He didn’t know how long he sat there, staring out over the cliffside, before a familiar scent caught his attention. He didn’t turn around, he didn’t even lift his head.

“Did Ava send you?”

“No,” Megura replied, her steps light as she came up behind him. “I just knew you would be here.”

Natsu sighed. “I don’t want any.”

“Want and need are two very different things, Cub.”

Natsu’s fingers gripped his arms, his eyes dropping to the side. “Meg—”

“I will not let you continue to do this to yourself, Natsu,” she said firmly, her thick Grecian accent making her sound more like an irritated mother than usual. “Master Toji gave a command and I will see it through until the day he arrives. I’m no fool, I know what you’ve been doing.”

Natsu growled low in his throat. “So?” he said under his breath, ever the petulant child.

Meg grabbed him by the top of his head, pulling it back so he had to look at her. She frowned down at him, her amber eyes unamused and impatient. “If I have to force my wrist down your throat, I will, so help me.”

Natsu snarled, his fang bared. All he was doing was throwing a temper tantrum, one he knew he wasn’t going to win. Megura had become, for all intents and purposes, his mother, and she wasn’t about to let him get away with shit. She flicked his forehead hard enough to make him see stars.

“OW!” he bellowed, grabbing the offended area with both hands. “Rude!”

She sat down at his side, facing him, her arm extended. “Drink before I take you over my knee, you rotten cub.”

He stuck out his tongue and tugged on his lower lid. 

She narrowed her eyes at him, jerking her arm. “Now, child.”

Finally relenting, he grabbed her arm and bit down, glaring at her the entire time he drank. It didn’t take long for him to feel the effects the anishifs blood had on him. He could instantly feel his mind ease, the tremors in his hands stop, his irritation and moodiness fade. He also felt the hunger abate, his core settle and the dark energy that kept it spinning flow more smoothly throughout his body and soul. He released an unintentional sigh and Meg’s arm relaxed slightly, her expression softening.

“Feel better?”

He flipped her off, but the look in his eyes told her what she needed to know. She patted him on the head, kissing his forehead. When he finally released her, he wiped his mouth and dipped his head into his knees with a groan. It was a minute before he finally muttered, “Sorry.”

“I forgive you.” She smiled at him when he raised his eyes to meet hers. 

“How are my siblings?” he asked.

“Missing you,” she said. “You haven’t been to the valley for some time, Natsu. Aedon and Emily keep asking for you and I’m running out of excuses.”

Natsu frowned, looking away. “They’re not excuses,” he said. “They’re valid reasons.”

She rolled her eyes. “Yes, I’m sure they are.”

“Mother,” Natsu sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. 

“Oh, now, it’s ‘Mother’!” She flicked him again, less violently this time. He glared at her. “I understand you’re busy, Cub, but that is no excuse not to see your family. They miss you and I know you miss them.”

Natsu looked away. “I never said I didn’t.” Verbal jujitsu…you taught me well, Toji. He paused, gathering his thoughts. “We got the blood out of South Korea,” he finally said. “And I got a name.”

Meg sat up straighter. “What kind of name?”

Natsu dug into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper, holding it between two fingers. She took it, her eyes widening as she read it. 

“This is quite the name.”

“Lev,” he growled. “The last thing I ever got from Hero was that he was a demon working with Ackerman to get the barrier closed. If that’s the case, then he’s one of the asshats who stayed to kill my people.”

“Did your informant tell you where to find this Lev?”

Natsu snorted, a sardonic grin painting his lips. “If he did, I’d be on my way there already.”

Meg gave a small shrug. “Yeah, you have a point here.” She stretched out her legs, resting her hands behind her, her long black curls dangling. “I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if someone we know has more information about him.” She gave him a pointed look, not blinking when his lip curled and his eyes shifted briefly.

“Seven years and he’s given me precious little. I’m running out of ideas on how to pull it out of him. Even Finn can’t break him and he’s my best.”

“What if we tried another tactic?”

“Such as?”

She tilted her head. “Why was he exiled?”

He glanced over at her, a small smile creeping over her lovely face as the idea took hold in his mind.

-*-

Natsu walked the halls of Helman Hall, phone to his ear, voice low. Peter and Amber watched him, fascinated. This was probably the most animated he’d been in months and they couldn’t look away. Even Darius was impressed. Usually his adopted son was surly and uncommunicative, if not more a breathing sculpture that glared at everything around him.

Finn walked up to them, Cameo on his back. He glanced once at Natsu before greeting his friends. “Something happened?”

Amber nodded. “That would be my guess. He’s been like this since he and Megura returned.”

“Where is Meg now?”

“Cellar,” Darius replied. “Notating the new inventory.” He grimaced as he said it, his amber eyes hooded. “Eight hundred vials. These bastards have no shame.”

“They haven’t since the beginning, my dude,” Peter said, leaning against the couch. They were in the main hall on the first floor where much of the business took place. Natsu refused to have strangers, emissaries or not, go any further. The rest of the house was off limits to everyone but team members and family. The second floor was where most of them lived. Natsu, Ava, Finn, and Cameo lived on the third floor; no one else outside of Megura was allowed up there. Ever.

“Who’s Uncle talking to, Daddy?” Cameo asked, her little hands on the sides of Finn’s face.

“No clue, Princess,” Finn replied. “Whoever it is, they’re making him happy.”

“Well,” Peter said with a shrug, “something akin to it, yeah.” He looked at Amber who was standing next to him. “Maybe he finally located some medical supplies,” he said in a low tone.

“No,” Natsu said, ending his call and making his way over to the small group. “Sorry to burst your bubble yet again, Pete, but that’s something you’ll have to take care of yourself.”

“Super,” Peter grumbled, pushing off the couch.

“I have a lead on one of Ackerman’s associates,” Natsu said, shifting gears. “A name, actually, Lev.” He looked between Darius and Finn. “Sound familiar to you at all?”

They both shook their heads. 

“Thought not.” He glanced at his phone as it buzzed with a notification. He read it and tucked the device in his back pocket. “I just got off the phone with the warden of the prison two counties over.”

Finn’s eyes went wide.

Natsu’s grin had never looked so maniacally cheerful. “My request went through.”

-*-