Chapter Text
He felt it in his mind first.
A thought.
A tiny spark of light that told him to open his eyes.
It almost looked like the glow… that came from a firefly in the middle of a summer night.
He tried.
Nothing happened.
So he waited.
He waited for the spark to come back.
And then, it did.
Brighter this time.
And louder.
Then he felt it in his chest.
Breath.
Air.
A faint, unfamiliar ease.
His eyelids fluttered. Darkness peeled back for a second, white, blinding, and then it was gone again.
He tried once more.
To search for that light.
And he found it again.
The light held longer this time.
And then he heard it.
Beeping.
Steady.
Relentless.
He could finally smell something sharp and clean. Like hand sanitizer, layered with something faintly sweet he couldn’t place.
Then warmth.
Hands.
Two of them, soft and trembling, tapping gently against his cheek. Over and over, like they were afraid to stop.
And then his name.
“Natsu-san…”
Again.
“Natsu-san...”
He pushed, fighting through the fog, and this time the darkness thinned into color, blue bleeding into white, shapes forming without meaning.
Another voice cut through it. Deeper. Firmer.
“Natsu... Hey, Natsu...”
The world lurched.
Two silhouettes hovered above him. Blurred faces. Muffled words.
One set of hands cupped his face. The other gripped his arm, squeezing hard, like an anchor.
Stay.
His eyes opened fully.
Dryness burned his throat. His mouth. His lips. The room spun, and for a terrifying second he wasn’t sure he was really there, his mind felt only half tethered to his body.
Then the voices sharpened.
Their eyes came into focus.
The fear in them.
That’s what he saw first.
“He’s awake! Gray-sama, he’s awake!”
“HEY—HEY! HE’S UP! GET THE DOCTOR—HE’S UP!”
Everything exploded into motion.
Hands everywhere. Voices overlapping.
A woman in a mask leaned over him, light flashing painfully into his eyes.
The white burned.
And the world dropped out from under him again.
Hours went by before it came again.
Stronger this time. The spark. The air. The strength.
When he opened his eyes, the brightness stung for just a few seconds, adjusting faster than before without him even trying.
The first thing he heard again was the beeping. Almost eerie against the silence he was in.
Then the ceiling.
He could actually see it.
And then…
“Natsu-san!”
“Holy shit— Natsu, can you hear me? Natsu? Natsu, keep your eyes open, okay? Natsu? Hey—”
His movements were slower than he would like. Fragile, numb, like for a moment his own body wasn’t connected to his mind.
“Natsu-san…”
But he recognized the voices instantly, and they were by his side in a second. He felt the hands back on his face, the other squeezing his arm, like they were trying to hold him in place. Like they were trying to remind him that he needed to stay.
Gray… Juvia…
He wasn’t sure if he said it, but the sudden tension in the air shifted afterward.
He saw the way Juvia’s shoulders fell, the way her eyes slid shut and her head dipped. The way the squeezing on his arm stopped, and Gray stepped back, one hand over his chest releasing an exhale that he looked like he desperately needed.
“I’ll get… doctor...” He faintly heard Gray say, but he couldn’t make out what Juvia replied. “…needs… awake…”
He simply heard her the sound of her voice, soft, careful, like she couldn’t speak louder even if she wanted to.
Their eyes met again, and her gaze softened, the tears unmistakably sliding down her cheeks.
“We… so worried…” she whispered. “Natsu-san… can… anything?”
He felt it. The way his brow twitched. The way his mind wanted to speak, to ask.
“It’s okay… okay.” She said after a few seconds, her hand out, lightly brushing his shoulder. “…Don’t worry… here… everyone… waiting for… downstairs…”
He shifted his eyes, the ceiling, the walls, the monitors.
He’d seen it all before.
He kept his gaze moving, and they landed on the recliner in the corner of the room. His brows furrowed, his eyes narrowed.
Light green fabric, beige arms.
It looked so familiar.
Too familiar.
I can’t sleep…
It’s okay, Lucy…
Natsu… I can’t sleep here…
I’ve got you, I’m not going anywhere…
And suddenly his mind began to spin.
He felt Juvia startle when the beeping that was steady just a second ago started to pick up. It rang in his ears too, way too loud, way too powerful, matching the storm raging in his head.
He felt his eyes grow wide, his chest feeling constricted, and he tried to shift, only to hear Juvia in the background trying to calm him.
Gray had rushed back to his side as well, calling to him, trying to ground him. Doctors and nurses rushed in at once.
The room began to spin, the colors all mixing together, but he found it.
The tiny bit of strength he needed.
“Lucy…”
…
The world returned for her, all at once instead of slowly.
Pain settled heavy through Lucy’s body the second her eyes opened, deep and throbbing beneath her skin before she even understood where she was. White lighting blurred above her, too bright against the exhaustion pulling at her limbs. The steady beeping somewhere beside her echoed softly through the room.
The hospital.
She was in the hospital.
Again?
The realization came immediately.
Her breathing slowed on instinct alone, her body recognizing the ceiling, the smell, the cold dryness in the air long before her mind fully caught up.
But her thoughts stayed distant. Foggy.
She shifted slightly against the cot and pain tore sharply through her abdomen. A strained sound slipped from her throat.
“Lucy?” The voice reached her softly, muffled beneath the haze clouding her head.
A careful hand brushed against her cheek.
“Lucy?”
Another voice came faster this time. Shaking. “Lu… hey, hey—”
That one she could recognize anywhere.
Levy.
Lucy turned her head weakly toward the sound, her vision swimming badly enough that the figures beside her bed barely looked human at first.
Then they sharpened.
On Levy’s red eyes. On the tears streaking down her cheeks. And then her father, Jude standing beside her, his sleeves rolled unevenly past his forearms, his tie missing, exhaustion carved deeply into his face.
Lucy frowned weakly, utterly confused.
“What—”
Pain twisted through her again.
She inhaled sharply and shifted instinctively, trying to curl slightly around the ache pulling violently through her body.
Her hand slid downward automatically.
Toward her stomach.
Her body felt heavy.
Wrong.
Like something had been taken out of her and replaced with pain.
The blanket shifted beneath trembling fingers.
And Lucy froze instantly.
It was wrong. The shape beneath her palm felt wrong.
Her breath caught sharply.
Her fingers moved higher frantically before they brushed against thick bandaging beneath the hospital gown.
Pain shot through her abdomen immediately.
Lucy’s eyes widened.
No.
Her head lifted too fast, dizziness crashing violently through her vision.
“No—”
“Lu,” Levy said immediately, reaching for her hand. “Lucy, hey, hey, it’s okay—”
Lucy shoved herself upward slightly despite the pain, panic hitting her all at once now.
“No— no, what—”
Her breathing broke unevenly as her hand trembled harder against her stomach.
Against the bandaging.
Against the emptiness.
Jude stepped forward instantly, gripping the bed railing tightly.
“Lucy, calm down.”
“What… happened?” Her voice cracked apart violently. “What happened?!”
“Lucy—”
“Why… what happened to my baby?” The monitor beside her surged into rapid, violent beeping.
Levy grabbed her hand harder, crying openly now. “Lu, please, please calm down—”
Lucy shook her head frantically, trying to sit up again despite the agony ripping through her abdomen.
“No— no, no, no—”
“Lucy.” Jude’s voice broke through sharply this time, strained enough to make both women freeze for half a second. “Lucy, you need to breathe.”
But she couldn’t.
The panic swallowed everything.
The room blurred.
The lights burned.
And suddenly the room was full.
Voices overlapped around her. Hands pressing against her, a nurse injecting her with something:
But all Lucy could feel was her hand pressed against her stomach where her daughter should have been.
…
Pain pulled Natsu back before consciousness fully did.
Not sharp.
Heavy.
It sat through his ribs and shoulders like concrete, dragging against every breath he tried to take. A low sound escaped him as his eyes fluttered open again, the hospital lights above him softer now, dimmed sometime while he’d been out.
The room stayed still this time.
No shouting.
No rushing footsteps.
No panic.
Just the quiet hum of machines and the ache spreading through his body every time he moved.
Natsu swallowed hard, wincing immediately at the dryness clawing through his throat.
A chair scraped softly beside him.
His eyes shifted slowly toward the sound.
And then something loosened inside when he saw who was sitting there.
Igneel sat beside the bed, elbows resting against his knees, worry carved deeply into his face.
For a second neither of them spoke.
Then Igneel leaned forward, placing a rough hand carefully against the top of Natsu’s head.
“Hey,” he said quietly.
Natsu stared at him blearily.
“…Dad?”
Relief flickered across Igneel’s face so fast Natsu almost missed it.
“I’m here.” His hand brushed back through Natsu’s hair once. “Stay awake for me, alright? I need to get the doctor.”
Something twisted uneasily through Natsu’s chest.
His brow furrowed weakly.
“Lucy…” His voice barely worked. Rough. Slow. “Dad…” He blinked hard, trying to force his thoughts together. “Where’s Lucy?”
Igneel’s expression tightened immediately.
“Natsu,” he said carefully, “do you remember what happened?”
Natsu’s eyes shut briefly.
The light.
The intersection.
That truck—
His eyes snapped back open.
Natsu jerked upward instinctively.
Pain exploded through him.
“Fuck—”
Igneel was on his feet instantly, one hand pushing carefully against his shoulder.
“Natsu, stop.”
“There was a car…” His breathing picked up unevenly now, panic forcing its way through the fog clouding his head. “It—it came outta nowhere—”
“Natsu.”
“I need to see Lucy.”
He shoved himself upward again despite the agony tearing through his ribs.
His body trembled violently from the effort.
Igneel grabbed him harder this time. “Lay back down.”
“No!”
“Natsu—”
“No!” His voice cracked apart as he threw the blanket off himself and forced his legs over the side of the bed.
The second his feet touched the floor, his knees nearly gave out.
Pain ripped through his chest hard enough to blur his vision instantly.
Igneel caught him before he collapsed completely, gripping him tightly around the arms.
“I need to see her,” Natsu choked out, struggling against him immediately. “Dad, move—”
“You can barely stand.”
“I don’t care!”
His breathing broke unevenly now, panic overtaking everything else.
“Lucy’s okay, right?” His fingers twisted desperately into the front of Igneel’s shirt. “She’s okay?”
Igneel looked wrecked standing there.
And somehow that scared Natsu more than anything else had yet.
“Natsu.” Igneel’s voice lowered, rough with exhaustion. “You need to calm down.”
“No— no, just tell me where she is.” His chest tightened violently. “Please just tell me she’s okay…”
The words shattered coming out of him.
Igneel steadied him harder as Natsu nearly folded from the pain again.
“I need her,” he whispered brokenly. “I couldn’t keep her safe…”
“Natsu—”
“Dad, I need to see her, I need to be with her.” His head shook frantically. “And our girl… I let them down… I couldn’t keep them safe… I—”
“Natsu, you didn’t do this.” Igneel’s grip tightened around him. “That truck came out of nowhere.”
“But what about Lucy…” Natsu’s voice shook.
The words shifted something visibly across Igneel’s face.
“She’s alive,” he said quickly. Firmly. “Lucy’s alive.”
Natsu froze.
But only for half a second.
“Then why can’t I see her?” Panic surged right back into his voice. “Why are we—”
“She’s in intensive care.”
The world dropped out from underneath him.
Intensive care.
For one horrible second, all he could see was white hospital walls from years ago.
Machines.
Silence.
Lisanna lying motionless while everyone around him kept saying: we’re doing everything we can.
Natsu shoved against Igneel immediately.
“No.”
His knees buckled again the second he tried to move, pain tearing violently through his body before Igneel caught him hard against his chest.
“No, no—”
“Natsu.”
“I can’t lose her.” His voice cracked apart completely now. “Dad, I can’t lose Lucy…”
“You won’t.” Igneel gripped the back of his neck firmly, forcing Natsu to look at him. “You hear me?” His own voice strained slightly this time. “You won’t.”
Natsu’s breathing broke unevenly as Igneel slowly guided him back toward the bed. Every movement hurt. His ribs. His chest. His head.
None of it mattered.
The second he sat back down, he dropped forward into his hands, shoulders shaking violently beneath the hospital gown.
“I need to see her…”
“I know.”
Igneel managed to settle him back down, pulling the blanket carefully back over him before stepping away toward the door.
“I’m gonna get the doctor,” he said quietly. “And then…” His expression softened for the first time since Natsu woke up. “There’s someone I think you should meet.”
Natsu shut his eyes tightly. “I just want to see Lucy, dad.”
“I know.” Igneel rested his hand briefly against the doorway. “I’ll see what I can do.” Then more firmly. “Stay awake for me, alright?”
…
Lucy drifted in and out of consciousness for what felt like hours.
Every time she had surfaced, panic followed.
The bandaging against her stomach. The ache tearing through her body. The horrible emptiness beneath her hands.
Then the sedation would drag her under again before the fear could fully settle.
But this time, the darkness didn’t come back.
Lucy kept her eyes open.
The ceiling above her blurred softly at the edges while pain pulsed low through her abdomen with every shallow breath she took. Her mouth felt dry. Heavy exhaustion pressed through her limbs hard enough that even turning her head felt difficult.
The room was dimmer now.
Evening maybe.
She could hear movement outside the door. Quiet voices somewhere down the hallway. Shoes against polished floors.
Her father’s voice.
Levy’s too.
And maybe Gajeel’s somewhere farther down the corridor?
Lucy stared toward the doorway without speaking.
She didn’t think she had the strength to.
A few seconds later, the door opened softly and Jude stepped inside.
The moment he noticed her eyes open, something in his expression shifted instantly. Relief. Fear. Or maybe just exhaustion.
All of it crossing his face too quickly for Lucy to fully process before he was already moving toward her.
“Lucy…”
He reached her bedside and cupped her face carefully between his hands.
His palms were warm.
Lucy didn’t look at him.
Her hands moved first instead.
Slowly.
Instinctively.
One settled against her stomach beneath the blanket.
And everything broke.
A sound left her throat before words did.
“I…” Her breath caught painfully. “I failed again…”
“Lucy—”
Tears blurred her vision almost immediately.
“What did I do wrong?” she whispered. “What did I do wrong?”
Jude’s thumb brushed beneath her eye carefully, wiping away a tear before another replaced it.
“Lucy,” he said softly, firmly, “you didn’t do anything wrong.”
She shook her head weakly against the pillow as pain twisted through her stomach again.
“What happened?”
“There was an accident.”
The words settled strangely in the room.
Lucy frowned slightly.
For a second, she simply stared at him.
The intersection.
Natsu’s hand against her thigh.
And then everything started to spin.
Her breathing stopped. “What…?”
The monitor beside her immediately quickened.
Jude’s expression tightened.
Lucy’s eyes widened slowly as the memory continued piecing itself together inside her head.
“Natsu…” The name barely came out. “Where is he?”
Her body reacted before her mind fully could. She tried to push herself upward but the pain exploded through her abdomen instantly.
A scream tore from her throat.
“Lucy stop.”
“Where is he?!” she cried, panic breaking fully through her voice now. “Where’s Natsu?!”
Jude grabbed her shoulders carefully as she struggled to move again.
“Lucy, listen to me.”
“Where is he?!”
“Lucy.” His voice cracked sharply enough that she finally stilled.
Her body trembled violently beneath his hands.
Jude swallowed once. “Natsu is alive.”
The room went silent.
Lucy stared at him. “He’s okay?”
“He’s hurt,” Jude continued more quietly. “But he’s alive, and he’s been in and out, just like you have.”
A broken cry escaped her instantly.
“And your daughter…” His expression softened visibly despite the exhaustion lining his face. “They had to perform an emergency delivery.” He paused briefly. “She’s in the neonatal unit right now.”
The air left Lucy’s lungs all at once.
Alive.
Her baby was alive.
Lucy shut her eyes.
“There’s gonna be a room arranged for the two of you, when everyone is a little more stable…” Her father continued.
A sob mixed with a sigh of relief escaped. Her tears slid harder down the sides of her face while her father held her together as carefully as he could.
“Can I…” Her voice trembled violently. “Can I… see her?”
Jude brushed another tear carefully from her cheek.
“I’ll get the doctor.”
…
Natsu groaned quietly the second the elevator doors opened.
Pain dragged through his ribs immediately as he stepped out into the hallway, one hand pressing briefly against his side before Igneel steadied him again.
“For the last time,” Igneel muttered, “you should be in a wheelchair.”
“I’m fine.”
“You almost collapsed trying to push the button.”
“I said I’m fine.”
Igneel sighed under his breath but stayed beside him anyway as the nurse guided them farther down the hallway.
Everything smelled impossibly clean.
The lighting here felt softer than the rest of the hospital somehow, quieter too. The distant beeping of machines echoed faintly through the corridor while nurses moved carefully between rooms behind glass walls.
Natsu frowned slightly.
“Is Lucy here?”
The nurse glanced back briefly before Igneel answered first.
“No.”
Natsu looked over immediately. “So why—”
“I spoke with Mr. Heartfilia,” Igneel explained quietly. “Once Lucy’s stable enough, they’ll move her into a room nearby.”
Natsu’s brows furrowed weakly. “He’s here?”
“Yes. He is with Lucy right now. All of your friends are waiting in the waiting room, and Silver and Ur are taking care of your dog…” Igneel nodded once. “But for now…”
The nurse slowed near a large glass window.
And Natsu stopped breathing.
Rows of incubators stretched quietly across the room beyond the glass. Tiny blankets. Tiny hats. Monitors blinking softly in the dim lighting.
Then his eyes found her.
And suddenly the rest of the world disappeared.
Natsu stepped forward slowly, like he was afraid the movement itself might somehow disturb her.
Small. God, she was so small.
White wires curled carefully around her tiny body while she slept against the mattress inside the incubator, impossibly still beneath the low lighting.
Her hair was pink.
Just like his.
Something inside his chest cracked open instantly.
Natsu pressed both hands against the glass without realizing he’d moved.
“She’s here…” he whispered softly, his voice breaking slightly on the words. “She’s…” His eyes never left her. “Right there.”
Igneel stepped beside him quietly, one hand settling against Natsu’s shoulder.
“Congratulations, son.”
Natsu laughed once under his breath, completely wrecked already.
Tears blurred his vision as he stared at her.
Beautiful.
Tiny.
Alive.
His daughter.
Igneel’s hand squeezed his shoulder once.
“Amazing, isn’t she?”
Natsu’s lips curved helplessly.
“Our girl,” he whispered. “My little firefly.”
…
The wheelchair wheels clicked softly against the hospital floor as the nurse guided Lucy down the hallway.
Pain still pulled heavily through her body every time the chair shifted too suddenly, but the fog in her head had finally started to thin enough for exhaustion to replace panic.
Beside her, Jude continued speaking without pause.
“I’ve already arranged for someone to completely redo the nursery,” he said matter-of-factly. “The walls will need fresh paint obviously… I mean split walls? Who came up with that? I also had the floors inspected this morning.”
Lucy stared ahead blankly.
The nurse bit the inside of her cheek hard enough to stop herself from laughing. Though she was shooting Jude a few sideways glances without him noticing.
“Dad…” Lucy groaned softly, almost embarrassed.
“The crib situation alone was concerning.”
Lucy rolled her eyes weakly, immediately wincing afterward when the movement pulled at her abdomen.
“The nursery was done.”
“Lucy,” Jude sighed patiently, “no grandchild of mine is sleeping in a four-star reviewed crib.”
The nurse blinked.
“It had excellent reviews.” Lucy said softly.
“It only had seventeen reviews.”
“And?” Lucy sighed,
“And one of them used the phrase ‘pretty sturdy.’”
Lucy let out a tired laugh despite herself.
“Besides,” Jude continued, adjusting the cuffs of his rolled sleeves, “the crib still wasn’t assembled properly, so I fail to see the issue here, I am doing—”
“Natsu—”
The name left her before she even realized she’d seen him.
Across the ward, standing near the large glass viewing window, Natsu turned instantly at the sound of her voice.
His eyes widened.
“Luce…”
Lucy felt herself almost collapse with relief.
She tried pushing herself upward immediately despite the pain.
“Lucy—” the nurse started quickly.
But Natsu was already moving.
“Don’t, it’s okay,” he said breathlessly the second he reached her, dropping carefully to his knees in front of the wheelchair before she could force herself up any farther. “Don’t get up, please—”
His hands hovered uncertainly near her for half a second, like he didn’t know where he could touch without hurting her.
But Lucy leaned forward anyway.
And Natsu caught her immediately.
His arms wrapped around her carefully but tightly enough that she could feel the trembling running through him.
“Natsu…” Her voice cracked apart instantly. “I was so worried.”
He pressed a kiss against her cheek.
Then another against her temple.
And then he pulled her against him again like he physically couldn’t stop himself.
“Me too,” he admitted softly.
Lucy pulled back just enough to look at him.
Both of them were crying now.
Exhausted.
Shaky.
Smiling anyway.
Natsu brushed trembling fingers carefully beneath her eye.
“Our girl is here.” He leaned down slightly, pressing a soft kiss to her hand. “You did it.”
Lucy let out a small broken laugh through her tears.
“What does she look like?”
His entire face softened instantly.
“She’s perfect.”
Natsu pushed himself carefully back to his feet with a quiet wince before his father immediately steadied him, helping him all the way up.
Relief crossed Igneel’s face the moment Lucy looked at him.
He placed a hand on her shoulder gently. “I’m so happy to see you.”
Lucy smiled softly. “Thank you.”
Then Jude stepped forward again almost immediately.
“About the truck,” he began. “I’ve already had it taken to a repair shop. However, given the circumstances, I took the liberty of researching several larger SUV options with significantly higher safety ratings—”
“Dad.” Lucy frowned weakly. “Not right now.”
Jude looked genuinely confused, glancing between everyone, finally noticing the side eye the nurse was giving him.
“Should I not mention the crib either?”
The nurse finally stepped forward then, a professional smile firmly back in place.
“Sir,” she said politely, “I think we should allow the parents a moment alone with their daughter.”
Jude blinked. “I beg your pardon?”
“Great idea,” Igneel interrupted immediately, grabbing Jude by the shoulder and steering him toward the elevator before he could continue. “C’mon. Let’s go tell everybody they’re awake.”
“Hang on just a moment—” Jude protested as the elevator doors opened. “Lucy, the crib is five-star safety certified—”
The doors shut.
Silence settled for half a second.
Then Natsu snorted softly under his breath.
Lucy laughed tiredly.
And suddenly everything felt lighter.
Natsu looked back at her.
“Ready to meet her?”
Lucy nodded immediately.
Carefully, slowly, and with the help of the nurse, Natsu guided her toward the glass.
And there she was.
Tiny beneath the soft NICU lighting. Pink hair visible beneath the little knit cap resting against her head. Small fingers curled loosely near her face while the monitors blinked quietly around her incubator.
A tear slid down Lucy’s cheek as a laugh escaped her at the same time.
“Oh my god,” she whispered. “She looks just like you.”
Natsu smiled helplessly beside her before leaning down to press a kiss against the top of her head.
Then his eyes drifted back toward their daughter again.
His expression softened completely.
“Thank you,” he whispered quietly.
Lucy looked up at him. “For what?”
His eyes stayed on the incubator.
“For keeping her safe.”
Lucy’s face tightened.
“Natsu…” She reached for his hand, threading her fingers carefully through his. “The accident wasn’t your fault.”
His jaw shifted slightly.
Lucy squeezed his hand harder.
“She’s always gonna feel safe with you,” she whispered. “Just like I do.”
The look in his eyes almost undid her.
Natsu crouched carefully in front of her despite the obvious pain it caused him, one hand brushing gently against her cheek before he leaned forward and pressed a kiss against her forehead.
“Let’s get better, okay?” he whispered. “So we can take care of her… and bring her home.”
Lucy cupped his face carefully between both hands. “Okay.”
She leaned forward, and kissed him softly.
…
Lucy reached for him before she was even fully awake.
Her arm slid across the bed automatically, her body still heavy with sleep as she searched for warmth beside her.
Instead, her hand met empty sheets.
The mattress was still warm where he had been.
But Natsu wasn’t there.
Lucy’s fingers curled loosely into the blankets before her eyes finally fluttered open. The room sat dark around her, soft moonlight stretching faintly across the floor while exhaustion still pulled heavily at her limbs.
For a second she simply lay there, listening.
Then she heard it.
The faint crackling from the baby monitor beside the bed.
Tiny noises.
A sleepy little babble followed by soft giggling quiet enough that it almost sounded unreal.
Lucy frowned softly and pushed herself upright.
Pain pulled low through her stomach immediately, sharp enough to make her inhale through her teeth as her hand instinctively pressed against the lingering soreness there.
Six months later and some mornings still hurt.
She stayed still for another second until the ache settled enough to move again.
Then she slipped free from the bed.
Her sleep shorts sat crooked against one hip, oversized tank top hanging loose from one shoulder while she pushed messy strands of blonde hair away from her face and stepped quietly into the hallway.
Sure enough, dim light spilled softly from the nursery.
The door sat cracked open.
And Plue lingered outside it like a tiny guard dog, stretched across the floor with his head lifted attentively toward the room.
At some point over the last several weeks, he’d apparently decided the nursery belonged to him too.
His tail immediately began wagging the second he noticed her.
Lucy smiled sleepily, rubbing her fingers through his fur as she stepped past him and gently nudged the nursery door open a little further.
And her heart melted instantly.
Natsu stood near the rocking chair with their daughter Nasha, tucked carefully against his chest, one hand spread protectively across her tiny back while he swayed with her slowly in the dim light.
Sound asleep.
Her cheek rested against his collarbone, tiny fingers curled loosely against the fabric of his shirt while he rubbed slow circles against her back without even seeming to realize he was doing it.
The whole room felt warm.
Quiet.
Safe.
Natsu lifted his head the moment he heard her in the doorway.
And immediately smiled.
Lucy swore she fell in love with him all over again every time he looked at their daughter.
“I didn’t hear her crying,” she whispered softly as she stepped closer.
“She wasn’t,” Natsu admitted, almost sheepish. “I just came to check on her and she woke up for a little bit.”
Lucy huffed a quiet laugh beneath her breath before stopping beside him.
“Maybe we should just bring her back to our room? Is it too soon for her to sleep in here?”
Natsu leaned into the touch the second Lucy cupped his face gently in her hand.
“Sometimes I feel like she only falls asleep in my arms.”
Lucy looked down at their daughter, brushing her fingers carefully through the soft pink strands resting against the baby’s head.
“I understand why she feels like that.” Lucy met his gaze. “I always feel safe there too.”
Something in Natsu’s expression softened instantly.
He turned his head just enough to press a kiss against Lucy’s palm before nodding tiredly toward the hallway.
“Go back to bed, I’ve got her.”
“I need to feed her soon,” Lucy murmured through a yawn.
Natsu glanced down at the baby again before carefully lowering her back into the crib.
She stirred faintly at the movement, tiny nose scrunching for a second before settling again, her breathing even.
“I think she’ll let us know when,” Natsu whispered.
He leaned down and pressed the gentlest kiss against the top of her head.
Lucy watched him for another second longer, warmth spreading quietly through her chest before she finally stepped back into the hallway.
Behind her, Natsu lingered beside the crib while Plue wandered over and curled himself near the base of it with a deep dramatic sigh.
Lucy smiled to herself all the way to the kitchen.
The apartment sat completely still this late at night. The refrigerator hummed softly while the city lights glowed faintly through the windows.
She stood at the sink rinsing bottles beneath warm water, her eyes still heavy with sleep as steam curled softly around her hands.
A few seconds later, arms slid carefully around her waist from behind.
Lucy melted back against him immediately.
Natsu pressed a sleepy kiss against her cheek before resting his chin against her shoulder, his warmth settling around her completely.
“Are you okay?” he asked quietly.
Lucy smiled faintly. “I’m fine.”
Natsu stayed quiet for a second longer like he was listening for the real answer anyway.
Lucy shut the water off before finally turning in his arms, her hands sliding up around his neck automatically.
“I mean…” A tired laugh escaped her softly. “Am I exhausted? Yeah.” She smiled weakly. “Is this hard? Definitely.”
Natsu’s expression softened immediately. “Yeah.”
“But she’s worth it.” Her eyes drifted briefly toward the hallway leading back to the nursery. Then back to him. “And you make it easier.”
His arms tightened around her waist slightly before he leaned down, pressing his forehead gently against hers.
“I love you.”
Lucy smiled instantly, softer this time.
She tucked herself closer against him, resting her head against his chest while his hand slowly rubbed up and down her back.
“I love you too.”
The baby monitor crackled loudly, right on cue, before a sharp newborn cry suddenly echoed through the apartment.
Both of them froze.
Natsu sighed softly. “I guess she’s letting us know.”
Lucy laughed tiredly despite herself, her face scrunching slightly. “This is really hard.”
A bedroom door creaked open farther down the hallway.
A few seconds later, Wendy shuffled sleepily into view wearing oversized pajamas, hair completely messy, eyes barely open, while Plue trailed behind her.
Wendy yawned dramatically before rubbing at one eye.
“I love you guys,” she said sleepily. “And I love Nash more than both of you combined…” Another cry echoed through the apartment. “But I also love sleeping the night before exams.”
Natsu only laughed.
“I’m sorry Wendy.” Lucy frowned.
“No. Don’t apologize.” The teenager shuffled towards the front door. “I’ll be across the hall, sleeping on the couch.”
“That’s fair.” Lucy admitted through a laugh.
Another cry rang out.
Wendy sighed dramatically, reaching the door. “Good luck.”
The front door clicked shut softly behind her.
Plue immediately wandered over to Lucy afterward, nudging insistently against her ankle before trotting toward the hallway leading to the nursery.
Lucy smiled helplessly. “So protective of our girl now, huh?”
Natsu looked toward the hallway, then back at Lucy.
Lucy smiled softly. “Go get her.”
He leaned down quickly, pressing one last kiss against her forehead before disappearing down the hallway toward the crying.
Lucy stayed there in the kitchen for another moment, listening quietly.
The soft creak of the nursery door.
Natsu’s sleepy voice trying to soothe their daughter.
Lucy smiled to herself before finally going in after them.
…
“Such a good baby girl, yes!” Juvia squealed delightedly as she scooped up another spoonful of baby food and held it toward Nasha’s mouth. “Yes, you eat all your vegetables so well for Auntie Juvia, so you can grow bigger and stronger…”
Nasha smacked her lips happily, but most of the green puree landed on her cheeks instead.
Gray frowned from where he sat nearby, arms crossed loosely over his chest.
“Is any of that stuff actually making it into her mouth?”
Juvia ignored him completely.
“Gray-sama,” she sighed dreamily, looking down at the baby like she’d discovered the meaning of life itself. “Isn’t she the cutest thing you’ve ever seen?”
“She’d be cuter if she wasn’t covered in…” he leaned closer, examining the lettering of the baby food. “Organic broccoli and green beans… gross.”
Juvia elbowed him lightly. “It is not gross, Gray-sama. Nasha-chan has a very developed palette. Isn’t that right? Yes, yes my sweet girl.”
Gray grimaced at the food, but reached over anyway, gently wiping some of the baby food from Nasha’s cheek with his thumb.
The baby lit up, babbling loudly reaching to clutch Gray’s finger in her hand.
Juvia immediately swooned.
“Gray-sama…” she gasped dramatically. “Can we please have a baby too?”
Gray physically recoiled. “I— what—”
“Are you outta your damn mind, sprinkler?” Gajeel appeared behind Juvia with a horrified look on his face. “We leave for tour in two weeks,” he continued. “You can’t just randomly decide to have a kid.”
Juvia whipped around immediately, eyes narrowed at her brother. “It is none of your business!”
Levy rolled her eyes fondly before reaching over to rescue Nasha from the high chair. “Gajeel, don’t fight with her.”
Nasha giggled happily the second Levy lifted her into her arms. Levy only grinned, booping the baby on the nose causing her to laugh.
Gray let out a breath, and ran a hand through his hair. “I mean… I guess I wouldn’t mind having a kid or two—”
Juvia gasped, launching herself at Gray before he could even finish the sentence. She settled into his lap, arms tight around his shoulders.
“Let’s go make one right now, my love!”
Gray only smirked, lifting a playful brow as if he was actually considering the offer.
Gajeel groaned, throwing his head back in annoyance. “Can you be serious for once? You can’t have a baby on the road!”
Cana wandered over with a washcloth, wiping the rest of the baby food from Nasha’s face while the baby reached immediately for her necklace.
“Oh come on, just look at her.” Cana grinned, wiggling her brows toward Gajeel. “Doesn’t this make you want one?”
Gajeel looked at Nasha. Then at Levy. Then briefly back toward the baby.
“…Maybe a little… when I look at her I guess.”
Levy smirked instantly. “Is that so?”
“But,” Gajeel added quickly, jerking his thumb toward the kitchen, “not when I look at those two.”
Everyone turned.
The sink water still ran.
Lucy stood slumped against the kitchen counter near the dish rack, towel still hanging limply from one hand while her cheek rested against the surface, completely asleep.
Beside her, Natsu had somehow ended up on the floor with his back against the cabinets. A sponge remained clutched loosely in his hand while he snored softly with his head tipped down.
For a second, the entire apartment went quiet.
Until Nasha squealed loudly and reached for her parents.
Gajeel grimaced.
“Yeah,” he muttered. “I think I can wait a few years.”
…
Natsu narrowed his eyes in concentration.
Fairy Brew had finally settled after an absolutely brutal morning rush. The catering orders stacked high enough earlier that half the staff looked ready to collapse by ten in the morning.
Now the café had softened back into its quieter rhythm.
A few customers lingered at tables with laptops open, headphones in, coffee cups half empty beside them, while soft music drifted through the speakers overhead.
Kinana lifted her phone from behind the register and nodded once.
Romeo immediately launched the first chocolate chip.
Natsu caught it cleanly in his mouth.
Then another.
Then a third.
He threw both arms into the air triumphantly while Kinana burst into laughter beside the espresso machine.
“I told you I could do it!” Natsu pointed accusingly toward Romeo. “You’re closing tonight, kid.”
Romeo groaned dramatically but leaned over the counter anyway, clasping hands with Natsu in victory.
“Yeah, yeah. I could use the money anyway.”
Kinana shook her head while wiping down the espresso bar. “Natsu, you become ten times more immature whenever you work with Romeo.”
“No way.” Natsu frowned immediately. “I’m super mature now. I’m a dad.”
“That doesn’t make you mature.” Gray didn’t even bother looking up from his laptop as he spoke. “You’re just a moron with a kid.”
Natsu pointed at him instantly. “What was that, ice for brains?!”
Gray finally glanced up lazily. “You heard me, pyro.”
Kinana grimaced, looking between both men. “Wow guys. Real mature, both of you.”
Before Natsu could yell back, the bell above the café door jingled softly.
And instantly, his entire expression changed.
He turned toward the entrance so fast it was almost automatic.
Lucy stepped inside first with Wendy beside her, the late afternoon sunlight spilling briefly around them before the door shut again.
Nasha rested securely against Lucy’s chest in the baby carrier, tiny yellow hat slightly crooked against her head while she blinked sleepily around the café.
Natsu swore his heart stopped every single time he saw them walk through that door.
Kinana squealed immediately, rushing around the counter to greet them first, but Natsu was already moving before she could even reach them.
Nasha noticed him almost instantly, and her entire face lit up.
A happy little sound escaped her as she kicked her tiny legs excitedly against Lucy’s stomach, both hands reaching outward immediately the closer Natsu got.
Lucy smiled the second she saw his expression soften.
“There’s my little firefly,” Natsu murmured, voice quieter now. He leaned down first to press a kiss against Lucy’s head automatically before immediately crouching slightly in front of the baby carrier. “Hey, pretty girl.”
Nasha babbled happily at him, nose scrunching as if unable to contain her excitement.
Natsu’s whole heart melted.
His fingers brushed carefully beneath her chin before he leaned forward again, pressing a kiss against the top of her tiny hat.
Lucy watched him with the same look she always did now whenever he got like this.
Completely gone for her.
“How was everything?” Natsu finally asked, standing again while his hand instinctively settled against Lucy’s back.
“She’s catching up,” Lucy said softly, brushing her fingers through Nasha’s tiny pink strands of hair. “The doctor said she’s still a little underweight…” Her eyes lifted back toward him. “But everything else looks okay.”
The tension left Natsu’s shoulders so visibly it almost hurt to look at.
He leaned down immediately, pressing a lingering kiss against Lucy’s forehead before resting his own there for half a second longer.
“You’re doing great, Luce.” His arm stayed wrapped securely around her shoulders afterward like he couldn’t help himself. “I’m sorry I couldn’t go today.”
Lucy smiled softly.
“You come to every appointment.” She leaned into him automatically, resting briefly against his chest while Nasha grabbed lazily at the front of his apron. “They needed you here.” Then she glanced toward Wendy. “Besides, Wendy was really good support, especially now that she got her drivers license.”
Natsu immediately looked toward Wendy with exaggerated shock.
“I still can’t believe it. My little sister’s all grown up?”
Before Wendy could react, he reached over and aggressively ruffled her hair.
Wendy gasped in outrage.
“Natsu!”
“Look at you,” he teased. “So responsible.”
“Stop touching my hair!”
“Thanks for filling in for me today.”
She swatted uselessly at his arm while trying not to laugh.
“Don’t thank me. I wanted to go.”
Natsu grinned before suddenly hooking an arm around her shoulders and hauling her completely off the ground.
Wendy yelped.
“NATSU—”
“What would we do without you, huh?”
“Natsu, put me DOWN!”
He laughed louder while she shoved at him dramatically until he finally set her back onto the floor.
Wendy fixed her hair with a glare that carried absolutely no real heat.
“Well,” she muttered, “if you really wanna thank me… you could get me my own car.”
Natsu snorted immediately.
“And you’re hilarious too. Man, I really do have the best little sister.”
Wendy shrugged smugly. “Worth a shot.”
Lucy laughed quietly beside them while Natsu guided her farther into the café, his hand never leaving the small of her back.
“I’ll get you something to eat.”
Lucy smiled softly as she watched him disappear toward the kitchen.
Her entire expression softened as she wondered if it was possible to love him even more than she already did.
Gray slid casually into the booth beside her, his attention immediately landing on Nasha.
“Well hey there, tiny menace.”
“She is not a menace…” Lucy pouted.
Gray scoffed, “she’s Natsu’s daughter…”
Lucy could only sigh dramatically. “Okay, she’s not a menace yet…”
Nasha blinked at him seriously for approximately two seconds before immediately leaning toward him.
Gray looked touched by how easy that was for her.
Natsu paused briefly near the kitchen doors just in time to catch the sight of it.
The way his daughter leaned comfortably into Gray’s arms like some instinct inside her already understood she was safe with him too.
A warm feeling settled quietly in his chest.
Then he disappeared into the kitchen.
On the other side of the cafe, Wendy slid onto one of the bar stools near the counter while Romeo leaned in, across from the other side.
He glanced toward the kitchen before looking back at her with an amused smirk. “This feels different.”
Wendy laughed softly. “Well, you did say you wanted to quit the movie theater.”
Romeo scoffed. “Yeah, because working there stops being fun when you force me to watch three movies a week after my shifts.”
She frowned thoughtfully. “…I do miss the discount.”
He exhaled a laugh beneath his breath before his expression shifted slightly more serious.
“Hey.”
Wendy looked up immediately. “What’s up?”
Romeo rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “I was gonna go see my mom soon. At the treatment center.”
Wendy’s eyes widened slightly. “Wow… she’s doing better then?”
“Yeah.” He nodded once. “Gray said he’d go with me but…” His eyes flicked briefly toward hers again. “I was wondering if you’d come too.”
“Really?” Wendy’s expression softened immediately. “I mean… yeah, I will.”
His shoulders fell slightly, like a sudden relief, and he nodded, grateful.
The calmness lingered for another while. A few people slipped in and out of the cafe with their afternoon caffeine fixes.
Lucy placed Nasha carefully back into the carrier, her head immediately pressing against her chest.
“I just have to submit a paper tonight.” Lucy said, stroking Nasha’s hair absentmindedly. “I was thinking I could go to the library for a few hours later when you get home.”
Natsu nodded, carefully adjusting the strap for her. “Yeah just give me an hour to wrap things up for the next shift.”
Lucy was just gathering the last of her things, when the bell above the door jingled.
“Welcome back.” Kinana’s voice carried through the lobby, gaining everyone’s attention. “Are you looking for Natsu again?”
At the sound of those words, both Natsu and Lucy turned towards the entrance.
Lucy’s brows pulled together. “Hey… what are you doing here?”
Natsu scratched the back of his head. “Did we make dinner plans or something?”
Jude Heartfilia stood at the entrance, offering Kinana a nod before stepping closer to Lucy.
“Lucy, Natsu… I stopped by your apartment but nobody was home.” His eyes landed on Nasha, sleeping soundly, and a small curve appeared on his lips. “She looks well.”
Lucy blinked at him. “You… could have called me, dad.”
Jude rubbed his chin. “Well, I… have a gift for you, and Mrs. Spetto insisted that it would be better if I surprised you with it.”
Natsu crossed his arms over his chest, staying at Lucy’s side.
“A surprise?”
Jude nodded, reaching into his pocket before digging out a car key and holding it up between his fingers.
“I got this for you the day you went home from the hospital, however I figured I wouldn’t bring it up then because of well… I suppose there was a lot going on.” He cleared his throat. “But time has passed, my granddaughter is looking healthier and you… well… every new mother needs a car, yes?”
Lucy smiled softly, but shook her head instantly. “Thanks dad… I appreciate the gesture… but no thanks…”
“Are you sure about that?” Gray mumbled from behind them. “I mean… it’s a freaking car…” his eyes narrowed. “…and it’s a good one too.”
From the bar, Wendy jumped out of the stool, hand in the air. “Oh…oh… Mr Heartfilia, if Lucy doesn’t want it I’ll buy it from you.”
Natsu shot her a look. “With what money?”
Wendy narrowed her eyes right back at him. “I’ve got money saved up from slaving at this shop for almost three years.”
“Slaving?!” Natsu huffed out a breath, “whining and leaving early every shift is slaving?”
“Dad…” she shook her head, gaining Jude’s full attention. “I don’t need it.”
Natsu stepped closer, placing a hand on Lucy’s shoulder.
“Well, you heard her.”
Jude furrowed his brows. “Lucy. A car is necessary, do you know how many people would jump at the—” he stopped himself, meeting her gaze, seeing her small unwavering smile while she softly pressed her cheek against Nasha’s head, bouncing her gently.
“I’ve already been saving. I want to get one for myself.”
Jude sighed, “you won't be changing your mind, will you?”
“No.” Lucy said quickly.
“I suppose it can’t be helped.” He shook his head with a small smile. “You know your mother rejected the first car I ever tried to give her too.”
Lucy could only laugh softly.
Jude glanced over towards the bar, his eyes narrowing slightly. “So Wendy, you recently passed your drivers test? Yes?”
Wendy nodded, her eyes lighting up. “Yes.”
“And you’re graduating soon as well, yes?”
“Uh huh.” The teenager nodded, leaning on the edge of her seat.
“And Lucy told me you’re going to medical school.”
“I am.” Wendy nodded, practically bouncing.
“Well, I’m certain you’ll make a fine doctor one day.”
Jude casually tossed the keys her way, causing everyone to freeze.
“No way!” Wendy squealed excitedly.
Natsu gasped. “Hang on a minute—”
Wendy ignored him, screaming a thanks to Jude before pushing her way out the door. Romeo followed quickly after, followed by Gray and Kinana who just needed to get eyes on the vehicle.
Lucy turned and gave her father an incredulous look. “Dad!”
“It’s a great car, Lucy.” He shrugged. “You missed your chance.”
Natsu pinched the bridge of his nose. “You can’t just give Wendy a car…”
Jude raised a brow. “Why not?”
Lucy’s eyes widened when she heard the engine run. “Oh my god, dad what did you do?!”
She stepped forward, pushing her way past the doors.
Natsu groaned, dragging a hand down his face. “Seriously, man. Now I gotta be the bad guy when I tell Wendy she can’t keep it.”
Outside the café windows, Wendy’s scream echoed loud enough for everyone inside to hear. Jude watched the chaos calmly for another second before exhaling quietly.
“The car wasn’t the only reason I came all the way here.”
Something in his tone made Natsu glance back toward him properly this time. Jude reached slowly into the inner pocket of his coat, then paused briefly before pulling something small into his palm.
The café suddenly felt quieter.
The oval cut diamond caught the afternoon light immediately.
Natsu blinked.
“Are you losing it? I’m not gonna marry you.” Natsu scoffed. “I don’t care how many cars you buy for the women in my life…”
Jude rolled his eyes, dragging a hand across his face. “I can’t believe you’re the one for my daughter…”
Natsu smirked, his brows furrowing. “You don’t have to do that. Lucy and I are focused on Nasha’s health right now, but once she’s better we’ll get married… we already talked about it.”
Jude looked down at the ring for a long moment before speaking again.
“This ring… it belonged to Layla.”
And instantly, the teasing left Natsu’s face completely.
Jude’s thumb brushed once against the edge of the band. “Lucy used to pull it off her mother’s hand constantly when she was little.” A faint smile touched his mouth. “Layla finally told her one day that when the right person came along…” His eyes lifted briefly toward Natsu. “She’d get one just like it.”
Natsu stared quietly at the ring resting in Jude’s hand.
“This isn’t me trying to rush you,” Jude added after another moment. “I know the two of you have other priorities right now. Lucy and I are still working on our own relationship.”
His gaze drifted briefly toward the windows where Lucy stood outside laughing with everyone else, while Wendy practically climbed around the brand new car.
He turned back toward Natsu. “I just want my daughter to be happy.”
The honesty in the words landed harder than Natsu expected.
Slowly, Jude extended the ring toward him.
“And I think this belongs to her now.”
Natsu hesitated only briefly before finally holding his hand out, his eyes locked on the ring as the weight of it settled in his palm.
…
Natsu eased the truck to a stop beneath the shade of the old trees, the tires crunching softly against the gravel before the engine finally quieted.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
Lucy’s hand still rested in his. It had stayed there the entire drive.
Natsu looked down automatically, his thumb brushing slowly against her knuckles before his eyes drifted toward the ring resting on her finger.
Layla’s ring.
Now Lucy’s ring…
Even now, seeing it there still did something to his heart.
A small smile pulled at his mouth and he held onto her hand just a second longer.
“Thanks for coming with me.”
Lucy turned toward him fully then, reaching up to brush her fingers gently along his cheek.
“Of course.”
The softness in her voice almost made this harder somehow.
Natsu exhaled quietly before finally letting her hand go.
And he turned toward the backseat.
A bouquet rested there carefully across the leather, right beside Nasha’s car seat. White lilies wrapped with pale blue ribbon. He reached back slowly to pick them up, fingers brushing absentmindedly against the petals before his eyes drifted toward the cemetery beyond the windshield.
His shoulders tightened slightly.
“Do you…” He glanced back at Lucy. “Wanna come?”
Lucy’s expression softened. “I’ll give you a few minutes first.”
Natsu looked back toward the rows of gravestones outside again.
The cemetery felt too quiet, and too still.
For a second, he almost looked like he might change his mind.
“You can do it.” Lucy spoke softly beside him. “Go.”
His eyes shifted back toward hers.
The tension in his face melted away then.
Natsu leaned across the center console and kissed her slowly, lingering there for a second before finally pulling away.
Then he stepped out of the truck.
The afternoon air felt cooler than he expected.
Leaves shifted quietly overhead while he made his way down the path, bouquet resting carefully in his hand until he finally stopped in front of the stone.
Lisanna Strauss.
Natsu stared at her name for a long moment before crouching slowly and setting the flowers down beneath it.
His fingers lingered around the stems even after he placed them there.
Like letting go still took effort.
“Hey Lisanna.” He started carefully, quietly. “I know I haven’t been here… in a really long time…”
A faint breath escaped him as his hand drifted toward the stone, fingertips brushing lightly across the engraved letters of her name.
“Last time I was here I thought that pain of losing you would last forever.” Natsu looked down briefly. “The pain’s still there sometimes,” he admitted softly. “I think maybe part of it always will be.” The wind stirred gently through the cemetery around him.“But things are different now...”
A small smile finally touched his mouth then.
“I’m getting married tomorrow.” The words settled quietly between him and the stone. “I’m marrying someone I really love.”
His eyes drifted briefly back toward the truck in the distance where Lucy still sat waiting for him.
Even from here, he could see her silhouette through the windshield.
And instantly, warmth spread through his chest again.
“When I’m with her…” His voice lowered slightly. “I feel loved.” A quiet laugh escaped him. “Like really really loved.”
His hand rested against the stone again.
“And she makes me so happy, Lis.”
The honesty in the words hit harder than he expected.
“I didn’t think that was gonna happen for me again.”
For a moment, he just sat there quietly.
Then he exhaled slowly.
“I finally realized something.”
His thumb brushed once against the edge of the stone.
“I can move forward… and still cherish the time we had together.”
The tightness in his chest loosened slightly as he said it aloud.
“It doesn’t erase what we had.”
His eyes burned suddenly.
“But I think…” His voice cracked briefly before steadying again. “I think it’s time, Lis.”
He exhaled softly.
“I’m gonna live my life.” His eyes drifted toward the truck again. “For Lucy. For my daughter.”
Then quieter:
“And for myself too.”
The wind shifted softly nearby.
And somewhere farther down the cemetery path, a small blue cat wandered lazily between the gravestones before pausing briefly near Lisanna’s.
Natsu blinked.
The cat looked toward him for half a second before continuing on its way through the grass.
A quiet laugh escaped him unexpectedly.
“…Yeah,” he murmured softly. “I think you agree with me.”
His fingers rested against the stone one final time.
“Thank you, Lis.”
Another breath left him slowly.
“Goodbye.”
…
Ten Years Later
…
“Hey.”
Natsu’s voice softened as he finally looked up from his tablet, blinking away spreadsheets, inventory numbers, and shift schedules. His focus landed on his now ten-year-old daughter who sat across the counter on one of the tall stools. Her elbow planted against the surface, her cheek squished into her palm while she lazily pushed rice around her bowl with her spoon.
Almost none of it was gone.
A few vegetables had disappeared. Tiny pieces of chicken carefully picked out and eaten first. But the rest remained untouched.
Natsu’s brows pulled together slightly.
“Why aren’t you eating, Firefly?” he asked gently, reaching over to rest his hand against the top of her head.
Nasha leaned into the touch automatically.
Her eyes lifted toward him for a few quiet seconds before drifting toward the counter beside his tablet instead.
“You’re not eating either, Daddy.”
Natsu followed her gaze.
His own takeout container still sat unopened beside the keyboard, condensation collecting beneath the plastic lid. A quiet huff of laughter escaped him as he rubbed the back of his neck.
“Yeah…” He sighed dramatically. “You got me.”
He finally dragged the container closer and peeled the lid open.
Nasha’s mouth twitched slightly like she was trying not to smile.
Then, without a word, she reached across the counter and slowly slid his food beside hers.
“Come sit with me.”
And just like that, everything else stopped mattering.
The schedules.
The emails.
The inventory spreadsheets still glowing across the screen.
None of it mattered more than this.
Natsu rounded the counter immediately and dropped onto the stool beside her, close enough that her shoulders bumped lightly against his body.
He grabbed his spoon before taking an exaggeratedly huge bite of food, cheeks puffing dramatically while he chewed.
She could only laugh, reaching over to pat his cheeks.
Natsu smiled, then he pointed his spoon toward her bowl.
“Alright.” He nodded seriously. “I’m eating. Your turn.”
Nasha looked down at her bowl again, lower lip poking outward.
“But I still have so much rice left.”
“So?” Natsu nudged her shoulder gently with his own. “You love rice.”
“But I want more chicken.”
Natsu blinked at her once, before a slow grin spread across his face.
“Hm. Well…” He leaned closer conspiratorially. “I think I know how to fix that.”
Before she could question him, he scooped a huge piece of chicken from his own container and dropped it directly onto her rice.
Then another.
Then another.
By the time he finished, her bowl looked significantly better than his.
“There.” He ruffled her pink hair affectionately until it puffed in every direction. “Eat up.”
Nasha beamed instantly.
“Eat up,” she echoed happily before finally digging into her food properly.
Natsu watched her for a second while warmth settled quietly through his chest.
He reached over after another bite, brushing a stray grain of rice from her cheek with his thumb.
“Good, huh?” he murmured softly. “But slow down a little. Nobody’s gonna steal it.”
Nasha only grinned at him around a mouthful of food.
Then, after another second, she scooped a clumsy spoonful from her bowl and held it up toward him.
“You too.”
Warmth spread through Natsu’s chest all over again.
He leaned forward without hesitation and took the bite directly from the spoon.
“Hm.” He nodded thoughtfully while chewing. “Yeah. Food definitely tastes better when you feed me.”
Nasha giggled instantly. The bright sound bounced softly through the quiet café until even the tension sitting in Natsu’s shoulders finally disappeared with it.
For a while, they simply ate together.
Shoulder to shoulder.
Comfortable silence settling naturally between them while the café hummed softly around them.
Natsu rested his elbow against the counter eventually, chin propped lazily in his palm while he watched her more than his own food.
“Firefly?”
“Yes?”
“You know you don’t always have to wait for me to eat, right?”
Nasha shrugged without looking up from her bowl. “You always wait for me and mommy.”
Natsu watched her, as she ate another spoonful of rice.
He reached over immediately, tugging her into a one-armed hug and pressing a kiss against the top of her head.
“Yeah,” he said quietly. “Guess I do.”
Nasha leaned against his side without hesitation, still chewing happily while Natsu held her there for another second longer.
…
“So are you coming down here or what?” Gray asked over the phone. “Trust me, you’re gonna want to see this site. It kinda reminds me of the location we opened in Hargeon.”
Natsu smirked to himself, pinning the phone between his ear and shoulder as he crossed the café toward the front door.
Outside, the streets of Magnolia glowed gold beneath the early evening lights while the last few customers drifted past the windows.
He flipped the open sign around with one hand.
“Gray,” he laughed with a small shake of his head, “Shouldn’t you be coaching the national team instead of location scouting for another Fairy Brew location?”
“It’s only seasonal,” Gray scoffed immediately. “When I come back home I could get started on developing the new location.”
Natsu wandered back toward the counter, tapping through the café playlist controls on the iPad. His grin widened slightly when he spotted Phantom Lord’s newest single sitting at the top of the music charts.
“…Kinana already moved to Oaktown to run the other location, who’s gonna run one all the way in Crocus?” he asked him.
“Natsu, we can open a fifth location. The other stores are doing great. It’s not impossible.”
Natsu shook his head while grabbing the broom and dustpan.
“I can’t make a trip up there right now. Wendy’s finally coming home next week for a few days before she starts her residency.”
“What?” Gray sounded genuinely confused. “Romeo told me they haven’t even finished unpacking from their move.”
“Well, he’s not coming.” Natsu nudged the janitorial closet open with his foot. “He just started at the psychiatric center near the hospital. Apparently asking for time off during your first month is ‘bad professionalism’ or whatever.”
“Dad!” a younger voice shouted somewhere through Gray’s end. “Get off the phone, it’s time to go!”
“Greige, hold on a second bud—”
“But Mom’s waiting and Aunt Levy already put the twins in the van, and she said if we’re late Uncle Gajeel is gonna complain the whole drive, and yell at you…”
Natsu burst into laughter. “I think you better go Gray.”
Gray sighed dramatically into the phone. “Just talk to Lucy about coming up for a weekend before her book tour starts because— GREIGE, STOP CLIMBING THAT— alright, alright, I’m coming!”
The call disconnected abruptly.
Still grinning, Natsu lowered the phone just as another notification popped onto the screen from Cana.
He tapped it open immediately.
A group selfie filled the display, Cana half hanging off Erza’s shoulder while Jellal looked deeply exhausted somewhere behind them, mountains stretching for miles across the background.
Natsu snorted quietly to himself.
A lot of things had changed, but he was glad his friends hadn’t.
He set the phone down near the register before heading toward the espresso machines to shut them down for the night.
The café had settled into that soft end-of-day quiet he’d always loved most.
The scent of coffee still lingered warmly in the air. The windows reflected the amber glow of Magnolia’s streets outside.
Natsu crouched near the espresso machine, searching for the switch beneath the counter when the bell above the café door jingled softly.
His face scrunched immediately, mentally cursing himself for not locking the door.
“Sorry,” he started automatically while straightening up. “We actually just closed—”
“Oh. That’s too bad.”
Natsu froze instantly.
“…I came here because I heard the owner was really cute.”
His entire expression melted the second he turned around.
Lucy stood near the entrance beneath the warm café lighting, one hand still resting against the door handle while amusement sparkled in her eyes.
Even after ten years, she still managed to light him up like that.
“He’s alright,” Natsu said, already making his way toward her. “But I should warn you, he’s very happily married.”
Lucy raised a brow playfully as his hands settled around her waist.
“Oh?” she teased softly. “His wife must be really lucky.”
Natsu grinned immediately.
“No way. He’s definitely the lucky one.”
Lucy’s arms slid naturally around his shoulders while he pulled her closer against him. “Oh yeah?”
“Sometimes,” he admitted quietly, “I still can’t believe he actually gets to call her his wife.”
The softness in Lucy’s face nearly ruined him on the spot.
She rose onto her tiptoes and kissed him slowly.
The kind of kiss that only existed after years together.
Her fingers slipped through his hair while his grip tightened slightly against her waist, pulling her closer as the kiss lingered warmly between them.
When they finally pulled apart, Lucy smiled softly against his mouth, brushing her nose gently against his.
“Hi,” she whispered.
Natsu laughed quietly beneath his breath before kissing her again, smaller this time.
“Hey.”
“Where’s our girl?” Lucy asked as she slowly loosened her hold around him.
Natsu snorted softly. “Apparently she and Plue just had to have dinner at Grandpa’s tonight because Mrs. Spetto was making s’mores.”
Lucy laughed immediately.
“Wow. We got replaced fast.”
“She didn’t even think about it.”
Lucy smiled warmly, fingers still loosely hooked behind his neck.
“Guess it’s just you and me tonight...”
Natsu’s expression softened instantly at the words.
“Best news I’ve heard all day.”
Lucy laughed again while he stole one more quick kiss before finally stepping away.
“Let me set the alarm,” he said. “Then we’ll go get dinner.”
Lucy watched him disappear briefly into the back room while the café lights shut off one by one.
A few moments later, Natsu returned, immediately reaching for her hand again without even thinking about it.
Like it belonged there, right in his.
Lucy tapped her chin, brows furrowing playfully. “Should we get some coffee?”
He scoffed, shaking his head with a small smile.
Together, they stepped out into the evening air while Natsu locked the café behind them.
He slipped the keys into his pocket before reaching for her hand again almost immediately.
Side by side, they disappeared down the glowing streets of Magnolia laughing softly together beneath the city lights.
Happy.
Still in love.
Their hearts infinitely brewing.