He remembered hearing voices. Lots of voices. Some yelling, some filled with fear. And Levy. He remembered hearing Levy. Screaming his name, sobbing. He made her cry, but how? He swore he would never make her cry. Something soft on his head, burning on his back. So much pain, so cold. He could smell her, his Fairy. Her sweet scent of sunshine and books. The burning went away and he could finally sleep.
When he opened his eyes, he stared at the strange room. He lay on his stomach on a white blanket, his head sinking into the softest pillow he had ever felt. He rose to his elbows, groaning when the movement tore at the wounds on his back. Gritting through the pain, he struggled into a sitting position. Beads of sweat on his forehead from the effort and his head throbbed.
His movements were stiff and with a start he realized his entire chest and torso was wrapped in bandages, the ones on his back thicker than the rest.
He looked around the room, heart pounding when he saw nothing familiar. His bag was nowhere to be found, no cell, no Levy. Where were his boots? He pushed himself to his feet, holding a hand to his side as he navigated his way across the room and to the open door. The hallway was empty and his instincts were telling him to run away as far as he could. He couldn't fight, not in his condition. Plus fighting would only create more punishment.
A flight of wooden stairs waited at the end of the hall. The banister was painted bright blue, but the cheery color did nothing to ease the churning in his stomach. He slowly made his way down, wincing at every movement that jarred his back. His bare feet stepped down the stairs, what little sound he made drowned out by the laughter coming from the bottom of the stairs. The laughter grew louder and he paused at the last stair, panting heavily.
Peering around the corner, Gajeel saw dozens of bright lights darting back and forth around the room. Several normal-sized people sat at chairs or walked between tables. A light darted past his hiding spot, stirring the air around the stairs. He could faintly smell his blue-haired Fairy, but he couldn't see her. He needed to make sure she was ok, that Jose hadn't gotten to her too. He had to get out of here, but how?
He scanned the room, keeping his body hidden by the wall. A large bar took up one entire wall and on the opposite side stood two, large doors. He glanced back at the distracted people.
If he stayed close to the wall, he might have a chance of making it. Taking a hesitant step away from the stairs, he inched his way out of the dark hall and along the wall. He had only taken a few steps into the light when the noise around him stopped and the scales on his neck itched. He froze mid-step, turning to the room full of people staring at him.
His fingers turned to ice and he took a hesitant step backward, not taking his eyes off the group.
"Gajeel! You're finally awake!" A tiny ball of light collided with his chest, making him grunt and wince as his back spasmed. She immediately drew back, hands on her mouth.
"I'm so sorry! You've been sleeping for five days now and I was just so excited that I -"
"Shorty," he hissed, ignoring the pain and eyes still trained on the room, "where am I?"
"You're at Fairy Tail!"
Finally, something familiar. "As in your guild?"
Levy nodded, growing big right before his eyes and grabbing his hand. "Come on! Let me introduce you! Mira said I wasn't allowed to do anything until you woke up on your own."
She gently tugged him through the mass of people and floating lights. He kept his eyes on the ground in front of him, avoiding the stares from around the room. He tried to shake his arm from her grip and turn heel to run back to the safety of the stairs, but she was surprisingly strong for such a tiny thing.
She led him to the bar where an even tinier man was sitting on the counter.
"Gajeel, this is the master of Fairy Tail, Makarov. Master, this is my friend Gajeel."
His face grew warm at her introduction and even more so when she held his arm in a tight hug.
"I can see that. So, you're this mysterious person I've been hearing so many rumors about." The Master said, crossing his arms.
"Y-yes sir?" He asked quietly.
The man studied him, his wise eyes traveling up and down his tall frame.
"Forgive me, I just never imagined that I would see an Iron Draak here in my guild hall."
Gajeel shuffled his feet, not knowing how to answer. He heard the other Fairies shifting and moving behind him, their gazes boring into the back of his skull.
"I admit, I was extremely curious as to what one of my children was up too. Levy was always one that had more curiosity than was healthy, but leaving for weeks at a time, strange studies of magical chains, questions about bringing someone to the guild was too much even for her. I had my suspicions, but nothing could have prepared me to see her stumble into the room, a half-dead Draak bleeding out all over her back."
Gajeel winced, looking down at the floor. Levy's hold on his hand tightened and he squeezed back, taking a shuddering breath.
"But," the Master continued, his voice soft, "she's also an excellent judge of character. The fact that she has given you her blessing speaks volumes to me."
"So he can stay?" Levy asked. Gajeel wondered how anyone could deny those big, bright eyes.
Master Makarov hummed. "He can, for now. We'll see how well he does with everyone."
Gajeel swallowed and nodded, the arrangement more than he deserved. He would prove himself, prove that Levy's trust in him was not misplaced. He had no idea how he was going to do it, but first things first…
He held out his wrists and lifted his chin. Closing his eyes, he grimaced and waited for the cold of the shackles to restrain him. The room was silent. A wagon rolled along the road outside, a cow mooed in the distance. His heart pounded and he held his breath, waiting for his chains.
"What's he doing?" Someone whispered and he jerked his eyes open.
Levy and the Master looked at him with wide eyes, and a glance around the room showed the rest of the guild mirroring their confused look.
"Gajeel, what are you….oh." He smelled salt and saw a tear trickling down Levy's cheek.
"What? What's going on?" Makarov asked, his head flipping back and forth between them.
Gajeel looked around the room, scales itching. He was used to people watching while the master of the guild restrained him, but he wasn't used to the blatant stares laced with curiosity.
"Aren't ya gonna chain me?" He asked, ducking his head.
Gasps filled the room, but he didn't have the courage to look at them.
"And why would I do that?"
Gajeel frowned at the rough tone, finally looking the Master in the eye. "My Mast-er, Jose would every time I returned. Two on the wrist, one around my neck. Chain connecting all of 'em. Some sort of shocking spell to electrocute me in case I went berserk. Kept everyone safe." Levy had a hard glint to her eye and even the Master frowned.
"And have you? Gone berserk?"
"Um, no?"
"Then why would I need to chain you?"
Gajeel dropped his arms, his mouth going slack. "Cause I-" He glanced at Levy, knowing she wouldn't like what he was going to say. "Cause I'm dangerous."
"So let me get this straight," the man crossed his arms and glared at him. "Even though you hardly knew her, you rescued my Levy from an entire pack of Vulcans, which left you severely injured. You protected your guild mate when she escaped, which also left you severely injured. And to top it all off, you refused to attack my family when ordered to and it nearly killed you. In what way are you dangerous?"
"I...but...how?" He scratched his head, groaning at the pull on his back. "How do ya know all of that?"
"You were unconscious for almost a week and provided the perfect leverage to finally get Levy to answer all of my questions. Now girl, why don't you introduce him to your friends?"
"Come on, Gajeel, they've been wanting to meet you!"
Levy pulled him away from the countertop.
"But...chains?" Gajeel stumbled after the Fairy and stared at the smirking Guild Master.
The man chuckled, giving him a wink, and Gajeel was certain that he had woken up into the strangest dream he'd ever had.