"Sugar plum"
Silence met Lucy's attempt, so she tried again.
"Honey bear"
Still nothing.
"Sweet pea?" She knew her attempts were starting to sound desperate, but she was determined to find a nickname for Erik.
The disbelieving look he shot her wasn't encouraging. "You hungry or somethin'? Because the last few sound more like snacks."
Lucy ignored his cynical attitude and continued brainstorming as they walked down the last road to her family's home. Their return trip to the estate only took the better part of a day versus the several days they'd spent running away from it, mostly due to the fact that they took a direct route using standard transportation instead of walking. If it weren't for Master Makarov's orders to Erik that morning, they probably would've taken their time, but he had to leave as soon as possible. Following up on the things he'd learned from Mystogan took priority over comfortable travel arrangements, so he was stuck dealing with his motion sickness most of the day.
She was dreading him leaving again but knew it was just how things would be. He had only just gotten back the day before but would be off again as soon as they dealt with her father. Apparently, whatever he was looking into would have dire consequences if ignored, though he hadn't given her any details on whatever it was. Being left out of the loop was annoying but, again, she knew it was just how things were.
Focusing her mind back on her task, Lucy ran through every pet name she'd ever heard as she tried to find one that would suit Erik. The problem was, nothing really fit. Glancing over to see him staring blankly off into the distance while ignoring her didn't give her any ideas. She wasn't giving up, though. A small voice in the back of her mind was urging her to keep trying. Somehow, she just knew there would be one that got a reaction out of him. Well, a good reaction instead of instant rejection or blatant dismissal by way of him acting like he hadn't heard her speaking.
As if by divine inspiration, Lucy thought of one she hadn't tried yet. She knew this would be the one. Staring at him intently, she watched for any reaction, immediately noticing the way his ears reddened slightly though she hadn't even spoken yet.
With a triumphant smile, she said, "Sweetheart." His lips tightened into a thin line as he attempted to keep his facial expression under control, but Lucy saw it.
"Aha! That's it!" She shouted excitedly while pumping a fist in the air. When he continued to ignore her, she grabbed his sleeve to force him to face her as teased, "So, sweetheart, you want to tell me why that's the winner out of all the others I tried?"
He made a scoffing noise as he jerked his sleeve out of her hold to continue walking unimpeded. She wasn't discouraged by this because, somehow, she just knew he liked it somewhere deep inside his black little heart. "You might as well just tell me. You know I won't leave you alone about it now."
Sighing heavily as if it pained him to speak, he started off with a threat – a very Erik thing to do. "Never say that shit in front of anyone. I'll have to kill them and then you'll have to carry the guilt of their death on your conscience for the rest of your life."
Waving away his words, Lucy said, "Yeah, yeah, get to the good part." She would never intentionally embarrass him, so if he wanted to keep his cute pet name a secret, she would do it.
"It's not cute. It's annoying." When she only laughed and then made a 'hurry up' gesture, he finally explained. "A few years ago, I don't fucking know how long so don't bother asking, I was doing some bullshit for Brain that had me staying in a small village for a few days. There was an elderly couple with a tea shop that had the best damn teacakes I've ever eaten.
"The old lady only ever called her husband sweetheart. They had a bunch of kids who had their own kids and they were all always in or around the shop. The whole family was everything I used to wish I had." That was before Brain managed to kill off nearly all of Erik's softness. The asshole saw all tenderness as weak and useless, so destroyed every bit of it that he could find in his 'children'. Having Cu and then meeting Lucy were the only things that kept Erik from truly becoming Cobra, the epitome of everything Brain envisioned for him.
"What happened to your family?"
"No idea. I don't remember anything before the tower. For all I know, I was born in that hellhole." He didn't pull away when she slid her hand into a coat pocket to slip her hand into his. The comfort she was trying to offer him wasn't necessary, but she wanted to give it to him so he would take it.
"So, you don't really know anything about yourself then." It wasn't much of a question, but he shrugged in response anyway. Lucy hadn't ever asked him how old he was or where he was from, though not for lack of curiosity; they just hadn't spent much idle time together.
Answering her thoughts, he said, "I think I'm around twenty years old, give or take. That's based on Brain's guess. Some shit about bone development at the time he picked me up from the tower, but it could be off since starvation effects growth."
The emotionless way he spoke about his past made Lucy's heart ache, but she wouldn't belittle his suffering with pity. She would just make sure his future was a lot better than his past. Looking over at him in a more analytical way, she said, "I doubt your parents were Fiorian, or at least not both of them. You look a little too exotic." She put emphasis on the last word with a waggle of her brows, thinking about how much she loved his foreign look.
Snorting in amusement, he only rolled his eyes and continued walking.
It was early evening by the time they were facing the closed gates of the Heartfilia Estate. They stayed across the road at a great enough distance to avoid attracting the attention of the two guards posted inside the small guardhouse. Lucy didn't plan to announce herself to gain entrance. That's what she'd done last time but now she would take a different approach. If there was one thing she'd learned from being on Team Natsu, it was how to make a scene. She was a little nervous, though. "So, we're going to make a statement."
"No, you are going to make a statement."
Lucy looked wide eyed at Erik. "But I thought the entire point of you coming with me was to help me!"
In a placating tone he explained, "It was and I will, but what the hell is the point of making a statement about your independence if you make it look like you need help to pull it off?"
When she nodded faintly but was clearly still unsure of herself, he said, "Look, just bust in there like you were planning to and I'll be right behind you. I've got your back, but you gotta show your old man that you're not all talk."
Taking a steadying breath, Lucy said, "Ok. I can do this." Still stalling for time, she said, "I'm going to look way more badass than I really am. There won't be more than a dozen guards and none of them are trained in more than the most basic of magical combat, unless things have changed since I left."
"You're not as bad as you think. You just need some tactical training." The rare compliment, as indirect as it was, had Lucy staring at Erik in shock. When she found her voice again, she asked, "Do we need to find a doctor?"
"Don't be a bitch. I'm not completely incapable of being nice." Her responding laughter earned an annoyed look from him before he asked, "You done wasting time?"
Getting herself under control, Lucy straightened her shoulders and patted her keys. "I can do this. It will work."
"It will. I've got plenty of experience intimidating people into seeing things my way, so believe me when I say you've got the right idea." She glanced over to find a smug smirk on his lips, making her wonder exactly how he went about intimidating someone, and then decided she didn't want to know. He gestured widely with one arm, indicating she should go ahead.
Lucy marched forward with her high ponytail swaying from side to side and mini skirt bouncing with each step, making Erik realize he would enjoy watching this much more than he'd expected. Reaching for her keyring, Lucy unhooked a golden key as she chanted loudly – mostly for the dramatic effect – to summon Taurus. When The Golden Bull materialized next to Lucy, she ignored his pervy mooing and pointed at the gates. "Knock them down, Taurus, and let's kick some ass!"
With a mighty swing of his axe, the steel gates were knocked off their hinges and flying through the air. They crashed to the ground a good distance away after knocking down a large tree. Lucy was completely unsurprised when Loke appeared at her side. "You were going to leave me out of the fun, Princess?"
"Of course not! I knew you'd show up."
When the guards inside the station at the gate came rushing out, Loke sprang into action next to Taurus. The bull's axe sent one guard flying while Loke's Regulus punch left the other unconscious on the ground.
Once they were inside the fence line and making their way up the paved road leading to the mansion, Lucy sent Taurus back and summoned Virgo in his place. Before she could instruct Virgo on her part of the plan, the maid held out a short cylinder wrapped in dark brown leather. Bowing, the celestial spirit said, "Princess, I would like you to have this weapon. It will greatly enhance your prowess in combat and is much more impressive than the whip you currently own."
"This is a whip?" She asked as she took the item from Virgo. Assuming it was a magical item, Lucy pushed her magic into it and then gasped in surprise when a water-like substance flowed from the handle to form the tail of a whip. Flicking her wrist experimentally, she easily sent the whip out to snap powerfully at the ground. Even someone unexperienced with a whip would be able to use this one, but Lucy's months of training would make it an efficient weapon. Smiling brightly, she said, "Thanks, Virgo!"
Pointing ahead toward a maze of shrubbery and beautiful flowers, Lucy laid out her plan. "Can you tunnel under the entire garden so that it collapses inward without hurting anyone?" Destroying the garden had been a last minute and very painful decision. She had many cherished memories in the garden from the time her mother was alive, but she knew her father had just as many, if not more, memories in the same place. With her plan being to cause as much easily repairable damage as possible, the gardens had to go. She just hoped one day she would be able to restore them to their soon-to-be-former glory.
"Of course." With another bow, the pinkette disappeared beneath the ground. A few seconds later, there was a loud rumbling as the well-tended shrubs began collapsing into the ground like a line of dominoes, leaving a cloud of dust in their wake. Task complete, Virgo returned to the Celestial Realm.
Lucy looked over her shoulder to see Erik approaching while eying the whip. "Keep that shit away from me."
Cutting off her magic, she watched as the whip seemed to slide back into the handle as it disappeared from sight. Looking at Erik with an excited smile, she said, "Don't worry. I know how to use it properly." She couldn't blame him for still looking wary. He had a horrible history with whips against his back.
She started jogging toward the main entrance of the mansion, shouting to Loke as she passed by, "You can go back when you're done!" He shouted an acknowledgement as he continued to brawl with the guards filtering in from other areas of the estate. His excited laughter as he punched a guard hard enough to send him flying into the next guard reminded Lucy of why he fit in so well at Fairy Tail.
As she and Erik started up the steps, two guards burst through the doors with swords drawn. Erik immediately recognized them as the pair that had escorted him with much more force than necessary the last time he was here. Before Lucy could act on the plan she was formulating in her mind, he grabbed the back of her shirt to stop her forward progress. "Let me take these two, Fugi."
She opened her mouth to ask why he changed his mind about participating, and then recognition set in. She also remembered the way these two had treated Erik. "Alright, I'll go on ahead." But don't kill anyone.
The excited look he gave her wasn't very convincing, but she let him do his thing. As soon as Erik created an opening for her to slip through, Lucy ran inside her former home, leaving him behind to do as he pleased with the two guards.
Pushing her magic into the whip again, she used the weapon to shatter a few vases, which drew the attention of the staff. Each head that peeked through a doorway quickly disappeared with the sound of running footsteps. Lucy recognized many of the faces, but none of them stopped to speak to her. This truly felt like coming home – completely ignored as she threw a temper tantrum to gain her father's attention. Some things never changed.
Another pair of guards appeared at the top of the stairs she was approaching but their presence didn't slow her down. Expertly flicking her wrist, she disarmed the first guard and then sent the whip flying toward the other guard's sword before the first had even hit the ground. Both men recognized her after a moment, but they were shocked to see how much she'd changed. The caged bird they'd guarded for so many years was gone, and in her place was a very pissed off woman. The older of the pair put a hand against the younger man's chest, stopping him before he could act on whatever stupid thought had him moving. "It's good to see you, Lady Heartfilia."
Recognizing the statement as the olive branch it was meant to be, she ascended the stairs while saying, "Hello, Claudius. How's your wife?"
"She's doing well, thank you for asking." As the smiling blonde strode past, he added, "Master Jude was not expecting company today. The noise outside drew his attention but he remained in his office. He will be surprised by the visit."
Her smile seemed to brighten as she looked over her shoulder to say, "I definitely hope so."
As she made her way through the halls of her family's home, she tried not to get distracted by the memories that seemed to suddenly fog her mind. There was a feeling of finality settling in her gut, as if she knew the actions she was taking would permanently change things between her and her father. It wasn't a pleasant feeling, though she knew it was necessary. He couldn't be allowed to continue thinking he could control her life.
Though Loke had been out on his own power, Lucy felt the moment he returned to the Celestial Realm. She hoped it was by choice and not because one of the guards had gotten in a lucky shot.
Her pace slowed as she neared the last corner before the hallway leading to her father's office. It was unlikely any guards would be in the way since her father preferred complete privacy while working, so it wasn't the possibility of a fight that had her hesitating. It was that same weight that now felt like a lead brick pulling her down. She had just demolished her father's security force and caused a ridiculous amount of destruction within a very short amount of time. Now she planned to bust through her father's locked office door and demand he let her live her life freely. She wasn't sure how things would play out, but she knew there was a very real chance she would never speak to her father again.
Footsteps sounded behind her, which she immediately knew belonged to Erik. The same sense of awareness she felt the day before as he neared the guildhall was at work again. When he stopped beside her, she asked, "They're not dead, right?"
He chuckled darkly before saying, "No, but the assholes wish they were." Knowing what she was going to ask, he added, "I only poisoned them a little. They'll have the runs for a little while," a few days was a more accurate assessment but he was sugarcoating the truth, "and then they'll be fine."
"Uh huh." She answered doubtfully as she stared ahead at the door to her father's office.
"You planning to break down the door with your stare?"
"Shut up, jerk. You already know why I haven't moved." He did know but he wasn't sure how to help. It wasn't like encouraging people was something he'd done often – possibly never. He mentally went over his options, thinking of what he could do. She liked to be touched but a hug didn't seem to fit the situation. Instead, he grabbed her hand and held it tightly, assuming it worked since her thoughts immediately became less panicked. The smile she gave him was more of a grimace as she asked, "You'll be with me, right?"
"That's why I'm here, isn't it?" His impatient tone had a more genuine smile stretching her lips as she said, "I think your quota for sweetness is about three seconds long."
"Probably." Pulling his hand back to shove it into his coat pocket, he said, "Show the bastard what you're made of, Fugi."
Nodding in response to his words and her own mental pep talk, Lucy stalked toward the door to her father's office. She didn't bother summoning Taurus or any other spirit to break down the door for her. She just sent a vicious kick toward the lock as she shouted, "Lucy Kick!"
The doors flew inward, smacking against the walls with a satisfying thud. She waltzed into the office confidently, smiling at the bewildered look on her father's face. He shot to his feet, his face red with anger. Shouting in a way that intimidated her as a child, he demanded, "What is the meaning of this?"
"Hello to you too, father." Lucy paraded through the room, flopping into the chair across from her father in a very unladylike manner. She watched the way his nostrils flared as he sucked in an angry breath through his nose. He hated seeing her in anything less than the most formal of attire, always saying it was unfit for a lady of her station to appear as anything less than regal. Lucy smiled brightly at him, knowing seeing her in a mini skirt and halter top with one leg thrown over the arm of the chair had to be driving him crazy.
He leaned forward with his hands pressed against his desk, glaring heatedly at her as he spat, "You look like a two-dollar whore."
"Is that an observation made from experience?" When his eyes nearly bulged from their sockets, she said, "You're welcome to your opinion, though it will have no sway over anything I do."
Taking a deep breath, he sat down in his seat as he attempted to regain his appearance of calm and controlled. The throbbing vein in his forehead gave him away. Reaching forward, he picked up two small stacks of paper and then turned them to face Lucy as he set them on the side of the desk nearest her. "Since you are here, we should discuss your most beneficial marriage offers."
Her snort of laughter made him look up at her with frustration clear in his eyes. "I guess we can discuss my future, though you're definitely not going to like what I have to say."
Curiosity had Jude lifting a brow, so she continued, "I will not be entering into one of these marriages, nor will I be entertaining the idea of an arranged marriage in the slightest. I am in a relationship and you will not be interfering with it."
Jude's raised brow dropped to form a scowl that transformed his face into an angry mask. "I will do whatever it takes to protect our family's interest, even if that means trapping you here against your will until your marriage is finalized."
"Good luck with that. I just worked with my Celestial Sprits to wipe out your entire security team." Well, mostly, but the two Erik handled wouldn't have been an issue. She stood to her feet and imitated his posture from moments ago, leaning against the desk with her hands splayed wide as she glared at him. "You have pushed me too far, father. The first guild you sent to kidnap me nearly beat me to death! Not to mention, a large part of Magnolia was destroyed during the battle that followed." When he didn't even flinch at the harsh reality of what she'd gone through, Lucy became irate, "And then, you sent an even more deranged guild of maniacs to finish the job! My mind was nearly broken by one of the mages!"
Jude leaned back in his seat with his hands folded together over his stomach as he said, "It would've been an improvement over your current state. At least you would've been manageable."
His calmly spoke words and uncaring demeanor over the pain he'd caused sent Lucy's mind into a frenzy. She picked up both marriage contracts and stormed over to the fireplace, tossing both inside before stomping back over to the chair she'd been seated in to kick it into the wall. "If you try to keep me here, I will burn this place to the ground, family heritage be damned. You do not own me."
As angry as she was, she didn't realize Erik had walked into the room. It wasn't until she noticed her father staring wide-eyed over her shoulder that she looked behind her. His arms encircled her waist as he placed a kiss to the side of her neck. He stared at Jude as he whispered quietly in Lucy's ear, "Don't get scared, Fugi. He won't be keeping you here."
Erik's nearness calmed her nerves. She hadn't even realized how frantic she was becoming until now that the feeling was dissipating. Leaning into his embrace, she took a deep breath and stared at her father. It was because of Erik that she'd been able to escape her gilded cage the first time and because of him that she would make it away safely again. "No, this one is all you." He said in another whisper as he corrected her, "He couldn't have stop you if he tried. His guards are shit and there's no one close enough to call that can match up with your strength."
Jude's shock turned to anger again as he watched his only child interacting in such an intimate manner with an accomplished criminal. "Have you defiled yourself with this – this vagabond?" He spat the last word as if it tasted sour.
Under normal circumstances, Lucy would've defended Erik, but instead she gave the answer that she knew would irritate her father more. "Yes, I have." Jude's outrage made Lucy smile, knowing he was nearing the limit of his patience.
Erik decided it was time for him to step in, hearing the way both Lucy's and Jude's stubbornness would force them to circle each other endlessly. "Obviously, you remember me, but what you don't know is what I know about you. I know the names and locations of your most prominent business contacts. I know the combinations to all your safes, including the one you have stored in here beneath the floorboards." Jude's eyes widened in shock and fear at those words, since no one but him and the installation crew knew of the existence of that safe. He'd made sure those two men had been eliminated, so he had no idea how the criminal with his daughter would know of it. "I also know the secret you've been hiding from Lucy for all these years, and why you're so desperate to marry her off before her next birthday."
"What?" Lucy turned to look back at Erik, having no idea what he could be talking about.
"Do not speak another word or I will have you thrown in prison and executed for your crimes."
"You could try, but that'll never happen. You see, I'm a guilded mage now." He pulled down the collar of his shirt to show the guild stamp that matched the one on Lucy's hand. Jude clenched his jaw, knowing that meant Erik had a layer of protection from law enforcement.
One of Erik's hands moved from where it had been hugging Lucy's waist to begin tracing along her jawline possessively as he said, "Lucy is mine. You can't have her. The assholes you want to sell her to can't have her. She stays with me. Always." She looked over her shoulder to smile at him, knowing what he said was a sign of his affection rather than the words of a captor as they sounded to Jude.
The same hand became clawed as scales traveled up Erik's forearm. Lucy felt the change when the soft fingertips against her skin grew into pointed tips but she didn't flinch away, fully trusting him not to hurt her. He gently dragged the claws down Lucy's neck and across her cleavage, making her father nearly foam at the mouth in anger as Erik continued speaking, "You remember Brain. You were so impressed by his cunning and strength when you met with us. Do you know whose hands were covered in his blood as he took his last breath?" Erik enjoyed the way the mild fear in Jude's soul increased into full terror as he realized what Erik was saying.
When his free hand finally returned to its place hugging Lucy's waist, Erik rubbed his cheek tenderly against hers as he stared directly into Jude's eyes. "If anyone comes for her, I'll kill them. Their blood will still be warm on the ground when I come for you. You won't die, at least not right away. I'll destroy your empire and everything you've built. While I tear apart your fortune jewel by jewel, I'll slowly poison you. You won't die quickly. It will be a slow death, full of the suffering and agony you paid others to inflict upon your own child. You'll be a penniless beggar by the time I'm finished with you. And then, when the pain in your body becomes too great to bear, I'll come for you. I'll stand over your withered body as you take your last breath so I can be there to spit on your corpse."
Jude's face was as white as fresh parchment by the time Erik finished speaking. Lucy's stomach twisted a bit as the same feeling of finality returned. She knew Jude definitely wouldn't want to speak to her for a very long time. This might be the end of her relationship with her father, but there hadn't been much to it to begin with. He spent too many years neglecting her and then nearly had her killed, so a small part of her felt like this wasn't much of a loss. "I'll be leaving now, father. If you ever wish to apologize, I'll hear you out, but otherwise, I don't want to see you again."
Silent tears slipped down Lucy's cheeks as she walked out of the room. Once they were in the hallway, Erik knew this was definitely an appropriate time for a hug, so he wrapped his arms around her. She leaned against him to draw on the endless calm he seemed to feel in that moment. Pulling away much sooner than she wanted to, she said. "Let's stop by my old room before we leave. I want to grab a few things."
Her room was on the opposite side of the estate, so it took a few minutes to get there. They didn't see another person the entire way, so Lucy assumed everyone had fled in fear. It warmed her heart a little that Erik held her hand the whole way, as if he knew how fragile she was suddenly feeling.
All signs of Erik's former calm fled as soon as the door opened to her bedroom. Before she could step foot inside, he jerked her back forcefully and then shoved her behind him. "What's wrong?" She asked as she tried to look over his shoulder.
"Don't move and don't follow me until I say so."
Nervousness suddenly flooded Lucy as she watched Erik cautiously approach the doorway, looking all around, even up at the ceiling, before stepping through. For several tense seconds, there was hardly a sound. Even as focused as she was, Lucy could barely hear his footsteps as he crept through the room. She watched the door nearly close as, she assumed, he was checking behind it. The muttered, "fuck," she heard from the other side wasn't reassuring. "You can come in."
She walked in to find Erik still standing behind the door, staring at the wall with an odd look on his face. Looking in the same direction, she tried to figure out what had his attention, but didn't see anything strange. Then, she noticed it. Almost exactly at Erik's eye level, there was a small marking no bigger than her fingertip. Stepping closer to it with her eyes squinted, she tried to make out the shape. It almost looked like an eye. "What is that?"
After a brief pause, he answered in a worried tone. "It's a sign from Midnight."
"What? He was here?" She looked at the marking again while trying to figure out what it could mean.
Erik pulled her away from the wall as he said, "Get your shit and let's go."
"Alright." Turning to look around the room, Lucy noticed for the first time that it was exactly as she'd left it. Not a single thing was out of place. This was just another reminder that her father had been expecting her to return to her old life.
It only took Lucy a few moments to find the things she wanted – letters to her mother, her favorite children's book about constellations, a journal with her first attempts at writing and a few other sentimental things. With all of it stuffed into a bag that looked much too elegant to go with the rest of Lucy's outfit, she followed Erik back out of her old bedroom.
They moved quickly toward the same exit they'd taken the first time they'd left together, which made Lucy smile fondly. Though, it didn't look like Erik was reminiscing. His jaw was clenched tightly and the rest of his body looked tense with anger. Concerned about what Midnight's message could mean, she asked, "Are we in danger?"
When he didn't answer right away, Lucy's concern turned into worry. She continued to follow him as he started walking towards the stables. Finally, he said, "I don't know, probably, but not right this second. That's one of the symbols we would use to leave messages for each other in our cell."
"You were in the tower together? Like in the same cell?"
"Yes."
He didn't add anything else and Lucy didn't feel like it was a good time to ask, so she let it go for now. The sun was close to setting by the time they entered the stables. Only the horses were inside, not a stable worker in sight. It might've been strange under other circumstances, but she assumed news of an attack on the estate spread quickly. The lack of attendant meant they wouldn't have any issues taking horses, but it also meant they wouldn't have help saddling up. Lucy remembered how to do it on her own but it had been a long time.
As she looked down the row of horses, the blonde felt a twinge of guilt about taking two of them. She knew the late hour meant they needed to make a quick trip to the train station in Crocus, but she felt a little guilty about stealing. Well, sort of stealing. She supposed she was still a Heartfilia and these were all Heartfilia property, so was it even really stealing? Erik said irritably, "They're all yours anyway, or will be soon. And we don't need two. Just one will work."
"What?" Her mind was still stuck on the first half of what he said, so she didn't realize how odd it was that he wanted to ride together on the same horse. His words reminded her of the strange thing he'd said to her father, so she asked, "What do you know that I don't?"
Erik wanted to punch himself for saying anything right now. They needed to leave quickly but he knew she wouldn't leave him alone now that he'd caught her curiosity. "Look, it's a lot to explain and has to do with inheritance and succession – a lot of bullshit your father should've told you about a long time ago but he's an asshole so he didn't. I'll explain it later. Can you just pick a damn horse?"
"Um – sure." Lucy's mind was still stuck on what Erik could be talking about. She had never been under the impression she would inherit anything while her father was still alive, but she needed to put it out of her mind until later. Finally putting thought into what she'd been ignoring, Lucy asked, "Hold on, why only one horse?"
Pinching the bridge of his nose in irritation, Erik huffed, "I can't control the fucking things. I've tried to learn but the fuckers get all antsy when I'm on. The only way it'll work is if you have the reins."
Lucy bit her lips between her teeth as she tried not to laugh at him but it didn't work. The laughter exploded out of her, which made Erik glare darkly. "Damn it, woman, we have to go! Stop your fucking laughing and just get a horse that won't throw us off."
"Alright, alright, I'm going." Still chuckling under her breath, Lucy walked down the line of horses until she found the one she had in mind. The mare, Missy, was old enough to no longer have the wildness of youth but still young enough to have good stamina. She was also fairly calm, so hopefully she wouldn't instantly hate Erik.
As Lucy led the horse from its stall, she said, "Missy won't be able to carry both of us that long. Our combined weight will be too heavy. We should ride to the closest town to get an SE vehicle to take to the train station. My father has an account there for his couriers to deliver messages. We can just show up claiming to have a delivery for Jude Heartfilia." Well, she hoped it would be that easy. She knew that's how her father sent out his urgent messages, but she wasn't completely sure of the vehicle rental center's location. It wasn't as if she'd ever been allowed to leave the estate to find out.
"Whatever. Let's just get out of here." He leaned against the now empty stable, glowering at Lucy while she slipped a bridle over the horse's head. Not looking away from the horse as she pushed the bit between its teeth, Lucy teased Erik, "Ya know, I can feel your angry glare from here. It's no wonder horses hate you so much."
When he didn't respond, she looked over her shoulder to wink at him as she said, "Come on, sweetheart, time to go."
Without moving from his place, he asked, "Doesn't that thing need a saddle?"
"Nope. We're not going far and it wouldn't be very comfortable for us or her to try squeezing on with a saddle." Lucy grabbed a short stool from where it sat next to the wall with hanging rows of tack and then used it to climb onto the horse's back. She adjusted the bag with her keepsakes so that it sat in front of her and then looked over at Erik to see he still hadn't moved. "You ok?"
With a huff and a few muttered curses, he pushed off the spot he was leaning and approached the horse warily. The mare instantly started shifting from hoof to hoof, so Lucy patted her neck while cooing to the spooked animal. Still speaking calmly, she said to Erik, "Stop acting grouchy. She can sense what you're feeling. Think happy thoughts."
"Think happy thoughts," he repeatedly mocking, but tried to calm his nerves. He wasn't looking forward to this but hoped Lucy's experience would make this less miserable than the last time he'd tried to ride a horse. He stepped onto the stool and swung a leg over the horses back, though much less gracefully than Lucy, and then nearly slid off the other side. As if the horse sensed his near fall, she moved in that direction to help Erik get steady and then held still while he found his balance. "Maybe this monster isn't as bad as the last one."
Chuckling under her breath, Lucy nudged the horse into walking toward the exit. Erik's immediate reaction was to squeeze tightly, which had the breath whooshing from Lucy's lungs and the horse picking up pace. "Relax," Lucy wheezed as she slapped at his arms where they were crushing the life out of her.
"Sorry." He mumbled after he realized Lucy's thoughts were screaming at him to stop squeezing the horse's sides with his knees. As soon as he relaxed, the horse's pace slowed back to something he could tolerate.
Once she no longer felt like her ribs were on the verge of cracking, Lucy said, "You just apologized. I think there's hope for you."
"Shut up and just drive this thing."
The ride into the nearest town was silent. Neither of them spoke since Erik was focusing his full attention on not crushing Lucy or spurring the horse into running. Dusk had fully set in by the time they arrived just at the edge of town. As soon as Lucy tugged on the reins to bring the mare to a stop, Erik slid down to the ground and stumbled away a few steps. "Never again. I'd rather take a fucking train around Earthland three times than ever get on another horse."
Lucy only laughed at him as she led the horse a short distance away. She made sure the reins were safely behind the horse's neck before stroking beneath her mane and then along her back until she got to her rump, where she gave the horse a sharp slap. As the mare took off, Lucy whispered apologetically, "Please don't get lost, Missy."
Finding the vehicle rental center was a huge relief to Lucy, though Erik seemed mostly indifferent. She wasn't sure if he was preoccupied with thoughts of his former guildmate or still a little rattled over the horse ride. When he didn't bother filling her in, she decided to just let it go for now. As she walked toward the entrance, Erik went around the side of the building where he disappeared into the shadows.
The store manager was preparing to close down just as Lucy walked inside. Her false story of needing a vehicle to make a delivery for Jude Heartfilia didn't raise any concerns for the guy. He simply filled out the form, had Lucy sign her name, and then handed her the SE plug. After a quick spiel about safety protocols and how to return the vehicle to the rental center in Crocus, he led Lucy outside to choose a vehicle. Unsure of what difference it would make, Lucy simply chose the second one in the row and then sat in the driver's seat. Erik joined her as soon as the store manager was back inside, making Lucy ask, "Are you a wanted criminal here too?"
He gave her an annoyed looked before saying, "Let's just say that all your worrying about finding this place was unnecessary because I've been here before."
"And you left with an SE vehicle?"
When he nodded, she snorted with a shake of her head before saying, "Then I guess it's a good thing you stayed hidden."
The rest of their trip to the train station was as silent as the horseback ride, though for a different reason. Erik spent the entirety of the drive holding his stomach or leaning over the side to vomit. Lucy didn't even want to know how much puke was splattered on that side of the vehicle. They took turns wearing the plug to keep moving at top speed, so they managed to make it to Crocus in about two hours.
Returning the vehicle and purchasing tickets for the last train out of the city used up the last of Lucy's patience. The silence as she drove only gave her mind room to run wild, so she had too many theories and not enough answers. There was something major she was missing, something she should've known long before Erik ever entered her life, and her father had been hiding it from her. What could it be? She knew his determination to hold onto the Heartfilia wealth and leave an unforgettable legacy had become a bit of an obsession, but she hadn't known she was a roadblock on the way to his success. Maybe she was wrong, but that was the most likely theory she had worked out. Whatever it was, it was something he thought he could avoid by marrying her off.
As they boarded the train, Lucy said, "I have about a million questions."
"I know. I can hear them all rattling around in your head."
The train was mostly deserted at such a late hour, so they were able to find an empty bench in the corner to claim as their own. Once they were seated, Erik said, "I'll explain everything once we're off this death trap." Before she could complain about not having enough time to talk about everything, he said, "It's too late for me to leave tonight so there's plenty of time. Just quit your bitchin' until we get there."
"Ok, come here." She pulled him down to lay in her lap, which he went along with willingly. The one time he'd done this had been so much more comfortable than any other train ride he'd ever been on. It was something he'd wished he could do every time he'd gotten onto a moving vehicle since that day. Only the risk of pulling the SE plug loose had stopped him from doing it during the ride to the train station.
With a loud groan of metal on metal that sounded nearly as tired as Lucy felt, the train started moving. She combed her fingers through Erik's hair, gently scratching along his scalp to help him relax against his building nausea. "Thanks for coming with me today. I might've pulled it off without you there, but I'm glad you were with me."
It didn't matter that he couldn't answer with more than a grunt. She just felt like she needed to say it. The way he nuzzled a little further into her stomach made her think maybe he was letting her know she didn't have to thank him for that. There was no way for her to know, but she was right. That's exactly how he felt. Erik was quickly coming to realize there wasn't anything he wouldn't do for Lucy. Somehow, in a very short period of time, she'd become his entire world. He didn't give a fuck if it all burned down, as long as she was with him. Well, maybe Kinana too, but that was different. He wanted his former friend to be alright but didn't have much expectation of any friendship between them in the future. And that was ok, he guessed, since he had Lucy. He would do anything for her and thought maybe she was starting to feel that way too.