Gajeel slipped another hook onto a glittery ornament, handing it off to Levy to hang onto the Christmas tree. He glanced up at the tree, smirking. It was short, and plush, and it made her whole apartment smell like pine. When they went to pick it out, Levy hesitantly looked at all the beautiful but tall trees, then she found this short one in the back and fell in love. Gajeel practically snorted. It was Levy-sized.
"Ya think you got enough ornaments on there, shrimp?"
Levy stuck her tongue out at him and took another glittering ornament from his hands, circling the tree to find the perfect hanging space like a predator stalking its prey. Apparently Christmas was a huge deal to Levy. It was late November, and she was already shopping. When Gajeel woke up that morning, Levy excitedly announced that the local tree farm was opening, and so they rushed out to find her a Christmas tree. Gajeel wasn't overly eager about this… As of late, his body was rejecting all forms of exercise. He couldn't go to the gym anymore. Each time he did he wound up stuck in bed at home, and if he was lucky he didn't throw up. And his stomach was just too sore from the injections to do any ab work. So instead, he walked. Several times a week, he walked at the park. It pissed him off to no end that he was reduced to an exercise meant for the elderly or moms with strollers, but it was all his body could handle anymore. He'd be damned if he skipped out on the one exercise he could do.
Gajeel knew Levy was catching on, and sooner or later he'd have to tell her everything. He was always tired. Sure, he could move around just fine, but he was slower. Some days weren't bad, some were horrible. Levy knew he was sick. She knew something was wrong, but she was simply too scared to ask because she didn't want to hear the answer. There was an unspoken law that forbade conversations about his health. A code they both unintentionally created that neither could break. Gajeel had hoped she wouldn't catch on, and thankfully she didn't know just how serious it was. For all she knew, he had some serious viral infection. He wished it could stay that way.
"Oh, this looks so beautiful!" Levy gushed.
Gajeel smiled as he watched her. Cerulean curls sprung out from under her fluffy santa hat, her oversized white sweater and black leggings making her festive and warm. She'd even gifted Gajeel with a sweater and santa hat, which he honestly wasn't a fan of. But it brought a smile to her face, and that's all that mattered.
Levy hummed quietly as she hung the last ornament. "There," she said, grinning. "Now, the garland! And then the star, and my Christmas tree will be complete!"
Gajeel watched from his position in the chair. He was exhausted, and his muscles sore from daily use, but he wouldn't miss this moment for the world. He pulled the silver garland from the box and handed it to Levy, smiling at her enthusiasm. He'd never seen a tree so colorful and sparkly in his life. Growing up, he never had a Christmas tree, and he never felt the need to get one for himself once he moved out. But he'd always admired those who had them. Levy's tree was exploding with ornaments, ranging in colors from traditional Christmas colors to blue and purple and pink. There were sparkling ornaments, ones with fun shapes, then the personal ornaments that didn't go with anything in particular but had personal meaning. Add the colorful lights and the silver garland, and her tree looked like a child dropped their bottle of glitter.
Stepping away from the tree, Levy beamed when she inspected the tree. "There." Bending over into the box, she grabbed the star and held it out to Gajeel. "Would you like to do the honors?"
He blinked, but then grinned and stood. "I got a better idea." He gripped her waist, lifting her up to reach the top of the tree.
Even as short as this tree was, the top was still too tall for her to reach. She squeaked when her feet left the ground, and frowned when she noticed his trembling arms, but the sentiment was precious. She quickly adjusted the star and smiled when he set her back on her feet. "What do you think?"
"It looks great, shorty," he murmured.
Levy grinned and twirled away to grab another decoration box from the stack, and Gajeel just chuckled as he watched her. The pain in his stomach had been intense since they woke up, probably the most intense it had ever been. Every movement hurt, and just breathing felt like knives were going into his stomach and lungs. The ache in his gut was making him queasy. Normally, he would've gone back to bed in instances like this one, but he wouldn't sacrifice this moment with Levy. Though, he couldn't understand why the pain was this bad today. It had steadily been getting worse, but today it was nearly unbearable. His chest and stomach were hurting so bad it made anything productive almost impossible.
Suddenly Levy reemerged from the pile of Christmas decorations, holding up a strand of lights to line the windows with, and Gajeel dropped the hand clutching at his abdomen instantly. She smiled at him and all his troubles seemed to melt away for the moment. Her smile was light and warm, her eyes sparkling with happiness. Freckles stood out on her rosy cheeks. Gajeel couldn't breathe—this woman would be the damn death of him.
"Lu texted me this morning and said that everyone is coming over at five," she said, standing on the back of the couch to drape lights over the window frame. "Apparently Juvia is making her famous cheese dip, Erza is bringing some donuts from that place down the street, and Cana is bringing beer. And Natsu's grilling some burgers and hot dogs! Should be fun, huh?"
Gajeel's mouth watered. Juvia made this cheese dip that had bacon and ground beef that was to die for… She'd been making it since they were in foster care, and over the years she'd only perfected the recipe.
At least the battle with his appetite wasn't proving to be much of an issue today, though when it came time to eat, he doubted that he'd be able to eat much at all. Maybe he'd actually be able to have some food. While food didn't necessarily sound unappealing lately, the amount he was able to eat was way smaller than it had been. He'd joked with Porlyusica that he ate less than a toddler, but that was probably more accurate than he'd meant. He would try to eat as much as he could stomach, though.
"Who are you rooting for?"
Gajeel snorted. "Definitely Azuma."
Levy laughed. "Really? Don't tell Natsu, his money's on Nanagear."
"Orga? Seriously?" Gajeel rolled his eyes. "Azuma will flatten him."
Levy wrinkled her nose. "But I've heard he's really rude."
"Oh, the guy's a jackass, there's no doubt about it." Gajeel scratched Lily's head when he brushed by him. "But he's hella strong."
Natsu and Gray were both martial arts majors (both swear on their lives it's just a coincidence, but everyone knows they're secretly besties). They were also both trainers at the campus gym (also a "coincidence"), and they loved watching a good fight—if a tournament for any kind of martial arts, boxing, or anything that involving hitting someone else was televised, they were in. Tonight, the Kickboxing World Series Final was airing, and Natsu and Lucy were throwing a party. Everyone was going to hang out at their place to watch. Most likely, the girls would end up elsewhere talking, but the guys were content to watch and place bets on who would obliterate the other. The finalists this year were going to make it the event of the century. Orga Nanagear was Fiore's finest, and he would be going up against a newer opponent. Azuma was strong and ruthless, and while he had several controversial scandals with the media over the course of his time in the limelight, there was no doubt that he was strong.
Natsu, Laxus, and Jellal were apparently cheering for Orga. Gajeel took sides with Gray, taking bets that Azuma would destroy Orga. Erza would be the only one of "the girlfriend party" that would actually watch the tournament—she was cheering for Orga. She'd even bought a hat and a sweatshirt with his name on it just for the occasion. When Natsu asked her what her thoughts on Azuma were, she got irrationally angry, grumbling about how he was nothing more than a low-life scoundrel with no regard for respect and basic moral principle. Whatever the hell that meant.
Natsu greeted Gajeel and Levy with some sort of battle cry when they knocked on his door, and Gajeel just rolled his eyes as he stepped inside. Levy looked around for a minute. "Where's Lu? Or Juvia and Mira?"
Laxus appeared with Jellal, both carrying food into the living room where Gray and Freed were channel searching. Laxus jabbed his thumb over his shoulder to motion to the sliding glass door. "Balcony."
"Awesome! Looks like that's where I'll be." Levy smiled and kissed Gajeel on the cheek before slipping outside.
He winced at another wave of pain in his stomach that spread into his lungs when he inhaled, but he shook it off and slowly made his way to the couch. Natsu, thankfully, took a seat on the floor, leaving a spot open on the couch. Gajeel could've cried. The thought of trying to lower onto the floor was sickening.
"Hey, man," Gray said, clapping Gajeel on the back. He quirked a brow at Gajeel and smirked. "What the hell's with the sweater?"
Gajeel blinked and eyed the gray sweater he forgot he was wearing. "Oi, shut up! This sweater is damn comfortable. Besides, Lev picked it out."
Laxus appeared with a bowl of chips and the dip Juvia brought, and Natsu cheered when they found the right channel. "Alright! You ready to lose all your money, Gray? It looks like they're just getting started."
Gray just snorted and rolled his eyes.
The match started and Azuma came in strong, nearly flattening Orga. Jellal chuckled as Natsu grumbled. The pink-haired man looked over at him. "Who are you rooting for?"
"Both have their strengths and weaknesses. May the best man win," Jellal said, shrugging. "Although, I will admit Azuma's character is less than savory. He is, perhaps, less of a worthy opponent and more of a fearsome one."
Natsu gave him a blank look. "So… If you had to choose?"
"If I had to choose, Orga wins," he said.
Suddenly Erza appeared, seemingly out of thin air. Her baseball hat and matching sweatshirt said "NANAGEAR" in bold font. Scarlet eyes were practically on fire with passion as she screamed when Orga hit the mat. "Stand up and fight! What are you doing?"
Everyone jumped at her outburst, and Natsu grinned, joining in. Gajeel could already tell this was going to be a long night. The pain was getting worse, and he felt like he could barely move. And with Natsu and Erza screaming like that, he'd have a headache in no time. Even Laxus, who was laughing with a starry-eyed Freed, was more vocal than normal… They were a crazy bunch of nuts. Gajeel would be shocked if the police didn't show up with a noise complaint. Then again, they lived in a student-filled apartment complex on a college campus. That, and the majority of them took up that whole floor. This much noise probably wouldn't bother anyone.
Gray threw an arm around Gajeel's shoulder and cheered when Azuma landed another punch, his other hand nursing a beer. Another hour of that and Gray would be drunk off his ass, and probably louder than Natsu. Definitely a crazy bunch of freaks, but they were the best friends he could've asked for.
Mira, Lucy, Levy, Cana, and Juvia were enjoying a quieter party outside on the balcony. Cana had grudgingly left the beer keg inside with the guys, but when Mira brought out a bottle of wine and some glasses, her mood picked up again.
Levy reclined into one of the pillows, laughing at the story Juvia was telling. This balcony was the perfect place to catch up on conversation. The patio sectional fit them all comfortably, and there was just enough space left to fit a fire pit. Clearly this was Lucy's relaxing space—she'd moved in with Natsu a few months ago, and she made the balcony her woman zone. Twinkling lights were strung up along the ceiling and railing, and colorful pillows made the couch extra plush. While Levy missed having one of her friends in her own complex, she loved that Lucy was so content. And, if she ever woke up before Gajeel on the weekends, she could always sneak over there and have coffee on the balcony with Lu.
"This is so nice," Lucy said.
Juvia sighed, cuddling a pillow against her stomach. "This wine is amazing."
"The food is good, too," Cana said. "We've needed a night like this. Booze, good food."
"And no guys," Mira added.
There was a chorus of agreement, and everyone held up their glass to toast. "I love Natsu, but there are days when I just need girl talk," Lucy said.
Cana snorted. "What you mean is less explosions, right?"
Lucy groaned. "Seriously, if he sets one more thing on fire, I swear… You know, last week he thought it would be a good idea to see what would happen if he put a fork in the microwave."
The conversations halted and Levy blinked at Lucy. "He didn't."
"He did," Lucy assured. "The microwave exploded, and we had to buy a new one. Again. I mean who does that? Why on earth would he think that putting metal in a microwave was a good idea? I'm going to have gray hair by the time I'm twenty-five…"
Levy gave her a sheepish smile. "Could be worse?"
"How?" Lucy shot a look at Juvia. "Does Gray blow things up? Or have a crazy obsession with fire? What about Laxus or Gajeel? They both seem pretty chill."
Levy gave her a sympathetic smile. "I'm afraid Gajeel doesn't have a burning need to set things on fire." Cana grinned at the accidental pun. "I mean, he does like to cook upon occasion, and he burned the chicken once, but that's about it… He normally cooks really well…" Realizing her pep talk backfired, she took a sip from her wine glass and looked away awkwardly.
"And Laxus?" Lucy asked, looking to Mira hopefully.
Mira laughed. "Well, no explosions, unfortunately. Laxus is probably the most level-headed guy I know. I mean, sometimes he's grumpy, but he doesn't do anything weird. He goes to work, has a beer when he gets home, then we eat and watch TV."
"Wait." Cana sat up, setting her glass down. "You're telling me Laxus has no weird interests? I always pictured him as some closet-psycho."
Mira shook her head. "He's pretty much normal. I mean, he likes beer and working out. And sex, but that's pretty normal, I think."
"Huh." Cana leaned back and crossed her arms. "Who'd have thought."
A loud cheer made them all jump, and they craned their necks around to see Natsu, Erza, and Laxus jumping up and cheering. Cana chuckled and shook her head. "Of course Erza would be right in the middle of that."
Levy looked through the glass. Erza and Natsu were both cheering, clanking their beers together. She'd never seen Erza so rowdy, but the competitive side of her was coming out. She could see Freed and Laxus talking about something with Jellal, and Gray and Gajeel looking at Natsu with looks that clearly said they thought he was insane. Then something else happened on TV and Gray jumped up, Gajeel nodding in approval.
"Hey, do you know if anything's up with her?" Levy asked suddenly.
Mira quirked a brow. "Who, Erza? What do you mean?"
"She's been really weird lately, and I get the feeling she's avoiding me." She shifted, wrapping her scarf around her neck. "I mean, when I came out here, she barely looked at me and ran inside. Did I do something to make her mad?"
They all looked at Erza again. She must've sensed something, because she looked over her shoulder to see all her friends staring at her from the balcony, and her eyes widened in alarm and she looked away.
"You see?"
Mira laughed. "That was probably because we were all staring her down like lunatics. I'm sure she's fine. You know she gets jumpy sometimes."
Levy wasn't convinced. She couldn't think of anything she'd said or done that would've warranted the responses she was getting from Erza. Had she said something that hurt her feelings? Or maybe she forgot something important? The worry was gnawing at her, making her nervous. She hated to think that Erza was mad at her about something. But then again, Erza didn't really hold grudges. She preferred to get problems out in the open and resolve issues before they turned into animosity, so Levy couldn't understand why she was avoiding her.
Suddenly the sliding door opened, and Erza's head popped out. Levy could see how her eyes darted away from her when she looked up at her. "I'm going to go get the donuts I bought; I forgot to bring them earlier. Does anyone need anything from my place?"
Mira tapped her chin. "No, I don't think so. Do you want to join us out here, Erza?"
Erza shifted uncomfortably, twisting her hair. "A-ah, no. No thank you, I'm enjoying the fight." She cleared her throat and sighed, smiling. "I'll be back."
Levy sighed when the door clicked shut, another loud cheer breaking the tense silence. She watched Erza quickly retreat through the small apartment and out the front door. She glanced over at Lucy and Juvia, who were watching her curiously. Finally Cana shook her head. "She really is acting weird."
"No kidding."
Gajeel fought back a groan when another wave a pain wracked his upper body. Each breath was painful, and his body was so tired he could barely stand. Everyone else was jumping up to cheer on their favored fighter, getting into conversation and laughing. Meanwhile, Gajeel was just trying not to pass out. He didn't jump and shout at each punch, he didn't laugh with everyone. Instead, he stayed quiet unless he was spoken to, focusing on willing away the pain. He stayed positioned comfortably on the couch, only getting up when it was absolutely necessary.
"Hey! That's an illegal move!" Natsu screamed, suddenly.
Gray snorted. "It was not, you idiot. You're just mad because Azuma's kicking Orga's ass."
Natsu cracked his knuckles, ready to turn his anger toward Gray when Laxus sighed and threw a beer at him. "Shut up, Natsu. The match is resuming."
Gajeel rolled his eyes at them and studied the studs embedded in his forearm. They were as crazy as always, but while they were all concentrating on the match taking place, Gajeel was still too focused on his breathing. And not passing out. Suddenly his eyes widened when his breath hitched and a cough worked its way up his throat. Not again, he thought desperately. Not now.
Gray looked over at him when he continued to cough. "You alright, man?"
"Should I get you some water?" Freed offered.
Gajeel shook his head. "No, I—" Shit. His words were cut off with another cough, the pain burning in his lungs, and each time his chest constricted his muscles trembled. He'd never been this weak before. Pushing his hair over his shoulder, he stumbled to a standing position and attempted to excuse himself. Jellal came beside him, pressing a hand to his back.
"Can I get you anything?"
Gajeel shook his head. "No." He was thankful the coughing fit died down enough for him to get his words out. "No, I have cough drops at home. I'll be back."
Natsu frowned. "I can go get them."
"Nah, I got it." He covered his mouth when another cough cut through his words, and he waved them off to slip out the front door. Not this again, not now. As quickly as his slowing body would allow, he moved to the end of the hall. Truth was, cough drops wouldn't help, so there was no need to go back to his apartment. He just needed some air, that was it. So he bypassed his apartment next to Natsu's to walk the hallway, in hopes that it would calm the fit he was having.
He took in a shaky breath, eyes widening when he choked on the air and coughed violently. Leaning against the wall near the elevator, he steadied himself for support. Even his vision was blurring. He needed to get home. Going out today was a mistake. Gajeel thought back to that morning, going over the medications he'd taken. But that's when he realized he never took them. He completely forgot, because Levy woke him up to go find a Christmas tree. That alone zapped his energy; he should've known that going to a party would've done him in.
The coughing wouldn't stop. It was getting harder and harder to pull in a breath, to keep upright. If he didn't get back soon, he'd just pass out in the hallway. If any of his friends found him like that, this whole charade would end.
He wasn't ready to lose everything, not again. He couldn't.
Finally, the coughing stopped. His lungs and chest were burning alongside the sharp pains in his stomach, exhaustion trying to pull him to the floor. But he refused to succumb to this damn disease in the middle of the hall. He wouldn't let it win this time. In a desperate attempt to make it home without collapsing, Gajeel stumbled quickly around the corner that took him back to his apartment. Erza just happened to be around said corner, and he nearly plowed her over without even stopping. She lurched forward as he slammed into her shoulder, but he didn't stop. He needed to get back. Fast.
Erza eyed him irritatedly. "I'd appreciate if you watched where you were going," she said sternly. "Though I suppose it was an accident, so I'll let you off with a warning just this once." When she noticed him stagger, she quirked a brow. "Are you alright?"
He gasped for breath against the wall. "Fine," he bit out shakily.
She was beside him in an instant, pulling his arm over her shoulder.
"I said—" He coughed again, wheezing through the pain. "I said I'm fine."
Erza looked up at him, lecture readied on the tip of her tongue, but once she met his gaze her mouth went dry. All the blood drained from her face and she looked like she'd seen a ghost. She'd known about the cancer for a short time now, but she had no way of knowing how truly bad it was. Of course his appearance was one indication. His cheeks were a bit sunken in, the studs along his chin and nose standing out against the sickly pale skin. Dark circles framed angry scarlet eyes, and where there were once rippling muscles along his body were thin muscles from constant weight loss. Erza had only concluded that he was getting worse, and the chemo treatment list she'd seen only aided her thoughts. But this—this was bad. She swallowed thickly, willing emotions away.
Oh, god,she thought. Levy.
"The blood coming from your mouth clearly says you aren't fine," she said softly.
Her concerned gaze pierced him, and he froze. Blood?
In a gentler tone, she added, "Even though there are people in your life who deserve to know, I won't tell anyone if you don't wish for me to. This is your fight."
Gajeel's gaze snapped to hers again, and she squeezed his forearm knowingly as they moved toward his apartment. "How the hell did you—"
"I've been noticing your symptoms for a while now. That, and I saw a chemotherapy paper in your apartment when Jellal and I picked you up for dinner. It was quite easy to put two and two together." Her calculating eyes studied him, and she smiled—it didn't reach her eyes. "Levy worries about you, you know. She's very intelligent, and she's starting to put the pieces together. She deserves to know."
Gajeel looked away. "I know."
Erza was quiet for a moment as she helped him back to his apartment, taking each step slow and steady at the pace he set. "I said this is your fight, so I won't say anything to her," she said softly, finally, "but don't forget we're all here for you. We all care about you, whether or not you choose to acknowledge it." Erza looked ahead and tightened her hold on him. "Levy cares more for you than life itself. Don't you forget that."
"I won't."
Gajeel swallowed. There was the guilt again. The overwhelming burn of sin in his gut that screamed at him to confess. Tell her everything. Levy didn't deserve a monster like him, and to know that she would be hurting once she knew only crushed him more.
They reached his apartment, and Erza carefully opened the door and helped him inside and to the couch, getting the medicine he directed her to. He was reluctant to let anyone see this side of him, but just standing was difficult, and Erza wouldn't take no for an answer. She watched him quietly as he took pill after pill, then swallowed some goopy liquid medicine before lifting his shift to take the injection. She winced at the purple-black bruise and swollen skin.
"About the list of treatments," she said softly. "I think you need to consider it. If you haven't already. There are a lot of people who care about you that will be cheering you on."
Gajeel looked down. "I know."
As much as he thought he deserved death when this roller coaster of a disease started, Levy was changing his mind. He couldn't just give up, for her sake. She didn't deserve it. Levy made him feel like he was actually worth something, like maybe all he'd done in the past could be forgiven somehow. The chemotherapy list had been burning a hole in the back of his mind since he met her. Before then, it was an easy choice. A no-brainer. But now… He couldn't lie and say he wasn't already considering it.
"Gajeel."
Shaken from his thoughts, he looked up at Erza, who was now standing by the door. "What?"
"Fight it," she said firmly. "All you can do is give it your all and fight to your last breath. I know you can beat this. I have faith in you." She motioned to a picture of him and Levy that was framed on the wall—Levy had put it there over a month ago. "Levy isn't the only one who would want to see you beat this. No one else may know, but I can personally guarantee that."
Gajeel's gaze softened. "Thanks, Scarlet. Don't go gettin' all soft on me."
She rolled her eyes and smirked. "Wouldn't dream of it. I'll cover for you until you come back."
A/N: This chapter was one that I had a bit too much fun with. And Erza has now confronted Gajeel! This was a bit of a more lighthearted chapter (which you need every now and then with this story, haha). The next chapter will be up on Friday. Prepare yourselves ;)
Thank you so much for reading! This story has received so much love... It absolutely blows me away. Leave me a review and let me know what you think! PM me if you like :) I hope you all have a wonderful week! See you Friday :)
