Gray was perched sitting cross legged on one of the top bunks. The cabin had 4 set of the wooden bunk beds. They were arranged long ways 2 against one wall and 2 on the opposite wall leaving the floor open between them. With Gray sat his loud mouth foster brother who would eventually end up in the bunk beneath him. He ran his hand through his black hair listening as Lyon was making up some story about winning a fight or something. Gray rolled his eyes as Lyon detailed out every punch and kick of the imaginary fight. As Lyon droned on the sound of the cabin doors rusty hinges caught Gary's attention.
He sat up as the pink haired boy from earlier the meeting came in followed by some goth or maybe emo kid Gray did recall seeing. Lyon of course was being rude as usual and hadn't even acknowledged their existence. He just kept on talking about himself like he always does.
"So by the time the teachers make it in the gym I'm standing there chatting with the afore mentioned cheerleader while the 3 dumb jocks are laid out on the gym floor," Lyon shrugged as if to say no big deal. "One of the guys had actually pissed him."
Gray cut Lyon off smacking him on the back of the head, "Quit lying Lyon or I'm going to tell Ur you're doing it again. None of the jocks in our school even have you on their radar."
"I'm not lying and this was at my old school with the foster family before Ur so you wouldn't even know," he shoved Gray almost knocking him off the bunk.
"I know you're a compulsive liar and the therapist said to call you on your shit otherwise it's just enabling and if you push me again I'm going to make your face hit the floor."
"Fuck you Gray!" Lyon balled his fist.
"Really," Gray was ready to pounce on Lyon which would of ended bad for both boys. However a unhappy blond was tired of listened to both of them.
"Why don't you both shut the Fuck up and chill the fuck out because I'm done hearing it," Laxus eyed the two boys over the book he'd been reading from his top bunk on the opposite wall. When he was assured that they were done bickering he went back to his book.
Gray turned his attention back to the forgotten new cabin mates.
"Hey new guys, the bunk beside up are the open ones make yourselves at home."
The boys walked over to the open bunks and Natsu threw his sleeping bag on top, "I wasn't sure if I should have interrupted all that to introduce myself or not."
Gray smiled, "That was nothing just a little brotherly love. We were waiting on everyone to get her before introduction so We weren't repeating it all night."
Lyon put his fingers to his lips and whistled startling the other boys except Gray who unfortunately was use to the whistle habit Lyon picked up from Ur. The silver haired boy spoke once they were all looking, "Everyone's arrived so it's time. We want names and why you're doing time my friends. Who wants to start? Maybe you with the pink hair or the man in black behind ya?"
"I'm Natsu and this is my brother Zer…" Natsu was cut off by Lyon who made a buzzer sound with his mouth.
"eeeeeeee l'm sorry but the man in black will have to speak for himself but you can continue with you."Lyon gave an apologetic smile. However, Natsu didn't think it was very sincere.
"Ok well I'm Natsu. I go to Magnolia High." Gray and Lyon were shaking their heads.
"Get to the good stuff. What got ya in?" Lyon nudged Natsu on.
"Well our dad made us go I'm not sure what you want," Natsu fiddled with his bands.
Gray frowned, "You know what type of brain damage qualified you for this camp?"
"Were not brain damaged!"
"Not literally dude. What's your issue, your disease, or mental illness? We want to know why you qualify for this place." Lyon nodded in agreement with Gray.
The boy in the bunk under Laxus spoke up, "That is very personal information. It seems very disrespectful and rude to be prying like that," this was the first time the resident under the angry bond's bed had spoken. He wore a long sleeved button up shirt with khaki pants. His long blond hair was braided neatly in the back of his head.
Lyon smirked, "Well it's ok if you don't want to share Republic I got you figured out already."
"It is Freed Justine and I have no interest in your game. You know nothing about me." Lyon narrowed his eyes Freed simply looked away determined not to give anymore of his time to the argument.
"Dude seriously I got you figured out. I think i have all of you figured out."
Zeref had crawled on to his lower bunk with his back against the wall. Natsu sat on the edge of Zeref's bunk watching the silver haired boy glare at the long haired boy.
"Actually I kinda want to see this. They took my phone and my 3ds so this is entertaining," a orange haired boy who neighbored Freed rolled from his back to sit up on his bed and face the others. Freed gave him a murderous look for encouraging the other. "Come on it's not that big of a deal and I'm Leo by the way."
"If it's not a big deal then you can play his game," Leo flashed a big smile at Freed.
"Sure I'm up for it," Leo stood up and bowed. "Let's see if you got the insight game you say you do." Freed gaped at the orange haired boy and Lyon smiled to the challenge.
"You are a self-hating and self-destructive. Whoever you live with probably was at a loss for what to do. I'm sure they tried therapy and medication and as a last ditch effort you were referred here. Probably by an ER doctor who after pumping your stomach for pills and or alcohol listened to some poor soul cry their eyes out scared of losing you."
Leo looked around the room, "Dude how did you? That's spot on besides the whole stomach pumping thing. Actually i passed out in my cat on the school parking lot. I was trashed and a teacher found me choking on my own vomit. You should see if you like a psychic or something."
"Nothing like that I'm merely observant. When you arrived you couldn't look your mom in the eyes. She was crying like this was her last hope. I noticed you walking around with your sunglasses on. You looked pretty hungover. Your hair's a mess and I'm pretty sure you've been avoiding a mirror but have no shame throwing yourself at all the females even the staff probably a way to deflect from the self-loathing."
Freed couldn't stand the smug look on Lyon's face and refused to acknowledge him when he turned to Freed.
"You know what why don't I just do a quick run-down so we all know each other better. The man in black hiding behind his brother has severe social anxiety that has spiraled into depression with his lack of coping skills."
The boys all turned their eyes to Zeref to see if he would confirm Lyons theory. Zeref pulled his knees to his chest and kept his eyes cast down put his lips move and they heard him quietly say, "Sounds about right."
Natsu studied his older brother. He knew Zeref was high strung and anxious. He knew about the panic attacks and his fear of large groups but he'd never thought about his brother being depressed. It scared him a little thinking about it. Hi attention was turned back to Lyon though when he moved on to him.
"Natsu you for one never stop moving and I can see the wheels in your head constantly turning even when someone else is talking. You try but your brain fires differently and you cannot focus for long. That is classic ADHD which alone isn't severe enough not for a referral here. So there must be something else." Lyon looked deep in thought while Natsu squirmed. "Give me a hint because I'm not getting there."
"Dude I wish I knew. I take meds for ADHD but that's all I know. I came here thinking I was coming to a normal summer camp and get truth bombed what that fact that I'm screwed in the head somewhere and didn't even know it," Gray patted Natsu on the shoulder.
"No one knows it till the know it. We all thought we were normal at one point just be glad you got to play normal longer," Gray smiled warmly. It took the pink haired boy a moment to look away something about Gray's smile seemed to want to keep his attention drawn on it. He had to look away he was staring.
"Well I think it still counts you still got what you knew right better than i could even explain it myself," Lyon high fived the pinket.
"What about the guy sleeping above Leo? I didn't see him at check in he got here before us," Gray challenged his foster brother.
"Please Gray that's the easiest one. Some kind of crank or speed addict. He's went on a bender I'm sure when he found out he was being sent here and has been up for days. Has probably going to sleep most of the time for the next week."
"You could be wrong there's no way to confirm," Lyon rolled his eyes at that.
Leo looked over his shoulder at the resident above him then to Natsu," You should go shake him and ask him his name."
"What why me?"
"Isn't it obvious with the pink hair he might mistake you for a girl and with your ADHD powers that makes you faster right?"
"That is most definitely not how that works. You are going to get him hit." Freed looked to Natsu, "Don't let this joker talk you into something you are uncomfortable with."
"Freed stop being a killjoy I'm sure Natsu's a man who can think for himself," Lyon scolded. Freed just shook his head and set back. If his cabin mates wanted to act like idiots he was not going to interfere.
Leo waged his eyebrows at Natsu, "What do ya say? Wanna check on our sleeping friend?"
Natsu looked at his brother who was shaking his head no but then he looked at Gray who was smiling thoroughly entertained by the situation.
"You're with them on this aren't you?" He didn't know why he asked Gray like his opinion made all the difference.
Gray nodded, "I think you got the skills if he comes at you."
Zeref watched nervously as his brother slowly crawled up the side of the bunk with the sleeping man's head. Natsu looked over at the other boys standing at Lyons bunk. Laxus raised an eyebrow and shook his head. Natsu swallow and very slow reached out toward the sleeper's shoulder. Right before he made contact he froze.
"If you touch me I'm going to touch you back much much more violently," the sleeping man raised up and was face to face with Natsu, "You get what I'm saying?"
Zeref felt like his heart was going to explode and Leo kept whispering, "oh shit oh shit oh shit."
Freed looked to see Lyon with a pretty amused smirk on his face. Freed looked him even less now.
Natsu swallowed thickly and took in the face only a few inches from his. He had a head of thick black long hair and a carp ton of facial piercings. It felt like forever neither one moving Natsu too scared to and the other man maybe trying to prove a point or maybe he was trying to use the force to murder Natsu, he wasn't sure.
Natsu closed his eyes and braced for the worst when the other grabbed his short by the collar and pulled on it. Nothing happened though. Natsu opened his eyes and saw the other studying his shirt.
"I've seen them live a few times. They put on a good show," he let go of the shirt and looked up.
"Huh," was all the sound Natsu could make.
"Your shirt, 21 pilots. They're a pretty good band.
Natsu's face lit up with understanding, "Oh yeah they are one of my favorites. I'm Natsu."
The now less scary man sat up and stretched," Gajeel." he looked around at the other boys then put his focus on Lyon. "I get crazy sever motion sickness. My doc gives me something to knock me out for long trips. Just putting that out there in case anyone wanted make any crazy assumptions that could get their ass kicked." Lyon seemed more annoyed than fearful of the intended threat.
Lyon turned his attention to Freed, "Well that's on wrong, maybe. Who knows but now it's your turn." Freed shook his head.
"Say whatever you're going to say. What you think really isn't a matter of my concern."
"When you brushed and braided your hair earlier you were counting each stroke. When you got distracted and lost count you started over. I watched you go through and Lysol all the door knobs. You flip the light switch four time every single time you turn it off or on and you scrubbed your hands til they were red."
Freed seemed bothered a little deeper then he wanted to let on, "So what? Neurological its not that bad on the spectrum."
"I'm not done but let's recap OCD and germ phobia with an uptight attitude. You don't break rules or take risks. I really thought you were a bore until…" Freed shifted nervously, "until I saw you have a quite conversation with the corning of the bathroom wall."
Freed had went white as a ghost, "So what is it Freed what drives your compulsions is it a spirit or ghost. Maybe an angel tells you if ya don't flip the light 4 times he'll on earth will begin. Your pretty diving thought. I bet it's a demon. He talks to you, tells you what rituals to do and how? Although You are a logical thinker you probably don't believe in ghost and demons. But there is a voice in your head telling you something and you don't like it. You hate how crazy it makes you feel," Lyon looked to please with himself. Freed on the other hand had started hugging himself shaking his head.
"Does it tell you that bad things will happen if you don't count out the light switch flips? Does it scare you? You know he's not real but your too scared to not do what he tells you. That's a lot of paranoia." Gray grabbed Lyon by the arm. But Lyon shook him off, "You sit there all high and mighty looking down on us because your imaginary friend said you're better than us. But You're not Freed you are bat shit fucking crazy!" Freed head fell in his hands once he couldn't hold back the tears.
"Seriously Freed I.."
"Why don't you shut the hell up?" Freed stiffened as the voice in the bunk above him boomed. "You're a fucking self-indulged prick who gets high of his own voice. You are a classic toxic manipulative personality type with textbook narcissism and no empathy. Your apathy allows you to do what you want to others without feeling bad about it. All in all, you are a pretty shitty person so fucking deal with your own shit and stop ripping apart everyone else. I'm pretty sure lights out was 20 minutes ago and I'm ready to sleep."
Lyon chewed his lip but heading to his unlike the other boys.
Gajeel grumbled but obliged the blond, "I seriously just woke up."
Gray hollered from his bunk, "Someone get the light."
"Freed is the closest," Leo replied stating the obvious but not thinking about what it meant.
Freed hung his head he could hear Lyon laughing from his bunk but as he started to get up but another boy had gotten up quicker.
He only made eye contact for a second before he looked back down at his feet but it was long enough for Freed to mouth thank you at the quietest cabin mate.