*Violet's POV*

It took a long time for sleep to claim me, but once it had, I passed from night to day dreamlessly, making the morning come a lot quicker than I may have liked. I'd gone to bed early by my standards, but still managed to sleep late. By the time I woke, the early morning sun was already casting shadows around my room through the thin curtains.

I could sense August in the other room, calmly evaluating something while waiting for me to emerge. The heavy feel of magic in the air told me that he had his archive open, and I almost longed for the night where that had been the source of our biggest conflict, before I'd had to think about my own relevance in the world, or what it would mean to fight the organization that made me into what I was in the first place.

I took a deep breath and got dressed, finally working up the courage to go meet August, and face the walk to the guild hall that would surely follow. By the time we were out the door and on the street below, the gears were already turning in my head as to how to approach Natsu. Or better yet, how to make an excuse to avoid him altogether.

"Are you meeting with the master again today?" I asked, trying to sound conversational.

"Not sure yet." August shrugged, "Why? You wanna come with?"

His cheerfulness only made me feel more guilty about my convection to avoid anything related to the master, but all I gave was a noncommittal shrug.

"If you think it would help."

"Oh it would help tons," August said, "You know Takashi better than me."

I wondered if he was thinking of the little fact that Takashi had asked me to be his number two. Or more pressingly the way that I had with held that from him. I wasn't brave enough to ask.

"We could just go in there and stall," August offered, and I noticed his light hearted tone being peeled back to reveal something more important. "If you're trying to avoid anyone."

His insinuation was too on the nose to be a lucky guess. "What makes you think I'm avoiding someone?"

August was quiet for a moment, debating something in his head.

"You might as well tell me," I said. I already had an idea anyway.

"Laxus told me you had a little run in with Natsu." August sighed.

I knew it.

"He didn't go into details," August amended quickly, "and I was going to ask you about it last night but…"

"I distracted you." I finished.

"Yeah," August nodded, "You're good at that."

We walked a few more steps. I hadn't been looking forward to bringing Natsu up, but now that it was mostly out in the open, It felt a little good.

"I yelled at him a bit." I said, "he was…" he hadn't really been doing anything. Nothing that he hadn't done before anyway. "I was just overwhelmed."

"I'm sure it's not a big deal." August assured me, "he'd been supper into forgive and forget as far as I've seen."

"It was different this time." I said, "I think I...I actually hurt him."

August blinked.

"He reacted differently is all," I said, "he was upset, more than before. More even than when…" well no need to explain that.

"Well you don't have to solve it right away," August said, though I could tell he didn't really believe that. There were alarms sounding in his head at the thought of me and Natsu's relationship falling apart. Not that it had been the strongest thing ever in the first place. "I'm sure you can work it out," he added, though I knew he was only reassuring himself. And then another thought came to him. It was one that I had read before, but this time it slid into this head so naturally I could almost forget that it had only been his last resort before. The desire for help. For guidance. He was going to go to the master with my problems again.

Before I could think of a way to convince him not to, I saw that we had arrived at the guild hall. August opened the door for me, allowing me to pass inside in front of him. The first thing I did was scan the room for that unmistakable pink head. But to my confusion, and relief, Natsu was nowhere to be seen.

August stopped in beside me, scanning the room in much the same way I had, but pulling away when he came up with nothing. The master was also absent from his usual post at the bar.

August hesitated for a second, glancing around the room again. This time his eyes, and attention settled on a similar table. The same one I had fled from the day before, this time without Natsu and Happy.

Before I could protest he walked over to it, I placed my eyes firmly on the floor and followed meekly, preparing for an awkward situation. I felt each of the fairies notice our approach, looking up with mixed feelings, though most of them were warm.

"Mind if we join you?" August asked.

His voice was confident, but at the last moment I felt his resolve waver.

Lucy smiled at us "Of course," she said, "You don't have to ask."

August shrugged and took a seat. Despite, her words I knew he would still ask in the future.

I sat down next to him, blocking myself off from the rest of the group. I could feel their eyes on me from time to time, wondering why I had come. Wondering If August knew what had happened the day before. It could be that he had bought us here to try and make my talk to them, but it was more likely that they were simply the only people that had yet to arrive who really knew us.

The fairies continued a casual conversation about a restaurant somewhere in town. Their aura was inviting, but not forceful, and it wasn't hard to tell that August was distracted.

Every time the door opened he would look over at it, turning back to the others in disappointment when it turned out to Laki or Nab. I kept my eyes on the table in front of us, paying just enough attention to the conversation that I wouldn't make a fool of myself if they tried to draw me into it.

August may be looking for Laxus, or even the master. But I knew that whether I liked it or not, I was waiting for Natsu, and eventually he would arrive, and I would have to come up with something to say to him.

After only a few minutes of distracted conversation, the door opened again, and I felt August's stomach turn with anticipation. I turned to look at the door, and saw not one, but two of the people that I'd been hoping wouldn't arrive. Laxus and Natsu waited in the doorway, looking around the guild hall like they were sniffing out their next meal.

I felt Natsu's eyes move over me, as if barely registering that I was there at all. But Laxus's gaze lingered, sending a cold shiver down my spine. I felt my mouth go dry as they walked farther into the guild hall. Both August and I prepared for their approach, August going so far as to swing a leg out from the bench in preparation to stand.

But their next steps took them in another direction, and without another look towards us, both men walked to the bar, and then behind it, going together into what I could only assume was the master's office.

I knew I wasn't the only one that felt cold.

I knew it was a little ridiculous to immediately assume they were talking about me, but...I didn't like the idea of the three figures that I was the most uncomfortable around having a little powwow where I was even so much as mentioned, much less discussed.

I turned back to the table to see that the other's light hearted chatter had stopped, and they were all staring after Natsu too. Perhaps they had been expecting them to join us just as much as August and I had. Before anyone could say anything, or even acknowledge that it was strange, Happy appeared from the crowd and landed on the table, vanishing his wings as he looked around.

I did my best to melt into August's side, or the bench below me. Or both.

"What was that all about Happy?" Lucy asked.

The cat's eyes landed on me for the briefest of moments before he turned to the others again, "Laxus was waiting for us on the way here," he shrugged.

"What for?" Grey asked. His tone was casual as well, but it didn't quite match the curiosity I knew he was feeling.

"Natsu thought he wanted a fight," Happy said, generating a chorus of what seemed like exasperation.

"Of course he did…"

"What did Laxus really want?"

"He said that the master had a job for him." Happy said.

"Again?" asked Grey.

It took me a while to realize what was strange about this. Natsu was a strong member of the guild, it only made sense that he would be assigned lots of...but Fairy Tail didn't assign things, I reminded myself. The wizards here were allowed to choose their own work.

Again there were hints of eyes on me, but I had no idea what kind of job the Master would have given him, not to mention why Laxus would be the one to break the news.

"They wanted to talk to the master about something," Happy said, "it seemed important, so I stayed out of it."

The words more or less fell on deaf ears. Everyone had run off into their own little corner of their consciousness, thinking through what the master's reasons where.

I found myself doing the same, but I had a feeling I knew what the outcome would be. We all looked up when we heard a door open and close behind the bar. A moment later, Laxus, Natsu and the master emerged, looking grim, but feeling determined.

Before they'd even made it to the bar, I felt three sets of eyes on me, a pull, a request.

I stood from my seat.

"Violet?" August stood with me, but I'd already started making my way to the bar. I wasn't something to be gawked at, to be talked about behind closed doors. I wasn't just going to wait around for their inevitable invitation.

I approached the three men as confidently as I could, taking in the atmosphere, and preparing for a conversation. Natsu and Laxus both seemed confused, and a little taken back that I'd been the one to come to them.

The Master, as always, was harder to read, but if I didn't know any better I would say that he held the same Fairy Tail amusement that I had grown to hate.

"I was just going to call for you." he smiled.

"I gathered that," I said, risking a glance over at Natsu before focusing on the Master's forehead. I heard August finally catch up behind us, and felt the attention of the fairies I'd left behind just beyond them, but did my best to give them no attention.

"Natsu was specifically requested for a job," the master said, "it happens sometimes after the grand magic games."

I forced myself not to glance at Natsu.

"I believe that it's a job that could be greatly improved by using your skills." he added, offering the flier.

I took it, careful not to let my hands touch his. I felt August lean into read over my shoulder. It seemed to be from a rich family in Onibus. Their son was a fan of Natsu, and had nightmares. I stared at the paper for a moment, wondering if this was meant to be a joke, before realizing that the master had offered to me because Silvering could help, not because of my recent sleepless nights. I took a deep breath and shoved the paper behind me for August to finish.

"It's your choice." the master assured me.

I noticed Natsu start to rock back and forth on his heels unconsciously.

"But it's also good money."

August stepped forward and handed the job flier back to the master.

"I still have to wait here for Takashi." he said, "he expects me too-"

"I know." I said. If I agreed to this, it would be my and Natsu alone. But somehow the thought of it was a lot less terrifying than I'd thought it might be.

I did a quick read of Natsu, still not looking at him. He was antsy, ready to head out immediately, and, desperately trying to hide the fact that he wanted me to come.

I took a deep breath. This was clearly the master's final push to mend what he thought was a potentially good relationship. The job would be the determinant in whether or not it was worth it to try and keep forcing Natsu and I together.

On one hand, it would be awkward, and hard and exposing. On the other….regardless of if we came back as friends, the others would leave me alone about it.

I took a deep breath, as if preparing to sign my own death warrant.

"I'll do it."