bit of time with... others."
Every once of common sense in Levy's head was screaming "NO!"
Jet and Droy are going to be there, you know what they're like...
You know Gajeel gets motion sickness... this could be messy...
You know for a fact that this'll be five hours of height puns...
But one tiny voice in Levy McGarden's head whispered;
What if he likes you?
And it was that voice that made Levy say yes.