midnightstar | (no subject)

Natsu heard the man fall but he was in the river so he'd make it just fine. Right now he was far more keen to get as much of his fill of Lucy as possible.

"Well then I'm glad to hear that~" he chuckled and actually pecked her on the lips so quick someone might have missed it.

"That's it alright. Fairy Tail." He confirmed what the kids were saying, nodding with such pride.

That had to be either that he knew she was going to get 'stolen' away from him by the gossiping girls, or because of what happened in Other Magnolia. In either case, she didn't think it mattered - it still resulted in spending more time with Natsu that she relished.

Her eyes widened briefly in surprise at the sneaky ambush kiss, her lips curving into a bemused grin. Ah, if only she could have a few minutes more just to be alone with him -- but that can wait. She could hardly wait to be able to curl up with him on her couch - he of course, was no stranger to her bed even here, but now there was entirely different meaning to him being in it.

"I bet you'll get along great with Romeo and Wendy," Lucy grinned, "As well as Asuka. You're both a bit older than her, but she's such a sweetheart." It won't matter - she can get grown men like Natsu to play with her, after all. "We're almost there." Her hand tightened on Natsu's arm - a little nervous anticipation.

It wa most likely a bit of column A and a bit of column B. Still with Lucy not resisting his clinginess, Natsu naturally saw now reason to change what he was doing. "Oh Asuka especially is going to love you guys~" He could see the little cowgirl playing from morning till evening every day.

"Yeah here we go~" he nodded, giving Lucy a reassuring squeeze.

She was allowing his clinginess for the time being - mainly because she was going to have to suffer being apart from him at least for the first day back. Once the excitement died down, their friends would have no problem with letting them sit close together - though it'd probably be Lucy's embarrassment to keep him from being -too- clingy then.

"Here we go.." She echoed, giving him a soft smile, her heart skipping a beat a little. Putting her hand to the door, she pulled it open with a bright smile.

It was already noisy in the guild, those present chattering about one thing or other. No sign of Juvia, Wendy, Erza or Gray though so that meant they were out on a mission most likely. Lucy let out a sigh of relief, lingering in the doorway and just letting the atmosphere wash over her.

God, she's missed this. She's missed them. Levy is the first to notice Lucy's arrival, turning to give her bestie a bright smile, "Lu----" .... She stops short.

Mirajane, having been in conversation with Levy, cleaning a glass, follows her glance, "What's wrong L--" Both are for a second, struck mute from the surprise. And they aren't the only ones, because one by one, everyone else in the guild slowly glances over towards the door as well, the chatter slowly dying off into dead silence.

Everyone staring at the sight of Lucy standing QUITE close to Natsu with their arms around each other almost intimately, and then the group behind them who looked two parts confused and two parts amused.

"Well this isn't awkward at all..." Lucy whispered under her breath.

Yeah that stunned silence was around what Natsu expected. So many people he thought he was just an idiot who could think of nothing but fighting after all. So rather than let it get to him, Natsu threw his arm around Lucy's neck and pulled her in close, bringing his lips dangerously close to Lucy's in front of everyone.

"I don't mind it~"

WOW her face got red VERY quickly. Everyone was watching... but .. Natsu. BUT EVERYONE WAS WATCHING. Of course, whereas the others were expecting her to flail and sputter and shove Natsu away or smack him, she only does two of those things.

Sputter and flail mentally. "N.. Natsu..!" What in the world was he THINKING?

She glanced away from the temptation that was her beloved to look towards her second family and... yyyyyyyep, everyone's jaw had HIT THE FLOOR. Mirajane's hand went slack and the cup dropped from her hands, clanging onto the floor and startling a majority of the room out of the stunned reaction.

Several pulled away into small groups to quickly bicker and argue about who won the bet, who owned who money and how much, while Levy had the -biggest- grin on her face, jumping to her feet.

What was so hard to understand? He was simply making his claim a obvious and blatant as possible. Wouldn't want anyone getting any funny ideas about this dragon's treasure. That being said it was also fun to see the various reactions as well as people going over to get their winnings from the betting pool.

"Gonna have to turn the focus onto nev, Justine and Regine though. Don't want to steal their attention after all." With that Levy walked up to them while Natsu loosened his hold and turned over to the kids and their pupper with Regine.

"Come on in guys. This is Fairy Tail. Our home."

"Huh wh-- oh! Yeah of course," ahem. God. damn him and his evil flustering ways. She stepped aside to let the group in, the hair on the back of her neck prickling as she FELT Levy staring holes into her skin, and Mirajane along with her. "L.. Levy! Mirajane, I want you to meet some very dear friends of ours," more than friends, really. "Nev, Justine, and Regine - and their dog Herb.

Regine was the first to step inside, smiling a greeting - though behind her were Justine and Nev. Literally, like a pair of ducks, sticking close to their Caretaker.

"It's so... big!~" Justine murmured in a soft breath. "And pretty!"

"And lively -" Regine agreed, chuckling. She glanced over at Natsu, "Is it always like this?"

"Sometimes it's -ack!" Lucy squealed when Levy suddenly grabbed her left arm, "Lu-chan, a word..?" Kind of funny to see the much shorter girl "dragging" the other girl away with her.

Mirajane beamed sweetly, "I'll be over to join you both in a moment, Levy, don't start without me!"

In all honesty this should not be a surprise. She knew him too too well and after what happened in the other world he was intending to make it clear beyond a shadow of a doubt that yet him and Lucy were now an item and no one could do anything about it.

"Pretty much. It's actually pretty tame right now since no one's brawling yet." Natsu grinned as if he'd said the most natural thing ever.

If Lucy expected to be rescued, she would be sorely disappointed since he knew the girls would have nothing of it.

NATSU YOU TRAITOR! how could you abandon her to her fate! Her horrible horrible fate! She'll never be heard from again!

Mirajane on the other hand, was pleasant and smiling herself - which wasn't always a good thing, knowing her, but she leaned down to address the children first, "Aren't you two adorable! My name is Mirajane - call me Mira~!" She straightened again, this time as the other popular couple in the Guild wandered on over, amused smirks on their faces.

"We were wondering when you were going to put in an appearance today," Alzack remarked, "But we didn't expect an entrance like THAT."

"You made us an extra five thousand jewels today." Bisca added with a teasing grin. "Who are your friends?" Mostly curious for the children, who looked about a good age to be playmates for their own little one.

"Wow you were betting too? Well glad to hear you were on the winning side." Natsu laughed loudly and proudly something that likely made it even harder for poor cornered Lucy.

"That's actually a long story. But you can pretty much say they're very important people to me and Lucy. Nev and Justine here are even learning magic of their own." Something that would likely be much easier in Earthland where the Etherion levels were much much higher.

"Regine is the one who takes care of them. And I would say our new barmaid? Bet Mira would love to show her the ropes." And Regine would want a job so what better than to help out in the guild?

Mirajane brightened when she heard that Regine would join them as a barmaid. "Really? You worked in a bar before?"

Regine glanced over at Natsu briefly, then back to the other woman, "Well.. like Natsu said, it is complicated, but yes."

Mirajane beamed even more, "Perfect! I'd love to show you the ropes, but I have a little business to attend to with Lucy and Levy over there. But by all means, make yoruself at home!"

Bisca grinned at the news, "You'll have to share the story then Natsu. Now that the war is over, we've all the time in the world to hear it."

Alzack on the other hand, knelt in front of the two kids, "You know, we have a daughter a little younger than you - I bet she'd love new friends to meet. Would you like to meet her?"

Justine was about to nod, but she paused, glancing at her little brother, who looked up at Natsu hesitantly for a second.

"Wait...it's really over?" he had presumed he'd ended up sometime before it started since he couldn't see any damage at all. Though that also meant...a lot of time must have passed.

Natsu turned his head when he felt the two kids peering up at him curiously. Honestly they were stirring up his paternal instincts so hard that the smile he showed the two as he nodded to their silent question, must have given a few poeple pause. Especially the two parents right there with him.

"Go on. You guys should get to have fun and make new friends~"

Alzack and Bisca exchanged puzzled glances, "Are.. you feeling all right, Natsu? You know the war's been over for months now." Bisca answered, a little confused.

Though seeing him with the children is even more surprising. But with Natsu's permission, and Regine's as well, the kids nod at Alzack, who grins. "I'll be right back, I'm going to go and introduce these two to our little spitfire." He chuckled. Regine paused, then glanced at Natsu. "I'll go with them - for a little while at least." After what they were through, she wasn't really keen on letting them out of her sight long.

"Months. Wow we've been gone that long huh..." Natus muttered before letting out a deep sigh as if years of pressure had finally lifted.

"That's part of the long story. Though it might sound hard to believe." Natsu started before Regine decided to go along with the kids.

"Go ahead. Careful Asuka doesn't charm you into wanting to take her home too~" Since she was so very precious and adorable beyond measure.

Over by Lucy, it looked like she was under some pretty deep interrogation from Mirajane, Levy and a number of other lookie loos- the attention in the guild RATHER divided on who to stare at incredulously.

"We just saw you yesterday," Bisca corrected, still confused. "You haven't gone anywhere." Oh boy this was going to be quite a story. And one that should be had once Lucy and the others were free - or at least Lucy.

Regine chuckled, "I'll try, though I doubt her parents will let me." She smiled, following along behind Alzack with Herb.

Bisca, now that they were KIND of alone, glanced over towards Lucy - poor girl in the hotseat - and then over to Natsu, "So, when did that happen?" She grinned, "You and Lucy - Al and I had our hunches for a while now, as close as you two are, but still - it was a bit of a surprise seeing you come in like that." She chuckled almost impishly, "Looks like Gray's lost his bet." He'll probably start an argument about that later.

Natsu just shrugged when they pointed out how she had seen him and Lucy just the other day. To them that might have been the case but as far as the Slayer and the Celestial mage were concerned it had been over a year.

"Well I'd say it's been over a year and a half since we ACTUALLY got together. " Which likely didn't add up with what they knew. But his wording made it sound like he had held those feelings for longer. Much longer. So there was that at least.

It .. DOESN'T add up. Which is probably why Bisca still looks puzzled - now she could certainly believe he'd had feelings for the pretty mage for a very long time though. "And she's hidden it from us for that long?" She sounded very skeptical on that - Lucy wasn't that good a deceiver!

She glanced over at the blonde, then back to Natsu, "... but you know, however it was, I'm glad for you. She'll be good for you. And from the way she keeps throwing those glances your way when she thinks you're not looking -" she laughed, "She reminds me of someone.." Her maybe. When she first fell for Alzack. "Still, over a year and a half..."

"She was hiding it from herself too really so no wonder you didn't know for sure." Natsu didn't mind that though. Things had worked out in the end and quite honestly he would not have it any other way than it was now.

"Like I said that's a long story. And it's also connected to where those four came from." he said regarding to Regine with the two kids and the pupper.

"Aauggh, Lev..evy, can't... breathe..!" This from Lucy as the interrogation finally comes to an end.

Mirajane pulls free from the group, giggling, "Natsu~" C'mere you, she's going to give him a tight hug (she won a bet too, natch.)

Bisca glanced over at the pair, and then back to Natsu, "Wait, those four are much too old to be your children if you were only 'gone' a year and a half."

Mirajane almost choked, "Wh.. Lucy's pregnant too?"

"I AM NOT!!" Ohgod everything is dissolving into chaos already.

And then he's hugged before he can elaborate though he knows better than to try and escape.

"That's because they aren't. Well you could say they are in a sense. We took them in after we saved them from a witch." Sounds like a real fairy tale doesn't it?

Bisca let out a soft laugh, glancing over her shoulder as Regine started making her way back with Alzack, apparently having decided that the children would be fine on their own.

"They've really hit it off with your daughter - and she's so -CUTE-." Regine gushed, smiling happily when she rejoined the group. Lucy finally managed to pry herself free from Levy, though she looked a little blue in the face from a lack of air, staggering over to stand with Natsu ..and possibly make sure she doesn't fall over.

"You're really going to have to share that story with the rest of us, sometime.. you and Lucy both." Bisca mused, smiling softly at the small group and listening to the giggling of children and barking of a pupper.

"Don't worry we will." He just didn';t trust himself to get all the details right. Seeing Lucy and Regine make their way back, Natsu greeted both with a grin. a bigger one was saved to Lucy though.

"Oh hey you're still alive~" he teased with a cheeky grin.

"BARELY." Lucy remarked, mock dramatically, "How could you abandon me like that?" She pouted, much to Regine's amusement - but Lucy gleefully hugged Bisca and Alzack, before glancing at Natsu. "Did you tell them?"

"Hah! You think they would have let me go anywhere near your special emergency girl time?" Natsu shot back with a cheeky grin before he turned a bit more serious.

"Not everything. I wanted to wait for you to come back to make sure I got all the details right."