AN: Ahh a little late in the day but I still updated so yay! :D Hope you guys like this chapter! Lots of Jerza! :D

Chapter 26

Lucy P.O.V. (Thursday)

As I woke up the next morning, I smiled grabbing my phone and checking my messages. There were a bunch from Levy, wondering if I was okay. I never replied last night because I truthfully didn't want to talk about my embarrassing and minor freak out the prior day. I did talk to Gray, though. I mainly spent the night texting Natsu.

Natsu and I were on much better terms now. I just needed a couple of days to mope, but now I was starting to feel normal again. Even if Natsu didn't feel the same and liked another girl, he was still my best friend and that was enough for me. I wasn't going to do anything to lose that.

Quickly getting dressed and ready for school, I rushed downstairs to where I knew breakfast was waiting for me. Sure enough, a bowl of apples and cinnamon oatmeal was placed at the table, sprinkled with brown sugar. Though most people my age hated oatmeal for some reason, I thought it was delicious so long as it had good flavors.

As I began to munch on my breakfast, I heard footsteps clicking on the tile floor towards me. Turning my head, I found that it was my father, who hadn't left for work yet. I could never figure out his schedule. It was never the same, probably because he determined what days he worked himself and where he worked from.

"Morning, Papa," I greeted before resuming eating.

"Good morning, Lucy," he replied, sitting across from me. He waved Virgo over, who placed a plate of salad in front of him. He had a strange love for salad. "How are you today?"

I shrugged and answered, "The day just started so I'm alright."

"That's good. And how is school?"

"It's great. My grades are definitely going back to how they used to be thanks to Crux."

"That wouldn't happen to be a lie, would it?"

I sighed and shook my head. "No, Papa. I'm done lying to you, remember?"

The man chuckled and nodded, glancing at his tablet to read the morning news. "That's good because I've been looking into the term grounding and I know exactly what to do next time you do lie to me."

"That's good to hear."

I went back to eating my oatmeal, satisfied with my talk with my dad. It was beginning to feel like things were never strained between us. There were plenty of awkward silences at times, but overall things were nice. He was my father again and I couldn't be happier.

"So how are you and Natsu?" Papa suddenly asked.

Which prompted me to choke on my oatmeal and become a sputtering mess.

"W-What are you talking about?" I asked, my cheeks rosy from embarrassment.

Jude arched a brow and answered, "I was just wondering if you made any progress with the boy. Though I don't fully condone you dating at this age, I suppose I approve of him."

"Y-You do?"

"So long as he picks up his grades and treats you well, then yes. So how are you doing with that?"

"I'm not trying or anything," I answered, picking at my food.

"Did you two make up at least?" my father asked. Before I could question him, he continued, "It was obvious that you two were fighting yesterday. Crux told me that you two got better towards the end."

"We did," I replied. "It wasn't a big fight or anything, we were just annoyed with each other." Okay, so I was lying to my dad again. But this one was necessary! I wasn't about to tell my dad all about my unrequited love.

"That's good to hear. Do know that if necessary I have hitmen-"

"I don't need your hitmen, Papa."

"Are you sure? They are very-"

"Please don't tell me they are experienced. That would just make things worse."

My father chuckled and returned his gaze to his tablet. "I was just kidding."

I smiled and replied, "Your sense of humor is interesting."

We fell into a comfortable silence, him reading the news while I chatted with Virgo. As weird as the maid was, I considered her to be like a close aunt. I could never consider her like a mother, nor could I with any other woman, but she certainly acted like one at times. If she ever had kids, she would be a great mom.

After I finished my oatmeal, I put the bowl in the sink, thanking Virgo as she began to wash it. I was about to leave to school with Capricorn until I remembered something.

"Say, Papa, there's something I wanted to ask you," I stated, smiling at him when he looked up at me.

"What is it?" he asked.

"There's a party tomorrow and I was wondering if I can go." I puffed out my bottom lip and clasped my hands together as I begged.

"Will there be alcohol and drugs there?" the man questioned, narrowing his eyes. "And don't you dare lie to me."

"P-Probably," I answered reluctantly. He probably already knew the answer to that and lying wasn't going to solve anything.

"Will you be drinking?"

"Of course not, I promise!"

Jude frowned and stated, "I don't feel comfortable with you going to such a party, but… I'm sure Layla would tell me to trust you and let you go."

"So is that a yes?" I asked with an eager grin.

"Fine. But there will be no drinking or hooking up, got it?"

"Of course, Papa!"

"And you will be home at a reasonable time!"

"Of course! Oh, can my friends spend the night?"

"The same girls from before?"

"Yep!"

"I suppose. One last thing. If you need me to pick you up or anything of the sort, call me."

"I will. Thank you, Papa!"

"Yes, yes. Now hurry off to school before you're late," he instructed, turning back to the news.

I smiled and kissed him on the cheek before rushing after Capricorn. I had never been to a high school party before. I saw them in movies or read of them in books but I never experienced one for myself. And it was going to be at Cana Alberona's house. There were definitely going to be a lot of drinks. After all, the girl was known for always having a drink no matter where she was.

When I got to school, I thanked Capricorn before hurrying to the classroom. All of my friends besides Natsu were already there. Everyone looked up at me, worry present in their eyes. Then I remembered my minor depression from yesterday.

"Lu-chan!" Levy greeted. She pushed Gajeel out of the seat next to her and prompted me to sit down.

I giggled and replied, "It's okay, Levy-chan. I'm fine now. Yesterday may have been a not so good day, but I'm much better now."

"Are you sure?" she asked, still not entirely convinced.

"Positive."

I took my seat and joined in my friends' conversation. We were all talking about the party, excited to go together. I reminisced about the time when we were separated. There used to be a boy group and a girl group but now we were all together and it just felt weird not to be. If there was an event, we would all go together. If one person was missing, it threw the whole thing off. And I was happy that our groups merged because it only made things more fun. Not to mention the fact that it brought me closer to Natsu.

Speaking of Natsu, he barged through the door, his typical fanged grin plastered to his face. His eyes immediately landed on me as he rushed to sit by me.

"Yo, Luce!" he greeted.

I giggled and replied, "Morning, Natsu."

"Looks like you two are in a better mood," Erza stated with a smile and an approving nod.

"Yep!" Natsu replied, laying his arm over my shoulders.

With that, things were finally back to normal.

Jellal P.O.V.

Glad to see that Natsu and Lucy were on great terms again, I turned and smiled at Erza, who returned it with a smile of her own. It was strange and unsettling for the two to be upset with each other. With things back to normal, I could focus on everything else.

Cana's party was tomorrow and Erza and I were going together. Of course, we were going with the rest of the group as well, so it wasn't quite the date I imagined. Plus we were going to a party full of drugs and alcohol. Still, it was nice to consider it a date, even if we were already together.

When Sensei walked into class, he promptly began pressentations. It was the last of the presentations for the week and then we would be heading out on our fieldtrip tomorrow. Since the girls beat us, we were planned to go to Crocus Gardens, which Sensei approved of, telling us it would be less boring than the museum. Natsu and the other boys weren't convinced but took the loss silently.

Gajeel and Juvia's presentation went by in a breeze. Juvia did most of the talking, as most of the class suspected. Surprisingly, however, Gajeel brought up a few of the points himself and even answered questions that students had for him- though it wasn't without giving them an annoyed glare first. Levy was definitely making him a better student and even a better man.

It looked like all of the girls were capable of that.

Levy helped Gajeel improve on his studies and brought him to realize the importance of grades. Even his attitude improved tremendously. Juvia brought Gray out of his thick shell and he was learning how to build better relationships with others. Lucy and Natsu may not have been making romantic improvements, but the blonde surely knew how to keep the boy in check. She made him realize what love is and I am not blind to the fact that Natsu seemed more content, even with his father's disappearance.

And I could go on for hours about how Erza made me a better man. Erza was the light that freed me from my dark past of crime and violence. Though she treated me with the cruelty I deserved at first, she motivated me to change. I had been a depressed boy, unable to speak for long periods of time because guilt had ebbed me every second of the day. Now, I have friends and even my love-life with the redhead was restored.

Peeking a glance at Erza, I found that she was intently watching the presentations with a keen eye. Though she probably wasn't watching them to learn like Levy, she was probably attempting to motivate our classmates. That's who she was. She was always rooting for other people's success. And that was one of the many reasons why I loved her.

When school ended along with our meeting with the student council, I took it upon myself to walk Erza home just as I always did. Our walks were quiet and peaceful and we always took leisurely steps in order to prolong our time together.

Unfortunately, at some point or another, we would always arrive in front of Erza's house and have to separate.

"Thank you for walking me home, Jellal," Erza stated with a fond smile.

I returned the smile and replied, "It is of no problem to me. I enjoy spending this time with you."

We chatted for a few more minutes before Erza deemed it was time to go. I leaned towards the girl, amused with how quick her cheeks turned pink, and gently planted my lips against hers. Erza's lips had always been sweet, made even sweeter by the cake she ate every day. My lips molded with hers to perfection as we created our own rhythm. My hands wound up in her long locks of scarlet, trying to enjoy every second.

And then the front door burst wide open.

"My, my," a calm voice sounded.

Erza and I jumped apart immediately, our faces flushed with immense heat. Standing in the doorway was a woman shorter than us with long locks of dark blue hair fashioned on top of her head in a neat bun. She wore a pastel blue dress, topped with a flower-covered apron. On her hands were two oven mits.

The woman smiled and greeted, "Welcome back, Erza. I see you brought a friend."

"G-Grandeeney!" Erza replied, still startled and embarrassed. "T-This is Jellal! M-My umm…"

"It's okay, sweetie. You don't have to be so embarrassed!" The woman, Grandeeney, smiled at me and continued, "It's nice to meet you, Jellal. Would you like to come in and have dinner with us? I'd love to meet the boy that won my daughter's heart!"

I flushed even deeper and questioned, "A-Are you sure? I don't want to be a burden."

"Of course! There's plenty of food for you! Come in, come in!"

The woman got behind us and gently shoved us inside the small home. It was my first time in Erza's house, I made sure to take it all in. I knew that she lived with her adoptive mother and sister, who was not home yet as the middle school got out an hour later. The house was a perfect size for the small family. The living room had just a medium-sized TV and a simple blue sofa. The kitchen was small but had plenty of tools and spices. There was a narrow hallway where I could see three doors, one probably being a bathroom.

"This is a nice home you have," I complimented.

"Thank you, dear!" Grandeeney replied. "Come, come! Have a snack! Dinner will be ready in a few hours so make yourselves at home! Erza, show Jellal your room! Leave the door open, of course."

Erza nodded and led the way to the narrow hallway. There was a door to the right, front, and the left. The redhead opened the door on the left and revealed a rather large room. It appeared to be the master room with two beds pushed against the same wall. In the adjacent corners of each bed were desks, both of which neat and stacked with schoolwork.

"T-This is my bedroom," Erza stammered with adorably rosy cheeks. "I share a room with Wendy."

"This is a nice room," I stated. "Grandeeney treats you and Wendy well. I'm glad you were adopted into a nice family."

"How is your foster family?" she asked.

"They are nice to me," I answered. "At first they were wary knowing my past and all. They have a son I believe Wendy's age so they didn't want me to badly influence him. They were a bit distant at first but they are much closer now."

"I apologize if this is too personal of a question but… Do you ever hope for them to adopt you?"

An uneasy, churning feeling spread through my stomach as I thought about it. There was always a part of me that wanted to be adopted. That was what led me down my horrible path in the first place, watching my friends finding loving homes while I stayed in the orphanage. But now that I was older, did I still want that?

"I'm not sure," I answered with a frown. "I wouldn't mind being adopted but… I don't think they are the right fit for me."

"Why not?"

"They are nice people and I am grateful for them taking care of me, but I don't feel like a son to them. And they don't feel like my parents."

"Are you fine with that?"

"I'm not sure. I think that I am."

Erza nodded and dropped the subject, for which I was grateful. Even if I was fine without a family, it still was a touchy subject for me even after all of these years. I didn't want to risk it being a catalyst once again for more terrible decisions. I just wanted to enjoy what I could, and that was being around Erza.

A couple hours passed and it was time for dinner. Erza's little sister, Wendy, came just in time as we helped set the table. Grandeeney placed the warm food on the table and my mouth immediately watered. There was a large helping of rice and a steaming pot of beef and vegetable stew.

As we ate dinner, Grandeeney asked me questions in an attempt to get to know me better and I answered them truthfully. Most of the questions were about school, to which I impressed the woman with my good grades and status of Vice President. Erza made sure to change the subject if it appeared we were breaching towards the family subject again.

When we finished eating, I bid farewell to Grandeeney and Wendy as Erza showed me to the door. After closing it behind her, the redhead gave me her signature kind grin.

"I hope that wasn't too awkward," she stated with a chuckle.

"It wasn't awkward at all," I replied with a smile. "I had a wonderful time."

"Well then maybe we could do this again some time."

"I would love that."

Erza sighed and glanced at the closed door behind her.

"They're listening to us, aren't they?" I asked, amused.

"Yes. They are probably watching through the peephole as well," she answered with a chuckle.

"I should get going then."

Knowing Erza would be embarrassed from a full kiss in front of her family, I leaned forward and planted a chaste kiss on her cheek instead. With a wave, I started down the path back to my house. It was yet another great day.

I didn't need a family for that so long as I had Erza.

Natsu P.O.V.

After Lucy and I finished tutoring with Crux, I let out a huge sigh of relief. Tutoring with Lucy wasn't so bad since it let me spend more time with her and I guess it helped with my grades. My grades went from D's to C's in only a matter of days. If I kept it up, I might actually become a good student.

After packing my things, I was about to head home when Lucy offered me to stay for dinner. I frowned in thought. The last dinner I spent here wasn't so great, though it did end with Jude giving me permission to date Lucy. Still, that was after a gruesome interrogation by the man himself. Well, since it was free food and more time with Lucy, I wasn't going to pass it up.

We watched TV, occasionally cracking jokes or starting little conversations until we heard the front door open, signaling that Jude was back. I gulped loudly. The man didn't exactly scare me, but I was uneasy around him.

Jude walked into the living room and immediately sighed seeing me. Jerk.

"Good to see you again, Natsu," he said. Not that I would believe him. "Though I am curious as to why you are still in my home."

"I invited him to stay for dinner," Lucy informed him with her awkward chuckle. "Is that alright?"

"Well, you should've asked beforehand, but I suppose it's okay. So long as he uses manners this time."

"Manners are for geezers," I chimed in with a grin.

Jude narrowed his eyes at me before leaving the room, shaking his head and sighing. I think he was warming up to me.

When dinner was ready, Lucy led the way into the dining room where the large table was already set with dishes and food. Lots of food. Seriously, knowing Lucy there was no way she was able to eat all of this, same with her dad. What did they do with all the leftovers? I kind of wanted to ask if I can take it. Instant ramen every night was bad for soccer.

"Yes, meat!" I shouted, seeing a huge turkey waiting for me to eat it.

"I remembered your preferences," Virgo, the weird maid, replied. "I hope it is to your liking."

"You got any hot sauce?"

"For the turkey?"

"Hell yeah!"

"I will go fetch it."

"You're so weird," Lucy said with a giggle as she sat down. "Who eats turkey with hot sauce?"

"Cool people do," I answered, grinning at her.

"So our fieldtrip is tomorrow!" she gushed. "I'm so excited to go to the Crocus Garden! I've never been there before but I heard it's really nice and that there's this rainbow cherry blossom sakura tree! Doesn't that sound amazing?"

"I guess if you're into that. I'm not too into plants."

"Even the pretty ones?"

"Meh. They all bore me."

"You suck," Lucy pouted with a huff. She was cute.

"Thanks," I replied, tussling her hair. "The party is tomorrow too."

"Oh right! I already asked my dad if I could go and he said yes. Are you excited?"

"I guess. I don't usually go to Cana's parties because they're always the same but I guess it'll be different since you're gonna be there."

I grinned with pride as I saw Lucy's cheeks turn red. I don't know how I never noticed it before.

"Well I'm very excited," she said. "I've never been to a party before."

"I think I'd rather just spend the day kicking everyone's asses at video games, but I guess a party every once in a while could be fun," I replied. "Don't get your hopes up though. It's just a bunch of drunk or stoned kids dancing or making out in some corner."

"Making out in someone else's house? People actually do that?"

"We're high schoolers, Luce. That's what high school is all about."

"Coming from the guy that's never been kissed."

"Oi! Don't go bringing that up out of nowhere!" I let out a huff of air and crossed my arms. "Whatever, I'm sure the party will be fun."

And little did I know at the time that the party wasn't going to be fun, it was going to be absolute torture.

AN: Feel like I haven't given you any cliffhangers recently so there's that. :D And I'm so excited about Cana's party haha! I have huge plans for it! :'D

SingingAngel327: HAHA ALL WILL BE WELL FOR NALU SOON. BUT I CAN'T PROMISE THAT FOR SOME OF THE OTHER COUPLES! :D

ThatOneFriend-3: I was honestly worried I was rushing Gruvia but it looks like everyone wants them canon already! :D Thank you for the review. :)

MuffinMalonez: You may or may not find out who confesses first next chapter. ;D

PerchanceADream: Haha at least there was a break of it this chapter! :D But starting next chapter we're right back at it for some characters! :D

00nighthowler00: Haha gotta love nalu! :D Thank you for the review. :)

Guest: Ahh 2 more weeks is a long time but I promise it'll be worth the wait! :D Thank you so much for the sweet review. :')

Fairytailnumber1Anime: Ahh thank you so much haha! :D Who knows, maybe there'll be a real confession next chapter! ;D

LunaLunafreya: Aww I'm curious as to why! But thank you for the reviews up until now!

Soul Eater Maka: Lol yes these two need to go to school and get degrees in communication lmao.

Nalulove: Jude really does keep improving. :')

Avhaskake: AHH OMG THANK YOU SO MUCH! I wonder why that chapter was one of your favs! I personally think the next one will be better. :D

IndianaCombs: Haha there might be some slight toying with your minds but not too much! :D For the most part, nalu is on somewhat smooth water but who knows about the rest of the ships! :D

Zexalloverforever39: Ahh thank you so much haha! :D