THE LONG WAY HOME • NaLu fanfic ~ MushiSquishi 2016

Chapter 19: Charle's Child

  "Lucy! Lucy, Lucy!" A miniature voice rang; squeaky and innocent. I sat up rubbing my eyes feeling drowsy, and awfully fatigued.
"Already?" I muttered through a raspy cough. I eventually made it down the stairs after unwrapping myself from Natsu's grasp.
                The house was cold, and the steps had an unsettling tingling feeling on my toes. The carpet was soothing when I eventually made it to the door. I yawned before opening it.
"-ello? Wendy? Charle? Wha- what are you even doing up so early? Isn't there a curfew for minors or something or rather?" Wendy opened her mouth to say something, but was quickly interrupted by Charle.
"It doesn't matter right now! Lucy, you must understand what I'm about to say. Please, watch over Nashi when she gets older. I don't know the exact age, but please keep an eye on her; or serious problems will come forth." Charle ranted, making sure to force the problem at hand into my brain.
"B-But what type of problems? Did you get another precognitive vision?"
"Yes, I got it in my sleep. I can't tell you the exact task at hand in fear of the future changing. I don't know if he's listening in."
"Which 'he'?" I spat. I couldn't process this information that well, it was extremely early in the morning.    
"I can't tell you which he." She muttered through gritted teeth.
"Charle! Calm down." Wendy jumped in.
"I can't calm down! Because of her future mistakes, not only hers, but many of the guilds children get hurt or killed!" She breathed out a sigh of defeat. "Including my child."
            The porch went quiet after that. No one had to guts to say anything.

            Suddenly, I abruptly felt warmer, my body being enveloped into a comforting feeling. I glanced up to meet a pair of soft onyx eyes.
"What are you doing up so late? Wendy, Charle?" He stepped back briefly, pulling me back with him. "Don't be rude Luce, invite them in." I stepped back sheepishly and signaled them to come in, them obliging.
"I'm going to check on Nashi. Then I'm going back to bed." He turned to leave, pulling a hand up in a form of a wave goodbye. "Keep it down would you?"
              Charle awkwardly jumped out of Wendy's arms, landing on her paws before transforming into her human self in a puff of smoke.
"Do you understand?" Charle insisted, flustered. I nodded my head in agreement, acknowledging that if I were to disobey, it would probably have major consequences.
             She sighed aggressively.
"Good."

             Her new features finally came into play, embedding itself into my mind. She did have a baby bump, as said. Although you could hardly see it due to the dress and trimester, but it was definite. Charle was telling the truth.
"Does the father know?" I questioned. I knew the answer, but I just wanted clarification. I knew it was tough.
Charle stared at the floor, thinking for a second.

          Footsteps came from the floorboards of the floor above, echoing from one room to another upstairs, constantly stopping and starting again. The other two seemed to have heard it too. It started going down the stairs abruptly causing a loud ruckus in the house. I turned around to Natsu and Nashi. He handed the baby to me and smiled,
"He doesn't does he?"
She faced the other way, almost trying to avoid his glare. Her face glistened in the moonlight emitting from the window, revealing tears trickling down her face.
"No," Her voice echoed, eventually forming itself into the atmosphere.

          I saw the sorrow in her eyes, and I quickly changed the subject. I understood her, and I realized the pain she must've been going through.
"Would you like to hold her?"
          Charle looked up at me with tearful eyes, immediately sobering up when she saw the baby in my arms.
"Of course." She breathed out with a smile.
           I handed her the small snoring Nashi. She smiled a thank you, and began bouncing her in her arms, coping over her existence.
"So tiny and fragile." She wiped off a tear from her eyes and quickly paced it back st Nashi's toes. "But so strong and powerful."
            Wendy laughed out small tears, glad to be able to experience the moment.
             Charle made her way to the couch, adding a stride to her step every inch of the way. She plopped down making sure not to awake the sleeping baby. Wendy not far behind.

              I exhaled quietly, relieving the stress compacting itself in my brain.
Natsu followed me like a lost duckling as I walked into the kitchen, searching the cabinets for any form of tea or herbal essence.
              After long seconds of rummaging through the cupboards, my hand eventually found its way to a bags of tea. I snatched them and threw it in the nearest pot.
             I turned around in search of hot water, only to be abruptly stopped by the one and only. I chuckled when I realized it was Natsu bearing a cup of hot water; probably heated up by himself. I pecked him on the lips and stole the water from him making him blush violently.
            I drenched the bags in the boiling water, letting it sizzle as it got to the bags innards.

            Minutes passed and the once clear water was now an unpleasing brown. Although it looked awful, it tasted amazing.
             I poured cups, and handed one to Natsu. He snarled but took it after a lot of enforcing. I made my way to the girls in the living room and poured them glasses without command. Wendy smiled, but Charle was too busy admiring Nashi. Wendy picked it up with a smile and pressed it to her lips. I left the teapot with them, and walked back to the kitchen with a childish grin.

Sorry for the late update, I had been working on this for a while! Hope you enjoyed, and this wasn't to abrupt. There will be a revamp! New cover and name!

Help from SkysCodes 'cause I'm a lazy bum and ran out of ideas.