Story 2- "In the dark"
Summary: A father does all that he can for his daughter
Pairing: none
Family
Rated K+
(I do NOT Own Fairy Tail)
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A woman puts on her coat and is about leave when she spots the light of a lamp still on. She sees a large figure still working on his desk. If it wasn't for that light, he would have been engulfed by the darkness.
"Are you closing again Jude?" She asks.
He nods and gives her a small smile. "Yes. I can't afford to rest now."
"Alright. Don't work yourself too hard okay? Goodnight."
"Goodnight."
The woman left and Jude was now by himself. He goes back to his work; not at all affected by the loneliness of the large guild. In fact it brings him slight comfort.
It has been four years since Lucy and her friends disappeared. Over 1,460 days since he last saw his daughter.
The thought alone pierced his heart in an uncomfortable manner.
His gaze shifted back to the documents on the table and instantly he began to work. He couldn't afford to stop; Lucy is gone now but she won't be forever.
Minutes later, his hands begin to ache. He stares at them; they're shaking and twitching. His eyes land on the clock hanging from the wall; it reads 12:17am.
He grins sadly; looks like more than hour had actually passed. He rises from his seat and goes to the employee break room. He hopes there will be ice in the fridge.
Jude walks in the dark and reaches the door. When he enters the room, it's filled by moonlight. He's never been happier that they had such a large window before.
The blonde man finds his desired item in the freezer and he sits in front of a table before placing the ice on one of his hands. It stings but he manages.
He looks out the window and remembers the date. It's June 18; Lucy's birthday is coming soon. He wonders what she would like this year. Perhaps a new outfit; she'll need one when she returns.
Small tears form in the corner of his eyes. He releases a shaky breath. The man can't stop thinking about the days in the past. Perhaps when Lucy returns he can think about their future.
His stomach gives a mighty growl. As a reaction, his free arm wraps around it. He dozes off and unconsciously thinks back to another time when he was younger.
He gives a bitter smile. "A rice ball would have been good right now."
When his daughter returns, he'll make sure to treat her to some.
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A/N: So the anime and manga (including chapter 421) have been doing a tag team of disappointing me, and for that reason I've been losing interest in Fairy Tail. (This is the main reason why I haven't updated my Nalu multi-chapter stories.) I felt that the only way to regain my passion for Fairy Tail was to think back to my favorite minor character: Jude Heartfilia.
This guy is one of the best minor characters of all time! Seriously, if there was cover for what Fairy Tail character development looked like this guy's face would be it! I don't think a lot of people realize how great of a character he was, hence why I'm sometimes heartbroken to see him depicted as only an abusive monster.
I can write a whole essay on Jude Heartfillia but to save you five pages of reading I'll summarize what I like. He starts off as a dedicated husband and soon to be father (think back to the flashback of him and Layla arriving to Love and Lucky guild; he's supporting his pregnant wife.) Once Lucy is born and they're living the good life, he's become a formal business man but still values his family (now think back to Lucy's torn family photo. It's a very formal family photo. What makes me know that he still loves his family is that he has his hand on the throne. He's not directly touching Lucy but it's still symbolizing that he'll support her.
When Layla passes away, he ignores his offspring (Lucy is proof that Layla existed) and buries himself in the world of business. It's his way to cope with her death. He's lived this way for so long that he forgets he has a daughter and treats her like a client. It's only until Lucy confronts him and tells him that she's become independent that he remembers who she truly is. However, he still has pride so he doesn't apologize and lets her go.
Once he loses his fortune he shallows his pride and goes back to Lucy. We think he's changed but here's the best part; a nasty part of the old him comes out. Notice whenever a villain in Fairy Tail turns good they do a complete 180? Not Jude Heartfillia. That's what makes him SO realistic. People don't change in a day. The next time we see him he's trying to fix his relationship with Lucy but it's not enough.
Then the seven year gap tragedy happens. For the seven years of neglect he gave his daughter when she was right next to him, he works to provide for her in the seven years that's she not there. Just before he could see her one more time, he passes away. And at the age of 45; that's still young. He overworked himself to death, trying to provide for himself and his missing daughter. Lucy and her father's relationship is more tragic than anything.
Anyways, thanks for reading! And thank you for your amazing reviews in the last story. I'll try to do a sequel for it soon. I love hearing what you guys have to say so please don't be afraid to tell me how you felt about this one (or my note).
Until next time
Your friend
Dark Shining Light