Natsu's POV
When Luce was finally done crying and Gray and Juvia were flinching less noticeably is when the rest of our guild decided it was time to ask questions. They kept getting frustrated when they realized that we just didn't have answers for them.
"What do you know?" Erza asked, trying to get to the bottom of it all.
I groan, "You heard what Yuri and Lee said right?" I asked her and she nodded. "That's what we know," I turned around, picking up Nashi and Melody, my two princesses were waiting on me.
"Are you ready to go home?" Luce asked the kids, ignoring whatever it was Mira was asking her altogether. Damn, she just looked so tired.
"Yeah!" Tidus and Melody cheered as Luce carried our boys and we just left our friends behind. We can come back to it tomorrow if we really needed to but for now we just needed to go home.
"Dragon slayers follow," I whisper knowing that they heard me. I could care less if Laxus and Gajeel came along but Sting, Rogue and Wendy were family. Wendy by adoption and Sting and Rogue as self appointed uncles. Not to mention the fact that Jade and Rose were my niece and nephew regardless of what anyone else said about the matter all together. As a second thought I decided to add, "Laxus bring Gramps."
We walked all the way to the property line and waited there until all of the slayers were together, plus Gramps and we showed them the way to our house. Sting, Rogue and Wendy went ahead of us to get comfortable and Wendy said something about making tea. As Luce and I waited for Gajeel, Laxus and Master just so we could show them the way. Not that they paid much attention of course.
"Oi, that's Wendy, Carla and Happy's house. Our place is this way," I called over my shoulder when I looked back at them, seeing them all going up the porch steps of my old place.
"When did you move? And why didn't Happy come with you?" Panther Lily asked as he flew above Gajeel's shoulder.
I shrugged before answering, "We moved before we made S class. As far as Happy goes he wanted to stay there. It was just as much his house as it was mine so he just stayed. As to why, you should just ask him about it. Hey where is he anyway? Last time I was told that he would be back in just a couple days."
"They went on a mission with the Exceeds from Sabertooth. It was a joint mission but I think the lady hiring them was just one of those crazy cat ladies. She gave me the creeps." I see him shiver. They left almost as soon as they got back, so I don't think they know you were gone for two weeks." Panther Lily answered back.
"Hmm," I hum to myself. I wonder if all that time alone with Carla will make me a grandpa? I try to shake the thought from my head. That is a question for another day.
We finally arrive at the house and I turned around and glared at them, "If I get Erza, Gray or for that matter anyone either knocking on our door or breaking in; what you saw during our match will look like child's play, do you understand me?" I see as both Laxus and Gajeel gulped before nodding and Master looked at Luce and I with an almost amused expression. Of course he understood that I meant that they were welcome to visit themselves or else we wouldn't have shown them in the first place.
I turn around and Tidus opens the door for me as I lead them in the front door. "We're finally home!" I call out and Wendy calls that the tea is almost ready and she would serve it in the living room. "Thanks sis!" I call back and lead the way to the living room after putting Tidus down so he could remove his shoes at the door. I see Luce do the same with Melody and we walk in only carrying the babies, our kids running after us as we did.
"About time you got here. Rose and Jade were just complaining about being tired." Sting grouches and I can't help laughing looking down at my own little angels.
"I guess it is bed time huh? Well food first," I was about to stand when Wendy walked in holding four large plates of food and setting it down in front of the kids before returning to the kitchen for the teapot.
"You know Virgo is going to be very upset that you're trying to muscle your way into her favorite job?" I asked her, smiling my thanks.
"We can't have you resting again already," she gave me a look before glancing at Luce. I looked over my shoulder and saw that she looked exhausted as she smiled softly at Luke who was yawning quietly at her.
Luce looked amazing if I didn't know better I would say that she was glowing as she played and watched over the kids as they ate their dinner. Her smile ever present was soft and warm even now as she seemed to sigh almost cooing at our babies as the twins nursed. Melody and Tidus on either side of her as they chatted almost animating what they were saying as their arms moved around, not caring about being scolded for talking with their mouths full.
I can't help smiling back at her sweet face, as she gave our little babies small kisses and it's not long before all six kids, including Jade and Rose were fast asleep. I motion my head towards the stairs and we all start picking up our little ones leaving both Nashi and Luke with Master as we laid them down in their bed. Melody and Tidus still refused to sleep apart so they now had a full size bed to share and there was plenty of space for all four of them to sleep comfortably. Before Luce and I went back for the babies and put them together in their crib.
"Now, what did you want to talk about?" Sting asked curious as he cuddled into his mates arms on the opposite couch. I can't help but notice that Gajeel and Laxus are both uncomfortable and glanced away. They want to be that way fine, I can be that way.
"Well first we have to talk about mates, of course you two have already found your's and adopted kids of your own. By the way have they shown any preference for which kind of dragon slayer magic they like more; Light or Shadow?" I asked them to see them grinning.
"Well Jade seems to have quite the knack for shadow dragon slayer magic. He gets frustrated and quits whenever he tries to work with light dragon slayer magic." Sting's smile could have lit up the room as he talked about his son. The blond had talent and he couldn't be more proud of him for it.
"He gets mad because he thinks that since he is blond that he should be like Sting but the truth of the matter is that he will probably be even better than I am. I have been working with him to try and show him that shadows are used to make the light even brighter and he seems to really enjoy that." Rogue added on.
"Then there is Rose! Her light magic just blows me away! So I'm pretty sure that is how they will grow into their magic," Sting jumped in excitedly again. "The real question is how are Melody and Tidus going to grow into theirs?" They figured out lighting and ice dragon slayer magic! They said you didn't even teach them how either. They just felt it and went with it!" Sting awed at the memory.
"They told us while we were looking after them," Rogue smiled as if he needed to explain.
"Yeah, the pervert fell and they kept trying to help him up only to burn him a bunch instead. When Luce explained that he used ice magic well he just put two and two together and bam. He has real talent, more than I had for it at his age," I grinned thinking back on the time I froze Igneel's claw after figuring it out.
"Then Melody well she just watched her brother use ice magic for the first time and let her fire burn before pulling Natsu down to ask him about it. Then when he told her to try she just let the lighting flow. It was so natural that I don't even think Laxus could have done it when he had the lacrima put into himself. Could you?" We all turned to him seeing him fidget as Luce talked.
"Well, when I first had them put in I couldn't really use any magic at all for a while. All of my energy was put into trying to heal. It wasn't pleasant to say the least," he tried to dodge the question.
"But they keep going back and forth between them. They just might be as fearsome as their mother when they grow up," I pulled my mate into my arms giving her a small, sweet kiss on the top of her head after saying as much.
"What are you trying to get at?" She asked giggling as she did and Sting, Rogue and even Wendy laughed at that. I also heard Master chuckling but he was trying to cover it up with a cough.
"Come on Gramps, tell us about your mate?" I ask him curious. "I don't think I have ever heard you talk about her once." Luce sat up excitement in her eyes as she let her imagination get the better of her as she looked expectantly at Master.
Lucy's POV
I sat up straight When Natsu asked about Master's wife, I have never even heard of her the whole time I have been a member of Fairy Tail. I see him smile softly as he seems to think back to once upon a time and he let out a content sigh.
"She had lovely, blond hair, violet eyes, a body that made everyone's head turn and her soul was like light itself. She could bring sunshine into the darkest of moments. Her laughter was like crystal bells when it filled the air. Like Laxus she was a lighting magic user and Mavis forbid she ever truly got angry at someone." He gave a light laugh sipping on his tea staring off into space as if he were rewatching his memories. "She was stronger than any one I had ever met before and yet she never once declined to help someone in need. She was always humble when accepting praise and she would be the first to admit her faults to anyone who listened."
I glanced at Laxus seeing him actually paying close attention to the story, his body leaning in as he focused on what Master had to say. I can only guess he has never really heard the story before. And if he had he just never paid much attention before.
"Alas, just as my mother had, she died as our son was born. Our son was stubborn and after hearing how both his mother and grandmother died in childbirth he decided that only a strong woman could bear his child but he never once had any intention of loving her. He expected her to die when Laxus was born." He shifted his story from speaking of his late wife to his daughter in law. "He was angry when she survived not because she survived but because she ended up dying in an accident not long after their son was born. I truly could not have asked for a better daughter in law. The few months after Laxus had been born my son actually treated her like the lady that she was. The way she should have been treated all along. She was not a mage but was physically strong herself but when she died he put all of his hope into Laxus only to find out he did not carry almost any magic at all." Master sighed looking at Laxus, his heart broken reliving the memories.
"What was she like? My mother and grandmother? I know you say they were beautiful and kind but what were they like?" Laxus asked as if he were a small boy again. His eyes seemed somehow hopeful even though they were both long since gone.
"Your grandmother was much like Lucy here. Brave, strong and kind hearted just to name a few. But she had the tendency to act recklessly jumping in with both feet first, most of the time not even looking down first. It's what I loved the most about her. Once she made up her mind there was no turning back." Master chuckled light heartily in response.
"Your mother however was cautious, she knew your father did not actually love her but she wanted a family. A big one at that, Lucy here would have made her green with jealousy for one. She didn't really seem to care that your father didn't love her only that he was willing to support the children she so longed for. It is in all honesty tragic to think that she would die so young. She had been on a walk one afternoon. Just a little time out of the house. You were with me at the time and she just wanted a small break to stretch her legs. No one could fault her for that. You were a needy brat constantly crying and keeping her up at all hours of the day and night." Master smiled as he spoke until this point. "There was a building on fire and she ran in saving the three children in there but when she went back for their caretaker..." His voice dropped to an almost silent whisper. "She never came back that evening."
I watched as not only Master, Laxus and I cried but so did the other slayers. Sometimes it's hard to remember that as tough as Gajeel and Natsu acted they were still dragon slayers and a mate is lifelong. The only thing that would prevent a dragon slayer from dying after their mate had would be if they had any children to look after. The children would then be their only purpose in life.
"I'm sorry," Laxus tried to sniff back the tears but before he could try and walk away he was trapped by Wendy and Gajeel who whispered telling him that it was normal to feel this way and why. It was so sweet as we all comforted both Laxus and Master before we continued talking. Sting and Rogue telling us how they found Rose and Jade all alone in the woods and how their parents' bodies were when they found them.
"We are pretty sure that it was just wild animals but it was gruesome,' Rogue shuddered.
"We ended up taking them to the closest town to find out that they didn't have any family and that they would be put into a foster home. But the place was already too full! So we talked about it-" Sting chatted.
"More like I begged you," Rogue smiled cutting in getting a smile from Sting in return.
"And we ended up adopting them ourselves. We already had a house and we had been talking about adopting for a while before then already anyway." Sting finished the story snuggling into Rogue's arms, getting rewarded with kisses as he did.
"So is adopting a regular custom of the dragons then?" Master asked, curious.
"Well it is for Dragon Slayers. Dragons themselves don't really need to be adopted but they have taken in humans of course, that's what created the Dragon Slayers to begin with." Natsu answered him.
Natsu's POV
I watched as Luce looked over at Gajeel and Laxus. "So when are you two going to claim your mates?" She asked them only to see them pale. Like they didn't know that we would be getting around to that.
"Yeah Wendy you too! I know that Romeo has already told you that he likes you so what is the hold up?" I add in focusing on my little sister.
"I'm not ready yet! I just want a little more time that's all. You and Lucy had so much time together I just want a little bit of that too." She was practically wimpering when she answered.
"Wendy, you have literally known him since he was a baby, but even ignoring those seven years we were frozen in time. You have already spent twice as long with him than Luce and I did before we mated." I told her which seemed to shock her.
"Really?" her eyes were wide.
"Really," Luce answered her. "But, if you want more time then that is fine!" she glared at me as she said that last part. I just snuggled into her neck trying not to upset her further.
"I just want to know that she is taken care of," I whine a little before breathing in my mates scent she was intoxicating. Honestly I almost forgot where we were and what we were doing as I cuddled her closer.
"Thank you two, I think I should go now." Wendy said standing up. "I thought that we were rushing into it before but I think that Romeo and I need to talk now." She started walking out a small smile on her face.
"See you in a couple months!" I yell out getting an elbow to the ribs from Luce. Wendy smiled and waved goodbye running out the door.
I turned back to Laxus and Gajeel, "So the two oldest dragon slayers are the last single dragon slayers in the lot of us." I grin at them making them flinch.
"Hey I'm not single, I just didn't fucking attack her the first time she mentioned liking me like a certain Salamander I know!" Gajeel huffed turning a bright pink.
"True he did kind of attack Blondie," Sting laughed and Rogue tried to hide his own chuckles by coughing.
"What does he mean, Natsu?" Master narrowed his eyes as he glared at me.
"He didn't know I liked him when he did that. Geeze you two!" Luce pouted, pulling me into her arms. I stuck my tongue out at them before snuggling into her arms.
"Before he did what?" Laxus asked, confused.
"No! Unless you want to tell everyone your story, keep your big mouth shut." I glared at Sting as he was opening his mouth to spill only to snap it shut again and turn back to Rogue. "That's what I thought." I huffed and started kissing Luce's neck.
"We can trade stories after these two get their own mates not before. Mavis knows that there isn't a dragon slayer alive who finds their mate the normal way. You know how Eric got his," Luce sighed. I can't help thinking about the fact that Eric's mate used to be an actual snake, granted that she was actually human and was turned into a snake but still.
I turn back to Laxus, "So Mira and Levy. I know Luce talked to Levy already." I glanced at Gajeel seeing him turn a bright red and I finally noticed something on his neck.
"Nevermind, it looks like Gajeel already claimed his mate. But why isn't Levy here now I wonder?"
"Oh she is having morning sickness she told me she didn't want us to keep Gajeel long. I guess they mated a while back." Luce filled me in and I nodded smiling happily.
"So that just leaves Mira, huh. I could have sworn she would have trapped you by now." I commented ignoring both Gajeel and Laxus' red faces.
I look at Luce to see her yawning again and I see Master eyeing me from beside her. I yawn a little and stand up picking Luce up as I do. "We need to rest more so we are going to use another barrier. You two are free to stay over the couches fold out into beds if you like." I say looking at Laxus and Master. I look back at Sting and Rogue to see Sting fast asleep in Rogue's arms. I smile nodding at him only for him to nod back as I create a barrier for Luce and I to sleep. I'm so done today only to be stopped when I feel something pull on my magic.
I turn around and see the celestial Queen and King behind me. I groaned and before I could complain I froze up. I listen carefully only to have someone ask something only to shush them again. I listen carefully and without realising what I was doing to put my ear against Luce's stomach and listen carefully. "Doki Doki," is all I hear but I hear more than one set.
I look up at Luce and she smiles nodding her head. I start jumping around and celebrating forgetting all about our guest as I pull her in for the sweetest kiss. "How long?" I finally asked.
"I just found out while I was helping Wendy with the tea earlier." She smiled and pulled me close again. "Triplets this time," She laughed lightly.
"Triplets!" I twirl us around finally coming to stop in front of the King and Queen, "Triplets! Can you believe it!" I ask them only to hear them laugh softly.
"We also have a job for you two but it can wait until well after your little ones have grown. We want you two to find the lost Celestial Queens and Kings of old. There are 5 sets and their keys have to be created, not just found or earned. It will be hard to find the instructions you might spend your whole lives searching and never even find one." The Celestial King chuckled his eyes seemed to twinkle as he eyed our happy faces.
"We could never fault you if you decide to focus solely on your family instead though." The Celestial Queen added also giggling as she watched us.
"Do you mean these?" Luce asked, pulling out a book she had put together from the barrier we had.
They took the book and stared in disbelief as they flipped through it, "How?"
"We found them while we were training before we even adopted Tidus and Melody. Didn't know that we actually had to make them, we thought that was just simply how they were made. Like history or whatever." I smile as I turn all of my attention back to my Luce. My sweet beautiful pregnant mate as I showered her with little kisses.
"We can worry about that after the triplets eggs are laid." Luce adds on snuggling in my arms. "Maybe after they hatch actually it looks like it will require a lot of magic."
"Wait triplets as in babies? You're having three MORE kids?" Master shouted from his seat behind us making Luce and I laugh.
"It's always more fun when we are together," I moan as I kiss my mate.
"And we will always be together, forever." Luce responded snuggling into my arms.
"Fuck it! I'm going to Mira now." Laxus jumps up and leaves the house grumbling how he wasn't going to be the only single dragon while everyone else already has a whole brood of kids to look after, his envy was easy to read as he walked out of the house.
"You two never cease to amaze me do you?" The Celestial Queen asked shocked as they handed us the book back.
"What fun would it be if we didn't go on adventures?" I asked her in return.
Just then Happy slams the door open, "Guess what! Carla laid an egg! I'm going to be a dad!" Happy screams only to freeze seeing everyone in the living room. "What happened?" he asked next.
"My brats are all growing up, that's what happened!" Master groans, making us all laugh.
The End.