But, You Promised.
by abbeyabbey.
Tossing the makeshift paper ball, Jude Heartfilia missed the bin for the third time that hour. Wiping the sweat off his brow, he cussed in frustration as he slammed his fountain pen down on the table. He ignored the tremor that ran through his mahogany desk from the force of his frustration, as the hands of his desk clock shook and a wooden, chipped photo frame fell flat on its face.
Asking for help shouldn't be that difficult. It was simple, really. There were bad people trying to steal his fortune, and he needed help to ensure his money stayed where it was supposed to be. In his hands.
Then why was it that every time he tried to write a letter for help, he tore it, scrunched it, or even on one account scribbled over his words like a child, learning to use crayons. If he wasn't too stubborn to admit it, then he might consider that it was his pride that was getting in the way.
No, that's not it. I'm just a humble family man.
Opening the second drawer from the top, he pulled out more blank paper with the "Heartfilia" letterhead. He avoided using this paper for business communications, but this plea was more personal. His family's safety was in jeopardy.
Putting his pride aside for the moment, he picked up his worn out pen and scribbled the words down as they poured out of his head. If he were to get any help, then he would have to have to admit that he couldn't do this alone. And if he couldn't do it alone, then he would ask for the assistance of the most powerful people he knew of.
As he finished the description of the task he needed help with, the door creaked loudly. Slowly opening the heavy door and flooding light into the room, a small figure poked her head in from the other side, peeking into the room with wide brown eyes, framed with thick black eyelashes.
When she sensed it was safe to enter, Lucy Heartfilia bounded into the room.
"Dad! Dad! Dad!" exclaimed Lucy as she skipped up to his desk. "You'll never guess what I just made!"
Jude looked at the messy mop of blonde hair, while the girl rested her elbows on the other side of the desk. He knew she had been in the gardens due to the brown stains on her light pink dress, and her flushed cheeks gave away her excitement of running around outside in the cold. Slowly running his eyes back to the door he saw a trail of dirt lead up to his desk.
Ignoring the smile on her face and her excited eyes, he pursed his lips and began his lecture.
"Lucy Heartfilia," he began, "how many times do I have to tell you, that a ladies place is not outside in the dirt!"
"But," Lucy tried to interrupt. Her eyes fell to the floor and the smile was nowhere to be seen.
"You're a Heartfilia! An upstanding member of the community. Not a servant girl!" he scoffed, pushing his pen and paper to the side of the desk. If he was going to get through to the child, then he would have to use some scare tactics. Many years in business had given him plenty to choose from.
"Dad, I…" she tried to interject again. Her attempts were useless though, as she knew her father would not let her speak until he got his point across. Past lectures had prepared her for this reaction, but when she heard the servants whispering amongst themselves about how stressed he was lately, she had only wanted to cheer him up. To see him smile again.
"And at 12 years old, I thought you would be better than this!" he spat, slamming his fist on the desk for emphasis. He heard her intake of breath at the shock of what he just said, but decided to finish up strong. "You should be studying business or practicing the piano – not gallivanting around the dirt with the servants."
Lucy stared at the navy carpet, and let the tear slide down her cheek to the floor. Never in her life had she heard him voice his disappointment in her. Sure, he had told her to go away and leave him alone, but never insult her. The girl remained silent, still too fearful to speak.
"Now I want you out of my office, and doing something useful for once. If I hear even a whisper of you getting dirty like this again," gesturing to the length of her body with his hand, "then you will be sorry."
Looking up from the carpet, Lucy saw the anger on his face. She had never intended to disappoint him. She just wanted him to be happy. The last time she recalled his smile was when her mother was alive – a whole six months ago. Whenever he became too preoccupied with his business, her mother would stand up to him, sometimes even pointing her finger as she said her piece. Lucy remembered her mother demanding that he took some time off and spent time with his family. The very next day, they were on the train to spend a week together at the snow. It was the happiest week of Lucy's life.
Back then he didn't care that she was covered in snow. He only laughed when she complained about her soaked shoes and dirty dress. He didn't spend hours hunched over his desk all day, but sat in front of the fire with her and made puzzles. Her mother was always there, lying on the lounge with pen and paper, writing about their daily adventures.
"I don't know why you bother writing it all down, dear," he had said to her one night. "Just live it up and keep in all in here!" Tapping on the side of his head for added emphasis, her mother burst out laughing. Her voice was soft and sweet when she spoke – a true contrast to his deep, rough voice.
"Well that's all well and good. But maybe one day I'll want to let others remember our adventures, Jude" she replied, gesturing her head in Lucy's direction. The girl was completely oblivious to her allusion though, still trying to squash two odd pieces of the puzzle together. She only looked up to her mother when she felt a large, rough hand mess up her hair.
"Dad, ahh! Get off!" she pleaded, as her father pulled at her piggy tails and wrestled with her on the ground. "I'm not your son!"
Wrapping his arms around her waist, he stopped the match and sat her on his lap, looking deep into her brown eyes.
"And nothing, could make me more happy than that fact, my princess" he stated, before messing up her hair once more. Lucy remembered giggling along with her laughing mother and father at the state she was left in. Losing her two hairbands in the wrestling match, Lucy wore her messy hair out as proof that her father loved her more than anything.
Now as Lucy stared back in his eyes, she didn't see the loving smile or gentle eyes. She only saw the ghost of the man she knew, now consumed by his business and making it to the top.
Maybe it was the memories of her mother that did it. Maybe it was the sadness morphing into frustration throughout her veins. Whatever it was, Lucy wouldn't have done it if she stopped and thought about the consequences of her actions.
Shuffling her feet to a wider stance, Lucy glared up at her father. Anger welled up inside as she thought about how things used to be, before her mother passed away. She brought her finger from her side, and pointed it at his face. Tears continued to well up in her eyes as she faced it off with the Head of the Heartfilia Railway Corporation. If her mother could do it, then why couldn't she?
"You listen to me!" she demanded, taking a deep breath to prepare for her lecture. She had heard enough in the past six months, so she was sure to know how they went.
"I only came up here to tell you that I made you some sushi! Your favourite meal to help you feel better, when I heard that you were having a bad time!"
Her father stared back at her, his anger turning to shock at the actions of his daughter.
"And you have the audacity to lecture me? When I was being nice!" she continued, her finger still pointing like a bullseye to his nose. "I only went to the garden in the first place for some herbs and I just so happen to fall over! It was funny! The servants and I laughed! And frankly, the last time I remember you ever laughing was with mum!"
His eyes narrowed again at the turn of the conversation, fearing that she would try and bring his lost love into the argument as a guilt trip.
"Now I don't know what's wrong with you, but maybe you should remember Mums advice and stop taking things so seriously! Forget the business! Spend some time with me! You're all I have, dad!" Tears fell to the floor like a flood, as she finished her speech. Lowering her hand back to her side, she dared to look once more at the man she used to know.
Covering his mouth, he stared back at her. Obviously not finding her words meaningful at all, he lowered his hands to the desk and brought his pen and paper back to the primary work zone of his desk. Looking down at his paper, he scribbled down words for a few moments, before lifting his eyes back to her and voicing his final order.
"Get out."
Hurt by his words and actions, Lucy turned away from her father and followed the trail of dirt out of the room.
Perhaps I'm not a humble family man.
AN: Hey guys! If you're reading this then that means you've gotten to the end of the first chapter of my new story! Congratulations! *throws confetti at you*
Thank-you so much for reading and supporting my work. It really means a lot to me. This story will have a few chapters (but don't expect a super long novel). It's a NALU shipping of course but may take a few chapters for that to occur. This chapter was meant to be the start of a cute story but turned out a lot more darker than I originally intended – but oh well! Dark is good too!
I hope you plan to stick around to find out more – cause I sure am! I will try to get chapters out fast but I'm on holidays and will be pretty busy for the next week, so I only have time at night to sit up and write. Thanks again! *goes back to typing my heart out*