Title: How Does One...?

Rating: Rating M for future chapters.
For this chapter— Rated T

Pairings: Laxus x Lucy

Summary: Fairy Tail did not see it coming. Not even Mirajane. But in all honesty, they were all to blame. If only they paid attention to Lucy and her obvious crush—Laxus be damned, had taken advantage of.
For this chapter— How does one babysit? Join Laxus in his hardest job yet.

A/N: How I see Laxus x Lucy.
BETA Reader did not review this. All faults are on me.

"How do you feel about kids?" - Mirajane Strauss

"Just sit still," Laxus Dreyar mumbled through gritted teeth as he tried to pry off tiny hands. To his surprise and dismay, the girl's grip was stronger than anticipated from a little three year old. And her clutch was actually hurting him as she clung to his sleeves and the poor skin underneath it. Plus with the absentminded kicking to his chest, it was all the worst.

"But I wanna play more!" It was a small shrill. Small enough to trigger the migraine he had been feeling in his silent misery.

In retrospect, he had no idea what he was doing.

If anyone, anyone, was to ask of how he felt towards his current situation, he wouldn't know what to say. If they rambled on their continuous teasing on his lack of marital parenting skills, he would threaten them. Threaten them until they swore they wouldn't tell a soul. Who would want to be embarrassed by that? For an S-Class mage, looking after a group of children was the simplest job out there. Supposedly.

Too bad they weren't shy enough to go headstrong into trouble.

"Laxus! Laxus! He's eating it again!" There was a slight tug at his pants. With a displeased sigh, he hastily continued trying to escape the young girl's grasp. Intentions now trying to save the kid attempting suicide.

This was exactly the reason why they should add more details on request fliers. Because really, adding "Needed Babysitter" wasn't all that complicated—

Finally setting the little girl down into the high chair, Laxus wasted no time to run to the other. Who was trying to grin ear to ear with a wooden block half way shoved into his mouth.

—though he could see the reason why they wouldn't add the title. Fear of receiving no volunteers would be understandable.

"Laxus! I want to keep playing!" The little boy wailed as the older man cautiously threw the slobber covered block else where. He couldn't really remember himself acting like this as a child. Inexhaustible and mischievous. It was the perfect description for an annoying tiny terror. That only being said as he had had to break two fights in the last hour. Brute strength and cackling lightning was out of the question. For the untrained little kids only knew of "I'm going to tell your mom."

Unfortunately, the saying only lasted, at the most, 10 minutes.

Honestly, if he was to blame anyone for this little predicament, it would be Lucy. There was no such requirement for him to be handling any kinds of situations such as this. He was never requested at the duty of something so... domestic.

Then again, it could be partially his fault. He could never find himself able to deny his girlfriend-even her "date planning" antics. (Going on a job wasn't even considered a date to normal people, and he'd have to remind her that later.) Actually, almost no one at Fairy Tail was able to deny the vivacious girl she was. That's why it was no surprise, that when she talked, everyone listened.

Especially him, where about three years ago, she had spoken first. Determination filling those brown doe like eyes when she protested to others, that she would work as his other half. Indeed, she was quite the assertive woman she said herself to be. It was still a surprise to him though, that his Lucy, could measure to the amount of scariness that Erza's scale held. Either physically or verbally, Lucy tried her best to ensure the safety of her close friends.

And after witnessing her whole self, to himself, it was actually safe to agree with the others—who wouldn't stop teasing—that Lucy Heartfilia had had him whipped.

Sometimes literally... And way too much, that he even realized she had him around her finger. Thank Mavis that she didn't abuse that power. Unless this was considered an example...

"I'm going to have to tell your parents for sure, if you do not stop crying." Laxus towered the one pouting on the floor. Tiny arms crossed tightly against the little figure's chest. A stranger would have thought the sight cute. But just try to watch this for the whole morning throughout the afternoon.

Though the little boy didn't know much about the large man, he was notified by the caretaker of the nursery that, Fairy Tail members, would be visiting. And by many stories that his parents have told him, Laxus Dreyar was a "scary" man of lightning.

"Kid," he murmured. "Come on. I'm hungry too."

And out of no where. The pouty mood suddenly was forgotten: "Okay! Carry me!"

"Note to self," he muttered while setting the last of three onto the dinner table. "Never let Lucy plan dates."

Once Lucy Heartfilia had finished her tiring duties with the caretaker, she was finally allowed to visit her partner. The curiosity was drowning her in the possibilities of what Laxus had done to appease the attention of little kids. But to her surprise, the sight she stumbled on was much better than she had imagined it.

The handsome side profile of the blonde man was only visible as he turned to a little girl in a high chair, face blank. Head lazily propped into his palm as there was a tiny boy sitting on his shoulders, chin resting in blonde spikes—Mavis only knows how he managed to get Laxus to participate. While the other male was happily being bounced on the elder man's knees.

It was undeniably adorable.

And to add more to the surprise, Laxus was intently listening to the chattering of the girl.

Brown eyes shimmered with affection. If only she had a camera to take a picture of the cute scenario: Laxus Dreyar breaking his tough exterior for a few children. A perfect photograph to embarrass him with. Oh how the fellows at home would enjoy seeing it.

But of course, there was no need to do such a thing. The poor man must have already had enough, considering the underlying strain beneath his brow and how his finger was tapping aggressively against his cheekbone. She couldn't blame him. Not that her lack of experience in romantic dates had anything to do with this—not at all. The kids must have been a handful or two.

Maybe it was time to cut in... The scene was too priceless though—

"Look who came to join us for dinner." The greeting was too bland for a welcoming. And with the raspy voice accompanied by an unsatisfied look, she could clearly tell her lover was tired.

"A-Ah! You noticed," she lied through her teeth partially startled. He had probably known ever since she took one step out of the kitchen.

"Who are you?" The toddler sitting upon Laxus' shoulders was now laying his cheek on the older man's hair, lazily looking at her.

"Are you Laxus' princess?" The little girl chirped in a not such friendly tone.

Lucy watched in awe as her boyfriend scooped tiny portions into a baby spoon. His lips parted to feign an "ahhh" —akin to when doctors ask you to open up—as he brought the food up to the little girl's mouth, feeding her in a content manner—as she said thank you after every serving—no rush at all to get to his own food. And by the sounds of his growling stomach, she knew he was dying eat.

"You guys look like your own family." The short, old woman, also known as the caretaker, smiled from across the dining table. Lucy blinked, slowly catching on to the implication of the senior's compliment.

"Thank you... I think." She mumbled while Laxus gave a brief pause.

"Are you guys planning on having any kids?"

Then he completely stilled, spoon mid air in front of the little girl's mouth. Surely the job wasn't a clue of Lucy's... was it?

Looking to her lover for an answer and unfortunately not receiving any, Lucy stuttered to find a response. Kids? Well there was no doubt that she loved kids, except for the fussy spoiled ones that thought highly of themselves, that she refused to be when growing. She was frankly fervent about the subject, refusing to think that anyone would harm her future child or for her child to harm any others.

Finally, she came up with an answer that obviously didn't need any common sense: "When i'm married of course."

From the corner of her eyes she could see Laxus resuming his feeding. A clear indication of the suspenseful fear he thought he was about to witness from her reply.

"Silly me. Such a pressured question. I apologize," the caretaker chuckled. "After all, you are young folk. But... How many?"

Once more, Lucy gawked at her. And again, she looked at Laxus. But, he had managed to busy himself with continuos feeding towards the brunette toddler. Then she realized, she was obviously on her own towards the nosey nursery watcher.

"A-Ah, it's too soon for questions like that really," she gave a sheepish smile while swatting her hand awkwardly, trying her best not to sound disrespectful.

"Too soon? Oh, how awkward! And rude of me, you must have just started dating, no?" She accused, most likely from the unusual and stoic silence of the other blonde man feeding the little girl. "Two months maybe?"

By then Lucy had placed a hand on Laxus' knee, roughly pinching it, to save her from the suffocating awkwardness.

"Almost a year and a half." Laxus muttered while eyeing his attacker.

A year of slow, gradual, relationship building was surely worth it. And he couldn't deny it either, Lucy's unfailing affection towards him definitely had him as the luckiest man in the world. In conclusion, it was hard to imagine his life without her.

"Amazing what young love can do," the old woman sighed happily. "But look at that. It's getting late and i'm positive the both of you are tired."

"Please, let me take care of the dishes first." It was no big surprise to him as Lucy quickly stood from her chair, creating a loud screeching noise in a futile attempt to show respect.

"Oh, no. It's the least I can do for making you run around. You both must get home before it gets dark!"

After saying goodbye, Laxus had to stay a couple of extra minutes just to calm down one whining little girl. Who refused to believe—after Lucy's awkward conversation on kids—that Laxus already had a princess of his own. Lucy had to hold in her chuckles that she feared might hurt the little girl's feelings. It was too cute.

Finally, the both of them had departed from the day care. They walked, side by side, no touching but close enough that it was obvious they were together by their body language. Lucy with slumped shoulders but a manageable smile and Laxus with his hands in his pockets, mockery of some cool boy status she had named it as. Arms touching every once in awhile.

"How was it?" She asked, breaking their—comfortable—silence.

He shrugged his shoulders, which only a few could tell, was an indication of how slightly unpleasant he found it.

Then silence roared among them again, their foot steps only being heard against stone pavement. Until Laxus ceased his.

Questionably, Lucy turned, a foot in front of him, while raising an eyebrow.

"Perhaps," he began while starting his pace once more. "I could chose the next date."

Bewildered, but slowly processing his decision, Lucy followed with a smile. Because, honestly, the both of them just weren't ready for such domestic plans. Not that she wasn't thinking the same idea—not all.

I'm just not a kid person.

A/N: Weeee.

This is how I think of Laxus and Lucy in a relationship.
They just don't strike me as people who flaunt their personal business.
But when it does come to it, they are awkwardly shy.

Reviews are encouraged.