Fandom: Fairy Tail
Ship Title: Gajevy/Gale
Rating: T
A.N.: The idea for this came after the 1 year chapter where we see everyone went their separate ways. Well it's a year later, and they are being called back to Fairy Tail. Levy meets Gajeel again after a year. This is going to be a couple of chapters long. At first it was going to be short story, just about them meeting again, but then it became something more angsty as I thought of more stuff to write. Reviews are always nice! Thanks!
Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or it's characters, Hiro Mashima does.
It had been a year. A whole fucking year since Fairy Tail disbanded. Gajeel was not happy when the news came to him the day 2 days after he lost his father. After that, slowly everyone went their separate ways. He was furious with master at first, and went to him in anger, and the master's response was get stronger. Get stronger?! How was he supposed to get stronger without Fairy Tail?! As the weeks went on, slowly the fairies went their separate ways. Lily of course stayed with Gajeel, because they were partners. He noticed the Shrimp stayed behind, following after him, worried about him, for what he didn't know. In a way, he was happy she was there in that time, he needed her. But then one day she was there and next she was gone. He thought maybe she took a mission, but after a couple of days, he went to find the celestial mage. She told him she had gone to get stronger and wouldn't be back for a year. That made him angry, that she would leave him, go to a place where he couldn't protect her. He took out his anger on Lily, because Lily was strong enough to handle his anger. After a week, he set out to find his own way. He would get stronger also, and not depend on Fairy Tail or her for that strength. Lily followed of course, which Gajeel was definitely glad about.
During that year, he took various jobs, but he found he enjoyed armor/weapon making the most. He could get away from the blue skies, the blue that reminded him of her hair. He was very skilled at making various swords, armor, helmets, axes, and the like. He not only got to make stuff out of metal, he got to eat it too on the side, which was a definite plus. Lily helped him by being his extra hands. It was very far away, a good 3 weeks travel time from the place he called home, and he kept to himself, not letting anyone from his past know he was there. There were days he wondered how she was faring, was she okay, was she stronger? But he pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind. Dwelling on her got him nowhere. He learned that quickly.
One spring day, he was in the middle of working when Lily said he was going to go get lunch. Gajeel grunted in response. His mind was occupied on remembering that it was a year ago since he left. He felt like it was ages ago. Thirty minutes had passed and he was so caught up in putting the sword in the furnace that he didn't even hear Lily come in until he heard a clatter.
"Oy, took you long enough! Hand the file will you?"
He received the file in his outstretched hand and continued to work on the details. After doing the details, he put it in the furnace again.
"Wow, you're really good at this!"
He heard a women's voice then, and growled.
"Women are not supposed to -" he swiveled around, but stopped mid-sentence. He thought he could smell her scent, but pushed it back thinking he was imagining it, but there she was. The Shrimp was here.
"Hey Gajeel! Long time, no see!" she said smiling up at him, waving at him. He just stood there, frozen, his eyes wide. She had grown taller, she had grown her hair out to her hips and was put in a braid behind her and her bangs were out now, and her figure had become fuller, in all the right places. His mouth went dry. It had been too long.
He hugged her then, grabbing her back to him. He wanted to fill her, make sure she was real. He had nightmares that plagued him constantly, of her hurt, of her hurting. But she was here in his arms, smiling at him. Those dreams weren't true.
"Gajeel, can't… breath…"
He realized then that he was hugging where she had her face against his chest. He pulled away so fast that she almost lost her balance. That was not like him. He wasn't the hugging type, what had come over him?
"So, you found me Shrimp? What's up?" he smirked.
"Pack your bags Gajeel, you're going home!" she said clapping her hands together like it was a grand idea.
"What home?" he bit back sharply.
"Why Fairy Tail of course!"
"They disbanded a year ago!"
"Well, about that, Natsu came back and is making another Fairy Tail, with or without master," she cringed slightly he could see. "Gajeel, Fairy Tail is your home, you should come back," giving him the pleading eyes.
He grunted in response and turned around getting his tools together. She just sighed and went back outside to talk to Lily he presumed. He wouldn't admit, but he did miss Fairy Tail, and he sure as hell messed Shorty. He sure wasn't going to let his stubbornness miss out on his chance to be home again. He packed his essentials, and headed out the door. The sun was setting he could see the outline of her watching the sun set, Lily standing next to her. She turned around then when she heard him come outside. She saw his bags and smiled.
She reached out her hand then, the setting sun outlining her, "Let's go home, Gajeel!"
He smiled then, and ruffled her hair, missing the feel of her hair in his hands. "Alright, Shrimp."
She just beamed up at him with that beautiful smile of hers in response.