No ones POV
The tall woman stepped out of the carriage and looked around at the base with a frown on her face. She looked as if a bad stench had overwhelmed her, or in other words, the sight of the dull stone walls lining Lamia Scale.
She walked to the entrance and after casting a spell with her hand the gate churned open and she walked into the courtyard. Her appearance caught the attention of many guards and servants in the area.
A tall man with green walked over to her,
"My name is Freed I'll be taking you to Makarov's offi-"
"Quiet will you? I've been here before plenty of times I don't need a guide!" She snapped and continued through the doors into the main hall.
Freed stood still in shock by the woman's attitude. He had been warned by Makarov that Porlyusica could be snappish but... damn.
Porlyusica strutted through the halls towards Makarov's office, scaring off anyone who dared to stare at her. The only thing that could be heard was the clicking of her heels as she walked, a deadly aurora surrounding her.
The door to Makarov's office slammed open but Makarov didn't flinch he only looked up from his paper with a smile. That was, until she flashed through his office and grabbed him by the ear.
"You know that you don't need to treat me like an old woman! Sending me guides! Moving to Lamia Scale just to explain everything to me!" She yelled into the ear of the screaming Makarov.
"Master!" Erza yelled, alarm in her voice as she ran into the room, her face turning blank as she saw Porlyusica and Makarov.
"E-Erza, this is a f-friend of mine. She's here to see Natsu." Makarov struggled to get out of Porlyusica's death hold until she let go and he fell out of his chair.
"You're Porlyusica?" Erza asked.
"Of course I am, who did you think I was?" Porlyusica snapped at Erza, her dark aurora even managing to scare Erza a little.
"Here." Makarov wheezed as he passed a file up to Porlyusica from the floor.
Porlyusica took the file and flipped it open and read through Natsu's report which included the few pieces of information about him that you didn't hear in the streets.
"In short: Natsu was once the leader of the kingdoms enemy- the Dragon Slayers. He was captured and tortured both physically and mentally along with some sexual cases. He built a strong relationship with the former Prince Gray who is still one of the few people that he trusts. After he was rescued he was soon captured again by his ex-prison holder Brain and 'Midnight'. He was heavily drugged and suffered severe sexual and physical abuse. He was rescued by 'Cobra' also known as Erik and returned to us. Thanks to Cobra we managed to catch Macbeth. Gray now believes that something strange is going on with Natsu. We would like you to talk to him." Makarov explained.
Porlyusica nodded, seeming a lot more serious than before, even Erza raised her eyebrows in surprise.
"Take me to the boy." She said sternly and Makarov nodded towards Erza.
Porlyusica didn't seem impressed with Erza but reluctantly sighed and headed towards the door. Erza looked at Makarov who only gave a reassuring smile before dismissing her as well.
Erza walked next to Porlyusica silently.
"Uh- just so you kno-" she started but Porlyusica cut her off.
"You have to take me because Natsu's visitors are restricted. Not everyone is allowed in." Porlyusica finished, "I know."
Erza nodded and pushed open the doors to the medical centre.
"I'll unlock the doors for you and introduce you to Natsu, he won't trust you at first but I don't need to be there while you talk. Makarov trusts you alone." Erza explained as they neared the large doors.
Erza pressed her hand to the panel and the first doors clicked open before she followed through to the next heavy door and pushed it open with her shoulder. Porlyusica squinted from the light coming through the window in the room and stepped in, her face contempt.
Natsu was sitting at the table fiddling with the necklace from Gray with a small smile however his head shot up and his face turned to surprise when the door opened. At first he was smiling but when he saw who his visitors were his smile dropped to confusion.
He recognised Erza but didn't know the other woman, he didn't trust her.
"You can relax, Natsu. This is Porlyusica- she's here to help you." Erza said calmly, "is it alright if I wait outside? I'll be just outside the door."
Natsu seemed hesitant but then nodded yet he still looked anxious about his new visitor. Erza gave Natsu a soft nod with a reassuring smile before carefully slipping out of the room.
"It's nice to meet you, Natsu. Mind if I take a seat?" She asked and Natsu nodded again, allowing her to walk over and sit down in the free seat across from him.
For a while they just sat silently, Porlyusica watching Natsu as if she was observing him. Natsu felt uncomfortable under her gaze and picked a spot to look at on the floor, his cheeks a little hot from embarrassment.
"I think that you are very brave, Natsu."
"I don't think I'm brave."
"-For coping with all that you have gone through."
"I wouldn't call it coping."
Natsu was being very difficult, he looked exhausted, frustrated and humiliated all at once. Usually Porlyusica would be pissed off too by his difficult behaviour but surprisingly she kept her cool, taking her time and treading carefully.
"I know that this is hard, Natsu-."
"You don't know anything."
"I know that there are other people that have gone through what you've gone through too."
Natsu swallowed thickly as a sharp ripple of guilt tore through his stomach. His hands were clenched in tight fists under the table as he thought through what she'd said.
Natsu knew that what Porlyusica had said was true, while he was sitting around feeling sorry for himself and all that happened while it too happened to many other people. Most of those people probably weren't rescued like Natsu.
"It's alright for you to be upset, most are. I know how you feel. I know the feelings you feel that you don't show others: the sadness, the anger, the doubt, the hopelessness. I know it all. I can help you cope."
A part of Natsu still didn't trust Porlyusica but at the same time he didn't want to feel so sad and angry all the time, he was done with his heart tightening with fear at the very thought of Brain. Natsu's knuckles had turned white from how hard she was clenching his fists and after a minute or so he gave a small jerky nod.
Porlyusica's shoulders relaxed a little, "I'll have them issued for someone to give to you every morning. Is that alright?"
"That's fine. Thank you." Natsu answered in a small voice.
Porlyusica nodded and stood up, pushing in her chair before walking over to the door.
"I hope that we meet again under better circumstances, Natsu." She said before opening the door and leaving with a click of the lock.
- - -
Over the next few days things did get a little better for Natsu, he wasn't going to lie- the strange antidepressants did help. Gray didn't visit as often because he was off doing business with Lyon, however, while Gray was gone he did.
Natsu was sitting at the windowsill and looking at the garden in the morning light. The door clicked open and Natsu was hoping that it was Gray but his face dropped when he saw who it was.
He looked around for an escape but then realised that he was in his old cell. The cells in the old castle were meant to be in ruins like the rest of the old castle.
Brain smirked evilly and coiled his whip around his whip. Natsu pressed himself into the wall, his chest heaving and his eyes were wide with fear as tears spilled down his cheeks.
"You can never escape me, Natsu." Brains words sounded through his ears before the whip lashed out towards him.
Natsu screamed and cowered away but the blow never came. Instead when he opened his eyes he was back in his own bedroom.
"Are you alright, Natsu? You seem a little scared." Rusty Rose said, appearing in front of him with an evil grin.
Before Natsu could react Rusty Rose grabbed him by the collar and roughly lifted him so his feet. His free hand rose and he caressed Natsu's cheek in a sickingly gentle way.
"What a shame." He said before shoving Natsu back violently.
Natsu gasped as he fell backwards and hit the window. Somehow the metal bars failed and broke along with glass, piercing his back as he began to fall.
Natsu plummeted towards the ground with a pile of metal and glass, his eyes wide. His hand was outstretched into the air as if he were going to grab the sky and stop falling.
"Natsu!" A voice yelled but it was too late, he hit the ground.
Natsu shot upwards in his bed, chest heaving and eyes wide in terror. A hand landed on his shoulder and Natsu gasped, jerking away in fear and swinging around.
His eyes met with the fearful eyes of Gray, his hand pulled back as if he were burnt. Natsu felt a helpless sob rip through his throat and soon big fat tears started to run down his face.
"Oh, Natsu." Gray said and pulled Natsu into a tight and comforting hug.
Natsu clutched onto Gray's back desperately as cried into his shoulder, his sobs loud and ugly. Gray stroked Natsu's short hair reassuringly, trying to calm him from the nightmare.
The two stayed like that for a while. It reminded Gray of the time spent back in the castle where this happened a lot more often.
Natsu always felt better when he talked about what was upsetting him, he could never keep things a secret without tearing himself apart. Now, Gray new that he was hiding something and all that he could do was slowly watch the tapestry which was Natsu unravel.
"Don't worry Natsu, you're safe now that I'm here. You can talk to me."
Don't say anything-
"Please, Natsu. Don't shut down on me again, I'm here."
-unless you want a little accident to happen to Gray.
"I-I'm not hiding anything." Natsu lied obviously and pulling a way from Natsu.
"S-See?" Natsu said, smiling at Gray even though his lips shook and tears still streamed down his cheeks.
"Natsu. I know that you're lying. Please just talk to me." Gray said, one hand on Natsu's shoulder as he ran a shaky hand through his black hair.
"You don't get it. You don't know anything, Gray." Natsu said, his voice soft and broken.
"I know that. That's why I want you to talk to me!" Gray said, his voice rising a little.
"You don't understand why either! You act so grand and mighty but you know nothing!" Natsu replied, his own voice rising.
"Why can't you just talk to me! I'm right here!" Gray yelled, not meaning to.
"Because! I'm scared! And you don't get it!"
"Why wouldn't I get it?!"
"Because you haven't felt fear like I have!"
"Of course I have!"
"No! You haven't-!"
"I felt absolutely fucking terrified when you were captured again!"
"Y-You don't get it!"
"No! I don't get it! Why can't you talk to me?! Why can't you talk to me like you did back in the castle?!"
"Because things were different!"
"What And now you're different too?!"
"Of course I fucking am!"
"What, are you so different that you can't love me anymore?!"
"Of course I love you! That's why I can't tell you!"
"Really?! Or are you lying again?!"
"Of course not!"
"Then what's been going on?! What have you been hiding?!"
"I can't tell you..."
"Why?!"
"I can't tell you."
"Why not?!"
"I can't tell you!" Natsu suddenly yelled at the top of his lungs, clutching his bed sheets in his fists.
His pupils were dilated and small embers floated in the air around him, his fists sparking.
Gray glared at Natsu, not at anger towards Natsu but at anger towards everything else. He left the bedroom, stepping over the vase he dropped when he found Natsu having his nightmare and slammed the door behind him.
Natsu was shaking in his bed as he tried to calm himself down. His eyes lowered from the door and instead focused on the sharp remains of the vase.
He slowly got out of the bed and walked towards the remains, crouching down and picking up a large and sharp chunk. He carried it to the desk against the wall and slipped the chunk into the draw before closing it.
He went and sat down at the windowsill. Slowly his anger faded away and soon his knees were pulled to his chest, his face hidden as more tears streamed down his cold cheeks.
?_?
I'm like fucking Lightning McQueen with these updates!!
I am so pumped for the end!
It's gonna be big hehe
I decided to channel all of the angst from S6 of Voltron Legendary Defender into this chapter.
Sorry fam.
-Jelly