Beauty and the Beast (Gajevy Fanfic)

Chapter 7

Gajeel stared at her for a long time. "Aren't you angry?" He asked eventually, narrowing his eyes in utter confusion.

"Angry?" Levy echoed.

"I hurt you. I hurt your friends." Gajeel reminded her.

Levy shrugged. "They're my brothers." She told him. "And I suppose I might've been angry if you'd killed them, but wounds heal, memories fade." She explained. "I'm curious." She admitted. "I'm a little confused too, and a bit scared, but not angry." Gajeel could only stare at her in utter bewilderment, and Levy giggled at the expression on his face. Gajeel scowled at her, and Levy flinched backwards. "Sorry." She muttered.

Gajeel looked away swiftly. "It's fine." He grunted.

Levy bit her lip, looking up at Gajeel through her lashes, examining him. "So... why did you attack us?" She asked.

Gajeel shrugged. "I was hungry." He muttered.

Levy blinked. "Can't you eat livestock?"

Gajeel gave her an incredulous look. "Have you ever tried to eat a sheep while it's still got its wool on?!" He demanded roughly. Levy blinked once then laughed. Gajeel stared at her, bemused, as she clutched at her stomach, laughing hard. As she calmed down, Gajeel hunched his shoulders and, somewhat self-consciously, asked "What?"

Levy shook he head. "I was just trying to imagine you trying to eat a sheep." She told him through her lessening giggles. Gajeel crossed his arms in a huff then winced as his shoulder throbbed with pain. Levy saw his wince, and her laughter faded quickly. "Are you sure you don't want to get that stitched?" She asked.

"How?" Gajeel asked, sounding irritated. "I can hardly walk into the village and go 'Hey, can someone stitch closed this wound you guys inflicted so I can go back to eating you all?'"

Levy huffed out a sigh, a soft smile on her face. "If you came back to my house, I could stitch it up for you." She told him.

Gajeel took a moment to answer, but he shook his head and grunted "Its fine." Levy sighed and reluctantly dropped it. There was a long, tense, uncomfortable silence, until Gajeel murmured "So... how are they?"

"Who?" Levy asked, tilting her head to one side curiously.

"Your brothers." Gajeel elaborated, not looking at her.

Levy frowned in confusion. "Why do you care?" She asked, though her tone was curious rather than accusing. "Weren't you planning on eating them?"

"I don't want to eat people." Gajeel protested indignantly. "It's just... when I get hungry... everything starts smelling the same. Meat smells like meat, whether it's human or not, and I just go after it." He explained, raising his shoulders defensively.

"They're ok. They haven't woken up yet, but our healer says they're gonna make a full recovery." Levy told him softly after a moment's silence. Gajeel nodded but said nothing. Eventually Levy stood. "I'd better get going. My dad's going to be worried about me." She said lightly. Gajeel nodded again. Levy was almost at the edge of the clearing, when a thought struck her. "Hey. Where do you live?" She asked.

"Cave." Gajeel grunted.

Levy blinked. "Where?" She asked. She wasn't very well acquainted with the woodland, but she knew it well enough, and she didn't think there were any caves nearby.

"Nearby." Gajeel said evasively.

Levy bit her lip, and nodded. "Ok. Well, see you around, maybe?" She asked, sounding almost hopeful. Gajeel looked at her with an eyebrow raised, then shrugged with his good shoulder. Levy sighed and left.

Word count: 562