AN: Warning: Shirtlessness. And manliness.
Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or its characters – Hiro Mashima does.
Chapter III
Women, Gajeel decided, were nothing but troublesome.
Dropping the butt of his cigarette on the pavement, he stamped it out with the toe of his boot before crossing the nearly empty street. There were no automobiles out this early, and he took a moment to relish in the quiet so rarely found in this part of the city. It wasn't half bad in the early morning light, but then again, that was probably for the lack of over-privileged brats running around.
Speaking of over-privileged brats...
Apparently, the old man had decided it prudent to settle the tiny woman he'd been saddled with in the same room as the idiot's blonde protege, and the result had been a goddamn bigger headache than the one he'd already felt coming on. And as if the feisty little wench wasn't rich enough, the McGarden fortune in its entirety wasn'thalf the worth of the nest the blonde one was sitting on. According to the boss, the Heartfilia-girl had run away from home, although why someone would willingly run away to the Alleys was beyond the comprehension of anyone who'd grown up in it. Not that he'd have wanted a life like hers anyways, so maybe it was a little understandable. He didn't care overly much, though, as long as the idiot did his job and kept her out of his way. He had enough with his own burden, snappy as she came.
He also knew he shouldn't have left without her – boss' orders being what they were, but he'd be damned if he couldn't have one bloody moment to himself. There hadn't been set a specific time to how long his babysitting duties were going to last, but going by the looks of things, the old man had no plans of relieving him of his duty any time soon. And it wasn't like she couldn't handle herself for a few minutes – she wouldn't leave the 'pig without him, for one, and there was only so much trouble she could stir up over there on her own.
'Sides, girls like that probably didn't get up before noon, anyways, and he'd be done and home long before that.
Holding back a yawn, he stuffed his hands deep in his pockets, sauntering towards his intended destination. The sun was slowly coming up, and a few more early risers had appeared around him, bustling about and doing their business. No one paid him any mind, and that was how he liked it.
It didn't take him long to reach the gym. Nicknamed 'The Pit', it was located in the basement of an old sweatshop in the outskirts of the city proper. It was old and dingy, but it had produced more than its fair share of talents throughout the years. Hell, he'd been in and out of its doors since he'd thrown his first punch in an alley fight and discovered his propensity for boxing, and had kept on training there long after he'd earned a name for himself. After his dad had up and left him, it'd been a home he could run to when the going got tough.
And somewhere in his black, cynical heart it remained that even now.
Inhaling deeply through his nose, Gajeel felt his brows pull down into a frown. He'd walked this path a hundred times and knew it practically in his sleep, but finally standing outside the familiar building and the stone staircase leading down into its lower levels, he was reminded of how long it had been since he'd last stepped foot inside.
"About damn time," he muttered, although hesitation held him back. A part of him longed for the prospect of releasing a bit of tension – Lord knew he had enough of it these days – but another part was holding him back, reminding him that other things came first. If he got back into the business, it would be hard backing out again, and he had other priorities, other responsibilities that demanded his full attention.
...then again, the old man had recommended it himself, so a few rounds in the ring or with the bag couldn't hurt. Maybe he'd even get a match and earn some cash. Other than what he earned between the two companies – which wasn't much, although you wouldn't think so with all the crap the two generations of Dreyar had him doing – he didn't have much to his name save the clothes on his back and few personal items, like the old gun his father had left him. So yeah, some cash would be nice. And a good match could earn him quite a sum, if the night was good and he got his hands on a good promoter.
And if his name still carried the weight it used to, of course.
Snorting, he trudged down the run-down steps towards the double doors at the end, pushing through them with little effort despite their weight. The smell that greeted him upon his entrance had a smirk tugging at his lips – sweat, rust and that unidentifiable thing that had been there for as long as he could remember, but that no one had ever discovered exactly what was.
The smell of home.
Going by the noise coming from within, someone had already beat him to the punch, and there was only one person Gajeel knew that would be up before the crack of dawn to train. A smile pulled his lips into a grin, and he quickened his pace towards the second doorway, pulling open the dirty old curtain that covered it and ducking through the entrance.
"Oye, Lily!"
Walking into the large open space that served as the training grounds for the underworld's hired arms and prizefighters, Gajeel grinned at the sight of his old friend, busy hammering away at a patched up old bag hanging precariously from the ceiling. At the sound of his name, the man, whose sheer height and stature could rival even Gajeel himself, stopped what he was doing. Built like a bull but with the grace of a damn cat, 'Lily the Panther' was amongst the best Magnolia had to offer in the ring. Contrary to his slightly sissy name, but Gajeel knew from experience not to mention that unless he wanted a sound pummelling.
Wiping the sweat from his brow, Lily grinned at the sight of him. "Well, well. The prodigal son returns," he joked, giving the bag one final punch and nearly sending it swinging off its hinges, the rusted chain from which it hung giving off a long whine. Turning fully towards Gajeel, he opened his arms wide.
"What brings you down this path, my friend? Bootlegging finally lost its charm?" he asked, a humorous glint in his eyes. Gajeel snorted, accepting the offered hand and giving his old mentor a rough but friendly pat on the back, putting in a little more force than necessary. Lily laughed, rolling his shoulder as he pulled back and wincing in mock-hurt. Scooping a cup of water out of a rusted bucket on the floor, he took a long swig, before dunking the rest over his head and shaking the hair out of his eyes.
"So how's life treating you?" he asked as he grabbed a towel to wipe his face. He must have found something in his expression, because his prominent brows furrowed in a questioning look. "That bad, huh?"
Gajeel snorted. "Nah, it's fine. Makarov's folks are a bunch of nutters, but there's nothing new there."
Lily raised a brow. "You do realize that includes you too, right?"
"Shaddup."
Lily held up his hands. "Hey, just stating a fact. Whether you admit it or not is another thing. And hell, it's not like I'm complaining or anything – you're a lot less grouchy than when you ran with Jose," he said. Gajeel rolled his eyes.
"Jose was an idiot."
Lily smirked. "And Makarov?"
"A bossy old pervert, but he's not stupid. And the hooch is good."
Lily shook his head. "Keep telling yourself that's why you're smuggling for him and maybe you'll even believe it yourself one day."
"You haven't lost your sense of humour."
His friend laughed, cracking his knuckles. "And you have yet to find yours. But be honest, what brings you down here? I thought you were busy 'being busy' up high street," he said. Gajeel shook his head.
"Still busy – old man just saddled me with a crap job, and I need to let off some steam before I accidentally pummel one of his brats," he retorted, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. It didn't matter that the old man regarded him as one of those brats – like he'd told him more times than he could count, he just wasn't.
And what kind of crazy old geezer went around adopting every lost kid that crossed his path, anyways?
Lily's grin mimicked his. "Well, you are looking a little tense. Want to go ballistic on the equipment?" he asked, looking around the room, a frown on his face. "Not that there's a lot in good condition, but nothing's changed there, I guess."
Gajeel snorted, rolling the sleeves of his shirt up to his elbows. "When I started, they didn't even have the bags, so I'm good, but if you've got what it takes I'd take a round in the ring," he said, a wicked smile punctuating the open challenge. Lily looked sceptical, crossing his arms over his chest.
"You haven't seen the inside of the ring in months, and you think you can take me on easy as that?" he asked, doubt so interlaced with jest it was hard to tell them apart, but he was already moving towards the training ring. Gajeel snapped off his suspenders, dropping them haphazardly on the floor as he picked up a roll of bandages to wrap his hands.
"You sure you don't need to warm up, rookie?" Lily called over to him.
"Oye, watch what you're saying, old man – you've got ten years on me. I'd say your health is the one in trouble," he retorted, tightening the wrap around his right hand before starting on the left.
Lily snorted. "That's right – ten years, and I've kept my game up, unlike someone."
Flexing his hands, Gajeel stretched his shoulders, grimacing slightly at the stiffness. Lily was right – it had been a long time since he'd last been in the ring. Too long.
But, no time like the present, or however that saying went.
Ducking under the ropes, he jogged a bit on the spot to get his blood pumping. It felt good being in the ring – like coming home after a long journey, and Lily always promised a good fight. The day was definitely looking up.
"Ready to get your ass handed to you, old man?" he quipped, smiling wickedly.
Lily snorted, throwing his towel across the stool in his corner. "Keep dreaming. I'll go easy on you first round – wouldn't want to kill you when you've finally dragged your ass down here," he said, a distinctly cat-like smile stretching across his scarred face as he threw a pair of old gloves towards his friend.
Catching them expertly, Gajeel slipped them on, eagerness rising within him at the familiar feeling. Tightening the strings with his teeth, he turned to fully face his opponent. "It's been a while."
Lily tapped his own together, eyes glinting. "Let's see how rusty you've become, Iron Fist," he mocked. Gajeel snorted.
"Bring it, puss."
They circled each other, taking their time and grinning like troublesome kids. And Gajeel realized that, even if he was about to get his ass handed to him – because Lily was, if anything, a damn good fighter – then it was worth every beating. Because being in the ring was being alive.
And it'd been a damn long time since he'd felt anything close.
"Bones give out on ya yet?"
Wiping the bleeding cut on his brow, Gajeel grinned in exhilaration as he collapsed onto the rickety stool set out for him. Across from him, Lily had an equally wide grin on his face, sporting a black eye and a slightly swollen lip.
"You wish," he scoffed. "Like I said – I went easy on you."
Gajeel rolled his eyes, grin only widening. "Admit it, Lil. I'm still a challenge," he retorted. Lily wiped his face, raising a brow at his sparring partner.
"You're not as rusty as the rumours would have it, I'll give you that," he said with a shrug. "But you're going to need to brush up on your skills if you're looking to fight the rookies that are making names for themselves these days."
Gajeel snorted. "Rookies are rookies – I've been doin' this since I was a kid."
Lily smirked. "Exactly. You're an old man to them, now. Better watch out so your bones don't give out on you," he quipped, leaning against the pole as he splashed some water on his face.
"Tch. Still just rookies. Give me a few more rounds in the ring and I'll have 'em running back to their mothers."
Lily laughed. "Yeah, well, spend a little time down here and you might get the chance," he said with a shrug. Gajeel smirked, gaze shifting to the room around them as his brows pulled down in thought. Practice required time, and he was about as short on that as he was on money these days.
The doors behind them creaked open then, breaking him out of his contemplations, and two sets of eyes swivelled to the doorway in time to see a head of white hair duck inside. Elfman regarded them with surprise for a split second, before a grin broke out on his face.
"I sense a fight amongst men!"
Gajeel rolled his eyes, although there was a grin on his face as the brute of a man stepped up to the training ring. "I sense eagerness. Wanna have a go?" he asked, about to rise from his chair. From beside him, Lily rolled his eyes.
"You need to take it easy," he warned, but Gajeel only brushed him off. The fight had been too damn good, and the kick still hadn't left his system. And the prospect of a round in the ring with Elfman Strauss almost had him up and jumping on the spot. They didn't call him 'The Beast' for nothing.
The man in question didn't look any less eager. "I see you're back in the ring, Gajeel. Good, it's been a while since we had a manly spar," he declared, dropping his bag on the floor and cracking his knuckles. Gajeel grinned, rising to his feet.
"Oye, Lil, I'll get you back next round," he said, but Lily didn't move an inch. He sighed. "What?"
He looked dubious. "I've seen what happens when you two go at it – your head must have taken a worse hit than I thought if you think I'll actually let you kill yourself on your first day back."
Gajeel rolled his eyes. "Sorry, mother, I didn't know I had to ask permission for whose ass to kick," he retorted, followed by a muttered 'wet blanket'. Lily pointed a finger at him, brow raised in challenge.
"Don't make me throw you out on your ass, Gajeel. You've already established my age – hasn't anyone taught you to respect your seniors?" he asked, a grin on his face, but the warning was clear in his tone. "And I own this joint, so what I say goes."
Gajeel sighed exasperatedly. "Fine, you damn worry-wart," he muttered, shaking his head. "That match will still happen, Strauss," he declared, statement directed at Elfman, who grinned.
"A promise amongst men," was all he replied, which translated roughly into 'it's a deal' in normal-speak.
Splashing a handful of water on his face, Gajeel wiped his brow, and was about to open his mouth when the screeching sound of the double doors to the studio being pushed open reached his ears again, this time followed by the loud and unmistakable chatter of a familiar voice, and he groaned in disbelief. From beside him, his companions perked up, no doubt curious to see what had suddenly made the usually empty gym into a social event.
"This is it – the Pit!" Natsu all but bellowed as he entered the room, throwing his arms open and grinning his default grin. And as though things couldn't get any worse, from behind him the soft patter of footsteps announced the presence of not only the Heartfilia-girl, but the McGarden princess as well, eyes wide in their faces as they took in the size and state of the gym.
And only seconds ago, things had been going so well.
The blonde one had her nose crinkled in distaste – no doubt the smell getting to her, and Gajeel felt like something holy was being desecrated before his eyes. Women had no business in the Pit unless their name was Erza Scarlet – especially not posh upper-class prudes with daddy issues.
"Wow, Natsu...it's..." the blonde one began as she came to a stop, eyes shifting across the room, her entire posture screaming doubt and distaste. "It's...nice." Gajeel resisted the urge to snort, but the idiot didn't seem to have caught on to her tone of voice at all. He grinned proudly.
"Isn't it? I've been coming here since I was as kid!" he announced. "Lost a tooth over there...and one over there...broke my nose twice in that ring...and oh! Over there I cracked my skull open!" he laughed.
The Heartfilia-girl nodded, almost absent-mindedly as she took in the information with very wide eyes. Gajeel only shook his head. 'Salamander' was known for his recklessness in the ring – and the many injures resulting from it. But it was all part of his supposed 'gimmick', or whatever it was he called it. It hadn't served to give him anything other than a reputation as an incurable hothead.
"Never did fix that crack, did they?"
Natsu rolled his eyes. "You're one to talk, scrap-metal. It's not like you're made of real iron," he quipped with a smirk. Gajeel glared, and was about to retort when another voice beat him to it.
"So this is where you train?" the shrimp asked as she came to stand beside the idiot, looking more curious than anything else. Gajeel swallowed his initial surprise, choosing in stead to glare as she walked over to the ring, large eyes flitting across the room, as though memorizing it rather than looking for the nearest escape route. When her gaze landed on him, though, her brows furrowed, and a sharp edge entered them.
And now he was going to hear it.
"And this is where you went," she said, tiny arms crossed over her chest as she walked closer, and he noticed briefly – strangely, because what the hell? – that her hair wasn't straight like it'd been the night before, but tangled and wild. Hmpf. It made her look a little less posh, but so what?
"Yeah," he retorted, challenge clear in his tone. "Wasn't aware I had to notify your highness of wherever I go," he snapped.
Her eyes flashed in anger. "Oh, but I can't even go to the ladies' room without you following my every move?"
Still strung up about the night before. Figures.
"Hey, I'm not the one needing protection here," he growled, to which her brows raised and she jutted her hip out in a way that was momentarily distracting, but he pushed the feeling down brutally.
"And you're doing such a good job with that, are you? Something could have happened while you were off..." she searched for a word, waving her hand in front of her as she motioned to himself and Lily, who was taking it all in with brows that had migrated all the way into his hairline. "...I don't even know what you do in here – punch each other for fun?"
"Pretty much," his friend piped up from behind him, and Gajeel shot him a look. He was ignored, however, as the dark skinned man stepped up beside him, a disarming smile on his scarred face.
"Hello. Lily is the name," he introduced himself, slipping beneath the ropes and jumping down from the elevated training ring. Bowing at the waist like some fucking gentleman, he addressed her like he'd been born and bred amongst her kind. "And you are?"
She blinked, clearly caught off guard for a second – which was often the case with first-timers around Lily, Gajeel knew – before a shy smile tugged at her lips. "I'm Levy," she said simply. No title and no last name – no doubt as per the boss' instructions. Turning her attention to Elfman, she inclined her head curiously.
"You're Mirajane's brother?" she asked, and Gajeel was surprised she knew, but he guessed she must have occupied herself somehow before the idiot had dragged her off from the speakeasy.
Elfman smiled, pleased to be recognized. "Elfman," he greeted, bowing his head – the action a little more awkward than it had been for Lily. "You are Gajeel's woman?" he asked then, and Gajeel almost choked on his tongue. Quirking a brow at the question, Lily turned his gaze on his friend, and there was a decidedly teasing glint in them.
"You didn't tell me you'd gotten yourself a girl," he said, and was answered with two incredulous splutters from the two parties concerned,
"The hell, Lil?!" / "Not if he was the last man on the planet."
Her eyes snapped towards him, meeting his in a fierce glare. She crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm under his 'protection'," she ground out, muttering under her breath as she turned her gaze away from him, "if you can call it that."
He snorted, mimicking her action. "Remember that crap job I told you about?" he asked Lily, nodding towards the midget. "That would be her."
She shot him another glare before averting her eyes again, and he noticed the slight tint of colour to her cheeks. A feral grin tugged on his lips. "Like what you see, shrimp?" he mocked. He'd taken his shirt off during the spar, and hadn't bothered to put it back on. And if she was reacting like that, there was no way he was going to.
Although Lily, it seemed, was determined to be annoyingly proper. Pulling on his shirt, he shot Gajeel a look. "In the presence of ladies, Gajeel," was all he said. Gajeel ignored him, the smirk widening as he noticed that the midget was firmly avoiding looking anywhere in his vicinity.
"You don't care, do ya, Luce?" Natsu asked out of nowhere, and to which the blonde rolled her eyes.
"It's 'Lucy', and yes, I do care. Do I look like I was raised by wolves?" she asked. Natsu only laughed at that, in the way only the idiot could to such a remark, and Gajeel shook his head. Idiots, the lot of them.
"So, Lily...it's nice to meet you," shortstuff said, bringing his attention back to her. "Are you a boxer, then, or do you do it for fun?" Gajeel rolled his eyes, about to retort when Lily beat him to the punch.
"Both, as it were," he answered amiably in the way only he could. "The Pit is mine, but I haven't hung up my gloves just yet. It's the easiest way to earn good money in this town," he added, shooting a look towards Gajeel, who ignored it heartily.
Natsu grinned, apparently considering himself part of the conversation. "Yeah!" he agreed, before rounding on the two women, enthusiasm all but rising off him like steam. "Hey! You two should come watch a match – Lily's pretty famous around here," he said. The blonde looked like she wanted to protest, but the tiny one looked...intrigued.
Tch.
Lily's smile turned distinctly cat-like. "And if you don't want to watch me fight, your bodyguard over there is considering picking up the gloves again," he said to Levy, and Gajeel felt like throttling him.
"Oye–"
She blinked. "Oh, so you're a professional, too?" she asked, and he was damned if she didn't look even more intrigued. He snorted.
"Rusty, if you believe the rumours, but...yeah."
She nodded, almost to herself, before her eyes darted across him, and she blushed, looking away quickly. He almost managed not to smirk. Almost. So the posh princess had a thing for muscle, hmm? Not that it was a surprise, considering the prude sissies that frequented her circles. He probably looked like some exotic animal – dangerous and intriguing, but below her worth.
The unbidden thought made his blood simmer, and the smirk dropped from his face. If she thought she could look down on him, she had another thing coming.
Sensing his change of mood, Lily stepped between them. "Anyway, as it seems I've kept you from doing your job, Gajeel – for which I apologize, Miss Levy – I say we call it a day," he said, giving Gajeel a sharp look and earning himself another glare. "Come by when you have time and we'll go a few rounds – see if you can't get an actual punch in," he quipped with a smile.
"Oye, now–"
"It was nice meeting you, Miss Levy," he said, cutting him off and turning his attention to the small woman. Gajeel felt his eye twitch at the interruption. "Maybe I'll see you at a match soon?"
She smiled. "I'd like that."
Gajeel resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Did she even know what went down during a lowtown match? He doubted she'd seen anything worse than fisticuffs where she came from. Their kind of boxing either left the losing part in pieces or became so bloody, the ref would have to halt the match to mop the ring before it was safe to continue. It was brutal, it was bloody and it was borderline illegal. It was perfection.
And he doubted she'd last five minutes.
Turning away to grab his shirt and suspenders, Gajeel almost felt like taking her to one, just to see how she'd react. Hell, maybe she needed a bit of a wake-up call – a little reminder that the world had more shit to it than the polished sphere of society she'd spawned from. Something to kick her off her high horse.
"Hey, Gajeel!" Salamander called from across the room, where he was eagerly showing the blonde the equipment and tugging her this way and that. "The old man said he needed to speak with you. Sounded important," he said with a shrug, before a smirk tugging on his lips, and he shot his friend a sly look. "Or maybe you're just getting a scolding for leaving Levy this morning. Someone's in trouble~!"
"Shaddup," Gajeel growled as he pulled on his shirt, strapping his suspenders over his shoulders haphazardly. Pulling his hair out of his face, he refastened the cord at his neck as he jumped down from the ring. Brushing past the tiny woman, he headed for the exit without pause.
"Get moving, shrimp, or you're finding the way back on your own," he called over his shoulder. She huffed but followed suit, tiny fists clenched at her sides as she walked with all the dignity of a goddamn queen, as though she wasn't walking out of a dingy basement that stank of sweat, but a friggin' palace.
"Rematch soon, Gajeel!" Lily called after him. "When you're not busy doting on your woman. Or you could bring her as your posse – you know, like Fullbuster does!"
Gajeel rolled his eyes, reminded of his old acquaintance – the woman who had successfully gone from one of the underworld's most feared hired guns to the personal fanclub of Gray Fullbuster. He'd hand it to Makarov – the old man had gotten a lot of people off the streets and given them a future with better prospects, but the crazy shit they got themselves into after getting involved with Fairy Tail...
It just wasn't healthy.
"She can carry the towels, but I don't think she'd handle the smell," he remarked as he stepped towards the curtain. Levy glared as she came towards him.
"The day I carry your towels, Mr. Redfox, is the day I have so little dignity left I might as well kiss your feet," she growled with all the intimidation of an angry little rodent. And for a split second, he was nearly impressed.
Nearly.
"Stay a while in this world, princess, and you can be sure that 'dignity' won't stick around for long," he snarled back, before pushing the fabric away and stepping into the hallway. He heard her seething behind him and felt a smirk tug at his lips. She was more tolerable when she was angry, surprisingly enough. Made her a little less rich and a little more human.
He heard Salamander's girl shout her good-byes from inside the gym, sounding like she wanted to follow, and then the midget was passing him by, small feet thundering up the stairs and out onto the pavement. At the top she rounded on him, finger raised and pointed straight at his chest, and being physically able to because she'd caught him before he'd managed to take the last step on the staircase, effectively putting them at eye-level.
"You know, if it's not too much to ask, you could treat me with a little more respect," she snapped. He rolled his eyes, pushing her hand away and walking past her.
"Do something to deserve it, and I might consider it," he grumbled as he began the trek back to the speakeasy. She threw her hands up, exasperated.
"Honestly! I don't know what I did to earn this..this contempt you have for me," she said, picking up her pace to follow him. "Is it because I come from wealth? What, is the alley-born thug jealous? Or just naturally judge–"
She was cut off mid-rant as he rounded on her, eyes flashing. He was vaguely aware of the stares they were attracting, but her sass was pissing him off.
"You," he began, all but growling as he backed her up, a part of him – the sadistic streak he had – aware of and thriving in the way her eyes widened, and the hint of fear flashing through them, "are a spoiled brat, from a spoiled world, and you don't know anything about what it means being alley-born," he snarled. "I'll repeat what I said – do something to deserve it, and I might – might – consider it. But I sincerely doubt you've got it in you."
To his surprise, she squared her shoulders, although with him towering a good foot and a half above the crown of her head, it wasn't very intimidating.
But it was something. And a part of him recognized it, even if he'd never admit it.
"Well, the respect goes both ways, Mr. Redfox," she declared. "And you are right, I don't know what it means being 'alley-born', but if it's being exceedingly arrogant and judging others for their heritage, however undesired, then I don't care much for it," she said, her expression dead serious. "I, for one, will not judge you if you can show me the same courtesy."
And then she surprised him again, by suddenly holding out her hand.
"I know the situation isn't ideal, but I wish we could get over our differences and cooperate," she continued, swallowing heavily. "It would certainly make spending time together less taxing, for the both of us."
And then she looked at him.
He glared at the hand as though she'd presented him with something insulting, before shifting his gaze to her face. Her words were calm and measured, but her expression was fierce, and he was briefly tempted to take her up on the offer. Looking down at his own hands, still bandaged from his fight with Lily, his brows furrowed as he remembered their greeting the previous day; of her small hand in his and everything it represented.
But the look on her face demanded action – demanded acceptance, and damn it if he hadn't worn that same look on his face throughout his entire goddamn life. A streetrat from the deepest reaches of the alleys working his way up in the underworld, and then right into the trust of not only one of Magnolia's most powerful men, but his lunatic of a son as well. That kind of social-climbing required stubborn determination, and not just a little bit.
And the shrimp before him was looking at him like she was two seconds away from challenging him to a street fight if it'd improve his impression of her. And even if he hated it, guts like that warranted respect.
Even if it was only a little.
…
Damn it all.
"Fine," was all he said as he grasped her hand brusquely, noticing that for such tiny fingers, her grip was surprisingly tight. When they pulled away, she nodded once, as though having finalized some deal, and he couldn't for the life of him think of anything to say, because damn it, his reflex remarks were always borderline or full-out insulting, and he had no idea how to handle the complicated agree-to-disagree deal they'd just made out of the blue. So he was silent. And she was silent–
–and then the nearby honk of a passing automobile had them both jumping in surprise. Gajeel cursed under his breath, glaring after the offending vehicle. When he looked back, shortstuff was biting back a smile. And it was like the unexpected noise had cut right through something between them, leaving him feeling like someone had gone and given the proverbial rug beneath him a sharp tug and throwing him completely off balance.
"So, are we going back?" She was still looking at him, her eyes big and brown – ones that looked innocent at first glance, but there was something in them that didn't sit well with him. Although he couldn't figure out what it was.
Pushing the inkling to the back of his mind, he snorted. "Nah, we're stayin' here," he mocked. "'Course we're going back. Now keep up!"
She shook her head as she fell into step beside him, her small feet taking two for each of his and muttering under her breath, "Guess the attitude stays."
"Damn straight it stays."
She rolled her eyes, but didn't say anything more as they walked, a decent distance between them and no doubt looking for all of Magnolia like they would rather be anywhere else. But they'd agree to tolerate each other. And so they would. And hell, maybe she had a point – maybe attempting to get along would be the best course of action in the long run. It'd be a hell of a lot easier protecting her if he didn't feel like leaving her at every turn in the road.
And at least the old fart would be pleased, even if his shirt wasn't tucked in.
They hadn't gone far down the street, steadily filling with people out to enjoy the city now that the sun was at an appropriate height in the sky, when he caught sight of the shadow at the edge of his vision. He didn't stop in his tracks, though – he knew better than that. So he didn't make any move at all, but kept walking, shooting a quick glance towards the woman at his side to make sure she didn't get completely out of his sight. For her part, she was busy observing the world around them, a wistful look on her face and completely oblivious to their sudden and completely undesirable predicament.
Someone was watching them, and it wasn't the curious 'making a scene in public' kind of scrutiny he'd come to expect of this part of Magnolia.
It took him three more streets and a rounded corner to be completely sure, and he was suddenly very much aware of the fact that he'd left his gun at the speakeasy. Not that he usually needed it, but there was a considerable difference between being on your own and being responsible for someone else. Especially if that someone was tiny as hell and probably hadn't been in a fight in her life. Cursing softly under his breath, Gajeel couldn't believe his rotten luck.
They were being followed.
AN: Suspension. Suspenders? I love both. And for those who expected more action with the boxing – it'll come in due time. For now he's not really back in the game yet, but he will be once he gets rid of the rust, both pun and otherwise.
