"Get your head in the game Flame for brains!"

"Focus on yourself Ice dick," Natsu grunted after taking a hard hit against his side. There definitely was going to be a fractured rib or two. He really didn't want to get another lecture from the guild's grumpy healer.

"I would be able to if I you weren't struggling so much, I do NOT want to explain to Erza that you died before you could comment on Jellal's latest masterpiece."

"So far so – FUCK," the pink haired mage winced when he missed the hit, the basilisk quick to whip its head around and attempt to sink razor sharp teeth into his flesh. Its mouth connected to the arm sleeve that Jellal had fabricated from what Natsu had assumed was just simple cloth and the ruby from Lucy's shop to help him with conducting heat. A tooth snapped off the creature and it hissed as it coiled for another strike. It was angry and Natsu had never been happier to feel that; the air around the clearing started to heat, sparks popping through the air like fireflies.

"Wait, WAIT! LET ME GET OUT OF RANGE ASSHOLE," Natsu vaguely noted Gray's shouts knowing the mage would be fine. His hair was starting to stick to the sweat on his forehead, the heat around them steadily rose to almost unbearable levels; if Natsu didn't make his move soon he was going to be pushing his luck, even he could get seriously hurt from the heat his magic accumulated if it wasn't dispersed. After all, magic always took a toll on the user's body.

"I'm going to need you to drop another tooth, I want a bigger one to give to Lucy," Natsu said around a grin, his stance widening and his hands coming up to guard his face. This was his favorite part, he was in his element now. The basilisks hiss turned into an enraged roar, the sound grating painfully against his nerves "Come on you overgrown garden snake," Natsu challenged before explosively moving, sprinting into closer range with small flames propelling him forward.

"Stop playing with it and hurry up, dumbass. We're already late!"

"Stop ruining my fun," Natsu called back, fighting a smile as he directed the energy into his fists. His tungsten knuckles were starting to sear his fingers by the time he threw a jab with his left hand and blocked the whip like tail of the basilisk with the equally hot arm sheath on his right; it took the blow with no problem and Natsu made a mental note to ask Jellal to make him another for his other arm. It would come in handy. Digging his heels in he continued to glide forward, closer to the creature's head, while throwing cross after cross and a few jabs. He needed the creature on the defensive, needed to find an opening and deliver the killing blow. "Fuck," Natsu mumbled, realizing he was reaching his limit. It was now or never, "You might want to move Gray." The sweating mage continued to increase the pressure, his punches taking on a more feral edge, contained more power as he launched himself forward. His right arm swinging out in a wide arc, catching fire as it did to connect with the broad side of the basilisk. Natsu kept up the pressure, leaning further into the hit, the fire flaring brightly and instantly burning through the scales before blasting out suddenly sending Natsu skidding back in a crouch away from the ashes.

"Holy," Gray panted, staring at the charred area he'd just been in; a ten-foot-long furrow lead away from the cremated remains, "I feel like you always aim for me on purpose."

"If only you'd cooperate," Natsu hissed while prying the heated knuckles from his charred skin. He'd pushed the limits of what his body could withstand, and he was going to pay for it for a day or two. The blisters forming on his hands were already starting to pop and ooze blood and clear fluid. Great. "I'm ready to go home now."

"You know that's really gross right?" Gray grimaced, "This is why I'm happy I don't have to worry about my magic backfiring like that."

"Oh yes because losing feeling in your arms is a totally acceptable blow back,"

"At least it doesn't hurt,"

"At least I can still use my hands," Natsu growled, gingerly sliding the cooling metal into his pants pockets, and letting his hands hang limply by his sides. They felt like they were still burning. He tried not to wince when he felt a tug on one hand accompanied by a wet plop on the ground. "Help me find that tooth I knocked out of its mouth earlier."

"Your skin is falling off your hands like you're shedding," Gray deadpanned, "You really are like a salamander."

"Gray."

"Alright fine, but you're going to be the one to explain to Mira why we're late."

"Shit. Whatever, hurry up, I've got to be somewhere by 7." Natsu grumbled, a soft blush stealing up from his neck to the tips of his ears, much to Grays discomfort.

"Gross."

oOo

"Thank you for coming," Lucy called out as her last customer of the day exited. It was time to close for the evening and take stock of inventory, she was hoping that Gajeel was done offloading the last crate into her storeroom in the back from Levy's last Cambodia expedition. They'd sat in customs for four weeks before finally touching down at the post office. Levy had been all too happy to retrieve them and bring them here, her blue haired business partner had been excitedly chattering about her newest finds since she touched down on home soil two weeks ago. Skirting around the counter, Lucy stopped short when the door flew open, banging against the side of the wall and causing some of the nearby crystals to clang around in their cases.

"Shit, sorry. Heya Luce! Sorry I'm a little late." Lucy would know his wild entrance anywhere, she really should reprimand him about his hot-headed appearances, but they were just so Natsu. She knew it was him just by the way the door swung open, and it made her chest feel tingly, as if she swallowed a hornet's nest.

"Actually, you're right on time, Natsu." Lucy said with a small smile as she slid past him to turn the open sign to close and lock the front door. "Gajeel should be done dropping off the crates for me, I have something special I want to show you."

"Lead the way," Natsu grin was wide, boyishly carefree as he motioned with bandaged hands for her to proceed.

"Oh," Lucy stopped in her tracks a frown forming around her mouth. Her hands immediately enclosed one of his and brought it closer for her inspection, "What happened this time?"

"Boxing match with a basilisk didn't exactly go the way I wanted it to, but I did manage to grab something," Natsu said while extracting his hand from her grasp. Lucy was at least placated that the bandage job was professional and clean, the gauze wrapped snuggly around his fingers up to his wrists like boxing wraps; they reeked heavily of antiseptic. She didn't want to say out loud, but it gave him an edge she found utterly attractive.

"A boxing match with a basilisk? Out here?" Lucy managed to push out after clearing her throat. Those thoughts were inappropriate right now.

"Hold out your hand," Natsu instructed while simultaneously grabbing one of her hands and turning it palm up. His calloused fingers brushed against the back of her hand and sent shivers up her arm, "Careful, its sharp." Lucy didn't even notice him dropping anything in her hand.

"A basilisks tooth?"

"Yeah, it broke out of its shipping container on its way to a research lab," replied with a reluctant dropping of his hand away from her skin, "Was tasked with retrieving it alive but the client accepted a jar full of ashes and some partial scale remnants as good enough." He didn't have to mention how that accident had bit into the reward he could claim.

"I'm guessing he doesn't know about this tooth then?"

"That'll be our little secret," Natsu's grin had a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. She decided this tooth was going to serve as a letter opener so she could sit it on her desk, right next to the giant werewolf skull he'd given her close to two months ago, which served as a conversational paper weight. The blonde slid her newest treasure into her pocket after snagging some tissue paper from the counter to wrap it in on her way to the back.

"What about the skin, will your tattoos be okay?"

"Of course, Luce," Natsu shrugged, "We wouldn't go to Cana if her work wasn't durable. Especially for what she charges."

"I've never had to think about durability due to the possibility of having my skin ripped off I guess. How about we crack open some crates?" Lucy called over her shoulder. She was secretly hoping the earrings she had Levy fashion for Natsu were among the hidden treasures within those crates. The perfect stone has been found and Lucy immediately knew who they would suit. She couldn't help humming happily as she pushed open the storeroom door and flipped on the lights. Stacks upon stacks of crates littered the floor, Levy had really outdone herself this time.

"Holy shit, is it always like this when Levy comes back from traveling?" Natsu gaped, his eyebrows scrunched close together as he took in the magnitude of wooden boxes. "You unpack these all by yourself?" Concerned onyx eyes swung in her direction before bouncing around more crates and partially categorized crystals strewn about neatly on shelves against the front left wall.

"Not always, mostly Levy helps me." Lucy said around a smile, heading toward a lone crate, sitting near her work bench. It had a bright pink note attached to the top that Lucy was quick to grab and flip open. She smiled while tucking the note into the back pocket of her jean shorts and grabbing the wooden lid.

"Here, let me grab the crowbar for you…" Natsu trailed off as Lucy's form glowed faintly before she was ripping the lid off the crate, the sounds of nails parting with wood loud in the quiet. Natsu blinked, rubbed his eyes, and blinked again. The top was still on the floor.

"Oh, I'm good Natsu thank you," Lucy mumbled while pulling out carefully wrapped bundles of cloth. She arranged them neatly and quickly along her worktable before smiling widely. "Just what I was looking for, this is for you." The blonde was holding out a pink wrapped rectangular box with his name scrawled neatly on the top. Didn't look like Lucy's handwriting but he took it none the less.

"Whatcha get me a gift for weirdo? My birthday isn't for another two months." Lucy filed that away for later.

"As a thank you for the skull and this tooth,"

"You didn't have to thank me Luce,"

"And you didn't have to bring me anything. Thank you. Now accept it so we can see what Levy brought me."

"Yeah, alright." Lucy pretended not to notice his hand shaking as he slipped the box carefully into his pocket.