Author's Note: I wanted to make this longer, but I couldn't think of anything since I didn't want them getting intimate and adjakldjal anyway, here's another one shot. Now excuse me while I go work on my fifty thousand other stories -.-
Nightmare
She wasn't sure if it was reality or her mind slowly decaying; her sanity breaking before her eyes.
She woke in a screaming fright, clothes and sheets drenched in an uncomfortable sweat. Her chest heaved as she desperately fought to calm the tremors that rocked her body. Behind her ribcage, her heart beat like the wings of a humming bird, threatening to break through the delicate bones and leap from her chest. It was impossible to swallow, her throat felt like it was closing over; she gagged a few times before erupting into a fit of coughing – that left her absolutely breathless.
Frantic hands felt her face and the remainder of her body, searching for something other than cold skin and sticky sweat, but she found nothing. A relived sigh escaped her lips as she whipped her brow with the sleeve of her pink night shirt. The room around her seemed to grow smaller and smaller, nearly crushing her in the darkness. She scrambled from the searing warmth of her bed and to the opposite side of the room where her lamp stood pushed as far into the corner as it would go.
It was like trying to find a black mark on a black sheet of paper; she fumbled around blindly until her delicate fingers finally landed on the pull string. Grasping the cold metal, she pulled downward rather violently. With a click, the room was filled with a soft light. Shoving an errant chuck of bangs from her face, she shuffled into the bathroom and examined her reflection critically, turning her face this way and that; other than a few stray pimples and a barely visible freckle or two remained under the thin film of sweat that had taken her body.
Relief flooded through her as a tsunamic wave fear began to recede.
Shaking her head slightly, the blonde made her way into the kitchen, careful to turn the lights on as she went. Her throat, which had opened up a bit, was dry and scratchy; no doubt from the horrid scream that tore from her lips upon wakening. Still trembling slightly, feeling goosebumps prickle her skin, the young woman removed a pitcher of apple juice from the refrigerator and poured herself a glass, guzzling it desperation.
A slight fidgeting by her window had her heart with fear.
Reaching behind her, she retrieved the largest cooking knife she could find and held it desperately; the smooth handle slipped slightly in her clammy palms. Cautiously, she moved towards the window, chocolate eyes squinting as if the action would help her see through the glaring reflection. A small flash of movement startled her. She squealed, stumbling backwards as the weapon fell to the floor with a dull clatter. Following the sound was more scuffling and fidgeting.
For a moment she contemplated grabbing her keys which lay on the desk just beside the window, but if whoever, or whatever it was managed to open it, she would be in the worst possible position without anything to defend her self but her hands and feet; she which was as good as being weaponless.
The window opened slowly, forcing the blonde to swallow heavily. Her breathing rate increased as images of some disgusting creature with four, clawed arms and bubbling boils filled her mind, followed by a huge mouth full of rows of razor sharp teeth and a pair of glowing red eyes. Her fear faded, replaced with what felt like embarrassment and anger as the familiar form of her team mate filled her eyes.
"GRAY?!" She nearly shrieked. "What are you doing here?!"
The exhibitionist ducked beneath the bottom of the window and slipped inside her room, eyeing her with concerned eyes, "I just got back from a job. I heard you scream and got worried."
"You couldn't have come through the front door?!" The blonde fumed, retrieving the knife from its spot on the floor. Wiping it off with her blouse, she placed it in the rack with the others. "You nearly gave me a heart attack."
The mage scratched the back of his head as an embarrassed smile spread over his lips. "Well, the quickest way in was through the window, since you never lock it."
Lucy sighed. I guess that explains how Natsu manages to get in here. Note to self: remember to lock the window from now on.
She regarded the man before her warily, noticing a nasty looking wound on his left side. "Gray, you're hurt."
For a moment the exhibitionist gaped at her with a dumbfounded expression. Following her line of sight, he found the cut in his undershirt, revealing a slightly bloody and infected looking gash. His brows knit as he examined it, wondering how in the hell had missed it. Before he could pass it off a simple cut, the blonde was already kneeling before him, pulling his coat open even more than it already was. She leaned close, the hair from her disheveled bangs tickling the bare skin of his stomach as she lifted the lower half of his shirt.
He felt his cheeks redden, greatly shocked by her proximity. He could feel her hot breath against his taut skin as she lifted his shirt higher to get a better look at the wound. She touched it lightly, her fingers trailing over his skin, leaving a trail of searing heat in their wake. All the while, she seemed completely oblivious to the reaction she had unintentionally gotten from him.
"Ugh, I can't see it." She grumbled, pushing herself to her feet once more, "Take your clothes off."
The words struck him like a slap in the face; he gaped at her, face burning a deeper shade of red. Despite stripping whenever he wanted, there was something about the fact that she was telling him to undress that had him stuck in place, unable to lift a finger or voice a thought of objection or comply. His expression shocked her just as much as it had shocked him.
"Let me see it," she said again, reaching for the coat.
Slowly he reached up and slipped it off his shoulders before she could, letting the discarded article fall to the ground with a soft thud. Soon after came his shirt, exposing his toned chest. Without hesitation, the blonde forced him to turn sideways, poking and prodding at the gash with a perfectly manicured finger, earning an occasional hiss of pain from the mage.
"It's infected," she murmured, touching it lightly, "it needs to be cleaned. Did you even know you had this?"
The exhibitionist shook his head.
Lucy sighed, "Stay here and don't touch it. I'll be right back."
She bounded to her bathroom and threw the white doors of her cabinet open. Shifting through numerous things of hair products and facial masks, she finally found what she was looking for; an old metal box labeled 'First Aid'. Setting the box on the counter, she opened it and retrieved a bottle rubbing alcohol and a roll of gauze bandages. Grabbing a washcloth on her way out, the blonde made her way into the living room where Gray stood still, watching her cautiously.
She soaked a corner of the washcloth in alcohol and began lightly dabbing at the wound. Gray bit his lip, struggling to keep back a curse as a burning pain coursed through his body; he knew she wasn't hurting him intentionally, but it still hurt. Finally, she removed the offending cloth and began wrapping the bandages around his side, careful not to put too much pressure on the wound.
"There!" She said, standing up and admiring her work.
Gray turned his head, avoiding her gaze. His heart was racing a million miles a minute and he wasn't sure what he should do next. "Why'd you scream?"
The blonde gazed at him in confusion, but realization began dawning in her chocolate eyes. "Oh, I was having a nightmare. I read one of Levy's horror novels and I haven't been able to sleep since then."
"Do you want me to stay here tonight?"
The question hung in the air between them. A small blush colored Lucy's face as she gaped at the man before her who looked as uncomfortable as he could be. Her dumbfounded expression morphed into a smirk. "Why not? You can sleep on the couch."
