Rory was surrounded by the frivolity and joyous cacophony of the occasion. She had been the one that was somehow assigned to decorate the guildhall in the streamers and balloons. She didn't understand the why of it but she felt she did a pleasing job. Of course, no one really seemed to be paying attention to the decorations. Everyone was guffawing or cheering on the happy couples.

Over the course of the first half an hour the wine glasses were chimed probably twenty times already. The blonde bride, Lucy, had swollen lips. The bluenette bride, Levy, couldn't seem to stop blushing. But it must be nice to have this. This camaraderie alone was something to celebrate.

Rory felt like she spent a majority of her life on the outside looking in. The only two people she felt she could really trust were her brother and her teacher. She couldn't help but ask herself; what would it be like to be a part of something like this?

Somehow she noticed a loose bolt in a beam above the heads of the happy couples. How it drew her attention she did not know but she sent her magic through her and discreetly fixed the potential problem. Yet, no one would know how she helped in that matter. She sighed and walked up the stairs to watch the merriment unfold.

Laxus didn't know what was compelling him. Per normal he took a stance against a post and watched with seemingly uncaring eyes. Of course he did truly care, but having a miscreant louse for a father left something to be desired and unfortunately became an outward frame to the pictures of the thoughts that formulated in his mind.

Laxus had found himself constantly glancing at her in his peripheral vision. He couldn't stop seeking her out. She looked amazing. She had to be wearing one of Mira's dresses, because the style was infallible. It hugged her curves in all the right places. When she was wearing the armor her curves were masked behind the metal. But now, there were on full display and he found those curves were making his mouth water. He discreetly cupped his chin as if in thought but truthfully he was just double checking that he hadn't drooled on himself.

The dress was an emerald green and it suited her freckled honey skin. But it also brought out those fascinating compelling eyes.

Laxus groaned as he started to grew even more uncomfortable in his own skin. He turned his head back to the festivities. He was truly happy that the two dragon slayers had found their mates. He would have to ask his fellow slayers at a later time what it truly entailed.

Laxus smiled when his gaze landed on Wendy. Across the room, from where he stood, the smallest dragon slayer was dancing with Romeo. The boy was teetering on unsure feet. The girl was just giggling gaily despite the boys uncertain movements.

Laxus moved over to the two and whispered something in Romeo's ear. The boy blushed but became more sure of his movements.

"Leading the lady in a dance is manly," Elfman proclaimed at a nearby table.

"Then why are we still sitting here at this table?" Evergreen uncharacteristically mumbled. She was following a groove in the table with her finger. She would never openly admit to hoping the man would ask her to dance. Heck, she wish the big ogre would just admit his feelings already. The sneaking around was becoming cumbersome.

Freed came up and poked her on theshoulder. "Would you care to dance, Ever?"

"Hey! If anyone is dancing with Ever it's me!" Elfman interjected and pulled her onto the dance floor.

Mira came up behind Freed. "Thank you for doing that."

"Hmm, but now I am truly wanting to dance. Perhaps, you would now like to be my partner across the floor?"

Mira blushed prettily and gave Freed her hand. "I would love too."

The time had come to throw the wedding bouquets. Laxus took a spot at the foot of the stairs, leaning against the wall. He didn't care to take part in the traditions about to occur. His grandfather, Master Makarov was nervously biting his teeth on the sidelines.

"What's got you so nervous, Gramps?" Natsu asked. He gazed lovingly at his new bride.

"Erza is going to tear apart the guild hall attempting to catch the bouquet."

"Er, that is something to be terrified of," Gray articulated.

"Droopy eyes, you seem to be missing your clothes."

"Ack!"

The women all lined up. The guys on the sidelines were pretty terrified. The girls meant business.

When Lucy threw her bouquet Erza made a mad dive for it. She hit her head against a pillar but the bouquet was clutched to her chest. "See, I told you that pillar was my rival!"

"But Erza, this is an entirely new guild hall. It's not even the same pillar," Mira protested. But Erza was semi-unconscious and incapable of a response.

When Levy threw her bouquet it landed directly into the hands of Mira. Mira blushed and sniffed at the flowers. But then she noticed the young dragon slayer trying her best not to seem upset. She went over to the girl, hugged her, and without comment gave her the bouquet.

"That was a sweet thing you did, Mira." Mira only smiled back at Freed's compliment.

Now Master Makarov was chewing his nails even fiercer because it was time for the grooms to throw the garters. Luckily the two biggest demolition oafs were the ones flinging the garters but there were still plenty of men that could easily tear the place apart.

Natsu grinned mischievously at Lucy as he pulled off the garter...with his teeth. Lucy was blushing fiercely. Her mouth silently formed the words, "I will get you back later."

Natsu kissed her cheek and whispered in her ear, "promises, promises."

Natsu flicked the garter through the air and it unceremoniously landed on Gray's head. Gray grabbed it and a moment of panic seemed to cross his face because he feared the water mage was going to do something drastic.

Juvia was having some difficulty keeping herself at bay. She was torn between bliss and concern. But bliss was outweighing it a bit because 'love rival' was no longer a rival at all.

Gajeel felt like the collar of his shirt was suffocating him. He looked at Levy and apologized with his eyes. This was not something he wanted to be doing with a bunch of onlookers but it was tradition. Levy hiked up the left side of her dress. He reached up and shimmied the garter down her leg, trying his damnedest to not think about said how said legs were gorgeous. Trying to not focus on his brief view of lace he unintentionally glanced at the apex of her thighs. By the time he flung the garter his face was redder then Erza's hair.

Said woman cheered when she came back to consciousness and found the bouquet ceremoniously on her chest.

The garter sailed threw the air. It shot above all the men awaiting for it's descent. Several attempted to jump at the soaring object. But the item landed directly at Laxus' feet.

He bent to retrieve the piece of lace and scoffed outwardly. The universe trying to tell me something?

I'm amazed at how well this chapter went over as I was writing it. I was kind of dreading it a bit. I had changed my mind so many times on who would catch the bouquets. When my husband noticed I had Erza catching one of them he said that she should make an attempt for both. I saw his point but I just deemed it unfair so I knocked her out instead. Hopefully that didn't seem too off. I wanted to make a nod at the previous rival gag.