First step

"Umm… Gaj… ca… y… if… umm… I…pl…"

Someone's small voice mumbled inaudibly over his left ear.

He paid no attention, of course. These noisy morons. Insufferable fairies. Why it's so hard to kick into their thick heads that he doesn't want company? He's fine to be alone!

The voice came again, same slurred mumblings, stopping him in the middle of the gulp. He doesn't like to be bothered while eating and he particularly hated to be interrupted while drinking when the bear was so damn good. It started to really getting on his nerves, but he promised Makarov to behave, so instead of sending the iron bar to intruder's skull he just turned his head with a warning growl and was greeted by brown eyes. Large scarred brown eyes, which looked uncertainly at his angry red ones. The owner of these eyes, blue haired kid, this overpacked guild's other Dragon Slayer, seems purposely came here to talk to him.

"What?" He growled in his usual 'fuck off' tone. Yeah, she is a kid, Dragon Slayer and so on but who said that he wanted to talk with her?

"I…" Wendy tried again, but couldn't bring herself to pronounce what she had in mind. Gajeel's unfriendly look and voice completely discouraged her and although she expected this she couldn't help but felt upset. They were comrades, belonged to the same magic group and a rare one too, she felt the bond and hoped he did as well, at least a little bit.

"Talk or leave!" Iron cad growled again, expecting her to tuck tail and run but Wendy stood her ground through started to tremble more visibly. She shut her eyes tightly and blurted out: "Please, train me! I need to be stronger in fights. Please!"

Gajeel slowly sat his mug on the table, turned fully to her, raised one brow and enquired almost inquisitively "What the hell are you talking about? I saw your breath attack, it's powerful as hell."

"Yes… no… yes, you right, my Dragon Slayer magic is strong, but it's not about it." Wendy hurriedly explained glad he didn't turn her away at once. "I want to improve my physical conditions. My air attacks need much space, otherwise they are destructive and Master said we can afford this, so I need to learn hand to hand combat and I thought you can help me. Please!"

"Why the hell you picked me?"

It really surprised him. A lot. He – teach kids? Good joke!

"You are Dragon Slayer as me and you are really good in this, not just strong but observant, tactical and accurate as well. I watched your fights." The girl added shyly.

Gajeel didn't look flattered at all.

"I am not a fucking charity, go ask pink haired moron."

"I did." She quietly admitted. "Natsu said I don't need to worry about this, he'll protect me any time."

"Yeah?" Sarcasm tangibly oozing out from black haired man. "So why the hell you still babbling about this?"

Wendy suddenly became red.

"I want to protect myself and my friends too! I am a Dragon Slayer like you, and I want to be strong, to be able to fight like you and Natsu can, I…"

She raised her small fists, hitting the air with it, and Gajeel felt unpleasant pricking in his gut. He raised his own hand and brought it closer to kid's forearm, giant in comparison to hers, causing the girl to jerk on, shut up and look at him.

Big scared but nevertheless determined brown eyes. Blue hair. Tiny so fragile limbs. Almost same height… Pricking intensified, bringing along violent irritation, disarray and disgust.

'It was a job, god dammit, master's orders, he did what he had to do. She stayed alive, he didn't cripple her much, and he already settle the debt, he didn't intend to, course he owned her nothing, it was a fucking orders, but, still, he did. And… jeez, bloody fuck, why the hell he can't threw it out of his fucking mind?'

Iron Slayer growled again than forced himself to focus on Wendy, who stood terrified, watching the string of his equally scary face expressions with frightened eyes.

"Listen, kid, you… I…" Gajeel struggled to sound more or less nice than spat irritatingly and growled low "I always train alone and not gonna change it for you or some other moron. And besides you…fuck… never mind, just go ask someone else."

He turned around quickly and headed outside, leaving the guildhall and Wendy in some kind of disappointedly bewildered state.

Iron Dragon Slayer intended to go home and drink non stop till his brain ceased to work but instead restlessly marched around Magnolia for several hours trying to calm rabid storm raging in his head. It was that night, again that night, it haunted him recently with double force and he couldn't understand why. 'He did nothing wrong! It was another of his usual jobs! Why the hell he feels so guilty hurting this weak insignificant girl?'

More irritated than before he punched one or two walls to release some tension, darkness already thick enough to hide his wrathful antics from passersby's eyes. He needed to go home, to sleep, to smash something, to forget these big tearful eyes somehow, blue hair mixed with blood, small hands…

Enough! He is heading home! But first where the hell is he?

Gajeel looked around, eyeing his neighbourhood. He is not far from his gloomy cabin, good, just cut through this alley and…

"Hey, what the problem, sweety, don't look so severe at us! Are you not happy that we met at this lovely night?" Sticky and mawkish as old honey voice was heard slightly ahead.

He shrugged. Thugs. Typical shit for these dark outskirts.

But then

"Let me go! You knocked Carla, she needs help! Get out of the way!"

Gajeel merged with the wall and slowly proceeded ahead.

She still was upset that's why she left guildhall alone and considerably after dark, walked absentmindedly, paying no attention to her surroundings and let these malicious man sneak up on them, knock Carla and catch her off guard. They weren't particularly big, rather bulky with dirty torn clothes and unpleasant faces and the voice of the one who spoke sounded disgustingly sweet. Wendy wasn't scared, her magic can protect her from much serious trouble that 2 thugs, but they were in the living area, houses everywhere and she didn't want to cause destruction with her breath attack. She'll try to fight otherwise. The girl raised her hands, clenched them into fists and took a fighting stance. That caused a fit of mocking mirth from 2 criminals.

"Ha-ha-ha, sweety, you really want fighting us? Oh, you look so scary, these big fists and strong arms, ha-ha."

They laughed freely and hard pointing to each other at her till some seconds later a silent figure suddenly grown behind the girl. Tall eerie looking figure with something spiky around his head, huge caniniform teeth and a violent gleam in its red eyes. And when this terrifying creature soundlessly lifted its hands and turned them into metal spears, grinning invitingly, they unanimously let out a loud yelp and sprinted away for their life.

Wendy sensed someone else's presence instant before familiar gruff voice inquired "You all right, kid?"

"Gajeel!" She swiftly turned to him. "You helped me!"

"No." Iron mage stated with a stony face. "Just walked by."

Young Dragon Slayer brushed it off.

"You did! Thank you!"

"You deaf, huh? I. Walked. By."

Full force irritation pierced his voice but she found something else in his eyes, they no longer frightened her.

"Then thank you for walking by!" Wendy chirped, then remembered about Carla and rushed to her, immediately putting her right palm on exceed's head where the stroke fell.

"She will be ok" Sky Dragon Slayer informed the man, scooping her friend, Gajeel just shrugged, 'did she really expect me to worry about her cat?"

He walked her wordlessly to the entrance of the alley and turned to leave, but stopped with a face half turned and barked angrily: "My workout starts everyday at 6. 2-3 hours, depends. Forest on western side. Don't be late, I am not a patient type!"

"Wha…" It took a second to sink in. "You…really? Oh… thank you, thank you, Gajeel!"

"And don't tell anyone, especially that flame brained moron. Got it?"

He looked defiantly at the wall, making holes in it with his glare.

"Yes, Gajeel, as you say!"

"No dress, no sandals! Clothes for exercise!"

"Yes!"

"And no whines. Prepare to work hard!"

"I'll do my best! You won't regret training me!"

"Hmmm…"

Finally he looked at her.

Big brown eyes. Surprised, unsure, but fear disappeared from them, instead curiosity and something else lit up and started to shine in their depth. Blue hair, slightly caressed by the wind. Tiny arm, raised as if wanting to reach him. Shy but warm and sincere smile.

Pricking appeared, intense and increasing, twisting his gut.

But,

It is a pleasant reminder this time.