"Luuuuuuce!" the whine had Lucy rolling her eyes and leaning out the second floor window to the stately brownstone that, as of today, was her home.
She and Bickslow had just gotten back to Magnolia and she had happily pulled her things out of storage, what little she'd kept and decided was worthy of PAYING for storage at least when she'd given up her apartment.
Bickslow, Presca and surprisingly Evergreen had helped unload her storage unit and bring everything to Bickslows house, which was now...her house too. She glanced at her ring hand where the promise ring shined, then her left where the engagement ring glittered.
Bickslow hadn't played around at all, he'd been on his knees twice in the last 6 months since they had trained with Hestor. Hestor had declared Lucy officially "No longer an uneducated menace" to Celestial Magic not long after Bickslow had finished his work with Cida after she'd nearly killed Vander.
That had been some rough going, but, Lucy had to hand it to her mate, Bickslow knew his magic,and with Kaleb and a counsellors help, they had healed some soul and mental wounds Cida was carrying. She was still in counselling, but doing so much better than before, and Cobra had finally gone out to the island with Vander a little before they had left.
Lucy had half wanted to wait until the Poison slayer came back, but Vander had said it would take a few weeks and she and Bickslow had both been ready to get back to Maqnolia, to Fairy Tail.
She watched as Natsu bounced off Freeds impressive runic defense that completely covered the stately brownstone and it's very nice back yard. Natsu had been all around it looking for a way to force his way in when Lucy had told him to go home, she wasn't ready for guests yet.
She wasn't, she didn't want Natsu all over her new home, didn't want him raiding the fridge she and Bickslow had just stocked, or the pantry, or anything else. She was overjoyed to call Bickslows large home her own, thrilled even. The master bedroom was spacious, Bickslow had a huge bed that was way comfortable, the master bath was just about her ultimate dream bath and Bickslow had sighed and agreed she could look into a few remodeling things she wanted to do.
She was currently though, enjoying most, the fact that Bickslow liked his damned privacy and had warded the hell out of the house, the yard, all of it. Freed had done most of the work, but Bickslow had smugly informed her that Farron, who had damned good connections had hired him script magic, archive magic and rune work, and those high level mages Farron hired added some of the serious ward sets used on Boscan consulate ships and embassies.
Natsu was having no luck, and Lucy was having zero sympathy for him. She'd told him at the guild NOT to come over that she didn't want anyone over until she and Bickslow had everything unpacked and sorted out, THEN they were going to have a party and Natsu could come over, but NOT before then, she'd see him at the guild and that was enough. She was ENGAGED, Mated, and wanted private time with the man she loved to NOT be interrupted by her pushy and intensely inconsiderate former partner.
Another attempt and Lucy smirked, if she just inched back inside the threshold of the window she didn't even HEAR him hitting the barriers and the house? Completely unaffected. Lucy was loving it.
"Natsu...you're going to hurt yourself, or get arrested for making so much noise." She called out the window. He tried again to leap up and through the wide open window she was sitting at, the flair of purple and gold runes had him screaming obscenities she hadn't even known he knew...
It dawned on her as she started humming and continuing to go through some boxes, she could leave windows open safely, hell, she and Bickslow had just last night had the bedroom windows open for the wonderful breeze while they had been...she'd admit it...fucking like animals and she was NOT quiet when Bickslow demonstrated his talents with his tongue… and...not a whisper of the noise they made drifted outside...if it had...Natsu...who was circling the house...would have mentioned it.
"Is he still out there?" Bickslow asked as he carried another box into the large upstairs bedroom they were converting into a writing retreat for Lucy. She loved the bay window that overlooked the street and the park just across from their house.
Lucy smiled, barely noticing the runes flaring again.
"Yep, day two of "Natsu won't listen to or respect Lucys wishes" the saga continues." Lucy sighed.
"Luuuuce, come ON! I want to see you! That asshole can't steal you like this!" Natsu shouted and Lucy frowned, for a moment, a short one, she contemplated calling out Pavo...she really did, the peacock would, however, destroy Natsu, leave him twitching possibly dying on the street and she didn't really want Natsu dead...just...uncomfortable...VERY uncomfortable.
"Punishment Princess?" Virgo appeared and Lucy smiled at the maid.
"Virgo, you know how happy all of us were when we found out I was Bickslows soul mate? How happy I was when he asked me to promise with him...how amazing his proposal was?" She smiled and Virgo nodded.
"Princess has never been so happy, all of us vowed to protect that happiness and...your soulmate." Virgo bowed toward Bickslow who smiled.
"Love you too maid lady." Bickslow chuckled.
"Natsu is accusing Bickslow of stealing me, he refuses to let me be happy Virgo...punish him." She said the last in a low nasty tone that had Bickslows eyes widening and Virgo...smiling…
"Yes Princess, I will make sure he suffers until he accepts and supports your happiness with Bickslow." Virgo said "Thank you for giving me this opportunity…" The maid added before vanishing.
Bickslow only hesitated a moment before scrambling to the window, almost tripping over Lucy who was also scrambling to it.
Natsu was out on the street sulking and glaring at the house. In the next instant he was shouting and cursing as Virgo pounced on him.
"Virgo!? Hey! Take me in to see Lucy! I need to get her away from that soul asshole...HEY! Virgo!"
Bickslow slid an arm around Lucy as they watched Virgo drag Natsu down under the street.
"Now that? Was a nice sight." Bickslow chuckled.
Lucy nodded, turning to kiss the man and humming into it when he pulled her to him to deepen it.
As she laid back on the braided rug and pulled Bickslow down with her, she delighted in the cool breeze blowing through the window and the knowledge that nobody, not a single person...could break in and bother them...not even her old team…
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Vander pressed his lips together, valiantly trying not to laugh, the big serpent had stayed close like he had hoped she would, but High giddy Cobra...didn't attract her. She hovered, watched him, and Cobra tried, he danced, he sang, he begged, he even cried at one point, gripping Vanders vest and begging him to bring the serpent down so he could "Hug" her….
It took two days for the high from the venom to lessen enough Cobra started getting snarky and sarcastic again. Then the burgundy serpent bit him again, then again another two days later, making it clear she was accepting him. It had both men eager to keep going though Cobra hated the waiting. He didn't complain about Mr. Elans food though, the family chef once again sending enough to feed two of each of the men.
Cobra sat at the round table in the bay window, eating Mr. Elans Hollyberry and sweet cream stuffed croissants and drinking coffee, glaring out at the rain. When it rained the serpents tended to hole up and that meant he wouldn't be seeing the beautiful girl that morning.
"Rains too much…." He growled and Vander rolled his eyes as he sat down, hair still damp from his morning run. Unlike Cobra, he'd gone out anyway, the rain was warm, they were on a tropical island on the Grass Sea and spring was giving way to summer, it was warm outside in spite of the rain. Meala slithered over the table, eyeing Cobras food and the slayer absently tore off a piece and popped it in the serpent's mouth, humming when she nuzzled him and rubbing her jaw.
"You whine too much, go out there, it's like 80 degrees and the rain is like bathwater. Some of the serpents are still flying in it, they seem to kind of like it." Vander observed as he bit into his own cherry pastry.
Cobra raised a brow "Seriously?" He peeked upward trying to see through the rain. He did hear them, but he always did, they were this sweet soft music easing him constantly since he'd set foot on the island.
"Yep." Vander replied and Cobra narrowed his eyes on the shadowquip, eyes trailing along the mans throat as he swallowed, no shirt, in those low riding black leather pants...he no longer wondered at all why Vander had the reputation he did as a serious sex magnet, he was fine to look at, graceful, skilled, all these tempting little details from the serpents big and small tattooing the tanned skin, the wavy black hair with streaks of red at the front, the muscular well cut body...Cobra licked his lips and drew a breath.
"Then you gonna go do your pied piper thing for me?" He asked and Vanders wine colored eyes met his as he popped the last of the pastry into his mouth, sucking some icing from a finger and Cobras eyes dilated watched those full lips pucker around the digit...yep...he was gonna have to try and tap that before they left, grateful or not, Bickslows brother or not the Poison slayer hadn't had a decent lay in more than a month and all this venom, all this easy relaxed wonderful shit he was drowning in here had his libido starting to snarl.
Vander shrugged, smirking a little at the slayers wandering gaze. He sure wouldn't mind some fun with the handsome man. He'd been half blue balled because of Cida for months, she always got testy when he came home smelling of sex and even when he showered well, soaked in the baths after fucking an attendant or someone he met somewhere she seemed to sniff it out that he'd had sex.
Not that she was willing to give him so much as a hand job, and he would NOT be celibate just because the Gunmage wanted to be possessive of her favorite body pillow.
So, if Cobra got handsy when he was high? Vander was very much not above taking advantage of it.
He stood, opting not to bother with a shirt since he was going out in the rain, changed the texture of his leather pants to a more water resistant patent type leather and grabbed his lacrima stereo, setting it in the window, the awning on front of it would keep the rain from reaching it.
He scanned through the playlist and went through a few songs then settled on the one he had so much success with when he'd bound his own lovelies. "Earned it." started playing, it was a haunting song, and the range it required to sing it wasn't minimal, Vander also loved how he could move when he danced to it and got out in the open, seeing serpents flying around enjoying the warm rain.
His own emerged as the music started and he rolled his body, closing his eyes, loving the feel of the warm rain on his skin, soaking through his hair and making it stick to his shoulders, drag like wet silk as he moved.
Cobra watched in the open door, usually too focused on the serpents, watching Vander glide out into the rain and start singing, undulating that tall body,the patent leather like a second skin...the black and red serpents sliding around him as he moved...it was...beautiful...sexy...deeply blood heating and he felt his own growls, humming in his soul and walked into the rain, moving near the shadowquip, starting mimic how he moved, eyes following the way muscle clenched and relaxed as Vander danced and sang.
He felt the serpent touch him, felt her body glide along his, start slithering along his reaching arms, dragging over his own tightening and relaxing muscles as he moved, pushed into her and purred through when she pushed back. It was so...perfect he was so fucking turned on and at the same time, as his draconic lust was pulsing at the powerful male mage so seductively moving near him, large powerful serpents slithering over that flawless body, there was more, a humming buzz under his skin where she was touching him…
Sweet acceptance...love...heated encouragement that he should have what he wanted, that he deserved it...he was cherished...wanted…
He barely felt those long fangs sink into his right shoulder, instead watching a long burgundy body slide out and guide the dancing Shadowquip closer, Vanders serpents sliding along the burgundy body, helping to bring their mage in until Cobra was gripping the back of Vanders neck, another hand clamping on his hip and wrenching the Shadowquip into him.
As the venom sang through his veins his lust grew tenfold and he was kissing Vanders mouth, plunging his tongue past the soft full lips as he felt the bodies of serpents moving around them, leathery wings soft, churning the air and rain.
His clothes were torn off of him, Vanders slick black pants just disappeared in curling shadows and he turned the taller mage, bent him over and the serpents supported him, held them as he snarled, eyes closing as he ruthlessly plunged himself into the willing shadowquips body, Vander gasping but then letting out a long moan, the serpents held him up as Cobra drove into him. He didn't notice his serpent...yes...she was his...he was hers...his skin burned as marking developed while he was thrusting into Vander, gripping a fistful of the black hair with one hand while the other held his hip. Rolling his body, pulling Vander up and pressing their bodies together, his serpent moving and lifting Vanders right leg, tucking it against the shadowquips chest as Cobra took his pleasure.
There was no resistance at all, Vander worked his body with Cobras, lost in the music, in the magic and the serpents moving around them, in the feel of the slayer thrusting inside of him. His mouth hung open, letting soft gasps and moans escape him wantonly until they both finally reached their peaks, Cobra groaning and sagging into the large body of the Burgundy serpent as Vander was eased to the warm wet grass by his own pair.
Both mages passed clean out as magic pulsed through the village and serpents flew in lazy circles above them…..
0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Cobra groaned, shifting and wrinkled his nose feeling...wet...he was wet...soaked. He wasn't cold, and there was a warm body touching him that made his whole being just feel...like he was home...safe…
Opening his eyes he slammed them shut when rain fell into them and he shifted to his side, trying again, seeing glistening burgundy scales and glowing golden eyes and feeling...happiness, excitement...acceptance…
"Hey…" He whispered and the Golden eyes blinked slowly, a large snout nuzzling him and he chuckled, pushing himself up.
A few feet away Vander lay sprawled naked on the grass and glancing around Cobra saw the remnants of his own clothes, looking down he too was naked and… a couple of sniffs and he smirked, memories coming back...oh hells yes...that was….
He looked over the tattoos on Vanders body, enjoying taking in the mans bare body until he stilled and looked down at his own again.
He bore the outlines of his serpent down his right shoulder, across his chest, around his body and then curling around his left leg, and he was great with that, but….on his right side was a havati tattoo like Vanders...not all the rune work...only the three Havati serpents down his right side…
"Hey...Van…" He said, confused and Vander stirred, Cobra smirking a bit seeing the evidence of just how much they had apparently...enjoyed each other on the mans legs. Vander rolled to his back with a groan, Meala lifting her wings to shield his face from the rain and Cobra casting an accusing look at his own serpent, who just slowly blinked at him in response.
"Holy fuck Erik...that was just what I needed…" Vander smiled and Cobra smirked leaning back on his hands and letting the rain run over him, it was nearly dark, they'd been out here all day it seemed.
"Yeah...me too...hey, look at this, what's this shit?" He asked, pointing at his right side and Vander lifted his head squinting a bit then his eyes widened and he moved, coming to Cobra and leaning over him, a warm hand sliding over the tattoo over Cobras right pec.
"Clan markings...fuck...ok…" Vanders mind scrambled to tie everything together, the outlined Havati tattoo that dominated Cobras body now, that fit the large Burgundy serpent happily serving as the poison slayers back rest at the moment.
"I...huh...well, I'm technically the elder for the Husen clan, the only living member right now, um...ok...was the only member…" He shook his head in amazement.
"I need to call Dad, maybe the Citadel and check something...come on, lets go in, get out of the rain…" He urged and stood, Cobra stood then wavered when his serpent flew into the tattoo, eyes flying wide.
Vander smirked when the poison slayer gaped at him.
"Yeah, you get used to how that feels in a while." He chuckled and Cobra shook his head
"I don't see how...holy shit…"
Vander went to his room and Cobra went to his, both men showering and drying off, getting dressed again, though Vander was much faster since he wasn't wobbly from recently binding a havati serpent.
He was already talking to the head of Clan records at the Citadel when Cobra emerged.
"...yes the name appeared in the ledger as if there was a birth…" a woman was saying, smiling at Vander.
"Clan Husen now has two living members Mr. Pradesh, yourself and Erik, though there is no surname for Erik…." She frowned a little.
"He'll need one, but we'll work that out...oh...and I'm...expecting two...any day now...there was an arrangement in Stella, a concubine there will be giving birth any day now…" Vander sighed. Xiao had called to let him know the concubine was fine, healthy, the two babies, both boys, were fine, just...no labor yet, they were expecting her to give birth any time though.
The woman smiled at him "That's wonderful Mr. Pradesh, do you have names selected? I can note them so we can update the records as soon as their births show up." Vander drew a breath, pushing a hand through his hair.
"Yeah…Rembrant and Aldebrand" He said and told her he'd have his sons on the island to get their tattoos as soon as he could once they were born and then hung up.
"You seriously taking on two babies alone?" Cobra asked, coming into the room and dropping onto the couch beside the shadowquip.
"Volunteering to babysit?" Vander asked and Cobra snorted
"Fuck no. I keep my shit so I don't make little versions of me when I fuck women." He said.
Vander sighed, letting his head fall back on the couches backrest.
"Yeah...I usually do too,but I made a deal with the Stellans, they were bent on me fathering children…Xiao Xing is already angling to let them KEEP one of my kids because the deal with Set was only guaranteeing I got to bring A baby home…" He growled.
Cobra shook his head "Never make deals with Xings, even I know that shit…" he said, eyes moving over the shadowquip, Vander was laying back against the couch, an arm over his eyes, shirtless again and now Cobra understood why because his serpent coming out through his shirt had felt weirder than it did coming through just his skin, but still, heat built in his blood looking over the other mans tall body, lower half again encased in skin tight soft black leather, the outline of his cock clear against the material.
Vander smirked, Cobras pants were tenting.
"What the idea of a single dad turn you on?" He chuckled and Cobra made a face but moved, climbing on top of the taller mage.
"Hell fucking no, you in this leather, sometimes you bother to keep the crotch made so the leather doesn't show off this cock? But right now? That and these…" He slid his hands up vanders abs then gripped his pecs and ground himself against Vanders groin making the shadowquip moan.
"Oh fuck yes…" Vander breathed, the leather disappearing as he started undoing Cobras pants. The poison slayer slid to stand and kick the clothing off this time before settling back on top of Vander, lunging in to claim that plump lower lip between his teeth.
Hands roamed a little slower this time, more exploring what they hadn't bothered with before. Vander wasn't Cobras mate, and Cobra wasn't more than a friend as far as Vander was concerned, but they both understood that, and that being through the rites got blood hot and kicked up sex drive by a good bit. For Cobra at least, Vander had been too sick and in too much pain as he'd gone through it, but he'd dealt with a fuck ton more than just binding with his serpents during that month.
Now it was like his serpents were driving him right into sating Cobras lust and he was perfectly fine with that…
He felt the man stiffen when his hands slid over his back, finding raised parts of flesh with the distinct feel of scars abundant he pressed up into Cobra, quickly moving a hand to the mans erection, stroking him until lust overwhelmed shame.
He had no idea what Cobras history was, knew only the man had a hell of a criminal record wiped clean for all he had done for Ishgar during more than one serious battle in Fiore. Wherever the scars came from they brought forth memories that hurt enough to make serpent lust falter.
Meala came out, Searsha shortly following her, and Cobra arched as his own serpent emerged and then...senses were animalistic, thought was gone, the men ending up on the floor, half wrestling, rolling all over, until finally Cobra again pinned Vander and the shadowquips hand slammed down as the dragonslayer pushed into him.
Over an hour later the two men lay panting, their serpents humming and moving languidly around them.
"So...I'm part of your...clan?" Cobra asked, trying to catch his breath.
"Yep, good news is that means you're a Boscan citizen and, can legally come to this island now without me, you have a right to be here." Vander replied and Cobra smiled
"So if I wanna claim a house.." He started
"You can, there are 34 houses that weren't damaged by the attack that killed off the clan, some big, some small, this one is mine...I was born here...but you're welcome to take one Erik, come here whenever you want. The island is protected by the government because of the serpents, and...the serpents don't fuck around protecting it anyway." Vander said and Cobra smiled faintly.
"So...this is...home." He said quietly and Vander smiled, not missing the emotion in that comment.
"It's your home now...yeah."
Erik rolled to his back, resting his head on his serpents warm body and giving Vanders thigh that was resting over his a hard squeeze before letting his eyes close. It felt like it...down deep where it fucking mattered...this place...since he'd looked into the warm golden eyes of the serpent nuzzling his arm, this place had felt like no home he'd ever had but the one he had always wanted.
A retreat from the world whenever he needed it, a place he could come to where few could follow, very few considering only Vander could legally come here. He knew Vander meant to change that, meant to bring more mages here, and he was fine with that because of the serpents...if a person was accepted by these creatures? Then they had to be special...and he was good with that.
"Ok if I...stay here a while?" He asked. He knew they were supposed to go back, Vander had said if Cobra was accepted he'd want to go back and start right away preparing others, Kaleb had gotten a small list of carefully chosen mages. But Vander didn't need Cobra for that...and he really wanted to stay on the island. There was plenty to eat, fish in the water, he'd seen beasts out on the grass sea...he was perfectly capable of hunting, and now...with his serpent? He'd bet he'd be even better. He wanted time with her, to get to know her more, name her...before he left.
Vander smiled "Yeah, take however long you want man. I needed time with mine after we bonded, you need time with yours."
Cobra nodded "Thank you." he said quietly and Vander drew a breath, smiling at the words and understanding all they meant coming from someone like Cobra.
A/N Thank you, to everyone messaging me. My surgery went well and I'm getting better. Yes the Pradeshverse site is back, Wiki had just been doing some transfers to new servers updating software. Big thanks to Sara and Nikki who have been instrumental in the updates so those of you looking for information on the worldbuilding done around the Pradesh family? Thats your source. .com I heard the requests for more with Cobra...hope you all enjoyed this chapter with our favorite Snarky Dragonslayer!