In the week that followed the mission in Lunareth, Natsu and Juvia continued their journey along a winding trail that snaked through the northern hills of Fiore, passing through tiny villages and bustling trade towns. The road back to Magnolia was long, and neither of them was in any hurry.
Their first stop was Valem, a town surrounded by pine forests and crystal-clear rivers. There they helped a group of lumberjacks deal with a magical creature that had taken up residence near the springs. It wasn't a tough fight; Natsu wrapped it up in a few minutes, while Juvia redirected the river water to keep loose logs from flooding the village. That night the villagers invited them to a small celebration around a bonfire. Natsu drank more than he should have and ended up telling wildly exaggerated tales of his adventures while Juvia listened and laughed, her eyes sparkling in the firelight.
Over the next few days they crossed golden wheat fields and flower-covered plains. They slept in modest inns or, when the weather was kind, under the stars. As always, Natsu liked to light small campfires and roast whatever they hunted (rabbits, fish, sometimes even wild boar), while Juvia conjured fresh water to make warm soup, smiling shyly every time he praised the taste.
The atmosphere between them was easy, natural, as if they'd been traveling together for years instead of just a few days.
Yet even in that calm, Natsu began to notice something different in her behavior. Juvia, who used to call him only "Natsu-san," had started addressing him as "Natsu-sama," and there was a sweetness in her voice that he only remembered seeing in his predecessor's memories when she spoke to Gray.
At first he found it amusing, just another one of Juvia's quirks. But as the days passed, something inside him began to shift. The way she looked at him, the way she spoke… everything carried a tenderness he wasn't used to.
Was… Juvia falling for him?
It was a question he didn't want to ask, not out loud, not even to himself, but it kept creeping into his thoughts, growing harder and harder to ignore.
I mean… wasn't this a little too easy? He'd been fully prepared to make a few moves, create some tension, do something to draw her closer, and he hadn't even needed to. The whole situation left him torn between satisfaction and a faint, nagging discomfort. The discomfort came from the fact that, deep down, he was the kind of guy who enjoyed the slow burn of conquest, the thrill of watching interest bloom little by little, the feeling that he'd earned it.
Well… if he was honest, considering everything that had happened naturally on the trip to Lunareth Village, he'd done a damn good job. Maybe too good.
When that realization hit, Natsu had to physically stop himself from dragging her off to bed. For a moment he wondered if what she felt was really for him… or if it was just the leftover ache from Gray. Maybe she'd simply transferred those feelings, that need to have someone who looked at her, listened to her, who simply stayed.
After all, they'd started traveling together right after Gray had turned her down… and looking at it that way, everything fit a little too neatly.
That only made the dilemma worse.
One morning, while camping beside a lake, he finally asked why she was calling him the same way she used to call Gray. Juvia looked away, sad, as if she feared his answer. She only whispered that if he didn't like it, she'd stop. Natsu sighed, scratching the back of his neck, unsure what to say. "It's fine…" he ended up muttering, trying to mask his unease. Juvia smiled in relief and kept calling him "Natsu-sama" ever since.
Little by little, almost without noticing, they grew accustomed to each other. Natsu learned that Juvia loved the color blue and that she talked softly to the rain whenever the sky grew cloudy. She discovered that he preferred sleeping facing the open sky and that sometimes dozed off with a small smile, as if dreaming of something good.
They visited the ancient ruins of Dreya, where Natsu quietly marked a teleport point beneath a sacred stone, then continued on to the hot springs of Oakbell, where they spent an entire day resting. It was the first time he saw Juvia truly relaxed, laughing freely, hair tied back simply, eyes brighter than ever.
Between towns they helped merchants, dispatched minor monsters on the road, and even rescued a caravan ambushed by bandits. Nothing too difficult; the whole journey felt more like a leisurely trip than a string of missions.
As they drew closer to Magnolia the weather grew warmer, and wildflowers began to bloom along the roadside. Natsu, though he'd never say it out loud, felt far too comfortable in her presence. There was something soothing about the way Juvia walked beside him in silence, always smiling when he glanced back.
Deep down, he knew: if the journey ended right now, part of him would miss this simple routine.
He'd grown a little attached to her… and that was ironic.
In his previous life he'd never been the type to get attached. Before he died he'd lived fast, maybe too fast, never putting down roots. Friends, sure, but real bonds? Almost none. Pleasure, laughter, the heat of the moment; those had always been easier than facing the emptiness that followed. He wasn't proud of it, but it was the truth: he'd been a playboy who preferred the high of the moment to the weight of anything deeper.
Then, suddenly, he was reborn in this world, carrying someone else's memories and everything that came with them.
It felt like waking up in a stranger's house and pretending everything in it belonged to you. Part of why he'd left on that mission was exactly that: getting out, exploring the world, seemed like the right thing to do.
And that's when Juvia showed up, like a thread of normalcy in a fabric he was still trying to stitch together. It wasn't the best metaphor, but it worked.
Everything he'd experienced beside her these past few days had given him back a sense of normal he hadn't even realized he was looking for. For someone reborn with a soul split between two lives, that was… comforting. She made him feel real.
Especially after he realized she might actually be falling for him. The simple fact that a beautiful, gentle, incredibly loyal woman chose to stay by his side, not out of curiosity or curiosity, but because she wanted to, affected him more than he cared to admit.
Deep down he knew he should keep some distance.
Old habits die hard, and his was to pull away before anything could matter. But this time it was different. Maybe because of this strange world, maybe because he carried memories that weren't entirely his… or maybe because having someone like her at his side didn't sound like such a bad idea after all.
She still treated him with the same natural ease, as if nothing had changed.
As if he were still the same man she'd always known, the Natsu who laughed loud, ate too much, and picked fights on impulse. Even though she said he'd changed, the feeling she gave off was the exact opposite.
But he knew he wasn't that man anymore.
And yet, somehow, she made him want to be.
So contradictory…
In the end, even he couldn't explain what he felt about all of it. The emotions came and went, too tangled to sort out, and anyway, he'd never been the type to dwell on feelings too much…
…
The sun had barely risen when Natsu and Juvia caught sight of the red-tiled roofs of Onibas, a bustling trade city just a few hours by train from Magnolia.
The morning air was crisp, carrying the scent of coal from the locomotives and freshly baked bread from the bakeries just opening their doors.
Onibas was a lively place, crisscrossed by gleaming rails that caught the golden dawn light. Trains came and went nonstop, ferrying merchants, mages, adventurers, and travelers toward the heart of Fiore.
Juvia adjusted her scarf and took a deep breath. "It's been so long since Juvia was last here…"
Natsu nodded calmly. "Same here… Well, I guess it's been about seven years, right? Since we went to Tenrou Island… Feels like yesterday, but so much time has passed…"
"Yes…" Juvia nodded. She glanced at the tracks and admitted, a little embarrassed, "Juvia still isn't used to trains! They're so… loud and fast."
"Yeah, and I get motion sick. So we're even."
In truth, he'd already solved that problem with a simple skill he'd developed using his [Subjective Reality] over the past few days, anticipating that sooner or later he'd have to ride one. The skill was called [Abnormal Status Nullification], straight out of the same world as a certain famous slime, capable of neutralizing any negative effect: poison, petrification, or any other "abnormal" state, including the infamous Dragon Slayer motion sickness.
Fortunately, it would come in handy right then, because they'd decided to take the train to reach Magnolia before nightfall.
The streets grew busier as the sun climbed. Vendors set up stalls of fruit and cloth, and a gaggle of kids ran past clutching buckets of tiny fish, shouting that they'd sell them for a single coin. The metallic shriek of locomotives echoed in the distance, mingling with the loud calls of the conductors.
After checking the schedule and learning the Magnolia train was still a while away, the two of them wandered into a small, cozy bakery near the station. The kind of place that smelled of warm bread, melted butter, and fruit tarts first thing in the morning. Most of the wooden tables were empty, save for a few sleepy travelers nursing coffee.
They ordered two cheese-and-bacon stuffed rolls with bacon and a pitcher of citrus juice. They picked a table by the window, where they could watch the street come alive: merchants arranging carts, apprentices sprinting with crates, the distant rumble of departing trains.
Natsu rested his chin on his hand, watching her gently blow on the steam rising from her coffee mug. For a moment he caught himself thinking how strangely beautiful she looked in the mornings, wearing nothing but one of her simple shirts…
"You like sweets, don't you?" he asked, breaking the comfortable quiet.
Juvia blinked, surprised. "Hm? Yes… why?"
"Dunno." He shrugged, taking a bite of his roll. "You get this little sparkle in your eyes whenever you smell sugar. Like a kid seeing fireworks for the first time."
She stared at him, cheeks warming.
"N-Natsu-sama notices things like that?"
"Hard not to," he said with a crooked smile. "You wear your feelings on your sleeve even when you try to hide them. It's kinda cute."
The comment caught her off guard. She looked down at the table, fidgeting with her napkin.
"Juvia… doesn't think she's that easy to read."
"Of course you are." He leaned forward a little, voice lower, teasing. "You laugh when you're nervous, bite your lip when you're trying to hide something… and you give me that look when you're confused."
Juvia blinked several times. "T-that look?"
"Exactly like that."
He pointed, grinning.
"Curious, but a tiny bit annoyed. Like you want to figure me out and punch me at the same time."
She couldn't help it; she laughed and covered her face with her hands. "Natsu-sama is impossible…"
"But I made you laugh, so mission accomplished."
Her laughter was light, genuine.
The conversation carried on like that: simple, full of gentle teasing, old guild memories, and little jabs about their teammates.
Between bites, Natsu spun exaggerated stories about how his "predecessor" supposedly trained alone in the mountains. It was the perfect excuse; he couldn't talk about his past life, but he wanted to get closer to her the way he had over the past few days. Talking was the best way. He gestured wildly, face lit with real excitement, while she watched with an amused smile. She played along with every ridiculous feat, pretending to believe just to see that spark in his eyes. When he claimed he once fought a bear "the size of a house," she raised an eyebrow, fighting back laughter. Naturally, he took it as a challenge and doubled down.
"And Juvia supposes the bear ran away terrified of Natsu-sama's war cry?"
"Nah, I roasted him afterward. Dinner."
"Juvia does not believe you."
"Want proof?"
"Juvia… would rather not."
They both burst out laughing, the sound blending with the gentle hum of the bakery.
When they finished eating, Natsu leaned back with a long, satisfied sigh and glanced at the wall clock.
"Train leaves in about ten minutes, I think."
"Then we still have a little time," Juvia said, setting her glass down. "Does Natsu-sama want to rest? Juvia knows the train makes you… uncomfortable."
He arched a brow, pretending to consider it. "Hm… maybe a little."
Before he could finish the sentence, Juvia scooted over and, with a shy smile, patted her lap. "You can lie here. Juvia doesn't mind."
For a second Natsu froze. He knew he wouldn't get sick this time; [Abnormal Status Nullification] had him covered, but seeing that gentle look in her eyes, he couldn't say no.
"…Alright," he murmured, settling in.
The soft fabric of her dress and the faint scent of rain wrapped around him. Juvia stayed perfectly still for a moment, clearly trying to hide how flustered she was, then relaxed and began running her fingers gently through his pink hair.
"Comfortable?" she whispered.
"More than I expected," he answered lazily, eyes closed.
Her voice dropped to almost a breath: "Juvia could get used to this."
He smiled, pretending he hadn't heard, and let the quiet warmth of the moment linger.
__________________
(A/N: Help me hit 20 five-star reviews and I'll drop an extra chapter!
Did you enjoy the chapter? Then you should know that over on my Patreon you can read up to 15 chapters ahead for just 5USD! And yes—for that price, you also get full access to all of my content. That's right: cheaper than a snack… and with way more drama, action, and guaranteed emotional damage.
The link is right below. See you there!
My Patreon: patreon.com/Adam_Kadmon
Thank you so much for your support — you make all of this worthwhile.)