Believe In The Song

The Surprising Dinner Banquet (Part 1)

"NO ONE EVER TOLD ME THE PRINCE ATTENDED MAGNOLIA FAERY ACADEMY!" Lucy gasps in disbelief but then her brown eyes narrow in suspicion. "You're pulling my leg, aren't you? He can't possibly be the prince. No way."

"What?" Sting says, shocked. "Are you accusing us of... Of lying to you? The idea! I cannot tolerate this shameless act of deception, especially to a lady. No, Lucy. We're actually being serious. He really is the prince of Fiore."

"He doesn't look it," Lucy comments, taking in Natsu's mud-splattered jeans and dark shirt stained with perspiration as well as the white scaly muffler hugging his neck. "I mean, shouldn't a prince wear a crown or fancy clothes, or whatever, in public? That's decent manners. Even a pink-haired freak like him should know that, considering that he is the prince like you say."

There comes another glare from Natsu who utters obscenities under his breath that must not be processed here. No reason. Just your parents mightn't want you to be exposed to such words as these. I'll be the one to blame in the end.

"He should," Laxus agrees quietly, "but being the obstinate guy he is, Natsu refuses to. Besides, there's no need for it. Everyone already knows who he is."

"How surprising that no one has kidnapped him yet. And a pretty handsome price he'd be held for, too," Lucy tries to joke, earning an even dirtier look from Natsu.

"Well, at least I am concerned of how I present myself in public," says Natsu, leering at her under-clothed self. "I certainly don't prance around half-naked in the presence of five male strangers that I've just met. Do I, guys? What did your parents bring you up to be - a seductress?"

Lucy hugs her toweled body in realisation, reddening. "Y-You pervert!" she yelps, glaring at him as Natsu grins satisfyingly. "GET OUT! GET OUT OF HERE!"

"Whatever you're trying to achieve with your promiscuous ways (be it seducing or mesmerising us, which I infer are the same thing... No doubt synonymous), let me remind you, you're doing a really crap job at it," Natsu adds.

"I'm not asking for your opinion!" Lucy thunders. "That is... I-I-I mean, that's not what I'm trying to do- Ugh, why you!"

Sting stops her before she can take another threatening step towards Natsu. "Now, now. Why don't you two settle down and end this meaningless dispute, and shake hands?" He pulls them in so close Lucy and Natsu's nose almost touches, and takes each of their hands, hoping to smoothen the tension between them like the peace-loving guy he is. "Come on, shake hands and make up. If we're going to be room-mates from now on, we should all learn how to accept and be friendly to one another."

"What, with him?" Lucy asks, snatching her hand away. "No thanks! I'd rather chew my hand off." Stubbornly, she hides them behind her back but Sting gently takes it again.

Natsu himself pulls away too. "Yeah, right! As if I'd shake my hands with her. I don't want to be infected by whatever germs she's carrying."

Lucy puffs out her cheeks and glowers. "Shut up! You should go and take a shower, you know: you reek!"

"Hmm, perhaps I should," Natsu agrees as he takes a quick whiff of his shirt. He ambles past but suddenly hesitates. "Oh, before I do, I would first like to claim back my possession."

"Huh?" Lucy wears a confused look on her face, then goes all pink when Natsu gestures at the velvet towel wrapped around her body. "T-T-This is yours? Wait, what?! But I thought these were brand new!" As she tries to run off to the bathroom, Sting's grasp pulls her back.

"Just a minute, Lucy," Sting tells her, reaching for Natsu's hand too. "First thing's first. You two really need to improve your interactions with each other. Quarrelling and disagreements do not amount to anything. It will only make the situation, as well as your relationship, worse. What's more, you both have to remember that you aren't the only ones living under this roof; there are four more of us sharing this house so you should be more considerate of that."