Day Thirty-Seven

Cold

Lucy stared at him.

Really, Natsu? How many times are you going to do this?

She didn't try to wake him up. She knew it was pretty much hopeless. He'd crashed on her bed yet again, and it was really because of the many times he'd done it before that Lucy had bothered with buying herself a couch.

She didn't even change, she was so tired. With a long sigh, the blond mage simply dropped herself on the couch and let herself sleep.

It wasn't easy. She fell asleep quickly at first, but woke later with a start, pulling herself into a sitting position. She took a glance at the clock, sure that at least a few hours had passed during her slumber -

The digital clock, blinking red numbers on her nightstand, read 2:46 a.m.

Only ten minutes had passed since she'd gone to bed!

Lucy stared at the clock for a few moments later. Her shoulders sagged, and she fell back onto the couch.

I haven't got a pillow. Or a blanket.

But Lucy didn't care, letting the thoughts drift away from her mind. She was completely exhausted. She needed to sleep.

And so she did.

But she woke again, a mere hour later, and after another glance at the clock, she groaned. The celestial mage was sure, if things kept up this way, she was in for a long night. Her gaze drifted to Natsu, sleeping peacefully in her bed.

Her bed.

That... that idiot... that stupid moron... he... Lucy let out a loud, frustrated groan and put her head in her hands.

He clearly wasn't getting up - and there was no way she was getting in until he was out.

That left her with one option.

Go back to sleep on the stupid couch.

And so she did.

Lucy woke thirty minutes later, feeling like a popsicle. Some part of her mind wondered if Gray had snuck in, too, and caused this ridiculous temperature drop - or maybe it had been this cold the whole time, and she was only just noticing it.

Glancing enviously at her warm bed, and the warm pink-haired boy sleeping in it, Lucy reluctantly stepped into her bathroom to shower.

It didn't take long for Lucy to be glad she had. Typically, she wasn't one for late-night(early morning?) showers, but this one made her feel so good. Yup, that had been a very good decision.

After changing into some proper pajamas - warm pajamas - Lucy fell back asleep on the couch.

Thank goodness, she didn't wake once more until morning. The sun had risen a while ago, and she felt so delightfully warm - uh, wait... why was she so warm...?

Lucy blinked her eyes open and gazed down at herself.

She was in her bed.

She was in her bed!

Lucy sat up, yawning. She still felt sore from the long solo job she'd taken last night, and the rough night on the couch.

"Oh, hey, Luce."

That voice.

Lucy froze. "N-Natsu?" She turned to face the pink-haired dragonslayer and felt anger bubble up inside her. "I was just on a mission last night! And it took way too long, so I didn't get back till late, and you were in my bed! And I was cold on that stupid couch!" She realized she was whining, but she didn't care. She had been cold, after all.

Natsu shifted uncomfortably on his feet. "Sorry, Lucy... I had meant to wait for ya till ya got back... so I could, y'know, be here to meet you... but I just got so tired."

Lucy softened a litte. She gave him a small smile.

"Well, okay then. Just - don't let that happen again!"

He chuckled. "Okay, Luce."

"By the way," she added curiously, "how'd I end up in my bed again?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Well, I moved you there when I woke up, a'course. You looked pretty cold."

She scowled. "I was cold." Then she brightened. "But thank you!"

Natsu laughed, and so did Lucy.

That idiot. That stupid, flame-brained moron.

Ah, she loved him...