I probably can't even apologize anymore for how long I've made everyone wait, but I'm sorry anyway. Please forgive me...and enjoy this chapter.

(I know I should've mentioned this earlier) This story takes place in a somewhat more modern Fiore. ...Well, okay, fine. Not really. The only noticeable difference in the setting would be the fact that there are cars and roads and actual school and job system. There isn't any technology, so don't count on Romeo and Wendy texting each other 24/7 XD.

~Living in the Silence~

Chapter 6

~ "What is a home with none to meet, none to welcome, none to greet us? Home is sweet, and only sweet, where there's one we love to meet us!" ~

I wonder where the train is

Wendy nodded in agreement, leaning more on the bars that were beside the ticket booth.

Macao shifted his weight from one foot to the other, as he wrote in the purple notepad, It's probably just running late. It'll be here soon.

Hope so. It's 15 minutes past arrival time.

The trio waited, and waited. Romeo ended up reading every brochure on a nearby bulletin board. Wendy was even able to buy some snacks as the time passed. Macao checked his watch every minute or so, anxious to see his eldest son.

Wendy tapped Romeo's shoulder as a thought came to her mind. How do you sign 'welcome home'?

Romeo, as usual, signed each letter slowly, repeated them, and made sure Wendy got all of them.

Wendy grinned in appreciation after doing it successfully by herself Thanks.

They went back to leaning on the bars, tapping their feet on the ground, and mindlessly staring at all the different people that were waiting for their train to arrive.

Suddenly, the dark-haired boy hopped off the bar with a huff. This is taking forever!

Relax. the bluenette wrote, It's going to be

Romeo looked up in confusion, wondering why she stopped all of a sudden, when he saw the green and red train roaming in the distance. His eyes instantly lit up, as he started dashing through the crowd.

Macao and Wendy gaped at the boy's retreating back, yelling on impulse, "Romeo!"

Romeo grinned as he saw the train stop at its platform and continued his dash towards it, until he saw the crowd of passengers coming on and off of the vehicle all at once. He stopped abruptly as many people behind him pushed their way around him.

Intimidated by the amount of people, Romeo turned back, his eyes scanning for his father and Wendy. He turned to his right, barely avoiding a mother and stroller rushing by. The amount of people is dizzying. The young boy finds himself trapped in the crowd. Panicking, Romeo searches for the stairs, bulletin board, shop, railing, wall, Wendy, Dad, when he feels a warm hand drop on his shoulder.

He yanks himself away in fear and whips around, only to see a mess of pink hair.

Hey, Romeo! :D Natsu holds up a page, grinning widely.

The younger boy beams in relief at the sight of his brother, hugging him to death.

"Natsu!" Macao arrives with Wendy.

"Hey, Pops!" he greets, putting up a hand.

"Natsuuu! Why'd you leave me with all of the luggage?" a whiny voice drifts over the sound of the train chugging away, "That's not very nice!"

The pink-haired youth turns to see his girlfriend pulling two giant rolling suitcases behind her.

Macao goes over to her, "Let me help you with that, Lucy."

She pants, letting go of one of the bags, "Thanks a lot."

Natsu slowly pulls away from Romeo, looking back at his father. "Hey, Dad, who's that?"

His father glances to his left, "Oh, this is Wendy. Romeo's friend."

The pink-haired brother brightens, "Friend…Romeo made a friend...that's great!" he reaches out and grabs both of Wendy's hands, shaking them maniacally, "Nice to meet ya, Wendy!"

Wendy smiles shyly, "Actually, we've already met..."

"We have?" Natsu raises an eyebrow, as well as Macao. Romeo stood at the side, kicking invisible stones, wishing he knew what was going on.

"Y-yes...we went to the same elementary school," she replies, "And I almost…got hit by a car once. But you saved my life. Thank you..."

Suddenly, recognition spreads across Natsu and Macao's faces, "That was you? !"

"I remember Natsu telling me about that…but to think that that was you…" the father says, "What a small world."

"Well…you're welcome, I guess," the pink-haired teen replies, scratching the back of his head, "But it's no big deal. Anyone would've done that."

Wendy stared up at him in awe, "But you…"

Romeo tugged on Natsu's scarf, crossing his arms over his chest, although he looked more tired than exasperated. Probably because he was used to this.

Apologizing to his brother, he turned to Wendy, Lucy and Macao, "Let's go home."

"You said it!" Lucy nodded enthusiastically, rolling the luggage along towards the exit.

On the way back, Natsu explained about what everyone had been talking about (it turns out, Romeo already knew about his brother's heroic deed from a few years back).

Did you know Gajeel moved into town?

Natsu sighed, Just when I thought I got away from that guy... I think he has a little sister. She's around your age.

Yeah I know. That's Wendy.

He raised an eyebrow in disbelief, 'Geez, Dad was right. What a small world."

Aw man. I missed out on a lot.

Romeo went on, Oh yeah. Dad said that you and him are going to the same university.

Natsu made a pained expression, muttering under his breath.

And Gajeel got a job at the forge too.

The shocked, almost horrified look on Natsu's face was enough to make Romeo laugh. Macao looked back at the two, hearing odd, ragged breaths. But smiled when he saw his younger son grinning, reduced to tears, holding his sides. The sight was actually enough to make Wendy and Lucy giggle as well.

When he finally calmed down, he wrote Natsu-nii?

The shocked face disappeared, melting into a concerned expression. Natsu looked down at his brother, the words "Yeah? What is it?" clearly written on his face.

Welcome home.