Cross Point

by GemNika

Just after Laxus' expulsion from the guild, Bickslow finds himself staring death in the face. The only one that can save him is a blonde. One that he'd never imagined being in his life. But once Lucy finds out the truth about him, will she stick around? Or will she leave him behind, just like everyone else? (See Chapter 1 for details and warnings)

11. Zip-Lock

A/N: So, I'm super sorry that you guys had to wait a little longer for this chapter. Please forgive me! Things got a little hectic again, and I was struggling with a portion of the chapter. Sorry that it's late! BUT, it's a nice long one… So, hopefully that makes up for it!

Today's song is
Lit: Zip-Lock
(Here's the link on YouTube: watch?v=MTuQ870EHRY)

---

I've been stealing
Time where I can get it from

---

Bickslow winced as he made his way toward the guild from the clinic he'd stopped at. Why he'd let his babies convince him this shit was a good idea was beyond him at that point.

"Because you've never had sex without being high as hell," Papa silently chided.

"Seriously, you could have anything," Pupu added worriedly.

"Babies, not really helping…" And that was the problem. They were right, and he knew it. As soon as he and Lucy woke up, they'd eaten a small breakfast - with Bickslow saying he wasn't all that hungry since she'd made sure he ate the night before when he came down from the roof - and then parted ways. Lucy was heading to the guild, and he… Well, he'd listened to his babies.

They were telling him for a good portion of the morning that he needed to get himself tested. He'd been using since he was fifteen, and the drugs made him really excitable. Six years worth of it, and not once had he been clean while he was with a woman. He wasn't sure if he'd always used condoms, or if he'd been careful in the slightest more often than not. And that was absolutely terrifying once his babies put it in perspective for him. So yeah. He took that shit to heart and all but ran down to the clinic downtown to get himself checked out.

One strip of disgusting, salty paper on his gums for a minute. One Vulcan-sized Q-tip in his dick, just swirling around and acting as though it was a rolled up piece of fucking sandpaper. And instructions to come back the next day for his results. And that was that.

He had to wait a whole day. Bickslow wanted to stay clean while he waited though. He wanted to get this shit right, and do the right thing for Lucy, for his girlfriend.

"Getting tested is a good start," Pepe chirped hopefully.

"Yeah, she'll see that you're serious about this," Popo chimed in.

"I'm sure she'll be happy to know that you were thinking about something as serious as that being a possibility," Pipi said. "If I was Cosplayer, I'd be happy that you were thinking about my health, too."

"Very true," Bickslow sighed aloud. He didn't want to think about this though. He got the tests done, and now he just needed a distraction. He needed something to keep him busy so he wouldn't just rush right off to Axel and buy more. Something. Anything.

"Mission! Mission!" the totems giggled.

Bickslow grinned at that. A mission… He could do that. Except, they'd only just gotten back from a mission the day before, and Evergreen was still hurt. 'Yeah, and that shit's my fault…' No, he couldn't think about that. He needed to remember that she'd said she would be alright. He could do this though. Just go up to Freed and tell the Rune mage that he wanted to take a quick mission. Just something until tomorrow. One night away. In another town. Where he didn't know where to go to get his fix.

He'd need to pick up some gum though. Maybe a notepad and a pen to just doodle and keep his trembling hands busy. 'Or Sudoku,' he thought suddenly. He fucking loved doing those puzzles. No matter how often he lost focus on little things when he was high as hell, he could always come back to them later and pick up where he'd left off. And when he was sober and actually trying to stay that way, it definitely helped. 'Laxus had me doing shit like that all the time…'

Bickslow made his way through the guild on a pre-mission "mission" to talk with his teammate as soon as he walked through the doors. He saw Lucy at the bar, talking with Mira and drinking a smoothie, but they didn't make eye contact. Either she didn't see him or she was intentionally ignoring him right then. 'Probably because the demon's right there,' he thought. Yeah, he didn't really feel like dealing with Mira's gushing about their future children either. Especially since he needed to find his favorite nerd.

"Freed," Bickslow sighed, sitting down at the table with the Rune mage and Evergreen - whose leg was bandaged and hidden beneath a pair of bootcut green corduroy pants. Lucky for her, he supposed, that the weather was cool enough for her to warrant foregoing her green mini-dresses.

"Bickslow," Freed said in shock. "We were wondering where you disappeared to."

He grimaced.

"Freed wanted to apologize for what he said yesterday," Evergreen added softly.

"Yes," Freed whispered, glancing around to see that both Gajeel and Natsu were out of the guild. And thanking his lucky stars. "You have my deepest apology for my words. I should have been more aware of how it would upset you."

"Nah," Bickslow said with a forced grin. He needed to make sure his teammates didn't notice anything different about him. No matter how much he felt like shit right then. "Water under the bridge, dude. You were right. Laxus is gone, time for us to move on."

Freed blinked in surprise, sharing a concerned glance with Evergreen. Something was off about the Seith mage, but neither could place just what it was.

"So, I know we just got back," Bickslow said quickly, his leg tapping under the table while he tried to keep himself relatively still. Fuck, did he hate withdrawal. "But uh… I was thinking maybe we could take another job. Just something small that won't take more than a day?"

Evergreen sighed. "Well, I'm on bedrest, so I'll be sitting this one out."

Freed nodded. "Evergreen does need someone to look after her as well, Bickslow. Can this wait?"

"What if we do something that's not fighting?" Bickslow asked, fighting to keep the desperation from his voice. He needed the distraction. He needed to be away from familiar places just for the night. Sure, he could go and stay with Lucy again, but he didn't want to be a constant burden. Besides, a mission that didn't have any fighting, something simple that they wouldn't have considered otherwise, would be good for him. Just something simple. Something where maybe he didn't even really need his magic. Maybe he'd need to use acrobatics for something other than hanging upside down from clothes lines and balancing on spires on a single foot. Being able to do a little mission without being high, and being able to actually contribute? That was what he really wanted. Bickslow wanted to prove to himself that he could do this.

He needed to redeem himself for Evergreen getting hurt the day before. "We could just do an overnight. Some piddly shit one that we wouldn't normally bother with…"

Evergreen cocked her head to one side. "Bickslow, why don't we take a break for a bit? As soon as I'm healed, we can-"

"Evergreen," Freed said, placing a staying hand on her knee beneath the table and drawing her attention. "I believe this would be good idea."

"Yeah?" Bickslow laughed. "Awesome."

"Yes." The Rune mage watched out of the corner of his eye as Lucy stood up from the bar and started making her way over to their table. This was most definitely a first. "It would benefit us to take smaller missions as well."

"But my leg," Evergreen said sadly. She saw Freed nod only once while Bickslow turned to look at the blonde Celestial mage that just arrived at their table. "I guess I can stay behind?" she whispered.

Freed nodded again. "Yes. Maybe I can get him to talk to me if we take a mission overnight." When understanding lit up the Fairy mage's eyes, he chuckled quietly.

"Hey, Cosplayer," Bickslow grinned. "What's shakin'?"

'Shakin'! Shakin'!" the totems chorused while whirling around her in the air.

---

I've been losing
Grip on what I used to hold

---

"Not much," Lucy laughed. "What's going on with you guys today?"

Bickslow looked hopefully at Freed and Evergreen, then grinned when they both nodded. "Going on a mission," he answered. When he saw the surprise on Lucy's face, he added, "Just the guys. We should be back tomorrow though."

"You still never told us where you ran off to yesterday," Evergreen said curiously, a frown pulling at her lips behind her fan.

When Bickslow hesitated, Lucy playfully nudged his shoulder while turning to the brunette. "He came over to my place. I told him about this new movie I got, and asked if he wanted to watch it with me since my team was gone when I got back from my own mission." That lie shouldn't have been so easy to spew.

"What movie?" Freed asked.

"Grandma's Boy," Bickslow said.

"Poltergeist," Lucy said at the same time, blinking at the Seith mage in confusion when their voices overlapped.

"Which one?" Evergreen asked.

Bickslow chuckled. "Well, Cosplayer here got Poltergeist, so we watched that…"

"And then I got so scared that the babies suggested a comedy," Lucy said with a blush. "So, both technically."

Freed smirked when he saw the smallest hint of a blush peeking out from beneath Bickslow's visor. "Well, should I go choose the mission, or would you prefer to do so?" he asked the Seith mage.

"O-Oh," Bickslow stuttered. "Uh… I'll grab one. I think I saw a good one up there a couple days ago."

Lucy watched curiously as Bickslow left the table, then turned back to his teammates. "Evergreen, how's your leg?" she asked softly, taking the recently vacated seat.

"It's been better," the brunette sighed, lowering her fan to the table. "I guess Bickslow told you about it?"

Lucy nodded. Freed pursed his lips in thought. "Lucy," he finally said after watching Bickslow and his totems perusing the job requests, "Does Bickslow seem… different to you somehow?"

"Different how?" Lucy asked carefully.

"He was rather quiet on our last mission. And yesterday…"

"He got really upset and snapped at Freed before running off," Evergreen finished. "I don't remember ever seeing him yell like that."

Lucy let out a slow breath and propped her chin on her hand. "Well, he was telling me about the job," she said softly. "I think it was just that he was really missing Laxus. It's the first mission he's gone on without him…" And Bickslow had told her that. But, it was over breakfast and not the day before. He'd said that as soon as he joined the guild, before he'd taken his first mission, Laxus took him in. Bickslow had never taken a mission without the blond Slayer. They'd been together the whole time Bickslow was in the guild - his first week after joining notwithstanding. "So, I guess he was just… Upset about it." She shrugged helplessly. There wasn't much more she could say about what was going on with Bickslow, why he seemed so different and quiet in comparison to how he usually was while he was in the guild (and high as hell).

Bickslow came back to the table with the approved mission stuffed in his pocket, then plopped down on the bench next to Lucy. "Good to go when you are, man."

Freed nodded, then turned to Evergreen with a frown. "Will you-"

Evergreen rolled her eyes and smacked the Rune mage with her fan. "I'm a big girl, you know. I can take care of myself. You guys go, and bring me back something nice."

"Souvenirs!" the totems quietly laughed, causing everyone at the table to laugh with them.

"Exactly," Evergreen nodded. "Have fun out there."

Bickslow and Freed stood from the table, and the Seith mage grinned when Lucy discreetly brushed her hand over his before he could stand to his full height. "See you around, Cosplayer."

"See ya," Lucy smiled. "You guys be safe, okay?"

"Of course, Lucy," Freed nodded.

Lucy and Evergreen sighed as they watched the two men walking out of the guild, and the Fairy mage jolted in surprise when Lucy turned to look at her with a wide grin. "Evergreen," Lucy said excitedly. "How about a girls' day?"

"G-Girls… Day?"

"Yeah! The guys are gone, and you're down for the count right now," Lucy reasoned. "Mani-pedi's, cheesy romance movies, and gobs of chocolate. Whaddya say?" Maybe it was a bit sudden, but she wanted to get to know Bickslow's teammates. Freed and Evergreen both could most likely give her some insight on the man that was now her boyfriend. She didn't expect the brilliant smile she was gifted with to stretch across Evergreen's face, making her light up and seem so much more approachable.

"That sounds perfect," Evergreen nearly giggled. The only 'girls' days' she'd ever had consisted of Bickslow pretending to be a girl for her benefit. She hadn't ever gotten to experience what it was really like with another girl - just sitting around, talking about fashion or whatever else they thought of, watching movies and stuffing their faces with too many sweets.

Lucy stood up and slowly helped the brunette to her feet, admiring the woman's ability to still walk in heels perfectly even though she must have been in excruciating pain. Once they were outside of the guild, Lucy leaned over and whispered, "Besides, I think you should know that Bickslow asked me out last night…" She giggled when Evergreen gaped at her. "And I said yes."

---

If I could get another chance
I'd put it in a zip-loc bag
And keep it in my pocket

---

Bickslow made his way into the guild the next day, having returned from his mission with Freed only an hour earlier. It was a simple mission, and he was over the fucking moon that he'd been able to do it without the drugs. Granted, all they'd been doing was helping an older woman collect and sort different gemstones and rocks for her business, since she'd broken her hip. The pay wasn't that great, but it was oddly rewarding. The look on her face when she saw two members of the Raijinshuu had showed up was priceless; she'd been ecstatic to see that such powerful mages - as she'd called them - would be willing to help out a little old lady like herself.

And then, when Bickslow had mentioned the fact that he actually knew a bit about the different stones, and what she was using them for, he'd gotten to chatting with her for a long while about it. Hell, Freed had even joined in on the conversation. He was pretty sure that was the first time he'd really talked to the Rune mage about something that wasn't mission related, or Laxus-related. Sure, the stones were technically part of the job, but the different uses for them weren't. They just needed to help her get the ones she needed. And, lucky for her… Both he and Freed already knew exactly what they looked like - something that had apparently come as a surprise to the Rune mage when Bickslow easily identified malachite and angelite by their coloration and markings alone.

Once they got back, Freed went to his house to most likely take another shower and get the train germs off of him, while Bickslow headed down to the clinic to get the results of his test. The results that were now sitting folded up in his pocket.

And as soon as he was inside of the guild, he sought out the shimmering blonde hair of his girlfriend with a grin on his face. He was proud as hell. He'd done it! He'd gone the whole previous day without any drugs, with minimal withdrawal symptoms that he'd needed to explain away to Freed or the client - since they were working right there with her - and he'd been able to contribute on the mission.

Besides, Bickslow had something he wanted to talk to her about anyway. The fact that Lucy was with her team didn't really bother him, since this would only take a minute. With that, he made his way right to her team's table, noticing that Evergreen was sitting across from the blonde and watching him with a knowing smile on her face. 'Guess Lucy told her about us dating.'

The hair stood up on the back of Lucy's neck when she felt someone standing behind her, but before she could turn around to see who it was - or if she was just imagining things - she felt warm breath brushing down her throat. She probably would have flipped right the hell out if it wasn't for the familiar smell of Bickslow's cologne - or maybe it was his deodorant, she wasn't sure, but she knew it smelled amazing - filling her nostrils.

"Hey, Cosplayer," Bickslow whispered in the Celestial mage's ear, chuckling when he saw it turning slightly pink as she blushed. "I heard someone had a question for you."

Lucy turned to the visor-wearing mage curiously, a soft smile on her lips when she heard how quiet his voice was. It was obvious to her the day before that he wasn't high when he came to the guild, but he'd been trying to keep up appearances as best as possible. His team had noticed though. They'd been with Bickslow long enough to know when his smiles weren't as wide, and when his laughter wasn't as wild. Just like yesterday, she could just tell that he was sober right then. And it warmed her heart to see that he was really trying. "Yeah?" she giggled. "Who might that be, and what do they want?"

"Me," Bickslow chuckled, still leaning over the back of the bench with his face only inches from hers. "And I was wondering if maybe, you'd um…" He paused, suddenly nervous when he realized that her team was watching his every move, most likely waiting for him to say something that would start a brawl. Mira walked up to the table with a tray full of food, her head tilted to one side and her eyes glimmering with curiosity. "You'd wanna… Well…"

The group at the table watched, enraptured as Bickslow lifted his closed hand, then slowly opened it to reveal five shining, deep blue stones with flecks of gold, glittering like the night sky. Each one floated into the air before the blushing Celestial mage, spinning in a slow circle in place while the souls within them said the word painted on the stone's face.

"Go…" Papa said slowly.

"On…" Pepe added.

"A…" Pipi giggled.

Evergreen just couldn't help but smile at the scene before her. She'd told Lucy the night before, while she was painting the Celestial mage's nails, that she'd never known Bickslow to have been in a relationship. And, if he ever had been, it either hadn't lasted very long, or he'd just never told the team about it. She personally couldn't picture Bickslow in a stable relationship with anyone, but she also thought that it would be a good thing for him to have that. Her dear friend deserved to find a woman that made him smile. Much like the way he was right then as Lucy gazed at the floating stones.

"Date…" Popo crooned.

Mira's jaw dropped open in shock as she held onto the now empty tray, having been slowly placing the various plates of food down on the table while she watched everything unfold. Not once had she considered the possibility of Lucy and Bickslow getting together. She was still very firmly set in her NaLu ways, after all. But this…

"Tonight?" Pupu finished, its voice lifting in question.

Mira's head was spinning with possibilities. Had she missed the signs somewhere? Had these two grown closer since the Battle of Fairy Tail, and she just hadn't noticed it? When they were in the guild together, Lucy and Bickslow hardly acknowledged one another though. So when? When had this happened? She didn't need to see Lucy's eyes light up, or how her smile brightened and her cheeks flushed a deeper shade of red while the rest of the guild realized that something absolutely monumental was happening right before their eyes, to know the blonde would say yes. Or… Maybe Mira just couldn't hear anything else over the pounding of her own heart, and the sudden onslaught of gleeful ship plotting she was doing. 'When did Bickslow go from being a pervert to romantic like this?!'

Lucy's smile widened while she turned to look back at Bickslow. "Definitely," she whispered, watching as a childlike grin lit up his mostly covered face. She couldn't see his eyes, but she knew that smile was crinkling the corners of them with his happiness. This was what she'd wanted to do for him. She wanted him to see that there were things aside from meth that could make him happy. Well, the drugs didn't even make him happy, she knew that. But… She wanted Bickslow to know that things could be better if he wasn't high.

Bickslow reached into another pocket, silently thanking whoever the person was that designed these pants for having so many damn pockets for him to hold shit. As he pulled a box out and placed it on the table in front of the blushing blonde, he leaned forward and lightly kissed her cheek. "I'll pick you up tonight then," he whispered excitedly. Without another moment's hesitation he stood upright and rushed out of the guild to get everything set up while yelling, "See you at seven!"

Lucy smiled and shook her head while the guild doors closed behind the Seith mage, then turned back to the group at the table, only to blink in confusion. Aside from the fact that Erza, Gray, Natsu, and Mira were openly gaping at her, there were still five little stones floating in the air in front of her. "Uh, babies?" she laughed.

Just before the totems could say anything, the guild doors burst open again, revealing a still grinning Bickslow. "Shit!" he shouted. "Babies, c'mon!"

Evergreen found herself silently laughing when the stones dropped to the table, then saw the familiar little wooden baubles flying out of Bickslow's pockets.

Bickslow grinned at Lucy when she turned her amused eyes toward the door. He still couldn't believe that he'd gotten so damn excited that he forgot his babies, but… That look in her eyes was well worth it. Seeing that made him feel like he wasn't a total fuck-up, that he really could help her soul get better. "See you tonight, beautiful!" he shouted, laughing when she ducked her head bashfully. And then he was off again, babies in tow.

Lucy nearly heard crickets chirping in the utter silence of the guild, and she honestly would have preferred that stunned silence to what came out of her best friend's mouth next.

"Oh," Natsu said slowly, grinning as realization hit. "So, that's why Bickslow was sleeping with you?"

"What?!" Gray bellowed, jumping to his feet and ready to chase the Seith mage down and pummel the guy.

Mira slammed the empty tray into the back of Natsu's head, causing his face to slam into the table and knock him out. All with a sweet smile on her face.

Erza raised an eyebrow in question as the guild started talking again, everyone suddenly more than willing to lay the hell off of the subject of Lucy and Bickslow for the time being - while also keeping an ear out for any information on the subject.

"We fell asleep watching a movie!" Lucy screeched angrily. "On the couch! And damnit, Natsu! Stop sneaking into my apartment!"

Evergreen snickered behind her fan just as Freed walked into the guild, her eyes meeting his deep green ones and silently calling him closer. She wasn't sure what he'd been able to find out from Bickslow during their mission, but she had definitely gotten some wonderful things to tell the Rune mage about - like just how much of a sweetheart Bickslow really was, and that he'd let Lucy paint his nails.

Lucy glowered at the salmon-haired Slayer, then sighed in defeat. "Of course he's unconscious while I'm yelling at him…"

Freed quietly made his way over to Evergreen's side, watching curiously as Gray continued ranting and raving as though he'd been possessed by Natsu. "Have I missed something?" he asked the Fairy mage, wincing when Mira's aura darkened while she looked at the half naked mage next to her.

"You will not interfere with those beautiful babies," Mira said darkly, her smile faltering only minutely before she reined it back in. "Do you hear me?"

Gray froze and gulped, then nodded quickly while he sat back down. He leaned forward slightly to Lucy as soon as Mira was gone and hissed, "What the hell, Lucy? You owe us a serious explanation."

"Excuse me?" Lucy asked, turning her scowl to her other male teammate. "I don't owe you anything, Gray."

"Uh, yeah," Gray scoffed. "I mean, Bickslow? Really?"

Evergreen slowly turned her head, looking over Natsu's body that was partially spread out on the table to the Ice Make mage. "What's wrong with Bickslow?" she asked.

"Nothing," Lucy said angrily. "And Gray should learn to shut his trap before I come over there and slap the shit out of him."

"Oh no," Happy whispered in horror as he floated down from the rafters. He quickly lifted Natsu up and dashed across the guild, toward the bar and hopefully out of Lucy's range. "Scary Lucy's here!"

Freed blinked in surprise when, without warning, Mira reappeared in an instant, and her tray slammed Gray's head down into the table just next to where Natsu's had been before the little blue Exceed flew him to the bar. "I appear to have missed something," he mumbled, taking a seat next to Lucy and watching the barmaid walk off with a smile.

Erza frowned at the now unconscious Ice Make mage. "Gray has learned a valuable lesson. Do not insult the man that asks a woman on a date."

"A date?" Freed asked, turning back to the blonde who, for her part, was smiling up at him as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

"Yep," Lucy laughed, hiding the pain in her ribs as best as she could. "Bickslow just asked me to go on a date with him tonight."

"What's in the box?" Evergreen asked excitedly.

Lucy blinked in surprise. "Oh! Umm…" She smiled sheepishly. "I forgot about that." Slowly, she lifted the lid of the box, then gasped when she saw what sat inside. A wide smile spread across her face as she pulled the jewelry from where it was nestled on the simple gauze packaging. "Oh my god…"

A necklace. A thin silver chain led down to the most beautiful heart-shaped pendant she'd ever seen. Just like the blue stones lying on the table, the ones Bickslow's babies had inhabited a short while before, the stone was a deep oceanic blue with golden flecks trailing across it. There were small swirls and spots of a beautiful sky-blue wisping through it. Surrounding the stone was a silver encasement: a thin sheet across the back of the stone; a single stem with delicate leaves leading to a perfectly crafted rose that reached up from the bottom of the stone, curving around it; and another similar flower in one corner at the top. It was beautiful, absolutely perfect. 'No wonder he wanted to know if blue was my favorite color.'

Lucy was left wondering if Bickslow had been planning to give her something like this since he'd asked her that. If, maybe, even though he'd been high as hell at the time, he remembered that she'd told him her favorite colors were both pink and blue.

"Lapis Lazuli," Freed said curiously as he gently pulled the necklace from Lucy's hands and helped her put it on. He and Bickslow had seen dozens, maybe even hundreds, of these stones on their mission. He hadn't realized that the Seith mage was planning on getting something for Lucy in the first place. Then again, they hadn't talked all that much, like he'd been hoping. As soon as they had arrived at the hotel for the night, Bickslow fell to the bed and passed out.

"It's beautiful," Evergreen said with a gentle smile.

Erza's eyes softened while she watched Lucy lightly touching the heart pendant. She knew it was only a matter of time before the Celestial mage just admitted that she had feelings for Bickslow. It was what she, Levy, and Cana had been expecting since they'd talked to Lucy about it the night they went to that club. The same night that Lucy had disappeared early, then stayed missing for an entire day - which, she had found out after the fact that the blonde ran into Bickslow, and they spent the day together.

"So, where do you think he's taking you?" Evergreen asked.

Lucy smiled and shrugged. "With Bix… Who knows," she whispered. She couldn't wait to find out just what he had planned.

---

I've been watching you
Sleeping with a troubled look

---

"I don't understand what you think you're doing," Papa hissed.

"Seriously," Pipi added, "Bickslow this isn't right."

He shook his head while walking down the street, down to the corner where he knew Axel would be. "It's not like that, babies."

"You're going to your dealer!" Popo silently shouted.

"I'm not gonna shoot up! I'm not! I promise!"

"Then why are you going to see him?"

"I just…" Bickslow sighed and shook his head, popping a piece of gum into his mouth while he kept walking down the road, then cutting through a thin alley to get there just a little faster. He'd been thinking about it since the day before, when he'd woken up at Lucy's in the morning and sat at the table with her, eating a small breakfast. It was so damn nice, just seeing her like that. All bleary-eyed with her hair tossed up into a messy bun and her brain only functioning at half speed. She'd been giving him sleepy smiles while sipping her coffee, but the blonde was still able to hold a conversation with him. It was domestic, sure, but… He liked it. He liked seeing her like that a whole lot more than he had in the middle of the night, only a couple hours before…

*.*

Bickslow's eyes creaked open slowly when he heard a slight shuffling sound off to one side of the living room. There, at the small desk he'd never really taken notice of before, was the familiar silhouette of Lucy. Only a portion of her profile was bathed in the modest light of the desk lamp she'd turned on, but he could see her pen flying a mile a minute while she wrote something down. "Lucy?" he whispered sleepily.

She quietly squeaked in surprise, then snapped her attention to the mage on her couch. "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," she replied softly, taking a shaky breath.

She wiped her nose with a partially crumpled tissue that was fisted in her free hand, and he frowned. "You good?" he questioned, his voice gentle as he sat up. "You sound upset…"

"I'm fine." Lucy gave him a trembling smile, one he could tell was forced, and wiped her eyes with a fresh tissue after sealing the envelope and turning off the little desk lamp. "Just a bad dream. Get some rest, okay?"

Bickslow let out a soft sigh when she leaned down over the couch and gave him a small, chaste kiss, then walked back to her room. He just laid there, half-awake and partially aware of his surroundings. It was one of the issues with trying to sleep on his own when he wasn't utterly exhausted. Nightmares or mild insomnia. He listened to the sounds of the apartment, the air whooshing through the vent in the ceiling, the slight tic-tac-ticking of older pipes running through the walls.

"She's crying," Pupu whispered sadly as it flew out from the hallway leading to the blonde. "... A lot."

"Can we go see her?" Pipi chirruped silently, its voice excited and hopeful.

Bickslow smiled as the totems all chorused their desire to be with Lucy when she needed someone. Slowly, he nodded and stood from the couch, then made his way to the mostly closed bedroom door. Looking down at the floor, he lightly knocked on the jamb.

"Come in," came her stuffy reply.

"Hey," he whispered, opening the door and seeing a little lump under the pink comforter. "My babies wanted to know if they couldn't stay in here with you," he said gently.

She sniffled quietly, and nodded. "That would be great." The smile she'd forced before returned fully, and completely natural this time, as she watched the little souls zoom forward through the room.

At the first wisping laugh that filled the air from the blonde, Bickslow smirked. "They really like you," he whispered. "They'll keep the bad dreams away."

Lucy giggled then. "Thank you, Bickslow," she said happily. "You're the best."

His cheeks flushed brilliantly under the tender praise from the blonde on the bed, the one with his babies all curled around her head on the pillow. One corner of his lips quirked and he sheepishly rubbed at his disheveled mohawk. "N-No problem… Sweet dreams."

He bit his lip while walking back out to the living room, barely hearing her whisper a goodnight to him and the little souls. Once he was settled on the couch again, it took only a few moments before he was asleep.

*.*

He hated seeing Lucy cry. That morning, he hadn't brought up what she'd been doing, because he could tell that she didn't want to talk about it. He was sure that he was the reason for her tears though, and that just ate at him. Ever since the day before, he'd been wracking his brain for something he could do to make her smile. Anything, really. And that was where the idea for the date came in. And with the idea of taking the blonde on a date, also came the realization that Bickslow wanted to try and be more normal for her. He didn't want to bring her down tonight.

No, what Bickslow wanted was to make her shine. He'd helped her soul a little bit, but he knew that he could do more. And if he was going to really help the blonde, then he needed to find his dealer.

---

I'm sure your bad dreams
Are probably all about me
And better off without me

---

Bickslow sighed in relief when he saw the head of familiar mossy green hair, and that Axel's sleeves were rolled up. The sight of that Chimera tattoo on his forearm always meant one thing: he was open for business. If Bickslow couldn't see the tattoo while Axel was out and about, then it meant it either wasn't safe to make a deal, or he was fresh out of his stock. 'Thank god for small favors. I just hope he has what I need.'

"Hey, man," Axel chuckled as Bickslow came up to him, leaning against the grey brick building.

Bickslow nodded in greeting. "I was hoping you had something I could use to take the edge off," he said carefully. That was all he needed. Something to get rid of the worst of his withdrawal for the night. He didn't want to be all twitchy and feeling like total ass while he was on a date with Lucy. He'd never been on a date before, and he wanted this to be a great night for both of them. Something where they could just forget about their problems, and enjoy their time together without worrying about the fact that he was still struggling to stay clean. He just wanted a normal date with his girlfriend.

"More apple pie?" Axel asked with a smirk. "Told you it was great."

Bickslow shook his head slowly. "Nah."

Axel frowned at that. "You didn't like it? Annie said-"

"Oh, no," Bickslow said quickly. "It was great pie. It was pretty quick though. Sugar rush only lasted a few hours."

"I'll let Annie know," he sighed. "You know she likes getting feedback on new recipes."

Bickslow nodded.

"So, if you're not looking for pie…"

"Just something small," Bickslow mumbled as a group of girls walked past, keeping his gaze trained on the ground behind his visor. None of them could hold a candle to Lucy in the first place, so there was no point in looking. Nope, he'd lucked out and gotten the hottest chick he'd ever met.

"Still wanna play some poker?"

Bickslow shook his head. "I've got a job," he lied smoothly. "I'll be around Rune Knights, like… Close quarters. Don't wanna risk getting caught." After a moment, he added, "You know they'd make me rat out where I got it from." No way in hell was he going to tell his dealer that he had a date, and that's why he needed it. He wasn't delusional. Axel and Annie didn't need to know too much about his personal life. They weren't friends by any stretch of the imagination. They were just suppliers, nothing more.

Axel's face hardened while he surveyed their surroundings again at the mention of the Rune Knights. "So, just a little rush."

"Exactly. Like… A um… I dunno, a pill or something?" Lucy would be able to tell if he shot up. He didn't want a crazy rush like he got from meth. He just wanted to be a little more evened out. "Can't be all twitchy and shit, y'know?"

"You know she won't care if you're twitchy," the totems silently whispered. "Lucy knows you're getting clean. She understands."

"I just wanna have a normal date, babies," Bickslow internally sighed. That was all he wanted. A date with his girlfriend. Lucy did so damn much for him, and he just wanted to make things more normal. Yeah, he was addicted to meth, but that didn't mean he couldn't at least try to make her smile.

"You do make her smile," the totems whispered.

"That necklace you gave her probably has her smiling up a storm," Popo added. "Girls love getting jewelry. Well, I didn't, but girls like Lucy do."

"Whaddya mean, 'girls like Lucy'?" Bickslow silently asked as a man in a business suit walked by.

"Girly girls," Popo answered simply. "She wears jewelry, ergo… She likes jewelry."

"A pill," Axel hummed, pushing his hands into his pockets. "You got the cash?"

Bickslow nodded. "How much?"

"Two."

"Seriously?"

Axel shrugged. "Pulling from my personal shit, man. You know Annie doesn't do pills." He glanced at the mage next to him. "Then again, I know you pretty well. One." He really couldn't help himself. Bickslow was pretty well known for being a powerful mage, but the fact of the matter was… This guy had actually saved his life a couple years back. If it wasn't for Bickslow and those weird fucking dolls, Axel would have lost his little sister in the fire the bastards in that dark guild set in his old village. He would have been killed by going into that warehouse, but Bickslow - when he was only sixteen, and without backup - rushed inside and got her out. Along with three other hostages. It was why Annie loved the mage as much as she did… She was tied up with Axel's sister, and saw firsthand just what the guy had done. So, giving him a discount on shit? Yeah, he could do that. He always did anyway.

Bickslow blinked in surprise at that. That was twice in a short period of time that he'd been given a deal by the guy. Not just any deal, but a serious fucking miracle. "Wow, man. Thanks."

Axel chuckled. "No problem," he said, popping one pill out of the little orange prescription bottle in his pocket while Bickslow handed him the thousand Jewels. "This should do the trick, man."

"How long?" Bickslow asked, discreetly taking the little blue pill and pocketing it.

Axel looked around the street and rolled down his sleeves. "Few hours. Takes about thirty minutes to kick in."

Bickslow nodded, then sent the mossy-haired man a wave and a grin. "See ya, man," he said softly as he turned and walked back toward the guild. "See, babies? No shooting up. Just this little pill."

"That doesn't make it any better, and you know it."

"I'm not shooting up, though! That's a step in the right direction…"

"Is it?" Papa sighed. "Switching one drug for another?"

"You'll see. Tonight's gonna be great." Bickslow had to hope that this would work. He didn't want to ruin the evening with his own personal bullshit. Every time he saw Lucy, it was about his addiction. Tonight… Tonight, he was going to show her that he could be a good boyfriend too. He didn't want to use Lucy as a crutch. If he did that, then it would just be one more person he was using, and she deserved a whole lot better than that.

---

If I could get another chance
I'd put it in a ziploc bag
And keep it in my pocket

---

To say Lucy was surprised by what awaited her just outside her front door at exactly seven o'clock would be an understatement. She hadn't been sure just what Bickslow was planning for their date, so it had definitely been a challenge to try and dress for the occasion. In the end, she'd gone with something she was comfortable wearing, considering she was still sporting those broken ribs and a possibly sprained ankle. Thankfully, her ankle was feeling loads better. She just didn't trust herself in heels right then.

And thank god she'd decided against them when she opened her door; otherwise, she was sure she would have toppled over into the most unattractive pile of goop on the floor. Edible didn't even begin to describe the Seith mage on her doorstep. She was sure no one in the guild would even recognize him, and found that she'd unconsciously been expecting the mage before her to wear the pinstriped get-up he usually did. In fact, she couldn't recall ever having seen him in something different - with the exception of the day she'd slept at his apartment. But no, here he was, making her brain stutter and a whole lake of saliva gather in her mouth.

His visor was gone. Nothing was covering those alluring, exotic eyes of his, giving her a perfect view of the deep crimson irises. The small blue tufts of hair just above his ears were slicked back, and his mohawk was actually styled. Not overly so, but it was much more tame in comparison to the usual windswept bedhead insanity that took residence atop his head - which, Lucy thought suited him just fine. Her gaze swept hungrily down from his face, over the bare flesh of his throat to the black button-up shirt with fine red stitching stretched perfectly over his muscles. Part of her wondered if maybe it was just painted on, because she was sure that she could see each and every contoured muscle that she knew was lying just beneath that thin fabric barrier. The sleeves were rolled up, showcasing his scarred forearms. She knew he didn't like people seeing the track marks on his arms, the result of years of drug use, but that sight alone warmed her heart. She knew about the scars on him, the ones that a scant few had ever seen, and it just proved that he wasn't trying to hide from her.

And then she saw the rest of him. Dark washed denim was hanging just loose enough that she wasn't wondering if he had gone the jeggings route (a style choice the blonde herself was still unsure of, to be honest), but she was left with the realization that Bickslow had some amazingly long legs. She'd never really thought about it before, but now… Well, she couldn't stop thinking about it. 'Oh my god, I bet his ass looks amazing in these…' Her eyes barely caught a glimpse of black leather boots before she forced herself to return to meet his gaze. Albeit, just a tad slower on the ascension.

"Holy shit!" Popo gasped silently.

"Bickslow, you lucky son of a bitch," Pepe added in wonder.

"Oh man, Lucy's gorgeous," Pipi sighed.

"If I wasn't already dead, this would've given me a heart attack," Pupu said, its voice slightly dazed. "And I know about heart attacks."

"I think she looks better in his clothes," Papa chuckled.

Bickslow didn't really hear any of what his babies were saying though. He was way too enthralled by the sight of the blonde as she stood in her doorway. Her hair was hanging in loose waves, framing that angelic face he'd been thinking about all damn day just perfectly. He'd seen Lucy enough times with no makeup whatsoever to notice that she was actually wearing some, and thankfully it wasn't much. She really didn't need the shit to make her attractive, but… 'Fuck me, her eyes…' Just that small smoky brush of dark brown eye shadow at the far corners, paired with a thin line of eyeliner and mascara to bring out her lashes… 'I'm done. I'm so fucking done, it's not even funny.'

He hadn't gotten past her damn eyes and he was ready to back the blonde up into her apartment and peel off whatever clothing she'd put on for their date. But that was what stayed him. Okay, and the fact that he wanted to do this shit right, and fucking the girl in front of him - even though they were dating - really wasn't the best way to go about doing that shit.

Still, Bickslow found his gaze sweeping lower, down to her luscious, lightly glossed lips. Further down her throat. And then he paused again, and smiled. He just couldn't help it. The necklace he'd given her was right there. Sure, his babies had told him that she'd most likely wear it as a sign of thanks for him giving it to her, but he couldn't stop that damn grin from spreading over his face when he saw just how perfect it looked draped delicately over her collarbones. She was actually wearing it. Something he gave her. He'd never given someone a present before, so this… 'God, she's so fucking beautiful…'

Papa was right though. It didn't matter to the Seith mage what Lucy was wearing. She was beautiful no matter what. Granted, his eyes widened just a little more when he took in the white lace that draped down over her breasts, and connected a sweetheart black shirt with long black sleeves that bared her scrumptious shoulders. Never in his life had Bickslow considered a shoulder scrumptious - or even mildly tasty, for that matter - but with her? With the blonde that was watching his every move, standing just in front of him in a tight pair of light washed jeans and sapphire flats? Yeah, every inch of her was scrumptious. Edible. 'So fucking lickable… Oh god, what I wouldn't give to just lick her…'

Call him a freak for it, but the thought of running his tongue across her lightly tanned skin, and feeling out each and every spot that reduced the woman before him to a gelatinous mound of mush… That was something he could very easily get behind. But that wasn't what this night was about. Sure, he could think about all the things he'd love to do to her, and with her, but that could wait for another time. When he was alone. For now…

He grinned down at the blonde when she took a slow step forward, then pulled her into his arms as soon as the door to her apartment was closed and locked. "Hey, cutie," he whispered as she smiled up at him, her light, surprised giggle spilling past those perfect lips of hers.

Lucy's eyes softened as she looked up at him. "Hey, handsome." Bickslow was the only man to ever call her cute in a way that made her feel like a million Jewels. When he was high, he'd called her hot, sexy, delicious even. But that single word. Just one little switch, and she knew. He was still sober. He'd only called her 'cutie' when he wasn't high. She laughed softly while standing up on her tiptoes and brushing her nose over his. "So, what's the plan for tonight?"

"You can keep it a surprise," the totems silently whispered, already knowing just how nervous Bickslow was over Lucy having a good time on their date. It was definitely endearing to see him in such a state - even though they'd been telling him earlier that he should just get rid of that little pill he'd bought from Axel. As it turned out, the bastard dealer hadn't screwed Bickslow over. That pill really had helped to even him out, just like he'd wanted. He wasn't riding some crazy high, and he wasn't dealing with the normal torrential spiral of negativity that accompanied his sobriety. This was as close to normal for Bickslow as he'd been in years, according to himself and Papa. The little souls still didn't like that he'd taken anything, but they were willing to overlook it just this once so he could enjoy himself with the sweet blonde. If anything, maybe it would help the Seith mage see that he could have a good time without the drugs.

A devious grin pulled at his lips just before he lowered them to hers. "I figured we could do something simple," he whispered, clasping his hands at the small of her back. "Dinner and, if you're up for it, maybe going down to the park?"

Lucy's smile brightened at that. She hadn't been to the park in far too long for her liking. It was something that he'd mentioned a couple nights before - when he'd been rambling and apologizing for shooting up - but she still loved the idea. Maybe his memory wasn't that bad, if he was able to pick out things that she'd told him during that time. Or maybe… Maybe there were some similarities between the high-Bickslow and her Bickslow. 'My Bickslow? Lucy, get a grip. You're just friends. You're only dating to help him. That's it!'

"Definitely," she answered, the excitement shining through in her soft voice. "I don't think I've ever been to the park at night before."

"Well," Bickslow said, kissing the tip of her button nose before pulling away. He bent his arm and grinned when the sweet blonde instantly placed her hand in the crook of his elbow. "Then it would be my honor to escort you, Miss Heartfilia."

The way his tongue lolled from his mouth, and the exaggerated, playful wink that was sent her way had Lucy letting out the least ladylike snort she'd ever produced - not that any snorting was ladylike, mind you. "Such a gentleman, Bickslow," she cooed dramatically as they walked toward the stairs.

"Far from it," Bickslow laughed, not even needing his babies to tell him to hold the door open for the blonde. They started making their way to the restaurant, and he found himself sighing happily when she looked up at him, tucking herself under his arm. Her hand stayed on his forearm, her fingers lightly dancing along the small scars littering his flesh, and as their eyes locked, he felt his cheeks heating up unbidden. He didn't know why it happened, but the sight of that smile on her face, and the fact that someone as fucked in the head as him was able to bring that brilliant light out of her… Giddy was the only word he could find to describe it. "But… I can try," he added. "For you."

Lucy's nose wrinkled in an instant and her lips pursed. "Nope," she cringed. "I don't want a gentleman." At his raised brow, she rest her head on his chest, smiling tenderly with a light blush on her cheeks. "I want a Bickslow. I like you just the way you are."

"Oh. My. God!" Pipi screeched.

"No kidding!" Popo added, its voice giving the perfect picture of eyes bugging out of its nonexistent head. "That was so sweet!"

"Between the two of you, I'll get cavities," Pupu sighed.

"You don't have teeth, Pupu," Pepe chortled.

"It's the thought that counts," Pupu huffed. "Ass…"

Bickslow slowly grabbed Lucy's hand, lacing his fingers with hers and gazing at the single green pinky nail that was unique from the others. "Just me?" he whispered.

She nodded, wrapping her free arm around his waist. "Just you, Bixy," she whispered back. "Just you."

---

Well I've been losing
Grip on what I used to hold

---

Lucy smiled across the table at the Seith mage while the waitress set their dessert - a surprisingly large banana split - on the table between them. She hadn't been expecting this, to be completely honest. Their date up until that point was absolutely wonderful.

Okay, and surprisingly sweet. They had walked only a couple blocks from her apartment before Bickslow had pulled her down an alley. That alone had been cause for concern. Not because she was in an alley with Bickslow, but because she just had no idea how an alley would lead to them getting to the restaurant without trouble. Luckily though, there was no trouble at all. The came out into a quaint little street that she'd never even known existed in Magnolia. It was quiet, lined with small houses and lit up with the gentle glow of lacrima street lights.

When she'd asked where they were at, Bickslow had simply laughed quietly and said that it was a retirement community of sorts. It was always quiet there, and she was left wondering just how she'd never noticed it before. Only a little while later, with the houses shifting into small shops, Bickslow led her into another alley, then around a corner to a door that was surrounded by vines climbing the side of the building.

"Best kept secret in town," he whispered, pulling the door open and leading her inside.

It was beautiful, and utterly breathtaking. Dim lighting filled the area, with small lanterns hanging along a thin, stone walkway. Instead of walking into a restaurant like she'd assumed, it was a courtyard edged in tall, winding trees with a nearly unnoticeable glass ceiling just under the leaves to keep the temperature even and the weather from affecting the diners. There were only a few tables that were occupied when they arrived, and Bickslow led her to a small two-person booth just off to one side.

And now, here she was, still completely entranced by what had come from their night so far. Dinner was amazing, something she would have eaten normally while she was still living in the Konzern. She and Bickslow hadn't struggled to come up with conversation material, especially when he asked to hear more about her life before Fairy Tail; specifically, her mother. He knew that she was still estranged from her father, especially after the whole Phantom War debacle, but she hadn't really told him much about her mom. After that, came her spirits, and how she met each of them. Along with some rather interesting stories from missions.

"I still can't believe you like strawberries as much as I do," Lucy laughed softly as Bickslow took a small bite of the banana split. There were four heaping scoops of strawberry ice cream, chocolate and caramel drizzled syrup, almond crumbles, sliced strawberries, and a mound of whipped cream. She was definitely going to need a serious workout after tonight.

He shrugged. "Well, they're delicious. When I found out that you could customize your dessert here, I was hooked." A small smile crept across his face when Lucy took a bite, her eyes sliding closed as she bit into a strawberry.

"How did you ever find it though?"

"Wandering around," he answered. "When Laxus helped me get cleaned up last year, I um… I had pretty bad insomnia. He'd go on walks with me, and we found this place. They were closed at the time, but I made sure to come back here."

"Oh, taking all of your girlfriends on dates here, huh?" Lucy asked playfully. She felt a wave of relief wash over her when he laughed and shook his head. It was so strange to see him like this though. She hadn't seen any of his withdrawal symptoms making an appearance, and part of her wondered if maybe he'd just shot up a little bit. Just enough to even himself out, maybe. But, his sleeves were rolled up. He was clearly showing her that he hadn't done it. Maybe… Maybe he was just pushing it to the side so he could enjoy himself. 'If that's the case, then I won't bring it up. He's avoided talking about that all night, and we should keep it that way.'

"Nope, no girlfriends," Bickslow chuckled. "Ever was having a bad day a couple months later, so I told her to get ready for an awesome date. Then I brought her here." He smiled reminiscently as he thought about the wide-eyed smile Evergreen had given him that night when they had walked inside. "I told Laxus to get Freed and make sure they were already waiting at the table for us. And…" He paused and laughed again. "When she realized the whole team was here, she got so confused…"

"So, what happened?" Lucy asked.

"She had an awesome date," Bickslow answered with a wide grin. "With all three of us."

Her eyes softened along with her smile. Evergreen had told Lucy just how lonely it was for her, being on a team with three men, and how she'd never really had a girl to talk to before. 'I knew he was a total sweetheart…' The Fairy mage had even told her the story about Bickslow showing up at Fairy Hills dressed in drag - heels and all - just so that she would have a girl to go shopping with. Based on what Lucy knew about him, she could only assume that he was high when he did that for Evergreen, but it seemed that part of his personality, the sweet and kind and caring man that he really was, couldn't be hidden completely. No matter what else was going on. "That's really sweet, Bix."

He blushed and took another bite, then shrugged. "I was just trying to cheer her up. Didn't really think much of it at the time."

Lucy shook her head and reached her free hand across the table, tenderly holding his. "Well," she whispered, "I can tell you, Evergreen really does appreciate the stuff you've done for her."

The Seith mage looked up from where their hands were joined, his brow furrowed in confusion. "Whaddya mean?"

"She told me last night. We were having a girls' night, swapping stories and all that, and… Even when you're… Y'know… Not really all there… The stuff you do for her makes her happy. She really cares about you."

Bickslow frowned slightly. "She… does?" he whispered.

"Of course," Lucy said earnestly. "Don't you see how much your team really cares?"

He sighed and shrugged helplessly. He never really thought about whether or not his team cared about him. Laxus had cared about him - at least, he hoped the blond Slayer did - but it just never seemed like Freed and Evergreen did. He never really felt connected with his team, but… What if… What if maybe that was just his perception of things? Had he really been bonding with Freed and Evergreen, building some sort of friendship with them, even while he was high as hell? "Not really," he muttered. "But…"

Lucy gently squeezed his hand, then smiled while lifting a spoonful of their slowly disappearing dessert toward him. A deeper flush crossed his cheeks as his mouth opened, and she pushed the treat between his lips. "Well," she giggled, pulling the spoon out, "They do care. Her and Freed both."

Bickslow couldn't help but smile at her.

"You know," Lucy said curiously, "I just realized… I haven't seen your babies."

Bickslow's smile widened into a devious grin. "They're here," he chuckled. The hand that was still interlocked with the Celestial mage's shifted slightly to show off a thin hemp bracelet with five charms on it. "They said they'd be on their best behavior, but… I shouldn't have them floating around on our date."

Lucy smiled down at the bracelet when she saw each of the little charms jiggle slightly. "Well, hey babies," she whispered before looking up into Bickslow's crimson eyes. "And I don't mind if they're floating around. I love your babies."

"Cosplayer loves us," the little souls sighed happily, causing Lucy and Bickslow to laugh.

"I don't think I've ever seen you wear jewelry though," Lucy added thoughtfully.

He shrugged. "I don't usually. But I got this a while back for when I need to keep my babies hidden. I don't really like going anywhere without them…" And he didn't. The times he'd left his babies somewhere always ate at Bickslow, because he felt like he was abandoning them. It was something he'd promised all five souls that he would never do… He'd promised that they would never be alone again.

"We know you care about us, Bickslow. Focus on Lucy, okay?"

Bickslow internally nodded and his eye caught on the necklace he'd given Lucy earlier in the day. It really did look perfect on her. "Would it be okay if I told her about the necklace?"

"You'd have to explain why she needs it," the little souls answered. "But… We think she'd like to know."

"And, she'll learn more about you," Popo added. "That's what first dates are about. Getting to know each other."

"Hey, Lucy," Bickslow said hesitantly. When her head tilted to one side as she took another bite, he gave her a timid smile. "Do you know anything about chakras?"

---

I don't want you
To be better off without me

---

She shook her head. "Not really. I kinda always thought that was just some weird thing that hippies made up."

Bickslow laughed. "No, they're real. Chakras are like… parts of your soul."

She blinked in surprise at that. Bickslow never really told her about his magic, but she wondered if this was actually a part of it. He had told her a little about what souls look like though. "I thought you said that souls are like a ball of glass in someone's chest that's filled with light."

"They are," he nodded. "When I look at someone's soul, that's what I see at first glance. It's kinda like getting a summary of a person, y'know? The color of someone's soul depends on the person they are, and their magic. But, if I look closer, it breaks down into separate sections."

"What do they do?" Lucy asked, smiling when she felt Bickslow's thumb circling over the back of her hand.

"Well, it depends on which one we're talking about. They all do different things," Bickslow said slowly. "Like…" He hummed in thought for a minute, then grinned. "Okay, so there's one between your ribs and your belly button." He paused and placed his free hand on his stomach. "It's called Manipura, or the solar-plexus chakra."

The fact that some foreign language just slipped past Bickslow's lips shouldn't have sent a shiver down Lucy's spine. The slight roll of his tongue in the middle of the word just made him ten times more exotic than she'd thought before. And what seemed odd to her, was that it suited him somehow. It was almost as though his native tongue had slipped out. 'I thought he was from around here…'

"It's where things like will power, self-esteem, and raw emotions are at. Like, when you get a gut feeling? That's where it comes from. And, if it's out of balance, there's all kinds of stuff that happens, one way or another." Bickslow gave her another soft smile, then nodded to her necklace. "Sometimes, when one of your chakras is out of balance, it throws off the others. And then you need help getting things back in order."

Lucy's lips pursed, and she absently brought her free hand up to her necklace after setting her spoon down in the empty dish. "What kind of help?" she asked carefully.

His eyes saddened slightly. "There's different ways to go about doing it. You can meditate and focus on whatever chakra it is. You can go to a Reiki healer, and they'll shift the energy around and help get things back in order. Or…" He lightly squeezed her hand. "There's crystal therapy."

Lucy's eyes went wide at that. "You mean…"

Bickslow sighed and nodded. "The morning after we were down at the docks," he said softly, "When I came out of the bathroom, I saw your soul. What happened… It hurt you, and that's my fault. I didn't look too close, and I'm only guessing, but… You're keeping secrets for me, and I can tell you don't like doing it. So, I figured I'd try to help you a little bit. Lapis stones can be used for Visuddha - the throat - or Ajna, the third eye."

Lucy's brow pushed together in confusion. "I don't get it," she said slowly. "You're saying something's wrong with me?"

"No," he answered quickly. "Not wrong, just… What happened down there… Your soul is hurting, and I can see it. I just wanted to help… It won't do all the work for you or anything, but… That stone can help you be more open to working through things." He sighed and looked down at their joined hands. "I'm sorry, Lucy. I didn't want you to hurt anymore, and it's my fault it happened… So, I figured it was only right for me to help fix what I did…"

"Bickslow, tell her what else that stone does…"

"It doesn't do anything else, babies."

Lucy chewed her lower lip for a moment, running her fingers over the stone pendant. So, the sweet gift he'd given her was because he messed up, and he was trying to help her? Her soul was hurt somehow by what they'd done? Sure, she felt guilty and absolutely horrid where that junkie's death was concerned, but she was keeping it a secret for both her safety and Bickslow's. There hadn't even been anything in the news about a body being found. But, was that all the necklace was? Just Bickslow's way of apologizing and fixing her? She'd hoped that maybe it was something more, but…

"Oh," Bickslow chuckled as realization hit. "It does more than just that though."

"How so?"

"Well, stones help rid your chakras of negativity by getting your focus geared on something positive or constructive. Lapis helps your Visuddha and Ajna by getting rid of guilt, or that heavy feeling in your heart… But, it also promotes creativity." He grinned when she looked at him curiously. "Your writing," he added quietly. "Whenever you get stuck, it'll help you get yourself going again."

"My… writing?" Lucy asked, a small smile fighting to pull at her lips.

"Yeah," Bickslow answered. "You told me about how you're writing a book, and… Well, I know sometimes writers get stuck. Plus…" A deep flush crossed his cheeks while he looked into her eyes. "I saw that and it made me think of you. I-It um… Well, it shines like you do."

A wide smile broke out across her face, and Lucy couldn't even begin to care how silly she might have looked. That was, by far, one of the sweetest things anyone had ever said to her. So Bickslow was a little on the awkward side from time to time, and timid through and through. The gift was thoughtful, and perfect. Just feeling it against her fingers had a calming effect of sorts even before she'd found out just what it was for. But the fact of the matter was, when she really thought about it… It didn't matter if the only reason he gave the necklace to her - which, she was definitely happy that it wasn't the only reason - was because he was trying to balance her chakras out. Bickslow was taking responsibility for something that had happened to her soul because of her helping him, and when she put it into perspective that way… It made her heart just melt into a puddle right then and there. 'I could definitely see myself falling for a guy like him,' she thought happily.

---

Tell me
When I start to blow it would you
Show me

---

Bickslow couldn't help but grin as Lucy's grip on his hand tightened while she ran toward the swings. He could tell that her ankle wasn't hurting her nearly as much as it had been earlier that week, and the fact that their date hadn't gone south yet was something that had him absolutely giddy. Sure, he figured it was only a matter of time before he found a way to screw things up, but until then, he was just going to enjoy himself. Much like Lucy was doing.

Her smile was unbelievably wide, and her laughter was giddy and contagious. He really loved seeing her smile. Maybe it was because of the necklace he'd given her, doing just what it did best, or maybe it was because of something else, but she just seemed to shine a little bit more. Without a moment's hesitation, he dashed around the swing that she settled herself off and placed his hands on her back, then gave her a push.

Any awkwardness that was left from the tail end of their conversation at dinner had disappeared completely during the walk from the restaurant to the park, and Lucy couldn't have been happier about it. And now? Now, Bickslow was pushing her on the swing as though they were kids. Higher and higher, with his hands never straying past the bottom hem of her shirt with each subsequent push.

Bickslow took a seat on the swing next to the blonde, watching happily as her hair fanned out as she cut through the air. The slight flush to her cheeks and the pure joy glimmering in her eyes nearly had him jumping up just to wrap his arms around her. This was what he'd wanted the whole time. To have a date with Lucy and just enjoy themselves. Bickslow didn't want to think about anything aside from the blonde, but that also brought something else to mind. Something that Lucy had every right to know now that they were dating.

As her swing slowed, Lucy looked to the silent Seith mage with a smile. "Hey, why aren't you swinging with me?" she asked, slightly breathless. Thankfully, her ribs weren't too painful right then. They had been sore as could be earlier in the day, and she'd actually been worried that she wouldn't want to do a whole lot of anything because of it. The universe was apparently on her side for the time being though, and she was perfectly fine with that.

Bickslow gave her a tight smile, then looked down at his hands.

"Now really isn't the time to bring that up, Bickslow," his babies silently told him.

"She should know, babies."

"Not during your date. Tell her later."

"No. I wanna be honest with her…" Bickslow sighed softly, then looked over at Lucy again. "So, I wanna talk to you about something," he said slowly.

A concerned frown pursed her lips as she planted her feet on the ground. "Sure, what's up?"

"It's um… It's probably not the best time to bring it up, but… I just…" He sighed again, rubbing his hands together. His skin wasn't crawling this time, though; he was just nervous. "I figured you should know about it, and uh… I-I wanna be honest with you."

Soft brown eyes gazed into conflicted crimson, and she nodded. "Alright."

"W-Well… Okay, so uh…" Where did he even start with something like this? At the beginning, maybe… But that would take way too long, and it would just bring up tons of shit from his past. That wasn't something he really wanted to get into with her right then, or ever really. 'Just pick a spot and go,' he thought. "Okay, so y'know how I've got that um… Problem…"

Lucy nodded again. "Right…?"

"And how I'm always all grabby and shit while I'm messed up?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I was talking to my babies yesterday, and they told me something. And I figured I'd listen to them, and… I uh… I went to a clinic and got tested."

Lucy blinked, her thin brow winging up and nearly flying off of her forehead. 'Tested… Oh god. This is NOT what… Oh my god… What's… Uh…'

Bickslow reached into his pocket, and pulled out the results that he'd gotten just that morning after returning from his mission with Freed. While he unfolded it and handed the paper to her, he continued. "I've never had sex or anything while I was clean, and… My babies said that I should get checked out, because y'know… I probably wasn't always exactly safe… S-So, uh…"

Lucy frowned down at the page. Negative, negative, negative, non-reactive… 'Positive for… Wow…' She read the page twice more, then slowly lifted her gaze to Bickslow. "Gonorrhea."

He nodded and ducked his head. "I got the shot thing though. And some pills for the next week. I just… You deserve to know. I didn't wanna keep it from you, because well… You're my girlfriend, and… If it was something worse…" He shook his head. "You should know though, so… There's that…" He felt absolutely horrible over what had come back. It could have been so much fucking worse than this. He could've had something that wasn't curable. If, by some miracle, he and Lucy had actually had sex, then he could've given this shit to her.

Lucy honestly hadn't the foggiest idea of how to take this. Sure, it was definitely mature of Bickslow to think about something like this - or, rather, listen to his babies when they told him he needed to do it - but what exactly was the reason he'd told her right then? 'What, did he think we were gonna have sex after our date?' If that was the case, then she was seriously reconsidering the whole concept of Bickslow being a sweetheart when he wasn't high. She didn't want to believe it, but… What else was she supposed to think? "So, um… You didn't think we were gonna…"

Bickslow jolted in surprise. "What? No!" he nearly shouted, then winced. Much softer, he said, "I-I'm not saying we're gonna do that, just… I-If you wanted to… Well, we'd have to wait. And um…"

"And what?" she asked, handing the paper back to him. She didn't need to see it anymore. She knew what it said, and she would be lying if she said that she wasn't just a little sickened by it. If you weren't going to be careful when you had sex, then this was just what you deserved. But… At the same time… She knew Bickslow. She didn't think he really deserved anything like this, because he was trying to get himself clean. He was struggling, sure. But at least he was making an honest effort to do it.

"And," he sighed, his shoulders slumping. He knew that he should have listened to his babies. 'Why can't I ever just listen to them when it matters the most?'

"Yeah, she REALLY didn't need to know that your dick is under quarantine," Pepe sighed.

Bickslow shook his head at that. He could see that much, just by the wide-eyed stare he was getting from the blonde. "You decide when that happens, anyway," he whispered. "I'm all kinds of messed up, and I'm really not in any place to make decisions about shit like that. I don't even know when I got it, or how long I've had it… But, I never had any of the symptoms the doctor told me about, so he said I might never have found out unless I went to get tested… And he said that you couldn't get it from kissing me, just in case you were wondering, but I won't blame you if you don't wanna kiss me until I'm all done with the antibiotics. And..." He shook his head again. Now he was rambling. Great.

Lucy blinked slowly.

Problem was, Bickslow really just couldn't stop himself. He'd finally started, and it was something he'd really been meaning to tell Lucy all along. "I know we haven't been dating that long. And I'm still over the damn moon that you even let me ask you out in the first place. I just… You're the one that decides when we do whatever… Y'know, like…" He shrugged. "Anything more than what we've done."

"This is a really awkward conversation, Bickslow," Pipi sighed.

"What you're telling her is pretty much implied," Popo added.

"Yeah, it's always the chick that chooses, Bickslow," Pupu continued.

"Just, no matter what… You choose. So, if you don't ever wanna move past kissing and shit, then I get it. I'm fine with that, too. I uh…" He winced. "I-I've never dated anyone before, so I don't really know… How it all works. Or, when shit's supposed to happen… Or… Anything, really. So…" He gave the blonde a silent, pleading look. "Whatever you wanna do. Whenever. I won't push anything."

Lucy was well and truly flummoxed. By all of it. Yeah, this really wasn't some news she wanted to get while on her very first date with her boyfriend - even if they were together only so that Bickslow would feel like he had another reason to stay clean - but she had to at least hand it to him… This was definitely the right thing to do. Horrible, horrible timing, but still the right thing. And to think, that night when they'd found his babies down at the docks, she'd been so damn ready to just jump his bones (at first).

Still, not once had a guy openly told her that their relationship would only move forward when she was ready. It was always implied. Always left up to clumsy guesswork on both sides, wondering whether or not the other person really wanted what you wanted, or if they were ready to take the relationship to another level. Sure, there were times when the guy she was with just seemed to know instinctively when it was time to heat things up, but… Bickslow had just given her all the control in their relationship. He was admitting that he really wasn't in the right place to decide anything like that, had even told her that he wasn't going to push anything on her - which meant that the times he did it while he was high was because he found her attractive, and he was excitable. 'It really is pretty sweet that he's doing this…'

Bickslow let out a heavy sigh and stared down at his hands when Lucy just continued staring at him. "Sorry," he muttered. "I guess I kinda ruined this. I-I've never done this before, so… Sorry."

When he moved to stand up, most likely ready to walk her home and end their night, Lucy reached over and grabbed his hand to keep him on the swing. "No," she whispered, a small smile on her face when he turned to look at her in question. "It's a little odd, but…" She paused and laced their fingers together, their hands dangling in the space between their swings. "I'm glad you told me, Bickslow. Thank you for being honest with me." She had to try and be at least a little understanding. Honestly, there was probably some asshole out there that she'd had a fling with that hadn't always used a condom. She always did, without fail, and made sure to get herself tested anyway every few months, but… The tables could really have been turned. Besides, this was just one more reminder for the Seith mage that he needed to clean up his act. This could have been so much worse than it was, and he really was just lucky, she guessed.

Bickslow leaned his head against the chain on the swing, staring down at their joined hands. "I don't like lying to you," he whispered.

Neither mage was aware of the presence of another Fairy Tail mage passing by just across the street, on her way home from the guild. She paused at the odd movement in the corner of her eye, then turned toward the park and smiled when she saw the blonde Celestial mage sitting with her date, Bickslow, on the swingset. Her deep blue eyes were saddened, however, when she saw the nearly suffocating aura that surrounded the pair.

The entire guild knew about the date between the strange couple, and everyone was oddly excited about just how things would turn out. The guild's resident pervert extraordinaire, and the sweet Celestial mage.

'I'll help them out,' she thought with a soft smile. Their date definitely need a little pick-me-up, something that could completely douse the depressing air around them. She wanted Lucy and Bickslow to have a wonderful time together. 'And I want Love Rival to stay away from my Gray-sama…' With that thought in mind, Juvia channeled her magic, focusing on gathering water in the clouds above them. Rain could wash away anything, after all.

---

Tell me
What I need to do before you
Hate me

---

Lucy giggled when a few droplets of water landed on her nose, then looked at Bickslow. "It's raining," she whispered as the rain picked up from a light sprinkle to just less than a downpour. It was steady, heavy, but not pounding down on her and the Seith mage at her side.

Bickslow looked up toward the sky and smirked. "Really?" he asked, looking left and right, then back to the blonde as he stood up. "From where I stand, the sun is shining all over the place."

Lucy blinked in surprise as she was pulled to her feet, and right into Bickslow's chest. Her eyes slid closed of their own accord when his head dipped, but she was left wanting when he tenderly kissed the corner of her mouth instead of her puckered and ready lips. She knew it probably wasn't the best idea to just move on from the news that Bickslow had a sexually transmitted infection, but… Sometimes she was alright with not being the smartest cookie. "I don't see any sun," she giggled.

"Oh my god, he's gonna do it!" Pipi giggled.

"Yes! It'll make her swoon!" Pupu cheered.

"Cue the violins!" Popo chirped.

Bickslow grinned and placed one hand low on Lucy's back, his free hand seeking out one of hers. He didn't really care about the rain that was pouring down on the both of them. Or the fact that there was a very familiar sea-blue soul just across the street that he just realized was the cause for the sudden weather change. He'd be thanking her for the distraction later. Instead of anything else, he focused on Lucy. Quietly, he began humming as he swayed from side to side with the blonde.

Lucy's eyes narrowed and her head tilted to one side when she heard him. That song was strangely familiar. She just couldn't place it. The content, yet no less mischievous, smile that spread across the Seith mage's face had another small laugh bubbling up in her throat. And she couldn't help but stare in surprise when he started singing.

I'm singin' in the rain
Just singin' in the rain.
What a glorious feelin'
I'm happy again.

That was why she couldn't place it. His humming had been horribly off key. Luckily, once the lyrics started tumbling from his lips, she knew exactly what song it was; and the fact that he figured out just which notes to sing had her internally sighing in relief. Still, she couldn't help but laugh about it all, with a huge grin on her face, nonetheless. He sounded like Gene Kelly had been locked in a closet and screaming for his tap shoes and Fred Astaire's head for hours on end. In a word, raspy. Okay, and in another word… Sexy. There was a throaty timbre to his voice that would most likely have had her panties quite literally shimmying themselves right the hell off of her if she wasn't wearing jeans. And still, miraculously… There was only a small vibrato, and a levity just beneath it all that had her stomach filling with little grasshoppers, all wearing three pairs of tap shoes and dancing in puddles to the tune in her head and the lyrics from the Seith mage's lips.

She leaned up and captured his lips briefly, watching as his swirly-cornered ruby eyes crinkled when he grinned down at her. Just before he could keep singing, Lucy decided to cut in. It wasn't like she made a habit out of singing in front of anyone - because, seriously that shit was absolutely terrifying - but Bickslow was so damn shy most of the time. If he could push himself out of his comfort zone to bring their date to a much happier level, then so could she.

I'm laughin' at clouds
So dark up above.

Now that was some damn singing. At least, as far as Bickslow was concerned, it was. This was one of the few times he was glad that memorizing lines from movies was something that came so easily to him. He couldn't remember what day it was sometimes, but quotes... Quotes, he could remember. And this moment with Lucy? Dancing with the sweet blonde, listening to her lilting, breathy voice, and watching as her drenched hair started clinging to her head and shoulders while they danced… He wouldn't forget this either.

Being with Lucy like this just made him feel alive. He loved it. This was what he'd been aching for, for years. Something he'd never once experienced, just… Being happy. Being free. Was this really what he'd been missing out on for so long? Was this what he'd been trying to create with the drugs? He didn't want to think about his addiction though. Not right then. 'Just live in the moment, ass…' He was going to follow his own advice, and found himself chuckling when the little souls that were housed in the bracelet around his wrist agreed with him wholeheartedly.

The sun's in my heart
And I'm ready for love

Bickslow stumbled slightly at that last line from the blonde, but laughed and quickly righted himself before he could drag Lucy down with him. He could blame it on a puddle, but the heat on his cheeks would give him away. Luckily, Lucy's face was just as bright a red as his own. And the small, choked, squeaking sound that came from the Celestial mage in his arms let him know that he wasn't the only one that was just a little embarrassed by the lyrics.

Instead of freaking out over it though, Bickslow just went with it. He laughed and started dancing in a wider circle, leading her over to the seesaw and continuing with their little impromptu song and dance.

Let the stormy clouds chase
Everyone from the place
Come on with the rain,
I've a smile on my face.

Lucy nibbled her lip and followed Bickslow as he took slow steps backwards onto the seesaw. His eyes were glimmering with excitement when she took her first step onto the little wooden platform, and a wide grin spread over his face with each step she took. Just how the Seith mage was able to so easily do something like balancing on the slippery playground equipment, walking backwards, without even the slightest bit of hesitation, was absolutely beyond her. His hands slid away from hers once she was balanced, and she watched, enthralled, as he continued moving backwards to the opposite end. Just far enough that her side began lifting from the ground until the beam was parallel to the ground again.

Bickslow laughed when Lucy shrieked in surprise, then took another two steps backwards so her end shot up into the air with the sudden weight difference. Her arms flailed while she tried to keep herself upright, but the rain on the beam - and the lack of traction on her flats - made it so that she glided perfectly. Right into his arms again.

I'll walk down the lane,
With a happy refrain
Just singin',
Singin' in the rain.

Lucy squealed when Bickslow's arms wound around her waist, her own instantly circling his neck, and he lifted her into the air. Circle after dizzying circle, he spun them away from the seesaw and over to a large section of grass that was free of equipment. His hair was soaked and completely disheveled, and her fingers unconsciously sifted through the blue locks to slick them back and away from his face.

He slowly loosened his grip on the blonde, unable to tear his gaze from her as he lowered her feet to the ground. She didn't let go though, so neither did he. Instead, their faces inched closer and closer.

Closer, still.

Until finally, his lips were brushing against hers just enough for Lucy to feel her body quivering and her breath just up and leaving her lightheaded as it ran for the hills.

Dancin' in the rain
I'm happy again.
I'm singin' and dancin' in the rain.

She closed the distance between them in an instant though. This was something she'd never gotten to experience. Aside from the fact that it was raining enough to have her worrying about catching pneumonia, she'd never done this. Being on a playground at night, acting like they were little kids. Playing in the rain. She prided herself on being pretty strong-willed most times, but right then… She was putty in his hands. She hardly paid any attention to the fact that Bickslow's babies continued humming the song while they kissed, and instead found that she was lost in the way his lips moved over hers.

Juvia watched with a smile on her face as the couple lost themselves completely in each other. No matter what she said about Lucy being her 'Love Rival', she still liked the blonde. Besides, Lucy made a much more appealing image with Bickslow. The pair swayed slowly from side to side, even though there wasn't any music, and that was when Juvia realized that she really shouldn't be watching them. No matter how perfect of a picture it made. 'A picture…' Her smile widened, and she quickly pulled out the camera she used to get perfect, candid pictures of Gray. She thinned the flow of water that was in the path leading to the oblivious, kissing, couple - with only a few droplets of water dripping between herself and them - then snapped a quick photo. Then another two, just to be sure she got the perfect shot. Once the camera was back in her bag, Juvia lessened the rainfall to a light drizzle that would naturally taper off into nothing, then made her way back home. She had pictures to develop, after all.

Lucy took the smallest step closer to Bickslow, pressing herself tightly against his chest. It was still only his lips on hers, even though part of her was desperate for that long, lithe tongue of his to snake out and tease her brain right out of her head. Still, she was perfectly fine with it. She was fine with going slow. She shivered when one of his large hands slid down from the small of her back and over the curve of her jean-covered backside - although it wasn't clear whether the sudden tremble of her knees was from Bickslow or because of the late November chill in the air.

Bickslow slowly pulled back, his eyes staying closed and a small smile on his face as their foreheads rested together.

His eyes cracked open and he glanced at her soul. And he fought to suppress a wide grin when he saw the crack in her soul had mended itself. She was getting better. He'd been hoping that he could help her, and it had worked.

As his eyes slid closed again, he realized something… This was reason enough for him to stay clean. Moments like this with Lucy. It wasn't romantic. He wasn't head over heels for her. But this… He was having fun, and he'd found a reason to smile. The drugs didn't do this for him, she did. The sweet blonde had done this, and he couldn't be happier about it.

---

Tell me
'Cause I could never live with that so
Help me
Before you're better off without me

---

And that's it for Chapter 10! Tons of things happened! Let me know what you all think!

I'd like to give a huge shout-out to both LittlePrincessNana and sxtrisoul for being amazing sounding boards during the construction of this chapter. They kept me from curling up into a depressed, frazzled ball of collegiate tears. And I love them all the more for it.

Now, there are several things that were used as a reference for this chapter, so here are all the links… (Remove the spaces, etc.)

Lapis lazuli, the necklace Lucy was given and the stones the babies were in:
g01 =dot= a =dot= alicdn =dot= com =slash= kf =slash= HTB1GeMsIFXXXXaoaXXXq6xXFXXXW =slash= Free-Shipping-Natural-Lapis-Lazuli-Gem-Stone-Heart-Silver-Plated-Flower-Reiki-Chakra-Healing-Pendant-Bead =dot= jpg

Bickslow's outfit:
store =dot= farmhandsupply =dot= net =slash= content =slash= 255087 =slash= M0D6735-111 =dot= jpg

Lucy's shirt:
gloimg =dot= rosegal =dot= com =slash= rosegal =slash= 2015 =slash= 201511 =slash= goods-img =slash= 1447461950522-P-3442215 =dot= jpg?20131202008

The song Bickslow and Lucy sing at the end, for any of you that don't know, is from the movie 'Singin' In the Rain'. Here's a link (on YouTube) for the scene:
Gene Kelly - 'Singing in The Rain' (watch?v=D1ZYhVpdXbQ)

The semester is coming to a close, so I should have more time to write things out. I was hoping to stay ahead of the game on my stories, but… School had other plans, apparently. SO! I hope all of you can be patient with me while I work to get more chapters for everything pumped out!

---

Don't forget!

~Lahcy Week, December 2015~

A fabulous brainbaby from im ur misconception. 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!

Please let me know if you're planning on writing for either of these pairing weeks, so I can make sure to check out your stories! Now, my minions! Get those fingers to the keyboard and get to work! I know I'm extremely excited to see what you all write!

So! Review, Follow, Favorite! I love you, guys!

~~GemNika.