reunion
summary; he'd imagined this scenario more times than he cared to admit, and yet he was still tongue-tied
He'd imagined this scenario more times than he cared to admit. Revisiting the same scene over and over again. He'd practiced his speech over and over, the words repeating in his mind so many times, he knew it by heart. There was not a doubt in Gajeel's mind that he was prepared for the day his father reappeared in his life.
Until it actually happened.
Until he sensed the the aura he hadn't felt in years.
Until he smelt the scent he'd secretly worried he had forgotten.
Until he caught a glimpse of that familiar silhouette.
Until he heard his roar.
Then it was like his world had been flipped, and for a second…he couldn't move. Couldn't breathe. Couldn't think. He simply watched, swelling with pride as his dragon - his father - took down Face after Face, his roar turning into a cocky bellow as he raced passed Wendy's dragon.
Even after the shock of seeing their dragons had subsided and they had joined in with the destruction of the Face devices, he kept one eye trained on his father, afraid that if he blinked he would be gone again.
.
.
He approached him slowly - cautiously even - the thoroughly planned speech already long gone from his mind.
"Still shy I see"
He froze, "shy?" in an instance, all pretence of caution and carefulness was gone, "the hell do you mean shy you giant lightning rod?" he snapped, storming forwards, "you haven't shown your ugly faces in how many years and that's how you greet me?"
Metalicana chucked his head back and roared with laughter, "still got that temper as well," he snorted, sending a ripple through the air, "glad to see not much has changed…or," he stared pointedly at the celebrating guildmates dotted around them, his gaze lingering on a head of blue hair for just a fraction of a second longer than the rest, "perhaps I'm glad to see that a lot has changed."
Gajeel smirked, "yeah, you missed a lot old man."
"Tch. I didn't miss your lack of respect, brat."
He hadn't realised how much he'd missed being called a brat. Being his brat.
"I imagined a lot more swearing and kicking when we finally reunited," Metalicana mused, "has my son gone soft?"
"Don't count on it old man, I can still kick your sorry ass any day."
"Still?" the dragon chuckled, "if I recall, all your attempts to 'kick my ass' ended in you lying in a pile of mud and your own tears."
Gajeel laughed and shrugged, "you've missed a lot. I've grown."
The dragon hummed, his gaze drifting towards the head of blue hair hovering nervously nearby, "indeed. You have a lot to inform me. Tell me about the blue haired woman."
"Uh…which one?"
Metalicana smirked, meeting Levy's gaze head on, "the one who smells entirely of you."