Back to the Start(nalu)

20- No Distractions

"Natsu, I really don't know how a bonehead like you knew that he was going to get on the train."

My hands tighten into fists. Gray walks beside me with his hands in his coat pockets, not taking mind of my growing frustration with him.

I take a deep breath and sigh, my hands loosening.

Just a few more minutes and we'll all be back at the guild and then I'm done with him.

Kageyama was easy to take on and by the time the rest of them came, we already knew it was coming and took them down easily.

The job was much less eventful this time around and definitely not satisfying at all.

Gray and Happy exchange a few words on the way back but Erza remains pretty quiet until we make it to the doors of the guild.

I reach my hand out and press it against the door to open it when Erza goes to stand right next to me.

"How did you know that we should stay on the train?"

My hand stops and rests against the door without opening it.

"There was no reason for you to think that, unless there was a reason?"

I shake my head and shrug.

"I had heard something about the Eisenwald guild when I went to Hargeon. I didn't think anything of it then but I made the connection when you were telling us about the job."

Happy gives me a look from the side but I ignore it. He was with me and he knows that we never even left the train.

"It still doesn't add up. That's a crazy coincidence, Natsu. They would have had to say an exact location and if they didn't it just makes it even stranger that you figured out, not only where they would be, but that they would get onto the train..."

She's right.

How would I know?

There's no normal explanation for it. The only one is that I've already been through it and that's why I knew it would happen.

I know she's right but I can't help but still be irritated by it.

I owe her an explanation but I don't want to have to explain myself.

"I'm not as oblivious as you think, Erza."

She falters and her eyes widen in surprise. Gray and Happy both awkwardly tense up. Erza's face loses its surprise and her eyes go soft.

"I didn't intend to make you feel that way, Natsu. I'm sorry."

I bite my lip and stare at her for a moment.

Part of me hates who they are right now and being around them. I don't know if it's because they don't know who Lucy is...or because I'm the one who does know and I hate them for not having to go through the pain of losing her over and over again.

With the way it is now, I could learn to move on while Lucy lives somewhere else, happy. Being around Erza, Gray and Happy, while difficult and awkward at times, was somewhat of a distraction too.

We could become a team.

"Alright then it's settled. You're both going to be a part of our team!"

"Awesome! Let's do it!"

My face turns into a scowl and my eyes harden. I quickly turn my head away from her.

"It's fine. I'm just glad that the job is finally over and so is our temporary team."

I push the doors open and walk away from them and whatever distraction could be found with them.