Beauty of Fairy Tail (Gale/Gajevy AU)

Chapter 16

Gajeel

All I could seen was darkness. The next thing I know, a long row of candles ignites, on either side of me. They all seem to be floating, but their light shines all the same. That's when I saw him. The man with the long, nearly black, red hair and pointed ears. The man who ticked me into becoming a killer and a monster, since I was a child. My first master.

"Hello, my boy," hisses Jose. "I'm very proud of you. You really proved yourself on this mission. Those pesky wizards you killed I trust were a breeze. I mean,... look at what you did to the girl." He looks a if he's in a daze. His face went from sheer joy to nothing, almost sad.

I look behind me. I don't want to, but I do. Behind me is a large tree and there is my crime. I can see the outline of three figures. It's the little girl and her team. The ones that I told Levy about.

"You really shouldn't suppress this memory. She doesn't remember your face, but you remember hers. How else do you think she still wants to get in your pants?" It study the figure closer. In the flickering of the candles, it's true. As the light shifts over the body, almost looking like a slide show, the girl continues to switch places with Levy."

I bolt upright in bed. I feel the sheets sticking to me. I feel the matress shift and arms snake around my neck.

"Morning, sweety. Rough night?" Levy quietly mumbles. I shake my head, yes. "Well then, come here." She tilts my head and we kiss. When she pulls back, I let out a sigh.

"I dreamt that I killed you. You were the girl that I killed all those years ago." Levy starts to chuckle. She's laughing at me, after I said I killed her.

"Oh, Gajeel, don't you know?" I shot away from Levy. Her shirt is getting soaked with blood. It starts as the Phantom Lord mark and grows from there.

I can feel the sweat on my forehead, or maybe it's dew. This time I pinch myself to make sure I'm awake. I sit up in my hammock and stretch. I can hear Levy in her room, still sleeping. I don't smell anything new. Last night seems to have been fine.

Well, not completely fine. I could hear Levy in her room, bawling. When she came out of the infirmary, I was waiting by the door. She stopped in front of me. Her eyes were red and there was no hope in them. She looked like she wanted to hug me, but if she did she would fall apart. She went home early. I walked her, but neither of us said a thing.

Since Fairy Hills has a new rune all around it, set up by Freed, I don't really need to be here, but I wanted to. For Levy's sake. Just to be around in case she needed me. Though, with my sleeping troubles, lately, I don't think having me sleep over would do either of us any good. Especially after last night.

I pack up and leave. I'm sure Levy will walk over with the girls and she's pry going to be in the infirmary all day, so I won't be able to see her. I don't think I could face her anyways. I did that to her ten years ago and she doesn't remember it was me.

After leaving my things at home, I go talk to Makarov. I need to ask him about the guild war, ten years ago. I suck in a deep breath and let it out as I knock on his door. I hear a him tell me I can come in.

"Hello, Gajeel. Is there something wrong?" Master inquires, nonchalantly while looking at papers.

"Yeah, you could say that. This is kinda weird, but do you remember anything about the guild's war with Phantom Lord?" I request. Makarov leers over the papers and sets them down with a sigh.

Makarov confesses, "I already know you were a member, Gajeel. It's not hard to find a long record of the great Gajeel 'Blacksteel' Redfox. And I get it. Why did keep an ex-criminal in my guild? Because I saw how much you wanted change. I can also, see the way you see people here. Family."

"Then, you know why I'm here?" I continue.

"The person on everyone's mind, these days. Levy McGarden and the attempt on her life." I nod. "Well, it all started with Lucy Heartfillia. Not long after she joined Fairy Tail, Phantom Lord came to find her. It turns out, she had run away from home and her father was looking for her. The pair hadn't had a good relationship since the passing of her mother, Layla.

"She made friends with Natsu in Hargeon and he brought her here. This town is were your previous guild found her and took her hostage, with Juvia's help. Before her kidnapping, Team Shadow Gear was crucified to a tree. Levy had your guild mark on her stomach. That's when we declared war and tore that guild to pieces," Makarov reminiscences. "After that day, Juvia joined, having found a new love of seeing beauty in the world and, to a lesser extent, Gray."

"But, why doesn't Levy remember me from that day? I could have killed her!"

"She said she never saw who did it. Just a black shadow, a small boy's laugh, and the flash of metal. She... was knocked unconscious and was in a coma for a short time."

"Thank you, sir. That's all I needed," I say, excusing myself. I see Levy enter the guildhall with Erza. Erza sits down to enjoy some cake. Levy heads to the infirmary. I guess if she doesn't know, we can put it behind us for now.