Melting an Iron Heart [Gale] {The Fairy Tail Love Chronicles; Book 1}

Chapter Seventeen

*Gajeel*

Gajeel cursed, taking down a few trees before he gained control over his temper. What is her problem?! One minute she's crying against my chest, and the next she's furious with me! And what was all of that about being my property, and leaving her alone? He took out another tree in frustration. He didn't know why her words made him so angry. He felt almost incompetent, having been unable to help her at all. “Why is it that all I can do is think about that damned shrimp?”

Gajeel knew the answer, but he still refused to accept it. He couldn't like Levy. It almost seemed like a sick joke to even consider it, seeing as how the first time they met he beat her unconscious and chained her to a tree. Way to go, idiot. Maybe I should leave her alone. Thinking about not seeing Levy drove him crazy, so he dismissed the idea. Whether she likes it or not, I'm going to protect her.

Still fuming, he headed back towards Porlyusica's. Levy could barely walk earlier because of the medicine, so he wanted to make sure she had made it back alright.

“Where did you disappear to?” Lucy asked, crossing her arms.

“None of your damned business,” he growled, leaning against a tree.

“I know you're worried about Levy, but you don't have to be a jerk to everyone,” Lucy shot at him. “We're just as worried as you--”

“No, you aren't,” Gajeel said under his breath. “What?” he snapped when she came closer to him, smiling slightly.

“You like Levy, don't you?” She spoke quietly so only he could hear the question, which sounded more like a fact coming out of Lucy's mouth.

“No.”

She nudged him in the side with her elbow, grinning. “You're so easy to read! It's obvious that you care about her by the way you're acting.”

“I don't,” was all he said.

“Whatever you say,” Lucy shrugged. “Maybe if you told her how you felt--” she cut off when Gajeel's fist slammed into the tree, inches from her head. “Shut up,” he growled, walking away from her. What is there to tell Levy? Feelings like that are for idiots like Salamander, not me.

*Levy*

Levy yawned, sitting up in the bed and rubbing her eyes. The sun was setting below the trees, casting long shadows across the room. As her eyes began to adjust to the dim light, Porlyusica came into the room. “Good, you're awake. If you're feeling better, you're fine to go home—and take that troublesome group with you.”

Levy nodded, following Porlyusica outside. “Levy!” Lucy shouted, running to Levy and wrapping her arms around her. “Master Makarov told us what happened! Are you ok?”

“I'm fine, Lu-chan,” Levy told her friend, trying to sound convincing. “It was just a shock to get all of those memories back at once.”

“Master said you were really upset by what you remembered,” Lucy said.

“Do you remember where Himiko is hiding?” Natsu asked. “We'll storm the place and--”

“She probably doesn't want to talk about it, fire brain,” Gray said, half naked as usual.

“But if she tells us where it is, we can go beat them up, stupid snowman,” Natsu frowned, always ready to pick a fight with Gray.

“Levy doesn't need you two fighting right now,” Erza warned. “She'll talk to us when she's ready.”

“I—I don't remember where their new guildhall is,” Levy lied. She did know, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't tell them. “I think I'm going home now,” she said, stepping out of Lucy's arms and heading towards the guildhall.

“What about Elite Helix? What if they come after you?” Lucy asked, running after her.

“I'll be alright.”

“Aren't you going back to Gajeel's?”

“No.” Levy's shoulders fell as she spoke. “If it's that big of a deal, I'll just stay with Jet and Droy.” “That wasn't the plan, little fairy,” Himiko said. “Your little stunt with the dragon slayer earlier slipped by me, but you need to fix what you did. Soon, your role in Master Hano's plan will come. For now, stay close to him.”

No! I don't want to hurt the guild. Fairy Tail has done nothing to deserve this, so please, leave them alone. “You know I can't do that. They are in the way, so they must be destroyed. And you will help us.”

“Levy, is everything ok?” Lucy asked, bringing her out of her thoughts. “You look really upset all of a sudden.”

“No, it's nothing,” Levy reassured her. “I just want to be alone for a while.” She left Lucy at the entrance to the girls' dormitory and went straight to her room, shutting and locking her door. She vowed she wasn't going to cry anymore. It isn't the time to cry about what I can't change! I need to focus on breaking Himiko's and Hano's spells!

“Try all you like, child, but it won't work.” Levy heard Hano's voice inside her head, but she ignored him. Instead, she began pulling book after book off of her bookshelves that might be able to help her. Putting on her Gale Force reading glasses, she began reading.

She swore she could hear Himiko and Hano chuckle in amusement as she worked. She didn't care what they thought. She was more skilled than either of them knew—and she was determined to break their spell. I have to hurry and break this spell so that I can apologize to Gajeel before the gap between us grows even larger! My feelings were starting to get through to him before all of this happened, and I don't want to ruin that!