Chapter Four

December X777

It had been nearly a week since the master left with Mira and Laxus for the Trial, meaning they should be back as late as tomorrow. Though Natsu didn't want to wait till tomorrow. He still had trouble getting Mira's face out of his head. The situation was making him pretty irate. Yet still people had the stones to poke fun at him, even after the display of strength not even a week ago. So there he sat, at the bar of the guild, face to the countertop with an interesting expression of annoyed, bored, and confused.

Staring up at Mirajane, she sat astride his waist after they had fallen. Staring into her eyes he noticed she had a slightly dazed look. Her face so close, now inching ever closer, and his heartbeat thumping harder the closer she got. When her sister, Lisanna spoke, the moment—whatever it had been—was broken.

"What's the matter lover boy? Miss your sweetheart already? She's barely been gone a week." Looking over Natsu can see the grinning faces of Macao, Wakaba and a number of other guild members.

"Shut up. What the Hell are you even talking about?" the pink haired boy grumbles.

"Come on, that's no way to talk to the man who taught you that fire whip trick that helped put Mira on the ground. Show a little respect for your elders."

"Well I suppose you are getting pretty old." Natsu agrees.

"I'm twenty-nine ya damn brat! I ain't old!"

"You just said you were my elder."

"That's not what it means!"

"Well it kind of does Macao." Wakaba cuts in, grinning like a fool.

"Shut up! Means your old too, you smokestack!"

One thing led to another and eventually the guild devolved into one their near famous brawls, tables breaking, chairs flying, the free-for-all was in full swing. Natsu himself ending up in the thick of it, forgetting about the feelings he hasn't been able to work through yet. During the battle, most of the members failed to notice the arrival of the master and company, or the short man's frustrated trembling. Finally after a short time the man's fuse ran down…

"You brats! I leave for a week and you can't not try and destroy the guild!? Where the Hell is Erza? She usually takes care of these." Looking into the thick of it Makarov sets his sights on the 'eye of the storm' Natsu and Gray, the younger boy trying to take on the older, stronger boy, anyone who would look could see that it would only be a few short years before Gray would be able to go toe-to-toe with the Fire Dragon Slayer. But still, that is years away.

"Ha! I win Gray!" As the smaller boy is thrown into a few other guild members.

The now transformed guild master brought his giant foot down on Natsu. "That's enough you brats! It time to announce the results of the Trials."

The entire guild quiets down with that news, excitement is felt by all the guild members. Makarov, Mirajane, and Laxus made their way to the bar as a make-do stage of sorts. With the rest of the guild giving a respectable amount of space and showing the uncanny patience, Makarov looked around for a moment before speaking.

"Once again, I want to say how proud I am of all of you. It brings my heart joy to see such vibrant lights shining in this old hall. With that, I would like to introduce our newest S-Class wizard… Laxus Dreyar."

Applause were given with the announcement, Laxus even upturned his lips in a ghost of a smile.

Though Natsu, standing in the crowd noticed that Mirajane, though smiling, was seemed to be slightly forced. Congratulations went on for a few minutes before everyone began to back to whatever it was that they had been doing. Natsu watch as Mira had a few quiet words with her siblings before leaving the hall, leaving both Lisanna and Elfman with somber expressions.

'Hmm, wonder what's going on?' The young Slayer thought as he also left the hall, following Mirajanes' scent after she was a distance from the hall. Natsu trailed the eldest Take-Over wizards' scent until it reached the edge of Magnolia. Continuing on he realized that she was most likely heading to their training ground where had been sparring with, and teaching writing and reading skills to him over the last six months. The sky was darkening as day gave way to night. As he neared the clearing he began to hear the impact of flesh against wood. The grunting of Mirajane came along with those impacts. Breaking the tree line, he watch Mira punching a tree with her un-augmented strength, her back to him.

He could now hear the near silent mumblings of 'dammit, dammit.' As she kept on hitting the tree. She stopped abruptly but didn't turn around.

"What do you want?" she demanded.

"I wanted to see what was so much more fun than being at the hall partying." Natsu said, folding his hands behind his head.

Mirajane whipped around to looking at him, his face fell when he saw tears welling that hadn't fallen, "What the Hell is it to you!?"

Natsu frowned, taking in her appearance. Mirajane looked on the verge of tears and her hands were scrapped, looking raw and painful around her knuckles. "You're my family." He said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

This only seemed to anger the girl more, "Stop saying that! You said it before I left and I don't like it!"

"But you were the one who sai—"

"I know what I said!" She cuts him off, stalking toward him, "And now I'm telling you to stop!" she's now right in his face, staring him in the eye with her face flushed in what looks like anger.

"Why?" confusion clear in his tone.

"It doesn't matter 'why' I said 'stop!'" she punctuates with a shove.

"Mira—"

"Just leave me alone!" she bellows, taking on her Satan Soul she moves to strike him but freezes. She stares at him, one clawed hand raised. The sun had fallen completely by this point, Mira gave off an almost ethereal glow in spite of her demonic appearance.

Natsu could only stare back in awe, 'Wow, she's beautiful.'

Her tears begin to fall as he stared. Before Natsu can say anything she flies straight up, then moves off into the dark.

"What was that?" Natsu asked no one as his hand went to his chest, feeling the rapid beat of his heart. 'Why do I feel like this whenever I see her? Why does it… hurt?'

Natsu looked to the sky, unable to make out Miras' form in the inky darkness spotted by stars. Natsu could have tracked Mira down if he wished but, it seemed Mira didn't want to see him. With nothing else, Natsu made his way back to the guild, heart feeling heavy and tight with his thoughts running through his mind. 'Why does it hurt so much?' he thought again.

~~NMNM~~

Makarov sat on the bar, mug in one hand and his staff in the other. He watched as his children made merry with the news of an S-Class wizard being chosen. 'Well, it's not like we don't find excuses to drink around here all the time.' The old man chuckled to himself drinking as he kept an eye on the guild. Even though his face would say otherwise, he was not as happy as he would have liked. Young Mirajane had left the guild shortly after the announcement had been made, with a certain pink-haired wizard soon following.

It made his heart heavy to see any of his children unhappy. He felt their emotions as clearly as if they were his very own, the good and bad. He looking around the hall, seeing the smiling faces, the laughter coming from the members. He watched as Cana did a reading for little Lisanna, her brother Elfman sitting beside her, only interjecting when asked. Unlike the other two at the table, Elfman was surprisingly timid, almost like a balance to his siblings' outgoing natures.

Gray came and joined them as well, as he stood and spoke he just removed his clothes, not breaking stride in conversation. "Gray, your clothes." Was heard from Cana, and Gray freaked out over his undress. 'I wonder how that boy picked up that habit?' The Strauss siblings laughed at the predicament the young boy was in.

He looked around and saw many more faces, Macao and Wakaba talking about the past. He looked to a corner of the guild to see Reedus quietly sketching everyone in the hall, pleased smile across his face as he worked. Erza, though alone at the moment had a small smile on her face while eating some strawberry cheesecake. Much happiness permeated the hall, and through this, helped lift his spirits. This is good.' A happy sigh escaped his lips, as his eyes fell to the guild doors, which were opening to reveal Natsu walking in. his pleased expression fell as he saw the somber expression on the young wizards' face.

Natsu locked eyes with Makarov and he knew that the boy wanted to speak. He waived him over, jumping off the bar as he walked toward his office. Walking into the office he left the door open knowing that Natsu was right on his heels. He motioned for Natsu to close the door after walked in and waited for Natsu to seat himself before doing the same.

Staring across his desk at the young man he waited to see if Natsu would start the conversation. After a minute of waiting Makarov decided he should start. "You look troubled my boy. What's wrong?" Makarov already had his suspicions of what it was, given that a certain Mirajane Straus had not returned to the guild herself.

"It's Mira." Natsu declared with a serious expression, "She's mad at me but I don't know why."

Makarov gestured for him to continue, "Can you tell me what happened?"

"I followed her after she left. She seemed upset about something so wanted to see if she was okay. She was at our training ground, punching a tree. She seemed… mad that I was there, asking why I showed up. I told her that she's my family, but she got mad and told me not call her that. She flew away after that."

Makarov watched as different emotions crossed Natsu's face, anger, sadness, confusion, longing?

"I don't know what I did wrong Gramps." He said.

Makarov sighed at the nickname that had basically become his epithet within the guild. 'No respect anymore. But I think that this serious… depending who you ask.' He joked to himself. "Tell me, Natsu, what did you feel or better yet, how do you feel right now? Take your time and think about this."

Natsu crossed his arms and just sat there, eyes closed as his face took on a look of contemplation. This only affirmed to Makarov that whatever was going on was serious for the young wizard. In the few scant months that Natsu had been with the guild he had portrayed a 'wild child' persona. A trouble maker who wanted to have fun. Though like with everyone else in the guild, his actions were not malicious, just the actions of someone who wanted friends and attention.

Like most everyone who found there way to Fairy Tail, Natsu had past troubles which followed him to the guild. This didn't bother Makarov though, he believed that everyone who found his guild was meant to be here, to one day, move past the darkness that clutched at most of his children. As guild master he was happy, honored even, to stand by them until they could overcome and accept the past.

Makarov almost missed when Natsu finally spoke, lost in his own contemplation. "I… don't know." Natsu started lamely, "I don't understand what I'm feeling. When I see Mira I…" Natsu blushed. "I see how beautiful she is, even when she uses her Take-Over magic I see it. And then my heart starts… pounding, even when it shouldn't."

Natsu's face gains a pained expression, "And when she spoke to me tonight, she, she cried. And when she flew away, my heart… hurt. It hurts thinking about it Gramps. I don't know what's going on, Igneel never explained stuff like this before."

Makarov nodded in understanding. He thought he knew what was happening, at least on Natsus' end. Whether or not Mira was feeling the same and reacting to her emotions differently was something that he wouldn't know unless she spoke with him. "Do you know what attraction is Natsu?" Makarov asked simply.

"Um, like with magnets?" he ventured.

Makarov laughed, "That wasn't what I meant but I can use it to help explain since the basic meaning is the same. So, just like how certain metals are drawn to magnets because they bear the right characteristics people can be drawn to each other. Do you understand?"

Natsu placed his hand on his chest, looking down at himself, "I think so. I'm the metal and she's the magnet. Is that why I want to be around her? Attraction? I don't know what it means." He said with some confusion.

Makarov studied the young Slayers' expression, listening to what he wasn't saying. "Natsu, do you know what 'love' is?"

Natsu looked up, thinking about it and shrugged after a moment. "Yeah, I think I do." Was his reply.

The master thought for a moment of how to really get Natsu to understand what he was trying say, something that he could relate with. It hit like a ton of bricks. "Tell me how you feel about Igneel." The master urged.

Natsu, caught a little off guard by question it seemed grinned at the prospect, "He's amazing. I don't really remember anything from before I met him but I was happy. He would play and laugh with me, teach me words and other stuff. I didn't have as much fun with that but he always took the time to make me laugh." His grin turned to a wistful smile, "I was so happy when he started teaching me magic. My chest felt like it swelled whenever he said 'good job' or 'I'm proud of you'. It was great."

Makarov smiled at the brief description, "It sounds like he loves you greatly." Makarov made sure to use present tense in his speech, Natsu focused on the 'love' statement. "So tell me, when you discovered that he was gone, how did it make you feel?"

Natsu frowned at that, Makarov felt guilty bringing up the memories of Natsu's wayward foster father, but it was the only thing he knew would stick. "I felt… cold. I still don't know why he left but my heart… like, like…"

"Like it does right now?" Makarov asked gently.

"Yeah, like it does right now." Natsu's eyes widened slightly as he looked at Makarov, "Mira?" he questioned with just her name.

Makarov tried to smile at him, "I can't decide that for you Natsu, it's something that you need to think about for yourself. Think of the love that you have for Igneel, and ask yourself, 'What would I feel if she left?' It's not really a fair comparison but… maybe it will help you. Also it's almost Christmas so maybe you could try and reconcile with her then?" he suggested.

Natsu looked confused, "What's Christmas?"

Makarov hadn't even thought of the idea that Natsu wouldn't know about some of the more common holidays. 'Igneel must not have celebrated those kinds of days then.' Makarov just went with the flow, "It's basically a time when you and people you care for can get together and celebrate. The exchange of gifts is also common during the day. Christmas Day is the 25th of December, today is the 21st. I would recommend that you ask Lisanna if you can celebrate with them, since the three siblings usually celebrate at home. That girl can convince her sister to go along without almost anything." The master grinned at his deviousness.

Natsu nodded in determination, "Alright, I'll try and figure this out. Thank you Master." Natsu then left the office, leaving Makarov surprised with the use of his title. The old man just grinned and chuckled to himself, 'I hope thing work out for you both, you may not know it, but she's suffered greatly too my boy. She deserves to be happy as well.'

~~NMNM~~

Natsu had followed master Makarovs' advice. He had asked Lisanna if he could spend Christmas with the Strauss siblings, he almost guaranteed it when he told her that he didn't know what Christmas was until he'd asked the master about it. Lisanna had then recruited Elfman in her quest to ensure Natsu had a happy Christmas with them. Being the shy guy that he was, Elfman was easy to sway. Lisanna had promised to talk with Mira about when they saw her at home.

Natsu had then began to think about his feelings toward the eldest Strauss girl, putting everything that he had learned and shared with her since his arrival half a year ago. He thought of how she annoyed him by referring to him as 'Pinky' with no end in sight. Of how she would utterly destroy him in their spars, and the torturous schooling that she would provide after said spars. How she would seem agitated around him for no reason.

But on the flip-side of all of those thoughts toward Mirajane, whenever she called him 'Pinky' it would be with a light grin in a jovial greeting that she rarely gave anyone except her siblings. But if he were honest with himself, he didn't really care that she called him 'Pinky' he only argued because it was what he had always done. Then with the spars, how she would explain how and why she did all the painful strikes, helping him improve as a fighter by an excellent margin. He still wasn't anywhere near her level though he begrudgingly admitted, but she helped him none-the-less. Or how she would sit with him and urge him to figure out how some sentences worked better than others, or how to express his pinon without sounding like a child all the time, he still acted like a child because it was fun but that was beside the point! Then with her agitated attitude she often had around him, even though she may have seemed like it, she never abandoned him. She would do whatever it was they had agreed to and politely excuse herself only once they had finished for the day, sometime even offering that he come share supper with her siblings.

It was all confusing to the young Dragon Slayer. There were things that made him absolutely frustrated and angry with the girl, but he could think of a time that made him as happy with the exception of Igneel himself. Just thinking of the girl as someone that he might love made his stomach flutter strangely and his heart clench almost painfully. He realized that, that strange pain in his chest was pretty common, but he only experienced it when the 'Demon of Fairy Tail' wasn't around, or when he felt that he truly upset her.

That clenching feeling hadn't really left in the last few days. The reason being that Mira had been avoiding everyone but her siblings who only saw her at home. Lisanna had told Natsu that he was allowed to come over on Christmas Eve to celebrate and stay over for Christmas Day. Lisanna had, had to pull out her whole bags of ricks to convince Mira to agree but she had, begrudgingly.

Natsu spent the couple of days he had on finding presents for the three siblings since he would be with them for the two days. His thoughts were rampant but he knew his first goal was to get back in Mira's good graces. With all the thinking that he had done, he was sure that he had some real feelings for the young mage and wanted to repair the relationship they had before trying to go forward. He was quite scared over that thought, moving forward. He had no idea how to go about it, thinking that he would need to talk with the master or one of the other older wizards, embarrassment be damned. But first, make sure Mira didn't hate him.

~~NMNM~~

The days had passed and Natsu stood in front of the Strauss home, presents wrapped to the best of his ability (poorly) and a bundle of nerves. He had gone to Makarov again, since he was already aware of the Slayer's plight.

"You don't want to come on too strong I don't think. Just try and be nice. Let her know that you know you upset her before, apologize. Just make her happy. If she decides to open up about what happened, all the better, just don't push her." Makarov had stressed the day before.

Natsu sighed thinking of the advice, "Thanks for the advice. Hope this works." Natsu mumbled to himself. Natsu had decided it would be best to dress nicely, so he'd spent some of the saved Jewels from his jobs to get a nice outfit, a high collared jacket and pants in a matching dark blue. The jacket was open showing off a simple black tee-shirt. "Well, here goes everything."

Natsu knocked, waiting for the door to open.

A/N: Alright, not too sure how I wanna go about the next bit. Should I try and resolve things between Christmas and New Year's? Or attempt something closer to natural? I honestly wanna get through the year's before canon because all my little plot bunnies are stuck in the future of the story and I want to be there now! (Stupid plot progression). Tell me if you like it or hate it, I want to know why either way. Thanks for reading!

CS.