Disclaimer: I do not own Fairytail.

Summary: Zeref is the leader of an infamous gang, and Larcade is his son. When Larcade messes up his father is furious. Larcade however, takes his punishments in stride and looks to move forward and regain his fathers favor. What he doesn't expect is that his "mistake" is stealing his father's attention! Will Larcade's father ever love him again? Or is Larcade stuck as second best forever.

"What do you want from me!" Natsu asked, scared. Zeref gave this small child a once over.

"This is what you bring me? A child?" Zeref asked in annoyance. The people in question shrugged. "Well I don't want the child, I want the parents. They're the ones that owe me money."
"The child's parents are dead." Someone said, frowning. "We thought the child would be the next best thing."

"Did you now." Zeref let out a frustrated growl. "Child get over here." The child clambered over to him as quickly as he could. "What's your name?"

"N-Natsu." He stuttered softly. Zeref sighed and glared at his "team".

"Well, what are we to do now? You should've just left the child there." Zeref groaned. "Now we can't let him leave in case he reports back to the authorities. If he does that then everything could be ruined and we all could get arrested. Do you have any idea how terrible would be?" Natsu whimpered.

"Don't hurt me please." Zeref glanced back at Natsu. Zeref had forgotten that Natsu was there.

"I won't hurt you, you haven't done anything wrong." Zeref turned to the group of people that brought Natsu back. "You three on the other hand." He scowled. He turned to the smallest, his son. "Larcade, you of all people know better." Zeref snarled.

"I'm sorry, father." Larcade shrunk back from him with his head hung. Zeref sighed.

"It's not alright. The lot of you must be punished. You two," he turned to Dimaria and Brandish. "Three days in the dungeons. As for you Larcade, I would like to see you in my office tonight."

"Yes sir." Larcade whispered. Zeref turned toward Natsu.

"Now come with me." Zeref held out his hand and smiled as gently as he could at Natsu. Natsu smiled back and took his hand.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"Somewhere."

"Yeah but where exactly?"

"Well, you'll be staying with us, so I'm taking you to the room you'll be staying in."
"Okay!" Natsu said, clearly overjoyed. Larcade took a few steps forward.

"Father-." He started nervously.
"Not now Larcade." His father said tightly. Larcade hung his head again and went back to his room.

Later that night there was a knock on Zeref's door. "Enter." Zeref said, knowing full well who would come see him at this late hour. Larcade had probably been avoiding his office for as long as he could, knowing that Zeref was angry with him.

"You… wanted to see me, father." Zeref folded his hands-on top of his desk.

"Indeed, I did… Larcade, what was done today was unacceptable work. I know that you're young and still learning but honestly." Zeref shook his head. "You should know better than to steal a young child who you know has no money."

"But the others said it was a good idea." the 9-year-old cried. "So, I thought-."
"Don't. Make up. Excuses." Zeref growled. That silenced him.

"So, what'll it be. Dungeon for a week? No food for 2-no-3 days. Whipping…" Larcade trailed off at the look his father was giving him.

"Larcade I've never done any of that to you. I do that to my men, Larcade. You're my son, and still a child yourself. Now, listen, how about this. Grounded for a month. That means no video games or phone or computer. Also, no breakfast tomorrow eh? You gave me that idea with your no food for days thing." Larcade gulped. Giving his father ideas probably wasn't one of his best favors to himself. "And you'll be the unlucky person that has to clean the restrooms this week." Larcade almost gagged. Zeref smirked, probably proud of himself for the punishments he had conjured up. Larcade knew that if he complained the punishments would only get harsher and go on longer.

"Yes father." Larcade said dejectedly. "And, I'm sorry."

"I know you are, my son. Now go to bed." His father patted him on the head and dismissed him from that dreaded office. Larcade was more than happy to be out of there. As Larcade was walking down the hall he was interrupted. It was Invel. Larcade rolled his eyes. He didn't need another lecture from his father's right-hand-man. When Larcade was younger he wondered who his father's left-hand-man was. But when Zeref laughed at his question Larcade felt silly.

"What do you want, Invel?" Larcade asked, crossing his arms.

"Oh, so now I can't walk in the hall when you're walking down it?" Invel asked with a raised eyebrow. Larcade groaned and stomped right past him. as he was stomping straight to his room he heard a small voice whisper. "What now?" Larcade thought. Was everything trying to get in his way today? Larcade just wanted to go to his room and sleep but the voice sounded urgent.

"Hey!" Larcade frowned and his eyes tried to find the source of the noise. "Over here." It was coming from one of the rooms. A smiling child peered out of it. The same one they had caught that very day.

"What is it?" Larcade whispered walking over to the child. Did he need something? He should probably go see what it was. his father might get mad if he didn't help him. Natsu smiled.

"Wanna play?" he asked. Larcade paused. His father had told him to go to bed after all. Running into Invel was one thing but stopping to play with this child would be like going straight against his father's wishes.

"I don't know…" he trailed off when he saw Natsu's room filled with toys. "Well… maybe for just a little while. What do you want to play first?"

"Let's play dragons!" Natsu cried with that large smile. Larcade shrugged. Dragons were all well and good he supposed. He grabbed one of the toys and they started playing. It turned out that dragons were rather fun. He and Natsu actually got along well. It sort of surprised Larcade because he never got along with any of the other children. He was having fun until he heard a stern voice talking behind him.

"Larcade, I'm glad you're getting along with Natsu, but I told you to go to bed." Larcade jumped up from his position and whirled around. To his horror his father was standing there, his arms crossed. He was tapping his left foot on the ground which Larcade knew meant he was annoyed. He gulped.

"S-sorry." Zeref pointed toward the hall, his eyes slightly narrowed. The message was clear. "Go." Larcade quickly got out of there and practically ran to his room. He didn't actually run, because that was another of Zeref's rules. He wasn't allowed to run inside.

When his father entered his room, he didn't look as angry anymore. In fact, his face seemed to have calmed. Maybe Natsu told him something to calm him down. Larcade didn't care, he was just happy that his father wasn't mad at him anymore. "Natsu is in bed and I'm glad to see you finally are as well." They stared at each other a while. Then finally Zeref sighed. "I'll let this misbehavior slide once! But know that if this happens again there will be consequences." Zeref said sternly. Larcade quickly nodded and Zeref left his room. Larcade noticed that he'd closed the door all the way and his forehead had not been kissed. Maybe his father wasn't as calm as he had thought. Larcade told himself he didn't care, but it stung.

The next morning Natsu was in his room, shaking him awake. "What?" Larcade asked, slightly annoyed by the fact that Natsu had gotten him in trouble last night.

"Wanna play?" Natsu asked his eyes wide as he looked at the room. There weren't as many toys as in Natsu's room, but there was still a variety and an entire two shelves dedicated to books. Larcade and his father liked to read them. Although they usually did it together. That was the only time Larcade liked to read. It was their special thing. Zeref always made time to read to him, even if he was busy.

They played for hours and about half way through their new game he saw his father in the door way, watching them with an amused expression. Zeref seemed to notice that Larcade had seen and looked almost a little guilty he'd interrupted their fun.

"Larcade, before you play anymore you need to start on the bathrooms." Larcade sighed. he knew that if he complained or asked for a few more minutes his father would strike him a deal. Clean the restrooms now, or play a few more minutes, and clean the kitchen too. Or something like that. His father was like that, always making deals. In his business and with his son.

"Just a few more minutes please." Natsu looked at his father with that wide-eyed cuteness. Larcade raised an eyebrow. Zeref would never fall for it. Larcade had been trying for years. His father smirked at the expression for several moments before at last replying,

"How could I say no to a face like that." Larcade was astonished by Natsu's success and felt more than a little betrayed. Natsu pleaded and he was granted a few more minutes, but if Larcade asked it was practically a resounding no? that hardly seemed fair to him. They continued playing for what probably turned out to be 3 more hours before Zeref came back. "Have you cleaned the bathrooms yet?" he asked.

"No."

"Then why are you playing here! I said a few more minutes." Larcade hung his head in shame and started playing with his fingers.

"I thought… I thought…" Larcade stuttered tears starting to form in his eyes. Zeref pointed at his feet and Larcade slowly walked over to his father. Zeref wrapped an arm around Larcade's shoulders and started guiding him toward the restrooms.

"I don't care what you thought Larcade." Zeref said coldly. "What matters is what I said." Larcade sniffed.

"I'm sorry." He whispered staring down at his feet. He felt his father sigh beside him.

"It is alright I suppose. No need to be teary eyed." Zeref said, patting Larcade's shoulder. "Now start cleaning." He ordered. Zeref knew the restrooms were a big job and all three had to be clean by the end of the week.

When Larcade was finished they had dinner. Larcade slowly saw his father liking Natsu more and more. He felt slightly forgotten but told himself it was only because Natsu was new. His father would grow bored in a week and come back to Larcade. Then he could have all the attention Natsu was getting. Larcade stabbed his chicken and ate the piece with a certain ferocity. Natsu and Zeref looked at him strangely. He let an innocent smile come to his face, but when they turned back to their conversations Larcade let the smile drop and started picking at his food.

As the week wore on things were only getting worse. Natsu was getting more and more attention and Larcade kept getting left out. Maybe it wasn't on purpose, but it still felt like it and it hurt his feelings! But today was the last straw for Larcade. Larcade was walking down the hall. Despite the fact he felt like Natsu was stealing his father's attention, they still liked to play together. So, he was going to Natsu's room to play dragons. He had been walking into Natsu's room but stopped in the door way. When his eyes landed on the bed he wanted to burst out crying. His father, however, would've scowled at him had he done that and Larcade did not want to be scowled at. "Oh, Larcade." Zeref said looking up from the book. "Why don't-." Larcade didn't here the rest. He was already running and managed to get inside his room and the lock the door before he burst out crying. He felt as if he'd been replaced. It was like Natsu was better at everything and Larcade kept messing up. He muffled his sobs in his pillow, screaming on occasion. Now Zeref was reading to Natsu. His father had only ever done that with him! it was their special thing! Larcade felt so betrayed.

It was a few minutes before he heard a knock at the door and a jiggle of the knob. "Larcade open this door now!" his father demanded. Larcade gathered all his courage clutched his drenched pillow tighter and yelled,

"No!"

"What did you say to me?" his father's tone was scary indeed. Larcade gulped and said defeatedly,

"I'm coming father." He unlocked and slowly opened the door. The door revealed a scowling Zeref, but his face softened when he saw Larcade's drenched face.

"Larcade, dear, whatever is the matter?" Zeref asked and scooped his smaller son into his arms.

"You… you don't love me anymore!" Larcade outburst and sobbed.

"Oh, sweetheart, why would you ever think that. Have I been too cross with you. I am sorry to have hurt your feelings so terribly." Zeref said gently rubbing Larcade's back.

"You, you're spending so much time with Natsu! And he does everything right, and I do everything wrong. he's a better son than me anyway!" Larcade cried into him.

"Oh, baby, you know that's not true."

"Yes, it is!" he sobbed.

"It isn't." Zeref said firmly. "You're my baby, of course I still love you." Larcade sniffed.

"But… but… I know I'm adopted." Larcade whispered. Zeref's eyes narrowed.

"Who told you that?"

"I… I found the adoption papers."
"You were looking through my things?" Zeref asked, slightly hysterical. Larcade's bottom lip trembled and Zeref sighed. he felt his father's arms tighten around him. "Adopted or not that doesn't change the fact that you're MY baby. I'll always love you no matter what! No one could ever replace you, understand?"

Larcade nodded, sniffling. "Yeah." Zeref held him tighter and kissed his forehead.

"I love you sweetheart."

"I… I love you too daddy." Larcade said, snuggling into Zeref.

"Before you ran off, I was going to invite you to read with us. The invitation is still open if you want to take it." Larcade nodded.

"I'd like that." Zeref squeezed tighter and ruffled his hair.

"That's my boy, I knew you wouldn't stay sad for long." Zeref cried and stood, carrying Larcade in his arms. "You mean everything in the world to me son." Zeref said quietly smiling gently at his adorable little boy. "Oh, and Larcade." Zeref added his tone turning more serious. The child looked up at him. "Don't you ever tell me no again."

"Yes dad." Larcade said resting on his shoulder. Zeref patted his back.

"Now let's go back to Natsu, but we'll tell him you scraped your knee. This will be our secret, that is, unless you WANT to tell him that is." Zeref said with a slight smirk. Larcade rapidly shook his head.

"No!" he exclaimed.

Zeref chuckled. "Alright then, let's go. And Larcade, I'm sorry that you felt left out. I didn't realize, and I'll put more effort into making you feel included." Zeref said softly.

"Thank you, father."

A/N So, this one was supposed to be more about Natsu and Zeref, but somehow Larcade ended up being the star of the show... I don't see many about Zeref and Larcade, or Zeref and August. I have come across a few that I love about these guys, but those are few and far in between. Mostly, the ones about Zeref and his sons end up being sad, and those are great and all, but I want to read one that makes me unconsciously smile throughout the entire thing. This is one of those! I suppose I understand why the ones about Zeref and his sons are sad, because Zeref's an evil wizard, Larcade's a demon, and August... well, I don't even think he knows about being Zeref's son... Anyway I guess that's why I made this an AU. As you can see, I plan to have a lot of AU's because there's only so many things you can do when Zeref's cursed and out to murder the world... so, yeah. Anyway, thanks for reading, reviews and constructive criticism appreciated.