So that happened. We've cried. Let's change the pace a little... shall we...

Fairy Tail is not mine.

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He was comfortable and warm and really didn't want to be waking up. There was an odd empty feeling in his chest. It wasn't wrong, just unfamiliar. That wasn't what woke him up though. In fact he couldn't figure out what had pulled him from his dreamless sleep. It was quiet, but not to quiet. He reached through the link to check on the babies and got a 'safe' response from all five. Pipi had perched herself atop the tent at some point in the night.

He let himself sink further into the warmth surrounding him. There was a sweet smell in the air. Like fruit. It was making him feel sleepy again. He should probably be worried about the effect the strawberry smell was having on him. Strawberries... Lucy. Lucy!

He opened his eyes to see a sea of sunlit gold hair. That explained the warm feeling. He had fallen asleep still tangled up with Lucy. He smiled. It had hurt to tell her about Papa. He was glad he did though. There had been no judgment from her, nor had she told him to get over it and move on. She had accepted what he told her, even cried her own tears for his pain as he allowed himself to mourn for the first time. The feeling in his chest was all her doing. He wasn't empty. She had just tossed shit he didn't need in the first place overboard to lighten the load on his heart.

When he tried to pull away, so she wouldn't wake up with the guild pervert in her bed, he discovered three things. She was holding him just as much as he was holding her, with one arm around his waist and her other hand fisted tightly in his shirt. She also apparently didn't want him to leave, as she followed his movements and ended up with her head resting on his shoulder. The really big one though, was that Loke was sitting on the other side of her, watching them with an expression he couldn't quite figure out. Well. This wasn't awkward at all.

"Dude" he spoke as quietly as he could. "Do you not remember how she reacted the last time she woke up to find you being a creeper? Yesterday? What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to apologise."

"Well it can wait till she wakes up. Go away. You can talk to her after she gets up." He suddenly realised he was without his visor in the presence of a person, sort of. He tried to act casual as he draped his free arm over his eyes.

"No."

"Fine. Your funeral."

"No, I mean... Lucy isn't the one I'm here to apologise to."

"There is no-one else here dumbass."

"Were you aware that celestial spirits can feel the emotions of the wizards they are contracted to?"

"Yeah... It's how you knew she needed you without her summoning you during Fantasia."

"Correct. We also have the ability to observe her from the celestial realm. Virgo uses that ability most often so she can assist the princess with day to day needs."

"Like the rabbits yesterday. Lucy mentioned it. What is your point Loke?"

"She had quite an emotional day yesterday, and was quite upset last night."

"What... oh." The spirits had sensed her distress and were watching them. Well wasn't this just fantastic. "Ok so you spied on us like a creeper last night. Why are you here disturbing our rest this morning?"

"Like I said... I owe you an apology." Bickslow picked his arm up to look at Loke. The lion really did look sorry.

"What for? As far as I know you never did anything to me that would warrant an apology."

"I misjudged you. Lucy called me out on it and I spent most of the day sulking like a child."

"Slippery kitty."

"Shut up. I'm trying to be nice." Bickslow flashed his guildmark at the annoyed spirit. Loke glared. "Lucy trusts you." That sobered him. "You know she is special. She sees people. Whenever she puts a little effort into it, somehow she sees strait through all the bullshit we show the world. You know she saved my life?" Bickslow shook his head. "I was dieing. A spirit that can't go back to the spirit world fades away. She challenged one of the primary laws of our realm. Poured her magic into me to try to keep me alive and force my gate open so I could go back. She would have died with me if the Spirit King hadn't given her what she demanded." Bickslow looked down at the golden head on his shoulder and smiled.

"She really is special."

"That she is. I'm glad she took the time to see you. You seem good for her."

"I'm not good for anybody Loke."

"I dare you to tell her that." Bickslow thought about it for a moment.

"Nah. I like all my limbs and pieces where they are."

"Yep. I'm going home before she wakes up. Virgo will be by to pack up camp. I recommend you either hold on tight when she wakes up or get the hell out of the tent before she does. Anything between those extremes and you will end up Lucy Kicked into a tree." Loke disappeared in a shower of sparkles.

Leaving the tent wasn't an option as long as Lucy was attached to him like an octopus. Not that he was complaining. Having her tucked against him was the most soothing thing he had ever experienced. He was terrified of where she was dragging him, but he couldn't find it in him to fight the death grip she seemed to have on his heart. So he closed his eyes and pulled her as close as he could.

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It took Lucy several moments to figure out why she was so incredibly comfortable. She wasn't home. The light was wrong. She wasn't to hot so she didn't have a Dragon slayer to Lucy Kick in the head. Something smelled good, not like food, maybe a little like molasses, but mostly she smelled cedar wood. It was nice. Homey.

Her pillow was moving. That was weird. It was warm and smelled good though, so she was considering forgiving it for being weird, when she realized what it was. It was breathing. Her pillow was alive. She was sleeping on a person! Her leg twitched but there wasn't enough space between her and the person to kick it.

"Don't you dare kick me, Cosplayer."

"Bix?"

"Mmhmm. We should get up before Virgo and the babies collapse the tent on our heads." She could hear them outside. The sound was dulled as it passed through the pink wool of the tent walls.

"You first. I need to get fresh cloths on." He chuckled under her cheek. The vibrations it sent through her bones made her tingle.

"You have to let go for me to do that." She opened her eyes to see that she was practically lying on top of the poor man. A tiny screech escaped her as she threw herself off, to land with a thump flat on her back on the cold ground. He laughed at her.

"Ow. That hurt." The tent flap opened to allow the babies to enter, followed by her maid spirit.

"Good morning, Princesses. I apologize for interrupting your snuggling, but it is well past the time previously arranged to break camp. Punishment?" *snuggle, snuggle. Lucy couldn't see her own face but she would lay jewel on it being just as red as Bickslow's.

"Sorry Virgo. Why didn't you wake us?"

"I thought Big Brother had done so. He spoke for some length with the Disco Princess." Lucy looked at Bickslow and waited. He avoided her eyes. She got up onto her knees and leaned over him. He all but broke his head off trying not to look at her. Time to get physical. She threw a leg over him to straddle his chest and held his face with both hands. That worked. Both eyes were glued to her face. They were glowing again. Not the full, light up the room glow they did when he actively used his magic, but they were definitely glowing.

"Fess up, Bix. Why was Loke here, and why didn't you two wake me up?"

"Umm... he... wanted to talk about... umm... yesterday."

"What did he say?! So help me I will shove him back through his gate every time I see him for the next month. That jerk..."

"No. Lucy he was apologizing."

"Loke? I... why?"

"I haven't figured that out yet. It had something to do with them spying on us yesterday."

"Okaaay... So why didn't you wake me up?"

"He's a slippery kitty." She rolled her eyes.

"I did threaten his wellbeing last time he woke me up. What about you?"

"Umm... I wanted to let you sleep..." He was avoiding her eyes again.

"Bickslow are you hiding from me again?"

"N-no." She leaned forward a little, and his eyes shifted back to her. The glow was brighter.

"Are you lying to me?"

"...maybe?"

"If you don't want to talk about something you can just say so you know, but please don't lie to me about it ok?"

"Ok."

"Good. Let's try this again. So, why didn't you wake me?"

"Because..." His voice was almost to quiet to hear. "You were so beautiful, and you seemed so... happy... I couldn't." She blushed.

"Oh. I... I just thought... when you wouldn't look at me... That it was bad." He seemed to be looking for something in her eyes.

"I couldn't look at you because the opposite is true. You're... perfect, Lucy."

"Not really. I..."

"Please don't slap me."

"Why would I..." His hands shot up to her hair and he pulled her the last few inches down to bring their lips together in a sweet, gentle kiss. His mouth moved over hers just enough to make it clear this was not just a friendly kiss. Her bones turned to jelly and she melted into him, her eyes drifting closed. Her fingers ran through his hair without even asking for her permission. Right in that moment she had to agree with him. She felt pretty damn perfect.

"Shall I leave the tent and delay today's travel plans so you may continue your activities, Princess?" Lucy hid her face in Bickslow's neck and groaned. She could feel his body jerking as he tried not to laugh.

"Nah, we're good, Virgo. Just give Cosplayer a minute to change and you can have the tent."

"Very well. I shall play hide and seek with the babies untill you have need of me." As soon as she was gone Bickslow started laughing aloud. Lucy beat her fists against the ground on either side of his head.

"I swear I love them all but sometimes I just want to kill them. My spirits are almost as bad as my team. Can I not have a life? Or at least a little privacy and personal space!"

"They love you, Cosplayer."

"I know." She sighed. "Are you going to be doing that again?" The silence lasted so long she started to think he hadn't heard her or was just going to refuse to answer.

"Unless you tell me not to." She smiled. The man hid it well but his heart was big enough to eclipse the moon. He was a strong, intelligent wizard. Not to mention he was sexy as all get out. He kissed well enough to start killing off her brain cells, and he hadn't seemed to even be trying. No way in hell was she telling him not to kiss her. In fact she might be the one to start the next one.

She sat up and rolled her hips just a little. She felt his abdominal muscles twitch under her, and barely managed to keep the victorious grin off her face. She had seen Cana crawl into his lap at the pool last summer, both of them dressed for swimming, and grind all over him. He had played along sure, playing is what Bickslow did. Cana had whined into her barrel later though, within Lucy's hearing, about how he had laughed and walked away leaving her with nothing. She was pretty confident that the look on his face right now was not a walking away one. It did wonders for her ego.

She stood over him and stretched her arms over her head. She was playing this off as being unintentional, but if anyone asked she would either be forced to admit she was totally working it or lie. She knew well and good what kind of view she was giving him as she held herself above him with her back arched. She also knew what she was doing as she walked to her bag and bent over with her ass in the air to dig through it. She heard him suck in his breath and he all but ran from the tent. She smiled.

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To be continued