Natsu stood at the end of the line, shoulder-to-shoulder with other half-naked men, facing two vastly different women. The taller of the two wore a low cut, satin dress which hugged her gangly body in an unflattering manner. Besides being ill-fitting, the dress was also the unfortunate color of puke green which did nothing to improve the woman's pasty complexion. Her accessories included long strands of dull pearls that hung from her thin neck and an oriental fan she used to gesture toward the line of men, causing the pink feather boa draping her wide shoulders to hang unevenly. The black locks of her hair were tugged back and twisted up, held together by a heavily tarnished silver pin. The woman's appearance was ghastly, yet unfortunately familiar to Natsu. Her name was Daphne Lisko, but to all "employed" at the House of Myths, they addressed her solely as Madame. To each other, they called her Mad.
Unable to look at Madame for too long without feeling a stir of emotions better left unacknowledged, Natsu looked down at his feet. He focused on the black veins racing through the white marble floor. A dark void of calm resettled inside of him as he emptied his thoughts, suppressing his emotions. Despite intimately knowing how despicable a person Madame truly was, he couldn't hate her. More like, he couldn't afford to feel the hate he had for her. Not if he wanted to survive, that is. To feel anything in this place was dangerous— a valuable and crucial lesson he had learned ten years ago, the first among many.
Click. Clack. Click. Clack.
Madame's heels clicked loudly as she led the other woman to the men stationed at the opposite end of the line. Natsu kept his eyes forward, unconcerned with trying to figure out who the second woman was. Her presence here already told him what he needed to know. Though they all varied in wealth, status, and background, all who came seeking Madame's Myths were united by their shared hunger to experience one for themselves. The fact that Madame had ordered all the Myths within the House to be present for this guest, coupled with the glint of greed shining out of Madame's squinting eyes, told him that the woman was disgustingly rich.
There were thirty-two other men in the line with Natsu. Prior to the guests arrival, they had been personally arranged by Madame in what she claimed by degree of preference. Being the last in the row didn't offend Natsu in the slightest for two reasons. One. He didn't allow himself to feel that emotion. Two. He was only in the line for show. If this guest wasn't an astronomical scale of wealthy, he would have spent the night the same way he had spent every night—on the arm of some woman, playing the role she had paid for him to play. Then, when her hour of make believe was over, he would climb to Madame's room to commence his nightly horror. Out of the thirty-three Myths, he was the only one upon whom Madame personally called.
Some of the other Myths thought he was fortunate for being Madame's pet. However, Natsu didn't see it that way. During the day, Madame would screech and bark orders to him like the other Myths as they prepared for their nightly roles. At night, she would breathe sickly nothings into his ear, while she forced him to use his training to please her. Instead of an array of strangers whose faces he could forget like whispers of smoke, her face illuminated his consciousness entirely. He knew every haunting detail. If he shut his eyes briefly, all the unspeakable things connected to the haunting image of her face would flash before him. There was no escape from it.
Surprisingly, the guest now stood in front of a man three down from Natsu. Had she really passed over so many Myths? Just what was this woman looking for? He watched as the woman leaned in toward the Myth in front of her and whispered something into his ear before stepping back.
"Yes," the Myth replied.
The woman nodded and moved on to the next man, repeating the same action. Natsu risked a glance at Madame to get a grasp of the situation. Though a smile persisted, her lips puckered in the middle and her eyes widened largely as she forced herself to keep her fake smile plastered onto her face. Madame had dealt with her share of picky guests, but it seemed this woman was an exception. The woman was not supposed to have come this far down the line, but then there she was, standing in front of him.
The guest was tall, just a few inches shorter than Madame. Her hair was a deep scarlet red, pulled back into a neat ponytail that fell down her back. Instead of a dress, she wore a black tailored suit, with a crisp white shirt underneath and a red tie that matched her bright hair. He was a little taken aback by her appearance. It wasn't typical for women to wear men's clothing, but he assumed her wealth allowed the woman the comfort to do so.
"So, which one of my Myths will have the honor of your company tonight?" Madame stepped in as the woman leaned in toward Natsu. Her voice shook as she tried to persuade the guest away from Natsu. He just stared ahead, not caring what happened.
The guest paused, looking back at Madame. "Is he not one of your Myths?"
"He is, but this one is...this one is no good. I'm sure you'll much prefer one of the other candidates here. Pashuc, come, and—"
"That's quite alright," she interrupted, cutting Madame off. "I'm about to make my decision." With that, the woman leaned toward Natsu once more, tilting her lips to his ear, whispering the same question she had asked the thirty-two Myths before him.
"Yes or no. Do you believe in love?"
One of Madame's many rules at the House of Myths was to never deny a guest what she sought. Under this roof, all desires were realized. The Myths became whatever fantasy the guest desired. If a guest wanted passion, lust, companionship, dominance, submission, or love it was hers. The Myths were the illusion and the illusionists. They were never supposed to break that illusion. They could never say no. They could never disobey. Now, Natsu understood why everyone before him had answered yes.
The woman stared at him, awaiting his answer. Natsu knew what he was supposed to say. He knew the repercussions of breaking the rules. Yet, he couldn't stop the word from tumbling off his lips.
"No."
The woman's lips twitched at the corner, giving off the hint of a smile before Madame rushed forward, slapping Natsu harshly across the face.
"The nerve of you! Apologize to our guest at once." Madame raised her hand to strike Natsu again, but the other woman gripped her wrist, stopping her. Her eyes widened, confused by the guest's action. The woman let go of Madame and grabbed Natsu's chin, tilting his head up and expecting his face for damages.
"The only apology would have been coming from you, Miss Lisko, if you had damaged the one I intend to purchase." She let go of Natsu and turned back to Madame who gaped at her. "Fortunately, no apology is needed at this time. Now, you may dismiss your other employees. They are no longer needed as I have made my decision."
"You want him?!"
"Yes." Reaching into her pant pocket, the woman pulled out a gold watch and noted the time before sliding the timepiece back. "You stated you have work contracts for every person employed here indicating the debt of service they owe to you, correct?"
"I-I do," Madame adjusted her slipping boa, flipping one pink end around her neck with emphasis as she recovered. "I keep everyone's contracts locked up in my office. I run a respectable business here." Natsu could see the slight furrow of the woman's brow at Madame's words before it smoothed itself out. "But why do you—"
"We can talk more in your office. He can stay here until we're done." Turning promptly on the heel of her black leather shoes, the woman walked toward the exit, heading in the direction of Madame's office.
Madame gripped her fan tightly as her teeth ground together. It seemed she didn't particularly appreciate being ordered around. She snapped orders to the other Myths to see to their nightly duties, making them run off in other directions. Once they were alone, Madame turned her glaring eyes toward Natsu.
"I'll let that bitch have you tonight, because I want her money," she said, stepping to close the distance between them. Her fingers trailed down the length of his chest, her nails digging into his skin possessively. "But you'll make it up to me tomorrow, won't you, pet?" Natsu kept his full attention on the wall, remaining motionless as Madame's lips brushed against his.
Once Madame left the room, Natsu was alone. He took his clenched fist and wiped her touch from his lips. It was getting harder to remain numb to everything. The door to the room opened again. Natsu thought it was Madame, returning to fill him in on what role he was going to play tonight. However, the figure who walked toward him now wasn't Madame or the guest with the scarlet hair, but a completely different person.
"May I help you?" Natsu asked, speaking in the polite tone with which he had been trained to speak when addressing any guest at the House of Myths.
"Perhaps," the light voice of a woman came from the cloaked figure, who circled Natsu once before stopping in front of him. "So, you're the one who doesn't believe in love."
"Well, I—"
"That wasn't a question," she declared. "Because we wouldn't be having this conversation if you did. Now, what is your name?"
"Natsu, my lady." Natsu shifted back into his polite demeanor, taking the strange woman's gloved hand and placing a gentle kiss upon her knuckles as he bowed and introduced himself.
"Natsu…" She arched a brow, clearly waiting for him to offer his family name as well.
"It's just Natsu," he clarified, looking up. "May I have the pleasure of knowing the name of the goddess who stands before me?" From the shadows cast by her hooded cloak, he could just make out a frown tilting her lips; instead of a blush or nervous giggle, the typical response he received when addressing ladies like this.
"My name is irrelevant at this moment." She tugged her hand out of his grasp. "And you can drop that façade. I'm not here seeking the particular services this place provides."
"Pardon?" Natsu asked, confused by this guest's words. If she wasn't here for a lover, then why was she here?
"I'm a very busy person, so I'll get straight to the point. I'm here looking for a husband, and it seems you've passed the inspection."
"You want me to be your husband?" Did he hear her properly? This was a place where women came to be away from their husbands, not go in search of one. Natsu blinked at the woman, but her expression remained serious."My lady. The House of Myths is where—"
"Yes. Yes," she interrupted him, annoyed. "I know what a pleasure house is and what goes on in here. I'm in need of the skills you escorts possess, but let me be clear; I'm not looking for a nightly lover. What I'm offering you is a business proposal, Mr. Natsu. One that would make you a very rich man, but I guess more importantly, you'll be a free man if you should agree to take it."
Freedom! He wouldn't ever have to see Madame or the walls of the House of Myths ever again? But wouldn't he be swapping one cage for another? "Being married isn't my idea of freedom."
"I agree. That is why you'll only be my husband for one week," she replied. "An overseas business opportunity requires me to procure a husband if it is to occur. This particular gentleman is old-fashioned, and his ideals bleed into his business transactions. All that I would require from you is to simply act as my husband while I work out the final steps of my business deal. I need someone with your particular skill set to help make that deal happen—someone who is good at making others believe what isn't real. Your background also allows for the discretion required for this proposition. You have more to gain by this agreement which makes it highly unlikely for you to purposefully hinder it. Finally, and this is by far the most important point, you don't believe in love. I won't have to worry about you falling in love with me when we commit to this charade."
I see, thought Natsu. That's why the other woman chose me.
"Love?" Natsu scoffed, dropping his façade for a moment. "It's the greatest myth of all."
"Precisely." The woman smiled slowly at him. "So, we have a deal then?" She removed one of her gloves and held out her hand to him. "You'll pretend to be my husband for one week, and at the end of it, you'll have your money and your freedom."
"I can't leave," he said, realizing that her deal actually was too good to be true. He let himself get swept away with the idea of freedom that he forgot why he wasn't free in the first place. "My debt hasn't been paid yet."
"If you remained here, I suspect your debt would never be paid," the woman stated, matter-of-factly. "Mr. Natsu, I understand that it is a debt of money that inhibits your freedom and keeps you here—a debt I will claim if you decide to commence with our pretense. Your week of service as my husband will be all that I require in order for that debt to be paid."
Natsu stared at her offered hand, realizing what she offered him. After ten years of constant torment, it could all end in one week. He was good at suppressing his emotions, but staring at the strange woman, he felt a slither of hope creep into his heart. He took her hand without hesitation, and she gripped his tightly in return. "Deal."
"Excellent." She let go of his hand before replacing her glove. "Now that that matter is taken care of, let us go see the ghastly woman that owns this establishment."
Natsu led the way to Madame's office, the strange woman trailing a few steps behind him. They arrived at the door, and Natsu raised his hand to knock. Before he could, the woman burst through the door with the air of one who needed no invitation to enter anywhere.
"What is the—" Madame started, annoyed by the intrusion. "Natsu?" Her eyes widened at his appearance in the doorway. "You were instructed to remain in the receiving room."
"Until I instructed otherwise." The woman walked past Madame, seating herself in the chair behind the desk. Once seated, the scarlet-haired woman from before placed two files in front of her.
"These are the documents you require, ma'am."
"Thank you, Erza." The woman nodded to the guest with the scarlet hair, her subordinate it seemed, before reviewing the contents of the first file. "I see, just as I suspected," she said after skimming the pages. "Orphaned at 8 and found wandering the streets of the city until sold to Daphne Lisko to work for his keep. However, it states the education and training he's received under your supervision has cost you an astronomical amount which is also added to his debt of service to you. At the rate of pay he receives and the growing debts collected, not to mention the interest… it appears Mr. Natsu would never be able pay off his debt to you. What an interesting business you're conducting here, Miss Lisko. A thin line between slavery it seems."
"How dare you! Who the hell do you think you are?" Madame huffed, taking a step toward her. Erza fixed a glare at Madame, stopping her from getting closer.
"Fortunately for you, someone who is about to make you a very rich woman." On cue, Erza reached into her breast pocket and pulled out a checkbook and pen. She placed them on the desk in front of the woman, still cloaked and seated. "I will be paying off the debt of service Mr. Natsu has accrued under your care and include with it an amount for… the strain his departure will have on your business."
"The full—the full amount?!" Madame stuttered. "You-you can't be serious?"
"I'm always serious when money is involved." The woman uncapped the pen, hovering it over the blank check.
"But Natsu, he's...he's my best employee." Madame stepped back toward Natsu, her hand reaching out toward him. She grabbed his wrist, tugging him from the entryway and toward her. "I'll be devastated if he leaves."
"Did you not tell me that he was 'no good' just moments ago?" Erza pointed out.
Madame cursed under her breath. "But...but he doesn't even want to leave. I-I would be cruel to allow him to leave like this. After all, this is his home."
Home. The word struck Natsu. That little slither of hope that woman had somehow summoned from him made him lash out at the idea that this hell could ever be called his home. He tugged his wrist out of Madame's grasp.
Madame gaped at Natsu, hurt scrawling across her eyes. "All those nights…" Madame whispered. "What we have… Was all of it… You didn't feel anything?"
"I was doing my job." Natsu leached any emotion from his words. He suppressed the rage and the rest of his emotions, not wanting to give her the satisfaction of making him feel anything. His words came out hard and flat. Even though her face was hidden in shadows by her cloak, Natsu could have sworn the strange woman smiled at him.
"Come now, Miss Lisko. Let's put emotion aside and speak business." The woman quickly scribbled on the check, sliding it across the desk. "I've added an additional sum to cover your emotional deprivation, but I believe that will be enough to console you."
Madame tore her gaze from Natsu and peered over the check and made a choking noise after reading the amount. Erza handed a pen to Madame and slid a piece of paper in her direction.
"If you would sign the transfer of service, that amount will be yours," Erza prompted.
It didn't surprise Natsu that Madame took Erza's offered pen and quickly scrawled her name across the bottom of the form. He saw the number written on the check; it was an insane amount. Madame could retire from The House of Myths and never work again with that much money.
"Excellent." The woman clasped her hands together. "Now, I'm sure you have other business to attend to this evening. Erza, would you please escort Miss Lisko out. We'll just be using this office to tie up one other matter and be on our way."
Erza escorted Madame from the room, seeing as their business had concluded. Madame let herself be led away from her own office, clutching the check firmly to her heart. The only thing Madame truly loved was money, and with the amount she had just received, she no longer needed imitations of love to keep her satisfied. She didn't even look back at Natsu as she left the room.
Once the door had closed behind them, the woman removed the hood of her cloak. Everything about her was fair, from her blonde locks piled neatly into a bun atop her head to her cream colored skin and pale pink lips. The only dark feature about her were her eyes, which were a rich dark brown that bore into him.
"Now that that matter is taken care of, let us begin formalizing our arrangement." The fair woman slid two documents from the second file over to him. "The first paper is the contract stating the terms of my proposition. It also includes the amount of compensation you will receive after the end of the week. Take as long as you like to read over the contents, but I do assure you everything is legal and straightforward."
He scanned over the contract, his eyes stopping on the figure she was offering. "This amount," he gasped. It was three times the amount she had just given Madame.
"The amount should be satisfactory enough; however, if you require more, we can negotiate. Also, the results of my business deal will not reflect whether you will receive your payment or your freedom. I'm not a cruel woman, Mr. Natsu. You do the job I ask of you, then you will be paid for it. Simple as that."
Reading the rest of the contract, Natsu noted that her words appeared true. Everything was laid out here in black and white—no hidden interests or loopholes that he could determine. It seemed straightforward to him. He had to pretend to be her husband for a week, and after that, he would walk away, rich and free.
Erza returned, carrying a small suitcase which she placed next to Natsu. "I had the woman show me to your room. I gathered your belongings and placed them in there."
Natsu nodded' his thanks. He unclasped the suitcase, digging out a shirt. He put it on and turned back to the contract. "Okay, I'll sign."
"Excellent." The woman reached into her cloak and pulled out a small, slender box. Opening it revealed a gold pen nestled in blue velvet. She took out the pen and offered it to him. "I reserve this for important business deals."
Natsu stared at the line where he was supposed to sign. Many women had walked through these halls, paying for him to give them something. They had wanted him to give them their every desire, using him until their needs were met. Like the others before her, this woman wanted something from him as well. However, unlike the rest, she was offering him something in return—something he had never thought would be his.
The pen was heavy in his hand, making him suspect it was actually made of gold as he took the pen from her. The hope that had crept into his heart was now growing, but if he signed, he knew there would be no way for him to turn back. It was already straining to keep himself numb to everything; he couldn't deaden himself to this life again if she were lying to him. He could feel her eyes on him, watching every movement. Natsu made sure to keep his features neutral.
After this week, he thought to himself, I'll get my freedom one way or the other. Natsu gripped the pen's smooth cyclical shape, inking his name in black at the bottom of the contract.
Once he had signed, the fair woman nodded her head to the second document. "The second form is the marriage contract. Once we both sign it, we shall be legally married."
"Is that really necessary?" He turned his attention to the marriage license. "Couldn't we just say we are? It's not like anyone would be able to know the difference."
"Is this a problem?" Her eyes hardened.
"No, I just was wondering why go to this extent if it's all just pretend anyway."
"I do not do things half-natured." She sat up straighter in the chair, her voice becoming more stern. "When I tell this potential business partner that we are married, it will not be a lie. I will have legal proof of our marriage. Therefore, he cannot absolve the business deal after our marriage is annulled."
Shrewd, Natsu thought, hovering the pen over the marriage license.
"Lucy Heartfilia." Natsu looked back up at the woman, confused. She rested her delicate chin upon her interlaced, gloved fingers. "You should at least know the name of the woman you are about to marry, Mr. Natsu." The corners of her pink lips tilted upwards into the hint of a smile, but her eyes danced with amusement.
"For one week." He scrawled his name at the bottom, before sliding the document to her and handing her the pen.
"Yes, for one week." The pen moved effortlessly across the page, creating elegant curved lines to create her signature next to his. Lucy capped the pen, placing it gently, almost lovingly, among the blue velvet before securing it in a pocket of her cloak. Erza gathered the documents and placed them in a briefcase Natsu hadn't realized she possessed. She snapped the briefcase shut, and moved to the door.
Lucy stood from the chair, walking away as if she was stepping down from a throne. "Now then, husband." She said the word teasingly, as she reached for her hood. "Let us be off. In order to make this marriage as profitable as it can be, there's much to be done."
Erza opened the door, and Lucy, with her hood cloaking her features once more, swept out of Madame's office. Natsu picked up his suitcase and followed after her. The House of Myths had entertained many types of women but never one who treated marriage the same way one treated a business transaction nor one that had such an aversion to love. Despite her uniqueness, she was just another guest. Another job. His last job.
A black carriage awaited them outside the back entrance of the building. Thick, black curtains fell across the windows, concealing the inside. Erza helped Lucy in before taking her spot behind the reins. Two powerful looking mares stood still in front. The only indication the beasts were alive and not the night surrounding them, were the streams of hot air they blew from their nostrils.
"Remember, Mr. Natsu," Lucy said as he climbed into the carriage after her. He sat opposite of Lucy, who had pushed back her hood enough that the shadows no longer hid her face. Her eyes were hard as she spoke seriously to him. "Do not fall in love with me."
The carriage lurched forward as Erza commanded the horses to depart, taking them away from the House of Myths. The action jostled Natsu, sending him flying toward Lucy. He reached out his hands, resting them on either side of her head to stop himself from crashing into her. As a result, their faces were inches apart. Natsu could see himself reflected in her wide brown eyes, and he smirked. At the end of the week, if Lucy was true to her word, he would be a free man with more than enough money to live his life the way he wanted. All he had to do was put on an act.
"I feel like that should be my line, Lucy Heartfilia."
A/N:
This fic was requested by Shiranai Atsune. What initially started off as a one-shot kind of evolved into something a little longer. lol I've got a few more chapters in store for this fic...Thank you so much for a great idea!
Let me also thank my wonderful betas for looking over this piece for me. Smiley-San and Akitsune Lune, thank you SO much for being available to look over my work. Thank YOU RAS! It feels so great having my work looked over by you again. You ladies are absolutely lovely!
As always, thank you to the readers for taking the time to read over my stories. If you could, please let me know your thoughts!