To Protect and To Serve

Chapter 7

One afternoon Natsu was called to go back to work because the other workers needed some help with the plans for the newest building however Touka wasn't too happy about that.

"I can't just say no Touka. They need me." Natsu told his wife.

"Don't I count for anything."

"Of course you do but this is a very important job. If we mess it up it's gonna come out of my pocket."

"Why is it that you always have time for everything but me?"

"Why does everything always have to be about you?"

"Oh please nothing is ever about me. I'm always last in your life."

"That's not true and you know it. I took you out to dinner last Sunday."

"So you think that just because you took me out one time you don't have to do anything for me?"

"No. Touka you're not being fair."

"Fair? I'll tell you what's not fair, having to compete for my husband's attention."

"I'm not doing this." He grabbed his jacket.

"Where are you going?"

"To work."

"Don't you walk away from me!"

"Touka I don't have time to do this right now. I'll see you when I get home tonight and I hope by then you will have calmed down."

He walked out of the house, got in his car, and drove to work. Touka huffed angrily and threw a vase. After taking a few minutes to breathe and calm down she started cleaning up the vase's broken remains and clean the rest of the kitchen. As she was wiping the tables and counter tops she noticed that Nashi was drawing a picture.

"What are you drawing sweetie?" She asked.

"What kind of pets that I want. I want either a bunny or a kitty or a puppy."

"I'm sorry Nashi but you can't have a pet. I'm allergic to dogs."

"But I don't have to get a puppy. I could get a bunny or a kitty."

"I don't think so dear."

"But Daddy said that I might be able to get one."

"Oh he did, did he?"

"Yes and Lucy says that I can always play with her puppy."

Touka slammed her hand against the counter.

"Who?" She said struggling to keep her temper under control.

"Lucy. She was a nice lady that I met in the park."

"Did Daddy talk to Lucy?"

"Yes."

"Did they do anything else?"

"No."

If Nashi had known how dangerously jealous her mother could be she wouldn't have mentioned Lucy at all but she didn't so she told her mother about her father running into his ex girlfriend. That evening. Natsu came home to find his wife waiting for him in an angry manner.

"The crane just needed a tune up." He said.

"What were you doing talking to Lucy?" Natsu turned pale and froze with fear as he sensed what was coming. "Nashi told me about how you met her in the park the other day. Why were you with her?"

"It's not what you think. We just talked, nothing happened."

"Liar!" She screamed and threw a lamp at the wall.

"It's true! All we did was talk!"

"If that's true then why didn't you tell me?!"

"Because I knew that you would get like this! You always get like this! If I even mention her name you go off!"

"You still have feelings for her don't you?!"

"All we did was talk I swear!"

She picked up a plate and smashed it over his head, he fell down on his knees and clutched his head.

"Ow! What is the matter with you?! Are you crazy?!" He shouted.

"You make me crazy! You make me like this!" She started to strike him and kick him repeatedly. "You're never there for me! You selfish scum!"

"Stop it! Stop it!" He said trying to get her off of him.

"Daddy?"

It wasn't until they heard their daughter's voice that they stopped. She stood there in her pj's, holding the stuffed rabbit Gray had given her, looking very scared.

"It's okay honey." Natsu said. "It's okay. Come on I'll tuck you back into bed."

He picked up Nashi and carried her back to her bedroom where he tucked her into bed.

"There we go all tucked in."

"Daddy why are you and Mommy shouting?" She asked.

"It's nothing you need to worry about, your Mommy and I are just having an argument."

"But she hit you and Auntie Juvia says that it's never okay to hit people."

"She's right but it's not that simple when you're a grown up."

"I don't understand."

"I know. Listen I'm going to be fine and so is your mother, we just need to talk."

"You're not going to start yelling again are you?"

"No sweet heart. We're not going to yell at each other for the rest of the night."

He kissed Nashi good night then went downstairs to sleep on the couch. There was no way that he was going to sleep in the same bed as Touka after what he just went through. Before he went work the next day he used some of his wife's make up to cover up the scratches and bruises on his face however there was nothing he could do to conceal the black eye he had received. When people asked about it he told them that he had gotten mugged on his way home from work.

"Wow that's one hell of a shiner." His employee Sting said looking at his black eye. "Did you put some ice on it?"

"Yeah."

"I can't believe you got mugged. Did they take anything?"

"No and the cops showed up before that jerk could do anything worse than this." Natsu lied.

"That's a relief I- sniff...sniff...sniff. Hey boss are you wearing make up?" He said.

"No...Why...Why do you ask?"

"Because I swear I'm smelling the brand of cover up powder my wife uses."

"Don't be ridiculous! I don't wear make up. You probably just got some of that make up of hers stuck in your nose."

"Hmm...You're probably right. Hey are we still going to dinner with that client and his wife tonight?"

"Yeah."

"Still at six o'clock."

"Yep."

"Alright I'll see you there."