A/N: So, here's chapter 2… I'm so happy that you guys enjoyed the first chapter. Now, time to see what's happening!
Still don't own Fairy Tail.
He smirked down at her, placed a soft kiss on her lips, then set her steadily on her feet. "Well, Bunny Girl looks like you're going to have a long night ahead of you…"
"Um, does someone wanna tell me what the fuck just happened?" Gray said after the guild doors slammed behind Lucy.
"Yes, it is odd that she ran after him. After everything he put her through," Erza nodded in agreement with the Ice Make mage.
Natsu turned to glare at his teammates. They didn't understand the concept of mating, even though he and Wendy had tried to explain it to them since Lucy was with Gajeel. Especially when she told them that she wanted to be his mate, but he wouldn't take that step. Erza had never liked the idea of them being together, stating that Lucy shouldn't put everything he did to her in the past so quickly. Gray just didn't like Lucy with anyone because he was an overprotective Ice Prick. "He just apologized to her," Natsu said evenly. Don't get pissed, don't get pissed, don't get pissed.
"Right, sure. Apologized," Gray said with a snort. He didn't care that everyone was having their own small conversations about what had just happened or listening to theirs. He cared about Lucy getting hurt again because of that bucket of bolts. "And how long will it be before he fucks up again, and she comes crying back to us? He's apologized to her before, and you know it."
Natsu's hands started to burn, his anger at how his friends were acting causing his magic to flare up. "He won't fuck up again, Gray," he said through gritted teeth. "She's gonna be his mate. He won't make the same mistake again."
Gray laughed cruelly. He had seen how heartbroken Lucy was for two whole months. Every smile she showed at the guild? She cried twice as hard when she was back at his house. When she saw Gajeel walk in with cuts and bruises all over from a mission, it had taken everything she had to stay where she was. Gray had been her rock while she stayed away from Gajeel. "Because people don't change, Natsu. He's a bastard. He was one when he was in Phantom Lord, and he's still a bastard now! He hurt Lucy then and now, and he'll do it again because she's going after him!"
Juvia stood up straight from her hiding place behind a nearby pillar. People don't change?! She stalked over to Gray and smacked him as hard as she could, then glowered while he sat there with a shocked expression on his face. "I'm disappointed in you, Gray," she seethed. "Is that what you think of me as well? Did you forget that I was also a part of Phantom Lord?!" Tears threatened to fall down her cheeks, but she refused to let him see her cry. "I can't believe I've pined after a man that would think something as horrible as that!"
"Juvia, I—"
"NO!" she shouted, effectively gaining anyone's attention that wasn't already watching the confrontation. "You're a selfish, rude, self-centered bastard. You're the bastard! Not Gajeel!" Juvia turned to run away, the tears in her eyes finally falling. She had just enough control to not cause a monsoon or flood the building, but she couldn't be near him. If he thinks that of Gajeel, then it's no wonder he never accepted my feelings for him.
Natsu shot out of his seat and caught the water mage before she could run away. He and Juvia had never been close, but he always thought it was funny that she would follow Gray around because it made the guy uncomfortable. He knew she needed comfort right now. He smiled internally, though he couldn't tell why, when she looked up into his eyes and then openly cried on his shoulder. "It's alright Juvia. He's an idiot," he whispered as he wrapped an arm protectively around the sobbing woman, then glared at his friend.
Gray had no words for what was happening. He never thought Juvia would strike out at him like that. He felt like an idiot for saying that stuff about Gajeel. He still thought that way about the guy, but that wasn't the case with her. She had very clearly changed and fully embraced Fairy Tail when she joined. After all that time of her chasing him, and his insane annoyance with it, she was crying in the arms of the Flaming Idiot.
"What the hell, Gray?" Laxus said as he hovered at the edges of the crowd. He was still close to the doors, hearing everything that was happening outside as well as in, and making sure no one tried to go out there. With the way Gajeel was growling, it surprised him that they hadn't heard Blondie scream in fear or pain. Guess she really is supposed to be his mate, he thought as the growls died down and a whimper sounded from the other Slayer.
Gray turned to look at Laxus, still in shock. "I…" He could see the anger in everyone's eyes at what he had said. He was a bastard. Gajeel had proven himself time and again, always kept Lucy safe on missions, and he knew deep down that the guy cared about her. But… Something had always stopped Gray from accepting him fully, and that wasn't what Fairy Tail was about.
"He has changed, Gray. You're just blind," Natsu whispered, his hand rubbing small circles on the back of the woman wrapped in his embrace. "He promised to never hurt her again, and he hasn't. They have their problems like every couple, but it's more complicated than that."
Erza looked at her friends, and shook her head. "I still don't understand how it could be more complicated." Her eyebrows furrowed as she reconsidered everything she knew about the situation between Lucy and Gajeel. "She wanted more and he refused, so she left. Now he apologizes and everything is okay? It just doesn't seem right."
Juvia's tears had finally subsided, so she tried to pull away from Natsu and thank him for the shoulder to cry on. Instead, his arm tightened around her waist as he pulled her closer to him. She didn't understand it, but she felt warm and safe there and didn't want it to stop. She turned around, leaning against him so he knew she wasn't trying to leave and spoke. "Erza, you already know that Gajeel is a very private man. I was his only friend before we came to Fairy Tail, and in all that time I have never once seen him shed a tear. The fact that he got up in front of everyone and apologized to Lucy for what he did is proof enough that he cares for her."
Pantherlily flew over to the group and sat down on the table, crossing his arms over his chest. Out of everyone in the room, he knew the most about the man in question. "It's true. When he realized she wasn't coming back, he stopped going to the house because he couldn't bear to see her things there. He will never admit it, but he's scared to make her his mate."
"But," Happy said softly, "If he loves her then why wouldn't he do it?" His large eyes looked up at his own foster father, Natsu, hoping for answers. It seemed so simple to him. Happy liked Carla, so he gave her fish. Gajeel liked Lucy, so he should make her his mate.
Natsu sighed, then looked to Laxus and Wendy for their advice. Laxus had a scowl plastered on his face, and Wendy looked beyond pissed at the turn of events of her guildmates. When he caught the youngest Dragon Slayer's eye, she smiled softly and nodded.
"Because," she said loudly enough for everyone to hear. This wasn't something she wanted to tell them, but it seemed as if it was the only way to make them understand what had happened. "For Gajeel to make her his mate, he would have to hurt her. If she fails, then he could kill her."
Natsu and Laxus nodded grimly. They both hated how mating worked, and wished it wasn't the only way to do it, but that was just how it was. It was slightly different for each of them, but the general idea was the same. You fight against your potential mate to test their strength, letting your instincts take over completely. The intended mate has to survive and get you to return to some semblance of who you really are. You don't get much time to celebrate before you're taken over by the need to claim your mate, and there is no telling how gentle you will be with them.
"We have to stop her!" Erza shouted as she stood up, ready to plow through Laxus to save her friend. "Clearly she doesn't know!"
Pantherlily shifted into his battle form and stood in front of the Requip mage, scowling at her. "She does."
"What?" Erza asked wide-eyed. "That can't be right…"
Pantherlily only nodded. "He told her, hoping it would make her see why they couldn't become mates. She said she didn't care, as long as she could be with him." A small smile crept across his face as he remembered how flustered Gajeel had been that the ritual hadn't scared her off.
"Then, what was with the song tonight?" Lisanna asked from her seat in Bickslow's lap. "We all know that Lucy was waiting for him to apologize… Why did he run off?"
Pantherlily sighed, but it was Mira who spoke up with sadness in her eyes. "He thought she didn't want him anymore. He thought she had moved on, and it was his way of telling her goodbye…" She could practically feel the anguish coming from the pierced mage while he sang his heart out to Lucy.
The black Exceed nodded, then added, "He broke down. I can only assume that he couldn't stand seeing her anymore, because it only caused him heartache. He didn't even hear me telling him to go talk to her."
There was a long silence as everyone absorbed what had been said. Laxus smirked and let out a soft chuckle. Because of how quiet everyone was, they all looked at him quizzically. He rolled his eyes and said, "Not that it's any of your business, but they'll be just fine. He just ran off with her."
"WHAT?!" was the collective shout that resounded through the hall.
"Guess Lucy is finally getting what she wanted," Natsu whispered happily. He took a deep breath, ready to let out a contented sigh as the guild returned to normal. Then he smelled it. It smelled like an ocean breeze on a hot summer day, the kind that revitalizes you when you've been stuck in the sweltering heat. He closed his eyes as he let the calming effects of that scent wash over him, unconsciously leaning towards the source. When his nose brushed through something soft, he opened his eyes to see nothing but blue.
"Natsu?" Juvia asked, loud enough only for him to hear.
He pushed through the woman's hair and nuzzled the pale skin of her neck, taking another deep breath. "Juvia, you smell… amazing."
The Water mage blushed, and started to stutter an apology. It was something she had grown accustomed to doing when talking with Gray, and it had become her automatic response.
Natsu frowned when he heard what she was trying to tell him and pulled away slightly. "Why are you apologizing for smelling good enough to eat?" he whispered into her ear. No matter how much she had confused him, he couldn't get enough of her scent and wanted nothing more than to breathe it in every second of the day.
"I-I… Um… I don't know…" she whispered, a deeper blush crossing her cheeks.
"Looks like Natsu found his mate," Laxus whispered as he looked at Wendy.
The young girl froze and looked at Natsu and Juvia. Then, a broad grin spread across her face as she watched the two.
"Juvia," Natsu whispered again, smirking when a shiver ran down her spine. He had no clue what had come over him. Something about how she smelled was mesmerizing, and he couldn't place why. Then, he heard what Laxus said, and finally remembered what Igneel had told him. You'll find her scent the most calming thing in existence, even if you have only just met. His eyes shot open when the thought came to him, but he relaxed when she turned around to face him, her hands gently laying against his vest.
"Is everything alright?" she asked, her head cocking to the side.
Natsu smiled softly at the blunette. "Yeah, would you like to go somewhere with me? I wanna talk to you about something."
When she nodded timidly, she couldn't help but smile as Natsu's trademark grin was plastered on his face. He quickly picked her up and ran out through the back doors of the guild.
"That all you got, Dragon Boy?" Lucy taunted. She couldn't describe what had come over her, but she felt strong and powerful as she crouched in a defensive stance once more. Gajeel stood a few feet from her, panting and growling like a feral animal. Like a dragon. After he had told her that she was in for a long night, they sat and talked for a while, then they kissed again. It had instantly become heated, and then something seemed to shift in the atmosphere, causing Lucy to back away from him in a flash.
Gajeel roared into the air, his head shooting back and his muscles clenching almost painfully. Mine. It was the only thought that coursed through him. The need to take and claim what was his driving him to attack the woman in front of him. Pin her down and make sure everyone knew she was taken. When he lunged at her again, he felt the fabric of her shirt slip through his fingers as she danced away from his grasp.
"If you want me, then come and get me!" she shouted. Gajeel had told her before how this worked. If she didn't calm him down and get his own mind back, then she could be killed by the dragon part of him trying to claim her. He had told her a story about a Slayer whose intended mate hadn't performed the ritual properly. He didn't know if she was just incompatible and too weak to perform it, or if she had just let the Slayer catch her to speed the process along, but it hadn't ended well. The woman's body was broken and bloody by the time the Slayer came back to himself. Instead of marking her, he had torn her throat open. Each time he grabbed her body while he claimed her, his grip had broken the bones like twigs. Her hips, legs, arms, and even her back were mutilated. The Slayer went insane with grief over what he had done, and took his own life. Lucy refused to let that happen.
Gajeel's arm turned into a club and he swung it wildly at the blonde. Mine. She was moving too quickly, and he had to slow her down. She was his to claim and he planned on doing just that. That is, if he could catch her.
Lucy's eyes filled with determination when she saw his arm shift. She dodged the first and second attacks, then pulled out her whip and wrapped it around his club on the third. She used his own momentum to fling him into a tree nearby, but it didn't seem to have much effect. He instantly stood up and charged at her. Lucy brushed a hand over her keys, wishing she could summon one of her spirits.
"I'm sorry, Bunny Girl," he whispered. "You can't use your keys. Even though they're spirits, they're still outside forces. If you bring them out, I won't come back. I'll go insane thinking that they're trying to take you away from me. You could get caught in the crossfire. Plus, I know you'd kick my ass for hurting one of them."
Lucy sighed at this new revelation. She was glad he was explaining it all to her now that they were planning on mating, but she hated it. "So, this is one of those times that my being a Celestial mage really hinders me," she whispered. "If I used any other type of magic, then I would be able to use it against you to stop you."
He pulled her close and nodded. "Yeah. I know it's not what you wanna hear, but it's just how it has to be."
She had to think fast. He wasn't tiring in the slightest and only seemed to grow more agitated as she evaded him. What can calm him down… She ran around a tree quickly, using it to create a barrier between the two of them. There was the tell-tale sound of his arm shifting again, and she got a small peek at the sharp edge of his blade before she ducked down and covered her head.
The tree was in his way. She was on the other side. His arm shifted to his sword and he instantly cut down the offending barrier. He let out another growl when she squealed, but he couldn't see her. Gajeel quickly stalked around the tree, searching for his prize. She wasn't there.
As Lucy heard him coming around the stump he had created, she scrambled to her feet and ran back into the clearing. She smiled when he didn't seem to notice her right away, but her good mood vanished when her foot caught on a root and she toppled to the ground. A sharp pain shot through her knee, but she ignored it and got back up. Luckily the pain dulled right away and she was still able to run.
Blood. Her blood. Gajeel let out a ferocious roar and followed the scent of her blood back to the clearing. She was bent over, her hands on her knees as she panted. He charged at her again, hoping this time he would catch her. She was his to claim.
Lucy heard his heavy footfalls and turned just as he was about to reach her. She did the only thing she could, and gave him a Lucy Kick. And failed.
He saw her muscles tense up as she prepared to attack him, and grabbed her leg before she could land the hit on his jaw. He growled again, then stopped. There was something wet on his hand and it made it hard to keep his grip on her leg. Gajeel looked down and saw the blood he had smelled. It was covering her shin and ankle.
Lucy had no idea what was happening. When he had caught her mid-kick, she ended up dangling in the air. Her body refused to move when he growled at her, and she recognized that it was a growl of victory. Then, he stopped.
Mine… Blood… Gajeel frowned at her leg. She shouldn't be bleeding. Something had hurt what was his. He sat her down and hovered over her leg, trying to find out why she was hurt. Something had hurt what was his, and he would make it pay. Another growl rumbled in his chest.
Lucy really had no idea what to do. She thought she was dead when he sat her on the ground, but then he just glowered at her leg like it was offending him. Then, she saw it. From her knee down was covered in her own blood. Must have gotten a pretty good gash when I fell, she thought. She tried to pull it away from him, but his hand shot to her thigh and he turned to face her, baring his teeth and growling at her.
He looked back to her injury. Blood… Mine… Hurt… She was hurt. Gajeel was torn between finding and killing what had dared to touch what was his, and helping her. His grip on her thigh loosened when he felt her relax, and he moved his hand as gently as possible to the gash in her knee.
Lucy watched as Gajeel's focus revolved only around her injury. She couldn't believe that he had stopped chasing her because she was hurt.
"I'll never let anything hurt you. It's my job as your mate to keep you safe. Dragon's protect what's theirs."
When Gajeel's fingers finally touched her injury, although it was light, Lucy flinched and hissed in pain.
Gajeel frowned and pulled his hand away. She was injured and in pain. She tried to move away from him again and he growled in warning. When she stilled once more, he picked up her leg and brought it to his mouth.
Lucy's mouth was hanging wide open. Gajeel had lifted her leg up and started to lick her wound clean. She knew that she couldn't move, he had given her several warnings already and she didn't want to find out what would happen if she disobeyed him right now. She could only stare at him while he cleaned every drop of blood from her leg. When he moved to the knee, she flinched again, but was surprised when it didn't hurt for him to clean it. His tongue smoothed over the wound, widening and creating an oddly soothing sensation to radiate through her.
When he had stopped the bleeding, and her leg was clean, Gajeel put it back on the ground. Hurt… Mine… Hurt… He frowned at the wound again. He had failed. He didn't protect her. He let out a small whimper as he stared at his failure. She was his to claim, but he didn't keep her safe.
The noise that left Gajeel broke Lucy's heart. She knew he still wasn't himself, otherwise he would be grumbling about her being clumsy. He looked as if he was ashamed of something, and she thought she had an idea of what it was. An idea came to her, and she acted on it. It could backfire, and it was risky as hell, but so was this whole ritual they were going through. Refusing to think on it too much, Lucy shot forward and tackled him to the ground. Once she had him on his back, she instantly brought her nose to his neck and inhaled his metallic and cinnamon scent.
Gajeel was surprised by her. He fell backwards with her on top of him, and she nuzzled his neck. A dragon's sign of forgiveness and gratitude. His chest rumbled in approval of her actions while her strawberry scent surrounded him again.
Lucy slowly moved from his neck to his face, just like she had done earlier in the night. She avoided his lips, remembering that he told her his mouth wasn't to be trusted until he was back to normal. She felt like a cat as she rubbed her cheek against his, her nose against his studded nose, then returned to nuzzling his neck. He purred. She knew that he would never admit it, but that's what the sound was. Lucy's hands sought out his hair, and her nails lightly ran across his scalp. It's my job to calm him down. I know what to do…
The tension in Gajeel's body faded. She forgave him. She was thankful for him taking care of her. She was his. As Lucy continued to rub her face along every part of his own, the fog in his mind started to clear. Gajeel felt himself slowly returning to normal, and when he was completely in control of his body, his hands slid up and around Lucy's small frame.
Lucy tensed when she felt him wrap his arms around her, worried that she had made a mistake.
"Mmm…" he moaned in disappointment, "Don't stop, Bunny Girl." He didn't know when his eyes had closed, but he was enjoying the attention she was giving him.
Lucy smiled when she heard his voice. It was a little hoarse, probably from all that roaring and growling he'd done, but his words proved that he was back. She pressed a soft kiss to the piercings in his left ear, then nuzzled him again and again. He started purring again and drew lazy circles across her back. Every time she stopped paying attention to his neck or hair, he would whine and squeeze her lightly. Finally, she giggled at his actions.
Gajeel peeked one eye open and whispered, "What's so funny?"
She smiled against his neck. "You. I feel like a cat rubbing my face all over you, but when I stop—" she stopped. As expected he whimpered, causing her to giggle again. "When I stop you do that."
He shrugged and said, "Feels good." With a soft smile that she rarely ever saw, he whispered, "Plus, you forgave me…"
"Forgave you?" she asked, her eyebrows drawn together in confusion. "What did you do wrong?"
His smiled faded, and was replaced with a sour look. "You got hurt. I'm supposed to keep my mate safe, and I failed."
"I tripped, Gajeel… I always trip," she said with a smile of her own. "I wasn't mad to begin with, so how did I forgive you?"
Gajeel leaned up slightly and pressed his nose to her neck, inhaling the sweet scent of strawberries before rubbing against the creamy skin. "Like this. For dragons, that's a sign of forgiveness or gratitude… or both. It can also be used to show remorse and the desire for forgiveness." He sighed happily as he laid his head back down on the ground. "You doing that told me that you forgave me for failing, and that you were glad I took care of you. It brought me back…"
Lucy smiled softly at him, then said, "I'll keep that in mind for the future." She bit her bottom lip, feeling unsure of herself for a second, then asked, "Is it safe to kiss you now?"
Gajeel laughed and leaned up to press his lips to hers. They were soft and sweet, just how he remembered them. "Safe as can be, Bunny," he murmured between kisses.
Lucy pulled back slightly and smirked at him. "Your mouth is not a safe place… Not with all those… sharp… teeth." She had started smirking, but the longer she looked at the faint glint of fangs in the moonlight, the more she wanted to feel them pressed to her skin. She loved how it felt when he gave her little lovebites, and she wondered how it would feel if he bit just a little harder. Her tongue darted out to wet her lips.
He could smell the arousal wafting off of her, and knew that the next part was starting. While he still had control of himself, he said, "You might wanna take your clothes off… Unless you feel like walking home naked later."
Lucy was broken from her trance by his words, and pulled herself up to sit on the ground next to him. She watched his muscles flex as he removed his shirt, and licked her lips again when she saw each of his prominent muscles revealed from their hiding place under the cloth.
Gajeel chuckled. "I'm serious, Bunny." He kicked his boots off, then removed his pants. He could tell from Lucy's perusal of his naked body, and the spike in her arousal that floated through the air, that she was enjoying what she saw. When she made no move to do as he suggested, he smirked and said, "Guess I'll have to do it myself then."
Lucy barely registered Gajeel slowly pushing her to lie back on the grass, since she was more concerned with what he had kept hidden under his clothes. After one and a half years, the sight of him naked still sent shivers down her spine and put her into a lust-filled stupor.
Gajeel lowered his lips to hers, and kept the kiss as gentle and innocent as he could while he removed her clothes. First her top and bra, with an accompanying groan of approval from him when her mounds were set free and puckering against the cool air. Then her shoes, skirt, and—Oh man, he thought—red lace panties. In that moment, Gajeel understood why Lucy had looked at him the way she had. He realized then that they had gone two months without sex. Two months of him not being able to touch her, feel her come apart around her, hear his name screamed into the sky as she found her release. Gajeel's mouth had gone dry as he looked down at her, lying naked on the lush green grass that surrounded them.
Lucy smiled and thought, I've missed this. It was true. She had missed everything that she and Gajeel had. Her heart raced and a blush crossed her cheeks in anticipation of finally becoming his mate. She would be a liar if she said that she wasn't nervous. It was almost as if this was her first time all over again. Gajeel had been the one since the beginning, and he was the only man that knew her body. She shivered as another chilly breeze passed over her, and felt her nipples tighten in response.
Gajeel saw her shiver, watched as the tips of her breasts puckered in response to the wind, and slowly lowered himself between her legs. He pressed tightly against her and ran a hand though her hair, tucking the stray strands behind her ear. His eyes closed as her hands slid up his arms, massaging his biceps, and he leaned down to kiss her again. He could feel his need to claim her rising and knew that he didn't have long before his instincts took over. He wished that he could do this himself, claim her with his mind intact. That just wasn't how it was done. He pulled away from the kiss, laying his head on her shoulder and taking deep breaths while he felt his mind go into a haze again. "Love you, Bunny," he whispered just before he was pulled under.
Before Lucy could respond, she sensed the change in him. A violent shudder went through Gajeel as he hovered over her, then a growl rumbled in his chest. Her heart started to race, not fueled by fear but by excitement. The hard part is over, she thought, Now it's time to enjoy the ride. Gajeel's teeth nipped lightly on her collarbone, and she whimpered with need. Lucy tangled her hands in his hair and arched her back, pushing her chest closer to his and moaning from the friction between them.
Gajeel's hand shot to her breast as it rubbed against him, and he roughly palmed it. Lucy's moans made him crave more. "Mine," he growled as he pressed himself firmly against her core.
"Ngh!" Lucy's hips rolled against him and she wished he was already deep inside of her. She had ached for him for too long, and needed to feel him right then. She yanked his head up, giving him a sultry smirk when he growled at her, then slammed her lips onto his.
It was all the permission his inner dragon needed from her. Gajeel bit her lower lip and sucked it into his mouth before dominating the kiss. He groaned as her tongue slid against his own. Shuddered when her legs moved like silk to wrap around his hips. There was no foreplay. When he was in his right mind, he had the chance for that. She needed to be claimed before he could allow any such luxuries.
Lucy quickly reached between them and wrapped her fingers around his shaft. As she stroked him, she smiled when she felt each of the piercings that adorned his proud member. Gajeel instantly began thrusting into her hand, and she wasted no time is lining him up at her entrance.
He broke away from her lips and nibbled along her jaw to her neck. "Mine," he growled again as he prepared to claim her as his for good.
"Yours," she whispered. It was the softest of sounds carried away on the wind, but she knew he heard her.
One word. The word. Gajeel slammed himself into her core and clamped his jaw on her neck at the same time. He felt the smallest amount of her blood trickle into his mouth as he licked the wound he'd made.
She couldn't remember having felt so full in all of her time with Gajeel. Lucy moaned and tried to roll her hips in an attempt to make him move, but he growled at her in warning. She stilled and then felt him tenderly lick the bite on her neck.
Once he had deemed it thoroughly cleaned and cared for, he lifted himself up and pulled his hips back slowly. With a snap of his hips, he filled her again. That had set him off at a relentless pace, the only sounds around he could hear was the smacking of his skin against hers and her moans. He couldn't stop himself from plunging so forcefully inside of her, but as he continued her screams and the fluttering of her walls around him made him want more. Gajeel's hands reached under her and lifted her hips from the ground, allowing him to increase his speed.
Her climax was close. She was standing on the precipice, waiting to fall over the edge, when he lifted her hips. She didn't think it was possible for him to pound into her any faster than he was, but Gajeel found a way. Lucy's head normally would have flown back as her body found its release, but this time she leaned forward letting loose a growl of her own. Her own teeth were bared as she bit down on Gajeel's neck, and she felt the skin break against them. She couldn't understand what had driven her to do it, but she didn't care. There was no time to lick his neck clean as he had done for her when he shifted their positions again.
Gajeel pulled Lucy flush against his body, lifting her so that she was poised in his lap. His hands gripped her hips like a vice as he pulled her down onto him. Harder and harder until she was incapable of forming words. Every sound that left her was a moan, a heaving breath, even a growl. She clawed at his back as she crested over another climax, but he couldn't stop.
When Lucy returned to herself, she decided it was time to have some fun. She pushed against Gajeel's chest and started to ride him as soon as his back hit the ground. His pace never faltered, and even in this position he was the dominant partner. She tried everything in her power to keep up with the brutal pace he had set, but still relied on his bruising grip on her hips to keep her going. Every roll of her hips brought a new wave of pleasure washing through her, and her nails dug into his chest as she tried to stay upright. She whimpered when her walls fluttered again, already unsure of how much more she could take. Her arms began to shake along with her legs, but he never slowed down. Never stopped.
Lucy's body clenched painfully around Gajeel, and the small part of him that was witnessing their mating saw exhaustion hit her. Tears started to stream down her face, and his heart broke. Gajeel rolled Lucy over and pinned her to the ground once more. He grabbed her hands and slammed them up and over her head. "More," he growled against the untainted skin on the other side of her neck.
"Please, Gajeel…" she begged. It was too much for her. She couldn't handle any more, but she knew he wouldn't stop until she was completely his. She whimpered again when she felt him sink his teeth into the other side of her neck, felt him lick away any traces of blood from the injury. He continued nipping at her skin and pulled away with a feral look in his eyes. Lucy's eyes widened as she saw his skin morph into metallic scales, his irises becoming red slits. She whimpered as he continued to plow into her depths, and winced when she realized that he was completely metal.
Gajeel kept her hands pinned above her with one of his own, then slid the other down her body to tease her sensitive bundle, causing light scratches on her torso with his now metallic nails. At the slightest touch, she quivered around him and arched her back. He sucked on any part of her skin that he could reach. Lowered his mouth to her breasts and nibbled on the soft mounds. Every time his teeth bit into her skin, he made sure to clean every drop of her blood away. The metallic taste to her blood only made him want to taste her more. It was sweeter than any metal he had ever had, and it only made him bite down harder. Gajeel moved his head back up to her shoulder, and with a ferocious growl he bit down with all the force he possessed into the tender muscle there.
"AGH! Ga… Gajeel!" she screamed as he bit her right when she went over the edge. She couldn't tell what was painful and what wasn't. Every time his teeth grazed her, or he sucked too hard on her skin, he would also flick his finger across her small pearl. She was starting to worry though when she felt his jaw clamp shut on her shoulder, and he made no attempt to remove his teeth like he'd done before.
Gajeel's consciousness watched in horror as mark after mark was left on Lucy's body. He could see she was in pain, but she was also feeling intense pleasure. There was confusion in her eyes, and he hated it. He hated that she had to endure this. It should have been him with her while he claimed her as his mate and not some archaic instinct that treated her like a piece of meat. He mentally pushed against the barrier that had held him back, fought the haze that was clouding his mind. I need to help her, he shouted to himself. Again and again he fought against it, hoping that he could break through free from the instincts and get to his Lucy. It was while he was trying to force his way out that he realized his mistake. Gajeel should have figured out that Lucy wasn't the only one that would be tested during their mating; she had to find a way to calm him, but he also had a test. He had to learn to control his instincts for the sake of his mate. With this new knowledge, he pushed harder against the haze surrounding him until he finally broke free.
Lucy watched as Gajeel's head flew back, feeling a sharp pain in her shoulder as his teeth ripped away from it, and a roar spilled from his throat. His violent and relentless pace faltered. Then stopped. He let go of her hands and his whole body shook as his head dropped back down. His hair cascaded around them and she could see that his face was screwed up almost as if he was in pain. His red eyes were blocked from her view and she could see his jaw clenching and unclenching as he panted through his gritted teeth. Slowly, the metallic scales that covered his body faded to reveal his tanned skin.
He felt her hand tentatively brush against his cheek, so he opened his eyes to look at her. She tensed for a moment, staring into his eyes. Some sort of understanding sparked in her chocolate brown orbs, and she pulled him down to her and wrapped her arms around him in a fierce hug. His heart shattered when he felt her body shaking from her sobs, and all he could do was bury his nose in the juncture of her neck and shoulder and hope that she would forgive him. He should have known it was another test, only he was the one being tested that time.
Lucy couldn't help but cry when she saw Gajeel. Her Gajeel looking back at her. There was no animalistic glint in his eyes, but there was guilt and sadness. She didn't care that he was still firmly planted within her, or that they were naked in a forest clearing. What she cared about was that he was back. She smiled through her tears when she felt him rubbing his nose in the crook of her neck. She tried to tell him that she forgave him, but couldn't get her words out through her tears. She slowly pulled his head away from her and tried to smile even though she saw rejection in his eyes. Slowly, and very carefully, she raised her head and forgave him the only way she could—the only way a dragon understands.
Gajeel heaved a sigh of relief when she gently rubbed her face against his. He couldn't believe that he had let her get hurt so badly. All because he didn't realize soon enough that it was a test for him. He looked down at her, and winced at the amount of marks that were littering her skin. "Lucy," he whispered.
She stopped nuzzling against him and frowned at him.
"Bunny?" he asked, tilting his head to the side. When she beamed at him and nodded, returning to her nuzzling, he couldn't help but smile. "I'm so sorry. I should have realized sooner…"
When she tilted her own head to the side, she tried to ask what he meant, but her voice was hoarse from her earlier screams. She decided it might be best to rest her throat while she had the chance. There was a nagging feeling in the back of her mind that they weren't done yet.
"The ritual…" he sighed. "You were tested to see if you could calm my raging instincts. I was being tested, too. But… I wasn't ever told about that part." Gajeel's eyes closed as Lucy moved her fingers over the piercings in his brow. He already knew what she wanted to ask, so he said, "I saw everything through a fog. I couldn't do anything about what my body was doing to you at the time. I didn't think I was supposed to. But then… I saw the look in your eyes, the pain and confusion you were feeling… and… the marks all over you…"
"Shh," she whispered. One of the few noises she could make at that point.
"The worst part is that it's not done," he whispered as he leaned back into her embrace. "There's one last part, but now I understand why it exists. Claiming was my test, and the fact that I broke through means that I passed, I guess. Then there's marking. Then mating."
Lucy was thoroughly confused by that point.
"For me to mark you, I have to bite you again. Only I also have to send a small amount of my magic into the bite. With that, you'll have a mark associated with my metal." He looked at her and waited until she nodded in understanding. Then, he continued. "Mating, which is something I always thought was redundant, is us actually mating." He sighed heavily.
Lucy tapped his forehead lightly and cocked her head to the side again.
His red eyes looked deeply into her brown ones, and he said, "It won't be like this… not based on instincts… I can feel it, like I always knew it deep down. It'll be just me and you, the way we wanted."
Lucy smiled softly at him, her eyes filled with understanding. She tried to lift her other arm to his face, then grunted from the pain that ran down it. The shoulder he bit, she thought sourly. She didn't blame Gajeel, because it wasn't him that had done it. That didn't make it hurt any less. Lucy bit her lips as she tried to ignore the pain she was feeling, but saw Gajeel's eyes studying her and then her shoulder.
His eyes widened when he saw the damage that had been done to her. His mate. Her shoulder was completely torn open, the shape of his bite clearly evident. He could even see some areas where there were only punctures from his teeth. The majority of it, however, was ripped open and slowly bleeding. He leaned down and felt her tense beneath him—he flinched internally at her fear of him—then he slowly cleaned the wound he had made. At first, when he was younger, he had thought it was weird to lick a wound clean. Metallicana explained that it helped it heal faster, and that humans were the only creatures that didn't do it because they were idiots with disgusting mouths. When Gajeel had asked why he should do it—since he was also human—his father told him that one of the many traits he gained with his magic was a more animalistic side. Apparently that also translated to licking wounds clean.
Lucy sighed in relief as his tongue brushed across her injury. While she had thought it was weird earlier, now she found that it was soothing. Some primal part of her was twirling in happy little circles that Gajeel was caring for her so tenderly at that moment.
He staunched the blood flow and looked meekly back into her eyes. He was utterly surprised when he saw her smiling lovingly at him, and even more surprised when she pulled him down for a kiss. Lucy's tongue flicked across his lower lip and she moaned against him when she tasted the metallic tang of her own blood.
She pulled away to look at Gajeel and whispered, "Well, if we're not done then let's finish this ritual and go home. I'd rather be with you in our bed."
Gajeel lowered his lips to hers and growled lightly at her words. He had hurt her enough, and didn't want to cause her more pain, but she was right. She had endured so much in a single night that she was more than deserving of becoming his mate. "I promise I'll be gentle, Bunny," he said between kisses.
Lucy shivered in delight, her pain forgotten for the moment, when she felt the calloused pads of Gajeel's fingers caressing her skin. She winced when he started to pull himself from her, then pushed slowly back in. There were no similarities between when they had started and now. In the beginning, while he was all instinct, he had been rough and demanding, pounding into her with a force she never could have imagined. He had used his teeth as a form of pleasure and pain for her. With Gajeel in his right mind, he was slow and careful of each wound she had endured. She didn't feel him nip against her skin once while he kept his slow pace. In fact, he seemed to be making his way to each of her small injuries and pressing his lips to them.
He felt like he was worshipping a goddess. As far as Gajeel was concerned, Lucy was just that. She hadn't deserved any of the marks she had received while his consciousness was locked away, and he peppered each one with soft, apologetic kisses. He refused to lose control with her again, and kept his urge to pound into her until she was a blubbering mess on a tight leash. His arm wrapped around her, under her head, and his other hand brushed lightly up and down her thigh. It was slow, slower than they had ever gone before—even when he had taken her virginity—but it was perfect. He felt his release building along with hers, and knew that he had to mark her before they finished mating.
Lucy was moaning long and low at the feel of Gajeel's tender and gentle thrusts. She felt every inch of him withdrawing until only his tip was sitting at her entrance, then he would push back in equally slowly until she was gripping all of him. She rolled her hips experimentally, testing to see if she was in too much pain, and smiled into his kiss when she found it only gave her more pleasure. Her breath caught in her throat as he hit that special spot inside of her, and she felt a growl vibrate through his chest. "Faster," she whispered.
Gajeel shook his head, refusing to hurt her any more than he already had.
"Please, Gajeel…" she was begging. Her climax had reached a plateau, and she needed more to keep climbing.
"I won't hurt you," he said through gritted teeth. He dropped his head to her good shoulder and closed his eyes. He didn't want to lose control again.
Lucy rolled her eyes. She knew he wouldn't hurt her, regardless of what had happened earlier. She looked down and smirked as she saw his neck stretched out in front of her, her earlier bite mark still bleeding lightly. Lucy leaned up and brushed her tongue along the teeth marks in his neck. She felt a shudder run through him, but he didn't waver. I need more, she thought. She kept licking him until her brain said she was finished, then wrapped her arms around his back. She marveled at the prominent muscles, massaging them as they tensed and contracted with each of his thrusts.
"Bunny, I have to mark you…" he said, sounding unsure even to himself. He pulled her hands away from his back and looked into her eyes. When she smiled reassuringly at him, he lowered his mouth to her wrists, biting each one and transferring a small amount of his magic into the punctures from his fangs. Normally, it would have been on her neck or shoulders, but he had bitten her so many times while he was in that haze that there wasn't a viable place anywhere.
Lucy felt an odd warming sensation run through her whole body after he marked her. There was a deeper connection forming between the two of them, and she felt every part of it. As it reached to the tips of her fingers and toes, she felt Gajeel shudder against her. Some part of Lucy decided it was time to emerge, maybe even a part that was latent until she was marked. She managed to roll him over onto his back again, smirking at the surprised look on his face. She kept the slow pace he had set as she raised both of his wrists to her mouth, and repeated what he had done. Lucy didn't know how she did it, she didn't even realize it was possible to transfer magic into a bite mark until that night, but that small part of her was telling her what she needed to do. After running her tongue along each mark, Lucy pinned his hands above his head and grinned.
"What—" Gajeel groaned as he felt warmth spread from the bites on his wrists. It felt right, as if he was becoming whole. He didn't even realize there was a part of him missing, but it was being filled with that warmth.
Lucy leaned down, pressing her chest tightly to his and licked the shell of his ear. When he shivered at her touch, she whispered, "Mine." Before he could react, she pushed herself onto him a little more forcefully, rolling her hips as her pelvis met his.
Gajeel stared wide-eyed as Lucy ground herself against him, her eyes fluttering closed as her climax started to build at a rapid rate. His hips twitched slightly, his body wishing it could join in, and she moaned loudly. He slowly flexed his hips to meet her, and groaned when she picked up in speed.
Lucy was so close, and knew that Gajeel was too. His breathing had become uneven, his abs tightening deliciously as he tried to hold back. "Are you mine?" she whispered sensually, reveling in the growl he let loose.
Gajeel quickly sat up, wrapping his arms around Lucy's waist and pulling her flush against his chest as she continued to ride him. He brought a hand up to tangle in her hair, and just before he spilled himself inside of her, he growled out, "All yours."
Lucy's body tensed as her core clenched around him. Her head wanted to fly back with the force of her orgasm, but Gajeel's hand kept it in place. Chocolate brown eyes stared into gleaming red as they came apart together. She felt Gajeel's hand pressing lightly against her head, and leaned down to capture his lips while their bodies still shook in the aftermath.
Gajeel had no idea how long they sat in the clearing, but when Lucy shivered and cuddled closer to him as a gust of chilly air blew past, he knew they needed to get home. He slowly and carefully withdrew himself from her and sat her on the grass. Then, he stood up and grabbed their clothing as quickly as he could. He threw on his pants and boots, grabbed her keys, whip and shirt, then walked back over to her. Kneeling down next to Lucy, he wadded up her shirt and pressed it firmly over the gaping hole in her shoulder. She glared at him at for a second, most likely for the misuse of her clothing, but he just glared right back. "You can wear my shirt, since you're too banged up to wear anything constricting right now. I'll take you home and get you all bandaged up, okay Bunny?"
Lucy's icy stare instantly melted, and she smiled and gave him a small nod. After he put the huge shirt on her, she giggled when she looked down at herself. "I'm drowning in fabric!" she shouted with a smile still on her lips.
Gajeel picked her up, careful of the injuries she had, and walked out of the clearing towards their house.
It had been a month since Gajeel or Lucy had gone to the guild. He refused to let her leave until every one of the marks he'd left on her had healed, silently adding that he didn't want any of those perverts ogling his woman. When she told him to call Wendy over to speed up the healing process, saying that the young girl would understand, he growled at her. Lucy was quickly learning how overprotective her mate could be. When she brought it up that morning, he growled again, but sighed when she glared at him.
"Look," he said, taking her small hands into his large ones, "It's gonna be a bit before I calm the fuck down with this shit. It's still new, and everything inside of me is saying that no one can come near you. Why do you think Lily has been staying with Wendy and Carla?"
Lucy thought about it for a moment, then nodded. "Alright," she conceded. There were just some things she had to let slide—especially when he was admitting that it was part of being newly mated. "But, can we at least let the guild know that everything's okay? We didn't come back that night after everything that had happened, and I'm sure they're worried about us."
Gajeel snorted then said, "If they're smart, they'll listen to Natsu and Laxus. Hell, even Wendy knows it's not safe to go near a new mate."
Lucy sighed. That's what I'm worried about. As if on cue, there was a knock on the door and a muffled call of "Lucy!" that could only have come from one such idiot.
Gajeel growled and stomped over to the door. "She's busy," he said flatly when he opened it to see Gray standing there half-naked.
"Just let me talk to her," Gray said through gritted teeth. He wanted to know that she was okay. Regardless of what the other Slayers said, he had to see for himself. It had been a whole month, and she still hadn't come back to the guild.
"You're gonna stay the fuck away from my mate, or I'll rip your face off and wear it as a mask, Stripper." Gajeel was seething, his vision turning red at the man's refusal to back down. His instincts were running on high, the need to keep his mate safe while she healed the only thing that was important to him.
Gray blanched at the threat, instantly picturing Gajeel running around with his face and scaring the shit out of little kids. He quickly shored up his resolve and stood firmly in the doorway. "I'm not leaving until I see her."
Gajeel snarled, his body tensing to lunge at the Ice Make mage, but Lucy stepped up behind him and placed her hand on his forearm. He relaxed, but only slightly. She smiled softly as her hand moved down to the small stars that adorned the inside of his wrist. As soon as her fingers touched it, she knew he felt a wave of calm wash over him. One of the perks of being mated, she thought, Instant relaxation. "Gajeel," she whispered. It was loud enough for only him to hear her. "Let me tell him that I'm fine, and then he'll leave. I'll make sure he doesn't come back."
Gajeel's head turned to look at her worriedly. She was wearing a tube top—had been wearing them for the past few days while she healed—since it was the only thing that didn't rub against her marks. He knew that Gray would see them and think the worst. Hell, her shoulder wasn't even bandaged right then. He hadn't gotten a chance to put the new bandage on yet. She kept tracing small circles on his wrist, knowing full well how it would keep him from killing the man at the door. Finally, he sighed in defeat and wrapped his arm around her waist.
Gray's eyes widened in shock and horror at the sight of Lucy. She was covered in mottled bruises, faint scratches, and clearly had bite marks from her jaw to the top of her shirt. His mouth dropped open, and everything turned to pure rage when he saw the gaping wound on her shoulder that was only partially healed. "What the fuck did you do to her?!" he yelled. He made a grab for Lucy, hoping to pull her away from the monster inside the house, but Gajeel pushed her behind him and snarled.
"Keep your hands off of her, Ice Prick," Gajeel warned, a series of growls rumbling through him.
"I should be saying the same to you! What kind of man does tha—" Gray's rant was quickly cut off by a flaming fist to his face. Then, he was grappled around his neck and dragged roughly across the street, kicking and flailing at his assailant.
"I told you to stay away from here!" Natsu shouted. He threw Gray to the ground and quickly pinned him before the man could make a move towards the house. "Do you have a death wish or something?!"
"Lucy's beaten all to hell!" Gray shouted back. He couldn't understand how Natsu was protecting that bucket of bolts instead of Lucy.
Natsu could still hear menacing growls coming from the open door, and a quick glance told him that Gajeel was about to lose it. It was one thing for someone—especially a man—to come near his new mate. Gajeel's anger and protective nature was justified. It was wholly different when another Slayer came near the mate this early on. Natsu being a male Dragon Slayer was only making it worse. "Lucy!" Natsu shouted. "Stop Gajeel before he kills us!" He grabbed Gray by the neck and quickly dragged him down the street, away from the house.
Lucy couldn't hear her friend's words over the noises Gajeel was making. They seemed to be bouncing off the walls, and it was giving her a headache. "Gajeel," she whispered. Lucy put a hand to her head, wishing the noise would stop. "Gajeel…" She felt faint, and the room started spinning. She tried to grab onto him to steady herself, but missed and fell to the floor.
The soft thud made Gajeel wheel around in place, thinking someone was trying to break in and harm his mate. When he saw no threat, he looked down and saw Lucy on her knees holding her head. He instantly dropped down and ran his hands along her arms. She felt clammy and her skin had gone pale. "Bunny? You okay?" he whispered as she started shaking.
She wasn't okay. Lucy's stomach dropped even further than she did when she fell to the floor. Thankfully, Gajeel's growling had stopped when he saw her, so the ringing in her head was lightening up a little. She tried to look at him, but the room just started spinning, making her feel nauseous. She quickly scrambled down the hall to the bathroom, Gajeel hot on her heels, and emptied the contents of her stomach into the toilet.
In all the time he had been with her, Gajeel had never seen Lucy vomit. Sure, he had seen her sick, with her little nose turning red that was just adorable—not that he would ever admit ht. It was doing one hell of a job on his nose, but he pushed that aside and knelt down beside her. Between heaves, she was panting and whimpering. He pulled a hair clip from the counter and pulled her blonde locks away from her face, then massaged soothing circles on her back.
When she finally stopped, Lucy whimpered again. Her stomach was in knots, and it felt like it was trying to jump out of her body through her mouth. She felt extremely hot, like Natsu had wrapped himself around her, but still shivered as the cool air of the house hit her damp skin. She stood up shakily, and leaned against Gajeel as she washed her face and brushed her teeth.
"Come on," he whispered softly, his hand still rubbing her back. "Let's get you to bed. I'll make something to settle your stomach."
Lucy grimaced at the thought of food, but nodded anyway. They walked slowly back to the room, and she curled up in the blankets as soon as she laid down. She barely saw Gajeel grabbing a bucket and placing it on the floor next to her before he walked back out of the room.
He had no idea what to think in that moment. One minute, they were talking and laughing, then the Icy Bastard had to come by, and then she was puking her guts out. Gajeel scowled at the kitchen. He hated cooking, regardless of how proficient he was at it. It's for Lucy, he thought, and instantly made his way in. He knew she would need something bland, so he made her some regular oatmeal. He almost grabbed the strawberries from the fridge, but decided that she had to keep her food down before she could have anything else. As he made his way back to the bedroom, he realized the front door was still wide open. He walked over, slammed and locked it, then made his way back to her.
Lucy didn't want to open her eyes, she just wanted to take a nap. She grumbled at Gajeel for making her sit up, but was rewarded with delicious oatmeal—even if it didn't have strawberries like she preferred—for her efforts. It was odd. The oatmeal tasted better than it normally did, and when she finished the bowl, she figured out why. As Lucy licked the spoon clean, the metallic taste of the utensil filled her mouth. She growled at Gajeel as he tried to take it away to wash it, and almost fell over laughing at the shocked look on his face.
"Bunny? Give me the spoon," he said calmly, as if she was about to go on a rampage. She was acting like him with iron. Except, he had to make all of their utensils with his own magic so he wouldn't eat them.
"Mm-MM!" she said petulantly, the spoon still in her mouth. "Tastes good." Her words were muffled, but she could tell her understood her as his eyes widened again.
"Give me the spoon," he said again, his hand held out at a safe distance from her. He smirked at her and said, "Since when did you start eating met—"
His snarky comment was cut off by a loud crunching sound. "Mmm," Lucy moaned as she chewed. Her eyes closed while she tasted every bit of the spoon rolling around in her mouth. When her eyes opened again, she blushed at the look her mate was giving her. "What?" she asked as she took another bite.
"Uhh… Bunny?" He couldn't believe it. His mate was eating metal. He was pretty sure that was something that was reserved for him, being an Iron Dragon Slayer and all.
"Hmm?" Lucy's head tilted to the side as she pushed the last piece into her mouth.
"What the hell?" He knew it sounded harsh, but she was used to it. He couldn't find it in him in that moment to try and sugar-coat things.
Lucy shrugged, blushing slightly. "I have always wondered why you think metal is so delicious…" She stopped and thought for a second, then smiled. "I get it now."
"… Ooookay? But—"
"Hey can you bring me another spoon?"
"NO! What the fuck?!" Gajeel's mind was reeling. His eyebrows drew together as he vaguely recalled Metallicana mentioning something about this. But, he couldn't remember. "You know what? I'll be right back."
Lucy shrugged and handed Gajeel her empty bowl as he left. She was feeling better already, so she leaned back into the pillows and picked up the book on her nightstand. After a few minutes, Gajeel came back and sat cross-legged on the bed next to her, then put something in her hand. Lucy looked confused for a moment before she looked down and saw a small metal nugget. She smiled at him brightly and popped it into her mouth. Then spit it back out. "That's disgusting! What the hell is that?!" she shouted, trying to scrape the taste off of her tongue.
"Iron from the scrapyard…" he whispered. The gears were turning in his head, and he popped the piece of metal into his mouth. He moaned slightly at the taste of Lucy mixed with it, and savored the small piece while he thought. An idea popped into his head, and he channeled a small amount of magic into his hand. When he was done, he placed the newly formed iron nugget into Lucy's hand.
She stared at him for a second, her eyebrow raised, then slowly put the metal in her mouth. As soon as it touched her tongue, she moaned and started chewing it. Who knew I'd be able to chew through metal? This is kinda neat, she thought giddily. "Oh my god, Gajeel. That's delicious!" she said after she swallowed the tiny morsel. She stared longingly at him, then smirked as she crawled in his lap. "Can I have more?" she asked in a sultry voice.
"Uh, I guess?" he said softly. He had no idea what had come over the tiny blonde, but he wasn't going to deny her. Especially when she was feeling better. Hell, he thought, This could just be part of being my mate. Though, I wonder why it didn't happen sooner… He made a small pile of bite-sized iron pieces on the bed and watched in awe as Lucy devoured the whole thing.
After eating the last piece, Lucy smiled contentedly and wrapped her arm around Gajeel's neck. She slowly inhaled his metal and cinnamon scent and whispered, "Thank you. I feel loads better now."
Gajeel nodded and wrapped his arms around her waist. He was still completely confused, and a little worried that maybe she shouldn't be eating metal. Ha, he thought to himself, That's rich coming from you… As he held his mate in his arms, the memory of what Metallicana told him surfaced, and he went pale. He roughly pulled Lucy away from him and looked her up and down.
"What's wrong?" she asked with her brow furrowed.
He laid her down on the bed, and started to sniff her. He had to check for any changes in her scent.
"Um… alright… That's kinda weird," she said with a soft chuckle.
Gajeel shot off the bed and ran out of the room, shouting, "Be right back!"
Lucy giggled and rolled her eyes. The insanity of her morning had finally caught up to her, and Lucy decided to take a small nap. She burrowed under the blanket and snuggled into the pillow that Gajeel used, letting the smell of him wrap around her and lull her into a peaceful sleep.
Lucy woke up to hushed voices in the room. She could hear the rumble of Gajeel's voice, and another higher voice whispering near her, but she couldn't make out what they were saying. Slowly, she rolled over and opened her eyes. "Wendy," she whispered sleepily, "What are you doing here?"
The young Slayer's attention immediately went to Lucy, and she smiled. "Gajeel told me you weren't feeling well, so he asked me to come by and make sure you were okay." She walked over and sat down on the bed next to Lucy. "Would it be alright if I checked you out now?" she asked timidly.
"Sure," Lucy said with a soft smile. She rolled over onto her back as Wendy told her, then felt the young girl's magic coursing through her. It was warm and welcoming, and Lucy sighed happily. Her eyes moved across the room to Gajeel, and she frowned at how tense he was while he watched Wendy. "Gajeel," she whispered, gaining his attention, "Are you okay? You look like you're about to break something."
He gave her a curt nod, then returned his attention to Wendy. He had called her when he had rushed out of the room, and told her to come to the house quickly, saying that he would explain when she got there. As soon as she walked in the door, he had told her what happened that morning: Gray stopping by, Lucy getting sick, and then her eating a spoon and a whole pile of his iron. When he saw the shock written all over her face, he told her what Metallicana had said to him about this happening, and she nodded in understanding. They had agreed to wait until Lucy woke up from her nap for Wendy to check her over. He was worried. That was the only emotion he could possibly feel in that moment. It was bordering on scared shitless.
Wendy's face was a mask of concentration as she sent her magic into Lucy's body. She checked the blonde's vitals, and everything was normal. Then, she found the cause for Gajeel's suspicions. Keeping her face neutral, her magic stopped and she turned to the man in the corner and gave him a soft smile, then nodded. She laughed when he dropped to the ground, landing loudly on his rump with a dazed expression on his face.
"Um, what's going on?" Lucy asked, her eyes shooting from her mate on the ground to the giggling girl next to her.
Wendy leaned over and gave her a small hug, then said, "Gajeel will tell you when he regains his composure. I have to get going. You're fine, Lucy."
Lucy watched Wendy walk over to Gajeel and whisper something in his ear, then leave. She sat there for a minute and watched warily as he stood up and walked out of the room. Okay? Deciding that her mate had gone completely bonkers, Lucy grabbed her book once more and picked up where she had left off earlier that day.
Gajeel stood in the kitchen again, staring at the floor. Fuck… He had no idea what to do. Wendy had told him that Lucy needed to eat something so she could get up and moving around, but he was stuck. It was bound to happen one day, but he didn't think it would be so soon. His mind was whirling with conflicted emotions and thoughts, and he finally snapped out of it when he realized he needed to take care of his mate. That sole driving force caused him to move and start making her some lunch.
Lucy smiled when Gajeel brought a tray of food into the room. Sandwiches, soup, and two plates of metal, along with two glasses of water. She raised her eyebrow at him when he sat down next to her and said, "You know, I can eat out in the dining room. I'm not bedridden."
He placed a soft kiss to her temple and said, "Consider this as me spoiling you. Now eat, then I have to talk to you."
Lucy shrugged and kissed his cheek, then reached for a piece of metal only for her hand to get smacked away. "Hey!"
"That one's mine," he said bluntly. When she glared at him, he sighed and elaborated. "You were about to grab scrap metal. You said it tastes gross. The other one is yours, it's my iron."
Lucy blushed and nodded as she grabbed a piece of metal from the other plate. It was heavenly. After they had cleared every morsel of food from the tray she sat and looked expectantly at Gajeel. When he made no move to say anything, but continued to glare at the bedspread, she punched him lightly on the arm and said, "You wanted to talk to me about something…?"
He nodded, then grabbed the tray and walked back out to the kitchen. After a couple of minutes, he didn't feel any more ready to tell Lucy what was going on, but he knew he couldn't put it off any longer. He walked back into the room and cuddled up close to her, nuzzling her neck and trying to calm his nerves.
She could practically taste the tension in Gajeel. Lucy immediately began rubbing small circles along his arms and the marks on his wrists. "What is it? You know you can tell me anything."
"Don't you think it's weird that you are eating metal?" he asked softly. Maybe I can skirt around it for a bit…
Lucy paused, then shrugged again. "I figured it was a mate thing. Isn't it?"
Gajeel refused to pull himself away from her neck. She's gonna be so pissed at me… "No, it's not. Well, not entirely."
After a few minutes of silence, Lucy huffed and said, "Gajeel, tell me what's wrong."
He squeezed her lightly and shook his head.
"If you don't tell me, I'm gonna Lucy Kick you into the next town," she said quietly.
He knew that tone. Shit. "Promise you won't be mad?" he whispered. This conversation was not going how he had expected.
"Did you eat something you weren't supposed to?"
Gajeel shook his head.
"Break something?"
He shook his head again.
"Are you possibly scared to tell me that you're seriously into bondage, and you want me to spank you and call you a 'dirty little dragon'?"
Gajeel's head shot up from her neck and he glared at her. "No."
Lucy couldn't help but laugh. "Okay, you had me worried for a minute there."
He rolled his eyes, then buried his nose back into the comforting warmth of her neck.
Lucy's brow furrowed. Sure, Gajeel could be detached sometimes, and occasionally a real asshole when it came to communicating, but he was always open with her. She turned slightly and started running a hand through his hair. "I won't be mad. In the event that I do get mad, I'll try my best to hear you out, okay?" she said soothingly.
Gajeel sighed, and pulled her closer to him. Damnit Wendy. Why couldn't you have told her?! Gathering every last shred of his courage, he said, "You're uh… You're pregnant."
"EHH?!" Lucy shouted. She ripped herself away from Gajeel's grasp and stared at him in shock, then down at her stomach. Back to Gajeel. "What… how… when… Huh?!"
Gajeel closed his eyes and flopped onto the bed and nodded. "That's why you got sick this morning. And why you're eating my metal, but not any other kind."
Lucy let the news sink in. A baby. Gajeel and I are going to have a baby. She let the thought roll around in her mind for all of five seconds before she lunged at him.
He felt her spring off of the mattress at him, and screamed, "I'm sorry! Please don't kill me!"
Lucy's lips crashed down onto his, cutting off his pleas for mercy. She kissed every inch of his face, then beamed at him before running her nose along his. "Why would I kill you?" she whispered happily.
Okay, now I'm really confused. "Uh, because I got you pregnant?"
Lucy sat up straight and the grin on her face spread even wider. "And how is that a bad thing?"
His mouth dropped open. This was definitely not the reaction he was expecting from her. "Uh…"
Lucy rolled her eyes, her good mood incapable of leaving her any time soon. "Gajeel, we're gonna have a family…"
Family… He never had one. He didn't remember his parents, and the closest he had come to that was Metallicana. Then Lucy when she became his mate. "… Family?" he asked, slightly dazed.
Lucy nodded fervently. "Yep! You, me, and this little one." She placed her hands over her stomach and smiled softly. When she noticed that he was still spaced out, she gently grabbed one of his hands and placed it over her stomach.
Gajeel's eyes widened and he focused on where his hand was. Then he looked up at Lucy's face. Tears were welling in her eyes, ready to spill any moment. "Shit! I'm sorry! Fuck… I…" He sat up and wrapped his arms around her, hoping that he hadn't made her cry. He couldn't stand it when she cried.
The tears fell anyway. Lucy hugged her mate tightly and whispered, "Don't you want to have a family with me?"
"Of course I do!" he shouted without hesitation. Then paused. I do want a family… With Lucy…
She smiled at his outburst and said, "Well, then it looks like we'll have a little Dragon Slayer running around. I bet he'll give you a run for your money."
He smiled proudly at her and said, "Tch, nah. But he'll kick Natsu's ass…"
Lucy laughed at his sudden mood change, then added, "Yeah, before he's even out of diapers!" She leaned down and kissed Gajeel, letting her lips linger against his as it ended. "I have something to tell you, Gajeel."
Keeping his eyes closed, fully content in the moment he grunted in response.
"I'm hungry again," she said with a giggle.
He was only too happy to oblige.
The End...?
And that's it! So, what do you think? I know, a pretty long chapter for a measly two-shot, but I couldn't help myself. And, yay BABIES! Lol. Oh man. Good stuff there, I think.
Review, Follow, Favorite. Or whatever those doggone kids are doing these days with their Google machines and the Facebook!
Also, I was considering making this even longer. More of a snippet kinda thing. Lemme know if that's something you're interested in.
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My next update should be back to "He Might Be The One." I think I've spent enough time away from it… HA! A few days… So, yeah. Then, I'll be starting on my FreLu (RuneStar) soon-ish… maybe.