The Dragon Father

Tested

Acnologia returned from Makarov's office. The old geezer had asked Acnologia's advice on nearly every serious issue the council had sent him. Acnologia had gone from 'Sure, I guess I'll help' to 'So help me - if you shove another piece of paper my way I will kill you'.

He walked downstairs and looked around. Cana was beating Lyon at cards, Gray and Natsu were wrestling near Gildarts. Gajeel, Sting, and Rogue were in a heated game of sorry, Gajeel did not look like he was winning. Laxus was napping in a chair, Wendy was coloring something next to him. Jellal was sitting uncomfortably in a chair... the chair where Erik usually sat... Acnologia looked around for his maroon haired teenager, fearing that a murder was about to take place. Erik wasn't usually possessive of a "spot" but he was a drake. Drakes tended to be territorial especially with rival drakes, and there was no other rival in Erik's mind then Jellal. 

In a second Acnologia caught his scent. He looked up, Erik was sitting in the rafters, Cubellios curled in his lap. He was stroking her and eyeing Jellal cautiously. Acnologia sighed, walked back up the stairs and leaped up next to him.

He was about to ask what was wrong but Erik answered first.

"I don't like it," Erik growled, "that's what's wrong."

Erik still couldn't hear Acnologia's thoughts, but he had become skilled in predicting the apocalypse dragon's actions.

"Erik," Acnologia growled wondering if he could push the child down and beat some forgiveness into him.

"Uncle, he enslaved me and my friends, he gave me to the psychopath brain who then did this to me, I don't like that he's here in our guildhall."

Acnologia sighed, "Forgiveness is important." Damn, he sounded like Makarov now.

Erik took a deep breath in, "Just because he's in the guild, doesn't mean that I'm gonna treat him like a brother."

Acnologia sighed and looked at Erik; he was looking straight ahead intently, probably listening to voices.

"ONII-CHAN!" Wendy called.

Erik looked down and saw small little Wendy holding up a pack of cards.

"Can you play with meee!" she yelled. Erik smiled fondly and jumped down, a fall from that height should have done some damage, but he was a dragon slayer.

Erik ruffled Wendy's hair, "Sure."

Wendy was the only one that could get Erik to do things calmly. Acnologia wished he knew her secret.

The guild began to settle down, Natsu and Gray stopped brawling, Lyon and Gajeel were having a conversation about... music? And Erik was on his tenth round of cards with Wendy.

"Uncle," Sting pleaded.

"Yeah?" Acnologia asked.

"Can we get some ice cream?"

"Why the hell do you want ice cream?" Acnologia asked.

"Well, I've never had it, and I wanted to try some," Sting said.

"No," Acnologia snapped

"Please? I've been good all day! Look, Gajeel punched me and I only kicked him back, I didn't even use magic!" Sting said proudly showing a bruise on his arm.

"That's your best behavior?" he sighed.

"Pleassseee!" Sting moped.

Acnologia banged his head on the table knowing that he was about to regret this next word, "fine," he muttered.