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It was an early Saturday afternoon and Panda was lounging on the couch, beginning to doze off and ease into a nap.
This nap was abruptly interrupted shortly as Panda heard a loud knock sound through his house. Between everyone who ever came over, he knew exactly was the cause.
Opening the door, he proved his point to see it was Grizzly.
“Oy Panda-San! C’mon! We’re going on a camping trip!” Grizzly began but stopped when he saw the others unsure look.
“I….don’t know Grizzly, the last time I went on a trip like that, we almost get burnt to a crisp in a forest fire..” Panda said looking off.
“Ah! This is different this time, I got us an actually good camp site, with a camp ground so…that means you can use a bathroom and use the shower room inside. Plus you won’t starve this time because I brought veggies and a grill! Because I know how you’re a vegan and all that junk…” Grizzly’s voice could be heard going softer at the last part as a blush filled his face.
Panda looked at the bear for a moment before nodding yes, kissing him gently on the snout.
“Hah! You’re gonna love it! Just wait and see!” Grizzly began, explaining everything about the campsite.
Panda listened with a smile at first but stopped dead in his tracks, a blank stare at who was sitting right in the front seat.
Natsu.
“Grizzly…you know him?” Panda asked, a look of displeasure couldn’t help but come on his face.
“Yeah! He’s like the wisest bear of the village, and technically a bear god? I can’t explain well…but anyways he asked to come and I just decided to let him come.”
Panda continued to look at him before looking down, scratching a paw with his head.
“What’s wrong with you?” Grizzly asked the smaller bear with a confused look.
“A-Ah..nothing! It’s good!” Panda forced a smile before getting in the backseat behind Natsu.
Grizzly soon got in the front seat with Natsu before buckling himself in and going off, following the GPS orders.
Panda sat in the back seat and watched as Natsu and Grizzly held…friendly conversation? Laughs traded back and forth, and they were happy.
When a moment of silence came, Panda felt this as his chance to finally cut in.
“So…I’m surprised Shirokuma and Grizz didn’t decide to come with us.” Panda chimed up from the backseat.
“Oh…Shirokuma would’ve came with Grizz but Grizz decided to catch the flu for the THIRD time this dang year, so he’s back at home getting took care of by Shirokuma.” Grizzly explained, before muttering about putting that bear in a bubble so he doesn’t get as sick as he does.
Panda chuckled at the bear’s remarks on his brother with a light blush.
Until he saw the other in his peripheral view and immediately his smile diminished.
He then looked at the other forlorn with a confused look. One pressing question on his mind.
Why is he here? Why would he even want to come?
Soon these thoughts were put to halt as they stopped at the campgrounds.
Looking around, Panda looked at the astonishing beautiful scenery. This place already seemed amazing to him.
About to turn and tell Grizzly he made a good choice, he was cut off by the brown bear.
“Grizzly San! This is a great choice for camping! You did a very good job!” He said with a smile, patting the Grizzly’s back.
Watching the Grizzly smile with a flattered blush, Panda felt his stomach drop a bit.
As Grizzly set up, this continued, those two talked like they were complete best friends! They were meshing very well for one another.
Grizzly appreciated his presence and Natsu appreciated his.
Panda walked to a tree, sitting on an upright root sticking from the ground.
Thoughts racing in his head. Should he tell Grizzly that the brown bear actually didn’t even like him, how hostile things were between them? But for some reason…it felt petty telling this…and it didn’t feel like it’d help make the trip any better.
Tears pricking his eyes, he went out deeper into the forest, wiping his eyes as he tried to sort his thoughts.
Why did he have to come? Was all Panda could think once again, paws clenched as he continued to walk, slowly losing direction of where he even was to begin.
Meanwhile Grizzly paused in his laughter with Natsu as he brought out the veggies.
“Hey Panda-San! Where ya at?! I’m about to grill these veggies and I wanna know what you like!” He called out, looking around him to sadly see nothing.
Panic began to settle in the bear until he felt a paw on his shoulder from Natsu.
“Don’t worry Grizzly-San I’ll find him. You should stay here and continue cooking.” Natsu reassured before beginning to follow the scent of the girly shampoo Panda used.
At first the fragrance was strong and the track was easy for Natsu to decipher, but the further he got into the forest, the less of it he began to smell and the harder it began to track him down.
Until looking over to his right, he saw a small dark Grey, and white form hunched up holding it’s knees by a tree, sitting on the forest floor.
Walking up slowly on the bear he hovered over him and looked at him with a flat face.
“Panda-San..what the heck are you doing out of campgrounds? You need to get back to Campgrounds.” “I-I don’t wanna go back yet. I just need to think for a moment..” Panda replied.
“Hmmm…whatever, you’re being really foolish by holding up our time like this Panda-San but I’ll wait.”
He said before trudging off back to near the clearing of the woods. He expected to see the Panda come back to him in a few minutes, coming to his senses.
But those minutes, soon pressed onto hours, and the yellow sun was beginning to dip in the now orange sky.
Running off back into the forest, to the spot he found Panda he silently hoped the Panda was still sitting there by tree.
But approaching there his heart nearly stopped as he realized. Panda was gone.
Guilt quickly piled on the bear. He was not taking that walk of shame back to the campsite and telling Grizzly he saw his boyfriend and left him to get himself lost in the forest.
And he certainly wasn’t going home to admit to Grizz he lost his own brother in a forest, in a matter of fact left him to get lost!
Getting on all fours, the brown bear sped through the forest, shouting “Panda-San!” multiple times. His head racing as he was slowly losing all direction.
His voice managing to echo through the forest and even scare off some small woodland creatures, making them scatter off in fear.
Continuing to run and call out his name despite the fact his voice was beginning to grow raw, and his legs were beginning to ache he soon crashed hard into something causing it to fall over.
Looking at the thing he knocked into his eyes widened realizing it was Panda!
Picking the bear off the floor he told the bear, “You need to come back to the campsite with me right now!”
“I-I don’t want too!” Panda blubbered, beginning to shake.
“Panda San…what is wrong with you? What is your problem?” Natsu asked roughly frowning at the other.
“You! You’re the problem!” Panda began pointing directly at his chest.
“Almost everyone I know and love likes you! They enjoy being around you! They see you as a good friend! And it hurts because you hate me! And people just enjoy…being around the guy that hates me! I can’t tell anyone who they CAN and CAN’T be friends with…but it still feels like a huge stab in the back knowing they’re okay even being around you. And it makes me feel awful because I know none of them are even meaning to hurt me..”
Panda began to turn away from the other, why was he beginning to cry? Covering his face he let it out. Talking about how he felt…this deep usually always made him breakdown like this.
Natsu looked at the other with a look of guilt. Did he really cause all of this? Flashbacks to the all time he was cold to him came and he grimaced in remembrance.
He really hasn’t been nice at all has he?
Walking over to Panda he put a large paw on the others shoulder.
“Panda-San…I’m sorry.”
There. He finally said. The words he never expected to say to him. But it did and a sense of vulnerability came with it as he continued to rub his shoulder in comfort.
“I’m sorry…I never hated you.” He admitted looking off now, this felt uncomfortable for the brown bear to reveal.
“W-What do you mean?” Panda pressed on wiping tears.
“Panda-San…when I saw you with Machi…and I saw how well you were getting along with her, and how you were actually bringing her into the modern society quicker than I ever could…I grew envious..no jealous. I felt threatened by your presence…I felt like you were slowly becoming her new Natsu. And then she wouldn’t even want to be around me anymore.” He admitted wiping a tear.
“What?! Natsu…all she talked about when we were hanging out mostly was little stories about you, or how technologically smart you were. She thinks you’re amazing man! I can be her friend…but I can never be her guardian bear.” Panda reassured, giving a sniffle and a weak smile to him.
Suddenly Panda brought out his paw for Natsu, “I want to start over, but as friends. I don’t want to be your silent enemy anymore.”
Tears couldn’t help but fall seeing his paw as Natsu took a tight grip of it, pulling the other into a hug, lowering his head on the other.
“That sounds good.” He said before separating from the hug.
“Panda-San…no matter what I said before, just know you’re a good bear.” He affirmed to the other petting his head.
Panda nodded in acceptance, wiping his tears.
“Let’s get back to the campsite.” Panda said from which Natsu nodded in agreeance.
After walking a good two hours through the forest, it seemed like they were completely far from the grounds.
“Natsu-San…I’m tired.” Panda quietly peeped up
Natsu looked at him for a moment before sighing, “Get on my back Panda-San.” He brought out his paw to hold the bear.
“Are you sure one paw is gonna hold me?” Panda questioned.
“Just get on.” The brown bear said before Panda climbed into his paw, resting on his back.
Walking for one more hour, he could hear the Panda lightly snoozing on him. His body slowly rising up and down.
Continuing to walk, he felt his legs beginning to grow weak with each step until he saw the clearing!
Reaching it, he gave a loud sigh of relief before falling face first to the ground.
All his muscles were aching as the Panda still clung onto his back as he lied on the floor.
“Hey! What took you guys so long! I had to eat the vegetables AND salmon myself..” He muttered before realizing Panda was asleep and Natsu was on his way.
Picking up Panda with one paw he took the other to drag Natsu to the tent, he had no idea what happened in there or why they stayed in there all night, but he knew it was definitely time for bed.