Lovers with Benefits

Chapter Seven - Lonely thoughts

"No way. No. Fucking. Way", Natsu crossed his arms.

"But it's gonna be fun!", Max insisted.

Natsu was spending the afternoon at Max's place. They just finished watching a movie. The blonde guy suggested that they should hang out with Gray next week. Max, Lucy, Erza, Natsu and Gray.
Natsu almost choked on his energy drink when he heard his idea.

"No way I'm gonna spend time with this jerk outside of school", Natsu death-stared at his friend.

"C'mon, this guy needs friends. That poor dude has this weird Juvia girl as a friend, that's ridiculous. Be a decent human being and at least try to get some good karma".

Max and his karma, for whatever reason it was so important to him.

Natsu rolled his eyes: "That's his fault then."

"Also, I'm a great wingman", Max added proudly.

"Jerk! I don't want to have anything to do with this stupid grrrr-", he threw the empty can at his friend who simply laughed.

"I know, I know", Max laughed and threw the can back at Natsu, "also, did you hear about that rumour about you?"

"God, leave me alone with that. I don't like gossip", Natsu sighed. He knew what was coming.

"But do you?", Max raised an eyebrow and smirked.

"Do what?"

"Suck dick for money", Max laughed out loud and immediately got a can thrown in his face and continued to laugh even more, Natsu just blushed and growled in annoyance.

"Sometimes I wonder why I'm even friends with you", Natsu said teasingly. "From now on, I'm only going to talk to Lucy and pretend you don't exist".

"Do whatever you want, have fun with your bad karma", Max shrugged and smiled maliciously.

Evening. Natsu was procrastinating on his homework and instead lied on his bed, texting Lucy.

"max is soo annoyinh"

"I like the idea though :("

"i dont. droopy eyes gets on my nerves"

"Natsu, he hasn't done anything to make you dislike him. And I agree with Max, making new friends will be good for you. I know you feel more secure with us because we wont leave you for your anger issues :)"

"stop analyising me!! thats mean"

"It's analysing. And I'm right ^^ pretty pretty pleaaaase give it a chance"

"urgh only so u finally stop being so annlying"

Natsu threw his phone somewhere else on his bed. He heard a few more message ringtones, but decided to ignore it.

He now was just staring at his ceiling, thinking about how stupid this idea was.
Were his anger issues really that bad? Did he actually have no friends?
Lucy, Max, he sometimes talked to Erza when she wasn't lecturing him,...

Did Happy count as his friend? Does that prick Loki count as his friend, even though they just interact for some sexual acts? Did his brother count as his friend, even though he never was home?

Natsu sighed. He suddenly remembered what Gray said to him the other day.

"Wow, your parents must be incredibly proud of you"

Natsu closed his eyes. He questioned himself if they actually were. His mother died at his birth. She knew the risks of the pregnancy, yet decided to keep him. Complications during c-section.
Although he tried not to think about it most of the times, he sometimes felt guilty.
He wondered how it is to have a mother.
Lucy told him her mother was the sweetest person on earth. When she was seven, her mom got very sick. Her death hit the blonde girl like a train.

Then Natsu thought about their fathers. Lucy's being an arrogant prick, and Natsu's leaving him and his brother without a warning when he was twelve.

Then a flash of what happened to him a year later. Natsu's hands were getting cold.

Thankfully, his race of thoughts got interrupted by a knock on his door.
"Hey, Natsu. Sorry, I'm home late. I was at Mavis'. Help me cook dinner."

That was his older brother Zeref. He graduated with straight As and was currently studying at some weird elite university for smart people. He specifies in some weird science stuff. That's all Natsu knew about his brother. They barely talked.

" Urgh, okay. I'm hungry anyways", Natsu said and swung himself off his bed.

He went downstairs and helped Zeref cook dinner.

They then ate together at the kitchen table.

Zeref broke the silence: "I hope you're doing well."

Natsu looked up confused and asked: "What does that mean?"

"I know I leave you alone a lot. I have tons of things to do and sometimes I'm worried that I'm neglecting you", his brother confessed in a serious tone.

Natsu laughed quietly: "No, no. I'm fine, don't worry. I'm basically an adult now, I can take care of myself."

"Then why is your room so messy?", the black-haired man teased.

"Oi!"

They both laughed and Zeref added: "But Natsu, remember that I'm here if you ever need anything."

"Thanks. But didn't you want to move in with Mavis together?", Natsu asked with a full mouth of food.

"Yeah, but that will still take a while... When are you going to have a relationship?"

Natsu cringed at the word relationship. Not only because he simply preferred hooking up without any strings, but also because his brother consciously didn't say "girlfriend". He was glad that his brother accepted him the way he is, but it still felt a bit uncomfortable.

"I'm not interested in relationships. Too much work", he simply answered, shoving more food into his mouth.

"Stop eating so fast", Zeref laughed.