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Dragons are proud, majestic, magical creatures that inspire awe into those who lay eyes upon them. They also hoard treasure, things under their protection. They guard it with their lives and share a unique bond with it. Even the smallest piece of a dragon's treasure will hold great value to the one guarding it. One of a dragon's greatest treasures is their partner. Once their partner is chosen, a dragon will stay with them for as long as they live and breathe, sometimes even longer than that. So, naturally, dragons will pass this instinct on to their children.
"You're my bookworm. Don't ever forget that."
"You mean so much more to me than just one of my nakama."
"I-I love you. And I know this sounds very sudden, but I will always love you, until the day I die."
Now, because of this bond with their treasure, dragons can be very protective, to the point of slightly possessive. If someone even looks at a dragon's treasure funny, they might as well check themselves into the nearest hospital (or morgue).
"I only meant to make his pants start smoking for staring at your chest! How was I supposed to know his clothes were extremely flammable?"
"The ass-wipe smelled like a pervert, so I just told him to keep his paws off what's mine. So what if I had to make my point with my fist?"
"I'm sorry, but I didn't like the way she was looking at you. I only wanted to blow her outside! I didn't know she'd fall into the pool!"
The main point is this; to mess with a dragon's treasure is tantamount to throwing yourself off a cliff. Onto a bed of spikes.
Now, a little-known fact about a dragon's protective nature is that it doesn't stop at just their own treasure. Because they all understand the bond, any and all dragons will protect whatever is recognized as "a dragon's treasure". And that includes another dragon's partner.
Don't believe me?
Here's a perfect example for you; in Magnolia Town, Fiore, there is a wizard's guild famous for their powerful and destructive mages with hearts of gold. This guild is called Fairy Tail.
Fairy Tail is the proud home of three mighty Dragonslayers, raised and taught by actual dragons; Fire Dragonslayer Natsu Dragneel, Iron Dragonslayer Gajeel Redfox, and Wind Dragonslayer Wendy Marvell.
Fairy Tail is also the home of the partners to these Dragonslayers (though most would say they were just dating, if asked); Celestial Wizard Lucy Heartphilia, Solid Script Mage Levy McGarden, and Rainbow Fire Mage Romeo Conbolt. These three mages love and adore their respective dragonslayer with all their hearts, even when they are surprised by their dragon instincts.
"That was awesome! And I thought Natsu-nii could eat a lot!"
"If I'd known you loved to cuddle while I'm reading this much, I'd have confessed to you ages ago!"
"Don't go sneaking into my bed like that just because you like my scent! When I'm writing, nap on the couch!"
Like all couples, these dragons and their partners have their ups and downs. But they will love and protect each other till the end of time, that is for certain.
Here's their story…
With a huge sigh, Lucy slumped into a stool, her head gently hitting the bar with a soft 'thump'.
"That sounded rather sad. What's the matter?"
Lifting her head a little at the soft voice, Lucy looked up into Mirajane's curious face.
"It's Natsu," she groaned, putting her head back onto the bar. "Erza took him and Gray on a special 'Learn How To Be Real Best Friends Or Die' training trip yesterday. What am I supposed to do for three days without him? Even Happy went with them!"
Mirajane had to suppress a happy squeal as she comforted the blonde mage. Ever since Lucy and Natsu began dating, the two were practically inseparable. Nothing short of Erza could keep them apart for very long.
"Why didn't you go with them?" she asked Lucy as she passed a drunk Cana more alcohol.
"I wanted to," Lucy replied, absently watching Cana down her mug like a shot-glass. "But Erza wouldn't let me. She said I'd be too distracting for Natsu. He wouldn't make any progress with the purpose of the trip."
"Because Lucy-san is no longer a love-rival," Juvia announced, ignoring Lucy's startled jump and mutter of 'where did you come from'. "Juvia will help comfort and share in Lucy-san's misery."
Mirajane, also ignoring Lucy's 'I'm not miserable, per-say', smiled sweetly at Juvia as she passed the water mage's usual drink over the bar. "Ah, that's right, Gray went with them. I'm surprised you didn't decided to follow them."
"Juvia will follow Gray-sama to the ends of the world!" she swore passionately, before deadpanning "But Juvia never wants to be on the receiving end of Erza-san's displeasure. So Juvia didn't dare follow and risk invoking Erza-san's wrath."
The three girls shivered at the thought of an angry Erza. Who knows what the redhead would've done to Juvia if she'd been discovered following them?
With another sigh, Lucy pushed herself away from the bar and stood up. "Well, I guess I might as well head home. While I miss my team and all, it'd be nice to be able to work on my book without them barging in randomly. I'll see you guys tomorrow."
As the two girls said their goodbyes in reply, Lucy walked through the guild to the exit, avoiding a side brawl in the process. Waving goodbye to Levy as she past her, Lucy had to smile at the sight of the tiny blunette curled up with a book in the arms and lap of Gajeel, who also spared a nod in the celestial wizard's direction.
"Um, Lucy?"
Looking slightly down, Lucy saw Wendy standing next to her, looking embarrassed with an adorable blush staining her cheeks.
"What's up, Wendy?" Lucy smiled, fighting the urge to cuddle the young dragonslayer.
"Um, can I walk home with you?" Wendy studied her shoes as she fidgeted, her blush darkening. "Romeo wants to take me out somewhere tomorrow evening, and I want your advice on what to wear."
With a grin that could rival that of Natsu's usual smile, Lucy led the little girl by the hand towards the exit, talking a mile a minute and demanding details. Unnoticed by everyone, especially the chatting blonde, Wendy cast one look behind her to catch Gajeel's eye and winked. The man smirked in reply, and turned his attention back to the girl in his arms as Wendy smiled and began chatting back with her companion.
The next morning, Gajeel was waiting in the guild for his partner, bantering and teasing with Pantherlily, when Wendy came up to their table with a very troubled look on her face.
Lily noticed her first and grew concerned at the look on the normally cheerful Sky Sorceress. "Hello, Wendy. Is something the matter?"
Gajeel's eyes shot to the little girl, silently looking her over and checking her scent. After he was assured that nothing was physically wrong with her, he silently offered her a seat next to his to talk.
"It's Lucy," she quietly started as soon as she sat down. Both man and cat glanced over to the blonde mage, sulking at the bar once again while the Take-Over sisters comforted her with knowing smiles.
"Bunny-girl looks fine to me," Gajeel grunted, turning back to Wendy. "Somethin' happen yesterday?"
Wendy nodded, biting her lip. "Do you remember that guy you and Natsu-nii chased off last week?" At the dawning expression on the iron dragonslayer's face and the bemused one on Lily's, she continued, "Lucy and I were walking to her apartment when he showed up again. I tried to get rid of him, but he managed to get Lucy to agree–"
As if summoned, the door of the guild opened and in walked a stranger. The black-haired man seemed to scream 'tourist', with a Hawaiian shirt and all. He appeared to be young and good-looking, but nearly everyone could see the snobbish aura around him that would make any interested person hesitate and change their mind.
Shaking her puzzlement, Lisanna stepped away from the bar to approach the newcomer, determined to uphold the guild's standard of never judging someone by their appearance. "Hi! Welcome to the Fairy Tail guild! May we help you with something?"
The man, who had been scanning the room, snapped to the petite white-haired girl. Lisanna resisted the urge to punch him as he looked down his nose at her, and held back a shudder when his mouth turned up into a slow smirk.
"No, thank you," he drawled, his deep voice making every girl in hearing proximity suddenly have the urge to smack him. "I'm just looking for someone. But I… appreciate your offer."
With another smirk, the man strode confidently to the bar, where the other Strauss sister hovered uncertainly and somewhat protectively over the celestial wizard still sulking, having not noticed the newcomer heading her way.
"Good morning, Lucy-san," the stranger greeted her once he stood behind her stool, causing Lucy to turn in her seat and straighten herself. "What a pleasure it is to see you again. I thank you for giving me the opportunity to do so."
"Uh, hello again, Anders-san," Lucy replied hesitantly, slightly uncomfortable with his formal and flowery tone. Seeing that Lucy knew the man, Mirajane reluctantly took her leave to give them some sort of privacy.
"Please, I requested yesterday that you call me Jim," He flashed her an attempt at a charming smile, and Lucy stifled a groan
.
Not too far from the bar, two dragonslayers and a cat stared at the stranger talking to the blonde mage. After a few moments observing, Gajeel finally growled, "Let me guess. He talked Bunny-chick into seeing him again today?"
Wendy, busy glaring daggers into the back of Jim Anders, only nodded. Lily eyed the two before shaking his head and grabbing his mug. "I'm going to wait by the door for Levy-chan," he informed Gajeel, who slightly turned his head in his direction to indicate he heard. "Don't go crazy right in the middle of the guild."
Gajeel said nothing as the Exceed hopped off his seat and flew to the doors. Yet if someone had happened to look in the dragonslayers' direction at that moment, the look on both of their faces would have given the person the feeling of being hunted.
Jim Anders didn't stand a chance.
"—you said you enjoy reading, yes? I just read a thrilling love story between a girl and a vampire who thinks of himself as a monster, perhaps you have heard of it? I was so moved by the depth and complexity of their love…"
Lucy nodded as Jim Anders babbled on, pretending interest as she silently begged for somebody, anybody, to rescue her. If she had to hear anymore about the book he read (which Lucy had already read awhile back and thought was flat and ridiculous), or how alike the two were (really, Lucy thought that she had nothing in common with the man), or poems about how pretty she was (Lucy was never one for poetry, and she preferred Natsu's blunt way of saying she's beautiful any day), she might just scream and summon Taurus or Loke to toss him out a window.
Damn my politeness, she thought as she nodded again and forced a smile at the chatty man. I never should've agreed to meet up with him again. Where's possessive-Natsu when you need him?
Just as Lucy was seriously contemplating summoning one of her spirits to get rid of him, her prayers were answered in the form of a little dragonslayer who appeared at her side.
"Lucy!" Wendy cried happily, hugging the blonde around the waist and pointedly ignoring the man she just interrupted. "Come sit with me and Romeo!"
Lucy could have cried from relief. "Sorry Anders-san!" she told the man now spluttering in protest. "It was nice talking to you!" With that, she hopped off her bar stool and nearly ran for the table where Romeo sat waiting for his girlfriend, the little blunette walking patiently behind her.
Jim Anders was pissed. How dare that little girl interrupt him? And she dragged Lucy away! Grumbling, he settled for glaring holes into the girl's back as she walked behind the celestial mage.
Almost as if she sensed his gaze, the girl in question turned to glance back at the man still seated at the bar. The look she sent him actually made his blood run cold and send a shiver running down his spine. In that one moment, Wendy Marvell looked positively feral.
Just as she turned away and the moment passed, Jim Anders felt a presence behind him, one that he recognized. He felt this same presence with another the week before when he was chatting up a petite blunette at the park.
With an audible gulp, he slowly turned around to see the most terrifying creature in existence standing behind him with a grin that matched the one sent his way not moments earlier.
Gajeel Redfox's eyes bore into Jim Anders, who looked like he was about to wet himself. "Guess you didn't learn your lesson the first time, punk."
As she talked with Lucy and Romeo, Wendy noticed Gajeel drag Jim Anders out the back door of the guild. Gajeel caught her eye with a smirk and gave a short wave before closing the door behind him.
Wendy allowed herself a smug grin and snuggled closer to her partner. No one messes with a dragon's treasure.