The Celestial Princess and Her Suitors

Chapter Seven: Midnight

Lucy sipped a cup of tea, sitting curled up in the corner of her couch. She glanced at the nearby window, seeing nothing but light blue curtains covering it. She moved her right hand to the keys that lay on the couch right next to her, assuring herself that her celestial spirits were not far from her in the case that Kit or that man appeared. She looked to the small table that sat right next to her side of the couch, making sure that the glass of water was full. She knew that Aquarius wouldn't be happy about being summoned, but she would deal with the mermaid spirit's fury, Lucy was just glad that it was Wednesday.

She continued to sip on her steaming tea. She had been given a week off from work after she almost summoned Cancer on Minnie when the older woman approached her from behind and placed a hand on her employee's shoulder. Lucy was very apologetic, explaining that due to certain events, she was jumpy and on edge lately. Minnie had pulled her into the kitchen and asked what happened, but the celestial wizard found that she couldn't tell her, no matter how much she wanted to. The words simply wouldn't come out. Minnie, understanding that it was a difficult topic, decided that it would be best if Lucy stayed home for a week and tried to calm down. She had gently pushed Lucy out of the door and, with a sweet smile, told her that she would be happy to talk to her about what was happening whenever Lucy was ready.

The blonde sighed, smiling at the memory. Minnie was very kind, she almost didn't want to join a guild because that would mean having to leave the older woman. Lucy glanced back at the covered window. She wanted to talk to Minnie about not just Kit and her partner, but also about her attraction to two men and two women. However, every attempt she made resulted in hesitation and words getting caught in her throat. She would then bail on the attempt with some sort of excuse.

Lucy finished off her tea before standing up and walking to the sink to place the cup in it along with a few other dishes. She would clean them later. She then walked back to the couch and picked up her keyring, attaching it to her belt. She also picked up her whip from the coffee table and placed it on her belt. As much as she wanted to avoid being attacked by Kit and her partner again, she honestly couldn't stay in her home all day. She had been feeling stifled recently and thought that going for a walk would help. She had thought about going to the park, but instantly remembered the man that she had been attacked by just before she met Erza, and quickly decided against it.

Lucy walked out of her home. She figured a walk around the shopping area of Crocus would be safe. A lot of people would be out around this time and she doubted that Kit or that man would attack her in a crowded area. She began walking, keeping an eye out for the aforementioned pair. Once she reached the area of Crocus that contained shop after shop along with many restaurants, she saw that it was just as filled with people as ever. Lucy relaxed a little, telling herself that she had only been attacked when there was nobody around and that since she was now surrounded by people, she wouldn't be attacked. Still, she couldn't stop herself from looking around every few minutes.

The blonde mage walked into a magic shop, thinking that she might feel a bit safer and that she might find a few keys. She roamed the counters and aisles filled with magical items, searching for keys. As her brown gaze scanned her thoughts turned to the four mages that she had met within the past month.

Cana was beautiful. She was remarkably kind to walk Lucy home and stay with her. The brunette mage looked as though she was fun to hang out with. Lucy couldn't help but imagine going on bar dates with her, and then going to the home that they share to simply be together and enjoy each other's company. Cana seemed like she was the type that knew how to safely get someone to come out of their comfort zone and make sure that they have fun. Lucy also thought her magic was very interesting and would love to see it in action one day.

Lucy didn't see Bixlow's face, but his looks didn't matter to her. From the short conversation she had with him, she thought that he was a great guy and, just like Cana, he seemed as though he was a lot of fun to spend time with. Lucy thought about what a date with him would be like. He seemed as though he was the type to prefer going to various food stands and trying different types of food and drinks. He was a very nice conversationalist and his 'babies' were adorable. Lucy wouldn't be surprised if he was flirty in a dirty way, but she found to her surprise that she didn't mind that possibility. She also thought that his guild mark was on his tongue was amusing, further evidence, in her mind, that he wouldn't be a boring boyfriend.