Task 8: turning the page (Part 3)

"Gajeel, I need to do it, it's really-really important for me." - There was a slight tiredness in Levy's voice, but it remained gentle anyway and she kept smiling trying to persuade her incredibly stubborn Dragon Slayer. They were talking about Jet. Levy wanted to go and speak with him, Gajeel outright refused to let her go.

"Why?"

Face unperturbed as a stone nevermind that he asked this same question 4 times in last half hour.

"Because I don't want to end our friendship like that. Please, Gajeel" - Scrip Mage took his large hand in hers. - "I know it's difficult for you to understand, but we were friends almost all my life. I don't remember much before Fairy Tail, I was too young, when Master let me join, and Jet was one of the firsts, who helped me to find home here. We learned together, played together, helped each other to master our magic, shared adventures of first missions, then established our team. I have thousands good memories connected with him. He is dear to me. Like a brother. And it's hurts me to think all this can be thrown away and stay as it now is".

Gajeel created unidentified sound, more indignant than angry this time. Levy took it as a good sign.

"I know, I know, it was very wrong of him," She embraced Black-haired Mage, knowing too well this way it would be more difficult for Gajeel to say no. "But we all make mistakes from time to time. He just let his emotions get out of control. This can happen to anyone, you know".

Oh, Gajeel knew, knew very well, so Levy hastened to direct his attention to another topic.

"You can go with me, stay close all the time, this way you won't worry that anything will happen. I am sure he is upset and wants to talk too, but doesn't come because he is scared of you".

"And he is fucking right, cause if he…"

"With you nearby he can do nothing, don't pretend you didn't know that" - Levy whispered kissing his jaw softly. She won this "battle" and she was really happy about it.

"Hmm," - Dragon Slayer muttered again. "Lissen, Shorty, I understand this is important for you. But this jerk… sorry… this mor...fuck! I am not a patient guy and if he'll try to pull something I am not sure I will be able to control myself".

"I know." She petted his hand reassuringly. "Don't worry, I am sure everything will be fine. Maybe we will bring Lily too? What do you think?"

"No, let damn Cat prepare for his fucking Ball in peace. He is getting on my nerves, constantly checking and re-checking every single detail. Besides, not many noticed it, but Lily, by nature, is just like me, just more restrained. He can't stand this jerk too. I know that. Sorry again, but, fuck, this guy is jerk, huge dumb jerk even more than Salamander!"

"Who even more than me, Metal Head? In what? Are you describing how strong I am?" Natsu, Lucy, Happy and the mountain of boxes appeared from the corner.

"Dream on, Salamander! Strong! Phh, you ..."

But Script Mage squeezed his fingers at the same time addressing Lucy excitedly:

"What is it, Lu-chan? Are these our dresses?"

Lucy, by her own wish, was responsible for ball outfits and spent all morning with Virgo inventing and preparing them.

"Yes!" Celestial Wizard announced on the whole street. "8 different ones! So fashionable and chic! All in elegant colors and perfect for dancing. And Virgo promised to create more if we won't find anything fitting fully. Let's go try on! I am literally dying from impatience!"

"Oh, I would like to, but we..."

Levy hesitated, torn between the desire to try outfit for her very first Ball and strong necessity to reconcile with one of her most dear friends. While gears in her brain were moving, Gajeel deprived her of the need to choose.

"Great, Bunny Girl! The more the better! Let's go fitting! I wanna see!"

And Iron Slayer, with unusual for such occasion emotion, almost dragged his tiny girlfriend toward the Guildhall, she speechlessly obeyed.

"See!" Lucy grabbed her part of boxes, threw angry glance at Natsu and hurried after GaLe. "That's how man should react! That's the attitude!You need to take several lessons from Gajeel how to behave with a girl!"

"What?" Agile Fire Slayer froze in extreme amazement. "It is Metal Head, Luce. Metal Head! He is dull and rude!"

Natsu was all indignation.

Lucy stood her ground.

"Correction – he was dull and rude. Just now I saw other attitude. Greatly improved one. And you," - she again looked disapprovingly at her teammate - "need to improve your manners too."

"Luce!"

"There is not enough time before the Ball, but I'll ask him to work with you!"

"LUCE!"

"And maybe in time you can become as courteous as him!"

"COURTEOUS AS HIM?"

Flames were dancing above Natsu's head and arms now.

"I'll show you courteous METAL ASS!"

And Fire Dragon Slayer attempted to catch up his guildmate, but was smacked hard right on the vertex. Lucy looked like she somehow possessed Makarov's magic and Erza's irritated mode – very unsettling combination even for Natsu.

"I said – not now. Now is fitting time. Don't you dare to burn my dresses. Don't you dare, Natsu! I'll kill you!"

And Lucy, all fired up, hurried to the Guild. Natsu, at the safe distance, followed. Her clothes were sacred things – this piece of knowledge he mastered long ago. Destroying them, even unintentionally, was a suicide. All his Dragon magic can't save him from her wrath.

"Luuuuuccce," - 2 hours later Natsu was so bored that his lower jaw refused to interlock with his upper one. Happy long ago was buried somewhere under thick layer of clothes. Lily, shoving up in the beginning, wisely choose to escape the moment Virgo arrived with third supply. 8 dresses? You wish! There were probably several hundreds of them. Long and elegant ones, bouffant, with transparent parts, sparkles, plume, jewelry, in all imaginable colors… god, why women want to wear all this? Why create such complications? Luce looks all right in her usual skirt. And Levy in her orange dress is ok too. By the way, why Metal Head is so composed? Not a single complain all this time. So strange!

"Hey," Natsu bent down to him "It's boring. Don't you want to be somewhere else?"

"No, I am good".

Calm voice, not a single indication of tiredness or irritation. Suspiciously.

"You are good? We are sitting here for 2 hours, no fight, no food, no fun and you are good? Are you alive?"

"I am".

The pink-haired man silently looked at him for several seconds, then exclaimed all of sudden:

"Metal junk!"

No answer.

"Rusty metal junk!"

No answer.

"Rusty stinky metal junk!"

No answer.

"You mocking me!" -Natsu felt familiar heat started to accumulate in his chest. - "You, rusty…."

"Add 'dumb' and it will be the the dumbest insult I ever heard. You really suck in this, you know?"

Gajeel's lips were twisted with his usual one-sided smirk. Natsu was too consumed by suspicions to let provocation distract him.

"You behave strange! Why you behave so strange, Metal Head?"

"Levy wants to talk with Jet".

"What?"

One Slayer looked at the other like there wasn't any connection. 'Clueless boob.'

Gajeel patiently repeated:

"Levy wants to talk with Jet".

"Levy always talks with Jet. Whats wrong with it?" Natsu inquired perplexedly.

'Ehhhhhh?'

No one ever saw such expression of complete bewilderment on Gajeel's face.

"You already forgot?"

"About what?"

'This guy is incredible. Is there any brain inside his skull?'

"Levy and Jet. What he did!"

"What he did?"

"Fuck, you hopeless, Salamander. He kidnapped her! The day before yesterday! How it's possible you already forgot?"

"Ah, that. All ended well, why are you still musing over it?"

Previous look of bewilderment was beaten.

"Why? He kidnapped her, cheated, she was hurt, almost died and you fucking asking why?"

"Yeah, why? Besides are you yourself never did something similar to her, huh?"
Natsu's tone and gaze were not accusing, he was just voicing his thoughts, but Gajeel's guilt returned with crashing force.

"No! It was...I didn't...I..."

"You did. And to Luce too. They both forgave you. Whole Guild did! Why can't you do the same for Jet?"

"…"

"Natsuuuu! Natsuuu, Lucy's clothes are eating me. Save me! There is no escape. Help, Natsu!" Happy's voice reached them.

"I am going, Happy!" Natsu instantly was on his feet. "And you!" - this was directed to Gajeel, "Stay here. You still didn't tell me why you behave so strange!"

'Idiot' - Iron Slayer muttered under his breath, but he can't deny that there was some truth in Salamander's words. He raised his eyes to Levy, who stood among the colorful sea with a pleading face, Bunny Girl tried to pull another dress on her. Yeah, Jet was a jerk, undeniably number 1 in Gajeel's personal dislike list, but Shorty deserves to have all she wants and if she wants to reconcile with Jerk, fine. He just will watch her more closely and be on alert. And if Jerk will attempt something… sinister grin appeared for a moment on Gajeel's face, then he hid it and jumped to the girls.

"We'll take this one!" - He fished out some silver dress from a nearest pile. He couldn't remember how this one looked like, but at least color was nice. "Sorry, Bunny Girl, no more time, we have business to do".

And holding Levy in one hand, the dress – in the other, he rushed out of the Guild.

"Gajeel," - Script Mage timidly asked, - "What business do you mean?" She was glad to be free at last and a little nervous, knowing Gajeel, 'business' may mean something very far from her usual occupation.

Slayer's answer surprised her.

"You said you want to talk with Jer...Jet. We are going to talk with him!"