#fairy tail soul mate

[zorosbeau33]

Courting~ Natsu Dragneel Alpha Headcanon

❖ Fairy Tail, Natsu Dragneel x gender neutral reader

❖ Headcanon, Possible future series, fluff

❖ Tw: none~

❖ wc: 1045

❖ @tojiseviltwin @kimnamshiks ❖ Masterlist ❖

. ⋅˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ⊹ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ ⋅˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ⊹ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ .

This is a alpha beta omega au~ Reader is assumed omega in this but you are free to decide for yourself~

. ⋅˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ⊹ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ ⋅˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ⊹ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ .

To begin, to make this easy let us establish this Dragon Slayer is an alpha. If you did not know you might suspect he was a beta with how he is so careless and goofy. Not your stereotypical stern tough guy alpha.

Natsu doesn’t care if you see him as an alpha or not, and he doesn’t care if someone doesn’t believe he’s an alpha. His status as a dragon slayer and member of Fairy Tail is his pride not something decided by birth or gender. Gender, who cares about that, are you strong or funny or nice? Thus goes his priorities.

So needless to say he’s not really into the whole, he has to court you by rules xyz due to his secondary gender. He’s going to court you how he believes a dragon slayer and guild member (because you will be adopted into Fairy Tale if you're not in it already) should be treated.

It might have taken him a long while to realize he wants to court you though. At first he just knew he liked being around you, and isn’t that enough? Spending life going on adventures and laughing together are most important to him. 

Once or twice he feels like frowning or growling when he sees someone get really close to you. Not just proximity wise because he too is a skinship with all the friends kind of person. But seeing someone attempt to get close to you romantically or emotionally and nudge him aside and out of frame? He doesn’t understand why but it burns him up inside.

I hate to say it but he tries to train it off, or just cling onto you and insist on starting a job right now. No he hasn’t picked one and yes it might be midnight but it's the perfect time to start a quest! No really-

He may go and confide in Master or Mira Jane. He knows he may get teased for it but he can’t figure these emotions out, and it's imperative to him to know because it's becoming stronger. His anger (its jealousy), his thoughts about you, why your scent is smelling sweeter and sweeter to him, all of it.

Bless this poor boy's soul because he really couldn’t figure out why he was “hungry” when he smelled your scent. He thought he needed to eat more food or fire because we don't eat friends. Thankfully they explained it's a physical and emotional longing to be closer with you.

This was not his first birds-and-bees talk but it was the one that made him realize he wanted you, and without them having to say more Natsu realized he wanted you as his mate.

Thankfully he does know from seeing others do it, although he thought it stupid at the time, the basics on how to court someone

His heart cannot take this he's so jittery and happy as he bounds up to you, if it's night time he may have broken in but that's okay! To hand you some hand picked flowers and a snack. He’s pretty forward about this, not subtle on starting the courting process. 

“Why? Because I want you to be my mate partner too of course!” Queue big happy grin

Lucy has helped him go shopping several times for you, blankets for your now shared nest. Food gifts galore.

No seriously everywhere you go, and you go to all places together now unless you ask for some space. He gets you food.

You looked away for two seconds and he disappeared. Don't worry he’ll be back in ten minutes with something scrumptious for you. 

If he has to go on a mission without you, or if you decide to take some time to yourself, expect a small little sweet or scone to be placed on your desk or in your hands. They are often a shade of pink, or dragon themed so you’d think of him.

Not huge on you wearing his clothes, with the exception of his scarf. He adores seeing you in it before he started courting you because he hadn’t realized yet, now he is obsessed wrapping it around you both as you cuddle. Or do anything for that matter.

Natsu did realize it's not practical while walking only after clotheslining you once…or twice…

He is super attentive to your needs, perhaps not romantically, but he knows you’re hungry before you do. 

Shivering? Not around him he knew to warm you before you knew you were chilled.

Tired, and he somehow has drafted you for a cuddle and nap session or has told the other guild members to go away so you can nest in a corner where he can keep an eye and make sure you are safe

Guild member pissed you off, he’s already squaring up to fight with you

You are feeling needy? He's right there giving you a hug

It all stems from his fighting experience funnily enough. He’s gotten really really good at reading body language because of it and he has yours down to an art form.

Natsu is strong and independent despite his love of skinship and kinship. However he will always be longing to be just a little bit closer to you and his gifts sometimes reflect as much.

Never in his life before would he have wanted to buy a massage, but here he is getting vouchers for couples massages. He heard about it from Elfman and it was a lightbulb moment.

Matching funny hats at the amusement park

Small little quirky dates to places to do things together, like making matching earrings. Or a food tour of a town together, quality time is his utmost number one gift and treasure. It's the best thing you can give him too, volunteer to spend time together and he is over the moon.

This goes without saying but Natsu is above all else, protective. You are strong or weak, it doesn't change this, he will fight god and anyone who looks down on you or tries to hurt you. Even if it's a guildmate in a pre ordained face off, someone will need to hold him back. You are too precious to him to risk losing, so please stay by his side forever.

[soulchan91]

Aerynn & Tiamat

Épisode 4

Aerynn finally wakes up.

Despite his will of iron, Tiamat finds himrself unable to put her through the torture his father expects him to inflict in order to obtain the expected answers.

The freshly appeared bond between them prevents it...

Thanks to @natalia-auditore @lady-moriel @luminelfy

[monster-match-if]

Welcome to Paradise!

A few decades after the mystical veil between the human and supernatural world was shattered there are still efforts done to fully integrate the two societies. What better way to achieve that than an international & interspecies dating show?!

Ten lucky beings are going to be selected for the first ever edition of Monster Match, and embark on a month-long vacation on a tropical island. Follow your heart or mind when making decisions and win the public’s favour. At the end of the month, the fan favourite couple will win a whopping cash prize of €500,000, to keep or split between them.

Couple up, have fun with the various challenges and most importantly stay alive find love!

And beware of what’s lurking in the shadows!

Genre: Reality TV dating show, monster fu- lovers. Love island the game, but with monsters. Strictly 18+!

WIP - some things may still change on the way.

Play as Male or Female.

Choose to be a Sweetheart, a Charmer or a Flirt.

Have fun or stir up some drama between the other contestants!

Find love or do it all for the money.

Split the prize, or keep it all to yourself… if you win.

Choose between 5 gender selectable ROs and two male partial ROs.

Try to figure out what's happening to the eliminated contestants or ignore the gnawing feeling.

Entirely choice based, the stats are there for flavor text. This is an excuse to write monster, ermm, loving content. The story is rated 18+ and will contain NSFW and maybe some gore along with other dubious things. There will be fade to black options and skippable scenes as well as preference options and some pretty tame and sweet routes, but why are you here if monsters are not your thing? Read at your own discretion!

Morgan → Vampire🦇 - M/F - 6’  Tall and pale, with dark hair and crimson eyes, and an infuriating naturally gorgeous body. Always has the hair styled neatly and preferes classy clothes. An incurable flirt. Expect: Blood and biting related activities. Not particularly loyal.

Elindorn / Eli → Deep forest elf 🏹 (basically a drow) - M/F - 5'7 / 6'4  Tall with an athletic swimmer’s body. Dusty lilac skin, long milky white hair and pale silver eyes that seem to look into your soul. Expect: actually… the most well adjusted of the bunch. Elves mate for life.

The bombshell - Blake → Incubus/ Succubus🌶️- obviously M/F - 5’8/ 6’4  Deep brown skin, short curly black hair and vivid blue eyes. Horns and tail in their “true” form. Skimpy clothes to attract potential vict- partners. Expect: open relationship, multiple partners, life… sucking?

Kitai → Kitsune 🦊- M/F - 5'5 / 5'11 (Casa Amor contestant) The shortest of the group, but the most attentive and ready to please. Ivory skin, long jet black hair and yellow eyes.  Expect: probably the sweetest, most wholesome route, tails - nine of them.

Fionnlagh / Fion → Cecaelia 🐙 (yes, tentacles) - M/F - 5'6 / 6'3 (Casa Amor contestant)  Tanned skin, long wavy red hair, and green eyes. Eight crimson tentacles in their “true” form. Expect: foursome options, but otherwise tentacles and fun, dubious consent-ish if you squint.

Partial ROs

Ragnar → Werewolf 🐺 - M - 6’9/ 8' when in werewolf form Only RO available strictly to F MC and only one who will break up with MC if they cheat or don't have the same views. Tall and built like a mountain, with lightly tanned skin, brown hair and beard and kind brown eyes. Covered in tattoos. Expect: *sigh* knotting, breeding, bestialityithink??

Seishish  - Sei  → naga 🐍 (yes 2 🍆) - M - 6'2 / 11' long with tail out  The Host - not being a contestant will limit interactions in the first half of the story, but he is also an endgame RO. Rich olive skin with a golden hue, long wavy platinum blonde hair, hazel snake eyes. Gains a lot of length in trier half-snake form, the tail an iridescent golden colour. Expect: dubious consent-ish if you squint, ovo…ovi… the eggpreg thing.

Other OG contestants

Warlock/human - Gael - M Human - Kat - F Siren - Oralla - F Fairy - Feyre - F (original name, I know) Angel - Arael - F Demon Azrorath - M

Demo coming soon

[ssukidesu]

ready (for a misunderstanding)

Fandom: Fairy Tail

Pairing: Nalu

Rating: T

Summary: Bisca and Alzack have another baby, and Lucy makes a passing comment that turns Natsu's world upside down.

Merry Christmas, @bowscale !!! I’m so glad I could do the gift exchange for you this year!!! I hope you like it ❤️ @allaboutnalu

Read on AO3.

Prologue

Spring had fully waxed in the year X776. The air smelled of caterpillars and pollen, and the river spewed fish every other moment as they searched spiritedly for a mate.

Near the bank, a young boy was lying on his back, his belly full of fish and berries. Bees buzzed around the bones piled on the ground. One might have been alarmed to see a boy so young out alone without a parent. But one certainly would have been alarmed to see a dragon lying not four feet beside him. Both concerns would be soothed, however, with the knowledge that this dragon was, in fact, the young boy’s father.

To his current chagrin.

The dragon king Igneel’s voice rumbled pleasantly in the evening air. “Are you listening, Natsu?”

“Huh?” the boy huffed. “Oh. Yeah, I guess.”

“Then what did I just say?” pressed the dragon patiently.

“Umm… that when I’m ready to have a house, I’ll need a baby?”

“No, Natsu,” Igneel sighed. “You need to listen to me. I know it doesn’t have to do with battle, but it is important nonetheless.”

“Why can’t you just tell me this stuff later? You said I won’t need to worry about it till I’m older, right?”

“Yes, but I wont be around forever. I need to teach you everything now, for when—“ he stopped, correcting himself, “—just in case.”

Natsu sat up and faced his father studiously. “Alright.”

“Good. Now, what I said was that when you’re older and you find a woman you like, you’ll win her heart by proving to her that you can provide. You have to show her that you’ll protect her, and you might even have to fight other men to win her affection. But before you mate, you’ll need to make sure that you have a good home. A nice, strong home that will keep your wife and children safe from harm. Because, Natsu, that’s what happens when you mate: you beget children. That’s why it’s important to not join with a mate until you are both ready for that possibility.”

The child appeared puzzled. “Are you sure that humans do that stuff, too? It sounds more like dragon stuff.”

“My boy, you’ll learn more and more that the lifestyles of dragons and humans are not as different as they seem. And regardless—you may be human in body and mind, but you have the soul of a dragon. You’re my son.”

Natsu barreled towards Igneel to nuzzle his arm. “That’s right, I am!” he cheered. “And I don’t care what you say about the future—we’ll always be together. You’ll see.”

The dragon smiled. “Yes, we will. I guarantee it.”

Read the rest on AO3.

[jemmahazelnut]

Laxus

I mainly like him because he's hot, I admit it haha. No ok, actually in my opinion he's a good character, maybe not very well written because he goes from shit to good in a short time and come on, he had tried to kill everyone so maybe he deserved to spend more time before returning to Fairy Tail. However, other than that, I like the second part of Fairy Tail where we can see him trying to make it up to his guild mates, although even here, I would have liked to see more. Like, Laxus is a character who has quite a bit of screen time, especially when it comes to epic fights, but I would have liked to see his connection to the guild in a different way. Like, seeing someone still hold a grudge against him, seeing him actually having a hard time talking to guildmates but trying and not just the type to stay away.

Obviously the story of him with Ivan was a flop but I think everyone has said enough about that. At the same time I really like the fact that now he is dedicated body and soul to the guild, his bond with Mavis and Yuri. I like that he will become a good Master.

All in all, even though I've mainly said negative things, I actually like him. Not my favorite character, but it comes pretty close.

Oh, and while I understand that fans make him dirty (well, he's fucking hot I won't deny it, go on with smut fics and artworks), I also think it's funny that in canon he's most likely aroace.

[ancientrimer]

Tag 9 people you want to know better!

Thank you kindly dearest dearest @twoguysonebeartrap for the tag this was very fun <3

First ship:

From a very young age I was primarily interested in canon ships, I rarely if ever came up with ships of my own and as such the main one I remember really caring about first is probably like Lily/James from H*rry Potter. In terms of non-canon couples though, I did have an unfortunate phase when I was into Fairy Tail and cared very much about Natsu/Lisanna because of their long friendship bond.

Three ships:

I’m not hugely passionate about shipping BUT I’ve been in fandom and particularly fanfic spaces long enough that I was bound to develop a few that lie very closely to my heart <3

Baze Malbus/Chirrut Îmwe. Sends me absolutely insane. They’ve known each other their entire lives. They’ve been life partners since they were like five. They stuck together through everything except for when they actually did split up for five years but they came together again because the loss of Baze’s faith didn’t affect their love for each other, or their love for the people of Jedha.

Monkey D. Luffy/Roronoa Zoro. They’re ace4ace they’re gay they’re romantic partners they’re friends they’re in a qppr they’re captain and first mate they’re dumbasses they’re the only fighters who can measure against each other they have a foundational joint understanding of morality, dreams, determination, and an it’s-achieving-my-goals-or-bust attitude. They understand each other fundamentally and it truly doesn’t matter if they’re in a relationship or not but I’m very very fascinated by their dynamic.

Lupe Garcia/Jess McCready. Listen I know A League of Their Own came out this year but I’ve grown to care about this one a lot. I’ve never seen a butch4butch ship at all much less one with an on screen relationship and heaps of chemistry and it really hit hard. They spotted each other through a throng of people and found community friendship a soul mate.

Last song:

“Lion” by Saint Mesa

Last movie:

I’m like a third through “Willow” but before that it was “The Harder They Fall” (very good movie!!)

Currently reading:

Like. A dozen books. Very few actively. I’m also listening to several audiobooks. None of them actively. But one of them is Howl’s Moving Castle! Which is very cosy as an experience even if it’s YA and I highly recommend it. It’s got very interesting intertextual takes on classic fairytales that slightly remind me of Terry Pratchett’s writing

Currently consuming:

Several different Dimension 20 campaigns concurrently

Currently craving:

Some truly deep and dream free sleep and a lie in. Hopefully I will get this next Sunday <3

Tagging (absolutely no pressure to do it ofc!!):

@missjenca, @beholdthemem, @asexualzoro, @phoebo-fugiente, @valenshawke, @cityofawesomeness, @archaicden

[huggable-squirrel]

On a calm day in a large forest full of tall trees and colorful flowers. There was a squirrel with beautiful red-brown fur. It stood on the wooden floor. Wear a white wedding dress decorated with intricate lace. Its eyes were large and lively. and prominent ears Make her look like a princess from a fairy tale.

She decides to go on a journey to find her true soul mate. She traveled through dense forests, crossed streams, and climbed high mountain peaks. To meet another squirrel that she loves She finally found the soul mate she was looking for. And they had a very happy wedding. among friends In the forest that came to rejoice

**No matter who you are or where you come from, love and dreams can come true. If you have the courage to go after it.

[ifithasafandomimapartofit]

Fairy tail soulmate au where Lucy dosnt realize Natsu is her soulmate until he becomes E.N.D.

[zorosbeau33]

Working~ Sting Eucliffe Headcanon/Drabble

❖ Fairy Tail, Sting x genderless reader

❖ Headcanon, Drabble, Fluff, Romance, established relationship au

❖ No warnings for this one~

❖ wc: 843

❖ @tojiseviltwin @kimnamshiks ❖ Masterlist ❖

. ⋅˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ⊹ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ ⋅˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ⊹ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ .

This ended up nearly becoming a imagine by accident oops? So uh headcanon/drabble. Might do nsfw headcanon if anyone is interested sometime

. ⋅˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ⊹ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ ⋅˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ⊹ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ .

Being guildmaster is something he takes great pride in, although he knows he is only so good at it because he has the support of people like Rogue and Minerva

He already finds it very hard to concentrate on paperwork when there are so many cool things out there and his guild is having fun partying or relaxing in their new pool

Which is how he would end up holed up in his office desperately trying to get himself to concentrate on the task at hand.

Digging himself out of all the backed-up paperwork that hadn’t been deemed important enough to be a same day issue.

Funny that those projects and paperwork which wasn’t really needing to be dealt with for another two-three weeks suddenly were all due at once

Rogue had been tasked (by Minerva) with letting the guild members know he was not to be disturbed for anything, even the guild burning down (Rogue could handle that without Sting's help). 

The members were on their best behavior too! Trying so hard not to disturb but to also be helpful, like delivering the finished mail for him, or leaving snacks at the door with a tiny knock. (I think they forget about his sharpened senses because yes Orga he sees and smells you hiding behind that thin ass pillar at the other end of the hall) 

Sting feels even more determined with all of them being so kind and helpful to him, especially you

Your willingness to sit beside him and carefully help sort the paperwork, file it away or arrange it to be sent out in the mail was making this process so much faster. He could tell you had teamed up with Minerva to find out exactly what she as financial and aid needed from him because before she could do it you were already guiding Sting to the next document she needed him to address

Thus after three days with late nights and early mornings the end was nearly in sight

The budget for the festival was making his eyes swim as he tried to allot the right amounts where, and Minerva herself had stepped out to take care of a time sensitive task for him when your “help” suddenly became “hindering”

“I am working babe” He would whine and pout a bit trying to ignore you sitting on his desk and moving in closer to him, a tactic that normally had him jumping into your arms or pulling you into his lap with a laugh

Sting was such a good boyfriend he always put your needs first whenever he could, and that included entertainment or cuddles…yet another reason he may have fallen a bit behind because even after your needs were met he overindulged himself in spoiling you

Your pout and little cooes and pleas for just a few minutes made him whine louder looking distraught

How could you do this to him? Puppy pout when he was trying his best to be good and do everything so he could in fact indulge himself all he wanted in your magnificent presence? 

Did you wear his clothes too knowing how that made him melt even more for you? This had to be a plot, you waited until Minerva and Rogue had stepped away to pull this.

“Please?” He would whimper and beg, eyeing you desperately wanting nothing more than to tackle you for cuddles and a nap, or some kisses “I just have a bit more, I need to…just a bit longer…” 

It was his downfall, the minute his eyes glanced at your lips he knew it was over

Crashing your lips together in an exhausted but needy kiss Sting was quickly falling into your trap

Looping his arms around your waist, hugging you as he leaned up out of his seat to reach your lips for the kisses he’d been longing for. 

Sting's exhaustion would hit him all at once and despite kissing you like a man who would drown without air, his body went slack leaning against you to stay up. Sunken eyes closing as he surrendered to the bliss of your taste

Minerva would be fuming when she came back but right now he just needed to lean into you as you sat on his desk before him and steal as many kisses as he could before falling asleep

Her anger would melt though when she saw only a few small things left, and the soft way you were stroking his hair as he used your lap as a pillow

Maybe a small nap couldn’t hurt, she could also maybe use one

Sure enough, Sting did still finish his paperwork that night

Lastly, he made sure to pay you back for interrupting and distracting him like that too ;)

From that day on Sting however, would request your kisses as a reward and a “rejuvenating spell” whenever he needed to do paperwork

Though skeptical of the method Minerva and Rogue were both relieved that paperwork never truly piled up anymore they guess they could say it’s “working”

[soulchan91]

Aerynn & Tiamat

Épisode 2

Thanks to all amazing cc creators specially @natalia-auditore @lady-moriel @elfydrell @luminelfy @helgatisha

[kiliinstinct]

In The Garden - Nalu One Shot

Has a lot of things implied here, but was inspired by the sads I felt when re-watching ‘Angel Beats’ yesterday.  Note, I said inspired, but not based off of.

Anyway, consider this pseudo tragedy and pseudo angst. It’s all based on how you technically view it yourself, so I’m not sure how to explain it. oops!

--- Tag List ---

@pbfanart @yuldragneel @bearpluscat @millennial-star-gazer @caandleworks @kaycha1989  @furidojasutin @eragonsoul @just-another-dream-girl  @whatdidyasayiamdaydreaming @hanahathefluffydragon @softscream @dlshieldss @ctay21 @acidrain1698  @lovelyluce @clockworkassassino @celestialwolf24  @unwei @jem-hamster-chan @melissa827  @meilynalu  @littlejinxed @moonlitstargazerforever @trollka21

---

The air was crisp and clear. 

It was the purest atmosphere he had breathed. The wind blew gently through his hair, cooled his sore limbs and wafted the scent of grass and wildflowers through his nose. Water trickled nearby, tickling his ears with the sound. He couldn’t see it, the thick foliage circling him blocked his sight, but that didn’t bother him. Everything from the blue of the sky to the green of the ground served one purpose: to calm and relax him. 

He knew nothing before his eyes had opened. No beginning and no end. There was just his own, singular existence. Time held no meaning. His body moved on instinct, bare feet scraping along the blades of grass, toes curling in the dirt which each step. The man who had never existed until that moment, took his time exploring the garden. Hummingbirds and bees flew by, drinking the nectar from sweet honeysuckle or rested upon the flowers his arms brushed by. 

This was heaven. Though he had no clue what heaven was. This peace and comfort was his only way to describe it. He enjoyed it, following the sound of water, hoping to find its source. With each step his speed increased, noticing the ground beneath him was inclining. Soon, the man rushed through the thickets at a full run, unaware that his lack of fatigue was not normal, and that the outer edges of the garden dropped off at the end the higher up he moved. 

There was no knowledge before he opened his eyes. Therefore, it was normal. Further and further he ran until he broke free of the thicket, barely noticing the way the twigs and leaves brushed along bare skin. Eyes widened at the open path before him,  leading up to the top of quiet hill. One, lone tree stood upon it, looking over the small garden like a silent watcher. 

One, dead tree- and a bench, occupied by a figure, gazing out into the distance. Golden hair shined under the bright sun and their head turned from the crunch of his steps. A woman with honey-brown eyes, wide and perplexed. She stood when he advanced, one arm grasping the other as she sucked her bottom lip. A nervous tick he noticed. 

Adorable. 

“Who are you?” She asked, voice a tiny whisper. “Why did you come here?”

At first he worried he wouldn’t know how to respond, but he swiped his tongue across his lips and broke the dam of silence to answer.  “I don’t know. I’m just here. What about you?”

She sucked in a breath, unsatisfied. Looking back towards the expanse of endless plains and drop offs, the woman who had always been there, shut her eyes. “I thought I was the only one. It feels like an eternity since I opened my eyes.”

He didn’t know the depths of eternity, but her empty tone filled him with guilt. “Sorry I’m late, then.”

“You should be. It’s rude to keep a lady waiting.”

A chuckle passed between them and he moved to join her at the bench. The stone looked old and cracked. It sent a chill through his skin. When she resumed her position, now next to him, she gave no reaction, as if the cold had soaked within her ages ago.  He noticed small things about her: a shine to her eyes, the soft pink of her lips, the way the wind blew strands of gold across her face as she habitually attempted to blow them back. 

They were new and familiar all at once. He resisted the urge to reach out and brush his fingers through the silken strands. A spark inside his mind said this was not the first time he had done so, but that couldn’t be right. He hadn’t existed until today. 

“Will others come?” He asked after another eternity. She shrugged, casting her gaze to him with the barest hint of a smile. 

“I don’t think so.” She said. “I feel this is our place.”

A strange declaration for two people who had never met before, but after another second of forever, he realized it was true. This was their place. It would always be their place.  There was nothing around to prove it, just a feeling of absolute certainty that settled in his gut. 

He noticed light freckling on her shoulders,  finding them like secret constellations and he grinned.  “You have stars on your shoulders.” It was a weird thing to say, but fitting. She was weird. She had always been weird. It was natural to say weird things with her.  Her laugh came out like bells ringing from loud and clanging to low and airy. 

“And you have,” She began, reaching out to tap his cheeks, “two. adorable. dimples.”

He recoiled and frowned in feigned offense, “I am not adorable!”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Her eyes gleamed in mischief, “I forgot, you’d rather be handsome!”

He balked, leaning away to feign a pensive expression. Handsome? Is that what he’d rather be called? The word ‘badass’ shot through his mind and he grinned, “Hmm, nah, but close enough!”

Her giggles uplifted him giving the sensation of floating on air. He could hear her laugh forever.  Their laughter conjoined together as natural as the world around them. In that quiet peace, their chuckles slowly died as he nudged her shoulder with his. As normal as breathing, as existing. It took only a few seconds more for him to realize they were strangers acting like old friends. No, friends wasn’t the right word…

“Are you sure you don’t know me?” Her confusion matched his own. Considering his question, she licked her lips, one hand moving to brush strands of pale-red hair from his face. Their movements felt like an age old tale, unrecognized but subconsciously remembered. 

“No,” She said, with a sigh, “I’m sure I’ve never seen you until now, but I feel like..”

He finished with a light breath, “... like we’ve known each other forever.”

“- but that’s impossible,” She waved him  off, cheeks paling. It made no sense. There was no possibility for two people who knew nothing of themselves or each other to be this connected. Was there? Her head bowed in thought, considering his agreement, fingers fidgeting as she tangled them together. “... it… yeah, it really feels that way, though…”

He took her hand then. The urge was not ignored. Fingers touched familiar, slender digits, entwined and clasping tightly to one another. Their silence became thick and brooding. It fell between them like a fog, erasing the beautiful environment around them. There was just him and her, and the connection felt between them. He realized he loved her hand in his. The grip was strong despite its small size; they grounded him and gave him a sense of peace inside his soul he hadn’t realized he was missing. 

Empty pieces of himself clicked together as his eyes memorized her. Passed her freckled shoulders, down the swell of her breasts and smooth expanse of her stomach, down to her thighs and back up again, but stopped, zipping back to her hip. He had missed it at first, but the telltale sign of a scar puckered and discolored the skin on her stomach. His mouth ran dry.

“Is.. that ...new?” He croaked, finding it difficult to speak. She followed his gaze and flinched, withdrawing her hand to move away. Like a broken animal she curled into herself, gnawing her lip rapidly. 

“Yes,” She said, eyes glancing this way and that, “I mean no, I don’t think it was there earlier, but it… no.. It’s.. “ Realization shone in her eyes, “it’s why I’m here.”

With each shift back, he followed, moving slow as shaking fingers reached out to pull her back. He clicked his tongue, voice dropping to a smooth baritone. After little resistance, she relented, sinking into his arms so he could examine the scar. Her back rested against him and hands moved to trail along the skin from beginning to end. He frowned. 

“There’s more.” He whispered, finding older scars, more faded and difficult to see. One on her right, another on her arm, the faintest trace against her neck. Place to place, location to location and each new revelation made his lungs tighten, squeezing the air from him and he struggled to stay calm. Who? Who had hurt her like this?

How many times? How many lives?

It was like the light of the sun flashed into his own mind and he gasped. “Lucy, how many times have you died?” He did not stop to question the sudden use of her name, for that is what she was called, time and time again, in one form after another. This was Lucy and her body mapped out her history like a book. 

She breathed in shaky gasps, memories of times that didn’t exist flashed through her eyes and she twisted her torso, fingers trembling as they traced the planes of muscles on his chest- the touch electrified his nerves with each movement. Up to his neck and cheek, back down to the sharp concave caused by his hip bones. They slowed to a stop, centimeters from his skin, not touching, but just enough for him to feel and burn and yearn. He tore his gaze from Lucy’s scars to watch her hand, belatedly realizing she had paused across his own angry, protruding scar. 

“How many for you?” She asked when her eyes met his, bottom lip trembling. “I can’t count the times, Natsu.”

Natsu. 

He felt a punch to his gut the way the name tore the air from him and stabbed his mind like a hundred daggers all at once. A shriek of his name, faded and lost, laughter, love, friends and family- a jolt of memories shot down his spine. All his, but not. 

He was Natsu, but he wasn’t. Just as she was Lucy, but she wasn’t. He struggled to regain himself, realization crushing through his soul. He took Lucy closer into his embrace, nose burrowing into the curves of her neck and shoulder. He breathed her in while her hands sought desperately for purchase in his hair, bodies meshing close together in an attempt to become one, solitary figure. 

He knew her. He knew her like the taste of his own tongue, the weight of his own limbs. Like breathing, she was every part of him as he was of her. They were separate and not and his memories of a time before he existed struck him until tears formed in his eyes. 

“I couldn’t save you.” Natsu exhaled sharply, voice thick and rough, growling a pain he hadn’t felt until that moment, but had felt a dozen or more times before. 

“No.” She disagreed, voice muffled. “We were unlucky.”

He couldn’t believe it, “Bad luck every time, Lucy?” His grip tightened while soft lips pressed against the back of his ear followed by consoling whispers. 

“Not every time,” She assured him,  voice cracking from the multitude of lives pressing against them, “we never know what will happen in the next one.”

“The next one?” It hadn’t occurred to him that there was more beyond this plain. Existence and time felt elusive. In their current present, Natsu saw no future, only the woman in his arms and the truth. They were together. They were always together. Over and over again and this was their haven. 

Lucy settled against him, sighing as they enjoyed the heat of their own bodies and the wind gently caressed them. The tree blossomed with pink, blue, purple and green petals, thriving with new life over their heads. Natsu could see now, the distance between their garden and many others. Some were connected through small arches and bridges, some were too distant to make out. Everyone of them floated in a large expanse, separated from each other. He didn’t know what lie beyond his own, but he knew its thriving life and gentle breezes was something created between two souls in harmony. 

“When does the next one come?” He asked while thumbing her scar again. Natsu didn’t like it. The prospect of her cycling through another life, earning more scars to her skin. Scars meant she lived and learned, but suffered. 

Lucy didn’t answer. Her silence grew and her hands moved to cup his cheek, tilting his face towards the base of their little hil to the stream of water, cutting off the end of their little world. It weaved through the area and disappeared into the thick brambles of the garden Natsu had traversed through. He had forgotten his failed search for it until then.  Dark gaze narrowed as he looked at its crystalline surface, watched the pebbles sparkle beneath the clear liquid, finally noticing the dirt path, faded as if it were not fully there, just on the stream’s outer bank. 

It was translucent. As if one wrong step would send you falling through it.  “There?”  He asked. They could walk through and be no more?

“Only if you’re impatient.” Lucy moved away, leaving a trace of cold air against his skin from the loss. “You can go at any time, this is just….. A place to rest.”  

Her voice trailed off as he watched her. It felt as if he had heard these words before like a mantra. How many times would they forget? What made them remember? Was it always him asking the questions?  While Lucy marveled at her own knowledge coming to light, Natsu struggled with a need to never leave. 

Why suffer if they could stay? He remembered the feel of her in his arms, more perfect than the garden around them. He could drink in her sweetness, become one with her and never leave. They could enjoy the sunlight and brilliant scents and sights for an eternity or more without pain or fear.  The distance Lucy put between them was excruciating, a second feeling like forever, as if he were dying of thirst. He could be happy here, he knew this, and his hands reached for her arm, intending to draw her close once more. 

Her hand firmly pushed his hand away and he stared, “I’m sorry, Natsu,”She whispered, hair slipping over her shoulders to form a curtain across her face. “I’m so sorry, but it’s best you don’t touch me anymore.”

Natsu balked, “But that’s… that’s…! Lucy we’ve got forever here! What’s wrong?!” Even in a sadness he could name for centuries, she was beautiful. Her hair continued its light glow as shoulders shook from tears he could not see. He attempted to gently touch her shoulder, but the result was the same, “Lucy, tell me what’s going on?”  Why so sudden? 

“I’ve been waiting for you.” She croaked, wiping her eyes to peek at him through her tresses. “I’ve been patient for so.. So very long…!”

His stomach twisted into knots, “I didn’t mean to make ya’ wait Lucy, I just-” Just what? What had he been doing? Fighting? Living?  His memories told him they were joined, but what happened when one died without the other? Why couldn’t he remember after? “I can make it up to ya since I’m here now, you don’t have to be alone anymore-”

Natsu was silenced by Lucy lifting her hand between them, poised in the air for him to see- translucent like the path below them. “What-”

“I waited as long as I could.” The simple truth held between them, but her tears were not lonely tears of anger. They were content, a sad acceptance, “- but this place cannot hold us here forever. It’s a miracle you made it before I had to leave.”

Lucy was fading. The transparency in her hand trailed up her arm like spiderwebs, criss-crossing further and further up until pieces of her faded away,. “No, but I just, I just got here, you can’t leave yet!” Natsu wouldn’t accept it. Couldn’t accept it. Ignoring her pleas, he pulled her in, fingers moving along her arm, as if attempting to use friction to put her back together, “I haven’t seen ya in so long after you... after you- Lucy!”

She caved, hands grasped his face to hold him still and her lips fit against his to say everything they hadn’t the time to say. Lucy poured her emotions, her loneliness, her sadness, her peaceful and calm existence, and every memory coiled between them into her kiss. Natsu tasted tears and didn’t know if they were hers or his. He clung to her, hands pressed against the small of her back, trying to will her to stay with him forever. 

Her teeth tugged and pulled, he responded and drank everything she was willing to give, but the moment ended far too soon. Pulling back with swollen lips and tear stained cheeks, his other half smiled, a hand he could no longer see rested against his heart. 

“Come find me.” She said. “We have many more adventures to live before we’re done and everyone is waiting.”

Natsu’s arms fell to his side. Lucy was gone. 

In his own personal garden his soul came into being. In her own personal garden her soul met his. Together they lived on and on and on, building their Garden into a paradise they would never have to leave. The sky was still clear, but the tree above his head wilted once more. They weren’t done yet. 

He shook at the loss, cried into his hands and stained the ground with his tears. It felt like death, but then there was light, the little pathway shone before him, quietly waiting. He didn’t have to wait. Natsu didn’t have to stay.  As he mourned the loss of her, he stood firm and glanced out to the many other gardens in the realm. 

They needed a bridge, he decided. To visit the friends they made on the other side. Natsu would work on that next. Smiling through his tears, he walked towards the path with a spring in his step. 

When he crossed the stream,  birds chirped and quiet peace continued on, everything stayed as it always had, but his steps crunched in the dirt until there was none and right as he stepped off the edge-

He closed his eyes and knew nothing once more.

[satyrykal]

Once Upon a Dream

Title: Once Upon a Dream

Author: Satyrykal

Pairing: Natsu x Lucy

Genre: Romance/Supernatural

Rating: M

Spoiler Warning: Not in the canon-verse, but pays homage to ideas in the Alvarez arc.

Summary:  In a world where soulmates can manifest in each other's dreams, Lucy has known her other half her entire life. He appeared in her fantasies as a child, a figure blanketed in shadows but she'd never seen his face. However, visions are seldom what they seem - and when she finally meets him in person, she realizes his eyes hold a familiar gleam. Modern Soulmate AU.

Read the story here, or preview the excerpt below!

CHAPTER 1 Excerpt – Once Upon a Dream

"I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream.

I know you, the gleam in your eyes is so familiar a gleam…"

– Sleeping Beauty, 1959

Ever since Lucy could remember, there had been a figure lingering just in the corner of her eye – a shadow lurking in her dreams that had become a familiar presence. He was a mischievous little sprite, running wild in the forests of her imagination – always two steps ahead of her. She'd spent hours chasing him down – only for him to laugh, a tinkling muffled echo in her ears. She would often call out to him, though he would never respond to her – his form wavering in that world between slumber and wakefulness.

Still, she'd come to think of him as a friend, this small child who hung in the periphery of her mind – warm and inviting and safe.

She was five years old before she was realized it wasn't normal to have another soul living in her thoughts.

To this day she would never forget the surprise on her mother's face when she found out.

"Darling, what do you mean there's a person in your head?" Layla had asked her carefully, gathering the child in her arms as they sat on the lawn – the grass cool and prickling against the bare skin of their calves.

"He's my friend, Mama! He's always jumping around and he chases away the nightmares when I'm scared." The small blonde had told her, distractedly plucking at the dandelions growing by her feet, the sunny yellow bright and cheerful in the summer haze. "Do you have one too? Does Daddy?"

Layla's response hadn't been instant, the older woman peering down at her daughter with a chuckle, something unfathomable in those wise chocolate irises. She'd reached out with a gentle hand, brushing the little girl's hair behind her ear – letting her fingers trail along her cherub face.

"I did, once upon a time ago, or I should say I still do. I didn't meet him quite as early as you've met your friend, but when I was a young woman, I finally got to meet him in person." She'd explained, her eyes crinkling at the corners when her daughter clapped in delight.

Lucy had cheered, pigtails bouncing as she twisted in place to search the lawn, as if she could see a shadow peeking out from behind the great wood. "Is he here? Can I meet him?"

"You already know him quite well. You see baby girl, when I was a older, I found a man who shared my dreams. clearer than anything my mind could create on my own – I could even hear his voice. Then one day he just appeared – standing there in the middle of the street. This stranger who wasn't really a stranger, who I knew almost as well as I knew myself. Can you guess who he was?"

The child had tapped her chin, deep in thought as she'd considered the people she knew in her life. She squinted, button nose wrinkling as she scanned the yard. Noticing their elderly gardener tending the roses a few yards away, she'd immediately pointed towards him. "Was it Philip?"

Her mother had laughed, full bellied and unrestrained as she'd tipped her head back – a curtain of gold spilling over her shoulders as she had glanced down to her bemused daughter. Layla caught her breath, snickering slightly as she'd shaken her head – the baubles in her ears tangling in her coif. "No silly, not Philip. Your father."

"Daddy?"

"That's right. He became my best friend and I loved him to the moon and back. The universe gave me a way to find the other half of myself – he was my soulmate."

Lucy had rolled the word silently on her tongue, finding she'd liked the sound of it, the syllables seemed to settle into her, heating her bones as they whispered through her. She'd chewed the inside of her cheek, glancing back towards the flowerbeds.

A beat of silence had passed as they lounged in the August heat, the earthy aroma of snapdragons heavy in the air.

"Does Phillip have one too?"

That had left the older woman in a sputtering guffaw, tweaking her daughter's ear when she too, let out a peal of giggles – more because of her mother's reaction than anything else.

"No goose, he doesn't. It's a rare thing, enough that many doubt the bond even exists. You see, I was one of the lucky ones." Layla had paused, lips quirking up in fondness. "And it seems that you're one of the lucky ones too."

Lucy had lit up immediately, warmth blooming in her at the thought of being special. "Then the boy in my dreams is my soulmate?" She'd questioned, wiggling slightly when her mother had nodded. "And he's going to be my best friend! Oh, I can't wait to meet him!"

Layla had indulgently ruffled her daughter's flaxen tresses. "I'm sure he'll be wonderful – though remember Lucy, it usually takes time to find each other. You will have to be patient."

The little girl had furrowed her brow, bobbing her head seriously as if being entrusted with a valuable secret, hugging her knees to her chest.

"I can do that, I'll even write him letters when something important happens so that I won't forget to tell him about it when I meet him!"

"That's a brilliant idea. I'm sure I'll love meeting him as well. I really am happy for you darling. My lucky Lucy." She'd cooed, squeezing the child tightly and nuzzling her cheek against the crown of her fair head.

The rest of the afternoon had flown by pleasantly, a hum of laughter and smiles buzzing around them as the woman continued to regale her daughter with legends of bonded pairs.

Of famous loves, daring encounters and whirlwind romances – of dashing suitors and distant stars touching as they trekked across the skies. Of that fateful meeting with her own future husband on the eve of her twenty-first birthday. Lucy had listened to them all happily, tucked under the crook of her mom's arm.

It was one of her favourite memories of her mother, and one of her last.

Layla passed away less than a year later.

She never met her daughter's soulmate.

The illness had taken hold suddenly, sapping her strength until she was little more than a husk – a falling, fading star of the woman she used to be. To watch that light go out had killed Lucy, leaving her confused and angry as she'd asked to see her mother – not understanding when she'd been told she couldn't. That her mom was gone.

Perhaps the only one who had taken it harder than she did, was her father.

Jude Heartfilia had never been a firecracker, he was stern where his wife was kind – reserved where she shined. They were opposites but they fit together in perfect harmony, bringing out the best of each other. When she passed, she'd taken a part of him with her – a shard of his soul that had left him broken, a candle doused of flame. He was never the same after that, withdrawn and quiet.

The doting father and husband had vanished, leaving a distant and icy man – unable or unwilling to face the child she'd left behind.

For the next week he'd locked himself in his office, throwing himself into old photos and memories – blind to the tears on his daughter's face and her desperate knocks on the door – too wrapped up in his own grief to recognize hers.

The night of the funeral, Lucy's dreams had been bitter and cold – full of inky darkness that threatened to suffocate her, blocking out the light as the walls crept in. Layla's voice had called to her from beyond a sheet of mist, haunted and yearning as Lucy had clamored towards it, stumbling on the rocky path. Then suddenly, crimson eyed creatures had emerged from the fog of her mind, all jagged teeth and sharp claws.

She remembered crying, running into the forest before she fell – recognizing it as a distorted mirror of the woods behind her home, skeletal and lacking birdsong. She'd shut her eyes then, folding into herself as she had sobbed.

It could have been minutes, it could have been hours that she'd hidden there in the stark black – the nightmare twisting inside her as her heart had throbbed.

Then she'd felt it.

A warmth had engulfed her shoulder, steady and peaceful despite the turmoil raging inside her. She'd taken in a ragged breath, letting the calm seep into her at the touch. She still couldn't see him – her constant companion. He had still been an obscure shadow, but she could feel him.

She could feel his presence, his comfort as he'd curled around her.

And for the first time since her mother had died, she hadn't felt quite so alone.

End of Excerpt

Find the rest of the story on Fanfiction.net here.

[talkiermango502x]

New chapter posted!

Chapter 9 of The Soul Mate Swap is up! Hope everyone enjoys it! Poor Natsu is having a rough go of it.

Link: https://m.fanfiction.net/s/11537861/9/The-Soul-Mate-Swap

Chapter 9

A/N: This chapter takes place at the same time as Chapter 1. It's only been a few months since Lisanna's death. This chapter coincides with Lucy's first Soul Mate Swap.

January 1, x784

It was a busy day at the Guild. Quite frankly, it was chaos every Soul Mate Swap.

Mira was racing back and forth, taking orders and filling drinks as fast as she could. Elfman was manning the grill, a steady string of curses grumbled under his breath. Gray was acting as bartender, looking as unfazed as always as he mixed drinks, ignoring the women who came to lean against the bar, hoping to catch his attention.

"Can I take your plates?" Natsu asked, not even waiting for a response as he yanked the plate away from a table full of boisterously loud men.

"We're not done!" one man shouted as Natsu walked away with his leftover French fries, but Natsu didn't pause to acknowledge him. He sat the plates in the sink with a little more force than what was necessary.

He returned to the dining area and weaved through the crowd to a table of gossiping teens. Ignoring their presence, he began wiping down the table.

"Hey!" One of the teens pounded her first on the table. "We're still sitting here!"

"You finished your food thirty minutes ago," Natsu said in a dead voice. "Now you're just taking a table away from someone who wants to eat."

The teen sneered, but the group got up and left, muttering about shitty customer service. But Natsu didn't care. He kept his back to them and continued cleaning, his face stony. He went back to the kitchen and sighed when he saw the overflowing sink full of dishes.

The clinking of dishes could be heard from the dining hall, causing Mira to shoot Gray a worried look. He just shrugged before he gave the cocktail he'd made to the flirty woman across the bar, and then walked into the kitchen. Elfman gave him a shrug when he walked by, not sure what had gotten into Natsu.

"You washing those dishes or breaking 'em?" Gray asked. He leaned against the door to the dish washing room, watching as Natsu practically slammed the plates down while washing them.

"Fuck off, Ice Breath," Natsu replied, not halting his work.

"Can you maybe take the attitude down a notch, jackass?" Gray snapped. "Mira and Elfman are working their asses off to keep this place running. No one needs your dramatics."

Natsu slammed a plate down, and then turned around to face the other man.

"What do you want from me?" Natsu growled back.

"Maybe be nicer to the customers and not kick them out of their table, huh? And maybe you shouldn't take their plates away while they're still fucking eating!" Gray said, his voice rising.

"Don't you have drinks to make? Just leave me the fuck alone."

Gray sighed. There was just no way to get through to this idiot.

"Just get your shit together Natsu," Gray said as he walked away.

Gray felt a little guilty. He knew Natsu wasn't handling Lisanna's death well, especially not tonight. In a few hours' time, the Soul Mate Swap would start. Gray didn't know what to expect. Lisanna had only passed away a few months ago. Gray snorted to himself as he continued mixing drinks. Natsu had always been emotionally constipated. It was no wonder he'd rather slam plates and pick fights with customer than just address his feelings, Gray thought to himself. He worried about tonight. How would Natsu handle his first Soul Mate Swap without Lisanna?

Near the end of Natsu's shift, Mira came to find him. She looked nervous as she approached him where he was washing dishes.

"What are you doing tonight?" Mira asked in a hesitant voice.

Natsu just shrugged.

"Laxus is having a party if you want to come along," Mira offered. "We'd love to see you. Gray said he might be there too."

Natsu made the mistake of looking into those pleading blue eyes and couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. He knew he'd been avoiding, well, everyone if he were honest. But he'd particularly tried to avoid Mira and Elfman. It was only out of financial desperation that he even returned to work at the Guild. He heaved a sigh.

"Sure," he said. "Might as well."

"Great!" Mira said excitedly and gave Natsu a quick hug. "I'll see you then." She smiled sweetly at Natsu before returning to the bar.

Natsu sighed for probably the hundredth time that day. It was going to be a long night.

When Natsu arrived at the party, it was in full swing. Music poured out of the house, blasting some terrible music Laxus had no doubt picked out. Natsu rolled his eyes. The guy really had terrible taste in music. He cringed at the screaming voice coming from the speakers.

Mira enveloped Natsu in a long hug as soon as he arrived, going on about how much she'd missed having him around. She was eventually dragged away from Laxus, who didn't waste words on Natsu, only giving him a nod in greeting. He couldn't really expect more from Laxus. The two of them had had a "friendly" feud going since Natsu was a kid. While they were practically family, that didn't stop Natsu from always picking fights with the elder (and always getting his ass handed to him).

Natsu weaved his way through the crowd, being greeted here and there by friends and classmates. He didn't have the energy to provide much in the way of conversation. He checked his watch. About two hours until the Soul Mate Swap. He felt a knot in his stomach. What would happen? Would he swap with someone? He still struggled to wrap his head around the fact that he and Lisanna were not destined soul mates. He couldn't imagine loving anyone but her. It felt like a betrayal to her memory to even consider it. She had chosen him, right? That night that felt so long ago. Natsu felt a pang in his chest as he remembered.

Finding a spread of alcohol and food in the kitchen, Natsu quickly helped himself. He poured himself a shot of something, grimacing when he realized it was some sort of cotton candy vodka and didn't burn as much as he'd been hoping for. He browsed through the drinks, taking a shot here and there.

All the while, his thoughts circled around Lis. She had dragged him to so many parties just like this one. Why wasn't she here now? He should be swapping with her tonight, he thought dismally. Hell, he should have swapped with her a year ago. He never did find out who her bastard soul mate was. He downed another shot, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand.

"You keep up like that and you won't make it to midnight," a flirty voice said behind him.

Natsu spared a glance at the girl who had come up to stand close beside him, a coy smile on her face.

"That's the point," Natsu replied dismissively.

"Why don't you come drink with me and my friends?" the girl asked, eyeing him appreciatively. Natsu felt a twinge of irritation.

"Nah," Natsu replied, shrugging off her hand. He didn't even look away from the alcohol.

The girl scoffed.

"Suit yourself," she replied and wandered off.

The party went on, with Natsu downing drinks as quickly as he could get his hands on them. Gray showed up at some point and promptly picked a fight with Natsu. Mira was kept busy trying to keep the alcohol out of Natsu's hands and to keep him from actually battling Gray, but he was too determined. Mira just shook her head. At least he was out of his apartment, right? She wondered. This didn't really count as drinking alone, she tried to convince herself. Natsu is just…drinking himself into oblivion…alone… on a couch… at a party where he refuses to talk to anyone, Mira thought. She couldn't even convince herself that this was any sort of improvement. She instructed Laxus to keep an eye on him as much as he could. Laxus just grumbled. Natsu could get downright belligerent if anyone tried to interfere with his drinks.

Natsu was lying full-length on the couch, head leaning over the side as he tried to quell the nausea in his stomach. The crowd in the living room was chanting something he couldn't quite make out. The room was spinning. He was just thinking he should make his way to a bathroom or a sink or even a trash can when he suddenly felt a mysterious, intense pressure on his body, making him dry heave.

The next moment, he blinked to find himself standing in a crowd on what appeared to be a pier by the ocean. The air was salty, the breeze chilly, but it felt good. Natsu looked around curiously, noting that his nausea was gone, replaced instead by what felt like butterflies in his (well, his soul mate's) stomach. Around him was generalized chaos. There were a couple of girls standing beside him, but all three took off running in opposite directions. Many other people were running around as well. Some couples were kissing or hugging. Natsu snorted as he saw one of the girls quite skillfully climbing a flag pole, laughing uproariously. Huh. It was fascinating to him that she hadn't fallen flat on her ass.

Something fell in Natsu's face and he flinched before realizing it was his soul mate's long, golden hair. How troublesome, he thought as it whipped around him in the breeze. He kept trying to shove it out of his face but it stuck to something sticky on his lips. What was that? Lip gloss? Hmm, tastes fruity, he thought, licking the substance curiously.

Natsu shivered lightly and looked down curiously to find his soul mate was wearing a skirt. Natsu himself usually ran on the warm side and rarely experienced cold. But it was clear his soul mate wasn't dressed for the weather. He shook his head. He crossed his arms, trying to warm himself slightly. He wondered how long it had been and searched the girl's pockets until he found a phone. The picture on the screen was of a small, white dog. The clock on the screen didn't show the seconds, so he slipped the device back into his pocket. He sighed and looked around at the ocean beside them. He briefly wondered what city they were in. It looked rather familiar. Was this Hargeon or was he still in Magnolia? He looked around for some sort of indicator, but didn't find an answer.

Just as quickly as it had happened before, he felt a sudden, intense pressure return followed by roiling nausea and dizziness. Man, he'd forgotten the state of his own body. He found himself on the floor, dry heaving and coughing heavily from the intense nausea. Seated on the couch opposite him, Natsu saw Laxus staring at him with a furrowed brow as if thinking hard about something.

....

To read the rest of the chapter, please view it here: https://m.fanfiction.net/s/11537861/9/The-Soul-Mate-Swap

[mister-pomme-de-terre]

NEW STORY!!!

Hey, do you like Natsu Dragneel? Do you want a male reader insert? Welp i just wrote one! Its about a dark guild member (Y/n) who meets his soul mate Natsu while on an assassination quest to kill said soul mate.

The story is called It's a Zing and its on my wattpad located down below. I hope you enjoy it if you do read it!

[thecreaturecodex]

Avarice Wyrm

Image © @chimeride​

[Il Guerrin Meschino is an Italian romance from 1410 that features a lengthy interlude in Fairyland. The cave is the domain of the Sibyl Alcina, and Meschino goes there to ask who his real parents are (finding them is the main goal of his quest). I’ve spoken before about how fairies and Fairyland are variously interpreted in medieval and Renaissance Europe trying to fit them into Christian cosmology. In Il Guerrin Meschino, Fairyland is a sort of refuge from Hell, where souls that would be damned if they die flee to never age and put off judgement until the Last Judgement. But they still suffer, as from Saturday to Monday they are transformed into monsters representing their sins. This creature, which is described as “worms that resemble very large scorpions, with three mouths for biting and one, which was much larger, for eating” is what happens to the greedy. To strengthen the dragon connection (as worms = snakes = dragons), I gave it the dragon type and a breath weapon.]

Avarice Wyrm CR 8 CE Dragon This creature is serpentine, with three claws like those of a scorpion—two on muscular arms, and one on the tip of its tail. Its broad head has tiny eyes and a wide mouth with flat teeth.

Draconic parents tell their wyrmlings cautionary tales of the avarice wyrms—draconic hatchlings that were so greedy that they turned on their own parents and stole from them, being cursed to a creeping, animalistic form. Whether or not that is the true origin of the avarice wyrm is uncertain. But they are supremely greedy creatures, and are constantly on the lookout for new treasures to steal and victims to rob.

An avarice wyrm typically opens combat with its breath weapon, hoping to take out its foes quickly and easily. They have no compunctions about killing innocents, and may pause to finish off a dying but not dead enemy if it will make looting them easier. Once they close to melee, they attack with their snapping claws and gnashing bite. Their claws can snag treasures off of an enemy, and their bite can even steal magical effects. Avarice wyrms can see magic auras, allowing them the opportunity to target their thefts, and often flee from combat if they obtain some item they particularly desire.

Avarice wyrms sometimes live in communal nests, but these associations are based on strength in numbers rather than out of any kindness or familial bonds. The nest may have a shared treasury, but each member likely keeps particularly favored items hidden, and fights over choice goods are not uncommon. Avarice wyrms of any color or elemental affinity may mate with each other, and their offspring are usually, but not always, of one of their parent’s colors.

Avarice Wyrm   CR 8 XP 4,800 CE Large dragon Init +3; Senses arcane sight, blindsense 30 ft., darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, Perception +15 Defense AC 23, touch 13, flat-footed 19 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +1 dodge, +10 natural) hp 105 (10d12+40) Fort +11, Ref +10, Will +11 DR 10/magic; Immune cold, paralysis, sleep; SR 19 Offense Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft., climb 30 ft. Melee 3 claws +13 (1d8+4), bite +13 (2d4+4 plus eat magic) Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft. (5 ft. with bite) Special Attacks breath weapon (30 ft. cone, 8d6 cold, Ref DC 19, 1d4 rounds), pilfer Spell-like Abilities CL 10th, concentration +12 Constant—arcane sight Statistics Str 19, Dex 17, Con 19, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 14 Base Atk +10; CMB +14; CMD 28 (cannot be tripped) Feats Blind-fight, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Iron Will, Mobility Skills Appraise +15, Climb +20, Knowledge (arcana) +11, Perception +13, Sense Motive +13, Spellcraft +11, Stealth +12, Swim +20; Racial Modifiers +4 Appraise Languages Common, Draconic SQ draconic lineage Ecology Environment any land and underground Organization solitary, pair or nest (3-8) Treasure double standard Special Abilities Draconic Lineage (Ex) An avarice wyrm is descended from a true dragon, and has a breath weapon and energy immunity based on this association. Choose a dragon type, or roll on the following table:

black—breath weapon 60 ft. line of acid, immune to acid

blue—breath weapon 60 ft. line of electricity, immune to electricity

brass—breath weapon 60 ft. line of fire, immune to fire

bronze—breath weapon 60 ft. line of electricity, immune to electricity

copper—breath weapon 60 ft. line of acid, immune to acid

green—breath weapon 30 ft. cone of acid, immune to acid

gold—breath weapon 30 ft. cone of fire, immune to fire

red—breath weapon 30 ft. cone of fire, immune to fire

silver—breath weapon 30 ft. cone of cold, immune to cold

white—breath weapon 30 ft. cone of cold, immune to cold

The avarice wyrm shown here is of silver lineage. The save DC for the breath weapon is Con based. Eat Magic (Su) A creature bitten by an avarice wyrm is subject to a targeted dispel magic effect (CL 10th). If this successfully dispels a spell, that spell is transferred to the avarice wyrm for its remaining duration. Pilfer (Ex) If an avarice wyrm strikes a single opponent with two or more claw attacks in the same round, it may make a disarm or steal combat maneuver as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity.

[messengerhermes]

This is a scrap I ended up cutting from Compound Fractures of the Heart, but I like it too much to keep it in my drafts, so you get it Tumblr:

“Do you believe in soulmates?” Kurt asks, the question fluttering up to the ceiling before drifting back down, something aching under the wispiness of it.

Todd grunts like Kurt poked him in the stomach, lurching up from where he’s sprawled beside the other mutant on his living room rug to look down at him, with heavy lidded eyes, “I mean, not anymore than I believe in the tooth fairy, but in case you do, who knows maybe all the roaches kept her tinkerbell ass from visiting my house and soul mates are a thing, why?”

Kurt sighs, crunching a cheese doodle inside the bag, enjoying the way it gives like old styrofoam under his fingers,“I just, Amanda had cried when I broke it off, saying that I was her one and we were meant for each other. And all I could feel was broken for not noticing this thing she felt so strongly over.” His tail weaves through the air in a wobbly arc as he turns his head to look at Todd, “Like I was skipping over this crucial thing and ruining her happiness with my own short sightedness.

“Dawg, I’m gonna say something rude as fuck,” Todd says, plucking the cheese puff bag from Kurt’s loose fingers and darting his tongue inside it. The blue mutant wrinkles his nose at the action and Todd flips him off.

“This is unusual?” Kurt asks, raising an eyebrow as he sits up on one elbow to look at Todd.

“Man, shut it and listen. Listen, ‘Manda’s gonna be just fine.” Todd says, tipping a bit as he leans in close and the room tilts with the motion, “She’s gonna find some other schmuck with nice cheekbones who sings her praises like a Hallmark card fucked an erotica anthology and he’ll want the ‘you’re my one and only for all eternity’ shit too and bam, she’ll have a soulmate.”

“Just like that?” Kurt asks, lips twitching into a smile.

Todd thumps the floor with his non cheeto hand, “Just like that,” He jerks, backpedaling when his sluggish brain catches how that comes off, “Not that you’re not great or are replaceable or nothing, but you’re not the only rainbow fish in the sea.”

Kurt hums, sinking back to the floor as he turns his eyes back to the ceiling, his tail curls lazily around Todd’s raised leg, a long warm line Todd can’t help but curl his fingers around.

“That book has a messed up message, you know?” Kurt says, “I first saw it in high school when we were reading to the Morlock kids. I hid it in a crack in one of the weird little side tunnels.” 

“That was you? Fuck, I wondered about that, but yeah, no shit, ‘mutilate yourself so other people can feel special’ isn’t the most,” Todd waves a hand through the air, searching for the words, “Emotionally chill message for a fucking five year old.” 

Kurt hums, “I think I would rather be alone than bribe people with pieces of my skin in exchange for friendship.” 

“Just give them chunks from one of those velour tracksuits, they won’t notice the difference,” Todd says, dropping his hand on Kurt’s knee, “But you’re changing the subject and hoping I’ll forget.” 

Kurt laughs, running a hand over his face, “No, I was changing the subject hoping I would forget. But thank you.” He squeezes the hand resting on his leg, “I appreciate the absolution.”