pride-of-regulus

[pride-of-regulus]

A moment's worth of surprise crossed his expression, and he knew that had been exactly her intent in leveling such a question at him. Lucy, as it appeared, had a bit of a mischievous streak in her. He had not once seen it appear during his travels with her, but after another moment's reflection, he decided that he did not mind that at all. The eyes-widened, open mouthed expression that her question had gave gradually faded away, only to be replaced with a similar look of playful confidence. She had to have at least a tiny inkling of an idea when it came to what he was capable of in private. It was Loki's goal not only to meet the goals that she had set out in her mind, but surpass them so thoroughly that the original goal seemed far too conservative by comparison. It was a tricky goal, but if there was one thing the prideful spirit adored, it was a worthy challenge.

The first thing that the man did in reply to her words was deposit a large amount of jewels on the table they once shared. Price, specifically the price for their respective meals, had left his mind a long time ago. Only Lucy occupied his mind, and those Lucy-centric thoughts had to be attended to as soon as possible. With that in mind, the second thing he aimed to do was tangle a hand around her waist, just to bring her all the closer to his chest. For every inch closer she drew, she would be made to see the confidence that oozed from every pore of his body, and in the assertive actions he aimed to commit towards her person.

"Actions speak far louder than words, Lucy. Will you give me the opportunity to prove exactly that?'

A little bit of charm II luckylucy-offairytail

  The shade of red that graced her face remained at his words, and his smile that he gave her brought one of her own to her face. Though her mind began wandering when he mentioned privacy, and it made her wonder what else he may choose to do when they were in private. Though, she couldn’t say that any of the ideas that went through her head were bad ones, quite the opposite, in actuality. All of those thoughts were ones that she wouldn’t mind, especially not if they were with Loke. After all, she did trust him with her life in a literal sense.

Though, an idea of her own did spark in her own mind. If his goal was to tease her in a sense with his words, and to elicit the thoughts that she was having, it certainly worked. However, she knew that she could also do the same right back to him, and that was exactly what she planned on doing. She leaned forward slightly, just enough that she could speak in a low enough tone that only he would be able to hear her, and her smile turned into a slight smirk, though not one large enough to be caught. “So then tell me, Loke. What would you do should we be in private? I’d like to know.” She asked, hoping to catch him slightly off guard if nothing else.

[pride-of-regulus]

Lucy's shaking reply only added to the male's temptation to take things further. Kissing her calf, clothed as it was, in the open had provoked quite the delightful reaction from the woman's being. What else could he kiss before being pulled away; what would he have to do to earn her scorn? Those thoughts rested heavily upon his mind, but they were checked by an equally persuasive train of thought. He rose to his feet at that, and affixed the woman with a soft stare, coupled with that ever-glimmering smile of his. "You're right," he admitted. "There is only so much that I can do to you in public, without arousing an unsuitable amount of attention. Privacy, however, is another matter entirely."

With that idea now thrown out in the open, Loke decided that it was a good time to take his seat once again. He had done well in inciting her mind, and in causing the heat of her body to increase several levels since his charm had began. In doing so, he had also assured himself of his attraction to her. She was as flawless in romance as she was in any other respect, and he was glad to be with her. In the end, he had succumbed to her charm long before he had managed to make her consider his own.

He knew that, and he did not regret that truth a bit.

A little bit of charm II luckylucy-offairytail

  She had expected him to take her hand when he had quickly came to her side of the table, so to say she was surprised when his lips made contact with her calf would be a bit of an understatement. When his lips kissed her calf, she felt a spark of electricity run through her body, sparks starting from the spot his lips had just been and working their way up to spread throughout her whole body, and it was a bit of a new feeling to Lucy. Though she had no qualms or complaints about it, it still caught her off guard a bit, and a slight shiver went through her body.

"H-hey now, w-we’re in public, sh-shouldn’t that be saved for a time when we’re in private?" She asked, though her voice wasn’t scolding. In fact it was far from it. Lucy was one that didn’t mind a bit of PDA, as long as it wasn’t too inappropriate, and as far as she was concerned, there wasn’t anything too bad about what he had just done. His words came out in a repeat of the sentence he had uttered earlier about being able to kiss her forever, and once again she felt the oh so familiar fluttering of butterflies in her stomach. His words had worked their charm into her heart once again, and she knew this was only just the beginning of those charms, she still had the whole night ahead of her to find out the extent of Loke’s words.

[pride-of-regulus]

"You have no idea just how much you have to look forward to."

Once more, Loke's promise was hefty, but it was not impossible to achieve. If she was to be completely charmed by his person, then he would spend every day striving to make her feel loved, cherished, and if the day called for it, physically satisfied beyond belief. There would be days of sadness, and days where nothing would improve her day, but he would be there for her. She would have a friend, and a lover for the rest of her life. He would make certain of that, and he would continue to do so even after her spirit passed into a realm beyond his reach.

The meal was now sitting comfortably in his stomach, and he had no cause for complaint with the food therein. Loke stood at that, placing a welcome assortment of jewels on the table, before sweeping around to remain at his sitting woman's side. In the span of a few moments, he knelt, and masked his visage with the tresses from his hair. She was to know nothing of his actions, until it was far too late for her to know it in advance. His lips gently stretched forward again, to place a kiss against the woman's clothed calf. 

"I really could kiss you forever, Lucy Heartfilia~!"

A little bit of charm II luckylucy-offairytail

  She had to admit she was a bit amused at his words of being close to perfection, though she couldn’t completely disagree. Any woman would have found herself lucky to be in the company of a man such as Loke. After all, he was pretty much perfect in the sense that he was an all around gentleman despite the fact that he did come off a bit strong sometimes. However, to Lucy that just made part of who he was. His flirtatious manner was directed at her, and she supposed that was part of why she was okay with it. She rarely saw him even look at another woman anymore, and it made her feel all the more special. She had heard him say many a time before that he ‘loved’ her, but it felt different each time he said it, and she never got tired of hearing him say it despite the fact that she played it off as though she didn’t pay it much attention. She always did, and she always kept those words in her mind.

When that time would come that he would prove his words true, she didn’t have much to compare it to, only that of which she read in books seeing as no man had ever been with her in a way that a man would be with one that he loved and wanted to be with, and she had only imagined what it would be like, but she still held standards and had an idea of what she wished for it to be like, and she knew Loke could more than likely definitely hold up to those standards, but she wouldn’t let him know that she was aware of this. She would keep that fact to herself.

She gave a slightly less smirk-like smile and a more genuine smile, “Well, then I hope you won’t disappoint me. Though if what you say about not disappointing your lovers is true, then I guess I have quite a bit to look forward too.” she said, her voice genuine.

[pride-of-regulus]

Lucy's entire disposition had began to change over the course of their meal, much to the delight of the male before him. A one-sided lesson in charm school was satisfying enough, but the greatest passions came from a union in wills. That union could have been antagonistic, teasing, or benevolent at heart, but with a union, love was so much more than a fruitless endeavour. The blonde woman's idea of a union was equal parts teasing and benevolent. He found himself satisfied with that mix, for there was no antagonism in their interplay. Loke never wanted an ounce of her body to hate him, and if one ounce did, then he would consider himself forever drenched in sin. Such was the depth of love, respect, and honour that he attributed to Lucy's being.

"There have been several circumstances where my words have failed to hit the mark. I might be as close to perfection as it gets, minus yourself, but even I am not immune to error. The caveat that prevents me from doubting my own words is simple," came the prompt reply, matched by a smirk that was both overt and challenging. "I do not disappoint my lovers, or my nakama, in both word and in deed. You are both the woman that I love, and the nakama that I cherish the most. With both of those truths known, I can say for certain that I will not fail you.

When the time comes for me to prove my words, I will do so in a way that removes all doubt from your mind."

A little bit of charm II luckylucy-offairytail

  She awaited his words, but when she took note of their food arriving, she knew she would have to wait longer to learn of what he meant when he had said that he would exceed his words. Though in a way, it sort of added to the excitement. It kept her on her toes, and he mind wandering all over with thoughts of what he could have meant, most of which were explicit in a sexual nature. Though she kept that to herself, at least for now. She knew he may have mostly calmed down, but she knew that his ego still somewhat remained, and if he had known she was thinking such thoughts, she knew he would use it against her in order to tease her in more than just one way. However, she secretly thought that may not be so bad.

She proceeded to eat her meal that had just been brought to her, and the second she brought it to her mouth, she understood why Loke had chosen to bring her here of all places. It tasted wonderful, to put it mildly, and she vocalized that with a small hum of approval as she chewed. It didn’t take long for Lucy to finish, though she didn’t eat too fast, and she didn’t eat so much that she would make herself sick. She wiped her mouth with the napkin that sat beside her, and leaned to listen to his words as to what he meant. She played into his charm, at least for a bit, and gave a small smirk to him, “You sound confident about that. I hope you can live up to your words, and I hope that’s not all they are is words.” 

[pride-of-regulus]

Just before Loke could enlighten her by what exactly he meant on 'exceeding' his words, the server returned with the splendour of their food. Thankfully, he left just as quickly as he came, but the male found opportunity in the other's appearance. The first rule of the supplier was to leave the one who demanded his goods wanting more. While Lucy was not exactly demanding for him to go on, her body continued to send out subtle calls for him to do exactly that. In regards to her body's desires, she would be made to wait while he filled his stomach with a few choice meats. After all, he was a lion, and it was the flesh of another being that he always sought. Lucy's flesh was no exception, and although he would not eat it, he would not mind marking it with his teeth when the situation presented itself.

For the time being, he happily chowed down on the contents of the dish in front of him, enjoying both the clash of delectable flavours, and the amusement that came from making Lucy wait for him to continue. Of course, the tension was not entirely one way. His body desired him to continue on just as much as hers most likely did. The very nature of charming her for charm's own sake was beginning to fall away, despite his fervent urges to make it so. Still, he ate and ate, until he could eat no more. One swallow marked the end of his meal, and one grin marked the continuing nature of his speech. "What I mean, Lucy, is that in any aspect of love, I'll make sure that no man can compete with me for your hand."

A little bit of charm II luckylucy-offairytail

  His words only fueled her thoughts, and her face turned darker, if that was even possible. Though she certainly didn’t mind the thought, she just didn’t think in public was the best place to have them, especially not in a nice restaurant like they were at. She couldn’t help but to think of what he would be like in a more intimate setting, and it caused her body to heat up quite a bit. This was possibly one of the times where she wished to be more alone with Loke, though she knew that had she just given the word that he would likely be more than willing to escape to her home with her, but Lucy wasn’t that type of woman. Regardless of the fact that she knew Loke cared greatly for her, she wasn’t going to just jump into bed with him simply because he had charmed her with his words. He would have to work a bit harder than that if he wished to claim her completely and in every sense.

Although, if he did wish to claim her in each and every way, she couldn’t say she’d be opposed to it. Quite the opposite, actually. If she was to be claimed in the romantic and intimate sense by any male, she wanted it to be by Loke more than anyone. If he would have her, she would certainly let it be known that that was what she wanted, but perhaps maybe not in the setting they were in, and more so when they were alone later on in the night should that opportunity ever arise. She hadn’t said anything to his words just yet, but he likely knew what she would say, “I-I don’t know what you’re talking about,” She said, though her words were far from convincing. “E-exceeding them? W-what do you mean?” She asked, despite the fact that she had a fairly good idea as to what he meant by that.

[pride-of-regulus]

Lucy's innocence regarding his table innuendo was noted, but the subtleties of her reaction also did not escape his notice. She had not brought her hand up to sharply smack his face, for one thing. For another thing, the deeper shade of red gracing her face gave him quite the idea regarding her thoughts. She didn't hate the idea of him doing as his mused, as a matter of fact, she probably was thinking about how much she enjoyed that very thought. If he was not committed to simply charming her, he would have taken her up on those thoughts, and damn the people watching them! Thankfully for the general public, and for the future condition of the table, Loke managed to restrain himself. Instead, he plotted out what to do next in his mind when it came to the complete charming of Lucy herself.

"Your body knows that I mean, even if your mind refuses to accept what I'm saying. Fortunately, I am simply intent on treating you to dinner, and to treating you tastefully. Otherwise, I might have made good on my words," he replied. An amused glint in his eyes followed those words, while he eagerly watched for any sign of a crack in her disposition. Loke was very much a lion in some respects, and he did enjoy toying with his mate before seizing in for the critical blow. "You might even find that I would even exceed my words in the process of adhering to them~."

A little bit of charm II luckylucy-offairytail

  She leaned her own body closer to his, but still leaving a considerable amount of space between them. She didn’t want to get too close to him in a public setting. Had they been alone, she wouldn’t mind being as close to him as possible, but in a way she didn’t want to make too much of a scene. She gave him a reassuring smile, “I don’t mind you leaning. I actually kind of..” She began, “I like it.” She admitted to him. Was she perhaps showing that she was giving into his charms? It’s possible, but to be honest she didn’t mind him knowing that. Though his next sentence brought upon a darker shade of red, “O-on the table? W-what do you mean?” She asked, her voice slightly nervous, though if she was being honest with herself, that thought had crossed her mind before. Perhaps not that exact thought, but ones similar to it. 

In fact, that thought had crossed her mind many times before, and it had crossed her mind the most when she spent nights alone in her bed, secretly wanting his touch. How he hadn’t sensed it before was beyond her, but if it was kept hidden from him she could possibly avoid him taking advantage of the secret want she held for him. Not just the crave of his touch one time, that wouldn’t be enough for Lucy. She wanted him for more than just someone to fulfill her loneliness. She knew that person had to be Loke. She wanted to be with him, in every way possible. Though she thought she did a fairly good job at hiding that for the most part.

[pride-of-regulus]

"I would have to be quite the charmer, if it meant claiming your heart. So, that's exactly what I am, and that's exactly what I will always be. Your charmer."

Those words followed the man's order to the waiter, who vanished shortly later. The concept of food left his mind once again, only to be replaced with thoughts of Lucy. He did not miss food, or anything, if it meant consuming himself with thoughts of her. Loke was not crazily obsessed with her, for he still had his presence of mind. He simply loved to think of her, and that was all there was to his musing. His entire body shifted forward at that, just so he could bring himself a hair closer to her. That was the other thing about Lucy Heartfilia. No matter how close he was, he always wanted to be closer to her, even if it was only an inch's worth of closeness. Every little bit gleaned was something of value to him, and something that could not be replicated by the company of any other woman.

"I hope that you don't mind my leaning, Lucy. The table just prevents me from coming as close as I'd like to you. That's very near to sin in my books, and it's almost more than I can bear. If I lacked self-restraint, I would have flipped over the table, or perhaps, I would have put you on the table."

A little bit of charm II luckylucy-offairytail

  His words made her blush once again. How he managed to do that so much was beyond her, but she certainly wasn’t opposed to it. His words of flattery didn’t fall upon deaf ears. In fact it was quite the opposite. She took in every word he said, and found herself hanging onto them and repeating them in her mind over and over again each time he uttered them. They sounded better coming from him than they did in her mind, though, and she may even ask him to repeat them another time. Sure any other woman may not have believed him given his history, but then again Lucy wasn’t your typical woman. She was different, or at least that’s what she was always told, mostly by Loke himself.

"I’m glad to know that, Loke." She repeated once again. She looked up at the waiter, realizing that he had come to take their order, and when Loke spoke about ordering whatever she wanted, she looked back at him. She was a bit surprised, but she also felt flattered in a way. When Loke said he planned on charming her, she hadn’t expected him to go all out like he was doing. However, she looked back at the waiter, and placed her order. She normally would argue with his words of calling her a goddess, but for once she accepted the compliment, giving him a shy smile and her face remaining with it’s pink brushed across it from her blush. "Well aren’t you a charmer?" She asked, though it wasn’t more of a question and more of a statement than anything.

[pride-of-regulus]

Lucy's sigh of relief brought the man an even greater sense of relief in the process. In saying those words, he was acting on the hope that she would believe them. When it came to his past indiscretions, there wasn't a lot of incentive for her to believe them this time around. Yet, she did, and she took a chance on the value that he professed to hold her up towards. The smile that touched her lips was nothing short of divine, and the great weight that tethered itself to his heart was removed at last. He could love her without restraint, and without the fear of her doubting his intentions. Once more, she had charmed him, and this time, she had charmed him for good.

"You will never hear me go back on those words, either. I have committed myself to you, and that commitment is eternal."

Loke's words were supplemented by the swift arrival of their server, and he greeted the other man's presence with a smile. That smile stayed splayed against his face, even when he turned his gaze to Lucy herself. "Order whatever you wish," he affirmed, while he looked to paat the pocket holding money from his completed missions. His time in the living world had been good to him, and in doing so, he had managed to amass a small fortune for things like these. "Pleasing a goddess like you gives me no reason to concern myself with price~."

A little bit of charm II luckylucy-offairytail

  The way he looked around with his eyes brought a bit of nervousness to her, and she worried that perhaps her was avoiding the question. However, when she felt his hand touching her own, her hand brought itself to touch with his, and she listened intently to what he was saying. is words brought a reassurance to her, and she felt silly for even having questioned if he would still want to kiss her even when she grew old. Her worried face changed to one of happiness, a genuine smile upon her face. She should have known that sure maybe in his past he would have foregone a woman had she lost her looks, but she knew that he had changed, and changed for the better. He made that known everytime he saw her, and he made it known that it was because of her that he had undergone this change.

His words made her feel happy, especially when he spoke of how he doesn’t see her looks when he looks at her, and how instead he sees her soul. She couldn’t begin to describe the happiness she felt at that, and she had to wonder if this was how Loke felt whenever he spoke of the fact that she made him happy. If it was, she could understand why he always made a point of telling her about it, because it was a wonderful feeling.

She let out a small sigh of relief, and for once she wasn’t surprised at his words. “That..makes me happy to hear, Loke.” She said, her voice was genuine. She would most certainly hold him to his word. She knew that even if he wanted to abandon her when she became that age, he wouldn’t be able to unless their contract was broken. However, if his mind changed later on and he wanted someone else, she certainly wouldn’t hold him to their contract out of selfishness. She knew that wouldn’t be fair of her. However, she didn’t think too much on it. He had told her he wouldn’t grow tired of her, and that’s what thought she wanted to stick with for a long while. 

[pride-of-regulus]

Lucy's initial statement stuck in his mind like a thorn, and it did not leave even after her final inquiry. The idea of his love being extended to her as long as she was young and pretty made him feel no better than the playboy he was in his youth. He was insulted by that thought, but her concern was not without good reason. Certainly, he would have dropped a woman in the past for developing even a single wrinkle, but he had changed since coming out of her employ! When he spoke of love, it was no longer a ploy to lure a starry-eyed woman into his bed. Loke's love for her, his blonde beauty of a woman was genuine down to even the its basest component. She would be made to know that before he said anything else.

After a time, he put the menu down, and eyed the position of the restaurant staff. The majority of them all seemed to be occupied with their own business, which spoke well of his current plans. He had time, or rather, enough time to tell her what he really thought about her words. The man's smile hardened into a thin line stretching from lip to lip, and the mirth that dotted his interactions fell away entirely. Following this came the movement of the man's hand, stretching across the table to gently touch against the woman's own, if she was so inclined to receive him. With, or without Lucy's hand, Loke would speak, with words artfully uttered to cut right to the core of her prior inquiry.

"You talked about me losing the urge for you, even when you became 'old and ugly'," the man began, with a seriousness that belied his usual nature. "Even more, you talked like that with a conviction of belief. You believed, and believed that I'll drop you when I get old. That's the farthest thing from the truth, Lucy. When I look at you, I don't see your body, but your soul. It's a beautifully happy, and beautifully good thing. That soul will never change, and that soul will never grow ugly.

Even when you are old, I will never tire of kissing you."

A little bit of charm II luckylucy-offairytail

  His words put a sense of ease into her, though she couldn’t help but wonder if he meant it. Sure, he may mean it now, but what about in the future? After all, he was eternal, and she wasn’t. She would grow old, and pass on and she had to wonder about if he would still mean it in the future. “R-really?” She asked, looking down a bit, “E-even when I get really old, and I’m not pretty anymore?” She asked, her worry showing a bit in her voice. She wondered what would happen, when she became old, and her beauty faded from her, and he was still young and attractive. Would he still feel the same about kissing her for the rest of his life when that day came?

Sure she would still be her, and her personality would remain, but her looks would not. Looks were only temporary, and they would die sooner than she would. She didn’t think Loke was so shallow that he would abandon her or anything like that, but who in their right mind would want to kiss someone of her age when they were still so young? She didn’t dwell on that thought, though. She knew if she did it would put a damper on her mood, and that was definitely not what she wanted.

She sat at the table with Loke, and she had to admit that his charms were definitely working on her. If they hadn’t worked already with the flowers he had brought her, he was definitely on his way to winning her over. “A-are you sure that’s alright with you?” She asked, slightly surprised at his assurance to order anything she wanted. She wouldn’t complain if he was sure, but she wanted to make sure that was truly alright with him before she did.

[pride-of-regulus]

Instinct and past experience taught him that she wanted to do something more. Whether that meant slapping him for his impulsive action, or simply laying a passionate kiss on his lips was beyond him, but he knew the woman's behaviour all the same. The thought of Lucy doing either excited him, for anything Lucy did managed exactly that. With the taste of her skin gently playing upon his lips, Loke quickly ran his tongue along their upper rim. as if to commit her taste to memory. Doing so sent a satisfying surge of feeling up and down his spine, as if he had collided it with a livewire.

"I could kiss you for the rest of my life, and never grow bored, Lucy Heartfilia."

Loke's words were not idle flattery, but rather a representation of honest truth. He truly could spend his time doing anything with Lucy, so long as he enjoyed it. The man had all of her life to enjoy her splendour, and he vowed not to waste a second in enjoying her. With a teasing smile, he continued on walking, just to get the both of them into his preferred restaurant. He had managed to make arrangements for the both of them in advance, and they were quickly seated at a corner table.

The decor of the restaurant, and the general mood of its staff were indicative of Loke's taste. Warm colours decked the walls, the floor, and the table cloth themselves. It was as if they were to bathe in the warmness of it all, and if he was lucky, to bathe her in the warmness of his arms. "Order what you wish," he mentioned, while flipping through a menu of his own. "No matter what, I'll pay for it, and satisfy you in the process. That's what a charming man does, correct~?"

A little bit of charm II luckylucy-offairytail

  Her face turned a light pink at his words of people wondering how he ended up with someone like her. She gave a small wave of her free hand at his words, along with a slightly nervous smile and laugh. “N-now I wouldn’t quite say that,” She said, “How do you know it’s not the other way around?” She asked. To be quite honest, she was glad that none of the onlookers happened to be anyone they knew. Not because she was embarrassed to be seen with him, quite the opposite actually. She didn’t think she exactly wanted to deal with Loke’s fanclub that had formed from the time he spent as a Fairy Tail mage. Nor did she want to deal with any of her guild mates interrupting their night. Sure, she enjoyed spending time with them, but to be frank she wanted some alone time with Loke.

As if her face wasn’t already covered in a shade that would show the fact that she was flustered, his next action would make it even more evident. Feeling his lips upon her cheek made her feel all the more shy, and she couldn’t help but show this through her smile. Though she wanted to turn her face and press her own lips upon his, she stopped herself from doing so. 

She didn’t know exactly where it was they were going first, but seeing as she was with Loke, she knew it had to be someplace nice, as she knew he would only want to give her the best in order to try and charm her. Though she wouldn’t complain, she also wasn’t used to someone treating her how Loke was planning on treating her. Thasough she had to admit, the thought of it was nice. 

[pride-of-regulus]

Lucy's final words would have been enough to floor him, if not for a considerable sense of self-restraint. Still, the consequence of her words brought an even greater blush to the noted playboy's cheeks. He was the one who was going to charm her, and yet, she had managed to do so with a simple phrase! His blonde companion was no ordinary woman, and he had known that from the first time he had met her. She was not 'easy prey' in any sense of the word, and the majority of her opponents only figured that out when it was too late for them to react. Loke was different, but only marginally so. He had found her enticing from the get-go, and knew the challenges of seducing her. The man had not been caught by surprise, but he knew that she would subdue him ten times over before he earned the same pleasure from her.

With little fanfare, save for his own melodic hum, he looked to take the both of them to a place of his choosing. For a woman like her, nothing but the best would do. She might have objected to being treated like a princess, and Loke understood that. Instead of treating her like loyalty, he instead endeavoured to treat her as nothing short of a goddess in the flesh. Crisp air buffeted his body with each step, and he entertained the gaze of the occasional onlooker with a knowing glint. "Look, Lucy," he teasingly whispered. "They're all wondering about how a man like me ended up with a woman as wonderful as you."

He ended those words simply, but the action he took thereafter was far from simple. The male overcame the heat in his cheeks, and his own sense of apprehension to do exactly what he desired. As the grandiose setting of his desired restaurant came into view, Loke distracted himself with something else entirely. A daring feeling came over him, and quickly enough, he looked to plant his lips against the woman's cheek. 

A little bit of charm II luckylucy-offairytail

  She gave a small laugh at his comment, “I guess you’re right.” She said, before taking the flowers from his hands, before bringing them inside to set them in water before walking back to where he stood, “Umm..They’re pretty, I like them. Thank you.” She said, a faint hint of a blush apparent on her face. She hadn’t ever had someone trying to be with her, nor did she ever have someone treat her like a princess, which Loke always did. Normally she’d be opposed to him treating her as such, but that was only in battle. She saw no harm in it when they were in a more private setting. 

She knew Loke was good with the ladies, and she was no exception to that, but for some reason she hadn’t ever expected him to want her of all people. Sure she came off as confident and strong, but there was a part of her deep down that always expected the one she wanted to want someone else. However, Loke was always saying how much he cared for her, and she knew he was honest in his words. It made her feel good to be wanted, in all honesty. Though she was more than ready to see him try and win her over, she hid it. She didn’t want him to think he didn’t have his work cut out for him.

She looked down at his hand, before lifting her own to place her smaller hand within his. She giggled a bit, “Alright, you have the whole night to try and woo me. I’m all yours for the night.” She said, trying not to make it sound as though she was as excited as she truly was.

[pride-of-regulus]

"There aren't any other celestial spirit mages named Lucy around there, are there~?"

Loke's teasing remark was punctuated by the offering of flowers to the woman's person, just as his own look was lightened by the woman's own. She didn't seem to be dreading their encounter in the least, as a matter of fact, she seemed to be looking forward to it. There was a happiness to her that he had not seen in quite some time, and in that time, that look had never been directed towards him. To see the full force of Lucy's wonderful joy was an experience in and of itself, and it brought a lasting blush to his face. Lucy had charmed him in one action, and that spoke volumes of her character. He had truly grown fond of her, and that simply meant he would have to convince her to feel the same for him.

That thought went over far easier than the action of doing so did. Lucy was a woman that was simple to dazzle, but difficult to claim as a lover. Unfortunately for Loke, he could not cosign himself to having her for a night. If he was to be with her, then he had to claim her, and be claimed for the rest of her life. He had picked the hardest task of the lot, but he did not regret it once. Lucy was a woman that was more than worth pledging himself to. He had known that as soon as she bargained on his behalf, and that knowledge had only grown with each passing second he spent as her guardian.

With his free hand, he held it out, as if to offer her it entirely. Another warm feeling tingled, and left itself squarely in his chest. The idea of holding hands with her, and having her standing with him was an enticing thought indeed. That enticing thought stuck with him, as his hand still left itself extended towards her. "Come with me, Lucy, I have an entire town's worth of charm to show you~!"

A little bit of charm II luckylucy-offairytail

  Lucy had never expected Loke’s charm to actually have started working on her, but when he had spoken to her, she couldn’t help but feel her heart flutter a bit, no matter how slight it was. Was it wrong to feel this way about someone that she had a contract with? Perhaps, but she didn’t see any harm in allowing him to try and charm her. In fact, Lucy thought it may be nice to allow him to. He certainly did have a way with words, and she figured that was probably from his time that he spent outside of the spirit world as a member of Fairy Tail. Sure she had men that would try and ask her out, but she was never interested in them. They never made her feel how Loke made her feel: special, like she was worth something more than just her body. That was possibly one of her favorite things, was that Loke thought the world of her. She didn’t think it was possible for anyone to think of her how he thought of her.

She didn’t get why she was so worried about looking her best. She knew that Loke would find her beautiful regardless of how she looked, but she still wanted to at least hold up to look as good as she possibly could. She was anxious to put it mildly, but anxious in a good way. Excited would be more the word. Thought she didn’t want to seem too eager, as he still had a bit of work to do if he wanted to win her over in the romantic sense.

Though shortly after she had finished her process of getting ready, she heard a knock on her door, and she knew exactly who it was. A smile crept upon her face, one that could be compared to that of a child who was just told they were getting a puppy or a kitten for Christmas, but she calmed herself, still holding to not looking to anxious. She scurried to the door and opened it to reveal her ‘date,’ looking as good as he ever did. She smiled at him, “Are those for me?” She asked, though she realized how silly her question may have sounded, seeing as it was their time to spend together.

[pride-of-regulus]

A little bit of charm II luckylucy-offairytail

Loke had been preparing for this day for quite some time, perhaps longer than he probably should have. He had always held out hope, however faintly that hope glimmered, for the opportunity he had today. The celestial spirit might have considered himself to be the cream of the male crop, but that thought hardly guaranteed success in garnering Lucy's affections. After all, she was surrounded by a gaggle of men who were all special in their own right. Who was he to say that Lucy found his charms the most enticing, and who was he to say that she would be his? Regardless of those questions, Loke prepared ever patiently, while hoping that Lucy would take him up on his offer one day.

That day happened to be today, and what a fateful day that was! The man had approached this day with a flourish, and with a joy of spirit that he rarely experienced otherwise. His comrades had remarked on that truth, and he had only replied with a smile. Today, he was filled with love for Lucy Heartfilia, and he would put nothing short of his best foot forward in getting her to see that. With that thought in mind, Loke emerged from his gate, and idled in front of the door to that peerless woman he so adored.

In one hand, he held a bouquet of roses, of both red and white so as to display his 'complete' love for her. When it came to the other hand, there was nothing, for he aimed to knock on the door, before taking her on that 'tour de force' of his own personal charm.

[pride-of-regulus]

With an honest plea like that, Loke knew that he had to submit. Only a complete, and utter scumbag would refuse an earnest call like that. When he returned to the Celestial Spirit Realm, he would have many things to ponder. Chief among those things happened to be his love for Lucy, and the extremes that said love drove his being to. If he was to take his place as the leader of his comrades, and the first among equals, he had to get that under control. If he did not, there would be an instant where he exposed her to sorrow by fading away in front of her eyes. The broken blonde existing opposite to his person had gone through enough sorrow. Loke could not allow himself to become injured again, or to refuse her compassion on basis of his own selfish needs. If he could not be her lover, then he had to accept his role at her guardian.

A radiant hue opened up from behind him, as the telltale sign of a gate made itself known. There would be no more agony for her, and the tear marks that stained his suit would be the last time he made her cry. Once more, a smile weakly crossed his features, ignorant of the blood which coated the sites of it. "You'll. . .never lose me," he promised, before committing himself to a return beyond her immediate scope. "I'll take my leave of you, but I will return. As your guardian, and as your friend, I cannot allow my foolish attitude to be the death of me. In the mean time. . .promise me that you will not lose sight of your strength."

At that, he looked to lean in once, in an attempt to lay a kiss against her cheek, before he looked to retreat, and recover for another interaction with her.

King With A Cracked Crown II luckylucy-offairytail

  Her fears became intensified as he began to cough up blood, and she wiped away some more tears that spilled from her eyes. What happened if she lost him? If he stayed out too long with an injury? She remembered a time when he had gotten a hole blasted through him when she fought Angel, and though he was alright from it, he had also returned to the spirit world almost immediately after it happened in order to heal and get better, this time that wasn’t the case. He refused to go back even though she was clearly begging him to go get better, to set his pride aside and do it even if he wanted to stay here and protect her. However, if he stayed in the shape he was in now, then how could he protect her? He couldn’t even stand, and she felt guilty for allowing him to get like this.

Hearing his speech was a huge compliment to Lucy. Sure he usually knew how to charm a woman, but regardless Lucy always felt complimented whenever he would tell her things like that. She gave a small smile to him, leaning down to rest her head on his shoulder lightly, careful as to not hurt him any worse. The moisture leaving her eyes began to soak onto his suit jacket, and her shoulders shook a bit as another sob racked through her body, “Loke please…I know you think I’m strong but…If I lose you…I couldn’t deal with it…I-I..” She began, but was cut off by her own sobs once again. Her mind raced with all the possibilities of what could happen, and how her life would be changed for the worse without him in it.

[pride-of-regulus]

Lucy's weak and pleading force was something that even the prideful spirit could not ignore. The veneer of his pride, that he had so sternly attempted to keep in place, began to collapse before his eyes. How could he be so consumed with petty grandstanding when there was a woman hurting opposite his person? He had become willing to return to the gate that called his name, and he would have, if not for the final words that escaped her lips. For all the sin that he had committed by remaining in this world, it would be all the more sinful to let that thought remain in the blonde's mind. A thin, yet aching smile reached his lips, while he leaned forward to meet her half way. His aches were left behind once more, but this time, it was for the cause of right, as opposed to the sake of his stubborn attitude.

"Lucy," he began, with his voice no louder than that of a whisper. "You underestimate your own strength, and you always have. Out of all the people that I've known, you are the strongest by far. There is nothing in the world that can break you, and if you believe that, then you will be unstoppable. Be that wonderfully inspiring woman, no matter what stands in your way. Don't doubt yourself." Once more, his speech was broken up, by a hacking cough which sent a spittle of blood out from his lips. "Not even once, don't doubt yourself."

King With A Cracked Crown II luckylucy-offairytail

  "The worst that could happen? Loke, you could die!" She wasn’t stupid, nor naive to the consequences of him staying too long in this world with an injury as serious as the one he currently had. She had once saved him from the death that he had once almost faced, but she didn’t know if she would be able to save him if something like that happened this time. Before it was something she could have talked to the Celestial Spirit King, and convinced him to give Loke a second chance. To allow him back in the spirit world, but this time was different. This time he had suffered a serious injury, something Lucy could do nothing about, but try and reason with him, or beg him if need be. She knew his pride was something he held in high regards, but she had to convince him to put it aside, for his sake. If convincing him that way wouldn’t work, well then she would have to ask him to do it for her sake. 

"Loke, please…" Her voice was weak, pleading. Tears spilled from her eyes as she leaned over him, sniffling a bit. "You can’t…you can’t stay out here when you have an injury….Please…go back to the spirit world, and heal…Otherwise…" She said, her sniffling become worse as more tears escaped the confines of her eyes. "Y-you have to go back and rest, and heal yourself…You’re just gonna get worse if you stay out here.." She continued to plead. "Please…i-if you die..I-I don’t know what I would do..I couldn’t handle it." Her words were nothing short of the truth. She cared a great deal for Loke, and without him in her life, she felt as though a piece of her would be missing. She needed him, and though unbeknownst to her, he needed her just as badly.

[pride-of-regulus]

"What's the worst that could happen?"

Loke knew damn well about a worst case scenario when it came to injury, and for that matter, so did Lucy herself. She had nearly presided over his complete destruction, and she was the one that had pulled him back from the brink. In doing so, she had preserved his soul, and had welcomed an attraction in him that would last an eternity. No love that he had held, or would ever hold, could possibly equal the love that he held in his heart for her. Perhaps that was why he was so stubborn, for he knew the end to that love more than anyone else. Eventually, she would pass on, and he would linger for an eternity with a sorrow that could not be quelled. The ache that existed from the wound in his stomach was nothing compared to the wound that continued to overtake his heart.

His breathing became all the more laboured with each passing second, and as long as he remained in this world, his wound would not heal. In defiance of all common sense, Loke continued to remain, in an effort to smother the embers of his passion for her. If he could just devote himself to duty, by earning her distaste, all would be made right. Yes, there would be a dull ache in his heart, but it was better than the rotten feeling his inflamed passions left him with. A clouded look in his eyes served as a precursor to the words that followed, ones devoid of anything remotely resembling reason.

"I will endure, and survive. Just as I always have."

King With A Cracked Crown II luckylucy-offairytail

  She knew that his pride would get in the way, and that was something that concerned her deeply. He wasn’t one to sit out or give up even if he was injured, especially not when it came to protecting her. She wouldn’t have him overworking himself, though. Normally she could just close the gate when one of her spirits became injured or unable to fight for whatever reason. However, Loke wasn’t exactly a case where she could do that, as he was able to keep his gate open, just like he was able to open it on his own free will. It broke her heart to see him trying to overwork himself for her sake. Sure, he was strong, there was no doubt about that. However, even the strongest people had their limits, and could be injured even if it took more to hurt them than what would hurt most people. 

Her concern only grew when he attempted to stand, leading to his legs to give out from underneath him, and as he fell, she held her arms out, holding onto him to lessen his fall. “Loke!” She said, concern evident in her voice, “You’re hurt! Like, really hurt. Don’t try and push yourself, it’ll just make things worse!” She said sternly. She may give in to him on the occasion, but this would not be one of those times. She wouldn’t have him getting hurt worse because of her.

[pride-of-regulus]

Lucy was not one to speak lies when the situation called for absolute truth, and when those situations came, she pulled no punches. The concern in her voice hit him like a punch to the gut, and the rotten feeling spread to the rest of his being. If not for his pride, he would accept her words, and if not for his devotion, he would be content to recover. Unfortunately, those two aspects of his being combined to form a very parasitic entity that prevented him from seeing good sense. He didn't want to take his eyes off of her, even for a minute! Whatever aching feeling that surged through his being had to be stifled, just to make sure that his ego was satisfied. Bleary eyes looked at the blurred visage of the woman ahead of him, and weakened lips uttered meek platitudes in an attempt to assuage her conscience.

"For you, I can withstand Acnologia itself. Come, we have a mission to finish." Loke attempted to put proof to those words by standing, only to find that he lacked the effort to even complete that task. His legs buckled at his effort to stand, and brought him to collapse back on the stone which propped him up. ". . .One step at a time."

King With A Cracked Crown II luckylucy-offairytail

  It all happened so quickly, it was almost like a flash before Lucy’s eyes that she couldn’t stop. She knew he Loke was supposed to protect her, but that didn’t mean she was just as well about to let him get hurt for her sake. That wasn’t how Lucy functioned, and she wasn’t about to put them in the way of danger as though they were a shield. However, that wasn’t the case at all, and her eyes widened in concern and fear as she saw the pained frown across his face. It didn’t take long afterwards for her to drop down to his side, worry etched in her features as she watched him force a pained smile, a few tears rising to her eyes. “L-loke…” She said, her voice shaky as she placed her hand behind his body, trying to help ease him onto the stone he would rest upon. 

She shook her head, “It’s not nothing, you’re hurt!” She said. She knew he was stronger than a human’s body, and a blow like that surely would have killed him if he were human and not spirit, “You’re hurt really badly…” She said, her voice almost a concerned whisper.