Author's Note: Hey there everyone! Well, not only is this my first ever Fairy Tail fanfic, it's also my first Christmas fanfic. Oh... and it's also dedicated to one of my best friends, winter051094 (you should know your own name by now...), because this is the other half of her Christmas present.

Oh...for those of you who care, I'll have ITTIS and HTC updated within the week.

Please, enjoy!

Disclaimer: Hiro Mashima owns, therefore he is EPIC. I do not own and therefore I am EPIC FAILURE.

"Come on, Lucy! Hurry up!"

Lucy sighed, breathing in the cool forest air. Their mission: to find a precious artifact for a very wealthy client. Lucy didn't know what the object was for, or why the client had offered so much money for its safe return, but she was enjoying the pleasant spring air and didn't mind her ignorance; in fact, she was quite pleased that only Natsu and Happy had come along with her, instead of the whole team. She loved the rest of her second family dearly, but she was glad to have 'the old team' back together again.

The only downside was that Happy had been grumbling for the past half hour about his stomach and Natsu was still feeling downtrodden from the car they'd taken to the outskirts of the forest.

"Ok guys, why don't we split up for a bit? We'll cover more ground that way."

Her partners wearily nodded assent and she smiled gently before heading off at a brisk pace to her right. The trees looked a bit denser here and she hoped that the missing artifact might be hidden in the underbrush. A few minutes later, however, as the sun began to set and her courage began to flee, she couldn't help but wish that she'd stayed with Natsu; eerie noises abounded.

Suddenly, at the call of an owl high above her, Lucy panicked, tripping on a protruding tree limb and landing—rather ungracefully—in a large mud puddle. Her clothing soaked and her hair a stiff, disgusting mess, Lucy felt a sense of relief when she looked up to notice a quiet pond glowing underneath the lake.

The scene was tranquil, and as Lucy removed her clothing to climb in and wash it out, she happened to glance up at the full moon above her, seeming bigger than it ever had before. "Oh wow…!"

She climbed into the water, just beneath the moon's full blue reflection, disturbing the surface of the pool and sending ripples lapping at the other shore. The water was frigid, making goose bumps rise on her skin. Beginning to scrub, Lucy hadn't yet noticed the luminescent eyes leering at her from the underbrush.

"Lookie here, boys! We got us a fine little catch!"

Her body shaking with something like fear, she stared wide-eyed at the men before her, grinning lasciviously and approaching with an air of menace. The cool breeze that passed overhead now seemed cold and unyielding, and the moon at which she'd gazed in awe now seemed threatening and unreal. These men definitely wanted something, and she did not plan to give them anything!

Thankfully, her keys were still attached to the pocket of her pants and she blindly groped in the pouch, grasping for her most powerful key—"Aquarius!" she yelled, calling her forth in a flash of light when suddenly and without warning, Lucy felt a tugging in her chest as if something were pulling her by the heart. Colors were swirling before her eyes and she saw a million different images, none of them making any sense to her. The air was zapped from her lungs, and when she closed her eyes, she suddenly landed with a distinguished plop.

"What the…? Where am I?" A stand of smallish trees curling around each other hid her view of anything else but a bright, luminescent moon, surrounded by a deep purple sky, the stars looking as though she could touch them. Her would-be attackers were gone and the ground around her pond was covered in lush blue grass with pink and yellow flowers dotting the space.

The noises of a town drew her attention and she stood, hurriedly slipping into her clothes and tripping over her bare feet in an effort to reach the town—ignoring the knowledge that it should be farther away—in the hopes of seeing something unchanged.

What she saw was unexpected. A quaint little village, one and two story cottages lined a cobblestone road with oak and spruce trees along the path. The area was residential with several houses lazily blowing smoke into the crisp winter air. Everything was decorated in red and white lights with candy canes accenting the spectacle, only confirming the oddity of the place.

Maybe if she asked someone, they could tell her where she was and—even better—how to get back?

But as soon as she'd had the thought, all of the colorfully dressed residents entered their homes, leaving her alone and miserable on the empty street. That's it then; my only option is to knock on someone's door and ask for directions.

Taking a deep breath to quell her nerves, Lucy turned to her right, a towering structure catching her eye immediately. The front lawn was much larger than the rest, and it seemed as though the owners had a sense of humor, because the entire lawn was covered in sand, a clear, clean pond and tree the only oasis in the desert.

Lucy swallowed. Taking a few more deep breaths, she strode to the door and tapped three times with her closed fist. Yeah, right—like anyone would've heard that. Lucy clenched her teeth together, knowing that this may be her only chance to get home. Three more loud knocks later, and the door was thrown open with a bang.

"Who dares to interrupt our private time?"

"Aquarius…? How did you get here?"

The mermaid finally noticed Lucy quivering on the front doorstep and tsked under her breath. "Lucy…? You have horrible timing, as always. I'm going to go finish up with my boyfriend and then I'll come back to see you…when I'm done with my boyfriend."

You don't have to say it twice... The door slammed in her face and Lucy soon heard muffled moans and expletives. Curious, she pressed her ear to the door, wondering if Aquarius needed her help—or more likely, if Scorpio did—before she realized exactly what Aquarius had meant by 'finishing up'.

She jerked herself away from the door with enough force to knock herself onto her butt, before she realized that she'd accidently landed in someone's arms.

"Princess, may I ask what you're doing in the Spirit World?"

"Eh? The Spirit World? But…I'm still alive!"

Virgo nodded, expression unchanging. "We spirits don't die when we enter the human world, princess. However, you would be better off if you were wearing different clothes."

Lucy nodded, a bit confused. How exactly had she ended up in the Spirit World in the first place? Following Virgo's quick and purposeful steps, she soon arrived at yet another less-than-quaint little cottage, this one with dark, gleaming statues of lions beside the front gate and glittering white and red lights lining the pathway up from the street.

"Here we are, Princess."

The large, platinum doors opened and Lucy stepped inside the foyer, hearing the gentle click of the lock behind her, before she realized that she was alone. "Virgo? Virgo, where'd you go?"

"Lucy, is that you?"

The mage faced the dark, cherry wood grand staircase that ascended to the next floor and the exceedingly handsome man staring down at her with a bit of confusion. "Loke! Is this…your house?" An uncalled for blush infused her cheeks at the thought of being in his home, alone, with the doors locked, and she struggled to fight off a rather Juvia-esque moment of irrational pleasure.

"Actually, it is. More importantly, how did you get here, Lucy?" He came closer as he spoke and right as he stood in front of her, he whispered, "Not that I'm complaining…"

This time, she cringed. Did he always have to be such a…player?

"I'm not really sure. One moment I was taking a bath, the next I was standing outside the town. Do you think you can help me get back home?"

Loke's eyebrows cinched together. "But how did you get to my house?"

"Oh." Lucy grimaced, looking away in something akin to frustrated embarrassment. "Virgo brought me here."

With a grand sweeping gesture and a grin that looked about to split his face, he proffered his arm to her. "Well, in that case, why don't we explore the town for a bit before you leave? This is a special season for us spirits, and it's something unlike anything you'll ever see in Fiore."

Cocking her head, Lucy couldn't help but let his smile infect her. Feeling her lips stretch into a matching grin, she took his arm, allowing him to lead her outside, into the night. "A little while couldn't hurt, I suppose."

Perhaps a half hour later, Lucy found herself surrounded by friends in a tavern, drinking cider and listening to them all sing carols. Aquarius had said something about the 'Christmas Season', giving something of an explanation for the event when she hadn't been busy sucking Scorpio's face off under a bit of greenery—not that he seemed to mind overmuch. In fact, Lucy noticed that many of the Spirits seemed to be pairing off in the jovial atmosphere. Capricorn had already volunteered to accompany Aries home and Virgo seemed entranced by Cancer's scissors, much to his pride. It seemed that the only spirit not fully enjoying himself was their leader—Leo.

"I'm sorry, but can I offer a suggestion?" Aries sweet voice interrupted Lucy's thoughts and the girl turned to face her spirit, intrigued in spite of herself.

"What is it?"

"I think Loke would be very happy if you gave him a present."

"Eh? What kind of present?" Aries wasn't suggesting that she do that…was she?

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to embarrass Lucy! But, well, here, we give each other presents that represent our feelings for one another for Christmas, as a passing of joy…and love. Leo loves you a lot, Lucy. And…I'm sorry for noticing…I think you love him too."

Her cheeks were stained pink. Moreover, the color had spread to encompass her entire head. Aries thought that Loke…loved her? But, how? Loke was such a player; he'd been with more women than she could count, on top of being one of her spirits. It could never work out; he was immortal!

Not to mention that Lucy absolutely did not have feelings for him in that way. At least, that's what she told herself. In reality, Lucy was sure that she was saving them both a lot of heartbreak by purposely not getting close to him. What would happen when she died or got old? What if he found someone else to love instead of her?

Things were better this way. Curse Aries for ever bringing it up in the first place!

"Oh, Lucy…" Her head snapped up at the all-too-familiar voice and she stared into Loke's bewitching eyes. "I got you a present." She blinked owlishly, her wide brown eyes confused.

"But…I didn't get you anything."

"Oh, don't worry, Lucy. You don't have to."

Then, in the next moment, he was there—kissing gently at her lips, applying the sweetest amount of pressure and urging her to open her mouth. She gave in with a groan, even though this was exactly the sort of thing she'd been mentally protesting since accepting his key.

"Loke…I…" He silenced her, again pressing his mouth to hers, biting at her lower lip, attempting to distract her from the 'no' waiting to spoil his 'present'.

"Please, Lucy. Just for tonight…please let me make you feel good."

Only for tonight? What if she gave in, only for tonight? What if she decided to let herself fall in his arms—there was no doubt in her mind that'd he'd catch her, and as long as they both understood that it was only for tonight, then…

"Alright." This time, Lucy initiated contact between them, and this time, she didn't restrain herself from touching his body, finally feeling bliss surge inside of her when his fingers swept over her body.

Without a word, Lucy was in his arms, being carried out of the tavern, to the hilarity of many of the other patrons. As for Leo and his woman though, they didn't seem to notice when the noise became muffled by the heavy wooden door as it swung closed behind them. Nor were they disturbed when they passed an ecstatic Capricorn and a blushing Aries on the way to Loke's home.

The only things Lucy knew at those times were his lips traveling down her neck and his hands on her breast and hip. And when she landed on the soft comfort of his bed, well, she didn't waste any time freeing his impressive girth from its confines.

"Wow… Will this really fit inside me?"

He pulled her away to kiss her again, wrapping her fingers around him and dragging them up to the head to the tune of his long, low sigh. His lips landed on her nipple and as he fell back onto the pillows behind him, he dragged her along, his other hand falling to the sweetly dripping lips between her legs.

Lucy's soft moans were like music to his ears and as she removed the green dress that Virgo had given her, Loke's eyes remained fixed to her chest as the plentiful mounds bounced with every movement. His cock jerked a little, and he wondered if perhaps she'd be willing to wrap those sweet breasts around his cock and—

But no, now he needed to concentrate on pleasuring Lucy. She seemed to be getting nervous and he'd bet anything that his beautiful little Lucy was a virgin.

Loke pulled her up to his chest, turning over and never removing his lips from hers, meanwhile filling his hands with her boobs, pressing a knee between her thighs and feeling her squirm at the slight contact. Her body slowly relaxed and he kneeled, spreading her legs as she tried to cover her face.

"No, Lucy. I want to see your face when I do this."

She peeked through her hands at him, her eyes wide and obviously unsure. "But…this position is so embarrassing!"

Loke felt himself smile, even as he ran a finger through her slit. "Look, Lucy, you're already so wet." That was all the warning he gave her as he finally knelt down and began to lap up her overflowing juices, teasing her clit with light flicks of his tongue and then plunging it inside her tiny hole.

"Oh, Loke!"

He wrapped an arm around her legs to keep her still and pressed a finger into her, wriggling it around and plunging it in and out, mimicking sex while he licked circles around her swollen clit. Loke pulled his face back, admiring her pink folds and toned body—admiring the view in general, really—as she moaned again, reaching up to cup her own breasts this time.

"Loke…I…" He added another finger to her passage when she cut herself off and she moaned louder, a pained expression on her face. Then, deviously, he licked directly over her clit, relishing her little gasp of shock. "Loke…I'm going to… I'm cumming!"

Her hips jerked up and her muscles gripped his fingers, unwilling to release him.

As she came down from her high, Loke looked her over, licking her release from his fingers and face. She turned her head away, and for a moment, Loke thought she regretted what they'd just done, but then she looked back at him and reached down, spreading her lips just a bit. "You can put it in here, now; if you want…"

Loke smiled, again leaning down to kiss her as he positioned himself and braced his hands on either side of her. With a few short pushes, he managed to bury himself partway inside of her, but her expression was so pained that his heart almost broke. "Lucy… I'm so sorry, Lucy." The last thrust was hard and quick, cleanly breaking through her hymen. She whimpered, and every muscle in him tensed, straining to not move an inch; he'd kill himself before he hurt her more than necessary.

"It's ok now; you can move…" Lucy's body had started to feel strange again, like it had when he'd put his fingers inside of her. That feeling only increased as Loke slowly thrust into her—long, languid strokes that her grasping at his arms, urging him faster. "That's so good… it feels so good inside me…"

Loke's answering whisper was everything that he'd ever wanted to say to Lucy, to his Lucy. He told her how beautiful she was to him and how he constantly wanted to murder the men in the guild for even daring to look at her and most of all how much he truly, desperately loved her, and he said it all so low that he knew she'd never hear him.

His thrusts slowly but surely picked up speed and force; soon, she had brought his face down to her own, crashing their lips together, and her inner muscles were clenching at his cock, milking him, sucking him in further. She broke away to scream when he touched her womb and a moment later, with his mouth on her nipple, she was cumming—throwing her head back and relishing in his touch.

"Lucy, oh my king! Lucy, I'm cumming!"

She held him tighter, feeling his release deep inside her body, and loving how hot she felt at the contact. They collapsed together, onto the silken—and now stained—sheets beneath them. "Loke, that was… That was amazing."

He smiled at her closed eyes, watching as she drifted off to sleep. "You're amazing, Lucy."

And he hardly heard when she whispered back, "It's because I love you."

The next morning, Lucy awoke next to Loke, the morning sun shining in through the window and the sounds of an empty house surrounding them. For once, there was no Natsu kicking her off of her mattress and no Happy attempting to raid her fridge. Only she and Loke lay in bed, a peaceful tranquility wrapping them in an embrace. "I could get used to this."

"Me too."

Lucy finally noticed that her spirit was, in fact, awake and staring at her bare shoulders and disheveled state with nothing less than the conceited pride that only a cat could demonstrate. "Oh really?"

His hand twitched on her boob, tweaking her nipple. "Yes, really. I don't want you to leave, Lucy."

And just like that, their cheerful camaraderie was gone, replaced by the seriousness of their situation. "You know I can't stay, Loke. You know we can't be together like this."

"Why can't we enjoy the short time that we have?"

"Because I don't want it to be spoiled."

"Lucy, I would rather spend one brilliantly happy day with you than a million in contented servitude. And now, I'll pledge to you to always look after anyone from your line, just as Capricorn did before me. Lucy, I lo—"

"Loke, stop!" Lucy stood from the mattress, taking the sheet with her and walking to the window. "Just by saying that, you assume that I'll eventually marry someone else; have kids with someone else. What makes you think I could ever do that after spending the day loving—" Lucy took a deep breath, her slightly tangled blonde hair resting on her shoulders. "I don't want to have to say goodbye someday."

A gentle kiss on her shoulder alerted her of his presence before he wrapped his arms around her. "It would never be 'goodbye' for us, Lucy. I know that somehow, some way, you'd come back to me, and then I'd just have to spend a few years convincing you to love me again."

She chuckled low, her body shaking gently next to his, and he felt her tears land on his bare skin. "No matter what happens, Lucy, I'll always love you."

She smiled, turning around to face him. "Yeah, I love you too." Then their lips met, and for a while, neither of them cared about anything else. Then, coming to her senses, Lucy said, "I need to get home now. Natsu is probably worried about me by now. I abandoned a job when I came here."

Loke nodded, not saying a thing, and she gathered up her clothes from the night before. He did the same and then grabbed her hand, opening his own gate into Earthworld. A few sparkling and swirling lights later, and the two of them were standing in the open entryway of the guild.

"Lucy! You're back!" Natsu's voice rang out across the hall and a cheer went up among the normal patrons.

"Gemini told us where you'd gone." Mirajane said, giving each of them a hug and sending a sly smile toward their enclosed hands before walking away.

"Well, I should probably get back." Loke pulled away from Lucy, turning to walk away when she grabbed him by the shoulder, forcefully kissing him in front of the entire guild—much to everyone's entertainment.

She pulled back a bit, resting her forehead against his. "My gift to you, Loke: all the time we have. Merry Christmas, you stupid lion."

And damned if it wasn't the best present he'd ever gotten.

Happy Christmas, Merry New Year! (OR... Happy [Hannukah, Quanza, winter solstice, etc.]!)