Chapter Summary:

Laxus and Nor share a cozy moment.

Laxus realizes he actually likes to cuddle. (Who's shocked? Are you shocked? You shouldn't be.)

*Laxus*

I'd been staring at the map for about 15 minutes, and nothing had changed. The map was doing a stellar job of just being…a map. I was trying to figure out which way we should head, and wasn't finding a straightforward, easy way to cross the border between Bosco and Fiore.

I nudged Kitten next to me. "Wake up, sleepyhead." I was sitting on the bed against the headboard, dressed and ready to go, feet crossed at the ankle. Kitten was passed out under the covers, on her stomach, her arms flung out across the bed. It was well past noon on our fourth day together. After much arguing, she'd taken the bed the last two nights at my insistence. Gods, that woman could argue. Fuckin' sharp as a tack, that one.

I heard a whiny grumble of irritated resistance being mumbled into the pillow where her face was smushed. All of a sudden, an arm snaked its way out from under the covers to pat the bed beside her; continuing to pat until she found the source of the voice (my voice). She patted my hip, then my abdomen, then landed on my right arm. Her hand gripped my arm (as much as one small hand could wrap around it) squeezing a couple times, making me chuckle. The covers rustled, and her head popped out from her cozy cocoon, eyes blinking away sleep as she tried to focus on what she was touching. Her brows were knitted together in concentration.

Fuck, but she was adorable. Messy hair, pillow marks on her cheeks flushed from sleep, deep blue eyes still focusing after awakening. I loved watching her wake up; before she was fully awake, and her constant anxiety returned. Right now she was content, and not afraid.

Her hand remained on my arm. "When you were born, did they just push together a couple of extra mountain ranges that were lying around? Is that why you're so big?" She asked, sleep making her words thicker than normal.

I couldn't help it, I snorted.

"Cause I guarantee that underneath whatever it is you have on, you're made out of 100% rock."

I laughed, and was about to say something along the lines of 'you're welcome to take a look whenever you want to be sure,' but I held back. I knew she wouldn't appreciate it. I was beyond stunned when she rolled onto her left side, so she was facing me, and scooted closer, putting her head in my lap.

"I don't want to wake up yet, Laxus," her voice was barely above a whisper, sleepy eyes closing. She squirmed around a little, I guess trying to find a more comfortable position for her head. She finally stilled. "You're comfortable. This is nice," her voice was barely a sigh. She was lying on her left side, so her back was to the head of the bed. She kind of wrapped her arms around my right leg, hugging it. I could tell by her breathing she'd fallen back asleep.

Speechless. I was speechless. I found I didn't know what to do with my hands, so I settled for putting one over her shoulder, and ran one through her hair. Since she'd bathed a couple times now, her hair color was brighter than ever – there were even more browns mixed in with the blondes. And her hair was so soft. Running my hands through it, it felt like I was running my hand through bolts of silk.

I took that moment to look at the tattoo on my arm – my cat was sleeping, flat on her back, belly up, paws akimbo. A pose of submission – but, that wasn't quite right. That was a pose of comfortability – of trust. That realization made my dragon purr his approval.

She was right. This was nice.

*Nor*

When I woke up, I realized I was not sleeping on a pillow. I was sleeping on a person.

I was sleeping on a person and that person felt nice.

Huh. That was new.

"Hey, Sleeping Beauty," Laxus spoke quietly, and I felt like he was trying to make sure he didn't startle me. I felt his arms on me, one over my shoulder, and one in my hair.

I turned my head so I was looking up at him. "*I* did this, yes?" I asked, wanting to confirm.

"Yes, Kitten. You did this."

I bit the inside of my cheek. "Ok."

"Out of curiosity, how do your tattoos feel?" Laxus asked out of the blue.

I furrowed my brow in concentration. "I- I can't feel them," I said, amazed. I couldn't. They didn't hurt at all. Sparklefists had been right, about the mark. I saw him trying to hide a smug smile. I rolled my eyes. "Fine, all right? You were right."

He flashed me a cocky grin, and I smiled back. "Don't…let it go to your head, Sparklefists," I said, smiling knowingly.

"Wouldn't dream of it."

"What time is it, do you know?"

"Late afternoon."

"Damn. I'm sorry. I know you wanted to get started today." I sighed. Laxus had said he wanted to get back on the road today, but getting such a late start wouldn't do us any good. I felt his fingers moving on my scalp, and it felt so good.

"Kitten, don't worry about it. One more night here won't kill us. Getting you healthy and rested is just as important." Laxus must have heard my happy sigh at his fingers moving in my hair and asked "Feel good?"

"Yes," I said quietly.

"Good." He kept doing it, and I didn't stop him. "Are you hungry?"

I frowned. I was hungry, but I didn't want to move. I was comfortable.

"Yes, but…" I started, but was afraid to finish. I didn't want to admit I liked it when he touched me. I didn't want him to make fun of me.

"But…?" He quirked an eyebrow up at me.

"I'm comfortable like this. I don't want to move."

"While I don't necessarily want to move, either, I too am hungry. What say this – we go down and eat, and come back to the room and if you want to, resume our places."

My eyes darted to his face. "That- would be ok?"

"Yes, Kitten. That would be ok."

"Ok." I felt Laxus shifting on the bed, and suddenly I was alone. I whined. "So….comfy…." I started trying to extricate myself from the tangle of bedclothes, then gave up, because I was really stuck. I saw Laxus chuckling above me.

"Would you like some help?" he asked, smiling. I nodded. "Gimme your hands." I did as he asked, and he pulled, gently. "I'm going to put my hands under your arms, ok?"

"Ok." And he did. He pulled me out by my armpits, and set me on the floor.

"Thank you." I went to the bathroom, and once done, brushed my teeth. When I walked out, Laxus was leaning on the wall to my left.

"Ready?" He asked, and I nodded. We slowly made our way downstairs, and ordered food. Even as I ate, I kept yawning.

"You still tired?" he asked, looking somewhat concerned. I nodded. Laxus was relaxing in the chair across from me, but I was still eating. He'd gotten me a second helping, but said he was full. He was watching me with interest. I cocked my head to the side in an unspoken question.

"I have a theory." He said, and I nodded, wanting him to continue. "Do you feel relaxed?" he asked, watching me intently.

I considered his question, biting back my first immediate response of 'no'. I took a deep breath, and really thought about it. " I don't know if I would say relaxed, exactly, but…less tense."

"Ok. And when was the last time you were this…not tense?"

That was easy. "Before I was taken. When I was nine."

"Maybe – just maybe – your body feels like it's safe to be less tense." I could tell Laxus was trying to use the least amount of tone possible.

I thought about it. It was possible. As hard as it was to believe, I didn't think Laxus was going to hurt me. Like, I just knew it. It was a weird feeling. But I was certain.

"It's possible." I didn't want to give a concrete answer just yet. I'd finished eating, finally. Laxus raised an eyebrow at me, asking if I was finished. I nodded. We both stood.

"Let's go back to the room and see if we can't get you less tense again," He said with a slight smirk.

*Laxus*

When we got back to the room, Kitten just kind of stopped, like she didn't know what to do next.

"Do you need to use the bathroom?" I asked, gently. She took a second to consider, then nodded. She went in and shut the door. I got back on the bed, leaning up against the headboard again. Kitten came back out after a minute, and I could smell that she'd brushed her teeth again. I was about to suggest she just climb over me when she went around to the other side of the bed, and crawled over to me from that side. She looked up at me before putting her head back in my lap.

"You're sure this is ok?" she sounded so unsure.

"Yes, Kitten. I am positive this is ok." I must have sounded reassuring, because she replaced her head in my lap, and I immediately put my hand back in her hair and started running my fingers through it. I hesitated before I moved my right hand, not sure if I should. I started tracing patterns on her back, lightly. I heard a sharp intake of breath, and my hand stilled.

"Kitten, was that not ok for me to do?" I asked, concerned.

"No-no- it's ok," her voice sounded almost – husky. "I wasn't expecting it, that's all."

"You're sure it's ok?"

"Yes. It feels…nice."

It felt nice to me, too. Being able to touch her was satisfying to me in a way I couldn't describe. I have never been much for cuddling, not since Mira and I were teenagers. But touching Kitten was…comforting. But it was even more than that. Knowing that I was making her feel less tense was an immensely satisfying feeling. My dragon approved. Bringing comfort to our mate was our job.

I felt Kitten's hands wrap around my leg once more.

"Hey, Laxus?"

"Mmhhhmm?"

"Would you tell me more about your guild?"