No Escape. The Reason they feared the Dragon

Natsu ran through the streets of Tokyo battling those along his way but he wasn't invincible even he could tire out and every Slayer in the council's command was currently after him this morning fire flew from his hands and from his mouth but it seemed like for every three he cut down twenty more took there place.

Where they were all coming from he didn't know. But he did know that unless he used one of his prominence spells he wasn't going to make a dent in them and the problem was there were too many innocents around for him to justify using them. And so he was doing this the hard way running through town.

Pip had seemingly abandoned him which was fine. Pip was no fighter and he'd rather not the small bird get hurt.

Pip flew as fast as his wings could carry him and into the an open window of Makkuro's apartment. Letting out a screeching cry to try to find the dragon as quickly as possible all morning Natsu had been fighting off there numbers all morning it wasn't that they were all seasoned, the seasoned Slayers like Natsu were few it was that they were all new recruits with what they felt was something to prove......and they were far too many.


"Makkuro.....please tell me your here it's about Natsu......." Pip said as he landed trying to catch his breath his wings ached he had flown so fast but........Natsu was family to him and he hoped that the other day wasn't just a fluke with Makkuro......for Natsu's sake.

Makkuro stuck his head around the corner and looked into the room. "Pip? What's wrong?" he asked lowly as he walked into the room and up to Pip, holding out his hand so that Pip could get onto the palm of his hand and rest.

It wasn't often Pip spoke to him, nor was it often that he seen Pip without Natsu, so it had to be something bad going on for Pip to come to him alone. Which worried Makkuro. To know that Natsu could be in danger...it didn't settle well with Makkuro at all.

Pip climbed up onto his hand Makkuro was concerned that was clear and after a moment when Pip had managed to just get enough air to speak looked up at him and did just that. "Natsu....he..told the council he was leaving, that he was no longer going be one of there Slayers this morning the council didn't take it well.....they sent out everyone after him....." Pip said as he rested there in Makkuro's hand taking a deep breath. "Both the remaining seasoned Slayers and every new recruit they're all attacking him. Natsu can handle a lot but there too many.....there wearing him down...."


Natsu paused when he was backed into an alleyway and took a deep breath narrowing his eyes. One of them threw a fire ball at him and Natsu let it hit basking in the heat a moment before inhaling swallowing it up and then spitting it back out in a large sweeping arch all it really managed to do was buy him time but that's exactly what he needed time. Natsu had no misgivings that anyone would come to help him he didn't dare hope that anyone would come. Just last as long as he could.

Makkuro just sat Pip down and looked out of the window for a moment. Then he looked back down at Pip, a serious expression on his face. "Stay here...I'll be back soon..." he told him lowly and then vanished into nothing. The only thing left behind was a few grains of black sand.

"Hold on Natsu...I'm coming..." he said lowly as he sped through town, tracking Natsu's blood scent. Thank God he had learned it when he fed from him. When he found them, he wasted no time using his sands to completely end the slayers that were in his way. The sand swallowed them up and left nothing but darkness until he appeared out of the sand and along with him, came the twisted, broken bodies of the slayers that had been too close to Natsu. 

"Don't touch him...or you'll regret it..." he said lowly, putting himself between Natsu and the other slayers.

The Slayers went wide eyed sure enough it was as they thought and Natsu had failed to kill this dragon. This monster who could as it was just shown take down thousands with those sands. Each pulled out there signature weapon.

Natsu though blinked he didn't fear it...........why he wasn't sure but the black sands weren't scary to him they shimmered in the light and perhaps it was because out of everything he did truly have a friend out there someone who cared he was thankful.

"The orders came down he betrayed the council of elders they want him brought back to face trail........" One of the senior slayers said at all happy about this he wasn't equipped to fight Makkuro hell he had been keeping back from Natsu waiting for the others to wear him down before making his move but there was no wearing down Makkuro. He the man knew could and would keep this up all day if he had to.

Makkuro narrowed his eyes at the slayer. "He will go only over my dead body...any other way and you have to deal with me..." he said lowly, his voice cold, his eyes glowing as if they were filled with the blood of his victims. "If you want him to go anywhere...you had better make certain you kill me..." he told them lowly, coldly as he brought up his hand and sent the black sand towards a few of the less experienced slayers, letting the sand begin to 'devour' them from the feet. It would slowly sallow them up, making them sink into it's pitch black depths with each scream and struggle.

Cold, cruel and heartless. He had once been a man described by such words. And things like he was doing now was exactly how he had gotten such definitions. He was ruthless in battle, and cut no slack for his opponents. If they were to fight him, they would fight him while he was fighting with everything he had, though he looked to be weighted down with the chains wrapped around him, he was not.

The screams of the few closest to them still could be heard and yet Natsu watched as some form of sanity seemed to wash over the others or perhaps fear for they took off running not wanting to fight Natsu, and more over not wanting to fight Makkuro to get to Natsu although there were others who where there as well that stayed men who watched with something akin to horrified fascination at what was happening.

Natsu slid down the wall behind him since early this morning till now he had been running and fighting and using his own strength that fire ball a few minutes ago had been the only time any of them used there powers which meant he wasn't taking in any outside source of flame and that was exhausting.

As the ones began to run, he vanished, reappearing in front of them. "Going somewhere? I sure hope not...I was just getting started..." he said lowly, his red eyes still glowing as he looked at them, his cold gaze seeming to stare deep into their souls. "If you had planned to go anywhere...you've certainly lost your minds..." he said lowly as he took a deep breath and simply exhaled, a black smog flowing forth from his mouth as he did.

To kill without trying, that is why he was seen as a monster. He would show no signs of remorse, nor signs of compassion or sympathy for his opponents. "Die like men or don't even waste your time trying to fight..." he told them all lowly as he walked back into the alley, leaving them to all die as they all seemed to just drop like flies.

"Now...the experienced ones...tell your council that if they want him...to come take him from me...until then...get out of my sight...or die like your other slayers did..." he told them lowly as he walked past them and to Natsu, where he kneeled down and held out his hand to him a gentle expression returning to his features.

The experienced slayers made not motion to speak or move not until this dragon was gone this was why he was feared. This is why the council called him a monster. Natsu though they watched as he opened one eye breathing heavy attempting to catch his breath before looking at the offered hand and then took it shifting and struggling to stand on tired legs. Now that the excitement had worn down he was tired and very thankful for the offered hand.

"Black sands huh........talk about knowing how to make an entrance." Natsu said lightly as he accepted the help gratefully.

Makkuro chuckled a little and closed his eyes as he pulled Natsu into his arms and lifted him up, cradling him in his arms as if he were a small child. "I was in a hurry...the sands are the fastest way for me to travel...that's all..." he told him lowly as he turned, walking back through the slayers and at the entrance of the alley, he turned back to face the slayers. 

"Remember what I have showed you here today slayers...if you return to try and take Natsu from me...I will show no sympathy for you...I will kill you...and show no remorse..." he told them lowly, and then sank into the shadows, holding Natsu close so that he didn't lose him.

The slayers watched Natsu had gone and gotten himself swallowed up by the darkness and shadows as far as they were concerned and it was unwilling to give him back. Then the way the shadows swallowed them both up it was clear to them that Natsu had been taken to a dark place.

Natsu though blinked and glanced about as he was moved into the shadows with Makkuro not struggling to tired to struggle or panic but blinked and looked owlishly about he had never traveled like this before so he was a bit curious but then again things like this always held his curiosity. He shifted though and let his head rest against Makkuro's shoulder. "So that explains where Pip went......I'm....glad." He said lightly.

After a while, they resurfaced in Makkuro's apartment and he sat Natsu down on his bed. "Yes...he came to tell me that you were in danger...and for that...I thank him..." Makkuro told Natsu lowly as he bit into his wrist and held it out to him. 

"I'm glad that he came to me...glad that I could save you...and...glad that you're happy..." he told Natsu lowly as he looked at him, his eyes no longer glowing, just staring at Natsu.

Natsu smiled and chuckled. "Yeah well I'm happy because he went to you......and you came." he said lightly. "And thankful that he did go to you." He said as he leaned up and accepted the offered wrist he was tired but not to the point he was likely to pass out needing to rest a bit sure.

Natsu drank the offered blood his hand wrapped around Makkuro's wrist not because he feared that Makkuro would pull away but because for the first time in his life Natsu had been afraid.....afraid that he was going to die today that it was nearing the end it wasn't that he was cocky before it was that he was just always sure of his footing today he hadn't been sure at all and that had him uneasy had him holding the wrist that he drank from his fingers pressing in wanting to feel the solid connection there.......the security.

Makkuro brought his free hand up and put it on Natsu's head and looked down at him with a loving gaze. Such a careless, dense individual. Without him...what would Natsu do? 

"Don't worry Natsu...I won't leave you anymore..I won't let you be put in that kind of danger again...I promise..." Makkuro said lowly, running his hand through Natsu's hair in a reassuring manner. How he had been afraid... If he would have lost Natsu today...he was certain that he would have either destroyed this world, or been killed by Aoi for trying.

Natsu finished drinking before falling forwards his forehead coming to rest against Makkuro's chest. His hand resting against his chest as well beside his face his breathing deep. Frightened had been an understatement. "Don't...." he whispered lowly leave him.

The feeling of the fingers in his hair a comfort that he wasn't willing to let go of yet. Facing one dragon one on one was nothing compared to that. Nothing........and thanks to them he knew what fear was and he knew what the feeling of safety was after and that feeling of safety came from Makkuro. "Leave." He said as if confirming that was indeed what he needed not because he didn't understand he did all to well.

Makkuro nodded as he looked down at Natsu. "I won't...I promise..." he told Natsu lowly. He couldn't let himself leave, not even if he wanted to. Natsu would be afraid if he left, and he could never let that happen...not because of someone else.

"I won't ever let them scare you again...I swear to it..." he told Natsu lowly and continued to run his hand through Natsu's hair.

Natsu nodded as he took a deep breath and relaxed as he said that he promised maybe it was wrong to make him promise to never leave but.........he couldn't help it. Natsu looked up at him tipping his head unaware of how very fragile it made him look the mighty Salamander of the Slayers terrified and shook to his core. "I'm sorry........you've lived in peace until now.....until you had to come for me...." He said lowly he wasn't the same as he was a few days ago, heck he wasn't even the same as he was yesterday and wondered how long it would take himself to shake this off and find himself again. He wasn't sure. And that worried him.

"If....." he said lowly lowering his head to rest against Makkuro again. "If I stayed with them, they'd insist that I forefill my last assignment with them.........and I couldn't. I can't...........ever bring myself to do that..........to........hurt you." Natsu said lowly. And so he left.....and they didn't like it.

Smiling, Makkuro leaned down and put a gentle hand on Natsu's cheek. Possibly one of the most seductive men on the planet, and here he was, being so gentle with a slayer. "My life doesn't matter if I'm not happy...and you have managed to make that a reality...don't ever believe this is anything other than what I want..." he told Natsu lowly. 

Closer and closer. He was so drawn to this ex-slayer and he couldn't seem to keep himself from getting closer and closer to him. The more he tried to keep himself from being drawn into a deep relationship, the more he found himself diving deeper and deeper into things. He couldn't help but find himself falling for this lovely man before him. "I'm glad...you stayed with me...and I'm glad...that you feel like this..." he said lowly as he kept getting closer until finally, he was touching noses with Natsu and then, in one simple motion, he leaned in and kissed Natsu in a long, passionate kiss.

Love was such an odd thing. He had never loved anyone else except for Hana. Perhaps...Hana with some weird sense, knew that Natsu would turn out to be his true one. His true love who he would never want to part with.

Natsu nodded as he looked up at him bringing a hand up to cup the one resting against his cheek. Such a simple gesture and yet it brought warmth to him a feeling he was loath to let go of. He looked up at Makkuro as he said that he was glad that he stayed and that he felt like that. That he wanted to stay didn't want Makkuro to leave and when Makkuro was suddenly kissing him, Natsu all but melted relaxing into the kiss and returning it with as much passion as it was received. Although Natsu couldn't help but feel like he was being swallowed up by the passionate kiss as it was given at the same time.

He shifted up getting just that few inches closer his head tipped to receive the kiss and in that moment he knew beyond any questions beyond any doubt or fear that he had made the right choice. This one this dragon stole his heart. Natsu who was usually so very dense and thick headed knew beyond any hesitation that he was the one. He swore he almost heard a child-like cheer and giggle in the room and it made him without thinking break the kiss......"What was that........" he breathed....as the little girls voice faded out obviously very happy they had indeed come together.

Makkuro just closed his eyes and smiled with all of his heart. Hana...Hana was laughing for him. "Hana..." he said lowly as he smiled like that. She sounded so happy...so happy for him. He wanted to cry, but he wanted to laugh all at the same time. She was so happy even though she was still watching over him.

He looked at Natsu and chuckled. "Even after all of this time...she's still watching over me, wanting to make me happy....she chose you because she somehow knew that I would end up here at this moment in time with you...she's something else that girl..." he explained lowly as he sat down on the bed beside Natsu.

Natsu couldn't help it he smiled. "Sounds like she loves you dearly" He didn't say loved even if she was a spirit now the fact she was watching over him meant she clearly loved him deeply even after death. Natsu though sighed and shifted leaning against Makkuro not wanting to be separated at the moment but at the same token. "Thank you then Hana......your the one who probably set things in motion for us to meet..."

He swore he felt a kiss on his cheek a whisper of movement and then nothing as if she had gone off for a bit happy that they were together. He brought up one hand lifting his head and glancing about the room before sighing softly and looked up at Makkuro. "I'm glad though that we met.....nothing has felt more right......"

Makkuro looked down at Natsu and nodded in agreement. "Ever since you first came here, I knew that something was different about you...and Hana proved that by choosing you..." he told Natsu lowly as he looked at him, bringing his arm up to wrap around the ex-slayer's waist. 

So many things he felt and so many things he wanted to be...all for this one man. If he had ever been any more certain about something, it was that he completely loved Natsu. A dragon loved a slayer. They were going to break all of the rules. No matter what, Makkuro wouldn't let anyone keep him from breaking the mold that had been set for them. 

After a few moments though, he moved, pushing Natsu down onto the bed, and he moved to straddle him. "I have never been more certain of myself...this day...I will finally be able to say...I love you Natsu..."

Natsu blinked when he was suddenly moved pushed down on his back and looking up at Makkuro something about this position could make his heart skip a beat or two if it was the type that beat. He drew in a sharp breath though and he did blush. "I love you too." Natsu said as he looked up at him laying there and smiling. Despite the blush did Makkuro have any idea any at all how he looked at the moment like that? "I really need a way to thank her then for choosing me......because it's not really an issue of loving you or not." He said lightly. 

Natsu swore it was amazing to see him like that, those crimson eyes that dark black hair and smooth skin and he was sitting like that and it was incredible. "wow...." he breathed.....how could one man look so hot and sexy and yet remain absolutely freaking gorgeous and alluring all at once was beyond him.

Makkuro chuckled lowly as he sat up to stare down at Natsu. How he had been missing things like this. Intimate moments with a partner...he had never had anyone who he truly loved, but he had had partners in the past. This however...was not just some company to ease his sexual desire. This was a true love that burned deep in his heart.

Licking his lips, he brought his hand and took Natsu's and moved it up to his bare chest and then moved it down. Lower and lower, tracing a trail down to his pants line. "If you think this situation is incredible...wait until you get into an even better one..." he said lowly in a velveteen, seductive tone.

Natsu shivered as he looked at him and then his breath caught. Mighty dragon lungs and they suddenly forget that they got air in them as he stared watching the line his hand traced while captured in Makkuro's own felt the beginnings of heat stirring in lower areas and nothing could have prepared him for that since it wasn't flames. He stared a bit drawing in a sharp breath and his eyes could not be torn away from that line following it down to the pants line and what he knew to be hidden there.

Without thinking about it he licked his lips wither in nerves or anticpation was beyond him but looked at Makkuro. "Yeah.....with you can't wait...." he said lowly in his own version of a bedroom voice.