Warnings: Hurt/Comfort, Curses, Body Horror, Anal Fingering, Oviposition, Self-lubrication
Strain
It was a normal morning, so much like many others.
There was no sign as to how it ended as such a weird day.
Gray entered the guild, heading to the table at which some of his friends were already.
Natsu was noticeably absent.
Gray placed his tray on the table and sat down. Dug in.
Taking a sip from his mug, he passed a napkin through his lips and turned to Lucy.
"Do you know where Natsu is? It's kind of strange that he's not here."
The blonde mage nodded, finishing chewing her bite before speaking.
"I know. He was supposed to come meet me for breakfast but I haven't seen him yet today. And…" she tilted her head to the side, "funny, now that you mention it, he didn't appear at my house last night. And I expected him to."
"That's even stranger." Gray acquiesced.
"Maybe he overslept?" Lucy said tentatively.
"Natsu? Nah, I don't think so." Gray finished his meal. "I think I'll go check on him." With that, he stood and nodded at Lucy. "I'll keep you informed."
And so Gray left the guild and headed towards his friend's house.
Moving was hard. Opening the eyes was also hard.
His blood felt as if burning, contrasting to the heaviness in his middle. Weighing him down, hurting him from the inside.
He grabbed the soaked bedsheets underneath, feet pushing down on the mattress, slipping, and his spine wanting to arch up but not managing to.
The world was a blur of pain and hurt and burning.
Having reached Natsu's house, Gray knocked on the door.
Nothing.
He knocked again.
And thought he heard something – but wasn't sure.
His hand moved to the doorknob instinctively. It was with surprised that Gray saw it turn and the door open.
'Unlocked?' Gray thought. 'That's unusual…'
Gray stepped inside, cautiously, trying not to make much noise. 'Natsu doesn't seem to be here. Neither does Happy…'
And that was when he heard it.
A whine.
It was odd, misplaced and surprising, yet, in a suddenly familiar voice.
Gray rushed towards the bedroom.
Stood frozen by the door.
His mouth had fallen in shock.
For before him there lay Natsu.
But he wasn't asleep.
No.
He lay on his back, head tossed back, turning from side to side, hands clenched on the bedsheet while his legs were outstretched, heels digging on the mattress keeping his body bowed upwards. A sheen of sweat covering him.
"What the-? Natsu!" Gray blurted out in shock.
Natsu's head turned to where Gray was, eyes unseeing. His mouth moved but no sound came out of it. Natsu licked his lips and tried again.
"Gray?" he asked in a rough voice. "What are you-?"
"What's wrong?" Gray nearly shouted, still feeling too surprised.
"I don't…" Natsu began, cutting himself off to gasp. "Help me."
"What do you want me to do?"
"Out. Get-" he panted, "-out."
"How can I help if I leave?"
"No!" Natsu tossed his head to the sides. "You get it out!"
"It- wha-?!" Gray was beginning to ask but then he noticed the strange thing. Natsu's usually taut stomach was dilated, distended and the bulge it created seemed painful.
Tentatively, Gray tried to touch but that was when Natsu let out a strangled yell, his legs going rigid before he flopped back down on the bed.
"What the-?" Gray started, walking to stand beside the bed and ending stock still as he saw what was happening.
For something was coming out of Natsu's entrance. And it wasn't possible.
Gray froze.
In shock.
But was taken out of his stupor when Natsu let out a strangled noise, filled with pain, his head thrown back, the muscles on his neck straining, his legs spreading further out and trembling. All of the fire mage's frame was shaking.
"Tell me another story, pleeeeeeease, Igneel…" Natsu said as he flopped gracefully on the grassy ground. The sun was setting behind the tall treetops and the air was balmy, filled with the sweet scent coming from some flowers nearby.
There was a rumble of laughter.
"Very well. But today's story is a cautionary tale." The dragon said, good-naturedly.
"What does cautionary mean?" Natsu asked, sitting up and grinning.
"It means that you should be careful. Remember the story and learn from it. And, in this case, try not to be caught up in the trouble."
"I never end up in trouble." Natsu giggled.
"You? Never…" Igneel tapped Natsu on his belly gently, pushing the boy to the ground. "But now, do you want to hear the story?"
"Yes, please." Natsu agreed sagely.
"Very well. There is a legend that says that a curse has been cast upon those connected with dragon magic. It stemmed from long ago, a time when dragons and people weren't that far apart, when there were many more dragons than those we have today. Legend says that upon the killing of her child, a black magic user cursed those with dragon magic to go through the pain and damnation of loss."
Igneel looked at Natsu, seeing him waiting expectantly, hanging onto every word.
"And so, every time a certain number of events occurs, the unfortunate dragon or dragonslayer that is nearby will suffer that unpleasant fate."
"Oooooh! And what are those things?" Natsu asked as he jumped up, leaning expectantly against the dragon's side.
"Cool down, little spitfire. I'll tell you." Igneel said, watching the small child's enthusiasm and curiosity. "First…"
Something was stuck on Natsu's entrance. A strange transparent fluid oozing out but the light coloured thing didn't budge.
"Natsu. What-?" Gray repeated, still in shock and quite bewildered at seeing the other like that.
Natsu let out a garbled noise, the while body seemingly elongating and the muscles going taut. His hands were white-knuckled with the strength of his grip on the bedcovers and then, it was as if Natsu had snapped. He fell back on the bed once again and that made the thing go back in.
"Out! Please…" Natsu all but begged in a tired voice. He was sweating profusely.
Seeing how much it was costing to his friend, Gray stepped onto the bed, kneeling and cautiously touching on the other's arm.
Once again, Natsu turned his head towards him, bleary eyes attempting to focus on the ice mage.
"Okay," Gray began, taking a deep breath and thinking things through. "I think that it might be better if you roll," he helped Natsu roll to his stomach, "like this." Then he paused for a beat, bit his lower lip and placed his hand on Natsu's hip. "I think you need to raise to all-fours."
Tiredly, and with some help, Natsu went to the intended position. Sweat was tinting his hair in a darker pink tone.
Natsu was breathing heavily, more like gasping for air, through his open mouth.
There was a tingle of sharp-burning pain racing down his spine. The heavy weight in his belly was nauseating, bile rising to his throat, the strange, strange, strange feeling of something slick coming out of him and how that was stuck inside. His wavering made them move inside him and an awful feeling of pleasure spread inside
He gasped, horrified.
The moving and hitting of places inside was making him feel funny, making his cock fill.
It was disgusting and appalling.
Terrifying.
And it was just there, pushing and hurting slightly at the outer ring but not bringing any relief.
He held onto the weakening fabric, muscles straining, and screamed, head hanging low.
Gray nearly jumped when he heard Natsu yell.
Sure, he was used to hearing him yell, and to all different sorts of the thing. But it was the first time that he heard that much pain and anguish in his best friend's voice.
Gray was rooted to the ground as the fire mage's back was arching in what looked like a painful way while his hips lowered further, his skin was slick and shiny looking due to all the sweat and he was shaking.
"Tell me, what can I do!" Gray demanded in a sharp voice.
"Take… 'em out!" Natsu's answer was in the form of a shout, his forehead hitting the mattress violently. The following scream was muffled into it.
Gray was dumbstruck. Sure, they were kind of going in circles but he had to do something.
(Tbc on AO3)
A/N: Thought I'd try it.
Unbetaed.