Chapter 1: Cold and Comfort
Levy watched as the rain hammered against the window on a cold winter morning. She sighed, fogging a small patch on the chilled glass with her warm breath.
Behind her, she heard a click as the kettle finished boiling. With renewed enthusiasm, Levy turned and skipped into the kitchen. Her small slippers clacked on the hard linoleum as she walked to the cupboard in which she kept all of her cups.
After rooting through the cupboard, she pulled out a large white and purple spotted mug. With a smile, she placed it on the counter and poured herself a hot cup of black tea.
Carefully adjusting her cardigan around her petite chest, Levy picked up the cup and moved into the front room to settle into a chair and enjoy a day of reading.
She gave the thick novel on her coffee table a glance as she put the tea down on the table and walked over to the thermostat to adjust the heating a little. She was currently reading a fantasy sci-fi novel recommended to her by her best friend, Lucy, about new planets and dragons.
Settling into her comfy reading chair by the window, Levy reached down beside the chair and pulled a large blanket over her lap. The blanket, which was white with repeating prints of a black cat with rounded ears and a scarred eye, was Levy's favourite blanket; and of course the warmest.
She smiled to herself, feeling the wonderful comfort of home, and finally reached for her book.
Before her fingers could brush the thin paper of the dustcover, there was a heavy rhythmic knock at the door, and the sound of impatient tapping on the floorboards.
Levy sighed, lowering her head for a moment before pushing the blanket aside and walking to the door without particularly high spirits. She stood on her tiptoes to look through the peep hole, only to be met with more of the door. Levy looked briefly and disappointedly up to the terribly underused peep hole before standing back on her feet. She was startled as another, more rapid, set of knocks came at the door. She rocked back on her heels for a moment, before quickly responding.
"W-Who–" She began, before she was interrupted.
"Ya know who it is, Shrimp, open up! I'm freezin' my ass off out 'ere!" A deep voice responded.
Levy's heart fluttered and a slight blush dusted her cheeks. She fixed her headband and held her cardigan closed with one of her hands.
"J-just a minute!" she replied, hurrying to unlatch and open the door.
A tall, muscular man burst through the partly-opened door impatiently, closing it behind him. Levy took a surprised step back, her eyes wide.
The large man was soaked through, his long black mane sopping wet and dripping onto the wooden floorboards. He looked at Levy, his fierce eyes looking straight through her.
"It's rainin'." He simply said, his face remaining straight.
Levy nodded slowly, responding with a quiet 'mhm'. They stood there for a moment, looking at eachother expectantly before Levy suddenly jumped to life.
"G-Gajeel! You're soaked! You must be so cold!" She exclaimed, flitting around unsure of what she was doing. "Towels!" she shouted suddenly, before running off towards the bathroom. "Wait right there, don't move!"
And with that, she'd disappeared around a corner, leaving Gajeel standing by the door rolling his eyes.
He chuckled and took off his heavy, black boots. He chucked them in the corner before hanging up his overcoat and heading to the kitchen for a bowl to catch the drips before they pooled.
When Levy returned, an excessive amount of towels in hand, Gajeel was seated on a stool in Levy's kitchen unpacking the bag he'd brought with him. He looked up and smiled smugly at her.
"Ye sure ya got enough towels there, Shrimp?" he asked, grinning.
Levy puffed out her cheeks and turned her head away.
"Well if you aren't going to be grateful then..." she paused for a moment, her resolve wavering.
Gajeel's grin got even wider.
"Gi hi, then…what?"
"Gah! Just take them, stupid Gajeel!" Levy cried, throwing the towels at him and covering her suddenly red face with her arm.
Gajeel took the towels, laughing, and dried himself off as best he could. As he was shaking the water out of his hair like a dog, Levy was nosing through still-unpacked the contents of the bag. She noted packets of cookies, sachets of hot chocolate, a rectangular brown package and a few things she couldn't see well at the bottom.
Gajeel finished drying off and put the towels on the stool beside him. He grunted at Levy and she quickly turned away from the bag, blushing.
He smiled. "Yer a nosy little one, ain't ya?" He said, laughing a little at his own joke.
Levy puffed out her cheeks again before turning back to Gajeel.
"So… what's in the bag?" She asked suspiciously.
Gajeel grinned widely and packed everything back into the bag. He ushered her back to the living room and into her reading chair.