A/N: Alright, everyone. Bickslow has been tasked with staying clean for a week so he can ask Lucy out. Fingers crossed that he succeeds. Long note at the end, have a gander!
Today's song is
Starset: My Demons
(Here's the link on YouTube: watch?v=LSvOTw8UH6s)
Mayday! Mayday!
The ship is slowly sinking
They think I'm crazy but they don't know the feeling
"Bickslow, are you sure you will be alright?" Freed asked as Evergreen leaned heavily against him. "You don't look well."
He nodded quickly, his eyes downcast beneath his visor. "Yeah," he muttered. "I'm really sorry, Ever…"
"Sorry," his totems echoed sadly. "Sorry…"
The Fairy mage gave him a pained smile and patted his arm gently. "It's alright, Bickslow. It's just a couple stitches. I'll rest up and be good as new soon enough." When he stayed silent, her smile faded into a look of concern. "Hey, are you alright? You've been really quiet lately."
He nodded again, slower this time. "Yeah, I just… You got hurt because of me… If Laxus was here, then-"
"But he's not here," Freed said firmly, helping Evergreen limp off of the train and onto the platform in Magnolia. "We must learn to work together without him, Bickslow. He isn't coming back."
"I know!" Bickslow snapped. "Fuck, Freed! You don't need to fucking remind me…" He grimaced and shouldered past his teammates, walking quickly away from the station.
"Bickslow, wait!" the totems shouted, flying off after him.
Evergreen scowled and smacked the Rune mage with her fan. "Why did you have to say that?" she hissed. "You know he's still upset about it."
Freed's brow drew together as he watched Bickslow disappear into the crowd. "I just meant…" He sighed and shook his head, carefully leading the Fairy mage to Fairy Hills so she could rest. "We're all upset that Laxus is gone, but… It has been a month, and he has yet to contact any of us. Have you tried calling him?"
Evergreen nodded. "Every day," she whispered. "He always answers when I call, but…"
"He hasn't."
She sighed and looked toward the setting sun. Their team just wasn't the same without Laxus. And it was because Bickslow wasn't the same without him there. He was still energetic for the most part, but he'd clearly been distracted during the mission. It was their first mission as a team without the Slayer. Their first mission in years that wasn't an S-Class. And the first mission since Bickslow had woken up from his coma. It wasn't supposed to be that difficult, but with the lack of extra muscle that Laxus provided, along with Bickslow clearly not being a hundred percent… Everything had gone wrong. Freed had barely had time to put up his runes before the enemies had arrived. She had been the bait, but there was a man that was immune to her petrifying gaze. Everything went wrong, but they were still able to get through it.
"I have asked Master Makarov if Laxus has contacted him," Freed said softly, "But he has informed me that… He doesn't expect anything. In fact, he hopes that Laxus doesn't do it."
"But why?" she asked. "We need him. Bickslow obviously needs him…"
"I do not know," Freed sighed. "Did… Did Laxus ever tell you what his medical condition is? The one that has put him in the hospital before…"
"No," she huffed. "And when I asked Bickslow about it, he just brushed it off. There's something really wrong, Freed."
He nodded slowly. "Would you like to stop by his apartment?" he asked. "Maybe we can get him to talk to us…"
She nodded quickly, leaning more heavily against the Rune mage. "Yeah. I'm really worried about him…"
Freed carefully led Evergreen through Magnolia, taking side streets to avoid the crowds in the marketplace. "What do you think it could be?" he whispered, pausing in his step and lifting Evergreen into his arms. She squawked and hit him with her fan again, but he simply stared at her blankly before continuing on their way. "Epilepsy could explain the seizure…"
"Or maybe…" Evergreen sighed and rolled her eyes. "I don't know, Freed. Whatever it is though… I think Laxus was keeping it under wraps for a reason. I just don't get why he wouldn't tell us about it before he left."
Freed sighed and stayed silent for the rest of the walk. It was nearly dark by the time they reached the apartment building Bickslow lived in, and he carefully set Evergreen down on the steps while he opened the door. Once they were inside, he walked over to apartment B, and knocked sharply.
There was no response.
Freed knocked again. "Bickslow? We need to talk to you…"
Evergreen sighed and shook her head. "Freed, he's not going to answer."
"It is possible he went to the guild," he supplied while turning to help the brunette back out to the street.
"And if he's there, then we can't talk to him about it," she huffed, glaring at her companion when she was lifted into his arms again. "Natsu and Gajeel will hear it, no matter how quiet we are… Besides, I look horrible."
Freed chuckled. "You look beautiful, as always, Evergreen. But I will escort you home, if you would prefer resting." When she nodded and leaned her head against his shoulder, he let out a soft sigh.
He was truly worried for Bickslow. There was something they were missing, and it was starting to affect him even more. Bickslow had never been like that on a mission before. He had been distant, detached. He had been nervous. Constantly wringing his hands or tapping his feet. Tension had radiated from him, but Freed had assumed it was simply that Bickslow was concerned about not being ready for a mission so soon after being released from the hospital. Or that they didn't have Laxus with them. Maybe it was both, but what had happened… Freed never would have thought that Bickslow could get so distracted during a mission. He was always so focused while they were facing off against enemies. Yes, he joked around and laughed in fights, even while taking bone-crunching blows, but this time…
This time, Bickslow was silent. Brooding. He'd been sweating and twitchy, chewing more and more gum as the days went on. Two days, they'd been on the mission. Just two. It was short in comparison to what they'd done before, with Laxus. They would have gone on a mission sooner, but Lucy had called Freed to let him know that Bickslow was spending some time at her apartment for a couple days. She hadn't wanted him or Evergreen to worry about Bickslow disappearing again.
He just couldn't understand how Laxus disappearing would make Bickslow act this way. All three of the Raijinshuu members were devoted to the blond, in their own ways. Freed was clearly more outspoken about it all, but Bickslow was the closest to him. Was that why this was happening? Because the Seith mage wasn't able to contact Laxus? There had to be more to this. Laxus being gone just didn't explain Bickslow's actions.
As Fairy Hills came into view, Freed looked down at Evergreen and gave her a small smile. "We will find a way to help him," he whispered.
"Maybe we should ask Lucy," Evergreen mused. "She's been spending time with him, so maybe she knows what's going on."
Freed set the Fairy mage down at the entryway. "When we see her at the guild," he said with a nod. He knocked on the door to the girls' dormitory, then sighed as the older woman that ran the place - and ensured that no males were granted entry - pulled the door open. "Evergreen will need assistance in reaching her room, ma'am. I have come to escort her as far as you will allow."
"No boys allowed," she sniffed.
"Very well." Freed turned to Evergreen. "I will be by tomorrow. Please call when you are ready."
Evergreen smiled softly. "You've got it, Freed. Thanks."
"It is no trouble at all." Freed nodded to the older woman, then turned and made his way back toward his own apartment in the center of Magnolia. They would find a way to help Bickslow. They had to.
They're all around me,
Circling like vultures
They wanna break me
And wash away my colors
'This is all your fault.'
'Worthless idiot.'
'Look at you. Can't even handle a simple mission.'
Bickslow's hands clenched at his sides and he darted down an alley, leaning heavily against the wall. He'd been walking for half an hour by that point, and all he could hear were voices. Whispers of doubt, placing the blame on him for what had happened. "Sh-Shut up," he whispered.
'You need it… Don't deny it.'
'Just do it. It'll make the pain stop.'
'Stupid piece of shit. You can't do anything right, can you?'
"I s-said shut up… Shut up, shut up…" Bickslow slid down the wall, his hands held to his head. "Babies… Make it stop…"
The totems hovered in front of him worriedly. "Bickslow, it's not real."
'Isn't it? I feel pretty real…'
'Ha! He's gonna cry!'
It wasn't his fault that he couldn't focus on the mission. The drugs made him focus. They helped push everything else to the side so he could finish the job. He was faster, stronger, more agile while stoned out of his fucking mind. He wasn't afraid of anything, and nothing could hurt him. Everyone else just moved so slowly while he was all geeked out and flailing like a son of a bitch.
But Evergreen had gotten hurt, because he was supposed to go with her while Freed tried to rush through the last of his runes. "I was supposed to have her back," Bickslow whispered. And he didn't. He stood there like a fucking idiot, until Pipi started yelling at him that Papa and the others were trying to help her. He'd rushed off, and transferred Popo into one of the guys' crossbows, then the others into his bolts. Each of the enemies got a shot to the foot or hand to incapacitate them.
Then he heard her crying out in pain. He'd turned and saw blood pouring down her leg, and an arrow sticking through her slender calf. Instead of finding out where it came from, Bickslow rushed over to her and promptly flipped his shit that she was bleeding. His head was almost taken off because of it, but his babies had stopped it.
Freed was finished just in time, and came to take out the enemies. He did all the work. Bickslow just got in the way.
'Of course you did. You're always in the way.'
'Hey, isn't that what they used to say about you back home?'
"Shut up… Don't talk about that," Bickslow whimpered. His eyes clamped shut and he started rocking back and forth, his trembling hands balled into fists as he hit the wall. "D-Don't…"
"Bickslow," Pupu said sadly. "What's wrong?"
"What doesn't he want to remember?" Popo whispered to the others.
Bickslow slammed his head back into the wall, hoping to get the images in his head to vanish. To just leave him right the fuck alone. He didn't need to remember it.
*.*
She flipped her long blue hair to one side and huffed, "God, will you just get out of the way? Go do your homework, or something. I'm busy."
"But, Mom…" Bickslow whimpered. "I-I'm hungry…"
"You know where the stove is. Have fun."
"B-But…" His stomach groaned. "I can't reach the thing to turn it on."
"Shit, Joy... Since when did we raise a goddamn crybaby?" The man sat back, counting out the deep green bills in quick succession. "Bickslow, get the fuck outta here!"
"I-I just… I'm hungry… Dad, can you-"
"Go away!" his parents bellowed. Bickslow ran to his room, tears in his eyes as he slammed the door shut. He would go without food again… It was only the third day, after all…
*.*
"No," Bickslow whispered. "N-No, don't think about it… Fuck… Just… Ever's alright… She's fine. It's just a couple stitches. Just a couple. She's alright. Everyone's alright."
"Bickslow," the totems hummed, their worry growing as he started rambling. "You should call Lucy."
"Can't," he said, shaking his head quickly. "Sh-She can't see me like this… It… I'll scare her away…"
"She won't be scared of you," Pepe said gently. "She wants to help."
'Lies… Don't listen to them. She doesn't want to help.'
'There's nothing wrong with you.'
'Hey, isn't that Axel? Oh, hell yeah!'
Bickslow shook his head and kept his eyes shut. He didn't need his dealer. No, he could do this. He could! "N-No, just… Just shut up," he whispered. His skin was crawling again. The voices were egging him on, and he knew it. Pushing him to rush off and get just a little. It's all he needed. Just a shot… He didn't have needles though. He'd need to get more…
"Bickslow," Pipi whimpered. "You've only got a couple days left."
"You've gone five days without it," Papa said gently. "You can do it."
"F-Five days…" Had it really been that long? He'd gone five whole days without using. Five… That was more than he had in a long while… Well, without being in the hospital. Five days of being out and about, and he hadn't used. He was doing great!
'C'mon, dumbass! Just go see him! You just got paid for that job… You know you want it.'
'Yeah, the job that you almost failed. Idiot.'
'Heh, look at him… He wants it. Don't you… You want it so bad…'
"No, I don't," Bickslow ground out. "I don't…"
'You could've gotten everyone killed…'
'All because you didn't have shit on you.'
'You're nothing without it. Nothing…'
Bickslow shook his head when they started laughing. They were wrong. He was something. He was green. "I-I'm green… I'm…" He stared down at his hands, at the little pinky nail that Lucy had painted. The one that stood out so proudly from the other black nails, and shone more brilliantly because of it. She liked the way he was without all the layers. He was special. He was…
'There's nothing special about you.'
'You're delusional…'
'Crazy, actually.'
"I'm not c-crazy… I'm not…"
*.*
The doctor walked into the exam room. "You know why you're here, don't you?"
"N-No…" Bickslow whimpered. "I wanna go home."
"Well, that can't happen just yet."
"This thing itches…"
"That's to keep the other patients safe, Bickslow. You could hurt them."
"I-I wouldn't do that. Papa will tell you. He… He'll tell you. I'm good. I promise."
"There's no one there, Bickslow."
"Th-There is! Papa will t-tell you! I'm n-not crazy!"
"He needs to be sedated," the doctor sighed, turning and walking away. "You'll get better, Bickslow…"
"I'm… not…" His vision blurred when there was a pinprick in his neck. "No… S-Stop…"
*.*
Bickslow's eyes shot open when he heard someone calling his name. "No," he whispered to himself, watching as the slim man with shaggy moss-green hair sauntered over to him, rolling up his sleeves and showing off the large black chimera tribal tattoo on his forearm. "No, don't come over here… Please…"
"Hey, man. Annie's got some apple pie."
"Don't do it, Bickslow," the totems silently whispered.
"H-Hey, Axel… Uh, I'm good…"
Axel raised a brow, leaning against the opposite wall. "You sure? Fresh baked. I'll give you a slice if you want. On the house."
Bickslow frowned as he looked up at the man across the alley. "Why?"
He shrugged. "Too much pie. Whaddya say?" He chuckled and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Nice and hot, too."
'Look at that. You don't even have to spend any Jewels!'
'Pretty sweet deal.'
'He must really like you, Bickslow…'
"Um… N-No," Bickslow stuttered. He had to turn the guy down. He had to. Lucy was counting on him. She was waiting for him to make it a whole week. 'I can do it,' he thought. 'I'll say no, and that's that… I won't shoot up…'
"Really?" Axel asked, cocking his head to the side. "You look like you really need some pie though. It'd do you some good, man. Get some sugar in you."
"N-No, I…" Bickslow took a shaky breath, his eyes widening when a capped needle landed on the ground between his legs, rolling back across the alley a little ways until it hit his foot.
"Not much, I know," Axel sighed. "But you can trust me. This shit's clean. Filtered it myself."
Bickslow looked up at the green-haired man. "I-I don't… I don't use anyone's needles though."
He chuckled. "I know, man. That one's fresh. You've got my word." He shook his head while glancing to one side of the alley, then the other. "You're Annie's favorite, y'know? She'd beat my ass if I let something happen to ya. Almost took my head off when she found out you got a Suicide."
Bickslow pulled his feet closer to himself. "I-I don't want it… T-Take it back."
"Nah," Axel said, one corner of his mouth turning up into a small smile. "It's a gift. Special taste of Annie's new batch. She's cooking a lot these days." He turned and started walking towards the mouth of the alley, back to where he came from. "See you around, Crazy Eyes."
Take me high and I'll sing
You make everything okay
We are one and the same
You take all of the pain away
Bickslow whimpered as Axel's footsteps faded into nothingness. He looked over to see the guy was gone. He'd vanished just as quickly as he had appeared.
"Bickslow," Popo said angrily. "That guy's an asshole. Just smash it."
"Yeah. Or let us do it," Pipi chirped.
"We can go see Lucy," Pupu whispered. "She'll make it better."
Bickslow slowly reached forward, his hand quivering as he tried to grasp the little glass cylinder. He could hear his blood pounding through his veins, his heart racing as his anxiety peaked. He didn't want it. He really didn't. His babies were right. They could go see Lucy, and she would make it better. He didn't need to use this shit to get by.
'Are you sure about that?'
'Isn't she another person you hurt? You almost got her raped…'
'You broke her ribs…'
'Made her cry…'
'She sprained her ankle because of you.'
'Dumbass… She doesn't want to be with you. She'll hear about Evergreen, and realize what you already know…'
'You're not worth her time.'
'Remember what Loke said? Lunatic…'
"What would Lucy say?" Papa asked as Bickslow lifted the needle into the air.
He looked at the needle, tipping it from one side to the other and watching the few milliliters of clear liquid. "She'd say… I-I don't need it."
He could practically hear her soft, musical voice whispering to him on the wind. Smell her coconut and lime body wash, or perfume, or shampoo. "You don't need all those layers, Bickslow. We just have to find you a top coat."
"And she would be proud," Pepe said, pushing the hand the held the needle further away from his face. "She'll be so proud that you said no, Bickslow."
"Yeah, that's why we should go see her." Popo gently nudged Bickslow's side.
He winced. She would see that he was struggling though. Lucy wanted him to be strong, and stay clean. Then they could start dating. She didn't need to be his crutch. He didn't have to make her into something like that. Maybe he could really have an honest-to-god relationship with her. They could get closer, and maybe… Maybe he'd fall in love. He'd find out just who she was inside, and it could strike a chord with him. And then…
'Then you'll live happily ever after?'
'I thought you hated those stupid romance movies.'
'Titanic, here we come!'
'I'll never let go, Jack! Oops… My hand slipped…'
Bickslow's grip tightened on the needle. "Shut up. I don't have to listen to you…"
"Bickslow, no…" the totems whispered.
His eyes closed and he shook his head quickly. "Hold on, babies… Just… I can't think straight…" Dozens of disembodied voices in the air around him, millions of bugs beneath his skin, ghosts from the past. "S-Stop talking… Please…"
Around and around and around. Spiralling and making him dizzy. He felt sick to his stomach, to be honest. Evergreen… Lucy… Laxus… Everything he'd fucked up hit him from every angle. He was his brain's own shitty little punching bag. Back and forth, over and over.
Around.
And around.
And around…
Bickslow's eyes opened slowly while he pulled the needle from his arm. With how his heart had been pounding, it shot through him even faster. The rush. That amazing high… He chuckled right along with the voices as they drifted away. Each rapid thump of his heart, the pulse of his veins thrumming with his little dose of medicine. He was all better now… All better…
"Bickslow... Why…" Papa said, his little voice tinged with sadness. "Why did you do that?"
"She's gonna be so upset..." Pepe added.
Pupu sighed. "Bickslow, you said…"
"... You wouldn't..." Popo finished.
"Now you can't ask her out..." Pipi whispered.
He grinned and dropped the needle to the ground, his head lolling back against the wall. Licking his lips, Bickslow felt… amazing. "But now I'm flying," he whispered. "Whoosh!" This batch was even better than what he normally got. Cleaner. More potent.
"Best apple pie ever," Bickslow laughed as he stood up. He looked down when his totems didn't rise along with him, then sighed and put them in his pockets. "C'mon, babies," he chuckled. "Let's go have some fun…"
Save me if I become
My demons
I cannot stop this sickness taking over
It takes control and drags me into nowhere
Bickslow grimaced and licked his chapped lips, feeling the chilled night air brushing against his face and hands. Wherever he was at, it was uncomfortable as hell. 'Damn, did I sleep with my visor on again?' There was a slight weight that was pushing against his shoulder in quick bursts, causing him to groan and turn his head away. He didn't feel like dealing with this shit. Not at all.
"Oh, thank god you're okay," Lucy whispered.
His eyes cracked open slowly, and he was greeted with the sight of the sweet blonde that should have ditched his ass a long time ago, looking down at him with wide, worried eyes, and her hair hanging in full, thick waves around her face. He could see the night sky above him, but no buildings in his peripherals through the slats of his visor. 'I must be on a roof again…' But he remembered what happened. Oh boy, did he fucking remember it…
Trying with everything he was worth to not shoot up. Axel throwing a prepped needle at him, the bastard. Trying to ignore the voices and everything else. Pulling out the needle…
*.*
"Woohoo, this is so much fun!" Bickslow shouted as he bounded across the rooftop and leapt into the air. He miscalculated and hit his ribs on a fire escape, but it didn't matter. It didn't hurt all that much. He grinned when he saw the dimly lit alley a few blocks away, the bright blue light sitting outside one of the doors signalling just what the place was.
A warehouse. Not just any warehouse though. That little blue light was all he needed to know he'd be having a really good fucking time soon.
"I could go for a good round or two," he chuckled to himself, dropping down from the fire escape and walking briskly to his new destination. It didn't take any time at all to get there, and even less time for the door man to grant him entry. He was a regular, after all. Well, not as regular as most of the other people, but he was here once every month or so. Just for fun.
"Come back for more, huh?" Axel chuckled.
"Not from you, man," Bickslow laughed. "My Cosplayer's gonna be so fucking pissed when she finds out… I told her I'd be going the whole week without it."
"A cosplayer?" the moss-haired man asked, whistling when Bickslow nodded. "Didn't know you were into those."
Bickslow grinned, eyeing the crowd around them. "Sexy little blonde cheerleader with a whip. How the fuck do you say no to that? Sir Mixalot knew what the hell he was talking about though… That's for sure."
"Damn… You're lucky."
"Luck's got nothin' to do with it," Bickslow answered, his arm draping over Axel's shoulders. "I'm a man of skill."
"Well, I sure hope you'll put some of that skill to use tonight, Crazy Eyes," a thin woman with sleek, raven hair down to her hips said as she sashayed up to the two men.
"Annie!" Bickslow laughed, instantly letting go of Axel and wrapping his arms around her. "I love your pie!"
She laughed and shook her head as she was spun in a circle by the mage. "I run the best bakery in town. You know that."
"Hell yeah, I do!" Bickslow's gaze swept over the crowd again. "Good night to make some Jewels though, right?"
"I'd say so," Annie answered, nodding to Axel and sending him on his way. She looped one arm around Bickslow's and led him further into the crowd. "Well, for you…"
"Sweet. I wanna get my Cosplayer somethin' nice…" He grinned down at her surprised expression. "She's a fucking angel."
"Is she?"
"Mm-hmm!" Bickslow nodded enthusiastically. "She's the one that got me to the coats. Stayed the whole time, too."
"You know," Annie sighed. "Axel should never have given you that…"
Bickslow shrugged. "I asked for it. Heard from Philly about it last year. She said you had everyone keeping a dose on 'em."
"Have you seen her lately?"
"Nah," Bickslow said, licking his lips and bouncing on the balls of his feet. "She up and left a while ago. Thought she went to work at the bakery."
Annie sighed and shook her head. "No, but she's around, I'm sure." She tenderly patted his arm when a spotlight came on and started roaming through the crowd. "Axel told Mickey you're here. You're getting first dibs tonight."
Bickslow cackled wildly and kissed her rouged cheek. "You're a fuckin' saint, y'know that? Best baker ever!"
"You're damn right, I am," she laughed. "And a whole lot more than that. Have fun up there, though. I'll be making my rounds."
Bickslow hopped up onto the stage, then removed his visor and light blue skirt. He tossed them to one corner, then cracked his neck and stretched while he waited for the first person to step up. It wasn't long before someone did, and he grinned when he saw a scrawny little troller that frequented the abandoned docks every weekend. "Lookie here," he cackled. "Little X-Wing's come to play!"
"Kick his ass, Crazy Eyes!"
"Hell yeah! You got this shit!"
Bickslow felt his eyes beginning to glow, and crouched down, waiting for the bell to sound out. "This is gonna be so much fucking fun!"
*.*
Bickslow grimaced while he looked up at her. He'd fucked up… Just like he knew he would. "Told you I couldn't do it," he said, his voice gravelly. "You deserve better than me anyway…"
Lucy frowned when Bickslow rolled onto his side, facing his back toward her. She tenderly touched his shoulder, then slid her hand down to his arm. "Bickslow," she said softly. "Your babies came to get me. They said you were upset that Evergreen got hurt…"
"Just go, Cosplayer," Bickslow sighed, curling in on himself and pulling his knees to his chest. "No reason for you to be here. I fucked up, remember?" He sighed and closed his eyes. He just wanted this shit to end. "Just like I always do…"
"Why did she get hurt?" Lucy asked softly.
He grimaced again. "Because I couldn't focus," he whispered, shivering slightly when a gust of wind brushed past. "I just kept thinking about not getting more, even though I knew I needed to focus. Then it all started going downhill… Usually, I'd have something with me if I needed it, that way I could finish the fucking job and not get people nearly fucking killed!"
He sighed and shook his head. Bickslow always made sure to have a prepped needle or two on him while he was on a mission, depending on how long the mission was. It was his fault she got hurt. He didn't have anything on him to get his head in the game. "But," he continued, "My babies kept saying I couldn't do that if I wanted to ask… Well, it doesn't really matter now, anyway…" He sighed again. "Two fucking days," he whispered to himself. "That was it… I couldn't just go two more goddamn days…"
Lucy frowned and walked around him, then sat down cross-legged and gently grabbed his hand. Her frown only deepened when she felt just how cold it was. "So, why did you do it then?"
"Because I'm a fucking failure," he muttered. "If I could bring myself to move, I'd jump right off the edge over there. Then nobody would have to deal with this…" He grunted when her small fist connected with his ribs. Just his luck that it was the same spot he'd bashed into that stupid fire escape. "Punch me all you want, Cosplayer. It's my fault everything goes wrong. My fault Laxus left… My fault Ever got hurt… And you…" He shook his head. "I got you hurt, and… And it's my fault you're willing to scrape the bottom of the barrel, and date a fucking speed freak. Seriously, just find someone else… Loke's right about me... I'm not worth your time."
Lucy rolled her eyes. "Loke thinks he's the only one that's worth my time, Bickslow." She hated hearing him like this though. This wasn't anything she'd seen from him before, but it felt more and more like she was really starting to see into just who Bickslow was. She knew there was more to him than timid and dorky. But, was this what it was? Or was this from him coming down? "And that's not all your fault. I don't know about Evergreen, because I wasn't there. But, I make my own choices on who I do and don't want to date. I'm not scraping the bottom of the barrel. Trust me, there are worse people out there than someone that's addicted to meth. And… Laxus was kicked out, Bickslow. He didn't just up and leave."
"He hasn't come back either," Bickslow whispered, his voice quivering slightly. "Not even to make sure I'm okay. He doesn't give a shit about me…" Bickslow missed Laxus so damn much. He just wanted to have his friend back again. But the fact of the matter was, this thing… What he was doing… It ran so much deeper than just Laxus or Lucy or Evergreen. He had issues before he even met any of them, and each one was just proof that he wasn't good enough. "N-No one does…" He didn't deserve it anyway.
Lucy ignored the pain in her ribs and leaned forward, roughly rolling the Seith mage onto his back. She could see the surprise in the lower portion of his face - the only part she could actually see - but it didn't stop her from collapsing on top of him and pressing her lips to his. She hadn't really planned on letting something like this happen so quickly, but she just didn't see any other way to show him that he wasn't alone. That there were people out there that did, in fact, care about him. Lucy quickly realized a few things while she was kissing Bickslow, thankfully with only their lips moving over one another.
One, his wide lips - while slightly chapped - were utter perfection as far as she was concerned. Plump in all the right ways, strong and firm when necessary, but still so fucking supple. Just his lips were making her lightheaded.
Two, she hated his visor. It was freezing, and it kept touching her cheek or nose. Which, in turn, made her shiver and cuddle closer to him.
Three… his hands had the ability to warm her up in seconds. Her legs were tangled with his, and part of his blue skirt was covering her bare appendages. But his hands… One slipped up the length of her spine and his fingers threaded through her hair. The other slithered down and cupped one cheek of her ass, sending an involuntary shiver through her when his fingertips brushed over her skin from her clothes riding up slightly.
Bickslow's eyes slid open when he felt her lips leaving his. 'Now that was a fucking kiss,' he thought in wonder. He'd kissed plenty of women, but that… Whatever the hell Lucy had just done - with just her goddamn lips, for fuck's sake - was just… Perfection. Perfect enough to have his body waking up. Especially how nice it was to have her ass cupped in his hand.
His breath caught in his throat when she smiled shyly down at him, and he gulped when her hand glided down his body. She lightly patted his leg, and all he wanted her to do was move a little more to the center. Just a couple inches, really. Because that… Good god, would that brighten his day up fast.
Instead, he felt her reaching into his pocket. Her slender fingers brushed right against his thigh, and he froze. Everything froze for him. Back and forth, those little digits moved on a mission of some sort, and he was left utterly befuddled when she pulled her hand away.
Lucy put the stick of gum to Bickslow's lips after taking off the little silver wrapper. Once his mouth opened, she slowly pushed it between his lips, then reached up and unclipped his visor so she could finally see his eyes. Wide and staring at her in shock. "That's some of the worst morning breath I've ever encountered," she whispered playfully, a light laugh spilling from her when he rolled his eyes and started chewing.
'Well, damn it all to hell. So close!' Bickslow sighed while looking up at her. He hadn't brushed his teeth since getting back from the mission with his team, and he'd been able to taste blood in his mouth for a good portion of the night from the few rounds of brawling downtown. Of course his breath wasn't a walk in the park. Also, he tasted tacos. Apparently, he'd decided that he needed to have those earlier. "Why'd you kiss me, Cosplayer?" he whispered sadly. "Just trying to show me what I'm missing out on?"
If that was the case, then he could only hope she'd let him try again. He'd lock himself in a fucking room, and probably go batshit crazy while he was at it, just for the chance of staying clean and getting to ask her out. Just to feel her lips again. Ever since the first time he'd kissed her, while he was high off his ass and she met up with him to help find his babies, Bickslow had been wondering what it would be like for her to kiss him back. And now that he knew? He didn't want to let that shit go. Still, it was already too late. He knew she wasn't going to give him another chance. He'd gotten one, and he'd fucked it all up.
I need your help, I can't fight this forever
I know you're watching,
I can feel you out there
Lucy sighed as she pushed his hood back and started running her fingers through his hair. "You don't remember everything that happened, do you?" she whispered. When he narrowed his eyes at her with a frown, she shook her head slowly.
*.*
Lucy sighed as she settled herself in the tub, the bubbles sitting on the surface floating lazily and trying to crawl up her nose. Her eyes closed for a moment before she caught a flash of light. Then another. She frowned and turned to see if Loke had decided to open his own gate while she was in the bath again, then her eyebrows shot up in surprise when she saw the gentle pulse of her lacrima.
She reached over quickly, nearly dropping the orb in the process, and answered the call. "Bickslow, are you okay?" she asked quickly. She hadn't seen him or his team come back to the guild that day, and he'd assured her that he would call as soon as he got back - which should have been earlier that afternoon.
"Cosplayer!" Bickslow shouted happily. "How's it going, sexy?"
"Uh, fine?"
"Awesome! Hey, so I was wondering something. Is your favorite color really pink? Because your guild mark's pink, but you seem like a blue kinda girl sometimes, so I just wanted to know."
She blinked slowly. "Both, actually," she said carefully.
"Sweet!" Bickslow grinned, spinning in a circle. "Oh man… Dizzy…" he chuckled. "Hey, do you wanna come out with me? I'm at the park, but no one's here. And I wanna push you on the swing! Watch your hair go whoosh whoosh!" He licked his lips and jumped onto the seesaw, leaning from one side to the other.
She blinked again. "Are you high right now?"
"Me? Nah! I just had some great apple pie. Annie's the best baker in town!"
"So… you're high."
"Uh-huh! I'm tweakin' at the beacon on the weekend!" he cackled. "Total spun ducky right now!"
Her head cocked to the side in confusion. "You're… Huh?"
"Got the white cross and point, and slammed it real quick. Poked the dope and joked with some blokes! Well, no poking with blokes. I was alone for that. But still!" He laughed again. "Y'know what I mean?"
"I uh… I really don't, Bickslow." She shook her head. "Plain english… Are you high?" She was sure that he was, but she wanted to hear it from him.
"Mr. Banks would be so proud of my skills," he laughed. "Tuppance! Haha!" He sang loudly. "Some tuppance for paper and strings! La la, la-da-da la-de-da! With your fist holding tight to the…" He paused and grinned at her. "C'mon, Cosplayer! Play along!"
"So… You're high as a kite…" She sighed heavily when he nodded. "Bickslow…"
"Hey, don't trip, Potato Chip!" He cackled, throwing his head back, then suddenly his face fell into a somber expression. His visor was removed, and she could see his eyes flickering to green and back in the little orb. "I really screwed the pooch, y'know… I'm tweaking so fucking hard right now," he whispered sadly. "Just… One minute I was in that alley, and the next… BING!"
She watched as he visibly deflated, dropping to his ass on the seesaw with a playground in the space behind him. "Bickslow, do you-"
"I'm really sorry though. I told him no, but Axel was all like 'Annie's got some pie. Here's some free pie. No worries, man. You need the sugar.' And… My babies were telling me not to, and I didn't wanna do it, but then everyone else was saying yes! And he threw the needle right at me, y'know? I didn't want it though. I didn't wanna take it! And I just got all confused, and when I opened my eyes… I was done. Finished. I'm so sorry…"
"Bicksl-"
"... And I really do wanna ask you out! A lot. You're so perfect. Like… Perfect perfect! And I bet you taste like summer. God, I'd love to just kiss you. So fucking much. Or watch you wake up in the morning. Because really, you're gorgeous…"
"Bi-"
"I'm so lucky that we're even friends! I don't want you to ditch me. Please… Don't ditch me, okay? You just… You're so sweet! And I was trying really really hard. Like… Super hard, but I know I messed up real bad. And I kept hearing them telling me to do it, but my babies said not to. And then I heard you! And the top coat, because I'm all green and stuff. You told me I'm green. See?" He lifted his hand and showed her his nails. "I'm green and it's all black. I slipped though. I understand if you don't wanna go out with me now. And that you don't trust me…"
"Bickslow, that's-"
"But it's okay. It's all okay. Things don't hurt now. I can't hear them. And… Y'know, my parents were really fucked up? But, that's not the point. Well, it kinda is, but it's not. Because you… You wanted me to stay clean. Just a week. I went five days though! Five… I wanted you to be proud of me for making it, and… And I was gonna kiss you when I got to ask you out. Y'know, because it'd be okay for me to do it if you were my girlfriend…"
"Bickslow, slow down," she said with wide eyes. "Just slow down and gimme a minute to get dressed. I'll come get you, and we'll talk, okay?"
He sighed and looked at the lacrima for a moment. "Oh," he whispered. "You're… You're taking a bath… Sorry… I just… Well, I wanted to tell you that I fucked up so you wouldn't have any expectations or anything." He gave her a sad smile. "Thanks for believing in me though, Cosplayer. It was nice… Thinking I could make it. I had some hope for a bit, y'know? I liked that…"
"Which park are you at?"
He shook his head and stood up. "Doesn't matter… I'm… I'm just gonna go, okay? I'm gonna look at the stars. They're really pretty, just like you… I'll see you around…"
"Bickslow, wait!" Lucy sighed when the connection was lost, staring at the darkened lacrima. "Bickslow…"
*.*
Bickslow blinked when Lucy stopped talking. "I… I really called you?" he whispered. "I thought I was just imagining that…"
She smiled. "You really called me."
"But… Why would you kiss me? I wasn't supposed to do it, and I did…"
"Because you didn't hide it from me," she said, brushing his hair from his forehead when another gust of wind flew past them. "You called and told me that you slipped, and you apologized. You were sincere, Bickslow. And how upset you are right now? That just proves it."
Bickslow paused in chewing his gum when her lips gently brushed over his again. This had to be a dream. That was the only explanation.
She pulled back and smiled again. "I know it's early, but…"
Bickslow froze. His brow pushed together in confusion as he looked at her, taking in the light flush to her cheeks and her coy smile. Early… It was late as hell from what he could see. Unless… "You want me to…"
Lucy nodded. She had wanted him to stay clean for the whole week, but it was just an arbitrary time frame for him to work with. If he hadn't called her, then she would have gotten him to try again once she found out that he slipped. Maybe she would have made it only five days instead of seven the next time around. Or maybe she would have ensured that he stayed where she could keep an eye on him. Neither of those scenarios, or any of the other hundreds she could come up with, really mattered though. He'd called, apologized, and had been so sincere that she just couldn't deny him. It was obvious that he had really tried to do what she'd asked. And that it had been really important to him. She bit her lip excitedly when she saw his eyes go wide, and an ecstatic grin spreading across his face.
"You…" Bickslow laughed in surprise. He hadn't thought it would be such a big deal, but it was. He was so motherfucking happy! She forgave him for making a mistake, and he would still get to be with her. That meant he could actually kiss her. He could spend time with her, and it wouldn't be a big deal for him to call her when he needed help. Or even if he just needed someone to talk to. "Wanna go out with me, Lucy?"
Lucy gave him a matching grin. "How could I say no… You used my name!" His laughter was infectious, and she found her lips hovering over his again. She might not have had true romantic feelings for him, but damn was he a good kisser. And she'd only gotten to feel his lips. "Yes, Bickslow," she whispered as her nose brushed lightly over his. "But… Get your hand off my ass."
Bickslow chuckled and moved his hand up to her lower back, then lifted his head to finally get that kiss he wanted to give her. The way she melted against him was like heaven. He wanted to just keep going, plunge his tongue between her lips and get a taste of her for real. But he couldn't. 'Take it slow, remember? Gotta go slow with her. I don't wanna mess this up…' He couldn't let himself fuck up to the point of her leaving. He needed Lucy to be the one that kept him together. "How did my babies find you?" he whispered.
Lucy laughed against his lips. "You decided to climb my apartment building, Bix. Your babies came down the fire escape as soon as they could wiggle out of your pockets." She slowly turned her head to look at the totems that had settled themselves down on the rooftop once she'd seen him, giggling when Bickslow instantly kissed her cheek. "Thanks for coming to get me, babies."
The totems laughed and twirled around. "Cosplayer always helps!"
Her eyes softened, then she turned to look at Bickslow again. "I want you to know something," she whispered. "This is not a reward for slipping. I probably should have waited, but the fact that you were honest with me about what happened swayed my decision."
Bickslow nodded slowly. "I know," he whispered sadly. "I'm really sorry…"
"You'll get there, okay? I just don't want you to think that getting high, and then telling me after it happens, is really the right thing to do. I wanna know before you do it, so I can help you stop yourself." She paused for a moment, then lightly nudged his nose with hers. "If it happens, I'll help take care of you… But I want to know that you're really trying to make that change. Alright?"
Bickslow nodded quickly. "You got it, Cosplayer."
Lucy smiled down at him again. She was sure the nickname he'd given her was never going to go away. Even if they were dating. "Good," she said. "Now, let's get you inside and cleaned up. I bought a spare toothbrush for when you're over, and there's a new tube of toothpaste that's a little easier on your teeth, since you do it so often."
Bickslow chuckled. "Why do I get the feeling you're gonna spoil the shit outta me…"
She gave him a cheeky grin in response. "Because I probably will. Just ask Natsu. I yell at him for stuff all the time, but I still keep his favorite hot sauce in the pantry and fish for Happy in the freezer."
"Yeah, I heard he creeps into your bed too," he said with a smirk. He wasn't going to mention the fact that his babies had told him about Natsu actually catching them sleeping on the couch. She probably already knew about it anyway. "Talk about some level five creeping."
Lucy let out a heavy sigh of frustration, dropping her head to his chest. "He does. I'll have to nip that in the bud now that I've got a boyfriend."
"Well, you could always let your boyfriend take care of it for you," Bickslow chuckled. "Me and the babies can be pretty convincing."
She lifted her head slightly to look up at him. "Y'know what? Yeah... You can take that one on." With a soft laugh, she slowly pulled herself from his warm, comforting embrace, and stood up.
Bickslow finally took in just what Lucy was wearing while he sat up. It was no wonder he'd been able to feel her chilly skin so easily through her clothes, or why he'd gotten the slightest brush of her flesh against his fingertips when he'd been touching her ass. The little, slinky black silk chemise she was wearing had his mouth watering in an instant. Her breasts were nearly bursting out of it, pushing the boundaries of physics as they sat captive behind the lavender lace that ran across the hem. It was barely even long enough to cover her ass. Honestly, just that… Just the sight of her in something so damn alluring, with her creamy skin shining in the moonlight, already had Bickslow thinking he was going to die a happy, happy man. "Holy shit, you look amazing…"
Lucy's head tilted to one side in confusion, then she followed his line of sight and looked down at herself. She squawked and threw her hands over her chest and the apex of her thighs in an attempt at some sort of modesty. Of course… Of fucking course she would forget that she'd been lying in bed when Bickslow's totems had flown in through her window. Why she had even thought it would be safe to wear this was beyond her. Every single time she tried to wear something to bed that wasn't an overly large t-shirt and shorts, something happened. Gray or Natsu would show up, and then she'd be fighting to cover herself. Oh, well… Bickslow was now on the list of people showing up at inopportune times.
Sadly, every movement she made just failed miserably, so Lucy gave up altogether. With a roll of her eyes, she said, "C'mon. It's cold out here, and I need to wash your clothes."
Bickslow slowly stood up and followed her down the fire escape. He was definitely going to need a shower when he went inside, partially because he'd gotten a little dirty in his crazy running around - along with a little bloody from the fights he'd been in - and partially because he was finally realizing just how cold he was. Lucy didn't even really need to say it was cold out. He'd figured it out pretty quickly when he saw her chest. Okay, so he also needed a shower to get his body to calm right the fuck down.
He was frozen on the fire escape, just staring at the window Lucy climbed through. Apparently, the woman that was crazy enough to actually date someone like him was a huge fan of thongs… Even when she was wearing something like that sexy little nightie. 'There really is a god…'
"Yeah, there is," the totems giggled, slowly pushing Bickslow toward the window when he just stood there. "Get inside, Bickslow. You'll catch a cold out here."
"Yeah… Cold…"
"Oh god," Pepe laughed.
"It's a blessing and a curse to hear your thoughts, Bickslow," Popo giggled.
"Seriously. You really think she makes that face when she cums?" Pipi asked.
"Who cares?" Papa asked. "At least we know his imagination still works."
"And that he's a romantic!" Popo sighed.
"Yeah," Pupu agreed. "I didn't realize people actually fantasized about missionary…"
"Got that right," Pepe chuckled. "I always fantasized about anal."
"Goddamit, Pepe!" the other four totem silently shouted.
Bickslow shook his head and kissed Lucy's cheek when she handed him a towel, then made his way to the bathroom to get himself cleaned up. Once he was undressed, he folded his clothes and sent his babies out to Lucy with the little pile sitting on top of their wooden bodies, then hopped under the shower's warm spray.
He sighed as the water cascaded down his body, letting his eyes slide closed. That turned out to be a horrible idea though, and not for the usual reason. An extremely aroused Lucy was waiting for him just behind his eyelids, wearing that little nightie she had on, and holding the light lavender thong he'd gotten a glimpse of earlier in one hand.
"Damnit," he whispered. Bickslow bit his lip, looking down his body at his prominent arousal. He didn't want to take too long in the shower, but this… 'Just make it quick…'
"Oh my god, Bickslow," the totems whispered. "Really?"
"Shut up, babies. You want me to walk out there with a raging boner and nothing but a towel?"
"True," Popo said. "Oh, think about her boobs. Seriously, if I wasn't already dead… I'd willingly commit suicide in those…"
"Yeah… Uh, thanks. Hang out with Lucy. It won't be long," Bickslow answered.
"Not really something to be proud of…"
"Shut up, Papa," the little souls chided. "We'll leave you alone now."
Bickslow sighed and let his head fall back against the tile wall. His eyes slid closed and he bit his lips to keep himself quiet, then he let his imagination run wild concerning the sexy little vixen that he'd somehow managed to snag. 'Son of a bitch… Just her ass and I'm… Oh god…'
Yeah, it wouldn't take long at all… Not with what his mind was conjuring up.
Take me over the walls below
Fly forever
Don't let me go
Lucy adjusted her robe before making her way out of the kitchen when she heard the door to the bathroom open. She carefully set a plate down on the table, then looked up to see Bickslow leaning against the wall, brushing his teeth, watching her with a small smile. Wearing only a towel. 'Oh sweet mother of god…'
His hair was hanging limp and slightly damp over his forehead. It was quite a bit longer than she'd realized, but seeing it down like this was just… She drew a blank on how to describe it. Shaggy, thick, and highlighting his features even more than usual. Especially his eyes. She hadn't realized before that the small person-shaped marking on his face was actually the same shade as his hair. Then again, for whatever reason, she tended to forget that it was there while she was looking at him.
The fact that his chest was bare was most definitely not lost on the Celestial mage. In fact, that was what she found herself gaping at. Muscles. Good god, the muscles on him were astounding. A broad chest that tapered into thin, delicious, lickable hips. Cut in all the right ways. Even his arms. She could see the little scars here and there that she already knew about on his arms, but it was surprising to see some on his chest as well. A good portion of them were faded, barely there, but there were a few longer ones that wrapped around one side that were very obvious.
As her gaze travelled down, drinking in the sight of him just in case she never got to see this delicious morsel again, she paused when she saw a tattoo on his belly button. 'Oh my god, that's adorable!' There, in a circle that surrounded his navel, was a tattoo of five totems. Each one perfectly accurate from what she could see. All five of Bickslow's babies were there.
Once her gaze reached the top of the towel, Lucy forced herself to look back up. Boyfriend or not, she didn't need to be ogling him. No matter how sexy he was. Maybe it was because no one ever really saw him without all those layers of clothes on. He was definitely less bulky than he appeared normally, but she wasn't going to complain in the slightest. Nope. Not. At. All. "I-I figured you'd be hungry," she said, clearing her throat. "So… There's um… I heated up some leftovers."
Bickslow chuckled when he saw that she wasn't looking at his face. After his little escapade in the shower, he felt much more at ease. Even though the sight of Lucy wearing a robe could get him just as hard as that nightie that he knew was underneath it. With the toothbrush still sitting in his mouth, he said, "Thanks, Cosplayer."
Lucy took a deep, steadying breath when Bickslow turned around to head back to the bathroom, and blushed when she made a strangled sound at the sight of his back. Tan skin stretched over taut muscles that bunched with each step he took. Dimples just above the towel that was hanging low over his hips. And… 'That is the nicest ass I've ever… Oh good lord…' Her cheeks were flaming by the time he disappeared down the hall, and it didn't help that the little totems that had been keeping her company started giggling.
"He's a sexy thing, huh?" Pipi sighed wistfully as it floated up to hover behind Lucy with the others.
"All those muscles," Pupu purred.
"Lucky girl," Popo whispered.
Pepe chuckled and nudged Lucy's side. "I think I see a little drool, Cosplayer."
"Very smooth, Lucy," Papa teased.
Lucy rolled her eyes and went back to the kitchen to get herself and Bickslow some tea. "Thanks, babies," she laughed. By the time she'd finished preparing the cups and was bringing them to the table, Bickslow was walking back out. Still wrapped in a towel. The only clothing she that he could possibly wear belonged to Gray, which meant that it was way too small. Aside from the fact that Bickslow's frame was larger than Gray's in every respect, there was also the fact that Gray had no ass. And Bickslow… Yeah, he definitely did.
He sat down across the table from the blushing blonde, having been informed at length by the little totems that were sitting off to one side that she was apparently very affected by the sight of him in a towel. It really wasn't intentional though. He didn't expect her to have anything for him to wear, and it wasn't like he really minded walking around in a towel around her. His team? Yeah, he'd probably have an issue. But Lucy already knew about what was wrong with him, and she'd seen the scars on his arms, so what did it matter if she saw the other ones too?
He took a small bite of the reheated chicken, and instantly groaned in delight. "You're amazing," he said once the first bite was down. The way she tried to hide her blush behind her cup of tea had him smirking. He might not be as much of a pervert when he wasn't high, but he still enjoyed the fact that he could get her to make that face.
"So, what happened tonight?" Lucy asked softly. "Before you called, I mean."
"You mean, what was I up to?"
She nodded.
Bickslow frowned and took another bite of food. "I'm not really sure," he said. "It's all kind of a blur, y'know?"
Lucy's lips pursed in thought, but before she could say anything, Bickslow's totems decided to be a little helpful on the events of the night.
"You went down to Bluelight," the totems supplied.
"Oh! Yeah!" Bickslow chuckled. "I met up with Axel and Annie down at Bluelight."
Lucy blinked. "Bickslow, I don't know what that means," she giggled.
"Oh, right." Bickslow gave her a sheepish smile. "Sorry… Uh, Axel's my dealer. And Annie's the one that cooks it. She supplies everything to a few dealers, and they sell it. Pretty simple. Oh, and Bluelight's this warehouse downtown."
"So, what did you do there?" she asked curiously. It was definitely an odd turn in their normal conversation. Bickslow had never been this forthcoming about what happened while he was high, or the inner workings of things. Granted, the topic had never really come up before. She'd just never thought she would be sitting at her dining room table, talking about what he did while he was high as though they were a perfectly normal couple and he was telling her about his day at work. 'Definitely not a 'So, here's what happened at the office today' kind of thing…'
"Fought," he answered simply. When her eyes went wide, he laughed softly and lifted his arm to point to a bruise that was forming on his ribs. "I was doing a little brawling - just for fun. Made some pretty good money doing it, too. Annie gave me first dibs for the night, so I went for three or four rounds-"
"It was seven," Papa interjected.
"Right… Seven rounds. The big guys are usually the starters, but…" He shrugged. "Annie figured she'd help me out."
"She sounds like she does more than just cooking meth," Lucy mused thoughtfully, taking another sip of her tea.
"Nah," Bickslow chuckled. "She just cooks, but she's got really good connections. I guess you could say she's a VIP in places like that."
Lucy nodded. "So, did you win?"
Bickslow smiled at her. He hadn't expected Lucy to be able to just take what he was telling her the way she was. It was like it didn't faze her in the slightest. She was just learning more about him, and not getting angry that he was doing the shit he'd done. "All seven. Then Mittens came in - this really huge guy that I've never been able to beat hand-to-hand - and I dropped out. I didn't feel like getting pummeled."
Lucy laughed and shook her head. "Mittens?"
"Yep. I'm not sure where the name came from, but it sticks with you. Especially when you've seen the guy. Think Master going all Titan on you. Pretty scary." He shrugged and took a sip of his tea, then added, "No one really goes by their real name though. Some people are pretty recognizable, so you know what everyone's calling them is more for the sake of keeping their identities hidden from everyone else. I do know that Mittens' name is really Luther, though."
"So, what does everyone call you?" Lucy asked.
Bickslow's eyes began glowing and his tongue lolled from his mouth. "I'm Crazy Eyes."
"Of course you are," she giggled as the green light dimmed. The buzzer for the washing machine went off, and Lucy stood from her seat. "Lemme just go switch that over."
Bickslow nodded and finished eating while Lucy put his clothing in the dryer. It was nice being able to talk to her about this stuff. He hadn't really wanted her to know about it before, but… It seemed as though he was right. Lucy being his girlfriend had made him feel more comfortable. You were supposed to share things with the one you were dating, things about yourself and what was going on in your life.
Lucy walked back into the dining room and saw that Bickslow's plate was empty, then smiled. "Did you want another helping? There's plenty."
Bickslow nodded. "That'd be awesome. Thanks, Lucy." Within a couple minutes, she was back out with another large plate of food, and he couldn't help but laugh. "You're really used to feeding Natsu, huh?"
Lucy blushed. "Yeah. He tends to raid my fridge from time to time, so I've taken to just cooking extra, even when he's not here while I'm making it. That way I can minimize the amount of different dishes I have to wash later."
With that, the pair moved away from the topic of what had happened with Bickslow earlier that night. Bickslow was pretty quiet at times, but she really didn't mind. It only served as a reminder of just how different he really was when he was high. He spoke slowly now, a little slower than normal speech, but she chalked that up to how tired he seemed.
I need a savior to heal my pain
When I become my worst enemy
It was when Lucy was pulling his clothing from the dryer that she actually looked at the time. She hadn't really taken a moment to do it when she got out of bed, considering she'd been more concerned with getting up to the roof to check on Bickslow - even though his babies had calmly said he crashed, and that she would probably want to know where he was at. She carried his folded clothes out to the living room and set them down on the arm of the couch. "Um… I know it might be a little weird, but… Do you just wanna stay here tonight? It's almost three in the morning."
Bickslow blinked in surprise, both at the time and the offer of a place to sleep. He'd stayed at her place a couple times already, but it was still surprising. Whatever that batch was that he'd gotten from Axel, it was definitely fast. Fast high, and a fast crash. "Yeah, I can crash on the couch," he said. "Thank-"
"No, I mean… Well… Y-Yeah," Lucy spluttered. "The couch is good." She gave him a tight smile while she took the empty teacups from the table, silently scolding herself. 'Slow your fucking roll, Lucy. You don't need to get in the habit of sleeping with him. Before you know it, you'll be sleeping with him, if you don't calm your shit.'
"Hehe, she so wants to bang you," Pepe chuckled.
"Yeah, she does," Papa said. "Bickslow, you'd better treat her right."
"I'm gonna try, babies…" Bickslow looked at the doorway to the kitchen, then grabbed his clothes and made his way to the bathroom to get dressed. He only put on his boxers and pants, leaving the rest for the morning when it was finally time to head out. "You'll help me, right? I don't wanna mess this up."
"We'll help you!" they cheered.
"I know all about women," Popo laughed.
"Of course you do," Pupu sighed.
"I've never dated anyone, babies… I wanna do this right."
"No worries," Pipi said soothingly. "We've got your back."
"And Lucy loves talking to us, so if there's something wrong," Papa added, "Then we'll let you know, and you can fix it."
Bickslow smiled as he walked back out to the living room. "Thanks, babies. I love you…"
"We love you too, Bickslow."
Lucy dried her hands and found Bickslow already sitting on the couch, each of the totems sitting across his lap and wiggling slightly. "Do you need anything before you go to sleep?" she asked.
"Nope, I'm good." Bickslow watched Lucy fiddling with her fingers for a moment, then stood up and moved to stand in front of her. He smirked once she was pulled into his chest, watching as her eyes widened for a moment and her plump lips parted on a gasp. "Sweet dreams, Lucy," Bickslow whispered.
Lucy sighed into the tender kiss he gave her. Her hands were trapped between them, between the soft silk of her robe and the hard planes of his stomach, but not for long. When his fingers threaded through her hair, gently tilting her head to one side, she found her arms slipping around him of their own accord. His skin was soft, much softer than she would have imagined, and just when she was about to lose her damn mind and let her tongue glide out to tease his lips, she froze.
"Oooh," the totems crooned.
"So scandalous!" Pipi gasped.
"My virgin eyes!" Popo wailed dramatically.
"Guys, shut up!" Pepe hissed. "They're just getting to the good part…"
"Yeah," Pupu whispered. "I don't want to miss... a single… sound…"
"Go on," Papa chuckled. "Don't mind us…"
Bickslow's eyes shot open to stare at Lucy in horror when she went rigid, then the two mages turned their heads as one to see all five totems hovering mere inches away from them. Each of them mimicking heavy breathing.
Lucy probably would have screamed, if it wasn't for what she heard next.
The totems hummed a small chord, then began to glow and dance around while they sang in perfect harmony.
Sha-la-la-la-la-la
Don't be scared,
You got the mood prepared,
Go on and kiss the girl.
Sha-la-la-la-la-la
Don't stop now,
Slip her the tongue right now…
We'll watch you kiss the girl!
Lucy and Bickslow turned to look at one another again while the totems sang, both pairs of eyes wide. Their breath mingled, their lips mere centimeters apart. Lucy's lips twitched slightly, then Bickslow's followed suit. Between one moment and the next, they were laughing hysterically, then crumpling to the floor together.
"Well, that's rude," Papa laughed.
"A perfectly good serenade," Pepe sighed.
"Down the tubes," Pupu huffed.
"B-Babies!" Bickslow cackled. "Wh-What the fuck?!"
The totems floated down to the still laughing couple, the amusement clear in their little voices. "Well, it looked like you needed some mood music."
"And," Lucy laughed, "Little Mermaid was clearly the best option?"
"Exactly," they answered, their voices serious.
She sighed and rolled her eyes, then lifted her arm and pulled the five wooden totems into her and Bickslow's embrace. "You're too precious, babies."
Bickslow's heart warmed as he watched Lucy cuddling with the little souls. He still couldn't believe she'd agreed to be with him, but he was coming to realize that things would definitely be looking up for him with Lucy in his life. "Seriously though. What the hell?"
"You said you wanted our help," Papa answered.
"I didn't mean like that!"
"Really?" Pipi asked.
"You wanna do this right, then listen up," Pupu sighed.
"She was about two seconds from ripping your damn clothes off and fucking you into next week," Pepe chuckled.
"No, she was just gonna add some tongue," Popo said. "Maybe…"
"What the hell is wrong with that?" Bickslow asked.
"You just started dating," the totems said calmly. "So, you've gotta go slow. NO TONGUE YET!"
Bickslow sighed and lightly kissed Lucy's hair. "Bullshit…"
"Yeah, well…" Pepe said.
"Bickslow, if you wanna sweep her off her feet, then you've gotta take your time," Popo said softly.
"Super romance!" Pipi giggled.
"Give it a week at least," they silently whispered. "Then you can tongue her all you want."
"Oh god," Popo shuddered. "Way to perv out, Bickslow. We meant kissing."
"Be more specific then…" Bickslow chuckled when Lucy looked up at him with a sleepy smile. "Time for bed, Cosplayer."
She nodded and slowly stood up with Bickslow, letting the totems float back toward the couch. "Sweet dreams, Bix," she whispered.
"Sweet dreams, Cosplayer," he whispered back. After one far too short kiss that was nothing in comparison to what they'd just been doing, he pulled back and made his way over to the couch. He watched silently as she smiled and walked toward her bedroom, her fingers brushing lightly over her lips. After a few moments, he pulled the blanket down from the back of the couch, and closed his eyes. "Thanks for taking care of me, babies."
"You're welcome, Bickslow. Try to get some sleep."
Take me high and I'll sing
You make everything okay
We are one in the same
You take all of the pain away
Save me if I become
My demons
Aww, Bixy didn't make it! But, he still got the girl!
Tons of things this chapter. Freed and Evergreen caring about Bixy. More spiralling craziness on Bickslow's part, along with tidbits from his past. We got to meet his dealer, and see some of the things he does while stoned. We now know what that tattoo was that he got a couple chapters ago. And *gasp* LUCY KISSED HIM! Like the dickens, at that!
Also, the babies… Omg the babies… In case you're unfamiliar with The Little Mermaid, here's the song the babies were singing at the end. I changed the lyrics, because... Well, the babies... But still.
Kiss the Girl (YouTube): watch?v=lnjwlRA2z9k
The song that Bickslow references while he's high is from Mary Poppins.
Let's Go Fly a Kite (YouTube): watch?v=oBkSy3dnIY8
So, there were quite a few references to drug slang in this chapter.
-tweaking and flailing are terms that are associated with meth use.
-trolling is using ecstasy (sometimes referred to as E or X)
-white cross is another name for meth
-point and poke are synonyms for injecting
-spun ducky is something used to describe a person on meth
-coats isn't drug slang, but it is a term for doctors (who wear white coats)
I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! I'll see you in a little while!
And now... I have some announcements! There are two pairing weeks coming up, and I want you guys to be aware of two things: They exist. And I will be writing for them when I have the time!
~Lacy Week, December 2015~
A fabulous brainbaby from imurmisconception. Here is Lahar and Lucy Week! The dates are from December 6th, 2015 - December 12th, 2015. And here are the prompts:
Day 1: Pontificate
Day 2: Paperclip
Day 3: Trust
Day 4: Soap
Day 5: Enabler
Day 6: Order
Day 7: Sinner
Day 8 (bonus): Sweet
There really aren't enough Lahar and Lucy stories. The hair alone... Good heavens. I hope you guys will participate, even though there's really not much time before this starts!
~LaLu Week, January 2016~
XxShyxX is hosting a lovely LaLu Week in 2016! The dates are January 20th, 2016 - January 26th, 2016. Here are the prompts:
Day 1: Aquarius
Day 2: Devilish
Day 3: Dream
Day 4: Sparks
Day 5: Manga
Day 6: Games
Day 7: Prey
I can't wait to see what you guys do!
The next story to be updated is:
Poison Fairy
November 25th
So, Review, Follow, Favorite! I love you, guys!
~~GemNika