Of Fire and Ice

C.41

A few hours later, Lucy and I were in costume and ready. We stood at the front door, near the closets and smiled kindly at people and took their coats. After a while, my smiled turned fake and I was tolerating everyone with great effort.

Grey came over to tell Lucy and I to get in the ballroom where the party was being hosted. He walked us there, his arm around my hips. "Are you okay?" He asked and I nodded. "I'm fine." I said with a smile. "Henley, I know you, and right now I know you're lying." He looked at me with serious eyes.

"I'm... I don't know. Stressed? Pissed off? I just want to get the job done and get out. My face hurts cos I've been smiling so goddamn much." I said, leaning my head on his shoulder as he pulled me into a hug. "Anytime you want to, just pull me into the bathroom." He said and I laughed and kissed his cheek. "I may take you up on that offer." I said.

"Just not now." He whispered in my ear, making me giggle. "Guys, really?" Lucy sighed. "Sorry." I straightened my face out. We made it to the ballroom and I smiled widely as I watched Natsu pull Lucy to him and tell her she was adorable. She blushed and I grinned. "You shut up." She snapped. "Well, he's not wrong." I shrugged.

"You should have a double wedding." Erza spoke up and I choked on my breath. Grey patted my back as I coughed and my eyes watered. "Bit soon for that, huh?" She smirked and I glared at her.

George Martins got up on a small stage and started a speech for his brother, who looked a lot like him. "I've also brought some friends along for entertainment purposes." He said smiling at us. I leaned over to Natsu and whispered, "try not to burn anything down, okay?" I smiled and he scoffed and nodded.

He called up Erza first, who changed into a bunch of outfits and showed off her fighting skills. Then went Lucy, who just called up some of her spirits to do shit for her. Then went Natsu, who blew fire fucking everywhere, then Grey, who made pretty shit with ice, and then Harley, who got some inanimate objects to do her bidding.

"And lastly, Henley, who's voice is so amazing, it's practically magic itself!" George said and stepped up on stage. "He flatters me. I'm actually another fire dragon wizard, like Natsu, but I guess George wants me to sing tonight. And I simply can't refuse him." I smiled over in his direction.

I took a second to think of a song, then cleared my throat and held the mic in front of me on its stand.

"And another one bites the dust
Oh why can I not conquer love?
And I might have thought that we were one
Wanted to fight this war without weapons
And I wanted it, I wanted it bad
But there were so many red flags
Now another one bites the dust
Yeah, let's be clear, I'll trust no one

You did not break me
I'm still fighting for peace

Well, I've got thick skin and an elastic heart,
But your blade - it might be too sharp
I'm like a rubber band until you pull too hard,
Yeah, I may snap and I move fast
But you won't see me fall apart
'Cause I've got an elastic heart

I've got an elastic heart
Yeah, I've got an elastic heart

And I will stay up through the night
And let's be clear, won't close my eyes
And I know that I can survive
I'll walk through fire to save my life
And I want it, I want my life so bad
I'm doing everything I can
Then another one bites the dust
It's hard to lose a chosen one

You did not break me
I'm still fighting for peace

Well, I've got thick skin and an elastic heart,
But your blade - it might be too sharp
I'm like a rubber band until you pull too hard,
Yeah, I may snap and I move fast
But you won't see me fall apart
'Cause I've got an elastic heart

Well, I've got thick skin and an elastic heart,
But your blade - it might be too sharp
I'm like a rubber band until you pull too hard,
Yeah, I may snap and I move fast
But you won't see me fall apart
'Cause I've got an elastic heart
I've got an elastic heart..."

I finished, singing slower than usual, and everyone broke out in applause. My cheeks were bright red, I could feel it, and I was going to step off stage when the audience called for an encore.

I looked at the others, who called for encore too. I moved back with a small smile on my face and started another song.

"Mama said, 'You're a pretty girl.
What's in your head, it doesn't matter
Brush your hair, fix your teeth.
What you wear is all that matters.'

Just another stage, pageant the pain away
This time I'm gonna take the crown
Without falling down, down, down

Pretty hurts, we shine the light on whatever's worst
Perfection is a disease of a nation, pretty hurts, pretty hurts
Pretty hurts, we shine the light on whatever's worst
We try to fix something but you can't fix what you can't see
It's the soul that needs the surgery..."

It was one of the best moments of my life.