AN: So, I've been juggling with this one for awhile, but I didn't want to commit to anything long and descriptive, so this is going to just be a really short one, and hopefully I'll finally be satisfied with having it written down and out for the world to see.

~.~

He had lived his days carefree. He wasn't one to settle in any one place, and he was always looking for trouble wherever he would go. He wasn't an angry male, just bored with how life had turned out, and wanted nothing more than set a fire to the peaceful world around him. He laughed as he received another hard punch to his right cheek, making him stumble into the wall behind him. It looked like he was losing the fight, and people around him started changing their bets.

The bigger man in front of him charged at him, with every intent of tackling him through the wooden wall, probably seriously injuring the both of them, but the smaller of the two managed to quickly sidestep out of the way, causing the man to headbutt the wood, denting it and send small wood chips spraying around him.

He laughed as the big oaf turned to face him and had a large gash on his forehead. The dumb giant growled at his opponent's gleeful nature, wanting to pound his face in until the only funny thing would be how he would still be alive.

Our hero sidestepped his opponent again, but was able to knee him in the groin, causing the bigger man to cry out and fall to the ground, holding his private areas. Cheers sounded around them, and the giant began receiving blow after blow to his face, blood spraying from his broken nose, his eye quickly closing.

With one final blow to the jaw, the giant of a man fell back in a lifeless heap, though everyone knew he was only knocked out. Cheers erupted in the small fighting arena as the referee threw the winner's hand in the air.

"The challenger has defeated the champion!" a man called from the safety of his announcer's booth. "Edolas welcomes its new fighting champ, Igneel!"

The crowd cheered again as Igneel smiled at his adoring fans. Underground fighting was his absolute favorite pastime, and he wouldn't trade it for the world. It was the only time he was actually liked, when his opponent was laying on the ground, bloodied and unconscious, and his pockets growing fatter with the winnings he'd receive. He had no real use for the currency, since he was a wanderer, but he would happily accept the money and take it to the nearest pub to spend it to his liking.

An hour after his victorious fight, Igneel found himself walking down the quiet streets of whatever hick town this was, looking for the nearest bar. The cool spring air chilled his bones, and he knew he had to find someplace quick before he caught pneumonia. He hated all the seasons, except summer. He hated the cold, and lived for the warmth. After finding out that his body was weak in cold weather, he'd started travelling wherever the warm weather went. This town was only a quick stop in his traveling, but he knew the days would quickly grow warmer if he wanted to stay.

He never stayed anywhere for too long, though, always growing bored with the same, dull, human routine. He was a wanderer, so he wasn't susceptible to the daily life of the common man. Unlike the people of the fighting crowd he had just left, he wasn't secretly looking for a thrill to escape the daily life - he lived for the danger of thrills, it was in his nature.

Finally, he heard the sounds of merriment coming from an establishment not far from where he walked, and he quickened his pace. He had to get out of the cold, and fast. He could already feel the chills coming, and he knew it wasn't from his injuries from his fight - those had already disappeared long ago.

He rushed into the building, immediately becoming warm. He stood in the doorway for a few seconds, drinking in the warmth of the energy of everyone around him, laughing and having a good time, no one paying him any mind. After he felt his bones free of the chill, he made his way to the bar, and ordered a glass of fire whiskey. The bartender gave him his drink, and left him alone to flirt with a group of giggling girls down the opposite end of the bar from where he sat.

Igneel studied them for a moment, probably going to spend the night with one of them, but not before starting some sort rumble with one of the drunken idiots he decided he disliked in a moments notice.

Again, it was his same routine, and, he began to realize, that he had allowed himself to become subject to life's cruel ways. He downed his drink and ordered another. The bartender glanced at him and nodded his acknowledgment, but, instead of getting him a drink himself, he called someone from the back room to come out and help.

Almost as soon as the man called the woman out, the sweet scent of sugar and roses filled his nostrils as he took in a deep breath.

Igneel's breath caught in his throat as he watched the woman appear from the kitchen. She was small, a little shorter than most of the women he'd been with, but he wasn't picky about size. She was drop dead beautiful. He watched her closely as her soft hands grabbed his empty glass from his large, rough hands. He couldn't help but admire her back side when she turned from him to grab the bottle of fire whiskey, and gawked at her rosy pink hair, which must be the source of the rose and sugar smell. Not many people he'd seen on his travels had that shade of hair, and he found himself reaching, wanting to touch it, wondering if it felt as soft as the petal of a rose that matched her hair. He quickly drew his hand back when she turned back to him and handed him a glass, finally raising her eyes to him. He took a sip of his drink, not once breaking eye contact with those lovely blue irises. Her skin was so pale, she almost looked like a ghost in the darker ambience of the bar.

She wore the normal maid's dress - a corset tight around her torso, pushing her chest high and making her cleavage very attention grabbing, which was over a short sleeved black bodice, and a black skirt that flowed to the floor. He found himself smirking at her, wanting her to know his intentions. This was the one he wanted to bed that night, and he was going to have her, if he had to burn down the entire village to get her.

"Good evening," he said, his voice low and husky, his arousal already prominent and making his pants uncomfortable.

He knew was a handsome male, for many women had told him so already. His hair was dark red, with a few strands of orange strategically placed by nature to give his hair the look of being on fire. His eyes were naturally onyx colored, his skin tanned from natural heat and being out in the sun so often. He was well toned, but not too overshadowed in muscle, and he wasn't lacking in the manhood department either. He knew how to please a woman, and the image of this one laying under him, moaning and squealing his name caused a low growl to form deep in his chest. If she heard it or not, she didn't give any indication as she nodded her greeting to him.

"Good evening, sir," she said, softly. He suppressed a moan upon hearing her voice, so silky smooth it felt like it was coating him in liquid gold. The way her mouth moved while pronouncing each syllable with such a care like each word was a child and had to be treated with tender loving care. "Can I get you anything else?"

He glanced down at her hands that were folded on the countertop in front of him. No ring. That's the first good sign. He lazily brought his eyes back up to her face. He could hear her heartbeat pounding in her chest - behind those wonderful mounds of joy - and he knew he was having the same affect on her as she was him, though if he were an outsider looking at her features on her beautiful face, he would say she was calmer than an untouched river.

He downed his drink again, and pushed the glass toward her, silently asking for a refill. When she grabbed the glass, he quickly placed his hand over hers, holding her there in front of him. Her skin was as soft as it looked, and he couldn't help moving his hand slowly up her wrist, to gently caressing her arm. She blushed, which he found incredibly cute, and watched his hand move in slow circles on her arm just below her elbow. He looked down and marvelled at the clash of colors of their skin, his golden tan making her skin seem even paler under his touch, and he could feel her gooseflesh rising under his soft touch. Her lips parted slightly when a silent gasp escaped when he gently touched the crook of her elbow. He smiled, and gently pulled on her, making her lean toward him. His lips met hers in a gentle touch, testing the waters. Was she the type of girl who liked it soft? Or was she a vixen who wanted it to be hard and rough?

She whimpered slightly as his hand moved up her arm, grasping her tightly, but not too tight to frighten her away. She leaned into him as his tongue grazed her lower lip, requesting entrance. It took him a few tries, but she finally opened up to him, allowing his tongue entrance to her delectable mouth, slowly exploring her mouth until he found her tongue, laying in wait for him to conquer it.

"Mila! Get back to work!"

Mmm, Mila, huh?

The girl quickly pulled away from him, her cheeks flushed from both arousal and embarrassment for having allowed this stranger to push past her walls and go for the kill. As she pulled away, however, she heard a low growl emanating from the man's chest, and he turned to glare at the bartender, still standing clear across the room with the group of women. His eyes seemed to burn like black fire as he willed the man to say anything more to them. Turning back to her, Igneel put his hand in his pants pocket and produced a large bag of coin that he dropped on the counter.

She looked down at the bag of money before her eyes widened in surprise and insult. "Are you trying to buy me, sir?" she asked him.

He chuckled, but shook his head. "I'm giving him my bar tab that I would have ended up having to pay at the end of the night whether you leave with me right now or not." He pulled her in for another kiss, not being able to escape her scent and her taste. He kissed her slightly harder this time, not waiting for her to allow him access to her mouth, but taking back what he had previously claimed as his a few moments ago before they were so rudely interrupted.

He had never tasted anything as sweet as her. She tasted more delectable than the roses and sweet sugar of her scent. Normally he'd shy away from floral scents, most of them being too overpowering, but hers seemed a little faint, not too strong, like it was part of her natural smell instead of a perfume like most women used. What they tried and failed in, she succeeded.

The only thing he could compare her to was sweet rose water, a drink he had tried only once, and fell in love with instantly. He had yet found another place that served it, until he met the woman who was practically dripping in it. He couldn't get enough of it.

"Hey, pal, if you're going to do that, at least get a room or something." The bartender had bravely made his way to the pair, bringing another quiet growl from Igneel, but the male smiled at the bartender.

"That seems like a fine idea," he breathed out.

"There's a hotel across the street if you want to go there." The smaller man seemed a little intimidated by Igneel's sudden size and death glare he gave the man, having twice now interrupted them.

Standing from his stool, Igneel couldn't bring himself to let go of Mila's hand, and, upon further inspection that there was no place for her to escape from the confines of behind the counter, he leaned over, put his arms under hers, grabbed her tightly, and picked her up, effortlessly pulling her over the counter. She squeaked as she had to crawl over the counter so he didn't just pull her like a rag doll, and she found herself unable to move as soon as he finally had her fully in his arms, pressed up against his body. She had to look up into his eyes, and both parties feeling their arousal growing in anticipation now that they had finally gotten past the barrier keeping them apart.

Igneel pulled her out of the bar, managing to avoid hitting any of the other patrons while he kept his eyes on her the entire time. The cold air blasted him as soon as they were outside, and he cursed under his breath, finally able to break his gaze on her and focus on getting to the hotel across the road.

~.~

AN: Please review/follow/fave and I'll get the next installation up asap. :3