The end. Or new beginning?
It's always difficult to say goodbye. Especially as eyes of your friends, people you at last allowed yourself to regard as such, are desperately trying to suppress their sadness and somehow encourage you. Knowing damn well it's impossible task. But trying nevertheless.
Things weren't supposed to turn this way. They just won and all should be great: crazy celebration, booze, giggling girls, fucking dancing, dammit, and a good friendly fight. Instead they are staying wordlessly at the partly broken guild hall. All bruised and bandaged and completely miserably silent. What to say if all they have is only 15 minutes to tell goodbye?
Fucking irony, just now, when they finally secured peace and returned their home he is forced to deal with this shit. Lose everything again, go and live in some God's forsaken past, utterly unreachable for his friends, without his usual stuff, Guild, Lily and… her.
11 minutes left. No one is moving, world is still. Wendy is hugging Carla, Salamander's fists are clenched, sparks of flames occasionally slip between. Stupid face of blue cat is frozen with bewildered look. Makarov, Erza, Juvia, Gray and Mira seem in shock. And Shorty… nowhere to be seen.
They probably should start going, no point to linger this shit. Lily is close, he's in his battle form, large furry hand is firmly embracing dragon slayer's shoulders. It nice to feel his partner support and it's hurting like hell to know that this is for the last time.
He looked around the hall. Broken tables, shattered benches. One of these used to be his. He hadn't realized how important it was just to know that there is his table at the guild. Back there won't be Fairy Tail. Their small group will be alone. Again.
How many times they had rebuilt this hall? Soon they will start to repair it again, but this time without him. His iron won't be available to support walls and roof, but maybe it will be fine, with him and Salamander gone, there surely won't be so many fights.
Now the place, as people inside, is in complete mess. Black boards and hole are where stage previously used to be, part of Mira's bar survived, covered in glistering pieces of glass. Further behind was library where Shorty liked to read. Second floor disappeared, along with training quarters and pool.
So many memories.
Soon they'll become treasured pieces, locked deeply inside him, painfully sweet reminders of his banished life.
"Go" he heard his mouth had said and legs started moving. He tried not to think that he didn't see her. When this fantastic "back to their time" shit was announced he thought that he saw blue blur. But it instantly disappeared from sight and didn't come back.
Why did she leave?
Where?
What for?
And more importantly - is she going to return to the Guild's hall?
Only 7 damn minutes before they will be sent back. Will he even not get a chance to see her once more?
After his confession they hadn't chance to talk. Battle continued, people needed help, all was chaotic, bloody and highly pessimistic. Why didn't he say these words earlier? Why ignored all opportunities which had occurred before? There were enough of them during their Council time, in the King's palace, after survival in Tenrou…
He wasted so much time, stupidly believing there still will be plenty.
Fuck!
Totally mistaken conviction. Unforgivable one.
4 minutes left, now they are outside the guild, drowning in miserable mood. He, Wendy and Natsu aside, already separated but still with their cats. He kept desperately searching through gathered Fairy Tail crowd. Still no sight of her blue locks.
And here he thought he can't feel more wretched. Apparently he was wrong.
1 minute, difficult to breathe, last gleams of hope are dying in his unbearably aching heart.
He needs to see her, even for a few seconds if he can't have more. Just one look. To hell everything, life can't grant him even this? For fuck's sake, please! Please!
Time's up.
Lily's hand let go, he is alone.
Unable to fight back tears, he closed his eyes, when the first sway of time's magic touched his body, desperately wishing that this journey somehow will end screwed up and instead of continue his miserable existence he was destined to die.
Second later he shot them wide open as he felt someone suddenly clasped his waist. Levy was by his side, clinging to him firmly and pressing Lily, who now was in his small form, to both of their bodies. Magic swirled around them, cutting everything else from view, but she didn't flinch, just holding stronger, her eyes actually glaring at him.
- You thought I let you crank this trick on me again? No way, Gajeel, I don't let you go!
He forgot how to breathe, tears flew wider, is it really happened, did she really choose to stay with him?
She answered his unspoken questions by hugging him more tightly and smiled:
- Wherever you are going, we are going with you!
Author's note:
As you probably guessed, this little drama happened after Zeref and Acnologia defeat.
All ended well, cause I love happy endings, especially for my favorite hero.
But let this story be a reminder not to waste your time. Tell people, who you love, that they are important to you, try things which you are really want to do. Life can decide not to grant second chance. So use every opportunity to be happy!
And thanks for reading! :)
