She had been certain he would call within a week. He didn't.
Maybe he was not interested in her? He did smile when she handed him the paper, telling him to call her, whenever he had free time to spend.
Maybe he had not understood what she was trying to say?
How did her ray of sunshine become that overclouded?
And she could not even go to the coffee shop to drown her worries in hot chocolate with cinnamon, because he would be there. Her life had started being a mess once more.
Leaving her head hanging slightly she walked beside her best friend.
Levy too was a sunshine to her. She was always bubbly and happy. Talking about art, and books, and college. Even more so since she had met that creepy guy and his buddy, who just happened to accompany them today.
Her brown eyes looked the three of them over.
Levy insisted she and Gajeel, the black haired man with piercings all over his face and a sharp edged jaw, were not an item. And while Lucy believed that, she saw how much they cared. They did not hold hands, were not all over each other. But to be honest this Gajeel did not seem like the type for doing this.
He was tall and tan skinned. His eyes had a scary crimson colour, the thing Levy said she liked the most, and were glistering when he scowled at people. But they also gleamed when he was smiling. As scary as he seemed, he was interesting. And right now he was talking with Lily.
Lily.
What a girlish kind of name for a man. Especially this one.
On first sight he seemed scary, even more so than Gajeel. He was as good as one foot taller than the black haired man, and his skin was dark. A deep shade of brown, that was rarely seen in this part of the country. And it made the large scar on his left eye stand out even more. A crescent shaped scar, right on the corner of his eye. It made him look dangerous. She hadn't had the courage to ask where it had come from. He probably would not want to talk about it anyway.
His large muscles and hands as big as Lucys whole head, just added up to his scary look.
The deep sonorous voice gave him a seriousness nobody would expect. The only thing revealing he was not what he seemed were his eyes.
They were dark, but full of life. Scarred by his past, and sparked by the present. She wondered about that.
How could somebody look like this? All of his exterior made her want to know more. Not in the way she wanted to know more about that pink haired brista. In the way she asked herself how he could cope. With whatever has happened in his past. With what was happening in his life right now. And – as if not obvious enough – being this good friends with Gajeel despite his age. Lucy might not know much, but she had figured he was way older then them.
He also was a perfect gentleman. Nobody would have believed her, when they first met him. He had needed some time to warm up with her, but he was nice. It had to be expected. The warming up time. But she had been surprised, he had not been like Gajeel at all. Lily was well educated, and knew a lot of things, not only through experience. And, as said he was a gentleman.
Before Gajeel had asked Levy to carry her bags, Lily had kindly offered to take Lucys. A wide smile on his full lips. As if it was the most natural thing, taking the bags of a woman he had made acquaintanceship only recently. With his whole behaviour it was not surprising how she had entrusted him with the things she carried.
Gajeel by the way had asked just seconds later to carry Levys bags. Looking away in the manner of his, his lips pursued.
Lily would have called. Lucy was certain, if she had given her number to this man, he would have called within a week.
The group was walking side by side, talking and laughing, while they passed a school yard.
Lucy would not have noticed it. Levy was talking about how much of a shame it was the barista did not call her. Gajeel and Lily had a conversation about something Lucy had lost track of. They seemed serious at first glance, but one was able to see the humorous glint in their eyes. Somehow she regretted not having listened in. Although it would not have been ladylike to do so.
“PAPA!”
It was a sudden interruption. An unfamiliar voice. High, happy and certainly coming from a child. It made them come to a sudden halt. Their steps ceasing, as they turned to the school yard, Lucy had only realised yet.
Lucy was as surprised at this word as Levy was. Had it been directed at their group? It was not entirely impossible. They had Gajeel and Lily with them. And none of then looked surprised.
Gajeel had shoven his hands into the pockets of his trousers, Levys bags dangling from his wrist. It was not like his whole composure changed, but it looked different. Not exactly defensive, but not open either. As if he knew what was about to happen. It was then, when Lily handed his bags to Gajeel. The black haired man only taking them with what sounded like a grunt. As if it was a burden to take things, that the large man had been carrying.
The oldest man lowered himself onto his knees, opening his arms wide. They did not see Lilys face. If they had, they would have seen a wide, warm smile on his lips. His eyes crinkled, his whole face engulfed in the smile. Smiles like this had become rare.
A small flaxen haired girl leaped in Lilys arms.
She heard a laughter, like bells, before the large man wrapped his arms around the tiny figure, that was now entirely hidden behind the mans body. He stood up again and turned around. His left arm under the girls body, to keep her up, and the other one on her back to keep her steady. And if she had not looked incredibly pale against his dark skin, she could have sworn she was his daughter.
Not from her looks. She was pale as a ghost, compared to Lily. Her eyes were a light brown, and her nose and lips did not look like they would develop in the same direction as Lilys when she was to be grown up. She did not look like him at all. This tiny little thing with the porcelain skin and the light hair could not possibly be related to him.
But her hands were fisted into his shirt, tightly with a trust a foreign child would not have with this scary looking man.
“Pa...” Lucy said. “Papa?!”
After a short sigh, Lily looked at her a stern expression on his face.
“I thought you weren't allowed off the school ground, even in breaks?” his voice could have given some inexperienced people a run for their money, but the little girl was still smiling.
“You're my Papa, so it's okay.” she said, equally serious. It made the large man rumble with laughter, leaving the girl smiling.
“I can't outwit that logic, can I?” he asked, still chuckling.
“Papa! We have bring and tell next week, and we can bring whatever or whoever we want to!” she said excited. She did call him Papa all the time. Why was that? Why would she do such a thing? They did not look related at all.
“Is that so?” he asked genuinely interested in what she had to say. Like a father was with his own child. This interaction confused Lucy even more. No one had told her he had adopted a child. He had never said something about this. Neither had Levy or Gajeel. Although, as Lucy looked, Levy seemed surprised as well. Maybe she had not known either?
“And... and.... I want to bring you!” she said. The porcelain cheeks blushing in a cherry blossom pink. Her brown eyes looking at Lily in a pleading manner. The many eyes widened for a moment, in surprise maybe? Then again his lips widened into a smile.
“And you ran all the way over the yard to tell me? Even though our mother told you not to run like this?” the man asked. The girl nodded fiercely, making him chuckle silently. Slowly he took one hand from the girls back and placed it on top of her head.
“It'd be my pleasure.”
An even wider smile widened the girls lips, when she reached up and hugged Lily. At least she tried to get her arms around the mans neck, what did not work entirely. She was just so small.
The bell rang, making the small girl looking around. Even though she was a child she seemed to know what kind of responsibilities she had to face.
She did not have to say anything, because Lily lowered her down to the ground already, seemingly aware as well. It was time to get back to class.
Before she turned her way to the school building she, again, hugged Lily, and kissed one of the mans cheeks. Her lips touching his scar. It was an unbelievable sight. Confusing and somewhat unreal. Like the picture Lucy had seen when she had been still a toddler. She faintly remembered it now. The picture of a small white girl kissing the cheek of a black man, who had, back in that time, be the slave of her family. Thoughts like this reminded her, how present all of this still was. But that little girl presented all of this with a certain lightness.
“Thank you, Papa!” she said, before turning around and running back. Lily waving after her, and watching until she was back in the house safely. His dark eyes watched the door for a moment. And his face was again lightened with a smile that spoke volumes. It was like he did not believe this girl was his daughter, but in a good, a proud way.
When he turned back to retrieve Lucys bags, she thought she heard him mumbling somewhat along the lines of 'and I told her not to run like that'.
Lucy and Levy were baffled. This whole situation was unreal to them. And entirely unexpected as well. No one would have thought they would meet someone like this while being out. Of course the blonde was curious, but she could not ask, could she? She had met that man not too long ago, so...
“Um...” it was Levys small voice speaking. It was bashful and when Lucy turned she could see the bluenette fidgeting with the hem of her shirt.
“I...I don't want to be nosy or something... But who was that?”
Lilys dark eyes wandered down to meet Levys. And they were not angry at all. They were sparkling with life. And Lucy thought maybe – just maybe – this little girl was a reason for the life in his eyes.
“I-I don't mean... she doesn't look like you at all.... and she calls you Papa and all and...”
Levy blushed in embarrassment. She did not like being nosy, especially with someone she did not know for long. And Lucy thought she would not want to disappoint Gajeel, who seemed to be very close with Lily.
The tall dark man did not bat an eye at this. As if it was understandable how people would ask such a question. And he smiled. The smile that betrayed his serious features. A honest smile. And Lucy thought he was not the kind of man to lie to others, especially with a topic as serious as this one.
“She ain't my daughter.” he said. Lucys and Levys eyes widened at this.
Was that girl a poor orphan, desperate to have a family? So desperate to seek out Lily of all people to care for her? He had talked about a mother. Had he been a friend of the childs late mother? The whole situation had turned incredibly awkward in that very moment.
Lucy felt bad that Levy had asked. But Lily had not looked angry?
“She's the child of my wife and her first husband.” he explained. His words were serious, his deep voice just drew to that trait right now. His expression made evident how he wished he was her father, her real one. He deserved it, somehow, Lucy thought suddenly. Having a child that loved him that much. Being a father like the one they had seen just moments ago. As if he was cut out for this, but had never been lucky enough to achieve it.
“And her biologic ol' man is a big jerk.” Gajeel mentioned, crossing his arms in front of his chest. Lily did not oppose to that statement, but he also did not look like he would want to talk about that either. Not too thrilling of a topic it seemed. And understandable as well. If he was the second husband to his wife, it had to be difficult.
“You are married?” Levy burst out. She had not known him for long, and he did not wear a ring either. A ring would probably stand out against his skin though. Maybe he did not want that. Or it was an agreement between him and his wife? It was a surprising revelation. Something hard to swallow. Somehow Lily did not strike her as a man who had a girlfriend or even a wife. But when she looked at him now, with what they had just seen. This seemed much more natural for him.
What kind of woman would marry this kind of man? A man with a hard looking shell, but a kind heart? Of course every woman would want such a man by her side. But Lucy wondered. Who would be able to capture this mans heart? And be able to get hold of his?
Lily was about to respond when a cell phone ringing interrupted their conversation yet again.
Lucy felt the buzz in her bag and her heart started to race. It was her phone!
Quickly she dug it out and looked at the number. It was shown but she did not know it. After a short glance to her best friend and a nod delivering courage from said woman, she answered the call. Turning away a little, to have some privacy, all the well knowing Levy was listening.
Gajeel had jet again engaged Lily in a conversation about how he would manage to attend the bring and tell, when he had to work. All Lily replied was, how he had the night shift next week anyway. The blonde did not see the look that spoke 'that's what I'm talking about, idiot' on Gajeels face.
“Hello? This is Heartfilia.” he said, waiting for a reply.
“Ah~ Hello! This is Natsu, You remember? The barista in your coffee shop!” a voice she knew well responded.
Those words tinted her cheeks pink. Her heart thumped loudly in her chest – making her anxious the others would hear it - and her stomach felt warm and funny.
The courage to give him and paid off in the end.
