midnightstar | (no subject)

Lucy grinned, returning the squeeze, "Being around you constantly? I'm okay with that... I guess." She was about to relax a little, when there was a small sniffle from across from them.

That being from Justine, who was biting her lower lip and staring down at her lap. Regine pulled the smaller girl close, though she remained tense - Nev looked awkward, and Lucy - well she knew some of what had been bothering Justine earlier, and gently she pulled away from Natsu a bit. "Justine?"

Natsu on the other hand did not know so he could only look back curiously at the two but did nothing to stop Lucy from calling the little girl over.

At first Justine didn't move, and only got up when Regine prodded her. The older girl stumbled forward a step, hands clenched and her gaze on her feet.

"..m sorry.."

Lucy exhaled quietly, glancing at Natsu for a moment, before reaching forward to pull the girl closer - which is all that was needed before the teen needed before she let out a whimpering wail, "It's my fault..! If I hadn't brought that thing here we wouldn't have got in trouble."

Nev hesitated, even more awkward once Justine started crying. Uh. He's supposed to do something right? "..b.but I found it first," he said, desperately trying to find some way to make his sister stop crying. OGOD SOMEONE TURN OFF THE TEARS.

Natsu looked back at the two kids trying to take responsibility for their mistake. He could tell Justine was the one most torn up about it. So Natsu smiled softly and went up to both of them and pulled them into a warm hug against his chest. It was all so instinctual yet he felt that was the best thing he could do for them as they vented everything that was on their hearts.

"No one is going to blame you for anything."

D'awww. Lucy smiled at the sight, glancing over at Regine. Look at that man, he's such a good not-dad-big-brother figure!

When they're pulled into the hug, Justine practically wails, clinging onto Natsu, while poor confused Nev hugs them both, "Don't cry, Justine..!"

At Natsu's words, Justine paused. "Really...?" Justine sniffled, glancing at Natsu worriedly.

Lucy got to her feet to add her arms to the group hug, squeezing the little girl, "Don't think of it as being your fault - you have such a good heart, sweetheart. And think, if we weren't sent here after the both of you, things might have ended up badly." She didn't for a second thing Natsu would have failed to find her in time, that's just not possible. But other people could have died - Levy, and Freed, and Laki -

"Besides, we were able to meet a real fairy weren't we?" She didn't have a tail though, and Lucy didn't think to ask if there were fairies who had tails. Damn. "And we'll be able to go to our -real- home all together. None of that would have been able to happen if things didn't happen the way they did."

At that, Justine sniffed a bit and nodded, rubbing her eyes - -Nev sighed with relief, and then immediately started squirming because feelings ew.

Natsu chuckles seeing Nev growing a little uncomfortable with the whole love hug thing so he was released from the tighter hold. Justine was free to enjoy being snuggled boy both of her not!parents for a while longer though so Natsu stayed like that with Lucy on her other side for a while longer.

Justine stayed right where she was once her brother was released from the love hug, and Regina had to stifle her laughter when the boy seemed to shake himself from love cooties. Lucy resisted the urge to nab Nev and give him an extra big hug, but .. she'll do that later, when they get home.

"Pardon me, humans." The familiar voice of Bluebell reluctantly intruded on the affectionate scene. "We are ready for you now."

Lucy drew away from Natsu and Justine, "What about our other selves?" She kind of wanted to say goodbye to them at least.

"Regrettably it is taking longer to break the spell than we expected." Maybe it's just as well - maybe it'd be weird if they talked to them..selves.. Lucy glanced over at Natsu to see if he was okay with it too.

"Give me a second." Natsu said and pulled away to walk up to his dragon self, tapping his knuckle against the dragon's side.

"Hey. You make sure to keep hold of her properly from now on okay? Or next time I come here I'll kick your ass for doing a bad job at it~" Honestly that was an empty threat since odds of him coming back here were slim to none. But it still felt like a reminder worth stating so he did before turning back and doing the Fairy Tail sign with his hand as he walked away and joined his Lucy again.

"All set. Lets do this."

The Natsu dragon swiveled his head around when Natsu the Human rapped against his side. The empty threat almost got a laugh out of him, but he snorted a puff of steam at the smaller self instead, as if saying 'Yeah yeah, you don't have to tell ME that.' His tail curled a little more around his Lucy, though he glanced over to the other Lucy rather pointedly. Don't make him have to hunt YOU down for losing YOUR Lucy either.

Lucy didn't have to exchange words with her other self, though they stared across at each other during that little exchange, a knowing and understanding smile matching each other's expressions. The things they put up with.

When Natsu joined her again, she grinned, "Okay. Everyone stay close, all right?" She couldn't help but feel a little nervous excitement - they're finally, FINALLY going back home and with some very dear friends. They were also going to remember each other - everything they went through.

"You are certain you are ready?" Bluebell asked curiously, "Very well. Please step into the circle there." The fairy pointed over to where a circle had been drawn into the ground, and where there was a large ring of fairies creating its outline with their glow.

Natsu quickly reached for Nev while he naturally expected Lucy to take hold of Justine's hand as well. That left Herb and regine to join the circle but as soon as they were there as well, Natsu looked back at Bluebell and gave her an unwavering smile and nod.

Once everyone was in place, Bluebell smiled, nodding a little. "I wish you all the best." Again, that brilliant, brilliant white hot light engulfs the area, but there's no sensation of trying to yank people apart or numbness. There IS a great deal of disorientation, and Lucy tightens her hands on Natsu and Justine. The disorientation is followed by a feeling of weightlessness, and then nothing for several minutes.

And then the soft sensation of a cozy, familiar bed, a gentle breeze, the weight of an additional body and the nearby scents of all those you were with only seconds ago. Lucy's bed. Which means next to Natsu is ...

The differences are like night and day yet Natsu still didn't let go. But not just with his body. His mind clung fiercely to the memories he had of everyone he could sense. Every single one. The sad, the happy, the painful. All of it.

And then just as soon as it started it was over. Natsu's senses restored completely only to realize this...sensation. Natsu slowly opened his eyes only to see a familiar ceiling.

"Lucy?" He said turning to his side where he felt Lucy was holding his hand first.

"..mmm..." Lucy is there, yes, her grip on his hand looser than before their transport. Hearing her name being called, she opened her eyes slowly, staring at him for a long moment, her brain catching up with the rest of her. She glanced around, confirming where she was, a smile starting to curve her lips upward - and then she went tense. Wait. Did he still remember everything... did he still remember her? Should she start making excuses already?

"N.. Natsu..."

Luckily for her Natsu did not keep her guessing for long as the most relieved smile in the world finally claimed his lips before he leaned forward with a chuckle!

"We're back! We're really really back!"

"You remember.." she grinned with obvious relief. It had been tempted to tease him, demand to know what he was doing in her bed like she used to before they were together.. but she would never have been able to keep a straight face.

Instead she leaned forward and threw her arms around him, laughing, "We're home..! We're home...!"

Wait --- what about the others?

"We did~" Natsu laughed with Lucy. Though wow Lucy you let go so quickly while Natsu could definitely feel his hand held still even as you hugged him so closely.

Only because she was worried about Regine and the kids! If she let herself relax too much in the hug, she'd forget all about everything else and just want to stay in his arms!

Which she would really, REALLY love to do. But -AFTER- they check and see if the kids and Regine made it. Still, she can't help but smile, glancing around the room. So familiar - "I can hardly believe it. It's been so .." She trailed off - yeah there was good reason Natsu would be feeling someone else holding his hand, since Nev was curled up on his side and fast asleep, still clinging to Natsu's hand.

On a whim, Lucy glanced over on her side of the bed - Regine and Justine didn't have as much luck as the younger boy, both were curled up on the floor against the bed, with little Herb also worn out and asleep.

Edited 2017-11-30 00:51 (UTC)

Natsu turned around as well, showing a relieved smile when he saw Nev curled up against him, fast asleep. He turned back just in time to see Lucy doing the same on her side.

"Are they alright?" Since he could feel their scent after all.

The quiet thumpthump of Herb's tail when he lifted his head at Lucy peering down at them followed Natsu's question, and Lucy chuckled, leaning back again to glance at him. "I think they're just tired." She shifted to lean against him, relieved they were all present and accounted for. "They've all been through a lot in such a short time."

Well that answered one question. Herb definitely recognized them. He chuckled softly turning over to for a moment.

"Yeah. But they're all safe now. Away from the hands, away from stupid pixies."

"And the Hands." Lucy's gaze darkened momentarily at the reminder. What would happen back there with the key members of Fairy Tail gone?

"Let's move them onto the bed." It'll be more comfortable. She moved to slide off of the bed to scoop Justine up. "It'll be more comfortable."

"Well tecnically Mavis was still there so who knows. Bottom line is they are now far out of reach of that place in both senses of the concept.

"Yeah sounds like a plan. Should go get some food sorted after that." because Natsu himself was definitely feeling a little peckish. Still he gingerly started pulling his hand out of Nev's hold. Or tried to.

Lucy giggled softly, "Hungry already? I can't be surprised - maybe if they wake up soon we can show them to the guild and get somethign to eat there." And as Natsu starts pulling his hand out -- nope Nev doesn't wanna let go.

Lucy giggled, settling Justine on the bed with the little girl's arms comfortably around Lucy's neck. "Here, let me help." She reached over to gently pull Nev's hand off of Natsu's - the little boy murmured and shifted, this time glomming onto Lucy's arm.

"Uh.." Erm. She tugs back a little, but he's hanging on just as tightly as he was hanging onto Natsu.

Natsu may also hear a very very quiet suppressed giggle from one - or both of the children. Lucy doesn't seem to have noticed. "Natsu, help?"

"Just a little~" Natsu asked before hitting that snag. Okay his hand was a permanent fixture and he looked over to Lucy uncertainly. But then....he heard it. Mischievious giggling that was too low for human hearing to pick up.

"How do you expect me to help when I am stuck as well?" Natsu asked before turning over more fully and trying to free his hand again. These two....they were pretending weren't they?

They were TOTALLY pretending. Well NOW they were. He could hear Justine -very- quietly whispering a 'shhh' to Nev. "Uh..." Hrm, how huh? "W.. well you figure something out~!" She whispered fiercely to him. Yep, putting it all on him, how helpful!