So, it looks like I'm posting Wednesdays and Saturdays, Australian time. Considering there's 16 chapters, we've got a good 7 weeks to go.
Enjoy!
The temperature in the guild dropped several degrees as they left, and Gray stalked forward to confront Jellal.
"Okay, what the hell's going on?" He demanded, arms crossed loosely across his bare chest. Jellal turned to look at the door, then back at the ice mage, shrugging helplessly.
"I have no idea. I wasn't aware he had ever spoken with Lucy before." He replied, raising his hands cautiously in surrender. Gray's eyes narrowed, but he turned and walked towards the bar, accepting the non-answer.
"Lucy, you okay?" He asked over Wendy's head, relaxing as his teammate nodded at him, brown eyes still wide. Wendy glared up at him, and he gave her a considering smile.
"You did a great job, Wendy." He told her, and she puffed up with pride.
"I'll send anyone flying back that looks at my big sister like… like that!" She declared, and he had to hold back a chuckle.
"Thanks, Wendy." Lucy hugged the bluenette, who purred with satisfaction.
"Yes, child, that was excellent work." Carla declared, deciding it was now safe enough to fly up to the bar. Wendy smiled at the Exceed, receiving an approving nod in return.
"Alright, Slayers and adjacent, with me." Gajeel declared, pinning Jellal with a piercing stare. "That means you too." He growled, turning to move up the stairs. He paused a moment, looking over his shoulder.
"Show's over, everyone." His voice reverberated around the room, and the guild turned back to what they were doing.
The group trudged up the stairs, settling into an empty office. Gajeel leaned up against the desk and looked around the room, taking in each person. Lucy had dropped into a chair, Wendy scrambling into her lap and wrapping her arms around the blonde. She was almost immediately flanked by Erza and Gray who leaned casually against the wall, but their loose arms indicated they were ready for trouble. Carla and Lily had settled themselves on the opposite end desk, watching Gajeel expectantly. Levy settled in against Gajeel, and he automatically draped an arm over her shoulders. Last in the room was Jellal, and he closed the door with a quiet snick.
"Maybe Master should be in here too." Levy commented, looking up at Gajeel. He considered her words for a moment, then nodded. She slipped out from under his arm, and disappeared out the door. The room was silent for a few moments before she returned, followed by Makarov.
"Gajeel, my boy, what's going on?" Makarov rumbled, taking in the motley group in the room, and his eyebrows furrowed. The iron dragon slayer nodded respectfully, eyes flicking to Levy as she slipped back under his arm. He tightened around her for a moment, then relaxed.
"Emergency meeting." He replied simply, watching as the door closed once more. He sighed, running his free hand down his face. Where the hell do I start, he thought, eyes drawn once again to Lucy. He drew a deep breath, savouring the taste of the room on his tongue.
"Bunny's scent has changed, and that means a fair number of things." He started bluntly, catching the eye of everyone in the room. He sighed, and ran his hand down his face again.
"Considering how her scent has changed, and Cobra's reaction to her, we can be assured of all dragon slayer's reactions to the change." He leaned back against the desk, and eyed the blonde speculatively. She stared back at him, eyes vulnerable as she drank in every word, keen on learning as much as possible about her predicament.
"It's to do with the survival of the species. Even if the slayer isn't attracted to the opposite gender, the mating compulsion still exists. Considering there's only a few of us left, it's not surprising it's hit us all." He explained, ignoring as every eye was drawn to him, as his eyes dropped to Levy, reassuring brown eyes seeking his. She smiled minutely, urging him on.
"What does that mean?" Gray asked, frowning. Gajeel pinned him with a challenging stare.
"It means the compulsion doesn't give a shit about your preferences. Women weren't my first pick, or my second, but after Levy's scent changed, I didn't have a choice. I marked her, we mated, and that was it. Eventually, we'll have kids so I can pass on my magic." The iron dragon slayer shrugged. Levy smiled up at him and patted his arm reassuringly.
"You're the best life partner a woman could hope for." She murmured at him, and he smiled affectionately, dropping his face into her hair.
"This is the second time you've mentioned marking." Erza commented, crossing her arms. "Explain."
Ruby eyes met brown as he lifted his head and regarded the redhead.
"It's the step before mating. A mark is made by biting the person you're compelled to mate with, to warn other dragons away from them. Metalicana said you're supposed to push a bit of magic into the bite, which does the job." He paused, looking down at Levy and shifting in surprise as she pulled aside the wide white strap of her dress, revealing a number of tiny overlapping scales. Lucy's eyes widened, and she leaned forward for a closer look.
"Shrimp." Gajeel rumbled, and the bluenette glanced up at him before turning determined eyes back onto the blonde in front of her.
"She has to know, Gaj, she's going to be going through the exact same thing. We were lucky enough you had the restraint to actually explain everything before it all happened, but after what we just saw downstairs? Lu has to be prepared. Also, you didn't play fair, and who knows what they might pull." Levy blushed a deep red at the memory of Gajeel explaining the situation in between his mouth and fingers winding her body up and turning her into an utter mess. She chanced a peek up at him through her eyelashes, and his knowing gaze caught hers, eyes darkening, and a predatory look flitted over his face.
Makarov cleared his throat pointedly, and crossed his arms. The couple looked away from each other, and Levy caught Lucy's expression that screamed for details. Wendy was blushing as she watched her fellow dragon slayer not-so-subtly sniffed Levy's hair. Lucy shifted under her, and Wendy stood to let Lucy get to her feet.
"Can I see?" Lucy asked, gesturing at Levy's neck. The solid script mage blinked, then nodded, pulling aside the strap once again. The blonde stepped forward, aware of Gajeel's suddenly sharp eyes on her as she examined the scales.
"Did it hurt?" She asked softly, looking up at her friend. Levy pulled a face, and Lucy winced.
"It wasn't that bad. It hurt when he bit down, but I was um… distracted from it pretty quickly." Levy said quietly, rushing through the last part. Lucy grinned at her in a way that screamed 'I want details', and stepped back.
"What happens when Natsu and Laxus make it back to the guild tomorrow?" Wendy asked Gajeel pensively, fingers toying with the ends of her hair.
"That's why I told the others to get in here. You're gonna need to know all this one day, and they can warn Flame Brain and the Lightning Rod. That way, when they come across Bunny Girl, they won't lose their minds. Less fights that way. From what Metalicana said, the more dragons around, the stronger the scent is, and the more likely it becomes a bloodbath. They're all gonna fight until the strongest dragon comes out on top and claims the prize." He replied, watching as Lucy wilted where she was standing.
"Prize? I'm not a thing, I'm a person." She protested weakly, looking at the figures around the room.
"Dragons might be intelligent, but they're still animals." Gajeel shrugged.
"We might have a complication." Makarov finally said with a sigh. All eyes in the room flashed to the Guild Master.
"I spoke Sabertooth's Guild Master two days ago. A small group will be visiting in the next day or so. He wanted to begin improving inter-guild relationships, and both the dragon slayers will be a part of that effort. Master Sting said he was coming himself, and where he goes, Rogue follows." He began pacing across the room, deep in thought. Lucy's knees went weak. Oh, no. I lent my scarf to Yukino, and if they caught my scent on it… This is bad. That means all of the dragon slayers will be here. I have to choose one of them? How long do I have before they all try to eat me? She thought, hysteria quietly building.
Makarov turned towards Jellal, suspicion peaking as a thought struck him.
"What brought Crime Sorciere here today?" He asked mildly, and the ex-wizard saint felt the hair on his arms stand on end. The tone the old man used might have been mild, but the line of thought behind it was anything but.
"We came to check in. We agreed on this week last time we were here." He replied, keeping his voice as calm and neutral as possible. The Master's eyebrows twitched as he recalled their last conversation, and he hummed in response, dismissing the train of thought.
"We need to devise a strategy to ensure Lucy's safety." Erza declared, raising a gauntleted fist. Gray nodded his agreement, and leaned back against the wall.
"Before we go into that," Jellal began quietly, "What happens to the dragon slayers who are not chosen?" Concern lurked in his eyes as he thought of his guildmate, and the strong reaction he'd exhibited to the blonde's scent.
"Once Lu's chosen and been marked, her scent should lose its edge. That's what I've read, anyway, and it seems to be holding true for us. Things should go back to how they were before." Levy cut in, and Gajeel nodded. Jellal nodded slowly, relief allowing him to lean back against the wall. At least he wouldn't have to hunt Erik down again. Unless… he thought, suddenly very concerned.
"What if Lucy rejects the mating?" He demanded, pushing off the wall again. The room went dead silent as everyone held their breath.
"She'll be able to walk away any time she wants. From what the readings say, there's only been a few instances where it's been rejected, and the dragons went mad, fought until they died, or one who hunted down his mate, killed her, then killed himself." Gajeel growled. Lucy's eyes widened.
"Then what you're saying is I have to choose, I don't have long, and it's forever?" Her voice was shrill, and rang funnily in her ears. Black dots spotted her vision and the room tilted, a sudden cacophony of noise washed over her, and she thought no more.
Erza had thankfully caught Lucy before she could drop to the floor, and the room had exploded into noise and action. Several people had called out her name as she fell, and Wendy crowded Erza, magic already at her fingertips as she assessed her sister.
"She'll be okay, it's likely just shock." Wendy confirmed to the room at large. Erza let out a sigh.
"I'll take her to the infirmary. We must still decide on a defence plan for Lucy, and quickly. We don't have much time." She declared, and strode out of the room, pausing briefly so Jellal could open the door for her. Wendy hurried after her, Carla sprouting wings to follow.
"I can write a barrier around Lu's apartment." Levy offered thoughtfully. "I'm not as good as Freed, but I don't trust him not to write in an exception for Laxus." Makarov nodded in agreement.
"Let's assume they'll try every trick in the book. What else can we do?" He asked, looking around the room.
"We can make sure she's never alone. Have someone stay with her, or get Lucy out of Magnolia altogether." Gray added, eyebrows furrowing into a frown.
"Where Lucy goes, they'll go too." Lily rebutted, giving Gajeel a wry look. The dragon slayer grinned at the Exceed.
"Don't know what you're talking about." He replied smugly, grin widening as Levy smacked him lightly on the arm.
"I need to go do some research for writing that barrier. I'll be down in the library if anyone needs me. Let me know when Lucy wakes up." She ducked out under Gajeel's arm again, and made her way to the door.
"I can give you a hand, if you want." Jellal offered, and Levy pinned him with a look that stopped him in his tracks.
"And let you write in an exception for Cobra? No, thanks." She replied, and although her tone was light, the look on her face was anything but. She slipped out the door, and Gajeel straightened up.
"Anyone got any more questions?" He asked, ruby eyes tracking across the room. Gray shook his head, and Makarov looked up to regard the former Council member.
"You'd best discuss the situation with Cobra. We want the least number of fights possible, and if we can resolve this civilly, all the better." The old man sighed, and ran a hand over his face. Jellal gave him a slight smile.
"He's probably been listening in to the conversation, but I'll make sure he understands." He replied, and exited the room quietly. Gajeel followed him out, Lily by his side. Gray looked down at his Guild Master, and sighed.
"I'll talk to Natsu, let him know what's going on. At the very least, I can distract him before he rushes off to Lucy's place, and give Levy a bit more time."
"See that you do, my boy."
If anyone wants a companion one-shot piece on Gajeel and Levy's mating, let me know!