Bells and Tales

Chapter 3

"Let's," Mirajane repeated. "Let's hear all about your foray into married life. What? You get drunk at a bar once and marry some-"

"Elfman's proposed to me now, oh, four times," Evergreen said, not looking at Mirajane as she stared at the younger women. "And you know what? We're still together. It just-"

"What?" Now, Mira had heard a lot of bull come out of Ever's mouth before, but that was just one thing that she could not accept. "Elfman has not proposed to you. He-"

"I think I'd know a little bit more about the subject than you, Mirajane."

"No way. There is literally no way that Elfman would propose to a woman and not tell me. Four different times. I refuse to believe-"

"What did he say?" Lisanna only stared at the other woman with interest. She was a little shocked by the admission, but was still far more interested in herself than anything else and the problem that was currently befalling her. "The first time you said no? Or any of the times?"

"She's making it up, Lisanna," Mirajane said. "Because she doesn't want you to marry Bickslow for whatever silly reason-"

"I'm trying to help her, Mira," Evergreen told her with a frown. "If you really don't think you should do this, then don't. If he loves you, it won't matter. I mean, seriously, I turn Elf down every time he-"

"When?" Mirajane wasn't backing down. "Tell us. Right now. About all the times he's-"

"The first time was a year ago," Evergreen said then, talking right over the other woman. "And we were at dinner at a restaurant and I saw him pulling out the ring and, before he could ask, I flat out told him no. And of course he cried and got really upset. Wouldn't go home with me that night.

"But then I saw him the next day at the guild and he didn't want to talk to me, but you know I can make him do anything. And I explained that I'm just not interested n marriage. But I'm interested in him. And that I wanted our relationship to stay the way it was forever. Why mess up a good thing? You don't fix what isn't broke, do you?"

"That makes sense," Lisanna said slowly as Mira only rolled her eyes. "But how come he asked you again? The other times?"

"You know your brother. He keeps thinking that if he just does it a certain way, if he catches me at the right time that I'll say yes. But I won't. Ever."

"Why not?"

Evergreen only smiled at her then, softly. But then again, the sunlight was the only thing lighting the room and it was rather feint. Maybe she was really scowling at her.

Yeah, considering who it was, a scowl was much more likely.

"Because, Lisanna, I know that it's not for me. I love Elfman, as much as I hate to say it. And admitting it is a big step for me in general. If I had to actually…marry him, I would only feel panicked and insecure about it. Our relationship would be ruined."

"Just by a title?" Mira asked with a frown. "I mean, you guys already live together. Share money. You're overly committed to one another. So what? He calls you his wife and suddenly you can't handle it?"

"Mira-"

"Then I challenge that you don't really love him."

Ever frowned, turning then to look at that Strauss sibling.

"You think," she began, "that I would ever admit to something like that, if it wasn't true? What does Elfman bring to the table, Mirajane? Huh? What exactly does your brother have that I would possibly ever want?"

"Well-"

"Nothing. At all. I don't know why I want him. Or why I've continued to. But I do. So I stay with him. Because I do love him. And if you think-"

"Okay, okay, enough," Lisanna groaned, rolling her eyes. "Leave Ever alone, Mira. And…and I don't know, alright? You guys aren't helping anything. At all. You're just mixing me up even more."

Mira only sighed. "Do you wanna talk to Bickslow?"

"I-"

"What do you think he's going to tell you? He's going to try and talk you nto something that you don't want to do-"

"And what are you doing to her, Evergreen? Trying to talk her out of something that we've planned since we were kids-"

"Planned? What have you planned? You already got your dream wedding, Mirajane, so I don't know why you're so insistent that she-"

"I had my wedding, fine, but I've always want Lisanna to be happy too. And if you weren't so stubborn, Elfman could be-"

"Elfman is fine. So-"

"I know that he's not, Ever. I mean, what kind of a woman plays with a guy like that? Making him propose four times, apparently, and continuing to-"

"I told him from the start that I didn't want to get married! He knew it!"

"Then cut him lose so he can find someone that-"

"Don't you dare tell me-"

"I think you two need to have your own discussion, far from me," Lisanna told them, taking to tears once more. "Or did you forget that this is about me?"

Mirajane huffed then as Ever only narrowed her eyes before glancing at Lisanna.

"You're right," her sister said slowly, going to throw an arm over her shoulders. "I'm sorry. This is about you."

Evergreen only glanced at the closed bedroom door before back over at the sisters.

"If you're not going to do this, Lisanna, we need to know soon," she said. "Before things go any further. So we can tell everyone. I mean-"

"Do you really think I should do it?" Lisanna glanced at Mirajane then. "Because-"

"I do," she told her nodding her head. Then she smiled at her. "I think that you're just nervous and scared. That's all. But trust me, this is the right thing. Have I ever let anything bad happen to you?"

"N-"

"Well," Ever said slowly, looking off then as she stared out the window. "You did take her out on a job that was way too dangerous for her and Elf leading to her practical death-"

"Is there something I should know, Ever?" Mira asked. "Why are you so against-"

"I know what you told Laxus, Mira," she said, raising a finger in an accusatory way then at the other woman. "About me. So don't even-"

"What are you-"

"Don't pretend. You told him that he should really rethink my placement on the Thunder Legion. That I'm not that committed to the team and-"

"I did not. I only said-"

"Yes you did. You-"

"Even if I did, which I didn't-"

"Did too."

"-would you really be willing to ruin my little sister's wedding day over it? I mean, honestly? That's low, Ever."

"That's not what I'm doing," she insisted. "I said from the beginning that this wasn't the right thing to do. That Bickslow's crazy and Lisanna's too immature to be married. That they only-"

"Okay, I change my vote to doing whatever Mira thinks is right," Lisanna spoke up then, glaring at her brother's girlfriend. "I'm not immature. I-"

"Lisanna," the woman groaned. "You just admitted to us that you two play with toys in the bathtub. Are we really going to fight over whether or not you're childish? Really?"

"…It's quirky," she said softly, looking off. "Like how you and Elf have big huge fights just to get turned on-"

"We do not-"

"Or how Mirajane cuts Laxus toenails for him and cuts up his steak."

"I only do that because he won't unless I do. And the steak is just because I don't want him to choke. He always bites off more than he can chew. Literally. And-"

"So see?" Lisanna shrugged her shoulders. "We're not childish. If anything, it makes us compatible. That we both do that. Because we bring out silly things in each other. Like how I don't mind walking around with him when he has his helmet on and I think that his babies are cute and he likes the way that I get scared of silly things and…and…and… We totally belong together, don't we?"

Ever was still seething though.

"I don't get turned on by arguing."

As was Mirajane.

"If I didn't do it, he would choke. Would you guys rather that? That he chokes? Because-"

"I'm doing it," Lisanna said softly then before glancing up at the two of them. "I'm getting married. To Bickslow. Today. And by tomorrow I'll officially be Mrs.-"

"Seriously, would you rather he choke? Huh?"

"We only fight because he's so stupid. Really. Not anything…kinky."

Giggling, Lisanna head to the door. She was almost to it too, preparing to open it, when something stopped her. Glancing back at the older two women, she asked, "So what exactly did happen, Ever? Between you and Laxus?"

She glanced at her then, finally tuning in again before turning her eyes to Mirajane and glaring.

"Your sister here told him-"

"I did not," Mira insisted. "Seriously. Why would I-"

"I don't know, Mirajane?" Ever took to crossing her arms. "Why would you?"

"I honestly don't know, Evergreen. So if you would kindly refer me to whatever it is that has you so upset with me about-"

"Yesterday, up at the guildhall, Laxus and I were talking and he was a little drunk, so he started blabbering."

Mira only nodded slightly. That was his usual intoxicated MO. Spill as much dirt about others as possible.

"At first, he was complaining about Bickslow and Lisanna and how much money the wedding was costing him. Then he started in on you and the fact that you had told him that he couldn't drink last night. He was outraged or something that you put a restriction on him. When I kindly reminded him that you usually do that, he took to cursing at me."

Right. Another one of his signature drunk moves.

"Which would have been fine, had he not then started in on how you, Mirajane told him just last week that I wasn't good enough for the team. And that-"

"But I didn't say that. Why would I?" Mirajane only stared at her. "I never talk badly about-"

"Don't bullshit me, Mira." Ever had her no nonsense tone then and, even though it wasn't directed towards her, Lisanna prayed not to be turned to stone on her wedding day.

Wedding day. Ha. The jitters were fleeing and that butterfly feeling was returning. It was finally happening! She was getting married to Bickslow. And they were going to be Mr. And Mrs.-

"I'm not," Mira insisted. "I wouldn't-"

"We're not up at the guild, so cut the innocent shit, alright? So just tell me what it is that you don't like about me. Huh? I thought that we were remotely friendly towards one another, but-"

"I consider us actual friend, Evergreen," she said. Then after a moment, she took to pressing a finger to her lip and cocking her head to the side. "At least I did before I found out that you totally have been playing Elf all this time. Really, I thought that you cared about him, but-"

"I do, Mirajane. Or were you not listening?"

"I was and all I heard were your excuses for why-"

"They're not excuses! Marriage only drives people apart. It-"

"Is that what you honestly think? Huh? Because look at me and Laxus. It's only made us closer. Or Natsu and Lucy. Or-"

"None of those marriages have been for over, what? Two years at the most? Big deal. Real marriage though-"

"It's just like I told Lisanna, Ever. There's no guaranty in anything. Marriage included. But that doesn't mean that you just avoid it for your life. It means that when you do get married, you try your hardest to-"

"But what if I can't? Huh? What if I'm not good en-"

And then Ever caught herself, her arms having fallen as she finally let something lose that she had no doubt been holding onto. Mira's eyes widened as Lisanna only sighed and dropped her hand from the doorknob.

They'd be staying in the dark room for a few more minutes, apparently.

"Why would you think that, Evergreen?" Mirajane came closer to the woman, but she only turned her head.

"I don't. At all. I'm the best that your brother's ever going to get and he should be lucky-"

"You're right. And he is lucky. Very lucky. And I also know that he's more devoted to you than Laxus ever has been to me. Because he knows that. That he's lucky."

Frowning, Ever glanced at the other woman. "You think that then? That Laxus isn't devoted to you?"

"Not the way that Elf is with you," she told her. "I mean, you're the only one that could make him act the way he does. You-"

"Laxus treats you better than anyone he ever has in his life, Mira."

"You-"

"Seriously. I mean, don't tell him or anything, it'll only feed his ego, but I…when we were kids…"

"If you're about to say that you were into him, believe me, we all know," Mira said with an eye roll.

"Just that I wished that he'd treat me the way that he does you. He just doesn't, like, find you hot or something. He respects you, Mirajane. And your magic, most importantly. He thinks that you're a competent mage. He-"

"And he doesn't you? You're a part of the Thunder God Tribe. The people he trusts with his life. He-"

"According to you, I shouldn't even be in it," Evergreen commented then, bringing the conversation full circle. "I mean, Mira, I can't believe that you would say-"

"I didn't!"

"Sure."

"Seriously. Why would I ever-"

"Uh, guys?" Lisanna spoke up once more, finally. It was only her freaking wedding day… When the older two women glanced back at her though, she merely said, "Have you ever considered the idea that Laxus just got confused?"

"What do you mean?" Evergreen asked.

"When he gets drunk, yeah, he makes fun of people and berates them, but he also gets tongue tied a lot. You know? Not to mention he makes stuff up all the time, just to make people angry with one another. He likes doing that."

"But-"

"And sure, fine, he usually wouldn't make something up involving Mirajane because, well, it's Mira, but still. He was drunk," Lisanna reasoned. "And you already said that he was upset with her about telling him that he couldn't get drunk. So he probably thought that he was getting back at her at the time. And then he woke up this morning, hungover, and clearly forgot all about it, seeing as he hasn't mentioned it to either of you. Huh?"

Ever and Mira glanced at one another then before the takeover mage smiled.

"Really, Evergreen," she insisted. "I know you might not think of me as one, but I do consider you a friend. A close one! And…and I know you might think that you're not good enough or that Elf'll change or you'll change, but how will you know unless you try? Wouldn't you rather know for sure that you weren't any good as a married couple than to always wonder?"

The woman only adjusted her glasses. "Well…I suppose that Strauss isn't the worst last name in the world."

Then Mirajane was giggling and moving to throw her arms around her. "Then you'll do it? You'll say yes when he-"

"He'll be so emotional that he might even ask me tonight," she giggled as she slowly moved to hug Mirajane back. "Don't tell him, but I really think that Evergreen Strauss doesn't sound half bad."

Mira only giggled as she released her. "Better than poor Lisanna. She's going to be Mrs.-"

"No," Lisanna cut her off, though she was staring at Evergreen. "He cannot ask you tonight. This is about me. Not-"

"Oh, Lisanna," Mira sighed, rolling her eyes. "Who knew you'd be such a diva?"

"Honestly, you're doing yourself no favors here," Ever agreed though she only went to throw an arm around the younger woman before moving to open the door. "Now let's go check on the boys, huh? Now that all the hysterics are gone?"

Giggles once more from Mirajane as she went to join them, taking one of Lisanna's hands. "Yeah. Let's hope they haven't killed each other yet."

"We can only hope."