dinner with the dragneels

Ⅲ

"good morning, princess," virgo hovered over her, her short pink hair hanging down in front of her face. "it's approximately 11. you have missed breakfast, but i have brought a stack of pancakes from the kitchen so that you may eat breakfast in bed."

lucy spat a loose strand of hair out of her mouth and smiled tiredly. "thank you, virgo."

"of course, princess," virgo bowed her head and set a tray of food in front of her. "i must depart now, but please call me if you need anything else."

"will do," lucy promised. 

"oh, i almost forgot," virgo shook her head, her poised demeanor falling for a moment as she widened her eyes. "wendy-sama has invited you to 'hang out' with natsu-sama and her. i believe those were her exact words."

"oh, uh, where?" lucy sat up, suddenly interested. she picked up a cube of cantaloupe and placed it in her mouth, chewing thoughtfully.

"she was eager to show you around the mansion," virgo continued, folding up some clothes that lucy had strewn across the floor. she winced. she forgot to pick those up, and the thought of making more work for virgo made her feel selfish. "she has requested that i bring you to the dining hall."

lucy crammed her food into her mouth, took a brief bath, and changed into a different outfit; this time it was a striped pink tank top with another pair of denim shorts. she was usually in skirts, but it was a nice change to be in something that felt less flimsy. virgo offered to escort her to the dining hall, but she shook her head. "i know my way there and i'm sure you have other matters to attend to. i wouldn't want to hold you up."

"if that is what you wish," was all virgo said, and lucy thought she might've said the wrong thing. friendship seemed much less complicated when she was a child; where all she had to do was call for aquarius and her boyfriend or lyra with her harp and lovely voice and she would be entertained. somehow, though, she preferred these friendships. they were complex and confusing, but she knew she could trust these friends. with her 'friends' back home, she never really knew how they got there or where they ran off to when they weren't playing with her. she could never confide in them for fear that they might report back to her father. and so her childhood had been lonely, despite the hired help. 

it must be so different here, with all these siblings to talk to, lucy thought, turning the corner to the dining hall. you wouldn't have to hire fake friends.

"ah, lucy-nee!" wendy grinned. "you made it!"

"you're still calling me that?" lucy arched her eyebrow, but her lips spread in a smile.

"it'll grow on you," wendy waved dismissively. "anyways, natsu-nii-"

"you called me natsu-nii!" natsu cheered. "anything for you, my favorite little sister. the light of my life."

"you only have one little sister!" wendy retorted. "but anyways, we were going to hang out all day, but it turns out i have tutoring near the end of the day." wendy pouted.

"aw, and i heard the sunsets here were gorgeous," lucy sighed. "oh, well. another day, maybe."

"no, no! today's the meteor shower. you can't miss today!" wendy protested. 

"wait, that's today?" lucy's eyebrows shot up. she had always been a fan of astronomy, but she had hardly kept track of the days since she had run away from home. she had heard of the meteor shower before that, but so much had happened since then that it slipped her mind. her eyes lit up. "oh, wow. i've never seen one. i might just go on my o-"

"you'll get lost," natsu countered. 

she pouted. "i'll bring virgo."

"virgo's got work to do around that time."