Trail of a Fairy

19. Home

Natsu hurled one last time in the train station toilet. He was sure some was from the ride back, but the rest? Damn Shirotsume town and that mountain range.

Nashi waited patiently outside the bathroom with the Fullbuster's. Gael waited patiently like her mother. Both held their hands together in front of their matching dresses. Juvia quivered as she looked between Gray and Gael. Gael quivered too, looking from her father to Nashi. Gray waited coolly, staring off into the distance. Nashi tried to imitate him.

When Natsu came out — wiping his face clean — he grimaced. Damn Ice Princess. Natsu glanced at Nashi as well. And Gael next to him quivering.

"C'mon. Let's go home."

"Sure!" Nashi was the first one to head down the street in excitement. It didn't take long for Gael to follow him. She skipped after him, holding the corners of her dress.

"What makes her so happy?" Natsu turned to Gray.

He grimaced, but answered. "She's discovered dancing. Partner dancing."

"Gray-sama is an excellent dancer! Juvia was surprised at how good he was."

Natsu chuckled. "Something about Gray that even you didn't know? No way can I believe that."

Gray mumbled something under his breath, but neither Juvia nor Natsu heard it. Juvia twittered trying to get Gray to tell her what he said, but he wouldn't budge. With a punch, Natsu began to run ahead.

"Catch me if you can, pervert!"

Gray tsked, and was after the fire mage. Yelling curses, he chased Natsu through the street.

"I'm going to haul your sorry ass back onto the train!"

Natsu whipped around; faster than Gray expected. As Gray tried to stop, Natsu punched him in the face. Hard. Gray felt blood starting to run down his face. He grabbed his nose to staunch the flow.

"The hell was that for?" He yelled.

"That -" Natsu scowled, "was for teaching my son swear words."

Juvia caught up quickly, pulling a tissue from who knows where for Gray. She scowled at Natsu.

"Natsu-san, why are you so violent with Gray-sama?"

"Imagine how mad you'd be if I taught Gael swear words. Then double it because I'm the only parent Nashi's got to be annoyed about it."

Juvia remained quiet as Natsu stomped off after the kids. But when he reached them, he grabbed their shoulders and started to laugh with them, and whatever they were talking about.

Through his bloody nose, Gray grinned. "Looks like this trip did help Natsu a little."

Juvia was too busy cleaning blood from Gray's face to answer.

~~~~~~~~~

"Hey, ojii-chan!" Subaru yelled from inside the guild, sitting at a table with all the kids and their parents.

Natsu twitched a bit, but left it at that. He grinned, and quickly stepped in to give her a noogie before Erza could do anything.

"Hey — I shaved! I should look younger now."

Subaru wiggled out of his noogie and closer to her mom. Until she saw Nashi and Gael behind Natsu. With a grin, she went up to them and hugged them. And just like her mother, their heads cracked against her armor.

"Jeez, Subaru," Nashi whined, rubbing his injured head, "you need to stop doing that!"

"Yeah. You and your mother both." Gael emphasized.

She shrugged, and grabbed Nashi by the shoulders. "How'd the adventure go? Did you do any trekking through the woods?"

"No, we just passed by the Hakobe mountains."

Everyone shuddered with Natsu. The kids sighed, and grouped up away from the parents. In secret council, the group of friends discussed the situation.

"It's been too long." Nayeli stated.

"Yeah, ten years is too long for them to still shut up about her." Gael confirmed.

"Yeah!"

Nayeli looked down in front of her. Her siblings had snuck in. She groaned, and went to push the two away.

"Ivan, Teresa, go to mom and dad. We're not talking about things that seven-year-olds can understand."

The twins shook their heads, with their blue spikes shivering. Ivan was pale, and had brown eyes. Teresa was tan, and had red eyes. But the two both wore simple white tees with jean overalls. Their feet were bare.

"No!" They said in unison. "We wanna help mommy and daddy be happy!"

Nayeli groaned, and went to escort her siblings away. Subaru watched quietly, smiling at the twins.

"They're cute, aren't they?"

"What?" The younger children said in unison.

"How are they cute?" Gael gasped. "They're so annoying! And doubled!"

Subaru chuckled, and poked Gael's head. "When you reach puberty, ask me again."

Gael shook her face with a disgusted look. It was then that Freyr flew into the room. Seeing his friends, he grinned.

"Nashi! Gael! Come see the egg!"

Natsu turned when he heard those words. Not surprisingly, Happy flew in after his son. His fur was grayed a little, but he was just as energetic as ever. Natsu smiled as he saw his friend fly up.

"Happy, why didn't you tell me that Carla and you were expecting another egg?"

"We weren't!" Happy grinned. "But I'm so happy that we are."

Natsu watched as Happy flew off to grab his son. Thirteen years. Natsu looked back to Happy. How old was Happy when he married Carla?

But he shrugged it off. He was back in the guild, and hopefully back home. But as he rubbed the back of his neck, Natsu remembered something. Hair cut time.

He stood up, leaving his friends behind. They watched as he went up to the bar. Mira was there wiping it down; and Alexander stayed in his usual perch, watching everything his mother did. Natsu ruffled the kid's hair as he began to talk to Mira.

"Hey, Mira, can you do me a favor?"

"Sure Natsu!" Wiping her hands off, Mira put her cloth down. "What can I do for you?"

"I need a haircut. Y'know, one like you did when I was a kid."

Mira smiled, and opened the door to the back of the bar. "Come on in, I'll do it right now."

"Thanks, Mira." He paused. "And if you have time, can you patch up my vest as well?"