ready (for a misunderstanding)
Fandom: Fairy Tail
Pairing: Nalu
Rating: T
Summary: Bisca and Alzack have another baby, and Lucy makes a passing comment that turns Natsu's world upside down.
Merry Christmas, @bowscale !!! I’m so glad I could do the gift exchange for you this year!!! I hope you like it ❤️ @allaboutnalu
Read on AO3.
Prologue
Spring had fully waxed in the year X776. The air smelled of caterpillars and pollen, and the river spewed fish every other moment as they searched spiritedly for a mate.
Near the bank, a young boy was lying on his back, his belly full of fish and berries. Bees buzzed around the bones piled on the ground. One might have been alarmed to see a boy so young out alone without a parent. But one certainly would have been alarmed to see a dragon lying not four feet beside him. Both concerns would be soothed, however, with the knowledge that this dragon was, in fact, the young boy’s father.
To his current chagrin.
The dragon king Igneel’s voice rumbled pleasantly in the evening air. “Are you listening, Natsu?”
“Huh?” the boy huffed. “Oh. Yeah, I guess.”
“Then what did I just say?” pressed the dragon patiently.
“Umm… that when I’m ready to have a house, I’ll need a baby?”
“No, Natsu,” Igneel sighed. “You need to listen to me. I know it doesn’t have to do with battle, but it is important nonetheless.”
“Why can’t you just tell me this stuff later? You said I won’t need to worry about it till I’m older, right?”
“Yes, but I wont be around forever. I need to teach you everything now, for when—“ he stopped, correcting himself, “—just in case.”
Natsu sat up and faced his father studiously. “Alright.”
“Good. Now, what I said was that when you’re older and you find a woman you like, you’ll win her heart by proving to her that you can provide. You have to show her that you’ll protect her, and you might even have to fight other men to win her affection. But before you mate, you’ll need to make sure that you have a good home. A nice, strong home that will keep your wife and children safe from harm. Because, Natsu, that’s what happens when you mate: you beget children. That’s why it’s important to not join with a mate until you are both ready for that possibility.”
The child appeared puzzled. “Are you sure that humans do that stuff, too? It sounds more like dragon stuff.”
“My boy, you’ll learn more and more that the lifestyles of dragons and humans are not as different as they seem. And regardless—you may be human in body and mind, but you have the soul of a dragon. You’re my son.”
Natsu barreled towards Igneel to nuzzle his arm. “That’s right, I am!” he cheered. “And I don’t care what you say about the future—we’ll always be together. You’ll see.”
The dragon smiled. “Yes, we will. I guarantee it.”
Read the rest on AO3.
