Author's Notes: Like always, please read, rate and review.

Oh, nice twist. I grinned to myself, completely absorbed in the novel I was reading, flipping the page. I sat at my usual place at the bar, unaware that yet another fight was breaking out across the hall; dishes and furniture soaring around my body, nearly striking my oblivious head with a personal invitation to join the brawl. Nearly. I didn't hear them walk through the front doors; Lucy and Natsu that is, as I turned yet another page. They sat at one of the middle tables near my seat, talking loudly over the chaotic din of screamed threats, breaking glass and skin on skin.

Growing up in Fairy Tail does things to a person; it changes you. It makes you tough and resilient to pain. It makes you ambitious and competitive. It makes you accustomed to violence and confusion. And boy was I conditioned well; my crazy guild had unintentionally given me the power to concentrate on my reading no matter what the circumstance. As far as books are concerned, I have been trained to tune out anything in order to translate an ancient language or finish a well-written novel. Well, almost anything.

My brow creased as my concentration slipped momentarily; my mouth a firm line. Focus, Levy. My hand draws my eyes back towards the last paragraph of the page, finding my place once again. I read the first sentence, not paying attention to the meaning of the words, rereading it several times over before I realize that my focus is elsewhere. I shake my head, frowning at the meaningless jargon jumbled together by my fingers. I do my best to make sense of the prose I'm reading again for the seventh time, but it's hopeless; my curiosity is already tugging my eyes off the page. Finally, I give up, snapping my book shut with a little more force than necessary. I sigh, turning in my seat as I hear his name mentioned for the second time.

"Honestly, Natsu…'" Lucy's voice carried across the guildhall. 'Do you have to pick a fight with Gajeel every time you're in the same room together?" My eyes strayed from my place at the bar to the middle of the room, the corners of my mouth lifting in a smile.

"Well, yeah.'" The fire mage grinned, his dark eyes burning. 'Pretty much."

"Gihi…'" The iron mage laughed, punching a fist into his open palm. 'All right, Salamander. If it's a fight you want, you got it." I watch as the two slayers step towards each other; the room quieting in anticipation. I stare between the two, fidgeting, my heart hammering loudly in my ears; the tension in the room heavy. All eyes in the hall are on Natsu as he launches the first attack; his fist blazing. All eyes except for mine, that is. Mine remained glued to the dark statue that is Gajeel. I watched, my eyes trained on his motionless form, my inner voice screaming at him to move. And for a moment, I start wondering if he can somehow hear me, because his sharp eyes flick away from the pink-haired idiot hurdling towards him, and fall instead on me. I blink, and before I can form a proper thought, it's over; his gaze fixed ahead on his opponent, his stance ready. My body tenses, eyes scrunched into braced slits as Natsu's fist comes within an inch of Gajeel's face; fiery impact mere milliseconds away.

But Gajeel doesn't have time to block or counter; his opponent totally immobilized for him by the hand of the celestial spirit mage. I watched my best friend catch the fire dragon mid-air by the ear, dragging him, undignified, away from the stunned iron dragon.

"Awww, Luce!'" Natsu whined, freeing himself. 'Why'd you stop me?"

"Because, idiot.'" Lucy folded her arms over her chest, a dangerous expression blackening her features. 'I've had enough of your antics."

"Ouch, Luce. You're acting meaner than usual." Natsu pouted, seating himself at the bar.

"Oh, don't you make this my fault. If I'm in a bad mood, you're to blame." Lucy huffed, taking the seat next to mine. I stared between them, my curiosity intensifying. Without thinking, I threw Gajeel a questioning look, catching his eye. I stiffen, watching as he approaches our party, sitting on my other side.

"What'd I do?" Natsu moped, resting his head over his arms.

"Besides keeping me up all night?" Lucy retorted. I blush, retreating behind my reopened book. I catch Gajeel's face falter for a moment out of the corner of my eye. Is he blushing?

"Come on, Lucy.'" Natsu grumbles, addressing the girl beside me. 'You know it's not my fault; that's just how my body is." I nearly drop my reading; my ears reddening. My eyes dart over the top of the page, landing on Gajeel's strained face.

"Oh, like I buy that, Natsu.'" My best friend's voice snaps my attention back. 'You climb into my bed every night, and you're telling me it's not your fault?" My mouth hangs open in shock.

"Do you hate sleeping with me that much, Lucy?" I jump in my seat to the sound of Gajeel choking on his drink.

"How am I supposed to sleep with you making me so hot?" My hands start shaking; my forehead visibly red behind my tome.

"Sorry Luce.'" Natsu smiles sheepishly at my friend. I watched her face soften slightly from the corner of my eye. 'I'm a dragon slayer, after all." I turn my page, mind racing. What does he? I shift in my seat, angling my book. Dammit Levy, focus on your reading. I frown into the pages I clung to so dearly, my face hot. I swallow nervously as I desperately try to refocus my attention on the story I was so captivated by earlier. Thankfully, I regain some semblance of power, somehow, and allow myself to drift away from the embarrassing conversation happening around me. I don't notice his eyes on my face, or his hand clenched tightly at his side. I barely hear Lucy continue speaking; her voice just out of reach.

"You just had to be a fire dragon slayer, didn't you?'" I think I hear her say, no longer paying attention. 'I mean, honestly, you're like a furnace." I definitely do hear Gajeel chuckle, though, and it causes me to momentarily lose my place.

"Whatever.'" Natsu grins, fists blazing. 'Fire's the best." Gajeel snorts, and I can almost see Lucy's eyes roll through the pages of my novel.

"Yeah, you keep telling yourself that, Flamebrain." Gajeel growls through me, sending shivers down my spine. Keep it together, girl.

"Dude, you're just jealous."

"Come to think of it, I wonder…" The girl sitting next to me yawns.

"I ain't jealous, if that's what you're getting at." Gajeel stretches, his arm shooting over my head.

"No.'" Lucy sighs. 'I was just wondering if you have the same problem."

"What problem?"

"As Natsu."

"That's hard to say."' I catch Gajeel grin evilly across the bar. 'He has so many, it's confusing."

"Hey!" Natsu barks.

"Shut up, Natsu."

"So, what're you on about?'" Gajeel motions to stand, turning his back on the three of us. 'Fire and iron are nothing alike." He adds. I can't help but watch him walk off, refocusing on my reading with great difficulty. For a long time, the three of us sit in silence; my mind finally free from outside distractions. I turn the final page, my eyes flying over the text. I'm nearly finished; my heart racing in anticipation. How does it end?

"Hmmm, I wonder…" Lucy mumbles something next to me, but I can't hear her. I'm too busy. I blink, finding the end of the page. Wait a minute. I shake my head, finding my place again.

"No…" I mumble to myself, frowning into my novel.

"I wonder if it's the same for him.'" Lucy sighs; her voice on the fringe of my consciousness. Him who? I read the last sentence, a bittersweet smile on my face. As if answering my inner question, my friend continues. 'Gajeel, I mean."

"The same how?" I can't help but ask, placing the book down in front of me.

"Do you think he's hot like Natsu?" Lucy's blunt question knocks the air right out of me, and I can't stop the blush from burning my cheeks as I choke out my answer.

"H-hot?!"

"Well?" She stares at me, oblivious to my torment.

"H-he…'" I stammer, unsure of my answer. Of course he's hot! 'I don't know what you're talking about, Lu-chan!"

"Oh. I thought maybe if anyone would know, it'd be you, Levy."

"Know what?" I take a deep breath.

"If Gajeel's body is hot all the time like Natsu's.'" She quirks her head slightly. 'If it's some sort of slayer problem.

"Oh!'" I squeak. 'You mean hot as in temperature." Lucy lifts an eyebrow in my direction.

"Well, yeah. What'd you think I meant?"

"Nothing." I advert my eyes, my ears reddening darkly.

"Well?"

"Well, what?"

"Is he?"

"No."

"No, what?"

"No, he isn't.'" I inhale deeply. 'His body temperature is normal." Silence creeps over us once again, and for the first time, I realize Natsu's seat had been vacant throughout our entire conversation. I let my mind wander, daydreaming about the subject of our inquiry. I wonder…

"So it's just Natsu who's affected by his slayer element then… weird." Lucy says under her breath.

"No, I'm sure the other slayers have their own… quirks." I respond without thinking, my eyes drifting through the crowd.

"You think so?"

"Mmhmmm." I hum, not paying attention to our conversation; my eyes landing on him.

"So, if Natsu is a fire dragon slayer,'" Lucy continued, half to herself. 'And he's warm all the time…"

"…" I smile, my entire being focused on the tall, dark-haired mage talking animatedly across the guildhall.

"Gajeel's element is iron.'" Lucy paused. 'That's a tough guess. If Natsu's fire causes him to be hot all the time, how do you think Gajeel is affected by his iron?"

"…" I open my mouth without thinking.

"Do you think maybe-"

"He's probably hard all the time." I blurt out, still half-daydreaming. It takes a few moments for realization, and mortification, to dawn on me. Don't tell me I said that out loud! I stare, horrified, as Gajeel's eyes meet mine; his expression unreadable. Shit. I can feel Lucy's gaze on my face, but I refuse to look at her. The heat in my cheeks returns as he approaches the bar for the second time; my heart hammering loudly in my ears. He towers over me, his steadfast gaze burning through me.

"So…'" His voice raw, his smile alarming. 'You talking 'bout me, eh Shrimp?"

"I-" I squeak, my eyes falling to the floor. He takes another step forward, placing his large hands on either side of my body, trapping me.

"Curious 'bout my body, are we?" He smirks, hunching forward until we're eye-level. I fight the urge to run, meeting his gaze instead.

"I didn't mean-" But I never got the chance to explain or defend myself, because at that moment, his hands were on my waist, lifting me from my chair. His mouth crashed into mine, drawing a moan of pent-up desire from my hungry lips. I threw my arms around his neck, pulling our bodies closer together. The next thing I knew, I was in his arms, legs wrapped securely around his hips. I was only vaguely aware that he was moving us out of the guildhall, his boot thudding heavily against the front door.

"The answer's yes, by the way." He growls, breaking our kiss. I pant, catching my breath; my head spinning.

"What answer?" He smiles darkly, kissing me.

"You'll see."