The Family (IV)

4: Invel Yura

"Be careful, Lucas. Don't hurt yourself,"

Lucy called out to her son; she was sitting on one of the chairs at the Red Garden's gazebo. Watching over Lucas as he played with the red roses' petals.

"So," Mavis started, she was there as well with Diva on her lap, "Our young heir will be having his fourth birthday soon, what do you and Natsu have in mind, Lucy?"

The Lady stared longer at her baby boy, then a smile appeared on her face as she turned to Mavis.

"He's growing up too fast. Can't time slow down for a minute?" Lucy joked.

"I could say the same," Mavis giggled as she looked at Diva, "Won't you stay as mommy's little angel? Won't you? Won't you?" she said, tickling her daughter to the point of making her laugh in tears.

Then a silent sound of footsteps could be heard.

The women turned their heads to see who it was.

And they came eye to eye with the youngest Strauss.

Obviously enough, Lisanna wasn't expecting to see them, just as they weren't expecting to see her.

She quickly avoided their gaze and started to leave.

But a voice stopped her.

"Lisanna," Lucy spoke with calmness.

Mavis saw this as a cue for her to leave. Even without any instruction, she understood that Lucy wanted to have a word with the silver-haired. So she took the kids away with her. Leaving the two Ls for privacy.

.

Now it was just the two of them.

Lisanna hesitantly took a few steps closer to the gazebo.

"Have a seat," the blonde gestured to another white chair. She had a genuine smile on her face. The one she always had.

The other did as she was told.

"How have you been, Lisanna?"

Lucy asked.

"Fine, M'Lady," her answer sounded so blank. It was obvious she didn't want to talk.

"You don't have to call me that," Lucy started, "Just call me Lucy. Everyone in the Family does."

"Why are you doing this?" Lisanna suddenly asked. Her brows meeting at the middle.

Not understanding what she meant, Lucy gave a confused face.

"Doing what?"

"You don't have to act nice to me just because you are the Lady of the House. By now you probably know what I did to have everyone here despise me."

Her voice was straightforward and certain as she spoke.

Lucy looked at her with startled eyes. Here she was trying to start a friendly conversation, only to have her intentions be misunderstood.

"Lisanna, I-"

"I don't need you to take pity on me."

Lisanna cut her off.

If there was something in this world that Lucy didn't like, it would be getting interrupted while she speaks. That was a big 'no no' for her.

The only one she gave the permission and supremacy to cut her off anytime was Natsu. No one else.

Lucy stared into the other's eyes. She could feel herself starting to build up an anger. Trying to suppress it, she gave out a sigh.

"Look, what you did was wrong no doubt about that," she started, "But you are still part of the Family."