Gray P.O.V
"I do." Her voice never faltered as her tongue rolled out the three letters that would completely altar her entire future.
She didn't stumble or stutter, and in that moment I felt like it had been us for forever. Gray and Juvia.
Like it was fate.
My thoughts broke apart and scattered from the rumble of applause that followed our vows. Slowly we turned to face the masses. Spontaneously my heart stopped altogether before suddenly kicking into overdrive as her hand entwined with my own. I snapped my head over to look at her in surprise at her actions but I couldn't seem to find it in me to want to remove her hand from my own and instead only squeezed it tighter.
'What is wrong with me, I don't even know this women. She's a complete stranger. Even if we're married it doesn't mean anything.' Though even as I thought this I couldn't convince myself as to why I shouldn't hold her hand. It was a simple gesture and yet it meant so much to me.
I cant help but continue to look at her. My heart suddenly skips a beat again as I see a calm, serene smile forming on her lips. Her eyes are shining and her cheeks are flushed.
She's beautiful.
Finally I let a smile of my own take over my face as Juvia and I make our way to the crowd filled with cheers of congratulations.
Her hand is giving me strength to handle the hundreds of people who showed up for the occasion. I didn't know seventy- five percent of them and if we weren't attached I'm sure that we would have gotten lost in the sea of strangers.
In the haze of confusion, came a voice. A voice I wish I could forget. A voice that caused my very soul to howl in... complete and utter annoyance.
In a grumble that caused Juvia to shoot me a curious look I turned and faced none other than the bumbling idiot of the year himself.
Natsu Freaking Dragneel.
"Hey, Stripper! I Haven't seen you in almost a month! Oh, yeah about that why did you stand me up a couple days ago! Better have been important or I'll beat you into the ground, Freezer Burn!" With every passing second that he spoke I became more and more angry before I finally exploded and we were once again head to head in a heated argument.
"Oh yeah? Is that a challenge Dragon Breath?!" I began to form an ice make position as I shouted back at him.
"I don't know, maybe it is, you pervy popsicle!" Fire started to shoot from his hands as he gripped them tightly into fists at his sides.
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah!"
"ENOUGH!"
A deafening silence fell over the entire backyard. Crickets could be heard throughout as even my own breath caught in my throat. A hand snapped out before quickly smacking both mine and Natsu's head together with a clang. I couldn't help the cry that I let out before falling to the floor in a heap. She soon put her hands on both mine and Natsu's face, keeping us both down in the grassy soil.
"ERZA!" Everybody simulstioudsly screamed before clearing out in a flurry of dust and screams. I looked up just in time to see the once chaotic backyard became silent and empty. I turned my head as far as I could while I lay on the ground and beside Erza was a group of nine-teen people. Out of the nine-teen I recognized four-teen.
First, and foremost, Erza Scarlet, my, almost, sister.
Lucy Heartfilia my other best friend.
Mirajane Strauss my good, childhood friend.
Lisanna Strauss, Mira's little sister.
Elfman Strauss, my big 'manly' oaf of a friend.
Makarov Dreyar, my grandfather.
Loke Leo, my other, other, best friend.
Jellal Fernandez, my good friend and Erza's soon to be fiancé.
Laxus Dreyar, Mira's husband.
Cana Alberona, my, drunk, childhood friend.
Ultear Fullbuster my step-mother.
Lyon Vastia, my step brother.
Ur Fullbuster my step sister.
And Aries Celestial, Loke's Fiancé.
"Oh Erza, your so funny. You, Natsu, and Gray will never change, you're always playing around!" Mirajane was the culprit who spoke, obviously not understanding the situation.
"MIRA! They're not playing around, Erza just smashed my Fiancé's face into the ground!" Lucy's face was one of exasperation as she held her hand to her forehead. Mira soon began to bawl at Lucy's yelling and Laxus immediately made a move to comfort her.
"Natsu, Gray, your both idiots. Not to mention weak if your getting beat by Erza." Laxus spoke in a superior tone that caused my blood to boil.
"Hey, Erza I think you should let them up now." Loke's voice was full of humor as he scratched the back of his head from his place next to Aries.
"I suppose you're right." Ezra's voice was one of calculation before she lifted her hands and dragged both me and Natsu by the back of our suits to our feet.
As I stood on shaky legs I shot a look at Juvia who, instead of fear, was wearing a face that was filled with mirth.
"You okay, Gray?" Her voice held poorly contained humor.
"Uh, uh huh." My voice sounded embarrassed even to my own ears.
"OH LUCY!" Natsu suddenly shot forward and pulled Lucy to him while he complained to her about Erza and I. I shook my head in exasperation, just how old was he?! Telling on them like a eight year old. And all she did was feed into it by running her hands through his hair as she spoke comforting words to him with a blush. As I looked at them, I noticed Lisanna's suddenly down cast face as she too witnessed their actions with one another. I had forgotten that she had been in love with Natsu, but he never had returned her feelings and when he met Lucy, fate was sealed. They were meant for each other.
Suddenly Elfman made his way over to me before slapping both of his hands on my shoulders and screaming, "Now that you're married your a REAL MAN!"
Why? I silently questioned myself, why cant I have normal friends?!
Juvia P.O.V
I laughed as I watched Gray's antics with his friends. I could tell that he loved them.
"Hey Juves, how does it feel to be a married woman, huh?" Cana's voice was slurred as she spoke, already drunk.
"Well I -..." As I began to speak I was cut off by my best friend Meredy.
"Oh Juvia!" She yelled as she threw her hands around me. "I cant believe your married!" I smiled softy as I rubbed my hands up and down her back. As I looked over her shoulder I recognized my other friends.
Cana Alberona, my second closest friend, who had a bit of a drinking problem.
Meredy Sorciere, my best friend.
Wendy Marvel, Gajeel's adoptive daughter, a little sister in a way, to me.
Jellal Fernandez, my brother like friend.
Gajeel Redfox, my other best friend.
Levy McGarden, my close friend and Gajeel's wife.
And Nanny Niji, my, almost, mother.
I was quickly enveloped by all of the girls in a giant group hug that was filled with tears and laughter as the boys only looked on with smiles.
I soon enough became friends with everyone that was at the after party.
I first became acquainted with Lucy. She spent the whole night laughing, her attitude was carefree and happy.
Erza, though she seemed rather scary was actually a huge sweet heart, and we became extremely close due to her immediately taking a liking to me because of my choice of a strawberry wedding cake.
Natsu, who, after throwing his arm around my shoulder, declared that if I ever needed him to beat up Gray for me, he would.
Mirajane, who was as sweet as cotton candy and at six months pregnant, cried at random things.
Makarov, Gray's grandfather, who watched everyone with old, wise eyes.
Loke, who often cracked jokes at both Natsu and Gray from his spot, that was never far from Aries.
Laxus, with his cold exterior that always broke whenever his wife's eyes even began to mist over.
Aries, with her soft voice and kind face.
Lyon, Grays brother, who never failed to express how much Gray didn't deserve me as he declared his love for me.
Ultear, Grays little sister, who at only eleven was a little fire cracker just like her brother.
And Ur, Grays mother, who was stern and sarcastic while she fondly watched her son and welcomed me into the family.
And I knew in those moments, surrounded by those people, that I would never feel alone ever again.
Gray P.O.V
The night was a fun one filled with never ending memories.
Cana got stupid drunk, no surprise there, and began singing the alphabet backwards.
Natsu, Loke, Laxus, Gajeel, and Jellal all began playing hide and seek, in their underwear after drinking too much.
Lucy who started cheering Natsu on with the branches of a tree, swinging them to and fro as she spelled his name, wrong I might add.
Erza, who began baking a mud and grass cake, tears streaming down her face after she ate the entire strawberry cake by herself. Nobody was aloud to have any.
Aries, who after some major coaxing from Cana, drank and soon enough started screaming at everyone because she got crazy wasted.
Makarov, Nanny Niji, and Ur who started to judge everyone as they sat behind the main table, using the wine glasses as gavels. And if you were found guilty you had to take off a piece of clothing.
Levy who climbed onto Gajeel's back and declared that she was never getting off because she could actually see from way up there.
Meredy who fell asleep in a water puddle.
And Elfman who started talking to himself.
It was definitely a night that most of them would never remember but would see due to Mirajane's picture and video taking, because as she put it, "if I cant drink, I'm gonna make the ones who did remember how stupid they looked while they did it."
Juvia P.O.V
"BYE JUVIE-YAAA! I LOVE YOU!" Lucy screamed as she clamored into the car that was taking her home. I couldn't help but laugh at her drunk antics as I stood beside Gray in the doorway of my house. Soon enough her car disappeared into the dark, star filled night .
"You ready Juvia?" Throughout the night Gray and I had become comfortable with one another and there was no unease or awkwardness between us. I felt like I had known him for a lifetime already.
"Yeah, I am." With that he led me though the dark to the car filled with my belongings, and we began the journey to our house.
The ride was short and yet I could barley keep my eyes open during it.
"Here, get some rest. When we get home I'll wake you up." As Gray spoke he lowered me into his lap so that I could lay down and began running his fingers, through my hair. And right before I fell asleep I finally registered what he had said.
Home.
We were going home.
Gray P.O.V
As we reached our estate she still soundly slept in my lap. Not wanting to wake her I simply carried her, bridal style into the house. As I walked through the house I couldn't help but study her.
My beautiful wife.
Finally I reached our bedroom, and I laid her down before going in search of a maid. Soon enough after some wandering I came across a group of women.
I asked two of them to go and if they could change Juvia into her night gown and put her into bed properly without waking her and I asked the other female to go in search of someone who could bring her bags in from the carriage.
After I had finished taking care of Juvia, I made my way to the guest bedroom, not wanting to invade her personal space, and fell into a dreamless sleep.
