II
The hardest part hit around a week after Natsu had woken up to find Igneel gone.
The first days were hard for the dragon, watching in forced silence as Natsu vowed to go find his father. At first, Natsu had thought Igneel had perhaps gotten into some sort of trouble, and a pained smile crossed the dragon's face as he heard Natsu yell to the sky that he'd find Igneel, and save him from whatever sort of peril had befallen him.
It was rough, watching Natsu search. His hands and feet became sore, and yet his son never gave up.
But after a few days, the hardest part hit as Igneel felt Natsu slowly beginning to understand.
Igneel wasn't lost or in trouble. He was gone. He was simply gone, never to return.
No words were strong enough to express the heart wrenching moments in the next few days. Igneel was sure he was being torn apart at the seams when Natsu cried, begging Igneel to come back, that he didn't know why his father had gone, and if it was because of something he did, he could make it right again.
As Natsu experienced the true feeling of being abandoned, and the confusion and guilt and absolute heartbreak that came with it, Igneel experienced a variable hell, listening to Natsu's thoughts, but unable to explain or console the boy.
Yes, the hardest part was around a week in, when realization dawned upon his son, and he was forced to sit and listen to every painful minute of broken heartedness that he had caused.
I felt as if it'd take Natsu a little while to realize that Igneel was actually gone. Whether its stubbornness or what, I always had that headcanon. Maybe I'm crazy. *shrugs* XD
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~Foxtail-chan