Bands of Iron [Gale] {The FT Love Chronicles; Book 2}

Chapter Four

*Gajeel*

Gajeel rubbed his eyes as he began to wake up. He had gone to bed before Lily had gotten home because he hadn't been in the mood to talk to anyone. He saw that the Exceed was still asleep, so he was saved from having to explain himself a little longer.

I might as well head to the guild. Maybe Lily and I can go on another job today. He really didn't want to see Levy. Actually, he really wanted to see her, but he was still angry about what he had seen. Who the hell was that guy? I've never seen him before, but he sure was acting all familiar with the shrimp!

Trying not to think about it because it just made him more angry, Gajeel got dressed. He shook Lily awake, telling him to come on before he left for the guildhall. Lily quickly caught up to him, flying quietly next to where Gajeel was walking.

“So,” Lily began, looking at him, “what happened last night?”

“Nothing. The shrimp ate and then went home.”

“Did you give her back whatever it was that she had left?” Lily's question was accusing.

Gajeel knew that he wouldn't believe him, so he decided to just tell him the truth. “She didn't leave anything. She got mad and left, so I was looking for her in order to apologize.”

“Did you find her?”

“No.”

“Gajeel--”

“I know,” Gajeel snapped. “She's probably still mad, but who cares? It was her fault in the first place.”

Lily said nothing, but his silence was response enough. He didn't believe Gajeel, and figured that it had actually been his fault for Levy getting mad. He was right, or course. Gajeel's big mouth had—once again—managed to get him into trouble with Levy.

“Where are you going?” Lily asked when Gajeel walked by their usual group's table.

“I don't feel like talking to any of them today. You go, I'll see you later.” He left Lily and went to a table towards the back of the guildhall, hoping everyone would take the hint and leave him alone. As he sat alone, he picked up bits and pieces of everyone's conversations around the guildhall. One in particular caught his attention, so he listened more closely.

“Did you hear what happened?” Wakaba was saying to Macao.

“Yeah,” Macao said, shaking his head in pity, “I heard that Rogue and Sting got beat up pretty badly a few days ago.”

“From the rumors, there was only one person that attacked the both of them! It was some dark guild mercenary.” Wakaba sounded shocked. Gajeel was a little bit as well, because those two weren't weaklings.

“They're still in the hospital, aren't they?”

“Yeah. Apparently, they barely made it away from their attacker. It seems like they were just lucky, to me. I wonder why a dark guild would even be after them?”

“Who knows. We haven't talked to Sabertooth in a few months, so they could have done something to make a dark guild angry. And it's not like dark guilds need a reason to cause trouble in the first place.”

One guy managed to beat up two dragon slayers that badly? I know that they aren't as strong as some of the other dragon slayers, but they put up one hell of a fight! Who could have taken on both of them at once—and won—other than another slayer? Gajeel pondered the possibilities for a while, unable to think of anyone other than a dragon slayer who would be able to take them in a fight. He shook the thoughts from his mind, figuring there was no point in worrying about it.