A/N: It is the natural order of things for a parent to fall into a good cop or bad cop role.
- Also, I'm shamelessly hocking my two fanfics, Poking a Sleeping Dragon and Tempting a Dragon. Take a peek if you're interested!
DISCLAIMER: Mashima's characters with the exception of the kid.
Big puppy eyes wouldn't release her from its gaze, but she was a hardened marshal. She could withstand anything he threw at her. The face scrunched up as tears pooled at the corners, the lip trembling ever so slightly. Below their feet was a shattered vase, completely melted and taken apart from the inside-out. The tears grew and spilled over, pink hair shook rapidly back and forth as he continued to stare at her.
"I don't believe you," she said firmly, as she crossed her arms over her round belly. Nonplused the little boy grunted and crossed his arms, dropping his act, seeing as it had no effect on her. Their battle of the wills, found throughout history in every parent-child relationship, was interrupted as the door burst open. Her partner waltzed in with a huge grin on his face as he threw his knapsack on the floor. Lucy frowned as the caked on mud scattered its way across the floor. Natsu ignored the daggers she was throwing with her eyes to squat down and extend his arms wide.
"Daddy's home!" he said with a huge grin. His son's face mirrored his own as he leapt straight for the outstretched arms with a loud shriek and smile. Natsu began throwing his son high into the air, before suddenly flipping him backwards over his head, quickly catching the boy by his feet. This antic was swiftly followed by a toss into the air again for more somersaults. The human juggling ball was nothing but a blur of pink hair, laughter rang out gleefully as the world began to spin rapidly. Finally, Natsu caught him, grinning proudly. The little one's eyes were spinning for a few more moments before he shook his head to clear it. Smiling, he raised his arms excitedly to demand yet another round. Lucy cleared her throat loudly and the boy instantly flinched and hunched forward, forgetting he was in trouble. He quickly flipped his metaphorical switch and turned his killer puppy eyes on his father, a little finger pointing accusingly at his mother across the room.
"Ah, is Mama being mean again?" said Natsu sympathetically as he knelt to eye-level with his son, affectionately rubbing his palm over the boy's head. "I feel for ya' man."
"Who's being mean?!" Lucy shouted, waving her arms around. Natsu grinned ear to ear and gracefully stood to look at his very pregnant wife.
"Ah, don't be mad, Lucy, especially now that your knight in shining armor is home." He approached quickly and swept her up in his arms as he showered her with kisses. "I missed you," he whispered. Lucy couldn't seem to hold out against his affections as she finally broke out into a smile. "I missed you too." He looked over her shoulder as he kissed her long and hard. Making eye contact with his son, he glanced at the boy's bedroom door. Taking the hint, he took off, making his getaway.
Suddenly, a flurry of feathers and blue fur swooped down from the beams above on the fugitive, holding the boy up by the back of his pants. Lucy smiled as she turned to the little perpetrator.
"Thanks Happy," she said as Natsu's jaw dropped.
"You traitor!"
"Twaytaw!" shouted the little boy, struggling to get back down. The cat shrugged with a grin.
"Lucy's scary when she's pregnant," he offered up as an excuse. Natsu immediately saw he was found out and tried to make a quick exit only to have his own pants being yanked up painfully by his lovely wife.
"Where do you think you're going?"
"To the guild?" he asked hopefully. He saw immediately that was not going to be an option. So much for a carefree return home.