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[caandlle]

NALU one-shot: “Mastering the Pig-Tails”

Natsu’s determined to be the best dad and to beat out his competition, he must train his skills with Lucy’s hair!

Natsu knows he’s wearing her down.  

The way she’s hiding a smile – hah, like her tiny hand can hide Lucy’s smile from him, Natsu knows the sign of one even before it appears – and pretending to be annoyed (he’s pretty sure she’s pretending) are trustworthy tells that Lucy is softening up to him.

“Natsu,” his wife sighs at him, exasperated with a tinge of fondness that makes his heart soar. “You’re being silly.”  

“Nah, Luce.” Natsu grins, moving forward to gently place the palms of his hands against the swell of Lucy’s stomach, warming up the skin with his fingers. She’s gotten so big – something Lucy laments almost every day – but Natsu can’t get enough of it.  

Seeing Lucy like this – belly full with their child – is a sight that Natsu wants to keep forever. Lucy’s always been beautiful to him, even back when he wasn’t in love with her (which is an odd thought, since it feels like he’s loved her his entire life) but there’s just something about Lucy pregnant that makes his breath catch, his heart skipping a beat.  

In the early days when her stomach began to grow, she’d been worried that he wouldn’t find her attractive but he squashed that stupid doubt the moment he found out about it. Natsu loved the way her body was changing, adapting to their baby. He made sure to erase that thought entirely through whispered sweet nothings, growls of his attraction in her ear, and awed caresses. After the number of times he made love to her solely because of how beautiful she looked round and full with his child proved how honest he was being. Natsu would never lie to her, especially not about this.

He couldn’t get enough of her. If Lucy wasn’t already pregnant, Natsu was certain he would’ve knocked her up immediately.  

The sudden downturn trail of his thoughts has Natsu shaking his head and bringing his focus back to his current task: getting Lucy to agree to his current plan of action.  

“I’m gonna need the practice when Natsu Jr. Comes along.” He keeps his hands on her belly, letting out a delighted laugh at the sensation of his daughter kicking.  

Lucy watched him, his eyes so full of awe and adoration that it made her knees go weak, as he knelt down to press his ear against her stomach. “Usually it has to be a boy to be called Natsu Jr.”  

Natsu pressed a soft kiss against her skin, leaning his forehead against her stomach with a pleased sigh. “I can’t wait for her to come out.” He shot her a wicked grin, “so I can put another one in you.”  

He dodged a playful slap, laughing, and stood up so he could grab her waist, tugging Lucy against him. The sight of her belly between them made a pleased sigh build up in his throat. “That’s not going to happen for a long time, Natsu Dragneel. I’m still putting the blame on you for my feet growing three sizes!”  

“I’ll take it,” Natsu nuzzled her cheek. “Your crazy mood swings will be worth it when the little one pops out.” He was too close to avoid the punch to his chest, wheezing a little as he laughed.  

“Keep at it and you won’t get the chance to even try to put another baby in me, I swear on it.”  

“A-Aye, ma’am!” Natsu saluted, eyes wide. 

Lucy rolled her eyes at his antics, pressing her hands to his chest, smiling up at him. This was the perfect moment - Lucy couldn’t deny him now - to get her to say yes to his plans....

Natsu gave her his best puppy-dog eyes, fingers lightly grazing her waist. “If I’m gonna be the best dad in the guild I need to do this.” 

At his words, Lucy cracked immediately. Victory.

“Okay fine, you idiot. Go get my hairbrush.” Natsu was momentarily distracted as Lucy passed the window, the morning light enveloping her in its warm glow, making Lucy look absolutely breathtaking. Like an angel.

His angel – with his baby.  

That made Natsu smile like a fool before he scampered off to find Lucy’s pink hairbrush, ready to begin his training in the arts of being the Perfect Dad. (A title he took very seriously – plus, he needed to wipe out the competition in the form of that stupid Ice Prick and Metal Head).  

The moment his fingers closed around the handle, Natsu quickly dashed back to where his Lucy was waiting, sitting at a chair in front of her vanity, smiling fondly as she rubs her swollen stomach. The sight takes his breath away – goddamn he’d give up anything just to stay in this moment forever – and Natsu can’t help but stare at his beautiful wife.  

Lucy meets his eyes through the mirror and starts, surprised to see him before her lips stretch to form that smile – the smile only reserved for him. Natsu’s suddenly overwhelmed with how beautiful she is, how Lucy was his – how'd he ever get so lucky to have her? - and his throat grows tight, the emotions rushing through him, leaving a warm feeling curling around his heart.  

He wasn’t sure he deserved Lucy but Natsu would do his damn best to prove to her that she hadn’t made a mistake in letting him love her and her loving him.  

Natsu stands behind her, one hand on the back of the chair, clutching her hairbrush, the other gently turning her face so he can press a soft kiss against her lips. Lucy smiles against his mouth before he pulls away, grinning at her reflection in the mirror.  

“I’m all fired up! Ice Princess and Gajeel don’t know what's gonna hit ‘em. I’ll be the best dad in Fairy Tail.”  

“You going to have more practice than them.” Lucy laughed, the sound pleasing to his ears. He loved her laugh. “Levy’s not due for another six months and Juvia’s still trying to get pregnant... although I’ve noticed her glowing recently, so I’m pretty sure they’re just hiding it from the guild...”  

Natsu shrugged and gathered a handful of Lucy's golden hair, brushing through the strands, the bristles lightly scratching the skin of his palm. “They should’ve gotten ‘em knocked up earlier. I beat them at that, too!”

Lucy gasped, choking down a laugh. “Natsu!”  

“Only joking Luce.” He wasn’t and Lucy’s eye roll showed that she knew that too. Lucy handed him a bunch of pink hair ties that he’d put on his wrist for easy access, a move he’d seen girls around the guild use.  

He wasn’t going to let Lucy’s hair defeat him!

Natsu had his hand at a bunch of hairstyles Lucy had throughout the years; the one she had when they’d first met, the low placed pig-tail things she’d worn for a while, the long side pony-tail she’d sometimes do and a few others. The stupid pig-tails were the hardest foe he’d ever had to face. He couldn’t get the symmetry right even with Lucy’s exasperated guidance and she was often left with lopsided tails.  

He would master this hairstyle no matter what. His little girl would undoubtedly be the cutest in it – much like her mother – and Natsu only provided the best for his family. He would defeat the pig-tails and claim his victory!  

After his thirty attempts of getting it right, Lucy was starting to get restless. Her stomach rolled with nausea, her scalp was sore from all the attention it as getting (plus Natsu did not have the most gentle hand even when he tried), and she was craving flaming hot pancakes dipped in chilli sauce.....  

If she was craving that, she worried about what her baby was going to eat – no doubt she would be as ravenous as her father... Lucy cried for her future self’s wallet.  

Just as she was about to pull away, Natsu made a triumphant cry, pumping the air.  

Her hair was neatly parted with no oddly shaped bumps or loose strands – except for the few that Natsu had kept out in the front, knowing that was how she liked it. The pigtails themselves were perfect, symmetrical and even with one another. Natsu’s proud, grinning face watched her reaction in the mirror, puffing out his chest smugly.

“I’ve mastered the pig-tails now. Our kid’s gonna have the best hair in the guild – no, Magnolia!” The sight of her husband so proud of himself for getting a hairstyle perfect during practice for their baby sent tears flowing from her eyes. Damn hormones!

Natsu’s arms circled around her, resting his chin atop of her head, grinning at the reflection of the pair in the mirror.  

“I’d like to see those two bastards’ try to top my skills.”

-

This was a headcanon given to me by @princessofthedreamland I hope you liked it Lucy! Also, you should know by now that I’m going to tag you even if you use anon! Lmao. 

I sort of went off track with this one because Natsu interacting with pregnant Lucy just makes me all fuzzy. Sorry about that <3 Also, if you liked this, feel free to check out the rest of my work here!