#midlu

"So, Lucy. Do you plan to join a guild?"

Lucy turned from where she was wiping down a table to see her boss, who insisted on being called by her nickname, Minnie, standing behind the counter, leaning against it, with a pleasant smile on her aged face. The cafe was empty, not a surprise since they were about an hour away from closing time.

The blonde teenager continued cleaning the table in front of her. She answered, "yeah, I plan to eventually. I'm not sure when I'll do it though, or which guild I'll join."

The older woman chuckled lightly. She responded, "I know two mages myself. One is from Fairy Tail and one is from Sabertooth."

Lucy sat her rag down on the table. She turned around to face her boss before raising an eyebrow and inquiring, "Sabertooth? Isn't that the new guild that was just created late last year?"

Minnie nodded her head. She stated, "It's grown at a surprising rate, I must say."

Lucy nodded. "I've heard of Fairy Tail, kinda hard not to, honestly." The women laughed, both knowing how infamous Fairy Tail has become for its wild guild members.

Minnie gave a silent sigh as she spoke again, "anyways if you're interested in joining either of those guilds, I'd be happy to invite one of my friends to come here for a visit." She then added, "in case you have any questions, of course."

Lucy smiled. "What are your friends' names?"

"The one from Fairy Tail is Makarov Dreyar. The one from Sabertooth is Clover Lore."

Lucy's brown eyes widened. She sputtered out, "D-Did you j-just say that y-you are friends with Fairy Tail's guild master?!"

Minnie chuckled while she nodded. She walked around the counter and approached Lucy. The older woman studied the table that her new employee had just finished cleaning. After giving a nod of approval she picked up the rag and walked back over to the counter. She sat the rag on top of the counter and turned to Lucy, finally giving a verbal response to her shocked employee, "Yes, Makarov and I are good friends. He came in here several years ago with his grandson when the boy was still a toddler. Being the child-loving woman that I am, I just couldn't stop gushing over the kid. Makarov and I got along quite well. Since then, the old geezer comes by every now and then to complain about his guild to me, although he says that he's just visiting."

Lucy nodded with an amused smile. She then asked in curiosity, "does his grandson ever come by as well?"

Minnie nodded. "Not as often as his grandfather, but every now and then when he has a job nearby he, and often times three of his friends, will stop by for some coffee and pastries."

Lucy smiled at that. She would love to meet Fairy Tail's guild master, as well as this grandson of his. She hasn't heard much about Makarov's grandson, in fact, she only knows his name, but she was sure that if he was anything like his grandfather, then she'll like him. She's heard quite a bit about Master Makarov, him being very kind and warm-hearted being the most prevalent thing she's heard about him.

Minnie then asked, "how much do you know about Fairy Tail, dear?"

Lucy leaned against the table behind her as she answered, "I don't know what any of them look like, and I haven't really heard all that much, but what I do know is that they have a very kind guild master, they value their guildmates, and they're a very wild guild."

Minnie laughed. "Yes, that's all correct."

Lucy decided to change the topic to the other guild that had been mentioned previously, "what about Sabertooth? Since they're new, I don't know anything about them."

Minnie gave a small smile, answering, "I admit, I don't know much either. Clover doesn't talk much about her guild. All I've been able to get from her is that it's much like Fairy Tail, except Sabertooth isn't filled to the brim with wild mages." After the two women chuckled at that, Minnie asked, "would you like to meet with Makarov or Clover? I'm sure they can answer any questions that you may have. Maybe Makarov will bring his grandson and Clover might bring her boy."

Lucy grinned at the offer. It sounded like a great idea, especially since she had no idea which one she would join. "If it won't be of any trouble for either of them, then that'd be great, Minnie. Thank you."

Minnie nodded. She walked back around the counter and into the kitchen as she said, "I'll contact Makarov and Clover to tell them about you tomorrow, then." She then poked her head out of the kitchen to add, "also, you can go on home, dear."

"Are you sure? I can still help out around here before closing." Lucy was eager to go home after a long day, but she didn't want to leave Minnie with a lot of work in preparation for closing for the night.

Minnie waved her hand dismissively. "Yes, I'm sure. Go on now. Hurry home."

Lucy decided to not argue. With a "goodnight" to her boss, she took off her apron and placed it in its place on the coat rack near the front door. She exited the bakery that also functioned as a cafe and began walking home.

As she neared her apartment, Lucy heard a pair of footsteps behind her. She sped up, but as she did so, the pair of footsteps behind her sped up as well. The blonde mage turned around to see a green-haired woman rapidly approaching her, with a cold look on her face. Before Lucy could react, the black-clothed woman grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into a nearby alleyway, slamming her against the hard brick wall. Lucy winced. Her front was being pressed against the wall, the side of her face stung, she definitely got cut. Her arms were pinned painfully behind her.

The other woman snarled lowly in Lucy's ear, "running away from home? Naughty girl."

Lucy began to struggle while screaming for help. Her attacker pulled her away from the brick wall before slamming her against it again, causing Lucy to yelp in pain. Lucy asked while gritting her teeth, "who are you? Why are you doing this? How do you know that I ran away?"

The green-haired woman chuckled. Lucy could feel the woman's hot breath on her ear as her attacker pressed her body against hers. The woman then whispered again, "you can call me Kit. I was hired by your father to find you and bring you back to him."

Lucy's eyes widened. She couldn't go back to that mansion. She had to escape this woman. Kit then pulled Lucy away from the wall and kicked the back of her knees, causing the blonde to fall to her bare knees. Kit held Lucy's arms tightly behind her back with one hand as she stuffed a couple of sleeping pills down the blonde's throat. Lucy was forced to swallow the cylindrical pills as she struggled and tried to scream for help. However, her screams were muffled by Kit's hand.

Lucy finally managed to push herself backward as hard as she could and on top of her attempted kidnapper. Kit groaned in pain causing her grip on Lucy to loosen and the celestial wizard managed to stand up and run out of the alleyway. She ran past her apartment and into a 24/7 bar. She walked to a vacant table at the back and sat down, trying to get her heavy breathing under control and calm her rapid heartbeat.

Her thoughts were jumbled and she was attempting to comprehend what had just happened. After several minutes, she finally steadied her breathing and her heart was no longer hammering away in her chest.

Suddenly, Lucy realized that Kit had drugged her with what she assumed were sleeping pills. The blonde jumped up and rushed out of the bar. Once outside, she stuck a finger into her mouth, forcing herself to throw up. After making herself vomit a few times, she spotted the two pills that had been forced down her throat. Lucy sat down on the sidewalk with a sigh. She looked around, fortunately not seeing Kit nearby.

As she thought about what to do now, she heard a voice behind her speak, "are you alright?"

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I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Who do you think should be the first suitor to appear?

Options: Erza Juvia Gajeel Cana Mira Cobra Midnight Freed Bixlow Levy Gray

I excluded Rufus, Laxus, Sting, Rogue, Loke, and Orga because I already have something planned for them. Plus, at this point Sting, Rogue, Orga, and Rufus would be like twelve or thirteen, so why would they be at a bar at night?

Pairing: Midnight/Macbeth x Lucy

Universe: Canon

Rating: K+

a/n: Third one of the rare pair drabbles, this one goes out for @cosymotto! I really hope that you like it; I don’t think I’ve ever written Macbeth before aah >.<

“We don't have to do this,” Lucy muttered for what might as well be the tenth time today. At least she felt like she had repeated herself way too often but she couldn't do anything against it. She meant what she said and it was absolutely not her intention to make her boyfriend feel uncomfortable in any way.

This was a kind of special step for them both, even if it might seem like a small one to some others.

“I'm sure.”

Lucy looked at him when he offered his reply. It was short but he sounded self-assured. He really wanted to do this and it made her heart skip a beat, followed by a very clear smile that grew on her face. “Okay.”

She was practically beaming now and Macbeth must have noticed because he reacted with the quietest of chuckles.

Perhaps, in a different situation, Lucy would have puffed out her cheeks in more or less playful indignation because he apparently thought that her reaction was funny. Now she couldn't wait to walk through the town.

Holding his hand.

Really, some people just had to think that holding hands was no big step.

She knew that it was a big step for Macbeth. From the start he had never been all too fond of any sort of public affection. No, affection at all had been a more or less slight problem from the get-go. But they had worked it out and it really made Lucy feel like they had grown so much closer in so little time.

And for herself? She had thought about dating and affection and love so many times in the past. There were many things that she felt torn about, so many things that seemed to easy in fiction but felt so hard in reality but now, with Macbeth, she had found love in such an incredibly unexpected way. Who would ever have thought that she and Macbeth of all people, a former member of Oracion Seis, then Crime Sorciere and then a completely free man again, would grow as close as they had?

She sure as hell hadn't!

“So... let's go?” Lucy's smile was big and bright when she looked up at him again and this time he looked back, his lipstick an absolute eye-catcher as usual. What was she thinking? Everything about him was! His hair, his eyes, his style. He was one of the most special men she had ever met.

Seemingly calm, Macbeth gave a small nod. “Yes. Let's go.”

If he was still feeling uncomfortable then he was great at hiding it and Lucy appreciated this attempt, hoping that he knew that he could say something as soon as he did feel too uneasy in this public situation after all.

“You really should apologize, you know.”

Macbeth leveled a glare athis smirking friend, frustrated at having been caught staring as Fairy Tail’sresident celestial mage disappeared through a door.  “I hate how youdo that.”

The malicious glee on Erik’sface only increased.  “I don’t even need to listen to your soul to know that you want to. You’re just that obvious.  If you were aiming for subtlety, maybe youshouldn’t stare piningly in her direction every time we see Fairy Tail.”

“If you’re so keen onapologizing, why don’t you do it yourself?” Macbeth snapped athim.  “You’re weren’t exactly uninvolved yourself.”

“I already did.”

The easy confession from Erikthrew Macbeth from a loop.   “When exactly...”

“Like... not long after wejoined up with Crime Sorciere two years ago.  Sorano did last year, and sodid Sawyer.  Hell, even Richard apologized to her about it, and he wasn’teven there at the time.”  Erik rolled his amethyst eye. “Quit making excuses for yourself and just do it already.”  When Macbethdidn’t budge, he tacked on, “You big coward.”

Macbeth hated how that wasenough to spur him on.  “I hate you,” he hissed, standingup.  “One day, I’m going to figure out how to block your soul readinglike Brain did.  Just you wait.”

With a dismissive wave of hishand, Erik turned away from his friend.  “Get going already. She’s in the backroom behind the stage, preparing to do a set with the metalface.”  He paused for a moment, considering something.

“What?” Macbeth asked him.

Cat-with-a-canary was theonly description the reflector mage could come up with for his friend’sexpression.  “Oh, it’s nothing.  Just try not to stare.”

Confused, Macbeth just shookhis head and made his way to where he’d seen Lucy vanish earlier.  Itdidn’t take him long to find the closed door to the preparation room.  Hehesitated at the threshold, before raising his hand and knocking on the door.

“Come in!” Lucy called fromwithin.

Macbeth steeled himself, openedthe door, and walked in.

And then immediately froze in place.

“How did I let Gajeel talk meinto wearing this again?” Lucy lamented to herself, looking over her reflectionin the mirror.  “What is it with him and bunny suits?”

Macbeth was going to strangleErik.

Lucy turned to see who was atthe door, her expression turning to surprise at seeing Macbeththere.  “Oh!  Mid... Macbeth,” she stuttered, correcting hisname partway through.  “Hello.  Did you need something?”

He shut the door behind him,and then instantly regretted it.  It was far too cramped, most of thespace taken up by various stage props and lights, and he began to feelclaustrophobic.  “I just... I just cameto say...” He struggled with the words, his feelings twisting his gut intocomplicated knots.

His eyes darted around,Macbeth trying his best not to look too closely at Lucy’s outfit, especiallywith Erik’s words about his habit of staring at her.  But there was just nothing else in the smallroom worth looking at.

“You okay?” Lucy asked,concern in her voice.  “You’re looking alittle ill.  I think I have some water…?”  Her voice trailed off at the end of hertentative offer as Macbeth shook his head.

“No, but… thanks,” he said,his gaze snapping back to her face.  “Ijust wanted to say…”

Then he frowned

“Wait.  That’s a horrible shade of lipstick for you.”

Shock at his statementwidened Lucy’s eyes as she watched him approach her little preparationstation.  She continued to watch in dumbfoundedsilence as he riffled through her small collection of lipsticks.

With a dissatisfied huff, heabandoned the search.  Instead, hereached into his pocket and withdrew a tube. “Here, let’s use mine.  It’s abetter shade than what you’re currently working with.”

Lucy gently took the tubefrom his outstretched hand, her fingers warm where they brushed his palm.  “Thank you,” she told him, a small smile onher lips.

Lips that were smudged fromthe incorrect application of her prior lipstick.

“Hold on, let me… just let medo it,” he commanded, grabbing a small towel off the makeup counter and dippingit into her water glass.

“Hey!” she protested, butfurther complaint was soon cut off when she felt his hand on her chin.

“Hold still.”

Lucy blinked rapidly asMacbeth held the moist towel to her lower lip. Pressing lightly, he began to gently wipe away the offendinglipstick.  After a moment, Lucy relaxedinto his hold.  With nowhere else for hergaze to rest, she kept it focused on Macbeth.

Although he was hyper-awareof how close his face was to her, and of her intense observation, Macbeth kepthis focus on Lucy’s lips.  They were alittle chapped under the lipstick, he discovered.  She didn’t take proper care of them.  She really ought to, they were lovely.

The stray thought was fastshaken away as Macbeth began to apply his own shade to her lips, replaced bythe even more uncomfortable feeling that came with seeing his color on her.

When he was finished, hedropped his grip on her chin and took a step back from her.  “There. That’s much better,” he said, satisfied with his efforts.

Lucy turned to look at herreflection, and a smile began to spread across her beautiful lips.  “Thank you, Macbeth!”  She turned again to look back at him, herbrown eyes alight with her delight.  “I’venever had someone apply makeup on me before, so it startled me at first, but Ican’t argue with the results.  It looksamazing.”

He almost asked, but then heremembered all of the research they’d done on her, years before.  When they had intended to sacrifice her to anancient, time and reality-warping device. Lucy’s mother had died long ago and most of the servants dismissed; itwas likely that she was largely self-taught when it came to makeup.  Macbeth and Sorano had at least had eachother to practice on growing up.

The words he’d found sodifficult to say before suddenly didn’t seem so anymore, and they rose to hislips like the tide.  “I’m sorry,” he toldher.  When her expression turned toconfusion, he cleared his throat and clarified. “That’s what I came to tell you. I never apologized for what we… what I put you through years ago withthe Infinity Clock.  I’m truly, deeply sorry.”

Lucy’s lips parted slightly,and then shut again.  Water welling inher eyes, and her lips pursed together, she nodded sharply.

He hoped she didn’t cry.  It would ruin her makeup.

With nothing left to say, heleft the tube of lipstick on the counter beside her, and turned to leave.

When he opened the door, hisears caught a whispered, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” hesaid.  “Good luck on your performance.”  Then he shut the door behind him, andrejoined his friend in the crowded guildhall.

Erik, for once, had nothingsarcastic to say at all.

Chapter 8 is out now~ take a look at it if you want~

He hated her smile.

That carefree, clueless grin of hers, that set his teeth onedge with how much he loathed it.  Shedidn’t know of pain, of suffering.  Shewas one of the masses, clueless to the depravity that had happened under theworld’s watch, if not outright complicit in it. Rich, entitled.  The world at herfingertips.

Whereas Macbeth had only ever known of misery.  At his family’s hands, and then theTower’s.  Later, Jellal’s as well.  In his research on the Infinity Clock, he’dcome across mention of Jude Heartfilia. A father that still searched for his missing daughter, even seven yearslater.  Spoke endlessly of his love forher, how much he missed her, how he would hand over the world for one lastchance to see her again.

She had a guild that still cared for her, too.  That had had her back seven years ago andstill did today.  Friends that stuck withher not out of habit, or familiarity, but out of love and affection.

He hated the looks full of pity that Erik would give him, too, when he dwelt on it too long.  And her power, her agency, her ability to be a part of the world around him.

She had everything he wanted most in all the world, and he despised her for it.

This has sat in my inbox for almost a year, while I wondered what to do with it.  I am so freaking sorry that it’s taken me this long to finally finish it up for you.  But I hope you like it.

Word Count: 240

Blood would have to be spilled for his plan to work.  Midnight knew that.  He knew the details better than anyone save Cobra.  A life would have to be sacrificed.  A celestial mage’s life.

He didn’t divulge that part to Angel.  Midnight wouldn’t do that to her, even though she may have even welcomed it.  Becoming one with the endless stream of time wasn’t too far off of her dream of vanishing into the sky.  Disappearing without dying.

No - the Oracion Seis would acquire their new world, the realization of their hopes and dreams together, or not at all.  That was the way it had to be.  They would always stick together - promise they had made so long ago, huddled and frightened in the bowels of the Tower.

There wasn’t any question as to who would take on the role they needed for their plan.

It almost a pity, though.  In performing his due diligence, Midnight had almost come to... like the girl.  They weren’t too different in the end - their fathers being who and what they were.  Midnight could almost sympathize.

The true difference between them though... was that the girl had found freedom, whereas the Oracion Seis were still just as chained as before.

It was time she pay that forward.

Lucy Heartfilia would become the pillar of their new life, her lifeblood the foundation of their hopes.