The evening sun cast a warm glow over Sakura’s quaint suburban home, as Nina and Sakura approached it. After Natsu had rushed out of the hospital, they had been at a loss at what to do next. Sakura had taken it upon herself to ask Nina to stay over for the night at her house, which was closer, and so they could talk a bit over what was happening. Against her usual routine, Nina had accepted, partly because her mother was out of town for the weekend for work.

“Welcome to my house! I’m happy you agreed to come!” Sakura said as she held the front door open widely.

“Of course. Thank you for inviting me, Sakura,” Nina replied, stepping into the cozy living room, her piercing blue eyes taking in the framed family portraits lining the walls. The air was filled with the scent of delicious home cooked food that immediately put her more at ease. She hadn’t realized how hungry she was until this moment.

“Mom, Dad, this is Nina. She’s the class president above me, and also my friend.” Sakura introduced, gesturing toward Nina as her parents joined her.

“Nice to meet you, Nina,” Sakura’s father said warmly, extending his hand. “We’ve heard a lot about you.”

Nina shook his hand firmly, maintaining her composure. “It is a pleasure to meet you both.”

“Please, make yourself at home,” Sakura’s mom chimed in with a welcoming smile. “Dinner will be ready in just a few minutes.”

As they settled around the dining table, Nina observed the loving interactions between Sakura and her parents. Their laughter was infectious, and their playful banter filled the room with a warmth that Nina herself had never experienced before. She couldn’t help but feel a pang of longing deep within her chest.

“Mom where’s Akira, should I go get her?” Sakura asked.

“Oh, she’s at one of her friend’s for the night.” She responded. Nina assumed the smaller, pink haired girl, in the family portrait was Akira, Sakura’s younger sister.

“Could you pass the salad, please?” Sakura’s father requested of Nina with a smile.

“Yes sir,” Nina said, handing the bowl over to him. She acciedently knocked over a glass of water in the process. “I’m really sorry sir, let me grab some towels and clean this right up.” Nina spoke with a nervous speed.

“Hey don’t worry about it, sweetie, it’s not a big deal. Accidents happen.” Sakura’s mom spoke up with a sweet tone, already grabbing towels.

Nina felt speechless as she marveled at the lack of tension in the air, even with the mishap she had caused. In her own home, such an incident would have been met with a stern reprimand and a tense silence. Nina’s contemplation was broken by Sakura’s mom.

“Would you like some more rice Nina?”

“Um.. Yes please,” Nina replied, letting her tone soften slightly to match the atmosphere as best she could. “Your cooking is delicious Miss. Maybe I could learn a recipe from you?”

“Thank you dear, I’m glad you’re enjoying it. Do you cook?”

“Yes ma’am, I do for me and my mother.” Nina replied.

“That’s great! Maybe you can get Akira to learn, since she doesn’t want to listen to me,” Sakura’s mom laughed.

As the lively conversation continued around her, Nina found herself slowly opening up to the warmth that enveloped her surroundings. She glanced over at Sakura, who was now laughing at something her dad had said, and felt grateful for the unexpected invitation to somewhere so nice, especially given the situation they had witnessed before coming here. Her heart and mind felt free for this moment. Perhaps one day, I’ll be able to have this in my own life, she thought.

A hearty laugh from Sakura’s father echoes through the dining room, causing Nina to look up from her plate in surprise. The glow of the overhead light illuminated the faces around the table, and further reinforced their shared joy as they chatted animatedly about their day.

“Your father always has the best stories doesn’t he,” Sakura’s mom commented, her eyes twinkling as she looked at him. She turned to Nina, curiosity reflecting on her face. “Nina, dear, what about your family? Do you have any siblings?”

“Uh.. No, it’s just me and my mother.” Nina replied hesitantly, not wanting to ruin the atmosphere with reality. “She’s out of town right now for work.”

“Ah, I see.” She said softly, with understanding in her voice. “It must be tough having to manage everything on your own when she’s working.”

Nina shrugged, feeling a sudden tightness in her chest. “I’m used to it. She’s.. helped me become self reliant.”

“What a good mom then!” Sakura’s dad chimed in, his eyebrows raised. “It’s clear she’s done a great job raising such a responsible young lady like yourself. We’re glad you could join us tonight.”

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“Thank you for having me.” Nina murmured, grateful for their kindness but also acutely aware of how different her life was compared to how they seemed to think it was. A wave of envy was tugging at her heartstrings, which only made her feel worse.

As dinner came to an end, Sakura’s mom announced that it was time for everyone to take turns bathing. When it was finally her turn, she stepped into the steamy bathroom and closed the door, before realizing that she hadn’t brought another pair of clothes. Almost as if on cue, Sakura spoke from the other side of the bathroom door.

“Take your time Nina. Feel free to use any of the bath products on the shelf. Oh! And I left you a change of clothes on the counter, since I know you didn’t have time to pack any.”

“Thank you,” Nina replied softly, her heart light from the kindness she kept receiving from Sakura and her family. She also felt a wave of gratitude at being able to freshen up after a lot of running around earlier.

As she soaked in the warm water, scents of lavender and vanilla wafting to her nose, Nina couldn’t help but ponder further about the differences in lifestyles that not only her and Sakura had, but Natsu too. She wondered if she would be able to one day have this feeling herself; and by extension, whether Natsu would as well.

***

Sakura’s bedroom was dimly lit by a single dull lightbulb in the middle of the room, and a desk lamp that cast a warm reddish glow to the space. The air smelled clean; a mix of lavender and vanilla, much like the bath products she had just used. Nina glanced around the room, taking in the perfectly pink surroundings, with an occasional romance manga, and musical artist poster plastered around.

“Here!” Sakura gestured toward the corner of the room where an inflated but comfortable looking bed sat on the floor. “I’ve set up an air mattress for you!” She handed Nina a soft blanket and pillow to match, her large brown eyes filled with kindness. “I hope you’ll be comfortable.”

“Thank you, Sakura,” Nina replied, her voice still holding a touch of formality, but coated with a warmthness she had acquired through her time at Sakura’s house. She settled into the air mattress, noting that while it may not as firm as she was used to, it was still very cozy and inviting. The events of earlier in the day almost seemed to melt away the longer she stayed here.

As they both sat in their respective beds, Sakura hesitated before speaking up, her voice wavering slightly. “Nina.. I’m really worried about Natsu and Gale both..”

“Me too.” Nina admitted, straightforward, letting her guard drop a bit as she recalled Gale’s injuries and Natsu’s rage over the incident. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen Natsu so angry. And Gale..”

“Neither have I.”

Sakura nervously fiddled with her blanket. “And it’s not just that.. Haven’t you noticed how much Natsu’s changed since he’s started coming to school?”

“Indeed,” Nina agreed, thinking back to the first day they met Natsu, a wild-eyed delinquent who skipped classes and spent his days fighting and drinking, from what she heard. Now, he was an active participant in their study group and even occasionally answered questions in class.

“I know he’s seen as this fighting scary person, but I feel like he’s more than that..”

“Perhaps…” Nina’s thoughts trailed off as she pondered the complexities of Natsu’s situation. She knew that he had struggled with his identity and place in this small town, or atleast she believed he did. And she was acutely aware of how his situation might be different than others when she had met his father. But despite all this, Nina recognized that Natsu had tried. “Maybe all we can do is be there for Natsu and Gale, once he recovers.”

“Maybe you’re right..” Sakura responded softly, her gaze affixed to the light above her room. “But I can’t help but feel like I want to figure out something else I can do.” Her voice trailed off slightly.

As they laid in the room, their hears were burdened with worry for their newfound friends that they had began to care deeply for, as well as other feelings they couldn’t quite place. A soft sigh filled the room with sound from their silent thinking, and Sakura rubbed her hands together, letting them warm up.

“Speaking of Natsu though…” Sakura seemed to be hesitating.

“What is it?” Nina responded, hoping to clear her worries.

“I.. What do you think of him?”

“In what way do you mean?”

“Like.. do you like him?” Sakura was fiddling with her blanket.

Nina’s heart skipped a beat, before she was able to catch her breath. While keeping her expression neutral, but cheeks heating up a bit, she responded, “I think he’s a handful.”

“I might..” Sakura was nearly at the edge of her bed, looking down away from Nina’s eyes. “It’s just.. he’s changed a lot in the short time we’ve known him, and I don’t think he’s a bad person like the rumors say. Everyone else is always trying to fight him but I’ve never seen him start it!” She was getting progressively more animated as she spoke.

Nina couldn’t deny that she had noticed the same thing. As the Class President, she had initially seen Natsu as nothing more than a thorn in her side, but as she had come to see more of him, she recognized the depth he held. There was also that night that he had promised to try harder, that came up to her mind often.

“I.. understand what you mean,” Nina admitted, adjusting her glasses, “But Natsu might not be the best person to like.” She wasn’t sure why she said it herself.

“I disagree!” Sakura said more loudly.

“But.. are you sure about your feelings? It’s not something to be taken lightly.”

“Of course I know that,” Sakura said, her voice stabilizing, “But I can’t help how I feel, you know?”

“Right.” Nina agreed quietly, her mind racing with unbidden thoughts. She knew she should be happy and support of Nina, who had always been deeply in her shell, but something was holding her back. Like a heavy weight on her chest.

As they laid near each other, surrounded by the comforting darkness of the room, the silence was filled with unspoken feelings and thoughts. Both girls were deep in thought from the events of the day, but neither knew exactly what to say about it. They worried for Gale’s health and Natsu’s reaction, and the actions he might take from it.

As the night wore on, they continued occasionally talking, sharing stories and school related things.

“Sometimes, I wish I could be more like you Nina.” Sakura admitted with a small sigh. “You’re so strong and confident. I always second-guess myself.”

“Trust me Sakura, I have my own doubts too,” Nina confided, her mind getting sleepier by the minute and her defenses lowering, “I may seem strong on the outside, but I second guess myself a lot too.”

“Really?” Sakura seemed genuinely shocked. “Hmm. Maybe we should get some sleep” She said after looking at the clock next to her bed.

“Agreed.” Nina replied, her eyes already closing as she spoke.

As the darkness once again enveloped them into a near sleep, Nina couldn’t help but feel a mix of emotions from her time today. As the last vestiges of consciousness slipped away, she had only a single thought left.

I hope Natsu is okay..