A/N: A story that's been floating in my head for a while. Just had to get it out.
He'd walked into the guild headed straight for the request board. The man had spared only a glance at the papers before grabbing one. His eyes briefly flickered towards Natsu; something unspoken passed between then. He turned his back and left the building with a hand thrown up in a casual farewell and a gruff "Goin' on a mission. Be back soon."
That happened a week ago. No one had heard from Gajeel since then. Which wasn't odd, considering he was on a mission. Why, then, had Lily stayed behind? When asked, the Exceed simply shook his head, and said that his partner had wanted to go solo for a change.
Levy sits at the counter, a book propped open in front of her drink. She sees the words, but doesn't read them, her mind whirling around a certain iron dragon slayer. Everything about Gajeel's absence seemed to make sense. But the mage still felt unease pooling in her gut.
The book closes with a resolute thud, and goes into the bag by her side. Levy hops off the stool, brushes off her skirt, and turns on her heel. She needs to get air, to go for a walk. Where to, she doesn't know.
Steps. One foot in front of another. Quicker, until she is running along the cobbled streets. The neat, smooth stones turn into cracked pavement, into pebbles, and finally to dirt. The world swims before her; she leans against a tree to catch her breath, shoulder scraping against rough bark, fingertips flitting along her bag to make sure nothing had fallen out.
Breaths. In out in out in, out, in, out… in… out.
Levy looks up, squinting against the sunset rays. She has arrived at Gajeel's house – well, not quite a house. It could maybe be called a cabin. One room, tiny, and rather nondescript, but made of sturdy brick. She had been here once, when Lucy had hunted Gajeel down to yell at him for something or other involving panties, Natsu, and Gray.
There are scuff marks in the ground outside the door, accented with spatters of something dark. The trail leads to the door, slightly ajar, a sliver of shadow peeking out from behind. Levy doesn't hesitate as she strides up to the wood and pushes it open.
