I'm sorry for the grammar mistakes!

Disclaimer: Fairy Tail is not mine.

This story takes place before the events in Edolas.

Please enjoy!

Chapter1.A birthday without the celebrating person

Mirajane was very excited.

It was Fried's birthday and almost everything was ready for the party. The entire guild hall was decorated. The sweeties, the presents – everything was ready. Mira was finishing the last preparations.

Everyone was in a good mood, rambling and laughing. Wendy was jumping with joy.

"So, which lady will have the honour to dance with Fried-san first?" she asked.

Mira looked at her with a smile and made no answer.

"Do you think that he will agree to dance with me?" continued Wendy.

"Of course he will," replied Erza.

In fact, the only one who was still absent was Fried himself but Mirajane knew that there was nothing to worry about. He should arrive any moment. He had promised her to return for his birthday.

Flash-back

A week earlier

"Your birthday is coming soon, so what will you say for a party?" asked Mirajane.

Fried averted his eyes. It seemed that he hesitated how to answer.

"I don't like parties and you know it," he replied after a few seconds silence.

"But think that it is just once a year," she reminded him.

The green-haired mage sighed. Obviously he wasn't very enthusiastic.

"Well then," he said. "Now I have some work to do but I will return for the party at every cost. I promise you."

Mirajane gave a smile to him.

End of flash-back

Contrary to his habit, this time Fried had gone on a mission alone. His team mates had wished to accompany him as usual but he had refused and had ordered them to wait for him at the guild. So now Bixlow and Evergreen were in the hall, waiting for their captain to arrive. They were no less excited that the others.

Despite Fried's absence, the party had practically begun already.

Mirajane looked at the clock. It was passing 8 o'clock p.m. She cast a glance at the closed door.

"When will Fried-san arrive?" asked Juvia.

"Any moment… In fact, he should have already been here," replied Mirajane.

Juvia was about to say something more but just then Gray came close to her and asked her for a dance. That was enough for her to forget her words. Her face brightened up and she took the hand he offered her.

"It will be better for Fried to come soon or he won't be able to taste these wonderful sweeties!" said Natsu. He and Happy were started eating the sweeties and their quantity decreased with every passing minute.

"Aye, sir!" exclaimed the flying cat.

"Besides, he will miss the dances!" added Bixlow enthusiastically. His smile was larger than ever.

"The dances, the dances!" said his dolls, repeating his words as usual.

Bixlow turned to face Lucy. "May I have this dance?" he asked.

"What?" That was the only word Lucy managed to pronounce. She didn't believe her ears. At the first moment she thought that he was kidding with her. The blonde girl couldn't imagine that man dancing.

Without waiting for her consent, Bixlow grabbed her hands and span her around him. Lucy was too shocked to put up any resistance.

Natsu's eyes sparkled with fire. He reached his hand and he was about to say something but he couldn't because his mouth was filled with sweeties at the moment. Only a muffled muttering escaped from his throat.

Loke, who was also there, gnashed his teeth. His face blushed and he clenched his hands in fists.

"This is the height of impudence! This man really has no manners! Is this a way to ask a lady for a dance?" he said through clenched teeth.

Bixlow made no answer. He just laughed in his manner as if their reaction gave a big pleasure to him.

Mirajane didn't pay much attention to them. She looked at the door where Fried should come from.

-ooo-

Three hours later

Mirajane didn't understand why Fried was still absent. He should have arrived already… What could have happened? Maybe his unwillingness to be at the party had taken an upper hand and he had decided to not come? But that was impossible… He had promised her! His words echoed in her mind: "I will return for the party at every cost." And whatever he was, he was always true to his word and she knew it.

The other guild members had also lost their high spirit. Their disappointment was more than obvious.

"Well, obviously Fried isn't going to appear," Levy said despondently.

"It seems so," added Natsu.

"Aye…" Happy whispered.

"That was a birthday without the celebrating person… Anyway, at least the sweeties were delicious!" stated the fire mage but the others paid no attention to him.

"But why is Fried still absent? What can be the reason? Maybe he has forgotten about the party?" wondered Evergreen.

"No way! He couldn't forget about his own birthday!" declared Bixlow.

"He couldn't, he couldn't!" repeated his dolls.

"Or something unexpected had happened during his mission?" whispered Mirajane. She cast a glance at the unopened presents. "Something or someone had prevent him from coming…?"

"Don't worry, he will probably come tomorrow morning," said Erza. "But it's a pity for all our preparations…"

Mirajane sighed.

The party finished in much lower spirit than it had begun.

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