Being a Chang

Chapter Fourteen

A groan escaped me while I worked to stretch out my arm knowing if I did not the sore muscle used there would cramp up.

Which would make this twenty times worse than what it was currently.

Not that Levi or the others cared since it was not too serious, and it was all a part of the training they had designed for me. It also was not like I did not get days that were training free, but on those I usually took a few easy jobs with someone from the guild.

It was how I began to really get to know my guild, my family.

Though I did still take just as many solo jobs as well.

"Little blue," called out Gajeel as I was slowly making my way back to the guild after another harder job that I had taken, some S-class jobs really could kick you in the teeth. "You got a minute?"

I had not seen much of Gajeel in the time that he had become a member.

That I believed had to do with him trying to keep a low profile and not knowing how to act around me since I was his destined mate, who he had willingly attacked and marked.

Which made sense so I had not tried to push it and waited for him to reach out to me.

"Sure," I answered with a light smile even as I gave a light shrug of my shoulders. "You know that I have forgiven you for had happened during the Phantom Lord attack."

"I haven't forgiven myself," whispered Gajeel before shaking his head and focusing onto me causing me to still in place at the complete look of torture on his face. "I wasn't taught to be like that, Metalicana would have my head if he knew what I've done... Just please, let me find a way to make it up to you."

He was truly beating himself up over what he had done.

I had a feeling it was doing more damage than either fight against Natsu or Laxus had done to him and part of me took comfort in that. Another part of me just wanted him to move past it.

"Become a real member of the guild," I started slowly almost unsure since we had talked before, and there was the fact that Laxus had beat the shit out of him as well already. "Be the type of man I know you can be, that Metalicana would be proud of. That doesn't mean you need to be some mushy or gentle guy because that isn't you."

There was a lot to Gajeel that many did not know about or get to see.

To me the small chance of getting to know the real man behind the rough and bad boy vibe was something priceless and that I would not exchange for the world.

Not that I would go bringing that up considering I knew how men, and even some women, get when you bring focus onto their vulnerable side.

"Right," sighed out Gajeel before shaking his head and giving me a wicked smirk even as he shifted to throw his arm around my shoulders and drag me forward. "Then we better head on inside, maybe find a job to do together."

While I usually would not mind going on a job with him, it was too close to Fantasia that I was not planning to leave Magnolia anytime soon.

Which he seemed to guess by catching sight of the slight wince I could not hide.

"Or we can chill here, I've been hearing that stupid salamander going on about some big thing happening soon."

"Fantasia," I offered in explanation even as I gave him a beaming smile before locking eyes with Laxus the minute we walked into the guild. "Don't start. Please..."

Laxus only shifted his eyes toward a now tense Gajeel, where they shared unspoken words and came to some type of understanding as Gajeel relaxed and laughed.

Not that I got to enjoy the moment considering Lucy appeared with wide eyes to drag me away from both men and towards where Team Natsu was sitting.

Though a part of me was grateful that she had.

"Please tell me you aren't entering," rushed out Lucy with a slightly manic look to her. "Because if you're entering then I have an even smaller chance of winning."

"Competition is a good thing," added Erza with a light shake of her head even as her eyes lit with an inner fire not even hearing as Lucy let out a wail. "In fact, I do believe I'll enter the Miss Fairy pageant as well."

Oh boy....

I had completely forgotten about that.

"It could be fun," I offered slowly getting behind the idea even as a part of me still worried about what Laxus might be planning. "Who knows, there might even be a surprising winner."

"Oh please," scoffed Evergreen as she walked past us with Bix and Freed slightly behind her, both of whom offered me either a wide grin or a nod of acknowledgment. "We all know who the real Queen of Fairies is."

"Yeah," agreed Bix making me straighten considering I knew that tone of voice. "That is obvious, huh? It's obviously Levy."

"Oh great," I breathed out under my breath as Evergreen spun around and began to rant at the Seith Mage who only cackled while dodging her folded fan. "He just had to drag me into this stupid thing."

"She is Laxus-sama's woman," agreed Freed lightly seeming to slightly stumble over the last part making me wonder if he had wanted to say I was Laxus' mate. "Which would make perfect sense for her to be the Queen of Fairies."

"Yeah," I drawled out slowly while holding up my hands. "I have no interest in that title. Let Evergreen and Erza fight over that one."

"How did Erza get involved?" wondered Lucy softly while the others ended up pulling Erza into the argument while Natsu wondered off to bother Gray.

"You don't know her title?" I questioned back considering it was one that was spread around inside any interview or article about her.

"She is known as Titania the Queen of Fairies. It was something that had begun pretty early on as she began to make a name for herself, it's why I'm slightly surprised I got dragged into this considering the title is already claimed."

In truth, Evergreen still did not seem to care for me and kept her distance, which is another reason I did not want to be dragged into this petty fight over meaningless titles.

Let this be something for Erza to accept and give her a chance to branch out with the other guild members. Mainly since I knew she could be a great friend.

Well, once she broke out of her holier-than-you shell.