Hey Fairies! So, I have a bit of good news! Since I created an update schedule (found on my profile) I can officially take this story out of hiatus! It will still only be once every several weeks that I update it, but I will be updating all of my stories weekly, on rotation! So, more activity from me, and from this story as well, since it is second in my list! ^_^
Thank you all for being patient while I took a year to get back into this story. My writing mojo is back now that I've graduated and my life has settled down a bit, so I'm planning to be way more active and get this story wrapped up soon! :D
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"We about there?" Gajeel asked, sighing heavily. We had been walking for two days, and were getting closer to the cabin we would use as our hideaway until the mess with Zeref was resolved. I could tell Gajeel was tired of walking. He had been complaining for about an hour.
"Just about," I told him. "The cabin is just up ahead, and then we have to get through the barriers."
"And how are we supposed to do that?"
"Leave it to me," I said. "I helped set up the barriers, so I can get through them easily."
He was quiet a moment, then asked, "do you really think these barriers will hide you from Zeref?"
I shrugged. "Honestly, I'm not sure. I think they'll definitely delay his finding me, but I think he could break through them if he really wanted to when he finds me."
"If he finds you."
"When. Zeref is ancient, so I know this trick won't fool him for long."
I held my arm out and stopped walking, silencing his next response. We had reached the cabin, though you couldn't see it thanks to the barriers surrounding it. If we had kept walking, we would have gone through the forest as if there was nothing there—that was the result of the barriers. Unless you know exactly where the cabin is, it's impossible to locate by sight alone.
"Is this it?" Gajeel asked, looking around.
"The cabin is in front of us," I nodded. "Give me a moment, and we can get through the barriers." I took a pocket knife from my backpack and quickly sliced my index finger with it. As Gajeel looked at me questioningly, I lifted my hand, pressing my finger against what I knew was the barriers. My blood was absorbed into it quickly, and I felt the barriers open to grant me entry.
"Now your turn," I said, grabbing Gajeel's hand. Before he could protest, I sliced his index finger as well, pressing it to the barrier directly beside mine. "The barriers will recognize you now, so you will be allowed entry."
"What would happen if I had tried to get in without being recognized?"
"The barrier's spells would burn through your body like an acid, while at the same time injecting your body with a deadly poison that will kill you within a few minutes." I smirked when he audibly gulped. "Don't worry. It should work now."
"Should?"
Chuckling, I walked forward, seeing the cabin once I was completely through the barrier. Gajeel sighed when he made it through as well, and I chuckled again. "The cabin has three rooms, so we'll have our privacy for the most part. There is also a fully stocked kitchen, bathroom, and entertainment room."
"If this is a safehouse that doesn't get used often, how is the food in the kitchen still good?"
"A magic spell can keep food fresh for over a year—even meats and vegetables. One of the leaders also comes here about every six months to re-cast the spells, replenish anything that might have gone bad, and strengthen the barriers to make sure they're secure."
"If Fairy Tail is a peaceful guild, with a contract with the Eradicators, why do you need such a secure safehouse?"
"The eradicators are skilled, but they are still humans, and they are humans responsible for bullying those who aren't human into staying in line. If something were to happen that threatened them, they would kill us without a second thought instead of protecting us. So, we took our own precautions in case anything like this were to ever happen, then we would have somewhere safe to go." He made a strange face as I spoke but didn't give me a chance to question him before he sat his bag down on the sofa and went into the kitchen.
I sighed, sitting on the sofa beside his bag, listening to him rummage through the cupboards. After a few moments, he returned, eating a granola bar. He paused in his chewing, frowning at me.
"How are you feeling?" He asked.
I got to my feet. "I'm fine. I shouldn't need you for at least another couple of days."
"If you wait that long—"
"I lasted a week before," I interrupted.
"And you almost died," he snapped. "You can't push yourself like that again. What if Zeref were to show up after you had gone four or more days without sustenance?"
"I'll be fine."
"Whatever," he growled, turning and going back into the kitchen. "Do whatever the hell you want."
I sighed, once again taking a seat on the sofa. This isn't going to work. Gajeel really does hate me. Honestly, I wasn't surprised. I had known all along that he did. But, when he had been so adamant about being the one to go into hiding with me, it had given me a small glimmer of hope. Not to mention how nice he has been since we left Fairy Tail. He has been nothing but considerate, making sure I wasn't too tired to keep walking, and stopping for me to rest since he knew I would be weaker from not having sex.
The last thought had me putting my head in my hands with a groan. How in the hell am I supposed to have sex with him? Last time was different because I was starving and in a craze, but how am I supposed to knowingly—sanely—have sex with him like it's nothing?
But it wasn't nothing, and it was going to kill me to pretend that it was.
"I'm going to unpack my stuff," Gajeel told me, grabbing his bag. "Does it matter which room I take?"
I shook my head, not looking up at him. Gajeel, I'm sorry I dragged you into this, but the selfish side of me is glad you're the one who came.
Gajeel frowned, putting his bag down and kneeling in front of me, catching my gaze before I could avoid it. "Are you sure you're ok? Because you're acting off, and your face is pale."
"I'm fine." I attempted a smile, but I could tell by the way his frown deepened that he wasn't buying it.
"Levy—"
"Gajeel," I cut him off, "I said I'm fine."
With an exasperated sigh, he stood and grabbed his bag. "Whatever you say."
He left as I continued staring at the floor where he had been kneeling. It's not fair, you idiot. Don't be so kind to me if you hate me. It will only make me love you more.
Taking a deep breath, I grabbed my own bag and headed to the room farthest from the one Gajeel was currently in. I knew it was foolish, but I thought that, maybe, if I could sleep farther away from him, then it would help.
"You're an idiot, Levy. You stupid Succubus."
~Gajeel~
"You're an idiot, Gajeel," I grumbled, throwing my bag on the floor and falling face-first into the bed. "This isn't going to work."
We were both stubborn as hell, so of course living in a small house together, unable to go outside the miniscule area of the barrier for possible months, was a terrible idea. Damn it.
I laid there until the room grew dark, telling me the sun had already gone down. Sighing, I got up and unpacked my bag, thankful for the small dresser in the room.
My stomach growled angrily as I finished unpacking, so I made my way to the kitchen. Levy seemed to have had the same idea, because she was already cooking when I made it there. Wait. She doesn't eat food.
"Why are you cookin'?"
"I thought you might be hungry," she said, never turning from the stove.
"I can cook for myself."
"I wanted to do it," she mumbled, quietly.
"I could have," I frowned, getting a bowl from the cupboard and standing beside her, watching as she stirred what looked like some kind of stew. "But, thanks."
She nodded, smiling slightly.
"What's that?" I asked, looking at the stew.
"Beef stew," she answered. "It's one of the few human foods I know how to cook. It's basically just a bunch of things thrown into a pot," she giggled.
"Can't really screw that up," I agreed, chuckling.
"It's odd," she said after a long time, watching me eat.
"What's odd?"
"Living like this with a human. I've never done it before. I've only ever been with other supernaturals, so I've never had to worry about human needs."
"You don't have to worry about mine, either," I frowned. "I can take care of myself."
"That's not what I meant," she said, smiling sadly. "I mean the interaction humans share with one another—keeping each other company, having compassion for one another—that isn't something I'm used to."
"You seem pretty close with the others at Fairy Tail though."
"We're friends, certainly," she nodded, "but we can't be truly connected like humans can. We are all alike in the fact that we have lived in hiding our entire lives, but we're all incredibly different in the way we have lived and the experiences we have had because of what we are. It can be hard to make close connections because of that."
"You know, not all humans have the same experiences, either," I chuckled. "We've all lived different lives, too."
"I guess it's hard to explain in a way for a human to understand," she sighed. "We're just different in the way we form relationships and make bonds. Humans seek out connection, whereas most supernaturals don't unless it is within their own species or family unit."
"Seems lonely."
She smiled sadly at me again. "It can be."
When her smile faltered for an instant, turning to a grimace, I sat my spoon down and frowned at her. "Are you alright?"
"What do you mean?" She asked.
"I saw that, so don't act dumb. What is it? Do you need—"
"I'm alright," she said, taking a deep breath that told me she wasn't alright.
"If you're in pain, don't hide it," I said, seriously. "That's the reason you brought me along, isn't it?"
Hurt flashed in her eyes, and she got to her feet. "I'm fine. I will be alright without you for a few more days, so don't worry about me." Before I could say anything else, she left the kitchen, slamming her bedroom door a moment later.
"What the fuck," I sighed, not getting why she was so mad. "She's fine one minute, and storming off the next. I just don't get this woman."
I didn't know why I was so bothered by it. I wasn't there to make friends with her. Hell, I was still convincing myself that I didn't even like her. But, that had been real pain that had shown on her face for a moment, and I couldn't shake what her face had looked like when it had.
It would be like me going without eating for three days, so no wonder she's in pain. And it was my job while undercover to protect her, so I couldn't let her starve herself—at least that's what I told myself.
"Levy?" I asked, knocking gently on her door.
"What?"
"Can I come in?"
"No."
I sighed, opening the door anyway. "Listen, if we're going to stay here, you've got to let me do my..." I trailed off, actually getting a good look at her. She was standing by her dresser, completely naked save for the robe she held in her hands.
"S-Sorry," I snapped, turning around.
"I told you not to come in," she muttered. "And it's not like you haven't seen me naked before. Why are you acting shy now?"
"It's different now."
"Didn't you come in here to convince me to have sex with you?" She retorted. "How is that different than the previous times you've seen me naked while having sex with me."
"That's not why I came in here," I grumbled.
"And why did you?"
"Can I turn around?"
"Yes." She sat on the bed, the robe wrapped around her.
"I came in here to tell you not to hide when you're in pain. It's my job to protect you, right? So that's why I'm here. If you're trying to spare my feelings or something by holding back, then don't. This is a just a job to me, so you don't have to feel guilty or whatever reason it is that you're avoiding the inevitable."
"Is that so?" She asked, that sad look back on her face. She got off the bed and approached me, wrapping her arms around my neck. "Very well, then." Without giving me a chance to respond, she pulled me to the bed and shoved me onto it, dropping her robe to the floor as she climbed on top of me.
"Levy—"
"Enough talking," she said, unfastening the button on my pants and shoving them down. "This is your job, right?"
"Levy!" She seemed to snap out of whatever thoughts she'd been lost in when I yelled at her, and her eyes met mine.
I put my hands over hers that were still clutching the top of my boxers. They were shaking, and I didn't think she had even realized they were until I touched them.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, lowering her gaze to our hands.
"I—"
She got off the bed and wrapped the robe back around herself. "I want to be alone."
"Levy—"
"Please." Her voice cracked when she spoke, so I fixed my pants and left, leaning against the door after closing it behind me.
"Damn," I mumbled to myself, looking down at my hands. I could still feel her trembling, and a weight settled deep in my chest. "This is bad."