A/N up on A03. In the process of a partial rewrite. Returning here because of high demand. Thank you, to everyone who continues to follow my work, who PMs me...I still receive dozens and dozens of messages a day even having been gone for a while. I am getting slowly back into posting. Dipping a toe in. I've been working in a large group of authors in a private chat group with character development, world building etc etc as well as working on my novel. When that is published, I will let everyone know for sure. This is for Friendship Day, thank you Erza D Law for putting this together and coming and getting me in the think tank so I could post some of what I've been working on. Nightmare Senshi, Thera, Awesome, Starry, Sassy, EB, Puppet, Erza, Lucyany...all the wonderful readers who keep PMing me and keep reading my work. This is for you.

"Fuck…" The curse was swept from her lips and flew with the wind howling over her, lost to that and the rapid hoofbeats of the horse racing for all it was worth beneath the slender blonde as she clung like a burr to the racing animal.

"Hold on tight Princess!" She heard Lokes voice, felt his key warm against her wrist, encased nicely in the bracer she wore with the rest of her keys. She glanced back over her shoulder, saw the Dark mages behind her, their two legged fanged things not as fast as her leggy Stellan horse, but if she pulled up at all they would catch her fast. Saying a quick prayer for the stamina of the sleek blood bay mare she tucked herself along the mares outstretched neck and held on, watching the forest they were racing through shoot by in a blur.

"Can't keep this up forever pretty lady, pull that horse up and give us back that orb and we'll call this even…" came a slimy voice and Lucy sneered. She fucking hated that they had a sound mage, fortunately he wasn't strong enough to fuck with much more than her head.

"Fuck off, it's not yours in the first place asshole." She snapped knowing he'd hear her.

"Stole it fair and square bitch, last chance, you don't pull up we'll run your damn ass down take it back and take our frustrations out between those nice legs." He returned.

"Oh please, your little dicks couldn't even penetrate…" Lucy sneered back, somewhat proud of how brazen she'd become. Considering she had no idea how long a man needed to be for that since she'd not experienced it yet (Thank you Erza and Fairy Tail for being the ultimate chastity belt) at 22 she was still technically a virgin. She'd done a few blowjobs, even had one guy she dated get off between her breasts, but the big deed? Nope, much as she wanted to be close to someone, fall in love and get to where she could relax enough to trust someone with that, she hadn't gotten there yet.

"Oh you're going to find out just how wrong you are…"

"River approaching Princess, quarter mile." Loke told her and she grit her teeth.

The Stellan mare she was on had been a big purchase for her, she'd always wanted a horse, and since she'd gone solo after the war it had been one she'd decided made sense, she was tired of walking all over creation, so, she laid out the money for riding lessons, worked in Crocus taking those lessons 5 days a week for 3 months and bought Redstar, packed up and taken to the roads.

She had set out to find Aquarius' new key, and had accomplished that within 2 months astride her pretty stellan horse, they had crossed through Bosco, Stella and even Joya together. Joya had been a hell of an experience too, the Amazonian society there had been a heel of a thing to see and she'd not lingered there as pretty as the countryside was because a few women had looked at her with too much interest and she'd caught muttering about "enlisting" her. So they were on their way back to Fiore now, but she had taken a job to recover a vision orb that showed you your happiest thoughts. It was worth a fair bit, but the widower who had lost it, well, he'd lost his wife and son during the mess with Tartaros and used it to see them.

He was a good looking guy for being a Lord, and his story had inspired Lucy...she was still a writer after all and when she finally got back to Fiore and picked a place to settle for a bit she was going to sit down and write about her adventures.

That was if she fucking lived that long. She dug her fingers into her horses mane as the sound of rushing water finally reached her over the sound of pounding hooves and Lucy prayed hard the river was not too wide for Redstar to jump but too damned wide for the things the fucking dark mages behind her were on.

As it got closer though, the roar of water alarmed her, this was unfamiliar land she was in, just inside the Boscan border, she knew she'd crossed that about 3 miles back, and it was spring...Gods was there a thaw or something?

Loke...is Redstar gonna be able to jump this river? She demanded in her head, mental communication with her spirits had come not too long after her stardress abilities.

It will be very difficult for her Princess, it's wide and rains to the south in the hills have the river swollen. Loke responded and Lucy felt her gut flip, still, she was in Bosco and Dark Guilds didn't like being on Boscan soil, she knew they would only follow her so far.

Redstar heard and saw the river coming and Lucy closed her heels on the mares sides when she started to slow smiling when the plucky mare pinned her ears increased her speed and barreled for the water, Lucy clinging to her back like a burr.

When the mare heaved herself into the air Lucy squeezed her eyes shut and prayed, placing all she was into the horses strength and speed and when Redstar landed and hooves met soil instead of water she grinned, looking up and reining the mare back into the tree line a few yards away, waiting until trees shielded her before pulling up and turning to look back, she slid from the mares back and summoned Virgo and Loke, equipping her Leo stardress.

"Plan?" Loke prompted. Virgos onna weaken the shoreline and you and I are gonna blast the fuck out of anything that tries to jump the river." She replied.

Loke smirked, cracking his knuckles and turning his eyes toward the opposite side of the river.

It wasn't until a few hours later that Lucy heaved a sigh, dropping into a chair at a nice sized inn and smiling brightly at the waitress who hurried to her.

"Good evening miss, our special tonight is Minstrellan Capellini. We have a dark amber ale on tap and the wine tonight is a sweet red from Prentice vineyards north of Pelerno." The woman said and Lucy heaved a sigh, the waitress gasped when a shower of gold preceded Loke taking a chair across from Lucy.

"Ahhh Bosco, hi Beautiful, give me a glass of that wine, a plate of that Capellini and please say you'll share pleasure with me later?" The lion spirit purred and the waitress beamed at him.

"Gorgeous, I will fill that whole order with a smile, I'm off in two hours." She said brightly as Lucy rolled her eyes.

"I'll have a glass of the wine too, Raviolis and absolutely some tiramisu after." Lucy said and the waitress grinned at her. "You got it honey, you two mages with the Sea?" She asked.

Lucy shook her head "Nope, Fairy Tail from Fiore, just doing some travelling." She replied. The waitress nodded, gave Loke another winning smile and went to place their orders.

Loke watched her walk away with an open leer on his handsome face.

"Gods, you horney cat, can't you keep it in your pants for one night?" She chuckled. Loke gave her an offended look.

"In Bosco? Look Princess, you may have stuck with the chastity over fun thing but while in Bosco? I plan to get my rocks off every single day and more than once every night!" Loke declared and Lucy laughed shaking her head.

Their wine came, followed not to long after by their food and Lucy enjoyed her meal with her spirit, and the waitress who turned out to be pretty fun and Lucy liked her in spite of knowing she was going to be hearing the woman screaming in the room next to hers that she was going to have to pay for...damned horny lion…

"Cana is supposed to meet us here right?" Loke asked and Lucy nodded with a grin. Cana and Gildarts had taken a mission up into Isenburg and while Gildarts was heading to Midi for another one Cana was heading back to Fiore and a chance call to Lucy had resulted in the women agreeing to meet in the town of Dovewing about 10 miles from the city of White Sea, home to the largest guild in Bosco.

The plan was to enjoy a couple of days, hit the open market at White Sea city's thriving trade center then Pelerno and then catch an airship back to Fiore. The Lord had paid Lucy handsomly for the orb and she could afford to have Redstar shipped on the airship with her and Cana.

Now she just had to make it through the night with Loke prowling.

Sure enough, a couple hours later Lucy rolled her eyes, clamping the soundpods Laxus had given her for her last birthday over her ears and sinking into the tub and the bed started banging against the wall and screams of pleasure started filtering through.

Loke had propositioned her more times than she wanted to think about, and she'd considered it a couple of times now, figuring it wasn't a bad way to part with her virginity and get on with her life, but she didn't want to give that up on a lark or just for the sake of getting rid of it. She sort of envied Boscan women, who chose as youths when they were ready, were given careful lessons by trained professionals and guided through the process in a monitored ceremony.

She went back into the bedroom, curled up under the blankets and was out cold in no time.

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"Ya know, I was sort of figuring I was just going to kill him but I like this option." The smooth voice made Bickslow roll his eyes as the dark mage slid down to his knees, eyes misted over with a green glow matching the one emanating from Bickslows eyes.

"Van…" Bickslow sighed and Vander smirked, sliding in to bind the mage. "Now, why do you figure these dipshits got ballsy enough to try and sneak into a town this close to White Sea?" The Shadowquip asked.

Bickslow released the man, eyes returning to their usual deep red. "Don't know and don't really care much, let Kaleb ask em, I really want a hot bath, good meal and a soft bed, not necessarily in that order." The seith said.

With Laxus busy running Fairy Tail trying to get recruitment up, Freed visiting his brother in Crocus and Evergreen off with of all things his own sisters on a week long spa trip in Minstrel, he'd opted to go to Bosco, spend time with his family, maybe take a few jobs and visit some of the places he'd been wanting to go in Bosco before he'd been unceremoniously banned from the country as a teenager.

Vander shrugged "Alright, I'll drop them in White Seas holding area till we get there, you want to get us rooms here and head back tomorrow?" his younger brother offered and Bickslow grinned at him "Absofuckinglutely!"

Vander eyed the dark sky, the rolling churning clouds didn't look friendly, early spring storms could get nasty in this part of Bosco. "Go get us rooms before the sky opens up yeah?" He prompted.

Bickslow turned, heading for the Primrose Inn, he'd always liked the place, his father had brought them here a few times. The town of Dovewing hosted a fantastic Sea Lights festival, celebrating the beauty of the Grass Sea and hosting a fishing competition that was almost legendary as the River Sprite were common to the area the long elegant fish were a delicacy and they spawned every year up the river that ran down into the Grass Sea from the foothills south of Dovewing.

His family, whenever they attended the Sea Lights festival, always stayed at the Primrose. So he went in smiling, booked a couple of rooms and as he was signing the register paused, seeing a familiar scrawl a few lines above his own that made his heart skip a beat.

Lucy Heartfilia

"Pretty little brown eyed blonde come in here Seth?" He asked and the Innkeeper blinked at him then smiled "Oh! Yeah, bout three or so hours ago, got a couple rooms, said a friend of hers would be in tomorrow morning some time, probably on the hovership due it at 7." the man replied and Bickslow smiled.

"Thanks Seth. Hey, could you send up a nice big plate of Ravioli, a bottle of spiced wine and whatever the best desert is to my room in about an hour?" He asked hopefully and Seth grinned. "Sure Bix, tell your Dad I said Hi ok? Hope he's going to make the festival in two weeks!"

"Yep, you got it, OH! Vanders in the other room, you know what he usually gets right?" He asked and Seth rolled his eyes.

"Always the Lasagna, spiced apple wine and at least two of my employees." Seth chuckled and Bickslow laughed, heading up the stairs.

He really was exhausted, he and Vander along with Presca, Beck and Emzadi had been patrolling the border area south of the city of White Sea because some dumb assed Guild in Stella had it in their heads that fucking with Bosco was a good idea. The mages had been stealing from damn near everything they could get to and both Stella and Isenburg had asked for help bringing them in.

He'd admit though. Working with his brothers again felt damn good. Since the war he'd been wanting to just feel like he had roots a home… WiWeird for him. He'd always been pretty happy go lucky, no commitments beyond the home he owned in Magnolia and the team he was with since he was a teen.

Being with family, working with his siblings, it had helped him think and realize a few things. One being, while he was Boscan to the bone and loved pleasures and never had ever even entertained the idea of settling down… HeHe kind of was open to the idea now.

Sitting while their father discussed marriage offers with Farron Zen and Kaleb had also been eye opening. All three were honestly considering agreeing to meet and try a few dates with some of the people who had sent proposals to their father.

What had stunned him most? As he'd thumbed through stacks of proposals he'd paused at a familiar name… Jude Heartfillia. He'd held the proposal out to his father and Arman had taken it and looked it over.

"Hah. This is an old one, Jude passed away, You know the girl right? Lucy? Darling thing, her mother was a good friend of Ganiers. I think Layla actually made him do this one. Offering Lucy's hand to Farron or Kaleb, you know you two were the youngest men she was offered to? The only ones anywhere near her age, really upset Layla the poor thing. Hmm. Yes this was before we got you back Zen. " Arman said thoughtfully.

Kaleb picked it up and arched a brow. Smiling at his younger brother " Lucy Heartfillia is The Starbringer. Very powerful celestial mage. Maybe I should call her and see if she'd like to go out? " he said noting Bickslows instant darkened expression. Zen snatched the proposal from Kaleb.

"If it's a celestial mage I'm the one who should ask. If Draco has his rathers I'll be mating with a celestial mage so all my kids are born with my magic." he said lightly watching Bickslow from the corner of his eye. "Besides she's a blonde, probably would prefer someone with darker hair Thranduil. " he added. Neatly sidestepping to avoid Kalebs punch to his shoulder.

Zen was a reader and once he'd polished off all Tolkien had to offer he'd started sharing the running joke about Kalebs ethereal appearance.

"You may end up Blonde yourself Dark Chicken. Farron did." Kaleb snapped getting narrowed eyes from Zen.

"I am so dying all your leather pink if you don't quit calling me that" Zen said smoothly and Kaleb smirked.

"I look pretty good in pink. " he said and Zen snorted "Yeah I bet."

"Kaleb quit messing with your brothers slave name to aggravate him and Zen, do not touch Kalebs guild clothes, you'd upset the guild. " Arman snapped automatically, both men too well raised not to duck their heads and mutter apologies.

Bickslow wasn't sure why the whole thing had pissed him off but it had. He'd been glaring at Kaleb and Zen both when his father took the proposal from Zen.

"As I said. Jude passed away a few years back and Miss Heartfillia is no longer an heiress under social obligations. You boys want to ask her out? Do so. Gods know I want all of you to start getting serious about taking partners and give me some Grandchildren. " Arman said with a sigh.

Kaleb had heaved a sigh of his own "Dad. I am trying, God's… I

I want to be married. I'm a Guild master living in a massive empty house. I want kids I want.. What you had with Mom. " he said the last quietly and Arman had smiled.

"Then make it happen. Take chances, toss your preferences out because they'll hold you back, no hair color eye color or physical trait is worth losing your chances for. I wanted a redhead. Was almost there with Minda when I met your mother. " Arman said softly. Garnier was on all their adoption papers. Listed as their mother though only Farron and Zen had ever known her.

They were all proud though to call the woman their father had loved so much their mom.

"Goes for you too Bickslow. " Arman said giving his younger son a hard look and Bickslow swallowed hard

"So go ask Lucy out. "Kaleb said. Smirking way too knowingly and Bickslow panicked and checked his guards to be sure they were up, fucking Mindbenders

He'd admit Lucy had caught his eye years ago. When she had outmaneuvered him at Fantasia. Now he hadn't wanted to win that, had hated Laxus had flown off the deep end and dragged them into it but Bickslow was loyal and Laxus had been his friend and there for him more than anyone short of his family.

Lucy had impressed him then, and over and over since. Smart, sassy, beautiful and bright he'd had his share of daydreams about the Blonde and just like others who admired her, stayed the hell away because of her buck ass nuts team.

Erza threatened to cut dicks off and everyone was aware Natsu would randomly break into wherever Lucy was and crawl into her bed after eating all the food out of the fridge, no matter whose it was.

Not many men liked the idea of Natsu Dragneel being in their potential girlfriends bed or showing up when they might hopefully be in it themselves. Bickslow included.

So he had taken "friend" over a much preferred "lover" position in the blondes life for the sake of his own sanity and safety.

So here he stood now in the town of Dove wing Bosco at an Inn he'd been to countless times as a child and somewhere upstairs was a woman he'd have loved to share it with.

He crawled into the steaming shower a few minutes later then, once dried off, pulled on some soft sleep pants and a grinned finding a tray of food and bottle of wine on the table by the window.

He'd about finished the wine when he heard laughing then screams of pleasure through the wall. Vander had obviously returned. His brothers hefty libido was why he always got a separate room when traveling with him.

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Cana smiled as she finally found the Primrose Inn. Dovewing was a pretty town nestled against the foothills and overlooking the grass Sea. She was excited to see Lucy. It was rare getting to do anything with the Blonde without her team tagging along or just inviting themselves, or them just fucking showing up after being told they were not welcome.

Erza though was off training, Natsu had taken Lisanna on so lovers retreat in Rosegarden, which creeped Cana right the fuck out, she had no clue what Natsu saw in that girl, edolas had made her….creepy. She'd always bee a little weird, been a stalker since she discovered Natsu, but maybe that was the dragon slayer thing? She WAS Natsus mate and maybe that was why she was so…(shudder) well, Cana was far from that and hopefully could stay that way, if she saw that girl do one more cutesy bullshit transformation she was was going to blow chunks in her face.

She was more than a little happy to be in Bosco, her kind of country, and was hoping, seriously, that she could get Lucy to finally give up her damned V-card. Her hovership was a little late getting in, but she wasn't upset, she wasn't wild about early mornings anyway. So it was near 9 as she approached the Inn and her eyes widened as she watched a cart pull away and a man wave to the driver, holding a good sized bottle of what looked like some sort of very nice booze in his other hand.

Clad in black leather that fit him very well and was skin tight in all the right places he reached up and shoved that free hand through shoulder length wavy black hair streaked with red and Cana licked her lips, putting a little more hip swing into her walk and trying to close some distance before tall dark and edible walked away.

She cursed inwardly when another cart rolled by bearing bolts of fine fabrics and by the time it was past a black leather clad dreamboat was walking into the inn. She pressed her lips together, maybe she'd catch him inside, maybe he was staying there? Maybe she could get him to stay in her bed for a couple of hours?

When she got into the lobby though she didn't see him and frowned, walking to the front desk.

"Cana Alberona, ah! Your friend is in the cafe having breakfast, here's the key to the room she got for you, follow me I'll take you to her." The man offered and Cana thanked him, falling in behind him.

Lucy was enjoying some strawberry crepes and a large pot of Boscan Starfruit tea when she saw Cana and jumped up, throwing her arms around her friend and grinning.

"Lubitch!" Cana grinned.

"Cha Cha! Have a seat, have you had breakfast yet? This place makes the best crepes!" She said brightly.

"Nope, I normally don't do breakfast, but that looks good. So, how was the mission?" Cana asked and Lucy launched into describing the last few weeks of her series of jobs.

She had just finished talking about the orb and the dark mages when Canas eyes flew wide.

"Holy fuck...what's he doing here and why the fuck is he with sex in leather?" She said and Lucy frowned, turning to follow her friends wide eyed look and her own eyes flew wide.

There was Bickslow, only he didn't look like Bickslow, no armor, no visor, no plumes, no...Bix was in some snug buckskin breeches, tall brown boots and a dark blue shirt and sure enough he was walking with a slightly shorter (easy with Bickslow who was one of the tallest men she knew) man with long red streaked wavy black hair clad in tight black leather pants, a tight black leather sleeveless jerkin with a high red embroidered collar and sported black bracers on both forearms, an intricate tattoo of a winged serpent curling around his well defined right bicep.

The pair were smiling, talking and they joined a group of mages sitting at a table by the window on the other side of the cafe from where Lucy and Cana were sitting. Gods she hadn't seen Bix in...months, his blue and black hair had grown out, was falling in shiny layered waves all the way to brushing the tops of his shoulders. He looked...really good.

She'd always liked him, he was funloving, optimistic, one of those larger than life heart of a party types you could always enjoy being around. She'd always wished to know him better too, but he sort of kept his distance from her...like most men seemed to do...she really was starting to believe she was going to die a virgin.

"Bixy! You sexy beast!" Cana suddenly shouted and every single set of eyes in the place was suddenly on her and Lucy seriously contemplated dying on the spot and being buried beneath the table.

Bickslow though was grinning "Bikini Babe! Cosplayer!" Bickslow called back, his long legs bringing him to their table quick and Cana was wrapping her arms around the Seiths waist hugging him while Lucy tried to will the deep red from her cheeks and quell the overwhelming feel of mortification at her friends display.

"Hi Bix." She managed, trying not to look as shy as she felt smiling at the leather clad man who came up behind Bickslow.

"You gonna introduce us Bix?" Cana prompted and Bickslow tore his eyes off Lucys sweet smile to grin at the card mage.

"Yup, Cana, Lucy, this is my little brother Vander, the beast with the green hair is Beck, guy in the brown is Presca, we were just finishing up a job ourselves, heading back to White Sea City later today, what has you two so far from home?" He asked keeping his tone light and Cana grinned.

"Missions, makin the Jewel so I can shop my little heart out, tip up some Boscan bath attendants and get my freak on Boscan style too." Cana said giving Vander a heated look that had the man smiling.

"You don't need Bath attendants, you just need to ask, most Boscans are pretty open to it. I sure am." Vander said and Lucy almost choked on air at his near purr with the last part of that. Cana bit her lower lip, stepping past Bickslow right up to the tall mage.

"That right? Just how do I ask to get you to say yes?" Cana asked and Lucy blinked in shock, she should have expected this...all the best laid plans in the world, shopping the markets...having some fun girl time on their way back home...this was Cana…

"Good manners in Bosco are simple, you ask the person if they would like to share pleasure, if you're seeking more than one partner for that you ask them if they would care to share pleasure with more than just you." The mage with the dark green hair and Bi-colored eyes said. Lucy would admit, Bickslow, his brother, their companions? Drool worthy, men she would happily ogle, dream about, write about, wish she could be free like Cana to enjoy...but she had the whole, never had sex and knowing the first time was never much fun thing going on.

Cana smiled at the big man, he was rugged, handsome, looked like he could break a tree in half with his bare hands. The one in brown leather had gorgeous steel colored eyes and soft looking chocolate colored hair that fell in long layers to his shoulders, no less handsome than the others.

"Would you like to share pleasure Vander? And friends?" Cana asked and Bickslow laughed, elbowing Vander who smirked when Cana slid her hand up his chest, fingering the red embroidery that ran up the seams of his black leather jerkin.

"Yes." He replied and Cana looked at Beck who bowed his head "I would love to." The big man grinned only the one with the silky chocolate hair shook his head.

"I'm certain Van and Beck can give you all you wish Cana, I will decline." Presca said with a smile. Cana was grinning, ok, so she didn't get the sexy thing in brown, but she was getting Vander, whose wine colored eyes were making her insides melt, and the burly bi-eyed man behind him….oh yeah, she'd done something right recently...this was a fucking gift.

"Lu.." She looked at Lucy, if her friend wanted to join in she'd be over the moon about it, but Lucy shook her head. "No, I'm going to arrange for Redstar to get shipped to Fiore and I really do want to visit the fabric vendors here and do some shopping, you have fun Cana, I'll see you at...dinner?" She asked.

"We're catching the 7pm hovership down the coast to White Sea City so they'll HAVE to be done before then Cosplayer." Bickslow said giving his brother and Beck sharp looks.

"Fine fine...come on gorgeous...lets see about what sort of freak you've been wanting to get on…" Vander purred and Cana gave Lucy an almost apologetic look but was too damned thrilled to pull it off well.

Lucy watched them leave and heaved a sigh, dropping back into her chair. Bickslow smiled, waving at Presca who stood and left their table to come grab a chair at Lucys while Bickslow sat in the one Cana had vacated.

"So, want company? I was planning to check out one of the silk shops here, they make sheets and blankets out of really good Boscan silk from the islands and Presca, didn't you say you were wanting to check out a jeweler?" Bickslow said brightly, trying to cheer up the forlorn looking blonde.

"Yep, wanted to look into a new ear cuff, maybe a few other things." Presca agreed quietly and Lucy looked between the two men, Bickslow all smiles, Presca with a small smile and calm gray eyes. Lucy drew a breath. "You sure you want to shop with a woman?" She asked in a challenging tone.

"I've shopped with Evergreen." Bickslow said, head high.

"And I've gotten Vander to walk all the way through a bath house without touching anyone." Presca smirked. Bickslow gave him a low whistle and bowed his head.

"You sir...impress me."

Lucy laughed "Ok, come on you two, I guess you've both got good enough credentials to keep up."