Frost and Iron: Gajeel x black oc

Distance and Doubt

Chapter 21: Distance and Doubt

Days passed, and the tension in the guild only seemed to grow. Levy had become more withdrawn, keeping to herself and avoiding everyone—especially Aislyn. She hadn't confronted her again, but the cold silence between them was worse than any words she could have spoken.

Aislyn, for her part, tried to keep her distance. She focused on missions, threw herself into training, and kept herself busy to avoid thinking about the knot of guilt that twisted tighter in her chest with every passing day. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't escape the feeling that she had shattered something that couldn't be fixed.

One afternoon, Aislyn found herself in the training grounds behind the guild, practicing her ice magic. She needed the distraction. The familiar rush of cold energy coursed through her veins as she conjured blades of ice, hurling them toward the training dummies with deadly precision.

But her mind wasn't fully in it. She was distracted—by thoughts of Levy, of Gajeel, of the growing distance between her and the guild. And every time she tried to focus, that nagging guilt crept back in, pulling her thoughts away.

Suddenly, a voice cut through her concentration.

"You're gonna break something if you keep throwing those with that much force."

Aislyn turned, startled to see Gray standing a few feet away, leaning casually against a tree with his arms crossed.

"Not planning on breaking anything," Aislyn muttered, though she couldn't help the slight smile tugging at her lips. "But no promises."

Gray smirked, pushing off the tree and walking over to her. "You're thinking too much. Your aim's off."

"I'm not thinking—"

"Yeah, you are," Gray interrupted, giving her a knowing look. "You've been off since the whole thing with Levy and Gajeel. Don't try to deny it."

Aislyn sighed, lowering her hand as the ice shards she'd conjured melted away. "It's hard not to think about it. She hates me, Gray. And I don't blame her."

Gray frowned, stepping closer. "Levy doesn't hate you. She's just... hurt. Give her time. She'll come around."

"I don't know if time will fix this," Aislyn said quietly, her gaze dropping to the ground. "I didn't want to hurt her, but..." She trailed off, unsure how to finish the sentence.

Gray studied her for a moment before sighing and giving her a playful shove. "Come on, stop moping. You're Aislyn, the badass Water and Ice Dragon Slayer. You don't let stuff like this get you down."

Aislyn chuckled despite herself, shaking her head. "You're terrible at pep talks, Gray."

"I know," he said with a grin, slinging an arm around her shoulders. "But at least I got you to laugh."

Aislyn smiled, feeling a bit of the weight lift off her chest. "Thanks."

"Anytime," Gray replied, giving her a light squeeze before letting her go. "Just remember, we've all got your back. Even Gajeel, though he's terrible at showing it."

Aislyn nodded, her gaze flickering toward the guildhall. "Yeah... I know."