Natsu didn't sleep that night. He lay awake, staring at the ceiling, replaying every moment of the day over and over in his head. His first impression couldn't have gone much worse. Sure, he had managed to impress the sultan—but that hardly mattered. The princess had looked at him like he was something unpleasant stuck to her shoe, and the prince was on to him. Well, sort of.
Gray didn't know the truth, but he suspected something. And that alone was dangerous.

"I don't know what I did wrong," Natsu muttered, absentmindedly petting Aatamgosh.

Gildarts had transformed him into a salamander, knowing that bringing a dragon into civilization would only cause panic. Still, Natsu made a mental note to let Aatamgosh fly free in his true form when the time was right.

"Maybe the whole parade thing wasn't the best idea," Happy said. "Maybe it was a bit too showy. Why don't you try something simpler?"

"Like what?"

"Like a present. How about giving her a fish?"

"No! But you might be onto something with the idea of a gift. Maybe I could send her more jewels?"

"I'm not so sure about that," Gildarts replied. "You've given her jewels before, and she turned them down."

"Then how about silks? Or gold?"

"She's a princess, Natsu. She receives gifts like that from suitors all the time. Judging by her attitude, I think she's tired of them."

"I never thought a girl could get tired of jewelry."

"It's not the jewelry itself; it's the superficial meaning behind gifts like that. For this girl, you'll need to put more thought into your gift. Give her something that shows you know something about her as a person."

Natsu thought about the day he and Lucy first met in the marketplace, spending the whole day together. He recalled how animatedly she spoke about her passion for art and her love for painting.

"She loves to paint. I'll give her a paintbrush."

Happy blinked in surprise. "A paintbrush?"

"A special one. A magic one! Something that allows her to paint anything she imagines. Can you help me find something like that, Gildarts?"

"Sure, but for something like that, you'd need to make a wish," Gildarts replied.

Natsu didn't hesitate. "Then I'll wish for it."

Gildarts shot him a pointed look. "You're not exactly swimming in wishes, kid. You started with seven and have already used two. This would leave you with just four."

Natsu shrugged. "So?"

"So," Gildarts repeated, "you might want to think about saving them from here on out."

"Okay. I will. Now I wish for the paintbrush of Lucy's dreams," he said, voice firm with certainty. "One that'll make her happy."

Gildarts snapped his fingers.

A warm glow sparked into existence between them, swirling like liquid light. It gathered, shaped itself, and slowly formed into something solid. A paintbrush. Which was then placed inside a small wooden box lined with soft velvet. The lid closed with a quiet click, sealing the magic safely within.

"Perfect. Thanks, Gildarts."

Gildarts gave a small nod. "You planning to give it to her first thing tomorrow?"

Natsu shook his head. "Not in the morning. She might not even open it." He paused, thinking. "Tomorrow... I'll try to get her to like me first."

Gildarts raised an eyebrow. "You know, there's a much easier way to do that."

Natsu glanced at him. "Oh yeah? What's that?"

"Tell her the truth," Gildarts said simply. "That you're not some pompous, gold-digging prince looking for a trophy wife and a shortcut to the throne. That you're someone she actually knows. Someone who cares about her—"

"No way!" Natsu cut him off immediately. "If Lucy found out I was just some street rat, she'd laugh at me."

Gildarts smirked. "Most women appreciate a man who can make them laugh."

Natsu shot him a glare.

"Alright, alright," Gildarts said, holding up his hands. "Joking aside—you really should just be yourself."

Natsu scoffed. "Yeah, that's exactly what I don't want to be. I just need to be smooth. Cool. Confident."

"More like crash and burn," Happy muttered.

Natsu turned on him. "Does the phrase don't bite the hand that feeds you mean anything to you?"

Happy immediately straightened. "Okay, okay! I'll zip it."

With that, Natsu carefully set the velvet-lined box aside in a safe place and tried—without much success—to get some sleep.

Morning came too quickly.

By the time he reached the banquet hall, the palace was already awake with activity. Sunlight spilled across polished stone floors, and servants moved between tables clearing the remains of breakfast.

Lucy stood near the center of it all, composed and regal once more, speaking with Prince Gray.

"I would like a coach prepared," she was saying. "I want to see more of the Magnolia Nation beyond the palace walls."

Gray gave a small nod. "That can be arranged."

Lucy hesitated for only a moment before adding, "And... I would like you and Juvia to join me."

Juvia, who was sitting beside Gray, nodded.

Gray folded his arms. "Well I did intend to take Juvia on a tour at some point."

Another voice cut in.

"Hey."

Natsu stepped forward from the edge of the hall.

"Mind if I join too?"

A brief pause followed. Lucy was uncertain about whether she wanted him to come. She was torn between saying yes or no, but Gray spoke up first.

"I don't see why not."

Although Gray remained wary of Natsu and his intentions, he couldn't ignore the impression Natsu had made the previous night. When he had selflessly given some of his wealth to a man and his family facing debtors' prison, refusing any acknowledgment for his generosity, it had caught Gray's attention. It wasn't enough for him to fully trust Natsu, but it was enough to warrant being cordial toward him.

"Very well," Lucy agreed at last. "If you must. But don't assume—"

Lucy stopped mid-sentence. She had turned back toward Natsu, ready to set another boundary, another expectation. But he was smiling and for the first time, Lucy actually looked at him. Something about his face was familiar. Had she seen him before?

She was about to ask him if they had met but then breakfast arrived. Platters were set down across the table, warm and fragrant, steam curling into the air. The scent alone was enough to shift the entire mood in the room.

And just like that, Natsu forgot everything else.

"Oh—food!"

Before anyone could react, he was already eating.
Fast. Too fast. Jude froze, staring in visible disbelief. Gray's expression tightened in secondhand embarrassment. Lahar looked as though he was actively reconsidering his understanding of royal etiquette altogether.

Natsu didn't seem to notice any of it. He simply kept going, clearly focused on the far more important matter at hand: not being hungry anymore. He didn't even bother with silverware.

"At least," Lucy noted after a moment, "he was using napkins."

Juvia covered her mouth, shoulders shaking slightly as she tried to hide the fact that she was giggling.

Lucy pressed her lips together tightly. For a second, she held it in. Then another. And then, despite herself, a soft laugh slipped out. She quickly turned it into a polite cough, but her eyes were still bright with amusement as she watched him. Natsu heard Lucy laugh and turned to look at her. He swallowed sheepishly, but felt a warm sense of satisfaction knowing he had made her smile.

After the meal, the four of them went to get dressed for the day, they chose to dress casually for this occasion.

Gray opted for a simple dress shirt, trousers, and sturdy boots. Nothing ornate, nothing attention-grabbing. He ran a hand through his hair, messing it slightly into a more relaxed style, then checked himself in the mirror once before stepping out into the corridor.

As he closed his door, he nearly collided with Natsu rounding the corner. He wore a modest but fine tunic and sirwal with simple sandals, the fabric clean and well-fitted without being overly extravagant. His hair had been brushed straight and neat, not a strand out of place, and his face looked oddly smooth—almost polished.

Gray leaned in slightly, narrowing his eyes.

"Are you wearing makeup?"

Natsu immediately stiffened. "No."

Gray didn't look convinced. He sniffed the air once.

"You smell like face cream."

Natsu's face twitched. "It's for men."

"It has a floral smell."

"It's aloe,"

"No, that's citrus," Gray teased. "You're wearing lady's face cream."

"Shut up!"

He then snapped his head around, suddenly aware of his surroundings, as if someone might have overheard.

The door to the next room opened and Juvia stepped out. Gray froze.

"Juvia!"

His face turned bright red in an instant. He immediately looked away, panic setting in as she stood there in her chemise.

"When I said we would dress casually," Gray sputtered, voice rising slightly in embarrassment, "I didn't mean—!"

Without finishing the sentence, he hurried forward and gently but urgently ushered her back into her room.

"Hey, what's going on?" Natsu asked, leaning around the corner just in time.

Gray slammed the door in his face.

Natsu blinked.

"...Rude."