The group arrived at Magnolia station just after noon and they all headed towards the guild as they quietly chat amongst themselves. Freed had informed everyone that the bird-like creature they had fought had in fact been a Storm Phoenix - a beast known to cause large, violent storms. Thankfully, they didn't have the regenerative abilities of the usual phoenix, so they could all rest easy knowing that the town wouldn't be plagued by bad weather again until winter came around.

Lucy walked behind the group with Natsu and Happy as Wendy talked to Carla and Gray and Erza talked quietly. The Raijinshuu and Laxus were a few metres ahead, with Bickslow and Freed teasing Evergreen about Elfman – well, it was mainly Bickslow doing the teasing and Freed just agreeing occasionally. Laxus seemed to be off in his own world as he walked slightly ahead of everyone else.

"Is that how you treat someone who gives you advice?" Evergreen huffed, crossing her arms as she kept walking.

Bickslow grinned back at her. "Freed was more useful than you."

"I have to agree with him there… I heard your advice, Ever," Freed said.
No wonder you and Elfman don't seem to get along half the time…"

"We don't… I don't… Oh, just shut up." Evergreen scowled as Bickslow laughed. Even Laxus couldn't help but smirk to himself up ahead.

Bickslow had been in good spirits all morning. He had a date planned out thanks to Freed (surprisingly), and all he had to do now was find a time to talk to Lucy - preferably without all of her friends around.

Luckily, that time came sooner rather than later. Natsu and Happy had gone running into the guildhall as soon as the building was in sight, screaming about finding a dangerous mission with a good reward while Gray chased after him. Erza and Wendy had decided to go back to Fairy Hills first, while Laxus had mumbled about using the new bathhouses at the back of the guild while Freed followed, and Evergreen presumably went to go find Elfman at the bar.

While everyone else had been walking into the guild, Bickslow had fallen back behind the group and had been walking silently next to Lucy. Once the doors had closed, he moved an arm around her to rest his hand gently on her shoulder and turn her away from the doors, leading them through the outdoor café at the front of the guild and past the gift shop, stopping at a shady table on the far side.

Bickslow saw her wince as she sat down, and he couldn't help but worry. "How are you feeling?" he asked quietly.

Lucy looked up and forced a small smile. "I'm okay," she said. "It's still a bit sore when I move around a bit, but I can walk on my own at least." Whatever the reason was, though, she could see Bickslow was concerned about her and she seemed to like that. P=

"Well, I was going to see if you were free tomorrow night, but if you're still in too much pain then, we can go out another night…"

She felt warmth return to her cheeks as she looked back down bashfully. She'd almost forgotten about their date. "I think I'll be okay by tomorrow night," she said. "What should I expect on this date, though?"

Bickslow rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Uh… Can that be a surprise? I'd hate to ruin the fun." Bickslow grinned. "But wear something nice, I guess."

"Something nice? Alright then," she laughed weakly, reaching for a napkin on the table and a pen from her bag, and writing down her address for Bickslow.

"I'll pick you up to eight?"

"That should be fine."

Bickslow stood up from the table, extending a hand to Lucy to help her to her feet. They walked around the tables and back to the guild doors slowly before he stopped them again just to the side of the doors and looked back down to her. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow night then. I doubt I'll have a chance to talk to you before then anyway," he said softly, quickly leaning down to kiss her temple lightly. As soon as he moved his head away, the guild doors burst open.

"Lucy?" Natsu shouted. "Where did Lucy go?"

"I'm right here, Natsu…" Lucy murmured, taking a step back from Bickslow. That was close.

"Oh, there you are!" Natsu ran across the small gap to stand in front of her. He didn't at all notice the awkwardness in the air, and he seemingly didn't notice Bickslow until he was right in front of Lucy anyway. "Yo, Bickslow! What are you doing out here with Lucy?"

"Uh… We were just talking about the mission from last week." Sometimes, Bickslow was glad Natsu was dense. It made lying easier. "I'll, uh… I'll see you around."

Natsu didn't pay much attention to Bickslow as he disappeared through the guild doors. "Well, come on, Luce!" he said, grabbing Lucy's hand to drag her back into the guild as well. "I found a job for everyone to do!"

"No, Natsu…" Lucy protested. "We just got back and I'm still sore." All she could do was sigh in defeat as he dragged her back to the table where Gray was sitting, realising that Natsu hadn't even been listening to her.

Lucy spent the rest of the night at the guild talking and laughing with everyone else, just as she usually did. Gray, Erza, and Wendy had all said no to going on another job, and so did Lucy, leaving Natsu to throw a slight tantrum until Happy had pointed out the fact they could buy so much more fish if they didn't have to share the reward, and they shot out the doors to get started that night.

Lucy had just used her sore back as an excuse for not going with them because the probability of her getting hurt was likely in her condition, and she really didn't feel like being in any more pain.

That, and her impending date with Bickslow.

If someone had asked her a month earlier if she'd even consider going on a date with the man, she would have said no in a heartbeat. But then she'd noticed him looking over in her direction occasionally in the guild, and she'd found herself strangely curious and she would often find herself glancing over in his direction occasionally.

And then Cana's cards had put them on that job in Cartervale, and she'd found herself dumbfounded when he didn't crack one perverted joke or act like his usual obnoxious, easy-going, jack-ass self that everyone in the guild had come to know and love - hell, even expect from the man.

Lucy knew that when she woke up next to him in bed that morning, she should have freaked out, but she hadn't been able to bring herself to do it. It had felt… natural. And it had been comfortable. And it had almost just felt right. She had originally told herself that it was only because she had gotten used to Natsu sneaking into her house and bed in the middle of the night, but she knew it wasn't just that.

Still, just like Bickslow had been doing, Lucy had been trying to push those thoughts to the back of her head.

Of course, when she had gone on her mission with Natsu before the guild party, she had almost forgotten all of it, but Natsu and his crazy ideas had gone and made her remember all of it and she realised she couldn't deny that there was something else there. Especially when Gajeel had so bluntly put what Bickslow had been thinking when the Mira and Levy hadn't been able to. And her heart had leapt with the possibility of Bickslow liking her after she had accepted her own feelings for him.

And all of it had almost nearly been torn down when she had almost walked away from him in his drunken state in the early hours of the morning.

But then he had kissed her and admitted that he liked her, and everything had changed again, because she remembered that after that it was like he was finally back to his usual self, and he'd seemed genuinely comfortable around her. All it had taken was that one kiss and one day, and that made her stupidly happy.

"What are you smiling at, Lucy?"

Lucy blinked, remembering that she was still in the guild. She looked at Gray who was staring at her with curiosity, "Just some happy memories, I guess," she answered. She looked up the clock on the wall and rose to her feet with a sigh. "I'm going to head home now, so goodnight everyone."

Bickslow turned his head as he heard the high voice of the script mage behind him saying goodnight to Lucy. His eyes followed her as she walked towards the door, only turning back once the doors had closed behind her.

Something inside of him was telling him to chase after her, to at least walk her home, just so he could be near her again, but he had to tell himself not to. You can't go running after her. You haven't even gone on a date yet, and you've already kissed her enough and slept in the same bed twice. Even you know that that's out of order and too fast. Slow the fuck down.

But when exactly have you done things in order?

Bickslow shook his head lightly. Now was not the time to be having a mental argument with himself. He was in a good mood and he was with his friends, and there was no reason to let the rest of the night be anything other than fun.

He made his way over the bar, grabbing drinks for the rest of his table. Bickslow looked around the guild as he waited for Mira, noticing that it was strangely quiet. Probably because there's no Natsu…

He smiled as Mira placed the mugs on the bar in front of him, and as he was about to carefully pick them all up, he stopped himself. and left them on the bar as he turned around the face the rest of the guild.

"Hey! What are we doing?" he shouted, leaving the bar behind him as he turned to face the rest of the guild. "This is Fairy Tail! It's too quiet in here. It's not Fairy Tail unless there's a party!"

There was a moment of silence as everyone seemed to look at each other, before they all raised their mugs in their hands in the air as loud cheers erupted from the hall.

Bickslow's grin widened as he picked up one of the mugs on the bar behind him and downed it all in one big gulp, laughing crazily as he made his way through the now rowdy guild and back to his table.

"Welcome back," Laxus mumbled as Bickslow returned to the table, smiling slightly at the sight of his friend before him.

"It's good to be back," Bickslow chuckled as he slid the mugs around the table and got ready to enjoy the rest of his night.

This is home.

Lucy walked into the guild the next morning, smiling as she saw Juvia announce another anniversary as Gray tried to escape her clutches while Wendy and Carla played with Asuka.

As usual, her first stop was the bar. Lucy took a seat next to Erza who sat holding a fork so tight her knuckles were white, "Uh… Erza, are you okay?" she asked sceptically.

Erza's grip on the fork tightened. "Mira baked a cheesecake this morning. She said she'd bring me a slice when it's done, so I'm waiting for it."

Lucy laughed quietly as she shuffled on the stool, a little scared of what Erza would do with that fork is she were to say something else. Luckily, Mira walked out from the kitchen and towards the bar with the freshly made cake and Lucy realised she was safe - for now, at least.

"Good morning, Lucy! Yoghurt today?" Mira said, pouring Lucy a glass of juice.

"Please," Lucy said with a smile. "Do you think Natsu will be back today, Erza?"

"Doubtful," she mumbled between bites of cake. "Maybe tomorrow."

Lucy sighed before taking another sip of her juice. "I hope he doesn't get into too much trouble on his own."

"He'll be fine," Mira assured her, fixing up the bowl of yoghurt with strawberry and oats before placing it in front of Lucy. "Happy is with him, and it's a job he can do easily on his own."

Lucy ate with Erza who was onto her second (or perhaps third) piece of cake for the morning, silently flicking through the newest edition of Sorcerer Weekly as Cana mumbled in her sleep, hunched over the bar with a bottle in her hand. The calm was interrupted as the guild doors were suddenly flung open, with Gajeel standing between them and looking furious.

"Where the hell is he?" he demanded, looking around the guild.

"He's not here yet, Gajeel," Mira said.

Gajeel huffed kicked the doors closed as he skulked over to where Levy sat behind a tower of books.

Lucy glanced around curiously before she turned back to Mira. "What did I miss? Who is he looking for?"

Mira stopped wiping down the glass she had in her hands. "Oh, that's right. You left before that happened."

"What happened, Mira?"

Mira shrugged as she laughed a little nervously. "The guild got a little crazy after you left," she said. "Bickslow may have started it, but it would have happened sooner or later…" She picked up another glass, starting to wipe it down.

"You missed the good part," Erza chimed in, pushing her empty plate away.

Mira sighed, continuing, "Well, Gajeel decided to start singing but Bickslow infused one of his souls into Gajeel's guitar, and then it may have broken itself on Gajeel's head…"

"Thank god for that, too," Cana mumbled into the bar.

"He's not that bad," Mira giggled. "But Bickslow ran out laughing pretty soon after and Gajeel didn't chase after him."

Lucy blinked a few times. So Bickslow's back to his old self, huh? She hoped it was a good sign. "Well, I'm honestly with Cana on this one."

Lucy sat next to the small Script mage as she poured over Lucy's newest chapter in her story. Lucy occasionally looked up from her own book that Levy had given her whenever Gajeel would start drumming his fingers on the table, muttering furiously every time the doors to the guild opened.

Lucy had just returned from the bar with a strawberry smoothie in her hands and was in the process of sitting back down and placing the glass on the table when Gajeel suddenly stood up. "You!" Gajeel pointed to the open doors as Lucy tried to stop her drink from spilling. Gajeel had given her a bit of a fright.

"Oh… Crap." Bickslow gulped, standing motionless in the door but ready to bolt in an instant.

"Gajeel, don't," Levy pleaded, getting up to wrap her arms around Gajeel's middle and stop him from going anywhere. Of course, Gajeel could get free whenever he wanted.

Bickslow cautiously made his way over to them, seeing that Levy had somewhat restrained Gajeel for the time being.

Lucy looked between the two men with her eyes wide. Gajeel still looked furious as his fists clenched by his sides as Levy loosened her grip, and Bickslow had a stupid smirk on his face that Lucy knew was no good.

"How's your head?" Bickslow's smirk turned into a wide grin as Gajeel growled and tried to punch him in the face, only to miss as Bickslow ducked and ran back out the guild. Gajeel pushed Levy's arms off of him and chased after him, shouting curses as he went.

"Gajeel!" Levy shouted as she ran after him.

"W-wait! Levy!" Lucy scrambled from the table, not wanting to be left alone, and headed outside like the rest of the guild had.

Bickslow was laughing as he ran around the outdoor café, successfully dodging all of Gajeel's club attacks which was just making him all the more furious. It went on like that for a few minutes; with Bickslow dodging, ducking, diving, hopping, and weaving his way through the tables that were now mostly broken.

Bickslow was well aware of the crowd that had gathered around the doors and he didn't care since he found it all entertaining, but it was only when he caught Lucy making her way to the front and he caught her gaze that he lost focus for just a second, and he suddenly felt something being shoved against his side before being sent through the brick and iron fence that surrounded the guild, tumbling to the ground with the broken bricks and remnants of the fence.

Quiet gasps came from the gathered guild, many just shook their heads and turned to go back into the guild and get on with their day, while others just stood motionless and some had moved forward to see what was going on behind the wall.

Levy had been the first to go, with Lucy just behind her. The small Script mage was once again trying to pull Gajeel back, despite him having already pulled Bickslow to his feet to have him pressed against the brick pillar next to the gate, holding him by the collar of his striped shirt.

"Gajeel, don't. Let him go," Levy pleaded again as she tried pulling Gajeel away.

Gajeel cast a glance over his shoulder, growling slightly before finally loosening his grip about the Seith mage's neck and turning back to glare at him. "You owe me a guitar," he said, finally letting in to Levy's attempts at dragging him away.

"Well, why didn't you just say that in the first place?" Bickslow grinned.

Before anyone could react, Gajeel spun back around and punched him square in the nose, leaving a visible dent in the bricks where Bickslow's head hit them. Gajeel didn't say another word before shrugging Levy off and storming back into the guild.

Levy's eyes were wide as she held her hand over her mouth, eyes following Gajeel back into the guild. She only gave one sad look to the man who fell to the ground before retreating into the guild with everyone else again.

Lucy stood on the pavement for a few moments after everyone had left, only watching Bickslow with a frown as he covered his nose with one hand.

"That's a solid wall," he chuckled weakly.

Lucy finally stepped forward, extending her hand to him to help him to his feet. "Can you walk?" she asked. Bickslow nodded once he was up, only supporting himself with his free hand on the wall for a moment. "Go find Wendy or Porlyusica then."

As Bickslow slowly made his way off to the guild doors, Lucy went and fetched Bickslow's visor that laid amongst the broken bricks. She dusted it off quickly with her hands before making her way over to Bickslow to pass the broken visor back to him.

She frowned at the sight of him; he looked like a mess. Blood from his nose ran had run down his arm already. His clothes were torn on one side, no doubt the one that had gone straight through the fence, and she could see a large cut just above his elbow.

When she walked back into the guild with him, she couldn't help but notice the way Bickslow slowly grinned again when he saw Gajeel continuing to shoot daggers at him.

She knew Bickslow was one for generally shrugging things off with a laugh because that was just what he did, but she still wondered how he could manage to laugh and smile through all of that. He'd barely even tried defending himself, and it was then that Lucy realised that he'd only seen it as a game. He'd been having fun. And whether or not Bickslow had won that game, Lucy wasn't sure.

Bickslow sat on one of the beds in the small infirmary, mindlessly rubbing the large bump that had formed on the back of his head. He looked at Laxus out of the corner of his eye when he walked into the room just as Wendy left, throwing a bundle of clothes at him that just flopped onto the bed.

"Was it really worth it?" Laxus asked flatly as he sat on one of the chairs by the bed, crossing his arms.

"It was fun," Bickslow answered. He grabbed the clothes and stood up just to pull the privacy curtain around his bed closed. "Did you get these from my house?" He eyed the shirt for a moment before he pulled it over his head, the sleeve on one arm resting uncomfortably over the bandage.

"Yes," Laxus said. "And I don't see how you could find that fun. Granted, I found it fun to watch, but you're more twisted than I am sometimes." As long as he'd known Bickslow, there were still a few things that made even Laxus shake his head.

He heard footsteps coming from down the hall and looked up just as Lucy walked in.

"Perverted, occasionally, but twisted, not really," Bickslow said, pulling up his jeans and pushing the curtain back just in time to see Laxus walking out of the room with his hands in his pockets, and Lucy standing in his place with an eyebrow raised. "Uh…That's not… I didn't…" Bickslow only sighed as he pushed the curtain the rest of the way back, sitting back down on the edge of the infirmary bed. "How much did you hear?"

Lucy decided it was best not to answer, only slowly stepping forward and watching Bickslow wince as he brought one knee up to pull on his shoes. "You're an idiot," she mumbled.

"Sometimes," Bickslow agreed, pulling on his other boot.

"No, really," Lucy insisted. "That was really idiotic provoking Gajeel like that." She paused for a moment, watching as he slowly put both feet back on the ground. "I'm not saying that he didn't deserve getting his guitar broken… But maybe not on his head. And, I'm sorry, but you deserved getting punched in the face, too." She'd planned on going in there to tell him how stupid he was, but she had to admit, part of her had enjoyed seeing Bickslow get what he deserved. Plus, Gajeel was still fuming about his broken guitar, which was entertaining alone.

Bickslow chuckled, wincing at the pain in the side. He sat forward then, reaching for Lucy's wrists to gently pull her back towards him. "Fine, I'm sorry for pissing Gajeel off—"

"No you're not."

"—but are we still on for tonight?" he asked. Bickslow wasn't going to lie, he was pretty damn excited for their date. But he wouldn't be all that surprised if she cancelled it after his little stunt.

"Didn't I just see you get sent through a brick wall? Are you even okay?"

"This is nothing. I'm fine," he said. "So are we?"

Lucy thought for a moment. She realised that she wasn't all that surprised he said he was fine, and he did seem fine for the most part. She wasn't sure she could say no to the hopeful grin he was giving her, either.

"Fine. But you have to promise me something," she said.

Bickslow nodded. "Anything."

"No more smashing guitars on Gajeel's head. Or smashing guitars at all."

"What if it really needs to be done before everyone's ears start bleeding? I'd be doing everyone a favour then."

"Bickslow."

"Fine," he said. He'd been just a little scared of the way her eyes narrowed. Standing up with a slightly groan, he let go of Lucy's hands to turn her gently towards the door. "You should go. I already have Mira giving me weird looks thanks to Ever."

"How much does she know?" Lucy asked cautiously.

"Not as much as she wants to. I'll see you later," he said, turning to pick up his other clothes

Okay…" Lucy mumbled. "Just… Stay away from Gajeel… And guitars too."

Bickslow chuckled again as Lucy left. Well, at least she didn't yell… Or cancel the date. He would've been far too disappointed if she had, but he wouldn't have blamed her for it.

Still, he was fine enough to take her to dinner. Setting the clothes down again, he headed over to the large mirror, leaning in close to look at the bruise forming around his nose. Frowning, he turned to the side and lifted up his shirt, revealing the large, dark, and tender bruise that had already formed from where Gajeel had hit him with his iron club, covering his entire side from the middle of his ribs to just below his waist. Poking at it gingerly, he couldn't hell but hiss in pain.

Well, I'm mostly fine.