Hearing that, Natsu couldn’t take it anymore. From where he found the strength, he flung aside the lumber that had been pinning him down, making him gasp for breath.
"Who are you calling an idiot?"
"Looking for a fight?" Gray and Natsu were head-to-head again, their eyes full of defiance.
"Why are you slacking off and carrying them one by one?" Natsu challenged.
"Ara ara," Mirajane said with a thinly veiled smile, watching the childish display.
"Both of you, knock it off!" A massive piece of lumber slammed down on their heads, burying them in the ground, leaving only their heads visible.
"Get to work, not bickering! We need to rebuild the guild as soon as possible," Erza, in work clothes and a safety helmet with the Fairy Tail mark, said sternly.
"Yes..." they replied weakly.
"Erza’s really got the work ethic going," Macao said, wiping sweat from his brow.
"You only carried one piece of lumber this whole time?" Wakaba looked at Macao’s meager contribution in disbelief.
Seeing Erza’s forceful actions, Finn, who had been slacking off, felt a shiver run down his spine. He quickly grabbed a huge pile of lumber and carried it past them, showing off his strength.
Erza nodded repeatedly. "You two should learn from Finn. Look how hard he’s working!"
Time passed, and with everyone’s efforts, a basic framework was quickly erected.
"Isn’t this a bit too big?" Macao and Wakaba stared at the enormous framework, unable to imagine the finished guildhall.
"It’s a rare opportunity, so we’re completely rebuilding," Mirajane said, approaching with blueprints.
"This is the finished design," Mirajane said, holding up the blueprints.
"Oh, let me see," Finn leaned in.
"It was fine before..."
"What kind of guildhall will it be?" Natsu and Gray also came to look.
"Don’t crowd, don’t crowd," Finn said, taking the blueprints.
He unfurled them, and his hopeful expression instantly plummeted. The drawing looked like it was done by a small child.
They studied it for a long time, unable to understand which side was up or down.
"Unbelievable," Macao said, sweating.
Natsu was equally confused. "I don’t understand this at all."
Finn exclaimed, "This drawing is terrible! I could draw better with my feet! Who drew this crap?"
Mirajane, still smiling sweetly, suddenly burst into tears.
"Ah...it’s Mira..." Finn was flustered.
"You made her cry, Finn," others chimed in.
"Ugh...I’m starving," it was almost noon, and everyone got a break.
Natsu sat listlessly, his stomach rumbling.
"Lunchtime," Gray said, eyeing Mirajane’s bento boxes enviously.
"Why do we get guild food, but Finn and Erza get special bentos?" Natsu drooled.
"Love, they have delicious fish," Happy said, eyes shining.
Macao sighed. "Find someone to make you bentos. For now, eat the guild food."
Suddenly, a jet of water sprayed Natsu, soaking him. Gray looked around, thinking it was an enemy.
"Bento!" Happy pointed at a pink bento box in Gray’s hand.
Gray was stunned. "Bento?"
He opened it. Gray’s face was made of food. It was a love bento, but the soup was leaking.
"Nice, Gray! You said you wanted one, and you got it," Macao patted Gray’s shoulder.
"I don’t know what’s going on," Gray was puzzled.
"Looks delicious," Natsu said, eyes shining.
Happy pointed at Gray’s face. "This is a character bento."
Gray was speechless. "I can’t eat something of unknown origin, and the soup is leaking."
Natsu said, "Give it to me, then."
"I’m not responsible if you get sick."
Unseen, a blue-haired girl cried, biting her handkerchief. "Juvia’s so sad. She stayed up three days to make it."
"Finn, this is yours. Erza, yours," Mirajane gave Finn and Erza bentos.
"Thanks, Mira," Finn ate immediately.
"Mira’s cooking is getting better," Erza said. "Teach me sometime. I can’t cook, and it bugs me."
Finn’s chopsticks froze. He remembered the "black day" when Erza, inspired, asked Mirajane for cooking lessons. Erza’s cooking had made Finn very sick. He’d spent the day running to the bathroom.
Since then, Finn never let Erza near the kitchen. Not everyone had his resistance.
"Sure," Mirajane smiled sweetly.
"Why don’t I have one?" Elfman looked around. He’d come because his sister said she brought lunch.
"Ara, Elfman’s here?"
Elfman covered his face and left. "You meant Finn’s lunch? I’m your brother!!!"
"Poor Elfman," Cana shook her head, finishing her skewer, then drank a whole keg of beer.
"Why a skewer and a keg?" Wakaba asked.
"Why do you smoke and eat?" Macao facepalmed.
Makarov smiled. "The best thing is seeing your children healthy and happy."
He frowned. "Laxus..."
Finn, a Fairy Tail eating machine, devoured his bento.
Mirajane said, "Slow down. No one’s taking it." She gave him milk.
"Drink something," she said.
"Thanks, Mira," Finn drank it.
Finn noticed Loki, who looked listless, unlike the others.
Finn put down his cup and spoke to Mirajane and Erza, then went to Loki.
"Loki, long time no see," Finn greeted him.
"Haha...being a feminist supporter is hard," Loki scratched his head, gesturing towards Mirajane and Erza.
"You okay? You look pale," Finn noticed Loki was thinner, less radiant, and more haggard.
"How’s Lucy?" Loki asked casually.
"She hasn’t come yet, but the Master talked to her. She should be fine," Finn said.
"Maybe her injuries are too bad."
"Erza said we should see Lucy later. Want to come?" Finn asked.
Loki waved his hands. "You know I don’t get along with Celestial Spirit mages. I have things to do," he left.
Loki’s steps were unsteady.
Finn narrowed his eyes.
"Loki, whatever happened, we’re family," Finn’s voice reached Loki.
Loki stopped. "Finn...having a brother like you is great. But..."
He looked at the sky.
"Yeah, don’t worry, I’m fine," Loki smiled and left.
"Lucy!" Happy flew to Lucy’s window.
"You okay?" Natsu burst through the window.
"Why did you climb in?" Gray emerged from Lucy’s closet.
"Use the door next time," Erza, still in work clothes, sat with Finn, drinking coffee.
"What are you doing?" Natsu and the others said. Find the newest release on novèlfire.net
"Where’s Lucy?" Finn asked, looking at his manuscript.
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