As the calendar day page fell to the floor and a golden beam pierced the window in Lucy's apartment, a little pitter patter approached her bed. "Mommy, good morning." Tiny lips pecked the blonde mage's cheek. As black lines thickened and turned into chocolate orbs Lucy whispered, "Good morning sweetie." When her clock's minute hand shifted pink garments were neatly folded in a drawer as Lucy draped on an ivory and deep aqua shirt and skirt. Afterwards both of them dusted away the beige and fluffy yellow crumbs from the table as the aroma of eggs and caramelized grains wafted in the air. Then Lucy approached her future cub, "So Layla, what do you want to do today?" "Can we go to the park?" Lucy turned her head to see a glut of children outside wearing t shirts and shorts as the sun's beams danced around the sky. "Okay, we can go sweetie." With that Layla rushed to get her tiny backpack and Lucy offered her hand before going outside.
As they both approached the park it was filled with parents, children, and the sounds of giggles filling the air. "So Layla what would you like to do first sweetie?" Layla's eyes then spotted a metal bar bent like a frame, ropes were attached to it like vines, and strips of rubber connected the ropes in a U shape.
"How about those mommy?" Said the cub pointing. "The swing set? Okay." Lucy then guided her future daughter to the swing set and Layla instantly hopped onto a seat. Lucy began to pull the seat her daughter was on, "Ready Layla?" The cub nodded her head. With that Lucy's hands shoved her child and Layla was up in the air before returning to her mother, and was pushed again, and again, and again. As Layla went back and forth like a pendulum Lucy's mouth stretched into a smile and Layla kept on giggling.
"Okay mommy let go now, I want to show you a trick." As Lucy obeyed Layla's command, her daughter pumped higher, and higher. "Get ready." Lucy's eye were as wide as saucers and ran in front of the swing, "Layla please I don't think that's safe!" But Lucy's cries were too late as Layla's hands slipped from the ropes as she yelled, "Catch me!" As she was in the air Lucy's hands barely touched the fabric of Layla's jumper but another set of hands caught her in time. "Careful sweetie, I don't want your mother getting worried." "Loke?But I thought that you were in the spirit world, and why are you wearing that green jacket again?" "Lucy, I just sensed Layla was in danger and got out here in time. I can't let my future wife worry." He said as he let his daughter down. Before Layla went off Loke crouched down to his daughter. "Layla sweetie, doing stuff like that is dangerous. How about we go and find something that's a little safer to do?" "Can I go on the slides?" Loke patted Layla on the head. "Of course sweetie, just wait your turn, other kids are on there too." With that, Layla stood in line with the other children.
"That was very nobel of you Loke." Lucy whispered. "Like I said, my future wife shouldn't have to worry like that." Lucy gently pushed Loke away as a pink flush crept under her eyes. "Loke, stop it." "Sorry, Lucy but Layla is proof. Just look at her." As Lucy looked at her daughter on the slide, she could see Layla smiling as she went down with the other kids. "Also, I bought a nice little bento box for you and Layla." He then presented Lucy with a cube wrapped in a baby blue cloth. Lucy opened the little box and saw pipping hot beef curry, chicken karage, side vegetables, rolled omelets, and rice balls. "But Loke, I can't eat all of this." Loke giggled. "I said it was for you and Layla didn't I?" As soon as steam wafted in the air Layla dashed over to her mother and father. "Oh thank you daddy, I was so hungry." Loke crouched down to Layla's level. "Remember to share sweetie. I made that for you and your mother." "Yes daddy."
As Layla got on the bench, she and Lucy took turns eating until there was nothing left. "Thank you for Lunch daddy." Layla then glided an airy sheet across her mouth and swept away the derbies. "Wow, you're a big eater aren't ya?" Loke tussled her hair. "Of course I am, you always said that about me back in my time." Loke smiled. "Well that just means my little girl has a healthy apatite. Still, ya wanna spend some time with daddy while I'm here?" Layla immediately ran to the round about. Loke smiled and headed over to his daughter's location. "I'll take that as a yes." Layla's hands latched on to the bar as Loke's right hand grabbed another. "Ready?" The cub child nodded before Loke swung his arm and let go to have the round about spin like a top.
Meanwhile as Lucy ate the last scrap of food, her eyes were glued onto the scene where her future daughter and husband were playing. Lucy happily sighed with half lidded eyes as both of them were laughing and playing around. "Those two, I can't believe that this is what my future looks like. Layla may have come out of nowhere but this is a future I can see myself in." Lucy thought.
As the sun lowered and the sky was painted with rosy tone on the edge, Layla began to yawn. "Tired sweetie?" Asked Loke. A small grumble erupted from the cub's stomach, "I'm hungry too." As Lucy offered her future daughter a hand she lightly gripped it. "Come on Layla, a nice little dinner with us will help you out." When they arrived at Lucy's apartment Layla crawled onto the couch and gently closed her eyes. "Oh, looks like she'll wake up when dinner is ready huh?" Lucy then went into the fridge and started to cut and season a slab of salmon as Loke stroked his future cub's hair. As her mane was stroked there was a soft rolling hum. "Now that's adorable." Whispered the lion spirit. When the scent of food wafted in the air, Layla slowly opened her eyes and climbed to her seat at the table. As they ate their dinner, Lucy asked, "So Layla, is the park any different in your time?" "Not really mommy, but I do get to spend more time with my friends." "Oh that's right you told us about Igneel, Tetsuhon, and Ultear, so could you tell us more about them?" "Oh yeah, those guys. Let's just say Igneel really takes after Uncle Natsu." As Loke picked up a piece of food he asked, "Lemme guess, he's a big eater, loves fighting with his friends, and is very close to his dad?" "Yep, that's Igneel." Lucy giggled, "Also let me guess, Ultear talks in third person just like her mother." Layla nodded, "Uh huh, and Tetsuhon is really good with books and getting competitive with Igneel." "Hehe, I guess we know who that little guy belongs to." After Layla swallowed another bite of her dinner her face went wide. "Oh, I forgot to tell you about Simon." Lucy gulped on her food and her breaths became short for a second. "Simon?" "Hu huh, he's got a red birth mark over his eye but he's pretty quiet compared to his mom and dad." Lucy almost dropped her food and her mouth was still open. "You mean to tell me that Erza, and Jellal..." Layla quietly nodded.
As Lucy ate her last scrap of food, she cleared her dishes and transported them to the sink and rinsed them with steaming water. "Even though we do know what's going to happen in the future for most of the guild, we can't tell anybody else who we know about the future." Loke then joined his girlfriend at the sink. "Why do you say that Lucy?" "Loke, I just have this gut feeling that the guild is going to find out about Layla and may ask about the future." As the couple wiped their hands on a towel Lucy crouched down to her future daughter and said, "Layla, while you're here you need to promise your father and I something." "Yes mommy?" Lucy took a deep breath."If the guild finds out that you are our daughter from the future, you can't tell anybody about their future children. If you do your friends might not exist in the future. Understand?" The cub child nodded, "Yes mommy I understand and I promise I won't tell." Lucy's arms wrapped around Layla. "That's my girl."
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