Learning How To Live [E.N.D. | NaLu]

10

NATSU

It was a little weird to see people I had no recollection of ever meeting treating me like family. I didn't mind it, because I knew they'd once been my friends, but the interactions were all a little awkward for the both of us. Eventually, they finally finished their relentless questions—which I answered very few of—and retreated to continue what they were doing before Lucy and I walked in.

I noticed Lucy approaching me with Happy in her arms and Erza and Gray by her side. She smiled at me reassuringly before proposing an idea. "Natsu, how would you like to go on a job? Nothing dangerous, we just figured doing something normal might help you get used to being back. Erza and Gray will come. It'll be like old times."

My pupils shrank as I was sucked back into the last job I remembered taking. The burning pain crawling across my body as my back and skull was torn apart. The amber glow flooding my vision as screams echoed across the town center. I flinched, barely managing to close my mind off from Lucy before she saw it. She must've seen my hesitation because she looked at me with hopeful eyes. Please? she asked.

I hesitated from one more second, observing the pleading looks in all of their eyes. I shrugged nonchalantly. "Sure," I whispered, "why not?"

I could think of all too many answers to my rhetorical question.

LUCY

I was worried when his mind closed off for a moment, but shook it off when he agreed. Erza crossed her arms and nodded approvingly while Gray could barely contain his grin as he gave Natsu a friendly punch on the shoulder. "I missed you, man," he said happily.

We walked to the train station, and I noticed Natsu's face turn green at the sight. He swallowed dryly. "So what exactly are we supposed to do on this job?" he asked.

"Well, I took two seeing as they were both in the same area," I explained. "One is to help organize a woman's library, and the other is to take care of a few thieves. I figured you and someone else could do the organizing while the other two handled the thieves," I told him. "They should be fairly simple, and safe, so we should be fine."

We boarded the train quickly, claiming seats near the back as we settled in for the hour long ride. Natsu groaned in discomfort and I noticed him gag every few minutes, but his reaction wasn't nearly as bad as it used to be. He squirmed, closing his eyes to block us out as he concentrating on holding his food down. Eventually, his groaning ceased, and I glanced over to see his chest rising steadily despite furrowed eyebrows, and knew he'd been pulled into sleep.

I snapped in his face to make sure he was full unconscious, and when he didn't respond, I asked my two other partners a question. "Alright, who wants to go with Natsu and handle the library?" I asked seriously.

Erza perked up and looked at me. "Well, don't you want to go, Lucy?" she asked, glancing at Natsu's slumped body. "You seem to be the closest to him."

"Yes," I said, sighing in resignation, "but I assumed you guys wanted some time with him too. Not to mention, both of you are much stronger than me just in case something does come up."

Erza glanced at him again. "Well, seeing him like this is kind of only making me sad. I think I need some time." She looked to Gray, who was staring out the window with his arms crossed over his chest. "What about you, Gray?"

He glanced over at us, looking at Natsu when he snored abruptly. "Yeah," he muttered, "I wanna go with him."

"Alright," I said cautiously. "And you know that no matter what happens, you can't let him get taken or hurt. This job is only to return his sense of normalcy. It isn't to get caught up in some big mess like we usually do." He nodded determinedly. "If you need our help, make some big ice thing so we know you're in trouble."