Summer heat permeated the bustling streets of Hargeon. People haggled at market stalls, couples strolled leisurely down to the port and children ate ice cream. All was calm.
"SILVER WHERE ARE YOU?"
A man in his mid-twenties with a dishevelled mop of ebony hair and a small toddler perched on his shoulders disrupted the peace. His son had run off. Again. This was happening a lot lately and he had a feeling it was linked to the boy missing his mother. After all kids often misbehave when they have complex emotions they can't understand. Wouldn't it be great if he had an excuse like that…
It had been six months since Lucy had died. Six long months. Somehow Nashi had dragged him to the station, forced him into an unbearable train ride and was now asking to see where he and mummy had met. Natsu didn't have a good memory at the best of times and it was so long ago that he met Lucy but still he wanted to do his best for his daughter. The one last piece of Lucy he had left.
However somewhere in between lugging her dad off the train and being given money to buy food, she had run off. Luckily he could smell she hadn't got very far. He turned the corner and found she had gotten herself into a fight. Typical Nashi.
Flashes of pink and black hair darted around the street as they continued to wrestle and send one another flying through the air. It was strangely nostalgic watching the two kids fight. Watching Nashi's deep brown eyes narrow in concentration, Natsu felt an overwhelming sense of pride and connection. Such a strong willed little girl, just like her mother. The only part of Lucy's looks reflected in their child was the chocolate brown of her fierce, pointed eyes. Luce…
Snapping out of his morbid trail of thought, Natsu realised that if Lucy was here right now she would be kicking his arse for letting Nashi get into a fight. Before he could take any action a muscular man stepped in between the pair, grabbed them and held them both at arm's length.
"Has anyone lost a kid?" He called gesturing to the small girl wriggling in his tight grasp.
An oddly familiar scent hit the dragon slayer which he couldn't quite place until the figure turned to face him. Natsu's puzzled expression turned into a hard stare as both men glared at each other. It had been years since Natsu had seen Gray. He and Juvia had run off somewhere after she had gotten pregnant and they hadn't been back to the guild since.
Like most people, Natsu had felt annoyed and a little betrayed at the sudden abandonment from the pair. However even he wasn't stupid enough to get in an argument with a hormonal and even more possessive than usual Juvia especially when leaving was her idea. What hurt Natsu most was that neither of them had returned for Lucy's funeral. He knew they were still in touch with the master and took jobs nearer to where they now lived so they must have known. How could someone in a guild that prised nakama over everything else not even have the respect to turn up at one of their own teammate's funerals?
A newfound wave of anger rushed over him and he snatched his daughter out of Gray's arms.
"Wow I can't believe someone actually wanted to have a baby with you." Gray scoffed, oblivious to the steely glare Natsu was giving him, "Who was it? Lucy?"
"Don't say her name." An aggressive growl rose from Natsu's chest "Don't you even fucking say her name Gray. Not when you didn't even come to her funeral."
The ice mage's eyes widened as he backed away from the scowling dragon slayer. Lucy dead? Is this some kind of sick joke? No. Seeing how Natsu was about to burst into flames at any moment and true disgust rung in his voice, he wasn't lying. He wouldn't lie about this.
Head in his hands, Gray dropped to his knees trying to process this new information. He had lost yet another person he cared deeply about. Staring blankly ahead he rubbed his temples. No more tears would come. He had cried them all and had none to spare for poor Lucy.
"When did she…" His hoarse voice cracked before he could finish, leaving only cold silence between the two.
"Six months ago, like you didn't know." Natsu spat looking down at the now shaking Gray. Hidden by his mop of raven hair, Gray's eyes opened wide. Six months ago. That's when Juvia… As if reading his mind Natsu continued "So where's Juvia? Seems like she forced you to have another kid for her collection." Cold hands balled into fists at the disrespect for his wife and their love. Quickly he stood up to face his old rival and glanced around to see his children were still in earshot.
"She got sent on a long and dangerous mission around six months ago. That's probably why I didn't hear about Lucy. Too busy looking after these terrors and being pissed off at Master I haven't had contact with the guild since then. But we were um thinking of coming back…" he trailed off watching his two boys play with Nashi. He hated to think they wouldn't ever get to grow up in the guild and learn the true importance of family strength and after a four year break he was ready to return.
Both were the spitting image of him as a kid. Silver looked and behaved exactly like his dad from his dark, messy hair to his little pout he did when he was in a mood. Storm on the other hand had Juvia's positive attitude, her smile, her kind, blue eyes, her magic… And yet he was still just a mini Gray to everyone else who didn't know Juvia like he did.
"Well why don't you come home with us then?" asked Natsu, his character had changed slightly back to how Gray remembered him but he still was not cheerful. There was no signature grin which he would begrudgingly admit he had missed.
Soon they were dragging their screaming children away from the fun of the market back to the train station where they stood in silence. The journey consisted mainly of Natsu vomiting, Gray attempting to entertain the children and the sense of trepidation about the Fullbusters' return to Fairy Tail.
