Frozen Heart
Chapter 80
Jack had not said a word since waking up back at the Workshop.
The air itself felt heavy, like the darkness had weight to it despite all the lights, and the normally manic energy was subdued to a snail’s crawl as yeti and elves shuffled quietly about.
Sitting opposite the winter-girl on a windowsill, Gajeel watched the funeral proceedings, respectfully silent in the face of their grieving.
The Sandman had given his life for Jack, and that was good enough in his book.
Hugging her knees close, Jack kept her head turned away, staring blankly out the window into a snow-covered landscape.
Gajeel had never seen her this way, so quiet and still, not even when that fear-poison had pulled her into helpless sleep.
Nudging her toes gently, the Iron Dragon Slayer sighed as she resolutely ignored him, blue eyes dark and blank of any snowflakes or shards of ice.
“Come on, Snowie, don’t be like that…”
The horrible dark marks were visible through the thick tears in her once-white shirt, almost matching her eyes as they finally turned to him.
“Ya gotta pull it together.” He continued, as gently as he possible could. “Sitting here ain’t gonna bring him back, and it won’t stop that Pitch bastard.”
“It doesn’t matter…” Jack mumbled, sad and low. “I’m not…I’m not strong enough to be of any use…”
“Oi.” Gajeel growled, taking hold of her still-covered shoulders and shaking once. “Stop thinking like that.”
“It’s true.” The winter-girl shot back, lower lip trembling despite her glare. “I should have realized what he was doing, I should have been able to get out of the way, I should have-”
A sob caught in her throat, tears threatening to fall.
“I should have been able to save him.”
His own iron heart buckling at that look on her face-guilt and despair and I’m not good enough, just leave me alone, I’m not worth it-, Gajeel cupped her face, feeling the cold through his gloves as only a cursory note.
“He made his choice when he took that arrow for you.” The Dragon Slayer growled, red eyes pinning blue. “Are ya gonna sit here and waste the second chance, or are ya gonna go out there and punch that son of a bitch in the face again?”
Slowly, the blue of her eyes lightened, ice taking shape there in deadly fractal patterns.
“I’d rather rip his throat out.”
Gajeel smiled, fangs just visible as pride and something warm welled up in his chest.
“That’s my girl.”
The air itself felt heavy, like the darkness had weight to it despite all the lights, and the normally manic energy was subdued to a snail’s crawl as yeti and elves shuffled quietly about.
Sitting opposite the winter-girl on a windowsill, Gajeel watched the funeral proceedings, respectfully silent in the face of their grieving.
The Sandman had given his life for Jack, and that was good enough in his book.
Hugging her knees close, Jack kept her head turned away, staring blankly out the window into a snow-covered landscape.
Gajeel had never seen her this way, so quiet and still, not even when that fear-poison had pulled her into helpless sleep.
Nudging her toes gently, the Iron Dragon Slayer sighed as she resolutely ignored him, blue eyes dark and blank of any snowflakes or shards of ice.
“Come on, Snowie, don’t be like that…”
The horrible dark marks were visible through the thick tears in her once-white shirt, almost matching her eyes as they finally turned to him.
“Ya gotta pull it together.” He continued, as gently as he possible could. “Sitting here ain’t gonna bring him back, and it won’t stop that Pitch bastard.”
“It doesn’t matter…” Jack mumbled, sad and low. “I’m not…I’m not strong enough to be of any use…”
“Oi.” Gajeel growled, taking hold of her still-covered shoulders and shaking once. “Stop thinking like that.”
“It’s true.” The winter-girl shot back, lower lip trembling despite her glare. “I should have realized what he was doing, I should have been able to get out of the way, I should have-”
A sob caught in her throat, tears threatening to fall.
“I should have been able to save him.”
His own iron heart buckling at that look on her face-guilt and despair and I’m not good enough, just leave me alone, I’m not worth it-, Gajeel cupped her face, feeling the cold through his gloves as only a cursory note.
“He made his choice when he took that arrow for you.” The Dragon Slayer growled, red eyes pinning blue. “Are ya gonna sit here and waste the second chance, or are ya gonna go out there and punch that son of a bitch in the face again?”
Slowly, the blue of her eyes lightened, ice taking shape there in deadly fractal patterns.
“I’d rather rip his throat out.”
Gajeel smiled, fangs just visible as pride and something warm welled up in his chest.
“That’s my girl.”