Moving on

Chapter 9 : Questions

- You're asking too many questions shrimp. What's important is to bring back that stupid car, right?

The bluenette seemed to reflect on that a moment than nodded in agreement.

- You're probably right.

A silence took place between both of them. It wasn't the awkward silence generated most of the time with two people that barely know each other. It was quite the opposite. Gajeel though the silence was actually... comfortable.

***

A silence took place between her and Gajeel. It was comfortable, she though. She didn't felt the obligation to talk or to invent any random and boring conversations just to compensate for the lack of words. Even though she promised herself she wouldn't read during the trip, she took her novel from her bag. It wasn't to avoid Gajeel. Way too often, she used her books to escape from the unpleasant company of someone. This time, as weird as it could seem, she had the impression that reading was getting them closer.

After a moment, she noticed Gajeel looking to her book above her shoulder. Look, not read, because it was practically impossible he knew the language the book was written in. Normally, Levy hated when people did that while she was reading. Then again, when it was Gajeel, it wasn't unpleasant.

The plane finally landed and both of them got out of it a couple of minutes later.

- The port is thirty minutes by foot from the airport. Do we walk or should we call a cab? Asked the blue haired girl.

- By the time the cab gets here we'll already be half there. I'm walking, he decided, starting to walk without waiting for her.

Levy had to run to catch up and, even when she had actually caught up, she had to do twice as much steps as him to keep up his pace.

- Do you really have to walk this fast? She complained, out of breath, after a couple of long minutes.

- Gihi! It's your own fault for having such short legs! He laughed.

- As if I'm short on purpose! You're just a...Umph!!

Levy's sentence was cut off when she ran into Gajeel who stopped without a warning.

- What's your problem? She started before being interrupted by Gajeel's hand on her mouth.

His look, normally careless, was more rigid. He motioned her to be silent and pointed something. She narrowed her eyes to get a better look in the dark before she could identify a ruined car. The windows were broken and it was all battered. Her eyes widened in horror when she realised it was the car Gajeel and her were supposed to recover.

- Who could have done such a thing? She whispered to her partner.

- I'll go take a look, he said without answering. Stay right there.

- Gajeel wait!

- I told you to stay here! Those who did that might still be around.

Before she could retort that it was dangerous for him as well, he was already too far to speak to him without yelling. She wasn't comfortable with the idea, far from it, but did as he said anyway, knowing she could only get in Gajeel's way if she did otherwise. She sighed in relief when he indicated the way was clear. She made a few steps in his direction when a force pulled her backwards. Surprised, it took her a moment to understand that it was a hand, tightening painfully around her wrist, that violently dragged her back.

Far from her, she could hear Gajeel's voice shouting her name. It gave her the courage she needed to hit a precise point in her attacker's throat, thanks to her many action books for the tip, stopping his breading for a moment. It bought her just enough time for her to use the oldest trick in the book: a good old kick between the legs. Once she was free from his grip, she ran with all her might and located Gajeel, running as well in her direction. Giving in to her instincts, she threw herself into the young man's harms, as if he was a shelter.