CoLu Week Bonus Day: Dance

Well known types of Dance include: disco, waltz, rhamba, tango, break dancing, swing, cha cha, ballet, ballroom, tap, jive, salsa, hip hop... horizontal...

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The events following the capture of Brain, aka Master Zero, had been... complicated. There was so much Lucy had just not seen coming. Erik hadn't heard most of it coming either. They had managed to avoid the council's unwelcomed involvement, but only just barely.

Turns out Jellal had survived the destruction of the tower and was being kept in a box. Also, according to Brain, via Erik, Wendy was the only one who could heal him. They had held off on this, for obvious reasons, until the guild masters were consulted. Since letting him die hadn't been an option for the light guilds, he had been revived with great caution, only to discover his memories were completely gone. The only thing he would talk about was destroying Nirvana. Erik couldn't hear him to confirm his honesty, so they had left him in his box. Erza was beside herself. Her distress was the only thing that brought about an emotional reaction in the man, which Lucy privately considered validation of his words.

Hibiki was the one to suggest interrogating the Enemy before contacting the council. They were all glad he had when they discovered evidence of the existence of a very alive and very confused Ultear in Brain's memories. Gray and Lyon had tried to kill the man for the pain he had caused to both their late master and the woman who should have been their sister. Jura and Lucy managed to stop them, though he lost several fingers and a couple toes to frostbite beyond Wendy's ability to heal.

When they escorted Wendy to her guild it had been revealed that the poor girl's entire guild had been an illusion. She had been devastated. Erza, fresh from the distress that was 'the Jellal thing' had taken the girl under her wing and was going to be taking her home. Wendy's old guild master, the last of the nirvits, had helped them unlock Nirvana, so that they could destroy it. The travel from the Woodsea to Cait Shelter and back again had taken quite a bit of time, but the coalition was relieved to have the dark magic put to rest, so to speak.

Brain had been turned over to the council. Cobra, Midnight, Angel, Racer, and Hoteye had been reported, by the unflappable and trustworthy Jura, as being 'no more'. The council chose to believe that ment dead and no-one corrected them. Lucy's new 'shadow family', as Gray had called them, had stayed out of sight during that interaction. Erza had demanded rehabilitation custody of Jellal, who after Nirvana was destroyed seemed to accept that he would be remaining in his box for the foreseeable future, during the secret guildmaster's conference, so he was kept a secret too.

The traveling survivors of the Tower had been contacted at the earliest opportunity. Richard and Wally had both cried. Turns out Sawyer and Millianna were cousins, though Millianna had been to young to remember anything much from before their capture. The three of them had started back to Fiore before the call had even ended and would be in Magnolia as soon as possible.

Master Makorov had been given a warning to pass on to the rest of the guild regarding trauma, drama, and personal space. Lucy's shadow family had been given a warning about the likelihood that Fairy Tail would forget, or just straight up ignore, the warning they had been given. Due in small part to those warnings, and in large part to the vigilance of the responsible members of Team Natsu and Erik, there was only one personal space related fight.

The single fight was caused, probably intentionally, by the irresponsible member of Team Natsu, Natsu himself, when he took advantage of a momentary distraction to invade Lucy's personal space and blatantly rub his cheek against her hair. Her very possessive and still insecure poison slayer took offence to that. Lucy decided right then that the two would probably be at each other's throats constantly just like Natsu and Gray were, and had taken refuge from the resulting brawl with her newest brother on his magical flying cuddle carpet. Wendy had joined them and Macbeth hadn't objected, though the carpet had lost a few inches of altitude.

The biggest shock to both Lucy and Erik was Gramps announcement that Cubelios was under a curse. The entire guild had scrambled, friends were contacted, and favors called in. Before that day ended the curse on Cubelios had been broken and the new human version of Erik's best friend, Kinana, had been adopted by Mira, and Laki of all people, and bundled off, along with Sorano, for some long overdue pampering.

They managed to get a Fairy Tail seal placed on the girls before they vanished for the day. Sorano's was of course white and placed as low as her scandelously low neckline would allow. Kinana had hers in the same purple as her scales had been on her shoulder. She wasn't technically a wizard, but they all agreed she needed the protection the guildmark gave her.

The boys had theirs placed that evening as well. Richard had pushed up his sleeve to place his dark blue mark on his forearm. Lawyer's stood out in bright red on the back of his neck 'so everybody can see it when I leave them eating my dust'. Macbeth had simply replaced the black Oracion Seis mark on his right shoulder with Fairy Tail's. Erik had placed his in a color matching his hair on the side of his neck. He made the most delightful purring sound when Lucy ran her fingers over it.

Levy, Freed, and Evergreen had agreed to help Lucy and Sorano create angel magic. The rest of the guild had insisted they wait until tomorrow to start on the project. Any effort on their part to start early had been met with at least one guild member forcefully re-engaging them in the welcome party in progress. Gajeel had ended up barricading the library closed to prevent them access to research material.

Erik and Lucy had eventually escaped the party. Neither one had even considered that Erik would go anywhere but back to Lucy's apartment with her. They belonged together and that was just a fact. Erik had ignored the box of death in favor or wrapping himself around Lucy in her bed and refusing to let go. They fell asleep that way, still fully dressed from the day and unwilling to move to change that. The first thought Lucy had upon waking was how glad she was that he hadn't vanished in the night.

"I missed you too, Daphne." Lucy giggled.

"You could have missed me less if you had woken me up when you came to visit." He buried his face in her hair.

"I couldn't have left if I had. I wanted to, but..."

"Your family needed you. I understand that. Just... Can you not do that again?"

"I promise I'm not leaving you ever again, Kitten."

"That sounds like a stalker threat, Erik." Or a marriage proposal.

"Would you say yes if it was?" A threat wasn't a question so...

"Are you really asking?" She twisted around to look at him. "Is this a spur of the moment thing, or are you really talking about staying with me forever?"

"Daphne... Lucy Heartfilia, I always have and always will want to be with you. You are special in every way that is good. I will be right by your side from this moment on, unless you tell me to leave. Even then I will probably stalk you from a distance." She smiled. He might come across as a little creepy to anyone else, but that was just about the most romantic thing she had ever heard.

"I don't see how I would ever send my dragon away. That would just be silly of me wouldn't it? Especially after all the trouble I went through to get him here."

"I love you, Daphne."

"I love you too, Erik." Can I have my hugs and kisses now? The cuddles helped, but you've got months to make up for you know.

He growled and all but attacked her. The two kisses they had shared the day he brought her to Magnolia had been sweet and gentle, filled with both of their wishes that they could make the moment last. This one was hungry and devouring. Like he had been starving for this since he had last seen her, because he had been. They both had been. Somehow he managed to shift them around without breaking their kiss so that he was lying on top of her. His weight pressing her into the mattress felt amazing and she moaned into his mouth.

"Daphne... Please..." He gasped out between kisses.

"Yes. Anything... Anything you want... Yes." He shifted to run his sharp teeth over her neck and she gasped.

"You don't even know what I'm asking." He chuckled. "It could be anything."

"I..." He sucked at her neck and ran his hands up her sides. She let out a long breathy moan and anchored her hands in his hair as if she would fly away without him. I trust you not to ask me anything I would say no to. He chuckled again and slipped his hands under the hem of her shirt to skim over her ribs. "Erik..." His name sounded like a prayer on her lips.

"That's a lot of trust, Kitten." He rolled his hips and she could feel his arousal pressing against her core. They both groaned. She didn't remember wrapping her legs around him, but apparently she had. "Not sure what I did to earn it, but I'll try to be worthy." His hands inched up and he laid a trail of kisses down to her collar bone. When his fingertips brushed the sides of her breasts she gasped and released his hair to tug at his jacket. Please. Take it off. Let me feel you. He froze.

"Daphne... I... it's... the Tower and..." She pressed a single finger to his lips before tiping his head up to meet her eyes.

"Does it bother you for me to touch you?" He shook his head. If it wasn't touch then... "We all have scars, Erik." He ran his fingers over one on her ribs, a remnant of the Phantom War. He growled, probably hearing her memory. "Scars make us who we are, both inside and out. Don't hide them or be ashamed. Not from me." He sighed and nuzzled her neck.

"I love you, Daphne, so fucking much." She giggled as he yanked his jacket off without pulling his lips from her neck. He did pull away to jerk his turtleneck over his head, leaving him in a sleeveless white shirt. He hesitated then.

"Whatever you are comfortable with baby." He made an odd draconic keening sound she had never heard before and sank back down against her to kiss her lips and then nibble at her neck. She sank her fingers back into his hair and hummed happily. "If something bothers you then you have to tell me ok? I will follow your lead in this dance." I can't hear you like you hear me. He nodded and she let her hands slide slowly and gently down his back, ignoring the scars she could feel even through his shirt and mentally salivating over the rippling muscles under her palms. He tensed just a little but said nothing.

She pressed her hands more firmly against him on the way back up to his shoulders and his breathing grew heavy and he fisted his hands in the sides of her shirt. Like that do you? He grazed her neck with his teeth again and rolled his hips. She heard a warbling pleading noise and it took her half a second to realise it came from her. My shirt. You can take it off if you want. Please... She felt him smirk against her skin before he tore the tube top in half. "Well shit. I'm glad that wasn't one of my favorites." He sat up on his knees and gazed at her lying there with her strapless bra just barely keeping her contained. His intense purple eyes had this slightly glazed look to them.

"You should probably point out your favorites so that doesn't happen to them." Mavis, the rough edge to his voice just sent a jolt strait to her unmentionable places. "Later." She giggled. His eyes flicked up to hers and back down again. "Take it off for me, Daphne." He was placing this choice entirely in her hands. It sounded like a demand, but she knew It was really a request, a question. She didn't even hesitate.

His breath hitched as she reached behind her to unclasp her bra and toss it across the room. He growled and started to lean forward then stopped. He seemed to be having some sort of internal debate with himself. You know you are going to win this argument right? He looked into her eyes and smirked. "Cheeky kitten. I love that fire in you. It's why I first stopped to listen to you. In Hargeon."

He reached for the bottom of his last shirt, hesitated again, then closed his eyes and slowly pulled it off. Her brain short circuited when presented with all that glowing caramel skin. She reached for him, but stopped just short of touching him when she realized his eyes were still closed and he was trembling. Her all hearing dragon was afraid, of her.

"Erik." I'll start where you already feel safe, ok? Just so you know you are absolutely mouthwatering. She brushed her fingers against his new guild tattoo and when he leaned into the contact she firmed the touch. He sighed and she smiled. She slid her other hand into his hair and then, on impulse, ran her thumb over his ear. He purred. I love it when you make that sound. Your ears are sensitive huh? He nodded just a little. She used both hands to hunt for how he liked his ears touched the most.

While he was at least a little distracted by that she glanced down at the skin he had bared. Smaller scars were scattered over his chest and abdomen, most of which seemed to be small, simple battle scars like she would find on any Fairy Tail wizard including herself. She saw one crossing his belly though that was rougher, harsher, as though it hadn't been cared for properly. If she had to guess she would say it was where the dragon slaying lacrima had been... forced into him. If Brain wasn't already locked up she would try again to kill him, and succeed this time. She should have let Gray and Lyon have him.

She tried to focus most of her thoughts on the purring sound he was still making as she played with his ears as she continued to let her eyes drift. There were scars wrapping around his sides from his back. A whip. Him picking hers out when they first met made a lot of sense now. It was a miracle he had given her the chance to explain it. The thought of the weapon she used in battle being used to harm the man she loved made her see red. The people who hurt him were lucky she couldn't get to them or she would peel the skin off of them like an orange. She glanced back up to find Erik watching her with a grin, still purring.

"I love it when you are bloodthirsty. It's sexy." She blushed. He reached up to wrap his long fingers around her wrists and slid her hands down his chest. His breathing grew labored and his eyes seemed to almost glow there was so much heat in them. He shuddered when her hands reached his abdominal muscles and she whimpered.

He growled and lunged down for a kiss trapping her hands between them. She groaned at the feel of his bare chest pressing against her skin. He was so warm, and just... perfect, and she needed more. She arched her back to press more firmly against him and his growl grew in strength as his mouth moved back to her neck. Mavis, that sound, it just, drove her crazy.

His large hands quickly ran over her bare skin from her waist, over her ribs, and she moaned when he finally reached her breasts and lightly squeezed. Her hands had escaped from between them and found their way to his back without her permission, but he didn't seem to mind. He flicked a thumb over one of her nipples and a high pitched keening sound escaped her. She rolled her hips, rubbing her aching core against the erection still trapped In his pants. He hissed through his teeth.

Her little skirt had ridden up around her waist and only her very wet panties were covering her important bits at this point. She very much wanted them both completely naked right now. Virgin nerves seemed to be nowhere in sight. There was just Erik. She was so hot. She needed him so badly.

"Stars..." Erik! "Please..." I want you. "More." She unwrapped her legs from around him and started tugging her skirt down. He chuckled at her and shifted. She thought he was helping, or at least cooperating, until he settled back down with his weight centered on her hips. Fuck! Really? He had pinned her skirt in an even worse spot since she had been working it down from her waist. She was fucking wearing the thing again.

"Erik!" What the hell is your... Oh! "Shit!" She hadn't realized that his shifting had put his face even with her breasts until he sucked one nipple into his mouth. Her hands were in his hair again. He growled again and she could feel the vibrations through his sharp teeth as he rolled her other nipple between his fingers. "Stars!" Yes! Please! His other hand was at her hip rubbing the most amazing circles just inside her hip bones. "Fuck!" He tugged with his fingers and that high keen escaped again. He released her nipple from his mouth with a pop and ran his hand down past her waist to her hip. He began rubbing his cheeks against her breasts and she loved it.

"Daphne... My Daphne... I love you... Lucy... Kitten... Mine..." He continued to move down her body. Rubbing and kissing and nipping. Inch by absolutely delicious inch.

"Yes. Yours. Always." Erik! "Erik. I love you. Baby, please!" Let me hold you! She could only reach his hair at this point. He grasped her panties on his teeth and growled. She gasped as she realized he had gotten her skirt off without her noticing. Damn you're good baby. His eyes flashed and he gave her panties a tug. "Do it!" Tear them the fuck off, Erik! He did and they put the most amazing pressure on her clit, along with everything else, right before they snapped. She whimpered at him, pleading. Please, Erik. "Come back." I need you. She really didn't care how much she had heard her first time would hurt. She needed Erik inside her.

He did the opposite of coming back. He got off the bed entirely and backed away. She almost cried before she saw him pop the button on his pants open. Hell yeah. Get that sexy ass naked, climb back in this bed, and fuck me till I pass out. He smirked at her and seemed to move slower. Lucy hoped it was just her imagination otherwise she was going to have to kill him.

She took those moments of teasing anticipation to run her eyes over the delicious caramel skin and lean muscles that were her Erik. Hers. She had no intention of letting him go, ever, and it would take a special kind of idiot to choose to send him away.

Prompted by the primal part of her that had awakened at Erik's touch, she pushed up on her elbows just a little and grinned. He froze with his thumbs in his waistband, just shy of the final inch that would bare him to her eyes, likely hearing what had run through her head. Slowly she pulled her knees up and spread her legs. He held his breath the whole time. Where she found the courage to straight up show a man, even this man, her pussy she didn't know, but judging by the heat in his eyes and the growl she felt all the way to her bones he liked it.

She shifted her weight and crooked a finger at him, and in the blink of an eye his pants were gone and he was back. His hands slid over her skin as if he couldn't touch enough at one time, and his mouth moved over hers in devouring kisses. She wasn't any different. Her fingers searched for skin they hadn't touched yet, and he just tasted so damn good.

When she realized his erection was pressed against her belly she couldn't stop herself from snaking her hand between them to touch him, especially since he growled and rolled his hips when the idea went through her head. He sucked in a noisy breath and jerked a little when her fingers brushed down his length. Let me? He groaned and buried his face in her neck. He nipped and sucked as he held himself with just enough space between them for her to explore.

His skin was so soft, like velvet, and he was so hard. She wrapped her hand around him and gave a light stroke. He rocked his hips and made a pleading whine. More? He growled with his teeth against her throat. And harder? I can do that. She got a splendid reaction when she did. He groaned and moved his body to the rhythm she set. She changed it up a couple times till she had him gasping for breath. She liked that. Liked that she had the power to put him in that state.

Suddenly he jerked away from her and slid down her body. What on... He threw her legs over his shoulders and buried his face in her crotch. Holy stars! He nipped and licked and sucked and his tongue was inside her and it was just so fucking amazing. When her hips bucked up off the bed he wrapped his hands over her hips to hold her down. He purred, so he must have liked her reactions. Fuck! Yes! "Erik!" Please! He ran a fang over her clit and she came so hard she saw stars. Her head slammed back into the mattress and she groaned.

Erik. She reached for him blindly. As amazing as she felt right now she needed him in her arms. Then suddenly he was there, raining little kisses down on her face and his hands were everywhere. The hard heat of his cock was rubbing against her still spasming sex, drawing out her orgasm. The thought fluttered through her mind that if this killed her it would be ok with her. Erik's gasping chuckle said he heard and agreed with her.

"Please. Daphne." She held him close and tried to return his kisses.

"Yes. Anything, remember?" He pulled his hips back and she felt the tip of his cock at her entrance. She knew how this worked. She knew he would fit inside her, but the idea was still intimidating. He wasn't small and she had never...

"I don't want to hurt you, Kitten." She lifted her hips to press against him and he moaned.

"It's ok. It only hurts once, and I want this. I want you, Erik." He kissed her sweetly and slowly pressed forward. There was a pinch and she definitely felt the stretch, but... So fucking good, Erik. Wow. "Yes, baby, Please!"

"Daphne!" He groaned out between clenched teeth. "Daphne, my Daphne. You feel so good." He shuddered when he stopped moving. "I love you so much. You have no idea." She left one hand on his back, holding him tightly to her. The other drifted up to play with his ear.

"I can imagine, can't I? If it's anywhere close to how much I love you I'm a very lucky girl."

"Mine."

"Yes, yours. Only yours. Now move." Please! Her dragon growled and began to move inside her. She gasped at the sensation. It was just...perfect. It was gentle and sweet, but she knew as beautiful as it was they both needed more. "Erik. Please. More." Still he hesitated, so she wrapped her legs around him and slammed her hips up. They both groaned. "Erik, fuck me like the dragon you are. You know I can take it."

That did it. His fingers tightened on her hips and the intensity was just... Wow. She was pretty sure she heard herself saying words, but she had no clue what they were or why she was saying them. She felt herself teetering on the edge and he pulled her up to sit in his lap where he knelt on the bed. She tried desperately to hold back her screams of ecstasy to spare his ears.

"It's... It's ok... Daphne... Let me... Hear you." She let go. Then she heard him say her name, her real name, and she came apart, screaming in his arms. She felt him sink his teeth into her neck. It didn't hurt. Her nerves were to overloaded with pleasure for that. She did notice it though.

When her brain started functioning again they were lying on her bed, still gasping for breath. Erik's forehead was pressed to hers. His eyes were closed, but there was a soft smile on his lips. I'm glad we aren't dead. Means we can do that again. He chuckled and opened his eyes. I love your eyes. They're so beautiful. He purred and went to nuzzle her neck. He never made it that far. Those beautiful purple eyes widened.

"Well shit." If she had been slightly less than utterly satisfied and exhausted she would have been worried by his tone.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." He mumbled the rest. "I hope."

"What does that mean?"

"You know how Salamander does weird shit just because of his magic?"

"The dragon slaying magic? Yeah. So do you."

"Yeah, which reminds me. We should get a bigger place. Like a house. With a basement."

"I know you are trying to distract me, but I will humor you. Why do we need a basement?"

"So I can put shit in it."

"Like what?" I might have been intimidated by that glare if you weren't blushing. He ducked his head and buried his face in her ample bosom. What kind of shit are you putting in our theoretical basement, Erik?

"Nothing important, just trinkets and shiny shit. Maybe the occasional soft, fuzzy thing. Maybe." He had mumbled so quietly she almost didn't hear. She blinked a couple times.

"Erik, do you have a... a dragon hoard?"

"...maybe."

"With shiny trinkets and... stuffed animals?" He didn't answer with words, but he did growl at her. "Oh that's so precious!"

"No it's not." So if I buy you a fuzzy purple teddy bear will it go into your hoard? He tipped his head to the side like a little puppy, still hiding against her chest. It will won't it? He growled and tried to burrow deeper into her cleavage.

"So. What was so terrible you were willing to reveal your teddy bear obsession to avoid talking about it?" He wilted a little. He moved up to rest his head on the pillow and look in her eyes.

"You know the instincts come with the magic. Problem is, unlike Salamander and Black Steel, I didn't have a dragon to teach me why I'm doing this shit. I just do something because it feels right and I don't even realize how fucked up it is until afterward. Usually when Sorano slaps me for it." She giggled at the thought. "It's not really that funny. She hits hard. Anyway..." He closed his eyes. "This time, not only do I not know why I did what I did, I don't even know what it is I did, and it might be really important." His eyes popped open and she could see how agitated he was. "But I don't fucking know, because the stupid magic doesn't fucking tell me!"

"Easy, baby." She slid her hands over his cheeks to his ears. He calmed down almost immediately and even started purring. "What is it that happened?" He ran his fingers over her neck with this odd look in his eyes. "Is this about you biting me? It didn't hurt and it doesn't bother me."

"Not... exactly. Maybe? I don't know."

"You lost me." He sighed and rolled out of bed.

"Come on. I'll just show you." She let him pull her up, suddenly very conscious of the fact that they were both naked as the day they were born. With one hand on her bathroom curtain he paused and glanced at her. "Just try to remember that I didn't do this shit on purpose." Now she was getting nervous. The naked thing wasn't helping.

He led her into the bathroom and stood behind her as she looked in the mirror. She was covered in little bite marks and hickeys, but that wasn't a panic level dragon instinct type thing. She opened her mouth to ask him, again, what was going on and then she saw it. She had a tattoo . Not just any tattoo either. This was a beautiful, stylized dragon that curled and swirled all along one collar bone and up the side of her neck, where one claw seemed to be holding her ear, and back down so that its head rested just under her jaw. There would be no way to hide it, even if she wanted to. It was a bright, vibrant purple and in the claw not on her ear it was clutching what she could swear was a daphne flower.

"Well it's beautiful."

"Yeah." He drug out the word like it weighed as much as a house.

"And we don't know what it means or what it does, right?"

"Not a fucking clue."

"Ok. How does it make you feel?"

"Frustrated as shit! Did you miss that?"

"I mean aside from that. Your instincts put it there so it has a purpose. We are talking about instinct here not thought. When you look at it what do you feel?"

"...I..." He ran his fingers over it as he looked at their reflection. He had that look again. Lucy wasn't sure what it ment, but it wasn't frustration. "Happy. Like if I wasn't so afraid it was doing something to you I would say it belonged there. And... smug. I'm badass enough to admit I know what that feels like." She giggled at his smirk. It did look decidedly smug. The smirk fell away and he looked confused. "And... Like... I don't know what it is. Like when you wake up after a good night's sleep wrapped up in warm blankets and you aren't hungry yet and you know you don't have to get up."

"Content? Safe?"

"I wouldn't know, Daphne. Those aren't exactly things my family has ever... been." She turned in his arms to hug him. Well you can be now. Fairy Tail will make sure of it. He held her tight. "Thank you."

"So if we ignore your brain panicking the mark feels like a good thing? Then I'm not worried." He snorted at her. "We can ask Natsu about it." He growled threateningly. When she glanced up at him he looked confused as to why he had made the sound. "I take it instinct doesn't want to talk to Natsu?" He rolled his eyes at her.

"Instinct doesn't want Natsu anywhere near you. Which doesn't make any sense, because I never felt that way before and, aside from the fact that he is a world class moron and his cat is annoying enough to eat, I don't really have a problem with the guy."

"Ok, what about..." This time his growl was bone-chillingly vicious and his eyes meant it. She did the ear rubbing thing that had calmed him down earlier and it seemed to help. He nuzzled into her neck where her new tattoo rested and seemed to just breathe her scent. She kept her fingers on his ears. "So we aren't talking to Gajeel either."

"Guess not." He still sounded tense.

"Did you feel that way about him before?"

"I'm not ok with what he did to you, but I heard him. He's been through shit. I don't hold it against him, and I didn't want to tear his throat out with my teeth till you thought about him just now."

"Ok. Two strikes. What about Wendy?" He did the puppy dog thing.

"Lil Breezy?"

"Umm... Yes?"

"What about her?"

"If I let go of your ears are you going to get the urge to pull her hair out, or can we talk to her? She's young, but if this is a dragon thing she might have answers."

"I'm not going to hurt a kid, Daphne!"

"I know that, baby. We're dealing with instinctual shit we don't understand. I'm finding us answers, ok?" He nodded. "What about Erza? She isn't a kid. Wanna tear her throat out?"

"No?"

"Ok. Gray?" A growl. "Levy?" Silence. "How about Macbeth." He growled then jerked his head back to stare at her in shock. "So we are dealing with some draconic possessive jealousy thing."

"I guess."

"Is it because..." She couldn't say it out loud. Is it because we had sex? This time he was the one blushing.

"This never happened before..." Of course. Because a guy didn't get that mind-blowingly good at sex without a little practice. "I'd apologise but you appreciated it." Damn right I did. He rested his forehead against hers and cradled her face in his hands. "It's beyond better with you though." How so? "Well to start with I'm not paying you."

"Ew!"

"Really though it's... I trust you, Daphne. You aren't just a back alley fuck. You are my everything."

"I love you, Erik." He purred and rubbed his cheek against her hair.

"I've never even taken off my jacket when I was with a woman before you, Kitten. I don't want you thinking you aren't special. I didn't think I would ever find someone. If I had known you were out there I would have waited for you." A tear fell from her eye and he kissed it away before she could even figure out why it was there. "How about we get dressed and eat breakfast. Then you can call Erza and have her bring Wendy over?"

They tossed on the most basic of clothes and started in on breakfast. Lucy tried to fry a pile of bacon, but couldn't get more than a few pieces to stay on the plate. She was used to fending off Natsu when cooking, but Erik's fingers were faster than the fire slayer's. She had just chased her snickering dragon off with a spatula when she heard a thump from the direction of her bed and realized she had forgotten to lock her window. They both turned to find Natsu and Happy staring at them curiously.

"Hey, Luce. We didn't realize you had company. I couldn't smell anything over the bacon." Lucy eased herself between the slayers and leaned against Erik's chest. He was tense, but he wasn't growling. Yet. That was good right? Natsu sniffed the air and looked confused until his eyes landed on her new purple tattoo. His eyes grew wide. "Shit. My bad. I didn't realize... Happy we need to leave. I'll explain later." Erik sucked in a breath and his hands on her waist spasmed. She wondered what he had heard from her friend. Natsu slowly backed toward the window. "You guys didn't say anything. I can warn the others off, but a little warning would have been nice."

"Stay." Erik said, just as Natsu was about to follow Happy out the window. "She needs to know what you do." Natsu looked confused. "I'm ok. I can handle you being here for a little while."

"Why can't you just tell her?" Erik didn't answer right away, instead leading Lucy back to the stove.

"He hasn't eaten yet. We are going to need more bacon. Have a seat man. Hey cat!"

"What do you want?"

"You need to go to the guild and tell Iron-breath I bit Daphne."

"What! Why would you bite Lushy? I know she's fat, but she isn't for eating!" Erik growled.

"Happy." Natsu had his serious face on. "He's right. Go talk to Gajeel and the guild. I'll catch up." Happy looked skeptical, but complied. "Can I come sit down, or should I stay here?" Erik gestured for him to sit. Natsu, in an unprecedented display of patience, sat silently and waited. Lucy tossed more bacon in the skillet and leaned back against Erik, who wrapped an arm around her and took in a lungful of her scent before speaking.

"You know I got my dragon slaying magic from a lacrima. That means I got all of the magic, all of the instincts, and none of the why or reasons behind it." Natsu didn't seem to get what that meant. "Let me put it this way. I was eleven when we learned that people running triggered my prey drive. We were playing tag and Sawyer almost died." Natsu blanched. Lucy nuzzled into Erik's chest and he purred at her.

"So, last night..."

"This morning actually. You are lucky you slept in."

"Ok. This morning. You didn't know what you were starting when you bit her?"

"I didn't even know I was going to bite her until I did."

"Oh. Well... Congratulations I guess."

"Umm... Why?"

"My magic decided since I loved you we should be tied together for all of eternity, mind, body, and soul. Sorry, Kitten. Looks like you are stuck with me."

"Oh..."

"You don't have to apologise to her. The mating only takes if she wants it to. She loves you back. If I wasn't certain of that we would be having a different conversation right now." Natsu's grin was... dark.

"Well there you have it I guess. Now what? Are we just magically married?"

"No. First of all it's deeper than that. Once the bond sets you will be able to sense each other, share emotions, even use some of each other's magic. It's a strong enough connection that if one of you dies the other will too. If the shock of a mate's death doesn't kill their partner outright they lose the will to live and waste away in a matter of days. They die too, weeks later at the most."

"Once it sets? What does that mean?"

"It means we need to stay here for about a week, or I might kill any man who so much as looks at you."

"How are you handling Natsu being here then?"

"I'm kin. He can smell it. Kinship is part of the mate bond. You being mated makes me his kin too. It's not just Erik who gets that way either. The magic will get to you too, Luce. It won't be as strong, but if some chick flirted with him you..." Lucy growled at the idea before Natsu could even finish his explanation. She was horrified and slapped both hands over her mouth as if that would contain the sound. Erik purred at her.

"What did I say about you being bloodthirsty..."

"That's my cue to leave. I'll have Wendy bring by some groceries so you two don't starve. She's young enough to not be seen as a threat." He paused in the window to grin at them. "Have fun fucking like rabbits. I'll make sure you get some potions from the old bat so you don't end up getting pregnant like the magic wants you too." Lucy threw the spatula at him, but missed when he dropped out of sight.

"Sounds like a plan to me." Erik turned the stove off.

"What?" He tossed her over his shoulder. "Erik! What has gotten into you? She heard him close and lock her window. "Put me down!" He dropped her onto the bed and dove in after her. She couldn't stay mad. Not after he touched her.

XxXxXxXxX

End CoLu Week

Now that this is a story... I will be considering any scene or pov requests.