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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That was definitely the definitive point between them. Feeling him nuzzle against her, she made a faint purring noise herself, nuzzling back against him. "Hm?" She grinned, glancing towards him. "Is that so? Well good, because I'm never going to stop making it with you." She nuzzled under his chin with a sigh of contentment. "And there are plenty of things I can't get enough of with you too, while we're on the subject."

That noise was very dangerous. It made him want to hear it even more and something told him Lucy would have no problem complying. And she didn't given her words and that nuzzling he felt right under his chin making him chuckle.

"Oh really~ Tell me more~"

If he kept nuzzling against her like that, chances were she would be making that noise more often. Smiling to herself at the sound of his chuckle, she pondered his request. "Hm... I could, but that ego of yours..." She teased, "I don't know, should I really give you more reason to be smug?"

If she wanted more nuzzling he could comply. Just like he was doing right now, even teasing her skin with his breathing while she answered.

"Hmmm so you'd want me to try and not act smug in exchange?" Oh he's starting to catch on fast isn't he?

He -is- catching on fast. The fact actually made her grin even more - even if that meant she wouldn't be able to trick him as easily. Those continued nuzzles though, even that teasing feel of his breath on her skin - she shivered slightly, humming a soft purr that turned into a chuckle at the question. "Is something like that even possible?"

Well he might let her trick him. After all the loss wasn't always unpleasant. If someone had to best him he'd prefer it to be Lucy.

"Well I can try~ If the prize is good enough." Yes he was pretty much telling her she can bribe him. Not like he had to. Really.

Lucy stifled a laugh. Oh bribery hm? "Oh, really - well I'll have to think of a really good prize." She murmured, leaning in against him as if she was going to pull him into another kiss. Well, almost, since she stopped a short distance away from committing to the act. "Prizes... it's a little hard to pick something that I don't do for you already, you know." Almost impossible, really. HRMM. "I might have to think about this one." Yeah she definitely sounds amused.

"You're the writer. I'm sure you've got plenty of ideas for prizes swimming around inside that head of yours~" Natsu managed to get out as she leaned in close...only to stop so tortuously short of actually sealing the deal.

"Well maybe getting comfortable will help come up with something~" he proposed, wanting to get her in bed sooner rather than later.

She grinned impishly, "Oh I have plenty of ideas," she purred. "Deciding on one is the hard part." She even pretended to consider the proposal for a few seconds, "Mm, well I'm pretty comfortable like this." She teased. Heck, she was pretty much clinging to him like a koala while he was holding her in his arms like that. "But we can always be more comfortable." She added, leaning in the rest of the way to treat him with a few light kisses.

That grin. Oh how he loved to see that grin too. Natsu met her kiss for kiss, even managing to steal a few extra without her intention. Two could play the teasing game after all.

"Mhmmm and I know just the way" Natsu said between kisses before carrying his KoalaLucy over to the bed he so adored all this time.

His stealing a kiss in between was like a delightful little surprise each time. It was almost turning into a game, to see who could sneak in a kiss first, lending more credence to the fact that they were entirely too silly, and unbelievably caught up in each other to find new and different ways to entertain each other and enjoy each other all around. She nuzzled into another kiss, chuckling, "Oh you do, hmm..? You've got my interest." says the Lucy-Koala.

"As if I don't always. Think I never notice you watching me all the time, my queen?" Natsu growled, more mischievous than ever as he lowered Lucy onto her back on the bed with him quickly crawling on top of her to keep the distance between the two of them as small as possible at all times.

He wasn't carrying anymore so she didn't really need to cling to him as tightly as she had before. Still that didn't mean she intended to let him go and from the looks of things, Natsu had the same idea. Distance was their enemy. "Me, watching you?" She echoed with a coy grin. "Maybe a -little-. It's a little egotistical to think I'm watching you -ALL- the time."

Which she is, but if he was going to be mischievous, so was she~!

Natsu chuckle again hearing her teasing counter. Honestly it was quite impressive that she wasn't a flustered mess all over again. After all his open fest was so close to her hands that she could enjoy the chiseled build he had with very little difficulty.

"It would be. It if wasn't true." Totally calling her bluff in full.

It's because she was so caught up in the game of teasing and counterteasing. When she had something to occupy her brain, it was a pretty good defense against the vision before her. As it is, there was a perpetual blush on her cheeks just from him being on top of her.

"And what makes you think it's..." ...she trails off for a second, rethinking that statement. She DOES watch him a great deal. Really could anyone blame her? He's far too wonderful for words, and ever since falling so hard for him she'd stolen constant glances at him. And heaven knew she appreciated his physique very much.

Yes, that same physique that was right now almost flush against her. ...

Oh. Dear. God. Seriously how could anyone in their right mind -not- appreciate that?

"A-anyway, it's obviously an exaggeration..!" Geez Lucy, get more red and you'll be an apple. Get your mind out of the gutter.

So he was doing her a favor with all the back and forth banter. Maybe he'd catch on about that and just simmer down with the teasing she she'd notice him faster. Well either way he was enjoying moments like these regardless.

He picked up on the way she trailed off and couldn't help the smirk spreading on his lips. Those moments where she zoned out like that into her own thoughts were the most telling.

"You don't sound so sure~" She's becoming an apple he really wants to take a bite from. Metaphorically of course.

He moved one hand down to Lucy's side and held her firmly but gently as if to make it even more clear that she was in his grasp with no sign of that ceasing any time soon.

A favor she was quite thankful for! But yes, without that banter she'd be getting much more flustered, much more quickly. Like with that smirk, and that touch that as much said No Escape. Not that she was even thinking of escaping. "S-Sure I'm sure! I'm sure as I could be, for sure..!" Did she say sure too much? His touch was always distracting. "I couldn't be more sure of a thing..!" Uhoh - she's starting babble. Breathe, Lucy, breathe~!

... "Um... w-why do you think I don't sound sure?"

She was making this way to hard to hold back. That babbling for an excuse was just too entertaining and he didn't really feel mean about encouraging it at any time. Oh what's that? Totally not his hand starting to move up and down along her side, keeping the brushes of his fingers light but warm with the promise of more

"Why? Well for one, your face right now~"

He didn't feel mean? He should! It was cruel and inhuman punishment! Well. Not really. Her breath hitches in her throat a little feeling his hand moving along her side, her blush nearly reaching critical mass. "M... My face?" she managed after a moment, "What's .. what's wrong with my face?"

Nope he knows that deep down she loves the teasing and the banter. He can hear the beating of her heart quicken for a moment, the sign of someone being caught with their hand in the cookie jar that only he was privy to.

"Well I could stop and get a mirror to show you. But do you really want me to do that~?"

"No!" Wait. "I-I mean..." erm. What does she mean? "...no." She didn't need to see a mirror to know her face was a darker color than his hair even right now. Just a face full of pinkness and brown eyes. Difficult it might be to think clearly with the way his hand was brushing her side, the last thing she wanted him to do was -stop- doing that. "I...I think I can guess.." Is it hot in here or is it just him?

... oh wait, that's a literal question isn't it?

Okay that was his limit. He'd been holding back his amusement with all his might but her kneejerk reaction and the way her face resembled a tomato than a person's. It was just too much and with a snort he started laughing before lowering his head next to her neck, laughing into the bedsheets.

"I can't...I can't hold it in. You're just too much Lucy!"

How rude! She was stunned for a second when he burst out laughing, glancing towards him out of the corner of her eye. "A-and.. and just what is so funny?" Pink -and- puffy cheeked, as she huffs up at him, amused by the sound of his laughter, but feigning peevishness as was the way of Lucy's.

It took him a while to settle down though the effect of laughing himself breathless made his expression even softer than usual as his eyes were half lidded from the few tears of mirth he shed from the whole thing. "What? You even have to ask. It's how cute you can be~"

.. seeing that soft expression on his face, she couldn't keep up the huffy farce, grinning instead. "You're so weird, Natsu." She chuckled softly. Of course with him even closer than before it was even harder to not notice.. everything. Probably a good thing her arms were still around his neck - she hadn't gotten the temptation to admire his chest properly yet.