Levy stood, leaning against the railing of the preschool fence, under a banner reading 'Exceedingly supportive day-care'. She positioned herself expertly, to not put any pressure on her shoulder, which was already blossoming into a technicoloured bruising. She sat, waiting by her rickety stroller painted with ironic flames, in her uniform for her next day job- a skimpy waitressing number, earning her distasteful looks from the pre-schoolers' mothers. Upon the ringing of a bell, the preschool spat out a flood of children, who were passed to respective parents. Levy was handed Happy by a caring young woman with pale hair, who's lapel had a nametag reading 'Yukino'. "How was he today?" Levy asked.
"An angel as always. The first to listen and do as he's told, isn't that right Happy?"
"Aye." He gurgled in confirmation, making the woman chuckle and praise- "You've raised a wonderful son, Miss Levy." Levy just smiled and, as always, made no effort to correct her. Yukino's features quickly contorted into shock upon seeing her bruise- "Miss Levy, your shoulder!"
"It's nothing, don't worry- I just fell."
"You're sure?" Yukino asked, clearly breeding tales of domestic abuse inside her head- ones Levy could only hope wouldn't metastasize into malignant rumours. One's which could land her a visit from an invasive social services team.
"Absolutely." Levy assured, knowing full well she'd never let somebody lay a hand on her again.
Levy waved off Yukino and her concerns and then left, with Happy in the stroller, to the nearest station. The two of them rode on 'The L' for roughly half an hour, suffering the grime, crowded seating and lurid stares from other train passengers. After leaving the train Levy got catcalled and followed down the street. She clutched the pepper spray in her purse like a holy grail until her workplace was within throwing distance, then, her palpitations subsided.
Levy had been working at '8-bit Island' a lot longer than the call centre and therefore felt safer in that environment. She knew more people there and liked the old boss Yajima a great deal. It still had unenviable pay though unfortunately, which meant Levy ultimately took on both jobs.
Entering the building, the bell latch on the door signalled Levy's arrival with a shrill ring. A petite pale girl who, now that levy thought about it, held quite the resemblance to Yukino, carried trays, greeting Levy warmly over crowds of patrons. "Hiya Levy, Hiya Happy!"
"Hi Lisanna," Levy replied placing Happy in a high chair at the breakfast bar, and she put on an 8-bit Island apron from her peg behind it. "Been busy?" Levy asked.
"Always busy." Lisanna confirmed cheerfully. "So that'll be a pot of black coffee, cheese grill with no onions and OJ with barbeque burger and curly fries for you guys?" Lisanna asked, relaying a couple their order, before she sprang into action.
No longer distracted and giving Levy her full attention, Lisanna laughed when Levy whispered, none too subtly- "Who the hell has a grilled cheese without onions?" Lisanna smirked, shushing her, as they walked further from the table for the sake of discretion. The light-hearted comment had established a more relaxed atmosphere that, unfortunately, Lisanna felt inclined to shatter.
"Juvia was in here earlier." Lisanna said gravely, wasting no time- as was her nature, honesty which was very refreshing for Levy.
"Oh?" Levy questioned, not catching on.
"She had some salt and pepper haired bloke with her, real creepy looking guy- they came in for breakfast." Levy went quiet at the news, processing the information.
"What are you thinking Levy?" Lisanna asked.
"I think my sister is a grown woman who can handle herself and I shouldn't pry." Levy said like a mantra, not quite believing her own words.
"But what if she's hooking with old creepy dudes, Levy? She didn't look comfortable being here today."
"Probably because she knew I'd find out about it soon as I got in for work. But she's promised me Lis, she's not doing anything to get herself in trouble and she knows that qualifies as big trouble." Levy assured.
"I just worry about her." Lisanna admitted, after a beat of silence.
Levy leaned over and gave her a hug, stretching over the countertop to reach.
"I do too." Levy confided, whispering to her friend.
"Don't you worry Levy! You've got enough on your plate as it is, without extra stress." Lisanna chastised her, strengthening their hug. The moment was broken however by lurid wolf whistling from the other side of the diner.
"Damn girlies, didn't know this place did live entertainment as well as takeout. It's dinner and a show!" Bixslow leered, clearly insinuating the affection between the girls to be quite entertaining to him on an instinctual level.
"Keep it in your pants, Bixslow!" Lisanna scolded the ruffian of a man- with spiked hair, punk style, an outrageously distracting tongue tattoo and compelling green eyes. He seemed to loiter at the diner purposefully to aggravate the preppy Lisanna. He was always at the diner under the guise of being there to visit not her, but rather his long-time friend, Evergreen. Levy however, could see right through him for what his outrageous comments truly were- bids for Lisanna's undivided attention.
"It's a compliment sugar," Bixslow stressed. "I'm just saying- I'd happily have the both of you, if you'd be interested."
"The both of us?" Levy queried, tone disbelieving, telling Bixslow she knew who he really had eyes for, while also expertly expressing her lack of interest.
"Don't short-change yourself Levy, leaning over that desk I got to see a whole new side to you, a backside, if you know what I mean?" Levy wondered how dense the girls he usually hit on would have to be for that one to go over their heads. Bixslow continued. "and that ass alone has made me think much more highly of you."
This really pissed Lisanna off, who stalked over to a now cowering Bixslow. "You do know we can kick people out of here for harassing us, right?"
"I was just trying to say she has a bright future behind her." Bixslow defended, before getting a weak slap.
"You absolute sleaze!" Lisanna squawked, like a petulant tantruming child, to the point where Levy had to cover her mouth, so as not to laugh aloud.
As if the timing was willed by serendipity itself, in all her glory Evergreen chose that moment to enter the restaurant area from the back. She glared daggers from behind her fine-cut, scholar-style glasses. Bixslow seemed to shrink in size. "Cease the vulgarities Bixslow, or else you will soon remember how it feels to reside under my feet." Evergreen said, flaunting her very high, deliberately pointed heels. Levy couldn't help but develop a visual image of Bixslow being impaled by the hideously tall point on her shoes- she almost felt bad for him. It had the necessary effect however- while he was at the restaurant, Bixslow wasn't any more trouble.
The successive hours were fairly normal, filled with the usual gossip and chatter- mostly on Levy and Lisanna's part and less on Evergreen's but it was still a very laid-back atmosphere. Kinana arrived half way through their shift, beginning hers. Kinana started selling alcohol at the bar and again the general atmosphere became overtly one of laxness.
Patrons came and went, a fair few coddling over Happy, in his high chair. He was waiting very patiently for Levy to finish work, to go back home for dinner and cartoons. Levy would slip him, here and there, a juice box or morsel of food and then take the cost off her pay for that day. Some customers, mostly young women, queried her on her bruised shoulder, but Levy shrugged off these concerns with a practiced unsuspicious charm. So many started asking however, that Levy thought it best to find a means of discretion over it.
"Evergreen," Levy called out to the calculating woman who acknowledged her with a sort of bored reverence. "Do you have any concealer on you, to cover this?" She pointed to her bruise.
"I have foundation yes," She answered rather detachedly, not asking after the wound's origins like everyone else had done. Levy was thankful, she could always count on Evergreen to have a 'don't ask, don't tell, don't care' attitude. "but," Evergreen continued- "not one you can use, my complexion is much fuller and more tanned than yours. It would just draw attention to the blemish on your pale skin." Levy forgot she could also always rely on Evergreen undoubtedly for a degree of vanity and passive aggression.
Evergreen continued, pointing towards Lisanna- "If you need some, ask Casper over there, she's friendly enough."
Kinana quickly voiced outrage from behind the bar. "Ever! That was mean, you shouldn't talk about your sister-in-law that way." Levy remarked this, thinking that Ever undoubtedly regularly treated Lisanna's brother Elfman, to whom she was married, much crueller than this. The two argued like an old married couple. But Levy shuddered to think how she'd suffer if she was ever caught calling Evergreen old.
"What? She's pale and so are you two." Evergreen stated rather undiplomatically and unapologetically.
"But she's your family!" Kinana futilely objected.
"And you'd never say something like that about Mirajane, just her." Levy injected, rather perceptively.
"Yes well, her sister is terrifying." Evergreen admitted, slightly losing her edge in the admission.
"Best hope she doesn't pit her against you then." Levy warned darkly, but with no underlying malice.
"Here you go, Levy." Kinana said- offering up, an admittedly pale, foundation, which Levy took.
Upon returning from the back room, after applying the concealer and returning it, there were many fewer customers and the girls had more time to strike up conversation. Lisanna joined them, after finishing a bill transaction, and raised a question to Levy. "Why's there a microwave looking do-dad out the back in Happy's stroller, Levy?"
Levy knew immediately that Lisanna was referring to the broken alarm clock that She'd carted around all day, holding out hope that she'd be able to find time to drop it at an electronics store, so it could be fixed. She explained all this rather hopelessly to Lisanna, who was quick to be optimistic.
"Don't worry about paying some scammer at a store for that Levy, one of the guys at Fairy tail will be able to do that for you no problem." 'Fairy tail' being the name of the bar which was frequented by many of her friends, Levy was reluctant.
"Juvia told me to do the same thing but it feels like a manipulation." Levy said.
"It's just a favour Levy, you can rely on someone once in a while." Lisanna giggled. "Some of those guys might even be qualified to do it for you," Lisanna offered. "Take Gajeel, for example-"
"Oh yeah, Gajeel!" Kinana shouted out, seemingly in agreement.
"Who's Gajeel?" Levy asked, the name unfamiliar to her.
"You two haven't met yet?" Lisanna asked, Levy shook her head. "He's a friend of Natsu's and Gray's." The statement offered some clarity as, Levy was long standing friends with those two character-full men, who she'd gone to high school with. All being well, when she went to Fairy Tail tonight she'd see the two of them there- the place practically being their second home. Levy found it regrettable she hadn't been able to get away for a drink with them in so long. She enjoyed talking to them.
"Those two lug heads managed to make a friend that wasn't forced to go through school with them? Why would this Gajeel guy put up with them for so long?" Levy asked finding the notion comical that they wouldn't come on too strong to somebody. Natsu and Gray were a juxtaposing and acquired taste. They grew on you with time, like a mouldy cheese.
Giggling along, Lisanna explained- "'This Gajeel guy' became their friend rather begrudgingly, mostly due to a lack of ability to get away- so you weren't wrong about that. From what I hear, they've all been working at the same place, a mechanics on 105th street." This offered Levy some much needed clarity but equally more questions.
"Lis, Did you say Natsu and Gray are working in the car shop on 105th?" Levy asked, urgently.
"Yeah, why?" Lisanna asked, none the wiser.
"That's my Brother's shop! For his car ring!" Levy whispered urgently. "What are they doing working there?"
Quite calmly, Lisanna clinically deliberated "Well they aren't mechanics, but they have worked as cons in the past, so they're probably stealing the old cars that the mechanics, like Gajeel, do up."
"What are they doing getting caught up in illegal business with my Brother?" Levy challenged.
"Relax Levy, they've done stuff like this in the past and never gotten caught before. They know what they're doing."
"It's a bad idea- my brother isn't trustworthy." Levy reaffirmed making a mental note to confront Natsu and Gray concerning it later.
Evergreen interrupted with a rather bored tone. "Who cares about them? I think we're missing the headline here ladies, because from what I gather, aren't mechanics usually ripped? And isn't this Gajeel guy one of those?" Evergreen asked making it clear that, like Levy, she'd also never met this man.
"You're married!" Kinana squawked in outrage.
"To my brother!" Lisanna continued.
"I wasn't asking for myself." Evergreen defended, shooting a poignant look towards Levy. This seemed enough for Lisanna and Kinana to process, and a shared sound of revelation escaped them. "Oh yeah!"
'Oh no.' Levy thought.
"Now that I think about it, they could be cute together." Kinana chanced to say. Lisanna nodded fiercely, her gaze far away, seemingly dreaming up scenarios of Levy with this man, which raised massive red flags for her.
"No, no, no! Stop right there you two- I've never even met this guy."
"But you surely will." Kinana defended.
"Right, and when you do, you aren't to be put off by his appearance." Lisanna commanded.
"Appearance?" Levy asked, her worries not even slightly abated.
"He's a little scary looking." Kinana admitted.
They interchangeably described him, as if they'd rehearsed.
"He has piercings."
"And Tattoos."
"And long hair."
"Kind of a Rockstar sort of vibe."
"But he's not boastful."
"Yeah, he's quiet in fact."
"And sweet,"
"And Evergreen was dead on about him being ripped."
"Ok enough!" Levy commanded, silencing the barrage.
"I know you two mean well, but honestly this guy sounds like-" Levy hesitated at their expectant faces. "Well, he sounds like a gang member, and I know first and foremost how bad an idea it is to get wrapped up with people like that."
"Levy, that's an awful thing to say!" Kinana chastised.
"You'll forgive me my prejudices after what happened when I last got wrapped up with people who matched that physical description." Levy stated simply, and the two girls bowed their heads in shame, though whether it was their shame or shame on Levy, that was unclear.
"Natsu trusts him, He's not a bad guy." Lisanna stated simply.
Levy sighed, seeing their sense. "I know, I'm sorry. But equally that doesn't make me want to meet him either. Especially not to ask him to fix my alarm clock. I mean as a mechanic on cars, that surely makes him a little bit overqualified. It would be like asking a gourmet chef to make you a sloppy joe's. I don't want to waste his time, in any regard." Levy added.
Lisanna seemed to catch the red flag attached to the statement. "You aren't wasting anyone's time Levy."
A trepid silence followed, before Levy reached a compromise. "I'll introduce myself if I see him at Fairy tail tonight." Levy offered. "I may even mention my broken alarm clock." This seemed to satiate the girls and reunify the peace.
In a beat of silence, Happy gurgled happily and drew the girl's undivided attention towards himself, receiving a unanimous smile. The source of Happy's gurgling fascinations was the smiling Boss, and owner of 8-bit Island, Yajima who had come out of the Kitchen and was fully visible. Happy was leaning towards him in his seat and smiling widely at the kind-hearted old man.
"Ladies, your shifts ended quite a while ago, don't you wish to leave?" He asked having had to come out to find them to give them their pay-checks rather than the usually agreed upon opposite.
"We were just catching up Yajima-sama." Lisanna said respectfully. "We'll be on our way now."
"There's a little something extra in these envelopes today Ladies," Yajima promised handing them out. "After all the good work you do, please don't fight me on it. I insist." Now if that wasn't a weight off Levy's shoulders. The girl's let out a little celebratory cheer, giggling all the while, and Levy then and there made a silent prayer to bless everyone there in that room. She felt so undeserving of them all.