"There's the Lu I know. You ready to head back in?" Levy reached her hand out, a smile also gracing her face and lighting up her eyes.

"Yeah, I'm ready."

Natsu woke up the next morning with one of the worst hangovers he's had since he graduated high school. Sitting up in bed he grabbed a glass of water and an Advil on the nightstand that Gray had somehow placed in the middle of the night. He would have to repay the kindness, filing the thought away for later. Natsu scrubbed his eyes, trying to shake the headache that continued to pound its way through his eyes. With a groan he got up and got ready for soccer practice. Today was going to be awful but he refused to call in sick, hangover or no he would be there. There was the chance of running into a particular blonde but he couldn't avoid that even if he wanted to. It's been about a week since that dinner and he was scared that if he asked if she could talk to him he'd scare away the one good thing going for him in his life.

Natsu thought back to that night at what Lucy had said, 'I mean that us going out will get his hopes up about having a father, Natsu. You are the single most important person to him besides me. I know you coach kids. But this is different. You would fill the role as the father figure whether you like it or not, and I don't want him getting hurt if things don't work out.'

'But what do you mean by that Luce?' he thought. 'What happened to you?'

While Natsu couldn't blame her for her cautiousness, it sounded like she was speaking out of fear rather than holding a real conversation with him. Whatever had happened in her past it wasn't good. Natsu understood the ramifications of dating Lucy, she was a package deal, and Kade would and always will come first, but he was ready to take that chance with Lucy. He was playing for keeps, and a single fight wasn't going to deter him, but this, this was something more. For now he would give her the space she needed and the time she wanted as much as it pained him. But he enjoyed Kade in the moments at practice that seemed to end too short if you asked him. Lucy avoided his eyes whenever he caught her staring at him, but he pretended not to notice.

Natsu drove to the field in the sports complex and began setting up for today's practice, as he placed down the last cone in the drill his father strode up to him, a swagger in his step and a smile that never seemed to leave his face.

"Hi Pops!" Natsu tried to mimic his fathers smile, "You watchin' todays practice?"

Igneel smiled down at him, placing a steadying hand on Natsu's shoulder and causing Natsu's smile to waver at the sheer force of this man's grip. "My boy, I believe it's time you and I have a talk."

Natsu's eyes widened at the seriousness Igneel's own held. Nodding, the two men made their way to the bench, practice would start in a half hour so his boys would show up in the next couple of minutes. "What's this about?" Natsu inquired with feigned innocence, but anyone could guess what had made Natsu perk up in these past months and how his energy had suddenly declined this past week.

"I think you very well know what this is about." Igneel raised his brow, "Mind explaining?"

Natsu hunched over and bared his elbows on his knees, "I don't know what happened? One day we're perfectly happy and I'm on top of the world, ready to ask Lucy if she wanted to start our relationship, and you know," Natsu scratched the back of his head, "it sounds immature when I say it out loud, but be official. I know we've been going on dates and talking, but I thought we were ready for that next step. So when I asked...she." he grappled for words, Natsu was never as wordy as Lucy, showing with actions rather than words, but this conversation felt like he was choking on every single word that he had to dredge up. "She completely flipped out. She seemed panicked, but I don't know from what. She said that it could end up hurting Kade if we ever broke up, which is completely valid. But she seemed like she was evading the conversation entirely."

Natsu listed what had been said over the course of the night, and Igneel, despite being as boisterous as he is, he listened intently, nodding for him to continue and showing an amazing amount of patience that Natsu wished he had. When Natsu finished Igneel took his que to talk, but he spoke softly, his voice strong but kind, holding no room for questions. "Natsu the girl has had a hard life, you can tell by the way she holds herself, but when you all were over you know what I saw? I saw a family, one much like your own. You guys have been dating for what, 9 months now? Putting a label on something can be scary, Lucy seems like a wonderful girl, one worth fighting for. But you need to give her time. Just because the tide is out, does not mean there is less water." Igneel grabbed onto Natsu's shoulder and matched his stare, Natsu felt as if he would combust at any moment at the glowing intensity of his eyes. "If you want this Natsu, then you're going to have to fight for it. Trust is everything, especially to that girl. You cannot take trust without giving it in return. Does this make sense to you?"

Natsu gave a wordless nod, scared his own voice had left him. His father was right he had to fight for them, for us he corrected. Natsu smiled, for real this time, determination burning through his eyes, he looked into the soccer field with new found energy, "All right, I'm fired up now!"

"That's my boy!"

With that being said, Natsu walked onto the field ready to start the day for an entirely different reason.

Soon after boys began flooding in, cheering and rough housing with the balls before he made everyone do warm ups, when a sudden weight at his legs dragged him down and an involuntary "oof" left his lips. Looking down, it was his favorite boy.

"Hey Kade! How are you?" bending over to ruffle the boys hair earning him some giggling, he walked-well tried to- over to where the rest of the boys were huddling up and getting their cleats on.

Kade detached from Natsu's leg and looked up at him, "You should come over soon, Mommy's been really sad, but I dunno why."

That hurt Natsu more than he thought it would. He did this. He made her cry and push him away. Kneeling down he took the boy's shoulder like his father always did to him, finding it oddly natural to talk this way with Kade. "I'm really sorry to hear that bud, that has got to be really hard on you and your Mom. I'll try to do what I can and make her smile okay? But for now how about we focus on having fun, 'kay?"

"Okay!" Kade gave an excited squeal and ran to the other boys, following the lead and getting ready.

Natsu could feel her gaze, burning the back of his head, but he refused to look her way. He would talk to her today.

"Alright everyone! Let's start warm ups!"

At the end of practice and most of the boys heading home with their respective parents, Kade runs up to him, being ready this time Natsu scoops him up and throws him in the air. A wide grin and laughter came from Kade, catching him and putting him down, he sees white tennis shoes fill his gaze, his smile drops and fades into something softer, picking up his gaze he drinks in the sight of her, she looks absolutely stunning, her hair was in a high ponytail cascading down back in strings of gold, her cheeks were flushed the color of a rose, and her smile didn't reach her eyes. It was strained in a way to show that she was uncomfortable. Her brows pinched together and her face just seemed...off.

Natsu could vaguely hear in the distance, "Mommy Mommy!"

"Hey Lucy." Natsu said hesitantly.

"Hi Natsu." it came out sadder than usual, a ghost of a voice that sounded like pure magic to his ears.

"Hey, if you have a moment I was wondering if we could talk?"

The surprise on her face was palpable, but he waited for her response.

"Okay."

"Really?!" his eyebrows almost sliding off his face by how high they rose.

"Yes really."

Natsu almost couldn't contain his excitement. "Okay, do you wanna meet later, or do you wanna pick the spot?"

"Yeah, we can meet at Magnolia Park later this afternoon. I'll text you. I just need someone to watch this little man over here."

"I can have my parents watch him if you're comfortable. They love little kids. Practically begged us when we were 18 to get married and give them grandkids." he gave a nervous laugh.

Lucy must've found his flailing funny because she actually agreed, and following that Natsu sent a text to his Dad letting him know that he was impromptu babysitting, but he got the greenlight saying his mother was ecstatic to watch Kade.

"Okay parents said yes, so you let me know what time you'd like to meet, and I'll be there."

"Sounds good Natsu. I'll see you soon." It may have just been Natsu's imagination but she sounded more like herself, happier even. Waving Kade goodbye, Natsu turned around, a wide smile stretching his face and causing his eyes to crinkle.

I'm ready. He thought. Now he just had to wait for Lucy to text him.

A/N: No news to report but did want to give a special thank you to Copperreign12, Amanny, Missivetrainer, NaLu1411, MaraDragneel3113, and rao hyuga 18.

I hope you all have a wonderful day!