The aftermath of that fiery kiss lingered in the air like smoke from a dying flame. Natsu stood frozen, staring at the spot where Erza had just left, her retreating form etched into his mind like a scar. The silence in the guild hall was thick, oppressive, and full of judgment. His heart pounded in his chest, a painful rhythm of regret and confusion.
Irene remained beside him, her gaze steady, eyes gleaming with a quiet satisfaction. She stepped closer to him, her touch light on his arm, but the sensation of it was anything but calming.
"Let her go, Natsu," Irene whispered, her voice smooth as silk, wrapping around his senses like a spell. "She doesn't understand you like I do."
But Natsu couldn't tear his thoughts away from Erza's broken expression. The hurt in her eyes had cut him deeper than any wound he had ever sustained in battle. He clenched his fists, his flames flickering weakly around his fingers, the turmoil inside him burning hotter than ever.
"I didn't want to hurt her," Natsu muttered, his voice hoarse with guilt. "I never wanted any of this."
Irene's eyes narrowed slightly, her hand slipping from his arm as she moved to face him fully. "And yet you did. You kissed me, Natsu. You chose this. Don't deny what you feel for me."
Natsu's head snapped up, his eyes meeting Irene's with a mixture of frustration and desire. "What I feel... I don't know what this is! You're dangerous, Irene. You've done terrible things. And Erza... she's my friend. She's more than that."
Irene's gaze softened, though there was a hint of amusement in her eyes. "More than that? Natsu, you can't keep living in denial. There's a fire between us—one that burns brighter than anything you've ever known."
Natsu's breath hitched as Irene stepped closer again, her body inches from his, the heat between them rising once more. His instincts screamed at him to pull away, but his body refused to move. There was something about her—something undeniable, primal—that drew him in, no matter how hard he fought it.
"You and I," Irene whispered, her breath warm against his skin, "we're not like them. We are dragons, creatures of fire and passion. And that passion... it's ours to embrace."
Natsu's flames flared around him, wild and uncontrolled, as his emotions warred within him. He couldn't deny what Irene was saying. Every time she was near, the dragon inside him roared to life, demanding to be let out, to claim what was his. But he couldn't ignore the consequences of what had just happened—what he had done to Erza.
"I don't know who I am anymore," Natsu admitted, his voice breaking. "Everything feels wrong."
Irene's smile softened, her hand reaching up to cup his face gently. "You're not lost, Natsu. You're simply awakening to your true nature. And I can guide you—together, we can be unstoppable."
Her words slithered into his mind, filling the cracks of doubt and confusion. For a moment, the world seemed to blur, and all he could feel was her—her power, her presence, the connection they shared. It was overwhelming, intoxicating.
But as her fingers trailed down his jawline, a sharp memory of Erza's tear-filled eyes snapped him back to reality.
Natsu pulled away from Irene, his breath ragged, flames still flickering weakly around him. "I can't do this," he said, his voice low but firm. "Not like this."
Irene's eyes narrowed, but she didn't lash out. Instead, she stepped back, folding her arms as she studied him carefully. "You're still clinging to them," she said, her voice colder now. "To the guild, to Erza. But sooner or later, you'll realize that they can't understand you—not the way I do."
Natsu's heart twisted painfully. He didn't know if Irene was right or wrong, but he knew he couldn't face this now. Not after what had just happened. His mind was too clouded, his emotions too raw.
"I need time," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.
Irene's gaze softened, though there was still that sharp, dangerous edge in her eyes. "Take your time, Natsu. But know this—you can't deny the dragon within forever."
With that, Irene turned and disappeared into the shadows, leaving Natsu standing alone in the empty guild hall, his heart heavy and his mind racing.
A few days later...
Natsu hadn't been back to the guild since that fateful day. He couldn't face them—not after what had happened with Erza, and certainly not with Irene's words still lingering in his mind. Instead, he wandered aimlessly through the woods outside Magnolia, trying to clear his head, to make sense of the mess he had found himself in.
But no matter how far he ran, he couldn't escape the memories.
The feel of Irene's lips on his. The way their magic had intertwined, their flames dancing together as if they were one. And then... Erza. The hurt in her eyes, the betrayal he had caused.
Natsu stopped by a small clearing, his chest heaving as he collapsed onto the ground. The cool breeze did little to calm the storm raging inside him. He stared up at the sky, his mind spinning.
"Natsu..."
The soft voice cut through the stillness of the forest, and Natsu's heart clenched painfully. He knew that voice all too well.
Turning his head, he saw her—Erza, standing at the edge of the clearing, her expression unreadable. Her crimson hair shimmered in the fading sunlight, and for a moment, Natsu could barely breathe.
"Erza," he whispered, his voice full of guilt and longing.
She took a step toward him, her eyes scanning his face, as though searching for something—an answer, an apology, something to make sense of it all. "You've been avoiding us," she said softly, her voice calm but strained. "Avoiding me."
Natsu lowered his head, unable to meet her gaze. "I didn't want to make things worse."
Erza sighed, walking closer until she stood directly in front of him. "I'm not here to fight, Natsu. I just... I need to understand. Why?"
Natsu's flames flickered weakly around his hands as he tried to form the words, but nothing came out. He didn't have an answer—not one that would make sense. "I don't know," he finally said, his voice breaking. "I don't know why this is happening. Irene... she's..."
"Dangerous," Erza finished, her tone sharp. "Manipulative. She's using you, Natsu."
"I don't know if that's true," Natsu muttered, his voice heavy with doubt. "I feel something with her, Erza. Something I can't explain."
Erza's expression softened, and for a brief moment, she looked vulnerable—something Natsu rarely saw in her. "I'm not blind, Natsu. I know there's something between you and Irene. But I also know that you're stronger than this."
Natsu finally lifted his head, meeting Erza's gaze, and the pain in her eyes nearly undid him. "I don't want to lose you, Erza," he whispered, his voice raw. "But I don't know how to make this right."
Erza knelt beside him, her hand resting gently on his arm. "You can start by being honest with yourself. Whatever you feel for Irene... it doesn't change who you are. You're Natsu Dragneel, the man who would fight for his friends until the end. Don't let her take that away from you."
Natsu's heart pounded in his chest as her words washed over him, and for the first time in days, he felt a flicker of hope.
"I don't know if I can fix this," Natsu admitted, his voice trembling.
Erza smiled softly, her hand squeezing his arm gently. "You don't have to do it alone. We're your family, Natsu. No matter what happens, we'll always be here for you."
Natsu's eyes filled with emotion as he looked up at Erza, his chest tight with a mixture of relief and guilt. He had hurt her—he had hurt the person who had always been there for him. But somehow, she was still here, still offering him a way back.
For the first time in days, Natsu felt like he could breathe again.
"I'm sorry, Erza," he whispered, his voice filled with regret. "I'm so sorry."
Erza's smile was small but genuine as she leaned forward, her forehead gently touching his. "We'll figure this out, Natsu. Together."
For a while, they sat there in the clearing—Natsu and Erza—quiet, the weight of the situation hanging heavy between them. The breeze rustled the leaves overhead, and in that stillness, Natsu felt something he hadn't felt in days: peace.
But it was fleeting. The guilt still gnawed at him, and Irene's presence was like an ember burning at the back of his mind, refusing to die out. He couldn't forget the kiss, the fire, the connection that had nearly consumed him. It was as if the dragon inside him craved something he wasn't sure he should have.
Erza's forehead remained resting against his, her breath warm and steady. Her touch, gentle but firm, grounded him in a way Irene's overwhelming power never could. Erza didn't need to control or dominate him; she didn't need to pull him into her flames. She was steady—an anchor.
But that didn't change the fact that he'd hurt her. That he had let the fire with Irene ignite in a way that felt impossible to control. And Irene, with her magnetic allure, was still out there, waiting for him to come back to her.
"Natsu..." Erza whispered, her voice soft but trembling slightly. "You have to choose."
Natsu pulled away just enough to see her face, her crimson hair brushing against his skin. Her eyes, full of strength and pain, searched his own, desperate for an answer he wasn't sure he could give.
"I... I don't know if I can," he admitted, his voice breaking.
Erza's grip on his arm tightened, her voice fierce. "You can. You've always been able to fight through anything. You've taken on the strongest enemies, defeated impossible odds. This is no different."
Natsu's flames flickered weakly around his hands as he looked down at the ground. "But what if it is? What if Irene's right about me? About the dragon inside?"
Erza's eyes hardened, and she lifted his chin, forcing him to meet her gaze. "Irene may be strong, but she doesn't define you, Natsu. You've always had the heart of a dragon, but it's your heart. Not hers."
Natsu's breath hitched as her words hit him hard. He had been letting Irene's power cloud his judgment, letting her pull him into her world of flames and desire. But that wasn't the Natsu he knew—the Natsu who fought for his friends, for Fairy Tail, for Erza.
He clenched his fists, his flames sparking brighter now. "You're right," he said, his voice firmer. "I've been letting this... thing with Irene control me. But I'm still me. I'm not her."
Erza's expression softened, and for the first time in what felt like forever, she smiled. It was small, but it was there. "That's the Natsu I know."
But even as the fire of determination rekindled inside him, a shadow loomed over them. Natsu's dragon senses flared, and he could feel it—the unmistakable presence of Irene.
She was close. Too close.
"Natsu..." Erza began, her smile fading as she noticed the shift in his expression.
And then, before either of them could react, Irene emerged from the shadows, her figure draped in an aura of power that sent a chill down Natsu's spine. Her eyes, glowing with the intensity of a dragon, locked onto him with a predatory gleam.
"Ah, I was wondering when you'd come to your senses, Natsu," Irene purred, her voice rich with amusement. She glanced at Erza, her lips curling into a smirk. "It seems you've chosen to play hero again."
Erza stood up immediately, her hand instinctively moving to the hilt of her sword. "What do you want, Irene?" she demanded, her voice sharp as steel.
Irene didn't answer right away. Instead, she took a slow step forward, her gaze fixed on Natsu. "You know what I want, Natsu," she said softly, her voice full of dangerous allure. "You. The fire we share—it can't be extinguished."
Natsu's heart pounded, the pull toward Irene once again rising inside him, fierce and undeniable. But this time, it was different. He wasn't just caught in her flames. Erza's words echoed in his mind, grounding him, reminding him of who he was. He couldn't lose himself again.
"I'm not going with you, Irene," Natsu said firmly, his flames flaring around him as he stood, positioning himself between her and Erza. "I don't belong to you."
Irene's eyes darkened, the smile on her face slipping as a cold fury replaced it. "You can't deny it, Natsu. The connection between us—it's stronger than anything you've ever known. You want me, just as much as I want you."
Natsu's flames roared to life, fierce and bright, as he stepped forward, his jaw set in determination. "You're wrong. Whatever this is between us—it's not stronger than my bonds with my friends. With Fairy Tail. With Erza."
Irene's lips curled into a sneer as she unleashed a wave of her own magic, the air around her crackling with power. "You think you can resist me, Natsu? You think your bonds with these... mortals are stronger than the power of a dragon?"
Erza drew her sword, stepping beside Natsu, her gaze never leaving Irene. "We're not afraid of you, Irene. Natsu doesn't need your power. He's stronger without you."
For a moment, the three of them stood there, the tension in the air thick with magic and emotion. Natsu could feel the fire between him and Irene, the dragon inside him still roaring for release. But for the first time, he was in control. He wasn't going to let Irene pull him into her flames again.
Irene's eyes narrowed, and the fury in her expression deepened. "You think you can just walk away from this, Natsu? From me?"
Natsu's flames flared even brighter as he stepped forward, his voice strong and unyielding. "I'm not walking away from anything. I'm choosing to fight for what matters to me."
And with that, Natsu lunged forward, his flames igniting around him as he charged at Irene. She met his attack head-on, her own magic clashing with his in a blaze of fire and power that shook the very ground beneath them.
Erza followed close behind, her sword gleaming as she joined the battle, standing beside Natsu as they fought against Irene's overwhelming strength. It was a battle of dragons, a clash of power and passion that sent shockwaves through the forest, lighting up the night sky with flames and magic.
But even as they fought, Natsu could feel the shift within him. He wasn't fighting alone. Erza was with him—by his side, just as she always had been. And with her there, he knew he could win.
Irene's power was immense, but Natsu's flames, fueled by the bonds he shared with his friends—with Erza—were even stronger. With a final roar, Natsu unleashed a torrent of fire that engulfed Irene, forcing her back as she let out a furious cry.
When the flames finally died down, Irene stood there, her breath ragged, her eyes blazing with rage. But there was something else in her expression—something almost... resigned.
"You've made your choice, Natsu," Irene said, her voice cold and dangerous. "But this isn't over. You may have chosen them over me, but the dragon inside you will always call out for more. You'll see."
With a final, piercing look at both Natsu and Erza, Irene vanished into the night, leaving behind a trail of scorched earth and smoldering flames.
Natsu collapsed to his knees, his breath coming in heavy gasps, the weight of the battle—and everything that had happened—crashing down on him.
Erza knelt beside him, her hand resting gently on his shoulder. "You did it, Natsu," she whispered, her voice soft but filled with relief. "You fought back."
Natsu looked up at her, his chest tight with emotion. "I couldn't have done it without you."
Erza's smile was small but genuine as she helped him to his feet. "You're never alone, Natsu. We're all here for you—always."
As they stood together, the night sky slowly clearing, Natsu felt something shift inside him. The fire between him and Irene was still there, but it no longer controlled him. He had chosen—chosen his friends, chosen Erza, chosen Fairy Tail.
And for the first time in what felt like forever, he knew he had made the right choice...or did he?
