midnightstar | Happy Holidays Charlie Brown! .. oh wait wrong canon

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.

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Without question. It would be harder to find something that they did together that they didn't enjoy - even the rare, RARE times Natsu irritated her (which happened less than one percent of the time now) - in hindsight she was never t hat bothered. It was weird. But then, it WAS Lucy.

She ruffled Nev's hair gently, giggling when he protested the gesture. Hearing the overemphasized sniffing, Lucy cast him a bemused glance, reaching over to playfully ruffle Natsu's hair too. "Mm, by the time everything's done cooking, we'll have a veritable feast. Nev and Justyne said they wanted to try spicier foods tonight."

So everything was spicy. Woe be to her and Regina - though to be fair Lucy has been tolerating it a little better!~

The list of things they had fun doing together was only growing by the day and some of them dud cine from that precious night. Though those kind of activities were a bit harder to pull off.

Still just seeing her ruffle Nev's hair with a smile was enough to warm his heart. And then she had to just give him the same treatment too. No doubt because of his exaggerated sniffing.

"Hoooo you guys want to try some of the stronger stuff eh. That's great~" Hopefully Regina picked up some extra milk in case the children needed to quickly cool their mouth after the first few bites. After all Lucy's first spicy meal was explosive in more ways than one. He'd never seen her move so fast before.

Especially around people, yes. Well, Lucy would swat him if he tried something like that in public anyway. When it was just the two of them on the other hand.. well. She probably wouldn't be as difficult. She chuckled, lowering her hand from the good natured ruffling.

No worries though, she did tell Regina to get extra milk and extra bread just in case. As long as the kids remembered to eat only the dishes that she or Regina gave them. Lucy of course, was handling Natsu's food herself. She didn't know why, but she didn't want anyone else to prepare the kinds of dishes that Natsu ate.

"We're gonne breath fiiiiiiiire~! Like in the books!"
Justyne palmed her face, "Silly, you don't REALLY breath fire from eating spicy stuff.." Yes, big sister knows all! ... ... She glances at Lucy, then Natsu. "Right?"

Big Sister THINKS she knows all.

Swatting usually worked though he'd make up for it the moment they were alone. IT was only fair for backing down every time she didn't want to risk it after all.

Natsu certainly wasn't complaining about Lucy being the one cooking for him. She was more or less a master at making his favorite dishes well before they'd admitted their obvious feelings for one another.

"Hahaha Justyne's right. You need a bit more than just spicy food to breathe fire. But that's about as close as you guys can safely get to tasting what it's like to eat fire~" Natsu backs up poor big sister with the truth while making sure to still make it appealing enough for the two.

She had no complaints about that, of course. Lucy chuckled - there was something about Justyne looking smug at her little brother and his brief pout that was pretty hilarious. "Okay okay-" Juuuuust in case Neveren got upset about that. Which he rarely did, since he and his sister were closer than close.

"So what do you guys want to do?"

The response is immediate. Neveren's grin widened, "Let's play hide and seek!" He's gonna grab for Natsu's hand because reasons. "You gotta seek us, Lucy. Turn around an' count to... to... um.."

"One hundred!" Justyne, precious baby that she is, who normally sides with Lucy with these sorts of shenanigans.. and she cosigns with her brother first.

Lucy stared at the siblings, and then to Natsu and back, "Wait a second here.. -!"

The kids gravitated between the two of them quite comfortably though they had obvious favorites. Natsu was Neveren's hero and Lucy was often the only one reasonable in their little games.

Oh hide and seek huh? Oh this was such an unfair game. Especially once it would be Natsu's turn to hunt them down. Something Lucy might have realized when she called out after them~

"You're not counting!" Natsu called out over his shoulder as he quickly ran to find his hiding spot.

It WAS an unfair game! "You can have Herb help you!" Justyne called over her shoulder as she ran off giggling.

"It's not -..." MAAAAAAN, so unfair. Natsu had the enhanced senses and everything. "Oooooooooooone, Twoooooooooooooooooo.. Threeeeeeeeeeeeee..."

Herb just sat and thumped his tail, ears perked and watching the direction that the group scampered off. Cheater pup. Neveren's idea of hiding wasn't very good though - he chose to crouch behind a tree, while his sister had a better idea. Though executing it was a bit off since she couldn't quite get up into the tree she had chosen for her hiding spot. At least, not at first.

Well Herb helping Lucy out was a good step in leveling the playing field. Natsu smirked as he ran off and paused after a while to look over his shoulder to make sure Lucy wouldn't see him circle around and climb on top of hte house, laying flat on his stomach on the roof overlooking the backyard.

He'd make his real move AFTER the game progressed far enough~

That sounded ominous. In any case when Lucy finally finished her count, she sighed, glancing around. Not a soul in sight. "Come on Herb, let's go find them."

Without even thinking to look up on the house - because why would she ever - she broke into a run in the direction that the group went, following the pup. Naturally, they find Neveren immediately. It was a terrible hiding spot- a blind mouse could have found him.

However, Lucy was a big softie so she gave him another chance to go run and hide, counting off twenty. When she uncovered her eyes, the game was afoot again! Herb was having a grand time, running here and there searching for the kids and - at one point charging around the house.

"Come out come out wherever you are! When I find you I'll tickle you to submission~!!" Lucy called out.

He watched her walk around looking for the kids and for him since she had no idea of knowing how out of the box, Natsu had taken his hiding place. It was quite the spectacle watching her and Herb try out various hiding place and then even giving Nev a second chance.

It was quite the amusing coincidence hearing her speak of tickling. Wasn't this hide and seek and not tag? Ah well he could go with it. Since there was no way she was finding him.

Well she could tickle in hide and seek or tag! There were no rules for that kind of thing. After a few minutes more, there is a series of barks and a young girl's squeal.

"HA ha! Found you!" Lucy announced, chuckling as she spied Neveren's sister in the tree. Also, the poor girl lost a shoe getting up there so.. that helped. "Come on down. I just have to find your brother and Natsu next." Oh the confidence.

Still, she caught the smaller girl when Justyne jumped out of the tree, making a grab for her and missing the squirmy little girl before she could make good on her 'threat'.

"One down, and two to go," Lucy called to the air, "Your moment is numbered!"

It's true that the winner could decide their spoils. But one rule that hadn't been mentioned was that once there was only one hider left, they were allowed to sneak up on the seeker and subdue them~ And poor Lucy had no idea~

Natsu had to give props to Justyne for thinking of the tree. That kind of vertical thinking was a good thing to have even if the execution had not been the best.

To help Nev out, he would sometimes make one of those flickering moving flames fly by in front of Herb, distracting him away from Nev's hiding place. Eventually though he couldn't find another opening to send that flaming little creation without blowing his cover.

What. That - totally making up rules now! Oh well, Lucy would learn from this - maybe. Justyne, meanwhile, meandered off of the 'playing field' so to speak, occasionally glancing around to catch sight of her brother or Natsu, wondering where either of them had hidden.

Occasionally, when Natsu lured Herb away from Nev's hiding place, he could hear Lucy laughing, "Herb, what are you doing, you silly dog -? Come back here -!" Honestly, she checked that spot five times now and Neveren hadn't been there. Althoooooooough that lump of leaves was suspiciously lumpy, even for a leaf pile.

Her suspicions were proven when Herb charged back towards her, and without Natsu to lure him away this time, he made a flying leap into the pile. Leaves EVERYWHERE. Lucy yelped in surprise, but burst out laughing when she saw the boy who had been hiding under all of that. "Neveren! Look at you, you're a mess!"

A mess, but he was proud of himself. You're proud too, right Natsu? Right? See, they're clever bitties.

She added the tickling rule just as randomly so she hardly had room to talk. Then again fair or not, Natsu would still act on that. While he was sorry he couldn't save Nev agian, he couldn't deny the boy's second hiding spot was considerably better than his first and the fact that he wasn't afraid of getting a little dirty for victory was another positive trait in Natsu's book.

But with the two children caught, that meant it was time to start the game in earnest. Natsu started crawling along the roof of the house as he watched Lucy's search party continue their search. This was going to be quite tricky and he couldn't get too close or else Herb would sniff him out.

Oh .. well yeah, so she did. WIth as filthy Nev was from hiding in the leaves, Lucy couldn't help but giggle, sending him off to go sit with his sister. He'd need to have a bath before they ate -- no way was she going to have him sit with them when he was tracking dirt and leaves.

With it just being Natsu left, she knew that the real challenge was going to be finding Natsu. Herb trotted at her side amicably as she started to widen her search - she'd already searched around the house several times so she eliminated that part. Maybe he was hiding deeper further into the woods? Noo, he wouldn't have gone that far..

"... Ah, he didn't.." Did he double back and hide in the house? ... technically that wasn't -cheating- but..

She was getting warmer but not warm enough. Natsu was using the house just not in the way she imagined. No matter she would either have to step inside the building or turn around and try the garden again. Whichever her choice was, he would drop right behind her and cover her eyes with one hand while the other would dig its fingers into her sides.

She'd already investigated the garden more than enough times. Time to change locations. Sprinting past the (very amused looking) kids, she ducked into the house with Herb leading the charge. And just as she gets inside --!!

AMBUSH! She lets out a startled yelp with her eyes being covered, but the worst of it? The worst of it was the feel of familiar fingers digging into her sides, making her squirm and giggle, "Aah!" He's supposed to be hiding! And..well he was. But amidst the squirming she's grabbing for his hands to try and defend herself. Halp! Puppy, save meh!

Actually puppy is too busy scratching his ear. He'll be back to her in a few.

Ambush executed perfectly! Natsu chuckles as she squirms and yelps and speaks into her ear but not with a low voice.

"Not bad seeker, But I've come to take back my friends and teach you a lesson~" Natsu was really into his role right now.

This is a very strange evolution of hide and seek they have now. "I'll never submit to a fiend like yourself," she countered, playing along with his role - though her giggles made her defiance not too stable. "Your friends are my prisoners~!"

Herb what are you doing, just sitting there wagging your tail! Can't you see Lucy is in desperate need of help? Darn dog.

As if it's the first time they made their own version of something classic. Natsu chuckles at Lucy's resistance and tickles her even more to break her into submission.

"Not for long. Hand over the spell to break the spell on their shackles!" Which in normal speak meant "hand over the password to the cuffs the captured two had on.

It isn't the first time and won't be the last. As Natsu doubled his efforts, Lucy squealed, breaking into a fit of giggles, "Her-Herb, Help!" She protests, laughing.

Poor Herb, he didn't know what was going on, but he wanted to get in on the fun! By standing and barking. You humans are being silly~!

Laughing as much as she was, though, she couldn't hold out against him for long, especially since she couldn't really defend herself. "Ahahaahaha~~! O.. Okay! okay! I give!~ The spellword is .. um..aa..ahah.. Starlight~!"

Obviously it would be star themed.

He doesn't relent even when Herb starts barking though by that point his mouth is realy close to Lucy's ear even as she finally gives him the spell word of power. Starlight huh? "What you are hmm~ I see it fits." He whispered only for Lucy's to hear before finally relenting with a very proud smirk at pulling off his ambush perfectly.

"Starlight!" he cries out to break free Nev and Justyne to come by his side and enjoy in the spoils of their captive~

Lucy was blushing fiercely from how close his mouth was to her ear, tucking her head down briefly. That's dirty pool. She cleared her throat, chuckling when she heard Nev and Justyne whoop with joy at being able to get up and move again.

"YAAAY!!!" And they crowd around the captive, doing their very best to look wicked. Justyne glanced between her brother and Natsu, "What do we do with her now?" Did she mention how much she liked how their games deviated from the way they were supposed to be?

"Let's.. boil her in oil!" Nev crowed.

"WHAT?" Wow, Lucy, that actually sounded convincing.

"NO no, I have a better idea," Justyne said abruptly. "We should tie her up so she won't get away."

"Justyne, not you too~!" Woe IS. Oh Lucy is playing up the dramatic captured princess and how the heck did the genre of hide and seek get changed around this much?

They really weren't cut out for the wicked look but now the hunter had become the hunter. Since she couldn't seal the deal, she was to be their prisoner~

"Hohoh boiling her won't do. We should enjoy our prize as much as possible~" Natsu cackled like an evil overlord. He was surprisingly adept at that.

"General Justyne has the right idea. General Nev go fetch some rope!" He's completely immersed in his role.

"Eh? Eh? EH -- I.. I mean!" Stay in role Lucy! "No! Release me at once! You will regret this I swear!" She squirms again, feebly, her hand pressed against her mouth to stifle the urge to laugh. "Help! Somebody~!"

Neveren and Justyne, thoroughly pleased at their roles from prisoner to General, immediately saluted Natsu. "Yes sir --" Neveren paused, whispering to Justyne. "What's higher than General?"

Justyne paused. "... Iunno. King? That's the highest of all right?"

Nev scratched his head. He wasn't sure it was right, but! "Okay! I'm going to get the rope!" And off he dashed!

Lucy risked a glance at Natsu who was just -eating this up- and turned her attention to Justyne, wondering how committed she was to this side. "You know, if you get Natsu to let me go, we can go shopping later...o/~"