How Writing Fanfiction Saved Me

Uneasiness

Disclaimer: All Fairy Tail Characters Belong to Hiro Mashima

Chapter 13: Uneasiness

Zeref had returned late Monday night and gone straight to bed. Natsu had heard him come in as he lay awake in his room trying to make sense of that strange dream he'd had about Gray. Wendy was already fast asleep beside him. He'd been surprised when Zeref had not come in to wish them good night but he decided not to worry about it. They'd be spending plenty of time together soon enough.

Natsu and Wendy were not sure what to expect the following morning but Zeref emerged from his room as if nothing had happened. He set about making sure they all had everything they needed for their trip and he tossed Natsu a bag with the items he had purchased for him.

Natsu grabbed his new swimsuit, sunglasses and sandals. "Thanks, I hadn't realized that my old suit didn't fit anymore."

"I'm surprised you could even find your old suit in that disaster area you call your room." Zeref teased lightly.

"Hey, it's not that bad. I know where everything is." Natsu protested.

"Give it up, Natsu. It's like an archaeological dig in there." Wendy added. She turned towards Zeref and asked "Do we really have to leave all our electronics behind?"

"Yep, Gramps wants us to actually spend time together as a family." Zeref confirmed. "Of course, *I* still get to bring my phone." He smirked as he lorded it over them.

"What?! No fair. How come you get to?" both teens yelled.

"Silver was adamant about my being able to get in touch with him if I needed to." Zeref said managing to somehow look sheepish.

"Bullshit, you probably asked him to say that." Natsu grumbled. It's not like he used the damn thing that often anyway but he was a teenager and he felt naked without its reassuring weight in his pocket.

They continued packing, setting aside the things that would need to be washed, which in Natsu's case was almost everything.

"Hey Zeref?" Natsu called out to his brother nervously, not sure how to ask what he wanted to know.

"What's up?" Zeref stopped fiddling with the box for the camera he had bought and looked at his brother.

"What's Silver really like?"

"What kind of question is that? You've known him your whole life." Zeref reminded him.

"Yeah, but just last week he hated my guts and told me to stay away from Gray and now he's being all nice to me and I just can't tell which one is the real one."

Zeref chuckled a little even as he knew Natsu was being perfectly serious. "Both. He's a hardass but he's also a very caring person. He cares about you Natsu, how could he not? You and Gray have always been inseparable. He just didn't know how to deal with the two of you pounding the crap out of each other on a regular basis."