In Heat: Dragon Slayer Mating Season

Chapter Eight

"They seem to be getting a little more aggressive, Master," Mirajane said, brows furrowed in concern. "When Elfman gave them their breakfast, they growled at him."

Makarov frowned into his morning coffee. "This isn't entirely unexpected, my dear."

"This whole thing is just a giant pain in the ass," Gray griped. He was stuck in the guildhall with Juvia to try to act as defense in case the dragon slayers tried to make an escape. Unfortunately for him, Juvia seemed thrilled about this.

"Juvia thinks it's romantic," the Water Mage murmured dreamily. "If only her beloved Gray had a Devil Slayer mating season...he'd steal her away!"

Gray rolled his eyes, trying to remain unaffected by her words. He didn't want to think about what might happen in that situation.  "Is it even safe for Mira and Juvia to be guarding them, Gramps?"

"I wonder that, myself," Makarov admitted, looking a little helpless. "Gildarts isn't here right now, and we can only do so much. We'll just have to continue limiting their contact with them unless there's an emergency."

"Juvia promises that she we'll not be taken by another man, my love!" Juvia asserted, a determined expression on her face. Makarov considered her thoughtfully.

"They might not even go after Juvia," the old man mused. "She probably smells too much like Gray."

"What's that supposed to mean??!" Gray yelped. "D'ya think I smell or something?!!"

Mira chuckled as she counted her cash register. "No, Gray, you just spend too much time together. Dragon slayer noses are sensitive to these things, you know that." She tapped her nose in a cute way.

Makarov nodded. "Right you are, Mira. Although I do worry about you. As much as I want to see you married to my grandson, I'd like it to be consensual."

Mirajane blushed a little at this. "Oh Master, I dunno about that. You really think Laxus would go after me of all people?"

"I hope so!" the old man said jovially. "I could live through him vicariously!"

Gray groaned at the innuendo, but then perked up all of a sudden. "Hey, do you hear that?"

"It sounds like roaring coming from the cellar!" Juvia answered.

Mirajane approached the door, putting her ear to it. Gray and Makarov tensed at her closeness, but she simply stood and listened. "They sound restless," she informed, approaching their little group once again. "Like they're arguing and pacing down there."

"You don't suppose they could break their shackles and the rune barrier Freed created, do you?" Gray asked, subtly moving in front of Juvia.

"I think it's only a matter of time," the Master replied, lowering his head.

-

Levy sat among stacks of books, hidden away in the depths of the library. She had been trying in vain to find any sort of information to try and help pacify the dragon slayers, working through the night. She had fallen asleep for a few hours, and then had woken up and gotten right back to work. She threw aside yet another book with no answers.

"I wish I could just find something useful," she muttered to herself. "For Gajeel."

For once, the script mage was at a loss for what to do. Gajeel's discomfort was surely increasing by the hour, and she couldn't think of any solutions.

Well, there was one...

But that seemed more like a last resort. Right?

Levy eyed Anna Heartfilia's book again. Maybe it was worth rereading, just to make sure she hadn't missed anything?