Wild Child [Fairy Tail Next Gen.]

3

THE NEXT MORNING DIDN'T IMPROVE for the young Nashi Dragneel.

"Sakura Nashi Dragneel," Lucy began with her hands automatically on her hips, in the position to scold their only daughter. "where have you been all night!"

"We've been worried sick. You didn't bother texting or calling us!" Natsu added, turning to Jeremy to give him a smile and a pat on the back as his gratitude. "If it weren't for this young man, we wouldn't have calmed down and we were so close to calling the police, too. Do you have anything to say for yourself?"

Jellal was busy cooking breakfast in their kitchen, while Erza, on the other hand, stayed and listened to this lovely family bonding happening in the middle of their living room.

"I'm sorry. It won't happen- again." Nashi replies, shooting glares at the man who betrayed her.

All Lucy could do was sigh in return, feeling another secondhand embarrassment that this was the third time Nashi slept over at their residence without their permission. "Seriously, Nashi, if there's something bothering you, don't hesitate to open up to me. Please?" Nashi didn't answer back this time. "Erza, I'm really sorry. This won't happen again. Next time, she's going to have to learn to ask before crashing over. You, too, Jeremy. I'm sorry if she was troublesome."

"Ah, no, not really," Jeremy, as usual, takes Nashi's side to lower her parents' session with her later when they get home. "It's okay. I'm there for her."

Erza grabbed her son by the head, ruffling his hair all over. "That's my boy. Nashi is more than welcome here. You two know that, right?"

"Still, a little manner wouldn't hurt, will it, honey?" Lucy heaves another disappointed sigh.

"You're grounded from your phone for a month." Natsu spoke. Lucy didn't seem satisfied and thought of a better idea. "How about no phone and no wifi for two months? Yeah. That ought to do it."

All Nashi could think of was smirk at how clueless they were of her plans and alternatives. Especially with Jeremy by her side, her laptop and the possibility of borrowing from her other friends. Crash at their place for homework. Or at school.

"You're not allowed to go anywhere after school, you go straight home and do assignments." Nashi frowned at the last given statement her Mom thought of, making her fold her arms this time. How the hell will I ever get any work done, then?

"Jellal made breakfast! How about taking them for the road, huh?" Erza suggested, while she was already wrapping them up in paper bags before finally sending them off.

"Thanks, Erza." Nashi gave her a great big hug, turning over to Jeremy and hugged him as well, whispering, "Thanks for trying."

Jeremy hugged back, but only to be left in the air since the family needed to get home immediately.

🌱

"When will you stop acting like a child and start being a responsible adult?" Lucy had her arms thrown over her chest as she followed her teenage kid into the house.

Nashi wasn't handling the situation as well as she thought she'd be able to. She had the same pose as her Mom and was at the foot of the stairs, ready to rush up to her room to avoid talking.

But no. Not when Natsu's standing there.

"I'm sorry! I am. It's just hard to deal with my feelings when I'm around home." Nashi admits, wrapping her arms around herself.

"Honey, you can tell us anything. Aren't the three of us the closest?" Natsu stepped up, wrapping an arm around his daughter, remembering how they raised her. "Now, can you tell us?"

Nashi gave them both one look before breathing. "I broke up with my boyfriend, Ian, because he cheated on me."

"Oh, dear-" Lucy went to her side and pulled her into a hug.

"I didn't cry. It didn't hurt finding out about it. And I don't know why. Maybe because I'm actually a cold-hearted bastard."

"Language!" Lucy frowned at the concept of cursing, despite being a hypocrite for cursing at times, it wasn't the same case when she hesrs her daughter do it.

"Aw, come on, Nash, think about it. Maybe it's not that, maybe it's because you didn't like the guy?"

"I don't really know..."

"You need the time to think about it, but for now, avoid the guy, okay? To not make matters worse." Lucy asvised, kissing her on the forehead. "And remember what I told you."

"Heartbreak is not a good enough reason to stop trying." It's cliché as hell to the younger, but it sounded right for the situation. Nashi knew herself and she knew she'd be busy contemplating about it over and over and eventually, stop trying to do anything worthwhile. She hopes not.

"Good. You should go do your homework, okay?"

"Mom, it's school break. Gale is coming in town and the four of us have plans."

Natsu and Lucy blinked her way. "Are Gajeel and Levy coming, too?"

"Gale said they let him rent a condo, so I don't think so."

"Oh, I miss those two."

"Why not invite them over, then? Gale could be arriving with them." If there's any other guy Nashi has ever been close with besides Jeremy, it's obviously Gale. Sure, the four of them had been there for each other since they were kids, but really, Gale knows far more things Nashi has dealt with through, including growing out from her little crush on Jeremy.

But at least now, she's got out of that idea. She hopes she had. Otherwise, she'd be all awkward around Jeremy.