Warning: You think there's less swearing? You've got to be kidding...

A/N: No beta, just me, realizing how tremendously late this is, and I apologize.

Alone
- 2/2 -

In the matter of days, he was back to his old self. The angry, malevolent, smug Gajeel who clobbered anyone he was pissed off with. His grin was malicious and devious, and the evil glint in his eye drove away all the newcomers to the Guild, so the Juvia incident wouldn't occur again.

Sometimes, he would catch Juvia looking his way, something between pity and sadness in her eyes, but he would then glare in her direction and she would continue having a conversation with her new partner, the Earth Mage named Sol. Element 4 was beginning to be a Team that was highly gossiped about. Not just in their Guild, but around certain areas of Fiore. They were nearly popular as him. Nearly.

Jose treasured Element 4 like he would his own kids (yeah, like anyone would want to sleep with him) because they were raising the popularity and credibility of Phantom Lord. Before that, Jose didn't have given a shit about any of those four Mages, other than using Aria for his own gain. Not only was Jose a bastard, but a greedy bastard too. But that greediness allowed Gajeel to do pretty much do any fucking anything he wanted so he'd just have to put up with the old dude.

"Gajeel, I have received some information from Mr. Heartphilia," Jose told him.

"Who?"

"A very rich business man," Jose told him with a dismissal of his hand. "It's not that important. What is important is that he asked us to obtain his daughter and is willing to pay a very high amount." Jose widely grinned at Gajeel, one which the dragon-slayer didn't return.

"So you want me to kidnap the girl," he said, rolling his eyed. Couldn't Jose just say that in the first place, instead of annoying him?

"It's not that easy," Jose told him, his grin fading into a scowl. "She happens to be a part of a certain Guild." Gajeel could easily guess which, from the blazing look in Jose's dark eyes. "I say it's about time we put an end to Fairy Tail, don't you?"

Gajeel smirked. "I think I like where this is going," he said, looking forward to anything that allowed him to finally meet the 'famous' Salamander and cause some damage.

He thought he may have taken it too far when he attacked those three Mages of the Fairy Tail Guild.

But he didn't want to wait anymore. Jose kept saying, "Wait a little while longer," and fuck, how long would he have to be patient until he was finally able to pulverize Salamander? It was taking way too long for him and Jose was just too busy being a total pussy. Gajeel knew that Metalicana would be wrinkling his nose in disgust at their supposed Master's confidence. Metalicana would probably tell Gajeel that he was a fucking dragon-slayer and that he should take charge.

So that was what he was going to do, Jose's orders be damned. Those fairy freaks cared a lot about each other – he could smell their lovey-dovey feelings oozing off of them – and when the found out that Gajeel, a Mage of the Phantom Lord Guild, had attacked three of their own? They would be beyond pissed.

He caught the three Mages them leaving their Guild Hall, the two boys energetically talking over one another, trying to win the short girl's attention. And then he had only felt anger, seeing their friendship. He had never had anything like that, not even with Juvia.

"What do we have here?" he asked, taunting them as he dropped down from the sturdy branches of the giant oak tree. The three of them backpedaled but didn't make a run for it, even though they were startled. "A bunch of fairies," he said in distaste, wrinkling his nose.

"You're one of them!" exclaimed the one with the weird style (it looked like the fucking stem of a plant). "You're a Phantom Lord Mage!"

He bristled. They only knew who he was because of his Guild marking on his shoulder? The fuck? They should know who he was! He was the best dragon-slayer out there, and a whole lot better compared to their wimpy Salamander friend. "I'm the best Phantom Lord Mage," he told them, scowling, and approached them. The small one – the girl – was in a fighting stance, determination in her eyes.

No one moved at first, but Gajeel was anything but patient so was forced to act. He attempted to punch the little one with Iron Dragon's Club, but stem-hair saw it coming and hastily shoved the girl out of the way… causing her to fall and bash her head against a large rock. Smart move, slick, he thought in sarcasm as his punch landed on the underside of ginger-hair's jaw, whilst the other flailed over hurting the girl.

But then they finally decided to attack and the girl was forgotten – well, her presence was forgotten, but Gajeel could bet all his jewels that the two boys were thinking about her as they attempted to fight him, thinking that defeating him would be some sort of heroism, even though he hadn't been the one to hurt her.

The ginger-haired one ran at him, his large hat that rivaled the Mad Hatter's never slipping off of his head, whilst the other used his Plant Magic to keep him in place so he was unable to move. Yeah, like that could stop Gajeel. In a few short seconds, Gajeel had kicked himself out of the grasp of the vines that had sprouted out of the ground, and had given both ginger and stem-hair a slash across their chest and faces, which were already bleeding heavily.

The small one was getting back up, although struggling to regain balance. She glanced hesitantly at her friends, whom were both slipping away into their own dream world where everything was fine and dandy. Her eyes met with Gajeel's. He saw something in those deep brown orbs, not just worry and fear. "Please," she begged him, pleading and clenching her fists. "Don't hurt them anymore. Please." There was some anger in her trembling voice - anger at him, at his Guild, and maybe at her friends who'd wanted to protect her like she was some delicate flower and had gotten her and themselves hurt in the process.

He saw himself in the reflection of her eyes, too. He was covered in the blood of her friends and his red eyes were piercing into hers. Monster. Guiltiness permeated through him, straight through his thick skin right to the blood running through his veins, and his stomach churned with disgust at himself. She continued to stand, short legs trembling but still upright, and her fists clenched as she looked him deep in the eyes and didn't break eye-contact.

He felt the anger and malice slipping away, until he picked up stench of blood. He whirled around his Iron Dragon's Sword slashed through Mad Hatter before he could pounce.

It'd been a plan. Of course it had been. The petite girl had just been biding her time, stalling, while the other was getting ready to attack.

(Again, Metalicana was right. Girls made you let your guard down.)

He turned back to attack that bitch for fooling him, but before he could attack, she attacked him. Well, attempted to. She conjured up fire with her weird writing magic but, with his scales, he was impervious to the flames. Stem-hair was back up, until Gajeel knocked him back down so this time he would stay down and ginger-hair joined him seconds later.

All was left was the girl.

His hand wrapped around her neck and she choked and gasped for breath. He still could see himself in her chocolate brown eyes, but he fought that disgusted feeling churning in his stomach.

Monster, his reflection said. When he painted his Guild symbol on her unconscious body so that everyone would know it was him, he decided that yes, he was a monster.

…

According to him, the attack was pretty late. He had been expecting their Guild to burst through as soon as they'd found the bodies of their nakama, but they only decided to attack a little after.

He'd been there, hidden away, when the bodies were found, and he admitted to himself that it was pretty sadistic. The fairies all gasped and sobbed as they gathered around the three bodies that he'd pinned against the tall oak tree. They were gaping and Gajeel could sense their anger permeating off of them. They were pissed, alright. And that could only mean that he was one step closer to meeting the fire dragon-slayer.

"We are Fairy Tail!" the whole rival Guild burst into their Guild Hall. There had only been shocked silence at first, until the Fire dragon-slayer had shot a whopping punch that even Gajeel was impressed of, and then everything was then set swinging.

They had all swopped in with such synchronicity it was as if they were all one. All one big fucking happy family. He felt his rage burning, and once the tiny old man the fairies called 'Master Makarov' had left, Gajeel finally let his anger out.

"Gajeel!" He felt his whole face begin to ache and he crashed into the opposite wall after being attacked by Natsu. "I am the dragon-slayer from Fairy Tail!"

Smirking, he got up. He'd just met his match, and Gajeel was always up for a good fight. Finally, someone who could hold their own. At last, now he had the chance to crush that so-called dragon-slayer and show him the true strength of the best dragon-slayer out there.

Unfortunately, he didn't get to end the fight. "Tch, fun's already over?" he asked, annoyed but smirking, staring at the crumpled man on the floor – the Master of Fairy Tail, whom had just been defeated by Element 4's very own Aria. How pathetic – their Guild master had been so easily defeated, and not even by another Guild master or one of the Ten Wizard Saints. If this was the power of their Master, then it only showed how pitiful their own Guild was.

The chick with the long red hair – Erza Scarlet – told her whole Guild to retreat. She was said to be one of the toughest in their puny Guild. Once he got to take out the Salamander, he wanted to take her on too.

The whole Fairy Tail Guild listened to her command and obeyed - although most were reluctant. Once again, Gajeel was reminded how different they were to his Guild, who never listened to anyone without being threatened, and they hardly listened to their own Master.

"Sorrowful…" Aria suppressed sobs.

He rolled his eyes. Aria, being as creepy as always. He told Aria that, along with telling him his disbelief that he had defeated the tiny Master Makarov. Sure, Makarov was small, but Metalicana had taught him that enemies were not to be misjudged by their appearance. Juvia had proven that.

"All part of Master Jose's plan," Aria said, for once his voice not tainted with sadness and sorrow. Huh. So maybe it is possible for some Phantom Lord Mages to loyally listen to orders? Gajeel wondered as Aria broke out into sobs, once again.

"Don't cry over everything," Gajeel told him. He glanced around the building, and saw no sign of a blue-head of hair. Wait, who was he looking for? Juvia, or that girl he'd attacked? But that Fairy Tail girl was probably scarred for life so she'd been unable to join her 'comrades' in the attack. What teamwork.

As for Juvia, Jose had put her and Sol to good use. Oh yeah, she's gone to capture that girl… Gajeel remembered. That Lucy girl. Did she follow through? The Juvia he used to know was sweet and shy and got easily flustered. But now… it seemed that she was more monotone and silent, like Aria, without the floods of tears. Her rain caused enough floods.

He did, however, catch sight of Natsu, who was still lingering in their wrecked building. He smirked as he came up with a taunting idea. Kill two birds with one stone. "So… did we capture that Lucy girl?"

He heard Natsu's sharp intake of breathe and Gajeel resisted smiling even wider. Anger was brewing inside Natsu and it was just about to explode. "We've confined her at our 'Headquarters'," Aria replied, his voice dull and unbothered by the fact that they were keeping an innocent girl captive. Huh. Did Juvia react the same way when she and Sol captured Lucy?

"WHAT?" Natsu screamed out in fury and shock. "Gajeel!"

"Let's settle this some other time," he taunted Natsu, "Salamander." He gave a curt nod to Aria, who took the hint and transported the two of them out of the building. All the while, Gajeel thought, would I be outraged like Natsu if Juvia got kidnapped like that Lucy?

No, he wouldn't. He'd be pissed, but not like Natsu was. There was something else there in the mixture of anger and worry that Natsu was feeling. Something that Gajeel would never feel.

…

Is our own fucking Master unable to keep hold of that fucking girl? He thought, bitter and annoyed. His own fucking Master had let Lucy escape. Lucy, some blond-haired girl who relied solely on those Stellar Spirits of hers to battle others.

Master had been holding her in a tower, like the princess Lucy really was, but she had jumped off the ledge, even though it was a 50 ft dive. Fuck, even he couldn't make that landing. But Natsu, her teammate and friend, had caught her, thus saving her. She had trusted him and had been sure that he would save her. That kind of loyalty and trust never died.

But he didn't need anyone to look out for him. He was alone, and he had enough strength to look after himself. Relying on others would only get you hurt once in a while, especially if you put your trust in the wrong person.

Since Lucy had escaped, it was now his job to get her back. Juvia was gone to defeat some of the fairies, Jose had ordered her to, and Gajeel wished he could be in her place so he could fight.

The Reedus guy who was fucking massive and was supposed to be 'protecting' her, didn't put up a good fight. In fact, he hardly fought him at all. Lucy was without her precious Stellar Spirit Keys, therefore defenseless. However, she wasn't sobbing, trembling, or begging to be spared. Her eyes, however, gave away her fear and were brimming with tears.

"Aw, you're not going to cry, are you?" he asked her, mocking her.

"You hurt Levy-chan," she hissed out at him, anger blazing in her soft eyes.

Geez, these fairy freaks sure do like to look out for each other. He rolled his eyes. "She deserved it. You fairies are scum."

"We're not-"

He cut her off by knocking her unconscious and then began to drag her sorry ass back to HQ. Why were all the fairies fighting for her? So what if she was rich, they were getting their asses handed to them! Did they really care about just a bit of cash? Were they that desperate for money?

Then again, the same went for Phantom Lord, too. They wouldn't just go and attack their rivals unless they were to gain something in return. And no, that rush you got from defeating someone didn't cut it for them like it did for him. Gajeel was attacking their Guild because they were scum, and weak. They couldn't look after themselves so they had to have others look out for them.

He knew fully well that the only person you could ever rely on was yourself. You couldn't even rely on the other Guild, because as he was only a few steps away from the building, he heard, as clear as day, "Those piecesof TRASH were able to take out the entire ELEMENT 4?"

Wow, Jose was pissed. Well, he should be. The whole of Element fucking 4 had been wiped out. Even Aria, who was the strongest of the S-Class team. Juvia crossed his mind for a moment, and he hoped she was okay. He glanced up at the sky, noticing that it was no longer raining. Fuck! That didn't necessarily mean that she was…

He clutched Lucy so tight that she would have surely screamed if she were to be awake. Juvia was strong – not as strong as him, but strong. Plus, those fairies wouldn't kill someone unless they really had to – and Juvia wasn't evil like the rest of Phantom Lord.

Unlike Phantom Lord, Fairy Tail was merciful. Until now, he had never thought that that was a good thing.

"Where is Gajeel?" Brushing away his fears and worries, he then plastered that grin on his face again and strode into the building like he owned the place.

"The Element 4 were beaten up? Well, if they were beat by trash, that makes them trash too."

Juvia isn't trash, a voice in the back of his mind spoke. He ignored it and dropped Lucy to the floor, where she fell with a great thud. "G- Gajeel-san? Is she alive?"

He pretended to think for a minute, and then glanced down at the blond-haired girl, all sad and pathetic. Lucy's the reason Juvia got defeated. He let his metal boot collide with her sore ribs and gave her a sharp kick, much to the outraged and shocked shouts of his 'nakama' whom he never gave a shit about.

"Looks alive to me," he shrugged as Lucy coughed a lung out.

He has her pinned against the wall of the building, like he had done with 'Levy-chan'. When he picked up the first knife, a tiny blade, all he had been thinking about was that the trashy Fairy Guild was still fighting, all for this girl.

Why? Was she really worth that much? They were risking their fucking lives for her, when they could have been using their magic to defeat criminals and roll in some money, instead of leeching off the blonde. They really were trash if they were just taking cash from someone, instead of acting like a real Guild and going on missions.

They didn't deserve to be a Guild.

He grinned a treacherous grin, remembering the Salamander's reaction when he had heard that they had kidnapped his precious Lucy. He'd been beyond pissed at Gajeel, whom had almost been able to see the fire roaring within Natsu. The Salamander and the Stellar Spirit Mage had a strange bond – one much stronger than he and Juvia had had. The Salamander had been the one to save her after she'd been kidnapped by Jose, and she'd been willing to jump off a tower because she knew that he'd catch her.

What's to say that he wouldn't come again now that she was in trouble? If Gajeel kept doing what he was doing – scaring the crap out of Lucy – then he was sure that the Salamander would come running to save the day and they would finally have it off.

He aimed another sharp knife at her, ignoring the protests of the others, who had decided to now develop some fucking feelings and decide that this was 'wrong'.

He struck one knife, and Lucy cringed as it came her way. He laughed when she let out a gasp of relief when the knife struck the space five inches away from her shoulder.

"G- Gajeel, ma- maybe you shouldn't -" the man faltered when Gajeel gave him a death stare. He swung another knife, this one landing on close perimeters near her face.

He wasn't really paying attention, because he caught the strange whiff of fire. Salamander. It was that stupid fire dragon-slayer, coming to save the precious princess. Good thing, too, because he was getting tired of waiting.

Of course, he didn't expect Natsu to literally burst into the building, anger flaming hotter than the sun. Lucy smiled gratefully at him, eyes full with joy and revelation. Natsu, however, didn't return the smile, and instead glowered fiercely at Gajeel. His power was fueled by his anger, and it looked like he was ready to take Gajeel out.

Is this the extent they'd go to protect their nakama?

…

And then he was defeated. Lucy had helped the Salamander by getting fire to him – the fuel that Natsu needed to use replenish himself.

Those fairies – they'd do anything for each other. He had thought that that was their weakness, but it was really their strength. Having people looking out for you, to help you, didn't mean that you were weak and powerless. It made you more powerful.

He was falling, deeper and deeper into a crevasse. He lost touch with his surroundings, only feeling that falling sensation. No sound. No sight. It was just like back then, when he had been a kid, and he had found himself all alone and abandoned. Even over a decade later, he still was alone. But he'd had the chance. He could've made friends and gotten closer to people.

He had promised himself he'd do it alone, because he wanted to prove something. Only later did he find out it was out of fear that he made this promise – fear that he would be abandoned all over again.

"Fear makes you stronger." Suddenly, there was sound in the hollow hole he laid in. The deep, hoarse voice of Metalicana filled his joyful ears. "Confront your fear, and you will become stronger."

…

He would sit on the demolished building where only rubble lay, and wait. And eat. And wait some more.

What he was waiting for? He was not entirely sure. He thought it may have been Juvia – he had only seen her once since the Guild had been disbanded. She'd looked… happier. Like the sun which had finally come out after a heavy rainfall. She'd smiled and told him that 'Gray-sama' had taken away her rain, hearts in her eyes and practically swooning on the spot. He wasn't entirely pleased that she had fallen for one of the fairies, but she was happy, so they couldn't be all bad.

Then the old dude called Makarov was approaching him, telling him that the rain woman (he should probably get a new nickname for her since there was no longer any rain) had joined the Fairy Tail Guild. Fuck.

Master Makarov offered out his hand and welcomed Gajeel into his Guild, although reluctantly. A chance to redeem himself. He wasn't interested in that, but he had to make jewels somehow.

Then the question arose: why didn't he join another Guild? Y'know, one that he didn't try to destroy? Okay fine, maybe he was trying to redeem himself and make things right with the fairies. He was sure that Metalicana would be laughing mercilessly at him, wherever the jackass dragon was, but Gajeel supposed it was about time that he stopped caring what a dragon, which he hadn't seen in forever, thought about his actions. Look where it had gotten him! It was about time for him to be his own person.

Of course, he didn't tell Natsu that. What? Did you think he wanted to look like some kind of pussy? "One Guild is as good as the next," Gajeel told Natsu, glowering. "Not that I ever thought I'd end up working at a nasty little Guild like this…"

"He's not a bad guy at heart, you know," Master – his master now, too – told them, but quietly added, "At least, I hope not."

(A lot of people looked at Master oddly, and Gajeel wasn't sure if it was because they didn't believe that he wasn't a bad guy, or because they didn't believe he had a heart.)

"Juvia is glad that Gajeel-kun has joined the Guild!" Juvia chirped happily the next morning. He grunted in response and walked straight to the request board. Great, he was stuck doing the lower missions now, because he was no longer an S-Class Mage. "But…" he didn't like her tone of voice, or the slight anger he could smell of off her - anger that was directed at him.

"Gajeel-kun, Juvia thinks you should get closer to everyone," she sternly told him, her voice not wavering. "Juvia only wants Gajeel-kun to fit in because Juvia is your only nakama."

Nakama. Everyone was obsessed about that. But if it was important to Juvia, then he guessed he could try. After all, it was 'cos of her that he got into the Guild in the first place. The Guild had brought out her bubbly side, and she was much more talkative and confident now, so it wasn't all bad. She cheered him on from where she sat on the table as he sung the lame-ass song while the weird Lucy chick danced and the other Mages looked on, confused and laughing.

The song didn't stop the Mad Hatter and stem-hair (he should start calling them by their real names) from calling him out to 'talk'. He still went, all the while he knew why they'd called him, and Levy had cowered away so, yeah, he guessed he deserved whatever payback they dished out.

Juvia's voice rang in his ears as they attacked, and he willed himself not to retaliate. "Juvia thinks you should get closer to everyone." They wouldn't like him, even after they got all their anger out, but if he attacked back then they would hate him even more. Plus, he wasn't a pussy and their payback didn't hurt that bad.

Laxus, on the other hand… Shit, his magic burned and there was nothing he could do to stop him. The electricity shot through him until even his blood was burning with the sudden electric charge. "It's your fault we're being made fun of! Why don't you just die?" Laxus screamed as he attacked and blood dripped out of Gajeel's wounds as the shouts of vengeance assaulted his ears. Whatever. He had to endure it, if he ever wanted to stay in that Guild without being glared at every second of everyday.

Then Laxus's attack changed targets and Gajeel used whatever was left of his energy to hastily leap in front of Levy, thus saving her from the impending attack. He walked away with his pride still intact, making it all out like it was nothing, but he wished he could look back to see their reaction. He wanted to see his reflection in her eyes and see that he wasn't a monster anymore.

"Stop Laxus," she told him, and their eyes met once again, and it was only determination he saw in her eyes. No malice, or anger, or sadness. No fear, either, and he was glad. She really believed in him and that was all that mattered.

He was sure that if 'Master' Ivan saw the encounter between Gajeel and Levy, the old guy would grin and congratulate Gajeel in having been able to make Levy think of him as a comrade. But Gajeel really did want them to think of him as a comrade. Not just because he needed Ivan to think he was faithful to him, but also because if the Fairy Tail Guild didn't trust him, then there was no way he could redeem himself in their eyes. He'd already disappointed Juvia the first night he arrived at the Guild because he'd ended up pissing off the Salamander again.

He really did want the Fairy Tail Guild to think of him as their comrade. But for that to happen, Master Makarov must be able to trust him. And the only way for that to happen was for him to take on this dangerous job and suck up to Ivan.

When he and the Salamander face Laxus off, all he could think about was that Juvia was hurt because of the blond-haired bastard and his team, yet guy hardly felt any sympathy at all for her. (The fact that Laxus also tried to attack Levy may have crossed his mind too, not that he was willing to admit that the little bookworm actually, y'know, meant something to him.)

Juvia approached him after, while he was bandaged up and Natsu was sitting by his side, looking like a glorified mummy. "Juvia is glad that Gajeel-kun is not hurt," she told him with a smile, but then her eyes glanced over his arms, which were both bandaged up, and his leg that was in a cast. "Not severely hurt," she said instead, laughing a little, and he would smile in return if his face didn't ache. It was good to hear her laugh.

Her cheek was a faded grape purple, yet she smiled like it didn't hurt the slightest, and he couldn't help feeling a little pissed at her. She had deliberately hurt herself – not allowed someone to attack her, she was the one to hurt herself. "You were willing to get hurt just so they'd think of you as nakama?" he spat out, annoyed.

Natsu said something – tried to say, but his words were muffled by the bandage around his mouth (thank you, Mirajane). Juvia looked at Natsu oddly, while Gajeel was just irritated. "Oi! Bunny girl!" he called out to the blond-haired girl, whom turned to face him with an aggravated look on her face. "Your boyfriend over here wants some fire food!" he told her, nodding to Natsu.

Salamander looked between annoyed that no one could understand what he was saying, but also really hungry and his bandage around his mouth became moist with drool as he envisioned the food. "He's not my boyfriend!" Lucy screamed in denial.

"Is that because Lucy is after Gray-sama?" Juvia shouted back, furious, and Gajeel stared at her in bewilderment.

"I'm not…" Lucy gave out a groan, realizing it was no use, and she turned to Mirajane and asked for fire-food for Natsu.

"Rain woman!" Gajeel called her attention back to him. "Why? Is being their nakama worth that much to you?"

"But… did Gajeel-kun not do the same?" Juvia asked, nonplussed. "Gajeel-kun let Jet, Droy and Laxus attack him and didn't do anything to stop them, all because he wants them to see him as their nakama."

"It's not the …" he began to say, but Juvia was looking at him all searchingly and he sighed. It was somewhat similar, he had to admit.

"Juvia is deeply sorry that she told Gajeel-kun to try and get along with everyone," Juvia said, her gaze going to the floor. "Juvia didn't know that what she said would get Gajeel-kun hurt."

"Don't sweat it," he told her with a roll of his eyes. The guiltiness was still radiating off of her like stink waves. And it was annoying, like stink waves. "Really, rain woman. It doesn't matter. Nakama have to forgive each other, right?"

She brightened at the word. "Gajeel-kun is right!" she said and he laughed because, wasn't he always? "That's why Levy-chan forgave you."

He did a double take because what the fuck? "She said that?" he asked in skepticism.

Juvia nodded enthusiastically, then glanced back. "Levy-chan is coming this way! Juvia will leave you two to talk in private!" And then she dashed off in excitement, a spring in her step that he'd never seen before.

"Hi," Levy shyly said to him as she approached him. From her side, Lucy is stomping over, aggravated, with oven-mitts on and a plate full of fire food in her hands. The blonde walked over to Natsu, annoyed, and sat next to him while Levy continued to stand, swaying awkwardly on the spot. That confidence that he'd seen in her, while she'd been cracking the code of Freed's runes, had quickly evaporated. Still, she was able to stand next to him without shivering or trembling, so he looked at that as an improvement from when he first arrived at the Guild.

"Hey," he replied, watching from the corner of his eye as Lucy spoon-fed Natsu. Are they always like this? It was sickening to watch because they kept on acting all cutesy with one another. It was almost as if they were dating.

"So, uh, thanks," she timidly said. "For stopping Laxus… and for saving me," she quietly added, but he was able to hear her.

"Its fine," he told her, giving her a shrug that hurt his sore shoulders. He stifled a wince. "And I'm… you know, sorry."

"Its fine," she told him, giving him a small smile. "I uh, should get back." She glanced over her shoulder, where Jet and Droy were watching them with narrowed eyes. "Bye," she added and then walked off.

His eyes were glued on her as he watched the Fantasia Parade from the bench outside. He still couldn't stand upright without crying out in pain. She was just a ball of joy, and it was hard to believe that she had been attacked a few days back, and had been turned into a stone statue only the day before. The Fairy Tail Guild never let anything get to them, because as long as they had one another, everything was fine.

The sun began to set, and the clouds tinged with pink that clashed with the blue sky. Red against blue; Juvia's eyes met with his, and her face broke into an overjoyed grin. He smiled back at her, an actual smile. There he was, surrounded by the whole of Magnolia as they watched the parade. Suddenly, he didn't feel so alone anymore.