Hi there! Allow me to introduce myself. I am the crack pairing loving author, sweetz, and I have set my sights on Fairy Tail! More specifically, Bixlow/Lisanna. I'm gonna try to keep this story at 2 chapters, possibly 3 if I have to split it. I don't do multiple chapters well.

Now, all my stories are rated for the proper themes. I ain't one of those writers that rates something 'just in case'. If the rating says M, then you can bet ur asses that it has language, perversion and other adult themes (**WARNING GRAPHIC SEX**).

Any feed back is welcomed, but please be mature about it. If you have an issue with something or anything in the chapters, please refrain from being a rude-y pants about it.

I wanna send out a huge thank you to my editor/beta The Diamond Cross! Thank you so much for going over my story and fixing the little things I missed. Also a huge thank you goes out to StarGem16, nickoteen & 2.0; for being my practice audience and giving me feed back based on the readers perspective. U 4 r awesome and I dedicate this first story to u all!

Okay! On with the story!

Title: Friends of Beneficial Means

Rating: M

Disclaimer: All Fairy Tail characters and original story belongs to Mashima Hiro-sensei. May he continue to inspire us all with his talent.

Pairings: Bixlow/Lisanna; hints of Gajeel/Levy, Freed/Mira, Elfman/Ever, Gray/Juvia, Laxus/Cana, & Natsu/Lucy

Summary: Loneliness can make a person do stupid things for the right reasons. Or at least it seemed like the right reason. Of course, some things don't always go according to plan… or in Lisanna's case, according to the deal.

They were dating.

Lisanna sat, watching, as Natsu and Lucy smiled sweetly at each other. Their bashful smiles, lightly blushing cheeks, and happy giggles making her feel a tidal wave of emotions. On one note, she was happy for them. Truly, honestly happy that two of her closest friends could find such happiness that they found in each other. Secondly came the anger of unfairness. Lisanna had known Natsu since they were kids; they even promised that they would get married when they grew up. Sure, there was those two years that everyone in the guild thought Lisanna had died, and it wasn't like the youngest Take-Over mage hadn't expected Natsu to eventually move on, but… it still hurt. Which, finally, lead to the last and most prominent, at this moment in time, feeling of them all.

Loneliness.

Lisanna Strauss, youngest sibling and sister to S-Class Mirajane and S-Class nominated Elfman, was lonely. And the worst part of it was that she had absolutely no interest in dating anyone that was incapable of casting Fire Dragon Slayer Magic.

So, in the end, Lisanna found herself planted firmly at one of the fair side tables, drowning out her emotions with alcohol; and she wasn't doing too damn bad so far. After 2 extra large glasses, which surprisingly Mira-nee had allowed her to have, Lisanna was starting to feel slightly numb. Nauseous, too. Of course, not being much of a drinker in the beginning – unlike her brother and once upon a time, her sister – Lisanna wasn't overly shocked that she was already pretty tipsy.

Oh, if Cana could see her now. The card wielder would probably laugh her ass off at Lisanna before declaring that she would teach 'the young-in' how to drink like a pro.

Sighing, Lisanna propped her head on an elbow and watched, bored, as Natsu and Gray started throwing their routine insults at each other. It didn't take long for insults to turn into light shoving, and then a couple of punches which escalated into a full on fight between the two. In less than two minutes, over half of the guild joined in, and soon after, more people were fighting than watching.

Just your average day at Fairy Tail.

Lisanna normally would laugh and cheer some of her nakama on from the sidelines or even join in on the odd occasion. However, sitting there, watching as everyone tried to one up everyone else, Lisanna suddenly felt bored. She even started contemplating whether or not she could talk Mira into giving her another beer.

She couldn't shake that deep pit of loneliness. The beer was helping a lot, but it was still there. Festering, waiting for the slight numbness to die out before surging forward and consuming her to the core. As much as Lisanna didn't want to fall into such a state, as the loneliness would surely lead into depression, she also didn't think she could handle drinking her emotions numb until she was ready to move on. Not that she couldn't. It would be easy to do. Much easier than dealing with the pain of loss and sadness. But it would be running away and running away would make it much harder to eventually move on. And moving on was exactly what she was going to do, right?

Right!

Lisanna's back straighten a little, feeling a small spark of strength and determination spread in her chest. She couldn't help the small smile that spread over her face as she watched Natsu knee Gray in the stomach and kick Jet upside the head as he struggled to get out of Gajeel's headlock.

It would take time, but Lisanna knew that one day she would be able to look at the pink-haired Dragon Slayer and not feel the twisting pain, but an overwhelming feeling of compassion and friendship.

But first thing was first – she had to find a way to deal with her emotions. And what better way then to consult the bible, known to girls and women everywhere as Weekly Sorcerer?

Blue eyes turned away from the fighting mass of limbs, focusing on the glossy cover of the magazine's latest issue. It was no surprise that Mirajane was on the front cover – as soon as word that the elder mage had returned un-aged, they wasted no time in asking Mirajane to return as their main model. And it was no surprise that Mirajane agreed – the pay was good, and she got a free subscription.

Lisanna admired her sister's picture for a moment before quickly flipping through to the page she had marked the other day. A giant broken heart with blue stitching crossed through it took up most of the page. How To Stitch It, Fix It and Heal It were written in bold black letters across the top of the page. She had already read the article a few times, and though she didn't necessarily agree with some of the methods and suggestions, the writer made a pretty valid point in some areas. More specifically, first page, paragraph three:

'Heartache is the hardest type of pain to overcome. It can develop into depression, loneliness, and can lead to a sense of dejectedness that could make you feel as if you don't belong. However, as difficult as it can be to overcome, it can be tricked by either a new hobby, a change in life style, or even, in most cases, a new man.'

From there, the writer used some of their own personal ups and downs in relationships, how they were able to rise above heart ache and move on, etc. The one thing that Lisanna found a little discouraging was the fact that it seemed as if the writer always used the same type of method, and even encouraged it.

The words "friends with benefits" stuck out like an elephant in the room. No matter how much Lisanna tried not to glance at them and stare, she couldn't help it. Of course, there were other suggestions listed throughout the article, but in some way or another, there always seemed to be another man or new male mentioned that linked to them. It didn't, however, mention anything about finding someone new to date. In fact, the writer strongly advised not to date someone new at all, as the majority of women that did ended up doing nothing more than comparing their new flame to their ex, leading to disagreements, and eventually breaking up, which then created an all-new chain of heartache that could take even longer to heal.

But friends with benefits? Her?

Lisanna shifted uncomfortably in her chair. The whole notion of the thing wasn't really something she would think about, especially as an option to overcome a one-sided love. In all truthfulness, Lisanna doubted she would even have the backbone to do such a thing. It was just so… so… daring!

And exciting.

Lisanna giggled. Despite her overall feelings on the matter, she couldn't deny to herself that it really was quite exciting. She would, of course, need to develop a carefully compiled list of things she deemed important to help her feel more at ease with the whole thing; or a "comfort zone", as the writer called it. Not that she was considering it or anything – just daydreaming or fantasizing, so to speak; a type of what if…

What if… she seriously decided to do it? What would she enlist into her comfort zone?

Lisanna slowly closed the magazine as she seriously gave it a bit of thought. If she had decided to pursue someone to have benefits with, what would she be more at ease with? A stranger was definitely out of the question – the very idea of it made her scrunch her nose in disgust – so it would then have to be a friend; a nakama from the guild. If it wasn't, then she doubted she would feel completely comfortable.

Absentmindedly, Lisanna's eyes began to scan over the hall. It would have to be someone who wouldn't go blabbing to everyone else – someone private. Of course, she knew that if she were asked to keep it a secret, they would no doubt comply. However, there were still those times, purely by accident, that things end up getting revealed. The last thing she wanted was for Mirajane and Elfman to find out. So on top of being a nakama, it had to be someone that in a way kept pretty much to themselves – someone that didn't go out of their way to interact or draw mass amounts of attention.

A table directly across the room caught her eye, where none other than the three Raijinshū members sat.

Lisanna was a bit surprised with herself for not noticing them sooner, and briefly wondered if she was so lost in her own head that she was starting to get a bit ignorant with her surroundings. It wasn't like her, and she didn't like it.

It was Evergreen that Lisanna noticed first. The self-proclaimed fairy queen sat posed, legs crossed, a drink in her left hand as her right arm casually rested on the table. She paid little mind to the giant ball of swinging arms and limbs a few feet behind her as she sipped her margarita. She was probably doing her best to drown out the loud ruckus.

Leader of the Raijinshu, Freed Justine, sat to Evergreen's right, eyes watching with silent entertainment as a small, nearly invisible smirk played on his lips. Surprisingly, his red coat was off and hanging on the back of his chair, and his hair, normally free to hang down his back, was tied back in a loose ponytail.

And then there was the third and oldest member of the trio; Bixlow. He sat directly next to Freed, and if the huge grin was any indication, Lisanna would guess he was enjoying the fight. His laughter and crude taunts could be heard easily over the whole hall, successfully insulting several people at once as he leisurely drank his beer.

She watched him for a few more seconds, frowning slightly. Thinking about it now, the young take-over mage realized that other than his name – which was questionable if it was real or not – his team and the type of magic he used, she knew next to nothing about him. Well, other than a few little things that pretty much anyone in the guild did, like how Bixlow's character wasn't the most charming or his personality borderline with being mentally insane and possibly unstable; but those were just observations, really.

Actually, now that she was thinking about it, Lisanna came to the realization that Bixlow was probably the most private person in Fairy Tail. Others could be categorized the same, but not on the same level as the Seith mage. As small bits of information was known about everyone in the guild – who they are, how they came to Fairy Tail, where they were born – but not Bixlow. All she knew was that Laxus had recruited him, nothing else. No details on how they met or how, or even why, Bixlow came to be part of the guild.

And Bixlow never offered the information either.

Lisanna blinked and shook her head. There was no denying the fact that out of everyone in the guild, Bixlow was really the only candidate. But, then again, it wasn't like she really was considering the whole thing seriously. Cause she wasn't.

However, even from where she was sitting, Lisanna could tell that Bixlow was fit. She never really looked before, only a small faint memory from the exam on Tenrou Island was what she had to compare to. He was bulkier in the shoulders but not overly so like Elf-nee, probably a result from the three months of constant training with his team and Laxus. She briefly wondered if maybe it had something to do with his past fight with Lucy.

Happy had made sure she heard all about it, having been there first-hand. From what her little blue friend said, Bixlow seemed to take Happy's comment of being lanky and not overly strong physically as offensive, which, as Happy said, lead to Lucy and Loke gaining the upper hand and winning.

Lisanna, however – hearing the rumors and stories about Laxus and his Raijinshu – had a small suspicion that Bixlow may have held back. She would even bet money on the fact that he and Freed threw their fight against Lucy and Cana during the exam – especially after seeing them fight against that Grimoire Heart member, Rustyrose – though she chose to keep that little opinion to herself.

Lisanna smiled again, remembering how cool she thought the two of them looked when they appeared out of nowhere. Even sitting here, watching Bixlow from across the room laughing with that tongue of his hanging out, Lisanna could still remember how shocked she was at how handsome he was – minus the goofy haircut, of course.

Nope, Lisanna definitely wouldn't mind being friends of beneficial means with Bixlow – it would actually be kind of fun.

But, Lisanna thought with a sigh, such a thing is unlikely. Not because she didn't think he would go for it – he seemed like the kind of guy that would have an open mind about nearly anything – it was more the fact that they never interacted with one another at any given time for any reason. The only way that they could would be if they went on a mission together – and then there was the problem of actually asking him. It wasn't really the kind of thing you bring up in a guild filled with nosy gossipers.

Wait…

Lisanna blinked as a thought dawned upon her. A mission. She could ask him to go on a mission with her, just the two of them. It would provide her with the perfect change to ask him, and even explain in detail without the chance of any of their guild mates overhearing!

Without a second thought, she was up out of her chair and over in front of the mission board. She quickly scanned over the numerous requests, eliminating those that would be considered chores or ones that she could easily do on her own. One at the bottom right with a huge reward on it caught her attention. She read over it carefully, a smile spreading over her face, and reached out to grab it.

Now, all she had to do was wait for the opportune moment and…

Lisanna froze, her hand stopping just a few inches away from grabbing the request sheet. She stood, momentarily shocked as her actions finally caught up with her. What was she doing? After all, she never really planned on following through with the ridiculous idea in the first place, but only playing with the thought of it. Right?

…

Right?!

Lisanna casually glance behind her, her blue eyes easily pin-pointing a certain head of pink hair. She felt the expected small, but sharp pain in her chest. It was a feeling she wanted gone. But was this really her only option to do it?

No, it wasn't. But it was the one she wanted to do.

Lisanna pondered for another brief second, debating – stalling – going over to ask Bixlow to accompany her on this mission. She waited a few more minutes, just standing there, switching back and forth between pretending to watch the fight and glancing back at the trio, trying to find an in on how to approach him. Her best option was to try draw him away or find a way to make his teammates leave the table. She really didn't want to ask him while Evergreen and Freed were sitting there.

But how?

Suddenly, Evergreen, sitting the closest to the giant ball of twisting and swinging limbs, ended up getting a not-so-friendly punch in the back of her head, courtesy of none other than Natsu. Of course, in the Fire mage's defense, he'd been aiming for Gray, who just happened to duck out of the way. Regardless, Evergreen ended up taking the full hit, the momentum forcing her head forward and down, right on the table.

Lisanna flinched at the loud smack, silently hoping the older girl was alright. Although, if the self-proclaimed fairy queen couldn't take a little beating every now and again, Lisanna doubted that Laxus would recruit her into his team.

Her teammates didn't seem to be too overly concern; Bixlow pointed and laughed hysterically while Freed smirked. Evergreen, on the other hand, wasn't laughing, and would have probably let the whole thing go, if it hadn't been for the fact that she had spilt her drink on her dress. Within a fraction of a second she was on her feet and jumping into the fray – kicking, punching and blowing people up with her golden dust as she tried to get to Natsu.

Without missing a beat, Lisanna snatched the request she had found and quickly skipped over to the bar.

She may have been stumped on how to get Evergreen to leave without suspicion, but she knew exactly how to get Freed away from the table.

"Mira, four beers." Four large tankards on a serving tray were placed on the bar in front of her a few seconds later. Lisanna quickly picked up the tray, stuffing the request into the back pocket of her black shorts before her sister could see. Already knowing that the likelihood of Mirajane letting her go, specifically on this request, wasn't good.

The youngest Strauss sibling expertly weaved into the mass of bodies, purposely cutting her sister off from asking any questions. No doubt, Mirajane would know that she was up to something – and once the demon had her sights set on something, or someone, there was no getting away. Lisanna would most likely end up telling her sister that she was going to ask Bixlow to go on a mission, and she could already foresee the question that would follow and the skeptical look that would go with it. Mirajane would definitely want to know which mission it was. Chances were, Mira would be against Lisanna going on a five day job alone with Bixlow. After all, he wasn't the most popular member of Fairy Tail.

She dropped off two of the beers on her way to the back of the hall, her destination getting closer. Evergreen, thankfully, was still lost in the chaos, leaving the last two Raijinshu members alone. Freed still seemed content just watching while Bixlow was half-sprawled over the table, still shouting out taunts, his previous drink on the floor empty and forgotten.

Lisanna stepped in front of their table, smiling cheerfully at the two of them. "Hey, guys." She didn't get much of a response; a nod from the rune mage and a snarl of "outta the way" from the Seith user as he waved wildly for her to move. She ducked down, being mindful not to get a fist or elbow in the back of her head.

"Hey, Freed?" She gave a small sheepish smile as blue eyes glanced at her questionably. "I hate to ask, but…" She glanced back towards the bar for a moment before turning back to the older male, pleased to see that Freed's attention was successfully diverted over her head, more than likely watching her sister as the older Strauss girl busied herself behind the bar. "… the taps are starting to run a little low and Mira won't let me carry any barrels up by myself…"

No sooner then she had mentioned her sister's name, Freed was up out of his chair and quickly walking towards said barmaid, not even waiting long enough for Lisanna to finish explaining.

Lisanna had to bite her tongue from laughing out loud. It was no secret that Freed had an innocent crush on her sister, and vice-versa – of course, she never planned to use that knowledge to her advantage but desperate times calls for desperate measures.

And now, the two of them were alone.

Well… as alone as they could get. She doubted anyone would really be listening in on their conversation or even hear them with all the commotion, though. She really had to thank Natsu later for his knack at picking fights with people. But still, she would wait until they were truly alone before inquiring about her proposal.

Lisanna quickly slid into Freed's vacant spot, sliding Bixlow one of the last two cups. He didn't bother thanking her as he grabbed it, barely even registering her presence.

"Hey, Bixlow-"

A body slammed onto the table, effectively cutting her off. It didn't stay there for long – Bixlow took it upon himself to remove them, jumping up onto the table and shoving them with his foot, not caring if he was gentle or not. He stood there, laughing like a madman as he ordered his babies to "go forth", his over-emphasized arm motion causing his beer to splash all over the tabletop.

He flopped back down into his chair, seemingly overly pleased as he watched two of his babies crash in head after head – it wasn't really surprising. Bixlow was an instigator who preferred to sit on the sidelines – that wasn't to say he couldn't fight. He was by far one of the more powerful mages in the guild, and not many could brag about beating him.

Lisanna licked her lips. "Bixlow?" His head leaned a little toward her, but his attention remained on the fight in front of them. "I have a favor to ask."

Instantly his body language became hostile. Shoulders became rigged and stiff as his head fully turned toward her, his glass raised halfway to his lips, and the fight momentarily forgotten. The ever-present smile of his was gone, the corners of his mouth turned downward in an unpleased expression. She had no doubt that if he wasn't wearing his visor, he would be glaring at her, too – although, she wasn't really surprised by his reaction. She already knew that they didn't interact much, and she could probably even count them all on one hand.

"Is this about the money I owe Cana?"

Lisanna frowned in confusion. "Uh… no?"

The tension in his shoulders eased a little, "Then wha'tcha want?" The frown on his face melted as he turned his attention forward again, bringing his cup back up to his lips to take a big swig of his beer.

"Would you go on a mission with me?"

He spewed his mouthful of beer all over the table and even on a few of the fighting guild members as her seemingly innocent request caught him off guard. He erupted in a loud coughing fit, his free hand coming up to pound on his chest as if to help clear the air flow.

Lisanna stared as his little smiling wooden doll suddenly popped up beside her. "Choking!"

In front of her, the one that looked like it was mad. "Can't breathe!"

Behind her, an odd looking face of a bird. "Dying!"

Lisanna blink in astonishment as the three of them rushed over to their master, proceeding to spin around his head as they let out loud choruses of "ha-ha." She watched, a bit skeptical, as he waved them off as he caught his breath.

His frown was back. In fact, he even looked mad. "The… hell…"

She leaned forward, raising her hands up in what she hoped as a peaceful manner. "I know it's a bit out of the blue-"

"Ya fuckin think?!"

"- but hear me out!" She looked back over to the bar, making sure her sister hadn't noticed their little conversation just yet. She was relieved to see her plan of distracting her elder sibling with a certain Rune mage to be working perfectly. Now, all she had to do was get Bixlow to agree to go on this quest with her, and hopefully get around to talking about her real motives. "I–"

"Go away."

Lisanna blinked owlishly at him. The jerk didn't even hear her out!

Bixlow turned away from her, refocusing on the fight while he "tsked "at her with his tongue and completely ignored the dumbfounded expression she was giving him. He reach for his beer again, waving at her with his other hand in a "shoo" manner, already seeming to dismiss her and bring the conversation to an end. Even his babies were making shooing noises at her.

Now, if Lisanna wasn't a Strauss and the younger sister of the very woman that was once known as "The Demon" who had the power to make anyone back away with a single look or gesture, it might have worked. But little did the masked mage know, not even Mira could discourage Lisanna after setting a goal – and if Mira couldn't get her to drop a subject by intimidation or ignorance, no one could.

"Bixlow…"

He didn't respond at first, leaning back comfortably in his chair. He leaned his head a little her way, a new smile slowly etching up onto his face. Lisanna already knew he was about to turn her down again, and then laugh at her – maybe he would even have his little "babies" dance around her head and taunt her. Actually, she wouldn't doubt he was already picturing the whole thing in his head – the ass.

"It involves eliminating a dark guild."

Whatever thought pattern that had been running around in that twisted head of his came to a sudden stop. Honest surprise passed over his face, his head turning back over to look at her. A dull flash of green sparked under his visor, whether from curiosity or excitement, she wasn't sure.

It didn't matter. She had his attention now.

Lisanna quickly pulled the request form from her pocket and passed it over to him. He snatched it from her hand, a little frown playing at his lips again. She waited as he went over the details enlisted on the job, already knowing that he would accept.

Bixlow quickly sat up, chugging down his beer and reached out to grab the untouched one in front of her. She let him take it, frowning a little as he began chugging that one as well. He dropped the other one uncaringly onto the table where it rolled and landed with a clink onto the floor. He slammed the second cup on the table, wiped his mouth with the back of his sleeve as he stood and gave her a wide, mischievous grin.

"Let's do this!"

Lisanna hesitated for a moment but quickly collected herself and hopped up to follow after him as he called his babies to come. She couldn't help the huge grin that spread across her face.

As she followed Bixlow out of the guild, she could only hope that things went this smoothly when she brought up the other thing.

Lisanna was grateful when they stopped for the night. Her body protesting loudly, muscles sore from overuse and feeling completely drained from all the magic she used in the last four days.

Bixlow, it seems, was a light traveler. When they had left the guild, she asked him if he wanted to meet in front of the train station after gathering their things. She didn't expect him to full-out laugh at her, asking her if she was a pansy greenhorn that needed her teddy on long road trips.

So, needless to say, they left town with nothing more than the clothes on their backs and whatever jewels were in their pockets, which wasn't enough, on her part, to buy a train ticket – not that they even took the train.

They flew. Him using his wooden dolls and her summoning a bird-like Animal Soul Take-Over, deciding on the smallest and least magically draining one in order to preserve her energy – not that it mattered, as they thankfully stopped the first night in a little town to stay for the night.

How did they stay in town with no money?

They worked. They were in town less than thirty minutes and Bixlow not only scored a place to stay in exchange for some free labor, but even got them some food to go along with it. Another two or three little jobs helped them earn enough to buy some food and water for the next day as they wouldn't hit another town until they reach their destination.

Lisanna also learned that he – surprisingly – wasn't a big talker, other than when it was teasing or taunting her. He kept his face turned forward as they traveled, and even when she would ask him something to try to spark up any kind of conversation, he would find a way to twisting it around on her. She had no doubt in her mind that the smug bastard now knew enough material on her to blackmail her for the next ten years.

When the dark guild, Crimson Flame, finally came into sight at the end of the second day, Lisanna found herself second-guessing herself about this whole thing. Of course, he already confirmed for her about how private he was, completely eliminating any lingering doubts that she had about that, and she was even graced with a glimpse of his face when they reached the end of their second days travel.

No, she was starting to doubt if she even had the courage to bring it up. Thankfully, though, she still had another day, maybe a day and a half, to muster up the bravery to ask – but first, they had a job to do.

Taking the dark guild out was a little challenging for her. Bixlow seemed to anticipate her lack of experience with dealing with "wanna-be bad guys" as he liked to call them, so he took the time to give her a little lesson. At the same time, they went over the different Animal Souls she had in her possession – he even made a few wise-cracks on how they all looked "cutesy" and "girly".

By the time they finished going over a battle strategy – and him showing her a few dirty moves and tricks – the sun had fully set and night settled in. With how they had planned on springing a surprise night attack on their targets, it didn't bother either of them – though it was a bit of an unfair advantage, Lisanna didn't question it, already knowing that any one of the mages associated in the dark guild would be doing anything to gain the upper hand.

It was during their attack that she made another discovery about her companion. As it turned out, despite what everyone in the guild thought, Bixlow could fight. He didn't just send his babies into the chaos, blowing little magical beams every which way – though he did do that – but he too jumped into the fray, punching, kicking and knocking anyone out who was stupid enough to get close to him. His movements were fluid and quick, something that could only come from years of practice.

After a few seconds of silently admiring him, Lisanna quickly transformed using her Harpy Soul, the only Beast Soul that she had. The adrenaline that she felt fighting alongside him, was intoxicating and before she knew, it they were done.

She spent the next few hours tying everyone up as Bixlow went rooting around the place for any food and water. It seemed he didn't plan on stopping anywhere on their way home or swing into town for supplies after getting paid.

When the authorities finally did show up, it was already well past noon, and Bixlow wasn't doing anything to hide his annoyance with being made to wait. She didn't bother trying to calm him down or ask him to stop, being a bit annoyed and grumpy herself.

Regardless of being exhausted from using so much magic and from the lack of sleep, Lisanna didn't complain when Bixlow set out back home. She followed quietly, focusing on nothing else than pacing the remainder of her magic. She calculated that she would be able to do three, maybe four hours before needing to rest.

Luckily she hadn't had to wait that long. Only two hours later, Bixlow decided to stop for the night at their current campsite.

Thank God! The last thing she wanted was to faint from exhaustion in front of him. He would never let her live it down.

She didn't allow herself the luxury of sitting down yet – if she did, she wasn't confident she'd be able to get up again. Instead, she instantly went looking for firewood. Bixlow had found some salted, dry meat during his purge that she knew would need to be cooked first before eaten. She moved slowly as to not strain her already sore muscles, gathering four pieces of wood at a time.

Lisanna wasn't sure how long it took her to collect enough wood to last them the night. However long it was, Bixlow didn't comment, seeming to be a little understanding on how tired she probably was. In fact, she was damn sure that he collected most of the wood, as the pile was too big for her to believe that she gathered it all in her current state. She didn't complain, though, instead offering him a small, tired smile before finally, finally, plopping down on her butt.

Bixlow had a fire going not long after, throwing some meat and veggies on some stripped sticks and waited for some coals to build up to cook on. He passed her an apple to tie her over until then, biting into one of his own.

Lisanna took a small bite, not wanting to eat too fast and give herself abdominal pain later, which was something she learned from the many eating contests with her siblings. With nothing else really to do as she ate, Lisanna decided to watch her companion as he settled in for the night.

His little shoulder cape came off, followed by the little funny skirt thing that he wore over his pants, and he proceeded to make a small bedding out of them. His mask stayed on for the time being, but eventually, Lisanna knew that he would take that off too.

Lisanna threw her apple core into the flames, Bixlow sitting down across the fire. She watched in mild boredom as he began separating some of the coals, setting the sticks with their supper over the top.

Their mission was over and now they were on their way home. She wasn't really in the state of mind to feel overly embarrassed or self-conscious – not that it mattered. It didn't seem like Bixlow was really interested in how much time a girl put into her looks. It made it a little harder to approach the whole benefit topic, which made her nervous.

"Why do you let people think you're weak?" It was almost a shame to break the silence, but Lisanna found herself feeling curious about him. Besides, talking to him a little would help ease her nerves.

Her question seemed to catch him off guard, his head snapping up a little in surprise. It didn't seem like he was going to answer her question, again, so she really couldn't blame herself for her jaw dropping slightly when he did answer.

"People believe what they want to believe." He shrugged, the action looking just as lazy as he sounded.

It was the first time he said something that didn't have either a condescending tone or a sarcastic leer. Of course, it probably had something to do with how tired they both were – she knew he was tired, if his motionless babies were any indication. Either way, Lisanna was happy with the small breakthrough. After all, progress is progress.

"True." She replied, stifling a yawn. "I don't think even Mira-nee can do some of those moves."

Bixlow snorted.

"Did Laxus teach you?"

He didn't answer, instead reaching down to turn their food.

Lisanna bit her lip but otherwise stayed quiet. If he didn't want to tell her than he didn't have to. She watched the fire dance for a few minutes, completely zoning out. Her mind once again went over the real reason she asked him on this mission – though now, she was contemplating waiting until they got back home and rested up for a few days. She was still interested in asking him, and now she had a little more of a history with him to approach him inside the guild.

She wasn't sure what it was that made her look up, but when she did, she found Bixlow staring at her almost as if he was expecting her to say something, like he was expecting a reply. All he got was a very unintelligent "huh?".

That teasing smirk was back. "Does little Li-Li need a nap?"

It didn't matter how tired she was – Lisanna, at that moment, proved that she was just as capable of her sister's demon eyes as she was. Teasing and taunting her was one thing, but talking to her in a baby voice and even going as far as calling her Li-Li was something completely different. No one called her Li-Li. Not even Mirajane or Elfman. That nickname was solely for her mother. No one else.

Bixlow let out a low whistle. "Hav'ta admit, didn't think those eyes were genetic."

"Do you enjoy getting under peoples skin?"

Another snort. "It's entertaining."

"Oh, please." Lisanna rolled her eyes. "It's nothing more than a facade." Now she was certain he was glaring at her, though the affect was completely lost on her due to his visor. "You act the clown," she continued, not even caring that the little warning bells in her head were going wild, "but it's just an act, a mask for you to hide behind. You think it helps protect you, but really it just makes you weaker."

"And you're any better?"

Lisanna flinched. He was angry, very angry. The smile remained on his face, his tongue finally coming out, as he sat there and stared right back at her. She licked her lips nervously and took a deep breath, forcing her anger down. It would do no good to argue with him. He had his reasons for being the way he was. How he decided to act and live was none of her business.

She took another moment to steady herself. The last thing she wanted to do was ruin her chance of becoming friends with him. He didn't know about the nickname, and getting mad at him for his lack of knowledge was not right.

"I'm sorry." Her voice was small, quiet. It wasn't what he had wanted to hear from her apparently, as his smile became a little more strained. She knew how condescending she sounded at the moment; angry one moment, apologetic the next. Hell, he was probably thinking she was PMSing. "My mom used to call me that."

Genuine surprise. That was the look he was giving her, mouth falling slightly ajar as he stared completely speechless at her.

After all, that type of information wasn't really something someone just shared with anyone. Though everyone in the guild knew that the Strauss siblings were taken in by the Master at a young age due to the loss of their parents, no one really talked about it. Even they didn't talk about it. It hurt too much. The wound had caused them all to suffer in some way; Mirajane got violent and became angered easily, whereas Elfman had become distant and emotionally soft. And Lisanna? She smiled, laughed, and tried everything in her power to be cheerful as not to make her sibling have to worry about her. Besides, she didn't have many memories of her parents, only being 4 when they had passed – but those she did have were ones that she treasured. One more specifically of her mother calling her, her little Li-Li.

"Circus."

Lisanna blinked at the random word, frowning.

Bixlow sighed, shoulders sagging. "Ya asked if Laxus taught me."

"Oh." Was her dumb reply.

They became quiet again, nothing more than the occasional sound of the fire crackling. Bixlow finally deemed the food cooked enough and passed hers over. It was an awkward silence, but neither made any attempts to break it, choosing instead to eat in silence.

Lisanna hadn't really realized just how hungry she really was, but in a matter of moments, her stick was clean and she found herself wanting more. It must have showed on her face, as a short whistle was her warning before another two apples were tossed her way. She nodded her thanks, mouth already too full to properly form the words.

He let out a snort of laughter before going quiet again, his own food gone as well. He was studying her, she could feel it – though she wasn't really sure why. It almost like he was contemplating something. "So, what's the real reason ya asked me to come along?"

Lisanna's head snapped up. "Wha?"

He didn't repeat himself, didn't have to. Instead, he reached up and finally took his visor off, pulling his shirt's neck-hood down as well. "I ain't stupid."

Lisanna couldn't stop the blush that over took her entire face and down her neck. Bixlow raised an eyebrow at her reaction, the corner of his lips twitching in humor.

"Umm," Lisanna tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, rubbing behind her neck nervously. "You see…" Why couldn't she get the words out? Why was it so hard to say? "Natsu… and Lucy are…"

"Fuckin'."

Her eyes went wide, her blush deepening into a harsh scarlet that practically burned her skin. Her reaction to his blunt statement made him laugh, though; a full rich laugh that echoed around them. When he didn't stop, even after a good five minutes, Lisanna huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. "It's not that funny!"

That only seemed to make him laugh harder. After a few more minutes, the volume of Bixlow's laugh died down as it slowly started to get hard for him to breathe. Eventually, he stopped completely, wiping tears from his eyes, wheezing as he caught his breath.

Finally, somewhat breathing normally again, Bixlow grin widely at her. "Lemme guess, depressed that cosplay girl stole your man?" His tongue hung out, the black tattooed Fairy Tail insignia prominent against the pink muscle. When she failed to answer, he continued, shaking his head disappointedly. "Taking a dangerous mission to impress him won't win him back, babe."

Lisanna hugged her arms tighter around herself, eyes fixated firmly on the campfire. "That's not why I took this mission."

Bixlow raised an eyebrow as he leaned forward, not even bothering to hide his disbelief. "Then why did ya?"

She didn't reply.

Bixlow snorted again. "Look-"

"It was the only way to get you alone."

It took every bit of courage to look up at him after speaking but Lisanna forced her gaze up to lock with his. His eyes were wide with surprise for a brief moment before slowly narrowing darkly at her. It unnerved her a little; seeing the real, genuine serious look on Bixlow's face. Usually he was laughing with his tongue hanging out, and even when he was displeased with something, his frown always held that little bit of humor in it – almost as if he was silently taunting those around him. When the facade dropped and he fixed her with the same look he gave those he fought with, Lisanna couldn't help the small shiver that ran down her spine.

She licked her lips, dropping her arms down into her lap. "I-I wanted to talk to you about something privately…" She paused, shifting a little uncomfortably as he continued to sit and stare at her. He didn't say anything, or even move for that matter. Just stared. "A… a p-proposition, of sorts." She looked down at her hands, finally taking notice just how badly they were shaking. She clasped them together tightly, her fingers turning white as she tried to force them to stop only to realize that her whole body had begun to shake. Nervously, she began to laugh, shaking her head as she flashed him a quick smile without looking up. "… seems almost childish now…"

"What kind of proposition?"

Lisanna sighed as she raised her eyes to meet his. The dark look in his eyes were gone, replaced by a look of curiosity though they were still narrowed slightly at her. "The physical kind."

He raised an eyebrow. "Sex."

Lisanna's eyes widened dramatically at his quick and blunt answer, her face flushing a fierce red. "Y-yes."

Bixlow didn't say anything at first, just continued to stare at her. She squirmed a little under his intense gaze, trying hard not to seem intimidated by him, though it was proving to be a little difficult.

"Lemme get this straight." It wasn't hard to miss the sarcastic tone that seeped into his voice. "Ya invited me on this mission so ya could ask me to be fuck buddies?"

Hesitantly, Lisanna nodded. "Yes, I-"

She was cut off as he burst into another fit of laughter, this one louder and richer than the one before. The young Take-Over mage frowned at him. Sure, it was a little bit of a far-fetched suggestion, one that many in the guild would probably laugh at as well. Hell, Bixlow more than likely thought she was trying to pull a fast one on him. Who could blame him? The seemingly most innocent girl in the guild was asking a member of the Raijinshu to have a sexual relationship with her.

No, Lisanna didn't blame him for not taking her seriously. She was, after all, still innocent, despite the fact that she was almost eighteen, but he didn't know that. And he was older, at least by five years, so he probably was writing her off as being a silly child. She had no doubt whatsoever that Bixlow was experienced in some form or another when it came to women. After all, he hung out with Laxus and Freed. Lisanna knew for a fact that the Thunder and Rune mages were popular with the female crowd, having seen the two of them with quite a few different girls – not to mention that she had seen the occasional female by Bixlow's side as well, though not as often as his fellow teammates.

She waited patiently until he calmed down and was half-assed sitting up again. "I'm not joking."

Bixlow's head snapped up, his eyes dancing in humor. "Oh, yeah?" He rolled his eyes over exaggeratedly, still chuckling. "Prove it."

Lisanna blinked. "What?"

His grin spread across his face, shoulders still shaking in laughter. "If ya serious, then prove it." He leaned back, spreading his arms out wide, his eyes holding a challenging spark in them. "Seduce me."

She stared at him for a moment from across the fire. "If I do?"

Bixlow shrugged, dropping his arms, obviously still not taking her seriously. "Then ya got ya self a deal."

Then you got yourself a deal.

Lisanna lingered for a second before taking a deep breath, standing up and slowly made her way around the campfire to kneel next to him. He was smirking at her, his eyes laughing at her as she hesitated unsurely.

She wasn't really sure how to go about seducing a man. Sure, she had seen a few drama and romance movies during sleepovers with the other girls and had even heard a few stories from the more experienced members of the group; mainly from Cana. However, Lisanna would be lying if she said that the very thought of doing such things with someone, anyone, wasn't embarrassing.

Taking another deep breath, Lisanna pushed her nerves down and quickly – and awkwardly – straddled Bixlow's waist. His smile faltered, becoming slightly strained at her boldness, evidently not expecting the move. She placed her hands on his chest, slowly drawing them up to his shoulders and encircled her arms loosely around his neck. She leaned forward, her nose lightly brushing against his before she touched her lips gently against his.

Lisanna hissed painfully as Bixlow suddenly yanked her head back, his fingers curling painfully in her hair. She clenched at the fabric of his shirt, preventing him from pulling her away completely, pushing her pelvis down firmly against him, electing a growl from him. His other hand gripped her hip to force her to hold still. She blushed as the warmth of his hand seeped though the thin material of her clothes, a shiver dancing down her spine at the dangerous look in his eyes.

He was scowling at her, all his previous humor gone, replaced with a slight annoyance. "Ya taking this joke a little too far, girlie."

Lisanna didn't dare move as she held his gaze, refusing to back down. "I told you already, I'm not joking." The scowl on his face deepened a little, not at all happy about her response. She licked her lips, his eyes shifting down to her mouth. "… no strings…" Her voice became soft, just barely a whisper. "… no attachments…" She loosened her hold on his shirt, rubbing the palms of her hands slowly back up over his shoulders, leaning forward until she could practically taste his breath. "… nothing serious… just…"

"Sex." He finished, eyes locking on to hers.

It wasn't a question but Lisanna nodded regardless.

Bixlow chuckled again, his grip on her hair tightening a fraction as his other hand pulled her flushed against him. His breath ghost over her lips as he tilted her head closer to him, a dark gleam shining in his eyes. "This ought'da be fun."

Lisanna's gasped as he yanked her head back, his mouth quickly swallowing the sound. Her eyes squeeze shut tightly as he kissed her harshly, his lips moving skillfully over hers as his tongue danced and twirled around her own. The hand in her hair held her head in place as he kissed her thoroughly; his arm unwrapping from around her waist to reach up and roughly grasp her breast, squeezing and kneading the sensitive mound. Involuntary, her body trembled against his, a moan rising up out of her throat as she began to lose herself to the rough, yet erotic sensations.

She kissed him back clumsily, shyly pushing her tongue back against his own. Her hands found their way up his neck, slipping into his soft spiky hair. Heat spread down her spine, settling in her stomach, twisting achingly. She squirmed in his lap as the ache began to slowly shift downwards, the movement of her hips against his making him growl.

Intrigued, Lisanna shifted again, erecting another growl from him. The sound sent a shiver down her spine, a feeling of pride and excitement washing over her. She felt like a real woman in that moment, her courage only growing as his hand moving from her breast to grab her ass. He pulled her harshly against him, making her groan as the junction between her thighs pressed against the proof of his own excitement.

Not really sure what she was doing and just going with her instincts, Lisanna rolled her hips forward. Her hands curled in behind his head, the erotic scratch of her nails over his scalp making his breath hitch in his lungs and muscles tighten and strain.

It was the sudden stinging in the palms of her hands and knees that drew Lisanna back to reality. She stared blankly at the ground, seemingly lost as she tried to regain her bearings. Heat still rolled in her abdomen, her womanhood aching from the loss of that delicious friction from just moments before.

She shivered and moaned softly as his body heat fell across her back, hands stroking her hips, fingers sliding and teasing the little bit of skin that peeked out. Her back arched, her rear molding back into him, and she gave a breathless whimper. Slowly she rotated back against him, letting out a pleased sound as he rubbed back. Fingers dipped down, finding and kneading her through the denim of her shorts.

She mewled and rolled against his hand, seeking more of that tingling sensation. His other hand caressed her stomach, inching down lower with every stroke of his fingers. He urged her legs to spread with his knees, hands abandoning their ministrations to tug and pull at the fastening holding her shorts in place, pushing them open and down.

The cool chill of the night air that bit against her sensitive skin cleared some of the fog that coated her mind. She shook her head, blinking repeatedly to help force her brain to think normally again. The purple fabric under her caught her attention first, somewhere in the back of her mind registering that it was Bixlow's cloth kusazuri.

The feeling of skin on skin snapped her out of whatever daze she was in. Quickly becoming very much aware of their positions and the fact that her shorts were pulled down just enough to bare her to him, her heart began racing as she felt something hard rub against the inside of her thighs.

Lisanna gasped, instinctively trying to flinch forward and away, but his hands wrapped around her hips, pulling her back to him, on to him. Tears sprang to her eyes at the abrupt intrusion, her body stiffing. Her head fell forward, teeth sinking into the flesh of her swollen bottom lip to keep from crying out. She could hear Bixlow mumble something from behind her but found it hard to focus on anything but the burning sensation that pulsed through her. Her hands gripped the fabric of his cloak beneath her as he pulled out, choking back a plead to stop as he pushed forward again, his hands guiding her to meet him.

It repeated, over and over again. For how long, Lisanna wasn't sure. There was a small sliver of pain the first few thrust amongst the burning friction, then seemed to dull, though she had the feeling that it had something to do with the fact that she eventually started to go numb. She didn't utter a word the whole time, only hissing and gasping from time to time.

Relief like she never knew washed over her when he finally pulled out. A grunt from behind her indicated that Bixlow had found his release, and soon she felt the heat of his body move away from her.

Lisanna fell forward, curling up in a ball. She did her best to wipe the tear stains from her face before he saw, using the sleeves of her shirt. She pulled her shorts up, peering over her shoulder to see Bixlow standing a few yards away from camp, one hand rubbing the back of his neck. She sat up slowly, wincing at the strain it put on her lower half. She took a few shaky breaths before attempting to stand up, her knees trembling before completely giving out.

Bixlow was at her side instantly, his arms wrapping around her, stopping her before hitting the ground. She gave him a weak smile, but stopped when she saw the angry look on his face. She didn't argue when he helped her lay down back onto the ground, his purple kusazuri soft against her skin as he pulled it over her shivering form. The gentleness of his touch had her stomach twisting in knots, and she knew that he had already figured it out that she had been a virgin.

Lisanna grabbed his arm as he began to move away. Their eyes met and she was surprised yet again at how much older he look with that serious look on his face. "A deals a deal, Bixlow."

She waited for him to say something, but he didn't. He sat there, kneeling next to her, eyes unreadable as he searched her own for something. A silent moment later, he nodded and she let him go, easing her tired body to completely lay down and relax as she watched him sit down heavily next to her on his make-shift bed. He didn't look back at her, just stared unseeingly into the fire. She couldn't be sure how long they stayed like that, but eventually her eyes began to droop and she was out within seconds of her eyes closing completely.

Lisanna sat cross legged on the end of her bed, head propped up on an elbow as she stared at herself in her dresser mirror. It had been three days since returning from her mission with Bixlow, and Lisanna hadn't really left the house, much less gone to the guild for any jobs.

Not that she could take any anyways.

It had only taken a day for her magic to fully recover, and even then, she could have still taken little jobs if she had wanted to. However, the dull pain between her thighs prevented her from really doing anything. Walking was strenuous and sitting certain ways caused a sting to shoot up her spine. Thankfully, after three days of rest and taking it easy, Lisanna was happy to find it reduced to almost nothing, though that didn't really help solve her current predicament.

Other the last seventy-two hours, Lisanna had spent the majority of her time thinking over everything that had happened. She didn't, by any means, regret her decision to approach Bixlow. The pain however, wasn't really something she was interested in. It was common knowledge that a girls' first time was going to be painful, and Lisanna had expected it – maybe didn't quite expect it to be as painful as it was or the after-effects to be just as uncomfortable; and she sure as hell didn't like the fact that it lasted days afterwards.

Now, she found herself with a slight conundrum: how many times did it take for the pain to disappear completely? She knew for a fact that it did, otherwise people – girls especially – wouldn't continue having sex. But how long would it take? Could she really go through a few more times like the last one? And most importantly, if it had been Natsu, would she put up with the pain as long as it was him?

She didn't want to answer that last one. Already knowing that, yes, if it had been the Dragon Slayer, Lisanna would gladly bear with the pain until it disappeared. As long as it was with him, she would be willing to go through it a hundred times – and that thought greatly disturbed her.

Lisanna sighed, sitting up straight and stretched her arms over her head. It was well past midnight, the house eerily quiet with Elfman off on another mission and Mirajane not home yet – though, if the older mage wasn't back yet, Lisanna doubted she would return that evening. It had seemed that while away, Mirajane was finally asked out by Freed and chances were the two of them were off together somewhere.

A light tapping drew Lisanna's attention towards her bedroom window, blinking in surprise as she saw Bixlow's face through the glass. He motioned for her to open the window, waving at her to hurry up as he glanced behind him.

It was a bit awkward for him to get through her tiny window, closing it behind him as he stood up. "It's about damn time, woman. Been tryin' to get ya attention for the last ten minutes." He turned to look at her, frowning down at her. "The hell were ya doin'? Daydreaming?"

Lisanna crossed her arms across her chest. "No. I was thinking." His snort of disbelief made her angry, but she chose not to comment. What she couldn't ignore, though, was the light green flash from underneath his visor. And suddenly, Lisanna became much more aware of her state of undress; the simple yellow tank top and white cotton panties doing nothing to shield her from his gaze, and she quickly started to feel self-conscious. "What are you doing here?"

Bixlow slowly started to smile, chuckling. "Freed has Mirajane over. And I figured…" He leaned forward, stopping only a few inches away from her face, "… I'd pay ya a little visit while no one was home."

Lisanna didn't have time to comment, his lips already pressed firmly on her own. He wrapped one arm around her waist, drawing her to him, the other snaking around her upper back to firmly latch a hand in her hair. He tugged a little bit on her hair, forcing her to gasp and provide entrance into her mouth. She moaned as their tongues moved and danced against each other, her hands clenching his shirt tightly as she tried to move closer.

Lisanna followed him as he began to slowly guide them to her bed. She didn't protest, her head too fuzzy to really think of any reason to do so. Her earlier thoughts and concerns were already buried into the back of her mind. She did however, let out a small squeak of surprise when he suddenly lifted her up and threw her backwards.

She bounced twice when she landed, quickly sitting up to complain about being thrown and manhandled but found the words dying in her throat. Finding that Bixlow had wasted no time in removing his visor and had just finished taking his shirt off, poor Lisanna was left brain-dead and gaping like a fish. Could he blame her, though? Lisanna had known that he was in good shape; most of the guys in the guild usually were – but she honestly didn't think that he was that toned!

That trademark smile of his was back, and Lisanna found herself blushing furiously at the sight of it. She turned her head away, earning a deep chuckle from him.

"Go ahead and look," His voice was deep, almost husky sounding. She felt the bed dip slightly as he kneeled on it and began to slowing crawl over her, harshly whispering in her ear, "I don't mind at all."

"Bixlow…"

Again, whatever she was going to say seemed to die out. He turned her face back towards him and he started kissing her again, his other arm wrapping around her back lifting her to him. She kissed him back, arms looping around shoulders, moaning quietly into his mouth. Eventually, air became strained, and Lisanna felt herself become dizzy from the lack of oxygen. She wasn't sure if he planned it or not, but just as she thought she would pass out, Bixlow finally released her. She gasped harshly, feeling his chuckle through her chest.

"Don't go passin' out on me." He nipped her chin playfully, soothing the love bite over with the tip of his tongue. He tightened his hold around her waist as he trailed his other hand down her side, rubbing her hip, and then slid it back up her stomach, pushing her shirt up in the process. "We haven't gotten to the fun part yet."

Lisanna cried out in surprise as his hand cupped her left breast, his mouth closing over the nipple on her right. Her back arched at the sensation, one hand fisting in the short hair of his mohawk as the other slapped over her mouth to drown out her voice.

"Oi! Don't do that!" Bixlow reached up and yanked her hand away from her mouth. His lip curled in annoyance, a small growl passing threw his clenched teeth. "Damn it, woman… I wanna hear everything that comes outta yer mouth. Besides," He intertwined their fingers together, his head bending back down to her breast. "Ain't no one gonna hear ya scream but me."

Lisanna shook her head. "… No…"

Bixlow suddenly became very still, his head slowly turning up, eyes unreadable. She felt goose bumps form over her body at his blank stare, a sense of unease settling in the pit of her stomach. And then his body heat was gone, leaving her feel cold as he sat up onto his knees. Her body instantly began to tremble and nearly reached out to him; a plead on the tip of her tongue for him to come back.

"No, huh?" His voice was low with a small hint of amusement. He flashed her a quick, fiendish grin before suddenly lifting her lower body off the bed, forcing her torso to bend in a half crescent.

Startled, Lisanna cried out, "Bixlow!" Her arms flailing out to her sides for balance. She stared up at her grinning companion, wide-eyed, as he easily spread her legs over his shoulders, using his body to support her.

"Guess I'll just hav'ta force it outta ya!"

Lisanna found herself unable to look away, successfully keeping eye contact with him as he leaned forward, nipping her through her underwear, earning himself a cute little squeak. She felt his finger ghost and tease the left elastic band barely an inch away from her womanhood, tickling the skin and causing a twist in her gut. She sucked in a breath as his fingers pulled her panties to the side, fully revealing her to him, his warm breath making her legs quiver.

"… S-stop…" Her voice was pleading.

Bixlow paused, an inch away from her. He gave her an evil smile, flicking his tongue playfully at her, the black insignia almost taunting her. "No."

Lisanna let out a strugged, broken scream as he covered her with his mouth, her back painfully arching even more. Her head snapping back as his tongue gently swirled over her once, twice, then dipped down and thrust inside of her. Heat spread from her thighs down her legs, a tingling sensation rippling up her spine. She choke on her own breath as he plunged into her again and again with his tongue, swiping the long appendage up and over her clit, her cries growing in volume every time he struck the little nub. She wasn't sure how long he teased and toyed with her like that. Possibly no more than a few minutes, but to Lisanna it felt like an eternity before he finally settled on sucking and nipping her clit, pulling a long, satisfying moan from her.

She chanced a small peek up at him and found his eyes trained on her, watching her as he drew out every little noise out of her as he could. She whimpered at the unhidden lust in his eyes, the way they would narrow and sharpen whenever her breath would hitch just slightly. She pleaded him to stop, telling him in a broken rasp that she couldn't take it.

Then he pushed his fingers inside of her.

Lisanna keened loudly as the two digits began pumping in a slowly rhythm. Without realizing it, she began pushing back on his fingers and rocking up to rub again his tongue. That heat in her stomach began to burn anew, spreading like wildfire over her whole body. Something twisted painfully in her lower abdomen, squeezing tighter and tighter. She became stiff, her back snapping up into an impossible high arch as something inside of her snapped. She screeched at the top of her lungs, her vision turning white as the fire turned in to molten lava and consumed her. Again and again, pulse waves of an unnamable sensation shook her, leaving her winded and gasping for air.

It seemed as if her lungs ceased to function properly as she gasped and heaved for air. Slowly the heat in her limbs dyed down, leaving her body trembling as it tingled. Black spots appeared in the white haze, clouding her vision; fuzzy at first, then slowly her room began to refocus around her.

Lisanna blinked up at the ceiling, slightly aware of Bixlow lowering her back down onto the bed. Her body shivering as his hands slid up over her hips and back down again. With hooded eyes, she watched as Bixlow's eyes flashed green as he looked at her – from her flushed face to her heaving breast, down to her spread legs and back up again.

The sudden feeling of self-conscious and insecurity eloped through her, and Lisanna quickly crossed her arms shyly over her exposed chest, her knees coming up just high enough to close her legs, blocking any view that Bixlow may have had.

"Hey!" The frown on Bixlow's face was that of surprise and annoyance, obviously not pleased with her sudden withdrawal. "What the hell?"

Lisanna squeezed her arms tighter around herself, her legs shaking a little. She couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed – not only was her tank top pushed up, exposing her breast for him to see, but the realization just dawned on her what he did to her moments ago. He had seen her there; touched her there with his fingers. Oh god, she thought, face flaming red, he even used his tongue!

"Oi!" She flinched a little at his tone, and winced at the growl that followed right after. "Move yer arms."

Lisanna's squeezed her eyes shut tight, shaking her head.

"Move 'em!"

She shook her head again. "… No…"

"Lisanna!"

"NO!" Lisanna shook her head a third time and tried to roll over. Bixlow's hands grabbed both of her wrists, effectively and easily pulling her arms out and away from her chest. She squeaked in surprise, trying to pull her arms out of his hands and cover herself again. "… N-no…"

"Damn it, woman!"

He let go of her briefly before he wrapped one arm around her, lifting her with ease, forcing her to straddle his bent knees. Instinctively, she reached out to steady herself against his chest. He used her momentary unbalance to his advantage, twisting her arms behind her back and held her firmly with one hand.

His free hand slid down her back, fingers tickling the skin over her spine. Lisanna squirmed as she tried to twist away, her pelvic rubbing against him. She hissed as his hand grabbed and squeezed her butt harshly, kneading the soft flesh through her panties. He moved lower, his ministrations becoming slower, softer, as his fingers came closer to her core.

Lisanna mewled softly, hiding her face in the crook of his neck, body shaking as he stroked her over and over again. She began to slowly push back against his fingers, face burning with embarrassment as she reacted to his touch. A finger lightly traced the thin elastic, teasing the skin before moving under and in.

The feeling of his finger touching the bare flesh of her core had Lisanna arching painfully against him, her breasts rubbing and pressing against his chest. She whimpered as he gently played with her outer lips, diving in just enough to touch her wetness before going back to teasingly tracing her.

Bixlow chuckled deeply, nudging his nose against the side of her neck. His lips and tongue ghosted over the sensitive flesh. "Like that?" His answer was a slight nod and an almost quiet whimper. Instantly, he stopped his ministrations, pulling his hand away.

Lisanna gasped as her head was forcefully pulled back, his arm around her squeezing her tighter against him. She met his eyes, narrowed displeasingly at her and a deep frown on his lips. His fingers, just moments before tracing and toying with her, now laced through her hair, tightened, forcing her to whimper ever so slightly.

"Wha'd I tell ya about keepin' quiet?" His voice was low, almost dangerous, and it sent a thrilling chill to racing down her spine. She squirmed a little, the tone he used on her making her core ache painfully. He pulled on her hair once more, his other hand tightening its hold on her arms as he pulled her slightly up just far enough to disconnect them, before letting his hold on her head go completely.

Lisanna bit her lip, muffling the moan that worked its way up her throat. "… I'm s-sorr – AH!" She arched against him, head thrown back, eyes rolling into the back of her head as he yanked her harshly against him. The friction causing the ache between her legs to throb and sing with renewed sensation.

She pushed against him, trying her best to gain more of that delicious friction, the barrier of their clothing doing nothing but making her even more desperate for contact. It was building again, she could feel it. That spot inside of her twisting and turning, coiling around and around almost to its break point.

And then he pulled away.

"NO!" Lisanna cried out in despaired, eyes watering and pleading him not to stop. She whimpered as she tried repeatedly to press back down, but Bixlow held her firmly. "P-please… Bixlow…"

He chuckled, leaning up, playfully rubbing his nose against hers, lips lightly touching hers. "Ya want it?" He grabbed her ass again, caressing both mounds then pushing her panties to the side again. With two fingers he rubbed her outer lips, playing and spreading her wetness.

Lisanna swallowed thickly, nodding her head as she gasped for breath, "… Yes…" She moaned a little louder, half of it lost as he kissed her. She shivered as he spread her lips apart, the feeling of the cool air against her womanhood making her jerk forward seeking warmth.

The worry of pain and discomfort was still there, but the tingles and sensation of pleasure were making it difficult to think clearly. She was lost to the desires of her body. The need of him, his warmth, and his touch was addicting and left her starving for more.

Embarrassment ran through her as she felt him spread his knees a little, making her own legs open wider for him. She didn't try to close her legs again. Instead, she moaned in his mouth and gently pushed down with her hips – silently begging for him not to stop.

Lisanna was disappointed when he pulled back, ending their kiss. She took in his appearance through hazy eyes; flushed cheeks, rapid breathing, and narrowed, glowing green eyes. This was what Bixlow looked like when in the midst of pleasure – pleasure that she brought forth from him. The knowledge that it was her that made him look like this brought on a whole new sensation. It made her feel high – it made her feel like a woman.

And then, it was gone.

Lisanna froze when she suddenly felt him press up against her, pushing against her wetness. Her eyes widen, mouth opening to protest. It lasted only a moment, and the next, he was inside of her. She gasped loudly, back arching, instinctively twisting up and away. Strong arms held her still, and then pulled her down gently.

It didn't hurt. Not like the first time – nowhere near – but it was strange and different. The feeling of being stretched so fully was too new, too foreign to her to be comfortable. It made her spine tingle, her legs quiver, her lungs close, and her stomach coil. She didn't know what to feel, how to react – if she should stay and continue, or ask him to stop and leave. It was confusing; oh so confusing! And then, the most amazing thing happened.

Bixlow started to move.

Lisanna threw her head back, crying out in wonderment. It was hot, slick and indescribable. The stretching of her insides stung, but the feeling of his hands dancing across her skin and his mouth leaving trails of kisses and nibs everywhere he could reach provided a good distraction.

Eyes closed, head back and mouth slightly parted, Lisanna lost herself in the new feeling. Drowning… it felt like she was drowning in an endless sea. No sight, no sound, just her feeling of touch driving her higher and higher.

Somewhere in the distance, she became aware of her hands – now free – moving, gliding across long, smooth skin. Her finger tips traced the endless curves and dips they found, trying to mesmerize them. She wasn't sure when her other senses decided to start to participate, but soon every sight and sound began flooding towards her, touching her.

Lisanna opened her eyes, blue colliding with glowing green. Without even thinking, she reached forward, hands cupping both sides of his face and kissed him. She was drowning again, the kiss developing deeper and deeper, making it even more so impossible to think. Her muscles completely relaxed, melting and molding into him.

Bixlow grunted into her mouth, hands gripping her hips tightly and he accelerated his actions. With every thrust he received moans or mewls in response. He shifted her, moving her legs wider to receive him deeper yet. Lisanna's back arched up slightly, her hands clawing along down his arms, across his back as he drove her higher and higher.

Lisanna could feel it, that place he was pushing her towards. It was so close – so close that it was almost painful. Her insides were screaming, becoming more and more sensitive to the assault – quivering and convulsing from the intense pleasure that ripped through her.

She couldn't pinpoint it exactly. One moment she was drowning, being ripped apart from the inside-out from the over whelming ecstasy, and the next she was flying. It was like something inside of her finally let go – like silent thunder struck her. It was so intense that her body spasmed uncontrollably, and a blinding light of bursting colors flooded her vision.

Lisanna collapsed on top of Bixlow, her body becoming loose and boneless. She stared unseeingly straight ahead. She could feel his heartbeat against her, his chest heaving slightly to catch his breath.

He shifted underneath her, his hands running down her back soothingly. "Ya ok?"

She hummed quietly, the sound of it content and happy. The slight vibration from the simple sound made her aware of how tender her throat felt.

Bixlow snorted in good humor, gently nudging her back to lie back on the bed. He could see everything now – she was sure. Her tank-top was still bunched up over her breasts, and she could feel the uncomfortable position her panties were in, leaving even her womanhood slightly covered yet exposed. A state of undress even more embarrassing then before, and yet, Lisanna couldn't find the energy to care.

She was tired, sedated, and thoroughly satisfied. Every worry, every fear she ever had about it being uncomfortable or painful was now completely gone. In fact, she was even more curious about what was to come. Would it get better? Or would the sensation lessen over time?

"Oi!"

Lisanna jumped awake, blinking tiredly as she turned to look up to see Bixlow standing in her bedroom doorway, completely naked. She sat up slowly, moaning at the slightly stiff feeling in her body. She fixed her panties, and readjusted her tank-top as she stifled a yawn.

Bixlow frowned. "The hell ya doin'?"

Lisanna yawned again, stretching her arms up over her head. "Well, if I had to guess, I was falling asleep…"

He rolled his eyes dramatically. "I can see that, genus. Hell ya fallin' asleep for?"

She chose to ignore the blunt rudeness in his tone, shrugging it off as Bixlow just being Bixlow. "Isn't that what people do when they're tired?" She raised an eyebrow at him challengingly, before trying to hide another yawn. "Besides, I don't know when Mira-nee or Elf-nee are going to be home…"

The indication was clear. There was no way she could have said it any clearer other than "I'm done with you for now, get the hell out." – and it wasn't that she was trying to be rude and kick him out. It really was true that she didn't know when her siblings would be home. If either of them found Bixlow walking around naked, there would be hell to pay – especially if you added their innocent little sister into the equation.

No, it was best if Bixlow left sooner rather than later. She loved her siblings, but she didn't want either of them to find out about their "arrangement". Besides, it was only sex – it's not like they were going to stay up all night and try to get to know each other. They would meet up, have sex, and be on their merry little ways.

Bixlow's sigh drew her attention back to him. He was frowning at her again, arms crossed and leaning up against the door frame. "I ain't stupid."

Lisanna blink in confusion. "Excuse me?"

That smile was back. That wide, tongue wagging grin that Bixlow was known for. He laughed for good measure as he pushed off the wall, flopping down ungracefully next to her on the bed. "Got my babies on watch." He leaned closer, a hand already making its way up her leg. "I'll be gone before they reach the block. 'Sides…" He gently kissed her neck, nipping her shoulder. "I ain't done with ya yet."

Lisanna wasn't sure what woke her – the house was silent compared to the thundering footsteps of her beloved brother, or the sweet, tantalizing aroma that was Mira's cooking. In fact, in most cases, she could even sleep through those things on the best of days. It usually took her alarm clock's annoying shrills to get her out of bed.

She shifted onto her back, stretched pleasantly and yawned. Her muscles complained about the movements, reminding her of the extra-curricular activities that she participated in earlier.

A slight wispy sound of clothing reached her ears from the end of her bed. There Bixlow stood, drawing his shirt up over his head, his pants already on and fastened.

She stared at his back for a moment, reminiscing over the last few hours. She had lost count how many times they did it, or how many positions he put her in. Hell, she couldn't even remember the last few rounds, for that matter; she had been so exhausted. The man had stamina that betrayed his overall lazy persona. Never in Lisanna's wildest dreams would she think Bixlow would have that much energy just by the way he acted at the guild day to day, lazily drinking a beer as he sent his babies into battle for him.

She sat up, clenching the thin sheet to her chest. She lazily looked around for her clothes that went missing sometime during rounds 2 and 4. She yawned again, the sound drawing the attention of her companion.

He smirked at her over his shoulder, sitting down heavily on the bed to pull his boots on. "Surprise yer awake." He winked at her over his shoulder. "Figured ya'd be outta it another couple of hours."

Lisanna stuck her tongue out at him, the effect lost with another yawn. "What time is it?"

Bixlow stood and stretched, rotating his shoulders and neck till they cracked. "Bout dawn." He turned to face her, kneading a kink out of his left shoulder. "Yer sis just left the apartment. Figure I got about 5 minutes to high-tail it outta here before she senses me."

Lisanna nodded, drawing her knees up and hugging them to her chest. "Okay then."

Bixlow's smirk grew, "What? No sweet good-bye kiss?" His laugh roared out loud at the lost look she gave him, shaking his head at her innocent expression. "Jokin'."

Lisanna pouted. "I know that."

"Sure ya did."

Before Lisanna could retort, he was leaning over, kissing her passionately. He weaved his fingers into her hair, tilting her head back to gain better access to her lips, his tongue easily diving in for one last taste.

When he pulled back, Lisanna was blushing softly and any comeback that she had completely died out. She stared at him for a moment, a fluttering feeling coming to life in her stomach. He smirked devilishly at her before roughly ruffling her hair, breaking any kind of spell she was under.

She squeaked out a protest, and batted his hand away, sending him the most evil glare that she could muster. Unfortunately for her, thanks to the messy hair and puffy red cheeks, all she got was another roar of laughter out of him.

He waved over his shoulder as he opened the window. "Til next time, Blue. I'd leave this open if I were ya – wouldn't want yer room smellin' of sex huh?"

And he was gone.

Lisanna sat there for a few minutes, just blankly staring out her window. She faintly heard the sound of the front door opening and closing, signaling the return of her sister just as Bixlow had said.

She laid back down, curling up into a nice comfy ball and burying her face into her pillow. She inhaled deeply, and pulled her face away from the soft cotton. She slowly leaned back down, taking a careful sniff of her pillow. A musky scent filled her nostrils, making her wrinkle her nose in slight disgust. She sat up, pulling her sheet up for the same inspection. Again, the same scent assaulted her nose.

Curious, Lisanna searched for her clothes. She found her tank-top halfway under the bed, and she didn't even need to bring the yellow fabric all the way to her nose to smell it – not to mention it was a little damp. She scanned her room from her spot for her panties, a little fearful to actually find them. When she did, the blush that consumed her face could have easily been hotter than Natsu's flames.

She sat on the floor next to her bed, staring at her now soiled clothes, plotting and planning on how to get them and her bed sheets into the laundry without Mira knowing. It was then that a thought struck her. If her room, sheets, and clothes smelt like sex, then…

Hesitantly, Lisanna lifted up one arm, took a small sniff, and groaned.

Thanks again for reading so far! One more chapter to go!