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A rumble in her stomach and her daughter's kicks woke Lucy prematurely. It was hard to blame the baby for sensing her mother's unease; the truth was, the mage couldn't hide her own nerves.
However, the unease transformed into absolute calm when she glanced beside her. Natsu was fast asleep, taking up almost the entire space, one leg crossed over her. At his feet, Happy rested, clutching a fish.
With extreme care, Lucy lifted Natsu's heavy leg. The Dragon Slayer grunted in his sleep, instinctively seeking her warmth, and when he didn't find it, he resigned himself to hugging the pillow she had just abandoned. After looking at them one last time with a smile, she headed towards the kitchen; during the walk, she struggled with the weight and difficulty of carrying her six-month pregnant belly.
“Don’t worry, Nasha. Mummy just wants a bit of wáter” she whispered to her baby, whilst gently stroking her bump.
Trying to reassure the little girl, she took her first steps. She noticed the change in atmosphere straight away and, as she switched on a small lamp in the kitchen, reality brought her to a halt.
At her feet lay several rows of sealed cardboard boxes, labelled in her own handwriting: ‘Novels and manuscripts’, ‘Winter clothes’, ‘Team mementos’. The kitchen itself was devoid of any decoration or item that did not belong to her; it looked exactly as she had found it so many years ago.
That flat, which she longed for, was also the setting for so many important moments in her life, so leaving it felt like closing a book. She found it impossible to stem the tide of memories flooding her mind: the first day, the countless times Natsu and Happy had climbed in through the window without asking, Erza eating strawberry shortcake after grueling missions, Gray stripping down to his underwear, and the raucous laughter of the guild's strongest team.
And above all, that place had been a silent witness to how her relationship with Natsu had evolved. They'd gone from comrades to best friends, from friends to something undefined, and from there to something much deeper.
«It all started here» thought Lucy; at that moment, she placed her palm on her belly «Our story, and now, you».
The pregnancy had come as a complete surprise, throwing her plans completely off course. When she saw the test come back positive, panic paralysed her. She and Natsu weren’t married and hadn’t made any plans yet. The toughest mission of their lives had only ended six months earlier, and their relationship hadn’t even been official for a year.
Lucy feared Natsu’s reaction. He was a free spirit, a dragon’s son who lived for adventure and constant movement. Even if he’d shown an interest in the little daughter of their Edolas counterparts and possessed some paternal instincts, she didn’t know how he’d react to the prospect of raising a child.
What was striking was that remembering Natsu’s response brought tears of pure happiness to Lucy’s eyes. When she confessed this to him, stammering and on the verge of tears, the Dragon Slayer simply blinked twice and then broke into a huge smile, brimming with sheer emotion. He’d been holding her aloft, spinning her round in the air whilst Happy wept with joy all around them.
“You have to come to our house, Lucy!” Natsu exclaimed, standing right in front of her with unusual seriousness. "It's big; we can renovate it, and there's plenty of room for Nasha to play”
“Nasha…?” she asked, stunned by the absolute certainty with which he assumed they’d be having a girl.
“Of course it’s going to be a girl, you’ll see” he insisted without hesitation. “I’ll take care of everything. I’ll find the best-paying missions and put up whatever walls are needed. But your house is already far too small for the four of us”
“Aye” chimed in Happy. “Mind you, bear in mind we’ll have to tidy everything up, Natsu”
“Bah, that doesn’t matter. I’m sure Nasha’ll turn out just as messy as me; after all, she’s my daughter”.
“You’re absolutely right about that!”
Hearing that wild boy, who used to sleep in a ramshackle cabin in the woods, transform into a man willing to build a stable home for her and their future daughter melted her heart.
Suddenly, a soft rustling sound interrupted her train of thought. Lucy startled and looked towards the dim light. Natsu was standing in the kitchen doorway, his hair a complete mess, his pyjama bottoms slipping down on one side as he rubbed one eye with his hand.
As he spotted the mage’s silhouette, his sleep-furrowed brow turned into a look of concern. His Dragon Slayer instincts, now on high alert due to Lucy’s condition, spurred him into action instantly.
“Lucy, are you all right?” he asked in a hoarse voice “Are you in any pain?”
He moved towards her and closed the gap in a couple of seconds. His hands found their way to Lucy’s shoulders and then drifted down to her stomach, which they cupped somewhat awkwardly.
“I’m fine, really. I was just really thirsty” she replied, reaching out to tuck a strand of pink hair that had fallen over his eyes back into place.
“When I saw you weren’t there, I thought something bad had happened” he confessed, with a gesture that loosened his grip on her waist to pull her closer to his chest.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you” said Lucy, her head resting against his chest, listening to the beat of his heart. “I was just staring at the boxes. It makes me feel a bit nostalgic”
Natsu turned, wrapped an arm around Lucy’s shoulders and looked around the flat. For someone like him, the idea of moving house was a simple matter. Yet, looking at the state of the flat, he understood how his partner felt.
“This place was a great start. This is where we became a team”
“Yes” she nodded, a tear rolling down her cheek. “I feel like, if I leave this flat, I’m leaving an important part of myself behind”
“You’re not leaving anything behind, Lucy” said the Dragon Slayer, using his thumb to wipe away the tear. “That will stay in your head, in your heart and in mine” he added, pointing to his own chest.
‘You’re right” said Lucy, wrapping her arms around Natsu’s neck and sinking into his warmth.
“What’s more…” Natsu smiled, revealing his trademark fangs. “This new beginning is going to be even better. I promise.”
Lucy couldn’t help but let out a little laugh, picturing the scene, and came to one conclusion: her flat had served its purpose. It had been the place where a lonely young girl had transformed into a strong woman, loved and surrounded by the most loyal family in the world.
“A new beginning” exclaimed Lucy, feeling the phrase as her own.
“A new beginning” he repeated, before tilting his head and kissing her.
It was a slow kiss, full of promises for the future and gratitude for the past, until, suddenly, a little squeak broke the silence of the night.
“You two make a lot of noise” exclaimed Happy as he rubbed his eyes with his little blue paws. “Is there fish in one of the boxes?”
Natsu and Lucy pulled apart, laughing at the interruption. The Dragon Slayer walked over to him, lifted him into the air, and placed him on his shoulder; there, the cat immediately settled down on his back and went back to sleep.
“There’s no fish, Happy. Everything’s packed away” said Natsu. “Let’s go to bed; we’ve got to load the cart early tomorrow”
Lucy smiled at the scene, and when Natsu held out his free hand to her, she took it.