The Iron Dragon's Mark

The Library

Levy sighed, working her way through the stack of books. "I don't understand how someone can mess it up this bad. Really! It's like they have no respect for books or order!" she grumbled. She had found the Guild Library in disarray after she and Lucy had looked for a book on dragons and dragon slayers. In particular, they were looking for a book about a "dragon's mark."

She thought back to her conversation with Lucy just the other day:

"Levy, can I make a confession to you?" Lucy asked, moving closer to Levy and lowering her voice. "I love Natsu, I really do. However, I kind of wish he wasn't a dragon slayer." She lowered her head in shame.

Levy sighed. "I understand where you're coming from, but then, he wouldn't be Natsu, would he?"

Lucy shook her head. "I know," she sighed. She sat down by Levy's stack of books, sorting through them for her. It wasn't their first time reorganizing the library. "I feel bad saying it. I mean, I'm happy Natsu and I are finally together, but honestly, this whole dragon mark thing? It's kind of, um...."

"Scary? A pain? Inconvenient?" Levy suggested.

"Yeah. All of them."

They looked at each other and giggled. "Hey, you can't help who you love," Levy wisely stated. "I mean, look at me! He hardly knows I exist other than a place to rest his arm!" She admitted, rolling her eyes.

"Aw, come on. You know he sees more than that!" Lucy told her friend, grinning. "You just wait til it's your turn to go through all this!"

"Yep, and I'll have a veteran by my side telling me what to do and what not to do!" Levy smiled back.

After Lucy left, Levy continued to work on the library. She kept muttering under her breath to herself and that was how Gajeel found her. Noticing the mage was nowhere to be found, he decided to check out one of her favorite haunts. After all, it wasn't unusual to find Levy's nose stuck in a book. Maybe she needed another one, he shrugged to himself. That, and Mira had suggested it when she realized the iron dragon slayer had been looking for her.

Gajeel had only been in the Guild library once before when, of course, Levy had dragged him down with her to reach a book she had wanted on a higher shelf.

He stared in confusion at the stack of books all over the floor.

"Oi, Shrimp! You hiding down here?"

Levy's face appeared from behind a stack of books. "Gajeel? What are you doing here?" She blushed thinking about her conversation with Lucy. Gajeel had no idea she felt that way about him. At least, she frowned, she didn't think so.

Gajeel walked around the stacks and looked down at the script mage.

"What the hell is all this?" he asked, his hand making a sweeping gesture. "You cleaning house?"

"Very funny," Levy answered, standing up and brushing the dust off her dress. "Someone trashed the library again and I was trying to put it back in order."

"Why?"

She stared at him. "WHY?!? That's a stupid question! So someone can use it, you know, to find the book they need."

Gajeel leaned back against a shelf and crossed his arms, looking at her. "It's just going to get messed up again. Why bother?"

Levy rubbed her forehead with her hand. How could she be attracted to someone so frustrating?

"I can't even answer that," she spit back angrily. "It's like you have no respect for books or for anything I deem important!"

Gajeel stood up, uncrossing his arms. "Wait a minute, shorty. I said no such thing! I just said why put yourself through so much misery rearranging the books when someone's going to screw it up again!"

"Whatever," Levy mumbled, glaring at the iron dragon slayer. "You have no clue, do you?" she huffed. Gajeel reached out a hand to her, but she smacked it away and marched up the stairs.

"What's got her britches in a bundle?" muttered Gajeel. Still, the view wasn't too bad, he chuckled, as he watched her disappear up the stairs.