Chapter 18

"I believe congratulations are in order, Mr. and Mrs. Dreyar. May I see the ring, my beautiful granddaughter-in-law?"

Lucy could almost swear that she slid out of the wooden seat. "W-What?"

The Master kept shooting her and the completely silent Laxus beside her a proud expression, and a very huge grin. The Master awww-ed before adding, "There's no need to hide it. I'm not going to be angry or disappointed. You and my idiot grandson are already adults, and can think for yourselves. I only wish to know the details."

Lucy once again glanced at Laxus. He was staring midair with a stupefied expression on his face. Lucy felt her eye twitch in irritation. 'What the hell?! He's leaving me here hanging!'

"Lucy, my child," the Master probed with a very hopeful glint in his eyes.

"W-What about the m-my t-training as a t-t-tactician?" Lucy stuterred.

"Oh, pish-posh. I only said that so I can dismiss Cana," Master waved his hand, and Lucy could just feel her jaw dropping. "Now, do paint me a picture, my child. Describe to me how your wedding went? Is it a spur of the moment kind of thing? Did you do it in a cathedral or in front of a judge? Or were you able to get Her Majesty Queen Hisui to officiate the ceremony? Am I now allowed to call you Lucy Dreyar? Are babies already on the way? If I may, would you name one of your kids after me? Will you be redoing your vows in front of the guild at a later time?"

Lucy felt heat immediately shooting from her neck to her face. Unable to contain the embarrassment anymore, she fisted her hands and punched Laxus in his shoulders to wake him up.

"Laxus!" she hissed.

"W-Woah!" Laxus rocked in his seat.

"Glad to have you back, Laxus," Master deadpanned. "I sure do hope you could redo your vows here in Kardia Cathedral so that Fairy Tail can share in one of the most important milestones of your lives! Scratch that, I'll be inviting all of our affiliated guilds!"

"Gramps!" Laxus exclaimed, sitting up to calm his grandfather. He put his hands on the Master's shoulder to settle him down. Then, Laxus returned to his seat.

"W-What?" Master looked at them back-and-forth, his expression confused and lost.

"Gramps," Laxus tried again. "Lucy and I are not married. It was just a coincidence that we met in Crocus. I was there for Iv…dad, remember?"

"Oh," Master whispered, his eyes downcast as his shoulders slumped slowly.

The light that twinkled in the Master's eyes a while ago somehow dimmed, and Lucy felt the disappointment in his voice and gestures. Something broke inside the old man.

"And Lucy was there to meet with her publishers," Laxus cast her a meaningful look, as if to ask for her permission to divulge some information about her visit in Crocus.

Lucy nodded her assent, but she could still not shake the feeling that they had somehow failed Master. Granted, it was the Master who had some sort of expectations, but seeing the old man so defeated also broke something inside her. Lucy put her hand over the Master's. "We're sorry that it's not what you were expecting, Master."

"Oh, well. It's alright," Master gave a watery smile, chuckling to himself. "Maybe it's because of the age catching up to me, that I'm feeling this way. I'm sorry for jumping to weird conclusions."

Lucy once again met Laxus' eyes before she replied. "It's not so weird of a conclusion, Master."

"What?"

Master met her gaze, his eyes were once again bright if not momentarily confused. Laxus also stared at her with a flabbergasted expression, and Lucy felt her lips curved upwards. "I said it's not so weird."

"You don't mean-"

"What are you doing, Blondie?" Laxus interrupted.

"We should probably tell him," Lucy grinned at the blond.

"What is she talking about, Laxus?" Master asked Laxus in a cautious voice. "Laxus?!"

"Pipe down, Gramps," Laxus waved at Master. "Are you sure about this, Lucy?"

"Yes, Dear," Lucy felt giggles bubbling inside her.

"Lucy, my child. Are you saying-"

"Yes, Master. Laxus and I…we are well…Laxus has expressed his desire to court me."

Tears seemed to gather in the Master's eyes. "Oho! Oh, my gods! Oh, my child." Master then climbed up the table and hugged her.

Lucy lightly stumbled at the force of the Master's sudden movement.

"Does this mean that I can still attend your wedding?" Master bawled. "And be there with you as you achieve each and every milestone?"

Lucy felt sweat dripping down from her temples.

"Gramps," Laxus probed. "One step at a time, okay?"

Laxus cast her a meaningful gaze, and Lucy returned it with a gentle nod and knowing smile.

"Besides, Lucy hasn't given me an answer yet," Laxus grinned. "Blondie's taking her sweet ass time postponing the inevitable."

"Really?" Master's were filled with wonder and curiosity. "Is that true, Lucy? Whatever your conditions are, I'll whip and shape up my idiot grandson to be worthy of you. Just say the word!"

In all honesty, Lucy expected herself to be quite nervous when talking about her and Laxus' relationship in front of the Master. Never did she imagine that the Master would be very cordial and welcoming regarding their news. It was for this reason that Lucy was able to chuckle without any worries. "You don't need to do that, Master. I assure you Laxus is a good man."

Master hugged her once again. "Thank you, my child. But if I may, would it be alright with you to call me 'Gramps'? If that's not too much?"

Lucy lightly patted the older man's shoulder. "Okay, Gramps."

Master beamed as if he had won something.

"Ahem, Gramps," Laxus coughed to get the Master's attention. "I will be meeting with Team Thunder so that we can formalize our training schedule."

"Ah! Yes, yes! Certainly, you may now go, both of you. Sorry for holding you up," Master said as he patted Lucy's arm as if to gesture for them to exit.

"And these are mine," Laxus stood up and took the binder and folders from the table. "I don't know about you, Gramps, but my team will crush those losers," he smirked.

Master waved them, smiling all the way even as Lucy gently closed the door of the Guild Master's Office.

"Courtship, Blondie?" Laxus quipped beside her as they took to the stairs. "You couldn't just say dating? What are we, ancient people?"

Lucy glanced at the man, smiling. "I don't know about you, Blondie, but dating is too casual of a word. I don't do casual ."

Laxus looked gobsmacked for a second before he burst laughing. "I never imagined that you're that eager to get married to me. Must be the Laxus Charm. "

It was her turn to look gobsmacked…gobsmacked and utterly speechless.

"Ha! Yes, Blondie. I know what courtship means and what it ends with," Laxus comically accused her. "I just never pegged you to be into marriage. I thought you hated marriage, seeing as that's one of the reasons you ran away."

"Hey!" Lucy lightly punched him in his bulging biceps. "I'm not against getting married. I'm against being forced into marrying someone I don't hold romantic feelings with. There's a difference," she shrugged.

Laxus had been silent for a few moments, until they had finally reached the ground floor of the building. There were only a few guild members that littered the space. Perhaps, the S-Class Promotion nominees had already begun their training with their respective S-Class Mentors. Lucy began scouring the area until she found Wendy and Romeo sitting in one of the chairs. They were talking animatedly…and shyly?

'Well, Laxus said that we're going to train as an excuse to get away from the Master. We might as well turn it into a real thing,' she thought.

"Lucy," Laxus called after her.

"Yes?"

"If you meant courtship with me…wait, does that mean you…" A faint trace of a blush appeared in the man's confused face before it disappeared.

Lucy felt heat creeping up her cheeks with all the embarrassment. Laxus is far too smart not to notice the meaning behind her choice of words; but, she will not waste this opportunity to tease the man. "Enchanted now are we, my Dear? Must be the Lucy Charm. "