Chapter 8

Natsu slowly abandoned the darkness behind his eyelids for the remaining light that was falling through the window. He smiled as the memories reclaimed him of the wonderful moments and day he had with Luce. She was curled away from him on her side.

He traced the curve of her spine with his eyes. He wasn't going to take her again. He knew her body had to recoup. But he did want to look his fill.

He reached for her and gently turned her over so she laid on her back. She moaned in opposition to the idea of being moved. She didn't abandon her dreams however. Her eyelashes still caressed her high cheekbones as she slept on.

Natsu looked his fill and knew this sight was one that would forever be ingrained in his memory. The last few rays of sunlight shining in through the window across her bare abdomen. My mate. He thought to himself.

"Yes, Natsu, always...." she mumbled half asleep.

Natsu smiled at that for a second until he realized something was off. His forehead crinkled as he frowned momentarily. "Lucy, I didn't say that aloud."

Lucy stirred again. "I heard you say it, Natsu."

"I thought it, Luce. I didn't say it."

He hovered above her then noticed her mark where he claimed her. That's strange.

"What's strange?"

"Well first off you are reacting to my thoughts again. But also your mark...from what I knew it would just be some type of mark to represent the dragon slayer that claimed his mate. But..."

"But?"

Natsu got up and walked to the bathroom. Where does he think he is going? And he didn't answer my question!

I'm not going far, Luce. And I'll show you what I mean in a sec.

He let out a masculine giggle when she gasped loudly. "You talked in my head! How did you talk in my head?"

Again, Natsu didn't answer but she heard water running from the bathroom. Relax, Luce, I am gonna prepare a bath for us. In our oversized bathtub! She felt his inward mental 'yay' more then heard it, and despite the fact that she was a tad frustrated with him for walking away without answering her questions. She gave herself up to relaxing for the moment.

A few minutes later Natsu came in and picked Lucy up in his arms. Her hands curved around his neck and she subconsciously curled her fingers in the hair at the nape of his neck. He purred like a kitten in reaction.

"Natsu, what's going on?"

"Just a sec, I want you to see for yourself." He put her down in front of the mirror above the sink and pushed her hair back so she could see her neck. There on her neck was what looked like a gold celestial key with a flame as the emblem. But it also sat on a background of flames.

"Hmm...so you only thought I would probably receive the flame mark?"

"Yes, I have an idea what is going on but," he picked her back up. "We are going to relax in the tub first."

She smiled at him. Her emotions were a little in tandem but they kept wavering back to the pool of happiness she was sure would never ebb.

There was a bench surrounding the edge of the tub and Natsu sat there and pulled Lucy onto his lap. His body vulnerable to her charms reacted. He pushed it's reaction to his mate to the back of his mind. He gently massaged her shoulders and smiled as she relaxed more against him. This feels nice.

I'm glad you think so, Luce. Natsu was going to enjoy being able to share this slice of silence communication with her.

Explain please.

Natsu outwardly sighed in apprehension. He could have easily voiced everything aloud but he wanted to dawdle here in this shared communication. It was new and it made the warmth of love he felt in his chest burn even brighter. Well, I can't be completely sure. I mean Igneel only told me a little bit. But, I remember him saying that some dragons and their mates could communicate telepathically with each other. I got the impression that it was rare since he made of point of insisting not all could.

Okay I understand not bringing something up if you were unsure of how prevalent it might have been. Is there anything else?

Igneel also said that some mates could...how did he put it....control maybe...a dragons magic. Or something like that. Sorry it was a long time ago so it's a fuzzy memory.

It's okay, Natsu. So I might be able to harness or maybe re-channel your magic?

Possibly, which that would be wicked cool. I'm fired up to try it. But right now is a time for cuddling and relaxing.

Lucy smiled at him. He turned to her and kissed her. His early kisses had be hesitant and she had initiated them. His later kisses had been hungry because of the frenzied state he had been in. This kiss was a kiss of reverence. He showed her with actions how much he truly adored her. The kiss was a promise of the future and an acknowledgment that this was not part of some dream. This was reality. He broke the kiss.

"Shoot I nearly forgot!" He jumped out of the tub butt ass naked. She would have enjoyed the view if it weren't for the fact that when he jumped out he splashed a huge mass of water in her face. She blinked.

"Dammit Natsu!" She yelled and gave him a mental image of what he did.

"Sorry, Luce!" She heard him rummaging through stuff in the other room. She had a feeling when she got back in the bedroom it was going to be a pigsty.

He must have found what he was looking for because he ran back into the room and almost childishly jumped back in the tub until he saw her look.

Don't you dare jump in this tub again!

He smiled sheepishly at her.

She was still pretty angry about getting splashed in the face so she didn't see what it was that he held behind his back. "Luce, I know that to other dragon slayer's and to each other we can acknowledge how much our relationship means. We know that we are meant to be together forever. That your life is mine and vice versa.

I wanted to do something special because I know not everyone will understand. Also, because I know it's something you have always dreamed of. I want you to be able the one to be able to give you all your dreams. I want all of our friends to look at you and know how much you are mine. I want strangers on the street to comprehend that you are my world. I want you not only as my mate in dragon slayer terms. But as my wife in human terms."

He pulled out the box that was behind him. He opened it. Inside was a beautiful oval ruby ring. "Lucy, will you marry me?"

With that she started crying. She couldn't even formulate the words, mentally or verbally, so she simply nodded. He smiled at her and slipped the ring on her finger.

"It's a fire dragon ruby. It's supposed to have some kind of magical power. But honestly, I kinda tuned the salesman out after he said fire dragon ruby. It just seemed too perfect."

"It's beautiful. I think it suits us, too."

In the woods 20 feet from the house a man cloaked in shadows listened in on the lovers' conversation. He clenched his fists in frustration, and his teeth in impatience. It would be his. He had came to Magnolia to obtain it, and he would stop at nothing to recover it now.

He just had to qualm his impatience and wait for the perfect opportunity to strike.