Happy Holidays Charlie Brown! .. oh wait wrong canon

[celestial_wizard]

Christmas and Thanksgiving were going to be difficult holidays for Regina and the kids. They had, for the most part, mended from the deaths of their friends, but this would also be the first Christmas slash Thanksgiving without them. So for that afternoon, she decided to let Natsu distract the kids and the dog for the time being. More than likely they were bundled up and jumping in piles of leaves outside, or begging Natsu for more demonstrations. As for herself, she went to help distract Regine with preparing food. Happily, Regina only took Lucy's bright smile for her natural demeanor and not for any other reasons.

On the other hand, Lucy hadn't been able to stop smiling since the night she and Natsu were.. er.. very intimate together. Assuming she didn't drift off into a dreamy spacey mode when she thought no one was looking. And if she actually saw him, forget it - it took everything she had not to grab him and hold him close. Heck, before that night she had difficulty keeping her eyes off him - it was more so now. SO it was probably for the best that she had something like cooking and entertaining Regine to occupy her attention.

If Regine noticed the way Lucy's conversation chatter kept turning to the topic of Natsu unconsciously, she didn't mention it, though she did seem amused for some reason. Currently the ladies were discussing options for the dinner - the kids wanted to start eating spicier food to - obviously - be more like Natsu after all.

Comments

[explodewiththerage]

That only proved how much of a perfect match they were in the end. Natsu dug his fingers in very slightly against Lucy's ribs as he laughed for a moment just unable to contain that happiness she brought in him even when teasing.

The kids were special little bratlings. Dear and important to Natsu in a way that he couldn't quite put into words yet.

[celestial_wizard]

They were like their own little kids in a way. Though Lucy wouldn't say that - she wouldn't want to step on Regina's toes; after all, Regina was the one that had looked after them for so long. Lucy and Natsu were more like surrogate parents.

She was okay with that. "Heiek!!" Lucy squealed in surprise, feeling his fingers against her ribs. Of course, Lucy being Lucy, figured that it was Natsu being Natsu tickling her or messing with her in general, and retaliated with a poke at his ribs in return. "Take that~!" She giggled.

[explodewiththerage]

Natsu made a surprised noise before narrowing his eyes with a playful growl. "Oh is that how you wanna play huh?" Natsu asked and started trying to get at her ribs in earnest. He would have stopped at that first time but she just had to go on provoke him.

[celestial_wizard]

She'd swear he started it. She'll never say otherwise. "That's my line," she grinned, before 'eep'ing and trying to fend his hands off with little giggles, "You started it besides~!"

[explodewiththerage]

All I did was poke you once!" Natsu laughed and quickly returned fire with a flurry of fingers digging into Lucy's sides as he rolled in the bed with his dear princess as she tried to escape his villainous claws.

[celestial_wizard]

"That's how it starts!" She countered, wriggling and laughing as his attack put her on the defensive, trying to protect her sensitive ribs from the villainous dragon prince.

[explodewiththerage]

"Then that's how it'll end too!" Natsu declared as he relentlessly tickled Lucy's sides even more, rolling over after her while laughing and grinning from ear to ear as he sought to leave Lucy breathless in another way beside what they'd been doing that night.

[celestial_wizard]

"Kyaah!!!" She squealed, laughing, "No no! Mercy!~" She grabbed the pillow under her head, but rather than smack him with it - like he might expect - she clutched it in front of her body like a shield, muffling her giggles and clamping her arms at her sides. "Ha~ you can't get me now!"

[explodewiththerage]

"No way. You'll have to surrender to me!" Natsu laughed and tried to still dig his fingers into her sides though all that seemed to happen was get more of himself tangled with Lucy.

[celestial_wizard]

"I'll never surre-- surree-- ghgahahahahahahaha...!" Her shield, much like the goggles, does nothing. NOTHING against his assault. She snaked a hand out amidst his fingers to attempt to retaliate rather than defend entirely.

[explodewiththerage]

Natsu continued his attack even as he felt Lucy's fingers against his sides. Luckily he had somewhat better endurance plus the fact that Lucy was already under siege from his fingers meant she couldn't do too much to him.

[celestial_wizard]

It was kind of silly to think she could do anything when the odds were so stacked against her. When gaps were left to him whenever she tried to go on the offensive, enough that eventually her squeals and giggles were too much for her and she had to beg mercy, breathless laughter escaping her. "Ahahaha! O.. Oh.. OKay! I ..heehehee, M..mercy! I s-surrender!"

[explodewiththerage]

Natsu still tickled her for a few moments longer before he finally stopped instead laughing against Lucy's neck as he trapped her underneath him. "See~ I told you it'd end up like this." Natsu smugly pointed out before just letting himself flop over to the side so he didn't put his weight down on top of Lucy.

[celestial_wizard]

Lucy huffed out of breath, "Oh no, now you're getting all smug," she chuckled, curling her arm around him. She didn't mind nearly as much as she claimed though, her grin wide as she watched him flop over. "Looks -and- cheekiness are a terrible combination." She teased, snuggling against his side.

[explodewiththerage]

Natsu chuckled breathily and pulled Lucy up close against him but didn't go any further than that. He had no reason to after all. Just feeling her warm in his arms was more than enough. "Talking from experience, princess~?" Natsu purred playfully.

[celestial_wizard]

Lucy grinned, "I couldn't be," she murmured back, equally playfully, "I'm never cheeky." She blatantly -lies-, oh she lies so hard. "On the other hand, I can't deny the part about the looks." Though she couldn't fully say that statement with a straight face, barely holding back a chuckle. "Unless you're trying to imply something?" Her? Cheeky? NEVER.

[explodewiththerage]

Oh and she called him shameless with his ego. Look at her over here just grinning in his face and saying such falsities. Natsu smirked knowingly even more and leaned in closer a little. "Imply? More like calling it as I see it~"

[celestial_wizard]

Because she could! And it was just their method of playing. Because they were weird. "Calling it as you see it? How dare you," she mock huffed, turning away with a haughty look.

... or at least as haughty as one could look, when she was pinned like that "The very idea..!" Her lips twitched against a giggle.

[explodewiththerage]

Well so could he. After all he more or less introduced this kind of playing around. He didn't chase after her though he did press his lips softly to the side of her jaw still facing his way.

"If you say so~"

[celestial_wizard]

Lucy uttered a soft grumble at that light kiss, turning her head back to him with a grin. "That's so unfair, doing that," she giggled quietly. "I can't pretend to be huffy with you now." It was too precious to ignore, her hands cupping his face to pull him a little closer in order to return the kiss to a corner of his mouth. "My sneaky Dragonslayer."

[explodewiththerage]

She would feel his lips curve a little before she finally looked over to him. Yes that was exactly what he wanted and flashed a loving smiles to the celestial spirit mage. "I learned from the best, my crafty princess~"

[celestial_wizard]

She was utterly enchanted by that smile, wrapping her other arm around him, grinning back. "Oh what am I going to do with you," she shook her head at least at that utterly unrepentant manner of his.

He was so mischievous and unrepentant that she had to just pull him closer, leaning up to press a quick kiss against his lips. "Silly."

[explodewiththerage]

Well he could say the same to her after all. Natsu's smile brightened more and he leaned in to brush his nose against Lucy's while he just took in her warmth and scent to the limit.

"Takes one to know one~" He answered and just tucked his face against Lucy's neck. "I thought you said you were tired~"

[celestial_wizard]

"Hmhmhm, did I say something like that?" Lucy innocently asked, as she smiled softly at the feel of his nose brushing against hers. "Anyway, it's your fault. I just can't help myself around you." She brushed her hand up into his hair, petting him gently. Whenever he was close to her, she just couldn't let him go without kissing him, after all.

[explodewiththerage]

"Well you seem to be doing a pretty good job stopping yourself so far~" Natsu wasn't going to let her forget that they were winding down for the night because she wanted it and not because they both needed the respite. Still with how precious and dear she was to him, he would keep it as simple teasing.