6As it says in the story description, this is inspired by MorriganFae's story, Request Board Romance! It is an awesome work and I recommend everyone go read it! This could stand on it's own and still make sense, but it is so much better if you go read her story first and gain the context. Mad props and thanks to her for editing and adding onto this!
Twas the night before mission,
And all through the house,
Not a creature was stirring,
Not even a…
Wait.
Scratch that.
Everything had been quiet in Lucy's apartment, the girl herself cuddled into her pillow, fast asleep. Her breaths, even and soft, fluttered a strand of hair laying over her mouth as she smashed her face further into the cushions. Underneath the blonde's feathered headrest, an odd, muffled scratching could be heard if one were to listen closely.
Nearly ten minutes passed, in which the scraping continued unabated, and the celestial wizard slept on. Then, as she shifted in her sleep, a golden key popped out from under the pillow.
--In the spirit world-
Leo collapsed back in his seat, exhausted but victorious, pumping a fist in the air. "Yes! Out from under that smothering pillow! Thought it would never happen."
Beside him, Taurus strained, red blotching the white spots of his face. "Speak for yooooourrrrself! I'm...still..stuck! MooOOOooOOO!" The cow snarled, veins bulging out on his forehead as he reached through the worlds with his magic to his key, still trapped under his master's slumbering head.
While they might be powerful beings, able to sense their master's needs and emotions, and capable of magic beyond most creatures' imagination, even the Zodiacs had their limits. And if their bodies weren't in Earthland, those restrictions put their abilities about on par with a half baked poltergeist barely able to slam a door in a brisk wind. They had very little dexterity within their keys, reduced to the most feeble of shakes and limp stretches.. And thus, two of the strongest Zodiacs had been reduced to hiding in an out-of-the-way study, overextending themselves to move their keys from underneath a fluffy pink pillow.
A fist pounded on the study door, making both men jump.
"Leo? Taurus? What are you doing in there? Wouldn't be trying to move your keys, would you?" The suspicious voice of Virgo came through the door.
The two shared a glance. Of course Virgo would've noticed. She kept almost as vigilant an eye on Lucy as Leo did. He cleared his throat, glaring at Taurus, who moo'd softly in apology and more quietly returned to his attempts to move his key.
"No, Virgo! We're just...ah, arm wrestling in here! That's all!" he cried, tugging at his collar. Not that he was ashamed, or worried, he was the leader of the zodiacs! But still….
"Alright, Leo. If you boys need a real challenge, let me know. But if you're lying, I won't be the only one getting punished!" Loke rolled his eyes at Virgo's fervert hope to join in any potential meted out punishments. He heard the roseate masochist walking away. Just then Taurus whooped.
"I'm ooout! But...we've got so far to moooooove."
Loke closed his eyes, feeling for his key. He let out a disappointed sigh. This was pointless. It would take all night!
But then, they felt it. The glorious shifting and rolling of the mattress, sending their keys sliding and tumbling along the sheets.
Back on Earthland, Lucy rolled over.
Loke slammed his hand down on the table, eyes shining. "That's it! We're right there! Focus!"
He and Taurus bent over, sweat rolling down their foreheads, pupils fixed pinpoints, grimaces growing more constipated by the moment. Fifteen minutes later, both were slumped in their chairs, panting.
"It's...impossible. It can't be dooooone." Taurus moaned.
"No. No, we can't give up! We're the fucking Zodiac!" Loke pushed his glasses up, growling. They stared at each other, mutual desperation written in their expressions, and then it clicked.
But as they contemplated the next step, nemesis arrived.
"Leo! Taurus! I ran into Virgo in the training arena, and she mentioned something very interesting. When I reach out to the brat, I see your keys aren't near her anymore. You wouldn't be up to something, would you?" the snarl from outside struck both the rooms occupants into a state of gibbering panic.
"It's Aquarius!" Taurus whisper shouted. "We have to abooooort!"
"No!" Loke hissed back. "We can't – oh god – we can't give in! We do this for all men, in all worlds!"
"What's that muttering I hear in there?! If this door isn't open in one minute I'll drown you both!"
"Taurus! As your leader, I order you to get out there and distract her! Whatever you have to do! I'll be right back!" With that, Loke winked out of the Celestial Plane in a shower of gold sparks.
Leaving a terrified Taurus facing down a door slowly warping from water pressure. Shakily, he hefted his axe.
"For men...in every wooooorld!" he spun the axe, bringing in down on the door and blowing it down the hallway. Bursting into the corridor, he immediately regretted the decision as the door hurtled back at him on a column of water, courtesy of the most pissed off mermaid he'd ever seen.
Loke appeared almost silently in his Princess' room, only the most muted of goldenrod giving him away. He took a deep breath as Lucy continued to dream. He allowed himself a small smile as he gazed down upon her, the most beloved of all masters, and to brush an errant strand of silken hair away from her face.
Then a devious smirk crossed his features and in one lightning fast movement he flicked both his key and Taurus's into her nightgown, where they lodged deep in the valley of her cleavage. Quickly turning on his heel, he beamed back into the spirit world.
After attempting to help Taurus and getting thoroughly trounced and soaking wet (as a cat, it was something he actively avoided, but some things were worth a sacrifice), the pair managed to pass off their actions as a surprise training session. He wasn't sure anyone bought it, but they'd stuck to their stories well enough to be allowed to go back to their respective homes.
A furtive knock to the window alerted him to Taurus. The cow squeezed through the too-small opening, immediately closing the curtains behind him.
"You did it, Leoooo! I can feel it!" Throbbing hearts appeared in the bovine eyes.
"We did it, Taurus. Now we can sit back and enjoy the fruits of our labor!" And oh, what glorious fruit it was, butter-soft melons kissing their keys with sweet warmth, they just had to reach out to feel it...
They collapsed onto twin couches, arms behind their heads, savoring the heaving breaths of their master. But as they reached out to their keys, ready to fully sink their consciousness back into their keys and into the plump, luscious comfort of Lucy's breasts...….
"Leooooo? I think she's…"
"Oh shit."
"OPEN, GATE OF THE BULL AND LION! GET OUT HERE, YOU PERVERTS!"
The pull of Lucy trying to yank open their gates was tinged with seething rage. Loke hastily poured his own magic into the shared link to keep their respective gates closed. He just needed a moment to think!
"We're boooonnnneed!" Taurus bellowed, his eyes rolling and panicked.
Light glinted off the lion spirit's periwinkle shades and he nudged them up the bridge of his nose with his forefinger. His celestial brother lacked guile, that's all. "Nonsense, we just need to keep to our story straight."
Taurus cast him a disbelieving look. "She knoows we were in her hot bod! In her booooooobs!"
"Where she put us…" Loke said with authority.
Taurus wasn't the brightest of the golden gate keys, but even he could figure out their master wasn't going to buy that load of bullshit.
"She loves her spirits, after all..."
Taurus gave a snort.
Loke couldn't keep the gates shut any longer, their own contracts with the buxom blonde made it impossible. It was only because he was the leader of the zodiac that he had bought them this much time at all. He rushed out his last words.
"It's not our fault if she dozed off, holding our keys to her heart."
Loke saw a flash of understanding in Taurus' eyes – both their forms dissolving as they were ripped through the gates to deal with one very irate celestial mage.