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Lucy woke up feeling a shift in her bed.
In the past, this would have infuriated her, because it could only mean that Natsu and Happy had sneaked in without warning. That meant that the next day, she would have to make breakfast for three instead of one and, on top of that, go buy more food, since a dragon slayer and a talking cat ate twice as much as any normal person.
The only thing she felt was an arm wrapping around her waist, pulling her toward a solid source of warmth.
Over time, Lucy had grown accustomed to it and couldn’t deny that she loved it.
She turned, and as she pulled the blankets aside a little, she first saw a firm torso and then, very close, Natsu Dragneel’s face, looking at her with curiosity.
“Hi,” she whispered, burying her head in the dragon slayer’s chest.
After a gentle startle, an arm calmly wrapped around her, adjusting her until her head was nestled between his chest and arm.
Natsu watched her for a moment longer before smiling.
“Good night.”
“You took longer than usual,” Lucy remarked.
“Happy wanted to come along, but only if I brought some fish for breakfast,” he replied, letting out a low laugh.
Lucy propped herself up slightly and saw Happy resting at the foot of the bed, between them, with his head on the fish-shaped pillow she had bought him, which already seemed covered in drool.
“He’s a hard cat to please.”
Without her asking, Natsu repositioned her again, though not without letting out a yawn.
“I’d say he’s very hard to please,” he declared with a smile, searching for the perfect spot to rest his head. “Your bed feels smaller every day.”
“That’s a lie. The problem is that you’ve grown so much from all the food you eat.”
“That’s not true, weirdo. The one who weighs twice as much is you.”
Lucy pinched his nipple in revenge. Natsu let out a protest, but soon settled again, resting his cheek against her head.
“You're right,” Lucy admitted, pausing for a moment. “I didn't change the bed after returning from the island, or after the last mission. It's almost ten years old.”
“Huh?” asked Natsu. “How long has it been?”
“For the bed, a long time. For us, it's only been three years, if you ignore the seven we spent frozen.”
“I don't want to remember those years too much. Just say it's been a long time.”
“Okay, Natsu. I'll make it simpler for you.”
It was Lucy’s turn to receive a pinch on her waist, which made her pull away from the dragon slayer and look at him warily. That movement gave her the chance to notice that he was only in his underwear.
Sharing a bed was already normal, but doing so with a barely covered Natsu Dragneel was something Lucy still wasn’t used to, even though they had already been involved in situations with little or no clothing.
She was about to complain when Natsu pulled her back toward him, but in a different position: fully lying on his back on the bed, head on the pillow, and her half-supported body pressed against his torso.
“What's wrong with you?” asked Natsu, once he had rearranged the blankets and checked that Happy's sleep had not been disturbed. “You're always asleep when I show up.”
“Nothing's wrong with me. What's wrong with you?” said Lucy, snuggling closer to his chest and gently stroking him. “You've asked me too many questions.”
Natsu's response didn't come quickly, which made Lucy assume he wouldn't say anything. However, he grabbed the hand she was playing with and intertwined his fingers with hers.
In a few moments, their eyes met and all that remained between them was silence, followed by Happy's sudden babbling.
“You're weird, Luce.”
“Yes, I am.”
“Admitting it makes you even weirder.”
“Says you, who rarely accepts that you're a natural destroyer.”
“You're cruel, too, Luce.”
The dragon slayer's hands moved down to her waist and held her firmly, so that she was trapped between the blankets and Natsu's body, which was already beginning to radiate the heat that characterized him as a fire mage.
That warmth was another thing she liked. His arms and torso, witnesses to many battles, could also become a safe and comforting space during the night, and that duality was not only reflected in those parts of Natsu's body, but also defined him.
“Hey, Natsu,” she called out to him.
“Yes?”
“Thank you so much,” said Lucy, moving closer to him and closing her eyes. “Thank you so much for everything.”
The dragon slayer rested his cheek against her head. He soon tightened his grip around her waist and increased the heat coming from his torso slightly.
“You're welcome, Lucy.”
Lucy didn’t have to respond; she simply smiled at him and let herself be carried away by the warmth he radiated, falling asleep again, this time in the place she wanted: protected and strengthened by Natsu Dragneel.