A/N: Fairy Tail does not belong to me, nor do I claim it does~

She'd noticed he'd been tense.

Nothing major, but it was something she noticed. He would freeze for a moment, standing stock still in the kitchen during whatever he was doing, just listening for a moment, brows furrowing, like he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

Perhaps he couldn't.

And in an effort to make him comfortable (it was his apartment too, everyone needed an escape) she enlisted the help of Freed, Levy tagging along for support. All in all, between the two letter mages, it took an hour.

Runes had to be very precise and she wanted to get this absolutely right, so the wording had to be perfect.

And when he walked in, dropped his bag by the door and made a beeline for his room, she smiled, hoping he liked his surprise. "I swear to God, Blondie, if you painted my room pink, I will strangle you in your sleep." And then the door closed and she waited for him to notice.

Soundproofing his room was probably one of her better ideas. She knew he would wake up throughout the night, keyed in to everyone's thoughts and dreams, jolting awake after the little boy across the street had a nightmare.

'Anyone in this room may only hear voices in this apartment, nothing more.'

And today, they'd find out if the wording was correct. Would he still hear thoughts? Would he still be able to hear everything outside? She hoped not. She had her own share of nightmares, but his was worse, hearing everyone else's.

"What did you do?" She turned, watching as he stepped out of his room and then stumble, leaning against the wall as his eye went wide. He looked from her, then back to his room. He took a hesitant step in and watched the runes flicker to life in the doorway. "Lucy?"

"I asked Freed to set them up. I can't imagine it's pleasant, hearing everyone's thoughts and dreams while you sleep, or even while you're trying to relax. In your room, you can only hear voices from the apartment. I was hoping that included thoughts, but—"

"It does." He gazed back into his room, surprise written over his features.

And gratitude.

"I… can't remember the last time it was quiet."

She felt like crying. "I wasn't sure—if that was a good idea or not. Since if Jellal needed you, or something else was happening, you would only know if you weren't in your room. But… Everyone needs a safe place. And I want this to be it." She swallowed, nodding resolutely. He stepped back out, walking through the apartment and seeming to marvel at the notion.

A place for him, a place where he could be in peace, somewhere only for him.

"You did that for me?"

"We're friends, aren't we?" I can't imagine what you deal with, with your magic. It's the least I can do, if it will help.

"Yeah. I guess." He looked back at his room, then settled on the couch next to her, their shoulders touching lightly. "Thanks, Blondie."

"No problem." She shot him a smile, then returned to her book.

He spent the rest of the afternoon sitting next to her, reading over her shoulder. She didn't mind the domestic scene and she let it go, considering her probably needed more quiet episodes like this in his crazy life—come to think of it, she did too.

"Luce! Hey!" her window opened and Natsu tumbled in, sprawled on her bed while Happy fluttered behind him. "Let's go get some—Oi, Snake-Face, watcha doin' here?" Natsu blinked at Cobra, who ignored him in favor of turning the page, Lucy now focusing on the pinket instead of her book.

"Natsu. Why are you in my apartment?"

"Dinner, Luce! It's time for dinner!" Happy was scavenging in her fridge, pulling away with a fish in his mouth. "Happy! Don't start without me!"

"Lucy doesn't have any food!" the blue cat enlightened the Dragon Slayer, who looked startled at this latest revelation.

"Jeez, Luce, how're we gonna have dinner if ya don't got any food?" Lucy tilted her head back, staring up at the ceiling. "Hey, I've been meaning to—"

"No," Cobra interrupted him, not taking his eye away from the book now in his hands.

"You don't even know—"

"I do."

"Stop that!" Cobra flashed a sharp grin. Natsu narrowed his eyes, crossing his arms and settling himself more comfortably on Lucy's bed. "Then why are you—"

"It's quiet. So feel free to leave any time."

Natsu's frown deepened. "Are you just mooching off Lucy?"

Lucy snorted, her giggles starting soft until she was laughing hysterically, leaning heavily against his shoulder as she nearly sobbed at the hilarity of it all.

Natsu was asking if Cobra was mooching off her. Natsu. The teen who regularly raided her fridge and left her house full, requiring her to go to the store again to make herself dinner.

Natsu.

At-least Cobra paid rent and bleach was cheap enough.

"I live here now and I declare you unwelcome. Good-bye, Flamebrain." Cobra waved a hand towards the window the teen came in from as Lucy tried to control her laughter.

"Wait, you live here? Since when?!"

"Last month, when I signed the lease."

"Lucy! Why didn't you tell me?! If you wanted a roommate, we coulda moved in!"

Lucy was nearly on the floor, still laughing, tears sprouting from her eyes as she heaved, trying to breathe. He wasn't helping at-all and she wasn't entirely sure she could look at him seriously in the next month without collapsing and just laughing.

"Alright, that's it, you're out. Good-bye. You too, Cat!" Cobra got up from the couch, nearly throwing his fellow Slayer out the window, Happy flying after him, giggling something about leaving the two love-birds to themselves. "Breathe, Blondie, otherwise we're gonna have some problems, okay? And I am not going down for a murder that I took no part in."

"I-it—it—it's just—! He thou-thought you were moo-mooching off me! Natsu! Bwahahahaha!"

Cobra sighed heavily as she curled into a ball on the floor, another round of laughter spilling out of her.

Yaaaay~ Chapter 21!

So, I have an idea for the next chapter? And my idea includes ending this? On the next chapter?

On a scale of 1-10, how upset would ya'll be? I mean, I get that some of you really like this, but I gotta end it eventually!

So! I hope you enjoyed, thank you so much for reading!

Until the next time, ciao~!