The Girl Next Door
viii. holidays with her
They stumbled into their apartment, giggly and pink from the cold, despite the number of layers bundled around them. Holiday parties with their friends were always such extravagant events, thanks to Mira and Erza going overboard with decorations and cake, and Cana doing her utmost to get everyone drunk off their asses. Natsu and Lucy had managed to keep themselves tipsy, and no more, by shoving Elfman and Laxus at Cana every time she approached them.
Plue and Happy were snuggled in the deep pockets of Natsu's large overcoat, so content and drowsy that they didn't even move when Natsu took off the coat. Grinning fondly down at them, he carefully laid the coat on the couch, arranging it so the animals could rest comfortably. Happy purred and Plue warbled softly before they both drifted into slumber.
Lucy collapsed onto the floor by the sofa, sighing into the carpet. "Mm. That was fun."
Natsu snorted and sat down next to her, tugging at her arm. "Hey, take off your jacket before you fall asleep on the ground."
Groaning, she rolled over and stared up at Natsu imploringly. He blinked at her.
"Please?" she pouted.
He sighed, smiling, and obligingly helped her unzip and wriggle out of her jacket. "You're such a lazy drunk."
"I'm not drunk!"
He stretched out beside her and opened his arms. She immediately scooted into him and tucked her head under his chin, leg slipping between his and arms hugging him. He closed his eyes, turning his nose into her hair.
"Oh, I forgot to give you your present," she murmured before yawning. Happy had received fish from her and Plue a new collar while Natsu had given them both new toys.
"'Sokay, I forgot too," he replied, his voice a hum under her cheek. "Tomorrow."
Lucy smiled, blinking her eyes open sleepily. They hadn't bothered to turn on the lights, so the glowing baubles on the tree shined, the ornaments casting faint shadows on the walls and the shiny presents glinting in the darkness. It reminded her of the stars in the night sky.
Grunting, Lucy pushed herself up, disentangling herself from Natsu. He furrowed his eyebrows and pouted at her.
"Where ya goin'? Let's just sleep here t'night," he whined, catching her hand as she rose to her knees. "I'll keep ya warm."
She smiled down at him and smoothed a hand over his hair. "I'll be right back. I have to say good night to Happy and Plue."
He nodded and let her go. "Do it for me too."
"'Kay."
She hobbled on her knees to the couch, beaming fondly at the resting animals. She gently stroked Happy's soft fur, and he cracked open one lazy eye.
She leaned over and kissed his head. "I love you, Happy. Good night."
He meowed.
Giggling, she turned to Plue, who was sleeping on his back with his legs in the air, as usual. She kissed him on the head as well and said, "I love you, Plue. Good night."
His legs twitched in the air.
She laughed and made her way back to Natsu, who reached for her arms and yanked her down onto him with an oomph.
"Natsu!" she chided with a chortle. "So impatient."
He grinned and trapped her legs with his, then wrapped his arms around her torso, locking her to him. She rolled her eyes.
"It's like you think I'm gonna run away." She faked a hurt expression.
Natsu snickered. "I just want my kiss, Luce. Don't I get a kiss too?"
Lucy bit her lip on the lovesick smile spreading across her face and sighed dramatically. "Well, I guess you can have one too. 'Tis the season, and all that."
She cupped his cheeks and leaned down, her hair falling like a curtain around their faces. One of his hands slid up her spine to the back of her neck.
"I love you, Lucy," he whispered just as their lips brushed, and she kissed him with a smile.
"I love you too."
This was what she'd wanted growing up, what she'd lost when her mother passed. Just this: peace and stars and family.
notes: HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE! i know i'm late for xmas, and i know i've been gone a long time, but IN MY DEFENSE! i've been working on a lotta other fics + sooo much school stuff i was dying tbh. but here is a sweet little fluffy holiday fic for youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu, to thank you for being such wonderful readers. :)
replies: i know it's been so long but i've had replies for some reviews crafted for so long, so i can't let them go to waste!
zElliexMagic: thank you thank you! i try my best to keep the fluff factor on the high end of the scale, lol
sarara1.8: thank youuuuuu!
Guest: thank you, i'm glad you're enjoying this little story! also thank you for your concerns, i do understand that part of the charm of this story lies in its sweet simplicity, which i intend to maintain. what i meant by 'drama' wasn't your usual jealousy/exes/disapproving family/etc etc, but rather a realistic exploration of different emotions that occur in any relationship. i do NOT, in fact, plan to throw in any crazy exes or any of that cliche drama; but i do want to depict natsu and lucy fighting and maybe hurting each other and then resolving all of that, because that's what happens in a real relationship, and it's healthy. don't worry, there won't be any conflict that can't be resolved in a single chapter! :D
EchizenRyoma: nice username btw, i love me some pot, no matter how unrealistic it is! xD and yes, lucy will meet natsu's friends, and natsu will meet lucy's friends. they might even do some matchmaking. ;) they're all very important, so ofc i can't leave out their friends. i just haven't gotten around to writing those scenes yet, but they are coming!
ashinsky: i mostly just imagine my ideal (somewhat realistic) romance + my own dorky reactions to situations, lmao! dorky nalu is indeed the best and i looooooooove happy (and plue!) and i love them all as one family unit. i'm glad you're enjoying this interpretation of their characters! i'm having so much fun writing this au
CarolineSenpai: LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL OMG I HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT IT TBH BUUUUUUUUUUUT smut is NOT my forte lmao and i think i'm still too embarrassed to put smut on ffnet! some of my irl friends follow me here so - well you know! xD MAYBE SOMEDAYYYYYYYYYY LOL i'm so sorry i've been gone so long, but i hope you enjoy this update! i'll try to update more often!
Brynn chan: oh no don't explode! but i am glad this story makes you feel such intensity hahaha thanks for reading!
magnificent dragoness: thank you so much! here is an update for you, enjoy!
© Copyright 2016 by The Siege