Haloha, everyone! Hope your day is splendid as always!
This chapter was fun to write, I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I had fun writing it.
This chapter in particular will focus on some Natsu and Gray brotherly bonding, NaWen, and GruVia moments. The next chapter will follow up with some Jerza moments.
Anyhow, enjoy reading!
Chapter 28: Welcome, my Mistress!
"Natsu."
"Yeah?"
"What made you want to take on this request?" Gray asked, walking beside him.
The duo were currently walking towards the café, where they had to fulfill their request at the café.
"Hmmm…" Natsu locked his fingers behind his head. "At first, I wanted to invite Wendy. I thought we could… spend some time together."
"Huh, I see." Gray put his hands into his pockets. "You guys just started dating yesterday, yeah?"
"Yeah." Natsu drew his chin back. "I want to make it up to her."
Must be because of his date with Lucy, huh? Gray hummed in response. He felt partially responsible for that. "You know, you didn't have to take this request. There are always other ways to spend time with her."
"I guess." Natsu's eyes shifted downwards. "I do want the reward." For a number of reasons…
"Reward's ridiculously high." Gray agreed.
"I figured I could also… try something new."
"Besides hunting down monsters?" Gray guessed. "I see your point."
"So, how are things going between you and Juvia?" Natsu asked, turning his head to Gray.
"Uh, yeah…" Gray averted his gaze, organizing his thoughts. "I wanted to talk to you about this."
"Huh?" Natsu raised an eyebrow. "Me?"
"Yeah, about that…" Gray scratched the back of his neck. Natsu was the last person he'd come to for matters like this, he had to admit. But the pyromaniac, as dense as he is, was in a relationship. "How did you… confess to Wendy?"
"Oh, well…" Natsu slowly recalled his confession to Wendy. "I just told her how I felt, then I kissed her."
"… Oh." Gray's eyes widened at his response. That was really straightforward. "You… kissed her?"
"She asked me to prove it, so I did just that." Natsu said nonchalantly.
"You make it sound so easy…" Gray sighed, ruffling his hair. He was rather envious of Natsu. Am I just making a big deal out of this?
"She confessed to me first, so all I had to do was return her feelings." Natsu grinned. After chasing her down, that is.
"… Right." Gray stroked his chin thoughtfully. Now that Natsu mentioned it, he remembered Wendy saying that a while back, how she was anxiously waiting for Natsu's answer.
"Doesn't Juvia love you?" Natsu asked, putting his hands on his hips. "You know how she feels."
"… I mean, I do." Gray said. From the moment he met her, it was already obvious how Juvia felt about Gray. She was practically head over heels for him. She was a bit overbearing at first. Fortunately, her… stalking tendencies and affection levels were in moderation now.
"Then why not just tell her how you feel?"
"It's… difficult." Gray frowned at himself. He just couldn't be straightforward like Natsu.
"Why's that?" Natsu asked in a curious tone.
"There's a part of me that feels like… I don't deserve her." Gray answered timidly, his shoulders dropping. "I don't feel worthy enough to stand beside her."
"… You're stupidly wrong about that, snowflake." Natsu held Gray's shoulder.
"Huh?" Gray furrowed his eyebrows at him. "Care to explain?"
"Juvia loves you, doesn't she?" Natsu asked, gazing straight into Gray's eyes. "Now, do you love her?"
Gray's face reddened in response to his question. He couldn't deny his own feelings. Natsu took that as a 'yes'.
"Then what's the big deal? Just go and tell her how you feel." Natsu squeezed his shoulder to reassure him. "There's no one else that's worthy enough to stand by her side. No one else but you."
"… How can you say that?" Gray asked, still doubting himself.
"Because we're part of Fairy Tail." Natsu flashed his toothy grin. "It's a guild built on our friendships, our trust in each other. You and Juvia are part of this guild. It's that simple."
It was such a straightforward answer from a straightforward guy, yet the weight behind his words was impactful. He trusts Juvia, and Juvia trusts him.
"If you think you're not worthy enough, then work for it! Be worthy enough for her!" Natsu slapped him on the back. "Something like that can't stop you! It's nothing you can't do! Hell, you don't even need me to tell you this."
Easier said than done. Gray didn't exactly agree with his obvious choice of words, but there was truth to it. Natsu makes it sound so easy… but maybe it is. Maybe he was making this a bigger issue than it needed to be.
"We will stand by each other's side. We'll protect each other." Juvia's words flashed through his mind. The words she said to him during the Fairy Night.
I was never alone. Juvia's always been there for me. The corner of his lips instinctively curved up.
"I want to make Juvia happy. I'll listen to my feelings." Those were his own words he told Wendy. Was he really all talk and no action? I ain't like that.
"Thanks, flame-brain." Gray sighed, looking at the sky. Maybe Natsu's simple-mindedness was just what he needed, though he would never admit that.
"Heh." Natsu simply returned a smile, wishing for the best between him and Juvia.
Finally, the duo reached the café and noticed a maid of a short stature standing outside. Her expression brightened as her gaze rested on Natsu and Gray.
"Hello there, gentlemen!" The maid, wearing a frilly maid dress, waved and ran to them. "Are you Natsu Dragneel and Gray Fullbuster of Fairy Tail?"
"That would be us, yes." Gray nodded. "Are you the client?"
"That's wonderful to hear!" the maid cheerfully replied. "The client, our headmistress is waiting for you inside! Please come in!" She grabbed both their arms and dragged them in to the café.
"Woah there!" Gray uttered as they got dragged in through the café. She dragged them in so fast they didn't take really have any time to take note of their surroundings.
"Pleased to make your acquaintances." A calm and mature voice greeted them.
Natsu and Gray looked forward and noticed a tall woman, nearly a head taller than Gray. Much like the maid that dragged them in, she wore a similar maid dress, equipped with long sleeves and a skirt reaching the floor. A white, frilly headdress fitted her short hair with diamond earrings quite visible, hanging by her ears.
"W-Woah." Natsu and Gray stared in awe. The woman was giving off a refined and elegant aura.
"I presume you're the wizards from Fairy Tail?" The woman asked, her tone full of politeness.
"… Y-Yes, that would be us." Gray nodded, taken aback by this… dignified atmosphere. "And you would be the… client?"
"Indeed. I'm the headmistress of Naturale Café." The headmistress bowed down in an elegant manner. "I must say, I'm a big fan of your guild. I was absolutely delighted when I heard from Fairy Tail you'd be taking on this request."
"O-Oh, well… we're flattered." Gray smiled sheepishly. Mirajane sure works fast.
"And…" The headmistress walked around them, observing their figures in closer detail. "You two are stunning gentleman! I imagine you'll be popular with the ladies!"
"Uh, well…" Gray looked off to the side, thinking of an answer. He nudged Natsu's elbow for assistance. Help me out here!
"…So, uh… what do we have to do for this request?" Natsu asked, prompted by Gray.
"Yes, yes… you two are perfect for the role!" The headmistress nodded, clapping to herself. "Maids, strip them and dress them up!"
"Huh…?" Both Natsu and Gray blinked in confusion. Did she say… strip? Been doing that for years.
"Yes, headmistress!" A number of maids appeared suddenly, surrounding the two wizards.
"H-Hey, what are you -"
In a lightning flash, Natsu and Gray found themselves wearing butler costumes. Black vest over long-sleeved white shirts, a red tie, and fitting black jeans.
"W-What the?!" The duo looked at themselves, then at each other, taking note of the new attire they were wearing.
"Excellent!" The headmistress folded her arms, satisfied with their attire. "You two will certainly bring in the customers!"
Natsu and Gray could only stare at her, dumbfounded. Gray already had a feeling what this request would entail for them.
And boy, were they in for a long ride…
…
..
.
The headmistress then explained to them what they needed to do. In short, they would serve as the waiters, giving attention to customers, taking care of their orders, and so forth. But they also had to treat them as their masters and mistresses. Make them feel at home. Much to Gray's disappointment, he knew exactly what to do. They actually had prior experience (which failed spectacularly), but they had something to work with, at least. Luckily, other maids would also be working the same role, so they weren't alone.
"I have a feeling we're going to be poster-boys for a while." Gray let out a sigh as he inspected the menu in his hands.
"Poster-boys?" Natsu asked, rolling up his sleeves to his elbows.
"You know, attracting in the customers and all." Gray explained. Man, why'd I get roped into this… is this why the reward is high?
"It seems easy enough." Natsu put his scarf back on around his neck.
"You think?" Gray furrowed his eyebrows at him. Since when is anything easy for this guy? "Don't burn this place down while you're at it."
"Don't strip in front of the customers." Natsu retorted.
TRING!
"That's the bell." Gray pushed his head to the side and cracked it. "You know what you gotta do, right?"
"Yeah!" Natsu cracked his knuckles, as if marching to a fight. "I think."
Soon, three female customers walked in through the door.
Natsu and Gray walked to the entrance to welcome the customers, waving their hand in a bowing motion at the waist.
"Welcome back, Mistresses!"
"We're… home?" The scarlet-haired girl said.
"Wha… wha… wha…" The short, blue-haired girl beside her raised her finger to point at them, trembling.
"… Uh." Natsu and Gray went wide-eyed, slowly recognizing the faces and voices of their customers.
"What are you two doing here?!" Erza fiercely pointed at them, her pointy finger quivering. "Natsu?! Gray?!" she shouted their names, shocked by the identities of the butlers who greeted them.
"We could ask you the same thing!" Gray shouted back. "What the hell are you three doing here?"
"What are we doing here?! We're customers!" Erza clenched her hand into a fist.
"Oh, Gray darling!" Juvia clasped her face, swooning over Gray's attire. She eyed the butler costume he was wearing, how it fitted his muscular body. "I never expected to be your mistress!"
"Oh, god…" Gray facepalmed. Juvia is the last person he wanted to see. Why'd she have to see me like this? In this ridiculous getup, no less!
"N-Natsu…!" Wendy put her hands over chest, surprised to see him in a place like this.
"… Hey there, Wendy." Natsu grinned awkwardly, rubbing the back of his hair. "Didn't expect to see you here."
Wendy couldn't stop her eyes from darting around his well-built figure. He was wearing a black vest over a white shirt with rolled-up sleeves which accentuated his toned arms, his tight-fitting jeans emphasizing the great form of his shapely legs. The red tie around his neck strikingly stood out. This new look of Natsu gave him a fresh new aura, one Wendy wasn't accustomed to, but found very welcoming!
Gray cleared his throat and coughed into his fist, collecting back his composure. "We can discuss this some other time." He lightly tugged on his tie, switching to professional work mode. "Table for three?"
"… Yes." Erza nodded, still understanding the situation they've been brought to. She scanned around the café. It looked very high-class, having an elegant choice of red, brown, black, and white for its interior designs. "Few customers here, I presume?"
"Well, the café just opened recently." Gray replied, walking to a table in the center. "And honestly, I don't mind."
The trio followed Gray, taking their seats around the table he showed them. The table was circular, having a fancy white covering over it and an unlit candle. The seats were red sofas on one side of the table, having black arms and tall backrests which obscured the view behind the sofas. All in all, it looked rather comfortable.
"Please take your seats." Gray bowed to them. "Natsu, if you may."
"Of course." Natsu lit the candle with his fingers, illuminating the surroundings.
"Ahem!" Erza coughed intentionally, trying to get their attention.
"… What is it, Erza?" Gray sighed, taking it casual with her. I don't like the sound of that…
"Shouldn't you refer to us as your mistresses?" Erza waved her finger around with a smug look. "Come now, we expect the full treatment we deserve!"
"Seriously?" Gray ruffled his hair, sighing at her. "We know each other. Isn't it too weird?" And you're the last person I want to be serving here! Of course, he wouldn't say that out loud. "Natsu, back me up here!"
"I would love for you to call me mistress, darling!" Juvia raised her hand, her eyes full of hearts.
"… Gugh." Gray looked away, red spreading across his face. It's too embarrassing!
"I'm sure Wendy would love it if you called her your mistress too, Natsu!" Juvia glanced at Natsu.
"… Really?" Natsu folded his arms, unsure if he needed to do so. He turned to Wendy for confirmation.
Natsu calling me his mistress… that fantasy never occurred to her, but given she has the opportunity right now, the idea was rather alluring.
"I… I also…" Blushing, Wendy twiddled with her fingers, looking at him. "I would also love for Natsu to call me… his mistress."
"…" Natsu's heart twitched at her request. He was having mixed feelings about calling the girls mistresses. Then again, they were on the job, so they had to fulfill it to the best of their abilities. And he was Wendy's boyfriend, to top it all off. I can't say no to those eyes…
"Fine, fine." Natsu gave in. "We have to do this job right, Gray."
"Pfft… rich words coming from you." Gray rolled his eyes at him. He's just doing this for Wendy! He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Still, he had to agree that they had to do this job as they were requested. Man, I hope this was all worth it.
"Please peruse the menu at your disposal." Gray placed a menu on the table. "… My mistresses."
Erza smiled, as if she claimed a victory over the fire and ice duo. "Well, don't mind us!" The trio began reading the menu.
Wendy wasn't really able to focus on the menu as she kept stealing glances at her pink-haired dragon slayer. The butler's attire fitted him well. Too well. Not to mention the scarf, which seemed out of place, just made him all the more charming.
"Gray darling, I was wondering about something." Juvia tapped her fingers on the table.
"Yeah?"
"Is it possible for me to order you?" Juvia asked in a suggestive tone.
"Hrk!" Gray flinched backwards, his face rising in heat. What kind of question is that?! "Of course not!"
"Decisions, decisions." Erza scanned each item on the menu, flipping it back and forth. "What would you recommend?"
"Since it's your first time here, we'd recommend the Newcomer Set." Gray answered. "It comes with preset sandwich, dessert, and a drink of your choice. As can be seen on the menu."
"Interesting. It is reasonably cheap." Erza hummed, considering the choice. She turned her head to the other two girls. "What do you two want?"
"I think I'll try the Newcomer Set." Wendy answered. "With some sweet tea."
"I'd like the same, too!" Juvia chipped in. "Regular, cold water will do. Oh, and one of this…" She flipped the menu and pointed at an item. "This fruit parfait!"
"I'll take the Newcomer Set as well, then." Erza followed. "Water. And also one lemon cheesecake." She wanted some strawberry cake actually, but since it wasn't offered, she settled for the next closest thing.
"All right…" Gray took out a pocketbook and wrote their orders. "So… a Newcomer Set, water, and lemon cheesecake for…" He shook his head and smacked his lips. "Mistress Erza"
"That's music to my ears." Erza smiled, feeling a sense of satisfaction and pride being called a mistress.
He then shifted his gaze to Juvia. "A Newcomer Set, water, and fruit parfait for you, my…" He averted his gaze, blushing. "Mistress Juvia."
"Mmmmm!" Clasping her cheeks, Juvia's body squirmed in delight, being called his mistress. She covered her mouth, just in case she was going to squeal loudly.
Gray nudged Natsu's arm to follow up. I'm sure Wendy would want you to say it.
"… And a Newcomer Set and sweet tea for you, my mistress Wendy." Natsu continued without missing a beat, his gaze fixated on Wendy.
"Y-Yes!" Wendy nodded frantically. A wave of happiness washed over her, hearing Natsu call her his mistress. She could get addicted to this feeling!
"… We'll be back with your order soon." Gray dragged Natsu by his shoulder, back to the maids responsible for making the food.
After they disappeared into the back of the café, Erza lovingly wrapped her arms around Wendy and Juvia.
"Perhaps it was fate that brought us together." Erza chuckled, reclining her back to the sofa. "I really didn't expect to see them here." I wonder if those two are on a mission?
"Yeah, but I'm so glad we did!" Juvia exclaimed. "Gray just looks so handsome!" Well, he always is!
"Hoho, those costumes do fit them quite nicely." Erza nodded in approval. "… I wonder if you can request 'special service' from them."
"I bet they have a secret menu just for that!" Juvia said excitedly.
"Mhmm…" Wendy couldn't deny she found that… tempting if it did exist.
After a few minutes, Gray and Natsu came back with trays full of their orders.
"Here's your order, Mistress Erza." Gray placed her Newcomer Set and lemon cheesecake on the table in front of her.
"And this is yours, Mistress Juvia." Gray placed the remaining item from his tray in front of Juvia. He hovered his hand over her glass of water and conjured some ice cubes with his magic, dropping it into the glass.
"Mmmm! Thank you, darling!" Juvia was doing all she could to restrain herself from screaming in pure joy.
"Here you go, Mistress Wendy." Natsu placed her Newcomer Set and sweet tea in front of her. He held her sweet tea and adjusted its temperature to a comfortable warmth using his body heat.
"T-Thank you, Natsu." Wendy rubbed her hands nervously, visibly flustered. It didn't help that his own natural scent, combined with the tea's aroma, made her mind a little fuzzy.
"I hope this is to your liking." Gray bowed his head.
TRING!
"Oh, another customer." Gray's eyes shifted to the entrance. "Natsu, do you mind?"
"Leave it to me." Natsu walked to the entrance. He could be heard saying 'Good morning, Mistresses!' which suggested that one, there were multiple customers, and two, they were women.
Natsu led them to a table to the right of Erza's group. He proceeded to take their orders, following Gray's example. Wendy took a sip of her tea, enjoying its right amount of sweetness. Until…
"You're quite cute, mister!"
Wendy's ears immediately perked up. She craned her neck around the sofa and saw the women, the new customers, flirting with Natsu.
This sight immediately replaced the sweet taste in her mouth with a sour, irritating one.
"Ahah, thank you?" Natsu smiled, oblivious to their advances. "What would you like to order, mistress?"
"I wouldn't mind ordering you~" One of the women said in a seductive manner.
"I'm not on the menu, though." Natsu replied in a deadpanned tone.
"Natsu's sure a quick hit with the ladies." Erza commented. "Not that I'm surprised."
"How dare he!" Juvia curled her hands into fists against the table. "He just got into a relationship yesterday! And he's already seeing other women?!" she huffed in a somewhat serious yet joking tone.
"Mhrmrm, he isn't like that…!" Wendy pouted heavily, feeling a heavy weight gnawing at her heart. She pressed her lips together. "He's not…!" Jealousy's never eaten her heart out like this before. The feelings of jealousy she experienced before were nothing compared to this. Now that they were an official couple, she felt more… possessive of Natsu.
"Ah." Erza, Juvia, and Gray froze at her reaction. Erza sharply turned her face to Juvia.
"You sure don't mince your words, do you, Juvia?" Erza asked, in her commanding voice. Though Wendy's pouty face is a sight for sore eyes.
"W-Wait, I was joking!" Shivers were sent down Juvia's spine, just from the powerful, demonic gaze she was sensing from Erza. "Wendy, I'm sorry! I didn't mean what I said!" She slapped her palms together in a forgiving pose.
"Oh, boy." Gray sighed, shaking his head. Natsu, you're still dense as hell! It's good he isn't dense to Wendy's romantic love, but it creates a whole set of issues if he isn't aware of other people's advances on him. He felt bad for Wendy.
He walked to the other table and tapped on Natsu's shoulder to get his attention. He promptly turned his neck around.
"What's up?"
"Go comfort Wendy." Gray commanded, snatching his pocketbook. "I'll handle things from here."
"H-Huh? But I-"
"I'm not asking you. I'm telling you." Gray pulled him away from the women. Natsu wanted to get a word in, but his icy, dead gaze told him there was no room for debate.
Natsu walked back to the trio of wizards, immediately noticing the few tears welling up in Wendy's eyes.
"W-Wendy?" Natsu bent down on one knee, taking her hand in his own. "What's wrong?"
"Natsu…" Wendy rubbed her tears away with her free hand. She felt safer being held by his warm and calloused hand.
"Wow, are all the butlers this cute?"
"I'm flattered you think so…" Gray forced a smile, now being the center of the women's attention.
"How dare they make a move on my Gray!" Juvia slammed the table and stood up, but she was immediately pulled down by Erza.
"That's karma for you." Erza said in a wistful tone. "Don't make their job harder."
"Huuuu… is this my punishment?" Tears began comically streaming down her face. She slumped her hands over the table, her head lying down. "I'm sorry, Wendy…"
"Oh!" Something clicked in Natsu's mind as he turned to Wendy. "Were you jealous, Wendy?"
"…" Wendy nodded timidly. It was just like him to cut straight to the point. She was surprised Natsu managed to catch on. But could she blame him? He was still learning about his feelings. Maybe it was a good thing he was oblivious to other women, it's not like he was reciprocating their actions, but still… she didn't like it one bit.
Natsu glanced at Gray, who was busy serving the new customers. He did tell me to comfort her…
"… Forgive me, my mistress." Natsu gently brought her hand to his lips and pressed them. "I only have eyes for you, and no one else."
"O-Oh…" Wendy could feel a crimson red spreading across her face. His words melted all of her worries and insecurities away. She had complete faith in Natsu, but she wanted… no, she needed to hear those reassuring words. "I w-wasn't worried at all!"
"Aren't you just the cutest thing." Erza playfully squeezed Wendy's cheek.
BEEP BEEP!An alarm could be heard from the back of the café.
Oh, is it the time to switch out? Natsu thought.
"You seriously owe me one…" Gray walked begrudgingly to their table, resting his arms on it.
"Gray, darling!" Juvia cried out his name. "You came back!"
"… Of course, I did." Gray let out a tired sigh. "Let's take this time to rest."
"Haha." Natsu chuckled. This day sure has taken a strange turn, he had to admit.
"Gray, darling!" Juvia looked at him expectantly.
"…Yes?"
"Can I order you?" If it doesn't work the first time, ask a second time!
"Hmmm…" Gray folded his arms in deep thought, considering her request. He stroked his chin for a moment.
He's actually considering it?! The expectance on Juvia's face vanished, replaced by that of confusion.
"Well, I suppose you could. In a way." Gray took a menu from his pocket and placed it on the table in front of her. "Let me offer you this, Mistress Juvia."
"What's this…?" Juvia eyed the new menu closely. Is this the secret menu?! A blush immediately spread across her cheeks.
"Well, well." Erza peeked at the menu over Juvia's shoulder. "This is an interesting menu. You could have your way with Gray in any way you please." She patted Juvia's back to urge her on.
"You're exaggerating it a bit, Erza." Gray chuckled. The menu Juvia was seeing involved… intimate services she could ask Gray to do for her. All within reasonable boundaries, of course.
"I-I could ask for anything from this menu, Gray?!" Juvia asked, making sure this wasn't one of her usual fantasies.
"… Anything you desire, Mistress." Gray looked to his side, unable to look Juvia straight in the eyes.
"T-Then, if I were to ask you to kiss me…?"
That's a high hurdle already. "… Very well." Gray cast all his doubts away for the sake of making Juvia happy. He placed his hand under her chin, drawing her closer. "If you'll allow me…"
"W-Wait!" The color on Juvia's cheeks was now rivalling that of Erza's scarlet hair. Her heart was racing a million miles. Unable to bear these feelings, she instinctively pushed Gray away. My heart isn't ready!
"It seems Juvia can dish out the heat but can't take it." Erza commented, taking a drink from her glass. "This is news to me."
I really wasn't expecting her to act like that, too. He figured Juvia would be all for it. Still, he found this side of Juvia… oddly adorable. It was tempting to tease her again.
"Mistress Juvia, allow me to grace your lips." Gray lifted her chin up with his fingers as he inched closer towards her lips.
"G-Gray!" Juvia shut her eyes, unable to look him straight in the eyes. She braced herself for the impending sensation on her lips. What she felt instead was a soft sensation being implanted onto her forehead. Confused, she opened her eyes and saw Gray smirking at her.
"Got'cha." Gray caressed her forehead. He then pulled his face back and avoided her gaze. He hoped she didn't notice the red stripes on his face. Deep inside, he was blushing like crazy! There's no way he could have gone in for her lips, so he played it off. My heart isn't ready either.
Natsu simply watched in silence. At least he did something. He felt something tug at his scarf, asking for his attention. He looked to his side and saw Wendy's flushed eyes.
"N-Natsu…"
"What is it, Wendy?" Natsu bowed down to her level.
"Could I… request those services, too?" Wendy whispered, twiddling with his scarf. She could feel her face growing hot by the second.
"… Ah." Natsu took the menu from his pocket and absentmindedly handed it to Wendy. "I don't see why not."
Wendy scanned over the menu, then turned to Natsu. There were so many things she wanted Natsu to do for her, but she had to settle on one choice for now. She pointed at a particular offer. "Could I… have this?"
Natsu nodded in understanding. "… Sure." He sat on the empty spot beside Wendy and patted his lap a few times. "Get over here." If it weren't for the romance manga Juvia forced him to read before, he would not understand where this was going. What she requested for was a lap pillow.
Wendy laid her head on his lap, facing up so she could look at Natsu. She felt a sense of safety and warmth wash over her. He affectionately stroked her head, as if he was nursing a child to sleep.
"Is this fine, Wendy?" Natsu asked, unsure if he was giving a good lap pillow. He was always on the receiving end, being on Lucy's lap whenever his motion sickness kicked in.
"That's Mistress Wendy to you." Wendy corrected, grinning at him brightly.
"Someone's feeling bossy today." Natsu laughed, running his fingers through her blue locks. "Is this fine, Mistress Wendy?"
Wendy let out a satisfied sigh. She was immensely enjoying this physical intimacy with him. If she wasn't careful, her drowsiness could take over. Having this feeling of superiority over Natsu was… a strange turn on.
"You know, Wendy…" Natsu reclined his back on the sofa. "I wanted to invite you for this mission."
"Oh?" Wendy snuggled against his lap. "Is this what you wanted to ask me this morning?"
"Yep!" Natsu nodded. "I figured we could… spend time together, you know?"
"Aw…" Wendy couldn't hold back a smile from appearing on her face. "But I'm glad you didn't."
"Eh?" Natsu raised an eyebrow, wondering if she meant something else by that. "Why's that?"
"Because I get to be your mistress." Wendy stuck her tongue out and gave a cheeky smile. It's not everyday she could ask Natsu to do this as her mistress.
"Haha." Natsu playfully pinched her cheek. "It's just for today, so make the most of it!"
Those two are really a couple, huh. Gray and Juvia thought as they observed their interactions. To them, it really hadn't sunk in yet that they were officially a couple.
I want what they have! Juvia thought to herself, feeling rather envious of Wendy.
Natsu may be dense, but he has me beaten in that department. Gray sighed to himself.
... And Erza was left alone to deal with her growing loneliness as she stabbed her fork in to her cheesecake. Why am I the third wheel here?
"Natsu! Gray! I demand some services too!" Erza cried out, visibly envious of her friends. "Give me head pats! Both of you!"
"Never pegged you as that kind of person." Gray said.
"As you wish, Mistress Erza." Natsu nodded, reaching out towards her head with Gray…
Only for Juvia and Wendy to snatch their hands away.
"I don't need another love rival!" Juvia squeezed Gray's arms tightly between her chest.
"You can't have him, Erza!" Wendy puffed her cheeks out, taking hold of Natsu's hands for herself.
Tears began streaming down Erza's face in a comical fashion.
I want some affection too!
