They next few days turned into a blur as Natsu and Lucy rushed around to prepare everything. The morning after they had made their decision had them running to the doors of the guild just before the brink of dawn. They managed to catch Laxus before he opened the door, him and Freed almost too bleary eyed in the early morning to be surprised that Natsu and Lucy had beat them there. That tiredness quickly disappeared when they told them what they had decided. The announcement was made to all of Fairy Tail later that same day, and was met with shouts of excitement. After a crowd of their friends had rushed forward to offer them their services, they began divvying up tasks.
Jet and Warren were in charge of spreading the word. Between all of their destinations, they were to report back to the guild and give an estimation for how many of their friends from different guilds were expected to come. The answer by the end of the second day had been crystal clear – all of them.
Levy and Juvia made sure that the guild was ready for the big day. Neither Natsu or Lucy were religious in any way, so they wanted to have the ceremony within the guild hall instead of Kardia Cathedral. It only seemed fitting that the place that had been their home would also be the place where they were bonded together. The long tables were cleared out of the pit, and a large two-tiered pedestal that Laki made with her Wood-Make magic was placed in the center. All the benches that usually went with the tables were also manipulated to curve around the pedestal, and lined up with each other in two rows, leaving four aisles on all sides of the stand. Levy and her band of cleaners mopped, scrubbed, and polished the inside of that hall until it sparkled.
Mira and Lisanna, with the help of Droy, picked the flowers. All assortments of bouquets were grown in the blink of an eye with every imaginable color and shape, and hung at the aisle ends of all the benches. They hung strings of flowers from the rafters, from the windows, from the ledge over the bar, and even garlands of white and yellow flowers were strung to the sign outside. If anybody thought that they might have gone a bit overboard, they didn't say anything. By the time they were done, the guild smelled so sweet, it made the dragon slayers sneeze.
Erza was in charge of food. Juvia wanted to assist her, but nobody would let her into the kitchens. They had to utilize one of the kitchens in the restaurant district of Magnolia to complete the large order – which kept getting larger everyday they learned that more people were coming. Erza refused to tell Lucy what she was cooking, but she promised that it came highly recommended. As much as that made the bride nervous, she trusted Erza.
Wendy and Gajeel approached Lucy and Natsu on the first day. Lucy and Natsu greeted them like they would were it any other day, but the two dragon slayers seemed apprehensive of the couple. Wendy spoke first.
"I just wanted to say," the girl sighed. "That I'm sorry, Lucy. For the way I acted. I was scared, because we lost so much during the war. I didn't want to believe that Natsu," she turned to the man. "That you could somehow be anything like that. But I see you now, and I realize how ignorant that is. You're my friend, Natsu. What's more, I consider you my brother. So, I just want you to know… I'm here for you. No matter what."
Lucy beamed with pride at Wendy. She really had grown up. Natsu smiled down at his counterpart, unable to find the words to say. Wendy looked to Gajeel, raising an eyebrow expectantly with a soft elbow to the rib.
"Same goes for me, too." Gajeel smirked. "Except for all that brother crap. You and me are rivals till the bitter end."
Natsu stepped forward and hugged Wendy, the small teenager barely coming up to his chin. "I wouldn't have it any other way." He said. Wendy smiled into Natsu's chest. Looking to Gajeel, Natsu raised a hand. Gajeel took it with a nod of his head, then yelped as Natsu pulled him into the dragon slayer group hug. Wendy and Natsu laughed at the groan Gajeel gave.
"Can you guys stay like this till I find Reedus?" Lucy put a hand over her mouth. "I need a picture of this. This is too adorable."
When the three mages disentangled, Wendy asked about what they could do to help. Lucy sent the girl off to assist Erza, knowing she could use as much as she could. Gajeel was assigned as part of Gray's team. When Wendy smiled and waved at the two of them before departing, she noticed that the smiled Natsu gave her in return… didn't quite reach his eyes. Even Gajeel, as oblivious as he could be, could tell that something was a little off with him. But neither of them said anything. There was too much to do.
Gray, Elfman, and now Gajeel oversaw the nonessential, but still important details. They needed a liquor license, for instance. All of the drinks they had served up until now had never been stronger than 8% – which suddenly explained why Cana drank so much. But they were going to pull out all the stops for the wedding. While Gray went with Freed to take care of that, Elfman and Gajeel arranged a playlist of music. They would let Gajeel play the calling songs and the aisle marches as long as he swore not to sing.
The city of Magnolia could feel the excitement of their guild in the air, and it seemed to put everybody in a helpful mood. This came in handy when people from out of town started showing up. As every room of every inn was rented out, innkeepers let friends of the bride and groom stay with a discount. Some of the citizens would ferry food from Erza's kitchen to the guild hall where it was kept preserved with magic until the big day. Others stopped by to offer their assistance as well, which was gladly accepted. Suddenly, the preparations that might have taken the guild members alone all week to finish now only took a few days. Some of the wayward guild members returned, like Gildarts and Mest. It was gearing up to be a grand ceremony.
As for Natsu and Lucy, they stayed by each others' sides, only separating when Natsu had to meet with Master Bob to finish tailoring his suit. Any big decisions were brought to them, and they trusted Levy, Erza, and Gray to handle the minor details. They were busy running to and from the guild, Happy scrambling to keep up with them. When one team was short-handed, they stepped in to help. There was hardly a second for them to sit down as they ran errands and heeded every call. If their guild was willing to do so much to make their wedding day perfect, it only seemed fair that they do just as much.
Natsu maintained an upbeat and happy attitude throughout it all – and yet, people could still tell that he wasn't all there. Everybody was thinking it, but nobody said it: that he was changing his mind. It couldn't have been farther from the truth, but it was better that they thought that rather than know that Natsu had cried himself to sleep in Lucy's arms the night before.
Finally, everything was set. As the sun set on the third day, Lucy and Natsu stood alone in the guild hall. Taking in the marvel that Fairy Tail had become, Lucy squeezed Natsu's hand.
"This is really happening," She whispered. "We…we're finally going to do it."
Natsu turned to smile at his fiancé, the shadows on his face deep from the light of the dozens of small paper lanterns that the exceeds had hung from the ceiling.
"Come on," he said as he turned toward the door. "The sooner we fall asleep, the sooner we can wake up."
Lucy nodded at him with a chuckle. But when he took her hand, she resisted his pull. When Natsu looked to her, she was still taking in the room around him. This time, however, there were tears in her eyes.
"Hey," Natsu looped his arm behind her. "What's wrong?"
Lucy took a shuddering breath, wiping a tear away. "It's nothing. I just… I wish that my parents could be here. I wish they could have gotten the chance to meet you."
Natsu smiled as he pulled her against his chest. "Yeah. Me too. You think they would have like me?"
Lucy huffed a laugh at that. "My mother would have loved you. My dad would have been skeptical at first, but I know he would have come around eventually." Turning her head to look up at him, she asked. "Would Igneel have liked me?"
"I think you would have been scared of him," Natsu replied. "But then I would like to think that you two would find that you actually have a lot in common."
Lucy considered that, debating whether or not she should be insulted for being compared to a dragon. Sighing against his chest, Lucy wrapped her arms around his waist.
"At least you don't have to look in the mirror and see your mother's face." She stated. "But I suppose that's better than never knowing what she looks like… to not know who your family is."
Lucy's words sparked an image in Natsu's head. The memories that lied dormant in his heart, and the vision of the picnic in the valley surfaced in his mind. The faces of his mother and father were clear in his eyes. A strange mix of peace and longing stirred within him.
"I don't remember much about my mom and dad," Natsu spoke softly. "My real ones. But I do remember that my mother was beautiful and kind. She smelled like… like rain." It felt odd to be praising a woman he had never met. "Zeref took after her. But when I think about her, I feel happy."
Lucy looked up at him. "What about you? Who do you take after?"
Natsu gazed into Lucy's eyes, dropping his head till his lips hovered just above hers. For a little while, Natsu let the passion hang in the air. The guild was empty of all except for Laxus and Mira, who were chatting idly at the bar. Mira nudged Laxus and silently pointed at the couple, glee lighting up her face. Laxus turned and smiled softly at the sight of them. Closing the gap, Natsu kissed Lucy gently. Their lips fit so perfectly together, that it wasn't necessary to do anything more than rest their faces into each others. When Natsu drew away, the exhaustion that he had been warding off from the past few days finally settled on him. By the way Lucy's eyelids drooped, he could tell she felt the same. Natsu took her hand and led her towards the doors.
"I look like my father," Natsu said. He realized that he had never actually said that out loud before.
The day could not have been more perfect.
The gathering began at noon. People were dressed to the nines, an electric feeling permeated the air as old friends were reunited. Fairy Tail bustled even more than usual as people of note from SaberTooth, Lamia Scale, Blue Pegasus, and one or two members from other guild allies gathered together for the first time since the war. Fairy Tail played a gracious host, making sure everybody found their seats and that there was enough room for everyone. The actual ceremony wouldn't start till about mid-afternoon, but there was no way any of them were going to take the risk of being late and not getting a good seat.
Gajeel played simple stand-by tunes on his guitar, creating background noise and setting the mood. From where Levy could see by the entrance, he was quietly mouthing lyrics to himself. She, Wendy, and Juvia greeted their guests as they walked through the door.
"Good to see you're looking well, Juvia." Lyon and Chelia stepped up to them, both donning exquisite formal wear. "It's been too long."
Juvia smiled at him while Chelia and Wendy embraced. "It's good to see you too, Lyon. I'm glad you two could make it."
"Is Gray around?" Lyon looked over the crowd. "I heard we was chosen to be best man."
"He's busy helping Natsu," Juvia replied. "They, along with Lucy and her maid of honor, have been here since early this morning getting ready."
"Who is the maid of honor?" Chelia asked with a smile.
"It's supposed to be a surprise." Wendy leaned in and whispered. "But I think I have a pretty good guess."
It didn't take long for the large hall to fill with people, though there seemed to be just enough of them to leave a comfortable amount of space. The flowers kept the air fresh and the weather was just perfect enough to leave all the windows open to let a cool spring breeze drive out the warmth. Finally, at a quarter till three, they closed the doors of Fairy Tail.
Up on the stage, Gajeel finished off a riff on his steel guitar. Mostly everybody was sitting, with one or two still lingering. The curved benches within the pit were the first seats to go, and the Fairy Tail members graciously gave their guests priority over the best seats in the house. They were filled in as needed from there, with one or two specially reserved seats. After the prime spots were claimed, the rest stood up out of the pit behind the bannisters. There were no chairs, but the viewpoint was just as good. Unlike any other day where the mages would have squabbled among themselves to get a front row spot, today they all worked together, letting shorter members stand in front of taller ones. Looking out at the crowd that had gathered, Gajeel smirked. With one final strum, the time for waiting was over.
When Levy, Juvia, and Wendy had finally taken their seats within the pit, Levy looked to Gajeel and gave him a firm nod, her eyes glowing with anticipation. That anticipation was slightly disturbed by confusion as Gajeel removed the steel guitar from his lap, and reached into a different case. The instrument he pulled out could only be described as a hybrid between a harp and an acoustic guitar, with two necks and fifteen strings – six for the guitar, nine for the harp. Levy gaped at the absurd contraption, wondering just exactly where he had acquired the thing and – more importantly – just exactly how Gajeel was supposed to play that thing with only two hands.
Very well, was the answer to that.
The change in tone caused everyone to cease their talking and turn their heads toward the stage. If anybody else was as dumbfounded by the instrument as Levy, they hid it much better than she did. Fluttering notes filled the air, and Gajeel closed his eyes and let the music move him through the slow ballad. Mostly, both hands worked the guitar part, but sometimes his strumming hand would move up to pluck the strings of the harp while his other hit the strings on the neck. The resulting sound was a full, rich tune that carried throughout the entire guild. Gajeel was basically a one-man orchestra. The audience was so captivated that they almost didn't notice when the melody changed, and a man appeared at the end of the south aisle.
Laxus walked slowly, his head held high with the regality of his rank. He wore the white coat of the ten-wizard saints, inherited from Makarov… though obviously not the exact same coat. The blue and silver medallion embroidered on the back flashed as he stepped up to the top tier of the pedestal and rested his hands in front of him. He was an intimidating sight, with his hair smoothed down and his dark suit underneath making him look more professional than he had ever been. Laxus smirked down at the audience, and looked to the north aisle. The melody changed again.
From the east and west aisles came the best man and maid of honor – Gray and Erza. Wendy's small voice could barely be heard saying "I knew it." Both of them had small smiles on their faces as they walked toward each other. Gray, with his goatee trimmed and hair neatly brushed, sported a white jacket suit, with black trimmings and edgings accentuating his physique, making him look taller and skinnier. Underneath, he wore a black dress shirt with a white bowtie. He looked like a high class citizen, a real bachelor. Erza, on the other hand, wore a flowing gown shaded a light lavender. It was sleeveless, but she wore fabric cuffs around her upper arms that trailed down to her elbows in light wisps. Along the bodice of the dress and scattered on the cuffs were small crystals, almost invisible till you saw them twinkling. Layers of light silk flowed around her as she walked. Her red and silver hair was tied up into an elegant cascading braid that complimented the dress perfectly. Simple diamonds sparkled on her ears and at her throat. The two of them stepped onto the lower platform of the pedestal, nodding confidently to each other and to Laxus.
The melody changed one final time, a familiar tune that had everybody rising to their feet. From the rafters, Carla and Pantherlily flew down with their paws full of white and yellow petals. They gently released the flowers to fall upon the floor of the north and south aisles. People began twisting their heads this way and that, straining to see who would come down which aisle first. Movement from the south made everybody twist their heads.
Natsu stepped into the aisle. Eyebrows were raised and a few mouths fell open at the sight of him. Somewhere in the audience, Master Bob was congratulating himself. The suit was finely tailored with a fabric that had the slightest gloss to it. Mostly, the outfit was black. But, on further examination, there was also just the subtlest blending of dark red around the cuffs of the sleeves and pants, his lapels, and his front and back. The small hints of color defined his body in a way that no black suit could. Underneath that, he wore a crimson silk shirt. Though he wore no bowtie and left the top buttons undone, his look wasn't tarnished at all. It actually would have been more odd to see him with the accessory. He did, however, have his scarf tied around his waist under the jacket. The dragon slayer had done nothing to style his hair or anything else, and it suited him. He did, however, conceal the black hairs with a spray. Though most of the guests were reluctant to admit it, but Natsu cleaned up good.
Walking beside him was Happy in his human form. He had the appearance of a young boy, maybe around nine or ten, and came up to Natsu's thigh. His blue hair had been combed down, but the ears on top of his head still stuck straight up. With his little tuxedo and juvenile face, he looked absolutely adorable. In his hands he carried a folded piece of white cloth.
When Natsu and Happy reached the pedestal, Natsu stepped up to the top tier along with Laxus while Happy stayed on the lower one with Gray and Erza. But before he did so, he turned to Gray and smiled, offering his hand. Gray beamed back at him, grabbing Natsu's arm and pulling him in for a quick hug. A few 'awww's popped up from the audience. Standing beside Laxus, the two dragon slayers shared a nod. Gajeel's music suddenly slowed to a more elegant and graceful pace. Natsu, and everyone else it seemed, took a deep breath.
When Lucy came around the corner and stood at the end of the north aisle, time stood still for Natsu. Gray whispered in his ear, reminding him to breathe.
Everything about Lucy and her presence as she began her slow march down the aisle was just…captivating. Erza's dress must have been fashioned after Lucy's, for they were similar in cut and style – but Lucy's gown was longer, lighter, and more extravagant. The cuffs that functioned as sleeves hung past her wrists, and the crystals that studded her were more numerous and varied in size. Every move she made shimmered and flowed like a cloud, as if the stars themselves had descended from the sky to grace her with their beauty. Like Natsu's suit, Lucy's dress had shy blends of pale blue accenting all the right places. Her golden hair was rolled into a neat bun on the back of her head, a small veil trailing down her back from it. Her face, though, was the most beautiful of all; minimal make up, with a natural blush on her cheeks and the light of the guild turning her brown eyes a warm amber. In her hands, she held a modest bouquet of white and blue flowers. Stepping up to the pedestal, Lucy joined Natsu and Laxus on the top tier. Her dress trailed over the edge. Erza, being the dutiful maid of honor, carefully collected the folds of the dress and swept them aside.
When Lucy looked up at Natsu, and saw him staring back at her, she was delighted to see something in his features that she hadn't seen in what felt like a long time – joy. Her heart felt like it would burst.
Gajeel carried the moment on a few seconds longer with his music, rifting his way through the last few bars. With a flourish of his hand over the harp, a euphoric chorus rang through the air until it died away. Gajeel opened his eyes, and grinned at the sight before him.
The circle was complete. Time to begin.
Laxus cleared his throat. "Well, for some of us, I think this day has been a long time coming." He spoke clearly and loudly so that everyone might hear. "But never seemed to come soon enough. Yet, here we are, with welcomed friends and family, to celebrate the marriage of these two souls." Laxus smiled at the bride and groom. "Natsu and Lucy, I have watched you two grow up together within the walls of this guild, and I have seen how much stronger and better you make each other. If ever there were a truer testament of love, then your story would be the winning title. After all, it's not every couple that can say that they've lived through time-travel, at least three apocalypses, and a war together."
Natsu and Lucy grinned at each other, Laxus' words sparking up memories.
"Natsu," Laxus continued. "Although you might be an annoying pain in my ass sometimes-" Natsu flinched at that "-I can't deny that you've come a long way since you came here all those years ago. Both of us have changed a lot since then – we're both men now, with responsibilities and duties to uphold. I'm… I'm glad that I'm here to see the man you've become."
Natsu and Laxus nodded at each other, and then he turned to the bride. "Now, Lucy, you didn't join us till later in your life – you didn't have a childhood here, or find yourself among these walls. But as soon as you stepped through our doors, you knew you were home. I bet you had no idea that all these crazy things were lying in store for you, but you seized each moment and made them yours. Looking at you now, I don't think you would have wanted it any other way. I'm glad that you chose Fairy Tail to be your home."
Lucy wiped a finger under her eye, smiling at Laxus. The master put a hand on both of their shoulders, and spoke lowly so that only they could hear him. "If gramps could only see you guys now."
Standing tall, Laxus puffed out his chest and said so everyone could hear, "And now, it is an honor to officiate this marriage before the witness of all who have gathered here. May we have the rings?"
Happy stepped forward, his eyes bright as he lifted the cloth in his hands up to Laxus. Taking the parcel, Laxus unfold it to reveal to golden rings, one crafted from white gold and laden with burnished gold on the edges, and the other being the opposite of that. Turning to Lucy, Laxus presented her with the rings. Handing off her bouquet to Erza, Lucy delicately took the ring of burnished gold in her fingers. She didn't seem nervous at all, and when she turned to Natsu, she gave him a confident nod as he gave her his hand to hold.
"Natsu Dragneel," she started, voice steady and clear. "With this ring, I swear to always be the home for your heart. I will keep you close to my heart, and it is there that you will forever be. No matter the consequences, I will never betray you. Instead, I will build you up to greater heights, and support you through all of your endeavors. I will be the light that you seek when all is lost in darkness." Lucy took a shuddering breath, suddenly overcome with emotions. "I will laugh with you and cry with you, till the ends of our days. And though all the powers in the world can try to make me, I promise I will never leave you. I take you as you are, Natsu, and who you will become. This I vow to you."
The ring was cool on his finger, and surprisingly heavier that it looked. Natsu twisted his hand to take Lucy's as she slid the ring onto his finger. She finally let a few tears fall from her eyes. Seeing her cry in happiness made Natsu's heart jump. He was so in love with the woman in front of him, that he didn't notice Laxus holding out her ring to him. A slight nudge from Gray, and he remembered where he was. Taking the white gold ring, Natsu turned back to Lucy.
"Lucy Heartfilia, with thi-" his voice cracked suddenly. The audience chuckled. Natsu cleared his throat with a laugh before continuing. "With this ring, I swear to always be the rock for your soul. I will make you strong, and carry you through when you aren't. I won't ever harm you, or let harm be done to you. Instead, I will protect you and fight for you till my dying breath. I will be the warmth that you seek when you feel cold and alone. I will struggle with you and triumph with you, till the ends of our days. No matter how far life may take me away from you, I promise I will always return. I will share in your dreams as my own, and strive to see them fulfilled. This I vow to you."
Lucy beamed at Natsu, her emotions getting the better of her as he slid her ring onto her finger. Natsu starred at Lucy, her beauty taking his breath way for the hundredth time. Gray, Erza, and Happy gazed up at them, their hearts full of joy at the sight of them. There was a smile on every face in the audience.
"By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife," Laxus declared, throwing up his arms. "You may now kiss!"
Cupping his cheek, Lucy and Natsu kissed for the first time as a married pair. The uproar of cheers and applause that broke out of the audience could be heard from outside. But Natsu and Lucy were deaf to it, far away in their own world with hearts full of love. Lucy was the first to step back, but she stayed close to her husband, her best friend, and gazed into his eyes.
"We did it," she said softly. "There's no turning back now."
Natsu chuckled. "Yep. Looks like you're stuck with me."
Turning to the audience, Natsu and Lucy raised their joined hands together, presenting their rings for all to see. Gajeel, back on the steel guitar, struck up a fast paced tune that had everyone clapping along to the beat. Stepping down to the next tier of the pedestal, Lucy and Natsu joined arms with Gray and Erza. Together, they all took off down the west aisle and disappeared though a door that lead to the back of the guild, laughing as they went. As their friends and family watched them leave, Laxus spoke up once more.
"The reception will be held in the courtyard outside," he announced. "There should be plenty of food and drink for everyone. Thank you all so much for coming!"
A/N: Okay! This was so much fun to write! A few things to note: 1: If you are unfamiliar with the idea of a circle wedding, I highly suggest you look it up! It's a pretty neat concept. 2: Yes, the harp-guitar instrument is a real thing. They sound amazing. 3: So I guess Makarov is alive now, which kind of blows this story out of the water. I'm glad he's alive, but I'll make sure to classify this as an au.
Thank you so much to everybody who had reviewed and followed so far! Remember, if this story gets 100 reviews, I'll do another double chapter! Don't be afraid to give me criticism, as long as it's constructive and professional.
As always, read, reveiw, and enjoy!