Natsu entered his house to see that Meredy was already making herself at home. She had her hood on the floor as she rested on top of his couch, reading the new edition of Sorcerer Weekly with a giddy smile. She looked over at Natsu and saw him looking at her. She blushed before putting the paper away.
"So, not that I mind, but why do you want to sleep here? I know Juvia moved in with Gray, but they probably have a guest room you can use." Natsu asked.
"I didn't want to intrude on their special time together. Besides, you're a lot of fun to be around if all those stories are true." Meredy's eyes followed Natsu as he picked up her cloak and hung it on the rack. ' How considerate! Most people would have just trampled over my things. But not Natsu. He's too kind for that. ' It seemed that her longtime friendship with Juvia had rubbed off on her.
"Yo, Meredy, you good? Also, what stories?" Natsu asked as he placed Asuka on the couch for the time being.
"O-oh, I'm doing perfectly fine! And the stories I heard all came from Juvia! She really sees you in a positive light, you know…" Meredy lied, as even when she was a part of Grimoire Heart, she was fascinated with Natsu due to the articles they always posted about him.
"Really? I thought she would have spoken to you about how she could catch Gray's attention." Natsu responded, making Meredy let out a small chuckle.
"Juvia isn't as one-dimensional as she makes herself out to be. While most of the time she talks to me about Gray, she does ask me how I've been doing ever since Ultear disappeared…" Meredy solemnly said as she looked over at Natsu's wall and noticed a particular orb resting on top of the shelves, "N-Natsu… is that Ultear's…"
"Yeah, it's her orb. She left it back at Tenrou Island. Gray was the one to find it and kept it in his house, but after her sacrifice, he handed it to me because he didn't want something that reminded him of another one of his failures." Natsu answered as he placed a comforting hand on Meredy's back once he heard her sniffling, "If you want, you can take it back."
"Y-you can keep it. I'm just glad that people still remember her." Meredy tearfully said as she stood up, grabbed the orb, and hugged it close to her body. Tears rolled down her face and onto one of the last physical pieces she had left of Ultear.
Natsu didn't want to speak. No, he shouldn't talk, as he allowed Meredy to cry for as long as she wanted. He knew how she felt when he saw Igneel die right in front of him, and what Meredy needed now more than anything was somebody to be with her, even if they hardly knew each other. Natsu sat right next to her and felt Meredy resting her head on top of his shoulder as she continued to rub Ultear's orb.
"You know… when I asked Ultear about you… she would always bring up how you kept on mistaking her for a man… I could never forget how angry she would get sometimes." Meredy whispered, wiping some of the tears off her face.
"Heh, it's her fault for being into cross-dressing." Natsu joked as he made Meredy laugh before pulling herself back together and giving him a quick kiss on his cheek.
"Thank you for cheering me up, Natsu. You really are a kind person." Meredy said as she placed the orb back in its original place.
"You're welcome, Meredy. Hey, are you hungry? I can cook some fish for you if you like." Natsu asked.
"Sure, I haven't had anything for the entire day. Also, can I use your bathroom? Jellal and I destroyed a dark guild when we came here, and I needed something to refresh myself." Meredy said as she saw Natsu pulling out two large salmon alongside some rice and vegetables.
"Of course, you can, but before you go upstairs, can you grab Asuka and place her in the guest room?" Natsu said as he searched through the kitchen until he found what he was looking for. A piece of paper that Mirajane wrote for him contained the ingredients to make a simple meal that included fish.
Meredy picked up the sleeping girl, went upstairs, and accidentally opened Natsu's room first. She looked inside and saw that it was nothing special, but she saw a bed fit for only one, alongside a small couch that most likely belonged to Happy. She then went to the guest room and noticed how big the bed was. She had a plan as she looked down at Asuka.
' Sorry, Asuka, but I can't just let an opportunity like this escape. You'll understand when you're older. ' Meredy mentally told Asuka as she went back to Natsu's room. Asuka was placed in Natsu's bed before Meredy rummaged through his closet until she pulled out a shirt that was two sizes too large for her and a pair of striped boxers, ' Thanks to those books that Juvia gave to me, I know that if a guy catches a girl wearing their clothes. They go head over heels for them. '
Meredy silently exited Natsu's room and went to the bathroom to take a well-deserved shower after the day she had. She would spend the better part of twenty minutes bathing in the warm bath before she got out and changed into Natsu's clothes. She looked at herself in the mirror with a confident smirk and did a couple of poses before she heard Natsu call her name. Then, she left the bathroom, ready to surprise and seduce her soon-to-be boyfriend.
Natsu just finished cooking their dinner. It was nothing spectacular: some cooked salmon with a side of rice and garden salad, but he only had a little in the refrigerator, so he had to make do. He heard Meredy down the stairs and saw her wearing his clothes, but instead of blushing and becoming a stuttering mess like how Meredy wanted him to be, he unabashedly said, "Did you not pack any fresh clothes? It's okay, you can wear any of my clothes. They look good on you." Meredy blushed and became a blubbering mess. "Th-thank you for the compliment, Natsu!"
' Of course, he wouldn't react to something as basic as this! He's probably seen this trick hundreds of times by those harlots! That just means that I need to try even harder to make him mine! ' Meredy mentally shouted to herself as she sat next to Natsu and took a bite out of the salmon. She was surprised at how amazing it tasted and ate as fast as Natsu usually did as he joined her and ate until they ran out.
"Your cooking was amazing, Natsu!" Meredy sighed as she rubbed her full belly, resting her head on top of the table in comfort.
"Thanks, but Lisanna and Mirajane are way better cooks than I am." Natsu said as he grabbed all the dirty plates, pans, and utensils and tossed them in the sink. He'll clean them when he has the time.
"You know it's bad to talk about girls when you're alone with one." Meredy stated, her voice carrying a hint of jealousy that Natsu didn't pick up as she got up and hugged the Fire Dragon Slayer from behind, pressing her massive chest against his broad back.
"Why is that? Also, can you let go? I want to sleep on the couch." Natsu asked as he tried to pry Meredy's hands off him gently.
"Because YOU can make that specific girl jealous when YOU talk about the other girls YOU know when the better girl is right in front of YOU!" Meredy answered, emphasizing every time she said "you" to guide Natsu into what she actually meant. But, she doesn't realize how dense Natsu is when it comes to something as complicated as romance, and took what she said at face value.
"Why would they be jealous? I wouldn't mind if people told me about who they met." Natsu said, making Meredy groan as she pinched the bridge of her nose before deciding to drop this all entirely.
"Whatever, you're lucky that you're so cute, Natsu. Now, take me to my room!" Meredy commanded as she climbed on his back and had him give her a piggyback.
Natsu didn't know how to respond to what Meredy was saying anymore and just carried her to his room. He opened the door and saw Asuka sleeping on his bed, which was meant for Meredy. He looked up at Meredy confusingly. "I thought I told you to place Meredy on the guest bed?"
"Oops, my mistake. I must have been in a hurry to shower and left her there by accident. We shouldn't disturb her from her sleep. That would be rude." Meredy lied, which Natsu believed, and took her into the guest room. When they entered the room, it was surprisingly chilly, and they looked over to see the window Erza had previously opened.
' I don't remember opening the window, and Natsu was in the kitchen the entire time. Maybe this is some kind of sign that Natsu and I were meant to sleep together! Thank you for this blessing, God! ' Meredy mentally shouted as she noticed Natsu walking up to the window and about to close it, but she stopped him. "A-actually, I like sleeping in the cold! It reminds me of the time I spent with Ultear. But I wouldn't mind if you joined me in bed, you know, to keep me warm and make sure I don't catch a cold." Meredy said, and when Natsu tried to argue with her, she comforted her face into that of childlike innocence, and Natsu groaned as he placed Meredy on the far side of the bed while he took off his shirt and hopped into bed.
' Natsu, you tease~ I knew that all my attempts at seduction were working! You're probably just waiting for me to sleep so that you can take me and make me yours! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? DESTROY ME WITH YOUR COCK YOU STUD! ' Meredy pretty much shouted as she hungrily stared at Natsu's toned chest, drooling a bit as she inched closer to him and wrapped a hand around his arm while she rested her head on top of his chest, letting out a low moan at how warm his body was.
"Uhh, goodnight, Meredy." Natsu said as Meredy just muttered her goodnight. He quickly went to sleep while Meredy basked in her victory.
Asuka let out a loud yawn as she woke up and looked around to see nobody there. She was about to cry for her mom or dad before she realized that she was staying at Natsu's house. The sun was rising, and it was enough for Asuka to traverse out of Natsu's room without any fear. When she exited Natsu's room, she heard some light snoring coming from the guest room, crept her way inside, and saw a girl she didn't know sleeping on top of Natsu, who had his arms wrapped around her waist.
"Uncle Natsu, wake up." Asuka asked as she shook Natsu until he woke up.
"What is it, Asuka?" Natsu groggily asked as he gently pushed Meredy off him and sat up, lazily stretching his body for the day ahead of him.
"Why are you sleeping with your sister like that? I thought only parents could sleep like that?" Asuka innocently asked as Natsu no longer felt tired. His eyes shot open, and he could only do what his brain was programmed to do at a time like this: scream.
"WHHAAATTTT!" Natsu shouted, startling Meredy as she woke up to see why Natsu was letting out a blood-curdling scream so early in the morning.
"Why are you screaming so loud, Natsu?! My dreams were just about to reach the best part!" Meredy shouted back as she grabbed a pillow and smacked the back of his head.
"It's because of her!" Natsu shouted back as he pointed at Asuka, who watched in amusement as the pair got into a shouting match before they cooled down and looked at Asuka.
"Alright, Asuka, spill the beans. What did you say to make Natsu scream like a little girl?" Meredy asked as Natsu grunted in annoyance at her comment.
"I just wanted to know why you guys are sleeping together. Your hair is also pink, so doesn't that make you sister and brother?" Asuka answered as Meredy just laughed while Natsu decided to clarify it.
"First of all, my hair is salmon, not pink. We are not related; Juvia and Wendy's hair is both blue, so does that make them sisters?" Natsu told Asuka, who seemed to understand what Natsu was getting at.
"So, is she your girlfriend?" Asuka asked. Natsu groaned even louder while Meredy clutched her sides as she continued to laugh.
"You know what, I'm going to shower. You two have fun on your own." Natsu grumbled as he stormed off to the bathroom. Letting the two girls get to know each other.
"Your uncle is a very silly person, isn't he?" Meredy giggled as she changed clothes and wore Natsu's usual white trousers that were held up with a buckle, one of the few long-sleeved shirts that he did own, and, to top it off, her signature brown earmuffs and her robe with the hood down.
"Mhm, but that's why he's my favorite!" Asuka answered as she was wearing a pink sweater and black leggings. Over her clothes, she had a puffy parka that covered from head to toe, alongside the luxury of wearing Natsu's scarf. They were both clinging onto Natsu, absorbing his warmth as he didn't bother changing from his usual clothes.
"Do you have any plans for today, Meredy?" Natsu asked as they finally entered the town and noticed that the usual busy streets were pretty sparse, thanks to the cold temperature and the snow. They were walking to the guild when they heard a store door open, and Meredy squealed as she saw who it was.
"Juvia! What are you doing out in the cold?" Meredy said as she let go of Natsu and hugged her best friend.
"Juvia was out searching for the perfect dress for Juvia's date with her darling Gray-Sama later tonight." Juvia answered as she reverted to the black outfit she wore during the Grand Magic Games.
"Really!" Meredy said in surprise as she looked back at Natsu and formulated a scheme, "How about we make it a double date?"
"Y-You're dating somebody!" Juvia almost yelled before Meredy placed a hand over her mouth.
"Don't be so loud, Juvia. Look, I'm trying to get Natsu's attention, and I think joining you on this date would be the best way for him and me to get close to each other." Meredy whispered so that Natsu wouldn't hear them.
"If it's for love, Juvia will help her friend! Now, let's go searching for the perfect dress!" Juvia declared as she grabbed Meredy's arm and dragged her to the next store.
"See you soon, Natsu~" Meredy waved to Natsu as he and Asuka waved back and made their way to the guild and entered to see that it was almost empty. It seems like a good majority didn't want to leave their home due to the weather outside.
"Good morning, Natsu. I'm so glad that you're here!" Mirajane smiled as Natsu sat down at the bar counter, with a majority of the guild getting closer to him, using Natsu as their heater.
"Good morning, Mira. Can you make some breakfast for Asuka and me?" Natsu asked, and Mirajane agreed to his request and went to the kitchen. Asuka looked around for her parents and let out a sigh, "It's okay, Asuka. They're going to come back soon."
"I know. I just miss my parents." Asuka said as she took off Natsu's scarf and handed it back to its rightful owner.
"Your parents are strong mages, Asuka. You don't need to worry about them so much." Makarov said as he took a swig of alcohol from his mug. Who cares if it is still early in the morning? Cana drinks on an almost hourly basis, and she became one of the sexiest mages in the entire guild.
"You're right! Mama and Papa are the strongest when they're together!" Asuka declared that Mirajane had come out of the kitchen with a stack of pancakes for Asuka and a variety of meats for Natsu. They thanked Mirajane for the food and began eating.
"Did you like spending the night with your uncle?" Lisanna asked Asuka, who still had her pancakes in her mouth, and drank some hot chocolate to push the food down her mouth.
"Mhm! Uncle Natsu showed me this huge cave that had everything he collected during his adventures!" Asuka answered with a wide smile as everyone listened to her speak about what she saw in the cave.
"Anything else?" Lucy asked, embarrassed that Natsu still had that maid outfit from their first job together. However, she was glad that he thought of her so highly, even back then.
"Mhm, when I woke up today, I saw Natsu sleeping with his girlfriend!" The goodwill that was spread around the guild was put to a halt, taken out back, and shot as everyone stared at Natsu, with a certain four glaring daggers at him.
'Oh crap, what now… ' Natsu told himself as he knew he was in for one of the worst days if he didn't traverse this tense situation carefully.