DA KIDLETS because i miss them so

[celestial_wizard]

Now that the weather was warmer, the kids were no longer so restless (not that they could be too restless with Natsu around to play with) and were eager to go out and on adventures of their own, both with their older sis/bro/not parents and without. Regine was kept busy helping to tend the guild in their absence, though occasionally she got dragged off by the children for adventures, on days that Natsu and Lucy had work to do.

Although lately there'd been a lot of jobs, so Lucy, at least, hadn't had time to spend with the kids quite so much. Which was why she had suggested taking the kids to the beach for fun, sun, fishing, and whatever else they wanted to do. Good plan, yes? Yes! Nev'd been up since the crack of dawn, full of excitement, and vigor, like a tiny fire-less Natsu. Justyne, on the other hand, had slept in a little more. Lucy just had to put a few final touches on her appearance - since her hair had gotten much longer in the last few months. "Twenty jewels say that Neveren will be knocking on the door in five minutes." She called over to Natsu with a grin.

Comments

[celestial_wizard]

Justyne and Neveren just kept RIGHT on hiding behind Natsu, for they feared the wrath of Lucy~! Not that she was really being wrathy.

Actually she looked more like she was about to dunk all of them in the water. "Maybe it is, what are you going to do about it?"

Three versus one wasn't a very fair matchup!

[explodewiththerage]

"What I'm gonna do? Well I'm gonna call that bet of yours and tell you to do your worst!" Natsu grinned and crossed his arms confident that he could handle whatever Lucy threw his way.

[celestial_wizard]

Oh. The grin that took it's place on Lucy's face at that oh so confident response from Natsu. "Okay, you asked for it..." she purred. "Kiiiiiiids? Might want to move out of the way..."

She crouched slightly, taking a stance like she was getting ready to pounce attack Natsu. Neveren and Justyne exchanged glances, and quickly scrambled for cover where they suspected safe distance was. "Go easy this time, okay?" Lucy murmured to no one in particular. Or one person in particular. "Open Gate of the Water Bearer. AQUARIUS!"

Fortunately...Aquarius was in a good mood today. She didn't destroy the entire beach. She did, however, summon up a massive wave to dunk Natsu with though. Like a love tap, compared to her usual attacks. Although she looked a little bit too gleeful to do it. Of course, if Natsu braced himself he wouldn't get swept away at least. He would, however, get totally soaked though.

[explodewiththerage]

"Huh? What are you Geh!?" Natsu choked off his sentence in the middle as he quickly noticed what key Lucy had in her hand. "O-Oi Lucy you can't be serious." But she was. Natsu barely had time to firmly plant his feet into the sand to prevent himself from getting washed away though he was still left a very wet dragon in the end. His perfect spiky hairstyle was ruined too!

[celestial_wizard]

Lucy was a terrible person. In that she laughed really, really, REALLY hard, practically leaning on Aquarius - who only poofed back to the spirit world because she was Aquarius. Lucy on the other hand, without her support, sprawled in the water, but she was still laughing.

"I.. i..i..iff you could s..s..see your FACE..!" She howled, holding her sides. Though the perfect hairstyle was now completely soaked, he looked really cute with it wet too.

Neveren and Justyne, traitors that they were, stayed safely where they had taken cover, but they were giggling hysterically, not sure which was funnier. Lucy's inability to breathe for laughing, or poor Natsu's reaction.

[explodewiththerage]

Natsu was giving LUcy the most deadpan look he had in his portfolio of expressions.A wet dragon was rarely amused and he even huffed some smoke to emphasize it all before joining the group again.

[celestial_wizard]

Oh foo, he couldn't really be annoyed. After all they were supposed to get dunked in the water. And now he really didn't have any sand in his hair. Still, she chuckled, glancing after him, "Aw... what's the matter, fire's gone out?" She teased gently.

Well if he really was annoyed, she'd make it up to him later. The important thing was that the kids were amused.

[explodewiththerage]

Natsu rolled his eyes a little when she teased him about his fire going out. No he wasn't truly upset though there was one thing about her idea that she missed. Namely the fact that in causing that wave to hit she'd completely drenched all of their clothes. WHich was why he was pointing in that direction to her.

[celestial_wizard]

Oops. Lucy definitely had missed that little detail, so when she followed his pointing finger, spying the soaking wet attire, she clapped a hand over her mouth. "...crap."

... WELL that could be fixed with a nice fire, and it was about time for them to have something to eat besides! So...two birds and one stone? She waded out of the water, "Ahaha, I... guess I got a little careless there, sorry guys."

Justyne and Neveren snickered, but Nev piped up at the realization. "So we can go home in our swimsuits?" Beam!

"NO." Lucy answered firmly, "You'll catch cold! Now help me find some dry wood, we'll get a fire started and try to catch some of the remaining sun to get the clothes dry again.

Poor Nev. So dejected. He wanted to go home in his trunks. Sniff.

last post for the night. My brain is kaputnigk

[explodewiththerage]

Now that he'd pointed out Lucy's minor oversight, Natsu walked over to Lucy and proceeded to shake his head at her like a dog would shake after a bath making sure to get the droplets all over Lucy's face before running his hand through his hair in the same motion he looked back up.

"You don't wanna end up like that guy I know back in our world. He got a stripping problem because he wore so little clothes when he was a frosty brat and now he keeps stripping without even knowing it. YOu don't want that Nev."

Sweet Nalu dreams :3

[celestial_wizard]

"What th -ack, cut it out --!" Lucy flailed at the crazy dragonslayer, giggling as she reached out to push him away playfully afterwards. She wiped at her face, giggling again at Natsu's description of Gray.

Justyne looked skeptical, "No way..."

"Ahaha, it's actually true, there is a guy like that back home..." Lucy grinned sheepishly.

Neveren eyed Justyne, their reactions simultaneous. "EW." Bleh bleh. "Let's go dry our clothes off before we turn into perverts." Nev decided. Lucy stifled another chuckle, "Well, we should break for something to eat anyway." They had to have worked up an appetite, all that running around.

They were indeed

[explodewiththerage]

Natsu kept shaking droplets onto Lucy until she pushed him away point when he burst into laughter. He was certainly happy that he'd just prevented Nev from going the way of the frost princess with the stripping habbit. See he was a responsible not!Parent !

"Yeah I can't wait to see what you packed for the trip!" Food always helped brighten the day.

Good :3

[celestial_wizard]

Lucy sighed faintly, shaking her head at her weirdo dragonslayer. Picking her way to a spot, she started to reach into the bag she'd left on the sand a short distance away - well out of range of the waves thankfully, pulling out a blanket.

"I guess here's good." With Justyne's help, she spread the blanket out on the ground, though Nev and Herb kept sneaking over to try to steal some food a little early. Sneaks.

When they weren't chasing him away, they were taking the food out. For lunch, potato salad and spicy, barbequed chicken in two different containers; a thermos full of water and a thermos full of fruit punch, and for snacks, a bowl full of grapes.

the blanket over it like a table cloth, how classy. And with Justyne's help

[explodewiththerage]

Nev Herb and even Natsu you mean. The boys were like peas in a pod when it came to food. Luckily Lucy had her own ally in keeping the boys out of the food basket. Natsu could smell the food though and his mouth was already watering quite a bit.

[celestial_wizard]

Boys and their appetites. It was pretty funny nonetheless. Once the food was set out, Lucy stepped over to sit next to Natsu - at least that was the plan. Neveren squished himself into place before she could do so, though she wasn't sure if that was intentional or not.

She chuckled, settling down opposite the little boy, giving him bits of spicy chicken, though Natsu got an entire tupperware full since it was of a more volcanic spicy than mildly spicy. The entire not-family was eating spicy food now~! Even the dog.

"Okay everyone - tuck in!" Which was apparently code for eat like a pack of wild animals, considering Nev was eating like he hadn't had food for days. Jeez.

[explodewiththerage]

Boys will be boys. Something that clearly applied to dogs too if Herb's excitement was anything to go by. Natsu had saved Lucy a seat but when Nev decided to usurp that spot he didn't hold it against the boy and it seemed Lucy wouldn't either.

That being said it was hard to get upset over anything when Lucy was handing out the spicy feast and his tupperware was filled to the brim with Natsu level of spicy cooking.

"I thought you were never gonna ask! Thanks for the meal!" Natsu announced and then the small not!Family proceeded to scarf down their lunch with gusto. Well the male part of the not!family anyway. Natsu was certainly proud of Nev's enthusiasm though.

[celestial_wizard]

"Natsu -" Lucy paused, about to scold him for eating like a maniac. Well she was always happy to see him enjoying the food she made. She and Justyne were eating like normal people, but Herb was going to town on the contents of the bowl she'd made up for him, snarfing food up of chicken that'd been deboned with minimum of spices.

Neveren decided he wanted to try eating the way Natsu was, stuffing his face almost literally, until he practically choked. "Neveren! Chew your food!~" Lucy scolded, until he did indeed slow his eating.

"Can we go swimming again?"

Lucy glanced at Natsu, then at the sky- not quite dark yet. "Well not yet. You'll have to rest and let your food settle first, you don't want to cramp up and get in trouble." She grinned. "But you can bury Natsu in sand after lunch."

Apparently he really liked that idea~!

[explodewiththerage]

How could he not enjoy the food she made when she made it specifically to his exotic tastes. Natsu was inhaling his food at this point and would soon ask for seconds. The kids on the other hand apparently wanted to get back to the sea. Sadly mommy Lucy had to be the voice of reason. And then even volunteered him to be buried!

"Wha?"

[celestial_wizard]

Oh the look on his face: PRICELESS.

Lucy pretended not to notice, focusing her full attention on Neveren. "I'm sure you'd have fun with it. You could call it, Castle Dragon. Since Fort Dragon is kind of in disrepair right now. And visitors to Castle Dragon would never suspect that there was a power, vicious beast of a dragon lurking beneath the castle -"

"But it's Castle Dragon." Neveren huffed...mostly because spicy chicken was spicy, while Herb was trying to sneak up on Natsu to steal some of the bits of chicken dropping from his container. Sneaky sneaky...!

"Well... Call it Castle Pancake then." ... "Don't look at me like that. You wouldn't think for a second a fearsome dragon was under a castle named like that, would you?" She surveyed the gathered group, EYEing them loftily.

"I mean, if you want to go a less obvious route, that is."

[explodewiththerage]

She was having a blast coming up with these scenarios. Though they were a little lacking on the creative side of things. Something which showed all over Natsu's face. Herb was getting the opening he needed to pilfer some of Natsu's food though.

"Pancake though? Really?"

[celestial_wizard]

Lucy sensed skepticism! She stood up, pointing, imperiously. "Don't underestimate the mysteries of a castle, just because if has a name that sounds ridiculous. You don't know what lurks inside - an unassuming name such as Pancake, hides the most dangerous, violent, deadly beast known to man or woman."

Now he's done it, he had to get Lucy riled up. Getting to her feet she "It has the strength of fifty Vulcans, and stands taller than the tallest dragon." She clenches her hands on Justyne, earning a giggle from the girl as Lucy stalked towards Neveren. "Once you're captured in its claws there's no escape -!" Neveren squealed, darting out of the way with a fit of giggles, as Lucy stalked her way around towards Natsu, grinning wildly, pretending to hunt him as she prowled towards him. "And then... when you're at your're most vulnerable... it attacks!" As she 'attacked' Natsu with a playful 'RAWR' ... even going so far as to nip his neck sharply when the kids couldn't see from her angle. Sneaky!

"And its hunger is insatiable!" Lucy spun around with a mock hiss, sending the children running with high pitched shrieks of terror, and Lucy hot on their heels. RARH!!

Herb may still be trying to eat up scraps while Natsu's not paying attention. :9

[explodewiththerage]

Oh dear. He knew that look and what it meant. And he was in equal parts slightly afraid and excited. Natsu watched Lucy get the kids involved with her masterful performance, making it as if she truly believed every silly bit of her rant. But then she turned to him and while it was obviously still all a game, he couldn't help but react when she nipped his neck like that. Usually it was him who did that to her so he was surprisingly susceptible to the same move.

It was also the perfect distraction that would allow Herb to snatch the whole tupperware from Natsu's hand.

[celestial_wizard]

It was her revenge on him for nibbling her neck before. Still, knowing he was susceptible was information she'd keep tucked close to heart, ufufu. She chased Nev and Justyne until they escaped into the water, giggling, retreating when they counterattacked with splashing.

Sighing faintly, she turned to saunter back towards Natsu, blinking in surprise when she caught sight of Herb stealing the Tupperware from Natsu's hand. "Oh! Herb, no! Naughty puppy!" Goodness, did she stun Natsu so much that he lowered his guard that much?

[explodewiththerage]

Revenge accomplished and now she knew one of his great weaknesses. All in all it was well worth getting pulled under during the great castle wars. That being said Natsu snapped out of that momentary daze when he heard Lucy call out. "Wha? HEY! That's mine!"

[celestial_wizard]

Herb yipped at the pair of them, realizing he just got busted! He even snagged the Tupperware container, turning to bolt with his stolen snacks, though he dropped the container about halfway in his escape.

Lucy rested her hands on her hips, shaking her head with a chuckle, watching the puppy "Sorry about that. I think there's still more if you're still hungry?"