Chapter 13

"I'm going to sign it," said Loki. His voice was full of purpose, but there was a warmer note underneath it. Affection. "And you're going to sign it with me."

Those were the last words between them before Loki turned the shower on, rising the sweet-smelling solution out of his hair. Lucy had excused herself (despite his extremely enthusiastic offer for her to stay) and was standing on the balcony. Again, she spun the ring absent-mindedly on her finger.

Are you sure about this? she asked herself, hearing the drawers and closets open and close in the next room, There's no going back, you know.

Lucy thought back, to all the ridiculous things that happened between them and she allowed herself a small smile. Who would have ever thought that falling for Loki would have been so...easy? His over-the-top serenades had her thinking otherwise but Lucy couldn't deny that they fit together so well. And it felt wonderful! She didn't think she could ever get used to the feeling of being embraced by someone who loved her as much as Loki did. However...she was seconds away from flushing everything down the toilet.

...Of course not But it's something I've got to do, right? She took a deep breath to prepare herself, and turned around.

Loki approached, smiling warmly as he buttoned up his shirt. He stopped halfway when he saw her forlorn expression. "...You...okay?"

"Loki, we've...we've got to talk."

"Sure, love," said Loki, cautiously. From eons of girl experience, he knew those words never signaled anything good. "What's on your mind?"

Before she could stop herself, she blurted the words out. "We can't do this."

Loki's eyebrows furrowed together. "We can't...what? Are you saying-"

"Loki, we can't. We can't be together," Lucy exclaimed, her voice quavering at the end, "No matter how much I want this, we can't."

"Beautiful, where is...all this coming from?" He tried to take her hands but she hastily stuffed them in her pockets.

Lucy hated herself when she saw the pain in his eyes but she willed herself to continue. "Look, Loki. I know," she started. Suddenly, the words came spilling out. "I know all about you and Priscilla. I know what happened. I know that the two of you are practically engaged and that if you don't bond with her, the Spirit World could end," She felt extremely defeated. "We can't."

He took a deep breath, his head tilted in confusion. "So, this is it. Me and you, we're...done."

It took every ounce of willpower that Lucy had to open her mouth. And when she spoke the words, it felt like her heart began to shatter. "...We're done."

He said nothing for a moment. Very slowly, he began to speak. "So...just a few days ago, you said you were falling for me. And now, you've apparently changed your mind and your heart's desire is for me to live happily ever after with my conniving, deceitful ex-girlfriend." His words were heavy on the sarcasm. "That's great."

"What?! Are you kidding me?" Lucy furiously exclaimed, indignant at his tone. Why couldn't he see where she was coming from? LIVES were at stake. "You think I want this to happen? Priscilla is freaking batshit CRAZY. You think I want you to end up with someone like that?"

"Then how? How can you give up on us so easily?" He couldn't stop the pain from tainting his words. "I honestly thought we had something, Lucy. I haven't felt this way towards anyone in a millenia. And you just want to..."

Silently, Lucy reached out for his hands. He resisted at first, but finally let her weave her fingers between his. He didn't look at her, opting to stare out at the starry expanse instead.

"Loki," she exhaled. Her heart felt like lead in her chest. "I haven't given up. I just...don't know what to do." She shrugged, frustrated. "You should know more than anyone that I don't want this, but if you the two of you can literally save the world, ...I can't stand in the way. I won't let Spirits die just because one silly human fell for her favorite spirit. I just...can't."

Loki's shoulders slumped but he pulled her closer nonetheless. Their embrace was a sad one but it was till comforting to both. "You know," he mumbled into her hair, "Bonding is a permanent thing. There's no such thing as divorce in the Spirit World."

Lucy said nothing. A single fat, swollen tear rolled down her cheek.

Suddenly, Loki pulled them both upright. "C'mere, there's something you should see."

Lucy wiped away her tear as he led her back into the living room and settled her on the sofa. The room now seemed to double as a study; there was a new desk and a small file cabinet in one corner. Since the last time that Lucy had been here, the end tables seemed to have sprouted random pens and grown thick stacks of paper. With long, purposeful strides, Loki retrieved a manila envelope from a locked cabinet.

He came back to settle down with her on the sofa with a heavy sigh. "This was...us," he said, pulling out the contents of the envelope and handing them to Lucy.

They were pictures - various personal shots of a very young Loki and Priscilla. While Lucy flipped through them, she couldn't decide what to feel. Jealousy? Or sadness. Maybe a mix of both. The "Young Royals," as one caption called them, seemed very young-even by human standards. Maybe 16 at the most? In one shot, they were cuddled in a chair. Young Loki, who had already started wearing suits as a uniform, had his arms wrapped around Priscilla's waist. She wore his sunglasses and playfully posed for the camera. In another, they were kissing under a tree in full bloom. And in another, they were walking on a beach, hands clasped together. The one thing seemed evident-this young couple seemed happy! Genuinely so.

"In the beginning, we were happy. Or least I was, anyway. We ended the war and I somehow gained a girlfriend! Teenage me was stoked," he said, ruefully as he gestured at the pictures, "These were some of my favorite shots of us."

Lucy was silent and she was frozen on the last picture: Loki and Priscilla in full armor, watching their parents shake hands.

"I burnt these when I found out about her lies," he said, tight-jawed, "The next morning, I got a new set in the mail. So I burnt that too She's sent me new copies whenever I destroy the one I've got. I have no idea how she knows but it's a vicious cycle."

Lucy was disgusted. "That's...that's freaking terrible," she scowled.

"You know what's even more messed up? She still does the whole 'I miss my true love' charade for the other Houses and she's got them all wrapped around her finger. I bet my parents still get envoys from Libra and Pisces begging me to take her back," Loki sneered, "If only I could show them her true side."

"I'm not sure what describes her better," said Lucy, "Ruthless, manipulative, or just plain...evil."

Loki snorted. "All of the above."

After a pause, Loki began to speak, softer this time. "Love, you know I would have never let you walk away, right?" His tone was tired but Lucy could feel the warmness in his words - it was reassuring to know that he wasn't swayed so easily by her attempts to drop him.

"I know. It's just...I feel so helpless! We're supposed to think about the big picture, right? It's just...it's not fair."

Loki chuckled a little, easing his arm around her shoulder. "We're like a real-life Romeo and Juliet. Starcrossed, but really Star crossed since you're really a Stellar Spirit Mage and I'm really a Celestial Spirit."

Lucy couldn't help but laugh a little as she eased into his embrace. She sighed, sadly. "That would really, really suck if our story ended as a tragedy."

"Well. You're right. That would suck. But...what if it doesn't have to end that way?" Loki squeezed her shoulders, that mischievous grin back on his face.

Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she sat up straight. "What're you talking about? Weren't we just talking about being starcrossed...and those stupid pictures, and -"

She instantly stopped talking when a very old, rolled up scrolled bopped her playfully on the nose. "We've got to sign this," said Loki, determinedly "Even more so, now. I know this whole splitting up thing was because you put Spirits before yourself, and I will always love that about, Lucy. You're heart is good. But we are STRONGER together, not apart. If we sign this, it's like a two for one tie sale! Together - me and you - we'll be strong enough to lead the assault. Stronger than a bond between me and Priscilla could ever be, I know it. Plus, we've got connections with the other Houses and I'm sure we can get their support. Don't you see? We'll finally have a real fighting chance. Without her."

"...Did you just say 'two for one tie sale'? Instead of two killing two birds with one stone?" Lucy asked, in disbelief.

"...Yeah, it's just like it. Actually it's better! Two ties for the price of one. Why kill birds when you can have new ties? But Hey - you're not even listening to me!" Loki raised his arms in protest. "The other bonus, which is possibly the better of the two, is that we'll be taking down that double-crossing, fake ass bitch. All of the arrangements will be broken and she'll have absolutely no influence. The houses will turn on her, faster than you can blink. C'mon Luce, we'll be doing the world TWO favors. What do you say?"

Lucy laughed. "We'll be doing the Spirit World a favor. But...we'll be breaking all kinds of Spirit Law with this, you know. Isn't your bonding a super ancient, crazy important ritual?" In her mind, she imagined white-hot cuff-links suddenly appearing around their wrists. One of the first things she learned as a Stellar Spirit Mage was to never mess with Spirit laws. Particularly ancient ones.

"Yep, and believe me. The risks are worth it," said Loki, cracking his knuckles, "There is nothing I want more than to break this damn law. Well, that...and you, Lucy."

"...Alright. I'll sign, but...you're positive this will work, right?" said Lucy, a bit dubious about betting their fate (and that of the Spirit World) on a brittle piece of paper.

"Trust me." Loki leaned forward until their foreheads touched. Lucy could feel the connection between them; it was practically electric. Any of the hesitation she felt melted away.

With her first genuine smile in what felt like ages, Lucy grabbed one of the fountain pens from the table next to the couch. Quickly rolling out the scroll, Lucy declared, "Alright! Let's do this - hey!"

Loki quickly snatched the pen from her hands before reclaiming the parchment as well. "What are you doing? You can't just...sign the damn thing," he exclaimed as he delicately rolled it back up again.

"Are you kidding me? We just...this whole...UGH, why can't we just sign it?"

"Beautiful, this is the Spirit World. There's a bunch of things we've got to do first. And there's one thing you should start with..."

"WHAT? You can't go on vacation without us?!" bellowed Natsu, in disbelief. He stared at Lucy and her outrageous and ridiculous notions.

"Please, Natsu," grimaced Lucy, "You're making a scene!" Just as soon as she had tacked up her 'Notice of Leave' slip on the Guild Info board, Happy had instantly tipped off her not-so thrilled, salmon-haired guildmate. She had quickly pulled him out a side door to prevent making the scene...worse.

"Hell YEAH, I'm going to make a scene! You're supposed to take us with you! Virgo promised me that Spirit World buffets were a bajillion times better than the one at the Flaming Crab Shack." He threw his arms in the air for emphasis, simulating the action of shoveling endless quantities of food into his gaping mouth.

"Next time, alright? I promise. Right now, Loki and I have some...stuff to do and I'm not sure how long it'll take."

Natsu's nose wrinkled. "Eww, Lucy, that's gross. Don't tell me the details of your love life! I don't wanna know that sorta thing."

Exasperated, but knowing that he was joking (he was, wasn't he?), Lucy playfully punched his shoulder. "Idiot, not that sort of thing. It's work. Like a mission, really. Definitely an S-Class one."

Folding his arms, Natsu frowned. Suddenly, his jaw dropped to the ground as he finally spotted the ring on Lucy's hand. "NO WAY. YOUR MISSION IS THAT YOU'RE...GETTING MARRIED?"

"What?! No!" Lucy exclaimed, wincing as echos of 'Lucy's getting married?!' reverberated from the Guild Hall, "Well...not really, but technically kind of, but still..."

Natsu's arms dejectedly fell to his sides. "...You're not going to invite me?"

"Natsu, I'm not getting married. I guess we're together, but marriage...no." The echos turned giddy. 'Lucy's dating someone?!'

Wiping his nose, Natsu crossed his arms. "Together? I thought you thought...he was icky? With his harem of girlfriends and stuff."

"Ugh, please don't remind me about them," moaned Lucy. Hundreds of ex-girlfriends. Lovely. "But I guess...I don't know. It happened. He makes me happy." She shrugged, smiling. "He really does."

Natsu frowned, crossing his arms. "Okay fine. But I swear on all the dumplings that I'll ever eat; if he hurts you, I'm gonna rally the whole freaking guild and we're going to beat the shit out of him!"

Lucy valiantly tried to calm him down as the imaginary sweat drop rolled down her head but Natsu was on a roll. "YOU HEAR THAT, YOU FREAKING...CAT?!," he roared to the heavens with flaming fists, "If you hurt our Lucy, we're going to hunt you down and burn all of your STUPID SUITS. GOT IT?"

The guild applauded. Lucy felt like she had died a little, inside.

"So. What kind of...work are you guys going to do, anyway?" Natsu wiggled his eyebrows.

"I TOLD YOU, not that kind of work," Lucy rolled her eyes. "We'll be taking down a tyrant. Oh, and hopefully win a war."

"Oh. Typical save the world stuff?"

"Yeah, kinda."

"AWESOME!" Natsu punched the air. "What kind of bad guy? Super pumped up warlord? Warlock with zombie raising powers? Oooh, VAMPIRES!"

"...We'll be fighting...Loki's ex-girlfriend. I think technically by law, she's still his...fiance." Lucy winced.

Natsu's eyes grew to the size of dinner plates before he suddenly burst out laughing. "Ahhhh, this is good stuff. You guys could have your own reality TV show. So much drama," he guffawed, "Make sure you bring the smack down, Luce!"

"Oh, don't worry. I will," said Lucy.

"Well, alright. Everyone's gotta go solo once in a while," said Natsu, wrapping one of his dearest friends in a huge bear hug, "Channel your inner Erza when you give her a beat down."

Lucy fought back tears as she hugged him back. "Thanks, Natsu."

"Of course! We're nakama, right? We'll be watching for you," he said, pointing up at starry sky. "Good luck and make us pro-"

"WAIT LUCY!" called Mira, poking her head out of the door and abruptly crashing the 'touching' moment, "You can't leave without this!" She burst out, rolling an extremely large and cumbersome suitcase.

"...what is...that," Lucy deadpanned. She was suddenly very, very afraid.

"Since you didn't pick your dress yet, I bought all of these magazines and packed them for you! Levi and I flagged the ones that we think would work best with your cleavage. Also, can you please ask Loki what kind of cake he likes?" Mira spoke a million words a minute as opened the overflowing suitcase which Lucy realized was actually...a wedding planner. The color drained from her face.

"OH! Before I forget. Erza's out on business at the moment but you know her, she's always prepared. She had these ready for you when the time came," Mira winked. "So? Which one do you like better? This super lacy balconet or this kind of feathery teddy?" Mira shamelessly held up tiniest, most itty-bitty pieces of lingerie ever made. "You've got to be ready for your wedding night!"

Natsu (and what seemed like the entire guild) chanted, "LACE! LACE! LACE!"

There was nothing that Lucy wanted more than to crawl up into the nearest closet and die. (Lace! Lace! Lace!)

A/N: Awww, thanks, guys! *sniffs thankfully and smiles* Thank you for being honest, I'm glad to have awesome readers such as all of you. Thank you for your support!