Fairy in the Woods
Sitting there, in the round dining table, was probably one of the most embarrassing situations Lucy's ever been on.
Her face was redder than a whole package of tomatoes together, her mind begging the world to swallow her right there, only to end her suffering.
No mental preparation ever was enough to listen to the talk.
Specially when you were seventeen years old, a boy was right next to you, and it was two men trying to talk as they choked on their own words, nervously scratching their beards and drinking their cup of coffee frequently.
She didn't know what they felt the need to do this, anyway. What did they think of them?
Sure, they may were teenagers with crazy hormones, but Lucy wouldn't sleep with anyone. Not until marriage, that's it. Even if the world laughed at her, she'd firmly believe in her ideals.
"So," Igneel continued, tapping his fingers against the wooden surface, "what we wanted to tell you it's that… uh…"
"You two aren't allowed to…" Jude added, just as embarrassed.
Lucy slapped her own forehead. Why did they agree on this if they hadn't the guts to talk to their own children about sex?
"To what?" Natsu asked, trying to sound innocent, but Lucy could hear the edge of humor in his deep voice. He was trying not to laugh openly in their faces out of modesty.
"You know…" Jude tried to explain, falling in the trap. "It…"
"Uh? Could you be more specific, Old Man?" Natsu inquired. It was so obvious he was only playing around, even Igneel was trying not to laugh now.
"Young Boy," Jude struggled, "I know you can understand…"
"I can't," Natsu argued, tilting his head to the left.
"Igneel, help." Jude finally gave up, sighing long and deep.
The red-haired man widened his eyes, surely not expecting the weight of the battle to be on his shoulders now. Trying to act adultly, Igneel scratched his beard as he frowned, scrunching his red eyebrows together. In a way, he looked similar to Natsu.
"Natsu."
"Yes?"
"You can't go into Lucy's room and touch her weirdly. Lucy, you can't go into Natsu's room and touch him weirdly."
"Igneel!"
"Dad!"
"Mr. Dragneel!"
The three fixed their shocked eyes on the man, who looked as awkward as them. "What?" he said, shrugging to wave it off, "You wanted me to finally say it."
"That's not the way!" Jude shouted, hitting the back of the head of his old time friend. "You're talking to my daughter!"
"She's an grow up lady!" Igneel retorted. "Damnit, she's seventeen, not a kid."
"Anyways!" Jude argued, "That's not the way, you stupid."
"Why would I go into her room?" Natsu rolled his eyes, crossing his muscled arms over his chest, leaning back into his chair. Lucy wished to look the half of relaxed he seemed.
"Hormones, kiddo." Igneel said seriously.
"Why would I?" Lucy asked.
"Hormones, lady." Igneel repeated.
"I have a boyfriend back in Hargeon, you know," Lucy confessed, but she suddenly regretted it.
"What."
"What?"
"WHAT?" Jude yelled, his often calm eyes filled with shock as he grabbed fistful of hair. "What are you talking about, Lucy?"
Lucy buried her face in her hands. For a moment, she'd forgotten she hadn't told her father about Dan. It made her feel guilty now, but it wasn't entirely her fault, right? It was him who never talked to her.
Stubbornly, she crossed her arms too and looked at her father challengingly, "I said I have a boyfriend. His name's Dan."
"Since when?" Jude asked frantically.
"A month and a week," Lucy said.
And then Jude fainted.
"Dad!" Lucy squeaked, before standing up and running to his sitting-lying figure over the chair, next to an unshocked Igneel.
The man was sipping his black coffee, frowning, before he fixed his eyes on his own son.
"Do you have a girlfriend?"
"No,"
"What a loser."
"Hey!" Natsu yelled incensed, his sharp eyes looking back at his father. "I ain't a loser!"
"What about Lisanna?" Igneel asked, unfazed.
At this, Natsu lowered his gaze, pouting. "We broke up like six months ago,"
Igneel laughed out loud at him, "She left you?"
"No!" Natsu fought. "We… both did it."
"What kind of break up is that?" Igneel shook his head, amused. "What about Erza?"
"We were never like that!" Natsu's eyes widened. "She's like my sister, idiot."
"Oh right. She was dating that Jellal guy, right?"
"Yup," Natsu grinned. "She's a little softer now."
"Love makes you good," Igneel smiled.
"Sorry to interrupt but my Dad is kind of unconscious here," Lucy said, watching in disbelief the little Dragneel family calmly drinking coffee with a fainted man at their side.
Igneel waved it off with his hand, "Don't worry dear, he's okay. Just a little shocked. Probably not mentally prepared to accept the fact his only daughter isn't a kid anymore."
"But we can't leave him like this…" Lucy tried, holding Jude's head between her hands.
"He's already awake," Natsu said nonchalantly.
"Wha-"
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU HAVE A BOYFRIEND?" Jude suddenly shouted, sitting upright in his seat.
"Told you so," Igneel and Natsu mumbled in unison, hiding their faces with their own cups as they drank.
"I mean I am dating someone!" Lucy protested stubbornly, placing her hands in his hips as she frowned at the back of her father's head. She didn't understand why he was making such a big deal out of it, anyways. It's not like he was the first boyfriend she had.
Not like she planned on telling him all of that now, anyways.
"B-But!" Jude turned around to her, pouting. "You're so little!"
"I am seventeen," Lucy rolled her eyes.
"Still so little!" Jude said.
Rubbing her eyes, Lucy added, "Stop being so overprotective so suddenly. I appreciate it, but this is not helping very much."
And she really meant it. As long as Lucy wanted to desperately fix their relationship as father/daughter, she wanted him to know she still have her privacy and own life. She liked the fact that he showed interest in her love life, but she wouldn't let him take control of it. She had to stop him sooner.
"Uh… okay," Jude finally admitted.
Lucy sighed, relaxed, before offering him a smile. She wanted to hug him too, but maybe it was too soon for it.
"But are you showing me a photo of him someday or-"
"Dad!"
"Sorry!" Jude apologized. But the next second he froze and widened his eyes as he looked at her. "Wait. Why didn't you tell me before? Now you're not seeing him in all summer!"
Oh.
Lucy smiled sheepishly, scratching the back of her head awkwardly. "Well, I kind of didn't tell him yet…"
"What?"
"But," Lucy interrupted before anything else happened. "It's okay, really. I want to spend more time with you, and I know he's going to be okay with it."
Sudden claps were heard in the small room, and Lucy watched in shock as Igneel and Natsu cheered behind Jude in the table, as if they were watching a soap opera.
"So sweet," Natsu pretended to wipe tears off his eyes, "That's what I call adorable relationship."
"That's simple trust," Igneel grinned. "Lucy's such a sweetheart."
Lucy blushed, "What are you two saying?" she whined.
"Oh God Lucy," Igneel said, "You are too adorable. Can I adopt you?"
"She looks like a good cooker, doesn't she?" Natsu added, his piercing gaze carefully eyeing her up and down. "Let's keep her!"
Igneel nodded, rubbing his chin in thought. Was he really supposed to be an adult? "You're right, son. You always have a good nose for these things. Jude, you can go back to Hargeon and leave Lucy here, no prob."
"Hehe, you're right." Natsu smirked. "The Old Man would just make it dirtier here."
"I'll not give you Lucy!" Jude stood up, pointing at Natsu with his finger. "And stop calling me Old Man! You'll wish you look this good at forty seven, you… you pink haired boy."
"That's it Old Man!" Natsu shouted, standing up too. "Let's fight!"
For a second, Lucy feared he would actually punch her father right in the jaw, but Igneel was faster and smacked Natsu at the back of his head, leaving him rubbing where it hurt.
"Calm down," Igneel scolded. "Do you really want to send him to the hospital? We'll have to pay for his care and then get you out of prison probably!"
"Hey!" Jude protested. Lucy shushed him.
Natsu scowled, "Okay…"
"Great," Igneel nodded. All his seriousness faded when his kind eyes lit up in excitement, a playful grin forming in his barely visible lips. "Let's give them a tour, Natsu!"
"Yeah!" Natsu smiled along, forgetting about his own pain.
Lucy shook her head in disbelief. "Where?"
Jude seemed interested too, his ever curious eyes shifting between father and son.
Natsu turned around and locked eyes with Lucy, momentarily taking her breath away.
"To Fairy Tail!"
Urgh, such a filler, I apologize. And sorry for the long wait! Stuff happened. Anyways, thank you so much everyone for supporting this story, it makes me really happy! All of your sweet words make my day all the better!
Shout Outs to: gigiluna11 - midnighthnb - MatchmakingQueen - Gh0st's buddy - VIPluvFT - Teramiike - sarara1.8 - Guest - Yuyui Hime - Annabelle Flynn.