A/N: sorry for the late submission! It's my parent's anniversary today, and...I, ah, kind of forgot the candles for the cake...I tried to find them, I really did, but they were happy anyway. So I'm good. I'm very good. Hehehe. ANYWAY, I'm so excited for this week, MidLu is one of my more tame guilty pleasure ships.

Angst ahead? Not really. Comfort. There. That's what this is.

"Mama, papa," Lucy patted each grave marker affectionately as she knelt down in front of them. She placed two beautiful bouquets on the stone bottoms, the blooms just brushing the etched years on the epitaph. "I'm sorry it took so long for me come visit. The Guild has been crazy lately. You know I couldn't make rent this month? Laxus helped me out, but..."

She smiled brightly as she stared at Jude's headstone. "Thank you so much for this year's birthday gift, papa. I loved it."

It was a decision she had made many years ago after the Infinity Clock incident. The gifts her father had collected over her missing years would only be opened on the year it had been bought for. In her mind, it was a way to keep him close, to have a new appreciation for her father with every thoughtful gift stowed away in her closet. It reminded her that, despite his flaws, Jude Heartfilia truly did love his only child.

On her keyring, the key of the crow warmed only slightly. She still couldn't believe that her father, the same one who abhorred her magic, who forbade her from practicing it, had purchased her a key. Twenty years, then, she mused. It had taken him twenty years to accept it as a part of her.

Twenty years too late, a voice in the back of her head said bitterly.

Clearing her throat and blinking back the familiar sting of tears in her eyes, Lucy continued to tell her parents about her day. "It was a crazy celebration. They really did go over the top, you know. Mira made the biggest cake ever-black forest, in case you were wondering-and I swear, Erza ate half. Gray and Natsu both pitched in and got me a new sofa to the replace the one they destroyed last week. Wendy got me the prettiest hair clip! Gajeel, oh boy, he tried singing happy birthday and it did not go over well, especially when Orga joined him. I don't think Sting is conscious just yet, he was right by the speaker. Laxus not only paid off my rent for this month, but the rest of the year! Can you believe it? Bixlow got me a cheerleading outfit, Evergreen beat him, no worries. And Juvia! Juvia got us both a weekend booking at Akane. I'm so glad she's over Gray, at least now we can hang out without the whole love rival thing in the air. She and Cana are good together-"

Lucy's words died on her tongue. They didn't care about that, and she didn't need to tell them about everything she had received. No, she knew exactly why she was rambling on about the details of her day. To anyone else, telling the graves about the small things was a way of staying connected to the deceased, to keep them close even after they were long gone. To her, it was a reassurance. It was a way of reminding herself over and over again that she had a family, still. That she wasn't alone, even though she woke up most nights with a hole in her chest that no amount of love from her Guild could fill.

"I miss you guys," her voice cracked. "I have Fairy Tail, and even Sabertooth, but...it's not the same," her voice was almost a whine now. Not the petulant kind, no. This was a whine of desperation, of longing. No gift, regardless of how thoughtful it was, would ever make up for the loss of her parents. Her mother had been unavoidable, but her father...

To this day, she regretted not hearing him out when he had approached her all those years ago. It haunted her. Her anger at the time had cost her a chance at mending their relationship, and she had only herself to blame. If she had been less selfish, then maybe the sudden loss would hurt less.

"I just want to see you both again...one last time," the Celestial Mage was amazed at how she managed to keep her voice steady, given that every word she spoke was like a rock forcing its way through a tiny hole. She squeezed her eyes shut, forcing back the burning tears. She would not cry. Not today, at least. She did enough of it on her own time.

Her breath halted when she felt something brush against her shoulders, and when she opened her eyes, she swore her heart stopped.

Layla Heartfilia was a vision in flowing layers of blue and gold silk, her sun-kissed hair falling in soft waves to her shoulders. Her eyes were just as gentle and loving as she remembered. At her side, Jude Heartfilia stood proudly in his prim navy suit, not a hair out of place. Lucy was surprised to see him smile warmly at her. She couldn't remember a time she saw him looking that happy while in that attire.

Trembling fingers reached out, hesitant in their motion. Her breath was little more than shallow gasps as she pulled back. How was this possible? How was...how were they standing there in front of their graves, smiling as if they were still alive?

"M-mama?" she whispered. "P-papa? How is-how are you-?"

Neither replied. They merely continued to smile down at her, pride etched on their features. Layla lifted her hands, pointing to herself, then crossing her arms over her chest as if she were hugging somebody, and then extending one hand to her.

I love you.

Lucy could not hold back the tears even if she tried. Ugly sobs wracked her frame, and she curled in on herself, wailing loudly. "I love you, too! I-I love you both so much-!"

A hand touched her shoulder again, and she looked up, only able to make out a blur of black and white between the tears. Wiping her eyes, she jerked when the person crouching beside her was made clear.

Midnight looked extremely out of place here, a sore thumb of dark colours surrounded by summer's warm tones. His red eyes stared at her with an intensity that was rarely present in their hazy depths. He didn't look at her as blankly as he usually did. She could see something on his face that brought her some calmness. It wasn't pity, no. It was...understanding. Compassion, even.

"W-what-?"

"I'm not as good as Jellal," he murmured, dropping his hand. For a moment, Lucy mourned to loss of comfort it gave her. He glanced up at the figures of her parents, and Lucy's gaze followed. "He can make them corporeal. My illusions are good, but I can't imitate...touch. Or heat."

"B-but they just..." denial flooded her. "I could feel them touching me! Mama touched my shoulder!"

"It took me a few weeks to learn how to do that," he responded. "Jellal helped."

Lucy felt her heart crack.

For the briefest time after seeing them, she had almost prayed that it had been their ghosts. That they really had come for her. She wasn't sure if it hurt more or just the same now, knowing that they were well and truly gone, and that these illusions, too, would fade.

"How do you know what they look like?" Lucy asked once she had her senses about her. She didn't look at him as she spoke, instead, she focused on committing the sight to memory. She could feel the Reflector Mage staring at her from the side. "That portrait...from the Infinity Clock incident. I went back and looked at it. Erik told me how to dress Lady Heartfilia. He said that the picture was unnatural. Not how you would have remembered her."

She felt a surge of affection for the surly Dragon Slayer she had accepted as kin. She would make sure to give him a tight hug later. Right now, her attention was on the narcoleptic at her side. "You said weeks. How long have you been planning this?"

"Since Natsu told me your birthday, back in April."

"That's not weeks, Midnight. That's months."

"Same difference," he shrugged as if he hadn't just dropped a bombshell on her. She continued to stare at him in shock. He had never been particularly open with her. It wasn't that he was rude, it was more that he held everyone at a careful distance. Close enough that they could work together, but far enough that he was a mystery.

Or, she thought, so that he couldn't be hurt again.

The passing thought sent both understanding and warmth through her chest. She couldn't even begin to imagine the pain he had undergone in his short life, the years of manipulation and abuse that molded him into the aloof, distant man whose very magic was meant to keep everything away. But...but here he was, stepping out of his comfort zone and giving her the most precious gift of all.

A chance to bring peace to her soul.

"Thank you," she mouthed. Midnight looked away uncomfortably, nodding. "You're welcome."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why would you do this for me? I...we're not exactly friends, you know."

"Because I know that sometimes illusions are better than nothing," he said quietly. She stared at him curiously, waiting for him to continue. Even if he didn't, she was fine. He didn't owe her an explanation. Long minutes passed in silence, and when she felt he was not going to elaborate, she faced the illusions once more.

"The first..." he paused, gathering himself. "I used to pretend my parents loved me. My mom died during childbirth, and we had no pictures of her, so I had to make up what she looked like. My dad sold me to the Tower, so you can guess what he was like."

"Midnight, stop, you don't have to-"

"No, I..." he exhaled sharply. "Let me finish. I used to make illusions of them, only when fath-Brain wasn't around. He would kill me if he knew. It took me a while to learn to perfect them, but I could never imitate touch, you know? So at night, when no one was around, I'd bring them out and...I'd make them hold me. Even if I couldn't feel them, I knew they were there, and it made the hurt...less, in a way."

Lucy had never seen him so raw and vulnerable before. She itched to reach out and hold him tight, to give him the sense of touch he had been denied, but it would be too sudden for both of them. She gripped her knees tightly, suddenly aware of the way her lower legs were slowly going numb under her weight.

"Point is, I know how you feel. I...figured you'd want the same," his gaze was suddenly shy. He was almost embarrassed with himself, it seemed, if the pinkening of his ears was anything to go by. "I-if it wasn't, then-"

Lucy lunged forward, unable to hold back any longer. Her numb legs made it so that she couldn't control her leap, so she ended up mostly crumpled against his chest, her arms wound around his waist tightly. She heard his heart pick up pace, and felt his arms hover at his sides awkwardly. Tears rolled down her face, both for his many years of loneliness, and the story he had just told her.

"I'm so sorry that happened to you," half her words were nothing but stutters between her sniffles, but she pressed on. "I'm honoured that you told me. Grateful. Thank you. Thank you for everything, Midnight."

"Macbeth," he mumbled. Her stomach fluttered as she heard his rich voice rumble in his chest. It was nice. He had a nice voice. "My name is Macbeth."

Not knowing how to respond, Lucy merely nodded. She kept perfectly still as his hands came to rest lightly on her back, as if testing the waters of their newfound...whatever it was. She sighed contentedly, inhaling his musky scent.

The hurt of her losses would never truly go away. Some days would be worse than others, but so long as she had the ability to look back on this day, she knew she would be able to cope. Especially if the man who held her was still by her side.

"Happy birthday, Lucy."

And it didn't sound like he was going to leave her any time soon.

A/N: I have three tests to study for, and Halloween costumes to buy, and dinner to plan. I'm off for today! See you tomorrow with day two!

Also, that was ridiculously rushed, oh my god. But you can't really ease into this topic, man, it's go hard or go home.

-Touko