WOOT! THE NEXT PART! Tbh with you guys, this part was actually 5k words O.O, so of course I had to separate it into two. I will post that tomorrow
^-^! Hope you like it! Thanks for sticking with me, you guys are awesome!
To say that Cana apartment is a lively place, is an understatement. Upbeat pop music played in the background as laughter and enthused voices filled the air, almost drowning out the catchy tunes.
The smell of alcohol and burnt cookies lingered in the air as we jokingly blamed each other for burning our desired treats for the night.
"Ok, Ok! So who's going to make a new batch, since I didn't burn the first ones?" Cana spoke eyeing the charred lumps that decorated her baking pan.
"Cana, you're the one who put them in, so you burnt them." Lucy giggled grabbing a new tube of cookie dough.
"LUCY GRABBED A NEW TUBE SO SHE'S MAKING THEM!" Cana yelled pointing excitedly at Lucy. The blonde was shocked as if she was caught red handed with something she wasn't supposed to have.
"Wha-What?! No, I'm not!"
"You did grab it, Lucy so it's your responsibility to make them now." Erza said scrapping the burnt mess into the trashcan.
"Juvia, thinks so too."
"But-but, I-aw man!" she whined reluctantly preparing to make a new batch for us.
"It'll be ok, Lu." I giggled patting her back. She pouted as she continued her work, mumbling to herself how she thinks this should be someone else's job.
Once the treats were in the oven and the timer set, we gathered in the living room, some of us lounging in the chair with the rest of us relaxing on the floor. Cana came nearly bouncing into the living room with a tray full of more alcohol and cups.
"Alright ladies, drink your fill!" she smiled mixing juices and alcohol into the cups and then giving them to us.
I quickly declined, "No, thanks. I'll stick to my soda."
"Oh, come on, Levy! You need to unwind, loosen up a little." Cana said placing the cup on the coffee table in front of me.
"No, I think I'm ok."
"Levy, we are friends, are we not?" Erza asked taking a sip of her drink.
Nodding my head, I agreed with her, "Of course we are! Why would you ask me that?" I asked.
"If we were friends, you would drink with us. So let us drink and be merry!" she said raising her plastic cup in a toasting style before downing it in one gulp. Slamming it on the coffee table, she bellowed, "Refill me!"
Cana happily accepted the request, pouring more liquor into Erza's cup, while I looked grimly at the liquid in mine. Taking a small sip, I was confused by how smooth and fruity my drink was. It didn't burn and barely tasted like there was anything in it other than juice.
"Wow! That's good!" I smiled, beaming up at Cana who looked down at me with a huge grin.
"I knew you would like it. Don't drink too many of those though, you'll be drunk before you know it." She spoke over her shoulder as she sauntered back into the kitchen.
Keeping her advice in mind, I sipped on the cold fruity flavored drink trying my best not to down it like Erza recently did.
Once the cookies were finally done to perfection and the cups refilled, we talked and giggled happily. It was hard for me to keep my mind on one thing as the night went on. I would be having fun one moment, smiling until my cheeks hurt and laughing until my stomach cramped, but then I would become quiet and to myself. The sadness of being rejected and avoided feeling like a heavy weight on my chest, taking all of the air out of my lungs.
I would take a gulp of my drink to bring me back to my friends who were all enjoying themselves while I was too busy putting myself into a depression, but this only made it worse. The more I drank, the more my thoughts were pulled to a certain person, I desperately wished to see and that only made me angry.
"Levy? What's wrong?" Juvia asked resting a hand on my shoulder.
"Oh! Nothing, I'm fine." I smiled weakly. Looking around, I could see that everyone looked at me with worried and sad eyes.
Why do they have to look at me like they know what's wrong? I'm fine! Nothing's wrong with me!
"Levy, you look like you want to punch the crap outta someone." Cana chuckled lowly.
Finishing off my second cup, I slammed it on the table, feeling the liquor quickly giving me some courage to speak my frustration. "It's because I do! I want punch him right in the face! In his stupid face!" I cursed pouring more liquid into my cup.
"Who?" Erza asked, looking clueless, but everyone chimed in and quickly informed her in the recent events. Her mouth formed an O and she looked at me with fire in her eyes, saying, "Do it! Make him suffer for all the pain he has caused. Show no mercy!"
"ERZA!" Lucy scolded, shaking her head. "There's no need to do that. He'll come around."
"But, it's been three weeks and I'm tired of it, it's pissing me off."
"Woah! Who knew little Levy had the look of a murderer? Gajeel, better watch out, I think liquid courage has taken an effect on her." Cana smiled refilling my cup with an evil smile.
"Cana! Don't encourage it! Juvia thinks Levy and Gajeel should talk things out when they're both ready."
"Who needs talk when you can pound it into him?" Erza beamed with her fists raised and more fire in her eyes. "Show him exactly how you feel with your fists!"
"What the heck, Erza?" Lucy asked with a scared look on her face, backing away from the fired up woman.
"I love it when she gets drunk." Cana laughed, wiping tears from her eyes.
Sitting there, I took in everyone's words before making a decision on what I wanted to do. Feeling suddenly more confident than ever to do anything, I thought now would be my chance to finally get some answers.
"I wonder where he is right now." I said looking down at my phone.
"He told Juvia he'll be in the welding lab all night, because he doesn't want to deal with Natsu sulking since he couldn't join us."
"Thanks, Juvia." I smiled, standing up. Chugging the rest of my drink, I snatched the last cookie off the plate and bolted out of Cana's apartment.
All I could hear was Erza yelling at everyone to let me go and Juvia crying because I took the last cookie.
My bare feet slapped against the concrete as I ran through the cold night. The warm liquid in my stomach pumped through my veins making it easier for me to ignore the bitter cold wind that tore at my bare legs and arms. My tank top and pajama shorts were my only protection, but I didn't care; I only cared about finding Gajeel and quick. It's like Erza said, I need to show no mercy!
With my head swimming and mind racing, I tried my best to remember where the welding building was amongst the many other academic buildings that surrounded me. It took me a few tries and wrong turns, but I knew I was at least going in the right direction.
When the one story building with metal statues on display on the lawn came into view, I ran faster with a determined smile on my face. Entering the building, I hastily bypassed the janitors and made my way to the lab.
Pushing open the heavy swing door, the scorching heat hit me all at once nearly knocking me to the ground. Steadying myself, I stomped around looking for the bastard that made me leave the comfort of my friend's apartment and come looking for him.
Sweat started to drench my clothes, causing it to stick instantly to my body as I stumbled through the minefield like lab, but that didn't stop me. An angry fire burned in my belly, making me push forward.
"Hey! You can't be in here!" I heard someone say, but I waved them off continuing to look around until I found my target.
"What the hell?! Hey! Get outta here!" Someone else said as I started to wobble with each step. The heat was becoming too much and my skin felt like it was on fire as I panted for air, but I needed to keep moving.
"Where's….Gajeel?" I panted heavily seeing double of the two men that stood in front of me with a confused stare.
"Levy?" A familiar deep voice questioned causing me to whip around to face it. "What the hell are you doing here? You shouldn't be in here." He said approaching me.
"Redfox, I don't care what this is about, but I suggest you get her out of here, now!" a voice commanded.
"Yes sir, sorry about this. Let's go." Gajeel said grabbing me by my forearm.
"Let me go! Don't touch me, you bastard!" I yelled snatching my arm from his grasp, earning a glare and looks from the two man that were behind us.
"Levy, you either let me walk you out or I would force you out. You're choice." He said grabbing my arm again but I snatched it away from him once more, sticking my tongue childishly out at him. "Fine, you asked for it."
Feeling my feet suddenly sweep off the ground and being thrown on his shoulder, I was too surprised to react to how swiftly he got us out of there.
He placed me back down on the ground in the hallway, looking down at me with a disappointed glare. He looked me up and down and I did the same to him.
His hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail at the base of his neck, and he was dressed in a pair of black coveralls that seemed a little too fitted for me to continue to be mad at him. I still felt the heat all around me as my body tried its best to cool down.
"Are you ok, Levy? What the hell was that and what're you doing here?"
"You're hot-uh I mean, I'm hot. It was really hot in there." I slurred feeling my body start to drain of energy. With the sudden burst of energy from running in the cold and then running into what basically felt like a giant oven for the devils baked goods, my body was trying it's best to transition from one environment to the next, but I don't think the alcohol was helping me much.
"Are you drunk?" he asked his lips quirking up in a small smile.
"NO! Yes, maybe. I don't know. I don't feel so good and I'm mad at you!" I said feeling the room spin all around me. "I think I'm going to sit down." I said trying to find a seat but every time I moved the room got fuzzier and spun out of control.
"Dammit, shrimp!" he cursed as he caught me from falling face first into a potted plant. He sat me down on one of the benches and told me not to move a muscle until he came back. Nodding my head slowly, I watched as his blurry figured ran back into the lab.
It took him about 5 minutes to come running back to my side dressed in regular clothes with a hoodie in his arm and a bookbag on his back.
Sitting up from my slump position, he slid his hoodies over me and then picked me up bridal style.
"Where are we going?" I slurred leaning my head against his chest.
"To my room."
"Don't think you're off the hook yet, mister." I whispered, smiling as the smell of iron and various metals filled my nose.
I felt a deep rumble from his chest shake me as he laughed, walking us to his room. This gave me time to collect myself and thoughts, and also doze off for a few minutes.
I woke up when he was gently placing me on his bed and I watched him take off his bookbag, tossing it into his closet with a soft thud. Sitting up with curious eyes, I slowly examined the room he shared with Natsu and I could easily tell the difference between the two sides.
Gajeel had little metal sculptures and metal pieces littering his desk, while Natsu had papers and food containers taking up the space of his. Both had dragon posters and both had a mess of a room, with clothes and tossed shoes splayed across the floor. It was almost like the room transitioned from red to black smoothly.
"Why do guys always make a mess?" I asked picking up a shirt that was laid across the unmade bed, holding it up to inspect it.
"You're not allowed to ask questions right now, so tell me what you thought you were doing earlier?" he asked snatching the shirt from my grasp.
"What?! I can so ask any questions I want!" I pouted in irritation.
"Whatever, will you just tell me why you barged into my lab wearing nothing but pajamas, I mean you don't even have shoes on!"
"Why have you been avoiding me?" I asked taking him by surprise, causing him take a step back.
He furrowed his brows and shook his head cursing under his breath. My frustration rose as he started to pace the floor, not saying anything, only mumbling under his breath. Why wasn't he saying anything and why was he making me wait?
Say something Levy! Demand answers! You didn't run all the way there and cause a scene for nothing. You came for answers and that's what you're going to get, one way or another.