Flames and Nakama

Hey, I'm Natsu Dragneel, member of the strongest guild in Fiore, Fairy Tail! I'm here to put the guild back on the map, and to show Gray Fullbuster that I've mastered 'nom! [Indie Acct. is indie. Theme was made by the incomprable ayesirhappy, and Fairy Tail belongs to Hiro Mashima. So, I own nothing but the words I type]

[flameofemotion]

/squeezes butt. "Can I have this to go?" B)

The booty.

A rare few could manage to happen upon this treasure, and live to tell the tale. Legends were told of its unmatched magnificence, and the gleam that it gave off in a particular light. Many a lowly adventurer had tried to steal away this treasure, only to fall into a humiliating sort of defeat. An individual, in trying to grasp this sacred booty, needed to be strong in will, passionate in goal, and most importantly, had to be Lisanna herself. None other could have, as it were, this vaunted gift.

"I’m not sure how I’m going to make it ‘to go’," Natsu answered, form a little tense from the sudden grasp of his hindquarters. "But if you can have it like that, then I guess you can!"

Steps backward were taken at that, as if trying to place more of the booty into her hands. It was what she wanted, and for his part, he really liked it when her hands were adventurous! Taking a page from Juvia’s book, his ass started to wriggle at this, as if demanding a certain sort of more! More adventurous touches, and more stuff that could make him blush!

"It looks like it really wants to go, so you better catch it before it goes other places!"

[flameofemotion]

[/kisses and leans head on his shoulder] I miss you. Come with me this time? B(

Denial was something that Natsu could manifest strongly, and in a bevy of different manners. Such a tactic had been honed in the fires of his guild shenanigans, and tempered through his numerous quarrels with Gray. For every great virtue of his, none was more highly regarded than his stubborn nature. Said nature, of course, included his denial.

That nature, as strong as it was, held precisely one weakness. The moment that a certain Strauss sister posed a question towards him, and even kissed him was the moment that all was lost. No longer was Natsu’s will strong, but it was instead rather gooey, and weak.

"W-well I guess I can’t say no to you," the dragon slayer babbled, settling on a goofy grin as he did so. "Where are we gonna go? Is it gonna be exciting? And, am I gonna see a lot of you?!"

[flameofemotion]

Please tell me you can't stretch your thing too, it's icky!

"Stretch my…thing? Of course I can!"

Natsu never met a challenge that he didn’t like, and Lisanna’s oddity of a ‘challenge’ was no exception. His clothing made it something but a challenge, but at last, he managed it! Grasping his garbed ‘thing’, he began to pull on it, ignoring the pain as he looked to stretch it further. To the passerby, this sight might have been obscene, and they would have been right to think that. His face was contorted in a mix of pain, and in intense longing to win.

To win what? Well, he didn’t no, but he was gonna stretch!

So stretch he did, and endure the pain he did, until he could do it no longer. His hands opened themselves at that, allowing his aching thing to return to itself, thoroughly pained for his efforts. Pressing his hands to his knees out of respect for such a thing, he looked to her with an aching smile, and with the superiority that only he could garner from doing such a dumb thing.

"See? I can totally stretch it!"

[flameofemotion]

/nuzzles you from behind. "Hey there," she hummed in her loving, light tone, just as her palms brushed his chest in soft motions. "Did I mention how much I love you~?"

She had, and for many a time in his life, he had forgotten.

Forgotten that she had said such things, forgotten how to feel about those things, and forgotten, in general, what love was. So blinded was he, either by revenge, or by ambition, that those words simply lost their efficacy. It was in this moment, and in this immaculate touch that he remembered what love was. Her palms against his chest produced a hitch in his breath, and a wanting sigh towards his once and forever lover.

"You do, but I’m pretty stupid," he abjectly answered, sporting a grin for his efforts. In reply to her touch, he leaned back, knowing that she could take the rapidity of this action, and that he really wanted to lean back. That was what love was about, after all. It meant holding on, and being held by someone. Someone that could take his weight, and love the burden it carried. "So, maybe just say it one more time~?"

[lusciousxtits-archive]

ᴡᴇ ᴀʟʟ sᴇᴇᴋ ᴛᴏ sᴀᴛɪsғʏ ᴛʜᴏsᴇ ᴛʜʀɪʟʟs

Dammit— this was bad…

She had enough power to vanquish the scraggle of Bullymongs before she tapped out completely. The stubborn creatures were a tenacious breed, brutish and stupid perhaps, but they were an annoyance that didn’t know how to die a swift death. Perhaps that was the conditioning of living on Pandora, either way, they were an enemy that stood to block her path towards her mission, so to that end, they had to die.

With all her strength, Cana gathered all the energy she could muster, before it surged forth and burst out in a shockwave of instant annihilation.

Lie in R u i n you bastards—

—-

She didn’t know how long she had passed out in the snow, the powdery mattress acting as a tempting cussion for her achy body. All that was known, or at least to her befuddled senses, was the distorted approach of someone encroaching upon her fallen form. Enough energy was given for her powers to flare up, a warning to the person that approached to tread with care. If they intended to harm her, she would promise a fight that would leave them screaming.

"St…stay back…I’m wuh—warning you…" Damn…I’m…fading fast…

[flameofemotion]

Hyperion.

Was there anything of his that they hadn't crushed in their dominant rise to power? They had taken away all the good chances to loot, had cut a bloody swath through most of his competition, and had even driven off Igneel! There had been reports that they had done more than just that, but he wouldn't believe them. Igneel was strong, strong enough to be a legendary creature! There was no way that any Hyperion scum would have wiped him out, but that didn't stop him from carrying out vengeance in his name!

Today's 'hunt' was a rare one, and brought his heartrate spiraling ever higher in excitement. Apparently, one of the few other mercenaries not torn apart by Handsome Jack had caught a bead on one of his prize possessions. This possession was none other than a Siren, hell to hold, and an even greater nightmare to fight against. Most would have shield away from that, but to Natsu Dragneel, it was just another reason to get all fired up.

From an advantageous position above his prey, the wild eyes of the barely sane psychopath observed her movements. With impish glee, he could only grin at the scattered remains left behind by her powerful shockwaves. Yes, she was truly impressive, and he could only save the best for her! Atop his position, he brought his rocket launcher to his shoulder, heavy despite it all, and practically searing his shoulder from its heat. This was Igneel's Wrath, and there was not a thing that it hadn't stripped the skin from.

"Ready or not," he cooed to himself, a fanged grin seizing his lips. "Here I come!"

After this, all that would be heard was the roar of a rocket, looking to plant itself in his most hated enemy.

[flameofemotion]

waterslicingrain:

Ok, yeah, this was weird.  And, while Juvia has come to expect such oddities from the guild that has welcomed her so warmly, this was probably outside of even that realm of possibility.  ”Natsu-san?  What is it….?”

"Natsu-san? Who's that?"

The man who definitely wasn't Natsu made a show of whipping his head from one side to the next, as if searching for the man. Unfortunately for Natsu, this managed to displace his scarf, showing yet more of his face. In his ignorance, he failed to notice this, and in his new state, Juvia would likely see the beginnings of a toothy smirk on his mostly obscured visage.

"I am just a ninja, nin-nin, doing the orders of my master! He wants you to come, because he has a plan. A plan that'll show the ice di-. . .evil warlord not to mess with the ninja clan!"

[soulmage]

First out of many

[soulmage]

  The heat radiating from his body only aided Lisanna to understand just how badly Natsu had been wanting this, which caused her all the more to become heated herself. She wished to bring herself closer to the man she was clinging to as much as possible, but to be able to do that as well as strip, to his and her own need and want, was a task she was not willing to take the time to think over.

Instead, the takeover mage snickered at Natsu’s words, and brought her feet to the floor. Gentle palms landed on both warm cheeks, and came to softly pull him away from her neck, so as to bring her lips to his own. Her arms wrapped atop broad shoulders as the kiss went on, but soon enough, her mouth broke apart for her to speak. "Don’t worry," she hummed as blue hues gazed into his darker ones.

"We have the rest of the night ahead of us~."

Read More

[flameofemotion]

In reply to such domination, Natsu felt. . .heated, but not out of wrath, or out of a feeling of wrongdoing. What he felt was quite contrary to all those 'expected' sensations. Satisfaction, need, and an ache contributed to that heat. It was a heat for her, and praise in regards to all that she had done. Wherever she had kissed had been made to tingle, and all that she had done served to harden his cock all the more. Pain, accompanied with a very deep need marked every twitch, but it was, at heart, what he wanted.

He wanted her.

A click of his tongue, and a gnash of his teeth was his immediate reply to her request, followed by a groan that was anything but dissatisfied. He wanted to touch her, and to hold her, but he also wanted what she wanted! He could scarcely keep track of what was lost, and only kept track of what he gained with each action of hers. Weakly, he found himself nodding along to her words, and a light tremble in his hands brought home the need he truly felt for her being.

"Li-. . .," he began, biting back on a gasp that would have left in praise of all she had done to him. He wanted to do something, but what he was left with was a state of paralysis. His hands could not will themselves into action, nor could his body to anything but tremble under the weight of her love, and her actions. She had broken the fearsome might of the dragon slayer, and she would forever be the only one to do so. "G-go. . .just. . .do it. Do the things that I. . .that we. . .that we both want!"

[soulmage]

AU: Jump Into The Fire (flameofemotion)

[soulmage]

  Shivering under his embrace, the takeover mage couldn’t cease from staring down at the bloody stump that remained from her former leg, heavy tears blurring her vision before dripping down. Her expression wrote horrors, she could feel her heart pulse across her whole body, the aching coming from the scorched flesh reminding her of the painful reality she will live by.

Concern and sorrow flushed her being, her mind was storming with thoughts, yet everything seemed blank at the same time. Natsu’s words did not remain unattended, as they did bring great warmth to her heart, making her recall over and over who this was for. “…Natsu…” She muttered, her body as if paralyzed and unable to react with treatment for her wound.

"…it hurt… so much…" It was then that her gaze finally met with his own, blood stains, dirt, sweat, they were all covering her features, yet her blue orbs never lost their hopeful glistening, not even after something like this. So long as Natsu was by her side, as he filled her heart with undying love, she would never lose her faith. "…but it would never hurt as much as it would if I’d lost you today…" Words were followed by shivers that ran down her spine at such a thought.

It was Natsu Dragneel that always brought the light in her heart, the strength to fight, for him, herself, and her family. “Natsu… I—-” Words were caught short when the pain began to sear across her body ones more. Her palms immediately landed on the remaining of her thigh as she clenched her teeth with a cry of pain. It hurt too much to be left unattended, and the only person she could think of that would be able to help was “—-Wendy…” She gritted her teeth, trying to force some sort of solution that would cause the pain to dwell. “S-shes probably…” Sweat  trickled down her skin as heat was overwhelming her. “…fighting.”

Her mind went black once more, and only cries of pain followed to escape from one snowy haired youth’s mouth. She just wasn’t able to think anymore than to make it go away, and her blood pressure was dropping, the thought of fainting somehow not seeming like a completely bad idea, but she remained in her position, the consideration of laying down lost in between groans.

"…Natsu, m-make it stop…!"

[flameofemotion]

Make it stop.

Oh, how Natsu wished that he could do exactly that. If his rage had been enough, then he would have seen the horde of dragons disperse before his might. Moreover, if he was simply strong enough, Lisanna would not have had to stand the trauma of losing a limb. In the past, any enemy of Fairy Tail that had stood against them was dispersed, either by his might, or by the might of another. This time. . .this time, his conviction just wasn't enough. The dragon slayer could not focus on winning, and instead had to focus on surviving. Managing that was a difficult enough task with just himself, but with the bevy of guild members out there, still fighting. . .things were going to get a whole lot more difficult.

With those forces arrayed in a row against him, he knew that some would have coached him to quit. He had assured both the survival of himself, and of the woman he loved above all else. That was enough of a victory for some, but that 'some' was a selfish breed. Individuals like that would have not even gotten to catch a whiff of Lisanna, let alone be linked in love with her! Natsu would not devolve into that sort of individual, not today, and not ever. Hell was staring him straight in the face, and he was willing to spit into its gaping maw. 

A look of sheer determination wiped out the despair once marking his countenance, as he looked away from her, and towards the chaotic situation ahead. All of Crocus had devolved into a bloody scrum, with body after body of the defeated lining the streets ahead. This had to end, and he would see to it that it would. It didn't matter if it took a day, a week, a month, or even a year. Natsu Dragneel would fight for the survival of not only himself, but for everyone else in Earthland!

"Lisanna. . .I'm going to make it stop. If you can fly away from here, try to do that. If you can't, then that's fine too. I'll tear apart any dragon that tries to come our way!"

Willpower wormed its way into his tired muscles, and the exhaustion that threatened him was overcome by strength. He took a step forward, only to kneel once more. A dirt encrusted hand set itself against Lisanna's forehead, looking both to feel the warmth of her blanched skin, and to wipe away the excess hairs that dotted it. So long as he remembered her warmth, he would fight, and so long as his heart beat for her, he would win. 

"This all ends now. I'm gonna make this world happy for you again, and nothing's going to stop me. Nothing!"

[flameofemotion]

I miss you. Come over to mines? 8D

[/here you have a wild Natsu dropping whatever he was attempting to do during the day, and flying over to Lisanna! Coming over was the best over!]

[flameofemotion]

Ohai how's it feel being frozen by Silver? 8D

[/would manifest a reply to that, but is busy being hella frozen. Please leave a message after the fsdljfsjkfsekjfsejkjfesjkf D8<]

[astrxmism-blog]

  As eager as Natsu was to share the affliction plaguing her body, Lucy was firmly against the idea entirely. Call her a spoilsport (and she knew he would likely call her that knowing him) but she was far to sick to risk other’s catching whatever she had. Never mind that he controlled abnormal amounts of heat that would ultimately burn away the disease spread throughout his body, should he even manage to catch it- that was far from the point Lucy was trying to make! 

Jeez…Natsu you….

She just wanted some nice, quiet time alone, in her bed, to sleep this awful ickiness away- without his ‘help’. Yet once more he dutifully ignored her wishes and simply set her more comfortably atop his form (she almost wanted to slap him for him so openly cuddling her breasts in such a way- they weren’t pillows dammit!), and without much effort, the heat of his skin seemed to chase the growing chill that afflicted her. Peeking hesitantly at the smiling male, Lucy let herself stare at Natsu for a moment before the stirring of something decidedly hard between his legs began to prod at her hip. A scandalized expression crossed her facial features before a stammered admonishment left her lips, muffled as she buried her face against his chest. “N-n-natsu…y-your, um…poking me…” she squeaked.

[flameofemotion]

Lucy's squeaky voiced phrase brought him out of his heat-ridden stupor, only for him to confirm the fact she had let reach his ears. He certainly was poking her, and with something that certainly wasn't a finger. Natsu's mind gradually shifted from being overcome, to being placed back into a right state of mind. That, of course, raised odd questions of his own. The pink haired youth had a state of calm brought upon him, and it was not likely to stop as long as he was capable thought. With thoughts thoughts came solutions, of a sort that was distinctly exclusive to the dragonslayer's being!

"I can't stop myself from poking you! It just keeps on going," he replied, with an unconscious pump of his waist adding emphasis to his matter-of-fact words. "Can you make it go down, Lucy?"

Natsu didn't know what to expect in her reply, but he hoped she could do something like that! The male just wanted to recommit himself to the heat that she brought out in him, for her health more than anything else! She still had an ache that was affecting her core, and he was obligated to help with that! That was something nakama did, and he was going to help her, bulge or no bulge! He steeled himself at that, and committed to waiting, if it meant helping her out in the future.

[astrxmism-blog]

  So…hot…I—I can’t think straight…

The ability to retain any sort of cognizant thought was an endeavor for the stellar mage, though no small amount of effort was not put forth to clear the fog clouding her mind. Of course, it didn’t help that he was in close proximity to her form- even if he wasn’t touching her, the fact that he lingered nearby was staggering to the blond. His intentions were pure, yes, rooted solely to take care of her in her time of great distress. His promise of protecting her earned a tired smile, and his avoidance in not touching her was appreciated.

What Lucy’s sanity didn’t appreciate (nor her hormones really, but they were busy doing exactly what she didn’t want them to do) was the fact that his presence seemed to make everything worse than better! Oh she knew he meant no harm- he would rather die than cause her any sort of pain, she was sure, yet pain was not quite the feeling Lucy felt coursing throughout her body.

Her literate mind tried to come up with the words to describe this feeling- it was so new, so alien to the blond that words were lost- how ironic!

In the midst of such musing, Lucy nearly didn’t catch her friend’s low rumbling tone, the words spoken surely would have left her in a stammering, blushing state— he sure said such brazen things when the mood struck him, the jerk! But then she his words had their desired effect by rendering her completely immobile, eyes widened with shock as his visage leaned closer and closer towards her; her lips parted voluntarily as her body unconsciously approved of his declaration- yes, please, let me drink- let me drink from you…

Thirst for water did not enter her mind not once when her lip finally touched the dragon slayer; not intending to be coy, the blond attempted to keep the kiss chaste, merely to satisfy Natsu’s vow to keep her form from swaying- yet it seemed to do the opposite effect of what was intended! How could she have known his kiss would steal her breath, that it would leave her helpless? So of course Lucy clung to him desperately- she was not eager! It was the only option she had- it was either she grasp his burning muscular shoulders or fall flat on her face! The latter was far more humiliating than the former, and the picture it presented was sure to set her skin to the color of a ripe tomato!

Lucy was far from ‘revitalized’- in fact, she was sure her whole body would be set ablaze if things continued any further!

[flameofemotion]

When one's mind was so completely muddled, the only way to cut through to the core was through pointed action. Thankfully, Natsu was nothing if not ready to act when the moment was right. As a matter of fact, he tended to act when the moment was far from right! He would have liked to say that his experiences had given him perception, but that was not the case. Natsu was the same idiot that he always was, but Lucy's particular brand of heat was commanding him to act in a way that would have otherwise been forbidden. Lucy, however, had commanded some forwardness of her own.

His inexperience with this might have made him unable to truly control the flow of their actions, but it did not make him incapable of acting all the same. She had pressed her lips to them, but there was something far too. . .passive for him to accept. Her lips had caused a sort of madness to come over him, one that could only be cured with the removal of that passivity. Where her lips had thought to keep her actions chaste, he sought the complete opposite in his reply.

The male's arms kept themselves in place, in an effort to both keep his promise, and to claim what their bodies were proclaiming to be 'his'. Natsu's tongue flicked outward, simply to pry apart the woman's immaculate lips, so that he could eagerly claim what was inside. Even in failing that, he remained determined to break her of that hated calm. His lips acted dominantly, seizing her plump pair with kisses enough to make them feel a searing sort of pressure. That pressure would only continue when the motion of his hands finally put themselves into motion.

Daring fingers pressed inward, eagerly clinging at the skin it could seize. Further heat surged through the digit, in an effort to completely overwhelmed the woman's own sense of heat. Natsu's heat was dominant, and dizzying. It would remove her of her reason, rob her of her sense, and leave her only craving him. Natsu himself was already overwhelmed, and that truth left him wanting her all the more.

"Nn, Luuuuuuuuuuuuuucy," he breathed out, between one kiss and the next.  "I'm gonna make you burn all the way up!"

[astrxmism-blog]

  [/Her vision was about to turn dark from lack of oxygen when he suddenly flipped her over and laid her atop the muscled plain of his chest. This process was far from graceful of course- not that she ever expected Natsu to ever know was the meaning of ‘grace’ was, for her legs parted askew, as if her balance was lost.

Breathing was easier- in fact, she was nearly hyperventilating with panic at the position she found herself in. This was utterly scandalous! What if someone saw them- like Erza or Happy— they’d jump to the wrong conclusion and she’d never hear the end of it!! She had to get off— Yet the problem, really, was that she didn’t want to, much to her chagrin.] “N-natsu I”ll get you sick if we stay like this…”

[flameofemotion]

Natsu welcomed the idea of catching a cold with the same look he had when he locked horns with a challenging an opponent. Fighting a cold was one of the more challenging things he could do, for he could not even catch the scent of such a disease. Either his internal body would fight it off, or he would become sick due to its failure. The gambit of cuddling up to Lucy was not without risk, but Natsu's enjoyment generally was not without risk either. A fanged grin was quickly flashed to Lucy, before he looked to nuzzle against the woman's own torso. 

"Mmph, I'll beat up the flu if it comes close to me. Until then, I'm gonna hold you close until you're nice and warm, understand?!"

Unfortunately for Natsu, the male's body had yet another feeling in mind. The splay of the woman's legs allowed their shapely form to splay ever closely to his waist, and that generated a heated reaction of his own. Natsu wasn't about to apologize for that, but Lucy was certainly going to feel a bulge pressing up against her, all while he tried to nuzzle quite a few degrees of heat into her system.

[astrxmism-blog]

[/And just when sleep had claimed her, some asshole decided to smother her- as if her cold wasn’t enough!] “Hrk! H-heavy—”

"Na…tsu…get…off…me! [/weakly attempts to push off]

[flameofemotion]

[/because Natsu's an idiot and thinks he's helping, he's gonna keep trying to lay on her. Or ,as a matter of fact, he's going to do her one better.] I'm not halfway as heavy as yo-. . .wait, I have an idea! [/just like that, he aimed to flip the two of them over, so that Lucy was laying on him, instead of the other way around.]

[astrxmism-blog]

[/sniffle]

"I hate this…"

[flameofemotion]

[/ohey, have Natsu laying on her in an effort to regulate her body heat~!]

[astrxmism-blog]

  No no no bad- no this was definitely bad, a maiden as fair as she shouldn’t even have let him in her home to begin with! Too late that her delayed reaction of kicking out the dragon slayer, for now he seemed hellbent on ‘curing’ whatever sickness plagued her. Unfortunately for her, explaining the situation would have embarrassed her, causing her unending amount of torment for the celestial mage. “N-natsu—”

Breath hitching, the heat was to the point of suffocating her, yet her battle for decency was outclassed by basic necessity to breath, and to keep herself from sudden self combustion. Carefully, aware that they were both treading a very dangerous line, Lucy sat up slowly, the covers revealing her camisole covered chest that stuck to her like a second skin, accentuating the dips and curves of her torso even while she heaved for air.

"Hah—Natsu-haa, I’m getting dizzy from- from the heat." Water, she thought. I just need some water… “So thirsty…” As if there was proof needed, her tongue slide out and wet her cracking lips. “Water…I-I just need water…please- I’ll feel better if I have something to drink.”

[flameofemotion]

If Natsu understood her words properly, and under the realm of common sense, he would have given her what she desired. Instead, he could only think to make this woman drink from something else entirely. Natsu's nearly nude form crossed the floor once again, and only stopped when he had approached the woman's side. He had caught the flicker of her tongue, and what it had done to her lips. Once cracked and dry, they now seemed to have a light sheen to them. That sheen called out to him like a siren would to a hapless sailor. He couldn't have drawn himself away from them even if he wanted to.

A call about 'curing' this woman of her sickness rattled in his ears, as if it was his sanity's last chance at calling him off. Sanity, unfortunately, had tried to approach him far too late in the proceedings. Any resistance to his desires was futile, in regards to his own mental restraints. Lucy had completely beguiled him, and she was to be rewarded for that particular 'kindness'. His hands touched down against the edge of her bed, making sure to remain close to her camisole-clad form, but not too close. She had complained about heat, and it was his duty to aid her dehydrated self. Doing that with his hands was simply a non-option.

"Lucy," Natsu called out, while his face lingered closer to hers. "Water's too far away, and you might just shrivel away to nothing if I leave. I can't let that happen. I promise I'd protect ya, and I'm going to do that. I'm going to make you full of something that'll keep you from getting dizzy. I. . .nnnrgh. . ."

Natsu's groan signaled his next action. Slowly, but surely, his lips inched towards the blonde's, looking to both claim it, and to 'revitalize' her worn being.

[astrxmism-blog]

  A look of utter despair washed her visage, yet her ‘sickness’ wasn’t dented in the slightest. In fact the air around her stirred, and waves of heat seemed to make her skin sticky, her brow dotted with sweat making her lips part in a pant for cooler air. If the window was open, perhaps there was a chance of taking in the night’s crisp clean air. Unfortunately her limbs were trapped under thick covers, and what was worse- she was in her underwear! “Natsu stop that—!” A low whine sounded from her throat- how’d this come about again!? All she wanted to do was sleep and…

Woah—bad Lucy! Bad!

"I-It’s too hot- I’m burning up here!"

[flameofemotion]

Lucy's declaration, which was likely meant to ward Natsu off, instead had the opposite effect. Her mention of 'heat' had immediately gained his attention, and caused his own body heat to spiral upwards. If he let his heat spike any higher, the room itself would have become difficult to breathe in. Instead, it only contributed to sweat trickling off his form, followed by the man beginning to strip himself of his own garments. It was unconscious and automatic at this point, pure instinct in its finest form. Natsu only stopped when he had stripped down to his boxers. Something decidedly not instinctual had stopped him, and had caused a pink flush to descend across his cheeks. This was . . .everything he could have wanted; it was right to the core. More importantly, something below the core of his form was threatening to bore a hole right through his boxers.

"I'm a fire dragon slayer," he said, with a low tone not unlike Lucy's own. "And I'm going to take all that heat, just to make it mine."