Igneel couldn't believe it when his son jumped over a lava pit holding a blond girl in his arms and an exceed on his head to land right in front of his cave.
"NATSU! What have you done? Go back." Igneel scolded.
"Nah, don't feel like it," he said with a grin, releasing the girl. One whiff of her and he knew he was standing in front of a celestial mage, and the blonde hair gave her away as a mage of the Heartphilia line. The Angel line was the only other living group if Igneel remembered, the Blacksky and Nightstar lineages dying out a couple hundred years ago. Enough of that, Natsu needed to get himself and the girl out of there.
"I gave you an order you brat, leave," Igneel snarled.
"Nope," Natsu replied cheekily, but before Igneel could remind him about dragon fire the celestial mage hit him on the chest.
"Stop being rude Natsu. Igneel, we know the deal you made with Zeref and we took care of it. Through a long and convoluted turn of events, he was reborn as a magic-less child that our friend Mirajane is raising as her own. You don't have to stay out of the world anymore, the deal is off." Wait, really? He always expected Natsu to be the one to finish the deal, no matter how Metalicana bragged, but he was expecting a few more years at least.
The celestial maiden took a deep breath and stepped forward, one hand raised cautiously.
"I, Lucy of the Stars, contractor of spirits and keeper of oaths, judge of the heavens and friend of the Fairies, do hereby call your oath fulfilled and dispel your bindings. Fire Dragon King Igneel, you have been faithful to your word and the watching stars would like to reward you. One favor may be granted unto you in addition to your freedom as decreed by the King of the Heavans. So it has been said, so shall it be." Igneel watched the girl through her speech and took notice of the power building at her words. When she finished, the chain that had encircled him all these long years crumbled into dust. He flexed his back leg before letting out a roar that filled the sky.
Without hesitation, he pounced forward and tossed his son, the Exceed Natsu was holding, and his savior into the sky. The maiden shrieked while Natsu whooped before he caught them on his back. With both young adults yelling in delight Igneel smiled, finally Igneel had his family again.
They spent a week reconnecting after Igneel's first release, and the Dragon wondered why his son never showed the human displays of affection towards his mate. They didn't sleep next to each other, never kissed, never bathed together, and never held hands. Igneel had a lot more subtly than other dragons gave him credit for, and he had found the perfect way to bring up the topic.
"So Lucy, seeing as how you're now my daughter-in-law, would you like a scarf similar to Natsu's? I get the feeling bulky winter wear isn't your style though. You prefer more subtle accessories, perhaps a dragon scale ribbon for you to always wear in your hair? I can tint it pink for you so that it will always match your guild mark. White does go with everything though, except your blond hair. That definitely needs some color. Would you like pink or red my dear?" Igneel watched the blonde look at him dumbstruck, probably at his fashion prowess. People always assumed that dragons have no need for things like fashion, but please, why should people go through life looking hideous? Dragons also see color much more vividly than humans do, and a poorly dressed human was just the biggest and most easily preventable eyesore. Who did you think taught Natsu?
"S-Sorry Igneel, what do you mean by daughter-in-law? Natsu and I are just friends. " That was what she was so hung up over? Wasn't it obvious that Natsu loved her, his son was never tender with anyone, he's still as destructive as the day Igneel had to leave, everything got destroyed by him except for her. Igneel did teach Natsu about mates, and the humans had to have filled in any blanks the kid might have had, so that left only one option. Natsu hadn't told her anything.
"NATSU!" he roared, summoning his son from the river he had gone to fish in.
"Sup' Pops," Natsu said, entering the clearing.
"Why have you not told my future daughter how you feel? Why is she under the impression that you are not in love with her. YOU IDIOT! I raised you to be smarter than that! You will never find a girl like her again, one willing to travel halfway across the world for you and put up with your antics. You will tell her about being your mate and that is final. You have until I come back with dinner." Glaring at his now pale looking son, Igneel spread his wings and launched himself into the sky.
When he came back to the cave Lucy was sitting in Natsu's lap and both looked extraordinarily happ1y. Good, Lucy was the perfect daughter, and now Natsu could be happy with his mate.
"So Igneel, can I have a ribbon in pink?" Igneel smiled and nodded to his daughter, blowing on her to show affection.
"Of course, anything for my soon to be daughter-in-law but, please call me something more casual, Dad would be great!" She jumped off her mate's lap and hugged him, while he made sure to congratulate himself on finding Natsu a perfect match.
Igneel ended up making Lucy a red, pink, and blue scale ribbons. With the ribbions came certain magical protections he would never want her to live without and the colors gave her the ability to always wear the ribbon, without style having to suffer.
Fashion was important you know.