Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of its characters.
CHAPTER 14: Deception
Natsu was driving home after he spent time with his daughter which he absolutely enjoyed... until that happened. He had already expected to see Sting with Lucy when he agreed to take Natsuki back to her at the diner but what was not expected was that he had to witness how utterly close the two were. Lucy tripping over th blonde man was inevitable since he knew how much of a klutz at times she was but did they really have to cuddle each other? And what was with that look in their eyes anyway? It was like they were about to kiss in front of him and their daughter any moment.
If only I had run sooner, then maybe I could have caught her instead of that blonde idiot then maybe...whoa!
Natsu screeched to a stop after seeing the red light on the traffic lights and along it, his thoughts. He didn't understand why he was getting worked up with them. They don't concern him anyway, right? His daughter is his only concern at the moment and the rest doesn't matter so why?
I'm sure Natsuki won't approve of them anyway...well not unless she approves of them already. But earlier it seemed that she didn't mind her mother's closeness to that Sting character so does that mean she'll accept him as her stepdad if the two got together?
Natsu gripped the steering wheel real hard and was already glaring at the road while thinking this, Like hell I'll let that happen.
Loud blaring car honks disgruntled him from his thoughts and he noticed that the traffic lights were already green. He stepped on the gas and raced back his home not caring if he got a speeding ticket. The only solid thought in his mind was to not let Lucy and Sting get together to avoid him losing his daughter and that was all, also adding a note to himself that this has nothing to do with Lucy at all.
Three blondes were walking along the quiet streets of a neighborhood carrying bags and bags of clothes and toys.
"Was it really necessary for that guy to buy this many stuff for a day?" Sting complained as he was helping Lucy carry some of the stuff home.
"Well it is natural for a parent to buy stuff for their child and as long as Natsuki is happy about it then I don't have any complaints," Lucy said and Natsuki was walking ahead obviously happy with her stuffed bear.
"What if he is just doing this to get Natsuki's favor so he can get custody for her? Have you thought about that possibility?" Sting asked and Lucy faced down completely understanding the situation.
"Sorry...I think I said too much," Sting apologized when he noticed how oddly silent Lucy became but she just smiled at him while shaking her head.
"No, it's okay. I already thought of that before but somehow I still want to trust on him," Lucy replied and looked at Natsuki before calling out on her, "Natsuki-chan! Be careful you might get hurt."
"You're too kind..." Sting said and Lucy just giggled at him before he whispered, "...guess that's why I like you."
"What was that?" Lucy asked and Sting just shrugged looking bored and replied, "Nothing." He walked ahead afterwards leaving Lucy wondering for a moment what her blonde friend just said before she let it go and followed the two who were having what seems to be a childish argument about the stuffed bear. When they reached home, Sting bid goodbye and both mother and child put the bags down on the living room.
"I'll be preparing our dinner. You can go ahead and get dressed," Lucy said as she headed to the kitchen to prepare dinner for them.
"Okay Mommy," Natsuki replied and rushed to get dressed leaving Lucy to silently work on dinner.
Natsuki finished changing and proceeded to open the bags and sort them out.
"Mommy is it okay if I open up these bags? I'll put them away afterwards I promise," Natsuki said and Lucy answered a quick 'yes' before her daughter rushed to the living room.
"Don't make too much mess okay?" Lucy called out and she heard a 'yes mommy' before she chuckled and proceeded to work. She was anxious to know how both father and daughter spent their day together throughout the day but her worry dissolved when she saw the bags of gifts that Natsu gave.
I guess I didn't have to worry after all... Lucy thought.
She was actually happy that at the very least Natsu learned to accept their child even though she knew he hated her that much. Judging by the number of gifts Natsuki received from him, she can clearly tell that Natsu acknowledges her as their daughter. Now the only thing she is worried about is if Natsu is thinking of fighting for custody over Natsuki. She hopes that it doesn't happen that way so she is willing to allow him to keep seeing their daughter and to at least atone for hiding the truth from him.
After she finished cooking, she went to the living room and just watched how excited Natsuki was while she was opening each bag of gifts. There were a lot of colorful clothes and accessories along with numerous dolls and plush toys. Natsuki saw her mother and she beamed at her while holding out a cute red dress with white ruffles and a white ribbon on the center of its color.
"Mommy look at the dress Daddy gave me," Natsuki said as she twirled around holding the dress in front of her.
"It's pretty. You should thank your daddy for the gifts he bought you but dinner comes first then we can call him afterwards okay?" Lucy said and Natsuki nodded and headed for the dining room with Lucy following her. As they sat around the table, Lucy asked her daughter.
"So how was your day with your father?"
"Daddy's nice. At first I felt scared of him but he said he loved me and he was really fun to be with," Natsuki answered.
Lucy smiled at her daughter glad to hear that from her, "That's good."
"Um Mommy..."
"Yes," Lucy asked.
"...do you hate Daddy?" Natsuki meekly asked.
Lucy was surprised by the little girl's question. Did she hate Natsu? Even she was uncertain of the answer. As far as she was concerned, she doesn't even have any valid reason to hate him. Despite his treatment of her, she clearly understood that he was acting that way to her because she gave him a reason to be that way. If only I -
"Mommy?" Natsuki asked again and Lucy was cut off from her thoughts.
"S-Sorry Natsuki-chan. I got lost thinking about something. You were asking if I hate Natsu right?" Lucy asked and she received a nod as a response.
"I don't hate him. Even if your father hates me, I will never hate him. After all, I was at fault as well for how he is now..." Lucy replied smiling sadly.
Natsuki just looked at her mother feeling her sadness on her voice. Lucy sighed and continued eating letting the conversation die down on its own and soon enough they finished eating dinner and Lucy dialled in Natsu's number from her phone records to have him speak with his daughter. After three rings, someone picked up the phone and a male voice answered.
"You called?" Natsu asked over the other line.
"Good evening Dragneel-san, I'm sorry if I interrupted you in your work but Natsuki wants to talk to you if it's okay with you," Lucy answered and it wasn't long before she got an 'okay' from him. As she handed her phone over to Natsuki the little girl immediately greeted the man on the other line in a cheerful manner.
"Hi Daddy, how are you?"
"(laughs) I'm fine. I see you're still hyped up and we just saw each other earlier. Miss me already?"
Lucy left the room to give her daughter some privacy over the phone.
"You bet. I just called in to say thank you for the presents. I really liked them."
"You're welcome. Anything to make my princess happy," Natsu responded and added, "if there's more things you want me to buy just say so."
"It's fine Daddy I don't think Mommy would be happy if you spoil me too much," Natsuki answered and she heard a low chuckle before Natsu spoke again.
"Well you should learn to spoil yourself more. It's not everyday that I get to spoil my one and only daughter, right?"
" (laughs) Well, right but still just spending time with you is enough for me Daddy but I would like it if Mommy went with us as well," Natsuki replied and Natsu became silent for a moment.
"Well we can take her along with us some other time but I think she's busy with her work so I won't force her to," Natsu replied and added an after thought, 'and she doesn't even want to in the first place.'
"You're thinking Mommy doesn't want to go aren't you?" Natsuki asked and Natsu gawked on the other line embarassed that he got found out by his daughter too easily.
"Well isn't that the case?" he answered.
"I think she wants to and I would really want us all to go together on a trip next time so..." Natsuki trailed off and Natsu checked if the line probably got cut.
"Natsuki? You there?"
"Um... yes Daddy."
"Okay I thought the line got cut. What were you going to say just now?"
"Can you ask Mommy to go with us next time? I really really want to Daddy...please..."
Natsu sighed on the other end of the line before he responded, "if you want to...as long as it makes you happy then I'll invite her again next time."
He heard a squeal on the other end before he added, "but it's not my fault if she refuses."
"Don't worry Ill make sure she won't refuse," Natsuki replied and Lucy entered the room telling Natsuki to go to sleep.
"Mommy says I need to sleep now Daddy so good night and thank you again for the presents," Natsuki said.
"All right. Good night princess," Natsu replied before he heard the phone switch over to someone. He didn't know why but he somehow anticipated to speak with Lucy on the other line. It was not too long before he heard a soft velvet voice speak.
"Dragneel-san are you still there?" Lucy asked not really expecting an answer.
"...yes..."
"Um... I just wanted to say thank you for taking Natsuki out. She really had fun and also thank you for the presents you gave her although I think it's too much," she answered and added, "that's all. Good night."
The line went dead and Natsu looked at the phone in his hand. Dragneel-san huh? So what now she's trying to detach herself, is that it? Natsu thought bitterly. He knows he shouldn't be getting worked up on these things but no matter how hard he tried he just couldn't calm down when it was about the blonde. He pressed two fingers to stem the mild headache he was experiencing from stress and decided to go to sleep early.
The school bell rang signalling lunch for the students of Magnolia Academy and the cafeteria started getting crowded. Wendy and Natsuki were sitting with each other on a bench under the shade of a large tree inside the school campus. They didn't bother going to the cafeteria knowing there will be a lot of students occupying it and they might be barely able to get a table for them.
"You look really happy today Natsuki. Did something fun happen recently?"Wendy asked the overly-jubilant blonde.
"I found out I still have a father and we went out to the amusement park yesterday," Natsuki smugly told Wendy.
"Really? That's good news Natsuki-chan. So who's your Dad?" Wendy asked with mirth on her voice.
"It turns out the guy who helped me out when I got lost in the amusement park was my father. Not only that he turns out to be a rich guy and even bought me a lot of toys and dresses," Natsuki said.
"Wow...You're really lucku Natsuki-chan. No wonder you're really happy today," Wendy commented.
"But..." Natsuki's face suddenly turned down and Wendy became worried of her change of mood.
"Well, I would have been happier if both Mommy and Daddy got along. Then we could be a happy family," Natsuki replied. Wendy heard from Poluchka before about Lucy not being on good terms with Natsuki's father because of an event seven years ago.
"Well maybe if they talk with each other they could get along in the end? You know like sorting out their differences?" Wendy said and Natsuki immediately answered to that.
"I did think of doing that but there's just no way for them to meet each other so casually. Mommy always has work while Daddy dislikes being around her," Natsuki replied and continued, "except sometimes I feel like they really aren't being honest with each other."
"What do you mean?" Wendy asked as she cocked her head to the side.
"Whenever Mommy looks at Daddy she has that really sad expression on her eyes despite the smile she wears on the outside and I feel like she's trying to distance herself from him like she's afraid of getting close to him or something. Daddy has a similar look of sadness and longing in his eyes as well but he tries to hide that as anger towards Mommy."
"Maybe it has somehing to do with their past... I heard Poluchka and Levy talking one time about something that your Daddy, whoever he is, suffered from and held a grudge against Lucy-san," Wendy stated and caught Natsuki's attention.
"Did you hear what it was?" Natsuki asked but Wendy shook her head.
"Sorry... they saw me before I could even hear the rest of it," Wendy said.
"Anyway, I need some way to get them back together. I know they somehow like each other in a way they just won't admit it. I'll try to think of a way to have them reconcile or something but I need to persuade Mommy to go with Daddy and I on another trip this coming weekend."
"Do your best Natsuki-chan," Wendy cheered on and they continued finishing their lunch talking about random things every now and then.
"Yes, have them deliver the shipment by tomorrow afternoon. Call me once it's done or there's a delay," Natsu said on the phone and hung up. He just finished wrapping up a deal with a big communication company that would help the reputation of Fairy Tail Corporation. A knock came from the door and Erza went in the room.
"I sent the flowers and the card to Lisanna just now. Hope that will help solve your fight with her," Erza said. She had been asked by Natsu to deliver flowers and a card with a written apology to it to Lisanna when he arrived in the office. He had just remembered about their fight because he was pre-occupied with his daughter and after he remembered he immediately did damage control. Their company was working hand in hand with the Strauss' company and he did not want to damage that relationship as they have been getting their models for their ads at that company, not to mention the head and big sister to his girlfriend, Mirajane Strauss was not an easy woman to trifle with.
It was a miracle that she hadn't done anything until now or even their loud brother. They're actually awfully quiet about our fight, Natsu thought and slightly shuddered at the thought of both elder siblings breathing down his neck.
"Are you alright? You seem pale," Erza asked wondering what was her boss thinking at the moment.
"It's nothing. Just thought of my future if Lisanna didn't accept the apology. Anywys, thanks Erza," Natsu replied and the redhead smirked at the response.
"You should've thought about your actions before you did if you were really afraid of Mira and Elfman," Erza taunted and Natsu just laughed nervously.
"You seem different today. Did something happen?" Erza asked as she noticed a rather light but somewhat strained atmosphere around her friend and boss.
"Maybe it's because I was able to spend time with my daughter yesterday," Natsu replied casually and Erza took some time before she understood his statement.
"Ah I see that's goo - wait, your daughter?! Since when did you have one?" Erza asked after she comprehended what she was told.
"Oh right I haven't told you. I just also discovered I had one," he replied.
"Just discovered... So Lisanna hid this from you also? How old is your daughter?" Erza asked.
"She's six now and - no wait, it's not Lisanna's and mine," Natsu corrected Erza's thought.
"What?! You got another woman pregnant! No wonder Lisanna got angry at you," Erza said and was about to scold him when he suddenly raised his arms in defense.
"Wait let me explain first. Remember about my first love?"
"Yeah the one who you said broke your heart?"
"Yes, we met again. She was the substitute maid I got and things escalated quickly and before I knew it she dropped the bomb on me saying that we have a daughter. She's actually the little girl we helped in the amusement park."
"Seriously? Then that kind blonde woman I saw was Lucy?" Erza asked catching on to Natsu.
"You saw her already?" natsu asked and Erza nodded to confirm.
"When you took that call back then, that girl's mother appeared and she thanked me. She was about to thank you as well but they had to leave and couldn't wait for you. I thought she was a really nice person," Erza said and Natsu scowled a bit.
"Well looks can be deceiving. Anyway, I found out Lisanna also knew about it and she hid it from me then we got into an argument that's why she is mad at me."
"I see... So what now?" Erza asked and Natsu wondered what she was talking about.
"Are you planning to take custody?" Erza asked directly.
"...I'm not sure. I mean I want to but I think Natsuki wants to be with her mother and I can't just take her away immediately. Maybe in time when she is much older or even willing to go," Natsu admitted. He had that planned but he knows how attached Natsuki is to Lucy and is afraid that the child will hate him if he suddenly takes her away from her mother.
"Then are you thinking of getting back together with her?" Erza fired another direct question which hit Natsu dead on.
"N-no of course not! I have Lisanna and she has that idiotic blonde guy to keep her occupied," Natsu responded and Erza noticed the disgust in his voice when mentioned the guy Lucy is with.
"Oh I see... but I think you'll eat what you just said."
"What do you mean?"
"Because by the way you looked earlier and the tone of your voice, there was something laced in them that could signal what I think it is," Erza slyly replied and Natsu just cocked his head in wonder.
"You'll find out soon enough. I need to got back to work and you as well," Erza said and bowed signifying her leave.
"What could she be talking about?" Natsu wondered and just shrugged and returned back to his work.
As Erza sat on her desk, she smiled as she recalled the previous conversation she had. From the looks of it, Natsu was still hung up on his first love and just won't admit it.
"He's still green in the horns when it comes to things like this I guess," Erza whispered and went back to her own work of fixing up the schedule and appointments for the day.
A/N: Sorry to take a while for the update. I'll try finishing up the next one but I'll probably be able to upload it on Friday or so because of the workload I currently have. Reality is so hard sometimes. How I wish to return to being a student than a working adult hahaha. Anyway leave comments for the chapter if you have any. Thanks!