Hello my lovely readers. I hope you enjoyed the last chapter; this should be the last one about the party night. Soon action, drama, and many Fairy babies! I am so grateful for the support and hope to be posting more often. I will also be posting some of the other stories about other shows I have on my hard drive soon. I had not expected last semester to be so intensive, also had some life crap happen. Without further a'do the party nights conclusion and on to the rest. PS, I own just the plot. And sorry for any mistakes I have no one editing for me.
-chapter 5-
The party went on for hours. Late into the night.
Naturally Evergreen and Elfman left at 10-ish. She was exhausted and nearly fell asleep even with all the noise. Erza was the one who suggested they go home, carrying twins had to be draining and it had been a long day. Not long after she was done too, Lucy she didn't have far she and Laxus still lived up in his apartment on the second floor of the guild.
She had wanted to say goodbye to her best friend, but the silver haired devil was sorta busy neckin heavily with the iron eating dragon, who's lap she had been perched. And to the red head eyed his grip on his prey said that this would only lead to one thing, she was glad. It was about time the girl found herself a man instead of gushing over other people's relationships.
With a knowing smirk she pushed her man upstairs, as you know you don't need a potion to get horny when you're pregnant. Poor Laxus he suffers so for his lady love…. Said no man that watched them ascend the stairs. In fact, there were a few giving him a stink eye wishing they were him. Erza Scarlet may be scary strong, but she was also scary hot.
Everyone was having a blast the young ladies participating in the bet saw nothing but their dance partners. This was to be expected what with a powerful potion that insured mutual lust to come bubbling forth. The partners had of course drunk plenty as well, all be it unknown to them at the time, but seen by the girl who was now sitting on the railing of the second-floor balcony calmly watching the party unfold.
Wendy didn't feel it necessary to participate any more, though was fully enjoying watching her surrogate sisters grind unashamedly against the men they each lusted after. This was awesome. They obviously didn't think about the affect it would have on themselves if their crush took the potion too and felt the same. Fantastic.
The grin on the wind dragons face was giving the masters up there with her the chills. Not in a killer intent way but in a pervy old man kind of way. They exchanged glances when she would chuckle or write something down quickly in her little book. 'Thought we were supposed to be creepy pervy old men here…' was their collective thought.
Wendy had been keeping her matching book for a while now and she was rarely wrong. The only person who she was unable to find a match she felt was a good fit was Natsu. She had tried every girl, but latter saw those same girls fit better with someone else. It was frustrating.
She wondered how long it would be before Levy got embarrassed and ran off with Freed following behind. Everyone could see they were into each other, but she was too shy and he let being a gentleman get in the way. However, Lucy and Wendy believed he had a limit on long he would wait for her to make a move before he couldn't wait and made the kind of move that would make others blush. He was part demon after all and only had so much control.
Or how long it would be until Lisana decided it was time to take the giant Orga back to her apartment she and Wendy got shortly after the news of her brother's baby came out. Neither in this pair was very shy, she mostly just hated going through the groupie that her sisters knew he kept around to drive the poor takeover mage crazy with jealousy since she had turned him down a time or two. They had been a stalemate for over a month.
And then there was Lucy and Rouge. All the dragons knew she was his mate, but it made Wendy wonder since coming back with the changes Lucy went through did the white-blonde chimaera know it too? She had changed a lot, but he was just as in love if not more, he also hardly let her out of his site. Even though everyone knew she was capable of defending herself. Wendy felt it was more he was scared she would disappear again and that would kill him.
Wendy sat an elbow on the book in her lap and her chin resting in her hand. The other twirled her pen around absentmindedly. She found joy in being right about who ended up together. There was only Natsu who she could never keep a girl's name next to before she found a better match for the girl. She felt bad it seemed he was bound to be alone. She hated that and thought he deserved to be happy too, no matter his mistakes.
Shaking that train of thought away she brought her eyes back to the dance floor to see a very red-faced Levy run off to the basement library after it looked like Freed was sniffing her neck. The demon didn't look surprised, in fact he was smirking like he planed it. He said something to his teammate and went after the script mage. Wendy laughed out loud and almost fell of her perch.
She was still going when she saw Lucy send her a knowing look. This made her to keep going and fall backward. When she looked up from the floor someone was standing over her looking confused and slightly concerned, she assumed that worry was for her sanity.
"What's up kid? Having fun?" Natsu chuckled over her hands deep in his pockets.
"Oh, I'm having a blast. Best party ever!" she sat up and put her leg through the railing and went back to watching the dancing, noticing now all three of her sister figures and their dance partners were gone.
She gave a good whiff and concluded that Lucy had gone out the back following Rouge. em'Dang dude way to take charge.'/em It wasn't long ago she and Sting had tried to convince him to make a move.
She had been so lost in thought she forgot the fiery older mage was still with her until he was sitting in the same way next to her. So, close their shoulders were nearly touching.
She felt her heart start to race. For some time now he was not getting this close, never went on missions alone with her and would never touch. She really wanted to ask him what was up. She then read some books about her upcoming coming of age as a female and wondered if it had to do with him not having a mate around.
Natsu didn't speak he just sat watching, his face showed her nothing of what he was thinking or feeling, though he didn't look unhappy in any way. Content was the first word that came to her mind. She sat staring for a while, then his face stated getting red.
"What's up?" He said looking over to her nervously, with his old goofy grin. Eyes closed head to the side hand behind his head./
'So cute.'
She jumped at her own thoughts. 'Umm Where the fuck…'
"You sure you're doing, okay?" His face was close looking down at her with true concern. Just like the others but this looked different somehow.
"Umm, I'm fine. This is a fun night…." His face didn't falter so she went on. "Or are you asking how I feel about this whole becoming an adult at the age of 16 by going through a crazy week long heat that without my mate where I could go on a violent rampage or a whoring bender. I feel super great about it." She said sarcastically with a sweet smile.
After a beat they both started laughing.
"Yeah, that shit would suck. So lucky I'm a dude." He said still laughing and she punched his arm. "Owe, hey now."
"Such a jerk face." She giggled as he bumped his shoulder against hers. This was the longest he had hung out with her in a long time. Since they first noticed the coming of age.
She frowned at this thought.
"What do you think will happen if I have no mate by the time…"
"You'll be fine." His voice was darker now and his face was stone no emotion showing, this was off putting considering who it was that was making such a face. All ways one for being overly emotive, Natsu, even serous, had to show what he felt but right now there was nothing.
He wouldn't look at her they sat there in silence for a good while. He watched people party and she waited for his face to give her a hint as to what he was thinking.
"Umm Natsu?"
"You should get home it's late the party will be over soon." He said nothing more got up and jumped over the railing not even looking back.
"What the actual fuck was that?" Wendy was beyond confused. He was fine until she brought up the mate thing. Was it a sore subject for him? 'Hmm What if he had lost his mate?' This thought made the wind dragon sad. She knew he was going out alone a lot over the past few months, maybe he went in search of his mate but found her with another and she rejected him.
If a dragon slayer has a mate who is not another dragon that person can reject the dragon. Wendy had read this and now she had to wonder if it had happened to her friend, the guy she looked up to, and if she was honest had a crush on for a bit. He brought her here to a family like she had never had, besides the spirits that took her in when her mother died.
She found it unbearable to think this of him. Why would someone not want a love so purely devoted. All the dragons she knew who found mates that were not dragons got their devotion returned. Even Gajeel was now closer to his mate then ever. No one thinks he'll be rejected, Mira may be rough around the edges again, but she still has a big heart and it's clear as day she loves him too, even if she doesn't want to admit it. From what Wendy could see it seemed like fate didn't pair the dragons with someone who would reject them.
Laxsus tried to hold off on the mate bond but lost it and did it without Erza knowing but she, while mad and beat the ever-loving shit out of him, couldn't be happier. And now they have a baby coming.
Wendy left the still noisy hall to go back to her place. Then she stopped at the door when she could hear her roommate who she looked at like a sister getting what could only assume was fucked out of her mind. Purely by context of course. With the heightened hearing she knew the silver haired girl was thoroughly enjoying her companion's attention. Wendy only wished it didn't sound like they were doing it on the kitchen counter.
"Come on sis that's where I make food… that I then put in my mouth… holly shit the couch now… just go to you room…" She stopped her griping when a horrid thought came to mind. 'They wouldn't go in my room… Right?'
Shivering she turned away from her apartment and headed back to the guild. There was a spare room up on the third floor for visitors that she knew the masters wouldn't use, they were passed out on the couches on the balcony.
When she reached the room, she remembered she had nothing to change into. She was contemplating when the was a knock on the door. It was Virgo.
"Umm hi Virgo can I help you with... I think Lucy left a while ago."
"Mistress has asked that if you stay here tonight that I bring you a change of clothing and take your dress to wash." The maid spirit was indeed holding some clothing but before Wendy could refuse her washing what she had on or take said clothing the pink haired girl was on her.
"OH MY GOD!" Wendy forgot how strong this chick was. "Please I can change myself."
30 seconds of wrestling the young teen was in a long tee and sleep short that were more comfortable than any piece of cloth that ever touched her skin and the spirit disappeared with a bow. "That chick is terrifying. How the hell did Lucy know..."
She stopped her train of questions when she remembered that after a few attacks by thugs after the blond mage, she and Freed put up runes all over town and the guild. Lucy basically had eyes everywhere no one could hide form her. She gave a shudder then went to the big bed and passed right out.
The party had been fun for all. Well, most, about 99%. Natsu tried to have a good time hung out with his friends danced around did not drink the punch he saw the girls spike and attempted to act like his usual self.
It was getting harder for the fire dragon to act like nothing was bothering him. He knew even though it was the guilt for what happened to Lucy not that anyone said they still blamed him for her being tortured and experimented on and irreversibly changed, most the only thing any could say they still could be mad at him or though he should feel guilt is the crap he said before she left to end up that way. Well, he still did feel that guilt, no matter how many times Lucy beat him into the ground then told him to forgive himself.
This was not his problem though and he knew Lucy was the only one who could tell something was up. He avoided her outside of sparing she didn't talk when they fought. He had to do something, and it would have to happen soon. Or Lucy was going to…
He stood on a high hill in the forest looking down at the town and the guild. 'I have no choice it has to be done before it's too late.' he thought while walking.
Looking back Natsu thought maybe destiny was truly working in his favor meeting his guild and then after Lucy, his control and his power increased sending him on even more important missions. Including the one where he met Wendy. If not for the missions that had been successful, or team that got him through them, Natsu would not have been picked. It all added up to destiny for him and that girl to meet.
He sat on a cliff behind the newest guild building, one leg hanging off the edge while he rested his chin on the other. His dark eyes set on the sinking sun. This was a new past time for him since his first conversation with Lucy after she had returned home.
He cringed at the thought of poor Lucy and shuddered to think what she would do if she ever found out he thought of her as poor anything. That girl, his very best friend, was so strong and had been nearly broken due to his careless words. Nothing she could say would ever stop him from blaming himself for what had become of her during her year missing. Part of him didn't think he deserved any forgiveness, and at the moment he was thinking how he didn't deserve a mate. Especially one so sweet and pure.
He had little time before she would know too. There was no way he could reject her since the moment they met his heart had accepted her, even if it was in the form of a little sister. But the pasts 2 years had been getting hard since little Wendy was maturing now. Soon her puberty would end with her first heat, and he would have to choose to run or stay here and take his lumps from the guild because he was sure they'd think it was gross since he was older and not good enough for the sweet little air dragon.
He was so deep in thought he didn't seem to notice someone sit by him trying to get his attention.
"NATSU!" screeched Lucy right into his sensitive ears he jumped and tipped forward off the cliff he heard her giggle before he felt her soft tail wrap around his middle and set him back in his spot. "You know if you don't quit that deep thinking thing, you'll ruin your air head rep." she said matter of factually.
"Oh, what a shame that would be." He huffed rolling his eyes. She had been able to read him since they met and now, she could literally read minds. He knew she would never do it on purpose, she would slip sometimes though. But she always said sorry. She would also use it in battle situations, as rare as those were for her now a days, they did still happen.
She was looking at him, her un-matched eyes shining. He knew she could tell he had something on his mind, it was bugging him for a long time.
"Tell me what's up with Wendy?" She was so blunt now, he just barked in laughter.
"What the hell Lucy?" Laughing until the gaze the demon girl was giving him so intense. "No mind reading Luce, just give me time. There is so much..." he stopped when she started to shake her head.
"I don't need to read your mind to know something is up. For months the other slayers have been all obsessively worrying about what she is going through and what will happen at the end of it. Yet you, who have always been closest to her seemed to have backed so far off she can never seem to find you, and no one can find you when she asks. However, I have seen you watching her though, even when no one else sees you." She watched him sigh and look back at the sea. "Natsu are you Wendy's mate?" her soft voice made him frown, he didn't move or look at her. "So, taking that silence as a yes, my next question is way have you said nothing to her or anyone for that matter? She has been stressed over the things we found out about female dragons and how difficult her last weeks of her maturity will become, you know how the heat will be. If you don't tell her soon, she is going to enter her heat thinking she is without her mate. Natsu, I know you love her and maybe you fear that she won't accept you, but you'll never know unless you give talking to her a try." She got up and looked out at the sea. "She wouldn't reject you." She smiled down at him.
"How… Dam it no mind reading." He laughed and then stood and hugged his best friend. "I'll tell her I promise." He then walked off to the guild.
"You know if you don't, and my little sister goes through pain her other sisters and I will hurt you." That statement made him shiver, since the sickly-sweet voice and smile that came with it was beyond creepy, and he ran off, to find the little wind dragon.
"He reached the hall and scanned for her seeing her at the bar writing in a little book. It actually looked like she was furiously scratching something out with the pen. He gave himself a shake and walked over trying to internally pump himself up.
The guild was loud like usually was and no one was paying him much attention, he didn't see the other dragons watching him like hawks. He knew they had figured it out, even if they never said anything to him or anyone. Dragons who have reached adulthood can sniff out mates of others as they can for themselves.
He finally reaches her and when he tapped her on the shoulder she jumped on her stool and hugged the notebook to her chest.
"EEEK" She turned and smiled when she saw it was the goofy fire dragon slayer. "Oh, umm hey Natsu how you been?"
"Uhm… yeah, I've been good just umm can we go talk for a bit in privet Wendy? It's important and umm privet." He looked around to find not many were paying much attention to them, well Lissana was looking curious, and he now saw the blank stares of his fellow dragons, confirming that they knew.
"Sure, we can go walk around the park, hang on let me tell Lis or Mira." She jumped down and bound over to the younger Struss sibling who seemed to smile at the girl but give him a hard yet confused look, he assumed that she suspected he would do something to hurt Wendy. Lis had yet to fully forgive him for Lucy. He frowned.
Then when it looked like she was going to stop Wendy from going Lucy came and pulled the white-haired mage away.
Wendy then returned to him looking up with a smile, that he warmly returned trying not to let it show that he was feeling hurt at his former friend's cold treatment. He wouldn't want to upset the girl before him.
They walked to the park in silence he was so envious while she was simply enjoying his company. He had been scarce as of late and part of her feared he thought she was still mad, as some still were about the whole Lucy thing. But she had forgiven him, at first, she felt guilty when she first did but Lucy told her not to that he didn't do anything. Yeah, he said something upsetting but it wasn't his fault she had been tortured and turned into some kind of demonic monster chimera. That if she can forgive and move on so should everyone else.
Wendy looked over to him and saw a grimly set face. This worried her, he didn't smile like he used to.
"Hey Natsu, do you think I hate you or something? Is that why you wanted to talk?" she was now looking sheepishly at her feet as thought their movements were fascinating.
Natsu was stunned it had never occurred to him that she still held a grudge. Not sweet and kind Wendy.
"No, it's nothing like that." He smiled. "I know you well enough I could tell you forgave me shortly after Lucy got home and woke up. Actually, it was the day you got her to play a prank on Laxus with you. You know the bucket of solidifying slime over his office door." They both began to laugh at to memory of the lightning dragon stuck and screaming at the girls for about 30 minutes until Erza came with one of her swords and cut him out then he proceeded to chase them. But Lucy went up to the rafters and the male blonde didn't want to violate her space while Wendy ran out of the guild grabbing the first person she could, yelling about a mission she just had to take. Natsu had been that unlucky sap, they ran for hours trying to not get hit by lightning.
"So, if it's not that what did you want to talk about?" she wiped the tears from laughing so had away and stopped to face him.
He gave a heavy sigh trying to think of the right words. They had reached the riverbank and she was looking up him with innocent eyes and a sweet smile. Rubbing the back of his neck he looked from the corner of his eye. 'She is so dam innocent, but she is about to be full grown and if I can't tell her now, it will only make things worse later. I know Lucy is right, I have to do this before it's too late' Just by looking at her, he got nervous. There were so many negative thoughts going around his mind, what if she got mad that he never told her, or so mad that it was him that she just rejected him and left his life, or rejected him because she blamed him for what happened to the girl she saw as an older sister, what if she just saw him only as a friend or big brother and thought it was gross that they were mates?
He had started to panic and was crouched down holding his head a groaning. He was mussing up his hair and had started to mumble incoherently until he felt her hand on his head. She was knelt down in front of him.
"Natsu, I hope you don't think I'm mad at you? Lucy was going to get taken if not that day then another. You were kinda mean that day, but I don't believe you meant it that way, you care so much you just said it the wrong way, ya know. Is that what you wanted to talk about, I mean you have been distanced the last year and I've missed going on missions or just hanging out and talking. I hope..."
He suddenly grabbed the younger dragon and held her for a while. He was shaking.
"Natsu what?"
"I'm glad you don't hate me, I needed to hear that, it makes this easier." He held her shoulders and with a sigh he looked her in the eye, stared with his mouth open but no words came out just a weird groaning sound. "Hem sorry, the reason I wanted to talk is umm the thing is that I uhh, I'm your mate…" He sort of yelled the last bit scarring some birds from a nearby tree. And causing some passersby to stop and then mumble away.
This hung in the air for Wendy was not expecting this sure she liked him, even had a little crush on him but she always thought it would be her big sister Lisana who was his true mate. She sat staring letting what he said sink in. She blinked a few times then opened and shut her mouth.
Natsu figured she would be mad or upset. Yet she was still blankly staring, did she not believe him.
"You are my mate." She spoke softly and slow at first. "And why are you just saying this now, why didn't you tell me when we all learned what could happen if I don't have my mate at the end of everything? Do you not want me? Or are you still hoping it could be someone else, if so I can rej.."
His hand snapped over her mouth before she could finish the word. His face got dark and serious.
"Don't say it." Keeping his hand in place he looked and she saw tears brimming his eyes, he looked so sad. "I didn't say because I feared you would say those words and it would kill me to hear them even if you didn't want to or even mean them. So just don't say it."
She took the hand on her mouth with both of her smaller ones and smiled sweetly.
"It would have killed me if I had to say them. You are very important to me and to find this out is shocking, but it also makes me happy. I guess I get you were scared and that's why it took you so long to tell me. Though I would have found out on my own when I reached my first heat, so why now all of a sudden?"
"I know it was wrong to wait and don't be mad, but I think the other guys know too." He was staring at their entwined hands like he wasn't sure it was real.
"Wait how could they know? Did you tell them?" She squeezed his hand tight and brought it up to her chest. "Oh, god who else knows, am I the last?"
"It's not something I have to tell them, since they are all with mates, they can smell it when another dragon's mates are close, even if one doesn't know it yet." He gave her a smirk. "Since we dragons can be like a pack, we are able to tell who each other's mates are when that dragon reaches full maturity. So, like before Sting and Yukino were fully mated we could smell an underlying sent the told us she would be claimed, it was the same for Luxus and Erza I knew they were mates as soon as he was old enough to claim her, not that I understood it back then. But with them she was in love with another I kind of felt bad for him. Then when he finally got his shit together and made his move, he had waited so long that he couldn't control himself. Luckily, she accepted him. Though she did beat the shit out of him after he explained what he had done."
They both laughed at the memory of the red-haired girl bashing her mate into the ground after learning they were fated mates and he lost it one night and claimed her without telling her first. "It was like that for the others too. So, no doubt it is the same for us and since I'm so much older they have for a while."
"Wait the others, you mean Rouge and Gajeel have mates in the guild? And so how long have you known I was your mate?" She was screeching now. 'So, was I right about who they are meant to be with?'
"Hehe well I felt a connection when we first met but I'm dense as you know and thought it was just cuz we were both dragons and not a mate thing. But then Laxus and Gajeel kinda cornered me like a year or so ago and told me some stuff. It was a painful lesson since they are like our alphas and want to look out for the only female of the "pack" but they didn't have to be so rough I would'a figured it out on my own." He was grumbling the last part.
This made Wendy giggle at his childishness, glad he was acting as he old self again. He had been very different for a long time. She wondered if it was the mate thing that caused her to be so caring for him during the times, he would get distraught over what happened with Lucy and blaming himself for her capture, it was worse while they still hadn't found her. She remembers times she would drag his drunk behind home after a long day of sobbing and drinking in a corner of the guild hall. It's not like many could stay mad at him and they knew it wasn't his fault but nearly everyone was gone to search and even when the master had told him he could leave it was as though Natsu had decided to stay home and punish himself further.
It was true that at first when the upsetting word he had said to Lucy made her run off without a word, the beating he got from Grey and almost half the guild. She even got her own payback by not using magic to heal him after but by the time the news of the dark guild taking their friend came everybody had just moved on thinking that Lucy would have forgiven him by then anyway. And while he hadn't understood that his idea was hurtful, he did regret that it caused his best friand pain, but he really just wanted to protect her. Their missions had been so dangerous for years he was afraid to lose another person he cared for. Wendy knew this because after getting him home one night he got lucid after forcing him to shower and sobbed in her arms about what he was feeling, how his words led her to be taken.
Wendy had tried then to get him to believe he was wrong there but every time after that he would still blame himself after a while, she stopped trying to convince him and just sat with him while he cried. She didn't think he remembers any of it though, at least he has never said he did. Then after Lucy woke up he didn't drink as much but he also became withdrawn and introverted. Not like him at all. It had made her worry, though after Lucy got her strength back and started training with Natsu, he did get back into the habit of picking fights, though only with Lucy and since she never went far from the guild anymore, he could always find her. She would always wipe the floor him in less than three minutes.
"Hey what you thinkin so hard on." Natsu tapped her forehead to get her attention. "You doin okay with all this? I mean even if you do accept me, I figured you would be pissed since I took so long to tell you."
"Yeah, it's a lot." She gave him a small smile.
He pulled her to stand but before he could say anything two soldiers from the palace showed up. He jumped up and blocked them from Wendy. His hand held her behind him.
"Natsu Dragneel?" One stepped forward.
"Yes." He answered wearily.
"The princess has need of you if you'll come with us." It was not a request.
He knew turning them down was not an option. Wendy gripped his hand hard not wanting him to go.
He smiled down at her sweetly.
"Don't worry go tell Lucy about this for me." He caressed her face and kissed her brow. "I promise to be back in time okay."
She ran as fast as she could back to the hall. Right to Lucy, who seemed to know and was waiting with open arms.
"Tell me what happened sweetie?" her voice was low and as she pulled the girl to a hug; she flew them up to the spot where only Lucy and the exceeds went without permission.
They stayed up there for the rest of the day. Wendy cried having just found her mate only to have him leave right after for who knows how long.
The next few days the wind dragon would only hang with Lucy or the other dragons and mates who didn't try to bad mouth her own to her. She got why Lis was still angry but there had to be a limit. She wanted to yell but she was feeling so sad and the pain in her that was spreading was getting unbearable.
Lucy was worried Wendy was in her heat and the dragons could not find Natsu, he was the only cure they had. It had been a few weeks since he was called by the princess to help with something only, he could.
No one was more worried than the sisters, Levy, Mira, Erza, Juvia, Canna, and Lissana. Though many could see the girl was struggling.
On this day one month after finding her mate, Wendy stood laughing like nothing was bugging her then she just fainted right in the middle of the hall with a yell of pain that cut to the core.
Now with Lis sitting by her she lay in a bed quiet. The room was so silent that it bugged the silver haired witch, but she would stay vigil. She was currently prying that her youngest sister would wake when the girl with blue hair sat up with a start.
"Wendy?" she said. But the look in the younger's eyes said she was not all there.
Wendy was on all fours looking at her surrogate sister like she could be an enemy. Her eyes looked almost black; she was crawling to the edge closer to Lis.
Before Lis could say anything to keep the peace. The poor girl fell on the floor out of her chair trying to back away.
Things happened fast Wendy lifted her clawed hand to strike the door flew open showing Lucy ready to defend, her tail wrapping around the girl on the floor. The window crashed open on the other side of the bed and suddenly Natsu was standing over Wendy growling at her.
Lucy pulled Lis out the door but before the takeover mage could say or ask a hand clamped over her mouth.
"Be still and quiet." Hissed Lucy. Her eyes never leaving Natsu.
He stood just as still as Wendy had become when she turned to see him. His low warning growl had her whimper some, but then she turned back to the door and looked ready to jump them there.
"Wendy…" He growled, she growled back ignoring him. He swiftly knocked her out and caught her as she fell back.
This time Lis couldn't stay silent. He had hit her! Now it looked like he was taking her away! Not going to happen on her watch.
"Natsu what do you think…" she had stood to move closer, but Lucy held her back.
"Stop Lis, don't…"
There was a deep growl that vibrated in their chest. Natsu had his face toward them, but his eyes were a dark red. He looked like Wendy had on edge and ready to attack anyone in his path.
Lucy pulled Lis back again trying to show the male dragon they weren't a threat to him or his little mate.
He turned and jumped back out the window he had come in. the girls watched as he ran into the forest.
Lissana whirled on Lucy clearly not understanding and pissed that she had just let him take Wendy.
"What the fuck was that!" She screamed bring more people. "You could have stopped him! Who knows what he'll do to her!"
"You really think he would hurt her?" Lucy was calm, she was still looking out the window. "He couldn't even if he tried."
"HE HURT YOU!" The yell was loud enough for the whole guild to hear.
This had Lucy looking at her thinking hard and head turned to the side.
"I can't believe you trust him after what happened to you." Lis ran off.
Lucy wanted to say her saying that shocked her, but it really didn't. She said she didn't, but Lisana still fully blamed her old best friend still.
Lissana was heading out of the guild determined to get Wendy away from Natsu. She stopped short when Lucy landed in front of her.
"Move." The take over mage snapped.
"No." Was the Chimeras flat reply.
"Why are you letting him take her away from her family where she is safe?" She wanted to cry this was bringing back bad feelings from loosing Lucy.
"We would not be safe with her here. You read the books too, she needs her mate." She gave this with a simple shrug as though it should have been obvious.
"What the hell does him taking her have to…" The wheels were spinning and the obvious was finally clear to her. "He is her mate? Him? And she didn't reject him? Why would she want him, he almost got you killed, and you'll never be back to normal! Look at what happened to you!"
"I don't blame him for this" she gestured to herself. "Even if I hadn't run off that day those people would have found me and…" She shook her head, clearing it of the dark thoughts that came with talking about her experience. "Lisana I love you and I know you want someone to blame, but I never thought you couldn't accept me anymore and that you can't even see that our friend had nothing to do with what happened. He said some shity things and has apologized so much it grates my ears. It is not up to us who fate chooses for someone's mates and if they will reject them or not. Wendy has had a crush on him since we found her, he has always loved her but was too thick to know she was his mate. He will do nothing to hurt her, nor would he let anyone else. If you go there now, he will think you mean to harm his mate and he will kill you. Wendy's heat affects him just as much as her."
After her rant she sighed. she shook her head softly and gave a sad look to her best friend she thought of as a sister.
"If you can't support them at least you need to back off. She is an adult now we have no say in who she is with." Lucy unfurled her wings turned and flew off. She was mad at her best friend and sister. She just wanted to be alone or just away from here and sad she wouldn't let things go.
She had been home almost a year and Lis was good at acting like she was fine with the changes, she just wants her old Lucy back. She thought the blonde wanted to be back to normal too. That didn't feel right. Lucy was still Lucy even with the changes, how could she not have seen it after all this time.
At the moment she felt shame, she let her anger cloud her judgment. She watched Lucy fly off. She loved Lucy, she never wanted her to think she couldn't accept her as she was, she was still Lucy.
"Crap." Lisana hissed she really was blaming Natsu when she knew deep down, he was not to blame and would never hurt any of his Nakima even if it could save his own life.
So, while she contemplated how to let go of anger that was wrongly placed, she walked to the bar reached over and grabbed herself some vodka and a glass.
After about 40 minuets someone joined her.
"What's wrong kitten?" Orga was a big guy he could be loud and energetic, but he was mostly quiet. He could tell she was troubled hell the whole guild could tell she was draining vodka like water. "How is little sis doing?"
"Her mate took her away a while ago, so I suppose she is fine." She didn't look up from the drink in her hands. "Am I a bad friend?" She downed her drink. "I told him I would be his friend and we could move on but deep down I still blame him maybe hate him some. And Lucy knew it, she thinks I don't accept her now that she had become chimera but that not true. At least I hope it's not. I love her like a sister she is one of my best friends and if not for her I would not be here today. You know I almost didn't come back to the guild."
She was close to tears at this point. this cause Orga to internally panic.
"You hurt for your friend. You had no one to blame and blaming him was wrong but now you have this realization you can hopefully work to forgive him for real and repair the friendship. As for Lucy, you must show her you don't care that she has changed, and she is still your sister. This is all you can do." He gave her a smile and took the glass and bottle from her. "For now, let's get you home, it's not even 3pm and you nearly finished a whole bottle." He chuckled and gently pulled her wobbly form to her feet.
"So, you think I'm a good friend?" she smiled up to him leaning on him.
"Yeah, kitten lets go." He threw her over his shoulder waved to her sister behind the bar and took her back to her place.
"Thanks, Orga, I'll see you later." Mira shouted and waved. She hoped her sister appreciated that guy, he was sweet, and she could tell he really cared.
"So how long has that been a thing?" Asked Cana.
"Oh, way before the party." Ever said rubbing her giant belly really wanting them out but she still had at least another month.
"So big mamma getting excited for the spawn to pop out?" Cana asked joining in the rubbing. Deep down she too wanted this but fear that due to his magic being possibly passed down Bixslow wouldn't want kids. Canna knew he would be a great dad.
"Ugh so ready!" Ever groaned and laughed.
"Well, I can't wait to see their pudgy faces and smush them and…" Mira had gone into a babble fit and dropped a glass that her mate was able to catch while shaking his head at her cute antics.
"Calm down little demon we can't afford more broken glasses." He gruffly said going back to work, but she grabbed and hugged his head to her chest.
"Imagine if after her and Erza, Wendy comes home with one on the way?!" She was clearly suffocating him not that he would complain. "Then we can have one or ten!"
"T-Ten?" he broke free and gapped at her. He shook her shoulders. "What do you mean ten?"
The two girls across the bar giggled at the new couple.
"So Gajeel when are you going to fully mate and marry our Mira to make an honest woman out of her?" asked Canna smirking. Ever was smiling at him while he sputtered, and Mira had the crazy dreamy look on her face.
"Hnn." Was his reply as he walked away. He grumbled about fate giving him amate with nosy friends and a baby obsession. Mira smiled after him.
"We already fully mated the night of the party. What every was in that punch was really strong at the end of the night. We finished it off while we cleaned up and nearly didn't make it up to my room in time." She giggled and gave Ever an egg salad sandwich with pico-de-gallo on it. Canna made a grossed-out face.
"You have been eating some weird things, Erza too." Canna said drinking her tea, she had cut down on alcohol for the purpose of getting pregnant shortly after the wedding.
"Yeah, I feel for her the baby won't let her eat anything with strawberries. She can't even smell them." Ever said stuffing her face.
"Gee pregnancy sounds tough." Mira said in awe washing a beer glass. She thought about what other things happened when one was with child. "So, you have a month and Erzais only two months along? She is going to be huge at Canna's wedding just as you're getting back to shape. Ha that sucks for her."
"Oh, I doubt I'll ever be back to my former size or shape." Ever giggled. "Also, Erza is in great shape and only having one, so she won't get nearly as big as I have."
"I still can't believe it Canna the bride only four short months and you will be getting married. We still need to find a gown, caterer, flowers, color schemes, we know the location ceremony out back reception in the hall, we know who will stand up with you and Bix, the flower girl and ring bearer, but we still have to find everyone else an outfit and send invites to our allied guilds" Mira was listing tasks and making Canna dizzy and Ever giggle.
When it seemed the demon mage would keep going Ever took pity on her fellow brunette.
"You know Mira, why don't we wait for Lucy and Erza to get here. Lucy is fantastic and planning and organizing is second nature to Erza they will make it super easy. Plus being bridesmaids, we can all get our gown at the same time just need Levy and Lis to come too. You won't be doing this alone Canna we are here to help you."
Canna nodded eyes glazed over. This was already stressing her out. She had snapped at Bix when he suggested she take a short mission to get away. Like he thought she couldn't handle things.
The audacity! She was Gildart's daughter she could handle anything!
Lucy had been flying over the forest, after leaving the guild. She was going to the spot she had told Nastu about a while back. She had made a call to him about Wendy, telling him she was getting worse and made preparations for him to take her to a small cave when he was back. This way no one would bother them, and the two dragons couldn't hurt anyone.
She landed in a tree at edge of a clearing she was about ten yards from the cave. She was on the opposite side from the cave mouth. She could him groaning then a disgusted sound as he took the potion, she left for them. It would help to dampen the heat affects for a short amount of time. This way they could talk it out first.
He came out sniffing the air, he knew she was near but far enough not to feel threatened.
"Lucy?" He sounded ruff and drained. She came around the tree and found him crouching at the rune line he was watching he intensely.
"I was just checking up on you, I left enough food for about ten days. That is when the runes will lift. I'll be by in a few days to check on you but won't come any closer than this." She walked back wards into the trees then spread her wings and went back to the guild.
Lucy didn't go back inside until Lis was carried off by Orga. She felt kind of bad she upset her best friend. But it hurt her to think Lis couldn't love her anymore now that she was a monster. She looked at her hands the smooth contrasting to the scaly other.
Sighing she went in through a skylight and hang from the rafters listing to her loud and happy family.
Mira gushing about the wedding and Cana seemed ma at Bix who currently was asking Laxus what he should do to get his love to take a break and maybe blow off dome steam without sex, cuz it was not helping. Lucy zoned in on their conversation.
"I tried to tell her to go out on a mission maybe one for a couple days. She blew up and yelled at me she never does that dude. I'm worried this whole thing is stressing her and there's something else she won't tell me about but I know there more bugging her." Bixslow said animatedly. His totems chanting Bugging her behind him.
"Perhaps she is scared to talk to you about it but rest assured when she is ready she will come. As far as telling her what to do…" Freed sighed and shook his head.
"You fucked up bro." Laxus said bluntly.
They sat in quiet, and Lucy was struck with an idea. She may be able to help Canna and Bix.
She crawled toward landing, on the under side of the rafters, then suddenly dropped down and hung from her tail to be in front of them. Laxus and Bix nearly fell out of their chairs shouting. She giggled behind her hand.
Freed had seen her coming and smiled some, glad she was able to enjoy her newfound sneaking skills.
"I can help you Bix." She said her arms hanging down, she released her tail and pushing off hr hands she landed on the railing crouching in front of them. "I can get her to blow off steam and talk and if it is something major, I will tell you or convincer her to tell you." She looked down at her sisters at the bar then back to the guys.
Bix looked so happy. "Really Luce that would be awesome! Thanks, little sis." He wanted to hug her but sine her return she had trouble being touched. "How will you get her to relax?"
She touched her nose and then jumped down to the first floor. Slowly she made her way to the front of the guild, she paused looking at the huge doors that were open today. She squared her shoulders took a deep breath and turned to the mission board.
Ned was standing as usual but when she walked up, he gapped at her. She smiled up at him and looked to the board for 30 seconds reached out and grabbed a flyer. She smiled again and turned to the bar.
The whole guild and gone quiet. This was the first time in the months after she got home, she had gone to the board and now she held a mission in her hands. She was trying to keep a passive face but a huge part of her was nervous. Freed and her had been talking on her trauma and he never told anyone of these sessions he did say that at one point to heal further she would need to leave her safety bubble of the guild hall.
When she heard them taking about Canna needing a wedding planning break, she knew this could be her chance. She trusted Canna and the mission was only and town over dealing with three ruff guild-less wizards it would be cake for them. Hell, she was sure she could do it on her own no problem, but she would not be going on a solo mission anytime soon.
She stepped up to the bar and Mira was giving her a warm smile but worry in her eyes. "Hi Lucy." She was gripping the rag she used to wipe the counters, wringing and twisting the life out of it with white knuckles. "Did you want to go on a mission?"
"Yeah, I just need a partner she gave Ever a pointed look nodding to Canna.
"Well how far and long is this mission?" Asked the brunette taking and glancing over the details. "Hmm not too long and just a town over. Oh, they have a great shopping district! We should think of going there for dresses, bet we could find good deals and very pretty. Canna maybe you should go with her a scout out the shops I would hate to make the trip for nothing, what with how big I am it's hard to get around.
"Yeah, you can see if there's any you like too." Mira added knowing what Lucy and ever were doing.
"I guess that would be okay. So, you ready to do this Luce?" she stood next to the smaller girl.
"Yeah, this will be good for me." She nodded and gave the flyer to Mira to be approved. "We can leave in an hour, lets meet back here." She smiled and paused she moved to and hugged Canna shocking and causing tears to come to Ever's eyes.
Other than the night of the party when she was drunk and, on the potion, Lucy really didn't hug very often.
She rushed out the back to her house to pack.
Canna was gapping then turned to her friends. "Did you see that she gave me a hug. I can't remember the last time she gave me one." She placed to her hand over her heart.
"Neither can I, I'm glad she wants to do this though. It will be great for both of you." Ever said standing slowly. "Well girls I'm off to take a nap before Elf gets home for dinner. Are you and Gajeel still coming for dinner Mira?"
"Yes we are." The demon lady smiled. "He is going to make something to bring, he won't tell me what but not to worry he is a surprisingly good cook." Mira smiled and waved both out the doors. She sighed and leaded her back on the counter holding her face in her hands.
"Don't worry Bunny is strong, she will have her friend with her." Her mate said pulling her into a hug.
"I can help but worry the last time she went out those doors we lost her for a year." She was clutching him trying not to cry. "Everything with Lis, all the big things going on its like Lucy has been feeling overwhelmed or maybe I am and I'm just projecting."
He soothed her. "She is doing better and talking things out with someone, not sure who but it is helping, and this is the next step. All of us will need to hold hope she can be okay out in the world again."
She pulled back looking to him.
"You're so smart and stuff…" She kissed him soundly. "You're also really sexy and I have a break coming we should go upstairs." She giggled when he wiggled his eyebrows at her.
"The storeroom is a lot closer, and I know you like it when I bend you over tables." He whispered in her ear, this caused her to shiver.
Lucy was waiting for Canna outside the front of the guild and the brunette had to stop and try to remember the last time she saw the younger woman was on this side of those doors looking ready to go out of town. This really was a huge deal, and it was hard not to act as it was.
When she had gone to her and Bix's place, he and Freed had been there. They both warned her to try and act as though this was just a normal mission while keeping in mind that she may have some trouble out there. She wanted to argue but she knew they were right.
Lucy was nervous and Cana was if only she worried that if Lucy were to have some kind of PTSD episode while away from the guild, they would not have a safety zone, like the rafters, and Canna was not 100% she could talk her friend down in the throes of something like that. But the blond seemed to think she was ready so Canna would trust her and be as supportive as she possibly could.
