Author's Notes: I was expecting some unhappiness regarding the insanely quick jump from fighting Oración Seis to fighting Freed, but looks like I was worried over nothing. For those disappointed by my lack of Naruto/Mirajane love, here it is. Now you guys will probably rant at how sudden the jump into the relationship is...

This is THE most awkward chapter I've written, even worse than chapter 7. It reveals everything about the Naruto that I've been trying to write, and I hope it's consistent with what you guys have been seeing thus far. I used Makarov as the device to unveil Naruto, and I hope he fits. He's the only character I can think of that can pull this off properly, given his wisdom and proximity to Naruto as Ráfaga and as himself.

Oh, and I forgot to warn you guys about the swearing in the previous chapter. It's a bit too late now, but the story was rated M from the beginning to anticipate this, so I hope no one was too shocked/upset by the cursing. I thought it was appropriate for Naruto's mindset at that moment.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Fairy Tail.

Chapter 14: Heart to Heart (X784)

Mirajane was glad everything had settled down. After the battle, Kurama and her brought the defeated members of Fairy Tail back to the guild headquarters for treatment. Elfman, Cana and herself were positively healthy compared to Freed. Porlyusica had healed them all up, and declared Freed to require bedrest for at least a month, maybe more. The damage Naruto wrought upon him was horrifying; he had his entire chest nearly caved in. His entire ribcage was practically shattered, and his organs all suffered from the blunt trauma inflicted. Internal bleeding was a given, with how Naruto manhandled the green-haired mage. Mirajane was relieved she managed to stop Naruto in time, before he ended up killing Freed.

Somehow, she didn't think he would regret that decision. He had broken ties with Fairy Tail, and his actions no longer reflected on the guild. Yet, it made her heart swell to know that he had returned to save her and fought Freed for them. But his cruel words after that hurt her immensely. She had tried so hard to forgive him for lying to everyone about Lisanna, and overcame that hurdle when she finally calmed down enough to see things from his point of view.

Logically speaking, he was right on every account. She didn't have the information he possessed, but based on what he revealed, it would turn disastrous even if they succeeded in rescuing Lisanna. He even mentioned war, something no one in Fiore had any experience with. Did one person's safety justify the deaths of thousands? The answer to that was a firm no.

There was no guarantee Lisanna was still alive, either. It was a sobering thought after the initial dash of hope, but Mirajane kept the tiny flame alive in her heart. During this period of introspection, she realised what Naruto had been doing during that moment when he was fighting Jose. With everyone running on adrenaline, stressed and upset, he deliberately made himself out to be a villain. After he saved her from death, she was sure that he had really just been taking advantage of the situation to make a clean break from Fairy Tail. He must've felt guilty about masquerading as Aria and letting things devolve to the state they were in, and saw the chance to embellish the extent of his deception to the point where even she was turned away.

That was why she was currently seated in the medical room of the guild, beside Makarov's bed. On the opposite side of the room was Freed, bedridden and bandaged even more than Gajeel and Natsu. The two obstinate dragon slayers had refused to stay in bed, and were wandering about outside with the rest of the guild. The balding guild master was awake, and smiled cheerfully at Mirajane's presence.

"Mira-chan, how are you?" Makarov greeted jovially.

"I'm fine, Master. Just a few scratches," she returned the smile, gesturing at her own patched up state. "I just…I just need some advice."

"Don't be shy to ask, Mira-chan. This old man may be feeble in body, but his mind is still strong," Makarov tapped his temple, a mock serious look on his face.

Mirajane clapped her hand to her mouth, suppressing a giggle. Composing herself, her smile dimmed a little as she tried to put her thoughts into words. "Master…Rá-Naruto came back today. He appeared out of nowhere, and saved me from falling to my death when I was fighting Freed. He…he roughed up Freed quite badly until I stopped him."

"I suppose you talked to him then?" Makarov guessed.

Mirajane nodded. "He said some hurtful things that I think he didn't really mean. He said that he didn't care for any of us, that he returned only to honour an agreement he made with you, Master, about protecting the guild. He told me that Ráfaga never existed, that he was a lie. But I think he's lying about the lie to keep us at arm's length. What is your opinion on this, Master?"

"He's not wrong, not in his own mind anyway," Makarov answered unsurely. "I believe he always intended Ráfaga to be a separate part of him, compartmentalised in his head so that when he leaves us, he won't feel regret. There's probably paranoia too. He's afraid of people knowing his real name, his real abilities and whatnot. His mindset simply refuses to allow others to see his real self. But even with all his skill, no one can just block out the emotions experienced and leave his real personality untainted. He does care for us, in a weird, twisted manner. Pay no heed to his words. He's obviously aiming to put distance between all of us and him."

"Then, about Lisanna…what did he really feel when he made the decision to hide the truth?" Mirajane asked softly.

"I think he was torn. He values his loved ones, and definitely considered Fairy Tail as his family in a way. But he tries to fashion himself as a man who could make the logical, difficult choices no one else could, so he kept his promise to himself by hiding the truth," Makarov inferred. "He was prepared…no, even welcoming the day when he could let the truth out, and be castigated for his choices. That's the kind of man he's turned into, behind his veneer of good cheer as Ráfaga. Someone who longs for punishment to atone for the transgressions he feels he'd committed when he left his world behind."

"That's…that's impossible. No one could possibly be so…" Mirajane murmured, horrified.

"So broken up? Even just from the snippets that he let leak to me, I can tell he's had a tragic life, enduring enough tribulations to last a hundred lifetimes. He's a complex man, Mira-chan. I can't claim to understand or empathise with him, but I have been making conjectures and drawing my own conclusions now that I don't have to worry about my grown-up children anymore," Makarov stared unblinkingly at the ceiling. "He's a deeply troubled person, haunted by his past. It's something I noticed, but failed to address early on. Now, I'm afraid I'm no longer able to do anything about his state of mind. But you can, Mira-chan."

Mirajane pursed her lips as she stared into her lap. "Can I really? So do you…do you think he meant it when he said there was nothing between him and I? Was I never able to reach his heart at all?"

"No, you definitely got to him. Your close proximity to him after Lisanna's disappearance had its effect. Everyone could tell the two of you were growing closer as he helped with your healing," Makarov said soothingly, his hand reaching out from underneath his blanket to pat Mirajane's clenched fists comfortingly. "He's afraid of love."

"How can anyone be fearful of love?" Mirajane whispered. "Did…did he lose people he loved? He…he told me something like that, but after all these secrets tumbled out, I don't know if they were just words to encourage me to move on, or the truth."

"According to him, he lost all of them, one way or another. Did he tell you that?" Makarov replied, receiving a confirmation nod from Mirajane. "Then I guess it's most likely true. But that's not why he's afraid. He's not scared of the pain that comes with losing someone he cares for. He's frightened of experiencing happiness, because he thinks he doesn't deserve a shot at love."

"W-What?" the ivory-haired girl exclaimed, startled.

"That's what I think, anyway. Guilt is the primary emotion he operates on, and on a subconscious level at that. He isn't even conscious of it," Makarov chuckled sadly. "But it's there, festering over the years to form something cancerous. It's been eating away at him, but he never confided in anyone about it. Maybe he didn't want to burden others. Or perhaps he was just too paranoid to trust anyone. But in order for him to let go and move on, he needs to forgive himself. And I think someone needs to be there to help him through the process."

"You are suggesting that I approach him about this? He'll just push me away again," Mirajane said despairingly.

"He's still in town, right?" Makarov asked, receiving an affirmative nod.

"Levy saw him returning to his house when she went to look for Jet and Droy."

"That means he probably has something for me. I'll soften him up for you," Makarov grunted, grumbling under his breath. "Silly brat, pretending not to care means you have to stop helping us out. Idiot."

The door to the medical room opened, and a heavily bandaged Laxus stood in the frame, looking rather downcast. Mirajane stood up gingerly, excusing herself from the impending talk between Dreyars. As she passed the morose blond, she gave him a sympathetic pat to the arm. "Good luck."

As for Makarov, the old man suppressed a sigh as he once more prepared to cut his heart to ribbons for the sake of the guild.

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The Fantasia Parade, for all the chaos that preceded it not hours ago, had proceeded along swimmingly. Erza smiled in satisfaction as everyone was collapsed in the wrecked guild hall in various hilarious poses, drunk and happily snoring away. Only she and the master were still awake, and this provided a perfect opportunity for her to pose him a couple of questions that she had been dying to ask. Winding through the mess of splayed limbs and contorted bodies, she finally stood before the venerable man, seated on the bar counter with his pipe in hand. She could tell that Makarov seemed to have anticipated the upcoming dialogue.

"Master," Erza began hesitantly. "Do you mind if I clarify a few things with you?"

"I'm sure you have plenty of questions for me," Makarov remarked, taking a puff of his pipe. "Go on."

"Did you know about Mystogan's identity?" the crimson-haired woman asked bluntly. Makarov gave her a slow nod, indicating his prior knowledge. Erza would have felt betrayed had she not known about Makarov's love for everyone in his guild. He would never willingly harm a member of Fairy Tail for as long as he lived, physically or emotionally. "May I know why you hid it from me?"

"It wasn't really my choice to make. It was Mystogan's himself. Although, I'd wager that his teacher had something to do with that decision," Makarov huffed, an angry pout on his wrinkled features. "If it were up to me, I would have seated the both of you down to hash things out, but against my better judgement, I let things be. I thought I could rely on Naruto to do the right thing, but it appears I was deceived too."

"What do you mean by that, Master?" Erza queried, associating the name to Ráfaga. "How did he deceive you? How did Mystogan's teacher influence him?"

"I believe I told everyone about how he did shadowy work for me. What I never said was what brought such an arrangement on," the guild master sighed, feeling miserable just thinking of the man. "Only four people aside from myself know anything of Naruto's past. The thing is, he's not from Earthland."

"You mean…"

"Yes. He's from another world, maybe even another universe. I have no idea, and he doesn't either. But what matters, is that his former world was pervaded by warfare and conflict since the beginning of time. His world was on…possibly beyond the cusp of obliteration. He initiated a dangerous technique to try and change things, but ended up here with us," Makarov explained. "He's a ninja, and I'm not joking on this matter. His people dealt with subterfuge, espionage and assassinations on a regular basis. Their entire way of life was based around covert activities."

"So that explains his propensity for deceit," Erza mused aloud.

"In a sense, it does. I believe there's more depth to the man than just a habit for pretence, but that's not something for me to share," Makarov commented, before continuing his exposition. "When he arrived on our humble world, he was found most fortuitously by Porlyusica, who recommended Fairy Tail to him. I shudder to think if someone of his abilities were to be aligned with the dark guilds. From there, he made an offer to me. He would provide his abilities as a service to me, in exchange for a sanctuary."

"So why did he mask his identity from us if he sought to establish a home here?" Erza asked in curiosity.

"Paranoia, in my opinion. Before he reached us, he was a hunted man, alone and against the odds. When you are trying desperately to save the world, while being chased around the globe by the tyrant who controlled said world, anyone would develop a healthy sense of paranoia. For people of his profession, it's probably even worse," Makarov said, pity evident in his voice. "As a result, when he met Mystogan, he left his indelible mark on the kid. Mystogan mimicked his teacher, and would rather hide his face than confront the issue of his identity with you."

"I see…do you know where Mystogan has gone, Master? I think it will be good for us to clear the air as soon as possible," Erza enquired.

Makarov shook his head at that. "Not a clue, but I believe Naruto is back in town. He may be cognizant of Mystogan's whereabouts. I suppose you remember where he stays?"

"Yes I do…wait, he's back in Magnolia Town?" Erza knitted her eyebrows. "When did he arrive?"

"According to Mira, right when she was about to fall to her death, after Satan Soul deactivated in the midst of her battle," Makarov shrugged, relaying all his information. "He appeared out of nowhere to catch her, and proceeded beat up Freed. Mira also thinks he was the one to put you to sleep and take down Thunder Palace."

"So it was he, and not Mystogan…" Erza murmured, thinking back to the events a few hours prior.

During the confrontation with Laxus, she had been blindsided by the Mystogan-is-Jellal revelation. After she left the three dragon slayers to duke it out, she attempted to take down Laxus's Thunder Palace with the rest of the guild. Instead, she was put to sleep before anything could happen. She woke up after everything was over, only to find out from Warren Rocko that before he could organise the guild members, all the lacrima orbs were destroyed at one go. She initially thought it had been Mystogan who used his Sleep Magic on her, but on hindsight, Naruto was just as likely a culprit. After all, he was likely the one to help Mirajane and Mystogan with learning Sleep Magic.

"Thank you for entertaining me, Master," Erza bowed. "I bid you a good night. I have some things to contemplate."

"I'm sure you do."

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"For the last time, Naruto, stop sneaking into my room at night," Makarov whined, as he entered his bedroom. "Mirajane told me about your intervention in her fight with Freed. I thought that was a very convenient way back into the guild that you spurned there."

"I'm not here to discuss my place in Fairy Tail, or what I did yesterday," Naruto snorted, leaning against the wall beside the door. "I was investigating what's left of the Tower of Heaven, and I came into contact with Oración Seis. They were looking for Jellal's body. One of them said they wanted to achieve enlightenment. A dark guild, seeking enlightenment? I think it's a veiled reference to Nirvana, which Racer didn't expect me to figure out. I think something needs to be done about this, and urgently at that."

"What do you suggest then? We organise a hunting party for one of the smallest dark guilds in existence? We wouldn't even have a fool's hope of tracking them," Makarov scoffed dismissively, before his eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Unless you already have something in place?"

"I planted a temporary Hiraishin tag on Midnight when I was fighting him," Naruto answered promptly, crossing his arms. "It's not going to last much longer, but I had his location pinned to somewhere in the Worth Woodsea, near Cait Shelter. Given that's where Nirvana is most likely to reside, I think they must be ready to begin their plans. We have to stop them before the whole world is plunged into madness."

"And why do you care anyway?" Makarov sighed heavily, removing his jester hat of the day. "I thought you said you don't belong because you're not from this world. You don't have to risk life and limb for a world and a people whom you have no attachments to, no?"

"Damn it, Makarov, stop dragging my supposed problems into every discussion!" Naruto roared, slamming his fist against the wall. The plaster cracked from the impact as Naruto's chest heaved with all his repressed exasperation. "I'm just one person! I don't need your concern, not when the entire world is about to go to hell! I can handle my own shit! Aren't you one of the Wizard Saints? Don't you have some responsibility to the people? Get your ass in gear and do something about the villains about to destroy your world! Fuck my supposed issues!"

"No. I told you before that we have to talk, and we will. Oración Seis can wait until I'm done with you," Makarov said with finality. "And I won't budge or allow you to leave until I deem our conversation over."

"And how are you going to stop me?" Naruto responded sarcastically, glaring at his former master.

Makarov folded his arms, returning the stare unflinchingly. "I've been informed of your new title. You might be a Wizard Saint now, but I am still higher-ranked than you. I've forgotten more magic than you've learnt. Look, I had to excommunicate my son and my grandson. I'm not about to lose another one of my children without a fight, metaphorically or literally."

"You will fight me and demolish your house just to talk to me about the problems you think I have?" the blond asked incredulously. "Are you senile?"

"That's what you seem to have assumed since you stepped into this place ten years ago," Makarov frowned fractionally. "Did you not recognise that I'm not some doddery old fool, or did you let my outwardly appearance deceive you like yours deceived everyone else, or so you claim? I'm one of the Ten Wizard Saints, as you proclaimed so heatedly. Please don't underestimate me any more."

"Fine, if that's how you want to play it," Naruto huffed in resignation. "What do you want me to say? That I shouldn't have left? That I should have kept mum? That I should apologise for not telling everyone about Lisanna? She's in Edolas now, and there's nothing we can do to bring her back without causing massive upheavals."

"No, that's not what I wanted to talk about. I'm not interested in what you do, or what you did. I want to talk about your attitude," Makarov replied gently. "Mira-chan recounted your words to me, and I've come to a very simple conclusion. I should never have accepted that offer. I should have forced you to join Fairy Tail under your real name, prevented you from doing whatever operations you felt were necessary for you and only you to perform. I neglected you for my other children, and I've come to regret that oversight of mine."

"And what do you think is wrong with my attitude? I don't see anything wrong with the way I deal with things or people," Naruto furrowed his brow, his tone defiant.

Makarov shook his head, a soft sigh escaping his lips. "Your attitude towards life, Naruto, is what I'm driving at. You never forgave yourself for leaving your world, did you?"

"That has nothing to do with how I choose to live my life here," Naruto stiffened, indignant, only to be interrupted by a bitter chuckle from Makarov. "I think I know myself better than you do, old man. You only saw Ráfaga, a single facet of me. Hell, it's not even a reflection of the real Naruto. I'm the only one who knows the complete me, the real me."

"You're wrong. You have no understanding of your true feelings, hidden in the depths of your heart. Shall I explain it all to you?" Makarov smiled genially.

"Fine, go ahead," Naruto sighed in exasperation, allowing Makarov to begin his monologue.

Makarov took a deep breath as he began to speak, watching Naruto's nervous eyes carefully. "When you first came to our world, all you could think of was how you didn't deserve to be a part of the peace we enjoy. You felt that you had essentially betrayed your loved ones, and consequently, you ought to be punished for abandoning them. You became a masochist yearning for punishment, even death. You mentioned enjoying fights with difficult opponents before, didn't you? I think that's a symptom of your desire to die, and not your attempt to embrace Fairy Tail's unofficial ethos."

"You didn't craft Ráfaga consciously. Or rather, Ráfaga was moulded spontaneously by your encounter on the very first day with Cana. You saw her alone, and you must have felt a certain kinship with her. You couldn't bear to see someone as lonely as you were before. You felt you had to do something about it, and so assumed the friendliest persona you could think of, based off maybe someone from your past. In your heart, she became the replacement for your people, someone you can protect wholeheartedly, to fulfil a deep-seated wish to keep someone precious safe. Your guilt towards your loved ones only increased your desire to keep her safe and happy, to give her what you couldn't give your loved ones.

You didn't reveal much of your real self to her, because you were paranoid from your days as a ninja. You were afraid of people knowing whom you really were, knowing all your abilities and your weaknesses. You also wanted to believe that you weren't Ráfaga; that you couldn't be as carefree as he was, as friendly as he was, as merry as he was. You didn't want to receive the happiness that Ráfaga enjoyed. You didn't want to accept that Ráfaga, despite being an alter ego, was still you. You wanted to compartmentalise him, to keep him separate from the rest of your 'real' self, so that you can leave the guild at any moment with no regrets.

And then you left clues for Cana, didn't you? You expected her to find out about your clandestine activities, but you didn't actually want her to accept you despite the things you did. Deep down, you wanted her to reject you. You wanted her to scream and rave and rage at you, and disown you as a brother. You wanted her to abandon you, just like how you felt you abandoned your loved ones. You thought that by the time Cana grew old enough to understand and decipher the information you fed her over the years, she would be mature enough to strike out on her own. She would have friends to support her through the painful process of separating from her surrogate brother. You wanted to be hurt as much as you felt you hurt your people.

That's also why you were so easily busted by Mirajane when she followed you, and by Erza when she fought you as Aria. Erza told me she managed to uncover your deception when she cut up your coat. The coat was imbued with Transformation Magic, right? I bet you do that for every other infiltration. You had a cloak for Maelstrom as well, didn't you? You purposely chose to use your coats and cloaks as the shield for your identities, but even for an idiot, that must be the silliest idea ever. You would want any magic scripts to be placed as close to you as possible, as unexposed to the outside world as possible, to ensure you won't get caught. Truth is, like it was with Cana, you wanted to get caught. You wanted people to nab you, expose you, and condemn you for your actions. Maybe you even wanted to be incarcerated and executed.

Speaking of Mirajane, she was your reprieve and your sin. You never intended to get close to her, but you gravitated to her as she did you. Your guilt prevented you from having any serious relationships, because you felt unworthy of them. On the surface, yes, you did care for her wellbeing and everyone else's. Hiding your identity went a long way to keeping Fairy Tail safe from the wrath of the dark guilds. But you only used that as an excuse. You were just afraid of falling in love, of finding happiness with her. You didn't want to, because what you sought in Fiore was not happiness, but penance. You found yourself getting closer to her only because you couldn't help it. You were starved of affection, weren't you? To be so desperate as to try time travel of all things, you must really have lost everyone you cared for.

Like Cana, Mystogan was another person whom you identified with. He was a budding martyr, protecting people he didn't know from his own. You felt that he was much like you; stranded in another world, doing his best to protect it despite not originating from here. His apparent need to hide his true identity was the clincher that made you take him under your wing. You never had the opportunity to teach back in your world, I presume, but you had teachers. These teachers probably taught you things, and handed you their legacies. One of them was most likely seeking a world of peace. Given what tidbits about your world you dropped, I would hazard a guess and say that's roughly the dream of every single teacher you had, not just one of them.

From them, you received a lesson on the importance of handing down your dreams to the next generation. You learnt the value of peace, and yearned for it too. Your pessimistic views of the world told you that even in Fiore, there couldn't always be peace. You never intended to stay here forever, so you had to find someone to continue your dreams when the time came for you to leave. Mystogan was your answer to that. He was to be the saviour in the shadows, something you actively encouraged in him. Young and impressionable, he took your words to heart instead of just talking with Erza, settling the issue of his identity once and for all. You never intended to let him go back to Edolas, which is why you stalled on going there since you've met him. You are more than capable of helping him end the problem without fuss, but you never did.

But even as you taught Mystogan, you tried to establish peace on your own as Maelstrom. You went on missions to eradicate evil, to defeat dark guilds, to rid the world of pain and suffering. When I told you that Fiore was your new home, you took it to heart in your own way. You replaced your old home with Fiore in your mind, and dreaming of penance, you went about 'saving' Fiore from the darkness that existed within her. You never really cared for this world. It was a way for you to atone for your perceived failures, a way for you to alleviate the guilt that was entrenched so deeply inside your soul. Also, the missions I've seen you gone on, the missions you gave yourself…many of them are practically suicidal. Perhaps you hoped to die on one of these missions? So you can achieve penance? So you can rejoin your people in the afterlife?"

"That's…" Naruto began lamely, only to find himself struggling for a response. "That's only what you think."

"It's the truth. The truth you refuse to see, the truth you deny, the truth that you need to accept," Makarov insisted, before sighing deeply. "Look, I'm no psychiatrist, and you've buried all these things so deep inside you, not even you can see it yourself. I can only guess at your real mental state. But I'd like to think that I read you correctly."

"You have to accept that what's done is done, and learn to forgive yourself for something that's not your fault. Martyrdom is not the answer," Makarov concluded.

"So that's it then? I'm a masochist with suicidal tendencies, because I'm carrying overwhelming guilt? And what treatment do you propose, Makarov-sensei?" Naruto snorted snidely.

He was fidgeting uneasily as he said those words, clearly perturbed by how accurate Makarov's words seemed to describe him. Makarov couldn't help but feel a deep pang of sympathy for the blond ninja that stood before him, forced to carry the weight of the world alone, and willingly carried it even when he didn't need to anymore. "Talk to us. Tell us everything about your past, from your earliest memories to the last days of your time in your homeland. It doesn't have to be me. It can be anyone you trust. You've bottled everything up for a decade. It's time to let it all out."

Naruto was trembling as he straightened himself, and took a shaky breath to regain some composure. "I…I'll take your advice into consideration. And don't forget, Oración Seis."

"I will handle it," Makarov smiled warmly, as the man vanished. Shaken to the core, and yet still giving his all…humans have limits, Naruto. You don't have to shoulder every burden on your own. That's what your loved ones are there for. That's what Fairy Tail is about.

Family.

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Naruto laughed bitterly as he sat alone in the darkness of his home. It was such a strange feeling, to think of the house in Magnolia Town as home. Ten years was a long time; more than enough for Konoha to be a distant memory that he had trouble picturing at times. The people who made him who he was, the people who loved and cared for him; it was so difficult to pinpoint their looks now. All he had were the messages they left for him, ways of life that he took to heart. But he failed them, didn't he?

He failed to protect his precious people, as Haku taught him. He failed to establish the peace Jiraiya and his father believed he could. He abandoned his friends and comrades, the complete opposite of what Kakashi had taught him. He was the last man alive that was free of Madara's clutches. He was a partner of the greatest of the nine bijū. He had a responsibility, a duty to uphold. But he failed.

Was it so wrong to fault himself? Madara was the perpetrator, but failing to fulfil his obligations to the world was just as much of a crime. He had the power to change things, but he effectively left his people to suffer while he went gallivanting around Earthland, happy as a clam. How could he justify such actions, when his people were dead or suffered under the thrall of Mugen Tsukuyomi?

Makarov's talk had shaken him to the core, as the various layers of his psyche were torn off crudely until he was stripped bare. He really didn't want to believe a single word that came out of the guild master's mouth, but he couldn't refute them anymore. His mind replayed Makarov's address in his head over and over again, and it made too much sense for Naruto to deny. The realisation made him feel so weak; only weak-minded people would have been controlled by self-inflicted guilt for so long. Was he really that pathetic? He didn't remember if there was a time in his life when he had been such a wreck of a man, living a wretched existence like this.

Where was the headstrong child who never backed down, who brushed off failure without a second thought? Where was the teenager who vowed never to regret his actions, to move forwards without casting a second glance back? Was he really just using the members of Fairy Tail as substitutes for his own lost loved ones? He hurt them so he could hurt himself. When did he become so selfish, so self-absorbed that he would cast innocent people as actors in his drama of tragedy? When did his life start to revolve around punishment, around a masochistic desire to experience the worst sort of psychological trauma he could throw at himself? Did every action of his, stem from his subconscious need to alleviate his guilt?

Trapped in a whirlwind of self-reproach, he didn't even have the energy to get up when he heard the soft clink of keys, and the sound of the tumblers turning in the lock. His door creaked open slowly, the soft moonlight streaming in behind the figure. But Naruto would recognise that hair anywhere, as Mirajane stepped into his home, shutting the door gently behind her. Darkness returned to envelop the living room in its cold embrace, but Mirajane knew the place like the back of her hand. Briefly, Naruto wished she had thrown away her copy of the key after their falling out, so she couldn't be there to speak to him.

Mirajane sat down beside him on the couch, but he couldn't muster the strength to push her away again. He stiffened as a pair of warm arms wrapped around his upper torso from the side, and a head leaned upon his shoulder. His arm was trapped between two soft globes of flesh as he shuddered, unable to deny the comfort that her soft hug gave his tortured soul. Mirajane's tuft of standing hair tickled his unclothed cheek, brushing over the faint whisker marks. He shut his eyes, swallowing deeply as he relaxed in her loving embrace, words of protest dying on his chapped lips.

"Did Makarov send you here?" Naruto finally spoke, his voice cracked and wobbly.

"In a sense, he was responsible. But even if he didn't, I would have come anyway," Mirajane replied. She didn't think he needed to hear any half-truths. What was required between them now was complete, utter honesty. "He told me a little bit about the burdens you've been carrying."

"It's not your weight to bear," Naruto mumbled. "You don't need to do this."

"But I want to. Is that so hard to comprehend? You are not alone, even if you think you ought to be," Mirajane murmured, tightening her hug a tad. "We care for you like you care for us. It's the job of family to support each other in times of need."

"But I don't even know if I really care for you, or I am just supplanting my love for my people on to you," Naruto choked, his hands clenching into fists on his lap.

Mirajane pressed her soft lips to the crook of his shoulder, planting a chaste kiss through the cloth of his shirt. "It doesn't matter. You can always learn how to love again."

"I'm not Ráfaga," Naruto argued weakly. "I can't be him anymore."

"You don't have to be. But as long as he's still inside here," Mirajane tapped his chest, above his beating heart. "Then it means that the sort of man whom I admired all this while still exists, inside of you. And as long as even a sliver of that man is around, I can learn to love all of you, from head to toe. In fact, I might grow to like this version of you better. Someone who can put everything on the line for the ones you love, someone who will carry that love to the ends of time…is someone who deserves to be treasured forever."

"I'm…I'm not worthy of your love. I hurt you. I hurt everyone," Naruto trembled, unbidden tears streaming down his face in rivulets. "And I failed my people. I should have stayed with them until I saved them or died trying. I can't…I can't protect you…"

"No, you didn't. You did everything you could. You said you even tried to travel through time, didn't you? You couldn't have done anything more," Mirajane retorted, squeezing the man as his body quivered from his silent sobs. "I think if they loved you like you loved them, they would have wanted you to move on. I still remember the words you spoke to me on the day Lisanna disappeared. You told me that even though she was gone, I still have family that I need to live for, family I couldn't abandon."

"You have family to live for too. We all need you back. Cana needs her brother back. Wakaba and Macao need their drinking partner back. Master needs his son back," Mirajane encouraged, a sweet smile on her lips as Naruto turned to face her, tear tracks staining his scarred cheeks. "I need you back. So please, don't abandon us. Come back to Fairy Tail."

"I…I don't deserve this. I don't…" Naruto sniffed, hand stretching forwards to wipe the scant droplets that leaked from the corner of Mirajane's eyes. "…I don't deserve you…"

"Love isn't deserved. Love is given without question," Mirajane's smile broadened, as she nestled Naruto's head into the crook of her neck.

She blinked back happier tears as the man's arms reached out to wrap around her waist loosely, shortening the distance between their bodies. Naruto's words, muffled and mumbled, reached her nonetheless. "T-Thank y-you."

"It will be difficult for me to learn to call you Naruto instead of Ráfaga…but I'm willing to try," Mirajane whispered, stroking the soft hairs at the nape of Naruto's neck. "Will you allow me to learn how?"

Will you let me shoulder your burdens? Will you let me understand your woes? Will you let me share your joy?

Will you let me into your heart?

He tightened his embrace.

Yes, I will.