Fairy in the Woods
Jude Heartfilia knew deep inside his heart that he was probably the worst father ever.
He's been counting the signals since his dearly wife Layla died twelve years ago. First of all, he knew the lack of fraternal influence his daughter had. He did love Lucy, but he didn't know how to be a father. Work stressed him -the company needed him- and he fell under it all, leaving her all alone when she was just a child.
He believed that, if he could gain power in the market and achieve the top, he could give Lucy everything she wanted. And he did -he bought her all the toys, all the clothing he felt she desired.
But Jude was blind. It took him years to notice the obvious unhappiness of Lucy.
He felt really bad for her.
And now that Lucy was eighteen years old, he thought he could give her some freedom she desired, some vacation off the world she hated. He'd already made the plans with his friend and now everything was ready to execute it.
Jude stood up and walked off his office inside his mansion. His bodyguard Capricorn followed him nearby, as usual. He was aware of Jude's plans, so he didn't say a word.
Jude reached his daughter's room. Nervousness was getting the best of him. It's been years since the last time he willingly went to Lucy's bedroom and the anxiety plus the guilt were consuming him little by little.
He knocked the wooden door, and the barely seconds before it opened felt like an eternity to him.
Jude felt his heart flinch when he saw the emptiness of Lucy's chocolate eyes. Her blonde hair was tied up in a messy bun, with some strands framing her face beautifully. Since when did she look so much like Layla? Although, Layla's eyes were always shining. Lucy had no sparkle in them.
Her expression showed how much of a surprised he'd given her.
"Father?" she asked, frowing.
Jude tried a smile, his big fingers entwined together with nervousness. "Hello, Lucy. Can I come in?" he gestured inside her room.
"Sure," Lucy said, stepping aside to let him in. Capricorn stayed outside when she closed the door, her eyes skeptical, trying to figure out the reason behind all of it.
Jude sat in the bed, watching his surroundings. It looked like a typical teenager's room, but with an enormous amount of books, everywhere.
Lucy sat in a chair in front of him.
What hurt Jude the most, is that he didn't find even a little of resentment nor hate in her eyes. Sure, she didn't look happy, but there was no hate in her. He didn't deserve a daughter like her. He felt so ashamed of practically abandoning her.
He crossed his legs before clearing his throat. "Well, Lucy. I-I know we haven't the best of the father-daughter relationships and recently I noticed..." he trailed off before his voice broke. "I noticed you seem rather unhappy."
Lucy's eyes widened. She didn't say anything, though.
"So I've come up with a plan. I want to make amends with you... Because even if I haven't demostrated it in these years... I love you." Jude blinked several times, trying to surpress the tears forming in his eyes.
"I love you too, Dad." Lucy said, her voice soft. Her eyes were watering up too, even if she couldn't figure out where this conversation was heading. Shock and sincere surprise filled her insides.
"And... for that," Jude continued. "I was planning on going together on some vacation."
Lucy gasped. "Are you for really?" she asked, while a big grin spread over her face.
"I am serious." Jude said. "I talked to my friend Igneel and he lets us stay in his house with him and his son for the whole summer,"
"Uh? Aren't we staying in an hotel?" Lucy asked, frowning.
"Well... There aren't proper hotels in Magnolia, and he said he missed me and he wanted to see you..."
"Magnolia?" Lucy asked.
"It's a little rural town. Igneel said it is really nice, so I thought, why not?" Jude said. The anxiousness in his voice was too evident. "So, what do you say?"
Lucy thought about it. The summer had just started, and she hadn't plans except maybe for having dates with her boyfriend. Other than that, she was free. And she's been expecting to spend some time with Jude for a while. It was a surprise for him to show up in her room and offer her vacations together after twelve years of ignoring her. A wash of happiness was filling her whole, and she couldn't stop a wide smile forming in her lips when she said,
"When do we leave?"
The plane left the other day at six in the morning.
It didn't shock Lucy that it only needed a call from her father to have the fly whenever he wanted it. She didn't remember him being so happy and anxious. Maybe he was like this when her mother was still alive.
Her heart cringed at the memory. She still felt the lack of her mom deep inside her heart, throwing at her until she couldn't hold on anymore and she cried for hours in her bed, locked up so nobody could enter to interrupt her.
Inhaling deeply, she climbed off the plane behind Jude. Afortunately, he only brought Capricorn with them, just in case. Luckily he didn't feel paranoid and brought the whole FBI along.
"Well, now we only have to take this car and we'll be on Magnolia!" Jude exclaimed, a little louder than he should.
"Then, I say farewell." Capricorn bowed to them. "Enjoy the trip, Mister and Miss Heartfilia."
"Thank you, Capricorn." Jude said.
"Bye!" Lucy smiled at him before he left back to the airport. She watched him until he disappeared in the crowd.
"Well then," Jude looked at her. His brown eyes shone for the first time in years. "Shall we go?" he gestured towards one black car in the street.
"Let's go!" Lucy said.
Both Jude and her walked to it, and while Jude packed the things in the trunk of the car, Lucy sat in the copilot seat and sighed contently. It was still hard to believe that she was going to spend the whole summer with her dad. What about his job? Did someone take his place?
And what about the house they were staying? Who was Igneel, exactly? Was he a good person? Well, if he was Jude's friend, he had to be a worth-trusting person. And did Jude say he had a son? Did her father really let her live in the same house as a boy? Was it only because he was going to be there, or was this son a ten years old or younger?
Jude climbed in the driver seat and turned on the enginee. The car started to move slowly, a hot breeze entering by Lucy's window, making her shining blonde hair a mess as it gainded speed.
"Well, we should be there in an hour," Jude said.
"That's great," Lucy said. She hoped they could make amends this time and leave behind their dark past.
"Igneel said he was waiting for us." he said. Lucy didn't miss the excited tone in his voice. It was obvious Jude was dying to meet up with his old friend. It made Lucy smile.
"He seems great," Lucy said. "Tell me about him!"
Jude laughed at her eager voice. "Okay." he said. "We met in elementary school, and Igneel was probably the most sarcastic, humorous boy in the class. He was the clown, the one who always made jokes. School would have been so boring without him there."
"Woah," Lucy said. "It seems you were a married couple."
Jude's cheeks burned under his blondish beard. "Of course not! He was a jerk too."
"Oh really?" Lucy said amused.
"Yes! He was! He put a farting bag in my chair, so when I sat, it sounded in History class and I got detention while everyone laughed at me!" Jude said, indignation written over his face.
Lucy couldn't stop laughing at it. Igneel seemed a cool person. Not everyone could gain a place in her father's heart.
They continued on the road, Jude telling her his experiences with Igneel. How he was the one who presented Layla to him, how it was him who encouraged him to confess his feelings with the blonde beauty.
And Lucy listened, because communication was the first step to have a normal father-daughter relationship and she desired it so much.
It seemed like only minutes had passed, but when Lucy looked around, they stopped in front of an old, light blue country house. It looked like those in movies; with a white porch with an old pair of chairs. At one side of the house, an old, faded truck was parked. There was nothing surrounding it, only an infinite extension of green plains.
Jude sighed at her side, bringing her back of her own world. "Seems like we arrived," he said, getting out of the car. Lucy imitated his actions.
"Seems so," she agreed, eyeing the house. It was weird to her, since she grew up in a world of mansions and cities and cement. So much green shocked her.
"Let's go," Jude said. When Lucy looked at him, she saw just how of a nervous wreck he was now. Just how time had passed since the last time he saw his friend?
Seeing he wasn't walking towards the door, she decided to take the first step. She stood up in front of the white wooden door and knocked, Jude standing behind her. It only took a moment for it to open and...
Holy shit.
The boy standing there sure as heck wasn't Igneel. He looked around her age -eighteen. He was wearing a white sleeveless shirt that sure didn't mean to cover him up properly. It was almost transparent, letting her have a great view of the eight pack hiding beneath it; and not to talk about his strong arms. Around his neck, he wore a towel, another signal that he had just gotten out of the shower, along his wet, pink hair spreading out in all directions.
His skin was bronze; literally kissed by the sun. It was just the perfect shade of a tan skin. Lucy eyed his strong jaw, all the way up his thin, kissable lips. His little, lollipop nose give him a cute touch to his Roman god looks.
And his eyes... A pair of dark green eyes looked right into her own, swallowing her whole. She'd never seen such sexy eyes. And she shouldn't even think that, considering she actually had a boyfriend back in Hargeon.
"Oh, hi," he said, his voice rough and low. "Can I help you?"
"You must be Igneel's son," Jude said, luckily for Lucy. She didn't know if she could muster a single word in her state. "I am Jude and she is my daughter Lucy," he explained.
The boy's expression said he now understood the situation. Was he always so readable?
"Oh, the Heartfilia's!" he said.
"The same," Jude smiled.
"Dad! Your friend and his daughter are here!" he shouted.
"Well, let them in! I am busy here, you know!" a new voice shouted back from inside, much rougher and older, in some way.
The boy rolled his eyes, but smiled brightly at them. Lucy's breath stopped for a moment.
"I hope you have a good time with us here this summer!" he said. "I'm Natsu, by the way. Need some help with the luggage?"
A/N= Hi! I hope you enjoy this story the same as I do! Forgive any grammar mistakes, since English isn't my first language. Thank you for reading it, and let me know what you think or how could I improve my writing! I love you all! Again, thank you so much!
