Guild Hall Ball-Gajeel x Levy

The Next Day

Afternoon sunlight illuminated Levy's path as she strolled up to the large, charming cherry blossom tree at which she had agreed to meet Gajeel.

Her orange dress danced around her as the light breeze passed by. She neared the huge tree and put her hand above her eyes to block out the bright sun.

Gajeel didn't seem to be present anywhere, but all the same she kept moving forward.

As she approached, she noticed a figure, sitting among the branches.

"Gajeel!"

"Hiya shortie," he greeted the girl, chuckling, "the view is a lot better up here, you should join me."

"I don't know," she said, looking up at him, "I've never been all that good at tree climbing."

"I got you," he jumped down from his perch on the tree, right in front of Levy.

She flinched back.

"Gajeel, you could have landed on me!"

"Never mind that, now," he held his hand out, "may I."

"If you think you can get me up that tree, "she took his hand, yet uncertain.

"Ahh, it's simple," he swept her of the ground slyly, cradling her in his arms like a child, "I'll just toss you up."

"Wait, what!" her eyes widened.

"Ready one, two.." he swung her back and forth each time he counted off.

"Wait! Gajeel stop!" Levy screeched, clinging onto the front of his shirt.

"I'm just kidding shortie," he set her down, a satisfied grin on his lips, "grab onto my arm."

"Why?"

"Like I said, I'm going to get you up that tree."

"Okay," she spoke uneasily, but she wrapped both her arms around his.

"Hold on tight," he warned.

His arm morphed into an adamant one iron club, and before Levy could make a move to protest his actions, he extended it up to the branch, Levy clutching on fearfully..

He bent his elbow and set her down on the branch. She let go and he retracted his arm.

"Wow," she breathed, placing a hand over her heart, as if to tame its furious pounding.

"You weigh, like, nothing ,that was easy."

He hauled himself back up the tree and sat on the thick branch right next to her.

He then plucked a basket from a smaller branch above them, handing it to the girl beside him, "I brought lunch."

Levy smiled and opened up the basket curiously. Aside from an assortment of bolts and screws and other metal parts, there were a couple of sandwiches, unmistakably Levy's favorite.

"Wow, Gajeel! This is...thank you!" she hugged him gingerly around his waist.

"No problem shortie," Gajeel winked, tossing a screw into his mouth.

After a short period, once they'd finished eating, Gajeel leapt down from the tree, "Come on, shrimp," he held his arms out, as if awaiting a hug.

"What? Why, where are we going?"

"To the beach."

"Well that's a little unexpected, don't you think?" she giggled, glaring down at him.