midnightstar | DA KIDLETS because i miss them so

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.

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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.

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.

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."

"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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

"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~!

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?"

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."

Edited Date: 2015-04-08 11:10 pm (UTC)

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?"

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

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.

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?

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!"

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?"

Natsu wasn't really angry at Herb and even he had to chuckle a little when the dog ran off with his prize. Well Natsu stole plenty of food from others during feasts whenever they weren't looking so really it was all fair game.

"Yeah I could go for another bite. Guess you really prepared for everything." Natsu said and flashed Lucy a thankful smile.

Catching that smile, Lucy grinned back. "Almost everything." She admitted, "Seeing that smile," any of his really, "always knocks me off my feet. Metaphorically."

She reached into the bag in any case, taking out another tupperware container - smaller than the first, and placed it in front of Natsu.

Natsu recovered some of his composure hearing Lucy admit that and he would've smirked and leaned in with a tease if she didn't have his food hostage. As it were he only gave her a knowing smirk.

"Oh really. You mean this smile? Or maybe this one?" He said flashing her with two distinct examples one more sultry and mischievous than the other.

Now that was evil, giving her two courses of sultry smiles. For a moment she was struck silent, staring at him with her breath caught in her throat. Then she shook her head quickly, catching herself before she leaned forward and assaulted him or something.

"E... Eat your food~!" She managed to say, after clearing her throat a few times. "I'm going to check on the kids."

Also put a little distance in there because hot-damn that was a spark. "Honestly, he's plenty lucky the kids are here," she muttered to herself. "Looking at me like that..." Who knew he had it in him!

Natsu let out a cheeky laugh but opened up the tupperware and started eating its contents all the while watching Lucy run off to catch up to the two kids and escape the dragon's charm. Now they were even for that neck nip in the middle of her tale.

Hmph! Lucy still thought it was hugely unfair. But she still intended on getting him buried under the sand before the day was out. She did volunteer him after all. Glancing back over to him, she shook her head slightly, settling down on the sand and stretching out a bit, listening Neveren and Justyne splashing about in the water, along with Herb's barking.

This was going to be a neverending cycle of one-upping one another. ANd frankly Natsu had no problem with things staying that way. It was who they were. A silly pair who competed over the silliest of things.

Once he finished with his food, Natsu slowly inched closer to where LUcy sat down.