Gruvia: Grays curse + Gajevy: protecting mine FT fanfic

chapter 41- I'm coming home

'Done?', he grunted when he spotted Levy. She nodded back at him. 'Do you mind if I search the house for a moment?'

'You sure?', he asked when she stood in front of him. His thumb suddenly whipped away a few tears she didn't notice she had shed. Levy quickly whipped the remaining tears away.

'The back seems strong. I won't go far'.

'Let me check first', Gajeel took the lead and walked in front of her to the backdoor. His eyes rested on the altar for a moment before opening the door.
The iron mage made a quick round to a part of the house before coming back for Levy. 'All set', he pointed at the entrance.

'Aren't you coming?', Levy wondered out loud.

'You can handle it on your own. Or not?'

'Thanks', she gave him a quick peck on his jaw. The first one since... the accident, she realized soon.

It was cold inside. The ground showed big footsteps in a thick layer of dust. The path Gajeel had walked. Levy followed his steps for a moment, wondering where he went. Those would be the rooms redeemed safe too. It led her to the old playroom of Rose and herself. The colourful wallpaper was black from the fire that had licked this corner of the house.
A few big stuffed animals seemed to have endured a lot too. Levy recognized a bunny she had claimed when she was still young. She had forgotten the thing for a long time.

Seeing the soft pink bunny, reminded her of a time where Rose and she played with their stuffed animals, pretending that they were their babies.

Levy suddenly noticed a notebook hiding under the paw of the bunny. Curious she picked it up. It was about to fall apart. It was attack by immense heat and cold in all those years that no one attended to the place.

On the first page was a short story written with different pencil colours.

For Lefi!

You ar a prinses and figting a dragon. But the dragon bites and you start bleeding. A strong prins safes you.
You fall in love and marry and life long and happy.

End.

You could see that their mother helped when she wrote this short story. Levy remembered this. It was because she was always with her nose in the books. Rose complained a few times that she wanted to play instead. Levy did put away her book, but it would never take long before another book was in her hands. Rose gave up in the end.
Once she asked Levy why she didn't write a story. Levy pouted, saying that she didn't know how to write.
Her sister proclaimed proud that she would be a writer if Levy couldn't. She wanted Levy to read hundred up to thousands of her stories.
Levy never got the chance to read one, up until now.

It didn't fill her with pain, she grinned. Funny how fate would lead you to twists. Gajeel was in her head the prince. A prince that had saved her from the dragons in the past. During the dragon attack was he the one that protected her several times.

She wanted to share this little discovery. She clutched the book in her arms. This one would get a special place in her library.

'Gajeel?', she called out to him, the moment she stepped out. He jumped up, whipped his eyes and turned around. She could tell that he had cried a little. But she wouldn't tell him if he needed to keep it a secret. However, it melted her heart even more when she saw it.
'What is it, shrimp?', he wiggled just enough on his feet for Levy to see something behind him.

'What is that?', she tried to peek behind him. Usually he would block the view, but this time he moved away. Gajeel had made three crosses with curled iron. The names of both her parents and Rose were formed with the same iron in beautiful curls. 'You like?'

'Wow', was all she could say in the beginning. She dropped on her knees in front of the altar. 'It's beautiful', she stroke the iron, it felt warm at her touch. 'Thanks Gajeel'.
'See mam, dad... Told you that he is a great guy'.

He placed both hands on her shoulders as she looked at the details he put into this work. 'When did you make it?', she asked as she noticed a small rose at the side.

'When we got here'. Levy looked at it some more. The iron was slightly green, reminding her of the old lanterns that lit the street in front of her house. She wondered if one of those lanterns were missing now. She would look out for it on their way back.

'So what did you want to say?', Gajeel grunted.

'Hmmm?', she answered absent minded. 'Ow yea', she stood up and turned around, facing the studded man. 'Look what I found'. She handed him the book with care. His eyebrows raised when he saw the small notebook. It took him a while to read. The childish handwriting was difficult to read. The many colours of ink didn't make it any easier. When he finished he roared with laughter. 'If you're the princes.... Am I the prince or the dragon?'

Levy grabbed the book back and scanned the short story. 'A little of both', she answered with a voice that left no room for discussion.

'Better if you don't tell those two fanboys of yours', he was still laughing.

'Gajeel, are you still afraid that Jet or Droy turn out to be my prince?', she grinned at the thought. It was painful in the beginning when they tried to compete with Gajeel. But they were already used to the idea that she couldn't return their feelings.

'As if', he huffed. 'Even if they are... I will steal you back', he lifted Levy over his shoulder and took off. Levy laughed as he walked through the tall grass. Her eyes rested on the gravestones for a moment but it didn't lessen her mood. 'See you later', she whispered in silent words.