The Harvest Festival passed and the following week Laxus was kept busy being at his mates endless beck and call. He'd won two days in a row, still wasn't sure exactly why he'd won the first time, he hadn't even started working on her, the second time though he had worked for, having a tailor come from Elluris come out to measure him for his tux.
He'd known it would get to her, deliberately did it in the office right in front of her. He'd had the exclusive shop make other clothes for him, they had his measurements on file and he could have ordered what he'd wanted but he'd told the shop since it was for his wedding he wanted it perfect and they hadn't argued, had sent a tailor to measure him so the Tux would be perfect.
He knew he'd have to strip down to his boxer briefs too, Elluris was thorough and meticulous and since he was ordering shirts too the slender woman sent to get his measurements asked him to.
She didn't touch him once inappropriately, he did catch the scent that made it clear she definitely found him attractive and was enjoying her task but Lucy couldn't.
Never the less, when the woman was done and had left and he was putting his clothes back on Lucy had stopped him, tackled him to the floor even and he'd won that day.
But he'd lost the rest, the woman wore clothes that drove him insane at times, and twice he lost just because she was fucking gorgeous, he hadn't even seen her trying anything to get to him, but little things, like the damn pens falling on the floor. Holy shit, lucy on her knees with her ass in the air wiggling around trying to recover those pens…
The tie breaker came late, once already they had made it all the way through a day with both keeping their hands off each other, that time and this one, before he could consider sleep, he'd given up, he had to have her, couldn't go to sleep without her in his arms and once she was there that was it, his mind would recount all the times during the day he'd wanted to touch her, kiss her, tease her and he'd been unable to and then he just said. "You win."
He had to admit, she wasn't brutal about her victory, he would have been so much worse, but then Lucy just wasn't quite as merciless as he was, it was one of the things he loved most about her, something in her soul that had mended that part in him that had been broken when they had mated, a lot of his bitterness and anger was wiped away when he had sank his fangs into her the third time and sealed that mark.
So the festival passed, the bet was won by Lucy, whos mate found himself giving her nightly back and foot rubs, painting her toe nails and cooking and cleaning through the week. He counted himself lucky, her use of him was kinder than what he'd planned for her.
October was a buzz of preparations for Halloween, Erza started coming with Bickslow to help with the house and Lucy didn't miss the way the Re-quip mage stole glances at him, grinned when she saw Erza full on pale when Bix pulled his shirt off, he was working on getting jagged angles cut into a sheet of thick plywood and Laki was busy helping Elfman so he just picked up a saw and went to work, the shirt had come off after a few minutes because it was, honestly, warm in the house, they were trying to get some glues and paint to dry so the fireplaces and the heat were up.
Erza just stared at Bix had leaned a knee onto the low workbench to help hold the sheet steady while he sawed in the edges he wanted, Lucy could almost see the woman drooling. Bix cut a nice picture doing it too, enough Laki came up and stood by Erza watching him for a few minutes before finally stepping in to help.
The khaki colored cargo pants that hung low enough the waistband of his underwear showed, because of his origins, his skin held a tan better than most of the men in the guild and he was as tall as Laxus so a good sized man, watching those khakis stretch over that perfect ass, and the muscle flexing and stretching, sweat beading in places as he worked, yeah, the women noticed.
Lucy was smirking though seeing just how much it effected Erza. She knew the pair were getting along, it would be hard for anyone not to get along with Bickslow, even Erza couldn't resist the mans endless smiles and boyish charm.
She bit her lip and turned away, hoping her friend had the sense to see what was right in front of her. Because while Erza seemed to be confused but hungry for Bickslow she caught the Seith watching Erza at times with a smile that got softer than it did when he smiled at anyone else. There was a little pained sadness in the mans eyes too that tempted Lucy to talk with Mira and Cana about it, but Erza was still a little fragile to bring in the big guns.
Halloween was, as always, intense. Fairy Tail had never done more for the holiday, the Haunted house was jam packed from the moment it opened, they'd had to assign people numbers and send them out into the carnival, calling them over the guild loudspeaker when it was their turn to start through it.
Bickslow was set up as the bad guy for the place, aptly dubbed "The Puppet Master", his ability to move the babies souls around through things made him an incredible asset to the success of the place since random things got up and lunged at or chased people. Other members of the guild were throughout the house too, Erza terrifying people as the zombie blademaster that sent swords after them. Then of course, Mirajane, Lissana and Elfman were just perfect for their parts.
While most of the guild didn't actually get to just party like they usually did, everyone had tremendous fun and Lucy proudly handed over a very large amount of jewel to the reconstruction fund the following day.
November brought snow, and while the jobs had slowed like they usually did this time of year requests still came in and Laxus gathered the Raijinshuu, Lucy and, invited Erza to go clean out some dark wizards terrorizing a town East of Magnolia, bringing in large ice Vulcans and snowing the town in with a snow mage so authorities couldn't get to them because the train line to the area was, of course, buried under snow.
The trek into the town was pretty rough. Temperatures were painfully low and they didn't get relief from the deep snow until they made it into the woods around the town where it hadn't been able to drift up and accumulate as much.
They got in, but it took them 4 days from the town that had the closest train station before the one they were heading to. The actual fighting once they were in the town didn't really take all that long, with the Raijinshuu, Lucy and Erza the dark mages didn't last long.
Efforts began to dig the train line out immediately and Laxus came and sat with the group in the comfortable tavern that took up the first floor of the larger of the two inns in the town. "Ok, talked to the railroad officials and they say 3 to 4 days tops they'll have the train running in here again, I say we just relax and wait for it instead of trek out through the damn snow." He said, putting an arm around Lucy so she could lean into his warm side. They were sitting in a comfortable spot not too far from the large fireplace but lucy could still feel the bite of the cold they'd been out in for days.
Once they'd eaten everyone retired to their rooms. They had no rooms with two beds so Laxus and Lucy took a room and everyone else got their own.
Erza shed her clothes, easing into the hot tub and hissing as the steaming water hit her chilled skin. After a few minutes though she relaxed and let the water work through her tense muscles, closing her eyes and leaning her head back.
Recounting the battle she was startled by how easy it had been. They discussed their plans moved in while Bickslow had taken to the sky on his totems and once they engaged everything went smoothly. Everyone went where they had agreed they would and Bickslow had found and eliminated the snow mage to clear the endless blowing snow and the howling blizzard conditions.
The reward had already been paid, they were getting every jewel of it because nothing, not even a lamp post or a roof shingle had been damaged.
They had enjoyed a good dinner, drinks and all retired, she would have to work harder at getting Gray, Natsu and Lissana to follows plans out, because it had been a real pleasure walking through that so smoothly.
It didn't take long though for her thoughts to darken. Soon her best friend would be marrying the man Erza had known would one day work out for her. Laxus wasn't as good at hiding his interest as he probably thought he was and Erza wasn't as oblivious of such things as people thought she was.
She'd learned through hard experience to be observant…yet she had been blind sided by Jellals letter.
That stilled her pleasant mussing about Lucys approaching wedding. Her throat tightened and her eyes stung. He was not incapable of loving, was not afraid to, if he had been he wouldn't have fallen in love with and married Meredy.
He was just incapable of loving HER. Maybe it was their shared history, but even if that was part of it, Meredys dark past combined with Jellals didn't look very pretty on paper either.
She had never even been on a date, not once, no man had ever asked her. Lucy had dug into her upon returning with Laxus about not reacting so easily and harshly to things, told her she'd found out it was partly Erza who had kept Laxus at bay and that was Lucy, she'd been so terrible a Dragon Slayer had been hesitant about approaching his mate, the woman born to be with him. If she had that much of a repellant effect that it did that to Lucys love life, what had she done to her own?
The thought made her frown, she didn't want to be alone, she wanted someone to hold her, to tell her she was beautiful, make her feel like the woman she really was. How could she get that though when every man who knew her thought she was a stone cold bitch too dangerous to risk approaching in that way.
She could put on all the saucy cute sexy little outfits she wanted, nothing would get her the kind of attention she wanted, no…needed.
Had nobody come that night she got the letter, she would have happily spent the whole night wrapped in Bickslows arms, listening to him tell her it was all right, whisper whatever he'd said in his native language that had sent a shiver through her.
That soft kiss, it had calmed the chaos of misery in her so quickly. They had spent a great deal of time together since Jellals letter, he held her, seemed to know she enjoyed it, needed it, and she had come to love the evenings she had with him, curled on the couch watching whatever movies they would pick up to rent or buy from the store a few blocks away.
He'd lay back on the arm of the couch and she'd sit between his legs, lay back against his chest and many nights she fell asleep there, waking in her bed later. He'd convinced her watching movies that way was best. "We both get the prime viewing spot on the couch, don't need a bunch of blankets and everyone needs cuddle time Amazon." He had told her the first time he'd drug her from the other side of the couch.
"Besides, you keep sticking those icy toes on my legs, I'm doing it to protect my legs from frostbite."
She'd laughed, something she had never done as much as she had since she'd been spending so much time with the light hearted Seith mage.
It was a little shocking, she had always thought Natsu was the most light hearted person she knew, and he was, because Bickslow carried a hard past being a Seith so he wasn't all sunshine, however, unlike Natsu, there was nothing naïve about Bickslow.
He was light hearted, easy going, but had a razor sharp wit and a wicked side that could even make Laxus blush. He was skilled, talented, incredible to dance with, god the dancing.
He'd caught her a couple of times now, when she'd come in looking unhappy or just too serious and the music would start on the houses built in system and he'd suddenly appear and sweep her into his arms wherever he found her, once twirling her around the kitchen until she was laughing and breathless.
Then there was his body, dear god. The image of him bent over ply wood sawing that piece for the haunted house was one she had stored away. She'd even dreamt one night about him grabbing her and laying her on that sheet of wood while he made love to her. She'd woken up breathing hard, sweating and in need of a shower and change of panties.
He was handsome, with his exotic eyes and usually somewhat floppy dark blue and black hair, those lips, and dear Gods his tongue, she shuddered, she could remember what he could do with his mouth, and that had been while so drunk he could barely move.
She didn't know what to do, beneath the confident, haughty warrior was a woman who was just painfully inexperienced when it came to this sort of thing.
She had harbored crushes, when young Laxus had been one, then for a time it had been Gray but then Jellal had come back into her life and he had eclipsed everyone else.
She'd been so sure they were meant to be together, that fate had brought him back to her so they could help each other heal and find happiness. But he couldn't be happy with her, hadn't ever wanted her that way.
Now she was past that bad pain, it had dulled, a wound that would become another scar inside her.
She was so lonely, climbing from the cool water in the tub she let it drain and dried off before re-quiping into a soft set of pajamas. Grimacing at the clock, it was close to midnight now, she felt tears and loneliness far too hard inside her.
Frowning she knew she didn't want to be alone but would have to deal with it, crawling onto the bed she curled under the covers, hugging a pillow to her chest and crying softly into it until finally, sleep showed her mercy and pulled her away from her tears.
Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox
It was the first day in weeks that dawned clear for Peace Village. The people of the town emerged and dug into clearing the snow from the streets with vigor. Freed became a hero a second time when he was able to send clearing runes skittering over the streets that shoved the snow ahead of them into tall mounds out of the way.
It was so bright and everything looked so white and glittering under the snow once they had all eaten breakfast they filed outside to see what they might be able to do to help, well, except Laxus and Lucy, Lucy had said something quietly and Laxus had promptly ushered her back upstairs.
Evergreen had fairy fire that she used sparingly to help thaw things as Freed uncovered them and Erza pitched in with some wide bladed axes that served well to get through some of the more stubborn areas while Bickslows babies squealed and careened about blasting back large drifts, clearing the train station and a large enough section of track that he was, to the utter awe of the railroad employees at the station yard, able to put Papas soul into a large track plow and lift the thing up so it could settle onto the tracks and start doing its badly needed work.
Erza smiled as she dispelled her axes and brushed snow from her pants. Freed was doing much the same, trying get his fine dark red coat brushed off. "The townspeople are already opening up their businesses, by the time the railroad gets the track cleared through to the town everyone should be ready to get back to life as usual." He commented.
She was nodded and about to say something when she was suddenly struck by something that sent her hair partly out of its neat ponytail and left all of her efforts at clearing snow off herself in vain.
Turning burning eyes in the direction of where the snowball had come from she found the Seith mage biting his lip.
"Totally meant for Freed Amazon, you just stepped into it…" He said a little sheepishly but was unable to hide his snicker.
Erzas eyes narrowed, a sadistic grin curling her lips "You will know pain…." She declared scooping up some snow. Bickslow didn't pale or run though, his answering grin sending a thrill through her.
"Oh you think you can out play me at a ranged fight? Bring it woman!" He cackled and she had to roll to avoid what he threw, Freed, still watching wide eyed, was knocked over backward.
"You missed!" Erza shouted, ducking to a nearby building where there was adequate snow to provide ammunition.
"Bullshit, I just hit the target I'd wanted the first time!" Bix shot back, ducking what she shot at him.
An epic battle ensued, there were many casualties early on that rapidly became opponents. Freed was one of them, glaring angrily at the Seith he ducked behind the frozen fountain in the middle of the courtyard he had just fallen into (and was grateful it had been frozen solid when he did).
Evergreen got involved, and then several children and a few merchants, soon snowballs were raining down everywhere.
Erza landed several good hits on the Seith, but he was fast, agile, and as he'd warned, deadly at ranged combat, his accuracy left her wondering if he'd really meant that first snowball for Freed or not.
He was also, because of his sheer size being the tallest biggest man involved in his flowing black fur lined cloak, visor and purple plumed hood, the children's favorite target. He was damn good at getting his babies into it though and they helped deflect some of the snowballs but soon he was being chased by a pack of determined children while he laughed and was finally drug to the ground and buried under squealing kids.
He emerged with a roar, hoisting one over his shoulder and trying to walk but had children wrapped around his legs and waist and dangling from the arm holding the one over his shoulder so he didn't get far and finally surrendered.
Collapsing back on some snow trying to regain his breath while the children raced to some adults who had brought out some sleds for them.
Erza came and stood over the Seith grinning. "You have been vanquished." She observed.
"Like hell, it was a mutual cease fire that involved hours of brilliant debate and negotiation. I am biding my time awaiting the true enemy." He replied not moving but smiling.
"Is that so?" She chuckled,
"Lure them in and attack!" He cried and she was suddenly covered in snow as his long arms swept up a mass of it and hurled it over her, he dove in at the same time grabbing her around the waist and hauling her down into the snowbank proceeded to try and cover her in snow.
Screeching she wrestled with him and no longer at range, he was at a distinct disadvantage and lost ground, finally getting pinned by the grinning redhead who slammed his gloved hands down on each side of his head, straddling his waist.
Her panting grin faded though and she released his wrists, reaching up to shove the visor back so she could see his face, his eyes before she lunged down and kissed him.
She had no idea what possessed her, Bickslow had become a good friend, her greatest support as she'd come to terms with Jellals confession. He'd kissed her a few times since the letter had come but always soft simple kisses driving home his support, or friendship or just wishing her a good night.
She had no right to kiss him, she'd talked with Lucy, agreeing that her friend was right, she couldn't put Bickslow into the position she had tried to the night the letter had come, it wasn't fair to him.
If she was walking away and wanted to remain friends with the man after they had gotten through the whole marriage thing she had to respect him as much as he did her, and he'd shown clearly he wouldn't take advantage of her.
He could have, she would have gratefully taken him into her bed and lost herself in a heated physical relationship, hell for a short time she had wanted that so badly with him she'd attacked the man in his room while he slept and tried to force herself on him.
But like the night they married, he didn't, he fended her off. She remembered that night as well as the other. Gray and Cana were already screaming in each others arms in their room in the suite they'd gotten and she and Bickslow were kissing their way through the last of a Boscan Chocolate bar, hands wandering wickedly but he'd stopped her when she'd tried to start removing her clothes.
"No…no, not again…don't want meaningless sex with you Amazon…I want more…wont settle for cheap shit, not with you…" He'd kissed her, sent her breath right out of her with it then pulled back "You deserve better." He'd said firmly, and they had made out for a while longer, keeping all of their clothes on until they had finally passed out in each others arms.
So she knew where he stood, that he wouldn't take advantage of her even when she wanted him to and wouldn't let her take from him the meaningless things she'd thought she wanted.
He was so special to her now, and while his mouth felt so good, his lips warm and willingly kissing her back she was suddenly afraid she would ruin what she had with him. She had plenty of male friends, but none like him, and the cuddling, hugging, soft kisses she got from him were things her female friends just couldn't offer her, they were things she reveled in, had come to look forward to.
This was not a sweet friendly kiss though, she had kissed him with ferocity, hunger, and he had answered it with his own.
She pulled back, biting her lip as soon as she did and his soft smile made her melt down, burying her face against his neck as his arm closed around her.
"It's ok…God woman what you do to me…" He chuckled and she pulled back, relief at his still light open tone flooding through her.
He sat up, bending his knees so she settled nicely in his lap and drug his visor and hood off as he did since it was sitting askew now annoying him. Dark blue hair fell over his right eye and his smile held as he regarded her.
"I…I'm sor." She started but a gloved finger over her lips stopped her.
"I'm not…and I don't want you to be. You interested in me Erza? I sure as hell would like to see if we can make that work if you are but I've told you before, I wont settle anymore for a cheap roll in the sack, no…you deserve better, Fuckin Jellal may not have wanted you, but I do and I'll take the chance to show you if you give it to me?" He was still smiling, holding her chin in his gloved hand, idly running his thumb under her bottom lip.
She couldn't speak, didn't have any idea what to say, could only nod and he leaned in and placed one of those sweet soft kisses on her lips. "When we get back….hows a night out sound? Dinner and some dancing?" He asked, his eyes were hopeful and she smiled shyly "a…a date?" She asked.
He nodded "Yeah, a date…what do you say Amazon? Gonna give me a chance?" She grinned, trying to keep tears from forming and hugged him, thrilled when he laughed and his arms closed around her again.
She hadn't ruined anything, awkward and confused and lost as she was in these waters she found herself in, he'd steadied her, and the woman no man seemed to want was absolutely giddy at the idea that she was now looking forward to…her first date.
When they got onto the train two days later to go home she drug Lucy and Evergreen off well away from the men under the pretense of going to the dining car for food and the men let them go.
Laxus leveled a hard look on Bickslow "Allright, what the fuck did you do?" He demanded. Bickslow turned his head back to meet his friends hard stare, he'd been distracted watching Erza walk away, he'd never really noticed how nicely that blue skirt moved over her when her hips swayed…
"I don't know what you're talking about boss." He said, smiling, he didn't care either, Erza had agreed to a real date with him and he was over the damn moon about it.
"You did something, Titania has been smiling more than I've ever seen her in my whole damn life, blushing and I've even heard the woman…giggle…you did something…. You didn't cave and sleep with her did you?!" He demanded, knowing as he said it that he hadn't, he would have smelled it if the Seith had given into the somewhat frequent sad eyed advances Erza had been making toward him, granted less and less though since that letter had come.
"No, I said I wasn't letting that shit happen and I meant it…but she'd settled down since the festival, gotten through it…all I did was…ask her out." He admitted.
Laxus and Freed both gaped at him. "On a date?" Laxus asked. Bickslow snorted "No to an orgy…shit, yes a date…I'm thinking dinner at maybe The Garden or one of those new places at the resort, then dancing, she's gotten pretty good and seems to like dancing now." Bix smiled again thinking about it.
Erza had come pretty far with him teaching her, she was a good partner now, hadn't stepped on his feet in a while.
"You're taking Erza Scarlett on a date….do you have a death wish Bickslow?" Freed asked seriously. As forward as Bickslow could be and as seriously as Erza usually reacted to those sorts of things, all Freed could see happening was his team mate and friend chopped to pieces somewhere during the date.
He was surprised by his friends' frown. "She's not like that Freed, well…ok sometimes she is, but she's still a woman ya know, fucking gorgeous one too, I know what I'm doing and it doesn't involve any of my admittedly abundant flirtations with death." Bix snapped.
Laxus folded his arms over his broad chest and smiled "A date huh? You sure she's…ready? And if so…you sure you want to pursue that?"
Bickslow actually sobered, it wasn't often he took on a thoughtful look, but both of the men sitting with him knew him well enough they knew it meant all joking and facades were gone.
"I believe she is, and yeah…if I can…I'm not afraid of her, I mean, I respect her, but under the armor and swords, she's still a woman… I have no idea if it'll work, but I'm going for it. What's the worst that can happen?" He grinned.
"She could castrate you for making a lewd comment and leave you to bleed to death." Freed dead panned.
Bickslow drew a breath "Well…yeah…but I mean aside from that?"
"She could decide to take out her relationship frustrations on you and fuck you to death, I've been on the receiving end of one of her kicks, Lucys better at them but I'm betting she could crush you between those legs." Laxus smirked, Bickslow paled a little at that one, he'd felt those legs vice like grip.
"Ok…I don't like the way this conversation is going, I'm gonna find the lady with the cart selling alcohol." Bickslow declared, rising and heading down the isle in the opposite direction the women had gone.
"Bring me back a beer!" Laxus called "Scotch for me!" Freed added, looking at Laxus "The stability rune may not hold you as well if you drink Laxus."
The Dragon Slayer shrugged "Worth it." He said simply. Freed had worked out a stability rune that almost cured Laxus of his motion sickness when they travelled but Laxus needed to not move around much and eat lightly if at all to maintain it. Right now though, hell with it, he wanted a beer.