This is a one shot that I had an idea for the other night when I couldn't sleep and it was just so adorable that I just had to write it down. Apologies in advance if the characters seem a little OOC because this is my first time working with them.

It was a cold winter in Magnolia and a certain celestial mage was curled up in front of her wood burning heater with her blanket it draped over her shoulders and her spirit companion Plue in her arms. She made a mental note that she needed to get more firewood because she was using her last couple of logs.

"This feels really nice doesn't it?" asked Lucy

The small spirit made his usual sounds that sounded like he was agreeing, even though he was shaking it was actually quite warm.

Lucy sighed in content taking it the warmth of the heater. She started drifting into her own world as she stayed there longer in front of the heater. After a minute or two Lucy did not hear her fire mage companion entering through the window like he always did.

Natsu entered the apartment effortlessly looking around to see where his friend was. Lucy wasn't at her writing desk, she wasn't in the kitchen he discovered after a "thorough inspection", he knew for a fact that she wasn't at the guild because he had just come from there and would have bumped into her along the way if she was going there. It was not like her apartment was big, he should be able to find her easily. Also finding her by her scent in the place was difficult since it was all over the place.

Another sigh of content gave away Lucy's location. Natsu turned toward the sound to see her in front of the heater curled up in her blanket. How could have he missed her?

"Yo, Lucy!"

Lucy's thoughts were broken by the sudden outburst of her friend. Plue went home because his time was up.

"Natsu! Must you always break into my house? Why can't you use the door like normal people?" shouted Lucy as she stood up and her blanket falling off.

Completely ignoring her questions because they happen on a regular basis his own question was why she alway surprised to see him when he came by for and impromptu visit. "So what are you doing here in front of your heater? I thought you'd be usin' this weather as an excuse to write one of your stories like usual."

"I started to, but it was too cold to concentrate on anything so I put a couple of logs in to heat the place up, but it felt so nice in front it so I just stayed here."

It was no surprise that she was cold because she was in her usual attire of a midriff shirt and skirt even though it was snowing outside.

"But since I'm here now let's play something! Happy decided to hang out with Carla and Lily today so I'm bored!" Natsu whined.

Lucy sighed at his antics, but decided to along with them. "OK, what do you want to do?"

Natsu made a face like he was really concentrating. "I know, let's spar!"

"No way."

There was an awkward silence that filled the air.

"I haven't eaten dinner yet. Are you hungry, Natsu?" asked Lucy. Though he always seemed to be hungry, but it was good manners to ask anyway even if she already knew the answer.

"No thanks, I already ate," declared Natsu as he put on one of his signature face splitting smiles.

"OK I'll just get something to eat and maybe we can watch a Lacrima film or something," Lucy said as she was walking into the kitchen. However she was not happy with what she found in there. "NATSU!"

It was time to go to sleep and it didn't seem like Natsu was going to be leaving anytime soon. Even though it was a futile effort, Lucy set up a pillow and blanket for Natsu on the couch in an effort to keep him from crawling into her bed. She knew he wouldn't stay there, but it was worth a shot.

"You can stay here tonight, Natsu," Lucy said as she motioned toward the couch trying to make it clear as possible where he was supposed to sleep.

Natsu glanced at the couch, to the bed, and back to the couch again. "But that's not nearly as comfortable as your be-" he was cut off.

"You can't sleep in my bed, Natsu." Lucy stated, started to get annoyed. "I don't have the energy to argue, that film ran longer than I expected and I really just want to go to sleep." She started poking at the logs in the heater to get more flames going.

"What are you doing?" asked Natsu, not understanding why Lucy hated it when he made flames in her house but was perfectly OK with the ones in the heater. 'It's not like they're any hot anyways,' Natsu thought to himself, 'my flames are way hotter than the ones coming out of that piece of junk.'

"Making the fire bigger so it can keep me warm, it's going to be cold tonight and not everyone is a walking fireball that can keep themselves warm even in a blizzard."

'The more reason why I should sleep in your bed with you,' he continued thinking, 'I can keep you warmer than some log that will eventually burn out. Wait, why do I even care how she decides to keep warm? Though I suppose choosing those weak flames over mine is an insult to my magic.' Natsu kept telling himself that because even he was too dense to figure out his own motives.

"Whatever," he tried brushing it off, but the small scowl that replaced his usual smile said so otherwise.

"Something wrong?" worriedly asked Lucy who wasn't used to see her partner upset.

"No, nothing. Just tired. Good night." That was a lie.

After an hour Lucy fell asleep, Natsu was still wide awake uncomfortable on the couch. 'Well, I guess it's better than my hammock because it doesn't sway.' He got up and walked around since he felt like sleep wasn't going to come anytime soon. Crouching besides Lucy's bed, Natsu looked at her face. It looked so peaceful. Then he glanced, no, glared at the heater. Sure he was happy that Lucy was warm, but for some reason he had the the feeling that Lucy should be warm because of him. Having Lucy wrapped up in his arms, her head lying on his chest and saying... Natsu couldn't make out what she was saying in his head. He assumed it was something like 'You're so much better than some piece of junk heater. Your magic is the strongest!'

Natsu quickly dismissed the thought. "What the hell am I thinking?" he muttered to himself. "Though I do suppose I do like the thought of being told my magic is the strongest.

He was a dense idiot.

Natsu then stood up and quietly walked toward the heater.

"Time for a midnight snack," He said with a grin. Natsu ate what little of the flames were left burning. "Those wimpy flames weren't even lukewarm, wouldn't even stand a chance against me in a fight!" he exclaimed to himself, proud of his little 'victory.'

A few minutes passed and the temperature in the room began to drop by a few degrees.

"C-cold..." whimpered Lucy.

"Something wrong Lucy," asked Natsu from the couch, trying to sound groggy as possible and to hide the satisfaction in his voice.

Lucy sat up in her bed and looked around and was actually surprised to see Natsu had stayed in his place. Or so she thought. Then her eyes fell onto the darkened heater.

"Oh, I guess the flames burnt out..."

"Did they..." Natsu pretended to be looking at the heater for the first time that night, "looks like they did to me." He got up and opened the door to it. "Sorry Luce, there's nothing but ashes left in here."

"Oh..." Lucy tightened her blanket around herself to keep her body heat from escaping and started to lie back down onto her bed.

'I'll be fine,' she told herself, 'I'll just go into town tomorrow and pick up some more wood, I still have a little money left over from this month's rent...' She closed her eyes and concentrated on sleeping. 'Maybe if I just pretend I'm somewhere warm, I'll feel warmer! Let's see... the beach.' Not warm enough. 'It is not winter it is really summer, Natsu and I took a job that is on a volcano island... I feel a lot better already!'

Lucy shifted so she was on her side and rested her head on her pillow.

"So warm..." she hummed smiling.

"I know."

...Wait, WHAT?!

Lucy snapped her eyes open to find the source of heat only to discover her mind over matter trick hadn't actually worked. After that realization she saw that her "pillow" was actually Natsu's chest.

'How- how long have I been cuddling with Natsu!?" She froze. This shouldn't have been happening. She shouldn't be with her guild partner, no, her best friend in such an... intimate way, no matter how cold she was.

When she finally came to she stammered "Na-na-natsu? Wh-what are you d-doing?" She didn't change her position though, it was actually quite nice to be in his arms like this... though she shoved the thought to the back of her mind before she went any further.

"You looked cold," Natsu stated simply. "What kind of friend would I be if I had let you stay cold when I could have helped? Besides, you said so yourself 'not everyone is a walking fireball.'" He was serious.

Absolutely lost for words Lucy could feel a blush creeping up on her cheeks that she knew she wouldn't be able to hide.

"See? You're getting warmer already, Luce!" Natsu exclaimed when he saw Lucy's cheeks getting a tint of pink.

Mavis, was he dense.

"Yes... warmer..." murmured Lucy as her head started to rest on Natsu's chest again. She couldn't have been more thankful for Natsu's density than right now. Before drifting off to sleep and burying her face into his chest, she said, "Thank you, Natsu, you really are the warmest..."

Natsu's face broke out into a huge grin. He patiently waited until Lucy's breathing became deep and even before pulling her closer to him. 'I'll be the one to keep you warm. I promise.'

He turned his neck to get a view of the now "defeated" heater, his smile turning into a smirk.

"I win."