Lucy sat indignantly in a heap on the cold stone floor. Just moments before Natsu had thrown her over his shoulder and speed off through a forest. She had no idea what he wanted, and had struggled against him until he put her down; seemingly indifferent to the fists she had been pounding into his back.
She had thought when he put her down next to the calm still pond that maybe he just wanted to talk in peace. She appreciated the serenity of the location he had picked out and started to walk towards a nearby bench. Lucy was completely taken by surprise when he grabbed her wrist and jumped into the pool of water; dragging her along with him.
Lucy hadn't prepared to go underwater and tried to struggle against him. Summoning her strength she planned to escape to the far-off surface so that she could fill her lungs with much-needed air. Her struggling was in vain, and she began to panic. Her terror strengthened her, and she pushed Natsu away twice. He finally overpowered her and forced his lips onto her own. She wanted to refuse him the intimacy, and push him away again, but he held her in place and forced oxygen into her lungs.
With the need for air sated temporarily, rationality started to creep into her senses. She noticed that her partner wasn't trying to drag her to a watery grave, but instead was leading her to an underwater cave. If she had stayed calm, and not let panic get the better of her; she would have seen the dark entrance only a few feet away from her.
He took hold of her hand once more, and the two swam the remaining distance. They swam through the rounded cave entrance until they broke the waters surface. A smile briefly spread across her face, she was glad to have unlimited access to air, and not need to fear for her safety. However, the feeling was only temporary. Natsu quickly hoisted her back into his arms and carried her into the pitch black cold cave.
He plopped her down in a corner like a sack of potatoes and walked away. She wasn't sure if he was exploring the cave, or looking for something in particular. She sat in the dark for several minutes, thinking that his increased senses must allow him to see in the darkness far easier than any human. Time passed away unchecked and her eyes still hadn't adjusted to the pitch black darkness.
She had thought about escape, but knew it would be an exercise in futility, she probably wouldn't even make it to the underwater cave entrance before he dragged her back. She had never seen him act so animalistic, and it made her nervous to be alone with him. She could hear his footsteps approaching but it echoed off the walls and she couldn't place the direction; that was until she saw the soft glow of an orange flame.
He remained in his dragon form, but his left hand was covered in a flame. His clothes seemed to be dry, a was the pile of driftwood he held under his right arm. He dumped the pile of wood at Lucy's feet and leaned forward, touching the peeling bark with his flaming hand. It caught quickly and before long the flames began to reach the larger logs, creating much-needed heat for the celestial wizard.
The room now glowed from the cozy fire; it wasn't as spacious as Lucy had thought it would be. The entire cavern seemed to be about the same size as her living room in Crocus, although the ceiling was much higher. She could see a few small areas where the ceiling had tiny moss covered gaps, allowing the smoke from their fire to escape and join the night sky.
She huddled into the delicious heat and warmed herself. She had originally been mad, but now she was feeling more and more concerned for her teammate. She had never seen him like this and was worried that this form was dangerous for him. She recalled the conversation they had had with the real dragons after Tartarous. The dragons had all been warned the slayers about turning into dragons themselves. She wondered if was Natsu turning into a real dragon? Was there anything she could do to save her best friend? She had no idea what to do; so she did the only thing she could think of, she asked him to explain.
"Natsu?" He looked up at her, his eyes still flaming, remained in single slits like that of a real dragon.
"Natsu what is going on? Are you still in there?" he didn't respond, instead, he just stared at her, watching her every movement like a cat watches a mouse. She tried a second time.
"Natsu are you still in there?" She looked at him with hope clearly plastered on her face. She watched as he lowered himself to his hands and feet in a predatory crouch. He titled his head to the side slightly, as if trying to understand her words.
"Natsu, please you're scaring me." Her voice quivered slightly, and she began to wonder if maybe she should escape and run for help. However, she had no idea how she would be able to escape him, his instincts were clearly in charge, and he would have no problem tracking her through the nearby forest. His head tilted to the other side, and he paused to process the words she had just spoken. A low rumble sounded from his chest before she heard him speak, his voice barely audible.
"Luce?"
"Natsu?! You are in there! OH thank Mavis! You scared me you, idiot." She spoke with a new rush of relief. Being trapped in here was bearable, as long as he was with her, and they weren't in any immediate danger. His head slowly returned to a normal position before he nodded slowly for her. His eyes were glazed with confusion, as he looked to his best friend. She couldn't tell what he was thinking, and she feared how much of him was trapped within this dragon form. She needed to find a way to snap him out of it.
She walked over to him and crouched beside him. She carefully mirrored his position on hands and knees; before reaching her hand out towards his own. She touched his fingers and then wrapped her hand around his. She pulled the enclosed hand up to her face and placed it lightly against her check. She leaned in closer so that their noses nearly touched.
"Natsu? It's me," She spoke, trying to draw him out of his instinctual form. His gaze poured into her eyes, searching for something. Whatever he was looking for he must have found because his gaze shifted from her eyes to her cheek, seeing his scaled hand caressing her he jolted and pulled away. He scampered to the other side of the wall and placed his back against it. Slowly he pulled his hands in front of him and examined the deep red scales. He used his right arm to touch his left, sliding his newly formed talons along the deep red scales. He had never seen himself like this; the shock was pulling him out of his dragon force form. The talons returned to fingertips, and the scales began to recede. The dainty horns that had framed his face turned into a golden glitter and disintegrated into a pile of shimmering dust. He walked to the water's edge and peered at his own reflection temporarily lost in a trance. A moment later he turned to his teammate and best friend, confusion swept over his expression.
"Lucy? How did we get here, what happened? I don't remember…" His voice trailed off for a brief moment; but before his celestial mage could answer him realization hit. "I don't remember, OH Mavis!" He raked his hand through his hair "I don't remember! No, it's too soon," His words confusing her.
"Natsu?" She questioned. Trying to get some kind of idea as to what was going on.
"Oh Lucy, Lucy please tell me I haven't hurt you! Are you ok Luce?" He rushed towards her and placed his hand on her shoulders. Looking her up and down, searching her for some kind of sign, although she didn't know what.
"I'm fine Natsu, just confused… What's going on? Are you ok?" She rambled on, desperation for an explanation slipping into her question.
Natsu began to pace back and fourth. He spoke in broken sentences, and the heat he was emitting caused the entire cave to start feeling like the inside of an oven.
"No time… But Makarov, no…Run?…Alpha?…Safe?… Save Luce"
"Save me from what?" She questioned him.
"Me. Save you from me!" His voice sounded shrill anxiety controlling his thoughts.
"Natsu that's ridiculous, you would never hurt me, even when you were all dragoned out just now you didn't hurt me."
He snapped out of his thoughts and turned to her. He looked terrified, and when he spoke his voice was filled with paranoia.
"Lucy, I need you to leave, now, while I'm still me. Run to the guild, or the spirit realm, run somewhere and stay there, don't ever come looking for me."
She was offended by his harsh words. Did he think so lowly of her? He was scared, that much she could tell, but did he really think she could abandon her best friend when he needed her?
"Natsu Dragneel! What in all of Fiore is going on? I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what is going on!" Her voice sounded firm even thought her insides quaked with fear. She had never seen him so panicked, and that worried her to no end.
"Lucy! You need to run; RUN before I end up killing you." He started to push her towards the waterfront. She spun around and slapped him across the face; leaving a bright red imprint of her palm across his cheek.
"Enough Natsu! I'm not going anywhere, now stop 'trying' to scare me, and tell me what the hell is going on!" She crossed her arms, and firmly sat on the ground. She had no intention of moving until he explained exactly what was going on.
He resumed his pacing, but this time, he tried to explain what was going on with every step he took.
"This is because of the curse. I can't remember getting those scales, or coming here. Memory loss; it's a symptom of the curse, and it doesn't happen in stage one." He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down enough to give her an explanation.
"Natsu, can we just go back to the guild?" Lucy's voice sounded both scared and hopeful. She was glad that Natsu was back to normal, and hoped that meant that they could return to their guild.
"It's not that simple Luce! I either fight against the Gods, or I accept my destiny." Natsu huffed in frustration. "Reaching stage two means I'm losing my self-control, and the next time I do you won't be able to make me shift back. I could hurt someone, I could hurt you..." He hung his head low in shame. He would do anything to avoid hurting the people around him.
"I told you already, you won't hurt me Natsu, I'll be fine, I'll stay with you, we'll beat this together." Lucy sounded firm, almost like she knew what she was talking about; sadly that wasn't the case.
"You don't understand it won't be 'me' who is hurting you Luce. It will be the dragon version of me." He raked his hand through his hair in frustration once more, before continuing his explanation. "When dragons are rejected they go feral, and need to be put down."
He roared into the cavern top with frustration. He had tried to explain it to her once already, and the more he tried the more difficult it seemed. She kept trying to help him, kept insisting that she stay with him, she had no idea what a horrible idea that was.
"Lucy! Don't you get it yet? It's you, you're the person I'm supposed to be with. When a dragon slayer hits stage two of the curse they have to claim their mate to survive. For me that's you. That's why you need to run Lucy because I don't want to hurt you. IF you leave now you'll be safe, I'll slip back into my dragon form, and as long as you are far, far away from me I won't go feral. If you stay, you'll reject me, and if you reject me I'll go mad. I might end up killing us both."
She tilted her head, trying to understand the man in front of her. She could see he was anxious, and that he was letting fear get the better of him. She knew that if they were going to get anywhere with him she needed to help him calm down. She stood from her spot on the floor and walked over to him. At first, she tried to get him to sit down, but he was too fidgety; so she settled for just stopping the pacing. She turned him around so that he faced away from her, and started to run her fingers down the length of his back.
Even if it was over his vest it felt amazing. Every time she lifted her fingernails back up to his shoulders he could feel the hairs along his neck raise. After that, she would drag her fingers down along his spine, and send a shiver racing through him. With her rubbing at his back, his breathing began to slow, and the racing of his heart returned to nearly normal levels.
"See Natsu, I'm helping already." She smiled to herself brightly. "Now tell me, what exactly does it mean for a dragon slayer to claim their mate? Do you just need to bite me, or maybe mark me with your fire?"
Natsu gulped. "No, it's uhh, a fair bit more physical…." His cheeks reddened and he tried to pull away from her. He had never before been ashamed to be a dragon slayer. However, standing there having to admit to her that for a dragon to claim a mate they had to engage in the most primal of acts, filled him with embarrassment and shame.
"I see," Lucy paused to chew on her lower lip.
His head sank even deeper "It'll hurt you, Luce, I can't do that to you".
The irony plowed over her like a storm capsizing a boat. The Natsu she knew would never be able to hurt anyone, and since he had somehow learned that taking a girl's virginity was painful to her, he refused to ever consider it. It was so typically Natsu, he was so concerned with the idea that he might hurt someone he was willing to risk his own safety to avoid the possibility.
"You won't hurt me, I promise." She tried to reassure him but seemed to fail at it.
He didn't understand, Igneel had explained the process to him from beginning to embarrassing end. Igneel had explained in excruciating detail how hurting the girl, in the beginning, was unavoidable. He had always hated that part, the fact that there was no way to avoid hurting someone to really love them properly.
"I, don't understand…" He trailed off, turning around to look into her eyes. He stared deeply trying to seek some kind of answer from within her eyes.
She knew that this was probably going to be her only opportunity to tell him the truth about her past.
"For girls it usually only hurts the first time, since it won't be my first time, you won't hurt me." She had so much more she wanted to say, so many excuses and explanations she wanted to give. But the words escaped her, her voice frozen within her.
The look that he gave her cut her to her very core. The rage he showed when he battled a fierce opponent was now pointed at her.
"What does that mean Lucy?" Rage boiled just bellow the surface of his voice and caused her to turn away from him.
He aggressively grabbed her wrist and forced her to look at him. Just moments before she had calmed him, it seemed that her efforts were, now, in vein. Without his knowledge, his eyes shifted back into slits, and scales began to return to his cheeks, making his intense stare look malice, and damming.
Accusations and jealousy rolled over him. For the second time this week he was forced into doubting her. He had so many questions and was ready to fry whoever had touched his mate into a charcoal pile of ash.
She tried to speak, tried to explain, but her efforts were for not. Her breathing became ragged and she pulled out of his grip. She seized the opportunity caused by her shocking truth and ran away from him. Without forethought she dived into the water, trying to escape both him and her past.
She knew that she had let him down, that he would hate her now. Once she had finally admitted her indiscretions to him she knew it would be the end of whatever they had. Now that he knew about her past the illusion was shattered. She knew that by having past experience, he would reject her. She knew deep down, in that place that she refused to acknowledge, that she wanted to be with him, but that he would reject her.
She had tried to move on from him, and when she did she had foolishly turned to Loke for comfort. That one mistake had ruined every chance she had ever had with Natsu. At the time, it didn't matter because being with Natsu was just a suppressed fantasy. She had never thought that one day they would be a possibility. That one day he would grow into a man.
Now he was a man; one who would hate her because she had been foolish and slept with someone else.
She had always known being with Loke was a mistake. She had come to terms with that mistake long ago. She knew that by having the past she had with Loke she had ruined her chances to be with anyone else. That's why she worked so hard to make it work with her spirit. That was why they had dragged the relationship on for months, and why it hurt so badly when it ended. She didn't care that they didn't work, but it cut deeply her to know that her chance at happiness was wasted on the wrong guy.
She hated who she was now, hated that she had been so foolish. She wanted to run away from everything. Run away from the rejection, from the hurt, from her mistakes, she swam as fast as she could. She was trying to escape her fears, her past, and the man she had foolishly hoped would one day hold her heart.
His hand wrapped around her ankle, and she tried to squirm away. This time, it didn't matter how much she struggled, the shock had worn off, and his control no longer wavered. He was easily able to overpower her and drag her backward to the cave she had nearly escaped.
He broke the surface of the water first and dragged her along behind him. She thrashed in the water. Splashing water onto the stone plateau. She wanted to escape, but he tugged her into the air and threw her over his shoulder. The curve of his broad shoulder jammed into his stomach and knocked the wind out of her. She wanted to struggle against him but was forced instead to gasp for air. He turned every inch of his body into a raging inferno except for where his skin connected with hers.
The heat was suffocating, and just as she regained enough air to complain she noticed where he was walking. He walked directly towards the far wall, ever step he took brought them closer and closer to it. She tried to struggle against him once more; afraid that if he reached the wall he would place her between it and him. She didn't want to be trapped against the wall like she had been in the bathroom just days before.
She tried to struggle away, but he used his arm to trap her further. She braced for impact, expecting the imminent forceful relocation against the wall. Just as they reached the wall, she noticed the glow from Natsu's flames light the space; what she had thought was a rocky wall, but it was actually a natural illusion. Where she thought a wall had been was actually a huge crevice, large enough for the two to walk through.
Still carrying Lucy on his shoulder Natsu marched through the crevice and down the accompanying cavern that seemed to act as a hallway. He reached an off-to-the-side hollowed our cavern and step inside. Before she had a chance to examine her new surroundings she was flung onto a straw mattress. She bounced a little, and a puff of dust was toasted into the air from the weight of her rough placement.
Lucy stared at Natsu in disbelief; he had told her to run away, and when she had he came chasing after her. Now he was trapping her against her will. She looked at her new captor, searching him up and down, and realized that the Natsu she knew was barely there. His dragon form was taking over and she was growing scared for her safety.
"Tell me!" He bellowed at her, ordering an explanation.
She wanted to suppress it all like she usually did. In spite of that, she was forced to face it. He gave her no other choice. If anyone other than Natsu had asked, she probably would have lied, tp ashamed to face her own mistakes. However, she couldn't force herself to lie to him. She tried to push away the fears that she felt, push away all the pain she had suppressed but it bubbled uncontrollably to the surface.
"Natsu,… I…. It was a mistake…I ppp promise." The tears began to pool in her eyes, and her breathing became erratic. She struggled for words and tried to gain control over her overwhelming emotions.
"NOW!" He demanded, seemingly unaffected by her emotional outburst. She sniffled loudly and the tears began to trickle down her cheeks uncontrollably.
"It was in Crocus, I, I tried, tried to be happy, but I was so miserable on my own." She sniffled once more. "Fairy Tail had disbanded, and you, you abandoned me, I was so lonely, I had no one, no one Natsu. Not a single friend, no family, no guild." Her tears developed into uncontrolled sobs, she curled up into a ball and sobbed to herself.
The emotions rushed over her like a tidal wave. She no longer cared what he thought of her, or what he damned from her. In that moment, nothing mattered but the despair. She sobbed profusely, mourning the life she had lost, the friendships that had fallen away, all the hurt that she had suppressed devoured her. She cried for the first time since the disbandment of Fairy Tail. For the first time, she was unable to suppress anymore.
As her words registered, he was forced into understanding her. He had left her, so had their entire team. She was forced to move on, but unlike everyone else, she had nowhere else to turn. In that moment, he couldn't hate her because he understood her. He had mourned the loss of a father, but she had mourned the loss of ever person she cared about, losing all of them at once. The dragon within him subsided, and he slowly walked across the room.
He sat on the bed beside her then he scooped her into his arms, and placed her on his lap. He needed to make it all ok. He hugged her tightly, hugging the broken girl in his arms. He knew that she was strong, and for her to be so emotional meant that she had been holding this back for some time. He wanted to fix all the pain but knew all he could do was hold her, and try to understand.
"You left me Natsu!, How could you just leave me!" She wailed while he held her in his arms. Her anger and despair took hold and she began to pound into his chest, she struggled against him, but he refused to release his hold.
"We're Nakama Natsu, you weren't supposed to leave me! Everyone else had a team, but you left me!" The stream of tears took hold, and she held nothing back. Her sobs grew in volume, and her body began to convulse from the expulsion of the suppressed emotions.
He rocked her in his arms and began to whisper to her, placing his head softly against her own. "I understand" Repeating it over and over again, until she let it sink in.
"You must hate me," She whimpered into his embrace. Knowing that it was unfair for her to return to him a broken, used mess. No longer the perfect Lucy Heartfilla that he thought he knew.
"I don't hate you, I was mad, I'm not anymore." He comforted her and slowly began rubbing up and down her back. She whipped the tears away with the back of her hand and looked into his eyes. They seemed calm, caring, and concerned. She was hesitant to embrace him, but he pulled her closer and wrapped her in his arms.
"I'm sorry," She whimpered before she turned in his embrace, and returned the affections. Her entire body wrapped around his. Her arms wrapped around his neck, and her legs twisted around his torso.
"You don't need to apologize, I shouldn't have been angry," His voice was firm and unarguable. She didn't understand the sudden change in him. Although it confused her, she appreciated the kindness he was showing her. She wanted to thank him, but words seemed inappropriate, so she chose to snuggle closer and lean her head against his warm shoulder.
He pulled her so close that no space remained between them, he trailed his fingers through her hair, gently massaging her scalp. "It's ok now. I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere." He spoke while comforting her with his embrace.
She whimpered against him. "But I thought you said I had to leave you forever?" Her tears returned and dampened his vest, as she began to cry once more. Her emotions were spent, but she fought against the idea of losing him again. She tugged at his vest desperate to keep him next to her.
"It's too late for that now Luce." He began to hum lightly. The vibration calming her enough that the panic subsided. Looking down at her, he knew his fate was sealed.
She tilted her head up, meeting his gaze with her own. "Natsu," She asked, "Please don't leave me". Her voice held such desperation, that he was forced to answer with complete unshielded honesty. "I promise Luce; I'll never leave you again."
He flinched at his own words, knowing that his fate was now permanently intertwined with her own. She had stolen from him his freedom to walk away. It didn't matter that she had a past; as long as she was his future. He still wanted to burn whoever touched her to ash, but that was a problem for another time.
Peering down at her, he unwrapped his most prized position from around his neck and used it to wipe away her tears. She glowed with approval, unused to seeing such a gentle side of him. She had never seen him share his scarf before. She lifted her fingertips and lightly traced the angle of his jaw.
His warmth was so comforting, and while she straddled his lap, she was no longer able to bottle up the truth. She wanted to be his mate.
She had no idea what her future looked like, but she wanted him by her side through it. When she gazed into his eyes, she was gazing into her destiny. No longer feeling hesitant, and restrained by doubt, she leaned forward and placed her lips against his.
His lips were smoother than she had anticipated. All of their previous kisses had been rough, and controlling; nothing like this. This kiss held with its unspoken words, it was a submission to the gods, an acceptance of fate. They knew that when morning came they would have to return to their guild, and fight against the strongest mages in all of Fiore, but for tonight alone that fight was irrelevant. For tonight alone, nothing else mattered but the unspoken declaration they were sending to the gods.
Natsu leaned into her, he enjoyed the sweet taste of her on his lips. Parting for a moment, he looked into her eyes, trying to understand the messages her body was sending him. He was still uneducated, but his instincts lead the way. He placed her cheeks in his palms before consuming her mouth in a passion filled kiss. Their tongues traced one another, gently testing out the new experience. Neither had ever known what it was to make love, but together they began to learn just how much pleasure it could be.
Although Lucy had gained experience, it had never been like this. Her previous experiences had been the fulfillment of a physical desire, this was so much more; it pulled at her heart strings and filled her with a need she had never experienced. In that moment, she needed him; she needed to be comforted by him, held by him, fucked by him. For the evening, her world revolved around him, and the pleasures they would create for one another.
Their kiss had started off gently, and delicate, but as the emotions they felt built, so did the heat between them. Natsu slid his hands from the sides of her face across her neck, and into her hair, pulling her closer to him so that he could deepen their kiss.
Lucy's hands traced from his neck to his shoulders then down to his toned bicepts, until her hands came upon his well-sculpted back. She had wanted to gently massage him, but her hunger for him got the better of her, and she ended up tugging him closer to her. Unable to pull away, he placed his hands on her hips and instinctively thrust his fully clothed hips up to her heated center. The feeling sent a shiver down his spine and made her light moan in anticipation of the events to come.
She carefully focused her weight, constricting her thighs and calves that wrapped around his torso. She shifted her hips slightly farther away from his chiseled abdomen, and carefully thrusting forward. She could see the surprise in his eyes. He wasn't aware that she possessed such a skill. Like a child presented with an irresistible candy, he lifted her up from the mattress, and she continued to straddle his waist mid-air. Her pleated skirt bunched against her hips, and his hands found their way against the smooth skin of her rounded bottom.
She supported herself with her legs alone, and carefully tilted her hips closer to him, gently sliding her pantie covered core over his rough cotton pants, and subsequently the thick member that was trapped against her core by her constricted legs. Even with the two layers of clothing the earnest gyration still felt like heaven.
He took a step forward, and placed her back against the nearby wall, just beside the makeshift headboard. With her back firmly planted against the wall, he lifted onto his toes, and then slowly returned to the ground. The drawn out motion allowed his clothed member to carefully slide along the center of her covered slit. He bent his knees further, and once he was low enough, he used his left hand to undo the drawstring of his pants and allowed the brown cotton clothing to fall to the floor around his ankles.
He straightened so that her hips rested on top of his own, and she remained ignorant of his discrete elimination of clothing. Finally, able to better appreciate the feel of her dampened panties against his swollen member he returned his attention to pleasing the women he valued above all others.
She arched her back, pressing herself against his hardened shaft, the sensation felt divine and made him want to please her more. He looked down at her and decided that she was far too overdressed. If he was going to be able to enchant her, he needed to see what he was doing. He knew that he was inexperienced and that meant he needed time to experiment. He could tell that she was eager, and that was causing her to try to lead the way. He couldn't have it that way, he needed to take charge and prove to her just how adept he could be as a lover, even if he was naïve.
He nipped at her neck lightly before consuming her mouth with his own. He didn't know it then, but he was beginning to claim her as his mate. By taking charge of their shared passion, he was convincing her to submit to him; with ever submission she made his claim on her soul grew a little bit stronger.
He lustfully dominated her mouth with his own, with every sweeping motion she got more and more lost in the sensation if his touch against her skin. He began to monopolize her body with his rough hands. Running them up the side of her tights, and then over her hips, till eventually he brushed them over her ribs, tugging her top along with his magically warmed hands. She leaned forward and allowed him to lift the article of clothing over her head. Blushing slightly, at her near nakedness. Although she still wore her undergarments and skirt, the material was so dainty, that only her most intimate places remained covered.
He grinned confidently at her, appreciating the view of her plentiful mounds, and well-trained stomach. "Damn Luce,"Her complimented her.
Her cheeks reddened at the compliment. He had seen her naked before, but it was the first time he openly complimented her intimate exposure. She wanted to thank him for the compliment, but before she had the chance, he guided his hands down her toned abdominals until he reached the center of her skirt.
She instantaneously panicked. If he undid her belt and threw it to the floor than her keys would demand retribution. She was about to push him away when he winked at her. With both hands, he slowly undid the belt, and slid the pouch containing her keys off of it. He handed them to her, gesturing to the nearby headboard. As she placed her keys carefully down, he began to suck at her neck and unbutton the front of her skirt. With the last metal coin threaded through its matching sewed hole, the blue pleated skirt sank to the floor, leaving her in nothing but the matching red thong and see-through bra she had chosen to wear this morning.
He wanted to touch her, taste her but knew that only an idiot would rush something so life changing. He began to rub over the top of the red bra, stroking the swollen bosom underneath. He noticed the bright silver clasp that held the ensemble together in the front and leaned forward to flick it with his tongue. The clasp popped open and released her enticing globes for his, please. He ran his tongue greedily along the sumptuous flesh, enveloping the raised nubs with his lips. He consumed her left side while he caressed the right. He then nipped at her left bud, while he tweaked the other between his fingers. Then he repeated his actions for the opposite side. His efforts were rewarded by soft moans of pleasure, as she leaned her head against the wall.
He could feel her desire was growing, and with it, her ability to hold herself up unassisted began to falter. He took a step to the left and placed her on top of the headboard, sliding her keys carefully out of the way. With her rested on top of the makeshift wooden frame, he kissed her once more.
She trailed her fingers along his toned stomach before she lifted them to his shoulders and slid his vest off. Her hands kneaded his shoulders, and back while he roamed her ample breast.
With a final suck on each erect nipple, he began to create a trail of fiery kisses down her abdomen. He knelt before her valley of pleasure, the only thing between her slickened core and his lustful teasing was the thin silken garment he had previously enjoyed. With her legs dangling from his shoulders, he could see no way to remove the garment without readjusting the new position, so he decided the best decision was to simply destroy the offending piece of material.
He winked up at her evilly and she squirmed against him, knowing the wicked glint in his eyes meant he was planning something devious. He placed his hands on her hips, then pinched the thin string on either side of her hips. He liked how the material flattered her and enjoyed seeing it on her, but he knew he would enjoy her without it much more. With the snap of his flaming fingers, he burnt the silk string on her hips. The red silk fabric was the final article of clothing to drop to the ground.
He relished in her beauty, she was beauty in the form of a golden-haired goddess. He loved the smoothness of her cream colored skin, and how her curves exulted her. Kneeling before her, he sent a single prayer to the heavens. He prayed that this goddess, perfection incarnated was whom the gods had intended for him and that she would belong to him from this moment on.
Once the thought of prayers and wishes had exited his mind, all that was left was to worship her body with his own. He kissed her nether lips with tenderness, taking a moment to appreciate how sweet she tasted. She still tasted like lava, to him, it was sweeter and more enjoyable than any candy. He gently slid his tongue forward and flicked her delicate button with his tongue. She shivered a little in anticipation, and the simple shiver set a smile firmly on his lips.
With a gentle hum, he began to rotate flick and sucking her most sensitive spot. Her legs spread a little wide, and he moved his index finger to her valley. At first, he slid the singular finger up and down her slit, while humming to her in his, please. Then while sucking at the sensitive button he pressed his finger into her core. She moaned loudly from the intrusion and rocked her hips closer to him. He loved the reactions that he got from her body, and with the thrust of his finger, he created a perfect rhythm with his mouth and fingers. When his tongue flicked so did his finger. Each time he flicked his digit he carefully brushed the sensitive patch of nerves within her, in perfect unison with the sensitive button at her entrance. Every time he sucked at the button of nerves his mouth caressed he would thrust his digit deeply inside her, only pulling out to thrust it back in again.
Lucy's body began to quiver in response to his ministrations, she moaned heavily with ever touch. The more he touched her the louder she became, she realized that she was getting blissfully close to her climax, and began to draw away. She didn't want this to end as suddenly as their previous encounter had. She wanted to escape, but there was nowhere to go. She was wrapped around him and complete exposed to him.
"Natsu, pplleaase." She whimpered lightly. Hoping that he would understand her unspoken vexation.
He nodded his head without even looking at her and began to nuzzle her core at a more rapid pace. Her desire to stop was instantly overshadowed by an animalistic need. He was working her into a frenzy, and she was unable to escape it. With every lap of his tongue, she mewled a little louder until her moans turned into quiet whimpers of his name. With one long drawn out sucking motion on her bundle of nerves, her whimpers turned into screams. His names never left her lips. Her legs quivered, and then wrapped tightly around him, her end was fast approaching. She screamed his name one last time, as she convulsed before him, her ecstasy consuming her completely. The sweet lava of her liquids drenched her core; but didn't stop his ministrations. He continued to thrust his digit with her until the convolutions subsided.
She had melted into a pool of pure pleasure, and her body grew weak from her recent orgasm. As he moved her from the headboard, she excepted him to leave her once more. She was slightly ashamed of her failures. She had wanted to please him; she wanted to be more to him than the girl she had been the other day in the bathroom. She had hoped for so much more, and although her ecstasy had been powerful, it was not as strong as her determination.
As he paced towards the nearby bed, she was set with resolve. She would do whatever it took to convince him to stay, even if it was just to sleep alongside her. He unwrapped her legs from around him, and lowered her to the bed, she carefully knelt upon it.
"Natsu," she whispered, taking his hand with her own. "Natsu, would…." Her voice trailed off, as her eyes met his. She had expected him to look regretful, or perhaps even distant, like he had before; but the eyes that looked into hers were filled with a fiery passion. She had intended to ask him to stay, but as her voice trailed off, he engulfed her mouth with his own. He led her farther onto the bed, making room for himself where she had just knelt. Breaking for air, his gaze bore into her very soul.
"Send me away Luce, tell me this was all a mistake, tell me to leave you." His words were serious, but his voice was full of unspoken longing. His eyes were begging to stay, and his body just inches away from her own was setting her on fire with desire.
"I can't" She spoke with determination; she had wanted him to stay more then she wanted the air in her lungs. Her independence was lost, all that mattered in that moment was that he stayed with her.
"There is no turning back from her Luce, stop me, or you're going to be a part of this curse, I won't be able to protect you any more than I can protect myself." His voice slipped slightly, although his civilary was clear, she could tell that he wanted the opposite of what he spoke. He wanted to stay but was forced to offer her the only bit of safety she had left. Natsu was offering her a final chance to escape this curse, and although he wanted her, he would respect her safety if she asked for it. He was giving her a choice, to choose him, or to choose security.
She looked at the naked man before her. He was still her best friend, but he was also the man she desired. Although she wished for safety, and simplicity in a relationship, she knew that with him that wasn't going to be the case. However, even with all the danger, the complexity, the risks of mating a dragon, she knew that no matter what; he would protect her.
Being with Natsu meant being with someone who would protect her with his very life, someone who would do whatever it took to keep her safe, and that was all that mattered. Sure she still had doubts, and signing up to some spiritual trial by fire was no small task, but if he had her back then she could face down the gods themselves.
Her body was still flushed from all of the endorphins, but her cheeks grew even redder at what she knew she had to stay. For a brief moment of existence, she was completely naked, her body, heart, and soul, completely defenseless to one person. As she placed the palm of her hand on his heated cheek, she looked into his eyes and said the only thing that mattered, "Natsu, I want this."
His heart warmed, and body hardened by her unveiled words. She wasn't just asking him for to stay, she was choosing to join his side. Even though she didn't know it, she was saving his life; giving him a single chance to fight off death. Once their bodies connected they would be in this curse together, both halves of one incomplete solution. With time, they would hopefully become strong enough to overcome the dangers it presented, but for now, all that mattered was right here and now. She had given him trust and was willing to risk her own life, for a chance at happiness with him.
The idea filled him with delirium. The only girl he had ever wanted, the one he had never thought he had a chance with, had granted him her affections. He was so ecstatic that he kissed her before he knew he had wanted to. The delight he felt was causing his body to glow, ever inch of him highlighted in the soft orange light. She could see the lines that sculpted his abdominals, and the swells of his biceps. She could see the well-cut V shape of his pelvis and the growing shaft just below that. As his body glowed, she was allowed to see every inch of him like never before; it made her lick her suddenly dry lips in anticipation.
His shaft twitched slightly in front of her, and when she looked up to see the cause she realized that he had watched her inspect him, and the twitch she had witnessed was a subconscious acknowledgment of her stare. She blushed lightly, slightly ashamed of where her perverted thoughts had taken her, but she couldn't help but want him; not when he stood naked before her.
His body was perfect, ever inch of him hardened either by years of training or hopes of fantasies about to be fulfilled. She wanted to do something, anything to invite him closer to her, but she had no idea how to do so. She wasn't sure what to do, or how to act, so she decided the best thing to do was to let him take the lead.
'Holy Mavis' he thought to himself, 'what the hell do I do?'. Never had he expected her to allow him to touch her so intimately. Now she was in front of him, completely naked, happily agreeing to be his mate. Igneel had explained the a's and b's of it, but he didn't explain what to actually do. Natsu knew that just jumping in was a bad idea, and although he knew he had just pleased her, it didn't feel like enough.
She had said that he wouldn't hurt her, and that was a massive relief, but what was the first step? Somewhere in the midst of things he was supposed to mark her, but he wasn't sure exactly what that meant. He looked back on how he had handled their first experience together and remembered that instinct had led the way, perhaps if he stopped thinking it would take over again.
He knew that kissing her was the most natural thing he had ever felt. So he started with that. First, he kissed her squarly on the mouth, and then he began to kiss along the side of her neck. His hands lifted her onto hips on their own accord and began to lighly rub up and down the outside of her thighs. His kisses spread to her collar bone, and he nipped it lightly in several places, careful not to hurt her. His hands moved from the outside of her thighs to her taute stomach, where he drew small circles with his thumbs.
As his kisses spread to her breasts, and the circles he drew began to move lower Lucy realized that he was truly inosent. She had thought at least a dozen times that he was probably the more experienced one out of the two of them, but she could tell as he kissed her, that he was truly inexperienced. A man with any experience would easily swoop down and adjust his lover into his chosen position, however, Natsu remained stiff, with a look of confusion barely hidden by his desire. She smilled lightly to herself and put a single finger to his lips. He paused and watched as she laid her back down on the straw mattress as tugged him into a kiss.
He hadn't realized but by kissing her, he was moved into a position where he knelt on both hand and knees above her, her legs drapped on either side of him. She smiled lightly as he looked her over, and realized the change in their intimate postion. He looked both a little shy and a little excited by their new closeness. He hadn't known how things would work as they both knelt infront of each other, but with this new angle, it was much easier to figure out. He was so close to her that he could smell the sweet and delicious hormones her body was emiting for him. She smelled sweet like strawberries and earthy like the snow on a mountain top. He couldn't help but want her even more. Her body was calling to him, and he could no longer deny the request.
He angled his body with her own, and feathered kisses on her lips and neck. She smiled sweetly up at him and rocked her hips onto his swollen shaft. The juices from her recent climax coated his lengthy dragon, and the warmth of her core beckoned him closer. She moaned lightly, enjoying the intimacy as he brushed against her. She repeated the stroking action, this time pushing aginst him a little more. She could see his restraint beginning to break, he would only be able to hold off for a short while longer before he decided to give into his impulses and take her as his own. With one final stroke of her core against his length, his instincts took hold.
His eyes turned into slits, and his body began to grow deep red scales. his hands turned to talons, and he a magical pair of horns began to grow through his pink hair. He wanted to plunder her, to take everything she offered and more. His dragon side took control, and he lined himself at her enterance ready to ravish her like the dragon within him desired.
Just as he was about to begin her voice called to him. "Stay with me Natsu." She called him out of the darkness and placed him firmly incontrol of his senses. He grinned down at her, his typical Natsu smile, although he was stuck in his most primal form he smiled to tell her that he was still himself underneath it. She smiled back at him, and he began to thrust into her.
She felt like hot magma pouring over him, it was unlike any sensation he had ever known. He had never known what it was like to be in heaven, but he felt he did when he was inside of her. As he slid deeper within her he couldn't help but release a deep and earth moan. 'Holy fuck' he thought to himself. He had no idea what to do, but his instints lead the way. In just a brief second something in him had shifted, and his dragon form now recognized Lucy as his mate, making her protected above all others, even himself.
He wound his hand under her back and pulled her closer to him, drawing her in for a deep and delicate kiss. When he kissed her his mouth spoke the emotions his words could not. As he began to thrust in and out of her his kiss told her about love, about lust, about how his world now revolved around her.
She moaned loudly into his lips, unable to hold back any longer. As he lifted her into the air she rocked her hips against his own. She had never felt so full. He penetrated her to the point she was sure she couldn't handle anymore, then he thrust even deeper. His body was pure pleasure against her own, his biceps easily held her as he thrust into her, and with every delicious movement, he penetrated her deeper and deeper. Her thoughts were consumed by him; her body began to glisten with a light layer of sweat and she closed her eyes to enjoy ever sensation that he filled her with. She moaned with every thrust and thought that nothing else would ever feel so phenomenal.
When she thought their pleasure couldn't get any better he rotated her in the air. He shifted his back to the mattress and placed his elbows so that they held both of them up. He began to slow down his pace and then he used his hands to lift her up into the air.
Her eyes flashed open as she felt herself being raised towards the ceiling. He had managed to move them so that he was below her, and now was using his inhuman strength to literally lift her up and down so that she slid along his shaft. She had never felt anything like it, he slowly slid out of her as she was lifted higher and higher into the air. When all that was left inside of her was his crown, he would release her hips and gravity would slam her back down on top of him. She screamed when he let her go, it was more than just an adrenaline rush, it was the most incredible thing she had ever felt.
Every time he lifted her into the air he would slide his entire length along her pleasure point, and she would moan loudly enraptured by his new found skill. Then he would let her go, her voice would give way to an uncontrolled scream. She had never felt so completely shocked. Each time gravity would pull her back down on top of him her body would tremor lightly. He penetrated her so completely, that she had no idea such a thing was possible.
He could feel her end drawing near, ever time he slid against her inner bundle of nerves she would shudder against him, each time her shudder grew more powerful. He wanted to push her over the edge, to hear her scream his name as she collapsed over him, and his instincts told him exactly what to do.
He lifted her into the air, but this time, when he dropped her down on top of him, he thrust himself further into her.
She had never been so full, and couldn't handle all the sensations her body was being sent. As they crahsed into each other her body was overtaken by an unrestarain explostion. Her eyes feel closed, and she froze in pure euphoria, her body unable to move. As she climaxed around him, Natsu knew he could no longer hold back. She pulsated against him, and each pulse squeezed against him, urging him to release his load. His voice roared into the night, accidently sending fire to the ceiling. His seed spilled into her, and he couldn't help but close his eyes and sink into the mattress below. He had never felt such an overwhelm end, and its perfection startled him. He would never grow tired of pleasing her, it was more than just a physical action. It was a perfect reward for sharing such an intimate conection. He had always been told that this was a curse, but in the bliss of his climax, he thought to himself that maybe, just maybe it was a blessing.
"Open your eyes, Luce." Natsu's voice was gentle, carefully nudging her along. She sighed in contentment, before slowly opening her eyes to look down at him.
"NATSU!" She screamed "YOUR ON FIRE!" A panic washed over her, she had felt his fire from a distance, and didn't want to be burnt by his magical ability.
"I'm not on fire Lucy, we are." His correction sounded just as baffled as she felt. She had never been on fire before and she froze in shock of this new development.
The two lovers, still entwined in their intimate embrace watched as the fire engulfed them, and set fire to the straw mattress below them. Natsu had never seen a fire like this. It was red, orange, gold, and pink, it shimmered in the darkness and engulfed them both before exploding outward, blasting the entire room with golden ash.
"What was that?" Lucy questioned him. Completely confused by what had just happened.
"I think, my magic just marked you," Natsu spoke with a happily surprised voice. No dragon was allowed to tell another how a mate was marked, it simply was something that was supposed to happen as the gods intended. He lifted her up from the bed and began to search her over, looking for a sign that she had been approved as his mate by the gods.
As he spon her around the sign of the gods approval was profoundly obvious. He chuckled to himself and took her hand.
"What!?" Lucy's theatrical voice asked. "WHAT HAPPEN NATSU!"
He led her back toward the main cavern, and from there led her to the waters edge. He sat her down on a rock and pointed her reflection behind her. Natsu lite his fist on fire, allowing light to fill the cavern. Lucy hesitantly turned her stare towards the water and gasped in shock. The upper half of her back was now covered in a massive pair of flaming dragon wings. The wings themselves were gold, orange, and red. They shimmered in the glow from the Natsu's flame, and when his touch reached out toward her, the wings seemed to respond by growing brighter. He placed his flaming hand on her back and rubbed it gently against her skin. It seemed his new mate was now immune to his flames.
"Luce! This is soo cool! I wonder if you can touch other flames! Maybe you can eat fire now too! What if you can use fire magic! This is AWESOME!" He cheered loudly and pounded his fist into the open air.
"Natsu!" Lucy groaned, a little unimpressed that her body had unwillingly recieved her first permanent tattoo, even if it was the most beautiful work of art she had ever seen. She grabbed his hand and before he could expect it, she tugged him with all her might sending both of them into the water bellow. She laughed wholeheartedly, happy to catch him off guard.
The two splashed each other back and forth before Lucy wondered out loud. "Natsu, we just burnt our bed to ash, where are we going to sleep? I don't want to go back to the guild without clean clothes to wear."
Natsu thought to himself for a brief second "I know just the place… Go get as dressed as you can. I'll carry you there." Lucy nodded her head and went in search of the remainder of their clothing. Taking with her a small torch from the fire he had made earlier in the day.
With the cavern silent, Natsu began to put his plan into action. He used his alpha thought projection for the first time and sent a brief message to his favorite blue haired dragon slayer, asking for her help.