*Chapter Fifty-Two: Breadwinner
(March 23rd, 2018, Friday Noon)
"Think it's ready yet?" Natsu asked, eyeing the oven mitts sitting on the counter.
Loke smiled, expertly kneading the dough in front of him, making sure it was mixing well. "Has the timer gone off yet?"
With a pout, Natsu mumbled, "No." He followed Loke's lead the best he could, wishing the dough wasn't sticky. On his first day he thought the dough would feel like Play-Doh, but he had been mistaken.
Loke had assured him it wasn't too sticky, and since he was considered the best bread maker in Hargeon, Natsu chose to believe him.
"We have five minutes left, then we can check it," Loke said, causing Natsu to grin.
"Awesome!"
Loke shook his head while the others in the bakery looked their way, startled by the commotion. He offered them a wave, telling them to go back to work before glancing at his dough again. "I think I'm going to make some banana bread soon. I bought some bananas but I'm not going to finish them before they get soft."
"I'd love some banana bread," Natsu said, closing his eyes as he imagined the taste.
Loke's baking skills were otherworldly. He had a knack for bringing all his baked goods to perfection, no matter what challenge he took on.
In the two weeks Natsu had been apprenticing, Loke had created over twenty types of bread with ease, even looking happy while doing it.
Natsu wasn't a natural, though he tried his best. He was clumsy in the kitchen, too anxious and excitable. His patience wore thin when it came to baking, which was why Loke waited so long before Natsu had the opportunity to bake his first loaf of bread from start to finish, all on his own.
They couldn't afford to waste a single ingredient.
Resources were treated like gold, especially yeast. There were four bread shops on base, each producing between fifty to seventy loaves a day for the population of almost two thousand. Loke was in charge of training everyone since he had experience with baking before the outbreak started.
Despite being pressured to join the military by his father, Loke had taken a liking to baking. He even took some culinary classes in secret.
Loke didn't say a lot about his father, but Natsu could sense it was a touchy subject, so he steered clear.
What he had gathered was Loke never wanted to wear the uniform or carry a weapon, just an apron and a whisk.
Natsu didn't judge Loke for their differences. Aside from Loke seeming less interested in Natsu's personal life, the two got along well. He could tell Loke zoned out when he spoke about his friends, so he brought them up less each day. However, there was one topic Loke seemed interested in, but Natsu kept the details to a minimum.
Loke wanted to learn more about Fairy Tail, but Laxus warned against giving away too much information. That, and avoiding putting themselves in debt if possible. They didn't want to end up like Gildarts, extending their time at Hargeon because they racked up a huge bill.
"How's your friend?" Loke asked, placing his dough ball into a lightly oiled bowl. He covered it with plastic wrap to let it rise before baking, ensuring it would come out light and fluffy instead of dense.
Before Natsu could reply, Loke's co-worker Janet came up. She held out two measuring devices, asking Loke which one she was supposed to use again.
"Which one do you think it is?" he asked, both him and Natsu watching as the girl grew frustrated.
"I don't know, that's why I'm asking," she said, looking over the two before her gaze fell on Loke, expecting an answer.
"That one," he pointed, his smile gone. "Write it down just in case you forget again."
Janet walked away, discarding one while using the other to measure her ingredients. Loke sighed, muttering under his breath, but Natsu caught it.
"It's like they don't want to learn how to do it themselves."
After a moment of awkward silence, Natsu cleared his throat, wanting to change the subject. "Millianna's doing better, but she's still in recovery."
He cast a glance at Loke, who was busying himself with loading wheat berries into an electric grinder to make flour. There were different types of wheat berries to use for various flavors and consistencies, but Loke also used all-purpose flour a lot for simple batches of bread.
As Natsu started forming his dough into a ball, he said, "She seems in high spirits."
Even after finding out she was suffering from severe sepsis shock, Millianna hadn't let it bring her down. Her will was strong, but her body looked defeated.
By the time they got her to see the doctor, her skin was pale, she was shivering, and her blood pressure was too low. She couldn't stand on her own, Kagura and Gray helping her out of the van and into the hospital.
Getting Millianna to the hospital hadn't been the hardest part. Convincing Gray to come to Hargeon proved difficult, the man refusing to come even after Laxus and Natsu told him it was safe.
It was a pleading look from Millianna that changed his mind, the girl telling him she didn't think she could survive the night.
Which had been true. Dr. Fisher said Millianna was lucky she hadn't developed kidney failure. There was a good chance she would have long-term problems, mostly chronic pain. She would live, which mattered most to Millianna. The girl was relieved when told she would survive if she stayed long enough to recover.
That was the hard part, finding out her estimated recovery time would be a month. They were only halfway through, and Natsu was anxious to get back to Fairy Tail. It had been thirty-seven? No, thirty-eight days since they left Fairy Tail, and Natsu was beyond homesick.
He would even welcome a lecture from Erza at that point, missing his friends so badly it hurt. Natsu couldn't imagine how the separation had affected Lucy, figuring all her progress was lost by now.
He kept imagining coming back, finding her meek and shy, hiding in their room and avoiding human contact. 'As long as she still goes to work every day and gets fed, it'll be fine.' Starting over from scratch with Lucy would be awful, but if it had to be done, he would go through it all again.
He smiled when he thought about his last night at Fairy Tail, heart warm when he remembered how nice it felt sleeping next to her. She had become a comforting part of his nightly routine, making him miss her more every day.
"Excited to go back to Fairy Tail?" Loke asked, Natsu catching himself from answering too leisurely, needing to be cautious with his reply.
He opened his mouth, but was cut off when the timer sounded, letting them know it was time to check the bread.
"Sweet," Natsu said, struggling to contain his volume. "I'll get the mitts!"
He didn't catch Loke's sigh, looking forward to seeing how his creation turned out. Natsu had done everything, from grinding the wheat berries to making his own yeast with potato water. It was time to see how he did, the anticipation eating away at him as they walked outside to the rows of ovens.
Since the demand was high, they needed as many ovens as possible. A few were solar-powered while others relied on charcoal.
Natsu's loaf was in a cardboard box oven, made out of a box wrapped completely in foil. Four aluminum cans held up a grill rack, ten pieces of charcoal underneath to heat the box up to 350°F.
With a pair of oven mitts, Natsu pulled the top of the oven off, his grin widening. Allowing his dough to rise had paid off, the bread peeking over the top of the pan, a nice golden brown color to the loaf.
"Looks good," Loke said, steering a rolling cart before parking it towards the center. "Put it up here and help me," he instructed, Natsu's taste-test delayed as he assisted the head baker.
They gathered the finished loaves, replacing them with new dough so they were always making more. They couldn't afford to waste time.
"Can I test it before it cools?" Natsu asked as they made their way inside, shoulders slumping when Loke shook his head.
"Afraid not. You should know that by now."
Natsu opened the door, allowing him to roll the cart inside. They worked together to load the cooling racks, but Natsu did most of the work after Loke was called to help someone else with their dough that had gotten too sticky.
Natsu didn't mind, too busy imagining what his bread would taste like. His mouth watered at the thought.
The next hour passed slowly, Natsu's stomach growling by the time Loke said it was cool enough. He let Natsu slice off the first piece, taking a slice for himself as Natsu shoved bread into his mouth, almost moaning at the flavor.
"Damn," Natsu muttered between bites, not bothering with manners. "This is some good fucking shit."
Loke rolled his eyes, taking a bite before nodding. "Nice job. The bottom is a little crunchy, but it's still good."
Natsu ate more, wishing he had butter to go with it, but he made do. "Thanks for teaching me."
"No problem. We're happy to share our knowledge," Loke said, his words a different variation of the same thing he had been hearing since arriving at Hargeon. Everywhere he went, people would say how much they wanted to teach so others could survive better, but he felt Loke's words were genuine.
"And thanks for teaching me how to make those ovens. That'll come in handy next time we gotta camp out."
Natsu doubted they would be away from a base after that, but if they did, he was going to bring the materials needed to make a cardboard oven. It was an easy way to cook food, aside from roasting it over an open fire.
He wasn't sure if yeast was something Fairy Tail had a good supply of, but he knew they grew potatoes in the garden. The process was longer, but it was possible to make yeast from water after boiling potatoes. All they had to do now was learn how to grow wheat to get the berries, then they would be set on making an endless supply of bread for their base.
And it was all thanks to Loke, the calm and collected guy Natsu had made instant friends with. Loke was a bit of a flirt, but aside from talking about girls a little too much, Natsu found he liked his company.
He hoped Loke liked spending time with him too, but he wouldn't fault him if he only tolerated him. Natsu could be loud and excitable, especially when his guard was lowered. Hargeon was safe, probably safer than Fairy Tail would ever be, and that allowed him some comfort.
He would always prefer his home base, but there were definitely worse places he could be.
"You're good." Loke's eyes flashed over to his crew, lingering for a moment before looking back. "If anyone else wants to learn, we'd be happy to teach them."
Natsu nodded, but he knew his friends weren't interested. Laxus had told Natsu he would be demonstrating how to make bread when he got back, that way Mira and the others could take over. However, Natsu hoped he would be free to help, even if some steps were boring.
Eating was the best part, Natsu taking a second slice since Loke had already 'charged' him for the bread before he made it, just in case it came out terrible. Natsu had recorded it, Laxus instructing them to keep a tally of how much they 'spent' and 'earned' each day.
It was exhausting, but if it meant spending less time in Hargeon, Natsu was on board.
"I think I'm gonna head out," Natsu said, wrapping his bread in a plastic bag, tying the end in a loose knot. He didn't have to worry about it staying fresh. There was no way it was surviving the night after he brought it back to Gildarts' house.
"So soon?" Loke asked, earning a nod from Natsu.
"Yeah. I'm gonna try to gut a few fish before it gets dark. We're supposed to check on Millianna later too. Busy night."
"Sounds like it." Loke paused, glancing over at his crew once more before smiling. "Before you go, could you help me with something outside?"
"Sure?" Natsu wondered why Loke couldn't get someone from his crew to help him. He didn't question it aloud, deciding with as much help as Loke had given him, he could do one more thing. "Need me to grab anything?"
"No," Loke said, eyes flitting to his crew before nodding towards the door, adjusting his glasses while his other hand wrapped around his stomach, fingers twitching.
Natsu raised a brow at the odd display. He had only known Loke for two weeks, but in that short time, Loke had never seemed fidgety.
Curious, Natsu followed him outside, suspecting there was no task when they didn't head towards the ovens, instead heading to the air conditioner unit. Loke looked around a few times, making sure the coast was clear before asking, "Would you want to hang out tomorrow?"
Natsu blinked before his brows furrowed. To his knowledge, Loke had Saturday's off, though he had mentioned showing up on his days off because his crew didn't stay on task as well when he wasn't around.
"Uh, like, to make bread?" Natsu asked, tilting his head an inch. He cupped the back of his neck before scratching his head, realizing his hair was growing long again. Jenny had cut it right before leaving, but he already had bangs hanging in his face.
"No, I was thinking more like hang out? Talk, shop, maybe play a game? That sort of thing."
Natsu didn't bother hiding his look of surprise. Loke hadn't asked him to spend any time with him outside of the bakery, yet that was what friends did, right? He worried it was a ruse, a way to get him to talk about Fairy Tail and spill secrets of their base, though he wasn't sure what he could say that Gildarts hadn't already.
'Fucking bastard.'
Though, Natsu couldn't bring himself to be too angry at the old man. He was doing his part to help Fairy Tail, even if it was taking more time than they had the luxury of.
Natsu almost agreed until Loke added, "What do you say? It can be just the two of us?"
"It's not like a date, right?" Before Loke could respond, Natsu said, "'Cause don't get me wrong, you're great and all. It's just, I don't swing that way."
Loke paled, jaw dropping before quickly shaking his head. "No! Definitely not a date!" His shoulders shook as he laughed, his eyes softening in the process. "No, I'm not interested in that. Thanks though," he said, snickering. "You reject well."
"I've uh, kind of done it a few times," Natsu admitted, wearing a sheepish smile. "So, just hanging out?"
When Loke nodded, Natsu said, "Sure. Sounds fun." He hoped it was an invitation for more friendship instead of a chance to fish for information.
"Great!" Loke beamed, the genuine expression helping ease Natsu's concerns.
"I'm gonna work tomorrow night," Natsu said, readjusting his backpack where his bread was, craving another slice. "But I can hang out in the morning?"
"Loke!"
Both men turned, looking at the back door of the bakery. A woman peeked her head out, waving at Loke when she spotted him. "When are you coming back? Jamie needs help."
"Oh for the love of—" Loke muttered before raising his voice. "Can you help them?!"
"I don't know how," she said. "Can you hurry?"
"Give me a minute!" Loke took a few deep breaths, smile gone as he looked at Natsu. "The morning works," he said, voice strained. "I can show you the store. I think you said you've never been, right?"
Natsu nodded, remembering Laxus' warning about staying away. The less debt they accrued, the better. "I'm not really supposed to be buying anything right now," he admitted, not wanting to insult Hargeon's system.
It wasn't too different from Fairy Tail's, but it felt less lenient. At Fairy Tail, one would go to work when scheduled, and they would receive all the basic necessities like clothing and hygiene products, breakfast and dinner, and a weekly shower.
At Hargeon, hours were documented, points were the currency, and those who were unable to work as much were left behind if no one else would help them.
Natsu recalled an incident from yesterday, frown etched on his face as the same feelings then resurfaced, making him lose his appetite.
Natsu was on his fifth bucket of fish, the stench no longer bothering him after working at it for hours. He wouldn't be surprised if he broke his sense of smell, though it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.
With the lack of showers some people took and dealing with rotting flesh when he encountered zombies, maybe it would be fine if he couldn't smell.
He had gotten considerably better at filleting fish, getting every scrap of meat off the carcass before discarding the remains in a separate bucket. The goal was to get nice, long, fat pieces of filet from the sides of the fish, but the smaller pieces didn't go to waste, instead used to make fish nuggets.
The fish bones were also used to make either salt or stock, but Natsu didn't bother learning more about that, allowing Jet to retain that information.
Each person from Fairy Tail did their best to learn so they could make their base stronger and wiser when they returned, Natsu counting himself lucky he chose a task that wasn't unsavory.
As he reached for another fish, Natsu's ears perked up upon hearing something fall on the ground. It made a clattering noise, Natsu glancing over to see a knife on the ground, a hacked up fish laying next to it.
His eyes trailed up, finding an older gentleman fumbling to pick up the fish, his shaky hands dropping it once more, getting dirt and debris all over the meat.
"Hey," Natsu started, setting his fish back in his bucket before laying his filleting knife on a clean towel to reduce contamination. "Need some help?"
Natsu hadn't gotten a few steps before the old man waved him off, muttering something as he struggled with the fish, unable to get a good grasp.
"Let me help you." Natsu closed the distance, jolting back when someone else came to the rescue, putting the knife and fish back in the old man's hands before sending Natsu a glare.
"Could you keep your voice down and mind your own business?" the man snapped, voice a harsh whisper.
He appeared slightly older than Natsu, irritated that he wanted to lend a helping hand.
"What's your problem?!" Natsu asked, his defenses rising. "I was just tryin' to help."
"Lower your fucking voice," the man said, eyes shifting around before catching sight of something behind Natsu.
He turned, seeing the job officer heading their way, stopping at each station to see everyone's progress. Natsu looked back, expecting the same angry look from the man, only to see one of pure fear.
"Please," he whispered, no fight left in his voice. "Just leave him alone."
"Why would I?" Natsu asked, pointing down at the old man's shaking hands. "He needs a break or something."
Natsu turned to get the job officer's attention before the man grabbed his hand, pushing against Natsu's back to propel him forward towards his station. Natsu was just about to yell as he whipped around, a growl rumbling in his throat. "What the fuck?!"
"Please," the man started, tears beading in the corner of his eyes. "Just leave him alone and go back to work. This is the end of the line for him."
"What?" Natsu asked, too angry to make sense of the man's words.
"If he can't do this, he can't work."
"So?" Natsu asked, nodding towards the old man once more. "He shouldn't be working anyways. He's gotta be what? Ninety at least?"
With one final plea, the man lowered his head. "Look. He has no family, no one to take care of him. If he can't work, he can't eat, and then he dies. Do you want that on your conscience?"
Natsu's eyes widened, stunned silent. His lips formed a word, but no sound came out as he asked, "What?"
"I'd help him if I could, but my wife is gone and I have three teenagers to feed, and I'm already working doubles to do that. Just, please. Leave the guy alone."
Natsu's shoulders fell, unsure what to say. He had a hard time processing the man's warning. It seemed... cruel, to leave someone behind if they couldn't take care of themselves.
Fairy Tail had a few senior members who were too weak or feeble to contribute, but they still clothed, bathed, and fed them. But, Hargeon had shown it was different in many ways.
'No waste.'
Natsu's nose twitched, disgusted by their policies, but he didn't cause a scene, didn't lash out at the job officer or anyone else. He gave a simple nod, not trusting himself to speak as he took a step back, showing he had accepted the man's plea.
With a sigh, the man returned to his station, patting the older gentleman on the back on his way.
Natsu swallowed hard, but he couldn't accept Hargeon's way of life. Though, at the same time, part of him understood it. Resources were scarce, so why waste them on someone who was at the 'end of the line' anyway?
Hatred for his own thoughts bubbled in Natsu's chest, but he pushed it down.
It wasn't his place to cast judgement on their world. He just needed to play by their rules until they could go back to Fairy Tail.
Go back home.
Natsu blinked a few times, forgetting the subject. He shook his head before admitting, "Sorry, I spaced. What were we talking about again?"
"Shopping?" Loke said, raising a brow. "You said you shouldn't be spending, I said you could just browse while I do the shopping? Then you kinda looked dazed before now.
Natsu flushed, embarrassed he had really zoned out. "Umm, yeah, I guess it'll be fine as long as I don't gotta spend anything?"
Loke nodded. "You shouldn't. It won't take long anyways. I'm just getting a handcart."
Noting Natsu's confusion, Loke explained. "There's different sizes of carts you use for buying. The bigger the cart, the more you spend. You get to fill up the cart as long as it's not overflowing for that price."
"Huh, that's... interesting."
Loke nodded. "Just, meet me at the main exchange? It's near the entrance."
Natsu almost groaned. His legs were sure to be sore after making that journey. He almost asked if he could meet him afterwards, but his curiosity had been sparked, wanting to see what shopping at Hargeon was like.
"Alright, that works. You still stopping by here to check on your crew?"
Loke's eyes snapped to the bakery, looking it over before shaking his head. "I'm going to see if they can handle it on their own." Then, in a whisper so quiet Natsu had a hard time hearing, he added, "They can't rely on me forever."
Natsu chose not to comment on Loke's odd behavior, instead nodding as he walked towards the front of the bakery, Loke beside him. "Thanks again for teaching me how to make bread."
"You caught on quick. My crew's been doing this for months and they're still asking for help each step of the way."
"I noticed," Natsu said, but Loke only sighed in response. "Well, enjoy the rest of your day," he said while Loke forced a laugh.
"Have fun with those fish."
"I'll try!" Natsu grabbed his loaner bike, pointing himself in the right direction before heading to the coast where he would find some of his teammates.
It didn't matter how vigorously Natsu scrubbed his hands, the smell of fish guts wouldn't fade. He was tempted to dunk them in straight bleach to rid his skin of the foul odor, but another round of washing his hands would have to do.
He had forgotten his gloves at Gildarts, and heeding Laxus' warning, he didn't dare rent a pair from the job officer.
"Gross, gross, so fucking gross," Natsu groaned as he dried his hands on his pants, nose scrunching when he saw he still needed to clean under his fingernails. 'I'll take care of that when I get to Gildarts'.'
He did his best to rid himself of the random scales sticking to his jeans, frustrated and ready to go.
"Smells awful, right?" Jet asked, a coy grin on his face.
Natsu nodded, unaware Jet was setting up a joke.
"Make sure your girl always washes herself, 'cause that's what bad puss smells like!"
Natsu cringed as Jet laughed, the man making his way up the hill with his pails of meat and bones. "Yeah," Natsu muttered, shaking his head. "Levy can do way better." He never thought he would say it, but he was starting to root for Droy to be Levy's match.
Though, he still felt neither were good enough for his friend, but out of the two, Droy seemed less—
"Gross," Alzack finished, though he was talking about a stain on his shorts. "Think this'll come out?"
"Think you should be more concerned about the smell," Natsu said, wishing his sense of smell could be turned off. His forehead wrinkled at the offending odor around him, thankful Gildarts' wife kept the house smelling good.
It wasn't too strong since she was pregnant, the house having a faint floral scent throughout.
"Can't wait to get the hell out of here," Alzack said, hanging back while Natsu grabbed his own buckets before the two made their way to the drop off. The meat would be cleaned then refrigerated, but their part in the process was over.
"You and me both." Natsu knew Alzack had to be missing his wife and daughter. Hell, Natsu was even missing Asuka. He would give up a night's worth of sleep if it meant getting pestered to take another walk around Fairy Tail or watch the same movie for the fifteenth time.
"Do you think they think we're dead?" Alzack asked, frowns forming on both of their faces.
"I hope not," Natsu said, wondering if his friends thought that. His heart ached thinking about how much pain that would cause them. "We'll be back before we know it," Natsu added, wanting to ease their troubles, but it did little to comfort him.
Technically, they could have left shortly after arriving. Laxus could have stayed with Millianna, using his sperm as a bargaining chip for the girl's medical expenses.
When she was healed, he could have brought her and Gildarts back to Fairy Tail while the others had already been back, but with what Gildarts had planned, the more hands on deck the better.
Laxus had everyone pulling their weight, working any odd jobs they could find to gain extra points. The goal was to pay for the electrician just as Millianna recovered, needing over eight hundred points in total.
But, they had to eat, costing points.
Though, Natsu definitely enjoyed the variety that came with being at Hargeon. Not only did they have fish, they had beef, pork, and chicken! Of course, Natsu and the others had only eaten chicken, the other two costing an arm and a leg, something Gildarts couldn't afford.
Hargeon traded with other communities in the surrounding areas, and although they didn't reveal where the others were, one of them was a farm with livestock. They would spare some people to work the farm and tend to the animals, and in return Hargeon would receive meat and vegetables for their labor.
Natsu's taste buds had been buzzing all night after eating chicken and dumplings, not wanting to brush his teeth in fear of that delicious flavor disappearing.
Natsu turned in his buckets, someone counting the filleted fish carcasses before weighing the meat. They wrote something down before showing Natsu. He nodded, jotting it down in his own notepad to keep a record of how much he earned.
He didn't know how much the job paid in the real world, but at Hargeon, it was less than minimum wage since it was the lowest job there was. Anyone could do it, but if someone couldn't even do that...
Natsu couldn't pretend he hadn't noticed the old man was no longer at his station that afternoon. He hoped it meant he had the day off, but something deep in his gut told him otherwise.
The man's words from yesterday surfaced in his mind, Natsu's heart sinking as he heard, "End of the line."
It put Natsu in a bad mood all the way to the hospital, but by the time he got there, he had accepted it wasn't his place to change Hargeon. He thought about offering to bring anyone who wasn't able to help themselves back to Fairy Tail, but not only would he need Laxus' okay on it, he realized it wouldn't benefit them.
Which had his stomach upset, realizing he was siding with Hargeon, even if he thought it wasn't right.
'Is there even room for what's right anymore?'
The world wasn't the same place it had been eight months ago, the same morals not carrying over during that difficult time.
"Knock knock," Alzack said when they reached Millianna's room, the door open. He waited until she gestured them in, the three men joining. Kagura wasn't there, busy showering in one of the stations set up around base.
Laxus and Gray were nowhere to be found either, though Natsu suspected Laxus was with the electrician and Gray was with the guards.
While Laxus was learning, Gray was keeping his enemies close. Natsu felt there was nothing to fear. The panic in Gray's eyes had lessened since arriving at Hargeon, but his friend remained suspicious.
And apparently Gray's idea of safety was mingling with the guards, earning their trust. Laxus had approved of the plan, mostly for the sake of building relationships with Hargeon.
It started with Gray working as a clearer, though they didn't call it that. The job functioned similarly, killing the undead so they could expand the base.
However, Gray had made quick friends with the job officer before going up the chain of command. The last few days, Gray had started assisting at the brig, the prison on base. His only task there was bringing the inmates meals halfway through the day, during their break from washing laundry.
Gray had mentioned finding it strange they wouldn't let him see the section of the prison where the rapists and murders were kept, though he said he was fine with that. The criminals who had lesser charges were rowdy enough. He couldn't imagine how the heinous ones acted.
"Glad to see you're still kicking," Natsu chuckled, taking a seat by Millianna's bed before propping his feet on the corner of her bed, earning a glare from Alzack. He snorted, resting his feet on the ground before looking at what Millianna had on the TV.
He furrowed his brows when he saw it was a start menu to a movie, his question answered when she said, "The movie ended thirty minutes ago. I haven't gotten up to change it."
"I'll do it," Natsu said, but Jet beat him to it.
"I should try to do it myself next time," Millianna said, wincing when she sat up, her hand pressing against her abdomen. The doctor had fixed her wound, scraping off the dying tissue and stitching her back up. She was healing, but it was a slow and painful process.
"Just focus on recovering," Alzack sighed, patting her shoulder before sitting on the other side of her bed, everyone looking up at the TV. "Mind if we watch with you?"
"Be my guest," she said, settling back down, enjoying the company.
They stuck around to watch a movie, the sun setting by the time they left the hospital. The bike ride back to Gildarts didn't take too long, Natsu's backpack light after sharing his bread with the others.
After parking their bikes, the men removed their shoes before entering Gildarts' house, a three bedroom that used a significant amount of electricity, something that was also charged in Hargeon.
Natsu went to the room he was sharing with the other men, Kagura choosing to spend her nights at the hospital with Millianna. He changed into comfortable clothes before joining the others in the dining room for supper. He pulled out the remains of his bread, giving it to Diana, Gildarts'... partner?
There was no ceremony of marriage, no rings worn on their fingers, but it was clear they were in it for the long haul. Gildarts looked at her like she was his whole world, which only made Natsu feel for Cana.
She was being replaced, even if Gildarts didn't see it that way.
He swallowed hard when he thought of his own dad, wondering how he would feel if Igneel had replaced him with another son or a partner? If Igneel was out there and had given up the search because he found someone else to fill the void in his heart, well, Natsu didn't know what he would do.
He knew one thing, Igneel wasn't at Hargeon. He had asked every single person he met if they saw Igneel, describing him the best he could, but no one met that description.
He wasn't ready to give up, nor would he ever be. Natsu was determined to find his dad, dead or alive.
Zeref, his older brother, was dismissed shortly after the outbreak started. They didn't have a solid relationship before the apocalypse. He doubted the end of the world would change that.
"Everyone wash up?" Diana asked, setting down the last pot on the table before taking her seat beside Gildarts. "Dig in."
Diana was nice, but way too young for Gildarts. She was barely older than Cana, turning twenty-three around the time of her due date.
They seemed happy, but it was still strange to Natsu.
Natsu took his fair share of the dishes, everyone trying to get the same portions. With more mouths to feed, Gildarts' grocery bill had gotten high, but since the team was contributing, it lessened the strain on Gildarts' 'wallet'.
Dinner was great, but resting was better. Natsu was worn down after the eventful day, legs sore from riding a bike everywhere. Despite it being tiresome, he had to admit using bicycles in the apocalypse came in handy. They required little maintenance and no gas. Plus, he knew his legs were getting a workout, growing stronger the more he endured.
Laying in the room they were camped out in felt odd. It was a nursery since Diana's mom took up the other room. Natsu found it strange Gildarts kept saying he planned on going back to Fairy Tail, yet everything he saw pointed to the opposite.
Pictures of him and Diana hung in the living room, the house was decorated to meet both of their tastes, and the nursery was finished, crib and dressers put together with decorations adorning the walls.
It was as if he never had any plans to leave at all, starting a new chapter of his life, but Natsu said nothing. He knew Laxus had the same thought, hard eyes glaring at the decor each time he entered the room.
Or maybe it was because he was now a sperm donor. Either were plausible.
Natsu settled into his pile of blankets, wearing nothing but his boxers as he stared up at the ceiling. He heard everyone else settling in for the night, Gray laying in the spot beside him.
He glanced over, voice low as he said, "How's the prison?"
"Weird," Gray mumbled, one arm thrown over his eyes to block out any shred of light. "I think I'm gonna go back to clearing in a few days. The prisoners give me the creeps."
"Well, if you do, be careful."
"Always am." Gray paused, before peeking through his arm. "You holding up okay?"
"Yeah." Natsu sighed, turning to face his friend. "Just, worried."
"About what? The people here?"
Natsu didn't say anything at first, trying to locate exactly what had his stomach in knots. "I just hope we get back to Fairy Tail soon."
"That we can agree on." Gray chuckled before rolling over, facing the wall. "Guttin' fish tomorrow?"
"Yeah, later." Natsu debated telling Gray about his planned visit with Loke, but decided against it. Gray seemed less anxious than he had before, and he didn't want to give him a reason to panic.
With shopping on his mind, Natsu said, "I wonder if they'll sell me a chicken."
"To cook?" Gray asked, causing Natsu to grin.
"Nah, as a pet."
"Are you serious?"
"What? A chicken could be an awesome pet. He'd lay eggs, and—"
"She'd lay eggs," Gray corrected, causing Natsu to roll his eyes.
"Whatever. I think it'd be cool."
"Do you even know how to take care of a chicken?"
"Well, no, but how hard could it be?"
Before Gray could answer, Alzack spoke up from the other side of the room. "They're three hundred points alive, a third of that if they're dead."
"Fuck, that's way too much." Doing the math, it would take Natsu three weeks of gutting fish to get a single chicken, and that was if he didn't put his points towards the electrician. He could go clearing with the others to make more, but he had decided to take Alzack's lead, playing it safe on base. "Never mind."
"That would be useful though," Laxus said, sitting up. "I know everyone wants to get back to Fairy Tail, but maybe..."
Natsu sat up, brows furrowed as a wrinkle formed on his forehead. "You don't want to stay, do you?"
"Of course not, but do you know how well off we'd be if we got a few chickens? We could use the eggs, get some protein that way instead of just relying on canned meat and nuts."
"I wanna get home too," Jet said, resting on his elbows to look at the others, "but scrambled eggs would be amazing."
Natsu frowned, hating the direction of the conversation.
"How much is a pig?" Gray asked, not bothering to get up. "I'd kill for some bacon."
"Pigs and cows aren't for sale alive, and there's no buying them whole anyways. Just parts," Alzack said, learning the prices of food better than anyone. It made sense, seeing as he helped Diana with her grocery shopping when Gildarts was at work. "It's way too high. I think a steak is like, fifty points. Bacon's a lot too. Doesn't seem worth it."
"Let's talk about it tomorrow," Laxus decided, easing back into his blankets. "For now, everyone should get some rest."
That was easier said than done, Natsu restless all night after finding out their stay was possibly extended. By the time the sun rose, Natsu had barely gotten a wink of sleep. He didn't bother sticking around waiting for the others to get up, throwing on his clothes before helping Diana with breakfast.
He wasn't the best in the kitchen, but she appreciated the extra hands.
Natsu decided not to ask her if she was ready to go to Fairy Tail, part of him knowing the answer. She looked as comfortable as she could be in that house, in that life. He couldn't imagine she would be happy moving to Magnolia, where her, Gildarts, her mother, and their newborn baby would have to cram into a small classroom.
No, he knew their decision, even if they wouldn't admit it.
After breakfast, Natsu set out. He rode to the store, unhappy with the upward slopes to the roads on his way there. However, he tried looking on the bright side. That meant his trip back would be easier since it would be mostly downhill.
Loke was waiting for him by the entrance, waving when he saw Natsu riding up. "Right on time."
Natsu parked, ruffling his hair after pulling off the helmet while walking towards Loke. "So this is the store?"
"One of them. There's three big stores, but this is the biggest. Come on.
Natsu followed, both waiting by the entrance after a buzzer was hit. "That's weird."
"They're not allowed to just stand around and wait for customers, so they keep the doors locked. There's a security guard that hangs around the front, so it shouldn't be long. Oh, there he is."
Natsu stood back as a large man unlocked and opened the door, allowing them to enter. Ropes were set up to direct where they could go, Loke checking in as soon as they reached a podium where a woman now stood, summoned by the buzzer.
Loke showed his badge, allowing the lady to write down his information before having him sign. Natsu was next, handing over a visitor's badge before telling her he had no plans to purchase, just browse.
"Sorry, can't come in without paying." She looked indifferent, Natsu ready to accept the decision and wait for Loke outside, but his friend wasn't having it.
"Can I pay for him?" Loke asked, surprising Natsu.
His eyes rounded, prepared to tell Loke that wasn't necessary, but the woman nodded. Loke smiled, telling her he wanted two handcarts before amending his record, initially where he crossed out '1' and wrote '2'. She added something too, but Natsu couldn't read it from where he stood.
"Alright, you're all set." She turned towards the security guard before saying, "Two handcarts."
Natsu felt out of place after he was handed a plastic hand basket, Loke gesturing for him to follow. They walked right towards the customer service desk, Loke ringing a bell to bring an associate there.
As soon as one got within earshot, Loke said, "Two condoms, one each."
Natsu opened his mouth to tell Loke he didn't need one before stopping himself, confused when he saw the associate unlocking something under the desk before pulling out a few options for condoms.
'He must want them both,' he realized, choosing the same one Loke picked when asked which one he wanted.
"Thanks," Loke said when they were far enough away, the man grinning like a fool. "They only let you get one per cart, and I really didn't want to come back in two weeks.
"Why not just buy two carts yourself?"
"Can't. Only one condom per person, only two shopping trips per month, that way no one can hoard things."
"Oh. Interesting." Fairy Tail had a similar set up, but instead of picking and choosing what items a person received, they got the basics for survival.
'Maybe that's something to talk to Makarov about. See if he'd be willing to give more options for shopping?'
He tucked that thought away for another day, deciding instead to browse the store. Natsu had no intentions on getting anything for himself since it was Loke's points being spent.
However, after Loke had added a few items to his own cart while Natsu didn't so much as touch anything, he said, "Fill it up with whatever you want. I got what I really want. Everything else is just extras."
"You sure?" Natsu asked, feeling guilty until he saw Loke's smile.
"Absolutely. I'd pay double any day to get two condoms. Hell, I'd pay triple."
"We ration our condoms too," Natsu said, forgetting for a moment he wasn't supposed to talk about Fairy Tail. "Couples get one a week."
"How much do you charge?"
"We don't have a point system," he said, absentmindedly looking over a box of pens when they entered the stationary section, deciding Lucy might like some new ink.
'I hope she wrote more chapters of her story!' That put a smile on his face, distracted by his anticipation.
"How do you purchase things?"
"Just show up for work when you're scheduled," Natsu said, admiring a notebook with stars on it, hoping Lucy would like it too. "You show up, you get the basics."
"Huh."
Natsu didn't notice Loke's expression, the man pondering his words. Natsu grabbed a bookmark that said 'Just one more chapter' for Levy, wondering what else he could get for his friends as souvenirs. "Hey, is there a pet section?"
"Yeah. I'll show you."
Loke led him to an aisle, Natsu delving towards the cat toys. "Happy would love this," he said, grabbing a wand with a feather attached to the end of a string. "And this!"
"Happy?" Loke asked, causing Natsu to remind him it was his cat's name. "Oh, right. I forgot."
"It's fine," Natsu said, knowing Loke didn't seem interested in his personal life.
'Only information on Fairy Tail.'
His eyes widened when he realized he had been revealing details, body tense as he replayed what he said, deciding it wasn't the worst thing in the world. He hadn't mentioned things like how many people were there, how many weapons they had in their arsenal, or what their food source looked like.
Loke hadn't asked any questions like that either, but Natsu put his guard up, worried he may have said too much.
"I'm going to get some snacks," Loke said, heading towards the food section, Natsu a few steps behind.
From what Alzack mentioned, the grocery store was larger and had a good variety of foods left. The food section in the exchange was small, mostly chips and soda with a few candies.
Natsu didn't hesitate to load up on sugar, grinning as he imagined how delicious it would taste. While he was a runner or clearer he could eat freely, but there was always some guilt associated with it, taking away from food that could go to another member of Fairy Tail who possibly needed it more.
But at Hargeon, he felt no guilt, excited to get a sugar rush that night.
"Does this place have speakers?" Natsu asked, his cart getting a little heavy, but there was still room.
Loke nodded, leading him to the electronic section. Natsu found a speaker that he could plug into his phone. It took up a good chunk of his cart, but he had room for a few more items, depending on their size.
'What would Erza and Jellal like?' Natsu almost snorted, knowing the answer. 'More condoms, but that's not an option.'
Speaking of which, he kept Loke's condom at the top of his basket at all times, not wanting to puncture it or ruin the packaging. That was the only way he felt guiltless about filling his cart, knowing he was helping Loke, even if it broke Hargeon's rules.
'Honestly, fuck 'em. Some of their policies are trash.'
"I'll be right back," Loke said, leaving the section for a moment. The store was large, but with so few people in it Loke had no trouble finding Natsu in the clothing section, the man grabbing a pack of boxer briefs before sticking them in his cart.
"What'd you get?" Natsu asked, peering over to see a backpack in Loke's cart, folded so it fit. "You don't have a backpack?"
"I do," Loke said, his short answer letting Natsu know not to pry.
He decided to focus on his gift for Erza and Jellal, wondering if they would like some jewelry cleaner. He had heard Erza complaining that her ring kept getting dirty, so it seemed like a fitting gift.
"Getting something for a lucky lady?" Loke asked, glancing at some watches while Natsu grabbed two different cleaners, looking at both before deciding on one. "Nah, just a gift for some friends."
"Cool."
Natsu nodded, glancing at the jewelry counter for a second. He planned on just looking, but something caught his eye, drawing him closer. "Can I get something from in there?" he asked, surprised when Loke rang a bell, letting an associate know they wanted help.
"Just getting one item, or two?" Loke asked. "You can get one item per cart, so if you want two let me know."
'Probably should have told me before you rang the bell,' he thought before looking down, smiling at another piece of jewelry. "That."
"Really?" Loke asked, raising a brow.
Natsu nodded, relieved when someone came to help. "I want this," he said, pointing to a piece.
"And I'll take this one, when you get a chance," Loke said.
The associate helped, placing each piece of jewelry in its designated box before handing them over.
"Thank you!" Natsu grinned, opening the box to look at the golden charm. It probably wasn't real gold or silver like Lucy's other charms, but he was sure she would like the cat charm for her bracelet. It wasn't blue like Happy, but he had a feeling it would still bring a smile to her face.
His heart warmed as he thought of her smile before his chest ached, reminded that their departure might be delayed.
'Why'd I have to mention getting a stupid chicken?!'
"So, who are these for?" Loke asked when the associate left, eyeing the other piece of jewelry before putting it away in his cart.
"This one's for Lucy," he said, carefully closing the box before tucking it away.
"Lucy?"
"Yeah, my roommate," Natsu replied, realizing he had no more room left in his cart.
Loke gave a small nod. "Oh yeah, I think you mentioned her."
When Natsu said nothing else, Loke added, "Anything going on there? Between you two?"
With a snort, Natsu shook his head. "No way, we're just friends. She's cool though. Shy, but nice."
Loke went back to looking indifferent about Natsu's personal life before nodding at the jewelry in his cart. "And this?"
"Oh, that's for the doctor at our school." It was a necklace with a gold-plated heart. In the center, the word 'Mom' was engraved in cursive.
"Your mom?" Loke asked, causing Natsu to shake his head.
"No, but she's got a kid and I doubt she can get a hold of a present. Mother's day is coming up soon." It was less than two months away. "I figure with as much as she's stitched me up, I can make her day a little better by giving this to her kid to give to her."
"That's... thoughtful." Loke looked uncomfortable before making an effort to connect with Natsu. "Is your mom at Fairy Tail?"
Natsu shook his head, the loss of his mother not as hard as it had been years ago when she passed. "She died a while back, before this whole thing started."
"Sorry to hear that. My mom's dead too. So is my dad."
That wasn't new information to Natsu, overhearing Loke tell his coworker once during their lunch break. Instead of focusing on that, he did what he could to settle his stomach.
"My dad's still alive," Natsu said, though the words felt strange on his tongue. "I think, anyways."
Loke didn't comment, instead changing the subject. "So, you'll for sure be at Fairy Tail by mother's day?"
Natsu wanted to tell Loke to stop saying 'Fairy Tail'. It put him on edge, wondering why Loke was asking so many questions. He didn't want to be rude, especially when he hadn't left with the items in his basket yet. He held his tongue, keeping his answers vague as he said, "Hopefully."
An expression Natsu couldn't place crossed Loke's face, making him wonder if he offended him. "Not that Hargeon's not great. It's just not home."
"No, I get it," Loke said, clearing his throat before nodding towards the entrance. "We should go check out."
"Yeah," Natsu said, stomach unsettled again, but he moved anyway. "So, how do we check out?" he asked, realizing he didn't bring a backpack with him.
"They'll go over our stuff, make sure we didn't get too much of one thing, then they'll bag 'em and we'll be good to go."
Natsu frowned, worried they would take his chocolate. In the end, they didn't, allowing him the seven candy bars even if the look they gave him told him they thought it was excessive. He didn't care, eager to appease his sweet tooth.
"Follow me to my place," Loke said, waiting for Natsu to hang his new items off his handlebars before getting on his bike. "It's not far."
"That's good," Natsu said, repositioning the bike. He hoped his bags didn't slip or his bike didn't crash while riding. He had been fortunate to avoid injury while at Hargeon, not wanting any medical debt.
Loke was right, his place being five minutes away from the store. Natsu expected a house, surprised to see them pull up to a barracks building. There were a few people coming and going, a few loitering outside, chatting or smoking.
It had been months since Natsu last tasted a cigarette in his mouth, part of him missing that harshness that came with getting a good drag, but ultimately he was glad he kicked the habit.
Not only was he less irritable now that he wasn't waiting on his next cigarette, he apparently didn't stink up the room. He remembered laughing when Lucy thanked him once for quitting, saying the room smelled nicer.
Natsu secured his bike before grabbing his bags, deciding he didn't want to tempt anyone to steal his stuff. He followed Loke to the third floor of the massive building, resembling something close to a hotel for military members.
"Here we are," he said as he unlocked the door, swinging it open for Natsu to go first.
He nodded, entering the room to find that was it. Aside from a closet and a door leading to a shared bathroom with the next room over, that was the entire place.
'It's kinda small,' Natsu thought, but he kept his comments to himself. "You said you've been at Hargeon since the beginning?"
"Yup." Loke dropped his sacks by the door, drawing Natsu's eye. He raised a brow, wondering why there were other bags packed.
"Planning a trip?" he asked, earning a shrug from Loke.
"Thinking of a change in scenery."
Natsu assumed he would be moving to a different location within Hargeon soon, probably because his current living situation was tight. "Were you in here before shit went down?"
Loke pulled the curtains to let the natural light in before shutting the door, scratching through his mane of hair before grabbing a can of soda off a small desk. "No, I used to live a few miles up the road, in the officer housing."
When Natsu gave him a questioning glance, a small frown formed on Loke's face. "I lived with my old man. He was a captain."
"Oh, seriously?" Natsu asked, watching as Loke moved to the bed, leaving the only chair in the room unoccupied. He took it, setting his bags on the table before fishing for a candy bar. "My dad used to be Enlisted. What was that like living with an officer?"
"Terrible," Loke said without hesitation. Natsu's eyes widened, but Loke didn't bother holding back. "He was as mean as a father could be. Beat me senseless every time I stepped outta line. He's the one who forced me into the military, but I never wanted it. All I wanted to do was bake, but he'd skin me alive if he ever saw me in the kitchen doing 'woman's work'."
Loke shook his head, nearly denting his can before he regained control. "Call me heartless if you want, I don't care. I didn't think I wanted him dead until he was gone, but honestly the world is better without him."
"H-how'd he die?" Natsu asked, the hairs on the back of his neck sticking up, uncomfortable with the topic. He couldn't imagine harboring so much hatred for a parental figure, but he knew everyone had different experiences.
Loke frowned as he looked at his drink before letting out a sigh. "He was one of the first to turn. I wasn't there, but his wife was. She said he just started hacking up blood before he passed out. She called an ambulance, but couldn't get through. Then he got back up, only, he wasn't right in the head. She had to take care of him." He took a deep breath. "That whole day felt like a blur, you know?"
Natsu gave a subtle nod. That day was full of panic and chaos, but he remembered most of it. The screams were trapped in his head every time he looked through that chapter in his life. He didn't think he could ever forget all the death and carnage.
Especially the feeling that came after he killed his first zombie, thinking it was still a living human at the time.
"Is she still alive? Your step-mom?" Natsu asked, guessing it wasn't his biological mom since Loke said his mom had passed. If he was wrong, Loke made no effort to correct him.
"Yeah. She's shacked up with another officer." He snorted. "I don't think she ever loved my father, but he wasn't good at loving either. Pretty sure that's why my mom packed up and left when I was a kid."
"She didn't take you with her?" Natsu asked, causing Loke to shake his head.
"She said she'd come back for me when she got settled, but I think she just wanted to cut all ties to him."
Loke blinked, eyes rounding as he glanced up at Natsu. "Sorry, I didn't mean to unload that on you. Uh, um, what were we talking about before?"
Natsu tried to answer, relieved the topic would be changed, but Loke cut him off.
"Oh, right. Where I lived. Yeah, I moved in here shortly after things got under control. It's small, I know, but I don't need much else."
Natsu's eyes flitted to the bags by the door again as Loke took a drink. He looked around the room, realizing there was nothing personal hanging on the walls, no clothes laying out, nothing. He looked ready to go at a moment's notice, the total opposite of Natsu's room.
"Still planning on leaving for Fairy Tail soon?" Loke asked, Natsu failing to connect the dots, his paranoia rising at the mention of his home.
"Probably," Natsu said before frowning. "It may be longer though. We haven't decided."
"Are you thinking of living here?" Loke asked, causing Natsu to shake his head quickly.
"Definitely not!" Natsu's mouth fell when he realized he had shouted. Fighting a cringe, he muttered, "Sorry, that was rude."
"It's okay," Loke assured, but Natsu felt bad.
"I didn't mean to make it sound awful here. It's actually pretty good, for the most part. It's just not home."
"I take no offense," Loke said, tapping his can a few times as his brows furrowed. Before Natsu could question it, Loke set the drink down, pulling his legs up to sit crisscrossed before saying, "Hargeon's not the best place to be."
Natsu shrugged, opening his chocolate before taking a bite, thankful it hadn't expired yet. The 'best by' date was close, but it was still fresh. "Well, every place has its problems."
There was a moment of silence as Natsu munched on his food, missing the confliction in Loke's eyes. He was finishing up his last bite when Loke spoke up, his words pulling at his curious side.
"I don't think I can live with these problems."
"What?" Natsu asked, putting his trash in his bag before swinging his chair towards Loke, giving him his full attention.
"Their beliefs..." Loke shook his head. "I just don't agree with some of their rules."
Natsu paused, eyes falling to the ground as he wondered if it was worth bringing up. He decided to pursue the topic, even if it made his stomach turn.
"I've noticed some... unsavory policies here," Natsu admitted, chancing a look at Loke.
He didn't seem surprised, instead asking, "Like what?"
"Well." Natsu rubbed the back of his neck, hoping he wasn't in a trap set by Hargeon to see what he thought of their operation. "It's not really... friendly, when it comes to certain people."
"You mean the women?" Loke asked.
Natsu jolted, eyes narrowing a bit as he said, "No, I meant old folk. What do they do to the women?" His hands formed fists in his lap, a swarm of anger flicking in his chest.
His first thought was Lucy, knowing she had been mistreated after the outbreak.
"They won't let them fight the infected," Loke said. "Only men can do it. They treat the women like they're only meant to make babies."
"Oh." Natsu deflated, upset about that situation but thankful it wasn't what he had been thinking, assuming the women had been hurt or abused. "Some of our best clearers are women," he said, thinking of Kagura and Ultear.
Loke nodded. "They treat 'em like they're fragile here. They stripped all their rights away too."
"How so?" Natsu asked, trying to think back to all the encounters he had with women from Hargeon, but he hadn't spoken to many. None had complained to him about being treated poorly, but apparently he hadn't been digging deep.
"I dunno what your stance is. Personally, I'm pro-choice."
"What? On a woman's body?" Natsu asked, earning a nod. "Oh, yeah. I guess I'd be pro-choice too." He hadn't thought about it too much before the outbreak. He figured a woman should get to choose what happened with her body, though he didn't know anyone personally who had problems with that.
"Well, Hargeon's pro-life, no matter what." Loke grit his teeth, struggling to rein in his emotions. "My friend, she didn't mean to get pregnant. A lot of people asked for birth control, but the doctors claim there's none, but that has to be bullshit. I don't believe for a single second the hospital, both hospitals were out of every type of birth control right before the apocalypse started. That's insane, but they won't budge."
Loke's hands flexed into fists before releasing a few times, deciding to settle them on his knees to keep from fidgeting. "Then they ration the condoms so the most you can get is two a month! Which, is fucking crazy, right?"
Natsu scratched the back of his head, not embarrassed by his inexperience, just uncomfortable talking about it to someone he wasn't close to. "I've never had sex, but I hear others saying they'd want more condoms."
"Do they have other birth controls? Like the pill?" Loke asked, causing Natsu to shake his head.
"Our hospital is overrun, so I dunno what they got there. When we left Fairy Tail I think they said the clearers were getting close to a pharmacy, so maybe they got some, but I don't know. If they did, I'm sure they'd do their best to give 'em out. We're not really looking to increase the population right now."
Loke gave a subtle nod. "Well, Hargeon is all for procreation, and they don't give any options once a girl gets pregnant. The doctors are experienced, they know how to terminate a pregnancy, but they refuse. And if someone takes matters into their own hands..."
Loke shut his eyes, needing a moment to collect himself. "I had a friend who died last week."
Natsu's shoulders fell, his heart aching. He had lost friends too, though his was to the infected. "I'm sorry."
"They refused to terminate as soon as she found out she was pregnant, told her they would only help her if she kept it. She tried going through with it, but it was killing her on the inside. Not literally, just, eating her up. She didn't want to be pregnant in the first place. She even used a condom they gave, but it broke, but they still wouldn't help her."
Loke swallowed before shaking his head. "She came to me bleeding. She tried fixing it on her own, but she only hurt herself. I tried to get them to help her, but they turned her away, said she made her choice."
Loke's teeth threatened to crack with as much force as he put behind his clenching. "She died, and those doctors showed no remorse. Didn't want to use their precious resources."
"I'm sorry," Natsu offered, not knowing what else to say. "I've never been in that situation before. I'm sure it wasn't easy."
Loke shook his head. "No, it wasn't. They're holding back on the contraceptives, then punishing people when they get pregnant. It's easy to say 'just don't have sex', but that's part of life. Sex is beautiful, but they made it so folks don't even want to fuck because the risk is so high."
After a few deep breaths, Loke rubbed at his face, trying to calm down. "I'm positive they trashed all the birth control. We wouldn't have to worry about a condom shortage if they would've just distributed the birth control in the beginning, but Hargeon's all about repopulating the world. I mean, I know it's important, but don't force people to keep a pregnancy if they don't want to."
A moment passed where neither said anything, Natsu making the first move by digging through his bags, setting the condom on the desk. "Don't want to forget about that."
Loke nodded. He breathed through his nose, forcing a humorless chuckle. "Thanks. I really wanted to fuck Marcy and Jen one more time before leaving."
"You have two girlfriends?" Natsu asked, causing Loke to shake his head.
"Not dating or anything. I tried the monogamy thing once, didn't work out well. I really fucked up a good thing, but it made me realize it's easier just staying single, that way I can't hurt anyone with temptation."
'Or you could just not hurt people?' Natsu thought, but he held his tongue.
"Anyways, I dunno if you're a tit man or an ass man, but Marcy's got the biggest tits I've ever seen, and I've seen some huge ones."
Despite the tension in the room, Natsu couldn't help but laugh. He welcomed the lighthearted break, his chest feeling too heavy. "I'll take your word on it."
There was a particular part of the woman's body that got him fired up, but he kept his hormones under control. Perhaps, too controlled, sometimes not realizing how attractive someone was until it was pointed out to him.
"Jen though, she's just a freak in bed. Like, super flexible and nothing's off limits. This one time she even let me fuck her—"
"That's enough," Natsu said, cutting him off. "I don't need the details," he added, shaking his head as he sighed. "Wait..."
"You do want to hear about how I—"
"No!" Natsu held back a cringe. "I definitely don't want to hear any of that. Sheesh, you sound like a pervert half the time."
If he hadn't gotten caught up on what Loke said earlier, he might have pointed out the strange way Loke talked about women. He cared about their rights but didn't think it was wrong to kiss and tell?
Loke raised a brow, confused until Natsu asked, "What do you mean you're leaving?"
"I said I wanted a change in scenery. That's why I've been asking about Fairy Tail. It sounds pretty chill."
Natsu blinked, brain processing his words. "Wait, you want to go to Fairy Tail? To live?"
Loke chuckled, shifting so his legs hung off his bed. "Well, yeah. I thought it was obvious."
Natsu shook his head. He was convinced Loke was a spy, trying to gather intel on Fairy Tail. He never once thought Loke would want to join.
"Oh, yeah." Loke wore a soft smile before it faded, the grim atmosphere creeping in again. "I've been wanting to leave for a while, but the only other communities are either worse or just farms, and from what I've heard about your place so far, it sounds better. Plus, you're about to get electricity, which helps make the decision easier."
"Fairy Tail would be happy to take you in," Natsu said, knowing Loke would fit in with the kitchen staff quickly, especially after they tasted his bread. "I do gotta warn though, we don't have as many people as Hargeon does, so it'll be harder to find people to hook up with."
"That's fine. I'll live," Loke said, looking slightly disappointed. "Hopefully some single girls will pop up eventually."
Natsu thought about Cana and Levy, wondering if either of them would want Loke. He decided not to mention it, instead giving another warning. "And, it's probably not what you want to hear, but I'm not sure our doc would be able to do the procedures you were talking about. We're kinda limited on what we have and can do, since we don't have electricity or access to the hospital."
"If your doc could, do you think they would let a woman decide what they wanted to do with their body?"
"Yeah, I think she would, but I haven't asked her. The subject hasn't exactly come up." Natsu furrowed his brows. "I can't imagine it's an easy decision."
Loke shook his head. "From what I've seen, it's not. And we'll never know since we don't have to worry about that."
Loke paused before sighing. "Well," as an afterthought, he added, "I heard an ex of mine may of had an abortion. One of our mutual friends suspected it, but there's no proof."
He shrugged. "I tried calling a few times, but she changed her number, and I never heard from her again. If she was though, I doubt the baby was mine. We hadn't done it in a while... I just wanted to check on her, see how she was holding up."
"Maybe it was yours? She may of had it," Natsu said, but Loke shook his head.
"Can't go down that road. Maybe she had it, maybe she didn't. Maybe she's dead, maybe she's still kicking. I could tear myself up with maybes, but it won't do me any good."
"True." Natsu said, but he felt there was a difference between that and keeping hope alive. He didn't mention it, instead thinking about Laxus and his situation. "Huh, I guess it's more fucked up what's happening with Dr. Fisher now that I think about it."
"What's that?"
"My friend, the one who's hurt," Natsu started, swiveling in his chair. "She's getting medical treatment in exchange for one of our teammates' sperm so the doc can have a baby. It, just seems kinda fucked up. They're forcing people to carry out their pregnancies, but instead of offering to adopt one of the unwanted babies, they're trying for their own. I dunno, the whole thing seems messed up."
"Which is why I've been looking for a chance to leave, even before Tabitha died."
When Natsu cocked his head, Loke said, "That was her name. What happened with her was the last straw, but I've been wanting a way out since the beginning, but it's so dangerous out there. I honestly don't know if I'd make it on my own."
"Well, now you don't have to," Natsu said with a small smile. Though, it didn't last when Loke spoke again.
"This place just has some policies I can't live with anymore. Like, the thing with the old and disabled is fucked up too, definitely worse."
"Is it true?" Natsu asked, throat tight as he forced himself to speak. "That they'll just let people starve?"
Loke hung his head, eyes shut. He took a few deep breaths before calming himself. "I wish that were true, but no. They do something just as bad, maybe even worse."
Natsu's first thought was putting them down, imagining Hargeon's leaders sending in an assassin to kill anyone who couldn't take care of themselves, but sometimes Natsu needed to listen instead of creating his own scenarios.
"What could be worse?" he asked, eyes blown wide when Loke muttered four words, his heart nearly stopping dead in its tracks.
"They experiment on them."
The room went silent, Natsu unable to move as the words sank in. "No, no they don't."
Loke nodded, solidifying Natsu's fear. "They do. They give them a choice. Leave Hargeon, or go to the prison to run tests. I hear they feed them if they comply, but only while they're still living."
"You hear?" Natsu asked, thankful for the chance to doubt. He didn't want to believe people would be that heinous, even on others who were going to die without assistance.
"Yes," Loke said, sensing the disbelief. "I have no proof, just what a few guards told me."
"Why would they tell you that?" Natsu asked, not wanting to call Loke a liar, but he couldn't accept what he said as fact. Denying medical care when they could help sounded like something Hargeon would do, but experimenting on people? There had to be lines they wouldn't cross.
Loke sighed, "It's okay if you don't believe me. I wouldn't want to believe it either. When the world ended, I was put on guard since I knew how to fire a weapon and had some experience with the military, even if it was just from ROTC. I quit after a few weeks to be a baker when others were struggling with it, but I still talk to my friends who are guards."
He paused before shrugging. "Honestly, I hope it's all a lie too, but I think they're telling the truth. They say they want to learn more about the virus. They do their harder experiments on the criminals that aren't getting out, like the murders and rapists. I feel less bad for them, but it still doesn't make it right."
"Well," Natsu started, unsure what to think. "I hope it's not true." He would need to ask Gray if he had heard of anything, seeing as he had spent some time in the prison. "What kind of experiments, would it be?"
"Testing the infection," Loke said, confliction written on his face. "From what I hear, they've learned a lot, but it doesn't feel right. Is the knowledge really worth someone's life?"
"People die?" Natsu asked, causing Loke to nod.
"They justify it by saying they were going to die anyway. I don't know. I want to know what causes the infection too, but... I just don't know."
With morbid curiosity, Natsu asked, "What have they learned?"
Loke didn't answer for a moment, silence thick in the air before he took a deep breath. "The infection can be diluted. The less someone's exposed, the longer it takes to turn. The virus also has a shelf life. When removed from the direct source, infected blood will become ineffective after seventy-two hours, then it won't hurt anyone. However, if it's colder, the infection lasts longer, up to a week."
Natsu thought about Warcry. The theory was he was bitten by a dog that had been gnawing on a dead zombie. If Hargeon's research was correct, it would explain why it took Warcry so long to turn. "Anything else?"
Loke nodded. "They run tests on the undead too. I hear they have some locked up in the prison to get fresh samples. The good news is the virus will end. They test every week, and the virus gets weaker. They think the infection grows slower, and eventually it'll make them stop moving."
"That'd be good," Natsu said, not minding them experimenting on the dead. "Anything else?"
"A scratch doesn't actually infect someone unless the zombie's fingers are already bleeding. A scratch from a clean hand won't cause the infection, but it's nearly impossible to find one with clean anything."
Without Natsu asking, Loke continued. "Their gums are bloody, which is why the bite is fatal. I'm sure you've seen them go from running to walking out there?"
When Natsu nodded, Loke said, "They found out a person's blood type determines if they stay fast or if they slow down and lose their dexterity."
"But, they'll eventually all die out?"
"Yes. In time they'll die off on their own, then we can rebuild society properly without fearing for our lives."
"If it's all true, then that's good to know," Natsu said. He didn't justify what they may have been doing, but he had to admit, it would be good knowing the infected's expiration date
Loke sat up, pushing his bangs out of his face before straightening his glasses. "I go back and forth, but I just, I really want to leave this place. I don't feel like a hostage or anything. I know I can leave whenever I want. I've got no debt. I've been skipping meals and keeping my electricity off for the past few months to save, that way right before I go, I can stock up."
"How much do you have saved?" Natsu asked, causing Loke to bring out his wallet. With that action, Natsu asked, "You still carry one?"
Loke nodded, pulling out a piece of paper before opening it. "It makes me feel normal carrying it around. I still have my ID and everything." He looked at the paper before doing some math in his head. "I need to subtract today's shopping trip, but other than that I should have around... Four hundred points."
"You could help us pay off the electrician!" Natsu beamed, earning a nod from Loke.
"I could. Then you'll be able to leave sooner?"
Natsu shrunk in his seat, remembering the conversation from last night. "Maybe not. They're talking about staying longer to get some chickens for eggs. I dunno if we will, but that'll add more time."
"I'll help as much as I can," Loke offered, causing Natsu to smile.
"Thanks. Your crew gonna be okay with you gone?"
Loke grumbled, dragging a hand over his face before laying back, staring at the ceiling once more. "Honestly, no, but I can't stick around for their sake. I mentioned leaving about a month ago, and they flipped out. I've been trying to train them better, and they'd probably handle it fine if they stopped relying on me so much. I'm sure they'll be fine."
"Hope so," Natsu said, knowing Hargeon would be missing a great baker, but it would put Fairy Tail at an advantage. Deciding he was completely done with talking about Hargeon and all of its flaws, Natsu smiled.
"How about I tell you a little more about Fairy Tail?"
Loke's lips twitched into a small, relieved smile. "Yeah?"
Natsu nodded, knowing Makarov and the others would welcome Loke to their home. "Absolutely."
Loke relaxed, eyes softening as he said, "I'd like that."
On the other side of the base, the same topic was discussed, but with a different outlook.
"So, you've learned all that?"
"Yes, and we're learning more every day."
"And you only experiment on the harder criminals? The ones who are never getting out?"
"Yeah, of course. We're not monsters."
"Hmm... You still don't know what causes it? The infection?"
"Unfortunately, no. We're working up every theory we can come up with, but so far nothing works. We're not scientists, so we can only do so much. We think it was deliberate though, probably chemical warfare that backfired."
Gray let that sink in, eyes dark as he looked down at the rows of cells, holding the hardened criminals, those who decided to hurt people in the most vile of ways. He didn't like the idea of experimenting on people, but if they were going to rot in a cell anyway, why not get some information out of them?
"I have a theory," Gray said, swallowing before he looked at the guard. "It's a little out there."
"We're willing to test any theory at this point, even far-fetched ones. The more we know about this virus, the better we can be to defend ourselves from it."
Gray took a deep breath, nodding as he said, "It has to do with diet pills."
.
.
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Alright, lots of controversial topics in this one. It won't touch the controversy for a bit, about to start some lighter chapters. I feel like it's been long overdue. I did want to say I'm not trying to make this story into a political thing or something. Just showing some differences in communities. It would be unrealistic if every single place operated like Fairy Tail did. Every place will have its pros and cons, the survivors just have to decide what they're willing to live with.
I did a lot of research on making bread/yeast/cardboard ovens from scratch. I did not include everything because that could have filled up a whole chapter by itself, so I chose a few notes I thought were worthy and left the rest out. Hope you got the general idea on how they're operating at Hargeon.
Thank you so much for every favorite, follow, and to those who reviewed last time: FoxDragon1029, Lady Of The Sphinx, slmo, Ryu of Konoha, Lodemai04, sakshishetty3003, Guest, valerioux, Poprock2363, Doginshoe, stranger1999, Screeney, FlameDragonHime, Guest, sthokat, shootingstarssel, ElementalMiko12, MeteorWars, Yaknova, Chibi-Umaru, CathJorda, mehshellgarery, SunsetRika(x3), ms. annelily, Sam, ReynaSofy997, SistershoOk, Dajissabrat, Xfangirl123X , Lovetoreadff, ShadyHydraTheSnekQueen, Jazminee18, Ejjderiaa, polarris, Linkin-Phoenix(x2), positive vibes only, xXxMysticBeastxXx, and StardressPrincess!
Thank you Doginshoe for giving me some pointers to help this chapter flow better! :) Also, Doginshoe drew fanart for this story! Check it out on her tumblr! Search for the tag 'my art' on her profile! (Really wish it would let me post pictures in the chapters. Grr)
So, y'all ready for a reunion? :P
Up next, Chapter Fifty-Three: Feeling lucky?
Thanks for reading! Let me know what you thought! :D