Summary: Gajeel believes that action speaks louder than voice. So he doesn't bother to tell Levy those Three words and Eight Letters.

But Levy, don't wish for anything but to hear Gajeel say those words to her.

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Gajeel is a man of few words. He just let his actions speaks for him. But, even though he believes that, he still refuse to show public affection for his girlfriend, such as holding hands, hugging, etc. And on the other hand, his girlfriend, Levy Mcgarden is the complete opposite of his attitude. She always make sure that she says what she thinks, and she expresses what she feels.

So being with Gajeel makes her feel frustrated at some point. She wants Gajeel to tell her that he loves her. She wants to hold his hands while walking to and out of the guild. Heck, he even never ask her to go on a date !

She's walking to the rough road towards Fairy Tail. She sees couple everywhere, walking side by side and hands intertwined. Oh how she wish Gajeel would hold her like that.

She walks to the guild with a heavy heart. She sit to the bar and orders a smoothie to the white-haired barmaid.

"Here's your order Levy !", Mira said cheerfully.

"Thanks.", the solid script mage said half-heartedly.

"Is there something wrong ?", Mira asked.

"It's nothing.", she replied heaving a sigh.

"Levy, I don't think it's nothing."

Levy just heave another sigh.

"It's about Gajeel."

"Gajeel ?"

"I mean, I love him Mira and I love him just the way he is. But, is it wrong for me to wish that even once he could actually tell me that he loves me ? It's ok if he doesn't hold my hands or hugs me, or even have a proper conversation with me. I just ... want him to say that he loves me.", Levy says as she feels her tears treathening to fall.

"Levy, Gajeel loves you."

"I know that. I can feel his love. I just .. I just want him to say it to me, even once."

Mira just stayed silent as she dries off the glasses.

The guilds door open and revealed the Iron dragon slayer together with his exceed.

Lily flew to Levy's lap while Gajeel walks straight to the mission board.

"Levy, is everything alright ?"

"Yes, of course Lily.", she said as she smiles brightly for the exceed.

"Are you already feeling better ? Do you still have a fever ?", the small exceed asked as concern envelop his voice.

"Yeah, I'm fine now."

"Lily ! Let's go !", Gajeel shouts.

Levy gets out of her seat and walks towards Gajeel with Lily on her arms.

"Are we going on a mission ?", she said cheerfully.

"Just me and Lily. It's part of our training. Besides, it's just fighting. We don't have to translate anything.", he said plainly and ruffled her hair.

"Oh. How long are you gonna be gone ?", she asked trying to hide the disappointment in her voice.

"I'm not sure.", he said as he starts to walk out of the guild after he showed the flyer to Mira.

The couple walks out of the guild with Lily and heads towards Gajeel's apartment.

"I'll go pack for you Gajeel. Should I also pack for your lunch ?", she said cheerfully as they approach the house.

"That'll be great, shrimp.", he smirks as they both entered the house.

Levy packed all the things that she thinks he'll need then go to the kitchen and prepared some lunch that they can eat once they arrive at their destination.

As she finished her tasks and Gajeel is ready to set off she offered to walk him to the train station.

"You don't have to, short stack. Just take a rest or something."

"But I want to --"

"It's fine Levy.", he said sternly.

"Ok. I love you !", she said cheerfully hoping that he'll say it this time.

But to her dismay, he just grunts and peck her to the lips and starts to walk away waving at her direction as a sign of goodbye.

When he's out of sight, her tears started to stream down on her face and she began to sob.

"I guess, this is not the time, huh ?", she says bitterly.

She continued to cry at his doorstep for a few minutes until two strong arms pulled her up.

"G-gajeel ?", she said as she wipes her tears on her face.

Gajeel just looks at her with a serious face.

"What happened ?", he said sternly.

Levy looks away from his stare and instead looks at her feet.

"I-it's nothing."

"Yeah. It's a very common thing to cry at my doorstep.", he said sarcastically as he rolled his eyes.

But Levy just keep quiet as she fidget.

"I don't have much time for this childishness of yours short stuff. Can you just tell me what's wrong ?"

That snapped her attention and irritation completely arise from her.

Gajeel drops her and went inside to grab his jacket and starts to walk away again.

"D-do you really love me ?!"

Gajeel stops from his track as he glanced back at his girlfriend.

"What makes you think that I don't?"

"Everything ! Y-you never said to me you love me. You never held my hands and I can't even talk to you properly. Heck you even never ask me on a date !"

Gajeel completely turn around to face her.

"Levy, you know how I act. You know I'm not use to everything aside from being alone. Do you expect me to change just for you ?", he said coldly.

Levy's heart shattered in a million pieces.

"Just for me? Gajeel I'm your girlfriend. I never ask you to change. I just want you to say even an I love you to me. Just those three words Gajeel. Three words.",she said as tears started to fall again.

"Don't expect too much from me. I'll never change. This is who I am. But if you can't accept that maybe you should just break up with me.", and just as that, he starts to walk away from the sobbing girl who's keep shouting his name and running for him.

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Three months have passed but Gajeel and Lily aren't back yet. And Levy is blaming herself for this.

"Levy-chan, I look all over for you. What are you doing here ? It's freezing over here.", Lucy said to her best friend who is waiting patiently for her boyfriend at the train station.

"It's fine Lu. I'll wait for him.", she said as she lazily looks at her best friend. The dark circles below her eyes are more visible than ever. Her pale face is shining as sun rays hits her skin. She loss more weight for the past months.

"But you have to rest Levy. You're not yet ok.", her best friend said as she pleads for Levy to go back.

But Levy just kept quiet as she glance at the farthest train tracks that she can see, hoping that the train that will come is boarded by her Iron dragon slayer.

Lucy just sigh and wraps around Levy her extra scarf and sat next to her.

Meanwhile, somewhere in Fiore, Gajeel and Lily are now waiting for the train to arrive at the train station.

"At last, you finally decided to go back.", Lily said as he sat at the opposite chair in the platform facing Gajeel.

The iron dragon slayer just glanced at the train tracks as he lay his head on his palm.

"You should talk to her and say sorry once we're back.", the exceed said gaining the full attention of his partner.

"Isn't she the one who should apologize ?", he said angrily.

Lily heave a sigh as he looks at the idiot in front of him.

"Gajeel, I understand your feelings. But you should also understand her feelings as well. She's a girl Gajeel."

Gajeel just kept quiet and mumbles under his breath.

"Gajeel, do you know how much a girl wish to be in a relationship with the man that they truly loves ?", he starts as he sit more comfortably in his chair.

"They always hope to spend everytime that they can get with their boyfriends. If you look at her more carefully and if you try to understands her, you'll see how badly she wants for you to hold her hands while walking, and how eager she is to hear you say how much you love her. For you it's not necessary to do those things, but it's a great deal with her. I know that you think that it will be much appreciateable if you just show her your feelings, but there's a difference when you said it yourself. Hearing an I love you from the man that you love is every woman's dream Gajeel."

When Gajeel didn't say a word, Lily continues.

"She is a delicate girl. Sweet, funny, lovable, and a little bit feisty. And do you even know that she also feels jealous whenever a couple walks in front of her holding hands ? But she never wish for you to change. Asking you to say I love you, or for you to hold her is not asking you to change Gajeel. She loves you for who you are. And she knows that you love her. She just want you to stop being afraid to unleash your true self. The person behind your rough exterior. She dreams to be the first woman to see that part of you."

The train's whistle was heard as the train approaches the platform.

They boarded the train and both fell silent at the whole ride.

Back at the guild ...

"Is she sleeping now?", Mira asked as Lucy sat on the barstool.

"Yeah. Finally.", The stellar mage sigh as she sips her beverage.

The guild doors open as the iron dragon slayer walks in with his exceed on his shoulder.

"Gajeel !", Lucy stood up from her chair.

"Where have you been Gajeel ?", Mira asked as the black haired mage sit on the barstool.

"Mission.", he just said plainly.

"Mission ?! You've been gone for months ! You only took a one-week mission !", Lucy snapped as she shouts at Gajeel.

Gajeel just take his beer and ignored the blonde.

"We've been training Lucy. Sorry for not informing you. ", Lily said.

"I don't mind that you didn't tell the whole guild, but at least you should told Levy. Do you know how much she feels right now ?? She keeps blaming herself because you two got in a fight before you left."

"How is Levy?", Lily asked.

"She's a mess. She always waits for you at the train station. Even earlier, she doesn't let anyone stop her, even her fever."

Gajeel's attention was now on the blonde.

"Fever?", Lily asked.

Lucy heave a sigh.

"Yes. She caught a fever the other day. She barely eat anything on the past months. I can't even make her to at least read a book."

The bar stool fell on the floor as the iron dragon slayer runs towards the fairy hills.

He bursts to the gates without caring if Erza would kill him. He ran upstairs to Levy's room only to find no one.

He ran around the whole town, searching every nook and crook of the town. As Gajeel stops at the middle of the town, gasping for air. He already search everywhere.

Wait, I still haven't ...

He ran towards the station and there ... sitting at one of the chairs while blowing her freezing hands, staring at the farthest train tracks.

Pain shoots through his heart as he saw her current state. She's thinner than he last saw her, and much paler. You can see dark circles below her eyes, sign that she never get much sleep.

I did hurt her so badly.

He clenched both of his fist and took a breath.

He walks towards Levy and scoop her away from her seat.

The girl squeaked at the sudden action.

"G-gajeeel!!", her eyes starts to form tears as she hugs her boyfriend tightly.

Gajeel walks out of the train station as he keeps holding Levy.

"G-gajeeel. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. P-please. Please don't break up with me. Please. I'll never ask for anything again. J-just don't leave me.", she starts to sob at his shoulder hugging him more tightly.

"Ssshh. Stop talking shrimp.", he said as he rubs her back soothingly.

"B-but--"

"Sshh. We'll talk about this later." They head to his apartment at the outskirts of town.

They went inside and Gajeel heads for his bedroom and gently place her on his bed. Levy hugs him tightly when she felt that he'll leave again.

"Shrimp, let go. I need to get some water."

Levy hesitantly unwraps her hand and lay completely on the bed. Gajeel walks out of the room and came with a bowl of water.

He soaked the cloth and squeezed it, then place the cloth in Levy's forehead.

"You shouldn't be outside, it's freezing out there.", he said as he rubs the cloth in her face to wash away her dried tears.

"S-sorry. I was just waiting for you."

He smiled softly at her as he cups her face.

"You didn't have to do that."

"But--" she was cut off as Gajeel softly kiss her on the lips. Gajeel leans in and their forehead touch.

"Just stay here and rest.", he stood up after he place the cloth on her forehead and went to the kitchen to make some soup.

He walked back to his room and place the soup at the side table.

"Shrimp, eat some soup. Bunny girl said you barely eat anything."

Her eyes suddenly saddened. It's just Lu. I thought he finally wants to show me his feelings.

"Come on.", he helps her seat up to his bed and picks the spoon to feed her.

"I can take this Gajeel. You don't have to.", she says as she tries to get the spoon.

"No. I'll feed you. You still have to rest, Levy.", he said sternly.

She let him feed her the soup. As she finish eating, Gajeel place the bowl of soup back at the table.

He help Levy to lay again and he too lay beside her hugging her.

"G-gajeel.", heat creeps all over her face as she face his chest.

"Hm?"

"W-what are you doing ?"

"What it looks like I'm doing ?"

"G-gajeel. You don't have to do this kind of things. Don't let Lucy's words bother you."

"What the hell are you talking about?", he asked as he looks down at her to meet her gaze.

"U-uhmm, you act differently, I thought Lucy told you something.", she mumbled.

He just chuckled at that.

"W-what?!", she said as she pouts her lips.

"It isn't about that bunny girl. I do this things because I want to. I regret that I didn't do this sooner. Levy, I'm so sorry for the things that I said and for leaving you like that."

She just buried herself on his chest and mumbled that it's her fault.

"It's not your fault Levy. It's mine. I should have known better your feelings. I'm sorry."

"I-it's not your fault. I shouldn't said all of that. I shouldn't ask you to--"

"Sshh. It is not your fault, ok ? It's normal for you to hope that. Look at me Levy.", he said as he lifts her head to face him.

"I promise, I'll do everything that you want. I'll hold your hands and talk to you a lot until you get sicked with me."

Her eyes widen at his words and tears starts to slowly streams down her face. She hug her tightly and buried her face back on his chest.

"You don't have to do that Gajeel. You don't have to force yourself to--"

"Sshh. Levy, I'm not forcing myself. I always want to do stuffs with you too. I was just scared that you'll get sick of me and leave me."

"I'll never get sick of you Gajeel. Never.", she said between sobs.

"Gihi. Good. I'm sorry if it took me so long to realize that I should've done all this things instead of being afraid.", he said as he kiss the top of her head.

"Mhhm. Gajeeeel. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you."

"I know. Gihihihi. And Levy... ", he slid down to face his petite girlfriend and kiss her nose.

"I love you.", he said and captures fully her lips.

END.