Fairy Tail x Reader Stories (Temporarily Discontinued)

(29) Gajeel x Reader ~ Poke

A/N: Here's a short, fluffy one-shot you guys voted for. The angsty one will written next.
Word Count: 1304
Benipe - an Egyptian name meaning "iron."

Melodic chirps of the birds singing their morning song ring clearly throughout the small clearing of the forest. At the river bank, a tent is pitched beside a campfire that had been put out night prior. The soft rumbling of the waterfall connected to the river soothes the wildlife into a peaceful mood.

At the base of the waterfall, where the falling water meets a cluster of boulders peeking out of the water's surface, sits a man. His pierced face is calm yet hardened. With his legs crossed and hands resting on his knees, the man meditates beneath the pouring water, his mind focused and sharp.

From inside the tent, three figures lie together, curled up with little space between their bodies. A child of no more than two years of age is curled up before his mother with his head tucked tightly against his parent's breast. He subconsciously suckles on his small thumb while clutching the nearest object, which happens to be his mother's shirt, with a tight grip. On top of the said mother is a small exceed. The black furred creature snoozes peacefully atop the woman's side with his small paws lazily hanging around her stomach and back.

Deep within her dream, the woman fails to notice her son wake up and crawl away from the futon. The small child crawls out of the tent on all fours, his little mind determined to find his missing father. He crawls his way to the edge of the river and spots his missing parent sitting in the middle of the body of water. A small hand reaches out, ready to crawl onwards into the water, when a stronger force pulls him back.

Big, red eyes look up to see a familiar, furry face shaking his head in disapproval. The exceed scolds the young toddler, though he is unable to understand the complicated words leaving the cat's lips.

Noticing that the boy's eyes keep wandering back to the meditating dragon slayer seated beneath the waterfall, Panther Lily asks the child if he is looking for his father. All he gets in response, thanks to the toddler's limited vocabulary, is "Da-Da" and a chubby finger pointing to the referred man. Lily sighs and turns his head towards the tent where (Y/n) is still lost in slumber. A part of him refuses to allow himself to take the child over to his father, in fear of causing much worry and panic if (Y/n) suddenly awakens, but a voice in his mind tells him to aid the yearning boy.

"It will just be real quick," he mumbles to himself, his hand darting out to grab the child, who has begun his second attempt to reach his father. "I'll come right back and inform (Y/n) of Benipe's whereabouts."

Grabbing the small infant by the underarms, Lily sprouts a small pair of wings from his back and lifts off the ground. Coos of inquisitiveness are heard from beneath the exceed as he glides over the river. With agility and complete silence, the exceed swoops down behind his partner and hovers in the air. He slowly pushes closer to the iron dragon slayer with Benipe in his arms. The infant nudges his chubby fingers into his father's shoulder, but Gajeel is too focused to feel the light poke.

"Try again," Lily encourages with a mischievous smirk.

With his newfound motivation, the boy jabs his fingers into the firm, muscled shoulder once more, only to be met with the same response as before. A saddened pout is drawn onto the disappointed child's face. Sensing his distress, Lily continues to support the infant in his paws.

*poke*

"..."

*poke*

"..."

*poke*

"Whaa- What do ya' want?!"

Turning around with a hardened glare, Gajeel raises a fist, ready to strike when he realizes that his assaulter is only his son and and sneaky partner in crime. Babbling complete nonsense, Benipe's arms thrust out to reach his father, his small, chubby hands making 'grabby hands.'

"Da-Da!!"

"Oi, what do ya' think yer' doin', Squirt," Gajeel chuckles, scooping his son into his arms. The mage cradles the infant in one arm while tickling him with the other. Shrill squeals and shrieks of laughter echo around the clearing, promptly waking up the child's mother, who was still sleeping in the tent.

Rushing out of the tent in a panic, (Y/n) scans the perimeter for her son, her heart racing in fear of nature of the screams. She lets out a sigh of relief when her eyes land on the trio beneath the waterfall. Though she is slightly angered at the thought of something actually happening to her son, (Y/n) forces herself to settle down. She pinches the bridge of her nose as she watches her husband and child have the time of their lives under the freezing water that is drenching their waterlogged bodies with Panther Lily casually watching.

"Gajeel!!" (Y/n) growls, cupping her hand around her mouth, her eyebrows furrowed in irritation. "What do you think you're doing with Benipe?! He'll get sick! Bring him over here, Lily!! Gajeel, you get over here right now!!"

Hearing his wife's angry rant is a telltale sign to do nothing but listen to her orders. Throughout the many years Gajeel has been in a relationship with (Y/n), he has learned to never anger her any further than she already is.

"Yes, Ma'am," he shouts back in reply. Panther Lily takes Benipe into his arms and flies back to the river bank as Gajeel slips into the water, swimming his way back.

---

"Geez, woman," Gajeel yelps, dodging his wife's airborne shoe," calm down!"

The remaining shoe goes flying at the dragon slayer's face, this time achieving to hit its desired target. Instead of getting angry, as most would when any projectile is thrown at his or her face, Gajeel keeps a level head. Counting down from 10, Gajeel slowly breathes in and out before carefully asking (Y/n) for the reason for her enraged outburst.

"I didn't know where Benipe or Lily went and all I heard when I woke up was screaming. You guys almost gave me a heart attack, Gajeel! Put yourself in my shoes and consider how I felt before asking me why I am mad!"

Planting his large hands onto (Y/n)'s shoulders, Gajeel steadies the young woman's shaking figure. He pulls her body flush up against his own, leaving as little space as possible. Calloused fingers card through her hair and the man soothes his sobbing spouse.

"I'm sorry, (Y/n). If I had known that you were unaware of Benipe's whereabouts, I wouldn't have kept him with me."

Hearing his soft, whispered apology calms (Y/n) down. She gingerly pushes herself away from Gajeel and cups his face.

"I accept your apology, but don't do that again, please."

"I promise. Th-"

"Ghhaaaahhh~ hehehehe!! Lily," squeals Benipe, who is outside playing with Lily. Walking outside their tent, the couple first notice Pantherlily in his battle form. They then notice their squirming son trying to wriggle out of the exceed's tickling hands. "Da-Da!! Ma-Ma!! Help!!"

Gajeel and (Y/n) look at each other, smile, and shake their heads. The two remain in their spots with their feet planted to the ground. When their son pouts and whines for their help to escape the 'tickle monster' known as Panther Lily, the couple politely decline with playful laughs.

"Why aren't you going to help your son, Gajeel," teases (Y/n). "You are his brave, strong, dragons slayer father."

"Think of it as his... punishment... for sneaking out of the tent."