This started off as an anonymous request, but I liked it too much. There probably won't be too many chapters overall. I still expect it to be over 10k when it's done, though.

(It's a modern au, by the way.)

Enjoy!

Morbid fascination suffused Jellal as he looked over the stylized envelope in his hand. Having arrived in his work mail that afternoon, it was printed on thick stationary, scented with something distinctly flowery, and embossed with his name in swooping letters. Which could really could only mean one thing.

Wedding invitation.

He'd been dreading this for some time; ever since she got engaged, in fact. It was somewhat inevitable that he'd get an invitation, as he'd attended their engagement party. Hell, he'd been the one to introduce them, in fact! Somewhere in the back of his mind, though… he'd guiltily wished for it to fall apart before reaching this point. Had almost expected it to. They were just so… different from each other. But it was a selfish wish – he was well aware of that – and the universe had denied his version of reality most readily. Had before, and would continue to do so.

This was really happening, then.

Erza was getting married.

The woman he still carried feelings for had moved on from him long ago. His own fault, really. Actually… both of theirs. Being together seemed to bring out the worst in both of them. Although they had loved one another fiercely, they were puzzle pieces that didn't quite fit together perfectly. Sure, they could force themselves to, but it was a painful experience for them both, and in the end, they had decided that they would be happier with romance out of the equation. It was the only logical choice. Their friendship still worked. Just their romantic relationship had not.

Somehow, Jellal's heart had never quite gotten that particular memo.

A knock sounded on his office door before he could drum up the resolve to open the envelope and see the date. Relieved at the distraction, Jellal set it down on his desk on top of a magazine and the rest of his mail. "Come in," he called out.

A blonde head sporting a side ponytail poked into his office, and Jellal found himself smiling at the timely appearance of his coworker. "Lucy. What's going on?" The woman was two years his junior, but they'd both started working at the observatory around the same time so they had become fast friends over their mutual love of the stars and similar senses of humor.

"Got a favor to ask," she told him, opening the door further and fully stepping into the room.

This was a familiar refrain for Jellal. They'd covered shifts for each other more times than he could count. Had given up counting, for that matter. Neither kept track of the favors owed the other anymore. It just wasn't practical, and besides which their friendship wasn't based in tit-for-tat.

"Perfect timing," Jellal responded. "I've got one to ask of you as well." He picked up the wedding invitation and waved it in the air. "Going to need you to cover a shift for me, probably."

She grinned at him. "Same here, actually. Got a wedding to go to."

Jellal froze, his hand and the invitation held perfectly still in the air. "A wedding?"

"Yeah, for some old friends of mine and…" Lucy's voice trailed off, her eyes finally zeroing in on the envelope in Jellal's grasp. "Wait a minute…" She let out a gasp of disbelief. "You too?! No way…"

"Erza and Macbeth?" he asked weakly.

"Yeah!" Throwing her head back, she let out a long laugh. "Wow, it really is a small world. How long have you been friends with them?"

"Macbeth since college," Jellal admitted. "And I've known Erza since childhood." Though neither had been by conscious choice, if he were being honest with himself. Both friendships had just sort of… happened, somehow. Macbeth had needed some looking after, and Erza had always liked to mother Jellal. In hindsight, it was obvious that the pair would click as well as they had. "And you?"

"Through mutual friends. I was Natsu's roommate in college, and he introduced me to Erza. Erza and I hit it off pretty quickly from there. I didn't meet Macbeth until pretty recently, though."

Jellal nodded, familiar with the fiery-spirited firefighter with locks of fluorescent pink. It was a wonder that the stylistic choice was even allowed, but he'd long ago given up questioning how Natsu accomplished things.

"So…" Lucy peered at him, trying to size him up. "How is it that we've never crossed paths at one of the group get-togethers? They throw them constantly. You'd think we'd have noticed each other there after all this time."

He shrugged, just as perplexed by this as Lucy. And then like lightning, inspiration struck him a split second after. He let out a low groan at how simple the answer was. "Because we've been covering for each other at work this entire time."

Lucy thought about it, her face scrunched up in thought. "Holy crap," she breathed out in shock. "I think you're right."

They stared at each other, and then simultaneously burst into laughter at the ridiculousness of the situation.

"I mean…" Lucy wheezed, holding her sides, "What are the chances, even?!"

"Pretty slim," agreed Jellal.

Wiping a tear from her eye, Lucy observed, "I guess getting you to cover my shift for the wedding is out of the question."

"It would appear the same for me."

Lucy held up her arms in a helpless gesture. "We'll have to figure something else out, then." A devious smile stole across her face. "Hey, here's an idea. How about we go together? We'll both be leaving from here, anyways. May as well share the cab fare, you know?"

"Sounds good to me," Jellal found himself agreeing. Just a few minutes ago, he couldn't imagine himself going to the wedding with anyone. But if it were Lucy… well, if it were anyone, he was glad it was her. Small talk with Lucy was never as difficult as it had been with Erza. He thought he might be able to have fun at the wedding after all.

"So… childhood friends, huh," Lucy said with a grin. "I bet you've got all sorts of juicy stories to tell about Erza."

"More than you realize. She's my ex, too," Jellal found himself offering, without intending to. It was just so… easy to bare his soul to the blonde. She had her own baggage in life, he could tell. They'd never discussed it, but thanks to it, she always seemed able to understand him even when he didn't himself.

Lucy's eyebrows shot up at the revelation. "Oh, wow. Exes. Now this is a story I need to hear." Pausing for a brief moment, she then asked, "So… how about you and I go get drinks after work today? We can hash out the details about the wedding, and you can tell me more about you and Erza."

Her eyes were warm, and kind, and very difficult to say "no" to.

So he didn't.

"Sure," Jellal said, smiling back at her. "I'd like that."

"Great! See you later, then!" Lucy turned to leave, but paused upon seeing the magazine on his desk upon which the invitation had formerly lain. Her hand darted out, snatching it. "Ooh, I've been meaning to read this one. New Hubble photographs!" Tucking it under her arm, she gave him a short wave before exiting. "Bye, Jellal!"

Jellal stared dumbfounded at the casual thievery Lucy had just perpetrated against him. Then he let out a snort. He knew where to find it again if he needed it. And it wasn't as if Lucy would destroy it before he got the opportunity to read it.

He sat back down at his desk, and finally opened the invitation. The elegant calligraphy proclaimed the happy couples impending nuptials, with a preciseness and neatness to it that meant that neither Macbeth nor Erza had written it themselves and had instead paid extra for the printing. It brought a smile to his face that not even the date could dash.

Four months from now, he would be attending Erza's wedding. Before a few minutes ago, he probably would have spent the entire day debating whether or not to go at all.

Now the only question on his mind was what kind of wedding gift was appropriate to give to one's ex, and if maybe there was a handbook for this sort of thing because he had no earthly clue.