Read to me

Chapter 2

Levy looked through all cells, cringing at the condition and the deadly glares of the prisoners, until she found the man she was looking for. He was sitting on the far shadowy corner, his head leaned back on the wall and his arms resting on his bent knees. The girl smiled that she finally discovered his cell and placed her hands on the iron bars.

"Hello?" She whispered.

The man half opened his eyes and looked at her, before closing them again.

"Thank you for the other night. You saved my life. And sorry for being put in here. My word has no power before my brothers'." She said and he readjusted, burying his hands into his mane. That motion made his sleeves slide up and allowed Levy to see up his arms. "Are those...bruises?" She asked. She did not remember him being hurt, apart from some scars on his forearms.

"Go away, Shrimp." He muttered.

"Unfortunately, I cannot understand what you're saying. Could you please come closer?" She asked and motioned for him to approach. He quickly caught that and stood, walking to the bars. For the first time since they met, she was able to see his face clearly. The fire from the torches lit his piercings covering his brows, nose, under his lip and ears. Also his blood red eyes, which stared directly into hers. He was so much taller than her, and his black hair reached his waist. No matter his intimidating appearance, Levy never felt even a tint of fear of him. Somehow, she felt drawn to him, almost to the point she wanted to touch him.

"I'm Levy." She reached her palm to her chest, tapping lightly. "Levy."

He eyed her, noticing her action and looked the other way. "Gajeel."

"Gajeel." She let his name roll of her tongue.

Gajeel, on the other hand, was trying to understand what caused him the desire to hear his name coming from her again and again. One more time...he said inside his head.

Without any permission, Levy reached her hand through the bars and to his face, more specifically to his cut lip. He tried to pull away, he wanted to, but he couldn't. His lip hurt, it stung as hell, but the feeling of her fingertips on them worked as if to alleviate the pain.

"You've been tortured." At that moment, the impression she had for her oldest brother was spoiled. She knew he was strict and absolute, but to resort to torture to make a man talk. A man that could not speak the same language? And with nothing to reveal in the first place? "Wait here." She said with furrowed brows and retreated upstairs.

Gajeel stayed put in his spot, still feeling the light touch on his pulsing lip. That cut came from one of the prince's fists, as Gajeel was tied on the wall by iron chains, incapable of moving. If he was free, he could have landed a few punches on him as well.

Soon, he heard light steps from the stairs and once again the princess came to his direction, holding a book under her arm and a small glass box. She let the book down to her feet and opened the box, revealing its contents. It was full of some kind of ointment.

"It is for the pain and to avoid infection. It has saved me countless times as a kid, when I fell and scraped my elbows and knees out in the gardens." She said and got some cream onto her index and middle fingers. She reached her hand up to him, but applying the medicine so far away was kind of uncomfortable for both. Gajeel, seeing her struggle, lowered and sat cross-legged on the ground. Levy smiled and did the same. Now, she once again began to caress his cut lip with her fingers, trying to cover the whole wound. At some point, she scrapped a crust, causing him to hiss, and Levy to retreat her hand.

"I'm sorry" She apologized but he shook his head, meaning it was okay.

After finishing her work, she used her tissue to wipe her fingers clean and closed the box, putting it next to her book.