Rated M
M is for MATURE, people.
If I can pretend to be, then you can too!

DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING! *sob* However sometimes I wonder if Mashima-sama used to follow me and my friends around to help him dream up a few of his characters!

At least let a girl dream!

*~.🌒.~*

Twelve Lies

"Aww Come on, Juice!"

"No!" Lucy refused, walking ahead of him at a brisk pace.

"Just one more bite? It was sooooo good!"

"The more you keep asking, the stronger 'no' it's going to be!"

"But I can't stop!" Natsu chuckled, annoying the blonde further. "It was just too good!"

"No!"

"Give it time! You'll learn to love it!"

"This is hardly the time, Natsu! Honestly, at this point the beast is worse than the bite!"

"What!?" Natsu darted up in front of her, entirely too close for Lucy's current mood. Exactly when had she started to think the smell of brimstone as sexy? "You don't mean that, Juice!"

"Ugh! Get that vile thing away from me!" Lucy batted away the offending hand that held the most sour grapefruit/type thing she'd ever tasted in creation. She had thought her mouth would implode!

As she marched past him again, Natsu looked at the fruit he held. Shrugging, he took one more bite and tossed it over his shoulder. Once the bite was swallowed, the Hatter swept up in front of her and wrapped warm arms around her waist. With her forward momentum halted, the beast purred "Alright, the fruit's gone. I really did think ya might like it." His eyes flickered a flame. "Forgive me?"

Though the stubborn part of her wanted to stay angry, a much bigger part of her wanted to make peace with the stunning dragon asking for forgiveness in his own odd, little way. Tilting her head when he leaned in for a kiss, Lucy lifted a hand to his cheek—but changed its course when she tasted residual fruit juice on his tongue and slapped his chest instead. Natsu chuckled and leaned his forehead to hers and spoke through a cunning grin, "See? Not so bad that time."

"Oh you are hopeless, Natsu Dragneel!"

Natsu cackled at her proclamation and continued to follow when she slipped from his grasp. After a few more steps, Lucy turned back around to face him. "Where could we find some fresh water... and maybe a bath?"

Scratching his head, Natsu thought aloud. "There's probably lots of it in the Living Garden, but I was gonna take us around that."

"Can't we just go through it? I'm really thirsty after your stunt with that dumb fruit."

"How can a fruit be dumb? I guess maybe it might have been before I plucked it. Dunno, didn't talk to me."

"Natsu..." Lucy raised a brow at his odd quandary. "We're going through the garden, we're finding some water, and I'm praying we find somewhere I can at least rinse the berry juice out of my hair."

"Sure." Natsu nodded with a smile and took her hand. "It's this way."

The two of them approached what looked to be a massive private garden. Lucy lifted a brow at Natsu, "This is what you were going to have us go around? It would have taken forever!"

Natsu shrugged, opening the gate for her, "Too many smells. Don't care for this place much."

From what Lucy could see, the Living Garden was just like any other garden. A bit poor on the upkeep, but considering how it was out in the middle of nowhere, who would come to maintain it? Besides, aren't all gardens living? This place ought to at least try to be more creative in their landmarks' names. The two walked hand in hand, though the Mad Hatter kept shifting his eyes about. Unsure if the whispers he heard with his dragonkin ears were in his head, or bouncing among the trees.

Having felt this feeling many times over, he mostly discounted it as paranoia—his lady love did seem to attract danger. Lucky for her he'd always yank her out of it. Eventually, the pair reached what might have been the center of the garden (which was much more large than the dragon had anticipated) where Lucy smiled brightly at the clear blue pond that rest there. She rushed over, far too thirsty to care if it was safe, honestly—a Londoner ought to know better. Fortunately she had an increasingly over protective dragon watching over her who put a hand over hers just as she was scooping some up. "Hold up Juicy," he cautioned, and brought her hands to his lips first. Lucy watched curiously, and she'd admit it, a bit flattered, as he swished it about his mouth. At last he swallowed and gave her a thumb's up. "Tastes a lil' like algae, but should be fine."

Lucy gave a relieved sigh and immediately began cupping more for herself. Then nearly stumbled over when the Hatter placed a teacup in her hands. She looked to him, bewildered and he grinned. "Never leave home without it."

The blonde smiled and accepted it, "Of course you don't."

Suddenly, Natsu grabbed her chin and angled her face to his, planting a kiss on the corner of her mouth. Lucy stared, flushed and wide eyed at his oh-so-casual display of affection as he said, "Go ahead and stick around here. I'm gonna find us something to eat."

"Uh... yea, thank you..." She replied, heart thumping.

That smile he flashed her seemed innocent enough; though we really can't assume to know what the smile hid beneath the surface of this madman. Once the exchange ended, he bolted away—a dragon in need of sustenance.

The sight of him darting away found Lucy surprisingly content. Things were actually... good—for once. Silently praying her happiness wasn't on borrowed time, she started to lower her sticky mess formerly known as hair into the water. Stopping with only the tips of her hair dipped, she squinted at leaves she swore she recognized. At the sound of her own hunger, she decided an investigation was in order. Lifting up, Lucy slowly walked through a few brushes and around a rather gargantuan tree to the far edge of the pond. What she saw had her smiling smugly, all those years spent in the garden paying off at last. It was odd though, perennial shrubs like these tended to have red tomatoes. Yet these were indisputably blue. With a shrug, Lucy wrapped her hand around one and said, "Odd, but not unheard of," and plucked it.

"oow!" Cried out a tiny voice. "yipes lady! what'd ya do that fer?!"

"Oh!" Lucy fell from her kneel straight onto her bottom. "Terribly sorry..."

"well ya should be! i'd jes' finish'd growin that! get ure own get'ups!"

"How peculiar..." Lucy crawled up to the plant, poking it lightly.

"hey now, there's no makin' up fer watchu done wif heavy pettin!"

"Sorry, it's just that I was so very hungry, and your tomatoes looked so ripe." Lucy replied, staring intently at what may or may not have been the plant's face.

"savage!" Came another tiny voice which had Lucy's head swiveling. Just as she identified what was possibly the speaker, a dozen, perhaps two all started a whispering uproar.

"You've never had anyone pluck vegetation before?!" Lucy raised a brow, "It's not unheard of!"

A group of daisies at her feet all sung out in unison, "why yes we have, those bothersome things with the four stems chew us up all the time!"

Even more whispers started then and it began to rub Lucy the wrong way. With a hand to her forehead Lucy said, "Oh be quiet, the lot of you!" When that didn't work, she shrugged and looked to a rose, deciding a more forward approach necessary. "I suppose I'll just have to start picking you if you won't quiet down on your own."

That worked. Lucy inspected the tomato in her hand, then looked back down at the little bush she'd plucked it from. "I'm going to eat this now and you should know it's nothing personal. It's simply the food chain at work." The tomato tasted more tart than she expected, but otherwise, very satisfying. Biting into it again, Lucy noticed an over-sized tiger-lily off to her left quivering. She walked up to it and curtsied. "I'm sorry if I frighten you, to be honest, I'm a little wary myself. I've never spoken to plants before."

"Don't trouble yourself with that dear," the tiger-lily replied, in a much stronger voice than any of the other plants. "As one of the wisest blooms here, I know a thing or two about you mobile flowers. And while I appreciate your attempt to color your pedals, you have missed much. It makes you look more diseased than purple. You should wash it out and find contentment in the lovely yellow pedals you already have."

It took Lucy a moment of deciphering to garner an understanding of what the flower meant. "Oh... Oh! You mean my hair?" Lucy made a face, "that bad, huh?"

"Indeed. The water here is quite satisfying. I should know, I drink it all the time. You should go soak some up and let it purify that lovely yellow."

"Oh I couldn't possibly... my friend will be back soon and it would be beyond awkward if he walked in on me bathing." Lucy blushed at the thought.

"Oh fret not about that, you should be fretting about that contagion you appear to be spreading. We flowers are wonderful look outs. We'll warn you if he comes along."

Narrowing her eyes at the plant, Lucy tested skeptically, "Even for a savage like me...?"

"Pay no attention to what that young lout said." The tiger-lily quivered indignantly, "That growth of his was just going to wither and fall anyway. Go wash before the dandelions spy you with all those purple splotches! You'll stir up quite the commotion!"

Lucy frowned, unsure of what kind of mischief a bunch of dandelions could cause—but considering she'd already offended several... perhaps she should at least try to ease their worries. And she certainly did not want anyone—or anything—to think that she was diseased!

Removing her slippers, Lucy found herself shaking her head with a soft smile. She'd certainly come to accept quite an assortment to strange things here in this world. Carrying on a fully fledged conversation with vegetation. Perhaps it was as the Cheshire Cat had said... they (including her) were all mad here. Despite that, Lucy had been sticky long enough—and was more than willing to take the risk if it meant getting all the dried juice off of her. It was becoming rather itchy. With her slippers and petticoats on the stony shore, she dipped herself into the waters. Breathing sharply at its chill, she went deep enough to begin removing her corset. Maybe, if she scrubbed the fabric, she might manage to keep it from staining.

Once that met her satisfaction, Lucy laid it out on some stones where the sun peeked through and did the same for her skirt. Now just in her shift, Lucy began work on her hair. It had become so stiff! Massaging the strands gently in the water took some time, but she had always been taught patience when it came to the upkeep of her hair. Once she was able to run fingers through it again, she sighed happily. As the maiden began working on her skin, she looked up at the sun curiously. Hmm, why did the water warm so suddenly? Was the sun in this world more powerful than the sun in hers? She couldn't complain though, the warmer water seemed to cleanse her skin far easier than the cold. Beyond content, she dipped her hair in again. Gods, it's like the hot spring at Cana's! The phenomenon was uncanny...

She lifted her hair back out of the water with an, "Ahh..." As her eyes opened, they met with a head of salmon colored hair and golden eyes in front of her, peeking from the water's surface. Lucy sputtered and slipped on the slick and uneven ground which gave Natsu the perfect excuse to get his hands on her. Hot fingers anchored onto hips that touched nothing but skin due to Lucy's shift trying to float. With a curling smirk Natsu leaned his forehead to hers and professed, "If I had'a known this is what you were up to, I never would'a left."

Lucy gushed, and found it rather hard to breath. "I... I—"

The Hatter embraced her tightly, pressing their bodies together as his lips found hers. At the realization of Natsu being completely in the nude, Lucy squealed and tilted her head away from the beast trying to consume her lips. Though he was was not deterred, and began running nips, kisses and licks down her jawbone and further still to her neck. One of his hands (surely steaming) raised up her shift while splaying fingers between shoulder blades as the other crept down to her rear in a tantalizing and exhilarating grasp. "Ahhh... Master Natsu, I—"

The claw on her bottom pushed her flush with the beast's hips and she felt something that could best be described as a heated rod, firm enough to sit on right at her core. Lucy lost her voice to a wail that Natsu found just as delectable as the remarkable warmth she shared against his manhood—driving his animalistic desires. His mouth needed more though, so his head dipped under the water and bunched fabric so his lips could graze over a breast to wrap a tongue, followed by lips right over her peek. His ears could hear his love's muffled howl above the water, encouraging him more—and missing the touch his lower body had just a tick earlier. The scorching paw that he'd rested on her lower half curved inward and his longest finger slipped past more fabric to find the vast treasure his Juicy had hidden from him all this time. He groaned into her bosom at the sensation of the supremely soft skin texture his finger felt as it wandered farther, deeper.

Lucy was utterly entranced by the multitude of sensations this man was sparking all at once. Her head reeled back as her hands latched into his hair, gripping his head tightly even though her limbs felt weak. The finger he'd slipped inside her was then joined by another as his head lifted back above the water, to devour yet more of her skin. The maiden's eyes finally managed to open just a little as Natsu made a home for his teeth on the supple skin of her neck. The feel of his manhood was against her again where she rode upon his enticingly hot fingers and Lucy began to feel that she might explode. Her face was flush with passion she never thought possible, it felt so right, so natural to be pressed against this man so tightly. Hazed eyes swept over the surrounding garden as Natsu lifted from her neck to recapture her lips in an alluring growl. Lucy whimpered as his tongue caressed hers in inhuman heat that somehow never burned. During their kiss, something inside Lucy burst, and her legs tightened around his hand and had them moaning together. Natsu was bespelled by a new liquid coming from his love's heat as it mingled with the water and over his lower appendage her legs had trapped along with his hand. He panted, carnal appetites growing beyond the point of return as he drawled out, "Damn Juice..."

Finding his curse more appealing than appalling, Lucy looked into his eyes and was astonished of the beauty she found there. "Natsu... I..."

She gasped when Natsu pulled his hand out from inside her, still panting, he brought his lips to hers again with only briefest bit of tongue and said, "That's enough for now." At Lucy's whimper he smirked, very pleased with himself. Lifting his obtrusive fingers above the water, he added quite mischievously, "Because I'm a gentleman." A chill went up an otherwise heated body when Natsu then placed his exploratory fingers into his mouth, sucking them clean.

As he started wandering off, hopefully to retrieve whatever food he might have acquired, Lucy (who was still maddeningly flushed) called out, "Oh yeah?! Well gentlemen don't DO that!"

She turned away from the retreating sound of his laughter and walked out of the pond on shaky legs. As she scooped up her clothes, she glared at the tiger-lily, "Great job keeping watch."

In a low whisper, the flower replied, "You did not say your other half was a dragon... we flammables do not impede their path in any way."

Lucy grumbled something indiscernible, but it instigated the lily to add one other thing that quite nearly got her plucked. "And besides, you may know a thing or two about the food chain, but at least I know about the life cycle. Honestly, what kind of seed exchange was that? And how brazen of such a lovely flower like yourself to have done... whatever that was... right in front of so many of us?!"

Absolutely mortified, Lucy dressed and vanished from the flower's clearly judgmental gaze. Had they all been watching?! The woman decided then and there to never own another potted plant EVER again. Unsure as to how to leave this garden full of abominable plants, Lucy found a stone bench and sat. The closest flower was a pleasant ten paces from her. Just after perhaps several ticks, the Hatter walked up behind her and tossed his legs over the bench to sit beside her—and succeeded in startling the highly wound woman.

After her jump, Natsu held a flower with lovely pink and blue pedals out to her. "This one smells a little like you."

Her reaction was nothing like what he'd seen from others of the opposite sex when receiving a flower from their beau. Lucy took one look at it and gasped in horror, you know, the distinct opposite from what he'd expected. "You brute! How could you!" Though she did take the flower, but instead of holding it by the stem and smelling it, Lucy held it in cupped hands and walked to a flower bed. With much confusion, he watched her dig at soil that looked very firm and set the beautiful bloom in the shallow hole she'd made. Natsu's feet carried him to hover over her as he witnessed what looked to be the burial of an adored pet. "...Don't like flowers?"

Rising and dusting off her hands, she frowned at him. "Not living flowers!"

This only raised more questions as Natsu trailed after the woman he'd only sought to make smile. "But... they're only living... if they're in the ground..."

"Well that's the problem, wasn't it!" Lucy huffed, knowing they needed to escape the garden before possible ramifications from his carelessness unearthed themselves.

When they finally reached the garden's exit, Natsu pushed the cast iron gate open for his lady and she walked through without a word. He'd had some time to mull over which words to use by then and he edged up back beside her. "Hey Juice? I'm uh, sorry about the flower. I guess I thought maybe all girls liked'em."

Lucy looked up at him as they walked, but stopped when she saw concern in his eyes. The hint of worry she saw there touched her, he must have been baffled by her reaction earlier. Supposing that the plant's ability to speak might be a guarded secret against dragons, she sighed and tried to put on a reassuring smile. "No, I'm sorry. Considering the female stereotypes, I understand how you couldn't have known better. And I do... did... like it when certain possible suitors gifted a bouquet here and there, but..."

Feeling very edgy all of a sudden, Natsu stood up straight, his voice alarmed, "Is that what I am? A possible suitor?"

"Oh gods, no!" Lucy confirmed, quickly placing her hands on his cheeks. "Natsu I..." Realizing her boldness, she began to pull away, unable to finish what she was trying to convey.

Pull away she did not though, for the Hatter curled arms under hers to wrap fingers over her shoulders. "I don't really know what I'm doin' on the romantic side of things... but when I've gotcha like this..." His eyes flashed a fire within them that made Lucy's heart do somersaults at the recollection of how rapturous he'd made her feel in the garden pond. "I seem to know exactly what to do..."

He leaned in to kiss her, feeling a need to show her again, and it pained Lucy to not allow it as she leaned away. "Of that I have no doubt," she breathed, maintaining restraint as best she could. "But I can't uh..." Her voice trailed when he nipped at her neck, "Ahhhh... I can't just give in... to..." She squealed when one of his hands slid over to caress her chest. Finally pulling herself from him, and feeling extraordinarily cold for doing so, she straightened her top and finished her sentence. "I can't simply give in to lust!" Admitting this to him brought on its own kind of sadness and embarrassment—but he needed to know if this was the way he thought he could act around her now. "Women in my culture are highly valued for our -ahem- chastity, and cannot just hand it out like it was nothing. It makes what we're worth... far less. We're branded a women of loose morals if we indulge before we're married."

She was looking at her own fidgeting fingers she held near her torso by the end, but looked up at him with what he said next; standing tall and strong... as though he were ready for an attack and more than confident he could counter it. "Anyone who prizes you on that alone is a damn fool. This place you come from needs a reckoning."

Slowly shaking her head in disbelief, she stared at this man, this dragon in awe. What a brilliant liberation it would be... "You're sweet, Natsu. I really love that about you." Taking his hand, she resumed their walk.

They went on in silence for a while, and right when the forest they were both familiar with came onto the horizon, Natsu asked, "Why don't we just do that then?"

Lucy looked to him, "Do what?"

"That married thing."

Lucy stopped dead in her tracks. Who had they become to discuss such things so casually? Fighting through the fact that her heart had just grown wings, she squinted at him. "The married thing? Is that your odd way of... proposing?"

Natsu watched her blankly, "What's proposing?"

"Oh gods, Natsu!" Lucy ran frustrated hands through her hair, causing a frown from the Hatter who's hand she'd just relinquished. "Proposing is... ugh! I can't, the forest is just up there, perhaps if you ask—" She'd started to march past him, but came to a halt when a hot hand wrapped around her wrist with a gentleness that was, frankly, surprising.

"Please Juice... Lucy... tell me what it is."

Completely caught off guard at the sound of his voice saying her true name, Lucy complied. "Uh... yeah, sure. Um..." She closed her eyes for a moment and gathered her wits about her. She was merely educating him on matters of etiquette. Clearing her mind of about a dozen different fantasies, she began. "Proposing... err, a proposal usually begins with the man going down on one knee."

Natsu all but tumbled down to one knee.

The two stared at one another. Lucy totally dumbfounded, and Natsu awaiting further instruction. One could hear the grass bend against the light breeze.

"And then..." Lucy continued, in the smallest of whispers. "The man takes the lady's uh... hand..."

Already in possession of one of her wrists, the Hatter brought both hands to hold her one. A thumb rubbed over the top of her hand apprehensively. His eyes remained fully locked on hers, living every action she spoke.

With a rosy hue just below brown eyes, Lucy finished, "Then he professes his—"

"Lucy I love you." Natsu called out, clear and determined. "I've known there was something amazing about you ever since I smelled you in the rose bushes. I'd always been told a dragon only possessed half a soul, and it was our job to sniff out the other half." His hands squeezed hers, tightly, desperately. "Lucy... please accept that I know that you are the missing part of me. You're the only one that has ever been able to filter out the noise and let me experience clarity.

"I already owe you everything for that, but if you could indulge my greedy ass one more thing... please... marry me."

Allow me to shed some perspective on what I'm sure you already understand to be a pivotal part in this tale. In the modern age that we are blessed to live our lives in today, our courtships are long and drawn out, or quick and—at times—careless. More critical readers might find this proposal as impractical and unrealistic. But what you need understand, is that in Lucy's world in the latter years of London's 19th century, aristocratic courtships were more often assigned than chosen. Typically ending with a marriage, whether or not the woman deemed her husband worthy. After all, Lucy had been promised to Jellal without so much as a conversation about it first. The possibility of marrying for love was something of a fairy tale, and not to be expected outside of written word.

"This..." Lucy slowly gave her head a shake, "this is crazy..." was that tear falling from her eye? "We aren't even from the same world! How could I be your other half?"

Natsu pulled her down to his level so that he could look into her eyes more clearly, "It doesn't matter. I would have found you. Don't know how long it woulda taken, but I would have found you. If where you're from demands we marry, then I am for it—cuz Juicy—Lucy—I can't be without you again."

His pupils were the smallest of slits as they searched his love's deep brown eyes. He could see hope there, but he also sensed sadness when she replied. "Oh Natsu... I just don't see how such a thing is possible!"

Another tear leaked from her eye and that was too many for the Hatter. Leaning forward, he licked the tear from her cheek and leaned further still to whisper into her ear. The hot breath dancing in her ear was enough to boil blood, but the words were what confirmed her heart. Sensually, he enlightened her on a little something about him. "I'm pretty great at making the impossible, possible."

More tears then, but they were joyful, thanks to our Hatter's reassurances. She chuckled, "I believe you."

Adjusting himself so that he looked her in the eyes again his brows were uplifted like a child who'd just been told they could have ice-cream for dinner. "Is that a yes?!"

Unable to do anything but smile and nod, Lucy did both. Natsu's smile grew and grew some more before raising his head to the heavens and crowed out his joy. Lucy laughed with him and then dug her hands into his hair, bringing him back to her as she initiated their next kiss.

Natsu leaned into her excitedly, pushing her all the way down into the grass. Enjoying the way her breasts squished delightfully against his chest, his tongue chased hers exuberantly in his conquest of the woman who'd just consented. One hand immediately went onto her side, sliding up to the base of the breast he'd yet to taste. Lucy gasped within their lip lock in what he'd hoped was anticipation as his other hand went right to bunching up her skirts.

Lucy giggled, flattered at how quickly his arousal had risen, but knew it was necessary to say, "Ease up, Na—" She was interrupted when he insisted she not part their lips, though she managed again. "We're not married yet!"

With his mouth still hovering above hers, he breathed out, "We're not?"

She could not keep from laughing, "No! We've got to have a wedding first."

"Right," He lifted up—slowly—panting. As he rolled to a seat next to her with one leg propping up an arm he asked bluntly, "Where do we get one of those?"

^.^

Jellal sat in darkness, with only the distant sound of drip, drip, drip for company. He'd been tossed down into a hole with iron grates barring the top. When he'd felt around the parameter, he had to surmise that he'd been thrown into an oubliette, for half his cell was nothing but the end of ground; just walls of air.

The French roughly translates oubliette as: a place of forgetting. Some might think it odd that he would have preferred the headsman over being tossed into such a place. This... this was psychological torture. This meant that... perhaps Erza truly wanted to forget him. That pained him more than mere loss of life. He couldn't be sure how long he'd been here when a light edged into view. As it grew closer, he was able to discern that it was a torch being held by a singular person. And he knew this particular woman's gait well.

Erza Scarlet stopped at the edge of the opposite side of the pit holding up the torch so that he may see her face clearly. With much dismay, Time saw no love in her eyes and told himself that it was for the best. His duties never allowed for such blessings. Who was he to have thought that perhaps he might be the one to bring back the merciful spirit that had once lived within her one remaining brown eye. For a moment though, he dared hope that despite her silence, despite that she wore the defenseless Clear Heart garb, that she might still be in there somewhere. That sweet moment faded when she lifted a hand to the glass eye he'd gifted her with. It was enchanted with time magic. A lacrima that fooled the body into believing it to be her true eye and allowed it to function as so. The same hand that had once caressed his cheek, and tease him relentlessly removed the precious eye. She then held it in a fist above the (possibly) bottomless pit that separated them. Closing his eyes to better feel the pain he'd inflicted on her, he listened as the glass crumbled in her fist. Jellal then lifted his gaze to watch as she dropped the fine shards down into the abyss.

As if his heart was not tight enough, the queen then lifted a flat palm out for him to see. The skin flayed and bleeding. What she said would echo through him for what he feared would be an eternity. "Our body will heal. The scars you've set into our soul forever bleed."

Taking her leave with not another sound, Jellal was left in darkness.

Drip, drip, drip.

~.~

Lucy ran into the forest clearing, calling out for Levy. Natsu followed not far behind, having let his lady find her way to the clearing this time. He did not share her excitement though, and stopped at the table where she was checking the sugar bowl Levy liked to nap in. "They're not here, Juice."

She looked up at him with a frown, "You don't think..."

"What, those two?" Natsu made a face, "no way. They're way too clever to get caught just playing decoy. They knew what to do. Probably just got caught up like we did."

Worry creasing her brows, Lucy doubled down. "Are you sure? If she was clever enough to have a trap set in her dining room of all places..."

"That was Tick Tock's doing, a long time ago."

"Jellal? Really? How? Why?" Lucy tilted her head, placing a nervous hand on her stomach.

Smelling a pot of tea that must have been sitting there for over a day, Natsu deemed it good enough and poured it into cup. "Jellal and Erza were an item a long time ago. He disappeared when Mira left the castle, can't tell ya how much intrigue that started up with villagers."

He offered her the cup of old tea, which Lucy gave a distasteful shake of head at. He shrugged and drank it himself when she clarified, "Jellal and Erza were in love..."

"Sure looked that way to us outside castle walls."

Replaying much of her experiences with the faux James Croft, she began to grow more and more curious over his actions. He'd seemed so focused to reach out to her, just as he'd mentioned knowing much of her mother. But why?

Mavis...

Jellal had been more than annoyed when Lucy informed him that she hadn't known her. Had he thought this Mavis would have been present in her life? Possible, since he'd told her about her and her mother's friendship.

"Ya know..." Natsu spoke up, startling her into noticing he was laying on the table with his head right where her plate would be. "You keep looking like that when we talk about your EX-fiance and I might hav'ta go make the guy extra-crispy..."

"Natsu?"

"Hmm?" The Hatter raised a brow at her not even smiling.

"Who is Mavis?"

"Why don't I brew some fresh tea, the pot's almost empty anyway." Natsu began to sit up but grunted when Lucy put a hand on his chest and pressed him back down.

This tickled Natsu fiercely and he started to cackle at his love's new-found ferocity. Just for kicks, he tried to get up again, and Lucy slammed him back again, this time with enough force to send the nearest dishes bouncing. He could not stop laughing.

"Hatter!"

"Hmm?" He rubbed wetness from an eye and tilted his chin up to gaze upon her. "Did you know it is much easier to gentlemen with a hat? I miss my hat."

Lucy rolled her eyes, "I need an answer this time!"

"The time? It's getting on towards tea-time! We haven't entertained in a while, I wonder if the Nobodies would like scones. Do you know how to make scones? I always burn—"

"Damnit Natsu! I'm going to kick you!"

This sent him laughing again, and she did what she promised. She got up on the table herself and kicked him. "Why is it," she started, steadying herself to kick again, "that every time I ask this one question something happens to keep it from getting answered!?"

Natsu caught her foot this time and pulled it down, expertly aiming so she'd fall tummy first onto him. Then he swept the dishes next to them aside and rolled the both of them over, so that now he had her pinned. "Cuz it's not an easy thing to explain!"

Lucy was winded from the abrupt manhandling. Her hair was strewn about her face and her chest heaved. Despite all that, she glared up at him, "Could you at least try?"

"Uh..." Natsu replied, looking down at the way her breasts spilled over her ribs like water balloons.

"HATTER!"

"Oh! Um... No," Natsu confirmed, "not while I'm on top of you."

"Then. Get. OFF!"

"I really don't want to..."

"Don't make me kick you in this position..." Lucy smirked, quirking a brow, "you really... really don't want that either."

Natsu groaned, but obeyed. Readjusting so that his back was turned and his legs hung off the table. Lucy rolled to her side and watched his back as he spoke. "Mavis was the Mother. Uh... the first dreamer. Her rule was before script mages began recording history, and why should they? With her as the White queen, and King Makarov as the Red, our world lived in a golden age. Dragons could soar the skies, and mice could marry rabbits. It is said, that for whatever reason, the king and queen could not bear a child. So the deal was, that the both of them would appoint a successor. Someone who they deemed best to fill their role when they grew tired of it. I'm not really sure why they needed to. All the legends speak of the two as never ending... but that's the way we all are. But eventually, Makarov grew ill and Mavis kinda just... I dunno, faded away after the sickness took him. Thus began the rule of the White Queen Mirana and the Red Queen Iracebeth, who in turn chose their successors."

Leaning with her head in her hand, Lucy pressed lips together in a frown. None of that helped her understand why Time was so enamored with locating this Mavis character. It was maddeningly unhelpful. "Wait... but didn't Levy say that Cana said that Mavis was with her?"

Natsu looked over his shoulder at her, "Yeah, she did... but cat's make up stories all the time, it's just how they are. The Cheshire is pretty unique though," a fleeting sadness passed over his gaze too quick for the star maiden to notice, "most cats are much more solitary."

"No... she was supposed to have answered truthfully. That was the deal."

"Yeah, and afterwards Pocket Watch wanted to skin'er." Natsu reminded, "probably because she went and lied anyway."

Lucy hummed while considering it. Personally, she hadn't gotten any vibe that had her thinking that Jellal had thought that Cana had lied. Gods she wished she could have been there for that! As she thought, Lucy's head slipped from her hand and her eyelids felt too heavy to bother to reopen.

~.~

What stirred the lady was the sound of tink, tink, tink, followed by another tink, tink, tink. With a brow twitching, she opened her eyes—then opened them wider when she saw what stood before her. A shadow, no, locals called them... hmm, what was it again? Nobodies! This one seemed to have been looming over her as she'd slept. "Uh... heeey..." she greeted slowly, sitting up and scooting off the table.

Another tink, tink, tink, had her turning toward the sound to see another Nobody walking about dropping sugar cubes in each teacup it past. Looking about, she didn't see anyone, just a few other no ones walking into the clearing. She wasn't sure if she'd ever grow easy around them; the aura around them just seemed so eerie. "Natsu..."

With the sun now tucked away, the only large source of light was the campfire that had a tea kettle resting over it on an iron stand. She backed up closer to it, hoping that being closer to the light might help her chase the chills away. A relieved sigh slipped through her when Natsu walked out from the trees. "Ahh!" He smiled, holding his arms out theatrically. "The Juicy should have told me we had guests! Please, please, everyone take a seat."

Instinctively, Lucy reached to help when he grabbed the kettle that must have been extremely hot—but he simply walked past her with a wink and she stopped, and also stopped from slapping her forehead. Duh... fire dragon. Pot holder not required. She watched as Natsu strolled about, pouring tea for their guests, talking all the while. At times he would respond to one as though they'd asked him a question, "Why yes, the tea is rather weak this night. Apologies, it cannot be helped." "Why yes! The Dormouse is out this evening." "Ha, ha! Indeed they most likely are." "No sir, I cannot remember where I left my hat, and it was such a fine hat too." Once all the drinks were poured, Nobodies found their way to their seats.

With everyone, and no one, sitting, Natsu came to his exceptionally plushy chair at the head of the table. "My friends! This night, is a very special occasion." He raised a hand that now had a fluted wine glass instead of a tea cup—which made Lucy notice that she also held one, though a moment ago she could have sworn her hands were empty. "For today," the hatter turned his gaze to Lucy and held a hand out for her, "the deliciously scrumptious Juicy has agreed to be my wife!"

Lucy walked up, taking his hand, and the low hums that always came with the Nobodies rose louder, as if in cheer. Bashfully, Lucy smiled, and when a few of the Nobodies started thumping on the table, others followed along. Thump, thump, thump thump. Natsu laughed and bowed to Lucy, then looked up at her and kissed the top of her hand. The thumps increased, then stopped when he straightened. The smile he was granting her got interrupted when his head snapped to the side, "Aye, I am a lucky bastard, but I'll ask you only once not to say such things about my—uh... what was the word again?" He then grinned, pointing to another Nobody, "Ahh, yes! Many thanks! Fiance! Ahahaha! The Juicy is MY fiance!"

The happiness the Hatter showed was contagious, and Lucy found herself giggling by the time he finished their toast and they all drank. When Lucy lowered her glass, she nearly sputtered her drink back out in surprise. Every shadow was gone. "What?"

Pouring more wine into her glass, Natsu answered nonchalantly. "We started the party late tonight, and they never overstay their welcome."

"Um, thank you." Lucy took another drink, but just a sip this time. The bubbly taste of berry was exquisite.

Taking her hand, Natsu smiled and motioned his head to where he'd entered the clearing. "I've got something to show you."

Bending under a few low hanging branches, Natsu brought them to another willow tree further into the forest. It was the same odd breed as most the trees that bordered the clearing with its red leaves and white blossoms. Natsu swept an arm to hold the hanging willow branches aside and motioned for Lucy to enter.

"Oh wow..." Lucy whispered as she ducked under his arm. This willow tree was massive, and Natsu had made the area around its trunk into a nest of their very own. The room was lit all around by the strange dull light the rested within the tree's many flowers, and the ground was covered in its entirety by mismatched rugs. A large mat covered in a plethora of different color and shaped pillows sat near the willow's left base, and a small writing desk and dresser complete with cast-iron mirror sat at the trunk's right. Near where they stood, rested a humble table with two chairs tucked under it.

The woman walked past the table, running fingers over its surface as her eyes darted about, taking in the magical scene in all its glory. A private home just for two...

"It's a work in progress, but it's a start." Natsu stated, watching her with much favor in dancing about his eyes.

"It's remarkable..."

Stepping up behind her, Natsu wrapped arms around her waist. "I've heard that one gives engagement gifts, and since I'd already promised you a bed... I thought that maybe I should do more than that."

"But all this..." Lucy shook her head and turned around to face him. He hummed contentedly as she rested arms over his shoulders. "This in unbelievable." Her eyes lowered and her smile grew tainted, "I'm afraid I don't have anything for you..."

"No way." Natsu smirked, and leaned in to grant her a gentle kiss, "you are everything for me, with your much muchness and..." His smirk turned impish, "your juice, juiciness."

Lucy blushed, and Natsu laid a kiss on her neck. She sighed contentedly and Natsu whispered into her ear, sending more tremors up her spine. "I have something else." Pulling her with him, they walked over carpet to the dresser, where he opened the top drawer.

When the Hatter held up a risque, red nightie, Lucy went completely red. "I'm... I'm not wearing that."

Natsu stared blankly, "What? Why?"

"Just look at it!" Her head was swimming, "I'd be totally exposed!"

The Hatter looked at the nightie, then back at her.

Not knowing what else to do, Lucy snatched it from his hands and quickly folded it back up. As she went to place it back in the drawer, Natsu scratched his head. "Levy sometimes wears sumthin' like it. I thought girls liked wearing stuff like that to sleep in."

"I'm sure some do..." Lucy started, "but I'd be much too embarrassed."

"Embarrassed..." Natsu repeated, unsure of its meaning. "Is there anything you'd rather sleep in then?" He began to remove his coat as Lucy looked in another drawer.

"These, where did you get all these clothes?" Lucy held up a light summer dress with her back to him.

"I've made lots over time. It helped me cope while you weren't you."

Turning around at the odd statement, Lucy's gaze was captured by the way the shadows clung to his masculine back as he hung his coat on one of the tree's broken twigs. Patting the tree, he turned back around to face her, freezing when he saw the look on her face. He wanted to memorize the way she watched him, and logged away the ever so slight change in her scent. Golden eyes looked her up and down, praying she was still there, still tangible.

In an effort to carry out their conversation (for she needed distraction), "When I wasn't me?"

Natsu took a step closer, "Aye."

"But... I've always been me..."

Another step, "Indeed."

Lucy's eyes narrowed, noting his advance. "So what do you mean?"

His love had changed her stance. Very well then, he'll try a different tactic. "It's not my job to understand," Natsu rushed her, causing her to yelp as he took her legs and lifted them onto his hips and spun them both in an about-face. With a surprised Juicy now looking down at him with luscious fingers digging to his hair, the Hatter smirked up at her. "My job is to be mad."

Lucy squealed as he dashed to the mat he'd prepared and fell onto it, with his future mate now sitting on his hips. When she started to make a shy motion to crawl off him, he gently redirected her so that he might kiss her. Having never quite recovered from her previous blush, Lucy allowed this and leaned over to embrace her fiance. Natsu purred into their tongue-lock as Lucy's hands came to caress his cheeks. The dragon beneath her warmed her inside and out as his blood temperature raised. His hands, resting on her bent legs slithered higher to grip her hips firmly. A mutual moan slipped past their kiss as they felt their passion grow and Natsu's hands lit on fire, burning away her skirt and lifting his hands to do the same to her corset. Sparing only the shift he'd adventured with her in. She looked far too sexy in such thin fabric the two times they'd dipped in water together for him to hold any malice for it.

His love was too far heated within his lips and too hot by the hardness Natsu held her against to even notice her garments' eradication. Natsu's hands soon returned to her hips and began swaying them, toward, then away. He grunted, unfamiliar with the pleasure such an action had met with. Lucy moaned louder though, and arched her back at the sensation. Natsu's fingers grew weak, his grip loosened, though he did not want it. He desired more and paused when her core was at his tip. His limbs lacking the strength he desperately wanted, too wrought with pleasure. Lucy pressed down, and Natsu in turn groaned, her weight against his manhood a delight he had no comparison to. Her head lulled down to gaze upon him with his chin upraised and his eyes squeezed shut. "Naaaa...stu..."

Natsu's eyes darted back to her, "Lucy?" He breathed out her name.

"I... I love you."

Regaining strength, he sat up and clutched her cheeks, diving into her mouth again. Lucy wrapped arms around him, and those arms slipped lower from how slick his back was. When their mouths parted, they sat there leaning on the other's forehead. Breathing deeply. After a moment's recoup, Natsu asked through closed eyes, "Any of that count as the wedding you wanted?"

His love's giggle sounded musical in his ears as she replied, "Nope."

Never stop dreaming.
If you're not dreaming, then you're just sleeping.

Seriphia
aka
Lick

*~.🌒.~*