A/N: Credit goes to Hiro Mashima for his Characters. This story is set after the battle or Tartarus. GaLe.

Matching Uniforms

Chapter 1

Fairy Hills suffered an equal amount damage done to the town after the battle of Tartarus. The girls that took residence decided to share rooms to those whose rooms were destroyed or out in open air. The boys looked after themselves sleeping where they can for the night. After a hard days of salvaging what is left of their belonging, or if any left at all, they all tried their best to earn a night's rest. It was hard to even get a good shut eye, due to the trauma that happened at Tartarus repeating in their heads. Not one Fairy Tail Mage slept well tonight.

When Fairy Tail was announced disbanded, they had a bit of recovery time to get used to this. And one by one the members of Fairy Tail disappeared to start their own life except for a few that still remained undecided and needed more time.

Levy felt uncomfortable not being in her room surrounded by her beloved books. Most of it were destroyed along with her other belongings. She had no spare clothes to change into and no money. She was living in with the charity of others to help her needs. Though, while she is grateful for the help, she felt like she needed to pull her own weight this time. Rising from a mattress she laid on, she rubbed her eyes out of that sleep-like state, or lack thereof, and headed outside. She needed a walk to clear her head and think how she was going to make it through this, but her head only filled with more worry for Jet, Droy, and her companions. She hasn't seen Jet and Droy since she split up with them to rescue Gajeel. With that in mind, she thought of where Gajeel could be, if he had left Magnolia like the others were planning to do.

During her walk, she spotted Lily talking to Carla and a few paces ahead was Gajeel slumped on his belly with his face flat on the seat of some stone slabs that surrounds the park. He's still here? Is this where Gajeel slept? Levy thought pitying for the iron dragon slayer.

Lily saw Levy coming towards them and waved for her to come.

"Hello, Lily" Levy smiled.

"Nice to see you, Miss Levy" He smiled back.

"What's wrong with Gajeel?" she asked.

"He's busy brooding," he replied, "We were planning on leaving Magnolia, but this depressed brute has been like this for quite some time and he refuse to listen to my reasons. Perhaps, you can get his attention?"

Levy doesn't blame him at the state he is in. He lost Metalicana again, he lost his home, and he lost his guild. With a sigh, she walked over to where Gajeel was sulking in self-pity, as they watched Levy confront him. Carla means well to ask how he is doing only for Lily to shake his head, "Exactly as seen."

"Gajeel" Levy called.

"Hey, short-stack" Gajeel greeted back as he turned his face to his side, somewhat in her direction.

This was the first time Levy has seen the Iron dragon's face with a sad but yet blank expression on his face. She squatted down to his level where he lay. "Gajeel… This isn't the guild you know. You can't be doing this here."

"….."

"I'm serious now" Levy said, "it's not the cleanest thing to lay on and this isn't like you."

"Don't worry about me, shrimp" he grumbled, "I'll be fine."

Levy pouted at him and stared at him as if trying to intimidate him to listen to her. But he simply ignored her and continued his sleep-like brooding. With a sigh Levy sat next to where he lay by his head and put a hand by his mane. It was tangled and greasy as she felt it.

"When was the last time you bathed?" she asked.

"Tch," he huffed, "I don't plan on getting near water anytime soon. Not after since…you know..."

"Oh" she frowned remembering Gajeel almost drowning.

"Yeah."

There was an awkward silence between the two as the event replayed in their heads. Levy's face heated a bit with embarrassment for forgetting her abilities to materialize anything, including 'AIR'. As Gajeel, thought of how she just saved his ass and scared the hell out him when she became unconscious after trading her air to give to him. Never has she shook woman hard enough to keep her awake, he was glad it actually did make Levy conscious again to remind her to materialize 'AIR' for them right now.

Levy broke the silence first, "So…Lily said you two are leaving today."

"There's nothing left for us here, shorty." Gajeel answered, "No Guild. No Jobs. No money. Damn everything just went to shit."

"…."

"What about you?" he asked, "you plan on leaving with your lapdogs?"

"Actually…" she sighed, "I haven't been seeing them at all after the fight."

"Oh?" he raised a brow as he sat up, "that's too bad then."

She chuckled a little, "I'll be fine."

They talked some more of what they hope to come, should things get any better for them. Wendy came to meet with Carla and greeted the two of them. They learned that they too, we're leaving today to Lamia Scale. As much this saddens Levy to see another comrade go, leaving was the better option to move forward to earn a living for themselves.

After a few short talks and goodbyes, Wendy and Carla has left to go to the train station for to catch the next train to Margaret Town. Lily and Gajeel prepared their belongings to leave on foot as not to waste much of the daylight. Levy cleared her throat to get Gajeel's attention turning him around to look at her.

"What's up, short stuff?" he asked.

"If you don't mind me asking but…" she trailed off, "where are you two going?"

"We're not sure yet." he replied bluntly.

"Wherever our feet leads us to first." Lily explained, "it's a gamble, but what have we got to lose?"

"What about you?" Gajeel asked.

Levy thought for a moment where she would go to leave. She hasn't considered into to it too much whether she would travel with a companion or alone by herself.

"To be honest" Levy sighed, "I don't know where I would head off to either. I don't even know if Jet or Droy has a plan for Team Shadowgear. Or if they already left."

Lily and Gajeel looked at each other and nodded in a silent agreement.

"Come with us then, shrimp." Gajeel said.

"What!?" she gasped.

"We wouldn't mind if you tagged along with us," Lily said after.

"Look, short stack" Gajeel started to explain, "there's nothing left for us here and staying won't do us any good. Your chances are better with us anyways. So either come with us or go with your missing lapdogs because we're leaving with or without you and I'm not going to ask twice."

Lily jabbed Gajeel's left rib with his elbows for his sharp tongue and gave Levy an apologetic look. "What this idiot meant to say is that we'll respect whatever decision you make. You're always welcome aboard."

Levy thought about this for a while before slowly walking towards them. "I….I'm going with you guys" she smiled which in turn made Gajeel smile and set his hands on the tops her head as a welcoming gesture.

"Gihi!" he laughed, "good to have you-"

"But first," Levy interrupted, "I need to write a letter to Lucy before we go"

….

Lucy arrived home after reading the letter Natsu sent her and went looking for him. She came home empty handed and felt alone. When she opened her door she looked down to see another letter, with 'Levy' written on it in cursive. She opened the letter and read as Levy explained how she was leaving and going with Gajeel, her reasons, her promise, and her well wishes.

Lucy lost two of her best friends, and sobbed at the end of the letter but also felt somewhat persuaded by Levy's reason to move on.

A few days later Jet and Droy arrived again in the city went looking for Levy but was nowhere to be found. The train station was the last place they looked and saw Lucy with her travel bags by the station on the leave to Crocus. They ran and called to her, asking where their beloved leader went off to only for Lucy to tell them that Levy has left with Gajeel.

As much as they felt their hearts break, they knew the day would come where she had to choose between them and Gajeel. Lucy apologized for their loss and the three of them waited at the station figuring out a way to simply just move on without Fairy Tail.