Chapter Text
It had become something of a tradition for children of the guild to be born in the guild’s infirmary. In the 116 years the guild had existed it was only recently that this tradition started. Most of the previous younger generation had been raised by, arguably, the greatest, and longest serving, master Fairytail had ever seen. The old master had seen many of his children grow up and now have children of their own. He’d seen the rowdy children he’d raised settle and become parents themselves. If he took enjoyment in hearing them complain about their own children’s wild nature, then that was his own business.
It was because of this tradition that now saw the guild gathered once more as they welcomed another future fairy into the world. The quickly growing gaggle of children ran amok around the guild hall. The now 16 year old Asuka Connell had been relegated to watching over her younger peers.
Her most important task in this moment was to watch over and keep a 6 year old Luna and 2 year old Nashi out of trouble and preferably out of their parents' hair. Thankfully Nashi was currently preoccupied with playing with the Redfox twins and their older sister.
It had been no surprise that Natsu and Gajeel had turned the births of their children into a competition when they discovered that their wives were expecting at the same time. Natsu still considered it cheating when the twins were born early.
With Nashi occupied, her attention turned to the eldest child. Luna sat at a bench watching, with furrowed brows, the door which led to the guild’s infirmary. Asuka sat down next to her and pried the gold keys from the girls' worried hands, gently setting them down on the table. Luna looked up at the older girl with concerned and teary eyes.
“Is my mom gonna be okay?” she said with a sniffle.
There had been a great deal of tension about Lucy’s due date, due to the almost disastrous birth of their, soon to be second, newest addition, Vincent Strauss, who was currently sat gurgling happily on his mother’s lap. He had had a difficult start in life but had since thrived with much support from his family. However, since nearly losing both Lisanna and Vince there had been an unspoken unease that surrounded the guild whenever the topic of childbirth came up.
Asuka looked down at the little girl and pulled her in tight.
“You’re ma will be fine Loony, she’s a Fairytail wizard and took on a whole dragon once… I should know I helped her.”
The little girl giggled as she wiped a few tears away.
“You always tell me that story Asuka, you didn’t really help her though.”
“Sure I did, I gave her my magic and everything, you’re dad was the one who, like ate his soul… I think.”
Luna burst into laughter hearing this and snuggled further into the older girl's side. Asuka thought for a moment before turning to the girl again.
“Do you know if you’re having a little brother or sister?”
Luna scrunched up her nose in thought. “Hmmm… no not yet.”
“What do you want it to be?”
“I want a little brother.”
“I thought you’d ask for another sister like Nashi.”
Luna lazily looks over at her sister who was busy banging several cups together, occasionally throwing one at one of the twins. She apparently thought this little activity was hilarious if the unending, hyena-like laughter was anything to go by whenever a cup would bounce off someone's head.
Luna looked back up at Asuka with a withering glare.
“If it ends up like Nashi, mom and dad should give it to someone else.”
Asuka burst into laughter hearing this. “HA, never change little Loony.”
~*~
“Ughhhh… gramps I can’t do this, not again.”
The man leaned heavily against a wall, his back to the door leading to the infirmary. He took several deep breaths as his hand snaked up under his dragon scale scarf. He gripped tight to the simple silver locket that hung there, hidden from view.
Makarov looked over at the fretting man and huffed.
“You don’t have a choice Natsu, your wife is in there bringing your third child into this world and you’re out here panicking… you did this with your last two children and so far they’ve turned out just fine.”
Natsu took another shaky breath. “What if something goes wrong, I can’t do anything… this isn’t a problem I can fight with my fists.”
“No it’s not, but sometimes a person’s words and company are just as powerful.”
Natsu was about to answer when the door to the infirmary opened. Happy stood in the doorway looking up at his old partner.
“Wendy and Porlyusica say it’s time… Natsu, Lucy really needs you right now.”
There wasn’t much time to think after that. Hearing his wife’s cries for him pushed down any lingering anxiety and he wasted no time in being by her side. Ushering words of comfort through each contraction. He never once complained himself, not when Lucy stole his scarf from him, nor when she nearly broke his hand (god he was so proud of how strong his wife was). Eventually an infant's cry broke through his focus and he looked up to see Wendy proudly holding a wriggling bundle of cloth.
Natsu could feel tears welling up in his eyes as he watched a small arm poke out of the bundle before disappearing again.
“I’m done.”
He looked down at his Lucy, watching her chest heave, an arm draped over her eyes.
“What?” He asked her.
“I’m done, no more kids, this is the last one… the Lucy factory is shutting down for good.”
Everyone laughed as Wendy approached the couple, carefully laying the bundle on Lucy’s chest.
“Well I think you’ll be pleased to hear that the girls have a little brother to play with.”
Everything ground to a halt.
A boy.
He had a son.
“Igneel.”
Natsu didn’t think he heard his wife. Not over his overflowing joy at seeing his son nestled on his wife’s chest. She looked up at her husband. Those endless wells of brown held so much love for him in that moment. Her hand reached up, caressing his face. He leaned into the touch aware of her fingers running across the stubble on his jaw.
“We should call him Igneel… after your dad.”
She… She wanted to name their son after his dad?
“Wait, what about your dad, it’s like Joe right? No wait, I know it begins with a J… hang on.”
She laughed. It sounded like starlight.
“It’s Jude, my father’s name was Jude, Natsu, It’s not like we don’t visit our parent’s graves at least once a year or so… honestly you’re so hopeless.” She pulled him down, capturing his lips with hers. After a moment she pulled away from him. “How about this? Igneel Jude Dragneel-Heartfillia.”
“Yeh… Yes, it’s perfect, he’s perfect… your perfect… I love you so much.”
“Do you want to hold him?”
His heart fluttered and he did his best not to cry. “Of course.” He finally choked out.
It took a little manoeuvring but eventually Natsu managed to swap out the blanket his son had been wrapped in for his own scarf. Something he’d done for all of his children. All too soon his arms were filled with a sleeping infant and he was beautiful.
It was strange to think that only a few years ago now, this had been his girls.
“Hi Iggy, it’s me, it’s dad… I’ve got you now.”
He continued to hold his son as he watched Wendy and Porlyusica fuss over his wife. Who continued to insist that she was feeling fine. He watched the afternoon sun light her up, giving her a radiant glow as she laughed and joked tiredly with the other women. A small yank around his neck caught his attention and he looked down to find Iggy gently pushing at the locket around his neck. He smiled as he caught sight of his son's eyes for the first time. They were dark, much darker than the girl’s had been and he sighed, no doubt Iggy would have his mother's eyes. He at least hoped the boy would inherit his hair, and not end up another blond.
“Hey. Why don’t I take Iggy again and you can let everyone know… you must be dying to by now.”
He handed the infant back over, planting another kiss on both wife and son, and bounded out of the room. He stopped briefly to let Happy and the master know before bouncing out into the guild hall. Silence descended across the room.
“Daddy!” His girls, his beautiful girls, came running up to him. He caught them both, swinging them into his arms as he pressed kisses into the sides of their faces causing them to squeal in delight. He leaned into his eldest and whispered in her ear. She lit up before proudly proclaiming to the guild on that day 19th of July x802…
“IT’S A BOY.”
~*~
The days that followed saw Natsu and Lucy return home with the newest addition to the family. Two months after saw the whole guild finally get to meet its littlest fairy. There was much celebration and congratulations to be had as every member cooed over the infant. Natsu watched as Lucy animatedly talked with Levy and Juvia about how she was absolutely done with having kids. He laughed as Cana accosted her, shoving a drink into her hands telling her to enjoy now that she finally could.
“You worry over nothing Natsu, everything, it seems, went fine.”
Makarov sat in his chair by the bar, no longer having the strength to sit on the bar like he once did. The old man smiled at him, making him feel ten years younger than he was.
“Hey hey… congrats, heard Lucy’s all but kicked you out of the bedroom to prevent another accident.”
The loud booming voice of Bickslow carried over the sounds of the party as the man approached with his own family. Lisanna playfully smacked his arm as she readjusted Vince on her hip.
Lisanna looked at Natsu sympathetically. “I heard you were really worried especially after what happened with me and Vince, but it sounds like everything went really smoothly.”
“Heh yeh except for the part where Lucy nearly broke my hand… it was only sprained but still, it hurt.”
The two laughed at him. Bickslow leaned over resting an arm on Natsu’s shoulder.
“So let’s have a look at the little guy then, or are you keeping him all to yourself.”
Natsu laughed and adjusted Igneel in his arms letting his friends get a good look at his son and the little red dragon onesie he’d been dressed in.
“Oh my goodness he looks so cute in that, here Vince hold out your hand.” The little boy did so and ever so gently felt the fabric on the onesie, giggling when the baby would bat his hand with uncoordinated limbs. “It’s really soft isn’t it.”
“Soft.” The boy echoed.
Natsu laughed but a pang of sadness ran through him when he caught sight of the boy’s cloudy green eyes. He sent a smile at Lisanna as she continued to tell her son about what little Igneel looked like.
~*~
Bickslow enjoyed these parties especially the way they made everyone's souls shine, he was pretty glad now that Freed had convinced him to learn more soul magic. They hadn't really gotten a chance to have one for his own son, the event itself had been muted and less about introducing him to the guild and simply about being thankful he was alive. He looked down at the tangle of limbs and gurgling and smiled when those coal black eyes landed on him.
“Hey Nat do you think Iggy’s eyes are gonna lighten like the girls did? You’d’ve thought they’d already start changing by now… you got someone on your side with black eyes like that?” He’d meant it as a joke, but didn’t miss how his friend tensed at the comment. “You okay?”
Natsu didn’t answer. Lucy, almost sensing something was wrong, wandered over and took Iggy from her husband. The action seemingly jolting Natsu back into the room. He anxiously smiled, offering an apology for zoning out. He leaned over giving his wife and son a quick kiss before hurrying out of the hall with the excuse that he needed some air.
Lisanna picked up the conversation with Lucy, the incident already forgotten about. Bickslow never got the chance to bring up the echo attached to the boy's soul.