Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail.
Her tiny fist wraps around the long, long stem of the flower and plucks it with all the grace of a nestling that's just learned to toddle over uneven ground and reach for things as she works to make her way back to him in the tall grass and wild breeze.
He's glad for town and the home it's made in the space behind his rib cage, but the open skies and rolling fields on the border of Fiore, Bosco, and Seven are something wholly different and freeing. He can smell the sea on the wind and can hear the quiet murmur of his daughter as she carefully rolls words in the three languages over her tongue, beckoning him with a toothy grin and 'papa' in the ancient language his father speaks.
Her hair is unkempt and falling in her eyes where the weather has loosened her hair. Gajeel chuckles as he bends to secure he coat with one more button and rights the kerchief in her hair before she raises the dandelion into his field of vision.
Another tangle of Fioran, Boscan, and Seven reachs his ears as she works her words around the bright smile that reaches from one ear to the other. "These are the ones I wish on, right?"
The dragon slayer grins, his fang boyishly catching on his lip as he watches the sun and happiness dance in her eyes. "Aye."
She nods once, all seriousness and a proud set to her shoulders as she turns away from him, east to the water ways separating Fiore from Minstrel. The wind picks up and errant strands of hair dance at her ears and cheeks. Her breath doesn't quite loosen all of the seeds, a good half of them remaining stubbornly on the round seed head.
He steadies her as her legs wobble against the gale force. "Try again, little one."
The young girl shakes her head and moves the flower toward him once more. "This part's for you, papa."
His eyebrows raise and he looks off to their right, where Levy stands watching them, as she rests on the trail they had followed. One hand rests on the full swell of her belly and her smile crinkles the corners of her eyes. The script mage nods her head, encouraging him to make the most of this moment as she pushes her long braid back over her shoulder.
He nods back to her and turns around to his daughter before she can become impatient with the silent conversation he's having with her mother. "What else do I need to wish for?"
Her free hand moves to her chin as his hand rests on her back and the other helps her shield the rest of the dandelion from the breeze. "Well, what do you want?"
His fingers brush over the material of her wind breaker as he hums, "I already have everything I want. I don't know what to wish for. What did you wish for?"
She gasps as her eyebrows raise highly on her forehead, her face aghast with utter controversy. "Papa, I can't tell you my wish! It won't come true if I do."
Gajeel laughs, "I thought that was only on shooting stars, birthday candles, and the coins you toss into the well."
The little girl shook her head vehemently. "No, mama says it's all wishes."
"Ah, mama would know." He raises her hand where the dandelion would be level with him and made a show of closing his eyes. "Why don't you close your eyes and think about my wish coming true, that way there's an even bigger chance it'll come true." One red eye peeks open to watch her shut her eyes as tight as she can manage and her nose scrunches up with focus of a mountain. "Ready?"
"Aye."
He closes his eye once more and takes a deep breath.
A/N: Stretching my therapeutic writing skill at the moment, so there's going to be a brief return, I guess. Things will be sporadic and no promises on particular projects are being made at the time. More info on my tumblr.
