Minerva's Secret [COMPLETED]

Bath Time!

Minerva's POV

As expected, Raina's cheeks were covered in food. Pieces of omelet on her face with some spices of pepper snuck to her witty cheeks or hands. The oil from the pan made her dirty and sticky as Rogue carried her up to my room.

During breakfast, I informed Yukino I reconsidered her offer and would like to bring Rogue and Raina. Yukino accepted and unsurprisingly Sting was bombarded and wanted to come along to see Natsu since everyone else was practically going. We would leave in an hour or so and take a wagon to Magnolia and we should arrive roughly by two in Magnolia, perfect for lunchtime. But first...bath time!

I walked upstairs and found Raina grabbing her clothes to wear for when she got out of the tub. Rogue was too busy trying to sort through the clothes in front of him to notice. 

"If it helps, black goes with everything." I said as I picked up a pair of black leggings.

Rogue let out a small chuckle before giving a soft expression, "It does help actually."

"I would have figured you'd know that." I gestured to his choice of clothes. He wore black on almost a daily basis.

"Oh, no. I happen to have a lot of black clothes or dark colored clothes." Rogue explained.

"I've noticed." I replied. While Rogue and Sting are the Twin Dragons and tend to go on more missions together, ever since Sting became Master, he's duties run more so to the guild so if there was someone else who goes on jobs with Rogue more often than Sting, it's me. It was there when he changed his looks from ponytail, to back down, from black, to dark blue, and back to black. He does so prefer the dark colors. I guess it makes sense. Just like I prefer blue. 

I grabbed a blue shirt with the Sabertooth crest on it in black and showed Rogue. 

"How about we all were blue today?" I suggested waving the shirt. 

Raina spotted it and jumped up excited. "Oh yes!" She said hurrying up to put it on.

"Oh no, no, no. You still need a bath my little tiger." I said pulling away the shirt. I faced Rogue, "Want to help?" I asked him.

He seemed nervous but bravely nodded. "Sure." Close enough.

Rogue being a gentlemen was too embarrassed to watch Raina undress until I put her in the tub and the water hid what laid beneath the surface, as did the bubbles Raina enjoyed having every time she was in the bath. Although it did reassure Rogue. 

"You do realize that you are her father hence you don't need to feel embarrassed." I told Rogue as I put shampoo in Raina's hair as she faced the wall and played with the bubbles in her hand. Rogue sat on the floor probably still nervous.

"I guess, but I only recently became her father."

"That's no true. You became her father the day she was born. You may not have known, but it's true. And truth being, if something were to happen to me, this responsibility would fall to you. Helping her through puberty would fall to you. It may be odd or weird because you're not use to it but you need to know to take care of her and care for her." Time to get him to help. "Or is that not what you want?" I said facing Rogue. 

Rogue's face nearly went pale. "Of course, I care for her." He said getting up. "Then come rinse her hair." I said grabbing an empty cup. 

Rogue pulled his hair back and put his black hair into a ponytail as he took his cape off and tied it around his waist. I held in a laugh. It was as if he was gearing up for war. 

He took the cup and calmly poured water over head, keeping one hand on her forehead, keeping soap from washing into her eyes. I didn't even need to tell him to watch her eyes, he just knew. He's a natural. Unlike me. 

The first time I bathed Raina, I was so lost. I was in a panic. She was a newborn baby and I had just brought her home. I washed her in the sink and even as a child she had a full head of hair. I remember trying to rinse the shampoo off and the water washed over to face. I packed as she began to cry. I remember thinking the shampoo must be burning so I rinsed her eyes but then I panicked because I feared I was drowning her. I yelled for Yukino, Rufus, anyone who was nearby. Yukino came rushing in and summon Mama Pisces who assisted. I never bathed Raina without Mama Pisces after that until she assured me I had a handle on it. Meanwhile Rogue doesn't even need my help.

"What's puberty?" Raina asked. I began coughing as I noticed Rogue flinched. How could I have forgotten her hearing? She's like her father and of course she heard me, how could she not?

"It's when you grow up and become a beautiful young lady like your mommy." Rogue said.

I looked up at Rogue who was already facing me. A soft expression was on his face as he gave me a soft smile. I-I don't know what happened but suddenly, there was a small flutter in my heart as I could feel a heat rising in my cheeks. 

I turned away as I handed Rogue the bottle of conditioner. "Conditioner is next." I said as I continued facing away. 

W-Why is my heart still fluttering? I-It was just a cover up for Raina. Y-Yet, it makes me feel this way. Why?

When Raina's bath was finished, I dressed her as we left Rogue to change and waited down in the guild hall for the rest of those going to Fairy Tail. 

I sat beside Yukino who was playing a round of goldfish with Lector while they waited with Sting. 

"Can I play?" Raina asked.

"Of course." Lector said, "I'll deal you in." He said as he gave her some cards. Now it was Yukino, Lector, and Raina playing while we waited for Rogue. 

"Yukino?" I asked facing her. She looked up from her cards.

"Yes?"

"So, what sort of Celestial Business are you and Lucy doing?"

"Oh, well, Lucy says there was job request at Fairy Tail were a CL is looking for a bouquet of flowers that is located in the Celestial Spirit World, but each is branded with a different zodiac's symbol. She'd like my help going and searching for the flowers." Yukino explained.

"I see. Are you sure Lucy doesn't mind you bringing us along?"

"Of course. Besides, the Celestial World is pretty big, the more eyes the better." Yukino explains.

"I didn't know flowers grew in the Celestial Spirit World." Lector said.

"Oh yes, they are rare which is why the job pays so highly."

"But I thought time runs differently in the Celestial World than it does here. It's it faster?" Sting asked.

"It does but Lucy and I have been assured by the Celestial Spirit King he will drop all those who come off at the time we departed." Yukino explained. 

"You almost sound scared Sting." Rogue said as he approached.

"I'm not scared." Sting shouted. 

"Now that we are all here, let's head to Magnolia." Yukino said as we all began our trip to Magnolia and soon the Celestial Spirit World.