Chapter Thirty-Eight: Winter
"Yes," Lucy moaned, tipped her head back as Natsu went deeper. "Fuck. That feels so good!" Gray's hands roamed her shoulders and neck, adding to the pleasure coursing through her body.
"Harder," she whimpered, toes curling when both men did as they were told, applying more pressure to her body. Her eyes slipped closed as they continued working her over, relaxing on the couch as her hands rested on her belly, feeling the large bump that housed their baby.
"Do you want me to switch?" Natsu asked, causing her to nod.
"Please," she whispered, moaning when he switched, setting down her right foot so he could massage her left.
Gray rubbed Lucy's shoulders and collarbone, eliciting soft cries of pleasure. Her men were giving her a full body massage, something she desperately needed. Every muscles ached, especially her feet. Natsu didn't mind rubbing her feet, knowing they had to be hurting. They were swollen due to her pregnancy and the additional weight she carried, but it was all worth it.
Lucy was carrying new life, and Natsu and Gray were doing everything they could to make it easier on her.
"I can't wait until she's out of me," Lucy whined, tipping her head back to rest on Gray's lap.
"I dunno, I'm kinda used to you looking like this," Natsu teased, earning a soft kick to the stomach, only making him chuckle. He held her foot tighter, not allowing her to get a cheap shot at him again, even if the first one didn't hurt. "What? You're adorable."
"Graaay," Lucy whined, but he wasn't coming to her rescue.
"I gotta side with Natsu on this. Have you seen your waddle?"
Lucy pouted, causing her men to laugh. "You're just proving our point," Natsu said, rubbing his thumbs against the bottom of her foot, earning a breathy moan in response.
"But I guess it'll be good having you not pregnant too." Natsu stopped massaging her feet, instead focusing on her ankles and calf muscles. "Not only will we have Winter, but you also won't have those weird cravings."
"There's nothing weird about her cravings," Gray said, but Natsu shook his head, not buying it.
"Who just gets the urge to eat cups of ice?"
His partners gave him a pointed look, letting that be their answer. He rolled his eyes as he touched Lucy's legs. "Whatever. At least Lucy has her pregnancy as an excuse for eating ice. You have no excuse, Gray."
Gray shrugged, fingers gliding over Lucy's shoulders, their massage turning more into groping than anything. "I just like ice. Sue me."
"Sounds like too much trouble," Natsu said with a laugh, his ears perking up when he heard Lucy's heavy sigh. His hands reached her thighs, her legs parting on their own. He raised a brow, wondering if she was getting turned on, but he decided not to ask. "I'd rather just make fun of ya."
Lucy and Gray stuck out their tongues in response, making Natsu laugh. "But seriously, it'll be great when she's here." Natsu placed his hands on Lucy's belly, knowing Winter could come any day now.
Lucy was two days away from her due date, and she made no effort to hide how much she wanted Winter out. She was taking long walks three times a day, as well as having sex with Natsu and Gray as much as they could, but even they needed a break once in a while.
"I'm just glad her mood is elevated now," Gray said, a sheepish grin sliding on his face as he added, "Well, for the most part."
Lucy shot him a glare, but there was no bite in her voice. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Gray didn't miss a beat, looking down at her before pushing her bangs out of her face. "Don't act like you don't know. I remember you scolding Natsu because he was chewing too loudly one day."
Lucy lost her glare in an instant, replaced by a pout as she avoided his eyes. "Well, he was."
Natsu smiled despite the memory popping into his head. She had startled him so much with her sudden outburst that he tried his best to chew quietly around her for two days before he eased up.
"Let's not forget about the time she cried after watching that heartburn commercial," Natsu said, his smile widening when Gray chuckled.
"What?" Lucy threw her hands up, exasperated. "They had cute little bunnies! Of course I was going to cry!"
Natsu's shoulders shook as he suppressed a laugh, wondering how bunnies were supposed to make him emotional. He went back to massaging her feet, knowing it was a good use of his time. They were supposed to go on another walk in an hour or so, meaning she would need them relaxed before they went out there again.
"I hope she comes soon though," Natsu said, excitement bubbling in his chest. Ever since Lucy told them she was pregnant, he was looking forward to seeing their child.
Work popped into Natsu's head, making him resist a sigh. This week would be his last normal week at work, then he would be switching to three nights a week so he could spend his days at home with Winter. They were all changing their schedules to adjust for the new baby.
Lucy was on maternity leave for another ten weeks, her father, Gray, and Natsu trying to make her stay away from work longer, but the woman couldn't be swayed. She made up her mind, and she was sticking with it. When her maternity leave was up, she was switching to four days a week in the office while the fifth would be spent at home, telecommuting.
Gray was still working five days a week, but he managed to change his schedule so he left an hour earlier, meaning he had more time to spend with his family. It wasn't much, but he couldn't change too much without effecting his co-workers. He didn't want to leave them with more work than they could handle in his absence.
At first, Natsu had reservations about being a stay-at-home dad, even if he was still going to be working part-time. They didn't need the money, Lucy and Gray making more than enough to provide for them, but Natsu already knew he would get restless if he didn't go out and do something every now and again.
After many parenting classes and books he had read over the past few months, he was getting a better idea on how it would be caring for a baby. Aside from his lack of experience, Natsu was excited to stay at home with Winter for the most part. He would be there to witness her growing up without worrying about missing too much due to work.
He knew if Lucy and Gray could switch places with him, they would, but they were in high-level positions in their companies and therefore couldn't stay at home with the baby as much.
Natsu didn't mind taking a step away from the nine-to-five life, even if those weren't his exact hours to begin with. He was excited to be a stay-at-home dad, even if some people frowned on a man taking care of a child instead of a woman.
Considering his unusual relationship with Lucy and Gray, Natsu didn't give a single fuck about what people thought about his decision.
Family was the most important thing to Natsu, and he wanted to be there for Winter, as well as be there when Lucy and Gray got home. He understood not everyone could stay at home with their child and had to resort to putting them in daycare or get babysitters, but the three of them were fortunate enough to have their cake and eat it too.
Their life was far from traditional in some aspects, but their basic principles were the same. They all loved and cared for each other, and wanted what was best for their child. Natsu was happy to take on his new role, even if the thought of changing a diaper or the lack of sleep wasn't appealing.
It would all be worth it.
"I can't wait until I'm not pregnant anymore," Lucy said, eyes sliding shut as she settled in Gray's lap.
Natsu smiled when he saw Lucy open her arms, silently letting Natsu know she wanted to cuddle. He let go of her feet before climbing up the couch, squishing himself between her and the cushions. It wasn't the most comfortable position, but it allowed him to be closer to his partners, and that made it bearable.
He rested his head on her breasts while Gray's hand laid on his shoulder, the three of them resting as they spoke.
"She'll be here before we know it," Natsu said, gently placing an arm around her belly, letting his warmth sink into her skin.
Gray nodded, squeezing his partners. "Yeah. I can't believe it's really happening."
Lucy's soft voice soothed Natsu and Gray, the three shifting until they found comfortable positions for all of them. "Hopefully my maternity leave doesn't go by too quickly. As much as I want to go back to work, I really want to bond with Winter too."
"I'm sure you two'll bond," Natsu said, confident in his assumption.
"I hope so." Lucy cradled her belly, her brows furrowing as she whispered, "I'm kind of scared for the labor part. I'm hoping it doesn't hurt as bad as everyone makes it sound."
Natsu chose not to comment on that, not wanting to raise or lower Lucy's hopes. From what he heard, labor was painful but rewarding. Seeing as he couldn't experience it himself, he would never truly know how it felt, but he trusted Lucy would give him and Gray a thorough explanation, with or without them asking for it.
"I know you'll do great," Gray said, rubbing his hand up and down Lucy's arm, causing her to smile. "And in case you're wondering, you're gonna be a great mom too."
Natsu nodded in agreement. "What he said."
"Thanks," she whispered, shifting one last time before relaxing, only to open her eyes a minute later. "Bathroom break."
"Again?" Natsu asked, chuckling as he pulled away to give her room. Gray and him helped her stand, watching as she waddled out of the entertainment room. "There goes the mother of our child," he started, giving Gray a huge grin. "In all her penguin glory."
Before Gray could laugh, they both flinched, Lucy's voice cold as she shouted, "I heard that!"
"Shit," he mumbled, unable to stop himself from chuckling. Despite knowing he was going to get at least a glare from her in return, he couldn't help but think it was still funny. As much as Natsu wanted Winter born, he couldn't lie. Lucy was absolutely adorable pregnant.
"Nngghh," Lucy groaned, gripping the table's edge as if her life depended on it. "How far apart... now?" Her voice was strained, as well as her body.
Gray jotted down the time before looking up at her. "Four minutes and twenty seconds."
She nodded, clenching her teeth as she went through another contraction. They had been going on all day, but they were too far apart and didn't last long enough to be regarded as labor before.
At first she thought they were just Braxton Hicks contractions, but she realized after a while that they were probably real labor contractions. Her biggest clues were they were coming in at regular intervals, lasting longer, and getting stronger now.
Lucy did her best to breathe evenly while her body went through the motions, the discomfort and pain bearable for the time being. She could still hold a conversation and relax in between contractions, so she didn't have to leave to head to the hospital just yet.
Her doctor had recommended she wait until her contractions were four to five minutes apart for at least one to two hours. Lucy had reached the two hour mark already, her contractions lasting about a minute each. She had worked up a light sweat, but despite all that, she was still trying to enjoy her snack.
"I'm pretty sure I'm having her tonight," Lucy ground out, sucking in a deep breath when the contraction subsided. It wouldn't be long before it was back, her body preparing itself for what was to come.
"The bag's packed," Natsu said, making a mental checklist for things that they might need. "We installed the car seat already. I think we're ready to go whenever you are."
Lucy shook her head, taking the opportunity to eat her apple slices while she still had the chance. "I want to wait until they're right at four minutes."
"Kinda pushing it a little close there," Natsu whispered, knowing he couldn't change her mind. Labor could take hours, and she said so herself, she would rather go through most of her labor in the comfort of her home than at the hospital.
"I'll be fine," Lucy assured, munching on her snack. "My water hasn't even broke ye—"
Lucy's eyes went wide as a gust of fluid soaked her thighs. She froze, unable to comprehend what happened for a moment. She swore she peed herself, but considering she had just gone to the bathroom about five minutes ago, she doubted it was urine.
"What?" Gray asked, his brows furrowing when Lucy looked down at her lap. He leaned over, glancing at her legs before his jaw dropped. "Did it seriously just break?"
"It broke?" Natsu peeked under the table, seeing the dark spot on her shorts. "Holy shit! Your water broke?"
Lucy dropped her fruit, scooting her chair back before she stood. She cringed when she saw the wet spot on the seat, embarrassed and flustered as she waddled to the bedroom.
"Uh, Lucy. The door's that way," Gray said, jerking a thumb in the opposite direction.
"I'm not going to the hospital," Lucy shouted from down the hall, two men hot on her trail.
"But your water broke. Doesn't that mean we gotta go?" Natsu asked, his concerned expression matching Gray's. They shared a look before shrugging, not knowing what they were supposed to do. They couldn't force Lucy to leave the house, even if they both thought she needed to go to the hospital then.
"I—" Lucy paused at the bedroom door, holding onto the frame as she went through another contraction. "I. Can still. Hold. A. Conversation." She breathed deeply as the waves of pain hit her. They felt like intense menstrual cramps, worse than she had ever experienced before. She held strong, looking back at Gray as he glanced at his stopwatch.
He didn't need her to ask to know what she wanted to know. "Four minutes and three seconds. I say it's close enough."
Lucy groaned, nodded before she walked into the bedroom, keeping a hand on her back where a lot of the pain resided. It felt like the muscles in her back were coiling harder and tighter, the pain almost unbearable. They got much worse after her water broke, enough that she was admitting defeat. It was time to go to the hospital.
Once the contraction ended, she sighed. "Fine, but I'm changing first."
"Really?" Gray asked, his voice betraying him, showing his stress.
"Yes really!" Lucy wobbled to the dresser, pulling out a drawer. "I'm gross! It looks like I peed myself!" She pulled out a pair of maternity leggings and clean panties before waddling to the bed. She was about to sit on the edge when she remembered she was wet, a frustrated huff leaving her as she tossed the leggings on the bed.
"Can you guys help me? Please?" She didn't sound upset at them, merely upset at the situation.
Natsu and Gray didn't hesitate, coming to her aid. Natsu wrapped an arm around her back while she clung to him for support, allowing Gray to pull her shorts and panties off before patting her down with a towel. Once dried, he helped slip on the panties and leggings, making her look like nothing had ever happened.
"There, that oughta do it."
He ran his hands up and down her legs, smoothing out the bunches in her clothes before standing up. "Can you walk?" he asked, not surprised when she nodded. Lucy was a fighter no matter what.
However, once she was halfway towards the front door, she had another contraction, this one being strong enough to bring tears to her eyes. Gray looked at his watch after grabbing one of her arms, him and Natsu holding her up.
"That one had to be less than four minutes," Gray said, seeing his stopwatch had just hit the four minute mark when he checked. "Come on, we gotta get moving."
Lucy held onto Natsu and Gray with a tight grip as they helped her to the front door.
"The baby's really coming," Gray started, looking over Lucy to lock eyes with Natsu. A mischievous glint flashed in his eye as the corner of his mouth twitched up in a smirk. "It's crazy!"
He grinned, suppressing a laugh as he said, "I know! I can't believe Winter is coming!"
Lucy stopped dead in her tracks, causing them to halt as well. Her eyes went wide as she ignored the pain, glancing back and forth at her partners before her eyes narrowed into a glare. They were biting back their smiles, giving them away.
"Are you fucking kidding me?!" Lucy asked, causing them to struggle to keep their composure, both desperately wanting to laugh. "Is that why you both finally agreed on a name?!"
"Come on Lucy," Natsu started, gently tugging her forward. "We need to get you to the hospital."
"What?!" Lucy was fuming. She thought they agreed on the name Winter because they all liked it. It turned out they were just making their baby into a 'Game of Thrones' reference.
"Natsu's right," Gray tried, urging her forward. "We need to get going."
"I'm going to murder both of you," Lucy shot back, pain flooding her body once more.
Natsu snorted before saying, "Maybe we were wrong. Looks like she's still getting mood swings."
"Come on," Gray said, the two men finally getting her to move on her own, though she was leaning heavily on them due to her contractions. She swore they were getting closer together.
"Oh, you're so... dead." Lucy ground her teeth together, wishing the pain would leave. It seemed the more she fought it, the harder it was on her body. She had to accept the inevitable, making it a little more tolerable.
While walking to the car, the men held back their laughs. However, Gray couldn't help but whisper, "She might actually kill us when this is over with."
"Lucy, you wouldn't really hurt us, would you?" Natsu asked, knowing there was no reason to be concerned. She was extremely hormonal because of the pregnancy, but Lucy was a rational person most of the time. She wouldn't purposely cause them pain, physically or emotionally.
"Did you really pick her name because of the show?" she asked, grunting when they got to the door. Natsu had to part for a few seconds to grab the overnight bag, but once he had it he was helping Lucy again.
"I'm not gonna lie, it was a factor, but no, it's not the only reason." Gray rubbed Lucy's back before they exited the house, heading towards her car. "I actually like the name, and Natsu picked it 'cause it was the opposite of his name."
"I thought it'd be cool if she had the name of a season like me," Natsu supplied, easing Lucy's tension a bit.
"Promise?" she asked when they reached the car, causing them to nod.
"We promise," they said in unison, earning a strained smile from the mother of their child.
"Okay, then I guess I won't murder yo— aaaaahhh! God damn!"
"Fuck, let's get you inside!" Natsu and Gray helped Lucy into the backseat, waiting until she was situated before climbing in themselves.
Gray ended up driving since Natsu was incapacitated due to the motion of the vehicle. He hadn't taken his medication yet, causing him to groan along with Lucy on the ride to the hospital. It wasn't too far of a drive, the three of them arriving in under ten minutes.
Once they parked, Gray got out to go alert the nurses that Lucy was coming in while Natsu helped Lucy get out of the car. It took him a moment to recover from his motion sickness, but Lucy didn't complain. She was too busy with her own pain to pay attention to anything else.
Once they got Lucy in the wheelchair to bring to her room, things started moving right along. A nurse came into the room Lucy was put in, smiling as she put on a pair of gloves.
"Okay Mrs. Heartfilia, I'm Mattan Ginger, I'm going to be assisting Dr. Porlyusica today. Just need to check your cervix real quick to see how far dilated you are."
Lucy nodded, her face glowing with sweat despite them just starting. She was already dressed in the hospital gown by the time that nurse came in, allowing Ms. Ginger to access her vagina quicker.
Lucy kept her focus on the ceiling as the nurse checked, wishing she didn't try to make small talk during. She could hardly focus with the intense pain flooding her body every few minutes, wanting to relax while she wasn't going through a contraction.
"Is this your first baby?"
"Yes," Lucy said, her voice strained as she felt the lady's fingers inside her. She tried relaxing, knowing clenching wouldn't help.
The nurse looked up, eyeing Natsu and Gray. "And which one is the lucky father?"
"We're both the fathers," Gray answered without a moment of hesitation.
Natsu smiled, his heart warming as he placed a hand on Lucy's arm. Natsu was on her right side while Gray was on her left, each of them ready to offer their support at a moment's notice.
"Oh, are you their surrogate?" the nurse asked Lucy, unaware of their situation. Their doctor knew since she worked with the three of them quite a bit over the course of Lucy's pregnancy, but considering it was the first time the nurse met them, Natsu wasn't surprised she guessed wrong.
"No," Gray started, answering again despite thinking it was wasting time. "We're all three in a relationship. She's having all of our baby."
The nurse raised her brows as her eyes widened, understanding what he meant. "Oh... Uh, okay?"
Natsu shrugged off her confusion. It wasn't the first time they were met with a reaction like that, and it wouldn't be the last time. As long as people weren't disrespectful, he could tolerate them thinking their relationship was weird.
Hell, sometimes he even thought it was weird, but he wouldn't trade it for the world. He loved the life they lived together.
Lucy would have sighed in relief when the nurse removed her fingers if not for the tremendous pain that surged through her body as she went through another contraction. She fisted the sheets, hoping her labor wouldn't be too long.
The nurse wasn't as optimistic. "You're about five and a half centimeters dilated so far. It looks like it might take a while. Get comfortable. I'll send Dr. Porlyusica in to check on you in a minute."
With that, the nurse took her leave. Lucy practiced her breathing techniques to get her through the pain, wanting to get it over with as soon as possible. Her only relief was having her partners by her sides. She grabbed their hands and held them tight, knowing she would need all the support she could get.
Labor took hours.
In the moment, Lucy swore it would never end, but looking back on it, she couldn't recall much about what happened before Winter was born. She remembered screaming when it came time to push, squeezing Natsu and Gray's hands for dear life.
She remembered yelling at them not to look when the doctor announced the baby was crowning, terrified they would never look at her vagina the same way again.
She remembered the pain that came with pushing, but most of all, she remembered the sound of her baby crying when she was born, tears flooding Lucy's eyes when she saw her baby girl for the first time.
Winter Ashley Heartfilia was born May seventh at 4:30am. She weighed seven pounds and eleven ounces, a healthy weight for a baby girl. Lucy didn't know if she was emotional or not, but she swore Winter looked exactly like her own baby pictures.
The only difference was instead of blonde hair, Winter had little tufts of black hair. Since Gray's hair was black and Natsu's brother's hair was black, it was impossible to tell who she got it from, but Lucy didn't care about genetics, and judging by the way Natsu and Gray fawned over her, they didn't care either.
Their lives would never be the same, but it was a good thing.
Natsu cut the umbilical cord before the nurses pulled Winter to the side to get her cleaned up. Lucy was anxious as soon as they took Winter away, but they brought her back right before it was time to deliver the placenta.
After that was finished, Lucy was able to properly bond with Winter, using skin to skin contact. Lucy was sweaty, her hair was a mess, and she was still in some pain, but none of that mattered to her as she held Winter close, loving her daughter more than she thought possible.
"She's beautiful," Natsu said, stroking Lucy's arm, occasionally brushing his thumb against his daughter's soft cheek.
"She is," Gray agreed, sitting on Lucy's other side, carefully petting Winter's back, feeling how fragile his daughter was.
The two men loved Winter instantly. They were ready to protect her with everything they had. Natsu, Lucy, and Gray didn't know everything when it came to being parents, but they knew they were going to do their best to raise Winter with as much love, respect, and kindness that they could offer, and then some.
She deserved it.
Despite addressing her partners, Lucy kept her eyes on Winter, too transfixed to look away. "Thank you so much for helping me get through that."
"We'd do anything for you," Natsu said, causing Gray to nod.
"I'm glad she's here. Feels like just days ago you were tellin' us you were pregnant."
Lucy hummed as she smiled. "The time went by a lot faster than I thought it would. I'm glad she's here too."
"Hope she's ready for us," Natsu joked, earning a soft chuckle from his partners.
"I'm sure she'll be fine. She's gotta lot of love coming her way." Gray tapped on her small, curled hand. He marveled at the difference between her hand and his for a moment before grinning. "She's a Heartfilia. Heartfilias are tough as hell."
Light flickered in Lucy's eyes as she nodded, her heart full of love and warmth. Their family felt a little more complete now that Winter had joined them. Lucy couldn't wait to shower their daughter with love and affection.
She already knew the time they had together was going to go by too quickly. She would cherish every moment she could, including the one she was in now, surrounded by the three people she loved with her whole heart.
Natsu looked up when he heard a knock at the door. It opened a moment later, revealing a group of people that made Natsu's lips quirk into a smile. His eyes flitted from his mom and dad before going to Silver and Ur. He knew they were all coming to visit to see Winter, but he didn't expect them to show up at the same time.
"Hey," he whispered, keeping his voice low because the baby was fast asleep in his arms.
"Oh my gosh," Grandeeney whispered, padding her way over to her son before smiling down at Winter. She took a moment to admire the newborn baby, placing a hand on Natsu's shoulder as she asked, "Where are your better thirds?"
Natsu suppressed a chuckle, not wanting to move too much. "Gray went back to the house to get more clothes and check on Happy. Lucy's taking a shower." He nodded towards the bathroom attached to the room. He could hear the water running as Lucy washed up.
"Can I get a picture?" Ur asked, stepped closer.
Natsu nodded, leaning back so he wouldn't be too much in the shot. Ur waved a hand, smiling as she said, "I meant with you in it, Silly."
"Oh, yeah." Natsu pulled Winter closer to his chest, unable to stop himself from grinning when he looked down at his daughter. He couldn't believe she was there. She was well worth the wait.
Ur snapped the picture before putting her phone away, crouching beside Natsu to take a look at her granddaughter. "She's beautiful."
Natsu nodded, agreeing fully with that statement. "She's perfect."
Natsu was content with holding her forever, but when asked if they could hold Winter, he complied, gently handing her to Silver first before Winter was passed around. Natsu made sure everyone cleaned their hands first, wanting Winter to stay as healthy as possible.
Lucy came out of her shower ten minutes later, dressed in a clean pair of clothes. Natsu thought she looked like cute, even without her pregnancy glow. She joined in on the conversation, happily accepting Winter when she was offered to her. Lucy stood for a few minutes, not wanting to lie down just yet.
Gray eventually came back, bearing more clothes and some fast food. He gave Winter a kiss to the forehead before kissing Natsu and Lucy, the three cuddling around their daughter.
"Group picture," Igneel said, pulling out his phone. The other grandparents did the same, all snapping pictures of the happy family.
Natsu and his partners' phones buzzed when they received copies of the photos, something Natsu was grateful for. He loved mementos, and those would definitely be cherished.
He had a photo album he bought before Winter was born. It was going to be dedicated to their daughter and her first year. Since he was going to be staying home with her, he would have plenty of opportunities to take pictures with her.
Natsu wished his partners could spend more time with her, but all three of them couldn't stop working. They needed money to support their family. Besides, Lucy and Gray had too much of a work ethic to quit their jobs. While Natsu loved hard work too, he knew raising Winter would be rewarding in its own way. Plus, it helped he wasn't leaving work completely, just cutting back on his hours drastically.
Natsu and Gray's parents stayed for a few hours before they had to take off, promising to visit again soon. Lucy's mom and stepdad came by a little after that while Jude video called Lucy, apologizing for not being there. He was in another country on business and couldn't get a flight back to Fiore until the next day, but Lucy was a forgiving person, telling him it was okay.
Lucy and Winter had to stay at the hospital until the next morning before they were released, sending the three new parents and baby out on their own. A nurse ensured the car seat was installed properly before they were allowed to leave.
Natsu drove them home since he was able to take his motion sickness pill in advance, the four heading back to their home.
Happy greeted them with loud meows when they entered the house, Gray trailing behind with their daughter. When Gray stopped by the house the day before, he brought one of the caps Winter wore earlier for Happy to sniff, that way the cat could get used to her scent before they brought her home.
Happy meeting Winter was something Natsu would never forget. Not only was it funny, it was recorded on his phone. Gray brought Winter's car seat to the living room, setting it on the couch while he sat next to it. Happy jumped on the couch, sniffing around the car seat until he spotted Winter.
He froze for a moment before he resumed sniffing, trying to get closer to smell Winter's arm. Happy jolted when Winter made the smallest movements, causing Natsu to chuckle. After a few minutes, Happy left, seemingly satisfied with the interaction he got with Winter.
"I'm so exhausted," Lucy mumbled, her eyes fluttering closed, only to snap back up when she remembered it had been a bit since Winter's last feeding. "What time is it?" she asked, unbuckling the straps before pulling her daughter out of the car seat, being gentle as she moved her.
"Quarter past nine," Gray said, stepping into the living room with three water bottles for himself and his partners. He set them on the coffee table before sitting next to Lucy, moving the car seat to the floor.
Natsu took the Lucy's other side, wanting to be as close to Winter as possible. He watched as Lucy brushed her finger on Winter's cheek, the baby moving her open mouth towards Lucy's finger. That let her know Winter was hungry.
Lucy's shirt and bra were designed for breastfeeding. She pushed the seams of the side apart to reveal her bra cup. From there, she unclasped the top, allowing it to fall so Winter could access Lucy's nipple without needing to take off her clothes.
The three fell into a peaceful silence as Lucy fed their baby, Natsu resting his head on Lucy's shoulder while Gray did the same.
"It's good to be home," Lucy sighed, a soft smile surfacing on her lips. She was exhausted and sore, but being in their familiar space helped tremendously.
Natsu and Gray nodded. They preferred being home rather than at the hospital, even though there was more help offered there. They couldn't stay there forever, but they didn't have to. They were fortunate to have three parents taking care of their daughter, something that would definitely come in handy, especially during the first year of Winter's life.
While it was scary and made Natsu a little anxious, he was still excited to start this new journey with his partners. He loved Lucy and Gray, and he couldn't wait to see how their lives unfolded now that they had a new addition to their family.
Thank you for reading! Well, they're all parents now! I know they'll do great! We're almost done with this story! There's three more chapters! It's all coming to an end. Hope you like how it goes.
Thank you once again for every single favorite, follow, and review! Shout out to the awesome people who reviewed last time: 0x. illusion. x0, Random-Gaurdian, Satyrykal, Stellar, Kitty9453, Mili, Guest, xxdelightfullxx, clarelovesnalu514, CatPeach, shadow31802, TheLochNessy, CelestialDragonKnightx777, aislyn98, xhope14x, Weevilcat, Lodemai04, Lizxcliff11, Guest, poodlekin500, sassykitten1701, mautrino, AFReviewer(x2), and Tantan!
Up next, Chapter Thirty-Nine: Christmas