The sound of coughing awoke him from his sleep. It was 6 in the morning. He noticed Lucy nowhere beside him in bed.

Natsu quickly went to the bathroom where the coughing came from.

There she was, near the sink with her face down and her hair hanging all over her. She was wiping her face with water. He went beside her in an instant.

“Okay, baby, you’re alright,” he said worriedly, “Do you want me to get the ambulance?”

Lucy giggled as she turned to him.

“It’s okay, Natsu,” she smiled, “I’m fine. I just feel sick. Must be something I ate.”

Natsu who was clueless, thought it was the meal they had as well. He helped her back to bed. Told her to rest the whole day as he went back to the shower to get ready for work.

When Natsu bade her farewell, Lucy called her brother. She waited for him to leave before she did it.

“Hey sis. You’re calling this early in the morning, I just arrived at the company. Is something wrong?”

“Sorry brother, it’s just umm…I need to ask you for a favor”

“Of course, anything for you.”

“Ummm…I…”

“Yes?”

Lucy gave out a sigh.

“I need you to buy me a pregnancy test kit”

It took a while for Rakheid to talk back.

“A what?”

“A pregnancy test kit”

“Seriously?! You’re asking me, a GUY, to buy that?”

“Oh come on. Besides, you said ‘anything’ for me.”

Lucy heard him complain on the other line, it made her smile.

“Alright, alright. I’ll do it. Why not ask Levy or the people there to buy it for you?”

“Because I don’t want anyone to find out yet…I want Natsu to be the first,” her face heated up.

Rakheid could sense her blushing.

“Fine. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

.

.

Rakheid entered the master’s bedroom with a funny look on his face.

“I can’t believe what you just made your older brother do,” he shook his head, handing her the test kit.

“You’re overacting. It’s not like I sent you to go to war,” Lucy giggled as she got the kit from him and entered the bathroom.

“Well if it was war, then I already died. My reputation as a man died today you know,” he said at the white bathroom door.

A few minutes went by and there was still no sign of Lucy.

“Hey, everything okay in there? Am I going to be an uncle soon?” Rakheid said.

Then the door slammed open, startling him.

“S-so?” he asked, eagerly waiting for her answer.

Lucy screamed and jumped on him, clinging on his neck.

“Hey, quiet down. You’ll alarm everybody.”

“Brother…” She started with a bright smile on her face as she looked at him.

“W-What?” his eyes were already wide. He had a feeling he already knew what Lucy was going to say next, but he wanted to hear her say it.

“It has two stripes!” She answered, stifling an excited scream.

“What?! Really?!”

“Yes!”

Lucy was biting her lip in excitement, but noticed that Rakheid just stared at her with wide eyes.

“Umm…aren’t you happy?” she asked.

“Well I…” he started, a faint red on his cheeks, “What does that mean exactly?”

Lucy gave him a look.

“Are you kidding me?”

“I’m sorry! I mean come on, I’m a man. I don’t have any idea what that means,” he rolled his eyes.

She sighed.

Now she looked at him with gentle eyes and a smile.

“I’m pregnant.”

This time, it was Rakheid’s turn to scream, like a man. Lucy had to slap his face to shut him up, otherwise he’d let the whole world know.

“Ow!” he touched his throbbing left cheek.

She mouthed a ‘sorry’ at him as she dropped her body on the bed. A content smile on her face.

“So, when are you planning to tell him?” Rakheid asked, looking at her with his arms crossed.

Lucy giggled and closed her eyes.

“Tonight.”

.

.

EUCLIFFE ESTATE

Sting was at the living room, playing the piano when Rogue came in.

“Stay with me by Sam Smith huh?” Rogue said, stopping his brother from pressing on another key.

“Oh, hey,” the blond said, “Yeah well, just playing with the mood.”

“Mhm” the older one hummed as he walked closer to him.

“One of the guards told me you went to the compound the other day,” Rogue stated, crossing his arms on his chest, “I don’t think Natsu called you in. What were you doing there?”

“Nothing,” he answered.

Rogue knew he was lying. He had a bad habit of not looking him in the eyes when he lied, and Sting was doing that at the moment.

“I give you freedom in whatever you want to do and I don’t ask for anything in return. The last thing I need from you is to lie to me.”

After thinking for a moment, Sting finally faced him.

The blond let out a defeated sigh.

“I’m sorry brother…I’ve fallen inlove with her,” he said the last part silently. But it was loud enough for the other to hear.

Rogue’s eyes widened. He trudged towards Sting and slapped him on the face.

“Don’t say it! What you’re feeling right now is the same as what you feel with those women you met before Lucy.”

“No, she’s not like them.”

Rogue grabbed his white sweater with his hands that turned into fists.

“Stop daydreaming! You don’t know what you’re thinking.”

Sting smacked his hands away.

“I’m old enough to know whatever runs in my head. I love her.”

Rogue’s angry face turned into a worried one. This was more serious than he thought.

“I’m doing this for your own good. Our Family is not like any other. We’re much more than that.”

“I know.”

“Listen to me, think of the Family like it’s an empire. Lucy isn’t just any woman. She’s the queen, and Natsu is her king. We are like his higher subjects. And those loyal to him don’t arbor intimate feelings for his woman. Lucy is an important person in the family.”

Sting stared at the floor.

“You must stop this feeling towards her. It’s okay if  you feel adoration for the Lady Wife, but not to this extent,” Rogue sighed, “Don’t do anything crazy, it’s dangerous. Natsu won’t forgive you.”

The blond slowly lifted his head to face his brother.

“I know.” Sting said before walking out of the room, leaving Rogue still worrying about him.

.

.

MASTER’S BEDROOM

Natsu entered the room.

His attention instantly directed to Lucy who stood up from bed, she was waiting for him.

“Hey,” he smiled, walking towards her.

She hugged him tight as they finally got close.

“They told me Rakheid was here this morning. Did something happen?” Natsu asked.

She looked up to him and smiled sweetly.

“No. It’s just that, something’s happening to me, inside my body.”

Natsu looked at every corner of her, checking if something was wrong.

“What is it? What’s the matter?” his voice sounded worried, but his face didn’t show it.

She giggled. He never failed to mask his emotions perfectly, but she knew he was worried. Those who didn’t know him would think he didn’t care at all.

“What I’m saying is…” she started.

He waited attentively on what she was going to say.

“I’m pregnant.”

Natsu’s eyes widened as Lucy continued to smile.