Eavesdropping on the conversation was not on Erza's agenda as she wandered throughout the inn, looking out for any last-minute issues.

The moment she heard Jellal positively affirm his intentions to get married, she lost her composure and bolted away from the bar. From the corner of her eye, she saw him swiftly turn towards her and the woman internally screamed in embarrassment. What if he decided to refrain from proposing because of this? Jellal would be the first in line to misunderstand her actions, and Erza could not stop herself as her thoughts began to travel in different directions, with each one ending in a scenario worse than its predecessor.

She knew about his intentions well before that day. At times when she would steal glances at him when they went out on dates, she would often spot him fumbling something in his pocket before giving up with a defeated look. She would often spot it poorly hidden in his suitcase when they travelled out for missions, and she spotted the glint of the ring last night.

But she was not as crass to steal a look at the ring. That had to remain a mystery to her until the right time. As tantalizing as it was, she knew she had to wait until he plucked up the courage to ask her to marry him.

Erza plodded along, before stumbling upon Mirajane, who was in a frenzy as she made last-minute decisions about the right hue of blush for her cheeks. She was surrounded by the usual bevy of beauties who looked absolutely astounding, dressed to the nines for the special day.

The moment the bride gazed upon Erza, she shot up in a fit of rage. After all, the Requip mage's eventful nighttime activities spread through rumours, and Mirajane herself was foolish enough to assume her best friend would be busy with anything else that night.

To her surprise, she did not present herself like the last bench in a detention room, and even if she was sore, she did manage to avoid an obvious limp in her footsteps.

"I came prepared!", Erza explained, and put her hands up in surrender. Mirajane did not need to ask her question as her eyes spoke for themselves.

Mirajane hissed at her, knowing her foolish facade would eventually break down, and she would embarrass herself in front of everyone, but gave up without hesitation knowing well that she would not be able to break through Erza's thick skull.

"You guys, can you leave me alone with this woman?"

"Oi oi oi, Mira. Are you guys gonna have a secret conversation on the wedding night? Loop me in as well. I have tons of experience and -"

The dark-haired woman was instantly chucked out of the door, and the rest of the women followed suit as they stifled their laughter at the whole scene that looked as if it had come to real life from a comic book.

"It is MY wedding, but I still have to listen to others on how to braid my hair, what accessories to wear, and what to do. If I had my way, I would rather get married in my barmaid clothes"

A soft smile broke out on Erza's face as she heard her best friend complain for the umpteenth time about how annoying it was to get married.

"Years down the line, you will understand why everyone keeps nagging you about dressing right and wanting everything to be perfect. Today is the one day you can see yourselves in a different setting for once. Just put on a brave face, or think of how annoyed Laxus might be at the moment and you will do fine", she reassured Mirajane who raised an eyebrow.

Erza's smile dropped as she could almost feel the next question waiting at the tip of Mirajane's tongue.

So, when is the day when I tell you the same filmy dialogue as you throw a fit?

But the Takeover mage knew better than that. It would be like twisting a knife inside her wound, and as much as she liked to tease Erza, asking that out loud would be objectively cruel.

"Don't make that face", the former replied with a forlorn smile gracing her face. "That does not suit a troublemaker's personality"

She wanted to press further and retort but gave up as she saw Erza throw a lifeless grin. As much as she denied being impatient, Mirajane knew that her best friend was waiting for the day Jellal would ask her to marry him. Trying to act indifferent towards the situation only made it worse for her as the sharp teeth of jealousy hit Erza yet again as she saw Mirajane in the magnificent white dress.

"There is no rule that the guy should be the one to propose. Why can't you ask him to marry you? I doubt he would reject you and neither would you throw away the opportunity?"

Of course, she knew she was right! Mirajane never knew why she had to wait for so long when Erza could seal the deal in a moment.

Yet again, she shook her head, but a soft simper escaped her lips.

"It has always been me, Mira"

Her face dropped yet again, and her smile was replaced by a soft grimace.

"I initiated our first kiss, I asked him out, I was the first to drag him out on a date, even the time he took my virginity, I was the one who took the first step..."

Silence followed her words as Erza tapped her foot impatiently, thinking about how to proceed with her words. Mira could say nothing else, but she wasn't exactly surprised by the last bit.

"For once, I want him to initiate. I know how much he values me, but I want to hear it just as much. It has always been me taking the first step, and him reciprocating my affection.

I still believe that a part of him thinks he doesn't deserve me. It is infuriating, but he needs to realise this on his own.

That fool...he has been running around with a ring for more than a year, but he hasn't plucked up the courage to ask me. I have feigned ignorance this whole time and I can't say I'm the best actress, but I know I cannot put up with this farce anymore"

She turned back towards Mirajane who was almost dozing off with a blissful smile. With a growl, she flung an empty water bottle towards the bride who narrowly dodged it.

"If that...had hit me..."

She did not say anything else and the two women had a massive standoff at the spot before both of them gave up.

"At first, it was rather weird for us as well. We started off as friends, didn't we?

I always thought I saw Laxus as my family and not someone I might marry. When I realised it and asked him out, he avoided me for almost an entire month.

You know it better than anyone else. You were the one I complained to. All I am saying is that some people need more time to realise their feelings.

I'm sure it is the same for Jellal and he'll come around before you know it. If he has been running around with a ring in his hand, he has made it up that you are the one for him. All he needs to decide is whether he deserves to be around you"

With a frown on her face, Erza opened her mouth to tear her words apart before Mirajane raised her hands in surrender.

"You cannot make that decision for the two of you. He needs to realise it on his own, and it is perfectly fine to feel upset, disappointed, and frustrated because of it. But if you are adamant about wanting him to propose, you should be patient enough to wait for him until he is sure he will not regret marrying you. Do you think you would be happy with your marriage if Jellal still had some doubts? Can you bury your doubts, and even if you manage to do so, do you think you will be peaceful? "

Erza dug her nails into her palms in frustration. She hated the fact that Mirajane spoke nothing but the truth and all she wanted was for some excuse to pop up so that she could direct her anger on it.

"Fine. For my sake...throw me the bouquet. At least, I will be able to cope with it"

Mirajane bit her lip, doing her best to avoid throwing her head back in laughter, but Erza caught it without hesitation.

"Don't laugh, bitch! You don't know how stressed I am! I'm pregnant and by the time he asks me to marry him, I would be an old hag! If by some miracle, he proposes in a couple of months, I will have to stand in the aisle with my gut sticking out like a beer belly. I am screwed either way and I still haven't processed it!"

"What stress are you talking about? I am literally getting married right now! I can't even go on a proper honeymoon and before I know it, I will be back here, dealing with you fools, and listening to your sexual adventures with a straight face! I am the one who has to put up with your random fights, and I am the one who has to clean up all of the broken barstools and mugs!"

The duo glared at each other for a solid second before breaking out in laughter. Their problems wouldn't vanish with their laughter, but they found solace in each other's company for the umpteenth time, but even the worst of torture would not let them admit this out loud.

Erza made her way to the altar first and stared at the place where Mirajane would be standing with a tinge of jealousy and longing.

Laxus and Jellal followed soon after, and the former was supposed to be the bridegroom, but Erza could not take her eyes away from the next to him.

Why did he have to dress himself like that? More importantly, why did she choose that for him, knowing well that he would look like that?

Jellal was absolutely stunning, and in Erza's exceptionally biased opinion, he was the most handsome man in the room, outshining the bridegroom himself.

"What have you done to your collar?", she admonished and began to adjust it, erasing some non-existent smudges.

Not satisfied with it, she adjusted his hair which was already perfect to her eyes, and moved her hand back to his collar when he grabbed her wrist raising an eyebrow.

The man wore his suit over his shoulders like a jersey, had the top two buttons of his shirt unbuttoned, his sleeves rolled up to his forearms and his hair flowed down his neck like that of an untamed wolf.

It should have been a formal attire-themed wedding, but it was Laxus who had the primary influence. That man would have shot up to his own wedding with unkempt hair, his headphones, baggy pants, and his undershirt if Mirajane had not come in clutch and proposed a semi-casual attire at the last moment. That was enough for Laxus who left the rest of the planning to Mirajane.

The best man of the wedding took advantage of it to the end and made almost zilch attempts to look at least remotely formal.

Her train of thought would have travelled to the next country if it was not for the soft force she felt clutching her wrist.

"Tough crowd, love"

"Can it, lovebirds. This is my wedding!"

Laxus!

He was one of the two stars of the event after all, but at the moment the man was the third wheel in his own wedding.

He threw the hopeless romantics a condescending smirk before adjusting his shirt for the hundredth time that day.

Erza glared at her blonde friend before deftly turning to her right as she spotted people whispering to their neighbours with amused expressions. With an atomic blush covering her cheeks, she yanked her wrist from his grasp before the crowd could make their own fictitious stories about them.

She clenched her fists as she saw a few people glaring and mumbling curses at Jellal. The man in question knew it, and he feigned ignorance yet again.

As always he acted as if it should not hurt him.

But the corner of her eye spotted his hand fiercely clutching his pocket and he turned towards her again as he approached her.

"When this is over, I will be waiting for you next to the koi pond. There is something I must do", he whispered into her ear and Erza froze on the spot. She scanned his face to see any signs of him lying or playing a horrible prank, but to her surprise, she found none - not a single sign. With Jellal's minuscule talent for lying, it was obvious - he was completely serious.

The gears of her mind began to overheat, but she managed to put out a single nod.

"Don't make that face, dummy. It...It is something I should have done a long time back"