Road to Recovery

Chapter Four

𝑰 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒕 𝒔𝒐 𝑰 𝒂𝒎 𝒔𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒚 𝒊𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒔𝒏'𝒕 𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒂𝒄𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆. 𝑯𝒐𝒑𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒆𝒏𝒋𝒐𝒚 :)

Natsu woke up and felt an arm wrapped around his waist. He looked at who it was and saw Gray asleep next to him.

The Dragon Slayer sat up and gently moved Gray's arm away.

"Finally, you're awake." Erza said.

"How did you get in?" Natsu asked.

"Happy let me in." The woman replied. "I wanted to speak to you before you left for court."

"About what?"

Erza sat down on the floor in front of him.

"The video."

"You'll hear me speak about it later."

Erza sighed. "How many times did she make you do that?"

"Honestly." Natsu started. "I don't even know. I've pushed it all away and the memories are only just coming back now. Everyone thinks we only split up a couple of days ago, but we actually broke up a couple of weeks ago. I wasn't even with her when she said I did that to her."

"Did she make you do anything else?" Erza asked, looking upset.

"Not really." Natsu replied. "But I wouldn't really know because it's all a blur."

"I am so sorry you had to go through that." Erza said. "If you had told me, I would have helped."

"I didn't want anyone to know." The Dragon Slayer told her. "Juvia found out and told Gray. I had to beg them not to tell you or Gramps."

Erza was on the verge of tears, something Natsu wasn't used to. He always made sure no one made the Titania cry, but this time it was his own fault.

"Can I give you a hug?" She asked, her voice shaking.

"Of course." Natsu replied and got up.

Erza stood up as well and pulled the boy into a soft hug.

The Titania felt tears rolling down her cheeks. Her guilt was eating away at her slowly. She could have stopped this if she had noticed how much Natsu was suffering, and she failed to do so. She has failed him.

Natsu split the hug and put a hand on Erza's shoulder. "Please don't cry because of me."

"It's not because of you." She told him. "I've let you down."

"No." Natsu shook his head. "I could have told you anytime and I chose not to. There was no way you could have found out."

"I agree." A certain Ice Mage said. "Natsu hid it well."

"You told me you paid more attention to him than me a couple of days ago." Erza reminded Gray. "What did you mean by that?"

"I noticed that Natsu seemed a little more down than usual about a week before I got told about what Lucy was doing." Gray told her. "There was honestly no way any of us could have known if Juvia didn't find out."

Erza raised an eyebrow.

"Long story." Natsu said.

Happy flew into the room and looked slightly confused.

"Why does everyone look so serious?" He asked.

"No reason." Natsu responded with a slight smile.

"I'm hungry."