A/N: Holy fluff Batman. God, the past few chapters have just been so sappy… ON TO MORE FLUFF!

(I don't own Fairy Tail!)

All Jose needed was to explain the situation to Gajeel, and give him the orders to destroy Fairy Tail's guild hall, then send him on his way. More than likely, the Slayer would go above and beyond the call of duty to send a message to Fairy Tail, and that was exactly what Jose needed. He was tired of waiting to get his revenge against Makarov for all those years ago, and the time had finally come to tear his guild to pieces. Everything was falling into place for the attack on Fairy Tail, and one idea that was merely a fleeting thought stuck in Jose's mind just before he called Gajeel to let him know about his mission. 'Lucy is a wonderful tool to use,' he thought. 'She'll prove useful in what's to come.'

Jose chuckled darkly as he pulled out his communication lacrima and called Gajeel. Once the scowling Slayer appeared on the screen, Jose said, "Meet me tomorrow morning at ten for your mission briefing." Gajeel's single nod was all Jose needed before he cut off the connection, a wide and malicious grin spreading across his face at the prospect of decimating those Fairies once and for all.

~.~

Once Lucy was back at her home with two Dragon Slayers in tow, they all sank tiredly into the chairs around her kitchen table. The trip to the weapon shop actually proved to be a great idea. Gajeel convinced Lucy to exchange her slightly worn whip for one that had small spikes jutting out all along the length of it, saying that he would replace them with his own iron so he wouldn't be tempted to eat it in the middle of the night. Ryos had no idea where to start looking, so he let Gajeel lead him through the shop. Eventually Ryos said that he would want to learn how to use a weapon that Gajeel was most comfortable with teaching him, which ended up being a sword. Ryos wouldn't have been able to handle one that was similar to the sword that Gajeel could shift his arm into, and with his diminished strength right then the best they could do was start with a katana. Even Gajeel had been able to find a good deal on some scrap metal that the shop owner had out back from damaged weapons.

The trip to the bakery had been interesting to say the least. As they made their way closer to it, Lucy couldn't help but giggle when Gajeel waggled his eyebrows at her. Ryos' reaction to the smells coming from the bakery were absolutely adorable in her eyes, and the moment the boy realized that Lucy's scent seemed to be coming from inside as well, his confusion had made her heart melt. Gajeel had ended up explaining that the older Ryos got, and the more he honed his senses, the better he would be at discerning whether what he was smelling was also human—though Gajeel did admit that he'd made the same mistake when he passed by this same shop before in thinking that Lucy was inside. Gajeel had insisted that Lucy and Ryos go on inside and have a rain check on their plans for the previous day, saying that he would head to his apartment and pick up some clothes for the night, then meet them back at the bakery.

Lucy glanced at the time and realized that they had been out for nearly seven hours between the time spent at the weapon shop and bakery, and walking between them all. "Ugh," Lucy grumbled, "I don't wanna cook…"

"Bunny, you two just ate half the damn bakery, I think you'll be fine," Gajeel chuckled.

"No we didn't," Lucy pouted. "Besides, it's almost dinner time. And if Ryos here is going to get healthy again, then he needs to actually eat."

Gajeel raised his eyebrow at her, then said, "Well, I can cook if you really don't want to… but I can't promise you'll enjoy it."

Lucy shuddered and paled, then quickly shook her head and jumped to her feet. "Nope, I'd like to live until at least next week. I'll pass on your 'cooking', Gajeel."

"Is it really that bad?" Ryos asked.

Gajeel grinned and crossed his arms over his chest. "She doesn't like the fact that I cook metal into the food. It's fucking delicious."

"It's fucking insane!" Lucy shouted from the kitchen. "You should at least warn someone before they nearly crack a tooth on a fucking screw!"

"It was a nail, Bunny!"

Lucy's head popped out of the doorway to the kitchen while she glared at Gajeel and pointed a wooden spoon at him. "That is not what's important," she said, "Tell me next time so I can pull out all of the damn metal first!"

"Wait," Gajeel said with wide eyes, "You'd actually eat what I cooked if you knew there was metal in it?"

Lucy laughed and nodded. "Aside from the choking hazard, it was pretty good. I can just eat around it if I know it's there."

"You're fucking nuts, you know that?" Gajeel asked with a smirk.

"No, I'm not!" Lucy shouted from the kitchen again.

"Watch this," Gajeel whispered to Ryos, then turned back towards the kitchen and raised his voice so Lucy could hear him. "Insane?"

"No!"

"Bat shit crazy?"

"Goddamnit!"

"You're a fucking looney tune!"

"You're treading on thin ice, sewer grate…"

"Bunny, I think I know why you thought it was a screw that you bit…"

"Why's that?"

"Because you've got a screw loose!"

Ryos couldn't help but grin as he watched Lucy and Gajeel interacting. He had seen a small glimpse of what they were like around one another when they'd all been in the infirmary, but it was more of Gajeel being nice than anything else. Now, he got to see what happened when they were away from everyone else. At Gajeel's last comment, Lucy threw a butter knife at Gajeel's head, which caused Gajeel to crack up when he caught it and started eating the knife.

"You'd better make me a damn knife, Gajeel," Lucy said with a smirk.

Ryos watched Gajeel lay his hand on the table, then saw a soft green glow emanating from it while he used his magic. Once he was done, he held up an iron knife and threw it at Lucy. Ryos tensed while he watched it sail across the room to Lucy, but relaxed when she caught the knife and walked back into the kitchen after sticking her tongue out at the Iron Slayer. Not a minute later, she walked back out with a sweet smile while she looked at Gajeel. One look at the pair showed Ryos that they were really in love with one another—Gajeel's eyes softened considerably while he looked into Lucy's eyes, a small smirk crossing his face and showing his pointed canines, the way that Lucy slid into Gajeel's lap like it was the most natural place for her to sit—and he honestly couldn't be happier for them. As long as Lucy was happy with Gajeel, then Ryos and his inner dragon were perfectly fine with the older Slayer being in her life.

Lucy blushed and pressed her lips to Gajeel's, letting his hair thread through her fingers, and smiled when he moved to kiss the tip of her nose. "Thanks for finding him, Gajeel," she whispered, laying her head on his shoulder and smiling over at Ryos.

"Sure, Bunny," Gajeel said. "We've got some shit to talk about, and the brat's gonna tell you himself what happened yesterday."

Ryos grimaced at the thought of telling her what he'd said to Gajeel, but one pointed look from the man left Ryos sighing and nodding. "I'm sorry for not showing up, Lucy," he said sheepishly, "I was worried that you'd feel bad for me when you found out…"

Lucy frowned and asked, "About why you're not eating properly?"

Ryos nodded again. He looked pleadingly at Gajeel, hoping the guy would understand that he didn't want to admit it to her, and sighed in relief when Gajeel nodded.

"He's having a hard time figuring out how to eat his element," Gajeel said while he rubbed slow circles on Lucy's thigh. "His dragon used to help him out, and now he usually doesn't do it until his body forces it to happen."

"That's why you're not eating regular food either?" Lucy asked softly, never taking her concern-filled brown eyes off of him.

"I can't eat too much or it makes me sick," Ryos admitted.

Lucy turned to look at Gajeel, and he added, "Part of not eating his element. His stomach can't handle it right now."

"So, you just need to figure out how to eat shadows on your own, and you'll get better?" Lucy asked Ryos, smiling when he nodded.

"He's been living at the guild, Bunny," Gajeel said, sighing when Lucy tensed up in his arms.

Lucy's smile fell instantly while her mind whirled with the thoughts of what could happen to him if he kept staying there, why he hadn't found somewhere to live before. If he's too weak to feed himself, then he wouldn't be able to take missions, she thought, And if he can't take missions, then he has no money for a place to live… There were plenty of places that would take in someone Ryos' age, but she doubted any of them would be willing to house a kid that was also in a mage guild—especially not with the reputation that Phantom Lord had. "Not anymore," Lucy said firmly. "You're staying here."

"Huh?" Ryos asked, his head shooting up to gape at Lucy. Here? But, why…

Gajeel smirked and nuzzled Lucy's hair, already having known that the little blonde would say something like that. Lucy was a total psycho when she needed to be, but deep down he'd already figured out that she had a heart of gold. If she hadn't offered Ryos a place to stay, Gajeel would have even though his place wasn't exactly the greatest environment for a kid. At least there was enough room for Ryos to stay there while he was in training. "You sure, Bunny?" he asked softly. "He can always crash at my place."

Ryos looked at the pair and honestly had no idea what to do. Two people, one of which was the man he'd idolized for a long time, had offered to help him out. Gajeel was going to train him, help him figure out how to be a Dragon Slayer that Skiadrum could be proud of, and had already taught him something he didn't know about their magic. Lucy had been helping since they met—protecting him from Gajeel, taking care of his wounds, giving him comfort, getting Gajeel to hear him out about training, and even feeding him—and now she was offering him a place to live. "Y-You don't… have to do that," he mumbled.

"You're right," Lucy said softly, "I don't have to, but I want to." She turned to Gajeel and said, "Besides, your place never has anything to eat aside from that death trap you call a snack. Honestly, one wrong move and he'd be impaled by a piece of fucking rebar."

"Hey, that rebar tastes good," Gajeel shot back. "You've got a point though. I only have beer and metal there on a regular basis."

"Exactly," Lucy said with a triumphant grin. "At least if Ryos is here I can make sure you don't try to kill him with your cooking."

"But…" Ryos whispered, feeling his heart pounding in his chest from some unknown anxiety. "I'm fine at the guild… Really…"

Lucy and Gajeel froze and turned to look at Ryos, then Lucy sighed when she realized that she needed to get back into the kitchen to keep working on dinner. "Go on, Bunny," Gajeel said as he pressed a kiss to her temple, "I'll talk to him."

Lucy smiled and nodded at Gajeel, then stood up and walked over to Ryos and gave him a quick peck on the top of his head before making her way back to the kitchen.

"Gajeel," Ryos whispered as he stared at his hands. "Why would you guys do that for me?"

"Do what?" Gajeel asked, leaning back and crossing his arms over his chest. "Give you a place to stay?"

Ryos nodded.

Gajeel sighed and shook his head. "You're as bad as Bunny Girl when it comes to accepting help, aren't you?" he muttered. After a moment, Gajeel leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees and lightly smacked Ryos' leg to get his attention. "She would have found out eventually, you know. It was seriously gonna happen either way. She loves helping people—might not seem like it, but she does—and you're the first friend she's ever had that wasn't one of her spirits."

"What about you?" Ryos asked. "Aren't you her friend, too?"

Gajeel chuckled and said, "We're a lot of things, but I don't think 'friends' is one of them." He paused and rolled his eyes when he felt the small pulse of magic from his communication lacrima that signaled he was being called. "Hold on," Gajeel mumbled as he pulled it from his pocket and scowled at the image of Master Jose on the screen.

"Meet me tomorrow morning at ten for your mission briefing."

Gajeel nodded and cut off the lacrima, setting it on the table with a sigh. Talk about moving up the mission, he thought sourly. Jose usually only had him meet for a briefing early in the morning if he wanted Gajeel to leave that same day, which meant that he'd only get tonight with Lucy before he had to head out. "Why don't you want her help?" he finally asked Ryos.

"That's not it," Ryos muttered, his eyebrows pushing together. "I just don't understand it…"

"You don't need to understand it. Do you trust her?"

Ryos nodded.

"Do you want to stay here instead of at the guild?"

Ryos shrugged.

"Alright… What do you think you should do when you're confused about something?" Gajeel asked.

"I don't know, that's why it's confusing…"

"Remember what I said about you having two sides?" Gajeel asked. When Ryos nodded, he asked, "What are they saying?"

"One says it doesn't understand why you guys would be willing to help me. The other says…" Ryos frowned, listening intently in the hopes of figuring out what his instincts would tell him to do.

"Don't try to force it," Gajeel said while he leaned back in his chair. "Take your time. Eventually it becomes second nature, and happens without you even focusing on it."

"But I didn't have to focus earlier," Ryos said.

"It comes and goes until you're used to it. If it doesn't pop up automatically, then you have to focus."

"How?"

"Close your eyes," Gajeel said, "Take a deep breath." He watched Ryos instantly following his instructions and felt a small smirk turn up the corner of his mouth. "Picture your dragon."

Ryos took another deep breath and pictured Skiadrum just as he remembered him. His massive father instantly popped up in his mind with the same inky black scales he had loved to run his hands over. Everything was exactly the same: the sharp horns on top of Skiadrum's head, the small shadow-like pointed chin, the mane of shadows that ran down his spine, and even the constant stream of shadows that seeped from his body.

"Now, picture yourself walking up to him," Gajeel said slowly. "Don't forget to keep breathing."

Ryos nodded, and pictured himself as he was now walking through a field at dawn towards Skiadrum. He paused in front of his father, smiling happily up at the dragon he'd missed for seven years.

"You there with him?" Gajeel asked.

Lucy tilted her head to the side and peeked around the corner from the kitchen to see Ryos and Gajeel sitting in complete silence. Wiping her hands on her apron, Lucy walked out to see what was going on. "Ga—"

Gajeel's hand shot up to silence her, placing a single finger over his mouth then pointing to Ryos. He saw Lucy's mouth clamp shut while she stopped moving altogether, and Gajeel looked back at Ryos when the boy nodded. "Ask him what you should do," Gajeel said. He saw Ryos' mouth open and said, "Not out loud. Just think it. He'll hear you."

Lucy smiled softly at Gajeel then turned back towards the kitchen. Training already, I guess, she thought.

Ryos looked up at Skiadrum and smiled again when his father slowly lowered his head. Ryos lifted his hand and settled it on Skiadrum's snout, feeling the familiar warm breath breezing past him and pushing his hair away from his face. "What should I do?" he silently asked his father.

"About what? You haven't told me anything."

Ryos grinned when he heard Skiadrum's voice, somehow both rumbling and raspy just the way he remembered. "Lucy says I can live with her… I don't understand why she wants to help me."

"Silly boy," the dragon whispered fondly, "She's your friend."

"What should I do?" Ryos asked again.

"That's not for me to answer."

"He won't answer my question," Ryos mumbled.

"Ask what he would do," Gajeel said.

Ryos watched Skiadrum chuckle lightly, shaking his head and nestling a little closer to Ryos' hand that was still on his snout. "You've found a Slayer to teach you," Skiadrum said. "I would tell her yes, Ryos. Let her help you. You might find that she needs your help just as much."

Ryos frowned as he watched his father pull back and turn slightly before flying off into the air. He didn't want Skiadrum to leave him again, but the whisper on the wind that blew past him made Ryos feel at ease.

"I'm here, Ryos. In your heart, I'll always be here."

After he had completely disappeared from sight, Ryos' eyes fluttered open to see Gajeel watching him with a blank face.

"Did you get your answer?" Gajeel asked.

Ryos smiled and nodded. "I think I'll listen to his advice," he said. "Thanks, Gajeel."

Gajeel smirked at the boy. "Told you those instincts won't steer you wrong." Based on the look in Ryos' eyes, Gajeel knew that he'd felt like he was talking with his own dragon again. The same thing had happened the first time Gajeel had focused on his instincts and actually asked for guidance, and the fact that Ryos wasn't bawling like a baby right then actually garnered some respect from the Iron Slayer. When Gajeel saw Metallicana in his mind that first time after losing him, with that shit-eating grin and even shittier attitude, that same voice that kept telling him that he had a sour look on his face, and the oddly comforting feeling of his perfectly smooth metallic snout pressing against Gajeel's hand… Gajeel broke down in tears once he came back to reality. He was a sniveling pile of whirling emotions once he realized that the image of his own father would be with him forever, but as nothing more than a memory or a figment of his imagination if he never found the iron gecko again. Maybe it's different for him since there's no hope to find the dragon, he thought. "What did he say?"

"He said I should let her help me," Ryos answered, "That she might need my help just as much."

"Damn," Gajeel chuckled while he shook his head. "Yours is definitely more helpful than mine."

"How so?" Ryos asked.

"That bastard usually doesn't say much. I've gotta figure out what the hell he's trying to tell me from the sounds he makes. Metallicana was like that though—he hated talking like a human, so he insisted that I learn how to figure out what he was trying to tell me based on how he was growling and shit like that," Gajeel said with a reminiscent smile. "It was just like you remember though, right?"

Ryos nodded happily. "It's the first time I've seen him in years. Usually if my instincts tell me something, it's just a voice or a feeling. I've never actually seen who was behind the voice though."

"When it becomes second nature to you, when you're used to tuning in to your instincts, it could go either way," Gajeel said firmly. He wanted to make sure that Ryos didn't get disappointed if he didn't actually see his dragon when his instincts were trying to tell him something. "You could either see him in your head like you did just now, but you won't be solely focused on him. Or it could end up staying as a voice and feelings—like warning bells or feeling sick to your stomach over something—and you'll only see him when you focus on it. Either way, it's the same thing." Gajeel paused for a minute, then added, "You said something about hearing shadows before…"

"Yeah."

"What do they say?"

"Different things," Ryos whispered uneasily. "I try to ignore them, so I don't really know what they're telling me."

"You'll need to make sure that you can tell the difference between the voice of your instincts and the shadows," Gajeel said with a frown. "Your dragon said to be careful with them, and that could easily mean that they'll try and trick you into thinking you're following your instincts."

Ryos shivered and nodded. "I'll try."

"There's no 'try' about it," Gajeel said. "One thing Metallicana told me was that there are some elements that have serious consequences to gaining their power. A lot of them had died out by then, but yours is probably one of the ones he meant. If your dragon told you not to listen to them, then there's a damn good reason he said it. You have to take that shit to heart. He wouldn't have said it if it wasn't important."

"I wish I'd gotten more time with Skiadrum," Ryos mumbled. "Then I wouldn't be so lost with all of this stuff."

"You're doing fine, brat," Gajeel said gruffly. He smirked when he heard Lucy humming softly to herself in the kitchen, then glanced outside to see that the sun was already just past the horizon with only a small orange sliver still in the sky. "Bunny," he called out.

"Yeah?"

"How much time do we have?"

"Twenty minutes maybe," Lucy said as she walked out into the main room with a smile. "Why?"

"Gonna work on his magic for a bit," Gajeel said. "See if I can't figure out this whole eating shadows thing."

Lucy giggled and nodded, then looked over at Ryos and said, "I'd recommend explaining how you're supposed to eat them the same way your dragon told you."

"Too damn smart for your own good, Bunny," Gajeel chuckled. He looked over at Ryos and loudly whispered, "I'm pretty sure she's a Slayer, and she's just hiding it."

Ryos laughed and nodded, then turned to see Lucy openly gaping at them with the corners of her mouth turned up in a smile. "Probably," he said back to Gajeel. "She seems to know a lot about it."

"Very funny," Lucy said with a smirk, crossing her arms under her chest. "Gajeel, if you make me a whole new set of cutlery, you can have mine as a snack while you guys are working."

Gajeel's jaw dropped. "Seriously?" he asked.

"Yep. I want one for one though," Lucy said as she made her way back into the kitchen to grab the tray that held all of her eating utensils. "I don't think you had any metal while we were at the guild earlier, so why not? Besides, then I'll never have to worry about you eating my forks."

Gajeel stared at Lucy as she emptied the tray of utensils on the table in front of him. Two different sizes of forks and spoons, tons of butter knives, even serving utensils were all laid out and making his mouth water. "I should probably make it before I eat this," he mumbled to himself.

Lucy and Ryos watched Gajeel quickly sort out all of the metal on the table, counting each piece and double checking the sizes of everything before he started channeling his magic on the bare space in front of him. After only a couple of minutes, he was finished and Lucy had an entirely new iron set of utensils that she quickly placed in the tray before walking off to the kitchen. "Thanks, Gajeel," she called back with a smile.

Ryos chuckled and shook his head at the still stunned expression on the older Slayer's face. "Lucy," he called out, "I think you broke Gajeel."

Lucy's laughter rang out through the apartment, snapping Gajeel out of his stupor to glare at the wall between himself and Lucy in the kitchen.

"Don't glare at me, asshole," Lucy said through her laughter.

"How the fuck…" Gajeel whispered.

"You glare at everything!" Lucy shouted.

"How the fuck did you hear me?" Gajeel asked with wide eyes.

"I'm a Slayer just like you guys, remember?" Lucy teased, peeking out of the doorway to wink at Gajeel. "Now get to work."

Gajeel rolled his eyes and chuckled softly, then turned to look at Ryos to see him silently laughing right along with them. "Alright, brat. How did he explain it to you?"

Gajeel didn't have much luck figuring out how to help Ryos when it came to eating shadows before dinner was ready, but the meal itself seemed to move by in a flash. Between the insults Gajeel and Lucy threw back and forth, the trio's near constant jokes, and how hard everyone was laughing by the end of it all it was a wonder why they didn't do things like this more often. Once the table was cleared and the dishes were clean, Lucy glanced at her bed and realized that she really should change her sheets since she and Gajeel had been all kinds of naked on them two nights before. "Ryos," she said while throwing the bedspread on the floor, "Did you decide whether or not you'll accept my offer?"

Ryos grinned and nodded, looking from Gajeel to see his short nod over to Lucy. "Yeah," he said, "I'd like to stay."

"Well, that means you'll need to get your stuff from the guild and bring it over here," Lucy said with a sweet smile. "We'll get you all settled in."

"I don't have much," Ryos said sheepishly while he scratched the back of his head. "Just whatever I can carry in a bag."

"Don't worry about that," Gajeel interjected. "It's understandable since you've been squatting for a whole year."

"Gajeel, would you be willing to take him down there?" Lucy asked. "I've gotta change the sheets and do laundry."

Gajeel rolled his eyes and gave Lucy a pointed look. "Why do—"

"Gajeel," Lucy said sweetly, picking up the sheets from the floor and shoving them in his face. "Tell me, do these smell like sex to you?"

Ryos blushed and lowered his head with wide eyes when he heard Gajeel's annoyed growl turn into a groan.

"Shit, Bunny," Gajeel whispered, taking another deep inhale. "You're all over these…"

"So are you, shitstack," Lucy retorted with a blush of her own. "I've only got one bed, and I am not having Ryos smelling that while he's trying to sleep. His nose picks up enough without being all wrapped up in it, too."

"Hey," Gajeel said absently, "You should just let me take these off your hands…"

"That is beyond fucking creepy, Gajeel," Lucy said.

"You smell amazing, how is it creepy?"

"Because you're smelling my sheets," Lucy answered in exasperation.

"Gajeel has a point," Ryos said. "You do smell really good. I can understand why he'd want to keep something that smells like you."

"See? The brat gets it," Gajeel said with a smirk.

"Would you want to keep my sheets, Ryos?" Lucy asked.

Ryos shook his head quickly. "Not yours," he said, "But if I found someone that loved me like you love Gajeel, then I'd want to have her scent around me all the time. I just think you smell nice…"

Lucy blushed again and looked back and forth between the two Slayers, finally landing on Gajeel. With narrowed eyes and a slight sideways tilt to her head, Lucy asked, "You want to take them with you… back to your place?"

Gajeel raised an eyebrow at her and nodded.

"So you can have my scent there too?"

Gajeel grinned and nodded again. I don't think she's realized that she's the one holding this up to my nose.

"… Why?" Lucy asked cautiously.

"You know exactly why I love how you smell, Bunny," Gajeel answered, nuzzling the decadent scent in the sheets and loving just how much they smelled like his little blonde.

"But this smells like both of us, Gajeel," Lucy said.

"All the more reason to have it," Gajeel said with a wink. "I like it, and I wanna keep it."

Lucy smirked at Gajeel and said, "Ask nicely."

"I'm not a dog."

"I didn't say 'beg'," Lucy reasoned, "I said to ask me nicely for it."

"Why?" Gajeel asked, taking another deep breath.

"Because if you do, then I'll give you these sheets to add to your hoard," Lucy answered with a light giggle.

Gajeel rolled his eyes and grinned again while he asked, "Can I please keep these sheets, Bunny?"

"Why, yes you may, Gajeel!" Lucy said dramatically, finally pulling the sheets away from his face and squeaking when she was pulled into his lap.

"Damn pain in my ass, you know that?" Gajeel growled playfully.

Lucy nodded with a grin and melted into Gajeel's embrace once his lips covered hers. Her hands slid up his chest, feeling each and every bulging muscle tensing slightly as her fingers brushed over them, and no matter how hard she tried to suppress it, a small light moan left her once Gajeel's tongue plunged between her parted lips. Far too soon for her liking, Gajeel eased back and gave her a smug grin while Lucy tried to push past the lusty haze he had dragged her into so she could function.

"So, you had to change the sheets?" Gajeel asked, chuckling when Lucy nodded and nibbled her lower lip. "And I'm taking the brat to the guild?"

Lucy froze, then covered her face with her hands to hide the bright red flush on her cheeks. "Goddamnit, Gajeel!" came her muffled shout. "Ryos, I'm so sorry!"

Gajeel cracked up laughing and nuzzled her hair. "He's fine, Bunny."

"Lucy," Ryos said calmly, "It's alright. I think I can handle you two kissing in front of me."

Lucy peeked from between her fingers to see a small smile on Ryos' face, but no hint of embarrassment. With a sigh, she dropped her hands to her lap and sheepishly said, "Sorry… I'm just not used to being able to do anything with him around anyone… We have to keep it a secret so…"

Gajeel frowned and nodded. "Trust me, I hate it as much as you do," he said softly. "I'd much rather be able to do whatever the hell we want."

"Well, you two are really strong," Ryos reasoned, "Why can't you just be open about it?"

"Someone could exploit it," Lucy answered.

"They could use Bunny to get to me, or vice versa," Gajeel added.

"But, no one would be dumb enough to mess with either of you," Ryos said. "And with everything that's going on—"

Gajeel quickly shook his head, making sure Lucy couldn't see him. He really didn't want the kid to be the one that dropped the bomb on her that her dad was trying to steal her away.

"What?" Lucy asked, furrowing her brow and looking at them questioningly.

"Nothing," Ryos said a little too quickly. One look from Lucy had him sighing in defeat, but he stayed silent otherwise.

"Bunny," Gajeel said softly, "It's about what I said earlier…"

"What's wrong?" Lucy asked.

Gajeel sighed and decided maybe he should just get it all out there and then deal with her reaction afterwards. "Just hear me out, okay?" he asked cautiously.

Lucy frowned, but nodded.

"It's about your dad," Gajeel said, tightening his grip on her when she went completely rigid. "Those Fairies that followed us know who you are, and they think we kidnapped you. Your old man told the papers you disappeared a month ago and he's planning on hiring a guild to find you."

"No…" Lucy whispered, her whole body beginning to quake in fear. "I-I won't… I won't go back…"

"Shh," Gajeel whispered, "I know. Just listen, okay?" In all the time he'd known Lucy, she had never been afraid of anything with the exception of her nightmare. This was the first time that he was actually seeing what fear looked like on her from more than her own imagination, and it tore him to pieces. He never wanted to see her like this again, and the fact that it all stemmed from the mention of being taken away by her father had Gajeel's inner dragon roaring in pure rage. He won't, Gajeel thought, I'll never let him near her. "Master called while you were busy, and said I've gotta meet him in the morning for my mission briefing. That means he's sending me out tomorrow to deal with them. Master wants someone with you until this is handled, and he thinks the Fairies will be sending someone to find you—that's why I said I was on Bunny detail. He wants to make sure you're safe."

"I-I… I don't want you to go," Lucy choked out, her throat constricting almost painfully. It had taken tons of courage for her to finally run away, and the entire time she had been away from her father's estate Lucy had been worried that he would find her and force her into a marriage. With Gajeel away on a mission, and Fairy Tail knowing exactly where she was, it was only a matter of time before they came for her. If Gajeel wasn't back in time, she would have to fight them off and run. After finally finding some sense of happiness in her new life, with both Gajeel and Ryos, Lucy didn't want to leave everything behind. "What if they come while you're not here?"

"Master said we'll figure it out," Gajeel said, rubbing slow circles on her back. "I said I'd protect you, Bunny. That asshole isn't taking my Bunny away from me, and he definitely won't get to sell you to the highest bidder like some fucking..." Gajeel's words were halted by a low, threatening growl; his anger mounted higher and higher with just the thought of Lucy being used to make her dad a quick buck. "You're staying right fucking here," Gajeel continued after a few deep breaths, his voice still lower and filled with his rage, "I just fucking found you, I'm not going to lose you. I'll get the mission done as fast as possible so I can get back here, but I won't know more until tomorrow after I meet with Master. He said to stay away from the guild because they'll look for you there first."

"Lucy," Ryos said worriedly when he saw tears streaming down her face. "I know I can't do much, but… I'll keep you safe while Gajeel's on his mission. I don't want you to get taken away."

Lucy gave Ryos a watery smile and a nod, then leaned into Gajeel's chest and let his metal-and-cinnamon scent fill her every shaking, sob-filled breath. She clutched tightly to his shirt, feeling his arms wrap protectively around her while he nuzzled her hair. "Promise you'll be safe," she whispered. "Promise you'll come back."

"I'll always come back to my Bunny," Gajeel whispered back. "Can't promise I'll be safe, but I will come back."

Lucy sniffled and laughed, then said, "Yeah… Black Steel and 'safe' really don't belong in the same sentence, huh?"

"Got that right," Gajeel said with a wicked grin. "Tell you what though… Those fucking Fairies are gonna pay for even thinking about taking you. After this shit's settled with them, I'll be paying your old man a visit."

Lucy sighed and shook her head. "There's no need—"

"There damn well is," Gajeel growled. "I already told you. He's trying to take you away, and now he gets to see just what your Dragon can do. It's your choice, not his…"

Ryos, even with how frightened Lucy had become to cause her to cry, couldn't help but smile at the two older mages. Gajeel seemed to have no issue whatsoever laying claim to Lucy as his, and even going as far as saying that he was hers as well. It was one of the first signs of a mated pair, but Ryos knew that it just wasn't the case with them. Lucy and Gajeel honestly acted as though they were already mated, with each drawing strength or support from the other, and the possessive nature that Gajeel showed only seemed to add to that. One look at Lucy had Ryos confused: she seemed to relax every time he said something possessive like that, almost as if hearing that they were part of each other calmed the raging torrent of emotions inside of her. If she reacts that way to what he says, then why doesn't he realize that she'll accept being his mate?, Ryos wondered. "What's her choice?" he finally asked.

"I told you that my dad was trying to make me miserable for the rest of my life," Lucy said, turning her head and laying it over Gajeel's heart to hear the steady rhythm that seemed to soothe her. "He's trying to marry me off to someone."

"Why?"

"To make more money," Lucy whispered sadly.

"He doesn't give a shit about her, brat," Gajeel continued, giving Lucy a light squeeze, "He just wants some rich bastard to buy the right to marry her, then once it's all said and done he'll take her keys, and Bunny will be a fucking baby factory for whoever pays the most." When Ryos' face hardened, a low growl rumbling from the boy, Gajeel nodded and closed his eyes while he tried to comfort Lucy.

"But…" Ryos said with a frown, looking over at the weeping blonde, "You wouldn't want to be with whoever it is… Why would you have his children?"

"She would have to," Gajeel answered with a sneer. "It's what's expected of her if it happens. So not only is the bastard selling his daughter off like a fucking whore, he's selling her to get raped by some guy with Jewels pouring out of his damn pockets. All to make a quick fucking buck."

Ryos felt his instincts roaring to life inside of him, the desire to protect Lucy flaring in his veins and seeping through his body until he was growling in tandem with his inner dragon. Even the short lesson Gajeel had given him earlier seemed to have helped in making him more in tune with his instincts, and Ryos was suddenly very thankful for it. Lucy was his friend, and he refused to let someone try and take advantage of her in such a vile way. At times, it almost felt like she was more than just a friend to him, like she was the sister or mother he never knew. His human side told him that they had only really started talking a few days ago, that he couldn't possibly see her as someone so close to his heart in such a short amount of time. The image of Skiadrum popped into his mind with a grin, nodding emphatically and giving him the sense that she could really be his family if he allowed her. Dragons protect their family, Ryos thought and saw Skiadrum's grin widen and a resoundingly approving growl sound through him.

"No," Lucy whispered, her fear disappearing altogether once Gajeel's words rang through her apartment and instantly being replaced with anger. "I'm not letting him scare me anymore…" She had spent her whole life either afraid, sad, or lonely because of the man that called himself her father when it suited him. Hearing Gajeel put her situation that way—that she was being sold like a common streetwalker and would essentially be stripped of her choice in who bedded her—made Lucy's blood boil. The anger inside of her swelled until she felt as though she would burst, and some deep part of her subconscious whispered that if her father ever came to his senses… She would forgive him. Lucy hated the idea of forgiving the man that had ignored her for so long, but he was still her father and she knew that she wouldn't be able to hold a grudge against him if he was truly remorseful.

"Bunny?" Gajeel asked slowly when Lucy uncurled herself from his lap with ghostly white knuckles and tightly clenched fists. He watched her carefully when the stomach-churning scent from her fear dissipated until his nostrils were nearly burning from the fiery rage that coursed through her. Her body was tense, but not from trying to keep anything hidden. The tension in Lucy seemed to screech that there would be hell to pay for whoever stood in her path. He had only seen her angry like this once, except it hadn't been nearly as intense then, and that was when he'd gone and bad-mouthed her mother in the rain. There was a barely concealed fury inside of her, nearly lighting up her skin while it coursed through her veins, travelled through her sinewy muscles, settled deep into her marrow.

Lucy turned her hardened gaze to Gajeel, hardly registering the wary way he eyed her, and said, "You know what happened the last time someone tried that shit with me, Gajeel." The men in the mountains would feel lucky if they could see what she did to the next person that tried to strip her of the choices she made. Her father not only wanted to take her freedom, her deep and passionate love for Gajeel, her sweet Ryos. He wanted to take her magic from her, to strip her bare of everything that identified her as a person until she was just some doll for a rich bastard to play with when he felt the desire to do so. "If I do end up back there, I'll fucking kill him myself. You're right, no one is taking my choice away. The next person who tries will hardly have time to suck in enough air to scream out their agony while I tear them to pieces." When Gajeel grinned, wide and filled with malicious intent, she wiped the tears from her face, the sadistic smile that spread across it mirroring his, and added, "Make sure you show those Fairies just what my Dragon can do."

"That's what I was planning on doing," Gajeel said.

"No, Gajeel," Lucy said firmly, "I want them to suffer. Show them what happens when you piss off a dragon. If it was my mission, there wouldn't be any survivors… but I don't think Master wants you killing anyone this time around."

Gajeel stood up and wrapped his arms around Lucy, pulling her close to his chest. He sighed when her arms instantly molded around him, and said, "Trust me, they'll suffer plenty. No one threatens my crazy little Bunny and gets away with it."

Ryos looked at Gajeel and Lucy, unsure of what he should do. When the blonde pulled back and looked at him, then extended her arm and beckoned him closer, Ryos didn't even try to argue with it. He quickly stood up and walked over to her, and his eyes went wide when Gajeel's arm moved and wrapped around his shoulders while Lucy's wrapped around his waist, the pair pulling him closer to them in a comforting embrace. Ryos carefully laid his head on Lucy's shoulder and let the odd combination of her and Gajeel's scents fill every bit of him—creating a calm deep within that he hadn't felt in a long time. He had no clue how long the three of them stood there—each of the Slayer's holding onto Lucy in a silent promise to protect her, Lucy holding them both and letting her love for them wash over the room, and even Gajeel's simple embrace with Ryos that let the boy know that he'd been accepted in some fashion by the older mage—but after a long while, they all pulled back with small smiles on their faces as the tension in each of them faded into nothingness.

After going to the guild to grab the boy's meager belongings, Gajeel and Ryos had come back to find Lucy taking a relaxing bath with a small radio playing old swing music from the X740s. Gajeel was surprised by her music choice, but he already knew that she liked pretty much everything she came across. When the trumpets started playing an octave too high for him and Ryos to comfortably sit inside, Gajeel went into the bathroom and told her that they'd be on the roof doing some more work on Ryos' magic in the hopes of figuring out how he could eat on his own. The sweet smile she gave him had stolen his breath away, the adoration and gratitude swimming in those chocolate doe eyes all but stealing every shred of his sanity and locking it in a box that left him floored in more ways than one. Gajeel's heart had hammered painfully hard in his chest while he knelt down on the floor and gave in to her silent plea. Gently cupping Lucy's neck, with a soft smile playing across his lips, Gajeel slowly closed the distance between them and allowed her sweet plump lips to glide softly against his in a tender caress; just his lips and hers, no sense of rushing to lead into more physical intimacy. In that moment, it was just the two of them and he couldn't have been happier. Once Gajeel found a way to break the connection between them, ending the kiss even though he wanted her in his arms, he grinned and stood up to walk out of the bathroom.

The pair of Slayers carefully made their way onto the fire escape just outside of Lucy's single window in her apartment, then climbed up to the roof. Gajeel and Ryos sat on the roof of Lucy's apartment building, cross-legged and facing one another. "Alright, brat," Gajeel said with a deep breath, "We're surrounded by shadows now. You said your dragon told you to feel your magic gathering in your throat like you're going to roar, then to suck in the shadows around you."

"Right," Ryos answered, following Gajeel's lead and taking a deep breath as well. "But I can't seem to get it right. He said there was another way to do it, but I had to learn this way first."

"That's what we'll figure out before I leave on that mission. If you're going to keep an eye on Bunny Girl while I'm gone, then I need to know your magic is starting to get back to normal," Gajeel said. "First step is eating right, then we can work on everything else. Your magic is the priority, since honing the skills you need to maintain it will make everything else easier."

Ryos nodded. "What do I do first?"

"Turn to the side and act like you're going to roar," Gajeel said, "Point it up towards the sky so you don't damage anything if it slips out; don't beat yourself up if it happens. I want you to focus on how it feels. I'll walk you through it."

Ryos nodded again and turned to his side, facing towards the far end of the apartment building. He closed his eyes and started to focus his magic on his mouth just as Skiadrum taught him to do, tilting his head back in the process so that, if the attack was released, it would drift off into the sky above them.

Gajeel studied Ryos for a moment, then said, "Feel your magic welling up inside of you, traveling from the very center of your being. Search for the essence of your magic, your shadows. Let them grab onto you so you can pull them free."

Ryos furrowed his eyebrows in concentration, trying to follow Gajeel's instructions. He reached deep inside of himself, pushing past where he would normally go for his magic and delving further into himself to find the inky darkness that was the essence of his magic. The black, cloying shadows slowly rose in gentle tendrils, wisping lazily about and latching onto the invisible hand he'd used to reach for them.

"Good," Gajeel said softly, "Pull them up and let the shadows settle in the back of your throat, not in your mouth. Focus on how it feels while they travel through you, the power that radiates from your element."

Ryos pulled and found that only the smallest tug was needed to tell those inner shadows what he wanted. A chill swept through his body while the sooty blackness rose inside of himself like smoke from a chimney, and Ryos resisted the urge to shiver. He kept his mouth clamped shut while they gathered in his throat, felt a few small tendrils wriggling up through his nasal cavity and leaking from his nostrils while he waited for Gajeel's instructions.

"Don't forget to breathe," Gajeel added when he saw a few small wisps leaking from the boy's nose, looking for all he was worth like a real dragon right then.

Ryos slowly inhaled, realizing that his lungs had been screaming for the oxygen, and felt the shadows settle back down from his nose and into his throat again. They swirled lazily, creating a black orb that he could clearly picture in his mind. The power from those shadows slowly increased the longer he held them there, and he honed in on just what it felt like. It was truly indescribable, and now Ryos understood why Skiadrum had a hard time teaching the young boy about his magic. They were intangible, but still felt as if they were chilled hands and fingers that lightly stroked over everything they touched.

"Alright, keep it there and feel the shadows around you. Find the similarities between them and your own shadows."

Ryos opened his senses and tensed when he refused to open his mouth on a gasp, instead inhaling sharply through his nose. Once he had his magic swelling in him, the surrounding shadows seemed to be begging for his attention, practically clawing their way into him. Even with his eyes closed, he could feel where each shadow ended and began as the light of the half-moon above them shone down to create odd little shapes from the surrounding structures on the roof. The shadows begged him to let them in, to feed him what his body so desperately needed. At first, he was apprehensive when he thought he heard them speaking to him, but the longer he let the new sensations settle in, the more he realized that it wasn't the same disconnected and echoing voice filled with malice from the shadows he was supposed to ignore; what Ryos was hearing was his own body's plea for the nourishment he hadn't been able to give it.

"Here's where it's gonna get tricky," Gajeel said, his rumbling voice softer than normal, "Open your mouth slowly, and keep your magic in your throat."

Ryos' lips parted just slightly, his tongue darting out to wet them and his mouth actually watering at the thought of being able to finally do what he'd struggled with for years. A single tendril of his own shadows snaked out over his tongue as he let his jaw drop open, gliding lazily past his lips to test his surroundings. A second and third followed shortly after, and Ryos focused in again on keeping the ball of magic in his throat so it didn't shoot off an attack when he didn't want it to.

"Draw the shadows you felt into yourself," Gajeel said, furrowing his brow and hoping he was getting this right. It was frustrating to try and figure out how Ryos was supposed to eat his element when Gajeel had never struggled with it himself; then again, Gajeel had to only find a piece of metal and he was set. "Let your magic act like a beacon for them to follow. When you feel a connection between your shadows and the ones around you, pull your magic back down your throat and into you."

Ryos took another deep breath, letting the tendrils that had escaped his mouth search his surroundings again and again. They lengthened and felt along the ground, and when each of the three found a separate large shadow, Ryos' magic hummed in approval. It vibrated in his throat, the swirling seeming to speed up in anticipation of what was to come. The tendrils wrapped around the darkness outside of his body, and Ryos started to focus on pulling them back towards his mouth. He clenched his eyes tightly when his jaw involuntarily widened, a small popping noise sounding when the bone shifted to accommodate the amount of shadows he was taking in. His lips burned as they flew past, the tendrils snapping violently back into the magic in his throat and dragging his nourishment along with them. The force knocked him backwards, a loud thud sounding once his back met the concrete of the roof, and he gasped while his eyes shot open. It wasn't even a conscious thought to pull his magic back down into himself, it just happened on its own. Another chill washed over Ryos when he felt the new shadows settling into his body, filling in gaps that he hadn't known existed. He felt fuller than ever before in his life, and somehow ravenous. Like finding an oasis in the desert, Ryos' magic wellspring thrived under the nourishment he'd consciously provided, and the boy's mouth opened on a silent scream while more shadows jumped from all around him and down his throat. It was much more subdued than this when his body forced the shadows in from him not eating them, and Ryos couldn't understand what was happening. When his body pulled the shadows into him before, when it was happening so he could survive, only a few would be sucked in to leave him feeling less sickly and much more rejuvenated. This time, it seemed as though his body was trying to pull in the shadows from all of Oak Town.

Gajeel's eyes widened while he watched Ryos' back arch painfully off the ground as more and more of his element forced its way into his frail body. "Shit," he muttered, rushing over and seeing only the whites of Ryos' eyes as they rolled back in his head. "Cut it off, brat," Gajeel said firmly.

No response. More shadows filled him in a violent surge, causing his body to tremble under the onslaught.

"Brat, cut off your magic," Gajeel growled.

Nothing. A keening cry could just barely be heard on the wind, whistling past Gajeel and barreling towards the boy on the ground. Ryos' slight quivering suddenly became a full-body spasm, his limbs somehow tensing painfully and thrashing wildly around while he tried to stop what was happening. He'd lost control, felt himself being filled to the brim with the shadows he had so desperately needed before, and yet he craved more of them. Ryos was torn between actively trying to bring more of his element into himself to feed the feral hunger deep within and fighting to stave the swell of magic so he could breathe. His mind whirled with its indecision, stuck in limbo and teetering from one choice to the other, and he didn't know if he would be able to stop it.

"Ryos, fucking control your shit!" Gajeel yelled, roughly clamping his calloused hand over Ryos' mouth while the other shot up to close his jaw. Once the shadows stopped flying towards the boy, his sweat-slicked body collapsed to the rooftop beneath them, still shaking and twitching every few seconds. Gajeel made just enough room with his hand for the boy to breathe through his nose and sighed in relief when he finally saw those familiar red slitted eyes looking up at him. "Fucking hell," he grumbled, sitting back and unceremoniously plopping himself on the ground.

Ryos was panting heavily, trying to give his lungs all of the oxygen they had been deprived of, and his whole body felt sore. The tension had mounted until he felt like he would snap, and now each and every muscle was groaning its disapproval while he rolled onto his side to try and pull himself into a sitting position.

Gajeel frowned when Ryos' shaking hands pushed on the rooftop to bring himself upright, seeing the way his body protested even the slightest movement. "Just relax," Gajeel said when several attempts left the boy panting harder and falling back down. "Can you talk?"

Ryos' brows furrowed while he tried to speak, finding his throat was incredibly raw and he couldn't seem to push more than air in and out of his body. He slowly shook his head, then regretted it when it started pounding furiously. His eyes clenched, his eyebrows drawing downward, and a hand shot to his forehead in a sad attempt at quelling the pain.

"Damn," Gajeel whispered with a frown. "I'm gonna take you inside. We'll see if Bunny knows how to help, okay?"

Not willing to risk moving his head again, Ryos gave Gajeel a small thumbs up to let the older Slayer know he agreed with the plan. He hardly registered being hoisted into the muscular arms of the Iron Slayer, only faintly noticed the soft breeze that brushed past them while Gajeel carefully descended the fire escape and managed to crawl back through Lucy's window. The sweet scent that he instantly recognized as Lucy filled his nostrils, and he was suddenly thankful that the music she'd been listening to was turned down to a much more manageable volume.

"Bunny," Gajeel called out, hearing Lucy in the bathroom pulling on her clothes for the night. "Got a problem out here."

Lucy frowned and pulled the door open once she was dressed, then her eyes went wide when she saw Ryos in Gajeel's arms. "Shit, what happened?" she asked worriedly, rushing over to the pair as Gajeel laid Ryos down on her bed. "Ryos, are you okay?"

"Took in too much of his element at once," Gajeel said, running a hand over his face.

"I didn't realize that could even happen."

"I didn't either," Gajeel admitted, "But based on what fucking happened up there, that's the only explanation I can come up with."

Lucy nodded and sat down next to the boy, brushing his hair from his face and gently cupping his cheek. "Can you tell me what happened?" Lucy asked Ryos softly.

When Ryos frowned, his eyes closed and his breathing still shaky, Gajeel sighed. "Everything seemed to be fine up until he tried to pull the shadows he'd gotten back into himself," he said, sitting down in a chair at the table and watching Ryos and Lucy. "He lost control of his magic, and it just kept pulling more and more into him. Knocked him back pretty hard. I had to close his mouth for him just to get it to stop. He couldn't talk afterwards, and I'm pretty sure he's in some serious pain right now from how he was thrashing around before."

Lucy nodded, running her thumb over Ryos' cheek. She took in the sweat that glistened on his face and in his hair, how there seemed to be more color in his cheeks than she'd ever seen before, and noticed how his eyebrows were drawn together. Lucy gently held one of his hands, then said, "Okay, squeeze once for yes, and twice for no. I need to find out what's wrong so I can help you."

One squeeze.

Lucy smiled, then turned to Gajeel. "Can you make some tea?"

"Sure, Bunny," Gajeel said with a nod, pausing to kiss the top of her head before making his way to the kitchen.

"Does your throat hurt?" One squeeze. "That's why you can't talk right now?" Another squeeze. "And your head hurts?" A squeeze. "Do you feel sick at all?"

Ryos paused and tried to figure out if he actually felt sick. He almost always felt a little queasy, but that was more from not eating than anything else. There was still an ache in his stomach, one that begged for him to eat something, but he wasn't nauseous. He squeezed Lucy's hand twice.

"Did Gajeel help you figure out how to eat?" she asked.

He squeeze once, but grimaced when he thought of what happened.

Lucy giggled softly. "I understand. You'll get there. Are you feeling better than before though? As far as your magic?"

One more squeeze.

"Good. We're gonna get you in the bath and cleaned up, then you can have some tea for your throat. Sound good?"

One squeeze.

"Bunny, if you think I'm gonna let you strip him down and put him in the bathtub, you're fucking high," Gajeel called out. "I'll be there in a second."

Lucy rolled her eyes with a smile. "Yes, dear," she teased, laughing when a low growl sounded from the kitchen. "Are you willing to bathe him?" Two squeezes on her hand had Lucy turning to look back at Ryos. "What's wrong?"

"I…m… fi-ine…" Ryos rasped.

"Ryos," Lucy said softly, "It's perfectly fine to accept help when you need it. Whether you do it yourself or one of us helps you, I'm not letting you in there alone just in case."

"She's got a point, brat," Gajeel said as he walked out of the kitchen and picked up the boy. "I've got him, Bunny Girl."

Lucy nodded and grabbed Ryos' clothing from his bag, settling it on the counter in her bathroom before closing the two Slayers inside and walking back to the kitchen. Around twenty minutes later, the tea was already on the table and waiting for them when Gajeel slowly walked Ryos out of the bathroom. Lucy watched as Ryos was led to the same chair he'd been in during dinner, and she set a teacup in front of him. "It's got honey in it and a little lemon. It'll help make your throat feel better."

Ryos nodded and picked up the cup, holding it just under his nose and letting the steam rise up and clear away a little of the headache he was still sporting. After a few sips, he already felt better. The ache in his stomach was actually diminishing as the warm, soothing liquid filled him up, and the honey coated his raw throat perfectly.

Once the trio finished with their tea, and the used dishes were washed, Lucy led Ryos to the bed. She carefully tucked him in, smiling softly when he looked up at her sleepily. "Get some rest, okay? We'll see how you feel in the morning. Gajeel and I will be up on the roof for a bit."

"Thanks, Lucy," Ryos whispered, smiling when she giggled and kissed his forehead. The room was instantly bathed in darkness, with only a small light on Lucy's desk to break up the utter blackness that would have consumed the apartment.

Gajeel smirked and grabbed the two throw blankets from Lucy once they were on the fire escape, then led her up to the roof. He laid one blanket out and settled himself on top of it, smirking when Lucy laid down and nestled closer to him, then set the other off to the side in case she got too cold later on.

"You know, you've been a sweetheart today," Lucy said softly while they looked up at the stars.

"Don't know what you're talking about," Gajeel answered, wrapping his arm around her.

"Sure you do," Lucy whispered, resting her chin on Gajeel's chest with a smile. "Ever since we left the guild today, you've been nice. Even to Ryos."

"Yeah, well… Keep that shit to yourself," Gajeel mumbled, his cheeks flushing in embarrassment.

Lucy giggled and shook her head. "You're ridiculous, you know," she whispered as she turned back to looking at the sky.

"You love it."

"Damn right I do," Lucy said happily. "Just like you love me being a psycho."

Gajeel laughed and said, "So you finally admit that you're a psycho?"

"Yep."

"Then, yeah. I love it, Bunny." Gajeel sighed and looked at the sky above them, smiling when he was actually able to identify some of the constellations he saw by name.

"Are you ready for this mission, Gajeel?" Lucy asked after several silent minutes.

"Ready as I'll ever be, Bunny," Gajeel answered. "I've got those blueprints memorized, just like Master wants. And now I've got even more of a reason to handle those fucking Fairies. All I need are the actual orders, and I'm set."

"How long will it take?"

Gajeel rolled onto his side, wrapping his other arm around her waist and sighing when he felt her hands lightly trailing over his abs. "If it's just destroying the building, I'll have it done in no time. It depends on what Master wants me to do."

"You'd better use tactics, Black Steel," Lucy whispered with a frown as she snuggled closer to him. "I know you're strong as hell, definitely stronger than anyone they can throw at you, but you've gotta be smart about it too."

"Nothing to worry about," Gajeel whispered back. "I promised I'd come back, so I'll be doing whatever's necessary to keep that promise." When Lucy shivered against him, Gajeel chuckled and kissed the top of her head before sitting up. "Come on. Let's get some shut eye. I've got that meeting in the morning."

Lucy smiled and nodded, taking Gajeel's hand when he offered it to her, and being pulled roughly into his chest. She melted into him when his arms wound around her, with one across her lower back and the other across her shoulders and his hand tangling in her hair. His mouth ghosted over hers, causing Lucy's tongue to involuntarily flick out across her lips and nibble lightly on her lower lip while she looked into Gajeel's eyes. Placing her hands on his stomach, Lucy slowly walked him backwards until he was leaning against a half-wall that surrounded an industrial air conditioning unit for the building.

Gajeel watched a slow, seductive smile spread across Lucy's face just before her lips brushed across his chin and jaw to suck lightly on his earlobe. His grip on her hair tightened briefly, the hand splayed across her lower back sliding down under the band of her pants to gently massage one perfectly rounded cheek. He took a shaky breath as her hands moved to the hem of his shirt, carefully sliding it up his torso. Once Lucy pulled back just enough, Gajeel quickly dragged his shirt off and dropped it, instantly bringing his hands back to Lucy's luscious body.

Lucy kissed and nipped her way down onto Gajeel's chest, letting her hands roam freely over each perfectly cut muscle. Moving off to one side, Lucy slowly circled her tongue around his nipple, grinning when he gasped and shuddered at her attention there. One hand started to silently work on the buckle of his belt, then the fastenings on his pants. Her lips glided over to his other nipple, and she lightly sucked on it while her hand caressed his hardening member through his boxers.

"Oh, Bunny," Gajeel moaned softly, his hands slowly rubbing over every inch of her that he could reach while his eyes slid closed and his head fell backwards. He absolutely loved it when Lucy was the one to initiate anything between them, and the way she could so easily stoke the ever-present embers of his desire for her into a raging inferno was absolutely captivating. She teased him into a state of arousal, taking her time in every action to prolong the contact between them. She was still able to surprise him when both of her hands teased the piercings on his hips, slowly pushing his clothes further down his legs until they fell off of him while she left a series of wonderfully dark marks along his stomach. Gajeel hissed when the cool night air breezed over his proud member once it was freed, but all of the air in his lungs left him on a groan when her slender fingers closed over him.

Keeping one hand on Gajeel's hip to circle his piercings, Lucy slowly stroked along his length, fully enjoying the feel of each piece of metal that her fingers brushed over, and how starkly they contrasted with the smooth and silky flesh of his shaft. She carefully knelt down and ran her tongue from his base to tip again and again, making sure every inch of Gajeel's arousal was coated so her hand could move more easily over it. Lucy's eyes locked onto his and a devious grin spread across her face while she lowered her head even further and carefully sucked the tender flesh of his sac into her mouth. Another long moan fell from his lips while she circled her tongue over him, and she moaned in response only to hear a slew of curses and feel his legs beginning to quiver.

Gajeel couldn't believe it. There was just no way for him to wrap his mind around the fact that Lucy could have him so wound up without putting her sweet plump lips on his cock even once. He swore there was some hidden magic that she was using every time she went down on him, because there was just no other way for the woman to be that damn good. He wanted to tangle his hands in her hair and force his throbbing manhood into that sweet mouth of hers, but they were too busy gripping the half-wall behind him just to keep himself steady. His knees buckled once when she breathed hotly over the now thoroughly moistened flesh on his balls as her teeth lightly grazed them, her hands still slowly pumping away at his cock and teasing the piercings in his hip, but he managed to steady himself just in the nick of time. Lucy was a fucking goddess in his eyes, there were no two ways about it. How else could she possibly manage to bring him such an insane amount of pleasure from doing so much at once? Gajeel didn't even try to suppress his moans, how harshly his breath was coming already, or just how badly he wanted her when her eyes finally locked onto his. "Bunny," he panted, "Don't fucking tease me."

"I'm not teasing you," Lucy whispered, her lips brushing over his shaft. She took him into her mouth, pushing every inch of his throbbing shaft down and into her throat briefly before she pulled away to kiss the piercings on the opposite hip. Her thumb brushed over the small slit to catch a large droplet of precum and spread it down over him, and Lucy felt completely empowered by just how much she was able to affect him. "Tell me what you want," she rasped before sucking the skin just next to his piercings into her mouth.

"Fuck," Gajeel groaned, rocking his hips and grunting when her hand tightened around him.

"What can I do for you, Gajeel?" Lucy purred, her lust-filled gaze trailing up his body and taking in each and every delectable detail before landing on his face. His blood red eyes seemed to glow in the darkness that surrounded them, making him seem wilder than she'd ever seen before. A thrill of excitement shot through her on a direct path to her core, causing heat to pool low in her belly and a soft moan to spill from her at just the thought of being ravished by this man.

A wickedly dangerous grin made an appearance on Gajeel's face when her arousal wafted up on the night air. "Give me that hot mouth, Bunny," he growled, grunting and finally dropping a hand to her head when her lips instantly closed over him. "Shit, Bunny… Just like that…" Gajeel's grip tightened slightly, and he pushed her head faster and faster. "God, you're so fucking good… O-Oh, shit!" Gajeel's eyes widened, the hand still holding himself up on the wall gripping so tightly that it finally crumbled, when Lucy pulled her bottom lip over her teeth and very intentionally grazed him from base to tip with her top teeth as she plunged even faster and harder.

Lucy felt Gajeel's body tensing in preparation for his release, and she slowed down with her hands gently massaging his thighs. She listened to his ragged breathing, felt his grip on her head lessening, and knew that he was perfectly fine with her stopping right there—since they both wanted his release shooting deep inside of her.

"You have no idea what you do to me," he panted while Lucy slowly stood up in front of him.

"The same thing you do to me, Black Steel," Lucy whispered seductively while her hands slid over his body. "Crazy, begging for more, and completely wild."

Gajeel grinned and brought Lucy closer, his hands instantly sliding down to rid her of her pants and panties while his mouth closed over hers. With her chest pressed tightly to his and one arm wrapped around her waist, Gajeel's free hand slid down and over her bared backside, dipping between her legs to tease her entrance with the tips of his fingers. She whimpered against his mouth and tried to spread her legs to grant him better access, but Gajeel chuckled and pushed her thighs together, giving his hand extremely limited mobility while his fingers continued flicking and flitting over her before pushing just a little closer to that tight, dripping passage that was begging to be filled. When her back arched, pushing her ass further out to give him better access, Gajeel's other hand slid down to press her hips against his as he pushed one finger inside of her.

Lucy moaned when she felt that single digit slowly invading her, the sensitivity of her core increased as even her outer lips were pressed tightly together. Once fully sheathed, Gajeel circled his finger in a slow, sensual dance that perfectly matched the pace of his tongue gliding against hers. The feeling of his rough, calloused hand sliding up and under her shirt while he set a torturously slow pace with that digit inside of her set her nerves firing off and a shiver running down her spine, clenching her sex and sending heat all through her body. Lucy knew that she would never get enough of Gajeel, and vaguely wondered just how it was possible for him to have this gentle side that was willing to move slowly and carefully ramp up her arousal. Her hands roved over his body, dipping between his muscles and then sliding up to gently cup his cheeks. "Gajeel," she moaned softly against his lips, her body beginning to tremble from her inability to move.

"Tell me what you want," Gajeel whispered, quickening his pace just a little while he kissed across her jaw. He was still painfully hard, and the way Lucy still tried to shift and wriggle to bring her release just a little faster, with her body brushing against his straining manhood, was driving him mad. "What can I give my Bunny?"

Lucy smiled, her eyes closing for a moment while she basked in the sensations that flooded her, then rubbed her cheek along his and whispered, "Just love me."

Gajeel grinned and withdrew his hand from her sex, then grabbed her hips and lifted Lucy up. Instead of her legs wrapping around his waist, he realized that Lucy's thighs were settled on the half-wall behind him, lazily draping over it while her core hovered over his cock. Using one hand to guide himself to her entrance, Gajeel slowly lowered her down onto him, groaning when he felt her walls already gripping every inch of him so tightly. He brought his lips to hers once he was fully sheathed, rocking his hips in time with each roll of hers. "Always," he whispered back.

Lucy couldn't tear her gaze away from Gajeel's while he gripped her ass and helped her move over him, only managing short strokes deep inside of her that still had her gasping out his name. She flexed her thighs to bring him a little closer each time, just that small bit deeper to brush over the spot only he'd been able to find inside of her that made Lucy's sex quiver. Her hands dropped to the hem of her shirt, cursing its existence when she realized it was causing her to miss out on Gajeel's skin sliding against her. She slowly slid it up and off, watching Gajeel unconsciously lick his lips when her breasts were completely bared before him.

Gajeel watched in awe of the blonde, her love for him sitting plainly on her face and radiating from deep within her. Never in his life had he imagined that something so perfect could happen to him, always having his feet kicked out from beneath him once he'd managed to right himself again. Lucy was the first woman to ever have shown him that there was more than just a rough in-and-out fuck, that there was more to life than what he'd thought he already had figured out. She was everything that he needed in this life and the next, and Gajeel felt a foreign thickness clogging his throat while he admired her in the pale moonlight that only made her seem to glow from within. She was radiant, beautiful, sexy as hell, and all his for as long as she would allow it. He knew then that he would only ever care as deeply as he did for Lucy, no one else would be able to touch his heart the way she had. "Lucy," he moaned when that familiar tingle started to slide down his spine, then lowered his head to her neck and lavished every bare inch of it with tender kisses and nips while he worked his way down her chest.

Lucy's breath caught in her throat when her name passed his lips. Only twice had he ever said her name, her real name and not the nickname she'd come to love. It was obvious to her how he was feeling about something when he spoke to her: 'Bunny Girl' was when he was distant, 'Bunny' when Gajeel was being much more endearing, and finally 'Lucy'… She'd all but begged him to say it the first time, but this time she had no clue what made Gajeel say it. Her back arched once his tongue started its searing path over her breast to circle her already pebbled nipple, and the sensation of his hot mouth closing around it, warming it from the chill in the air, had Lucy's head tipping back and her hands tangling in his hair. "Gajeel," she whispered back, her voice thick and husky, "I love you so much."

Gajeel's chest clenched at her heartfelt admission, and his lips hovered over her while he smirked and said, "I love you more." The quick tightening of Lucy's sex around him had his head shooting up and his mouth crashing to hers, moving with more urgency than before while her hips bucked. Answering with a deep growl, Gajeel pulled her almost completely off of his shaft before forcing her roughly back down onto him. No matter how often they tried to move slowly, eventually one or the other would end up starting the fast and rough pace they had grown so accustomed to. Gajeel loved the way he was able to appreciate each and every voluptuous curve of Lucy's body while he took his time with her, but there was only so much he could do before that beast inside of him wanted to be let out to play.

"Again," Lucy whimpered, trying her best to lift herself up. In one swift motion, Gajeel spun them around so she was propped precariously on the ledge he had been leaning on, the cool feeling of the concrete against her bare backside heating up the rest of her body. Her arms wrapped around his neck while Gajeel pulled back slowly before slamming himself into her warmth, causing her back to arch and a sharp cry to fall from her lips. Again and again, withdrawing slowly and ramming back in, Lucy's body trembled from each shot of ecstasy that pushed her higher and higher towards that glorious precipice. Each piercing in his shaft pushed against her walls in just the right way, slowly massaging them while he withdrew, and when Gajeel filled her again it nearly felt as if they were vibrating as they brushed past with how quickly he moved.

"Fuck," Gajeel groaned, moving just a little faster when he felt her slowly tightening around him. He knew there was no way he'd be able to keep up with the punishing pace he was ready to start on her in this position, so Gajeel settled himself deeply within her core and picked Lucy up to carry her over to the previously forgotten throw blanket. It wasn't that far from them, but each step he took had Lucy bouncing just enough to start fraying his control, and the sounds she made… Oh sweet god, those sounds were absolute torture. He carefully laid her on the blanket, rolling his hips and slanting his mouth over hers as her nails started digging into his shoulders.

As Gajeel began moving faster, jolting Lucy's body with each powerful snap of his hips, her back arched while she tried to match his pace. Her mouth tore away from his when she realized just how close she was to her release, her eyes staring into his with fire blazing in their depths. Forcing his head down and roughly sucking on the piercings in his ear, she was surprised when her next words came out sounding nearly as feral and wild as Gajeel did from time to time. "Harder," she growled, grinning when she could feel the shiver that ran through him, "Fuck me like the dragon I know you are."

Gajeel snarled wildly, his skin itching to shift into the scales she had wanted to feel before until he couldn't stop it from happening. He pulled his head up to give her a wicked grin, watching her eyes widen in shock once she saw him covered in metal before her expression darkened into one of pure lust. "Oh, I'll give you a fucking dragon," he growled, shuddering when her walls quivered around him. Abandoning any previous tenderness, even though neither of them knew whether it would be painful for her like this, Gajeel pistoned violently into her soaking depths, feeling himself ready to fill her to the brim and pump his hot liquid deep inside any minute.

Lucy moaned loudly, her eyes rolling back and her hands gliding effortlessly over the cool metal of Gajeel's arms and chest, once he started moving. There was no buffer for her to adjust to how different his now extremely hard member felt while he fucked her senseless, but she instantly noticed that the piercings on his shaft and hips were the only things that didn't change—something she was highly thankful for since all of Gajeel's other piercings became spikes of varying lengths that would definitely tear her to pieces. It was a lot like the iron toy he'd made for her, how brutal and unyielding his cock had become once it shifted into pure metal, and some small part of Lucy's mind wondered if he'd done it on purpose to see if she enjoyed it before actually doing this with her. "M-More!" she shouted breathlessly, gasping when his metallic teeth glinted in the moonlight while he grinned down at her again.

Gajeel's hands dropped to her hips, gripping them carefully enough so his claws didn't dig into her flesh and so he didn't accidentally crush her bones, and he angled himself slightly while forcing her down onto him. He was glad that he'd made that rod for her to use before, because now he knew just which spots would drive her absolutely insane as he brushed over them. He'd never realized that using his magic this way would actually make each thrust into her more pleasurable for him; her sex was coating his metal shaft in her arousal so that he glided more easily than ever before, and it took everything he had to hold off long enough for her to finish with him. Lucy wanted all of him, for him to lose control, to let his inner dragon really come out even in the form of his scales, and Gajeel knew that if he hadn't already fallen for her, then this would have been the moment he did. "Come on, Bunny…" he growled against her neck, his lips the only portion of his mouth he would allow to touch her like this, "Mmph… I wanna hear you scream." He wanted her just as wild and uninhibited as he was, the sound of his growls and moans getting louder and louder while he plunged between her slick folds.

And scream she did. Lucy couldn't care less that they were outside, on top of her apartment building, and that the whole neighborhood would be able to hear her. Her eyes were clenched as he exacted a punishing pace on her sex, driving harder and faster with each thrust, his hands digging into her hips and lifting them off of the blanket. He'd never filled her so fully before, pushing into her core until he was hitting the end of her. Lucy's legs trembled, but she used the little strength she possessed to pull them up and hook them over Gajeel's shoulders. She cried out even more when he was fully sheathed in her sex and started grinding her against him, rubbing her clit over and over against his pelvis while he discovered an earth-shattering sweet spot inside of her. She gasped for air between her cries and curses, the tension in her body mounting until she finally shattered, her eyes shooting open to lock onto Gajeel's and his name tearing from her throat so loudly that she was already feeling hoarse.

Gajeel roared out her name, her real name for the first time during his climax, and instantly shifted back from his scales when he thrust into her one final time. He carefully set her legs back down before nearly collapsing on top of her, holding onto Lucy's trembling body protectively and shuddering with each violent pulse of his shaft as she milked every drop of him into her spasming sex. He was panting heavily, fighting to catch his breath, but Gajeel lowered his head to her neck and peppered her with soft, reverent kisses while she clutched onto him for dear life and whimpered softly. When he shifted to get a little more comfortable, propping himself up just a little more so he knew she wasn't being crushed, the small jostle had her sensitized body quivering and another loud moan breaking through the sudden stillness of the night.

"Best… sex… ever," Lucy panted against Gajeel's shoulder, laughing lightly when she heard him chuckle.

"More than sex, little Bunny," Gajeel answered with a fully sated grin as he nuzzled her neck tenderly.

"Yeah?"

"Hell yeah. Now I see what all the fuss is over making love to someone," Gajeel said, playfully nibbling on her neck. "First time we've done it without biting. I don't think I left a single mark on you this time."

Lucy smiled and nibbled on Gajeel's shoulder in return, earning another chuckle from him. "If I was allowed to bite you tonight, I would have done it in a heartbeat."

"You would?" Gajeel asked softly, knowing full well that they couldn't allow themselves to do it. He wanted her to be his, and knew that if he bit her tonight then he wouldn't be able to stop his magic from marking her, but Lucy had to know what it meant before they took that final step.

"Definitely," Lucy whispered happily, turning her head slightly to look into his eyes. "I love biting you, and when you bite me. Not to mention seeing that side of you, and hearing just what you're thinking. I almost thought you got me to bite you without knowing it with how you were acting earlier."

"You know I only do it to make you happy," Gajeel said with red staining his cheeks. He'd never put much thought into how differently he acted with Lucy than with anyone else, or even the way he used to act around her, but now that she'd brought it up Gajeel wasn't entirely sure what he should do about it. "Act that way, I mean… Without biting… And because I want to… Sometimes… Well, you know…"

Lucy giggled at how flustered Gajeel had become. This was most definitely a first. She had never seen him this way, and honestly hadn't thought it was possible. "Gajeel, are you embarrassed?" she teased.

"Shut it, Bunny Girl," Gajeel grumbled.

"Aww, don't be like that," Lucy said with a pout, giggling again when Gajeel lightly kissed her lower lip. "No need to be embarrassed for taking care of your Bunny."

"Well, how am I doing then?" Gajeel asked with a lecherous grin, though internally he was truly curious to see what she would say. Based on how happy she was right then, he could only assume that he'd done a damn good job in the sex department—and smugly thought, Well no fucking shit—but Gajeel had never tried, or wanted to try, to make someone smile without having his dick involved. He wanted to know if he was doing right by her when it wasn't about sex, and the fact that he didn't already know was genuinely aggravating.

"Perfect," Lucy answered with a blush. "You've got the happiest and most satisfied little Bunny in the world. You're most definitely a dragon—I'm sure of it now. I think you might need to fuck me with your scales more oft—"

Gajeel stopped those wonderful words from passing her lips because he just couldn't hold himself back. He swelled with pride in both his magic and ability to please the woman he wanted as a mate, and needed to feel those perfect lips of hers pressed against his. Gajeel could feel Lucy smiling into the kiss, and he forced himself to move slowly even though he wanted nothing more than to show her just how much he loved what she'd said.

"I guess… I said… Something right," Lucy giggled between kisses, smiling when Gajeel returned to nuzzling her neck and hummed his agreement.

"What about otherwise?" he asked slowly.

"Huh?"

"When we're not fucking," Gajeel said, lightly squeezing her as he rolled onto his side and pulled the spare throw blanket over himself and Lucy. He propped his head on his hand, then carefully brushed a few stray hairs behind her ear, and saw the corners of her mouth turn up into a soft smile. "I've never done anything like this, Bunny. Hell, I don't even know what this is… But, I guess… I want to make you happy. I'm definitely not the right guy for the job, since you piss me off all the goddamn time and we end up in a fist fight over it, but…" Gajeel stopped and sighed in frustration that he couldn't seem to find the words that would make Lucy understand what he was trying to say. It was so damn easy in his head, thinking of what he'd tell her or how a conversation about what he was thinking would go. Of course, as soon as he tried to get the damn words out, Gajeel was drawing a blank and sounding like an idiot.

Lucy giggled lightly, then shook her head when Gajeel glared at her. She pulled a hand out from under the blanket and pressed her fingers to his lips when he opened his mouth to start in on her for laughing, then said, "You're doing just fine, Gajeel. You do make me happy." She let her fingers brush over the piercings in his chin, then brushed her thumb back and forth across his jaw. "We might fight—a lot—but you always know how to make me smile when it counts. Every time you hold me, I'm happy. Just thinking about you usually makes me happy… unless I'm thinking about how much of an asshole you are." She paused and giggled again when Gajeel rolled his eyes. "I don't know where you got it in your head that you're not cut out for doing it, since you've done a great job so far. I don't just love you because you're a genius in bed; I love you because you're sweet, funny, sarcastic as hell, rough around the edges, and you understand me in a way that no one else has ever come close to doing. If I didn't have you, I don't know what I would have done with what's going on with my dad. You really helped me keep my shit together…"

"You would have made it through somehow," Gajeel said softly, wrapping his arm around her and tracing slow circles over her bare skin beneath the blanket. "You're a fighter, Bunny. You don't need me to protect you from everything out there…"

Lucy sighed happily when he pulled her to his chest and wrapped his arms around her, nestling his nose in her hair.

"You might not need me for it, but…" Gajeel paused, closing his eyes and letting her scent wash over him. "But, I'm glad you trust me enough to do it. It really means a lot to me, Bunny. More than you could ever know."

Lucy smiled and listened to the steady beating of his heart. "Of course I trust you," she whispered. "I hope you'll do the same someday."

"I do trust you."

"I know you trust me," Lucy whispered, lightly squeezing him with a sigh, "You're still closed off sometimes, and I understand why. Just know that if you ever need it… If you need someone to be there for you no matter what… I'm here. Thick and thin, you've got me."

"Really?" he asked uncertainly, his glaring insecurity and fear of abandonment rising yet again. "No matter what?"

Lucy nodded and kissed just over his heart. "Really," she answered. "You'll never have to be alone again, Gajeel. As long as I'm around, I'll make sure of it."

"Fuckin' hell, Bunny," Gajeel whispered, clenching his eyes tightly and holding Lucy closer while he felt an unfamiliar stinging in his eyes that he eventually realized were tears. He took a shuddering breath, filling his lungs with the scent of this insane woman that had captured his heart, and decided then and there that he'd, without a doubt, tell her everything she needed to know about what the bites really meant once things had settled down again. Once the threat of her being taken away was gone, Gajeel would lay it all out for her and hope to whatever god would listen that she'd accept it—and him—forever.

"Ah, good," Jose said with a scowl that was completely at odds with his salutation, "You've come early."

Gajeel nodded, crossing his arms over his chest and staying completely silent.

"I have a matter that I need to discuss with you." Jose sighed and shook his head while he looked out the window of his office. "First, where is she?"

"Crazy bitch wouldn't just stay at her place," Gajeel answered. "Something about needing her daily smoothie or some shit. She's at the bar with the brat."

"The boy?" Jose asked.

"Yep, he says he'll keep an eye on her while I'm on the mission."

"I see," Jose said, then shrugged and cleared his throat. "The Fairies have officially taken a request that I cannot ignore. I need you to pay them a visit and give them a message for me."

"What's the request?"

"It seems Lucy's father has hired Fairy Tail to rescue his missing daughter—just as you said. It is being handled as an S-Class mission," Jose said. He looked over at Gajeel and saw pure rage flash in his eyes for the briefest of moments before it disappeared. Perfect. "You know what to do, Gajeel. Let them know we will not take threats lightly. I want them to know who the superior guild is, and that they won't succeed in taking her from us."

"How destroyed are we talking?" Gajeel asked. "I can probably collapse the whole damn thing with all those weak points she found."

Jose nodded, stroking his chin slowly then grinned. "Don't completely destroy it. Just enough to let them know Phantom Lord isn't to be trifled with."

"Who took the request anyway?" Gajeel asked. "Who should she keep an eye out for?"

"Erza Scarlet."

Gajeel nodded, then said, "When do I leave?"

"Today. Stay hidden, and don't let them know you're there until it's too late. I want you back by morning."

With a wicked grin, Gajeel nodded and said, "Trust me, they'll get the message loud and clear."

Just as Gajeel was walking toward the door, Jose said, "Erza is to be back in Magnolia tomorrow morning from a previous mission, then she will leave immediately and come to collect Lucy. You must be out of Magnolia before she returns."

"Not a problem," Gajeel said, then made his way up into the rafters when he saw that Ryos had gone back to sitting up there instead of next to Lucy at the bar. "What're you doing up here?" he asked.

"Watching her," Ryos said with a smile, "And I put your bag up here so no one would see it."

Gajeel chuckled and said, "I've gotta head to my place and pack a couple things."

"And put those sheets somewhere," Ryos muttered with a smirk, his amusement at the older Slayer's attraction to Lucy glimmering in his eyes.

"Damn straight," Gajeel said with a smirk of his own. "I'm leaving on the next train, so I don't have time to say anything to her. Just let her know I'll be back in the morning."

Ryos nodded, then turned to look at Lucy again. "She'll be worried all day, you know."

"I know," Gajeel said with a sigh. "She should be safe for today, so just spend time with her. The mage that's coming isn't supposed to be back until tomorrow from another mission."

"What should we do then?"

"Whatever you guys want," Gajeel answered. "You need to take it easy for the next few days though while your body gets back to normal. She'll help you out later on if you wanna try eating your element again." Gajeel looked at Lucy one last time, wishing he didn't have to leave at all, then added, "Just do what you can to keep her smiling. I'll see you guys in the morning." With that, he grabbed his bag and snuck out of the guild to head to his apartment. I'll make them suffer for threatening her, Gajeel thought, No one fucks with a dragon and gets away with it.

Holy crap on a cracker guys. I got this out much faster than I'd anticipated! I hope you liked it! Next chapter will be Gajeel's mission, and boy-oh-boy I can't wait to write it!

So, how was this one? Some serious fluff (again), but also random dragon things! And look, A LEMON!

Review, Follow, Favorite! I love you guys!~~GemNika, Citric Chancellor of the CFLA.

-CFLA ladies: I love you so damn much.

-To my Triplets: You're both insane.