Lucy was grateful for Loke staying with her. The days since she had visited Porlyusica and confirmed her pregnancy had been hard. Not only was she plagued with persistent nausea, but also anxiety that had creeped in as she thought about how she would break the news to Natsu.
She knew that Natsu liked children as she had seen him interact with Bisca and Al's daughter, Asuka, many times. He was always doting and attentive with Asuka whenever he was tasked with looking after her. Whenever Lucy thought about Natsu interacting with his own child with her, she felt warm and happy. Knowing that he was good with kids, however, did not change the fact that their relationship had barely even been established. Lucy worried that Natsu might feel like he was being trapped with her, perhaps even in a relationship he didn't want, when he learned that she was pregnant.
She often found herself placing her hand over her midsection whenever her anxiety became too much, comforted by the thought that there was a life growing inside her. A child that she had discovered she wanted when the news had been confirmed; all her own worries about the pregnancy vanishing. "I'll love you enough for both of us." She would often whisper to her baby at night when she couldn't sleep, worrying about Natsu rejecting the child, or at least her.
Loke had been insistent that she not work all hours of the day like she had been before his arrival. He was attentive to a fault with her, bringing her the anti-nausea medication along with her new favourite ginger tea every morning. His cooking left something to be desired, limited to easy dishes such as eggs and sausages or cheese and crackers, but his efforts made Lucy smile, nonetheless.
"We should go to the Guild tonight." Loke was saying as he mindlessly played with a paper airplane he had folded while Lucy worked.
"Tired of cooking?" Lucy quipped. She was wearing her gale-force reading glasses as she read a particularly long text and took notes. She would compile these notes with others she already had into more concise bullet points before she handed them to the client who had requested the research.
"No." Loke lied, "Just, we've been in the house for awhile. Shouldn't you check in or something?"
Taking off her glasses, Lucy rubbed her eyes, "I was just there to pick up more research materials."
Loke gave her an exasperated look, "Lucy, that was days ago. When I was around, you were at the Guild everyday."
Lucy shrugged, leaning back into the couch, "I also had more reason to go. Even if I do have some smidgen of my magic back, its not like I can pick up a job. I just don't see the point in going everyday."
"Your friends?" Loke asked, throwing his paper airplane down the hall. A bent tip caused it to wobble; it swooped and curved back along its path before crashing into the back of the couch where they were sitting. "Maybe we can learn some news about Natsu and the others." He leaned over the back of the couch to pick up the plane, inspecting the new bends in it.
"I'll need to shower first." Lucy's voice trailed off as she thought about the merits of going to the guild hall.
"Perfect!" Loke tossed the paper plane on the coffee table, at the same time, he reached across Lucy to close the book she had been looking at.
"Hey!" Lucy exclaimed, trying to grab the book out of Loke's hands as he stood and raised it over her head, "I wasn't done with that yet!"
"You just said you needed to shower." Loke said innocently as he continued to keep the book out of her reach.
Lucy put her hands on her hips, glaring at Loke, "It was more me thinking out loud than saying I was going to go shower."
"Really?" Loke playfully sniffed in her direction, "Cause from where I'm standing, you need a shower."
"Loke!" Lucy cried, shoving him playfully, "I do not smell!"
"Hmm, coulda fooled me!" Loke shot back as he started cleaning up her notes, stacking them neatly.
"You're such a pest." Lucy growled, stalking down the hallway. Once in the shower, she could feel the tension she had been holding in her back and shoulders begin to lessen. She sighed as the hot water cascaded down her body. The feeling making her remember when Natsu had joined her in the shower.
As Natsu kissed her, the pink flames around them had growing. The flames reacted to the water pouring from the shower head, turning the water to steam before it reached their skin, making the small bathroom an impromptu sauna. The air was warm and thick, causing beads of sweat to form on their skin.
The hot air heightened Lucy's senses as Natsu ran his hands over her slick body. She moaned as he kissed his way down her neck, gently biting her where her neck joined to her shoulder, causing goose bumps to form over her skin at the sensation. Natsu's hands were everywhere at once it seemed. His skin burned hotter than either the flames or the steam, leaving trails of tingling fire wherever it came in contact with her own.
Though she was sore from their activities the night before, she felt her body loosen and shiver in anticipation for Natsu's cock. He was rougher with this time; his fingers digging into the underside of her thighs as he lifted her up. Leaning her back against the shower wall, Natsu positioned himself between her legs. He continued to kiss her and tease her sensitive flesh with the tip of his cock, not quite penetrating her, driving her half mad.
When Lucy's moans turned to ones of frustration from his teasing, Natsu grabbed her hips, holding her briefly with one hand as he used his other to position his cock at her entrance, and swiftly seated himself deep inside her. Lucy cried out and panted at the sudden invasion. Natsu began moving his hips, at first slow and gentle, but gradually increasing his tempo. Lucy began to moan into his mouth as he continued to kiss her breathless.
Lucy sensed that their close friendship helped Natsu read her body's signs as he fucked her. He adjusted his grip on her, pulling her down the wall so only her shoulders were pushed up against it, changing the angle of his thrusts which caused her to gasp from pleasure. Natsu grinned with satisfaction as Lucy cried out, repeating his name over and over again, like a mantra, as he pushed her over the edge.
Natsu was unrelenting. The flames around them growing larger and pinker as he pulled out and flipped Lucy, her chest was pushed up against the wall. Lifting her leg slightly so he had a better angle, Natsu thrusted himself back inside her. Lucy cried out as her sensitive walls reacted to the new position making Natsu like he was stretching her to her limits. Snaking his arm around her breasts, Natsu pulled her back flush to her chest as he increased his tempo, his other hand coming between her legs to rub her clit.
Lucy braced herself against the walls with her hands, the pleasure surging through her causing her legs to be weak and shaky. Natsu whispered sweet nothings into her ear as her body rolled through another orgasm, Natsu's not far behind hers.
They stood in the shower, their breath coming in pants, as the flames slowly resided, allowing the water to reach them again. Natsu pulled himself out and turned Lucy around to face him again. Hugging Lucy to him, Natsu kissed her sweetly before he grabbed a washcloth hanging on the shower rack behind her, adding some soap to it, and began washing her entire body with care.
Lucy sighed as she thought about the touch of Natsu's hands on her skin, jumping as her fantasy was interrupted.
"Lucy!" Loke called from the other side of the bathroom door, "What are you doing in there?" There was a paused, "Did you need help?" Loke's voice had taken on a tone of excitement. The door jiggled, but thankfully Lucy had been thinking enough to lock it.
"N-no! I'll be out in a minute!" Lucy called back. She quickly washed her hair and body, her skin tingling from want of touching by another. Finishing, Lucy turned off the shower and stepped out, wrapping herself in her large towel. Gathering her pajamas that she had left on the floor she made her way to the bedroom where she dried herself off and got dressed.
Loke was inspecting his coat when Lucy came out. She was breathless from rushing, "Sorry for the wait. Are you ready?"
"Yeah." Loke replied as he wrapped a scarf around his neck. He held out Lucy's coat, helping her put it on before handing her a pair of gloves and scarf. "Did you want to bring the meds Ol' Porly gave you?"
"Don't let her hear you call her that." Lucy reprimanded him as she put on her gloves, "I took some not that long ago. I don't feel like I'm going to puke."
Loke walked into the kitchen, holding up the vial of pink liquid before putting it in his pocket as he came back to Lucy. "Can never be too safe. C'mon, let's go."
The snow had started falling again, thicker than it had earlier in the week. The snow drifts were beginning to pile up as the wind began to gust harder. Loke tried his best to shield Lucy from the brunt of the weather, but the wind was unpredictable.
"Hard to believe it's nearly March." He griped as another gust of wind nearly pushed Lucy over. He wrapped his arm around her waist in attempts to keep her standing.
Lucy chuckled, "Whose bright idea was it to leave the house?" She teased.
"Yeah. Yeah." Loke grumbled, pushing Lucy along faster.
They made it to the guild hall in good time despite the weather. The hall was lively with Fairy Tail mages who refused to be trapped in another snowstorm like the one that had hit in late December. Loke directed them to a table that had a couple of empty seats available. As they shucked off their outer wear, he struck up a conversation with the others at the table.
Kinana walked over to take their food and drink orders before retreating back to the kitchen. Mirajane was nowhere to be seen. Lucy guessed that her shift had been earlier in the day, and now that it was nearly evening, she was more than likely at home. She sighed; Levy wasn't at the hall either. With Erza, Juvia and Wendy gone, Lucy had no one to girl talk with. She suddenly felt very lonely without Natsu around, he always knew how to cheer her up.
When Kinana came back with their orders, she had an envelope tucked into her apron. "A man from the council left this here for you." She said as she handed the sealed envelope to Lucy.
"Oh, thank you." The handwritten 'Ms. Heartfilia' was immaculate. Lucy was surprised. She had pegged Captain Mandal as a man who wouldn't put much effort into his writing, yet it was almost beautiful with its flowing strokes. Lucy wondered if maybe he had a secretary that scribed all his letters.
"Who's it from?" Loke asked, taking a large mouthful of his food.
"Captain Mandal." Lucy replied, tucking the envelope into her celestial key pouch. She would open it after they had finished eating. "He's taken over the investigation of the Freezings. He said he would contact me when he had looked into some leads I suggested."
"Oh?" Loke was clearly interested in what leads Lucy had provided Rai with. Before Lucy could relate the lunch meeting she had had with Rai the previous week, her communications device began to ring.
Picking it up, Lucy noticed the display read 'Levy-chan'. Lucy answered it as she played with her food, "Hi Levy! What's up?"
"Lucy!" Gajeel's voice barked over the line, causing Lucy to start in surprise at hearing a voice not her friend's, "Levy's gone into labour!"