Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Finding out that Gray and Lucy where fucking during Grays' ruts was like a fist right in his face. Or his guts. Or his heart.

Presenting as an omega had never bothered him. Sure, heats were kinda annoying but luckily for him, he felt hot anytime anyways. The heat was no problem. The cramps, the arousal and the need to get fucked was more complicated.
Or the fact, that he wanted Gray to fuck him during this times.

He always felt drawn to the ice mage - even their eloquent verbal battles where some kind of affection torwards the ice mage. Especially after they presented. Natsu wasn't a complete fool, like some liked to paint him - he knew about their dynamics.
About attraction, heats, ruts, mating - he always seemed a little lost in those aspects, but he knew his shit. Mainly, because Makarov had insisted he learned more about dynamics after he presented as an omega.

But he knew and that was all that mattered.

He wasn't direct in his interests - mainly, because everbody assumed that Natsu liked Lucy and Gray liked Juvia and the other way around - but he liked how Gray smelled always like grass covered in fresh rain and wood. It was calming and remembered him back to the time before Fairy Tail, when it was Igneel and him. In the woods. Being Father and son. Training, fighting, hunting - being comfortable and happy.

Grays' scent gave him back these happy times and made him feel safe and comforted. But also their familiar benter and how good they knew each other and could work with one another - when they weren't yelling creative insults at each other - made him feel warm in his stomach and his chest. Made him smile and kinda blushy.

But now, knowing his childhood friend slash rival slash crush was fucking his best friend - it hurt. More, than he thought.

He hadn't even planned on hearing that. Cana just had to much to drink - like always - and pointed out that Lucy smelled so much like Gray, that she could be his shadow. They didn't even blushed or felt embarassed about the fact they fucked on a regular basis.

"I asked her to help with my ruts - so what?" - Had been Grays' monotone answer to that. Lucy just shrugged and didn't said much more to it. It hadn't been anyones buisness - or so they said.

Natsu, who had been a few feet away on a table talking with Lisanna about Mirajanes' bonding to Erza - because Natsu was still curious about that - had freezed right on his spot. He felt like vomiting, heart wildly beating in his chest while pictures of his friends rushing trough his mind. Pictures, that made his heart break.

After that, Natsu distanced himself.

He didn't want to go on missions with them - even when Lucy whined about her rent, as always - and liked to spend time alone.
Lisanna always looked worried whenever Natsu wore scent patches to cover up his scent - which would always reek of sadness and hurt. He made the guild suspicious. Mirajane - the worried, big sister and kind soul she was - talked intensive with Erza about her worries.

Her mate knew what she ment. Erza was just as kind - maybe a bit clumsy and rough in some aspects - but she understood her omega and also the omega of her childhood. She loved Natsu like a little brother and was fiercely protective of him.

She hated seeing him like that - that wasn't Natsu. Natsu was always a loud being, full of energy and always eager for food. Or destruction.

But in the last time, he was always out - and if he was in the guild hall, he wore scent patches. Was silent and completely uninterested in his surroundings.

His smiles came over as forced. His mood, too. Lisanna was his companion, if he decided to show up. But even she didn't knew anything.

And Erza hated it. She disliked the fact that Natsu seemed to have problems. Firstly, she thought it could have been an omega-thing. Like, his nest didn't co-operating or his pheromones affecting his mood. Maybe his heat would start soon. Maybe he needed something. Or was he hurt?

She looked at her Omega, pretty Mira preparing their lunch. Nervous, she bit her thumbnail. Her scent smelled worried and frustrated, and Mira caught it up. Of course.

"Is something wrong?"
Her voice was soft, worried and she stilled her movements and looked at Erza with a frown.

The alpha sighned.
"I am worried about Natsu, you know."

A smile formed on pretty, pink lips.
"So you caught up on it, too hm?"

Erza looked kinda offended at that.
"Of course! I know him since we where kids!"

Mirajane was smiling now, hands stopping whatever she was doing over there. Her eyes sparkled with something.
"You do realise that this also applies to me, right?"
Pouting.
"Yes yes - i know." Another sighn followed after that and she looked worried again.
"It's just - he seems so distant. For a while now. Like - like he is trying to avoid us. His family."

"Maybe he.. has something he can't talk to us about? Or - maybe he met someone!"
In an instant her eyes began sparkling. Erza just groaned.

"Mira! Please! Focus!"

Giggling followed.
"I know, i am sorry. But.." She bit her lip.

"What if it's true? Maybe he did found someone."
Now it was Erzas' turn to frown.
"Hm. I mean, he has.. he-heats." She started blushing and her mate laughed full force at her expression.

"Natsu is also cute. And he can be so adorable without noticing it." Cooking completely forgotten, Mirajane was cooing.

"Ha~ he was always so lovely! His grin always shined like the sun and his cheeks were so full, i just wanted to pinch him!"

Then, her expression turned dark. Erza almost had an heart attack.

"Whoever hurt him, i will end their life and eat their hearts."
"Mira!"

Chapter Text

Missions these days are good at keeping him away from thoughts that could make his inner omega drop and whine. That bitch is whining anyway but Natsu doesn't really acknowledge that anymore. He has more important things to do.

Eating. Missions. Stepping out of Gray and Lucys' way - stuff like that. His scent - a mixture of peaches and hot chili, what a wild combination but surprisingly fitting - had gotten better. That's what he wanted to make himself believe, anyways.
Erza had been on his case - he assumed Mira was there, too, because her faint vanilla-coconut scent was lingering in the air. He hadn't planned on worrying them, and he felt bad about it, really, but he needed alone time. Before he would say, or do, things he would regret later on.

So he continued with his routine. Happy teased him firstly, but realized that it hurted and confused him endlessly - and made him mad as fuck - so he apologized and stopped. Natsu had felt bad immediatley and apologized, too, coming up with the "my-heat-is-coming" excuse. But really, what else was he supposed to do? Tell the truth? Make a fucking fool out of himself? Absolutely not.

He rather die on the spot.

"Natsu" Erzas' voice sounded authoritative and concerned and her smell - normally a perfect mix out of hibiscus and mango, with the slighty undernote of steel - slighty sour. Her brown eyes were full of worry.

"Are you okay? Should Mira and me come with you?"

To be honest, he was surprised that she asked and not just definitely decided on it. She tended to do that - in many cases. He smiled, probably not as assuring as he hoped because Erzas' brows furrowed, but he isn't impressed. Normally he would be scared shitless of her - for good fucking reason - but with his heat so close and all these hurtful feelings inside, there was no time for that. Right now, Natsu wouldn't care if she threw him trought the air and yell at him.
He would fight back. His inner omega was restless and aggressive, snarling and whining. Natsu tsk'ed.

That damn bitch.

"Look, Erza, i am fine." He wants to groan. "I am fine and everything is okay. I just want to do this mission alone-" "For yourself, i get it. I really do." She's gnawing at her bottom lip, eyebrows pinched.
God, Natsu feels so bad.

"It's just.. argh!" Frustrated, shes' rubbing her middle finger over her forehead. Exhaling a sigh, she look directly at him and her eyes are filled with concern and frustration.
Gulping silently, he makes a note to be less obvious. He can't worry people like that - especially not Erza. And if Erza is so close on his heels, Mirajane was already fully in his head, knowing everything.
That demon caught up instantly on everything.

Natsu wanted to scream. He was fucked.

"Look. Something is obviously bothering you and.. i talked with Mira about it and.. we are just so concerned for you. I am sorry if we are annyoing you." She grabs his hand, squeezing. Her scent is filling the air, making his restless omega a little more relaxed by the knowing and familiar smell.
Gosh, he loved her so much. She really was great like that and he was glad to know and call someone like her his friend, his family. Mira was so lucky.

Smiling, he let's his own smell out, reassuring and signaling her that it was okay and letting their scent melt into each other, letting hers' cover his like a protection cape. Normally, he would beat up any Alpha who dared and tried to cover him up in their scent - but this was Erza. A woman he knew since childhood. A woman, who was more of an big sister than anything else, and he would never wanted it in any other way.

"Give me.. give me some time. I promise you, i will talk to you, to you both."

He knew Mira was there, too, the coconut-vanilla-scent - just as trusting loving - lingering in the air, in a respectfully distance but still protective and caring. Looking at the bar, there she is. Cleaning glasses, smiling. Her blue eyes knowing. She isn't even trying to hide, openly reassuring him that she was there for him if he wanted to. Like a big sister - or a mother. A mother he wishes he could have. Mirajane would make a great mother.

He loved them both so much.

The next thing he knows, he is squeezed by Erzas' strong grip and in a hug that takes his breath away. Her head is deep in his neck, covering him in her scent, her inner alpha set on keeping him safe with that. The next thing he knows is that Mirajane is there too, covering him up like a mother would her pup. He should feel embarassed but his inner omega is purring - and he follows his example. Purring, he falls in Mirajanes' arms and lets' her cover him in her scent, too.

It's a nice mixture of scents. Familiar. Feeling like home.

When he finally lets go of them - and they of him, even to reluctantly - he smiles warmly at them.

"I promise i'll be careful. I'm gonna' come back like i always do."

Erza has some tears in her eyes - because for all her strong-woman-act, she was a huge softie. Sniffing, she is ruffling his hair.

"You better do, little dragon. Mira and me will be hunting you down if you don't."

When they watch him leave, after turning around and waving at them, their hearts feel heavy. Mira is grabbing her alphas hand, smiling with slighty teary eyes.

"Why does this feel like i am watching how my son is leaving me behind to see the dark wide world?"

A slighty breeze lets' their hair wip around, some leafes getting stuck in their streaks. Erza is watching her boys' silhouette dissapearing slowly - until he is gone completely.
Squeezing Miras' hand, she's smiling too.

"Maybe because that's exactly what is happening."

It's not even an hour later that Natsus' absence is voiced on - by Lisanna. His scent is still lingering on her big sister - and Erza, for that matter, who is sitting at the bar and talking to her omega. His scent is there, but his loud and energetic self not. And Happy, who is curled up on Erzas' lap and holding on tightly on the fish Mira gifted him as a little cheer up after Natsu left, is there too. It's suspicious. It seems that they know something, but only telling her that he is on a solo mission. They are smiling, but their scents' reek in a mixture of sadness and concern. She doesn't want to dig in to deep and only asks if Natsu is safe - the most important question. She doesn't ask if he will be okay, because that is something nobody can know at the moment. And she doesn't want to make them more depressed, really.

It's hard to watch them - looking like sad parents without their pup that is constantly trashing the guild hall and screaming about being all fired up. Elfman, who decides that Natsus' decision is "absolutely manly" and important for his own self, grins like a madman and declairs that Natsu will be greeted by a 'worthly and manly'-welcome back-party. Whatever that should be.

But it takes some of the heavy feelings of their shoulders and makes them smile genuinely.

Gray and Lucy, who turned up later that day - former followed by an murmuring and sinister looking Juvia - are ingaged in a conversation, looking like always. Only Grays' reeking scent that comes from the celestial mage betrays what they are up to. But really, they can't do anything about it. Both have the right to do what they want and if it helps with Grays' rut - which seemed to be done now that he is here again - well, than that's great.

Smiling at them, Mira greets them when they reach the bar and Lucy lets' herself down on one of the bar chairs next to Erza who smiles, too. Gray gets on her other side, and asks for a cup of ice cubes. Mira gets him one right away. Lucy starts talking about her rent and that they need to go on a mission, soon.

"I don't wanna be homeless! But my rent is so high and due so soon!" Depressed, she falls forward on the counter, whining into the wood. Letting her head fall to the side, pressing her cheek into the wood, her eyebrows pinch together.
"Maybe we should do a mission were Natsu can destroy everything! We would get paid for the damage we cause normally, and don't have to give up jewel! What a dreeeeeam"

Mirajane is chuckling, being back at her task to polish some jars. Erza rubs Lucys' head encouragingly.
"Don't worry, we will get it somehow"
Pouting, Lucy stretches her arms across the counter. "Maa~ It's so frustrating!"

The rukus inside the guild hall is immense by now - Elfman crashes into the next table with a "Fighting is manly!" while Gray had lost his clothes by now. And Juvia, who hides behind the next wooden pillar is simping like a madman, philosophizes about her "Gray-Sama~!"

And Lucy realizes that Happy, who is still sitting on Erzas' lap and looking like the sun will never shine again, is alone here. In the sense of no Natsu. Her eyes widen and she starts looking around, searching for that familiar pink mob of hair and that loud voice that should scream "I am all fired up!" and throwing his fists around and then should start argue with Gray, because the ice-mage likes to provocate him into a fight where he ends up completely butt-naked - which causes Juvia to faint with a nose bleed.

But neither of these things happen. The atmosphere is right - and yet wrong, because the usual rukus that is already in progress is missing the most usual and loudest individual - Natsu Dragneel.
The dragon slayer is nowhere to be seen, to be heard - anything. He is not here.

Lucy frowns.

"Where's Natsu?"

Erza and Mira freeze at that, while Gray is blinking surprised and then looks around with his provocant smirk, standing up from his chair and crossing his arms. Turning around and ready to throw punches for their usual bickering and fun.

"Oi, flamebrain!"

But his provocation is not met with an answer.
No "Shut up you fucking popsicle!"
No "Fuck you ice princess!"
No anything.
Nothing.

The guild falls silent immediatley, which is a fucking surprise for the usual decibel-escalation that is normally taken place in Fairy Tail. But the absence of their loudest member seems to be the key to make them silent.

Dumbfounded, suspicious and confused Gray is standing there - never expected that the day would come where he is not immediatley greeted with an Natsu up his face for yelling the shit he just yelled.

There is no Natsu who is punching him and he is punching him back like normally, for fun and routine and because it's really their thing.

But nothing comes.
No Natsu.
No fist.
No insult.
No thrown table or chair.
No fire.

Only silence.

The confusion and suspicion that are creeping up inside of him feel wrong and unusual. Unwanted.

He doesn't like these feelings. He doesn't like them at all.

"Where.. where is he? Is he late?"

Normally, Lucy wouldn't ask but the reactions of Mira and Erza - who look sad and like a deer in headlights - are making her nervous.

The pair is glancing at each other, their eyes communicating. But they are not saying anything. Lucy is frowning and wants' to ask again, when makarovs voice sounds up.

"Natsu decided to do a solo-mission. He came by yesterday evening and talked to me about it."

Heads snap into his direction. The tiny, old man smiles with closed eyes and his hands are clasp behind his back, when he is strolling over and hopping onto the counter. He trips and hits his head on the wood, but the silence remains and he only groans for a short second, before he is finding his posture again and sitting down, grabbing his wooden walking stick which has the fairy tail emblem crafted on his tip.

Smiling, he grabs the beer Mira filled him up wordlessly. Grabbing it and taking a big sip, gulping and then he burps and sets the mug down heavily, making a loud noise threw the guild hall. Then, he starts laughing.

"Don't you worry, brats. Natsu will be fine!"

But deep inside, he is just as worried as Mira and Erza are. Swapping a glance with said pair, making sure they can see it in his eyes, too.

Hopefully, the brat does not go an a rampage.