~~LoLu~~

Chapter 14

~~LoLu~~

Loke turned to his mistress as they left Makarov's office, and coming to a halt in the hall, said, "I'll have Virgo open her own gate and pack up your apartment while we're gone. That way when we finish this, all we'll have to do is actually move your things, how's that sound?" proving to Lucy that he hadn't forgotten what they'd originally returned to Earthland for, before being sidetracked by the guildmaster and his request.

Feeling suddenly tired, way more than she had any real physical reason to be, the blonde's shoulders slumped as she also stopped and met his gaze. She nodded, then looked away. "Yeah, I guess," she answered in a tone of defeat. "Thanks."

The lion frowned, and unable to bear seeing her like that, reached over and cupped a cheek tenderly in one hand, turning her to face him again. "Hey," he said softly as he captured her eyes with his, "it's okay, Princess. If this mission is too much for you to handle right now, with everything else that's happened, I can take it on my own. Just let me know."

But Lucy had barely heard his words, a certain look in his eyes stealing her attention completely. It was gentle and rife with affection, and- Does he...? Her recent Joining came suddenly to mind, and something that she'd vaguely noticed at the time prodded at her. He'd responded to the surfeit of power from her by surging something into the bonds she'd been maintaining with all the spirits - something that almost made it seem as though... Could he really? No... no way. I must be imagining it. She stared at him with wide eyes, but when he dropped his hand and prompted her to speak up with a furrowed brow, she just shook her head.

"Sorry, I wasn't trying to space out on you," she grimaced and looked away once more, this time with a guilty blush. "Just feeling a little overwhelmed, I guess. What was the question again?"

Expression tightening with frustration and worry, Loke promptly said, "Nope. That's it, that's the last straw. You are going back to the spirit world right now, and I'm taking this one alone. Enough is enough."

Her jaw dropped and she stared at him incredulously. "Did... did you just... give me an order?" She was trying to decide whether she hated how it made her feel... or didn't really dislike it all that much. He'd never been one for trying to order her around, the few times he had done it being when they were in a combat situation. She had no problem with it then because he was much more experienced than she was when it came to such things.

This... this was different.

"Yes, I did," he replied flatly, very unhappy with the whole situation, and not inclined to hide it. "And I'll keep doing it until you listen."

That got Lucy's fighting spirit back up on its feet and swinging. There was no way she was letting him take a mission of this magnitude without her, no matter what he thought. It was far too dangerous.

"Now you wait just a damn minute there, buddy," she began hotly, jabbing a finger into a surprised lion's chest. "I think you're forgetting something here. I am an adult, and not answerable to you. I already agreed to take on this job, and I won't go back on my word. If you don't like that, then I'll go it alone and you can go back home. Decide quickly, because I'm not waiting around."

"Lucy," he began incredulously, "you're pushing yourself too hard! You've been to hell and back these last few months, and it's showing. You look like you could shatter into a million pieces with just one more tiny blow! Why won't you listen for once and go back? You need the rest, the time to take in everything and regain your equilibrium. Please, just... just go back to the spirit world and recuperate from your ordeal."

He was practically begging her now, but as bad as she felt for worrying him with all this, she wouldn't yield to his wishes. This mission was too dangerous for him to take on by himself, no matter what he thought, and she couldn't lose him. While spirits were normally immortal, there were a few ways to kill them, and she wouldn't risk that happening. She just couldn't.

Shaking her head, she cut him off before he could say anything else. "No. I'm not going back. You aren't stupid, and you know this isn't a one-man job. I'm going, and that's final. Besides..." she forced a small smile, "this might actually help me, you know... a distraction from everything else that's going on. And I want to get my hands on this guy, anyway – everything that's happened to me lately is ultimately that bastard's fault," she added fiercely, anger sparking in her gaze as she thought about that aspect of the whole mess.

Loke couldn't deny her right to gain a little satisfaction from the man that had in the end been the cause of her current difficulties, but even knowing she had that right didn't make it any easier for him to swallow. He really didn't want her subjected to any more stress. He hadn't been exaggerating her condition – she looked like the smallest of breezes could knock her right off her feet and crush her.

Grimacing, he shifted his gaze away, not wanting her to see the frustration in it and misinterpret it. "Isn't there any way I can persuade you otherwise?"

Her answer was decisive and quite short. "No."

He couldn't stand that reply, despite the fact that he'd asked the question in the first place. Suddenly feeling desperate, and emboldened because of that, he backed her into the wall and stared down at her for several moments.

Eyes dropping from where they'd been locked on hers, he contemplated her lips for a few seconds, but when her tongue peeked out and ran along her bottom lip with nervousness, he couldn't hold out any further. He'd been longing to do this for far longer than he wanted to admit – even to himself.

Lucy had been completely taken off her guard when Loke had backed her into the wall, and even more so when he pressed himself against her, locking her in place. But when his eyes – those warm, gorgeous hazel eyes – had dropped to her mouth she'd frozen, unable to do anything more than lick her lips in anticipation of the kiss that was looking to follow. Because no matter how much she tried to deny it to everyone else, she had wanted this for so very long, and she didn't have the strength to push him away again. She just didn't.

It was everything she had ever dreamed of... and even more.

Despite the indecisive expression she'd noted in his eyes mere seconds before, there was no hesitation in his kiss. It was brazen and aggressive, taking her over from the first second his lips met hers. And she couldn't deny him what he was demanding from her, parting her lips for him almost immediately. When his tongue met hers in a rushed tangle of heat and need she moaned, completely unable to stop the sound.

The second Lucy welcomed him so compliantly and moaned at his touch, Loke lost any sense he'd ever had. He pressed himself to her even harder, his hands sliding up her arms and then around her back, tightening his hold on her. She didn't shy away from the affection in any way, answering his passionate advances with her own. He slid his tongue along hers, and groaned with pleasure at her response – and the sweet taste of her.

There was no telling how long the two would have stayed like that, their unspoken but mutual feelings and desire sending them up in flames, if the sound of someone clearing their throat hadn't interrupted. Even so, it took a few for either of them to even notice that they were no longer alone, caught up in the fire that had flared between them as they were.

"Okay, guys, I don't need to see that," came an amused voice, and slowly and very reluctantly, Loke pulled away from the woman in his arms.

He ripped his gaze away from the beauty of a flushed and hazy-eyed Lucy to glare at whoever had interrupted. "What do you want, Gray?" he gritted hoarsely as he stepped away from a now totally embarrassed young woman. Dammit! Why?! Why the hell did he have to bother us? Now she's going to withdraw further inside her 'touch-me-not' shell and completely clam up. I'll never get her to fall for me at this rate.

"Nothing, really. I just thought you two might not want the entire guild in on your 'private moment' there, and if you'd stayed back here any longer, you'd have had everyone else watching you guys with glee. Not to mention the Master," the dark-haired man replied with amusement.

Loke just growled at the idea, but Lucy flushed even harder and dropped her head, hiding her eyes from the cause of her emotional torment as well as her friend, and pushed her way past the both of them.

"Perverts, all of you," she mumbled as she slid past. "And don't think that changed anything, Loke. I know that's why you did that. You were just trying to muddle up my thinking so you could get me to agree to stay behind. Well, it didn't work, because I'm still going."

Taken aback at that, the lion just gaped at her as she disappeared back into the main hall. While her stubborn refusal to go back to the spirit world and let him handle the current situation had been what had precipitated that kiss, he couldn't believe that she thought that was the reason he'd kissed her. It wasn't, not by a long-shot. He'd kissed her because he'd been unable to help himself... and because he loved her. "Wha-?" he sputtered, blinking in bewilderment.

… Is she really that oblivious?

"Yes, she's really that oblivious," Gray laughed aloud at the expression on his friend's face. When the lion glanced at him in confusion, he laughed even harder. "And no, you didn't say that out loud, but the look you gave was so clear you didn't need to. Lucy doesn't seem to really notice when a man has feelings for her. You're gonna have to get blunt before she'll realize you're interested in her as more than your keyholder and friend."

"That wasn't blunt enough?" he asked in disbelief.

"Nope. Not from you, at least."

The lion spluttered again and looked a little offended. "Why from me in particular?"

"Because you're a playboy. From her point of view, you'd kiss just about any girl that way, since you seem to like women in general so much. She doesn't think she means anything more to you than any other woman you've gone after for a good time." Gray shrugged, looking quite amused at his friend's predicament. "You've got your work cut out for you convincing her otherwise, I think."

Loke scowled at the ice mage, despite the fact that it really was his own fault for being such a womanizer in the first place. "If I'm such a playboy, why did you believe me when I told you I love her?"

The other man sobered at that, and shot a level look at his friend. "Because I'm outside the situation. I can see it clearly, whereas Lucy can't. Besides... I haven't forgotten the look on your face and in your eyes when you admitted to loving her back in that cathedral. That expression told me all I needed to know."

Shoulders slumping a little, the lion nodded. "I suppose you're right. But haven't any of you noticed that I haven't even really looked at another woman since the day she saved me? I'm not a-" he grimaced, "-playboy anymore. I only want one woman now. She doesn't seem to feel the same, though," he added as he looked down at the floor in an attempt to distance himself from the conversation, and his friend's knowing gaze.

He jerked his head back up when he felt something hit him in the back of it, and glowered at the ice mage, who was glaring right back at him.

"What the hell was that for?!"

"For being so damned dense," Gray returned bluntly. "Lucy's not you. She's never been the type to play around. The fact that she kissed you back should have told you all you needed to know. That was probably her first real kiss, you dumbass," he finished at the disbelieving look on the other man's face. "She wouldn't have responded to you that way if she didn't have feelings for you."

Despite his dislike for his sordid past with women being brought up when he just wanted to forget it and devote himself entirely to the blonde goddess who held his key, Loke couldn't deny that his friend was right. Lucy was not the type to seek physical pleasure without love. Was it truly possible? Could she be in love with him? The mere idea was enough to make his heart pound in his chest with hope. If there was one thing that kiss had proved, it was that she was at the least physically attracted to him, but again, she wasn't the type to give in to carnality for its own sake. And she had definitely responded to his touch.

However...

She was also under a great deal of stress at the current time, and with the way things had played out, he was now the one thing in her life that was constant, no matter which world she was in. After all, he would be with her for the rest of forever, while her friends here would eventually leave her behind to embrace the deadly fate of all mortals. Perhaps that was why she'd responded the way she had. His heart sank, and he shoved his hands into his pockets almost defensively.

"It's probably just because of everything that's happened to her lately. I'm the only constant in her life anymore, and she's confused and scared."

His answer was another slap to the back of the head, and an irritated scowl. "She's gone through other stressful events in her life, jackass, and yet she's never practically glued herself to anyone else and welcomed their advances. There've been a few that have tried to get any kind of interest from her, and yet you're the only one that's managed to, and without even really trying. Use your brains, man. All that previous experience of yours with women should have taught you something about them."

Sure it had. But this was Lucy, and his emotions had never been engaged before. It made him doubt what his experience was telling him. While his head was pointing out that Gray was right, his heart was afraid the other man was wrong. He feared being rejected, just like most people in a situation like this. Hope did spring ever eternal, though, and he couldn't get his friend's words out of his mind.

"I..." he shook his head, "I just... don't know. I can't deny that I hope you're right, but..."

Gray exhaled deeply and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, I know. But trust me, Lucy has feelings for you – a lot of them, if that little display said anything at all. Just watch... you'll see I'm right. In the meantime, though, you'd best set that little matter aside and concentrate on your mission."

"You know what Makarov asked us to do?" Loke was a little surprised by that, but grateful for the change of topic. He wasn't really comfortable talking about his feelings for Lucy with anyone. If he was going to discuss them, it would be with the object of them, and no one else.

"Everyone knows. It's not exactly a new idea – hell, I was worrying about whoever it was that had taught Delenn that monstrous magic when we went after them to take Lucy back. And knowing that humans can't get near the person using that power, it didn't take much to put two and two together to get four. It was a rather foregone conclusion that you and the other spirits would be asked to take him out, since we can't."

Loke nodded. "Yeah, I suppose."

"Well, then you'd better get out there and corner your partner. You guys are going to need to have a pretty solid plan before going in," Gray replied.

Something occurred to the lion just then. "Hey... I wonder if Marionette would work on the Exceed?"

The ice mage blinked. "Uhm, well, that's a good question. But it doesn't really matter anyway, since Wendy, Romeo, Charle, and Happy are all out on a mission of their own right now."

"Oh. That's why I didn't see them when we first got back."

Gray chuckled. "Yup. That's exactly why they weren't in the middle of that pile of people glomping poor Lucy when you guys appeared out of the blue like that."

Without further ado the two walked back out into the main hall and looked around for the blonde. When they spotted her at a table talking to several people, they both headed in her direction. The rest of Team Natsu might not be able to actually participate in this particular mission, but they could most definitely help with the planning of it, and they all had every intention of doing so.

For his part, Loke would gladly listen to whatever suggestions the others had, because every little bit of help they could give would only make this mission that much safer for his mistress.

Everything else – his torrid emotions and desire for Lucy - could wait.

~~LoLu~~

After a several-hour conference with the rest of the team, Levy, and Gajeel, Loke and Lucy retired to the celestial realm for a few seconds in order to refresh themselves and replenish their energies. Once that was done, they returned to the guild and then set out for their destination.

They didn't take anything special along, although Lucy had her keys, as usual. The train ride was a little tense, as she hadn't really said a word to him directly since that kiss. He was okay with that, though. It gave her a chance to put a little distance between what had happened and herself.

While he was most definitely nervous, worried that Gray was wrong and she didn't truly have feelings for him, Loke couldn't help himself. He'd long-since decided to try to gain her heart, no matter what. He had eternity now, after all, and he would use every second of it to try and entice her to his side.

Finally, just as the train pulled into their destination, he broke the silence. He'd decided that it was probably best for now to act like nothing had happened. He didn't want to push her too fast, especially as she was very fragile at the current time.

"I'm glad I wasn't partnered with Erza for this, even though I still wish that you would go back to the spirit world."

Lucy blinked, her brow furrowed in confusion at the conversational topic he chose to introduce. She had expected... something else. "What? Why? She's much stronger than me. She'd probably be a lot more help than I'll be."

The lion frowned disapprovingly at her. "First, I really wish you'd stop putting yourself down like that. "You're a lot stronger than you give yourself credit for. Second, in this situation Erza would only be able to provide minimal help, leaving me to take care of most of it by myself. Makarov was right – humans can't handle this mess, so it's up to us. And third-" his frown deepened, "-you're perfect as you are, even though I know you're always trying to make yourself better. But see, you can't improve on perfection, so it's mostly a wasted effort, beautiful."

The young woman blushed and gaped at him. Does he really see me that way? I... what do I say to something like that? Thank you? That doesn't seem nearly enough...

Her companion chuckled, knowing what she was thinking by the look on her face. "You don't have to say anything in return, love. I said that because it's true. And the truth will remain true, whether it's verbally acknowledged or not. So don't worry about it." He glanced out the window then, and his face tightened. "We should get moving. We don't want to miss our stop."

Completely flustered by his words, Lucy stood up a little unsteadily. She couldn't even look at him, she felt so shy. "Yeah, don't want to do that. I've got a jerk to beat the hell out of for the mess he's made of my life."

Loke winced at that sentiment, but he understood why she felt the way she did. He stood up and gently ushered her to the exit, watching her face on the sly. "You'd better leave some for me, too, Princess," was all he said, though.

"From what the Master explained, there's plenty to go around," she muttered, a dark look on her face. The more she thought about this guy, the angrier she got – and she didn't feel bad for that. The desire to take out her frustrations on the one responsible gave her something to focus on, and right now, she needed that. She'd worry about everything else later.

"Yeah, but first we need to get in touch with Makarov's contact. He's holed up at the inn here in town. Once we reach him we can get all the info available on what's going down," he replied in a low tone, putting a hand to Lucy's back to escort her to the front of the car. "We don't want to talk about this anymore until we get there," he added in a quick whisper to her ear.

He didn't need to draw the blonde a picture, and she nodded very slightly. "Right."

Loke took the lead and stepped down onto the platform, then held a hand up to his mistress.

Lucy paused for a moment as the station sign came into view, welcoming newcomers to Garnet, and stared at it. A gaggle of crows cawed off to the side, and she felt an odd, but vague sense of forewarning. She shook her head, frowning as she looked around for whatever was making her feel that way, but couldn't find anything overtly threatening. She took her lion's outstretched hand, and stepped down from the car. Peaceful on first look, nonetheless, this place gave her the creeps...

"I don't think I'm going to like it here."

Loke'd taken the words right out of her mouth.