It had been a week after the incident. Life went on so smoothly in the family like nothing happened at all.

And again, everyone was gathered at the compound.

Why?

Because it was her day.

Lucy’s birthday.

Music filled the halls of the main house.

There was dancing at the center, eating at the tables and drinking as well.

Lucy was dancing with the others. Enjoying herself while Natsu was seated at the corner, talking with the others. He would look at her when he had the chance. He enjoyed it as well.

The music suddenly changed into a mellow rhythm.

A blond man with a white suit on approached her, it was him.

“May I have the honor to dance with you?” Sting politely extended his hands at her.

Lucy gave him a smile and accepted it.

And so they danced.

As they did, Sting knew he had to get answers. In order for his heart to be at ease once again.

“Why did you choose to marry Natsu?” he suddenly asked. His voice was so sure, without a trace of hesitation.

She turned to look at Natsu at where he sat. As she did, there was something in her eyes that seemed to spark. Sting saw this.

“I don’t know…I can’t tell,” she answered with a sweet smile, “All I could say is that I love him. So much that I’d die for him.”

He stared at her. Sting had a last question before he could make up his mind about Lucy.

“If you met me before him…Would you have fallen for me?”

Lucy was surprised at his question. Then she smiled at him, thinking this was another one of his jokes.

“It doesn’t matter who I meet first,” she started, “If I meet him a hundred years from now…I’d still choose to love him.”

She was smiling all the time.

“There will always be him. It will always be Natsu.” Lucy finished.

After looking at her like that and hearing what she had to say, Sting finally made his decision.

He was ready.

Ready to let her go. She wasn’t really his in the very beginning.

.

.

“He has taken such a liking to my wife,” Natsu spoke as he, Lyon, Jellal, and Rogue stared at the two blonds dancing on the floor.

“I’m sorry, Natsu. He-“ Rogue started but got caught off.

“Don’t be. He’s a smart kid. He’d think twice if he wishes to cross me,” Natsu said calmly as he sat with his legs crossed.

“He might be stubborn sometimes but he’s not a complete idiot,” Jellal added with a smirk.

“I’d be the idiot if I said I don’t agree,” Lyon took a sip of his champagne.

Then they all turned to Lucy who started to walk towards them, a bright smile on her face. Like a ray of sunshine.

“Well, I best be taking my leave now,” Jellal stood up and slowly walked away.

“And I as well,” Lyon followed after.

“Then I guess I’ll also be leaving you and Lucy for privacy then,” Rogue said as he stood up and left.

.

.

Sting watched as Lucy happily talked with Natsu.

But what made him stunned was seeing Natsu smile so heartily for the first time.

Just then, an arm draped around his shoulders. He turned to his right to see Rakheid staring back at him.

“I knew it, you love my sister” the other blond smirked at him.

“Correction,” Sting started as he smirked back, “loved.”

Rakheid chuckled at him.

“Alright then Romeo, let’s get you a drink.”

“I’m dying to have one.” Sting lowly chuckled back.

“Don’t worry, we have two things in common,” Rakheid started, “We’re both blond. And we love women.”

“And?”

Rakheid looked at him with a crafty smirk.

“Women love blonds,” he answered.

The other just smirked at him.

And he was back to that carefree version of himself again.

.

.

As Natsu sat back down on the black leather couch, he looked at everyone in the room. Legs crossed with a hand inside the pocket of his trousers and the other on Lucy’s hand as she sat on his right.

“What are you looking at?” Lucy asked as she followed his gaze.

Natsu held her hand tightly as he continued to look before him.
.
.

Then he answered her,

“The Family.”

.

.

END