Title: Iron Strings

Summary: For all they laughed and mocked him for his music, the idiots never realized that the song was a duet and he was just missing his partner.

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail.

Levy briefly looked up from her book when Gajeel quietly entered library. She didn't think he really liked the library but he would never tell her why he bothered to come (surely there are several other quiet areas he could escape to). And despite her curiosity, she'd given up on figuring out the huge man a long time ago. Just so long as he didn't interrupt her reading for anything stupid, she didn't mind the company.

Levy gently hummed as she poured over the old text. She was so engrossed with her reading that she didn't notice her companion humming along with her at first. But, as his tune got more complicated, she stopped focusing on her reading and turned to look at the Iron Dragon Slayer.

Happily, he didn't notice her looking and kept staring off into space while humming. His humming was surprisingly soothing, sort of rough, but it worked with whatever song he was humming. Levy frowned as she tried to place what tune it was, but she didn't think she'd ever heard it before. Just as she opened her mouth to ask what it was, Gajeel suddenly reached over a pulled out his guitar (she's yet to figure out where he keeps, she just knows he always manages to have it when he wants it). He didn't notice or acknowledge her as he started strumming a quick, jazzy melody that melded wonderfully with whatever he was humming.

Her mouth hit the floor. Levy knew she was gaping at him but, she just couldn't get her mouth to shut. She's heard him sing and play before but, never something like that. He had always played the same odd (and quite frankly, horrid) song whenever he performed for the guild. Heck, she was pretty sure he was infamous for it. But, no one would complain if he ever played something like this for them.

Gajeel plucked a few more strings before stopping, a thoughtful look on his face as the last notes died. He then noticed Levy gaping at him and immediately flushed. "Sorry," he muttered. "Didn't mean to bother you."

Levy's eyes grew wider. "Bother me?" she asked incredulously. "Gajeel...that was beautiful!"

Gajeel wrinkled his nose. "Oi. Don't make it sound so...girly," he grumbled.

"It was amazing. I didn't know you could play like that."

Gajeel just shrugged and ignored Levy's invitation to elaborate. He just went back to plucking at his guitar strings, which eventually fell back into the same horrific tune he always played for the guild.

Levy frowned. "Why do you do that?"

"Do what?" Gajeel asked sharply.

Levy's frown deepened. "Hide your talents. You're obviously amazing at playing the guitar but, you always play that same song and everyone makes fun of you for it."

Gajeel snorted. "I don't give a damn about what those idiots think."

"I know but, you're really good. So, why not play a different song?"

Gajeel scowled. "I'm not a performing bunny, shrimp."

"Don't call me that," Levy said absentmindedly, almost on reflex. Then she raised an eyebrow and gave him a shrew look. "If you're not a 'performing bunny,' then why do you always play that horrible song?"

"It's not horrible," he muttered.

Levy grimaced. "Yes, it is."

"No it's not," Gajeel hissed as he bared his teeth at her. "It's a duet, idiot. Of course it sounds bad when it's played alone!"

Levy puffed her cheeks out in a pout. "No need to be rude."

"Then don't insult Metalicana's song."

"Metalicana's?"

Gajeel scowled, seemingly annoyed at his slip. He glared at her inquisitive eyes but sighed, all of his annoyance seeming to disappear with it. "Yeah. Metalicana liked the sound of electric guitars - some nonsense about them sound metallic and soothing - and since he obviously couldn't play, he taught me."

Levy smiled at Gajeel's gentle expression as he talked about his foster father. It was rare to see him without a scowl, much less the relaxed and soft look he currently had. "That's really sweet."

His gentle expression disappeared in a flash and was replaced with a scowl. "Oi, stop making me sound all girly!"

Levy's smile only grew. "You know, I bet if you played some of your other songs the guild would be begging you to play every night."

He glared at her. "I told you, I'm not a performing bunny."

"But you always play the duet, why not some other songs?" Levy asked with a roll of her eyes.

Gajeel glared at her again before looking away and hissing under his breath. "I'm not playing it for the guild," he muttered, the lightest of pinks dusting his cheeks.

"Huh?"

Gajeel just stared at her. He seemed to be internally debating whether or not he was going to say anything. He finally looked away and started muttering. "All dragons have a...call, I guess. It's really more of a roar but, it's distinctive and unique to each type of dragon. It's what they use to find one another if one is lost or they might use it as a greeting." Gajeel took a deep breath and scratch the back of his head. "Even though dragon slayers are, well, dragon-like, our vocal cords can't produce that sort of call. Metalicana and I came up with the duet instead as a joke but, it stuck and I've used it ever since."

Levy stared at Gajeel with eyes as wide a saucers. He was blushing faintly because of it but, she couldn't stop. It was just something that was much deeper and more emotional than she ever thought Gajeel would do. "Do all dragon slayers have one?"

Gajeel shrugged. "Dunno if all of them do but, Natsu and Wendy both have one too."

Levy blinked, trying to think back to when either one of those two ever did something like Gajeel's song. "They do?"

"Yup," Gajeel said with a nod. "Wendy's is the whistle thing she does and Natsu's is that tapping sequence." Gajeel suddenly smirked and snorted. "Go figure the flame idiot's would involve banging on stuff."

Levy frowned as she tried to recall either of the other two dragon slayers tapping or whistling. "I never noticed it before," she admitted.

Gajeel shrugged. "I told ya, none of us are doing it for you."

"So," she drawled, squinting at him with an inquisitive look on her face. "If you're not playing the song for us, then why play it in front of the guild?"

Gajeel flushed and stuck out his lower lip. He looked away stubbornly, seemingly embarrassed.

Levy pouted, her cheeks puffing out in annoyance. "Please?"

Gajeel looked over at her and jerked his eyes back over to the wall, muttering something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like 'damn puppy eyes.' "Fairy Tail's not exactly a quiet guild, now is it?"

Levy frowned at the vague answer. Just as she was about to whine about him avoiding the question, it hit her. "You only play on stage when the sound is turned way up," she whispered, eyes wide.

Gajeel's blush darkened. "Best chance of Metalicana ever hearing it. And if he hears it, maybe he'll show up sooner."

Levy's face softened into a wide smile as she looked over at the gruff man. It was just so sweet of him.

Gajeel suddenly glared at her, any traces of his previous blush gone. "If you squeal or some other girly shit, I swear I will make you regret it."

Levy giggled at the empty threat. "No worries, your secret is safe with me."

Gajeel just muttered something about nosy shrimps and went back to plucking at his guitar. Levy grinned and turned back to her old text, humming along with Gajeel.

"Hey Gajeel," she said softly, not looking up her book.

He shifted next to her. "What?" he grumbled.

"When Metalicana gets back, could you play the duet for me?"

He twitched nervously next to her, and Levy had to suppress the urge to look up at the blush she was sure was stamped on his face. She pressed her lips together, avoiding the temptation to bother him until he agreed.

"Sure shrimp. Whatever."

Levy grinned and listened to him play that horrid tune, mentally filling in the gaps in the incomplete melody. But really, she knew her imagination would be nothing compared to the real thing. She hoped, for his sake, that Metalicana would hurry back to him.

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