Hey, I hope yall enjoy the chapter. And for those of you that may complain about Mira blushing at him too much or it moving too fast here. You gotta realize she's a young girl who just got saved from a bad situation by an attractive and reliable guy. Emotions are gonna be weird. Also it is hard to write this type of thing so give feedback if you think it can be done better. Anywho enjoy :)
_
_
_
_
_
Varion watched as Mira, Elfman, and Lisanna finished stuffing the last of their meager belongings into a worn backpack— a few clothes, some dried food, a treasured family photo, and Lisanna's stuffed animal. Elfman sniffled again, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand, his crybaby nature showing as he mumbled, "I-I think that's everything…"
Varion stepped forward, double-checking the bag with a quick glance inside. "Got all you need? Nothing left behind?"
Mira nodded firmly, though her hands trembled slightly as she shouldered the pack. Lisanna beamed, clutching her toy. "Yep! All set!"
Elfman nodded too, sniffling louder. "Y-Yeah… thanks again…"
Varion smiled softly. "Come on, then. We need to get to the train before it gets too late and they close the station for the night. I can't just fly you to Magnolia— you're too heavy for me to carry all three comfortably, and I'm not sure how my magic will interact with yours, Mira. Better safe than sorry."
The siblings paused, exchanging confused glances. Lisanna tilted her head. "Fly us there? What do you mean?"
Elfman wiped his nose. "Y-Yeah… how?"
Varion smirked, a playful glint in his eyes that made Mira's blush deepen—she looked away quickly, her heart skipping at the confident expression. Without a word, he let his magic flow. Horns curved up from his temples, silver-blue scales rippled across his arms and neck, and his wings unfurled in a smooth rush—large, membranous spans patterned like distant constellations, catching the light from the cabin's lantern.
The siblings' eyes widened in awe. Lisanna gasped. "Wow! You have the same magic as us!"
Elfman sniffled, tears of wonder mixing with his earlier ones. "Y-Yeah… that's… that's like Take Over!"
Mira stared, still blushing lightly as she took in the sight—he looked powerful, but not scary. "It's… amazing."
Varion chuckled softly. "Yeah, something like that." He shifted back just as quickly, the traits receding until he looked human again. "Let's move."
They walked toward the village, the forest path giving way to the outskirts. As they emerged into the open, the villagers spotted them immediately. Murmurs started like a ripple— "Why's that demon here?" "She's alive?" The stares were hostile, fingers pointing, some grabbing tools or whispering threats.
The chief—a burly man with a beard and a pitchfork in hand—stepped forward, his face red with anger. Varion immediately placed himself firmly between the man and the siblings, his stance protective, shielding Mira, Elfman, and Lisanna from view.
"What is this?" the chief demanded, jabbing a finger toward Mira. "Why is she still alive? We hired you to get rid of the demon, not parade it through town! You're a demon sympathizer—you tricked us! Do your damn job, or we'll make you!"
The words pushed Varion too far. His calm cracked, and he let go of a small portion of his magic—a subtle release that made the air hum with pressure, his eyes slitting like a dragon's for just a moment, glowing with stellar intensity as he stared the chief down. The man paled, stepping back instinctively, the pitchfork trembling in his grip.
"Look," Varion said, his voice low but edged with warning, "I understand you're scared, but I have finished the job. There is no demon— just a girl with magic she can't control yet. I'm taking her somewhere safe so she can learn to manage it. And don't you ever threaten me again, or I'll ask my master to blacklist you from putting in guild requests to Fairy Tail or any of the other guilds we're friends with. This is your one and final warning. Now pay me what you owe so I can please leave this place."
The chief swallowed hard, the villagers murmuring uneasily behind him, but no one dared step forward. With a grunt, he tossed a small pouch of jewels at Varion's feet. "Take it and go. And take that curse with you."
Varion picked up the pouch without breaking eye contact, then turned to the siblings. "Let's get to the train."
They hurried away, the villagers' stares following, but no one pursued. Mira walked close to Varion, her blush returning as she glanced up at him gratefully for standing up for them.
They walked away from Osha in tense silence at first, the villagers' hostile stares burning into their backs like hot coals. Varion kept himself positioned between the siblings and the town, his presence a silent shield until the path curved into the woods and the murmurs faded behind them. The air grew cooler under the canopy, birdsong replacing the angry whispers, and the tension in Mira's shoulders eased just a fraction. Elfman sniffled occasionally, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand, while Lisanna skipped a little, her stuffed animal bouncing in her arms, trying to lighten the mood.
Varion glanced back at them, his crimson hair catching the dappled sunlight. "You all okay? That was… intense."
Mira nodded, pulling her cloak tighter around herself, her blue eyes flicking to him briefly. "Yeah. We're used to it… sort of. Thanks for standing up to them."
Elfman rubbed his nose, his voice thick. "Y-Yeah… that was awesome. You didn't even flinch."
Lisanna beamed up at him. "You're like a hero from the stories!"
Varion smiled softly, slowing his pace so they could walk beside him. "I just realized I never introduced myself. I'm Varion Nava."
Lisanna tilted her head. "Oh yea that right we don't know much about you do we? You're a mage too, right? From Fairy Tail? What's your magic like?"
Varion chuckled softly. "Yeah, I'm from Fairy Tail now. Just joined recently. My magic… is called Star Dragon Slayer. Lets me use stellar energy—light, cosmic fire, that sort of thing. And yeah, I can transform a bit too." He flexed his hand, letting faint silver scales ripple across his skin for a second before fading. "Not exactly like yours, but close."
Elfman's eyes went wide, tears forgotten. "D-Dragon Slayer? That's so cool! Like real dragons?"
Mira glanced at him again, her cheeks tinting pink at his easy confidence. "Star Dragon… sounds beautiful."
Varion nodded. "It is. My father, Veldanava, took me in. He was a dragon god. Saved my life and raised me. After that, I trained with other Dragon Slayers—kids like Gajeel, Wendy, Sting, Rogue, and Natsu. We were all raised by dragons. But a magic spell scattered us, erased their memories. I've been hunting them down across Fiore ever since. I found the last one about a month ago before coming here."
The siblings stopped walking, staring at him with newfound respect. Lisanna's mouth fell open. "You… searched all over for them? By yourself?"
Elfman wiped his eyes again, but this time it was admiration, not fear. "That's… manly. Taking care of all those kids…"
Mira stared at his face, her blush deepening as she took in his soft smile, the quiet determination in his eyes as he spoke about protecting the others. It wasn't just the words—it was the way he said them, like it was the most natural thing in the world, his kindness shining through without effort. Her heart fluttered oddly, and she felt her cheeks heat up even more. 'What the hell is wrong with me?' she thought, flustered. Why do I keep blushing and staring at him? He's just… a guy. A nice guy and handsome. But still…
Varion noticed her gaze but didn't comment, just smiled. "What about you three? Any family besides each other?"
Lisanna jumped in. "Our parents died when we were little. Mira's been taking care of us ever since. She's the best big sister!"
Mira's blush faded a bit, but she smiled softly. "They're good kids. Elfman's always trying to be strong for us, even if he… cries a lot."
Elfman sniffled. "I-I'm not crying! It's… allergies!"
They laughed, the mood lightening as they walked. Varion asked more about them like,favorite foods (Lisanna loved sweets, Elfman meat, Mira anything spicy), hobbies (Lisanna drawing animals, Elfman building things, Mira reading mage books)—sharing bits of himself in return: his love for stargazing, how he missed his father's stories, the joy of reuniting the slayers.
The next town wasn't far—a short walk through the woods—and as the station came into view, the siblings walked a little closer to him, their steps lighter, the future feeling less scary with Varion leading the way.
They barely made it to the train station in the next town over, the whistle blowing sharply as the locomotive chugged to life on the tracks. Varion had picked up the pace the last few minutes, urging the siblings along with gentle encouragement—Elfman sniffling from fatigue, Lisanna clutching her toy like a lifeline, and Mira walking quietly beside him, her cloak pulled tight against the cooling evening air. The platform was sparsely lit by magic lanterns, a few travelers boarding in haste.
Varion handed over jewels for tickets at the counter, securing an overnight compartment—a small, private room with bunk beds and a couple of cushioned seats by the window. "This way," he said, guiding them aboard just as the train lurched forward with a hiss of steam.
The compartment was cozy, if a bit cramped: a single bunk on one side, a small table by the window with a flickering lantern casting a warm, golden glow, and seats facing each other. The walls were paneled in worn wood, scuffed from years of travel, and the air smelled faintly of polished oak and distant rain from the open window. Varion took the seat closest to the door, his instincts always putting him as the first line of defense. Mira hesitated for a second, then sat on the seat next to him, her cloak brushing his arm as she settled in close enough that he could feel the warmth radiating from her, a subtle proximity that made his pulse quicken just a little.
Elfman and Lisanna, exhausted from the day's events, climbed onto the lower bunk without argument, Lisanna curling up with her toy, Elfman's eyes drooped shut. Within minutes, their breathing evened out into the soft rhythm of sleep, the train's gentle rocking lulling them under.
The compartment fell quiet, save for the rhythmic clack of wheels on tracks and the occasional whistle in the distance. Varion leaned back against the seat, staring out the window at the blurring landscape fields giving way to dark forests under the rising moon. Mira sat beside him, her hands folded in her lap, fiddling with the edge of her cloak. The silence stretched, comfortable at first, but then she shifted, her voice soft and hesitant.
"Varion… what if I can't support them?" she whispered, glancing at her sleeping siblings. "Elfman and Lisanna, they depend on me. But with this… this power I can't control… what if Fairy Tail doesn't accept us? What if they see me as a monster too? I don't know if I can protect them if we're turned away again."
Varion turned to her, his expression gentle in the dim lantern light of the compartment. He could see the fear in her blue eyes, the weight she carried as the oldest, and it tugged at him. Without thinking, he reached out, placing his hands firmly on her shoulders, his touch warm and steady, grounding her. The contact sent a spark through both of them; Mira's breath hitched slightly, her cheeks flushing as she met his gaze, the closeness making her heart race. Varion felt it too, a subtle tension, like electricity humming between them, his thumbs brushing the fabric of her cloak just enough to feel the warmth of her skin beneath.
"Fairy Tail is great," he said firmly, his voice low and reassuring, his eyes locked on hers. "I promise, they won't treat you any different than any other wizard. You'll be family if you decide to join. They're not like those villagers; they accept people for who they are, powers and all."
Mira's eyes searched his face, the sincerity in his words easing some of the knot in her chest. She didn't pull away from his touch, the warmth of his hands seeping through her cloak, making her blush deepen. "You… really think so?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, the proximity making her acutely aware of how close their faces were, his breath mingling with hers in the small space.
He nodded, his grip gentle but unwavering. "I know so. Let me tell you about them. Makarov's the master, small guy, but he's like a grandfather to everyone, always looking out. There's Erza, she's about our age, red hair, tough as nails with her requip magic, but she has a soft spot for sweets and her friends. Gray's an ice mage, always stripping for some reason, but he's loyal. Cana loves cards and fortune-telling, Levy's a bookworm who knows everything about magic… and the kids I mentioned? Natsu's fiery and reckless, Wendy's sweet and likes to heal with sky magic, Sting and Rogue control light and shadow, and Gajeel has a rough exterior but on the outside but inside he's secretly a softy, they're all dragon slayers like me, each with their own quirks. The guild's full of people who've been through hard times, but they stick together. You'll fit right in, I promise."
As he spoke, his voice steady and soothing, Mira's worries began to unravel. The rhythmic sway of the train, combined with the warmth of his hands on her shoulders and the quiet intensity in his eyes, lulled her. Her eyelids grew heavy, the fear that had kept her tense for so long finally loosening its grip. She leaned forward slightly without realizing, her head coming to rest against his shoulder, her white hair spilling softly over his arm, her face close to his, close enough that he could feel her warm breath on his neck. She smelled nice, like wildflowers and cinamon, and in the lantern light, her features looked peaceful, beautiful in their vulnerability.
Varion's face heated up, a deep blush creeping across his cheeks as he froze, not daring to move. His heart pounded, why was this affecting him so much? She'd just fallen asleep, trusting him enough to relax, but the closeness, the way her head fit against his shoulder… it made his stomach flip. He glanced down at her, the soft curve of her cheek, the way her lashes cast shadows… and felt a warmth spread through him that had nothing to do with his magic.
As he sat there heart racing in a way that confused him,he quetioned Why did this feel so… intense? He'd only met her hours ago.
He shifted slightly, careful not to wake her, but the movement only brought her closer, her cheek brushing his shoulder. The blush deepened, and his mind wandered unbidden to Erza—the way she'd supported him when he was injured, when helping with the kids and their interaction over the month, her arm linked with his, her stern gaze softening when she looked at him. And Lucy, too, with her shy smiles and that letter she'd sent back, telling him about her mom's recovery, her magic progress, and her new friend Brandish who'd come with an old family maid and her granddaughter. He'd felt a pull toward her from the start, that same sudden warmth. But why? He hadn't even known them that long—a month for Erza, weeks for Lucy, hours for Mira. It didn't make sense. Attractions shouldn't hit this fast, this strong. Or… should they?
His thoughts drifted back to his father, Veldanava,trying to remember any conversations they may have had about this sort of thing when he was younger. He focused harder on one in particular, a quiet evening in the valley, when he was younger, sitting beside the massive dragon under a canopy of twinkling lights.
*(Flashback)*
The stars hung low that night, as if listening in, their light weaving through the branches like silver threads. Varion, around 12 then, sat cross-legged in the grass of their secluded meadow, the ground soft and cool beneath him. His father, Veldanava, lounged in his dragon form nearby—tall and imposing, with scales that shimmered like constellations under the moonlight, his blue eyes glowing faintly with ancient wisdom. The air was still, carrying the faint scent of wildflowers and earth, the only sounds the distant rustle of leaves and the occasional chirp of night insects.
Veldanava turned to him, his deep voice rumbling like distant thunder, calm and measured as always. "Varion, you're growing faster than you realize. Soon, you'll start noticing girls in a new way—like how you look at Anna, perhaps."
Varion's cheeks flushed hot, his eyes widening in surprise. "D-Dad! It's not like that! Anna's just… nice. And smart and pretty and smells nice."
Veldanava's lips curved into a large grin, his sharp teeth glinting as he teased, amusement dancing in his eyes. "Are you sure? The way you watch her during lessons… are you certain you're not checking her out as a potential mate? I'm sure she wouldn't mind when you're older—she's got spirit, that one."
Varion's blush deepened to a fiery red, his hands fidgeting in his lap as he stammered, "S-Stop! That's embarrassing! I don't… I mean, she's just a friend!"
Veldanava chuckled softly, the sound echoing like a gentle quake through the ground. "It's alright, son. It's normal. Particularly powerful women will catch your eye, and you'll feel like you just start liking them out of nowhere, maybe even too fast sometimes. But that's your instincts guiding you to potential mates. Also It's perfectly normal to have multiple partners. You're my son after all, and one day, you'll be the star dragon god. It's only right for you to have multiple mates. But remember, build up to such things slowly and steadily. Do not rush the process. Let bonds form naturally, with care and respect."
Varion nodded, still red-faced but absorbing the words, the weight of his heritage sinking in under the starlit sky.
*(Flashback end)*
Varion's eyes widened slightly in the train compartment, a realization dawning like the first light of dawn. That was it, his dragonoid instincts, inherited from Veldanava, kicking in around strong, capable girls. Erza's unyielding strength, Mira's fierce protectiveness, Lucy's growing celestial magic that felt like it belonged with his star dragon magic… it all clicked. The sudden pull wasn't random; it was biology, destiny, whatever you called it for someone like him. He accepted it then, a quiet calm settling over him. This was normal, for him, for everyone, he figured. Emotions weren't rational; they just were. And having multiple partners? That was part of it too, just like his father said. He nodded to himself, resolving to express them slowly, when he was older, building those bonds steadily like Veldanava advised.
Not knowing, of course, that this was very not normal at all. But he wouldn't realize that for a long while.
Mira shifted in her sleep, her head nestling closer, and Varion's blush returned. He let her stay, the train carrying them onward into the night.