there's a picture of Levy that I drew on the side of the paper I wrote this on lol...random and unnecessary fact
It was bright even though I hadn't opened my eyes yet. I rubbed my eyes groaning at the stiffness in my arm. I squinted at the fluorescent lights shining down on me. I was slumped in an odd angle and in a careless way in my chair. I blinked and looked around groggily. I was in my math class. I thought it was first hour. How did I get here?
A wadded up piece of paper hit my temple and bounced to the floor. It had 'you snore' written on it in sloppy handwriting that belonged to Gajeel. I wrote my reply 'you snore louder' and threw it back at him, landing squarely on his desk in front of him. He grumbled and tossed it the trash once he read it.
I wove my way through the crowded halls to my locker. However Loke, the school's number one playboy, was leaning against my locker flirting or trying to flirt with the girl whose locker was next to mine, Cana. I tugged at Loke's sleeve, "can you move? You're blocking my locker." He didn't seem to hear me. I sighed and forcefully inserted myself in between him and my locker, pushing him away.
"The hell, Levy. You could've just asked me to move." He was slightly annoyed I had thrown off his flirting mojo.
"I did." I turned back to my locker to stuff all my belongins precariously inside with much difficulty. I skipped down to the cafeteria quite ready for a meal regardless of the low quality.
"Hey, Levy!' a voice stopped me, I spun on my heel to face them. It was Gajeel, his hands were in his pockets and had his usual glare painted onto his features. "I was uh…" he quickly lost his cool, his face all the way to his ears turning pink. "I was I was uh…" he further approached the crimson color of his eyes. "I was wondering…if you…would…possibly want to go…get coffee…or something after school…" he finally choked out; he turned his face away to hide his embarrassment.
"Sure!" I smiled. "Meet me by the tree in the front of the school after school." I spun on my heel and jogged to the lunch line before he could respond but I turned slow enough to see his eyes widen slightly in surprise.
In the lunch room Lucy had saved me a seat next to her at our usual table over in the far corner. "What took you so long?" she took a bite out of her bread stick.
"Gajeel wanted to ask me something." I replied simply.
"What'd he ask?"
"He asked if I wanted to go get coffee with him after school."
"And?"
"I'm gonna."
"But…why?"
"Free coffee." I gave her a 'why else you idiot' face. "Duh."
"Other than that." Lucy rolled her eyes.
"I dunno." I shrugged.
"If he hurts you in any way I'LL CRUSH EVERY BONE IN HIS SORRY BODY!" she shook her fist in the air violently.
"I know you will, sis." I replied in calm comparison
"AND MAKE SURE HE KNOWS IT!" she stood up abruptly.
"Chill, Lucy." I pushed her back down into her seat by her shoulder." I'll relay your message to him."
I stood under the shade of the tree straightening my shirt waiting for Gajeel to meet up with me. "Yo, shrimp!" his voice called from the other side of the tree.
"I have a name y'know." I huffed.
"Gihi, I know." He started off down the street; I jogged to catch up to him. "Do you know a good coffee place? I don't go out often so…" he rubbed the back of his neck.
"Yeah sure! There's one not too far from here." I had to walk faster than normal to keep up with his long strides; he seemed to notice and slowed down a bit. "And Lucy wanted me to relay a message to you."
"What is it?"
"She said, quote unquote 'If he hurts you in any way I'LL CRUSH EVERY BONE IN HIS SORRY BODY!'"
"It's fine, it's just Lucy." He shrugged.
"Don't underestimate her because in all seriousness when angered she has the power of a thousand gods."
"Noted." He shifted his bag on his shoulders. "What about you then?"
"Huh?" I blinked in confusion. "Oh, uh same thing plus one Lucy." He snickered quietly. "The café is down this street!" I pointed down a small side street lined with small boutiques and shops. I led him inside the small café I knew well.
"Tell me what you want. I'll go order." He pulled his wallet out of his back pocket. "You go get a table."
"Just get me something hot and caramel flavored." Lucy and I's usual table was open; I strode over and plopped down into the booth.
Gajeel handed me my cup and slid into the booth – with some difficulties due to his size- across from me. I carefully took the lid off my cup and blew away the rising steam for it to cool faster.
"This is probably gonna come off as really rude but I was curious. You don't have to answer if you don't want to." Gajeel finally spoke up, staring down at the table fidgeting with a napkin. "But…how are you and Lucy sisters? You look nothing alike." I was slightly taken back by the sudden question but not offended.
"We're not, biologically that is but, we are in here." I place my hand over my heart; Gajeel cocked his head to one side and raised an eyebrow in confusion. "My birth parents and Lucy's parent used to be good friends; at least that's what I've been told. My mom died of breast cancer when I was about four – I don't remember much of her but, I have pictures. My dad became an alcoholic and abusive not long after she died. He'd neglect me, abuse me and, so on; I stayed with Lucy's family more than with my own during that time my dad hardly seemed to even notice. And when I was five his body had finally reached it's limit and he drank himself to death. After that Lucy's family took me in as one of their own and I've stayed ever since." I blinked back the minuscule amount of tears that had welled up in my eyes.
"Oh…" was all he could manage before a long silence passed between us. "So you don't have any siblings? Y'know biological ones."
"I did a long time ago. My baby brother was born when I was three, he died four months later." I exhaled shakily.
"I would've never guessed you'd have a past like that, as cheerful as you usually are." He said quietly, barely above a whisper.
"Most people don't." I scoffed.
We drank our coffee in heavy silence for quite some time.
"Hey Gajeel, can I ask you something really random?" I broke the silence that hung over us.
"Sure."
"Why do you carry a wrench around with you?"
"I build stuff as a hobby I guess." He took a sip of his coffee. "I make all the parts myself right down to the nuts and custom made parts means custom made tools. I carry it with me cause the damn thing would be hell to replace if I lost it."
"That worked out real well for ya'." I teased.
"Sh-shut up!"
"But I can understand why. I won't judge."
