The Ring Master | Jellal Fernandes [1] ON HOLD

28 | You've Still Got Me

THREE YEARS AFTER TENROU ISLAND DISAPPEARED

"Put that knife down kid!" Halay screamed in panic when she saw Dimitri start to chop vegetables, the sharp object very close to his small fingers. During the past years that Halay had taken on the brunet, she had found herself smiling more - maybe it was because she enjoyed his company or maybe it was because she saw recognised the look in his eyes, the same look she held in hers. The look of a person who was never loved as a child.

"Halay, I'm ten not a child." Dimitri complained as he waved the knife around. The cat on the other side of the room couldn't help but laugh at his recklessness.

"I agree with Halay," Reed spoke up as he flew some ingredients to Halay. "Dimitri, you need to put the knife down."

"Stir the food, let us do that dangerous things." The brunette instructed as she pulled her short hair into a small pony tail. One day Halay had just decided to cut her hair off which left her with a bob. At first, she hated it but it grew on her over time. Literally.

Dimitri huffed, giving the knife to the older girl and started to stir the soup on the stove next to him. "You know, you don't have to take easier jobs just because you want to bring me along." He told her as he watched the liquid bubble.

"Jobs are quite difficult young man, they're doing what they think is best." The trio turned to see Yajima standing in the doorway. Halay had decided to take a job at 8-Island because it was easy for them and Yajima loved Fairy Tail. "There are a couple of tables waiting for you to serve them." The old man told the girl with a smile.

"Yes sir." She smiled, exiting the kitchen and leaving the child in the hands of the cat. She cleaned her hands from any grub and quickly started to exit the small room, running into the short man who was her temporary boss.

"Halay. I want to thank you for what you've done for Fairy Tail. Maky would be proud." He told her with a smile.

"He left me in charge of the guild, I couldn't just abandon it." She replied honestly as she leant against the counter casually.

Yajima nodded in agreement. "You've come along way from where you were in Blue Pegasus."

"I'm twenty, I guess I had to grow up before I even had a chance at a childhood." She quickly stated as she smiled tensely, not wanting to look back on her supposed childhood - the one she was deprived off.

"That's why you've got a soft spot for Dimitri, you see yourself in him." Yajima stated, reading her easily.

Halay sighed as she hung her head, upset with herself that she had been figured out so easily. "Bob helped me control my magic, I want to help him with his."

"As much as thats true, there are still tables waiting." The old man playfully stated which caused her to laugh gently.

"Yes sir." She complied with his order, picking up the note pad off the counter as she walked past, adjusting her dress that had ridden up. She had refused to take her jeans off so they were still on under the uncomfortably right dress. "Hi, welcome to 8-Island. How may I help you?" She fakery greeted a customer as she readied to take an order.

"We need to talk, like now." An urgent voice told her. Halay's teal eyes looked up from her paper to see the sand wizard looking distressed in the seat.

"Max." She greeted in shock, slipping into the opposite seat. She placed down the paper and pen as she asked, "What's up?"

"Can't you guess?" Max sighed deeply, watching her expression grow darker extremely quickly.