Mating Season (Mostly Chendy, Erlu, Canajane)

Chapter Twenty-Three

Freed fidgeted as he looked around, trying not to show just how scared he was about the rest of Mating Season. Sure he'd been excited to be Laxus's Mate, of course, but that didn't mean that he wasn't scared of what was going to happen. Chelia was taking a different approach to the situation. The pink-haired girl was thinking of how amazing Mating Season was. She was going to be with the girl she loved forever and she couldn't be more ecstatic. Maybe they were going through some... odd stuff during this Season, but she thought it was worth it. Maybe it was the ravings of a girl hopelessly, head over heels, in love. She wasn't sure. The door opened and everyone looked up to see Mirajane and Cana coming in. For once Gray and Natsu weren't the last ones to get somewhere, finding themselves actually early to this meeting. Mirajane and Cana were the final two needed for the meeting. Everyone seemed to move for the seats at the same time, looking around to see if the others were feeling nervous. "Have you figured out what the marking is?" Levy was the first one to find the courage to speak. Levy and Gajeel had been looking for any mentioning of it the whole night before, but they hadn't found a single thing. "Yes." Mirajane said it calmly, but Cana fidgeted and gave away both of their viewpoints the marking stage. "Well, tell us already!" Natsu snapped. Mirajane finally looked a bit uncomfortable and her eyes searched the room quickly to see if there was anyone else there that shouldn't be. "It works the same way that it would for Dragons, if any of you know how they do it." Wendy adopted a look of concentration. She suddenly turned pale and Chelia gave her a worried look. "All that is required is a bite on the neck." Cana finally said it, not wanting to drag it out any longer than they had to. Mirajane was nice and sincere when she told you difficult things, but Cana was the bluntness you needed in this situation. Chelia's hand went to her neck, as did most those who were to be bit, and she glanced at Wendy. Those beautiful brown eyes were giving her worried looks. Chelia took a deep breath and put on a grin. "Alright! Should we get it over with?" She asked. Wendy smiled at the first sentence, but her face turned crimson at the second. "No, you can only mark your Mate once the rest of the stages have finally drawn to a close," Mirajane said. Cana shifted uncomfortably from her spot by Mirajane. "How long will that take?" Wendy asked curiously. "That depends. If you resist the symptoms, then it will take longer. But it will take anywhere from one to two weeks once you accept them." Cana's discomfort was more understandable at this point. They were the pair that had been together the longest and were, therefore, most likely going to be the first to go through the final stage. Freed looked somewhat calmer, letting out a breath of relief. It wasn't as bad as what his imagination had cooked up for him over the night. Erza hadn't changed expressions during the whole time the news was being delivered, but Lucy was looking as if she'd rather die than do whatever this was. Levy glanced at Gajeel's teeth and shivered slightly. Natsu made a vampire-like motion and moved towards Gray, hands up and teeth bared. Gray flinched and took a step backwards. "Not funny, Flame-Brain!" Gray cried, but Natsu was laughing far too hard to hear what his Mate thought about it. Wendy and Chelia exchanged a look before they slowly backed out of the room as one. "Chelly, are you worried?" Wendy asked as they made their way out of the room. Chelia shook her head. "Nope!" She said happily, grabbing onto Wendy's hand as she walked. "How? Even I'm worried about this. How can you not be?" She asked. Chelia shrugged, her smile not falling as she did so. "I trust you." It was such a simple statement, but it meant the world to Wendy. It made her feel... she didn't know, but it calmed her nerves and made her give Chelia a grin. "Thanks, Chelly." The other girl just gave her a grin, as if what she had done was nothing. To Wendy it was anything but.

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Cana glanced at Mirajane. They weren't standing as close as they had started to get accustomed to... for once that made Cana worried. At least Cana's half of the symptoms were starting to slack... maybe that meant that Mirajane's had... all of them except for that one. Of course it still scared her. How would it not? She sighed and Mirajane gave her a worried look. Cana didn't want for them to go first. She had a strategic mind and liked to know what she was getting into before she went and did it. But of course she didn't have that option this time. She took a deep breath and gave Mirajane the best smile she could. It was going to happen eventually, so she might as well get ready for it. No use wallowing in self pity and worries. Nothing good ever came out of that.