Thank you, Nashi

Chapter 20

Nashi laid on the soft surface of her father's bed. They got home very late last night after celebrating with the guild about Natsu being a father, and Natsu and Nashi decided to spend the night in Natsu's room. Nashi smiled happily, her eyes still lightly closed. She felt so free and weightless, now that she truly had her father in her life now.

Suddenly, a large weight overpowered Nashi and pressed up against her entire body. Feeling the side of the object, Nashi began to freak out. Her father's entire body was lying on top of hers, making it harder to breath. She frantically began swatting the side of his body, her muffled screams ringing through the small room. When she felt her father's chest rumble with laughter, she knew he was awake. He had been doing small things such as this since the discovery, and Nashi loved every second of this treatment

Natsu rolled off his daughter, continuing his boisterous laughter. Nashi hopped up and jumped onto her father.

"Daddy!" she exclaimed, "you're not the only one who can play at that game." Nashi didn't waste another second attacking her father with tickles.

"N-No, No stop!" he yelled, trying to pry her off of him. It really wasn't that extreme, but he wanted her to feel a sense of accomplishment. They laughed so loudly that the blue exceed sleeping beside him. He rubbed his tired eyes in frustration.

"Can you two keep it down you two," he asked woozily. Natsu finally pushed Nashi off of him and pinned the child under his firm grip.

"How can we Haps, we're having too much fun!" Nashi blushed, knowing her father was enjoying spending time with her. Natsu scooped her up and ran into the kitchen, Nashi screaming like a maniac.

"Daddy! Where are you taking me?" she laughed. Natsu threw him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"The guild silly, where else?" Since confronting Nashi about being his daughter, Natsu's love for her only grew. She brought this side of him he never knew he had. He had experienced the love of a father from Igneel, but never the love of being a father, and he couldn't get enough of it, and he absolutely loved it when she called him "Daddy".

If this is what it felt like to be a father, he wished he had started a family with Lucy sooner.

"But Daddy, we're not dressed yet."

Natsu froze, right as he was about though cross the front door's threshold. He chuckled in embarrassment.

"Oops." He lowered the small girl off of his shoulder and placed her on the ground, "Go get dressed kiddo." Nashi nodded and grabbed her white dress and salmon cover-up. Natsu, Nashi, and eventually Happy got dressed up and headed to their home away from home. Natsu held Nashi's hand firmly in his, determined not to let go. Happy and Nashi noticed the change in Natsu and they were wondering if they should be concerned. Nashi couldn't take it anymore and decided to find out for herself.

"Natsu, are you okay? You've been acting different." Natsu's eyes held a guilty expression in them that made his daughter feel bad.

"I can't help but hate myself," he whispered, "I could have avoided all of this if I just told Lisanna no all those years ago. But I didn't, and now..." Natsu's thoughts wandered to the now captive Celestial Spirit mage and the child whose life he missed. The pink haired mane felt his daughter's grip tighten.

"I don't blame you. Mommy doesn't blame you. You shouldn't either Daddy," said Nashi, staring up at her father." Natsu smiled at the child whose wisdom was far beyond her years.

"You're right. And I'm here now, and I don't intend of losing you again," he said, revealing his trademark grin.

Feeling the need to release the serious tension between them, Nashi started off to the guild in a sprint.