All characters and rights belong to Hiro Mashima.

Lucy woke up some time between midnight and dawn. Her limbs were stiff with sleep and her head felt weighed down like a sack of wet sand. It took her a few moments to adjust to the dark room. At first she couldn't distinguish one dark blob for another. She focused on the moonlight that filtered in through her window, creating a soft blue rectangle that rested on her bed before spilling over the floor. Her eyes grew accustom to the dim light and she could make out the long flat structure of her couch.

She frowned for a moment. It was far too early to be morning and she didn't feel at all rested. So why had she woken up? Without moving she took stock of her body. Her muscles felt stiff but otherwise fine. Her head didn't hurt except from lack of sleep. The celestial mage stretched her legs. That was when she became aware of the thin film of sweat that clang to her skin. The more she moved the more she realised how sweaty she was. Her pyjamas bunched uncomfortably around her hips. The shirt she wore had ridden up during the night to nestle just below her breasts. Thankfully her skin was sticky enough that it hadn't risen any higher.

Normally, on warm nights, she wouldn't care if her shirt came off but tonight she was grateful that her modesty was spared. Because lying next to her was the sole cause of her sweaty problem. It didn't take long for her to realise that Natsu had, once again, snuck into her bed. She should have been shocked but this wasn't the first time the human radiator caused her to wake up in a puddle of sweat. Usually she would shower and change before kicking him out. Tonight would be no different.

Lucy wiggled some feeling back into her feet before pushing herself to sit up. The cooler air from outside tickled her hot skin causing a shudder to run down her spine and through her toes. She twisted her hair above her head, allowing some of the cool night air to caress the delicate skin below her hairline. Lucy wanted to tie it up but that required leaving the sweaty heap of blankets and it was always difficult getting back into them. So she sat in the quiet and dark night.

The brown-eyed mage looked over at the pink-haired-pain-in-her-backside. He looked so young when he slept, it was hard to imagine him as the fierce warrior that he was: all scars and muscle and fire. Natsu slept curled on his side, head turned towards Lucy and mouth slightly open. She watched him take in deep steady breaths as his eyes danced beneath his eyelids. Suddenly she wanted to know what he was dreaming about.

Lucy had never thought to ask before. Surely it wouldn't be anything more interesting than consuming a large amount of food. She knew that he sometimes fought Gray in his sleep. He would thrash about cursing the ice mage's name before landing a solid punch on Lucy's back or shoulder. Now that she thought about it she couldn't remember the last time Natsu dreamt of fighting Gray. Perhaps after everything that's happened they weren't so hostile towards each other. This made the blonde mage smile. Even though they fight they are still best friends.

Lucy gently ruffled some of Natsu's pink hair. He sucked in a deep breath before releasing a low groan. She pulled her hand back, as though it had been electrocuted but the dragon slayer didn't move or wake up. Lucy frowned and ran her hand through his hair again, this time he let out a growl that rumble around deep in his chest. The celestial mage scooted away from him. Was he angry with her? She'd never touched him in his sleep before and maybe he didn't like it? Lucy grew red. It wasn't like she was going to hurt him. The jerk could growl all he liked but this was her bed and her room.

The blonde fought her way out of the clammy sheets. Once free she grabbed some clean pyjamas and headed for the bathroom. She couldn't be bothered showering but she would at least change her clothes. The tiles were cool against her feet but it did little to sooth the frustration she felt.

After a quick change Lucy approached the bed quietly so that Natsu wouldn't wake up. He had shifted so that now he lay on top of his pillow like a lizard on a rock. A lopsided sleepy grin spread across his lips and he nuzzled his face into the pillow. The blonde let out a sigh and climbed onto the bed. A vindictive spring gave a terrible twang when she put her weight on the mattress. She wasn't that heavy! The blonde glared at the mattress but shifted further onto it. When she found a comfortable spot she sat back on her legs facing the sleeping dragon.

Lucy smiled as she looked at his boyish face and reluctantly admitted that he looked cute when he slept. As she shifted her weight the blanket that covered Natsu's shoulders slipped to his waste, revealing a strong muscular back. He shifted slightly when the cool night air danced across his scar-crossed skin. It shouldn't have shocked her – she had seen him topless countless times – but she found she couldn't look away. This was her friend; she shouldn't be looking at him as though he were a faceless piece of perfectly sculpted bronze flesh.

Taking a moment to compose herself she focused once again on Natsu's face. His lips moved in a quiet prayer that Lucy couldn't quite hear. Taking great care she leaned in to listen to what he was saying. Between her own laboured breathing and raging heart she managed to catch only a few words.

"Mmm, Lucy…taste…good."

Perhaps her previous line of thought clouded her judgement but she was sure he just said she tasted good. The blond mage decided to try a little experiment with her sleeping comrade. She rolled her plump bottom lip between her teeth as she stretched a delicate hand in the space between them. Gently as possible she ran a hand over his shoulder. The heat from his skin tingled the soft pads of her fingertips as she dragged them down his arm. Natsu's muscles tensed as he gripped the pillow. A deep animalistic sound rumbled from him. She folded her arms and sat back on her legs for a moment. She didn't understand why he would growl at her like that. The more she thought about it the more agitated she got. Out of frustration and a lack of anything else to do, Lucy clutched her pillow to her chest. Though not much of a shield the blond felt safer with something between her and the sleeping man.

Sneaking into her bed was one thing, but growling at her was another. Never mind that he was fast asleep and had no concept of his actions. With a dull thud the pillow landed square on Natsu's peacefully sleeping face. The dragon slayer jolted awake. The muscles in his back and arms turned to stone and strained against his skin. As Lucy pulled the pillow away she caught a glimpse at the beast inside of her usually dull-witted dragon slayer. Just as quickly as it came the moment passed; his pupils softened and rounded until they no longer resembled those of a dragon. For the second time that night a cold shiver ran down Lucy's body. Every hair on her body stood on end and she remembered how deadly the man next to her really was. Her body remained rigid as his softened and lazily stretched out over the bed.

"Why did you hit me?" he yawned. "I was having a really good dream."

And then she remembered why she woke him up in the first place. Fear turned to anger.

"You ass!" she yelled. "How dare you have perverted dreams about me. And in my bed. While I'm next to you."

Natsu attempted to cover his sensitive ears with a pillow – to no effect. "Lucy, not so loud. It's too early for yelling."

His blasé tone forced her jaw together; so instead of yelling she pounded him with her plump pillow. The fire mage shrunk further under the thin sheet hoping for some protection while Lucy's battery continued.

"Don't. Dream. About. Me," she grunted between each swing. She finally let up long enough to hear his whimpering pleas for mercy. The celestial mage lowered the pillow but continued to grip it tightly, in case the dunderheaded dragon slayer needed another whack.

"Are you going to apologise?" she questioned.

"For what?" Natsu asked weakly from beneath the sheet.

"For having perverted dreams about me."

"What are you talking about?" he asked, still cocooned in anticipation of another attack. Lucy let out a defeated sigh. After replacing the pillow she asked him to come out so that they could talk about it. As the crown of Natsu's head slowly poked out of an opening in the sheets the blond let out a quiet chuckle. She couldn't help but laugh at the scene before her: a sweaty heap of cotton giving birth to a pink haired man afraid of pillows. The ringing of her laughter brought Natsu the rest of the way out. Still laughing she sat back and hugged her knees to her chest. Although he was frustrating at times she could never stay mad at him for long.

"You're an idiot," she giggled.

"You're weird," he replied, confused but happy that she wasn't hitting him anymore.

"I'm weird?" she retorted. "You're the one dreaming about –" she paused. It was embarrassing to say the rest but she needed to. If she didn't bring it up now he might keep doing it and one day he may actually act out one of his dreams; the idea both thrilled and frightened her. She shook her head. She would not be excited by the idea of her best friend naked with… She stopped herself again.

"Dreaming about tasting me," she croaked out.

Natsu, still laying on his stomach, propped his head up on his hand and stared at her. The furrows on his forehead grew deeper until finally his whole face lit up with understanding.

"Oh, now I remember. Happy and I were at a fair and we won a giant chocolate Lucy. It took forever but we ate you all up," he grinned.

Lucy's mind reflected her face: blank. Could he really be that stupid? Yes, yes he could. And now she was the one who jumped to conclusions, accusing him of having naughty dreams about her. She felt ashamed and, despite just having changed and washed, quite dirty. Heat pooled in her face colouring her cheeks and neck red. Thankfully it was still too dark outside to see much but she still felt self-conscious.

"You thought I was having a dirty dream about you?" He teased. When she didn't respond he continued, laughing, "you're as perverted as gramps. Wait till I tell every–," Lucy silenced him with a well-placed pillow to the face.

"You won't tell anyone. Not even Happy," she growled through gritted teeth. The blond vowed that unless he agreed to her terms he would not leave her house alive.

"Alright, I won't tell anyone," he chuckled from beneath the pillow. Lucy lifted the pillow slowly feeling her hopes rise along with it. "If you let me sleep in your bed for the next month," he added.

Lucy wasn't expecting that. Quietly she contemplated the pros and cons. Kicking him out would make her feel better but she couldn't risk the scandal. Letting him stay would be admitting defeat. In the end she decided, regardless of her answer he would always find a way back into her bed so she may as well benefit from it. The blond turned away from him and unceremoniously flopped onto her side of the bed. The damp sheets had turned cold in the night air but she was too annoyed and too tired to do anything about it. She heard Natsu chuckling and roll over onto his back but she refused to look at him and instead closed her eyes. Soon Lucy was fast asleep.

Natsu, however, remained awake. He reflected over what had just happened and how lucky he was. Lucky that Lucy bought his story. Lucky that she was asleep. Lucky that she hadn't rolled over and seen the tent he made of the sheets. The dragon slayer let out a deep sigh and turned his face to his blond teammate. If she ever found out that he wanted her she would probably never talk to him again. Having just averted one disaster he carefully lifted himself off of the bed and made his way to the bathroom to finish himself off.

"Chocolate Lucy," he scoffed. As if anything could taste better than the real Lucy.

This wasn't my best work but I started writing it months ago and I needed to finish it before starting my next story. Thanks for reading. I welcome all constructive criticism.