Summary: Romeo and Wendy struggle to be professional and not just because they're children….

Pairings: Romeo/Wendy (friendship or romance depending on how you look at it), Wendy/Charle friendship, and some implied Gray/Juvia.

YouTube Prompt: A Natsu/Gray tribute to 'Gives You Hell' by All American Rejects…..because a lot of those lyrics sound like the motivation for most of their fights…..

When Natsu and Lucy and Happy all disappeared for a week long mission in a desperate attempt to pay Lucy's rent, and Erza went on a dangerous S-Class job, and Gray….well, Gray was available but Juvia is so terrifying that Wendy didn't dare approach him by herself, Wendy ended up asking Romeo to do a job with her.

It was good money, simple enough, and it gave her a chance to branch out and get to know other people outside of Team Natsu and Fairy Hills.

So far everything went well….actually it was better than when she is with her own team. Romeo was quiet, a little shy on the edges, but really nice and funny, and the train journey flew by as he recounted tales from his childhood (all which involved Natsu destroying something or several guild members ending up with broken bones, or hungover, or all three) and before she knew it they were outside the tavern they were supposed to meet their employer at.

Hesitatingly, Wendy knocked the door. A middle-aged, plump, motherly looking woman answered. "Hi, we're here about the pest problem," Wendy said shyly as she felt her cheeks heat up. You would think after spending most of her life being the only one that worked in her guild she was used to dealing with clients now….you would think wrong. The idea of talking to other people sent her in a frenzy of nerves as she struggled not to stammer through a sentence and sound professional. There was a reason why Charle used to do all the talking. "You said something about magical rats running around your tavern?"

"Ah," the woman's eyes widened in realisation, "you must be the Fairy Tail mages," she then squinted at the pair, "a little young aren't you?"

Wendy sighed. She had heard this one many times and couldn't really argue, technically she was a little too young to be working.

Romeo, however, just scowled at the woman. "We're old enough," he said stoutly.

"Hmmm…." The woman frowned. "If you say so," she said eventually though she didn't look pleased with it, "well then, I'm Mrs Cockayne and-"

Charle's mouth dropped open, Wendy turned bright pink, and Romeo's eyes popped out as they all couldn't resist bursting out with;

"Mrs Cockayne?!"

"Yes," Mrs Cockayne's frown was firmly back in place, "Mrs Cockayne," she repeated, "do you have a problem with that?"

"Are you sure you didn't mean Mrs Cocaine?" Romeo asked.

"I'm sure."

"Really sure?"

"Yes," Mrs Cockayne said impatiently, "my name is Cockayne not Cocaine."

"I don't believe you," Romeo crossed his arms, "no one would have such a stupid name unless they were hiding something. Its front, isn't it?" he accused her suspiciously. "You're not a tavern wench, you're a drug dealer!"

"I beg your pardon?!"

"Romeo!"

"Oh dear God!" Charle face-palmed. "He's just as stupid as the rest of them."

"What?" Romeo blinked innocently at Wendy. "There's plenty of people like that. My Dad once knew this pimp whose name was-"

"You can stop right there!" Wendy interrupted, her face so pink that she was now bordering onto red. "Just because you have encountered shady characters in the past does not mean that Mrs C-C-C-C-oooooooo….."

Romeo raised an eyebrow, amused. "You can't say it, can you?"

Wendy's face was now officially red. "I can!" she protested.

"Go on then," Romeo jeered her, "say it."

"Co-Co-Co…Ayne…." Wendy trailed off uselessly as her face was probably redder than Erza's hair. "Okay fine! I can't say that word! Sorry for having manners!"

"I wouldn't call it manners," Mrs Cockayne said nastily, "I would call it a lack of professionalism. From both of you," she glared at Romeo, "Go away and tell your guild not to come back unless they send responsible adults to do the job!"

And with that she slammed the door in their faces.

"Hmmph!" Charle sniffed disdainfully. "If you ask me, she's the unprofessional one discriminating against us because of our age. Good luck trying to find a responsible adult in Fairy Tail, you old biddy!"

(As if to prove Charle's point, Romeo's father snatched the job out of Romeo's hands while Romeo complained to him later that day and decided to complete it himself. He got just as far as doing it as his son since the moment Mrs Cockayne introduced herself he burst into hysterical, childish, giggles and made some rude jokes that should never be repeated….needless to say Mrs Cockayne never sent a job request to Fairy Tail again.)