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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Well you're the one with ideas~" Natsu retorted without a shred of shame. He was tempted to pull her back all the way until she rose but once she did, he decided that watching her like the goddess she was provided it's own kind of allure. She was careful not to Look at him. He was doing the opposite, feasting his eyes on the delightful view.

Lucy giggled at that shameless response. Honestly, he'd gotten so much more cheeky and mischievous ever since they confessed their feelings to each other. Knowing full well he was watching her, she hid a smile. It made her want to -tease- him too much, all that attention.

"Aah, look at this," she tsked, "Water everywhere." Yeah Lucy, remember -WHY- the water was everywhere? Cough. Absently she pulled a towel down and tossed it over to Natsu. Oh wait, he could just flame-dry himself - duh. Oh well, he could still make use of it. She checked her reflection, reaching up to tug her hair out of its bun since she didn't need to worry about it getting wet now.

"Hey hey half of that is you fault too you know." Natsu pointed out before he rose from the tub as well with his full bare physique on display, taking his time to use the towel on purpose to see how long she could last without looking. Oh yes he wanted her to look. Her and only her.

Damn right her and only her. No one else is allowed to see him naked, including Erza, 'skinship' or no skinship. Just as he was the only one allowed to see her naked.

Ohhhhhh, god he's ...well of course he was standing up, and taking his damn time to use that towel. "I-I know that..." She practically tripped over her tongue when she glanced at him over her shoulder.

She....may have stared at his chest a bit too long, her gaze combing over his form, before she snapped out of it and quickly glanced away again. "Ahaha, I mean..." She got a bit wild - honestly the way he stoked her desires was like feeding a fire itself until it was out of control.

Oh he caught that linger look and he was undeniably entertained by managing to sidetrack her like that. Natsu smirked before finally putting the towel around his hips but just to tease Lucy even more when he ran his hand through his wet hair and smirked shamelessly at her.

"You mean~?"

Y'know, she didn't actually remember what her whole point was now. Seeing him with his bare chest and that unfair smirk, and his hand running through that thick, wet ... FOCUS LUCY.

"Huh? Oh. Um." She shook her head, opting to turn to step out of the bathroom before she pounced on him, clearing her throat. "Would you mind taking care of the water spillage?" Change the subject, yeah~!

Thinking thinky thoughts of potential revenge.

Natsu paused for a moment to flash Lucy an "Really? Out of all the things you could have asked me do you go for something so boring and easy?" kind of look. Understandably so since trying the floor and everything would quite literally take him minutes.

"Well I guess I could. Even if it feels kinda silly."

She didn't want their floor to get all moldy and slippery! And it would only take him minutes if even that. Still, she couldn't help but chuckle at the look he gave her, moving closer to him.

Deciding to purr a teasing little, "Mmpllleeeeeeeasse ...?" in his ear to give him a little encouragement to do nonmanual labor for her. Sheesh. But in case he got other ideas, she ducked away from him immediately afterwards, toying with her hair and watching him pensively.

Oh she was getting better at avoiding his ambushes now was she? Natsu wasn't sure how to feel about that since on one hand he wanted to capture her when she least expected but on the other he would be proud about her improvement and making him have to work for the treat that was Lucy's reaction.

"Fiine I'll do it. " Natsu rolled his eyes at the wink and lit one hand on fire.

Yes, because it was fun to make him work for his captures sometimes. On the other hand it was that great a thing for her too, when she wanted him to capture her in his arms. But making it too easy for him would make it boring!

"Heehee," Lucy grinned at his reaction, "I don't know why you're fussing so - I doubt it'll take you that long, and the alternative would mean I'd have to use a bunch of towels to dry the floor. That would take even longer." She was content to wait, watching him with her back against the doorway, though the way her lips were curving upwards practically screamed she was going to tease him whenever he tried to ambush her.

He'd just have to get sneakier if he wanted to ambush her when she was on alert like this! That is assuming she didn't have plans of her own.

"...watching you dry the floor with towels would've been pretty nice actually. Bending over and kneeling to do it. I agreed too quickly." Natsu admitted with a mock grumble before he started projecting his flames at the floor, to the point that the bathroom soon became steamy.

Lucy stifled a laugh at his response, responding to the mock grumble with a haughty hmph, "So you'd make me dry the floor all by myself just so you could watch me bending over? That's some nerve!" She stated, mock huffy.

Moving away from the doorway as something caught her eye, and so the steam wouldn't get her hair all frizzy. "Aa- it feels like a sauna in here," she laughed, rustling about in the other room.

A few seconds later, her robe was discarded and tossed onto her bed. The reason for that being, when he emerged from the bathroom, he'd see that she stole a certain Dragonslayer's article of clothing, and was now modeling it in the mirror. No no, not the scarf. But the way she wore it now it was practically a dress if she kept it closed, and the thought was pretty darn entertaining.

"Just saying it as it is. Totally worth it either way." Natsu shamelessly admitted before she finally left his vicinity. He had been so focused on drying the bathroom off that he couldn't even begin to notice that Lucy had made off with his clothes.

It was only when he finally returned to their bedroom proper that he caught her, checking herself out in the mirror while wearing his peculiar outfit. Rather than interrupt her though he decided to keep quiet and watch, wondering if she'd do anything Lucy like to embarass herself when she thought he wasn't looking.

What, Lucy? Embarrass herself? Perish the idea! Though she was being a little silly, striking a few poses that she thought was threatening. She even adopted a fighting stance, miming little punches at her reflection. "Hya, hya~! I'm all fired up -!" Rah --

She giggled to herself, turning around. GAK! And nearly having a heart attack when she saw Natsu standing there watching her. She..really should be used to that by now. "Natsu~! SAY something next time, jeez!"

By the point she finally notices him, Natsu is leaning against the doorframe arms crossed and a highly entertained smirk playing over his lips. Yup totally worth having to dry off the bathroom if he got to see this lovely performance.

"All fired up huh~?"

Lucy crossed her arms, mock huffy. "Oh shush," she giggled. "I was just curious anyway." Curious about how she'd look in his clothes, or just how she looked when she was trying to be threatening. "As often as I might say it, it's something that only sounds right coming out of you."

Grinning, she padded over to her bed, "Here, let me give your clothes back too." She reached out to scoop up her robe in order to switch.

That mock huffy look was so tailored for Lucy. IT was always worth seeing it and it made him want to tease and mess with his partner more and more each day.

"Oh no you can keep it. I'd even say it looks better on you like this~" At least for him the view was nothing short of a visual feast.

Lucy chuckled softly, "Hmm, A very tempting offer, especially since I'd get to see your body more," she teased. "But I like you better in it. It's like your signature outfit. Besides, I wouldn't want everyone to stare at you, anymore than you'd want them to stare at me."

Turning her back, she shrugged off his clothes, trading them for the robe so she could throw it on over her shoulders again.

"Suit yourself. I still come out on top. After all now it has your scent too~" Natsu pointed out as he took the outfit from where she put it down and gave it a long dreamy sniff while also looking slyly up at Lucy.

Lucy blushed, "You are such a weird guy," she grinned, "But that's just part of why I love you." Fastening her robe, she padded over to him in order to pull him into her arms, hugging him tighter. "My weirdo."

She went for a hug while Natsu dipped her in for a lingering kiss before he pulled back with a winner's smirk on his face. "Yours and only yours~ Weirdo~"

And he was rewarded with a squeal of surprise from Lucy at the sudden dip. Almost chasing after him for that, she held back just a little in order to brush her lips against his jaw, "I really like the sound of that." She murred, nipping him playfully. She never thought she had such possessive jealousy in her until him.

The squeal made him smirk into the kiss even chasing after her lips before he realized where she was going with them and deciding that was much better for everyone involved. THe nip caught him a little by surprise but not in a bad way as he chuckled in response to Lucy's words.

"And you should given you're the only one able to claim they're true~"

She muffled a soft giggle against his skin, trailing her lips over the little areas she marked him with, and placing a soft kiss against each one. Aa, though she'd left quite a few, and the realization made her a little flustered. "I guess I got a little..." Hrm... what would be the best adjective to describe that. Wild? Primal? "...overzealous." That still didn't quite cover it, "We're lucky you have that scarf." Even though Natsu probably wouldn't care if anyone saw the love bites Lucy had marked him with. Heck, he probably would even gloat about it!

"You mean you're lucky. I don't mind showing any of em off if I had to~" Natsu pointed out with a cheeky grin that showed he meant every single of those words he'd just let out.