Two chapters in one day? It must be a miracle!

…Well, maybe not. It just popped into my head, and with the inspiration of a picture on deviantART…BAM! This chapter was born! This is my take on how Gajeel lived with Metalicana! I wonder what Gajeel's childhood was like for real though...

Chapter Summary: The warmth previously inside the boy immediately disappeared, along with his father, and was replaced by anger and rage.

(Pre/Post) Timeskip: Doesn't matter.

Characters: Gajeel, Metalicana

~From Dragons to Dragon Slayers~

Ch. 4: Gajeel's Warmth

Gajeel sat in the middle of a dark wasteland, perched on top of a giant boulder. The newest (and completed) mission had somehow brought him to this wasteland. Pantherlily was off on a (forced) mission with his fellow exceeds, if you were wondering. The wasteland brought back some bittersweet memories for the Iron Dragon Slayer, having been raised in a wasteland similar to the one in the present. Gajeel just sat there in utter silence, too sulky to even eat some metal.

The teenager began to ignore the sounds of the outside world. Soon, the memories took over.

"Hey."

"…"

"Hey!"

"…"

"HE-"

"FOR PETE'S SAKE, WHAT DO YOU WANT, BRAT?" Metalicana roared, causing his trainee to cringe at the volume, "CAN'T YOU SEE I'M TRYING TO SLEEP?"

Young Gajeel crossed his arms, "Geez…I was wondering about that magic you were blabbing about before. Y'know, iron? Teach me it."

"What makes you think I'm gonna teach my awesome, powerful and majestic power to you, brat?"

Gajeel made a smug smile, "Because if it's so awesome, powerful and majestic you would want the world to know about it, wouldn't you? If you taught it to me, I could spread the word about your awesome, powerful and majestic power."

"First of all, my magic and your magic aren't the same." The dragon thought this over. "…But alright, brat. You win. But let me tell you, learning Iron Dragon Slayer magic isn't easy. It's like going into the depths of a fiery hell, and there's a chance that-"

"I DON'T CARE! TEACH ME ALREADY, DRAGON BASTARD!"

The massive rock exploded into pieces. Gajeel panted, grinning cockily at the damage his Iron Dragon's Roar had caused.

Metalicana nodded, "Good. That's it for today, brat. All your attacks have been perfectly polished, courtesy of me."

The boy sat on another smaller rock while wiping the sweat from his forehead. "Hey, Dragon Bastard."

Said beast let out a growl using the boy's full nickname, "What now, Scrap Iron Brat?"

"If I'm gonna spread the word about my awesome, powerful and majestic power, doesn't that mean I gotta leave you behind?"

Metalicana was surprised. Gajeel never commented about subjects like that. "Well, yeah I guess. Why? Do you like staying with me, brat?"

"No! I would never enjoy staying with a dragon bastard like you!" Gajeel exclaimed, sounding disgusted.

"Well…I enjoy being around you, brat." This made the young boy stare at him in disbelief.

"You make things…interesting. It's not everyday you can find a gutsy kid who can put up a good argument like yourself."

Gajeel turned away, flustered by the dragon's words. He didn't think Metalicana had this kind of side in him.

He…cared about him. For some reason, that made him feel…warm.

The boy put on an annoyed mask to cover the warmth swelling up inside his chest. "So you're just gonna follow me around then? !"

"Yeah."

Okay…Gajeel did NOT expect that answer.

"I'm gonna stay right beside you, whether you like it or not, brat."

Gajeel was shocked, to say. So the so-called dragon bastard DID care about him? As he went to ask the dragon if he really meant it, he saw that the dragon was already asleep on the spot. The boy sweatdropped. His foster father could fall asleep faster than anyone or anything on Earthland.

Instead of kicking the dragon awake for an answer, Gajeel decided to let him be. And so, he lied down beside the dragon, falling into a deep sleep…

The young Iron Dragon Slayer's question was never answered.

Metalicana was nowhere to be found the next morning.

The warmth previously inside the boy immediately disappeared, along with his father, and was replaced by anger and rage.

"DRAGON BASTARD! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?"

The Dragon Slayer snapped out of his thoughts when he felt the droplets of water on his skin. He didn't feel like walking at the moment so he stayed put, now drenched in rain.

Up to this day, Gajeel still didn't have a true answer. Did Metalicana truly care about him? Perhaps not. Maybe that's why he left.

But there was still the possibility that Metalicana did care for him. Gajeel holds on to that hope while he continues searching for his foster father.

The memory keeps him warm, even in this chilling rain.