Chapter 25
~~LoLu~~
Loke woke abruptly, fully awake in a split second as he felt the beginning intrusions of energy that wasn't his or Lucy's.
Immediately pinpointing the invading power, he shimmered and vanished from where he'd been wrapped around a still and silent young woman, the sheets fluttering gently down to lay against the bed as he disappeared.
When he reappeared he was outside Lucy's river-bound home, fully groomed and in his neatly-pressed suit, staring across the water at someone he hadn't thought he'd have to deal with anytime soon. While he'd reluctantly set aside his anger at Cepheus and the other two lowlife's that had helped him for what had almost happened, he had definitely thought that the other man would have the sense to stay away from him for a long, long time to come.
Like, possibly a few thousand years or so.
And even worse, he was actually cornering him here, on what he personally considered sacred ground? This was Lucy's part of the heavens, and the man who had nearly destroyed her (and just about everything else) in his madness, had the nerve to appear here?
"What are you doing, Cepheus?" he growled, expression hard. "You should have known that I wouldn't let you anywhere near Lucy, no matter what the fuck your intentions are, especially so soon after what you did. Hell, she's still recovering – still asleep."
Surprisingly, Cepheus looked repentant, even hesitant, but nonetheless, he didn't back away. "I'm sorry, Leo, but Seirei-o ordered me to do this. I must speak to Eridanae and beg her forgiveness for my actions and what they caused. And anything she requires of me as penance, I must adhere to until she says otherwise."
Loke's frown deepened to a scowl. "Good for Seirei-o. I just told you she's still sleepi-"
"Actually, no, I'm not," Lucy's voice broke in, and both men turned to look at her as she materialized next to the lion, rubbing her eyes, and yawning like a small child trying to wake themselves up to face a new day - a little earlier than they really wanted to.
She still sounded a bit tired, but not nearly as bad as she had when they'd returned from Fairy Tail yesterday, and she'd fallen asleep almost before Loke had laid her down in her bed. She also hadn't changed into anything more formal than the shorts and t-shirt she'd gone to sleep in, and her hair was slightly frazzled. But her gaze, now that she'd stopped rubbing at her eyes, was quite aware, and her features serious and a little sad.
"Lucy," Loke began softly, gently reaching out to touch her shoulder, "you don't have to deal with this right now-"
A flash of amusement lit her eyes for a moment, just slightly lifting the solemnity otherwise visible in her gaze. "Well, according to Seirei-o, I do."
Muscles in his jaw jumped as he tried to hold back the threats he wanted to fling at everyone that he felt was a danger to her in any way. "I don't care. You shouldn't be pushing yourself after what you did to save us all. They can just wait."
She shook her head at him, smiling pensively. "Loke, I'm okay. Sure, I don't feel quite like myself yet, and I'm definitely not up to any battles, but I am perfectly capable of talking." She rolled her eyes. "Obviously."
Lips tightening, he studied her, his stare loaded with everything he wanted to say, but couldn't bring himself to voice in front of anyone else. Finally, he nodded unhappily, and stepped away a little bit to let her decide what she wanted to do in this situation. He'd just have to talk to her after she'd gotten rid of her company.
After a few seconds of looking at Loke and wondering what had him so upset – she was fine, after all, still alive though she'd believed herself dead - she set her confusion aside and looked across the water. Cepheus was still as a statue, simply waiting for her judgment with a surprisingly patient look on his face, and guilt in his eyes.
As angry as she'd been at the man that was behind all that she'd recently suffered, she couldn't bring herself to remain that way as she saw the raw pain in his gaze because of what his wife had been through, though it was overlaid by other emotions that were directed at her.
What could she really say? He was hurting, and his wife was hurting, and Lucy hated to see anyone in pain. It broke her heart. She'd wished so many times that she could heal all who had suffered, not just share in their anguish. She was far too empathetic, but even though she could suffer with them, she couldn't stop their pain, and that had always caused her pain.
Tears welled in her eyes as she opened herself up to him, and slipped down her cheeks without her even realizing. In the blink of an eye she disappeared from Loke's side and appeared in front of Cepheus, her hand reaching out to brush against his heart, and she choked up, unable to even speak for a moment.
Loke instantly followed her and tried to step protectively between them, but when Lucy looked up at him with agony in her eyes – agony he realized wasn't entirely hers – he jerked back in surprise, and decided it might be better not to interfere with whatever was happening.
After several seconds that seemed to the lion to last a short eternity, Lucy stepped back a little, letting her hand drop, though tears still rolled down her cheeks.
And then she shook her head.
"There's no debt here. I won't willingly add to your pain. Forgive yourself as I've forgiven you, and go home and take care of your wife," she said softly, her eyes sparking with compassion mixed with sadness. "She needs you."
At her most unexpected words Cepheus' face twisted, and suddenly, he was fighting tears. He couldn't believe the love that this woman was made of – she had one of the most beautiful hearts of anyone he'd ever seen... and he'd almost destroyed her in his madness and misplaced hatred. Too choked up to even speak, he let his eyes tell her what he wanted to say, and then bowed deeply to her, far deeper than he had ever bowed to anyone. Then he slowly faded away with a speaking glance at Loke.
Take care of her always, Leo. You are far more lucky than you know to have this woman's heart.
Loke simply nodded; what was there to say? The other man was right. Well, he amended silently, if that so-called prophecy wasn't off and she really does love me. But I suppose... I'm lucky to know her, to be close to her, even if it is only as a friend.
He looked down at her, then followed her gaze with his own. Her eyes were far away, and pinned on Cepheus' constellation, her hands clasped behind her back. When those soft brown eyes of hers moved and went elsewhere, he was made aware that it was to Cassiopeia's part of the heavens.
"Are you mad at me for not punishing him?"
Startled, and a little dismayed that she would think something like that, he reached up and cupped her chin in one gentle palm, lifting her face to his. Her eyes still looked distressed, though her tears, he was thankful to note, had finally stopped.
"I could never be angry at you for much of anything, let alone for following your heart – isn't that why I even still exist? If you hadn't cared so much for someone you barely knew, enough to take on even Seirei-o, then I would have been long gone." He sighed, and shook his head, his hand moving as he ran his fingers over her cheek, drying the residual wetness that was still there. "I understand why Cepheus did what he did, and I can't say what I would have done had I been in his place. But I can't deny that I still have some anger at him, because he almost cost me you."
The embodiment of the river of heaven searched his eyes, stunned and disbelieving at what it seemed they were saying. "Loke, I-" she choked, but he shook his head, laying a gentle finger against her lips to hush her.
"Lucy, I love you. There's just no point in hiding it anymore – hell, I don't even know how much longer I'd have been able to keep it from you, anyway. I've always loved you – it started even before you saved me, and it's only grown stronger over the time I've known you."
A slight flush raced high across his cheekbones as he removed his finger from her lips with a tender caress, but he refused to look away from her astonished gaze. Since she appeared speechless, he continued.
"I don't want you to feel you have to reciprocate. I know I didn't present myself in a very good light when we met, and it's my own fault for being such a fool. But know this," he added softly, "I will continue to love you forever, and I will count it an honor to defend you, even to the death. Beyond that, you will always be my best friend, Lucy, no matter where eternity takes us."
"Loke," she breathed, seemingly unable to get any bottom under her voice.
It looked as though he'd shocked her pretty deeply, and he wondered how she'd been unable to see his feelings for her, because he felt as though he'd been pretty obvious. Hell, he'd even told her he loved her – well, showed her with his power – but he couldn't really be surprised that she hadn't taken him seriously about that. She'd probably brushed it off as just another instance of his usual flirting. He looked away, shamefaced. Gods... if he were given the chance, he'd go back in time and kick his own ass for becoming such a playboy, because as much as he might deserve it if she turned him away because she just couldn't find it in herself to believe him, he'd never get over it, and he'd hate himself forever. He hadn't lied when he'd told her she didn't have to reciprocate, but stars knew he desperately wished that she would want to.
He could only hope and pray that prophecy was right, and that at least someday, she'd give him a chance. She had seemed as if she were opening up to him a little more, but then that job they'd taken on at Makarov's request had gone much differently than they'd had any idea it would, and there hadn't been any time since to talk to her about such a personal matter.
A soft touch to his cheek startled him enough to flinch just slightly, but despite his shame, he couldn't resist when Lucy turned his head back towards her, even bending down a little when he still wouldn't quite meet her gaze. Surprised, he looked up, and was captivated by the hope in her eyes, and the slightly shy smile on her blushing face.
"Come on," she said softly, grabbing one of his hands in hers as she began to sparkle away. Not letting go of her hand for an instant, not even caring where she was leading him, Loke followed instantly.
When they both rematerialized, they were standing atop the home she'd created, on what could only be called a huge deck. The view was spectacular, the river sparkling with a million lights as it flowed around the house, and above it, stars, nebulae, and constellations shone in unhindered glory.
At his side, however, stood the one thing in his universe that was more beautiful than the heavens themselves, and that was where his gaze stayed despite the beauty around him. She had changed, now dressed and perfect, rather than rumpled from sleep (not that he really cared either way, since she was gorgeous no matter what she was wearing) with a look in eyes shining brighter than any star he'd ever seen that sent his heart into an immediate gallop.
"You wanted to see my house, didn't you? So I thought we'd start at the top."
He shook his head with a tentative grin. "I'd rather look at you."
She blushed again, brighter this time, but grinned back. "I'm sure you'll get tired of staring at me sooner or later," she teased.
"That's not possible."
And then her face softened, and the veil she usually kept her deepest thoughts and feelings hidden behind faded away, and the lion suddenly found himself unable to breathe as she said, "Oh, Loke. I love you, too," simply, and with no guile whatsoever. "I have for a long time."
Victory and joy rushed through him, and he reached for her, crushing her to him as just held her as tightly as possible without hurting her, for a moment that spanned eternity...
…...
But the second that eternity was over, he pulled away just enough to tilt her chin up, and with her complete complicity, pressed his lips to hers, tasting her sweetness for only the second time.
He would not allow there to be a final time. Forever was theirs, now.
And all unnoticed by either of them, they began to glow, brighter and brighter, until it looked as though they were a newborn star just bursting into exuberant life...
All the heavens rejoiced with them, knowing that the lonely lion had finally found the one who would heal all his hurts, and stay by his side for all time.
~~LoLu~~
"It's about damn time, if you ask me," muttered Aquarius, arms folded across her ample chest, and features plastered with a scowl. "If those two were any slower, forever would have already ended."
"But forever never ends!" chirped Gemi and Mini, giggling at the dangerous gaze she pinned them with.
"Exactly my point."
Capricorn tucked his hands into his pockets and sighed, gaze a little distant, as if he were looking somewhere far into the past. "Leo is blessed by the heavens to have such a love. Not everyone will get the same chance, no matter how long they live."
At that, the spirits went quiet for a long moment, knowing why he would make such a statement. He had loved Lucy's mother in just such a way, but she had not returned his love in the same manner, and had married another.
It was Virgo that broke the silence. "I believe it is time I remind Princess and brother that her belongings are still earthbound. It is doubtful whether her former landlady will continue to hold on to her things for very long without payment."
Scorpio blinked, and then nodded. "Oh stars, yes – if we don't catch him before he gets her into bed, it'll be too late, since time on Earthland goes so much faster." While his words were true, there was a wicked little smirk beginning to break across his face, and the others figured out very quickly why he looked that way.
Of them all, Aquarius seemed the most amused, while little Aries just blushed darker than her hair. Taurus was sulking, still very upset that Leo had gotten the girl and her hot body, and Sagittarius fidgeted slightly, face prim, and then cleared his throat.
"Yes, perhaps we should go now. I would not want to interrupt... anything serious." He began blushing brighter than Aries at the very idea, but nonetheless faded away with the rest of them, absolutely positive he wasn't going to enjoy the next few minutes.
This is going to be very... awkward. Leo may never forgive us.
~~LoLu~~
He was right. Leo was never going to forgive them.
Having just swept Lucy into his arms to carry her back inside, he was not best pleased to suddenly be faced with a line of spirits who were all looking at him with some form of amusement on their faces, even a still-blushing Aries and Sagittarius.
Loke gritted his teeth so hard Lucy could hear them grinding, and scowled. "I hate you all," he announced. "What the hell do you all want right this minute, that couldn't wait for later?" Much, much later ?"
His irritation was so palpable she almost broke out giggling. Almost. Probably would have, if she hadn't been as frustrated as he was at the interruption.
Still, she remembered her manners, and nudged Loke's chest with her elbow. "Put me down," she whispered to him. "We'll continue this later, but right now..." her eyes flicked to their friends, and then back to him, "... right now we have company." As unwelcome as they are. Seriously, she thought, I love them all, but at this very moment I wish they'd all go somewhere else, far, far away.
But it was clear that wasn't going to happen, and as Lucy was gently placed back on her own two feet by a very disgruntled Loke, she sighed inwardly and forcibly calmed her racing heart.
"So... um, what did you all need?" she asked.
"It is not what we need, Princess, but what you need. Have you forgotten your personal belongings that are still being held by your landlady?" Virgo returned. "I believe we need to see to removing your possessions from her... dubious care."
As soon as Virgo's words caught her attention, Lucy's face drew up in horror at the lion. "Wait... how long has it been in Earthland since I last paid my rent?! After everything that's happened, I've lost track!"
He stared at her helplessly, and shook his head. "I've lost count, too... but it's been at least six weeks or so. Maybe more."
"Oh, my god," she mumbled, horrified, face in her hands, "If I don't get there and pay her what I owe I'm going to lose everything!"
There was a quiet snicker from someone.
At the sound, she scowled and drew herself up, her expression going from horrified to determined. "Well, then, I need to get my money from Master Makarov, go pay her what I owe her, and then we can move all my stuff here. While there's some things I won't be upset over if I never recover, there are others that are precious to me, and it would break my heart to lose them."
Loke realized that some of those precious things were the gifts her father had sent her every year on her birthday after she'd vanished along with Tenroujima. And then there was his final letter to her before his death – which occurred a bare few months before she returned. Those things could never be replaced.
Setting aside his desire for her (though still slightly reluctantly), Loke stepped up and settled a possessive hand low on her back - a gesture none of the other spirits missed – and jumped right in.
"I'll go with you, and then as soon as you've paid your landlady, you can summon the others to help gather all your belongings."
Lucy looked up at him for a moment with a grateful nod. "Thanks, Lo-"
She was interrupted by a now looming Aquarius. "I. Don't. Do. Menial. Labor," she ground out. Then she jerked a thumb over her shoulder at Aries and Virgo. "That's the province of little Miss Merry Maid over there, and the shrinking violet standing next to her trembling, and getting ready to pop out with -"
"I'm sorry!"
The water bearer smirked at that, and folded her arms over her chest again. "I rest my case."
A sour scoff from Loke made Aquarius narrow her eyes. "We don't need your help, anyway. With your temper, you'd probably break anything you were asked to carry."
Aquarius balled up her fist and opened her mouth to shout something back at Leo, but he spoke over her, ignoring the imminent explosion.
"Everyone who's willing to help, please wait for Lucy's call. We won't be long getting her money from the guild," he informed them, and then took the blonde girl with him as he faded away, leaving behind a now-ranting mermaid.
"Sometimes I just want to take her water jug and fill it with the iciest water in the universe, and then dump it over her head," he grunted as they appeared just outside the guild, rolling his eyes. "Damn drama queen."
Lucy giggled as she imagined it. "She'd kill you."
"She'd try to kill me. Doesn't mean she'd succeed. There's a reason I'm the leader of the Zodiac, and not her."
With a small grin, he reached out and took her hand as her giggles deepened to laughter, and then faded into a shy smile.
"You don't mind this, do you?" Loke asked, shaking their joined hands a little. He wanted to be sure she wasn't reluctant for their friends to find out their new status as a couple. He would understand if she wasn't and wanted to keep it on the down low, but he had to admit – if only to himself – that it would hurt.
A sunny smile transformed her expression, and though there was a certain shyness visible if you looked into her eyes, her blush dissipated, and she shook her head.
"Of course I don't mind, silly."
"Are you truly certain? You aren't ashamed to be seen with me because of my past with women?"
Her eyes narrowed slightly, but she denied any embarrassment. Instead, she informed him that she rather hoped that some of those old girlfriends of his were hanging around, because then they'd get the message that he was now very permanently taken.
"And they'd better buzz off without trying anything funny, because I won't be responsible for my actions if they don't."
Loke grinned widely, quite enjoying the thought of her hogging him to herself "Getting a mite possessive, aren't we, my dear?" he asked as he reached out to pull open the guild's main doors.
She shot him a knowing look at that. "Is that a bad thing?"
"Not at all. But quid pro quo, love. I get to be all possessive of you, too."
He tightened his fingers around hers as they entered the huge main hall of Fairy Tail. The door didn't even make it closed before someone spotted them with their hands clasped together, and the shouting and cheering immediately commenced, leaving both members of the new couple wincing.
"Well," he said to Lucy, almost having to raise his voice to a yell to be heard over the rest of the guild, "it would appear that – at least most of them - approve." He didn't feel the need to mention the ones that didn't, because they just wanted her for themselves. Too bad, so sad for you all, he thought with an inward smirk. She's all mine, and I'm never letting her go.
"It wouldn't matter if they did or not. I'm not going to stop loving someone because someone else doesn't like it."
Loke smiled as she answered his previous words with sincere ones of her own. He loved her fierce, indomitable will, and gentle and caring heart. He just loved her.
The pair were swept along by a tide of friends all demanding to know how they – as a couple – had come about, and how she was doing, because she looked pretty damn good for someone who had almost died saving the world just a few weeks ago.
… Or yesterday, depending on whether you were counting spirit world time, or earthland.
The shouting and noise came to an abrupt halt as a sharp, piercing whistle rose above the tumult.
"Look, guys, I know all you inveterate gossips would like to have the answers to all those questions, but we don't have time right now. I need to see the Master, and then I need to go pay my landlady her back rent, or I'll lose all my stuff. And after that, I need to move my things to the spirit world." She inhaled and then finished with, "Once all that's done, I'll come visit and fill you all in, okay?"
There was an echoing silence for a moment, and then the two were swarmed by all their friends.
"We can assist in this endeavor," Erza announced, with a stern look around the room for any that would deny her, "There aren't any decent jobs right now, so no one's busy."
Not one person dared disagree, not wanting to risk Erza's wrath, though with Natsu's sudden enthusiasm, Lucy winced, thinking of the things he might break. I'll just have to make sure he only packs up books, and unbreakable things like that.
Nonetheless, she smiled, a lovely, grateful smile at all her friends. "Thanks, guys," she replied softly.
"Then when we get to her place, we can go on up and start packing things, and when we've got it ready, you can call our other friends and have them transport them to your new house," Loke said.
"Yes, but we do need boxes," Lucy interjected, but before she could say anything else, Master Makarov made his way through the hall dragging a suitcase that was - rather comically - much larger than him.
It was filled with Lucy's money, and as he handed it over to the blonde, it was so heavy she slumped with a surprised look, at which point Loke took it from her.
As the Master breathed a sigh of relief and rubbed at his poor wrist, he said, "There are plenty of boxes of all sizes in the storage area upstairs. Anything that's empty can be taken and used to help our Lucy."
There was a veritable stampede up the stairs, led by Natsu and Gray, and Lucy smiled a little tearfully at the guildmaster. "I'm really going to miss you guys... but if you ever need my help for anything," she said, reaching up to her hair to take out a delicate looking star that seemed to shine with its own low glow, please just take this and think of me, then say my name, and I'll come as quickly as I can, okay?"
The Master nodded with his own tear-filled gaze and a smile full of affection. "It won't be the same around her without you, my dear, but we will never forget you. And besides – your dues have been paid for a year, so you're still part of this guild, just like Loke."
Lucy thought about that a moment, calculating what a lifetime of dues would be, and then had Loke set the heavy case of money on a table. Opening the lock, she counted out enough to cover herself and Loke, and handed it over to Makarov.
"There. Now we'll still be part of the guild for the next seventy years, at least," she informed them with a satisfied nod.
Both Loke and the master gaped at her, but didn't have the chance to say anything, because at that point all those who'd evacuated upstairs came back down with boxes, ready to head out to Lucy's old apartment.
And so, leading a small army of mages all carrying boxes of all different shapes and sizes, Lucy and Loke (who were still holding hands) led the way back to her old digs to face her landlady and ready her things to be moved to her new home in the heavens.
It was a bittersweet time for them all, because they were sort of losing a well-loved member of the guild. But at least it wasn't a permanent goodbye - she would still be around from time to time, just like Loke.
With the way things had turned out, that was the best they could have hoped for, and better than losing her forever, as they almost had.
~~LoLu~~
A/N: Well, just one more chapter and an epilogue, and this one will be finished! YaY!
Then I can start working on other things, private projects as well as perhaps finishing some old things I never completed. Wish me luck!
And also a great big thanks to those who've followed this one from beginning to end, I hope you've enjoyed the journey!
Amber