A/N: Good news! Just like my other story: The Only Way, this story is also getting a revamp, I'm getting rid of unnecessary author notes, fixing grammar, spelling, and rewriting some parts of the story to sound better. But don't worry! The story is staying the same. You'll also notice some chapter will go 'missing' if that happens they aren't gone they've either been combined with another chapter they were meant to go with but were uploaded separately or they were a 'short story' and have been removed from this story and uploaded as a one-shot. That being said; this will be that last author note you'll see for a while!

Chapter 1: Join the Raijinshuu?!

Natsu had pushed the last button. He had continuously snuck into her house, ate her food, burned her clothes, made messes, and caused her rent to be late…more than once. But stealing her keys? That was bad. Stealing her keys on the anniversary of her mother's death? Nope. End of the line. She was done! Not only did Natsu steal them, but he made Lucy chase him all around the park. Loke even had use his own magic to help her. She had to play his game for five hours before getting them back, but once she did she told him that she didn't want to see him anymore and that she was quitting Team Natsu. Then she stormed off.

That was several hours ago. She had somehow found herself on the outskirts of Magnolia on a cliff overlooking the city, knowing that if she went home that she would have to deal with the one person she did not wat to see right now. The night sky was clear, and Lucy could see all the constellations. She was singing a song her mom taught her while Lyra was playing her harp when Laxus found her. She had started crying at some point. He was walking home from the guild and noticed a familiar magical pressure. When he got close enough to see who it was he dropped his guard. He was going to just walk past, but he heard her singing softly and he could smell her tears. Laxus might be someone who is hard to get along with, but he couldn't just stand there and watch her cry. So, went and sat down beside her, he just sat listening to her sing.

"Spirits hear my heading call,

Come and sing the king's law,

Make your master friend to all,

And make it so that I won't fall.

You are here to guide the weak,

Be my voice when I can't speak,

Help my magic reach its peak,

And be my light when all seems bleak.

Oh, Spirits of the stars,

Watch me as I live with scars,

Hold my hand through the bars,

And deliver me from all harm."

"That was beautiful Lucy."

She didn't jump or anything when he spoke, she just hid her face and continued to cry. Her words not hard to understand through her tears with his dragon senses.

"Please, just… go away."

"Not 'til you tell me what's up Blondie."

"Nothing's 'up' and your blonde too."

"Don't lie to me. Something has to be up if your crying."

"I…I don't want to talk about it."

Laxus was thinking of getting up and leaving, but something held him back. He couldn't just leave her there, it was the middle of the night. Not only was she crying, but she also seemed really hurt. She was a guild mate and he needed to look out for her…right? That was it, nothing more.

"Then at least let me take you home. It's late and dangerous around these parts."

"I don't want to go home. And it's not that dangerous."

She didn't want to go home? Laxus knew she lived alone, so what made it, so she wouldn't want to go home?

"Vulcans like to stalk this area at night Lucy. Why don't you want to go home?"

"Because Natsu will show up."

It became clear then. Everyone knew that the flame brain barged his way into her home almost nightly. The idiot had said something to her or did something. The thought made him livid. 'Why am I getting livid at the thought of Natsu doing something to her? I mean yeah she's a guild mate but still…'

"What did the flame brain do?"

"He took my keys….and he. I-I really don't want to talk about this."

She had started crying again. Laxus wrapped his arm around the small girl and brought her into his chest, allowing her to cry and soak his shirt with tears. He didn't know why he was doing it, he just did. It felt right. 'It is probably because she is a guild mate… nothing more… I'm am just doing what is right…'

"Lucy, if you don't want to go home you can spend the night at my place. I have a few guest rooms for when the Raijinshuu crashes at my place."

'Wait…did I just invite her to stay the night? What the fuck was going through my head?' The damn words left his mouth before he could even think about it. Well too late to take them back, and he couldn't just leave her out there anyway. Besides, no matter how much he wanted to deny it, for her sake, he liked Lucy. He liked her as more than a friend.

"I don't want to go home…b-but I-I don't want to be alone either."

She suddenly started to cry harder, her voice hiccupping with each breath she took.

"Come on then, but you gotta tell me everything that happened when we get there."

Lucy nodded, not knowing why she was agreeing to go. 'I just didn't want to be alone. But why Laxus? Why was I going with the resident grump of the guild?' The better question and the one that was really plaguing her mind though: why was he offering?

"Uh…before we go, did you get your gate keys back?"

"Uh huh."

Having her confirmation Laxus stood up, bringing her with him. He unwrapped his arm from around her and she followed him down the path that led into the forest and to his house. After about five minutes he could tell that Lucy was cold, so he took off his fur coat and laid it across her shoulders. She mumbled a 'thank you' and they continued towards his home.

~Ten minutes later, Laxus House~

The walk had been quiet, and Lucy seemed to have calmed down some. She wasn't crying anymore, but she wasn't smiling either. Laxus had led her to the living room and had gone to make tea. When he got back with the two cups Lucy was looking outside from the living room window, resting her arms on the windowsill. Laxus sat her cup down on the coffee table and took a seat on his couch.

"Your tea is done, so why don't you come sit down?"

Lucy turned around and quietly made her way to the couch, sitting next to Laxus. She gently picked up the cup of tea and noticed the sweet aroma of rose and smiled. 'Rose tea is my favorite' She began to nurse it, taking small sips every now and again. It didn't seem like she was going to talk. Her eyes closed a small smile on her lips every time she took a sip, but disappearing just as fast.

"Talk to me Blondie. Tell me what happened."

Lucy took a shaky breath before she started her story.

"Sorry… It really began when I first joined the guild. Natsu was the one who brought me to Fairytail and he sort of conned me into being his partner with this maid job. I didn't mind being his partner until he started breaking into my house, eating my food, and making messes. Eventually that stopped bothering me though, I guess I got used to it. I even got used to him always destroying stuff on missions and making me late on paying rent. I just started taking more solo missions. It's steadily gotten worse, but I just ignored it. That is until today. He got really upset that I was ignoring him, so he thought it would be funny to take my gate keys. I guess he thought it was a game, and maybe to him it was. When my keys were taken Loke used his own power to open his gate and came to see what was going on. When he saw what happened he tried to get them back for me. We had to chase him for five hours before me and Loke finally pinned him and got my gate keys back. I was so mad that I told him that I didn't want to see him again…And I sort of quit Team Natsu."

Laxus could tell there was more to the story, mainly from the way she was looking down and not meeting his eyes. He set down his tea, and gently took hers from her shaking hands, even when she looked longingly at the cup like a prize was taken from her. 'I guess she likes rose tea. I'll have to pick up more. Wait what am I saying?!' Then he picked her up and sat her on his lap, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close to him. Then he quietly whispered in her ear.

"That's not the entire story. His crazy antics are annoying, but there's something else…isn't there?"

Lucy turned her head so that it was resting on Laxus's shoulder and started to cry. He gently started to rub circles on her back, trying to calm her while repeating "It's okay, I've got you." Over and over. Her tears slowly stopped falling after about twenty minutes. When she was sure of her voice she spoke again. Laxus mind was going crazy, his body and mouth was moving on its own comforting her. Not that he objected as she obviously needed it but he had an image!

"You right it's not everything."

"Please tell me Lucy."

"Today is the day my mom died, I was ten. My magic is the only thing I have left from her. So, when Natsu stole my keys, he stole the only thing I have left of her."

She started to cry again, and Laxus couldn't blame her. If he had something to remind him of his mother and it was stolen, even temporarily, he would lose it too. He knew that she needed to stay away from Natsu, and he had the perfect way to do it, and once again even before his head had time to process his mouth had already said it.

"Lucy, I want you to join the Raijinshuu."

Lucy sat strait up, a look of shock on her face. Her voice was low when she spoke.

"But I…"

Laxus gently put his index finger on her lips, quieting her. Then he spoke softly.

"You quit your old team, remember? And don't give me any of that 'I'm not strong enough' crap."

He then lifted his finger and gently framed her face with his hand before speaking again.

"You're a strong and brave mage, Raijinshuu would be lucky to have someone like you in our ranks…and I want to…"

"L-Laxus, what are you trying to say?"

It was a good question. What was he trying to say? "You like her Laxus. You've been attracted to her ever since Fantasia, and it went deeper when you say her fight six years ago in the grand magic games. Stop trying to tell yourself otherwise!" But he was afraid of her rejecting him. He hurt her during Fantasia and barely talked to her. He watched her though. Sometimes he would go as far as to follow her on missions, just to see her in action. "I can't tell her. She deserves more than a monster who only causes pain." But she might not join if he didn't. It was worth a shot.

"That I like you. You're smart, strong, brave, beautiful, and you bring laughter and happiness to everyone in the guild. You deserve a team that will support you and push you to be your best. Raijinshuu may not be perfect, and it may not be what you're used to, but it's better than going solo."

"Oh…"

Lucy's eyes dropped. "Of course, he just meant the team. What was I thinking! Getting my hopes up that he liked me…" At the same time Laxus was cursing himself. "What did I say? She suddenly looks down. Maybe I should have just told her the truth. Maybe I can show her somehow." He gently took her chin between his thumb and index finger, turning her to face him. Then he closed his eyes and laid a gentle, chaste kiss on her lips. At first Lucy tensed up, but after a few seconds she closed her eyes and easily relaxed into it. He pulled away before it could get any farther. Lucy was flustered, not able to form proper thoughts

"L-Laxus…I don't…do you…I mean…"

Laxus kept his voice at a whisper, trying his best to stay calm. His heart was racing from the contact and his dragon instincts were yelling at him to claim.

"I just wanted you to know how I felt, I'm not expecting anything. It's one of the other reasons I want you to join the Raijinshuu, even temporarily. I want to have the chance to get to know you better."

"How long?"

"I realized how I felt at the grand magic games six years ago, the first one Fairytail entered."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because you had Natsu. I told myself that if you were happy that I wouldn't say anything. You deserve someone better than me."

He was honest about his feelings, so he might as well spill everything…Right?

"I hurt my Nakama, almost following the same path as my father Ivan. I didn't say anything because you deserve someone as pure, honest, and innocent as you."

"You're still worried about that! That was thirteen years ago, if you count the seven years we were on Tenroujima. You were forgiven for that a long time ago. Then you proved your loyalty during the grand magic games six years ago when you defeated Raventail, and Ivan."

"Even so I still live with the guilt. Enough about me though, will you join Raijinshuu? Please…"

Lucy thought about it. "I really like Laxus, and I want to learn more about him too. But even if I am mad at Natsu and said that I quit the team, I can't just stop talking to Erza and Gray. They're my friends, my family, my Nakama." While she was thinking she realized where she was and decided that she should get up. She gently stood up, making sure that she didn't seem to be running off. Then she sat down next to Laxus again, being close but not right against him. She had made up her mind.

"I'll join the Raijinshuu. I think it will be fun to work with Freed, and I want to learn more about you too. But I'm still going to talk with my friends. I don't want to be in a relationship or anything yet though, but I do want to be your friend."

Laxus smirked, happy that she was going to join the Raijinshuu.

"Sounds fair to me. Anyway, it's already three in the morning, if you want I can show you where you can sleep for the night."

"Sounds good. I'm tired."

Laxus then led Lucy to the second floor of his cabin and showed her to a room at the end of the hall. The room was painted in a dark red and the carpet was black. There was a queen-sized bed in the furthermost left corner of the room, covered in a black bed set. In the furthermost right corner of the room was a vanity. A large window separating the bed and vanity. Across from the vanity, to the right of Lucy was a tall wardrobe. Laxus patted Lucy on the head before speaking.

"You can sleep here. If you need me for anything my room is directly across the hall. The bathroom is the first room by the stairs. If you need anything just come and get me. You're free to stay until your comfortable going home."

"Thank you Laxus."

Laxus smirked then went into his own room. Both mages fell asleep quickly; entering a deep and dreamless slumber.