It was the way you smile. Your oh-so-bright smile.

I never thought I’d feel this way for anyone, most especially someone so damn small, like you. No, not in a million years. Oh wait, I already did. Damn it! How did this happen? How?!

Well, it was that brightly-lit face of yours.

It’s that ing adorable face of yours. Why do you look at me like that after what I did to you? Have you forgotten how I humiliated you and your team to the whole town of Magnolia? Are you out of your ing mind?! Why do you look at me like that when you, of all people, should be loathing me for what I did?

Something tells me it’s because of that incident. It’s not like I purposely saved you. I just wanted to pick a fight with that guy, Laxus. But, since then, you’ve changed. You ing changed. You no longer cower when I’m around. It’s not like I liked it when you did that before, but this change is something I’m not used to having shown towards me. So, why? Why change? And why do I like that you’re that way towards me now?

this! I can’t stop myself from waiting to see your smile. It’s too innocent. Too pretty. Too “you”. Something that I’ll never have on my own face. Something that doesn’t suit me, but it suits you. Why do I always find myself staring at you, secretly waiting for that bright smile to come up? Your smile is something I will never get tired of staring at. If I have a ing choice, I’ll gladly watch you all day and all night long.

But I don’t want you to know you’re affecting me this way. You’re too good for me. You’re too perfect for someone as bad as me. I don’t deserve your smile. I don’t deserve the way you look at me. I don’t even deserve any of what I have now. Especially having you beside me. Just being there. I don’t deserve all of this. I don’t deserve a second chance. But you gave me one. This whole guild gave me one. , if there’s someone who doesn’t deserve any chance at all, it’s me! But you all gave me one! How can I not love this guild? fairies. These people are getting to me. Really.

And you are the root of all this. And if I were given the chance to a do-over in life, I would take it. I would have gone off straight to this guild to be with you. But I don’t regret what happened. I don’t regret getting beaten up for what I did. I deserve it. If there’s something I deserve,it is to be punished for hurting you. I’m glad Salamander did it. If there’s something I regret, it was hurting you of all people. If I’d known you’re this kind of person, I wouldn’t do you any harm. But I did. For that reason alone, I will do everything in my power to never ever let anything happen to you ever again. It’ll be my life’s mission. If I have to die doing it, so be it. As long as you’re safe. As long as you’ll be able to smile everyday. I will.  So I’m glad Master Makarov came to pick me up and brought me in. If he had not, I wouldn’t have this chance to secretly watch over you. To secretly watch you smile from a distance. To be next to you whenever I’m not hiding in a corner. To protect you.That’s why I don’t ever regret beating the hell out of those guys from Grimoire Heart for even trying to hurt you. I won’t have that. Not on my watch.

You changed my life. Your family changed everything.

So now, I have a purpose in life. And now I have a family to call my own. You changed everything. For that, I’m grateful. As long as you’re here. As long as I can see you. As long as this family exists. Kurogane Gajeel, the old me, will cease to exist. And I may not shout this to the world, but I’m proud. I’m proud I’m a  ing Fairy Tail mage.