Ordinary days were never ordinary when Fairy Tail was involved, but sometimes even they liked to wind down. Not do anything and just relax with each other and be together as a guild. Nothing was out of the ordinary, and everything was as it should be. Mira was at the bar making drinks and sorting through missions, Makarov was in his office looking at the bills and complaints filed against them, and the guild was in an uproar again.
That was Fairy Tail's normal.
...
The guild-house was not only their livelihood, it was their support. Mira, the warm fire that awaits you coming home. The Master, the fatherly figure who welcomes you back with a smile and a pat on the back, the foundation of the guild. Cana, the familiar wasted constant in the guild's life, the wood floors. Elfman, muscle man, the land that the guild walls stand upon. Macao and Wakaba, the best friends, the tables which adorned the main hall.
Jet and Droy, the young dreamers and the windows. Lisanna, the resurrected life, the doorways. Romeo, the rising fire, the stairs. Happy, Charle, and Pantherlily, the trio of freedom of the high ceilings. Laxus, the man of thunder who supplies the guild with the electricity of life. Freed, the writing of the many languages on the guild missions board. Bixlow, the soul of the people. Evergreen the fortress of stone walls around the guild.
Juvia, the smiling rain, the rain that sometimes falls upon the guild. Gray, the icy comfort of the walls. Wendy, the Dragon of life and warm heart. Erza, the scarlet knight, the gates entering Fairy Tail. Lucy, the shining star and the smiles on everyone's faces. Natsu, the Dragon of flames and spirit, the atmosphere of having a home.
And then there was Levy. The intelligent, smiling child of knowledge. She represented the library, full of new information and unhindered curiosity.
And finally there was Gajeel, the Iron Dragon of steely confidence. Most people would think that he was the iron fence that surrounded the guild, forever as a testament to what he did to the guild. However, he had to be the support beams keeping the guild up. He kept things stuck in place, and lifted things up. He was never meant to be in the spotlight, he was meant to be forgotten like the beams that never moved, unwavering in their job.
Gajeel was meant to be that of forgotten beams. Essential in building a home, but almost always forgotten in duty.
...
"Lil... you asleep?"
He never was, whenever Gajeel had asked him that. But when Gajeel was up in the middle of the night in his bed, Pantherlily knew it was best to just stay quiet. Gajeel never said much when he had these conversations, and they were usually just half-spoken words of regret. Lily always felt like he should say something to disagree with him, but he couldn't. Gajeel had done things that even he didn't know about, but the things he did tell him were proof that Gajeel regretted what he had done, and he was on his way to becoming a better person.
Lily didn't want him to feel that his actions were justified, but he was making up for them. Gajeel was smarter than most people gave him credit for, so Lily said nothing.
"Sorry, okay?"
The one thing Lily regrets not asking what he was sorry for.
...
It made sense, after everything that occurred, that Gajeel was a traitor.
It made even more sense that Gajeel double crossed Ivan to serve under Makarov.
What didn't make any sense at all was why Gajeel was lying in a hospital bed, covered in bandages and fragments of the Scales of the Iron Dragon littered across his skin, and breathing through a tube.
Pantherlily refused to cry, or weep. Gajeel had literally and metaphorically dug his own grave when he was exposed to the guild. Natsu and Erza had been murderous. Most of the guild had been shocked and devastated, but came around to it. The only ones still on his side were those three blue haired angels of the guild. Juvia, Wendy, and Levy were the only ones who spoke in favor for Gajeel, next to himself.
Makarov didn't say a word against him.
That was what angered Lily the most. In the midst of Gajeel being unveiled to having worked with Ivan and Raven Tail, Makarov Dreyar said not a word in opposition to Ivan's cruel words of confirmation. Gajeel went with Raven Tail to an unconfirmed place, but not before giving a pointed look to both Makarov and himself.
The fight between Natsu and Gajeel and proven that Gajeel was a Fairy Tail Wizard. The two male Dragon Slayers were merciless with the other, and with Ivan. But no matter how hard and stable the supports of a house can be, even they can come down.
Even if the Iron Dragon's Scales seem impenetrable, even they can shatter like glass beneath a hard enough force.
When all was said and done, Ivan lying almost lifeless beneath Makarov's feet and Gajeel barely alive himself in Lily's care, that was the time when Makarov decided his children should know what Gajeel had done for his guild, for Fairy Tail. And Pantherlily understood why Gajeel kept it from him.
That didn't mean that he forgave Makarov for making Gajeel do it. That didn't mean their Master didn't deserve to get his lights punched out. Lily aimed a solid punch to his face, while everyone else held him back. Makarov's actions were not justified, and never would be to Gajeel's partner. Lily didn't remember ever being that angry in his life. Not even when the Prince wanted to end his own life for the sake of Edolas. And not even when he was banished from Extalia for helping a human child.
No, the proof that Makarov said nothing against Gajeel and his true actions, doubled with Gajeel's current state of health, made Pantherlily feel ferocious, hateful, and wrathful against their usually compliant Master.
Lily was reminded of something Makarov had said to Gajeel when he entered Fairy Tail, when Gajeel was found and what the Master offered to him. Makarov had told Gajeel that he would try and help him out of the darkness, because he wouldn't forgive himself if he didn't try. That didn't mean Makarov forgave the Dragon Slayer for what he did to his children. It was hypocritical of him to say that, because of the missions he had Gajeel do after he entered. Standing next to Makarov, Lily looked insignificant, because he was such a small cat.
But cats have claws and Lily was aiming for Makarov's metaphorical jugular.
"You said you'd help lead him out of the darkness, huh Master?"
Their Master bristled at that. No one knew how Gajeel had become so interested with joining Fairy Tail, but they thought it had to do with the elder Dreyar. Lily's surprising steely cold eyes locked with Gajeel's prone body, being attended to by Juvia, Wendy and Levy and darted to Makarov's, piercing his eyes with a glare that felt like it could kill.
"It that's the case then why did you lead him back into it? Lead him straight into a Raven's nest?"
He didn't answer, only turned his head away in shame. Makarov didn't deserve to have Gajeel as a guild mage, let alone as someone who would give his life for this man. Lily would forgive him in time, but that was going to be a long, long time away, and that was only if Gajeel lived through this experience.
Only due to a slight sputtering from his partner did Lily waver in his conviction, and walked over to Gajeel's side, the blue-haired ladies making ample room for him. The guild mark on Lily's back seared as the same insignia on Gajeel's arm lay torn and tattered. Swatting away Wendy's hand, Lily placed a small paw on his partner's tattoo.
"For giving Gajeel false hope," Lily began. He turned his tired face away from his brother's body and sought out Makarov's face in the crowd of people.
"That... is something I'll never forgive. No matter what."
Echoing the same words Makarov had said to Gajeel so long ago seemed to have the effect Lily imagined, because Makarov started to weep. It didn't give Pantherlily any type of satisfaction because Gajeel was still like this. All because he gave Gajeel some petty words of redemption, Gajeel thought it was necessary to give his life for this man, and for this guild.
...
Lily wasn't a sentimental person. If you left something in the past for a reason, you should leave it there. Gajeel felt the same way. Knowing that something was regretted and someone was trying to do something about how they once were was admirable. But the Iron Dragon wasn't always the sharpest weapon in the barracks. Gajeel tackled things head on with only some regard for himself.
Forged Iron, that was Gajeel. Iron that had been through Hellfire and emerged stronger than ever before. It was because of the chemical change inside of Gajeel when he entered Fairy Tail that he was able to cope and survive against challenges that were thrown his way. And although Pantherlily wasn't happy with how Gajeel sometimes acted, he bore through it. Not because Gajeel wasn't being a dumb ass, but it was because Lily knew Gajeel would get himself out of it okay with his help. That was what partners did for one another. Lily wasn't happy with how everything was turning out with everyone and the guild.
But Gajeel was, in his own way.
And Gajeel's steely happiness meant more to Lily than anyone would know.