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Once upon a time, in a land far, far away there was a young lad named Lev who had been abandoned for a single, but cruel reason: Lev was a giant. Many lone winter nights he spent in his great hole he called home, waiting for a change while having his dinner, as he heard a silent knock. The first he thought it must have been the wind who had reached out his cold hands into all the green lands. The wind it was and nothing more.
And yet, the knock sounded again, louder than before.
And so Lev stood up, strong and tall, and went over to open the door. But darkness was there, and nothing more. Deep into that darkness peering while watching snowflakes falling like thick feathers from heaven, he stood under the doorway and began to scratch his silver haired, big head. He doubted his eyes for a moment as he silently decided to close the door or all the warmth in his hole would be gone soon. He turned and shut the door, but before he sat down again, there was the knock yet again.
“Who’s there?” He demanded aloud. “Who wants to bother a lonely giant in his hole?”
Then he heard a muffled voice, but did not understand a single word – the door was too thick and the wind too strong. Lev returned and open the door – and peered into the darkness yet again.
“Show yourself.” Lev shouted into the wind, echoing in the mountains and causing avalanches. “Where are you?”
“Lower your eyes, I’m far too small.”
And Lev did as he was told to and lowered his eyes as he saw a small person, his red nose barely above the white snow; a dwarf he was, one of the small folk the old tales told.
And small he was indeed.
“Good evening.” Lev said, kneeling down.
“What do you mean?” The dwarf hissed. “Do you wish me a good evening or do you think it a good evening? Or because it is a good evening for you, sitting in a warm house and genuinely enjoying dinner? Or are you simply telling that this is an evening to be good on?”
Lev frowned, the words were spoken fast and it confused his brain as if he was trying to solve a difficult math task he had been given – but then he realized that he never had a teacher that could have given him such a task, in which case, he was rather confused now why he did attend school at all. “All at once.” He stuttered.
Silence reigned for two, three, four, five…
“Can I help you?” Lev asked.
… heartbeats.
“No, I just came to say hello and introduce myself as the new neighbor who has just moved in the next door.” The dwarf said deadpan.
Lev leaned forward, looked north, looked south, leaned back and frowned. On neither side he could see a door. If there had been one he would have assuredly noticed all along.
“I don’t think there is any other door nearby.”
“Finally, we’ve come to –“
“Why are you knocking at my door then?”
“Because I was going to sell you buttons.” The dwarf replied annoyed, rolling his eyes.
“Buttons?” Lev raised his head. “I doubt you will find anyone here who needs buttons, me included. As you can see,” Lev pointed onto his jacket. “I’m modern. I’m using a zipper. Buttons are outdated.”
“Really? I’m absolutely impressed.” The dwarf closed his eyes in disbelief. “The owl told me I should go this way to find a warm place for the night, but here I am, standing on the threshold and debating on whether the buttons are outdated or not.”
“Ahhh.” Lev said happily. “I understand.” He stepped aside. “Please come in.”
“Thank you. It’s about time.” The dwarf said, stepping in and taking of his cap. “Quite warm.”
“Yes, yes.” Lev said, closing the door.
The dwarf turned towards him, raising his eyes as if he was measuring his height. “You are fairly tall.”
“I am.” Lev said. “I’m the tallest among the tall people.”
“But you apparently not as smart as most of them.”
“I’ve never been to school.”
“That explains a lot.”
Lev nodded. “What is your name? I am Lev.”
“I am Yaku. And I am a dwarf.”
“I’ve never seen a dwarf in all my life.”
“Never?”
“Never.”
“Why?”
“Because no one wanted to visit me.”
“But the owl knew where you live.”
“You mean Bokuto? Or was it Akaashi?” Lev asked.
“Well, there were two, yes, one who seemed to be calm and collected while the other behaved as if it was sitting in a pan.” Yaku explained, rolling his eyes.
“Yup, that is Bokuto.”
“Ridiculous.” Yaku frowned, lightly shivering.
“Come, come, it’s cold outside. Come to the fire and warm yourself. You must be hungry? Then you should join me for dinner.” Lev offered, friendly and politely, as a gleam in his eyes appeared, that shimmered like the stars above at night.
“I shall be most grateful.” Yaku said and bowed.
Inside the house everything was huge, but so neat and clean that no one could say otherwise. There was an enormous table with a white tablecloth and two plates, and each plate had a spoon. One plate was filled with food, while the other was empty and clean as if the giant had long been hoping someone would come and join him for dinner.
But up until now, no one had joined him for dinner.
Of course there was no way a dwarf could sit on the chair, and so Lev lifted Yaku carefully on the table, and showed him his plate.
“I don’t have a spoon in your size.” Lev said regretfully.
“I can try this thing you call spoon.” Yaku said, as Lev began to fill the others plate.
And so they began to eat. At first rather nervous, since Yaku was his very first visitor, Lev began to speak; about the wind, about the snow, about the size of his shoes, about the zipper. Yaku listened attentively, but commented harshly. And soon they drifted into other subjects, and the night had grown old and the wind died, as Lev said: “I’ve never had so much fun in all my life.”
“I admit it was a splendid evening…, good, in every way.” Yaku said joyfully.
„It was nice to have someone visiting me.” Lev said, lowering his eyes. “Although I think you must go now, back to your folk.”
“I must, yes.” Yaku said. “Hinata is waiting and Nishinoya needs the report for the mines.”
Lev stood up and helped Yaku onto the ground, as the other began to put on his cap. When the door opened, Lev sniffed lightly and Yaku turned. “I warned you: more onions and your eyes begin to water.”
“I don’t think it’s the onions fault.” Lev said sadly.
Yaku sighed. “Don’t be silly. Since I have your address, I will come more often this way to knock at your door and sell more buttons.”
“I’m only using zippers.” Lev said, but a bright smile played its way onto his face and all tears rapidly disappeared.
“Well, I wish you a good night.”
“It is a good night.” Lev commented loudly.
“Yes, yes.” Yaku said. “Goodbye.”
“Goodbye.”
Lev stood under the doorway and waited until the dwarf vanished in the night, as he turned and entered his house. As the door snap shut, his eyes wandered onto the table.
Two plates were there and both had been used.
Lev smiled.
Finally he had someone to share his plates with.