~Levy~
I could feel Gajeel's gaze on me as I tried to focus, effectively pulling my concentration away from the book in front of me. I glanced up, meeting his red eyes, then returned to my book. After several more minutes of this, I sighed, looking up at him. He looked hurriedly down at his book, but it was too obvious he had been staring at me.
"You're not here to research, are you?" I asked. He's probably here to ask about last night. I dreaded having that conversation, but figured it would be best for both of us to just get it out of the way. Then he can storm off angrily and I can return to my research.
"Not really," he admitted, closing the book. "I came because Master asked me to."
"He did?" Again, not the answer I was expecting.
"He told me about Astaroth."
"I see," I frowned. "Well, that isn't any of your business, so—"
"To hell it ain't," he said, returning my frown. "If you get yourself killed, I die too, remember?"
Actually, I hadn't thought of that. If I go after Astaroth, and he kills me, Gajeel's life will end when mine does. "I don't plan on dying."
"No one plans on dying," he scoffed, "but they do. Every day."
"I—"
"Just make me a promise," he said, leaning closer, "if you do find out where he is, don't go after him alone. Promise to come and get me first."
"Gajeel, I can't drag you into this."
"We're bonded," he smirked, "I've already been dragged into this."
"You're right. Fine, I'll come get you before I go after him."
"Promise?"
"Promise," I lied. I had no intentions of putting anyone's life in danger other than my own. Gajeel does have a point about us being bonded. I'll just have to figure out a way to un-bond us, then.
"Good. Now that's all settled, I wanted to ask you somethin'," he said, seriously.
Here it comes. "What?"
"Have you been havin', uh, weird dreams, by any chance?" He asked, awkwardly. I could sense his embarrassment through our bond, and frowned. Gajeel gets embarrassed?
"What kind of weird dreams?"
"I don't know, anything," he sighed.
"No, not really," I shrugged. "Why?"
"Nothin'," he said, too quickly, "just curious. I was supposed to meet Lily at Fairy Tail a while ago, so I should get goin'. Remember your promise," he added as he was walking out the door.
"Weird dreams?" I continued frowning, wondering what he could mean. "Why would he be asking about—" I gasped, the answer becoming clear. "He thought what happened between us was just a dream."
I laughed incredulously. "I've been worrying about him taking it badly, and all this time, he just thought he was having a perverted dream about me." Although I was relieved, part of me was offended that he had thought that had all been a dream. At least now I can just play along. I have to focus on Astaroth right now, so Gajeel's obliviousness is perfect timing.
Deciding to extend my research, I left the room to search for books about bonding. While I hunt for Astaroth I can also search for a way of undoing this bond between Gajeel and me. If I can figure out how to break it, there will be nothing stopping me from going after Astaroth. The idea of breaking my bond with Gajeel caused a weird pain in my chest, but I ignored it. Not being bonded would be the best thing for the both of us. We were just holding each other back by worrying about causing the other pain.
I knew deep down that I would die if I challenged Astaroth, but I was prepared for that. What I wasn't prepared for, was getting Gajeel killed, too. I won't be able to go after him if it will mean Gajeel's death. I hated that I felt so compelled to protect him. I shouldn't have cared, after what he did to me—but I did, and I couldn't let him die because of my decisions.
Besides, I thought with a sigh as I returned to my study room, Gajeel will probably be relieved to be free of something as burdensome as a bond with me. I'm sure he hates it.
"Levy!" I looked up from my books to see a very upset Happy flying towards me. He didn't seem to hear the librarian's demand for him to keep quiet, because he shouted my name again.
"I'm here," I said, running to him, "Happy, what's wrong?"
Tears filled his eyes, and he flew into my chest. "It's Jet and Droy," he cried.
My head cleared as fear and adrenaline filled my entire body. I tucked Happy under my arm and sprinted from the library, running as fast as my legs could carry me. Please, be alright!
~Gajeel~
"Well, that was awkward as hell," I growled. I had no idea what I was thinking when I had asked Shrimp about her dreams. No, you damned pervert, you're the only one having wet dreams. Shrimp's probably never even kissed a guy. She seemed so...innocent. I almost felt guilty for asking her such a thing. I also felt a little let down that she hadn't been having dreams about me like I was her. What the hell am I thinking? Why should I give a damn if Shrimp dreams about me?
When I opened the door to enter headquarters, a blue Exceed bolted passed me. The cafeteria was eerily quiet as I went inside. "What the hell happened in the hour I was gone?" I asked.
"Just a few minutes ago, Elfman came running in, telling us someone had been attacked. He brought them here, knowing Wendy would be their best chance at recovering," Lily said, looking grim. "At first, there was too much blood to tell who it was, but after Wendy washed them off to clean their wounds..."
"Who was it?"
"Jet and Droy."
"Shit," I breathed, knowing there would soon be one upset bluenette barging into Fairy Tail. I knew the moment Happy had found her, because my chest constricted in fear. Within moments she burst through the doors, ignoring everyone else and running straight to the infirmary. I went after her, feeling some need to help.
"What do you mean I can't go in?" She was asking Makarov as I came up behind her.
"Their conditions are unstable right now, so we need to let Wendy be alone with them," he told her.
"Unstable?" She asked, breathless. "What the hell happened to them?"
"They were attacked," he said.
"Attacked?" She gasped, making for the infirmary doors. I grabbed her arm, shaking my head when she turned to glare at me. "Do you at least know who did it?"
By the way his eyes fell to the floor, avoiding Levy's, I could tell he knew. And I could feel through her fury that she also knew he knew. "Master," she said, her voice dark, "who was it? If you know, we need to be sending a team after them! We can't just sit here while whoever did this is still out there!"
"There will be no team sent out," Master said, finally meeting her eyes. "We're all going to stay where we are and wait for Wendy to stabilize them."
"Tell me." Her voice was more of a growl now, startling me. I had never thought her capable of such anger.
"Levy, it won't help anything—"
"Master, please," she begged, all of the anger dissipating from her voice. It sounded more desperate now.
"I'm sorry," he said, "but you need to return to the main hall and wait with the others."
"It was him, wasn't it," she whispered, her voice frighteningly calm. It took a minute for me to realize who she meant. Astaroth.
"Levy—"
"Oh my God, it was." I held her more firmly when she slumped against me, her eyes wide in disbelief.
"Gajeel, take her back into the cafeteria," Makarov told me.
I nodded. As I leaned down to lift her, she made a break for it, catching both Makarov and I off guard. She ran through the doors of the infirmary before we could stop her. I heard her inhale in shock, and felt her anguish as it rolled through our bond in painful waves.
Cursing, I went after her, feeling my own eyes widen when I saw her teammates. Both of them were in bad shape. Worse than bad. Hell, I would be surprised if they even survived. They were covered in bloody gashes that resembled claw marks, and their faces looked like they had taken a pretty bad beating. Although they had only been in the infirmary a few minutes, their beds were already stained red.
Wendy, obviously exhausted, looked up from Jet's bedside as she bent over him. "Levy," she said, sounding apologetic, "I'm sorry."
"Are they..." Levy stopped, looking down at her friends.
"No," Wendy told her, "but I've done all I can for them. I'm just not sure it's enough." Tears filled the girl's eyes as she looked at us.
"Can I be alone with them?" Levy asked, approaching their beds.
"Y-yeah," Wendy nodded, hurrying from the room. Master followed her, leaving me and Levy alone with them.
"Go," she said, knowing I was still there.
"I—"
"Go!" The tears filling her eyes as she turned to shout at me were what convinced me to do as she said. I shut the door behind me and leaned against the wall.
"I'm so sorry," Wendy cried.
"They could still make it, right?" I asked.
"Their odds aren't good," she sniffled, "but I suppose they might."
"Then they will," I said. "I bet Shrimp's in there giving them an earful right now. They wouldn't dare die and leave her alone, right?"
Wendy nodded, though tears continued to stream her face. Although I talked big, I was doubtful. I had never known anyone—not even a demon—that could survive those kinds of injuries. So, that bastard Astaroth came out of hiding, huh? What the hell's he doin' in Magnolia? I knew the answer, but I refused to acknowledge it
He had come for Levy.
All of our attention focused on the small bluenette as she came out of the infirmary.
"Levy," Lucy began, stepping towards her.
She put up a hand to silence the blonde, giving her a small smile. "I'm alright. If you'll all excuse me, I have some things to finish at the library."
We all stood in shock as she walked away, acting as if nothing had happened. "Go after her," Lily said, looking up at me. My feet began moving before I could even respond.
~Levy~
I ran straight to the infirmary as soon as I reached Fairy Tail, but was cut off by Master Makarov. "You can't go in yet," he said, "I'm sorry."
"What do you mean I can't go in?" I asked, angrily. Jet and Droy were my teammates—and my best friends—why shouldn't I be allowed to see them?
"Their conditions are unstable right now, so we need to let Wendy be alone with them," he told me.
"Unstable?" I asked, breathless. I could feel my heart pound harder every second. "What the hell happened to them?"
"They were attacked," he said.
"Attacked?" I gasped, making for the infirmary doors. Someone grabbed my arm, stopping me. As I turned to glare at whoever it was, I saw Gajeel, shaking his head. "Do you at least know who did it?" I asked, turning back to Master.
By the way his eyes fell to the floor, avoiding mine, I knew he was hiding something from me. "Master," I said, voice dark with the growing fury inside me, "who was it? If you know, we need to be sending a team after them! We can't just sit here while whoever did this is still out there!"
"There will be no team sent out," Master said, finally meeting my eyes. "We're all going to stay where we are and wait for Wendy to stabilize them."
"Tell me," I demanded, hearing my anger turn my voice into a growl.
"Levy, it won't help anything—"
"Master, please," I begged, all of the anger dissipating from my voice. I needed to know. I had to do something to help them. I can't lose Jet and Droy.
"I'm sorry," he said, "but you need to return to the main hall and wait with the others."
"It was him, wasn't it," I whispered. It all suddenly made sense. It was Astaroth. He must have finally come for me after all these years. And he's going to continue taking people away from me.
"Levy—"
"Oh my God, it was." I slumped against Gajeel, unable to stand on my own as my head began spinning.
"Gajeel, take her back into the cafeteria," Makarov told him.
As he nodded and leaned down to pick me up, I felt myself run towards the infirmary doors. Once I burst through them, I wished I hadn't. I wished I had just done what Master had told me. I inhaled sharply, staring at my teammates. If I hadn't been told it was them, I would never have recognized either of them. Jet and Droy were both laying on beds that had begun to turn red, and neither one of them looked like they were breathing at all. They were covered in gashes that only large claws could have made, and someone had taken a lot of time beating on their faces.
I heard Gajeel and Master run in behind me, and Gajeel's gasp of shock. I knew he would feel the ocean of anguish that was beginning to drown me as I stared down at my friends.
Wendy, obviously exhausted, looked up from Jet's bedside as she bent over him, hearing us all come in. "Levy," she said, sounding apologetic as she met my eyes, "I'm sorry."
"Are they..." I stopped, unable to say it. Instead, I just looked at them, praying they weren't.
"No," Wendy told me, "but I've done all I can for them. I'm just not sure it's enough." Tears filled the girl's eyes as she looked at us.
"Can I be alone with them?" I asked, approaching their beds. I was relieved that they were alive, but wanted a moment alone with them in case they didn't have long left.
"Y-yeah," Wendy nodded, hurrying from the room. Master followed her, leaving Gajeel and I alone with them.
"Go," I said, knowing he was still there.
"I—"
"Go!" I shouted, turning on him. I couldn't stop the tears that filled my eyes as I stared at him, and silently thanked him when he left. Get a grip, Levy. Now isn't the time to be crying!
I sat on my knees between the two beds, and took one of their hands in each of mine. "Listen up, you two," I said, looking at them, "you're not allowed to die. Do you hear me? I need you guys, so you can't die." I paused a moment, fighting back tears. When I was sure they wouldn't spill, I stood. I gave them both a kiss on the cheek before heading back out to the main hall. "I will find Astaroth. He'll pay for what he did to you," I vowed.
Everyone's attention fell on me as I exited the infirmary. Lucy was the first to approach me. "Levy," she began, stepping forward.
I put a hand up to silence her, trying to give her a reassuring smile. "I'm alright. If you'll all excuse me, I have some things to finish at the library." I could feel their shocked eyes following me as I left. I can't be at Fairy Tail with everyone right now. If Astaroth really has come for me, he'll target anyone I'm around.
"Shrimp." Gajeel's hand was suddenly around my arm, pulling me gently to a stop. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," I lied. I tried to smile at him, but could only bring myself to grin a little.
"You can't lie to me, remember? I can sense your emotions."
I pressed my mouth into a hard line, trying to keep myself from just burying my face in his chest and crying. "Of course I'm not okay," I told him, harshly. I pushed my sadness deep down, and let my anger towards Astaroth bubble to the surface. I knew it wasn't fair, but I didn't want Gajeel hurt next.
"Is there anything I can do?" He asked.
"You can kill Astaroth," I said, my voice filled with bitterness.
"You aren't goin' to do anything stupid, are ya?" He asked, and I realized he was still holding onto my arm.
I jerked it out of his grasp, frowning. "I'm going to the library."
"Then I'm goin' too—"
"No," I said, immediately. "I want to be left alone."
"Shrimp—"
"Gajeel," I said, meeting those searing red eyes, "please. I want to be left alone."
He gave me a small nod before I ran to the library. I shut myself inside the study room and locked the door, collapsing into a chair.
While part of me wanted to cry and sit around absorbed in my own sadness, I quickly dismissed the idea. Instead of feeling sorry for myself, I would focus on my anger, and use that to fuel me. The best thing to do would be to gather as much information on Astaroth as I possibly could. I no longer had to search for him, since he had apparently brought the fight to me, so I went about reading every book I had that so much as mentioned him.
I memorized what the books told me about his fighting style and patterns of attack, and the different abilities he had. I also engrained every one of his weaknesses into my mind, vowing to never forget a single one.
I refuse to let anyone else get hurt! I swear, Astaroth, I will kill you.
"This means war."