IMPORTANT INFO: First off my knowledge on most of Fairy Tail is based on the English dubbed anime. Although I have recently picked up the manga and seen some of the Japanese version- My characters may differ slightly for that reason.

Setting - This takes place right after the tower of Heaven incident.

Characters: Natsu, Lucy and the gang are still at the resort if you remember they stayed for a few more days longer than Juvia did, so unfortunately they won't show up for a while.

This is a Gajeel x Levy story mostly, but other Fairy Tail characters will be in it as needed and because I love them all..! I just find this pairing to be the most intriguing because of their polar opposite personalities, their past and their adorable height difference. But sadly Levy won't be in this right away and interaction between them will be slow...

Lastly I've already written about 30 pages for this story so far, but I'll be posting up chapters here and there... I don't know where exactly it will be stopping, but the ride should be fun interesting for at least myself and hopefully the reader as well.

IMPORTANT UPDATE 1-1-16: I've been going back to make some slight edits on this story, which means that all of the original chapters have been replaced, along with all of my review responses and author's notes up until chapter 39. I apologize for this, but I really wanted to fix a lot of the spelling and grammar issues in the story. Mostly, because I have improved in these aspects since the original posting two years ago! From chapter 40 on there will be author's notes and review responses.

I want to thank everyone who has reviewed this story thus far, from the bottom of my heart. It is and will always be a very important piece to me personally. Iron Gray was the story that got me back into writing, something I absolutely love to do, but wasn't able to for a long time and I would like to share a bit about that as it is 'my story'. If you wish to read it, it is posted at the end of chapter 41.

Lastly I want to stress that I will only be fixing the errors I find and that I will NOT be changing anything in the story itself… Everything will stay as it was in Iron Gray, as it is far too important to me personally, for me to change any of it. I'd like to instead treat it as a bookmarker on my profile to show my growth as a writer. Not only that, but changing it would be a slap in the face to everything it stands for as each chapter represents the time in my life that it was written. Thank you and now please enjoy Iron Gray dear readers, as I won't talk again until chapter 40!

Iron Gray Chapter 1 Black Steel Gajeel

It was a cool summer night in Magnolia. The town was relatively quiet considering the hour was still young. Most of the citizens had turned in for the evening in preparation for the next day ahead, after being exhausted from the working shift. However, in the darker parts of town, there was still a little more life to be seen roaming the streets and alleyways. This mostly consisted of the bar goers', considering it was still midway through the week.

It was basically just these regulars who were shuffling in and out of the taverns. The streets were empty with the exception of this group of people, most of which were drunk as they scooted from one ally bar to the next. However, outside one corner tavern there was a large man sitting on the cement ground with his knees up, his forearms resting on them and his back propped up against the outside wall of the tavern.

He had on a tan cloak with a hood that concealed most of his upper body. His tan arms were sticking out from it. One was littered with large scars, but each had studded piercings running down the both of them. He sported leather, fingerless gloves with bolted metal cuffs. The lining of his boots matched that of the gloves; large and black, with the hems of his baggy white pants tucked into them. His face was hidden, because he kept his head down. Long strands of black-feathered hair were jutting out from the hood, along with the point of his nose, which shined with studs going down either side of its bridge. In one of his hands was a small flask.

It was clear to any sober person, from the position he sat and the aura he gave off, that this man did not want to be bothered. It was just too bad that the unfortunate soul, who stumbled out of the bar he sat outside of, was too drunk to pick up on this.

The drunk had almost fallen over after a brief wrestling match with the door. He managed to catch himself and regain his balance before he just stood there, aloof in his hazy state, taking in his surroundings. Of course, he then noticed the cloaked man and began to stumble towards him lazily.

The man in the cloak paid him no mind as he took another swig from his flask, allowing the liquid to burn a path down his throat and into his stomach, warming him from the inside. The drunk stopped before the man who sat on the ground looking down on him with a dopey smile.

"Hey…!" He bellowed out loudly, but he realized, or maybe he didn't, that he was being ignored. "Eyyyyy… You… down there…!" He said now sounding slightly annoyed as he dragged out all of the words. The man on the ground still did not acknowledge the drunk. The drunk getting severely agitated now began to shout, "Eyy… I need some change… Fer the bus!" The cloaked man finally looked up at the drunk, revealing two fierce crimson eyes with black slit like pupils, resembling that of a dragon's eyes. His face was lined with more studded piercings, his expression was not friendly, but the drunk didn't seem to care.

"I ain't got any." A gruff voice growled. "Ya better keep walkin' if ya know what's good fer you." He spoke again looking away from the drunk now. The drunk stared for a moment, perplexed as if struggling really hard to think. Then a big smile suddenly spread across his face as if he were pleased with himself for finally figuring it out.

"Hey I know you!" He exclaimed excitedly. "Black Steel Gajeel." He let out a hiccup. "You're a wizarrrd." He slurred out. "Ya definitely have money." He uttered as he kicked the bolt of Gajeel's boot. "C'mon dragon slayer… jus' share a liddle…"

The slight tap on his boot was just the excuse Gajeel was looking for as he clenched his teeth and stood up without any hesitation, his fists at his sides. He had gotten to his feet so fast, that his hood fell away revealing his spiky black mane that was slicked back.

"If you truly knew me… then you'd know to stay away…" He stated darkly between clenched teeth as he turned to face the drunken man slowly. His eyes almost seemed to glow evilly; his features were drenched in shadow. The man was beginning to realize that he might have made a mistake. His face was paling as he took in the size of Gajeel, standing before him. He was starting to remember something about the iron dragon slayer attacking people… That's right, it had been all over the newspapers. The Phantom Lord guild versus the Fairy Tail guild and Black Steel Gajeel's role in it; too bad he hadn't thought about it sooner.

Gajeel's hand was becoming steeled scales; his fingers were reaching out and grabbing the man by the front collar of his shirt. His steel nails poking holes as he grasped the fabric tightly.

"Wait! Wait!" The drunk began to bellow, sobering up enough to realize how bad this was. His face was visibly terrified now and that only seemed to encourage Gajeel as he smirked at the man revealing his fangs. He let out his unique laugh at the man's expense clearly enjoying every second of the drunk's fear.

Gajeel found a certain pleasure in terrifying people and especially now. He hadn't had this satisfaction in a while since Phantom Lord was no longer in existence. No more guild, meant no more members to intimidate as well as no more jobs of beating up bandits and thugs for information. Not only that, but he missed the fighting. His last taste of it had been during the battle with Fairy Tail and what a fight that had been…

Gajeel had never faced an opponent like Salamander, who had actually beaten him. Internally he kind of wanted to fight him again, just so that he could get a chance to test his limits against the fellow dragon slayer. It had made him feel alive actually… in a way he hadn't in ages.

The memories were starting to fuel Gajeel as he lifted the smaller man up by the collar enough so that his feet were off the ground.

Yes… the fight with Salamander had been exciting for him, but in the end he had lost and not only his fight, but also the whole war… and Fairy Tail? They had walked away, not only victorious, but as a prize, Phantom Lord was extinguished and that wasn't even what angered him the most.

The man was crying now as Gajeel held him in the air looking up at him with an angry crossed brow. He was no longer smirking as the memories continued to flood his brain. He threw the man's back against the wall of the tavern; holding him there and pushing on him, making it hard for the drunk to breath. He was so lost in anger and the memories that he didn't even notice the man wet himself.

It was that damn defiance. Gajeel's thoughts spoke as the images continued to invade his mind like a movie. The first memory was of Salamander, refusing to stay down even when Gajeel clearly had the upper hand. The way the flame dragon slayer had stood up after his strength had returned and looked down on him, reminded Gajeel of a demon. The next image was of the blond chick, the one that they had started the whole war over; that Heartfelia girl. The determined look on her face as she spited Gajeel with her words even after he had kicked, what should have been all the fight, out of her, had him shaking with rage. Next, was an image of the carrot top with the shades; he had tried to save the blonde as Gajeel had made his escape with her. Gajeel also remembered the peculiar marshmallow man, who had used some kind of odd picture magic. That man had also tried to defend Miss Hearfelia from his Phantom Lord guild mates, but he had been way outnumbered.

Then lastly, one other memory floated in Gajeel's mind. One of the first three he had targeted that had been the catalyst, finally spurring Fairy Tail to fight back. Gajeel could still hear her voice; from the night he had strung her up. At the time, he hadn't realized she was even conscious.

"They will stop you…"

It was all she could manage to say, but something about the arrogance of this beaten girl had irked him enough to make sure she wouldn't say anything else for a while. That was when he left Phantom's symbol on her; his way of branding her as punishment for her words. That last act of defiance assured her publicly bearing the mark of humiliation. Gajeel remembered looking at the three of them, one last time after he was finished with his 'little message' to Fairy Tail, before shaking his head grimly and leaving to tell Jose what he had done.

None of them had been scared of him, even when he had punished them, beaten them down and taken their dignity. Not one of them had even tried to run away; their faces never giving way to the terror he was so used to inflicting on people. He couldn't understand it.

Most everyone in Phantom Lord feared Gajeel, with the exception of the Element Four, whom he respected as strong wizards and Master Jose. But those damn… Fairies. Everyone of them, even down to the smallest, had stood up to him; never truly letting him have the satisfaction of their true fear. They cried, bled, screamed and talked smack, but he couldn't seemed to catch that frightened look in their eyes, even when he thought he had defeated them.

After their guildhall had been destroyed, it was like there was no putting out that fire… A flash of the Salamander's angry flames erupted in his mind's eye.

In fact… It was their spirit that had intimidated him. Gajeel was remembering how he had fallen to Salamander's hands once again… How come they hadn't been scared? The question still haunted him to this day. How is it he had lost?

He pictured the celestial wizard once again and the determined face she had given him, she hadn't even been able to stand. Gajeel had tried so hard to make her as afraid of him as everyone else was, without causing her serious damage. Hell, his guild mates had been shaking just watching his onslaught of attacks on the girl, but she just wouldn't cave and it had made him crazy inside.

He went a little too far and if Salamander hadn't stepped in when he did even Gajeel wasn't sure what he would have done to miss Lucy Heartfelia that day. She had, had the balls to say she felt sorry for him, which for some reason bothered him, and he had responded by getting more riled up. She had given him the go ahead to just kill her because she knew Fairy Tail would come after him for her death.

It was hard to believe her. That any guild would go so far as to actually do that, but at that point Gajeel was so fed up with her resistance, that he just embraced her words with laughter.

Now Gajeel knew better, the words she had spoken to him that day were indeed true and he couldn't deny it even if he didn't fully understand it.

He knew though, because when the dust had settled on Phantom's Lord's war with Fairy Tail, it was he who had known fear that day, having been beaten and watching his master fall.

The Fairy Tail guild was just… stronger. He didn't know how or why they hadn't been afraid, but he did know that despite the fact that he wanted to fight them again, they weren't to be trifled with.

A bright golden light like the sun was shining through the heavens casting everything in a blinding glow. Gajeel opened his eyes, realizing he had closed them as he remembered the spell Makarov had casted that day. He had never seen anything like it before and it had brought Jose down, something he hadn't thought was possible. The ultimate judgment spell, Fairy Law.

The man Gajeel held against the wall was staring at him with red bloodshot eyes, bulging out of fear. He was sobbing and muttering 'pleases' and 'No's'. Gajeel glared at him, finally out of his trance, having lost all his fight. What with all the memories returning and then disappearing just as fast. His grip on the man's shirt was becoming slack.

"Gajeel?" A familiar serene voice spoke. Gajeel knew whom it belonged to, but he also realized that it couldn't be her, because there wasn't a single drop of rain. "Maybe you should put that guy down." She said, her tone sounded light, almost like she would laugh.

Laughing? Juvia laughing…? The two didn't seemed to go hand in hand. She had a very pessimistic personality for as long as he had known her, but when Gajeel turned his head to look, he couldn't deny that it was indeed her, even though she looked different.

For starters she had cut her hair and was wearing a much different kind of attire than he was use to seeing on her. And her face; she looked… happier?

He was so surprised by her, that he slowly let the drunken man slide to the ground without looking. The man took that opportunity to run off shouting 'thank you's' to the sky.

"Rain woman? Without the Rain...?" Gajeel choked out.

Gajeel didn't really have friends, but Juvia, along with the other members of the element four had probably been about the closest thing. And although he wouldn't admit it, he preferred Juvia's company compared to the others. He respected her strength as a wizard and the rain had never seemed to bother him, which she had always appreciated in return. She probably was the closest thing to a friend he had, considering he had conversed enough with her to know, that what stood before him wasn't the same Juvia he had known.

Juvia's serene blue eyes took in the iron dragon slayer's appearance. He seemed thinner and his eyes were haggard and bloodshot. He wasn't drunk, but it was clear that he had been drinking. She also noticed the bags under his eyes and his whole face seemed sunken in. He didn't quite look as she remembered him, despite her worry though, she found herself smiling, because in truth she had missed him. Not a lot of people liked Gajeel Redfox, but Juvia considered him her friend simply, because he had always accepted her. Being the rain woman had made it hard to gain that with people.

"Gajeel!" She exclaimed happily. "I'm glad I found you! I had heard you might be around here." Gajeel turned fully to her now, raising a studded brow. He was already surprised by her sudden appearance and the obvious dramatic changes that he hardly heard what she had said. He paused for a moment so he could back up and rewind his thoughts.

"You were lookin' fer me?" was all he could seemed to choke out, the statement sending him into mere confusion. Juvia smiled brightly closing her eyes happily, it was so… unusual for her, at least from Gajeel's perspective.

"Yea, can we talk? I'll buy you a drink!" She exclaimed her voice light as a feather. He again had to stare at her for a moment, before he answered just to get his bearings. His brain was tangled up with so many questions, but the longer he looked at her, taking in her new 'better off' appearance the more he felt himself calming. Like a sense of relief washed over him, was he maybe happy to see her too and was he glad to see she was doing well?

He closed his eyes and shook his head and when he opened them, a smile showing his fangs graced his lips. He folded his toned arms over his broad chest and for some reason he couldn't seem to stop the grin.

"Why the hell not?" He answered amused and Juvia just laughed lightly. She really had missed her friend and was glad to see that despite the fact that he was obviously struggling, he was at least in one piece.