10 years later
Levy's pulse pounded in her ears and she willed herself to remain as still as possible. A breath through her nose and an exhale out her mouth, as shallow and silent as she could. Her eyes peered through the branches and fixated on the large beast stalking through the trees.
Hunting her.
A branch fell and the dragon tensed, his head moving slowly in the direction of the sound. His tongue flicked out between his teeth, tasting the air to find her scent. A bead of sweat trickled down her temple, irritating her mud-covered skin, but she refused to give in to the urge to scratch. Any movement now would ruin everything. And her plan was working perfectly.
Breathing lightly through her nose and open mouth to make them as shallow as possible. Her entire body, clothes included, covered in a thick layer of mud to mask her scent. Her hair coated with dirt and grime and decorated with twigs to blend into her surroundings. And her raised palm, which slowly and steadily fed a stream of energy into her script high in the trees.
The dragon had yet to notice the word WIND rippling among the branches above his head. A gentle breeze moved around the area, further confusing her scent. The dragon knew the general area where she was hiding but had yet to pinpoint her exact location.
Levy's lips quirked as she watched the dragon grow more and more agitated the longer it took him to find her. Finally, after nearly a quarter of an hour of him searching the same area, he let out a loud roar.
"Fine! You win!" his eyes blazed red as he swiveled his head around. "You can come out now, Levy."
Sunlight glinted off his silver scales and Levy remained still as stone. She wouldn't be tricked with that underhanded tactic again. Gajeel was still on the hunt, his eyes glinting as he waited for her to move and reveal her location.
Several more minutes passed. Gajeel growled again. "Alright, alright...you win! I concede."
His tail was facing her but she could hear the disgust in his voice. He finally admitted defeat!
"Ha!" she yelled, jumping out of the bushes and startling the dragon in front of her. Years of practice allowed her to easily dodge the tail that whipped through the air as Gajeel spun to face her.
"So you finally admit that I beat you this time?" She marched up to his snout and placed her fists on her hips, giving him the most cheeky smirk she could manage. She couldn't resist teasing him, not when he glared at her with such a sullen expression.
He grunted, his lip curling at the sight of her clothes. "What happened to you, Shrimp? Decided to take a mud bath today? Gihee."
She huffed at the laughing dragon. "Yes, and it was worth it since I beat you!"
"Wh-whatever! I only let you win cause I was tired of lookin' for ya."
"Don't be such a sore loser, Gajeel." She tittered and marched to the edge of the forest. She swung her arms and smirked when Gajeel crashed after her.
"There's a first time for everything, Shorty, so don't be gettin' used to it."
"But I still beat you. It's been hours and you weren't able to find me at all."
"Oi, I knew you were in the forest, ok? So it doesn't count."
"Oh? So like the time when I said the same thing when I sneezed and you still counted it as a win? Or when I accidentally slipped down the ravine and you found me? If I can't use that excuse then neither can you." She stuck out her tongue at her best friend.
The dragon growled and lowered himself to the ground, preparing to chase after her. Levy squealed, breaking into a sprint. She knew it was pointless, but she had to at least try and outrun him. If she could just make it to the fallen wall she might have a chance.
Her plan came to a screeching halt when she was grabbed by a large claw and hoisted into the air. She screamed, startled at the sudden movement, and pounded her fist against the claw holding her tightly around the waist. Gajeel's laughter floated down as he rose higher and higher into the sky. When their home was only a small dot below them, Gajeel let go and Levy found herself free-falling in the air.
She twisted around until she was facing the ground and spread her arms to slow her descent. The wind roared past her ears, but she knew Gajeel would never let her fall for more than a few seconds. A flash of silver glinted in the corner of her eye. By the time her eyes began to water from the sting of the wind, Gajeel had swooped around and positioned his body underneath her.
With the expertise of countless hours of flying with her dragon, Levy reached out and clasped her hands around the spines at the base of his neck. She bent her legs, securing them tightly against his sides. His silver scales were smooth and had little grip for her to hold onto. She tightened her knees just as he barrel rolled to the side.
Levy laughed in delight, determined to not slide even an inch. Gajeel rolled and turned, swooping up and over until the world was upside down. Her stomach fell somewhere near her feet and the blood rushed to her head. He always tried to make her fall, but her legs and arms were strong.
After a few minutes of playing, Gajeel leveled his wings and their slow, rhythmic pattern filled the air. Levy smiled softly and rested her head against his back, glad that her friend was acting more like his usual, surly self.
It had been just under a year since Metalicana's passing. Levy knew that Gajeel was still hurting, though he would never admit it out loud. Every time the conversation was brought up, he would huff and grumble and call him "his old man," just like the human phrase. But with all of his bluff and bluster, Levy knew he had looked up to the older dragon as a source of inspiration.
She missed him too, her surrogate father. She knew she had a real father, the king of Magnolia, but she hardly remembered the man or the castle where she was born. To her, her home was the rough mountain side filled with rocks and the debris from the ruined castle. Her family were the two silver dragons that gave up their home to a small human child and spent the last 10 years of their lives raising her.
The wind rustled her short hair around her face. Levy smiled into Gajeel's scales, her belly warming at the memory of when Metalicana finally told her of her actual parentage. She had been seven at the time, two years after she had come to live with them. He explained to her the battle between Fairy Tail and Phantom Lord, how her father was the King of Magnolia and that she was, in fact, NOT a dragon hatchling.
She had stubbornly refused to believe him and it took weeks for Metalicana to convince her that she wasn't a stunted hatchling waiting for her wings to sprout. Gajeel had encouraged her fantasies and laughed whenever his father grew frustrated at having to explain yet again. When Metalicana finally realized what he had been doing, Gajeel's yelps could be heard across the mountains as his father chased him through the air.
It would be nice, though...to be a dragon. That way I could stay with Gajeel forever.
Metalicana had spoken with her privately on his final day, which was a huge honor as all the dragons had gathered to bid their friend farewell. The ancient dragon had told her thank you, which surprised her greatly, and made her promise to always remain Gajeel's friend. Even though the two dragons shared the same stubborn streak, Levy could tell that his request came out of a deep love and great concern for the son he was leaving behind. Of course Levy had given her promise: nothing short of an army could tear her and her dragon apart.
They were partners in crime, a dynamic duo. A unified force that caused almost as much trouble as Sting and Rogue. It made the adult dragons want to tear out their scales in frustration, but it kept all of them younglings entertained.
The sun was starting to set by the time Gajeel banked and drifted toward their home. The castle ruins cast long shadows on the long grass. Sunlight was twinkling on the small lake near their home and Levy tightened her leg against Gajeel's side, giving him a silent signal. He turned to the right, swooped low to the ground and tilted his body.
Levy easily slid off his back and held her breath as she landed in the cool water. She scrubbed her face and hair as she sunk deeper into the lake. Her feet hit the dirt and she launched herself up. She broke the surface with a loud gasp, looking around the bank to find Gajeel. He had just landed and was busy rolling in the tall grass.
She swam to the shallow part of the lake and waded through the water to her friend. "That feels so much better! I was starting to itch." She shook her head, scattering muddy droplets around her.
Gajeel hissed and backed away. "Oi, watch where yer shakin'! You can be muddy all ya want, but don't be gettin' it on me." He continued to roll, but kept a wary eye on her.
Levy giggled and looked at the muddy imprint scuffed on his back scales. She could tell him, but she decided to keep quiet. Petty revenge for snagging her from the ground earlier.
Gajeel finished scratching and spread his long body along the ground. Satisfied that she was dry enough to avoid any grumblings, she leaned against his side and looked out toward the lake. All was calm. She was still getting used to how quiet their home had become now that they were absent one member of their family. She glanced at the dragon next to her and bit her bottom lip.
"So…" she began, picking twigs off her clothes, "you laughed today. It was nice. I've...missed it."
She feels, more than hears, him sigh. "Sorry, Shorty. It's just been…"
"No, you don't need to apologize!" She waved her hands frantically. He was always apologizing to her whenever he behaved out of sorts. "I know it's been hard for you. Trust me, I miss him too and he wasn't even my real father. But I was always happy when he let me call him that, though."
His sides rumble as he chuckles. "He always thought of ya as a daughter, too."
"He was good like that. Even if he tried to hide it." She whispered with a small smile before turning back to Gajeel. "We haven't talked about it in awhile. How have you been holding up?"
Gajeel was silent for a moment, his ever watchful eyes scanning the area. "Today was a good day. Training with you helped keep my mind off of it. I am gettin' better, but sorry that it's takin' so long."
She scooted to her knees and wrapped her arms as far as they could reach around his snout. "Again, there's no need for you to apologize. I'll be here for you no matter how long it takes."
Gajeel's deep rumble went down to her toes. "Thanks, Shrimp. I think the old geezer knew what was happening to him and that's why he wanted you to live with us."
"Oh? So you're saying that you need me?"
He snorted. "No, not even. I'm just...mildly happy that you've stayed for as long as ya have."
It was an unspoken rule between the two of them that they would never talk about the fact that one day Levy would have to leave. It had been years and the mage wars had long been over, yet no one had come to take her back to the castle. Levy dreaded the day that would happen and Gajeel tensed whenever the topic was brought up. A large part of her hoped that the king had completely forgotten about her.
"But hey, that's a good thing!" Gajeel said suddenly, breaking the strained silence between them. "Ya still have a long way to go with your trainin' and you need to practice your script magic more. At least, that's what the old man wanted me to help you with when he was gone."
"And you're doing wonderfully!" She gave his snout a tight squeeze and smiled into his wide eyes. If dragons could blush, she was certain hers would be.
"Yeah yeah," he grumbled, dislodging her from his nose, "but he was always better at it than me. Had more patience too."
"That's because he had to deal with you on a regular basis."
"Oi! What's that supposed to mean, eh?"
He snorted hot air into her face and she coughed, waving it off with her hand. A heavy rock landed on her head and Levy scrunched her nose when Gajeel's chin ruffled her hair.
"Come on, let's get ready for bed." She batted his head away and he chuckled, bumping her once before taking flight.
Levy climbed to the top of the castle wall and walked around the perimeter until she reached their nest. The stone wall didn't bother her at all. Her feet were tough and callused from all her adventures around the ruins and her clothes were soft and supple from use. She had vague memories of flimsy dresses and colorful slippers, but she much preferred her bare feet and simple tunic and pants.
A light hop from the wall and she landed at the edge of their nesting space. She grabbed several pieces of jerky and a loaf of bread from the pack in the corner, and settled cross legged on the ground as she waited for Gajeel to return from his final patrol of the night.
Knowing the dragon would still be a while, Levy reached for her book and turned on the small lamp. She had finished two chapters when she was interrupted by the sound of wings flapping in the air. Gajeel landed outside the wall and with a grace that belied his large size, climbed over to their nest. Levy twisted her hands, fingertips glowing with her Solid Script magic, and tossed a heavy-worded IRON to Gajeel. He easily caught the metal in his large jaws and she scooted forward to give him more room behind her.
He sighed and leaned his body against the wall at their back, setting his dinner between his front legs. He rumbled happily as he crunched the large metal word. His chewing was deafening, but she had practice tuning out the sound and focused on her reading. She finished another chapter by the time he ate his last bite. Closing her book, she settled herself close to his side and rested her head against his foreleg. His neck twisted around, bringing his head within stroking distance, and his wing covered her like a canopy. She gently scratched the area behind his horns and felt his content humming vibrate through his body. Levy chuckled softly and closed her eyes.
She was warm, she was safe. She was home.
Question for the readers: I have the entire story written and ready to go (minor edits before submitting, of course) so would you like me to post all of it in one swoop or post like 2 chapters every few days? Your choice, I don't mind either way! Thanks for reading!