Darkness had fallen over the streets of Magnolia along with a thick sheet of still heavily falling snow, leaving the town in a peaceful calming silence. Over at everyone's favourite guild Fairy Tail mage's were beginning to leave and head to their own home to curl up in their warm beds for the night, all except one blonde mage. Lucy sat at the bar, her head in her arm as she sprawled across it.
"Lucy don't you want to go home?" Mira asked, rubbing the bar top with a cloth and stopping by Lucy, the guild was nearly completely empty now; Luxas was sat in on corner with Cana sleeping on his lap having passed out from alcohol. Freed and Bickslow were stood nearby as always but Evergreen was more interested in talking to Elfman. The only other person in the guild was Natsu who sat in one corner, sleeping, or at least pretending to sleep until he could be sure his friend, partner and secret crush left and got home safe.
"I don't want to," Lucy groaned looking up, "My apartment looks like Gray went on a rampage in there, my heating's broken and everything is cold, something's are even frosting over."
"Oh you poor thing." Mira sighed.
"Can I just sleep here Mira?" Lucy asked hopefully.
"Sorry Lucy I can't let you do that." Mira sighed, "But I can get you some hot coca to take home with you." Mira smiled and hurried away to find a thermos to put the hot chocolate in.
Lucy sighed again and put her head back down. She wished she was Natsu; he was his own personal heater. She wished she could ask him to go back with her to her house, and to keep her warm, but she'd never do that. She could only hope he chose tonight to sneak in like he did some times.
"Here you go Lucy." Mira said handing Lucy a large blue thermos. Lucy cradled it in her hands, it was pleasantly warm to hold… like Natsu. Lucy shook her head and reached for her warm fluffy jacket.
"Thanks Mira." She smiled, "See you tomorrow."
"Why don't you wake Natsu?" Mira called as Lucy turned to leave, Natsu's ears practically twitched.
"What do you mean Mira?" Lucy asked.
"Well if he defrosted your apartment it might make it a little warmer, and if you asked him really nicely he might pre-heat your blankets." Mira said casually like it was a normal thing, but Lucy could almost see the scheme forming in her mind.
"It ok Mira," Lucy glanced at Natsu, "He almost looks cute when he's sleeping." She smiled, Natsu had to force himself not to smile or blush, he wasn't nearly as dense as he had everyone believe, with his ears he'd learnt everything from basic romance to the really perverted stuff the older members talked about. "I'll ask him to defrost it tomorrow, and hopefully the man will have come to fix the heater by then."
"Ok Lucy," Mira sighed, "Whatever you say."
"Thanks for the hot chocolate Mira," Lucy turned for the door, "See you tomorrow."
"Ok, night Lucy." Mira called.
As soon as Lucy was out the door Natsu 'woke up' "Hey Mira, what time is it?"
"Nearly midnight Natsu, you should head home." Mira said, she had a feeling Natsu had been awake. "You know Lucy just left, if you move quickly you might catch up, and then you have someone to walk with for a while."
"Ok, thank Mira." Natsu called before zooming out of the guild. Mira laughed softly to herself, maybe those two would finally sort themselves out."
"Luce!" Lucy stopped in her tracks and turned around, Natsu nearly barrelled straight into her, but he managed to dig his heels into the snow covered ground to stop. Unfortunately this threw up much of the snow, covering Lucy.
"Natsu!" she screamed.
"Sorry Luce," Natsu tried for a easy going grin but Lucy glared at him.
"My apartment is frozen and I have no hot water!" She cried, "What am I supposed to do now?"
"Here," Quicker than Lucy had ever seen Natsu move (Which was pretty fast anyway) he had removed both of their coats and she found herself wearing his. Wait why did Natsu even have a coat, he never needed one.
"You never wear a coat." Lucy said burying herself into the warm jacket thankfully.
"I just picked it up the other day, I don't know why." Natsu said casually, in truth he had brought it just for this purpose, especially with Lucy always walking along the water edge.
"I'm glad you did." Lucy said turning and walking toward her apartment. Natsu slung her coat over his arm and fell into step beside her, his body heat slowly starting to dry her coat.
"Yeah, I guess it came in handy." Natsu smiled.
"My hair," Lucy sighed, lifting a stand of her golden hair, her voice sound half sad, half amused, "It's frozen, in icicles." She gave out a little laugh.
Natsu reached out and touched her hair lightly, the ice fizzled, melted and the evaporated away. Lucy blushed, any normal person wouldn't have been able to see such a small colour change in that darkness, so Lucy paid no heed to it, but then Natsu wasn't normal, and he could see clearly the growing colour in his nakama's cheeks. He smiled softly. "once we get you home I'll warm you up," he leant forward and whispered in her ear. He revealed in how the blush reddened and she looked away.
"I'll be fine Natsu." She said.
"Don't be silly," Natsu laughed, "If you sleep like that you'll catch a cold, I'll dry you hair out for you and everything."
Lucy sighed and gave in; she knew he was right after all. They walked along chatting easily until they reached Lucy's apartment. Lucy unlocked her home and led Natsu in, and he entered for the first time though the front door.
Sure enough Lucy's apartment was freezing, maybe even colder than it had been outside. "Luce, it's freezing in here." Natsu said.
"I noticed that Natsu." Luce sighed.
"Come on," Natsu propelled Lucy towards her bed, still wrapped in his coat. She dropped her bag on the sofa on her way past and sat on the edge of her bed. Still gripping Mira's thermos in her hands. Natsu moved to her kitchen like he owned the place and pried open a cupboard by defrosting the hinges and got her a mug for the hot chocolate.
"Get yourself a mug too Natsu, Mira gave me plenty." Lucy called.
Natsu brought over the two mugs and Lucy poured out the hot, sweet liquid. Natsu took his mug and climbed onto Lucy's bed behind her, sitting cross legged. He downed the hot chocolate and put aside the mug. Then he started to work on her frozen hair. While Lucy sipped her drink Natsu ran his warmed up hand though her hair in long comforting strokes. Natsu had always wanted to run his hands though Lucy's hair like this, it was relaxing, her hair was soft and comforting. Lucy smiled and relaxed a Natsu dried her hair, leaning back a little towards him. When Natsu was finally done he wrapped his arms tightly around Lucy and pulled her back against him. He growled softly into her neck, the sound vibrating though Lucy's body. "Luce."
"Yeah Natsu." Lucy replied.
"Do you want me to stay tonight? To keep you warm?" Lucy froze, a near impossible thing to do in the dragon slayers arms. She did want him to stay, of course she did, but could she say it.
Lucy took a deep breath, "Yeah…" she breathed and of course Natsu heard. "I'm sleepy." She added.
Natsu unwrapped his arms, "Then go change," he suggested, "I'll wait here." Lucy got up and moved to her bathroom with her bed shirt to change. When she returned Natsu was gone but there was a clearly visible lump in her blankets. Lucy moved fast across the freezing room and rove under her now toasty blankets, snuggling down.
Natsu reached forward and wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close against him. The lights were off and it was dark all around them, but it was warm and comfortable in his arms. "Natsu…" Lucy mumbled snuggling against his chest.
"Luce…Lucy." Natsu smiled, the darkness and intimacy of the moment giving him strength and courage, Lucy way well throw him out into the streets, never talk to him again but he uttered the words he'd heard pass between a few chosen guild mates (Alzack and Bisca…Gajeel and Levy…etc) "I love you."
He expected her to stiffen, or punch him or push him away but she only moved her arm up slowly to his face. She touched his cheek and gazed into his slightly glowing eyes and smiled. "Yeah Natsu, I love you too." She leant forward and kissed him softly on the lips. "Now go to sleep, we can talk more tomorrow."
The next morning at the guild Erza was talking to Mirajane at the bar. "Mira do you know where Lucy and Natsu are, me and Gray were thinking of going on a mission."
"I'd think they'd both still be in bed at the moment," Mira said as she cleaned a glass, "Together that is."
"To…to…together?" Erza blushed.
"Of course, Lucy's heating is broken." Mira smiled "it was Natsu's perfect opportunity to confess, I even gave Lucy hot chocolate for them."
"So they're…" Erza trailed off.
"Oh yeah… impossible for any other outcome." Mira laughed.
Erza, the Erza looked scared, "I just hope you never find out who I like." She said.
"Oh Erza," Mira laughed, "It's far too late for that."