Chapter six, yay! Anyway, more back story, I hope I'm not killing you all with back story... also please don't hate me for this! :'(
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Chapter Six: A Haunting Past
It felt like a fire was burning through his body. His heart rate was slowing and his muscles were refusing to obey him. His vision was clouding over and desperate moans were escaping him, despite his best efforts to hold them back. He could tell he was being carried, but to where he had no idea. His mind would allow him to process only one thought.
Poison.
He could hear the small, quick footsteps of someone following and impatient orders being shouted ahead of him. A feminine, old voice, he thought, a very irritated voice.
He knew that voice... Darkness threatened to overwhelm him again and he succumbed once more.
Levy felt like she was living a horrendous nightmare. Fear clutched her heart and refused to release it. Gajeel lay on a bed in the infirmary, a sheen of sweat coated his brow and his mouth was twisted into a bleak expression of pain. The wound was bandaged now but the antidote was taking far too long to start working for Levy's liking.
It was a fast acting poison, one that directly attacks the heart but it was extremely rare and therefore the antidote was rarer still, but Porlyusica had done her best and all they could do now was wait.
The woman had cursed a great deal when Gajeel was initially brought in but she kept a vigilant eye on 'the brat' as she called him, and what she called the majority of her patients in fact, even the King himself. But what Levy found particularly absurd was that on first seeing Gajeel in her largest guard's arms, she had muttered, "so, the brat is still getting himself into trouble." Did they know each other? How could that even be possible?
A moan escaped Gajeel and Levy turned her attention to him once again. His hands were clenched into tight fists and she covered one with her own hand and marvelled at the stark contrast. Her hands were delicate and perfect but his were large and covered in small scars, probably the consequences of his profession she thought with a wry smile. But he'd saved her life thanks to that training, "thank you," she murmured into the silence and tears welled up in her eyes.
If he dies because of me... she dashed the tears away, no. She couldn't think like that. He's strong. He'll make it.
She willed herself to believe it and willed Gajeel to combat the poison. Her eyes travelled down to the wound. A clean bandage covered it now but it seemed to have been deep, if the sheer amount of blood had been any indication. It would scar but she supposed it would blend in with the ones that already marred his right arm. She wondered how he got them but a deep voice interrupted her thoughts.
"Princess, the King has requested your presence," the massive, white haired man, Elfman, said from the door, his shoulders blocking the entrance due to their bulk.
Levy sighed inwardly, she didn't want to leave Gajeel but her adopted father would be worried.
"I'll watch him girly, you go on now, your tears and guilt won't help him any."
Levy startled, she hadn't realised the pink haired old lady had been in the room. Her red eyes were creased in a frown and she nodded at her before turning back to the papers in front of her.
"A real man believes in his strength, so you should believe in him too," Elfman offered before turning to lead the way.
Gajeel woke and was both relieved and surprised to find the blue haired girl by his side. She sat in a chair but her head lay on his bed, resting in the crook of her arm. Her blue hair fanned out behind her but a few stray tendrils lay across her face. He reached an arm over and carefully pushed them to the side. His hand shook and he growled low in irritation. He hated feeling so weak but that poison had almost consumed him, his limbs ached still and a dull headache throbbed in his temple.
Levy stirred and mumbled in her sleep and Gajeel jerked suddenly as he realised her small hand was closed over his. It seemed no matter how hard he pushed her away, she was determined, and he smirked despite himself. He cared for her; he wanted to be there for her, to protect her. His heart clenched as he recalled the moment he had spotted the red woman, the way his blood had roared in his ears as he realised Levy's imminent danger. He had recognised the lethal woman after all, due to his brief affiliation with her assassin's guild, Raven Tail, the guild that had effectively destroyed his life. As the memories threatened to overcome him her soft voice interrupted-
"Gajeel, you're awake," she said before blushing furiously and releasing his hand and frantically fixing her tousled hair.
He chuckled softly but said nothing as Porlyusica made her way over to him.
"So, you're still fond of playing with knives then, boy?" she growled at him, her familiar glare matching his own.
Levy's eyes widened in surprise but she nodded, as if confirming some conclusion she'd already drawn in her head.
"It's lovely to see you again too," he drawled sarcastically.
"I don't need your cheek, brat, especially when I've just spent the last few hours ensuring you wouldn't kick the bucket!"
A smirk tugged at his mouth and he nodded his head at her in thanks. She scowled at him in response and his grin widened.
Levy watched the scene unfold before her with curiosity and turned to him with questioning eyes when Porlyusica took her leave.
Gajeel stared at her blankly and she rolled her eyes, "Well, how do you two know each other?"
He sighed, he knew that's what she'd ask.
"She's patched me up a few times before," he muttered in that vague way of answering of his.
"But she's worked here for the past four years?"
So that's where she had disappeared to. His chest constricted and he scowled.
"I'm sorry Gajeel, I don't mean to pry, I'm just curious is all. Hell, you've just been poisoned and here I am demanding answers," Levy sighed and rubbed a hand absent-mindedly over her forehead, "Thank you for saving my life," she turned her face to his then and her radiant smile was back in place.
He nodded at her and thought how he wouldn't hesitate to do it again. He wouldn't lose someone important to him again. Raven Tail, he should have known they'd be behind such a large scale assassination.
"I need to speak to the King, Shrimp," he announced and she gaped at him-
"You nearly died! Can't it wait?"
"No. I know who's trying to assassinate you."
Fear clouded her eyes, but an expression of anger contorted her features too.
"Shorty?"
"You nearly died because I couldn't defend myself. Any of those people could have died last night, because of me."
He made to interject but she cut him off-
"Gajeel," her brown eyes pinned his in that determined manner of hers, "teach me to defend myself. Please Gajeel, teach me how to wield a blade, I hate feeling so utterly helpless."
He stared at her in blatant surprise but before he'd even considered the task he was taking on, he agreed. Her warm smile sent shivers down his spine and she suddenly threw her arms around his neck and a choked sound of surprise escaped him.
"Thank you," she murmured before withdrawing quickly and scurrying for the door.
"I'll fetch my uncle for you now," and with that she was gone.
Levy returned a short while later, Makarov in tow. She remained silent as the King crossed the room and grasped Gajeel's hand, "thank you, for protecting Levy," he said, respect evident in his tone.
Gajeel awkwardly muttered a few words looking flustered and Levy hid her giggle.
"Now, what is it that you have discovered my boy?"
"It's Raven Tail, an assassin's guild, who are attempting to murder her."
"Raven Tail? And how did you reach this understanding?"
"The woman, I recognised her, I was involved briefly with Raven Tail."
Makarov fixed him with a look of surprise, "I had heard you had had dealings with Phantom Lord, not Raven Tail?"
He took a deep breath, "I was working as a double agent for Phantom Lord."
"Ah, and they found you out?"
Gajeel nodded in silence and a look of sorrow and understanding crossed Makarov's features.
"Ivan is not one to easily forgive such things."
Levy looked to the King-
"Ivan?" Gajeel and Levy said in unison
"As in your son?/ You know him?"
Levy's words must have suddenly registered as Gajeel's face contorted into a mixture of shock and rage.
"Your son!" he bellowed.
Levy looked to him in surprise, confused at his sudden outburst as Porlyusica abruptly barged into the room.
"Shut up brat! Before you make a fool of yourself!" she yelled at him.
"His son killed her!" he hollered, pain and anguish evident in his tone.
Makarov's face clouded with regret and shame, "Gajeel, my son and I are two very different people, you must remember that. My son has done terrible things but I cannot take the blame for them."
Gajeel struggled to control his temper as I tirade of emotions threatened to overcome him.
Levy was torn, she wanted to go to Gajeel but she was unsure, so she stayed where she was and attempted to process the latest information. Ivan! Ivan, her own relative was the one trying to have her killed!
"You cannot blame Makarov for the actions of another Gajeel, he is not the one who took her from us," Porlyusica said, a weariness evident in her posture from a deeply rooted grief.
Gajeel's breaths were laboured but he sank back into his pillows after regaining some control.
"I feel shame and sorrow for Ivan's actions Gajeel, I implore you to believe it, but I cannot undo what has been done and for that I am sorry. I am sorry that my family has hurt you so."
Gajeel turned away from him and Makarov left the room with the pink haired physician.
Levy remained in the corner, stunned by what had just transpired. Makarov seemingly already knew of the girl Gajeel and Porlyusica were referring to, Levy had seen the shame and sorrow that weighed down on his shoulders as he had left the room. But Levy herself had no idea.
She couldn't dwell on this however as Gajeel started to speak, his voice hoarse with emotion.
"My Dad left when I was a kid, no warning, no nothing, one day he was just gone, and the same thing happened to her. I found her in the streets, a small scrap of a thing defending a little white cat she'd come across when these little shits were pelting it with stones. She had a real knack for caring for people and animals, she stitched up Lil's eye when we first found him and she was forever running to help Porlyusica take care of people."
"I took her in but it was hard trying to feed the both of us and I got involved in some shit. I started taking up small jobs for an assassin's guild, Phantom Lord, part of that job was playing the double agent. I infiltrated Raven Tail and played Ivan's pet for eight months," he spat.
Levy stood frozen in the shadows of the room, afraid to say anything for fear that would stop him from speaking.
"The bastard found out and he went after her, they broke into our home-
I was too late."
He stopped speaking and Levy imagined the haunting images that must plague him daily. He'd taken in the scene of devastation and then found this little girl, whom he'd come to care for.. lifeless, murdered, and completely unreachable. As she stared at his back, tears silently rolled down her face.
"I vowed to her that I'd avenge her, but I couldn't get close to them, every time I tried to track them down, I'd hit a dead end until one day I met him, Ivan. But it was a set up, he just wanted to fuck with me. As I hurtled toward him, two of his men ambushed me and that's how I got those scars, he gestured to his right, bandaged forearm. I wasn't strong enough so, for practice, I started tearing down other assassin guilds and became known as Kurogane."
Levy swallowed, unsure of what to do.
"She had blue hair you know, like you," he murmured.
On impulse, Levy crossed the room, tears flowing freely now, and threw her arms around his neck for the second time that day. His whole body tensed but he didn't push her way.
"What was her name?" she whispered, her voice cracking with emotion.
His voice was hoarse and muffled as he finally answered her-
"Wendy."
He gathered Levy in his arms and buried his nose in her blue hair as her shoulders shook with grief for the little girl she had never known and would never have the chance to meet.