Sorry for taking so long. I hope you all enjoy. I dont own Fairy Tail it belongs to Hiro Mashima.
Desperation took over the accusatory mind of the usually emotionless dragon slayer, Gajeel was taken by surprised at the venom that seemed to seep through Evergreen's loathsome mouth. How could she dare spew out such allegations? He was just talking to the blonde and she never once mention that she was in Levy's room; he didn't pick up on her scent, but then his heart skipped a beat as guilt fuelled the doubt in his head. 'You were with someone last night, you can feel it, can't you. Maybe it was bunny girl, maybe she lied about Levy leaving her window opened... she might have invited you in.' Gajeel thought as his mind wandered through his inner darkness. Unable to stand the doubt and overwhelming sensation he made his way to the large guild door. Dashing forward, he passed the hundreds of eyes watching him like a hawk; Evergreen's words couldn't be true and he needed to make sure for himself.
Without asking any questions, Levy saw as her boyfriend frantically ran past her and Freed, who just so happened to arrive, out side the large guild doors. Where was he going, what could have caused him to get so preoccupied that he did not even pause for a moment to say hello? Question after question ran through her mind, but not finding the catalyst to his strange actions, she shrugged it off as she made her way to the bar..
Outside, the wind blew warmly, people were gathered all around in boisterous crowds, as Gajeel's turbulent thoughts tried to collect themselves. He found himself frustrated remembering every single event that occurred last night, but after reaching Fairy Hills everything went blank. 'Lucy I didn't, did I?' His heart ached at the sheer thought of causing his friend any more harm than he had in the past. Outside he saw the traces of her golden hair, mesmerized he rushed through the crowds of people, arm extended, as he finally was able to reach her slender wrist. Stopping at the pull of her arm she turned her head towards the distraught man. Awkwardly their eyes met and then he let go.
"Gajeel what's up, didn't we just say good bye?" She cheerfully pointed out to her friend. Everything appeared normal to the untrained eye, but Gajeel was sharp, attentive and unlike his girlfriend, he read people and not books. He noticed her smile was dim and tears seemed to have accumulated, not long ago. Heart racing and guilt building up, Gajeel chanted to himself. 'it wasn't her, it wasn't her, it can't be her.' Taking a deep breath, he gently took her willing hand, guiding her to a quiet yet empty alley.
Her eyes glistened hopefully at the guilt drenched man before her, she was expecting him to confess to his crimes, to ask for forgiveness and take responsibility for last night. As her eyes danced expectantly, her mind cursed her jovial state, 'how can you do that to Levy?' Many emotions seemed to take possession over the battlefield of her face, but Gajeel wouldn't know since he could only stare absent-mindlessly at the passing sky, trying to gather the strength and courage to talk to his beloved bunny girl. Placing his attention back at the fidgety woman before him, he grasped her shoulders tenderly. Rubbing her shoulders with his thumbs, he tried to calm her down, reassure her that everything was alright, then he proceeded to gazing into her chocolate eyes, he gulped down finding the inner strength to ask her the question his heart ached to let out.
"Lucy, did I..." Gajeel started to ask when his lungs seemed to collapse, he couldn't form the harsh words he needed to get out. Could he really have lost so much control, that he would chase down his girl friend's best friend? Could he just casually ask her if he violated the trust they shared and betrayed it in a moment of drunken passion? As the thought crossed his mind, Lucy noticed the conflict in his eyes. His defeated demeanor broke her trembling anticipation, so she took her defeat in pride as she bit her bottom lip nervously. 'I can't hurt him, he's killing himself,' she thought to herself as she placed a hand on his hot cheek. Peering into her understanding eyes, made Gajeel's iron heart melt. Laughing internally, he withdrew his card of curiosity as fear won. He found out that he he lacked the confidence to ask her after all. This was just woman gossip that he just happened to over hear; sighing he rested his forehead on his hand, still lightly grasping her shoulder.
"I don't remember a thing from last night, but Ever was talking and you just don't smell right...but by any chance did I ... touch you? Did I harm you again? Please tell me I didn't break our promise and hurt you again." The man desperately asked as he stared at the pebbled floor. Lovingly, the quiet blonde mage held his head up and placed their forehead together, eyes peering into each other. "You can never hurt me my dear friend, you did nothing wrong. I waited for Levy and when she didn't show, I left through the window." Entangling her fingers in his softly spiked ebony hair, she lowered his head and gave a chaste kiss to his sweated brow. After the intimate exchange, he let her go on her merry way and his heart continued to ache as the last traces of golden hair exited the cold lonely alley.
"I don't remember a thing Bunny, but something doesn't smell right." Gajeel confessed to himself as he smelled the remnants of her new scent in the air.
Clenching her tightening chest with both hands, Lucy ran out of Magnolia. Tears covered her red cheeks, staining her clothes as her keys glowed brightly signalling that Loke exited his gate. Wordlessly and gently he picked up his distraught broken master, covered her drenched face in his black suit jacket and continued marching forward. "Princess be strong, don't let anyone see you cry." Loke whispered tenderly, kissing her covered head as his own tears streamed down his sadden face. `How much more are you meant to suffer?' The forlorn lion thought embracing his master tightly. With each step he took, he could feel as his heart shattered into a million pieces, his ears wanted to go deaf as he gently carried her, hearing the tragic melody of her devastated whimpering.
Frowning, Loke realized that his beloved's master problem were bound to escalate, she couldn't lie, but she couldn't tell the truth either; she was lost in the labyrinth of limbo and there was no way out. She would never hurt a guild-mate or betray Levy, but with so many dragon slayers around, Gajeel's scent would become evident eventually. The soap he provided her was temporary and soon she would find out that secrets have a way of resurfacing, lies can never be truly covered with more lies and some times you have to hurt others to obtain justice. Sighing once again the loyal lion finally reached the nearby train station and placed his master on her feet. Taking back his jacket, he brushed her hair with his worried hands, looking at her, he gave a hopeful smile."Let's start working, let's try to forget and if we can't, then let's replace this pain with another." He knelt, hugging her bare legs, she smiled softly and fell down to warmly hug him back.
"Let's get going, we can't cry and feel sorry for ourselves forever right? My rent is never gonna get paid at this rate." Lucy wiped away the moisture from her wet eyes as she honestly laughed, trying to forgive and just forget. A friend is worth their weight in gold and she would not let a mistake, no matter how small or grave, cause any rifts or damage to either Levy or Gajeel. Taking a deep breath, she reassured her beloved friend that everything would be alright. Purchasing her ticket from the teller, she returned Loke back to the celestial world and turned her mind to concentrate on the first of many solo missions.
Weeks passed and everyone at the guild was starting to worry. Lucy was becoming secluded and a lone wolf. Team Natsu was caught in an internal hurricane of doubt, guilt and self hatred. Lucy barely showed herself in the guild, she barely made contact with her team, she barely resided in her apartment and each team member felt lost and out of place. Natsu couldn't get anywhere near her. Gray no longer held the place of her male confidant and brother. Erza was no longer invited to sleep overs or to the bakery. Gajeel would seldom see strands of golden hair shine as the guild door would close. Levy received letters and postcards from her friend daily, but she had not spoken, or seen her friend since she left with Freed for that seminar weeks ago. Mira was so depressed that she completely stopped buying strawberries mourning the bubbly blonde. The warm radiance Lucy provided the guild was irreplaceable and even new recruits could feel something missing.
Then there was Ever, she on the other hand, was a veteran in the field of love, betrayal and abuse; her keen eyes saw and understood all. Every time the blonde passed through the large guild doors, she would see those brown eyes linger for a second to Gajeel's vacant spot, her expressions flashed in a series of relief, distress and finally mourning. On one occasion Evergreen's emerald eyes locked with hers, making her wave her fan frantically, sweating and hoping naivety would kick in and Lucy could disregard the knowledge she held. Sighing the older woman knew she had to stayed tight lipped, she would not expose fairy tail's dirty laundry, even if the gossip was of the highest calibre. 'Since I can't tell the truth, why not lie?' Ever thought as she needed to say something about the erratic behavior of their beloved celestial mage.
"Mira. I know what's up with Lucy... I've heard she's been messing around with a Saber." Ever told the curious bar maid, whose eyes grew wide in disbelief, while she silently apologizing to Lucy, wherever the blonde might be.