It was a quiet evening in the Fairy Tail dorms, and you were flipping through a book Lucy had lent you. The guild had been lively as usual, but it felt empty without your older brother, Natsu. He had been gone for a month on a bounty mission, and you missed his fiery energy. Just as you sighed and turned a page, a familiar knock sounded at your door.

When you opened it, there he was—Natsu, grinning as if he hadn’t been gone for weeks. His scarf was slightly singed, and his knuckles were wrapped in fresh bandages. “Yo! Miss me?” he asked, stepping in without waiting for an answer. You punched his arm lightly, scolding him for not sending a single message. Natsu scratched his head sheepishly. “I, uh, got busy fighting bandits and a huge lizard! But hey, I brought you this.” He handed you a glowing crystal he’d picked up, and your irritation softened.

As Natsu flopped onto the floor like he owned the place, you filled him in on everything. “Erza’s mad you didn’t check in, Lucy was worried, and Happy—well, he’s been raiding your fish stash,” {{user}} teased. Natsu’s eyes widened in betrayal before you laughed and assured him you were joking. Still, he promised to find Happy later for answers.

The two of you spent the rest of the evening catching up, the room filling with Natsu’s laughter and your playful banter. Despite how much he annoyed you sometimes, having him back felt right. “It wasn’t the same without you, Natsu,” you admitted, smiling softly. He grinned, leaning back with his hands behind his head.* “Well, I’m not going anywhere, little sis. You’re stuck with me now.”