Chapter 2: So Calming, Almost Unreal
~{Maybe I'm only weak, small, a scared person with no strength - but I want to show you my love,
and maybe I can't do everything to help you - but I hope this will be enough…
I might act like I'm strong, brave - full of courage and stuff-
but you and I both know - the only power I get is from your love}~
The convenience store's bells chimed.
Elfman glanced down at the small sticky note in his hand. He sighed, grabbing a basket at the entrance before he hurried to the dairy section, muttering under his breath, "Writing many different things to buy is manly but - come on, Mirajane. Why so many items?"
Muffled but audible, there was background music softly playing. Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol…Not that Elfman was paying attention.
He took items left and right, most of the basket now full. It pushed downwards from all the weight, but his grip was strong, and he was manly enough to carry it without breaking a sweat. His empty hand fumbled with his pocket to check the piece of paper once more. At this point the music had changed from Bad Guy by Billie Eilish to something he couldn't bother focusing on in his search of finding impossibly difficult items. Then another song he didn't know was playing, and then as he grabbed the final item - was it the last one? He'd have to check the sticky note again - then Lights Out by Virginia to Vegas was playing. Scanning the paper in his hand, he sighed once more, heading over to find the final two items.
Really now. Was she planning a party, or something? Or planning on baking and cooking for the whole neighbourhood?
Both were possible, and both were manly options.
Still would've been nice to be told about whatever she planned…He enjoyed making food too…Who knew, maybe he'd be given work to do later…
"Oh! Sorry!" a female voice yelped as Elfman had just turned around distractedly only to bump into the stranger. His own words tumbled right out as he secured his hold on his full basket. "I didn't see you, sorry…" He quieted and blinked at the familiar sight. It was that lady living a few houses away - holding her own basket with not a single item yet in it. Her long brown-hair was neatly tucked into a bun, and she was wearing a green dress as always, and looking gorgeous as always-…and…Did he just think of her as gorgeous?
But it was just so admirable because of how manly it was! That was all!
The lady fixed her glasses and, her lips turning downwards, grumbled, "Oh, it's you."
Elfman found his face lightly warming. "Um, sorry, I-"
"-I'm in a rush - excuse me." she said simply. Right when she began walking away, she paused, looked back and, shortly, waved with her empty gloved hand. Elfman blinked as she turned away and disappeared in the maze of racks and shelves. Well…
…Being in a rush was manly!
His feet ate away the few steps left and thankfully there was no line to wait. He put his items down on the counter, and furrowed his brows at the cashier currently napping. Loudly, he cleared his throat, and…No change. His knuckles knocked on the counter, and the blond cashier jumped out of the chair to stand up, wiping his face, blearily staring. "Uh…Right. Sorry." the blond spoke through his yawn, words slowly drawn out, tone raspy.
Elfman smiled a little, showing he had no hard feelings. Sleeping was manly, after all.
The cashier efficiently went through all the dozens of items. Through the shuffling, plastic bags filling, music kept playing quietly. Elfman saw the cashier had an earring by his left ear that moved lightly whenever he grabbed an item to scan it. With nothing to do while waiting, Elfman curiously stared, reading the short name tag. 'Sting' was written on the small sticker stuck to the wrinkled uniform.
After not a minute, there were bags in Elfman's hold, and his wallet lighter.
"Have a nice day." the cashier said through another yawn. Elfman gave a nod that went unnoticed, and responded with, "You too."
Another chiming of the bell and Elfman was in the warmer outdoors.
Walking outside was quite nice.
At least, Elfman thought so. One would have to be a man to get out and feel the breeze and warmth of the sun. The fresh air, seeing people together - more than usual, what with it being the weekend and all - and seeing nature in itself, and just the peacefulness. It was wonderful in his opinion. The bags in his hands moved to slip through, but he adjusted his hold, then inhaled the fresh air before he walked the short distance home humming to himself.
He passed a park filled with children laughing and running around in. Gazing at them, he turned his attention back on the sidewalk. Someone was biking a bit further.
Elfman continued to watch the biker that was gone in a few moments. Swallowing down memories - of both his sisters and himself here in this very park, playing, so many years ago - he continued on home with a heavy heart and heavy bags easy for a man like himself to carry.
"I'm home." he called out, then called his sister after a moment of silence. The door clicked shut behind him once he leaned back and pushed it. "Mirajane?" His ears picked up on the sound of clicking and then tapping of a keyboard.
He sighed. Of course.
"Mirajane, I'm home!" he shouted. Kicking off his shoes - he'd tidy up later - he went into the kitchen and laid down the bags on the empty table.
Feet running down the stairs was his only warning of the arms that attacked him with a hug. "Elfman, welcome home! You took so long, and my list wasn't that much in the first place…"
He gaped at her. "There were so many items - and, I told you before not to put your headphones on when the house is empty."
"There weren't that many items…How do you know I had my headphones? You have no proof-"
They talked and put away the items in the bags in their respective places and, as it turns out, Mirajane really did apparently plan out some special event for sometime Monday. Apparently, most of these were for him to bring there.
His eyes flickered back at her. "What, I'm going?" he asked.
His sister nodded innocently. "Of course! I went to the website and put your name down as a participant. I'll be busy running the restaurant until you get back."
But she must know that on Monday he has the afternoon - and evening and night - shift in their restaurant…
"Don't look so down." Mirajane said sweetly. "The event will be in the morning, so you can still help out in the restaurant."
"Okay…" Puffing up his chest, he declared, "I'll show my manly skills in the kitchen and make the most amazing dishes! You'll be so proud to serve them, big sis!"
His exclamation aside, the roaring laughter in response to flour sprinkling at them from opening the package wrong had him laughing along. Days seemed to be going along nicely. His insides squeezed at the possibility of something going wrong - but of course, he stomped on that irritation to enjoy this time with his sister.
They worked in sync in the kitchen with all the materials and items and the tools necessary. Cooking and baking was a specialty of the Strauss family. As if it was handed down through their bloodline, the skills to master all the culinary arts running in their veins. Most would never manage well in the kitchen. Not to be insulting, but realistically speaking, it would be hard from how challenging it was for normal people to cook at the level of a Strauss.
Technically, they were handed down the restaurant. So there was that.
It probably ran in their blood.
"So, what exactly is this event?" he inquired, speaking over the sound of the blender.
Mirajane kept on working on her cooking and shrugged. "I guess you'll know when you're there."
"But that's not fair. You can tell me now."
She sighed. Her gaze remained sharp, a grin playing on her lips. She hummed, "Alright, alright. I heard from one of the waiters. A small group for talking? Reflecting on the past? Something like that." Her hands put away the oven gloves, the oven now slowly making something sure to be delicious. Frowning, she then added, "Don't argue with me about this. I heard it's supposed to be good for you. There's a flyer about it - I'll give it to you later, but it's supposed to have different activities. I don't think it's a meditating class or something you wouldn't like. You don't have to go, but I think it would be good for you. I checked the flyer and I think you'll enjoy it."
"…There'll be cooking?"
"Definitely. In that, you'll be the best, Elfman."
They continued with the different tasks of making a variety of foods, and Elfman found himself warming up to the idea of this event. "Cooking is manly!"
"Yes, it certainly is." Mirajane laughed.
Plates and utensils arrived into the dishwasher upon being dirtied. It was said that a restaurant must have a clean, neat kitchen. This might be their house and not a restaurant, but the importance of remaining clean and the significance of organisation applied. Sparkling countertops, dusted up shelves stacked with different spices and other materials. Not any used up item left to dirty the view.
The kitchen was damn tidy.
And so the two Strauss siblings continued on with their preparations of making food. So many with such wonderful smells that would leave anyone craving, hungry.
Outside the busy atmosphere, the sun had risen higher, morning changing into noon.
A bird chirped and flew from the Strauss' house and past the street. The bird landed on a tree by the park with children still enjoying themselves by playing as much as they could.
"I'm late!" Levy nearly shouted and held onto her seatbelt for dear life. "It's not the end of the world - please, Gajeel, slow down the car!" Her heart raced on even with the car slowing from a racecar to a turtle, and she gripped the shirt of her boyfriend to shake him. "Are you crazy?! That speed would get you a ticket - you should know that! And we could've died!"
"Gi-hi!" he chuckled in a low tone. He was smirking and Levy was just about ready to slap him.
He didn't bother hiding his smug look while he drove, and gave her a pat on the head with his empty hand. "Sorry, wasn't trying to scare ya, shrimp. I just thought you wouldn't wanna be late, and thought I could use my powers." he stated smugly with that smug look on his face, and he took out his ID to rub it in her face oh so smugly.
Crossing her arms, Levy humphed. "That won't do you any good. The speed was unbelievable! You can't do that." Even if he were to use his card, that would do nothing. It wouldn't do them a lick of good. She looked out the open window and breathed. Some calm would be helpful after that near heart attack she just had…
"I might be an officer of the law, but I wasn't gonna…Sheesh, I was just joking…" Gajeel scowled. His glare remained as he mentioned, "Ah, right - I got this flyer from a friend in the station. Said I should check it out, but, as you know, I'm busy."
"What flyer?" Curiosity was in the air now. Her initial agitation had quickly been replaced with her deepest weakness - curiosity.
Obviously, her boyfriend was well aware of this fact, using it against her.
How evil!
"It's some neon-green thing. Easy to find. In the glove box." He pointed at the glove compartment, and Levy was fast at opening the place in question in front of her. A lot of items fell down at her feet the instant she opened it.
She threw a glare at Gajeel suspiciously focused on driving.
The work of piling it all up took little effort, but the point was how unruly, how messy it all was. Nothing was put in a proper manner, and she did her best to organise it while she had the opportunity. And one of the papers she flitted through was bright with a neon-green.
Gajeel glanced for a moment to watch her reading the flyer. He remarked, "That flyer is such an eyesore."
Honestly, Levy had to agree.
It was too bright and looking at it hurt her brain.
"Oh, it says this Monday morning!" She paused. Squinting at her boyfriend, she said, "You have no work in the morning. You're not busy at that time, so why won't you go?"
"Because you can go in my place."
"Who said I would?"
"I did." He locked onto her glare, and smirking, he uttered, "You're not busy, are you?"
"Well, I'm not. You know that. But-"
"-So it's settled." Gajeel exhaled irritably. "My buddy wanted me to go. When he explained it was obvious it had some sappy talking with a couple other random people. Like five others?" He shook his head. "Whatever. I don't wanna, so you can go."
Levy pursed her lips. It did sound like a good idea - this event…"So, it says here that…Hm…It's held by Hisui - Miss E? And…Some activities to do with art, and then here it says…and - Gajeel, it says you sign up in this website, and-"
"-Yo. Do I look like I'd sign up to something like that?"
The words were true, but Levy found her brows creasing further. This event really did look like something that would help. Beginning Monday morning, and happening on days they agree on? It sounded perfect to get anyone down in the dumps out of their issues.
She fiddled with the paper and slowly asked, "Are you sure you won't go?"
A grunt that would qualify as a 'yes' was all she got. Levy nodded to herself. "I suppose I can go and check it out. Since I'm not busy." she ended a little too pointedly but it was only facts she spoke of. Gajeel was not busy, so he could go too.
And the event even had small competitions!
…Maybe she was getting carried away by wanting to go just from the idea of being first.
"Then, you'll go?" Gajeel asked, voice unusually quiet.
Levy looked up from the flyer to find him looking right back. "Gosh, look at the road!"
A scoff, or a breathed laugh, she couldn't tell. The tired gaze did thankfully fall back on the road - that was reassuring.
"Sure, I'll go." she decided with a determined nod.
Gajeel hummed in acknowledgment. Although he did not see the wheels turning in Levy's mind, he could guess she was already planning quite a bit. His girlfriend was like that - thinking of possibilities and making assumptions on what there may be from the information she got.
He hit the brakes, the car lights dying once he parked.
Levy glanced away from the flyer and out the window, her brows arching up. "This isn't the place - Gajeel! You know I'm late and-"
"-Look here, shrimp." Gajeel firmly spoke over her. They stared one another down, and he continued matter-of-factly, "Even if I had sped through all the lights - I ain't doing that, don't worry about it - you are still gonna be late." His gaze slid away, and he scratched his neck, pink tinging his cheeks. Lowering his voice, he ended with words that were no doubt lame. "Thought we could first have breakfast together."
Seconds passed in silence until Gajeel couldn't handle it and he turned to open his car door. "Aw, Gajeel. This is so sweet of you!" The words froze his hand in the door handle. His smirk returning tenfold, he saw his girlfriend beaming at him, her genuine adoration heating up his skin further.
A kiss on his cheek, and he was certain he was burning up with a fever. Or looked like a tomato.
Either way - the two of them went to the establishment to have some brunch. Their hands intertwined, their hearts connected, the two enjoyed their time together.
There mingled plenty of people around here and there. Some running to their respective location in mind, others calmly walking around. And the establishment the two lovebirds ate in, outside stood tall trees with green leaves. One olive green leaf left the pack to hurriedly fly about with the wind.
It flew, and flew, and drew zigzags, circling the air until it reached the ground by a certain shop in a feather-light landing.
A young man passed the leaf and walked into a certain coffee shop. Taking his seat after ordering a cold drink, doing it all like a habit, he stared out the window until his mouth hung open by a thought.
Of course - how could he forget? The person he dearly wished to speak with had taken a few camping items, and Lyon remembered clearly watching a tent opened accidentally by one of the friends, and remembered the laughter, and the sight of him entering that car full of packed items, and him and the few others playfully laughing about this and that, and the packed car had left - that was yesterday! All that camping material must last a week! Lyon knew this. He must've…forgotten.
Sighing, he stood up. How was he so stupid-
No point dwelling on bad habits or forgotten recent memories - how could he forget something so recent? Because he was half-awake when he got here? Because he wanted to check anyway? Because it was a habit now?
He walked over, paid the cashier, and the brunette handed a piece of paper along with the drink. "Here you go! This is something we were told to give this weekend. I hope you have a good day!" she said, and Lyon cringed at her enthusiasm this early in the day.
His hands grabbed the drink and the green rubbish. Normally, he would've thrown rubbish out right away, but doing so in front of the person who gave it might be disrespectful. So, he silently walked out the door, eyeing the familiar building. He took slow steps, walking as slow as he dared while reading the paper with a scoff.
Some event? 'Volunteer if you'd like'? Why should he attend? Just because he had the time didn't mean he would go.
A trashcan appeared nearby. His gaze flickered from the trashcan to the paper. It was tempting. Lyon took slow steps towards it, still re-reading the content printed.
…But then again…This dark looming isolation he was constantly putting himself through couldn't possibly be healthy. And, he really had nothing else to do.
The paper was balled up and - not thrown into a trashcan as it previously was planned to - it was instead pocketed.
With the imaginary dark clouds above him, this young man took his time as he walked aimlessly, frowning with sadness at the concrete.
—
Elsewhere…Someone was being escorted out of a facility. The male figure stared blankly at the glaring man in the uniform, and was handed an ugly-neon-green piece of paper with an intense warning. All the words were muted for the female red-head in her parked vehicle, carefully watching the one-sided talking. Her watch ticked.
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That's the second part done! (I'm trying to update whatever I can whenever I can) Hope you enjoy~
Wow - honestly? This story might take a lot longer than I thought - tho - prbly isn't a big deal...Also! Thanks for the review Gallex - Glad to know u liked!
Oh, also, I hope everyone's doing well | Do take time to relax | Till next time :D