Gajeel sat alone, in a particularly dark corner of the guild hall, trying to come up with a new plan of attack. He had already tried and failed twice. They kept getting in the way. He shot a glare at the two, who had been circling his target like a pair of hungry vultures.

He gazed longingly at his desire: Fairy Tail's Levy McGarden. She sat at a wooden table with her head buried deep in a book. He'd had a crush on her for awhile, but every time he tried to get close enough to ask her out... her entourage would get in his way.

Jet and Droy. They followed her everywhere, obeying her every wish and worshipping the very ground she walked on. Gajeel doubted they were even capable of functioning without her. The two were very protective of their goddess, and each time Gajeel tried to speak to her, they pushed him away, and she was usually too engrossed in some ancient book to even notice, let alone do anything about it. Even so, he wouldn't give up. He could have easily forced his way past them, but he didn't want to do anything that might anger his crush. If I could just get her alone... but how could he do that?

"Heh you really look like you could use a drink!" A woman slurred with a laugh. He tore his gaze away from his blue-haired princess and her royal guard to see Cana taking a seat beside him, a barrel of alcohol about three times the size of her torso cradled in her arms like a precious child.

"He's having girl troubles!" Mira giggled, walking over to join them.

"N-no I'm not!" He huffed, a warm blush rising to his cheeks, silently cursing Mira for somehow always knowing all of the gossip in the guild.

"Oooh so who is it huh?" Cana asked the waitress, ignoring Gajeel's denials. With another giggle at the flustered dragon slayer, Mira pointed in Levy's direction. "Jet?! Wow, Gajeel, would'a never guessed ya swing that way!" Cana exclaimed in a voice that was slightly too loud, probably a result of the copious amount of alcohol she had already downed.

"You're gay, Gajeel?" Inquired Lisanna, Mira's younger sister, in her usual breathy voice.

"Jeez, go for a real man! Not Jet!" Their brother, Elfman, boasted. Great, that drunken loon attracted a whole freaking family. Soon, the whole guild's gonna think I have a thing for Jet!

"I'm not gay!" He boomed.

"Yeah, Levy's the one he likes!" Mira giggled. Damn! All those giggles... she's really enjoying all this, isn't she?

"Well be a real man and go ask her out!"

"Don't ya think I've tried, muscle-head?" Gajeel sneered. "In case you haven't noticed: her fan club never leaves her side! They won't let me get near her!"

"Ooh! Ooh! I know! What if I cause a distraction?" Lisanna asked excitedly, waving her hand in the air like a student eager to answer a complicated question and show off to the class.

"Um I don't-"

Before he could finish his protesting, the white-haired young girl transformed into a bird with a shout of "takeover magic!" and shot straight towards Jet, landing on his head. Droy remained at his post, chuckling at the other man's misfortune while Jet screamed and flailed, eventually knocking the disguised Lisanna off of his head.

"Aw it didn't work," she pouted, limping back to them, once again in her human form.

"Yeah and now they'll be guarding her even more closely in case of another freak bird attack!" Gajeel grumbled, silently wishing his doting guild-mates would leave him alone.

"I can challenge them to a drinking contest," Cana shrugged.

"Haven't you had enough?" Pantherlily asked, joining the group. His question earned him a hard glare from Cana.

"Hey, Lily! Guess what! Gajeel has a crush on Levy!" Lisanna practically sang.

"Gajeel! I shall help you fight for her honour!"

"Thanks, buddy," he replied in a half-hearted mutter.

They sat plotting for about half an hour when suddenly:

"Target is on the move!" Lily exclaimed, pointing at Levy who was taking off her red windreader glasses and rising from the table.

"Now's your chance! Go be a real man!" Elfman encouraged, slapping him jovially on the back as Levy went over to talk to Lucy.

Gajeel got up and walked swiftly in her direction.

"Yo, Gajeel! Let's fight!" He turned around and saw pink hair, a white scarf, and a blue cat. Damn you to hell, Salamander! Why now of all times?

"Not now, flame-brain!" He insisted.

"Why? Do I scare you?" That brat! Gajeel sighed.

"Natsu, there's something I need to do right now! Can this wait for like five minutes?" He whispered frantically. Levy had finished her conversation with Lucy and was almost back at her table. He was going to lose his chance! Oh why did Natsu always feel the need to prove his strength?

"Huh?"

"I can fight you, Natsu," Mira offered with a smile, swooping in to save Gajeel.

"Yeah! Let's go, she-devil! I'm all fired up!" He shouted, eager to fight the s-class wizard. He had completely forgotten about Gajeel, who made a mental note to thank the white-haired takeover mage after she finished kicking Salamander's ass.

At Mira's insistence, they went outside to fight. Word of the fight spread like wildfire and soon the rest of the guild hall's occupants followed. Oh, shit! I lost her! He looked around anxiously until he finally spotted her at the edge of the crowd. He ran towards her, trying to reach her before she left. However, he knew it wouldn't matter if he caught up... Jet and Droy were with her once again. Well back to admiring from a distance, I guess, he sighed.

"Oh, man! I forgot my glasses at the table! You guys go find a good spot to watch the fight and I'll catch up with you," He overheard Levy say. There is a god! Finally, I'll get to be alone with her! They looked reluctant to leave her, but obeyed anyway. The doors shut behind them, leaving only Gajeel and Levy in the large guild hall.

Nervously, he walked over to her. "H-hey shortstuff..."

"Gajeel! Th-there's something I wanted to ask you. I've been wanting to ask for a while but couldn't find the courage. Lucy finally convinced me to approach you... but when I looked over, you were busy getting yelled at by Natsu and I didn't wanna interrupt if you guys were gonna fight but then Mira challenged him and you were alone but Jet and Droy! So I left the glasses and um will you go out with me, Gajeel?" She blushed brightly and gasped for air. Gajeel was stunned. She had been trying to get him alone!

"Y-yes!" Gajeel said, still shocked. He felt himself blushing as the short girl smiled brightly up at him.

"Yay! Um... how's friday? We can meet here at six and go somewhere to eat."

"Yeah... I would like that."

"Great! See ya then!" She waved before skipping giddily out of the guild hall to join the crowd.

Gajeel just stood there for a moment, feeling great with the weight no longer on his shoulders. She actually likes me! He smiled proudly then went to watch the fight. He made sure to flash a cocky grin at Levy's entourage as he walked smugly past them. He had finally gotten his alone time with Levy! And that wouldn't be the last of it, either!  

A/N Greetings! Fun fact: I actually wrote this months ago but forgot to publish it... I'm a bit of a scatter brain. But it's here now so yay! Side note: I've been rewatching Fairy Tail and oh my... the nostalgia is overwhelming! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the story and PLEASE leave feedback so that I can become a better writer. Thanks for reading and I hope you all have a lovely day!