Disclaimer: All character belong to Hiro Mashima.

Drafted – Chapter 1 - Stranger


"I find it increasingly difficult to picture your beautiful hair. There's no color here just the muddy brown sand. They say war is hell but I think they're underestimating it. I miss you."


Her petite body, covered by a knee length orange and white dress, her wild blue hair pulled out of her face with a similarly orange head band, strolls into the bar in step with her perky blonde friend. They sit in the centered booth like they always did the blonde twirls her hair around her finger as Levy walks to the bar to order their usual drinks.

Smiling at the bartender as she grabs the drinks ready to walk back to her friend when a rough voice comes from beside her "I'm surprised he didn't ID you," she looks over at the man his long black hair cascading down his back as his gray collared shirt rolled up to his elbows grips his protruding muscles.

"Hump, maybe he could tell I'm old enough." she retorts.

"Gihi," laughing he replies "Shrimp you could pass as fifteen" puffing her cheeks out a light pink painted across them. He turns his face to her and she notices the several piercings on it lining his eyebrows and nose.

"Levy" she mumbles.

"Huh?"

"Levy, my name is Levy."

Reaching into his pocket and pulling out a few bills and dropping them on the bar after a quick nod to the bartender he says, "Well Levy," emphasizing her name "I hope I get the pleasure of seeing you again." He takes the last sip of his beer and walks out of the bar putting up a hand in a wave goodbye.

A deep red blush sticks to her face as she shakes her head to regain her composure, heading back to the booth with both drinks in hand.

"Who was that?" her friend asks.

She starts to speak but stops when she realizes she doesn't know his name. "I- I don't know" Levy replies swirling her drink with the straw.

"Well at least you're getting some attention. You know Natsu hasn't talked to me in a week!" Levy smiles as she listens to Lucy complain about her extremely forgetful boyfriend.

"I'm worried about him," Lucy's voice falls uncharacteristically timid "his grades are starting to drop and if he gets kicked out he'll be drafted." Lucy shakes her head and looks up, "You know what they're saying about the war right? Trenches, where the soldier's eat, sleep, and use the bathroom as they wait to kill or be killed."

Continuing to swirl her drink "War is hell." Levy says bowing her head.

"Well I want Natsu to live a long life without any blood on his hands."

The girls sat in silence for a while till Lucy smiled up at her friend "Sorry, I didn't mean to bring the mood down."

"It's fine, why don't you go over to his dorm." Levy suggests "help him study" she adds with a wink.

"What about you? I can't just leave you here."

"Me? I'm fine." she says waving her hand. "Jet and Droy wanted me to hang out with them anyway. Go, I'll get the drinks this time."

Sipping the last bit of her fruity drink the blonde stands up and smiles down at Levy, "Okay, I'll be back at our room in a few hours" still lingering at the table "Go, go" the blue haired girl continues motioning her along with a wave of a hand.

Lucy smiles and hurries out of the bar. Taking the last few sips of her drink, Levy sits in silence 'alright let's go' she thinks to herself and walks up to the bar. She opens her purse "how much for the drinks?" She asks. The bartender looks over while cleaning a glass "your friend, the scary looking dude, he already got your bill."

Quite shocked by what the bartender said she stutters "oh o-okay, well" she continues cheerfully "have a nice night." "You too" he calls back as she walks out of the bar.

As she starts down the street towards Jet and Droy's apartment her mind drifts back to the man at the bar. He couldn't have been much older than her, she wonders if they go to the same university or if he goes to school at all, well he has to or already have a good enough job to stay out of the draft, right? Her thoughts about the man are cut off as she arrives at Jet and Droy's building; she heads straight for the stairs. The three of them have been friend's sense childhood and despite their attempts to ask her out she thinks of them only as brothers.

Levy reaches out and knocks on the door moments later it opens revealing an excited Jet "Levy!" he squeals. "Hey, Jet." she replies walking past him into the small living room, taking a seat on the couch. Droy walks out of his room "Levy! How have you been?"

They talk about school and their jobs, the time passes quickly and soon its eleven o'clock. The boys walk her out she says goodbye and promises to come back soon heading for the subway station.

As she enters the dorm rooms she looks around for the tall man from the bar. But she doesn't see him. 'Maybe he goes somewhere else' she thinks entering her room. Lucy already sleeping in her bed Levy climbs into her own removing her head band and dress she pulls on a large t-shirt. She falls asleep fast with visions of the strange man in her head.

The next day her mind was elsewhere looking around for the man. Why was she so interested in him? His strong jaw line and sculpted muscles, long raven hair, she feels heat rise to her cheeks. "Levy, are you okay?" Lucy asks curiosity in her voice as they walk to their last class of the day, "Are you looking for someone?"

Levy's head snaps around back to her friend "What? No- I'm just- I was just looking at the trees they look so sad without any leaves."

"Right, well" Lucy says hiding a giggle behind her hand "when you're done feeling bad for nature you want to meet up after this class?"

Stopping at the middle of a four way where the sidewalks meet, Levy backs up towards the building behind her "Actually I have to go to the library. Get some research for my report. Rain check?"

"Sure, I'll see you back at the dorm." Levy nods in response.

She makes her way to the class taking her usual seat in the middle. Looking around she sighs 'what are the chances we would have a class together.' Her thoughts cut short by the professor starting the class, she takes notes on the lecture and for a brief two hours she doesn't think of the man.

As the class comes to an end she finds herself walking towards the bar and not the library. 'I just want to thank him. That's all.' Justifying her actions to herself she makes her way to the bar.

Levy gets there a few minutes later and taking a seat at the bar she looks around for the man.

"His not here yet,"

The sudden conversation startles her "What? Who?" looking at the bartender she continues "When does he normally come in?" thankful that he started to make her drink and wasn't looking at the blush creeping its way across her face. The bartender replies "in a little," while placing the drink in front of her.

She pulls out her book and starts to read periodically sipping on her drink. Levy was so engulfed in the story she didn't even notice the man she's been waiting for sit down next to her.

"All alone Shrimp, what happened to your friend?" Levy jumps the deep voice protruding her thoughts. Snapping her book shut she looks over at him.

"My names Levy," she says "not shrimp."

"Well 'Levy not shrimp' what are you doing at a bar by yourself?" he said as he waved the bartender over for a beer.

Sighing at how proud he is for calling her that as she puts away her book. "Waiting for you"

He looks up avoiding her gaze "ah- uh- w-why?" he stumbles out.

"Too thank you! You paid for our drinks yesterday." she says her voice full of cheer.

Bringing his arm to the back of his head he looks down at her a beautiful smile beaming up to him, "uh my names Gajeel Redfox."

"Well Gajeel, I'm Levy Mcgarden, Nice to meet you." her voice was like a song to his ears.

Heat crept up his face as he spoke his deep rustic voice "so uh you go to the school by here?"

"Yup, I'm majoring in English. I'm hoping one day to open my own library." Levy said smiling at the possibilities of the future "what about you? I've never seen you on campus before."

"Oh. Nah I don't go there. I have an auto repair shop down the road." he points over his shoulder.

Levy's eyes lit up with interest "really wow that's amazing. What's it like?"

So Gajeel told Levy about cars, how to fix them, clean them and to his surprise see seemed extremely interested. "What were you reading?" he said pointing down at her bag.

"It's a biography I have to do a report on this guy for school. Actually I should be at the library right now doing that but-" she waves her hand to show what she's doing instead.

In a big gulp Gajeel drinks the last of his beer and says "Well Shrimp let's get you back to the school then. I don't want to be the reason you get a bad grade." he drops money on the bar and stands up from the stool.

Levy sits without moving, she hears him mumble a come on, "well I mean that's not-" she starts but he cuts her off by grabbing her hand and a wave goodbye to the bartender they're gone.

"Gajeel this really isn't necessary. I mean I'm almost done anyway" she states quite sad there little conversation ended.

"Come on. Shrimp get in." he says as they walk up to a car. Levy doesn't really have time to protest as he gets in the driver's side and leans over to open the passenger door. So she gets in "Are you a good driver? This is the first time I've ever been in a car. Are they safe?"

"Really? Well get ready Shrimp." he says ignoring her question. He pulls out of the parking spot. They sit in silence as Gajeel drives, Levy giving him the occasional direction they get to the school in no more than five minutes. Pulling up to the dorm rooms Gajeel turns off the car "see that wasn't so bad."

"Thank you. Um, I'll see you around I guess." giving him a weak smile as he grunts a reply. She exits the car and walks up the cobblestone path and his eyes are immediately drawn to the curve of her hips. Her petite body disappears around a corner and he drives away, her smile a constant image in his head.

As the small woman enters her room, Lucy siting on her bed her face contorted in worry. "Where have you been? I went to the library to keep you company while you worked but you weren't there. I asked the libertarian and she said she hasn't seen you all day." she said practically yelling.

Levy doesn't say a thing, unsure of how to explain her odd afternoon.

"Huh anything to say?"

Levy gulps "um, well I was at the bar."

Her friend's eyes widen "by yourself? Levy I don't under-"

"No not alone I was with that guy from yesterday." she started to speak softer "he, uh, paid for our drinks so I wanted to thank him-"

Lucy gives a confused look "Levy you don't even know his name." she says matching her friends tone.

"Oh yes I do, his name is Gajeel and his actually quite interesting. He owns an auto repair shop down the road."

Lucy's mouth creeps up into a smile "oh, okay well you should tell me next time I was really worried."

Levy sits on the bed next to her friend "I'm sorry. I was going to go to the library but I found my way to the bar instead."

Giggling, Lucy pays her small friend on the head. "It's alright."


A/N: Hi yes that is chapter 1 please rate and review i would love to see what you guys think. i will try to get chapter 2 up within the next week i am about half way done uwu