Ten times.
She has been through these loops for ten times already. Albeit she did die more often than not.
The first time she may have cheated a bit in order to ensure that she and Cana didn't have to face anyone during the Trials. And try as she may Lucy just couldn't change anything important.
The second time she decided to take some more drastic actions by trying to warn her nakama, but even with their guards up they had been easily crushed by the black dragon.
The third time Lucy tried to get rid of Grimoire Heart's master, suffice to say she didn't even reach Hades before she was burned alive by a sadistic blond.
The fourth time her head was crushed by Kain Hikaru.
The fifth time Lucy was so desperate that she decided to prevent her nakama from arriving on the island by destroying the ship. Makarov just decided to take another ship.
The sixth time Lucy destroyed every ship. Makarov just decided to turn the first part of the Trials into a swimming competition. Lucy totally won thanks to Aquarius who washed her away to Tenrou Island.
The seventh time she managed to convince Makarov to push the Trials towards another day. That didn't work seeing as she woke up still stuck in a loop. That cleared off the idea that she could just run from her problems and pass the Trials by doing so.
The eighth time she fell into the river near her apartment out of frustration and drowned.
The ninth time she may have blurted out Cana's secret to the whole guild. Cana whipped her ass for that, and if it wasn't for the combined efforts of both Erza and Mirajane, then Lucy was sure she would have died.
The tenth time she slipped and hit her head on the railings of the ship.
Her conclusion: I don't have enough strength to do anything!
And she was getting tired of reliving the same thing over and over while trying to change things and failing due to her lack of strength or clumsiness. So out of pure frustration out of both her incompetence and the dumb situation she was in Lucy decided to just take a break from pointlessly looping.
Her head felt a bit buzzed as she poured something in her glass. She wasn't sure anymore if it was beer, rum or alcohol, but it didn't matter. The numbing feeling in her head felt amazing, she feels as if she could just touch the sky if she wanted to. All her insecurities and fears slowly, but surely washed away with each glass she downed.
"Hello"
Ah, it was beer. But who cares anyways? She just wanted some more booze! She giggled at the thought of more drinks, who cares what Mirajane says anyways? She definitely wasn't drunk! She was as somber as a bunny. Her giggles turned into snickers as she imagined a bunny drinking some beer.
"You're Lucy-san, right?"
At the sound of her name she turned her head giggling at the way the world turned before her vision focused on the blurry figure of Lisanna, "Yah, yer Lisa, yeah?" she slurred
"Yes, are you okay?" Lisanna worriedly asked.
"I'm purfect!" Lucy declared ushering Lisanna to sit next to her, "I wanna talk to ya."
"Me? About what?"
Lucy gave the innocently confused girl a sly look before leaning into her ear "Yer fiance."
Lisanna's cheeks immediately turned pink, "That was just a childish promise!" she quickly defended.
"Then," hiccup, "Means," hiccup, "Natsu free game?"
Drunk thoughts, somber heart.
"You like him?" Lisanna asked seemingly surprised.
"Nah! He mine though, hish my purrtner." Lucy whispered slowly, "Got zat?"
"Err, yeah." Lisanna awkwardly agreed.
"Yer a good girl Lisa." Lucy said before standing up, "Now to get me some more booze!"
Lisanna was left entirely confused, "Does that mean she likes Natsu in a platonic way or romantic one?"
"Cana~!" Lucy called out in a whine tackling the brunette into a side hug interrupting Cana and Gray's conversation on Edolas Cana.
"Something you need Lu?" Cana asked as she looped her arm around Lucy's waist.
"Booze!"
Cana smirked enjoying Drunk Lucy far too much for anyone's liking, "How about a deal? You give me something I want and I'll give you some booze." she proposed tilting Lucy's chin up to stare in the blonde's brown orbs, she licked her lips in anticipation.
"Oi, stop taking advantage of Lucy" Gray voiced his thoughts.
Cana sent Gray an annoyed look for interrupting her moment, Cana wouldn't say that she had a crush on Lucy or anything cheesy like that, she simply felt attracted to Lucy. Then she smirked at Gray, "Jealous?" she teased squeezing Lucy's butt. "Don't worry, you can watch if you want, and if I feel like it I'll let you join in..." she said preparing to take Lucy's earlobe in her mouth only for Lucy to suddenly be pulled out of her arms.
"I'm taking Lucy home." Gray stated adjusting Lucy properly in his arms so that he was carrying her bridal style.
"Ohhh, Gray, you sly dog, you." Cana laughed, "Make sure she gets home safe, alright?" she seriously asked.
Gray didn't answer as he walked out of the guild ignoring Juvia's anguished yells. Really, he had a lot to deal with already to give anymore attention to either Cana or Juvia. The only reason he was taking Lucy home right now was both because he was worried and he wouldn't trust that idiot Natsu to properly take a drunken Lucy home. His mind was occupied with the thoughts of the S-class Trials.
He knew he would get selected to participate, and he knew Natsu would too. That's why he can't lose. Not only did he want to become an S-class Mage, but he also couldn't stand the thought of the idiot Natsu somehow becoming one while he doesn't.
With a sigh he kicked open the door of Lucy's place and entered as if he owned the place, he didn't even need to think to know where everything was, courtesy of him always breaking into the place.
"Ya seem frustrated Gray." Lucy noted as he placed her down on her bed, "Is it because of the trials?" she guessed.
He paused, but didn't say anything.
"Truth is I am too." she quietly admitted sombering up a bit, but still feeling the buzz greatly "My mind keeps thinking every possibility through, and it's so frustrating!"
He turns his head to face her at the same time she lifted her head to look at him. For a fleeting second it felt like everything may spiral out of control. They stared at each other, seeing all the frustration they were hiding from their guild members reflecting in each other's eyes. Someone finally understood their true feelings. And it felt oddly right, Lucy muses.
They both are a part of Team Natsu, and both are constantly outshined by either Natsu or Erza. Both of them tended to live in the past sometimes. Both knew what it felt like to give it their best yet their best wasn't good enough.
Similar thoughts entered Gray's head as they continued to stare at each other. They weren't lost in the other's eyes or anything. They were simply at a loss at deciding what to do after finding these little things out.
"Gray your clothes..." Lucy says as she blatantly eyes his figure.
Gray let out a groan before he ducks down to pick up his shirt and pants, only for Lucy's hands to stop him midway. "It's okay, I like the view." she admits looking up into his eyes again.
This time Gray saw something shift in her eyes that now reflected lust as she reaches out her hand to his face. Gray wasn't dense as Natsu, so he knew where this was heading. And he was sure that Lucy didn't really want it to go that way. It was the alcohol.
"We shouldn't." he tries to protest as she traced her fingers over his jaw, "This isn't right." but he doesn't stop her as she wraps her arms around his neck.
She tilts her head in confusion, "Does it have to be?"
Before he could give her a proper answer she smashed her lips on his, clumsily attempting to make-out with him. And with that all his self-restraint was gone. He placed his hands on the end of Lucy's shirt. She doesn't need anymore hints to figure out that Gray also wanted...no, needed to vent out in this way. She lifted her arms up causing their kiss to stop as he pulls the shirt off of her, leaving her in only her bra and skirt.
He doesn't even give her a second to say anything before his mouth crashes into hers again, and she lets out a moan opening her mouth to give his tongue an entrance. It suddenly felt like she was wearing too much clothes.
And then he's trailing kisses beneath her neck while trying to get her skit off.
She lets him as her hands were everywhere, from his hair to his chest, and back again, pouring out the frustration that she's been feeling.
"Gray?" she asks as her skirt slides down.
"Yeah?" he distractedly asks taking in Lucy's figure. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't aroused.
"Do you wanna stop?" she slurs wrapping her arms around his neck again.
He helps her wrap her legs around his waist, "Do you want to?"
"No"
"Same."
Then they were on her bed. And what happened next was a pure moment of ecstasy and bliss.
