Chapter 26

Natsu finally got off the train wreck as he made a huge achievement on not throwing up this time without Lucy's help.

He waved to Erza and gray goodbye as he began sprinting towards Lucy's apartment. He couldn't wait to see her again!!

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As he opened the door he was met with levy, juvia, and Wendy who had a girls night last night as they were barely waking up to have breakfast.

"Yosh! Is Lucy awake?"

*natsu asked levy who was the one who opened the door as she yawned. Juvia and Wendy had their heads down on the dinner table as they groaned in hunger.*

"Yeah.. she's in the *yawn* shower.. want me to tell her you stopped by natsu?"

"Yes please, tell her this is my gift to her and, I'll be at the guild.."

*with that natsu said farewell as he walked out of her apartment.*

Levy closed the door after as she looked at the pretty blue bow natsu had given her to pass on to Lucy. Wendy asked levy to see it as did Juvia, they began giggling how Lucy has such a cheesy boyfriend.

"What's so funny?.."

*lucy came out of the bathroom now with just a towel as she dried her hair.*

"Nothing, just natsu came by to drop off this for you~ "

*wendy said as she handed over the bow*

"What? Natsu was here?? But he isn't supposed to be here until next week?"

*lucy said as she had thought of a girls week this whole week to keep her company while he was away. This sort of crushed her plans with the girls*

"Yeah, he said he will be at the guild if you need him Lu-Chan. I think he got the message that we are staying over, or maybe it's because he saw we were hung over? Hahaha!!!"

*levy said as she laughed but winced at the headache she had. Lucy only sighed as she missed her chance to hug him and say hi to him but looked at the pretty bow as she decided to wear it today.*

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Natsu was bored and unsure what to do now with his time. He did say he would be at the guild waiting for Lucy in case she came by to see him. But he wanted to go home now knowing she was occupied with the girls… why is he so stupid?

Natsu drank a shot of alcohol to relax a bit as he put down his bag and thought back about having a kid..

He imagined what it would be like to have a boy or girl to take to the park, beach, and on some of his missions that weren't dangerous. He looked outside the guild doors as he saw a cute little toddler playing in the sun with his father. He didn't notice at the time but, he was starting to catch 'baby fever' as he kept watching other couples and single parents walk outside the guild with their babies.

"Hey natsu? Why the long face?"

*mira came around now as she refilled his glass and putting a fire on it as she waited for him to answer*

"*sigh*… nothing… I think I'm just homesick or miss Lucy.. hey mira, what is your opinion on kids?"

*natsu asked as he faced Mira now. She wiped the counter as she thought about his question.*

"Hmm? Well, they are cute.. they are adorable and very troubling when they get fed with candy. Why?"

"Nothing.. just seems like there's more kids around magnolia these days… it's kinda.. off"

*natsu tried not giving mira any fuel to tease him about him wanting a baby now, but failed to grab the small box he place on the counter as mira mistook it as something she failed to put away.*

Mira opened the box as she saw a cute small pair of baby shoes.. her eyes lit up as she got one and began baby talking about how cute it was.

"Oh my!! Look how cute this is!! Someone left their babies shoes here-"

*natsu quickly snatched the shoes away from mira as he gave a heavy blush and spiraling pupils, mira connected the dots as she looked at natsu with a demon aura.*

"Natsu~ is there something you would like to share with me?~"

"..... it's not, what it, looks like…"

*natsu sighed as he put away the shoes back inside the box as he placed it on the safety of his lap. He began explaining how he got the shoes, then went into the feelings he was getting of feeling lonely and seeing that becoming a dad wasn't such a scary idea then before..*

"Oh. So your smitten on having your own little fire-breathers? Aww~ that's so cute natsu! Have you and Lucy talked about it?"

"No.. and I don't plan too… it's just a phase.. it will go away right?.."

*natsu said as he took a drink of his shot as he gave the glass back to mira. He decided to leave now as he bid farewell to mira.*

Mira felt bad for poor natsu who didn't know what was happening to him, she cleaned the bar a bit more until she met lucy now who had missed natsu by just minutes.

"Hi Mira! Is natsu here?"

*lucy asked as mira shook her head*

"No, you just missed him.. he looks a bit down.. oh and Lucy.."

*mira debated on getting involved in their relationship as Lucy waited patiently for her to speak*

"Yes?"

"It's nothing… I believe he went for a walk at the park… he looked lonely so you should go cheer him up.."

*mira gave a thumbs up as lucy smiled, mira watched now as lucy ran out of the guild..*

'Those two are so lost in one another's love.. it's so romantic..'

Mira thought as she smiled and sighed happily.

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Natsu sat on a bench as he watched the sunset shine through some cherry blossom trees that were in full bloom. He chuckled at how funny his hair matched the trees as he watched couples pass by him.

He took out a different box now he bought after he left from the guild that held a silver ring band. It didn't have a jewel on it so he was about disappointed about that, but he played with the past things that were on his mind.

'A life where I wake up everyday with Lucy in my arms, a few kids here and there with a stable home.. yeah that sounds good'

He sighed again for the millionth time as he felt like a sudden pressure was on his chest. Why was he feeling like he was running against time? He enjoyed lucy and his relationship now, did he have to do this to reach that happiness that filled him with joy?

Did he actually want to marry lucy? Why was he thinking about this so much?!

He felt like a frustrated thought formed on his mind until he heard Lucy's voice from a distance…

He looked up as he hid the box in his pocket. He watched now as he saw Lucy walking in between the cherry blossoms as the sunset grazed her beautiful long blonde hair.

His breath hitched as he saw a little boy with blonde hair stop lucy as he called her his 'mommy'. Lucy looked flustered as she bent down to help the lost boy find his parents.

Natsu knew now what he wanted now..

'Yes.. I want to marry that beautiful girl.. we can take our time as much as we need, kids will come when we are ready.. as long as I have Lucy.. I don't need to worry about this..'

He laughed a bit as he stood up now to grab his bag and help lucy out.. he felt like a heavy weight was lifted after he finally came to terms with himself.