Frozen Heart
Chapter 36
The room was a mess.
Jack noticed this distantly, mind still fogged with poisoned sleep and body pulsing as magic settled uneasily beneath her skin.
Ice crackled across the bed, jagged edges warning off any ill-advised advances, and the walls were spiked with harsh hoar frost, sharp little needles bristling across the entire length.
Her gaze focused instead on the two at her bedside, Gajeel still curved protectively around Levy to shield her from the ice that had tried to engulf them.
Once that thought registered, Jack panicked.
Jerking off the bed, every single crack and bruise and tear being summarily ignored as the ice disintegrated into harmless snowflakes, she grabbed the Dragon Slayer’s arm and yanked him closer, wide blue eyes scanning wildly for any injuries.
“Oh God, are you okay?!”
With a grunt, Gajeel rolled his shoulders back, cracking the ice right off.
“Screaming bloody murder in your sleep, and you‘re asking if we‘re okay?” He retorted, concern obvious even through the scowl.
“You shouldn’t be up!” Levy agreed, sliding out of Gajeel’s hold to gently push the winter-girl back down onto the bed. “You’re really hurt!”
Whatever adrenaline her panic had released was fading, and Jack winced as she stretched back out, feeling her body thoroughly scold her for every dislocation, twist, crack and bruise.
“Ow, okay, yeah, this kinda hurts…” She muttered, forcing every muscle in her body to relax.
“What the hell was that?” Gajeel demanded, looking between the two girls with badly-hidden worry. “You just started freaking out and icing everything!”
“Poison.” Jack answered easily, letting out a hiss as Levy pressed a bandage firmly back into place on her injured knee. “Makes you sleep, and destabilizes your magic with nightmares. I…wasn’t expecting it.”
“A poison that causes nightmares?” Levy voiced, brow furrowing in confusion. “I’ve never heard of anything like that.”
“Old recipe. Really old.” She explained, lids falling to half-mast. “Why I…didn‘t think…”
“Oi.” Gajeel muttered, shaking her uninjured shoulder as gently as possible. “Don’t want another nightmare, do ya?”
Grumbling about the unfairness of it all, Jack clenched her burned hand, the jolt of pain jumpstarting her hazy mind.
“What was it about?” Levy wondered, hoping to keep her awake with words instead as she gently coaxed the bandaged hand back open.
“Cold, and dark…” The winter guardian admitted, a haunted look in her eyes as she recalled the nightmare. “Lonely.”
Levy and Gajeel shared a look, concerned, because, even if they had been fighting just before her sleepy outburst, neither could stand to see the winter-girl so resigned and troubled.
“Oh, Jack…”
Blinking the shadows away, Jack managed a smile.
“I’m already over it.” She assured, trying her hardest to believe the words herself. “You’re both here, and that’s enough.”
Gajeel flushed, averting his gaze with a grumpy huff, and Levy ducked her head, bright pink.
“You mean it?”
Half-awake, Jack hummed, curling into a ball as she squeezed the blue-haired wizard’s hand.
“’Course I mean it…” She assured, magic pulsing in waves through her tired body to counteract the poison. “Never alone with you two around…”
Frowning, Gajeel pet down her ruffled hair, expression softening as she went completely boneless under his touch with a cat-like purr.
Levy watched them for a moment, puzzle pieces clicking into place behind her bright tawny eyes.
White snowdrops, blue violets, dark red chocolate cosmos…
Remembering the strong arms that had shielded her from the ice, and how quickly he had moved in her defense, Levy felt herself start to relax.
Despite all his intimidation and rough edges, she was starting to see the gentleness underneath that had been hidden at first glance and realized what Jack had already seen.
Clasping her hand tightly, Levy blushed a faint pink.
If Jack thought he was worth it, she could at least give him a chance.
Jack noticed this distantly, mind still fogged with poisoned sleep and body pulsing as magic settled uneasily beneath her skin.
Ice crackled across the bed, jagged edges warning off any ill-advised advances, and the walls were spiked with harsh hoar frost, sharp little needles bristling across the entire length.
Her gaze focused instead on the two at her bedside, Gajeel still curved protectively around Levy to shield her from the ice that had tried to engulf them.
Once that thought registered, Jack panicked.
Jerking off the bed, every single crack and bruise and tear being summarily ignored as the ice disintegrated into harmless snowflakes, she grabbed the Dragon Slayer’s arm and yanked him closer, wide blue eyes scanning wildly for any injuries.
“Oh God, are you okay?!”
With a grunt, Gajeel rolled his shoulders back, cracking the ice right off.
“Screaming bloody murder in your sleep, and you‘re asking if we‘re okay?” He retorted, concern obvious even through the scowl.
“You shouldn’t be up!” Levy agreed, sliding out of Gajeel’s hold to gently push the winter-girl back down onto the bed. “You’re really hurt!”
Whatever adrenaline her panic had released was fading, and Jack winced as she stretched back out, feeling her body thoroughly scold her for every dislocation, twist, crack and bruise.
“Ow, okay, yeah, this kinda hurts…” She muttered, forcing every muscle in her body to relax.
“What the hell was that?” Gajeel demanded, looking between the two girls with badly-hidden worry. “You just started freaking out and icing everything!”
“Poison.” Jack answered easily, letting out a hiss as Levy pressed a bandage firmly back into place on her injured knee. “Makes you sleep, and destabilizes your magic with nightmares. I…wasn’t expecting it.”
“A poison that causes nightmares?” Levy voiced, brow furrowing in confusion. “I’ve never heard of anything like that.”
“Old recipe. Really old.” She explained, lids falling to half-mast. “Why I…didn‘t think…”
“Oi.” Gajeel muttered, shaking her uninjured shoulder as gently as possible. “Don’t want another nightmare, do ya?”
Grumbling about the unfairness of it all, Jack clenched her burned hand, the jolt of pain jumpstarting her hazy mind.
“What was it about?” Levy wondered, hoping to keep her awake with words instead as she gently coaxed the bandaged hand back open.
“Cold, and dark…” The winter guardian admitted, a haunted look in her eyes as she recalled the nightmare. “Lonely.”
Levy and Gajeel shared a look, concerned, because, even if they had been fighting just before her sleepy outburst, neither could stand to see the winter-girl so resigned and troubled.
“Oh, Jack…”
Blinking the shadows away, Jack managed a smile.
“I’m already over it.” She assured, trying her hardest to believe the words herself. “You’re both here, and that’s enough.”
Gajeel flushed, averting his gaze with a grumpy huff, and Levy ducked her head, bright pink.
“You mean it?”
Half-awake, Jack hummed, curling into a ball as she squeezed the blue-haired wizard’s hand.
“’Course I mean it…” She assured, magic pulsing in waves through her tired body to counteract the poison. “Never alone with you two around…”
Frowning, Gajeel pet down her ruffled hair, expression softening as she went completely boneless under his touch with a cat-like purr.
Levy watched them for a moment, puzzle pieces clicking into place behind her bright tawny eyes.
White snowdrops, blue violets, dark red chocolate cosmos…
Remembering the strong arms that had shielded her from the ice, and how quickly he had moved in her defense, Levy felt herself start to relax.
Despite all his intimidation and rough edges, she was starting to see the gentleness underneath that had been hidden at first glance and realized what Jack had already seen.
Clasping her hand tightly, Levy blushed a faint pink.
If Jack thought he was worth it, she could at least give him a chance.