Chapter Text
Lucy Fullbuster was having a rough morning. She was under attack and outnumbered; there was no help coming, no hope of a reprieve within sight. She was on her own with only her wits to save her.
“You can do this,” she whispered to herself. In all of her years as a mage of Fairy Tail, she had surely been in more dire straits than this... She just couldn’t think of any examples at that moment. She closed her eyes for a moment then took a deep, shuddering breath. Don’t let them sense your weakness, Lucy. Once they smell blood in the water it’s all over.
A high-pitched whine interrupted her precious moment of self-reflection.
“Mommmmmmmyyyyyyy!!! Layla stole a bite of MY bread! Now it’s YUCKY!” Only her 8 year old son could manage such a high pitched tone that was part whine, part angry accusation. Jack was the mirror image of his mother with blonde hair and rich brown eyes; he also had a bit of her temper.
“NUH UH! You’re lying! Meanie!” A wail now began to issue from her daughter; her tone was more of pure outrage. Layla was 6 years old and had her father’s dark hair and deep blue eyes; she also had some of her mother’s temper.
“It is! It is yucky! I don’t want your gross girl germs!!” Then the bread was flying and as Lucy switched off the stove burner then turned around to hurry toward the table with mollifying words already on her lips and the smell of burning eggs behind her, she saw the bread fly; saw her daughter easily dodge; and was only able to fix a look of grim resolution on her face before the jam side collided with her face with an audible smack.
There was a long moment of shocked silence. An aura of dread seemed to creep into the room as Lucy stood completely frozen while the bread slowly made its way down her face before falling to the tiled floor with a splat. Jam side down. Of course, Lucy thought and barely contained a wry smile.
With a sudden cry, Lucy fell to her knees like a wounded animal, clutching at her face with her hands. Layla gasped. Jack stared at her, gaping at her with shock.
“Oh no! I have been struck a mortal wound!” Lucy wailed, eyes searching upward as if beseeching the heavens to listen to her anguished pleas. “To think, it was my own children! My own children were the end of me!” With a cry, Lucy slowly fell the rest of the way to the floor until she was on her back, arms thrown dramatically out and her long blonde hair splayed out around her.
Peals of laughter erupted from the two children and in moments they were on her, hugging and kissing her while apologizing profusely.
“Mommy, Mommy! Don’t died! I love you! Mommmyyyyyyy!” Layla was giggling as she made her pleas, not falling for her mother’s act for a second. She threw herself across her mother’s body then gasped when Lucy quickly brought her arms around to tickle the little girl’s ribs without mercy.
“Me too, Mommy! Me too!” Jack was on top of her then, and they were rolling around exchanging tickles and laughing uproariously. Such was the ruckus they created that Lucy didn’t hear the door open and someone enter the room.
“Heeeyyyy! You guys are having too much fun without me!”, a voice exclaimed from above Lucy and her shrieking children. All 3 of them froze and turned to stare at the newcomer in surprise.
“Uncle Natsu!!” two voices shrieked joyfully in unison. In a flash, the children had disentangled themselves from their mother and were launching themselves into the arms of the grinning Dragon Slayer. “You’re back! You’re back! Did you bring presents? Where’s Happy? Did you kill the monsters? How many monsters? Where’s Daddy?” A sudden stream of eager questions poured forth from the excited children. Natsu laughed and grabbed them up in his arms, easily lifting them both from the floor and into a tight embrace.
“Slow down, ya little monsters! One question at a time!” He set them down gently, ruffling Jack’s hair and winking at Lucy, who was getting to her feet with a sheepish look on her face. Happy chose that moment to fly into the room. “Luccccyyyyy! I’m so hungry! What’s for breakfast? Do you have any fish?” he asked, hovering above Natsu’s head and looking hopefully toward the kitchen table.
Lucy grabbed the blue cat from the air and pulled him in for a tight hug. “I might be able to find you something,” she said with a smile. Happy beamed. “Yay! You’re the best, Lucy!” he exclaimed.
“Yes yes, I know,” Lucy replied. She walked back toward the stove to see if the eggs could be salvaged. “So how was the job? You guys were gone for longer than you expected- ah, Jack and Layla, back in your seats and eat your breakfast! Hurry now, or we will be late for school! Thank you.... Where is my husband, anyways?” She frowned down into the pan of burned eggs and pushed them around with the spatula. She picked up the pan and moved to toss them into the trash; Natsu intercepted her and took the pan from her hands. He easily held it out of her reach when she tried to take it back from him.
“Gray wanted to go to the Guildhall first… I’m sure he will be here soon. Happy wanted to head straight here and look for food,” Natsu said. He sniffed at the eggs then shrugged before scooping them onto a plate. Lucy chuckled. “I’ll make some more Natsu, don’t eat those.”
Natsu rolled his eyes. “Like I’d like you waste food like that!!” He was already shoveling the burned eggs into his mouth as he walked to the table to sit. Happy pouted at them. “I didn’t just want food Lucy! I missed you! I still miss you when we go on jobs without you,” he said sadly. Lucy turned and had to give him another hug. “Thanks, Happy. Are you sure you’re not saying that because I have a mackerel in the fridge?” she teased.
“Aye, sir! I mean… no! You really are the best!” Happy exclaimed before zipping to the fridge to find his breakfast.
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Natsu and Happy sat with Lucy and her children as they all ate breakfast. Natsu regaled the children with the story of the latest job he had undertaken with Gray and Erza. They listened with rapt attention; occasionally Lucy interjected to remind them to continue eating. I’ll never get them to school on time now, she thought ruefully. She found herself glancing at the clock and wondering idly when Gray would be coming home. There had been a time when Gray would never had spared a second in getting home to her. That had changed as the years had gone by and he had gone on more and more guild jobs without her; once Jack had been born, Lucy had rarely left Magnolia on guild business. There wasn’t any resentment as she considered that fact; it was just how it was. They still loved each other, but… it just wasn’t the same. The children had become the main focus of her life; she wouldn’t change that for anything, and neither would Gray. Neither one of them wanted their children to experience even a moment of the kind of loneliness each of them had encountered during their own childhoods. At some point they had simply gone from lovers to companions.
“Lucy… Are you okay?” Happy asked quietly, peering up at her. His eyes were big and full of concern for her. Lucy looked down at him, startled from her quiet thoughts. She smiled warmly and patted his head. “Of course, Happy! Why wouldn’t I be?”
Happy’s mouth turned down and his brow furrowed as though he was thinking quite hard about his response. “You just looked… kinda… lonely,” he said with some hesitation. Unexpectedly Lucy felt a bit of a sting in her heart at that comment, as if he had inadvertently struck a chord somewhere deep in the recesses of her soul. That’s ridiculous, she thought and gave herself a mental shake.
The rest of the group at the table had noticed and they were staring at Happy and Lucy.
“Mommy is never lonely! Not with us here!” Jack exclaimed, his tone indignant. Lucy smiled at him fondly. “You’re right! That’s exactly what I was going to say. Now it’s time to go get your books and go get your shoes on, you stinkers. You’re going to be late for school!”
Both children responded with groans. “Can’t we stay home and play with Uncle Natsu and Happy? We didn’t even see Daddy yet,” Jack pleaded. Lucy walked over and ruffled his hair, quickly placing a kiss on the top of his head. “Nope. Time for school. You will definitely see Daddy tonight! Okay?” Lucy said. With a sigh, Jack nodded. He got down from his chair and reached over to grab his little sister’s hand. “Come on Layla, let’s go get our shoes on.”
Lucy smiled; she always loved seeing Jack be the responsible older brother. No matter how much he would fight with Layla over the silliest things, he loved her and did his best to help take care of her and protect her. Gray had instilled that feeling of responsibility and the need to protect their family in his son.
Lucy rose from the table, gathering up the dirty dishes. She stopped, startled when Natsu placed a hand on her shoulder. Her eyes had met his and she stood still when she saw that he had that rare, serious look about him. Usually they were facing down a dire threat with no hope and all their lives were on the line before he made a face like that.
“I’m worried about you, Lucy,” Natsu said softly. He clearly didn’t want the children to overhear him. Lucy swallowed hard then raised an eyebrow and placed a hand on her hip. “Just why, exactly, would that be? I don’t seem to be in any immediate danger. Unless you are smelling something that I can’t see,” she said with a chuckle and looked all around in an exaggerated manner. Natsu didn’t laugh.
“I’m not the kind of person to meddle, and I’m not good at this sort of thing…. But it seems like you and Gray….” Natsu began to flounder, and he flushed with embarrassment. “Anyways, if you want someone to talk to… I mean, I know you have Erza and Levy but… argh, forget it. I suck at this,” he growled with frustration. “You guys are my best friends, and…,” he trailed off, looking away as he seemed to be struggling to give words to his concerns.
Lucy smiled tenderly at him. “Natsu, you have been and always will be my best friend. Thanks for worrying, but I really am fine. Gray and I…. well, we’ve just drifted apart, that’s all. We still care about each other and we love our kids with all our hearts. So don’t worry, okay? I’m sorry we made you worry.” She gave him a hug, which he gently returned as if afraid she might break. How strange, she thought. When did we both change so much? She turned away before he could see the sudden tears she was struggling to hold back.
Steady, Lucy. You can’t let Natsu or the kids see you feeling upset. Lucy took a deep breath and deposited the breakfast dishes into the sink, just in time for the kids to come thundering back into the kitchen, apparently ready to go.
“Okay, let me see your faces!” Lucy tackled their hands and faces with a wet washcloth (to their usual shrieks of dismay). Jack was especially offended by this. (“ARGH I’m not a baby, Mom!”) Lucy ignored this and checked Layla’s braids; somehow they were still presentable, and her blue dress had minimal wrinkles. Lucy gestured for Jack to tuck in his shirt and he rolled his eyes before doing as she asked. She looked them up and down before finally judging them to be as tidy as two small children could be. She didn’t even glance down at herself; it was hard enough getting the children out the door and presentable, how could she have time to do the same for herself? Her blue jeans and buttoned white blouse would do just fine. It didn’t even have any jam on it, by some miracle.
The children tackled Natsu once more for hugs goodbye and managed to extract a promise that he would be back soon to visit again.
Lucy took one small hand from each child in hers and headed toward the door to the outside. She turned and looked over her shoulder. “We’re off to school, Natsu. Lock up on your way out, okay?” she asked with a cheerful smile that didn’t quite reach her brown eyes. Natsu stared at her for a moment before giving a toothy grin in reply.
“Sure, Lucy! See you later!”
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Lucy safely deposited the children at school, after smothering Layla in kisses and managing to hug Jack before he could squirm away; when had he gotten to the age of being embarrassed by public affection? They were growing up faster than she could have ever imagined.
“Love you! Have a good day!,” Lucy called out as Jack led his little sister up the steps and into the primary school they both attended. Once they were out of sight in a crowd of other children and teachers also hurrying to get to classrooms, Lucy turned to head further into town. She had a few errands to run before going home to work on her current novel. She should probably take some time to meet with her publisher soon… It was hard to make time for everything. Then she remembered that Gray was back, and wondered if he would be home for dinner. Sometimes he would get caught up at the Guildhall and by the time he came home he wouldn’t be hungry. Lucy was used to this life; she had a hectic routine of work, chores, and raising children that kept her busy.
As Lucy browsed the shops for fruits and vegetables, she found her mind wandering to the worried comments of Natsu and Happy and her own emotional response. Was she feeling a bit lonely from the time Gray was away? She remembered the first few trips he had taken without her; never for too long but when he came home he would rush to see her and Jack, scooping them up and twirling them about as though he had been gone for weeks instead of a day or two. Over time Layla was born, and eventually the trips would take longer and be further away. He was always happy to be home, but with each year it seemed like their romantic love had cooled, and a distance arose between them.
I have the career I’ve always wanted, two amazing children, a whole guildhall full of great friends… What am I doing, moping that my husband isn’t sweeping me off my feet anymore? Come on Lucy, don’t be silly. It was true that their relationship had become more like that of best friends who happen to be raising children together. They hadn’t shared their bed in years… Lucy blushed, knowing that wasn’t something she could just chat openly with her friends about, least of all Natsu. It would be like talking to a brother about her sex life and just thinking about it made her want to die on the spot from embarrassment.
What was the answer, then? Was it okay for her to yearn for romance in her life, even with all the responsibilities she had? Did that make her a selfish person? Because now that she was taking some time to give it serious thought, she realized that she did miss that feeling of being wanted by a man who was completely in love with her, and wanting him in return. Once she had thought that Gray would always be that person, that they would grow old together and be madly in love for every second of it. Now she didn’t think of him that way at all. What they had now was good, but… she did want more. Could it be that-
“Hey Lucy, is that apple really that interesting?” a bemused female voice asked, interrupting her thoughts. Lucy turned to smile at Levy, her petite blue haired friend who had appeared beside her; she had been too absorbed in her own thoughts to notice. Levy was as cute as always, in shorts and tank top with her wavy blue hair pulled up with a bright yellow bandana. Her obvious pregnancy definitely gave her that “glow” that was associated with expectant mothers; she looked practically radiant, like a tiny angel sent to brighten Lucy’s day.
“I guess I was spacing out a bit, Levy! Are you doing some shopping as well?” Lucy asked cheerfully, though the answer was obvious; Levy had a basket full of fruit as well. Levy laughed. “Well now I’m shopping with you! Which is perfect because I’ve been wanting to talk to you about something. How about a cup of coffee after we’re done? Well, herbal tea for me anyways,” she asked and placed a hand on her rounded stomach.
Lucy hesitated, thinking about the chores at home and the deadline that was rapidly approaching for her first draft… When was the last time she had relaxed and chatted with her friend, though? She knew she could count on Virgo’s help at home later, so why not?
“That sounds great!” she replied with a genuine smile.
The two women completed their shopping and paid for their purchases, chatting about the usual topics; guild gossip, how fast the kids were growing, and the progress of Levy’s first pregnancy.
“You’re joking!” Lucy exclaimed. Levy shook her head. “I wish! Really, I am actually craving iron! Not the kind I can take a vitamin for, either. How can this baby already want to take after his father so much? I’m just glad nobody saw me try to bite that metal pole… I might have died on the spot,” she said, laughing. Lucy laughed as well. Pregnancy for wizards could be… interesting. She had plenty of her own strange stories as well, and odd cravings barely even began to top the list of her bizarre experiences.
They arrived at the cafe, and after exclaiming over the amazing pastries in the display case (had Erza been here lately? I should get her something to go, Lucy thought) they found a seat at a table outside and ordered their drinks.
“So… Lucy…” Levy began, resting her chin in her hand and looking over at her friend. Lucy found herself tensing; after the conversation with Natsu this morning, she couldn’t help but wonder about what Levy wanted to discuss with her.
Lucy steeled herself. “Yes, Levy?” she replied, trying her best to keep her tone casual. Levy raised an eyebrow; guess she didn’t do such a good job of it.
“How would you like to go on a guild job?,” Levy asked breezily, as if it wasn’t a question that could have surprised Lucy in any way. Lucy stared blankly for a long moment.
“Huh?” she said eloquently.
Levy laughed. “Oh, you should see your face! What has happened to my friend, the strongest Celestial Spirit Mage around, to be that shocked to be asked about taking a guild job?”
Lucy felt herself blushing. “Well, that wasn’t what I was expecting, that’s all! I haven’t been on any jobs since… I can’t even remember. I’m always busy writing, and the kids…” Lucy shrugged and gave a bemused smile. Even though Levy’s question had left her somewhat flabbergasted, Lucy’s curiosity was piqued.
“You know all that, though. So what’s the deal? What kind of job is it, anyways?” Lucy asked.
Levy’s eyes shone in a way that made Lucy slightly nervous. “Well, it has to do with helping out a member of Sabertooth...”