The second chapter of the podfic is released! Since I can't link it here, please search for the blog 'Yuurivoice' or 'chiyalawritesrewind' on tumblr and then search the blog for 'podfic'.

Smut ahead.

Have fun reading!


Natsu heard faint footsteps around the corner and caught a whiff of Jellal's scent. Ah, right. He'd nearly forgotten about him. He didn't need to turn around to notice that Jellal peeked around the corner, let out a relieved sound, and hid again.

Natsu was slammed against the wall, Gray's body caging him in. With demanding lips pressing against his, Natsu's mind blanked out for a second.

'What's happening? Where's this coming from?' Not that Natsu disliked it, but Gray had never been so rough before, and it only got rougher the longer the kiss went on. Gray's hands roved all over Natsu's body, under his vest, over his abdomen, his ass, slowly sliding lower...

Natsu moaned into the kiss, practically feeling his blood shoot right into his dick. What the hell was happening? One second they'd been talking to the chairman, and in the next they violently made out in the middle of the Magic Council, all tongue and teeth and heat. Even though his body shouted 'more!', Natsu managed to push Gray away.

"Sh-shit, Gray, what brought this on?"

Gray cupping the bulge in his jeans and moaning at the contact didn't exactly help Natsu in his attempt to tamp down on his physical needs, but he had a strong will. He would control himself—at least until Gray offered an explanation.

"You're so damn hot, especially when you fight... now that your clothes are torn, you look even sexier, and I just... sh-should I stop?"

The way Gray carefully examined his features, clearly prepared to stop in case Natsu wasn't comfortable, aroused Natsu even more, and suddenly he couldn't stand the distance between them anymore. He pulled Gray close, slotted their mouths together, and groped Gray's ass, encouraging him to grind his hips against Natsu's.

Gray complied all too happily, moaning into the kiss as he let his hands slide down to Natsu's waistband, silently asking for permission to enter. However, Natsu wanted to try something else this time, so he grabbed Gray's hands and led them back upwards. Gray broke their kiss and pulled back, looking Natsu in the eye.

"What do you want me to do?"

Natsu had been reluctant to come in his clothes the previous time, but Gray was right: What harm would it do?

"Th-this... just keep going..."

"Y-you mean... dry humping?"

"I-if that's what y-you—ahh—c-call it..."

"But I can barely feel anything in my jeans..."

"Then take them off..."

It took Gray less than two seconds to follow Natsu's order, and then he was back to grinding his crotch against Natsu's. The sensations were different from those of a blowjob, but in no way inferior. Just the thought of Gray's cock being so close to his, only separated by thin layers of fabric, sent shivers down his spine. And then there was Gray's hot breath against Natsu's ear, the little whimpers he tried to stifle, his hands exploring Natsu's body hungrily... The friction against his cock wasn't that intense, but his mind supplying him the mental image of their bare cocks sliding against each other's, slicked by lube, was enough to get him closer, gradually.

"N-Natsu—haaahhh—T-touch me, too."

Only then did Natsu realize that all he'd done with his hands up until that point was clinging to Gray's shoulders, so he started reciprocating the touches, wondering when the hell Gray had lost his shirt. Gray's back was mostly unhurt, but his front had some grazed spots, as well as some burned ones. Natsu wanted to avoid them, but it was next to impossible with Gray grinding against him in an increasingly quicker pace. Gray never once complained.

"T-t-talk—hnngh—to me," Gray demanded, and Natsu was confused by the request.

"U-uhh... S-so what do y—ahhhh, shit—th-think we should a—ahh—ask the O-Oracle?"

Gray stopped his movements immediately, regarding him with an incredulous look.

"Not like that, flame brain. That's a huge turn-off. I was thinking about dirty talk."

"Errr..."

"Do you know how it works?"

Natsu felt his cheeks heat. "I've... probably read the term somewhere once...?"

"Tell me about your sexual fantasies, tell me how you like my body, or what I'm doing to you, or what you'd like to do to me, explicitly, stuff like that... don't be afraid to use dirty words... Please try, and if you don't like it, just stop. We'll... no, you'll figure things out, and I trust you to teach me since I'll forget..."

Natsu didn't like the way this was going, with Gray's expression slowly turning grim.

"We'll still figure them out together, droopy eyes. Besides, I already know that you give fantastical blowjobs."

Gray choked on his breath, and coughed a few times. "Wha-what? I already... gave you a blowjob?"

There was a spark in Gray's eyes that told Natsu that he was going the right direction. He made sure to make his next words sound sultry, knowing they would arouse Gray.

"Yes, and we were in a public space, too."

And just like that, Gray resumed humping against Natsu's crotch, moaning hotly against his ear.

"It was in the m-middle of the—hnnn—day, in an alley, a-against a w-wall. First you s-sucked me off—oh g-god, do that again—a-and then I did the s-same to you..."

Gray's moans were loud; Natsu was sure Jellal and probably everyone in their close vicinity could hear them. Jellal had surely heard them the previous time as well, and he hadn't said anything, so there was a low risk of him interrupting them... The thought of being overheard turned Natsu on, as did Gray's moans, their touches, and even the dirty things he said... Damn, that stripper was contagious. Time to make Gray even hotter.

"Lucy s-saw us..."

"Wh-what? She... oh god, that's hot... t-tell me more. What h-happened—ahhh—next?"

"I... continued—to suck you—ah—off..."

"Sh-she wa-watched us?"

"Y-you w-would've... l-liked—aaahhhh—that, r-right?"

Gray's movements grew erratic, as was his breath, and Natsu could tell that he probably wouldn't last much longer.

"I... I'm c-close, Na—ahhhh—tsu..."

"I'm sure J-Jellal can—hnnnghh—hear you m-moaning, feeling s-so good—"

Suddenly Gray's movements stopped and his body shuddered violently as he came, Natsu's name on his lips. Natsu dug his hands into Gray's ass cheeks, encouraging him with little moans and hums until Gray's body went limp, sagging against his.

"Shit... that was... the most intense... orgasm I've had... in a long time..."

Natsu smiled involuntarily. "It certainly felt that way. You soaked my pants, too."

"My bad... But you'll soak them even more soon."

The perverted grin Gray regarded him with made his cock twitch impatiently, and when Gray resumed humping his softening, wet crotch against Natsu's achingly hard dick, Natsu knew that it wouldn't take long. Just then the scent of Gray's release hit Natsu's nose, and together with Gray's soft moans and the friction against his crotch, it sent Natsu tumbling over the edge. He came with a restrained moan, soaking his boxers with sticky, hot fluid. It ran down his legs, wetting his pants on its way down. It was a strange and uncomfortable feeling, and decided he wouldn't want to try this again unless there was a shower nearby.

Gray didn't take his eyes off Natsu's face as their breaths evened out. It was hard to keep a straight face when his release made its way down Natsu's softening cock, over his balls, dripping to his boxers... it was too wet for Natsu's liking.

"What's wrong?"

Oh, well. He couldn't hide anything from Gray, could he?

"It feels gross... too wet."

Natsu didn't like the mischievous grin on Gray's face at all. Why did it look like Gray was about to do something—

"Ahhh! What the f—? Bastard! Do you want my balls to—"

His complaints were cut off by a firm hand covering his mouth, leaving him to grunt in resistance.

"Shut up, idiot. Your balls won't fall off because of a little ice. Now, stop squirming so that I can remove it..."

Natsu slapped Gray's hand away from his mouth, so disturbed by the freezing temperature in his boxers that he couldn't form a coherent thought besides 'too cold!'

"Shit, you asshole! I take it back! It wasn't too wet! This is too fucking cold! Melt it! Undo it! Now!"

Gray flinched at Natsu's outburst, obviously not having expected such a reaction. He brought one hand to Natsu's crotch again, and a second later the coldness was gone, leaving his cum to drip all over the place again.

"S-sorry, I really thought you'd wanted me to—"

"Freeze my balls without warning? No, I didn't."

"Shit. I'm so sorry."

Before Natsu had the chance to retort something, a door opened with a squeaking sound close to them. Gray jumped away from Natsu, covering the wet spot on his boxers with one hand while fumbling for his pants and shirt with the other, trying awkwardly to get dressed.

A strange calmness overcame Natsu as he struggled to cover the mess in his pants with the thankfully completely dry loincloth. A soft chuckle rang out next to them, prompting both to turn their heads. Lydia was standing there, expression bemused. Her face was a bit pale, but other than that, she looked just fine.

"I underestimated you. I did not think you would doubt me and would go as far as devastate the Magic Council. I trusted you to understand the situation you are in. It looks like I need to set some things straight."

"Damn right you do," Gray said, although his tone lacked the bite Natsu would've associated with such a retort. In fact, it was said in a very atypical friendly way, but Natsu found that he liked it. And no matter how much he wanted to blame this on Lydia, all he could feel was contentment and happiness. How couldn't he? Her smile was contagious, her vibrant appearance so soothing and pleasant that he had to trust her.

"Let me accompany you outside, and on the way, we can talk."

They nodded, and as soon as Gray's clothes were fixed, they followed the Oracle.

"So, you have some questions?"

"Yes. What do I need to accomplish to be ready?"

Lydia opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She tried it again, but there still wasn't a sound. Her expression looked pained and sad. Was she trying to lie and couldn't speak because of that? Natsu felt a strong desire to comfort her, so strong that it was hard not to act on it.

She sighed, shook her head, and then said, "I cannot tell you. I am very sorry. Telling you would endanger the success of what fate has planned for you."

"How? If I know what to do, I can just do it without having to figure it out first."

"It is not that easy. I am not taking that risk. However, I can assure you that you will know once you are ready. I will call you."

Gray interjected, "And what if you tell only me?"

Lydia smiled. "You want to make me believe that you would not tell this secret to your lover? You two had sex in the middle of the Magic Council. It looks like you are rather close to each other. I cannot trust you with this. The future has to proceed as planned."

Natsu knew that under normal circumstances, he would become angry, but right then he just couldn't.

"If you know that many things about the future, then you should also know what that apple causes you can't pluck just yet."

"No, I do not know. The path that lays right before you is very clear to me, but then there is a wall. A wall that cannot be broken or circumvented. It needs a sacrifice. An apple. Your apple. Offered willingly, not forcibly."

"I'm ready to offer anything as long as it means Gray won't die."

They passed the huge door and were met with the warm summer sun and the beautiful colors of the blossoming front yard. Lydia paused, regarded them with a warm smile, and resumed walking towards the outer gate.

"Do you trust me?"

Both Natsu and Gray blurted out a "Yes!" at the same time.

"And do you keep your promises?"

Before Natsu had the chance to answer, Gray said, "So long as he remembers, yes."

Natsu wanted to shoot Gray a glare, but the soft chuckle from Lydia made him pause.

"Well then, would you promise something to me, Natsu Dragneel?"

"Uhh... what is it?"

The three of them stopped when they arrived at the outer gate, which had opened wide as they approached it.

"Promise me to continue searching for a solution without relying on me. I cannot do anything for you because you are not ready yet. Promise you will not come here again before I call you. Coming here before that will hinder your development. You have to bury the false hope that I can help you on your way until you reach the point where I can see past the blockade. Promise you will not come back to me until that point is reached."

"How should I know when the time has come?"

She pointed at Natsu's chest. "I assure you that you will notice. Trust me on this. You will know without doubt when the time has come."

"Do I have another choice?"

Lydia flinched, expression darkening as her gaze hardened. "You could... decide not to make this promise, not to trust me. You could try to kill me. You would notice that you cannot kill me since I am protected by this spell. You would try to stop me in any possible way. You would lose sight of your true goal and become obsessed with stopping me. Your obsession would make it impossible for you to reach the point where I can see beyond the wall. You would stop the time loop and accept the death of the one you love the most."

Her voice got croakier nearing the end, and her eyes wet. Natsu was at a loss for words, feeling guilty for making her cry. Gray stared helplessly at her, eyes wide open in shock.

"If you decide to walk this path, the whole world will be thrown into darkness and destruction... I beg you... Please do not take this path... Please..."

She sank to her knees, and covered her face with both hands. Heavy sobs shook her body, and Natsu's feeling of guilt only intensified because he knew that what she'd just said wasn't that far-fetched. He had been thinking about stopping her, admittedly not killing, but he'd definitely wanted to do her harm. How long would it take for his anger and desperation to grow to the point where he would consider attempting to kill her?

She could be right, so Natsu made a decision: He would trust her, would promise not to come back until he reached that 'point' she was talking of. He wouldn't doubt her, even when he was free of the spell's influence. The odds of her prediction coming true were probably high, and Natsu couldn't stand the thought of endangering not only Gray's life but also the lives of so many others. There was still the chance that she was indeed the evil and had arranged everything until this point, but the risk of believing in this theory seemed to be far higher than believing her. He would never forgive himself if he ignored all the warnings and threw the whole world into turmoil.

When Natsu took in his surroundings again, he found Gray kneeling next to Lydia, a hand on her shoulder and trying to soothe her.

"... he isn't that stupid, I'm sure everything's gonna be okay..."

Natsu stepped in front of her and held out his hand.

"It will. I promise to continue without relying on you. And I promise not to come here again unless I know the time has come. So, please, stop crying and stand up."

Lydia hesitantly took the offered hand, her eyes puffy and doubtful as she looked up, but when her gaze met Natsu's, her expression became hopeful. When Natsu pulled her upright, the momentum nearly made her topple into him, but he kept her at arm's length, their eyes locked.

"The... dark path I could take... I swear by my own life that I won't let that happen. I decided to trust you, and I will make good on my promise. I'll protect Gray and this world."

Lydia bit her lip, and it looked like she was about to burst into tears yet again.

'What have I done wrong now?'

He was about to ask, but then she beamed at him, mouthing a 'thank you' and nodding towards the outer gate.

Dumbfounded, Natsu let go of her, and locked eyes with Gray, silently begging him to help. Gray gave him an encouraging smile and a nod, then turned to leave and made a beckoning gesture. Still unsure if it was okay to leave her alone like that, Natsu's gaze flickered between the two of them a few times, but when Lydia gave him another encouraging nod and a bright smile, he finally set out to follow Gray.

They walked in silence until they were out of eyeshot and the effect of Lydia's spell dissipated, and then stopped in an abandoned, narrow alley where the hot midday sun couldn't reach.

"Do you still trust her, now that we're away from her?"

Gray's voice was full of concern and doubt, but Natsu was determined.

"Yes. As you said, I keep my promises. I know there could be still a chance she set everything up, but... there's too much at stake. She doesn't seem like an evil person to me."

"Yeah, she doesn't. I'm glad. So, what do we do now? Any leads where we could start searching for a solution?"

"Actually... no. Besides the guess that Zeref could have to do with the prophecy... We don't have any clue. I still need to check how the mission turns out if it's only Gajeel and Pantherlily going... But we missed that chance today since we're here now."

"And how about the father of this... Bubbles?"

Natsu shrugged. "How should we find somebody who couldn't be found by the three people who are closest to him? They don't appear to be dumb, well, at least not the girl and the healer, nor are they weak, so I'm sure they already searched everywhere he could possibly be..."

Gray clicked his tongue. "Then we can't do anything today?"

Natsu thought hard about something they could do even though they wouldn't be able to reach the destiny of their mission anymore, but came up empty. Search for Zeref? Where should they start searching for somebody who was supposed to be dead and hadn't been seen in some hundred years? Search for Bubbles' father? See above. Go back to the guild... and what?

Lydia's words replayed in his mind. 'Live. Love. Enjoy.' The only thing that came to Natsu's mind when he heard the word enjoy was...

"What are you blushing for?"

Natsu averted his eyes. "Um..."

In an amused tone, Gray said, "You're a pervert."

"Says the one who pinned me against a wall in the middle of the Magic Council! I bet you would've been prepared to fuck me right there."

"I have no lube with me, so no, I wasn't."

They stared at each other for a few heartbeats, their eyes communicating silently, checking for hesitance or insecurity, but Natsu found nothing alike in Gray's icy blue orbs. Quite the opposite—Gray was apparently trying to eye-fuck him, and Natsu couldn't deny the effect it had on his body.

Gray leaned forward, whispering sensually into Natsu's ear, "What do you think, do they have any love hotels in Era?"

It was hard to breathe evenly as Natsu's mind helpfully provided images of them in different sex positions on a comfortable looking bed—a bed in which countless other couples had already had sex, in a room which probably reeked of sweat and cum and vaginal fluids.

Natsu scrunched up his nose. "No love hotel, please."

"Huh?"

"I have a sensitive nose, you know?"

"Oh! Right. Then, what else do you want to do?"

"I want our first time to be in your bed. It's huge, comfortable, and it smells wonderful."

The blush that rose in Gray's cheeks was just too adorable.

"You mean, today? We'd have to take the train again..."

It was true that Natsu's stomach already churned at the mere thought of taking the train, but the reward would make it worth the pain.

"Yeah, I know. Come on, let's go."


More smut ahead, as you may have guessed ;) Please leave a review~ See you next Sunday!