A/N: Here's another installment in this insanity. This has been written for years but I've only managed to look at it now.
Oops?
The kitchen was chaotic, as usual. Pots and pans were strewn across the counter and knives were stabbing several wooden tops such as tables, cupboards and chairs. The kitchen table had a pile of food, fresh vegetables and fruit, all ready to be used.
Natsu was by the stove, looking mesmerized at the flames that fed it. The kettle was whistling but he paid it no mind as he was focusing quite hard on the dance of the fire.
It was just when something started smelling burnt that he got out of his trance and hurried to get the kettle, nearly burning the hand as he instinctively reached to the metal. But he braced himself and did what he should. He laid the kettle on the counter and turned around, leaving it hissing behind. Then he turned back to the stove.
"Alright then," he rubbed his hands and wiped them on the apron before turning to the table and started slicing some thick slices of bread. "Time to toast the bread." He placed some slices on the tray and placed it on the stove. And by then it was time to open the cupboards to look for some cookies. He was so distracted on his quest for the long lost cookie tin that it was the smell of something burning that made him look back into the kitchen. He saw the dark fumes that were coming from the tray. "Oh no, not again!" he said to himself while hurrying to the rescue of something burning – for the second time that day. "Great," he said out loud while placing the now charred pieces of bread on a plate. "Just great… now I'm not going to hear the end of this! Well, they can deal with this, a bit of burnt bread never hurt anyone."
And with a couple of other minor incidents, Natsu did manage to compose the breakfast trays. Tea, charred slices of toast with butter or jam, mummified cookies and one orange and one apple comprised the simple meal. The pink haired youth knew that they would appreciate the little touch of the fruit – he hadn't touched it so it wasn't burned.
As the first bells started chiming, calling him, he placed the trays on the lift by the kitchen door and hoisted the food to the first floor, running upstairs. There, he placed everything on the cart and headed to the bedrooms. Since nobody was up yet, as far as he knew, Natsu allowed himself a race down the corridor, unmindful of the mess the trays were becoming. Then again, that was what napkins were for – and Natsu always brought extra.
The tires screeched to a halt as he neared the room of his first stepsister. He stopped before the door to dab at and compose the tray. Then he knocked on the door. There was an unintelligible noise and Natsu entered.
The curtains were blocking the light, though there were a few that were made of a tulle-like material, in various colours, which allowed for light to filter into the messy room. Because there were two clearly separated areas, one side was filled with bookshelves, two large desks with piles of books, notebooks and scattered leaves, half-written pages. The other side had the wardrobes lining the wall, doors open and clothes pilling from inside. There were also more piles of clothes on the floor, like small mountains that were pierced by a diverse amount of shoes.
"Good morning Lucy!" Natsu boomed, letting the tray crash on the bedside table. He saw the effect the loud noise had on the blonde and promptly threw himself to the ground.
"Naaaaaaaaaaaaaattssuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" came the enraged yell and, as expected, objects started being thrown.
Natsu tried not to laugh and to crawl to safety but was stopped when the heel of a stiletto pierced the floor right by his hand. He gulped, got up and made a dash to the door.
When the lock clicked closed he let out a relieved sigh. Getting rid of the shirts and skirts that had hit him – the teal skirt that had covered his head had been the best thrown in quite a while – Natsu approached the cart and pushed it to the following bedroom.
In this one he was going to have to thread more carefully. Composing the tray, Natsu knocked and entered.
This room differed quite a bit from the previous one. There was a blue-greenish light and the air was heavy with moisture. The walls also were lined with bookshelves and wardrobes but everything was less messy. Dolls were also placed in random places. There was mould on the walls and the paint was peeling off the walls.
The moistness in the air clung to Natsu and he placed the tray on the bedside table too. But now he just turned around and headed to the door. But since it was so dark, Natsu slipped on a puddle and splashed to the floor.
At first there was no sound while the pink haired one got up but then he looked up and saw them – three columns of water were heading towards him.
"I told you," started the disembodied voice, "not to be so noisy when you place the breakfast!" as Juvia's last words echoed Natsu was running for his life towards the safety that the doors brought. When the columns of water were nearly getting him, he slammed the door shut and leaned against it, just in time to hear and feel the water crash against the wood. He grimaced when he looked down and water started hitting his sandals. "Damn it Juvia. Now here's something more for me to clean…"
With a weary sigh he headed to the last room.
He knocked on the door and, after he heard the muffled reply and so entered the room. It had the curtains pushed to the sides, letting the morning light stream inside. Pity that it didn't reach much into the room. A series of tables filled the middle of the room while bookcases covered most of the walls, except the one that had the bed against it. Vials and half-made potions were glinting in the light, allowing Natsu to see the different colours.
Rustles and clinks came from the darkest part of the room, where the silhouette of someone was highlighted. Natsu gulped but entered the room further, intent in placing the tray on one of the less cluttered surfaces.
But then he saw her. The large mouse was lying on the tiny bed that had been placed by the fireplace. She had her eyes nearly closed but Natsu could sense how she had her attention focused on him. Well, more precisely, the attention was focused on the tray he was carrying.
Natsu glared at her. He knew that if he left the tray unattended, she would steal from it and then Natsu would be blamed. For Angelica could do no wrong, in Porlyusica's eyes. Natsu did roll his eyes to himself. How his stepmother could endure the presence of that big rat and be such a grouch in regards to people – even her own daughters! – was a big mystery to Natsu.
"I brought breakfast." Natsu announced, trying to catch his stepmother's attention, to no avail.
Porlyusica was up and working on her stone work table. To her side a cauldron was bubbling, odd noises and fumes coming from it. She was bent over some notes, scribbling something.
"Yes, yes. I heard you." She said without looking at Natsu. "You can leave it there." She waved distractedly in the direction of the table that was located right under the most lit table in the room.
"I'll leave it here, then." Natsu huffed, throwing a glare at the green rat. She seemed to smirk at him. "It has everything you asked, in case you wonder, later."
Porlyusica didn't reply, just said some mumbled words.
Well, Natsu had done his job, by then he just wanted to leave.
As he was closing the door, he could still hear some grumbles that were, no doubt, directed at him.
With this task out of the way, Natsu clapped his hands and nodded to himself.
He had stuff to clean, before the others started saying things. Hurrying towards the kitchen, Natsu grabbed the broom, the bucket and mop. He filled the bucket with water and threw some soap into it, nodding to himself as bubbles started to form.
Maybe he should start by the living room…