Frozen Heart
Chapter 45
The smell of eggs and bacon woke Gajeel up the next morning, and that fact alone left him utterly confused.
Who the hell was making…?
Once his groggy mind found the answer, the Dragon Slayer was up and down the hall faster than any morning before.
He paused, gaping, at the sight in his normally-unused kitchen.
Humming cheerfully, Jack poured eggs onto a hot skillet, one eye on the second pan where long strips of bacon sizzled merrily in their own juices.
Long cotton sleeping pants pooled around her feet, the neck of her oversized long-sleeved shirt hanging wide off one shoulder, revealing the edge of a dark mark curving underneath her clavicle.
Jack looked small and bright and happy, long white hair hanging loose around her legs as she hopped from the stove to one of the cabinets for plates, still humming a tune under her breath.
Spotting Gajeel in her peripheral, the winter guardian smiled.
“Good morning!” She chirped, filling a plate with scrambled eggs and at least six pieces of bacon. “Hungry?”
“Sure…” He muttered, approaching slowly and sliding onto a stool just as the loaded plate was set down before him.
Jack floated back down onto the balls of her feet, bouncing along to whatever beat was playing in her head as she retrieved a fork for the Dragon Slayer to eat with.
Stomach grumbling to life, Gajeel happily dug in, no longer caring how she knew how to cook and more concerned with how many helpings he could get.
Giggling at the enthusiasm, Jack turned away to hide her smile, adding chunks of ham to the eggs and folding them in with a spatula as the other hand went to move the finished bacon off the burner.
Pausing as a knock sounded from the front door, carefully sliding the bacon onto a paper towel with one hand, the winter-girl bounced on the balls of her feet.
“Could you get that?” She voiced, lifting her head just long enough to sigh at the mess the Dragon Slayer was making of his breakfast. “Nevermind…Wind?”
A sharp gust spun around the handle and twisted, opening the door with a lurch before dissipating.
She smiled when Levy poked her head in, obviously unsure whether to enter or not.
“Morning, Levy!” The winter guardian greeted, filling Gajeel’s plate a second time. “Want some breakfast? I’m making plenty.”
“Um…Sure.” The Script Mage replied, flushing at the realization that she had skipped eating to see them.
“Come on, then! Have a seat!” Jack encouraged, filling a plate and placing it in front of the second stool, eggs still steaming and bacon sizzling faintly.
The smell was enough to draw Levy in, stomach rumbling at the thought of being filled.
Grunting a hello, Gajeel pointedly ignored how close they had to sit thanks to the short counter and returned to eating more slowly.
Flushing at the heat radiating from the larger body on her left, Levy dug in hurriedly to distract herself, a moan escaping at the taste.
Gajeel’s entire body prickled at the sound, like the first taste of iron after a battle, and Jack’s eyes snapped up, pupils trembling wider.
Noticing all the attention suddenly focused on her, the Script Mage blushed bright red, embarrassed.
“Sorry…”
“Nothing to be sorry for.” The Iron Dragon Slayer muttered, heat crawling up his neck.
“Yeah, it was just…unexpected.” Jack agreed, a lopsided smile belying the twinkle in her snowflake-dotted eyes. “Glad to know I haven’t lost my touch.”
Nodding quickly, Levy swallowed her rambling with another forkful of eggs, face still pink and shy.
“If this is you doing a bad job, I can’t wait to see you back on your game, Snowie.” Gajeel admitted, finished with his second helping and leaning on the counter lazily.
“I bet you can’t.” Jack quipped, a mischievous spark in her eyes.
The blue-haired mage giggled at the mock-glare he sent the winter-girl’s way, beginning to smile.
It was definitely worth missing breakfast earlier to be with them now.
Who the hell was making…?
Once his groggy mind found the answer, the Dragon Slayer was up and down the hall faster than any morning before.
He paused, gaping, at the sight in his normally-unused kitchen.
Humming cheerfully, Jack poured eggs onto a hot skillet, one eye on the second pan where long strips of bacon sizzled merrily in their own juices.
Long cotton sleeping pants pooled around her feet, the neck of her oversized long-sleeved shirt hanging wide off one shoulder, revealing the edge of a dark mark curving underneath her clavicle.
Jack looked small and bright and happy, long white hair hanging loose around her legs as she hopped from the stove to one of the cabinets for plates, still humming a tune under her breath.
Spotting Gajeel in her peripheral, the winter guardian smiled.
“Good morning!” She chirped, filling a plate with scrambled eggs and at least six pieces of bacon. “Hungry?”
“Sure…” He muttered, approaching slowly and sliding onto a stool just as the loaded plate was set down before him.
Jack floated back down onto the balls of her feet, bouncing along to whatever beat was playing in her head as she retrieved a fork for the Dragon Slayer to eat with.
Stomach grumbling to life, Gajeel happily dug in, no longer caring how she knew how to cook and more concerned with how many helpings he could get.
Giggling at the enthusiasm, Jack turned away to hide her smile, adding chunks of ham to the eggs and folding them in with a spatula as the other hand went to move the finished bacon off the burner.
Pausing as a knock sounded from the front door, carefully sliding the bacon onto a paper towel with one hand, the winter-girl bounced on the balls of her feet.
“Could you get that?” She voiced, lifting her head just long enough to sigh at the mess the Dragon Slayer was making of his breakfast. “Nevermind…Wind?”
A sharp gust spun around the handle and twisted, opening the door with a lurch before dissipating.
She smiled when Levy poked her head in, obviously unsure whether to enter or not.
“Morning, Levy!” The winter guardian greeted, filling Gajeel’s plate a second time. “Want some breakfast? I’m making plenty.”
“Um…Sure.” The Script Mage replied, flushing at the realization that she had skipped eating to see them.
“Come on, then! Have a seat!” Jack encouraged, filling a plate and placing it in front of the second stool, eggs still steaming and bacon sizzling faintly.
The smell was enough to draw Levy in, stomach rumbling at the thought of being filled.
Grunting a hello, Gajeel pointedly ignored how close they had to sit thanks to the short counter and returned to eating more slowly.
Flushing at the heat radiating from the larger body on her left, Levy dug in hurriedly to distract herself, a moan escaping at the taste.
Gajeel’s entire body prickled at the sound, like the first taste of iron after a battle, and Jack’s eyes snapped up, pupils trembling wider.
Noticing all the attention suddenly focused on her, the Script Mage blushed bright red, embarrassed.
“Sorry…”
“Nothing to be sorry for.” The Iron Dragon Slayer muttered, heat crawling up his neck.
“Yeah, it was just…unexpected.” Jack agreed, a lopsided smile belying the twinkle in her snowflake-dotted eyes. “Glad to know I haven’t lost my touch.”
Nodding quickly, Levy swallowed her rambling with another forkful of eggs, face still pink and shy.
“If this is you doing a bad job, I can’t wait to see you back on your game, Snowie.” Gajeel admitted, finished with his second helping and leaning on the counter lazily.
“I bet you can’t.” Jack quipped, a mischievous spark in her eyes.
The blue-haired mage giggled at the mock-glare he sent the winter-girl’s way, beginning to smile.
It was definitely worth missing breakfast earlier to be with them now.