Natsu POV
"Lisanna, could you give us a minute alone with Natsu?" Gajeel asked. Confusion ran through my mind as I pondered the questions Gajeel had just asked me and the fact Lis had to leave.
Regardless, she nodded, seeming to understand what this was about. Glad I'm the only one who doesn't.
I hobbled over to the bed, easing my way onto it and sitting so I could see Gajeel, Gildarts and Levy.
"So, what's the problem?"
Levy POV
I sighed, taking a seat on the counter while Gajeel took the wooden chair beside Gildarts. The iron dragon slayer began, "Natsu, humor me, how much did Igneel teach you about mating?"
Gajeel almost never called Natsu by his actual name. Usually it was "Pyro" or "Flame Brain" and they almost never talked like normal human beings having a normal conversation.
Natsu paused, furrowing his eyebrows, "Not much. He told me that when I got to be older, I would have to choose a mate because it's what dragons do."
We all sighed. "Well," I started, "that's not wrong."
Natsu POV
The three mages exchanged glances and finally Gajeel spoke, "Well it's a little more complicated than that. Dragons and their mates are lifelong partners, always staying together no matter what. They feed off each other and the more powerful the dragon, the more powerful the effects of mating get."
Levy started next, "Dragon slayers are no exception to this rule, only instead of searching your whole life for a mate, you begin the search when you turn eighteen. The farther away from your mate you are, the more out of it you get until you are reunited with your mate. Once united with your mate, your mood rises, your fighting skills escalate and your dragon senses heighten. Besides from that, nothing special happens."
I cocked my head to the side. Igneel had taught me that much. This is what they got all prepared to tell me. "Is that it," I questioned, "Because I actually knew-"
"We weren't done," Gajeel growled, "Nothing special happens until one of you realizes the love you hold for the other and confesses. After that point, you enter the 'intermediate stage' of dragon mating. This is when true 'mating season' begins. Your dragon senses begin to take over and you and your mate will heal each other, feel each other, and feel physical pain when far away from each other."
My eyes flickered to Gildarts who began next, "The last stage can get... complicated."
"It's mating right?" I stated, glancing at the shocked faces around the room. "Well, I'm not that stupid. We forget I'm the school's playboy."
"I hate hearing my own son say that," Gildarts rested his face in his hands and groaned, "Regardless, after confession, you dragon senses will continiously heighten until you... mate with your mate. It will get harder and harder to control yourself in any situation where you need your abilities: fights, training, arousal, so on, so forth. And like Levy said before, the more powerful the dragon, the more powerful the power of mating."
"And you're kinda the son of Igneel, King of the Dragons..." Levy's soft voice trailed off at the end.
I shrugged, "So what? That just means I'll continue to be out of it until I find my mate right? And it'll be at least two years before that happens because-"
"Natsu, what if you've already met your mate?" Gajeel yelled.
A silence swept over the room, then my laugh rang out, "That's funny, you think I'm able to find a mate after all the shit I've been through? What girl in their right mind... Oh, shit."
A memory flashed into my mind. It was faint and foggy, but there. Lucy, gold dust showering her, looked at me from above as I was being dragged away from the falling debris and whispered, "I love you."
It all made sense now. When I brushed her arm, and felt better; when I could feel her heart beating; when I lost myself to my dragon side after seeing her again. I changed when she came back. I did a full one-eighty. I was - and will be - willing do anything to protect her. She was my only priority after she confessed in that dim room; she even appeared in my dreams. Her shining golden hair, bright brown eyes and pink, luscious lips that I couldn't help but think about kissing.
Lucy Heartfilia is my mate.
Gildarts POV
"Let me see her," the pink haired slayer growled, eyes hidden under his bangs that were pressed to his forehead with white gauze.
Levy squeaked out a response, "She's still in surgery. She had a lot of internal damage, not to mention severe magic and blood loss."
His eyes shot up from the floor and locked onto Levy, only they weren't big like they usually were. They had turned into slits, and had a certain fire in them I had never seen before. Scales began to appear on his cheeks and neck.
Had Lucy and Natsu already confessed to each other?
Suddenly, Gajeel stood up, standing in front of the petite blue haired girl, "Don't talk to her like that, Pyro. Sit down, and shut up. Lucy will be out soon enough."
And now we know who Gajeel's mate is.
Natsu shook his head, eyes returning to normal as they flickered around the room, and finally landed on me, "I have to learn to control that. I'm leaving in three days and that's not enough time to-"
I sighed, "I know. You'll have to learn to deal with the feeling and use it to your advantage without drawing too much attention to yourself."
"Could I bring her with me? I mean, I'm special cargo anyway, right? I'll only be used for certain missions and we can't be apart now anyway."
"Natsu," I stood and stalked towards him, "Did you already enter the second stage?"
Before the young slayer could answer, Gajeel spoke for him, "He has to be. She healed him and I know they've kissed at least once. That would've sparked the beginning of intermediate, anyway."
"She confessed as she was falling after saving me. It was just a whisper, but I guess it was enough. I saw her lips mouth the words," his voice trailed off, eyes flickering back down to stare at the bed.
I looked at the other happy not-yet-couple, seeking answers. Levy shrugged, "I mean, if she said it, and meant it, and they have kissed, I imagine the intermediate stage began already. Normally I'd be skeptical but, he is the Fire King's son. His senses are going to be through the roof, especially with Lucy boosting those already with her celestial magic."
Groaning, I turned back and fell into my chair, "What are we going to do with you?"
"Nothing," he looked up at me, eyes dark, "I'm leaving soon."
Lisanna POV
Pacing was the only thing I could do to get my nervous energy out at this point. There were so many things going on, Natsu learning about mating, Lucy getting surgery, Gray and Juvia being so worn out. But I knew everybody would bounce back. We always did at Fairy Tail. Right?
Suddenly the door to Natsu's room opened and a very tired Script Mage walked out the door, smiling softly at me. Curiosity flooded my veins, "Well, did he figure it out?"
"It took a couple pushes from Gajeel but the innocent dragon slayer isn't as innocent as we all thought," she chuckled and started making her way back to the waiting room outside the Operating Room.
I followed her with swift steps, "How is he taking it?"
"Well, he's fine but they're already past the point of no return. With him being such a powerful slayer, and having already kissed and apparently Lucy confessed, they're in a bad situation. Gildarts and Gajeel are talking with him now about how to control his urges," the short girl took a seat in one of the large, plush chairs, sighing as she did.
I followed the trail of seats with my eyes all the way to the Operating Room doors. It had only been a couple of hours since Lucy went back, but it felt like weeks had past since the searches began. How long had it been since I slept?
"How is Gildarts handling the situation?" I questioned, pulling myself away from my thoughts.
"Kinda like how he did when Cana revealed she was his daughter, except, more... Aggression."
No One's POV
Machines beeped calmly around the sleeping girl as she lie on the metal operating table, blonde hair matted around her head. Tubes and wires came in and out of here in every which way while people in surgery gear ran around trying to get the poor girl stable once more.
"Magic isn't working, doctor" a nurse in green scrubs stated, glancing back at another girl who was in a white scrubs outfit, decked out from head to toe.
The doctor sighed, "We'll have to use the old fashioned way then. Somebody bring me my tools."
"Right away!" A door slammed somewhere in the distance. The woman walked calmly over to the blonde mage lying quietly on the bed, not doing anything for herself except thinking and even that was a task. The doctor sighed, thoughts of bewilderment running through her head as she pondered how this sweet girl had lasted so long under the conditions she had.
Suddenly a wave of beeps and machines started going off. The doctor rushed to the table, joined by another friend who was also dressed the same. "What seems to be the problem," the male doctor stated, quickly glancing over the folder they had on the girl in front of them.
"Her heart rate just spiked and then dropped! We're losing her!"
~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_
So I normally don't do this but let me know what you like about this book, and if you'd like a sequel. I mean, it's being written regardless but I always love constructive criticism.
*Still don't own Fairy Tail
~MelodyElaine