Hello, everyone !
I'm back with the fifteenth chapter !
Whew, we finally arrived at the final chapter !
Thank you so much for Copperreign12, rao hyuga 18, Ushindi, and Niomei for their frequent reviews and to all of the readers out there ! I am eternally grateful for the reviews and the love that you guys have shown towards this fic.
Well then, I hope you enjoy reading this last chapter :D
Disclaimer: I only own Haru Heartfilia and the plot
"Dude, don't be so nervous." Gray scoffed.
"I think he might want to go to the bathroom again." Gajeel teased.
"Am not!" Natsu protested.
"Geehee."
"Don't tease him like that!" Jellal nudged Gajeel's side with his elbow. "All of us will be in his shoes one day."
"And perhaps, you might even be more nervous than Natsu." Gray added.
"No way." Gajeel scoffed.
"Okay guys, we'll get to tease him later on." Loke said and turned his attention back to Natsu. He gently smiled upon seeing Natsu who was fixing his tie. "Are you ready, Natsu?"
"I'm nervous." Natsu blurted out.
Neither one of his friends laughed at his honesty, not even Gajeel. Instead, the four of them encouragingly patted his back or bumped fists with him.
"It's normal to feel that way, Natsu." Loke said. "But I'm sure all that will disappear when you see the world's most beautiful girl."
"Loke's right." Jellal nodded. "Just keep your eyes on her and I'm sure you won't mess this up."
"Congratulations, Natsu." Gray grinned and ruffled Natsu's natural spiky hair. Natsu protested at his gesture but Gray could clearly see the happiness that flooded Natsu's eyes.
"You're still our leader, vocalist, and guitarist, by the way." Gajeel added. "We won't tolerate if you slack off in practice, just because you have a family now."
Natsu let out his trustworthy toothy grin. "You can count on me."
Right on then, a soft knock was heard from outside.
"Natsu-san, are you ready?" A woman's voice called out.
"Yeah!" Natsu replied.
"Okay, here goes nothing." Loke took a deep breath with Natsu, his own nervousness started to creep.
"The time's finally here." Gray also took a deep breath.
"Thank goodness that hectic press conference has passed." Jellal said.
"Out of everyone, I can't believe he'd be the first." Gajeel muttered.
"Okay, boys!" Loke clapped his hands to get their focus back. "We're all set! Natsu, it's time to go."
Natsu nodded back, his dark green eyes glazed with determination and happiness.
"I'm all fired up!"
When his eyes laid upon Lucy's figure, it wasn't just his nervousness that withered away like sand. Seemed like his rationality went away too, leaving him simply as a groom who stood on the aisle dumbfounded with a bright red face and a racing heart.
Natsu couldn't take his eyes off of Lucy. His bride looked beautiful beyond words.
Lucy was walking down the aisle with her father, Jude Heartfilia. Despite everything that had happened between them in the past, despite the disappointment Jude and his wife, Layla, once felt for the decision Lucy took, they're still a family. Jude and Layla had never stopped seeing Lucy as their daughter. Even though it's still hard for them to see Haru as their own grandchild, they still respected Lucy's decision at the end.
And they also respected her decision to marry Natsu.
Although, it was a very awkward moment when Lucy called them and told them about Natsu over the phone for the first time. They hadn't contacted each other for so long, the sense of familiarity between them had dissipated.
They were surprised when Lucy suddenly told them that she was going to marry Natsu, but nevertheless gave their blessings. Soon after that first phone call in five years ended, they booked a plane ticket and returned back home to officially meet Lucy, Natsu, as well as Haru.
Haru had never met his grandparents before, so he was so excited to meet them. On the contrary, both Jude and Layla were a bit baffled on how to react to the toddler. It was awkward and a bit cold at first, but Lucy knew it would get better as time passed by.
Speaking of Haru, of course the toddler was given a very important task, just like Levy who was Lucy's bridesmaid and the rest of Fired Up!'s members as Natsu's groomsmen.
Haru was walking carefully at the most front, his tiny hands were carrying a soft pillow with a velvet box on top of it. He knew he couldn't mess up, because if something happened to that box, then everything would be ruined.
For Natsu and Lucy's wedding rings resided inside of that box.
Or if we were to borrow Haru's terms, it would be Daddy and Mommy's rings of promise.
Yes, today is the wedding day of Natsu Dragneel and Lucy Heartfilia.
After dating for 1.5 years and being engaged for about six months, they're finally going to tie the knot today.
A knot of a lifetime that they whole-heartedly accepted.
Jude and Lucy finally arrived at the end of the aisle. Jude handed Lucy's hand over to Natsu, then gave his son-in-law a soft smile before going back to his seat beside his wife. Beside Layla, sat Igneel Dragneel and Grandine Dragneel, Natsu's parents.
"Welcome, everyone." The priest spoke once the bride and the groom were ready at the aisle. "We are here today to celebrate the sacred union of our two children, Natsu Dragneel and Lucy Heartfilia."
"Natsu Dragneel, do you take Lucy Heartfilia to be your wife? Do you promise to be faithful to her in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love her and to honor her all the days of your life?"
"I do." Natsu firmly said.
The priest then shifted his head a bit towards Lucy. "Lucy Heartfilia, do you take Natsu Dragneel as your lawful husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"
"I do." Lucy smiled.
The priest then looked at Haru and gently nodded his head. Haru quickly toddled towards him, still making sure that the box stayed upright on the big pillow. The priest then took the box and opened it to bless the rings. He then handed each of it to Natsu and Lucy.
Natsu gently took Lucy's hand and slipped the ring onto her finger. "Lucy Heartfilia, take this ring as the sign of my lifetime promise to you. I promise to stand beside you through thick and thin, to be the best husband for you and the best father for our children, and to be your number one supporter in life."
Lucy's breath choked as she stifled her cry, then gently took Natsu's hand and slipped the ring onto his finger. "Natsu Dragneel, take this ring as the sign of my lifetime promise to you. I promise to stand beside you through thick and thin, to be the best wife for you and the best mother for our children, and to be your number one supporter in life."
"With their exchange of vows and rings, then I pronounce the two of you as husband and wife!" The priest gave the couple his blessing. Rounds of happy claps vibrated throughout the church. "You may kiss your bride."
Both Natsu and Lucy looked at each other.
"I'm yours in this life and in all of the next lives." They muttered softly towards each other before locking their lips.
Three days later…
Natsu gently pulled Lucy up the hill, their wedding rings glinted under the sunlight. Lucy shuffled a bouquet of Bluebells flowers in her arm to make sure that the flowers weren't ruined.
"This is a beautiful place." Natsu commented as he walked hand-in-hand with his new wife.
"Isn't it?" Lucy smiled. "I chose this place because of its beautiful scenery."
"Now I'm getting nervous." Natsu softly cleared his throat.
"Relax, she won't bite you." Lucy chuckled.
The two of them then walked in silence, before stopping at a certain tombstone.
In
Loving memory of
YUKINO AGURIA
a LOVING MOTHER, A STRONG COUSIN, A BRAVE WOMAN
REST IN PEACE
"Oh? Someone was here." Lucy's eyes darted off at a bouquet of yellow tulips in front of the tombstone. She placed her bouquet of Bluebells—Yukino's favourite flower. It also symbolizes kindness—down in front of the tombstone and stared at the unknown bouquet.
"Who might it be?" Natsu also wondered. "We didn't pass by anyone."
"Weird…" Lucy raised an eyebrow. "No one knows Yukino's ash was buried here, except me. Should I throw it away?"
"Don't do that, you weirdo." Natsu chuckled. "Just leave it there, those are flowers for her. Maybe one of her friends put them here. They must have somehow known that she is buried here."
Lucy stared at the tulips, a thought suddenly crossed her mind. Since tulips symbolize love, then could the sender be…
No way., Lucy inwardly scoffed and immediately scratched the thought away.
"Hey, Yukino." Natsu's voice brought Lucy's mind back. "I'm Natsu Dragneel, your new cousin-in-law."
"He's my husband, Yukino." Lucy introduced as she gently caressed Yukino's tombstone. "And just like what you've wished for, he is someone who loves Haru very much."
"Thank you for giving birth to him, Yukino." Natsu said. "And thank you for entrusting him to Lucy. In a way, it was thanks to you that I got to meet them."
Lucy unconsciously held Natsu's hand tighter, her body slightly trembled as tears began to fill her eyes. Natsu readily gave her hand an encouraging squeeze.
Lucy took a deep breath to calm herself down. A tear finally fell from Lucy's eyes, but she smiled at her cousin's tombstone. "Now, you have nothing more to worry about, Yukino. I and Haru will be just fine. Rest well, Yukino."
A soft breeze then blew and Lucy suddenly couldn't stop her stream of tears. Her breath choked, but Natsu readily brought her to his hug which caused Lucy's to burst into tears. "Yukino…" Lucy softly sobbed.
The breeze continued to blow gently, making Lucy unable to stop her tears. Because for some reason, these breeze felt like Yukino's warm hug.
Four years later…
"Excuse me! Excuse me!"
A nine year old boy with a beautiful blond hair and a pair of brown eyes ran through a crowd of people.
"Haru!" A woman stepped out of the crowd and greeted the boy. "Why are you running in the backstage? You'll trip!"
"Oh, hello, nee-san!" Haru Dragneel—previously, Heartfilia—greeted. "Have you seen my siblings?"
The woman staff nodded and pointed. "They've gone to where your dad is."
"Oh, those two!" Haru huffed, then bowed politely at the woman staff. "Thank you so much, nee-san!"
Haru ran towards the direction he was told to and soon enough, he saw a pair of salmon-haired children not far from him. The children were standing in front of a man with a similar hair color.
"Oh, look who's here." The man caught Haru's figure who was running over and told the children.
The children—a pair of a boy and a girl twins—whipped their heads around, their eyes lit up excitedly upon seeing their older brother. "Haru-nii-chan!"
"Nash, Nashi, how many time have I told you not to run away from me!" Haru scolded his younger siblings. "You could get lost!"
The children giggled innocently and pointed at their father behind them. "We want to see Daddy!"
"I know, me too, but you can wait for me, right? It took me less than two minutes in the toilet!" Haru said.
"Nash is here to protect Nashi!" Nash Dragneel, the older twin, confidently said. "Nash brought us here to Daddy!"
"You little rascal!" Haru grinded his three years old brother's head jokingly, eliciting an excited squeal from Nash.
"Haru's right, though." The man suddenly said. "You two can't go to Daddy unless you're with him."
"Aww, Daddy!" Nashi pouted.
"But, great job in coming over to Daddy alone this time." Natsu grinned and ruffled his twin children's hair lovingly. "Although this time, stick close to your brother, okay?"
"Okay!" Both Nash and Nashi complied.
"I'll take them to our seat now." Haru said and grinned. The same toothy grin that he somehow inherited from his father. "Good luck, Dad."
"Thanks, buddy." Natsu ruffled Haru's hair too, just like when he was still a toddler. "Oh, have you seen your mother?"
"She's at the side of the stage, like the usual." Haru nodded. "Geez, even after four years of marriage, you two are still as love-struck as puppies."
"What can I say? I love your mother way too much." Natsu boldly admitted.
Haru rolled his eyes but nevertheless laughed. He then took each of his siblings' hand. "Alright, we'll be going now."
"Wait, you three are forgetting something." Natsu pouted and opened his arms.
Nash and Nashi quickly shook their hands away and ran to their father to shower him with kisses. Natsu then looked at his eldest son and wiggled his eyebrows. Haru laughed again and also kissed Natsu's cheek.
"Rock the stage, Dad." Haru said as he hugged his father.
"You bet." Natsu nodded and hugged his eldest son back.
"Natsu! Let's go!" Gray's voice called from afar.
"Good luck, Daddy!" Both Nash and Nashi cheered. The three of them then quickly went out of the backstage and made their way to their seat. They didn't want to miss their father's band's performance.
On their way there, Haru saw his mother, Lucy Dragneel, who was currently at a live report for the performance. Too bad his mother couldn't see his father at the backstage, but Haru was sure she had given him her own style of support back at home.
Thank goodness he finally has siblings now. At least when his parents were alone, he had friends to play with. Otherwise, he would totally third-wheeling his own parents.
Haru helped his younger siblings to sit nicely on the VIP seats. Two minutes later, the lighting turned on and the crowd began to cheer loudly. Fired Up! then appeared on the stage and Natsu grabbed his microphone.
"Are you ready?!" Natsu spoke.
"YES!" The crowd cheered.
"I'M ALL FIRED UP!" Natsu replied and strummed his guitar. "LET'S GO!"
The crowd's cheers became louder as the band started their music. As if they didn't want to lose, the crowd also yelled their fan chant in unison as loud as possible.
"NATSU! GRAY! GAJEEL! JELLAL! FIRED UP!"
DONE !
Whew, I finally finished this story !
What a ride of feelings this fic is ! I'm the one who write this, but my feelings also got swept away a couple of times with Lucy and Yukino's life story :')
Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy this story !
Thank you so much for sticking with me throughout this fic ! *deep bow*
See you again in my other fics !
P.S.: Below is a little epilogue for you ! Hope you like it :D
An hour before Natsu and Lucy arrived at Yukino's grave, someone—a young man—had indeed arrived there first. He searched for her grave's location with much difficulties and decided to visit it once he knew about it.
He placed the bouquet of yellow tulips gently in front of Yukino's tombstone. The flower symbolizes his love for Yukino and he got it in yellow because Yukino had once told him that she liked that shade of yellow very much because it resembled his hair color.
Yes, that someone is none other than Sting Eucliffe.
"Hey, Yukino." Sting greeted in whispers. "Do you still remember me?"
A stream of memories suddenly flooded Sting's mind, his heart felt like it was being stabbed by thousands of knives.
"I'm sorry…" Sting's voice trembled, his nails dug into his palm as he was trying so hard not to cry. "I'm sorry for leaving you behind back then… I'm sorry for not being there for you… I'm sorry for coming this late… I'm sorry for everything…"
A soft breeze blew, swaying Sting's pale blond hair gently under the sun.
"Thank you for entrusting our son to your cousin." A small smile appeared on Sting's face. "I can see she loves him very much, as if she really is his birth mother. At the end, I don't even know who our son's name is. I didn't look for it either because I know I'm not worthy to know. But… I wish his name is Haru, the name of the season when we met. The season where I fell in love with you."
Sting then took a deep breath to calm himself down from all of the emotions that was washing over him.
"I'm doing great now, and I know you're doing great as well. You're no longer in pain and I'm glad you're happy up there." Sting's fists began to unclench as a sense of piece finally came to him.
Right on then, Sting could feel his phone vibrated in his pocket.
Sting sighed softly and smiled apologetically as he gently caressed Yukino's tombstone. "I have to go now."
The breeze blew again and Sting's phone vibrated once more. He knew it's time for him to leave.
"Thank you for coming to my life, Yukino." Sting said. "I wish… I wish we can meet again in our next life. And if we do, let's be happy together."
A tear rolled down along Sting's cheek and he wiped it away with his thumb. "I love you, Yukino. And I won't ever stop loving you."
After staring at Yukino's tombstone for a few more seconds, Sting then walked away slowly. However, a rustle of wind that blew over him suddenly stopped him in his tracks. He quickly turned his head around to look at Yukino's grave and he stood there in silence for a few minutes. Tears started to trickle down along his cheeks, but he let out a smile and turned his body around again to walk away, this time without looking back anymore.
Seemed like that rustle of wind appeared to make Yukino's voice reached his ears.
Because for a split of second there, Sting knew he heard her voice.
Yes, Sting. Let's meet again in our next life. And this time, let's be happy together.