Hot and Cold

Lucy's Resolve

~*****~

About a week after defeating the Phantom Guild, we began rebuilding the guild. Of course, we had to do questioning and interrogations about what happened during the entire thing, but it went smoothly, considering that the Phantom Lords were at fault. Thanks, random citizens for giving eyewitness reports!

"That's what you get for carrying to much, ya moron," I hear Gray comment as I lift up more pillars.

"WHAT'D YOU CALL ME?!" I hear Natsu bellow. I peer over the stacks of boxes and beam before leaping over and tackling both of them. "ARIA?! QUIT IT!"

"YEAH, CUT IT OUT, WE'RE TRYING TO WORK!" Gray shouts.

"QUIT MESSIN' AROUND, YOU IDIOTS, EVERYONE'S TRYING TO WORK!" I laugh.

I give a sharp grunt as something hits us hard on the heads and slams us on the ground. "Cut it out! Get back to work!" Erza shouts up at us. "NOW! We've got a lot to do, so no more lollygagging!"

"C'mon, Erza, that hurts!" I complain up at her as I rub at the lump swelling on my head.

"You want another one?" She says in a deathly calm tone.

"Bring it on, you still haven't fought me yet, and I've been eating ice like crazy just to get back into the swing of it!" I mention, my fist raising.

"I think Aria may have gotten hit a little to hard during that fight," I hear Wakaba mention. "She's been gung-ho on training lately."

"She's not gung-ho, she's training like you two should be!" Erza defends me. She grasps my hand and helps me up before handing me a beam to carry along with her. "Come, we'll work and train later!"

I beam and follow after her.

"Aw, man, I'm starving." Natsu groans after hours of work.

"Yeah, when's lunch." Gray hums.

I feel a refreshing wave of water splash over me and I sigh happily. "Man, that hit the spot." I comment as I swipe water off of my belly.

"That's a lunch box!" Happy exclaims.

Gray blinks and stares down at it. "Where'd it come from?" Gray asks as I sit besides him and peer in excitedly.

"Oh, wow, that looks pretty tasty!" Natsu exclaims. I snort and take the top one off.

"Whoa, that's awesome! Your face is totally edible!" Happy cheers.

"Yeah, no kidding," I tease.

"I can't eat this!" Gray complains. "It's just too weird, and something's oozing out of the sides..."

"I'll eat it for you!" Natsu chimes.

"Don't blame me if you get sick." Gray comments irritably.

I hum delicately and lift up a clump of rice with Gray's face on it before popping it in my mouth. "Man, you sure are delicious, Gray!" I comment in a teasing manner. I beam even wider as Gray's face flushes in an incredibly dark red color.

"Would you quit it with that! Someone could get the wrong idea, you know!" Gray complains.

I shrug. "So what? I told you, I tend to get mega flirty with guys I like, and Mira let me in on just how cool you were during that fight a week ago!" I chirp teasingly.

"WHO SAID YOU COULD TAKE A LUNCH BREAK? Hey--" Erza stops seething as she notices the lunch kit I'm picking out of. "That supposed to be your face made out of veggies?"

"Sure is!" I laugh. "It's pretty good, too!"

Erza hums. "This is good! I could eat the whole thing!"

"Guess I should try it," Gray shrugs. I hand him the chopsticks I'd been using. Just before he can eat it, we hear a voice.