Chapter Text
Ten Years Later
Gray stood in the doorway of their house, arms crossed as he leaned against the frame, watching fire erupt in violent bursts in the front yard. They'd moved out of Gray's house a year or so after Idris arrived in favor of somewhere close to the edge of town with enough space for his fire mages to spar without burning down nearby buildings. Happy sat on his shoulder, a wide grin splitting the cats face, cheering for Idris to 'smash his stupid mouth in, come on, you can do it!' Natsu was being exceptionally merciless that day, going after Idris viciously, not giving the girl a chance to get her bearings. He was shirtless and barefoot, only a pair of white pants on, and it was hard for Gray to tear his eyes away as the fire mage moved back and forth across the yard. The scarf Natsu had worn for so many years was wrapped around their daughter's throat, and she fought with it on as though it was a part of her, just as Natsu always had. When he'd first given it to her it was bizarre, the Dragonslayer looking naked all the time without it, but after a few months the strangeness fell away. Idris never took the thing off, to the point that Gray wondered if she showered in it, and it was nostalgic in a way that made Gray's chest ache.
She was gaining absolutely no ground in her fight with her father. Every time she turned around he was in her face, fist full of fire, and Gray could feel the heat of it even from far away. He rarely got his flames so hot, but Idris seemed distracted, and the Dragonslayer exploited it without mercy. Natsu landed a kick at her ankles, and it would've taken the girl off her feet if she had not laid a palm flat on the ground and thrown her legs to the side. She spun them, turning it into a blazing kick of her own, but Natsu flipped over her like it was nothing.
"Your fire's not hot enough! You tryin' to burn something? Pfffft. Won't even survive the winter with that pitiful little spark."
Idris responded to Natsu's goading just like the Dragonslayer himself would, fire surging up around her, eyes flashing with fury. She attacked with increasing ferocity, but never quite managed to land a blow. Never had, not on either one of them, not even once. They did not baby her when it came to training, and the day she finally made contact in one of their fights, Idris would know it was her own skill that made it happen, and not their love for her. It didn't stop her from trying, the two fire mages a blur as they rolled and leapt and twisted in the air. The other members of the guild were a little more forgiving usually, allowing her to get a few hits in, but the Dragonslayers were merciless. Gajeel beat Idris to a pulp with his metal knuckles. Laxus left her twitching with electricity, unable to so much as move. When Sting and Rogue came around, they fought her together, and she was dizzy and seeing spots by the time they were finished, light and shadow swimming through her vision. Wendy blasted her into trees, and tossed her into the air, and Idris loved every second of the fights she got into with the other Dragonslayers. They don't fuck around like everyone else, she'd say, and Gray would scold her for her language as Natsu laughed. Gray could scent the sky Dragonslayer approaching then, and he knew Natsu would too, though he did not give any indication of it.
It was their ten year anniversary, and Idris was spending the weekend with Wendy and Carla, Happy trailing along because he was pretty much her cat at that point. He still went on jobs with Natsu and Gray, but if they were at home, the blue cat would inevitably be curled up in Idris' lap, or flitting around her head. The Dragonslayer still smiled every time he saw them sleeping together, Happy's little face nuzzling into their daughter's own. Wendy walked up to Gray with a grin, watching Idris take a blow to the gut and collapse into a heap. The red head shot Natsu a glare, and he helped her up, smiling wide.
"Did you think I was gonna take it easy on you 'cause you're leaving with Wendy?" Once she was on her feet she shoved at Natsu before dusting herself off, still clutching her stomach with one arm.
"When have you ever? I just didn't want to get all sweaty before I left." Natsu just shrugged, unapologetic, and the pair walked over to Wendy and Gray looking a bit worse for wear. The ice mage picked up the backpack at his feet, handing it over to Idris with a soft smile.
"You okay, kid?" She snatched the bag away, chin raised, looking indignant.
"Didn't hurt, I'm fine. Papa Natsu couldn't hurt me if he tried."
Gray smiled wider, because it was true, but not for the reasons Idris meant. Natsu was incapable of hurting Idris because he had stars in his eyes when he looked at her. They both loved her, but Natsu wore it on his sleeve, and in his face. Written over his every expression, blatant and adoring. Gray's showed more in little gestures. Cooling magic in her room in the heat of summer, books she'd been wanting that appeared on her shelf. Her favorite foods for breakfast anytime she was feeling down, hours spent at their dining room table on her homework and not once did the ice mage grow annoyed or impatient. Keeping Natsu out of her hair when the girls' friends came over. Sneaking her clothes that the fire mage didn't approve of, because they were 'too revealing'.
Gray still fought to keep his pants on half the time, he couldn't begrudge the girl a crop top.
She hugged the ice mage, kissing him on the cheek before turning to Natsu. The Dragonslayer leaned down to hug her, only to receive her palm flat on his face, shoving him back roughly.
"Don't touch me, you're sweatier than I am, it's gross."
The two girls ran down the driveway, Idris calling a distracted 'Love you!' over her shoulder before they disappeared around the corner. Natsu sighed, turning to Gray, and his grin went crooked and feral. Alone. They were actually alone.
"Let me go take a shower, and then-"
Gray grabbed Natsu's shoulders and spun him inside the house, pushing him backwards and pulling the door closed behind them. Then he leapt at the Dragonslayer, wrapping his legs around Natsu's waist, shaking his head in disagreement.
"Nope."
The ice mage buried one hand in Natsu's hair, the other reaching to scratch at the fire mage's back, and he started licking at the tan skin of his mate's throat. Sucking, nipping with sharp teeth, grinding his hips against Natsu's abdomen. He murmured into the Dragonslayer's flesh, voice rough with want, low and desirous.
"Now." Natsu's hands had automatically come up to hold Gray in place, fingers digging into his ass, head falling to the side to allow him better access.
"But I'm... fuck... I'm fucking dirty right now." Gray did not care. The ice mage licked a stripe up Natsu's neck, tasting the salt of his sweat, biting his lobe and whispering into the fire mage's ear.
"Then get me dirty, too."
Natsu groaned at the words, and all his protests fell away in an instant. It had been a while since they'd been able to come together in such a way, without worrying about Idris being nearby or when she'd be coming home, now old enough to know exactly what her parents were up to. Their room was soundproofed, sure, but the girl was up even later than they were and there was something unnerving about having sex and listening to her moving around the house. Usually they managed, sucking each other off in the shower, or waiting until she was at school. Natsu often woke the ice mage up mouthing at his cock, something about how Gray's scent was intoxicating in the morning. The dark haired wizard had a dragon's nose too, but it still wasn't as strong as Natsu's, and when the fire mage buried his face in coarse hair at the base of Gray's shaft and breathed in deep, it still made them both shudder.
It had been ten years since they'd become mates, and the time had changed them, though not dramatically. Natsu's back was broader, no longer all lean muscle and a wiry frame. Still shorter than Gray, but definitely wider, and when those biceps closed around the ice mage he could feel the strength in them. They weren't wrinkled yet, no gray in their hair, or lines at the corners of their eyes. When it happened, though...
Natsu would be just as beautiful. Gray could feel it in his bones. They would get old together, and watch Idris finish growing up, and see a new crop of wizard's take over Fairy Tail's ranks.
They still fought in the guild hall over the stupidest things, and bickered with one another at the drop of a hat. Erza didn't bother splitting them up anymore. That was Idris' job now, passed off to a new redhead with a temper just as fiery.
In the blink of an eye Natsu had Gray on their bed, tugging off their clothes with impatient hands, and the ice mage just went loose and let him do it. Natsu's fingers were rough as they spread his thighs, bruising, and Gray whined at the feel of them. So familiar, the Dragonslayer's touch etched into his skin over the years like invisible tattoos, lingering there unseen. He no longer wondered if all this was a dream, or if he'd wake up alone in a bed far away, yearning for Natsu's touch.
Natsu was his, and the idea that he'd ever thought otherwise was almost absurd.
The fire mage's lube slicked fingers were slipping into him then, stretching him, but there was no finesse. Didn't need to be, not with how much he wanted Natsu right then, and the Dragonslayer seemed to sense it. He hurriedly worked Gray open, kissing him messily all the while, mouth desperate and hungry. It wasn't long before he was nestled between Gray's thighs, pushing into him with a growl, and that first time did not take long. The ice mage was coming untouched a few strokes in, Natsu following not long after, and he did not even bother pulling out. Just kissed Gray slow and sweet, hot hands sliding up and down his sides, gripping his thighs, thumbing his nipples.
Still worshipful. Still adoring. Still in love, even now.
Still looking at Gray as though he hung the stars in the sky. Like he held the secrets of the universe in his hands, in his eyes, in his mouth.
As though if Natsu kissed him hard enough, he could taste them there.
So Natsu tried. Kissed Gray until they could barely breathe, sucking in desperate lungfuls of air when they broke apart only to come back together again. Teeth sinking into one another's lips, swallowing down each other's noises. Painting ragged I love you's into each other's skin, and Gray knew it was true.
Natsu loves me.
When they finally stilled, sweat soaked and exhausted and filthy, Gray's face hurt from smiling.
The ache of affection, and if he had to bear it the rest of his life, it would still not be long enough. Forever.
Gray would chase Natsu through the afterlife, and come out reborn on the other side, just to stand next to him a little bit longer.