"Is It Love or Pity?"

Pairing:Jellal x Lucy

Genre: Romance/Hurt/Comfort

Rating: M for violence, language and sexual themes

Disclaimer: I don't own FairyTail

Prologue

A Song for Hope

The thunderous laughs of the men outside the cells, echoed in the dark and dirty walls, followed by a few slapping and the thumping of feet. One man in particular, dressed in a tight dirty white wifebeater that seems to emphasize the size of his beer belly, howled raucously as he slapped the wooden table beside him, causing a reverberation to be heard among those people around him.

Different responses were heard immediately after the echo, some were shrieking, shivering, and mostly, doing what they mostly do after being shaken to their core of the familiarity of the sound that brought immediate bad mentality to those who are in the cells. Some associated the sound with torture and uncertainty of what lies ahead.

A raven haired man with blue eyes shook with anxiety, biting his nails, his eyes so blue but so scared and wary, as they seems to flit around like a scared mouse assessing his surroundings as if looking for danger. Under normal circumstances, he would have been considered as handsome. With sharp features and an amazing physique, he could have been mistaken as a part of an aristocratic family. Well, only in normal circumstances and that was before he experienced the dark side of the society.

Staying in the cells for 8 months can't be deemed under normal circumstances. Everything he experienced in this hell was not normal. For that, the once mischievous thief, who was also known to be a great seducer from downtown, once luring upper class women in exchange for the provision for his sick mother and hard working sister, is now different from what he used to be. Everything associated with his past was like a far away mirage between fantasy and reality.

The men, who were laughing awhile ago, smirked at the sight of the once virile young man. A black man with dreadlocks stepped forward and suddenly pretended to lunge for the raven haired man causing the latter to scramble messily and stopping exactly 10 seconds to rock his body between his heels. His head tucked on his knees, mumbling incoherent mumblings while closing his eyes in trepidation.

A blonde haired woman wiped her hands on her once pastel pink dress and anxiously approached the young man, warily looking at the men outside the cells and let out a relieved sigh when their attention was back to their original subject.

She gulped and placed a shaking hand on the bare shoulder of the young man. The latter grimaced and whimpered but stopped once he felt the warmth and the familiarity of the young woman.

"L-lu..cy," he whispered, slowly craning his head to stare at his blonde friend whom in return, gave him a tentative smile.

"Shhh, I got you, Gray. I got you."

His reply was only a shaky smile as he wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his head on her bony shoulders while she hummed him a song.

A song that not only gave comfort to Gray, but also the remaining vestige that grounds them to what they used to be.

A tattooed young man let out a heavy breath occasionally glancing at his ringing phone, seemingly hesitant on accepting the call after he had seen the identity of the caller. He closed his eyes, massaging his forehead, seemingly deep in thought.

The ringing stopped.

He opened his eyes and a frown was placed on his handsome face. He stared at the expensive piece of technology and the ringing started again. He was honestly irritated and finally accepted the call as if he was burdened by a heavy weight.

He was not able to piece a single greeting since the caller didn't gave him chance.

"Son, so I guessed you have received my formal letter regarding what you have to do. I have tolerated enough of your nonsense and I certainly hope you see where I am coming from in making this decision. And don't let me do something you'll definitely regret. I'm doing this for the name of Fernandez. It is my sincere wish that you too will find the significance of it, someday. Think about it, son."

Jon Cristopher Fernandez

Chief Executive Officer

Fernandez Co.,

Crocus, Fiore

Jellal Fernandez

Student Council President

Fairy Tail University

Magnolia, Fiore

April 21, XXXX

Dear Son,

I am sending you this letter in regards to your responsibilities as the son and the heir of Fernandez Company. But first, pardon for sending this personal letter to your university. Such personal matters are normally addressed personally but my son, your evasive personality in terms of business has not escaped the eyes of your father.

Straight to business, I am now recommending you to find a slave you deemed acceptable especially for business and social purposes. As a young man of age in business industry, I am now stepping forward in preparing you to be the future sole owner of our company. You will be expected to be seen as a man of power. You will also be advised to attend social functions and such and will be advised by the advisor that I hired for your needs.

I have tolerated your demands these past years and I hope you'll do these tasks without problems.

Your Father,

Jon Fernandez