…
Natsu sat with his head hanging low, down to his knees. He wanted to die, simply put. He wanted to be erased, in a snap. He wanted to disappear, like a cockroach that he was, and never have to deal with anything, in his life, ever again. 
It was bad enough just how much of a loser he was for wasting his and everyone’s time. He also managed to do so in the most embarrassing way possible, one where he knew his family would bring up again and again in future gatherings. He could feel the laughter that would come from his uncles and aunts, as they heard about him punching the dick of his boss on the first meeting. Of all the things, punching the dick! Who knows, he might literally kick the ass of a future CEO, or headbutt his wife in the boobs! Of course, if he survives having to explain why he didn’t get into any college or university in the first place. One depressing thought at a time.
Just explaining that thing to his brother alone felt humiliating. He couldn’t even look him in the eye. That guy wasn’t just going not hire him, he’ll probably sue him in court. He could plea for self-defence, but what court would accept plea for hitting someone in the nuts? He’ll probably just see it for what it was, a pathetic excuse by a pathetic little man who screamed like a little girl during a fake drill. Maybe claiming insanity was better. It could make it easier for him to get into a clown school then. He will fit right in with the rest of the freaks and walking disappointments. 
“Hey,” came in Rick, that panther from earlier. He was waving into the distance.
Natsu noticed someone walk past him. It was a reptile, a really beefy one, with long hair, and whose horns made him look like a bull. He wore a bright green and black uniform with a cap, both of which had words inside a square, looking like a name for a café. 
They both went into a conversation, one which Natsu didn’t hear at first, but he understood enough from glimpses. They all had just their own world to care about, and nothing in it to do with him at all. Might as well, why should he ever be important to anyone, when all he did was be a failure, a spectacular one too. Just ignore him, like a piece of crap he is, he deserved it. They probably think he stinks. And screams like a little girl. And runs like one too. 
Oh, who was he kidding, GRANDMAS ran better than him!
“Really busy?” he heard Rick asked the “bull.”
Unlike SOME jobless losers, amirite? That was totally what they meant. They probably looked down on him for being such a loser, who punched his boss’s dick!
“Not really, the day is just slow,” the “bull” answered back.
As slow as some people’s brain, for being so dumb! For ever thinking he should punch his boss! Man, what a failure! Why not just admit and say “Natsu is the worst!” already?
“But hey, my cousin finally removed that raccoon from the roof!” the “bull” said.
Yeah, bet that raccoon is better than SOME people here! At least they gave someone a job to do! At least that raccoon also had a job! He must be laughing at him, like all the rest of them do! Loser!
“Ah yes. I also thought her rocket didn’t need that ornament either.”
Rocket that….wait, what?
“Your cousin puts too much effort, I think. Why not just use the pasta? A raccoon might not gel well with her retro seventies aesthetic, especially since she ordered man-sized Rubik’s cube,” Rick suggested.
…Hold on, what?
“Well, you know, her boyfriend needed to make some spaghetti, but you can’t do that on Tuesdays anymore, so we had to take a Plan B, and just go to that convenience store to get some rockets. The cube is still a thing, but it’ll melt before Aunt Marie even gets a taste of the plastic wrap.”
“…What?”
The two men looked at him, finally acknowledging, visibly, his presence.
“Something wrong?” the “bull” asked, rather confrontationally. Something about the eyes made Natsu a little bit wary to say anything. Perhaps because they were deep red in color, not that unusual for lizards to have them. Although, it didn’t do good to freeze up when people asked question, so Natsu tried to eloquently answer him back.
“Eeeuheoughehhhhh…”
The bull’s eyebrows scrunched, while the lips tilted themselves to the side. It was the same look one would give when someone found a piece of dill stuck to their teeth.
“You look like you puked and shitted at the same time in the bathroom,” the “bull” colorfully expressed. 
Natsu paused for a moment to realize what was said, then answered, “No sir, thank you.” 
The “bull” leaned over his head. Natsu felt like someone shrank his spine down.
“Lady,” the former said, before leaving him.
Natsu shook his head. “I-Huh?“ 
The “bull” snorted and glanced to Rick with expression that read of someone who was dealing with a stray puppy at the doorstep. One that the person in question was ready to lift them with their leg, leave them away from the porch and then slam the door shut.
“He’s new,” the panther explained calmly. “He is also going to be hired by Rio, today.”
“Well damn. He’s gonna need to go through some shit then. He’ll be sweating more than a pig covered in a blanket while waiting for the oven to stop preheating, while scorching under the sun!” The “bull” then snorted. “I bet he won’t handle a day here before asking for mom’s tits back! Anyways, got to go back to café, getting a salad. Laters.”
“Later.”
The “bull” left doing a small, delicate wave. The café was situated right at the opposite side of the gym, bright green letter “Apollo’s Garden” on the blue background. Natsu heard of them thank to their rather extremely healthy yet tasty snacks. The bull went in through the open foyer, moderately-sized, where a single worker stood wearing the same uniform. 
“You may find her very colorful,” Rick mentioned, while going through his phone. It was also held at perfect ninety degrees.
Natsu half-nodded. The more he stood there, the more he felt awkward within that place. He looked over to the panther, only to look away again when the latter put away his phone. Few questions were floating in a funnel in his mind. Each one were answered in the worst way possible, almost deliberately too. He thought for a moment that he should leave, if he could.
“Is something bothering you?” Rick asked casually.
Natsu looked at him finally, then mumbled. After then panther leaned in, Natsu, beet-red, repeated himself more clearly,
“You think I’ll still be working?”
“You think you lost a job?” Rick asked him. 
Natsu hanged his head down, then hesitated between giving a shrug or a nod. It hurt just as much admitting it, but it was also so obvious. They could all see it. Why even ask him this question, unless he wanted to see his failure firsthand? Natsu felt like telling the guy off, just to make it easier. Maybe he can insult how weirdly he holds stuff?
“Why?” Rick continued asking. The wolf-boy immediately dropped his plan.
“I guess…I mean, there’s no way he’ll take me after this, right?” he said. For some reason, he was adding hope to his words.
“Well…” Rick chuckled lightly. Five times. Natsu noticed straightaway how stilted he did those. “You probably haven’t been told what type of person our boss is by anyone.”
Natsu pursed his eyebrows, trying to understand the meaning of it.
“Here they come,” Rick said, then patted Natsu’s shoulder, making him turn. Noëll and Rio were both coming in from afar. “Good luck,” he added, “Try not to sweat like a wrapped pig.”
“T-thanks,” replied Natsu, already feeling woozy. He definitely wanted to run.
“Which actually is factually incorrect, as pigs do not have advanced enough sweat glands to start…” Rick noticed the look Natsu gave him. “I’ll be going back.”
He left without saying a word. He steps looked very deliberate. Natsu took a moment to understand where he was going. All too late when it took too long, as the two men greeted him.
“Hey bro!”
He looked over to his brother, who waved at him, then glanced over at the boss of his. Natsu gulped a dry piece of paper that got stuck in his throat. The man, large in both heigh and width, which Natsu felt like it made him a giant. The true height wasn’t that impressive, to someone not below average. His mane was blue hued, while the rest of the fur was white in shade. Natsu thought that he might have had unusual parents to get these types of colors for him. Then again, he got rabbit ears from his mother, so he had even less to talk about. Rio was wearing some gym clothes, branded. Same were with the shoes, which were very well preserved, and looked good enough for the wolf to want to try them. Natsu thought he could ask him about them. Five years into the future. Once he gets over his fears of looking him in the face.
“Well then, hello there, Nuts!” a deep, bass voice called him.
Natsu cringed and closed his eyes. He never heard a worser nickname, and his bullies weren’t really merciless. Why this name, of all of them?
“Your brother told me you were looking for a position, huh?”
Natsu stood there silently, not yet responding to the big lion-man. For the moment, he appeared frozen. The man then glanced at the boy from all angles, as if looking for an on switch.
“Is your brother okay?” Rio asked. “Did he fell asleep?”
Natsu felt his brother tap him in the shoulder, as if genuinely curious himself.
“Hey, say hello to my friend Rio!” 
Noëll then slapped his brother’s arm, with enough force for Natsu to shout, “Alright, I get it!”
It was at that moment that his gaze got a good look at the man. His mane was huge, but styled, while his face had bright blue eyes and overly friendly smile. This was the face, Natsu felt, that will end his life today.
“Well, look at you, what a fine-looking young boy you are!” Rio bellowed, then reached out for a handshake.
Natsu winced when his hand got grabbed. True to his looks, the man’s grip was powerful, with energy that Natsu couldn’t compete. He pulled it out hurriedly when he got the chance and massaged it. 
“H-hello…um…”
“How old are you? Fourteen, twelve?”
“Eighteen.”
“Oh.” Rio sounded surprised, then shrugged. “Nice to meet you, my name is Rio, but you knew that.” Natsu felt that heavy hand slap his arm, as the man laughed once more. At this point, the young wolf thought the guy could break him in half if he wanted to. “But according to him, you are looking here for some hard work, aren’t you? And good thing too, cause I have some open positions here. What’s you resume?”
Natsu felt cold sweat running down him. This guy really was giving him a chance to get in. Even though he kicked him in the balls! His brother truly was a miracle worker. As always. Never ever will he be able to do this without him. But this was a chance for him to show himself off. Time to start recollecting.
“I was a…uh…” Natsu recollected every memory of anything he has done in his life. Something as small enough to be considered a job. His brother told him to do that. And he was not letting him down, after all he did for him. And so, he started firmly with, “A…meeter.”
“Meter?” Rio repeated, tilting his head and chuckling.
“Meeter,” corrected Natsu. The lion-man grew confused. “I met…greeted guests…like a greeter! For church service. As a volunteer.”
“Oh! That’s…something to work with!” Rio said, approvingly. “You must have talked to a lot of people. Some good communications skills, eh?”
“Actually, I just waved without saying anything.” 
The lion-man nodded. It was then that Natsu realized he probably messed it up.
“I also…um…washed cars! My dad’s…And helped in the kitchen! By cleaning it.” Natsu felt like his heart was about to burst. He’s never been this nervous in his entire life. This was no different than when he ran away from that crazy psycho earlier.
The lion-man contemplated on what the youth said, then continued with a happy tone, “Good! So, how about we start with our arrangements? You have you stuff?”
Arrangements? Stuff?
Natsu looked at his brother. Noëll’s face showed that characteristically annoying smile of his, same one whenever he told someone something without asking him first. He hated his brother for telling on him, but the latter did that constantly. Like that one time his neighbor lost her dog, and he promised to give her Natsu’s book collection on Mary Potter. It was sold of within the same day.
“Starting today, you’ll be living with me!” Rio announced, wrapping his hand around Natsu’s shoulders.
Natsu’s mouth dropped. 
“That’s right lil’ bro, a sleepover! Isn’t that exciting?” Noëll laughed, and then took the place at the other side of his brother.
“Wha-what…” Natsu’s mouth couldn’t help him at all. Why in the world was this the arrangement!? Why wasn’t he told of it first!? Why do you always do this, Noëll!!? Many more questions he wanted to throw out were building up in his mind, but got clogged on the way to his mouth.
Noëll, missing all of them, as they naturally came out in the string of “uhhhhhs”, continued talking like nothing serious happened.
“You know, it’s been a while since I myself had to live with someone.” Noëll looked into the ceiling while smiling. His brother’s face was frozen on “incredulous” despite the latter’s tone. “Hey, better tell him some stuff first before you move in. Cause, you know, sleeping with other people can get awkward. Had to learn it the hard way. There’s the snoring, fighting for thermostat and…well, some awkward situations.” Noëll moved one brow when looking at Natsu, to which Rio noticed and also looked at the kid. 
Natsu showed that he had no clue what he meant. 
“For example, how you,” Noëll looked over both shoulders. Only Rick was seen near them, coming through the gym’s doors. “You know, when stained the be-“
“I was six!”
Natsu shouted it without thinking, loud enough to echo the mall. Noëll chuckled, then leaned in on Rio’s ear, and whispered,
“Twelve.”
Natsu’s cheeked flushed. “I got drunk!”
“On root beer,” Noëll added with a wink.
“Dude shut up, already!” 
“Don’t worry, Rio is not the type to judge. Right?” He looked over to the bigger lion, whose hairy face showed something, but Natsu missed it having buried himself in his hands to scream. “See? Look, I’m joking! Ok? It’s all good.” Noëll rubbed his brother’s shoulders. “Rio is completely non-judgemental, totally open dude. Sometimes he likes to play around, but he’d never use this stuff against you! Really, the only thing you need to be aware is when…well…stuff…”
“What stuff?” Natsu mumbled through his fingers.
“Stuff that can stretch through the whoooole night.”
“As in, nothing at all!” Rio added contently, pulling the elder brother away. “Stuff we don’t have to mention, babe.”
“Well, when the neighbors complained-”
“They always complain,” Rio interrupted and scoffed into the air.
Natsu looked at him suspiciously.
“Rick?” Noëll called the panther, who only a moment ago approached them. “What did your boss made you do the whole night, a week ago?”
“Listen to him about getting stood up five times in a row, while watching Runaway Bride twice at full volume.”
Noëll then turned back to Rio, whose blue fur has gotten a purple tint.
“Why do we always tell you everything?” Rio sighed.
“He has a lovable face, you said so yourself,” Rick replied. The blue lion nodded and thanked him, flatly. 
“You see, you guys will have no problems,” said Noëll. “You, like, share a lot in common! Including getting stood up! Right?” Noëll then nudged Natsu, who said nothing. 
“Yes right, mister ‘know-it-all’,” Rio commented, rolling his eyes. “Not like you ever been stood up.”
“Nope,” Rick said. The lion side-eyed him.
“Not even once,” Natsu said, then gave a deep sigh. This made the lion purse his eyebrows. 
“Even a tiny bit?”
“Never,” Natsu replied, then shrugged. “They couldn’t resist.”
“Okay, maybe he is better at it,” Rio admitted begrudgingly. “Is there a reason you are here Rick?”
“Call from Tyler.”
“Tell him to suck his own dick. Now!” He clasped both of his hands together and approached Natsu. “Ready to be added to the family?”
Natsu couldn’t do anything, except give half a shrug. 
“Oh he’s ready!” Noëll spoke for him, earning an elbow to the ribs. 
“Within Herakles Gym, we are dedicated to not only help achieve greatness in health and fitness, but also in mind and spirit! With over fifty different trainers, hundreds of different equipment, and one of the biggest spaces available to do it all, at very reasonable price, you too can be a member of this family!” Rio dramatically declared with arms open, for an effect. “AND, we have now partnered with ‘Apollo’s Garden’ to provide some VERY healthy diet alternatives to your everyday meals, allowing you to buy them at a lower price, if you take any of our monthly membership plans! However, seeing that you are going to work with us, may I suggest and employee discount?” 
Rio then ended with a wink.
“I…er…” Natsu mumbled. He really wasn’t good at making sentences.
“What’s wrong, lil’ bro?” Noëll nudged his brother’s shoulder. After Natsu hesitated, he added, “Just spit out whatever’s in your mind.”
“I’m just,” he looked at the lion mand, and asked, “are you sure about this?”
“Very much!” Rio responded confidently. “Not a problem for me.”
“But I kicked you…in the…nuts…” Natsu mumbled at the end.
“Ah, water under the bridge!” Rio then gave out a hearty laugh, acting as if it all happened yesterday. Natsu had hard time believing it, yet, already grew more comfortable around that man.
“C’mon Natsu, this is your chance! What else do you want?” Noëll said, pulling on his brother. 
Natsu teetered in place, head still hanging low. He really had nothing to say back, not een a reason to say no anymore. 
“I’m just…nervous I guess,” he admitted. “I mean, I’ll be living with some stranger for a while, like a year! What about our parents?”
“Don’t worry, taken care of that,” Noëll assured. “All they know is that you were invited to an extra year course as part of university program, which I recommended. It is very prestigious, and the payment will get covered by the government! I’ll be in charge of looking over your grades too, by the way.”
“Won’t they get suspicious? Or start asking me about…”
Noëll raised an eyebrow.
Without a word, Natsu understood exactly what he meant. They won’t even bother to look. The rabbit-eared wolf laughed a bit at just how easy it all was in the end.
He only slightly noticed how Rio was checking them both curiously.
Noëll patted his brother. “Like I said, don’t worry! He’s very friendly, and will not put you into any kind of trouble! He even offered you a place himself!” He smiled when Natsu grew surprised. “Rio just loves having people over his place. Sometimes for…fun, if you know what I mean. But I think he’ll mention it first.”
“Oh…like a girlfriend?” Natsu asked, looking at his future boss. Rio looked at Noëll, who then quickly remembered.
“Oh, right! I haven’t told you…He’s gay.”
Natsu stared for a moment.
“What’s gay?”
He saw all three men, Noëll, Rio and Rick exchanged glances. Something was being said that he had no idea about, that for a moment, he felt nervous again. He silently hoped that he had not somehow opened a pandora’s box, or anything.
“What did you saddled yourself with?” he heard Rick ask. The lion shrug.
“What can I say,” Rio said smiling looking over to Noëll, “I just like bringing people over!”
Noëll laughed, showing himself as good-natured as ever. Once again, Natsu felt jealous. In the end, he got here thanks to his brother. And he will not forgive himself, if he fails despite that. That would be just a new level of awful.
“Sure thing.” Rick turned around and headed back to gym. “Good luck, rookie,” he said waving, “I’ll send Tyler your message.”
“You better!” Rio shouted. He looked over to the boys and winked.
Natsu stared confusedly.
“So then, ready for your new life? That is, the one you’ll have to live in for the moment?” Noëll asked his brother, his hand around latter’s thin neck.
Natsu looked around the huge mall, with its high-rise ceiling, multiple stores, almost millions of shoppers, and his new future. This will be the first for him. Nothing like he thought his future would go. Will that lead him to a brighter, assured, comfortable future? Will he finally become a somebody? Will he have a nice little life, where he gains everything he ever wanted?
Maybe not.
But there might be a chance he was looking for. And it was time for him to take the reins.
“Yes! I’m ready!” he said, almost shouting. His body was shaking, and his heart was beating. He was nervous, yet excited. It was time to go forward for him. A time for his future!
“Great! Now then,” Noëll reached for his keys, “let’s go get some stuff in the car then! I got a suitcase with some sleepover items you might. Oh! Speaking off, I gotta pull out that miniature rocket. Olivia still needs them for her neighbor.”
Both of the brothers then left the spot, with Rio giving a quick wave to them. Natsu felt himself more invigorated than ever. Finally, he felt a bright light appearing at the end of that tunnel.
Everything was finally going his way.
…