*I do NOT own Fairy Tail! Never have, never will, though oh how fun it would be!*

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Chapter 6 Celestial Mate

He'd only been out of bed for an hour now, after having gone over everything that he had learned from Lucy when she'd visited him in his head. He didn't know how she was able to do it, but she had, and now he had a ring that helped keep his shattered mental state together. While his dragon sure as hell didn't like the smell of tin head and Lucy together on something, he was also grateful for it.

He was also grateful for his guild mates. Somehow they had managed to stop him before he had destroyed the guild hall before moving onto the city. It irked him that he now had a debt to the two strong dragon slayers that he would never be able to repay, but he could learn to live with it if it meant his nakama were safe. Glancing down at the ring on his right hand, he adjusted that last thought. If it meant MOST of his nakama were safe. The most important one of all however, wasn't. And she was still beyond his grasp.

What he wouldn't give for his father to be with him. To help him right then. Tell him what he needed to do to find his mate. Igneel had left, seven years before, without a good-bye or anything. Although he supposed the note that had been left behind was better than nothing.

'I don't know when, but when you need me the most, I'll come back. Don't come looking for me.'

Oh how he had wanted to race off to find him, but he knew he couldn't. It had been his fathers' wish, so he respected it. It didn't stop Natsu from keeping an ear out for him whenever he went on jobs though.

Letting out a tired sigh, Natsu finished off what he could of his food, his appetite not being anything like what it used to be, before standing up to leave. As he passed by other tables he ignored them, until he came up on the table with the dragon slayers and their mates. He felt his lips curl up ever so slightly at seeing how happy they were before taking a deeper sniff to find that full mating hadn't happened for any of them yet. Shaking his head, his gaze to the floor, he kept going past them, not hearing them call out to him, before he stepped out into the cool air beyond the guilds doors. He only absently noticed that night had already fallen, cloaking the world in shadows that taunted him.

He planned on getting an early start tomorrow, catching the first train that he could to start trying to follow wherever the ring he now wore was trying to lead him to, and find where Lucy was being held.

It wasn't long before he was walking out past the city limits, disappearing into the trees that stood between his small cottage and Magnolia. Being a destructive wizard like he was, the people of Magnolia were glad that he lived a bit further out. Also, while he was certainly social, and liked the noise of the guild, he enjoyed his quiet as well.

A little while later he stepped into the large clearing that held his small cottage, letting his eyes roam over the changes that had been made to it for whenever he had claimed Lucy as his. Before, his cottage had been fairly simple with a large main room that was both living and dining room, with a small kitchen off to the side, and a bathroom at the end of a small hall, next to the one and only regular size bedroom.

Now there was an extension off of where the kitchen was, a larger bedroom with a personal bath. He had already moved the previous rooms furniture into the new room so that there would be a room for Lucy to have an office to work in. It had taken some time, but with the help of a few others in the guild who were sworn to secrecy, the building and moving of furniture hadn't been overly difficult. He loved the way his home was set up overall, but of course there was that one person that was missing that made it all the more important.

His mate.

Lucy.

Letting out another snarl of frustration, Natsu shook his head quickly, trying to dispel the darker thoughts trying to take root in his head. Rather than going inside his home, he followed the branched off path around it to the pond that wasn't too far behind it before plopping down at the edge of the gently moving water. Letting his head tilt back, he tried to take in the beauty of the stars above that reminded him so much of the fire that danced in Lucy's eyes.

Like the stars, she was so close and yet so far away at the same time, causing an ache in his heart that he tried to ignore. Rolling his head from side to side, he brought his head back down to stare out over the pond, seeing the moon and stars reflected there as well. Over the last number of months, everything had been reminding him more and more of Lucy. And this time was no different.

He knew he was walking the jagged edge of a very deep cliff between the control he had over his sanity and the fall into the insanity of not having his mate with him. If it hadn't been for Lucy…..he stopped the thought there with a shudder. Taking deep breaths in hopes of keeping himself on the safer side of that edge, he looked down into the water before him, lost in thought.

Some time had passed, crickets and bugs softly humming from their places in the trees and grass, adding to the quiet hum of the forest around them. It wasn't until he noticed that his legs were going numb from how long he had been sitting for that Natsu was pulled out of his thoughts, gazing once more into the reflection in the water. It took him a moment to realize what he was seeing. A face as familiar as his own with a sad smile stared back at him, hair glowing like a silver flame.

Lucy!

Gasping he lurched forward, reaching out a hand to touch the surface of the water, as if he'd be able to touch her face instead. She was smiling sadly at him, mouth lifted in a crooked smile, her lips moving as if she was trying to say something. That was when he heard it, a barely there whisper through the trees, a caress along the grass, only to tease his ears.

Natsu.

In his haste to look around to find Lucy, he didn't realize he had touched the water until he was being sucked in. Then all he knew was a cool oblivion.

There was heat. And peace. A calmness that was a balm to the nerves that had been on edge under his skin for months.

And the smell….it was all around him, making him want to curl up and purr. So soothing….

He didn't know where he was again, but this time he didn't care….he just wanted to stay there as long as the smell and the peace stayed. It felt like home, like family, like he had finally found where he belonged. There was no hatred, no sorrow, just peace and comfort and acceptance.

'Natsu…'

Lifting his head, he looked around with a small smile. He knew that voice. The way it danced across his skin like warm flames. Just hearing the voice say his name made him want to burrow deeper into the place he was so he could stay happy forever.

'Natsu….come on….open your eyes….'

Growling slightly, he shook his head petulantly, still reveling in the peace around him.

'Am I going to have to kick you to get your attention?'

With that said, Natsu eased his eyes open before blinking in shock. For a moment he felt that he might've been able to take the grass being blue and the sky being green better than what he was seeing before him now.

There were what looked like fireballs all around them in a range of colors. From the purest white, to the deepest red, and the coolest blue, ever shade was there. Turning his head a bit further, he saw Lucy standing not too far from him with a bit of a sheepish smile on her face.

'L-Lucy? Where are we?'

Shrugging, she looked around. 'I'm not entirely sure, but I think you had it right when you told the others that I'm just beyond the veil. I think that this might be where we are.'

'What are all of these fireball things?' Nastu asked, stepping closer to one to further inspect it. He could feel a heat coming off of it in waves, similar to his own, but still different.

'You really don't know?' Lucy asked, stepping closer to rest a hand on his shoulder, not noticing the shiver that ran through him or the look that he was sending her from the corner of his eye.

'If I knew, I wouldn't be asking. Can I eat them?' Natsu asked, vaguely aware that while he wasn't dying of hunger per say, he could handle eating something to keep up his strength.

'No you can't eat them you idiot! They're stars!' Lucy scolded, smacking him against the back of his head.

'Well how was I supposed to know that?!' Natsu huffed, straightening to turn face Lucy, knowing that if there was ever going to be a time to tell her, now would be as good as ever. He watched avidly as the glowing orb that was apparently a star started pulsing and vibrating as Lucy cupped it in her hands.

'I suppose you're right. Not many would. What are you doing here Natsu? Are you asleep?' Lucy asked, still staring intently at the orb.

'I honestly don't know. I was heading home for the night to get some rest before I head out in the morning, but I stopped by the pond, and the next thing I know, I'm here.' Letting out a sigh, Natsu stepped closer to her to wrap his arms around her wait, resting his chin on her shoulder, and chuckling at feeling her tense.

'N-Natsu? What are you doing? And I'm guessing you're heading out to try and find my body?' Lucy asked, fighting back the wave of heat that washed through her at his touch on her patch of bare skin around her waist.

'Yea, I'm hoping to find you soon so I can bring you home. We have some things to take care of.' Natsu answered, shifting to nuzzle his face into the side of her neck.

'L-Like what?' Lucy gasped, feeling her eyes fall shut even as she was eased into a full standing position, her front to Natsu's back, his breath on her neck making shivers run over her skin.

Pausing for a moment to try and find a way to tell her what he had wanted to tell her so long ago, Natsu brushed his lips against her skin, feeling his blood start to heat and himself start to harden at the taste of her on his lips.

'Ummm N-Natsu…' Lucy moans out, her hands lifting to rest over the ones on her stomach, feeling small sparks of fire starting to dance across her nerves.

'Yes Lucy?' Natsu murmurs into her ear, lightly nibbling along the curved skin.

'Wh-what are you doing to me?'

'I'm claiming you Lucy. You're mine. Only ever mine.' Natsu answered, his lips trailing back down her neck before setting his teeth against her shoulder in a light bite. Feeling her tense in surprise and start to pull away from him, he tightened his holder around her, growling low in his throat even as the vibrations moved across her skin, further stimulating her.

'Wait what? What are you talking about Natsu?!' Lucy yelped, trying to pull away so she could turn and face him.

Letting out a frustrated sigh, he finally loosened his hold, inwardly glad that rather than moving away she simply turned to face him, keeping her arms around him. Swallowing against the lump of nerves taking place in his throat, he leaned forward to rest his forehead against hers, his eyes meeting hers so she would know that he wasn't lying.

'I can't keep this from you any more Lucy. I know that we haven't found your physical self yet, but you as a spirit were able to reach out to me. You must know that that means something.' Gritting his teeth as the memories of Lucy being taken from him flashed through his mind, he took deep breaths to keep his anger under control.

'Before all of this started I was going to talk to you about something very important to dragon slayers after that last mission we were on before you were taken from us. From me. After you were taken, I was going to wait until we got you back, but knowing I can at least see you this way, I need to tell you. And I can only hope that when we get you back where you belong both in body and back at Fairy Tail, that you'll remember me telling you this. If not, then I'll do it all over again. I won't care how many times I have to tell you as long as you know the truth.'

'And what would the truth be?' Lucy asked, uncertainty filling her eyes as she stared into the gaze of her favorite numb skull dragon slayer.

'Every dragon or dragon slayer has a mate Lucy. A mate is someone that a dragon protects with their own lives, strengthens, supports, and can only be with that dragon for their entire lives. Levy is Gajeels mate; Mira is Laxuss; and Romeo is Wendys even though she can't claim him quite yet since she's not yet of age.'

'But…who's your mate then Natsu?' Lucy asked, her voice a bare whisper, afraid to hope, afraid to even fathom that it was her since there were so many others that were sure to be a better match for him.

'Oh I'm sure you already know Lucy. But since you obviously need it spelled out for ya….' Smirking slightly, Natsu didn't give her much time to think before catching her lips with his, slipping in to tease her tongue with his when she gasped in surprise. Hearing the low moan that escaped her, and feeling her hands clutch at his upper arms, he deepened the kiss, drawing her tighter against him so they were pressed together from thigh to chest.

(His taste…his heat…why the hell did I wait so long to act on my feelings for him? This is heaven!) Lucy moaned, running her hands over his shoulders to lace them into his hair, the pink -salmon- colored locks feeling like silk against her skin.

(She tastes so much better than I could've ever imagined. I don't want to stop! I don't need to breathe right? As long as I have Lucy? She's all I need to breathe and survive.) Natsu scolded himself, feeling his heartbeat start to race even as the taste of her mouth and her lips against his had his dragon roaring to claim her.

Moments later they pulled apart, the need for air finally overriding everything else. Resting their heads against each other, they panted, trying to regain the precious air they needed. Drawing back slightly from each other, Lucy kept her head down, uncertain as to what to do or where to go from there.

Feeling a soft hand under her chin, urging her to raise her head, she found herself once more falling into the dark gaze of the dragon that she had loved for so long but had never admitted it, not even to herself until she found herself being torn from her own body.

'Natsu?'

'You're my mate Lucy. You always have been. It just took me a while to realize it. Now that you know, you should also know that I want, no, I need to claim you. If you'll allow it that is. The mate still has the power to reject the dragon or dragon slayer.'

'W-what would happen if you were rejected?' Lucy asked, fighting the urge to sooth him right away at the grimace of pain she saw flash across his face.

'Let's just say death would be much preferred, however, I would still stick by you as a friend, protecting you whenever I could, drawing happiness from the fact that you were happy when you found someone you preferred.'

Giving this a moment to think over, she knew that there had to be more to this whole dragon slayer thing and she wasn't sure Natsu knew everything that was needed simply because of him being an airhead. But he was her airhead and she was fine with it. Letting a small smile spread across her face, she lifted a hand to cup his cheek, ignoring how her heart melted when he nuzzled into it.

'How do you claim your mate?' Lucy asked.

Blushing ever so slightly, Natsu cleared his throat before explaining. 'Claiming a mate involves making love, but it can get to be a bit…well…intense. It also requires a bite that will help mark you to show others who you belong to. The marks can help the mates find, heal, communicate, and protect each other.'

'If it requires being intimate….that means we're going to have to wait till you find me won't it?' Lucy mumbled, trying to fight the blush that flooded over her face.

'We could….unless you wouldn't mind being bonded and claimed a bit more in depth….'

'What does that mean?'

Taking a deep breath, and giving her a quick kiss, Natsu met her gaze, letting all of the feelings he had for her show clearly.

'Let me claim you here Lucy. In this world that is as much yours as you are mine. Let me claim you in a soul bond.'