Natsu had woke up screaming and crying his head off. The burns that had been numbed earlier once again started to make it feel like fire was dancing all over his skin. Zeref sat in the corner quietly watching the nurses sooth and work on his younger brother. The wails didn't stop though, they kept bouncing off the wall, bouncing back into his ears making him wince. Finally, the cluster pulled away, revealing a crying little boy, who was reaching out for someone. No made a move though to go hug him. Zeref couldn't help but silently agree with what everyone else was thinking: he wasn't calling for them or him. "Mommy!" he screamed, thrashing his arms around. "Daddy! It hurts!" he wailed, arching his back in pain.

"Hold him down before he reopens the wounds." one of the nurses snapped as they moved around the small child once again. Trying not to trip over his own feet, the elder brother made his way through the small crowd of woman until he met the gaze of Natsu. Once seeing him, the boy bursted out in relief cries.

"Zeref! Zeref!" he sobbed, reaching his arms up to be held. Holding back his own tears, the said boy crawled into the bed and pulled the small boy to his chest, rocking back and forth. Looking up, he realized the nurses had backed away, giving the two brothers space.

"We'll leave you two alone..." one whispered, dipping her head at them.

"But we should tell you," another piped up from the back. "That, you are being taken to a foster home tomorrow." at that, they all left, leaving Zeref tensed up with fear as he felt Natsu's breath tickle his ear.

"Foster...home...?" he asked, his lungs allowing him to breathe more smoothly. "What...are they talking...about...?"

Sucking in a sharp breath, the boy looked into his brothers eyes, which was filled with utter confusion.

"Where's Mommy...and Daddy...?" his brother whimpered, trying to sit up to look around the room. "Where..."

"Um...well...they're asleep.." Zeref hiccuped, covering his mouth tightly. How was he supposed to explain this to his six year old brother, who had entered the fire wit his parents only to come out not knowing he was the only one to have survive it?

"Asleep...will they wake up soon? So I can...see them..?"

"No..." the boy whispered, swallowing down the cries that pleaded to rip out of his throat. "They're going to sleep forever. They're...they're not coming to wake up, Natsu." Zeref explained, sniffing hard. "They're in the stars now, and, that's the better place they deserve to be in."

"So they're...dead?" those shocking, straight forward words choked the older boys neck tightly, making those aching tears in his eyes finally rain down his cheeks.

"Yes," he choked out, small sounds escaping his lips. "They're gone, they're dead." squeezing his eyes shut, he silently cursed himself for breaking down like this. He was supposed to be the big brother, the one who was supposed to be strong for the younger one.

Warm, small fingers ran over his cheeks, making Zeref flinch, his eyes opening slowly to see Natsu wiping his older brother eyes. Sniffling himself, the younger brother gave him a weak smile. "Don't cry, Zeref. Like you said...they're in a better place.." he whimpered, burying his face into his brothers chest. Wrapping his arms around him, he tried to smile himself when he continued. "Plus, as long...as we have..each other...we'll be okay...right?"

"Right.."

Natsu took a deep breath, only to make him wince as pain exploded in his chest. His older brother was in the corner, fiddling with a locket that hung around his neck. If he had remembered correctly, their father had given him the necklace, for luck. He had promised Natsu the same thing, which had made the small boy be excited to be ten years old. Zeref got his exactly when the younger brother had just turned three, making him remember the seven year difference between the two. Natsu was born unexpectedly, none of the Dragneel's had planned for another child to look after.

But we never regretted having you. His mothers voice sang in his head. All over again, he was in his mothers lap, over hearing Zeref yelling at his parents.

"If you didn't have, Natsu! Maybe things would be a little easier!" his brother cried, running out of the room and into his own room, slamming the door shut. Sighing, his father ran his hand through his hair.

"Will he be alright dear?" his wife asked, worry coating her voice.

"Yes, he's just upset that he wasn't accepted into that program, especially because we didn't have enough money to pay for half of it." the man soothed, shaking his head in disappointment. "He should know better though."

"Did I make Zewef upswet?" a small Natsu asked, tears glistening in his eyes. Breathing out, the slender woman approached her youngest son and held him up, sitting down on the floor, setting him on her lap.

"Oh no, sweetie. Zeref isn't upset because of you." she cooed, kissing his forehead while moving his bright salmon hair that matched hers aside.

"Am I ah miwsake?" the child whimpered, small cries erupting out of his mouth.

"Of course not. Yes, we didn't expect you to come, but we never regret having you. Zeref feels the same way." she smiled cheerfully.

"Weally..."

"Really." she giggled, rubbing her nose against his. "You're my little dragon, and you made us all happy that you came into our lives."

Shaking his head, Natsu tried to get rid of the memory of the happy woman who he used to squeal at happily. Perking his head up when he heard the door creak open, he squeezed his lips together tightly when he saw a woman dressed in black poke her head in. "Excuse me, are you the Dragneel brothers?" the woman smiled gently, stepping into the room while she straightened her shirt. Zeref nodded slowly, lifting his chin up.

"Yes, I'm Zeref, and this is Natsu." he explained politely, reaching his hand out. Giggling, she shook it firmly smiling.

"Such a gentle man, it's great to meet you both. My name is April, and I'm the person who runs the foster home you two are going to be in. Now, you will both be in there till someone is willing to adopt both of you. We do not intend to go and separate you both, so you don't need to worry about that." she smiled, nodding at them. "Now, if you're both ready to go, let's be on our way?" Nodding, Zeref took Natsu's hand and led him out of the room.

Natsu's eyes widened when the car came to a stop, a tall, white, house loomed over them. Hopping out of the car, the small boy looked at his older brother excitedly. "Zeref! Have you ever seen a house so big?!" he squealed, running up to the front door. Trailing behind them, April giggled softly.

"This is the house you will be staying in. There are some other kids around here, so please be kind. I don't want any fights, or you will be transferred." the woman warned, waving her hand to the front door. Pulling out a key, the woman unlocked the door revealing a young man walking around with empty dishes in her hands. His eyes lit up when he saw the three. "Mom! I was just picking up the dishes that the others had left, they're all upstairs doing their homework." he explained happily, blinking when he felt the others gazes. "Oh...hello there." he smiled at them.

"Zeref, Natsu, this is my son who is helping out, his name is Riku." April smiled proudly at him. "Riku, these are the new recruits. Here we have Zeref, and Natsu, they'll be staying with us for a bit. So, maybe after you put those dishes down you can show these two to their new room." April explained, ruffling the boys hair before walking into the other room, small voices speaking up loudly in happy voices. Glancing at his brother, Natsu swallowed hard when he saw him roll his eyes in disgust.

Riku came back out a few seconds later, a wide smile on his face that looked identical to his mothers. "Well, let's get you two settled in and ready to go." he laughed, shaking his white hair from side to side as he led the bothers up the stairs into a small room that had a bunkbed. Gasping, Natsu ran up and squealed loudly as he ran up to the beds and plopped down on the bottom part.

"I call bottom bunk!" he laughed, kicking his feet in the air happily.

"He's a cutie," Riku whispered, watching the small boy with gleaming eyes. Looking up to him, Zeref secretly growled before nodding.

"He sure is..." walking up, Zeref leaned down and hugged his little brother tightly. "Together?"

"Together!"

Luvviez: Hewwo my little ones. Here's the second chapter! I hope it's good, don't want it to seem too boring for a while xD