Frozen Shadows || Rogue Cheney x Reader

Chapter 9: Playing with Iron

June X791

Second Person P.O.V

"Loser!" you shout in Gajeel's face as he breathes heavily.

"Not...fair," he pants.

"Well, you might have won if you weren't such an oversized oaf."

You and Gajeel just had a friendly little race around the entire mountain, and thanks to your agility, you smoked him. He was surprised at how easily you beat him, but you saw it coming.

It's been a month since you began your training with the Iron Dragon Slayer and his exceed partner. You only have today left of training until you're scheduled to meet up with Sting and Rogue in Freesia Town. All your abilties have skyrocketed to the next level and now you have a few new tricks up your sleeve for the Grand Magic Games.

"I'm all muscle," Gajeel defends.

"You're right; all brawn and no brains," you laugh.

"I do, too!"

"Do not!"

"Now don't start arguing like children," Lily butts in.

"He started it because he's a sore loser," you huff.

"Am not!" he retorts.

"Whatever," you roll your eyes.

"You fight like brother and sister," Lily comments.

You turn to Gajeel and you both smirk. "That's because we are. To us anyway," you say.

"Yeah, I basically raised the kid; that's why she turned out so great," Gajeel says, putting you in a loose headlock.

"Hey!" you shout, kicking the back of his knee so it buckles forward and he releases you. "Save it for the arena."

"Right. What does Sabertooth have planned for strategy anyway?" Gajeel asks while standing up.

"We don't really have a strategy. Our power is enough to overtake any team. What about Fairy Tail?"

"Makarov has this huge scheme planned out for us, but I can't say anything; you're still the enemy."

"Wow, thanks, bro'," you say sarcastically.

"If you join Fairy Tail, then I can tell you," he offers.

"You wish. I'd never leave Sabertooth."

"Because of lover boy."

You shrug. "Maybe."

And it was the truth. You were beyond nervous to see your partners tomorrow because of all that happened before you left. Will anything be different with Rogue? Will the trio stick together? You didn't know the answers to these questions.

Later on, you, Gajeel, and Pantherlily head back to the campsite to pack up the equipment. It's getting dimmer outside and you know it'll be dark by the time the three of you get to the train station. Gajeel and Lily have a two hour ride ahead of them to have a week of training with their team while you have a six hour ride that you are already dreading.

You start packing up the tent and putting your clothes into your duffle bag as Gajeel does the same. You completely loved spending time with Gajeel and Lily this past month. It made you feel like you had a real family again and it was heartbreaking to say goodbye.

You start your trudge down the mountain and you and Gajeel playfully shove each other to get the other to fall, but you both stay on your feet. You already know how much you're going to miss this and you can't help but frown.

"Gajeel?" you ask.

"Yeah, kiddo?"

A few moments of silence pass. "I really missed you," you admit.

Gajeel halts in his step, making you stop, too. Lily continues to fly ahead and you and Gajeel look at each other.

"I know and I'm sorry I left you," he apologizes.

"I know it wasn't your fault. It's just that, after you left, I sort of felt lost. I always went by your guidance for a lot of things, and to know I couldn't call you up to talk, I felt so alone," you sigh.

Gajeel pulls you into a hug and you wrap your arms around him in return. No words are spoken because you both understand each other by the gesture. You stay like that for a few minutes before returning to your trip down the mountain in a comfortable silence.

It's pitch black outside with only the street lamps to guide you down the sidewalk to the train station. The sky is covered with millions of stars and the air is light with a gentle breeze sweeping by every now and then.

You stand at the platform and stare out into the eerie forest that's on the other side of the tracks.

"Nothings going to change between us, right? After the games, I mean," I ask.

"Never. No matter how much our guilds hate each other, family comes first," Gajeel responds.

"But our guilds are suppose to be our family," you point out.

"Yeah, but you know what I mean."

"Yeah, I do," you say.

"Come on, guys. Stop being all depressing and end on a happy note," Lily chimes in.

You grin and turn toward him. "It just sucks that I'm about to be throwing up my guts for six hours," you grumble.

"You still have motion sickness?" Gajeel questions.

"Yeah, and I found out something interesting about it."

"What?"

"All dragon slayers obtain it once they reach a certain level of power. I can't imagine how you've never gotten it," you say.

"No way! That stupid Salamander has it and he's weak," he says.

"It's the truth," you laugh as you begin to hear the tracks rattle.

The train pulls up and the three of you board it. You instinctively get into your corner while Gajeel coincidentally sits in Rogue's corner. Gajeel seems to notice the gold plague with the name 'Sabertooth' etched into it with the guild's emblem as his studded eyebrows furrow.

"Private train cart," you clarify.

"All the perks," Gajeel chuckles.

You brace yourself for the train to take off and you feel the nausea hit you. You hear something from the other end of the cart and look to see Gajeel about to puke up his guts.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" you manage to choke out.

"I feel so sick," he says.

You smirk. "Welcome to the next level of dragon slayers."