It was four days later that Levy looked up from her novel, at the counter one night, to see Gajeel walking through the Cafe door. She smiled at him which he returned without saying anything more before ascending the staircase in the back. True to his word he stayed around only an hour before leaving again just as silently. Sometimes it was earlier in the day that he would arrive; when the shop was still closed and she was tending to the garden outside. Levy would hear him working and see him through the large window frame periodically but he always kept his distance.
Most nights when he would come she would be just as busy with customers and unable to greet him or closing down for the night and washing dishes in the back as he climbed the stairs in silence. For over two months their wordless dance continued until one night Levy noticed that over an hour had passed and she had not seen Gajeel leave. Then two and three. Finally her curiosity got the better of her and she climbed the stairs and waited by the closed door. Levy could hear no power tools running or footsteps either. Slowly she opened the door and walked into the large apartment.
Levy was surprised by how much he had been able to accomplish in such a short amount of time, there was now a large framed out kitchen to her right as she walked in. She touched the butcher block countertop and smiled as she walked around the outer island into the heart of the kitchen to her still wrapped appliances and oversized metal farmhouse sink. From the kitchen she looked out into the main living area. Her eyes fell on Gajeel leaning against a wall fast asleep. She walked over to him and gently touched his shoulder "Gajeel? Gajeel you fell asleep." She bent down and shook his arm lightly which caused him to begin to stir then stagger away from her covering his face with his arm in a protective motion. Levy backed away from Gajeel and held her own hands up to show that she meant no harm "I'm sorry Gajeel I just wanted to check on you. Are you alright?"
Gajeel stood and nodded "Sorry. Bad dream" he lied as he made his way to his coat and quickly down the stairs feeling mortified by his reaction. Levy followed at a distance trying to get him to slow down. "You've never stayed that long" Gajeel interrupted with a quick apology as he checked his phone for the time and any possible missed calls. It was almost two in the morning and Roxane had texted him that she was going to be home late herself and out with friends. Gajeel sighed with relief. "No-honestly it's fine Gajeel if you ever do I just got worried that you hurt yourself or something up there on your own." He could hear the sincerity in her words, stopped at the door, letting in another customer, and turned to face Levy.
"Listen I didn't mean to jump you're fine really Levy" her name felt odd coming out of his mouth but with guilt he realized that he liked the way it felt to say.
"We may not know each other too well Gajeel but would it be alright if I asked you something?" Gajeel nodded and was worried that he was in trouble "I-" Levy paused; trying to find the right words but still unsure of herself. Did something happen to you that is causing you to feel so afraid? Is someone hurting you or hurt you before? How exactly did you break your jaw and bust your head open before? She decided against her probing questions in fear of pushing him away. "I'm hoping to have some furniture pieces delivered into the apartment now that the floors are down. Would you be able to assemble them? If it's not too much to ask. I could pay you."
Gajeel shook his head. "I owe you remember."
Levy laughed "Not forever."
"But for now I do, so consider your pieces built. Night. Levy." She turned quickly hoping that Gajeel hadn't seen the blush rising on her cheeks. Why do I always do this to myself? she thought as she greeted and handed menu's to the new customer that had come in and listened to the bells jingling; telling her that more were arriving too. I cannot seriously be falling for a man who is in a serious relationship. I'm the worst!
It was around an hour later that the bells jingled once more and a large group of four women entered the Cafe. They were laughing loudly as Levy approached with menus and waters. She could tell from their clothes that they had just come from a club of sorts and were most likely looking to come down from all the excitement. "Welcome to the Blue Cafe have any of you been here before?"
One woman with long black hair but the side freshly shaved nodded and began telling her friends about the atmosphere of the Cafe, simplistic menu, and odd hours. Levy chuckled "Well I'm glad you enjoyed your last visit. I'll bring a bottle to the table on the house."
The women cheered. Levy walked towards the kitchen to get the bottle and glasses but was stopped by one of them who walked towards her while turning to yell back to her friends. "Just need the bathroom!" she said and looked down at Levy with a sheepish look on her face.
"It's just down the hall after the door frame." Levy said but she could tell that the woman had something else on her mind. She looked at her quizzically. She was beautiful. Her legs were long and made even more so by her six inch red pumps. She wore a simple black dress and her hair down in long brown curls with purple tips. Her nails were freshly painted and matched the shade of her purple hair. Levy couldn't help but think of her own appearance in comparison. Levy's hair was in a loose and messy bun and tonight she had worn a mustard yellow crop top under her overalls with her wedge sandals. She had thought her outfit was good but upon looking at the other woman she felt suddenly less then. "I was just wondering if-well if you had something that was nonalcoholic but maybe looked like wine too?"
Levy glanced from the woman back to her friends at the table and smiled. "Of course leave it to me." she winked and excused herself to the kitchen. Shame she feels the need to hide this from her friends When Levy returned with the bottle and glasses she accidently forgot the woman's glass and then returned with one already filled with a cranberry juice that matched the shade of wine. The woman thanked her silently with her eyes. Levy took their orders and served their food with no other secret issues occuring. She returned to her book at the counter and soon their table was the only one left in the Cafe and they were calling for the check to leave.
As the women walked through the door, the bells jingling with each of their departures, the tall woman held back. "Hey I just wanted to say thank you. Seriously." Levy smiled up at her while clearing off the table.
"No worries but why not just tell them. I'm sure they would understand." The woman looked taken aback but her comment and Levy knew that she had crossed a line as her body language shifted.
"You don't know me or my life."the woman snapped and stepped threateningly towards the table and Levy.
Levy took a step back still holding a pile of plates. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to assume anything-"
"I can have a drink if I want to."
"I believe you can." Levy stepped back again and turned her back on the woman in hopes that the conversation would end there. "Good night." She was thankful when she heard the bells; telling her that the woman had finally gone.
It was four in the morning when Gajeel heard their front door slam shut and Roxane curse loudly as she stumbled in the dark. Fuck he thought as he rubbed his tired eyes and sat up in bed. He could sense the fight coming and hoped that she was at least sober. He watched as Roxane walked into their bedroom and turned on the light without consideration to if he had been still sleeping. Gajeel shielded his eyes from the light.
"Oh sorry I thought you'd be out cold." Her tone was sarcastic.
"I was but I heard the bang in the hall. You alright?"
Roxane rolled her eyes and kicked off her heels on the edge of the bed. "I would be if you remembered to leave your boots in the tray instead of where I walk."
"Sorry" he waited not sure what to say next and simply watched Roxane who seemed to be rocking on the edge of the bed unsure of what to do herself.
"I had some bitch tonight assume that I'm a drunk." Gajeel didn't know how to respond. Either I lie and say she's not or tell the truth and risk a fight starting. He was thankful when she continued talking without noticing his lack of response. She turned off the light, took off her dress, and joined Gajeel under the covers. "All I did was ask for something nonalcoholic in private and when I thanked her, for doing her job actually, she had the nerve to tell me to just tell the girls why I didn't want to drink." Gajeel remained silent "What the hell does she know anyways. I could be not drinking for personal reasons like I'm pregnant or something." It was now Roxane who grew quiet and turned to look into Gajeel's red eyes. It had been months since they had been together. She knew it was because of the way she had been treating him as of late and couldn't help but worry. If he doesn't get it from me he might want to go to someone else.
Roxane reached out to touch Gajeel's face but he turned away to face the window. "It's four in the morning Rox let's sleep. I'm exhausted."
"You're always exhausted." Gajeel listened to Roxane's next words and was thankful that his back was turned to her for his eyes shot open in a panic once again. "You ask me that little blue haired Cafe owner should just mind her own business." He fell back to sleep feeling anxious wondering just how many Cafe owners had blue hair in the city.
Levy awoke a few days later to a loud bang on her door. It was pouring outside and though it was almost noon the sky was dark and dismal. She had decided to take an early nap to avoid her excessive pile of mail that had taken over her coffee table. She groaned as she made her way down her spiral stairs, that matched the stairs in the front building, and to her door. The wind whipped the knob out of her hand as the door swung inward and pushed her back into the room. She struggled with the sheer force of the breeze and the rain that was pouring inside. Levy looked down onto the step to see the cause of the bang. One of her trees had lost a large branch and it had fallen before her door; thankfully only causing minimal damage from what she could quickly assess. She pushed the door shut once more with great difficulty and turned around to face the damage that the rain had just caused.
Inside her front door was a simplistic mud room with a tall vaulted ceiling and exposed brick that matched the front Cafe and apartments design. She picked up the twigs and leaves that had blown in and took a towel out, to lay on the wet wood floor, from the basket of odds and ends in the coat closet. She sighed as she climbed the stairs again and returned to her own apartment. In many ways it matched the front buildings unit. Its shape was the same with the brick and beams continuing. The main difference was that this unit had no kitchen. The open living space held two overstuffed couches and armchairs that did not match. They stood on top of a great red rug and before a fireplace that was currently blazing. The walls were covered in long wooden shelves and held more books than many small libraries. On the other wall the same, long row of windows looked down into the garden and across into the other units windows.
It was then that Levy stopped walking and looked across the stormy, empty divide at Gajeel who was in the front apartment and staring right back at her. She waved sheepishly and pulled her kimono robe closed; feeling suddenly exposed in her black yoga pants and tank top. Gajeel pointed to the tree at the door below and then connected his fingers into the okay sign. Levy shrugged and watched as Gajeel disappeared into the apartment behind him. Well that was odd. She was about to turn to leave the window when she noticed the back door to the Cafe open and Gajeel walking out into the storm towards the tree branch in nothing but his black tank top and matching black jeans that quickly became drenched from the rain. Is he serious? She couldn't move and simply watched in amazement as he lifted the large branch off her step and out into the middle of the grass; his arms bursting from the strain. That must have weighed hundreds of pounds! Just as quickly as he moved the branch he was running back through the back door again and up at the windows facing Levy. He smiled across at her and shook his wet hair out like a dog who had just been bathed. Levy laughed as he signed okay and she returned the hand gesture.
She debated on walking across and thanking him in person but stopped herself as the little voice in her head reminded her: He has a fiance. She sighed and watched him leave the window and pulled herself away as well all the time unaware of the fact that Gajeel was reminding himself of the same fact.