Disclaimer: Fairytail and its characters belong to the amazing manga artist Hiro Mashima. I own nothing but this plot.
Summary: This is a tale of a dragon and his captive princess. Their story might have been told so many times that some might have even forgotten that the real prisoner was in fact – the dragon himself. For even when the princess was imprisoned in the highest tower, the dragon was enslaved to her every call and bidding. He wouldn't have it any other way though, the dragon had surrendered willingly – for it promises sweet torture to those who yield.
- Gajeel / Levy
Chapter 9: The Pleasure of Your Touch
To love. To be loved.
To never forget your own significance.
To never get used to the unspeakable violence
and the vulgar disparity of life around you.
To seek joy in the saddest places.
To pursue beauty to its lair.
To never simplify what is complicated
or complicate what is simple.
To respect strength, never power.
– Arundhati Roy,The Cost of Living
For several weeks, since the fateful event in which the princess surmised that the dragon was the cause of her grief, she wasted no time in devising all the preparation she needed to get away from this odious place.
Away from the wish that started it all...
Away from any unwanted thoughts and foolish yearnings she had secretly kept...
Away from him...
...
Only to fail miserably- time and time again - of escaping this wretched room. And more often than not, that blasted dragon would also be the cause of all her botched plans.
Levy closed her eyes in dire frustration.
Her mind kept replaying back the events of the previous weeks. She couldn't piece the puzzles as to why the dragon was adamant in keeping her in his lair. Why wouldn't he let her escape if she was of no use to him? Why shower her with affection... if ... if he knew he was the cause of her misery since childhood?
Tears were already forming yet she bravely held it back. She swallowed hard, fist clenched in hard knots as she glanced at her prison.
Why...
Why did he even give her hope... if he was the cause why she had lost everything she loved dearly in the first place?
The more she thought about it, it left her more questions unanswered. It didn't make sense.
It infuriated her to no end! Exasperating, unreasonable beast!
"NOW, WHO'S BEING UNREASONABLE?! I told her not to do anything bloody rebellious… " the dragon growled. "Why can't this squirt even just for once –listen to me?! What happened to the time when every woman obeyed their husbands?"
A snort was heard before the cat gave him a wry look. "Pffttt… You're not even her husband, Gajeel. And even way back before civilization was created; the first woman who lived on earth defied the first man. It's just history repeating itself. "
The dragon was baffled. "What the-?! Lily, how the heck would you know those sort of stuff? "
"It's from Genesis – the creation of the earth, the story of how the first man came to be. You know? Adam and Eve?"
When Pantherlily received a blank stare from the dragon, the exceed couldn't help but sigh and talked slowly as if speaking to a child. "Gajeel, the first woman – EVE- defied the first man by eating the forbidden fruit she was told not to-"
Gajeel waved a hand effectively cutting him off. "If you're talking about some celebrities from Extalia – Sorry to disappoint you but –"
It was Lily's turn to be baffled. "Wait a minute, are you telling me you don't know-?"
And when the dragon shook his head utterly clueless not knowing who the heck those people are, Pantherlily groaned.
"Gajeel, if you just take your time reading the books in your castle, you'd realize hundreds of women had valiantly challenged men since the dawn of time. Why, there was Joan of Arc who led the French Army, Cleopatra, and don't forget– "
"STOP IT!you're sounding almost … a-almost…" he sputtered.
The panther could only stand there, his look incredulous. Just what in the world has the maiden done to make this dragon act like bumbling idiot?!
"Who? Spit it out."
"…like her. " Gajeel adamantly turned his head on one side.
A blush, faint yes, but still - a REVOLTING shade of pink was apparent on the dragon's face. "She was talking about books too. I cannot fathom what can be so damn interesting about pieces of bounded papers-"
The sight was utterly disgusting – if not, bloody disturbing on a whole new level. Pink didn't suit the black steel dragon and the hair on the feline's neck visibly straightened. "Y-you don't mean…"
"What?"
He never saw Lily so frightened he swore the feline hissed much like a domestic cat. "Don't you take any interest or any advancement on me like you did on the poor girl, you shameless bastard!"
It took a while what Pantherlily said before it registered on the incredulous dragon. "What the -? DO I LOOK LIKE A LECHEROUS MAN TO YOU?!"
His questioned was never answered for Lily had scampered out of his sight.
Gajeel grumbled under his breath as his comrade's words echoed.
'Interest…? I... I have taken interest in her?'
Unable to keep the corner of his mouth from twitching from the new found information. a reluctant rugged smile tugged at the corner of his lips that could put any rakehells to shame. He had to acknowledge… as much as he hated it… the girl had been his reason for waking up every morning with something…
With something …to anticipate for these past few days.
The little hellion possessed both wit and temper; he had to give her that. Darn, those infuriating traits added only to his increasing attachment for the maiden. He shook his head remembering all her miserable attempts only to botch it much to her aggravation. When she thought he wasn't looking, she would device plans- clever, creative, detailed plans to botch out of the room, open routes and there was one time –
A shriek was suddenly heard yet he paid no heed. Heck, if there was one thing he learned from the blue haired fairy, she needs no saving; she was a capable mage.
Another scream told his assumptions were wrong. "What now-?" he grumpily groused. Did his captive meet an unfortunate demise? He couldn't care less if she was incapacitated by his iron weapons. That would be her own doing. All he wanted was some well deserved rest. He grumbled – trying to tune out the odious sound.
That is, until he heard his cat yelp did he only bolt out of from his make shift bed and run toward the lair.
"LILY! ARE YOU ALRIGHT?!"
Levy heard that masculine voice and she can't help but feel infuriated from the irony of it all. Here she was dangling, six feet from the ground with various weapons and metal spikes below her. And Pantherlilly beside her – bloody hell – the cat has wings?!
And that dragon was asking if his pet was alright?!
What about her?!
With his body moving without the mind's permission, he blasted the iron wall of the prison (thereby making a large hole to make it easier and convenient for her if she ever plan to escape again.)
The sight that greeted him made him stop in his tracks.
An alluring bedraggled angel hangs precariously from his window with several dangerous pointed spikes below her feet. Never had he seen something so freaking beautiful yet sadistically amusing as the sight in front of him.
"H-HELP MEEEE!"
A hilarious sight indeed.
Gajeel didn't know if the woman was smart or stupid enough to use his books AND WEAPONS as a sort of … improvised ladder. He snickered, looking at her in cynical amusement.
Talk about being resourceful.
"I – I promise I won't escape! I-I'll be good! Just –Just save me pleeeasseee!" he rolled his eyes as he remembered how suicidal she was and in the next minute, she was desperate to live.
"Lily" he drawled out. "Save her ass."
He was about to step out of the abode when he saw his partner give him a disapproving look. "I remember the maiden was offered to you. Technically, she's YOUR responsibility. Didn't you say she was legally yo-."
A growl came out of his mouth effectively stopping lily from finishing his statement... damn this cat! He stomped back inside the lair and unwillingly held his arm up.
"Tch. Fine." Came his grumbling retort. "Release your hold from that window and –"
THAT WAS HIS FREAKING IDEA?!
She was about to turn around when his voice suddenly turned cold. "and shut your eyes! Or else I won't catch you!"
Levy whimpered, scared all of a sudden."P-promise me you'll catch me?"
He smelled her fear and decided to tease her more. His lips quirk up in a sardonic smile. "Aren't promises meant to be broken-"
Infuriating man!
"PROMISE ME!" she nearly yelled.
The dragon concluded this girl was more trouble than she's worth. He rolled his eyes. "Fine woman. Only if you promise me to keep your word."
And as she released her hold on the metal window pane, she let the course of gravity pull her to the ground and in the waiting arms of a man whose face and name she didn't even know.
Close your eyes… trust me.
Just… trust me.
His voice left no room for objection – and even if he did, she can't bring herself to deny that beguiling voice of his.
Time seemed to slow down and she shut her eyes, surrendering herself to an unknown fate. Levy savored every second of her fall like what a fallen angel might have felt. And after what seemed like an eternity, she felt him- there in his possessive, vice grip yet never had she felt so safe.
It was a different story for the dragon.
He was far from feeling safe.
Damn.
The dragon could feel his throat tighten as beads of sweat formed near his temple. He felt her dainty arms entwined around him and her face buried deep in the crook of his neck. It took all his will power to restrain his self from kissing the debonair beauty in his hold. It didn't help the squirt had pressed herself to his body in a tight tempting embrace.
The gods must have put a terrible curse on him- what with bringing a nymph (and a deliriously beautiful and rebellious one at that~!) just to make his plain peaceful boring life in chaos. His eyes looked blearily at the heavens.
He knew he had many sins to atone for – but not in this cruel disturbing punishment! Gajeel didn't know that fate had this sick twisted sense of humor.
"A-ah… Thank you."
Gajeel gazed at the fallen angel in his arm, then he faltered – seeing her face for the first time basked in the first rays of the morning sun. His breathe hitched. God, how he wanted to see those luminous golden eyes in broad day light. Even with her eyes closed, there was courage and valor written all over her stubborn face yet there was a slight touch of vulnerability that made him yearn to touch her face…
To savor another kiss…
To remember what innocence feels like.
A cough was heard and Gajeel stiffened in his hold. And just like a child who was caught doing something wrong, he bent his head clearly avoiding his partner's gaze. To make matter worse, he saw that blasted smug smile plastered on his comrade's face. That all – knowing look was all he cast before the cat decided to leave the room.
"O-oi!" Gajeel called back. Damn that cat, turning his back on him when he needed him the most!
He was brought back to reverie when her delicate hand accidentally stroke his left arm – the arm which she caressed weeks ago with mark of the raven tail… Only to gasp when she felt it was scarred with wounds that felt like something had repeatedly clawed the place in which the guild mark was supposed to be.
"W-what happened to you?" she asked frantically alarmed of not knowing what had struck his arm.
His body tensed up as if he was caught doing some crime. And the harsh realization struck her hard. "Do-don't tell me you inflict those-?"
"Leave it." He cut her off -His words were undeniably cold.
"NO."
For all her traits, as much as he was fond of her – it was this adamant stubbornness of hers that infuriated him the most! She was intractable as much as she was beautiful; that much he knew. And he hated how it only made him fascinated to her more.
…
Bloody hell, was he a masochist?!
"Look woman," his voice, a low deep growl." As much as you like to interfere with my damn life, may I remind you are still in my arms and I can bloody do anything I wish with you while holding–"
"I trusted you with my life, didn't I?"
Stunned silence filled the entire lair with that simple statement.
...
The assertion of her faith in him was so sudden, so trusting, so… so innocent; he had a hard time retorting back. Pity, with her eyes closed, she didn't see the way those maddening crimson eyes stared at her in hushed wonder as if he couldn't believe someone could ever trust him.
He shook his head to remove his dazed astonishment..
"Answer me, woman." It was supposed to be a damn command – yet his voice was hoarse and he hated how it came out as the weakest of pleas .
"You could have opened your eyes the moment… the moment you landed on my arms. You could break our truce and you knew all too well you wouldn't lose anything… why? Why didn't you?"
She frowned; eyes still closed and tilted her head to the side. "Now, why would I do that when you -?"
"DON'T ACT LIKE YOU KNOW NOTHING!" Gajeel demanded, enraged. "I know how bloody curious you are to see my face in broad day light! This was your fucking chance and –"
Dainty fingers reached out and feel its way to his chin then to his scowling mouth in an attempt to silence him.
"Yes… that much is true." She confessed. The princess slowly but deftly reached to caress the dragon's face – remembering each metal stud, each scar which had marred that face … as if touching him can figure out what her eyes were forbidden to witness.
"B-but… what good will it do me if I can't have your trust?"
"Trust? " he asked and he felt like laughing in derision. Was she mocking him?
" You want to have MY TRUST?!" his grip on her tightened and she visibly winced in his arms. Glacial red eyes narrowed in contempt. "How could you have it when you have done all imaginable attempts to escape this blasted room?! "
He vented out all his anger, all his pent up rage to the woman in his arms. And with every word he spat, her face crunched up in repressed fury till he was sure she would cry and open her eyes. Yet Levy proved him wrong.
Tears formed at the corner of her closed eyes, moistening those thick,long lashes he had only noticed now.
"How could you expect me to trust you – when you had offered every conceivable gift to me, clothes, books - yet you can't give me that single gift that I desire the most – my freedom?" she cried.
A tear slipped down her cheeks , and another…yet she kept true to her words. Her eyes were firmly shut amidst the tears brimming out those eyelids "How could you expect me to trust you willingly… if you can't offer any answers as to what happened ten years ago?!"
All his anger dissipated in an instant. Was she a victim by that fateful event ten years ago? He studied the weeping girl in his arm – her cheeks flushed from those tears she shed. When he spoke, his voice was just above a whisper. "D-do you have…"
…Lost your love ones back then?
He didn't need to finish the question but the words she wanted to hear rang loud and clear.
The girl nodded , her grip tightened in his arms. "You were there, weren't you? You were the rampaging dragon with the marked emblem in his arm?"
His deafening silence was more than she could bear. After what felt like forever, he found his voice
"No." He rasped.
"I lost my only family back then too." He confessed.
Gajeel could still remember the event that had transpired . as much as he wanted to erase them from his memory – he could still vividly remember the helplessness he felt when Ivan used him as a bait in an attempt to anger his father.
.
..
...
"The rampaging dragon you saw… that was my father – Metallicana."
Next chapter:
Fighting a growl, he kissed the hand nearest to his lips. "How could you freely offer yourself to this beast whose face, whose past, you don't even bloody know?"
This made her pause. She scolded herself for feeling this way – for feeling secure in the arms of this stranger when, ironically, he could be the greatest danger she would ever have to face.
"Your face, your identity… those things I may not know – and I won't pry until you're ready to tell me who you truly are." her hands cupped his face lovingly. " As for now, I'm content to love neither a beast nor a monster… but simply a man held back by his curse."
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
I dedicate this to all my readers who kept waiting for a year. And for that I deeply apologize. I admit that I was about to give up on this, but reading your comments made me inspired me to continue this. Please don't worry, I'll be writing more if that would give me another chance to put smiles on your faces again.