It has been several hours and we still hadn't received any further instructions. In the meantime, Happy and Natsu haven't been able to shut up about the fact that the shady messenger was checking me out. Natsu voiced his displeasure with him because 'we're married and he acknowledged that by calling you Mrs. But still proceeded to check you out' and how it was disrespectful towards him as a husband because how dare he, and disrespectful towards me because I'm a married woman and blah blah blah.
"Natsu! Can you please stop complaining? I think you made your point clear to him that I wasn't available when you glared holes through him after he looked me over. Also, we're not really married remember? There's no need to get so heated about it." I try to calm him down a little but he's being so stubborn right now.
"No, Lucy. There is a reason, it's not just disrespecting towards my role as husband, it's concerning because he's a dark guild wizard. You don't have the best experiences with people who have evil in their sight. Remember Master Jose? Byro? Carbuncle?" He seems so torn up about the situation, frustration painted on his face. "Lucy, look. You're my best friend. I can't afford to lose you, not to people like that." The pain in his eyes makes my heart ache. It's true though. Master Jose was never really planning on just handing me over to my dad and Byro almost had me sucked into the Infinity Clock, which was ultimately Oracion Seis but still. It pains me to see him like this, but at the same time it fills me with warmth. He must really care deeply for me to get this upset about it.
"Okay Natsu. You made your point. But, as long as you're near I know it won't happen again. You'll be there to save me, like you've always done." I smile at him, hoping this will help him settle his feelings. He actually stops pacing and takes a seat on the lounge chair across from me, which indicated to me that he is finally getting his emotions in check again. "Plus, like, you know, the Master did choose me to come with you so he believes I could manage." I say with a broad smile on my face.
"Sooooooo, is no one going to talk about the elephant in the room?" Happy declares after a few moments of silence. There's an elephant in the room? I'm not sure what Happy is referring to. Didn't we just discuss the elephant?
"Happy, didn't we just discuss that?
"Hehe, no way! You two were so busy with the whole jealous husband act that you failed to see that this room only has one bed!" Happy roared with laughter. Crap he is right! That bed is going to be mine, I mean, there isn't even a proper sofa in this room so the only other thing to sleep on would either be the ground, or that reclining lounge chair Natsu is currently sitting on. Natsu always crashes on my couch in my apartment so he can sleep on the chair here too.
"No way Luce. This time, I will be taking the bed, since you are accompanying me on a mission! Or you know, we could also share the bed.." He says teasingly while giving me a wink. Is he serious? Happy is still dying of laughter in the corner of the room, tears streaming down his face, and Natsu is barely keeping it together. I'm dumbfounded. My brain is emitting some kind of error because I have no clue what exactly to say to this. I know he isn't serious, but what? Natsu apparently can't keep it together anymore and starts laughing so loud, I'm pretty sure they could hear him back at the guild. "Hahahaha, you should see your face, hahahaha. Luce, hahaha I-I'm hehe I'm kidding haha! Hey! Don't go looking all sad now! I was kidding! You get the bed, obviously!" My fake pouting worked! I can't believe he still falls for that. I run over to the bed and let myself fall onto the bedding.
"Ah man, Natsu! Come feel how soft this bed is!" I'm so excited about the softness, I need this bed at home! I'm sure I'll be sleeping as a little baby tonight. Natsu takes place next to me and sighs contently while laying down.
"You know, I was kidding about taking the bed before, but this bed really is fluffy, I might HAVE to confiscate the bed and make you sleep on the lounge chair." I know he's still teasing me but no way he's taking this bed away from me!
"Okay let's make a deal, you can take naps on this bed during the day when we have free time outside of their schedule, but I'll be taking the bed at nights." I look at Natsu and hold out my pinky. Handshakes never seem to work so I have resorted to pinky promises, which he somehow seems to actually keep. He looks over and smiles wryly at me, but folds his pinky around mine
"It's a deal." At that moment we hear a knock at the door and a note slipping underneath it. We both shoot up from the bed looking at the note that Happy is bringing over. After he hands it over to me I carefully open it and read it out loud :
"When sundown is nigh
before the stars reach the sky
we'll all consume a feast
until our hunger is ceased
followed with a ball
in the Vile Beers grand hall
Dress in your best gowns
and let's see who can dance the most rounds"
"That's a weird poem, Lucy, did you write this?" I scowl at Happy. Is this cat serious? I write novels, not poems. Although if I were to write poems, it wouldn't be as poorly done as this one. /span/p
"I don't understand this at all!" Natsu suddenly burst out frustrated. Happy and I just stare at him in disbelief. Why do I choose to be paired up with them anyways. "What are they talking about!?"
"Natsu's brain doesn't work well with words" Happy whispers in my ears. And so I've noticed
"Okay, Natsu. Let me explain this in child tongue. There will be a dinner party at sundown in the Vile Beers, the place William and Bella were talking about and where we got the room keys from, followed with a ball, so that means that we need to dress into the formal gowns they've hopefully packed." I explain while walking over to the suitcases.
"Why didn't they just say it like that instead of all that fancy talk? Lucky I had you with me Luce! I don't think Erza could have deciphered that like you did." Natsu compliment me. It's so cute, Erza totally would've deciphered that, but I'm not going to tell him. I rummage through both our suitcases and find a garment bag. Ah! That should be the gown and suit for tonight.
"Natsu, come over here. I think I found our outfits for tonight!" I hold up a red floor length dress for myself and a tuxedo with red bow tie for Natsu as I turn to face him with a smile on my face. "I also hope you know how to dance, or you'll embarrass both of us and our so called guild.
"What do you mean dance? I was planning on eating the whole evening. Doesn't the poem say we eat until we're full? That means I'll be eating the whole evening.
"Natsu, no." I shake my head at him. This guy sometimes, makes me want to push my face in my pillow and scream it out. "We eat first, then there's a ball, where we will have to dance. And talk to other people. And you know, be sociable. You do know how to dance right?"
"Erza and Mira might have taught us years ago… But I can't say I remember the steps very well…" He said while scratching the back of his head. Oh man, looks like we're going to have to fix this problem first.
"Okay, how about we get dressed first, and then we practice the dancing, since you'll be dancing in that outfit the whole evening."
"Lucy, I forgot the steps, not how to move my body in other clothes." He said while yanking me towards his body, with a cheeky smile on his face. "Now re-teach me the steps, we need to blow the other guilds minds with how great we are at this."