The kingdom mourned the tragic death of Prince Natsu for weeks. There were rumors it was suicide, and many thought he was murdered, but his wife simply said she thought he slipped off the balcony during the storm, falling to his death in the ocean. All they ever found was his bloodied jacket against the rocks. Around that same time there was buzz of a new addition to the notorious Fairy Tail guild. He called him self Flame. It was said he could burn down an entire town with his fighting spirit alone,and he was a ruthless killer and no one who had ever met him lived to tell about.

In truth however, he spent his days playing with orphans and catching fish for his new cat, Happy. He owned a cabin on a cliff with the Black Rabbit, one where they would watch the sunset over Magnolia every evening. Lucy continued to heist gems but more for a hobby than anything else, however she steered clear of the castle. They often partnered for missions, becoming somewhat of a unstoppable duo. Sometimes they ran off on adevntures just because, no destiantion, or goal in mind, as long as they were together.

A week after he died a certain black haired captain appeared at the guild. He had retired out of "grief" but Natsu had a feeling it more to do with a small blue haired woman, who never left his side, never found out why Gajeel left the guild in the first place, but in the end he felt it didn't matter as much as the fact that he had returned to it.

Six months after he died, princess Alexandria announced her engagement to a prince from a far off kingdom.

That same day Natsu was standing on a specific boulder, by a specific stream, waiting for a specific woman. She appeared from around a tree her hair pulled up in a bun and flour on her cheek and her apron. She looked so stunning that it knocked the air out of his lungs.

"Natsu, what did you need? I need to get back quickly, you know how the kids get when I start baking cookies,"

"This won't take long," he said smiling, imaging Juvia wrestling the children away from the cookie dough, she had volunteered to watch them while he spoke to Lucy. He would have to make sure to thank her later.

Natsu took a step closer to her, the weight in his hand seemed to be growing by the minute, amazing how a few ounces of metal could feel like a few tons.

"Lucy, since I've met you you taught me that people are not always what they appear. You've taught to look deeper and feel rather than assume. You've also shown me what true love feels like, unconditionally and imperfectly." He paused hoping that words sounded as smooth as he had planned, "I hope that I can show you even a fraction of that same love,"

"Natsu what are you saying?"

He knelt down in front of her, pinching the small ring between his index finger and thumb,a simple gold band, with three small black diamonds in it.

"Lucy, will you marry me?" He held his breath.

Lucy moved so quickly he wasn't sure what happened, but suddenly her arms were around him and they fell backward. He could feel tears on his neck, he word muffled into his neck but understood them anyway.

"Yes, of course,"

He wrapped his arms around her peppering kisses down her cheek and collar bone. They laid there for a moment, enjoying each other's warmth, before standing, after putting the ring on her slender finger he tangled his finger with hers and smiled brightly at her,

"Now you can make me cookies,"