Bound By Hate (Gale) {Book 1 of the "Bound" Series}

9: The Nightmare Demon

I groaned as Levy, Lily, and I took our seats on the train. I hated trains. I hated any form of transportation, actually. I had severe motion-sickness, and nearly died every time I rode on anything mechanical. Okay, I don't nearly die, but it feels like it.

"What's wrong with you?" Shrimp asked, sitting beside me. Lily had offered to sit in the seat across the isle from us with our bags, since he was the smallest. For some reason, Shrimp had agreed to share a seat with me.

"Nothing," I said, crossing my arms. As soon as the train lurched forward, I collapsed against the window. Everything was spinning, and my stomach churned uncomfortably until I felt as though I would be sick. If only I could throw up. I told myself if I could just throw up I'd feel better, but I never could. I simply had to ride with the dizziness and nausea the entire ride. Every time.

"You get motion-sick," Shrimp observed with a smirk. "That's kind of sad."

I tried to tell her to shut up, but when I opened my mouth the only sound that came out was another groan. Ignoring her giggle, I closed my eyes and pressed my head against the cool glass of the window. Eventually, I began to feel less sick, and I convinced my body to go into a sleep-like state. I was still sick, so resting was impossible, but as least I could zone out until the end of the train ride.

Suddenly, I felt a soothing warmth on the right side of my head, causing me to sigh. I leaned into whatever it was, grateful for the way it helped chase away some of the nausea. The warmth soon spread to the left side, as if someone were stroking my hair. Wait a minute--

My eyes shot open, and I bolted upright, realizing where I had been. Somehow, my head had ended up in the Shrimp's lap. Was she petting me? Like a damned cat?!

"What the hell were you---ugh." I fell against the window before I could finish, all of my former nausea returning.

"You fell asleep about an hour ago. When we went around a curve, you fell over into my lap. I didn't want to wake you, since it seemed you felt better when you were sleeping, so I just left you there," she said. She looked a little pale herself, and I assumed it was a side effect of my own sickness she was receiving through our bond.

"Oh," was all I could manage. This damned woman. What the hell is her problem? I wasn't exactly sure why I was mad at her. The thought of her doing something as simple as stroking my hair--and it actually making me feel better--infuriated me. Someone so little shouldn't have that much power over me. What the hell is going on?!

"Would you like to lay in my lap again?" She asked.

I was so shocked that my motion-sickness momentarily disappeared as I gaped at her. "What?"

"It seemed to make the ride more bearable for you," she shrugged. "I can feel how awful it is, and I don't mind if you do." She smiled at me, as if it weren't a big deal to have a man laying in her lap.

"No way--" The train hit a bump in the tracks, causing me to fall over. Nausea getting the better of me, I stayed put, allowing my head to rest on her legs. Although I hated to admit it, I felt a lot better as she continued aimlessly stroking my head. Damned woman.

~Levy~

I watched as Gajeel put his head against the window when the train began moving. I could feel how sick he was through our bond, and my own stomach clenched a little. After a while, the sickness on my end went away. I glanced at Gajeel again, who was breathing deeply. He must have fallen asleep.

As the train shot around a curve, Gajeel's sleeping body fell over, his head landing in my lap. I gasped in surprise, but decided against moving him when he didn't wake up.