Italics indicate thinking
Bold is for Attacks
Kanji's POV
We had arrived back in Magnolia to find the old guildhall restored and ready for us. It was nice to be home. Erza and I had made plans to move out of my old apartment and into an actual house. It was plenty easy with the money we had from the games. Our new house was nice. Three bedrooms two baths and a nice basement and living space. We moved all our furniture in no time and Lauren took my old place.
"So this is our humble abode." I said putting the sheet on the bed.
"Our own place." Erza kissed me "It's nice. It's perfect for us."
"Just a few more weeks." I spun her around "And this will be the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Dreyar."
"Maybe a little Dreyar too." She whispered.
"Sure." I said "But there's only two extra rooms."
"We'll be having 33 babies." She mumbled.
"Excuse me?!"
"Okay maybe just three." She smiled.
I hugged Erza and tickled her. Erza giggled when I tickled her sides.
"Stop it!" she whined ""That tickles! I…HA! I have to go shopping!"
"Alright." I said letting her go "You go. Today's the dress day right."
"Yep." Erza said "I'm nervous."
"You'll have fun." I said "I'll see you later."
Erza grabbed her purse and headed out while I went to the guild. Erza had upped her Bridesmaid count from four to five after her and Kagura became 'sisters'. So now I had to narrow down my groomsmen. The guild was kinda quiet with all the girls out helping Erza.
"Laxus." I took a seat at the bar "A moment."
"What?"
"I…uh…will…you?"
"Spit it out."
"Will you be my best man?!"
He stared at me "Yeah sure."
"That…wasn't so hard." I mumbled "Now to find four more."
Gray was an obvious choice and he quickly agreed. If Gray was in Natsu wanted in as well.
I don't have many other friends besides those two.
"I guess I could ask…better than nothing."
"Why are you staring at me?"
"Gajeel…old buddy old pal." I threw my arm around his shoulder.
"What?"
"I need another Groomsman and you're the only other guy in the guild I'm really friendly enough with."
"So I'm just what's left over?"
"Well no…but we are friends, right?"
"Whatever."
"So you'll do it."
"Whatever."
"Great." I gave him a thumbs up.
"Whatever."
After Gajeel I hit up the communication Lacrima and called the only other man I knew would probably say yes.
"Hello?"
"Sho I need a favor."
Lauren's POV
Before we hit the boutiques, we all went out for lunch. I didn't think that this many people were coming. It was just supposed to be me, Red, Lucy, Mira, Cana and the catgirl. Now Kagura, Levy, Juvia, Michelle, and Wendy had all added themselves to our outing. The amount of people caused our meal to be full of conversations about stuff.
Eventually we did get to the dress shop. Not only did Red need an actual wedding dress the bridesmaids needed dresses as well.
"What about this one Erza?" Mira suggested.
"I'll try it on."
Erza went into the dressing room and left the rest of us in the waiting area while. We all chatted and waited for the big shot to come out.
"Why are there so many people here?" I mumbled.
"I came for the free champagne." Cana said picking up another glass.
"Cause Erza invited us." Lucy said "I believe you're the one who wanted to come on her own."
"Why did you even come anyway?" Millianna asked "I didn't think you and Erza really got along that well."
"We don't." I smirked "But I couldn't miss the chance to see the look on her face if she tried to put on a dress that didn't fit."
I suddenly felt sick to my stomach.
"Uhh."
"If you say one thing that isn't a compliment, we're going to have a real problem."
I turned around in an almost robotic fashion; Mira was staring holes in me.
"Yes Ma'am."
The door to the changing area creaked open. Erza stepped out in a beautiful dress. It was pure white mermaid style dress; it had lace and sequins all over. It covered most of her body so only her arms were showing.
"Well?" Erza stood on a pedestal "What do you think?"
"It's nice." Mira said "But…it's not very you."
"You look very pretty Erza." Wendy said.
"It's okay." I mumbled "A little too tight if you ask me."
Mira slapped me upside the head and glared at me again.
"This isn't it." Erza said "I'm gonna go try something else on. You guys look for dresses if you want."
Erza went back to the changing room with a different dress. I looked up and realized I was getting the stink eye from the whole room.
"Girls…" I chattered my teeth.
"Do you have some kind of problem?" Cana growled at me.
"What is your problem with Erza?" Millianna hissed.
"I have no issue with Red." I told her "It's just fun to push her buttons."
"Well stop it." Levy stomped her foot "We're here for Erza stop trying to make this about you."
"Today is very important for Erza." Mira said "Don't you dare ruin this for her."
"Got it." I gave her a thumbs up.
"Bitch." I mumbled under my breath.
"What was that?!" Mira glared.
"N-nothing."
The door opened again and this time Erza stepped out in a gown like dress. It was a corset like top with a big bell like lower half.
"Reminds me of how I used to dress." Michelle giggled.
"How does it feel Erza?" Lucy asked.
"Hmmm…" Erza bit her lip "It's just not right…"
"Makes you look even bigger than you normally are." I said "The bottom is too big and the top is loose."
I went up behind her.
"You tied the corset wrong." I said pulling the strings "I'll fix it."
I laced up the corset and started trying it.
"Too tight." Erza groaned.
"Nonsense. Your marrying my brother you gotta make the girls look good."
Cleary this still wasn't the dress for Erza but I was enjoying pushing her buttons a little. When she went back I got another talking to. Erza tried on dresses for hours but she didn't like any of them. Lucky the Bridesmaids picked out their dresses.
"It's getting late." I whined "Can we go."
"You can go whenever you want." Mira hissed at me "No one wanted you here anyway. Not with that attitude.
I jumped up and stomped out.
I'm…not crying!
Erza's POV
"Nothing is right" I said looking at the millionth dress in the mirror.
I stepped out in another mermaid style dress. The girls all said I looked pretty but this still just wasn't right. I was surprised though when I wasn't harassed or back handedly insulted this time.
"Where'd Lauren go?"
"She went home." Mira said "Good riddance if you ask me."
"Mira…"
"What's with her?" Lucy added "If she doesn't get her way she throws a fit."
"Not to mention the way she throws herself at men." Juvia added "Juvia has been forced to be extra vigilant around Gray-Sama."
They all started to say mean things about Lauren.
"SHUT UP!" I snapped "All of you shut up!"
"Erza…" Mira mumbled.
"How dare you!" I yelled taking the dress off "Lauren is our guild mate...and soon she'll be my family! How dare you talk about her like that?!"
"But Erza." Levy said "She's always so rude to you. I thought you'd be the one who hated her the most."
"All of you just get out of here." I said "We're done for the day."
I left the room and went outside.
"Erza wait!"
"Leave me alone!" I snapped at Millianna.
"Meow."
After all this time…I still couldn't find the perfect dress
I went through town. I stopped at our old apartment. I knocked on the door but no one answered.
"Lauren." I said softly "Can we talk."
…no answer…
"Lauren please."
"WHAT!" she snapped throwing the door open.
I gasped, she was a mess. Her hair was all messy and her makeup was running. There were still stains on her cheeks.
"What do you want?" she growled.
"May I come in?"
"Why? So you can insult me like all those other girls."
"So you heard them." I lowered my head.
"Yeah I heard them. Calling me a whiny baby saying I throw myself at men like some slut…I really thought this guild was better than that, I thought for once I could actually make some friends."
I stepped in and hugged her.
"What are you doing?" She said her voice sounding strained.
"I'm your friend." I said.
I felt my shirt start to get wet and I saw she was crying again. Lauren explained that the whole time she was with Raven Tail only one person ever called her a friend. She thought that when she joined Fairy Tail people would start to like her, it was the guild of her family, she thought things would change. She's uncomfortable around other girls and doesn't know how to make friends so she just did what came naturally...insult me.
"Come on get dressed." I said.
"Why?" she sniffed.
"Let's go to the guild."
Kanji's POV
The guys were screwing around like men are apt to do when the women aren't around. We were having a good day till all the girls got back and put the stop to our fun. I was looking forward to seeing Erza but she didn't come back with the others.
"Mira where's Erza?" I asked.
"I'm not sure." Mira explained "She couldn't find a dress and then she stormed off."
The doors of the guild creaked open again and this time Lauren and Erza walked in. My sister looked…wrong. Erza came over to me and asked me to come with her.
"What's up." I asked sitting at a table.
"It's your sister." She said "She…had a pretty crappy day."
Erza explained to me what had happened. I wasn't very happy.
"Lauren's a big girl." I said "She can handle this."
Lauren was sitting alone just tapping her finger on the table, totally zoned out.
Lauren's POV
They're all just staring at me. Probably talking about me again.
I was drawing on the table with my finger.
I can bend the will of any man but I can't seem to get a single girl to be my friend. What do I do wrong…?
I wish Flare was here.
I heard the weight of the table shift and I looked up. That model, Mirajane, was looking at me.
"What." I mumbled.
"I'm sorry." She said "I…I was extremely rude earlier, please forgive me."
She reached out and grabbed my hand.
"I'm so sorry. I don't know why I said those things. I was just defending my friend and I got out of hand."
"It's fine." I mumbled.
This is just some bull shit apology to try and make me feel better.
Mira placed a box on the table.
"Here." She smiled "The other girls and I got you this. We wanted to say sorry."
Now they're bribing me.
I unwrapped the package. It was a beautiful golden necklace with the guild's symbol on the pendant.
"We're sorry." Lucy said sitting next to me "I hope you can forgive us."
"Let's be friends okay." She smiled.
I felt my hands start shaking.
"Please don't cry." Mira begged.
"I'm…just so happy…" I tried to cover my face "No one ever wants to be my friend."
I felt Lucy's arms wrap around me "Let's just put this behind us."
"Crap…" I sobbed "My make up's gonna run."
That made her laugh.
"Here I'll help you put that on." Lucy said locking the necklace.
"Looks perfect." Mira smiled.
The other girls came over and apologized. They said they didn't really mean what they said they were just frustrated with how I had been acting.
"You don't all have to say sorry." I said "I wasn't being very nice either. From now on let's just be friends okay!"
Kanji's POV
After that Erza and I went home. The house was quite, just the two of us. We laid on the couch and talked.
"See." I said "It all worked out in the end."
"Yeah." Erza said lying on top of me.
"Ugh." I groaned "Did you gain weight?"
Erza slapped my chest.
"I was joking!"
"I cannot believe you." She pouted.
"Come on." I said pulling her face close "I'm sorry."
I slowly kissed Erza and she started to giggle.
"What's so funny?" I asked.
"Nothing." She said "I love you."
"Love you too." I said kissing her again "Let's go to bed."
"What?!" Erza blushed.
"You know what I meant." I growled "I'm tired I wanna sleep."
"Yeah me too." Erza said "Lucy picked out a job for us tomorrow. So we'll have to get up early."
"Great." I said "What is it?"
"Something about Bacchus."
AN
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Till Next Time