So many thank yous to my reviewers! SailorTardis498, GabbyRedrose, The Fakhouri Legacy, Littlepurplething, rmadhumita378, CelticHeart13, NinjaKitten93, Unoyoko94, RosesMcKellar, diynncherry, lynchr. Your love and encouragement just lights me up inside and literally sets me dancing in my living room. Bickslow and Lucy send you their love as well, since they wouldn't have made it this far without all the reviews, and favorites, and our followers (there are 200 now!). They very much appreciate your sympathy regarding their current... frustration.
I just wanna complain for a moment about how under appreciated BixLu is. You are reading this so you get where I'm coming from. And CoLu too. Art is next to impossible to find and people seem to be afraid to write good deep stories for them. Bickslow has so much potential! Come on people! When I go looking for inspiring BixLu and Bickslow art do you know what I find? Laxus! For real? Anyway... end of complaint
The amazing gift to humankind that is Fairy Tail was created and is owned by Hiro Mashima.
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"Wait, so you're telling me Bix hasn't even grabbed your ass?" The three female wizards were walking through the woods on their way to Porlyusica's house.
"Gee, Ever, way to be a lady about it..." Lucy took another sip of her caramel frappe.
"She has a point, Lucy. I mean, he is a guy after all. They don't usually have that kind of... restraint. It's obvious he wants you though. The way he looks at you sometimes gives me the shivers it's so hot."
"Trust me, I feel the heat." Lucy fanned herself with her hand. "Bickslow is just being a perfect gentleman about the whole thing."
"Says the hickey on your neak." Lucy glared at Meredy.
"He was still being a gentleman. Besides," She ducked under a tree branch. "It's not like we've had much opportunity to go any farther than that. Life has been busy and full. We were on a mission, and then we were on the run from Erza, which was absolutely exhausting, and yesterday was like a rollercoaster. Any time we have gotten peace and quiet we only have the energy to cuddle up and pass out."
"Which is adorable!" Meredy fangirl squealed.
"I have to admit, Lucy, I've known Bix for a long time and I never would have peggled him for the cuddly type. If I hadn't it with my own eyes I never would have believed it."
"Bixy says they are soul soothing cuddles." Lucy smiled at the memory. "He's so sweet."
"Lucy," Evergreen had a serious tone in her voice. "Thanks."
"For what?"
"Not many people are willing or able to look past his pervy ass stupid self to see how sweet he is on the inside. It's even hard for us to remember sometimes that he is deeper than his mask and that stupid tongue." Lucy couldn't help but laugh at the way Evergreen wielded her fan to emphasize her statement. Then she sobered.
"He does it on purpose you know. Thats part of why I stole his visor. Well, originally it was because it drove me nuts not being able to look him in the eye when I was talking to him."
"You stole his visor?"
"Yeah. Virgo has it. Did we not tell you that story?"
"No. I couldn't figure out why he wasnt wearing it. I didn't say anything because I didn't want to remind him of the stupid thing. He keeps two just in case one gets damaged. So the one Laxus gave me was his back up."
"Speaking of which... I'm thinking Laxus needs to be giving lessons. That man has talent." She froze as a glorious idea occurred to her. "Ever... do you still have that glittery pink creation in your bag?"
"Yeah. Why?""
"Because, Laxus needs to get a taste of his own medicine." A doorbell rang and Virgo appeared, literally popping out of the ground at Lucy's feet.
"Punishment Princess?"
"Yes, Virgo. We are going to punish Laxus." Virgo actually smiled. It was a very disturbing experience. Lucy wasn't the only one who shuddered.
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"Lucy, that was terrifying."
"I have to agree with you there. I've never seen her so...vicious. Even when she was contracted to Everlue and I was her enemy."
"She really likes Bickslow. She told me yesterday morning, when it was just the two of us, that she didn't like the way Laxus talked to him. Disrespectful was the word she used."
"Oh. Well, that explains it. Virgo is real big on respect."
"Laxus doesn't mean it that way!" Evergreen sounded quite distressed. "They are best friends! Bickslow plays pranks on him and he teases him about pretty much everything. It's just how they are!"
"I know, Ever. Give her some time. Hopefully she will come around. She is just really... Virgo doesn't like a lot of people. She is picky, but once she takes a shine to you, she will do just about anything for you. Bickslow is one of her people, so she is going too take care of him. Aggressively."
""She will probably feel better after this 'punishment' is done. It will even things out for her." Meredy added. Evergreen began to chuckle.
"Have I mentioned how much I love the way your mind works, Lucy?"
"Bickslow says my evil matches yours. Of course he also said he would regret suggesting we hang out and that I would be Laxus's new favorite person, because of the Disco Princess thing."
"You started that?"
"Sorta. He started it himself really. He was the one who said he was trying to be a disco ball and he offered to sit in Gajeel's lap and kiss him when he called him a princess. I just ran with it, and then my spirits decided to run with it too."
"Gajeel? Isn't he the iron slayer who ...umm...who... Mira said Gajevy was a thing. Why would Bickslow kiss him?"
"Well, Gajevy is a thing, but it lives in Egypt. The only thing Gajeel likes more than fighting and being a grouchy asshole is Levy. She wasn't there that day, so he was trying to pick a fight with Bix. Bixy was taunting him, because that's what he does."
"Bix doesn't take anything seriously accept his babies. Well, and now, Lucy."
"Actually that isn't really true." Evergreen raised a single eyebrow at Lucy's statement. "If you watch him real close you can see it, especially if you can see his eyes. Not that he isn't a pervy jokester, because he is, it's just that he smiles, and laughs, and jokes as much as he does for the same reason he wears that visor."
"Probably the same reason Cobra is such an asshole most of the time, and Erza always wears her armor, Midnight wears makeup, and Jellal makes us wear those stupid cloaks even though it makes us look like creeps."
"For Freed it is his hair and his impeccable manners, you use that fan and sharp words, Laxus just growls at fucking everything."
"He...he hides behind his smile... and laughs to protect himself. How did I not see that before..."
"Because he is good at it. He doesn't make jokes because life is funny. He makes jokes because it isn't. Freed and Laxus know how his babies come to him. Do you?" Evergreen shook her head, but before Lucy could say another word Meredy spoke up in a monotone voice.
"Death. A seith mage acquires minions in one of two ways. The more widely known is by the forced removal of a soul. A link is formed between a seith mage and the soul of a living being, typically human, the soul is then torn from the living body causing a quick but very painful death. This is refered to as an Actively acquired minion. A soul minion can also be acquired if the mage has established a soul link with an entity that dies of some other cause. This is referred to as a Passively acquired minion. This is less common as a seith mage shares experiences with any soul they are linked to. An actively acquired minion does not experience their physical death, as it is the soul having been separated from the body which causes physical death. A passively acquired minion shares their death with the mage as it occurs. Passively acquired minions are very rarely acquired intentionally. They are usually acquired when a mage is attempting to heal, prevent death from a mortal wound, or otherwise save an individual and fails, resulting in death while the soul link is active." Both Fairies were crying by the time Meredy finished speaking.
"I thought... I mean I just assumed he picked them up like... lost ghosts or something."
"No. And you know as well as I do that Bickslow didn't tear his babies out of their bodies." Meredy gasped in horror.
"You mean all five of the babies were... Passively acquired?" Lucy nodded. "Lucy that's... I've seen hundreds of years of records and only a handful of seith ever acquire more than two souls passively. It literally drives them crazy and a lot of them went dark because of the mental strain if they acquired three." Lucy had to wonder if Bickslow knew that.
"Like I said. He takes life a lot more seriously than it seems. The jokes are because life is not funny."
"He is so young. Most seith mages don't start acquiring minions untill well after 30. The young ones almost always went dark because it was to much for them to handle."
"Oh, Mavis!" Evergreen looked sick. "Meredy it's not... I've known Bix for almost 10 years. He was 15 when I joined Fairy tail and... he had all five babies when I met him."
"He was practically a child..."
"Not practically." Lucy swiped the tears from her face.. "He didn't get the babies all from the same place or at the same time. He found them years apart. I don't know for sure but... I think he was all but a baby himself when his first baby came to him." Her companions gasped. "We can't tell him we know all this. He isn't ready to share it. Maybe someday, but not yet."
"I can," Evergreen took a deep breath. "I can do that."
"Me too." Lucy suddenly found herself being strangle hugged by a teary eyed Evergreen.
"Thank you, Lucy. For finding Bickslow. Even though he was hiding from us all. He has been absolutely precious since you two came back and I know it's because of you. You are good for him. You make him happy." She squeezed Evergreen back, just not quite as hard.
"You are welcome. He means a lot to me and I will do everything I can to make him as happy as possible and keep him that way."
"A man is only that happy when he is having sex, so does that mean you have a plan for that?" Evergreen laughed and released Lucy who scowled at Meredy.
"You do realize we have only been talking for a week and dating less than 24 hours right? Our physical relationship is between me and Bixy."
"Lucy," Evergreen'sgrin said she was about to weigh in on Meredy'sside of this ridiculous conversation. "That's exactly our point. There seems to be something between you... as in you two still haven't gotten naked!"
"You two can go suck lemons!" This only succeeded in bringing more laughter bubbling up from her tormentors. "Move your stupid, pervy butts. We need to get to Porlyusica's place."
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"You sleep in or something? Don't you usually get your workout in before breakfast?" Laxus and Cobra had been sent by Kinana with a huge batch of, now mostly devoured, cinnamon rolls for breakfast. Well, Kinana had sent Cobra. Laxus had just ragged along, probably just to be a dick.
Freed had slept in his own bed for a change now that he and Levy had finished their translation project. Bickslow was guessing a falling out had occurred before their last job rendering whatever bed he had been sleeping in recently untenable. This one had lasted longer than most and Bickslow had hoped they would get a name this time, but apparently not. Maybe this was similar to what Lucy had ment the other night. It wasn't that Freed didn't do relationships. Relationships didn't do Freed. He tried. It just never worked out.
"No I didn't. And I already did. I'm running because... to work of energy is all."
"Energy my ass. What's eating you Bix?"
"Tits is getting to you bad isn't she? I'll lay jewel that it's sexual frustration he's working off."
"You would be correct."
"Freed, man, how would you know?"
"I have eyes and the window in my room is placed so that I can see most of the back yard. Miss Lucy all but devoured you, and you slammed your head into that pole seven times after she left." Bickslow slammed his head against the table three times before he lifted it and glared at his greenhaired friend. The other two jackasses present snickered at him.
It was a kiss and no I didn't."
"A devouring kiss and yes you did." Another head slam.
"You know I really can't beleive Blondie has you tied in knots like this. Where's your game man? You suddenly 13 again?"
"Fuck you, Laxus."
"Tits has been teasing you like crazy for a week now. How have you not just tied her to your bed and fucked her sexy little brain out yet?" Bickslow strait up growled at Cobra. He had heard the dragon slayer version of 'I will eat your face' enough times to reproduce it fairly well.
"First off don't talk about her that way. Secondly I like her beautiful mind in her beautiful head, thank you very much. And thirdly I happen to respect the shit out of my Cosplayer so back the fuck off dipshit." Silence reigned for a long moment.
"I applaud your view of the situation, Bickslow. Miss Lucy is a lady even if she doesn't always dress like one. I wasn't sure if this relationship between you two was a good idea, but... after last night and this morning I have to admit... I approve."
"You are such an old lady sometimes, Freed. She is hot as fuck. What is there to be sure about?"
"And you are such a prepubescent heathen sometimes, Laxus. Can you not see that there is more to this than that?" Laxus and Bickslow both gaped at him. Freed almost never disagreed with Laxus, and he never insulted him.
"Think Demon, your personal shit is leaking."
"I... thank you, Cobra. I believe I will retire to the study. Excuse me."
"Cyclops, is he ok?"
"I'll keep an ear on him and let you know."
"Thanks man."
"After we run."
"We? You know I'm free running right?"
"Yeah. Let's see if you can hop rooftops better than me."
"You're on!"
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To be continued