Archive of Our Own

Lucy Heartfilia had made a terrible mistake.

Not the sort of mistake that resulted in a destroyed guild hall.

Or an angry Celestial Spirit.

Or Natsu crashing through her window
at three in the morning because he'd decided her apartment was apparently communal property.

No.

This was worse.

Much worse.

Lucy had given Levy McGarden a red pen.

"...You're enjoying this."

Levy didn't look up.

"Nope."

"You're smiling."

"I'm concentrating."

"You're grinning, Levy."

"I'm a happy reader."

"You've crossed out an entire paragraph!"

Levy finally looked up from the pages balanced across her knees.

She was sitting comfortably on Lucy's bed, shoes abandoned beside it, several pillows stacked behind her back.

A plate containing the remains of a chocolate cake sat between them.

Beside that...

Lucy's manuscript.

Covered in red ink.

Levy adjusted her glasses.

"It wasn't a very good paragraph."

Lucy stared at her.

"...Get out."

"No."

"This is my apartment."

"And?"

"And I'm throwing you out."

Levy reached calmly for another piece of cake.

"No, you're not."

"How do you know?"

"Because I brought the cake."

Lucy glanced at it.

Then back at Levy.

"...You can stay."

"I thought so."

Lucy folded her arms.

"But I'm confiscating the pen."

Levy immediately held it against her chest.

"You wouldn't."

"Try me."

"You asked for feedback!"

"I asked whether you liked it!"

"No, you specifically said-"

Levy straightened and adopted a terrible impression of Lucy's voice.

"'Levy, you're the biggest bookworm I know. I need your completely honest opinion.'"

Lucy narrowed her eyes.

"I don't sound like that."

"You absolutely sound like that."

"I do not."

"You really do."

Lucy grabbed a pillow.

Levy's eyes widened.

"Lucy."

"You have three seconds."

"You wouldn't dare."

"Three.""We're adults."

"Two."

"This is ridiculous."

"One."

Lucy launched the pillow.

Levy squealed and ducked.

The pillow sailed over her head and knocked a book from Lucy's bedside table.

They both froze.

Silence.

Then Levy looked at Lucy.

Lucy looked at Levy.

"...You missed."

"Oh, shut up."

Levy dissolved into giggles.

Lucy tried to remain annoyed.

She really did.

Unfortunately...

Levy's laughter had always been infectious.

Within seconds Lucy was laughing too.

"You're horrible."

"You love me."

"Currently reconsidering."

"Liar."

Lucy smiled.

"...Maybe."

Eventually...

Peace returned.

Mostly.

Lucy disappeared into the bathroom to wash away the remnants of the day's grime while Levy returned to the manuscript.

The shower ran.

Pages turned.

Every now and then...

The red pen struck again.

When Lucy returned, she was wearing an oversized sleep shirt and shorts, her damp blonde hair hanging loose around her shoulders.

Levy looked up.

Then paused.

There was a faint scent in the air.

Soft. Floral.

"...Lavender?"

Lucy stopped towel-drying her hair.

"Hm?"

"Your soap."

"Oh."

Lucy lifted one shoulder.

"Yeah. I like it."

Levy smiled.

"It suits you."

Lucy blinked.

"...What does that mean?"

"I don't know."

"You can't tell someone a soap suits them and then say you don't know what it means."

"I just did."

"You're weird."

"Says you."

Lucy dropped onto the bed beside her.

Close enough that their shoulders bumped.

Neither moved away.

"So?"

"So what?"

"How bad is it?"

Levy glanced down at the manuscript.

Then at Lucy.

"...Do you want the nice answer?"

Lucy groaned.

"Oh gods."

"Or the useful answer?"

"Can't I have both?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because we're friends."

"That's not how friendship works!"

"That's exactly how friendship works."

Lucy dramatically fell backwards onto the mattress.

"I'm never showing you anything again."

"You say that every time."

"And yet I never learn."

"That's why you need me."

Lucy lifted her head.

"...You're annoyingly confident tonight."

Levy smiled sweetly.

"I've had cake."

Lucy sat up again.

"Fine."

She pointed at the manuscript.

"Destroy me."

Levy raised an eyebrow.

"Interesting choice of words."

"Critique the manuscript."

"Less interesting."

"Levy."

"Okay, okay."

Levy shuffled through several pages.

"The opening is good."

Lucy's expression immediately brightened.

"The dialogue works."

Brighter.

"The pacing's much better than your last draft."

Brighter still.

"And I really like the heroine."

Lucy smiled proudly.

"See?"

"But-"

Lucy's smile disappeared.

"There it is."

Levy winced.

"The love interest..."

"What about him?"

"He's..."

She hesitated.

Lucy narrowed her eyes.

"He's what?"

"...A lot."

Lucy stared.

"What does that mean?"

"He's seven feet tall."

"He's six foot six."

"He carries two swords."

"He's a warrior."

"He has a mysterious scar."

"People have scars!"

"He wears a red cloak."

"It's fashionable!"

"He spends half his dialogue growling."

"He does not."

Levy slowly looked down at the manuscript.

Then began flipping pages.

"Growled."

Lucy opened her mouth.

"Growled."

"That's-"

"Growled."

"Okay, but-"

"Growled."

"LEVY."

Levy was laughing now.

Lucy snatched for the pages.

Levy pulled them out of reach.

"Give me that!"

"No!"

"You're deliberately picking them!"

"There are so many!"

"He's intense!"

"He sounds constipated!"

Lucy gasped.

"How dare you!"

They wrestled briefly over the manuscript.

Levy twisted away.

Lucy reached across her.

Their elbows tangled.

The pages slipped.

Both lunged for them.

And somehow...

Lucy ended up half sprawled across Levy.

They froze.

Lucy had one hand planted beside Levy's shoulder.

Levy still held several pages against her chest.

Their faces were...

Close.

Very close.

For half a second...

Neither said anything.

Levy's gaze flicked briefly downward.
Lucy noticed.

Something strange fluttered low in her stomach.

Then-

Levy shoved the manuscript against
Lucy's face.

"...Your warrior still growls too much."
Lucy jerked backwards.

"OH, YOU-"

Levy burst into laughter.

Lucy grabbed the pillow again.

"You're dead!"

"Violence against your editor!"

"You're not my editor!"

"I should be!"

"GET BACK HERE!"

Five minutes later...

Levy was sitting on the floor.

Lucy was sitting on the bed.

Both were breathless from laughing.

The manuscript had somehow survived.

The chocolate cake had not.

One piece had fallen upside down onto the plate.

Lucy stared mournfully at it.

"...Look what you've done."

"I didn't throw the pillow."

"You provoked me."

"You attacked me."

"Details."

Levy climbed back onto the bed.

"Okay."

She retrieved the red pen.

"Serious now."

Lucy eyed the pen suspiciously.

"...Fine."

Levy began counting through the marks
she'd made.

"Dialogue..."

"Fine."

"Pacing..."

"Fine."

"Your growling mountain of testosterone..."

"Leave him alone."

"Never."

Lucy sighed.

"How many things have you actually marked?"

Levy counted.

Then counted again.

"...Thirteen."

Lucy slowly turned her head.

"...Thirteen?"

"Apparently."

"You found thirteen things wrong with one chapter?"

"Not wrong."

Levy smiled.

"Things I'd change."

"That's worse!"

"Technically..."

Levy glanced towards the bottom of the final page.

"...There's a fourteenth."

Lucy stared at her.

"You didn't write it down?"

"No."

"Why?"

Levy hesitated.

And for the first time that evening...

She actually looked uncertain.

Lucy noticed immediately.

"...What?"

"Nothing."

"Levy."

"It's not a big deal."

"You've spent the last hour committing acts of violence against my manuscript."

"Constructive violence."

"You don't get shy now."

Levy sighed.

"Fine."

She flipped towards the end of the chapter.

"There."

Lucy looked.

The scene she'd been working on for days.

The culmination of nearly eighty pages of tension between her heroine and the ridiculous, apparently constipated warrior Levy had spent the evening mocking.

Lucy immediately knew what Levy meant.

"...The kiss?"

Levy nodded.

Lucy frowned.

"What about it?"

"It's..."

Levy made a face.

Lucy pointed.

"THAT."

"What?"

"That's the face!"

"What face?"

"The face you made earlier!"

"I didn't make a face."

"You absolutely made a face!"

Levy tried not to laugh.

Lucy grabbed the manuscript.

"What's wrong with it?"

"Nothing's wrong with it."

"Then why are you making that face?"

"I'm thinking."

"You look like somebody murdered your favourite character."

Levy's expression instantly became serious.

"...We don't joke about that."

Lucy paused.

Then nodded solemnly.

"...Fair."

A moment of respectful silence passed.

Then Lucy pointed at the page again.

"My kiss."

Levy groaned.

"Lucy..."

"My kiss, Levy."

"It's just..."

She searched for the right word.

"...Perfect."

Lucy blinked.

"...Thank you?"

"No."

"No?"

"That's the problem."

Lucy stared.

"You're criticising my romantic scene..."

"...for being too romantic?"

"No. I'm criticising it because nobody kisses like this."

"How do you know?"

Levy opened her mouth.

Stopped.

Lucy waited.

Levy's cheeks slowly turned pink.

Lucy narrowed her eyes.

"...Levy."

"Don't."

"Oh my gods."

"Lucy."

A grin spread across Lucy's face.

"Have you never-"

"Don't finish that sentence."

"You haven't!"

"I read!"

"THAT DOESN'T COUNT!"

"I know it doesn't count!"

Lucy was laughing again.

Levy covered her face with both hands.

"This is why I wasn't going to mention it."

"No, no."

Lucy tugged gently at Levy's wrists.

"I'm sorry."

"You're not."

"I'm a little sorry."

"You're horrible."

"You love me."

Levy lowered her hands just enough to glare at her.

"...Currently reconsidering."

Lucy grinned.

Then...

Her grin softened.

"Actually..."

Levy noticed the change immediately.

"What?"

Lucy looked down at the manuscript.

Ran her thumb along the edge of the page.

"...I've never kissed anyone either."

Levy blinked.

"...What?"

Lucy shrugged.

"Never happened."

"But..."

"But what?"

"You're Lucy."

Lucy laughed.

"What does that mean?"

"I don't know!"

"You can't say that and then not explain it."

"Apparently I can."

Lucy nudged her shoulder.

Levy nudged back.

For a few seconds...

Neither spoke.

Then both looked down at the page between them.

At the fictional kiss they'd spent the evening arguing about.

Levy cleared her throat.

"...So."

Lucy already didn't like that tone.

"...What?"

"If neither of us actually knows what we're talking about..."

Lucy slowly looked at her.

Levy's eyes were sparkling.

That particular sparkle usually meant trouble.

"No."

"I haven't said anything."

"I know that face."

"What face?"

"The face you make when you've had an idea that's going to become my problem."

Levy smiled.

"...Research?"

Lucy stared at her.

"Absolutely not."

Levy nodded.

"Okay."

"Good."

"Forget I mentioned it."

"I will."

"Excellent."

"Excellent."

Silence.

Lucy looked at the manuscript.

Then at Levy.

Then back at the manuscript.

Three seconds passed.

Five.

Ten.

Finally...

Lucy swallowed.

"...What kind of research?”

 

Levy stared at her.

Lucy stared back.

Neither moved.

The manuscript lay forgotten between them.

Finally...

Very slowly...

A smile spread across Levy's face.

"...What kind of research?"

Lucy immediately regretted everything.

"I was asking academically."

"Of course."

"Purely academically."

"Naturally."

"Stop looking at me like that."

"Like what?"

"Like you're enjoying this."

Levy's smile widened.

"I have no idea what you're talking
about."

"Liar."

Lucy reached for the manuscript.

Levy grabbed it first.

"Hey!"

"No."

"Give it back!"

"You wanted feedback."

"I've changed my mind."

"Too late."

Levy flipped back to the offending page.

"Let's examine the evidence."

Lucy buried her face in her hands.

"Oh gods."

"Our heroine has been yearning for this
man for-"

"She's not yearning."

"Lucy."

"...Fine."

"She's yearning."

"Thank you."

Levy cleared her throat with exaggerated importance.

"After approximately eighty pages of yearning-"

"You're enjoying that word far too much."

"-They finally find themselves alone beneath the stars."

Lucy peeked between her fingers.

"That's romantic."

"It is."

"Thank you."

"Then he puts one hand against the wall beside her head."

Lucy lowered her hands.

"...Yeah?"

"And the other on her waist."

"...Yeah."

"And then he kisses her."

"...Yes."

Levy looked up.

"How?"

Lucy frowned.

"What do you mean, how?"

"How does he kiss her?"

"With his mouth!"

Levy immediately dissolved into laughter.

Lucy turned scarlet.

"You know what I mean!"

"I really don't think you know what you mean."

"Oh, shut up!"

Lucy snatched the manuscript back.

She scanned her own paragraph.

Her confidence lasted perhaps six seconds.

"...Okay."

Levy leaned closer.

"What?"

"I might see your point."

"Ha!"

"Don't celebrate."

"I was right."

"You were insufferable."

"I can be both."

Lucy sighed.

"There's nothing actually happening."

"Exactly."

"It's all..."

She waved at the page.

"...Eyes and breathing and feelings."

"And pine."

Lucy glared at her.

"...Leave the pine alone."

"You've mentioned how he smells three times."

"People smell things!"

"Pine and winter air?"

"He's outdoorsy!"

"He sounds like a forest."

Lucy grabbed the pillow.

Levy immediately raised both hands.

"Okay!"

"No violence!"

"Then stop bullying my love interest."

"I'll stop when he stops growling."

"LEVY."

The pillow remained where it was.

For now.

Lucy dropped the manuscript into her lap.

"So what would you change?"

Levy thought.

"I don't know."

"You've got thirteen corrections and suddenly you don't know?"

"Fourteen."

"You're lucky I love you."

"I know."

The answer came so naturally that neither reacted to it.

Not immediately.

Then Lucy's fingers stopped against the edge of the page.

Levy's smile softened.

Something warm passed between them.

Familiar. Easy. Dangerous only because neither of them had ever bothered examining it too closely.

Lucy cleared her throat.

"So."

"So."

"Research."

Levy's cheeks coloured.

"...Research."

Lucy shifted around until she was facing
her properly.

Cross-legged.

Levy mirrored her without seeming to
realise.

There was perhaps half a metre between them.

It suddenly felt like nothing at all.

Lucy tucked a damp strand of blonde
hair behind her ear.

"How would this even work?"

Levy blinked.

"You asked me?"

"It was your idea!"

"It was mostly a joke!"

"Mostly?"

Levy's face went bright red.

Lucy pointed at her.

"Mostly!"

"I hate you."

"No, you don't."

"...Unfortunately."

Lucy laughed.

The tension cracked.

Just enough.

"Okay."

She picked up the manuscript.

"We're writers."

"I'm not a writer."

"You read enough books to count."

"That is absolutely not how that works."

"It does tonight."

Lucy placed the manuscript between them.

"We approach this logically."

Levy nodded.

"Logically."

"Like research."

"Exactly."

"No weirdness."

"None."

"No making fun of each other."

Levy hesitated.

"...That seems unreasonable."

"Levy."

"Fine."

Lucy extended her hand.

Levy looked at it.

"...What?"

"Agreement."

"You want to shake on kissing each other?"

Lucy immediately withdrew it.

"When you say it like that, it sounds ridiculous."

"It is ridiculous."

They started laughing again.

And that helped.

This was them.

Lucy and Levy.

Best friends.

Bookworms.

Two women who had apparently become so invested in criticising a fictional kiss that they were now considering conducting practical research.

Perfectly normal. Probably.

Levy picked up another piece of cake.

Or tried to.

The plate was empty.

She stared at it.

"...Did we eat all of it?"

Lucy looked over.

"Oh."

"Apparently."

"That was a whole cake."

"It was a small cake."

"It was not."

"Don't judge us."

"I'm judging us a little."

Lucy stretched towards the bedside table.

"There's chocolate in the drawer."

Levy stared.

"You keep emergency chocolate beside your bed?"

"Obviously."

"...Marry me."

Lucy froze.

Levy froze.

Another silence.

Then Levy slowly covered her face.

"I meant because of the chocolate."

"I know."

"Obviously."

"Levy."

"I know."

Lucy bit her lip.

Then failed spectacularly to contain her laughter.

"You're so red!"

"Shut up!"

"You proposed over chocolate!"

"I TAKE IT BACK."

"Too late!"

"Give me the chocolate."

"No."

"Lucy!"

"Engagement gift."

Levy launched the pillow this time.

Eventually...

They settled again.

Lucy opened the chocolate.

Levy stole half.

Peace was restored.

A little later, Levy found herself turning the gold key hanging from Lucy's belt between her fingers.

Not one of Lucy's Celestial Spirit Keys.

Just a small decorative charm she'd attached months ago.

Levy rolled it absently between her fingertips while reading.

Lucy glanced down.

"You've been playing with that for five minutes."

Levy released it immediately.

"Sorry."

"I didn't say stop."

Levy looked up.

Lucy smiled.

So Levy touched it again.

Neither of them mentioned that this time her knuckles rested lightly against
Lucy's thigh.

"Okay."

Levy tapped the manuscript.

"I've figured it out."

Lucy leaned closer.

"The kiss?"

"The problem with it."

 

"Which is?"

"Nobody's nervous."

Lucy frowned.

"Of course they're nervous."

"You say they're nervous."

Levy pointed to the page.

"But nothing goes wrong."

"So?"

"So..."

Levy shrugged.

"If you've wanted to kiss someone for ages, surely you're thinking about everything."

"Like?"

"Where do your hands go?"

Lucy glanced at her own.

"...Good point."

"Do you close your eyes?"

"Obviously."

"When?"

Lucy opened her mouth.

Nothing came out.

Levy grinned.

"Exactly."

"Fine. What else?"

"Which way do you tilt your head?"

"...There's a way?"

"I think either way."

"What if you both pick the same direction?"

"You move."

"What if they move too?"

"You move back."

"And they move back."

Levy started laughing.

"Then apparently you spend the evening dodging each other."

Lucy tried not to smile.

Failed.

"This is a nightmare."

"And your characters do it perfectly first try."

Lucy looked accusingly at the manuscript.

"...Smug bastards."

Levy laughed.

Then went quiet.

Because while they'd been talking...

They'd moved closer.

Neither knew who had done it.

Their knees were touching now.

Levy could still smell lavender.

Lucy could feel the warmth of Levy's leg against hers.

Neither moved away.

Lucy swallowed.

"So..."

Levy looked at her.

"...So."

"Maybe..."

Lucy's courage abruptly abandoned her.

She looked towards the manuscript instead.

"...We test your theory."

Levy's voice became very quiet.

"About people being nervous?"

"Mhm."

"Lucy..."

"We don't have to."

"I know."

Lucy finally looked at her.

"I'm not saying I don't want to."

That shut both of them up.

Levy's cheeks were pink again.

Lucy suspected hers weren't much better.

"Do you?" Levy asked.

There was no teasing in it.

Lucy could have laughed.

Could have changed the subject.

Could have thrown another pillow.
Instead...

She nodded.

"Yeah."

Then, because honesty apparently wasn't terrifying enough...

"Do you?"

Levy smiled..Small. Nervous. Beautiful.

"...Yeah."

Lucy shifted closer.

Levy did the same.

They stopped.

A few inches apart.

Lucy suddenly whispered,

"Which way?"

Levy blinked.

"...What?"

"Our heads."

Levy's lips twitched.

"Lucy."

"This is important!"

"Left?"

"My left or your left?"

"Oh gods."

They both started laughing.

The moment completely collapsed.

Lucy dropped her forehead against
Levy's shoulder.

"This is awful."

Levy was shaking with laughter.

"Your characters are doing much better."

"I'm deleting the entire book."

"No!"

"Every page."

"I liked the rest!"

"You called him constipated!"

"He growls too much!"

Lucy lifted her head.

Still laughing.

Levy turned at the same moment.

Their noses bumped.

Both froze. Then… Levy snorted.

Lucy covered her mouth.

"Don't."

That made Levy laugh harder.

"Don't you dare."

"I'm sorry."

"You're not."

"I'm really trying."

"This is supposed to be romantic!"

"Research."

"Whatever!"

Their laughter gradually faded.

But neither moved away.

They were still close.

Closer now.

Lucy's hand had somehow found Levy's.

Their fingers rested together on the blanket.

Neither remembered reaching for the other.

Lucy looked down.

Then back up.

Levy was already watching her.

No jokes this time.

No manuscript.

No hypothetical characters standing beneath perfect stars.

Just them.

Lucy whispered,

"...Again?"

Levy nodded.

"...Again."

They leaned closer.

Slower this time.

Lucy tilted one way.

Levy the other.

No collision.

No laughter.

Not yet.

Lucy's eyes fluttered closed.

And then-

They stopped.

Barely a breath apart.

Neither quite brave enough to cross the final inch.

Lucy could feel Levy smiling.

"...We're terrible at this."

Levy whispered.

"...Absolutely."

Lucy opened her eyes.

Levy's were still closed.

Her cheeks pink.

Her fingers tightening slightly around Lucy's.

And suddenly...

Lucy wasn't thinking about research anymore.

She wasn't thinking about her manuscript.

Or first kisses.

Or whether she was doing anything correctly.

She was just thinking about Levy.

Her best friend.

The woman sitting close enough that Lucy could still smell chocolate on her breath.

The woman who knew exactly how Lucy took her tea.

Who had read every terrible draft she'd ever written.

Who had laughed with her until her stomach hurt.

Who could destroy an entire chapter with thirteen marks of red ink...

And somehow make Lucy want to show her the next one anyway.

Lucy squeezed her hand.

Levy opened her eyes.

And Lucy smiled.

"...I think we're overthinking it."

Levy smiled back.

"Probably."

"So..."

"So?"

Lucy leaned slightly closer.

"...Stop thinking."

This time… Neither of them pulled away.

Neither of them pulled away. That was… Something.

Lucy could feel her own heartbeat.

Fast. Far too fast. Surely Levy could hear it. Actually… Knowing Levy...

She'd probably count the beats and write them down as additional research.

Lucy almost laughed at the thought.

Almost.

Then Levy moved closer.

Barely.

And Lucy forgot what was funny.

Their noses brushed.

Lucy tilted her head.

Levy copied her.

Wrong direction.

They bumped again.

Both immediately pulled back.

Silence.

"...Seriously?"

Lucy whispered.

Levy's lips twitched.

"...Apparently."

"I thought we solved this."

"So did I."

"You're supposed to go the other way."

"So are you!"

"It's my bed!"

Levy stared.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"I don't know!"

Levy snorted.

That did it.

Lucy started laughing.

"Oh gods."

"This is terrible."

Levy covered her mouth.

"Research is going well."

"My characters are never kissing again."

"Bit dramatic."

"Eighty pages of yearning for nothing."

"They could hold hands."

Lucy stared at her.

"...You monster."

Levy's laughter faded first.

Lucy followed.

Their hands were still joined.

Neither had let go.

Lucy glanced down at their fingers.

Then back at Levy.

"...One more time?"

Levy's expression softened.

"One more time."

Lucy raised an eyebrow.

"For research?"

"Obviously."

"Obviously."

This time...

They didn't think about direction.

Lucy simply leaned in.

Levy met her halfway.

And their lips touched.

Softly.

Briefly.

So briefly that Lucy wasn't entirely sure it had happened.

Then they separated.

Silence.

Levy blinked.

Lucy blinked.

Neither said anything.

Five seconds passed.

Then ten.

Lucy finally whispered,

"...Was that it?"

Levy's eyes widened.

"...I think so."

"Huh."

"...Huh."

Lucy touched her lips.

Nothing felt different.

She wasn't sure what she'd expected.

Fireworks?

Celestial Spirits bursting through the ceiling?

Natsu crashing through the window at precisely the wrong moment?

Actually...

That last one remained entirely possible.

Lucy glanced suspiciously towards the window.

Levy followed her gaze.

"...What?"

"Checking for Natsu."

Levy nodded.

"Good thinking."

"He's ruined less important moments."

"Remember the bath?"

"Don't."

"The towel-"

"LEVY."

Levy laughed.

Lucy shoved her shoulder.

Then Levy's expression changed.

Her eyes dropped briefly to Lucy's mouth.

Lucy noticed.

This time...

She didn't tease her.

"...Well?"

Levy looked up.

"Well what?"

"You're the critic."

"Oh."

Levy considered it with exaggerated seriousness.

Lucy waited.

"...Six out of ten."

Lucy's jaw dropped.

"SIX?"

Levy immediately started laughing.

"Maybe seven."

"Seven?!"

"Seven and a half."

"Get out."

"Lucy-"

"Out!"

"You asked!"

"I gave you my first kiss and you gave me a seven and a half!"

"Our first kiss."

Lucy stopped.

Levy stopped too.

The words sat between them.

Our first kiss.

Something about that sounded different.

Warmer.

Lucy felt herself smile.

Levy noticed.

"...What?"

"Nothing."

"That's not a nothing face."

"Apparently I have a lot of faces."

"You do."

Lucy nudged her knee.

"You're avoiding the important issue."

"Which is?"

"My score."

Levy pretended to think.

"Still seven and a half."

"Unacceptable."

"Sorry."

"No, you're not."

"Not remotely."

Lucy narrowed her eyes.

"Fine."

Before Levy could ask what she meant...

Lucy leaned forward and kissed her again.

This one lasted longer.

Not much.

But enough.

Enough for the surprise to disappear.

Enough for Lucy to realise Levy's lips were softer than she'd expected.

Enough for Levy's fingers to tighten around hers.

Enough for both of them to stop
worrying about which direction their heads were supposed to go.

When Lucy pulled away...

Levy stared at her.

Lucy smiled smugly.

"...Well?"

Levy swallowed.

"...Eight."

"EIGHT?"

"Eight and a half."

"You are impossible."

"You could always try again."

Lucy froze.

Levy's cheeks immediately turned pink.

But she didn't take it back.

Lucy slowly smiled.

"...Is that a challenge?"

"No."

"Sounded like one."

"Definitely wasn't."

"Too late."

The third kiss wasn't awkward at all.

Lucy lifted one hand to Levy's cheek.

Levy leaned into it without thinking.

Their lips met. Soft. Warm. Unhurried.

This time… Neither rushed to separate.

Lucy felt Levy smile against her.

Which made Lucy smile.

Which completely ruined the kiss because suddenly they were both laughing.

They pulled apart.

Foreheads resting together.

Levy whispered,

"...Nine."

Lucy laughed.

"You're unbelievable."

"I have high standards."

"I've noticed."

Lucy brushed her thumb lightly across Levy's cheek.

The gesture happened before she
thought about it.

Levy went very still.

"...What?"

Lucy asked.

"Nothing."

"Levy."

Levy smiled.

"You've got that look."

"What look?"

"The one your heroine gets."

Lucy groaned.

"Oh, don't bring the manuscript into this."

"Research."

"Research ended approximately three kisses ago."

Levy raised an eyebrow.

"...So what are we doing now?"

Lucy opened her mouth.

Stopped.

That… Was a very good question.

Neither answered it.

Instead, Lucy reached for the manuscript.

"Fine."

Levy blinked.

"Fine what?"

"If we're doing this properly..."

She grabbed the red pen.

"...We're fixing the scene."

Levy's face lit up.

"Now?"

"Now."

"You want to edit immediately after your first kiss?"

Lucy stared at her.

"You don't?"

Levy considered.

"...That's disturbingly appealing."

"I knew there was a reason we're friends."

They rearranged themselves against the pillows.

Shoulder to shoulder.

The manuscript resting across their laps.

Lucy crossed out the first sentence.

Levy gasped.

"You killed the yearning!"

"I'm improving it."

"You've become drunk with power."

"I learned from you."

Lucy rewrote the opening.

Levy watched.

"No."

Lucy stopped.

"...Excuse me?"

"Too much."

"I wrote six words."

"Five too many."

"You're awful."

"You invited me."

Lucy scribbled something else.

Levy frowned.

"Better."

"Thank you."

"But-"

Lucy pointed the pen at her.

"Choose your next words carefully."

Levy smiled.

"...His cloak."

"What about it?"

"Why is it red?"

Lucy blinked.

"Because..."

She glanced down.

"...I like red?"

"You've mentioned it four times."

"It's dramatic."

"He already has two swords and a mysterious scar."

"He can have a cloak!"

"He can."

"Thank you."

"But maybe not the brooch."

Lucy looked offended.

"What's wrong with the brooch?"

"It's a stag."

"So?"

"A white stag."

"It's symbolic!"

"Of what?"

Lucy hesitated.

"...The ancient woodland kingdom his family lost."

Levy stared at her.

Lucy stared back.

"...What?"

"Nothing."

"Why are you making that face?"

"I'm not making a face."

"You're making the face!"

Lucy threw the red pen at her.

Levy caught it.

Barely.

"Violence!"

"Editorial disagreement!"

Levy glanced down at the next page.

"...Oh."

Lucy immediately became suspicious.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Levy."

"There's a wyvern."

Lucy snatched the manuscript.

"That's completely different!"

"I didn't say anything!"

"Your face did!"

"I like wyverns!"

"So do I!"

"Then why are you defensive?"

"Because you've been attacking everything I love!"

Levy smiled.

"...Not everything."

Lucy paused.

Their eyes met.

The meaning landed.

Lucy's cheeks warmed.

"...That was smooth."

Levy's face went scarlet.

"I didn't mean-"

"Yes, you did."

"I really didn't."

Lucy leaned closer.

"You absolutely did."

Levy tried to hide behind the manuscript.

Lucy pulled it down.

"Where are you going?"

"Somewhere else."

"This is my apartment."

"I'll find somewhere."

Lucy laughed.

"You're adorable."

Levy froze.

Lucy froze.

"...I said that out loud."

"Yep."

"...Damn."

Levy slowly smiled.

"So are you."

Lucy looked away.

"...Shut up."

"No."

"Read the next page."

"Gladly."

They continued.

Levy found an assassin hidden in
chapter four.

Lucy defended her.

A kingdom surrounded by ancient forests appeared in chapter six.

Levy approved.

There was an unnecessarily elaborate description of a pair of beautiful shoes in chapter seven.

Levy stopped reading.

"...Lucy."

"What?"

"This is half a page."

"They're nice shoes."

"Half."

"A."

"Page."

"Details matter."

"Apparently."

Later… Levy reached chapter thirteen.

She stopped.

Lucy noticed.

"What?"

Levy quietly turned the manuscript around.

At the top of the page...

Chapter Thirteen.

Lucy stared.

"...And?"

Levy looked at her.

Something oddly solemn passed across
her expression.

"...Nothing."

She turned the page.

Lucy frowned.

"You're weird."

"Probably."

Hours passed.

The manuscript slowly disappeared beneath corrections.

The chocolate disappeared completely.

At some point...

Lucy made tea.

Levy found a tin of biscuits.

There were thirteen.

Levy counted twice.

Lucy noticed.

"...What?"

"Nothing."

"You keep saying nothing tonight."

"There's thirteen, that number keeps coming up tonight."

Lucy stared at her.

"...Why?"

Levy shrugged.

"Dunno."

Lucy shook her head.

"Bookworms."

"You are literally writing a novel."

"Fair."

Eventually...

Lucy stretched.

Her back cracked.

She groaned.

"I've been sitting here too long."

Levy yawned.

"What time is it?"

Lucy checked the clock.

"...Two seventeen."

Levy blinked.

"In the morning?"

"No, Levy. We've accidentally travelled backwards to lunchtime."

"Don't get sarcastic."

"You're rubbing off on me."

"Poor thing."

Lucy stood.

"I need water."

She wandered into the kitchen.

Levy followed.

Lucy filled two glasses.

When she turned...

Levy was standing by the window.

Looking out across Magnolia.

The city had gone quiet.

Stars scattered across the dark sky.

Lucy handed her a glass.

"Pretty."

Levy nodded.

"Yeah."

Neither clarified whether they meant the view.

Lucy leaned against the windowsill beside her.

Their shoulders touched.

The silence stretched.

Comfortable.

Familiar.

Then Levy spoke.

"...Do you ever think about leaving?"

Lucy looked at her.

"Magnolia?"

"Yeah."

Lucy considered it.

"Sometimes."

"Where would you go?"

"I don't know."

"Somewhere warm."

"With beaches?"

"Definitely."

"Books?"

"Obviously."

"Chocolate?"

"Essential."

Levy smiled.

"What about the guild?"

Lucy bumped her shoulder.

"They'd find us."

"Even if we went across the world?"

"Natsu would probably smell food and somehow end up there."

Levy laughed.

"True."

Lucy looked through the glass.

At the stars.

Then quietly said,

"I think I'd miss this."

Levy followed her gaze.

"Magnolia?"

Lucy shook her head.

"...Us."

Levy looked at her.

Lucy suddenly found the stars extremely interesting.

"I mean..."

"Whatever this is."

"Reading."

"Writing."

"You destroying my confidence."

"Me throwing things at you."

Levy smiled.

"Sounds healthy."

"Very."

Lucy glanced sideways.

"And..."

She hesitated.

"...The other thing."

Levy's smile softened.

"The research?"

Lucy rolled her eyes.

"Sure."

"Research."

Levy placed her glass down.

Then held out her hand.

Lucy looked at it.

"...What?"

"Nothing."

"You've said that about fifteen times."

"Just..."

Levy wiggled her fingers.

"...Come here."

Lucy smiled.

She took Levy's hand.

Levy pulled her gently closer.

No nerves this time.

No debate over directions.

No bumped noses.

Lucy leaned down.

Levy rose slightly onto her toes.

Their lips met again. Slow. Soft. Easy.

When they separated...

Lucy didn't move far.

Neither did Levy.

"...Score?"

Lucy whispered.

Levy pretended to consider it.

"...Nine and a half."

Lucy gasped.

"You are never giving me ten, are you?"

"Can't."

"Why?"

Levy smiled.

"Then you'd stop trying."

Lucy stared at her.

"...You sneaky little- "

Levy kissed her before she could finish.

Lucy made a surprised noise against her mouth.

Then immediately kissed her back.

When they separated...

Levy looked incredibly pleased with herself.

Lucy pointed accusingly.

"...That was cheating."

"Research."

"You can't keep using that."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't believe you anymore."

Levy's expression softened.

"...Good."

Something in Lucy's chest fluttered.

She squeezed Levy's hand.

Outside...

Magnolia slept beneath the stars.

Inside...

Their abandoned manuscript waited on
the bed beside a red pen, an empty plate that had once held chocolate cake, and thirteen carefully marked corrections.

Neither woman seemed particularly interested in returning to it.

Not yet.

There were, after all...

Some things books could only teach you so much about.

And Lucy was beginning to suspect

Levy had been right.

Practice… Was considerably more useful.

Three weeks later...

Lucy Heartfilia had made another terrible mistake.

She had given Levy McGarden a red pen.

Again.

Apparently...

Lucy was incapable of learning from
experience.

"No."

Lucy pointed firmly at the pen.

"We have rules this time."

Levy looked up from her place on
Lucy's bed.

"Rules?"

"Yes."

"You didn't mention rules."

"I'm mentioning them now."

"Convenient."

Lucy ignored her.

"Rule one: constructive criticism."

"My criticism is always constructive."

"You called my love interest constipated."

"He growled fourteen times."

"THAT WAS THE OLD DRAFT."

"Because I helped you."

Lucy narrowed her eyes.

Levy smiled sweetly.

"...Rule two?"

"No laughing."

"Unreasonable."

"Levy."

"I can't agree to that."

"Why not?"

"What if it's funny?"

"It's a romance!"

"Romances can be funny."

"Not at the romantic bits!"

Levy's eyebrows rose.

"...Our first kiss involved us headbutting each other."

Lucy immediately went red.

"We did not headbutt."

"Our noses collided."

"That's different."

"Then you blamed me."

"You went the wrong way!"

"There isn't a wrong way!"

"There was that night!"

Levy laughed.

Lucy pointed accusingly.

"You're breaking rule two already!"

"I never agreed to it."

Lucy sighed dramatically.

"Fine."

"Rule three."

Levy waited.

Lucy hesitated.

Then pointed directly at her.

"...No kissing me to distract me when I disagree with you."

Levy blinked.

"I've never done that."

"You did it yesterday."

"Did I?"

"Twice."

"Huh."

"And Sunday."

"...Interesting."

"And when we were at the guild."

Levy's cheeks pinkened.

"That one was different."

"How?"

"You were arguing with Natsu."

"And?"

"You looked cute when you were angry."

Lucy opened her mouth.

Closed it.

"...That's not a defence."

"Worked, though."

Lucy looked away.

"...Maybe."

Levy grinned.

Lucy crossed the room and handed her a thick stack of pages.

"There."

Levy accepted them.

"The new version?"

"The new version."

"With the rewritten kiss?"

Lucy folded her arms.

"...Yes."

Levy's smile became positively dangerous.

"Oh."

"Don't."

"I didn't say anything."

"You made a noise."

"I said 'oh.'"

"It was a judgmental 'oh.'"

"I haven't even read it!"

"You've got a judgmental face."

"Apparently we both have a lot of faces."

Lucy tried to maintain her glare.

Then Levy leaned forward and kissed her.

Just once.

Quick.

Familiar.

Right on the lips.

Lucy stared.

"...Rule three."

Levy settled back against the pillows.

"We hadn't started yet."

"You are unbelievable."

"You keep saying that."

Lucy tried very hard not to smile.

Failed.

"...Tea?"

"Please."

There.

That was another thing.

Tea for two.

Lucy didn't ask how Levy took hers anymore.

She already knew.

She knew which mug Levy preferred.

Which side of the bed she'd inevitably occupy.

Which pillow she'd steal.

Which blanket she'd complain wasn't warm enough before refusing the second one Lucy offered her.

Somewhere over the past three weeks...

Levy had stopped feeling like a guest in Lucy's apartment.

Not that she'd ever particularly felt like one.

Now...

It was simply more obvious.

Lucy filled the kettle.

A faint lavender scent still clung to her skin from her shower.

She opened the cupboard.

Paused.

"...Huh."

There were thirteen chocolate truffles
left in the box.

Lucy counted again.

Definitely thirteen.

She shrugged.

Grabbed the box.

And carried it into the bedroom.

Levy had already started reading.

Her legs were crossed beneath her. Glasses perched on her nose.

Red pen poised dangerously over the manuscript.

A small white stag peeked from the top of the book she'd brought with her, marking whatever page she'd reached before arriving.

Lucy placed the chocolates beside her.

Levy reached for one without looking.

Then another.

Then stopped.

She looked at the box.

Counted.

Lucy watched her.

"...What?"

Levy looked at her.

Then back at the chocolates.

A tiny smile appeared.

"...Nothing."

"You've been saying 'nothing' a lot
lately."

"Have I?"

"Yes."

"Huh."

Lucy narrowed her eyes.

"...Bookworm."

"Writer."

Lucy settled beside her.

And waited.

 

For approximately…

Thirty seconds.

"...Well?"

Levy didn't look up.

"Reading."

Lucy waited another twenty.

"...Well?"

"Still reading."

"...Now?"

"Lucy."

"You're doing this deliberately."

"...Maybe."

"LEVY."

Levy laughed.

"Fine."

She turned back several pages.

"The argument's better."

Lucy brightened.

"The pacing works."

Brighter.

"You cut most of the growling."

"I left two."

"I noticed."

"He can have two."

"I'll allow it."

Lucy gasped.

"You'll allow it?"

Levy continued before Lucy could launch into another argument.

"The nervousness works much better."

That stopped her.

Lucy glanced at the manuscript.

"...Yeah?"

Levy nodded.

"The little mistakes."

"The awkward pauses."

"The fact neither of them knows where to put their hands."

Lucy's cheeks warmed.

"...I had good research material."

Levy smiled.

"So you did."

She turned another page.

Lucy watched Levy's eyes move across the words.

This was it.

The rewritten kiss.

Lucy suddenly felt absurdly nervous.

More nervous than she'd felt actually kissing Levy.

Which was ridiculous.

Probably.

Levy reached the bottom.

Turned the page.

Stopped.

Lucy waited.

Nothing.

"...Well?"

Levy reread something.

"Levy."

Silence.

"You're doing that thing."

"What thing?"

"The suspense thing!"

"I don't know what you mean."

"Do you like it?"

Levy slowly lowered the pages.

"...It's better."

Lucy stared.

"Better?"

"Much better."

"That's it?"

"What do you want?"

"A parade!"

"I'll speak to the guild."

"Don't you dare."

Lucy shuffled closer.

"Score."

Levy blinked innocently.

"What?"

"You know exactly what."

"Oh."

Levy considered.

Far too dramatically.

Lucy folded her arms.

"Nine."

Lucy's mouth fell open.

"NINE?"

Levy immediately started laughing.

"You're joking."

"No."

"I rewrote the entire thing!"

"And it's much better."

"You gave me nine and a half!"

Levy's face turned pink.

"That's different."

"HOW?"

"It just is!"

Lucy reached for the pillow.

Levy immediately grabbed her wrist.

"No violence against your editor."

"You're still not my editor!"

"I should be!"

They wrestled briefly.

Lucy tried to reach the pillow.

Levy tried to stop her.

The manuscript slid onto the bed.

The red pen rolled beneath a pillow.

And somehow… Again… Lucy ended up half sprawled across Levy.

They froze.

Lucy looked down.

Levy looked up.

Three weeks ago...

This exact position had made Lucy's heart race because she hadn't known what it meant.

Now...

She knew exactly what she wanted to do.

Lucy smiled.

"...Hi."

Levy smiled back.

"...Hi."

Lucy kissed her.

No bumped noses.

No nervous laughter.

No questions about which direction they were supposed to move.

Just… Easy.

When Lucy pulled away, Levy was smiling.

"...Ten."

Lucy blinked.

"What?"

"That one."

Levy touched her lips.

"Ten."

Lucy grinned.

"Finally."

"Don't get smug."

"Too late."

Lucy rolled off her and retrieved the manuscript.

"So what's wrong with the fictional one?"

Levy hesitated.

"...There's one problem."

Lucy's smile vanished.

"Of course there is."

"It's small."

"You said that last time and destroyed an entire paragraph."

"I'm serious."

Lucy sighed.

"Fine."

"What?"

Levy tapped the final page.

"They only kiss once."

Lucy stared.

"...What?"

"They kiss."

"Yes."

"And then the chapter ends."

"Yes."

Levy shrugged.

"Seems unrealistic."

Lucy stared at her.

"The chapter ends thirty seconds later!"

"Exactly."

"How many times are they supposed to kiss in thirty seconds?"

"I don't know."

"Then why are you criticising me?"

"I'm simply saying..."

Levy adopted her most innocent expression.

"...Based on my experience, one seems unlikely."

Lucy slowly lowered the manuscript.

"...Based on your experience."

"Mhm."

"And where exactly did you acquire this extensive experience, Levy
McGarden?"

Levy smiled.

"Research."

Lucy stared at her.

Levy maintained the innocent expression for approximately two seconds.

Then Lucy laughed.

"You are never going to stop using that, are you?"

"Probably not."

"It's been three weeks!"

"Good research takes time."

"Oh, does it?"

"Absolutely."

Lucy moved closer.

"Should we collect more data?"

Levy's eyes sparkled.

"I suppose we should."

"Purely academic."

"Obviously."

"Very serious work."

"The integrity of the study depends on it."

Lucy laughed.

Then kissed her.

Once.

Twice.

And a third time because Levy had apparently been right about the realism
problem.

Eventually...

They remembered the manuscript.

Mostly because Lucy accidentally sat on it.

She rescued the pages.

"Great."

"What?"

"They're crumpled."

"Adds character."

"You're impossible."

"You like me."

Lucy glanced at her.

There was no hesitation anymore.

No uncertainty.

"...Yeah."

She smiled.

"I really do."

Levy's expression softened.

"...Good."

Lucy turned to the final page.

Levy leaned against her shoulder.

The rewritten chapter ended differently now.

No perfect declarations.

No flawless kiss beneath a conveniently beautiful sky.

Just two people standing together beside an open window after getting everything slightly wrong.

Above them, stars stretched endlessly across the night.

Lucy had rewritten the final sentence only that morning.

Levy read it twice.

Then tapped the page.

"This."

Lucy frowned.

"What?"

"I like this."

Lucy glanced down.

Her heroine looked towards the night sky and realised that, with the right person standing beside her, even the distant stars didn't seem quite so impossible to reach.

Lucy suddenly felt self-conscious.

"...Too much?"

Levy shook her head.

"No."

She looked away from the manuscript. At Lucy.

"Keep that one."

Lucy smiled.

"...Yeah?"

"Definitely."

Outside the window...

Magnolia glittered beneath those same stars.

Inside...

Lucy rested her head against Levy's.

The manuscript remained open across their laps.

The tea slowly went cold.

The thirteen chocolates became twelve.

Then eleven.

Then considerably fewer.

At some point...

Levy kissed Lucy again.

Lucy kissed her back.

Neither claimed it was research this time.

And the red pen remained forgotten beneath the pillow for the rest of the evening.

For once… Levy McGarden had no corrections.