GrayLu week, day 3: meeting the family/parents

Pairings: GrayLu, MidKino, NaLe (mention)

Here is the sort of sequel to matchy-matchy! It will be continued with my GrayLu week day 4 oneshot, Long life to the happy couple! There will be a lot more to this universe, it's insane how much I have planned.

And just to be clear, Gray is not living with Lucy. He is just visiting her when his family shows up at her house. Just so we're clear, y'all. :)

Family reference, in case you were wondering who belongs where. :)

Gray's family: Ur, Silver, Ultear, Gray, Lyon, Yukino

Lucy's family: Jude (deceased), Layla (deceased), Laxus, Erik (Cobra), Macbeth (Midnight), Gajeel, Lucy, Rogue, Sting

"Um, can I help you?"

She stared at the group of people standing on her doorstep and managed not to squeak.

Barely.

The dark haired man and woman were smiling expectantly at her, the white haired boy was looking away, the white haired girl and the dark haired woman were attempting to shove each other off of Lucy's doorstep.

"Hey, Luce, what's wron…oh, crap." Gray's velvety voice trailed off as he caught sight of the family. He visibly gulped and flashed a pleading look in his girlfriend's direction. Help me, he mouthed. "Mom! Dad! What are you doing here?" His voice was high-pitched with fear and alarm. Lucy glanced at her boyfriend. He looked like he wanted to crawl into a hole and never come back out.

He was also missing his shirt.

Again.

"GRAY!" Lucy smacked the back of his head. Honestly, did he have to strip when she had guests?

…guests she didn't recall inviting?

…and that Gray seemed to know?

What was going on? Lucy felt like crying.

Gray took a deep breath and patted his girlfriend on the shoulder. "It's okay Lucy, this is my family."

…

…

…well, that explained why the white haired boy was suddenly missing his clothes…

After about half an hour, Lucy came to several conclusions about Gray's family.

Ur was a superhero if she had raised and put up with Gray for so long. And Lucy could see where Gray got his stripping habit…

Silver was…strange.

Lyon was strange as well, and he stripped, too.

Ultear constantly looked like she had smelled something foul. But occasionally she had a nice smile.

And Yukino was an absolute sweetheart. Lucy wanted to adopt her and keep her close at all times.

Annnd she was going to have to go grocery shopping again. It wasn't enough that her brothers ate her out of house and home regularly, (why do you think she moved into her own apartment?), but now Gray's family seemed determined to do the same thing!

She relaxed. They were very nice, aside from the whole eating-all-her-food thing. A sad smile brushed over her face as she watched Ur scold Gray and Lyon for fighting again. She did miss her mother and father so much. She had her brothers, yes, but it would have been nice if her parents had lived to meet Gray and his family. Her mother especially would've adored Ur.

Speaking of…

Gray's mother plopped herself down on the couch next to Lucy. Yukino took up a spot on the other side, while the men and Ultear sat on her other couch. (Yes, she has two couches. She also has six brothers and lots of friends who invade on a regular basis. Do you have a problem?) "So, dear, tell me about yourself. How did you and our Gray meet? Is it an office romance?" Ur winked as Gray turned an alarming shade of white and Lucy grinned. Oh ho, what was this? Had Gray never told his parents about his and Lucy's first meeting?

Well, Lucy was going to enjoy telling this story.

"Actually, Mrs. Fullbuster, we met at my workplace." She flashed a wicked look at her shrinking boyfriend. Ur leaned forward.

"Where do you work, Lucy? I don't think Gray has ever said."

"I own and operate Ink and Iron, a tattoo and piercing shop. My brothers work for and with me." Lucy bit her lip, watching them carefully. All of her previous boyfriends couldn't get over the fact that a) she was a tattoo artist, b) she was covered in tattoos, or c) she actually owned her own shop. They had all broken up with her in the past because 'she wasn't the type of girl you brought home to mother.'

When Laxus had heard about that, he had punched the impudent brat into next year.

Ur's eyes widened. "Is that the shop Gray wrote an article about? It sounds so fascinating! So is that how you met? And you don't have to call me Mrs. Fullbuster, honey, Ur is just fine."

Lucy blinked. She had never had someone related to a boyfriend react like this. It was a new experience. And…it felt nice.

Really nice.

"Yes, Gray wrote an article about Ink and Iron, but that's not how we met. Natsu and Levy had dragged him along while they got tattoos. Gray hung around, asked me questions, and decided to get a tattoo. He came back a week later for a proper interview then asked me out." She cast a fond smile in his direction. "He managed to make it through the gauntlet of familial approval, and here we are." Lucy spread her hands with a broad smile.

Yukino spoke up, eyes sparkling. "Wait, Gray has a tattoo?" She pounced on her brother, who yelped and tried to get away. "What of and where?"

"Get off me, you crazy psycho sister!"

"Not until you tell me!"

"I won't!"

"You will!"

"I won't!"

"You will!"

"Will not!"

"Will too!"

"Will not!"

"Will too!"

"Will not!"

"Will too!"

"ENOUGH!" The rest of the room sighed in relief. Lucy sniggered. It was like watching an argument between her siblings. "Oh, Yukino? Gray's tattoo is on his left ankle and it's a snowflake." Yukino cooed as Gray sank into the couch, casting a betrayed look as his sweetheart. Lucy simply giggled and waved at him.

As Lucy got up to refill her water glass, she was not-so mildly alarmed when her front door flew open. The Fullbusters turned as one as a blond young man bolted across Lucy's apartment floor to hurl himself at said young woman with a wail of, "LUCY! SAVE ME!", and collapsed at her feet, sobbing. Gray stared. The blond boy looked familiar, but he couldn't place him… Lucy just sighed and grabbed the boy's collar, pulling him up to face her.

"Sting… Who did you upset this time? Gajeel, Laxus, or Erik?" The boy leaned in closer and whispered frantically.

"None of them. I made Macbeth angry." Sting's face crumpled as Lucy's eyes widened. "He's gonna kill me!" He wailed and buried his face in Lucy's stomach. "Rip me apart, string me up by my guts, then stitch me back together and hand me over to Cobra to be preserved and put on display!" Lucy's eyebrows had been creeping up higher and higher during her brother's slightly muffled rant.

"You're right he's going to kill you. I don't know what you did, but he's going to kill you." Sting moaned into her belly. Lucy absently ruffled his white-blonde hair as she continued. "And he's also going to know that you would coming running to me, which means that the rest of the family is going to be invading in about," Lucy glanced at her watch. "Five minutes."

True to form, the rest of the Heartfilia clan showed up in high dudgeon and looking rather crazed. (Well, if Lucy was being fair, her brothers always looked crazed.) The Fullbusters had made themselves very comfortable in Lucy's rather snug apartment. So when her five other brothers appeared, the apartment went from snug and cozy to way overcrowded.

Sting tried to hide behind Lucy. As if that would save the fourteen year old from Macbeth's wrath. Not even his twin could redirect the murderous wrath of their older sibling.

Although, all the brothers agreed it was Lucy you had to watch out for; when she snapped, blood was shed.

"Sting." The dark haired man ground out. Said boy yelped and dove behind the couch, making Gray and Lyon jump and curse as he hit them in the head as he went flying by. Ultear didn't move.

"I'm sorry, Macbeth! I didn't mean for the bucket of frogs to dump on your head, honest!" Lucy stared in the direction of her fellow blonde brother. He had dumped frogs on Macbeth and was still alive? Macbeth hated frogs! Sting's head popped up over the back of the couch as he couldn't resist digging himself into a deeper hole. "But it was funny when you yelped and squealed like Lucy does when you poke her sides." Sting's eyes widened and he dove back down as Macbeth lunged across the room like an avenging angel.

"I'm gonna kill you, you little white haired, beady eyed, frog loving, misbegotten, pond scum raised brat!"

Lyon and Gray decided that it would be safer to move. They hastily beat a retreat to the kitchen, joining Erik, Laxus, Silver, Gajeel, and Rogue in pillaging the pantry. Yukino, Ultear, Ur, and Lucy just stayed where they were.

After five minutes of shouting, pleads for mercy, and screams, Lucy decided it was enough. How was she supposed to carry on a conversation with her boyfriend's family if she couldn't even hear herself think? "MACBETH! THAT IS ENOUGH!" Her brother's head appeared over the back of the couch, hair in disarray.

"Fine," he said, looking disgruntled. He stood up and dusted himself off, moving to seat himself on the other couch next to Yukino.

Lucy sighed. Was it really too much to ask for a few hours to herself to spend with her boyfriend?

Apparently…

Yukino let out a slight 'eep' of surprise. Macbeth had fallen over so his head rested firmly on her shoulder. Lucy knew her brother feel asleep easily, but this had to be a record. "Lucy," Yukino whispered frantically. "Help me!"

The collective Heartfilia and Fullbuster families looked at her and tried not to laugh. Macbeth, with his two-tone hair and dark makeup, was a huge contrast to pale, white haired Yukino. Lucy giggled and moved over to help her new friend (and potential sister-in-law, not that she was pushing Gray into anything!). But before she did, she mimed taking a photo to Ur, hoping she'd understand. This was prime storytelling material that should not go to waste!

"Macbeth," Lucy said, giving her brother a shake. Nothing.

"Macbeth…" Nothing.

"Macbeth! Wake up!" Still, nothing! Lucy leaned back, frowning. Yukino was slightly alarmed by the rather evil grin that began to spread over the blonde's face. Again, Lucy leaned forward and shook Macbeth's shoulder.

"Bethy!" She sang out. "Time to wake up!" Macbeth sat up so fast he nearly took both Yukino and Lucy out. Rubbing his eyes, and somehow not smudging his eyeliner, he focused a red-eyed, baleful glare on his snickering sister.

"So we're back to high school pranks, is that it, sister dear?"

Lucy winked at him. "Come on, Beth, you have to admit it was the only way to wake you up when we were in high school. It was also the only reason you graduated instead of failing because you fell asleep in class."

Macbeth only grunted and stretched, popping several joints in his back. Lucy and Yukino winced. "Continue calling me that deplorable nickname, sister, and I will dredge up some horror stories that your beloved hasn't heard yet. Need I remind you of the celery incident?" Lucy turned white at the mention of the vegetable.

"Oh, no, please. Anything but that. You promised under pain of death."

"Promises can be broken, my dear. Do we have a deal? I won't tell if you don't call me that name."

Lucy thought for a moment. "I won't call you that name if you stay awake until y'all leave and you don't tell tales on me. And you apologize to Kino for sleeping on her." Macbeth looked startled and turned to look at the white haired girl.

"My deepest apologizes, Miss," he said courteously. "I didn't mean to use you as a pillow. It was unintended." Yukino blushed up to the roots of her hair. Macbeth was very polite, something that she considered very attractive…Eyes widening, she squeaked out a, 'it's okay!', before beating a hasty retreat. Macbeth watched her go, confusion in his red eyes.

Lucy hid a secret smile. Maybe she should pull a Mirajane and try her hand at matchmaking? After all, if it had worked for Levy and Natsu and Kinana and Erik, why not Macbeth and Yukino? Gray sauntered over to seat himself next to her, catching a glimpse of her smile.

"Uh oh, what's that smile for? You look like Mira." Lucy leaned into him as he draped an arm over her slim shoulders.

"Oh, no reason." Lucy looked up into his dark eyes, letting him see the love that shone there for all the world to see. "I'm glad I met your family today, Gray."

He chuckled and kissed the top of her head. "I'm glad you met them, too."

They were silent as they watched their families mingle.

"Although, I could've done without the invasion of my house and pantry."

A/N: This is the story that started MidKino. I have no regrets. The Turtle Beta and I thought it would be amusing if Midnight fell asleep on someone, and it kind of went from there. ;)

Tomorrow's prompt will be the sort of sequel to this story, but it is not the end of the AUHP 'verse. One day of MidKino week will have a story featuring that adorable couple, and I'd like to write how all the couples got together; Mira and Laxus, Natsu and Levy, Gajeel and Juvia, Kinana and Cobra, and Midnight and Yukino. The NaLe is already in progress, (sort of), so it shouldn't be to hard to get the rest of them written up. :)

If there's one you'd specifically like to see first, be sure to tell me in a review or a PM!