A/N: Well, here it is, my first Fairy Tail fic! It's a Nalu one-shot. I absolutely LOVED writing this and am so proud of the way it turned out. I currently have about 10+ stories in the making (for both Naruto and Fairy Tail), but I just had to take a break from those and write this. Please let me know what you think, I love getting feedback from my readers!
Disclaimer: Fairy Tail and its entirety belong to Hiro Mashima.
It was quick and painless… is what I would like to say. The truth is that it was the longest 72 hours of my life filled with the most excruciating pain imaginable. I teetered on the brink of death for three interminable days, only being tugged back to reality seconds at a time, courtesy of Porlyusica's remedies and my guild members' pleas. Natsu, in particular, brought me back more often than most. His violent sobs over my nearly lifeless corpse rattled and ignited every nerve in my being. My body was rejecting death while at the same time rejecting itself. It felt as if I was stuck in a limbo of torture, wails of despair pulling me one way and whispers of demise the other.
A simple job to exterminate some pesky forest vulcans is what originally brought Natsu and I deep into uncharted jungle territory. As luck would have it, the two of us stumbled upon the entire colony of apes rather than a rowdy group of four the mission request promised. Our typical combination strategy had been compromised as we were separated and outnumbered. The vulcans put up a decent fight, but in reality they never stood a chance against Fairy Tail mages, separated or not. While in the midst of finishing off my last two attackers I noticed Natsu jogging over in case I needed help. I turned back to deliver my final blow when I felt a small pinch on my left calf.
"What the…" were the last words I managed to utter before my whole body pulsed once, twice, three times, and I collapsed.
"Lucy!" I could vaguely make out Natsu's shouting through the fog that obscured my brain. I willed my body to move, yet nothing happened. My eyes felt as if they had been sealed shut with concrete, and my voice refused to answer my teammate. The only sensation my body would accept was a deep, throbbing pulse.
Since that moment my awareness had been drifting in and out of consciousness, sometimes completely alert of my surroundings and other times utterly oblivious. The worst of it, other than the pain, was that no matter what I tried, my body remained in a comatose state.
Venom. A deadly snake had been disturbed in the midst of our fight, and it had chosen my calf as the unlucky recipient of its terror. Had I known at the time I would have tried to tell Natsu to suck the venom out. We were clueless, however, and the venom spread much too quickly. A short time after the initial injection was when the pain began, and it hadn't conceded in the slightest.
Every beat of my objecting heart ushered the venom deeper into the intricate network of my bloodstream. I could feel each vein clench in protest at the foreign substance, but the toxins pushed their way through. Every organ in my body worked overtime in an attempt to regain homeostasis. My muscles contracted fiercely and remained in such a way for far too long. I could almost feel each and every antibody in my system disintegrate upon instant contact with the poison. Bile churned around in my empty stomach and crashed like a burning wave in the back of my throat. The pain was intolerable. It was numbing and igniting all at once. Despite the writhing torture I felt, my physique remained composed to the outside world.
The brief moments of consciousness I happened upon allowed me the opportunity to listen to the conversations around me, though no one was aware. Porlyusica was well aware of the predicament I was in. She was educated in the science of snake bites, but it was nearly impossible to distinguish one from the other. No one knew exactly what kind of serpent had bit me, so using its venom to counteract what was already in my system was out of the question. Everyone was desperately searching for a cure while in the meantime having Wendy occasionally pour healing magic into me. I had almost given up and allowed death to swallow me when I heard a conversation between Natsu, Gray, and Porlyusica.
Gray had become anxious after the second day of my coma. "How come she hasn't woken up yet?"
"Her body is using every bit of energy it can to fight off the poison."
Natsu's question was much quieter. "I know she's in pain. How bad is it?"
There was a pause. The healer let out a sigh. "The pain she's experiencing right now will push her over the cliff to death if the venom doesn't make it there first."
"God damn it!" Gray seethed. I heard a crash and knew he was taking his anger out on anything he could find. "There has to be something we can do; we can't just leave her like this!"
"The guild is doing everything in their power to find a cure. At this point, all we can do is wait. The rest is up to her and how hard her body can fight it!" A door slammed. I suspected Porlyusica left the room. A few moments later the door opened and shut quietly again. Gray had left this time.
The moment I began slipping into darkness Natsu's voice brought me back. "Can ya hear me, Luce? You just gotta stay strong until we can find another way. I know you can do it! You've always been stronger than any of us. Just hold on a little longer…" I desperately wished to tell him okay, that I would keep trying, but the only response I managed to muster was an un-fallen tear that rested in the corner of my eye.
Natsu never left my side, sometimes crying, sometimes joking, and sometimes silent. Each time he felt my body contract, he would knowingly hold my hand a little tighter and curse to himself. After my muscles relaxed he would place a cool cloth on my forehead and whisper comforting words in my ear. Oh how I wish I could have whispered them back.
By the end of the third day my willpower all but evaporated. Natsu and Gray sat on either side of me, my hands in theirs. My life dangled by a single fraying thread, the venom nearly touching my weakened heart. I couldn't do it any longer. Time was up. A few more pumps of blood would send the poison pooling into my heart. Breaths became shallower, each one hopelessly reaching for more oxygen to fill my empty lungs. The pain remained unrelenting, riding out as much discomfort as possible. Natsu and Gray noticed my short breaths and cried out for help. My heart monitor skipped between flat lines and short peaks.
Chaos. Screaming. Pressure on my chest. A mouth on mine. Blinding pain. A door slamming open. Shouting. Silence. Shuffling feet. A door closing. Deep breaths. One, two, three. A whisper. Something sharp. The smell of blood. Warmth. Heat. Burning, searing heat. And then, nothing.
Had I finally fallen into the greedy clutches of death? Pure darkness surrounded me. I realized I had finally gained control of my limbs. My body remained numb, yet I somehow knew I was moving. But to where? Perhaps I had been trapped in Purgatory. Not Heaven but not quite Hell, either. I strained my senses to perceive something – anything- but nothing made itself known.
Deciding to test out my vocal chords, I breathed a tentative, "Hello?" Nothing. But then, something. As if on cue a brilliant fire erupted out of the blackness. It was a bright, blazing flame that danced about despite the stilled air. Intrigued, I stepped closer yet felt no heat. A low rumble sent vibrations through the air, reverberating off of nonexistent walls.
"Who's there?" I inquired. Gazing at the fire, I felt no fear. After all, I was already dead, right? A figure stepped out of the shadows and into the flickering light of the flames.
To say the being was colossal was an understatement. Razor sharp talons protruded from each digit, and piercing fangs gleamed in the light. I watched the beautiful creature slowly circle around the fire and I, its toned muscles flexing with each graceful step. Crimson, reptilian skin was adorned with copper and auburn scales, the flames casting an entire spectrum of red upon the beast. I was entranced, only having seen him once before.
A deep, guttural voice was emitted from the creature. "You know me well, Lucy."
"King of the fire dragons… Igneel." The dragon slowly nodded his head as I came to the realization. He seemed to sense my uncertainty of the situation and beckoned me to come closer. I willingly obliged. I felt no warmth from the fire, but rather Igneel. Waves of heat rolled off his body in a way that reminded me too much of Natsu.
My silent question tainted the air between us. "Do not fear. You are not dead." I let out a breath I was unaware of holding in. "However," the dragon continued, "you are not entirely alive, either." My mouth remained agape. What did he mean, neither dead nor alive? Had I transitioned into a celestial being? No, that couldn't be right. Nothing about this place felt like the celestial world. Igneel waited patiently for my reaction but soon realized I was rendered speechless.
"Venom, it would seem, put you in this situation. Nasty way to die if you ask me, especially considering it is not your time to go. Your life is being sustained merely by a bite that Natsu gave you seconds prior to your death. Your acceptance of this is crucial to whether you return to your friends or not." I waited for the punchline, but none came.
"I really hope this isn't the part where you tell me Natsu is a vampire."
The fire dragon king stared at me as if I was the mythical creature in this situation. Flames erupted out of his elongated snout as he faced the heavens and roared with laughter. "Hahaha! I see now why Natsu refers to you as 'weirdo'; you come up with the strangest scenarios."
My brow twitched in anger. Dying was exhausting, and my patience for Igneel's cryptic explanations and insults was wearing thin. Sensing my dissatisfaction, Igneel cleared his throat and continued.
"Allow me to explain. Your friends had been searching day in and day out to find a way to fight the venom in your body. Unfortunately, they ran out of time. The poison was much too quick and aggressive, but your body put up a good fight. Most people in your situation would live a few hours at most. At the last second your clever little blue haired friend suggested an option no one had previously thought of; a blood transfusion from Natsu to you." He was taking about Levy, I was sure. I vaguely remember her being the person that burst into the room at the last minute.
"What good would that have done?" I interrupted. Igneel held up a silencing hand.
"You see, a dragon's blood creates special antibodies that are resistant to nearly everything. The slayers began creating their own after harboring us dragons for so long. No one knew if a transfusion would even work, and there was no time to try as you had already begun to flat line." He paused to allow me to process everything. "This is where things get complicated. Natsu bit you, exchanging a small amount of his own blood with yours. This process is how dragons and dragon slayers mate. In response to this bite and unison of blood, the mate's blood begins producing these antibodies instantaneously. A dragon slayer will only mate once in their life, and the ritual will only work if the feelings are mutual." Igneel glanced at my stilled frame to be sure I was following. "Yours and Natsu's mating was different, however, as you were unconscious and unaware of the bite, and therefore unable to consent. If you can come to terms with this and accept Natsu as your mate, you will continue to live. If not, the antibodies will not spawn in your body, and you will die. I understand that this is unexpected and moving rapidly, but there is little time left for you to accept or decline before your body submits to the poison."
Silence. Even the crackling fire seemed to have muted itself. Every nerve in my numbed body suddenly felt on fire. I could feel my face flush and my hands tremble. Was I angry? Or elated? I couldn't tell the difference. Natsu could have potentially saved my life, but at what cost? The chance at a happy life with a mate he willingly chose? The thought suddenly boiled my blood. It infuriated me picturing the dragon slayer with someone other than myself. Natsu had been by my side for as long as I could remember, and only recently had I decided that I wanted it to stay that way. Igneel was right; everything was so sudden. Mating for dragons was like marriage for people, right? I wondered what I would do if Natsu asked me to marry him at that moment. It's likely I would Lucy-kick him and say we're too young. But I wouldn't say no.
Finding my voice, I queried, "Did he know what the bite would do?"
"Natsu was aware that this would mate the two of you, but the rest concerning the antibodies was just a theory. If it makes the decision easier for you, Natsu had chosen you to be his mate from the moment you two met. He did not do this because he felt he needed to, but rather he desperately wanted to."
It was at that moment I felt every fiber of my being shatter. I could finally feel again. My heart pumped strong and fast, and blood coursed through my veins, flushing out the toxins. I lifted my arms delicately to watch my fingers regain their fleshy tones rather than the pale, bluish color they had succumbed to. I inhaled as deeply as I could, filling my desperate lungs to their max capacity with oxygen. The smell of the still burning fire in front of me torched my throat and nose in the best way possible. Tears pooled from my eyes and touched the corners of my mouth, and I could taste the saline trail they left behind.
A deep hum of satisfaction escaped Igneel. I looked up to find the fire dragon king smiling down upon me. He nodded his head approval. "I assure you will not regret this decision. Natsu may be stubborn and hard-headed, but he puts his loved ones before anything else in the world. Being mated to a dragon slayer is an unbreakable bond that will extend beyond death. After having watched the two of you grow together, I could not be more proud of my son's decision to choose you as a mate. Take good care of him, Lucy." I could have sworn I had seen a tear glistening in the eye of the magnificent dragon, but his height made it too hard to decipher. My heart warmed at Igneel's blessing. My own father had been gone for years, so it comforted me dearly knowing Natsu's father was watching over the both of us. I grinned and nodded my head rapidly.
"I promise I will. Now… can I see him?" My eagerness to see Natsu triggered another fit of chuckles from the fire dragon. The low octave of his voice became melodious, and my eyelids began to droop. My body drifted gracefully to ground. I watched the fire as it simmered down to a miniscule flicker, and once again I was surrounded by nothing but darkness. Sleep overcame my exhausted body. My dreams were filled with pink.
A steady, rhythmic beep was the first thing I heard, followed by a soft breathing that wasn't mine. A strong, warm hand had entwined itself with my fingers. I could feel heat gather in my cheeks after remembering everything that had occurred. How long had I been sleeping for? I opened my eyes tentatively. I wasn't aware of the state my body was in and therefore decided to take things slowly. Dim light was emitted from a lamp in the corner of the room. I turned my head very slowly to face the person at my side, and that's when he noticed.
Natsu was absentmindedly picking at the blanked over top of me when he heard my movements and tensed. My eyes had fully opened by this point. The pink haired dragon slayer quickly leaned over to wrap me in a hug. I could feel him holding back in an effort not to hurt me.
"You're back, Luce," he whispered. Natsu gently pulled away and helped me sit up. I noticed then that he was shirtless, his typical vest draped around me instead. I didn't bother trying to hide my blush.
"Natsu," I croaked. My throat was dry as it hadn't been used in days. He grabbed a cup of water from a nearby table and held it to my lips as I guzzled down every last drop. I sighed in relief as the burn was mostly soothed. An awkward silence filled the room. I prayed the awkward stage would soon pass us. Natsu stayed close but averted his gaze to anything but me. I knew he was trying to think of a way to explain what happened, but unbeknownst to him I already knew.
"Lucy, there's something I gotta tell you-"
"I know," I interrupted. Gently, almost afraid of what I might feel, I lifted my hand to touch the spot on my neck Natsu had sunk his teeth into. Much to my satisfaction nothing felt out of the ordinary save for two tiny indents that were surely scars. I smiled. We were mates. "Igneel told me," I added quietly.
Natsu watched my hand as it caressed the mark. Instinctively, he placed his hand atop of mine and pulled our foreheads together. A wide, toothy grin spread across his face.
"Sorry I didn't ask for permission," he apologized with a laugh. I rolled my eyes at his childish behavior, but appreciated that everything seemed to be back to normal despite what had happened.
"You idiot," I murmured, gazing at his grinning lips.
"So I guess that means you accepted?"
Rather than answering, I pressed my lips against his. His shock lasted only a few seconds before he snaked his arms around my waist and pulled me as close to him as our awkward position would allow. He tasted earthy, like smoke and cinnamon. My weakened hands pulled at the rosy pink locks of hair that tickled the back of his neck. The kiss was messy and rough, and our mouths opened and closed at the wrong intervals. It was urgent but filled with our new-found love. Eventually we had to pull apart to refill our lungs.
I don't know why I kissed him so suddenly. Perhaps it was the fiery dragon slayer blood that now eagerly coursed through my lively body, or perhaps it was the dimmed light and gorgeous half-naked boy tempting me. Whatever it was, I couldn't have been happier. Natsu was my mate, and I, his. Never had anything felt so right in my life.
I didn't need to say the words for him to understand that I had made my decision. In fact, thinking back on it, there was no decision to be made at all. I had always loved Natsu; it just took a few bites for me to realize it.
A/N: Aww how cheesy, but so perfect. Big thanks to my boyfriend for inspiring this story by asking me what the difference between venom and poison was. I still have no idea, but hey at least this story was born because of that question, right? Well, thanks for reading! Let me know what you think in a review, I crave feedback! XOXO