(present)
Laxus lifted Erza up and put her over his shoulder after going over and yanking the swords out of the floor so Cana could get up. He noted the ring on her finger too and looked at Bickslow who was trying to get the dress off while Lucy was untangling the tiara from his hair.
He had helped Bickslow clean up after some intense nights, been saved himself by Bickslow when he'd let things get out of hand (which happened a lot less with him than it did with Bix) but this was fucking amazing.
"Bix, free Cana, she got caught in your magic." He noted Canas unblinking gaze locked on the Seith and Bickslow frowned, if it weren't for the headache he had his magic would be easier to manage, fucking sake.
Cana shook her head a moment later looking around in confusion, standing and brushing herself off, stepping away from the pile of swords on the ground.
"Where's Gray?" He asked. Cana frowned "still passed out in the room," she pointed down the hall. "Get him up and get your asses to the guild and straight into my office, move." His tone left no room for argument and Cana hurried to the room to wake Gray while Laxus carried Erza down the hall. Lucy handed the manager the wedding dress and Tiara. "If there are damages please contact our guild about them." She told him politely, bowed and then led Bickslow after Laxus who was waiting at the elevator.
An hour later Laxus was sitting behind his desk glaring at the four mages sitting across from him. Lucy was sitting on the overstuffed recliner a few feet from him in the corner trying not to smile or show just how much this was tickling her.
"Ok, so, Fioran Law is simple about this. You have to prove you tried to make the marriages work, there are basic requirements. You have to live together, you have to attend weekly counseling with a marriage counselor, and you have to do so for a minimum of six months before the law will allow you to terminate the marriages." He said.
When they all started protesting he slammed his fist down "Arguing, bitching, sniveling like little shits wont change the fucking law!" He snarled at them. "You four idiots did this, now you're going to undo it like responsible adults or you're going to fucking stay married!"
Even Erza hung her head quietly. "Now, Erza, you're moving into Bickslows house since he can't move into Fairy Hills, the guild won't terminate your lease or ask for rent for 6 months as long as you live up to what you have to do, understood?" She nodded, he looked at Bickslow "You're not allowed to pick up women or in any way disrespect this shit Bickslow, it would look bad for the guild and Erza and you, so keep your fucking nose clean for once while you get through this, you can party again after the divorce is final, clear?"
Bickslow heaved a sigh but nodded "Yeah Boss."
"Cana, you're moving into Grays house, same deal as Erza and your ass isn't hanging on any man but Gray until this is over, clear?" He demanded. Cana nodded.
Laxus leveled his hard gaze on Gray who looked angry and defiant, but when he glanced at Lucy and saw the same hard glare as Laxus he deflated. "Gray, you're not hitting bars with Loke or flirting with any women until this is over, make room in your home for Cana, clear?" Gray huffed but nodded "Yeah yeah." He agreed.
"Ok, if you miss a counselling session? You're banned from taking jobs for a week for the first one you miss, a month for the second, six months for the third and if you miss a fourth I will suspend you from the fucking Guild just so you understand just how seriously the Guild is taking this. So be at your damn sessions, clear?" He looked and all of them nodded.
Makarov came in then, he'd been standing just in the next room off Laxus' office to see how his grandson handled this whole thing. All four of the offending mages looked at him in fear, well, except Bickslow, now that he knew what was expected of him, he was relaxing fiddling with one of his dolls. Following orders had never been a problem for the Seith.
"You all know what is expected, Laxus has been very clear. Now go, Bickslow and Gray I expect you to help your "wives" move into your homes immediately." He finalized everything, left all four clearly aware that what they had been told was final. So the four mages shuffled out, once they were out Freed, Evergreen, Max, and Mira filed in. Laxus and Lucy glanced at each other in confusion.
"Laxus, Lucy, I know current events eclipsed your own happy news but lets address that now, there is planning to do." Makarov said, looking at them expectantly.
Lucy drew a breath and went over to slid into Laxus' lap, watching the friends in front of them all get wide eyes when she did and when she pulled her hair aside and tilted her head so the mark on her neck showed, Mira screamed and fainted, Evergreen just screamed, Freeds mouth fell open and Max just grinned.
Freed steadied Mira as she was coming to, fortunately she'd been sitting when she fainted.
"So Lucy and I are mated now, that's where we've been the last couple of weeks." Laxus stated it so it was clear to Max who was the only one that might not fully get what that mark on Lucy meant.
"And…" Lucy grinned at Mira, holding up her hand so the she-devil could see the ring, Mira squealed, managing to not pass out this time and lunged across the desk to see "My late wifes ring." Makarov said smiling.
"Oh it's so beautiful!" Mira and Evergreen both gushed. "So we need wedding announcements, invitations, I'm leaving it to Lucy to pick the date and decide what she wants, it's her day." Laxus said. He knew every woman was born wanting that day in some form or another and it was his job now to make sure she got what would make her happy.
"January first, that's the date." She smiled, she wanted to start the following year truly anew, it was perfect, she loved winter, the parties for Christmas and New years would have even more meaning and were always her favorite things every year.
Laxus smiled, having trouble taking his eyes off her happy face. He looked over at Freed " Freed, I want you to rewrite the runes for these offices so Lucy can walk in whenever she wants and, while I am getting all the paperwork done for the mess that just walked out, I want you and Ever to take Lucy to pick out a desk and whatever else she wants, she'll need her own work space up here and go by her apartment and terminate her lease and set up movers to get her things packed and moved to…our house."
Lucy almost shivered hearing him say it, lay it out…the beginnings of their life together. Freed was beaming, delighted Laxus was involving him, "Of course Laxus."
The Lightning Slayer tore his eyes off Lucy and looked at his friend "Freed, I want you to stand up with me at the wedding, be my best man."
Freed looked ready to faint now, tears welling in his eyes "I…I…I'd be honored, of course Laxus!" Lucy was beaming, bent down and kissed her mate, proud of him and just so full of excitement she couldn't contain it, then she slid from his lap and went and grabbed Evers hand and Freeds and pulled them to their feet, Max and Mira falling in behind her so they could leave Laxus and the master to work.
As they came down the stairs Lucy asked Mira not to announce anything yet, wait where she was "I'll give you a signal when it's ok, I need to do something real quick before we go and all." She grinned and left the group, hurrying to a table near the back where a certain bluenette and a tall Dragon Salyer were sitting.
She came around behind them and hugged them both, leaning in between them. Mira and the others watched as Levy and Gajeel both froze, then Gajeels eyes shot to the second floor area and Levy screamed, jumping up and hugging Lucy while Lucy waved to Mira who took a spot at the balcony railing.
"Allright everyone! I've got news! Fairy Tail is hosting a wedding, Laxus and Lucy are getting married!" She shouted.
The explosion of excitement and the crushing sea of people that crowded around Lucy had Ever and Freed waiting a little while before they could pull the blonde free. Levy was still almost in tears, Lucy had asked her to be her maid of honor. She cuddled into Gajeels soothing arms watching her friend get swept out the doors, mind already racing about all she would need to do to help her friend plan a wedding.
Laxus went over everything with Makarov before making the calls he had to make to get everything in motion for the two drunkenly married couples.
Makarov had of course been right about all of the requirements to end the marriages and the resorts wedding chapel hadn't played around, those marriages had already been recorded by the kingdom. Erza Scarlett was now legally Erza Pradesh, and Cana Aberona was now Cana Fullbuster.
Fiore took marriages seriously.
He wasn't unhappy about that, his own pending marriage to Lucy was something he wanted taken seriously. He smiled faintly thinking about her, closing his eyes and only softly reaching he could feel her, excitement was most of what he got back, mixed with happiness.
Good, that was how he wanted her, Happy, he'd spend the rest of his life making sure that was the way she felt as much as possible, he smirked slightly, unless she was feeling lust for him, that he would always encourage too.
He got the counsellor set up for both couples, explaining the situation and having the woman explain back to him her job wasn't to help end a marriage smoothly, it was to mend them and help them thrive.
"If you can keep them happily married, be my guest." He told her before shutting off the connection and finally sitting back. He was about to get up and see if Mira could bring up a lunch for him when there was a knock at his door.
"Come on in." He called, more than a little amazed to see Gajeel and Natsu walk in with Wendy.
"We having a little Dragon Slayer meeting?" He asked with a smirk.
Gajeel plopped down in one of the chairs, which seemed to prompt Wendy and Natsu to do the same.
"Well, not a complete one, Cobras out on a mission, but congratulations Sparky, you grew a brain and finally mated with Lucy." The Iron Dragon smirked at him, sitting back in the chair.
"I'm really happy for you both Laxus!" Wendy smiled brightly at him and his smirk melted into a real smile, she was a good kid.
Natsus hard look made his smile fall though. "Get whatever it is off your chest Flamebrain." He said in a warning tone.
"You're going to make her happy, and you won't make her cry, or I'll cook you Laxus." Natsus voice was hard, low and menacing and Laxus' dragon rose up in him at the challenge, he was still newly mated, still very stirred up by it all, and the protectiveness in him registered a threat to his claim on his mate.
"She's mine to protect, mine to make happy and you'll fucking respect that Natsu." He snarled and Natsu started to stand but Gajeel slammed him back into his chair, standing between the two bristling slayers. He saw dragons snarling, Natsu saw Lucy as kin, Laxus was newly mated to her, both men were extremely hair trigger protective over what had occurred for different reasons.
Gajeel himself saw Lucy as kin, felt the powerful protectiveness when he'd sensed Laxus' crystal clear intentions at the club a couple of weeks ago. He wasn't blind, the Lightning Slayers dragon had picked Lucy a long time ago and Laxus had been living a frustrated existence kept distant from her by the dynamics of the guild.
He'd felt his own dragon stirring, wanting to defend Lucy from the clearly interested other dragonslayer wanting his kin, but he also could smell Lucys reaction damn near every time she looked at Laxus, and when she'd realized he was hers that night, maybe her head had been unhappy but the rest of her sure wasn't.
Levy had told him Lucy carried a secret crush on the man too, so he had stayed out of the way, let them come together, and now they were mated and Lucy was the happiest he'd ever seen her.
"Enough, Natsu sit the fuck down, Laxus, cool your heels, Natsus being an ass because he's got Lucy claimed as kin, hell I do too, wouldn't surprise me if shortcake did too. Natsu, Laxus has been in love with Lucy for years, poor guys been unable to get anywhere near her with his dragon screaming at him about her because you and your damn team wont let a living soul anywhere near her that might have a romantic interest in her. Did you enjoy Lisanna being in Edolas? Thing you'd enjoy it if you couldn't get close to her for years and claim her as your mate because her family wouldn't let you near her?" The Iron Dragon kept a large boot on Natsus chest to keep him in his chair until the mans fire cooled some.
"No…" Natsu pushed Gajeels boot away eyeing Laxus. "You love her?" He asked.
Laxus nodded, his dark glare lifting slightly "More than anything in this world." He said firmly. Natsu tilted his head "Say it, let me hear you say you love her."
Natsu knew Laxus, knew he'd scoffed at love, at the notion of family for a while, knew the man wouldn't say it if he didn't fucking mean it.
"I love her Natsu, I've been in love with her for years just like Gajeel said." Laxus replied, his voice quiet, serious.
Natsu nodded and a smile slowly lit his face "I'll still set you on fire if you ever hurt her." He said brightly, the deadly undertone though clearly there.
"If I ever hurt her, I'll let you do it." Laxus said.
"You won't" Wendy said then, going around the desk and hugging him, it was a surprise to the lightning slayer, but he put a large arm around her and returned the gesture. He knew what a claim of kin was, he'd claimed Wendy when she'd come to the guild just like he was sure Gajeel and Natsu had. They were becoming their own little family within a family, the Dragon slayers of Fairy Tail.
Bickslow had his babies move the last pile of boxes up the stairs and followed them. Erza had claimed the largest of the bedrooms upstairs, which was fine with him, it was a nice room. It had been Evergreens when the Raijinshuu had first bought the house years ago. Freed had found the little tudor he loved so much and had moved out for that. Ever had wanted to be closer to the fashion district so had found herself a townhouse and moved out and Laxus had bought his gigantic house just outside of Magnolia because he didn't care for living surrounded by so many people.
Bickslow had bought them all out over time and kept the house. His father had paid it off as a gift when he should have made S-class but couldn't formally take it because his magic was illegal.
So he owned the large brownstone two blocks from the market district, four bedrooms 3 baths upstairs, one large master suite downstairs as well as a spacious study Freed had designed, a gourmet kitchen, a small workroom and a spacious livingroom that shared the open floorplan at the front of the house with the kitchen and dining area.
Bay windows upstairs in the room Erza was taking as well as on the front of the dining area. 4 fireplaces, one in the study, one in what was becoming Erzas room, one in the livingroom right under Erzas room and one in the master suite.
Dark hardwood floors throughout except in the kitchen and bathrooms that boasted tile Evergreen had chosen.
The Raijinshuu had done most of the renovations and improvements themselves, it was a large beautiful home and Bickslow couldn't imagine living anywhere else, he was proud of it having done a large amount of the work on it himself.
Erza was unpacking. Though this was just an upstairs bedroom not as large as the master suite, her entire apartment at Fairy Hills would have fit in it. The bathroom was downright luxurious, like a private spa. She'd been in awe. She'd imagined Bickslow living in some dingy little studio apartment somewhere with dirty clothes everywhere and dishes drawing flies in the sink, not this large beautiful brownstone.
It was spotless too, beautifully kept, the kitchen was incredible and he'd explained Evergreen had done all of the designing and decorating in the room and bathroom she was taking. It made sense, the woman had good taste and this room just screamed female comfort.
Funny, the other "Queen of the fairies" had moved out and this one was moving in.
She looked up as the last of her boxes floated in on Bickslows babies.
"Thank you, I shall unpack and have all of the boxes broken down and disposed of quickly I assure you." She said stiffly, moving to unload the boxes but Bickslow raised a hand.
"I got em, and I can help you unpack if you want." He offered quietly. Moving past her he lifted the stack of boxes off the totems and set them against the wall, turning to hold out a hand two of the totems rubbed against before drifting up above him.
He turned back to look at her with a grin, and she smiled faintly. He really was a good man, outrageous, perverted at times, wild, but good. Handsome too, she had to admit that, even with his hair kept in that childish mohawk, he was handsome.
"Thank you, I don't want to get too comfortable, I'm sure you want me out of your way as quickly as possible." She tried to be light, but failed at it, she usually did, brightness and light discussions were not something she was good at. In general she lived life content, but rarely happy.
"Pfft, gimme a break Amazon, get comfortable, it's half a fucking year, this is your home too for now. Here I'll help…" He was grinning, his babies dancing around singing "Help help!" and started pulling books out of a box. Looking at a few titles he raised a brow at her.
"Wow, really?" Erza tipped her chin up, hiding her embarrassment with detached pride "I enjoy romance novels, they're relaxing." She responded, snatching the book he was looking at from his hand. He smirked, placing the stack in his other hand on a totem that floated it over to the built in book shelf and placed them there.
"Oh I bet, you know post masturbation relaxation is a personal favorite of mine too." He said lightly, pulling out more books while neatly ignoring her dark look.
"There's a study you know, though I don't know how Freed would react finding these on the shelf in there, guy would get a nose bleed or something. Best to keep these things up here but your other books would be fine in the study if there isn't enough room on the shelves in here." He said, pausing to look at another title before snickering and flipping the book to show the somewhat racey cover art to Erza.
"Damn Amazon, I see now how you stay so calm, you must work your way through a lot of toys though." He almost but not quite side-stepped her lunge. What did happen though surprised Erza to the bone.
While she took him down and managed to pin him to the floor, as soon as she was about to bring a sword up to his neck she was bathed in green, not having seen that he'd removed his visor.
"Now…" He said smoothly, pulling a hand free from hers to reach over and pull the sword out of her hand.
"I know I can't fully possess you, but I can, and will, stop you from these habitual violent death threats you seem so fond of." He sat up beneath her and her breath caught, she was frozen, it was a weak hold, and if she put her mind to it she knew she could break free of him, but she was shocked, and suddenly his face was close to hers, she was bathed in that exotic spicy scent of his.
"maybe we made big blunder while we were drunk but keep in mind, I made it trying to help you. I'm not afraid of you, you won't intimidate me, not any more. To me, you're a beautiful, smart, brilliant woman, a friend and guildmate who likes to use a self loathing man to torture herself for some reason…." He inched closer, his lips barely feathering against hers now as he spoke.
"I enjoyed both of those nights, holding you, kissing you, I remember it too and I'm pretty sure you do or you wouldn't be blushing right now. I'm gonna go through all of this, but you keep in mind, romance novels and toys aren't as much fun as I am. I'd like us to have fun getting through this…Amazon…think about it." His voice was low, husky, sending fire blazing through her and deepened the red in her cheeks. He reached up, sliding his visor into place and slid out from under her and back to his feet.
She had control of herself the moment the visor was in place but didn't move, watching him with wide eyes as he removed himself from beneath her. She hadn't, she couldn't, get the upper hand with him.
It had never happened before, there were no enemies she could not overwhelm, not human ones anyway. Yet the Seith had twice now just stopped her cold and with what was clearly very little effort.
His magic shouldn't really work on her but it did, and he knew how to do it to, and in less than the blink of an eye she was unable to force her will on him, get the sword to his throat and threaten him, intimidation was always her first strike weapon against a foe.
But he wasn't a foe, he was her friend, guildmate…right now he was even legally her husband. Dear gods he was right too, he'd gotten into this mess, they all had, because of her.
Now he was being kind to her, friendly, very friendly…she blushed, pinning him to the floor had brought a whole flood of memories to her of the last time she had done so. What he had said…in that smooth deep sexy voice, about him being more fun that romance novels and toys…God.
He face flushed she went back to work unpacking with a vengeance. They would be checked on by the counsellor to make sure they were living together so her things had to be here in his house, she had to be here with him.
She'd have to deal with being around a man she'd had sex with, kissed so much she knew his taste as well as any of her favorite confections. She knew she had a weakness for him, born of that smile, the way he was just about the embodiment of fun and reckless abandon.
It made him so powerfully attractive to her, trapped endlessly as she was in this state of existence, where she was always just content, constantly dreaming but never knowing how to chase those dreams.
Bickslow seemed to know, he was like some brilliant genius in it, just being around him drug people into the whirlwind of excitement and carefree abandon that was the man. She'd seen him reduce Laxus to tears laughing, and he had done so to her, made her laugh until she cried, made her feel so free and so beyond care she had never wanted to come down. She had to be so careful these next 6 months. If she wanted to emerge intact, keep herself for Jellal, she had to keep the Seith mage at a distance.
It was a calculate risk Bickslow knew he was taking. She had the right to lay him out for what he'd just done, and being openly seductive, playing the sex card, was a risk. Again, it gave her the right to haul off and knock him out and he wouldn't have been mad if she did.
Still, he wouldn't make it through 6 months of walking on Erza egg shells, he had to get that shit kicked to the curb. Since brute strength couldn't be a shield, he'd just use her inexperience, her embarrassment and insecurities. God if the woman ever got past that he'd be a dead man, but if sexual tension could keep her in some way controlling herself, he'd fucking use it.
Bickslow let people think he was just a half insane perv that thought with his dick, but he was a Seith mage, which meant he was disciplined and trained harder than damn near any other mage in the guild so his magic remained stable and his control remained strong and sure.
His life was easier and he was a hell of a lot happier relaxing into the persona and taking his days one at a time.
This little stumble wasn't going to be a train wreck, he wouldn't let it be. He could have fun with this, maybe get his new "wife" to learn to let her swords down and actually have fucking fun now and then.
He knew for certain he was going to try and make it happen. He'd learn what it took to make the woman laugh, get her to relax, he'd just have to watch that prickly habit of drawing weapons that she had whenever she was unsure of anything.
So, he'd decided, if she was going to be quick to use her magic to try and control him, he'd use his and show her what it felt like, she couldn't be faster than his eyes, it wasn't possible, and he didn't have to wear his visor around her all the time because he had to fucking focus his magic to make it work on her at all in the first place.
Ironic, he'd always had to be so careful, having sex, powerful emotions, they made his control slip, first woman he'd ever met in his whole damn life that he couldn't accidentally possess in a moment of failed control and it turns out to be Erza Scarlett. Holy fuck.