"Ow…Dammit Lily, ya ever heard of bedside manner?"
Gajeel glared at his exceed partner, eyeing him with a pout.
"Just hold still." Lily continued to unwind the bandages around the Dragonslayer's head and chuckled. "Honestly Gajeel, you didn't make a peep when I took off the rest of the dressings, nor when you got banged up in the first place…are you trying to tell me a bit of wayward adhesive in this tangled mop that you called hair is what has finally done you in? Gi Hi."
Gajeel let out a grumble and ran his hand through the 'mop' as Pantherlily so rudely called it. "Not my fault I ain't been able ta wash it proper, let alone brush it… what with all the damn linen and glue Pinky the Hermit wrapped my noggin' in."
It had been almost a week since the Grand Magic Games came to a close.
Nearly a week since dragon's came flying out of those damn gates like bats out of Hell and almost a week since the capital narrowly escaped obliteration.
He swore he could still feel the heat of dragon-fire on the back of his neck and the acrid stench of smoke lingering in the air. It was a miracle they survived. Only the god's knew why.
Already the crumbling buildings and destruction of the capital were steadily morphing into nothing but a bad memory-a nightmare tale to tell wide eyed and snot nosed future generations at the campfire. The people of the city wasted no time in their quest to rebuild and forget. Gajeel knew that if he were to look outside one of the castle's many windows he would see the street's already cleared of debris and scaffolding and masonry materials scattered about the collapsed buildings. Rebuild. Renew. It was almost scary how fast humans could take a broken city and make it shine again.
An image of the Shrimp appeared in his head - wild blue locks and big honey eyes sparkling back at him. He could just picture that grin of hers and what she'd say…something along the lines of humans and their innate capacity to harbor hope and shine in the face of adversity. Sappy as shit. He grinned, still picturing her face. He would never admit it aloud of course, but damned if it wasn't true. Resilience was one thing the people of Crocus had in spades.
Lily waved a paw in front of his face. "Yoo hoo…Earthland to Gajeel."
He snapped out of his thoughts and focused on Lily. "What ya want, Cat?"
In answer, the exceed flew over to a neatly folded pile of clothing, picked it up, and then tossed it at his surly partner's face. "You've got 4 hours until the banquet. Go take a shower, god knows you stink. And don't forget to do something with that mess on top of your head."
Gajeel crossed his arms and thrust out his jaw. "Who says I'm goin'?"
Lily narrowed his eyes and zoomed up to Gajeel until they were nose to nose, shaking a paw in his face. "You're one of the guests of honor, of course you have to go." He backed away and grinned, plucking his own little suit from the dresser and making his way to the door. "Besides, I have it on good authority that a certain blue haired script mage is going."
Gajeel's face heated, but he managed a fairly convincing scoff. "What's that got ta do with me?"
Lily peaked his head back around the doorframe and tsked. "Well, she is an awfully cute girl. She's bound to be in a pretty dress with her hair all done up. I just hope that the multitudes of handsome mages attending don't wear her out with all their requests to dance. You and I both know she's too sweet to ever turn them down." The exceed shrugged, eyeing Gajeel carefully. "But, then again, maybe tonight Levy McGarden will bump into the man of her dreams. How nice for her." With that, he flew out the door, on his way to meet Happy and Charle.
Gajeel was thankful Lily was out of the room, because he couldn't suppress the growl that rumbled in the back of his throat as he pictured the Shrimp surrounded on all sides by drooling and pawing men demanding she dance until her feet bled. He had to stop himself there, because red started to haze his vision.
He supposed there was no help for it, he'd have to make an appearance. After all, SOMEONE had to keep all those sop eyed imbeciles away from the bookworm. He couldn't trust speed racer and the glutton to do it…they always ended up fighting with each other over her, and in the process completely forgot about the actual girl herself.
Suppressing a groan, he ignored his protesting muscles and stood, walking over to a gaudy gilded mirror. After the battle, Fairy Tail's lodgings were destroyed, so the King graciously extended his hospitality to 'the saviors of the city.' Personally, he preferred simpler accommodations, but who was he to pass up free accommodations? Not to mention he could order all the food he wanted here and not pay a jewel. Too bad he couldn't order up a barber for free as well.
Breathing deep, Gajeel forced his gaze to the mirror and surveyed the damage. Hell fire eyes stared back at him, shadowed beneath the unruly mess of his obsidian mane…at least it had been before that pink hermit crab ruined the poor locks by wrapping obscene amounts of bandages around his head. At the moment it looked more like a dragon's nest.
Dismissing hi8s hair for the time being, he moved on. Eyeing his bare chest, now free from the long strips of linen, he noted only a few faint bruises and a couple of pink scars remained to remind him of the battle. His ribs still protested with shooting pains through his chest if he twisted too fast, but all in all, he didn't look half bad considering he'd went head to head with a dragon. Nothing a hot shower and about an hour's worth of fighting with a comb couldn't fix.
Shrugging, Gajeel turned to the bathroom, unbuckling his trousers as he went and leaving them in a pile by the door. Reaching out, he cranked the walk-in shower to near scalding and then thrust his head under the spray with a groan of both pain and pleasure all rolled into one. Normally, he was in and out of the shower in 20 minutes or less, but this time he lingered, partly in hopes that the heat of the water would ease the ache in his muscles and partly because it took him that fucking long to get all the adhesive shit out of his hair. He was convinced the old bat did it on purpose, presumably after he let his 'hermit crab' nickname for her slip while she was still in the room. After all, a safety pin could have secured the bandages just as well if not better than that damned sticky crap she ended up using.
Eventually he stumbled from the steamed up bathroom, hissing when the cooler air of the bedroom hit his overheated skin. Drying himself briskly, Gajeel yanked on a clean pair of canvas pants and then rummaged around in his bag until he found a comb. Eyeing it, he suppressed a groan. Damn he was not looking forward to this. Afraid the maids would be out for blood if he left long black hair lying about, he decided to battle his mane out on the stone balcony instead. Walking through the double doors, he took a seat on the stone railing and began the torturous task of taming his wild head of hair of hair. He barely got the bristles a centimeter down a section before it snagged. Damn…he'd be lucky to have a scalp by the time he was done.
…
"Levy, are you certain you don't want to get ready with us?"
Lucy stood in the doorframe to Levy's bedroom, having just delivered Levy's dress from her adjoining room where the maids left it on her bed by mistake.
Freshly showered and wearing a thick bathrobe over her undergarments, Levy stroked the expensive fabric and smiled. "Not this time. I should be able to manage on my own. Thanks for the invite though Luce! I have a few things I want to do before the party." In truth, she just wanted to be left with her own thoughts for a while. The Dragon's and subsequent battle really rattled her…more than she cared to admit. Lucy may be the writer in the guild, but there were times when Levy found putting pen to paper therapeutic and this was one of those instances.
Lucy eyed Levy for a moment but then nodded. "Alright then, I'll see you at the party? Save a dance for me!"
Levy smiled and nodded, "Of course Lu-chan! See you in a few hours!" The moment Lucy closed the door Levy sobered.
She couldn't shake the aching feeling in her chest, nor the nagging thoughts in her head that whispered that she'd almost lost all she held dear. Her guild, her friends…him.
Lucy had been fairly tightlipped about meeting her future self and what happened the first time the dragon's attacked, but judging by the shadows in her friend's eyes and the nagging ache in her own chest, Levy could make a decent guess. Thank Mavis lady Fate had been bested. Thank the God's that h….
"Ow! Shit! Goddamnit!"
Levy jumped as a familiar voice floated through the open doors leading to her private balcony. Levy made it halfway across the room before she even registered she was moving. She hesitated by the doorframe, but another string of creative explatives floated to her ears and she couldn't resist her own curiosity. Padding onto the patio, Levy looked across and one level down to another balcony identical to her own. Ignoring the cool stone on her bare feet, she blushed when she saw a shirtless Gajeel fighting with his long, damp, hopelessly tangled obsidian locks. She winced when he stabbed at the mass with a comb. It looked more like he was trying to knife somebody than simply smooth a snarl. Before she could stop, a giggle escaped. Levy clapped a hand over her mouth, but it was too late. Gajeel instantly stilled. Damn Dragonslayer's and their bat like hearing.
He raised his chin and scented the air. A breath later and his head whipped up, blood red irises zeroing in on her spying form with laser intensity. He'd caught her. After several pregnant seconds of just staring at each other, Levy broke the silence.
"Um…hello?"
She could see the slayer's grin break across his face even from her lofty vantage. "Tch…never took you for one ta peep on folks, Shrimp."
Levy's face heated and she puffed her cheeks, "I wasn't peeping! What in Fiore was I supposed to do when I started hearing groans and profanities outside my window?" Crossing her arms, she mumbled, "It sounded like you were being murdered or something."
Gajeel snorted at that and huffed, "I'm fine Shorty…although I don't know if my damned scalp will be able to claim the same by the time I'm done."
He began violently pawing at his hair again, wincing with each wrenching yank of the comb.
"Shouldn't Ya be getting' ready yerself, Shrimp?" He asked through gritted teeth as he made another pass through his hair. Before she could answer, a snarl finally came loose and Gajeel's wrist flicked forward like lightening. The comb sailed over the balcony and down…down…to the partially destroyed gardens below.
"Fuck! That was my only comb!" Gajeel shot to his feet and frowned, glaring daggers as it plopped into a pond and sank out of sight.
Hearing the giggle she couldn't suppress, Gajeel turned his glare up to Levy. "It ain't funny bookworm! Now what the hell am I supposed ta do?!"
Taking pity on the distressed slayer, Levy forced her giggles back and bit her lip, thinking. And then divine inspiration struck.
"Just a second!"
…
Gajeel's brows winged when Levy disappeared from her balcony. Tilting his head, he listened for some clue as to where she'd gone and what she was doing. He could hear her faint humming as well as a rustle of fabric, and then muted clacking, as if she was rummaging through something. The tell -tale patter of bare feet had him whipping his head back up to the balcony to see the Shrimp scampering outside, several items clutched to her chest. She'd been in a bathrobe moments before, but now she had on a tiny tank top and bitty little shorts.
Awkwardly, juggling items in her arms, she clambered up onto the thick stone railing.
"Shit! What the hell are you doing Levy?!" He was so alarmed, he actually called her by her given name.
Biting at her lip, Levy teetered for a moment on the balustrade, before tightening her grip on the items clutched to her chest and launching herself off of it and toward his own.
"Catch!"
Gajeel's heart nearly leapt from his chest. Levy squealed and screwed her eyes shut. Her tiny little body hurled toward him and he instinctively shot out his arms. A pained oomph escaped him when she slammed into them.
Wide eyed, he stared down at the clearly suicidal fairy nestled against his chest, her eyes still screwed shut. He fought for words, but the hammering of his heart momentarily robbed him of breath and he only managed a croaking grunt of shock. He barely registered the pain in his protesting ribs-her weight was so slight. What he did register was the rainy rose scent of freshly scrubbed female that wafted to his nostrils, as well as the feel of soft, silky skin against his bare chest.
Opening her honeyed eyes, she peaked up at him with a sheepish grin. "Nice catch Gajeel!"
When he continued to gape down at her like she'd grown a second head, Levy's cheeks pinked and she began to squirm, wishing to be put down.
Absently, he set her on her feet, finally regaining his voice. "Wha….What the Hell?! You got a death wish?!"
Levy rolled her eyes and transferred her handful of items to one arm and then grasped his hand in her own tiny one and lead him to a chair. "Oh, stop blustering…I knew you'd catch me, and you did. So relax!" She poked at his chest, "Now sit and I'll help you with your hair."
He was still too shocked to put up much of a fight. How could the Shrimp trust him so much? If he hadn't of caught her, she'd be dead right now. His chest constricted at the thought.
Levy dropped the items onto a patio table and dragged it over to where he sat, either oblivious to, or just ignoring his distressed metal ass. He busied himself with alternatively seething and thanking the god's that she was alive and well. He was too glad she wasn't dead to yell at her for being so reckless, otherwise he sure as hell would have given her an earful. Instead, unable to muster the necessary amount of rage to scream at her, he turned his attention to the things on the table. There were a couple of bottles as well as a 2 combs and a brush.
Grumbling about insane, suicidal Fairy's, Gajeel crossed his arms and glared off into the afternoon sun until he started to see spots. Levy hummed, and examined her tools, finally deciding on a wide toothed comb and a bottle of amber liquid. Turning back to him, she frowned as she realized he was still too tall in the seat, even with her standing. Tapping his shoulder, she waited patiently for him to end his silent treatment. She had to place her hand against his chest before he finally gave in and looked at her.
"…Um…you're still too tall…I don't suppose you'd sit on the ground?"
He thought about being difficult and refusing, but her big expectant eyes did him in and before he knew what hit him his ass was already settling onto the cold stone. She graced him with a big smile for his effort and then perched on the newly vacated chair. He jumped when he felt her tiny hands cup his shoulders and tug- a silent request for him to lean back. He could have easily resisted, but gave in instead, leaning his back against her legs and drawing up on knee to rest his elbow on and plop his chin in his hand. He stared at the shadows cast by the balcony, slowly growing longer and longer as the sun started its descent. Sunset was only an hour or two away.
He heard the pop of a cork and then a pleasant, musky scent wafted to his nose as well as a smell similar to olive oil. Obviously some kind of hair smoothing potion. She gently began to rake her hands through his hair and he had to breath deep and bite his cheek in order to suppress a groaning purr that threatened to rumble out of his chest as her hands began massaging his head. He felt his cock stir in interest and bit his cheek harder, trying to calm himself down. She was just helping him with his hair for fuck's sake…and here he was, semi-hard. It was disgraceful. He didn't much care a moment later though, because she lightly dragged her nails against his scalp and he couldn't hold back a quiet groan. She giggled, but didn't say a word, focused on her task. Eventually, she introduced the comb, patiently working out the tangles from the ends on up.
Damn…maybe that dragon did kill him…because this felt like heaven. He couldn't recall having ever felt such a gentle, undemanding touch in his entire sorry existence of a life. Not once. Not ever.
Until now.
Metalicana had loved him in his own way, Gajeel supposed…but the dragon believed in steely strength and tightly checked emotion. His signs of affection translated to bone jarring back slaps with the end of his iron clad tail. Phantom Lord offered nothing better. There had been women of course, and he'd indulged between the sheets with them on occasion…but even those caresses held hunger and demand.
But this…Levy's touch required nothing of him, and yet gave everything. It was pure and innocent and- he realized with a start- that if he wasn't careful, he could easily grow addicted. He couldn't allow that. Not with her.
She was an angel, and he…well he was a monster. Pure and simple. The image of Levy pinned to a tree, black ink marring her porcelain flesh, flashed through his mind. Gajeel gritted his teeth. She was destined for heaven and he knew only hellfire awaited him.
But he was grateful all the same. She'd given him a taste of that illusive paradise, and it was with that small taste he resigned to be content.
Gajeel stared down at his hands. They were rough and scarred and though they appeared unsoiled, he knew better. There was blood and dirt and grime that he would never be able to wipe clean, no matter how hard he scrubbed. Forever tainted by a past of his own design. Hands like his should never be allowed to touch something as pure and good as Levy McGarden. Listening to her hum, he couldn't suppress the question that sprang from his lips, unbidden before he could stop it.
"Why?"
Her hands stilled in his hair and she stopped her quiet humming.
"Why what?"
He glared at his hands and then clenched his fists, anger and frustration simmering in his throat.
"Why the hell are ya always so nice ta me Lev? How can someone like you trust someone like me…?" He trailed off, but the rest of the question- 'after what I did,' lingered like smoke in the air.
After a moment, her hands resumed their gentle glide through his hair. She'd made quick work of the tangled mass, he could tell by the smooth passage of the comb that she was almost finished. He thought she wasn't going to answer at first, but it seemed she was only thinking.
"Because you're my friend and I trust you."
He knew he should just leave it at that and stop pressing, but he had to know. He had to understand damn it.
"How the hell can you trust a fucking monster?!"
The comb clattered to the stone and in a blink she was no longer behind him, but rather kneeling in front of him. She grabbed a hank of hair on each side of his head and turned his stunned eyes to her own blazing ones. "You take it back! Do you hear me, Gajeel Redfox?! Take it back right now!" She tugged hard on his hair for emphasis and he winced. Ignoring the light bite of pain, he cast his eyes to the side.
"Can't take back what's true Shorty. I don't deserve ta even share the same space with ya, let alone get forgiven by ya."
He glanced at her face and recoiled when he saw the glimmer of threatening tears shining in her eyes. She took his face between her palms and her lower lip trembled. "I'm not going to say that you haven't made mistakes Gajeel, because we both know you have. If you left it at that, I would have never forgiven you. NEVER."
He thought as much and lowered his eyes with a nod.
"… But you didn't leave it at that." She put a bit more pressure against the honed cheekbones of his face, forcing his eyes to meet her own. "You made amends Gajeel. Not just to me, but to the whole guild! You saved my life more than once! You fought for Fairytail and bled for us as well."
Gajeel gritted his teeth, and shot out his hands, gripping her shoulders tight and shaking her, though he was careful not to actually hurt her. "I BROKE you Levy! You're so fucking perfect and sweet and good…Ya didn't deserve what I did to ya!"
She didn't even flinch. Men cowered at a mere glare from him, and yet this tiny little girl gazed at him with calm and steady eyes. She was a marvel.
"You're right, I didn't deserve what you did. But that is in the past. I'm not going to say you're a different person now, because that would insinuate that the past You doesn't matter….but I will say this… you HAVE changed."
She traced the piercings above his brow "I love the past You. Do you know why?"
Gajeel balked and stared at her with wide, confused as all hell eyes.
She smiled and leaned her forehead against his own, "Because it was the Gajeel of the past that ultimately made the decision to allow the present you be here, with me, as you are now."
His heart began hammering and he closed his eyes as her breath ghosted across his lips.
Her hands clenched against his chest, " The past you made mistakes. But he was also alone and hurting and lost. …and in the end, he realized what he'd done and made the conscious decision to change and make amends. YOU changed Gajeel, not by circumstance or design, but by choice. Do you know how few people can do that?"
He could only manage to grunt in response, but a weight was suddenly leaving his chest. One that had been there for a long, long time.
Levy pulled back from him a bit and smiled. "You're a good person, even if you're too stubborn to see it yet." She wiped a tear trying to escape from her eye and gave a watery chuckle. "So…I guess until you can see it for yourself, I'll just have to stay by your side and keep reminding you!"
He let out a halfhearted bark of laughter as his words on Tenrou were so cleverly tossed back in his face- hoping like hell his eyes weren't starting to water as he suspected. "You damn Fairies, bat shit crazy…the lot of ya." His tone held little bite.
Levy grinned and punched him in the shoulder, "Watch it Mister, you're one of us now too you know!"
He grunted and suppressed a smile, "Yeah…I guess I am, Mavis knows none of ya will ever let me forget it!"
Levy nodded, "If you ever tried to leave, I suspect Natsu would probably drag you back, kicking and screaming, by your singed hair…that is only if he beat me to it." Her eyes darkened and she traced his guild mark with her finger…"Natsu would be small potatoes compared to my wrath!"
Gajeel grinned, and reached up a hand to ruffle her wild blue locks. "I can handle that flame brain any day o' the week, but you? I'd rather not test whatever devious plans ya got up your sleeve. I've heard vertically challenged people can be pretty damn scary when they want ta be!"
She puffed her cheeks and glared, "You just HAD to ruin the moment, didn't you."
He shrugged, "Nah, just stating a fact Shrimp." His hand moved from her head to her cheek, stroking the baby soft skin with his thumb in woder. Her eyes grew wide but she didn't shy away, in fact she leaned into his touch. She parted her lips and her tongue darted out to moisten them. He leaned forward, searching her eyes for any hesitation. He found none.
One of Crocus's many Cathedral's began chiming at that exact moment and they both jumped. Gajeel withdrew his hand with a start and Levy sat back on her heels, breathing heavily. She looked at the rapidly descending sun and gasped. "Oh my god! The party is in less than an hour!"
She scrambled up from her kneeling position between his thighs and Gajeel followed. "We haven't even dressed yet! My hair is a mess!"
He eyed her and grinned, "ya look fine ta me Shorty, but whatever …let's get ya back so you can do all that girly shit you female's love so much." He grabbed the combs and hair products and pushed them into her arms and then scooped her up.
She let out an adorable, "eep." And her face turned a bright red. "G…Gajeel! P…put me down!"
He Gi Hi'd down at her, "what's wrong Shrimp? Ya had no problem leapin' inta my arms a bit ago. And didn't ya just say ya trusted me.?"
She squealed when he tightened his arms around her and made a running leap off of his balcony. He landed gracefully on her own a moment later. Giving her a light squeeze before putting her on her feet. He turned to jump back down.
"Wait!"
Levy place a small hand on his bicep and he stilled.
Suddenly unsure why exactly she'd stopped him, Levy fidgeted beneath his amused gaze, and toyed with the hem of her tank top. She finally managed a, "…I…I'll see you at the party?"
He felt a pleasant swell of heat somewhere around his chest at her words. Reaching out a hand, he messed up her hair… again-at this rate she'd never manage to tame it for the party- and grinned. "Yeah, see ya there. And Lev?"
"Hmmm?"
"Thanks for the hair."
And then he was gone, leaving her to process the fact that he'd called her by her name…or at least most of it. She turned and made her way back into her room, twirling the brush thoughtfully. The ache in her chest that she felt earlier dissipated as if it had never been. Levy jolted when she realized she'd forgot to tell him how terrified she'd been of loosing him…and especially how grateful she was that he survived his battle with the dragon.
She brightened when she realized she'd see him at the party in just short while, remembering his affirmation. She glanced at the gown on the bed, suddenly excited to wear it and see what he thought. She bounced on her heels and began to ready for the party. They were moving forward toward the future, and suddenly it wasn't quite so scary anymore
…not when she had a Dragonslayer by her side.
Tonight. She'd tell him tonight…
…..
Epilogue
…
A scarred and battered script mage sat clutching a handful of torn parchment to her chest. Words were the only thing left to her now.
She was Alone.
They were all gone
. The scream of a Dragon on the hunt shook the rafters of her hiding place. Tears tracked down her face and she covered her ears, drawing her knees to her chest and rocking.
He was gone and she had never told him…she'd never said…
"Don't cry Shrimp…You told me…in another time, a better place."
Her head shot up and she looked around. No…it wasn't possible. She'd watched him die. She'd watched them all die.
"…I love you too ya know."
Levy gasped and warmth radiated through her chest. As the dragon's roars drew closer, she raised her hand up, watching in wonder as her body began to fade, dissipating into the ether like the gentle glow of fireflies dancing toward the moon.
Could it be? Had Lucy actually made it back and changed the course of the future? Suddenly, the Phantom embrace of strong, studded arms wrapped around her rapidly diminishing form, pulling her toward the light.
"…G…Gajeel?"
The words were disembodied and distant, but they grew more real the closer the arms drew her.
"It's time to come home, Lev…didn't I tell you ta stay by my side after all?"
Dragon flame engulfed the tiny shack…but Levy McGarden was not there to feel it's heat. A handful of parchment fluttered to the ground, curling and smoking as firefly lights danced up toward the heavens.
To Home. To Him.