Hello! I know I haven't posted anything in awhile. I haven't been very motivated but I WILL continue Stubborn Fairies and Loss of Direction soon. In the meantime, I attempted this one-shot and attempted to write a better Gajeel. I pretty much failed. But here's my drama filled one-shot! I might make a 'He Almost Died' sequel? Let me know what you think and if you'd like that.
She Almost Died
"I was worried."
Levy suddenly looked up. She hadn't expected him to say anything like that.
"You were one of the last ones to start looking for us." she retorted.
Gajeel crossed his arms and sighed. "I was sure you were fine."
"Liar."
She responded quickly to his statement. Gajeel just scoffed.
"What makes you think I'm lying shrimp? I was right. You did a good job keeping yourself and your idiots alive for that long."
Levy shook her head. "You protect me even when I don't need it. So that's not it. Though, thanks."
Gajeel was silent and being stubborn. He sat on the edge of her bed by her feet. Levy wanted her answer. She braced herself, knowing that sitting up would hurt. But before she could, a large hand was on her uninjured shoulder, holding her down. She pouted up at him, and for the first time that day, he smiled a little. Levy relaxed back into her pillow, but her unhappy expression didn't leave.
"People seem to think that I"m stubborn. Clearly they haven't spent enough time with you." Levy's expression didn't change. "I guess I admire that stubbornness of yours. A little."
Levy tried to stop herself from smiling. Gajeel took his hand off of her shoulder, but Levy grabbed his wrist. "Still haven't answered my question Gajeel."
They stared at each other for a long moment.
"I didn't want to fail."
Levy rolled her eyes, but let go of his wrist. "That makes no sense. You didn't fail. But if you never left you would've. Not trying and failing were kind of the same thing here."
"Never said I was logical."
Levy sighed. Gajeel continued on.
"When I first found ya, I thought..."
Gajeel cursed himself for started that sentence. It wasn't really something he wanted to admit or talk about. He really didn't want to even think about it.
"...I thought I'd failed."
"You didn't."
Gajeel glared down at her. Levy didn't waiver.
"I would've if Wendy wasn't with me."
It was true. If Wendy hadn't been there to use her healing magic, Levy would've died and there was nothing Gajeel could've done about it except hold her in those last few moments. If Wendy hadn't been there. If he'd found her an hour later. He would've failed.
"You still didn't fail."
Gajeel could barely hold back his anger. Didn't she understand how bad of a situation she was in at the time? Didn't she understand that he failed her by not being there sooner? For not leaving the moment team shadow gear had gone missing?
"I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD!"
Levy's eyes widened in response to the sudden burst of emotion from the dragon slayer. She'd never seen him like that.
Realizing what had just happened and what he'd just said, Gajeel re-crossed his arms and looked away. He could still remember the terror he felt that day.
They'd found Jet and Droy first. They were in horrible condition. Cuts, bruises, and broken bones. No way for either of them to walk. He could smell Levy's magic on them and all over the makeshift tent they were in. She'd been caring for them, but she wasn't there. Her scent was almost gone, which meant that it had been over a day since the last time she'd been here.
Gajeel and Wendy were both certain that she couldn't willingly leave the two by themselves for that long. Especially not in their current condition. Wendy stayed behind to heal them.
Gajeel began to track Levy with renewed determination. The lapdogs were alive. She had to be fine, right?
He smelled her blood first. That wasn't a good sign, though it made it easier to track her.
"Levy!" he called out, hoping to hear her voice. She was close. He could smell her, and also the very cold creek nearby.
And then, right next to the creek. He saw her body. Her clothes were discarded next to her, still soaking wet. She was wrapped in blankets, clearly made using her magic. But blood had soaked through part of it. She wasn't moving, even as Gajeel called her name was maneuvering through the woods towards her.
He couldn't stop the tears. He couldn't stop his heart from beating as fast as it was. He had failed. He didn't make it in time. One day. One day earlier and she would be fine, just taking care of Jet and Droy as best as she could. But he'd been to late. He'd never see her smile again or watch as she got way too into a novel. He wouldn't be able to tease her again and call her nicknames. There were so many things he would miss, and he knew that it would create a hole in his life that he could never fill with anything else.
But as he fell to his knees in front of her, he could hear it. The sound of her heart beat. It was weak. But it was there.
Gajeel carefully picked her up, trying not to move her too much. She was cold. Clearly she'd fallen into the creek and injured herself somehow. Levy was smart though. She had the wits about her to use her magic to treat her wounds and attempt to warm herself back up. It hadn't been enough. But it helped.
"WENDY! WENDY! I need help now!" he roared as loudly as he could while heading steadily back towards where they'd separated. Gajeel continued to call for her until he saw her and the exceeds all coming towards him.
Wendy gasped, coming to the same conclusion as him at first. Usually they could hear someone's heart beat while a few feet away. Levy's was so weak right then that you'd have to be very close.
"She has a heartbeat." Gajeel managed to say. His throat felt so tight.
Wendy instructed him to lay her down, and Gajeel did as she asked.
"I need a fire."
Gajeel immediately got to work, wishing that Salamander had gone with them and made this easier. But it was only a minute before he'd started a good fire right next to the two blue haired girls.
Wendy was concentrating hard, harder than Gajeel had ever seen. But he could hear Levy's heartbeat slowly get louder. It was a sound he never wanted to lose ever again.
Gajeel sat down on the opposite side of Levy. He stared at the ground for awhile before seeing Levy's hand out there in the open. He knew he needed to hold it. If he could touch her and feel the warmth return to her, he would be alright. Everything would be alright.
So he reached out and held her hand, squeezing it a little.
"What do you mean, you thought I was dead?" she asked, confused by the admission.
"You were half frozen and you barely had a heartbeat! I couldn't hear it until...until I was right up next to you." Gajeel snarled, still refusing to look at her.
"O-oh..."
"O-oh? That's it? You almost died Levy! And all you say is oh?"
He finally turned to face her and was surprised to see Levy crying. His eyes widened as he unfolded his arms.
"Hey, sorry. I di-"
"No, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you worry." she interrupted while brushing away her tears.
"I didn't know it was that bad. I fell asleep pretty quickly after finally getting out of the creek. So, I'm sorry. You don't have to worry about me."
Gajeel grabbed her hand in his while she continued to try and wipe away her tears.
"Yeah well. I don't think I'm gonna stop worrying about you anytime soon. You're such a moron sometimes."
Levy smiled a little. "Y-yeah. But you're not really one to talk."
Gajeel smiled as well.
"Just don't get yourself in that much trouble again. Or I'll have to spank you or something. Gihi."
Levy just blushed. Exactly the reaction he wanted.
"Help me sit up?" she asked. Gajeel knew that she would do it, regardless of if he helped or not. So he stood up and placed a hand on her uninjured shoulder, helping her sit up and then placing the pillows behind her to support her new position.
He was about to pull back and go sit at the foot of the bed again when Levy grabbed the collar of his shirt. She pulled him back down and placed a kiss on his cheek before letting go.
Gajeel stood up and couldn't help it as his hand went to where she'd just kissed him. He even blushed a little. Levy couldn't help it. Despite the pain it caused, she broke into laughter.
"You just kissed me!" he exclaimed, trying to defend himself.
"That wasn't even a real kiss! It was just a thank you kiss!"
Gajeel knew he had to get his revenge for this somehow.
"Not even givin' me a real kiss. What kind of thank you is that?"
He leaned over so that his face was only inches from hers.
"I want a real one then."
He was certain that she would just laugh and not do it, or plant another one on his cheek.
He was not prepared for her to actually kiss him. But she did.