#( IN FLAMES / natsu ! )

[azriaann]

haven’t drawn this man in years but damn this was fun😋

[phoenix-before-the-flame]

Flame's Desire by kiliinstinct

"No longer was it just the heat of his own fire, tempting her to release whatever barriers that had been placed upon her. In the seconds that spanned in that brief eternity, her magic answered the call, washing over her in a blinding flash, almost drowning out Natsu's before balancing out. A brilliant, soft glow mixed with the flames and arose around them like their own, personal night sky of twinkling yellows and sparkling orange embers." - excerpt taken from chapter 20

Hey Rougie look i'm finally doing up those chap covers 👉😎👉

[Series Cover]

[tingyyytingsss]

I can see the fairy tail fandom has revived itself nicely.

[dootznbootz]

Little Lost Kitten: Nalu Oneshot

It's old but I'm still proud of this lil shit :D I did this when I was 17 so... yeah :D

Summary: Natsu leaves a sleeping, drunk Lucy for one moment and she disappears. Worried sick, he frantically looks for her through the inn.

Words: 2800+

"Natshu~!" Lucy whined and poked the pinkette's face, the alcohol thick on her breath. "Scatch under my chin!" She was tucked under Natsu's arm while his other shoveled food into his mouth.

"N-no! Sthay sthill! I'm eating!" Natsu said, grabbing her hand that was poking his red food-filled cheeks and placed it gently back on her lap. Anything to distract himself from her.

She pouted cutely, her bottom lip protruding out. "Fine, then I'll just have to feed you myself!" She grabbed a fork that was nearby and stabbed a small chunk of the roast beast that the workers of the bathhouse had brought in for them and leaned into his face.

"Now, open up~" She purred and shoved the morsel into his agaped mouth.

"Luc-!" He nearly choked on the bite for she had shoved the utensil much too far. He coughed a bit and chewed slowly. Although Lucy feeding him was something he's daydreamed about, this is not what he imagined it to be like. She and the girls had gotten into the booze again while he and the other men of the guild had been in the sauna, the alcohol turning her into a "Cuddly kitty". She always got weird when she was drunk. Well, weirder. She would latch herself onto his arm, or any appendage for that matter, and would start purring and behaving like a cat.

Although he had to admit that it wasn't that he didn't like the experience. In fact, it was quite the opposite, he enjoyed any and every moment he had with her like always, it's just that… He wasn't used to Luce acting like this. Usually, he was the more direct, cuddly one and she'd just either brush him off or accept his actions, not her being this… this flirting cutie. He didn't know what to expect or how to act.

"Here comes another one~," She cooed, a fork with another chunk of meat nearing his mouth in her little hand. She had situated herself in his lap kneeling in front of him while he sat criss-cross. Her dark brown eyes were half-lidded as she looked back up at him dreamily, her dark eyelashes fluttering. Her soft, peachy lips pursed into a soothing smile. Her cheeks were rosy either from her actions or her drunken state. The light blue bathrobe was now sliding ever so slightly off her shoulder showing a delightful amount of creamy skin…

Mavis, she's gonna be the death of me, He thought.

"Say ah~" She said waiting for him to swallow the first bite she had given him, slightly impatient. He had been so awestruck by her that he has forgotten to finish chewing. He gulped dumbly and opened his mouth and closed his lips around the food hesitantly. She leaned back slightly and hummed, satisfied with his cooperation. His cheeks flushed even more so. Mavis, she is just too cute.

"Good kitty-kitty..." She praised. She threw the fork aside and wrapped her arms around his neck and patted his pink head, slow and gentle. She slowly began to put even more of her weight on him as she fell asleep and slumped heavily on his chest.

He immediately relaxed when he was sure that she was asleep as he heard her slow breathing. "Finally…" He whispered softly, he didn't know how much longer he would have lasted with her behaving like that. It would be the end of him for all he knew.

He sighed. "C'mere you." He scooped her up in his arms and laid back against the pillows that were piled behind them. The blond's slow warm breath blew past his neck where she was nestled, sending a shiver down his spine. He turned his head over and noticed Happy was passed out on a plush violet pillow beside him and chuckled. He gently picked up the exceed and placed him on Lucy's back.

A slow rumbling that he had been suppressing for the past half hour had started to vibrate in his chest. He chuckled, the sound coming out in chuffs from his purring. This is what the blond had been wanting the whole time. All dragons purr, same with their dragon slayer counterparts, each purr different depending on the individual. Natsu, in his case, tried to keep this from happening as much as he could. It was quite embarrassing. Imagine if any of the other guild members found out. Lucy, Happy, and any other dragon slayer are the only ones who knew about purring as far as he knew, and he and the others wanted to keep it that way. But with the celestial mage that he was so enamored with around, who made him so happy, it became even harder to suppress...

Just as he was about to settle himself to sleep, he noticed an important detail.

Shit!

I have to pee! Fuck!

He groaned in frustration for realizing so late. Who knew when he was going to get a moment like this with her again! And yet, his bladder was screaming for him to get up, especially with Lucy laying on him. Muttering some curses, he maneuvered the blond beauty and the blue exceed off him so that they were curled up on the pile of pillows comfortably.

Lucy laid there, Happy cradled in her arms as she cuddled him. She looked so beautiful. He smiled softly as a lock on golden hair fell across her face as she shifted. A large, warm and calloused hand moving to remove it before he could even stop himself. He reached forward and tucked the lock behind her ear and let his hand remain there a bit longer, marveling at how soft her cheeks and hair were. How could someone be so soft? He laughed at her dreamy expression, drool was falling from her lips.

Sadly, his bladder couldn't remain as it was and he really needed to go. Clearing his throat, he retracted his hand away from her face and stood up. He sighed and quickly dashed towards the door, locking it behind him to make sure that no one disturbed his two precious treasures.

Little did he know that the handle of the door slammed as he locked it, it rattled the room. A glass of water tipped over on the blond who snorted as she woke. "Wha…?"

She sat up, Happy still asleep in her arms as she searched the room, looking for any sign of the pink-haired dragon slayer.

"Natshu…? Where'd you go?" She whimpered, alcohol still in her system although she had passed out. She lost her balance a bit as she stood but regained it as she leaned on the mural of cranes in a field with mountains in the back of the wall next to her. Holding the sleeping exceed in one hand, her other opened the door and wandered out. Her petite frame disappearing through the candlelit hallway searching for her "kitty".

🔥🗝

Natsu splashed water on his face from the sink to cool himself. Steam came off his heated body and fogged the mirror in front of him. He sighed, tilted his pink head back and closed his eyes. Even this far away from her she still affected him so. He just could never get her out of his head. The whole time he was with her, he had to restrain himself. Whenever she would go close to his face he had to hold himself back from kissing her. She was so close. He could've kissed her like he always wanted. But he could never do something like that to her, he loved her too much. She was drunk for Mavis's sake! 

He needed to think of something else. He needed to distract himself. The scented candles that were burning his nose were driving him crazy, so he swallowed their flames just because. He was also still hungry… He flushed, maybe Lucy would feed him again if she woke up...

Speaking of which he needed to back to the celestial mage.

He pushed the door and walked out and through the halls to the room where they were staying-

Wait… Why was the door open?

"Shit! Lucy!" Panic coursed through him as he bolted into the room. He scrambled around the room, flinging pillows left and right in case she had burrowed into them. He frantically called her name but he could find no sign of her and flew out the door in search. He sniffed the air, she couldn't be far. "Lucy! Lucy, where are you?!"

"Geez," Natsu muttered, his fingers again weaving through his tousled pink locks. "I'm gone for five minutes to go to the bathroom and she wanders off!" He sprinted throughout the hallways of the bathhouse, nearly flying as he slipped on rugs, searching for any sign of the tipsy blonde.

He sighed and shook his head to clear his thoughts on how rosy her soft cheeks were or how her chocolate eyes looked so dreamlike...He had to find her, who knows what she could've gotten into! He honestly shouldn't have left her alone in the first place! As strong and powerful as she was, she was vulnerable right now. Oh Mavis, what if anyone else found her like this?!

A woman in a simple white uniform walked past him with a cart filled with towels. He skidded to a stop, "Ma'am, have you seen a pretty blond girl come through?! She has big brown eyes and is about this tall?!" He held his hand where she stood approximately, near the exact middle of his ribs.

"O-oh, uh," The woman started, she was caught off guard by the man who looked like he may have had a heart attack or may be going through one at the moment, she wasn't sure. Hope began to fill him for a moment "I'm not sure, sir, but I will let you know if I find her-."

"If you do find her, just keep her in one place!" Natsu interrupted, already nearing to the corner as he sprinted. "Make sure she won't wander off again!"

He turned and saw steam rise from a room across his way. Of course! She's probably in the steam room! She loves being warm!

Not realizing that he had walked into the girl's steam room.

"Lucy?! Lucy, you in here?!" He called as he burst into the hot place. Women started shrieking and running away. He blushed darkly and covered his eyes. Luckily they all had towels wrapped around them, he didn't want to see them naked. He just wanted to find his Luce. "Hey have any of you ladies seen a pretty blond come around?! Her name is Lucy Heartfilia! I'm looking for her, it's really important!"

"Hell no, creep!" A girl on his left shrieked. He heard something whizz past his head and ducked. Why were they so mad? He didn't see anything and it wasn't like he came in here to peek on them.

"So, I'm taking that you haven't seen her?"

"Get the fuck out of here, asshole!"

"Alright, sorry for coming in! If you see her, tell me!" And he dashed back out the room. Okay, so she wasn't in there, where else could she possibly be-

His blood ran cold, yet the air around him filled with blistering heat. He clenched his fist, his knuckles turning white.

Oh, Mavis.

She could have wandered into the men's room.

"Those motherfuckers! I'll fucking cremate them!" he roared so loudly that it was heard throughout the whole entire bath house, enraged with everything.

He could just see it. She'd be wandering around when some perverted piece of shit would just take her. He's seen and heard what all the bastards would talk about in the bathhouse. Just imagining her in the arms of someone else filled him with blinding hot fury. She's not in the right mind to defend herself and kick their ass like she usually does whenever a pervert catcalls or even tries something on the streets! And he's not there to make sure she's alright! He's so fucking dumb! He unknowingly left burnt footprints in his wake, most caught on fire completely.

He kicked the men's door off its hinges, sending it flying to who knows where. "Which one of you fuckers have her?!" His robe nearly burning off of him. He was breathing heavily from all the stress and tension in him. He glared at every single one of the men in the room and if looks could kill, they would've been murdered one hundred times over. The few men he recognized was Max, Warren, Nab, Jet, and Droy, all the men had jumped out of the boiling water and huddled together and shook with fear as temperature raised higher and higher.

When Natsu didn't get an answer he advanced forward. "Well?!"

The first one to speak was Max. "Well, uh, who exactly are you looking for?" he said in a quiet and trembling voice.

"What do you mean 'who'?! It's Lucy! Where is she?!"

"Natshu? Ish that you?"

Time seemed to freeze. He turned around, the temperature of the room dropping almost immediately as he saw she was just standing the burnt doorway. She held Happy who was sleeping in her arms like a dolly. Her gorgeous brown eyes gazed back up at him as if she was dreaming. Her robe was starting to fall off her shoulder, Happy probably was the only thing that held her robe up. She had heard him while he was on his rampage and followed his voice.

He couldn't possibly describe how relieved he was.

"Oh Mavis, Lucy!" He went up and wrapped his arms his around her tightly while securing the knot of her robe and resetting it to cover her. He didn't want them seeing her. He was surprised that the little exceed has not woken up, Natsu was probably crushing him in their bear-hug.

"Why'd you leave the room?" He asked gently. While he still had his arms around her, one hand cupped her cheek tilted it up to look him in the eye, thumb idly rubbing the spot just underneath her eye. He checked her over for any possible injuries. His look of absolute worry surprising the other men who were still in shock of their near-death experience.

Lucy yawned and rubbed her eyes cutely like a child. "I was trying to find you. Where were you?"

Natsu smiled softly at her, a warmth that he could only get around her swelling within him. She was looking for him, she wanted to find him. "I was just going to the bathroom, weirdo. I was going to come back."

Lucy only hummed in reply and leaned on Natsu, who couldn't be happier to do so.

"C'mon, let's go back to the room."

"Carry me?" She mumbled as she leaned on him for support, she was so tired. She raised her arms and opened and closed her little hands in a 'Gimme' sort of fashion.

This again, he thought as he could only smile. "Alright, just make sure you hold on to me, okay?" He lowered himself so that he scooped her up under her knees and around her back. She hummed softly and tried to even snuggle closer to him. He laughed at her antics.

"Comfy?"

"Mmmm…"

Dude, you're so fucking whipped.

A voice echoed in his head, his face turning a rosy hue as he nearly out the door. He turned around to see Warren giving him a thumbs up and while the other guildmates made kissy faces and posed way too dramatically. Embarrassed beyond words he only mouthed "Fuck you" back at them, as to not wake Lucy, and rushed out the door. He couldn't deal with them now.

He started to retrace his steps back to where the room was, which was pretty easy considering that he left a trail of burnt footprints. Now that he wasn't in his "Gotta-find-Lucy" Frenzy, he noticed that the spa was truly quite fancy. And to think that it was Gramps, who was always worried about money, was who paid for the trip for all the guildmates. They were even staying the Night! He heard a giggle from his arms and looked to see Lucy smiling back up at him with a victorious yet sleepy smile.

"You're purring~" She whispered, poking his chest with one hand as the other was still holding Happy. Sure enough, the low rumble was reverberating through him. He had not even noticed, he was trying to remember which room was theirs until he finally pushed opened the door then kicked it closed. He walked to the middle of the room and placed her gently upon the pillows.

He smiled, "Yeah… I guess I am."

She giggled again and pulled him down beside her. She hugged him tightly, petting his head sweetly.

"You're my kitty, Natshu…" she whispered softly and with one final pat on his head, she curled up against him.

Hearing the statement made his heart soar. He almost wanted to jump up and shout at the top of his lungs and do a happy dance, the only thing that kept him from doing so was the celestial mage in his arms.

"And you're my Luce, Luce." He whispered as he too curled up to sleep for the night.

[kiliinstinct]

Chapter 32

Rating: R Pairing: Nalu FF.Net || AO3 [Ch: 1] ||| [Prev] | [Next] Well, this was a doozy and took longer to update than I wanted. Special thanks to @phoenix-before-the-flame as always. And I'd also like to give another special thanks to @genavere for helping motivate me to get this chapter out. A few set backs had drained my inspiration for this and she helped put me back on track! See This Post For News About Future Updates The post linked above is an older one, so I'll also say this here, Flame's Desire Will be back with the Start of Act 3, but like last year, I'm going to take a 2 month Vacation from it to get my stuff back in order. So expect me to come back by the End of August! Enjoy!

Soft breathing broke through the quiet settling in the still room. The chaos that ensued mere moments ago still echoed in the minds of Natsu and Lucy; Both kept their distance from the other, too afraid to speak first.

Natsu sat upon the charred bed, head in his hands. Fingers dug into his scalp as he pulled at his hair in frustration. As if attempting to keep his broiling emotions under control through distracting pain. Holding back a pitiful whine, Natsu grew all-too aware of his reddened cheeks. Not from the magic that sizzled beneath his skin, just waiting to explode at the slightest drop in concentration, but at the shame filled embarrassment that rolled in his gut. Likewise, a similar embarrassment painted Lucy’s face. Sitting on a dust-covered chair in the corner, she twiddled her fingers. Unable to sit still, Lucy crossed and uncrossed her legs, eyes looking this way and that. Her face was burning, her neck and ears pounded in tune with her heartbeat. Searching for a distraction, she kept her gaze everywhere but Natsu. She couldn’t face him. 

Not yet.

Both were too lost in the maze of their own minds to figure out what to do next. He could still feel her lips against his; Still taste the slightest hints of her on his split lip. The memory swam behind his eyelids, refusing to sink under the rest of his emotions. Her frame, soft in his arms —and the sheer comfort of having her close — made him feel empty at the loss.

He needed to regain control of his emotions before they clawed their way back up his throat and exploded another hole through the keep.

That was his goal.

It should have been his main focus, but this new development knocked him flat off his feet.  He didn’t even have anyone to blame other than his own, impulsive self.

Lucy was a welcome relief that he desperately wanted to cradle in his arms and tightly hold onto. While concerned for his health, she had entered his room without pity, without fear — so unlike what he’d become used to over the last few days. Despite Makarov straining against his own injuries during his visits, it only served to fill Natsu with so much guilt he couldn’t breathe. And then there was Lucy… a balm he feared to lose after his days of isolation.

Once Freed and Levy had visited, mostly to reinforce the runes placed on his door. And though they attempted to speak with him, Natsu had stubbornly pulled the sheet over his head as they worked, refusing to speak with them.  He couldn’t stand the pity in their gazes, or the way they tip-toed around him as if afraid he’d pop off a second time. 

He’d almost done the same when Lucy had come knocking. It was too exhausting, too debilitating to continue seeing the results of his lack of control. He had been seconds away from shouting at his new visitor to leave him alone until Lucy’s voice broke through his discomfort like a siren song.

It took all the control he could muster not to tear the door off its hinges when he threw it open to see her.

The sight of Lucy gave him such exaltation that he reacted before his thoughts could catch up. Instinct needed to hold Lucy tight and let her calming aura seep into his very being until all he could feel was the gentle magic she possessed, pulsing beneath her skin.

In those span of seconds of holding Lucy tight, the warring thoughts in his mind went quiet and his vision clouded. What came next? … he… he wasn’t so sure after that. 

It wasn’t until she bit hard on his lip, palm striking across his cheek, that sense finally returned to him.

Natsu released her immediately, eyes wide as the world froze. He struggled to put together exactly what he’d done while Lucy had spared no moment to scramble as far from him as possible.

When she had slipped in her rush, Natsu was coherent enough to steady her with a hand on her shoulder. But Lucy slapped his hand away with wide eyes. He was confused at first, uncertain why she would wish to run from him, but the sight of her sucking in air as if she’d been drowning, lips swollen as she shook, made Natsu finally step back. A part of him focused on her lips for a second too long before he realized exactly what he’d done.

He really fucked everything up. 

Having the time to gather his thoughts and think clearly, Natsu stole a glance towards Lucy as he released his grip on his hair.  Her face was still red, but carefully set in a neutral expression that gave nothing of her inner thoughts away. If not for her restlessly twitching fingers, he may have thought she’d gone numb from shock. 

“I- … Lucy-” And words stuck like moss in his mouth, filling his throat and lungs until all he could do was stare at the floor. 

Seeming to have better control of her vocal faculties, Lucy inhaled deeply as she replied, “I want you to start talking now. And you better have a good reason or else I’m going to make sure my hand leaves a proper mark when I slap you again. You can’t just give a girl her first - “

“I don’t know why I did that.” Natsu interrupted, words practically tripping over themselves as they fell out his mouth.

She paused, her neutral mask cracking, “... it … was a whim?”

 Natsu leapt to his feet in a flash, “No!” He protested as an underlying edge of panic filtered through him.

“Then what was it?!” She demanded. “Why-” “I don’t know!!”

Natsu knew it sounded foolish. Ridiculous even, but what else could he say? 

Lucy’s mouth fell open, ready to respond in a fury Natsu felt was more than deserved. She had every right to tear into him. The scathing words he expected never came, however, as the words caught in her mouth, only to die a second later. She sighed instead, shoulders sagging as every ounce of her fury escaped through that one, deep, exhale. 

Instead, she pinched her nose, eyes shut tight as she struggled to hold back a wave of frustrated tears.

Panic set in. He’d made her cry. Despite her attempts to remain calm, he’d done the one thing he never wanted to do. Reflexively Natsu stepped forward, intending to console her, but forced himself to stay in place a second later. She wanted distance: he should give that to her…. right?

It wasn’t right. Natsu didn’t dare offer comfort now . Not without permission. Indecision and discomfort settled sickly in his stomach as wispy tendrils of smoke curled off his shoulders. His words were useless, coming out faster than he could process as he struggled to say anything that could fix things. But what could he say when he didn’t fully understand his own actions?

“I mean, it’s not like I didn’t enjoy kissing you-” No, that was wrong.

“I mean, I never thought about it before until right now, but -” That somehow sounded even worse! 

Growling, Natsu groaned as he tugged at a strand of his pink hair. The stone beneath his feet was starting to melt as the build of magic and emotion grew too much yet again. Ugh, why was this so hard? Lucy wasn’t responding, and he couldn’t look at her again, shame filling his gut like a cascade of stones.  Frustration at his inability to explain himself made his eyes water.

What was wrong with him?

Ever since the beginning, he’d been pushing his luck with her. Natsu knew that. What started as duty turned to friendship and friendship turned to… he couldn’t put it into words. It was some connection that compelled him to stay near right until she’d screamed those awful words at him. Despite assuring him otherwise, Lucy’s panic over being touched still echoed in his memories. 

It was his fault then. Reminding her of the horrors of their first meeting was his doing. And while he’d once promised never to give her a reason to remember, he’d broken that vow.

First nipping her when he was half asleep at the tower and now this? His knees buckled as he attempted to reign in his magic. How was he any better than the man that night? Forcing himself on her, saying things like–

Natsu stilled, eyes wide. He recalled his earlier words, pounding into his reddened ears, ‘It's about time you got here’

Why did he say that?

He suddenly couldn’t breathe. The heat of his embarrassment and shame was unbearable as he pleaded for her to leave the room. She shouldn’t be here. She didn’t need to see him like this. Natsu didn’t deserve the company, didn’t deserve the chance to explain – his thoughts derailed as Lucy moved, the chair clattering behind her. Grasping his face with cool, soft fingers, she kept his gaze on hers, lowering them both to the floor as she brushed the hair from his eyes. “Hey, Hey, shhh, calm down-” She said, brows knitting together at his answering, pathetic whine, “Your magic is going crazy, shhh.”

Battling with his broiling emotions and the struggle to breathe, Lucy stayed close, prying his hands from his scalp and holding them tight. The words she spoke melding into the background, muted by his own pulse. He clung to her hands like a lifeline, grounding himself as the steam continued to rise off his heated body.

Sweat beaded on Lucy’s brow, his own body heat treating the room like a mini sauna. Strands of her hair stuck to her neck as she powered through the heat. He needed to stay in control, before it became too much, before he -

He tried to tell her to leave again, but she stayed, mumbling quiet assurances that he couldn’t catch over his own, labored breaths. 

Seconds turned to minutes. And with time, the air returned to normal as the steam dissipated. Natsu focused on her hands, glowing in a soft, ethereal light, blanketing him in a cold that soothed his magic.  When his senses returned, tears were streaming down his cheeks and his body shook from the exertion. “... I’m so sorry-” He pleaded, exhaustion and hopeless desperation bleeding from his every word, “I… I missed you… And then you were here and I hadn’t seen anyone in days and I just- “

He just… what? How could he explain what he also didn’t understand?

“... take deep breaths,” her words finally reached him, talking him through the aching terror in his chest as her magic answered him. Lucy’s magic spilled from her fingertips, flowing freely in warm golden threads that pulsed weakly, wrapping his arms and torso in a soft light. The rhythmic thrums became a subtle call to calm the beast of power inside him.

Her voice pulled him back into focus, “That’s it, just keep breathing. Remember what you told me before? You’re okay, it’s going to be okay. You’re safe. I’m right here.”

Stunned, Natsu blearily lifted his head, confused,“But I-” “Yes,” She clarified, covering his mouth, cheeks still red, “You crossed a boundary, and we’re going to talk about it. But I need you to understand that I’m not going anywhere. You’re still my friend. I didn’t sneak up here just to run away. ”

Her firm declaration forced a startled sob from him. He curled in on himself, finally allowing the grief and guilt to escape him. All that’d he’d held back, the crushing weight of all his wrongs that he’d stuffed away cascaded down his face.

How long had it been since he’d cried so openly in front of another, without the cover of night to hide behind? Since he’d allowed himself to fall apart? 

So many secrets, so many things he feared speaking of; And now his Chief, a man he saw as his own family, was permanently injured. The loss of control Natsu thought he’d left behind in a childhood he believed to be separate from himself was coming back to haunt him. And now this.

Lucy didn’t deserve this.

She didn’t deserve his lack of understanding, his inability to control his emotions, his touch, his —  the sobs shook his shoulders and he held himself against her. He soaked in the comfort she willingly gave. Apologies tumbled from his lips over and over again until he no longer understood what he was sorry for. She took it in. He couldn’t explain it, but she held him tight and let his emotions spill out of him like an ocean until his eyes burned and the tears dried, staining his face.

When he could cry no more, Natsu held still, spent of his energy. His throat felt raw and bleeding and his stuffed nose was irritating. He knew his eyes hardly fared any better, puffy from his emotions. For a moment, Natsu wanted to cover his face, but he was too tired to move. He chose to wait for Lucy to make the next move, instead. 

He’d crossed enough boundaries for one day.

The seconds passed by and Lucy, lost in thought, continued to run her thumbs over his scarred knuckles. It was….strange to see Natsu like this. She knew he had his secrets -everyone did- but to witness him at such a loss was a different thing entirely. It hurt to see her friend so normally full of life terrified of things he couldn’t name.

Just how much was he holding in? How deeply did his grief run?

Lucy didn’t have the answers, but whatever had led him to this breaking point could wait. As he'd done for her, she would help him over this hurdle even if it meant sitting with him till sunrise. Then she'd get answers.

Minutes bled steadily by, matched by the lack of circulation in her legs and the muscles twinging in protest. In response, she tugged him closer, pressing his ear against her chest and continuing the soft circles over the back of his hand that matched the beat of their hearts. A moment of hesitation hung between them when he tensed against her, and she feared he would bolt.

However, that fear dissipated with each labored breath that slowed and left her shivering from the differing temperatures. Slowly, as the tension lessened and his weight increased, she could feel him piecing himself back together—or attempted to. Even a shattered mirror would show the cracks once repaired.

“Natsu?” she hummed his name gently, enquiring.

Burying his face further into her shoulder remained the only answer he had for her, one she seemed to accept for the time. Grateful for the extra time, he focused on the scent on her skin—a distinctly Lucy infusion of spice and something that reminded him of that moonlit night on the beach. Breathing became easier, and his thoughts less muddled. 

And that clarity brought a sigh to his lips. There would be no running away from this mess. Lucy was too smart and knew him too well. She’d give him a push, but he’d have to open up first if he wanted this cleared up between them.

“A lot…” —he swallowed through the pain and discomfort in his throat— “a lot happened.”

Lucy snorted,  “I couldn't tell-”

“Oi,” He defended, popping his head up and pouting. “I'm trying here. Really.”

“I am, too.” Her voice, a soft caress to the tatters of his being, wormed their way into his chest and stoked the growing ember. Even with her thinly veiled threat that followed, “I’m trying hard enough to give you a chance to explain yourself while I weigh whether I should slap you again for good measure or not.”

Maybe not so thinly veiled, Natsu let out a low chuckle and motivated himself to finally put some distance between them. “I wouldn’t stop you if you did. Maybe you’d knock some sense into me.”

Pinching the bridge of his nose, he took a moment of reprieve to gather his thoughts—or tried to. He rocked back onto his heels and felt the pull of the freshly healed scars. “I wouldn’t know where t'start, if I'm honest.”

“How about explaining why you were moved from house arrest to an actual cell,” Lucy offered, scooting around to sit next to him and stretched her legs out.

Natsu ran a frustrated hand over his face and flopped back against the cool, stone floor—a welcome balm compared to the emotions stirring inside. “The actual cells are downstairs,” he explained, staring at the ceiling. “This is just the old man’s extra room. He thinks its best I stay here ‘til I get a handle on myself.”

“But he still hasn't told anyone else why,” Lucy interjected, the accusation already pouring from her lips. “It's like everyone who was there is keeping it one big secret!”

“...Probably ‘cause he wants to make sure I wont blow up a room again when he does,” Natsu said with a shrug.

“Oh right, that.” The reminder of the now gaping hole in the keep mollified her. “Why…?” She let the question hang unfinished between them. 

Natsu swallowed, mouth dry, ”I lost my temper, and I– I ain't exactly right in the head right now, so I don’t blame ‘em. I scared everyone pretty good when I snapped over something stupid and got tossed in here. And I—it’s just—” 

He sighed, trying to gather his thoughts. “Everything's all over the place, and I was just feeling too much when you came in. It was…good to see someone who wasn't staring at me like I was a bomb or something.“ 

”So…you kissed me because I don't expect you to blow out another wall?“

When she put it like that, he had to wonder why she decided to stay and not turn tail immediately. “No, that’s not…I mean…Yes? Or maybe? I was just feeling too much at once and my body reacted before my brain could.”

Her silence spoke volumes; he quickly raised a hand and continued, ”Don't take that the wrong way or anything! S’not like I'd have done that to just anyone who came to visit! But that doesn't mean I understand why that was the urge I had when I saw ya, either! ...Damnit, why is this so hard to explain?!“

“Because it's embarrassing, Natsu!“ she hissed, covering her face with a whine. ”VERY embarrassing! We’ve never done that before! I’ve never done that! We’re friends! Close friends, but still only friends! We can’t—we don’t—! We don’t even like each other like that, Natsu!”

“…But… I do like you.” 

Lucy blinked through her fingers, “...Come again?“ 

“I DO like you,” He emphasized, scratching the back of his head and realized what his words meant. Not just for himself, but for Lucy, too. Everything slowed as he focused on emphasizing what needed to come across in a form of communication he always struggled with. “At least, I'm pretty sure I do. I’m just not sure what kind of like that is.”

“So you,” she started slowly, trying to understand clearly, “are not sure how you like me?”

“I’m sorry!” he blurted out, fixing his gaze on the wall ahead. “I can't say there ain’t somethin' there, I just haven't really thought about it, and—and after what—'' Lucy heard the click of his teeth as he quickly shut his mouth, backtracking on his words. “ I put you in a weird spot. If you still wanna hit me, you can. I deserve it.”

“No!” She felt him pulling away and felt trepidation choke her. “It’s just...I guess that makes sense?” Her voice wavered, the words more of a squeaking sound. But, a weird sense of satisfaction pushed down the panic earlier as she watched color creep up the back of Natsu’s neck. 

It also brought clarification.

Why wouldn’t it make sense, she mentally chastised. Since they had met, every interaction, every emotion that they shared had been carefully tucked away. A connection born from when he had seen her at her worst, and helped her to find her footing in a new place that she wanted to call home so badly. They were…close but even Lucy had to question herself in moments of solitude. Her swiftness in seeking him out when things felt off, the peace his presence often brought.

Their friends could view what they had however they wanted. Tease them from an outsider's perspective. 

She had never thought of it beyond the line she firmly drew. Nor did she want to before.

“I’m confusing myself,” Natsu muttered after some time.

Lucy coughed out a helpless laugh, burying her face in her hair. “This is…not how I was expecting all this to go. It’s…” She hesitated, searching for the right word. “...awkward…”

And that was an understatement if either of them ever heard one.

“I’m not happy about what you did.” The words were forced, her lips pursed together as tightly as the grip of her fingers on her skirt. But the words rang true, the bitter taste of lies nowhere to be found. 

Natsu mumbled, eyes lowered. “I know.”

Slowly, feeling consumed with emotions she still struggled to name, much less handle, Lucy allowed herself to take in the expanse of his marred back. Earlier, her mind could not grasp the discolored skin, the erratic scarring of Laxus’ magic that warped flesh and muscles. Every raised portion, each jagged edge looked painful even with the healing magic she could feel it doused in.

Would it ever fully fade, she wondered, reaching out to touch without permission.

The skin felt stranger than she had imagined. A softness that belied the truth of how it was imparted. Biting her lip, Lucy carefully moved her fingers to the only spot devoid of scarring over the whole of his back. She caught his gaze over his shoulder and felt the fluttering of her heart at the small glimpse of red on his cheeks and soon the back of his neck again—a similar color to her own cheeks, she knew.

“But it’s something we can move on from right? It’s not… this whole—” She waved a hand around between them, “—This situation between us isn’t what we expected. There is something between us, but, maybe, right now isn’t the best time when neither of us are in the right state of mind to figure it out.

She took a breath, and with a finger and a look, gave him a pointed warning. ”So, just don’t do that again without warning. And, I don’t know, ask first? Then it’ll be fine when we sort ourselves out.”

“Uh, yeah,” he said, stomach twisting and churning, “Yeah, I can do that.”

For a split second, Natsu thought he saw disappointment flash across her face, but it was gone too fast to register. It gave the distinct feeling of missing a step in the dark, but the relief he felt strongly overpowered the sensation. She didn’t hate him. She was fine. She understood, maybe. She wasn't going to leave-

He took a breath, trying to calm the inane spiraling he could feel pulling at his sanity, and focused on Lucy. Heat and iron warring in his chest at the tentatively hope blooming there.

“So,“ he prompted, “are we...good?”

Her smile settled the tension in his heart, the heat radiating outward and the iron raising him up. “Yeah, we're good for now.” Though he didn't have much longer to relax, as her attention turned back to the other elephant in the room, “But you still need to tell me exactly why you’re stuck in here.”

He groaned. Damnit, did he have to tell her all THAT too?!

.

.

.

Their conversation went well into the early morning. Once Natsu began, Lucy couldn’t stop asking questions. It wasn’t until the first chirps of birdsong reached their ears that Natsu cut her questions short, reminding her of the time. “The old man’s gonna be coming soon. He always drops by with food so I don’t eat alone. And he hasn’t been late yet.” 

With the time fast approaching, Lucy didn't have time to process their earlier conversation or the retelling of events that happened the day before. What's more, she knew without a doubt that Natsu still hadn’t told her everything that had transpired. 

Recalling the way he'd burnt her and the damage to his house, it wasn’t hard for her to accept that he’d lost control of his temper. What she couldn’t accept was laying the blame all on Natsu. Every situation lately had come up after the arrival of that Draconis, Gajeel. This stranger seemed well equipped with enough knowledge to poke the Natsu’ buttons with ease, which she said as much, pressing into the last few minutes they had until she forced herself to leave.

When Natsu heard the truth in her words, he fumbled, eyes darting to the wall as words tumbled from his mouth in quick succession. “And he was a jerk who said too damn much and pissed me off!” He snapped, flinching when Lucy pinned him with an imperious stare. 

He skimped on the details of what Gajeel had actually said and she knew it, “... He uhh..I think he knows me, from before I came here. And he said some stuff about that…”

He hated thinking of it. The fact he'd lost sight of friend or foe in that moment, weighed heavily on his shoulders. He didn't want to relive it again, even to tell Lucy the truth.

So he didn't.

"...The others, if I asked them what he said, would that upset you?" Lucy asked cautiously.

Natsu knew Makarov had sworn them to secrecy, it was something the old man drilled into him on each visit, a constant reassurance that his secrets would stay just that. He knew this, but a horrified grimace still shadowed his features from where he lay, telling Lucy all that she needed to know. 

Lucy sighed, picking at the hem of her skirt nervously before her final question, "Ok. Then will you tell me when you're ready? I'll wait."

He desperately wanted to say no. The vicious thought of how rumors of his lineage would spread through the village crossed his mind. No, Lucy would never do that, but what if she turned away from him? If he dared to tell her what lay buried away inside, would she still see him in the same light once she knew?

Natsu stayed quiet, nodding instead. She had given him a choice, not a time limit, and he'd tell her when ready.

Didn't she also have things she didn't care to speak of? 

Her train of thought followed the same lines as the conversation abruptly ended. Both were unsure how to continue. While Natsu fretted over the details he wished not to face, Lucy reached for him, gently rubbing his shoulder.

"I know it's hard," She murmured, sweeping a stray strand of hair from her eyes, "when all the pain you don't want to think about gets brought up against your will. I understand. ... thanks for telling me as much as you could."

Natsu felt like the breath was stolen from his lungs at that moment. His eyes stung with unshed tears. He refused to cry again, he’d already broken down once. He'd burdened her enough with his lack of control.

"Makarov's gonna be here soon," He reminded, easing away from her touch. He grunted with effort as he rose to his feet, his shoulders tense with apprehension. Lucy looked as if she wanted to call out to it, but fell silent when he offered his hand. “You should get outta here before he catches ya.”

And that was that.

Lucy saw the dismissal for what it was and took the invitation, allowing Natsu to lead her out. But not before crushing Natsu in a tight, desperate hug that made the pressure in his chest better and worse all at once. He sucked in air like a drowning man when she released him, leaving behind remnants of her scent on his skin.

It was dizzying, but relief flooded him the moment the door clicked shut. He had too much to think about after today and his head hurt from the enormity of it. 

Lucy, on the other hand, wavered behind the door as soon as she left. Something inside her screamed to stay, to keep him company and damned what Makarov said when he arrived. But she also didn't want to push her luck. They both needed a break, him especially and she...

She leapt back from the door as if it had shocked her, face flaming red as she thought back on their earlier conversation.

Did she... basically tell him she shared the same confused feelings he had? 

"Oh god," She whined, panicking, lacing her voice as she rushed back down the stairs, "what did I say that for?!"

Fortune proved to be on her side. Too wrapped up in her racing thoughts to be cautious and hide her presence, Lucy raced down the halls. However none one was around to catch her when she finally made it out into the open air, cheeks still brightly aflame as she ran home. 

Lucy thought of many things as she went. Every piece of information circulated from one emotion to the other. Her embarrassment would jump to worry, then to anger and frustration as she thought back to Natsu alone in that room. After blowing up so much of the keep, she understood Makarov's reasoning, but the Draconis' desperate tears as he clung settled against her skin like an invisible brand.

Natsu was suffering... That alone was enough to make her insides squirm and feel sick. 

She thought, now that Kage was dealt with, that her odd dreams and premonitions of danger would be long gone, but these new developments overlayed that hope with a deeper apprehension.

Just what exactly was going on? 

And that question, wrapped along in the seriousness of Natsu's explosive temper, circled her right back to her earlier embarrassment. Running a finger over her lips– the ghost of her own touch was nothing like the searing kiss that he gave – pulled her deeper into distraction. She struggled to ignore it. Skewed priorities, Lucy figured, but she managed to put the issues aside in lieu of eating the moment her home came into view.

Hopefully the Draconis had his meal already and maybe, just maybe, Makarov would realize just how strained Natsu was with this whole ordeal and change his mind. These were a lot of hopes that Lucy held tightly to as she thought over what dried fruits she had to nibble on for breakfast.

-Only for those thoughts to fly out the window as she opened her door and came face to face with the Chief, sitting calmly at the table as if he lived there.

"What the hell are you-" She shrieked, mind catching up with her just in time to change her wording, "Sorry! That... slipped out."

Amusement crinkled the edges of Makarov’s eyes as he smiled. And for the first time, the romni got a good look of the bandages covering half his body beneath the jacket. Though the table hid most of him from view, Lucy feared the wrappings covered far more than anyone would have liked. 

Her earlier apprehension blossomed anew as she shut her door with a shaking hand. He shouldn't be here alone, she surmised. Not with injuries like that. Looking around the room, Lucy searched for any other intruders, pulling a laugh from the elder.

"You're right to suspect another," Makarov said, wincing as his chuckles stretched a sore muscle, "She's next door with Mirajane. Porlyusica wouldn't let me too far from her sight even if I ordered it. And she's interested in giving you another check up."

The ‘she’ll be back soon’ was left unsaid, but understood.

Well, that answered one thing at least. Lucy furrowed her brow, unaware her earlier shock had melted into aggravation. "... Natsu said you were supposed to visit. Whose with him now then?"

A brow raised, “So you've seen him after all, have you?”

Lucy cursed inwardly: busted by her own big mouth.

But fury spurred her onward, kicking respect out the window before she could collect herself, "No one ELSE was telling me anything, were they? I like it here, but the way you keep everyone in the dark while you deliberate with only a few people is almost TOO much for me! You know what? I'm not even sorry. Do what you want with that!"

An aggrieved sigh escaped Makarov as he deflated, slowly repositioning himself to lean against the table. 

For that moment, he didn't look the part of an elder or a Chief. Just a tired, hurt man, with too much weight on his shoulders. He looked small. His eyes were downcast, tracing the grooves in the wood without a sound. Almost like a child being scolded. 

It was almost enough to mollify her, but not enough.

"You make an excellent point," He said after a time, just when Lucy thought the silence between them would drive her to shout more obscenities at him, "and I'm willing to discuss this. In fact, that's exactly why I'm here.  Please, sit down, Lucy, you shouldn't have to over use your magic in your own home."

It was a well-placed observation that made her realize just how tired and sore she felt. The magic she called to support her leg was becoming second-nature, but the drain on her body was immense after a full day of use. She slid to a chair and breathed in deep to collect herself.

It seemed, she was in for another long talk; She mourned the loss of getting a little shut-eye and a light meal. 

 Makarov wasted no time. Once she was comfortable, he cut to the chase, folding his fingers together as he watched her with a hard, unreadable stare, "I'd like to speak with you regarding your place here in the village. And whether you would consider leaving." 

He waited for a response, unaware of his words shooting Lucy’s heart out of her body and into a dark void. The world dropped out around her, suspending her in nothingness.

.... what?

[nalu-gifs]

“The point is, Natsu would never have made it if I weren’t there to help him out.”

“Say what? I would’ve made it just fine, buddy.”

[natsubeatsrock]

Chapters: 9/10 Fandom: Fairy Tail Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Natsu Dragneel/Lisanna Strauss Characters: Lisanna Strauss, Mirajane Strauss, Elfman Strauss, Faust (Fairy Tail), Hughes (Edolas), Porlyusica (Fairy Tail), Wendy (Edolas), Lucy Heartfilia Additional Tags: fairy tale AU, riff on Damsel (2024), Spoilers: I didn't like Damsel

Are you ready for Natsu to slay a dragon? This is the second time I’ve written this idea, huh? I’m running out of dragons for Natsu to kill in my stories...

[fairytail-multishipper]

i’m sorry, but it’s so dumb to me that Natsu didn’t lose his arm after the Alvarez arc

look at it! i don’t care how good wendy’s healing is, that is arm that has all its muscle and nerves almost completely burned away

magic 👏 with 👏 consequences 👏

[pencilofawesomeness]

I'm not even surprised.

I think I mentioned this one to you guys in the server before, but yeah I got inspired by a bunch of prompts and decided to go ham and give Natsu a real existential E.N.D. realization via Kyoka trying to mold him into their collective expectation of him, which is not, obviously, what Natsu really is. (Because you can't tell me that Zeref made a demon who could enhance and alter people without making a Super Demon Soldier *cough Natsu cough* in mind.)

Anyway it's working real title is Unmade and the goal is bully Natsu and make him question everything and challenge his autonomy as a human being until the gang gets him out, via Gray using his demon slayer magic for some demon saving.

I was in the mood for Violence and some real dark stuff when I made the concept. It's not a super active as a wip but I am still thinking about it.

Wrote a little too. Here's a snippet from the beginning, at the start of breaking this poor boi

The last thing he remembered was just going out to buy food for dinner. In Magnolia. Where all of his friends were, so really, it didn’t make sense for this to happen. Whatever…this was. Crazy stuff didn’t happen on lazy days when it was just him and Happy at home, keeping away from the on-and-off rain. But, this did happen, and now Natsu had to consider that if something bad happened to him in Magnolia, then something bad happened to all of Magnolia and all of the guild, and that was, well, very bad. Or it was just him, and buying food was simply the last thing he remembered. After all, he was alone in the cell. Very alone. Not even the sicko who put him in there was showing up—even after numerous attempts on Natsu’s part to call them out. It was hella’ annoying, really. (And a little unnerving.) “What do you want from me?!” he shouted for the umpteenth time, his voice finally starting to get raw from it. More silence.

[fairydares]

love dub captions, actually

[zeweriarts]

Natsu & Igneel

[rubycahors]

Natsu’s reverse adoption of Atlas Flame is what I’m here for

[dootznbootz]

It's so funny because in some ways, Natsu IS a himbo. He's strong, kind, and can be a little dumb. But he's also so NOT a himbo. As he IS smart and can strategize and while he IS kind, he can also be really grumpy and hot-headed. Natsu's just a fucking enigma and that's how he SHOULD be.

[kiliinstinct]

Chapter 24

Rating: R Pairing: Nalu FF.Net || AO3 [Ch: 1] ||| [Prev] | [Next] Flame's Desire is Back! NaNoWriMo was a success, so I'll be starting to update TWICE a Month! Unfortunately, I can't guarantee a second update this December due to holiday stress and busy-ness, but by January 2024, you'll be getting two updates! Jan: 10th and Jan: 24th. Also, please give thanks to @phoenix-before-the-flame for being my beta and working super hard despite the stress they've been under lately.

The trail ran cold. Though it twisted haphazardly through the trees to lead Erza astray she kept track with ease. Carving her own path through the thickets as she hunted Kage. But now …

Now, there was nothing. 

What once was a clear path of tracks leading through the forest had become an empty space in a matter of minutes: No footprints,no dried specks of blood dotting leaves. Even the traps left to slow her down were gone. A dead man walking simply vanished into thin air, leaving no trace behind. 

It was infuriating. 

The search went on far longer than intended and Kage had proven to be a slippery fellow than Erza assumed. His abilities were a mystery, enshrouded in the shadows that he manipulated. It was something she refused to take lightly, but with the splatters of fresh blood that had dribbled on hanging leaves and the ground itself at the star, she felt his abilities would weaken enough to make capture simple. 

Her teeth bared in a snarl as she brought her blade down harshly on the branches in her way.

She despised being proved wrong. Yet the scene laid out before her seemed to laugh at her incompetence. 

Teeth gnashed as magic angrily swirled in her veins, slowing her pace as light engulfed her form. It seeped through her refined leather armor and linked together to reshape it to her need. The armor that once lent her strength and speed faded to nothing.When the magic faded it left in its wake the fur print of a cheetah dotting the edges  that sharpened her senses and opened the forest to her in full.

Erza turned her nose skyward and inhaled deeply, swinging her head this way and that as she recalled her draconian comrades have done in the past. She collected as many scents as possible and gained new information with her altered form. Though the buffed senses were not as strong as a Draconis’ natural abilities, she held enough pride in her own and she began her tracking anew with new observations pouring in at every second.

It wasn’t long before Erza came across a campsite and to her sharpened eyes she knew it was a recently cleared one. The romni circled the site cautiously, eyes darting over every shadow and stone in an effort to find any hint to lead her way. Instead she found the stale scents of those before that were next to useless.

Old ash and embers from a doused fire sat in the center serving as the only proof that living beings once  occupied the area. And two unrecognizable scents - no - three. Her eyes narrowed. Kage’s scent stood out among the rest, fresher and more poignant. Erza had no doubt he’d once been there, but where he went after, she was uncertain.  

No footprints were to be found. No broken twigs or disturbed earth. No left behind articles of clothing or supplies from the rush to escape. Nothing. If she hadn't known any better, the guard of the Fairies would have assumed she'd come across a camp long vacated by travelers months ago.  

Huffing, her eyes closed, stretching her senses as far as her magic could allow. He couldn't have gotten far. No matter how clear the space was now, nothing could remain this pristine if she looked hard enough. The redhead was determined to find her prey and return home as soon as possible. 

Circling the area, she branched out at each lap, holding back a mounting anger as the seconds ticked by. She tasted a familiar tang in the air that stumped her, one that shouldn’t be mixed with the muddled scents of the forest. It gave her the feeling of Natsu and Wendy, but bitter.

The smell was metallic: sharp and crisp. It sliced through the air and put her senses on alert. It was baffling, and once she'd branched far enough out, her eyes spied glints of dulled silver amidst the dirt. They spotted the earth too far apart to mean much to her, but their presence gained her interest. Like a trail of breadcrumbs, they lead further into the trees.

'I don’t recall Kage having weapons…..' She reasoned, doubt pulling her to return to the clearing, but something else toyed at the edges of her brain, beckoning her to follow.

Someone made the camp, she didn't know who, but it wasn't Kage.

Decision made, she dashed back through the undergrowth, going after the bits of metal gleaming brightly in the disturbed earth. 

'It's the only lead I have!!'

–

Kage was frustrated. Not only was his wounds exacerbated by Erza's constant chase, but now he was being ignored by a behemoth who could very well be his only ticket home. After he'd run into the one clansmen that terrified him, he'd hoped his time in these woods would take a turn for the better. But Gajeel had merely snorted at his pleas and cleared his small camp with a practiced speed that dizzied him before trudging through the thickets with barely a look behind.

It was better than being alone, he thought ruefully.  While stumbling along, Kage realized it was the opposite direction from the Forest's edge and that planted a seed of worry in him. ”... Is Master Jose still in the woods then? He’s set up his camp elsewhere, right?“

It wasn't his first time asking since they set out and he was starting to believe it wouldn't be his last.

The larger man's strides outran his own, briskly moving through the woods as if he were part of it, always aware of every twist and turn the roots at his feet would present. Despite his size and dark countenance, he blended into the shadows almost as well as Kage could when he became one with his magic. 

He wasn't surprised when he didn't answer. Deliriously, Kage thought his pace quickened instead, as if attempting to lose Kage to the dense trees, but that was ridiculous... Right?

”Seriously,“ Kage tried again, annoyance leaking into his words as a stitch began to form on his side. He felt blood trickle over his bruises as another wound opened. “Are you taking me to get help or not? If you didn't notice, I can't really make it through here on my own right now!”

That was a lie. If Erza was taken off his trail and he was given the coordinates for Jose's location, Kage was sure he could find his way. But the cost of his magic and physical health would be too drastic. The risk was too great. Banking on serving the same master was all Kage had at this point and he was desperate for it to work. 

But Gajeel seemed unperturbed, continuing his trek in stiff silence. Almost as if he'd forgotten Kage's very existence.

This was getting ridiculous.

“Are you helping me or not?!” He snapped, voice crackling through the air.

The rhythmic tramping of Gajeel’s boots came to a stomping halt. Gajeel stopped walking, his shoulders tightened, sharpening his boxy frame and he slowly tilted his head back to peer at Kage through thick strands of dark hair. A shiver crawled along Kage's spine as instincts clawed in his head to bolt, but he was pinned like an animal in place by sharp, red eyes and what he saw in them shot ice through his veins. 

No empathy. No anger. Just cold calculations as one would while observing an anthill as they pondered how best to crush it under their heel. Kage's mouth ran dry and he fought back the urge to pitifully whimper. He refused to admit the way his body trembled out of his control. 

“Y-you know what?” He sputtered, voice climbing an octave higher. Kage’s eyes darted elsewhere- anywhere- from those piercing eyes.  He forced a weak smile as anxious laughter escaped, “-nevermind, you don't have to talk! In fact, you're clearly busy doing somethin' else for Jose so how about I just go on my own and leave you be? J-just point me in the right direction and I'll-”

Gajeel snorted, lips finally curving into the barest hint of a smirk as Kage cut himself off, blinking dazedly. 

“So ya' think you can get there on your own huh?” He asked, voice full of derision. A mocking humor tinged the edges of his words. He turned with arms crossed, looking at Kage down the bridge of his nose. “In your condition? Bullshit.”

Kage flushed in shame. As much as he could fool himself into believing his abilities, the other man was not easily deluded, yet despite the imperious, disbelieving stare fixed on him, Kage still felt the alarms of danger blaring in his mind. 

He couldn't ignore it.

Clansmen or not, he needed to leave. “I-I'll take my chances,“ He stammered breathlessly, ignoring the way his voice cracked in uncontained fright. 

Intending to pick a direction and leave, Kage barely managed to turn away from Gajeel before the larger man struck like a viper. Gajeel’s fingers dug tight into Kage’s shoulder, giving him no chance to take a step before he was forcefully yanked back with a snap of his arm. Kage felt his bones rattle as he scrambled, struggling to keep his balance when he was pulled behind Gajeel again.

”What do you think you're-“ He was cut off again by a warning snarl that prickled gooseflesh atop his skin. It locked him in place alongside the sneer that twisted Gajeel's features. 

“...you’re gonna keep following if you wanna keep that head of yours attached.” The low hiss curled in the air between them. His cold words rang empty with no emotion. Kage knew it wasn’t empty words. Gajeel meant the threat and would follow through without a second thought.

It was a warning. A promise. And it sent Kage into flight mode.

He lunged against Gajeel's grip despite the burns and shock to his nerves, but his attempts at escape were futile. Gajeel’s grip was solid and unmoving; and while the shadow user desperately tried to get as far away as possible, the other’s leading movements dragged him along regardless. 

”Gajeel, come on, man,“ Kage pleaded, eyes wide as a cold sweat dripped down his forehead, ”We're both part of the Phantom Clan, you don't have to do this! Just let me go and I won't say a word about what you're doing. It- it's obviously something secret right?“

At Gajeel's silence, he assumed he'd hit the nail on the head and continued, his hurried words rising in volume after every syllable. ”Exactly! So, I'll keep quiet, you can keep doing whatever it is Jose sent you to do and then I can get home, relax and heal and everything will be-”

“Don't you ever shut up?” Gajeel snapped, grip tight enough to bruise, “Maybe I shoulda threatened to break your jaw instead. What part of this says I want to hear your dumbass whine like a baby?” 

Kage's mouth clamped shut and the other snickered, fangs glinting in the sunlight, “That's better. Piss me off anymore and you'll regret it.“ Gajeel threw Kage aside and moved along, not pausing for the shadow mage to recollect himself. Kage dragged himself up, legs shaking as gripped his shoulder tightly. The pain was becoming unbearable, but he steeled himself to amble along, engulfed in Gajeel’s shadow.

'I already regret it,' Kage thought.

This was not going how he hoped it would and in the following hour, Kage would start regretting far more than he was. 

While Erza continued her trek through the woods and Kage was dragged along behind a hulking beast of man, Lucy scrunched her nose at the room around her.

Crumpled parchments were scattered about the floor and covers surrounding Natsu's bed, all marred in horrendous spelling (‘ It’s not spelt wrong!’ He’d written, ‘You’re just not reading it right!’) that made her eyes cross, much to his amusement. The system she made to prevent Natsu from abusing his vocal chords proved to be a huge success, but the resulting mess made her second guess herself. 

Just how messy was his home usually? She recalled the dishes and knick knacks that had fallen when she first entered, but now that she had time to really look around, she realized that the chaos was far more than originally observed. The Draconis was not the most organized of roma, she surmised. 

Then again, was this really a shock? She'd set her inkwell aside once Natsu succumbed to sleep, quill still in hand and slouched against the wall, slowly slumping to rest on his side.

His current note, still slapped against his chest, was an exhausted scrawl that read, 'can't sleep yet, Lucy's sti——' only for the words to veer off track and become a mesh of lines: a clear sign he'd fallen asleep mid-sentence. Eying the particular paper brought a fond smile to her face before the rest of the room ultimately shadowed it. 

”When did he last clean?“ Her murmur broke through the silence and Natsu's only answer was a deep inhale as he slumbered. Clicking her tongue, she surveyed the damages of his unkempt home, spying empty dishes all around, piled on papers and random stones. There were some dishes she recognized from the dining hall, no doubt taken with the intent to return only to be squirreled away to his collection after every meal. 

Ignoring that, the rest of the room was full of a little bit of everything: old books that looked largely unread, a rusted dagger embedded in the wall acting as an impromptu hanger for what she hoped were clean clothes, piles of fabric scraps and scarves of every color littered most available surfaces. The glint of gold met her eyes often from the shelves-  bangles and arm bands were tangled with each other whilst the sun amulet rested atop them.  She bit back a chuckle at the remains of a target dummy with a messy scrawl of dark hair and drooping eyes tucked away in the back. The resemblance to Gray was obvious.

The hilarity of a draconian being a hoarder was not lost on her, but the longer she looked upon the chaos, the harder it was to stand it. A few more snores from Natsu was all it took for her to decide on her new project. 

If he didn't want her to clean, he shouldn't have left it messy, she figured, sliding from his bed with the barest hint of a limp. Her healing leg was far weaker than the other, but the feel of it straightening under her weight was enough to make her giddy. Her magic, a quiet thrum beneath her skin, was still distant, but its gentle warmth wrapped along her skin in a security net her old cane couldn't give. 

Cleaning with a clumsy skip to her step, Lucy first attacked the offending dishes. When they were set out to dry, she scrubbed along the wash bins and moved on to collect all remnants of fabric and clothes, separating them in piles of clean and dirty. (She coughed and scrunched her nose as a few held an offending odor within them.)  It was a slow endeavor and she took as many breaks as she needed to not to trip over his many belongings. She was all too aware that his hearing was better than most and she was determined not to startle him awake if she took a tumble.

In fact, Lucy hoped his clean room could be a nice surprise when he woke. The look on his face would make it all worth it. And if anything else, the busy work kept her distracted chasing away the guilty thoughts that lingered in the depths of her mind.

Lucy pulled aside a balled up blanket, tightly rolled up where it was stuffed behind the stand holding his sandals. She frowned as she unwrapped it, but the handle of the broom caught on the corner and pulled, unfurling the mass faster than anticipated. Her frown deepened as it unfurled  and she held back a frustrated shout as more clothes fell out in a messy heap.

She’d just finished sorting the clothes! “Natsu, we are going to have a talk about keeping a proper home….” Lucy mumbled, resigned to this new problem. She grabbed an offending coat streaked gray with ash and tugged it loose from the rest, when it too unfurled  scattering twisted twigs and leaves browned with age at her shoes.

This hidden secret almost missed her. If not for the broom, she would have never seen it.

She stared, dumbfounded, her confusion rising with every second. She figured his hoarding was bad but this was ridiculous. Keeping old plants as well? Bending to sift through the mess she grumbled. There were other things too, more clothes that were hastily balled up inside with more baubles were mixed in. But the heaps of stems burnt beyond recognition held her attention. She swept those aside to be thrown out later. 

When she came upon a cluster of burnt, dried petals and bits of twine, Lucy froze. Most crumbled to ash the moment she touched their petals, coating her fingertips, but some parts were salvageable for……whatever it is he was keeping them for. Those were tossed to the nearest table to organize later. The more she sifted through the pile, the more her palms became crusted in old ash, but the need to organize and her own curiosity motivated her. She held one of the unburnt petals to the light, watching as it filtered through the aged cracks. 

”... These… almost look like the winter flowers he picked for me,“ She mumbled, turning from her recent cleaning project to examine the old flower. Coincidence perhaps? Lucy moved to the table to rest of salvaged flowers to compare. Examining the pieces, she gnawed her lip in wonder. 

They were all the same. the same winter blooms she was given many months ago. The very same blooms that were twisted with meticulous care into the garland that hung from her doorway. But…..Lucy's brows furrowed as she looked down at the burnt remains of a ruined garland. Natsu hadn't a single one on his door. 

So then who was this for?

Lisanna perhaps? As a welcome home gift? It was around her return that these were in bloom and the soft white petals matched her hair. No…..Lucy thought, thinking back to the bright flowers and loud colors that speckled all Lisanna’s outfits. It wasn’t for her. 

Wendy then? A failed gift for his Draconian sister? But even then that didn’t match. Wendy loved dandelions and Natsu knew it too, evident from how he’d run to her with a patch to help her send a flurry of seeds into the air weeks before.

And then she realized, with eyes widening. Her face burned a bright, cherry red as another memory clicked into place:

Natsu's heavy pout as he spied Mirajane's Garland affixed on her head and the matching one above all others on her door frame. 

She dropped the evidence on the table, fingers trembling as her face grew hotter: He'd made her a garland. 

Not only that, he hoped she'd wear it. There was no other explanation. Her wild thoughts looked through the burnt edges of twine, following a story of failed attempts and frustration before he'd finally created the perfect one to place on her door frame.

Natsu snorted and whined from a snore catching in his damaged throat, startling Lucy from her errant thoughts. She spun to see his once peaceful expression twist with pain as he coughed, his sleep being disturbed far earlier than she'd hoped. Pushing the remnants aside, she scampered to the washbasin to get him water instead.

The rest of her cleaning would have to wait.

Sleep was difficult: Too difficult. And while Natsu couldn't remember dozing off, he was all too aware of the blossoming aches in his throat and back caused by his hacking. Sore muscles and wounds that were still scarring over itched and throbbed, yanking him from the rest he desperately needed. Groaning restlessly, Natsu opened his eyes to peek through his lashes feeling disoriented and sluggish

“Lucy?” He croaked, fingers gripping the quill tightly as he pushed himself upright. She should still be on rotation, he figured, why else leave her things behind? But his confused fumbling led to disappointment when he didn't see her immediately upon waking, biting back a whimper of pain as he struggled to sit up.

Had she gone, after all, then? His shoulders sagged before his senses could catch up with him.

The sounds of his small kitchenette in use as water poured into a wooden cup, the gentle scent of dried flowers and ash mixing with something he associated with the night air tickled his nose. Lucy's rushed mumbling came next and Natsu realized his error. 

Her presence was further proven by a cup of water being unceremoniously held before his face, sloshing a bit over the rim. Slender fingers slid into his hair to angle his head just right to accept the drink against his lips. Coughing again, Natsu winced as water sloshed against his nose and Lucy's quick apology eased him.

“It'll help,” She coaxed, tipping the cup against his lips again, “Wendy will probably show up on the next rotation to take care of that cough of yours, but let's soothe your throat the best we can for now, okay?”

Accepting the water was easy, swallowing was not. The way it lodged in his throat burned as his muscles flexed to force it down, but when it was all said and done, his throat felt soothed by the cool liquid and he met Lucy's worried gaze with a tiny pout.

“... sleeping sucks.” He said simply, expression doing all the work he needed to expound the statement further.

Blinking, Lucy set the now empty cup aside and giggled behind her hand. “I can only imagine, but you needed it. How are you feeling?”

A roll of the eyes was her answer and despite his exhaustion, Natsu grinned tiredly when another laugh escaped her.  He had to admit, if only to himself, that it was nice to wake up with Lucy by his side. Far nicer than an empty room and someone guarding his every move at any rate, and the knowledge he wasn't alone relaxed his restless energy.  

He must have kept his gaze on her for too long, as Lucy's amusement soon vanished, replaced by a sudden deep red that stained her face and ears.

He didn't have time to question it before she was busying herself with the blank papers that had spilled from his lap during his quick rest. She shuffled them about while muttering about getting him to write again, all the while her eyes darted wildly about, as if trying to look at everything that wasn't him.

'Why is she so weird?' He wondered, both endeared and perplexed by the action.  But as she stepped aside to grab her inkwell Natsu noted with surprise that he could see his floor, devoid of the paths he’d carefully laid out to maneuver.. 

It was clean.

Not completely - that would take more time than even he was ready to admit. It had been so long since he'd seen his own floor, the very sight of it stunned him. He'd forgotten just how brown the wood was and - he paused the thought. Almost choking again as his eyes landed on the one thing he didn't want her to see, resting in a lopsided pile atop his table.

Those damn flowers. They sat so smugly, glaringly obvious what they were originally used for. Looking back between the damning evidence and Lucy's brightly colored ears filled in the blanks. Natsu suddenly wanted to leap out the window again. Why didn’t he burn them?!

“So,“ Lucy's voice broke through his tepid thoughts, strangled through her own embarrassment while she held the ink bottle and papers out to him, reflecting her actions hours ago. (At least, he thought it was hours? It was hard to grasp the time when he couldn't track the sun after all.) ”Wanna try talking like this again?“

He looked at the papers, nose scrunching at the smell entering his nostrils. He never did like the smell of paper. Something Levy and a few others questioned his sanity for, but to him, it just smelled like rotted wood. Not the 'fresh book smell' Levy and Lisanna claimed. Something told him Lucy would share their thoughts on the matter. Shaking the random thoughts away, he considered Lucy's offer, ignoring the way his heart thudded in his chest.

Writing took too much time, he decided, while his attention turned back to the old twine and broken stems behind her. Snorting, he looked to the window, arms crossed as embarrassment took over.

”... Natsu?“ Lucy started, unsure towards his random change in demeanor, but he wasn't done, cheeks burning despite himself.

”You cleaned.“ He accused, immediately wincing at how stupid it sounds. Why did that sound like he was mad at her for it?

”Uhm, should I not have?“ She questioned, uncertainty tainting the edges of her voice. The papers rustled slightly as her arms fell.

“Nah, it's...” He croaked, wetting his lips as he tried again, “It's fine I just...”

Oh just out with it! “You... saw.  Didn't ya?“

For the first time in quite awhile, Natsu regretted opening his big, fat mouth.

Lucy squeaked, dropping the stack over his legs. Her fumbling jostled the inkwell and Natsu reflexively grasped her wrist to steady it, body heat increasing in seconds. The ink was spared from spilling more than it had and Lucy froze in place, expression meeting his own with emotions he couldn't quite put a name on.

Well, he recognized embarrassment, and apprehension? His brows knitted together at that, fingers tightening on instinct to keep her still as he studied it.

Did he... make her uncomfortable? Or was it something else? He wanted to ask, but the words wouldn't come and he doubted they'd make much sense with the way his stomach was currently trying to turn inside out. Dizzyingly, he felt as if he was riding a carriage and it wasn't the most pleasant of feelings.

Maybe he was the apprehensive one? Lucy's eyes were darting about again, flicking from his eyes, to his nose, then back up again before circling around to his hand on her and the ink held between them. 

Just when Natsu thought the awkward air was taking a turn for the ridiculous, Lucy responded to his statement with words he hadn't expected.

”I'm sorry.“ 

Head tilted, observing her as he scrunched his nose. An apology? For what? Cleaning? Distractedly, his mind wandered to her wrist, marveling at the way his hand encircled it. Had she always been this small-

Lucy clarified with an embarrassed cough, ”I didn't wear your garland. I'm sorry. I would have, if I'd known.”

Oh…

Suddenly Natsu didn't know where he was supposed to look either, but he didn't like the fact she felt the need to apologize to him. But what could he say to get that across? When words failed, actions took hold and his thumb lazily rubbed the skin on her wrist, intending to soothe her worries, but all it managed was another flip in his stomach while Lucy inhaled sharply. The inkwell almost shared the fate of the papers.

He tore his gaze from her, staring out the window as his teeth bit into his lower lip. Quick breaths rattled in his chest alongside his rapidly beating heart. It was getting harder to breathe.

“You didn't have to wear it.” He managed to mutter, voice a low whisper to avoid upsetting his damaged vocal chords. 

”... but you wanted me to, didn't you?“

Yes, he thought. His mind practically screamed it, but he shook his head wildly, stubbornly keeping that simple fact to himself. She didn't need to know. 

At some point, his grip had loosened and he became aware of his fact only when she pulled her arm away. No longer was the inkwell held before them in an offering for conversation. In fact, Natsu wasn't sure what she did with it, but he became all too aware of her snatching the papers from the blankets and hastily putting them aside. It made his mind whirl with possibilities. Was she angry? Upset? Or feeling just as weird as he was?

Gods, he hoped not, the way his stomach was churning felt like pure torture. 

”I uh,“ She stammered, choosing her words slowly even as he continued to burn a hole into his window with the force of his never ending stare, ”I couldn't help, but notice there were a lot of burnt bits... you must have tried very hard, didn't you?“

Why, of all things to notice, did she have to be that? As much as he enjoyed how smart she was, sometimes Lucy was a little too smart. This being one of those moments. He shrugged, not wanting to implicate himself further, but his own ears and neck betrayed him, blistering in heat that wasn't a fever and the pounding in his chest only worsened as he curled in on himself, trying to disappear under her knowing gaze.

This really WAS torture. 

Just when he thought his own body would combust, lighting his bed and the entire house on fire, Lucy doused his flames in an instant. He felt the change in the air first. How she leaned in to fill the spaces around him, brushing his fringe of hair from his face as soft lips pressed against his forehead.

In the actions between her leaning forward and back again Natsu swore he'd suddenly gained the powers of ice from how quick his body froze, only for the magic to melt immediately by intense heat that threatened to eat him alive.

”Thank you,“ She whispered, breathing a soft caress by the edge of his ear. For the first time in his life, Natsu suddenly knew what it was like to die, he was certain of it. 

Close. Too close. She was far too close, but the thought of her leaning out of his space struck a chord in him and he reached out once again, grasping the hand that still hovered by the edges of his hair. Lucy was warm, and her eyes gleamed with gratitude despite the embarrassed red that still stained her cheeks. Red he knew also burned on his cheeks. He wanted to memorize that look. Etch it into his memory and...

His mind came to a halt, realizing only then while their noses practically touched, that he didn't quite know what he wanted after that.

There was something, just on the edges of his awareness that he couldn't quite grasp, and Lucy seemed to dance along those edges with cheeks a soft pink and breath fanning against his face.

”I-” Natsu croaked, unsure what he wanted to actually say, but knew he had to say SOMETHING.

“Heeeeeeey Lucy,” Gray's lazy voice shattered the moment, splitting between them like an arrow as Natsu's door swung open, “It’s my time to babysit. You’re free to-”

Gray froze in the doorway as both Lucy and Natsu stared back with comically wide eyes, still inches from the other and hands tightly grasped together. 

Gray ran a hand through his hair, turning his head away from them. “This can’t keep happening to me.“

Lucy shrieked and Natsu's ears rang so loud he thought he went deaf.  

Chaos ensued as the pair flew apart from each other with flailing arms, with the wounded draconis choking on a yelp as Lucy slipped and struck the floor. Rubbing her backside, she hissed in pain. And while Gray and Natsu both attempted to assist her, only one was successful. (Natsu, repeating earlier mistakes, tripped over his own blankets and hit the floor as well with an angry groan.)

Gray ushered a slew of frantic apologies as he helped Lucy to her feet, who was currently running through the events of the last three minutes in her mind on repeat, growing increasingly agitated and redder by the second. Fortunately, the chaos of both crashing to the floor was enough to distract her as she and Gray worked together to get Natsu back to bed.

A difficult task as the hot headed Roma seemed determined to stifle Gray with a pillow, the only outlet he had for his outrage. 

Once everything was back in its place Lucy slammed the door shut behind her and Gray.  she thought her own heart was bound to burst from her chest at any given moment. 

How had that visit turned into the longest and shortest moment of her life all at once? It was all a blur, but she didn't have time to collect her thoughts or calm her panicked heart. Gray settled beside her, leaning against the wall with the infamous bell Natsu despised tucked under his arm. He tsk'ed as he plucked a pillow feather from his hair.

Flicking it aside, he glanced at Lucy with an apologetic, sheepish shrug. ”So. Guess I should have knocked, huh?“

She didn't think before snapping, “Yes, yes you should have.”

Gray cleared his throat awkwardly, jabbing a thumb back at the door.“Wanna jump back in there or-?”

With how fast her temperature rose, Lucy was certain she was blushing again, shaking her head furiously. ”No! Why would I- ... just what do you think we were doing in there to-“

It seemed, despite his early bluster, her reaction was enough to snap him out of it, arms crossing as he snorted. “So you're trying to tell me I didn't just walk in on you two -again- almost kissing and holding hands?”

“We weren't-!”

”Holding hands? Staring into each other's eyes? “

Lucy groaned, burying her head in her hands, “about to kiss!”

 I already did that part! She thought to herself, but he really didn't need to know the chaste peck she'd given Natsu. That was their business and no one else's. 

Gray's disbelief faded and he sighed, “Well, at least you're not lying like last time.”

In a wave of embarrassed anger, Lucy considered rushing back in to use Natsu's pillows to finish the job. He'd deserve more feathers in his hair at this rate!  Realizing the danger, he raised his hands defensively.

”Hey hey! I’m not gonna dig into whatever it is you two have going on so let's not get crazy here alright?  I'll drop it.“ At the sight of her relaxing, he added a quiet, “for now,“ that instantly made her glare reemerge, but he made no further statements, allowing her the chance to finally calm down.

That was too close, she realized, too close and too embarrassing, but she'd think it over later, when alone and not at risk of someone reading the emotions on her face. There were more important matters at hand anyway, such as the rotation change. How she missed the time fly by was beyond her understanding, but she deeply wished she'd been more mindful of it.

”So, watching over Natsu,“ she began once she'd regained control of her emotions, ”as long as I kept him entertained he behaved himself, but I think you should keep an eye on all exits, just in case.“

“Oh yeah?” Gray prompted, deciding it safer to let her do the talking rather than put his foot in his mouth again. 

Thinking back on when she first came in and the amount of times Natsu glanced at his window, she nodded, confident in her assumption. “He's either tried or going to try going out the window. I'm not sure which.”

“Hah,” Gray's scoff made her smile, his own grin just as confident, “I'd like to see him try. I'll freeze it over if I have to.”

“And if he tries to melt them?” 

“Then not even Wendy can put him back together when Porlyusica runs him through.” He said, grimacing.

Lucy matched his expression with a wince, thinking back towards the hermit on the hill with a chill crawling down her back. As much as she appreciated the healer's skills, she feared the consequences of anyone who got on that grouch's worse side.

“That's... a good point.”

—

The sun clung to the edges of the sky, sifting its brilliant rays through the trunks of trees in sharp hues of red and orange that blinded Kage’s tired eyes.

Were they going North? South? Were they heading to the edge of the woods? Or deeper into it? All the trees looked the same, winding and too close, shifting ever closer to him in his delirious mind.  Gajeel refused to say another word to him after their last ‘conversation’, trudging along confidently as he strung Kage along. He followed pitifully behind, confused while his body throbbed from untended wounds. The shadow user could no longer make sense of anything.

But that didn't stop him from attempting, asking at intervals just where Gajeel was leading him to. The questions were always met with a glare and a threat, and the exhaustion in Kage's bones was starting to become more mental than physical. Something pulled at the back of his mind, a warning he couldn't quite name. The further they walked, the louder it became. 

When they finally came across Gajeel's apparent destination, the sun had almost sunk beneath the trees with more dark in the sky than light. Stars already began to dot the landscape and the soft chill of spring pricked along Kage's exposed skin.

His companion was unperturbed, entering a small clearing that held all signs of a camp that had been set up far longer than the one before. Three tents aligned the border, and a dying fire, close to embers, burned at its center. 

Kage noticed the clearing narrowed further in, opening to a small gaping cave that, in its current darkness, felt like a gaping maw, waiting patiently for its next meal. 

Being shoved to his knees, Kage had the hurried thought that maybe he was that dinner, except the burly man walked around him as soon as he was seated and observed the area with a loud whistle.

“Oi Juvia! Get out here!” He barked, “It's just me.”

In that moment, Kage wondered just what sort of mission he’d got caught up in as a ghostly apparition all but materialized from the darkness. Exiting the cave was a woman with short blue curls that framed her face and eyes a pale blue and skin even paler. Kage recognized her instantly, swallowing thickly. 

When Jose sent Gajeel out, something was always bound to get violent, but to have his Water Woman sent out as well? He fought to suppress a whimper.

“You’ve found.... Oh,” Her voice was quiet, reserved. Barely a whisper over the winds rustling through the trees. She blankly stared at Kage. “I thought he was dead.”

“Nevermind that, is he here?“ 

”Who...? Oh, yes, him. Juvia will get him.“

“Don't bother. Knowing him, the bastard already knows.” Kage was beginning to feel as if he'd been forgotten about as he struggled to keep up with the conversation.  'Get who? Who’s him?' Too many questions and not enough answers and definitely not enough medical aid for him to care enough.

The ground was starting to look as comfortable as any bed, and without the threat of Erza looming over him, he had half a mind to take the unspoken invitation. He almost missed the comfort of his cell. Didn't they at least have bandages he could use on himself?

As he began to slump, Gajeel grasped the back of his neck, holding him up with an iron grip that left Kage seething through his teeth. ”Yer' gonna get an infection if you sleep on the ground like that, idiot.“

“Why do you care?!” Kage snapped, “It's not like I'm getting patched up anytime soon.”

“Shut yer yap and wait,” Gajeel said, voice darkening to a low hiss, “You'll be taken care of soon enough.”

He couldn't help, but felt the statement was more a threat than a source of comfort, but Gajeel's rough treatment went ignored. Kage grunted as Gajeel’s hand rested uncomfortably on the back of his neck. The woman nodded and shuffled about the camp, collecting a small amount of items to stuff into a pack at her side. After her third trip around the site, Kage began to realize she was preparing to leave. 

“I'll inform Jose.” She said gravely, looking Gajeel in the eye as a silent message passed between them, “don't keep Juvia waiting.”

A beat of silence. Then the gruff man nodded his head. Before Kage could grasp anything further, she slipped into the woods as quietly as she'd come and Kage gawked. 

”Shouldn't I have gone with her?” He desperately asked.

”No,“ an entirely new voice, one he didn't recognize from his clan or the fairies, spoke from the shadows of the alcove, smooth and too calm for the situation at hand. ”You're too useful to send back just yet....That's why you brought him after all, right Gajeel? To be our opening?”

The man stepped out, eyes coldly judging Kage through the mess of his short hair, the intricate red tattoo on his face etched itself into Kage's mind as recognition finally struck him.

“What the fuck!” He spat, craning his head to look at the man above him, “Why's there another celestial? What the hell's going on here?!“

Gajeel’s grip tightened around his neck, and this time he knew skin was broken. Already marred from the assault of the Fairies’ draconis, thin beads of blood broke free under the strength of Gajeel’s fingers holding fast. Tears sprung from the corners in Kage's eyes as he cried out.  Breathing was next to impossible, but his anger was close to bursting. 

“What do you mean opening?” He choked, thrashing under Gajeel’s grasp. “ Just what did Jose ask you to do?”

Gajeel’s smile split his face in a way that didn't express glee. His eyes narrowed and teeth far too sharp to be human gleamed dangerously in the low light. He waved off the other man who started to speak again, all-too gleeful to lean down and look into Kage's eyes with a devious mischief reflecting in his own. Another beast of red scales and flames flashed in Kage’s mind

”I gotta say thanks shadow-twerp,” He rasped, voice a dark chuckle, ”Here we were wondering how to get the fairies to let us in and you come barreling right into my hands. I'd say I owe you one but-“

Despite the white-hot fire of pain striking through Kage's limbs, what little magic he had left flared and the evening’s darkness rose to surround the area, sharp spikes of death springing forth instantly. 

”I see no point in settling debts with a dead man.“ His laughter rang through the clearing as Kage closed his eyes tight, willing the shadows to collapse upon them all in an instant.

”I'll take you both with me you fucking bastards!“

[nalu-gifs]

“How can you just announce Fairy Tail’s comeback?!”

“’Cause we all still believe in it! We’re gonna get everyone together. And the guild’ll be better than ever!”

[natsubeatsrock]

Chapters: 8/10 Fandom: Fairy Tail Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Natsu Dragneel/Lisanna Strauss Characters: Lisanna Strauss, Mirajane Strauss, Elfman Strauss, Faust (Fairy Tail), Hughes (Edolas), Porlyusica (Fairy Tail), Wendy (Edolas), Lucy Heartfilia Additional Tags: fairy tale AU, riff on Damsel (2024), Spoilers: I didn't like Damsel

Second chapter of the day!

Behold! The Fire Dragon!

Also, Lisanna has a plan!