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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"Hoho is ice that big of a threat to you? Well maybe you'd rather I used something hotter instead." Natsu said and actually licked his lips to give her an inkling of what that hot thing would be. Regardless that alternative was for her ears alone meaning that Nev was still calling for Ice.

"Hmmm Forgiveness eh. I suppose it's not too late for that if the princess means it~"

He's relishing being in power like this like you wouldn't believe.

[ She practically choked at that statement, even though Nev couldn't hear it. Fidgeting in her seat because she would love to strangle him for teasing. Her gaze flicked towards his lips briefly, and then away as she cleared her throat. Oh he was just eating this up. Managing to look back, she flashed a smirk at him briefly over Nev's head. ]

I'll get you for this later. [ She whispered to him. SOMEHOW. But jeez, who knew he'd get THIS into his role? It was kind of funny. And kind of evil at the same time, the things he whispered. ]

Apologize..!? To him!? [ On the other hand, ice. Justyne dropped to a kneel by her brother, grabbing one of Lucy's bare feet and giggling when the princess squealed. ]

One last chance, Princess Lucy~!

[ Meanwhile Regina has by now, returned from shopping and is just..standing outside out of range of the shenanigans, and looking on, thoroughly, THOROUGHLY amused. Even if she can't really hear most of the conversation from where she was standing. But neither the two Generals nor the Princess have noticed her anyway. ]

Oh he heard her threat and just smiled even broader. He'd love to see her try and maybe even succeed depending on her ideas to get back at him. Natsu waited with his arms crossed over his chest. His generals came back soon enough with the cube from the ice golem.

"It's all up to you, princess~" Natsu all but purred , noticing out of the corner of his eye that Regina was back. Well if she wanted to step in and save Lucy she was certainly welcome to. Since she's about the only one still her ally. Then again she's looking so amused that she might not be an ally at all.

Regina would not be much help as amused as she was. Lucy eyed Nev as he inched that ice cube closer to her poor unprotected foot. "No! Never! I.." Eep! "Don't do it -- don't-- EEK! That's COLD! AAhaha! Stop! Stopstopstopstop Okay I give!" Evil Evil people. "I.. I'll apologize~!"

She doesn't even know what she's apologizing for, but oh thank god Nev took the ice cube away. Justyne was no help either, bursting into a fit of giggles at the mini freakout Lucy had. Imagine if they used a spider though - that would have been worse. Thankfully no one was horrible enough to do that.

"I'm sorry y... your Majesty." She managed to get out, stifling a laugh. "Please forgive me..!"

Those reactions were priceless to say the least and Natsu couldn't help but chuckle even more until she finally relented. A spider would be a bit much though even by his pranking standards.

"Hmmmm I'm not convinced. A tribute is needed." He said looking away with a huff before he gave his next order. "Untie her General Neveren."

Lucy let out a sigh of relief when the ice was taken away, shivering slightly. "A tribute?" She cast him a puzzled look, glancing over her shoulder briefly as Neveren pulled the ropes off of her wrists. "What -kind- of tribute?" She asked suspiciously, folding her arms and trying not to smile at the adorable image of him huffing and looking away.

He only looked at her out of the corner of one eye and huffed again only he was clearly pointing out to his exposed cheek facing her way.

"You should decide. As proof of it being your honesty and not just cause I ordered you."

Lucy hid a grin. "... v.. very well." She stepped towards him - "Since I get to choose.." She leaned up to him, deciding to get a little revenge for his teasing. She had every intention of kissing his cheek of course - but before that, she leans up a little more, breathing a soft breath of air against his ear with an even softer purr.

Of course, from the kids perspective it just looked like she leaned up to him for a second, then leaned down again and gave his cheek a quick peck. Leaning away again, she grinned, "Will that do..?"

His whole body shuddered when she breathed into his ear before she finally did as expected and pecked his cheek. He shot her a brief glance knowing full well how smug she was likely about finally getting a bit of payback.

"Y-Yeah that'll do. Anyway. Now that that's taken care of we should head to our feast." Natsu said and drew attention to Regina.

Oh she was definitely smug from that grin on her face, knowing how he reacted to that gesture. She gave him a cute wink when he glanced at her, before her attention shifted to Regina, who just laughed at the group.

"I see you've been having fun," she greeted, holding up the bag she picked up at the market. "But before we start in on our feast -" she eyed Justyne and Neveren, "You two need to clean yourself up - you look like you were jumping in leaves!" Which is exactly what they did so ...

She passed the bag to Lucy, "Here, put these away please? I'll get the children cleaned up. Even Generals need good hygiene." She added with a grin, ushering Justyne and Neveren out of the room. Lucy shifted her grip on the bag, cast a look at Natsu. "By your leave, your Majesty?" She grinned.

"Yeah we had a blast~" Natsu answered Regina managing to overcome that moment of daze from Lucy's wink and grin combo she'd just hit him with. He had one hell of a time though and as soon as Regina left to wash up the kids, he turned back to Lucy.

"Onward to the kitchen!" He said and suddenly leaned in to whisper in her ear. "My queen~"

She was still chuckling at that brief dazed effect from just a smile and wink. Well maybe now he had an idea of how it felt when he smile at her. So far though, he still hadn't clued in on what made her weakest for him, between those smiles and such. At least she hoped he hadn't.

Turning to walk into the kitchen, she stiffened in surprise, shivering a little at the feel of that whisper. Nevermind being called 'my queen' to his 'king' just made her delightfully happy. She cleared her throat, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye. "O-Onward.." Cough. Into the kitchen she went! Setting the bag on the counter, she started putting some of the things away, like another carton of milk and a few rolls of bread.

Honestly she was lucky he hadn't caught on yet. But he knew plenty well what she could do to affect him in return. Was tempted to wrap one arm around Lucy's neck but she had already started taking things out of the bag and onto the table.

"Here let me help." They could drop the act somewhat if not completely now. Fun didn't outstay its welcome after all.

Lucy grinned, dropping the act with ease. If she didn't have to help put things away she'd have been tempted to wrap both of her arms around him, so he wasn't the only one in that boat. "Here, put these in the top cabinets?" She can't reach as easily as he'd be able to. But between the two of them everything was put away relatively quickly; though if Lucy finished first she spent the remaining minutes it took Natsu to put the other things away with just watching him. Definitely one of her favorite pasttimes lately.

He wouldn't have complained about the impromptu hug. Oh well there would be lots of time later. "Leave it to me~" Natsu said with a confident grin before settling things.
For now they focused on putting everything in its place. Eventually he started feeling her gaze but acted like he didn't as he put the last of the groceries in place.

"There we go that was the last one." He said dusting his hands off after a job well done.

She glanced away before he could turn and see her watching him, tucking the bags into the trash. "Thanks Natsu." And since Regina and the kids weren't down yet, she padded over to him to steal a hug, wrapping both arms around him and hugging tightly. Her Natsu-affection levels were low, she needed a recharge. "We'll have to set the table once the others come down again."

He turned around in that hug and wrapped his arms around her just as tightly, nuzzling affectionately against her hair. His Lucy-scent and affection meter was reaching into the red too and he was going to fix that with a deeep whiff and a brief squeeze around Lucy.

"Yeah guess we could start now." If they can let go of one another.

That's the thing, whenever she held him she didn't want to let go. Especially when she held him tightly. No, whenever she hadn't been affectionate with him for at least an hour she needed to make up for it with almost ten times as much.

"Mmm...yeah." Oh right, Letting go. She really didn't want to, not with the way she pressed closer to him. It was only when she heard Regina calling for the kids not to run down the stairs that she realized it wasn't just them right now. That little bit of a hug was HARDLY enough for her, but she nuzzled against him one more time, murmuring a faint promise of, "Later..later..." when she started tugging herself away.

That period of time without close contact only made their moments when they could enjoy each other that much more precious. Not that it did anything to appease Natsu's greed of her. But he was holding it in pretty well especially when the kids were involved.

Even so he quickly darted in for a kiss from Lucy's lips before he straightened up and started taking out the necessary items to get hte table ready and set.

They were both so greedy for contact from each other that their brief opportunities were never enough. But the same would probably be said even if they spent twenty four hours with each other. And they already nearly do. Of course, when the kids were around, she managed just as well, if occasionally stealing a brief touch when she was with him.

She grinned into the kiss, almost leaning after him when he pulled away. Clearing her throat instead, she turned to collect some of the plate. "I'll set the table - can you warm up the food?"

Natsu couldn't help the chuckle that left his lips when she tried to follow after him when he pulled back. He never tired of the way he could just lure her in like that.

But they had their own new roles to take care of and Natsu lit the stove with a flame from his finger in response to Lucy's question. "Leave it to me~"

Lucy blushed slightly at that chuckle. Darn him and his all too tempting self. But she grinned, taking the dishes and plates out to set the table, greeting the kids and Regina. And of course, the kids insisted on sitting on either side of wherever Natsu sat, much to Lucy's eternal amusement. "Okay Okay, everyone sit~! Natsu's just warming up the food, and it'll be ready shortly. Remember what we said about the spicy food too, guys."

Once the table was set and drinks were poured, they just had to get the food doled out.

Natsu was used to it by now, the feeling of being flanked on either side of the food table by happy admiring children. It was a feeling that tugged at something insde of him. Something he never knew he really had.

It'll be ready in a minute." he called out as he adjusted the flame warming up the meal.

He was so good with the kids, Lucy could never get enough of watching him with them. It was no surprise they idolized him so much. "Take your time, perfection shouldn't be rushed, right?" She called back, teasing.

The kids were busy telling Regina about their antics that afternoon anyway - they could wait a little longer. Actually Neveren was doing most of the talking, with Justyne throwing in a few details here and there or correcting him on a point. Lucy still wasn't sure how a simple game of hide and seek wound up like that though.

"Hahaha you know it~" Natsu answered quickly to Lucy's words. It didn't take much longer after that fort the curry.

Natsu listened to Nev's story, sometimes hiding a smile behind their backs. Eventually the food was ready and Natsu brought the bigger pot to the middle of the table.