On The Doorstep
Chapter 1: Natsu's Beginning
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To Atlas é, formerly known as Atlas Dragneel
We are sorry to inform you, Atlas é, that your brother, Commander Igneous (Igneel) Dragneel, has been announced M.I.A after the base that he was stationed at was blown up during a surprise attack by enemy forces. Igneel was last seen rushing back into the destroyed base in an attempt to save those left inside; there were no more sightings after that. Unfortunately there is little to no hope for Commander Dragneel and we suggest that you and your fellow family members prepare for the worst. Once more, on behalf of the Royal Fiore Army, we apologize for the loss of your loved one and wish you and your family all the best.
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7 year old Natsu Dragneel could only watch as his Uncle Atlas began crying after reading the letter that the people, who dressed like his papa did, gave him when he answered the door.
Climbing up onto the couch cushion next to his uncle, Natsu peered over Atlas's shoulder and read the letter over silently in his head. Most of the letter didn't make much sense to his young mind but he had enough brain power to figure out that the letter was about his father. Natsu sat back against the arm of the couch and watched his uncle cry silently for a few minutes before asking his question.
"Uncle Atlas, what does M.I.A mean?" Natsu asked quietly.
Atlas froze at the sound of Natsu's voice and slowly turned to face the pink haired boy. Atlas's eyes had become puffy from his tear and his voice was scratchy when he spoke. "Natsu….." Atlas said, looking like he wanted to say more but he stopped, seemingly having an internal argument with himself before burying his face in his hands and leaning back against the couch. "Oh god Igneel, why did you have to go and be a hero? Huh? Do you see what you've done?! Why couldn't you have just…just….." Atlas trailed off before another wave of tears started pouring down his cheeks. Natsu sat silently across the couch from his uncle, unsure of what to do to help his uncle.
Slowly, Natsu made his way across the plush couch towards his uncle until they were practically touching. Natsu, deciding to listen to his instincts, wrapped his small arms as far as they could around his uncle. Natsu felt his uncle stiffen at the sudden contact but that just made Natsu hug him tighter.
"Don't cry uncle, I don't really understand what's going on but if it was something I did then I'm sorry for it" Natsu muttered quietly into his uncle's torso. Atlas sniffled slightly before pulling Natsu into a giant bear hug, resting his head on top of the boy's head.
"No Natsu it's not…..you haven't done anything it's just-" Atlas paused, releasing a tired sigh and pulled Natsu closer. "It's about your dad, Natsu. He…" his voice trailed off.
Natsu push against his uncle's chest so that he could look the older man in the eye.
"Uncle?"
Atlas took a deep breath and looked at Natsu.
"I'm sorry buddy but, your dad won't be coming home"
Natsu looked at his uncle, confused.
"Well when is he coming back?" Natsu asked, the implications of Atlas's answer went right over his head. Atlas inhaled slightly, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose.
"He's not coming back Natsu; Igneel, your dad, is with your mommy now" Atlas explained.
Natsu stared at his uncle, trying to wrap his head around what he was just told.
How can daddy be with mommy? Dad said that mom died the day I was- Then it hit him. His mommy was in heaven, according to his dad, and heaven was a place for-
"Daddy's gone isn't he?" Natsu asked, his voice hollow and dead sounding.
Atlas bit his lip, "Yeah buddy, your dad is gone" Atlas pulled Natsu into another hug, "He's in a better place now".
That was it, the flood gates opened and streams of tears poured down Natsu's cheeks as he clutched his uncle's shirt in his tiny hands, sobbing. "Shhhhhhh it's ok buddy" Atlas said trying to comfort the small child in his arms, "I got you, nothing's going to-" Atlas was cut short as a sudden coughing fit hit him.
Natsu leaned back in shock as he watched his uncle's body convulse with his coughs, Natsu's eyes wide and shiny from his tears. "U-Uncle?" he asked, worried about his uncle having his 4th coughing fit of the day. Atlas held a hand up to Natsu, "It's cough fine Natsu don't cough worry…" Atlas's voice trailed off as he glanced at the hand he had been using to cover his mouth.
Natsu followed his uncle's gaze until he saw what had caused his uncle to stop what he was saying.
His uncle's right hand, the one he used to cover his mouth, had a pool of blood in the palm of his hand. Atlas stared fearfully at the crimson liquid before looking up at Natsu, fear clearly written across his face.
"Call 911 Nat-" Atlas started but was unable to finish as his eyes suddenly rolled back in his head and he slumped back against the couch.
"Uncle?" Natsu said, shaking his unconscious uncle's shoulders.
"Uncle w-wake up this isn't funny!" Natsu cried, the tears started rolling down his face once again.
Panicking, Natsu grabbed the home phone that was sitting on a nearby table and quickly dialed 9-1-1 (the emergency services number for those who don't use 9-1-1).
"9-1-1 what is your emergency?" a monotone voice came over the other end of the line.
"HELP, MY UNCLE COUGHED UP BLOOD AND NOW HE WON'T WAKE UP!" Natsu cried into the phone, he heard the voice on the other end curse slightly. "Listen to me ok little guy? I'm sending help right away alright, so just stay where you are" the voice instructs him.
Natsu sucked in a quick breath and nodded, "O-Ok"
The world around him began to blur and everything seemed to go by in a flash, the sirens, driving to the hospital, sitting in the waiting room outside the surgery room. Until eventually he was lead into an almost empty room that consisted of a single bed, a chair, and a bunch of strange beeping machines.
At first he wondered why he was lead into this weird room but once he saw his uncle in the bed, all wonders went out the window. Natsu rushed over to the hospital bed and climbed up onto the chair so that he could see his uncle.
Cautiously he glanced back at the doorway and was met with the stares of the nurse and some business looking lady with a clip board.
A startling cough brought his attention back to his bed-ridden uncle. Reaching over, Natsu took his uncle's hand in his own.
"Uncle what's going on?" Natsu asked as he was met with the weak gaze of his unusually pale uncle.
"I'm sick Natsu" Atlas says, his voice coming out as a weak whisper.
Natsu looked pleadingly at his uncle, "But you'll get better…..right?"
Atlas shook his head, "No Natsu I won't, you see, I don't have much time left-"
"Why?" Natsu asked cutting Atlas off. The small boy had his head down, his shoulder shaking from his silent crying. "Why do you have to go too?" he asks heartbrokenly.
Atlas smiled softly at the boy he had come to think of as a son, "Fate works in many ways boy, and sometimes she sets us on a path that leads through many hardships". Atlas reached up and ruffled Natsu's soft pink locks, "A happy kid like you will do the world good, Natsu. Just you wait and see…."
Natsu glanced up at his uncle and sniffled, "I don't want you to go uncle" he said rubbing his eyes with the backs of his hands. "First mommy, then daddy, and now you!" Natsu said, his voice getting gradually louder. "How can I possibly be happy if I don't have a family?!" he cried, glaring at his lap.
Atlas smiled sadly at the teary mess in front of him, using what little strength he had left, he raised his hand above Natsu's head and lightly brought his fist down on his head.
The sudden bonk of his uncle's fist against his head made Natsu's breath hitch. Reaching up he took his uncle's hand off his head and held Atlas's larger hand in his own smaller ones.
"Natsu"
Natsu glanced up at his uncle at the sound of his name. Atlas smiled at him, "Make one" he says.
Natsu blinks the tears from his eyes and shoots his uncle a confused look.
"Make what, uncle?" he asks.
Atlas chuckles, "A family my dear boy, family isn't merely defined by blood" he says smiling, "a family is made of people who know you better than anyone else, they are people who stick with you through thick or thin, and most importantly…." Atlas paused making sure he had Natsu's full attention, "they are the people whom you hold dearest in your heart".
Natsu stared at his uncle, absorbing every word his uncle said. He frowned slightly, "but uncle I don't have anyone like that other than you" he argued.
Atlas smiled, he reached behind Natsu's head and pulled the boy's head closer before leaning forward and kissing the top of Natsu's head. Leaning back into the bed he chuckled at shocked look on his nephew's face, "You will someday Natsu, just you wait and see".
There was little warning before Natsu launched himself into his uncle's arms. The sudden impact winded Atlas slightly, but he didn't mind, instead he wrapped his arms once again around the now sobbing by and held him close.
Eventually all the crying left Natsu exhausted and he soon fell asleep in the safety of Atlas's arms.
Atlas smiled and pressed his forehead into the top of Natsu's head.
You'll have to go through many trails because of us Natsu, and for that I can never be more sorry Atlas thought to himself sadly. Atlas turned his gaze to the window and glared out at the night sky. You'd better be ready to watch over and guide this amazing kid, Igneel, or I swear when I get up there I'm going to kick your paranormal ass half way across hell.
A pit formed at the bottom of Atlas's stomach when he felt the edges of his vision begin to black.
With one final glance at his salmon haired nephew, Atlas's eye's slid shut for a final time.
"Good luck buddy"
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Natsu awoke to an annoyingly long continuous beep coming from one of the machines attached to his uncle.
"Mmm uncle what's that noise?" he mumbled rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
…
"Uncle?"
…...
Natsu looked up at the "resting" figure of his uncle. His eyes once again began to swell with tears. Behind him, Natsu could hear the sound to the door opening and people rushing in, but he couldn't find it in him to care.
"Uncle, wake up!" he cried, shaking one of Atlas's arms to 'wake him up'
"Get him out of here" Natsu heard a woman behind him say and a pair of large arms wrapped around Natsu.
His immediate reaction was to fight back. "Let go of me!" he cried as he kicked against his captors hold. Unfortunately for him, his captor was much stronger than him and was easily following their orders.
"Uncle help me!" he cried reaching out for his uncle in a futile attempt to reach him.
Standing next to his uncle were two nurses and the business lady from before. One of the nurses took his uncle's wrist in her hand and pressed against it. A moment passed before she shook her head, both she and the other nurse grabbed an end of the blanket and pulled it up so that it covered his uncle's face.
No, i-it can't…Natsu felt his whole world shatter as the door to the hospital room closed behind him and his captor.
"UNCLE!"
2 Days Later…
Natsu found himself standing in front of the gates that lead to "New Beginnings Orphanage" or at least that's what the archway over the gate said.
He looked over at his case worker Susan, the business woman from the hospital, and glared accusingly at her.
"You said I was going home" he said, venom practically dripping from his voice as his glare was met with a sickly sweet smile.
"Oh but honey, this is your home!" Susan said in a way too peppy voice. Natsu just glared at her, and picked his bag of belongings up off the ground and trudged towards the gate. He had been arguing with that happy-go-lucky woman for the whole of yesterday and had learned that there was no way out of what was happening to him.
That didn't mean he had to be happy about it.
"Don't you worry sweetie, you'll absolutely LOVE it here! Why just the other week I-"
"Hey Susan?" Natsu said cutting her off.
"Yes darling? What is it?"
Natsu paused before turning and shooting her his coldest, darkest, most hateful glare.
"Fuck off would you?"
Susan's cheerful expression dropped as her jaw practically smacked against the sidewalk. Any other time, Natsu would have laughed at her expression but he didn't feel like laughing anymore. Heck he didn't really feel like doing anything anymore.
Wordlessly Natsu turned on his heel and marched up the concrete steps that led to the bright red door of his "home".
With one final glance at the sunny sky above him, Natsu opened the door and walked inside. The person he had once been was forgotten.
There was no more Natsu Dragneel, son of Igneel, happy kid that lived with his equally cheerful uncle Atlas while his dad served over seas.
Now there was only Natsu Dragneel, an orphan, silent and alone.
Author's Notes
THE STORY GETS HAPPIER I PROMISE!
Hey everybody hope you liked the first chapter of my new story! For those who follow the things I write then you know I am currently fighting a sickness that causes major depression.
It was suggested to me to write a story that could help me let out some of that negative energy. So I thought of doing this one.
TELL ME IF YOU LIKED THE STORY AND I SHALL CONTINUE IT!
NEXT CHAPTER! CHAPTER 2: LUCY'S DISPAIR