No fear
Chapter seven
Juvia levelled out her breathing as she stood in a familiar crouch, slowly inching towards a boar that both her and Natsu had set their sights on. They were deeper into the forest where no one lived and Natsu made hunting his weekly sport. After Gajeel's visit and then cleaning the house, they then decided that they would start hunting. The midday sun filtered through the trees, beating down on them wherever there was no shade. She waited for Natsu's signal as she kept looking between Natsu and the boar. There was a silent move from Natsu and Juvia pounced down on the defenceless boar that squealed the moment she came rushing through the glade, alerting other wildlife nearby that they were in danger, but it was too late.
Juvia silenced it with a quick water slicer to the throat as it dropped to its side and died. She approached it and made sure it was dead, the warm blood covering her fingertips as she grabbed it up. She took a glimpse over at the bush where Natsu was coming out of and his lips were twisted to form a feral grin.
"Good job, mate."
As he was approaching her, Juvia couldn't help but let her gaze wander over him yet again. He was never someone she would have thought was attractive. In fact, she actively hated him from the moment he ate Gray's bento after their two guilds had clashed. She despised him for being loud and always having Gray's attention after Lucy. Then she had come to terms that Natsu is an exciting member of the guild. He was funny, caring, oblivious, obnoxious but still a great friend. He also grew stronger with every day that passed. He even promised that he would bring back Gray for her and he did.
This time, he had decided to hunt shirtless. His usual baggy trousers hung low on his waist as she peeped at the way his V-line disappeared right into them. He had more scars than ever and ever since he was in this state, he had removed the bandages on his arm for her to see the dragon tattoo that she had thought was only a one time thing. He was ripped and jacked and the veins on his arms stood out to her the most. To think that she had those wrapped around her every day since she had been staying with him was astounding. While he wasn't as tall as Gajeel, he was definitely taller than her and he had this aura and the ability to look intimidating, especially with that feral and untamed look in his eyes. His shoulders were broad, muscles toned with precision and held a power that could very easily kill an enemy without a second thought if he really wanted to. Right now, he looked wilder than any wild animal within the forest that they were in, with teeth that wouldn't hesitate to rip your jugular straight from your throat.
To many people, this would be a look that would have them screaming in fear and locking their doors while chanting prayers to a god that they may or may not believe in. Juvia gave him the boar and watched as he cut it with his dagger as if he had done this many times before, and he had. Most women wouldn't find this attractive and would probably retch at the sight of him gutting the carcass of what they would happily buy from the butchers as it already came dead. However, this thought barely moved Juvia. She bit her lip when she saw the way he would use the dagger to make quick work of the boar as he placed the pieces that he was going to readily eat onto different plates. He liked to cook where he killed the animal and he set up the spit. When Juvia tried to help him, he swatted her hands away gently and shook his head, a charming smirk on his lips.
"Mate shouldn't stress herself."
So she was stuck watching him as she tightened her legs together. When was the last time her desire had been this strong? Why is it that something that would frighten or at least gross out many women seemed to turn her on? She wasn't right in the head and she clearly hadn't been since she had been on this path of destruction that was ruining her life. Still, this hadn't been the first time she was so close to his half naked body.
"Aww, c'mon Juvia! We never work together and the rules specified that we need to work with someone we've never worked with before!"
Before Juvia had given up on Gray, before she had become a pessimistic bitch again, they had all gone to the beach and Mira had set up a set of different beach games. The only rule was that people couldn't work together if they always did. They needed to branch out and find someone else. Juvia was actually shocked that Natsu had decided to seek her out and ask him to be her partner. She was actually flattered, but her devotion was for one person.
"No, Natsu-san! Juvia's heart belongs to Gray-sama, she can't cheat on him and play with someone else! What would he think? He would think that Juvia is cheating on him!" She practically burst into tears at the thought of Gray thinking that she was cheating on her, until she watched him approach Laki and ask him to be her partner. They had never worked together before and Juvia hadn't thought of Laki being a love rival until now. She wasn't impressed.
Standing up, she looked Natsu dead in his eye. He seemed excited that she was about to say yes and she nodded her head. "Juvia will become Natsu's partner and CRUSH Laki-san! Let's go!"
They had won the beach volleyball tournament, absolutely dominated in the water fight and with all the other events, Juvia realised that she was having so much fun with Natsu and Happy. They actually made her laugh to her core and they even shared their food together. Juvia could understand why Lucy hung out with them so much, even if their stupidity sometimes got the better of them. There were times where Natsu would pull her in for a hug after a victory, his chiselled abs pressed against her breasts. The smell of crackling cedarwood, just reeling her in and surrounding her like soft linen sheets.
Juvia shook those thoughts away as she decided to busy herself with finding some more wood for the fire. She wasn't sure if they would really need any as Natsu would just light it up, but it made sense to keep something else burning and not just have his hand there the entire time. She couldn't dwell on this desire any longer, she might end up doing things that she would end up regretting.
Natsu's reptile eyes followed her every movement, watching her move with the grace of a predator and the agility of the prey. Her footsteps were calculated and silent, barely leaving a footprint in its wake and he guessed that it had to do with her water magic that left her feeling light. Her body was fluid, moving just like the water that she was able to command and her movements were careful. She was everything he desired and had been desiring for a long time now. She was cunning, strong and graceful. All the makings of the perfect mate. The way that she had sliced the boar's throat with a water slicer, but it was different from usual. She wouldn't need to get that close and personal with them, but she turned her arm into a blade of water, cutting the animal's neck. The way the specks of blood sprayed on her cheeks and she didn't even flinch from it. It in fact enhanced the beauty that was already there. Her royal blue hair cascaded down her spine in a loose braid, ending just at the curve of her rump. It had grown a lot longer in recent years and he had come to enjoy it, wanting to run his fingers through her waterfall hair. Her navy blue eyes had taken on the look just like when she had first joined the guild, guarded and cold. He wished to see them hold the warmth she once had, although he had seen glimpses of it already in recent days since she had been staying with him. Her ivory skin was so soft as she constantly applied all these lotions that seemed to be doing a very good job and it was pulled taut over her toned muscles that rippled with controlled strength. It was whenever she appeared to be free and uncaring of what she looked like, that was when she appeared to be truly gorgeous, like the goddess that she is.
Her azul hair strands would be tied back loosely, the strands framing her high cheekbones. Her porcelain skin would hold a sheen of sweat, proof of the hard work that she had undertaken, proof that she trained hard and worked hard to make herself strong, proof of her dedication to being a mage and a very powerful water one at that. It was hard not to think of her as a water dragon slayer due to the amount of power that bubbled beneath her skin, ready to pour out in abundance. Her magic was ever flowing and never wanted to stop. He knew he made her exhausted all the time, trying to cool him down and he hated how he was putting her in that state. Still, she would always smirk with a knowing look in her eyes, as if telling him not to be ridiculous and that she can continue to go on all night if need be and she always did. Her water wires were constantly attached to him, never once slowing down. She accommodated him which showed just how nice, thoughtful and caring she truly is.
However, there was one thing that captivated him the most and it was when she was in her berserker state. Succubus Juvia is what she had called it. There was a look that she had unconsciously in her eyes, the look of an untamable woman. The look of a woman who could crush a man's windpipe just by looking at him. A look that could leave the strongest of men frozen in place just by blinking at him. That first day when she came back from her job all exhausted and Mest and Warren brought her into the room, she had never looked more mesmerising. He thought that he was wild, but his mate was even wilder and that had really pleased him. Natsu had always found her beautiful, but she had never looked more beautiful to him than when she had that look in her eyes. She had the same one right now.
Slowly, he stood to his feet as he was done setting up the spit-roast, moving quietly across the ground until he was only a mere inches behind her. He inhaled her scent deeply, having already retained it for his memories. She was bent forward to reach for another piece of wood when Natsu placed his hands on the slender curve of her hips. She was wearing his favourite pair of shorts, the ones that showed so much leg and even the bottom of her ass cheeks hung out just for him to see. He loved that she didn't even flinch at his touch and he wondered if she had engraved the feel of his hands in her head the same way he had done with hers.
"Did you need something, Natsu?" Juvia softly questioned as she straightened herself up, making her spine parallel with his chest. Natsu leaned on her shoulder as he nuzzled the area behind her ear with a soft throaty chuckle.
"No. I don't like my mate far away from me for too long."
That made Juvia chuckle as she shook her head, seemingly in disbelief but also like she expected that answer. "I was only a few feet away from you, collecting firewood." She could feel his hot breath fanning against the column of her throat as she felt like closing her eyes and leaning her head back for him to continue. He grunted at her scent change, becoming sweeter than what it already was.
"My mate needs to be in my arms. It's where she belongs."
"Where I belong, huh?" She asked him quietly. Natsu wondered if he had offended her in some way and really hoped that he hadn't. He felt her relax even more against him, and he wondered if she was thinking about his words in depth.
"You're so silly, Natsu. But that's what I like about you, I guess," she spoke as she closed her eyes and enjoyed the breeze that rushed through the glade that they were standing in. Natsu himself didn't want to let go of his mate, enjoying the way she stood still, her beauty unparalleled to anything around them. The two of them moved in sync as they both had the same idea to start cooking the boar and Juvia laughed at their movements that matched each other.
Natsu practically threw a fireball at the wood that Juvia laid underneath the makeshift spitroast and he started to do what he was good at, outside cooking. Juvia watched as the muscles on his biceps rippled like the waves of an ocean, pulling back, tightening and relaxing when needed as he turned the mean to brown on the other side. She was amazed, watching him cook. She never would have thought that she would've gotten to see it happen before her very eyes, but here he was, cooking for her. He seemed like he was in his element and she found that she enjoyed watching him doing something he loved that wasn't fighting.
Natsu felt her eyes on his body and when he looked up, he could see something akin to wonder in them. Just when he thought that she couldn't get anymore beautiful, she did. Her eyes were like stars, lighting up and glowing with a different shade of blue from every different angle. The sight of his flames bouncing in the reflection of her pupils made her glow a little bit more too. She then noticed that he was staring at her staring at him and she averted her gaze down to the ground by her feet, her cheeks tinted pink. He couldn't help himself as grinned at how cute she was.
"Does my mate like what she sees?"
He knew that this could go in any way. He could either be talking about the boar he's cooking, or mention the fact that he knew she was staring at him. Luckily, that didn't scare her away as she brought her eyes up to meet his and she smiled slyly.
"I have to admit that I do."
Natsu chuckled. "I thought I could smell my mate's desire."
Juvia seemed appalled as she tried to hide her face. "Natsu!"
The said man laughed, a rumble tumbling from his lips. "My mate desires me. That pleases me," he stated as he finished off the boar. Juvia rolled her eyes at him as she tutted.
"Of course it does, you pig."
"Mate should know that I'm not a pig. I'm a dragon."
She couldn't help herself as she laughed and reached out for the piece of cooked boar that he was handing to her. "I'm well aware of that, don't you worry. I can't wait to try some of this, you make the best meat."
Natsu was nervous. He really hoped he had nailed it this time too. No one really got to eat his creations, he had only let Juvia and his team eat his turkey shanks on a whim. That was purely because Juvia stated that she loves a man who can cook, pointedly trying to get Gray to make something for her, but it fell on deaf ears. Natsu decided to wow her and he couldn't believe it had worked.
"Hmm~" Juvia moaned and Natsu snapped right out of his thoughts. He turned to look at his mate who was sitting on a log, absolutely in love with his creation. Relief flooded his bones as well as a certain level of desire being sparked within him when he could hear her moaning. He sat down on the log next to her, their legs brushing each other yet again. His eyes immediately went to the corner of her mouth, making her tilt her head in confusion as to what he was looking at.
He leaned forward and licked the corner of her mouth, brushing against her lips. They both paused, even though Natsu hadn't really moved far back.
"You had some juice," was the only explanation he managed before Juvia bridged the gap and pressed her lips against his, finally giving into the tension that was surrounding them.
Juvia knew that this was a bad idea and that it would only make her crave him more, but she was going to add that the list of things she had fucked up on once this whole ordeal is done. Natsu was giving her affection that she had been dreaming of receiving from someone and she would be stupid to throw that away now, especially when she knew that once this was over, she wouldn't be in this situation ever again. She pulled back in order to look at him, but Natsu didn't let her get far before he kissed her deeper this time. She never thought that as a water mage she would find herself drowning.