Chapter 6

Christmas Wood

The lingering taste of the cough drops was long gone by the time he and Levy made it into the thickest part of the forest. The crisp, snowy air was once again replaced by the sugar-sweet scent of the forest trees. Levy hummed as they walked, her tiny nose twitching as she darted from tree to tree, smelling their red and white striped bark. Gajeel earned himself a glare anytime he suggested she taste one.

A breeze tickled the hair on his ear and carried with it the faint scent of oranges. Gajeel took a deep breath, relishing in the break from the sickeningly sweet candy smell. He studied the forest for the source of the smell, noticing how the tall trees kept the snow from falling onto the path below. The lanky branches hung low, each heavy with silver and golden fruit. Ribbons wrapped around the thinner trees and Levy untied one to wrap it around her hair.

Gajeel grunted and turned away, ignoring the way the red ribbon brought out the roses in her cheeks.

Levy took the lead and Gajeel didn't mind being left behind. He stared at the shining boots on his feet, glancing up every other step. Levy skipped, her hands clasped behind her back.

At least she seems more comfortable now.

Gajeel hated to admit it, but he was glad the sheen of fear finally left Levy's eyes. Oh, she was still wary enough around him; he caught her giving him side-glances every minute and watched her jump away if he moved too close. But she finally could look him in the eye without trembling and she accepted his dare with the medicine rocks easily enough, so perhaps she was finally warming up to him.

And why do you care, huh? It don't matter if she likes you or not…you're still her enemy, ya still beat up her and her friends. It don't matter that she turns that bright smile of hers to other people and not you…

The bright trill of a child's laughter sang through the trees, startling Gajeel when he realized he had been staring at the back of Levy's head. Gajeel followed after Levy as she hurried towards the sound. The path turned and a small, circular clearing appeared on the side of the road.

Dainty chairs sat around a rectangular table nestled within a grove of trees. Plates, cups, and what looked like fruit from the trees they had just passed filled the top of the table. Three occupants sat around the table, their conversation pausing as they caught sight of Levy. A green-haired woman sat close to a man with long, dark hair. Another woman sat opposite the duo, sipping out of a tankard. All three were dressed in frilly, green and red outfits that reminded Gajeel of the old shepherds costumes he saw up in Clover Town. Levy squealed in delight, running toward them.

"Alzack! Bisca! Cana! How did you guys make it here!?" She cried out, hugging each one in turn.

This might take a while.

Gajeel bit back a smile and flipped around an empty chair. He straddled the tall back of the chair, using it as a makeshift arm rest. His sword scraped the dirt and he unhooked it from his belt and set it against a nearby tree. A shadow moved and bells tinkled next to him. He flinched backward. A young girl stared back at him, her dark brown eyes following his every movement.

Gajeel cleared his throat and jerked his chin in a greeting. The girl beamed a gapped-toothed smile at him and handed him a golden fruit. Grunting his thanks, Gajeel bit into the snack while he tried, and failed, to follow the rapid conversation Levy had with her friends.

"What's your name?" came a small whisper by his elbow.

Gajeel glanced at the girl. "Gajeel."

She continued staring and Gajeel swallowed the lump of fruit stuck in his throat.

Why's she lookin' at me?

He cleared his throat, moving his sword when the girl tried to touch it. "So, uh…what's yer name, kiddo?"

The girl giggled. "I dunno."

"Huh? Ya dunno?" Gajeel frowned, turning to fully face the girl.

Her small shoulders shrugged and she poked her fingers together. "I think they're supposed to name me," she nodded to the man and green-haired woman, "but they haven't yet."

"Why do ya think they're supposed to name ya?" He grimaced at the dumb question. When's the last time he talked to a tiny pipsqueak anyway?

"I'm…not sure. They're the first ones I saw when I got here. I've seen others too, but they're my favorites."

Gajeel grunted, snagging another piece of fruit from the table. He had no idea what the squirt was talking about. He glanced at the group chatting close together at the head of the table. The easy conversation flowed between all four mages, each able to interject and add whatever they wanted to say. Bright smiles lit their faces and laughter filled the air. Cana, the dark haired mage, reached over and ruffled Levy's hair. Alzack put his arm around Bisca's shoulders, holding her close. Gajeel rubbed away the tightness in his gut.

What would it be like to have actual friends? To belong, to smile and laugh and not have people look at him as if he would go berserk at any moment?

"Is she your favorite?"

"Huh?"

The girl pointed and Gajeel's face turned warm when Levy glanced at them. Gajeel ducked his head, focusing on the fruit in his hands.

"Nah," he whispered, "Pretty sure she hates me."

"Why?"

Gajeel glanced at the girl, seeing her little head tilted to the side. Her pigtails flopped against her chubby cheeks. Her dark eyes blinked up at him as if she didn't notice the piercings, the scars, the nasty look in his eyes. She looked at him as if she just saw…him. Gajeel sighed, lifting the kid to his lap. She snuggled under his chin, filling him with a warmth he never knew existed.

"I was…mean to her. That's why she's not my…friend, I guess."

"How were you mean to her?"

"I…hurt her, I guess you can say."

"Did you do it on purpose?"

She peered up at him, so innocent and pure. She would probably run away screaming if she knew even a few of the things he had done over the years. Her tiny fingers traced the scars on his arms. The silence between them lengthened. His chest tightened until he could no longer breath. The girl rubbed his arm and Gajeel slowly nodded his head.

"Yeah," he choked on the word, "Yeah…it was on purpose."

"Hmm," the girl squeezed her eyes shut and tapped her chin.

Gajeel's lips twitched and the tightness in his chest slowly loosened.

"Aren't you too little to be frowning that hard?" he said, flicking the girl on the forehead.

She huffed and rubbed the sore spot, "I'm thinking!"

"Ah, ok." Laughter bubbled up inside him and he found himself playing with the girl's soft hair.

Finally, the girl nodded and twisted to look at him. "I know what you have to do!"

"And what's that, Squirt?"

For some reason, the girl brightened. "You just need to say sorry!"

"What?"

The girl bounced on his lap, "You need to say sorry and that you'll never do it again, and then you can be friends again!"

He snorted a laugh. "Wish it was that easy, kid."

"But aren't you sorry?"

Gajeel glanced at the smiling, blue-haired mage. "...more than anythin'."

"Then just say so! But you have to mean it, otherwise it doesn't count!"

She pointed at his nose and frowned deeply. Gajeel barked a laugh and ruffled the girl's hair, smirking at her shriek when he messed up her pigtails.

Before he could ask the strangely wise little girl how to start a proper apology, the others at the table stood and began to hug each other. The mage couple called and the girl hopped off his lap with a soft goodbye. Levy stood from the table, waving to her friends. Gajeel stretched and twisted before buckling his sword back to his hip. He didn't actually need it, but it made him feel like a proper gentleman for once.

Levy eyed him strangely as they continued their journey down the forested path. After a few, silent moments, she skipped a few steps to take the lead, leaving Gajeel to his own thoughts. The tiny girl's conversation twisted and turned in his mind. He glanced at the humming mage in front of him.

Is it really that simple as apologizin'?

He honestly had no idea, but for the first time since he joined Fairy Tail, he began to hope.