"I want to marry Natsu-sensei when I grow up!" One of his students grinned, holding up their pudgy arms for their teacher to pick them up, giggling as he twirled them around.
"I think Asuka-chan is too mature for an old man like me," Natsu snickered, the other kids laughing and chanting that their teacher was old before their snack was served and their attention was stolen away.
"As popular as ever," Gray scoffed as he handed the expertly crafted apple bunnies to the children who were quick to fawn over the cute shapes. "They don't know how much of an idiot you are, flame brain,"
"Not in front of the kids," Erza hissed as she walked into the room, glaring at both men quick to zip their lips. The students laughed as they ate, telling Erza she was way cooler than Gray or Natsu since her eyes held so much power.
The three worked at a local daycare, Natsu's father it's owner and the other two getting jobs along with the Dragneel son as soon as they graduated college. They all liked to work with children, which their other friends found strange but admitted that when they dropped by for a visit, they had a lot of fun.
"After you finish your snack, make sure to line up to rinse your mouth then it's nap time. Levy-chan will be coming from the library to read to us before your parents come to pick you up!" Natsu clapped and the little ones cheered, exhaustion soon claiming each one.
Their day was always quick to flow by, Erza and Gray clocking out for the night while Natsu stayed behind to wait for the parents that usually came an hour or so late. There was only ever one student left at this time, and he knew his mother was probably tripping over herself trying to rush when she knew that Natsu never minded staying late.
"Natsu-sensei?" The boy sighed as he waddled up to the teacher, his cheeks puffed out, and bitty hands pulled down on the front of his smock. "Do you think mama is almost here?"
"'Course I do, Kai! You know she's always a bit late; I bet it's because she's thinking of something awesome to make you for dinner."
"Eh~? That's cool… Mama is cool…" He grinned cheekily as Natsu ruffled his curly blonde hair, his smile almost an exact replicate for his mother's. The door soon swung open with a panting woman on the other side, awkwardly huddled over and holding her knees for balance, looking up with a half grin as she heard her son squeal.
"I'm sorry mama's late again, Kai." Lucy cooed as she came forward to greet her son who excitedly ran towards her. "Capricorn will never learn when to let me leave,"
"Don't sweat it, Luce. We always have fun here while we wait for you," Natsu laughed as the boy agreed and wrapped his arms tightly around his mother's neck.
"Thank you so much again for keeping him late, I hope I can adjust my schedule soon to pick him up on time," Lucy sighed, eyes tired but smiling as her son pressed sloppy kisses against her cheek.
"Don't force yourself," The teacher shook his head, stuffing hands into his pastel yellow apron as he grinned. "I know you gotta lot going on, you can always count on us to help you out."
"What do we say to the kind sensei, hmm?" Lucy's soft smile made his heart beat a mile a minute, both mother and son shouting out a gleeful 'thank you' before taking their leave.
Natsu ran a hand through his hair and groaned, teeth sinking in roughly to his bottom lip. Even when disheveled and overworked, Lucy looked beyond beautiful. He'd never had the chance to work up a confession, more or less in the past because he thought she was still with Kai's father, but learned the man didn't even stick around to wait for his child's birth. That pissed Natsu off, generally speaking for any woman who had been left to raise a child by her lonesome, but he'd fallen for Lucy the moment she walked in to enroll her son. Not to mention she took over her family business when her father suddenly passed away, and only at the age of twenty-three. Those two were in the public eye more than they should have been, and Natsu struggled to make an effort to enter her life. Lucy's gaze always held his for a moment before she would turn to leave, his heart sighing and fingers twitching when he would almost grab onto her and beg her to stay.
