Hello! I am not dead, just took me a bit longer to beat my muse into submission after tracking ehr wily ass down with Lupus... I would promise not to take so long witht he next chapter but... not gaurantee it wont be another few months. A little sad that this chapter is so short, I just couldn't force much more into it without losing the tone I was going for. REGARDLESS!
A HUGE thank you and shoutout to Sunachii for being the amazing soul that you are and reading through this chapter when I was beating at my brick wall with my face. Gotta save the expensive makeup, right?
Anywho, I do not own Fairy Tail, that honor belongs to Hiro Mashima.
Enjoy! And please, do take a moment of time to review this chapter. Mama needs some feedback!
Biding time
A month passed since the dragon slayers met with Lucy and had their memories restored. Since then, they could be found either spending time with Lucy or off on a job to build up their savings to support themselves for the duration of the overwhelming mating heat. Nearly every slayer had their desired mate in mind, just biding their time to stake their claim on the missing pieces of their souls.
Lucy was wandering down the secluded forest path to her home contemplating the chain of drastic events that took place a month ago. Who would have thought the timid and terrified female of three months ago would become the clan alpha of a pack of destructive dragon slayers. So many memories were returned to the clan, so many tears shed. Walls were torn down and barriers breached. Even Laxus, the stoic and withdrawn slayer, opened up to let in the rest of the clan. Gajeel smiled more, Wendy was brighter, Sting and Natsu calmer, Rogue more involved. Lucy knew after the chaos of the mating heat subsided the clan would be stronger; closer.
The small clan of dragon slayers sat within her living room and relived memories from days forgotten. Laxus took the opportunity with Draco and the others to learn as much as possible about the second soul within his body. Meditation can only do so much to connect with a stubborn dragon when you know nothing of his life, customs and traditions. Learning a great deal from the ancient spirit, the entire clan bonded together around their alpha and dreamed of the future they could have with one another; with their mates.
As Lucy stepped through her front door, her gaze was drawn to the plush rug nestled in the center of her living room. The house still felt so new to her, yet so many life changing moments occurred within the threads of the soft fabric. Those moments including the first time she realized Gray was the man that held her heart, the official forming of her tight-knit clan, the very rug itself representing the new chapters within her life story that were still being written. Hopefully, it will be the place she will one day had her family gathered around her, where the clans smallest hatchlings will run through the home and land before falling into a fit of giggles.
Giggling. A warm knowing smile pulled at the corner of her lips as she thought of the most recent event to take place within the center of her living room.
The dragon cuddle huddle was pulled apart with giggles coming from the small females trapped inside. Lucy looked up after drying her tears to notice the number of muscular arms wrapped around herself and Wendy. The overwhelming amount of support and love coming from her clan instantly brightened her day and reassured her that everything was going to be just fine. Laxus and Gajeel were the fist to pull away, the tiny giggles confusing the large men. Sting and Rogue glanced at one another before pulling back slightly, Sting tugging on the back of Natsu's scarf to get him to release the Alpha and young slayer. Wendy turned a bright grin to the males before tackling Lucy and nuzzling her underneath her chin.
Moving through the living room, Lucy made her way up the stairs to her bedroom. A hot bath would be perfect to relax in for a few hours before she needed to resume her duties to her small clan. All this business with mating season fast approaching was causing a high amount of stress and worry within her clan of dragons; almost enough to cause her to worry over the fate of Magnolia should any one of them fail to control themselves.
Back in the heart of Magnolia, there was one dragon slayer struggling to decide over his mate. The season was rapidly approaching and Lucy began urging the clan to be sure of their choices before the first day. If the chosen mate failed her trails, the dragon would have to wait to claim another. There was no arguing with the Alpha. Her word was law. A solitary hand reached up to scratch within the wild pink hair at his temple. Clenching his jaw in frustration, Natsu moved along heading towards the guild. There were two possible choices for himself and his instincts were not helping in the slightest. Both matched well with his personality, bringing out the best within him while taming the wild, unpredictable nature of his fire. A choice needed to be made. Soon.
Lost in his thoughts, Natsu failed to notice the twin dragons having a heated discussion in an alley.
"You don't seem to understand what I am saying, Sting. We need to remain close to Lucy, I know you feel it just as much as I do!" Rogue forced the words around growls, keeping his fists clenched tight at his sides.
Sting flushed and leaned into the shadow slayers face as he fought to contain his responding growl. "I am not saying we won't be close to her, just that we don't need to drop everything we have built at Saber to join up with the fairies. Lucy may be our Alpha, but we have a great thing going with Saber and we can't just walk away from it."
"We're not walking away from anything!" Rogues response was immediate. "We have Minerva and Rufus to take care of the guild. They will be just fine. We have more pressing duties and responsibilities at the moment than a guild that doesn't need us."
"Well maybe I need them! They're our family! It wasn't that long ago that Fairy Tail hated us and everything we stood for. Sure, some of them have forgiven us for what we did during the games, but you don't have to be a dragon slayer to detect the apprehension and fear from some of the members."
Rogues eyes widened at the confession and his breath hitched. Softly, he took a deep breath before responding in a placating tone. "Sting… I- I know this is going to be a rough adjustment, but I really believe this is where we are meant to be." He ran a single hand across his head, playing with the leather band holding back his shoulder length hair. "Lucy and the entire clan is here, even if the rest of the guild hates us, isn't it her that really matters in the end? The one we should be protecting as she strengthens us all?"
Sting was lost in quiet contemplation for a moment. Lucy was the alpha, the one meant to bring them all together. The small spitfire that easily handled the new dragons invading her home when they were children and the strong woman that stood up to Minerva in the games. Without her slayer abilities, she was strong of mind and will; nothing could prevent her from completing her goal and she always stood for what she believed. There were always worse people to believe in. "Fine, you win. Just give me some time to get everything in order with Rufus and then we'll talk with the old man."
His dark haired partner gave a small reassuring smile before clapping him on the back and turning towards the mouth of the alleyway.
Meanwhile, in the woods surrounding Magnolia, Crime Sorciere was making their way towards the rowdy guild with a grumpy poison slayer leading the way. Something has been pulling him in the direction of their previous favorite sacrifice for the last two months. The pull, while just annoying in the beginning, began to get stronger and harder to ignore as time went on. Then just a month ago, his instincts were all but screaming at him to follow the pull towards town. Under normal circumstances, stopping in town would not have been an issue; they were getting better with avoiding the authorities and most people didn't look too long at the shady bunch of characters walking through town wearing long cloaks for fear of a brutal retaliation that would never come.
Cobra stopped to sniff the air once more, following the faint scent of bitter almonds. Cyanide. As many times as they've been in the woods surrounding the small town while the blue haired freak spoke with Erza, he's never caught the alluring aroma he couldn't ignore. His instincts were screaming at him to ditch the rest of the group and close the distance quickly. Shifting within his cloak once more, he didn't realize he was growling and leaking poisons while slinking through the trees.
His travel companions, however, were not as oblivious. Jellal took it upon himself to notify the master of the rambunctious guild they were headed in the direction of Magnolia as soon as he realized the direction of travel. Along the way, Sorano opted to remain at Sabertooth to spend time with her sister while Richard and Sawyer took a trip to the springs at Blue Pegasus for a self assigned vacation. That left Macbeth, Meredy and Jellal following a trail of withering plants, slowly dying from the toxins dripped along their leaves.
Levy took a deep breath through her nose as she watched Gajeel pace the small expanse of floor within their shared apartment. Pacing and muttering to himself, he was attempting to find the right way to approach Lucy after their allotted reprieve from clan duties was granted.
After the crying mass of limbs was pulled apart in Lucy's living room, they spent the remainder of the day talking and connecting. She managed to sit as close to Laxus and Draco as possible while they were talking to gather information that she could never find in books. Not much was written on the customs and history of the dragons, having the opportunity to learn from the ancient spirit was a dream come true and she did not want to miss out. While listening and taking mental notes, Lucy pulled Gajeel aside to speak privately about the upcoming season.
"What's up, Bunny Girl?"
Lucy calmed her mind before addressing her main concern of the moment. "Gajeel, are you sure Levy is the one meant for you?"
"Yeah… what of it?"
"Have you gotten the chance to mark her? At all?"
"Tch.. once.. "
"I see…" Lucy paused while thinking of a way to speak her mind. Gajeel was a person that did not appreciate people dancing around issues and playing games. Being direct was his best policy and honestly, the most efficient way to have tough conversations. Resolved, Lucy spoke honestly. "I want you to spend the remaining time before mating season finishing what you started. A half claimed mate is a danger to herself, you, and the clan. I need you to finish and strengthen the bond, Gajeel. We need you at your best when we are vulnerable. Claim her."
A glow of magic passed between them as they felt the command sink into place. Lucy's eyes flashed a golden hue before the Alpha magic settled and Gajeel lowered his gaze out of respect. Satisfied with his response, she walked away to give him time to begin his new task.
It's been a month since then and Levy was now fully marked. A metallic dragon curing around her waist and lower back; the tail curing around her rib cage and ending on the side of her right breast, the long deadly talons gripping tightly to her left hip and the gleaming fangs dipping just below her navel. Pride surged through Gajeel every time he laid eyes on his tiny mate; desire burned every time he watched her hips sway in a movement that made it seem like the dragon was dancing along her porcelain skin.
Levy stood from her place on the couch and made her way to her brooding dragon. Wrapping her arms around his waist from behind, she felt the tension melt from him as he relaxed into a purr within her hold.
"Gaj… it's okay. No need to worry, Lucy just wants to make sure everything is in order before the mating heat hits."
"Yeah, I know Shrimp. Just worrying about the way everything is going to work out."
Levy shook her head before coming around to stand in front of Gajeel, tilting her head back to look him in the eye while she spoke. "Like I said, no need to worry. We will be just fine."
He wrapped his arms around her, brushing his thumb across the dragon along her back as he closed his eyes, breathing deeply. "I hope you're right Lev… I really do."
Gray paused outside the door to Lucy's home before walking in. He knew she was home, the runes flashing across the front door told him as much. Speaking with her this last month has been a change from the Lucy he grew to know since she decided to leave the team. Natsu and Erza were more than willing to take more jobs to keep them busy, but he was getting homesick. Not just for Magnolia, but his true home.
Lucy. The small woman owned more than just his heart, she held every piece of him and was oblivious as to how tightly she had him wrapped around her little finger. Just behind the Ice mage, Draco opened her gate to speak with her future son.
"My, my, little one. You're brooding more than usual lately… What's on your mind?" Draco perched herself in front of Gray with a mischievous smirk and a knowing look in her eye.
"What do you want, Draco?"
"Ohh… look at the attitude from you! Missing my little Starshine? You know, you are more than able to walk in there right now and join her in her bath. I'm sure she wouldn't mind too much…"
Gray bristled at Draco's words. He came here with hopes of talking to Lucy before mating season. He was all for being around everyone for a week, but what if he is not her mate? What happens to them if it's not meant to be? There are others, worlds stronger than him, that could easily lead at Lucy's side without doubting their right to be there.
"Tsk, tsk, little ice boy. Having doubts?" Draco could see the questions and doubt swirling within his eyes. If he is going to stand next to Lucy, he needs to be sure. As sure as he is with his magic and ice creations.
"No… I just… I don't know."
"You don't know? Are you that fickle within your feelings that they can waver so easily? You love my daughter, do you not?"
Grays eyes widened at the implication. "What? Of course I do!"
"Then stop standing here like a terrified hatchling without his mother and be the man that Lucy needs at her side. The one that will lead with her. The man that she already believes you to be!" Draco huffed in irritation at the stupidity of the man standing in front of her.
As much as she wants Lucy to be happy, she cannot allow her chosen to remain weak in resolve. He would be her support system when she leads and the light back from the darkness of those harder decisions. The life of mate to an alpha is not easy, Gray needs to be sure.
Draco sighed before continuing with a calmer tone. "Gray, I understand that this has been a rush of events and a bomb of information, but Lucy needs you as an anchor right now. You need to be the resilient force behind her as she leads. You are her chosen mate, but not her only option. If… if you feel as though this is not something you can handle, speak now. Do not wait until the mating heat hits and she is at her most vulnerable and volatile. Female dragons do not take kindly to being denied, yet are a force to be reckoned with when deceived. You need to be sure this is what you want and what will make you happiest before you walk through that door."
With her final words, Draco returned to the spirit world, leaving Gray in a mess of thought and emotions on the front porch. Hand frozen over the handle of the front door, he though of everything he and Lucy have been through over the last few months. It has been chaos and more than once he feared for his life due to his training. Could he live a life standing beside a woman that will become the lead of all things dangerous within Fiore? He loved Lucy more than anything, but will that be enough to overcome every negative thought eating away at his mind?
Without realizing it, Gray took three steps back from the door before turning and walking back the way he came. Nothing seemed the same anymore. He could agree that Lucy was a different woman than the one he spent the better part of the last year dreaming about. The attraction was undeniable, but what happens when it runs out?