"FREED!" Laxus leapt from the back of Scissor Runner, lightning trailing from his fingertips, and landed on the ground next to the green-haired mage. He turned back to the dragon, leaning back and hurling a stream of lightning at the beast. "Lightning Dragon's Roar!" The dragon screeched at him, and Laxus helped Freed to his feet as his rune wings faded behind him.
"Laxus," Freed groaned, stumbling and grabbing the lightning slayer's arm to steady himself. He glanced up at the sky, where he could see a fierce battle taking place on Motherglare's back. Fire and lightning clashed with light and shadow, and he had to admit it was an impressive sight. "They'd better hurry up," he muttered, his rapier dangling limply from his hand, "or we're all going to end up dead".
"We're not gonna die, idiot," growled Laxus, pulling Freed toward him and pressing a fierce kiss to his lips. Freed's heart fluttered wildly, and he instinctively ran a hand up through Laxus' hair. The two broke apart, and Laxus forced Freed to look into his eyes. "We're gonna live so we can find out where that takes us."
Freed nodded shakily, then took Laxus' hand in his and turned to face Scissor Runner. Freed took a deep breath as Laxus moved behind him and took both of the smaller man's hands in his.
A spark of energy began to flicker between Laxus' fingers, jumping back and forth between his hands and Freed's. It rapidly took the form of an enormous lightning spear, which began to swirl with purplish runes. Freed's right eye began to gleam as he pushed the last of his power into the attack.
"Unison Raid: Dark Lightning's Heavenward Destruction!" Both men roared as the two magics swirled together, the lightning crackling between purple and gold and moving to surround their bodies as well. Freed could feel Laxus' heard pounding, the tight grip of their hands, Laxus's heavy breathing in his ear. Laxus released Freed's right hand, then hefted the spear over his shoulder and hurled it at the dragon with a primal cry.
The power of the attack knocked both men backward, and the last thing Freed thought before he lost consciousness was that Laxus had kissed him, and he could die happy.
xxxx
Gray skidded backwards across the rubble, grasping his side and breathing heavily. A searing pain ripped down his left side from where the dragon's claws had raked across him. He pressed his hand to the area, and when he took his hand away, it was dark red. "Fuck," he muttered, trying to summon a patch of ice to cover the wound. When the ice immediately melted away, Gray new it was bad. He pressed his hand tightly against the area to try and slow the bleeding.
"You okay?" Natsu shouted from underneath Levia, panting from the blast of fire he had just released into the beast's stomach. It roared and reared up on its back legs, slamming back to the ground as Natsu sprinted over to Gray. "You shouldn't even be out here, you already passed out once."
"Ngnnn," Gray grunted in pain as Natsu grasped his arms and looked at him with concern. Gray shook his head and glanced over Natsu's shoulder at the enormous dragon. In the background, an explosive battle raged between Atlas Flame and another dragon made of rock – Gray still couldn't believe that Natsu had convinced the Flame Dragon to change teams.
"That looks bad," Nastu murmured, trying to pry Gray's hand from his side. Blood bubbled between his fingers and he cried out in pain.
"I'm sorry," Nastu whispered, placing his hand on top of Gray's. "Here, this might help." He unwound his scarf from his neck and began wrapping it around Gray's torso, ignoring the ice mage's protests when the white fabric became stained dark red. Gray would have found it touching if he didn't think he was about to vomit.
Gray looked back at Levia, who had stopped roaring and looked ready to attack again. "Do you think Iced Shell would work on this-" he shouted out in pain as Natsu punched him in the chest, hard, then grabbed his arms again.
"Don't you dare," Natsu hissed, squeezing Gray's arms so hard that Gray was sure he would leave fingerprints. "Don't you fucking dare."
"If it's the only-"
"It's NOT the only way!" Natsu's voice held a strange tone, and Gray was surprised to see tears in the pink-haired slayer's eyes. "It's never going to BE the way, do you understand me?" He shook Gray, who nodded dumbly.
"Why do you-" Natsu interrupted him again, this time with his lips on Gray's. Gray stiffened in surprise, but let out a soft moan as Natsu nipped at his lower lip.
"If you haven't figured out how I feel about you by now, you're a bigger idiot than I thought," Natsu muttered, breaking off the kiss and turning to look back at the dragon. "Now are we gonna kill this thing or what?"
Gray didn't respond, just stood there and stared dumbly at Natsu. Had he…just…what was…
"I don't have much magic power left," Natsu admitted, touching the glowing rune on his chest. "They must be having quite a battle up there." Motherglare hovered over the city, and the two boys could see the flashes of magic coming from his back. Gray stared at Natsu for a minute, feeling the heat from the kiss on his lips, and took a deep breath.
"Take some of my magic," he murmured, and Natsu looked at him, shocked. "I can't fight," Gray motioned to his wound, "but I still have some magic left." Gray moved behind Natsu, placing one hand on his shoulder and keeping the other wrapped around his side. "Take it."
Natsu took a deep breath, feeling a cool tingling coming from Gray's hand that mingled with the heat of his flames. The power flared around him, pushing him into Dragon Force without even thinking about it. Scales began to flow up his arms and face, but instead of the usual reddish colour, they were mixed with icy blue. He closed his eyes and focused on Gray's magic, finding it comforting. After so many battles together, he was almost as familiar with Gray's magic as he was his own. Natsu let it swirl up his back and into his arms, and when it reached his hands he let it mingle with the flames there. Suddenly, a burst of energy surrounded him, and flames whirled around him and Gray, who grunted in pain but continued to push his magic into Natsu.
"Now, Natsu!" Gray shouted, sweat beading down his face from the exertion and the flames. The ice in Natsu's hands began to form into swords that flew up and surrounded him like a barrier. At the same time, the flames surrounding the two mages reached unimaginable levels, and Gray cried out in pain, dropping a hand from Natsu's back.
"I got this, Ice Princess," Natsu said softly, turning back to see Gray kneeling on the ground, his hands singed and burns on his arms and face. "Get back somewhere safe." Gray nodded and struggled back to his feet, then backed behind a broken wall, watching Natsu from around the corner.
"Alright, you bastard!" Natsu shouted, the fire shooting up hundreds of feet in the air and whirling around him. "How about you taste this!" He shot forward like a spear of flame, ice swords surrounding him, multicolored scales glimmering. "Unlimited Crimson Phoenix Blades!" His voice boomed as he crashed into Levia headfirst, and the swords slashed around him, piercing the dragon's thick hide and causing it to roar in pain. Natsu continued to pummel Levia with flaming-ice fists, until his strikes became more and more sluggish.
"Natsu!" Gray shouted, attempting to run forward as Levia retaliated, slamming Natsu to the ground with its giant, scaly foot. Natsu grunted in pain, but managed to push off Levia's foot, causing the dragon to pitch and tumble to the ground. Gray dropped to his knees in exhaustion, then collapsed, feeling a familiar warmth surrounding him as he closed his eyes.
xxxx
"Levy, get out of here!" Gajeel shouted as he slammed an iron club into the dark dragon's hide, growling angrily as it retaliated and he barely dodged a wing. Levy stood on the ruins of a building nearby, frantically drawing runes in the air.
"Solid Script: Thunder!" She shouted, forming bolts of lightning and flinging them at the dragon. Gajeel charged in again, his right arm formed into a sword, and stabbed at the beast's heart. It roared in anger, smashing Gajeel backward.
"Hurry up, you two," he grumbled, pulling himself to his feet and brushing rubble from his shoulders as he looked at the raging battle in the sky. "We're not gonna last much longer down here."
"Solid Script: Guard!" Levy's voice sounded frantic, and he looked over to see her surrounded by a shimmering barrier that was being battered by the dragon's breath.
"Levy!" He shouted, racing over and tackling her, then rolling behind the building and covering her as the blaze continued over his head. "What do you think you're doing?" He growled, pulling her up and running his hands over her, checking for wounds. "Are you hurt?" To his surprise, she slapped his hand away.
"I can take care of myself," she insisted, standing and glaring at him. "I am a Fairy Tail wizard too, if you hadn't noticed."
"And that's a DRAGON," Gajeel roared, "If YOU hadn't noticed. I'm a dragon slayer, you ain't." Levy folded her arms in frustration and huffed.
"I don't want you to get hurt," she muttered, refusing to meet Gajeel's eyes. He sighed.
"I know," he replied, grabbing her hands and pulling her into an embrace. "But I couldn't live with myself if you got hurt, shrimp." He planted a brief kiss on the top of her head, then leaned back and looked into her face. "Now, make me a-"
"Gajeel Redfox, if you tell me to make you a sandwich I will kill you myself," Levy threatened. He grinned, and she rolled her eyes, then reached out and drew in the air in front of her. "Solid Script: IRON!" Just as the last time, the "o" of the solid block of metal appeared with a heart in the centre, and she blushed.
Gajeel grabbed the side of the words and began to chew heartily, tearing through the metal like it was nothing. Several seconds later it was gone, and he patted his stomach.
"Much better," he rumbled, grinning at Levy. "Now get outta here, shrimp. Help clear out the town. I'll see you when all this is over." Levy looked despondent and he grabbed her hand briefly, then turned back toward the dragon.
Dark energy began to flare around him, and Levy stepped back, glancing at him one last time and then turning and fleeing back into the town. Gajeel growled, scales springing to life along his arms as he leaped onto the building and raced toward the dragon. He clapped his hands above his head, grinning as it flickered and roared before transforming into a giant iron sword.
"Karma Demon: Iron Sword God!" He roared, slamming the weapon down on the dragon and creating an enormous explosion that knocked him back through several buildings. The dragon roared in pain, and Gajeel grinned. The last thing he saw before unconsciousness was a flash of blue hair speeding away down the street behind him.