Once she enters the restaurant the Maître d leads her to the table—a candle-lit dinner by the window overlooking the city night.
Ignia Spriggan sits in his all-black suit perusing the menu. He stands once he sees her. "Glad you could make it." He sits down taking the menu from the waiter. "Red or white?"
"Red." She sits across from him, giving him an all-knowing look. "Always red."
He nods, "Of course."
With their wine served and the food ordered, the waiter excuses himself.
Irene swivels her champagne glass and sighs.
He clasps his hands together on the table. "May I ask what's on your mind?"
"The venue," She gives a bored sigh. "It's gaudy."
Ignia playfully rolls his eyes, "One of the many company presidents that I golf with would say otherwise."
"To each their own I suppose" She takes another sip.
"Your look of shock during the board's announcement was praiseworthy." He adds.
"I'm more surprised your princess or Jude never brought it up in passing."
Ignia shakes his head, "Lucy doesn't like talking about her father's affairs or the money and company she is to inherit. She's interesting."
Irene scoffs and rolls her eyes, "She's too emotional, driven by sentimentality rather than rationale."
"You know some consider that a virtue." He smirks.
"A world that isn't cutthroat would be ideal—but boring. She has power in her hands and unfortunately for everyone involved it will all fall like sand through the cracks of her hands." She clicks her tongue. "Jude has the mentality and the fortitude but he's a horrible businessman. Recently, he invested four billion jewels in building a train station in Acalypha.
"Yes." He nods. "The Heartfilia Railways." Isn't Acalypha population of less than ten thousand?"
She swipes and jabs her knife into her salmon. "It is absolutely ridiculous, many residents of Acalypha commute to work in Magnolia."
"It's a ninety-minute drive," Ignia lets out a dry chuckle. "Going by train or subway would be ideal because it would cut the time in half by avoiding the major intersections. Yet with such a small population…."
Irene huffs. "Jude was halfway through construction when he realized his mistake, leading him to downsize the Konzern and sell off properties, and stocks in his companies."
"Right, the big Junelle Corporations buyout," Ignia adds.
"Quite frankly I do not care what he does with his personal time or jewels, but if this is the man in charge of every financial and minuscule detail— I fear for the magazine's future."
"I only hope that Lucy did not inherit her father's lack of business savvy." Ignia sighs, shaking his head, "If she continues being moldable—she will be better off."
"It's a miracle, really," She sarcastically adds. "Had you not taken interest in the princess, I wouldn't put it past Jude to force his daughter into marrying into the Junelle family to maintain some semblance of control."
"Did you manage to "throw" Jude's competition for the editor of next month without raising suspicion?"
She gives him a sly smile. "Darling, I convinced both of them that Lucy was improving at a fast pace and that the day she would become a successful editor-in-chief is nearing." She relaxes into her seat. "I think you should consider yourself lucky that you are working with me."
"Only time will tell," Ignia shrugs his shoulder. "But if I were a gambling man, which I just happen to be, I am betting everything on you."
"Really? And why is that?" She leans in.
"I've done my research." He raises his glass to her. "Jude Heartfilia may have married into the Heartfilia name, but you have been solely responsible for keeping the magazine afloat in rankings and status ever since Layla's passing."
Irene raises an eyebrow, "If you weren't stating facts, I would think you were trying to flatter me."
"I'm not kind to waste time trying to be subtle, I prefer a direct approach." He lets out a small chuckle. "I simply find you intriguing."
"How cute." She rolls her eyes. "Flattery won't get you anywhere with me." She winks.
He touches his chest, playfully feigning to be wounded. "You patronize me."
She rests her chin on her hands, "Shouldn't your mind be full of thoughts of only Lucy Heartfilia."
Ignia leans in with a knowing smirk, "Right now, only the person sitting across from me has my full and undivided attention."
Natsu winced as the rays of the morning sun hit his eyes. 9:30 am. It was the first time in nine years since he had been outside at this time. According to Aster Town Penitentiary's daily schedule, he should have been working in the library, putting books back on shelves. Now at this moment, he was leaving that life literally behind.
Mavis, his brother's fiancée or as he thought of her, his already sister-in-law stood waving her arms from the front of her car that was double her height.
Natsu runs towards her, his smile growing with each step. "Mavis!" He shouts as he picks her up swinging her in a circle."
"Natsu." She laughs as he puts her down. "How are you, I missed you."
"I missed you too." He envelops her in a crushing bear hug. "You look like you haven't aged at all."
"I have aged Natsu," Mavis shakes her head and smiles. "How are you doing? How are you." She kindly touches his cheeks with her cool palms, maternally inspecting and studying his features.
"It's over," He places his hands over hers on his face as he grins. "It's finally over."
"I know." She lets go of his face and pulls him into another hug, "I am so…" Her words trailing off as she sighs contentedly. "there's someone I would like you to meet."
They pull apart and Natsu's eyes begin to water in anticipation as she opens the backseat door, revealing a four or five-year sandy-haired boy who looks like his older brother Zeref when he was younger, freckles and all.
"Is that…?" Natsu grins.
Mavis nods as tears stream down her face. "This is August." She turns to the boy. "August this is your uncle Natsu."
Natsu cautiously approaches the boy, "Hi."
"Hi." The little boy says.
"I am Natsu." He points himself, wiping the happy tears of joy from his face with the back of his hand, "I am your uncle."
The boy nods.
Natsu circles around the car. "Zeref." He calls. "I swear if you're hidin' somewhere and jump out, I will sock ya in the face for scarin' me."
Natsu circles the car again, looking through the tinted windows and then opening the doors. "Yo Mavis, did Zeref not come?"
Mavis stays silent.
"Daddy had to go." August swings his legs on the seat.
"Go where?" Natsu asks.
"Away," August adds.
"What is he talking about?"
"Natsu." Mavis's voice turns serious as she tries to stop the tears from falling.
Natsu opens his eyes, tears are racing down his cheeks. He checks the clock, 4:09 am. He sits up, his heart still beating in his ears from the memory. He covers his eyes with his hands wanting to concentrate on the darkness as he does his breathing exercises.
"Promise me you'll watch over them." He hears his brother's voice echo in his head.
Natsu clenches his jaw hard, tossing and turning on his bed. "Fuck." He curses under his breath. "Fuck, fuck, fuck!" He repeatedly starts to his forehead with the palm of his hand, "relax" he repeats to himself.
"Zeref." He feels his heart sink. He rolls onto his side, letting the angry tears run its course. "I'm sorry."
Natsu opens the door to the boys and Wendy's room, they're all still sleeping soundly. He feels the tension on his shoulders melt away and the daily guilt starts to weigh down in his stomach. 4:20 am, his watch reads.
The walls feel like they are closing in on him. The white-painted walls are starting to turn pea-soup green. The smell of rotten eggs invaded his nose. The light begins to flicker above his head.
He needs to get fresh air, to breathe before his mind sends him back to his prison cell. He laces up his sneakers, throws on an old grey hoodie, and begins his run.
The sting of the cold air on his face is a welcoming feeling. He runs up the long four-mile bridge that connects downtown Magnolia to the upper ritzy side, where he works. He runs past the Heartfilia Tower building, the glowing white "H" looks like a beacon from where he stands.
The smell on the side of town is different from where he lives, it is "generically" perfect as if someone had orchestrated the whole thing. The smell of brewed coffee and freshly baked bread filled the streets. Women who ran past him for their jogs smell of perfume and the men of deodorant, too perfect, it was weird.
A car door opens in front of him, smacking him in the face and knocking him backward onto the ground.
"Fucking shit." He sits up blinking away the tears that are threatening to fall, he holds his throbbing nose bridge.
Two blurry-looking people bend down near him. He rubs his eyes. His eyes fly to the first thing in front of him. Natsu's ears feel hot. He swallows hard. Concealed behind a tight pink tank top was probably the best pair of boobs he'd ever seen.
Big and firm looking his first instinct is to touch. Would the breast fit in his entire palm or would his hand be—.
"Are you o—Natsu?"
He hears a familiar voice, and his head snaps upwards, "Ms. Lucy?" Something warm escapes his nostril. He quickly covers his nose.
"Oh my god, you're bleeding.… Let me get you a towel or…" He hears a car door open. "Here." She gives him a handful of napkins. "Are you okay?"
"Never better." He plugs his nostrils, pinching the soft part of his nose.
"You need to…" She tilts his head with both of her hands to a ninety-degree angle. "That should help with the bleeding." Her brown eyes scan his face. "How are you feeling?
They make eye contact.
His eyes widen and looks away and inadvertently his eyes land back on her chest. Small freckles in the valley between her breasts. He wonders what else she's hiding behind her top, maybe more freckles— Stop it! He quickly looks up, balling his fists. "I'm—." His voice breaks and he clears his throat. "I'm fine." The blood runs into his mouth.
She bites her lower lip. "Bruising is starting to form; I should get you to a hospital."
"No!"
Ms. Lucy jumps back.
He lowers his voice. "No hospital. I'm fine."
"The bruising around your eyes says otherwise," Her finger delicately runs under his eyes. "If it's broken—."
"It's not."
"You're not seeing what I am seeing," She brings out her cell phone and he sees his reflection on the screen.
While his nose was intact, the swelling on the sides of his nose bridge was expanding under his eyes. "I'm fine."
"Are you able to breathe through your nose?"
He winces under his breath. "Yeah."
"I still think you should go to—."
"I just need to put some ice on it." He cuts her off as he stands up and puts his hands in his pockets, "I gotta get going."
"Where are you headed?" She stands up.
"Home."
"Let me give you a ride."
Like on cue, his stomach begins to do flips. "Thanks, but I'm good." He scratches his cheek.
"Natsu, I insist, it's the least I could do after…." Her worried look now exchanged for a look of guilt. "So please."
The acid starts to build in his throat, he swallows hard. "All right,"
The second the car starts to move he starts salivating and not in a good way. Dear God or whoever is up there listening, please don't let me puke in my boss's car. Could vomiting in the boss's car get him fired? If so, it would be a new one for him.
His stomach makes a noise, "Fuck." he says under his breath.
"Hungry?"
"Yeah." That sounds better than " I want to hurl in your expensive car."
"Would you like to stop somewhere and get something to e—."
"Yes," He shakes his head quickly, "I mean no. I hafta' get back home."
"We could go quickly—."
Natsu cuts her off again. "I'm good. I have something—at home—I need to take care of." Her kindness was causing him pain. Sweat was starting to trickle down his forehead and the hairs on his face were starting to stand up.
"Make a right on the next light," And the dizziness kicks in.
"How are you feeling?"
Luckily for him, her eyes were on the road, so she couldn't see him dying in the passenger seat. "Never felt better." His teeth chatter.
She turns off the A.C.
As nice as the gesture was, it didn't do anything. He looks outside the window, he's a block away from home, from the sweet—heavenly ground.
"My place is the," He swallows the vile that's threatening to come out. "White apartment complex with the tree in front of it."
"Got it."
Is she trying to kill him, who the hell slows down on a dip? The car tilts forward, his stomach coming along for the ride. "I can… walk from… here."
He opens the door, and his legs feel like gelatin. "Thank you."
"Will you be all right?"
He wipes the sweat off his brow. "Yeah." He grins.
She doesn't seem convinced but smiles back. "See you at work then."
Her car barely turns the corner, and he falls to his knees, bowing to the ground. "Oh, ground. Sweet holy ground!"
Natsu happily jogs up the second floor to his apartment. Checking his watch, he smiles. "Just in time." He throws the keys onto the table. He changes out of his sneakers into his boots and tiptoes into the kid's room.
"They're still asleep." He stifles a laugh.
August snores from the top of his bunk bed, while Wendy sleeps with the covers over her head on the bottom bunk with Happy and Carla sleeping at her feet. Little Larcade, however, is awake playing with his bear in his red racecar toddler bed.
"Hey, buddy."
"Papa's nose. "The little blonde boy hugs his head, more like squishes it. "Fight?"
Natsu chuckles, "Ouchy."
He draws the curtains of the room, the sun lighting the small bedroom. How he didn't trip over the toys and clothes on the floor was a miracle. "Okay do your thing." He puts Larcade in August's bed.
"Auggie get up." Larcade plays with his older brother's face.
"No." The eight-year-old moans.
"Wendy," Natsu yanks the blanket off the teenager making her curl up in a ball. "Time to wake up."
"Five more minutes." She yawns and pulls her blanket back on.
"Five minutes and counting." Natsu brings Larcade down from the upper bunk with August in his other arm.
"Uncle Natsu, Larcade bit me again." August rubs his eyes.
"Buddy, remember, biting others is a no-no. What do we say?"
"Sorry."
"Not to me." Natsu turns the three-year-old towards his brother.
"Sorry." Larcade looks at his feet.
"It's okay." The older boy yawns.
"Good. Now go and brush your teeth," Both boys ran out of the room. "Remember to use toothpaste." He shouts.
Natsu's stomach growls in defiance of the lack of food. He opens the fridge, and his smile melts off. Four eggs and three slices of bread remain inside the fridge. Enough for breakfast and nothing else. He checks the kitchen cabinets, a box of instant white rice, a half jar of capers, a bag of Crotons, a small packet of red pepper flakes seasoning, and a can of tuna that expired two years ago.
The smell of sizzling fried eggs in butter makes him salivate. He could already taste the fried egg sprinkled with red pepper flakes in his mouth.
The two boys with Wendy in tow take their seats at the table.
"What happened to your nose?" August's points.
His mind going back to his boss's amazing rack, he shakes the thought. "Running accident."
"Hey, who you textin' so early?" Natsu leans back trying to catch a glimpse of Wendy's phone.
She places her phone underneath the table and clasps her hands. "Thank you for the food."
"Who were ya textin'?" He repeats.
"Sherry."
"Aren't you going to see her in a couple of minutes?"
"Yeah, but I just needed to tell her…something." Wendy looks away from him.
For the past three years, Wendy has been acting strange. No longer was she the girl who liked to hang out with him on Friday nights and watch action movies till sunrise. Didn't like him picking her up from school or even seen in public with him. Worst of all she no longer saw the fun in camping and roughing it. She even disliked fishing. Who could dislike fishing?
"It can't be more important than breakfast, c'mon start eating before the eggs start getting cold."
"It's just something." She takes a bite of her toast. "Okay."
Then there were the vague answers. He didn't even know how to talk to her anymore. There were even times when she was super sensitive, and he couldn't say anything without making her cry or get angry at him. Damn, puberty.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah." She avoids making eye contact with him.
He takes a seat. "I may not be a teenage girl, but you could talk to me you know that right?"
She nods.
His eyes widen. Of course that had to be it, "Is it…are you on the… the…you know?" What was the word again, meditating or mansplaining, men-something?
She gives him a look that rivals Erza's and drops her fork with a "clank" sound onto the plate, "No. I'm not."
"You sure?" Natsu lets out a small laugh under his breath.
She scoffs, "I think I'll take my breakfast to go." She grabs her toast, puts it between her teeth, and leaves.
"What's her deal?" August asks with a mouthful of egg.
He shrugs, "Girl stuff I guess."
"Papa," Larcade tugs on his sleeve. "More please."
"Hungry huh." He swallows hard, feeling the food turn into a fifty-pound weight. He doesn't dare look at Larcade with guilt stamped on his eyes. "No… no problem." He cuts the remainder of his egg in half, sliding the contents into Larcade's and August's plates. "Eat up."
"What about you?" The eldest blonde asks.
Not missing a beat, he grins and wraps an arm around his stomach hopefully subduing the hunger pains, "I got a stomachache." He ruffles up August's hair. "I'll be fine."
Not convinced the older blonde boy pokes at his egg with his fork, "Oh."
"…I could happily die today," Natsu tears up as he takes a bite from his dim sum. "it's so moist."
"Glad you liked it." Cana swirls her straw in her cup of water.
When she offered to take him out for a "celebratory" lunch, the salmon-haired man gave her a big fanged grin.
"I'm so happy right now," He starts shoveling fried rice into his mouth. "Best lunch ever!"
Cana drums her fingers on the table, "How's work going?"
Natsu gives her a thumbs up.
"God, what happened to your nose?"
"An accident." He nonchalantly chews more food, then chugs a large glass of oolong tea.
Cana groans at the thought of continuing small talk, "Let me cut to the chase." She takes a deep breath. "Here goes. Natsu." She snaps her fingers in front of his face, gaining the pink-haired man's attention. "When I hired you, I made a mistake…."
He says something incoherent, but she assumes it translates to, "What do you mean by mistake?" He continues chewing.
She huffs and closes her eyes; she takes a deep breath. "You were hired as Lucy's secretary, not security."
"You're silent," Cana remains with her eyes closed as she continues, "You're handling things way better than I thought."
Natsu begins to cough.
"Natsu?" Cana opens an eye,
His face turns bright red like a cherry tomato. "Natsu!" She jumps up from her seat, making the chair fall behind her. "Stand up."
Natsu does as he is told.
Cana stands behind him and wraps her arms around him. She balls her fists, slamming them into his stomach, beginning abdominal thrusts.
"C'mon!" She yells.
A chunk of meat flies out of Natsu's mouth, landing directly into a nearby trashcan.
Natsu breathes hard.
"Are you okay?" She rubs circles into the pink-haired on his back.
She thirsts for liquor to calm her nerves. "Natsu?"
"What… do you…. mean I'm… a… secretary!" He coughs in each breath.
She steps away from him in disbelief, "You were choking and that's what you're concerned about!"
"When did you find out…." He gives her a stern look, something she'd never imagined Natsu capable of. "When?"
"Last week—."
He slaps the table hard, causing the dishes to jump up and fall with a "clink." "You waited an entire week to tell me!"
She doesn't respond.
"What the hell Cana." He growls.
She flinches.
"It was a mistake."
"No shit." He grabs at his hair. "What the fuck am I supposed to do!" He begins to pace.
She stays quiet, not knowing how to answer without sounding like a bigger asshole.
"Were you going to wait till I get fired, huh, is that it?"
"Natsu—"
He cuts her off, "I can't be a secretary," he winces as he scrunches his face. "You gotta fix this. There must be some way."
"I can't!" She balls her fists. "I do that I'll have to tell old man Heartfilia that I made a mistake. It could affect my job."
"You're worried about your job security." She could see a bulging vein form on his forehead, "How do you think I feel? I am not a fucking secretary!"
"There's nothing I can do."
"I can't cut it as a secretary, Cana," He clenches his jaw. "I can't lose this job. I have a family to support—."
"Give me a second to think, dammit!"
"Fuckin' shit." Natsu buries his head in his knees. "Once Ms. Lucy finds out that I can't do shit, I'm canned."
"Will you shut up!"
A waiter comes and puts down a bottle of wine at the table.
Cana doesn't wait for him to pop the cork out when she does it herself and chugs the wine, feeling the bubbly magic do its work.
The waiter gawks at her.
She snarls at him, making the waiter run with his tail between his legs.
"I have a plan. We work together." She slams the bottle down on the table to make her point. "Not only will you get a decent job and good pay, but my hide is saved. Take it or leave it, it's your move."
Natsu opens his mouth to retort when his phone vibrates. An unknown number flashes on the screen.
"Hello."
"Good afternoon," He could hear papers shuffling in the background. "Mr. Dragneel."
Natsu groans already recognizing the voice of Touma Larkin, the head of the billing department at Mavis's medical facility. He thought he had blocked his number. "What's up?"
"I've been trying to reach you for a couple of weeks now. It seems that I caught you at a good time."
"Sure did." He crumples a napkin in his palm.
"Who are you talking to?" Cana mouths.
Natsu ignores her.
"I am glad. I'm calling to inform you Mr. Dragneel that you are currently two months late on payments, failing to do so may land you in collections. Should you not comply Ms. Vermilion will not be able to continue her stay in our facilities."
The steak in his stomach turned into an anvil, "I need a week."
"A week is doable."
"Thanks."
"Have a good—."
He ends the call. Larkin, being formal, was just twisting the knife.
"Who was that?"
"Another number to block." He stands up from his chair and walks away, not turning back. "Thanks for the grub."
"Where are you going?" Cana's hand lands on his shoulder.
"Out." He shrugs her hand off, "I need some air."
His phone vibrates.
What's with all the phone calls?
Erza's name flashes on his screen.
What could she want?
He groans. "What?"
"Natsu, I need you to come down to the school," Her voice filled with anxiety, "Wendy has fainted she is in the infirmary."
"I'll be there." He hangs up the phone and rushes back into the restaurant to find the brunette paying the bill. Good. "Cana."
She rolls her eyes. "What do you want?"
"I need a ride to Magnolia High, Wendy's sick."
Natsu kicks the nurse's office door open causing it to sound like a squeaky door hinge, "Where is she!"
A mousy-looking woman dressed in blue scrubs spins on her chair towards him, "Sir." Her voice is deep, a sharp contrast to her appearance. "If you're to be here it is required that you use your indoor voice."
He huffs. "Where is Wendy?" He slowly reiterates.
"I am assuming you're a…." The nurse's deep voice grabs her clipboard from her desk. "Natshu Dragneel."
"Natshu?" he asks incredulously. "My name is Natsu. With a "T" instead" of an "H. I'm Wendy's cousin "slash" guardian angel thingy."
"Guardian," She corrects. "Mr. Dragneel before I let you see Wendy, let's have a small talk if you would." She gestures towards a chair next to her.
He groans, not liking the serious tone the nurse is taking with him. Her eyes remind him of one of those predators about to pounce prey on the nature channel.
"How are you doing?" She gives him a polite smile.
The action itself gave him goosebumps, "Good I guess."
"That is good to hear," She nods. "Home life good as well?"
"Yeah." His phone begins to vibrate. The sound itself fills up the silent room.
He kept his eyes trained on her, the two seeing eye to eye like in one of those old cowboy movies. Slowly and cautiously his hand glides down his side as he reaches for his phone. From the corner eye, he checks, SPAM CALLER.
"Aren't you going to answer that?" She narrows her eyes.
"Not important."
"All right then." She opens a mini-fridge near her desk, bringing out two bottles of water. "Care for some water Mr. Dragneel."
"Sure," She hands him a bottle. "Thanks."
"Is everything going well at home?" She repeats this time with a more casual tone.
"I believe so."
"I want to talk to you about Wendy condition's, I'm assuming Principal Scarlett informed you about her fainting."
Principal Scarlett, that is something he will never get used to. He nods. "What happened?"
"According to the students that were with Wendy at the time, they witnessed her faint in the hallway on her way to P.E."
"Shit, that sucks."
The nurse gives him a stern look.
"I mean wow." He corrects himself. "Why did she faint, is she okay? Do I gotta take her to the doctor or something?"
"She is fine for now, she is currently resting in one of the beds," she says in an even tone. "However, I did hear from Wendy's friends that she has been skipping lunch for several days now. Were you aware of this?"
Anger and guilt tore him a new one. Like a double edge sword, whatever he answers would come back and bite him in the ass.
"Does Wendy have trouble eating at home?" She continues twisting the knife.
She can't have "troubles" with eating if she's got no food at home."No."
"Has she shared any concerns or problems she may be facing at home or school?"
No, because I don't see her at all, with all the time I have spent looking for work."No, she has not."
She writes something down on a sticky note. "I don't want to raise any alarms, but I believe it would be in Wendy's best interest to speak with a guidance counselor." She hands him a card. "She is a bright girl, nevertheless she's still a teenager, girls her age tend to have trouble voicing or expressing their troubles, which unfortunately results in them developing unsafe and unhealthy coping skills."
The incessant throb of guilt grew exponentially. "I'll try to do better."
The nurse nods. "You can go and see her."
The list of things he failed to do was growing by the second. He felt useless, stupid, and unable to do the basics for the kids. He could never do anything right.
Looking at Wendy in the hospital bed made his guilt feel heavier. Gone was the vibrant smile of the twelve-year-old girl he had met years ago, instead in her place was a pale-skinned and almost frail-looking stranger.
She hadn't eaten because of him.
The kids were starving because of him.
He was starving because there was no money.
He couldn't buy the kids new clothes or take them out to have fun.
He couldn't afford to pay for Mavis's facility because of money.
He owed God knows how much money to Erza, never being able to pay her back.
He now owes the ice bastard money or something like that for a stinkin' pair of work clothes.
"Fuck." He cruse under his breath. "I need to do better."
"How is she?" Cana walks over to his side.
He doesn't respond. He's too embarrassed, too disgusted with himself to say something. Money always had to do with money.
"You get a decent job, with good pay."
The words echo in his head.
He takes a deep breath, "Hey Cana."
She tenderly rakes Wendy's hair as she sleeps, "Hmm?"
"Teach me how to become a secretary."
He throws her down onto the bed, pouncing on her the second her body hits the mattress. Lena felt Sebastian's warm breath on her cheek. His eyes were full of something unknown to her, carnal desire. What was supposed to be a calm and loving exchange had quickly become animalistic as he hungrily kissed her mouth. Lena throws her hands into his hair trying to find purchase on him as Sebastian places a cool palm on her bosom. His ministrations pull moans from her mouth. He then kisses a trail down her neck as his mouth replaces his palm. Lena's head falls deeper into the mattress, allowing herself to be taken and ravaged by the—
A knock on the door makes the red-haired woman drop her book and clutch at her heart.
Her eyes fall to the clock on her nightstand, "Whom could it be at this hour?" She grabs her robe and exits her room.
Another knock, "Open up." She hears a familiar voice. "Erza, I know you're in there, put down your raunchy romance novel and open the damn door."
Her face turns the color of her hair as she opens the door, "Do you mind not shouting such things, I have neighbors."
"It was the only thing I could do to get you to open the door fast enough," Cana gives her a look over and frowns. "For someone who likes reading "oh so steamy" literature you look like a grandma."
"Will you get in already," She closes her robe, "For your information, these are comfortable and very modern"
"Long flannel pajamas are not sexy."
"What are you doing here, at this hour." Erza closed the door behind herself, praying that her neighbors did not hear her foul-mouthed friend.
"I was bored, and I figured you weren't doing anything or anyone, so here I am with half a bottle of…" She squints her eyes, "I can't read for shit, but it tastes good."
"How thoughtful." Erza rolls eyes her as she takes the bottle from her and places it on the counter. "But today is a school night."
"It's always a school night with you," She whines. "You're the principal, shouldn't you…I don't know…. make the vice principal be there on time and early since you're like the boss of the school."
Erza shakes her head, "I am but a mere figurehead for the students, my job entitles—."
Cana makes a "zip it" motion with her hand, "Not interested. So, what are you up to?"
"Well," Erza takes a seat on her couch. "Like every person on a weeknight at 10:38 pm, I was doing some light reading before going to sleep."
"I don't know how you possibly can go to sleep after reading smut."
"I—I." She clears her throat. "They are romantic novels that have strong storylines that show character morals and values and—"
She snorts, "The morals and values that you speak of are only there to serve as small plot points until your heroine can get on her knees and give some shirtless guy with long flowing hair a blowjob."
If her face gets any redder, she will self-combust, "Are you done?"
"Oh, sweetie I could go all night." She winks.
The double entendre was not lost on the red-haired principal.
"Now I'm done."
"Good grief." Erza begins to fan herself. "The way you speak…."
Cana lets out a small laugh, "You read raunchy romance novels yet you're a prude, go figure."
Erza sighs, "Aside from insulting my pastimes, what is that you need?"
Cana takes the bottle from the counter and pours herself a glassful of wine, "I need your help."
"Is everything okay?" Erza reaches out for her hands. "Are you okay?"
She sighs. "I fucked up."
"Language." Principal Scarlett jumps out at her.
Cana huffs, "I screwed the pooch."
"How so?"
"Long story short, Natsu wasn't hired as a security guard but as a secretary and it's all my fault." She chugs her glass of wine down, "Now, our jobs are on the line, me for royally screwing up and him for not being qualified."
"That is a serious predicament," She puts her hand under her chin hand as she thinks.
"Add to the fact that I must teach the idiot how to be the secretary of the boss's daughter."
Erza shakes her head, pinching the bridge of her nose. "You're telling me that Natsu is Lucy Heartfilia's secretary, the person who is supposed to become the next editor-in-chief of one of Fiore's top fashion magazines?"
"How'd you—."
"Neigh!" Erza shouts, the fear starting to etch on her face, "One of the most valuable magazines in all of Fiore."
"I know I messed up." Cana buries her head in her knees.
"Even the unfashionable read the magazine for entertainment purposes, it is a national treasure. To not have The Source's Monthly Magazine, is just cruel." Erza mumbles to herself. "A reality that I and many wouldn't be able to accept. Where would the fashion-forward people find their solace?"
She looks up at the ceiling as if waiting for an answer to descend from the heavens. "Where would I find the colors to wear for the season, how am I supposed to dress without guidance?" She clutches at her robe. "The horror, the unimaginable travesty."
Cana raises her head, "I wouldn't go that far."
"No." Erza continues, taking a deep breath, "I shouldn't think that way. We must trust that Natsu won't "screw the pooch."
"You believe that?"
The red-haired woman stops dead in her tracks, "Of course not!" She cries. "If I can repeat that to myself, surely I will convince myself that it is true."
The brunette sighs. Instead of being a principal, Erza should've gone into acting. "The point is… I need your help."
"Of course." Erza places her hands on her hips, "I will do everything in my power to make sure he becomes the best secretary in all of Magnolia—no, in all of Fiore."
Cana places a hand on Erza's shoulder, "Let's not get too ahead of ourselves."
"Very well then, I shall make a study plan as well as read up on the subject." Erza smiles confidently as she begins to write something in a notebook. "I would encourage you to do the same."
"I was going to teach him how to use the software and maybe test to see how fast he could type."
"Nonsense." She points her pencil in Cana's direction. "If we are to do this, we must do it right. We should begin by covering our bases, such as who invented typing, in what year it was created, what was the first —."
Cana could feel her head starting to hurt and it wasn't due to the wine, "That does sound important, so important that I feel you should cover it," No way in hell was she doing extra research, "I will handle the boring technical stuff."
"That is fine with me," Erza continues writing things down in her notebook, "Does tomorrow at five thirty work for you?"
As long as she didn't miss happy hour at the Fairy Tail Bar, she was game. "I would prefer having dinner beforehand, but I don't mind pushing it back a couple of minutes."
"I meant mornings."
The headache levels up to a full-on migraine.
Yup, Cana's right eye twitches, it was definitely not the wine.