Don't really have much to say on this chapter. I just hope that everyone likes it. Bickslow was a lot of fun in this chapter, but then he's always fun. I decided I needed something a little deeper for this chapter and it really fit.
Also, I am really sorry if this a little OOC for him. I have no idea what he was really like as a kid. The manga and the anime never got into his past so I just sort of made it up, and I have this idea he had some serious problems as a kid. Still, I hope I didn't go too far with it in certain parts. You'll probably see what I mean when you read it.

Chapter 7: In Which Dolls Were Children

The train's steam was already blowing hard, ready to go and set off on its journey. People were clambering on the train to get good seats but Bickslow just stood there in the crowd, Lisanna in front of him. Her fingers were twirling into her short hair and she seemed nervous. It was an oddly endearing look for her and if there weren't so many people moving around them he would have leaned in and kissed her for daring to be so cute right in front of him.

"I'm sorry I didn't show up last night," she said. "Do you really have to go now?"

"Evergreen is pretty adamant about it," he informed her with a shrug. "Little I can do about it. After all, I kind of need the money too."

"I guess that's true," she admitted with a sigh. "I'll be so happy when things get back to normal. Everyone is working themselves to death it feels like. Elfman is already talking about taking another job, though he wants me to go with him too."

"Is the money good?" he asked to which she nodded. "Take it then. This one will probably take us a while too anyway, so it's good timing."

"Yeah," she agreed softly before looking away. "I… I really am sorry about last night. I wanted to come but-"

"Hey, don't worry about it. It's not a big deal," he lied. He'd told her he'd just gone home after a couple hours, unwilling to admit to being so pathetic to wait for her the whole night. While he'd gone over to her house to tell her he'd be leaving and she'd treated him to a hot cup of tea in the kitchen, he'd really wanted more. Not that he'd said anything. He didn't want her to feel like she started owing him anything. "I know your family is a big deal to you, and he'd been gone for a while. It makes sense that you spent your time with him when he got back. If you'd tried to leave he probably only would have walked you to the guild anyway and it would have been a total waste of time. Don't worry about it."

"Thanks, Bickslow. You're a really sweet guy."

Sweet? Him? He didn't really seem to think so.

"Where'd you get that idea?"

"You just understand family," she said with a smile and a shrug before curling her finger at his babies. Poppo flew over and landed on her outstretched hands to which she cuddled it to her chest, making it coo and rub against her happily. "After all, you take good care of your own."

He could only stare at her. She saw the dolls as his family? Of course they were, but so few of the guild could see it like he could. To almost everyone else they were just objects or annoyances, nothing special. Just toys to play with or weapons in combat. Even Freed, Ever and Laxus really only tolerated the dolls, understood they were important to Bickslow and knew why, but did nothing to interact with them themselves. He'd never minded or cared, but here Lisanna was talking about them as if they were family. She was hugging it like she saw it as a real child that needed actual love and affection.

He grabbed her and kissed her suddenly she cried out against his mouth, but he didn't care. He just needed it. Didn't she see just how perfect she was?

"B-Bickslow?" she breathed against his lips but he only shook his head.

"I have to go," he said, holding her shoulders tight in his hands as his forehead rested against hers. "A couple weeks, tops."

"Oh… okay?" she asked, clearly confused. He just gave her a little smirk and grabbed his things before going to get on the train. Freed and Evergreen already had a compartment and he sat with them. For a second he wondered if they'd seen his impulsive kiss, but they said nothing to him and he just let it go. He was spontaneous but no harm done. Not a big deal.

By the time he'd looked out the window into the thick crowd, he couldn't see her any more and he just let his eyes slide closed as he rested against his seat. His babies were already settling around him and he just took the time to relax.

"So, when are we due to arrive?" Freed asked.

"The town is a bit far away. Apparently some sea port having a problem with monsters, giant squids or something. It'll take most of the day to get there and then a carriage will take us the rest of the way. They're so far into the beach, the tracks are only for trains that carry cargo in and out. No passengers," Ever explained. "We'll probably end up smelling like fish by the end of it. Ugh."

"It can't be helped. We certainly can't afford to miss out on work right now," Freed replied.

"Ugh, I know. I wish Laxus hadn't been banished. He never would have let Fairy Tail get in this state," she grumbled.

"While I'd like to agree with you, Laxus was with us on Tenrou one way or the other. There's nothing that could have been changed," Freed sighed.

"Guys," Bickslow muttered as he refused to look over at them. "Will you shut up?"

"My, you're in a foul mood," Ever sneered. "What's wrong with you?"

"I'm tired. Didn't sleep well," he muttered. The train was already pulling off and the clattering of tracks was lulling him into a fit of sleep but he'd never be able to rest properly with them talking like this. Usually he didn't feel so snappish, and he would have been just as happy to chat along with them and talk up their boss, but he just wasn't in the mood right now. He was already missing Lisanna and regretting the fact they hadn't had any privacy the last day or so. It wasn't just the sex either. It was irritating him he hadn't really had her to himself at all.

Not that it should have mattered.

Not that he should have cared.

Yet… there wasn't any denying that she was special. She was kind and sweet, a little vulnerable yet strong of spirit. She was someone he could want to protect but respect at the same time. There was something about her, something that drew him in, but it also drew everyone else in too. Lisanna was not the kind of person you could keep to yourself because everyone wanted her.

Bickslow was inherently selfish. It's why he'd insisted they didn't make it where it was just the two of them. Already he knew he wanted all of her attention and while he could insist it was okay that she had other things in her life, it was hard not to want to keep her all to himself. He knew it wasn't right though. He had his own things to handle and he wouldn't be able to drop them all for her. It wasn't okay to expect to do so for him.

Even though he really wanted to.

Then again he was a man that could take souls from people and shove them into objects to make them serve him. With just a glance of his eyes he could make anyone do whatever he wanted. There were very few people who could resist his magic. It had gotten him in a lot of trouble as a kid, his mother trying so hard to get him to behave. He hadn't had great control back then and while she'd been understanding he'd often gone a little out of control with his eyes, both on accident and when he'd just wanted something. It had both spoiled him and made him spiteful of the way others treated him because of his abilities.

Funny, he'd been thinking a lot about her lately. With his eyes closed, he could see her so clearly in his mind. Long black hair in a thick braid that reached all the way to her ankles and always dressed in pretty blouses and kahki pants when not in her performance outfits. She'd been way too kind to him considering how often he'd misbehaved, not that he'd really appreciated it back then. Like all kids, he'd been a little too bratty, feeling sorry for his circumstances even when she had been there to offer her support and love.

The sound of the wheels going over the tracts were rhythmic and drifting off in the distance, the sound getting quieter even as he rode the train and it should have stayed as loud to his ears. Almost hypnotizing, it felt soothing to him as he felt him slowly falling asleep. Even with his two teammates continuing to talk, it didn't bother him. His eyes suddenly felt so heavy, gravity forcing them closed.

"Bickslow. Bickslow, get up."

The young boy's eyes slowly opened, looking up at the woman standing over him. She had a huge smile and he groaned before rolling over. Nothing good came to him when she looked like that.

"Go away," he groaned. "I don't wanna do anything."

He felt himself grabbed up by the scruff of his neck and yanked out of bed.

"Now, now. Come on," she urged. "You don't have time to sleep in. We've got work to do."

"What?" he asked as he rubbed at his eyes. He felt so freaking sleepy, and set up had already been done the night before. Just what the heck did he have to do right now?

"There's someone who came to visit the circus. It's a big honor to have him," she explained as she bustled around the room. "Mr. Gehno said to give him the VIP treatment."

"What's this have to do with me?" he grumbled as he looked around the train car that was effectively home. Like always it was cramped with old things, his hoarder of a mother never could throw anything away. Explained why she still had him around.

"Well, he's the guild master from Fairy Tail and one of the Ten Wizard Saints. Isn't that amazing? Master Makarov is a very important man, and we were told he was intrigued by our circus. He came here with his grandson, a boy about a year older than you. I thought you'd want to meet him."

Bickslow only grumbled again. Right, like he wanted to meet some brat.

"Go wake up your brothers, will you?" she asked as she began to pull clothing out from a chest, all the outfits for her children for the day. "We want to be presentable for them when they arrive."

"I don't see why I have to entertain some grandson of some stupid old man," he retorted before she gave him a sad look. Her smile had faded as if it had melted away. The guilt that stabbed into his heart from the look was impossible to ignore as she knelt down in front of him.

"Bickslow," she said softly. "You know you don't have to do anything you don't want to. I don't want to force you to interact with others, but you're going to need to someday. You can't hide away in this circus forever."

"Why not?" he asked. "I don't need anyone. I've got you, Pappa, Peppe and all the rest."

She sighed softly before leaning in and kissing his forehead.

"Someday you'll understand," she said to him. "I know it doesn't seem like it, but this world is big. Too big for a boy like you to hide away here forever. It can always help to have friends out there. Besides, I heard this Laxus is a real sweet heart. Maybe he can help you stop being so glum and lazy."

She laughed suddenly and he only scowled.

"Sounds like the kid is a pansy," he muttered.

"Well, pansy or not, you're gonna make friends with him," she said as she straightened back up and went to sorting the outfits. "Now go get your brothers. The day is wasting away."

Rolling his eyes, he shoved his hands in his pockets before he went over to the other end of the end of the car. In two cribs secured tightly to the side of the wall there was five children, little young ones. Bickslow grinned widely as he looked over the edge of one of the cribs. They were quickly out growing them, two of them at the age of three and the rest at two. Pretty soon they'd probably have to share Bickslow's bed since they were shooting up like weeds.

His mom had been pretty lucky, having a set of twins and then triplets. At least that's what he thought. Some people in the circus said she was too young to have so many children, especially with her husband passing away so shortly after the birth. Bickslow didn't agree. Having a big family was great and a lot of fun. It was one of the few things he actually liked doing as a chore, helping his mom raising them. After all, she'd always told him as the oldest he was the man of the family.

"Big boys help out the youngest siblings," she'd often told him. "You don't mind helping out, do you? They're going to look up to you someday. So you have to help them and keep them safe. No matter what. After all, they're only babies."

Bickslow slowly shook them awake one after another, scooping up the two oldest and nuzzling their cheeks as they yawned and smiled at seeing their older brother.

"Hey, Mom. You think this Laxus kid will want to play with them?" he asked as he carried them over to the bed so she could get them dressed.

"Well, I don't know but maybe you should ask," she stated. "Who knows? Maybe he likes little kids as much as you do. Don't force it on him though. You don't want to look pushy."

"I could always make him if-"

"Bickslow!" she admonished immediately. "Don't you ever say that! You know you're not supposed to use your eyes!"

"But-"

"No buts! Now get Peppe, Poppo and Puppu," she said sternly.

"You know, those names totally suck. Your imagination is awful," he muttered if only to have something to shoot back at her as he went to collect the other three. He hated when she got on him for such things. She always forgave him of accidents, every single time but the moment he suggested using his powers on purpose she'd immediately get on him about it. He helped her dress them before quickly making an excuse to leave. Her expression was still stern whenever she looked at him and he knew she would not forgive him until he apologized for suggesting using his possession on someone willingly, but he wasn't much in the mood to say he was sorry. It wasn't like it would have hurt him or something.

Hopping down from the car's door, he went to find something else to occupy his time with. Maybe he could avoid this kid if he was careful. It's not like mom could force him to play with him.

Well, she could but he knew that she wouldn't. As much as she hated him using his eyes, she hated it even more using them herself. He couldn't understand why. Unlike him, her control seemed perfect. She never screwed up or unleashed them on accident.

She was a million times better with magic than he'd ever be.

He was just slipping through the several tents that were set up when it happened. He wasn't looking where he was going, staring down at the ground, already half way painted for the shows that would be happening soon when he felt someone slam right into him. He cried out in surprise when he was knocked down, landing on his back.

"Hey!" he yelled out at the one who knocked him down. Some blond boy was standing over him, a big goofy grin on his face with a shock of blond hair and dressed in a red shirt with a lightening bolt on it. Bickslow didn't recognize him, but that wasn't odd. As part of a traveling group of performers, he often saw kids his age that he didn't know. Usually they were running around during the actual open hours though. Ugh. This had to be that Laxus kid. What rotten luck.

"Oh hey. Sorry about that," the other boy said as he held out his hand to Bickslow. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," he said as he stood up, refusing the hand and instead dusting off his pants. He already wanted to use his magic to make him go away. Something about the blond just irked him. Why was he smiling so much? "You're Laxus, right?"

"Huh? Yeah. How'd you know?" he asked.

"My mom told me your grandpa was coming," he explained with a shrug. "Said he was some kind of big shot."

"Oh yeah! My grandpa is is the master of the Fairy Tail!" he exclaimed a grin. "It's a really cool guild with a ton of awesome wizards in it."

"Hn," he muttered before he started to walk away.

"Hey, where are you going?" Laxus as he ran after him. "Don't you wanna play? You live here, right? I bet it's really cool, being able to travel around with the circus all the time."

"It's okay," Bickslow replied shortly.

"You allowed to go into all the tents?"

"Well duh."

"Can I see some of them?"

"No way."

"I heard everyone here knows magic. Is that true?"

Bickslow turned around and was about to belt the kid in the mouth just to get him to shut up and leave him alone, but the sight of Laxus made him stop short. He was grinning as wide as ever, and between his two hands electricity was dancing between his fingers. The pops and crackles of the miniature lightning show made the other child pause. That… actually looked kind of cool.

"Wow. You… you can control it so easily," he muttered softly.

"Yeah, I've been learning lately. My dad is a super strong wizard, just like Grandpa. He's helping me with it. Pretty neat trick, huh?" Laxus asked. "Someday I'm gonna be just as strong as them and join the guild too."

Bickslow stared a bit at the sight for a few more minutes until Laxus stopped the trick. He couldn't help the swell of disappointment inside of him. That had looked so neat, and he'd done it so easily too. Bickslow could never have control like that, but then again his mom wasn't part of a guild and didn't have any plans to let him join one. Practice sessions were only between the two of them and she was always so busy that getting lessons from her wasn't easy.

"You're so lucky, having a family that can teach you that sort of stuff," he blurted out before he could help it.

"Huh? What do you mean?" he asked. "Don't you have magic too?"

"Well… yeah, but..."

"Can you show me?"

The child fidgeted for a second. He wanted to say yes, to show Laxus his magic too. That lightning trick was neat, and Bickslow had neat magic too. His mom would probably punish him pretty bad if she found out but… well, she didn't have to find out, right?

"Okay!" he said with honest excitement as he grabbed Laxus' hand to pull him along. "We have to go inside one of the tents though. It's a secret."

"Cool! Can't wait!"

The two boys ran off, both eager to get to it, but Bickslow most of all. He'd really misjudged this kid. Maybe he was kind of cool after all.

Bickslow didn't even notice as they ran past an older gentleman, but he was easy to miss. Short and unassuming, and dressed in a simple suit with white cape, he didn't exactly stand out in the crowds of the people milling around, still getting the last minute details set up for the circus. A woman walked up behind him, long black hair in a braid and a young toddler set on her hip.

"Hello, Master Makarov," she whispered softly. "Thank you for coming on such short notice."

"I couldn't ignore such a request," he said back to her. "Is that the boy?"

"Yes. Little Bickslow. He's cute, isn't he?"

"He seems a bit gloomy, actually."

"He's going through a phase. It's… it's getting harder to reach him every day. It's why I called you. Do you think you can help him?"

"Seith Magic isn't really my specialty. Aren't you training him well enough?"

"It's not the training that's the problem. It's just he has no good reason to use it, no reason to try. He just sees it as a way to get what he wants. I thought I could help but..." She just sighed and shook her head. "He needs friends. He needs to reach out and find those he can care about and want to help, or he's going to end up alone. Those eyes are going to drive everyone away and he's perfectly content with that."

"Well, he seems to like Laxus. It's a start," Makarov said. "I can't promise anything, short of being willing to take him into the guild one day if he wants to join, but for now maybe a boy his own age is exactly what he needs."

"I hope so. Bickslow really needs it."

"Bickslow. Bickslow, wake up!"

The Seith wizard suddenly jerked awake as he felt something shaking his shoulder aggressively. Looking around in confusion, he didn't understand why Evergreen was standing over him, glaring down at his befuddled expression.

"Wha..." he muttered as he lifted his faceplate to rub at his eyes. "What the hell, Ever?"

"The train is stopped. We've still got a ways to go, and while I was willing to let you sleep on the train, I'm not carrying you. Get up."

"Ugh, slave driver," he muttered before he got up and stretched out. His whole back was cramped up from sleeping slumped over in the seat. Not the best position to relax and catch some rest. Despite being out of it most of the day, he didn't feel all that rested.

"It's not like you didn't get any sleep. Don't complain so much," she said before grabbing her bag. "Freed is already gone, securing a carriage for us. If you sleep any longer the train is going to leave again with you on it."

"Right, right," he said as he woke up his dolls and allowed them to float around to rest on his shoulders and head before grabbing his own things.

"You know, you're going to make them lazy if you let them ride around like that," she stated.

"They're going to be working their little butts off soon with some monster slaying," he replied, though his tone wasn't as playful with the statement as it should have been. Usually he was giddy about bringing them into combat, but he was feeling a bit out of it. Maybe he was still tired. Yeah, that was it.

"It's not like they need rest," she said with a roll of her eyes. "You spoil them, you know that?"

"Yeah, well… it's not really their fault," he said softly. He couldn't help but remember Lisanna just this morning treated them like they were kids, like they were human. She should be careful acting like that, or he was going to start getting selfish when it came to her. Right now she was being way too appealing. Why couldn't she be like everyone else, selfish and petty and uncaring to things she didn't understand? Why'd she have to make him want her so damn much? "They're only babies, after all."

"Huh?"

"Nothing," he muttered. "Let's just go."

End of Chapter 7

I just want to say right now, I adore little Laxus. In all his flashbacks he's such an adorable little sweetie. Somehow the idea of him being super nice to a mean Bickslow just makes me laugh. Unfortunately, solemn Bickslow is kind of sad so for the most part I was kind of morose writing this. Still, I think his backstory will explain a lot about him in the long run.