Laxus slowly approaches the door to Lucy's room. Inside, he finds the celestial maiden sitting on her desk chair, her eyes lowered and hands clenched above her knees. Swallowing his hesitancy, Laxus gently closes the door behind him. Prodding across the floor, he sits on the edge of her bed.

Neither look at one another. Heavy silence gradually builds between them for several long, suffocating minutes.

"How are you?" Lucy finally blurts out softly, unable to endure the pressure anymore.

"Not great," Laxus sighs. "I—I mean," he backtracks when he sees Lucy curl more into herself. "I mean…this has been a rough week."

"I understand," she agrees meekly.

That long silence begins to spread between them once more until Laxus sighs deeply.

"Lucy," he gently calls out to her.

The woman hesitantly looks up and is shocked to see the weariness and remorse in his handsome features. Her eyes drift over his body, noticing how he is only wearing a crumpled tank top, cargo pants, and brown boots.

"I'm sorry," he finishes, his eyes growing dim with guilt and sorrow.

Tears flood her bottom eyelids. "I'm sorry, too," she sobs quietly. "I'm sorry for everything."

Laxus frowns to himself in discomfort but feels his determination begin to spark within his chest like it did back in Magnolia. "But I want you to know that if you are pregnant, I won't abandon you. I will do everything in my power to be there for you and our baby," he tells her resolutely.

Lucy snaps her wide, begging eyes to Laxus' own.

"After your old man came to see me, I thought it all over. I realized that this is not something I want to run away from. If I did then I would be throwing away our friendship and you're too important for me to let you go so willingly. I knows what it feels like to be abandoned after being so fucking vulnerable like you were and I would never wish that pain on you."

Soul binding relief drowns every ounce of Lucy's being as light snivels turn into heavy cries. Part of her panic, worry, and uncertainty dissolve in the waters of delight, assurance, and peace.

Alarm overtakes Laxus when he sees her beginning to cry harder. "Wait—Wait, what's wron—"

"Thank you," she whimpers as she buries her face in her hands.

Understanding clicks in Laxus' brain and he can't help but feel relieved. Not sure how to handle a crying woman, an unconscious scowl spreads over his lips as he watches his partner continue to weep.

After what feels like an eternity, Lucy's cries quieten to soft snivels.

"Sorry, sorry," she apologizes as she wipes her nose with the back of her hand.

"You okay?" he asks.

"I'm just so relieved." Lucy chuckles, tears staining her eyelashes. "It's almost painful." Taking a deep breath through her nose, she continues, "I felt so terrible when I thought you never wanted to speak to me or have anything to do with me ever again. I didn't want to lose you. You're my best friend. And knowing that you want to be there, it just makes me so happy."

"So…we're still friends?" Laxus asks warily, needing to hear the words from her to make sure it's not just false hope.

"Yes, of course," Lucy nods strongly and smiles; her hearts singing with joy at the idea.

The pressure on Laxus' shoulder tumbles off and he breathes a sigh of relief.

Lucy's smile falters as she looks down at her knees in concern. "So, what's next?"

Green eyes glance over at the woman. "I'm not sure," he tells her honestly. "But we'll figure it out when the time comes."

Lucy nods. Laxus returns his eyes to the floor.

"How many day until…?"

"Four. I made an appointment."

"What time?"

"Eight."

"Would you be mad if I came?"

"No. No, not at all. I'd be madder if you didn't," she jokes half-heartedly.

"Thanks," he mumbles awkwardly.

Silence spreads between them once more, both lost in their heavy thoughts. Sighing to herself Lucy looks up at Laxus.

"Hey Laxus?" Lucy asks cautiously, causing him to look at her. "What did you mean when you said you knows how it feels to be vulnerable like I was?"

Taken aback by the sudden question, anger and shame bubble inside of him and he has to turn away from the celestial mage. "It's…a long story," he forces out uncomfortably. "But…I was abandoned and humiliated after I lost my virginity."

Lucy's eyes go wide in shock. "O-Oh," she mumbles as she fidgets in her chair.

Remembering his vow to open up and let his emotions flow as well as Jude's words to tell Lucy the truth, Laxus sighs tiredly. Closing his eyes and leaning his elbows against his knees, he takes several deep breathes to calm himself before looking at her once more.

"When I was nineteen," he begins, "I took a job in some town. On the way there, I ran into my pops. We got into it. I wanted him to come back to Fairy Tail and be together with me and Gramps. He said I was a fool for believing such a fantasy would ever happen and told me I was a pathetic child who will always be weak and doesn't deserve any admiration."

"That's not true!" Lucy protests, brown eyes flared in defense.

Laxus gives a her a small, thankful smile before it melts. "Afterwards, I felt like shit. I wanted to go home but I needed to finish my job first. I got to the town and met the requestor." Laxus' face turns hateful. "Countess Mathilde Loisel," he spits out as if it is poison. Watching Lucy's eyebrows rise in concern Laxus regains his normal tone.

"She was somewhere in her thirties, had slim green eyes and long pink hair that went zig-zagged—"

"You mean, 'crinkled'?"

"Whatever you call it. I remember thinking she was somewhat pretty when I first saw her. She wore these fancy clothes but had this thick perfume I didn't like. When I told her I was there for the job, she invited me to stay at her mansion while I finished the request. I didn't think anything of it, just one less inn I have to pay for. As she was telling me the details, she kept trying to touch me and was always smiling at me. Looking back, those should have been obvious signs but I was so caught up in what my old man said I didn't pay any attention.

"The next few days were hell. Not the job, that was simple. Beat up some dark guild members, nothing crazy. But what Pops said kept eating at me and every time I would think about it, I got more and more…" Laxus pauses in thought. "Well, I was angry but now I guess, deep down, I was just…hurt. By the time the job was over and headed back to the mansion, I was in a bad place emotionally and mentally. The Countess congratulated me on my success and offered a bonus of a fancy dinner. I told myself, 'why not?'.

"While we ate, all Loisel did was praise me and my achievements. It made me forget about what my dad said. It made me forget everything. It made me feel wanted and special. I got sucked in by those words I didn't even know I wanted to hear. Before I knew what was happening, she was running her fingers through my hair and practically begging me to spend the night with her." Laxus lowers his eyes, shame and regret etching themselves deeper into his features. "And I agreed.

"I had never been with anyone before so I followed her lead. When we got upstairs to her bedroom she told me about her rules and it was hard to follow since I didn't have any idea about where or when to touch or not to touch without any rules.

"I remember that she refused to kiss me. That was one of her biggest rules. But I was excited and she was willing so we made do. It was…awkward," he admits timidly. "It certainly wasn't as great as I thought it would be."

Lucy audibly swallows and looks down at how her fingers fiddle together.

"Anyway," he mumbles in embarrassment before his tone turns grave once more. "Halfway through, the door to the room suddenly opens up and in walks her husband."

Lucy's head snaps up, all evidence of her blush gone, and gasps while raising a hand to her mouth. "Her husband?!"

Laxus nods. "Count Loisel. I had no idea the broad was married," he admits. "All I felt was horror and panic and shame. I jumped off the Countess and was trying to find my clothes as her husband called in some guards. I barely got my underwear on before my arms were behind my back and a pair of anti-magic handcuffs were slapped on me.

"And what does she do," Laxus sneers in anger. "She got up—barely tried to cover herself—and told her husband to stop yelling because it was giving her a headache. Fuck, it pissed me off. I demanded to know what was going on but all I got in response was the Count ordering his men to take me to the jail without even looking at me. That made me even more pissed. As the guards tried to drag me out, I struggled and fought while yelling at the Countess for answers. She just stared at me like I was this unimpressive little bug. One of the guards must have slammed something into the back of my head because everything went black after that.

"When I woke up," he continues, his tone now much softer, "I was lying in a cell. I realized I was still handcuffed, I was still only in my underwear, and my head felt like Gramps had decked me." Green eyes dim with a long-buried pain so deep it made Lucy's heart ache. "As I laid there, all alone in my cell, I just…lost it. Everything hit me at once, ya know? I had never felt so embarrassed, sad, angry, regretful, and ashamed before and I just fucking hated myself for putting myself in that position. I can't really remember when I started crying but I cried until I couldn't feel anything. And the memories of everything kept replaying in my head. With each pass I felt smaller and more insignificant. I just wanted it to be over.

"I swore to never put myself back into that kind of situation and to never feel like that again. I told myself over and over so I would never forget. By the morning, everything just blended together and all I remember was being so fucking miserable and exhausted."

"Laxus…" Lucy breathes, shock and concern splayed across her features.

"Not long afterwards, Count Loisel came to see me. I expected him to have me shipped off to some prison but the guy told me he would forget the whole thing if I agreed to some conditions, which shocked the shit out of me. He said if I agreed not to tell anyone about the affair and to never show my face around town again, he would erase the arrest from the books. I was still bitter about the whole thing so I asked what would happen if I refused. Out of nowhere, Countess Loisel shows up and tells me that if I don't agree to her husband's terms she will say, that despite the kindness and generosity she showed me for my services, I attempted to rape her."

Lucy gasps in horror, a hand flying to her mouth.

"It pissed me off," Laxus gritted his teeth as tendrils off electricity peeled off his body. The air in the room steadily filling with thick, rage-filled tension. "And it terrified me. Still does to this day."

Lucy stared aghast at the dragon slayer. "What…what happened?" Lucy asks, her voice barely above a whisper.

Taking deep breath through his nose, the electricity dims to nothing. The room's atmosphere replaced by a more somber tone. "I screamed at them. Demanded to know if she gave a damn about anything I did for her and her goddamn town. Countess Loisel just scoffed and told me that she never cared about me. I glared so hard at her, I hoped it would kill her. At least Count Loisel had the decency to scowl at his wife. He explained that he was running for public office and didn't want any word of this out in public because it would put a blister on his campaign. The townspeople already saw me being dragged through the street so it all depends on which story they are told: that Loisel and his men found me in the woods battered and bruised from my job which saved the whole town and they brought me to the police station to help me recover or that Loisel saved his wife from a harrowing, terrifying nightmare of a crazed rapist.

"I just stared at them in complete disbelief. I couldn't fathom how two people could do such a horrible thing. Once I snapped out of it, I swore and threatened them any way I knew how. But neither of them cared. The husband gave me one last chance to agree to his terms."

Laxus shakes his head, his shoulders drooped with regret. "I wanted to fight them. I wanted to prove my innocence. I wanted to pound their skulls in for threatening me like that. But I was trapped. Backed into a corner with only one way out. My insides burned with humiliation and shame but I bitterly agreed.

"Satisfied with my cooperation, Count Loisel told me I made the right decision and left me with his whore of a wife. She looked me over and scoffed before turning to leave. I yelled at her, asking if ruining someone's life was worth everything she'd done. Those green eyes looked over at me and the bitch smirked. 'Nothing about you is worth anything,' she told me slowly. Then she laughed with all of her strength and walked out without looking back. I've never forgotten those cruel eyes and that ruthless laugh.

"Later that day, a guard brought my clothes and my satchel. Once I got out of there, I never forgot about what happened and what I swore to myself but I did what I always did and buried all those feelings. And ever since then, I couldn't bring myself to be with anyone because I was—am afraid of reliving that experience. I told myself, over and over, that I would wait until I found someone who loved me because then they would want to be with me and wouldn't use me like she did."

Lucy's heart sinks to the bottom of Earthland. Memories of how Laxus would tease or beg for her to say she loves him throughout their night together spin within her mind. A vice of guilt locks around her heart as she realizes how all of this heartache, all of this pain, was because she unknowingly tricked him into betraying his own principle. Tears, desperate and heavy, prick the corner of her eyes.

Laxus looks down at his lap with a heavy heart. "I've…never told that to anyone before," he whispers. "After what happened between us, after waking up with you, all those hidden feelings came rushing back and all of the sudden I was back in that room, being caught red-handed. I panicked. I didn't want be there so I left. Afterwards, I was pissed and upset because I broke an important oath I made to myself and in doing so, I thought I fucked up everything between us.

"But after your old man talked with me, I realized I abandoned you for my own selfishness like I was abandoned for the Count and Countess's own selfishness. It made me sick. I knew I had to make it right. I know I fucked up and I'm sorry, Lucy. Now, do you see why I want to be ther—"

Lucy throws herself out of her chair to wrap her arms around Laxus' neck. "I'm sorry that you had to experience that kind of pain, Laxus," she whispers in his ear, her voice straining under choked sobs. "And I'm so sorry for making you feel that way again. I'm sorry for causing all of this." Tears fall down her cheeks as her restrained guilt and sorrow bursts forward.

Laxus' eyes widen in shock before dropping in realization. "Lucy," he says quietly, "you don't have to apologize for a mistake I made years ago. And for the night we had together, it wasn't entirely your fault—"

"It was," she insists, sniffling hard. "If I hadn't tricked you, none if it would have happened."

Sudden surprise sweeps into anger. Laxus pushes Lucy back and scowls heavily at her. "You didn't trick me," he states with an absolute certainty that Lucy can do nothing but stare. "I let myself do what I did. I agreed to it. I let myself hear those words and thought they meant something else. The only person who is responsible for what I did is me."

"But—"

"Weren't you listening? I swore to myself that I would never put myself into that situation again unless it's with someone who I know I can trust." Laxus looks down, his voice softening. "If you were any other woman, nothing would have happened. But I care about you and I trust you. And in the end…it's that care and trust that allowed me to open myself up."

Lucy lip quivers as tears slip down her cheeks. "I never want to hurt you, Laxus," she responds gently, "There's no one I trust or care about more. I only want the best for you."

A faint smiles pulls at the corners of Laxus' lips. "I know. I feel that same way. So don't blame yourself."

With a sniffle, Lucy leans forward once more to embrace the slayer. Laxus wraps his thick arms around her petite frame and leans his head against her own. Lucy burrows deeper into his flesh while tightening her grip. Soothing comfort and affection wrap around his heart while he holds her in his arms. The warmth of the celestial mage's love causes bubbles of long-buried anger and heartache to rise to the surface of his soul. Tears begin to line the edges of his eyes, desperation seeping into his body as his heart fills with emotions long awaiting release.

Pulling her sideways into his lap, Laxus tightly hugs Lucy's frame as his own tears begin to pour down his face in streams. They cling to one another, allowing the other's presence and devotion to soothe the scars along their hearts.

Both blondes remain locked in each other's embrace for a long time. Neither care nor ponder the passing time. Eventually, both begin to feel the numbing headache, stiff muscles, and withering energy from their longwinded emotional release.

Pulling her arms from his neck Lucy pushes against him as a queue to let her go. Reluctantly releasing her, Laxus watches as she sits back in her chair and wipes at her eyes. With the last tear removed, Laxus gathers what little self-decency he has left.

"Uh…" Laxus mumbles while looking away. "I also wanted to say that—that…"

"What?" Lucy wonders in confusion.

"W-Well—that I hope it wasn't—you know…"

Still confused, Lucy cocks her head to the side.

"That I hope you weren't too…disappointed."

"Disappointed?" Lucy's face scrunches up.

Laxus sends her a heavily uncomfortable scowl and a huff.

Seconds tick by before her eyes go wide. "Oh! O-Oh…um—I-I didn't—I mean, I don't think you were, I guess."

"You guess?" Laxus replies in an offended tone.

"No! Not like that!" Lucy hurriedly backtracks. She pauses briefly to duck her head, her face turning rosy in embarrassment, "I-I mean…that was my first time. I don't really have anything to compare it to."

Laxus turns bashfully away. "Right. That makes sense."

Fingers fiddling together Lucy timidly says, "I think it felt wonderful."

Color spreads over the slayer's cheeks, a smidgen of pride warming his chest.

"And the same goes for you," she add almost soundlessly, ducking her head further.

Laxus scratches the back of his head. "I liked it," he admits. "But I'm practically in the same boat as you. Besides my first time, I've only been with you."

Lucy peeks from under her lashes. "So…you really haven't…?"

"No," Laxus shakes his head.

A surge of relief and happiness alleviates the grip of anxious anticipation upon Lucy's insides. A hand reaches up to her heart as she curiously wonders why she feels reassured by his denial. Clenching her eyes shut, she shoves away the thought and remembers why they are in her room in the first place.

"Laxus," she tells him with a heavy heart and mind as she lays her hands on her lower stomach, "I'm so scared."

Laxus' eyes soften. "Me too. But I swear to do everything in my power to take care of you and our child."

Lucy gives the slayer a faint, thankful smile before looking down at her flat belly nervously. Mirroring her motions, Laxus peers down at the placement of her hands with an anxious frown. Minutes tick away as neither speak or move.

A knock echoes into the room, shattering the still air. Both blondes jerk their eyes upwards, seemingly shaking off their worries for the moment, as Jude leans his body into the room.

"Would you both like to come down to dinner? I've ordered some food," he asks.

Lucy and Laxus look at him in confusion before looking out the window to see that the sun has begun to set. Turning to one another, they give each other small knowing smiles.

"Sure, Dad. Dinner sounds great," Lucy agrees as she and Laxus stand.

Jude lights up at his daughter's rediscovered appetite. Perhaps their talk was a good idea, he thinks to himself.

Leading them downstairs, Lucy and Laxus stop on the stairs in shock when they see the mountain of food wrapped in to-go boxes laid out upon the dining table.

"Dad?!" Lucy yells. "What's with all the food?!"

Jude frowns nervously. "You told me how much Laxus can eat so I wanted to make sure to get enough."

Lucy facepalms in remembrance while Laxus scoffs. Jude fetches the utensils and silverware while Lucy and Laxus organize the food on table to the best of their abilities. Food is piled upon plates and bowls before being shuffled amongst the other dishes. Digging into their food, Lucy and Laxus dive into their meals; each one surprised at how hungry they are. Jude smiles at the two younger blondes, glad to know that at least they're eating. Causally thanking her father for dinner—Laxus grunting in agreement—Lucy also asks how his work is going. Jude tells her about the new shipments of magical tools Love and Lucky recently arrived and the horrendous paperwork, permits, and surveys he is having to oversee.


"I'm going to get going," Laxus announces.

Lucy and Jude stop loading the small amount of leftovers into the fridge to look at the hulking man.

"Leave?" Lucy wonders. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, haven't had much sleep lately," he admits.

She nods knowingly. "Okay."

Leading him to the door, she asks if she'll see him soon. Laxus tells her that he'll be back in the next couple of days. With a hesitant nod she bids him goodnight before she closes the door on his retreating figure. Once the lock clicks in place, she leans against the door and heaves a tremendous sigh.

"Are you alright?" her father asks, concern etched into his features.

"I think so?" she answers, a complicated frown playing on her lips.

"Better than yesterday?"

"Definitely."

Down the lamp lit street, Laxus sighs heavily. Hidden exhaustion in his limbs drip from his muscles and pool into his fingertips and toes. A dull ache drums lightly in his skull while his eye lids grow heavier with each passing minute. Forcing himself forward, he sees an inn at the far end of the street, much to his relief.

A bell rings overhead as he steps into the small but warm foyer of the inn. Stepping up to the attendant, Laxus says he needs a room for the next several days.

The employee lifts his nose out of his book and hurriedly pushes his oversized glasses up his nose. "Oh, yes, of course. Right away." He shuffles around various papers on his desk. "Where—where did it go—um—uh, is it in the back? I'm sorry, sir. I'll be right back." As he slips into the back room, Laxus hears something fall over and a curse word fly through the air.

Laxus huffs with a scowl.

The bell rings through the room again followed by a pair of footsteps. Glancing over his shoulder, Laxus' attention is grabbed by the newcomers.

"Oh, honey, this looks nice," the woman says as she looks around while setting her handful of bags on the ground.

"Looks good to me," the man with a backwards baseball cap agrees with a nod. Leaning his head out, he turns to the little boy in his arm and asks, "What do you think?"

Bubbly snores answer as the kid doesn't move from the comfort of his father's shoulder.

"Glad to hear it."

"Then we all agree," the woman giggles as she smiles at her husband.

Shifting his son, only briefly stirring the toddler long enough for him to turn his head, the man walks up behind Laxus. "Uh, excuse me? Are you waiting on a room?"

Laxus darts his eyes away the moment the man looks in his direction but turns back at the question. "Yeah. The guy's in the back."

The wife taps her husband's arm in a signal. "Thanks, man," he says with a smile as he allows his wife to take their son without waking him up. She hoists the boy onto her own shoulder while the man gently rubs on his baby's back while making soothing hushes. Looking at one another the couple smile sweetly into one another's eyes.

Laxus stares at the trio, a mixture of apprehension, awe, and hope brewing in his heart.

"Here we go," the receptionist announces as he returns, waving a pen in the air.

Furrowing his brow, Laxus turns back to the man with a scowl. The slayer waits for a couple of minutes while the man figures out which room would be suitable. After paying for the room, he grabs the keys and heads toward the stairs.

Laxus hears the husband greet the employee and looks back over his shoulder. As the man gets a room, the woman gently twists back and forth while humming behind a soft smile to her still sleeping son. Cheek smooshed, hair poking out at odd angles, arms and legs dangling, the toddler remains blissfully peaceful.

Will that be us too?

Face softening, Laxus feels his heart tremble in worry and tenderness. Exhaustion pulls at his bones and he fully turns to the stairs.


Plodding down the stairs, Laxus yawns again. While he feels like he finally slept at least somewhat alright, he can't seem to shake this permanent fatigue. But that's not surprising. He reaches the bottom of the stairs and stops when he sees the couple from last night near the door.

"Uhhhh, Rikki," the woman groans as she holds up a tiny shoe. "You have to wear your shoes."

"Noooo," the little boy, Rikki, whines and pouts.

"Ah, let him go barefoot, Sarah," the husband says.

She gives him a scrutinizing look. "Deacon, be serious."

"I am. I don't wanna wear shoes most of the time, either."

The corner of Laxus' lips lift ever so slightly. Stuffing his hands in his pockets he treads toward the door.

Fighting his mother, Rikki tilts his head away while screaming before he stills. Wide, innocent eyes follow Laxus across the room. "Big!" he yells excitedly and waves a hand in Laxus' direction.

Both of his parents instinctively turn as Laxus pauses to blink down at the little boy. Sarah gently apologizes while Deacon chuckles as puts his hands on his hips.

"Ya know, Rikki," Deacon says good-naturedly before tossing a thumb toward Laxus. "I used to be as big and strong as him."

Laxus side-eyes the man skeptically.

"Oh, please" Sarah scoffs, her face melting into a dumb look. "Name one day you looked like him."

"April 3rd, 782," he replies strongly and without any hesitance.

Both Laxus and Sarah furrow their brows in confusion.

Deacon proudly points to his wife. "Unless you can remember that day exactly, then you can't prove that I didn't look like him."

Laxus scoffs as Sarah rolls her eyes so hard her head nearly falls off her shoulders.

"We've been together for seven years, Deacon. And in that time, you have only ever been skinny."

"But can you remember the day?"

"Oh my god…"

"Big! Big!" Rikki yells again, his excitement makes him giggle cutely.

"Sorry, man. That's one of the few real words he knows," Deacon scratches his cheek with a sympathetic smile.

An instinctual scowl naturally forms in Laxus' face. "It's fine. I don't really expect him to give speeches."

"Oh, but he does!" Sarah says proudly. "Just in baby talk. But he really likes to voice his opinion."

Laxus hums to himself before looking down at the toddler in curiosity. "How old is he?"

"Almost 17 months," Deacon replies. "Why do you ask?"

A tight frown thins Laxus' lips. Suddenly, all he can imagine is Lucy in the lacrima, telling him his life could be completely changed forever in a matter of a week.

"No reason."

Deacon quirks an eyebrow as the big guy leaves without another word. Humming to himself in thought, he is pulled back to reality when Rikki babbles and coos at his parents while kicking his legs. "You drive a hard bargain there, little man. Socks, it is."


Paying for his bottle of whiskey, Laxus leaves the store. Uncorking the bottle with no effort, he pulls the bottle to his lips, letting the bronze liquid flow down his throat; the prominent but swift burn makes him swallow a second time but he relishes the familiar sensation.

It's one of few things that is familiar.

Sipping at the alcohol, bit by bit, his mind returns to the continuous loop of self-reflection he has found himself stuck in all day as he walks back to the inn under lamp light.

What is his next move? What does he do? What do they do? He has so many questions and so little time to figure it all out.

Cigarette smoke swirls in the air, bringing the slayer back to reality.

"Hey!" Deacon greets, his teeth holding onto the cigarette. "You look like you've had a long day."

Laxus harrumphs as he passes by.

"Ya know, I never got your name. Mine's Deacon."

"Laxus," he replies as he reaches for the door.

"When is she due?" Deacon asks casually.

The lightning mage stops, his hand hanging limply on the handle. "What?" he growls.

"Your girl. When is she due?"

Defensive irritation flares to life in Laxus' chest and he turns to the other man with a deadly glare.

Deacon raises his hands in the air in surrender. "Hey, just trying to help a guy out. You look like you need someone to talk to."

"I don't."

"Suit yourself," Deacon shrugs nonchalantly. "But it'll only get worse the longer you let it stew in your head."

Taken aback, Laxus wants to argue—prove the stranger wrong, prove he won't let these feelings overwhelm him—but stops as he remembers his promises to himself and Lucy. Sighing begrudgingly, he lets hand drop back to his side.

Deacon holds out his cigarette pack. "Need a smoke?"

An irritated scowl stretches Laxus' face. "No, I don't do that kind of shit."

"Fair enough," Deacon shrugs once again. "This is the first one I've had in a week. Been weening myself off of the stuff. Sarah—my wife—asked me to quit."

Laxus doesn't say anything. He spins around to lean against the wall next to the man. Taking a long swig of his alcohol, he curses inwardly at the small amount left.

"So?" Deacon asks curiously.

Side-eyeing the man, Laxus huffs. "Don't know. Still waiting to find out if she's even pregnant."

"How long?"

"Another few days."

Deacon sucks air in through his teeth. "That's rough, man. I hated it when I had to wait. Damn near lost my mind. What have you been doing in the meanwhile?"

"Drinking and punching shit. And walking. A lot of walking."

"I smoked. Inhaled an extra pack a day. Sarah was pissed when she found out."

Silence descended upon the men as they leaned against that wall; one drinking and the other smoking.

"How did you feel when you found out?" Laxus suddenly asks.

"Well…" Deacon stops as he looks down, his lips wiggling in thought. Pulling his face upright, he looks Laxus straight in the eye and asks, "Total honesty?"

Laxus nods.

Deacon chuckles to himself. "I was petrified."

Laxus' eyes widen and he is slightly taken aback in surprise.

"Yep. Absolutely mortified. Thought my life was over."

"What? Why?"

"Why not? I mean, my life was going pretty good. Had a good wife, good house, good job, paid the bills on time, no big debts. Then all of that changed with two words."

Relief tickles the back of his mind but Laxus drops his eyes as shame scratches at his heart at admitting such a feeling.

"No more sleeping in, no more late-night drinking, no more sudden vacations, no more doing whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted—"

Panic begins to well up inside Laxus with each word.

"—I thought my life would be this mess of crying and not sleeping and diapers and carriages and throw up and baby food and toys and, and—" Deacons sighs in exhaustion and catches his breath.

"God, I was an idiot," he scoffs good-naturedly.

Laxus looks over at the other man in surprise, momentarily forgetting his internal dread.

"I mean that all of that was true but," Deacon quickly backtracks while waving his hands, "there are a lot of good things too. A lot more good than bad, in my opinion. But that's just me."

"But everything did change," Laxus insists.

"Oh, yeah. In an instant," Deacon breathes before inhaling and exhaling smoke through his mouth and nose. "I think the fear about being a parent made me cynical and a pessimistic about the whole thing but then when it all happened, I realized that I was just dwelling on the negative side of things and not looking at the whole picture."

Laxus looks down at his feet. "So you were wrong to feel that way," Laxus says to himself, shameful stupidity and hurt washing over him.

"Not necessarily," Deacon rebuts with a twisted face. Bobbing a hand at the blonde man, says, "See, here's the thing. Everyone always says that the moment your kid is born, your life changes and you're so happy. Well, the real truth is, it does change but it's not just 'good' feelings, every feeling hits you at once. When Rikki was born, I remember being happy and scared and relieved and panicked and excited and uncertain and awestruck and nervous and a whole bunch more. And I loved him. God, I loved him more than I can put into words. It was…overwhelming.

"But as the doctor and the nurses left and the three of us just sat—or laid in Rikki's case—in that room, I started to feel better—more confident. Before I knew it an hour went by and I was even better. By the end of the night—he was born around nine—I was feeling pretty good. And that's how it went for the rest of the time at the hospital and when we went home and every day afterwards."

"You felt more confident?" Laxus wonders after a moment.

"Yeah. See, I didn't really grow up in a 'loving' household. My dad was a real piece-of-work. So, in my mind, I didn't know how to be a dad so I obviously didn't have what it takes to be a good dad—"

A chord is plucked at the core of Laxus' heart. It's vibrations roll outwards, gradually compounding and spreading with each movement until it reaches the outer reaches of his body.

"—and even though Sarah always said I would be, I didn't really believe her. I was so worried I would mess my kid up right from the get go. I kept thinking I was going to drop him and mess up his brain or make him hate me—you know, stuff like that. So when Rikki was born, I was almost too scared to hold him. But I did. And nothing happened. I didn't mess up. Man, it made me so happy. Later, he started fussing and after having a slight panic attack I got him to calm down. Oh god, I was so proud. And that's when I realized it."

Several moments pass, Laxus studying the man anxiously. "Realized what?"

"That even though I didn't know how to be a dad at first doesn't mean that I can't become a good one."

Time and motion quieten to a slow halt inside of Laxus. All of the rampage and turbulent emotions level out and calm into the stillness. Dropping his eyes to the ground between his shoes, understanding blooms in his mind.

He doesn't have to be the best. Not right now. As long as he's willing, as long as he wants to try, as long he wants to be there for his family, he can learn what it means to be a father. Maybe Deacon's right. Maybe his fear isn't letting him see the greatest change in his life. Maybe he'll look back and wonder why he ever thought otherwise. Maybe…everything will okay.

Tenderness smothers the inside of his chest. The quietness ebbs away, replaced by a rosy peacefulness.

The world returns to normal as quickly as it went. Laxus turns the alcohol bottle over in his hand, a small smile pulling at the corners of his mouth.

Deacon takes his final drag. "Now, of course," smoke puffing out of his mouth, "I do want to mention that I would have been completely lost if Sarah hadn't been there."

"Really?" Laxus asks as he watches the man toss the cigarette butt to the floor and grind it under his shoe.

"Without a doubt. Besides the fact that being a single parent is an overwhelming task in and out of itself, the idea that I would be alone without Sarah is mind-numbingly horrifying. Without her, I don't think I could do anything."

An uncomfortable scowl stretches over Laxus' face. "That's not true," he mutters weakly, not sure what else to say.

"Technically true. I would live for Rikki's sake. But she's the one that makes me feel alive. She makes me want to be better. She makes me feel like I'm worth anything. And I know that if something ever happened to me that she is strong enough to go on and give our child the best life we can hope for. I hope your girl makes you feel that way."

There's no one I trust or care about more. I only want the best for you, Lucy's voice replays in the back of Laxus' memory. "More than anyone I've ever known," Laxus admits softly.

Noticing the other man's more relaxed posture and face, Deacon smiles in warm satisfaction. "I gotta get going, it's getting late," he announce as he pulls away from the wall. "Sarah and Rikki will be very upset if I'm not up in time for breakfast. Especially Rikki."

Laxus nods to the other man in thanks and Deacon gives the slayer a smile before walking around him to the entrance.

"Oh," Deacon turns as he opens the door, "raising a kid can also be really fun. They'll do some of the funniest stuff imaginable and they're always up for an adventure or two. Or twenty. Or fifty. Or a hundred. Pretty much every day—"

"I get it."

Deacon smiles once more before disappearing inside, the bell ringing overhead.

Remaining against the wall, Laxus raises the bottle in examination. Sighing to himself, he lifts his eyes to the sky. "Maybe it'll be okay," he mutters to himself as he tosses the whiskey away.


Midday the following day, Jude is mentally cursing his guild's excessive paperwork and his colleagues' atrocious handwriting. When he hears the knock on the door, he can't help but feel slightly relieved for the brief interruption.

Opening the door, Jude is happy to see the Lightning Dragon Slayer on his door step. "Good morning, Laxus."

"It's the afternoon, old man," Laxus quips as he steps into the living room.

Shocked at this news, Jude spins around and indeed finds that it's past lunch time. "Oh, goodness," Jude sighs in worry. "I have completely forgotten the time."

"I just want to check on Lucy. She in her room?" he asks as he starts up the stairs.

"Actually, Laxus," Jude calls out to the younger man, "can you do a favor for me?"

Laxus stops to hum in confusion and curiosity. "What?"

"Can you go get some food for us? I'll buy something for you as well. I have these reports due tomorrow and I need to finish them but I completely forgot about lunch and I don't want Lucy to have an empty stomach but the reports are quite important—"

"Yeah, yeah, all right. Where at?" he plods down the stairs.

"Thank you, Laxus," Jude says as he pulls out a narrow wallet. Jude tells Laxus of a local sandwich shop several blocks away before handing over several large bills of Jewel. Instructed with an order for a sandwich and one salad, and whatever else he may want, Laxus heads off while Jude returns to his study.

Upstairs, Lucy's pen scribbles against the paper.

Lily watches the sunset with half-lidded eyes. Basking in its receding warmth; she wishes she could keep it dancing on the edge of the horizon forever.

"Lily, time to go," his voice, deep and sincere, is carried along the wind.

"No, not yet," she desperately begs.

"Please, Lily…"

"Don't say it," she shakes her head, flaxen hair blowing and twirling against the breeze.

"I wish I didn't have to but we need to keep moving," he insists.

A sigh from the woman becomes lost in the wind. "If only I was free. I would fly beyond this world. I would become one with the stars. I would become the —"

The scribbling stops. Lucy mouths several words aloud, trying to find the right one.

"Enlightened. Delivered. Liberated. Restored? No. Redeemed? Emancipated…Uh!" she slams her pen down. Rubbing at her tired eyes, she leans back in her chair and sighs dejectedly.

"What am I doing?!" she moans. "This is terrible!"

Letting her head fall back, she stares at the ceiling as her arms flop down to her sides.

The typical topic of the past week bleeds back into her thoughts. No matter how hard she tries, no matter what she tries to distract herself with, it always comes back.

Laxus and the baby.

But there is nothing but worry. Worry for her, worry for Laxus, worry for their baby…

What is she going to do? Go back to Magnolia and continue life as a mage? She can't possibly go back out in the field, not in her condition. So what? She just waits around for nine months? She'll lose her mind! There is work around the guild, just like when she broke her leg, but 3 months was long enough, better yet nine.

Laxus told her that he will support her, and she understands and appreciates his feelings, but what does that mean? Will he buy her everything they need? Everything they will need? What does she do? Just stay home? Does that mean he'll be gone for long periods of time so he's not broke or does he have enough saved up? What if she wants to be to work eventually? Will he be okay with that? And the living situation! She enjoys her independence but forcibly choosing to separate her child from their father seems cruel. Especially when he wants to be actively involved in both of their lives.

And what if something changes? What if he changes his mind or she scares him away? She knows—logically—that Laxus would never abandon her. He told her again and again. But there's still that small voice in the back of her mind. It reminds her how he left without a word that morning at Eden's Garden. How she had to face his heart wrenching departure and the terrifying possible consequences of their actions alone until he landed on her father's doorstep. What if he left again? What if he left and never came back? The mere thought frightens her to no end, so much so she wants to cry every time it passes through her mind.

Sighing to herself, she tries to force the anxiety into the recess of her mind.

But they'll be back. They always come back.

Lucy looks over her shoulder at the door. Dad should be coming up with food soon, she thinks to herself. A sighs lips out as she looks down at her stomach. I'm getting pretty hungry. Until Laxus showed up I didn't have much of an appetite and now I can't stop eating. She lays her hands over her lower abdomen. I suppose you wouldn't have anything to do with that, would you? If you eat anything like Laxus, I'll be as big as Reedus in no time. Well, before Reedus lost the weight. 'Course it wasn't really weight but the Master's magic but that's beside the point.

A curious thought suddenly pops into the celestial mages head. Lifting her head, she nibbles on her lip in thought as she looks over at the full-length mirror against the far wall. The idea slides back and forth in her mind, one side to the other again and again.

Deciding to go for it Lucy pushes her chair back with a skid and walks out of her room to her father's bedroom.

Minutes later, she quietly slips back into her own room with the button up shirt in hand. Slipping the fabric over her head—its size baggy against her slim figure with the sleeves extending past her wrists—she quickly buttons it and loosely tucks the back the back portion into her shorts as she walks over to the bed. Grabbing her pillow she pushes it under the shirt before tucking the rest of the fabric. Frowning to herself, she molds, squeezes, and tugs the pillow until it makes a mostly-round shape atop her lower and middle abdomen.

Sucking air through her nose, Lucy turns to the mirror.

She stops, the air is knocked from her lungs.

Standing in front of her is her but also not her. Everything is still there, the long blonde hair, the wide brown eyes, the heart-shaped face, everything. But now there is a prominent baby bump filling out her figure. Much to her surprise, Lucy doesn't feel panic or disgust, instead she feels her heart skip in joy and pound heavily from excitement and nervousness.

Taking a much-needed gulp, Lucy slowly spins to the side to see her silhouette. Tilting her head off to the side, she acknowledges that she really doesn't look as terrible as she thought she would. Stepping the other direction she pushes her chest in and out while pushing her hips side to side in various poses. Chuckling at how odd but natural she looks she places her hands under the pillow as if to hold her belly. The emotions from before spread further into her belly and tears prick the corner of her eyes as she forgets that it is only a pillow under that shirt.

Laxus shoulders the front door open. Placing the bags of take-out on the table, Laxus briefly thinks about telling Jude he's returned but decides against it since he was so adamant about finishing his paperwork. He heads upstairs to fetch his partner for dinner.

As he nears Lucy's room, he lifts a hand to knock on the partially opened door but pauses mid-motion. His eyes widen and the air is breathlessly pushed out of his lungs as his eyes land on Lucy, wearing an over-sized shirt tucked halfway into her shorts and the sleeves dangling off her arms, with a large belly posing in front of the mirror in various poses.

How…? He begins to wonders to himself but stops when Lucy plops down on her bed. He watches her with bated breath, his hand dropping to his side.

A gentle smile is spread over her lips as she rubs a hand up and down the pillow.

"Hey—Hey there," she mumbles at first toward the faux bump but allows her voice to grow stronger. "If—If there is anyone in there, I want you to listen. It's uh—It's your mom. And I want to apologize for all of the crying I've been doing lately. I know that you must be tired of listening to me. Not that you can actually hear anything at this point."

Laxus smiles faintly.

"I—I thought I needed to introduce myself since we're going to be spending so much time together. My name is Lucy Heartfilia and I'm a Celestial Spirit Mage. I would ask your name but I haven't given it to you yet. But don't worry, it won't be something crazy or old-sounding. I promise you that and I take my promises very seriously.

"Your dad's name is Laxus Dreyar. He's a Lightning Dragon Slayer. Super rare power, I know. He can be a bit crude sometimes but he's a really great man underneath that gruff exterior. You're really going to love your dad."

Laxus' lip quivers, tears line his eyes, and his chest tightens.

"We are in a small town called Acalypha, right now. My dad, your grandpa, lives here. He's not a mage but he is apart of a guild. Oh! Me and your dad are a part of the greatest mage guild ever! It's called Fairy Tail! If you have magic, maybe you can join when you're old enough. Oh, your dad and I would be so happy to have you be part of the guild. We have so much fun and go on so many adventures! You'll love it!" Lucy smiles widely and laughs at the idea.

"What's that?" she pauses as she leans an ear toward her "baby". "Oh, that's because you were not planned, I'm afraid. Oh, wait until you hear that story. It's definitely interesting. I bet you can't wait to hear it. But only when you're older."

Another small smile spreads over Laxus' face, the layer of tears blurring his vision until he shakes them away.

"Let's see, what else," Lucy looks at the ceiling in thought before looking back at the pillow. "I guess that's about it for now. I'm sure I'll think of some other stuff later. I'll make sure to keep you up to date."

Lucy lays a hand over the bump and rubs in circles before pausing. "Actually," her face dimming, "there is one more thing. As I'm sure you've heard, I've been worried about you. And me. And a whole bunch of other stuff. I'm worried about everything right now, basically. And I'm sorry for that. I've never had to do this before so I'm not sure what exactly to do or feel. But I do want you to know that I have been thinking about you. I've been thinking about you a lot.

"But everything is going to be okay. Your dad and I are going to take good care of you," she whispers with a sad smile as she rubs her faux belly. "We had a long conversation a couple of days ago and that's what we decided. You'll always have us, no matter what. We promised to be there for each other, too. But…"

Laxus' eyebrows rise in alarm and concern. An echo of the word 'but' resounds heavily in the background, his chest tightening apprehensively and his heart nearly stopping in fear of missing a word.

A quiet sniffle escapes Lucy as stares down at her bump with woeful, wet eyes. "But what if that little promise isn't enough? What if we wind up all alone in the end?"

An inaudible gasp escapes Laxus as his heart drops to feet. Disbelief crowds into his mind and whispers its troublesome words.

Does she really believe that? After everything they said? Did their promise really mean nothing?

Straightening up, he is about to enter and rebut her claims but is stunned rigid as his eyes land on the celestial mage. Inside of that room he sees a terrified, pregnant young woman whose shoulders are hunched over in dismay, hair limp with lack of care, brown eyes darkened by worry, smile forgotten, and baby ready to born.

Guilt pierces his heart, followed by shame and regret.

Lucy is a strong person. Stronger than a lot of people. But that doesn't make her invincible. She's facing the scariest time of her life right now and all he can offer is a few words of encouragement. Of course, she has doubts. It's only natural. He had—has doubts. Until yesterday, all he's done is doubt himself. So why can't she do the same?

After all, if it hadn't been for him, she wouldn't have spent the last week and half crying her eyes out. If it hadn't been for him, she would smiling and laugh at the guild or going on an adventure. Instead, here she is. Trying to carry all of her fears and responsibilities of the future. Alone.

Lucy sighs deeply. After wiping away the remnants of her anxiety from her eyes, she stands up and begins to pull apart the outfit.

Laxus watches his partner untuck the shirt A sense of longing glows within his chest as she pulls the pillow out and throws it on the bed. Slipping off the shirt, her figure returns to it normal hourglass shape.

Dropping his eyes, his mind wonders back to his promise to be there for her and their child. Only realizing how fragile those words sound. But he meant it. He meant every goddamn word from the center of his soul. How can he make her see his dedication? How can he make her understand that her wants to make her happy? How can he ensure their futures—?

Brow knitting together, Laxus' eyes grow fierce with determination as his fists clench by his side.

I will make this right.

Turning on his heel, Laxus quickly descends the stairs. Without a word, he leaves the house and bolts away.


"Dad?" Lucy calls as she walks downstairs. She stops when she sees the bags of food sitting on the table. "Dad?" she tries again as she reaches the food, confusion now shadowing her tone.

"Lucy? Oh!" Jude flinches in surprise as he enters the dining room. "I see the food is here."

"Didn't you pick it up?" Lucy asks curiously.

"No, no," he tells her as he begins to unpack the sandwiches. "I had Laxus fetch us dinner. Please tell him to come down and join us."

"He's not with me," Lucy shakes her head.

Jude pauses with a sandwich in hand. "Then where is he?"

"How should I know? I didn't even know he was here."

"Really?" Jude briefly looks around the room before looking at his daughter once more. "He said he wanted to check on you but I suppose he must have left. How strange."

Lucy frowns to herself in thought. "Yeah, that's weird. Maybe something came up at the guild?"

"Perhaps. Well," he clears his throat as he resumes his unpacking, "no need to worry right now. I'm sure you will see him soon."

"Right," Lucy mumbles, uncertainty biting at her insides.

"I got you a salad," Jude places the bowl in front of one chair.

"Thank you," she smiles softly at him as she sits down. "I'm actually pretty hungry."

"That's very good to hear," Jude states warmly. "Dig in. There's plenty of food if you want more."


Flashing inside the Heartfilia household from outside the front door, Laxus listens intently to ensure that he didn't accidentally wake either Jude or Lucy. Satisfied with the lack of response, he carefully treads upstairs to Lucy's room. Pushing the door open with a soft creak, he silently walks up to her bedside table.

Peering down at the sleeping woman, he momentarily wonders if this will make her happy but pushes aside his doubts as the memory of her slouched figure sparks within his mind. Taking one last look, he admits to himself how peaceful she looks.

Setting his gift on the table, he exits the room as quietly as he entered. Taking a deep breath, Laxus straightens his shoulders and walks downstairs to leave the home without a word.

A few hours later, Lucy feels the familiar urge of the morning. Pulling the covers away, she slips down the hall and into the bathroom. Yawning as she washes her hands afterwards, she wishes she had slept in longer. Lucy walks back into her bedroom scratching her eye with the back of her hand. Opening them to the bright morning sun, she blinks a few times to adjust her vision.

Nearing her bed, the corner of Lucy's eye catches the sight of a small, suede box sitting upon a neatly folded paper. Intrigued by the sudden appearance of the objects, Lucy plops her butt down onto the fluffy cover and grabs the items. Turning both around in her hands, nothing seems peculiar. No labels, no directions, no anything.

Sliding the paper between her fingers and underneath the box, she frowns to herself in consideration. The burning question of what this is and how it came to be in her room knocking at her curiosity more and more with each passing second as she stares at the small box between the pads of her fingers. With a deep inhale and exhale through the nose, Lucy slowly tips the small latch cover over.

Air is sucked hard into her lungs and her heart leaps forward as Lucy slams a palm to her mouth to stop the sudden scream. Her eyes are blown wide in shock and her hands begin to tremble.

Inside, sitting innocently, surrounded by soft swede, is a diamond ring.

Made of white gold, the band lifts in the center above a slenderer stabilizer ring to hold a large, pristine cut, diamond-shaped diamond. Descending along the sides are more diamonds that grow smaller until half way down the band where the metal would meet flesh.

Stunned into silence, she stares at the gorgeous ring. Trying desperately to remember how and when such an exquisite item could have come into her room, she fumbles through her dumbfounded brain.

It must have been while she slept. There's just no other way. But why is it here?

Lucy pries her eyes away from the ring to the letter below. Trembling hands shift the letter to one hand to slowly open the tri-folded pages with the other as Lucy takes a deep breath. Brown, disbelieving eyes read the short message written in scribbled handwriting. A chocked sob wrecks her body as she raises the hand with ring inside to her lips, in an effort to soften her voice but it breaks through to no avail.

All of the worry, anxiety, stress, guilt, and doubt inside her heart disappear for a moment as she reads those words again:

Then I swear the greatest of all promises to both of you so we'll never be alone, if you'll have me.

Laxus