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It was a Friday. The kids at Fairy Tail High were excited for the long weekend that awaited them. Ms Lucy Heartfilia’s 8th Period English class was no acception to this rule and in truth, Lucy was excited too. After what felt like years, Lucy would finally be going out tonight with her friends. 

Lucy had arranged everything. Her little sister Wendy was now old enough to be left alone for the night. She’d left her money so she could order a pizza and she was able to watch a movie. In all honesty, Lucy knew Wendy was excited to be left alone—finally giving her the sense of independence that she so desperately craved. Another thing that eased Lucy’s mind was the fact Wendy now had a phone that Lucy was able to get cheaply. 

The bell finally rang. “Okay, you’re free to go. Don’t make a life, take a life, or end up on the news or in a body bag!” Lucy called out giving her usual weekend spiel to her group of seniors. 

“Have a nice weekend, Ms. Heartfilia!” Sheria Blendy called out. 

“You too, Sherria,” Lucy smiled. 

A few other kids waved goodbye to her. After all the kids had left and she sat through the boring staff meeting, she met up with Levy, who was the librarian, Erza Scarlet, the school security guard, Juvia Lockser, one of the many math teachers, Reedus, the art teacher, Laxus Dreyar, the music teacher.  

“You ready for tonight?” asked Levy. 

“Gods,” laughed Lucy. “I need it. It feels like years since I got out.” 

“It has,” Cana Alberona laughed. She was the well-loved lunch lady who everyone loved. The two had known each other since childhood, having once been in the same foster placement when they were younger. Cana had never known her dad and her mom died when she was young. For Lucy’s case, both her parents died of cancer when she was young. Having no other relatives, she was sent to foster care. “You can never go out because of Wendy.” 

Though Wendy wasn’t truely Lucy’s little sister, however she did have custody of the young girl. The two were in the same group home together and ever since Lucy aged out of foster care she couldn’t leave the little Wendy behind. So, Lucy became her legal guardian. Wendy was relieved to have some sort of stable figure in her life and Lucy was terrified that she was now in charge of a child’s wellbeing that she couldn’t send back to her parents at the end of the school day. 

“Someone has to keep the bunch of you in line,” Laxus said. Laxus Dreyar was the grandson of the school’s principle and the school’s gym teacher. Tall and muscular, he was physically imposing, but he was also an incredibly kind man that the high schoolers loved. He was also the designated ‘girl coraler’ whenever the group would go out since he was able to somehow manage the girls. 

“And we wouldn’t have it any other way,” Erza Scarlet said. She was the school security guard. Her scarlet hair from which she got her name was pulled into a high pony tail. “Now, where are we meeting?” 

“There’s a new bar that opened up,” Reedus suggested. “I’ve heard it’s good. It’s called ‘The Dragon’s Den. Freed said they had good cocktails a nice selection of beer.” Juvia nodded her head excitedly at the prospect of a delicious margarita. 

Freed Justine was the school’s IT guy. “Is Freed meeting us tonight?” Lucy asked. 

“Yeah,” Levy stated. “You, me, Laxus, Cana, Juvia, and Reedus are going tonight.” 

“Great,” Lucy smiled as they all got to the parkinglot and went their separate ways to get ready for tonight. She was relieved it was Friday, that meant she didn’t have school tomorrow and that meant she didn’t need to think about the movie she’d be playing for the kids because she had a hang over. 

After about a half hour train ride that relaxed her from her day, Lucy arrived back at the tiny apartment she shared with her little sister Wendy. The kitchen was tiny and so was the fridge. The couch needed to be replaced but somehow she couldn’t bring herself to do it. The TV was old, but it worked just right. There were two tiny bedrooms for the girls to sleep in. Lucy’s was slightly bigger than Wendy’s. It wasn’t much, but the two called it home. After what they’d seen in foster care, the two having a place like this to themselves meant the world to them. 

Lucy heard a meow and saw Wendy’s cat Carla, a white fluffy cat that adored Wendy to bits come up to her. “Hello,” she said. She looked at Carla’s waterbowl and went to fill it up. “Here you go.” 

Carla had followed Wendy home a few years ago and Lucy begrudgingly let her sister keep the white ball of fuzz. Now, the cat owned the place and allowed the two girls to live there with her as her staff. However, Carla always made sure to let Lucy know that Wendy was required and Lucy was someone allowed to live there by her grace and her grace alone. The cat was completely unaware that Lucy payed for the place, but it was still funny to see . The cat went to take a drink of water and then went to the window sill to wait for Wendy to come home. After setting her stuff down on the old couch the two girls were attached to, she got to making Wendy her after-school snack. As if on cue, a ten-year-old girl with blue hair pulled into two pig tails, with brown eyes came to the door. 

“Lucy, you’re home!” she said. “You’re hardly ever home before me.” 

The two girls hugged and Lucy passed her some apples and peanut butter. One of Wendy’s favorite snacks. “I know,” Lucy laughed. “Eat up, I know you’re starving.” Lucy went to the fridge to get water for the two of them. 

“Thanks, Lucy!” She smiled wide. The happy smile on her face was something she’d treasure for as long as she lived. As soon as she finished eating, she went to her room, Carla following closely behind her. 

Lucy went to her room to get ready for the night ahead of her. She was excited, nervous, and scared. It had been a while since she’d gone out. She’d had to pass on all the other times because of Wendy, now she was finally able to have fun and let lose. SOmething she rarely did because fo the responsibility she had to care for Wendy. Now, Lucy was the only thing she had left ever since Wendy’s parents died. 

Lucy took a shower, brushed her teeth, and put her blonde hair in a ponytail. She put on some simple makeup that she knew would make her brown eyes pop, and put on a short black dress that she hadn’t worn since probably college that showed off all her curves and a cute pair of boots. She felt confident. Checking the time on her phone, she realised she had to be at the The Dragon’s Den very soon. 

After coming out, she found Wendy on the couch petting Carla eating a bowl of ice cream. “You look nice!” Wendy smiled. She looked at Lucy’s boobs. “I wish mine get as big as yours.” 

“Just wait,” Lucy laughed. “Now, you have my number, so if something goes wrong, do’t hesitate to call me. Don’t answer the door for anyone other than the pizza delivery guy. I left you some jewell so you can order. And you can watch whatever you want within reason.” She felt like a parent letting her child out into the world for the first time. She was more nervous than Wendy was. 

“Lucy,” Wendy assured. “I’ll be fine.” 

Lucy nodded. Of course Wendy would be fine. Carla would also attack anyone who tried to hurt Wendy. She’d gone after the mailman once just because he looked at Wendy and gave her a piece of candy. Carla thought that was unacceptable and attacked his ankles. Needless to say, Wendy would be fine. “I know,” she said. “I just worry about you, that’s all. I’ll be back later tonight, so you won’t be alone.” 

“Okay,” she said. “Have fun, Lucy!” 

And with that, Lucy left the apartment leaving Wendy and Carla alone. Taking a deep breath to calm herself down, she assured herself that her little sister would be okay for a couple hours. 

When she finally arrived at the The Dragon’s Den she met up with her friends and coworkers. The bar was dark, the smell of liquor filled her nostrils unsurprisingly, and the lights made the place a red colour. People were crowded around the bar, people were on the dance floor, she spotted two people making out in a corner in her peripheral vision. Lucy looked around for her friends, or at least trying to spot Laxus who due to his height towered over the rest of the general public. “Hey!” Laxus called waving the young blonde over to where they were at the bar. She was greeted by Erza, Levy, Reedus, Cana, Freed, Juvia who were already there. 

“Hey!” She said. 

“Hey!” Cana slurred. Lucy chuckled, it wasn’t surprising that Cana was already drunk. Knowing Cana, Lucy knew her friend had drank a few beers to pregame before coming here. Ever since childhood Cana was known to knock back a bottle or too. Growing up, Cana had been caught several times trying to sneak booze. It also didn’t help her case that she was able to pick lock. Lucy on the other hand wasn’t as fortunate since she had to deal with Wendy. Gone were the days where she could drink freely. She had a child to take care of now. A child who relied on her for everything. 

Levy handed her a margarita. “It’s blood orange,” she said. “They’re really good.” They all clinked their drinks and proceed to have a blast. 

After her margarita and a few shots that she did with Cana, Levy, and Laxus. If someone wasn’t tipsy, they were flat out drunk. Yet the group didn’t care, they were glad they were finally able to let lose after what felt like a long time. Teachers on their nights out tended to get waisted, and this group was no exception. They were also incredibly relieved that they didn’t have to go into school tomorrow. Lucy would’ve just put on Romeo and Julliet in an attempt to hide her crippling hangover she no doubt would’ve had the next morning. Even though that wasn’t the book they were covering in English class. 

Lucy turned around to see Freed and Justine dancing. She rolled her eyes, hopefully the two would get their act together and finally admit their feelings for each other. Though seeing how dense Laxus tended to be, she didn’t have her hopes up. Freed was also dealing with a lot of things as well—mainly not knowing how to tell Laxus how he really felt about the man. Freed was a bit more reserved than the rest of the bunch. 

Levy was dancing with a tall and muscular man whose black hair was long and spiked back. He had his eyebrows pierced and he towered over her. The scene was quite comical to say the least. Yet it made Lucy happy to see her friend having fun for the first time in a while. Levy herself had just gotten out of a horrific relationship that had turned abusive. She was happy to see her friend letting lose. 

Cana was now on the other side of the bar having managed to convince someone to buy her more booze. Near the back of the bar, Erza was seen having an animated discussion with a man who blue hair that reminded her vaguely of Wendy’s. Not many people had blue hair. Lucy decided to write it off as mere coincidence. She also shook her head firmly repeating what she’d said when she left, Wendy was fine, she was home alone with Carla and the two were watching a movie and eating pizza. Lucy also wasn’t supposed to think about her little sister right now. She was supposed to have a break from parenting tonight, not having to worry about her ten-year-old little sister who was now probably happily eating the cheese pizza she ordered and probably fed some to Carla. Judging by the fact it was nearly three in the morning, Lucy knew that Wendy was by now fast asleep worrying about nothing. 

Lucy felt someone come up behind her. “What are you drinking?” He asked her. 

“Blood orange margarita,” she slurred. 

He waved at the bartender. “Two blood orange margaritas!” He called out. He looked down at her, his olive coloured eyes baring into her brown ones. Lucy felt her breath hitch in her throat. He was close to her. “On me.” He told her dissmissively. “What’s your name?” He asked her. 

“Lucy,” she said. “Yours?” 

“Natsu,” he responded. “How are you enjoying the place.” 

“It’s nice,” she said. “I like it here. They don’t water down the drinks like other places might. My friend found this place.” 

“Good to know, Luce,” he smirked flashing a toothy grin. One thing that caught Lucy off guard was that his canines were elongated. “I own the place.” 

She scoffed. “I just so happen to run into the owner of this place,” she laughed. “I don’t believe it.” Inspite of the amount of liquor she had, Lucy was still somewhat coherent. She was willing to believe that the blue-haired man had no relationship to Wendy and it was just a coincidence that the two had blue hair. However, she wasn’t willing to believe that her first time at The Dragon’s Den, she ran into the owner of the place. “You don’t believe me, not surprising, Luce.” He whispered in her ear seductively. Lucy felt a chill run down her spine. 

Luce, his voice said seductively. Her mind started to wander to places that weren’t the most pure. She felt her cheeks start to flush. She could hear him say that all night to her if he wanted to. She wouldn’t be against it. He looked hot in the light of the club. “So,” she asked. “Why me and not all the other girls in here?” 

“Maybe because I wanted to get to know you,” Natsu shrugged. 

The margaritas came pulling her from her thoughts and Natsu smirked. The two of them had their drinks and went out onto the dance floor. Lucy now saw Erza off the dance floor and at the bar talking with the blue-haired man. The two seemed to have known each other and were catching up. This night out was good for them all apparently. 

Natsu and Lucy enjoyed the dance floor together, they went to the bar for a few more drinks. The scent of pine, liquor, and smoke filled her nostrils. She found the scent quite pleasant—it reminder her of an old library that she could get lost in for hours like she did when she was younger. She felt relaxed as well with Natsu’s strong arms around her. Soon, she found Natsu leaning down to kiss her. She kissed back and the two went outside. 

“Let’s head to your place,” he whispered. 

Lucy giggled, call it the alcohol talking, call it sheer stupidity, or whatever you like. Lucy agreed. Wendy was probably asleep anyway by now. “Then we can’t wake my sister,” she agreed. 

Natsu smirked and the two made their way back to her apartment. By the time they got there, the two couldn’t take their hands off each other. Their kisses became haste and Lucy was trying so hard to not strip right then and there in the middle of the hallway. Unlocking the door, Lucy dragged the man into her tiny apartment. “Sorry, it’s small. It’s just the two of us and Wendy’s still a child.” 

“It’s okay,” he assured her with a charming boyish grin. Her heart fluttered when she saw it. Getting a better look at him now, he had pink hair. Something Lucy found a bit unusually. “I wasn’t expecting a palace.” 

Lucy laughed at his comment. Turning to the living room, the TV was still on and little Wendy was curled up on the couch fast asleep. Carla was curled up beside her, but jumped down as soon as the two came into the living room. Lucy turned off the TV silently in an attempt to save some money. Natsu looked over at the sleeping Wendy. He carefully picked her up and safely secured her. “Where does she go?” He asked. 

“First door on the left,” Lucy whispered. She was taken aback that Natsu had so brazenly picked up Wendy and managed not to wake her. Natsu was just a one-night stand, the fact he felt so comfortable to pick her up and carry her to her room was astounding. She felt her heart beat even faster looking at how comfortable Wendy looked in his chissled strong arms. She tried to shake that thought down. He was just a one-night stand. She needed to focus on Wendy—not romance. Wendy came first. She didn’t want to expose Wendy to anything or anyone bad. The two had been through enough in foster care. 

The two carefully went into the room. Lucy peeled back the blanket and Natsu set the little girl down on it. He tucked her in and Lucy kissed the top of her forehead. Carla jumped up in bed right after her. 

The two then proceeded to pick up where the two left off when they got to Lucy’s room. And the next thing the two knew, they were moaning each other’s names like they were prayers to the gods. They were touching every part of each other. Nothing was off limits to the two of them. Tonight, Lucy belonged to Natsu and Natsu belonged to Lucy. The two were 

After what felt like hours, the two were sore. They collapsed completely satisfied and exhausted and went straight to sleep. 

Lucy woke up to screaming. “OH, MY GODS!” She heard Wendy scream. 

Lucy groaned. She had a pounding headache and she felt nauseous. She most certainly had a hangover allright. However, her pounding headache was getting compounded by the fact her little sister was wailing like a banshee calling her name. “LUCY!” 

“I’m coming!” Lucy groaned. “Give me a few.” 

“LUCY, CROWNED PRINCE NATSU DRAGNEEL’S IN OUR KITCHEN!” She cried. “WHY IS HERE?” 

“Please stop screaming,” Natsu pleaded. “Your sister and I have terrible headaches.” 

“LUCY!” Wendy cried out again. 

Lucy bolted. Her face pale and horrified. Prince Natsu Dragneel. The heir to the Kingdom of Fiorre. The infamous playboy? She’d brought him home. He’d carried her little sister up to her room. She silently kicked herself, how did she not realise it was him because of the pink hair? Grabbing her clothes, she ran out of her room only to be greeted by his Royal Pain himself, Crowned Prince Natsu Dragneel. Heir to the Kingdom of Fiorre. And worst of all, the bastard was in her kitchen. Drinking her coffee. 

Chapter Text

Lucy came out of her room and was greeted by Prince Natsu. Wendy was sobbing, absolutely terrified. Carla was cuddling her attempting to calm her down. Lucy’s head pounded, she felt dizzy. But she bowed to Prince Natsu. Wendy sheepishly did the same. “I’m so sorry!” She cried. “Please don’t take my sister!” 

“I’m not gonna take your sister,” he assured her. “Just please stop screaming. Let us explain—” 

“Prince Natsu,” Lucy cut off Wendy so she didn’t dig an even bigger grave for them. “I apologise for my sister. She’s scared, she wasn’t expecting to see you in the kitchen. Isn’t that right, Wendy?” 

Wendy nodded in agreement. “May I please go, Your Highness,” she whimpered. 

“What does Luce say?” Prince Natsu asked curiously. 

Lucy looked at him. “Wendy, take Carla and go to you room. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” 

“Can I ask a question?” whimpered Wendy taking the cat and picking up Carla. 

Prince Natsu nodded. “Is my sister in trouble?” She asked. “She’s all I have left and I can’t lose her.” 

Prince Natsu laughed and once again Lucy’s heart fluttered. She tried to push that feeling down. He was a Prince, she was a peasant. He was a playboy, she was a struggling teacher trying to make ends meet. They wouldn’t work together. She was a nobody and he was somebody. There was no way she’d ever be able to be with him. “Of course not, Wendy.” He said. 

And with that Wendy went off to her room taking the cat with her. As soon as the door was shut, Lucy and Natsu took a seat at the tiny table that was enough to barely fit three people. “You own The Dragon’s Den,” she whispered. The Prince nodded his head. 

“Nice place you have here,” The Prince said. “Homey even.” He looked at a stack of papers on the table. “Are you a teacher?” 

She nodded her head. “I teach English at Fairy Tail High,” she said. “I teach everyone from Freshmen to Seniors.” 

“That’s interesting,” he said. “How long has it been just you and your little sister. You know, with her hair, she reminds me of my bodyguard and friend Jellal Fernandes.” He took another sip of coffee and handed her a cup. She drank it black whilst Natsu’s looked like it had some milk in it. “Sorry, there’s not a lot of sugar in the house if you take your coffee with sugar,.” 

“No,” he said. “It’s fine.” 

“Why me?” She asked. She didn’t care that he was a prince at the moment. She didn’t care that he could easily get her locked up if he wanted to. “Out of all the other girls to get into the pants of, why me?”

“Because you’re not all over me asking for favours,” Natsu admitted. “But you didn’t answer my question.”

Lucy normally wouldn’t answer it. Since Crown Prince Natsu Dragneel had asked her, she knew she had to answer. “Since I was 18 and aged out of foster care. Wendy’s not actually my sister, we were in the same group home together. I couldn’t leave her behind and I’m 21 now.”

“What happened to both your parents?” Prince Natsu asked. He looked over in the direction of Wendy’s room curiously. “She reminds me of my body guard and friend Jellal Fernandes.”

Jellal Fernandes was one of Fiore’s top military advisors. He’d come from a long line of noble people who served in the Fiore Military. One special trait the family was known for was having blue hair. So far, no other person in Fiore had blue hair that wasn’t able to claim ancestry though that noble family. When you’re in the military, you get around.  

“Not much is known about Wendy’s parents,” Lucy stated. “We don’t know their names, ages, if they had any relatives. She was dropped off at the fire station when she was a baby.” Prince Natsu seemed to be hanging on to Lucy’s every word as if it was the most interesting lecture about the latest novel they were reading in class. Lucy continued. “I have a feeling that if she were actually related to any nobility they would’ve taken her in.”

“And you?” Prince Natsu asked. “Like I said last night. I wanna get to know you.” 

“My parents died of cancer when I was young. I have no other family so I went into foster care. I aged out and took Wendy with me,” Lucy explained. Prince Natsu finished drinking his coffee and Lucy finished drinking hers. 

“I wanted to say that we were spotted,” Prince Natsu said as he handed her his phone. She placed her hand to her mouth and gasped. There she was, seen publicly kissing Prince Natsu Dragneel passionately and fiercely. The headline read: Prince Natsu Dragneel Seen with New Girl. 

Lucy put her head down on the table. Her life was over. She was spotted kissing the Prince. She’d never have anonymity again. Worst of all, she wasn’t anyone of note. She was teacher who grew up in foster care with no family beside Wendy. Now, her job and career could be in jeopardy, her little sister’s life was about to be overhauled in the worst way, and Lucy’s life was now about to change. All because she went out and had fun, she got roped into this mess. Freed just had to find The Dragon’s Den. Levy, Cana and Erza just had to drag her out. Laxus couldn’t do his one job as ‘Girl Coraler’ and made sure Lucy didn’t take anyone back to her place or go home with someone. “I can’t be with you!” Lucy cried. “I’m a commonor, you’re a prince.” 

“Nobody cares about that stuff now,” Prince Natsu countered. 

“Rest assured, I guarantee you that is something your parents will most certainly care about!” She snapped at him. “Unlike you, I have responsibilities and can’t be partying it up every day. I have a little girl who relies on me, an apartment that your stupid friend is raising the rent on next month, a job that underpays me, and a cat who tolerates my existence, yet loves Wendy. I can’t be with you.” 

“Unfortunately, Sweetie, you don’t have any choice,” he told her passing the two of them some medicine to help with their hangovers. “You’ll be with me for now until we can find a way to get you out of the relationship.” 

Lucy lost it. She started laughing right then and there. This couldn’t be happening to her. Out of all the things to happen to her, her being forced to be in a relationship with the Prince was something she never wanted to happen. “Your reputation precedes you,” she scoffed. “How many other girls have you had this week, Your Highness.” 

“Actually just you,” he said. “I was taking a break for a bit.” 

She rolled her eyes. “I don’t believe that.” 

“Well,” he said. “It’s true. I know my reputation. And since we were spotted, we need to play the part of a couple.” 

Lucy rolled her eyes. “I don’t date because of my sister,” Lucy admitted looking in the direction of Wendy’s room. “I don’t want her to be exposed to things she shouldn’t be or to get hurt. It was a choice I made and don’t regret when I got custody of her three years ago. Do we seriously need to do this?”  

Lucy swore she saw a guilty look dance across the Prince’s face. “We do,” he sighed. He took her hand in his. “Rest assured, I’ll do everything in my power to make sure that your sister isn’t in the spotlight.” 

“Thank you,” Lucy whispered. “We both greatly appreciate it. I don’t want her to get dragged through the mud because I made the mistake to bring you home with me.” She checked her phone and realised she had to make breakfast for the three of them. Clamouring to the fridge, she looked around it to see if there was anything that she could feed the Prince. She saw some bacon, eggs, and bread. There was some milk left—enough for one glass. She hoped Wendy didn’t ask for a glass because she wanted to give it to the Prince. “So, I have bacon, eggs, bread, and some fruit. So, that’ll be breakfast. I hope it’s up to your standards.” 

He blew it off. “I’m sure it’ll be fine. Do you want me to get, Wendy,” 

“Don’t get Wendy,” Lucy urged. “I’ll get her when breakfast is ready. I have a few more questions to ask you.” 

“Ask away,” he mused. He had the same boyish smile that she knew made girls swoon. 

“What’ll happen to Wendy and me when this is over?” She asked. 

“You’ll be taken care of,” he assured her. “I’ll take the blame for the entire relationship failing.” 

“I don’t want you to take care of me,” Lucy said. “Wendy doesn’t have a college fund. I took out a lot of loans to go. I don’t want that for Wendy. Are you able to set up a sizeable portion of money for her so she can go and not have to worry about everything?” 

“That’s really all you want?” The Prince asked taken aback. “Nothing for yourself. How much in loans do you have.” 

“Several thousand,” Lucy explained. “But I’m more worried about Wendy—” 

“I’ll pay off your loans,” The Prince stated. 

“Your Highines, I—” 

“I insist,” he said cutting her off. “Do I need to make a royal decree?” Lucy quieted down. There was no arguing with him was there. Soon enough, there was a knock on Lucy’s door. 

“LUCY!” She heard Laxus shout. 

“LUCY!” hollered Cana.

“LUCY OPEN UP!” They both called. 

One thing that Lucy normally liked was how close she lived to Cana and Laxus. They both lived in her building in different apartments. It was normal for Wendy who had keys to all three apartments to let herself into any one of them. They also had keys to her place as well. 

“DON’T MAKE ME DO IT FOR YOU!” Laxus shouted. “I have a key!” 

“Why does a random guy have a key to your apartment?” snarled the Prince. 

“Your Highness,” she pleaded. “He’s just my coworker. He was supposed to make sure I didn’t go home with anyone.” 

“Doesn’t sound like ‘just a coworker’,” he snarled. 

“Wendy!” Lucy called. Wendy rushed out not wearing her nicest clothes. A cute green and white polka dot dress the two had found at a thrift store. Her blue hair was now down. “Can you do my hair for me?” She whispered. She then bowed to Natsu. 

Lucy nodded her head and Wendy sat down at the table. Lucy put her hair in two high pig tails and she rushed to get the door. Cana and Laxus barreled in like bats out of hell and all the while poor Wendy had to jump out of their way to not get trampled over by the two grown adults. Mean while Carla was no where to be found. “Lucy!” Laxus cried running to her. “Are you alright?” He was checking her over like he was a concerned parent. “Did he do anything—” 

“I’m fine, Laxus,” she urged. Still very shaken up that she was no being forced into a relationship with the Crown Prince. “Check on Wendy.” 

Cana was now on the couch with one arm wrapped around Wendy and both Laxus and Lucy went over there to be with her. Wendy was holding Carla who was purring in her lap. Lucy had never been more thankful for the cat in her life until this very moment. “I’m scared,” she whispered. “Everything’s gonna change.” 

“I know,” Lucy whispered bringing her little sister into a hug. “And I’m so sorry. You shouldn’t be brought into this mess because of my mistakes.” 

She nodded her head. “I know you don’t date because of me,” she whispered. “I just want you to be happy and—” 

“Hey,” Lucy said looking at her little sister. “I made that choice because I was worried about you. You are my main priority. You will always be my main priority. I don’t regret my choice and I’d make it again.” 

Wendy burrowed into her and silently started crying. Laxus ran into the kitchen and came back with water. “Here, you go,” he whispered. 

Prince Natsu came into the livingroom. “Hey,” he said. “I’m gonna do everything in my power to keep you out of the spotlight. And when this is over, you get to go to college.” 

“College?” She whispered in a amazement. “Wow.” Her brown eyes wide with admiration. “I never thought I’d be able to go to college.” 

The Prince nodded. “Your sister’s loans will be paid off and you’ll live in a nicer place where the two of you aren’t on top of each other.” 

“A new place?” Lucy cried. “We didn’t discuss this.” 

“And a new couch,” he said looking at it. “How old is this thing?” 

“I LIKE THIS COUCH!” Wendy roared.

“For the love of the gods,” pleaded Prince Natsu. “Enough with the screaming. I have a headache.” 

“Please not the couch!” Lucy pleaded. Prince Natsu looked at her shocked. He didn’t seem to comprehend that someone could be so attached to an inanimate piece of furniture. “I’m very attached to that thing.” 

“It’s comfy!” defended Wendy. “It’s Carla’s favourite place to sleep.” 

“Who’s Carla?” asked the Prince. As if on cue, the little white ball of fur named Carla meowed to get everyone’s attention. She nuzzled into Prince Natsu and he stroked her. Lucy was shocked. Carla was over protective of Wendy, yet she seemed to have no issue with Prince Natsu petting her and even being around Wendy. “Oh.” 

“How’d I get to my room last night?” She wondered. 

“I carried you up,” the Prince answered before Lucy could. “You didn’t even stir. I brought you to your room and Luce here tucked you in.” Luce. Lucy thought. There’s that stupid nickname again. She felt her cheeks flush and her heart race as she looked into his gorgeous olive coloured eyes. She couldn’t help but think of how great he did last night. Yet the way he acted toward Wendy was something Lucy—along with Laxus and Cana—noticed as well. He was tender with her, making sure not to scare her, and to make sure he was as unintimidating as possible seeing his status. 

Lucy had seen the news stories every time she went to the supermarket that displayed those tabloids. Prince Natsu was with a new noble every other week it seemed like. Now, Lucy’s face was plastered all over Fiore and would trickle down onto those supermarket tabloids. She shivered at the thought. He was a player and he’d end up breaking her heart. “Laxus, Cana, can you take Wendy for ice cream. I’ll pay you back later.” 

“No need,” Prince Natsu said taking out his wallet and passing a couple hundred jewel. “That should be enough for something a little more substantial for her. I scared the poor girl.” 

Normally Laxus would’ve attacked anyone for scaring Wendy. However, he kept his feelings to himself in order to make sure Wendy was okay. “It’s fine, really, Your Highness,” Wendy whispered. “I’m fine. There’s food h—” 

“Please, Wendy,” Prince Natsu assured. “And call me Natsu.” Wendy didn’t fight back. “That goes for you as well, Luce.” 

“Don’t call me that,” Lucy hissed. Prince Natsu smirked at her and Lucy looked way to hide her her embarrassment. And with that, Cana, Laxus, and Wendy left the apartment leaving just Prince Natsu and Lucy alone. 

“Don’t hurt my sister,” Lucy blurted. Her voice pleading with him. “I don’t care what you do to me, but please don’t hurt my sister.” 

“I have no intention of hurting either of you more than I already have,” Prince Natsu stated. “As much as my reputation proceeds me, I’m not a monster. I might go through women like wildfire, but I have no intention on hurting you or your sister.” His eyes told her he was telling the truth. Lucy couldn’t help but wonder why he became such a womaniser if he had this caring streak in him. He went out of his way to make sure Wendy was comfortable. He went out of his way to assure Lucy that he wouldn’t hurt Wendy. He gave Laxus and Cana money so they could get Wendy some breakfast. 

“What’s your full name?” Prince Natsu asked. 

“Lucy Heartfilia,” she said. “Wendy’s name is Wendy Marvell.” 

“Heartfilia!” the Prince said in shock. 

“No relation,” Lucy assured him. “I would’ve been raised with you if that were true.” 

The Prince sighed in agreement. Several years ago the wealthy Heartfilia Family had risen up the ranks to be considered Nobles in their own right. However, both the parents died of suspicious circumstances and their daughter straight out vanished and hadn’t been seen or heard from since. The Heartfilias were close with the Royal Family, the Dragneels, and had agreed to betrothe the heir Prince Natsu to their daughter Lucy. When the Heartfilias died and Lucy vanished, the betrothal ended, but the Dragneels never stopped looking for little Lucy since in the event of Lord Jude and Lady Laya’s death she was supposed to be raised by the King and Queen. 

“It’s probably nothing,” the Prince said. And with that, the two exchanged numbers. “I’ll be back here tonight for our date.” 

“A date?” Lucy asked in shock. 

“Yeah,” he said. “We need to keep up appearances, don’t we?” 

“I don’t have anything to wear that would fit in your tax bracket,” Lucy admitted. When it came to ‘fancier pieces’, she didn’t have many of those. A lot of her wardrobe she recycled from going out and to going to school. 

“Don’t worry about that,” he assured her. “I’ll bring something over for you.” And with that, he left. Leaving Lucy even more confused as ever.  

Chapter Text

Prince Natsu Dragneel thought he’d salvaged as much as he could from the situation. However, this time it wasn’t just some innocent girl that dragged in, her sister was dragged into this mess as well. A little girl no older than ten whose only family was Lucy. Someone barely out of college who had the world on her shoulders making sure Wendy was well taken care of. It brought warmth to Natsu’s heart to see just how much Lucy cared for Wendy. 

“Prince Natsu!” He heard someone call. “Who’s the new girl!” 

“Prince Natsu,” another person said. “Are you aware she has no noble connections!” 

“Prince Natsu, are you aware that your new girlfriend is raising her little sister and is the only family she has! Are you ready to be a parent?” 

Natsu’s blood ran cold. Were these people such vulures that they pried into Luce’s personal life and worst of all managed to find out she was in charge of her little sister? Prince Natsu rounded the corner to see the man who had asked that. He walked over to him, glaring daggers at him. Though Natsu wasn’t as buff as Jellal or as intimidating as his cousin Gajeel, Natsu was still intimidating. “Listen here,” he roared loudly. The ‘reporter’—no vulture—looked terrified. “You will leave that little girl’s name out of your mouth and out of the media! Do you hear me! That is a royal order!”

“If she’s about to be the next Queen, then the public deserves to know!” 

“SHE’S A CHILD!” Prince Natsu hollered. He walked over to the man and towered over him. The man backed off in fear. “This doesn’t just go for you,” he sneered. “You keep my girlfriend’s little sister out of the public eye and out of the media. You don’t mention her, you don’t show her face, you don’t state her name. You don’t say the school she goes to. If you do, I will personally see to it that you never work again!” Natsu didn’t know why, but he felt oddly protective of the bluenette girl. He remembered last night and how peaceful she looked in his arms. And the complete and utter look of horror on her face when she came downstairs to feed the cat. He remembered seeing her sleep peacefully and how protective Luce was of her. He vividly remembered through the drunken haze Lucy kissing the little girl goodnight as she tucked her into bed—something a mother would do. Natsu knew behind the façade Lucy put up, she viewed Wendy as her daughter. He couldn’t hurt either of them. 

In truth, Natsu didn’t want this ‘fake relationship’ to end. He’d fallen head-over-heals in love with Lucy. She’d caught his attention from the other side of the bar and after much encouragement from Ice Princess, he’d started talking to her. The two struck up a conversation. He should’ve taken it into account, but he failed to realise that a Crown Prince, he would in fact be watched like a hawk. Now, two innocent people were dragged into this mess. One of which was an innocent child who’d been through a lot already. 

When he reached the castle, he was greeted by his father King Igneel. A tall and stoic man, Natsu stood eye-to-eye with him. “Natsu,” he growled. 

“Yes, Father,” he said. 

“Who’s the new girl?” He hissed. “I thought you were taking a break.” 

Natsu gulped and told his father that he’d been in a relationship with Lucy for a little over a month. And went on to tell him and his mother Queen Grandeeney about Lucy and Wendy. “She has no relationship to the Heartfilia family and she has a little sister?” His mother Queen Grandeeney cried. 

Maybe Lucy was right about social status, Natsu thought. 

“If you’re seen out with her sister, she’d raise your image,” King Igneel said. Natsu felt his blood boil and rage come over him in bursts. He’d just gotten into an argument about this very thing with the vultures. He wasn’t about to get into it with his parents to. 

“No,” Natsu snarled glaring daggers at his father. “The poor girl was so scared when I met her this morning, I can’t do that to her. And Lucy’s made it clear to me she wants Wendy out of the spotlight and to have her grow up as normal as possible.” 

The King and Queen begrungeonly nodded their heads. They’d respect Lucy’s wishes, for now. Natsu knew he’d have to fight tooth and nail to make sure Wendy didn’t end up as main stream news or being forced to pose for a photo with him. “Can I ask you guys to do me a favour?” He asked. 

“Of course,” Grandeeney said. “What is it?” 

“I need you to run a background check on the two of them. Lucy claims to have no relationship to the Heartfilia family and Wendy has blue hair.” 

“Wendy has blue hair?” asked King Igneel. 

Natsu nodded his head. “I know it’s a long shot, but do some digging into them both. Lucy didn’t give me her parents names, but nothing is known about Wendy except she was found outside of a fire station when she was a baby.” 

“How old is she?” asked Queen Grandeeney. 

“Ten,” Natsu responded. 

“You’re free to go now,” King Igneel said. And with that, Natsu went on his way where he ran into his cousin Gajeel who was walking through the door of the palace with a dazed look on his face. Natsu sniggered. 

“SHUT IT, NATSU!” He snarled. 

“Fun night,” he smirked. 

“Yes it was,” Gajeel smiled. “I went home with the girl from your bar.” 

“Nice man,” Natsu encouraged his cousin. His father Metalicanna was a high-ranking advisor to his father, also Metalicanna’s brother, Igneel. “I’m glad you had fun.” 

“What I didn’t expect was two people who with a child who most certainly wan’t their own in tow banging on the door screaming for her,” he grumbled. 

“Did you get her number at least?” asked Natsu. 

Gajeel smirked and Natsu knew he had. “Worst of all, the guy who was there was buff, holding a little girl with blue hair and brown eyes who reminded me of Jellal, and was screaming ‘he’d unlock the door himself.’” 

“A little girl with blue hair?” Natsu asked in shock. “They were supposed to take her to get breakfast. I gave them a couple hundred jewels.” 

“Oh, they came from breakfast all right,” he grumbled. “There was maple syrup all over the kid. At least they got her to the shower. Apparently, she didn’t want to go back because you’d be there.” 

“I didn’t mean to scare her that badly,” whispered Natsu. “I knew I scared her, but not that badly. Oh, gods—” What would Lucy think of me now? Natsu thought. I scared her little sister to the point she didn’t want to come home. 

“I know she’s your girlfriend’s little sister,” Gajeel said. “You better start grovelling or this idea I know you’re doing is going to explode in your face.” 

Just then Jellal Fernades came strolling down the steps still talking to the woman he was talking to last night. “It’s nice to see you again, Jellal,” she said. “It’s been years.” She had scarlet hair that went down to her back, brown eyes, and was dressed in a black turtle neck dress that assentuated her figure. She looked drop dead gorgeous. 

“You’re even more beautiful than you were when we were kids, Erza” Jellal said sweet talking her. 

Natsu couldn’t help but snigger. Jellal had always been a smooth talker—much like Natsu himself. The suave military man with honours to boot was now talking as if that didn’t matter. He was rolling on the charm with this girl Erza. “Always the flatterer,” she responded. “However, I have to get going. Someone made my friend’s little sister cry.” 

“Whoa behold that guy,” Jellal responded. “You were always better at me in combat. Maybe we can discuss more over strawberry cake if that’s still your favourite.” 

“You remember,” she laughed amusingly. “I have to say, I am impressed.” 

“It always reminded me your hair,” he admitted pushing some of it out of her face. Erza turned the same shade as her hair. “I’ll always remember you eating that strawberry cake in the kitchens.” 

“I was hoping you wouldn’t,” Erza admitted. “There was frosting all up and down my face.” 

“It was adorable,” Jellal laughed. 

“We were sixteen,” she countered. “I was too old to have strawberry cake all over my face.” The two walked to the door. “Are you doing anything tonight, Jellal?” She asked. 

“I’m taking my boss and his new girlfriend out on a date,” he said. “Though I’d rather be with you doing what I did to you the night before.” 

“Dude,” Gray Fullbuster of North said in amazement. His shirt was unbuttoned at the top, his jet black hair was spiked up. The faint smell of tobacco came from him. “Who knew Jellal was a smooth talker? He’s on your level.” 

“I know,” whispered Natsu. He was amazed. Erza seemed to be incredibly comfortable with him and didn’t pay any mind to the fact that Natsu, Gray, and Gajeel were there watching this all play out. 

“Well then,” she smirked. “Tell your boss if he dare hurts Lucy or Wendy, I’ll use the techniques my mother taught me but never taught you.” Jellal tensed up and so did Erza. Their faces were close they could kiss. And once again Erza’s face turned the colour of her hair. “I better go.” 

“Yeah,” Jellal said awkwardly. “Call me!” 

“Will do,” she whispered. She bolted out the door. 

Jellal groaned. “I was so close.” He walked over to where the group of men were standing. “I was so close.” 

“Who was that?” asked Gray Fullbuster. 

“Her name’s Erza Scarlet,” Jellal said sadly. “She and I grew up together. Her mother Irene Belserion Scarlet taught me martial arts. She’s best martial artist in the world.” 

“The Irene Belserion Scarlet,” whispered Gajeel. “She’s her daughter?” All the men were former military, having done the traditional Nobility thing of joining the military, they were all familair with her. She had personally trained all of them. However, since Jellal’s family was the one in the military, he’d been training with her from when he was a toddler. Jellal was arguably the best person in the kingdom with hand-to-hand combat, but he the one person he’d lose to would be her. 

“We’ve known each other since we were in diapers and I’ve had a crush on her since we weren’t much older. But I can never seal the deal. I either chicken out or she does. I thought we were making good progress.” 

“Rough man,” Gray sighed patting Jellal’s shoulder. “Juvia and I are going next Saturday.”

“Where are you going?” Natsu asked amazed his friend/rival could get a date so fast. 

“We’re going to one of the nicest restaurants in town,” he smirked. “Maybe we’ll head to her place after.” 

“What’s her name?” asked Jellal. 

“Juvia,” he smirked. “She lives in one of the buildings that I own.” 

“Which part of town?” asked Gajeel. 

“The East,” he smirked. “In fact, I think that’s where we all came from except Jellal.” 

“That’s where Erza lives,” Jellal responded. “It’s a rough part of town.” He looked out the window to see that Erza had yet to reach the front gate to leave the grounds. He watched her longingly and with love. Natsu would be ashamed to admit that he was jealous of Jellal. He had someone he loved and who loved in back, yet all Natsu could think about was Lucy Heartfilia. Five women from the East side seemed to capture their attention. Two people who were never supposed to mingle found their way to each other that one night. 

“Oh,” Jellal said suddenly snapping back to reality. He handed Natsu two files. “These are all that we found on Lucy Heartfilia and Wendy Marvell. Lucy’s history shows she has no known connection to Heartfilia family. And nothing on Wendy Marvell’s parents. All we known is that she showed up at a fire station ten years ago and was placed into foster care. She was named Wendy Marvell.” 

“Thank you, Jellal,” Natsu said. “All go. Relax, get ready, do whatever you want for the day. I have a date at the best restaurant in town with my ‘girlfriend’.” He used the term loosely, though he wished it were true. He wished Lucy Heartfilia to ge truly his. He’d never fallen in love before, and the poor girl from the other side of town seemed to have captivated him. Could he call it ‘love’, probably no. Natsu Dragneel was captivated by Lucy Heartfilia. 

Going up to his office, he poured himself a drink of fire whiskey and opened Lucy’s file. It showed basic information like her birthdate, her age, where she was born. Looking at her file it stated her mother Anna died when she was two of cancer and her father John followed not too long after. Lucy bounced around from home to home. It mentioned a woman named Cana Alberona who was her former foster sister and Wendy Marvell listed as little sister.

Photos of Lucy were there as well. Lucy as a teenager in high school where seemed to be holding an award for journalism. Lucy at her high school and college graduation. And finally a photo of her and little Wendy who looked no older than seven when the photo was taken outside the court house. It must’ve been the day Lucy got custody of Wendy. One thing caught Natsu’s attention. 

“She wasn’t lying,” he laughed. Reading what was on the page, it said ‘Lucy Heartfilia hasn’t had any boyfriends since gaining custody of Wendy Marvell.’ It did mention an ex, Loke Lowen. He just so happened to be Natsu’s personal chauffeur. The two had dated when they were in college, but as Lucy said, broke up because she got custody of Wendy. 

After looking over Lucy’s file some more, he put it down on his desk. He then picked up Wendy’s file. It was much thinner than Lucy’s and was pretty sparse. Just as Jellal said, Wendy Marvell didn’t have any listed parents, but instead found in a fire house’s baby box. She was later given the nickname the court named her ‘Wendy’ having needed a ‘w’ name and by fight at the fire department gave her the last name ‘Marvell’ because it was a ‘marvel’ she survived that long outside without crying. She hadn’t been in many foster homes since Lucy came into her life. Photos of Wendy when she was an infant, Wendy as a toddler, Wendy and Lucy at the park. The two of them looked happy together. Something Natsu could never remember being that happy with his family as the two did in these photos. He could imagine himself with his arm wrapped around Lucy and Wendy, the three of them smiling ear to ear. But he shook those thoughts away. He of all people knew that Lucy wouldn’t want that. Wendy was her first priority, that she remained adamant about. Romance didn’t fit into that equation for her. Though Natsu hoped to try. 

Natsu pressed the button his desk and a maid came in. She had pink hair like Natsu and wide blue-eyes. “Can you please go shopping for size small dress for my girlfriend?” Natsu asked. “And then have it delivered to her apartment.” 

“Sure, Your Highness,” she said. “Any specific colour?” 

“Red,” he said. He let his mind wander imaging what she’d look like with it on the floor and her leg on his shoulder as he pounded into her. “Thank you, Virgo.” 

With a curtsey Virgo left as quickly as she appeared. Next, was Loke. He had to talk to him about Luce. His Luce. He pressed another button and about ten minutes later, Loke showed up. His blond hair was spiked and he was dressed in a suit. He stood tall. “Where do you need to go, Your Highness?” He asked. 

“I don’t need to go anywhere, just yet,” he said. “Take a seat, Loke. I need to ask you a few questions?” 

“Is this about Lucy?” He asked. 

“It is,” Natsu said. “What do you know about her?” 

“We used to live together until a few years ago. And I help raise Wendy,” Loke sighed looking away. “She broke it off with me because she said she needed to focus on her sister. Though I still consider her a good friend. Admittedly, our relationship was already on the rocks. Wendy was the thing we both needed to call a quits.” 

Natsu nodded along listening to every world that he was saying. “When did you two truely break it off?” 

“When I got together with Aries,” he admitted. 

Aries was Loke’s girlfriend. She’d been dating him for about a year. So, the two were hooking up for a bit longer after the two broke up. He understood that. “Will it be an issue for you seeing her?” 

“No,” Loke said firmly. “It won’t be an issue. Remember, I see her a lot because of Wendy.” 

“Good to know,” Natsu said. “You’re dismissed. However, I’ll see you at 5:30. We’ll be picking up Lucy and taking her to 8-Mile. 

“Hopefully Lucy finds childcare,” Loke laughed. “She’s devoted to Wendy.” 

“I gathered,” Natsu responded looking down at the photo of baby Wendy. “I scared the poor girl this morning. I’m trying to get on her good side.” 

“You care about Lucy?” Loke scoffed. “Honestly, Your Highness, I never thought I’d see the day you’d actually care about a girl more than just about getting into her pants.” 

Natsu rolled his eyes. “I know,” he said. “But Lucy’s—” 

“I know,” Loke assured him. “I’ll see you at 5:30,, Natsu.” 

“See you at 5:30.”

Chapter Text

Natsu was still in his office reading memos on the going ons in the kingdom until his father came bursting into his office like a bat out of hell. “NATUS DRAGNEEL, WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!” He roared. He put a note on his desk. 

“Yes, Father?” asked Natsu. “What is it?” He picked up the memo and saw it was from a news station.

“You threatened a reporter?” His father shouted. “You know to never do that.” 

“He wanted questions on Lucy’s little sister!” Natsu roared back. “I COULDN’T LET HER FACE OR HER IMAGE GET INTO THE NEWS! SHE DIDN’T SIGN UP FOR ANY OF THIS!” 

“You can’t go around threatening reporters because they want to print something you don’t like!” 

“Wendy is an innocent child!” Natsu cried. “You remember how brutal those vultures were with Zeref and me! I can’t let that happen to another kid!” 

Though Natsu never showed it, he had a soft spot for children. He also remembered how brutal the press was with him and his older brother Zeref who was now a well-respected diplomat currently in Alverez. Anytime they did something remotely childish they were dragged. Anytime they acted like their ages, they were dragged. One toe out of the proverbial line and their faces were on the news for something as mundane as Natsu with a beer in his hand when he was 18. Even though that was the legal drinking age in Fiore. He wanted to protect Wendy from it as much as possible. It was the least he could do. 

King Igneel glared at his son, but even he knew he was right. The Press had been brutal to him and his brother when they were growing up. This was Natsu’s way of protecting of protecting Wendy from the mistake him and her older sister made last night. “I care about, Lucy, Dad.” Natsu admitted. “I can’t let her sister get hurt.” Natsu remembered how peaceful Wendy looked in his arms as he carried her to bed. A small spur of the moment decision, but to him it felt special. 

Natsu would never admit it, he wondered if his mom and dad ever carried him and Zeref to bed when they were younger. He had very few memories of the family being happy together. His parents were busy running the kingdom so it was just him and Zeref. Zeref was also the more book-smart of the two, but he passed over being heir in order to be a diplomat. That left Natsu being groomed at a young age to rule over the Kingdom. He was envious of Wendy in a way, though she didn’t have her parents, she had Lucy who went above and beyond to make sure that the little girl was well taken care of. Lucy tucked her into bed, made sure she got out of the house on time, checked to see if her homework was done. She was a parent in all but name. 

“Just keep your tempter to yourself,” King Igneel muttered. “You need to get married and you need an heir.” 

“I know that!” Natsu snapped. “I just don’t wanna settle down just yet!” 

“For the Kingdom’s sake, it needs to be soon. Maybe this girl will help you realise what you need to do,” King Igneel said as he walked out of Natsu’s office in a huff. Natsu took another drink of his fire whiskey. His father would be the end of him. 

He knew Lucy would only be temporary, but he needed to make sure the two were sorted out since they got dragged into this mess. He went to work setting up a college account for Wendy and then an account for Lucy so she could live comfortably for the rest of her life after this was over. He printed out the paperwork to show to Lucy tonight. He hoped that this would be enough compensation for what he’d be doing to the two of them. 

Jellal came bursting into the room. “Natsu, do you want me to look into the two of them more for you?” 

“You okay, man?” Natsu asked. Jella looked shaken up. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“The little girl—Wendy,” Jellal said. “She has blue hair. But my family has no records of her or anyone in my family giving birth or even fathering kids ten years ago.” 

Jellal’s family was well-known throughout the kingdom for having a relative in every town. In the military, people got around. Though he knew Jellal seemed to be breaking with his family tradition. “None,” Natsu said in shock. “Absolutely none.”

“The most recent ones we have is when my uncle fathered Levy McGarden with a random woman here. Along with Juvia Lockser who’s Levy’s half-sister” Jellal said.  

“They’re both connected to Lucy,” Natsu said, passing him the file. “Levy’s the school librarian and Juvia’s the science teacher there.” 

Jellal looked over the file once again. “I’ll do some more digging. Wendy has to be related to me in some way.”

Natsu’s blood ran cold. Wendy and Lucy were attached at the hip. What would happen if she were forced to give up custody of Wendy to Jellal’s family. It wouldn’t be in Wendy’s best interest, Natsu knew that much. “If I allow you to go through with looking into Wendy’s past, you need to promise me one thing.”

“What is it?” Jellal asked. 

“You won’t take Wendy away from Luce,” he told her. 

“We would never!” Jellal shouted. “She’s better off where she is now anyway. Far away from the spotlight.” He looked at Natsu straight in the eye. “And I have no clue what to do with a ten year-old. It seems Lucy’s got it under control with her. Wendy’s a good student, stays out of trouble. “ 

“Needed to make sure,” Natsu told the man. “I can’t shake up that girl’s life even more than it already has been.”  

“So, she’s Loke’s ex,” Jellal stated. 

“I know,” Natsu stated. “He just left my office not too long ago. And then my father came in.” 

“You threatened a reporter, Natsu,” Jellal said. “All over Lucy’s little sister. That’s bound to get media attention drawn to you.” 

“I’d rather it go to me than to Luce or Wendy,” Natsu shrugged. “I can handle it, them, I’m not so sure.” 

With that, Jellal left to get ready to meet Loke in a few hours. Leaving Natsu alone. He picked up his phone and opened Instagram. He typed in the search bar ‘Lucy Heartfilia’. Only one account came up. It was his Lucy’s. He managed to get around the fact her instagram was private and then proceed to check it. 

There weren’t many photos, one was her and her coworkers, a few with Loke. A couple with Wendy as well. He checked her instagram story and saw that Lucy was sitting at her kitchen table with a stack of papers that said ‘getting some grading in’. The papers looked like essays and Natsu felt bad for seeing how much she had to grade. Maybe tonight wasn’t the best night to take her out, but it was too late now. Another photo popped up on her Instagram story. It was of Wendy sitting at the table with her thumbs up and the caption: PLEASE BABYSIT ME! IF STUDENT, EXTRA CREDIT. IF FRIEND, I OWE YOU! 

Natsu silently cursed. Of course she was struggling to find childcare on a saturday night. She wasn’t expecting to go out. Unlike Natsu, she didn’t have the freedom to go out whenever she wanted. She had Wendy to look after. Not too much long after that second post, Luce was able to find childcare. Natsu sighed in relief that he didn’t have to cancel the date. Then his phone dinged, looking at it, he saw another news story break. 

PRINCE NATSU’S NEW GIRL! 5 THINGS ABOUT THE WOMAN WHO CAPTURED THE PRINCE’S ATTENTION! 

Natsu clicked on the article to see what they’d found—mainly searching for any mentions of Wendy. 

1. She’s an English teacher! That’s right, Lucy Heartfilia’s an English teacher and teaches right here in Magnolia! Maybe she’ll make the Prince write a book report. 
2. She’s from Magnolia! That’s right, our Prince’s girlfriend is a home-grown beauty! She’s from right here in Magnolia.
3. Though she might have the last name of ‘Heartfilia, there’s no relationship to the family. Don’t let the name deceive you, she’s a commoner. Maybe she’ll be the first commoner to marry into the Royal Family? Gives the rest of us hope. 

Natsu chuckled. No one holds a candle to my Luce, he thought. She’s one of a kind. No Nobles have hope. 

1. She grew up in foster care! That’s right, the person who could very well be Prince Natsu’s Queen is a former foster kid. This is a real life Cinderella Story. 
2. She went to The University of Crocus, the best University in Fiore, on a scholarship. She’s not just beauty, she’s got brains! 

Natsu was relieved to see that there was no mention of Wendy anywhere in the article. He did find it icky the Vultures had managed to find all that about Luce. He was relieved that nothing about Loke or Wendy got out to the media. Luce would murder him, then ressurect him, then murder him again for good measure. Somethin told him she didn’t play around when it came to Wendy. She did break up with Loke so she could focus on the kid. 

He decided to walk around the grounds of the palace to see if he could clear his mind for tonight. He’d never felt like this about anyone before, not Minerva, not even his ex-betrothed Lisanna. His mind thought of her. Lucy Heartfilia. His Lucy Heartfilia—at least for the time being. He wasn’t one to settle down, she played in his head over and over that day. 

By midday the hangover was gone and Natsu was well. Not too long later Virgo came back. “I’ve found a dress and sent it to Ms. Heartfilia, Your Highness,” she said curtseying to him. She showed him a picture of it. 

The dress was short and a vibrant red. He knew it would accentuate her figure. He would be drooling over her. Along with a black pair of high heels for her that weren’t too high that she could fall. Hopefully, the night would end with something fun for the two of them. Then again, maybe she was sore from last night. He smirked at the thought. She was stumbling this morning, partially from the hangover, partially from him. She looked sore as well with the way she moved. He was glad Wendy or her friends didn’t notice. Well, maybe that Laxus guy, who also happened to be her neighbour. 

He decided to text Luce to see if she’d gotten the dress already. He’d had someone personally deliver it to her apartment. He’d paid extra for that as well. 

Natsu: Did you get it?  

Lucy:
I did. It’s gorgeous. Thank you
You’re Highness 

Natsu:
To you and Wendy
it’s Natsu. And
you’re welcome 

Natsu:
You find a sitter for Wendy? 

Lucy:
I did. A student’s coming over
and Laxus is gonna be a few doors over 

Natsu:
You let one of your students
watch your sister? 

Lucy:
Shes’s responsible
Lucy:
Also some extra credit points and cash

Natsu:
I’ll pay for the sitter.
It’s the least I can do 

Lucy:
You don’t need to
take care of us. We’re fine
on our own 

Natsu:
Like I said,
I got you guys into this mess 

Natsu:
And I have a soft spot for kids

Lucy:
I saw that with you and
Wendy. You never meant
to scare her  

Natsu:
I’ll see you soon,
Luce. Wear what came tonight 

Lucy:
Can I ask where

we’re going? 

Natsu: 

8-Mile. 

Lucy:
How’d you get a reservation? 

Natsu:
I’m the Prince. I’ll see you soon,
Luce 

Natsu smiled looking at the exchange. He never wanted to settle down. He was only 25. He had a lot of time before he needed to get married. However, his parents had other plans. First they’d betrothed him to the Heartfilia girl and then when that fell through, his parents betrothed him to Lisanna Strauss of the Mountains. The Strauss Family’s multiple mines kept gems and other precious metals flowing throughout the kingdom. That relationship fell through, much to Natsu’s relief. Lisanna had been too clingy. Minerva wanted marriage before she slept with him. But Lucy made him think of what life could be life on the other side of that. He couldn’t help but think of helping Lucy with Wendy’s homework. Or helping teach her how to drive. 

Yet he shook those thoughts out of his head. He could have anyone else. Anyone else, but not Lucy Heartfilia. He couldn’t be the man the two deserved. Or could he? 

Soon Gray Fullbuster came bursting through the walls. “Hey, man,” he said. “You excited for the date?” 

“Very much so, Ice Princess,” he smirked. “And maybe a little something extra to.” 

“She must’ve been good if you’re going back for seconds,” Gray laughed. 

“And you’re not going back for seconds with that Juvina girl who’s Jellal’s relative from the club?” He asked. 

“Yeah,” he said. “And she was amazing. And honestly, I wanted to get to know her more.” 

“You do?” laughed Natsu. He’d never seen his friend/rival want to know a girl more than just for something casual. Yet here this girl was changing everything for the better for Gray. 

“I do,” he said. “She’s a science teacher at the school Lucy teaches at. They’re going on break two weeks from now. So, I’m planning on taking her to my family’s ski villa up north. She’s always wanted to learn how to ski.” 

Natsu got a bright idea in his head. “I think I might take Luce to Hargeon then if she’s on break.” 

“See her in a bikini,” Gray laughed. 

Natsu smirked. “You know it.” 

“What’re you gonna do about  the sister?” asked Gray. “She coming with?” 

“I’d help her find someone to watch Wendy for the week. Maybe one of her friends can do it,” Natsu shrugged. A week was more than enough time for Luce to find childcare for Wendy, right? She’d be able to find someone for the week? 

Then again, would Lucy be comfortable leaving Wendy alone for week? Lucy loved that little girl and she was willing to do anything for her. Lucy might not be comfortable leaving her with someone for the weekend. She might not even be comfortable with Wendy tagging along with them. He made a mental note to run it by her tonight to see if she would be able to do that. And with that, Gray left his office and Natsu got ready for the date, showering, brushing his teeth, respiking his hair. He needed to make sure he looked somewhat presentable at least. 

When 5:30 rolled around, Natsu got into the car with Loke behind the wheel and Jellal in the passenger’s seat as they set off for Luce’s place. 

Chapter Text

When Lucy left their apartment last night, Wendy Marvell didn’t think that she’d find the Heiir to the Throne of Fiore standing in her kitchen drinking her older sister’s coffee. Yet, there he was, standing there in the sunlight mumbling about a headache and how he ‘always got himself into these types of situations’ while he put some milk into the coffee cup. She’d screamd, causing Lucy to rush out of her room. And much to Wendy’s horror, Lucy was shocked as well to see him there. Didn’t she not know who she brought home? 

When Cana and Laxus came into the apartment, it had been a bit, but the two took her out to breakfast on Prince Natsu’s insistence so he could talk with Lucy more. Unfortunately breakfast was ruined when she saw a camera being pointed at her face. This caused Laxus to beserk and nearly attacked the cameraman. He was pulled off by Cana at the last moment and by Wendy crying. The shock of it all made her spill her syrup all over herself. Thankfully, the man didn’t get a photo of her. 

After breakfast, the three of them made their to Levy’s apartment where they ran into Lord Gajeel Redfox who seemed pissed that Laxus was at the door holding Wendy. The four of them stayed there until Lucy gave the all clear to come back. 

Admittedly, Wendy was scared. Her world was changing. She was no longer the little sister of one of the teachers at the high school, she was now the little sister of the girlfriend of the Crown Prince. That made her uncomfortable with how public everything would be now. All she wanted was to be normal and now that wouldn’t happen. 

Wendy was also aware of Prince Natsu’s reputation. She’d heard Lucy talking about it to her friends one night when she was supposed to be asleep. ‘Prince Natsu seems to sleep with anyone. I’m surprised he hasn’t caught a disease yet. Honestly though, who’d be stupid enough to do 

She remembered Cana hicupping and saying ‘Maybe he has and it got cleared’. That comment seemed to get a laugh out of everyone in the room. She didn’t understand what that meant though and she was too scared to ask seeing as she was supposed to be asleep. She recalled the conversation perfectly though. 

“Why would anyone sleep with the jerk anyway?” asked Laxus. “What do people see in him?” 

She remembered how Lucy scoffed. “Several billion reasons,” she responded. “A couple houses too. One to keep you in the other one to put the other girl in.” 

From her recollection, Loke spoke. “As his personal chauffeur, I can confirm he doesn’t do that. He makes sure it’s one at a time so he doesn’t say the wrong name.” 

The group seemed to laugh louder at that comment. Though she didn’t understand what the adults were talking about, she knew that it wasn’t good. Prince Natsu did seem to be with a new girl every week. She didn’t want the same thing to happen to her sister. Especially since Prince Natsu had been so nice to her. 

Now home, Wendy came into see Lucy sitting at the table grading papers muttering to herself that he bought her something she didn’t need. “Hey, Lucy!” Wendy called. 

“Hey!” Lucy said. “I was able to get some groceries so you can have something a bit more substantial. I’m making chicken right now so you have something for tonight.” 

“Tonight?” Wendy asked. 

“I’m going out with Prince Natsu,” she sighed. 

Wendy sighed. Normally because it was a Saturday night, the two would order a pizza and watch some movies. Now since she had a ‘boyfriend’, she’d be doing something with him. It made Wendy a bit jealous. Just because he was the Prince didn’t mean he could take Lucy away from her. Lucy was all Wendy had left. She knew her parents names were unknown, she spent her earlier years in foster care. Lucy was the closest thing Wendy even had to a parent right now. And if something bad happened, Prince Natsu could take Lucy away and Wendy would land herself back in foster care. She didn’t want that to happen. 

“What’s on your mind?” Lucy asked. 

“I don’t want Prince Natsu to take you away from me,” she whispered tears coming to her eyes. Lucy ran and hugged her and Wendy found herself burrowing into her older sister. The two went to the very comfy couch that had been the place of multiple naps throughout the years. 

“Natsu won’t take you away from me,” Lucy assured Wendy. “I’m not leaving you. You’re stuck with me until one of us dies. I’m not gonna let Natu split us up.”  

She sighed in relief and held onto Lucy tighter. Wendy needed to hear that. She was relieved Lucuy wouldn’t let the two get separated. “You’re all I have as well.” 

“Who’s watching me tonight?” Wendy asked. 

“Yukino is,” Lucy said. “She’ll be here about 7:00-ish.” 

“When will you be back?” Wendy asked. 

“After your bedtime,” Lucy stated. “But I’ll be here in the morning and you get me time. I hope you’re ready.”  

“I can’t wait!” Wendy smiled. She was excited to finally get some time with Lucy. The two of them didn’t spend as much time together as they wanted since they were both busy. 

“Oh, and Laxus will be here when the Natsu picks me up. Just so you’re not surprised,” Lucy reminded her as she made Wendy something before she got ready. Wendy ate the chicken with some rice and a few vegetables and was left alone with Carla who’d curled up in her lap looking for pets. Petting the cat, Wendy wondered if she and Lucy were to move in with Natsu if she would have to give up Carla. Looking down at the thing that followed her home from school one day, she couldn’t get rid of her. Carla meant the world to her. 

Lucy wouldn’t let him do that, would she? Wendy shook her head and pushed that thought away. Carla would be staying with her. Face wouldn’t be shown to the media, and she’d still have Lucy. Even if they didn’t have Prince Natsu, they’d still have each other and that’s all Wendy needed. Carla and Lucy. The three of them thick as thieves for the rest of their lives. Getting up and feeding Carla and changing her water, Lucy came out of the bathroom. Her hair was still wet and she hadn’t blow dried it yet. Wendy, putting the dishes in the sink, she groaned knowing the two of them would have to wash these things by hand. Something the two of them hated doing with a burning passion. 

Before the two could start on the dishes, there was a knock on the door. “Are you expecting anyone else, Lucy?” Wendy asked. 

“No,” she said. “Not until Yukino comes anyway.” 

“PACKAGE FOR MS. LUCY HEARTFILIA!” The person on the other side of the door said. 

“I didn’t order a package,” Lucy said looking down at Wendy. 

“I didn’t either!” Wendy defended. 

“I wasn’t accusing,” Lucy assured her. 

“IT’S FROM THE PALACE! PRINCE NATSU SENT ME PERSONALLY TO DELIVER IT TO YOU!” The man hollered. 

Lucy grumbled something Wendy couldn’t make out. Opening the door, she signed for the package, and came back inside. Wendy’s eyes went to the photo of a seven-year-old Wendy and the 18-years-old Lucy outside the courthouse. It was the day the two officially became a family. The two had gone out to a diner and watched movies all night. The two of them fell asleep on the couch. The day was perfect and Wendy would always treasure it. It meant the world to her to have Lucy. Now that someone new had entered their lives, Wendy was trying to adjust. He showed up at their place yesterday, stayed the night, then left in the morning and was apparently coming back. 

She knew Lucy would be back tonight. She wondered if Prince Natsu would spend the night with them as well. Admittedly, Wendy liked him. He didn’t meant to scare her. Wendy could tell by how careful he was being with her. She also liked how he made sure to let her know that her face wouldn’t be released to the media. He also liked how he seemed to care about Lucy. 

“Holy shit,” whispered Lucy. 

Wendy walked over to where Lucy was standing, the ‘extra adjective’ as Lucy called it. She decided not to push her luck with calling out Lucy’s choice of words. “What is it?” She asked walking over to where Lucy was standing. “WOW! THAT’S A PRETTY DRESS!” 

“It is,” she said. 

“What’s going on?” A man’s voice boombed running into the apartment like a pack of elephants. Turning around, Wendy saw a tall and muscular man dressed in a t-shirt that said ‘Fairy Tail High School Athletic’s Department’ and wearing a pair of athletic shorts. He looked like he just came back from the gym. It was Laxus, Lucy’s friend and coworker. He was also our neighbour. I viewed him like an older brother. “I heard screaming.”

“The Prince bought Lucy a present,” Wendy explained. 

Lucy held up the dress to show Laxus. The dress was short and red and backless. “People make dresses like this?” Wendy asked looking at the thing. She then saw a pair of high heels. Wendy knew Lucy barely wore those. Lucy was always worried that she’d trip and fall in those things. “The death traps,” Laxus said. He turned to Lucy and said. “If he tries anything, let me know.” 

“I’m not worth losing your career over,” Lucy said. “I’ll be okay. Worst comes to worst, I’ll kick him.” 

Wendy was confused. Prince Natsu was nice to both Wendy and Lucy. Why would he try something? “What do you mean by that?” Wendy asked. 

“Mean by what?” Laxus questioned looking down at her. Even though Laxus towered over the blue-haired girl, she’d never been scared of Laxus. She’d always felt comfortable around him. 

“What do you mean by ‘tries anything?’” asked Wendy. “I liked Prince Natsu, so why would he try something with you.” 

Lucy sighed and looked sad. She, Laxus, and Wendy took a seat on the couch. Though cramped, it was very comfy. Many a nap had been taken out here. “So, Wendy, there are some men who feel they’re entitled to women’s bodies,” Laxus explained. “They want to do whatever they want to them. They view that because of what she’s wearing, she’s automatically up for the taking.” 

Wendy gulped. “Is it just like what happened with me and Lucy at the hands of our old foster father?” 

The room turned cold. Their old foster father Jose was now in federal prison for touching kids—more specifically Cana, Lucy, and Wendy. Wendy didn’t remember much, but she did remember Lucy getting into screaming matches with him and Cana hiding her in her room. She remembered she and Lucy sleeping in the same room, but what Wendy did remember was how Cana and Lucy shielded her as best they could. She’d always be grateful for them for doing that. On the rare occasion it was brought up, both Lucy and Cana assured her they would do it again in a heartbeat. Yet, she never wanted that to happen in the fist place. Prince Natsu couldn’t be like Jose. He was so nice to her. Jose would scream, throw things, and drink all day. Prince Natsu didn’t do those things. 

“Is Prince Natsu like that?” asked Wendy.

Lucy took a deep breath. “No,” Lucy assured Wendy. “He’s not like that. He might be a womaniser, but he would never touch anyone like that.”

Wendy then turned to Laxus with fear. “Are you like that, Laxus?” She whispered, the fear in her voice evident. 

Laxus looked heartbroken. “No,” he said firmly. “I’m not. I think people who do that type of stuff are pieces of shit.” He then turned to Lucy. “Sorry, Blondie. It needed to be said.”

“Honestly, go head. You’re right, Laxus,” Lucy shrugged. “You needed the extra adjective there.” 

Wendy, relieved by what Laxus said got up from the couch and went to where Carla was on the windowsill looking out at the street below them. She started petting the cat trying to get her mind off what Laxus and Lucy had told her. She was now scared.  Laxus came up to her and put his hand on her shoulder in a comforting manner. “And if anyone tries to do what happened with Jose to you, I’ll personally make sure he never sees the light of day again.” Wendy hugged Laxus and Laxus hugged back. He carefully picked her up and placed her on the couch. Wendy didn’t let him go though. 

“I’ll carry you as long as I’m able to,” Laxus whispered in her ear. He stroked her blue hair to calm her down. Wendy didn’t realise how nervous she was until now. The butterflies in her stomach seemed to calm down, her breathing slowed, she felt comfortable in Laxus’s arms. She wondered if Natsu would do this for her like Laxus or Loke did? She had so many questions about him. How he’d fit in with them? If he stayed around? If he liked Carla? Because if he didn’t like Carla he had to go. She didn’t care, Carla was family. If he didn’t like Carla, he had to go. She’d decided that. 

“Wendy,” Lucy called out gently. Wendy turned to look at her older sister. “Remember we’re in the beginning stages of the relationship. We don’t know if we’re gonna stay together, yet. So, don’t get your hopes up.” 

Wendy nodded. She vaguely remembered when Lucy and her moved out of Loke’s place to move here. Though Loke was always a constant presence in her life and Lucy and him were friends, things hadn’t been the same. “I just want you to be happy,” Wendy said to Lucy. 

“Wendy,” Lucy told her. “I was happy when it was just us. Just you and me. Just you, me, Loke, Laxus, Cana, Levy, and Juvia. I didn’t care that I didn’t have a boyfriend, all I needed was you.” 

Wendy nodded her head. “I’m happy you were happy with just the two of us,” Wendy said. “But everything’s gonna change and I don’t like it—” 

“I know,” Lucy said. “I know.” Her voice broke. “And we’re doing everything we can to make sure that you’re not dragged into this mess any more than you already have been.” 

“I know Prince Natsu threatened a reporter for me,” Wendy stated. Wendy had heard it earlier in the day from Levy who was shocked to see the news that Prince Natsu had threatened the reporter who asked about her. Wendy didn’t understand why she was a person of interest now. It was her sister they needed to be interested in, not her. She was a nobody. She was ten, she liked cats, science, math, history, and reading. She could lost in a library for hours. But she wasn’t going to be the next queen. She wasn’t someone you made a marriage alliance with. She was just Wendy Marvell. A little girl who didn’t even know her own parents names. Why was she so important that someone had to try and get a photo of her? Admittedly, she was scared that someone would be so brazen to do that in front of Laxus of all people. 

Laxus was muscular and buff. If he wasn’t in his apartment jamming out to Green Day, a love he, along with the others, had passed down to her. Along with a life long love of Magnolia sports teams (Loke), card games (Cana), reading (Lucy and Levy), music (Laxus), martial arts (Erza), and science (Juvia). To Wendy, they were her family. She had an amazing older sister and several older brothers who all loved her dearly. They meant the world to her. Plus Gramps, Lucy’s principle and Reedus another one of Lucy’s coworkers, they all made a family. It wasn’t much, but to Wendy it meant everything. 

Now, Prince Natsu entered their lives yesterday. He’d been in their kitchen, drank Lucy’s lifeblood of coffee, and acted like he lived there. And maybe since he was next in line for the throne, he maybe did own the place. She was so scared that something bad would happen to her sister, but nothing did. Yet. He comforted her, told her that Lucy wasn’t in trouble, he had to at least be nice. 

“I’m scared,” Wendy whispered. “We’re all gonna be famous now.” 

“You’re not,” Lucy said. “You will be just Wendy Marvell. You’ll be your wonder, beautiful, kind self.” Between every compliment she kissed her head. Something Lucy always did something whenever Wendy was scared. Wendy felt herself relax. 

“I love you, Lucy,” Wendy cried. 

“I love you, too, Wendy,” Lucy smiled. “Wendy, when you get to be my old age of 21, one thing you’ll learn is that boys come and go, but you’ll always have me. We’re a team—a package deal. And nothing is going to come between that. Nothing!” 

Wendy hugged Lucy tighter. Lucy was right, boys came and went, but Lucy would be there for her for the rest of her life. The two were thick as thieves, sisters. Lucy loved Wendy and Wendy loved Lucy. The two were inseparable and nothing would change that. She didn’t need to worry about being taken away from Lucy.

Chapter Text

Soon enough, there was a knock on the door. “It’s me!” a voice said. Wendy let Lucy got and Lucy went to get the door. On the other side stood a teenage girl with light blue hair, brown eyes, and a heart-shaped face was at the door panting and out of breath. She was carrying two bags, one filled with clothes, the other with other things she’d need for when Wendy was asleep. “Hey Ms. Heartfilia,” she wheezed. Wendy rushed to get the chair as Lucy helped her to the kitchen. She dropped her clothes and her bag as Laxus rushed to get her some water. 

“Yukino, what happened?” asked Lucy. 

“They shut down half the city of Magnolia!” Yukino wheezed. She looked up at Laxus. “Thank you, Mr. Dreyar.” 

“Don’t sweat it, Kid,” he assured her. 

“I had to run through a lot to get here,” she said. She looked down sheepishly. “Sorry I’m an hour early.” 

“It’s okay,” Lucy said. “There’s some things in the fridge, help yourself. I’m gonna hit the shower. I’ll be out shortly and then you can do your laundry. Prince Natsu’s on his way and he’ll be here in about an hour.” Lucy turned to the group. Her demeanour shifted. “Now, when Natsu comes, Wendy and I will be calling him Natsu.” Yukino’s face went pale and so did Wendy’s. She was gonna call Prince Natsu just Natsu. “Mr. Dryar and you should call him ‘Your Highness’. Wendy, you, and I are gonna curtsey to him. Mr. Dreyar, you do in fact have to bow.” 

Laxus rolled his She then looked at Yukino. “Bowing’s a sign of respect and I don’t respect them,” he muttered. He then turned to look at Lucy “You don’t respect them either.” 

“I know your view on the Royal Family, admittedly I’m not the biggest fan too, but we all agree to keep the politics to ourselves,” Lucy urged. Judging by her tone, that wasn’t much of a suggestion. She turned to Yukino who seemed to be more interested in the floor than what Lucy had to say. “That goes for both of you. We’re all on thin ice.” She turned to Yukino again. “I wouldn’t put it against him to run a background check on you after he sees you. I’ll make sure that whatever you’ve posted doesn’t get held against you. You’re allowed to have that opinion.” 

Yukino nodded and breathed a sigh of relief. She was outspoke about her dislike of the Royal Family and how she viewed them as ‘not modern’ and ‘outdated’. Wendy didn’t have an opinion on them. She did know Lucy wasn’t their biggest fan because she thought they were useless and a waste of money. QWendy knew that she shouldn’t tell anyone her sister’s opinion on the Royal Family, especially not Natsu. The person she was supposedly ‘dating’. 

Lucy left to go take a shower, leaving just Laxus, Yukino, and Wendy alone at the kitchen table. Laxus went into the fridge and heated up some leftovers that Lucy had made earlier in the day for the group. “I wonder if he’s staying the night again?” Wendy asked. 

“He stayed the night?” Yukino asked choking on her glass of water. She had a knowing smile on her face as she smirked. “When did he first stay the night?” 

“Last night,” Wendy said recalling the events of last night. “I was alone with Carla, I ordered pizza, stayed up late and watched TV, I fell asleep on the couch.” 

“I love that couch,” smiled Yukino. “I’m excited to nap on it.” 

“And last night he carried me to my room,” Wendy whispered. “Apparently Lucy tucked me in.” 

“He carried you to your room!” Yukino said in shock. “I never realised he had that side to him.” She looked out the front window. Wendy nodded intently. 

“Remember,” Laxus said gently putting his strong hand on her shoulder. “Don’t get attached. It’ll be easier for you when they break up.” 

“What makes you think they’ll breakup?” Yukino asked. Her voice sounded more inquisitive than excited. Though Yukino wasn’t a fan of the royal family, she still seemed to care about Lucy. That seemed to be a common thread with Lucy with all her students. She cared about them and they cared about her in return. She was kind enough to let Yukino use their laundry machines since the ones at Yukino’s place weren’t working. 

“We all know his reputation,” Laxus scoffed. He looked visibly angry right now and it made Wendy uncomfortable. She had to assure herself that he wasn’t angry at her. “Now you’re involved in this, Wendy.” He looked away. Wendy could tell he wanted to say something, but he seemed to be holding back. 

“What do you wanna say, Mr. Dryar?” asked Yukino. 

“I was supposed to be watching the girls and I got distracted and then they all went off,” Laxus said. 

“I heard you, Ms. Heartfilia, Ms. Lockser, Ms. McGraden, Mr. Reedus, Ms. Scarlet, and Mr. Justine all went out last night,” Yukino said. 

“How’d you know that?” asked Laxus. Even though Wendy knew Laxus, Levy, Reedus, Freed, Erza, and Lucy, were all teachers at Fairy Tail High where Yukino went school, it was still incredibly weird to Wendy to hear Laxus being called ‘Mr Dreyar’ and Lucy ‘Ms Heartfilia.’ To Wendy, they were just ‘Laxus and Lucy’.

Wendy’s mind went back to Natsu and his reputation. Her heart sank, though she tried her best to hide how she was feeling so Laxus didn’t worry about her. She remembered Loke calling him a ‘womaniser’ about a year ago. Cana had explained to her what that meant later, but she hoped Lucy was different. Prince Natsu carried her to her room. Something that only Laxus, Freed, and Loke were able to do. Wendy had always been small for her age, something that came about because she was malnourished as a baby, so people were able to pick her up easier than other kids her age. But she didn’t mind it, because that meant she could still be carried by the three of them. 

He brought her to her room last night. That had to mean something to him, right? It wasn’t just a way to impress Lucy? Did he actually care about her as a person? He paid for breakfast for her. He threatened a reporter for her. He couldn’t just be doing it for an alternative angle? Could he? Wendy didn’t even want to think about it. The thought made her sick to her stomach of being used like that to get on Lucy’s good side. 

Wendy decided to lump men in who used her to get to Lucy as the pieces of shit who felt entitled to women. If someone thought it was a good idea to use Wendy as a way to get to Lucy, they were a piece of shit. 

“Sting and Rogue work at The Dragon’s Den,” Yukino responded pulling Wendy from her thoughts. “They’re bar backs. They didn’t release anything to the media, but they do work there. Sting texted me about it last night how he thought he saw someone who looked like Ms. McGarden with Gajeel Redfox.” 

Wendy’s face paled as she rememendered the intimidating man who’d been in Levy’s shower with her that morning. They explained to her that to save water, adults showered with each other. She remembered Cana not being able to hold it together and then explaining that adults have sex in the shower after Lord Gajeel had left. Laxus then said she wouldn’t be doing any of that until she was at least fifty or he was dead. Whatever came first. Cana laughed at that. Wendy didn’t understand why someone would join someone in the shower, it was nice to have some alone time in her view. She enjoyed her shower time, even if the hot water was always finicky and their hair always clogged the drain which meant Loke had to come over and unclog it. “I was happy with it just being you, me, Lucy, and other others, Laxus,” Wendy sighed. 

“I know,” Laxus answered. “So was I, kiddo.” Laxus brought her into a hug and Wendy hugged back. “I was happy with it just being the group of us as well. But times change, and we have to adapt. Even if The Royal Pain leaves, I won’t be going anywhere. Neither will Lucy, or Levy, or Erza, or even Juvia. We’ll always be there for you. Remember what your sister said.” 

Wendy nodded in agreement. “I’ll always have you guys,” she smiled. “Even if I don’t have the Prince.” 

Laxus looked at the bathroom door where the water seemed to have stopped. “Between us three, this doesn’t get out, Yukino, she’s better off without him. She doesn’t need a royal pain in the ass.“

“Royal Pain,” Yukino laughed. “I’m gonna steal that.” 

“Just not around him,” Lucy said coming out of the bathroom. Her hair was blow dried and then loosely curled, she had very little makeup on. Instead of what Natsu had bought her, she was wearing a blue pair of shorts with a pink top. She looked gorgeous without even trying and Wendy gasped. 

I never realised how pretty Lucy is, she thought. Lucy was also very plainly dressed. She hardly wore makeup, she hardly wore perfume. On the rare occasions she’d been dressed up nicely, Wendy hadn’t paid much notice. Now, she did. And Lucy looked even more beautiful than she already did—she looked like a princess. A real life princess. Wendy was amazed as she watched her sister go to the kitchen and started doing some dishes and Wendy rushed to help her. Since the pair didn’t have a dishwasher, they had to do the dishes themselves. A lot of the time the two ate off paper plats because they hated that chore. Even though it was bad for the environment with the waste, they also knew the dishes by hand used a lot of water. In Wendy’s mind, she guessed it evened out eventually. “He’ll be here in a half-hour,” said Laxus. “You might wanna put on what he got you.” He got up to help with the dishes. 

Fear came across Lucy’s face. “You damn well know I can’t wear that out.” She said. “If I’m seen in that, your grandfather’s going to have an even bigger field day than he has now.”  

 “Do you have anything else?” Laxus asked. Though he already knew the answer to that question. 

“No,” she said. “We’re going to 8-Mile. It’s the best restaurant in town.” 

“What does it look like, Ms Heartfilia?” asked Yukino curiously. 

“Something that I’d lose my job in,” Lucy responded. She put the plastic cutlery on a towel to dry. “I’ll show it to you, but it can’t get out that I’m wearing it.” 

“It’ll be all over the tabloids,” shrugged Yukino. Then she had a thought go off in her head. Something her old teacher called a ‘light bulb moment’. “Ms Heartfilia, will you be leaving us?” 

“No,” Lucy assured. “No, absolutely not. I’m still gonna be with you guys. You’re stuck with me until you graduate. I don’t think Principle Markarov’s gonna be able to find an English teacher or a long-term sub.” 

Laxus cleared his throat and did an amazing imitation of his grandfather. “LISTEN HERE, YOU LITTLE BRATS,” he roared. Lucy, Wendy, and Yukino were laughing. “SINCE YOUR ENGLISH TEACHER DECIDED AGAINST HER BETTER JUDGMENT TO SHACK-UP WITH A PRINCE, YOU’RE STUCK WITH ME! WE’LL BE WATCHING MOVIES FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR OR UNTIL I CAN FIND ANOTHER TEACHER! AT THIS RATE I’LL NEVER RETIRE!” Laxus was flailing his arms around in the air as if he was trying to wave someone down.

The group couldn’t contain themselves. As much as they all liked Markarov Dreyar, he wasn’t exactly the most calm man. He was short, with most of the students being taller than him. But he was an incredibly kind man. The four of them were laughing hysterically. Tears fell from their eyes as they tried to collect themselves. After a what felt like forever, they finally managed to do so.

 Lucy went into the bathroom to change and Wendy gasped again. The red dress fit her perfectly, the sparkly sequence on the lose shoulder straps reminded Wendy of diamonds.  He hair was still recurled, but her makeup had been touched up to hide the fact she was laughing so hard at Laxus’s impersonation of his grandfather who’d raised him. It had been a while since Wendy had seen Lucy laugh like that. A small smile came to her face. 

“Looking sexy, Ms Heartfilia,” Yukino smirked. 

“Thanks,” she said. “Kinda don’t wanna say that to me, Yukino.” 

Yukino shrugged. “I have to say, the Royal Pain in the Ass has taste,” she admitted bregrungeonly. Her eyes were wide with amazement that he’d picked out something that actually looked good. “He certainly wants something.” 

“Yukino,” Lucy scolded her face beat red. Yukino sniggered. 

“Just remember, the walls are thin,” Laxus urged sniggering. 

Lucy glared at him and Laxus cowered. Laxus was a tall man, standing at 160 cm. Yet he was still cowering over Lucy’s glare. “I can say the same for you. The amount of times I’ve heard something coming for your apartment at ungodly hours on school nights. The amount of time’s Wendy’s had to put in ear plugs! You know, when Loke was living with us I remember when the two of us had to—” 

“I get it!” Laxus groaned cutting Lucy off.  “I play my music too loud!” Laxus mumbled something. 

Lucy muttered something that neither Wendy or Yukino could hear. Carla jumped into Wendy’s lap where she proceed to demand pets from her. Wendy felt herself relaxing even more now that Carla was there. She and Carla were joined at the hip ever since she followed her home. Wendy didn’t know where she came up with the name ‘Carla’, but the moment she brought her home she named her ‘Carla’. Loke had been the one to crack and let her keep the cat, having always had a soft spot for them. Lucy on the other hand took a little more convincing. Wendy had to pull out the puppy dog eyes and Loke was on dish duty. Lucy eventually fell in love with Carla and vice versa. Now, Carla would sometimes let Loke near her. Something Loke always commented on whenever he saw her and Lucy laugh. 

Carla was a fluffy white cloud of fur who managed to leave her mark all over her apartment. She had the most beautiful blue green eyes that reminded Wendy of emeralds. She had long hair and actually enjoyed being brushed, but only if it was Wendy. Carla was Wendy’s little shadow. She’d cry at the door when Wendy showered, she waited for Wendy when she was at school, she was always there for her. Something Wendy knew relieved her older sister greatly. Even though she was finicky about the people she liked, Carla was a part of her family and she wasn’t willing to give up Carla. “Lucy,” Wendy said holding Carla. “Can you make sure that if things get farther with Natsu I can keep Carla?” Tears stained Wendy’s eyes. She needed Carla. Carla was her best friend. She couldn’t give up Carla. Not for anybody. “And if he doesn’t like Carla, he needs to go.” 

Lucy took a seat next to Wendy as she struggled to put her shoes on. “Wendy,” Lucy urged. “Look at me. Just like you can’t get rid of me, you can’t get rid of Carla. No one will make you get rid of Carla. And if anyone tries, I’ll raise hell.” 

Wendy laughed and hugged Lucy. She breathed in the comforting scent of vanilla perfume—something that always reminded her of Lucy. “Thank you,” she whispered.  

“You and Carla are bonded,” she said. “You’re Carla’s, I’m not taking you away from her. Plus I think Carla would throw a fit and rage pee all over the new owner’s house or die of a broken heart.”  

That got a laugh out of everyone as Yukino loaded her laundry into the washer since hers wasn’t working and hadn’t been for a bit. Yukino lived the building a few buildings down. He owned the entire complex that Juvia, Cana, Lucy, Laxus, Yukino, and she lived in. They had a nickname for Lord Grayfullbuster, Slum Lord Fullbuster since he often didn’t find someone to get out and fix whatever they needed done until several months later. Another issue with the apartment was that Lucy’s bedroom window often wouldn’t close all the way making Lucy ziptie it. Lucy and Wendy’s washer and dryer sometimes needed to be whacked to get it to work as well. Something both Lucy and Wendy found cathartic, fun, and annoying. Yes, it was nice to get the rage and aggression out, but they needed a working washer and dryer. Loke was always good at getting it running, one swift kick or whack with a broom and he’d get it working in no time. However, since Loke hadn’t lived with them in a few years, it often took several attempts of whacking and pleading with it to get it start. Something that frustrated Wendy to no end. She wanted clean clothes and she didn’t want people to know that there was always an argument with the washing machine everytime they used it. 

“GOD DAMN IT!” Yukino shouted. “I put the detergent in and it’s not working.” She grumbled something that Wendy couldn’t make out. Wendy silently agreed with everything she said though. 

“I’ll grab the broom,” grumbled Lucy. “Just kick it and it’ll start working eventually. Wendy, get dressed into the blue dress Juvia got you—the one that matches your hair.” 

“Okay,” Wendy agreed. She got up and went to her room to quickly get changed. She took her hair out of the pigtails and brushed it. Her blue hair came down to her waist and she made sure her bangs were flat against her head. She quickly ran out of her room to see Yukino, Lucy, and Laxus whacking and kicking the laundry machine. 

“THIS IS WHAT I GET FOR LOSING TRACK OF LUCY, CANA, LEVY, AND JUVIA!” Laxus shouted. 

“I DIDN’T WANT TO DATE!” Lucy hollered. 

“THE WHOLE CITY SHUT DOWN BECAUSE THE PRINCE IS TAKING MY ENGLISH TEACHER OUT ON A DATE!” cried Yukino. 

“WORK, DAMN IT!” Wendy shouted. 

Wendy was allowed to swear in two instances, one if it was at the laundry machine, and two if she was yelling at the TV with Loke over sports. The latter Lucy was none the wiser to. 

Still, the laundry machine didn’t budge. Round two. 

“LORD SLUM’S RAISING THE RENT AND THIS STUPID THING WON’T WORK!” Laxus shouted whacking it with his fist. 

“STUPID PIECE OF SHIT!” Wendy roared kicking it. 

“I’M BEHIND ON GRADING AND GRADES ARE DUE NEXT WEEK!” Lucy cried whacking the laundry machine with the broom as hard as she could. Too bad she couldn’t kick it. Lucy’s kicks were legendary. 

“STING’S AN IDIOT!” hollered Yukino who now had the broom and whacked the washing machine with it. The four of them passed the time by screaming at the thing until they heard someone at the door. 

“IS EVERYTHING OKAY IN THERE!” A male’s voice hollered. “LUCE! LUCE! LUCE! OPEN THE DOOR!” 

“Calm down, it’s the washer they’re screaming out,” another man said. “Lucy, I’m coming in to help with the washer and dryer!”

Loke's here! Wendy thought happily. Wait, why is Loke here?

"And why do you have a key to my girlfriend's apartment, Loke?" the Prince snarled. 

"Crap," Lucy whispered. "They're here."

“I take care of Wendy!” Loke snapped. “You got an issue with me being in a kid’s life because I help raise her then Lucy isn’t for you!” 

“I wasn’t accusing you of anything!” Natsu snarled. “Now open the door!”

And before Laxus and Lucy could stop Yukino from screaming. “I HATE THE ROYAL FAMILY!” Prince Natsu, a man with blue hair with an interesting birthmark on his right eye, and Loke were standing in the entranceway. 

Chapter Text

When Natsu, Jellal, and Loke arrived at Lucy’s apartment building, he didn’t expect to hear the screaming of four people shouting obscenities at something. Loke parked the car, laughing his ass off as Natsu and Jellal burst into the building. Having to wait for the lift, Loke caught up with them. “What’s going on in there?” Jellal huffed as they waited. “Where’s the stairs?” 

“People shoot up there,” Loke said. “It’s better to take the lift.”

Natsu remembered Lucy’s file that Jellal curated. The two had lived together for a time as well. Though according to Loke they were trying to make it work for Wendy. And they just couldn’t. They both decided they were better off as friends. And then he realised what Loke had said. “People shoot up there. It’s better to take the lift.” 

“Do people do heroine in the hallways?” Jellal asked as they waited for the elevator. 

Loke nodded his head. “Whatever you do, don’t let Wendy take the stairs if you’re alone with her. She might want to, but don’t let her. She’s seen a lot for her age, but she hasn’t seen that. And I intend it to keep it that way.” 

“Understood,” Natsu said. 

He remembered during the Alvarez War when he was on the front lines seeing the dead bodies of his comrades in arms. He was barely eighteen and had been shipped off to the military. Just like Jellal, Gray, Gajeel, Elfman Strauss, and Loke had been. He remembered writing letters of condolences to the families. He remembered the screams of women. He remembered the lifelessness in his comrades faces. He shuddered, he’d rather not think of the war. In the end his actions made him a hero to the eyes of Fiorre, but at what cost? He couldn’t go to sleep at night without thinking of his dead comerades who died in his and his father’s names. He remembered Loke writing letters to ‘his girl’, the girl most likely being Natsu’s Lucy. “I’m with you there,” Natsu agreed. “Wendy can’t see what we’ve seen.” He tried hard getting his mind off the war. It was hard since the aniversary of it was coming up and he’d be receiving an award for his bravery. Now, at 25, Natsu wished he could’ve saved his men. Thousands of young men had died during The Alvarez. Almost an entire generation had been lost. And for what? The Alvarez Army wanted power and invaded Fiore. The worst part was they had no choice. His father had to declare war. By some miracle Fiore had won the war, but it was apparent to the survivors they’d lost. 

Magnolia got leveled to the ground in bombings. Being not too far from the port of Hargeon and the capitol of Fiore, it was a strategic place. So many unneccessary civilian deaths, so much destruction. Magnolia was still being rebuilt. People lost everything, but somehow they still survived. Life moved on. The world turned. Natsu learned that day even though he was royal, he was still insignificant. Jellal looked down at the ground. He remembered his time in the war as well. The three of them had served in the same unit. The stuff they saw never left them either. Natsu knew for a fact Jellal relived his dad’s death every night. 

When the lift arrived, the three men rushed out while Loke was laughing. Finding this scene incredibly hilarious. “THIS IS WHAT I GET FOR LOSING TRACK OF LUCY, CANA, LEVY, AND JUVIA!” A man shouted. 

“I DIDN’T WANT TO DATE!” His Luce roared. Natsu sniggered and Loke nodded his head. 

“Don’t I know it,” Loke muttered. 

“THE WHOLE CITY SHUT DOWN BECAUSE THE PRINCE IS TAKING MY ENGLISH TEACHER OUT ON A DATE!” a girl’s voice cried. Natsu guessed that was the babysitter Lucy managed to find at the last minute. 

“WORK, DAMN IT!” Wendy shouted. 

“Wendy’s allowed to swear in two instances,” Loke explained. “When she’s with me and we’re watching sports and when it’s at the laundry machine.” 

“LORD SLUM’S RAISING THE RENT AND THIS STUPID THING WON’T WORK!” The man roared. 

“STUPID PIECE OF SHIT!” Wendy roared. That yell was followed by a thud. 

“I’M BEHIND ON GRADING AND GRADES ARE DUE NEXT WEEK!” Lucy cried. Another whack could be heard from the apartment. 

“STING’S AN IDIOT!” the babysitter shouted. Then it went quiet. Eerily quiet. 

“IS EVERYTHING OKAY IN THERE!” Prince Natsu called out. His voice filled with genuine concern. “LUCE! LUCE! LUCE! OPEN THE DOOR!” 

“Calm down, it’s the washer they’re screaming out,” Loke said. “Lucy, I’m coming in to help with the washer and dryer!”

Natsu then realised something. Loke had a key to Luce’s apartment. His Luce’s apartment. She as his and no one else’s. "And why do you have a key to my girlfriend's apartment, Loke?" Natsu snarled as Loke unlocked the door.

"Crap," Luce whispered. "They're here."

“I take care of Wendy!” Loke snapped glaring at him. “You got an issue with me being in a kid’s life because I help raise her then Lucy isn’t for you!”  

“I wasn’t accusing you of anything!” Natsu snarled. “Now open the door!”

“I HATE THE ROYAL FAMILY!” The babysitter hollered. 

And the door opened where Jellal, Loke, and him were standing in the entrance way. 

Loke walked up to the washing machine and took the broom from the teenage girl who looked like she was watching her life flash before her eyes. She had brown eyes, light blue hair that bordered on white, and wore a pair of jeans and a nice shirt. Her shoes were off and located at the door. She curtsied to Natsu. “Your Highness, I’m so sorry for my statement. The washing machine isn’t working.” 

“MY MOTHER-IN-LAW’S A PAIN!” shouted Loke, with one swift whack he hit the washing machine. And it magically turned on. “I STILL HAVE THE TOUCH!” He put the broom down and swung Wendy around and she laughed with delight. 

“I missed you, Loke,” she said. “How’s Aries?” 

“She’s great,” Loke smiled. “She misses you.” 

“I miss her too,” Wendy said. “Put me down.” 

“But I don’t know how much longer I’m gonna be able to hold you like this,” Loke laughed putting her down. “You need to stop growing.” 

He looked at Lucy and his breath hitched in his throat. She blushed. “It’s nice to see you again, Loke. You hardly hang out anymore. I know Aries misses us.” 

“The fact she likes my old roommate better than her boyfriend should say a lot,” shrugged a blond man. The two embraced each other with a bro-hug. 

“It’s good to see you, man,” he said. “I missed you.” 

“Likewise, Laxus,” Loke concurred. 

Wendy seemed to have noticed Natsu and launched herself into his arms. Before anyone could stop her, she jumped and he caught her, holding the little girl close. He made sure to steady himself so he didn’t fall with her. That would not have gotten him in Luce’s goodside. Holding Wendy tightly, something stirred in Natsu. A feeling of ‘rightness’ came over him. As if this was how it was supposed to be. He was supposed to be holding Wendy. Wendy was supposed to be excited to see him. “I got ya, Wendy,” he said. “I got ya.” He looked at her and smiled. She really was adorable with her big brown eyes and blue hair that was down with her bangs framing her face. “Give me some warning next time you do that, okay?” 

“Will do,” Wendy smiled. 

He looked over and saw Luce release a breath he didn’t realise she was holding. “Don’t scare me like that, Wendy,” Lucy smiled. Natsu’s breath hitched in his throat and he felt his pants tighten. She looked even more beautiful. The diamonds that adorned her her shoulders on the dress made her sparkle like stars, the red didn’t wash her out at all, but instead made her stand out. Her blonde hair was slightly curled and she wore very little makeup. “You look gorgeous, Luce,” Natsu said breathily. He startd to imagine what the dress would look like on the floor of her room. “I’d give you my jacket, but I have your sister.” Collecting himself, he turned Wendy. “Your sister and I are leaving now, so I need to put you down.”  

Wendy agreed and he put her down. He then quickly handed Lucy his jacket. He should’ve thought of that and told Virgo that it would be cold. “Take this, Luce. I should’ve planned better.” 

“But won’t you be cold?” Luce asked. 

“I don’t get cold,” Natsu shrugged. “I always seem to run hot. It’s more for formality’s sake. Luce, Wendy, company, this is Jellal. You guys obviously know Loke.” 

“YOU HAVE BLUE HAIR LIKE LEVY, JUVIA, AND ME!” she hollered. Jellal jumped and looked at Wendy. His face almost looked pale in comparison. Wendy’s hair was a shade or too darker than Jellal’s, but the resemblance was there in their face and eye shape. Jellal face ran cold. The signs were clear, Wendy and Jellal could practically be siblings. It was well known that Jellal’s father wasn’t faithful to Jellal’s mother. It was also wellknown their marriage was a marriage of conveniences. And since Jellal’s father died in the war, Jellal didn’t need to worry about any new siblings running around. “Do you know who your parents are, Wendy?” He asked.

Wendy shook her head sadly. “I was found at a firestation. Apparently they needed a ‘W’ name and the gave me the last name of ‘Marvell’ because it was a ‘marvel’ I stayed alive in the babybox all night. I didn’t cry apparently.” 

“WENDY!” shouted Luce, Laxus, and Loke. 

“We’re so sorry,” Loke pleaded. “She was just shocked, that’s—” He trailed off. “Oh, my Gods, Lucy, Laxus, look at this!” 

Wendy motioned for Natsu to pick her up and Loke moved the two next to Jellal. Looking between the ten-year-old girl Luce was raising and his friend, he could see the resemblance. “We both have blue hair,” Wendy whispered in awe. “It’s almost the same shade too.” Then fear came to her voice. “If we are related, please don’t take me away from Lucy. I wanna stay with Lucy.” 

Jellal looked her in the eyes. “If we are related, and there’s a good chance we are, I won’t be taking you away from Lucy. You stay with Lucy.” Wendy, along with Luce, Laxus, and Loke all breathed a sigh of relief. 

Natsu realised in that moment that he had a lot of people who would kill him if he hurt Wendy or tried to take Wendy away from Lucy. Holding her right now, Wendy seemed to not be aware of that fact at all. And in a way, he was glad about that. “I don’t wanna leave Lucy,” she said. 

“And you won’t,” Jellal assured. He looked at Wendy and then at Luce with reassurance. Wendy nodded relieved. 

“Are you spending the night, Natsu?” Wendy asked. 

“I can if you want,” Natsu shrugged. Natsu looked at Luce was now exchanging looks with Laxus and Loke. “Would you like that?” Natsu silently hoped she’d say yes. He wanted to spend the night with Luce. And not jus so he could see the dress he bought her on the floor of her room. He didn’t let his mind wander to that point yet. He had to keep a cool head, he didn’t want Wendy to see that. Or the babysitter for that matter. 

“You can stay,” Luce blurted out. 

“Yeah!” Wendy smiled. 

“Then I’m staying,” Natsu smiled. He then turned to the babysitter who looked absolutely terrified. “I’m not gonna have you arrested because you spoke your mind,” he told her. “How are you getting home tonight? My driver will take you back?” 

“I’m going to a party at my friend Kagura’s house after this,” she said. “It’s not that far, I can walk.” 

“This is a bad side of town, don’t argue with me, kid,” Natsu dismissed. “What’s your name?” 

“Yukino,” she responded. “Honestly, it’s fine. I can walk—” 

“Loke will bring you when we get back,” Natsu said. “What’re your plans for break next week?” 

“How’d you know I’m on break?” Luce asked. 

“Gray told me,” he responded. “He’s taking Juvia to the mountains for a ski trip.” 

“Normally you hit the beach,” Loke laughed. “Oh, spring break. So many memories.” He turned to Luce. He looked at a stopsign that was hanging up by the front door. When did that get here? Natsu thought. “You still have the stopsign I took the year I got back from the war!” Loke laughed. He held the red octogan up like it was a trophy. Luce, Laxus, and Loke all cracked up. 

“I don’t recall such adventures,” Luce laughed, but she had a smirk on her face. 

“That never happened,” Laxus responded. 

“No idea what you’re talkin about, Loke,” Luce responded. 

“Never happened,” Laxus stated. 

“You two were cool once,” Loke smirked plopping down on the couch and putting his feet up. “Oh, beloved couch, how I missed you.” 

“GET OFF MY COUCH!” cried Lucy and Wendy. 

“I paid for half this thing!” Loke snapped. “I’m allowed to lay like this.” 

“You’re not on the lease,” Wendy pointed out. Luce went over and pushed him off her couch. Natsu lost it. He found this hilarious. Whatever happened between the two seemed to be long gone and there was no love lost between them. Something Natsu was relieved to notice. 

“I used to be, if you remember,” Loke said softly. 

“I remember,” Wendy said softly. “But things change.” 

He got up and walked over to where Natsu was holding Wendy and he put his hand tenderly on her cheek—something a parent would do. Natsu had no clue Loke had this side of him. Natsu was jarred. Since when did Loke, playful, sarcastic, and boisterous Loke, who once stole a stopsign from Hargeon while drunk and decieded to staple his hand while drunk, acted like a parent?

He dated Luce. He lived with Luce and Wendy. Even after he moved on with Aries and Luce insisted on staying single for Wendy’s sake, he was still a huge part of her life. Natsu hoped he could find a way to fit comfortably into Wendy’s life like Loke had. But judging by the way Wendy had acted when she saw Natsu, there might be a space for him in her life after all. 

“So, you didn’t answer my question,” Natsu said looking at Yukino. “What are you doing for break?” 

Yukino gulped. “I’m going to Hargeon with a few friends, Your Highness. It’ll be fun.” 

“Luce and I are going to Hargeon in two weeks as well,” Natsu laughed. “We won’t need a babysitter, but maybe we’ll see you around.” 

“Excuse me,” Luce said in shock. “That’s news to me. I need to locate childcare and I have to grade papers. I don’t just teach English, you know! I teach history as well!” 

“Good thing my schedule’s cleared,” smirked Loke. “Wendy, you get a weekend with Aries and me.” 

“Really!” Wendy’s eyes went wide. “That’s gonna be so fun! It’s been months since I’ve seen you guys!” 

“Aries is excited and is making up the spare room as we speak,” laughed Loke. Natsu checked his phone and realised they had to leave. 

“Hey, Wendy, I have to put you down,” he sighed. “Your sister and I need to leave.” 

“Okay,” Wendy sighed. “I’ll see you in the morning!” 

“See you in the morning,” Natsu smiled. He set Wendy down. 

Luce looked at Yukino who seemed to be smiling from ear to ear. “Whatever you saw and heard, no you didn’t. If something goes wrong, don’t hesitate to call me. You have my number for a reason. You know I won’t be back before bedtime, so you know the rules. Uh, the dryer should be working,” Loke went up and hit the dryer with full force with the broom. Natsu made a mental note to talk to Gray about the washer and dryer in Luce’s place. “Mr. Dreyar’s right next door, Cana’s just down the hall as well so you won’t be fully alone. Important phone numbers are on the fridge. There’s food in there if you get hungry. There’s tea, coffee, help yourself.” She looked at Loke. “Am I forgetting anything?” Loke shook his head ‘no’. 

“Let’s head out,” Loke said. “You’re dragging this on for too long.” 

“At least let me say goodnight to Wendy!” laughed Luce. He recognised she was hiding the pain in her voice. This must’ve been her first date since she got custody of Wendy. According to Loke, the two had already been broken up when she got custody of Wendy. 

“Night, Lucy,” she said. “You look beautiful.” 

Luce laughed. “And you’re smart, kind, and funny,” Luce said. She kissed the top of Wendy’s head between each compliment. Natsu got butterflies in his stomach. He understood why Loke dated her. Not only was she beautiful, she was also incredibly kind. 

“You kids have fun,” Yukino smirked. And with that, she pushed Loke, Luce, Jellal, and him out of her apartment. Locking the door behind her. 

“I miss Wendy already,” Luce whispered as they got to the elevator. They heard a shout come from the other end of the hall. 

“Is this your first time out since getting Wendy?” Natsu asked. 

“Yeah,” Luce said. “Loke and I were already broken up by the time Wendy came. We tried to see if we could rekindle something.” 

“How’d you know I knew about Loke?” asked Natsu. 

“I knew you probably ran a background check on both Wendy and me,” Luce shrugged. “Loke was bound to come up in it. What happened between us is over. It was over for a while before we broke up.” 

The lift came and the four of them stepped foot in it. “I just wanted someone to be with after the war,” Loke said. 

“I needed a way out of my foster father’s house,” Luce said. “We got what needed and it was hell.” 

“We weren’t compatible,” Loke finished. “We’re both much better off now.” 

“You needed a way out of your foster father’s house?” Natsu asked. 

“He was arrested for hurting Wendy, Cana, and me,” she said. “I was rapidly approaching 18 and I was going off to Crocus. I met Loke and he gave me the extra income I needed to support Wendy.” 

“We never loved each other,” Loke assured him. “Hence why it’s not a problem that we see each other all the time.” 

“You guys are weirdly mature,” Jellal said as Natsu opened the door to the car for Luce. 

“Parenthood changes you,” shrugged Loke. 

“We weren’t ready to parents,” Luce said. Loke laughed in agreement.

Chapter Text

When the car arrived outside the restaurant, Loke parked and looked at Natsu and Lucy through the rear-view window. “You two have fun!” He said smiling. “I hope it goes well.” 

“What do you want, Loke?” Natsu asked. 

“Get me the curry,” he said. “That stuff’s good.” 

“You always did like curry,” Lucy laughed. 

“I like what I like!” He defended. 

Natsu scoffed and Luce rolled her eyes. “You wouldn’t eat broccoli ‘on principle’ for years, I dont wanna hear it,” laughed Lucy. 

“Yes, because in the military you ate what you were served or you starved. Not eating broccoli was an act of resistance.” 

Lucy started laughing. She couldn’t contain her laughter. Natsu and Jellal were confused about how she found this hilarious. Those rations were terrible, but they got them fed throughout the war. “Vie la Resistance,” she whispered. Loke looked like he was about to kill her at that very moment. 

“What do you think Yukino would like?” asked Natsu breaking the tension of the two friends.  

“I’ll call her and ask,” Luce responded. She stepped away to call Yukino and his eyes travelled down to her ass. It was perfect. He found himself reminiscing about how it felt last night when he squeezed it as took her from behind and how it bounced back after he spanked it. He felt his pants tightened. And wearing his blazer, she looked even more beautiful. “Is Wendy okay? Good, she’s in the shower. I miss her. Okay, okay! I’ll let him know what you want and get off the phone. It’s just—” Luce put her phone and down and walked back to the group. “Yukino wants the pasta. Wendy’ll want that as well.” 

“I was gonna ask what Wendy wanted,” Natsu laughed. “Good to know.” 

The two of them went inside while Jellal and Loke stayed outside in the car. He wrapped his arm around her and Luce gasped. “Wow,” she whispered. “You’re a furnace.” 

“I can give you more of that tonight,” he whispered seductively in her ear. 

“Take a girl out to dinner,” laughed Luce, her cheeks turning the color of her dress. Natsu smirked and Luce’s breath hitched. 

“I already am,” he smirked whispering in her ear. “And I also bought you a drink if you remember.” 

“I do,” Luce responded seductively. “I just can’t remember much after the third.” 

“You wound me so!” Natsu cried feigning hurt. Luce smirked. Natsu made a mental note to punish her for her actions. His mind wandered to hopefully what would happen later tonight. 

As the two walked into the restaurant Luce gasped. The lights were dim, but you could still make out what people looked like. Live piano music could be heard and there were three women standing at a kiosk. “--so Yukino’s watching Wendy tonight.” 

“She answered the call,” laughed another girl. 

“Yeah,” she said. “She just texted me that apparently she used to be ‘roommates’ with Prince Natsu’s Cheauffeur.” Putting the word ‘roommates’ in airquotes. 

“His chauffeur,” a third girl said. “How scandalous.” 

“He’s apparently close with Wendy,” the first one said. 

“What’s his name?” asked the third girl. 

“Loke Lowen,” the first one answered. “The Loke Lowen, The Liberator of Hargeon.” 

Natsu winced when he heard that title. He remembered the Battle of Hargeon vividly—he’d be seeing it tonight. Loke had single-handidly liberated Hargeon, being fully prepared to sacrifice himself to do so. Loke was the fastest in the unit, Laxus had pleaded with him that it was ‘suicide’, but he didn’t listen and said he needed to do it. Natsu had reluctantly given the order for him to do so. Through use of multiple machine guns, he’d managed to trick the Alvarez Empire into thinking an entire unit had come and they retreated. That stupid and reckless act gave Natsu the manpower needed to push back the Alverez Empire and for Natsu’s defeat of the Alverez Empire during the Battle of Magnolia. Loke’s actions had turned the tide of the war for Fiore. He was celebrated as a ‘hero’, but both Natsu and Loke felt they weren’t ‘real heroes’. Loke had broke down silently after the battles. Crying that so many people died and yet he’d lived. They all lived with Survivor’s Guilt. 

“You know, Mr. Dreyar served with them as well,” the second girl said. “Hard to believe that our teacher, her ‘ex’, and our teacher’s new boyfriend all served together.”

“Maybe Loke introduced them,” the third girl shrugged holding her book. “I mean, do you really think Ms Heartfilia was dating Loke Lowen?” 

“He held Wendy,” the first girl said. “Yukino told me so! He also apparently has the golden touch for when it comes to whacking the laundry machine.” 

“He whacked the laundry machine!” the second girl whispered. “Holy shit, they were a thing! They were totally a thing!” 

“Sarah, you’re viscous!” the third girl laughed. “Are you really that starved for gossip that you’re prying into Ms Heartfilia’s life?” 

“I know for a fact that Mr Dreyar and Mr Justine are hooking up with each other,” Sarah smirked. “Sting texted Yukino who then texted Kagura who told me. Sting lives in the same building as them!” 

“Tell me more!” the other two squealed. 

“That’s all I know,” she said. “I hope they’re together. It would make life a lot more interesting. What do you think Ashley?” 

The girl Ashley shrugged her shoulders. “Why are we talking about this anyway?” She asked. “They’re adults, Ms Heartfilia’s allowed to have a life outside of us. Even if it’s weird to realise that she’s twenty-one and not much older than us. I just don’t understand why you’re intent on gossiping about two people who seem to be happy together. I mean, they’re allowed to have lives! Even if her boyfriend can’t seem to stick to one person for more than a week.” 

“He’s been engaged twice,” the second girl shrugged. 

“Laki,” Ashley said. “Royal engagements are different than our engagements. The Heartfilia’s had money and apparently Natsu and Lucy were inseparable. The Strauss Family needed a political match. Lucy Heartfilia’s most likely dead and the Royal Family called off the engagement to Lisanna.” 

Natsu shuddered at the thought of his engagement to Lisanna. She was clingy and wouldn’t leave him alone. Not even go to to the bathroom. Something his brother Zeref had noticed and intervened on his behalf. His father had ended the engagement right then and there. Completely horrified of her behavior. Natsu, having just come back from war, wasn’t exactly in the mood to be followed around or to not have alone time. He would hide anywhere he could, the butlers and the maids were in on it and would help him hide. He knew they felt bad for them. 

He barely remembered Lucy Heartfilia. He knew she had blonde hair, he knew she liked gazing at the stars. But he couldn’t remember what her face looked like, he couldn’t remember if she had a favourite TV show or movie. He didn’t remember the first thing about the girl he was engaged to that if she hadn’t died, would’ve been raised with him with the knowledge the two would be getting married. That felt like a lifetime ago to him. A lot had changed since the time of him and Lady Lucy Heartfilia and Natsu still couldn’t remember her. Something that broke him since she was his childhood bestfriend. The two were apparently inseparable. 

“I got the gig at the palace!” Ashley cried out in glee. “I got the palace gig! I got the palace gig!” 

“They pay well!” Laki smiled. 

“Enough for me to put into a saving’s account,” Ashley said. “I’ll be able to go to college. With the scholarship I get for being a war orphan and that money, I won’t have to take out loans.”

“That’s amazing!” Laki smiled. “I’m so happy for you.” 

“Thank you,” she smiled. “I’ve been saving up for years, but now it’s real. I can get the fuck out of East Magnolia.” 

“Don’t let John overhear you saying that word,” Sarah smiled. “I don’t think he’d appreciate if the ‘extra adjective’.” 

Ashley rolled her eyes and walked away. “I’m going out for my smokebreak.” 

“I’ll go after you then,” Laki shrugged. 

Natsu turned to Luce, who’s face was now the same colour as the dress he wanted to see on the floor of her room. “Yukion’s in detention,” she muttered. “They’re all running the mile. I’m texting Laxus right now.” 

“They’re happy for you,” Natsu assured her. “You don’t seem to get out much and they’re excited you found someone.” 

Luce sighed and nodded her head. Her expression softened a bit. “I know,” she said. “I don’t like that they speculate on my life. I don’t like how they might get dragged into the spotlight because their connection to me. And I don’t like how I seem to be the talk of the town—Wendy, my relationship with Loke, I don’t want that out in the open.” 

Natsu nodded his head. He understood where she was coming from. He’d never had privacy, every little thing he did was scrutinised, publicised, and paraded around. It didn’t by who, his birth was announced, his parents forced him and Zeref to pose for photos with the press. His engagements were highly publicised. He unfortunately got used to it. Luce however, didn’t grow up like that. She was struggling to get used to it. He wrapped his arm around Luce. “Let them be happy for you. And if it gets that bad, you and Loke might have to make a statement to the press.” 

“A statement?” Luce whimpered in complete horror. “What would I even say?” 

“The palace would draft a statement based on the information you and Loke told me,” Natsu explained. “I do have to ask, did you two ever consider getting married?” 

“We did,” Luce admitted sheepishly not being able to meet his eye. Natsu understood why she was being so anxious about it. “We thought that if we got married, I’d be more likely to get custody of Wendy. Out of Cana and I, I was the more stable one. When we found out that we didn’t need to get married for me to get Wendy, we didn’t go through with it. In all honesty, getting married to Loke would’ve been a last resort. It was the last thing the two of us wanted to do.” 

“Loke sure isn’t one to get married,” Natsu said. “I’m surprised he even considered it.” 

“We were desperate,” Luce shrugged. “He was financially stable, I was a runaway. He had an apartment, I didn’t. He needed someone to come home to and decompress with, and I was willing to be that. Over time, he fell in love with Wendy and we tried to make it real. But we just couldn’t. So, we acted as roommates. He took the couch so Wendy wouldn’t have to move into my room. We coparented very well. Then he got together with Aries and he moved out. I was relieved because we were both looking for a reason for us to get out. He’ll corroborate this with you.” She paused and then continued. “The main reason he took the chauffeur job with you was because it paid a lot. And Wendy had a lot of health issues at the time.”    

Her last part stopped Natsu in his tracks. Loke had taken the job with him because he’d needed money to provide for Wendy. It also made him think: How well did he really know his friend and man he served with? Natsu decided he’d ask himself that later .“I believe you, Luce,” he said. “I just need to know because then I can get ahead of it.” 

“Hello, welcome to 8-Mile, how can we help you?” asked Sarah her face turning the same colour as Luce’s dress. “Your Highness.” 

“It’s fine,” Natsu assured. “You’re curious and your teacher finally has a boyfriend, who was roommates with my driver.” 

“You three also owe him a huge thank you,” Luce said. “He managed to talk me out of giving you all detention and texting Mr. Dreyar to have you run the mile in Gym.” 

“Thank you, You’re Highness,” the girls pleaded. Natsu found this hilarious. 

“Anything but the mile!” 

“I don’t run,” smirked Ashley. She came back with the faint smell of cigarettes. 

“I’ve seen you run to get to class because you overslept and for the ice cream truck,” Luce responded. “I don’t wanna hear it.” 

“Yes, Ms Heartfilia,” Ashley said. “Uh, can I have an extension on the History assignment about the war? I have a gig the night before.” 

“Go ahead,” Luce said. “Congratulations by the way. I know it’s at the palace.” 

Ashley looked sheepishly at the Prince and then made an excuse to get away. The two were seated in a private booth a view of the ocean. Luce gasped. “It’s gorgeous,” she whispered. The stars glimered over the ocean and you could hear the crashing of the waves. “I’ve always loved star gazing. When I was younger I’d climb on one of my foster parents’ roof and watch them for hours.” 

A vague memory was jogged from the depths of Natsu’s mind. He was ten and she was six. It was right after her mother had died. The two of them were sitting in the palace gardens watchin the stars. She was still in the dress she was wearing for the funeral. He’d still been in his suit. He wrapped his arm around the girl he knew would sooner or later be his wife. He remembered thinking how weird it was that his best friend would one day grow up to be his wife. She was his friend. “Are you okay?” the ten-year-old Natsu asked. 

She sniffled and pushed some blonde hair out of her face. She shook her head ‘no’. Tears were still in her eyes. “My mom’s gone,” she whimpered. “She’s gone and she’s never coming back! My dad won’t even look at me and—” she started sobbing right then and there. He hugged the little girl tighter. 

“It’s okay, Luce,” he said. “It’ll be okay. I’m here. And when we’re married, I’ll make sure we’ll do something to remember your mother.” 

Lucy giggled at that. “You’d really do that?” She asked. 

“Of course I would,” he said. “Let’s look at the stars, okay? Your mother loved that.” 

“So do I,” she whispered Luce. And the two of them stared up at the stars for what felt like hours until Natsu’s mom Queen Grandeeney called the two in.  

Natsu was dragged back into reality by the sound of the piano. He now understood why Hibiki had picked Ashley to play at the ceremony at the palace. The same ceremony where both him and the survivors of his entire unit, Jellal Fernades, Laxus Dreyar, Freed Justine, his cousin Gajeel Redfox, Gray Fullbuster, Loke Lowen, Elfman Strauss, Josh Anstrom, and himself would be getting awards for their actions during the war. Something that made Natsu sick to his stomach. The pomp and circumstance of it all, how him and his unit would be paraded as heroes. Even though a good portion of his unit died during the Battle of Magnolia. 

“The stars are beautiful tonight,” Natsu agreed. “Not as beautiful as you, Luce.” 

She laughed. “Flatterer,” she laughed. She checked the drink menu trying to decide what to get. “So, what about you? You know about me.” 

“Well, I grew up here, obviously. My parents are the King and Queen. I own a few restaurants and clubs. Some of which your students might work for. Other than that, I mainly help my father. Ever since I turned 21 I’ve been the one running the kingdom. My father helps me and gives me guidance, but I’m the one doing the majority of the ‘ruling’ now.” 

“Is he gonna abdicate?” Luce asked a bit taken aback. Most people were shocked to know that it was Natsu, not Igneel, who was doing the majority of the ruling now. Natsu was the one making the decisions. Natsu was the one who had to approve budgets, talked with nobles, and foreign dignitaries. He was in close contact with his brother Zeref who had been instrumental in drafting the Peace Treaty with Alvarez. 

“Not anytime soon,” Natsu explained. “He’s also perfectly healthy. It’s common for the heirs to ‘rule’ while being guided by their parents. It’s to prepare for the inevitable.” He sighed and took a deep breath. He didn’t want to think about the inevitable. However, it was always on the forefront of his mind. 

“Do you want kids?” Luce asked sheepishly. 

“I do,” he said. He knew this question was coming from her. He was the next in line for the throne, she needed to know. “Most likely two. Anything more than that and it would be a handful. I have a softspot for them.” 

Luce scoffed at that. “With the way you were with Wendy, you don’t have a softspot for them. You’re great with them. Wendy asked you to hold her.” 

“She’s a cute kid,” Natsu shrugged and it was true. She was adorable. The blue-haired little girl had warmed her way into his heart. “Does she not ask people to hold her or to spend the night?” 

Luce shook her head ‘no’. “She normally lets people hold her if she’s known them for a long time. Laxus can hold her, Loke can hold her. So can Freed, but she just met you yesterday. After being terrified of you, she ran up to you and jumped into your arms. She likes you.”  

“Another reason for you to stay with me, your sister likes me!” Nastu laughed. “And I like her too. But you mentioned she had some health isues.” 

“We’re not looking for help,” Luce snapped. “I can handle it on my own.” 

“Luce,” he said taking her hand. “I wasn’t giving you a handout. I’m you boyfriend and I care about your sister. I just wanna make sure she’s taken care of.”

Luce sighed and looked shocked that he actually cared about her. “I’m sorry,” she apologised. “It’s been just me and Wendy for a while. Loke by my own insistence doesn’t provide money anymore.” 

“What did she have?” Natsu asked. “I can get her into the best—” 

“She was malnourished,” Luce whispered. “When she found, she was found to be older than she actually looked. She was found at six months old and she looked four months old. The war didn’t help either. The doctors told us she’d always be small, but it wouldn’t stunt brain development. I guess it’s the minor victories.” Luce looked out the window again and looked loike she was trying to hide her tears. Natsu wondered if she was experiencing ‘mom guilt’ that he’d overheard the maids talk about at the palace. “She’s thriving now. She does well in school, she has friends. She’s doing well.” 

“That’s good to hear,” Natsu said squeezing her hand. He let it go and Luce seemed to be a bit miffed, but he reached into his pants pocket and pulled out some paperwork for Luce to look over. “I want you to look these things over.” 

Luce gulped and accepted the paperwork. After what felt like an eternity, she gasped and put her hand over her mouth. She looked at Nastu with admiration and horror. “A college fund for Wendy, no stipulations. I’m the trustee.” 

“And I can’t touch it,” Natsu said. “It’s to go toward Wendy’s schooling only. You’re the trustee.” 

“Natsu,” she whispered. “I don’t know what to say. You really did all this for Wendy? No alternate angle?” She looked around and made eyecontact with Ashley who now seemed to be playing The Piano Man by Billy Joel.  

“None,” he told her. “No strings attached. If her life’s getting upended, then the least she can get is college.” 

“I never saved anything for her,” she whispered looking down at the paper and reading it carefully. “I can’t afford to. Not on my salary. I make enough to get by though.” 

“All you have to do as her legal guardian is sign here,” he said pointing at a place for her to sign. Handing her a pen, she signed it and handed the papers back to him. 

“Thank you, Natsu,” she said. “You have no idea how much this means to me.” Luce smiled. A genuine smile. It made her brown eyes sparkle and her a thousand times more beautiful. Natsu stared at her. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. There were many women in the room with him right now, but he only had eyes for one. The woman sitting right in front of him with his jacket on in a beautiful red dress that he’d gotten for her. She was easily the most beautiful person in the room. No one could hold a candle to her. 

“Luce,” he said. “It’s the least I can do. I wanna be able to give you two the world. I know you’re a package deal and she’s your first priority.” 

“Hello Your Highness and Ms. Heartfilia,” a man said looking at Luce. 

“Hey, Erik,” Luce smiled. 

“You don’t own that dress,” “Erik’ said. 

“Very good,” Luce responded. “This dress doesn’t exist and what am I not wearing?” 

“Prince Natsu’s jacket,” he said. “I don’t wanna run the mile.” Luce nodded in agreement. “So what can I get you two?” 

“I’ll have a lemon drop martini, please,” Luce said. Natsu noticed she seemed to like fruity drinks. Something that Natsu could never get behind. 

“I’ll have fire whiskey,” Natsu said. 

“Your normal one?” Erik asked. Natsu nodded and he quickly rushed away. 

“So you have a cat,” Natsu continued. “What’s her name?” 

“Carla,” Luce said. “She’s not my cat, she’s Wendy’s. She followed her home and she and Loke begged me to say ‘yes’. Little did Loke know was that Carla would only let him get near her on her own terms.” 

Natsu couldn’t hold back his laughter. “She’s also protective,” Natsu said. “Yet she let me get near Wendy.” Natsu couldn’t help but smile at that. Wendy’s cat liked him! Carla liked him! Would he be able to get on Luce’s goodside now? 

Luce shrugged. “I don’t pretend to understand her. That cat has a mind of her own. It’s her house and Wendy’s required. I just pay the bills.” 

“I have a cat named Happy,” Natsu said. “He’s a little ball of fur that attacks ankles and is obsessed with fish. One of the servant’s kids named him. He is a goofball though.”  

“Carla would probably whack him,” Luce responded. “She is a piece of work, but Wendy loves her.” 

Natsu shook his head. “I still can’t believe Loke actually parented somebody,” he said. “And she didn’t turn out like she was raised in a barn.” 

“He sobered up when Wendy came into the picture,” Luce shrugged. “She’s a good person.” 

Natsu laughed. “I just remember him during the war running like a chicken with his head cut off and him leading us in singing incredibly inappropriate songs. And now I find out he was willing to marry you so you could get Wendy out of foster care.” 

“He’s still that same idiot,” Luce shrugged. “That stopsign is from last year. We all went to Hargeon, Wendy was alone for a few hours asleep, and he found a stop sign, took it, and then ran back to where we were all staying. He also took a traffic cone. Funny part is, he only remembers the stop sign. He has no clue how he got the traffic cone.” 

“That sounds like the Loke I know,” he said. “The fact that for the majority of the time he’s been working for me he’s been taking care of Wendy. He didn’t even show me her face.” 

“He’s always been protective of her,” Luce explained. “He’s told me that when she gets her first boyfriend he’s scaring him away.” 

“During the war, were you two the girls he was writing letters to?” Natsu asked. He knew that he probably shouldnt’ve asked that. But he had to know. She nodded. 

“The letters were mainly checking up on Wendy,” Luce explained. “Wondering if we got out of Magnolia. We didn’t. He wanted us far away from the fighting as possible. Nothing romantic.” 

“You didn’t make it out of Magnolia before the bomings and the war?” Natsu asked horrified. 

“We couldn’t get out,” she said. “None of the east end got evacuated. They prioritised the wealthier side of the city and we were left with nothing. It’s why Loke pushed for the Hargeon stunt, he knew that if was able to trick the Alvarez Army, the war would be won. There wouldn’t be stampeed through the East side of the city—” 

“And that’s how I was able to win the war,” Natsu said. “He nearly got himself killed for Wendy. Does she know?” 

“No,” Luce responded. “And we both agreed not to tell her.” 

“I’ll respect your wishes,” Natsu said. “Loke cares for her so much, does he have custody of her in any way?” 

“No,” Luce said. “I’m the one who has sole custody. Loke was just there so I could be financially stable so I could get through school. He got sex, I got a place for Wendy and I to live. We both agreed to that.” 

Natsu couldn’t even imagine having to make a choice like that. Essentially sleep with someone for a place for you and your sister to live or be on the streets. It gave Natsu a new appreciation for what he had. Lucy had resorted to prostitution to help Wendy. “When you’re with me, you’ll never have to do that again.”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” Luce whispered. “I don’t care what you do to me. If you hurt Wendy, I will personally make sure that your life is hell. It’s not just Loke you have to worry about, you need to worry about Laxus, Freed, and Erza. Who I personally think is worse than Loke.” 

“I know,” Natsu explained. “Her mother Irene trained my brother and me. Along with Jellal, my cousin Gajeel, who owns this restaurant, and Gray Fullbuster.” 

“Erza also taught Wendy self defence as well,” Luce said. 

“That is a huge relief to hear,” Natsu said. “That means that she’ll need some security, but she’ll be okay for the most part.” 

“Wendy doesn’t need security,” Luce insisted. “I want her to have as normal a life as possible. Remember, she’s along for the ride, she didn’t sign up for this.” 

“She’s connected to you and you’re connected to me,” Natsu said. “I can keep her out of the media, but I need to take into account people who will go after her just to get to me.”

“No seccurity,” Luce said. “For her or for me. And don’t try to parent her. If we get more serious, then maybe I’ll consider you parenting her. But until then, let me handle that.” 

“I don’t wanna overstep anything,” Natsu assured her. “I’m read for whatever she tries to pull.” 

“She’s not gonna pull anything,” Luce assured. “She’s gonna be cautious more than anything else. She’s very anxious around new people and she can be shy. This has already uprooted her life more than once.” 

“So,” Natsu said. “Do you want any kids. You already have the one.” 

Luce laughed. “You need an heir and a spare, don’t you,” she laughed. Natsu nodded, as much as he didn’t want to admit it, he did need that. His father was harping on him to ‘settle down’. “Honestly, I’ve never thought of it. Most of my energy’s focused on Wendy that I didn’t even consider kids. My parents died when I was young, so I guess I’m scared that I’ll mess everything up. The godo thing about being a teacher is I can send them back to their parents at the end of the day. I can’t do that with Wendy or any kids I have.” 

“That’s a good take to have,” Natsu agreed. “My parents were hands-on. Zeref and I had a lot of Nannies when we were kids. We drove them crazy.” 

“So, why are you the heir and not Zeref? He’s older than you,” she asked. 

“Zeref had no interest in running anything,” Natsu said. “He was more interested in history and diplomacy. I showed interest and getting Zeref to do anything he doesn’t wanna do is difficult. I’m the same way, so our father made me the heir.” 

“That’s interesting,” she said. They sat in silence for a bit while they both had some water. She shook her head as romantic music continued to play. “I don’t get you.” She said after her she was half wauy through her first drink. 

“What do you mean by that?” Natsu asked having a glass of fire whiskey. “What do you mean ‘you don’t get me?’” 

“You’re an infamous womaniser, but since we came into the restaurant, your eyes are on me. There are plenty of other women here who are trying to get your attention. Yet your eyes are only on me,” she said. “You’re known to be callous, rude, and immature, but I haven’t seen that. So, tell me, Prince Natsu Dragneel, who are you really? I’m not falling for this little act.” 

Natsu didn’t know how to answer that. Who was he really? How had Lucy been able to clock him. How did she know that it was an act. “I have a reputation to uphold.” 

“You can’t be a womaniser while your girlfriend takes care of a kid,” she said. “

Soon dinner came. They chatted some more. Natsu found out Lucy didn’t like Shakespeare but had to teach it every year. Natsu said he also hated it too. He told Lucy of the time he threw his Shakespeare play at Zeref, who in turn whacked Natsu with his. The two eventually started whacking each other with their books. Something that made their teacher cry. Luce laughed at that and told him about the time she and her foster-sister Cana pranked one of their old foster dads by switching out a very expensive bottle of vodka with everclear. Natsu laughed at that. 

He told her out he grew up with Gray, Gajeel, and Jellal, but didn’t remember seeing or hearing about Erza. He also found out that Lucy spent a lot of time in group homes since there weren’t a lot of foster parents willing to take teenagers. He also realised that she and Cana Alberona, who bore a striking resemblance to a photo he once saw on his former bodyguard’s dead ex-wife, seemed to followed each other around foster care.  

Natsu also made sure to order what Yukino, Wendy, Jellal, Loke wanted. Though he made sure to order a side of broccoli for him. Something that made Luce cover her mouth because she was laughing. They ordered desert and Natsu ordered the parfait for Wendy to go. Something Luce was thankful for. After finishing their third drink, they got up to leave. 

He paid the tab, made sure to tip Ashley who was now playing something he didn’t recognise but was making their server Erik hiding his laughter. Luce shot her a glare and she changed the piece. Then Natsu recognised it, it was a song. The same song that played as him and his unit were celebrated by the country as ‘heroes’. Natsu wanted to puke. He wasn’t a hero, he was a killer. He took another man’s life with his own hands. A man he knew had a wife and kids. He hated that it was a reminder of what he lost—his innocence. He remembered the rubble, he remembered the screams, he remembered the smell of everything burning. He remembered the bombs that were being dropped. That song was something he’d rather forget. Before the war Natsu had liked fighting, but now he hated it. He’d do anything to go back to the time before the war. Before everything. 

“Let’s get back,” she said. “I have to pay Yukimo.” She put a chunk of change in Natsu’s hand. “Here’s what was left over from breakfast.” 

“Keep it,” Natsu said. “I make more than that in a second.” 

“I just feel like I’m in debt to you and I don’t like that feeling,” Luce explained. “Will you take the money back.” She put it in his hand with a pleading look. Natsu took out his wallet and put it back in. “Thank you.” 

“You’ll never be in debt to me,” he told her. Natsu realised right then and there that he was very close to Luce. If he leaned down he could kiss her. And without thinking, he did. 

The moment their lips met he could taste the lemon drop martini mixed with the fire whiskey he’d had. Kissing her felt right. He felt safe, he felt comfortable with her. The two reluctantly pulled away from each other for air. Turning to their left, he could see Loke holding in a cheer and Jellal beaming. The two walked to the car and got in. Lucy scooted close to Natsu and Natsu grabbed her, pulling her closer to him.  

“You’re a furnace,” she whispered. 

“I know,” he laughed. “I’ll keep you warm, Luce.” 

“Hey, Natsu,” she said looking up at him. “Thank you for tonight. I had fun. It’s been years since I’ve been able to do this.” 

Nastu kissed the top of her head. “I did too, Luce,” he assured her. “I did too.”

Chapter Text

The ride back to Lucy’s apartment was interesting to say the least. Loke was smiling ear to ear relieved Lucy had fun. It really had been a while since she was able to do something like this. Loke, through no fault of his own, hadn’t taken her out. That wasn’t part of their relationship and after he got together with Aries, Lucy was left alone with Wendy. 

Lucy was now laying comfortably on Natsu’s shoulder. She had visible goosebumps, yet he was a furnace. Lucy secretly hoped he’d keep her warm all night long. She hated to admit it, but the Prince had grown on her since she first met him a few hours ago. Lucy wondered if this could be something more. Wendy liked him, she said as much. Carla let him near Wendy, something she didn’t let Laxus, Freed, or even Loke do all that often. Maybe, just maybe, she should give this relationship a chance. 

What she said in the restaurant was true. She didn’t get Natsu. He was a notorious womaniser. Having just been with Minerva of Sabertooth Province a month or so earlier. That ‘relationship’ had been so shortlived she wondered if it was even a relationship at all. He was apparently cheating on Lisanna with other women, though that had never been confirmed. She’d heard the rumours from the students in school. Yet he only had eyes for her. Other women did try to get his attention, but he still looked only at her as if she was the most beautiful girl in the room. He cared for Wendy, he bought her breakfast, he set up a college fund for her. Something neither she, Loke, Juvia, Laxus, Reedus, or Cana could’ve done. That meant the world to her and she couldn’t give him anything remotely similar in return. 

He was taking her away in two weeks to Hargeon, a popular spot for spring breakers of any age. She knew he’d asked Loke to take Wendy for the week and Aries had jumped at the opportunity. Why was he doing all this for her if was just a temporary thing? Why was he acting so caring toward her? Why did he insist on setting up a fund for Wendy? The only motive she could see was to get her guard down so he could sleep with her again. Even then he didn’t give her that vibe. She was confused by Prince Natsu, that was for certain. He seemed to contradict everything she knew about the man. 

She talked with parents. Several of them either worked in the palace or were employed by the royal family themselves. She heard through them Natsu was sneaking women in. Yet here he was, only having eyes for her. She had to be careful, if he hurt Wendy, he was a dead man. 

Now as she laid in his arms, it felt right. She felt safe, warm, and cozy. She wasn’t worried that he’d try to hurt her. She felt like she could go to sleep right there and then in Nastu’s arms. Something she wasn’t in the mood to do at this very moment. She wanted to spend a bit more time with Natsu. 

“Is the bag for us?” asked Loke breaking her train of thought. 

“Yeah,” Natsu whispered looking down at Lucy. “Oh, I thought you were asleep.” 

She shook her head no. “And we brought you your favourite, broccoli!” She responded. She then batted her eyelashes innocently. Loke glared at her. 

“I hate you,” he said glaring at Lucy. 

She shrugged. “And you’re gonna eat it all. I’m also gonna record you doing this and then show it to Aries.” 

“You’re cruel!” He cried. 

“Payback for all the times you didn’t put the toilet seat down,” she shrugged. “Only after you eat your broccoli is when you can have your curry.” 

“You’re a psychopath!” He shouted. “Where was this sadistic side to you?” 

“When I’m upset with my students I tell Laxus and he makes them run the mile,” she shrugged. “Juvia and Levy do this to.” 

“You also put people next to each other when they like each other,” Loke countered. 

“So does Juvia,” Lucy responded. “This is normal behaviour and not psychopathic.” 

“Lucy Celeste Heartfilia,” he said. “I have known you for many years now, but you can’t get me to eat broccoli.” 

“Wendy always asked you to eat some,” Lucy shrugged. “I’m sure she’d be happy to know you had some.” 

Loke’s face paled and he glared at her. Lucy smirked knowing she pushed the right button. Loke would do anything for Wendy and that included eating broccoli. “Lucy,” he said. “You’re a cold and calculating woman. Using the girl I raised against me! You wound me so!” 

Lucy shrugged her shoulders again and leaned over the divider and told Loke. “And yet you know I’m not wrong.” 

“I’d do anything for Wendy!” He said. 

“And she wants you to live a long time so you should eat the broccoli,” Lucy said trying to keep a straight face. She found this interaction amusing. She never argued with Wendy about eating her vegetables, but Loke seemed to be a different story all together. 

She was pulled back by Nastu who wrapped his arm around protectively and possessively around her. Lucy rolled her eyes at the uncomfortable action. She wasn’t his property, she wasn’t his. She was her own person and she wasn’t Prince Natsu’s new toy. “Boss, rest assured, that was because we’re friends and nothing more.” 

“Didn’t seem like it,” Natsu said. 

“I need companionship—” 

Lucy had had enough. Call it the three drinks she had coming out or she was fed up. Whichever you preferred, she didn’t care. She had to say something. “We both wanted sex and I was desperate for a place to live so I gave it to you,” Lucy corrected, cutting him off. “You were financially stable, I was homeless. Let’s not kid ourselves on the relationship now and make it seem nicer than it actually was. You didn’t manipulate me into doing anything I didn’t wanna do.” Jellal and Nastu gasped at how forward she was with that information. Lucy knew that Natsu was getting possessive of her. She had to stop it in its tracks. Wendy liked him, that meant something to Lucy. She didn’t want this to blow up before it began because of what Lucy had to do to get Wendy out of foster care. 

“You were essentially a prostitute,” Jellal whispered. 

“Yeah,” Loke said he looked sick to his stomach. “We didn’t talk about it much, she always said ‘no’ when she didn’t want any. But it was essentially what she was.” 

“We both did what we had to do to survive,” Lucy sighed. “When you’re poor and it’s right after a war, you do what you need to do to survive. I don’t regret what we did, Loke.” 

“Neither do I,” he said. “Together we got Wendy out.” 

She turned to Natsu. “Do you have an issue with that?” Lucy asked. “You have an out. I won’t badmouth you, I won’t say anything.” 

“No,” Natsu told her taking her hand. “No, that doesn’t bother me. You did what you had to do to survive. It was hard right after the war. A good portion of the East of Magnolia got bombed.”

“I just hope it doesn’t get out,” whispered Loke. “I don’t care about the title of ‘Liberator of Hargeon’, but the last thing Wendy needs is her thinking she hurt Lucy because of what Lucy had to do to get her out of foster care.” 

“We can spin it as a shortlived relationship of passion after the war if it does,” Natsu said. Lucy knew he was trying to think of something, but he didn’t know Wendy. 

“Wendy’s gonna see right through that,” Loke responded saying what Lucy was thinking. “She’s perceptive. She knew we weren’t in a relationship when we were living together. I slept on the couch and Wendy and Lucy had their own rooms.” 

“We’ll cross that bridge when we get there,” Nastsu assured the two. Lucy knew he was thinking of a way to save Wendy, Lucy, and Loke from the wrath of the media. If it got out that Lucy had resorted to what essentially was prostitution so she could get Wendy out of foster care, they’d crucify her. She hoped that Natsu would do his best to keep that part of their relationship a secret. 

Lucy was a teacher, if that got out she could lose her job. If it got out about what Loke had done, he’d lose everything. He’d be stripped of any awards he’d won during the war. The press would crucify him. Aries would be hounded even though she was aware of their relationship. Thinking about all that could happen if they weren’t careful. 

“Let me be my own person, Natsu,” Lucy pleaded.

“What do you mean by that?” Natsu asked. He seemed genuinely shocked she’d ask something like that. 

“I have Wendy, I have a career, I have a life, I have friends. That includes your driver, outside of you,” she explained. “You don’t get overly possessive when he’s around, you don’t try to stop me from talking with him. You don’t try and keep me from work. I’m my own person—not just someone connected to one of the most powerful people in all of Fiore.” 

Nastu looked puzzled as to why she’d even say that. “I guess I can do that.” 

Lucy nodded her head. Though she would’ve preferred a ‘yes, I can do that’, if that was all she was gonna get. She’d accept that. When they got to a stop light, Loke and Jellal chowed down on their food. Loke wolfing it down reminded her of when he’d come home late from work with Nastu and go to town to whatever Lucy had cooked that night. 

Though she’d never tell Natsu, it would be a bit weird being in such close quarters with him again. They hadn’t seen each other in three months since Natsu had him driving him around everywhere. Something she knew was taking a toll on Wendy who Loke was rather close to. The two had lived together for years, they were fucking for years as well. Lucy knew that type of relationship didn’t disappear overnight. Whatever Lucy and Loke had, it most certainly wasn’t love. That’s what she knew for certain. 

After they managed to get stopped at a certain intersection which made Loke have to use the horn, they arrived back at the apartment she and Loke once shared. Loke parked the car and looked up at the building he’d once called home. “I remember when we set up Wendy’s room,” he told her looking down at her. 

“We picked out the frame ourselves,” Lucy laughed looking up at him. 

“We were so nervous that we’d do something wrong,” Loke told her. Natsu and Jellal ushered the two of them inside. Jellal claimed it was because ‘Natsu was too exposed’. Lucy rolled her eyes at that. 

“I remember the first night she slept here too,” Lucy responded as they walked through the door to find that no one was out tonight. No one was using the gym, no one was throwing darts at the photo of Lord Gray Fullbuster whose photo that used be doodled with devil horns and tail had been replaced with a freshly printed one. They did however see two men, one blond with a singular earring, the other with side swept black hair holding a doodled on piece of paper, screaming at the vending machine. 

“YOU STUPID THING! GIVE ME MY POP TART!” The black haired man yelled. “I JUST CAME OFF WORK AND I’M HUNGRY DAMN IT!” 

“Why does everything Lord Slum give us suck?” the blond one said. “It was on such a good streak too.” 

“GIVE ME MY POP TART!” He roared. He turned to his friend. “I should’ve had Family Meal, Sting.” He went back to attacking the vending machine. 

“Be thankfully you didn’t, Rogue,” Sting said. “It was left overs from the night before that he reheated.” 

“Dude,” Rogue laughed. “Prince Natsu owns the place and Jet reheats leftovers for us. Is the Prince as stingy as his friend Slum Lord Fullbuster?” 

“Jet’s either drunk, high, or crossed. He was probably freaking out since Prince Natsu was there,” Sting responded. “In actuality he didn’t make the quesadillas.” 

“Damn it! He was so worried about the Big Boss Man that he didn’t make his world famous quesadillas?” Rogue hit the vending machine once again and the very much wanted pop tart was released from the vending machine’s grasp. Rogue stuck his hand into the vending machine and held up the pop tart like it was a trophy. “I AM TRIUMPHANT!” He hollered. “I HAVE DEFEATED THE VENDING MACHINE!” 

“Why did you fight so hard for that vending machine anyway?” asked Sting. “You don’t like pop tarts.”

“Because Kagura loves strawberry poptarts,” he said. “She told me so herself. I saw her attacking this very vending machine when we were all hanging out earlier today.” 

“Yeah,” he said. “She was pretty vicious about it.” 

“She grew up with Erza and Jellal before moving to Magnolia,” Rogue pointed out. “I’m not surprised she picked up a few things. You know who Erza’s mother is. She not only taught Jellal, but also Prince Natsu, Lord Gajeel, Slum Lord Fullbuster, Loke, and Mr Dreyar and she gave Loke extra training because he was in such close contact with the Prince.”

The two brothers turned around and walked toward the lift where Natsu had pushed the ‘up button’. Natsu was smirking and pulled her closer to him. His hand getting incredibly close to her left boob. Lucy felt something pool between her legs. She did her best to keep a level head and not to blush. She closed her eyes and tried to take a step away from Natsu, but he wasn’t having it. His strong and muscular arms held her firmy by him. “Where ya goin’, Luce?” He asked her. 

“A bit claustrophobic,” Lucy responded. 

“Ms Heartfilia!” Rogue whispered, a bit shocked. 

“You’re back!” Sting replied. He then turned to Natsu and the two boys bowed to him. “How much of that did you hear?” 

“All of it,” Natsu laughed. “It was pretty entertaining watching you go at the vending machine.” 

“Um, the nickname—” Rogue began. 

“How’d he get it?” Natsu asked with concern. “Is this place really a slum? You two aren’t the first person I’ve heard that nickname from.”

“No,” Lucy said in an attempt to save Rogue and Sting from an awkward conversation. She’d take the fall.  “It’s just the washing machines don’t work all that often and the vending machine, which is a wonderful amenity, likes to steal your money so you have to attack them. And it might take months for someone to come out and fix anything. But it’s a lovely place to live othe than that. It’s one of the cheapest places on the market that teachers living alone can easily have an apartment without a roommate.” 

You’re not in trouble Lucy mouthed. The boys sighed with relief. 

“That sucks,” Natsu said. “So, it’s like that building wide?” 

Sting nodded his head not meeting Natsu’s gaze. “I’ll talk to Gray about that. I can’t have Wendy getting sick now.” 

“That serious, huh,” Sting said. 

“He really has met Wendy,” Rogue smirked. 

“You two picking up Yukino?” Loke asked. “I know you guys are friends. I’m taking you guys to Kagura’s party. I think I remember where she lives from when I had to pick the two of you up last Monday morning.” 

Loke had become like an older sibling to the kids on the floors. He was good with them and he enjoyed being someone they went to. That included Sting and Rogue.

“It’s not a school night,” Sting defended. 

“Just don’t get to the point where you’re throwing up on the pavement,” Loke laughed. 

One thing about Fairy Tail students was their love of partying. A survey had found that Fairy Tail students were the most likely to party. Lucy knew that all too well seeing as she lived in the same complex as a lot of her students. And to as much to the district’s horror, the teachers as well. The teacher’s partying habits, mainly Lucy, Levy, Reedus, Freed, Laxus, and Cana’s, party habits got so infamous they were often asked to take visiting teachers from other schools out. Markarov of course would always yell at them if they came in hung over on a Monday though. 

“No promises,” Rogue defended. 

“Please remember I’m a legally mandated snitch and you live in the same building I do,” Lucy pleaded. She wasn’t in the mood to have to make a report. “Please don’t make me have to make a report.” 

“We won’t, Ms Heartfilia,” Sting sighed. 

“Thank you,” she sighed with relief. Natsu pulled her closer and put his hand so close to her left boob that his hand was grazing it. Natsu smirked looking down at her. Lucy kept a straight face as the six of them crowded into the lift. Loke pressed the button for the floor they lived on and the rickety old thing went up to the floor she, Sting, Rogue, an once Loke lived on. 

Lucy and Loke’s eyes met and then they quickly looked away. She caught a glimpse of something in his hazel eyes. Longing, reminiscing, nostalgia, she didn’t know what it was. All she knew was that she had to keep it down. She felt something stir to. 

Back when she and Loke were younger they were always arguing. Lucy didn’t like how much of a player he was and Loke thought she was too ‘stuck up’. Though they were good friends. The two had officially starting hooking up after he got back from the war when he knocked on the door of the room she was staying in at the hotel for Displaced people. Both of them admitting it was a moment of weakness. Their relationship stayed like that for years, even though the two moved in together. ‘Only for Wendy’ was what the two told themselves. Not allowing themselves to venture any further than they already had. 

Much to Lucy’s shock, Loke had been the one to go above and beyond. Loke had been the one to suggest marriage if need be to get Wendy out of foster care, not Lucy. Loke had been the one to suggest the two live together to get Wendy out of foster care, not Lucy. He’d told her ‘he’d go out right now and buy a ring to make it official’, not Lucy. Lucy was a bit apprehensive about the whole ‘marriage’ thing. Loke had told her the two would divorce after Wendy came of age. Loke had told her he’d stop the womanising ways for Wendy and if they did get married he’d be faithful to her until they were able to get divorced. Something he actually did when they were hooking up. Once the two stoped that, they grew closer. Lucy had grown to care for Loke more than a friend, more like a brother. The two were close. Loke found Aries and actually treated her like a girlfriend, not like someone he was just interesting in screwing and then after a year or so, he moved out. Something he told her wouldn’t’ve been possible if Lucy hadn’t been there. A relationship like the one Loke and Lucy had wasn’t one you were able to just dump overnight. One or both parties caught feelings. Natsu knew that, Jellal knew that, most of all, Loke and Lucy knew it too. Neither Loke or Lucy wanted to figure out who caught feelings though. They both seemed to be okay with that. 

In the back of both their minds, Lucy knew they both wondered if they could’ve actually had something more than what they had if things had been different. If Loke wasn’t drafted, if Lucy didn’t have to think about Wendy. If Loke wasn’t happily in a relationship. Could they have actually made a go of things? Could they actually have been able to make a real relationship work? The signs they liked each other were always there. Laxus always teased them about it growing up. The two would out right deny their feelings. Lucy would be lying if she didn’t admit that there was a time where she did have a crush on Loke. That time had long since past. 

Lucy couldn’t help but wonder what her students thought of all this. They seemed to think that teachers had their lives all figured out, that wasn’t the case for anyone of them. She wondered if they were amused, horrified, or if they found her and her friends’ plights hilarious. She decided she didn’t wanna know the answer to that. 

Lucy was pulled from her thoughts as the lift reached their floor. The six of them scrambled out of the lift and Lucy let out a sigh of relief. She hated small spaces. “Oh,” Natsu said. “You really don’t like small spaces.” 

“Yeah,” Loke shrugged. “For as long as I’ve known her she hasn’t liked small spaces.” 

“How long have you known her?” Natsu asked holding Lucy closer to him. She decided to not fight to get away from him as they were walking toward her apartment. 

“Since she was fifteen and I was eighteen,” Loke responded. “She showed up at my foster-father Markarov’s house late one night with Wendy, Levy, Cana, and Juvia.” 

“It was rainy and all we had were the clothes on our back, some important documents, and Wendy,” Lucy said turning to Loke, but not meeting his gaze. 

“I remember it like it was yesterday,” Loke said. “You guys were so scared.”

Finally meeting Loke’s hazel eyes, she repeated the mantra she and her friends came up with all those years ago. “Things change.”

Loke sighed looking at the apartment door. Lucy could tell her was thinking about all the fun they’d had in there. The movie nights with Wendy, the rounds they shared, how the celebrated when Lucy finally got a job and could contribute monetarily to the rent. The nights that the group would crash in their livingroom and Wendy would come out in the morning to see what was going on. That was all over now. “Things do change.”

Lucy unlocked the door to find Yukino sitting at the table with her phone in her hand. The TV was off and she seemed to be intently texting someone. She looked up at the door and then put her phone away. 

“Oh,” she said. “You’re back. Have fun?” 

“Yeah,” Lucy smiled looking what she hoped was lovingly with Nastu. Natsu seemed to reciprocate the look while Loke was looking around their former shared apartment longingly and at Wendy while holding back tears. 

“I remember when I first moved in here,” Loke sighed. “Fresh out of the military. I had very little to my name. It was all I could afford, but it meant a lot that I had something like this.” He then turned to Lucy and looked at Wendy, who was now in Natsu’s arms. He looked away, tears threatening to form in his eyes. Lucy had known Loke long enough to know what he looked like when he was holding back tears. Loke was the one who carried Wendy to bed, not Natsu. 

Things change, Lucy thought. He needs to get used to that. We can never get what we had back. 

“Let me just put her down and I’ll pay you, Yukino,” Natsu whispered. He then looked at Lucy. “I don’t wanna put her down, Luce.” 

“I know,” Loke sighed walking over to Wendy and looking at her. Lucy looked away, trying hard not to break. She’d be lying to herself if she didn’t admit she missed Loke living with them to. She’d never tell Loke, Natsu, or Wendy that though. She’d feel like she’d be guilting Loke. Natsu would act possessive, and Wendy would get her hopes up. 

“Let’s get her to bed,” Lucy whispered looking at Natsu. 

“Yeah,” Natsu said looking down at her. “Is it wrong that I wanna hold her longer?” 

“No,” Loke said still looking at Wendy. He seemed to be holding back jealousy that Natsu had taken ‘his job’. “It’s gonna be a sad day when we can’t pick her up.” 

Lucy laughed, though she was secretly dreading the day. Lucy remembered when she was thirteen first meeting Wendy who was two. Now, Wendy was ten and Lucy was 21. Lucy, Cana, Levy, Juvia, and Erza could no longer pick her up. She remembered the last time she held Wendy in her arms. Wendy was six. “May that day never come for the two of all of you.” 

“It’s never gonna come,” Natsu laughed looking at Lucy. “I’m gonna be picking her up forever.” 

Lucy smiled and felt something stir inside of her seeing Natsu holding Wendy who was sleeping peacefully in his arms. Wendy liked him, that was evident by the fact she’d asked him to stay the night. 

Would it really be so bad as to give this relationship with Natsu a chance? She wondered. You’re never getting a chance with Loke. Stop holding out for him. Move on. 

Natsu set Wendy down back on the couch and paid Yukino before either Yukino or Lucy could object. She put the food in the fridge after handing Yukino her portion of the food. 

“Try not to spend it all in one place in Hargeon!” laughed Natsu picking up Wendy again. She nuzzled into Natsu and muttered ‘warm’. That got a chuckle out of Natsu and a bunch of blank stares from Yukino, String, and Rogue. All three of them amazed that someone with a reputation like Natsu’s would be that tender toward someone like Wendy or even be loving toward Lucy. 

After saying goodbye to Sting, Rogue, and Yukino, Natsu, Lucy, and Wendy were alone. “First door on the left?” He asked. Lucy nodded her head and the two went into Wendy’s room. Lucy moved the blankets so that Natsu could put her down. One she was down, Natsu tucked her in and Lucy came back with a glass of water for her so she could have it in the morning. 

“Good night, Wendy,” Lucy whispered. “We’ll see you in the morning.” 

Lucy and Natsu went to leave the room, but something stopped the two of them. They turned and looked back at the sleeping kid. The two stood there for what felt like hours watching her sleep soundly. After they were done checking on Wendy, Natsu pulled Lucy into he room and started kissing her passionately. 

Lucy didn’t object as she wrapped her arms around Nastu’s neck. His hand went in between her dress and touched her heat “No panties, naughty girl,” he whispered seductively in her ear. 

“They would’ve shown through the dress,” Lucy whispered seductively. “You like?” 

He nipped her neck and she moaned his name. She looked into his olive coloured eyes. Sneaky bastard, Lucy thought. He knows what he’s doing. 

He shushed her. “You don’t wanna wake up Wendy,” he smirked knowingly. 

Without thinking, he ripped her dress leaving her completely naked. “Nastu!” She whispered shouted in an attempt to not wake Wendy. 

“Like you said before,” he said throwing her onto the bed taking off his shirt and pants leaving him completely naked. “You don’t own that dress.” 

“Those were real diamonds,” Lucy hissed. 

“And I can buy you more,” he assured her. “Now, you’re mine, Lucy Celeste Heartfilia.”

Chapter Text

“So beautiful, Luce,” he whispered in her ear as she rubbed her sensitive clit. Lucy was moaning as she felt waves of pleasure come over her. Natsu pushed her into him to muffle her moans, but he was making her feel so good she couldn’t help but moan. 

“Natsu,” she whispered his name like a prayer. “Natsu, please—” 

“Please what?” He whispered nipping her ear. “Let you cum?” He smirked at her as his fingers assaulted her sensitive bud. 

“Please, Natsu,” she pleaded. “Please let me cum.” 

“I guess you can,” he smirked. “Come for me, Luce.” 

Lucy did as she was told. She felt a rush of pleasure go through her and she nearly screamed his name so loud that if Natsu hadn’t stopped her, would’ve woken up the entire floor. He stop touching her and Lucy was miffed about that. No one had made her orgasm that hard before. 

Lucy managed to wriggle free of Natu’s grasp and she put his long and thick erect member in her mouth. Looking at him seductively, Natsu growled as she continued to suck on him. “Luce,” he whispered. “Fuck, you’re so good at that.” Not breaking eye contact with him as she took as much of his member in her mouth as she could. 

Bobbing her head up and down, she did her best to suppress the gag reflex that was threatening to rear its ugly head. Before she could do anymore, Natsu pulled her away from his member, Lucy whimpered from the loss of contact. She wanted to keep going. “I’m not coming down your throat, I’m coming in your beautiful pussy,” he snarled. 

Before she had time to process what he’d just said, Natsu had pulled her onto the bed and started planting kisses all down her body. Along with leaving marks that would certainly be there in the morning. She didn’t care since his tongue was now on her clit and she felt herself orgasm again. She felt herself gripping at Natsu’s hair, the bed, anything she could get her hands on to steady herself. Her world was spinning and Natsu showed no signs of stopping. She moved, but Natsu’s strong arms pushed down on her pelvis bringing her closer to him. 

Her moving seemed to make Natsu go faster. She couldn’t hold back any longer, as she violently orgasmed, she let out a sharp scream. That seemed to get Natsu to stop going at her pussy and make him look at her. “You better be quiet,” he smirked. 

Before she could answer, Natsu stuck his member inside of her and she gasped. She knew it was big, it barely fit in her mouth when she was sucking on it earlier. “I’ll go easy on you, Luce,” he said pushing some hair out of her face and looking down at her lovingly. 

Natsu gave her time to adjust and then proceeded to thrust into her hard while rubbing her clit. She nearly orgasmed again until Natsu pulled his hand away and slapped her ass. “Natsu,” she moaned. 

“That was from teasing me,” he snarled. “For rolling your eyes, and for not wearing any underwear.” He continued to thrust into her, Lucy was on cloud nine as she begged him to let her release. 

“Natsu,” she said. “What you got me wouldn’t allow me to wear any. Fuck!” He thrust into harder while spanking her ass again. Somehow he flipped the two of them over. Lucy was now on top of him—a reminder of last night. 

“Ride me,” he snarled. 

Lucy waisted no time. She moved her hips back and forth, angling herself so her sensitive bud would have some stimulation. It had been a while since someone had railed her like this. 

Natsu was moaning, Lucy smirked. Who’s having a hard time staying quiet now? She smirked. It felt good to see the next King of Fiore underneath her quietly calling out the nickname he’d given her that no one else was allowed to call her. “Luce,” he whispered. “Gods, Luce.” Lucy continued to ride him for a few minutes until he grabbed her and pulled her down onto his chest. 

Pounding into her, Lucy’s face was now in the pillow as she screamed out Natsu’s name as he continued to pound her senseless. Natsu didn’t seem to care that she had to make sure she could still walk for tomorrow. He seemed more interested in railing her until she passed out from pure exhaustion. She had no issues with that. 

Natsu flipped her over once again and she found herself on her hands and knees. He was now thrusting into her like there was no tomorrow. The bed frame was hitting the wall and she was sure Laxus would give her an earful on Monday, but she didn’t care. Lucy and Natsu were whispering each other’s names. 

“Come, Luce,” he growed lin her ear while pulling her hair. Lucy was pleasantly surprised Natsu remembered that from last night. “Come for me, Luce.” 

Lucy not being able to think straight did as she was told. She wondered how long they were going at it, it had to be at least ten or fifteen minutes. Natsu certainly had stamina, that was for certain. Lucy knew she’d be sore in the morning, but she didn’t care. She was enjoying herself and she hoped Nastu was as well. 

“Natsu, I’m close,” Lucy pleaded. 

He slapped her ass again and Lucy moaned. “No coming until I say,” he snarled. “Master thinks you should beg.” 

Lucy was desperate for some release. “Master, please,” Lucy pleaded. “Please let me come!” 

“Maybe I shouldn’t,” Natsu smirked. “I don’t think you’ve been good tonight, Ms Heartfilia.” 

“Please, Master,” Lucy pleaded. “I can’t hold it any more.” 

“Don’t you dare come!” He growled in her ear pulling her hair while he was at it. Lucy couldn’t help it, she came. And she came violently on his dick. She collapsed onto the bed, but Natsu wasn’t done with her. He grabbed her, held her hips up, stuck his dick back in her, and growled again. “Bad girl!” 

“I’m sorry, Master,” she pleaded. “I couldn’t help it, you were making me feel so good.” It was the truth, she couldn’t help it. He made her feel so good that she couldn’t help but come. 

“I’ll be merciful once,” he smirked flipping her over so she was no facing him. He continued thrusting into her and rubbed her clit. “Come for me,” he said. “Be a good girl and do as you’re told!” Lucy came. However, Natsu didn’t ease his assault on her clit. “Come for me,” he ordered again. Lucy did as she was told. 

The orgamsm were overstimulating her. Maybe that was Natsu’s point. She continued to come on his orders. Lucy still moaning and screaming his name. “Fuck, Master!” She cried out. “I can’t take it anymore!” 

“You wanted to come,” he whispered in her ear still rubbing her clit while thrusting into her. “So, you’re coming.” 

“It’s too much, Master,” she pleaded. She felt another wave of pleasure wash over her and she screamed again. 

“You handled me well last night,” he smirked. Lucy felt herself come again. 

“Master,” Lucy pleaded. “Master, please, I’m close!”  

“So am I, Luce,” he whispered in her ear. “So am I. Hold it for just a bit longer, Luce. I wanna come with you.” Lucy’s felt something warm inside her as Natsu came. Lucy came at the same time. Nastu rolled off of her and grabbed, pulling her closer. Lucy marvelled at how warm he was. 

How could someone be so warm? She wondered. 

The door to Lucy’s room opened and Natsu came back with a glass of water for them. He offered her some and Lucy drank some, giving the rest to Natsu who finished it off. “You have stamina,” she laughed looking at her phone’s clock. There was a message from Laxus telling her and Natsu to ‘keep it down’ and ‘think of the children!’ Lucy rolled her eyes knowing Wendy was sound asleep and Sting and Rogue were out tonight with Yukino at Kagura’s place. She knew that she didn’t have to worry about them hearing Natsu railing her. And frankly after all the stuff him and Freed pulled over the years, she didn’t care. 

“What are you thinking about?” Nastu asked bringing her closer. Lucy told Natsu what Laxus had texted her and then what Laxus and Freed and done over the years. That got a rise out of Natsu. He found it hilarious. “Did you and Loke have to tell them to quiet down?” 

“Multiple times,” Lucy said. She didn’t want to tell Natsu about this, but there was a time when Wendy was at Markarov’s house for some ‘grandfather-granddaughter bonding time’ as he liked to call it when the two got back at Laxus and Freed for how loud they were. The four of them agreed to never speak of that incident to any one. Not even Levy or Juvia knew. They all intended to keep it that way. 

After Lucy collected her barrings and they both went to the bathroom to clean up, Natsu grabbed her and pulled her close to him. She was laying on his muscular chest and she snuggled into him. He was warmer now, which made Lucy sigh in relief because she was always cold. He had a tight grasp on her—determined not to let her go. His fingers found a way to her hair and started playing with it. The act relaxed her. She felt safe in his arms. She felt that nothing bad could happen to her if she stayed there. “Did Loke ever do this for you after you guys had a round?” 

Lucy shook her head ‘no’, she was trying so hard to stay awake. Between Natsu playing with her golden hair and how warm he was, she was starting to drift off. “The most he’d do is get water, but he wouldn’t cuddle, he wouldn’t play with my hair. He cleaned up and then left back for the couch.” She looked away. She didn’t wanna think about Loke at the moment. “I chalk it up to the two of us being inexperienced and the nature of our ‘relationship’.” She filled the word ‘relationship’ with all sorts of meanings and no bothering to elaborate any further. 

Natsu kissed the top of her head. “I was right,” he smirked looking down at her. 

“Right about what?” Lucy yawned. 

Natsu smirked and flipped her over so he could kiss her. His hands went to her clit and he started rubbing it. Lucy moaned in pleasure. “Natsu,” she pleaded. “I can’t handle it—”  she felt herself orgasm once again. 

Her body was sore. She hoped against hope she’d be able to walk tomorrow, but she didn’t know if that was a possibility seeing how hard Natsu had railed her. “Natsu,” she pleaded. 

He whispered in her ear. “When I saw the dress, I knew I wanted you to wear it. You looked gorgeous, no one held a candle to you, but I always thought it looked better on the floor. I was right.” 

Lucy was still naked, unable to walk, but what she heard come out of Natsu’s mouth made her shocked. He bought this dress just so he could see it on the floor? He was expecting sex. He probably hoped by taking her to one of the best and nicest restaurants in the country she’d end up back in bed with him. “Did you really expect me to sleep with you?” Lucy asked trying desperately to hold back tears. 

Why are you almost crying? Lucy chastised herself. He has that type of reputation for a reason. You were naive enough to fall for it. She silently kicked herself. What did she expect from someone who slept with half the women in Fiore at this point.  

“No,” Natsu said earnestly. “It was a bonus, but I wasn’t expecting to sleep with you, Luce.” She decided to believe him. “Like I said, I care about you and I care about Wendy. I also think it’s horrible that men take women out in hopes they’d sleep with them.” 

“Good to hear you weren’t raised in a barn,” Lucy laughed. 

“Have a bit more faith in me, Lucy,” He told her. He sounded hurt. “I’m not the monster, Lucy.” 

“I’m sorry I thought the wrong thing about you,” Lucy sighed. 

“I don’t blame you for thinking that way though,” Natsu said. What he said seemed to shock her. “I know my reputation. It was meant to be sexy and you took it the wrong way.” 

The two of them burst out laughing. Natsu held her tightly. “So, how was that for you?” 

“Amazing,” Lucy huffed. “I can’t walk and you have stamina.” 

“Being me as its perks,” he smirked biting her neck. 

“Don’t leave a mark,” she said. “I can’t cover it up because my students will see.” 

“How will the world know you’re mine, Luce?” Natsu smirked. She rolled her eyes at him. 

“Remember what I asked you?” Lucy reminded half-heartingly. 

Natsu sighed. “I probably should’ve asked you this last night, but I’m clean. Are you also clean and on birth control?” 

Lucy nodded her head. She’d only been with three people. Her former-foster father who raped her, Loke, and now Natsu. She’d gone raw with all three and fortunately all of them were clean. Lucy nodded. “Yes to both,” Lucy said. “I have an IUD. It has about 8 more years left before I have to get it replaced.” 

Natsu looked at her shocked. “That long!” He said in amazement. He kissed her passionately. “Amazing science is.” 

Lucy laughed. “It is amazing.” 

The two would go on to have two more rounds before drifting off to sleep. However, it wasn’t much longer until they heard screaming coming from Wendy’s room. 

Lucy rushed out of bed and thew on clothes. Natsu’s shirt from last night and pair of her sweats. Natsu put on a pair of his sweat pants he pulled out from his overnight bag along with an over-priced shirt. She was a bit taken aback seeing as she didn’t remember Natsu coming in with an overnight bag. She’d ask him about that later. Rushing into Wendy’s room, Wendy bolted up and looked like she’d been sweating. 

“LUCY!” She sobbed. “NATSU!” 

Lucy rushed to her little sister. She wrapped the girl up into her arms. “It’s okay,” Lucy whispered. “It’s okay. I’m right here.” 

“Natsu,” she whimpered.

Natsu took a seat down on her bed. Lucy looked at how Natsu was gently stroking her hair. “I’m right here, Kiddo. Can you tell me what happened?” 

Wendy left Lucy’s arms and went to Natsu, who quickly held the little girl. Lucy felt her heart flutter. “I had a bad dream,” she whispered. “It was about Jose. My old foster father.” 

“I’m aware of what he did to you,” Natsu whispered. “I remember bad things too in my dreams. I know your sister does to. It’s not something to be ashamed of.” 

“What do you see?” Wendy whispered. 

“I see what happened during the war,” he said. “The bombs, the bodies, everything,” he said. Lucy knew he was holding a lot of stuff back. Stuff that she nor anyone else needed to know. People glorified war, Lucy had seen first hand how Loke handled readjusting to civilian life. Lucy also saw first hand the vast amount of war orphans she taught and the Displaced Persons hotels that were set up by the royal family. She couldn’t imagine what Natsu and the others saw on the front lines. Laxus, Loke, and Freed barely spoke of it. “And let me tell you this,” Natsu said. “No amount of praise for me and what Laxus, Loke, and Freed did can make me forget all the horrors I’ve seen.” 

Wendy buried herself into his over-priced shirt. “It’ll all be okay, Wendy,” Natsu assured the little girl. “And when you wake up, Lucy and I will still be here and Jose won’t. We’ll protect you.” Wendy cried harder. 

Lucy hoped Natsu’s shirt was machine washable since Wendy was getting tears and snot all over it. Lucy stroked Wendy’s hair to calm her down. The three of them were there for what felt like several minutes until Wendy fell back asleep. Natsu put her down and Lucy tucked her in. 

The two stood in Wendy’s doorway watching her sleep soundly for what felt like hours. Lucy was struggling to stand and Natsu steadied her. Loke would wrap his arm around her whenever the two of them had the ‘urge’ to check on Wendy and watch her sleep. Something the two felt all parents did to their kids. But it didn’t feel as comfortable. It didn’t feel as right. Natsu was supposed to be here with her watching Wendy sleep, not Loke. Natsu was supposed to here with her comforting her after she had a nightmare, not Loke. Natsu was supposed to be with them, not Loke. Lucy realised in that moment that Wendy had grown attached to Natsu in only a day. In only a day he’d weasled his way into Wendy’s heart. She trusted him, she felt comfortable enough for him to hold her. She felt comfortable enough to fall asleep in his arms. 

Wendy was certainly making it harder for Lucy to not get attached to Natsu as well. It meant a lot to Lucy that Wendy liked Natsu. It made her feel confident that she wasn’t fucking up this innocent child’s life. She remembered how hard Wendy had taken it after she and Loke’s ‘breakup’ when he moved out. Even though the two weren’t ‘officially’ together, Lucy knew the truth deep down, they were together in all but name. Lucy was glad Wendy was finally moving on from her and Loke. Lucy knew the little girl had gotten her hopes up for the two. 

The two then went back to Lucy’s room and went to bed. Natsu’s arm wrapped tightly around her refusing to let her go. And she peacefully drifted off to sleep. All was right in her world.

Chapter Text

The next morning Natsu woke up to find Lucy still sound asleep in his arms. He was relieved to see she hadn’t moved from her spot after they got done comoforting Wendy. He had a soft spot for the little girl. He understood why Loke was so fiercely protective over her. He knew he needed to play his cards right if he wanted to make sure this relationship actually lasted. Wendy liked him, he knew that meant something Luce. 

Natsu found himself playing with her golden locks. He never felt the need to cuddle any of the women he slept, but with Luce he needed to hold her. He needed to keep her close and to keep her safe. With the other women he slept with he never played with their hair after the act, but with Luce he found himself playing with her long blonde locks. 

What are you doing to me, Luce? He wondered. What are you and Wendy doing to me? The two of you are turning me soft. 

Natsu laid in bed for a few moments checking his phone. No calls or texts from his friends, no state emails that had been sent to him. And most importantly much to his relief, no meetings with advisors or foreign dignitaries. He wouldn’t be seeing King Macau Conbolt until Wednesday when the ceremony would be held. 

Surprisingly enough, there had been no texts or calls from his father or brother inquiring about the new girl Natsu was seeing. Zeref, the ever elusive, moody, and stoic one, had a fiancée of his own named Mavis Vermillion of Tenrou. Tenrou was a small, but wealthy island nation that not only controlled trade throughout the seas, but also had one of the most powerful navies the world had ever seen. That engagement that Zeref had hastily arranged—much to Zeref and Mavis’s delight since the two were crushing on each other for years—was one of the reasons why Fiore had won the war. Mavis was also a brilliant military strategiest and her tactics had come in handy on more than one occasion. 

Both Mavis and Zeref were getting on Natsu’s case to get married and have kids. Natsu knew that he was nearly thirty and still hadn’t had a solid engagement. His first ‘match’ was to Lucy Heartfilia. Her parents were distantly related to one of Fiore’s former monarchs—a different house that had no connection to the Dragneel—and they had money and land. Their family was also so old that it stretched all the way back to the Kingdom of Fiore’s founding. She would resolidify the Dragneel’s claim to the throne. It also helped that Natsu and Lucy were inseparable and would always take the opportunity to hang out together. After she died, it took his parents another five years to find another betrothal. This time to Lisanna Strauss of the Mountains. That region of Fiore was wealthy. They were known for their precious gem and mineral minds. Not to mention the place had once been one of the top producing coal mines in the nation until their switch under Natsu’s orders to renewable energy. That betrothal had fallen through when Zeref intervened on Natsu’s behalf after Lisanna had followed him to the bathroom one too many times and wouldn’t leave him alone. It didn’t help that he’d just come back from war as well. 

All his life Natsu’s choices were made for one thing and one thing alone, Fiore. The person he was going to spend the rest of his life with, how would they benefit Fiore? Any decisions that he had to make had to be done carefully because one wrong step could mean Fiore fell into financial ruin and people would get hurt. 

Luce chose prostitution over being homeless as a way to get Wendy out of foster care. She’d been prepared to get married to someone she didn’t love, just so Wendy could get out of foster care. She had sworn off dating because she didn’t want Wendy to get hurt. Everything Luce did was for Wendy. That made Natsu admire the sleeping blonde even more. There was something so familiar about this Lucy Heartfilia who seemed to be peacefully laying in his arms without a care in the world. She looked so cute sleeping on his chest. 

After playing a mindless game on his phone for a bit longer, Luce stirred. She turned to look up at him. She groaned as a way to greet him. Natsu laughed. Even her wake up groans were cute. “Morning,” he told her. 

“Morning,” she groaned. She listened intently. “Wendy’s still asleep if you wanna have a repeat of what we did last night?” 

Natsu took her up on her offer. It wasn’t long until Natsu was pounding Lucy senseless and sending her to another dimension. After fifteen minutes Natsu and Luce came together and found his arms wrapped around her. She tried to squirm away. “Where do you think you’re going, Luce?” 

“I was gonna check on Wendy to see if she’s up,” Luce responded. “She might want breakfast soon.” 

“Stay with me,” Natsu pleaded. “Your sister’s still asleep, I wanna hold you.” He proceeded to hold her tighter. Luce snuggled into him more. “Admit it, I’m warm and it’s all for you.” 

“Wendy comes first, you second,” she said. “Plese let me go, Natsu.” Natsu reluctantly let her go and the two proceeded to get dressed. Walking out into the kitchen, they noticed movement coming from behind Wendy’s door. She was up. Lucy started on making some coffee for her and Natsu and she started on some eggs, bacon, pancakes, and toast. Standing there in the kitchen with her moving around in just her pyjamas was something Natsu would never get used to. Even though he’d thoroughly railed her the night before and had all of her, she was still beautiful standing there in her pyjamas with her ass facing toward him. He remembered the very visible handprint he left last night that was on her left cheek. I could get used to that sight. Natsu thought dreamily. 

Wendy meandered her way into the kitchen and took a seat at the table. She was still quite groggy, but managed to get up, change Carla’s food and her waterbowl. And then crawled into a chair. “How do you want your coffee, Natsu?” Luce yawned. 

She’s yours, Natsu, a voice inside of him said. Make sure the world knows it. 

“Just black,” he said. 

“Makes my life easy,” Lucy yawned. She took a seat at the table. “Morning, Wendy.” 

She yawned to greet everyone. “You’re here,” she smiled brightly at Natsu. 

“I’m here and I’m not going anywhere,” he smiled at her. Luce blushed and looked away. 

She’s so cute when she blushes, Natsu thought. 

“I want you to stay,” Wendy yawned. 

“I’ll stay as long as your sister wants me,” Natsu assured the girl. “Until then, you’re kinda stuck with me.” 

Wendy beamed. “I’m glad to be stuck with you.” She laid her head on Natsu’s shoulder as Luce went to grab her a glass of water. Wendy drank it up and went to get herself another one. 

Natsu took another look around her apartment. It was still small, but it was enough for two people, even if they were cramped. Luce and Wendy seemed happy together and that made Natsu happy. He let his mind wander to seeing them living together in a place of their own, not living here. Wendy having her own bathroom along with the two of them. The three of them sharing laughs and memories. He pushed those thoughts down. He needed to take his time with her, he couldn’t just ask her to move in with him. He hadn’t told her he wanted this to be more than temporary. He wanted a real relationship with her. 

Soon breakfast was ready, the three of them sat down and dug in. “Sorry if it’s not up to palace standards,” Luce apologised. “This is what’s in my fridge.” 

Natsu dug into a pancake. “It’s perfect, Luce,” he said pushing some hair out of her face. “Thank you.” 

“You’re welcome,” Luce smiled. His Luce had smiled at him. She wasn’t Loke’s, she was his. 

The three of them enjoyed their breakfast until their was a knock on their door. “Are you expecting anyone, Luce?” Natsu asked. 

“No,” Luce said. “Wendy, am I forgetting something?” 

“I’m not expecting anybody,” Wendy said. 

“NATSU, OPEN UP!” a voice hollered. It sounded kind.

“NATSU, YOU HAVEN’T SEEN US IN MONTHS!” a woman’s voice hollered. She sounded stern and her voice as higher pitched. Natsu recognised the two of them, the first voice was his older brother Zeref and the second voice was his fiancée Mavis. 

“We wanna see the new girl!” laughed Zeref. “We heard she has a cute sister too!” 

“Wendy,” Luce said. “Get to your room, grab Carla and leave her there. Change into the blue dress that Juvia got you.” 

“Give us a few, Zeref!” shouted Natsu. 

The three of them rushed off to their respective rooms. Lucy changed into something she looked like she’d wear to school. A nice pair of jeans and a red top. Her gold hair was pulled back into a ponytail. Natsu put on a pair of jeans Virgo packed and a shirt. The three of them rushed out and Luce opened the door and Wendy and Luce curtsied to the two. 

Standing there before them was Natsu’s older brother Zeref. He had jet black hair like their mother, along with her black eyes. He was dressed in jeans, a black shirt, and a nice pare of dress shoes. Mavis had straight blonde hair, green eyes that reminded Natsu of the ocean, and was wearing a pink dress with sandals. “Hey,” she beamed going straight toward Luce, who put herself in between his future sister-in-law and Wendy. The latter of which was now holding a white cat. “I’m Mavis, it’s so nice to meet the girl Natsu’s been seeing. Did we interrupt something?” 

“Breakfast,” groaned Natsu. “What do I owe the displeasure of seeing my brother on a sunday morning?” 

“You haven’t seen us in months, brother!” laughed Zeref. “Come now.” He walked over to Luce, who was now planted firmly in her spot between his family and the terrified Wendy who was no longer holding Carla. “I’m Zeref. Sorry if we interrupted you guys.” 

“Have you eaten?” Luce asked. “I have coffee, there’s tea. I can make us some more pancakes. I think I have some more eggs.” 

Wendy went to the fridge and opened it. “We’re out of eggs.” 

“We might have more bacon,” Lucy laughed. 

“We’re also out of that,” Wendy said. Her mouth was full. 

“Don’t talk with your mouth full,” Luce laughed to Wendy. 

“We’ve got sausages, maple syrup, bacon, chicken, bread, and asparagus,” Wendy announced. “Oh, and the leftovers from last night! Thank you, Natsu! Thank you, Lucy!” 

“Anytime, kiddo,” laughed Natsu bending down to pick up Wendy who seemed to be very happy about this. “We got you the parfait. Luce said it was one of your favourite things. It has strawberries.” 

“Strawberries,” she said in awe. 

“You’re just like Erza,” laughed Luce. “She indoctrinated you into strawberry deserts.” Wendy stuck her tongue out at Luce who responded in kind. Natsu couldn’t help but feel jealous of the relationship Wendy had with Luce. Lucy was like her mother. She raised Wendy, done everything she could for her, and that showed in their relationship. Wendy wanted to spend time around her and realised how much she loved Luce. Lucy loved Wendy as well. That was evident for all she did for Wendy and all the stuff Wendy would never know about. 

In assets Wendy wasn’t the richest. She lived in the poorest side of the city where people nicknamed the landlord ‘Slum Lord Fullbuster’. But in terms of love, that girl was rich. She not only had Luce, but she had Loke, who was willing to marry Luce just so she could get out of foster care. Loke had liberated Hargeon for her. She had Laxus who cared deeply for her. She also had Freed. Natsu commanded all three of those men and he knew how loyal they were. The Kingdom of Fiore needed to thank that little girl. Wendy didn’t know she was probably the most loved person in the world. And the reason why Fiore was still a country and not Alvarez controlled territory. 

Natsu never had that type of relationship with his parents. They were distant—cold even as Natsu, Zeref, and their younger brother Ignia sometimes described them. They barely showed affection to Natsu, Zeref, or Ignia. Something that seemed to be normal for the aristocracy. Growing up, Natsu always remembered running to nannies if something was wrong. He hardly ran to his mother or father. Even the terms ‘Mother and Father’ or ‘Your Majesties’ they demanded Natsu, Zeref, and Ignia call them screamed ‘formality’. Luce wasn’t formal with Wendy. She called her ‘Lucy’. And yet the two still loved each other. Natsu longed for that type of family. One that wasn’t forced because of alliance—one that formed because of bonds and loyalty. 

“Hey!” Mavis smiled. “What’s your name?” 

“I’m Wendy,” Wendy she said softly. “It’s nice to meet you, Mavis.” 

“I’m Zeref,” he said. 

“Can I bring her back to Alvarez?” asked Mavis. 

“No,” Luce said firmly. She didn’t think Zeref’s joke was funny. “She’s staying with me. There was a lot of stuff I had to do to get her.” She looked at Wendy who was now looking happily at Zeref. 

The less Wendy knows about how she got out of foster care the better, Natsu thought.  

“Unfortunately I’m not here for pleasure, this is business,” Zeref sighed. 

“What’s the issue?” Natsu sighed.

“These two were invited to dinner at the palace. Mother and Father wanna meet them,” Zeref told them. Wendy was now being held by him.

Luce’s face turned pale. “The palace?” She said in horror. “Natsu, I’m not—“

“The palace?” Wendy asked in awe. 

“We can’t go,” Luce interjected. 

“Why not?” Mavis asked. “It’s nice to have two other girls in the—” 

Walking over top her kitchen table, Luce picked up two stacks of papers and cut off the overly excited Mavis. “I have a job, I have to grade papers. I’m behind and they’re due next week before the students go on break. I can’t just be whisked away to some dinner party. I also have to think of Wendy as well. She has school in the morning. And I don’t want her photographed by the press and have her face plastered all over the news. We also haven nothing to wear and I don’t wanna have to go shopping.” Luce was fuming now.  

Natsu was admittedly a bit in awe of Luce. She’d turned down an ‘invitation’ to the palace. Though Natsu knew it wasn’t an ask, it was a request. His parents would wanna meet the two of them. Mavis took Lucy’s arm. “Unfortunately, that’s not an ask. You are required to be there.” 

“Tell them no,” Luce said. She held up the stacks of papers as if that was a perfectly good reason as to not go. She turned to look at Natsu. “They’re your parents, tell them I can’t go.” 

“I can’t, Luce,” Natsu sighed. “Though I’m the one running the Kingdom the majority of the time, my father’s word overrides mine.” 

“Son of a bitch,” Luce muttered. She turned to Wendy. 

“I know,” Wendy sighed. “Don’t repeat that.” 

Wendy looked at Natsu, the fear evident in her brown eyes. “Will my picture be taken?” She whispered. 

“Not if I can help it,” Luce muttered glaring at Natsu, Mavis, and Zeref. The three of them shuddered at her glare. He understood how she was able to teach high schoolers without any issue. 

“Her photograph won’t be taken,” Zeref assured. “Natsu and I’ll see to it ourselves.” 

Luce and Wendy sighed in relief. Mavis noticed a keyboard in the corner of the room, followed by a guitar. “Who plays?”  

“I do,” Luce said. “I play the piano, Laxus, our neighbour, is teaching Wendy the guitar.” Wendy looked like she wanted to bolt out of the apartment and into one of Luce’s friends. 

“Lucy,” she said absolutely terrified. “Can I go over to Cana’s?”  

“Cana’s sick right now,” Luce explained gently. 

Wendy furrowed her brows. “Is she hungover again?” Luce nodded her head. 

“Then can I go over to Laxus and Freed’s?” She asked. 

“I need you here, Wendy,” Luce sighed. She knew Wendy was getting uncomfortable with all the attention on her at the moment. “You can go to your room if you want.” 

Wendy nodded. She scooped up Carla who seemed to not mind this fact and went into her room and closed the door. Natsu felt bad for the kid, all because him and Luce went home together last night her world was turned upsidedown. Luce was doing all she could to shield her from the fall out, but all four of them knew there could only be so much done. She would eventually have her face put on the news anyway. And everyone who seemed to care for Wendy would also be thrust into the spotlight. 

Natsu was wondering how he’d spin her unconventinal and very much frowned-upon relationship with Loke. He was also wondering how he’d be able to keep the truth of Lucy and Loke’s relationship from Wendy as well. He knew Laxus was exactly too keen on being in the spot light. Juvia and Levy were both known to the Fernades family as cousins, their shared father was Jellal’s uncle. Not much was known about Cana except the startling resemblance to his former bodyguard and mentor’s ex-wife Connie, whose real nae happened to be Cornelia. A lot was alredy known about Erza since her mother was Irene Belserion Scarlet. However, Wendy’s tragic story would make the public’s heart bleed. “What are we gonna do when her face does eventually have to be showed to the media?” Lucy asked breaking the eerie silence. 

“That’s up to you,” Mavis said. “You’re her legal guardian. You’re responsible for her.” 

“I know,” Lucy said. “I just don’t want her face shown to the media. She looks very similar to Jellal, and that’ll make people pry? Are you aware of her history?” Zeref and Mavis nodded. It didn’t surprise him the two knew. She was now in close contact with Natsu, making that part of her history known to his family wasn’t shocking to him. And judging by the look on Luce’s face as well she wasn’t surprised as well. 

“I don’t want her face exposed at all until she’s ready,” Lucy explained. “She’s ten, I remember what happened with you, Zeref, and your brother Ignia whenver you did something that my friends and I would do all the time. I don’t want that to happen to her.” Zeref and Natsu shuddered at the memories of the paparazzi photographing them. Neither of them blamed Luce for being so protective over Wendy it came to that reguard. “She’s also shy and doesn’t like all the attention and gets uncomfortable around new people. She’s warmed up to Natsu thankfully, but with the way things are going, it might be a bit too fast for her.” She paused and then said something. “She didn’t chose this, she’s along for the ride.”  

Mavis sighed and looke at Lucy and then at Wendy’s door. She looked at the photos around the apartment. Luce, Wendy, and a few other people that Natsu recognised and some he didn’t. Photos of just Luce and Wendy. Photos of Loke and Wendy and a few other people. “She’s lucky to have you guys,” Mavis said looking at the photos. “You guys really care for her.” 

“We’re all she has,” Lucy explained. “I’d do anything for her. The closest way I can describe it is if you ever go on to have kids, you might feel the same way.” 

Luce sacrified her reputation and slept with Loke for a place to live to get Wendy out of foster care, Natsu thought. She really would do anything for Wendy. 

“Unfortinately, we can’t get you two out of this meeting,” sighed Zeref. “All we can do is warn you that it’s happening tonight.” 

“Bring some stuff so you can stay overnight. And bring those papers you have to grade as well,” Natsu sighed. “It won’t be as painful.” 

“Also, your friend Levy will be there as well,” Mavis exclaimed brightly. “Along with Gajeel, Gray, and Juvia, Erza, and Jellal.” 

Lucy looked like she wanted to say something but decided against it. “Will we be required to be at the palace on Wednesday?” Luce sighed. 

Zeref nodded sympathetically. “I’ll let Freed and Laxus know,” she sighed. 

“I’ll give you my card,” Natsu said without thinking. “You two probably don’t have anything to wear.’ 

Lucy also looked like she wanted to say something, but decided against it. Her look said ‘we’ll talk about this later.’ “We’ll get going!” Mavis smiled and hugged Luce, who seemed to be a bit shocked. 

“Nice meeting you two,” Zeref said. 

“Wendy!” Luce called. “Come say goodbye to our guests.”

“I DON’T WANNA!” She yelled from her room. “I wanna stay here!” 

Luce looked at Zeref and Mavis and sighed. She then looked at Wendy’s room. “Give her time,” Luce urged. “She’s scared.” 

And with that, his brother and future sister-in-law left. Leaving just Natsu, Lucy, and Wendy.

Chapter Text

The managed to get Wendy out of her room with the promise of the rest of the ice cream that was in the freezer. Something that seemed to please Wendy greatly. Lucy had been calling around to see if anyone could feed Carla for the night. Fortunately, she landed on Laxus and Freed who jumped at the chance. After finishing her peace offering, Wendy looked at Natsu with fear in her brown eyes. He hated seeing that look from her. “Will I be on the news?” She asked. “I don’t wanna be on the news.” 

“You won’t be on the news for now,” Natsu said. “There will be a time where you will have to be seen with your sister and me, but that time isn’t now.” 

“Will it be Wednesday?” Wendy whimpered. 

Natsu decided not to lie to her. Lucy wrapped her arm around her. “I don’t know,” Natsu told her truthfully looking her in the eyes. “I’m gonna do my best to make sure you don’t get photographed, but it’s up to my parents.” He sighed. “Wendy, you know how Luce is the boss of you, right?” Wendy nodded her head. “Well, even though I’m an adult, my parents are the King and Queen. They can override me and Luce.” He explained what he’d told Luce last night. Wendy nodded intently, hanging onto his every word. “But I promise,” he told her taking both Luce’s and Wendy’s hands in his. “I won’t anything bad happen to any of you when I’m with you guys. I care about your sister too much.” 

Wendy launched herself at him and Natsu caught her. He felt himself relax. He understood why Loke loved holding her so much. He hadn’t shut up about it when they were driving to Luce’s place last night. It was relaxing. She really was the sweetest little girl. Holding her in his arms, he felt like a parent almost. Wendy liked him. She wasn’t scared of him, she wasn’t worried that he’d take Luce away from her. Wendy liked him, he hoped that meant something to Luce who was now silently rubbing Wendy’s back. Natsu had never seen someone do that for someone else. He wondered if anyone did this for him when he was younger? Zeref, he couldn’t remember. His parents, maybe. He couldn’t remember if he comforted Ignia like that as well. The palace was a cold place sometimes growing up. 

Wendy looked out the window to see the palace standing tall out their window. He remembered looking out at the window facing the east and thinking about life outside the palace walls when he was Wendy’s age. Wendy probably wondered what life was like in the palace as well. 

Lucy, Wendy, and Natsu all showered. Natsu found a spare bar of unused soap he’d found underneath the sink he thought belonged to Loke. Judging by the scent of sandalwood, it probably did  belonged to Loke. Luce had warned him that the shower could be finicky sometimes, but he didn’t seem to have an issue with it. 

They all lounged around the apartment waiting for when Zeref would pick the group up since he’d given Loke the night off tonight. Natsu was on his phone reading some documents about the upcoming soirée on Wednesday. The background check for Ashley had cleared and he’d deposited some money into her account, with a little extra on the side. He read over some more papers from King Macau Conbolt from the Kingdom of Stella on the Eastern side of Ishagar. His son Romeo—someone Natsu knew looked up to him—was planning on attending a Fiore school as a sign of ‘good will’ between the Kingdoms. Stella had always been a close ally of Fiore. 

His son Romeo was around Wendy’s age. He thought he was eleven, maybe ten. Natsu had been named the boy’s ‘godfather’ when he was born since King Macau was his mother’s brother. Making King Macau his uncle. Uncle Macau would also be coming for the award ceremony bringing the young Romeo with him. Natsu had only spoken to the boy and hadn’t seen each other in two years. He wondered how much he’d grown since then. He also wondered how he and Wendy would get along. Knowing his Uncle, he’d try and set up an arranged marriage for Romeo to Wendy. He knew that would cause Loke, Luce, and the rest of her family to go crazy causing an international incident. He remembered what Laxus was like when he was angry from his time in his unit and he didn’t want anyone to be on the other side of that—most importantly himself and Romeo. Who would most certainly also try and flirt with Wendy on Wednesday. That would also cause an international incident. 

Aside from what the night represented itself, the loss of everything Natsu held most dear and seeing thousands of people die in his name. The last thing he needed was Laxus, Freed, and Loke beating on Romeo or Macau. In short, he needed to make sure everything went off without a hitch. 

He also knew the Strausses would be there because the middle brother and heir to the title Elfman, served with Natsu. That meant that oldest sibling Mirajane would be there along with Lisanna, his former betrothed. Though she was apparently in an engagement with Bixlow who happened to be another noble now. Natsu was relieved because that meant that she was hopefully off his back for the time being and she wouldn’t harass Luce or Wendy. He shuddered at the thought of Lucy’s wrath if that happened.   

Luce sat at the kitchen table with a cup of tea in one hand while grading a stack of papers. Overlooking them one by one recorded them on her computer. In what felt like a couple hours, Luce breathed a sigh of relief. “I’m done,” she smiled. “Both History and English are graded. Next, lesson plans.” 

 Luce intently typed out what would be working on for the upcoming weeks muttering to herself about why she had to assign so much homework and tests. And then she looked at Natsu. “I’m doing the Alvarez-Fiore War next,” she sighed. “I hate this unit.” 

Natsu nodded. “It’s different when you’ve lived it,” Natsu sighed. “That’s what I think. And these kids lived it. Magnolia was bombed, no one was safe.” 

“Worst comes to worst,” Luce whispered. “They want me to bring in the letters the guys and my friends wrote to eachother when you guys were on the front lines.” 

“That must make you uncomfortable,” Natsu said. 

“Yeah,” she admitted. “They don’t need to know what Loke and I were writing to each other. Or Laxus and I. Or Freed and I.” 

“Have they asked if you can bring me in as a ‘living witness’?” Nastu asked. 

“I wouldn’t ask you to do that, Natsu,” she said. “I remember what Loke was like when he came back. You’re like that as well. They haven’t asked me and I won’t bring it up.” Natsu nodded appreciatively.

“Luce, you do realise that you’re gonna be front and centre on Wednesday?” asked Natsu. 

“You’re the man of the hour,” Luce sighed. “I’m not surprised.”

“There’s gonna be an auction off for the first dance of the night with you guys,” Natsu said. “I think the money’s going to charity or something.” He pushed some hair out of her face. “You don’t need to worry, I’ll make sure you get the first dance with me.” 

She rolled her eyes. “Great, now I’m a piece of property.” 

Natsu laughed. “You’re my Luce,” he told her taking her hands in his causing Luce to look away and blush. “I’m not letting anyone dance with you first.” 

She looked a bit miffered at Natsu. “That’s not what I meant,” she sighed. “But I appreciate the sentiment.” She rolled her eyes and muttered something Natsu couldn’t pick up, but the look in chocolate brown eyes told him ‘stupid man’. He wondered how many times Loke had gotten that same exact look from her.  

The door to Luce’s place swung open and a girl with long light blue hair dressed in a black dress and boots came barreling in. She looked at Luce, completely ignoring Natsu. Something he wasn’t used to. People always acknowledged him. “Wendy said her school uniform’s skirt’s getting a bit short so she texted me,” she explained. Natsu recognised her from the other night. This was Juvia.  

“Good thing she did,” laughed Luce. “I have no idea how to hem things. The most I can do is sew on a button.” 

“Good thing my mother was seamstress and taught me!” Juvia laughed holding up what looked like her sewing kit. She went to Wendy’s room and knocked on her door.

Wendy came out of her room holding the skirt. She was in the blue dress that matched her hair. “Thanks, Juvia.” She smiled. 

“That’s what older sisters are for,” Juvia told her. 

The two went straight to work. Wendy went into her room and tried on the skirt and Wendy was right, the skirt was a bit short on her. Normally they went to knee-length, this one went to her mid-thighs. 

“That’s too short,” Natsu announced.

Dear gods, I am turning into a parent, He thought.  

Juvia turned and jumped. She curtisied to Natsu. “My apologies, Your Highness, I didn’t realise you were here.” 

“No apologies necessary,” Natsu told her. He reiterated the plan for Wednesday to Juvia, who looked horrified at the notion she would be auctioned off for a dance. Natsu didn’t understand why both Juvia and Luce seemed to have an issue with this, but he decided not to push it in fear of getting the same look for two women. “But the skirt’s too short.” 

“Yeah,” Luce said. “It’s a good thing she’s growing though.” 

“We feed and water her every day,” Juvia sighed. She turned to Luce. “It seems like just yesterday the four of us were running to Laxus, Like, Freed, and Gramps’s place and now she’s ten.” 

“When did that happen?” Luce agreed. “She’s two and she was just placed with us.” 

Juvia nodded in agreement. “And we can still pick her up.” 

Wendy came out of her room again. The skirt reached her knees. He turned to Juvia. “Do you think you can make it longer?” Natsu asked Juvia. 

“This is as low as the skirt goes,” Luce explained. “So, no. It’s also a good length.” 

Another girl with light blue hair came into the room. She had brown eyes and she was dressed in a yellow dress that looked very flattering on her. She was also noticeably short. He recognised her as Levy, the woman Gajeel went home with. “I’m here,” she said. She looked at Wendy. “Oh, why are you in your uniform skirt?” 

“I needed to hem it,” Juvia explained. “Prince Natsu’s also here.” 

Levy turned and curtsied to him. “Your Highness,” Levy said. “I’m sorry for ignoring you.” 

Natsu laughed. “I do have to admit, that was a first. Your sister did the exact same thing.”

“How’d you know we were sisters?” asked Juvia. 

“Jellal told me,” he said. 

“Will he be there?” asked Juvia. 

“Yes, he will be,” Natsu said. “Have you met him before?” 

“Not since I was a kid,” Juvia said. “My mom got moved to Jellal’s parents’ place when I was five,” Juvia explained. “Then when she died I got sent to foster care.” 

Natsu nodded. He knew that Jellal’s family didn’t take too kindly to the kids the men had outside of marriage. Mothers were often moved around from household to household and if they died. The Fernadeses did nothing for the kids and sent them to foster care. It was vicious cycle that Jellal somehow managed to break. 

“My mom was a maid in Jellal’s house up until I was ten and sent to foster care,” Levy said. “We played together, until his mom put a stop to it.” 

The Fernandeses also didn’t like the ‘true children’ to fraternise with their half-siblings. Something Natsu never understood and found horrifying. 

“Yo, Natsu!” Someone hollered. “Ya in here?” 

Natsu groaned. That was his cousin Gajeel. The son of his father’s young brother Metalicanna. Levy went to get the door and Gajeel came in. “Why’s there a stopsign here?” He asked holding up the thing. Stepping into the apartment, he looked around. “This is about the same size as yours, Shrimp.” 

“DON’T CALL ME SHRIMP!” Levy snapped. Staring at the two of then, Natsu had to bite his lip, the size difference was quiet comical. The very short Levy next to the gigantic Gajeel. 

“And put the stopsign down!” Luce snapped taking it from Gajeel. “Loke stole it from Hargeon last year when he was drunk. There’s a traffic cone here as well.” 

Juvia held up the orange traffic cone and then she looked at Luce. “I’m surprised he didn’t take these when he moved in with Aries.” 

She shrugged. “I secretly think he’s happy that he’s sleeping in an actual bed and not the couch. No matter how comfy that thing is.” 

Wendy came out of her room with a lint roller attempting to get the white cat hair off her blue dress. Gajeel paled and got down to Wendy’s level. “Hey,” he said. “We saw each other this morning. I’m Gajeel. I didn’t mean to scare you this morning. I know it’s a lot to get used to.” 

“I’m Wendy,” she whispered. “So, you’re with Levy.” Gajeel nodded his head. “You’re lucky to have her. She cares about you a lot.” 

Wendy blushed. “I’m lucky to have them all,” she said. “They’re the best big sisters anyone can ask for.” 

“We love you too, Wendy,” Levy smiled. “Why can’t we pick you up anymore?” 

“The guys can!” Wendy smiled. 

“Stop growing!” Levy said. “At this rate, you’ll be taller than me!” Wendy laughed at that. She looked at Gajeel and then at Luce and him. Gajeel bent down and picked her up. That got a laugh out of Wendy. “Oh, I understand why Loke loves holding her so much. Levy, can we keep her?” 

“No,” Levy laughed. “She stays with Lucy. However, we can visit.” 

“Salamander, if you don’t marry Lucy I will kick your ass with no regrets!” Gajeel called. 

Salamnder. He winced at the nickname. He’d gotten it in the military because of how good he was with explosives. The only person he let call him that was Gajeel.  

“We’re missing Erza,” Wendy said looking at the door. 

“You know Erza,” Juvia said. 

The door opened and a woman with scarlet hair came into the apartment. “I’m here, Wendy,” she said. She then looked at Natsu and curtsied. “Your Highness.” 

“It’s Natsu,” he automatically corrected. “For all of you. Especially to the woman who could most likely kick my ass.” 

“My point the other morning still stands, Natsu,” she said. “You hurt Lucy or Wendy, I will be forced to use the moves my mother taught Wendy and me against you.” 

Only the daughter of Irene Belserion Scarlet could threaten Natsu and make him scared for his life. He knew Erza wouldn’t hesitate as well. 

Gajeel and Juvia gasped. “Juvia, right?” He asked. 

She nodded her head. “Yeah,” she said. “Long time no see, Gajeel.” 

“Her mother used to my family’s seamstress,” explained Gajeel. 

“I’m surprised you remember me,” Juvia laughed. “I left when I was young.” 

Gajeel shrugged. “You were the only one who wasn’t afraid that I was the nephew of the king.” 

Wendy wriggled in Gajeel’s arms and he quickly put her down. She rushed to her room and closed the door. Natsu sighed thinking of what Gajeel said. Could he really see a future with Lucy? They only met yesterday, and in that short amount of time, he’d met her sister, went out on a date, and his cousin had fallen in love with Wendy. He looked at Lucy who was now talking with Juvia and Levy about work. He wondered if Gajeel and Levy would eventually get married. It was legal for nobility and royalty to marry commoners now. However, it was still highly frowned upon. He hoped that with these three things might be able to chance. At least Juvia and Levy had documentation that their shared father was Jellal’s uncle. Wendy, that was different. Though she and Jellal could’ve been siblings, what would be needed was a DNA test and he wasn’t willing to ask Luce and Wendy to do that just yet. Jellal also hadn’t told anyone other than him, Natsu, Gajeel, and Loke that he had a suspicion the little girl Luce was raising was his good friend and body guard’s half-sister. The blue hair and their similar facial features made it obvious. He was also pretty sure Luce knew too. 

Juvia checked her phone. “The land lord’s coming!” She cried. 

“What!” Luce hollerered. “How much time do I have?” 

Wendy scooped up Carla and rushed to her room. Natsu got the sneaking suspicion that they weren’t supposed to have pets. “We can have pets, but we don’t pay the pet fee,” Luce explained. 

“How much is it?” Natsu asked. 

“300 jewells more,” Luce explained. “That’s hard to swing now that Loke isn’t living here anymore.” Wendy came out of her room and then rushed to the bathroom to move the litterbox. “Put it in mine!” Luce ordered. Wendy went in the opposite direction of her room. Levy was moving cat toys underneath the couch and Wendy was moving Carla’s food and water bowl. 

When both Luce, Levy, and Juvia were done. Juvia turned to Wendy. “Now, when you meet him, call him ‘Gray’. Don’t call him ‘Lord Slum Fullbuster’, don’t call him ‘Slum Lord Fullbuster’, or ‘Slum Lord’,  just Gray.” Wendy nodded as Juvia continued. “When asked how you like it here, say ‘you love it’. Don’t mention the washer and dryer, don’t mention the vending machine, and don’t mention the photo I know Rogue did, hung up, and used as dart board.” 

Natsu sniggered at the group using Gray’s face for dart practice. “Is he really that bad of a landlord?” asked Natsu. The four of them looked at each other, debating on if they should even answer. 

“Well, the laundry machine doesn’t work well so you have to hit it multiple times,” Levy said. 

“The vending machine steals your money,” Juvia explained. 

“And anytime something breaks it takes months for someone to come out an fix it,” Luce finished. “But it’s a nice place to live otherwise.” 

“I can afford it on a teacher’s salary!” smiled Juvia. 

“The pool’s nice!” smiled Wendy. “It’s heated too!” 

“I’ll talk to Gary,” Natsu said looking around the apartment. “Everything’ll get fixed and you don’t have to worry about the pet tax.” 

“Thanks,” Luce whispered. She left the room to go change into something she’d wear to work. “Is Loke gonna be here?” She asked. 

“No,” Natsu said. He felt a rage boil inside of him. Why was his Luce asking about Loke? Natsu was right there. He didn’t need to hear about her ‘ex’. “I gave him the night off.” 

“A shame,” Erza shook her head. “It’s been a while since we’ve seen him.” 

“If you’re Jellal’s date to the soirée, you’ll get to see him and Aries,” Natsu shrugged. 

“I am,” Erza smiled. Her face turning as red as her hair. 

“It’ll be good to see Loke again,” Wendy smiled. “This is the most amount of times I’ve seen him since he moved out with Aries.” She motioned for Natsu to pick her up and he obliged. “I got used to him being here all the time.” 

Luce sighed and looked away. There seemed to be a glimpse of pain in her eyes. Natsu felt jealous when he saw that. Luce had him, she didn’t need Loke anymore. He could better provide for Wendy than Loke could. One could make the very flimsy argument that Natsu was taking care of her all along since Loke was under his employment. “Wendy took the divorce hard,” a woman laughed. She had long brown hair, was dressed in a blue top and a nice pair of jeans, and had violet eyes. She bore a remarkable resemblance to Gildarts's ex-wife. Which was why she was invited. 

“Cana?” asked Wendy. “What are you doing here?” 

“Can’t have “Meet the Family” without me!” laughed Cana. She looked at Natsu and curtsied. “Your Highness, I’m sorry for my boldness. Lucy and Loke were never married.” 

“Loke’s my driver and was living with Luce when he got hired. His background check would’ve shown he had a wife and would’ve shown he got divorced,” Natsu said firmly. 

Cana looked at Wendy and then back at Luce and smirked. The way she was acting reminded Natsu of his former bodyguard and father-figure Gildarts. She might not have looked like him, but she was acting like him. “So, Slum Lord Fullbuster is coming up the lift as we speak and Rogue and Sting told me they were gonna feed Carla. Which Slum Lord Fullbuster knows about.” 

“Don’t call him Slum Lord when he’s around!” Luce pleaded. Wendy’s face turned pale. 

“He told me he had more important things to worry about than people who have cats,” explained Cana. 

“Like Juvia,” scoffed Luce. Juvia and Erza’s faces turned the colour of Erza’s hair. Luce’s comment also got a rise out of Levy and Cana. Wendy looked at Natsu confused. Natsu, understanding the joke, shrugged his shoulders. 

“Your sister’s weird, Kid,” Natsu shrugged. “I don’t know what to tell you.” 

“They’re all weird,” Wendy mumbled. 

Laxus and Freed burst through the door and acknowledged Natsu. Laxus looked like he’d just woken up a few minutes before and Freed seemed to be wide awake. Laxus, meandering his way into the kitchen, took out a pitcher of iced tea, a glass, and then drank some. “The landlord’s here! He saw the photo in the lobby!” 

“Fuck!” cried Juvia. “Don’t repeat that. I can smooth it over with him.” 

The door knocked and Wendy rushed to open it. Standing there was a man dressed in a purple shirt that was unbuttoned at the top, with dark black hair, black eyes, and pale skin. Wendy looked up at him and batted her eyes. The group held their breath waiting to see what Wendy would say. “Hey,” she smiled. “I’m Wendy and I like it here.” 

“Oh, are you Wendy,” Gray smiled, bending down to get on her level. “You’re cuter in person.” 

“Thank you,” Wendy blushed. She motioned for Gray to pick her up and he obliged. Lucy, Laxus, and Freed were beaming. The cat tree that Carla had had now been moved and Levy, Erza, and Juvia were coming out of Wendy’s room. 

“Hello, Juvia,” Gray smirked. He walked over to Juvia and kissed her cheek pushing a stray hair out of her face. Juvia blushed and Wendy gagged. 

“Stay away from boys!” Natsu found himself saying. Laxus and Freed nodded their heads in agreement. 

“I know,” Wendy sighed defeatedly. 

“You’re not dating until I’m dead or you’re 50, whichever comes first,” Laxus announced walking over to Gray. “I’ll take my little sister now.” Scopping Wendy up he put her on his shoulders. He was proud he could still do that to her. 

“You consider each other siblings?” Gajeel asked. 

“Yeah,” Juvia said. “We all grew up together. We all spent time in Laxus’s grandfather’s house.”

“Three bedrooms, eight people, always a little too crowded,” Levy laughed.

“It was better than Jose’s,” shrugged Cana.

Wendy shivered and motioned to go to Natsu, who happily took her. The fear in her eyes was evident. “The Displacement Camp was better than Jose’s.”

Cana, Luce, Levy, and Juvia nodded their heads. 

“You know he didn’t have to take us in,” Luce emphisised. “He did it out of the kindness of his heart.” 

Laxus looked at the group. “He also told us that there’s a faculty meeting on Wednesday,” Laxus grumbled. They groaned. “And there’s an assembly on Wednesday as well to go over who’s going on the senior trip to Hargeon.” 

“We went last year,” Luce said. “We shouldn’t be going this year.” 

“If you’re going on the Senior Trip, can I stay with Loke and Aries?” Wendy asked. 

“Aries would love that,” laughed Cana. “Wendy gets to go to Dad’s!” 

“CANA!” Luce cried. “THAT’S ENOUGH OUT OF YOU! You know damn well that Loke and I were never together.” She glared at the woman. 

“In all but name,” she sing-songed. 

“THAT’S BULLSHIT AND YOU KNOW IT!” Luce snapped. She looked at Natsu pleadingly. “We were just friends. You know that just as well as I do, Cana.” She rolled her eyes after Laxus shot her a glare. He seemed to opperate as the oldest around here. He’d gotten the exact same look from Zeref before on numerous occasions. Most notably the last time Zeref saw him before today. 

“Am I a child of divorce?” Wendy asked. 

“No,” Luce assured her now shooting a death glare at Cana who was smirking. She was finding this amusing, Natsu and Lucy not so much. “Cana’s trying to get underneath my skin. You know Loke and me weren’t together.” 

“I know,” Wendy sighed. 

“You kept the kid and the couch,” Cana sniggered. 

Natsu glad he wasn’t holding Wendy grabbed Lucy and pulled him close to her. He had a sneaking suspicion that he shouldn’t let Lucy walke over to Cana. 

“CANA ALBERONA, THAT’S ENOUGH!” roared Loke. Everyone turned to look at Loke, who was holding hands with Aries. A tall and slender woman with pink hair and freckles. Natsu liked her a lot. “You know I don’t like those jokes, Lucy doesn’t like those jokes, Wendy doesn’t like those jokes, and Aries doesn’t like those type of jokes! We were just friends and roommates!” 

Lucy and Loke shook their heads at each other. “Cana, sober up,” Lucy snarled pasing her a cup of coffee. 

“Have a drink to calm your nerves,” Cana smirked. 

“Let me go, Natsu,” she said. 

“Not if you’re gonna attack her,” Natsu said. 

“I’m getting a drink,” Lucy said. Lucy grabbed a bottle of tequila, poured herself a glass, and took a shot. She didn’t even flinch. Natsu was impressed with that. Cana and Lucy looked at each other and started laughing. The two girls hugged and Natsu shook his head. Women were confusing creatures. 

Wendy seemed to be out of Laxus’s arms and ran straight to Loke and Aries, both seemed happy to see her. Natsu couldn’t help but be jealous of Loke. Luce and Cana dragged the the three of them into the apartment. “You’ve grown,” Loke told Wendy. 

Wendy nodded enthusiastically. “Juvia let out my skirt because it was a too short.” 

“It’s still a little short,” Natsu said. “I don’t oversee school uniforms, but I get in contact with someone who does.” 

“The length’s fine,” Lucy told him. She looked him straight in the eye. “I have it covered, Natsu. You don’t need to worry.” 

“Then again, half the kids we have to Dress Code anyway,” muttered Laxus. “They don’t wear the god damn uniforms!” Juvia, Levy, and Lucy nodded their heads in agreement. 

“You excited to spend the week with Loke and me, Wendy?” Aries asked. 

Wendy nodded enthusiastically. “It’ll be so fun,” she smiled. “I missed living with you and Lucy.” 

“Wendy,” Loke said softly. “You know your Lucy and I never living together again, right? You know that was only temporary.” 

“I know,” Wendy sighed. 

“And she has Natsu now,” Loke said. “And he’s a really nice guy.” 

“I know that,” Wendy said. “It just hasn’t been that long since you moved out.” 

“Things change,” Loke told her. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t love my little sister any less! You still see me!” 

“Not as much,” Wendy muttered. “I miss you.” 

“I miss you too,” Loke smiled. “But you’ll be seeing even more of me because Lucy’s dating Natsu. So, you should be excited for that. And Aries is excited for you to stay.” 

Wendy smiled as Loke put her down. She ran to Natsu and leaned on him. Natsu felt himself calming down and the jealousy he felt toward his friend dissipate. 

Gajeel spoke who now had his arm wrapped around Levy. “Jellal, Zeref, and Mavis are here. They brought a limou.” 

“And I don’t have to drive!” Loke laughed with glee. “I don’t have to drive!” 

“Wendy,” Lucy said. “Are you all packed for tomorrow?” Lucy asked grabbing her bag. Wendy nodded and held up hers. 

“Let’s move out,” Natsu said. 

Chapter Text

The ride to the palace was uneventful and boring. Something that Lucy was greatly appreciative of seeing the the events of the last few days. She’d gotten a boyfriend who just happened to be next in line for the throne, said boyfriend met her sister, now she was meeting the parents. She looked at Loke who had one arm around Aries whose head rested on his shoulder. Lucy remembered when she was in Aries’s place. 

Move on! She chastised. You missed your chance. You were too much of a coward to admit your feelings. Move on, Lucy. You need to move on. To Loke it was just sex, to you it meant the world. Move on, Lucy. 

She looked at Wendy who was on Natsu’s left side with his arm wrapped around her protectively. Lucy was on his right and he also had his arm wrapped around her. Natsu was warm, Loke wasn’t this warm. Natsu looked down at her. “Enjoying your personal furnace.” 

“I seem to be sharing my furnace with my sister,” she said. Wendy seemed to be sleeping soundly in Natsu’s arms. “She likes you, you know.” 

“I know,” Natsu said. “I hope that means something to you.” 

More than you’ll ever know, Lucy thought. 

Looking behind her, Erza and Jellal were cuddling. Erza’s face the colour of her hair as Jellal was playing with it. Lucy gave Erza a knowing look as her face turned redder. Juvia was draped over Gray who seemed to have no issues with this, but the excessive PDA the couple were doing made Lucy a bit uncomfortable. It made her wanna scream ‘GET A ROOM’. Levy was intently looking out the window while Gajeel couldn’t seem to take his eyes off her. 

How cute, Lucy thought. He’s smitten with her. She was happy for her friend, truely she was. She and Levy had been through a lot together. They were fostered together, they aged out together, they’d been through a lot together. But seeing how happy smitten Gajeel was with her made Lucy wonder if Natsu was actually that enamoured with her or if he was simply doing this to get into her pants for a bit longer. All she knew was she needed to protect Wendy. Maybe Natsu would help her move on from Loke, even if hers and Natsu’s relationship was only supposed to be temporary. 

Cana, Laxus, and Freed were in the back. Cana’s eyes were out the window looking around at the city they’d all grown up in. Laxus, who fashioned himself the oldest sibling, was now looking around at the men who were holding them glaring daggers. Lucy smiled, she was glad somethings never changed. Freed’s eyes were on Laxus. Freed was also holding hands with him. She looked away sadly, they needed to make sure that they were careful. Though LGBT+ relationships were accepted by the public, the royal family had yet to be as forthcoming. For now, the relationship she knew the two of them shared had to be a secret. Even Wendy understood the gravity of keeping it as such, even though she didn’t understand why people cared so much. In truth, neither did Lucy. 

People stopped and bowed to the passing limousine. Lucy did her best to shy away from the bullet proof glass window. Their bowing didn’t seem to phase Jellal, Gajeel, Gray, Zeref, and Mavis, but it did bother the rest of them. Lucy and her family were nobodies. Levy and Juvia had no claim to any money the Fernandeses had. Lucy—though she shared a name with a noble—wasn’t that Lucy Heartfilia. Cana was also a nobody along with Laxus and Freed. And even Erza, whose own mother taught a good portion of the aristocracy self defense, was a nobody as well. Little Wendy didn’t know anything about where she came from besides she most likely had a connection to the Fernandeses somehow. 

“Who’s gonna be there, Zeref?” asked Natsu breaking the silence. 

“All of us, the Strausses,” Zeref said and Natsu groaned. Lucy knew that Natsu and Lisanna had been engaged at one point, but it had fallen through. Apparently it didn’t end on good terms. “And Uncle Macao and Romeo.” 

Natsu’s face seemed to light up at that. Lucy knew that King Macao Conbolt of Stella was Natsu’s uncle. She also knew Natsu was the godfather to Romeo as well. Along with him coming to Fiore to go to school as a ‘sign of goodwill between the two Kingdoms’. Lucy knew he wouldn’t be going to Fairy Tail High though. No Prince was going through metal detectors to go to school with their hands up. She knew this. 

“It’ll be good to see them,” Natsu said. 

“I’ll do my best to keep Lisanna away from you,” Zeref said. 

“Why would you need to do that?” Cana asked.

Wendy stirred. “Furnace,” she muttered. “I’m warm.” She then went back to sleep. 

“She was bit of a stalker and wouldn’t leave me alone,” Natsu said. “Her father nearly had my head when Zeref let it slip what she was doing. I couldn’t go to the bathroom alone.” 

The car shuddered. “Isn’t she engaged to Lord Bixlow?” asked Lucy. 

“Yes,” Natsu said. “That doesn’t mean that she won’t try and go for me.” 

“If that happens, just kick her, Lucy!” sniggered Cana. 

“That’s called assault,” Natsu said. 

“We’ll sick Wendy on her,” laughed Freed. 

“We’re not using Little Wendy as a distraction!” Lucy said. 

“I can do it,” Cana smirked. “It’s not the first time I’ve had to chase away creeps.” 

“You chase away drunk men and then I have to run after you because you get lost,” Laxus said. “She’s much different than them.” Cana grumbled something that Natsu wasn’t able to make out. He shrugged his shoulders, he’d never know now. 

“At least I’m not a flight risk like Lucy,” Cana smiled. 

Lucy rolled her eyes. She was in fact a flight risk when she was drunk. She’d once ran off in Hargeon and if Loke hadn’t gotten her, god knows what would’ve happened. Her being a flight risk was the reason they were all in thus situation in the first place. She looked out the window sheepishly. “Juvia’s just as much of a flight risk as I am. Along with Levy!” 

“You got so drunk in Hargeon that you ran off, found a bar, got into a drinking contest. Won said drinking contest, and then I had to drag you back,” Loke said. “And you get drunk and go off with him!” He motioned to Natsu who shrugged. Lucy rolled her eyes. She was tempted to throw something at Loke at the moment. 

“I’m surprised she’s sleeping through all the commotion,” Gray said changing the subject. 

“She’s good at that,” Laxus smiled looking at the sleeping Wendy on Natsu’s arm. “She was raised by a bunch of people in their teens and twenties.” 

“I’ll be 29 when she graduates,” Lucy laughed. Lucy looked at the sleeping Wendy who seemed to not be bothered that she was now the topic of conversation. “And I would’ve known her for 26 years.” 

“Wow,” Juvia whispered. 

“Time went by,” Loke said sadly. Lucy couldn’t bring herself to meet his gaze. Aries seemed none the wiser to Lucy and Loke. Feelings still lingered even after a year. The two of them knew things couldn’t go back to the way they once were. Had the two fallen for each other, Lucy didn’t know. What they did know was that the question of ‘would they be good together’ would’ve been a different story all together. Lucy knew the answer was ‘no’. Too many things hung in the balance. Wendy, if they broke up, how would their family take it, and how their relationship had started in the first place. 

In the two years she lived with Loke, the two had fallen into a routine. Near the end of their time together, they were effectively acting as a couple. When he got together with Aries, she’d cried for hours after she put Wendy to sleep. Even after a year, she was struggling to move on. They did everything in their power not to fall in love, but it had still crept up on the two of them anyway. 

She saw the way Loke looked at Natsu whenever he was holding Wendy. She knew he saw the way she looked at him still. They both needed to move on, but the two of them constantly being around each other made it hard to do so. So, he threw his time into Aries and she threw her time into Wendy. Both Wendy and Aries were none the wiser to what Loke and Lucy were doing to stave off the grief the pare shared. 

Lucy knew she wasn’t a kept woman when the two lived together, she was his girlfriend. And deep down he knew that to. Though they kept it brief and never when Wendy was around, he kissed her when he came home. He’d come back with takeaway on the weeks he got paid. And one night when Wendy was in bed and Lucy was done grading papers, the two had danced together in the kitchen. There was no music, no fancy lighting, just two people who enjoyed each other’s company having fun. Loke had grabbed her and spun her around and Lucy didn’t protest. Neither of them knew how to slow dance—just being together was enough. She woke up the next day with bruises on her shins—as did Loke. The laughter the two of them shared was something Lucy would always remember. And she’d always remember how he kissed her after. They shared wine, Lucy cooked them something nice, the two had passionate sex in her room where he spent the night and was out of there before Wendy woke up in the morning. They both knew that was their last time having sex together. Lucy hoped she didn’t have to explain that to Natsu’s parents. Looking over at Loke, she knew he was thinking the same thing. Having to explain their relationship wasn’t something they were looking forward to. They both could lose everything if the nature of their relationship got out. They were barely able to deny the dating rumours in the building, they couldn’t do that on the national stage. 

Lucy was pulled from her thoughts when Natsu announced. “We’re at the palace. Welcome to my place.” 

“Whoah,” Wendy said in awe. When did she wake up? “You live here, Natsu?” 

“Yup,” Natsu smiled. “Me, my parents, though they have a separate wing, and my younger brother Ignia, who I think will be here tonight. He also has his own wing.” 

His own wing? Lucy thought. Guy lives in the lap of luxury and I’m stuck in an apartment where we fight the laundry and vending machines. This is how the other half lives. 

Lucy felt a strange sense of déjavu come over her. It felt like she’d driven through these very wrought iron gates before. It felt like she’d in this very rose garden before. She felt like she was supposed to know the place, even though she’d never been to the palace before in her life. She’d only seen photos of the inside and she obviously knew what it looked like from the outside. Seeing as she was able to see it from her livingroom window. 

The Palace stood tall over Magnolia. Lucy and Wendy saw it every time they looked out their window. That sight was a sight she knew very well and something she and Wendy marvelled at during the times neither of them could sleep so they could watch the sunrise. Now, driving up, this place gave on a whole knew meaning. Lucy knew one thing about the Palace that guarded Magnolia—it was built to keep the people like Lucy and her friends out just as much as it was built to keep Natsu and his family in. The snipers that were stationed on the roof told her as much. 

She did her best to shake off those feelings. There was no way she’d been here before. Just because her last name was Heartfilia didn’t mean she had a connection to those Heartfilias. She was a nobody. She grew up in foster care. She was a nobody who’d just so happened to be drunk enough to take the Prince of Fiore home. That’s how she and her family ended up here in the first place. She looked at Laxus and Freed who were looking at each other longingly. Juvia who was happily with Gray as he played with her hair. Gajeel with Levy who she thought was telling her where the library was. Erza and Jellal were both still in their own world. 

It’s right off the main wing, Lucy thought. Natsu’s wing is in the east. 

When the car stopped, the group was greeted by footmen and servants who were grabbing their bags. Wendy clung onto Laxus like a lifeline who seemed to be checking the perimeter for signs of photographers. He looked at Lucy and gave her a reassuring glance. Even though she’d rather not be at the palace right now—or ever—she was glad Laxus was here with her. 

“Where are you taking that!” Cana shouted as a woman with pink hair dressed in a maid’s outfit took her bag, Lucy’s bag, and Wendy’s bag. “THAT’S MINE! THAT HAS IMPORTANT STUFF IN THERE!” Cana was the school’s guidance councillor along with being a lunch lady on the side. There was a lot of student information in her bag. 

“Just to your room,” the maid said. 

“Oh,” Cana said in shock. “Uh, be careful then. Sorry about that. My computer has a lot of important information on it.” 

Looking to her right, Loke seemed to be chatting with one of the people. He was older, had white hair, but was wearing sunglasses and a nice suit. She thought his name was Capricorn. Why did he look familiar as well? 

She looked over at Juvia and Gray who was saying that whichever one of their students doodled on the photo they didn’t mean anything by it. She was trying to smoothe things over with Gray. Wendy was still holding onto Laxus the Liftraft while Erza and Jellal were talking about something she couldn’t pick up. Freed wasn’t too far away from Laxus. Cana was still looking around aimlessly wondering what she was supposed to do and where she was supposed to go. So she walked around a fountain that had dragons on it. Levy and Gajeel were still in their own little world. Lucy felt a twinge of jealousy run through her even though she was happy for the woman she used to share a room with. She was able to have a somewhat normal relationship. Lucy had to save face and drag Wendy along for the ride. Something she felt guilty about doing. 

“NATSU!” an older voice called out. Turning around, Lucy saw an older man with greying black hair, brown eyes, olive skin walking next to a little boy who looked an awful lot like him. She recognised him as King Macao of Stella and his son Prince Romeo. 

Wendy was still holding onto Laxus like a liferaft. Lucy walked over to where the two of them were. “Hey, Wendy,” she smiled. 

“I wanna go home,” she whispered.

“I do to,” Laxus told her. “But we get to go home tomorrow.” 

Lucy agreed with Laxus. She also craved the apartment that require you to hit the laundry machine to get it to work. She also craved the kitchen that was too small. “We’ll be home soon,” Lucy told her. “And then we get to come back on Wednesday.” 

“What’s Wednesday?” asked Wendy. 

Laxus explained to her that there was gonna be a party that she had to attend and that he, Natsu, and the other guys who served with him were getting an award for their bravery. Wendy listened, but she didn’t seem to happy about this. “Will my picture be taken?” She asked. 

“Not if I have anything to do with it,” Laxus told her. “Trust your big brother, Kiddo.” He ruffled her her hair and that got a laugh out of her. 

“Oh!” Natsu laughed. “There you are, Luce. One minute you’re right by me and the next you wander off.” King Macao and Prince Romeo were in tow. “Uncle Macao, meet my girlfriend, Lucy Heartfilia, not of those Heartfilias.” Lucy curtsied, Wendy and Luxus followed suit. “This is her little sister Wendy that she has custody of.” 

“YOU’RE A FATHER, NATSU!” King Macao laughed. He then turned and embraced Lucy with a hug. Wendy valiantly clung to Natsu’s looking at the man for help. “I never thought I’d see him settle down!” He looked down to look at Wendy. She curtsied to the two of them and Lucy did the same thing. “You’re more beautiful in person,” he told Lucy, eyeing her up and down and stopping slightly at her boobs. If she wasn’t meeting Natsu’s family for the first time and if he wasn’t a King and could have her head, she’d slap him. 

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Lucy smiled. Wendy was still holding onto Natsu’s leg. The poor girl was overwhelmed and Lucy knew Natsu and the others could sense that too. 

“Hey,” Romeo smiled, kissing Wendy’s hand. “I’m Romeo.”

Wendy looked at her hand amazed and her face turned as Scarlet as Erza’s hair. “I’m Wendy.” 

“Dad, can Wendy and I go off somewhere?” Prince Romeo asked. 

“Sure,” his dad said. “You two go off.”

Wendy looked up a Lucy hopefully finally letting go of Laxus’s leg. Laxus was now trying not to glare daggers at the Prince. “Just stay where one of us can see you.” The looked happy at this prospect and bolted off. 

“MAKE SURE YOU DON’T FALL!” shouted King Macao.

Please don’t fall, you’ll be wearing that blue dress Juvia got you more often, Lucy thought.  

Lucy looked over at Romeo and Wendy and she tried to hold back the sadness. This was suppossed to be temporary. Until Natsu could find a way out of the relationship for her. Lucy’s heart and mind had different ideas for them, unfortunately for her. Wendy liked Natsu and so did Lucy. She could see him as a friend—maybe even more than that. Looking at Wendy, she knew how much she missed Loke living with them. It would be another heartbreak for her when the two eventually ‘brokeup’. She didn’t want a repeat of what happened with her and Loke to happen to her and Natsu. Maybe Wendy was a child of divorce after all and Lucy kept the kid, the house, and the couch. 

“They grow up so fast,” King Macao pointed out. 

“I know,” Lucy sighed. “I first met her when she was two and she was placed in the same group home I was living in. And now she’s ten and she’s in middle school next year.” 

“How’d that happen?” Laxus wondered. “She’s four and you, Levy, Juvia, and Cana are running through the streets when the bombs are Cana’s banging on my grandfather’s door.” 

“We blinked,” Lucy sighed. “Hopefully she shows that she wasn’t raised by a bunch of people in their teens and twenties.” 

“You got custody of her, right?” King Macao asked. “And you lived with his driver for two years?” 

“He moved out last year,” Lucy sighed. “We’re just friends. We also grew up together. He was living at Laxus’s grandpa’s place when Levy, whose with Gajeel, Juvia, who’s with Gray, and Cana, and I all lived there for a short period of time. So, we might as well be like siblings at this rate.” 

“I also hated her,” Loke laughed looking down at her. He seemed hurt that she’d call him a sibling. They both knew that was a lie. And just like Natsu and Lucy, 

“What?” Natsu asked in shock. “You guys hated each other?” 

Lucy laughed. She knew that was hard to comprehend seeing he knew what the two had done. “Yup,” she said. “I thought he was a stupid, idiot, playboy who was full of himself. He thought I was stuck-up and bossy.” The two couldn’t help but laugh at all the stupid arguments they shared. All the late-night fights. And worst of all, their friends would call it a ‘lover’s squabble’. Something that riled the two of them up even more. 

“I’ve called her, and I quote ‘A stuck-up, know it all, whiney little princess with a stick so far up her ass I was shocked it didn’t come out of her mouth,” Loke admitted. Lucy laughed at the childhood taunt. 

“I responded by throwing an STD test at him,” she sniggered. “Hit him square in the eye to. Then I said ‘Oh, no, what’s your Monday girlfriend gonna do about the fact you have a black eye.” 

“The more I find out about your relationship the more it confuses me,” Natsu admitted. 

“NATSU!” A woman’s voice called. “Macau, stop hogging my son’s girlfriend!” A woman with black hair, black eyes, and looked an awful lot like Zeref came sprinting towards Lucy, Natsu, Laxus, and Maccao. Followed closely behind was a tall and stoic man who had pink hair like Natsu, olive skin, and the same eyes as him. Lucy gulped, these were the King and Queen. 

“Wendy!” Lucy called.

“Romeo!” Natsu shouted. The two kids stopped their walk around the garden and ran toward them. 

Wendy saw the King and Queen and her face went pale. She held onto Natsu’s leg, leaving Laxus, Freed, and Loke a bit hurt. Both Wendy and Lucy curtsied. “Oh, wow,” Queen Grandeeney said. “She is more beautiful than the pictures make her out to be. You have such good cheekbones, good bone structure.” Queen Grandineey’s hand went to Lucy’s face and was very close to her neck. Lucy instinctively tried to back away, but was stopped by Natsu and Wendy. Wendy looked just as terrified as Lucy was in that moment. Lucy didn’t like hands near her neck. The only people who knew why were Laxus, Freed, Erza, Wendy, Levy, Juvia, and Loke. 

Before Lucy could scream, Laxus’s hand shot up and slapped it away from Lucy. She gave Laxus an appreciative look, but then realised the gravity of the situation. Laxus seemed to notice the gravity of the situation to. “Please, Your Majestys,” pleaded Laxus. “This was just purely an instinct. You see, my little sister here doesn’t like it when people go near her face or neck. I was just protecting her—” 

“Calm down,” laughed King Igneel. “I’m just shocked that someone would openly do that.” 

“As I said, Your Majesty,” Laxus pleaded. “It was a reflex.” 

“How long have you known her?” asked King Macao. “You two seem close.” 

“Since I was fifteen and she was twelve,” Laxus answered. “That was the first time she stayed with us. When she was 15 my grandfather got custody of her, Levy, Juvia, Loke, and Freed here. Erza and her mother moved right next door so we all grew close.” 

“Certainly didn’t help that we all got drafted into the same unit,” Loke responded reaching up to pat Laxus on the shoulder. Laxus was the tallest of the group and acted as the oldest. Something he fit into very well. 

“So, what’s the order?” asked King Macao. Laxus, Loke, Freed, and Lucy were a bit confused on that. 

“What do you mean?” asked Freed. 

“Who do you guys consider the oldest and and youngest?” King Macao asked. That’s when ir clicked for all of them what the King of their closest ally wanted to know from the group of deliquents. 

Laxus cleared his throat. “Me, then Loke, then Freed, then Erza, then Levy, then Cana, Lucy, Juvia, followed last by Wendy.” Wendy blushed as she looked at Romeo, who was now playing with her blue hair. 

“Can Wendy and I go somewhereelse?” asked Romeo taking Wendy’s hand. The youngest member of the group turned the same colour as Erza’s hair. “I wanna show her the the game room!” 

“You have a gameroom,” Wendy said in amazement. “In my apartment, we have a gameroom, but we mainly play darts, fussball, and pool.” 

“Sure,” King Igneel said. 

“Stay where we can see you,” Lucy smiled. Loke was glaring daggers, along with Laxus and Freed. Lucy lightly jabbed Laxus, who startled Freed, who made Loke jump a bit. 

“But you can’t see us in the gameroom,” grumbled Prince Romeo. 

“Exactly,” Lucy smiled. 

“Oh, it’ll be fine!” King Macao laughed patting her on the back. “We’ll talk about betrothal soon enough.” 

“What?” Lucy asked in shock. 

“Their engagement, it’ll—” 

“NO!” Loke, Laxus, and Freed cried before Lucy could even open her mouth to object to the ridiculous offer. 

“Absolutely not,” Lucy said. It took every fibre of her being to not attack King Macao for even suggesting something that horrid. The King was insane if he thought she’d sell her sister off like that. After everything Lucy had gone through to get Windy, after everything she’d sacrificed. It would be a cold day in hell that she would even agree to sell Wendy like that. 

“Forget it, Uncle,” Natsu snapped. He looked even angrier than Loke. “I can’t believe you’d suggest such a thing. She’s not a piece of property and your son’s life isn’t yours to control!” 

He got right in his Uncle’s face. Though Natsu was tall, he was intimidating his Uncle. Lucy realised things could get bad. “Natsu!” She pleaded, holding Natsu’s hand. She tried not to freak out at this action. “That’s enough! You might scare Wendy!” 

“I’m not scared of Natsu, I’m scared of him!” Wendy cried pointing at King Macao. “I don’t wanna get married.”

Natsu stopped the intimidation and picked up Wendy. “I’m not arranging a marriage for you,” assured Natsu. “Don’t worry.” 

“Thank gods,” Wendy sobbed. “I don’t wanna get married.”

“I don’t blame you,” Lucy told her. She glared at King Macao. “You’re not getting married.” 

“I’m too young,” she whimpered. 

“It doesn’t matter if you’re eighty, you’re never getting married,” Natsu said. 

“FATHER!” Prince Romeo cried. “REALLY! NOW YOU’VE SCARED HER!” 

“Is that Natsu holding a kid?” A woman asked. 

“Oh, my, it is!” another person said. 

“Who would’ve thought Natsu would be acting like a dad to a little kid,” another girl said. “It’s cute.” 

“He’s a real man!” A guy said. 

“Elfman,” laughed Gray. “How ya been, man?” 

“Hey, Natsu!” A woman with long white hair giggled. 

“Hey!” A woman with short white hair smiled holding the hand a of man who hopefully was Lord Bixlow. Lucy gulped, she recognised the women. The older one was Mirajane Strauss of the Mountains. She was a beautiful woman and said to be one of the most beautiful in the Kingdom. She did some modelling work on the side. The youngest one was Lisanna, also known as Natsu’s ex-fiance. Lucy gulped, this would be interesting.

Chapter Text

The Strauss Siblings joined where they all were standing. Gajeel and Levy were standing not too from Natsu and Lucy. Erza and Jellal were holding hands happily. Juvia and Gray weren’t too far from them as well. Cana was seen trying to avoid a man with auburn hair and brown eyes. She calmly walked over to the group and placed herself in between Laxus and Loke. The two proceeded to activate Big Brother Mode and glared at the man. He stepped away and Cana breathed a sigh of relief. “Who’s this little cutie?” The oldest—Mirajane was her name—asked. 

“I’m Wendy,” she whispered. “Don’t touch my face.” Mirajane’s hand went back down to her side. 

Loke was glaring daggers at King Macao and was now being held onto by Laxus and Freed whose looks could also kill King Macao. Erza was being held back by Jellal who seemed to be unphased by his somewhat-girlfriend’s actions. Wendy and Levy were looking furious that someone would even suggest that and Wendy was still cowering in Natsu’s arms. “One more mention of an engagement between my sister, who I am in charge of, and we all head out.” 

Wendy looked hopeful at that suggestion. King Macao looked at Natsu amazed. Lucy realised King Macao couldn’t comprehend Natsu being this responsible. “I’m Lisanna,” Lisanna smiled at Lucy. She reached out and shook her hand enthusiastically and pulled her close to her, whispering in her ear. “Trust me, you’re much better off with him that I was. I didn’t wanna be in that engagement just as much as Natsu did.” 

“Oh,” Lucy said amazed. I didn’t want this either. Lucy thought. You and I share that in common. I can respect what you did. “It’s nice to meet you as well.” Lucy didn’t know if Lisanna was only acting like this to get Lucy’s guard down or if she was actually being truthful. So, she decided to keep her guard up and not let Lisanna get close to her in case she was planning something. Lucy had grown up on the streets, she knew to never let her guard down. The Palace wasn’t East Magnolia, but it was still something she had to be weary of. She was a fish out of water and she was on their hometurf. 

Elfman, the middle Strauss sibling and the one poised to inherit the title of ‘Lord of the Mountains’, was someone she recognised. She’d seen photos of him from Laxus, Loke, and Freed’s time in the military. He was also in Natsu’s unit along with Gray and Gajeel. “I’m Elfman,” he said. “Hard to believe you four were the women these three were writing to.” He patted Loke on the shoulder, completely unaware of what had just transpired beforehand. 

“And I’m Mira,” Mirajane explained. She looked over at Laxus and took a few steps back a bit. Lucy, Levy, Cana, and Juvia held back their laughter. There was no way Laxus would look at Mira that way. He was taken by Freed in all but name. Lucy looked at Loke who was now glaring daggers at the man with auburn hair. She knew what that was like. 

Loke glared at the man with auburn hair, but decided against talking to him. Cana looked visibly shaken up by the ordeal. She told the girls she’d talk about it later. “Let’s head inside,” Queen Grandeeney said. “We’re all here.” 

The group walked into the castle, Wendy was walking next to Romeo who was apologising profusely for his dad. Wendy seemed appreciative of this. Lucy, along with Cana, Levy, Erza, and Juvia thought the way the two of them were acting was cute. Loke, Laxus, Freed, and Natsu didn’t seem to think this was as cute. 

Wendy and Romeo sprinted off to the gameroom, leaving the adults behind. Loke, looking like the cocnerned father who just watched his daughter go off to Prom, had to be distracted by Aries. “They’re just kids, Loke,” she told him. 

“I know that,” Loke said his eyes not leaving the direction Wendy and Romeo sprinted off to. “It’s nice that she has someone her own age.” 

“Then why do you look like a dad who just watched his daughter’s Prom Date pick her up?” Lucy asked. She had to admit, she did find this amusing. Loke had always been protective over Wendy. That protectivness got worse when the two of them moved in with him. 

 Loke sighed and looked at the direction of the gameroom. “Where’d the time go, Lucy?” He asked her in all sincerity. “I just put together her bedframe and we just brought her home after you signed the papers. Now, I moved out and I’m missing everything.” 

Lucy laughed. She remembered the night they brought Wendy home as well. Lucy also looked at him pained. “I don’t regret moving out, but now—” 

“I know,” Lucy said. “I know.” Loke didn’t move into one of the buildings owned by Gray, but he still lived on the East side with Aries. Now, because of his work schedule driving Natsu around everywhere, Loke didn’t get to see them as much as he liked. It had been at least six months since they all got to hang out together. They used to be able to do it once or twice week. She remembered the movie nights the three of them shared, she remembered when he’d bring home takeaway for the two of them, she remembered Loke handing Wendy her lunch for school. Loke acted as her dad for years and then he left. Wendy missed him, Lucy missed him as well. She knew he missed them. The two of them planned for everything, but not this. 

“At least with you dating Natsu I can see her more,” Loke whispered holding onto Aries tightly. “You live with someone for two years, you can’t help but get attached.” 

“You lived with her longer than that,” Laxus said looking off in the distance. 

Loke’s demenour changed as he looked at Natsu. “You better take good care of her, Natsu. Both of them.” He looked at Lucy for a split second with longing and remembrance. Maybe they didn’t try as hard as they thought they did for their ‘relationship’. Maybe they actually could have made it work between the two. Maybe they could’ve been a couple and Wendy could have parents who loved each other. Looking at Aries, who seemed none the wiser to her boyfriend and her friend’s hidden feelings, Lucy knew she had to let go. 

She wasn’t Loke’s, she never had been. He wasn’t hers, he never had been. The two had naïvely thought their feelings would dissipate overnight and they knew that hadn’t been the case. Now, they had to face the music of sleeping with someone you’d known since childhood. Now, they had to pretend they weren’t exes in all but name. She had to pretend she never loved him and she didn’t cry for hours while holding Carla the night he moved out. Loke had to pretend he didn’t miss her and Wendy. They had to pretend they both moved on. Maybe this would be an issue for Loke after all. Maybe this would be an issue for Lucy as well. 

“You two lived together?” asked Lisanna. 

“Yeah,” Loke said. “Wendy had one room, Lucy had the other, I took the couch. We were just roommates and nothing more.” 

“Nothing more?” asked Mira. “Just friends.” 

“It’s kinda hard to sleep with someone you’ve had to share a room with,” Loke said. He looked at Levy, Erza, Cana, and Juvia. “She’s too much like a sister to me.” 

“Plus you could never sleep with someone ‘who has a stick shoved so far up her own ass that he’s suprised it hasn’t come out her mouth.” 

Loke, Levy, Cana, Erza, Freed, Juvia, and Laxus laughed at Lucy’s statement. Even Lucy was having a hard time not laughing. They all remembered the argument that ended in a full-blown fist-fight between Loke and Lucy. No one remembered who exactly threw the first punch, but they did remember the two of them having to be pulled apart before they ruined Markarov’s house even more than the bombs already had. It had taken both Laxus and Freed to get Lucy off of Loke. The two were left with two pares of black eyes and Loke was left with a broken nose. The two of them met eyes once again and shook their heads in amazement. Where had the time gone for them as well? From two kids fighting over everything, to lovers, to coparents, to friends, the two had seen a lot together. That wasn’t something the two could throw away. They’d have to see each other, they were family after all. 

“That was oddly specific,” Lord Bixlow said in shock. 

“We got into a bad fight when we were younger,” Loke laughed. 

“That’s putting that mildly!” laughed Cana. Cana explained the fight which seemed to horrify the monarchs, but made Loke and Lucy laugh even more. Aries seemed to be completely immune to this. 

“No one can remember who swung first,” Loke admitted. “But Lucy here sure as hell finished it.” He patted her head. 

“My head’s still not for patting!” Lucy groaned swatted Loke’s hand away. He always did this to her and it annoyed her greatly. But when he was away at war, she missed the headpats. Though she would never tell him that. It would only add to his ego that was size of the ocean. 

“So, where are you all from?” asked Queen Grandeeney hopeful to change the subject of conversation from when her son’s driver was beaten by his son’s girlfriend. 

“We’re all from Magnolia,” Freed said. 

“What part?” asked Elfman. 

“The East,” explained Erza. 

“The East!” Bixlow laughed. “Be careful, Natsu, they might pick your pockets to see what they can sell.” 

“What did you just say, Lord Bixlow?” snarled Erza. “Are you saying my siblings would steal from you?” 

Bixlow backed off after one look from the Scarlet-haired woman. Erza could be intimidating. Lucy glared at him as well. She knew it wasn’t the first time she’d stollen, she had to put food on the table somehow. It was the middle of the war and they were starving. When Wendy needed medicine during the war, they stole. When Lucy needed something, they stole. Levy, being small and fast, had stollen a lot of supplies from the Alvarez Army. Something she felt guilty about, even though Alvarez was the invading army. Even Laxus, Freed, and Loke weren’t exepmpt from the fact they had stollen things as well to keep afloat. 

Lucy was also very well aware that the people in Natsu’s tax bracket knew nothing of what Lucy and her family had to do to survive. They couldn’t comprehend Lucy making a deal with Loke for sex if he helped her get Wendy out of fostercare. They didn’t know what it was like to have to go to bed hungry and worry about whether the child in your care had food to eat tomorrow. Or choosing between the utilities or rent. They didn’t have to worry about their landlord raising the rent like Gray was doing at the end of the month. 

“Only when we had to,” Juvia said. “I don’t expect you guys to know what it’s like to have to worry about the lights shutting off because you’re debating on utilities or food and chose food.” 

“Or have to live with someone you notoriously don’t get along with just so you have a place to live so you’re not staying in a Displaced Persons camp,” Lucy shrugged holding onto Nastu.  

Lucy remembered looking the other way when she saw a few of her students steal something from the store so they could eat. Hell, Wendy knew how to pick locks, a trick she picked up from Cana, so they could survive. “You do what you have to do to survive,” Loke shrugged. “At the end of the day, it’s what we all do.” Loke looked around the Palace. She wondered how he was feeling right now. The servant was dining with the master. The roles were reversed now. He looked at Lucy for a final time. 

Lucy remembered when Loke, Laxus, and Freed had come back from the war. Her, Erza, Markarov, Levy, Wendy, Juvia, and Irene had never cried so hard in their lives. The boys were home, they were alive, all would be okay. 

“How the other half lives,” shrugged Levy looking at her cousin Jellal and then away. “When Juvia’s mom and my mom died, we were left with nothing. It didn’t matter that we were acknowledged children of someone in the Fernades family, we were shipped off to foster care. I don’t expect any of you to know what that’s like. I don’t expect any of you to know what it’s like to see people who hate you for just existing because you’re a reminder of someone’s broken vow. Even though she knew what she married into. I don’t expect you to know what it’s like to get hit because you weren’t fast enough. Or have to take shifts sleeping because the man who’s taking care of you is known to get hands when you’re asleep so you and your sisters divy up who’s awake at night. You don’t know what it’s like to be so poor that you’re scraping paste off the wall so you have something to eat!” 

Gajeel placed his hand on Levy’s shoulder before Laxus, Loke, or Freed could get there. “We don’t,” he told her. He then glared at Bixlow. “And frankly, he shouldn’t’ve have even insinuated that you guys would steal.” 

“We live in a whole different world than you guys do!” Juvia snapped, her voice on the edge of tears. Gray was holding her tightly now in an attempt to calm her down. Laxus was also ready to jump in if need be. Big Brother to the rescue. “We have nothing! We don’t have land, we don’t have titles. Lucy just so happens to share a name with a dead noble! You have everything you could ever want! Worst of all, Levy and I watched as Jellal was given everything and we’d be hit if we even asked for a sliver of what he had. So, insinuating that my siblings and I would steal from you guys who haven’t done anything worthy of note outside of battle aside from Loke who was willing to put his life on hold so he could help Lucy over here get Wendy out of foster care! You Bixlow insinuating that my siblings and I would steal from you guys is a slap in the face to everything we’ve worked for!” Her voice broke. “Even if we sell something you get for us, you can’t hold it against us. So, what if we were thinking about selling something one of them got for us to make rent. We need a place to live!” 

Lucy had told her sisters about the dress. She also decided to not tell Natsu she was planning on selling the dress Natsu got her for a payday. It was made with real diamond, that was enough to pay her rent for a while, get food, and get Wendy a new uniform blazer. There would money left over as well. What Natsu saw as an every day expense Lucy saw as giant payday. Rare books and artefacts were second nature to Natsu. To Lucy they were things seen rarely and only behind glass. Last night he told her ‘he could buy her more’ when he ripped the dress to shreds to get to see her sooner. To her what was a gross display of opulence was Natsu’s everyday purchase. 

Juvia stormed away and Gray went after. Natsu was glaring at Bixlow and Bixlow shuddered. “You insulted my girlfriend’s family,” he said. “I’m amazed you’d be so bold.” 

“Come on, man,” Bixlow said. 

“I didn’t find it funny,” Natsu said. “You leave Luce and her family alone. Don’t mention that. Need I remind you served with Loke, Laxus, and Freed? Or did you forget that? Did you forget that Freed’s the reason you’re still standing? Or did that conveniently slip your mind as well, Bixlow?”  

Bixlow didn’t say anything to respond to that. Juvia had now come back with Gray and she muttering about Bixlow was ‘a selfish jerk who needed to get out of his bubble.’ Gray’s arm was wrapped protectively around Juvia and Natsu followed suit with Lucy. She instantly felt herself calm down when she was in Natsu’s arms. Queen Grandeeney seemed to be amazed that Natsu had his arm wrapped around Lucy. She didn’t meet the Queen’s gaze. 

Lucy recalled from all the nights Loke held her in his arms, she never felt as safe as she did in Natsu’s at this very moment. There was no warm feeling, there was no feeling of safety. She felt comfortable with Loke, but she didn’t remember him holding her feeling like this. I could stay like this forever, Lucy thought dreamily.  

“I—” 

Cana scoffed and looked at the auburn haired man. She then looked away. Cana looked like she recognised the man, but she didn’t tell her where she’d seen him. Something about him reminded Lucy of Cana, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. 

“I didn’t mean anything by it,” Bixlow pleaded. 

“Likely story,” scoffed Freed. “Maybe I should’ve left your unconsicience self near where the bombs were dropping!” 

Bixlow turned pale. Lucy, Levy, Cana, Juvia, and Erza looked at Freed in shock. It was normal for the boys to not talk about the war. In fact they avoided it like the plague. Anytime Wendy asked them they responded ‘maybe some other time’. Same with the students too. The only reason why she knew about Loke’s ‘Hargeon Stunt’ as he liked to call it was because it was all over the news. Loke, along with Natsu and the rest of his unit, had all been awarded for their bravery during the war. They’d be receiving more on Wednesday with the anniversary of the Peace Treaty being signed. The same Peace Treaty that was brokered by Zeref and Mavis. The couple was mysteriously absent from the group. Lucy was jealous about that. 

Lucy thought of Mavis and Zeref and how happy the two of them looked together. She hoped that Natsu would want something more than what they had so they could be that happy. In only two short days, the Playboy had managed to weasel his way into her good graces. Something that perplexed her. They were from two different worlds and yet all because she had one too many drinks she had the bright idea to bring him home with her. Now, they were here and no one was pleased with their latest predicament. 

“Virgo here is going to show you to your rooms,” King Igneel said stepping in between Freed and Bixlow. Freed looked like he was about to throw a punch. “Lucy, you’ll be with my son.” 

Of course she would. She didn’t expect anything less. “Is there a room for my sister there?” she asked. 

“Yes,” Queen Grandeeney said. “She won’t be too far from you.” 

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Lucy smiled. “I appreciate that.” 

“The rest of your,” she looked around at the group and focused on Loke, “siblings will be in the Guest Wing.” The way the Queen said ‘siblings’ and focused on Loke made Lucy uncomfortable. She hoped Natsu’s parents were aware of their highly frowned upon and mutually satisfying relationship. She was glad Wendy didn’t know about it to say the very least. She didn’t even want to imagine what she would’ve thought if she found out about their relationship. She’d lose trust and respect for Loke forever. And Lucy couldn’t have that. Loke felt just as shitty about the relationship as Lucy did. Lucy didn’t know much about what the Royal Family knew about hers and Loke’s relationship, but she did know one thing: poverty and war brought out the desperation in people. 

“The Guest Wing,” Wendy whispered in awe. Virgo, a woman dressed in a maid outfit with pink hair that reminded Lucy of Aries’s hair came behind the corner. Romeo and Wendy weren’t too far behind her. “Is that where you’re staying, Romeo?” 

“No,” Romeo said. “I’m in Uncle Natsu’s wing,” he explained. 

“That’s where I was put too!” Wendy smiled. Lucy turned to see Laxus, Freed, and Loke trying hard not to object to this fact. Lucy wasn’t surprised Natsu’s godson was placed in his wing of the Palace, but she also knew how protective the three men were of Wendy. She knew they all viewed themselves as quasi-father figures to her. The fact that a guy would be staying in the same place as her, someone she seemed to get along with, was upsetting to them. One thing was for certain, their little sister was growing up. And they didn’t like it one bit. 

The group split, Wendy, Natsu, Lucy, and Romeo in one direction. The rest of the group in the other being led by Virgo and the auburn-haired man who seemed to be looking at Cana with tears in his eyes. 

Jellal was showing Erza to his quarters. Juvia was with Gray. Cana was by herself it seemed and Levy was with Gajeel. As Wendy and Romeo chatted, Lucy looked at Natsu, who took Lucy’s hand in his. She wanted to scream for joy. 

When they got to the wing, Natsu showed Wendy to her room, which was right next to Romeo’s. After they dropped off the kids, Natsu took Lucy to his room. Where her stuff had shown up no doubtly brought up by Virgo. 

Looking around the room, Lucy marvelled at how clean and spacious it was. She’d seen Laxus’s room growing up, it was never this neat. Ever since Freed moved in he’d done a lot to keep the place tidy. She wondered how often the maids cleaned in here. 

There was a nice four poster king-sized bed. The comforter was velvet black and the pillows looked like they were made from the finest silk. Looking in the corner, there was a desk made out of a very nice wood Lucy didn’t recognise. A photo of Natsu, Zeref, and his youngest brother Ignia was placed in the corner of it. Lucy realised how much both Natsu and Ignia looked like King Igneel while Zeref the oldest looked like Queen Grandeeney. There was also a photo of a ten year-old Natsu with a little girl who was no older than six. She had straight blonde hair, brown eyes, and pale skin. She looked a lot like Lucy when she was her age. Judging by the photo, it looked like the Important Lucy Heartfilia. Lucy knew she and Natsu had been best friends. Lucy couldn’t imagine what it would’ve been like to lose Cana, Levy, or Juvia at that age. Yet, he lost her and he never got to burry her. 

The walls were blue. Shelves filled the walls with books Lucy wondered if Natsu even read. In the corner was a walk-in closet and there was a door that lead to the bathroom. The carpet was a maroon colour that somehow didn’t clash with the walls. Something stood out to Lucy like a sore thumb, Natsu’s room—unlike hers—was almost completely devoid of personal things. It was as if he had no attachment to it. Only two things showed the room belonged to the next King of Fiore, the family photo and him and Lucy. 

Natsu took off his shirt leaving him only in his jeans and socks. Lucy’s eyes looked him up and down and then turned away blushing profusely. He was a prince, she shouldn’t be objectifying him like that. “Don’t be ashamed, Luce,” he smirked. “This is yours.” He took a seat on the bed and started kissing down her neck. Lucy’s breath hitched in her throat as his right hand travelled down in between her legs. She held back a moan and managed to get way from Natsu before he could continue. She wanted to have some fun with him. 

“For the time being,” Lucy reminded him. She looked at him suggestively. “Have anything planned for us?” She was hopeful she’d be able to have him before dinner. Yes, she was still sore from last night, but she didn’t care. It had been years since someone railed her like Natsu had. She was allowed to enjoy it while she had him. 

“Do you wanna join me in the shower?” Natsu asked dragging her into the bathroom, the two of them stripping each other between kisses. 

“Happily,” she smirked. She smirked to herself, Natsu was hers and not Lisanna's.