Author's Notes: Good news, everyone! I lied again about this being three chapters! I did a lot of thinking about what I wanted to do with this story and I found that ending it right now would be kind of abrupt; I wouldn't be able to fit everything I wanted to in this chapter. So, the story will continue! For how long? Probably one or two chapters, but not even I know...

I missed my self-imposed deadline by a few hours; if you were waiting up all night for this chapter then I'm sorry. Really, I am. It took me a bit to really get going and to turn this chapter into something I liked. But I did learn not to get ahead of myself; next time I'll actually plan out my stories instead of writing whatever comes into my head at the time.

Anyways, thank you so much to everyone who viewed, reviewed, favorited and followed. I'm amazed by the support I'm getting; you guys are the best!

It's Just That Time of Year Again

Chapter 3

By The Wumbologist

"Oh. So?"

Gray had to fight back a yawn as he rested his chin on his hand.

When Lucy had burst into the guild hall, sweaty, out of breath and yelling something about "mating season", the Ice Mage had been obviously worried. He had immediately gone to her side, helping her to a nearby bench and instructing her to take some deep breaths before she spoke.

When she had told him about her encounter with Natsu, about his bizarre behavior and about the reason behind why he acted so strange every August, Gray had been intrigued. Partly because he was curious as to where Natsu had gone after the scene he made earlier in the day, and partly because one of Fairy Tail's greatest mysteries had been solved; he had made a mental note to spread the word around the guild after he was done with Lucy.

However, when she had told him that Natsu had taken Wendy somewhere and was most likely going to do "something teenagers should not be doing" Gray just couldn't bring himself to care very much; not that he had tried very hard, mind.

It was painfully obvious from the look on the blonde's face, however, that his nonchalance was not appreciated. In fact, at his response Lucy had gone from worried to incredulous in no time flat.

"Gray, how can you not see the problem here?!" Lucy was yelling, clearly frustrated with him.

Gray, however, paid no mind. "I don't see what the big deal is. Why should I care what or who Natsu does in his spare time?"

He gave a small laugh before continuing. "Besides, this'll be good for Flame Brain; maybe afterwards he'll go back to his usual, idiotic self." Oh yes, he was waiting for the day the dumb dragon went back to normal; with everyone on edge it had been far too long since their last brawl... He was itching to beat the pink-head senseless and he was going to enjoy every minute of it.

Lucy, however, didn't share his sentiments at all. She continued to yell, heedless of the attention that she was drawing.

"You should care, Gray! Wendy is just a little girl! There's no way we can let Natsu just take advantage of her like that!" From beside her, Carla nodded in approval. It was clear to the young man that this was an issue that they just weren't going to let go of.

He let out a sigh. If this had been about anyone other than the two Dragon Slayers he would have been on Lucy's side but this was a different situation; the problem was explaining it in a way that would get Lucy to stop yelling in his ear...

"It just doesn't feel right; interfering with them. What's happening right now is... natural." He paused, trying to find the right words to support his point. "It's like it was meant to happen; they attracted each other and now they're off doing whatever dragons do. Those Dragon Slayers are different from us in some weird ways, Lucy. Hell, you said it yourself that they looked happy together..."

"Aye!" Happy, who had been quietly listening to the conversation thus far, suddenly decided it was a good time to lend Gray his support. "I think it's romantic; out of everyone they could have attracted, they found each other. They must be soul mates!"

That... wasn't really the point he was trying to make but he was grateful for the support regardless.

"Absolutely not!" Carla interjected suddenly, her face scrunched in indignation. "Wendy is NOT a dragon! She is a little girl who should be spending time with friends or doing jobs for the guild, not participating in this... 'mating season'. It's disgusting and I won't stand for it!"

Lucy nodded vigorously. "I can't believe you two! What would you do if Wendy got hurt? What if she gets PREGNANT?! She's way too young to become a mother!"

Well, crap, now that was a possibility. A Natsu Junior... He already had enough trouble dealing with the original, but two of them? He could see it now: Natsu and his miniature doppelganger running around the guild hall breathing fire everywhere, yelling at the top of their lungs and playing stupid tricks on everyone. That was a disaster waiting to happen; there was no way he would be able to handle that himself...

"If that does happen then I'll just have to have a son of my own! Like hell I'm going to let that bastard and his demon spawn do whatever they want! Me and Lil' G are gonna beat the crap outta them!"

It was a perfect plan; he would take Lil' G out to the mountains, they would strip down to their underwear and run laps in the snow, and soon after he would start teaching him the basics of Ice Magic. He would raise Lil' G to be the best damn Ice Make user there ever was! Then all they would have to do would be to return to the guild and lay a father-son beatdown on the dumb dragon and his goofy kid... It was a perfect plan!

A voice broke him away from his thoughts. "Gray-sama! Juvia heard everything! Oh, to see Gray-sama fantasizing about life as a parent! Juvia thinks Gray-sama will make an excellent father!"

Juvia was getting excited; he could practically see the stars in her eyes. Whatever she was going to say next, he had the feeling that he wouldn't like. "Gray-sama! Juvia is ready! Let Juvia bear your child! We won't lose to those Dragon Slayers!"

Yep. He didn't like it one bit. Okay, it was a terrible, terrible plan. Having a kid just so he could deal with Natsu and his not-yet-conceived son was not a good idea at all. He couldn't help the tinge of disappointment he felt, however. Looks like you'll have to wait a couple years Lil' G...

Fighting the urge to run far, far away from the obsessive Water Mage, he turned to look at the now-exasperated Lucy and Carla. At times like these, he found, it was best to just ignore Juvia; eventually she would fantasize herself into a stupor and he would be able to get some breathing room.

He cleared his throat. "Uh, anyways... You two are just assuming that they're going to do it. Natsu isn't the type of guy to do those kinds of things and Wendy is way too shy to even think about that stuff."

"Are you willing to take that chance, Gray?" A sharp voice suddenly interjected. "You would normally be right, but these aren't normal circumstances."

"Erza!" Lucy was obviously ecstatic; there was finally someone to take this seriously.

And she was serious, indeed. The Titania had come to join the group with a stern expression etched on her face. "Natsu certainly isn't the type to chase women, but right now he isn't being himself; he's being driven by instinct and that may lead him down a path that no one is ready for. The same is true for Wendy, as well. As their friends, we cannot allow them to give in to their desires and commit a mistake."

Her tone was final, leaving no room for discussion. She looked around the small circle, sizing up each member before speaking again. "We've wasted enough time talking; if we're going to stop them then we have to leave now. We'll split up into three groups of two and search the town."

Screw that! Erza clearly hadn't been listening to him. What gave them the right to interfere in Natsu's relationships? And more importantly, what gave them the right to tear him away from his drinking?

A sudden chill broke him from his thoughts, causing him to look up in surprise. He was an Ice Mage damn it; he did not get cold. Looking around confusedly, he saw the source: Erza was glaring daggers at him. The damn woman must have read his mind...

"Alright, alright. I got it..." He sighed in resignation. No getting out of this one...

"Juvia sees the look in your eye, Lucy!" The sudden declaration caused him to look over at his stalker, who was glaring at the Celestial Spirit Mage.

"W-What are you talking about?" The blonde was clearly surprised at the attention, meeting Juvia's glare with a confused stare of her own.

"Juvia knows your tricks! As expected, Juvia's love rival was planning to partner with Gray-sama and have his child while they were alone! Juvia won't let that happen! Juvia will be the one to group with Gray-sama and bear his child!"

Gray and Lucy could only stare in stunned silence at the Water Mage. Juvia always had some crazy fantasy, but a competition with Lucy for having his child? Seriously? The stalking he could put up with; it was harmless enough. But this... This was way too far. He would have to have a talk with Juvia and draw a line, before she tried to eat him or something.

After an awkward few seconds he managed to find his voice.

"... Can I have a different partner?"

"Natsu-san! This way!"

Wendy waved excitedly at the Fire Dragon Slayer from the top of the grassy hill she was standing on. She couldn't help but smile at the sight of the older boy making his way up the hill; they were close now to the top and it was almost time... She wanted things to be perfect when she showed him her favorite place in town.

As she watched him, she allowed her thoughts to turn to the afternoon they had spent together. Almost immediately after they had met Natsu had practically dragged her to his house where he excitedly showed her around. He bragged about the garden he planted; despite Happy's constant teasing he had managed to make something grow! He complained about the repairs he needed to do; the door was creaky, there were vines growing on his roof and when it rained sometimes a huge puddle would appear in the middle of the floor. He even made her his favorite dish; the curry had turned out to be way too spicy for her to eat, but she appreciated the thought.

Her favorite part, though, was when he showed her the trophies mounted on the wall of his bedroom. There were various souvenirs from every single mission he had ever taken and for each one there was an interesting story to tell. There was a necklace from Galuna Island; the demons from the village had given it to him as a present after Natsu had helped break their curse. There was some rubble from the Magic Council building which he had partially destroyed when rushed in to break Erza out of prison. There was even a small piece of the Lacrima he destroyed on Nirvana during his fight with Zero!

She had listened with admiration as he fondly recounted his adventures. Natsu spoke with such passion, such excitement, that she couldn't help but give him her full attention. The sparkle in his eyes, the enthusiasm and confidence he carried himself with, the tender feelings he communicated through his storytelling; the souvenirs he had collected over the years gave her an opportunity to see the aspects of Natsu that she adored.

When they had left, she had lingered a moment to stare longingly at the wall. Though the house was unkempt, dirty and in complete disarray, she felt the warmth emanating from every corner of the building; it was a true "home" in every sense of the word. Secretly she had wondered if she would ever have a place in Natsu's home as well.

He had then taken her on a stroll through East Forest. It was a place that he knew well; he and Happy would travel the forest all the time looking for monsters to fight or gathering fruits and herbs. The fact that the forest was home to all sorts of strange plants and magical creatures did nothing to stop the older Dragon Slayer from fooling around.

She couldn't help but laugh when Natsu fell into the fishing hole, a result of him trying to do a handstand on a fallen tree that stretched from one end to the other. At first he had looked embarrassed, but his face quickly took on a mischievous grin as he tried to splash her with water, yelling "Wings of the Water Dragon!" the entire time. He had even gathered up some water in his cheeks, chasing her through the forest and trying to spray her with his "Roar of the Water Dragon!".

By the time they had both dried off, the sun had begun to set. She knew it was about time to head home but she didn't want to leave him. Though it was only for a short few hours, her time with Natsu had been the best time of her life; the boy was a source of constant cheer, always with a dumb joke to tell or an enthusiastic grin to share. She wanted to hang around with him more but she couldn't invite him to her room; Fairy Hills had a strict "No boys allowed!" policy. She didn't want to head into town either; this was the first time she and Natsu had spent time alone and she wanted it to stay that way for as long as possible.

It was then that an idea came to her; she knew exactly where to go and had insisted that Natsu accompany her. To her relief the teen was intrigued and followed her excitedly, curiosity overtaking him as he tried to guess where she was leading him.

"Whoa! How did you find this place Wendy?" Natsu's excited voice brought her back from her reminiscing.

She watched, delighted, as Natsu stared in awe at the scene before them. It was evening now; the sun had just set beyond the horizon, allowing the first few stars to be seen in the night sky. Before them lay the splendor of the town they called home; the grassy hill they stood upon gave them a perfect view of the diverse landscape, from the mountains in the far west to the sea in the south. Underneath the rising moon, Magnolia town was illuminated by countless lights; the cathedral, the guild hall, even the train station were all alight with a soothing glow and the result was breathtaking.

This was Wendy's favorite place. A secluded spot to be alone with her thoughts. A romantic view of Magnolia, away from the hustle and bustle of city life. The skies stretched out endlessly. The winds blew pure and freely. For her, this was heaven on earth, and she was here sharing it with the person she adored.

"Do you like it, Natsu-san?" She prodded him quietly.

"It's awesome! I can't believe there was such an amazing place right near the town!" His enthusiastic response made her heart leap. She was able to show him a good time! This was going better than she could have hoped for!

As the older boy looked on in wonder at the town, a gentle breeze blew through the area. Wendy closed her eyes and took a deep breath, losing herself in her senses. Here on this isolated hill the air was fresh and pure, untouched by the smells of the town below. There were no hints of exhaust from the train or of alcohol and magic from the guild. The only traces on the air were of grass, the sky, and Natsu.

She took another deep breath. The smell of Natsu... It had drawn her before; she had easily picked it out from the hodgepodge of other smells in the town. Here, away from the scents of everyday life however, his unique smell hit her full on. The scent of earth, of nature, of smoke and fire.

It was good. It was really good. Natsu's scent had filled her nostrils, overtaking her senses and driving her wild. An intoxicating aroma... She wanted more! She wanted to press herself against him. To bury her face in the crook of his neck. To kiss him passionately and declare her love for him. He was right here and he was so close and he smelled so good...

When she opened her eyes she found herself lying on top of the pink-haired boy, arms around his neck and lips pressed against his own.

She jumped back in surprise, watching as the Fire Dragon Slayer sat up confusedly, touching his fingers to his lips. She had actually done it! She kissed him! To her surprise she didn't feel embarrassed or scared at all; in fact, it was the opposite. She was hungry; there were traces of Natsu on her tongue now. The taste of fire, of passion; it was even better than the smell!

Locking gazes with the older boy, she saw the same hunger she felt written all over his face. Just now, they had gotten a taste of one another and it wasn't enough. She felt his eyes run over her as he licked his lips then suddenly, with a low growl he pounced on her, pulling her into a passionate kiss that she eagerly returned.

At another taste of Natsu, strong and pure, all of her thoughts had left her, leaving only her desire to be as close to him as possible. She wanted to burn his very presence into her mind. She wanted to explore every inch of him and show him everything. And at the feeling of his tongue running down her neck, of his warm embrace and his weight on her small frame, she lost herself in her senses once more.

More Notes: So, how was that? Quite the ending eh? Honestly, I wrote and rewrote the first section; at first it was too long, then it wasn't funny enough and then I wasn't sure whether to include it or not at all. I was also waffling on the second part as well; I didn't really like using "the isolated romantic area" as a catalyst for their relationship but I actually really like how the whole section turned out anyways.

Also, I'd like to take a little time to give a shout out to the NatWen story that first introduced me to the pairing and got me to like it. It was called Let My Wind Spread Your Flames; unfortunately, the story was removed from the site a few days ago and the author is gone now. There was only one chapter; the author was also the lead writer (or something like that) for a Megaman fan project called Project Legends and it caused him to put his story on indefinite hiatus. So, it seems that the story will be forever discontinued. So, this paragraph is in remembrance for yet another great story that won't see an end. Good night, sweet prince...

And now, on to the reader responses!

Real Personal Trooper Type-0: Thanks so much for your review! This was EXACTLY the kind of review I was hoping for: you told me what you liked specifically about my story, you talked a bit about what other stories have done, and you gave me some insight into your preferences which really helps me when I write; knowing my audience's preferences is truly a great help.

Honestly, I'm not surprised that this idea has been done before. I haven't seen it before, entirely because I never read NaLu (not even the summaries!). You know, I'm glad you made that comment about the "innocence" thing; you gave me a lot to think about concerning how I wanted things to develop. Actually, it's because of this that I decided to lengthen the story instead of ending it right away. I'm also really glad that this story is different from those other mating season ones. I hope I can keep it up and give it a good ending.

You and me are like two halves of a whole; though I don't know about every anime/manga you listed, but from the ones I do recognize I can tell we have the same tastes. It's really refreshing to know that there are people like me out there in the world!

shadowmarialove: I don't like Lucy very much but surprisingly enough I find her perspective easy to write from. I'm going to take your comment about her as a sign that I did a good job representing her character, so thanks!

For characters I don't like, if they're going to be part of my stories I'm going to do my best to represent them as best as possible. I also won't stoop to character bashing (in the story at least :P).

Deathdakid 6789: You've got the addiction and I've got the goods. I'll be supplying as long as there are people out there buying ;)
As for an M rated fic, I don't think so. Lemons aren't my thing, unfortunately. I think I left enough in there to feed your imagination though :P

CactusJuiceLoopy: Thanks so much! I'm really glad you like the humor, and the pairing! NatWen needs more love. Way more.

So, the next chapter should be out in a few days. I can't say for sure if I'll be finishing the story next chapter or not, we'll just have to see. As always, please review, follow and favorite! Your support is what sustains me!