Lucy tried not to notice how fidgety Bickslow seemed as they ate their meal, but he made it hard when he would only hold still for a few moments, then look up at her, as if impatient for her to finish eating. Finally she sighed, setting down her fork.
"Is there something wrong?" She asked.
"What do you mean?"
"You look like you want to just shove the rest of the meal down my throat so I'll be done," She teased.
He blushed, "Am I that obvious?"
She nodded, "So want to tell me what's going on?"
He shrugged, "I'm just really uncomfortable being in these clothes is all."
She chuckled as she finished her meal, "Right, that's what it is."
He grinned, "Okay, you got me."
Getting up from the table he took on of her hands in his own, pulling her up to him and kissing her gently. She watched in confusion as he knelt before her, staring at the ground for a moment before looking up at her.
"Lucy Heartphilia - these last few years have been the best and the worst of my life. I fell in love with an amazing woman who even surprised me with her kind hearted and spontaneous nature. You opened my eyes to so many things and I loved you dearly for it. Then we had that accident and I thought I could never feel anything but hurt again. Once again you brought me out of my pain, shining your beautiful rays of love through me. I've never met anyone quite like you and I doubt I ever will, so before I lose my chance I wanted to ask - Will you marry me?"
Lucy looked at him with wide eyes, her heart pounding as pulled a diamond ring out of his pocket, holding up to her. Lucy had always assumed that when Bickslow proposed it would be a casual affair, probably at their amusement park. She'd never expected romance from him.
Bickslow watched her face, his heart falling as she stared at him. She was going to say no. He could feel it deep down. He'd rushed things and now she was going to say no and leave him looking like a fool in his own restaurant. He began to scold himself, silently yelling at himself for trying to rush things along. Then she surprised him by taking the ring and slipping it on her finger.
"Of course I will marry you," She answered, grinning brightly at him.
He stood, an answering grin on his face as he turned to the lacrima that she'd never even noticed.
"She said yes!" He yelled.
"We heard!" Evergreen's face appeared in the screen, glaring at him. "We all heard, there's no need to yell."
Downstairs Lucy could hear cheering and yelling and her eyes widened.
"How many people watched this?" She demanded.
He grinned and pulled her into the restaurant, pointing down into the seating area.
Lucy looked down over the crowd and noticed that over eighty percent of the customers were guild mates from Fairy Tail. She grinned and waved, causing them to cheer again. Natsu and Gray sat in a corner together in the back while Erza stood in the kitchen, brandishing a knife in her direction with a huge grin on her face. Mira and Cana were, of course, at the bar. Cana in front of it with Mira behind. She grinned as she noticed the rest of her guild scattered throughout the place, holding lacrimas in their hands and grinning brightly at her.
"Come on," Bickslow grabbed her hand, pulling her down the stairs. "We have well wishers to greet."
Of course, standing at the edge of the stairs, waiting to greet the newly engaged couple, were Freed, Mira, Levy, Gajeel, and what seemed to be the entire wait staff of Rune Café.
"Didn't you two have a date tonight?" Lucy asked the first couple.
"Of course we did, it was to sit in here and watch as Bix proposed to you. Finally," Mira replied before Freed could even open his mouth.
Lucy whirled on Levy as soon as Mira let go of her.
"You knew," She accused the Solid Script Mage who just grinned brightly at her, nodding.
After that the night seemed to be a whirl of congratulations and talking with her guild mates as they each had something to tell the couple. Of course, Mira and Erza put their heads together and had already started planning the wedding without asking Lucy. She just rolled her eyes and ignored them, deciding that she was going to have to get together with the girls at some point and figure out what to do about this upcoming wedding, making notes that if she wanted those two to help she was definitely going to have to enlist Levy, Wendy, and Lisanna to keep them grounded.
Finally she was able to break away from the crowd, heading out to the balcony for some fresh air for a moment. She sighed the moment to door closed behind her, inhaling deeply as she leaned against the railing.
"Marriage, huh?"
Lucy whirled, noticing Gray sitting in the shadows, his arms crossed at his chest. She grinned hesitantly.
"Certainly seems that way."
He grunted in reply and Lucy sat beside him, looking at him in concern.
"Are you going to be okay?" She whispered, leaning a head on his shoulder.
He looked at her sideways, gently brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear while he stared.
"Of course," He answered after a moment. "Why wouldn't I be?"
Lucy pulled away, turning so that she could face him.
"I'm sorry, Gray," She whispered, feeling her heart tear in two for the man who had saved her. "I hope that one day you'll find such happiness."
He smiled sadly at her, "I found it once, Luce. It was fleeting, but I'll always hold our time together close to my heart. No one will ever measure up to you."
Lucy stood, tears filling her eyes, "I hope that one day you'll find a reason to take back those words and realize that I was never your true happiness. Just one precious moment in time."
He shook his head, "Your fiancé is waiting for you, Lucy. Don't worry about me, he is the one you chose, he is the one you belong with. I'm just happy that you're happy."
Lucy looked at him one last time before fleeing back into the building.
Bickslow knew that she had been with Gray, but he didn't say a word as the two headed out, leaving the rest of the guild to celebrate. If Lucy wanted to talk about what had transpired between the two of them she would, but he was content to leave well enough alone. She had said yes to him after all, and he knew that she would never betray someone that she loved.
"Poor Gray," Lucy whispered as he walked her up to her apartment. "I hope he finds someone to make him as happy as you make me."
Bickslow smiled down at his fiancé - he loved that word so much - and kissed her forehead.
"Well, no one could make him as happy as you make me," He whispered. "But if he finds someone to make him half as happy then he is doing pretty good."
Lucy blushed and stood on her tip-toes to kiss him.
"Good night, Bickslow," She whispered, opening the door to her place.
"Night, Cosplayer," He grinned as she blushed before gently shutting the door.
His grinned stayed as he walked down the steps, only to slip away as he stepped outside to find Gray standing in front of the building, looking up at Lucy's apartment.
"You really love her?" Gray demanded.
Bickslow nodded, "More than anything."
"Take care of her, then. Because if you hurt again, we'll all be hunting you," Gray said, still not looking at Bickslow as he turned and walked away, his hands clenched.
Bickslow sighed as he started his walk home. He may have won Lucy back, but he knew it was going to take a lot more to win the rest of the guild back.
AN: Two chapters in one day! Also, I feel bad for Gray. Maybe he'll just have to find someone else to love? Yes?