Monster's in the Night

NaLu Week 2018 Day 3 Bedroom Prompt- AU Next Gen Story

"Tonight's gonna be stormy," Lucy looks up from her book and gazes out their bedroom window with a motherly concern.

"So?" her husband doesn't even stop scrolling on his phone, "what's the big deal?"

"Natsu, the kids might get scared, maybe I should go check on them."

"They're 7 and they should be asleep already," putting down his phone to snuggle to her side, "they'll be fine."

Lucy puts the book on the nightstand and turns off the light, settling close to her husband, "I hope you're right…"

At the first thundering boom, Nashi's eyes pop wide open, the second making her flinch as she pulls the blanket tighter around her. Cracks of lightning and the sounds of rain beating against the windows in a blustery gale, shadows jumping, dancing around the room like those scary creatures Ryuu had told her existed in the darkness. Up till now, her mother's insistence that they were just made up to scare her had pushed away those fears but maybe her brother had been right! She freezes, what if her twin had been telling the truth? Another streak of energy streams along the sky making the darkness light up in a strange purple color, and several seconds later the rumbling boom comes, shaking the house slightly.

She leaps out of bed, running to her brother's room and jumping under his covers.

"What the?" The sudden bombardment onto his bed bounces Ryuu almost off it. Startled and angry he yanks the blankets back. "What are you doing in my room!"

"The…" Another frenzied streak lights up the window, followed swiftly by a boom. "That!" Nashi yanks the blanket from her brother back over her head. "I-It's making monsters in my room!"

Ryuu hears the unmistakable simpering of his twin, "Ugh, there's no such thing as monsters."

"But you said they're real!"

"I lied to scare you. Come on!" he tugs at the blankets, "go back to your own room!"

"I don't wanna be alone!"

"Then go sleep with mom and dad ya big cry baby!"

"I'm not a ba…" Boom! Nashi screams and even Ryuu flinches, the thunder sounded much closer to the house now. He feels his sister trembling and frankly he couldn't blame her for he was just as scared but there was no way he was going to admit it. He was the boy and boys don't get scared, boys don't cry.

"Nashi I'm taking you to mom and dad, you can sleep with them." It was the easiest way he could think of to get her out of his bed and out of his room, and still maintain the illusion that he wasn't afraid. Ryuu holds her hand hoping it would make her feel better, "come on, I'll take you." More rumbles and flashes pester the two children as they walk down the hallway to their parent's bedroom. The light was off meaning they were asleep but that wasn't going to deter Ryuu.

He pokes at his mom's side, pushing on her a couple times until the woman stirred and mumbled something, "Mom! Nashi's scared of the storm, can she sleep with you and dad?"

"Hmm," Lucy can barely open her eyes, "Ryuu?"

"I said Nashi is scared of the storm, can she sleep with you and dad?"

"Oh, yes," she moves over so there is space in the middle, "baby, of course you can."

"See, told ya," he prompts Nashi onto the bed, where she crawls under the covers between their parents. Lucy wraps her arms around her daughter, kisses her forehead and falls back asleep.

Satisfied that he was rid of his sister, Ryuu leaves, but just as the door closes behind him, a boom, the loudest and most violent one yet, rocks the house. He races back to his room and jumps under the blankets, huddling under them, and squeezing his eyes shut against the bright light that continues to illuminate his room. It was relentless at this point, the constant droning sound of heavy rain, spliced with thunder, and lightning, over and over it repeated itself like the storm had decided to target their house and destroy it. Ryuu whimpers, fighting back the desire to cry, remember, he was a big boy now, and big boys don't get scared. 'Please go away! Please go away! Please go away!' he chanted in his head…

The next morning, Lucy stretches the morning stiffness out of her frame when her arms hit something. Assuming it was her husband, she rolls over and opens her eyes, ready to get him up for the day when she sees them. She smiles at the adorable scene, 'just like when they were little,' her twins asleep between their parents, Nashi next to her mom and Ryuu next to his dad.

Lucy remembers that Nashi had come in the night before but at some point Ryuu must have snuck back too and wormed his way onto the bed. She chuckles, that he was lucky Natsu hadn't squished him since he tended to move around in his sleep. But then again, when the toddlers used to sleep with them, her husband had managed to curb that nightly behavior, maybe subconsciously he knew better.

That's when she notices Ryuu's hand on Nashi's back, in almost a comforting gesture. Oh, if that didn't just melt her. Her little tough guy that idolized his father and hated to look weak was being nice to his sister. Lucy reaches over, careful not to wake the two children and pokes at her husband's arm. "Natsu," she whispers, "Natsu…"

"Mmm," he whines, "what is it Luce?"

"Shh, keep your voice down, just open your eyes and look."

With a whine, he opens one, "And I'm looking for…"

"Aren't they adorable?" her voice giddy, "they came in the middle of the night."

Smiling, "Why didn't you wake me?"

"I remember Ryuu bringing Nashi, but I wasn't awake when he snuck back in. I told you that storm was pretty bad last night."

"It looks like they managed," looking up at his wife, "you said Ryuu brought his sister here?"

"Yeah," Lucy smiles

Natsu pats the back of his sons head, beaming with fatherly pride, "now that's my boy."