Path to Forgiveness: Two Steps Back

Disclaimer: Fairy Tail does not belong to me. I am merely borrowing Hiro Mashima's awesome characters for my own nefarious deeds!

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"Is it any better?" Levy asked, staring up at the white ceiling of Fairy Tail's infirmary as practiced hands felt the scar tissue on her stomach. Fingers clenching the sheets of the bed she was lying on, the young mage resisted the impulse to cover her vulnerable belly. She could hardly stand being touched nowadays. Clad in only bra and shorts, she felt exposed.

Mirajane smiled. "It will fade soon. There will be a permanent scar, but luckily with the right care it will fade so much you'll hardly notice. Hold still." She took a small round jar from the bedside table and smeared it carefully over the brand.

Though the scar had mostly healed, the thin layer of scabs on top still bled under the bandages if she moved too much. In this case, a training session with Jet and Droy had turned into an emergency when pus and blood began to show through the fabric of her dress. Jet had swiftly carried her to the guild, whereupon Mirajane took charge. Assured that she was in the right hands, her team mates went back out to the guild hall to wait. Luckily, it wasn't as serious as it looked. Levy bit her lip, feeling the slight pressure of the Take-Over mage's hand on her stomach.

The nerves where the Phantom brand was placed were damaged so badly, they didn't even register the icy coolness of the lotion; the bit that ended up touching her unburnt skin froze to the touch. After a bit a numbing effect settled in. Levy closed her eyes and sighed, completely relaxed for the first time in ages.

Mirajane noticed, and smiled to herself. The lotion was renowned for its ability to ease pain. Another effect it had on patients was that it had a relaxing aroma, perfect for calming nerves. It was used mainly for those who had experienced both physical and mental trauma. It was a very expensive mixture, donated a while back by a mysterious benefactor who had left it sitting in front of the infirmary door. Of course, Levy had no idea of this, and Mirajane knew that it was likely intended to stay that way.

"There, that should get rid of some of the pain." She capped the jar and set it on a shelf, her layered skirts swishing on the polished wooden floor.

"Thanks, Mira. It feels better already."

"That's what I want to hear. However..." Mira began to draw the curtains around the infirmary bed. "You look tired. You will rest here for an hour or two. All right?" And, as Erza's had several nights before, her tone carried a ring of finality.

"Yes, Mother." Levy didn't even try to protest as an extra pillow was shifted under her head. She kept her eyes closed and listened to Mira's steps fade as she left for the bar counter.

Despite the peaceful atmosphere, sleep refused to come easily to the blue-haired mage. Thoughts of the night before, her team mates, and the upcoming Fantasia Festival kept running through her head.

She groaned inwardly. The Fairy Tail Beauty Contest! She had promised to participate to fill in any empty spots. So far she had planned to do a demonstration of her Script magic, then quietly let Erza and Mira take center stage. As always, one of the two would win year after year, which discouraged most female guild members from participating.

She briefly considered wearing a swimsuit, but rejected the idea immediately. Despite some of the skin baring outfits she wore, it wasn't her way to show off her body to gain favor and besides, Jet and Droy would be there. Having rejected them both several times, she was well aware of their feelings for her. She didn't want to encourage their crush any further.

And lastly, there was the partially healed scar from her fight with Gajeel. It was too dark and unsightly to even think of exposing with a bikini.

Gajeel...

She wondered idly if he liked the book she picked out for him. He always looked so bored and alone whenever he was in the guild hall. Maybe reading would give him something to do other than glare at her all day. The small mage bit her lip, remembering that one time she dared to answer his unreadable glance.

Jet and Droy had pointed out on numerous occasions that he stared at her a lot. After the first few warnings she got over her fear and turned glare right back at him.

Big mistake.

The moment their eyes met, a jolt of pure fear lanced up her spine. In a flash, the memory of his brutal attack came to the forefront of her mind. Of his hard, heavy body, pinning her to the ground and hitting her so hard...

She dropped her fork, hands shaking as she broke out in a cold sweat.

And she couldn't look away.

The Iron Dragon Slayer seemed to realize what was going on. He had broken eye contact first, frustration evident in his features as he slammed his chair back under the table. Levy held her breath, his footsteps making the floorboards shake as he stalked past her seat.

Goosebumps dotted her skin as he swung open the guild's doors, letting in a gust of cold air. She stared blankly at her plate as they shut, rattling in their frames.

The incident hadn't gone unnoticed; Mira came over and quietly set a fruit smoothie in front of her, claiming it was on the house. Jet and Droy barely left her side the rest of the day. In time, she learned to ignore the former Phantom member. So long as he didn't go near her, he could stare all he wanted.

Eventually, the quiet comfort became too much to resist and the azure haired mage fell into a peaceful sleep.

The victim of a night that was anything but peaceful, the Iron Dragon Slayer limped into the guild late the same morning. Covered from head to toe in both fresh and half-healed cuts, the dragon slayer looked as though he'd just taken an extended trip though a meat grinder.

No one asked him how he was, nor did they question the growing number of scars and scrapes that criss-crossed over his skin. Nor did he expect them to. The inevitable whispers at his appearance did nothing to phase him; he really didn't give a flying fuck what everyone thought.

It didn't matter anyways-he wasn't going to be around for long. After that first meeting at Raven Tail, the dragon slayer was run ragged doing missions for Ivan's guild and Fairy Tail. Every day was a struggle. He had little to no rest between missions, and it was starting to take its toll.

But it was necessary; Makarov depended on him. And at least he was able to fight frequently, which made up for all the training he was unable to do. It was also good money. Most of which he donated to the guild to pay for the repairs made after the Phantom incident.

His eyes slid over the room's several occupants; Juvia was there, mooning over the Stripper. He smirked, half amused, half disgusted. Juvia had changed so much over the past few months, he wasn't even sure if it was a good or bad thing. At least she was happy. Salamander, the Heartfilia girl and Happy were absent. Mirajane was at her counter as usual-she beamed and gave him a wide smile. He scowled in return, eliciting a giggle from the cheerful woman. The barmaid was the last ally he'd expect. No doubt Makarov was behind it. He also had a feeling she was aware of his current role as a double agent. He sniffed deeply, catching a faint trace of Levy's feminine scent. His skin tingled uncomfortably. It was more than two weeks since he had last seen her, the night after his first visit to Raven Tail.

Despite her scent wafting in the air, her familiar azure head was nowhere in sight. She'd probably left before he came in. Her two lapdogs were there, though. They refused to look him in the eyes. Shame, and guilt was written over every inch of their bodies.

Good.

The rest of the guild members were clamoring excitedly over the upcoming Harvest Festival, and the Fantasia Parade after. He turned away from the happy faces, his lip curled in disgust. He'd never seen the use of such celebrations, other than free food and drinks. Besides, he disliked being around too many people; it was one of the reasons he sought isolation in Phantom.

"Damn Kid, what happened to you?" Macao grinned as he leaned back precariously in his chair. His companion Wakaba lazily blew smoke rings from his pipe.

Gajeel was right on the point of making a sarcastic retort when he stopped to consider his words. If he remembered correctly, these two actually liked his singing, the one time he'd bestowed his music skills upon the rest of the guild. The two older men looked at him curiously, and without the open hostility many other guild members still showed.

"Fought a wyvern last night. Request from a village in the south," he explained.

Wakaba smirked. "Was it green or white?"

"Er...white. A blizzardvern." He grimaced, remembering how the dragonlike creature's black talons slashed across his iron scales, leaving deep rents in his skin. "Stupid villagers set up town right on its territory and it got pissed off."

"And you got rid of it? How?"

"Tch. I sang to it. It was so moved it cleared out on its own." The older mages chuckled. Gajeel frowned; it was the truth, after all. Macao cleared his throat.

"Wish I could've seen that. You should go to the infirmary and clean up-Mira restocked the medicine cabinets the other day. You've been working hard. Makarov's noticed. Everyone has."

"Hn. Yeah, thanks." Gajeel hesitated, then nodded politely before heading off for the guild's infirmary room.

Despite the dozens of cuts and scrapes marring his skin, the short conversation lessened his mood. It was the first positive feedback from his Nakama he'd gotten regarding the requests he was taking. Though he wasn't one to seek attention, he nonetheless took pleasure in the acknowledgment of his actions.

The villagers whose town he saved from the blizzardvern reacted similarly as well; at least ten different families invited him to dinner. He departed immediately after collecting the reward, but not before being loaded down with foodstuffs from the housewives of the town.

His shoulder began to ache, reminding him of the cause of that particular pain. Ivan, sadistic bastard that he was, would order his guild members to fight Gajeel every time he made an appearance. Only after the last man fell would Ivan himself come out and greet Gajeel as if he were an old friend. And like last time, his dragon slaying magic refused to work in the heat of battle. He felt severely drained after each of these encounters.

Being a member of Raven Tail as well, the dragon slayer was expected to take on missions for that guild; unbeknownst to people outside the guilds, at least twenty percent of the reward for every request taken went to the guild's treasury. He was constantly on his feet, doing requests for both guilds, as well as traveling up to Raven Tail every few days to hand in his tithe. Though it took a lot out of him, there was still the sense of accomplishment at the end of each mission. He felt himself getting stronger by the day.

He walked down a short hallway and towards the door at the end. The infirmary wasn't the biggest of rooms, given its purpose, but it could comfortably house at least eight beds. Nose twitching, he pushed open the door only to be hit full force with a wall of Levy's scent, mingled with that of a sweet smelling ointment.

The door creaked as he stood just outside, wondering if he interrupting something, when a soft snore sounded from within. Making up his mind, he slipped inside and left the door half open. He wasn't foolish; it was bad enough that he was in a room alone with a former victim of his. But being alone with her with the door closed would only make it look twice as bad. Hence, why he left the door open.

Still, he was curious. Why was the midget here? Was she injured? He scanned the room, more than a little annoyed at the thought of a rival mage harming someone as fragile as the Shrimp. She was so tiny a gust of wind could blow her away.

Then again, any enemy of hers would think nothing of that fact before striking out at her.

He hadn't.

His eyes alighted on the bed at the end, where the curtains were drawn around the occupant inside. He debated on whether or not to take a peek(just to make sure!) and in the end decided it wasn't any of his business. Levy was a woman; she could handle her own affairs.

He winced as a particularly nasty scratch started to sting. He would dress his wounds, go home, shower, then redress them with the medicine supply in his bathroom cabinet.

He opened a drawer and began to rifle through it, stopping every once in a while to listen to her soft snores. Mira kept the infirmary well stocked, he realized as he pulled out a few boxes of bandages. He quickly found some iodine and ointment for his wounds, and set about treating them. He would get this over with, and leave. He didn't want the woman he once tormented to see him like this.

He had just finished wrapping an entire roll's worth of bandages around his thigh(the blizzardvern had tried to take a chunk out of his leg)and pulled his trousers back on when he heard her stir from behind the curtain.

"Mira? Is that you?" He froze, a bottle of ointment falling from his hands and rolling under a bed. As her slim hand appeared at the corner to draw the curtain, he briefly considered making a run for it. But he was a dragon slayer. He did not run from anyone. Least of all a woman half his size.

It didn't stop his heart from pounding anxiously.

As the curtain was pulled across, and the little blue-haired woman stared at him with wide doe eyes, he could only think in his head:

Don't scream don't scream don't scream don't scream!

"Ga-Gajeel?" She was perched on the edge of the bed, her blanket having slid to just under her chest when she sat up. Fortunately for the both of them, she was wearing a bra.

"Errr...yeah," He replied, feeling as if the situation were surreal. "Didn't know ya were in here. Sorry." He turned his shoulder towards her, barely glancing at her out of the side of his eye. "Your...uh..." She looked down, and her face turned red.

"Eep!" She pulled the blanket up further, holding it shyly under her chin. "Um...so...what were you looking for? Do you need any help?"

"I'm covered. What are you in for?" He asked bluntly.

Her face paled, mossy brown eyes darting furtively to the side. "I was...sick. Mira gave me medicine and told me to sleep here for a while." She coughed, and it was a rather pathetic one at that. If she had her reasons for lying, then it wasn't his place to pry any further.

"The Harvest Festival is going on in a couple of days," Levy changed the subject. "I think you should stay to celebrate."

The dragon slayer scoffed. "Why should I? It's not like I have any reason to be there."

Levy looked at the ground. "It's only that...you haven't been around much the past few weeks. I think you should take a break and have fun."

"Fun." Gajeel rolled his eyes, unmindful of the frown he received at the rude gesture. Fun of that sort was for kids, or non-mages who had the time for such frivolity. He planned to stay around long enough for some food, then train during the rest of the festival. These sort of things were not for him. Hell, if things worked out for him he could probably demolish the Demon Barmaid's supply of silver cutlery and beer while the rest of the guild was at the parade.

"Yes, Gajeel, fun. You can even perform in the parade, if you want. I...I am. With Lucy and Bisca. On a float." She blushed slightly, and the dragon slayer had to keep from rolling his eyes again.

"Heartfilia and Gunslinger Girl? Heh, have fun with that. Sounds pretty lame to me." He was at a loss as to why she was even trying to convince him to go in the first place. It rather annoyed him.

"Well Gajeel, you can do as you like. But at least give it a chance before you say stuff like that. Everyone's working really hard for the festival." She tuck the ends of the blanket under her armpits and crossed her arms over her chest. "If they saw you helping as well...maybe they'd be a bit nicer," she finished.

He stared at her blankly, unbelieving. Did she really say that to him? Words of...pity? Pity, from her? From a woman barely strong enough to twist a doorknob?

"Shrimp, don't even say anything else. I don't want, or need your pity. I'm only here for work, and that's all. Don't look for companionship in a guy like me."

Her shoulders hunched, and she brushed self-consciously at her hair as she glanced bashfully away. The blanket shifted with the movement, and Gajeel could see a darker patch of...something...beginning to stain the thin fabric covering her stomach.

"What the fuck..." He stalked towards her, ignoring the pleading look in her eyes as she cringed away from him.

"Gajeel, stop!" Seizing the blanket, he ripped it out of her grasp and stared. His mouth felt dry.

"Sick, huh?"

Levy snatched the blanket back, covering the slightly bleeding mass of scars and scabbed-over skin. She took a deep breath and stood, looking him firmly in the eye. Her gaze held not fear, but quiet determination. Her shoulders were thin.

"Yeah. Sick." His heart skipped a beat, and he knew in that moment who the weak one really was. He looked away first.

"I'll leave you alone now." Too rushed, too low, his words came. They had barely left his mouth before he was halfway out the exit, almost knocking over Jet and Droy on their way in.

Fuck.

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"Are you hurt?"

"Did he do anything to you?"

"What did he say?"

"Let's go after him!"

"LEVY!"

"For the last time, nothing happened! He got medicine, then he left! What else do you want me to say?" Levy burst out. Jet and Droy exchanged glances.

"We were just worried...that's all. We were afraid...of seeing you hurt again." Jet mumbled after a few seconds.

"When we saw him coming out of the room, we didn't know what to think," Droy supplied. "He was in such a hurry, it just looked as if he were up to no good. Plus, you were in there."

Levy's heart melted; they were annoying a lot of the time, but they were her Nakama, and were reliable as always. "Aw guys..." She hugged them both, and smiled. "Let's go out to the movies tonight, ne? Just the three of us. My treat, no arguments."

"LEVY!" They cried in unison, smothering her in more hugs. Surrounded by her team-no, Nakama, the azure-haired Fairy's heart felt at ease. If Gajeel wanted to isolate himself further from the guild, then so be it. He had no idea what he was missing out on.

And yet...

She could never forget the dark look that had crossed his face when he laid eyes on his own handiwork, the Phantom symbol he had branded onto her skin. He looked scared, almost. Was the surly dragon slayer in fact capable of feeling guilt? Levy briefly wondered what would have happened if she'd directly confronted him about what he'd done. If she'd chosen that exact moment, while they were alone, to tell him about the hell she'd gone through after their first meeting. About the nightmares that plagued her every night, of the blood-eyed wraiths that haunted her dreams. Of the self-hate she felt as she lay in her hospital bed, head turned to the side so she could gaze through tear-filled eyes at her team mates as they lay unconscious in the beds next to her. The unclean sensation she felt just thinking about how he mutilated her body, and laughed afterwards. Would he have apologized? Or laughed and walked away?

He had saved her life. That fact was as undeniable as the stars in the sky. He had also allowed himself to be used as a punching bag for Laxus and her team mates, all to gain their acceptance. She was grateful, yet it still wasn't enough. She tightened her hold on Jet and Droy's hands.

They were her precious, precious Nakama.

He couldn't think. He couldn't talk. So he fled. He stalked into the guild's main hall, stomped over to the request board, shoved Nab out of the way and ripped a request off the board. He scanned the paper and grunted in satisfaction. Apprehend a band of rogue mages terrorizing the border town of Lupinus? Perfect. Anything that would get him away for a while.

He brought the request to Mira, who was about to record it when she stopped and frowned, tapping a particular spot on the ledger.

"Looks like someone made a mistake. This request has already been taken. Mystogan accepted it a week ago."

Gajeel grimaced. "Damn it. I was hoping to clear out for a week, at least."

"But the Harvest Festival is in two days, surely you want to stay until after it's finished."

"Huh. No thanks."

"You'll miss out on the Fairy Tail beauty contest."

That piqued his interest a little bit, more due to the fact that he had never associated any of the women of Fairy Tail with the word "beauty". Insane, maybe. He was well aware that the woman before him was once feared enough to have been nicknamed "The Demon" a few years ago.

"Of course, it'll end up being between me and Erza again, so I think I will go easy on everyone this time around," Mira continued. "Maybe hold off on the swimsuits, and do a few transformations..." She brightened. "I also got Levy and Bisca to enter as well, just to put in some more variety."

Just hearing Levy's name made him nauseous. "Yeah...well...I might drop in," he muttered, shoving his hands in his pockets and turning away. Somewhere towards the back of the guild several members laughed, and the clinking of glasses was heard. His eyes narrowed bitterly, remembering Levy's words, and Mirajane's advice two weeks prior. Must he make an effort to get along with these people? To become friends? Out of the corner of his eye he saw the three members of Team Shadow Gear walk into the main hall.

Levy was laughing alongside her team mates, as jovial as she was just before he ruined her life.

Screw the job. Maybe he would take a few days break. Go to the scrap yard and bring back some choice metal. Unable to watch the happy scene, he pushed open the doors and stalked out, the cool summer night raising goosebumps on his skin. On cold windy nights like these, he and Metalicana would retreat deep into their mountain cave, where the dragon allowed him to lie curled up against his warm, scaled bulk. There, the Iron dragon would regale him with stories from when he was a hatchling. Stories of battles won and lost, of a mate who was long dead, and companions from whom he had parted ways.

It wasn't until after Natsu defeated him that he realized that Metalicana had been lonely. As he sat in the ruins of his guild stuffing himself endlessly with scrap metal, his thoughts would often turn to his adoptive father. Why he acted the way he did-aloof, grumpy, like someone had bent his tail out of shape. Whatever anger or frustration he felt on the inside, he took out verbally on his apprentice. Metalicana was not evil. But he wasn't perfect either. Gajeel remembered the one time the metal dragon had pushed him so far, he declared he was leaving and set off that very same day, down their mountain.

"You're a miserable old geezer and I hate you!" An eight year-old Gajeel Redfox yelled, his voice echoing off the walls of the mountain cave.

Two great, red eyes blinked down at him in mixed astonishment and rage.

"You...you dare to raise your voice at me in my own lair!?" The massive dragon roared, making the very walls of the cave shake.

Gajeel shrank back, eyes wide with fear. Metalicana never roared in front of him. He bit back tears of anger, determined not to give the old rust-bucket the satisfaction of seeing the effect his outburst had. "I'm tired of all this 'training'! All you let me do is smash rocks and practice hitting trees. And you never have anything nice to say,"he muttered under his breath.

The last bit did not escape the dragon. "Nice, you say?" The great beast sneered. "Do you expect a pat on your head every time you do something right? Is that what you live for? Praise? How pathetic."

Gajeel had no idea how to answer that. So far as he was concerned, he only wanted his guardian to be less impersonal towards him. He'd spied on families that went on outings outside the border of the dragon's territory, and seen how adult humans treated their offspring. Though he never told Metalicana directly, he craved that sort of relationship with the Iron Dragon. And each time he tried to initiate one, the dragon would rebuff his attempts, sometimes cruelly.

The first time he tried to hug Metalicana, he was seven years old and been attacked by a rogue Vulcan. Frightened, the young dragon slayer froze, forgetting all that he had been taught. Fortunately, the dark gray dragon arrived in the nick of time and killed the wild primate with a single flick of his talons. Young Gajeel was so happy to see his mentor, he threw his arms around one of his front legs and hugged it close in relief.

Metalicana froze, then glared furiously at his charge. "You would be dead right now if I hadn't been close by. Did you not remember any of my teachings?" He curled his lip in disgust and shook the boy off. "You're getting too soft," he rumbled angrily. "Tears and all...hmph." With a last shake of the head the dragon turned around and stalked away. His tail lashed out once, the tip flicking painfully across his apprentice's cheek.

Memories of that incident had fueled Gajeel's rage. Metalicana hadn't understood then, and he didn't understand now. He turned and stomped towards the exit. "I'm leaving!"

"And where do you think you're going, lad?" The dragon huffed. "Think you can take care of yourself, now? I wager you'll belly-crawl back to me in a week, if not less. That is, if you don't get killed first."

"Tch. That's what you think." He walked to his sleeping space, where he stored his fishing spear and extra clothing. Finding a sack, he began to pack what few possessions he had into it.

Metallicana lowered his head until his eyes were level with the boy's. "What do you think you're doing?"he growled.

"Packing up to leave, what else?" he retorted.

"No! Everything you have, you gained within the boundaries of my territory. If you want to leave so badly, do so, and with naught but the clothes on your back. Leave my lands at once!"

"Fine! Stupid dragon!" Fighting back frustrated tears, he dropped everything and ran out, his bare feet slapping against the stony ground.

Gajeel let himself into his apartment, immediately shedding his clothes and laying face down on his bed. His feet hung off the end, once more reminding him that he needed to get a bigger frame and mattress. His whole apartment needed fixing. The wallpaper was peeling, the water was usually cold, and he was sure there was a family of mice living between his ceiling and the floor of the vacant apartment above. He rolled over, and something under the bedframe cracked. A few seconds passed before the left side of his mattress started to sink.

Crap.

He lay on his side for a few more hours, staring blankly into space. Wishing he had just gone back to the job request board. Was this how Metalicana had felt? Stuck in a world with very few of his kind, living alone in the same dank cave day in and out? He didn't need company. Feeling the sudden urge to move, the dragon slayer sat up, stretching his arms in front of him as he looked out the window. It was dusk, the sky painted in hues of purple and dark blue.

"There are people in this world that enjoy being alone, but there isn't a single person who can bear solitude." He covered his eyes with his arm and clenched his teeth.

"Damn Geezer...what does he know?" He threw off the sheets stood up, the wooden floorboards cold underfoot.

He needed a shower.

For a few days did he travel, until he reached the border of Metalicana's vast territory. The areas beyond were meadowland, and beyond even that he could see a much darker green strip against the horizon. More forestland. He knew the exact point where the dragon's boundary ended the moment he stepped over it. The secure feeling he'd always had in his home valley vanished, to be replaced with anticipation of the possible dangers ahead. He cast a single look back at the Metalicana's mountain; it was farther away now, though it still loomed over him.

His stomach growled; while traveling, he refused to hunt or drink from any streams while in Metalicana's lands. But that would all change from here on out. The lands ahead would be his, and he would prove to Metalicana that he could survive without him. With this resolve firmly embedded in his heart, he took the first step into his new life.

Gajeel closed his eyes and tilted his head back, allowing the cool water to flow down his chest. He would have to reapply the dressings as soon as he finished, but for now the clean feeling felt right. He tried not to scrub too hard, for fear of irritating his wounds. The dragon slayer also took the time to wash his hair. Having his hair washed was a secret pleasure of his, and he took the opportunity to do so whenever he had time.

His thoughts shifted again, this time turning to the events of that morning. His near-confrontation with Levy, and the damned mess he made of her body. The fact that she lied to his face as to the reason why she was in an infirmary bed. That stricken look on her face when he told her not to look for a companion in him. And he stood by those words; he wasn't soft or touchy-feely like Salamander and the fucking guppies she called team mates. He'd long ago abandoned the idea of true friendship with any one individual, and he had Metalicana to thank for that. He'd be a strong ally for his guild mates, yes, but never a friend in the truest sense.

He'd had the faintest of hopes when the Script mage literally ran into him that one night weeks ago, but thinking of how harshly he had treated her that day, he realized it would never work out. She was too soft, so much more fragile than the powerful Metalicana. He could never be companions with someone he knew could break if he even touched her.

Unless Metalicana came back, he would always be alone, and angry. And most likely take it out on someone who didn't deserve it, and turn them into a fucking mess.

He really was his father's son.

Levy waved to the spectators, grinning broadly as she dispelled her magic and walked offstage to wait for the results. She knew she likely wouldn't place, but so long as everyone had fun, it mattered little to her. Or so she told herself.

The beauty contest had started without a hitch, with most audience members eager for Titania and Mirajane to come onstage. What was really unexpected was Mira's decision to use her Takeover magic to make her head resemble Happy's, eliciting groans from the crowd. Then, when she did the same with Gajeel, there was mixed laughter and screams of horror. The Iron Dragon Slayer himself looked as if he regretted being there at all.

He lounged in the corner, watching impassively as each woman took her turn on stage. His skin looked sleek and unmarked, though Levy knew that if he were any closer the many faint scars he bore on both arms would be visible. Like Natsu, he seemed to heal fast; though she hadn't seen this for herself as yet, her team mates noted that the smaller wounds he incurred seemed to fade within two days.

To be honest, she was shocked when she first walked out on stage and saw him in the crowd. His eyes stayed on her throughout her small performance, making her feel self conscious. After their disastrous conversation, she was surprised he even shown up at the guild today. She had deliberately left out the part about being in the beauty contest, knowing he would have little to no interest.

She glanced shyly at Lucy as the Celestial Mage prepared to go onstage. As usual, Lucy looked nothing short of perfect, having had her hair and makeup done by her celestial spirits. For a new member, Lucy was immensely popular and sure to place. Levy pushed back the slight twinge of envy at her best female friend. After all Lucy had went through at the hands of her father and Phantom Lord, winning this contest would surely keep her spirits up.

Bisca and Juvia, the two women currently standing on either side of her, looked nervous. No doubt each had their own important reason for wanting to win.

A movement from the side startled her out of her thoughts.

"Well...look who we have here," A sultry voice sounded from the shadows around the backstage side entrance.

"Ever?" Erza's eyes widened. "What are you doing here?"

"It's Evergreen!" The other woman spat, stepping into the open. Levy winced-Evergreen always was in a foul mood, for as long as she could remember. "As for what I'm here for..." She reached up to grab her glasses, and in a flash Levy knew what would happen next.

"Stop!" The bluenette yelled, raising her hands to counter the Raijinshu member's Stone Eyes with a Solid Script of her own.

"Too late," Evergreen sneered, and the world went dark.

Apologies for the wait! Reviews and Input would be much appreciated ^ ^ I hope this wasn't too long.

I just found Hiro Mashima's twitter and saw two pictures he drew of Levy and Gajeel together. So much inspiration from those two images!

~Narutochica

PS- I also want to thank everyone who reviewed the last two chapters! I appreciate your input, and I take advice very seriously. You guys help out a lot!