Timeless [Sting X Reader] || Third Book

13 : Eat-tereal

As per usual, everyone was unwinding from a heavy lunch, groggy from the Hell-worthy heat and the platefuls of barbecued meat. You and Sting were tucked away in the corner of the couch, your eyelids drooping every few seconds, taking turns nudging the other awake.

Mirajane handed out glasses of cold orange juice, which everyone was grateful for, politely asking Mirajane for seconds. She was in and out of the kitchen, refilling the glasses with inhuman speed that her experience as a barista back in the guild was responsible for.

You and Sting clinked your glasses together, some of the juice spilling on the couch, before taking a long sip, leaving both your glasses half-empty.

Mirajane repeated this action, not breaking a sweat, before everyone began returning their glasses half-full or a quarter full ; Mirajane entered the kitchen one last time, and when she exited, her hands were void of the tray and orange juice glasses and instead were neatly tucked behind her back.

"So," she began, "since you guys are refreshed now, I suppose this is the right time to make my announcement."

The word 'announcement' was no surprise, for the entire duration of our stay, the living room had become the venue for any announcements ranging from : "Guys! We ran out of cookies!" ( Happy ), to "How about we go swimming today?" ( Wendy ). It had become an unspoken given by this point.

"I have good news and bad news," Mirajane added.

Everyone sat a little straighter at the mention of bad news. "So, good news first, or the bad news?" Mirajane asked.

"Bad news."

"Well, I'm afraid that our stay in the beach house has been cut short. We'll be going home in two days." There were audible groans coming from the others in the room, mostly the boys. "There's a very important matter back in the guild, and Master Makarov wants to discuss it with all of us present."

"And what about the good news?" Gray asked.

"Well, in light of this very sudden change of plans, Erza and I have talked - and agreed, that tonight, we'll be hosting a small party at the lowermost floor of the beach house!" Mirajane exclaimed, "There'll be food, of course, and at the very end, there's gonna be a dance-"

Mirajane made it a point to send you and Sting a suggestive look. 

"-before we call it a night," she concludes, "y'know, one final shebang before we pack up our things and leave this place."

Mirajane clapped her hands together, "Well, the party starts at 8, and it's a quarter 'til four, so it's best to get yourselves prepared! Chop, chop!"

» time skip

Following Mirajane's abrupt announcement, the girls all stampeded to their giant, shared room and took apart their bags, looking for the perfect thing to wear. 

And after more-or-less a week in this context, it was hard to find clothing that was : a) not caked in sand, b) not drenched in saltwater and c) actually decent and appropriate for a party, much more a dance.

On the surface of your bed was a pile of shirts in assorted colors and the occasional baggy sweater, and the heap only grew more and more as you fished through the clothes you had worn.

After adding a pair of shorts to your pile of "this-isn't-going-to-work" clothing, you heaved a defeated sigh and sat beside your pile of clothes, wiping your forehead with the back of your hand.

The next few hours were going to be a handful, to say the least.

Two more piles of clothes, and plenty of sweat later, you went "Ah, screw it," and ended up borrowing a floral sundress from Erza, promising her that her sundress wouldn't disappear into a layer of sand by the time you returned it.