This was officially the last place in the world Romeo wanted to be.

Six Dragonslayers sat crowded around an outdoor café table, mugs and plates stacked up in a dangerously teetering stack in the center. Natsu Dragneel and Sting Eucliffe were still cleaning the last remainders of meal, loudly talking through their moving mouths at the same time.

Romeo Conbolt, now a spry young man of seventeen, sat with his wrists and ankles bound to the café chair with shackles of iron that were uncomfortably tight. Seated at the head of the table, he nervously awaited whatever sentence these Dragons would subject him to.

"I don't even know this kid." Cobra grumbled. "I should be excused."

"You're a Dragonslayer." Gajeel shot back. "That's enough."

"Then I wholly regret all my life decisions right now." The Poison Dragonslayer growled in return, slouching in his seat and waving the flustered waitress for another drink. "Fernandez would be having my ass if I'm not back by evening."

"Um…" Romeo ventured with a hint of high-pitched panic in his voice. "I still don't understand why I'm here."

"YOU," Gajeel thundered, whipping around to point a firm finger at the shaking boy, "will stay silent. This is an interrogation, and the questioned do not talk back. For the remainder of this session, you will speak only when spoken to. Failure to comply will result in instant evisceration. Understand?"

Romeo emitted a breathy sound akin to that of a dying animal. Gajeel took that as an affirmative. "Natsu! Begin the interrogation!"

"You're the Magic Council officer." The Fire Dragonslayer complained through a full mouth.

"Ex-Magic Council officer." Laxus corrected from behind his beer. Gajeel scowled at his Guildmates and re-directed his attention at Romeo, who was currently praying to any higher power who was listening to have mercy and to take him quickly.

The Iron Dragonslayer crossed his arms. "Young man, were you interacting in any way with Wendy Marvel around 10:30 AM yesterday?"

Romeo blinked. "Umm…?"

"ANSWER THE QUESTION."

"I literally do not have a single appropriate thing to contribute to this conversation." Cobra said loudly. "God, you fairies are such a pain. Making mountains out of molehills…freaking drama queens."

"We are not!" Natsu jumped to his Guild's defense in the figurative sense and onto the café table in the literal sense. "You take that back!"

"Natsu, get your dirty-ass sandal out of my face." Laxus barked.

"Not until this snake gets it for calling our Guildmates pain-in-the-butts!"

"I'll call you something worse if that's what it takes to go home!" Cobra hissed, eyes flashing an eerie shade of red.

Without turning his head, Gajeel let out an angry roar of frustrated fury that blew hot air into Romeo's ash-grey face. "WILL ALL YOU DIMWITS LET ME FINISH THE INTERROGATION FIRST?!"

"Sting." Rogue muttered. "I'm not-"

"Hey hey hey shut up." Sting's face was beaming. "This is our opportunity to see Natsu-san and Gajeel-san in their element. YOU GOT THIS FAIRY TAIL!" He yelled, punching the tabletop.

"Sirs, please don't damage the property." The waitress spoke up weakly.

"I'm so sorry about all of this." Romeo whimpered, unsure if he was addressing the waitress or the bloodthirsty Dragonslayer still gripping his chair.

"You should be." Gajeel hissed over the din of Natsu tackling Cobra to the ground, the two rolling and throttling each other's faces. "It is because of you that we decided to meet up, to have an actual meeting of the Dragonslayers to discuss why on Earthland Wendy finds you so special."

"Again, I have no part of this!" Cobra yelled as Natsu murderously set his hair aflame. "AND WILL SOMEONE GET THIS PYROMANIAC OFF OF ME?"

"We're rooting for you Natsu-san!" Sting called gleefully. Rogue groaned. Laxus downed his eight mug of beer.

"Look, please," Romeo wheezed as Gajeel glowered centimeters from his nose, "Wendy is really sweet and kind. I don't want to get into anything serious yet, but I would like to get a chance to know her better-"

"So, you're just in to get frisky? I always knew you were a flake."

"That's not what I meant at all…!" Romeo screeched and shut his eyes as Gajeel scowled.

"Listen, young man. I will not let near Wendy until you have secured permission from all us Dragons. Until then, back off. Clear?"

Romeo frowned.

Just then, Natsu sprung up on the table, eyes sparkling with pride. "Hey, Gajeel! I beat up Cobra and saved our guild from false allegations!" He pointed at the comatose Poison Dragonslayer lying on the scorched ground, the horrified onlookers scattering from the scene.

"Since when did you grow enough brain cells to use that phrase?" Laxus scoffed.

"Since he met Bunny Girl." Gajeel offered matter-of-factly.

"HEY!"

"Sirs, I'm going to have to ask you to go. You're creating a disturbance." The manager, a stern-eyed woman that gave Natsu angry-Erza-vibes, slapped the table with a checkbook. "Please pay for your meal and leave."

"Well, would you look at the time." Cobra, miraculously cured, sprung to his feet, dusting off his coat. "See ya, kids."

"Oh, no. We're not done with this discussion yet." Gajeel grew a metal club out of his arm socket and slammed it down in front of the fleeing Poison Dragonslayer. "Romeo still ain't got permission to do anything yet!"

"Anything as in little Wendy?" Cobra snickered. His chuckle quickly became a squawk as the metal club wrapped itself around his waist and yanked him back into the circle of Dragonslayers.

"Sirs…" The manager began, her expression steely. Natsu sweated, gulping. "G-Guys, I think we should listen to what this nice lady has to say…"

"SHUT UP SALAMANDER OR I SWEAR TO MAVIS-"

"What are you all doing here?"

All seven males turned to see Wendy Marvel standing at the curb of the café, a bemused look on her fair face. Grocery bags hung from her arm. "Are you having lunch together?" The girl asked in surprise.

"I thought we were." Rogue looked around at the demolished table, the spilled drinks, Romeo still manacled to his chair, and the angry manager still tapping her foot impatiently. "I think it sort of devolved into a fight though."

"I can see that." Wendy smiled weakly as the manager finally lost her patience and began physically hustling the Dragonslayers out of the café, somehow prying the iron cuffs off of Romeo's limbs before tossing the boy and the Dragonslayers out of the premises.

Cobra made a beeline for freedom, hurtling down the street before the others could force him to pay his share of the bill. "You've got weird Guildmates, girl." He remarked as he passed the confused Sky Dragonslayer. "Take good care of them. Especially the boy."

"We've better go home before Minerva-sama gets angry." Sting tucked his arms behind his head and grinned brightly at Wendy. "See ya, Wendy! Your Guildmates are the coolest! " Rogue dipped his head in her general direction before following his cheerful Master towards the train station, looking grim at the aspect of a nauseous ride home.

Wendy waved goodbye at the retreating figures of the Twin Dragons before turning to stare at her own Guildmates. "What was that all about?"

"We were…umm…" Romeo scratched the back of his head.

"We were defending out Guild's honor from being slandered!" Natsu puffed out his chest. "And I totally kicked Corba's butt!"

"Drinking our wallets dry." Laxus commented ruefully, glancing acidly at his own empty purse. "You guys owe me 10,000 Jewel."

"An interrogation!" Gajeel bellowed. "Romeo here thinks he is worthy of courting you. Yes, deluded, I know, but young 'uns these days think they can get away with anything."

Wendy's face flushed pink. Romeo's was a steadily burning shade of red. "Ga-Gajeel…!"

"Auuugh, no matter." The Iron Dragonslayer rubbed his neck. "We'll finish the interrogation tomorrow, Conbolt. Don't think you're out of hot water yet. I'll get Levy to help supervise. She's got more brains than all of us guys combined."

"Awwww, Gajeel likes Levy!" Natsu cooed.

"SHUT UP SALAMANDER!"

"I thought you were already dating." Laxus smirked. "Why the hesitation, Redfox?"

"I AIN'T NERVOUS! AND BOTH OF YOU ARE JUST AS SINGLE AS I AM, SO KINDLY SHUT YOUR TRAP!"

"I asked Lucy out two months ago." Natsu said breezily.

Gajeel stared. Then he exploded. A string of Salamander you literally one-upped me how are you this cool about it fine I'll show you I'll ask Levy out when we get home streamed from his mouth as Natsu just continued sauntering down the sidewalk, hands shoved deep in his pockets with a broad grin on his face.

"Idiots." Laxus muttered, slowing his steps so that the two Dragonslayers strode ahead. He then noticed that he was alone. "Huh? The two kids…"

Turning, the Lighting Dragonslayer perceived that Romeo and Wendy were walking slowly behind him, both young faces as red as Titania's hair.

Their fingers were curled shyly around each other's.

Smiling to himself, Laxus turned and walked a little further ahead, giving them some space. He then came up from behind Gajeel, who was still ranting, and laid a burly hand on his shoulder.

"Huh? What do you want?" Gajeel was still rattled.

"…Romeo has my permission."