Natsu pushed open the door to his favorite dive bar, Fairy Tail. He was tailed by his friends Gray, Gajeel and Loke. Grins and smirks crossed their faces as they took in the scene. The live band was going strong, bottles and glasses could be heard breaking every so often. Arguments and shouting stood above the noise at the pool tables and dart boards. Billiard balls clacked loudly against each other. Whistles and cat calls toward the women in the establishment were followed by laughter when the men were turned down. The smell of sizzling steaks, hot wings, french fries and alcohol of all kinds permeated the air making the males' mouths water. The atmosphere was charged with the promise of a good time. Natsu inhaled deeply as they found an open table.
"God, I love this bar." He exhaled happily.
"Amen to that!" Gray agreed.
"Never a dull moment in this place." Gajeel chuckled.
"Man, it's been a while since I've been here." Loke said. "Not a damn thing has changed. Just the way I like it." He laughed.
"So how long you in town for this time, Lion boy?" Gray asked as they took their seats and ordered a pitcher for the table.
"A couple of weeks. I might be looking to come back perma…nent…ly…" Loke trailed off as his attention was captured by a woman entering through the door with her friends. She had bubble gum pink hair and sparkly brown eyes. She wore a pink and white plaid shirt with her sleeves rolled up to the elbows. Form-fitting light blue skinny jeans clung to her legs and were tucked into light brown cowboy boots. Her hair was pulled into two twin braids that rested against her chest with cute bangs covering her forehead. A golden pendant in the shape of a ram hung from her neck. She was holding the hand of a blonde woman being followed by two blunettes. One hand was fisted by her glossed lips and the fear in her eyes betrayed her discomfort and unease.
"C'mon, Aries! You're gonna love it here! We come every weekend! It's a lot of fun and despite the noise, everyone is really nice!" The blonde said, tugging her into an empty booth next to Natsu's table.
"Yeah, and Wednesdays are Ladies' Night so we get free pool games and half price drinks!" the shorter blunette added.
"Oh, o-ok. Sorry." Aries mumbled.
"There is no need to apologize. Juvia was nervous her first time as well." The taller blue haired woman encouraged as they followed the first two ladies.
The males grinned as they watched their companion follow the women, his body unknowingly leaning further and further in his chair until he had fallen out of his chair. Gray and the others laughed at his expense as he righted himself quickly and sat back in his seat.
"Who is that?" Loke asked, an awestruck look on his face.
"Dunno. I'll ask." Natsu said as Gray pushed Loke's jaw back in place. "Hey, Lucy!" the pink haired male called to the blonde.
"Wait! No! Don't!" Loke protested in a panic.
"Loke Celeste, you're not nervous, are you?" Gajeel teased.
"Yeah, he is. Look! He's blushing!" Natsu goaded his long-time friend.
"No, she looks uncomfortable enough without random guys coming on to her." Loke said quietly, absentmindedly staring at his beer.
"I don't wanna hear it, Natsu. How long did it take you to ask for Lucy's number in high school?" Gray countered, coming to the orange-head's aid.
"Hey! It only took me a week to talk to her!" he growled defensively.
"It took him six weeks, boys." A feminine voice said. They looked up and Lucy was standing at their table. Natsu put his arm around her waist and leaned his head back, puckering his lips with a loving smile.
"Hey, babe." She said as she leaned down and pecked his lips.
"Why you gotta call me out like that?" the pinkette whined.
"Because I almost thought you'd never ask." She giggled. Natsu hooked his thumb in the side belt loop of her jeans and let the rest of his fingers rest against her hip. "So, what's up?"
"Who's your friend?" Gray asked.
"Oh, that's Aries. She just moved here and started at my office this week. She's so shy but you can tell she just wants to be involved and belong somewhere."
"Well, she won't have that problem here." Gray responded.
"Loke liiiikes her." Natsu chuckled. Lucy's eyes softened at the man's flustered state.
"Just be gentle, Leo." The blonde addressed him affectionately, with a soft smile. She knew Loke had been hurt before on the past and had given him the nickname for courage to move on. Loke seemed to relax and returned the gesture.
"Thanks, Princess."
"Anytime." Just then the band took a break and a slow song came on over the sound system.
"Well, this is as good a time as any. C'mon guys. Let's get the girls and go dance." Natsu stood up and linked pinkies with his wife, letting her guide them all to the table she and the other women were sitting at.
"Gray!" The taller bluenette shrieked as she launched herself at her husband.
"Hey, Shrimp." Gajeel leaned down and placed kiss on his wife's head. "Wanna dance?"
The two men lead Juvia and Levy onto the dancefloor where the two couples simply held each other and began to tell each other about their day and enjoying their other halves' presence.
"Aries, I'd like you to meet my husband, Natsu." The blonde said with a warm smile."
"Nice to meet ya!" he greeted the shy woman with his famous toothy grin.
"Oh! Um, yes, sorry. N-nice to meet you as well." She stammered.
"And this," Lucy started as she pulled Loke forward, "is one of my best friends, Loke." The wild maned man smiled sheepishly and gave an awkward wave. A beautiful blush immediately coated Aries' cheeks as she locked eyes with him. Lucy pulled her up from her seat and lead her to the dance floor, Natsu doing the same with Loke before they basically shoved the two together to dance. The nervous male placed his hands on her waist while she gingerly rested her palms on his shoulders.
"Loosen up, you two! This isn't prom!" Gajeel jeered from nearby. The pair instantly flushed crimson while the sounds of good-natured chuckles surrounded them.
Natsu lead his wife to the middle of the floor and fluidly spun her into his chest. The two danced this way, her back to his chest, her head relaxing back on to his shoulder for some time. He sang along to the music in a husked tone, his breath in her ear, along with the way his hands traced her curves in time with the lyrics, sent a blissful shiver down her spine. Lucy closed her eyes in pure contentedness, dancing with her partner and listening to his voice. Natsu's hands rested atop her own on her hips, his thumbs gently rubbing circles on the skin just above the waistband of her jeans. He leaned his chin on her shoulder as they continued to dance.
Her hips slowly swayed to the tempo, leading her husband's body to stay in time with her own. When he wasn't serenading her, he softly planted kisses along her exposed neck and shoulder, sending more pleasurable feelings throughout her body. Lucy hummed in satisfaction.
"Do you remember graduation night?" he murmured into her neck.
"Of course. That was the night you finally confessed to me. Good lord you really like to take your time with these things, don't you?" she giggled. "Took you a couple months to ask for my number, a year to ask me out, and three more years after that to propose."
"Wouldn't change it though. I mean, look where we are now."
"That was a great night." Lucy sighed happily at the memory. "We snuck away from the bonfire party, got in your truck and parked down by the river. You had blankets and pillows ready to go stargazing." Lucy remembered the night with fondness.
The pair resumed their dance, lost in their own world and their memories. With one final twirl, the song ended and Lucy wrapped her arms behind Natsu's neck in a loving embrace. The pinkette gently kissed his wife's forehead before looking past her and chuckling.
"Never thought I'd see Loke blush so much tonight." He sniggered before turning the blonde once more. The lion-esque man was positively glowing red as Aries had shyly kissed his cheek as she thanked him for the dance.
"Uh, y-yeah. Anytime! H-how 'bout a drink?" Aries blushed this time and smiled sweetly before nodding her head in acceptance.
"Aww! Aren't you two just the cutest!" Lucy squealed at her friends while Natsu, Gray and Gajeel all made kissy noises in his Loke's direction. With the utmost unamused face, he flipped them all off before allowing Aries to grab his hand and lead him to the bar.
"A drink sounds great. How 'bout it, guys?" Natsu hollered.
"I'm down."
"Sounds good to me."
"Count me in."
"Us, too!"
"Hey, Mira!" the Salamander bellowed, gaining the attention of the barmaid. "Pour a round on Gray!" Mira smirked and nodded as she began gathering glasses.
"OF GREY! NOT ON GRAY!" the man shouted in panic. Mira simply giggled.
"I don't knooow." The white-haired woman sang. "I definitely heard 'on' Gray. Besides, everyone knows Natsu's favorite is Fireball, not Grey Goose."
"Flamehead, you jackass! You already got me last time!" Natsu threw his lead back and laughed his ass off just before he dodged his friend's punch.
"You gotta be quicker, Frosty!" Natsu jeered. He didn't see Gray reaching over the bar as he had turned around and started flexing his muscles for Lucy.
"Hey fire-eater!"
"What do you-" Natsu was immediately interrupted as he turned back to face the noirette as his mouth and nasal passage was invaded by a relentless stream of water. The others around him immediately started laughing at his expense. Natsu was about to retaliate when he glanced down. A smug smirk donned his features as he removed his now drenched shirt and shook his hair of excess water. The flustered reaction of his wife was not lost on him, making his smirk that much more demonic.
"What's wrong, pyro? Did I finally get the last laugh?" his friend managed to taunt between his laughs.
"Might wanna add another notch to that belt of yours, stripper. Doesn't seem to be doing the job." The now bare-chested male spoke, undaunted, as he gestures to the trousers now currently pooled around Gray's ankles, only to have his boxer briefs exposed.
"Shit! When the hell did that happen?!" he yelled, frantically pulling his jeans up and adjusting his belt. As the group enjoyed their friend's misfortune, Lucy rolled her eyes and called for Mira.
"Mira, can we get a t-shirt for the actual stripper here?" Lucy turned her head to look at Natsu as she spoke to him next. "Since you're the one who willingly took their clothes off." Natsu chuckled and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer to himself.
"Awe, c'mon Luce. You know you love it." He told her, wiggling his eyebrows and making his pectorals bounce. She rolled her eyes playfully once more before kissing him deeply but quickly.
"For my eyes only, Salamander." She whispered into his ear and he groaned in response.
Once Natsu had put on the cotton shirt and Gray's pants were securely in place, their typical shenanigans resumed and before long, bottles, chairs and punches were being thrown. At one point, Lucy, Levy and Juvia were sitting with their backs and elbows leaning against the bar just watching the brawl that their husbands had started, a mixed look of absolute boredom and exasperation on their faces. Aries looked at the others, worry etched on her own face.
"Um, s-sorry. Sh-shouldn't we try to stop them before they get hurt?"
"Nah, this happens every weekend." Levy waved her hand dismissively in the fight's direction.
"They'll keep going until they tire out." Juvia added.
"Or until one of us says we're horny." Lucy finished. "Either way, they will then use this fight as a way to crash on the couch all weekend, making us care for their bruises and wounds like the big babies they are." Somewhere across the bar, a shout of being 'real men' was thought to be heard, but the thought was dismissed.
"It's all in good fun anyways." Mira commented. At that moment, Natsu was thrown from the fight, skidding across the floor on his back where he slid to a stop with his head between Lucy's ankles.
"Hey, babe!" Natsu said cheekily.
"Have a good view down there?" she asked as she winked and blew him a kiss. A huge grin erupted from his face as he closed his eyes and laughed.
"Man, I love this bar!" he exclaimed before getting up and brushing himself off, giving Lucy a kiss that left her panting, and leaping back into the fray. Lucy giggled and looked back at her new friend.
"See what I mean?"