[Book 2] Întunecos Moon ~ A Nalu Fanfic

Chapter 23

(3rd Person POV)

Natsu caused a large commotion when he kicked in the guild doors, shouting to the crowd "MOVE OUTTA THE WAY! THE BABIES ARE COMING!" 

Everyone promptly did as he said and once he passed them, the members followed closely behind to the infirmary. Mira, a certified midwife, rushed behind the bar to get the proper items ready for the birth.

~~~I don't know how to write a birth scene so here the babies are born yay~~~

Their two girls were finally here. The firstborn, Liliana, was a slightly heavier baby with strawberry blonde hair and from what could be seen, Natsus onyx eyes. She was loudly crying, showing good health. Both Natsu and Lucy were released at that, but couldn't help but notice that only one of their girls were crying.

The second-born, Astoria, was strawberry blonde as well but was silent. She was breathing well according to Mira, and her deep brown eyes were open wide exploring the world around her. But she was so much smaller than her sister.

"Liliana must have taken most of the nutrients in the womb. We need to keep both for observation, but especially Astoria. She's breathing okay for now, but I need to be sure that it doesn't deteriorate" Mira told the new parents. 

Natsu, still in dragon force from the birth, growled in frustration but nodded none the less. Lucy felt tears quietly go down her face as she held her two girls close to her chest. Liliana had finally calmed down. 

Mira helped clean the newborns, swaddled the babies in pink and yellow blankets brought by the couple, and returned them to Lucy. Mira had already shown Lucy previously how to feed them, so right now was just to bond. 

"Natsu... look at them.." Lucy whispered, exhausted. Natsu, who was on full alert the entire birth, alternated between looking at his mate and children and Mira, who was dealing with the afterbirth. Lucy tugged on a wing, and he finally snapped his eyes to hers. "Do you want to hold them? My arms are feeling heavy from the birth.." 

Natsu's pupils dilated in fear, but then looked down at his babies. His princesses. A small smile stretched on his face and he nodded, puffing his chest out in pride at what he helped create. Lucy slowly handed the babies over, making sure that their heads and necks were supported. Natsu's vision became tunneled on these two miracles. He slowly sank into the chair next to Lucy's bed. Words couldn't escape him in this state, so he released a pur like noise to soothe his children. 

Lucy smiled at the sight. Natsu, her silly man, looked like he was a child given the largest piece of candy known to man. There was a knock on the door, and Mira opened it to reveal Makarov. Natsu snapped out of his trance at the noise but relaxed a bit when he smelt Makarov, recognizing him as his father-figure and was safe to be around his family.

"Hi, Master! The girls are waiting to meet their grandpa" Mira whispered with a teasing tone, glancing at the couple. Lucy pouted at her while Natsu bored his eyes into Makrovs.

"Calm down Natsu, you know I would never hurt those babies" He scolded Natsu and walked over to where he was cradling the girls. Makarov peered over to look at them. "They're beautiful." 

Natsu's chest seemed to grow even more as he preened at the compliment. Lucy let out a giggle and rolled her eyes at his response. That smile faded away though when Astoria started to make a wheezing noise. The noise got louder and slightly more aggressive until Mira swooped in and plucked Astoria out of Natsu's arm, no fear on her face for what could have happened to her for doing so. 

All four adults in the room stood up straight in panic, watching as Mira adjusted the baby to be able to breathe easier. The wheezing died down until it sounded like it could have been a faint snore, but was still a heavy feeling in the room.

"What's wrong? Is she okay? What's wrong with my baby?" Lucy asked, panicked in a state of exhaustion and protectiveness. Natsu, still unable to speak, let out a concerned whine.

"Her lungs are weak, and watch.." Mira said with a sad tone and held up Astoria. The baby was slightly glowing, and when the glow increased so did the wheezing. When the glow died down, her breathing leveled out. 

"Her magic must be too strong for her body..." Makarov said to the new parents. "It must be what's causing the glowing and her breathing issues. I know the lungs are one of the last parts to develop in babies. We will have to find a way to suppress a small portion of her magic in order to help relieve the burden on her body."

Natsu let out a vicious snarl in response to the idea of anything other than family touching his child. But Lucy reached out and grabbed his arm, and his eyes snapped to hers. "He's right... we have to... I don't want anything to happen to her" She whispered with tears in her eyes. Natsu let his hackles drop, and let out a sad noise, and kissed Lucy's forehead.

"I will go search the archive right now. This surely isn't the first time a baby has been born with too much magic. I'm sure I'll find something promptly" Makarov assured them and rushed out the infirmary, ignoring the crowd that surrounded the door calling out to him asking what was wrong.

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Natsu stood on high alert the entire night, still in dragon force form, no matter what the other guild members said. He couldn't sleep. He has to keep watch over his mate and children. One sleepless night was worth it for their safety while they were outside their home, where only then he would feel safe. 

Natsu glanced at the girls worryingly. Liliana was sleeping peacefully, but Astoria's breathing was still wheezy. Her skin and hair kept glowing periodically, and when it did her breathing got harder, but she never cried. Makarov theorized that she had too small of a body for the amount of magic in her and that they will search for a way to help her. 

Natsu suppressed the pained whine in his throat at the thought of his youngest going through such pain. He glanced away from the cradles to look at his mate, sound asleep with her hand clasped in his. Her golden hair spread across in a halo of beauty. "She's a mess, but gods she still so beautiful"

Natsu squeezed her hand and looked back to his girls, and then froze. 

His nails grew longer. His wings got sharper. The scales on his body only extended farther.

Astoria wasn't in her cradle.