Frozen Heart
Chapter 49
Dawn was barely peeking over the horizon, only the slightest tint of pink coloring the dark sky, and Gajeel grumbled about the early hour as the coffee simmered, cracking his neck.
Sitting up on a couch was not an ideal position to sleep in, even if only for a handful of hours.
Jack, still drowsy, had fussed over her mussed up braid, undoing it with a pout while mumbling about how long it would take to redo…
Then Levy, doe-eyed, asked if she could do it, and Jack seemed as vulnerable to the Puppy-Dog Eyes as Gajeel was.
Facing the back of the couch, arms folded on the soft cushions, the winter-girl hummed in pleasure at each long stroke Levy took with the brush through her long hair, stretching like a sleepy cat.
Leaning against the counter, Gajeel watched, intrigued.
It had always been such a pain to get the tangles out of his own mane that he eventually stopped trying, but snowflake seemed to be enjoying it…
“Hey.” Jack voiced, blue eyes half-lidded and lazy as they caught red.
She motioned for him to come closer, shifting to sit upright as Levy climbed up to join her, fingers deep in the soft white curls.
Curious despite himself, the Dragon Slayer approached slowly, sitting against the couch front.
After a few moments, he felt a tug on his hair and almost shot up had Jack not placed a hand on his shoulder, calming.
“Relax.” She soothed, calm. “I’ll be gentle.”
Once he settled back down, grumbling under his breath, the winter-girl returned her attention to the task at hand.
Starting at the ends, she worked the bristles through with a methodical care that neutralized any unnecessary pulling, humming again as Levy started to braid.
Slowly, gradually, Gajeel began to unwind, the rhythmic pull almost calming as every muscle in his neck loosened.
By the time Jack had gotten the worst tangles free, he was a purring puddle of goo.
Giggling at the sound, like a rusty old Magic-mobile engine, Levy squeaked when an arm shot out and pulled her onto a warm lap.
With her back pressed tight against his rumbling chest, like sitting in one of those massage chairs, Levy tilted her head back to stare up at the Dragon Slayer, wide-eyed.
“Read.” He ordered lazily, arm tight around her waist like a seatbelt.
Blinking once, she looked to Jack for an explanation, and the winter guardian shrugged, amused.
Luckily, her book had taken the trip with her, and Levy opened to the first page with a smile.
“Once upon a time, there was a beautiful kingdom under the sea called Atlantis, home of the merpeople…”
Sitting up on a couch was not an ideal position to sleep in, even if only for a handful of hours.
Jack, still drowsy, had fussed over her mussed up braid, undoing it with a pout while mumbling about how long it would take to redo…
Then Levy, doe-eyed, asked if she could do it, and Jack seemed as vulnerable to the Puppy-Dog Eyes as Gajeel was.
Facing the back of the couch, arms folded on the soft cushions, the winter-girl hummed in pleasure at each long stroke Levy took with the brush through her long hair, stretching like a sleepy cat.
Leaning against the counter, Gajeel watched, intrigued.
It had always been such a pain to get the tangles out of his own mane that he eventually stopped trying, but snowflake seemed to be enjoying it…
“Hey.” Jack voiced, blue eyes half-lidded and lazy as they caught red.
She motioned for him to come closer, shifting to sit upright as Levy climbed up to join her, fingers deep in the soft white curls.
Curious despite himself, the Dragon Slayer approached slowly, sitting against the couch front.
After a few moments, he felt a tug on his hair and almost shot up had Jack not placed a hand on his shoulder, calming.
“Relax.” She soothed, calm. “I’ll be gentle.”
Once he settled back down, grumbling under his breath, the winter-girl returned her attention to the task at hand.
Starting at the ends, she worked the bristles through with a methodical care that neutralized any unnecessary pulling, humming again as Levy started to braid.
Slowly, gradually, Gajeel began to unwind, the rhythmic pull almost calming as every muscle in his neck loosened.
By the time Jack had gotten the worst tangles free, he was a purring puddle of goo.
Giggling at the sound, like a rusty old Magic-mobile engine, Levy squeaked when an arm shot out and pulled her onto a warm lap.
With her back pressed tight against his rumbling chest, like sitting in one of those massage chairs, Levy tilted her head back to stare up at the Dragon Slayer, wide-eyed.
“Read.” He ordered lazily, arm tight around her waist like a seatbelt.
Blinking once, she looked to Jack for an explanation, and the winter guardian shrugged, amused.
Luckily, her book had taken the trip with her, and Levy opened to the first page with a smile.
“Once upon a time, there was a beautiful kingdom under the sea called Atlantis, home of the merpeople…”