Lucy got off the car as Natsu opened the passenger's seat. The wide entrance of a well-known restaurant greeted her. As promised, he took her out to dinner. Just the two of them.

He guided her inside, his right hand on her lower back.

If the outside of the structure looked huge, the inside never failed to amaze its customers. It was to be expected though, the restaurant was designed for celebrities and important persons.

Natsu pulled the chair for her like a gentleman.

Not long after they've seated, a waiter approached them with the menu.

Both of them gave their orders. The waiter listened intently as he took down notes of whatever food they chose, more to Lucy than to Natsu. The latter never missed to notice this and smirked. His wife could certainly make anyone fall for her even without giving them a glance. He felt proud to be the one to have her, to marry her.

Natsu had no problem if somebody else adored her or had feelings for her, it actually boosted his ego. But if that somebody started to hit on her, imagining dirty things to do with her or tried to make a move on her, well that's a different story. Natsu would surely snap. She was his, only his. To other men, she was for their eyes only. If they touch her, something was surely coming. And if anyone disrespected her, he would never take it lightly.

After getting their orders, the waiter left them.

Lucy's eyes scanned the room, nobody else were inside but them. All that surrounded them were empty chairs and glass tables neatly arranged.

"It's strange that there are no other customers, considering that this is a pretty well-known restaurant" she said, looking at him.

"I bought it for the night." He answered.

"Why?"

Natsu smirked at her question.

"Because I wanted to. My woman deserves the best. You know I'd do anything for you," he said.

She felt her cheeks heat up as he continued to look at her.

"S-stop it. Stop staring at me," she said.

"Why not? I have the right to stare at you whenever I want...as long as I want," he said.

They were already married but she could still feel butterflies in her stomach whenever he said these kinds of things.

After a while, their orders finally arrived. They ate and spoke with each other from time to time.

.

.

The sound of serene music filled the entire room.

Natsu stood up and went to her side of the table.

"Dance with me" he said as he extended his hands to her, which she accepted.

He looked at her as he led her to the center of the floor, from her black heels to her red turtleneck dress and to her long blond hair that hung freely on her head.

"You're beautiful," he said with a smile as they slowly started to dance with the rhythm of the song. His hands on her waist and hers on his chest.

Lucy stared into his onyx eyes as he stared back into her brown ones.

"There you go again. Always flattering me," she said, avoiding his gaze.

"I'm not. It's simply the truth."

It went silent for a while, only the music and their feet made a sound as they danced. Then Lucy looked back at him, her eyes showing little sadness in them.

"Natsu, do you still...love me?" she asked.

He was taken aback by her question, clearly not expecting to hear that.

Natsu leaned and rested his forehead on hers, closing his eyes.

"Of course I do," he whispered, "I love you. Always have, always will."

Just hearing those words from him made her feel at ease. She was overjoyed, free of any doubts. Her idea of him being with that woman disappeared into thin air.

"Why are you asking me something as obvious as that?" he asked, staring at her.

She gave him a bright smile, kissed his lips and rested her head on his firm chest.

"Nothing. I just wanted to hear you say it again."

.

.

.

On their way out of the restaurant, some random man approached them as Natsu opened the car's passenger's seat for her.

"Hey, I recognize you." the man said, pointing at her.

Lucy gave him a surprised look, Natsu gave him a glare.

"Aren't you that hot looking chick wearing a bikini on that magazine stuff?" he continued.

She was about to speak when the man beat her to it.

"I have a suggestion, why don't you try a nude picture next time? You know, with those big boobs and nice ass of yours." the man said as he laughed.

Lucy was shocked. She was about to give him a piece of her mind when Natsu slammed the door close, startling her.

"What did you say?" Natsu said, turning his entire body to the man.

She could feel something was about to happen. His voice sounded like he was mad. And yes he was.

"Come on, man. Don't tell me you wouldn't want to fuck a girl like that?" the stranger said, chuckling at him. He had no idea who he was messing with.

Natsu's hand twitched.

"You fucking piece of shit." Natsu cursed as he moved closer to the man.

The fellow was about to give a comeback but a fist collided with his face, smashing him facedown to the ground. It happened too fast that he didn't see Natsu swing a jab at him.

"W-what the hell man?!" he yelled, covering his bleeding nose as he lay on the ground. It was probably broken.

But it didn't end there. Natsu grabbed the man's shirt, pulling him up from the ground. And he punched him again, twice. Harder. It was enough to make the man unconscious.

"Natsu!" Lucy shouted, trying to stop him from completely deforming the man's face that now looked like a mashed potato with ketchup all over.

But he didn't seem to hear her as he continued to give another blow.

"Baby, stop it!!!" She shouted again, louder this time. Her were feet glued to the ground, not being able to hold him back. This time, he heard her.

"Get in the car!" Natsu shouted back.

Knowing that he was in a state of rage, Lucy didn't dare to disobey him. She got into the car like he told her to.

Having his satisfaction, Natsu dropped the limp body on the ground. A faint breathing could be heard from the poor man who was still out cold.

Natsu gave a 'Tsk' sound as he made his way to the driver's seat, closed the door hard and drove away. He couldn't care less if something happened to the man. The restaurant staff would eventually discover him in front of the building anyway.

The ride was silent. Lucy didn't say a word. She would steal glances at him when she had a chance, and she found that he still had that angry look on his face. Her eyes travelled down to his hands on the wheels. She saw blood on his knuckles, lots of it.

.

.

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DRAGNEEL COMPOUND

The huge doors of the Main House opened, Natsu entered first, followed by Lucy. Both of them passed the men sitting on the sofa, playing cards. They all turned quiet when the two entered. It wasn't a mystery that something bad obviously happened.

As they entered their bedroom, Lucy immediately looked for a towel.

When she found one, she quickly went to Natsu and started to wipe off the red liquid on his hand.

"You're bleeding a lot," she said with a worried expression on her face.

Natsu just looked at his hand as she cleaned it.

"It's not mine." he said.

Lucy let out a sigh. She was relieved that the blood wasn't his. The other man had it coming anyway.

When she finally finished cleaning and sanitizing his hand, Lucy walked back to their bathroom to wash the dirty towel. But he spoke, causing her to halt.

"Quit modeling."

It took a while 'til she turned around and faced him.

"What?" she heard him but she had to ask again to be sure if she heard it right.

"I want you to stop modelling," he said sternly.

Did he just tell her to quit her job? Was that his indirect way of saying she wasn't fit to be a model anymore? That she wasn't as good as before?

Lucy threw the blood smeared towel on the floor. This time it wasn't just him who was angry, she was too.

"Leave the modelling industry? Why?!" she shouted.

"Just do it," he replied calmly with authority.

"You're telling me to stop and you won't even tell me why?!"

"I don't want you doing any more of those photoshoots."

Lucy stared at him with wide eyes, as if understanding why he wanted her to quit.

"You don't think I can do it do you?... You think I'm not fit to be a model anymore because I suck! Right?! You think other women are better at it than me, right?!" Lucy shouted as her eyes started to water.

She had misunderstood him. Completely misunderstood him.

Natsu brushed his left hand through his hair, she had it all wrong.

"That's not what I meant," he said.

"No! You're ashamed of me! That's what you meant! I'm not good enough that's why you want me to stop humiliating myself!"

"Lucy, stop it," he was trying to stay calm. He didn't like seeing her look down on herself like what she was doing. She was undeniably perfectly amazing, but she couldn't see that.

"Everyone else thinks I'm good at my job! But they're lying! You don't even like it! I'm such a failure!"

"Stop that. You know that's not true," he said as he took steps towards her. His voice slightly louder than before, he was losing his patience.

But Lucy still kept hurting herself.

"What should I do, huh?! Tell me what I'm lacking...why am I not good enough?!"

That was it. Natsu didn't like to hear her shouting lies anymore.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!"

He shouted as he slapped her.

On the left cheek.

He held back a great amount of force as he hit her, but a red color still faintly marked her cheek. Natsu knew he would regret it, but that was the only way to bring back her senses.

Lucy stared at him, touching her cheek where his palm landed.

Her brown orbs turned wide. She couldn't believe what just happened. He never hit her. That was the first time.

Tears slid down her delicate cheeks. She ran out of the room, slamming the door close, leaving him standing there alone.

Natsu continued to look at the closed doors.

Then he rubbed his temples with his fingers like he had a headache.

"Shit."