a/n: here i am. one a year later. giving an update for this story. no i am not dead. though i am dead on the inside. honestly i am ready for a 3 year nap.

gajevy seems to be pretty popular lately in the fandom, so i'm trying to be sure to have a fair share of gajeel and levy in this story since levy will have a great part in it.

anyway, chapter three! getting deeper and deeper into this : )))) thank you guys! next time i might be able to properly write will be summer break ( which is really soon )

I See Fire

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"I—I'm locked out . . ." Lucy mumbled, defeated, as her form slowly slid down the surface of her apartment door. She really knew this was what would happen when she first heard the door slammed shut, but she was still surprised. She couldn't believe it locked her out of her own apartment!

Lucy pressed her form up against the door and willed it to open, whimpering an occasional 'please let me in' and 'I dropped my keys' while she tapped her nails into the door. Her ear pressed hard into the wood, trying to listen for any movement or sounds, but all she was bet with was silence and the low grumble the door made from her weight weighting against it. Grumbling, she dusted her knees off and moved over to her window, cursing the blinds for being shut before returning to her place in front of her door, giving the knob a few angry jiggles.

She won't bend so easily!

Lucy moved back over to her window, pressing her forehead against the dusty glass and narrowing her eyes inside, pressing both her palms to the dirty surface and pushed up, nearly crying out in relief to discover it was unlocked. Before anything else happened to prevent her from entering, Lucy quickly pushed it further up and swung her leg inside, kicking the blinds and curtains aside.

"Ha!" She yelled out in victory as her last foot hit the carpet.

After closing the window and straightening their coverings, Lucy scanned the apartment and stomped to the kitchen, gasping when she nearly tripped over a few knocked over dinning chairs that had been thrown in the walkway. One look around her kitchen she was able to tell all her belongings had been tarnished and touched, right from where she was standing all the way to end of the hallway. Her room, from the little she could see, was even more of a mess than from before. Stepping over the chairs, Lucy walked towards her bedroom and picked up a few books that were in the doorway and sat them on the corner of her dresser.

She bitterly yanked her personal garments off the wings of her fans and dropped them in their rightful places, blushing in irritation upon discovering a rather lacy fabric of her favoring had been specially wrapped around the bulb with great effort. After clearing her fan and kicking the top of her bed clean, Lucy tiredly scooted the books and papers on the floor in a pile near her bathroom before she dropped down on her bed, allowing her arms to collapse over her face. She peeked an eye out from under her arm and eyed her opened doorway for a few moments before her body tensed in nerves, forcing her limbs to push her up. Lucy looked down the hallway, feeling her heart jump in surprise, seeing the door at the end partway opened.

Though, like she had discovered before, the space was dark behind the wood and left her unable to see what mystery stood behind it. It ate away at her curiosity, driving her feet to slowly move across the carpeting beneath them. A shriek from the kitchen startled Lucy enough to whip around and brace the corner of her door frame, watching with a shaky breath as her kitchen chairs roughly skinned against her tiles and flung into the walls. The anonymous force even went as far as flinging one into her living room, nearly breaking a hole in the old drywall.

Lucy swallowed and sucked in a breath, feeling her chest tighten. She turned back into her room and grabbed a sheet of paper from her floor and sped to her living room, whipping a pen off her writing desk and slamming the paper against the kitchen table. Adrenaline sprung through her veins, fueling her as she scribbled harshly against the paper, not caring if the ink dared to bleed through. Finishing her piece, Lucy pushed it to the center of the table and left the pen with it.

She remained there for a few moments, slowly moving her feet back through the kitchen, her eyes scanning the floors and walls for something or anything.

As she retired to her bedroom for the rest of the afternoon and evening, she left the paper there under her flickering kitchen light with her question written clear and boldly on it. It was a final moment she decided to take Levy's advice and try communicating with the boy. It was becoming obvious he had something to say to her.

What is it you want?

Later in the night while Lucy was deep in her peaceful slumber, the pen rolled to the edge of the table. A foggy figure emerged upon it, seemed balanced perfectly on the fallen chair that was left carelessly on the floor. The boy's head turned to the hall, his misting blue companion following him. A grin could be seen shadowed on the color of his features that softly mixed with the air.

"What do you say, Happy?" His voice, a silent whisper that seemed to carry in the air, asked as the color of his existence turned to the paper Lucy left for them hours before.

Lucy was more than thankful to wake up to her alarm the next morning, stretching her arms over her head while moving her legs over the side of her bed. She felt well rested, but her bright morning attitude had barely lasted the moment she tripped over the pile of her belongings on her floor from the night before.

With a low frown, Lucy showered and got ready for the day, finding herself welcoming the cheerful air of her school about an hour later. There was a bounce in her step, anyone would view her as carefree as she breezed through the hallway and towards her classroom.

"Lucy!" Levy's voice came running quickly behind her, and Lucy didn't get a moment to greet her before the small girl was shoving her to the side, using her small frame and every ounce of strength in her arms to push Lucy into an empty lab. They ducked down out of view after Levy slammed and locked the door.

"Levy what is—"

"Wait," Levy held up her finger, leaning up to peek through the window of the door, and Lucy followed. The blunette seemed to glower the moment an angry and stomping Gajeel came around the corner, glaring at everyone and everything that he passed. He had his hands shoved in his pockets and his uniform tie tossed over his shoulder. Levy relaxed when the broad male slivered out of view and let out a sigh of relief, "I don't want to be around him right now. Sorry for shoving you, Lucy."

Lucy waved it off, helping the shorter girl to her feet, "Don't mind it. Do you want to talk about it? I'm assuming you two had a fight."

Levy growled and balled her fist, throwing her bag off her shoulder and into one of the lab stools, "It was more of a one-sided argument. I swear he never listens! He doesn't even talk to me if something goes wrong! He just gets angry and grunts about it until I finally ask him, and the problem this time was I asked Jet to be my partner for a project."

Ah, so he was jealous.

"Everything was fine yesterday, and then this morning he had the nerve to tell me to stop hanging around Jet! The only reason I am upset is because Jet is a very close friend and I have known him since grade school, so of course I stood up for him, but then Gajeel got all snappy and—urrgg!"

Levy kicked the legs of the stool she threw her bag at moments before, causing Lucy to jump when the metal went clashing into the tile floors. Like chain reaction, the whole row went, and Lucy was almost sure any being within a twenty foot radius heard the commotion. Levy panted to catch her lost breath from her vent, and Lucy placed a friendly hand on her shoulder.

"That felt good." Levy mumbled, seemingly glowing proudly at the mess she made.

Lucy smiled.

It wasn't only minutes later the lab teacher came slamming into the classroom door, not expecting it to be locked. Levy and Lucy both jumped, not wasting a moment to let the poor male inside. He took one look at the clutter of chairs on the ground and crossed his arms over his chest, turning a stern scowl towards the both of them. They mumbled their apologies and helped him straighten up in time for the bell to ring for class.

Lucy did not see Levy again until the end of the day in the library. It was becoming their usual relaxing hang out for after school, both in their favorite quiet setting; surrounded by the things they enjoyed the most in the world. Books.

"So where were you yesterday, Lucy?" Levy whispered, her fingers skimming over multiple braces, "I was worried."

"I slept through my alarm." Lucy said simply, but apologetically. In all honestly she had really wanted to see her yesterday.

"Tough night?" Levy inquired.

"You could say that," Lucy slumped, a silent sigh leaving her chest, "I was chased and locked out of my apartment."

Levy's eyes widen, her hand stalling in front of a shelf of books she was browsing, and turned her struck expression towards her.

Lucy nibbled her lip, dodging her friend's horrid gaze with a sheepish, half-hearted laugh.

Was that too blunt? Was that too much information? She should have worded that differently, or not had said at all.

Levy's hands were gripping her shoulders seconds later, shoving her back and forth like a rag doll, "That's scary, Lu! Come stay with me! I have plenty of room for you! Come live with me, please! You're going to die!"

"Girls! Quiet over there!" The librarian scolded, which fell on deaf ears as Levy continued with her desperate rant. Lucy waved to the woman in acknowledgment and attempted to calm the wheezing girl down, it taking longer than she would have hoped. By the time she got Levy to quiet down, every gaze in the room was watching the two of them in shared annoyance, and Lucy had little minded to blame them.

Levy hugged a book to her chest as they moved over to take a seat at a table, looking a little teary eyed, "You're going to die, Lucy. Let me save you." The girl reached a hand out to grip Lucy's in support.

Lucy sighed and relaxed her arms against the glossed wood, crossing them limply in front of her chest, "It wasn't as bad of an encounter as I reacted now that I think about it. It was actually—astonishing, you know?" Lucy squinted, not sure of the words to use for it, but one look at Levy and she knew the girl understood, "I just freaked out the moment I could and darted out."

"What happened?" Levy asked, her eyes shinning in interest, her fingers gripping Lucy's hand comfortably.

Lucy took her time in explaining in careful detail, watching the little details in Levy's expressions flex and change at every word she took in. And by the end of it, Levy smirked, finding the image of Lucy ruining out of her apartment building and across the street like a mad woman amusing. Lucy felt good talking about it and having someone as kind as Levy to listen to her current issues instead of bottling them up and keeping them to herself. She wanted to do the same for her, to return that kindness with everything she had.

Lucy sat up straight in her chair, leaning an elbow on the table and giving Levy's hand her own squeeze of support, "So, have you made amends with Gajeel?"

Levy growled.

"That's a no." Lucy snickered.

"I know it's childish and running away, but I avoided him all day," Levy explained, "He usually finds me in-between classes and walks with me, so it was a little disappointing, but I want him to come to me first this time. I want him to apologize first for a change," Levy kept her eyes their intertwined hands, her expression falling and brows creasing, "But I know if he doesn't do it soon, I will cave."

Lucy's stomach sunk. The saddened expression gave her the great urge to lean over and pull the girl in a tight hug, "It's okay to feel that way, you know?"

"I know, I just hate being angry with him. I'm not even sure I'm angry with him! I'm just hurt that he doesn't talk to me or tell me how he feels," Levy mumbled, her eyes moving to her lap, "He knows how I feel about him, I've been open about it since coming to terms with my feelings. But we don't talk about it, so most of the time I have no idea what he is thinking."

"Isn't that bad for a relationship?" Lucy asked, "Communication is important between partners."

"Huh?" Levy's eyes flickered up and met with Lucy's, her cheeks momentarily coloring pink, "Relationship?"

Lucy sat back and blinked, "Aren't the two of you dating?" She didn't just assume that herself did she?

Levy's face ignited in embarrassment, her words flying and stuttering out of her mouth before she shot up from her seat, sending the chair tumbling behind her and into a near bookshelf. Books and magazines alike fluttered from the shelf and cluttered at the floor in loud thuds, Lucy winced as each one fell. Both girls were scolded again, more fiercely than the previous time. Lucy bit her lips and grabbed Levy's wrist and guided her out of the library, giving the poor elder woman a pitiful look until she had both of them out the door.

Levy fanned her reddened face with her hands, taking slow breaths to calm herself. Lucy placed a hand on her shoulder and mentally apologized for embarrassing the poor girl to the point of malfunction.

In her defense, they really did look a couple.

Once Levy was calmed down enough to speak clearly, she sighed, "I wish we were, Lucy," She managed a small smile, "But when me or someone brings the topic up, he avoids it. But enough about this!" She clapped her hands, a bright and cheerful smile spreading her cheeks a moment after, "Do you want to hang out? I don't mind that your apartment is trying to kill you, I'm curious and love you enough."

"You—You want to come over?" Lucy asked, her voice breathless and showing how taken back she was from the sudden proposal, "Are you sure? We could go through town if that would make you more comfortable, Levy."

"Yeah! I want to see this haunting for myself," She grinned, "I'll go for the thrill, but don't blame me if I run out of the building like a mad woman."

"Please forget that part if you're not going to let me live it down," Lucy muttered, more to herself than the gloating girl.

"I'm going to run to my locker really quick to get some papers I left there," Levy said, already walking ahead of Lucy, "Be back in a flash!"

Lucy watched her break into a fast sprint, allowing herself to let out of breath the moment Levy ran around the corner and out of sight, her fast steps fading out. She pressed a palm to her neck to feel her rapid pulse, not sure how to category the reaction. Of course she was excited and happy to bring Levy to her home, but the nerves there were also near unbearable.

Last thing she wanted was her beloved friend getting hurt or worse. But since it was a choice Levy made herself, Lucy had little to no room to argue. Levy was more than capable of making her decisions for herself, even when this particular one could turn out to be a bit daring. The dreaded curiosity the girl holds showed bright like her own, but Levy had more gut to act upon than Lucy did. Having a natural nerve biting curiosity in this world was life threatening, Lucy thought, remembering her own bold encounters.

I just hope my apartment is still semi-intact, Lucy prayed. It would be embarrassing to bring a friend home to a trashed apartment like she had the past few times. How would she explain that without sounding downright out of her mind?

Lucy turned around to make her way to the school gate, but stopped upon seeing a male standing in front of a glass enclosed bookcase just outside the library. She recognized the back of his head and his raven soft spiked-hair, his knuckles shyly poking out from their place in his pants pockets and sleeves, the flushed scars barely visible between the two fabrics.

Before Lucy processed a second thought, she was already walking up beside him, shooting out a greeting, "Hello, Gray!" She chirped, apologizing once the male flinched away, obviously surprised from her sudden appearance.

He softened, though, once scanning his eyes over her face and gave a nod of acknowledgment.

"Hello, uh?" He furrowed his brows. His lips pressed together to form a thin line, showing his self irritation as he searched his mind for her name, if he had ever heard or knew it.

"Lucy." Lucy smiled, suddenly becoming aware of how odd it seemed that she knew his name. She could have at least said her name to him in a friendly matter with a nice greeting instead of yelling out his name like she had. Though, thankfully he didn't seem to mind. They were never properly introduced; she had only seen him briefly around the school after their collision in the library, "Levy told me your name."

Gray nodded, lifting a hand to rub under his nose, "How nice of her." His smile was small, but kind.

Lucy's eyes unconsciously dropped to his knuckle, adored by the sensitive skin of his healed scars. The patches of skin looked smooth to the touch and tender, but Lucy found the way they circulated around his palm and knuckles absolutely breathtaking, a work of art. She didn't know how long she was staring, but a rough clear of his throat snapped her back to reality, allowing her to tear her eyes away from his hand. They both stood awkwardly for a few moments when Lucy finally looked up to the glass casing, gasping when her eyes struck the awards and trophies that were on display inside.

"Woah!" She exclaimed, her hands gripping the straps of her school bag with exhilaration, "There's so many!"

"Yeah," Gray chuckled, amused by her reaction, "this is just the basketball club, though. There are displays for every club around the school."

"Really?" Lucy asked, looking up to him with a sparkle in her eyes, "I did not know that! There are so many awards here. You guys are amazing!" She leaned forward, bumping her forehead against the glass to get a closer look. The middle shelf had large picture frames of each team the school had, and her scanning eyes fell on the one in the middle, which she concluded was the school's current team, "You're on the team?" Lucy asked, staring at the picture where Gray was kneeled on his knee, balancing a basketball on his thigh. He was smiling genuinely, brightly.

Gray sighed, rubbing the side of his neck, "Was on the team." He corrected, looking to the side of them, "I quit before the second term."

"Oh," Lucy's expression slowly fell, her excitement fading as her chest became heavy, "Why?" She asked before she could think it over, promptly regretting and wishing to bite her own tongue off.

Gray showed struggle, and Lucy was just about to take her question back when he mumbled, "The joy wasn't there anymore. I found it hard," His vision zoned out on the picture, focusing on one area, one face, "I wasn't fast enough."

Lucy followed his eyes and where his hand came up to brush against the glass. His fingers hovered over another male who was knelt down beside him in the picture, a grin on his face similar to Gray's, if not brighter. Vibrant salmon-hair that stood up and out in all directions, the boy looked unusual, but perky.

Could he have been the reason Gray quit the team? Lucy silently wondered, but knew she had no place to ask that question out loud. She could not help but think there was a second meaning behind his words.

The joy wasn't there anymore.

I found it hard.

I wasn't fast enough.

Lucy went over those words in her mind a few times before putting it aside, knowing she was pushing herself into something she had no right in. But as Gray turned to leave, mumbling an 'I should get going', she sucked in a quick breath of air and reached out to stop him.

"Wait!" She yelped, releasing his bicep the moment he turned back to her, eyes wide, "Can we be friends?"

Gray looked visibly taken back, "Huh?"

Lucy felt herself starting to sweat in nerves, "I mean, I liked talking to you and I'm still pretty new in town. The only friend I have is Levy, and I wouldn't mind—I mean it's up to you of course! I could treat you to a smoothie after school or—"

Why was everything she was suggesting sounding like she was asking him out on a date? She wanted to kick herself. Why was this hard? Just ask to be friends, damnit!

"I would like that." Gray answered, giving her small smile as he turned to take his leave, waving over his shoulder.

Lucy felt relieved, "Great! I'll see you around, then."

It wasn't long after Gray left that Levy came running back around the corner, shoving her papers in her bag as she stopped in front of Lucy. Both girl's made their way outside to the school gates, Levy practically skipping as she swung her arms back and forth beside her at every step she took. Lucy could tell she was excited to see her apartment, and the mere thought of that made her happy, almost smothering her previous nervous feelings completely.

Levy went on about telling her about her day, boosting about a minor, yet goofy, outburst in her English class between her friends Jet and Droy that had the both of them in a fit of giggles. She paid no attention to where she walking, using her body to reenact the small fight, balling her fist and thrusting her arms in front of her with enthusiasm Lucy wish she had. There were a few occasions while they were walking where Lucy had to steer Levy out of the street to keep her from tripping and falling over.

When they finally approached her apartment building, Lucy gripped Levy's wrist to guide the chatting girl up to the second floor, fishing out her keys with her other hand. Becoming occupied with unlocking her door, she barely noticed how abruptly Levy fell silent.

"I hope it's not a mess." Lucy mumbled, pushing the door open and pulling the key out of the socket. She opened the door wide and stepped in, setting her bag on the loveseat. Levy did not follow her inside.

"Lucy?" Lucy snapped her head up at the breathless tone Levy gave her, feeling her stomach sink to her knees at the expression Levy was wearing, seeming to look her apartment and her apartment with a mixture of high shock and fear, "This apartment—"

"Levy, are you okay?" Lucy asked, feeling her chest squeeze heavy with concern. She inched closer to the doorway where Levy was still standing, shifting her weight and gripping the straps of her school bag with white knuckles, "What's wrong?"

Levy struggled on her words, similar to how Gray did, "There's no way—it's not possible, right?" She asked herself and stepped hesitantly through the threshold, her eyes scanning the room the deeper she got.

Lucy carefully watched, still worried.

Levy spent a good minute staring at the hallway, her eyes lingering on the shaded door before she swallowed, forcing her eyes away and moved to kitchen, dragging her fingers lightly over the wall texture. She stepped over the chairs that were discarded on the floor in front of her, pausing in front in the table. She placed her fingers on the paper Lucy left there the night before, reading the contents that were written all over it.

"Levy?" Lucy reached out to her when the blunette started backing away, finally noticing the tears that were threatening to spill down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry, Lucy," Levy whispered, turning to face her just as the first tear dripped from her eyes, "I'm so sorry—I'm—" She brushed passed her and dashed out the door, sharply turning the corner. Lucy went after her just as Levy jumped off the end of the stairs, watching her small form sprint down the street until she was too far and nearly out of sight.

Lucy, dumbfounded, retreated back into her apartment, softly closing and clicking the door locked. She made a strong mental note to console Levy next time she saw her, hoping the girl wasn't in too much of a shock not to go school tomorrow. Worry ate away at Lucy, Levy's tear streaked and hurt expression burned her mind painfully.

Lucy walked into her kitchen, setting the table chairs up straight and pushed in. She picked her pen off the floor and set it next to the paper, feeling her heart lurch in her throat when she saw the scribbling on the paper that wasn't there last night, the reason why Levy suddenly ran out.

'What is it you want?' she had wrote the day before, fumbling over her own wits.

The writing beneath it was sloppy and took up most of the page with its large lettering, but was frighteningly clear.

'To live', it read.