The Good Tails

Dads Can Be Scary

Bacchus walked around the guild one more time. It wasn't his guild, but he knew it well. It was all she ever talked about. When she wasn't drunk, of course. And so Bacchus did another lap. Cana watched him from the door and tapped her foot in impatience.

"Come on, Bacchus. Why are you wasting time?" She sounded angry.

"Cana, Fairy, he's your dad. I've never even met the guy and he terrifies me! He's Gildarts Clive, the guy who all of Magnolia avoids. And you guys have better wizards than we do!"

Cana scoffed, and grabbed Bacchus' arm. She pulled him strongly, and he fell forward into the guild. The doors flew open, and everyone laughed.

"Already drunk, are you Bacchus?" Macao laughed from a table.

"Don't worry, there's plenty more here!" Wakaba laughed.

Bacchus glared at them, and Cana grumbled as she pulled him farther forward. Looking up briefly, she saw her dad's cloak hanging off the top floor.

"C'mon, puppy. Dad's up there."

Bacchus shivered as he looked up. Even with just the tip of his cloak hanging off, Bacchus felt it. The immense power emanating from that man. He was sure to be large, and Bacchus had heard about his missing leg. He didn't know what type of jobs you do to lose a leg, but it sure wasn't any that Bacchus could go on. So as his fairy pulled him up the steps, his stomach settled into his feet.

As Bacchus first saw his shape emerge, he swallowed in fear. He was large, and hunched over staring at a mug of beer.

"Dad." Cana called.

In the first moment Bacchus saw his face, he could feel a cold sweat start. Gildarts' eyes were sharp, and stared at things with a fiery will.

"Cana!" He cooed, suddenly changing his demeanor. "Give daddy a hug!"

He lunged forward, arms open wide. With a groan Cana stepped aside, letting her father fall face-first into the floor. He stood up, running his hand through his hair in a desperate attempt to look okay.

"Dad, this is Bacchus." Cana motioned to him, who was standing a few steps back. "And we've got something to tell you."

Immediately Gildarts' strong demeanor was back. He gave Bacchus a cold look, and stood up to his full height. Bacchus shrunk back.

"And what, may I ask, must you tell me?"

Bacchus stayed quiet, and so did Cana. With a roll of her eyes, Cana elbowed Bacchus. He shook it of, and hand gripping his sake gourd, he stood up taller.

"Mr. Clive," another elbow jab from Cana. "Gildarts, we're expecting a baby."

"What?" Looking to Cana, Gildarts' eyes went wide. He looked his daughter up and down. She still looked as she always did; the brown capris and the black bra. The only thing Giladarts noticed was a few bags under her eyes. A huge grin spread over his face.

"A baby!"

Gildarts grabbed his daughter in a large hug, spinning her around wildly.

"Dad!" Cana cried. "Lemme go!"

He dropped her, the grin not leaving his face. "I'm gonna be a grandpa! Who's the dad?"

Cana groaned, punching her dad on the shoulder. "He is. Bacchus."

Gildarts stared at Bacchus. "Oh. Him."

Bacchus grumbled, and took a swig of sake. "Listen, old man,"

Cana grinned as Bacchus stepped forward.

"I'm this baby's dad, and you don't get to do a thing about it."

Gildarts rolled his eyes, looking down at the man before him. "You're not even a Fairy Tail wizard. How on Earth did you and my daughter get so close?"

"Drinking."

Gildarts growled. "Is this baby a drunken mistake you made?"

Finally done, Bacchus punched Gildarts. He reeled back in surprise, falling back over his cloak. He landed on his rear with a large thump. Gildarts went to stand up, grabbing at the table behind him. Bacchus stopped him first. Gildarts' beer was still on the table, and Bacchus grabbed it. And dumped it on his head.

"Don't — don't ever say that again." Bacchus growled. Gildarts smelt the liquor on the man's breath. "This baby's mine, and Cana is mine now. So shut up."

Turning away, Bacchus grabbed Cana's arm. He pulled her away and down the stairs. The guild mates on the lower level chuckled as they watched Gildarts. He had stood up, and rivers of beer were flowing down his face. And he grinned.

"Cana!" He called.

They didn't look back. Gildarts chuckled. "Dads sure can be scary!"