Christine's note: This idea has been swimming around in my head for a while. A cute moment between my favorite couple.

Disclaimer: Fairy Tail and its characters belong to Hiro Mashima.

Levy McGarden strolled through the streets of Magnolia, taking in the scenery. She loved this time of year. Fall had begun and it was starting to show its colors around the town. Leaves on the trees were turning yellow, festive decorations started to appear on the buildings adjourning orange and brown and the air was starting to become crisper but not yet cold enough to wear warmer clothes. The overall atmosphere of fall was just so cozy and relaxing. Levy hummed happily. It wasn't just the season that made this walk so nice, however. What made particular walk so special was-

Oh darn it, she was falling behind again.

"Gajeel! Wait up!" She called towards the tall dragon slayer who was several yards ahead of her.

Gajeel and Levy were on their way back to the Fairy Tail from the town's library. Levy had asked Gajeel to help her carry books so she could return them. There was too many for Levy to hold by herself, and Gajeel just happened to be nearby for her to ask.

Yep. That was her story and she was sticking by it.

"Wait!" Levy called again. She was jogging to catch up to the fast paced mage. He was already making his way down a small set of concrete stairs. "You're walking too fast!"

"You're walking too damn slow." Gajeel answered, but stopped at the bottom of the stairs anyways.

"My legs are shorter than yours!" Levy insisted, hopping down the steps. "I have to take more strides to keep up with-"

Levy paused in the middle of the stairs. "Oh hey, would you look at that?"

"What?" Gajeel turned towards her.

"I'm taller than you!"

Gajeel stared at her with a blank face. "….huh?"

"Look!" Levy said putting her hand to the top of her head in a sort of salute then glided it across an imaginary horizontal plane that went above Gajeel. "I can see the top of your head!"

"You're cheating." Gajeel scowled, looking down at the stairs that elevated her.

"Hah! Whose the shrimp now?" Levy laughed, stretching out her arm and patting Gajeel's head, much like the way he did to her during the S-class trials.

In one swift motion Gajeel's hand shot out, lifted Levy by the back of her shirt, and then dropped her on the ground level in front of Gajeel. Where she promptly landed on her butt.

"You are." Gajeel answer with a smirk.

"Hey! I was enjoying that view!" Levy said indignantly from the ground.

"Don't get used to it, shrimp." Gajeel snickered, offering his hand.

Levy tried not to think too hard about his hand as he pulled her up to her feet. "You just can't stand the thought of me being taller than you. You would be too intimidated." Gajeel and Levy continued on their way down the path, side by side.

"Naw. I'd just miss my arm rest too much." Gajeel said, bringing up his elbow to rest it on Levy's head. Who was conveniently the perfect height for Gajeel's arm.

Levy made a sound of protest at the suddenly added weight to her head. She tried pushing at the arm, but to no avail. Gajeel was either holding it there, or even the weight of his arm was too heavy for Levy to lift. Levy gave up and let her arms go limp with a pout. She glared at Gajeel, who was grinning, and then gave him a sharp jab to his side.

Gajeel's reaction was instant. In less than a second Gajeel's arm flew off Levy's head and he scrambled a few steps away from her.

"Shit! Don't poke me with your skinny-ass fingers! It's like being freakin' stabbed!"

But Levy wasn't listening. She was frozen at the spot which she stood, finger still outstretched and mouth hung wide open. Did that really just happen? Did she really just hear what she thought she heard!?

"Was that- Did you- Did you just squeak?" She asked disbelievingly.

"No! I don't freakin' squeak!" Snapped Gajeel. "You just caught me off guard with your damn needle-fingers!"

"Are you ticklish!?" Levy exclaimed, hands flying to her mouth.

"NO!" Gajeel yelled heatedly. "I told you! I just wasn't expecting you-"

Before he could finish, Levy's hand shot out, aiming right for his stomach with wiggling fingers. Gajeel's reaction told all.

"FUCK! Stop!" Gajeel shouted, twisting away from Levy's hands.

Levy had no intention to. "Oh my God, you are!" She cried, hands continuing to move over his abdominal area. Gajeel tried to grab for her hands but Levy kept snaking out of his grip and diving right back in.

"Goddammit- LEVY- I-swear-to-god!" Gajeel hand reached out to Levy's head and held her at arms distance, trying to keep her out of range. "Cut that shit out!"

Levy paused for a moment, but then quickly darted to his now exposed underarm with her ever wriggling fingers. Gajeel immediately squirmed away, grabbing her hand only for Levy to free herself again and go for his sides.

"Gihi - okay!- alright, ENOUGH!" Gajeel barked, finally getting ahold of Levy's arms and holding them down by her side, glaring at her at eyelevel. "You made yer point!"

Levy was giggling uncontrollably. "I can't believe this! Who would of thought? You, of all people, ticklish?"

"Shaddup!" Gajeel growled; face reddening, much to Levy's delight.

"This is great!" Levy cried. "I, Levy, have discovered the great Iron Dragon Slayers' weakness!"

Gajeel glanced away for a moment, and then looked up to Levy's, his eyes seemingly pleading. "Just don't… don't go telling everyone about this, ya hear?"

Levy observed Gajeel with fascination. She rarely got the chance to see Gajeel embarrassed, much less pleading. Yet here he was, at her mercy. This could be a good opportunity.

"Hmmm…" Levy pretended to ponder, arms still being held down. "I promise… on one condition."

Gajeel deadpanned. "You gotta be freakin' kidding me."

"Nope!" Levy grinned.

Gajeel groaned, letting go of her arms to massage the space between his eyes. "Okay. Whaddya want, Shrimp?"

"You have to carry my books to the library with me every time I need to return them!" Levy said brightly.

"Uh…" Gajeel blinked, not expecting the surprisingly simple request. "Sure?"

"Deal!" Levy said, reaching out her hand to Gajeel.

Gajeel grasped her hand and gave it a shake. Levy smiled triumphantly, and then began skipping down the street.

Gajeel shook his head and followed her. "Yer a weird one, shrimp."

"'Least I'm not a ticklish Iron Dragon Slayer!" Levy retorted over her shoulder.

"Shaddup."