Notes

This is a much longer chapter, guys, but I thought it necessary. Yes, this scene is very, very citrusy. Enjoy. ;)

Gajeel looked down at Levy's expectant face, the firelight dancing on her skin. He sighed. "Look, Levy." He used my name, Levy thought incredulously. This must be serious. "There's a reason I've been pullin' back from ya. And it ain't because I don't wantcha, Shrimp." He gave her a once-over look, raking his eyes across her curves, still wrapped in that iron lace. "Fuck, if I wanted ya more, Shorty, I'd probably explode." He liked the triumphant, just-caught-my-prey smile she gave him at his words. "It's just…I care about you, Levy," His voice was soft as he cupped her cheek in his hand. "I care about you a lot. And I don't wanna start something we can't finish." He could see her confusion grow, and braced himself to just come out with it all. "This is somethin' to do with Slayer magic, Levy. See, Dragons mate for life. That doesn't mean that the first person a dragon has sex with is automatically his mate. A dragon makes a claim; it's a spell. Once a claim is made, and it is consummated, the couple is mated permanently, inseparable, and singular." He sighed, frustrated with trying to make the words make sense. "It's like this: Say there's a dragon, and he falls for someone—his mate. His mate may be a dragon, may be somethin' else; doesn't matter. The feelin's are there, and he...mates with her." Gajeel tried not to blush at that. "Nothing happens if that's all they do. But if the feelin's are there, he will get the urge to make his claim, and he might do it by accident. If he does, there ain't no goin' back, Levy." She nodded to let him know she was following. "So, he claims her, and they complete the act." Levy grinned at his shyness at discussing sex, and he swats her lightly on the thigh. "The claiming spell makes a mark on both of 'em, a matching tattoo-like mark that tells everybody that this one is claimed. After that, their scents are combined, until they are inseparable. Only the two of them can distinguish the scents. Then, if we're talkin' about an actual dragon, they would start to share some of their personality. Might make one grumpier and one more diplomatic." He paused to make sure she was still listening. "But, if we are talking about a dragon slayer? It is a little different. They will share magic, too. So, if, for instance, one was an iron dragon slayer, and the other a strong little Script mage, they would suddenly both become iron-script dragon slayers, who have ta learn all over again how to control their magic. It makes them both weak for a while, and changes them."

Levy tried not to laugh at Gajeel as he struggled through his explanation. When he finished, she waited a second before she could no longer hold it back. She laughed for a solid minute before looking up to see a look of complete bewilderment, and slight anger, on his face and cracking up again. Finally, she wiped her eyes and smiled at him. "Is that what you've been struggling with, Gajeel?" She asked. He nodded warily. "Silly dragon," She said in her best sexy voice, turning in his lap so that she was straddling him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "You are talking to the best Script Mage in all of Fiore, with a personal library to rival that of the most powerful guild, whose favorite pastime is researching rare types of magic. Do you really think that I did not know all of this?"

"You…you knew?" He was almost too surprised for words.

Levy nodded to him, looking into his eyes to make sure he heard what she had to say next. "I knew, Gajeel. I've known since before the S-class trials on Tenrou Island. I would not be doing any of this," She gestured to the tent, to the dress, to them, "Unless I was sure it was what I wanted. Gajeel, I love you. I—" She was cut off when Gajeel suddenly lunged forward, capturing her lips with his. This was not the soft kiss from before, or a chaste peck on the lips, or a gentle tease. This kiss was full of pent-up passion. Their tongues met, and Gajeel growled at her taste, pulling her against him hard, so that every inch of her that could be was pressed against his body. Levy kissed him back just as hard, desperately clinging to him. She tangled her hands in his hair, letting loose a moan into his mouth. His fingers dug into her hips, pressing her core against his length. She began grinding on him. Levy was burning up; she needed more than this. She broke away with a gasp and stood. She didn't miss the momentary look of hurt that passed over the slayer's face before she reached for his hands and pulled him up, too, walking backwards toward the tent. When he was what she was doing, the hurt was replaced with a lust so powerful Levy's knees almost gave out. "I love you, Gajeel." She repeated firmly. "And I need you right now. You…you don't have to claim me, if you don't want to." Her vulnerably voice was back, and she wouldn't meet his eyes. "But I need you tonight. Please."

Gajeel stopped and put a finger under her chin, forcing her to look at him. "Oi, shrimp. Did you miss what I said, the whole point 'a this? I told ya all of that because I don't think I can control the urge to claim you if we are together. I love you, too, Levy, always have, always will. Don't you ever doubt that." He saw happy tears run from her eyes as she fisted his shirt and yanked him down to her, kissing him just as fiercely as he had before. They continued toward the tent, faster now. Gajeel smirked as he felt her pull his shirt free of his pants, almost tearing it as she tried to get it over his head. His belt was next. They both kicked off their shoes. Just as Levy was kicking off the other boot, she lost her balance, falling backwards onto the blankets and pulling Gajeel down with her. "Gihi, so yer still fallin' for me, then, shrimp?" He said as he landed, careful not to put all his weight on her. Her answering grin was full of that fire he loved so much, and it was too irresistible. He kissed her again, moving his lips down her jawline, nibbling her neck down to her collarbone, savoring the small, incredibly sexy sounds his shrimp was making.

Levy could barely believe it was finally happening. She had to remember to thank the girls later for that dress…And just like that, all thoughts were gone as he bit her shoulder, careful not to break the skin. She whimpered, her hands moving to grip his chest, feeling every inch of hard muscle and scarred skin. As his lips traveled lower, from her collar bone, to the hollow of her throat, down…down…he kissed her chest, right above the center of that sweetheart neckline. Levy dug her nails into his skin, hearing him hiss at the sensation, feeling his breath hot on her skin and his hips thrust forward into her thigh. He ran his tongue over the lace again, realizing he could quickly become addicted to that taste of her skin and iron, especially with the smell of her arousal in the air. "Fuck, shorty, where the fuck did ya find this dress?" He growled.

Levy giggled. "I thought you would like it. The girls found it for me. Couldn't have designed it better myself."

"Like's a pretty weak word, Lev." He unbuckled the belt and reached a hand under her to find the zipper. "But no matter how damn good it looks on you, I think it needs to go now." Levy nodded and raised up a little so that he could pull the zipper the rest of the way down. He hastily pulled the dress down off of her hips and threw it to the other side of the tent. He looked down and groaned at the sight of his little script mage in just the long sleeve and a tiny black lace pair of panties. She didn't try to hide from him, just lay there watching his eyes as they moved over her body. His hand came up to her chest, brushing a thumb over her nipple. That was their undoing. Until that point, they could have stopped. This could have just been some fun. But as soon as he touched her, she gasped his name and arched her entire body up into him. That broke the last of his control.

Levy felt as though she had just been branded, and she couldn't stop her reaction. She needed this, needed him. Now. "Ga-jeel!" She gasped. "Please!" There was a tearing sound, and she saw him pull away the tattered remains of her panties, just before he grabbed her legs and knelt, pulling her hips up to his face. He met her eyes as he breathed deeply, taking in her perfect scent. "Please," She whispered. Slowly and deliberately, Gajeel ran his tongue along the length of her slit, over her clit, and back down. Just that little bit had her squirming and making those delicious sounds. He watched her eyes glaze over in lust as he licked her juices off his lips, and gave her a wicked grin before wrapping his mouth around her clit and sucking hard. He heard her curse loudly and slam her hand palm-flat on the ground. He alternated then between nibbling on her clit and licking her entire pussy. He wanted to feel her cum from him like that. He thrust two fingers deep in her drenched pussy, and moaned as he felt just how tight she was, how she tensed on his fingers.

Levy had never felt anything like this. She wasn't exactly a blushing virgin, despite what the rest of the guild thought. She liked them thinking she was so innocent. But when she was off on her own...But no one had ever made her feel this way. "Gajeel…" She breathed before jerking her hips out of his grip. Before he knew what was happening, she tackled him to the ground so that he lay on his back and she was straddling his hips. She watched his crimson eyes as she raised up; they churned with passion looking like his blood was boiling, like hers was. Levy rested her hands on his stomach, lightly raking her nails over his abs and loving the shivers that wracked him in response. She began making small circles with her hips, grinding against his covered cock.

Gajeel could not believe the little minx that was hovering over his erection. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen with those fuck-me eyes and her cheeks flushed from her pleasure. His muscles clenched as she teased him. Then, she began gyrating her hips against him, and he let out a strangled growl, his hands grabbing her ass tight. He loved that predatory grin on her face as she drove him crazy.

Levy bent at the waist, not slowing her movements, and nibbled at his earlobe, hearing his breathing deepen. "Any reason you're still wearing clothes?" She whispered.

Gajeel growled at the challenge and flipped them so that he was hovering over her, his fingers lacing with hers, stretching her arms out to the side. He pressed his lips for a quick, hot kiss before pulling away. "Damn, shrimp. Yer killin' me." He groaned. He raises up to pull off his pants and boxers, and Levy bit her lip, eyes taking in his suddenly naked body. He grinned as her gaze burned over him. Levy traced her hands over his skin, from his chest, over his stomach. There were three studs on each side of his hips, usually hidden by his pants, right along that delicious 'v' that led her down to his cock. He was bigger than she'd thought. She didn't bother with those girlish thoughts of "will he fit;" she knew he would make it fit, and she would love it. She wrapped her hand around him, and felt, more than heard, his gasp. He twitched in her hand as she ran a finger over each of the eight studs on his cock, four on each side. Levy felt herself heat up thinking about what they would feel like inside of her. Her eyes met his again. "Gajeel," her voice firm. "I am ready for this. I want to be yours."

He pulled her into his arms so that she was straddling him where he knelt, one hand on her hip, the other supporting her back. "There's no turnin' back, Levy," He said, squeezing her hip to keep her from interrupting. "And I don't want ya to do anythin' you don't wanna do. But if this is what ya want, then I just want to tell ya how happy that makes me. I never thought I deserved ta be happy. But you taught me how to enjoy myself and to be a better person. There's nothin' I want more than you, Levy." Gajeel pressed his forehead to hers, letting their breath fill the air around them. "Ya ready?" He asked as he prepared himself for the spell. She nodded, never taking her eyes from his. He took a breath and let the magic flow through his palms into her skin. A magic circle glowed beneath them, the space in the tent glowing a deep violet. Levy moaned; it felt as though Gajeel was moving under her skin, as though they were no longer two people, but one. As the magic worked its way through them, Gajeel raised her hips, lining himself up to her entrance. Slowly, slowly, he eased her down. Levy threw her head back and wrapped her legs tighter around him as he stretched her open. Once he was seated in her fully, the magic circled glowed brighter, and a stinging sensation covered their skin—the mark. Then the circle faded into nothing, even though the stinging still worked over them. Levy thrust her hips at Gajeel, forcing him deeper, and both of them growled with pleasure. Suddenly Levy was on her back again with Gajeel hovering over her. He pulled out until he was just barely inside her, and she pouted up at him.

Gajeel was in heaven. He had finally claimed his mate; she was his, and no one else could have her. He pulled out until just the tip was wrapped in her folds and felt a rush of warmth at her adorable pout. This woman, she was his. He bent and kissed her. The second their lips touched, Gajeel thrust powerfully into her, earning a cry from her lips. Her hands gripped his back, and his lips moved down to her breasts, his tongue running over one of her nipples. As she arched into him, he started a steady, hard rhythm, one that left her crying out his name, over and over, stoking him to a frenzy. He could feel himself getting close, just as he could feel her clenching down on him.

Something moved outside the tent.

Footsteps, he could hear footsteps. At first he thought it was just Lily returning. Then he caught strangers' scents.

Levy saw his eyes snap into battle mode, and she tensed, confused only until she saw several silhouettes on the wall of the tent. Then she got angry. Very angry. The two pulled away from each other letting out matching roars. Gajeel only paused long enough to pull on his pants and zip Levy's dress for her before they rushed out of the tent to face their interrupters.