Hot and Cold

Everlue and Melons

~*****~

A strange warmth spread over my face, and I vaguely wondered if I'd forgotten to douse the fire last night. My eyes snapped open to the smell of pine. Familiar draconian eyes started back at me, glancing at my face and to a bag of chips he'd been eating. "What are you doing?" I ask in a dazed, sleepy tone.

"Eatin' some chips." Natsu retorted almost casually. "Wondering when you were gettin' up."

"Aye!" Happy agreed before plopping onto my belly. That's when I'd noticed just how under dressed I had been.

"WHAT THE HELL!?" I shriek as the clarity shot through me and sent both Natsu and Happy flying across the room.

"Ow, we were just hanging out!" Natsu complained as he rubbed at his head.

I tugged on my over coat and stomped towards the bathroom. "Hanging out or not-- you need to let me know ahead of time if you're coming over!"

"We just wanted to check out the new pad." Natsu murmured.

I grumbled with a toothbrush hanging from my lips. "Listen, I understand that," I say through the foam. "But you gotta seriously plan things like this. I'm way underdressed, and that's not proper." I explain irritably.

Natsu hummed thoughtfully. "I get it. You don't want me to see your boobs, that's it, huh!" Natsu exclaimed.

I bit clean through my toothbrush before throwing the end at him. "AMONG OTHER THINGS!"

"All right, all right, I'm sorry!" Natsu complained. "By the way, since I found this new mission, I recruited Loony to join our group!"

"It's Lucy..." I murmur before taking the poster he held out for me. "Two hundred thousand jewel, huh?" I skim through it and grimace. "What's the catch?"

"I thought you could do it, but it said blonde's only!" Natsu explained.

"Even if I had blonde hair, I wouldn't tell some old dude I wanted to be his maid." I mention impishly. "Whatever, let me get some pants on and I'll meet you outside."

"You got it!" Natsu cheered and trotted right on out.

"Aye!" Happy chimed as he flew after him.

~*****~

"Are you enjoying your carriage ride today, Mistress?" Lucy chirped at me as I groaned against the wall. I guess I deserved it. She asked if I was a part of this plot to get her in a maid uniform for the dirty old man. I told her I'd probably do the same thing in Natsu's shoes. "Anything I can get for you?"

"I could really use a barf bag right about now." Natsu groaned.

"Make that two." I added through my whining.

"I'M PLAYING THE PART OF THE MASTER SO I SHOULD BE GIVING THE ORDERS!" Happy exclaimed.

"Shut up, you stupid feline!" Lucy shot back. "Oh, hey, Natsu? Aria?" Lucy hummed.

My brow raised just a fraction before I slung my gaze over to her.

"I was just wondering why you guys picked me to join your team." Lucy asked.

"Cause you seem like a nice person." I retorted. "Besides, Natsu made the final call since he made the decision."

"But she's just so weird..." Natsu trailed off.

"Anyway, I'm totally stoked about my first real job. I know I'm gonna rock it!" Lucy exclaimed.

"Really? I thought you were upset about it." Happy chirped.