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#nalu event
allaboutnalu · 7 months
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Nalu Gift Exchange 2023
Hello Nalu fandom! We're happy to announce that to finish out the year, we will be holding a Nalu themed gift exchange and sign ups are now open! Please ensure to read the rules and FAQ under the read more before signing up.
Timeline: Sign ups open: September 9th to September 30th Assignments sent: October 4th to October 7th October 1st to October 2nd Check in: November 14th to November 15th Gifts due and posted: December 20th
Sign up here!
Have fun, and we can't wait to see what you'll create!
Rules
This is a Nalu based event. Everything created for this exchange must focus on Natsu and Lucy, whether platonically or romantically.
For administration purposes, you must have a Tumblr account to participate and you must have DMs on so that the organisers can contact you. This simply makes contact and coordination easier.
NSFW fanworks or requests are not allowed as part of this event
If you find yourself unable to complete your gift or you wish to withdraw from the event, you must contact one of the organisers to ensure that your recipient receives a gift from someone else. Failure to do so will get you barred from any future allaboutnalu hosted gift exchanges.
If you change your url between sign up and the end of the gift exchange you must contact one of the organisers to ensure we can keep track of our participants.
Until you reveal your gift, please do not disclose who your gift recipient is in any public capacity (i.e. on social media or in any discord server with a public invite).
All gifts must be new. Dedicating a new chapter to an already existing fic does not count as a gift.
All gifts must be created to a standard that you would normally consider as “finished”.
Do not deliberately break your recipients DNW (do not want) guidelines.
All gifts must be posted to Tumblr with your gift recipient tagged.
Remember that this is an event that prioritises giving rather than receiving. While we will do our best to ensure everyone receives a high-quality gift that meets their standards, there is only so much we can do beyond ensuring that everyone gets a gift.
Please be sure to thank your gifter after you have received your gift.
Be respectful.
Have fun!
FAQ
I won’t be able to complete my gift/I need to withdraw/I have changed my url/I need to contact the organisers for any other reason. Who do I contact?
Because allaboutnalu is a group sideblog, we cannot send or receive dms. If you need to contact someone in charge of the event for any reason, please privately message @tokkias or @nalunalu. If possible, reach out to the mod that sent you your assignment.
I’ve been allocated to create a gift for someone I don’t like, can this be changed?
Allaboutnalu aims to be a neutral zone and we encourage you to create a gift for your initially assigned recipient. If for some reason you feel you cannot create a gift to a high-quality standard for your allocated recipient, reach out to one of the organisers and we will try to reallocate you.
Is dark/violent content allowed?
Yes, but within reason. If your recipient has specified that they do not want to receive this type of content, please be mindful of that. Please also be mindful of tagging any potentially triggering content in your gifts.
What do I do if I need to contact my gift recipient before the gift reveal dates?
If your recipient has anons on you can contact them that way. If they have anons off or you are otherwise uncomfortable contacting that way, you can DM one of the event organisers and we will reach out to your recipient on your behalf.
Can I give more than one gift?
One gift is the minimum. If you want to make more than one you are more than welcome. If you enjoy making gifts, we recommend you sign up as a pinch hitter.
My question wasn’t answered here
Send us an ask and we will do our best to answer and add to this page.
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xanvasofxords · 1 year
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Winter Wonderland Day 1 : Cookies & Warm Drinks
“Baking Love”
It has been a month since Lucy started taking classes and she thinks it’s about time she put her baking skills to test. Decides she’s going to bake cookies. Enough for all of her friends, and of course Natsu and Happy.
It’s pretty fun actually. The blonde glances at the clock once before quickly making a list. First checks off the dry ingredients - flour, sugar, baking powder, soda, salt and chocolate chips. Then the wet ones - eggs, milk, flavorings and chocolate. She has all of them. And a jar of marshmellows, Natsu likes them.
As she sets the bowls, spoons and mixer on the counter, a strong pair of arms wrap themselves around her waist from behind and a head nuzzles into the crook of her neck. She almost squeals for a second but dissolves into a fit of giggles at the ticklish feeling. It makes Natsu chuckle.
“Natsu,” she huffs, “Hey, it tickles!” He spins her around and presses their foreheads together. “Were you baking cookies without me?” “Mhm, I thought I’d surprise you.”
Natsu hums, “How about we do it together?” He smiles when she nods. It’s always more fun when they’re together anyways.
With Natsu, it’s rather easy. He’s better and faster than the stove or the oven. It doesn’t take him more than a few seconds to melt the butter and a large bowl of chocolate and marshmellows. Though the pinkette doesn’t get much liberty in using his powers to keep the house from being destroyed. It obviously won’t be the first time.
Although, Lucy definitely didn’t expect him to be so efficient in cracking eggs. Heck, even better than her. She watches in awe as he mixes the wet ingredients carefully, without spilling at all. The batter turns out to be perfect. The blonde wonders if he has been secretly taking classes.
“Who knew you’d be so good at this,” Lucy teases while stirring the dry ingredients. “Maybe you could teach me someday.”
Natsu puts the mixer away and laughs. “I suppose it’s a compliment?”
“It is.”
They discuss their holiday plans while Lucy slowly pours the dry mixture into the batter, shows him how to properly stir it with the spatula. They share looks every once in a while, smiling and enjoying each other’s company. Natsu insists on adding extra melted chocolate and marshmellows, hmphs and pouts like a child when Lucy refuses. She says they already had enough.
Once they’re done, Lucy moulds the dough into flat disks and puts them in the fridge.
“We’ve to chill it for sometime.”
Natsu nods in understanding, although with a mischievous look, but before she can ask him about it, war ensues. He throws a handful of flour at her, Lucy accidentally gets it on her hair trying to escape. Some of it enters her mouth. She cringes and returns the favor by throwing some at him. However, he successfully dogdes it. Making her groan in frustration.
“That’s not fair! And don’t laugh at me!”
Natsu presses his lips together to hold back his reaction, “You look beautiful Luce.” The blonde scowls and throws another fistful of flour. This time it hits the side of his face and earns him a victorious grin.
“Now who looks better?!” The blonde sticks out her tongue playfully.
The pinkette gives her a sly look before swiftly grabbing her under the arms and setting her on the counter. Lucy gasps from the abrupt movement. Her breath hitches when he eases into the gap between her legs, placing his hands on both sides and smirks at her. Her face turns red at the close proximity and his intense stare.
“Natsu, what-” He cuts her off, moving further close and rubs his cheek against her own. Lucy exhales when he pulls away, calming her heart. She glares at him, now there’s flour on her face too. Natsu chuckles, “Now we both look the same.” “Natsu!” She smacks him in the shoulder. They keep bickering for nearly an hour, before calling it a day.
“Okay, how about we make some hot chocolate?” Natsu’s face lights up at the idea, his enthusiasm makes Lucy giggle. She brings cocoa powder and the bag of chocolate chips while he takes out the saucepan.
“Is he staying over at Fairy Hills again?” The blonde asks, heating the milk in the pan. Natsu hands her the spatula, hums. “Carla is all he needs.” “Right.” She laughs, whisking in cocoa powder, sugar and chocolate chips. She decides to leave him to watch over it as she fetches some other things.
“Please add some vanilla extract, it’s over there. I’ll bring the cookie sheet and cutters.”
“No worries. Don’t you need that paper too, for the cookies?” He reminds, not removing his eyes from his work. “I forgot the name.”
She raises a brow. “You mean parchment paper?”
“Yes! That one.” He seems relieved to have remembered the name, further fueling her previous theory that he probably sneaks off to baking classes when she’s not around. If that’s even possible.
“I’ve watched Mirajane since I was ten, she used to make me and Gray sit there while she experimented with all sorts of food.” Now that makes sense. She watches him shake his head at the memory, fondly. “Guess it benefited me in the end.”
“Yep, Mister Baker!” “Hey! Don’t call me that!”
They break into a laugh together.
After a while, Lucy takes out the dough from the freezer and flours it before spreading it out. “I should move into the dorms, it’s cheaper that way. What do you think?” She muses while preparing the baking sheet. The pinkette frowns and shakes his head, continuing to stir the liquid.
“I won’t like that.”
“And why’s that?” “I won’t be able to crash at yours so often unlike now,” he admits, “Erza would just kick me out.” It makes her giggle. Because he’s right.
“That’s fair, I guess.”
They continue to chat and tease each other for fun. All the while Lucy cuts different shapes - starts, hearts, fishes, bears, flowers, snowflakes and some round ones as well and covers them in chocolate chips and sanding sugar. Then puts them into the preheated oven. And Natsu pours the hot chocolate in the mugs.
“Now’s time to decorate!” She says. That’s the best part. Natsu bumps his fists together, “I’m all fired up! Let’s do it!”
They decorate their respective mugs with chopped chocolates, whipped cream and of course, marshmellows. Lucy rolls her eyes as he tries to sneak some into his mouth. He sheepishly smiles. They look at each other, excited, when the oven beeps. It means the cookies are all ready. Finally.
Natsu sets the tray on the counter meanwhile Lucy turns off the oven. Takes a brownish cookie and breaks it into half then dips both into the hot chocolate. She pops one into her mouth and lifts one to his. Natsu doesn’t waste any time, takes it into his mouth. After finishing his bite, he moves forward to press a kiss to her forehead and Lucy leans into him.
The best evening in a while. She raises her mug for a toast, “Cheers Natsu!”
“Cheers Luce!” Natsu beams, briefly bumping their glasses together and the clinking sound fills their ears. “We should do this more often!”
She agrees, “We should.”
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kaicean · 9 months
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happy natsu day 2023! 🔥
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tusaraame · 3 months
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Hi @petri808, I'm your Secret Santa this year for the Nalu Gift Exchange! I hope your upcoming 2024 year brings as much joy and fun as Natsu and Lucy have together. I hope you like the artwork! Thank you @allaboutnalu for hosting the event!
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imnothereokuwu · 1 year
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《NaLu Winter Wonderland 2022》
Day #6: Shopping and Gifts
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I didn't know how to do Lucy's background T0T. Also Natsu's abs I guess, he looks like one of those dance instructors.
To whoever is seeing this, Happy New Years 2023!🎉 Let's just hope it'll be better than this year ^^
[Thank you for @thenaluarchive for organizing this event!]
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bumblebeehug · 6 months
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lucy has natural talent for knitting (it’s in her genes)
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doesnotmatfer · 8 months
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NaLu moment
Chapter 226: A Curse of Vengence
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Kain it’s because they are in love 😍
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delirious-donna · 2 years
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Nightmares [NaLu]
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an: this is a short story that my mind conjured for Nalu week which is themed bittersweet/angst. Today's prompt is nightmares, hence the title. Angst is not my favoured genre to write for as I am far too soft-hearted to want to see beloved characters in pain but it is always fun to work on new ideas so I hope this has come out okay? @thenaluarchive
pairing: Natsu Dragneel x Lucy Heartfilia
warnings: SFW, angst, nightmares, mentions of violence and death, dark imagery and themes, regrets and worries, Natsu just needs a hug, Lucy is his guiding light, Zeref isn't a villain (I will die on this hill), minor spoilers for 100 Year Quest
Masterlist
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Dreams – warm and golden.
Fragments of long-forgotten memories that he shouldn’t possibly be able to recall, yet they played out in the calm space of his subconscious. To him, this was reality and not the concoction of his overactive brain. The tall, lush grass tickled against his bare toes, the scorching heat of the midday sun beat down upon his pink hair and a black haired boy chased eagerly after him.
Joyous laughter rang merrily through the vibrant blue cloudless sky. His heart felt so full that it might just burst right out of his tiny chest. The sweet sound of his brother calling his name through gasping giggles only spurred him on to run faster, sure that he could outrun him if only he kept going.
A small house came into view as he turned in a tight arc, hoping to find some place to dive behind cover and change the game from chase to hide and seek. Curls of snow-white smoke spouted from the rickety chimney, the roof tattered in places but despite the scruffy appearance, the home was filled to capacity with love.
The young boy couldn’t see the patched paintwork walls, the crumbling bricks of the chimney stack or the window frames that were loose and rotten in places. All he saw were the smiling faces of his family; the tall figure of his father with hair the same cotton candy pink as his own, the warm arms of his mother that would embrace both her sons each and every time she could and the black tuft of hair that dared to defy gravity on his older brother’s head.
Things were perfect for the Dragneels and little Natsu didn’t have a care in the world…
A raven flew from its branch with an ominous caw. Gusts of wind whipped from out of nowhere, enough force behind them to make the small boy falter in his pace and it was all that was needed for his pursuer to grasp his shoulder. A hand that was much too large for a child rested heavily, dried blood caked beneath the fingernails and skin as pale as a ghost.
He was no longer a boy, Natsu stood tall in the ruins of a building that he knew all too well.
His chest heaved with each breath he took whilst burning pain raced along his ribs. Skin coated in a grimy mixture of sweat and blood, he felt unclean and broken. So utterly destroyed by the sight that lay at his feet; the bodies of two lovers entwined, it was enough to send him crashing to his knees.
Natsu worried over the fate of Zeref’s soul, would he be damned for the rest of eternity in a place he did not belong? Destined to writhe in agony as flames far superior to those of the Dragon Slayer licked at his flesh? His stomach roiled with that unpleasant thought and tears fell freely.
This was his nightmare.
The place his mind took him to more often than he wished to admit. For how long he would spend grieving the loss of his brother as well as the frail-looking First Master, he did not know. At times it felt like he would spend days here, watching as the corpses rotted before him, unable to do anything about it. Other times the ghosts of Zeref and Mavis would appear to taunt him, throwing accusations at him for letting them die.
He wondered what he was in store for tonight, pain laced his mind and made him whimper from the incessant barbs of a thousand venomous wasps. Each one was a reminder that he could not keep everyone alive, and wasn’t strong enough to prevent the death of his brother.
Zeref had made mistakes, but who hadn’t? He had come to terms with the machinations of a mind warped by the cruelty of a God that demonstrated no mercy or understanding of human curiosity. How wicked a fate it would be to endure eternal life whilst all those he loved around him turned to dust – a result of his love.
Indifference and hatred were the only way to keep others alive and centuries of those emotions had taken their toll on his dear brother.
Now, as he wiped at his tear-filled eyes and quietly sobbed for the missed opportunities, he braced himself for the onslaught of pain.
~
Lucy became aware of the stilted movements by her side over the period of several minutes. At first, she had fought against the rush of consciousness that tried to pull her from the adorable dream she was having, but it seemed a fruitless endeavour.
She felt cooler than normal, and that was the first indicator that things were not as they should be. The absence of the warm embrace of her beloved was enough for her eyes to snap open, lids blinking rapidly as she adjusted to the pitch-black room. It was clearly the middle of the night, no time for her to be awake but she was needed, desperately so.
Low whimpers met her ears and sent the wings of sorrowful moths to flutter against her insides. The blonde rolled as cautiously as she could manage, to find where in the bed Natsu was. Her heart panged anew as she spied him curled into a fetal position by the very edge of the mattress, bare from the waist up and trembling.
She worried he was cold, but the gentle touch of her fingers confirmed the opposite – he was slick with sweat and burning as hot as a furnace. Even the softest of touches caused him to cower, even more, burying his head further into his chest with his arms raised protectively around him.
Her fierce and courageous Dragon Slayer was suffering through a nightmare and she had to bring him back. Only she could coax him to return to her side, the lit candle that burned bright in the void of the darkness and directed him to safety.
Lucy scooted closer to his back and wound a protective arm over his middle, all the while she cooed in his ear – not words only reassuring noises much like a mother would hush her baby. It was hard to be the big spoon when she was so much smaller in every way than the male she called her partner.
Yet, she managed it.
Given his curled posture, her knees rested against his butt and her front curved against his spine. Lucy folded a pillow beneath her head to raise her up enough to press her chin against his shoulder and speak directly into his ear.
His hand swatted at her like she was a pesky fly, frightened whimpers sounding into the perfect black void. She merely chuckled at his lame attempts to protect himself, it was laughable. If Natsu Dragneel wanted to dislodge her, he had the power and then some to do so.
The laughter died in her throat as realisation hit her like a bullet between the eyes. This was reminiscent of other times she had awoken to his bad dreams, specifically the times when Natsu seemed to be trapped within the mindset of his younger self. The occasions were few and far between – or so she thought – but they were never easy to get him to rouse from them.
“Natsu,” she cooed, “can you hear me, baby?”
A little grunt was the only response, but the shivering halted and his breathing evened out slightly. Her fingers slid to the hair that fell across his face, still mostly hidden by the arm that obscured his eyes, nose and mouth but his brow was exposed. The locks were damp at the edges but the majority felt as soft as downy feathers as she lazily brushed through the strands, pushing them back from his face. The scrunch of his eyebrows told of his mistrust and wariness.
“Can you speak to me?” she asked on a whim.
“Don’t wanna,” came the timid yet petulant reply.
The blonde hummed reassuringly as she contemplated her next move, wondering how she could gain the trust of a scared little boy that likely did not recognise her for the important person she was to Natsu the adult. She settled against his back, nose running along the curve of his shoulder blade.
“Hmm, I can tell something is wrong. Wanna tell me what is scaring you?”
The silence gives way to snuffles, the arm covering his face moving only enough to allow him to speak without sounding muffled. His lips are tipped down, chin trembling gently as his lips part.
“Want my brother back.”
“I know baby,” she soothes, fighting back the first well of her own tears as she listens to the innocent confession of the childlike soul that resides within Natsu.
Lucy had lost count of the conversations she and Natsu had had discussing this very matter. The Dragon Slayer was wounded more gravelly than he often let on in regards to the demise of Zeref. It had taken longer for Lucy to be swayed over the reasoning behind the Black Wizard’s motives. She had struggled to overlook the threat he had posed to the entire Kingdom of Fiore, and specifically to Natsu.
“He – he’ll be lonely without me,” he continues and the quiver in his voice is enough to make Lucy feel like she swallowing past glass in her throat.
“Natsu, my sweet boy. Remember where he is? Where his soul resides now? You haven’t forgotten, have you?”
His body relaxes a little, the tight curl of his posture loosening up to allow Lucy the opportunity to more completely wrap herself around him in hopes of offering him solace from her own body and soul.
“W-where?”
The soft lilting hum that she has been maintaining between the short exchange of words pauses once more. Her fingers stroke along his forearm and rest over the top of his clenched fist.
“Zeref is happy in the Heaven you created within your heart. You love him so dearly that you ensured he had a special place to go to when he died. Your compassion is limitless, and although you may appear hot-headed to others, those who know the true Natsu, know that you are the very best of Fairy Tail.”
The words are lumpy and rough as the blonde loses her grip on her own sadness. Salty tears drip upon the searing skin of his shoulder and run in rivers towards the sheets below their cocooned bodies.
~
For the first time, the sequence of his nightmare shifts to an outcome he has not seen before. The ruined Fairy Tail guildhall dissolved before his eyes, the remaining bricks and mortar rising into the air and slipping away into nothingness. The corpses of Zeref and Mavis, which he had been forced to witness rotting, frozen in place with eyes unblinking and stinging from his torture, disappeared instantly.
Finally, he could blink and when his eyes reopened, he found himself in a place he had only seen once before. Filled with fluffy clouds, brilliant sunlight and light breezes that swept the sound of joy and laughter around freely.
Someone tapped on his shoulder and Natsu whirled instantly with his heart racing and defences lifting. The sight that met his gaze was one of sheer ecstasy. Zeref – happy, whole and smiling. For a moment he didn’t know what to do and his brother seemed to sense this.
Zeref’s arms opened wide in invitation and Natsu needed no more to fall into the brotherly embrace. Their relationship may have been strained to the point of almost snapping, but in the end, they were still family and Natsu refused to give up on his family.
For a moment he felt like his younger self once again, tiny fingers clutching into the robe of his older brother, refusing to allow him to back out of the hug. Zeref chuckled against the crook of his neck and smoothed his fingers through Natsu’s messy locks.
It seemed like an age that they stood there in the brotherly hug as the young Dragon Slayer wept for all that he had endured in this dream and every previous iteration. He didn’t know what had caused the shift from nightmare back to dream and it seemed that his elder sibling heard his internal question.
“You have someone very special to thank for bringing you back here,” he said softly.
As they broke apart, they were adults again and Zeref stepped back as a healthy and whole Mavis slotted herself against his side and placed her hand tenderly upon the black haired male’s chest.
Natsu could think to do nothing but smile, his grin wide and toothy as always but a hint of melancholy still lined his eyes. He could hear soft humming that sounded like it was coming from within his own head, it was familiar and comforting.
“Lucy found you suffering in the darkness and brought you back into the light. My dear brother, do not worry over my fate. I have much to atone for but your loving heart has given me a place to dwell in happiness whilst I do my best to keep Mavis here happy in turn.”
The second Zeref spoke Lucy’s name, her beautiful face shone within his mind’s eye and it was as if she were giving him a hug from behind, yet he could not see her. Warm breath tickled his ear, familiar vanilla filled his nose and ghostly fingers carded into his hair right down to the scalp.
Heat enveloped his heart and he knew that she was there with him – his guiding light.
He nodded at the sincere expression on Zeref’s face, the soft radiance of love that emitted from the couple and it reminded him of his feelings for his own blonde beauty that continued to save him over and over again. He wiped the back of his hand across his eyes to clear away the remnants of his tears, swallowing thickly to clear his throat.
“You gonna – gonna be okay?” he asked the man once thought to be the most evil mage that ever lived.
Zeref tsked whilst Mavis giggled, walking off to give the boys a moment of privacy. She waved cheerfully at Natsu. His vision was beginning to haze over as if he was looking through a smudged window, he blinked trying to clear it but failing.
“I don’t need you worrying over me, Natsu. You still live and have many adventures to come. Send Lucy my love and thank her for being such unwavering support for you,” he replied.
“It’s time to go home baby brother,” he whispered, lifting a hand to give a final squeeze to Natsu’s shoulder, “you will not return to that nightmare vision, understood?”
Even in death Zeref was not to be denied and for once, Natsu nodded in agreement rather than argue.
He was fighting against the hands pulling at him, tugging him into consciousness. Knowing that he would return to Lucy but wishing but a moment longer to look upon his brother’s face. A face not known for warm smiles but things change, as do people and he was glad of the happiness that shone within his obsidian eyes.
“Goodbye nii-chan,” Natsu murmured only loud enough for the recipient to hear and beamed at the look of joyous shock that struck upon Zeref’s face.
~
Lucy continued to hum her endless tune, fingers moving in repeated patterns through his hair and over his cheeks and occasionally cooing words of incitement to return to her. At long last, his body stiffened and all at once, relaxed.
Natsu stretched out his limbs that had been locked in the protective posture as Lucy scooted back to give him some space. She had barely moved an inch before she was pulled back, a strong arm winding around her waist and hauling her half across his torso.
Midnight eyes swam with tears despite the half-smile playing on his lips. Worry gnawed at her insides yet it did not linger for long.
“Thank you, Lucy, for finding me in the abyss and leading me out. Zeref sends his love and reminded me to stop worrying over things already played out.”
A calloused thumb ran the length of her jaw until he cupped her cheek and lifted his head to kiss her lips. It seemed he poured every ounce of his gratitude and love into this one sweet, lingering kiss.
“Anytime, Natsu.”
Lucy allowed herself to sink into the sensation of being draped over his body, arms and legs entwined as their heartbeats fell into a synchronised rhythm. Soothing hands rubbed at her spine as if she were the one in need of comfort, and yet she knew he needed to be seen as doing something for her, never content with being passive.
“Can we talk about my – my nightmare?” he asked quietly, his voice hushed by the way he spoke directly into her golden hair.
Her heart tugged as Natsu looked to her again for solace, willing to open himself up and show her his deepest fears. The blonde squirmed herself around until she was comfortable, earning herself a moan of pleasure from the Dragon Slayer in the process.
“Of course, I’m all ears.”
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tamibae · 2 years
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The way Mashima said "Happyyy Natsuru Dayyy" in the beginning had me sobbing
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a-bored-writer · 2 years
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The ability people have to give only certain people/characters a pass on shitty behavior and not others is insane
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allaboutnalu · 7 months
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We are doing an interest check to see if people would be interested in a nalu themed gift exchange. This would involve fan artists and fanfic authors giving and receiving nalu themed fanworks. About two months will be allocated for each participant to create their gift before posting it for their recipient.
Due to the nature of this event, it will only be open to creators to ensure everyone who participates receives a gift.
Note: please do not vote yes unless you are certain you would like to participate. If you are unsure, please vote in the maybe category. This poll is to figure out if there are enough people willing to participate to justify hosting one.
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ftrarepairweek · 30 days
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Rare Pairs Week 2024
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Banner by @kiliinstinct Brought to you by a new mod-team, we're thrilled to be able to bring this event back! It was previously hosted on @ftguildevents, and as we continue working on overhauling that page, we decided to give this event its own corner of tumblr.
Check out the Rules section for the list of ships that are excluded from this event.
Event Information
Dates: April 7th - 13th
Submissions  - Anything and everything - art, fics, poetry, amvs, headcanons, manga colorings, aesthetics, etc.
Prompts: 
💕 Day 1 - Warmth 💕 Day 2 - Distance 💕 Day 3 - Team Up 💕 Day 4 - Festival 💕 Day 5 - Fears 💕 Day 6 - Sanctuary 💕 Day 7 - Tradition
Event AO3 Collection: Fairy Tail Rare Pairs Week 2024
Event Tag: Use the tag #ftrarepairweek in your first five so that we can see it! You’re also welcome to mention the blog @ftrarepairweek. Please make sure to tag any triggers appropriately.
Extra Info: This event is open to all ships (excluding the ones listed below), including brotp, lgbt, and poly.
Please reblog to help spread the word!
Rules
No character bashing
No incest
No canon minor x adults ships
All entries must be previously unposted and original to the blog posting.
The following ships are not eligible for this event. You may still include them as side ships in your entries if you wish, but the focus must be on the rare pair. ✨natsu x lucy (nalu) ✨gray x juvia (gruvia) ✨gajeel x levy (gajevy) ✨jellal x erza (jerza) ✨mirajane x laxus (miraxus) ✨elfman x ever (elfever) ✨loke x lucy (lolu) ✨zeref x mavis (zervis) ✨natsu x lisanna (nali) ✨gray x lucy (graylu) ✨laxus x lucy (lalu) ✨gray x erza (grayza) ✨bickslow x lisanna (bixanna) ✨gray x natsu (gratsu) ✨sting x rogue (stingue) ✨freed x laxus (fraxus) ✨erza x mirajane (erzajane) ✨erza x lucy (erlu)
We will always accept late entries!
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Nalu truely is one kind of a otp, when you know
They're are more than friends less than lovers since like 2006.
Ever growing✨mutual pining✨ when you thought, it can't grow more.
Author sensei supports it wholeheartedly by making heartmeltingly soft and risqué arts. He even enthusiastically conducts and participates in 'Nalu day' event like a tradition.
He even drew them almost kissing once.
Not to mention, getting a whole inspiration of a movie out of that one nalu scene.
He even drew their future daughter.
Pairing is canon in like 2 or 3 different verses but still not canon.
They have trust and friendship, great enough to move mountains.
Truely changed each other's lives for the better. Light of each other's life.
They're each other precious family.
Support and lift each other in grim moments.
Seemingly went on a date in second movie and in another anime.
Slept beside each other naked ( to save a life.)
Will do anything for each other. ( One rewrote a book with black magic to save the other's life.)
Will do anything to make the other one happy. ( sailed down a whole rainbow sakura blossom on a boat just so the other, who was sick can see them.)
Get each other like no other.
Are both adorable and chaotic together.
Connected by the fate itself.
Don't want to go on without the another.
There is absolutely no competition for this otp.
Is almost a canon end game but still not canon.😭
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celestialulu · 2 months
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oooooooo you wanna tell me about nalu kpop au oooooooooooo you wanna tell me about nalu kpop au soooo bad
I feel like this is gonna be hard to do as a lot of the things I thought of bounced off of your ideas lol,, sorry if i accidentally stole ur ideas... anyway heres my thoughts on a nalu kpop au (its gonna be a LONG post i have a LOT of thoughts my baddd):
Well first of all I make a pinterest board for most of the aus I think of, just for a general idea and aesthetic and heres the one i did for that !!
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(sorry it may not be that great I just needed some stuff to visualize it lol)
-Honestly i'm indecisive and cannot decide if I would personally put them in a group or if they would be soloists. I do think Lucy would suit being a soloist and it has a lot of potential if she were, reasons like her being from a prestigious family could be interesting with lucy feeling isolated and lonely a lot.
-Following the last point, maybe a lot of people in the industry might not really feel the need to talk to her much or have pre-existing assumptions about her and how she would act.
-Natsu (also a popular idol in the industry) first interacts with Lucy at some award show and he knows of her and loves her songs and performances but in that moment he doesn't really connect the dots and realize it's her, but he knows that she feels familiar for some reason.
-They talk a little and Lucy is surprised as she doesn't speak to many people that aren't staff or management and forced promotional stuff. She's a little awkward and she tends to talk a lot and rant because of that and Natsu thinks she's kinda weird (but in a nice way). They're cut off from that and don't see each other for the rest of the evening.
-Natsu realizes it was Lucy a few days later and no one believes that talked with her.
-They become close friends after being tasked to do a collab stage performance together.
-They practice a LOT, of course because they are hard workers but also because they enjoy spending time together and spending time together outside of work would cause rumors.
-The pure tension they have while practicing some of the moves for the performance.
-Natsu getting hit on the head of how attractive Lucy is after they go all out in one of their final practice sessions when shes sweaty, hair completely sticking out everywhere and wearing comfy baggy clothes which she wore for the purpose of practicing. (and also vice versa for Lucy)
-Natsu and Lucy looking hot (and cute) as fuck on a magazine cover photoshoot together.
-And alternatively, Natsu or Lucy looking hot as fuck for a solo magazine photoshoot and the other seeing it and having their own crisis.
-After the collab stage they aren't able to hang out or meet, even though Natsu has tried to on his on accord but his management has to make sure he doesn't, and although Lucy also misses hanging out with him she doesn't want any rumors to circulate and Natsu makes it his mission to try and find her at any event she might also be attending.
-They text and call a lot. Natsu often gets teased by others because of how much he smiles and laughs while texting Lucy.
-Natsu sends Lucy pictures of ANYTHING that has her on it in public. (posters, magazines, billboards etc etc)
-Natsu and Lucy start to hang out again after Lucy accidentally gets a little tipsy at some event and it's a casual event so Natsu is able to be the one to take Lucy home.
-Then starts the secret meetups, them dressing up in disguises and heavy clothing to even travel to somewhere private like each others home.
-Natsu has the most HIDEOUS disguises btw and Lucy tries to act peeved but she can't help but smile at the silly disguises.
-Lucy attends one of his tour concerts, she wears a bright ribbon in her hair she knows he's seen her wear before hoping he might see her in the audience. He texts her excitedly after the concert asking if she was really there.
-Natsu gifts Lucy matching friendship jewelry for her birthday (could be a necklace or bracelet but for this I like the idea of a necklace more) They both wear them 24/7.
-they hide it for a LONG time… like we're talking MONTHS and then they accidentally slip up and one day people find paparazzi pics of each where the matching jewelry is seen.
-Then they get CRAZY dating rumors like it is EVERYWHERE…
-Lucy is freakinggg the fuck out and Natsu just feels bad because Lucy is so anxious, he couldn't really care less about the public thinking Lucy is his gf but he does get it as rumors like this can damage a career and he knows that.
-They keep silent and carry on as though nothing happened and the rumors sort to die down after a while but theres still those odd few people who believe in it.
-Lucy doing a sexy cunty stage performance on a big big show, and Natsu is attending in the audience and someone slyly filmed his reaction where he is very visibly stunned and very confused about his feelings for her. It circulates social media a lot.
-Lucy sees this video but makes herself believe he isn't into her like that.
-Natsu acts completely indifferent to the video so people won't ask him about it.
-As much as most people would act like he doesn't know Lucy at all after the rumors, on tv shows he doesn't hesitate to sing or dance to her songs publicly.
-People notice how much Natsu and Lucy are very comfortable with each other, teasing and arguing endearingly with each other on a reality tv show.
-They start hanging out publicly without caring after this.
-Them writing lyrics about each other in songs, and Lucy is VERY angsty and poetic about it.
-Lucy getting drunk and asking Natsu "What would we be if we weren't this?"
-Natsu thinks she means career wise, and starts to think of what he would be if he wouldn't be an idol. She clarifies she meant them as in their relationship with each other. He can't answer.
-After that, it's a little awkward. Natsu doesn't know if she remembers. She does. But she doesn't dare act like she does.
-It gets a bit more crazy as they are asked to do another collab stage together after the success of the last one. They accept because, yknow, its like the best way for them to hang out privately without crazy disguises and the like.
-As if the last collab performance was bad enough without the choreography being an average dance this one is WAY WORSE. a lot more contact. a lot more closeness.
-The ending pose of the performance is Lucy laying on the floor and Natsu leaning over her.
-One day, they practice for HOURS straight trying to get it right and perfect the dance. After going all out, and in the ending pose Natsu is looking down at Lucy's messy hair and flushed face and her wide eyes. He kisses her.
-They ditch practicing for the evening and end up making out in the dance practice room for a while.
-Their new collab stage gets leaked when Lucy breaks her ankle and carries her down the street fast as FUCK where there's a really close hospital nearby. He feels bad as they have been practicing so much as an excuse to hangout with each other.
-They basically become "official" after that, but still try and keep it secret from the public. It kinda falls apart after pictures come out where Natsu clearly has a hastily wiped lipstick mark on his cheek and Lucy's neck is littered with hickeys.
-People connect the dots with Natsu and Lucy acting insufferable with each other in public, Natsu cheering his lungs out and supporting Lucy so loudly, and Lucy likewise but a little more restrained than him.
-Natsu once went viral for punching someone trying to get too close to Lucy.
-They never officially state they're together but they don't hide it as much after a while and then in the future one day it comes out that they're literally engaged.
-They have the cutest wedding pics ever and Lucy plays a song she wrote about him before they got together at their wedding.
-Then they're happily supporting each other's activities as a married couple, Natsu commenting and reposting everything Lucy posts and being very loud about her comebacks. Lucy is the same.
This is long as fuck and there's probably so many other things to say but this ended up basically being a whole as story instead of odd headcanons this probably makes ZERO sense. my bad. hope you enjoy anyway <3
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imnothereokuwu · 1 year
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《NaLu Winter Wonderland 2022》
Day #5: Starry Nights
“ under the Starry Night Sky the two lovers meet, away from prying eyes. ”
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I actually used a reference for the starry sky :0... I'm currently done with the the 6th Day but now the 7th Day is unforgiving to my lowly soul~
[Thank you for @thenaluarchive for organizing this event!]
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kiliinstinct · 1 month
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Chapter 28:
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Rating: R Pairing: Nalu FF.Net || AO3 [Ch: 1] ||| [Prev] | [Next] Thanks to @phoenix-before-the-flame for their awesome Beta work, as usual. March Post Dates: 15th and the 28th (Yes, my Birthday!) April Post Dates: To Be Decided
When Gajeel was finally questioned, it was days after he'd willingly been led through the gates and brought into the dungeons. His cooperation led to an easy time of sitting around in proper chairs and choosing his own cot to bunk in, all while Kage sulked in his renewed prison. The shackles that scraped his wrists and ankles were a formality more than anything else; One he seemed unbothered by. 
His interrogation wasn’t in the official chambers where Makarov sought counsel with Erza, Laxus and Mirajane days before. Instead, when Laxus came to retrieve him, eyes narrowed and posture full of unspoken threats, he'd been led to a small room in the depths of the keep, where the draconis assumed was their chief’s private quarters.
While this was a curious turn of events for him, what made his studded brows rise was when Laxus irritably slammed the door behind him, leaving Gajeel alone with the short chieftain and no one else. The room was cramped, too small to host many occupants regardless, but he didn't even hear the click of the door lock. 
“Have a seat.” Makarov drawled, mustache twitching as he glanced his way. He was seated behind a grand red oak desk that filled nearly half the room. Tomes in messy piles and stacked parchments littered its surface, with odd knick knacks and baubles that didn’t quite fit thrown into the mix. He casually motioned to one other seat that Gajeel had almost missed. And rightly so, it was nothing more than the tiniest of stools, splintered beyond belief and standing on rickety legs despite the ashy burn marks that littered its surface: a stool made for a child.
“Yeah, no. Not sittin’ on that,” Gajeel replied dryly, leaning against the doorframe instead, “you sure about having me in a room alone with you, old man?”
“Why?” Makarov lowered his hand, confidence gleaming in his eyes, “Do you think you pose a danger to me?“
He shrugged, “Dunno, do I?” Lifting his shackled hands he bared his teeth in a sardonic grin, “or these give ya a sense of security?“
The old man's chuckle as he relaxed into his chair made Gajeel frown. Was he missing something here?
”I didn’t take you as a man to make jokes. If you were going to attempt anything, I think you would have already. A man of your strength could break those shackles in minutes.“
'Not even that.' He thought idly, but brushed the words aside as more thoughts gripped him, ”What would you know of my strength?“
”Boy,“ There was a near irresistible urge to snarl that Gajeel swallowed in the back of his throat, body bristling in offense, ”I've three clansmen all with the blood of Draconis in them. Surely you know that they scented you the moment you came near our walls?“
A chink in Gajeel's facade was finally made. His grin faltered with his confidence. Of course, he didn't doubt they'd catch a whiff of him if he'd smelled them, but to have passed that information along already? They were quick. The element of surprise was now lost, and that disturbed him more than he wanted to admit.
”That ruins my fun,“ He snorted, arms crossing in disdain, the shackles clacked together.
Another soft chuckle left Makarov as he propped his short legs on the edge of his desk, managing to look more indifferent than the large draconis had been. “I’ve been informed of your attunement. Metal I believe? Erza’s report of your camp was quite thorough.“
His eye twitched before he could control himself: another chink added.
”So I was right.“ He whistled, watching Gajeel with a keen eye that felt as if it were seeing straight through his mind. “A fascinating element to wield no doubt.”
When speaking with Jose, their banter always felt like a dance around threats and subtle digs of information towards one another. As if the other clan leader was always looking for a way in to sniff out Gajeel's weaknesses, but he never learned any more than what Gajeel chose to reveal.
In a span of a minute, here in this dinky room standing before a geriatric who hardly came up to his thigh, Gajeel felt uncharacteristically small. He didn’t like the clever glint in the old man’s eye or how he steepled his fingers. He didn’t like how he managed to learn what even his own clansmen didn’t know. This was a sensation that made bile rise in his throat, shame fueling the tension in his shoulders as hurt pride demanded he act out.
But he had more discipline then that and stayed still while his sharpened nails dug divots into his biceps. 
“Do you fairies always spoil the fun like this?” The question was pointed and petulant, but Gajeel felt he deserved the momentary childish barb. 
”Oh we have our own ways to have fun, I guarantee you.“ The old chief finally settled down into his seat, dropping the casual attitude as one drops a burning coal, ”Now, with that out of the way, do you want to remove those shackles or keep pretending you can't? I think we both know you wouldn't get very far if you attacked me anyway.“
That confidence was one thing shared between Makarov and Jose, Gajeel noted. A grim knowledge of one's own abilities. It was an asinine trait, but having the wind torn from his sails so soon into the conversation had left the draconis feeling out of sorts as he dragged his feet to finally sit down.
A part of him was more than satisfied when he heard the legs crack under his weight, struggling to stay intact. If he couldn't keep his abilities a secret longer than a day, fine. At least he had this. 
”Fine. You got me.“ He growled, not bothering to hide his irritation. ”But we're not here to discuss what I can do, are we? You got questions and I got the answers you need.“
”Now we're to the meat of the matter, very good,“ Makarov entwined his fingers under his chin and hummed in agreement, watching as Gajeel fiddled with the shackles but made no attempt to rip them off. He'd save that for later.
“Since you've made it obvious you come from Jose's clan,” The old man continued, voice dripping with acid at the name of the other leader, “Clearly you have a reason for giving us Kage without any demands for compensation. Before I ask you anything more pertinent, let me make one thing clear: Kage's return does not give you access to the Celestial your leader has been after and she's no bargaining chip. Are we clear?”
Gajeel snorted, his grin finally returning, “Crystal. She’s of no use to me anyway.”
And now, it finally felt as if he'd regained his foothold as he watched Makarov's stern expression drop. He decided to run with it, continuing before he could start his line of questions. Gajeel leaned forward, ignoring how the stool creaked as he propped his elbows on his knees.
“I’ll let you in on a secret. Jose thinks he sent me here to get on your good side, learn your towns in and outs and buddy up with you all before dragging the girl out by those golden locks he’s so obsessed with. That was the mission assigned to me,” The more he spoke, the more Makarov's expression changed, hardening into a silent, dangerous rage that fueled Gajeel's amusement.
“He still thinks that, and while I was down for playing along for a bit, there's no point in that now.”
“... and why is that?”
Gajeel's laugh dripped something close to madness, “Let me see your other Draconis members and I might tell ya.”
.
.
.
In the restless hours between Porlyusica begrudgingly giving Natsu the go ahead for freedom and the strange draconis being led through the gates, the Draconis of Fire was not sitting still. In fact, just outside the doors of the keep, he paced, snarling and spitting fiery fury each time he was dragged back to his quarters by those who watched him.
His fellow villagers were glad to see him on his feet. But still, they couldn’t help but wish that the old hermit had ordered him more time in his home. If only to give his frazzled keepers a break now that he was set loose. Keeping him confined to his home was infinitely easier than dragging him back to it after a long walk that always led to the keep; No matter how many times they'd convince Natsu to try a different path, to entice him elsewhere, he found one way or another to lead them back to his planned destination.
It was this constant back and forth and his demands to be let in that Makarov had found him before his meeting with Gajeel. In fact, he'd gone out specifically to settle the fiery man down, who refused to be calm and listen to reason.  Having the opportunity to tell his chief the truth about the newcomer had eased him minutely, but he continued to stay close, refusing all attempts to bring him home.
“You need to eat-” Max had attempted to lure him with the promise of a meal and he looked exhausted from the conversation, ”Seriously, Mirajane promised to cook a different kind of soup this time so-“
”Can eat it here.“ Natsu cackled, ignoring the hard stare of Wendy who'd come along. She was adamant to stay by his side ensuring he wouldn’t push himself too hard. He was talking more than he should, he knew, but the parchment Lucy had left behind was long consumed by his own flames and he hadn't the patience to bring anything similar with him.
”Seriously, Wendy. He’s being difficult. Maybe I should swap with Lucy-”  
Natsu's ferocious snarl ripped from him without thought, startling the other roma to silence. He muttered a quiet apology a moment later. The mere thought of Lucy being anywhere near the keep was too much. He wouldn't allow it. Considering Kage's attempts to kidnap her and the possible ties this new draconis had to Jose’s clan, Natsu would rather open his wounds than have her near
But he didn't bother saying this outloud, his feral snarls and disturbed pacing was enough to get the point across.
”... Natsu,“ Wendy mumbled, trying to placate him, ”Makarov already knows. No one's going to let Lucy get hurt, you know this. Please calm down.“
Her tired, meek tone was almost enough to mollify him, deflating at the look of her. She'd sat upon a nearby stump, fingers digging into the bark with claws she couldn't contain any longer. Their instincts were in sync with the arrival of a new draconis to their chosen flock and the knowledge he wasn't alone was sobering.
But he dug his heels into the dirt and shook his head, ”fine, but I ain't leaving.“
She sighed, looking at Natsu's current charge in sympathy. ”Maybe you should go get your replacement. You look like you could use some rest.“
”And leave him alone to bust the door down?“ The man asked, cringing at the thought, ”No offense to you Wendy, but I don’t think you can hold him down if he starts getting bright ideas.”
She pointed to her nose, sniffing the air as her eyes gleamed, Natsu caught the motion and immediately knew she had caught something in the air he'd missed, ”It's alright, he'll stay put.“
”Pfft, yeah right. Like I won’t-“ He began, following her action to taste the air. The wind had changed direction, something she would have sensed first before him and with that came the familiar scents of not just Erza, but the one person he hadn't wanted near at all, his statement changed in an instant, snarl returning through sharp teeth, ”Why is Erza bringing Lucy here?!”
Max stiffened with his eyes going wide as he began backing down the path. “You know what? Good idea, Wendy, I really SHOULD go. Have fun with that.“
It was almost comical how fast he booked it down the gravel path, shouting for Freed at the top of his lungs. At least it wasn't Warren, Natsu thought, that man's telepathy was irritating on a good day. He would hate having his every thought broadcasted.
But with the knowledge of Erza and Freed both coming his way, the Draconis knew he'd have little time to act and wasn't about to put Wendy in a rough spot in the scant minutes he had. A conundrum that left him grumbling in annoyed dissatisfaction.
”... do you really want Lucy to see you like this?“ Wendy asked under her breath eyeing him closely. The remark felt pointed, but the reason behind it was unknown to him.
”... What, mad? She's seen me mad before. Ain’t like this is new,“ He stated, letting her question distract him from the agitation still boiling under his skin, ”What's your point?“
”Well, uhm,“ She fumbled with the hem of her shirt, brows knitted together as she considered her next words, “since you two are together now, I thought you'd want to put your best foot forward. That's all.“
The restless anger that had him pacing disappeared with the wind, leaving him rooted on the spot. Confusion made him stare at with comically wide eyes as heat burst to his cheeks. His face felt far hotter than it should have as he spluttered, voice a blank monotone, ”Since we're what?“
His empty stare must have spoken more than his mouth  as Wendy turned a violent red. Tearing her gaze away, she wrung her hands nervously as she tripped over her words, “Oh-  are you not? I just could have sworn you-“ She cut herself off again, switching sentences on a dime, ”Oh my god, I'm so sorry. I completely- I thought-!“
An awkward laugh poured from his lips, cutting her off, fighting off the rising embarrassment that threatened to steal his voice. He asked hoarsely, dreading her reasoning but desperate to know all the same. “What did you think? Who said we're together?“
”You... you were covered in her scent the other morning,“ the air draconis explained, covering her beet red face, ”so I assumed. I'm sorry!“
It all clicked at that moment. The way she refused to meet his eyes the day before, the flush that dashed her cheeks when mentioning Lucy. Wendy's odd behavior had nothing to do with some private thing in her life distracting her but rather... Natsu's jaw dropped, staring quizzically in disbelief as the younger Draconis fidgeted in her seat.
When too many silent seconds passed, she began again, ”I really AM sor-“
”It's not the first time her scent’s been on me,“ Natsu said hurriedly, cutting her off again as he regathered his thoughts, ”I-It’s been on me before loads of times. Like... this ain't known? Why would now suddenly mean we're a thing?“
Wendy whined, peeking through her fingers at him, ”All over your face Natsu?! Her scent’s never been on your face before! And when we were coming to see you she bumped into us and- and- Your scent was all over her neck! What was I supposed to think?!“ 
Her voice cracked, striking a new octave strong enough to make his ears ring. He tried to hurriedly defend himself, but words didn’t escape-  That didn’t mean anything! That was because he-
His teeth clacked at how quickly he shut his mouth as the memories of his escape with Lucy came flooding back.
He was hardly aware of himself, too tired and comfortable to argue with Lucy when she was being weird. So he did the first thing that came to his mind, sinking his teeth in her ear. He didn’t remember much after, with sleep claiming him as he rested his head in the crook of her neck. It was the most restful sleep he’d had in a while before Kage’s scent forced him awake again. 
It felt right in the moment but now, during the day, wide awake and running on adrenaline, he finally pieced together why Lucy had reprimanded the action. He hadn't meant it the way Wendy had translated it, but -
He choked out a squeak, an oddly shrill sound that made Wendy jump in her seat. If she could smell that, then that means- ”... oh god the old lady….does she…?“
Wendy could only nod and Natsu felt another stone drop into the pit of his stomach. The approaching scent of the girl in this scenario was a staunch reminder of how little time they had left to talk privately and each second slammed another fact straight through Natsu's brain. 
Why had he been so touchy? Not just then, but lately? How often did he cross that line with Lucy and not realize it?
It was too much to think about. He decided, teeth grinding, especially with two enemies currently in the keep. Changing directions, he stuffed the thoughts of Lucy into the back of his mind (to hopefully forget), and spun towards the door of the keep. There were more pressing matters at hand. Wendy leapt from her seat, latching herself to his arm. A surge of wind wrapped itself around them, gently pushing Natsu away from the door.
”No, no, no!“ She cried, face still a flaming red. He could feel her heated cheeks against his arm and guiltily looked to his feet, still attempting to walk forward, ”Natsuuu, I really AM sorry, but you can't go in there! I swear I mostly kept it to myself so-“
He froze when she did, both realizing the emphasis she put on 'mostly.' With a voice lowering to such a whisper that his own ears could barely catch it, he tilted his gaze back to her, ”... mostly?“
”Oh no!“ She flinched, burying her face into his bicep while her fingers dug into his skin, ”I didn't mean that-! Well, I mean, I did, but it wasn't supposed to happen-'. He didn't stop her rambling, but the way they both could now hear Erza and Lucy's voice down the path helped spur her to get to the point.
“It’s just the old lady right? Only she knows?” He hissed.
Wendy gnawed at her bottom lip guiltily. ”I…..may have accidentally let it slip near Gray...“
No.
Just when he thought it couldn't get any worse, she hesitantly added, “... who was... talking to Cana.”
NO.
“Oh you’ve gotta be fucki-” Horrors upon horrors fell upon Natsu's shoulders. He needed to get inside the keep to see the old man again. Or connect his fist with something solid, like the face of that strange draconis before anything else happened. His exclamation however, was interrupted before he could finish the thought.
“Natsu!” Erza bellowed, commanding voice cutting through the air. They both froze.  She was on a warpath barrelling towards them in armored fury, leaving Lucy behind to watch with unhurried steps. “If you think you can bully Wendy into letting you in -”
Wendy looked just as overwhelmed as Natsu felt, ducking behind him to hide from her wrath. She sprang into action at Erza’s accusation, peeking out to wave frantically to the angered woman, ”It's all right! He wasn't trying to go in, I swear!“
Eyes shifted to meet Natsu’s in a silent plea, making him force a grin (albeit a terrified one) and nodded, ”Was just teasing her! I wouldn't put Wendy through that, haha.“
But then his eyes narrowed, hoping his fellow draconis would catch the underlying, 'this doesn't make up for it' message behind it. Nodding, she accepted the claim, as both seemed to take on a more relaxed air with practiced ease. 
First he needed to chuck a pillow at Makarov and Freed. Now he had to noogie Wendy and prank her. How many people were going to get added to his 'be an annoyance' list before this week was through? 
”Ah, very good then,” Erza said, her approach slowing when she caught up. She eyed them both suspiciously despite their assurances, but thought better than to continue the line of thought. Rather, she examined Natsu from head to toe and frowned deeply.
“Shouldn't you sit down?” She questioned, “While I understand your need for exercise, you've been out of bed for some time now. You should rest your legs.”
Natsu rolled his eyes and snorted. Seriously he wasn’t gonna keel over if he stood up.
“I'm fine-” Natsu cut himself off, looking over Erza's shoulder to meet the brown eyes of a certain celestial Romni finally catching up to them.
“It really doesn't matter what state you're in,” She beamed, face practically glowing with her greeting, “You're still ready to cause trouble, aren't you?”
“I-” Suddenly, words became difficult all over again. As if the damage in his throat had returned tenfold, forgetting all the hours and magic put behind healing it. He couldn't find the words to reply to her and laughed breathlessly.
At Wendy's curiously wide stare, he shook his head to regain his thoughts and scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, ”I'm just... tryna to make sure no one else gets hurt. That's all.“
And that was the perfect distraction he needed, eyes narrowing as he remembered his earlier ire. At his sudden glare, Erza matched his expression and crossed her arms. ”What’s the big idea bringing Lucy up here anyway?”
”I don't see why not.”
“There's TWO good reasons inside those doors-!”
Before Natsu and Erza could continue, Lucy jumped between them with hands on her hips, eyes glinting dangerously in his direction. “I thought we got over this speaking as if I'm not RIGHT here half a year ago?”
He flinched, “Ah... but I-“
Her expression soured, “But?“ She repeated, a hint of her magic sizzling in the air.
The return of her magic threatened to pull a grin out of Natsu, but the scent of danger radiating off her made him immediately backpedal, ”Nothing! Sorry!“
”Thank you.“ 
He didn't miss the way Wendy inhaled sharply, giving him the most deadpanned stare he'd ever seen from her.
While Natsu chose to ignore Wendy, he looked to Erza who avoided his gaze. Whatever her reasoning for bringing Lucy along, it would remain a mystery.  And rather than risk angering her further, he moved to claim Wendy’s stump, flopping onto it with a dramatic huff.  His thoughts had been in disarray since leaving his home, But now this? It was too much to think about.  Not today, he could think about it another day.
Lucy, on the other hand, took the moment to question Wendy about the draconis' inability to stay home now that he'd been given permission to walk around. Recounting the tale of Natsu's exploits against the keep door had her exasperated in seconds, but her smile grew at a subtle humor as well.
Erza had fallen silent. She vaguely listened with a curious expression. Yet her eyes flickered from place to place, unable to stay focused. 
In fact, Natsu noticed once he'd broken through his own sulking, the redhead could barely stand still: feet shifted and fingers drummed along her forearm. Once or twice her gaze settled on a specific room attached to the keep before darting back to Wendy and Lucy's conversation.
Natsu knew restless energy enough to recognize it in Erza and her revealing it was fascinating enough to distract most of his errant thoughts.
“In a hurry to go somewhere?” He cocked his head and waited for a response, surprised when Erza jumped. That was... not normal. 
“Not particularly,” Her breezy reply was too controlled and Natsu didn't buy it for a second. Ignoring Wendy and Lucy's sudden silence, he hardened his gaze and waited until Erza's uncharacterized fidgeting grew even more so, “why are you looking at me like that?”
“Why are you lying?” He countered, voice cutting sharp through the cracks of his throat.
With eye twitching, her tone dropped to a hiss, “Not everything needs to be YOUR business.”
Fear shot through his system like lightning and he gulped. Abort! Abort! “Fine, whatever! I bet it's something girly anyways.”
“You're clearly trying to provoke me,“ she crossed her arms, fiddling with straps of her leather bracers, ”considering your injuries, I'll choose to ignore it: back. off.“
Foolishly realizing he'd backed himself into a corner, Natsu was stuck between pushing her buttons further or doing just as Erza suggested. Whatever was on her mind, it wasn't worth the risk, but the curious gazes from Lucy and Wendy began to crack Erza's shell as a blush crept down her neck.
There wasn't a chance to call it out, as those flickering eyes finally caught something in the distance, widening in relief. “Ah, your charge has finally arrived. Good. I can go then.”
“Wait,” Lucy chimed in, puzzled, “what was the point in bringing me if you're just going to leave-“
Her question went unanswered as Erza beat a hasty retreat towards the keep. Turning right at the entry door, she entered the side building, where Natsu realized the smell of their other stranger was currently dwelling. His eyes narrowed as she slipped inside. Odd, but not important enough to dwell on now, not when Freed and Levy's scent invaded his senses.
”Oh, that's what she meant,“ Wendy clarified, ”He was downwind and I couldn't smell him.“ And his rising voice, chatting about the inner meanings behind rune writing and enchantments, went over all of their heads except for the short romni who walked beside him eyes gleaming in excited interest.
”Tch,“ He grumbled, ”getting more crowded by the minute.“
Now how was he going to sneak into the keep with not two, but four pairs of eyes here to watch him?! He sulked so far down into himself that he slid off the stump. Some day out this turned out to be.
.
.
.
Natsu was right to question Erza's actions. She was flustered from his perceptive senses,  annoyingly sniffing out her calm ruse. But a different worry weighed heavily on her mind, one that had her hanging on the edge with apprehension. Her old friend and temporary guest was at risk of being imprisoned right along with the other two. And his fate entirely hinged on the answers he gave in the next hour.
Her intentions with Lucy and waiting for Natsu's next keeper to arrive were layered. While Freed recovered quickly and was back to his prime, even she'd noticed Natsu's penchant for calming down around Lucy. It was an effect that garnered Erza's curiosity as well as mystified her; If it meant easing everyone’s frustrations, then it was an effect she was willing to put to use.
But she had to admit to herself, there was an altogether different motive to her actions today.  
She knocked on the door to Jellal's current quarters mostly out of polite tradition, but didn't bother waiting for permission. Using it as her introduction, she entered the small room that had once been used for storage and immediately looked for the current subject of her thoughts.
She didn't have to look long.
Jellal made it easy and the size of the room gave no options for hiding either way. Seated by a makeshift table of old barrels, he pored over a book he'd brought along with him, brows furrowed in concentration. It gave the impression he hadn't heard her at all, but the subtle pause when he skipped the page told her otherwise.  
This gave her ample time to get comfortable, grabbing the nearest, rickety chair and  barring the door from other potential visitors. Silence built between them as she watched him flip through another page, clearing his throat at odd intervals. She took the time to study his profile, noting the changes from the time she'd seen him two years earlier.
His hair was a mess, shaggier than she was used to and sheared unevenly as strands of blue brushed along his shoulders. What once was a man of pale skin, now looked tan as if he'd been under the sun for months of travel, but most noticeably, was the red tattoo etched into the right side of his face.
”You didn't have that when we last met,“ She broke the silence, pleased when he paused in his reading, softly shutting the book with a finger marking his place.  
He glanced back with a light smile crinkling his eyes.  He knew he should’ve greeted her when she came in, but he was too engrossed in the pages to pull himself away so soon.
”Many members of my clan become tattooed once they reach a certain age,“ He explained, trailing a hand along the red lines thoughtfully, ”In my case, this was due to a promotion in rank, more than anything else.“
”... does this rank perhaps have anything to do with why you sought me out?“ The question was pointed, seeing no reason to dodge the meat of the matter. 
Chuckling, Jellal shrugged, ”Ah, so we're starting this so soon?“
She murmured his name in a soft warning, eyes narrowing, “I've given Makarov my faith in you, but that doesn't mean I'm allowed to avoid protocol. I need to know why you're here.”
“And I suppose wanting to see an old friend isn't a good enough reason?” He asked, voice lowering as he looked at his book, not expecting an answer, “it would be ridiculous to assume I miraculously found your location out of a drive to see you again, but I won't lie and say I didn't wish it were the truth.”
She warmed at his confession, the implication plain as she coughed into her arm to hide it, “Please, be serious. If you don't answer me honestly, I'll have no say in where you end up next. It'll be out of my hands.”
“My apologies.“ The book was set aside and he turned in his seat fully facing her. ”Then you want to know what reason could I possibly have to work with a man whose clan has made attempts on your family's life all for the sake of kidnapping a certain girl. Am I correct?“
Erza's teeth clenched and she nodded, allowing him to continue. A few seconds passed in awkward silence and she feared he wasn't going to continue, but eventually Jellal hummed and pulled the sleeves back on his hands, holding his arms to the dim light for her to see.
His hands trembled as he held them aloft from strain of a secret shame she knew nothing of, but she spied the thin faded lines of old scrapes that litterred his skin under the sickly purples of fading bruises. They coiled around his arms and fingers, and drew her attention to what he quietly wanted her to see.
His wrists were swollen with old rope burns and she bit back a gasp. She hadn’t seen them before, and bile climbed into her throat as she wondered just how they looked before Porlyusica had a look at them.
She knew immediately what he intended to tell her. “... you were imprisoned by them.”
He nodded, covering his arms with a swift flourish, “the only one I consider myself allied with is Gajeel. Even then, it's merely out of convenience. If not for him, I'd still be tied up like some animal.”
Shocked, Erza tried to put the pieces together despite missing far too many points for a clear picture, ”I need you to tell me the whole story. Please.“
Wetting his lips with a swipe of his tongue, Jellal took a second to consider and nodded. “Jose is looking for a celestial, but he’s doing so blindly. He has no idea which one he needs so any of us not hidden to the North are fair game. When I was in their camp, Erza, I heard him boasting that he'd finally found the right one. The one your clan has taken in. A girl of golden hair whose family was massacred a year ago. I’d heard of their demise and grieved deeply for them, but I had to see for myself if there was a survivor. And if Jose was right.” 
“Right? Right about what? What would he need a celestial for?” She pressed, voice growing cold.
“There are numerous myths and legends in my tribe, Erza,” he said amiably, running a finger along the spine of his forgotten book, “and I honestly can't say I know for sure, but... this book may hold the answer. Gajeel had it. Swiped it from Jose himself, I imagine. It may hold the answers you and I both seek.”
“And Gajeel?” She asked, “what's his angle?”
He fell silent, for the first time since their chat began, he looked insecure, uncertain. ”That man has many secrets and faces. I don't think he ever lays out his full hand for anyone, but he's made it clear he doesn't plan on bringing the girl to Jose. He has his own agenda.“
Exhaling, all the tension Erza had upon entering the room fell off her shoulders. She couldn't sense an ounce of dishonesty in his words, and it was more than enough for her to feel Makarov would allow him to stay.
”Then I can only hope Makarov is able to figure out his motives for the rest of us.“ There were still many unknowns, but at least this much seemed to be in their favor.
Unfortunately, he didn't share her optimism as his lips thinned into a grimace, “I can assure you that he will speak the truth when the time comes, but he'll do everything he can to avoid sharing all that he knows. I can vouch that we're not here to cause trouble, but any further than that, is a mystery.”
“Thank you for being upfront with me,” Erza was emphatic with her words, her interest now falling on the book he was carefully studying, “... would you like to meet her?”
“Her?” Jellal blinked and Erza beamed.
”Lucy,“ She said, ”you are technically cousins, are you not?”
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Night fell quickly for those who wanted to spend more time out and about. Natsu in particular, though distracted by his friends as best as they could, fumed at the wasted day. By the time the chill started to creep into the air, he'd been whisked back to his home and the night crickets serenaded the night sky by his window.
Erza remained in Jellal's room for hours, learning what she could and catching up with her old friend. When she fell into the comfort of her own bed, her mind buzzed with information and puzzle pieces that were far too varied to connect.  
Makarov, too, rested with his mind surrounded by deep thoughts. He frowned as he recalled his conversation with the new Draconis and tossed and turned above his furs until a fitful sleep claimed him.
It was a night full of peace and restless unease teetering back and forth on scales, waiting to balance out. Even Gajeel, given a small room to rest in, laid on a cramped cot that barely held his frame. Long hair trailed down in a wild mass to brush the floor that he swept up to rest on his chest. He smirked, combing his fingers through the long locks. His talk with Makarov led him one step closer to his goals and the shackles had been removed.
But he caught the slide of a wooden board and the familiar bolt of iron latches being shoved into place, effectively locking him. And the nearest window was too narrow for him to slip through.  He fiddled with the random baubles in his pockets and studied the ceiling above him, mind abuzz with possibilities. 
His travel partner, Juvia, should have made it back to Jose by now, he figured. While the woman was more reserved, willing to follow orders than lead, he trusted she'd feed Jose the information they agreed upon and stay at the other chief's side in his absence. She could take care of it, but that left him with his other goal. He thought it would take longer to find what he needed, but everything had fallen into his lap with very little effort. 
Withdrawing his hand from his pocket, he cupped a blue gem nestled in his palm. He eyed the small orb lazily, throwing his other arm behind his head. It glowed slightly in the darkness, and it hummed with a magic all of its own that he could feel lightly tugging against him. Beautiful and rare; a gem that could be mined in the depths of his true home. He rubbed a smudge off it and snorted, glaring into its translucent surface as if peering into a far off space.
“Now I know I ain’t taking that long for you to stop paying attention to this thing,” He said dryly as one does to a person standing in front of them. “It's only been what? Four years? Don’t tell me my old man was right about you givin’ up.”
It was a tasteless barb, one that held no heat, but sparked a response in the gem. The shimmering mass of liquid inside flickered and spun itself into an image pieced together by bits of light until he saw the innards of an old cave, illuminated by thousands of gems in its likeness. It refocused on the silhouette of an older man, peering back into its depths as he growled in turn.
”Your father,“ The man said, rolling his eyes, ”has lost the bet. He thought it would take you another ten. Good to see you alive, kid.”
He cursed, already annoyed two seconds into the conversation, “Of course he did, the ass. You're looking rather alive today, have you been able to see the sun more than once a month?”
The voice in the gem grumbled, ”You're as insufferable as he is. Get on with it. I doubt you're using up the magic in your lacrima for pleasantries.“
”Gihee, maybe I just wanna string you along just to piss-“
”Gajeel.“ The voice rumbled and the gem shook violently, spiking with heat as magic flared within its depths and somehow, so did the walls of his room. Dust fell from the ceiling and onto Gajeel’s shoulders as he flew up, stiff and alert,  glancing wildly around. He strained to hear any signs of others becoming aware of the magic surge. A beat passed and he sighed. Good, no one was alerted. He refocused on the gem and squeezed it tight with a snarl. 
“Cheating asshole,” He spat. What was it with old men ruining his fun today? “Your good ol’ pal and rival has been busy makin' connections, but he ain't got what he wants yet. On the other hand, I got exactly what YOU want.”
“...meaning?”
He smirked, eyes wild with brimming excitement, “he's here. I found him.”
Another flare of heat came from the gem, strong enough to crack the surface. But the break didn’t matter as the light began to fade. The lacrima, made to send only one simple message, had lost its stored power. With his message sent and the sudden chaos of shocked shouts within the stone cut out. Chuckling, Gajeel pocketed the stone to charge it with his magic once again. Now in a much better mood than he was before.
His whistling echoed off the walls and down the hall of the keep. The balanced scales teetered once again as the uneasy restlessness was overpowered by a sudden peace.
The village settled. Stars sparkled their light along with the moon above, and somewhere far off on the edges of the Magnolia forest, another camp settled to sleep as well.
All, but one. The Phantom Chief, receiving news from a reserved woman who recently returned. Her report was given succinctly and he'd waved her off with an impassive facade.
In truth, he was holding back cackling loud into the night. It would only be a matter of time for him to get what he wanted: glorious. 
He'd have to promote Gajeel when he returned and maybe commend Kage as well: if the lowly peon managed to survive.
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