Mating Season (Mostly Chendy, Erlu, Canajane)

Chapter Thrity-Seven

The reception was definitely... interesting? Well, that technically described it, but the best word for this situation would definitely be hectic. There was a crying Gildarts, an ecstatic Lisanna, a very angry Elfman that wished to seek revenge (Erza had had to physically restrain him), an equally distraught Evergreen (restrained by Natsu), and general weird reactions from the rest of the guild. But what else could you expect front their guild? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Wendy spent most of the party shielding a very surprised Chelia from the brunt of everyone's insanity. Natsu and Gray somehow got into a fight halfway through and were knocked unconscious by an irate guild Master. Erza had been very pleasant the whole reception... that is until someone knocked over her strawberry cake. Lucy had had to distract the redhead long enough for Mirajane to sprint and find her another in the back, leaving a very put out Cana (who still had a wailing father beside her). All in all, it went better than expected. There were only two spontaneous combustions (sudden fires). A new personal best of the Fairy Tail guild (a fact that left Chelia very shocked and worried when Wendy told her it proudly). Now the hour was waning, although many still drank and celebrated (including Cana, Mirajane sighing sufferingly by her side), and many were leaving for their homes or apartments. Wendy, clearly worried for Chelia (who was still clearly not okay with the hectic reunion), led her girlfriend out as soon as someone else had left, not having wanted to be rude as the first to leave. Even when Wendy was worried she tried her best to be polite, something that left Chelia giggling fondly.

•••

Wendy and Chelia walked down the pathway hand in hand, Carla passed out exhaustedly in Wendy's other arm. "WenWen, I hate to ruin the moment... but I have to leave soon." Wendy's head snapped around and she looked at her Mate with wide eyes. She had completely forgotten just how temporary Chelia's visit was. It made her feel almost empty inside, thinking of her literal soulmate leaving. Wendy took a deep breath and forced a, very, strained smile onto her face. She may have had trouble, but she had always been adept at hiding her sadness. "I know, Chelly." She whispered. "I'll miss you." Wendy wished to beg, to plead with Chelia to reconsider and join their guild. But she knew she couldn't. Chelia, although she was dating Wendy, was her own person. She had to make any decisions on her own... even if Wendy would prefer to kidnap her and keep her at Fairy Tail forever. Chelia glanced over at her and suddenly there were tears in the girl's eyes. Wendy felt worry spike inside her. Had she done something? Had she appeared not to care? Wendy had had to try very hard not to break down into tears. "But I don't know how long I'll be at Lamia Scale! My cousin's getting married and I think she wants to join Blue Pegasus with him! And Blue Pegasus is so far and I don't want to leave! But my friends are at Lamia Scale! And what if they never speak to me aga-" Wendy stopped and Chelia was suddenly tugged backwards, not having seen the Sky Dragon Slayer stop walking. "Chelia, nobody can tell you what to do with your life except for you. If you want to join Blue Pegasus with your cousin, then do it. If you want to stay at Lamia Scale, then by all means stay." Chelia looked at her and Wendy felt herself blushing suddenly as the third option hang in the air above them, unsaid. "But what if I never see Sherria again?!" Chelia cried worriedly. Wendy looked into Chelia's eyes, calming her without having to say or do anything. "Life is short, Chelia. You make the best decision available to you and you don't look back. There's no point in doing so." Chelia looked into her eyes and silently contemplated the three options that were there before her, like three forks in the road all leading to unknown and terrifying destinations. Which one led to joy and which to disaster? There was no way to know until you opened one. But that was life. You can never know what's going to happen... but where's the fun in knowing every little detail? There was none. Life may be scary, but it was the fear and chance that gave life that sweet taste that let you know you were truly living.

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Cana, drunk as the night was late, slurred her words as she looped an arm around Mirajane's shoulders. "Hey, Mir." She said, laughing for no apparent reason. Mirajane looked over at her and let out another suffering sigh. "Cana, I think I should get you to bed." Cana laughed and nodded at the comment, making Mirajane blush. "Come on. You're far too drunk." Cana made a whining sound and Mirajane rolled her eyes. The pair walked down the pathway, Cana trying to stumble down the road. Mirajane held her steady, a surprise to any that saw them considering just how intoxicated the brunette was. "Hey, Mir," Cana slurred. "Yes?" Mirajane asked placidly. "I know I say it a lot, but I love you. I don't think we ever really talked about just how much all a this is. I mean, I'm your soulmate!" Cana gestured quite wildly at the last word and Mirajane found herself giggling. It was quite the shock to see Cana so incapacitated from alcohol considering just how much she drank. Her tolerance was usually superb. "It's like... we're lucky, Mir! We found each other and we got together and all! Look at us! We get to spend the whole rest of our lives together!" Cana was still slurring, but Mirajane was able to understood what she said by some miracle. Perhaps it was because, as a bartender, she was used to speaking to those that had one (or in this case perhaps ten) too many drinks. Mirajane couldn't find the right words to respond with. She was rendered speechless, something that only a few people had ever been able to make her, as she looked at her Mate. She wasn't sure what to think. Was this just drunk Cana... or was there something behind those words. She felt as if there was something profound within that statement and found herself agreeing with it. "You're too drunk to remember this." She finally said. Cana laughed, this time more of an intoxicated giggle, and leaned against Mirajane further. "Not true! I'm very good at remembering stuffs." Mirajane gave her an amused eyebrow raise. "Of course you are." She said with fainted sweetness. Cana made a 'pfft' sound and Mirajane chuckled as she guided Cana gently down the road. She couldn't help but think about what Cana had said, however. She was right. They were a couple... one that were soulmates, practically, of all things. What was she supposed to do in this situation? They were going to spend forever, or however long the crazy people of Fairy Tail lived, together. She found herself thinking down that train of thought... and suddenly she found herself thinking of making it more... legal... her mind turned the gears and she found herself grinning. Perhaps what Cana had said would be something important that they were supposed to remember for the rest of their lives... even if Cana most likely wouldn't recall it in the morning. But that wasn't the point. The point was the thoughts that she had set off within Mirajane's mind. Thoughts that she hadn't truly considered in her wildest fantasies before. Life was strange like that. Sometimes it opened a window for you to crawl through, and sometimes it sent a drunk to bust down a wall Koolaid man style.

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Lucy smiled as she and Erza made their way down the sidewalk to their apartments. Lucy found herself remembering how she had been able to stop Erza from going to fight in the all out brawl. It had been such a simple, couple-ly thing to do, and yet it had made her feel all special. Once Erza wanted to fight, nobody stopped her. Not even Erza had that kind of power. And yet Lucy, someone who figured herself far less powerful than Erza, had been able to calm the Mage down and let the other guild members escape with all of their limbs unscathed. That was no small feat. Erza glanced over at her and raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Lucy?" She asked. The blonde looked up and her and smiled. She knew it was such a classic, small moment, but the didn't care. Cliché or not, Lucy was still happy at the simple interaction. She couldn't imagine that, even one day in the future when their lives had passed calmly (as calm as Fairy Tail Mages could live, that is) and they had reached retirement, there would come a time in which Erza would lose the ability to make Lucy feel so special from such a simple interaction. That was something that was oddly comforting. One day, she was sure she would look back to this moment and laugh. The kicker was that older Erza would probably be giving her the same adorably confused look that she was now. Erza was like a bolder, strong and unable to be swayed when she made up her mind... and yet somehow Lucy had found herself lucky enough to wear away a small niche for her to live in Erza's world. She couldn't imagine anything greater than that. Erza raised an eyebrow and Lucy chuckled, grabbing onto the redhead's arm and putting her head on her shoulder affectionately. She was about as dense as a rock when it came to emotions, but that was alright with Lucy. Maybe that meant that Lucy could help her with something for once. That had been the whole lesson they learned from the fake kidnapping, right?

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Laxus walked down the road with his trademarked 'I don't care' attitude, his long jacket drawn over his shoulders with his arms crossed without going through the sleeves. (A/N: Idk how he doesn't lose that fancy jacket. Just saying) Freed walked beside him happily. It was such a mundane thing, Laxus walking him home, but Freed had always found himself wishing that he would have the chance for it to happen. It was weird. When you wanted something so badly, you started to imagine the most simplistic parts of it. Like the pair falling into a comfortable silence and just sitting there without needing to say anything. Like those old married couples that said they could go hours just sitting in blissful quiet, doing nothing but holding the other's hand and thinking. Laxus looked over at him and the green-haired Mage could tell he was probably reading far more into this interaction than Laxus was, but that was okay. They didn't have to think the same thing. That was part of what Freed had been thinking. To be together you didn't have to have the same opinion on everything. Where would the different strengths and weaknesses come into play if you were so boringly the same? Having a partner was about complimenting each other, giving each other strength and guarding the other's weaknesses. Freed was, quite clearly, a hopeless romantic at heart. Freed grabbed onto Laxus's arm and pulled himself closer, burrowing into that overly dramatic coat that Laxus always wore. The blonde looked down at him and Freed just smiled back up. Laxus rolled his eyes, but didn't say a word. Freed thought for a moment about what Laxus would do if anyone else touched coat. It was quite the terrifying thought and would have scared any logical person to death just thinking about it. But, love was known for making you quite illogical. Freed, for once, found himself thinking that the lack of logic was a good thing rather than a bad.