The next morning, Lucy woke with the feeling of being smothered.
It took her a moment to fully comprehend the fact that she couldn't move.
She really wasn't a morning person.
Blinking a few times, she lifted her arm to rub her eyes.
Well, she tried to.
"Huh?" She mumbled unintelligibly, trying again.
It was then that she realized it wasn't still dark outside. Somehow, her blanket had moved to cover her face.
"It be really nice if I could use my hands right now…" She grumbled.
Her arms were pinned to her sides, and there was a heavy weight restricting the movement of her feet. Wiggling her toes experimentally, she nearly jumped out of her skin when there was an answering groan.
The blonde sighed and began moving her head, finding purchase in the blanket with her nose. Slowly but surely, the blanket started shifting down her face.
After a few minutes of this, she gave an internal cry of victory before looking around her.
"What the hell?"
Somehow during the night, she had become the filling of a Bickslow and Ever sandwich, while Freed became a living foot warmer.
She was beginning to think waking up smothered was going to become an everyday occurrence with this group.
A low chuckle alerted her to the fact that once again, someone had caught her in this predicament.
"Uh, little help?" Lucy tilted her head back to see an upside-down Laxus smirking at her with his arms crossed.
He stroked his chin in mock thought, the barely there light of dawn eclipsing most of his face in shadow.
Bickslow squeezed her tighter, nuzzling his face into her chest. "Mmph…soft…"
Heat spread over her entire face all the way to the tips of her ears, a shrill 'eep' sound bursting from her lips.
She looked up again at the "contemplating" Dragon Slayer with pleading eyes.
Except now his focus was on the man burrowed between her breasts. There was an odd expression on his face she couldn't quite figure out, especially viewing it from this angle.
Before she could ask, or even blink, her arms were grabbed and she was hauled out of her cot and to her feet.
Slightly disoriented from the sudden change in position, she looked up at her savior. His face was back to its usual stoic expression and he was still watching the sleeping mages.
"Thanks." She said quietly, hugging herself as the early morning chill seeped through her thin sweat pants and tank top.
Laxus shrugged indifferently and grunted.
Interpreting that as his version of a 'you're welcome,' Lucy eyed him for another moment before wordlessly turning to watch the rest of the team as well.
"Oh…this…" She started excitedly smacking his arm to get his attention. "Do you have a camera?"
Bickslow had turned to lay on his other side and was snuggling his own pillow, while Ever had scooted closer in search of warmth to spoon him. Freed had curled around both of their feet, hugging them closer to his face.
"Oi, quit hitting me, Blondie!" He hissed quietly, swatting her hands away before speed-walking to their bags.
She just couldn't help feeling giddy. It was rare to be the one teasing others while they slept as it usually only happened to her.
The blonde pressed her hands as tight as she could over her mouth to conceal the girlish squeals and giggles that were involuntarily pouring through her lips. She hadn't even noticed Laxus returning to her side with Ever's camera (she took that thing everywhere) or the fact that she was jumping up and down.
After snapping a few shots and returning the camera, Laxus walked back to her with an amused gleam in his stormy blue eyes.
"I totally get it now." He said, and she stopped her hopping to look at him questioningly.
"Get what?" She whispered, confused.
Laxus smirked and walked passed her to start waking up the rest of the team, tossing her a grin over his shoulder. "You should go get dressed…Bunny Girl."
Lucy flushed from head to toe. "That's not even it, you overgrown circuit breaker!" She huffed indignantly and stalked to her own bag, crushing it to her chest.
His laughter only stoked the flame and she glared at him.
"Oh, where did that nickname come from then?" He said as he kicked at the Seith mage.
With her head held high in defiance she started walking further into the forest to change.
"Wouldn't you like to know?"
She didn't stick around to hear his response
After changing into a pair of black denim shorts, a teal babydoll tank top, and her favorite combat boots, she called out Capricorn and asked him to scout the route ahead for any signs of trouble and made the trek back to where they were camped.
The sun was just starting to rise above the horizon, casting an almost pink glow over the trees.
Guards and servants were now bustling around and preparing breakfast.
As soon as she spotted the once slumbering mages, all traces of anger and embarrassment were shoved away, while giddiness and mischievousness flooded through her.
The rest of the morning was spent dropping hints and sharing knowing glances with Laxus.
She was having so much fun with it, she was able to simply brush off Nathanial's advances as if they were nothing. In all honesty, she was hardly paying attention to the guy. Which she immediately regretted.
"What?" Lucy asked, completely dumbfounded.
"It has been discussed with our charge and his security that one of you will be joining him in the carriage for added protection. We believe you, Miss Heartfilia, would be best." Simon said in a tone that stated this was not negotiable, though she could see an apologetic look in his rusty colored eyes.
The blonde looked at her team. They all looked furious, obviously aware that Nathanial just wanted to be alone with her. Bickslow and Laxus in particular seemed to be fuming and ready to protest, but she couldn't let that happen. She was a mage of Fairy Tail. She was more than capable of taking care of herself. Not only that, but she knew how to handle men from high society. She knew she could do this.
"Alright." She said, squaring her shoulders in determination.
"Lucy you don't-"
"It's ok, Freed." She turned and gave them a quick wink. "I'll be just fine."
Laxus took a step forward with a scowl, mouth open to argue, but she sent him a small smile and made her way to the carriage.
The Celestial mage hesitated, before taking a steadying breath and climbing inside.
Almost immediately, the carriage started moving.
"Real smooth, Nathanial." She glared at the smug looking man.
The carriage was empty, save for the two of them. She should have known.
Nathanial shrugged, brushing his dark hair back, before patting the empty seat next to him. "How else was I supposed to get us alone? It's passed due for a little catching up between old friends, don't you think?"
Lucy snorted and took a seat on the other side of the carriage so she was facing him.
"There's a lot of things a lot of things I could say regarding our past…interactions, but for the sake of the job I am doing I will put it as politely as I can manage." She leaned back in her seat, crossing both her arms and her legs as she glared at him. "I never once, any time we met, considered you a friend."
He placed a hand over his heart as though it hurt and smirked. "You wound me, Lady Lucy."
"Lucy. Just Lucy." She hissed.
He held his hands up in surrender. "Fine. Have it your way. If you wish to degrade your title and yourself, so be it…Lucy."
Her eyes narrowed and she was torn between wanting to beat him or laugh at him. She bit her cheek to keep herself from doing either.
But the dark haired man didn't realize the situation he was getting himself into and continued digging himself deeper.
"I mean honestly, Lucy. You were once at the top of high society, under the royal family of course. I just don't understand why someone would willingly leave all of that behind to scrounge around as a dirty guild mage." His lips curled in disgust as though the words repulsed him. "It's sad, really. Knowing what you once were and seeing you like this." He gestured to her appearance.
And with that, her restraint broke.
Bright peals of laughter burst from her and she clutched at her sides. She just couldn't help it. It was too good!
When Lucy was finally able to calm down, she straightened in her seat and wiped the tears of mirth from her eyes.
Nathanial was gaping at her like she had lost her mind.
"That is rich coming from you, Nathanial." She giggled.
His brow arched. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"You forget how gossip spreads in your world. I find it quite humorous, really. You're a thirty-something year old divorcee in high society. That's almost unheard of, not to mention frowned upon. Not only that, but you went back to your father for another arrangement because you couldn't find a woman on your own. And yet you find my life sad. My life is full of freedom and adventure. I can say with full certainty that I have upgraded."
Lucy smiled brightly as he fumed, face bright red with fists clenched tightly in his lap.
"Nothing to say to that?" She asked, standing and smoothing her clothing free of any wrinkles.
When he continued to just glare silently at her she laughed and walked to the carriage door. "That's what I thought. Goodbye, Nathanial."
Lucy opened the door and jumped to the ground with little effort, as the carriage was moving slow enough for the walking members of their party to keep up with it.
Immediately she felt arms wrap around her, and as her face was pressed into a firm chest she found that it was shaking.
Looking up and backing away slightly, she came face to face with a widely grinning Dragon Slayer. Belatedly, she realized he was laughing. And he was a Dragon Slayer.
Shoving him away, she stomped her foot and pointed at him accusingly. "You were listening to all that weren't you?"
This only made him laugh harder. "Not like I can help it, Blondie. But that was gold!"
His laughter was contagious and she couldn't stop herself from joining in. When they calmed down, she saw that they had fallen behind and that Ever was looking over her shoulder and smirking at them.
With a startled yelp, she bolted back to the carriage and turned to stick her tongue out at the man she thought she had left behind.
Key word here is thought.
However, in her haste she didn't notice that the man had been hot on her heels and stopped right behind her. A little too close, actually.
"Did you just lick me?" A deep, amused voice asked.
Realization dawned on her and she sucked her tongue back into her mouth at lightning speed.
She just licked Laxus Dreyar.
Sure he had a shirt on, but behind that dark purple dress shirt was a perfectly sculpted chest. And she had just licked it.
The little pervert that she kept locked away in the dungeons of her mind decided it was the perfect time to break free, and she wondered what it would be like to lick his bare chest. What would it taste like?
Heat consumed her entire face in embarrassment. Instinct took over before she could stop herself or consider any repercussions to her actions.
"LUCY KICK!"
}{}{}{
Finally evening arrived and camp was being set up. Laxus was growing tired of the woods. Why couldn't they take a more civilized route to this woman's estate?
He sighed and plopped down on a fallen log and watched as people bustled about. His eyes locked on the petit blonde as she summoned her bull Spirit once again to collect firewood.
Laxus was more than a little surprised that the kick she had so randomly attacked him with earlier actually hurt. His jaw still throbbed and he knew it would be turning a nice shade of purple by morning. He would never pick on Bickslow when he complained about her kicking him ever again.
He knew she didn't mean it, but it bothered him that once again, she was avoiding him.
A familiar presence settled down next to him. He could feel the smirk aimed his way.
"Hurts, doesn't it?"
Laxus grunted, neither confirming nor denying anything. He said he wouldn't pick on him about it again, but he sure as hell wasn't about to admit out loud that a small blonde had bested him.
Bickslow cackled and followed his line of sight.
"Resorting to stalking now are we?" He asked, amusement evident in his tone.
"Tch. Don't know what you're talking about." The blonde denied, but he didn't look away either.
"Look, man." Bickslow started, turning serious. "You are my oldest friend, my best friend actually-"
Laxus groaned.
"Shut up. I don't get mushy often, so hear me out."
When Laxus remained silent, he continued. "Anyway, like I was saying you're my best friend. I've never seen you act this way toward a chick before. And I think it's about damn time you found some happiness. Hey shut it! I'm not done."
The blonde grumbled quietly, but let his friend continue. Bickslow wasn't serious often, but when he wasn't being a total pervert he actually gave some damn good advice.
"I know you think you're happy with your life as it is right now, but I think you're wrong. You were happy when you found Gramps again, and you've been content ever since. But that's all you've been since. And I think you've been content for so long that you've accepted that it's the best you're going to get." Bickslow sighed. "All I'm saying, is that if you like her, or you think you like her, you should just talk to her. It could turn into something really great, but you'll never know unless you do something about it."
Laxus thought about it. Really thought about it and realized his friend was right. He vaguely felt the Seith mage clap him on the back and leave his side to join the others.
The last time he was happy, truly happy, was when he saw his grandpa for the first time after the guild disbanded. Then as things went back to normal and life remained good, he just stuck with it. But the more he thought about it, the more he realized that something was missing.
Stormy blue eyes refocused on the lithe figure standing alone by the newly lit fire. The light of the fire made her hair glow a warm shade of gold. He watched as Ever walked to her and started up a conversation. Only the side of her face was visible, but he could see the curve of her pink lips as she talked. The way she threw her head back as she laughed at something the brunette said. He saw how several people turned to smile at the sound.
And as he watched, he wondered.
Maybe.
Laxus spent the rest of the night going over every thought he had of the Celestial Spirit mage of Fairy Tail.
}{}{}{
It was dark. Too dark.
She didn't know where she was or how she got there.
"Hello?" She croaked.
Her throat felt raw, as though she had screamed for hours, and her mouth was so dry her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth.
There was no reply. Only the steady dripping of water from somewhere in the room.
Her feet were bare and cold, and she bent to rub some warmth back into them, but found she couldn't. Cool metal bit into her aching wrists and the resulting pain in her shoulders made her arms spasm.
Fog was slowly lifting from her mind as she realized more and more about her situation.
"Ever?" She rasped, making her cough.
Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip.
She tried to shift her feet so her shoulders and wrists wouldn't take the brunt of her weight, but she was strung up so that her toes barely grazed the frigid stone beneath her.
"Bix?"
Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip.
She flexed her hands, grimacing when she realized she couldn't even feel them.
Panic slowly gripped her as she wracked her brain for some kind of clue as to how she ended up like this, but she came up empty.
"F-Freed?"
Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip.
Her breathing came in short pants as her body finally registered the pain in her ribs. It felt as though she had been kicked repeatedly with steel-toe boots, and then squeezed in some sort of vice.
"Laxus?" She wheezed a little louder, knowing that if he was near he would hear her and get her out of there.
Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip
Clang!
Heart thudding wildly, her head whipped to where the noise came from.
"Laxus!" She tried to shout. "I-I'm here!"
She strained her ears for any sign that he was coming. She knew he was coming. She just knew.
He would always come for her.
Clang!
The noise made her flinch, but she couldn't help but sigh in relief. He found her. He would always find her.
She waited for what felt like hours.
"Laxus?" She called, hope rising in her heart.
Clang!
"Laxus!"
She waited in pained silence, realizing that the sound of dripping water had stopped a while ago, and she almost wished it would start again. Anything was better than the deafening silence.
Clang!
"Laxus?" She whispered, her voice cracking.
Something ghosted up her thigh, feathering over her hip and up the side of her breast. And she realized she was only in her undergarments.
She whimpered as fear turned her blood to ice, feathering touches continuing over her body and face.
This wasn't right. Laxus would've gotten her down and out of this place the minute he found her. He would've spoken to her. Reassured her that everything was alright.
Where was he?
Tears stung her eyes and trailed down her cheeks, the saltwater burning open wounds she didn't know she had.
"La-Laxus." She sobbed.
Hot air breathed into her ear and her body went rigid at the sound of a deep throaty chuckle that definitely didn't belong to the blonde Dragon Slayer.
Large fingers brushed the tears from her cheeks and she hissed as they grazed a tender wound.
"Sorry to disappoint you, little girl. Dragon boy ain't coming to save you this time." A deep, raspy voice drawled.
She flinched as his loud voice cut through the suffocating silence.
"Wh-who are y-you? Why are y-you doing th-this?" She managed to stutter out.
Loud boisterous laugher echoed in the dark room, leaving her ears ringing.
"Silly little girl." He crooned. Large hands pet her head and she shuddered. "I've got a message for you."
She waited for him to continue, not trusting herself to speak without breaking out into hysterics.
The hands left her head and she stopped herself from sighing in relief. She didn't want to anger him.
It was quiet for so long she thought he had left, until hot fingers traced a familiar pattern just under her collarbones, and she whimpered at the unwanted touch.
The hot breath returned to her ear and she tried to cringe away from it, but it only followed her.
"You're next." He whispered.
Before she could ask what he meant, she felt the coolness of a blade press against her throat for the briefest of moments, before white-hot pain seared through her flesh.
Molten liquid streamed down her chilled body.
Laugher echoed through the dark again as she cried out in agony, choking on metallic bitterness as it dribbled out of her mouth.
Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip.
Clang!
The laugher faded from the room, bathing her in silence as she suffocated, writhing in agony.
Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip.
She could no longer support her head, a gurgled wheeze leaving her as her head tipped backward and pulled at her slit throat.
Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip.
The room began to sway, and she closed her eyes, accepting that her story ended here.
She pictured his face as he smiled a real smile. Not a grin, or a smirk. A real smile. And she couldn't help but smile herself.
Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip.
Lucy shot up and out of her cot with a strangled cry, clutching at her throat.
She looked around frantically as her heart thundered in her chest, regretting her agreement for her team to sleep in the far corners surrounding their camp.
She was alone.
Her grip on her own throat was so tight she could hardly breathe, but she couldn't make herself let go as she sobbed.
It felt so real. The pain. The hotness of his breath and the biting cold of the stone floor. The blade. Everything.
Warm arms engulfed her and her hands strangled the scream in her throat.
"Hey, hey. It's me, Blondie. It's ok. You're ok."
The Celestial mage's body relaxed slightly, but her hands remained where they were.
It was getting harder to breathe, but she couldn't let go. She was afraid that if she did, the wound would reappear and she would bleed out.
She was afraid it would become real.
}{}{}{
Laxus was startled out of his sleep from a strange sound from one of the far corners of their camp. He sat up and closed his eyes, focusing his heightened senses on the surrounding area.
He had wanted to stay up and keep watch, but between not sleeping the night before and the beers he ended up knocking back with Bickslow and Simon, he had little choice if he wanted to be of any use in the event of an attack. Freed had set up a runic barrier around them that would alert him to anyone entering the camp in case it didn't wake Laxus up first.
He could tell dawn was a few hours away from the sound of various birds starting to sing in the trees surrounding them. His hearing picked up the frantic beating of someone's heart and when the sound of muffled sobs reached him, he was out of his cot and running in an instant.
Twigs and rocks under his bare feet went ignored as he dashed to the one corner where he knew she was. The smell of salt and fear flooded his senses and what he saw when he finally reached her made his heart clench.
The only light was the moon as it filtered through the trees, but with his senses he could still see her clearly.
She was standing by her cot on trembling legs. Her shoulders shook, and her eyes were wide as they searched her surroundings frantically.
Without thinking, he rushed to her and pulled her into his chest. Wincing as she flinched and let out a warbled scream. He tried to soothe her and felt some of the tension in her back leave her, but she still trembled.
He cursed when her knees buckled and helped her to the ground with his arms still wrapped securely around her trembling frame. She was freezing.
"What happened?" He whispered, not wanting to startle her any more.
There was no answer, only strained gasps and cries.
"Lucy?"
He frowned when no reply came again, and pulled away just enough to look at her.
Laxus gasped when he realized she was choking herself.
"Shit! Lucy, you have to stop!" He grabbed her icy fingers to pull them away and grunted at her surprisingly strong grip.
"Lucy," He whispered more urgently. "You have to let go."
Finally managing to pry her hands off her throat, the Dragon Slayer sighed in relief when he heard her lungs greedily suck in air.
He kept both of her small hands in one of his own and he started rubbing her back.
"What happened?" He tried not to make it sound like a demand and winced when it did anyway.
"It…he…I c-couldn't…" She rasped in between pants.
"If I let go of your hands, you have to promise not to hurt yourself anymore, ok?"
He sighed and released her hands when she nodded slowly, moving to rub some warmth back into her arms.
It was quiet for a moment as she started to calm down. At some point, he got tired of kneeling and scooped her up to sit on her cot with her on his lap.
"Are you ready to talk about it now?" Laxus asked quietly and felt her nod into his chest.
He tensed as her arms wound around his neck and her head burrowed under his chin, but relaxed and continued to rub circles over her thin shirt.
She took a deep breath, and he bit the inside of his cheek to stop the moan from escaping as her hot breath fanned over his Adam's apple.
Laxus listened as she spoke, recounting the dream in as much detail as she could. The longer he listened, the tighter his arms wound around her. When she got to the part where her throat was slit and how she felt everything like it was real, he shuddered at the chill that ran down his spine.
"But before he slit my throat, he said something." She whispered thoughtfully. "I know it was something important, but I can't remember what he said."
Laxus sighed. "If it was something important, I'm sure you'd remember."
Lucy was quiet for a moment before she shifted in his lap to look at him.
"You're probably right, but I can't shake the feeling that it was really important." She said quietly.
He wanted to respond, he really did, but he couldn't help but stare at her.
Laxus could see, even in the low lighting, that her eyes were bloodshot and puffy from crying. Her hair that was pulled up into a messy bun, was mostly loose and hanging limply off to the side. He knew that she looked like a complete mess, but he couldn't help but notice how absolutely breathtaking she still was.
How perfectly she fit against him. How her scent, even while it was still laden with salt, filled him with an indescribable warmth.
Before he could stop himself, he was leaning forward. His hand slid up her back to cup the side of her face. He saw her dark eyes widen as his lips brushed against hers before they fluttered shut.
Kissing her was…liberating. His own eyes slid shut when he felt her soft lips move shyly against his own.
It was different, kissing her. Laxus had kissed many women before, but it was always a means to an end. The action meaning nothing more than the quick romp with a woman he would never think of again.
But this…this kiss had purpose. It was soft and sweet. There was no rush. No mad dash to find release. All that mattered was the woman who had hijacked his brain so effortlessly.
He had never kissed like this before.
Laxus wasn't sure how long they stayed that way. Even though he never wanted it to end, his lips reluctantly left hers and he pulled her head into his chest.
'Talk to her, dumbass.'
Mentally grumbling at his conscience, which sounded a lot like Bickslow at the moment, he laid back on her cot while keeping her secure on top of him.
She squeaked in surprise, clearly not expecting the action. "Wh-what are you doing?"
He chuckled. "Just getting comfortable. We still have a bit of walking to do in a few hours."
Lucy huffed and craned her neck to glare at him, but there was no heat in the gesture. "I get that, but who said you could get comfortable in my cot? You have your own!"
The Dragon Slayer sighed and pushed her head back into his chest. She really was a sassy little thing.
"Oh quit your yapping, Blondie. I'm not going anywhere. I'm sticking by my girl."
She sputtered. "Who the hell said I was your girl?!"
He shrugged. "I did."
The blonde woman struggled to raise her head, but he just kept her there. Giving up, she gave an exasperated growl and slumped against him. "Don't I get a say in this, light socket?" She hissed.
Laxus bit his cheek to quell his laughter, but his shaking shoulders must have betrayed him as he was rewarded with a smack.
"That's a new one." He mused. "But to answer your question, nope."
"That's…you…grrrr." She seethed.
'Dude. You really suck at this.'
He heaved a sigh and tried to prepare himself for something that made him so very uncomfortable. Talking about himself. Mushy feelings shit.
"Look…" He whispered, and the blonde in his arms instantly stilled. "I'm really, really bad at saying stuff like this. Feelings and shit. But…"
"But what?" She whispered back.
They lay in silence for a few moments as he tried to summon the words that would appropriately describe how he felt about all of this.
He appreciated how Lucy stayed quiet and patient, as if she understood how difficult this was for him.
"But I can't seem to stop thinking about you." He finally continued, and the verbal damn he didn't know existed broke. "That has never happened before. All I've ever been interested in was a good lay, I won't lie to you about that. I've never looked twice at a woman. Never thought about more than a fun night whenever the urge would strike. But then you, literally, just waltzed right into my life. Walked right in out of nowhere, and I haven't thought of anything else since. I didn't get it at first. I saw your body, and yeah of course I'd want some of that. I'd be questioning my sexuality if I didn't.
"It's about more than that, though. I'd always find myself thinking about the things you would do or say. The way everyone seems to brighten up around you, even if you're not the one they're talking to. I found myself wondering what made you change almost constantly. To be honest, it was driving me a little crazy. Then after you told me what happened, I couldn't stop thinking about how strong you were and how the hell I'd never noticed before.
"So, to end this impromptu and more than slightly embarrassing monologue, I guess what I'm asking is if you'd be my girl. Of course you have a choice, but don't for a second think I'd quit trying to win you over." Laxus finally finished, his heart beating rapidly and hit entire face burning hot.
He really hadn't meant to just pour his entire fucking heart out to the girl. But once his mouth opened, it just stayed open like it had a mind of its own.
Internally banging his head repeatedly against the nearest tree, Laxus tried to will his heart to slow the fuck down while Lucy mulled over his words.
He nearly jumped out of his skin when she finally spoke.
"I want to, Laxus. I really want to say yes because to be as honest with you as you were with me, I've been thinking about you more often than not as well." She said quietly, shifting slightly to get more comfortable.
His heart dropped to his stomach when he sensed the 'but' he just knew was coming.
"But… we don't really know each other."
Laxus tensed, preparing himself for rejection. He didn't really know how he'd handle it, and he really hoped he wouldn't turn into an asshole about it. Women never really rejected him, so this was yet another first the blonde was about to give him.
However, his stupid mouth decided to speak on its own accord for the second time that day.
"We could learn as we go. I just feel like it could be really great if we gave…whatever this is between us…a shot. I know I'm a stubborn ass the majority of the time, and I don't really know how to be a boyfriend. But I'd try. I'll really try if you'd give me a chance."
It was quiet again for a few, painful, moments while she thought. Even if she ended up saying no, he knew he wouldn't give up easily. He'd just said it himself that he was stubborn. Laxus never realized just how stubborn he was until now. It had taken way too long to figure out how he felt about her. Hell, even when he was a complete monster he noticed her. Sure it was just lust at the time, and he'd only said what he did to piss Mira off, but he did. And now here he was years later, over a decade later if he counted the time-skip, and only now was he accepting the fact that he felt something for her.
'Maybe I should work on that…' he thought to himself as he looked up at the few stars he could spot through the branches.
"Okay."
Laxus gazed back down at the woman on his chest, only to completely blank when he saw that she was smiling softly at him.
"…Huh?" Was his brilliant response. His mouth had apparently gone back to being under his own control.
She giggled at his dumbfounded expression and nodded. "Okay, Laxus. I'll be your girl."
He blinked at her. "Really?"
"Really. As long as you understand that I'm not ready to be intimate with you right away. And if you're ok with having a girlfriend that has a ton of emotional baggage at the moment." She said with a light blush.
"Tch. I'd be a damn hypocrite if I didn't want to be with you because you've got some emotional damage. No worries there. As for sex and stuff, I already figured that would be the case, and I'm fine with waiting until you're ready for it." And he was. He'd really miss sex, that much was true, but it was about damn time for some change in his life. Laxus really wanted to know what it was like being with someone he actually cared about. So if he had to wait a bit, he would.
The Celestial Spirit mage laid her head back down and curled up on his chest. His hand came to rest against her hip, while he wrapped his other arm around her waist.
"So…we're a couple now." She said a moment later. He could hear the smile in her voice.
"Damn right, Blondie." He grinned.
"Dammit, Laxus. You're blonde, too!" She whined, and smacked him when she felt him shake with laughter.
}{}{}{
Click!
"Ha! Payback's a bitch!"
Lucy jerked awake to find Evergreen leaning over her with an almost evil grin, camera in hand, Bickslow and Freed on either side of her mirroring her expression.
"What?" she mumbled sleepily, lazily eyeing the flurry of birds that burst from the trees around them, not fully comprehending what was going on.
There was an annoyed half growl half groan beneath her and she nearly screamed before remembering what had happened during the night.
Face growing hot, Lucy buried her face into the grumpy Dragon Slayer's chest.
"Jesus Ever, could you be any more obnoxious?" He grumbled, wrapping his arms more securely around her and clearly not embarrassed in the least.
The thought made her smile softly and nuzzle into his shirt a little more. He wasn't embarrassed to be seen with her like this. Sure it wasn't the first time they'd woken up together, but this time it was intentional.
It was one of the things she'd worried about the most when she agreed to be his girlfriend. He was Laxus Dreyar. The man beat a Wizard Saint and took down an entire dark guild by himself for crying out loud! And she was just the weakest link of the most destructive team in the guild. She was afraid that he'd want to hide it, or that he'd think being with her would tarnish his reputation. In all honesty, she was still a little worried about it. His team was different, closer to him, but would he hide their relationship from everyone else once they returned home?
"You know what? I probably could, so don't test me." She heard the Fairy mage snap playfully.
Laxus sighed heavily, the action causing her head to rise and fall with his chest and she giggled.
"So…you guys like together now or somethin'?" Bickslow asked. She couldn't see his face, but she thought he sounded a little smug.
There was a beat of silence, and Lucy remained silent in hope of him laying part of her insecurities to rest. She wanted to see what he would say.
"Yeah. You guys have a problem with it? Too damn bad." Laxus finally responded, and her smile widened when she felt his thumb start rubbing slow circles over her hip.
When they burst into laughter, Lucy finally lifted her head to look at them in surprise.
"What's so funny?" She asked cautiously.
Bickslow finally calmed enough and looked knowingly at the two.
"Don't fucking say it, Bix." Laxus groaned.
Ignoring him, Bickslow cackled and shot them a thumbs up. "It's about damn time, boss man!"
Regaining his composure, Freed straightened and smirked at them. "Now, if you two are done cuddling, it's time to have some breakfast and get ready for another day of traveling. We are taking extra precautions today, as it is the last opportunity an attack could take place. Bickslow has already sent his totems to scout ahead, and I have already started writing protective runes on the carriage. Which I need to go finish."
The Rune mage threw them one last smirk before leaving the group.
"You heard the man. Rise and shine, love birds!" Bickslow cackled before turning to leave as well.
As soon as his back was turned, Lucy felt static in the air for a split second before the Seith mage shrieked and took off running.
She looked at her boyfriend with a raised brow. He had his eyes closed and was grumbling about 'nosy good for nothing bastards.'
"Was there something else, Ever?" He sighed.
The brunette giggled excitedly. "No, I just wanted to watch the new couple for a little longer." The static in the air rose again. "Ok fine! Kill my joy! I'm going!" She huffed, following the others.
Lucy couldn't help but laugh at their interactions sometimes. They all acted like a bunch of siblings. Annoying the crap out of each other all the time, but you could tell how much they cared for one another. It was nice.
A pair of stormy blue eyes opened at the sound of her laughter.
"What's so funny, Blondie?" He asked, pressing a chaste kiss to her forehead.
"You guys are just so cute." She giggled at his dumbfounded expression.
"Really? You think the Thunder Legion is cute?" He asked in disbelief.
"Yep!" She chirped, popping the 'p'.
He stared at her for another moment before chuckling and sitting up, keeping her in his lap.
"You're insane." Laxus poked her nose.
She looked at his finger on her nose for a moment and Laxus laughed loudly.
"What?"
Still chuckling, he shook his head. "Nothing cross-eyes, let's get moving."
}{}{}{
The day started out the same as the other two. Except for the fact that Laxus refused to walk anywhere else but next to Lucy. She often found herself tucked into his side with his arm around her shoulders or their fingers intertwined between them.
Evergreen took it upon herself to take pictures of the new couple every chance she had. She wanted to 'preserve the beginning of their love so that when they were old farts they could look back and reminisce about the days when they were hotties' and that they'd thank her someday.
Virgo only popped out once, offering to store their bags and supplies in the Spirit World so they wouldn't have to worry about it if they had to fight. Everyone jumped at the offer. Other than that, none of her Spirits popped out or were called for the time being. They were aware that she wanted to preserve her magic so she would have enough just in case.
After lunch the group resumed their journey, eager to drop off the now very well-mannered (sulking) Nathanial so they could return home.
Lucy was pointedly ignoring the fact that her feet were starting to ache terribly. She refused to call on Horologium to carry her, even if he offered through their connection several times.
She didn't want the others to think she couldn't handle something as simple as walking, and she had walked farther distances before. If she ignored it, she could worry about it later.
Apparently, Laxus was paying close attention.
Damn Dragon Slayers.
"You ok, Blondie?" He asked, looking down at her in concern.
She threw him a bright smile and nodded. "Of course! Why wouldn't I be?"
Laxus rolled his eyes and sighed. "Spill it."
"Don't know what you're talking about!" She chirped, wincing internally as she skipped a little ahead of him.
He easily matched her pace in a few strides. "Tch. Think I'm stupid? I keep catching you wincing or walking stiffly. So what's up?"
Lucy huffed and hugged her arms around her middle, glaring at the innocent ground.
"It's really not a big deal."
A hand on her shoulder stopped her walking, while another hand gently pulled her chin up so she could look him in the eye.
"Hey. If something is bothering you, you should let me know. Even if you think it's stupid or no big deal. I'll do my best to listen and help if I can. Isn't that what a boyfriend is supposed to do?" He said softly, yet sternly letting her know he was serious.
Lucy didn't stand a chance against the tone he was using and felt her heart melt a little.
"My feet hurt." She mumbled in resignation, shoulders slumping in defeat.
Laxus grinned. "I can fix that."
He turned around and crouched down, peering at her over his shoulder. "Hop on."
"No, it's ok. Really. I can just power through it." She said.
"Lucy, just shut up and get on my back."
"Aye!" She mock saluted, before grabbing hold of his shoulders, his hands coming to grip her thighs.
She giggled as he stood and quickly caught back up to the carriage, ignoring how a certain Fairy mage snapped picture after picture.
"Huh. So this is what it's like being freakishly tall." She mused.
"Oh shut it." He said despite his obvious amusement.
Lucy really did enjoy the new view. Not only could she see farther down the path, she also got a closer glimpse of Nathanial pouting from the carriage window.
Yeah, she could definitely live with this.
Another thing caught her eye, and without thinking she ran her fingers through his hair.
"Woah, I didn't expect your hair to be so soft!" She gasped.
She ran her fingers through again, cocking her head to the side in thought.
"Laxus?"
"Yeah?"
"How does your hair stand up like this without any product?" She asked, confused.
He shrugged, jostling her in the process. "Think about it."
She pouted, but complied, continuously running her fingers through his soft blond locks.
Never in her life had she felt more stupid. For the next hour, the answer seemed to be at the tip of her tongue but she could never grasp it.
Finally it came to her.
"Oh! Its-ahhh!"
Pain flared from her back and she would've fallen off in shock if Laxus hadn't whirled around, somehow setting her gently on the ground behind him in the process.
"How the fuck didn't I hear them coming!?" He growled, lightning sparking around his fists.
Peeking around his legs, Lucy spotted a large group emerging from the trees from behind the carriage.
She glanced behind her and grimaced at the long arrow protruding from just under her shoulder blade.
At the sound of more arrows firing, Lucy rose on shaky legs, readying her Fleuve d'étoiles and grabbing a key from her belt.
"Open, gate of the Archer, Sagittarius!" She called.
"Moshi. Moshi." The Spirit bowed.
"Sagittarius, I need you to take out whoever is shooting those arrows and keep them from hitting us, ok?"
Seeing her Spirit get serious and ready his bow, Lucy turned back to face the approaching mages.
"Why the hell did they send so many?" She wondered aloud.
"They probably knew we were comi-hey you're bleeding!" Laxus cut himself off and looked down at her worriedly.
She sighed. "Yeah, can you just pull it out quick? I'll worry about it later."
"Jesus Lucy. There's a fucking arrow in your back!" He hissed, glaring at the offending piece of wood.
"I know." She deadpanned. "Just pull it out quick. They're getting closer."
When he hesitated, she smacked his arm. "Just do it! Don't worry about me so much. I'm a big girl."
"This is going to hurt like a son of a bitch." He warned, reaching around and grabbing it.
"I know." Lucy clenched her fists into his shirt.
"Sorry!" He yelled at her cry of pain as he ripped it out. She felt warmth trickle down her back.
After taking a few deep breaths, Lucy steadied herself and stood up straight.
"Ok. Thanks. Now what's the plan?"
Laxus eyed her for a moment. "Our main objective is keeping Nathanial out of harm's way. Our best bet is to get him out of here and far away as quickly as possible. We need to distract them from getting to him or noticing him leaving. Any ideas?"
She thought for a moment before pulling out one of the silver keys she'd acquired over the last two years.
"Open, Gate of the Winged Horse, Pegasus!"
The white glittering smoke cleared, revealing a large white horse. His wings were tucked against his body as he bowed respectively to her.
"What can I assist you with today, Princess?" He asked, his voice a deep baritone.
She felt Laxus's eyes on her, but ignored him. "I need you to take our client and his driver to our destination at full speed. His driver can give you directions, but we need our client out of the way and kept safe. Is that ok?"
He whinnied in acceptance.
"I'll go get them, wait here and don't take off fighting without me." Laxus demanded and took off to get Nathanial.
Lucy huffed and glared in the direction he went. This was another thing she had been worried about. She didn't want him fighting all of her battles for her. She was perfectly capable of taking care of herself. Just because they were now dating, didn't mean he could just take charge like this.
There was a pained shout in the distance and she heard Sagittarius tell her his target had been shot down before he took his leave.
Lucy tapped her foot in annoyance. The stubborn streak in her wanting to do the exact opposite of what she was told.
Seeing the other members of her team, plus the guards charge at the mages was the final straw.
Telling Pegasus to wait for Laxus and the others, she took off after them.
A slither of guilt coiled in her gut, but she pushed it down. He couldn't tell her what to do!
Lucy called out Loke and Capricorn and pushed magic into her Fleuve d'étoiles.
The trio worked in practiced harmony. Lucy flung mage after mage into nearby trees or into her Spirit's attacks.
Pegasus told her he was on the move, and she knew that meant Laxus knew she had ignored his order.
A punch to the gut snapped her back into focus and she went sprawling to her back.
Flicking her wrist, her whip coiled around her attacker's neck and she sent him sailing into Loke's Regulus Punch.
Large hands gripped her arms and hoisted her up.
"What the fuck did I tell you, Blondie?" He growled, electrocuting almost all of the mages circling us at once.
"And what did I tell you earlier! I'm a big girl! If we're going to be in a relationship you need to understand that I refuse to stand behind and be protected or coddled. I will not be ordered around, Laxus Dreyar." She said hotly, snapping another mage across the face.
The mage cursed and clutched at his nose, distracted by the sudden pain. Capricorn took him out with a simple punch to the face.
Laxus sighed. "Ok, I get it. I'm sorry. I've never been in a relationship before, remember? Worrying about you is different than worrying about my team or gramps, and I don't really know how to handle it without sounding like a demanding ass. I'll try not to order you around, you just need to understand that I'm more than a little overprotective of the people I care about."
An odd tingling sensation pricked at her back but she ignore it, 'Lucy Kicking' a woman in the face that tried coming at her with a blade.
"Ok, Laxus. I'm sorry I just took off."
"Can you guys have this conversation later? If you couldn't tell, we're kind of in the middle of a battle!" Loke yelled, narrowly avoiding a boiling stream of purple liquid.
"Right." The blondes said at the same time.
They fought side by side. The entire time, the tingling sensation spread through her back and chest. Only when it had spread to her arms and thighs did Lucy realize she had a problem.
"Shit!" She cursed as her body stopped seized and she fell to the ground.
"Lucy! You ok?" She heard Laxus call out to her.
"Laxus! Find the Archer. That arrow was definitely laced with something!" She called out hurriedly as her lips grew stiff and her vision grew hazy.
Relief washed over her when she heard Pegasus telling her they made it to the estate.
Not even a moment later, she felt all three Gates close and heard Laxus curse.
And then everything went dark.
Sooo. They're a thing now! I was very stupid when I said this chapter should be easier. Totally jinxed myself. I'm sitting here like, how the hell am I going to fit all of what I have planned into one chapter?
It finally hit me today. Make it have two parts! So next chapter will be 'The Snap: Part Two.'
The deal with Pegasus is simple. It's entirely realistic that Lucy picked up a few more keys after the guild disbanded and after it reformed. I won't make her have a bajillion new ones. Maybe just a few, plus the key she gets as a reward for their current mission.
Also! Yay for almost 400 followers!
Until next time!
