"We have actually met."
Jude was surprised to hear him say this.
"Oh? You have? Well that is...surprising? You've met her too, Zeref?," he asked, looking at the oldest. Wondering how fate made it happen.
Zeref answered him with a smile. He looked so innocent that noone would think he had a brother who ran the mafia.
"Well, not exactly. But you know the Family uncle. No secret remains a secret for a long time. Not even Natsu's meetings with a girl whom we came to know as Lucy of the Heartfilias", he answered.
Jude laughed, clearly understanding what he meant.
"Of course, of course. It's the Dragneel Family after all," he chuckled, "so, what about my daughter?."
"I want to marry her."
Natsu said, not wasting any second to pass by.
Then it went totally silent.
Totally.
You could hear the ants crawling.
"Marriage? Are you sure you're ready for that?," Jude's face was now serious.
It took Natsu a moment before he could reply.
He sighed as he closed his eyes, and smiled as he opened them. Even Zeref, who was sitting quietly and eyeing him, wasn't used to seeing the gentleness in his brother's eyes that very moment.
"I love her." Natsu spoke as he hid his smile with a serious expression on his face.
He was lovestruck, but too proud to let anyone see it. Other people would think he was just saying it for nothing. Zeref and Jude, however, saw through this mask he was wearing. They knew. He was inlove.
Jude was about to talk when that merciless illness of his came to visit again. He started coughing, losing his composure as he covered his mouth with a handkerchief. Zeref immediately came to his aid, rubbing the old man's back as Natsu straightened up in his chair. Both their eyes widened as Jude pulled the hankie away...with blood on it. But they didn't say a word.
"As you can see, I only have little time left in this world...and I want to see my little girl get married before I go," Jude said. He wanted it to sound as if he was joking, but his face betrayed him.
"Uncle, please don't say such things," Zeref gave him a smile. But it was a sad one.
Jude turned to Natsu. He sat back straight again, gaining back his confidence. It was like seeing the Don of the former Heartfilia Family again.
"I don't doubt my daughter will be loved. What I want is the assurance that she will be safe. I will no longer be around for long to continue that role, so I want someone with power to fulfill it,"He said in a stern voice.
"I don't want to marry her off to someone who's only after money. But I know that's not something you would be after," he continued.
"I want someone who will love my daughter with his life. Or else my soul will rot in hell knowing that I failed to keep my daughter, my family, safe," Jude finished. "So, are you willing to fulfill that role, Natsu?"
Once again, silence filled the room.
Looks were being exchanged by a Don and an ex-Don.
Natsu stared at Jude. Now, his eyes had no trace of gentleness in them.
"I will kill anyone who will try to hurt a single hair on her head. If she wishes it, anyone she hates will be dead," he answered.
Jude didn't flinch. Instead, a smirk now rested on his aged lips,
"Good."
.
.
AT A 5-STAR RESTAURANT
"Oh come on, you can do it. As long as it makes you happy, I'll always support you. Just tell him," Levy, the bestfriend, said as she shoved a spoonful of whatever she was eating into her mouth.
"I know I know...I just...yeah you know what, I'll do it. Yep, I'll tell him," Lucy said as she continually murdered the steak with her fork.
"And maybe if he has some friends...you know, a guy. Maybe you can uh...you know, introduce me or something," Levy wiggled her left brow causing the other to laugh. "And maybe he'll give me a cute nickname too," she added.
Lucy was about to answer when her ringtone started. She looked at who the caller was. Her father.
"Hello Daddy. What's up?...mhm. yeah. Okay. Now? Okay I'll be there. Bye, love you!" She said and put her phone back in her purse.
She didn't have to excuse herself because Levy already started shooing her away. It's like they could read each other's minds and know what the other was thinking before they could even say it.
