Set after Gajeel's fight with Bloodman.
So mostly angst.
Fair warning if you just looked that heartbreaking 26 episode and have enough depressing emotions for now. Although I have to add that in this story, like in manga, everything isn't hopeless.
No more
"GAJEEELLLLLLLLLL!"
"NO!"
"NOOoooo…"
"Don't leave me!"
"Please…."
"Don't…"
"Pl…"
Her voice became weaker and weaker then fall silent altogether turning into convulsive sobs.
He couldn't hear her desperate cries anymore.
He couldn't… anymore.
Last pieces of dark portal disappeared sucking him inside. He was gone. Not fall. Not died. Disappeared.
Nothing left: not to try to heal or at least hold one more time, not to mourn, to cry over. Nothing, as he never was.
He never…
The thought was so awful that it crushed last resources of her barely functioning heart. She couldn't save him. She tried, but could do nothing. And he didn't let her reach him.
"WHY?"
"Why…"
It shouldn't end this way. He planned to return her to the Guild. He promised her he would. And she hoped they make it together. Like they always did. They always… together…
There will be no more of it.
Flashes of memories filled her mind. Glaring red eyes, fangs-showing grins, broad back in torn tunic shielding her from lightning bolt, strong arms cornered her between iron poles, tickling spikes of black hair, calloused fingers caressing her face…
No more.
No more of him.
It couldn't be.
It just couldn't be!
She felt her legs gave in, body collapsing down. But Lily's hands still firmly held her, fulfilling last request of his partner. Exceed was shaking, he was crying, but continued to support her. She knew he felt the same pain and she wanted to comfort him too, at least a little, but she couldn't. It was too difficult even to breath under the weight of these damned words 'no more'.
"Li…ll..y…."
"I know, Levy, I know," She felt big cat carefully turning her so she was completely engulfed in his embrace, then one of his paws moved to her head and started gently stroke her locks. "He wanted to see you safe. It was the most important for him. You were the most important for him." He spoke slowly struggling to steady his voice through falling tears. "He couldn't let you be hurt. That's why he didn't let you reach him. He loved you, Levy."
She sobbed harder.
"Don't… don't use past time, don't… use it, Lily!"
She can't bear it.
"Levy…"
"Don't… please…"
'No more.'
She'll never have a chance to answer him.
There won't be opportunity to share her feelings, which she so long carried in her heart.
No capacity to touch, to kiss, to become one.
No ability just to sit near each other at Guild in comfortable silence together.
'No more.'
He didn't let her joint him. If he knew what it means for her to be with him, did it change something? She never told, was shy, scared, didn't want to impose. How stupid all of this was. She was so stupid!
"Please, don't leave me," She mumbled in Exceed's soft damp fur. "I'll still have to tell you so much." The cat continued silently pat her head, he knew the words weren't for him. Strong and hardened by his military past he was barely able to hold his pain. But his partner entrusted his girl to him. And he'll complete the task! He'll keep her safe!
"We should return to others, more enemies may show up. I'll carry you" Levy felt strong arms lifting her.
"I'll walk." She weakly protested, but he nodded and put her down, still supporting gently as she tried to stable her bending legs.
He asked her to live. He thought she can, he believed she is strong.
She was. Because of him.
She didn't even notice when it turned this way. The man who once terrified her became the source of her strength. The source of her desire to be strong. The source of almost all her desires.
She so used to have him by her side. Mostly silent, frequently cursing, rough, protective. He had so much power in his arms, so loyal heart, so strong will. He had…
Past time.
He had...
'No more.'
He smiled at her and asked her to live.
She can't … she doesn't want to live without him!
No… it wrong.
He didn't sacrifice himself for that.
She should be strong. For him.
She can.
She can do everything, even this, if it was for him.
Holding to Lily she attempted to wipe away tears and made one shaking step, then two, vaguely registering unknown woman's voice vibrating through her head, directing them to Guild. Then this voice was replaced with another and her legs gave in again.
She froze, breathing got caught in her lungs and this empty spot in her chest, where heart supposed to be, had gathered up then exploded with desperate hope as deep familiar sound was sinking into her mind. This voice can belong to only one man, she knew its sound too well. And intonations in it were so like him: gruff, displeased, irritably concerned.
Clutching onto exceed's shirt, she stared at Lily with wide open eyes, silently begging him to confirm that he heard it too.
Warrior-cat was as stunned as she was. Confusion, wonder, relief, joy in rotation flashed over his face and he broke into huge toothy grin.
"Seems you are right, no hurry to use past time. Let's go, Levy, I have to deliver to this lucky bastard his girl!"
She could only reply with a fresh wave of tears falling from her now smiling face.
As she took Exceed's outstretched hand and whipped around where woman's voice directed them to go, she made up her mind. She'll find and grab him. And never let him go. Till the end of time. And first moment they will be out of battle, she'll tell him how much she loved him.
Be damned shyness, reservation, caution, improperness and everything else!
He is alive.
He IS alive.
Will she waste another chance?
No fucking more!