Everything felt wrong to Gajeel; the normalcy of his things still where they'd been left. The cold, unmade bed. Laundry hamper taunting him with the clothes he'd promised he'd get to but hadn't. On every surface a thin layer of duty had settled like a protective film and he had to wonder if Lily or Levy had been back in the apartment at all since he'd been taken. His brush was still sitting on the coffee table where he'd sometimes the habit of leaving it; nothing at all looked to have been disturbed. Though a part of him no longer trusted his own memory.
"We've both been mostly staying at the guild with the others," Lily was stationed at the door leaning against the frame, watching. "I'd like to say it was simply a matter of safety, but I believe Levy may have been treating this place a little like a mausoleum."
Gajeel laughed dryly.
"Ain't gettin' rid of me so easy," He picked up the hairbrush and tossed it to Lily. It wasn't as if he had need of it.
"I did say as much," Lily ran a claw through the bristles absently. "It was close, though? Wasn't it." It wasn't really a question.
Gajeel wasn't sure of just how far a Dragonslayers limits were, not physically anyway. They were tough. Surviving natural disaster, tough. Fighting on with all the bones broken in their bodies, tough. And if he'd learned anything in that hellish place, it was that magic or no magic, their bodies we're different. Likely he could have survived years of physical torture, but he wasn't entirely sure that's what Lily meant.
"Maybe," He finally admitted. "Erza says the old man is still out."
"Yes, Porlyusica is taking care of him. She's confident he'll wake of his own accord. The risk of giving him any kind of stimulant with his heart as it is too high. Laxus is over there now."
It rattled him how easy it had been for someone so strong, with so much power to have been taken out.
Everything looked too normal and no matter how he tried, Gajeel just couldn't bring himself to sit, or relax. In his mind he was still waiting for the next blow. Preparing himself for whatever was coming next. The dark line on the horizon; the coming storm he could barely see but knew there would no running from.
"What's on your mind, Gajeel?"
"Nothin'. Could eat, is all," he lied.
Lily quirked an eyebrow at that. It was plain to see he'd been unconvinced, but a knock on the open door interrupted them before he could say anything to the contrary. Juvia was waiting there, her arm in a sling and her expression dark.
"We need to speak," she told Gajeel.
Lily took one look at her face and excused himself. There would be a dinner at the guild, he'd make sure he put a few dishes together.
Gajeel knew whatever this was it was serious when Juvia waited until Lily was on the stairs down before she said anything.
"Something is wrong with Levy," she whispered slowly. Carefully weighing her words.
Gajeel blinked stupidly for a moment taking in and processing the statement. He rubbed at his scalp again. A growing nervous gesture.
"I know. She said we'd talk later about it," he said as Juvia relaxed a little. "Yah look relieved," he added.
"I am. The way she was acting... I'm concerned, Gajeel. That all this was too much for her." Juvia had seen her in that place. Seen something only vaguely resembling her friend claw and tear through burning wood to get to him. Levy hadn't been thinking of whether she'd bring the roof down on herself or Juvia. She'd been wild and reckless. Not thinking about consequences. "She talks to something no one else can see," Juvia was about to mention the rest but held back.
"Hey, she's tougher than you think!" Gajeel found himself biting out those words over an accusatory finger. No matter what it was, they would get through this. Hell was a windowless room, in a place filled with too painful memories, but Gajeel was free now. He was far from okay, he knew, but he would be. They would get there together.
"There is not a single doubt in my mind that you're right, Gajeel. But terrible things change us. Terrible things change us and not always for the better," Juvia wrung her hands together.
Something white hot stabbed Gajeel in the chest and closed a taloned fist over his lungs. When he sucked in a breath, the air burned and his body screamed for another. Heart now racing he tried to steady himself, digging several clawed fingers into his arms; the iron Dragonslayer hadn't realized when exactly he'd defensively crossed them. It was Levy; his Levy. The kind and selfless to a fault, badass bookworm that, even after everything he'd personally done to her, had welcomed him to the Guild so long ago. Juvia's words were an unwelcome punch.
"I don't know what the hell it is you're try'na say but I ain't interested anymore," Gajeel said coolly enough to make the woman blanch. He pointed a finger at the door. An unspoken request to leave; watching her eyes fix squarely on the iron claw now glinting at the tip of his finger before she composed herself. He saw her take all that feeling and all those racing thoughts and wall them up so tight he doubted anyone would ever reach them. The patter of rain beating against the window made him turn. Outside the sky was now dark with it; swollen to bursting and when he glanced back Juvia had already vanished through the door.
Gajeel put his head in his hands and collapsed to the couch, suddenly exhausted. He'd seen the blow coming this time, but no foresight in the world seemed enough to avoid it. He felt like weeping. Juvia had also suffered in all of this and he felt like an absolute ass. While he may not have wanted to hear them, her words were coming from a place of love and concern and in his heart, Gajeel knew he'd been unfair to her; knew he'd added in some small way to her own pain.
Unable to bring himself to eat, he lay there, drifting in and out of sleep for most of the rest of the morning and afternoon, alone on the couch with only his guilt and the growing sense of quiet displacement. A stranger in his own life. In the end it was Lily that came for him, rather than Levy. If this had of been one of those stupid romance novels she'd always been reading, he would have woken up with her in his arms. Life was never that simple though.
"Party is going to start in about an hour. Enough time for you to clean up,"
"Ain't a kid, Lily," Gajeel huffed, getting to his feet. His limbs felt stiff. To a certain extent he'd become accustomed to sleeping on the cold floor and the warmth and softness of even his battered couch was foreign.
"And yet you just love acting out like one," Lily said putting his hand on Gajeel's shoulder. The tone wasn't harsh, and the smile that accompanied it settled something in the Dragonslayer. Washing over the sharpest edges of his melancholy and smoothing it out till the despair cutting into him hurt a little less. "No, you aren't a child, but you do need help."
The old Gajeel would have fought and argued the point. Defended that self-sufficient little Island he'd always occupied alone. But "Maybe," was all he could muster in reply. 'Help' and 'friend' were not cursed words. Neither was family. And when he'd been alone and at his worst, it hadn't been just Levy that came for him. The Guild came with her. A red hot hammer that came down on that place reducing it to very literal ashes. For him. Because he was their family. Their friend. He belonged to Fairy Tail and the possessive nature of that relationship was something it seemed even his dragon nature understood.
"How's Levy?"
"Still sleeping at the Guild," Lily's words eased another worry and Gajeel let out a breath. "She was limping again so Lucy forced her to the healer when they got back. Seems in her mad rush she pushed her leg a little too hard."
"My shrimp doesn't know when to quit, huh?"
"She's a freight train, Gajeel," he laughed, "With a solid right hook!"
When they made it to the Guild there were already several drunk faces greeting them at the door. Gajeel had been clean and ready in barely ten minutes without a carpet of hair to wash, dry and de-tangle. His normally well fitted suits hung off him like cheap rags and miserably he was forced to settle for a more casual black shirt though nothing could conceal the weight he'd lost. The glance he'd had of himself in the mirror showed a shadow staring back at him. Something present but almost without form. A poor reflection of who he'd been.
The smell of food drifting out onto the street reminded him how hungry he'd been and Gajeel's stomach made a noise so loud and demanding that it was easily audible over the laughing and raucous brawls inside. Thankfully, few people noticed him as he slid into his usual seat and he was grateful for that. He rarely enjoyed being the center of attention and being mobbed wasn't anywhere on his to-do list. Glancing around the hall he searched for that familiar blue hair and when he couldn't see her with his eyes, he tried scenting her out. Recent but fading.
The thud of a platter of food landing in front of him shocked him out of himself and Gajeel's eyes bugged at the mountain greeting him. Meals had been infrequent and tiny at the lab and the enormous plate was almost half the length of the table, piled high with every kind of meat. Potatoes. Vegetables and fried foods. Bowls of noodles.
Entirely serious, three faces materialized from the crowd. And as Natsu, Wendy and Laxus circled him, blocking off all escape, Gajeel realised he was trapped.
"Really expect me to eat all this?"
"Oi, bolts for brains, this is just the starters!" Natsu exclaimed, making a fist and shaking it in Gajeel's face. Like this was just another battle and he was itching for a fight.
Wendy however sat down beside him, patting his arm, "Don't worry, you won't be eating it on your own," she grinned.
Laxus and Natsu took the seats opposite them and for all it's daunting appearance, the food was no match for four hungry Dragonslayers. Gajeel felt some of himself return on a full belly, surrounded by family.
"Starters, huh?" Laxus finally asked with a grin, mopping up residual gravy with a chunk of bread half the size of Wendy's head. Her and Gajeel both had visibly extended stomachs. Laxus and Natsu still looked ravenous.
"Seven more courses," Natsu's mirroring smile became almost manic and next to Gajeel, Wendy looked suddenly very sick.
"You an' me, both," Gajeel muttered under his breath. His stomach was already protesting even the smell of what he could tell was more of the same now making it's way from the kitchen toward them, and the idea of even one bite of food was almost too much.
"I changed my mind, I wanna go back to the kiddy table!" Wendy wildly exclaimed, standing and slapping the table and rattling several tankards of ale.
"No quitters!" Natsu growled low. She glanced at Laxus but he shook his head. Ready to weep, Wendy fell back to her seat, utterly defeated.
And then Gajeel smelled it, that scent he'd remembered even when he'd almost forgotten his own name and before he could bother making his excuses his feet were moving in her direction. Natsu shouting after him only to end up silenced with painful elbow.
Levy was still limping slightly. Her hair askew with sleep and her eyes were darkly inset with the shadows of exhaustion; Gajeel could practically smell the sleeping potion still oozing from her pores, but she brightened immediately when she seen him.
When he picked her up off the ground in a hug the Guild he'd been positive hadn't noticed him arrive, erupted in cheers. They'd seen him. But they'd known he'd needed some space, too.
"Would spin yah round but there's about six kilo of steak digesting. Doubt it'd end well,"
Levy's laughter made everything else seem distant and inconsequential. When they'd been reunited first there was a battle raging around them; there hadn't been the time to truly, fully appreciate each other. A giant platter passed them, nearly twice the size of the first and Gajeel hugged her just that little bit tighter, smiling, knowing he wouldn't have to eat any more of it.
"Saved twice in the one day,"
"Day's not over yet," Levy whispered, pulling herself into him. As though proximity alone could undo all the traumas.
The party raged till dawn. The night climaxed as a pale, engorged Wendy stood on an empty platter, proclaiming herself victor; a half eaten chicken leg still in hand as Lisanna and Mira rolled Laxus and Natsu from the table, defeated. People went to their beds happy. And for the one evening at least they forgot about the prospect of the war that would need to be fought tomorrow. The difficulties they still faced.
Almost all, that was. While the others ate and drank, Erza had spent the time speaking with the other Guilds. Anyone and everyone, enemy and ally. The Saints had agreed to step into the Council; take over the leadership of the Kingdom. And as Fairy Tail drank the night away there were battle formations being drawn up across Fiore. Guildmasters across the land were laying awake in bed, burdened with the conversations that would be looming with the sunrise.
Feeling more like himself than he had in so very long, Gajeel and Levy made the short walk back to the apartment they shared, with Lily making his excuses about how he'd promised to help clean up. As if he hadn't helped cook all the food and decorate the hall to start with. Gajeel wasn't an idiot. He knew the cat was giving them some privacy and space. What surprised him was how eager Levy seemed to be to get him back to the apartment. Gajeel would have been content to walk with her. To watch the sunrise a free man with the woman he would die for standing beside him. But she wanted him. He could feel it and truth be told while he hadn't any expectations, he wanted her, too. Missed intimacy on a base, human level. Missed that connection.
"I want to complete the bond,"
Levy's proclamation came out of nowhere and made Gajeel almost trip over the coffee table.
"What?" There was a hammering in Gajeel's chest now. A riotous, painful thump. There was no longer the question as to if it would be possible. "Why?"
He wanted to ask her what it was that had changed when the idea of this had so unsettled her before.
"I had time to think about it,"
"That's it?" Gajeel couldn't believe that was all it had taken. "You aren't worried I'll go crazy? That I'll turn into some sort of monster?"
"No," she whispered. "You won't. None of you will. You aren't the same kind of dragonslayers. Besides, you're a good man, Gajeel. Braca wasn't. He was ruthless. Even in the journal entries of his friends, he was cruel- hateful. You aren't him. And I know now that even if I'm gone, a part of me is always going to be with you," she took his hand and squeezed. "Ready to punch you if you even think about it,"
That made him laugh even though nothing had really been funny these days. She made it seem so easy but it was a risk. At a time when they really shouldn't have been taking chances. Gajeel's eyes fell to the mark on her shoulder. Her permanent reminder of how wrong things could go.
"You sound so sure," Gajeel couldn't even begin to wrap his feelings around this.
"Because I am sure"
This was something there would be no coming back from. She would be stuck with him. He'd never be able to just walk away from them. They would be tied together till death.
"Levy, Human's weren't meant to find mates. Ain't meant to bond like that,"
"But we already did," she reached up to cup his face and smiled softly.
"Gajeel," he could see the start of tears in her eyes. "I already made that choice. I saw you, or at least the Dragonslayer part of you when you weren't here. And it wasn't a figment of my imagination. It wasn't grief. It was real. Even when you weren't here, that part was always with me. Tormenting me sometimes, but it was here, keeping me alive. And you know, it took a while to figure it out but it resented you, how we left things unfinished.
"It wanted you," Gajeel realised.
"No, it wanted me to find you,"
Gajeel thought back to Juvia's words. How Levy had been almost wild even while a building burned down around her.
"I think that was the first time I've ever been able to comprehend what it is to be a Dragonslayer. To fixate on something so strongly that it drowns everything else out."
"You were with me, too," he admitted. When he was alone, he'd felt her there. Keeping him sane. Guiding him.
Levy's smile grew wide.
"Do you trust me?"
Gajeel trusted her with his life. He would trust her with his very soul. So when Levy took his hand, he let her lead him to the bedroom and didn't say a word, not even when she pushed him back onto the bed and straddled his waist.
"Thought you said this didn't have to be kinky?" he joked, "A contract you said!" He poked her stomach playfully.
Gajeel smirked with the blush that crept across Levy's face.
"It doesn't," she admitted biting her lower lip. "But I missed you,"
Gajeel watched eagerly as she began carefully peeling away one item of clothing at a time. Slipping her arms from her sleeves, undoing the straps on her dress. There was a look of intense concentration on her face and Gajeel watched in fascination while she started to run her hands under the edge of his shirt. Gajeel shuddered as she lightly, delicately clawed her way up his chest with blunt nails that left goosebumps in their wake, mapping every inch of his skin. Every piercing. Every muscle. Every scar and newly peeking bone. Reverent of him. When he finally had the moment to peel off his shirt, she pushed him flat again and Gajeel moaned at the feel of her hot breath brushing his abdomen, almost bucked her off when her tongue made contact with skin. The noise; the growl that bubbled up her throat; possessive and territorial, it made his blood boil.
"Trust me," she whispered breathlessly. Taking him by the wrists and pressing them carefully but firmly to the bed. Gajeel could see the scarred muscle of her injured leg twitch as she straightened and bent her knee, but if it hurt, he couldn't tell.
Levy had never been exactly shy about telling him what she wanted from him during sex, but right now she was the one entirely in control. And there was something almost beastial about her presence. When teeth clamped down around a nipple and the line between pleasure and pain seemed to momentarily evaporate, Gajeel heard himself cry out her name.
"Say it again,"
"Levy," Gajeel whispered it as she licked and suckled her way up his throat only to bite the lobe of his ear hard enough to make him jolt with a gasp.
He barely noticed she'd even undone his pants, only noticing he was naked when he felt her slide down over him. She brought his hands to her hips as she rolled them and Gajeel felt conscious thought slip away to the moment. Inside him, something primal had cracked a sleepy eye open again and when he found himself guiding her thrusts, quickening the pace, the fingers digging into her flesh were iron, as grey scales blossomed on him where their skin touched, and spread along his abdomen as Gajeel lost control.
Levy brought her hand to his chest and there, in dark metal skin she scrawled a rune that blazed with warm light.
She seemed stronger than he remembered; Gajeel's new bed cracked, groaning with the force. And although his claws dug in deep, gripping her like a life raft, no matter how hard he held they never broke skin. It was only as Gajeel moved a hand to cup her breast that he saw why, saw how his scales had spread to her and under his hands, dark iron now stared coldly back back at him. She was changing along with him.
"Levy...your skin!" Gajeel almost shouted in panic but she shushed him. Her face never once losing that focus.
"It's okay,"
Despite his exclamation, Gajeel's body had a mind of its own and he found he could only let himself be driven harder and harder. A part of him understood that this was now a process that wouldn't be easily stopped. He wasn't sure he wanted to stop it.
His body had almost completely changed and hers along with it. A metal goddess pinning him down. And Gajeel felt her. More than physically. Felt his strength in her. Felt his power coursing through her veins even as hers moved through him. Her magic was as fluid and formless as water crashing through him. She was limitless. The power of the written word was restrained only by the wielder. He felt controlled, concentrated power knitting flesh, thickening muscle and bone. Not healing, but restoring him. Replenishing some of what he'd lost. Something inside sighing with relief.
Release for Gajeel was sudden and jarring. Entirely unexpected. He felt his toes curl and his vision go white with the intensity of it. When he realized she'd collapsed on him, the scales were gone and he wondered momentarily if it had all simply been imagined. If it had been real or some sort of delirium.
But, the colour had returned to his skin, the strength in his hands. It had been very real.
"Levy! Levy?"
She was still. Motionless. But without needing to check, he knew she was okay. He could feel it. He shook her gently and was greeted with a tired smile when she lifted her head from his shoulder. She took in the shape and colour of his face. The fuller cheeks and brighter eyes, and rested her head on his chest.
"What did you do?" Gajeel could barely speak. His voice felt strained, as if he'd been shouting.
"Restore," she gestured to the now fading rune she'd traced into his flesh. A physical symbol of her acceptance and a command.
"That's what it took? A rune?"
"That's what it took for me," she looked exhausted.
A pain had vanished Gajeel realised. A darkness he hadn't even noticed existed within him. She'd upturned his entire world. Hours ago the thought of war had filled him with such unimaginable dread and now he felt like he could take them all on.
Gajeel laughed, sitting up on his knees and pulling Levy into his lap, letting her legs wrap around him, feeling her breasts brush against his skin.
"Feeling better, I guess," Levy teased, only for Gajeel to bring her down over a new throbbing erection. His hands gripping the cheeks of her ass as control now moved to him and he began to move.
"Gonna show yah just how good I feel," he punctuated with a thrust that made her cry out.