Hear me

10

After that rather informative, on Laxus's part, and lucrative, on Natsumi's part, interlude, the pair lounged around at the bluffs for another few hours, talking about mostly unimportant things, like how far Natsumi could breathe fire in the air from underwater, or how Laxus was most definitely lying about how many monsters he took down on an infestation mission from a few months ago.

Laxus also learned that Natsumi could absolutely not skip meals. At the stroke of three, her stomach began growling, and didn't seem to know limits on time nor volume. Despite being obnoxious in of itself, Natsumi's increasingly whiny complaints about being hungry eventually led Laxus to stand up, pick up the younger girl by the arms, and set her on her feet. After marching her down the slope, he told her—more like ordered her—to go get something to eat, and that he'd see her tomorrow when they sorted things with the guild.

Then, he turned on his heel, walking away without a word, leaving her gaping behind him.

"Hey!" she called at his retreating back as he walked down the cobblestone roads on the outskirts of town. "Don't forget that tomorrow you start taking my orders. You promised!"

She got no response other than the sight of his shoulders slumping as he departed. Huffing, she figured it'd have to do for now, and made her way to her and Lucy's apartment. No doubt the girl would have stocked their fridge. She shuddered at the thought of the interrogation her friend was going to put her through when she got back.

She was right about the interrogation.

Lucy was waiting as Natsumi catapulted herself into the open window to her bedroom, and immediately sprang up from her position at her writing desk to grab hold of the sides of Natsumi's vest, pulling their heads close together.

"What happened?! You guys disappeared for so long! Where'd you go?!" the blonde girl throttled her friend, shaking the shorter one by her lapels.

"Oi, calm down, Luce! It's not a big deal! We went to the bluffs, is all," Natsumi explained, turning a bit green in the face from the motion. "Stop shaking me before I puke on you."

Lucy stopped abruptly, letting go of the pink-haired girl. Leaning back with her hands on her hips, Lucy stared the older girl down, a determined gleam in her eye.

"Spill. It." All the authority of the Heartfilia heiress she'd once been was captured in her voice as she uttered those two words.

Natsumi keened. "But Luce! I'm hungry! I can't explain on an empty stomach, you know!"

"Well you should've thought about that before you disappeared with Laxus for hours without telling anybody where you were going! Now tell me and I won't Lucy Kick you into next week!" the celestial mage yelled with fire in her eyes.

Natsumi shuffled to Lucy's bed, flopping face-first against it, groaning into the duvet. "Fiiiiine," she whined, "but why are you punishing me? You're the one who should be punished for telling Laxus that I liked him before I even knew it! Traitor!"

"I just want to make sure you gave that idiot due punishment. I'm not sure I trust you with it," Lucy explained, completely ignoring her friend's accusations as she came to sit on the bed beside the lump that was Natsumi.

Natsumi sprang up, pushing herself on her arms to look at her friend. "Of course I did! He was awful to everyone! You'll be proud of me, Luce," she smirked. "He's going to apologize to you and Happy and the whole guild! He also agreed to be my slave for two whole days!" she laughed then, a shrill, manic sound. Lucy's eyes widened.

"He agreed to what?" The disbelief was evident in her voice.

"He's going to do whatever I say for two days. I wanted at least a week, but it couldn't be helped."