Chapter 15

(Time Skip The Next Morning)

Lucy woke up in the gray morning light, feeling well rested. She got dressed as silently as possible, so as not to wake Evergreen. When she walked out of the tent she was surprised to see that Bickslow had not yet woken up. As Lucy started making breakfast for the group she asked Draco, "What happened after I passed out for the second time yesterday?"

Draco filled the blonde in on the events, leaving out his teasing of the lightning mage. No one was awake when Lucy had finished cooking. She debated on how to wake the others, especially since the majority of the group were not exactly cheerful in the morning. Lucy decided to start with who she figured to be the hardest to handle and work down to the easiest. Thinking this she headed to Laxus's tent. Draco did not say a word, the dragon just watched and waited.

Lucy entered the lightning mage's tent, but as soon as she was inside the enclosed space with the large male she began to wonder at her decision. Laxus is probably mad at me about yesterday. Maybe I should wake Bickslow first, he is at least cheerful and he could then help me wake up the others… No, I am just being a coward. Plus, if he is going to scold me I would rather do it private. That is better than him embarrassing me in front of his team.

Decision made, Lucy carefully moved closer to the man, knowing that to startle the powerful mage could prove dangerous. She carefully kneeled down beside him wondering how best to wake him up. Laxus had been aware that someone was in his tent the moment the flap had opened, he was instantly awake but remained still. The blonde male realized exactly who it was based on her sweet scent and the way his dragon reacted when she moved closer. Lucy…

Lucy decided to try talking lightly to the dragon slayer, being wary of touching him. "Laxus, breakfast is ready…" Laxus mumbled and nodded his head but did not make a move to leave the tent. Lucy tried again, "Wake up or I will give your share to Bicks…" Laxus opened his eyes, "You would not dare." The dragon slayer closed his eyes and still made no move. "Alright fine I will go get Bick-". Before Lucy could finish her sentence Laxus had grabbed her around the waist and pulled her flat on her back.

"Woman, just give me ten more minutes of blessed peace by laying still and being quiet." Lucy's heart was still pounding from the sudden change in positions but she started to yell, "YOU-". Yet again Laxus cut her off this time by putting his large hand over her mouth. Laxus sighed, "I swear if you say one word I will punish you for stopping my heart so many times yesterday. Last night I had decided to just have a simple talk with you. Push me Lucy, I dare you…" Lucy remained silent for some time. Finally, Laxus relaxed and went back to sleep. His hand fell from her mouth onto her chest.

Lucy decided to try to get out of the tent and wake the others, but when she tried to move away Lexus just held on to her even tighter. His hand that had rested on her chest had now moved up to grip her shoulder. Leaving the dragon slayer's large forearm nestled between Lucy's breast. She stopped trying to escape and decided to try talking to the grumpy blonde. "Laxus… Laxus!" The dragon slayer looked at Lucy and growled deep in his throat, "I warned you. Now I will make you hush." Suddenly Lucy was pulled on top of Laxus and his lips were moving over hers.

At first the kiss was hard and Laxus nibbled on the celestial mage's lower lip with his sharp canines. At Lucy's whimper Laxus turned the kiss soft and slow, licking at her lower lip to soothe the sting from his bite. Lucy ran her hands through Laxus's hair and he purred against her lips. Laxus caved to the need to touch her and slowly let his hands slide down Lucy's back until he reached the bottom of her shirt. Laxus slowly pushed his hand under the back of Lucy's shirt enjoying the feel of Lucy's warm back.

Lucy did not mind, she had started feeling Laxus's chest through his shirt while she kissed him. When she felt his bare hand on her back she sighed and shifted for a more comfortable position; not realizing that this caused her to rub against the dragon slayer's hips and thighs. Laxus growled against Lucy's lips and thrust his hips up against hers. Laxus heard voices outside the tent but was to consumed with Lucy to care, he broke the kiss with the blonde long enough to pull his shirt off.

Outside of Laxus's tent the other mages had woken up. Seeing that breakfast was already finished they began to eat, thinking she had went to the trees for some privacy. They left enough food for both the missing mages, Bickslow began to worry when Lucy didn't show up to eat though. Finally, Bickslow asked Draco, "Did you see where Lucy went after she finished breakfast this morning? She is not supposed to go far from the team." The dragon stuck his forked tongue out at the concerned mage but didn't reply.

Bickslow stuck his head into the lightning mages tent and immediately returned back to the fire with a look of shock that the others began to question. "You look like you have seen a ghost. Did Laxus shock you for waking him up again?", Ever asked, but Bickslow did not reply. Freed stood up at his teammate's odd behavior and went to go find out why he was acting that way. Laxus had immediately covered Lucy's body with his own when Bickslow had come near the tent, to protect her from prying eyes.

Lucy saw a glimpse of someone else in the entrance of the tent, and became aware of their exact position and the half-undressed man in front of her, "please tell me that was Freed?" Laxus shook his head no as he pressed his face into Lucy's neck trying to gain his control back; he could feel her getting more distant from him as time passed. Lexus sighed, "We have to go out soon…" The two blondes were fixing their clothes back into place when Freed politely called to Laxus and opened the flap to the tent. Lucy blushed and made her way out of the tent passed the green haired man. Freed was looking at his team leader expectantly, but Laxus refused to say a word and went to eat his breakfast.

Evergreen hid an evil grin behind her fan when she saw the two blondes exit the same tent, "Lucy, when you are done eating would you like to go to the nearby stream to wash up a little?" Lucy remained silent but nodded her head yes at the other woman. Soon after the two left the men to clean up after breakfast. Evergreen did not wait long to question Lucy about the mornings events, "So, I thought you two were not together?" Lucy sighed, "We are not together, Ever. I went into his tent to wake him." Evergreen laughed, "How did that work out for you?" Lucy replied with a slight smile at the other mage, "Unexpectedly, very unexpectedly."

Back at the camp the men were finished cleaning up and were sitting around the fire. Freed broke the silence first, "Did you figure out everything?" Laxus shook his head no, "If anything its worse." Bickslow having missed several conversations looked between the two men, "Look, I can see something is not normal with you but care to feel me in or do I have to send my Babies spying again?" Freed quickly filled in the Bickslow on their suspicions. Bickslow let out a low whistle, "Well there goes any chance I got with Cosplayer…" Laxus snapped his head up at the other mage and growled low in the back of his throat, "YOU. WILL. NOT. TOUCH. HER." Bickslow stuck his tongue out in his usual fashion, "now we got somewhere my friend; looks like Lucy might be your mate after all. Think, would you really act that way if she was anything else to you? Plus, you should never want to kiss your family like how I caught you slobbering all over Cosplayer."

Laxus sighed after several moments, "Bicks, you're probably right. Lucy being my mate is making more sense than anything else, as much as I hate to admit it." Both of the blonde's teammates snapped their head up at that comment. Freed stated in a brisk manner, "Do not hurt her, Laxus. There will be a long line of people willing to hurt you over her feelings… Me included." Both Bickslow and Laxus looked up in shock the normally polite mage. Bickslow broke the stunned silence, "as shocked that I am that Freed said that, he took the words out of my mouth. She is the only pure soul I have ever seen. You put one dark spot on all that gold light and you will regret it."

Laxus just sat in shock, he was shaken at what his closest friends thought of him. "What do you mean by that? I never said anything about hurting Blondie, I could never, not again…" Freed seeing how truly upset Laxus was softened slightly, "You act like she is some burden and that what you may come to feel for her is something to be hidden, Laxus. You may not realize this Laxus but Lucy is the first one to forgive and trust us after Fantasia." Bickslow nodded in agreement, "She looks me straight in the eye even when my mask is off, man. She has no fear of what I can do, what I could do to her. She something special Laxus, you may not want her in your life but that makes you the biggest fool I have ever seen."

Laxus tried to explain without revealing too much to his friends, "I… She is special I agree… It is just that… I mean she is going to need protecting 24/7, she was not what I expected as a mate. She so small" Bickslow cackled at his friend, "Dude, she may need protecting, but she is not weak despite her size… Don't you remember she knocked you out in one shot?" Frustrated the blonde replied, "I didn't mean she is weak, just not as strong as I assumed my mate would be; and I could have stopped her…" Draco began to laugh from the trees, "You aren't as smart as I thought you might be Slayer. What he won't admit is that he is terrified, that is why he is so reluctant to accept her as his mate." Laxus refused to show any expression or respond to the comments the dragon had made.

Lucy and Evergreen were getting ready to walk back to camp when Evergreen suddenly got a serious look on her face, "Lucy, do not hurt him. Whatever is between you two make sure you are fully committed before you jump in. He will not admit it right now, but you are special to him somehow; I have a feeling you can be his greatest joy or worst pain." The celestial mage looked at her new teammate, "I admit he is nothing like what I expected, and we are slowly getting to know each other. He is very attractive and yes, we have some sparks flying, but we do not know enough about each other for any deep emotions, Ever. Even if he did care for me, I have to figure somethings out right now, about myself. I went to train because I was tired of relying on others to protect me, I can tell he sees me as small and not his equal. I need someone that sees me as more than weak, Ever. Even though I appreciate the protection; this situation is not making it any easier to prove myself either." Ever nodded in understanding, "He is not as strong as everyone thinks Lucy, least not emotionally. He feels more than people think. You should know that before you right him off. Plus, Mira would love to see the babies that you two would make." Laughing at the image of the baby crazy Mira with babies to spoil the two females made their way back to camp to start the day.