Remember Me? (A Gajevy Fanfic)

~*~1~*~

Levy Mcgarden awoke that morning with a start, gasping for air, as if it were her first time breathing.
Where am I?!
Her head was aching so bad, and she just couldn't seem to shake the pain from her head.
She looked down at the clean white sheets draped over her form, and at the sleep clothes she was wearing, and relaxed slightly. Then, she glanced around...seeing a bed at the other end of the room, the headboard pressed against the wall opposite of the one her own was on.
This isn't my room...
And on that bed...slept a very large looking man.
She froze, the tenseness in her body ever present.
Who is he, and why is he here?!
She squeaked as she watched the form rise slightly, the man raising his arms in a familiar stretching pose, and she actually got to see his face.
His skin was an olive color; making it clear he spent a lot of time outside. Each of his forearms sported 3 piercings each, as well as 2 on his nose, 3 over each eye, acting as 'eyebrows' as there were none in sight, 5 on each ear, and 2 on his chin. He also had long, jet black hair, that resembled a mane to her, as it stuck out in all directions from sleep. She bit her lip, taking him in.

Despite all the piercings and the rough look to him, she found him to be a rather attractive man.
Her heart nearly stopped as he looked at her, and smiled slightly.
"Hey shrimp," he muttered groggily, lifting himself from his bed and approaching Levy's own, "how you feelin?"
She noted that his accent was quite rough, matching that of his stature, but she couldn't exactly place it anywhere. And did he just call her shrimp?
She couldn't help puffing out her cheeks at him;(as it was an old habit of hers,) or the fact that they stained a very slight pink.
"Who are you?" She asked him, taking in his full form.,
His slight, sleepy smile faltered slightly, slowly turning into a frown.
"I'm Gajeel Redfox," he replied, as if it where common knowledge. "Remember me?"
The words he uttered sounded slightly strained, as if it hurt to say them; as if he already knew the answer to his own question.
"No, I'm sorry. Am I supposed to?"
He sighed and sat at the edge of her bed.
"Doesnt matter...you know me now." He smiled again, but it was very weak and it seemed like it was killing him to even pull his lips up slightly.
"Guess so...I'm Levy Mcgarden, by the way."
She stuck out her hand in hopes of him shaking it, and possibly becoming friends with the man, (because, she had to face it, she didn't want to be on his bad side anytime soon.) But what he did instead shocked her.
He took her hand in his, leaned down... and kissed it.
"The pleasure of meeting you is all mine, Ms. Levy. But I must have you know, we've met before."
This would be the 218th time, actually...
He noticed the small blush that crept on her face, and just couldn't contain the smirk making its own way across his own face.

He stood and stretched once more, before walking out the room, a small, black cat never to far from his ankles.
"Want anything for breakfast, Shrimp?" She stood, wrapping the blanket which she had awoken with around her.
"Yes please...if it isn't too much trouble for you..."
"Oh trust me. It's not."
She walked into the kitchen slowly, taking the time to absorb the image of the place in her mind; not wanting to miss any details, trying to remember this place from somewhere.
But...She just couldn't. None of it was familiar to her.
"Uh, excuse me, Gajeel?"
He hummed in response, not even turning towards her as he collected the utensils and ingredients he needed to create the masterpiece that was his and Levy's breakfast.
"Why am I here, living with you? I don't even know you, hardly at all. Even though, you said we've met before..." She uttered the last part quietly, in thought, partially to herself, partially to him, hoping for an explanation.
"We live here together in this apartment because neither of us can afford it alone, and of course, you know your parents are gone, and so are mine..so...this is our way of survival, in way."
And because...i have to protect you, Levy...
he said it as if he had already repeated it many times before, sighing slightly.
"But...why you and me?"
He looked down from what he was doing on the counter, and turned to face her. "Because, Levy, believe it or not, I'm your best friend. I know you may not remember me, but trust me...I am." And I have to protect you, because...I can't let you suffer ever again; especially when the incident happened...I could have been there to help...
She could sense the fondness in his voice when he spoke to her, could see it in his eyes when he snatched at glance at her..and could tell...the man wasn't lying..But there was something else there. Hurt. She thought.
"But why don't I remember you?" She whispered quietly, looking down at the granite table she sat at, tracing its intricate linework.
He turned away from her, continuing his work in the kitchen. "Cause...you um..hit your head. It's just amnesia. It'll go away..."
Stop feeding her lies, Gajeel. Man up for once, and tell her the truth. The truth hurts...you can't protect her from everything...even if you want to...
She looked back down at the table and sighed, trusting the man fully, but sensing that there was more to the story than what he was willing to offer her about it. But, she didn't want to push the man. "Okay..."

It wasn't long after that that breakfast was served; being a makeshift of bacon, eggs, and waffles, but Gajeel hadn't sat down to eat with her. Instead, he disappeared into the room they shared, giving Levy time to eat, and observe her surroundings.

The apartment was small, but somewhat cozy.
There was a living room, (though it really looked like a small library, for there was no TV, but 2 book shelves nearly overflowing lining a wall that the tv could have been on, and a few comfortable looking chairs scattered about,) a kitchen, a breakfast nook, and their bedroom, which she could see off to the side, as well as what she could only assume was a small bathroom, hidden behind a small slideable rice paper door, like most of the closed off rooms in the house.
She smiled at her surroundings, almost finding them familiar, and very welcoming.

By the time she had finished breakfast, Gajeel had come back, sporting a t-shirt and ripped jeans instead of sleep clothes, as well as wielding a silver ring of keys in his hand. She also noted briefly that he had somewhat tamed his mane of hair. "Okay, Shrimp. Go get dressed, so we can start our day."
She cocked her head slightly, confused. "What do you mean? Are you taking me somewhere?"
He smirked slightly. "Im taking you to work. We work in a shop across town, called Redfox Books and knick knacks."
She smiled slightly. "So, it's like a bookstore?" She couldn't contain the excitement bubbling her throat.
He laughed slightly, making a distinct, "Gihi" sound. "Yeah, shortstack, there's so many, even I can't reach the top shelf without a step stool. And you without an eight foot ladder." He laughed again at the joke, ruffling her hair slightly.
He cheeks flushed in embarrassment. "Hey! I'm not that short, you jerk!"
She punched his arm playfully, puffing out her cheeks once again when he began to laugh harder, saying that it 'tickled'
She could tell...that this man wasn't lying when he said they were best friends. She could feel it deep in her heart, that she knew him very well...though, she couldn't remember much about him, but she could feel it on the edge of her mind, wanting to burst through an invisible wall and tell her all about the good times she'd had with him. Levy had already begun to grow fond of him, and all it took was a morning. Well...I guess that just goes to prove... that we really are friends...really really close friends... She giggled along with him as he pulled her through the doorway, wrapping an arm protectively around her.
I could get used to this...

(A/N) I'm sorry that I was late posting this, but I had the urge to do something very important! So, I wrote this kind of last minute after I had finished what I had wanted to do. As compensation, I'll post the next chapter today or tomorrow. Sorry again! Anyways, feel free to leave comments, I'd love to know what you think. :3

~Holo_Writes