Natsu has found himself in many difficult situations.
He had lived twenty-seven happy years spreading terror and chaos all over Ishgar and he even reached Alvarez. The rumours that followed his name weren't always the best, but people had enough imagination to make some of them very interesting.
It wasn't that he hadn't thought that his adventures would end at some point, but he at least wanted to spend another twenty, thirty, okay maybe sixty years with Lucy before that. So it was kind of disappointing to be standing on a gallows waiting for his trial to end.
He couldn't help but snicker at the last accusation; kidnapping and corrupting Lady Lucy Heartfilia. Like Lucy wanted his help to be corrupted! When he found her she was already yielding a sword and trying to kill him for leaving her.
A lot of people came out to watch, but the pirate could only focus on the man standing next to Hargeon's Governor; Lucy's father. He was smiling in a way that screamed "I win!" and Natsu could only wish that Lucy wasn't already married to some other bastard.
They had been captured three days ago, while he and his blond-haired beauty were having fun in the city. Someone recognized Lucy as the lost heiress and immediately called the authorities. They were ambushed before they could reach their ship, which was hidden somewhere off the actual port.
Outnumbered by the soldiers, they were immediately separated; he took in prison and waiting for trial and she returned to her father, who just so happened to be spending his time in the port town. Natsu knew that Lucy would much rather die than see her father, so he could only wish she didn't try anything risky while they were separated.
Since he promised to never leave her again and then kissed her like there was no tomorrow, their relationship had been perfect. She loved him and he loved her and they made sure to show it whenever and wherever they found a chance. Natsu still flinched when he thought about the time Erza caught him pining Lucy on a door and kissing her senseless. He had a scar or two decorating his body from the harsh beating he received for besmirching her virtue, as the redhead had put it.
Even Gray and Gajeel threatened him that they'll castrate him if he ever treated her badly; they had taken the role of the older brothers too seriously after they grew to know Lucy better. Now that he thought about it, it wasn't only those two that treated Lucy like a little sister; even Laxus had a soft spot for her. But who wouldn't have wanted to have any kind of relationship with her; she was the brightest star ever existing and she belonged with his family.
Speaking of them, he missed them. People had gathered to watch his execution but they weren't family; not that he would like his friends to watch him die but he wasn't used to their absence. Natsu just hoped they went and rescued Lucy, she didn't deserve the life her father forced upon her.
"Natsu Dragneel, son of Igneel Dragneel, known to the Seven seas as Salamander son of The Fire Dragon. The Governor decided that you are guilty of all eight hundred and seventy-one crimes you committed the last nine years, I grant you a minute to regret your actions and then free then world from your presence."
The voice of the Governor brought him out of his state and the pink haired Captain felt for the first time the thick rope weighing him down. Deciding to not let the opportunity go to waste Natsu raised his head high, capturing Jude's attention in the process.
"If you insist then I want to say that I regret only two things in my life. Not keeping my promise twice and leaving Lucy behind, is for me the most important."
"And the second Captain? I'm sure everyone would love to hear what you have to say." The Governor questioned mockingly.
"That is for Luce to hear only." The pink haired man stated as he was shoved on the unstable part of the gallows.
Never taking his eyes of Lucy's father the young man didn't even blink when his eyes were covered by an odd smelling fabric. No one will ever know what he wanted to say to Lucy, nor will they see the single tear that threatened to spill as he waited for his executioner to finish him, thinking about his friends and the love of his life.
"For the Captain!" Natsu jerked his head to the side when he heard the familiar voice, followed by an uproar of yells of agreement and other unrelated things that his comrades came up with. The pink haired man could have sworn he heard someone yelling "For kiwis".
Within minutes his crew had managed to spread chaos all over the square. Natsu would have given up his treasure if it meant he could see the expression on the Governor and Jude's faces as his crew filled the place. Trying to get away from a man that grabbed him from behind, the Captain blinked as the fabric was removed from his eyes and light filled his vision.
"Still alive Flame Brain?" Gray questioned his friend with a raised eyebrow as he removed the hood that hid his identity. The man disposed quickly the rope around his Captain's neck, seeing as soldiers moved closer and handed Natsu a spare sword he carried with him.
"I plan on never dying Ice Breath." Natsu replied relieved when the rope wasn't anywhere close to his neck.
"Too bad will have to deal with you more than necessary, Squinty Eyes." Gray sighed in mock defeat as he countered the attack of a soldier when they stepped down the wooden structure.
"I know you enjoy me more than you admit Droopy Eyes!" The fiery pink haired man laughed as he engaged in his own battle; Mavis help the poor soldiers that faced the two men.
"Yeah, because it's better to play with your prey before you kill it." The raven-haired man replied in a rush as he bent to avoid the sword of a soldier, Natsu countering it and pushing away the soldier.
"Like you cou…"
"Will you stop it already you two?" The sudden angry question, more like demand, had both men flinching and turning slowly to see a very angry Erza holding two swords and defeating five men simultaneously while glaring at their direction.
"Yes, ma'am!" They both yelled simultaneously and turned to face off the rest of the soldiers.
"I'll make sure all your friends are captured and hung before you can take your last breath Salamander!" The governor yelled from his spot on the balcony and immediately a bunch of soldiers came out of nowhere and circled the pair.
"Flame Brain, it was nice fighting alongside you." The raven-haired man admitted as he evaluated their chances of surviving.
"Same goes for me Stripper." Natsu answered sincerely as he tried to count how many soldiers were surrounding them. Five held guns and eight swords so their chances of getting out of this alive weren't too high.
"Fire!" The shout was followed by a loud boom from a cannon. Suddenly the gallows was destroyed and wood flew everywhere. Natsu and Gray fell down and the soldiers around them run to cover, more concerned to save their lives than kill a pirate.
The Captain spotted his first mate's body under a big piece of wood a little further away from him and he would have worried if he hadn't seen Juvia helping him remove the piece and stand up on his feet again.
"Natsu!" A familiar voice yelled and he soon felt small arms wrap tightly around his torso. A blur of gold filled his vision and he could clearly recognize the smell of honey and roses that always followed his love.
"Lucy." He mumbled as he wrapped his arms around her and pressed her firmly against him.
"I'm here Natsu! I missed you so much! I thought I'll never see you again!" The girl started rumbling and the Captain knew only one way to stop her. So he grabbed her face and kissed her with all his heart.
"I missed you too." The pink haired man confessed as he looked deeply into her eyes. He loved how she was blushing uncontrollably and he would have loved to tease her about it if he hadn't noticed that a few soldiers were coming towards them.
The two got up immediately and Natsu grabbed a sword that was on the ground as Lucy unsheathed hers.
"You think we can do this?" Lucy asked him when they were back to back.
"You think you can marry me?" The Captain's question let them both speechless. The heiress due to the unexpected way the man proposed and the other cause he was an idiot who couldn't keep his mouth in control; at least not when Lucy was near him.
"Gray!" The yell was unexpected, making the Captain turn to look at his girl. He thought that when being proposed there was only yes or no, not Gray, and why Gray? The colour grey or the stripping Gray?
"Wha…..?" The pink haired Captain started but was interrupted by his first mate.
"Lucy?" The raven-haired man yelled back.
"Marry us!" The blonde heiress replied as she dodged an attack from the right, managing to somehow look Natsu in the eyes as she did so.
"Now?" The first mate required as he managed to hit his opponent in the head with enough force to render him unconscious.
Dodging a punch from a soldier and giving back the same treatment, Natsu couldn't help but let a smirk from forming as he heard Lucy's reply.
"Yes right now, Stripper! Is there a problem?" The pink haired man replied as he delivered a punch.
"Not at all, Flame Brain!"
"Then do your job, Droopy eyes!" The two men shared a look as they finally managed to reach each other and waited for Lucy to come closer.
Natsu couldn't keep his eyes off of her and the sight made him forget how to breathe, in a good way. A fire burned in her perfectly big eyes and her movements were so graceful and powerful that she looked like a war Queen; his Queen.
"Here take this." Gray told him as he handed him two rings which surprisingly were kept in his still on coat. Lucy reached them just in time to block a coming attack and save Gray from being hit.
"Well, we gathered here today…" Gray had to grit his teeth as he countered an attack "to bring together two souls; a caring, loving, joyful, adventurous, bright soul and Flame Brain." Natsu rolled his eyes when he heard that, choosing to ignore him in order to fight back the soldiers that just kept appearing out of nowhere.
"Gray quickly!" Lucy was struggling a bit with the number of soldiers and the extremely tight corset she hadn't managed to take off yet was slowing her own a bit. Noticing that, Natsu made his way towards her easily taking down whoever crossed him.
"Thanks." Lucy mumbled when he stopped a sword meant for her as she tried to catch her breath.
"Fine, but I'm not skipping this… If anyone believes that this two shouldn't be joined together - let them speak now or forever hold their peace."
A chorus of "I do!" followed Gray's words and even the soldiers stopped battling for a moment to look at the pirates in question.
"Gray, just ignore them! I'm not missing my chance with Lucy because of them!" The use of the first mate's actual name from the Captain showed how fed up he was with his crew, so Gray did just that; he ignored them and continued to battle.
"Since no one opposes we continue… Captain Flam… Captain Natsu Dragneel do you take Lucy to be your wife? Do you promise to be faithful to her in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love her and to honour her all the days of your life or for as long she prevents you from dying?"
"Hell, yeah I do!" The Captain replied with a cheeky grin, earning a light punch from Lucy who was standing next to him as their friends created a barrier around them to finish the ceremony without being interrupted.
"Lucy Heartfilia, do you take Flame Brain to be your husband? Do you promise to be faithful to him in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love him and to honour him and not kill him if he is too much of a trouble, all the days of your life?"
"I do!" Lucy replied happily with tears running down her cheeks.
"Perfect! Now exchange rings and then you may kiss the bride." Gray in a rare show of happiness stated as he watched his friends kiss.
The battle continued for a little while with Natsu and Lucy on occasion being congratulated or teased by their friends as they met during battle. Finally, after almost two hours with the fall of the last soldier from Gray's hands – Natsu will later start a fight as the raven-haired boasted about that- the pirates rushed to their ship. They had a party to prepare and the Governor's wine collection just so happened to come with them.
Just something I came up a while ago. I wanted to add something to this story since so many requested for another chapter, but life has been hectic and inspiration sometimes doesn't visit. So I hope you enjoy this as much as you did the first one!
Please leave a comment or anything you like and as always constructive criticism is well appreciated!
Thank you very much for your support.
Love, Cassiopeia!