Part II- Of Apple Pies & Rain.
After a few weeks of hard work, she was now accompanied by the heavenly fragrance of warm, fresh out the oven, apple pie. Her mouth watered immediately as she placed the knife within the small platter of sweetness, the young woman can practically taste the pie in her mouth as the strong smell was starting to satisfy the intense growling of her stomach. Levy was practically starving and she was hoping to make something sweet but something cozy as well for this late afternoon, and for some strange reason apple pie seemed to hit the trick as soon as she found plenty of the ingredients placed in the storage room. Once she blew the warm sugary pie, she placed it into her mouth and mewled in pleasure at how delicious it tasted. The warmth evaporated in her mouth as quickly as she took another bite, and another one after that. The bookworm craved for whip cream; and since she was alone in work today, with only thirty minutes left before closing time, she decided to take another bite before glancing at the window.
It was merely pouring outside and apparently the skies were filled in darkness that she could barely see the clouds. The rain pattered onto the windows quite harshly and she hoped to those who were outside fighting with their umbrella's right about now, that they'd arrive home safe and sound. The sky that was once blue was now bruising into darkness by the second. The only thing that kept the dark skies visible was the horrid amount of lighting striking down through the skies and onto the city of Magnolia.
Levy didn't like thunder and because it constantly kept pouring she just felt like going to her room and reading for the sake of it. Why not? It's a Friday, so no dealing with dreaded teachers and ten-page essays for the weekend; there were hardly any costumers today because of such weather being displayed at the moment.
Speaking of costumers, the man she seemed to go 'gaga' for; hadn't appeared in the bakery for about a month in a half. It was strange but she somehow didn't care. Levy knew it was a short little crush, and she knew she would get over it eventually, and she was quite happy she did.
But for some reason, she felt a little… depressed.
It was like a cookie. Okay, worst example ever, but all in all it was like trying to erase a permanent marker stain.
Levy sighed. Her head was focused on a guy she barely knew. She didn't know his favorite color, or what type of food he likes…Hell, she didn't even know his name. It was weird, annoying, but weird. She should've been moved on with her life, it's merely been four weeks and she's still thinking about him for Christ sakes!
Before taking another bite, she navigated herself into the storage room to find the overly large bucket of whip cream placed between the frosting and cupcake platters on the shelf. Ignoring the air-conditioned, human sized freezer blowing through her body, she began lifting it with all her might; however, this made her raise an eyebrow, quite irritated because the bucket didn't want to budge at all. The more she pulled the more the bucket just stood there practically glued to the metal shelf. Thin eyebrows furrowed as she grabbed onto the metal bar, pulling onto the bucket with all her might, but in reward, she bumped her head on the other shelf behind her. "Ow!" Levy moaned before rubbing her head instantly. She felt a small throb hammer against her skull and she hissed in anger, "For the love of—!" The bookworm can already feel a bruise form as it continued to rhythm in pain. As soon as she was about to kick the bucket, hoping to take all her frustration on whip cream, she heard the door jingle.
Her eyes widened slightly while a thin eyebrow rose in suspicion.
Just who in the hell would visit a bakery so late at night, pouring rain at that?
Groaning in aggravation, the baker mumbled underneath her breath at how stupid people can be nowadays. Rubbing her head once more, she twisted the knob on the storage door and was quite surprised at what she found.
The door knob wasn't budging.
Levy twisted it again.
...
Nothing.
She, Levy McGarden, had locked herself inside a giant freezer.
Levy sighed. This must clearly be a joke right?
Aha..ha ha...hee..hee?
"Oh no no nooo!" Her hand kept budging it and found her fingers turning pale and blue by the second.
"Oh my god, what if it's a robber going through the cashier right now!" Levy closed her eyes not even wanting to think about the situation. Her grandfather is going to kill her if he ever finds out! Then she will die forever and live a lonely life in the freezer like an Eskimo, having to talk with icings, whip creams, and other delicious treats and having to pretend their her family, and then—"
And then…
And then the door opened.
Her eyes widened when she realized who the 'door opener' is.
It was him.
Him.
And there he was…standing like a man who just came back from a civil war, practically soaking wet from head to toe.
Her heart began to pulse irregularly once he laid those scarlet orbs on hers, and her blood ran cold when she realized that he hardly had anything with him. No coat, no umbrella, just a plain shirt and dark pants including black boots. Even his hair was quite drenched and she noted how pale his skin was compared to how it was a few weeks ago. His piercings were still intact and the smirk she once found attractive had now looked rather dim in frustration, anger, and somewhat solemn.
It was as if life itself was beaten out of him.
"Uh, ah…thank you so much…" Levy gulped as he said nothing but laid a broad hand in front of her, motioning her to get up. Her arm shook at the warmth of his touch as she brought herself into a standing position, her lips trembling at the chilly wind that was blowing against her back, that, and the way he was staring at her made her want to drop dead.
Levy watched him walk away and for some strange reason, she followed along, closing the storage door shortly after that.
Since the café was practically empty, it was only the both of them in the room, and the bookworm practically began to grow warm at the feeling. Her eyes scanned him completely as he now sat on a chair joining along with the well-rounded table that came along with it. His cherry eyes, somewhat bothered about something and she wanted to figure out why. For reasons unknown, Levy wanted to solve his problems, and ask him what his name was. Where he's from, why he was mad, and why he came here of all places to handle his own situations, or well to be grumpy and pissed all over a sudden. Levy wanted to relieve his stress and to see him smirk arrogantly, at least one more time.
Levy shook her head in disapproval. It wasn't like she knows him or anything; they didn't even have a full conversation about anything!
But…It was bothering her more than the small bump on her head.
Wait a minute… wasn't she supposed to be mad or something?
Well, he did lead her on for nothing.
But then again….he didn't exactly lead her on per say… He only said a simple statement, and her not getting enough compliments; this actually shook her to the very bone.
This was a feeling she never experienced before.
Inspecting the large man a few mere steps away from her, she frowned. He was practically in dream land, and she doubt he had anything with him; jewels; wallet; etc. Especially anything to buy something from her bakery.
She didn't know what did it, but as soon as the horrid silence seemed to drain between them; in an instant, she cut a new piece of apple pie and placed it onto a bright colorful plate that can have the girliest of all girls shiver in disgust. Grabbing a pink plastic fork, she felt the abnormal pulse of her heart beating frenetically. Smirking in victory, she held her breath before walking steadily towards the vagrant who she found irritatingly attractive from the very start.
As soon as she placed the dessert in front of him, both cherry orbs beamed straight through her brown ones. Levy suddenly gulped nervously before averting her gaze away from him. She can feel him practically staring her down; and the quietness surrounding them made it very awkward, including the never-ending rain echoing outside.
Once she took a peek from the window and back to his, she noted that his glare hadn't faltered at all. That, and she noticed how broad his shoulders were; and she definitely noticed the large piercings displayed on his arms that looked incredibly painful to the fullest.
Levy's trance stopped as soon as she heard that heavenly deep voice of his. "Listen…I don't need your pity—"
She cut him off, "No one pities you." The aquamarine said softly to bring some comfort to the awkwardness surrounding the both of them. His gaze strengthened and Levy felt as if she were going to collapse. She can feel every part of her skin shudder as they brought unwelcomed goose bumps to her body. The young adult ignored the feral look in his eyes before adding, "It's on me. Free of charge." Levy spoke timidly before slowly pulling in a chair to join him. She swallowed nervously before turning her gaze to the large window presented right beside them; Levy did this only to distract herself from the man who was glaring at her like she killed his family or something. She noted that the rain had calmed down from before but the thunder still roared in ignition, and the skies were completely black as well as many stores were closed and shaded in darkness while hers seems to be the only one open and bright like the morning sun.
Levy shivered from the draft of wind emitting through the window. She blinked automatically as she laid a strand of hair behind her ear in melancholy. Spring was getting tiring, and it's been raining almost the whole week now.
Removing her gaze from the window, she found the strange guy, really, and I mean really focused on the pie. Levy had never witnessed such concentration on a dessert in her life! And the poor thing swore she can feel the apple pie sob terribly from the very bottom of its heart.
It was simply too endearing that Levy couldn't help but lean closer in curiosity. She observed the way he held the fork steadily, nervous, yet steadily. It was like watching a suspenseful movie. That's when Levy noticed the way he was holding the fork…was upside down. "W-Wait, you're holding it wrong!" His eyes widened and before Levy knew it; his face went completely red in embarrassment. He growled as both red eyes glowered away from the dessert that smelled like heaven and back to her chocolate ones. Levi gulped as she felt cold sweat appear on her forehead. It was like she tried to save his life from eating poison. Her heart was thumping on a fast pace and she couldn't help but raise a small hand to scratch the back of her neck, her face expression full of anxiety. "You…you never… ate pie before…have you?" She questioned before crossing her legs tightly. However she felt like she was right. Throughout the time he came to her grandfather's bakery, she hardly seen him get anything that was involved with holding silverware.
Unless there were people who had a habit of eating cookies with forks or something. Not that she was complaining whatsoever.
Levy wanted to giggle at how surprised he was. The smoldering look in his eyes made her feel obedient like a dog to its master, so she had to try her best to not make this a laughing matter; but the way his mouth was formed and the shy tint of red was on his cheeks made him look quite adorable.
He growled in irritation as his fist clenched tightly. "….Tch." He murmured underneath his breath; and soon after that he pouted.
The guy seriously pouted.
Levy couldn't hold it in anymore and chuckled at his reaction. She didn't care that he was angry out of his mind; nor did she care about the untamed glare that can have lions and bears running. If anything, it made her laugh even harder than before.
Right after she sighed in contentment, she smiled; and the grim dark aura emitting from the rebel across from her, she grabbed the fork immediately. "Well… I guess it can't be helped than." Levy murmured gently as she broke a piece of the pie with her fork, "Open your mouth." A smirk appeared on her lips when his eyes widened into saucers.
"What—!"Levy took that very moment to shove a piece of apple pie into his mouth.
The blunette felt her whole body warm intensely when she realized what she's done. His mouth had almost hogged the whole fork and both eyes were gazed into each other that she had to close her eyes in humiliation. "I-I'm so sorry, I didn't know what—"
His hand grasped around her wrist gently. Slightly opening her brown eyes she blushed at what she found, it was him holding her hand, and the look in his orbs weren't of anger, but the total opposite. He held her hand firmly before letting her remove the fork.
Levi's mouth gaped open in astonishment as she watched him lick his lips that she couldn't help but find desiring. The petite woman felt her face go hot as soon as a feral grin formed on his face.
"It's good..."
Brown eyes removed her gaze away from his as she grabbed onto the edge of the table to get up, but was stopped until his large slightly wet hand wrapped around hers. "Where are you going?" He raised a studded eyebrow in curiosity.
Levy felt stupid. Really stupid. How can she just go and feed him a pie when he was practically cold, wet, and shivering to death! "To...to go get you a towel. It would burden me if one of my customers got sick." Levy mumbled as she tried her very best to put a straight face.
"I don't need it."
She bit her bottom lip. "But—"
"I don't get sick easily." The look in his face stayed grim for which he was telling the truth. "Now sit down and feed me." Levy's eyes widened while his wicked grin spread throughout his face.
She sighed before mumbling all her apprehension away. "Fine... But I'm going to ask you questions, and if I'm not satisfied, you're going to have to feed yourself." He nodded before the grip on his hand softened immediately, his cocky smirk not hesitating at all. It was like he was already used to being interrogated on a daily basis; just what the hell was he?
"I'll do the same…" He said smoothly. Once he removed his hand away from her wrist she grabbed onto the fork before sliding the plate closer to her.
Scooping another piece of pie onto her fork, she questioned. "Your name?"
"Gajeel Redfox." He leaned in and took a large bite; this made Levy gulped in humiliation. "It's like I'm babysitting again…" She thought, however the blush on her face truly showed that she didn't mind feeding the strange man sitting before her. Her heart started to race as they made eye-contact once more, and the way he was observing her kind of made her want to throw the fork in the ground and just call it a day.
But for some reason she couldn't help but smile that he was actually enjoying the apple pie she made. "Age?"
"Twenty two." Her mouth gaped open in astonishment. "So he's six years older than me…damn." She fed him once more while trying her very best to control her blushing.
The blue-headed teenager leaned onto the table with her elbow, laying her head on top of hand in gratification, "College…?"
"PL University. I'm transferring to Magnolia soon."
Her half-lidded eyes fully opened in shock. "Wait, you go to Phantom Lord? Do you have any idea how far that is from here right now?" He rolled his eyes before folding his arms across his chest.
"That's why I'm transferring woman. It's damn annoying to deal with." She nodded in understanding before feeding him his treat.
Levy looked down and found the plate empty, she looked back to him and noted the serious gaze in his eyes. "Jeez…if eyes can kill…" Her face went completely red, and to disguise it she turned to the window with a palm embedded on her face. "W-What is it?" She squeaked accidently, this made her heart thunder intensely.
"You're turn."
The baker placed a hand on her cheek, her cheeks still flushed, though that didn't stop her from smiling kindly, "Ask away, my dear Gajeel." Levy teased, and as soon as their eyes met she swore she saw a tint of pink on his cheeks.
"You're…your name." He murmured, his reddening gaze was controlling her body for some reason; and the more he looked at her the more she felt her heart run in a dramatic pace.
Clenching her fist to remove her anxiety she spoke. "You've forgotten about my name already?" She pouted, "Well I guess I would too. Since it has been a month since you last visited." Levy laughed as she began leaning into the table, facing a few mere inches away from the strange man.
He growled in response. "Can't say I blame you Mr. Gajeel." She smirked slightly, but a firm thin line came onto her lips as her eyebrows furrowed in suspicion. "Say…why come all the way over here when you live miles away?"
"No more questions."
"But—"
Gajeel scoffed while a pierced eyebrow twitched in irritation when the woman kept on giggling for no apparent reason, "Just say you're damn name!" Levy's eyes widened before another giggle ran out her lips.
She smiled happily, "It's Levy, Levy McGarden."
"Your age."
"Seventeen, going on eighteen next month." She answered with no hesitation.
His eyes opened slightly as he scratched the back of his neck in uneasiness. "You're… you're young."
Levy shrugged casually before suppressing the blush on her cheeks. "Not really, I'm actually pretty mature for my age." She pouted slightly before readjusting her orange headband, "But yeah, I guess I'm still considered a kid to most people..."
"Do you own this place?"
"No, my grandfather does. I'm the heir to his baking business so every time I'm done with school I go straight here." Levy beamed in happiness. "I practically grew up in this shop."
"Is he here?"
"Nope! He's in the hospital."
"I'm…sorry—"
Levy placed two fingers on his lips. "Don't be. He's a strong old man!" She beamed happily before watching his face go red.
Gajeel grumbled in response before taking a glance at the window, as soon as she let her fingers go their hands touched automatically and both blushed intensely as both hands moved quickly to avoid each others. Thus enters the awkward tension, but however that was quickly ruined once Levy considered.
"Um…well, after I'm done with school and all… I'm h-heading to Magnolia University to join the Fairy Tail program." A light blush came upon her cheeks when she caught his attention. "W-Who knows…maybe… maybe I'll see you there?" Levy asked uncertainly as she held her free hand to the hem of her skirt quite tightly.
A frown that was once presented on his face had now turned back into that cocky smirk she already came to love, his large, warm hand moved on top of hers slightly while answering,
"Maybe…maybe, you will."
(A/N): Long time no see, but hey, I'm back for the meantime and decided to post the second chapter while I'm at it. Review if you can, Fan fiction has been going a little haywire lately with logging in and such. And this chapter was a little rushed but I tried my best to make it slow-paced as possible, so forgive my mistakes .. Ah yes, and thanks for your reviews everyone, they made me smile, and I'm glad you enjoyed it. ;3
I've decided to post the story as soon as I have free time, only because this is the only story I won't be able to write as much as I originally do, this story is for fun so I'm taking my time with it because I do enjoy the concept of it.
Take care everyone. :D