Loke was already waiting for her in their training clearing when Cindy arrived. His face was pale and drawn. There were dark circles forming under his eyes. His usually immaculate clothes were rumpled, and even the unruly mass of orange hair on top of his head looked deflated as it clung to his forehead.

Turning in the form he was running, Loke noticed her approach and acknowledged her with a nod as he kept going. Cindy laid her purse on the small boulder sitting at the edge of the clearing before stripping off the over-sized sweater, leaving her in the plain tee and loose fitting pants she preferred. She'd go back to the house, shower, and change into something less sloppy looking when they'd finished training as usual. After all, any Southern lady has it browbeaten into her as a child that there are clothes that are okay to wear at home or the gym, but you must never be seen in them while out and about.

"Looking sloppy is a sign of disrespect," Cindy could hear her mother's voice chiding in the back of her mind any time she was tempted to just stick with her comfy clothes. "Toward those around you and for yourself. A lady looks put together, even if it's uncomfortable. You can change when you get home."

The memory made her chuckle as she folded the camouflage monstrosity she wore almost constantly these days and tossed it over her purse. Her guild mark alone would give Mama a minor heart attack if she ever saw it.

The crunch of leaves drew Cindy's attention away from her memories and back into the present. She looked up to find Loke done with his form and making his way over to where she stood.

They exchanged quiet greetings, and he took a long drink from his water bottle. Cindy leaned with her hips pressed back against the boulder, and she frowned and tilted her head to one side as she considered her younger friend.

"You look like hell," she said, concern heavy in her tone. "What happened?"

"Didn't sleep well," Loke answered with a shrug and took another drink from his water.

Lips thinning, Cindy scoffed. "You never sleep well," she grumbled. "What happened?"

"Charissa and I broke things off."

The snappish response was coupled with another pulse of sadness and guilt spiked with irritation, and it hit Cindy hard. Her heart stuttered enough to make her chest ache, and her gut tied itself in knots. Guilt and shame settled like lead chains around her shoulders as the discussion she'd had with one of Loke's girlfriends the night before replayed in her mind.

"Oh Loke," she said. "I'm…"

"Don't," he interrupted.

Startled, Cindy watched dumbly as Loke capped his water bottle and stowed it with his jacket. The emotions she sensed from the younger mage flickered and faded as she felt him erecting the shields she'd taught him how to build, leaving her with only body language and tone to gauge him. The weight she felt pressing on her grew.

Loke sighed and ruffled his hair with his right hand. The orange spikes perked up to something resembling their usual mane-like state for a moment before wilting once more.

"I know Charissa confronted you about some fool notion she got in her head about us starting some affair or something thanks to Mira's overeager matchmaking tendencies," Loke said. "And I know what you told her."

Cindy went to apologize again, but Loke cut her off with a raised hand before she'd managed to say more than, "I'm."

"Don't go blaming yourself because it's wasn't your fault," Loke said with a shake of his head, tone firm. He rubbed both hands over his face and groaned.

"It's something that's been coming for a long time," he said. Loke dropped his hands back down to his sides and gazed up at the sky through the break in the canopy overhead. "Charissa wants a man who'll settle down and give her a gaggle of kids. Always has as long as I've known her, and that's not something I can do."

A sad smile pulled at the corners of his mouth. "I was too much of a selfish coward to call things off until I saw just how miserable my selfishness was making her last night." He turned his head toward Cindy, sad smile still in place and tears gathering in his eyes. "That conversation you had with her last night might have been the catalyst, but it wasn't the cause. So you shouldn't feel guilty."

"I'm still sorry you and her are hurting," Cindy said.

"I appreciate that," Loke answered with a watery chuckle and pushed away from the boulder. "Enough chit chat." He shook his head and walked backwards out into the clearing. "I could use a distraction. So do we train, or do I go challenge Cana to a drinking contest?"

Cindy gave an exaggerated hum. "Bruises or liver damage," she mock mused as she too pushed away from the boulder and followed. "Training's more productive," she shrugged.

Loke in search of distraction was a bit of a sadist, it seemed. He'd pushed her more sparing than he ever had before, even going so far as to bring their magic into the mix for the first time. She had to resort to using telepathic pressures to slow him down and telekinetic attacks just to keep up.

Had it been any other day, Cindy would have tapped out well before the first hour was up, but her friend was hurting. As they spared, she could see him relaxing into the focus fueled half-trance that can come with combat for some, and she could sense the weight lifting from him. So she persisted until she'd once again emptied her magic well, and her legs refused to hold her up anymore.

Fighting to catch her breath, Cindy rolled onto her back in the dust and squeezed her eyes shut against the mid-morning sun. She heard the thud of Loke's footsteps approaching and flapped a hand toward him.

"I give," she groaned.

A shadow fell over her face, and Cindy looked up to see Loke looking down at her, shoulders slouched and hands buried in his pockets.

"About time," he said, giving her a half grin as he sat down beside her. "You shouldn't push yourself so hard sparring. Not like it's a real fight."

"You needed a distraction," Cindy answered with a shrug. The flinch and grimace Loke made in response tugged at her, so she followed it up with, "And I'll never get any stronger if I don't push myself."

"So you pushed yourself until you collapsed?" Loke's eyebrows shot up so far they almost hit his hairline. "In the forest?"

Cindy laughed. "What? Places like this were my playground as a child." The skeptical look Loke shot her brought Cindy up short, and she reconsidered her reasoning with a wince. "Of course, we didn't have monsters like actual windigos and vulcans back home."

"Didn't think about that did you?"

"No," Cindy mumbled. Huffing, she crossed her arms and shrugged again. "Natsu keeps this place cleared out though, so you don't have to stick around on my behalf. I'll be fine in a few minutes."

"Not going to happen," Loke scoffed with a shake of his head.

He pushed himself off the ground and trotted over to the boulder where their belongings sat. Cindy let her head loll to the side, so she could see what he was doing. He slung the strap of her purse over one shoulder before donning the huge coat he seemed to always wear no matter the weather. Then he checked the cap on his water bottle before cramming it into a pocket and stalking back over to her.

Crouching back down beside her, Loke offered her a hand, and she took it. Loke pulled her up into a sitting position and draped her arm around his shoulders as he slipped his other arm around her. At that point, Cindy expected him to help her stand, but once he'd settled her arm around his shoulders, he moved to scoop her up under the knees instead. Warring embarrassment and fear had her flushing hot and cold at the same time.

"Don't!" she yelped. She went stiff, and her nails dug into his shoulder. "I'm way too heavy! You'll hurt yourself."

Loke scowled at her, sliding his arm under her knees and hefting her up anyway. "Relax," he grumbled. "I'm stronger than I look."

With that, he shifted into a wider stance and stood, using his legs instead of his back to lift her not inconsiderable weight. She'd lost a fair bit since coming to Earthland sure, but Cindy knew she was still far from "normal." Even at her slimmest, Lee had almost thrown his back out trying to carry her over the threshold following their wedding, and she had to be close to eighty pounds heavier now than she was then. Her heart hammered in her chest, and she watched Loke's face for any sign of pain as he stood.

"So, Natsu's or the guild?" Loke asked.

"Set me down." Cindy frowned and put every ounce of irritated mama tone she could muster into her voice. "I just need a couple minutes, and I'll be fine."

"Do I look like this is hurting me?" Loke's lips were pulled into a thin, irritated line, and he raised one eyebrow in query.

The question surprised Cindy into reconsidering. She couldn't see any sign of pain in his expression, and the hold he had on her was steady. His posture was a bit straighter than usual, but he wasn't having to arch back to balance her weight like Lee had.

Now that she thought about it, although Loke looked about as slender as Lee, he was several inches taller than her husband. She'd stood a good inch taller than Lee since she hit one last, late growth spurt in her early twenties, making her just a bit bigger than her husband even before she'd started gaining. But all the men here aside from Makarov seemed to tower over her, Loke included. She had to conclude he had to be a bit bigger than she'd thought, like Lee's grandfather. The man was six foot one, but he looked thin as a rail. Because of that, she'd fretted the shirts he'd handed down to Lee once would be far too small, but they turned out to be so big, he looked like a kid playing dress up in his dad's clothes.

Feeling her face heat up again with a blush at being chided like a child, Cindy shook her head.

"Then hush and let me help," Loke ordered and set off in the direction of the hut. "It's my fault you overdid it, after all."

"What about my sweater?" she asked, craning her neck to look over his shoulder where it still lay across the boulder.

"You can pick it up when you come back by," Loke said as he left the clearing and turned onto the path.

Cindy scowled up at the stubborn teen. "And if some critter snatches it for nesting material?"

Loke huffed and rolled his eyes. "Then I'll replace it with one that's not six sizes too big."

The rest of the trek back to Natsu's hut passed in awkward silence. Well, after Loke had snapped at her to shush once again after Cindy'd spent another couple minutes nagging him to put her down. His voice had dropped a couple steps and taken on an authoritative tone that had her jaw clicking shut of its own accord, and wasn't that just embarrassing?

So she'd sniffed and turned her face away from Loke, keeping her eyes locked on the path ahead. Let him think she'd gotten offended enough to give him the silent treatment.

Cindy hadn't noticed just how late it was until they'd been walking in silence for a while. Enough of the morning had passed that the early risers had ceased singing and gone off foraging. Natsu had gotten in earlier than usual the night before and collapsed in his hammock without a word, but he still wasn't up when she'd left. She rather hoped he wasn't home now. Knowing him, he'd jump to conclusions and pitch a fit if he caught sight of Loke having to carry her home like this.

"What's the matter?"

Cindy startled at the sound of Loke's voice after so long in the quiet, and his grip on her tightened. She felt her brow furrow as she looked back up at him.

"You're twisting the hell out of my jacket collar, and you're going to split your lip if you gnaw on it any harder," Loke said. "Something's eating at you, so spit it out."

"I was just hoping Natsu wasn't home," she answered. "You know how protective he is. If he sees you carrying me like a sack of flour…"

"Loke!" Natsu's voice bellowed from the hut's door. A halo of flames flickering around his fists, he came running toward them, Happy gliding right behind. "What'd you do to Aunt Cindy?"

"I just pushed it too hard training, Natsu," she piped up. "Loke has stuff to do this morning, and he refused to let me just wait it out alone."

"Oh, well thanks then, I guess," Natsu stammered as he came to a stop at the gate and let the flames gutter out. He held his arms out toward Loke. "I can take her from here though."

Cindy rolled her eyes heavenward, silently praying for patience and groaned. "You know, I'm sure I could walk the last little bit if one of you would just help me keep steady." She poked Loke in the ribs, making him jump. "As I've been saying from the start."

"Maybe that's true, but it doesn't change the fact it would have taken twice as long. And you wouldn't be anywhere near as recovered," Loke argued back.

Ignoring Natsu's still outstretched arms, Loke stepped around the other wizard and continued down the path. Natsu's protests echoed behind them, but both were too busy squabbling by then to really notice them.

"That's not the point!"

"Yes it is, you stubborn woman!" Loke snapped. "You're just too proud to admit when you need help."

He had a point. How annoying!

"Fine," she sighed. "I give, but remember this." Cindy sniffed and comported herself with as much dignity as she could muster while being carried around like a child. "If you ever wear yourself down to the point of not being able to walk, I won't hesitate to put you in a fireman's carry and haul your gangly butt back to base."

Loke laughed as he shouldered the door the rest of the way open from where it hung partly closed. "I'll hold you to it."

He shifted and sat her down on the couch in the cottage's main room. "Now rest up, and I'll see you back at the guild later."

Cindy nodded and, still too embarrassed by her neediness to meet the teen's eyes, studied the old burn patterns in the rug. She felt a minuscule pulse of amusement from Loke before he turned. Overwhelmed with the need to set things right, Cindy's hand shot out and latched onto his left wrist. Loke stopped and looked back at her as she finally lifted her gaze from the ruined carpet.

"Thank you," she said. "For making sure I got home safe."

"It's what friends do."

The smile he gave her was slight but genuine, and she released his wrist, returning the smile with one of her own.

Author's Note: I know most put octaves when talking about someone's voice rising or dropping, but even a really broad vocal range can only cover about two and a half octaves. Even with falsetto, the most you can really hope for is maybe three octaves with any sort of strength. Scales are built using a pattern of what's called half steps and whole steps with a half step being the distance between one note and the next one on the chromatic scale. So A-Bb or C#-D. A whole step, or step, is comprised of two half steps. So D-E or Ab-Bb. A couple of steps would be the same a a third, or the "typical" difference between one singing part and the next in a piece of music.

That said, this chapter kind of ran away with me. I didn't manage to get as far as I'd planned because the bits between Loke and Cindy ballooned from one scene to the whole chapter. I wanted to add the resolution with Natsu and set up the next arch, but the chapter was getting unwieldy. So I'm going to stop saying what I plan for the next chapter and jinxing myself.

Review Responses:

Ori Heartlyng: Sad but necessary, I'm afraid. I'm glad you're enjoying it overall. :D

OtakuPrincess28: *blushes* Thank you.

Mezatron: Thank you! Ah yes, poor Natsu. But there is no growth without discomfort, so again, sad but necessary, I'm afraid.