Living With Each Other

The First Days

 Natsu, after dragging his stuff up to the third floor, poked his head into all three master bedrooms, deciding which one he liked best. Truthfully, he could sleep in a different one every day, but he thought it would be annoying to have his personal items split between multiple bedrooms, so he would just choose one.

The rooms were pretty similar to each other, just in different colors. He chose the bedroom themed with white, gray, navy blue, and very small pops of a wine-ish magenta. Natsu dropped his bags and went on exploring. The bed was huge, maybe a California King or larger, and it sat right in the middle of the room. A little enclave above the head bedposts, adorned with dim but tasteful lights, allowed for some shelf space. A dresser, plus little lamps, sat on either side of the bed. A light—not quite a chandelier, but still ornate—hung over the foot of the bed. A small rectangular desk was off to one side. It seemed to be a makeup desk or something similar. It did not have a chair, which Natsu found strange. One large, circular rug tied the room together.

Natsu poked around a bit more. He found a walk-in closet, empty except for hangers, an ironing board and iron, and what appeared to be an ottoman in storage. It matched the theme of the room, so he dragged it out and placed it in front of the little desk.

Off to the side Natsu found the en-suite bathroom. An ornate sink and hand towels, a surprisingly decorated toilet, along with a separate bathtub and shower. The bathroom also had a linen closet, and he found a few fluffy towels stacked on the shelves.

He decided to start unpacking. He did not have nearly enough things to fill this entire space, but he imagined he would get more stuff as the year progressed. He pulled out his toiletries: hairbrush, toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, cologne, hair products, razor, and clippers; and devised a system in the many drawers and cabinets below and around the sink. He had also brought a towel of his own, so he put it into the linen closet, though he had full intentions of using those expensive towels already in there.

Natsu pulled out his clothes. He had not brought many, never wearing much besides his work clothes, but he dragged out a few shirts, pants, socks, and underwear to hang in the huge closet. It looked just as empty when Natsu finished as when he began.

He didn't have much else. A framed photo of him and his friends, a photo album, some knicknacks he threw onto the desk and nightstand, and a little notebook and pen that he tucked into a drawer. He double checked his pack for any items he missed but found nothing, so he zipped up his pack and placed it on a shelf in the closet.

Natsu kicked off his shoes and jumped into his new bed. He immediately relaxed into the foam, the mattress was obviously high quality.

'What is Happy doing right now?' Natsu thought to himself. Probably flying back home to Magnolia... or taking the train. Even flying alone, Natsu wasn't sure if Happy could make the trip relying on his magic only. Without him, Natsu didn't know what he was going to do. When he originally accepted the mission, it was under the pretense that he would get a year mostly alone with his closest friend. He accepted the new terms of the mission in Ruth's office for a mix of reasons. Partly spontaneity, but he really was excited to take this mission. He wanted his coming-of-age. Not that they didn't love him, but Fairy Tail did often make fun of him for a handful of reasons: his stupidity, recklessness, and childishness. It was deserved on his part, but he imagined coming back from this mission a little more grown-up. He reckoned he was about twenty years old (he did not know precisely how old he was; however he knows he is about the same age as Gray, and Gray calls himself twenty), but he certainly did not feel like it, and he was even more certainly not treated as such. Natsu really did not want to lose that opportunity.

Happy had probably recognized that desire in him. They were very close, after all. He had been so adamant that Natsu still take the mission, even with him gone. It had confused Natsu at first, but he supposed he understood after thinking it through a little more. What he could not understand at all was why Gray accepted Natsu as his partner! Gray did not have to fight for respect in the guild the same way Natsu had to. His insufferable cool-guy attitude had managed to ensnare all of their guildmates in some fashion. So, what stake does he have in taking this mission? The money was spectacular, sure, but Natsu knew Gray could earn that much in a year doing regular missions if he really wanted to. Did he also seek a year to grow? Natsu could not imagine that being the case. What could Gray ever seek to grow into? He was apathetic and not future-oriented in the slightest. Natsu did not understand. What the hell was he doing here?