Gaining Courage: The Search for the Lost Keys (a Fairytail Galu story)

Chapter Forty: Last Chance

After Gajeel and I arrived at the hotel spa we immediately settled down in their room for the night, their single room; it wasn't really surprising that they weren't too bothered about the fact they were sharing a room as they both were completely bushed and just wanted to relax. It was now that they had time to calm down and have some much needed R&R that what lay ahead hit them or more specifically me.

As I got out of the shower and started to brush my hair it suddenly occurred to me that it was time to part ways with Gajeel. I didn't even try to stop the pain as it touched my heart. The thought of losing him was horrible but I knew it couldn't be helped. From something he said as they walked through town I knew he thought that they were heading back to the guild in the morning. He was wrong in his assumption at least the part pertaining to her, I have to keep searching for Aquarius' key.

As I came out of the bathroom I saw that Gajeel was ready for the hot springs much like myself dressed in one of the hotels kimonos. Making their way outside Gajeel started talking about what will happen when they go back to the guild.

"Pantherlily better be back from his trip to the exceed village even if he has another kid, we will just have to take the little ankle biter with us. We'll train the new one up to be just like his dad. Ghighi. Cetus is getting real good dodging so he can help train up the new kid. We'll maybe have to lay off the monster missions for a while though, but we could take an easy dark guild or a quick delivery job instead: no more month long jobs for us for a while. We'll stick close to home; let Spark-plug get his thumb out of his butt. Always calling, complaining about you being gone. Big brother complex is what he's got I tell you. Not gonna take my partner, 'no more dangerous missions' ghighi we'll show him."

I grasped that he was talking as if they will be a team when they get home. I felt happy at that thought before I had to remind myself once again that I wasn't going back with him. I watched his face as we made our way into the hot spring it was full of excitement and barely hidden longing. Walking through the changing room I made my way into the onsen and felt the tension in my body start to diminish.

Relaxing in the water I told myself to enjoy the time that I have, not to focus on what I can't have. No matter what I might want I can't go home yet, I still had a mission to accomplish and a wrong to make right. Thinking of the guild was the wrong move and before I could help it I started to cry. Gajeel seeing the tears at first panicked but slowly he drew me into an embrace and tried to give me some comfort though he didn't know why I was upset.

As I calmed down I realised I was once more in Gajeel's arms and my eyes shot to his. Seeing him recognise the position we were in I held my breath as he leaned forward and captured my lips. I felt our passions get away from us once again. I was overwhelmed with feelings as I kissed Gajeel and when he started to caress my body over the robe fell further under his pull. As I felt his hand move down my body heading for the hem of the robe, I was so close to succumbing to the feeling of pure bliss when I had a flash of the other morning waking up alone and crying. Remembering what happened last time I deliberately pulled away and asked him the hard question.

"Gajeel, what are we?"

I could the shock flash across his face and then his expression settled into uncomfortableness. I watched as he shut down and started to withdraw even though his body was still underneath me. I had to hold back any more tears as I knew he would be able to smell them. Getting up I straighten my robe and wished him a quiet goodnight. Once back in the room I called out Aries for a wool bed on the other side of the room from the bed as I now couldn't share a bed with Gajeel not without once more breaking my own heart.

As Gajeel came in later he was shocked and hurt when he saw where Lucy was sleeping, he almost went and moved her to the bed but before he could reach her he smelled the tears. Feeling ashamed and sad Gajeel went over to the bed and lay there thinking about everything that had happened over the last few years, not only about Lucy but how losing Levy broke him. He started thinking about the future and the possibilities of what has been happening with him and Lucy, where their relationship is going: after everything is said and done he can't help but wonder what Levy would have thought. As he drifted off to sleep the last thought in his mind was remembering the look in her eyes as she had asked him what they were. It haunted his dreams that look of hope.