M for violence and sexual content.
Gold Hour
Torch flame cast shadow demons on the ground. They were brazen and lapped at the crunchy blades of dead grass and, when that wasn't enough, grabbed at the tattered boots on Natsu's feet. He'd had Happy procure them from a vagabond on the street corner that morning, beginning a plan he had been stewing on for days. Weeks. Months. Years, maybe even. They fit him badly and were bulging at the seams. The previous owner had much wider feet than he did.
"Your Highness—"
"I told you not to call me that, Happy. Not ever but especially not here."
"Natsu," Happy reiterated. "This is a really bad idea."
"So you've said."
"What's his Majesty going to think?"
"Zeref is going to think the same thing he always does," Natsu emphasised. "You're impulsive Natsu. And bored. Take a wife, Natsu. Have children and you'll no longer have the energy to bother me, Natsu."
"Does he actually say that?"
Natsu chose not to answer. Most of his attention needed to be spent navigating the wasteland of scrubby meadow and sparse trees. He came up a huge hill and the ring he'd heard whispered about around the castle came into view. He could feel the cheers of men reverberating right through his bones and wanted more than anything to be there, not to cheer with them but to be cheered for.
On his way down the hill, he parted with the jacket he'd brought from his time training to be Captain of the King's Army. The title had been stripped of him before he'd ever gotten it. Too impulsive again. He didn't think things through. Charge first, plan after. It got men killed.
He was still waiting to see who would be named his predecessor.
He got closer and the unmistakable sound of flesh hitting flesh gave him a thrill. Happy took the jacket from his hand and looked at him critically. "You're serious about this?"
"Deadly."
"He's going to find out you were out here."
"So what?"
"So he'll close it down," Happy reasoned. "He'll put you in his throne room every day to listen to people complain. Or punish you in some other way."
He was so bored lately, he didn't care. "I'll deal with that if the time comes."
Happy sighed. "At least fix your hair. People will recognize you."
He was right. Natsu stopped outside of the clearing and used his magic to raze a sapling to ash. He then combed it through his hair to hide the colour and thusly his identity. "How's that?"
Happy fixed his hair some then smeared more on his face to make him less recognizable. "Passable. Let me go in first. I'll arrange the fight for you."
"Not a chance," Natsu said. The last time he'd had an idea like this he'd wanted to go to Blue Pegasus, a pub by the docks. Happy had accidentally let slip a Your Highness and he was ferried out by Master Bob and escorted back to the castle with a plethora of armed guards well before he could even order a beer. Heaven forbid the Crown Prince didn't have an army at his feet at all times.
The fight was won and the crowd cheered. The announcer went into the ring and stuffed the winner's palm with a roll of cash. The man grinned. His teeth were bloody but all there, his knuckles bruised and split. He was shirtless and barely any sweat beaded his skin. His last opponent hadn't given him much of a fight.
The announcer asked, "Any sad sack among you wish t' challenge our reigning champion?"
"I will," Natsu said loudly and clearly.
"Who spoke?" The announcer searched over the heads of the crowd.
"Me." Natsu held his breath stepping into the ring of torches. If anyone recognized him now, it'd be all over.
Your Highness and Crowned Prince were not spoken, though women whispered about the breadth of his shoulders and all of the teeth still in his head and the men chortled at his stature. It was true, the reigning champion was taller. His beard and hair was salt and pepper. His skin was knotty with scars. He looked like a hardened warrior. He didn't have the pleasure of training with the King's Army, though.
A woman circled the inside of the ring with a pot outstretched. She collected bets and wrote down people's names and amounts. The flickering torches made molten gold of her hair. Her expression was sombre when she'd finished and finally looked at Natsu, just a glance, then she was through.
"'Til knockout, men. Winner takes all. Loser gets her lovely company if ye can pay," the announcer grabbed the girl around the shoulders and pulled her into his side.
"The loser gets to take her home?" Natsu didn't understand.
The woman's eyes flashed. "The loser gets his wounds stitched up if he's not an unsavoury beast." Her voice was a sweet whiplash.
Natsu's opponent said, "I'm doomed to forever be longing for you, Lucy."
"You can't always win, Gildarts." She was a bit sassy. A bee with honey.
Gildarts asked, "Is that why you always bet against me? You think the streak's got to end?"
"Maybe I just don't like you." But she smiled. Natsu willed her to turn it on him.
The announcer squeezed Lucy's shoulders. "Enough botherin', girly, you'll distract them."
"Yeah. Let's just fight," Natsu said. His entire body was buzzing with energy. He wanted this. Needed this.
Gildarts shook his head slowly. "You rush, you lose, kid. Always."
"You haven't fought anyone like me."
The announcer backed up and took Lucy with him. The crowd cheered for his blood. Natsu got low to the ground and studied the way Gildarts moved. He was a lefty but that hand was badly torn up. Chances were, he'd lead with his right. Natsu had a rule about that, though. He always struck first.
As soon as the announcer blew his whistle, Natsu moved. All of his frustration, all of his prickliness, all of his anger, it all bubbled up to the surface and he used that to propel himself forward.
He planted his left foot and swung with his right hand. His face flamed and then he saw black.
And toffee. And ivory. And gold. Gold. Gold. Molten gold and marigold and creamed gold and sunset gold. Gold had a name and it was Lucy. Gold opened a Celestial Gate for a powerful spirit and she was not gentle, though Natsu was sure Happy had paid her to be. Gold fixed his broken nose and left him laying in crackly grass. Gold left him and made him feel poor.
A/N: I've been sitting on it for a while but woke up with an undeniable urge to write NaLu and no drive to work on Brimstone. SO here you go. The plan may be to write a few 500 (1000?) word chapters. Light and breezy. No pressure. Thanks for reading.