I couldn't help it! If you haven't read chapter 426, than BEWARE OF GAJEEL SPOILERS! If you don't care, read on!
Updated on 4/1/15 because of grammar mistakes. Thanks to general zargon for pointing some out! I was too excited and posted this a bit hastily. Enjoy peeps!
Arrested
It has been several months since she last saw him since the guild disbanded. He just up and left like all the others, not a goodbye or farewell. Levy had wanted to go with him and Lilly back then but he evaded her rather tactfully. For a while she was hurt and disappointed, then resentment and anger settled and fueled her motivation to just keep moving forward.
For some months Levy traveled for a while after parting ways with her boys Jet and Droy, eating up book after book on counter magic, barriers, runes and archaic languages in any bookstore she came across. That last battle with the Demon Gates left a mark on them all. They had come close to death too many times in such a short amount of time. Levy still had nightmares sometimes of drowning.
Now it was as if the long months melted away into nothing. Gajeel Redfox strode into the bookshop like he owned it, his arrogant stride making his council's cape swish rather heroically behind him. His robes are crisp and clean, the colors of white and dark blue gleaming in the afternoon light. His narrowed red eyes flashed with annoyance, his narrow face pinched in a look of gruff annoyance. How typical. He always finds something to be grumpy about, she mused after reminded herself to breathe again. Even after all this time, his handsome glare makes her pulse flutter.
The source of his irritation is one of his officers who is uncomfortably holding onto the arm of their quarry. The thin man had greasy hair, a raty jacket on and his dirty smeared hands are shaking fiercely. From her vantage point behind a couple bookshelfs in the back of the shop, Levy figured a crime of some kind. The Council's Arresting Squad are being licked into shape, no doubt. She did not miss the bits in the paper she had read some months back of Gajeel having joined the Magic Council.
In a way she is proud of him, but her feelings of being left behind still irked her into a bit of pique.
"Darion Kulgy?" Gajeel demanded in his gruff manner, arms crossed in his signature intimidating stance. Levy rolled her eyes.
"Yes?" the man squeaked, about ready to burst into a puddle of guilt from Gajeel's intense stare. She understands how the man feels, once upon a time.
"You've been pretty sneaky, lately. Helping out gangs and dark guilds for money."
The man waved his arms frantically, trying to back up one step but the officer jerked him forward again.
"It was just a few bits of money, honest!"
Those red eyes glittered with restrained fury. Levy watched as his entire body tensed into a tightly controlled spring. She almost felt bad for the man if Gajeel did decided to throw a punch.
"More like a few thousand that were cheated out of orphanages, good people and the king himself. Thanks to you and yours, some people can't pay their taxes, the king lowered my wages a few jewel and a couple children died of starvation."
Brown eyes widened in horror before narrowing in fury. Now she understood why Gajeel is so furious. Slowly she closed the book of counter dark magic spells she had been reading and slowly put it back on the shelf.
"That is on your head and whoever else is involved. Now I can help you out if you just tell me who the leader that hired you was."
"They'll kill me!"
She only had to glance at his feet to know he is going to move. Next thing everyone else knew, Gajeel had the man shoved high up against the wall by his throat. The grey brick of the wall dented behind the man, a few crumbs falling and littering the old wooden floor. Outside the front door, she noticed movement and slowly made her way towards it. The officer who had been holding the man was still opening and closing his hand in disbelief at how fast his captain had moved.
"I'll kill you if you don't give me the information I want. Talk," Gajeel snarled, his hand already forming into an iron sword. He held it up in the light so it gleamed just right. Eyes filled with fear made the man squirm in his grip like a fish struggling for air. Good. Fear is a good incentive for lowlifes to talk.
Suddenly he heard the other person in the store besides his officer and the store owner move. Their boots scraped against the floor as they made for the door.
"Don't move," he warned, his fangs gnashing against each other. He only saw a flash of blue hair underneath the brown cloak that made him pause. Juvia? No, could it be…?
She noticed the man peek into the store and shake his head deliberately at the flailing captive in Gajeel's clutches, as if trying to convey a message. Very suspicious. It could be part of the gang that threatened the man into service or silence. Either way, he would be a way into the gang. It was the least she could do as a concerned citizen. Levy ignored Gajeel's warning as she sprinted after the man. Waiting outside the store is Gajeel's Squad…and Lilly! Filled with relief, she gathered her magic and waved frantically for the Exceed to notice her.
The man almost reached the other side of the crowd that had formed from gawking at the group of Council officers. If he reached the crowd, they would lose him.
"Lilly!" she yelled out, summoning her Script Chain made of Diamond, "Catch!"
The Exceed's ears perked up at the sound of her familiar voice just as she lashed out with her chain, wrapping it around the the man's legs only to yank the man towards her friend's direction. The chain ripped the man right off his feet and with an extra jerk into the chain, he was sailing strait for her friend. All the other officers dove for the ground as the chain sailed right over their heads since it was rather low to the ground.
Behind her, she heard heavy footsteps and a growl of frustration, "What the fuck is going on and who is calling my cat?!"
Levy smirked as the Exceed caught her "catch" by the ankles and then served a righteous punch straight into the man's stomach. He was out instantly. Ignoring the man behind her, Levy skipped straight up to the Exceed and gave him a jolly high five.
"Great catch, Lilly!" she gushed, hopping from one foot the other.
Tossing the unconscious man to one of the officer's behind him right over his shoulder, Lilly's tail swished happily at seeing her. "Good to see you Levy, but that was a little reckless."
"I was in no danger. Least I could do to help out. I hate sitting on the sidelines doing nothing."
Lilly's eyes softened as he petted her head gently, "Well then, good job."
She closed her brown eyes, enjoying the rub.
Behind them, Gajeel stood there still holding his suspect by the front of his shirt. He stared at the back of her head, having watched her quick and decisive show of action. If only his officers moved half as fast or reacted as quick like his guild did. But money motivated most of these men, not honor or pride. It made all the difference.
Shoving his suspect to join the other one, he walked towards Levy but she had already seen him. The happy face she made for Lilly wasn't for him it seemed. Her face pinched into one of grumpiness and frustration, but what could he have done to make her so angry?
"What's got you so wound up for?" he asked, leaning his shoulder against Lilly' bicep. What he didn't expect was for her to ignore him.
"It was good to see you, Lilly. Take care!" she said and waved, turning on her heel to stalk away. He shared a look with his partner, and the Exceed gestured for him to follow her.
"I'm sure she's still a bit angry we left," he murmured into his ear as Gajeel stomped after her.
"Levy!" he called but she did not slow down, only walked faster. Any more and she would be running from him.
"Levy! I will chase you down and we both know you can't outrun me!" he called as he started to jog after her, ready to snatch up the back of her cloak to yank her to a stop.
"Just go away!" she snapped over her shoulder and he reached for her cloak's hood. As if sensing him, she summoned that damned chain of hers. It shot out, wrapped around a flag pole and tugged herself instantly up onto a rooftop. If she wasn't Levy, he would think her a skilled thief.
"Get down here!" he ordered, shaking a fist at her. He would not be made a fool of, not so publically.
She only made a shooing motion at him and disappeared on the other side of the building. Oh hell no!
He took in a deep breath and then ran for the side of the building. Building knives out of the bottom of his boots, he scaled the building to the rooftop in seven seconds. All ready she was walking down of the alleyways to his right. Not stopping, he ran along the rooftops until he jumped off and landed right in front of her.
Her wide brown eyes narrowed at him and she took a step back. "I don't want to talk, Gajeel. Just go back to your squad."
Gajeel followed her with two steps of his own, crowding her towards the brick alley wall. "No. Are you pissed I left again?"
She pressed her lips together and turned her head away.
"I'll take that as a yes."
She raised a hand up, as if to ward him off. "Don't. Just go back."
He clasped her little wrist, bringing it over her head and gently pressing it to the brick above her. "No."
Looking down at her in the afternoon light, he noticed her hair had grown a little longer but still wavy, the ends curling into little ringlets. Her brown and patched cloak contrasted with her pale skin, engulfing her like a giant bit of fluffy chocolate. If anything she seemed to have gotten more delicate since he had last seen her and she is alone. It rankled him that he still has his cat but she has no one. It isn't the way of their guild.
"Where are those boys of yours?"
"We split up. It is what Master suggested, remember?"
Funny how that was all they seemed to have remembered of that day. He had been trying to hunt down the master but to no avail. He doubted she knew either. But now is not that time for that.
Leaning down, he pressed his forehead against hers and closed his eyes, "I can't say I'm sorry if we are following the old man's orders. But I do miss you. I miss the guild."
She tried to move away from him but he gnashed his teeth with a growl, flashing his fangs but that only made her struggle against him more.
"Liar," Levy mumbled, clenching her eyes to keep the tears he smelled from falling.
"I'm not lyin'" he murmured against her temple, easing his hold on her wrist as he scraped his fangs lightly against the line where her hair met her scalp. Levy whimpered against his throat just as a few drops of rain hit his back.
"I knew roughly where you were on the tabs I've been keeping on who I can manage but its damn hard. Despite my new job, I still want the guild to be like the way it was. Before Tartarus. Before times got too hard and it was just all one drunken night after another."
"You knew where I was?" she demanded, and suddenly Gajeel felt a feeling of unease too late. Chains wrapped around his upper arms that jerked him forcefully to the other side of the alley, a giant word of iron pressed against his chest to keep him a couple inches off the ground.. The rain started drizzling around them, making their hair wet and if would be damned if he didn't think she looked quite cute, mad and wet while marching towards him.
"You are the biggest jerk I ever met!" she snapped as she beat one tiny fist against his chest.
"You know I could arrest you for a technically assaulting a high seated officer of the law," Gajeel said with dry amusement, not worried in the least about his person being chained to the wall. If anything he found this a bit of a turn on.
"Screw the technicalities!" she flashed, beating his chest again as tears mixed with the now heavy sheets of rain. "Why didn't you just let me come with you?"
His joking grin disappeared to a grimace of pain, "I lost my dragon for a second time. The guild was breaking up. I had to keep busy, very busy to keep my mind from falling into the darkness again. I couldn't handle it otherwise."
She stopped beating his chest to stare up at him, her face filled with anguish and sadness. "It isn't fair."
"I know."
Her will, or maybe her anger lessened that the chains and giant word disappeared and he fell lightly to his feet back on the ground. As it rained hard around them, he couldn't bring himself to hold her or comfort her. He respected her more than that. But seeing her look so alone and broken needled at his chest than he would ever admit.
Reaching for her hands, Gajeel stepped closer and lowered her head to hers. "It's too soon, Levy. It hasn't been a year yet. Those are the terms."
Her blue head bobbed as she tried to wipe her face free of salty tears but all she did was smear rain water all over her face. He stopped her arms, holding them away from her chest. She stared up at him, blinking away the rain as he leaned closer.
"Can you wait a little longer?" he whispered against her lips, letting go of one of her wrists to reach into one of his jacket pockets.
Levy swayed towards him, her warm sweet breath puffing against his fangs. "It will be hard but I will try."
A wet snap echoed between them that she jumped and Levy felt cool wet metal against her wrist. Looking down at her hands, she noticed her hands are now bound by handcuffs. She looked up just in time to see his lips pull into a smirk just as she felt herself pressed bodily against the wet brick wall again.
"Good so here's something to think about until a year passes. I have to get you back for assaulting an officer," he mumbled down at her as he pulled her now cuffed arms up above her head by the little chain with one finger.
Her brown eyes glittered with amusement as he licked his lips, wet locks of hair sticking to his forehead and cheeks.
"And how do you plan on doing that? Drag me off to be processed by your Council members?"
"Nah, my mouth should do nicely. Geehee!"
He leaned close enough to press his mouth against hers and all she could taste is rain water, the warmth of his breath and pure Gajeel. The kiss is light, only a pressing of lips but she moaned with happiness anyway. He meant to pull away but she jerked her arms from his grasp to loop her cuffed arms around his neck, keeping him close.
"No," Levy cried lightly in refusal as she pulled him closer, her hands sliding into his wet hair, "just a little longer…"
Gajeel grunted in agreement as he sealed his mouth over hers again, but this time she tilted her head to the side. He nipped at her bottom lip, and she opened immediately as if asking for a good memory to look back on. He pressed closer to her, savoring the warmth she gave as he slipped inside her mouth, tasting Levy and salt from her tears. Growing, he gripped her waist and pulled her higher until she was held above him, her legs pinned between his chest and the wall. Between breathing her in and kissing her senseless, Gajeel knew this was also a kiss goodbye. She murmured against his mouth but he wouldn't let her talk, he is inhaling her to the point of desperation. He too didn't want this to end.
It felt like half a lifetime before she pulled away, or was it him? Either way, they are breathing heavily and one side of her waterlogged cloak is hanging from one shoulder. They are both soaked but neither of them could by any warmer had they been cuddled up near a blazing fire. He looked up into her misty brown eyes and pressed his nose dripping with watervagainst hers.
"Don't cry. Kay?"
She nods and mirrors his earlier action, leaning her forehead against his. For a few more moments, they simply share the same breath and enjoy the presence of the other in the cold, afternoon rain.
"Find some place dry, get warm and some new clothes," he demands in a hoarse voice, his fingers tightening on her waist.
"Kay," she replies just as breathlessly, licking the water away from her upper lip. Already he wanted to kiss her again but he has been away too long. Lilly can only wrangle the pups for a couple hours.
"Stay out of trouble. Try not to give me a reason to arrest your tiny ass, got it?"
Levy nods again and he gently lowers her back to the muddy ground. Tugging her water soaked hood over her damp curls, he gripped her shoulders firmly.
"A year, okay?" he asks, looking into her eyes for an answer.
"A year," she promises, clutching onto his water covered hand and then slipping from his grasp. He watched as Levy walks down the rest of the alley then pauses at the corner, looking at him. He jerks his chin for her to keep going, she smiles regretfully at him and disappears around the corner.
Already she missed him but a promise is a promise. In their guild, because she refuses to believe it is over, their pride as friends is too strong to sever. Tartarus tried and failed. Tugging her wet hood further over her face, Levy bit back the tears that threatened to overcome her senses.
He didn't move until he couldn't hear her footsteps anymore. She is right, it is unfair to live apart like this. For all of them. A family should be together, not forced to scatter like a handful of marbles dropped onto the floor.
Straitening his back, Gajeel doesn't even bother covering his head and welcomes the chill of the late afternoon as he strides on back to his men, soaked like a lone dog left outside for too long. Just keep busy until he can find the others again. Until he can really give thought as to why kissing a wet Levy McGarden felt so familiar and so right.
Until the next one! Thanks for reading. Did I do good? Sound off in comments please!
