All Rights to Hiro Mashima
THE FUCKING SMUT GODS WERE NOT SMILING DOWN UPON ME FOR THIS! ARG! (Had to restart this damn thing 3 FUCKING TIMES… I was reminded by the ever wisdomous 12RedSky34 – it's a word, no judging – that if it doesn't come naturally to not force it. Kinda like a fart. Or it'll end up shitty.)
This chapter is written exclusively for PotatoGirl14 whose enthusiasm just cannot be contained (her review was in all capital letters, loved it, made me smile), and 12RedSky34, my big pervert friend whose love of all things smut was the driving force behind this chapter…your unwavering support helped so much for this chapter. THANK YOU!
This chapter is rated M, please mind the purity marks (XXX) as they will show the beginnings and endings of the good stuff ;) Please be aware of your own boundaries and enjoy!
(Also! People are all up in my business about GaLe! I've never written anything before for Levy and Gajeel because I am the biggest shipper of GaLu, but if you guys really want to see a Shrimp and a walking Pincushion interact…I WILL MAKE THIS HAPPEN SO HARD YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO FUCKING BELIEVE IT! Who am I to deny the masses…?)
BEWARE! HORNY DEMON DRAGON MEN! A REVEALATION! A SMALL BLUE ANNOYING FLUFFBALL HAS APPEARED!
OMG ANYONE ELSE SCREAMING FROM 532? NO!? JUST ME?
Chapter 28: Ruby
Ancients believed that this stone passed all other stones in virtue, surpassing even diamonds, it is the Queen of gems, only fit for nobility; Chinese Emperor Kublai Khan was rumored to exchange an entire city for a gigantic ruby; the talisman of passion, protection, and prosperity, while its glowing hue suggests inextinguishable flames; Old legends from Burma (Myanmar) state that if the ruby was placed under the skin, that the person adorned would become invulnerable; Ruby initiates the sensual pleasures in life.
She was beautiful in the moonlight, under the stars, as if she was born of the night sky and filled with stardust and the cosmos. Even when she was dead tired, sweaty, covered in her own blood and Demon ichor, she was just as enchanting as she usually was.
She was all that he had ever wanted, in this part of his life at least. He was also sure that if Natsu had ever had this chance, that he would have taken it without a second thought. He was sure that both sides of himself loved Lucy to the ends of Earthland, while another – much smaller but no less important – part of himself that was both attached to him and then also not, wanted him to ravage her until she only knew his name (or names, as his case was a special one) and no others.
Tonight he would show her just how he could be her everything, her one and only. He would treat her better than anyone in existence, love her more than had ever been seen before, covet her more than a Dragon's horde of gold and jewels and show her that she was his Queen, his warrior Princess, his General Nova, his Lucy all rolled into one.
He would go to hell and back for her because he knew that she would do the exact same for him. He would be her Demon Lord END, her Dragon King, her Natsu and she would know what screaming her throat hoarse while his name spilled form her lips sounded like before the night was over.
Her hands around his horns slid down to the base, drawing slow circles around them. He broke off the passionate wild kiss and moaned into the crook of her neck.
How had she known that he had an erogenous zone by his horns? How had she even found it?
His thoughts jumped back to the present as her nails scratched through his hair sending tingles down his spine while gooseflesh rose over his exposed forearms and neck.
So Nova wanted to play with fire did she? She wanted to provoke Lord END?
If that is truly what she wanted, he would give her the flames that she desired.
Hellfire that is.
He spun Lucy around and slammed her against the stone of the wall, smashing his lips over hers in a kiss that was too much and not enough. It was wet and sloppy; full of passion and need, it was nothing like the kisses they had experienced in the past few days. Those were all filled with promises of the future, or a time unnamed that they hoped would come to pass.
But this, this was a meeting of two souls beyond ready to become one. This was what they had hoped for, dreamed about. They knew it would happen one way or another and both thought it was long overdue.
His devilish tongue snaked its way into Lucy's mouth to play with her own. She whimpered and sighed into his mouth and he gladly devoured every sound that she made.
END gripped her under her knees, lifting her effortlessly so that her legs wrapped around his hips, their cores aligned, rubbing against each other with every small movement. END was nearing his limit and she hadn't done more than kiss him, it was maddening…
…But also deliciously intoxicating. She had always been, and always would be like a drug to him. He would need more and more of her as the days slipped by and no amount would ever sate his growing hunger.
However, by the way she was sucking on his bottom lip and teasing his tongue into playing with hers, he could tell that his need wasn't one sided. Lucy ached for him as well, in her bones and skin and core, a deep seated pulse was felt by both that screamed for more of each other's touch, more of the other in general.
The kisses were pleasantly mind boggling, but Lucy wanted to lose all sense of time and all manner of thought from her brain until she could only feel.
She ripped her mouth away from his and gestured towards the two doors on the other side of her room. In between licks and nibbles that she placed on his neck and jaw she panted, small puffs of air glancing over his sweaty skin. She could feel the shiver wrack his muscular frame. "END…I'm all…dirty…"
And she was, in the literal sense. She was covered in only her chain mail shirt, plated pants, copious amounts of her own blood and ichor. They could both care less about the state they were in because they were together and fixated wholly on one another, but the blood was a bit much, and it was certainly sticky.
And not in a good way.
He grinned as her tongue licked a wandering path from his chin to his earlobe before she pulled that fleshy bit into her mouth and gave it a rough suck. At the same time, she rubbed the base of his horns – her hands had never removed themselves from that oversensitive place – and his arousal practically leaped in his trousers while he jolted against her core.
She chuckled in his ear at the fact that she was pushing him beyond his limits of control already. He pulled Lucy off the wall and her legs wrapped around him more tightly so that she stayed around him as he made his way to her bathroom. Her heat rubbed against his straining length with every step, the movement was both wonderful and terrible at the same time.
He had never been so thankful in his life to see a shower chamber and wash basin. END needed a moment to cool down so that he could make whatever came next, whatever she would allow to happen, to be the something that Lucy would never forget.
Staying in his arms, connected at all times by their mouths or tongues or teeth on skin, END placed her delicately on the counter by the wash basin. "You're wearing too much Luce…"
She could only nod in acceptance, wishing that he would just burn away her clothes. But, these were special pieces; ones that she wouldn't want to part with so easily.
But END seemed to understand that on some level.
He leant back and fiddled with the shower chamber controls, preoccupied at the moment with the feeling of her legs around his waist and the need to find the perfect temperature so that the water wouldn't burn her. To feel even slightly hot t him, the water would have to be somewhere between 'boiling' and 'lava.' END wanted her to get clean, not melt her skin off her bones, so he needed the wherewithal to do it properly.
She wasn't making it easy for him though. As he tried to focus on the water, Lucy had decided that she should distract him by skimming her fingertips up his bare arms. While not entirely sexual, it did send interesting shots of electricity down his spine, tingling and gathering near the base.
Finally finding a setting that worked, END chuckled and grabbed her wandering hands in his own. She smiled cheekily at him, mirth and happiness shining in her eyes.
He placed small chaste, lingering kisses to each of her finger tips, and delighted in the fact that her breathing hitched and stuttered ever time his lips touched her skin. He kissed and nipped her palm of her right hand slightly, but huffed as he had to stop. He had run out of bare flesh to taste seeing as she was still very clothed.
This…would not do.
Smirking mischievously, let go of the Demon form, willing Natsu to come out and play with the Celestial creature he had caught in his grasp.
Piece by piece he removed all of her clothing.
Her chainmail shirt came first, pooling on the tiled floor with a soft clink. END leant forward and nuzzled the mark he had made on her shoulder days prior, paying homage to the fact she was his chosen, soon to be mated half. Even if he had no idea why he was doing what he was doing, it felt important to him somehow.
Lucy ran her hands through his pink-hair and scratched at his scalp lightly. She didn't which side of the man before her joined her tonight, honestly, it could be both and she would be just as happy. Nova sighed when she realised that she was truly happy here in his arms her grip in his sakura locks tightening slightly as END placed a very hot, very sloppy kiss to the scar.
His hands wandered and slid over every inch of bare skin he could reach on her, mapping her scars, taking in her imperfections and loving ever plane, every divot, every corner of her body. How could he not? She was lovely, a true work of art, though she wasn't fragile like china, but her will was like iron and her beliefs as steel. He knew that he could handle her just as he wanted to and she wouldn't break, but instead beg for more.
And more he would give her.
Their kisses became more insistent, filled with fiery passion and dueling tongues. END's fingers slipped down to the waist of her plated leggings, hooking a single digit of both hands into the band and slowly…oh so slowly, pulling them down her legs revealing gloriously creamy thighs and defined muscles in their wake. "You're so beautiful Luce, truly."
His eyes spoke the truth. Lucy saw that it wasn't an empty compliment used to placate her in the moment, but something that END really believed.
Her heart and stomach fluttered in tandem. END thought she was beautiful.
That simple sentence rocked her to her core. Nothing anyone had ever said before impacted her the same way.
It was as if a dam had broken inside of her and Lucy let her fantasies and dreams come alive. Her inhibitions lowered from his kisses, her mind muddled and fuzzy from his touch, Lucy dove towards his mouth once again in a kiss so fierce their lips bruised, but neither cared.
XXX
A flurry of action commenced. END's open tunic, trousers and underwear were lost as well as Lucy's own undergarments, forgotten in the moment on the floor.
Hands roamed and searched, pawing and sliding across newly revealed flesh.
Panting for air, END gave Lucy a long hard look, the last signal before he took something precious from his Lucy that she would never get back.
He found no hesitation in her eyes and let go of a breath he had been unconsciously holding. She wanted this too, just as much as he did.
END lead Lucy towards the pouring water, marveling at how she looked so amazing, even covered in blood and ichor. Everything about her called to him.
To claim, to possess, to hold, to love, to devour.
She hissed slightly as the hot water hit her tense muscles, soothing the anxiety and the rest of the battle with Jackal from her skin and bones. Wendy had done a remarkable job healing her, but she was still sore, and expected to be for at least another day.
She took the time now to look at her soon to be lover, END and Natsu both, really look at him and at all the deliciously tanned flesh, taut muscles and his gleaming eyes. He was spectacularly toned and very fit, his abdominals and biceps speaking of battles hard fought and training sessions completed.
Lucy hummed happily as large warm hands slid over her body filled with fresh smelling soap, ridding her of the sweat and other fluids that had accumulated on her from the Fortress. Dust and dirt, red water and black sludge flowed down the drain and left her with only the memory of what had happened, but even then it was a fading one. How could she think about anything else than the man in front of her?
And Oh, what a man he was.
Everything about him screamed dominance, from his sharp canines that flashed in the dim light, to the strong fingers that soothed and rubbed maddening circles all over her body (missing the places that she wished they would touch of course), and lastly the member that hung heavily between his legs, half hard already.
END nipped at her shoulder playfully, watching as goose flesh dotted her arm and neck. He had caught her staring at the once place on him that he hoped that she would enjoy more than anything. But the blush on her cheeks and tips of her ears, she had had some very interesting thoughts about it. "What are you thinking about Luce? Hmmm?"
His hands finally slipped from where they were massaging her shoulders, to gently cup her chest in both hands. The weight of both her breasts was a good feeling, one that had images of him licking and sucking on that tight bud in the center running through his mind.
How would she taste there?
There was only one way to find out.
"Wha-oh" Lucy's meager reply was cut short as the Demon dipped forward and pulled her right nipple into his mouth, hot tongue and sharp teeth joining in to make her writhe with pleasurable pain. His talented fingers mimicking the same movements on her other neglected peak.
END's tongue was scorching as it drew tight circles around her nipple, the suspense killing her slowly. She knew what he wanted, he wanted her to submit and beg and plead for his touch in that over sensitive place.
But she was General Nova, and she bowed to no man, nor Demon. Two could play at that game.
And what a wonderfully exciting game it was.
END quirked an eyebrow as he listened to her panting breaths, waiting for his Lucy to ask him to give her all the pleasure in the world, but instead, he felt her hands skim down his front in a wandering, meandering path, taking in all his muscles and dipping into every divot.
He drew her in closer, banding his unoccupied arm behind her back and switched to her other breast, eager for another taste of her, to lathe and suck at more of her silky skin.
He finally drew out a moan from her throat, the sound sending tingles of pleasure down his spine and to gather at the base. His arousal for her spiked, and his growing hardness now stood rock solid against her inner thigh.
Suddenly, without warning, the tables were turned on him. Those hands of hers - which he had forgotten about - reached their destination. One cupped his balls gently while the other slowly explored his hardness. END nearly collapsed at the feeling, and only the fact that his knees had locked long before this point kept him standing.
"You're so warm…" She whispered between breathy sighs. The Demon looked at her through wide surprised eyes and caught her gaze. What he saw there stalled the breath in his chest and sent his heart hammering against his ribcage.
While he could smell her arousal - the scent thick and warm in the air, floaty through the steam from the shower - he could see her emotions there, like a window into her soul.
Lust. And Need. So much need that he unconsciously growled low in his chest, the sound passing through hers. She gasped at the feeling , smiling up at him through the water and watched as he tipped his head back to hit the wall behind him.
His eyes fluttered shut, reveling in the feeling of her hands gripping him in her palm, sliding over him, swiping off a drop of pre-cum off his head. He jolted, his eyes blowing open fast enough to see Lucy lick his essence off her thumb.
She smiled cockily at him, as if she knew exactly what she was doing to him, that little minx. But as she grinned, she let go of him, his warmth leaving her hand and sent him whining at the loss.
For exactly three seconds he internally pouted, dropping his gaze from her.
That was his first mistake, he should know by now that Lucy was unpredictable - a stickler for rules - but still able to take him by surprise more often than not and that he should never look away from her.
END felt her breasts - long forgotten in his hands, he had only been focused on her hands on him - slide down his front and watched the top of her blonde head as she dipped forward and –
OhsweetTartaros.
"Oh Gods! Luce...wha-"
All he could feel was a delicious heat, her tongue lapping and licking at his flared head. He was lost to the pleasure as she bobbed up and down his length, sucking him in deeper with every pass.
He couldn't breathe, couldn't think anything passed 'holyfuckingshit' and was instantly growling and purring, the noises lost to his ears, but fell heavily on hers. He spoke of pleasure and heat and love without even saying one word.
She looked up at him then - as his eyes were glued to her already and his hands tangled in her silky golden hair - his arousal sliding in and out of her slick mouth, lust and something deeper in her brown eyes, and she winked.
His control snapped then. She was too much for his iron will, breaking him down completely until he knew nothing but the control she had over him. His hips snapped forward and she let out a startled exclamation as the tip of him slid down her throat.
Thank the Gods that Cana had always been very vocal about the proper way to do these things while she was in between tipsy and drunk on Makarov's stash of mulled wine. All she had to do at this point was open her throat up and breathe through her nose. Easier said than done and found her gag reflex acting up sporadically.
But it was truly worth it watching END lose himself completely to her. He was so hot and thick in her mouth, and she mapped out all his veins with her tongue. The contrast between the bumps of that muscle and the roof of her mouth made him moan and grip her hair harder, slamming his length down her throat faster with many snarls and half fished exclamations of her name.
And she liked that she could reduce END to something akin to a shuddering pile of mush, it made her feel so powerful - a different sort then when she was using her magic or in battle - it made her feel so empowered and beautiful.
It also made her arousal bloom, the dull ache between her thighs growing until she could barely stand it. Shifting slightly, she could feel the slickness, and knew that it would only grow worse if left for too long.
She was no stranger to self pleasure, but didn't know if it was appropriate to this situation. Would END judge her? But she needed it, the way he watching her with those fierce onyx eyes made her want to give him a show.
Lucy knew him well enough by that point to love anything she did.
Reaching one hand between her spread thighs, while the other drifted to one of her peaks, and she felt END's hands brush the hair out of her face while he slowed his pace.
He wanted to see what she had to show him.
The hand buried between her thighs lightly brushed against her engorged clit and Lucy whimpered around him.
This caused a chain reaction and he slammed down her throat with more vigor while moaning her name with half formed pleas to 'keep going.' One hand plucking her nipples, the other buried deep within her own heat, Lucy bobbed her head faster, just so she could hear him beg her for release. "Show me Luce. Gods you look so damn sexy…"
She wanted to go with him at the same time, and the way that the coiling spring inside her stomach and the liquid heat pooling low in belly were swirling, it was very possible.
END watched with sharp eyes at her bent form, her eyes watering slightly from the force of his thrusts, the way the water ran down her exposed breasts. Gods, she was something ethereal, and he was sure she was some type of Celestial being.
"Lucy...you're so beautiful. Oh fuck…" She had hummed around his length and he lost all train of thought.
He could feel his release coming quicker than he wanted, but Lucy was too amazing, her mouth too gifted for him to hold back any longer. She slipped him out of her mouth, pumping him from base to tip and moaned, her eyes glinting mischievously. "END...you taste so fucking good…"
He ripped her hand off of him and pushed himself into the waiting heat of her mouth. Thrusting with abandon, once, twice, and on the third stroke, that tight band inside him finally snapped.
END emptied himself completely down her throat as a wild roar slipped passed his lips, his hands digging almost painfully into her hair to keep her from moving away. Whole constellations burst behind his eyes while the edges of his vision dimmed and spotted with his release.
He panted and moaned lightly as his softening member slid from her mouth and sloppily laid against his own thigh. END's back slid down the smooth stone wall and his eyes closed in absolute bliss, legs spread around Lucy's still kneeling form.
He knew that he would be content to sit here for years if need be, basking in the afterglow of the best orgasm he had ever had - and yes that included the one that he had had in the Fortress with Lucy.
A small whimper of need brought him back to the present, his eyes snapping open to see the goddess in front of him, hips rocking, thighs shuddering, her hand still stroking her sex to reach unimaginable heights.
Oh.
He had left her wanting, desperate to follow him over that cliff. Those brown orbs captivated him, and she finally pleaded with END to help her, the plateau she was sitting on was painful and she needed his help to take the plunge. "...please…"
His arousal jumped yet again, and he gathered her up and sat her so that she was straddling his muscular thighs. Pulling her hands away from herself - which was almost a crime in and of itself, perhaps she would let him watch once again someday - he dipped his own fingers into her slippery wetness, spreading her own arousal around, her folds were absolutely drenched and he growled in pleasure.
He did this to her, she was wet and wanting and absolutely panting in her need for him.
END banded own arm behind her back once again, holding her in place while he sunk two of his tapered fingers into her heat. He knew without a doubt that while her mouth had felt amazing around his cock, sucking and licking with that wicked tongue of hers, her core would feel infinitely better.
He was already hard again, imagining her walls convulsing and pulsing around his own length. He wanted to feel his Lucy around him in earnest, but first, his love needed him, so he would help.
He thumb brushed her clit and those hips of hers jumped and stuttered against his hand. "Gods...please, please END...so, I'm so clo-"
END's fingers twisted inside her, curling and pushing against her walls and he growled into her ear. "Come for me love, I want to hear you…please Luce…"
She stilled for a moment that lasted both eons and seconds, and suddenly the spring released and sent Lucy reeling into the heavens to land among the stars. "Oh fuck! AHHH!"
Her world broke into pieces with her scream.
XXX
-ooo-
Leo paced in the Spirit King's throne room, his hair a rumpled mess clad only in a pair of well-tailored breeches and soft gold tunic, his usual armour missing. He was muttering to himself while the King looked on amused, and the rest of the Zodiac stood off to the side either concerned (Aries), annoyed (Aquarius), or impatient (everyone else).
"Why have you called this meeting my old friend? And why did you insist on the twelve being here?"
The lion didn't answer, but continued his stalking about the room like a man (lion) on a mission. He was obviously deep in thought and most of the other Celestial Spirits in the room knew there was only one thing that could get Leo riled up like this.
Lucy.
Or, as most of them – except Aquarius who called her Brat and Capricorn who called her Lady Lucy – knew her as Princess. Even though she had no Kingdom left, I didn't make her any less of a Princess in their eyes. She was still powerful, thoughtful, graceful and kind just a true Princess was, but she was also resourceful, passionate, brash and bolder than most grown men. She didn't take crap from anyone, and this more than anything was why Lucy was their beloved Princess.
She was everything they could ever want in a key holder – like her mother before her – and so much more. While Layla had been compassionate and kind to a fault, she was rather meek in her later days when the disease had sapped away most of her strength. It was a refreshing change to have someone wield their keys in battle and actually stand next to them as an equal.
Their Princess was one of a kind.
Even the Celestial Spirit King had a gigantic soft spot for her. She had everyone wrapped around her pinky finger, but she never knew it, nor did anything to exploit that fact. It made all the spirits fall in love with her even more.
But none more than Leo himself. While he was flirtatious in nature, and flitted from one female to the next like a butterfly to beautiful smelling flowers, there was only one that would ever, ever hold his heart, and it was Lucy.
No one would ever know of this fact of course, for he barely acknowledged it himself – for it was too painful to really think about – so he acted just as everyone else did (mostly) and loved her from afar.
Aquarius rolled her eyes at the stupid lion cub and used a jet of scalding water from her jug to jolt the kitty out of his musings. "LEO! Hurry up and tell us why you demanded that we all meet together today. Scorpio and I were in the middle of a hot date. So…spit it out!"
Clothing drenched and hair plastered to his forehead, Leo snarled at the fish-lady-demon before he realized just who he was growling at. He sobered up at once and pouted.
"Our Princess has taken a lover."
Collectively, the room sighed, of course it would have to do with the fact that Leo was jealous of someone who had designs on his precious Princess. This included the King, who had long since figured out the infatuation Leo had with his key holder. "Why is this any of our business Leo? You know that our friend may take anyone she wishes and that person would be lucky beyond anything in all worlds to hold her heart..." The gigantic spirit sat forwards in his throne and squinted down at the lion. "There's more to this story isn't there?"
"Uhm. Yes. She had uh…decided to bond with…END. Well decided to bond with him would be a bit of a stretch because honestly both of them looked as clueless as Capricorn does when someone asks him if he's ever sworn before."
"The Demon Lord…END. Our Princess…has had relations with…a Demon. But just not any Demon. The Demon that is the head of the Etherious Army and second only to the Black Wizard himself. That Demon?" Capricorn brushed nonexistent dust off of his black tunic, the twin daggers he had shoved up sleeves clinked as he moved. He deftly sidestepped that jab about his good name. He had in fact sworn before, it was just never when anyone could hear him. He was a proper gentleman after all.
"Yes." The lion wilted like a flower without water, he looked the picture of a defeated man (lion).
The King sat back, mustache quivering in thought. There were many things he could say, but for some reason he felt peace at this revelation. Things had finally come full circle and perhaps Lucy would be allowed a bit of happiness and joy in her life. "I see."
Leo stared, mouth agape, his entire being confused. "That's it? All you have to say is 'I see?' Seriously?" He waved his hands all over the place trying to convey the gravity of the situations to a bunch of utter morons.
Most of the other Spirts had already taken in this new information, cataloged it for future reference, and gotten over the whole situation. Aquarius smirked while she whispered to Scorpio about the Brat finally getting a boyfriend while Virgo asked everyone if their Princess required punishment.
Obviously no one answered that question, as they thought that END could 'punish' their Princess well enough as it was.
"What do you want me to say Leo? We all know that Lucy and END had prior dealings together, and that he has been helping Domus to overthrow the Emperor. He has essentially switched sides at this point and we all suspected well before this that END was truly Natsu. Lucy and Natsu have been through so much throughout their lives, add on top of that they were separated while their hearts, their very souls cried out for each other. You remember what she was like old friend, when she learned that Natsu had died? None of us, least of all myself, want to see her so close to wasting away again."
Leo nodded, placated for the moment until he remembered why he had realized that there was something new, something different between them.
That mark on her shoulder.
He whirled around and addressed the King. "She has been claimed…well…half claimed."
This shook the spirits more than they wanted to admit, even if it was only partially done.
Claiming and being claimed was a very intimate and involved process. Linking two lives, two bodies, two souls into one was a monumental thing. Very worthwhile if done correctly, but disastrous to get wrong. This was a dangerous course to take, but on the other hand, if anyone could pull it off it would be their Princess.
"How does that even work? That pink haired Brat isn't even a Dragon anymore. He's a Demon now, can he even claim someone? Do Demons even have that ability?" Blue tail swishing in the air, Aquarius adopted her no nonsense look – which was only slightly more terrifying then her normal bitchy face.
The Celestial Spirit King contemplated all his knowledge for a moment, and then shrugged nonchalantly. "I don't have an answer to that, only time will tell. Seeing as Demons are relatively new to Earthland, and we have never had any being of that sort here…it stands to reason that there are many things that we have yet to uncover about their species."
Leo sighed and slumped onto the floor, utterly spent and just ready for Lucy to call on him again so he could see her beautiful face and glowing smile. She really was amazing, a being made out of starlight.
His wistful smile was wiped off his face when the King chose to keep going in his explanation. "I do have a theory about this…I believe that it is very possible that Demons do claim in the same way as Dragons do, they both seems to be primitive beasts in a sense, you of all people should know the feeling Leo," At the lion's petulant whine the King laughed heartily. "Or perhaps it is a facet of Natsu shining through, part of his Dragon that was once suppressed under the Demon becoming dominant again when faced with its treasure."
Leo gazed up at his King and saw the slightly lecherous tilt to his ever present smile. "Whatever. I had to come to you about this because of what the Fates have seen. There are only two possibilities for the future. One, our Princess succeeds and smites the Black Wizard down, or two, she fails and dies. If they were to possibly link together, bond on that level and she did fail, END or Natsu or whoever the fuck he is would die as well. Don't we have a duty as immortal beings and her Celestial Spirits to at least warn Princess about what could potentially happen?"
As his voice finished echoing through the chamber hall, an electric shock skimmed along ever every nerve ending of every Celestial Spirit. The King peered down at the gasping Zodiac, his grin widening to a toothy smirk. "I believe it is too late for that, old friend."
Leo broke down into crocodile tears while whining about how his Princess was forever out of his reach now. Only sweet Aries felt even a modicum of sympathy for the poor lion that had lost his love while all the rest only looked on in amusement.
Hopefully Lucy would summon one of them soon so that they would get the whole story.
Preferably not Leo.
-ooo-
XXX
END scooped her up off the floor of the wash chamber, her heaving chest and bright pink blush pulling at his instincts to claim and savour the woman before him.
She came back down from her high as she felt his straining arousal bump up against her inner thigh, slipping between her parted legs against her slick heat as he walked them – unsteadily, as he was still a little weak from his own bliss – from the bathroom back towards her bed. They were still dripping wet, but neither cared.
Her legs were locked around his waist again, her hands smoothing through his damp hair. Lucy gripped his neck and brought him down towards her into a fiery kiss, full of twisting tongues and clashing teeth.
END swallowed her moans of pleasure while delighting in her sighs.
Lucy used the leverage to slide her core, wet and sticky from her previous release, against his member. Both groaned at the contact between them. "Luce…" He panted between nips and licks of her exposed neck and collarbone, "…if you keep that up I swear I'll take you right here. I won't make it to the bed…"
As an answer, or perhaps a challenge, Lucy languidly licked up his chest to his waiting mouth, nibbling on his bottom lip. Her sultry eyes locked onto his, and she deliberately thrusted herself against him, their hips bumping against the other in a very lewd, very suggestive way.
END spun around and caged her against the wall, grinding his arousal forcefully against hers. "I- I can't hold back, you smell too good…"
Lucy didn't say a single word, only smiled and nodded once in acceptance. That was what she had wanted, craved desperately for a full week, maybe even longer.
She wanted END, the Demon, and Natsu the Dragon. She wanted the beast to take her and make it clear to all others that he was hers, and she was his.
A feral growl lit up the early morning, and with two quick snaps of END's hips, he buried himself fully in between those sweet thighs of his chosen. "Shit, Gods…your so fucking tight…"
Lucy was so worked up at that point that she didn't feel any pain, only a small dull ache from her muscles accommodating his girth, but then a wonderful full feeling – slightly strange, but in a good way – stole over her body and for a moment she basked in the fact that END and she were finally connected as one. "oh…END…yesss" Her breathy purr pushed him to the brink, and it almost all over before they had even begun.
In the next moment, END had started up a relentless pace, full of fire and snapping hips, grasping hands and half formed curses. Her warmth was beyond anything that he had ever felt before, those silky smooth walls constricting around him almost painfully as she whimpered and pulled him closer to her body. "You feel so damn good around me Luce…so wet, so fucking hot…"
The both wanted, needed more of the other. END slammed a fist against the stone beside her head in an attempt to reign in his release, and shifted himself so that he had Lucy pinned between himself and the wall, his other hand cupping the back of her head tenderly to keep her from being hurt in his enthusiasm. He wasn't ready for this to be over so soon.
He sucked one bobbing nipple into his mouth, laving and loving the peak with his scorching tongue.
Lucy cried out from all the different sensations. The heat of END's mouth on her breast, one of his hands sifting through her golden locks lovingly, his cock sliding in and out of her core hitting that special spot inside her that had her looking upon the stars, and oh!
His other hand had dropped down to her throbbing nub, pinching and rubbing it, pushing her higher and higher –
Without a warning, a second even more powerful orgasm ripped through her like a heated knife, sending her soaring once again. She screamed her release, the sound muffled slightly by something. She didn't realise until later that night that she had clamped her teeth around his shoulder and broke his skin, but he would tell her that it was worth it.
END's powerful thrusts paused as she tightened and shuddered around his length, but picked up once again, but the rhythm was frantic, primal. The feeling of his chosen's teeth digging into his skin and flesh sending him into a state of arousal so intense, he could feel his blood boiling with magic and Hellfire.
Neither could see it, but at that moment, pale red scales crept up under his eyes and in patches over his forearms. His Dragon was asserting its dominance over the Demon inside him, if only for the time being.
He didn't know how he knew, but he did, he needed to complete the bond that he had left open ended for a week. It was time.
At the moment that he felt his seed fill the womb of his beloved Lucy, he dug his own sharp canines into her opposite shoulder than the one he had already marked, his magic flowing sharply through her, igniting her veins and lighting her entire being on fire.
And oh, what a pleasurable burn.
Three powerful shots of his essence filled her to the brim and he moaned at the knowledge that she was his, completely and utterly his.
XXX
END staggered back to the bed – having pulled a very sated and very boneless Lucy back into his arms – and dropped himself, and subsequently her, onto the plush coverings in an inelegant manner. She snorted a soft laugh at the way their limbs tangled, elbows and knees knocking together.
He nuzzled into the crook of her neck, licking away the remnants of blood that still lingered from his bite – he had had enough wherewithal this time to not dig in so hard – and purred at the mixing scent that lingered. Smoke and lilac, like a campfire on a crisp spring evening.
"END…what…did that all mean…?" She sighed into his bare chest as he tried and failed to pull the comforter out from under them with one hand. So instead he wrapped himself around her in a tight embrace to stave off the cold of the morning that seemed to seep into the castle rooms.
Neither had the energy to light the fire within the grate, nor wanted to even acknowledge the sticky mess between their legs. They would deal with that tomorrow.
"You know how I feel about you Luce. I'll follow you to the ends of Earthland and back if you asked me to."
He could feel her lips curve into a smile where she rested against him, and that was enough for now. "I know. I feel the same."
And he did know, and he loved that feeling, he loved her. But he didn't need to tell her that, he knew that she had already realized that and felt the same for him.
Sleep pulled on both of them, and soon they drifted away into blankness, content in the moment to be with each other.
-ooo-
Laxus squinted his eyes at the two standing in the middle of the room. There was something...different...about them than the last time he had seen them. Yes he was still tired from not getting quite enough sleep last night and this was a fairly early morning summons…but he wasn't crazy. He could just feel the difference in how END and Lucy were acting compared to the last time he had seen them together. They were full of sunshine and daisies and smiling like idiots, and it was only just passed eight in the morning. Well, END's smile looked more like a cocky smirk, but who was he to judge others while his face was a perpetual mask of grumpy.
For one, they were standing awfully close to one another, which as of late didn't mean jack shit, but there was something in the way that END angled himself towards his baby sister. His eyes and body followed her wherever she stood as if Lucy was a magnet and he was caught in her pull.
No...A better way to explain it was as if Lucy was his sun, or perhaps his world, and he was the moon. They worked in tandem, always orbiting each other, separate but always near to each other.
The second thing that was bothering him was their scent. He wasn't a true Dragon Slayer by any means, but he had a nose that worked well beyond average. The fact that he couldn't distinguish between their scents now made him antsy to say the least.
It was like the times when he had noticed Bickslow's and Cana (and Laki and sometimes Kinana's scents change for a while, all at the same time usually.) Mind you usually it happened all at the same time and only for a day or so until their own natural musk came forward again through exercise and exertion. But Lucy and END's was stronger.
So that meant that if it reminded him of Bickslow's little escapades…
...no.
Deargodsinheaven no! His sweet baby sister, the light of all their lives, General Nova the last virgin of their little family (minus Levy who he was sure would have lost her innocence to a book if that were possible years ago) had given up that title…
...to a Demon.
And of course it had to be Lord END, the deadliest Demon ever created. It couldn't have been anyone else, could it?
Did anyone else notice their weird behaviour? Didn't anyone else understand how weird this was? Especially for him!
He was the older brother, the one who she came to for protection, for comfort, for her training needs. Laxus was supposed to be her bulwark and anchor to this world until she didn't need him to keep her tethered to this Earthly plane anymore.
Until she found someone who she would spend the rest of her life with.
He almost gasped out loud. Is that was this was? Had END managed to gain her trust in not only his strength and abilities, but trust enough for Nova to finally give over to her more feminine side and lay with a man?
Laxus felt odd. On one hand, he wasn't the foremost male in her life anymore if what he smelled was the true and he relished that fact that Lucy had grown up enough to that she was taking those steps forward. On the other hand, he felt slightly replaced.
Would she even have time for him anymore? Would they still train and bicker and fight with each other? Would they still stay up late into the night and whisper secrets back and forth until they fell asleep? Would she still creep into his bed when she had yet another nightmare of death of her father or mother or best friends or Kingdom?
Only two people knew of his softer side that loved to share snuggle and eat shitty cake at two in the morning beside his sister as they talked about the newest sword wielding method. The first was Lucy, and she was sworn to take that information to the grave, the second was Free, for he had walked into one too many of those cuddling sessions to pass it off as mere coincidence.
Plus Laxus loved that stupid green haired rune Mage above all things on Earthland, so he was privy to all of the blonde man's secrets and even participated when they thought no one was the wiser.
Laxus' head snapped up as he glimpsed a pair of golden grieves that he recognized as Lucy's. She stood in front of him, eyebrow crooked expectantly like she was waiting for him to say something. He realized that the whole room was looking at him strangely.
He shook the last of his thoughts out of his head. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"
Lucy smirked. I was about to tell everyone some interesting news and was wondering where your head was at moments ago? Up in the clouds again? You don't usually day dream Thunder Thighs. You alright?" Her grin was mocking, as was her tone.
Who was he kidding? Nothing would change between them, especially not this back and forth exchange of wit and sniping retorts that he secretly coveted. It kept him on his toes, don't judge him.
He smiled down at his sister, mirth glowing in his eyes. He bent down towards Lucy's ear and whispered low enough to that only she would hear. Well, and END, but Laxus didn't need to know that just yet.
"And you don't usually smell of brimstone and smoke…do you Blondie?"
Lucy clapped her hands together with a smug grin on her face and she turned back to address the gathered crowd of her friends and family, a small touch of pink creeping up her cheeks and ears.
"I know you are all wondering what happened while we were in the Black Fortress. To sum up our experience for now as time is a bit short as the Exceeds are bound to wake at any moment…" Lucy started to pull off her armor piece by piece, letting it drop heavily onto the ground while still speaking in a light conversational tone. "...END and I have managed to free all the trapped Dragon Slayers and have brought them back to Domus to fight with us, Jose and Bloodman both died in the collapse of the fortress, we gathered an immense amount of information that Levy is currently sifting through."
Her grin turned terrifyingly feral and some inched back in fear, while Titania looked on with pride – that was her signature smile after all. "I destroyed Hell's Core taking down half the Fortress and obliterated Jackal in the process."
Most people were ecstatic at this news, none more so than King Makarov, but everyone kept silent as they knew just by Nova's tone that she had saved the best and most exciting news for last.
As she removed her breastplate, pauldrons, and gautlets, some were slightly worried that General Nova had a fever and that was the reason she was removing her outer shell of magic armor (it was either that or Lieutenant Fullbuster's stripping had finally become contagious and it was only a matter of time before they were all fighting in the nude) but that thought died in everyone's minds as the last piece fell away and all that was left was Lucy in a corset that was loose and fitted for battle, a pair of tight leggings, hardy leather boots and golden grieves.
While there was so much to look at (namely Lucy in all her bodacious glory) two things truly stood out.
One was her elated grin at laughing eyes at the fact that she had stripped down to her underwear, and the second was the biggest revelation of all that rocked five specific mages down to their cores.
Adorning both of Lucy's shoulders were twin bite marks, while teeth indents and black and purple bruises staining her milky skin.
To most of the room, it looked like their General Nova had been mauled by a beast (well...she had but in an entirely different sense that she enjoyed immensely) but to Sting, Gajeel, Ryos, Wendy and a truly confused and irate Laxus, those bite marks signified something they hadn't seen in at least ten years.
Those were the marks of a Drake claiming his Queen. A sort of warning sign for other males who would wish to mate with her. Only the top of the food chain would signify claiming like that, and the powerful image it created had all the Slayers brain's suddenly hardwire from 'General Nova - strong capable Mage of Domus' to 'Queen of the nest - protect at all costs.'
They would all now throw themselves in front of a rampaging wyvern for her, if there was even a small chance that she would make it out alive. Their lives were now tied to hers, even if it was a subconscious thing.
As much as that new revelation startled the Slayers in the room, it didn't change anything for them. Laxus was already her big brother, sworn to protect her come hell or high water already. Wendy would do anything for the first person who showed her even a modicum of motherly love, while Gajeel, Sting, and Ryos respected the hell out of her for saving them when they weren't strong enough, taking Wendy back to Domus as quickly as possible, and being able to overlook the death and destruction their bodies had brought the many Kingdoms of Fiore over the years.
Titania broke the strange silent spell that had engulfed the room. "Lucy, what happened? Who has done this to you?"
Wendy took this as her que and ducked out of the room, wanting to check up on Charles and the other Exceeds. She really didn't want to know about her Drake's mating ritual in any way shape or form.
The lightning mage watched as Lucy's eyes drifted over to END, and they shared a secret smile, something tender and almost heartbreakingly sweet. That one smile clinched it for Laxus.
END and Lucy or Natsu and Lucy or all three people…whatever the amalgamation was…had fallen so deeply in love you could practically taste it.
"I have been claimed."
"What? Claimed? By whom?"
Even though Laxus knew it was coming, her answer shocked him straight to his core. (No, the irony wasn't lost on him either.) "By END."
Well…that did explain the brimstone.
-ooo-
"Oh my! You're finally awake! You're the first one!"
"Owie…my head is killing me. How long was I asleep for? And who are you anyways?"
"My name's Wendy. You've been sleeping for…awhile. You're in Domus now, in the castle. King Makarov and everyone is here, we've been waiting for you."
"Oh. Well…nice to meet you Wendy. My names Happy…"
"I know! I've been looking forward to talking to you for quite some time."
"…Have you seen Natsu or Lucy? I have to tell someone something really important but I can't quite remember what it was…"
"Uhm. Well…why don't I bring you to speak with the King? He can tell you everything, and maybe it will jog your memory."
"Aye! Can we go get some fish first?"
-ooo-
Luckily for Lucy – who truly delighted in flustering her friends and family, while making King Makarov choke on his smoke from his pipe (it was a nasty habit for a man his age to have anyways) and also fortuitous for END who was getting both death glares as well as threats to his life, liberty, and many anatomical structures that Lucy would prefer him retain for future…encounters…they were all interrupted by the door slamming open and quick footsteps running through the center of the room.
Lucy donned her golden armour quickly, it wouldn't do to stay in only her corset for very long and there were more important things happening at the moment it seemed. END was already eyeing some of the more lustful gazes of their comrades and they really didn't need to have Domus' castle burned to the ground as the result of a brawl over her of all things.
Luckily the inside of her armour was padded or she was sure she would have been chafing by now in some unsavoury and quite frankly embarrassing places. She recognised the small figure that cut a path towards the King, but frowned at the uncharacteristically sour look on her friends face.
"Levy, my dear, have you finished?"
Short blue hair swayed with her nod. Levy held a file that Lucy belatedly realised was the one that they had liberated from Alvarez earlier that week. She was holding the infernal thing away from her body in one hand like it was vile or poisonous or something unpleasant that someone would find on the bottom of their boot.
It could only mean one thing. She had found answers and they were not good.
"Can you please give us your report?"
The Tactician stepped forward slowly, her hands shaking slightly while holding the notebook and file that contained everything that they had ever wanted to know about how END was created. She cracked the yellowing pages open to a marked one her eyes taking in the elegant writing that she hated with every fiber of her being.
She looked up to see pure, unadulterated fear shine out of Lucy's eyes. She knew that her friend was terrified about what she would find in this text. Next to her stood an apprehensive END, his tanned face slightly paler than normal.
Levy had read through everything. Twice. Lucy definitely had a right to be afraid of its contents. If this request hadn't come directly from the King, and it wasn't essential for her friends to have some piece of mind, she wouldn't have read it more than once, most likely wouldn't have read it at all.
A large warm heavy object patted the top of her head. She looked over to see one of the Slayers that had come from Alvarez to join their cause, his sharp red eyes boring into hers. What was his name?
Garret..? Gerald? Something like that. But she knew that he was the Iron Dragon Slayer by the amount of piercings that he had in his body and the slight tang of metal that he smelled of. Like a coin.
Why was he looking at her like that?
Levy had read extensively on many topics, including the Slayers so that Domus could meet them on the battle field without a disadvantage, and knew that they had heightened senses that included eyesight, hearing, and olfactory. With a small jolt, she realised that he was reacting to either her hormones that she was giving off, or maybe it was her elevated heartrate?
Perhaps he could smell her fear? Whatever the reason, the comfort was welcomed, even if it was slight. She let her lips quirk up into a small grateful smile.
She took a deep breath and read, making sure to keep her voice strong and steady, for the sake of her friends, her comrades. She wouldn't fail them now.
"I have read this entire package twice now, and will skim over some of the more scientific portions and give you all the highlights. Bear in mind this was written by the Emperor, at least ten years ago, and is written more like a diary than anything else. It chronicles what happened from the beginning or his decision and though process of experimenting with the R-system, to why he used the person he did to house END, all the way until END was born into this world."
Levy glanced up once more. While most in the room were silently watching as she spoke, giving her all their attention, there were two in the room whose eyes were glued to hers unblinking.
END stood stoically in the middle of his new comrades, his wings dragging listlessly by his side. It seemed that he couldn't find the strength to keep up his normally strong countenance.
His bonded leaned heavily into his side. Lucy was as white as a sheet and looked like she either wanted to vomit or pass out at any moment. END was the only reason she was still upright.
But neither stopped her from continuing. They wanted answers just as much as Levy never wanted to see the file in her hands again.
So, the Tactician swallowed thickly, and began.
-ooo-
"I have come to the conclusion that my love has little time left. Many have told me that she had been in an accident, but truthfully, I believe that it was a hereditary disease of some sort. For mages, their magic is connected entirely to their life forces, and Mavis doesn't have enough anymore to sustain herself. My hypothesis is that she was either born with a deformed container, or that it developed a crack over time and her magic leaked out without anyone the wiser. I will not let the boundaries of simple science contain me...I will find a way to keep my dear Mavis by my side, for all time."
"The answer is within my grasp, so close I can taste it on my tongue. By a happy accident, I came across an outlawed text in the bowels of the University that pertained to life beyond death, Heaven and Hell, and the belief that there are Gods that watch over us all. While I do not entirely believe in Gods, I do think that there is a measure of truth in the fact that there are places beyond those in Earthland. It brought me to the idea of immortality and subsequently resurrection. I would refer that Mavis would stay on this Earthly plane, but if something does not go according to plan...I will have a backup."
"Finding those manuscripts in the temple of Ankherasem was a stroke of good luck. By weaving together magic, mathematics, and physics I believe that I have stolen the power of the God of Death, if he ever existed that is. The experiment is ongoing, but I have tentatively concluded that I cannot die. I am immortal. See Immortality/Ankherasem for the documentation of that experiment."
"Mavis is running out of time. I must cast the spell on her, whatever the cost, it will be worth it to see my love vibrant and bright again, forever by my side."
"Resurrection is the path I must turn to, while the spell worked, the Gods had cursed us to never be together in that way. While Mavis might have died a physical death, she is preserved in a magic saturated lacrimal to keep her body from decomposing. I have devised a Resurrection system (from now on referred to as the R-system) and will begin the construction off the coast of Oceanus."
"Every good scientist must do trials of their experiment, and I am no exception. Before I would even think about bringing Mavis back, I must use another body to see if my assumptions are correct. And they usually are. I have my eye on someone who will be missed, but he is close enough to me that he would never begrudge me for wanting his help. He would never deny me anything if asked; he looks up to me too much. He trusts in me. So I will take that trust and use it."
"The R-system only works on corpses, so now I must devise a way to kill him cleanly with no harm to the body. What a nuisance that is."
"My innate abilities that I was cursed with seemed to be the answer I was looking for. The more I loved him, the faster he died. The God of Death can be cruel it seems. I do this to him out of love for Mavis, so he must understand. Even when he comes back from the dead, he will be much better than before. I gave him a good, clean death. What more could anyone ask for?"
"While waiting, I have concocted the story of the deaths of both the King and Crown Prince of Ignis and spread it around the royal city. Hopefully it reached the other Kingdoms before long. All there is to do now is wait for him to come back from the beyond. And then...if no other complications arise...Mavis' turn will be next."
"The nutrient and magic rich fluid Subject One had been submerged in had turned black overnight and the body inside the R-system cannot be seen. An interesting turn of events to be sure, the end result might be something I could not have seen. I may have to start looking into another way to bring back my love…"
"He has been turned into a beast, a Demon, a messenger from Hell. While he cannot remember his name from before he died, the being that is inside the body does not contain any memories either. It is a clean slate it seems. However, I believe this will happen every time the R-system is used, which is a pity. I will start to look for other ways to bring Mavis back to me."
"He is strong, wielding black Hellfire as expertly as he used the Igneel's Flames once upon a time. He has asked more than once - to my newly made Demons of Tartaros no less - about who he was before, about his life before the "accident" that stole his memories. He also wants a name."
"Even though he still has sparks of humanity still living inside him, as well as delighting in pranks rather than following orders consistency, the only way I can keep an eye on him is to keep him close to me, keep him in this fortress. The other Kingdoms have rebelled against my ideas, and I aim to conquer them in due time. Rumors have reached my ears about the rulers of Astralis, specifically a little blonde girl who is locked away in a tower of stone who has the ability to call forth immortal beings of great power. Twelve keys of the Zodiac they are called and spoken about with reverence. Those keys are what I believe I need for the next experiment in immortality, perhaps their ruler has something to say about this curse. Before that can happen, I must take those keys and remove the contracts they have. Willingly or unwillingly, those keys will soon be mine..."
"In homage to the boy that I used for my experiments, as well as the Etherion that suffused his body, I have thought up the name for my second in command. He will now be known as Lord E.N.D. The leader of the Etherious army, also known as Etherious Natsu Dragneel."
-ooo-
Never had there been such unnerving silence in the King's office before. As Levy's voice finished echoing off the stone walls, END was sure if he listened hard enough he could probably hear the sound of Makarov's smoke rising from his pipe on his desk hit the ceiling.
He didn't know what to think. What to feel, how to act now. With the words that the Tactician spoke came undeniable truth and indisputable proof that END and Natsu were one and the same.
It was relieving to know that his search was over, but also chilling. The Black Wizard had put his death - which he still couldn't quite wrap his head around - to paper in such cold clarity that he felt hollow and slightly annoyed that he hadn't regained any memories. At least he still had his humanity, whatever that was worth nowadays.
And he still had Lucy by his side. She hadn't pushed him away in disgust, only clutched him closer with every sentence uttered.
A small choking sniffle broke the silence, and he realized that he could smell Lucy's tears. She was crying because of him again, even though he vowed to never let that happen. However, this time he felt it was inevitable. Lucy had been strong for so long, holding in all her emotions behind a blank face and calculating eyes, throwing herself into training and battles so she wouldn't have to feel.
Shaking hands cupped his face and drew his solemn gaze towards hers. He almost flinched at what he found. Sadness. Defeat. Loathing. But he knew it was due to the situation and not directed at him, thank the Gods. If she ever looked at him like that, he would never forgive himself.
"END…" Her voice trembled like her hands. Either unsure of what to say or unable to voice her thoughts properly. HE knew the feeling, he was having trouble forcing out anything past the lump in his throat. "...I- don't...I."
Giving up on trying to speak altogether, END swooped down to her height and crushed her in a hug so fierce, he was sure they would meld together as one, tucking her head under his chin. He aimed to surround her in warmth, in a solid comfort that would help her past this point, even if only a little.
His actions seemed to open a floodgate within her and her sniffles became wracking sobs, her body halting and shuddering with the force of her cries.
END let the Demon shift away so that he can hold her close - or as close as one can while they snuggle with someone in a full suit of magical armor - and they drift down towards the floor, kneeling against the wood and stone as if it doesn't bother them in the slightest.
He finally finds his voice, but it comes out cracked and ragged as if he hasn't used it in years. "Shh. Luce. I know." And he does know. His emotions and feelings are in turmoil and he has no idea how she is even still able to stay sane. Tears prick at the corners of his eyes and he does nothing to stop them from falling.
Even as his vision blurred a bit, he tried to wipe the salty water from Lucy's face and give her something that might resemble a smile. But it came out broken, so he stopped trying and gave into the tiredness that had been pulling on his bones for what felt like eons.
He just wanted to sleep, take Lucy away to her room, bundle them both up in a mound of blankets and hibernate until next century.
At least they have had some piece of mind now.
He's startled when a large hand clapped down against his shoulder, giving either comfort or strength, he doesn't know. END belatedly realised that it was Laxus, the last person who he would have thought would come forward, but he is happy it's him. Someone that can give Lucy comfort just as well as he could.
Lucy glanced up at her brother once, before catching END's tears gaze once again. "He killed you."
END grimaced at a twinge of pain and a flash of black slide through his mind, accompanied by the feeling of nothingness and death; it was disconcerting to say the least. "I know."
"You...died."
He only nods. There isn't much to say at that point.
They fell into silence again and this time, they can hear whispers and murmurs of their friends and family around them. They had almost forgotten that they weren't alone.
A cheery thought breaks through the gloom in END's mind. "At least I have my humanity, even if I don't have a soul."
Unknown to them, the resident Seith Mage frowned and let his magic trickle through his eyes, activating the ability that he had been perfecting since he was a young child.
Soul Seeing.
His world was awash with a rainbow of color. Most souls were a single hue, corresponding nicely with the magic of the host. Lucy's for instance was a brilliant yellow-gold, a little duller than normal from the devastating news they had all received, but still sparkled and glittered just as it always had.
Gray's was an icy blue, cracked down the middle with black. His Devil Slaying powers affected him more than he wanted to let on. HIs fiancé's was a deep ocean blue, swirling with chaotic waves of power. Titania's a silver that shined like the moon.
But what made him smirk and laugh out loud - which everyone in the room looked affronted about - was the fact that the kneeling pink-haired man still contained a soul even if he thought he didn't. It was bright and lively, dark red and crackled with live flames the color of ink. "What are you talking about END? You have a soul...who told you that you didn't?"
A giddy smile lit up END's face. "The other Demon's don't have one...so I just assumed…" He turned to face the blue haired knight. "How do you know that I have one?"
He grinned, his tongue lolling out in his joy. "I can see it. It's part of my magic; I can control souls but also see them."
"Truly? Are you sure Lieutenant?" The question was whispered, soft and low from General Nova as if any loud noises would break the spell of good fortune.
"I'm sure."
She smiles, although her face still holds the remnants of tears, Lucy looks happy to hear that END still clings to his human roots. "What does it look like?"
Bickslow cackled and gave a wide reassuring grin. "What else? It looks like fire."
They were interrupted yet again by a cheery voice that they hadn't heard in almost eleven years talking about fish.
This chapter may have run away on me a smidge…