Guess who's back? Well, there really hasn't been a hiatus, but still. Can't stay away from writing fanfic for you lovely people.
Now, this fanfic is going to get dark, very dark at some points. After all, this explores the darker side of Natsu's mind, what happens when someone as cheery as Natsu finds himself in a lonely and depressed state? That said, please please please be careful reading if you're recovering from any sort of depression, as I know how easy it can be to be triggered.
Also, there will be a bit of naughty naughty later on, so that's where the M rating comes from. Nothing that violates Fanfictions' rules, but still pretty damn steamy.
Without further ado, let my second fic...BEGIN!
Something was up with their Fairy Tail friend.
For years, Natsu Dragneel had pushed through those doors with nothing but a smile on his face and a hot-blooded urge to pick a fight with his longtime best friend/rival, Grey Fullbuster. But today, that confident smile was gone, replaced by a dull and surprisingly empty stare. Gone was his easygoing swagger, a shuffle in its' place. What had happened to the happy-go-lucky Dragon Slayer?
Now, nobody could deny that they hadn't noticed a change in his behavior over the recent weeks. At first, small things. Picking fewer fights with Grey, talking less than he used to, and picking low risk-reward jobs only as a means for money.
It had been small and all but unnoticed until things only went downhill from there. He started sitting by himself more often, finding secluded corners and moving whenever anybody tried speaking to him. Not even Happy could talk to him without being ignored. It was as if it wasn't even Natsu anymore, just a machine masquerading as the Dragon Slayer.
Natsu woke with a start from a particularly vivid nightmare, his shirtless body coated in a fine layer of sweat. Damn it, not another one. This made his…he had to check. Ah, twenty third time he'd had the same exact nightmare. No light found its' way into his small home, and after pulling the curtains back, dull light filtered in through the heavy downpour. Oh, great. More rain. Perfect weather if you were Juvia, but as for the Fire Dragon Slayer, he could think of way more weather options that would make him happier.
If he'd actually been in the right frame of mind for that. However, he wasn't, and after pulling on his shorts, vest, and scarf, he steeled himself for the coming day, Happy already flapping by his shoulder.
"Good morning sir! Did you sleep well?" The blue cat never failed to have a positive attitude, though Natsu's flying friend could tell that he couldn't have been further from the truth.
Even so, Natsu plastered a fake smile onto his features, hoping it bought a little time to avoid further suspicion. "I slept like a log, Happy. Thanks for asking, buddy." He reached up and gently scratched the cat on the head, pulling the door open and stepping into the heavy rain. It felt good on Natsu's skin, and despite his inherent fire, enjoyed the cool air for once. He wanted to stand like this forever, but he knew he needed to get down to Fairy Tail and find a job to earn himself another months' rent. Easier said than done, as a lot of jobs required teams and teamwork, and that was the last thing he wanted right now.
Lacking much choice in the matter, Natsu took his time in picking through downtown, avoiding the curious glances of passers-by.
"Isn't that Natsu? He looks ill."
"What's up with Natsu? I've never seen him looking so down."
Pfft, right. As if they could understand. It was a joke to think otherwise.
Dragneels' silent, rain soaked musings came to an end as he found himself at the doors of Fairy Tail – he was coming to despise the cheery atmosphere emanating from the warmly lit guild hall. Despite his growing discomfort, Natsu pushed through, only to be greeted by sounds he had no desire to hear.
"Hey, Natsu! How ya doing buddy?"
"Natsu, where've ya been? It's boring without you!"
"Hey moron, what's got you?"
Gajeel, who took his pink haired buddy in a friendly headlock, one which Natsu made no effort to get out of like he usually did. "Hey, idiot. I'm talking to you." Silence; Natsu didn't say a word, only waited for Gajeels' grip to loosen in confusion. Of course, it did, and on walked Natsu, leaving a concerned looking Iron Dragonslayer at the door.
He went up to the jobs' board, thumbing along the available jobs as he felt the familiar icy touch of a certain ice mage. "Yo, Natsu. Erza's already got a job lined up for us. Says we're leaving in a few, and you know how she is." The casual tone in the ice mages' voice sounded like reprehension and disgust, so Natsu didn't do a favor and turn around to face him. Instead, he pulled a low paying job from the board and pushed past Grey, his voice empty and hollow, scaring nearly everybody within earshot. "No thanks. I've got my own job to work on." He flapped the paper loosely to indicate this, but Grey reached out and grabbed Natsus' arm.
"Natsu, come on. It'll be fun. Just like when we used to go out every day. You, me, Erza, Lu-"
"I said I'm good," flexing his arm out of the cold grasp. "You three go do your job."
"Natsu, you're not listening." Grey was trying to be careful as he'd seen this type of behavior before. "Erza wasn't asking, she basically commanded the three of us to go with her. Plus, from what I hear, it's S-Ranked."
That alone gave Natsu reason to paused mid-step, but he quickly regained his composure. The old Natsu would have jumped at the chance to go on an S-Rank, but as he was now, he'd only be useless to the dynamic. He'd since decided it was best to avoid his three friends and the missions they used to go on – nobody needed to know what was going on with himself right now, least of all the three most important people in his life.
But by that token, why hadn't he told them? Admitted to them that he was in a dark, scary place, all by himself? Felt like he was drowning while everybody around him was breathing? So why. Why couldn't he just tell them?
He wanted to, needed to, but couldn't. He was far too afraid of what they would think of him in the end.
"Natsu, are you kidding me, that's such BS. Stop making things up for attention, whiny baby.
"Natsu, no warrior is ever allowed to feel that way. Knock it off or I'll recommend to Gramps that you should be thrown out of Fairy Tail."
"The great Natsu Dragneel, fighting demons no one can see? That's hilarious. Don't make me laugh."
"Natsu. Natsu!"
"Huh..oh." He'd been caught in a daydream by none other than Erza, who stood imposing with her hands placed firmly on her hips.
"Grey tells me you're refusing to accept this mission. Is that correct?"
She took his silence as a confirmation.
"Very well, we shall see you when we return." No response from the pink headed Dragon Slayer, who only simply nodded. Such off behavior for himself, a fact that didn't go unnoticed by…well, everyone. It was so strange to see Natsu like this, and yet, nobody could understand what exactly 'it' was.
Even so, Lucy, Erza and Grey, for the first time in over a year, departed without him, and Natsu only watched as they left, clutching the paper tightly in his fist, tears threatening to spill over. But before they could, Nastu cast his gaze downwards and walked back into the rain, his face a hollow mask of pain and loneliness.
At least, in the rain, nobody would see him cry.
I honestly have no idea how long this will go on for; it could be three chapters or it could be fifteen. I really don't know, but I just want to see where it goes. Hope you enjoyed chapter one of A Falling Dragon. More to come soon, I promise.