"And your family?"
The man questioned as he walked alongside the blonde, going against the wind. His hands locked behind his back and his eyes glued to her as they dazzled in conversation. One too deep and vulnerable, one might say. His heels clicked on the brick ground and her hands clenched onto her (his) jacket, tightening it around her as one might with a blanket.
She always hated the cold.
"My mother passed away when I was very young,"
She responded, feeling the chilly wind meet her glassy eyes, making them sting a little. The winter allergies must be getting to her.
"I'm sorry to hear that."
The gentleness in his voice calmed down the air around them as he looked straight ahead again, not wanting to look her in the eye.
"I barely got to know her, you know?"
She turned to him as her voice cracked at the end, looking at him with her big brown orbs in sadness, though a small smile was on her face. He still wouldn't look at her though.
Instead, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and drifted her body to his, embracing her as she rested her head on his chest.
"It's okay. I barely got to know my father too."
He expressed, caressing her arm in comfort as they walked deeper into the path.
It was all too smooth and gentle, just two adults enjoying their time together on their first date.
The only thing abnormal, though, was that he had murder on his mind. She was too innocent to notice.
She felt tingles run through her body at the feel of his touch. Her breathing grew lighter as she relaxed, feeling safe and at ease in his arms.
His height allowed her to level with his chest, making it easier for the both of them to lock together.
"Did he pass away when you were young too?"
She questioned quietly--he was close enough to hear her words.
"I was fourteen. But he was always busy with work, so I didn't spend much time with my father."
He responded as she felt the vibration of his voice.
"I'm sorry."
She said, leaving the cold breeze of air to fill the silence for the next couple of moments.
However awful it might be, there was finally someone who can relate to her.
Although Loke was always there for her, he would never truly understand the pain she had endured in losing her mother. The knot that lives in your chest, day to day, hour to hour.
But this man... he does. He does understand.
"What about your father?"
He fixed his throat right before he spoke again, a hint of stiffness in his voice. He had spoken with so much tenderness before, but now... it seemed cold and empty.
The blonde let out a sigh as she drifted away from his embrace, straightening her back, standing next to him again. He dropped his arm from around her and turned to face her as she did him, meeting their eyes once more.
"My father... well, he isn't someone I talk to anymore."
She looked ahead again and gazed upon the long path ahead of them, seeing nothing but her father's revolting face in her mind.
"He's a very cruel man. We might share the same blood, but he is not my father."
She blurted out, in the same cold tone he had spoken with.
He only hummed as he locked his hands behind his back once more, keeping his lips closed and his mind filled with thoughts.
Her eyes turned to him as a small smile crept on her face.
"My life isn't that depressing, I promise."
He chuckled,
"I'd like to get to know every side of you, Lucy. The good and the bad."
He looked into her brown orbs, and she only smiled.
.oOo.
The bluette breathed in heaviness as she looked around her in disbelief, gulping more times than anyone normally would.
She watched the medics hassle around as they covered the dead bodies with a white cloth, escorting them out the doors.
The restaurant had emptied out.
It was only her, sitting on a table a customer would, clicking her fingers together. It was her tic.
Police officers scattered here and there, as some stretched out yellow caution tape around the crime scene.
Oh, and there were two officers standing by her table, trying to grab her attention, which she had failed to notice until now.
Their presence sank in as she looked up at them, her clicking slowing down.
"Ma'am,"
One of them called out quite loudly, losing his patience a little.
She gulped dryness down her heavy throat, her legs suddenly shaking.
"We need to bring you in and ask you a few questions."
She shook her head nervously, closing her eyes as tears escaped them and rolled down her cheeks.
"Ma'am."
He spoke up more demandingly.
She's always hated the police. Ever since her parent's death, she had never spoken to a police officer again.
"We need you-"
"I didn't see anything. Nothing, I swear! One second I was bringing dessert and the next they were lying dead on the ground. I didn't see anything."
She said all too quickly, not looking them in the eye.
She was never a good liar after all.
The police officers looked at each other, knowing there wasn't much else they could do.
"Can I leave now?"
She said hesitantly, looking down at the table with red eyes and shaky hands.
"Go ahead."
One of them responded.
She stood up in one quick motion before the officer spoke up again.
"But we must alert you that this restaurant must be shut down until we are done with our investigation."
"And how long is that going to take?"
She questioned, looking him up in the eyes.
"Weeks, maybe months. We can't tell for certain."
She sniffled and nodded before walking away, wiping away her tears.
What a traumatic thing to witness... in her restaurant, nonetheless.
She felt partially responsible for some ignorant reason.
Reaching her house, she opened her door and jumped on her bed, crying into her pillow.
Their bloody faces... how can she ever forget that. It reminded her all too well of her parent's faces, lying there dead on the ground.
.oOo.
The blonde swung her door open as she hummed a song she probably only listened to.
Her date stood under her apartment building, walking away from it, heading to a certain destination.
She gasped in startlement as she slapped her hand on her chest at the sight of someone sitting on her brown couch.
"Loke!"
She smiled after registering his presence, closing the door behind her.
"Where the hell were you, Lucy?!"
He stood up in one quick motion, angry and relieved all in one.
"I was walking by the lake with my date,"
She opened her closet door, placing her purse in.
"Why haven't you been answering your phone?!" He questioned, a hint of anger in his voice.
She slid her phone out of her back pocket and showed him her screen.
"It's out of charge,"
"You could've at least told me where you were going! I looked everywhere for you and couldn't find you! So I came here. I've been waiting for you for over an hour!"
She chuckled,
"What do you mean? You're the one who left the restaurant,"
"I left for only ten minutes! I had an urgent call."
She sighed as she walked towards him and laid her hands on his shoulders, looking him straight in the eye.
"I'm fine, don't worry."
She reassured him with that bright smile of hers.
"Everything went great."
She blushed, dropping her hands to her sides before walking away again, to her closet to bring out her PJs.
He sighed as he sat down on the couch, rubbing his pounding forehead. She sure knew how to stress him out.
"Well, are you gonna tell me what you guys did?"
He forced a smile, looking up at her again with tired eyes.
"Oh, you know, got lost in conversation." She smiled at the feel of her stomach fluttering at the memory.
"He's perfect, Loke." She turned to him. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to find someone who actually listens to you?"
"I listen to you."
She clicked her tongue,
"Well, yeah, but you're Loke." She said mindlessly.
"It's hard to find someone who makes me feel looked at and listened to in every minute and second of our time spent together, y'know?"
He only stayed silent, ironically listening to her.
"He's just... different."
She said, holding her PJs in hand as she blankly zoned out for a couple of seconds.
He formed a smile,
"Well, I'm glad you're happy. But you gotta be careful. You still don't know the guy."
"I know."
She said in a high-pitched voice, looking at him as she walked to her bathroom which was placed at the corner of her room.
"Are you seeing him again?"
"I have a second date with him next Saturday."
She winked at him before closing the bathroom door.
He only sighed as he dropped back on her bed, laying down as he blankly stared at her ceiling.
If only she knew that the man who would give up anything and everything for her, is only but a few steps away from her.
.oOo.
"Is this a safe place to talk?" The Don, Natsu, questioned as his heavy steps trailed down the dark alley. The night crawled deeper as everything around them was silent, aside from their words.
They were far, but close enough, to the restaurant to which they committed.
"Yes, boss. Everything is handled. The Sandler brothers will trouble us no more." The bodyguard, Gajeel, confirmed with his arms crossed and his back leaning on a brick wall.
"We made sure not to trail any evidence, don't worry." The second bodyguard, Laxus, added.
The Don chuckled.
"I'm not worried. They won't find us." He responded. "I'm just glad we got rid of those fools, thinking they can come and attack my people."
Gajeel let out a throaty cackle.
"How did it go with the girl?" The blond questioned.
A brief pause took place as an odd smile crept on the Don's face.
"The whereabouts of her father are still hidden. I'm not sure she knows where he is either."
"If she doesn't know where he is, then she's useless trash. Shall we just end her?" He lifted his chin up, allowing the moon's light to softly shine upon the scar slit down his eye.
"No. There is a story there. There is information to be found. She isn't useless just yet."
He firmly stated, making it the last sentence spoken into the air before the trio walked out of the alley, the Don ahead and the bodyguards behind him, heading back to Dragneel's Tract.
.oOo.
"Lock the door behind you with your spare key please, I'm too lazy to get up." She sleepily stated with her head sunk into a fluffy pillow and her body tucked in her warm, cozy blankets.
"Before I leave, you have to tell me where you're going on Saturday so I can come with you." He stood by the door, hand on the doorknob as he awaited her answer.
"We were fine today, Loke, I promise you there's nothing to worry about." She responded reassuringly.
He stood firm on the ground as he crossed his arms, staring her down till she spoke.
She loudly sighed as she sat up on the bed, knowing how stubborn he was. His head was hard as a rock, never to be convinced--not so easily, at least.
"A dance. He's taking me to a dance."
The ginger-head laughed,
"What are we, in the '80s?"
The blonde rolled her eyes with a smile,
"There's this annual dance that's hosted once every year at the Ball & Gown hall. It's only twenty minutes away from here."
He sighed defeatedly.
"Well, do you need some money to buy the ticket? 'Cause I know it's expensive." He offered kindly, always thinking of others. Always thinking of her.
She smiled glowingly,
"You're a really great friend, Loke, y'know that?" She blushed. "But I'm okay. He said he's paying for everything."
"Charming." Loke rolled his eyes, placing his hand on the doorknob again. "Well, I'll see you there. At a distance, don't worry." He said sluggishly before stepping out the door and closing it behind him.
She moaned as she dropped her head on the pillow again, sinking into it as her heavy eyelids began shutting.
It was a long day indeed.
__________________
2121 words
Hey ya'll! I hope I wasn't too late.
So I don't know if you've noticed but I changed my writing style a LITTLE BIT. Hopefully it continues to progress over time.
Lemme know what you think about this chapter :)
Any theories yet?
Also, please click the little star on the bottom left if you've enjoyed ❤️