Hello, boys and girls. I'd like to tell a story.

It's a rather quick one too. There are two reasons this story came about. The first one is that this idea was in my head and when a plot bunny is hopping around in there, the only way to get it out is to write it and post it. The second reason is that I am having a bit of trouble with my main Nalu fic. I am having a bit of trouble channeling the necessary angst needed to write it. Plus my video game project and Fire Emblem is getting in the way as well.

So here's a short sweet story to prove that I'm not dead. This fic was inspired by a pic on DA. Hopefully this will destroy the writer's block I have so I can get back to the next chapter.

The Little Perks

It was very cold outside, Lucy Heartfilia mused from inside the safety of her apartment. Well, that was a vast understatement. Actually was below freezing and Magnolia was in the middle of a rare, but powerful snowstorm. And it wasn't just the three and a half foot snowfall that was the problem. The freezing wind made going outside unbearable. It was the kind of weather that forced people indoors (except for people like her friend Gray who reveled in the cold and Juvia who followed said friend everywhere). Lucy knew that she wasn't going anywhere as long as the weather was like this.

Just like it was freezing outside, it was about just as cold in her apartment. The cold air from outside was seeping through, even though she put plastic over the windows and under the doors. Lucy herself was dressed in three layers of clothes, a robe and two blankets while lying in the fetal position to conserve her body heat. And still, she was cold. Sadly, her heater was on the fritz which meant that she had to ride out this storm without it. With nothing to do, Lucy decided that sleep was her best option.

However, the Stellar Spirit mage wasn't coping well with the cold. The blonde was hiding under her blankets. She was shivering violently. Her teeth were chattering. Her skin had goose bumps all over. Lucy was cold, freezing cold and she thought she was going to become an ice cube. How sad, she thought. This was how she was going to die. She was going to be a frozen corpse. At least her beauty would be immortalized in ice so that future generations would see it. That's a plus, right?

And as she was contemplating her death by hypothermia, something, or rather, someone came bursting through the window, letting a fresh batch of freezing cold air into her apartment. Even though she was under her blankets and couldn't see the person, Lucy knew exactly who that was. It was her boyfriend that was letting in the cold.

"Natsu." Lucy growled weakly.

"Hey, Lucy." Natsu laughed. "There's plastic all over your window. What is up with that?"

Lucy peeked from under the safety of her covers. Natsu was covered in the plastic that she used for the windows. Underneath that plastic, the fire Dragon Slayer was dressed in a parka, snow pants, boots and his usual scarf. Strangely enough, Happy wasn't with him. Then again, Happy probably had more sense to stay indoors, something Natsu lacked.

Lucy, rather than being happy with the sudden intrusion, was quite annoyed with Natsu. "The plastic was there to keep the heat in and the cold out." She whined. "And now you ruined it."

Natsu ripped off the plastic from his body. Then pulled on the blankets so he could see the face of his favorite blonde mage. "Aww come on." He grinned. "Don't be like that."

"Close the window. It's freezing." Lucy whimpered, pulling the blankets over her face again.

Natsu took pity on Lucy and closed her window.

"How can you be out in this weather?" The blonde wondered weakly.

"Well, I wanted to see you." Natsu chuckled. "I wanted to see my girlfriend."

Even though Lucy was freezing cold, even though she wanted nothing to do but sleep, the blonde mage couldn't help but smile at Natsu's comment. It made feel warm inside... metaphorically at least. "Natsu." She whispered.

Natsu sat on Lucy's bed and removed his boots, his wet boots that dripped snow all over the place. The blonde was too cold to be annoyed. Next came his wet socks which he put in the boots. Then he took off his snow pants, leaving on some shorts. Finally he removed his coat which left him in a light t-shirt.

"What are you doing?" Lucy mumbled under her layers of warm clothes and blankets.

"Taking off my clothes." Natsu answered simply.

"I can see that. But why?" She asked.

Natsu responded by grabbing one of Lucy's hands and pulling her from under the covers to him. When he did that, he could feel how cold she was. "Luce, you're freezing." He said, a bit worried about her temperature.

"Of course I'm freezing." Lucy replied. "It's freezing outside."

"C'mere." Natsu told her.

Natsu gently pulled Lucy closer until she was flush against his body. This caused Lucy to blush. Lucy didn't understand why she blushed. They have been dating for more than a year and have been as close as two people could be. How could an action so simple cause such a reaction in her?

"What are you doing?" She stammered, fighting off a blush.

"Warming you up." Natsu said simply.

"Nat...su..." Lucy whispered.

It took a few moments but Lucy could feel the heat radiating from Natsu's body. Natsu was using his magic to warm her up. One of the perks to being a fire mage was a higher than normal body temperature. Lucy realized that he was using his magic to heat up his skin and use his body heat to warm her up. How very thoughtful of him, she thought.

"Feeling better?" Natsu asked.

"A little." Lucy admitted.

Natsu nodded. He then adjusted Lucy and himself so that they were laying in her bed. Natsu's arms were wrapped around her and she was laying supine on him. Lucy was getting warmer and warmer thanks to Natsu's body heat, so much so that she removed most of her extra clothing and two of the blankets.

"Are you feeling cold now?" Natsu smirked, knowing the answer.

Lucy blushed. "Not particularly." She answered. "But the blizzard is going to last all night and I might feel cold later."

"Don't worry." Natsu grinned his very childish, and in Lucy's opinion, very cute grin. "I'll keep you warm all night."

Lucy blushed. Coming from anyone else, that would have been interpreted as a come on. And though they have made love several times, she knew that Natsu meant that in the most innocent of ways.

"Okay, you can sleep in my bed tonight." Lucy relented. "But just because it is cold."

Natsu chuckled and wrapped his arms around Lucy's soft body a little tighter.

Lucy dug herself deeper against Natsu's body, greedily relishing in his warmth. She could feel her eyelids getting heavy. Her body wanted sleep and she wasn't going to fight it anymore. In her boyfriend's embrace, she started drifting off to dream land.

To Lucy, Natsu was many things. He was a powerful nakama whom she trusted with her very life. He was her best friend who brought her into Fairy Tail where she made many more friends. He was a great boyfriend who took care of her every need. And, though she would never admit it out loud, he was a fantastic lover who could satisfy her completely and utterly.

But it was the little perks that Natsu gave her that really meant a lot to Lucy: A warm and childish smile, a guiding hand through battle, a gentle touch... and yes, a warm body in the cold. It was these little perks made her happy that she met and fell in love with Natsu Dragneel.

Oooh. Right in the d'awww.

Anyways, enough of that. Liked it? Hated it? Have no opinion one way or the other? Leave me a review. I'd love to hear from you.

I have another idea for some fics. It's called "What's your kink?" and just as the name implies, it chronicles the sex life of the Fairy Tail couples and their secret fetishes. I have many ideas. I just don't know if I should put it into one fic or separate them by couples. I already know what's Lucy's kink. As for Natsu, I think I can come up with something.

Well, peace out.

A. Angel