I own nothing.
Bickslow found Lucy laying on her bed and reading a book. "Is that comfortable?" he asked, looking at the way she was laying on her belly.
"As long as I'm not wearing a bra it works." She closed her book and sat up. "I'm assuming you're not here to talk about my reading positions."
"Have you talked to them about the Sondassa Ritual?"
Lucy groaned and fell back onto her bed. The Sondassa Ritual was held the week before the winter solstice. Guilds around Ishgar participated. The ritual itself was relatively mundane and generally useless. To herald in the new year, mages cast this ritual for peace, prosperity, fertility, and general happiness. However, trying to make over a million people happy was impossible so there was still conflict.
It was the aftereffects that could be problematic. The ritual released energy that acted as an aphrodisiac so only adults could participate. Couples, especially new ones, liked to participate because if they were as in sync with one another as they believed, they'd only be interested in one another. At the school, Fiorians liked to participate because it was 'no strings attached' sex combined with a haziness that made it difficult to know what happened during that time.
Last year, much like this year, she was participating because of the dragon slayers. The worst thing to happen to any of them would be to mate while not full cognizant of it. However, the nature of her magic meant that the slayers would seek out her approval before claiming someone as their mate. The full moon was also coinciding with the ritual so the headmaster thought letting Cristoff's pheromones run rampant would help because they'd also make people more forgetful and Lucy's presence could reign him in if need be.
"You need to talk to them. They've-"
"No."
"-Practically had their comms attached to their hands waiting for you to call."
"Shut up."
"You're attracted to both of them, so you might as well stop pretending-"
"Shut up."
"-That the ritual won't send you to-"
"Bix, stop. You know what's pissing me off? Fucking Laxus. Five years I've been putting up with him terrifying any potential boyfriends away for those few times I can ask him to scare away some asshole that won't take a hint. But now I ask him, and he says no. He likes your brothers. Hell, I wouldn't put it past him to have money in Mira and/or Cana's gambling pool that we both know they have."
"You're not going to call either of them, are you?"
"No. I'm not giving them the satisfaction of being right," she said with a pout.
He laughed. "You know you'll end up with one of them by the end of the night, right?"
"Maybe. Maybe not. I have a few tricks up my sleeve. Of course, you could be my date."
He was man enough to admit that he had a crush on her. He was also man enough to admit that Laxus terrified him if he even considered Lucy. But he also knew that Lucy largely saw him in the same way she saw her dragons. That's why it didn't surprise him that she'd unconsciously moved Cristoff into that category.
Instead, he ruffled her hair and laughed when she swatted his hand away. "Sorry, but I'm pretty sure Laxus will follow through with his threat."
She laughed and let him go.
Warning: The next couple are gonna be a bit angsty-er. Anyone who also follows SU probably guessed it would happen eventually.