A/N: I don't own Fairytail!
Yes, I am starting a new fanfic. Don't worry, Battle Scars is far from abandoned!
I promise, neither Gajeel or Levy die in this! I wouldn't do that to you... again.
Enjoy my lovelies!
The rain fell in hard sheets, obscuring the solid script mage's sight. She ran her hand along the rough side of the large rock formation, trying to find some way to shelter. Her fingernails scratched against the wet rock, making a grating sound the rain mostly muffled. A large explosion had separated the blue haired mage from the others, putting some large chunks of solid rock between them. She had made it away from the blast just in time, earning a large cut up the side of her forearm. The pain in her arm grew as she walked, sparking a hint of worry in her. Levy held the arm in front of her, trying to assess the damage, but it was no use. The rain and the dark combined making it impossible.
A second large blast sounded behind her. The flash of light from it cast her shadow in front of her. She tried to look at the path ahead in the moment of light, but the rain was still too much. A frustrated groan escaped her lips as she walked along, quickening her pace. The last blast seemed much too close for her comfort and she wasn't about to find herself back in the middle of battle.
Levy pulled her arm against her body, trying to ignore the growing pain there. Her whole sleeve was drenched in liquid that seemed much too warm and thick to be the rainwater. She took her orange headband off and wrapped it around her arm as tight as she could manage one handed. Her fingertips grazed the wound, eliciting a small cry of pain from her lips. It was even deeper than she thought.
The rock wall seemed to go on for ages. If she turned around and went the other way, maybe she would be able to get help. She might run in to some trouble, but she would probably be able to avoid it. In her current state she couldn't possibly seem like much of a threat to anybody. Another large blast rang through the air, this time much closer, effectively ending the thought of turning around. Was someone chasing her? No, that would be silly. The fight was just spreading, and rapidly at that.
Something rustled in the bushes to the mage's right, effectively paralyzing her in her place. She slowly turned around, just in time to see Gajeel lunging for her.
"Move!" He yelled, reaching her as the rock ten feet behind them exploded.
The iron dragon slayer lunged at her, effectively knocking her to the ground and covering her with his large body. A large chunk of rock blew past them, only inches from Gajeel's shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her, pressing her body tight against his. She barely had time to blush before he was rolling away from the wall, effectively avoiding more flying rock.
"We've gotta get out of here." Gajeel urged, pulling the short wizard to her feet. He kept hold of her delicate hand, dragging her out into the forest. Tree branches scratched against them as they weaved their way through the forest, making Levy groan in annoyance. She heard another blast, this time off in the distance.
"Gajeel." She she said, tugging on the dragon slayers arm. "I need to stop for a minute."
"Are you okay Shrimp?" He asked, pausing long enough to turn around and face her.
"Solid script, light!" She cast, the illuminated word appearing in front of her. Crimson blood had soaked through her headband, small droplets now landing on the light.
"Shit Levy." Gajeel mumbled, quickly unwrapping her arm. Now under the cover of the forest, their vision was no longer heavily obscured by the downpour. "When did this happen?"
"Earlier, before you found me." She said quietly, hoping it wasn't as bad as she thought.
"Why didn't you say something earlier?" He asked, looking down at the wound.
She blushed in response, trying to think of a good excuse.
Gajeel pulled of his black tunic, ripping a strip off to make a bandage for her arm. He closed the wound as best he could and carefully wrapped the strip around it. "This should work until we can get you to a healer." He said gruffly, ripping an extra wide strip off of his tunic to make her a sling. He tied it in a loop and gently placed it around her neck, his rough hand giving her shoulder an encouraging squeeze. The solid script mage gently placed her arm in the sling, feeling relieved.
Levy glanced up at the dragon slayer's bare, muscular chest, the blush on her cheeks deepening. "Thanks." She whispered.
"Does that feel okay?" He asked, his large hand gripping her opposite shoulder.
She nodded in response, looking down at their mud covered shoes.
"How bad was the fight when you left?" She asked sheepishly, watching the light off in the distance as thunder cracked.
"It's a disaster. It's not tactical or intelligent. The idiot is just blowing stuff up for the hell of it. He should have been easy to take out, but he doesn't even seem to have any regard for his own life so it's too dangerous to get close to him." Gajeel said, gesturing off towards the direction of the last blast.
"It sounds like they need you."
"The card mage and the sand jerk were subdued, so it's just the guy with the explosions and the two swordsmen left. I'm sure they can handle it. Besides, I needed to come make sure you were alright."
"Gajeel," Levy whispered as another blast sounded, then another. "Something doesn't seem right."
She watched as the iron dragon slayer turned in time to see a large explosion sound flash across the sky, shortly followed by a large boom. It sounded like a huge chunk of rock meeting the ground. He pulled the blue haired mage closer, pressing his body to his. "I think your right. We better get farther away."
"Are you sure you don't want to go back?" Levy asked, very aware of the man's arms around her. "You're not one to run from a fight."
"This isn't a fight, not anymore. This is something else." He said, quickly picking the bookworm up bridal style.
"Gajeel, wh- what are you doing?" She stuttered, feeling the dragon slayer's warm arms tight around her.
"We need to get away and you're hurt. I can get us out of here faster if I run." He said, quickly taking off deeper into the forest.
"My leg isn't hurt." She said in protest, wrapping her uninjured arm around his neck. Three blasts rang through the air consecutively, one after another in rapid succession. She snapped her eyes shut tight, afraid of what was happening to her friends.
"I don't take any chances, not with you Shrimp." Gajeel replied, somehow pulling her even tighter to his body as he ducked under a low hanging tree branch.
"Thanks." She mumbled into his bare chest, wondering how he could possibly be so agile while running with her in his arms. "I think they're getting closer."
"That psychopath has lost his mind. They're freaking everywhere now."
The explosion rippled through the soul of the island. A deafening sound rang out, sending pain through the ears of the two magic users. The earth under Gajeel's feet quaked, the branches of the trees he passed bending out towards the sea. He was knocked into the earth, his body covering Levy with great care as an intense blast of air blew passed them.
The solid script mage's eyes widened as she watched the night sky light up. The whole island seemed consumed, bathed in the destructive light of the blast. A single tear ran down her face as she watched the destruction. No one could survive a blast like that.
"We've gotta go." Gajeel whispered, pulling back to look at her face.
"I think that's the end of them." She replied, Gajeel gently wiping the tear away from her eye. His gentleness reminded her that this was the second time he'd been on top of her today. She was thankful the dark as she felt heat flood to her cheeks.
"Humor me then." He encouraged, pulling the two to their feet. "I'll even let you walk now, unless you want me to carry you."
"I can walk." She mumbled, forcing one foot in front of the other. This couldn't be happening.
"I know you well enough to know exactly what you're thinking." Gajeel said, tenderly wrapping his muscular arm around her shoulders. "And I know them well enough to know they would have ducked out of there before that happened. Happy would have flew Natsu off, even if the idiot didn't want it. One of Lucy's spirits would have got her out. Erza and Gray would have high tailed it out of there once they realized what was going on. Jet and Droy took off the other direction looking for you before I did. Idiots can't track worth a damn."
"Gajeel." Levy warned, casting him a small look of disapproval.
"The points the same. I'm sure everyone's fine. That guy just had some sort of damned death wish." The iron dragon slayer assured her.
"I really hope you're right."
"I am." He replied cockily.
"I think I see something." Levy said, trying to focus her vision on a large rock in the distance. It had a large hole carved into the side, resembling the mouth of a cave.
"We can stop there for the night." Gajeel suggested, his dragon slayer's vision able to see in the dark much clearer. "It's getting late and you need to rest."
"Thanks." She whispered,leaning into his arm.
Small rain drops pattered on their tired shoulders as they entered the cave. Gajeel look down at Levy, a worried look forming on his face as he noticed her arms seemed to be bleeding again. Had it ever stopped? He took a seat beside the petite solid script mage, gently taking her arm in his hands.
"You're still bleeding." He informed her, carefully removing the bandage.
"I know. I think it's deep enough to warrant stitches even if Wendy was here to heal it." She admitted, wincing as he peeled the bandage away.
"I hate to ask you this, but can you make some light so I can look at it?"
"Solid script light!" She cast, the illuminated word forming on the floor beside the pair, smaller than last time.
"I don't like the way this looks." He said, looking up into her eyes. Her face was far paler than usual, worrying him. "It's not going to heal right unless we do something. I could make a needle with my iron but we don't have anything to stitch it up with that's sterile."
"Your iron is sterile, right?" Levy asked, a hint of nervousness in her wavering voice.
"Yeah, but a needle is no good without any string, thread, whatever you use." He sighed, racking his brain for an idea of what he could to for her. Wrapping it tightly obviously wasn't an option.
"Could you make some staples?" She asked sheepishly, examining her arm with worry.
"That'll hurt pretty bad Shrimp, and leave a nasty scar." He warned, looking down at her arm. Blood tricked out of the deep cut, slower than it had before, but still to fast to be safe.
"It already hurts." She admitted. "And I don't care about a scar. There's no way it's not going to scar anyway. I'm worried it's going to get infected if we don't do something."
"Are you sure?" He asked, furrowing his brow. The last thing in the world he wanted to do was hurt her.
"Yes, please, before I chicken out." She gulped, looking away from her arm.
"We need to wash it out first." Gajeel suggested, taking a small flask from his hip pocket. "Don't worry. It's water."
"You carry water in a flask?" She asked, a small smile forming on her lips.
"Only into battle." He said, gently pouring the cool water over her arm. "Don't worry, I haven't drank out of it yet either so it won't get infected."
"Thanks Gajeel."
"You ready Levy?" He asked, tenderly using her name. He formed a small staple with very sharp ends in his fingers and held it up to her. "Does this look about right?"
"I think so." She swallowed, turning her head the other direction.
"I'm sorry if this looks bad later, I'm definitely not a doctor." He said gently, pinching her skin on each side of the gash together.
"Don't remind me." She mumbled, gasping as he pushed the little staple into her skin.
"Are you okay Shrimp?" He asked, gently caressing the side of her face. "If you need to cry, it's okay."
"I'm not going to cry." She determined, giving him a small smile. "It's actually not as bad as I imagined."
"I'm glad." He whispered, pressing another staple into the solid script mage's skin. Gajeel watched as her eyelids fluttered closed, as if she was imagining herself somewhere else.
The iron dragon slayer added another, about a centimeter down. He couldn't believe she trusted him enough to let her do this, especially after the Phantom Guild incident. Levy was a very forgiving person, and way too good for a man such as himself. He formed another staple between his rough fingertips and pressed it into her skin, his iron entering her body. It was oddly intimate to the dragon slayer.
"As soon as we get to someone who can, we need to get these out and replaced with something else." He decided, trying to decide how many more staples it would take. "You should be okay, but I don't want you to get iron poisoning."
"I'm sure it will be fine." She said, meeting the dragon slayers eyes as he pushed another staple into her skin. She winced lightly, biting her bottom lip.
"Just one more, okay?" He soothed, tenderly pulling the end of the cut together. He pressed the little metal piece against her, it's sharp tips puncturing her skin.
"Am I done?" She asked, looking down at her arm. Gajeel followed her gaze, deciding he hadn't done too bad of a job after all.
"You're done." He said, lowering his face to her arm. He wondered how the blue haired mage would react if he kissed her there. Could he help soothe her pain?
"Gajeel?" She asked, looking down at the mess of long black hair before her.
He firmly planted his lips and the base of her wrist, just below where the gash began. The dragon slayer left a trail of kisses up her forearm beside her wound, knowing she could pull away if she didn't like it. He was never this gentle, especially with someone he wanted even close to as much as he wanted Levy. "A little kiss makes everything better right?"
"R-Right." She stammered, a glorious red forming on her cheeks.
The dragon slayer smiled cockily and leaned in close to her face. His eyes met hers, a gaze neither dared break. "I'm going to kiss you now." He warned, leaning forward to place his rough lips against hers. She deepened the kiss, wrapping her good arm around his bare back to pull him in closer. As her lips parted to emit a gasp, he gently nipped her bottom lip, careful not to break the skin. His hand tangled in her blue hair, pulling her small body even closer.
"Ah!" She gasped as her injured arm was pinned between the two.
"Sorry." He said, quickly retreating in his advanced. The dragon slayer carefully looked at the mage's arm. "We should probably re-bandage this now huh?"
"Yeah." She replied breathlessly, obvious embarrassment playing across her face. "That's probably a good idea."