VIII

The day the child named Lisanna died was the day Igneel was thrown into turmoil again. It'd been years now, since he'd left, since Natsu had settled into Fairy Tail, and things seemed to have been going well. Jobs became routine, friends were easily made, and a sense of security had been built.

That all came crashing down.

Igneel himself realized he'd never find out the answer to whether or not Natsu eventually noticed her feelings. Although, his mind was almost completely focused on Natsu's reaction.

On the outside, his son seemed steady. Natsu, while he did express words of grief to others, seemed strong. However, his heart and soul were a different story.

Igneel felt his son's heart beat with pain, pushing grief down into his veins and forcing tears out of his eyes when he was alone. He felt Natsu question why something like that could've happened to someone so sweet and innocent. He felt his entire foundation shaking, threatening to fall.

But most heartbreakingly, and the thing that pushed the uncertainty back into Igneel's heart, was when Natsu began to associate Lisanna's death with his own father's disappearance.

Both times he'd been abandoned. Whether intentional or unintentional, Natsu made the connection between the two. The intense sorrow and bewilderment associated with Igneel's disappearance that'd been buried with love and friendship, surfaced once again.

And while there was nothing Igneel could do about it from the inside, instead forced to listen to Natsu questioning where his father was once again, his head in his hands as he mourned the loss of his friend, he had hope that just like the first time, over weeks, months, and maybe even once again years… Natsu's heart would heal slowly, the gaping wounds replaced by scars and a newfound sense of kindness and determination.

I still just love Lisanna so much. I legitimately cried during the flashbacks to her death.
Next chapter should (probably) be the start of when the anime/manga started! I'm quite excited!

Thank you so so for the reviews once again.

~Foxtail-chan