43A New Kind of Fairy Tale
Chapter 16: Let's Celebrate!
Christmas Day, x786—9:00 A.M.
Lucy was smiling before she even opened her eyes the next morning. She was curled against Natsu's side, head resting on his chest which rose and fell evenly. She tightened her arm around him and sighed contentedly. She was an engaged woman. At just nineteen-years-old! It was hard to believe—she still felt so young—but she wouldn't have it any other way. She had always been mature for her age.
She lifted her head from Natsu's chest and gazed down at his sleeping face, smiling in amusement as he snored softly. His pink hair was tousled messily atop his head and splayed across the pillow. A piece sat exactly in the center of his face and moved as he breathed in and out.
With a giggle, Lucy gently pushed the stray hair out of his face. He stirred slightly at her touch and nuzzled against her hand.
"Mm," he murmured, still half asleep.
"Natsu," Lucy whispered. "It's Christmas."
"Mm," he murmured again.
Lucy grinned and leaned down slowly, lips a breath away from his. "Natsu," she whispered against his lips, "have you seen my clothes? I can't seem to find them…"
She leaned back just in time for him to bolt upright, eyes wide.
Lucy laughed.
Natsu looked over at her, scanned over her clothed body, and scowled. "That was a cruel trick."
She rolled her eyes and pecked his lips. "Sorry, but it's Christmas Day! Get out of bed already!"
A slow grin lifted his lips up. "Merry Christmas, Luce." He lifted her left hand up to his lips and kissed the ring that sat there. "Soon to be Lucy Dragneel."
She blushed scarlet. "Maybe I'll make you take my name," she lied.
He snorted and rolled his eyes. "Natsu Heartfilia?" he arched an eyebrow, eyes alight with amusement.
Lucy considered it for half a second before bursting into laughter. No, that name did not suit him. However...
Lucy Dragneel…
She smiled. She liked the sound of that.
...
Christmas at the Fairy Tail guild was always a huge celebration full of laughter and fun and family coming together. This was one of the only days where every single member of the guild, and even some from other guilds, were all together.
Sitting in front of the guild stood a towering pine tree, decorated in way too many different colored Christmas balls, ornaments, tinsel, and lights. Various pictures of the different guild members in glittering silver frames hung around the tree as well.
Ribbons of red and green were looped around the light posts and strewn haphazardly across the front lawn—the result of making Natsu and Gray work together, no doubt. Holly lined the path that led to the front door, with balls of glowing lacrimas spaced between them to illuminate the path. Sprinkled in the middle was silver and gold dust to make the walkway sparkle in the morning sun.
Lucy and Natsu stood at the end of said path side by side, biding their time before entering the guild hall and eliciting all the chaos that would undoubtedly ensue when they caught sight of the rock on Lucy's left hand.
Lucy was nervous, not because she was afraid of what her guild mates would think—no, she knew that would be happy for them. That was the problem. Everyone would be too happy, overly so. They would crowd around the couple and ask them questions about babies and life goals and where they would live. The same questions they got asked when they'd announced that they were dating.
Lucy groaned and Natsu turned an amused grin her way, thumb brushing over the ring she now wore.
"Don't worry, Luce," he told her, "they'll all be so jealous, they'll be speechless!"
Lucy spluttered a laugh. "I'm sure that'll be the case." She rolled her eyes, but the words did their intended job, they made her smile.
Together, the couple walked across the path and entered the guild hall.
Straight into chaos.
"SURPRISE!" They all shouted in unison, popping up from behind tables and counters and walls. Confetti rained down over the couple's heads and littered the floor with a rainbow of colors. Hoots and hollers and inappropriate cat calls filled the room, as well as dozens and dozens of shouted "Congratulations!" from the various guild members.
Lucy was beet red and frozen in place, eyes wide. She clutched Natsu's hand in a death grip to hide the shaking fury and slight terror at the sudden eruption of sounds.
Beside her, Natsu looked confused as his gaze shifted around the room, looking for the culprit before finally landing on a very pleased looking Mirajane next to a smirking Levy.
Now Natsu's grip tightened on hers. He glowered at the two giggling women, tugging Lucy behind him as he strode forward with glowing red eyes. Levy's smile fell away at once, but Mira didn't so much as flinch. In fact, she smirked even wider as she transformed into a She-Devil form.
"Eek!" Lucy and Levy exclaimed simultaneously as the two mages stared off, both equally terrifying in their own ways. Lucy pulled her hand free and glared at Natsu, who didn't so much as glance in her direction.
"How did you know?!" Natsu shrieked at the She-Devil.
"Erza told us," Mira stated proudly.
That's right, Lucy thought, Erza was our cook last night…at Jellal's restaurant.
Lucy face-palmed. No wonder everyone at the guild already knew of their engagement. That didn't explain the surprise party, though…
"Where is she?!" Natsu demanded. "When I get my hands on that demon, I'll—"
"You'll do what, Natsu?"
Natsu froze in place, mouth still hanging open from speaking, sweating a little as he recognized the voice coming from behind him.
Erza.
He could feel her presence like a blast of heat in summer, pouring off of her and hitting him like tiny knives piercing his skin. She was glaring at him, he could feel it. She was going to kill him. He would die here before he even got the chance to marry Lucy.
"Gotta go, Luce!" He ran in the opposite direction of the redheaded monster, flying past the women faster than the speed of light.
Lucy and Levy exchanged a look, then laughed.
"You really gonna marry that idiot?" Gajeel asked, plopping onto a chair behind Levy, pulling her against his side, and ruffling her hair.
Levy blushed crimson.
Lucy giggled at her reaction. Levy and Gajeel had only recently started dating. They had taken a lot longer to admit to their feelings than Lucy and Natsu had, which she thought was pretty funny since their feelings were so obvious that everyone had already considered them to be a couple for as long as she could remember. Still, they each denied their feelings until Gajeel finally walked up to Levy one morning at the guild and told her he was taking her out for dinner at six, then turned and left and didn't show his face again for a week.
They were always together after that.
In answer to Gajeel's question, Lucy gave a shrug. "How can I resist a pyromaniac with control issues who fears nothing and no one except for Erza?"
Levy snorted. "You're right, he's totally irresistible."
The two women exchanged amused grins.
Gajeel huffed. "Well, good luck with that, bunny girl. I don't know how you can stand being in the same bed with that guy."
Now it was Lucy's turn to blush. "H-Hey! I never said we did…that!"
Gajeel gave a barking laugh. "I never said you did."
Lucy's blush deepened. "Right…"
Mavis, kill me now, she silently begged.
"It is unorthodox to go to bed with someone before marriage," Erza chastised her, which only made her blush impossibly redder.
"We haven't…" Lucy murmured, waiting for the world to swallow her up and make her disappear.
"Seriously?" Levy asked, sounding genuinely surprised.
Lucy scowled at the floor. Did they all really think so low of her? She did have some values… Sure, occasionally they shared a bed, but all of their clothes stayed on! And maybe they'd come close a few times, but Natsu had never ever pushed her when she'd asked him to stop. She wanted to wait until her wedding night, as lame and corny as that sounded, but it felt right to her.
"Yes!" Lucy exclaimed. "We haven't gone that far yet, I want to wait."
"Good for you, Lucy!" Mira praised with a huge grin.
"Yes," Erza agreed. She pulled Lucy against her bosom, hard. "We should all take a page from your book."
"..."
"Uh," Lucy started, feeling her cheeks heat again.
"Hey! Hands off my girl!" Natsu gave Lucy's arm a tug and pulled her against his chest, glaring daggers at the gathered girls, plus Gajeel. "Mine!"
"Now, Natsu, there's no need to be so stingy!" Mira said with a light laugh.
"I saw her first!" Natsu exclaimed, pulling her tighter against him.
"Nat-su! Can't...breathe!" Lucy complained.
"Oh." He loosened his grip on her and gave her a sheepish grin.
She arched an eyebrow in response.
"He's right about that!" Happy said as he flew over to them. "Congrats, buddy!" He came to a landing on the bar and offered them a raw fish. "I caught this as an engagement present!"
"No way, cat!" Lucy wrinkled her nose at the offering.
"Don't worry, Luce," Natsu's eyes gleamed. "I'll roast it for ya! Fire Dragon's Roar!"
Happy's eyes went wide just as Natsu's fire hit the fish and him in the process. The fish steamed… and so did Happy.
"Natsu…" he groaned, swaying on his feet. "How could you…" He fell onto his side.
"Really, Natsu?" Lucy asked in a deadpan.
He shrugged, chomping down on the fish. "Tastes good. Have some!" He shoved a bite into her mouth.
She chewed the bite for an endless moment, then swallowed and offered him a smile.
An evil smile.
Natsu's smile fell away, eyes widening. "H-Hey now, don't give me that look! Haaaappppy!" Natsu called as he ran from the creepy blonde.
"Get back here!" she shrieked at him.
Gray shook his head in amusement. He had been watching the scene unfold before him from a few stools away. "Those two are perfect for each other."
"Talking about us, my darling?!" Juvia wrapped around him and laid her head on his back. "You're so expressive!"
"I was talking about Flame Brain!" Gray tried to shove her off, but Juvia refused to let go.
"I know what's in your heart, my icy prince!" She tightened her hold.
"Mavis, help me…" he sighed. Suddenly, a small wrapped object smacked him in the head, followed by a girlish snicker from above. "Very funny!" He called back.
"Oh, my!" Mira giggled. "First Master does have a sense of humor!"
"You can say that again," Erza agreed with a smirk.
"For you, my love," came a new voice.
Erza glanced up to see a sword-shaped pendant hanging from a silver chain and a certain bluenette smiling down at her.
"Oh, Jellal." She shook her head in amusement and allowed Jellal to place the necklace around her neck.
"Lovely," he noted, but he wasn't looking at the necklace. Erza blushed. Jellal smirked. Gray made a gagging gesture until Mira glowered over at him.
…
12:00 P.M.
Mira had prepared a feast for them to celebrate the holiday, complete with five different types of pies, two large turkeys and one ham, cranberries, sweet potatoes topped in fluffy marshmallows, and of course the alcohol. Barrels and barrels worth.
"Hell yeah! Now it's a party!" Cana hollered, holding up a glass as if to toast.
"That's my girl!" Gildarts joined her with his own glass.
Lucy smiled fondly at all her gathered guild mates. She and Natsu sat off to the side watching the chaos that was Fairy Tail. Lucy sat on Natsu's lap fingering the ring on her left hand while Natsu played with the ends of her hair absentmindedly.
"Do you think this guild will ever be normal?" Lucy wondered aloud, watching as food started to fly and chairs were toppled. A brawl had started off to one side. Mira was crying behind the bar as Macao and Wakaba tried to comfort her while simultaneously trying not to start a fight with each other.
Natsu snorted a laugh. "No way! Fairy Tail is way too crazy to ever be normal! Our kids are gonna have a blast growing up here!"
Lucy stiffened. "...kids?"
Now Natsu froze. "Uh, I mean, yeah, someday, maybe, if you want…"
Lucy's heart beat wildly inside her chest. Getting married was one thing, but kids? How had she not considered this before? That was the next logical step after one got married, wasn't it? Did Lucy even like kids?
She glanced over to where a pregnant Bisca sat. Alzack was saying something to her stomach with the most ridiculous expression on his face. Bisca was laughing at whatever he was saying.
"That's sweet," Natsu said quietly.
Lucy blinked in surprise and felt her heart skip another beat.
Natsu…
Lucy turned so that she sat sideways on his lap so she could better see him. He grinned up at her, his cheesy, wide-toothed grin that always made her crack a smile in return.
This time, she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. He jumped a little in surprise before returning the kiss. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her softly.
For all of his faults, Natsu was a good man, she thought. He was loud and obnoxious and sometimes she wondered if his brain even worked, but then he would do something so sweet and she remembered all the reasons she had fallen for him in the first place.
"I haven't given you your Christmas gift," Natsu murmured against her lips.
She blinked, pulling back only slightly, keeping her arms around his neck. "I thought the ring was my Christmas gift?"
He grinned and shook his head. "Nope. That was just a bonus."
"Then what…?" She trailed off as Natsu shifted her off of his lap and took her hand in his.
"Come on, I couldn't fit your present in a box."
A few of their guild mates who weren't a part of the brawl or food fight (including Levy, Erza and Jellal) gave the duo curious looks as they left the guild hall.
"Where are we going?" Lucy asked as Natsu pulled her through town, then farther to where the outskirts lay. A forest of trees spread out before them, blocking the light from the sun overhead. Lucy shivered at the cold as snow brushed against her bare legs.
"Almost there," Natsu answered.
Of course he was oblivious to the cold, which made Lucy roll her eyes and sigh. Still, she followed dutifully behind him until he came to a sudden halt.
He turned a grin her way. "Ready, baby?"
She gasped a little in surprise.
Baby…
It was the first time he had called her by that pet name.
She gave him a small smile and nodded.
His grin widened. "Close your eyes," he whispered. She did, and he gave her hand another tug so she would walk forward.
"D-Don't let me walk into a tree!"
He laughed. "I won't. Come on."
They walked a little farther and then again Natsu stopped. She felt him come up behind her and slide his hands over her eyes. His lips brushed her ear, sending a brief flare of heat coursing through her. "Merry Christmas, Luce."
His hands fell away and her eyes popped open.
She gasped.
A small white cottage sat in a clearing of trees before her. It was a little rough around the edges and looked like it would need some serious work, but…
"It's beautiful," she breathed, unable to tear her eyes away from it.
"It's ours," Natsu whispered in her ear. "Our first home."
Our first home…
Her eyes shimmered with happy tears. She spun around and threw her arms around his neck, pressing her lips against his. "I love it," she murmured against his lips. "I love you."
"You haven't seen the inside yet…" he laughed nervously.
She wrapped her arms around his back. "I don't care. I love it. It's perfect."
You're perfect, she thought.
"It'll take some fixing up," Natsu said. "But it'll be real nice once I put some work into it. It might take me a while, though."
"I can't wait!" She pulled back and grinned up at him.
He grinned back and booped her in the nose. "Let's go back to the guild now, weirdo. Before the cold turns your toes black."
She laughed. "It is pretty cold."
"Race you back to the guild!" He turned and started running before she had the chance to process his words.
"Hey! Not fair, cheater!" She raced after him, laughing and exhilarated.
This was the start of something new.
This was the start of their forever.
A/N: Hey, guys! I guess this was kind of a nothing chapter but I still thought it was cute! Nalu... *fans face* sooo cute! #OTP. Thank you guys so much for continuing to read this story with me! It means so much!
One more chapter in this arc and then we're going back to the present! Next chapter: "I Do."
BrokenGlass12, Aww thank you for saying that! I really wanted to show some emotion with him in that (15). I thought it was adorable how nervous he was to ask Lucy to marry him! He's such a fun character all around!
ihavetoriblenews, This fic leaves me happy after WRITING it! I'm so glad you like it! Thank you for being such an avid reader!
PS: BTW, I update my profile often so check there for story updates! I often put upcoming fics I'm working on in my profile as well as information on fics I'm currently working on. If there's anything else you guys would like to know or would like to see, let me know and I'll take note of that.
Beta: Sleeping4tNight