Frost and Iron: Gajeel x black oc

Unspoken

Chapter 22: Unspoken

That night, as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm orange glow over Magnolia, Aislyn found herself standing outside Gajeel's house once again. She hadn't planned to come here—not so soon after everything that had happened—but something about the quiet of the evening, the tension in the air, had drawn her to his door.

Her hand hovered over the door, hesitating for a moment before knocking.

The door creaked open, and Gajeel's familiar, gruff voice greeted her. "You planning to stand out there all night, or are you coming in?"

Aislyn smirked despite herself, stepping inside. "Didn't think you'd want company."

"I didn't say I did," Gajeel replied with a grin, closing the door behind her. "But you're here, so I'll deal with it."

Aislyn rolled her eyes, but there was a warmth in her chest as she settled into the chair near his fireplace. The familiar scent of metal and warmth filled the room, and for the first time in days, she felt like she could breathe.

Gajeel watched her from the kitchen as he grabbed two glasses and a bottle of whiskey from a cabinet. "You here to talk about Levy?"

Aislyn shook her head. "No... not really. I just needed to get out of my head for a bit."

Gajeel poured the drinks, handing her a glass as he sat down beside her. "You think too much, Ice Queen."

"So I've been told." Aislyn took a sip of the whiskey, letting the burn chase away some of her lingering guilt. "You think she'll forgive me?"

Gajeel sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. "Levy's strong, but she's stubborn. She'll come around eventually, but you can't force it."

Aislyn nodded, staring into her glass. "I just wish I could fix it."

"You can't fix everything," Gajeel said quietly, his voice softer than usual. "But you're not alone in this."

Aislyn glanced at him, her heart skipping a beat as their eyes met. There was something unspoken between them—something that had been building ever since that night they had fallen asleep together, something neither of them had fully acknowledged.

But before Aislyn could say anything, Gajeel stood, walking over to the window and looking out at the night sky.

"Levy'll figure it out eventually," he said, his back to her. "But in the meantime, we deal with it together."

Aislyn watched him, her heart aching with a mixture of emotions she couldn't quite name. She didn't know where they stood—if they were just friends, if they were something more—but in that moment, it didn't matter. All that mattered was that they weren't alone in this.

And for now, that was enough.