A/N: A week ago, the condenser on our AC unit decided to crap out on us. I spent well over 36 hours with no air conditioning in Florida, with a husband who can't handle heat well (apparently), a toddler that decided he hated fucking everything in existence, and a dog that was panting and drooling while trying to also cuddle… All while the house was 95 degrees (and the outside world was sitting at 90…)

Needless to say, now that the AC has been fixed, I felt like I needed to write a celebration piece. I'm currently wrapped up in a blanket, because this house is colder than Gray's… Well, everything.

This was ludicrous. Absolutely ridiculous. Lucy suddenly had an intimate understanding of just how aggravating the heat was to Gray, and why he was constantly stripping. For the past three days, a heat wave of epic proportions had taken up residence in Fiore. Not just Magnolia, or even the southern half of the country, but the whole damn thing. People had migrated north to get to the lesser versions of the stifling heat, the guild was essentially closed for business until it was safe to go outside without melting into a puddle on the spot, and everyone was urged to stay inside and stay hydrated.

Which was exactly what Lucy was going to do as soon as she got her sweaty ass back home. Natsu had gone through her groceries for the month within the first few days of her buying them, and he was now in the process of lounging in some lake somewhere to cool himself off a little. The heat didn't bother him normally, but she knew it was bad if even the Fire Dragon Slayer was struggling.

But, back to the issue. Lucy had just paid her rent, but still needed food money. To save herself some trouble, she took a solo mission before the sun decided it was genocide time, and was only just returning. On her way, of course, she needed to pick up a few groceries that would be able to hold her off until the heat index decreased, and that would actually be able to survive the journey from the store to her home. The one caveat though, was that most of the stores in Magnolia were closed down temporarily. The only ones that were open were the small mom and pop places here and there where the owners lived in the same building.

She took a slow breath and blew her bangs from her face while adjusting the two bags in her arms. Even in a tube top and mini skirt, she had been pouring sweat since waking up. Not even ten in the morning, and it was already well over 100 degrees. All Lucy wanted was to get home, turn her air conditioning way down, and lay around. Completely naked. Right in front of a vent.

"At least I'm not sweating anymore," she huffed, grimacing when she adjusted the bags in her arms. Just fifteen more minutes, and she would be home. Lucy paused in her steps when a small bout of dizziness swept through her. A glance down the road only offered her the sight of heat waves pouring off of the street, making everything slightly hazy and disorienting. It was so hot, the road actually looked like it had puddles running across it in the distance.

'Just a little longer, and I'll be home,' she thought as she continued on her journey. She was absolutely exhausted, but Lucy refused to let a little sunshine deter her. Besides, it's not like there was anywhere for her to stop. This particular part of town was lined with apartments. Not a single tree or shadowed outcropping was in sight for her to take refuge.

She made it only a few more blocks before the dryness in her throat started to get annoying. Swallowing didn't do much good since she didn't really have much in the way of spit to begin with. The sun was just sucking it all up. Another few steps, and her grip on her grocery bags loosened, causing them to topple to the ground and spill their contents everywhere.

"Really?" Lucy groaned weakly, dropping to her knees and wincing when she felt them beginning to burn from the temperature of the cobblestones beneath her. A few cans, bagged. Some fruit, bagged. Slowly but surely, she gathered everything into the bags and gathered them up, then slowly wobbled to her feet. Once she was upright, Lucy's vision darkened and a stronger wave of dizziness washed over over her. It took everything she had to just close her eyes until it passed, but eventually it did.

Her legs trembled with every step she took, the sweltering heat of the sun shining down on her increasing by the second. It wasn't long before the young blonde was finding herself short of breath, and she finally came to the realization that she hadn't had anything to drink since waking up. Just a single cup of tea. 'Fuck, this isn't good...'

No sooner had the thought crossed her mind, and Lucy's vision darkened again. She barely heard her bags falling to the ground followed by a familiar voice in the distance, and then she was out like a light.

When Lucy woke up, she realized just how amazing she felt. The sun was gone, the temperature had dropped immensely, she was lying in her bed with cool satin sheets pulled over her, and a cold, muscular chest was pressed to her back while chilled breaths fanned over her hair. Maybe it was from the intense heat outside that had fried her brain like an egg, but Lucy couldn't find it in herself to give a rat's ass in that moment how she'd gotten home.

'I don't have satin sheets though… Wait, where the hell am I?!' She had much less energy than she should have, and found it increasingly difficult to move when the arm tightened around her. And that was when she felt it. Whoever the person was, he was very much naked. And his whole body was pressed up against her equally naked self. 'Where the hell are my clothes?! Oh god… What happened?!'

"You're awake… You scared the hell outta me, y'know…"

Lucy frowned as that deep voice brushed over her skin, making goosebumps rise over her shoulders when its owner shifted and propped himself up on his elbow. She slowly turned and opened her eyes, then sighed in relief when she saw the familiar deep blue eyes, bluish-black hair, and small smirk of one Gray Fullbuster. There were dozens of questions rattling around in her head, but she couldn't voice any of them when she realized just how damn thirsty she was.

Gray chuckled softly while he brushed a few strands of blonde hair behind her ear. He closed his hand into a fist and channeled a small portion of his magic, then whispered, "Open up. You need to get some fluids in you." He slowly pushed Lucy's chin down, then popped the small ice cube he'd made into her mouth, smiling when her eyes fluttered closed in contentment. While he wanted nothing more than to watch her cheeks hollowing out and her lips puckering so deliciously as she slowly melted the ice he gave her, this really wasn't the time. Still, no matter how much he knew he should ignore it, the Ice Make mage found himself mesmerized by the sight of her slender throat working to swallow the droplets of water that his creation was giving her. "You should… Probably chew it," he said softly.

Lucy's lips twitched as she bit through the ice, sending small chunks of it bursting across her mouth and letting it melt even faster. Before the last remnants of the cool treat had melted, her mouth was pushed open again and another cube was popped into it. "Mmm," she moaned, her eyes lazily sliding open to look up at one of her dearest friends. "Thanks, Gray…"

Gray sighed and slowly brushed his fingers through her hair and down the side of her neck. Her skin was still way too warm - not just concerning his own preference, but in comparison to what her body temperature really should have been - but he had to be extremely careful in how quickly he cooled Lucy down. If not done right, it would only increase the temperature of her body while it tried to keep the extreme cold at bay. "Don't thank me yet," he whispered as his fingers trailed over her exposed collarbones to the other side of her neck. "You really could've gotten hurt out there, and you're still not out of the woods."

Lucy smiled when he put another ice cube in her mouth. She pushed it off to one side and said, "Feels like I'm in a bed. This is way too nice to be the woods."

Gray frowned, his hand pressing against her forehead before moving down to her flushed cheeks. "Lucy, you passed out from heat exhaustion in front of my apartment. This really isn't the time for jokes." The sight of his blonde teammate walking out in that heat had caught his attention through the window. He'd thrown it open and told her to stop being ridiculous and come upstairs before she passed out, but the words had hardly left his mouth before he saw her starting to sway. By the time he'd gotten downstairs and out the door, Lucy was lying on the ground and surrounded by groceries. Her breathing was shallow, her heartbeat weak and fluttery. He'd nearly had a heart attack right there, but he had to put that to the side and help her. "Really, you scared me half to death…"

Lucy furrowed her brow when Gray's lightly chilled fingers brushed down the length of her arm, and an involuntary shiver ran through her. "I'll be fine, Gray," she whispered, sighing when he gave her another piece of ice. The coolness of it soothed her dry throat, making her feel a little less like she was about to pass out again, and she could hardly find any reason to care what was going on when he returned to running his hand over her heated flesh.

"Not necessarily," Gray whispered back. He slowly lowered himself to the bed again, leaning his head down to rest his forehead on her shoulder. "Dehydration is serious business, Lucy. Add fainting and heat exhaustion on top of that… You do realize that if I hadn't gotten to you, you could've had a heat stroke and died, right?"

"What?" Lucy hadn't known it could really escalate to that point. Granted, she had realized a little too late that she was up shit creek without a paddle when she remembered how little she'd had in the way of fluids, but really? Dying because of it? Because she'd been too preoccupied with getting back home from her mission to properly care for herself. Everyone said to stay hydrated in this heat, and she knew that dehydration itself was no walk in the park, but she had clearly miscalculated and overestimated her own abilities. Natsu was her partner, and gave off gobs of heat on a regular basis. Apparently, you can't just train your body to accept this level of heat no matter what you do. Especially not if you're going to be an idiot that doesn't drink enough water.

Gray nodded, moving his head to the pillow when she slowly rolled onto her side to face him. Her body was pressed right up against him, and while he wanted to pull her even closer so he could feel every inch of her flushed skin being cooled down by his, he had to control himself. But, damn was it hard. They were teammates, and she needed his help, so instead of dwelling on just how soft and supple Lucy's perfect body was, Gray made another slightly larger ice cube and pushed it past her lips. His thumb brushed over her lower lip, and he had to slowly adjust his body so any evidence of his stirring arousal wouldn't start making itself known to the blonde.

Lucy's eyes slid closed when Gray's hand lightly caressed her cheek, and she let the ice melt slowly while the light, chilly touch trailed down her throat to her shoulder. Icy fingers feathered down her arm, drawing slow circles that spread their chill through her. The calluses on his hands grazed over her guild mark, then he gently grasped her fingers for only a moment before starting back on a meandering journey to her shoulder again. "How long was I out?"

"About ten minutes. If you got to fifteen, I was gonna have to call an ambulance." Gray stilled when Lucy started moving, and his eyes widened when she pressed herself against him and snuggled into his bare chest with her arm around his waist. Even after ten whole minutes of slowly lowering her body temperature, she was still burning up. He hated the heat with a passion, but this nearly threw him over the edge to full-blown insanity where that lesser element was concerned. His arm circled around her slender body, and Gray began trailing his fingers across her shoulders, the nape of her neck, and up into her hair.

"You really are a lifesaver, Gray," Lucy whispered happily. This was better than air conditioning. The unit at home wouldn't be able to cool her down like Gray could. She would choose these cool digits rubbing all over her over some piddly vent any day. And she would definitely choose having a toned body like Gray's over it. She'd be crazy not to. "Why am I naked though?" She was fully aware of just how awkward this could be under any other circumstances, but desperate times and all that jazz, right? Still, no matter how much trust she had in Gray to not take advantage of her, Lucy needed to know if there was a legitimate reason for it.

Gray actually chuckled at the suspicious tone in her voice. Sure, when they had first met, he'd hit on her by asking for her underwear - not the smartest move on his part - but he also made sure to keep his attraction to Lucy hidden from sight. It was too complicated trying to get involved with someone in the same guild, let alone your teammate, so he just pushed it all to the side and focused on keeping himself out of Juvia's clutches. He was honestly surprised that the water woman hadn't already puddled her way into his apartment. Then again, Juvia probably didn't feel like evaporating.

"I'm waiting…"

He jolted in surprise, not realizing that he'd zoned out, and said, "It's to help cool you down."

"I was hardly wearing anything to begin with, Gray."

When Lucy tried to lift her head, he smirked and pulled her to his chest again, then placed another ice cube between her lips. "Your clothes were too tight, Lucy. Your skin needs to be able to breathe right now. If you're going to wear clothes, they need to be lightweight and loose… In this kind of weather, anyway."

"How do you know all of this?" she giggled. "Isn't your the heat kinda like your arch nemesis?"

Gray smirk deepened. "Know thy enemy, Lucy. Because of my magic, I'm more prone to shit like this happening. It's why I keep it so cold in my house, and why I'm always bitching about the heat in the first place." He wasn't going to tell her that he actually had to warm up his apartment just so she wouldn't go into shock. Knowing Lucy, she'd feel guilty for making him suffer a little. Without realizing it, Gray's hand slid down her spine and under the single sheet that was draped over them. It wasn't until he felt the small dimples in her lower back that he noticed just what he was doing, and he forced himself to move just as slowly on his ascent so she would be none the wiser that he had unconsciously done it. "Just be glad I do know this stuff, or else you would have been a whole lot worse off."

Lucy nodded slowly, and just let Gray quite literally work his magic on her. Her skin still felt so damn hot, and she started wondering if maybe the logical part of her brain had melted right out of her ears before he'd gotten to her. That was the only explanation she could come up with concerning her general lack of giving two shits about them being all kinds of naked together. And the fact that the way Gray's hand felt while gliding down her back was as close to heaven as she could possibly get. "I am glad," she whispered. Of course she was glad he knew how to help her when she was being an idiot and passed out from the heat. Not only that, she was actually able to appreciate the lean, muscular body she had been secretly admiring for months.

No matter how many times Lucy had denied being Juvia's 'Love Rival', the fact of the matter was… Gray was sexy as hell. She'd seen him naked - as had everyone else - and it only served to make her mouth water to the point of nearly drooling all over herself. Instead of muscles that had muscles, like Laxus and Gajeel, Gray's body was slender and lithe. His skin was cool to the touch, but radiated a deeper heat from the power running through his veins. And his smile. Holy hell was his smile so delightfully sinful. It was no wonder Gray had girls fawning over him for more than just his status as a Fairy Tail mage. That smile of his could drop a whole stadium's worth of panties in a matter of milliseconds. Just the smallest quirk of his lips at any given moment had the poor blonde internally swooning.

Hell, even Gray's hair was cause for a few minutes alone behind a closed door. Slicked back and spiked outward, with only a few strands hanging down over his forehead. Sometimes it reverted to his old style of hanging down to cover a good portion of his face, but it had grown out considerably in the past couple years, and he had decided to stick with the newer style. She definitely wasn't complaining on that particular choice. A cool breath fanned over her while he whispered her name, and that was when she realized two things. One, her leg had decided to move on its own and tangle with his beneath the sheet, pressing their hips together. And two, Gray was seriously turned on.

Gray watched as Lucy slowly tilted her head back to look at him, her lips brushing lightly over his guild mark. "I asked if you wanted some more of my ice," he said a little shakily. As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he realized just how gravelly his voice had gotten. He hadn't a clue how long they had been lying there in silence, but at some point Lucy had started decimating any form of self-control he had. Her fingers had twitched where they rested on his back, then began drawing slow almost lazy circles. Her nose had been brushing back and forth over his chest, her leg pushed between his so he could feel even more of her too-damn-perfect skin against his.

"Yeah," she whispered. "I have a question though."

Gray nodded, maybe a little too quickly, and made the ice cube. He held it just in front of her lips while waiting for her to speak, and found that it was a seriously bad idea when he started picturing what else Lucy could have in her mouth.

"Why are you naked?"

He jolted in surprise, dropping the ice in the process while he quickly peeked under the sheet. Aside from the fact that he got the barest glimpse of golden curls at the apex of her thighs, Gray found that his stripping habit had chosen the worst possible time to act up. "Shit! How the hell?" He looked around the room and saw the boxers he had rushed outside in hanging on the doorknob. "Lucy, I swear, I was dressed when I laid down." Great, just what he needed. Everyone knew about his stripping habit - it was kind of hard to miss - but he didn't need Lucy getting uncomfortable with him because she woke up buck naked with him in his bed. He scrambled from the bed and dashed across the room, then yanked the fabric from the door and up his legs. He turned around and froze in place when she slowly sat up.

Lucy didn't do a damn thing to keep the sheet over her breasts, instead having been far too focused on the sight of Gray's naked glory moving across the room. 'A man's ass should not be that damn biteable...' Then there was the lovely front view she was gifted with, and that tent in his boxers was doing just as much to hide him as the sheet was for her.

The heat that washed over him at the sight of Lucy picking up the ice cube from the bed and slowly pushing it between her lips was nearly enough to make him do something really damn stupid. Like tackle her to the bed and ravage every inch of her body until they were reduced to a tangle of limbs and heaving breaths. "You should… Um… L-Lay back down," he said softly. It took everything in his power to keep his eyes locked on hers, but what he caught in his peripherals was burned into his memory. There was no way he could continue doing things that would be considered playful teasing where Lucy was concerned if she actually caught him checking her out. "You…" He had to pause and clear his throat. "You shouldn't uh… Move too much right now."

"Right," Lucy whispered breathily. She didn't know why she sat up in the first place, but she did know that the sight of those boxers was suddenly extraordinarily offensive to her inner pervert. The thing just wanted to ogle Gray for hours on end, like it had been doing for a long time before that day. She took a deep, steadying breath and slowly lowered herself to the bed again, pulling the sheet up over her chest while her cheeks flushed brilliantly. Leave it to her getting caught up in staring at every bunching muscle of Gray's to forget that she was just as nude.

"I'll go get you a glass of water," Gray said, quickly running a hand through his hair. "You should get more fluids in you."

'Yeah, I'd like to get some more of your fluids in me...' she thought while her eyes raked over him. She wanted to tell him to just forget the water and the boxers, so she could feel his skin sliding against hers again, but she nearly bit her tongue off in the attempt at keeping her trap shut.

Gray nodded to himself and walked out of the room. He had to try and compose himself at least a little bit. He needed to remember that Lucy was his teammate, and no matter what his feelings were concerning the Celestial mage… They couldn't be more than friends. Even though he wanted to say forget the water and crawl back into his bed with the naked blonde, he… 'God, she's fucking gorgeous...' He was doomed. The simple thought that Lucy really was naked, laying in his bed, and that he'd been curled around her was nearly enough to do him in.

Lucy was naked. In his damn bed. And she had been rubbing herself all over him! Gray found his hands shaking slightly, and turned off the tap in the kitchen while he set the glass on the counter. He couldn't stop thinking about how soft her skin was, how absolutely breathtaking she had looked when she was sitting there without a worry in the world concerning her lack of clothing. Her blonde hair was knotted up and a messy ponytail, with more blonde strands falling down to frame her face than usual when she intentionally styled it that way. The light that was peeking in through the frosted over window had made it seem as though she was being surrounded by a winter halo.

He could already picture her writhing in ecstasy… Screaming his name… Her plump lips wrapping around him just like they had done with the ice cubes he gave her. "I am so fucked," he whispered. He had to control himself. Even just a little bit. 'Okay okay… Think about… Boobs. No. Shit, uh… Lucy's boobs! NO! Um... FUCK!' He was well and truly screwed on this one. Still, no matter how screwed he was, Lucy needed his help. As if to serve as a better reminder, he could hear her voice rasping down the hallway.

"Gray?"

"Coming," he called back. He picked up the glass from the counter and started making his way back toward his bedroom. Lucy's voice was so husky right then, that all he could think about was how fucking sexy she sounded. Is that what she sounded like when she was turned on? When those big brown eyes of hers were darkened with lust, and her whole body was begging to be worshipped? Gray thought he had it bad before, but he came to a realization in that moment just before he opened the door to his bedroom. Lucy and his imagination were a deadly combination. With a heavy sigh, he tried his best to hide the glaringly obvious strain that his member was putting on his boxers. It didn't help in the slightest.

Lucy smiled softly when Gray came back into the room, and she slowly propped herself up on one elbow - making sure her chest was still covered this time - to accept the glass he handed her as he sat down on the edge of the bed. She took slow sips, and sighed softly when the worst of her thirst started to dissipate. Once the glass was empty, she handed it back to him, then nervously chewed her lip while he set it down on the nightstand. All she'd been able to think about while he was gone was just how delectable he looked.

Gray was about to stand up and throw on a pair of shorts when he felt the slightest pressure on his wrist. Slowly, he turned to look at Lucy expectantly. The sudden bit of tension in her put him on edge. Did she need something? More water maybe, or some of his ice? She really seemed to enjoy sucking on… No… Down pervert. Down!'

"I'm still really hot. Could you.. maybe…" She paused and blushed slightly. "Would it be okay if you laid down with me again?"

Gray stopped the sudden sharp breath of surprise when his whole body lit up in response to her question. "Sure thing," he answered with a smirk. He had to keep his cool, and pretend like this wasn't anything out of the ordinary. He and Lucy had laid down together plenty of times. In fact, she usually came over to his apartment when it was way too hot out and she needed to cool down anyway. 'She's just naked this time...' He lifted his legs to the bed and settled himself next to her, refusing to crawl beneath the sheet so he could keep his wits about him.

Lucy was definitely disappointed when he didn't go back to how they were laying earlier. She had wanted him pressed against her like before, so she could secretly admire every solid inch of him. 'Damn, I'm getting to be as bad as Juvia...' Still, it was probably for the best. She didn't think she would be able to control herself if they were both naked again. When Gray's arms wrapped around her again, she cuddled closer to him and settled her head just under his chin with a contented sigh.

Gray took a deep breath and started running a hand over her shoulders. "Want some more ice, Lucy?"

"Mmm," she hummed, her hand lazily sliding over his side until her arm was draped over him. "Definitely. I love your ice."

He nearly groaned at the feathery touch from the blonde, but forced himself to focus on the task at hand. He carefully pushed the newly formed ice between her parted lips, and found himself struggling to stay quiet when a soft moan slipped out of Lucy once she was sucking on the ice again. Even through the sheet, he could feel every dangerous curve of hers that was begging for him to touch her. And damn did he want to do just that.

"You're the best, Gray," Lucy sighed happily.

"Nah," he chuckled.

"Really. Thank you for helping me today." She smiled up at him, feeling it widen when she saw his answering smile. She always loved seeing that particular smile of his. Sure, the other versions of it were just as sexy, but this one. It shook something deep within her at the thought of being able to make him smile so openly.

"Any time, Lucy." His hand moved up and tucked a few more of the unruly blonde locks behind her ear, and paused when her eyes slid closed as his hand brushed over her flushed cheek. It was when he saw those huge doe eyes of her again that his smile faltered. Something was different about how Lucy was looking at him, but he couldn't be sure what it was. Part of him wanted to believe that the fire in her eyes wasn't imagined, that the smoldering look that was threatening to melt him right then and there was real and just for him.

Her hand slid back around to Gray's chest, then carefully moved up until her thumb was brushing over his jaw. She felt the slight prickle of stubble, and found the air in the room was beginning to warm up again. Maybe it was just her, but it made her breathing just a little more shallow, her heart pounding a tad more erratically in her chest. "I-I'm… Can you cool me down some more?"

Gray nodded, his nose unconsciously brushing against hers with just how close they were at that moment. It was pure torture, plain and simple. He didn't think Lucy was even aware that most of the things she did naturally were so sexy. Every time she moved, it was filled with grace and poise from her years with her father. "Sure," he said breathlessly.

She smiled again and grabbed his hand as it came closer to her lips with a newly made ice cube. "Not that," she said, moving their joined hands lower until the ice was running over her collarbones.

"Here?"

She nodded, then whispered, "And here…" She finally closed that last bit of distance between their lips, pressing hers timidly to his and hoping with everything she was worth that she wasn't misreading the signals she'd been getting from Gray. Any other time, and Lucy would have punched herself in the head for being this damn bold, but she didn't give a rat's ass just how complicated things could get once he responded with a soft groan. She didn't let herself overthink it, and just decided to show Gray just how much he had affected her.

Gray jolted in surprise when he felt her tongue brush over his lips. That small distraction was all it took for Lucy to push past his lips. He hadn't considered the fact that his ice would make her mouth a little colder, but he could taste his magic on the blonde while their tongues danced. Who would have thought Lucy would be the one to take the lead like this? He sure as hell hadn't, but he wasn't going to complain. He would be an absolute idiot to pull back from a kiss like the one she was laying on him. Never in his life had a woman blown his mind so completely. A moan vibrated through her lips and into his, and he pulled back in shock when she pushed his hand lower so the mostly melted ice was brushing over her newly bared breast.

Lucy shivered, another shaky moan spilling from her while she looked into his eyes. "Cool me down, Gray," she rasped. "I'm so hot…" Her eyes rolled back when his thumb curiously brushed over her pebbled nipple, an erotic mixture of searing heat and his icy touch sweeping through her.

Delirious. Lucy had to be delirious. He knew that must be the case when she pulled his head back down with his name on her lips just before they met again. He tried to pull his hand from her chest only to groan when she forced him to knead the large mound in his hand. "Lucy… Wait…"

She froze in place, her eyes slowly opening to look at Gray when their lips separated. He was panting just like she was, and she could tell he'd been enjoying himself, so why did he stop her? "G-Gray?"

"We shouldn't do this," he whispered guiltily. If it was anyone else, he wouldn't have cared nearly as much when she was so obviously coming on to him. But this was Lucy. He cared more about her than anyone ever before. He couldn't take advantage of her if the heat had started screwing with her head.

"I want to though, Gray. I've wanted this for a while…" Lucy smiled slyly and pushed the sheet further down until it was just barely covering her sex. She watched him struggling to keep his gaze trained on her face, felt the thick arousal that was pressed against her twitch excitedly. "Don't you want me too?"

"Well… Yeah," he whispered unsteadily. It was a losing battle if he'd ever seen one, he knew that as soon as she started moving that damn lucky sheet. "I just-" Her lips cut him off quickly in a chaste kiss.

"If you want me, and I'm practically throwing myself at you, then what are you waiting for?" Lucy giggled. "Besides, I really do feel hot. And I know those hands of yours are nice and cool."

Gray blinked in surprise, then finally let his gaze travel down her body. Her skin was still flushed, even down onto her chest and in small splotches on her stomach. He was even able to see where her clothes had been by the slight difference in color. Lucy would be fixing her tan lines the first chance she got, but for now… For now, Gray just let himself drink in the sight of every perfect curve, just how tiny her waist really was before flaring out into hips that begged for his hands to grab them, the smallest glimpse of golden curls peeking out from the top of the sheet where it sat below those mouthwatering hips.

"Looking at me like that is just making me hotter, Gray," Lucy rasped. Her hands tangled in his hair while she kicked the sheet away from herself completely, and she pulled his head down to hers again with a long moan. His lips were freezing, just like the the ice she had been eating, and it instantly reminded her of a snowy winter morning with a cup of peppermint tea. She felt every solid inch of him pressing her into the mattress when he rolled on top of her. And she meant every inch of him. That stripping habit of his had either kicked in at the best time, or Gray had used the ability to tear his clothes away in a flash to his advantage. She didn't care which one was the real cause of his sudden nudity though. Not when his hand started massaging its way down her body, and definitely not while he was pushing her legs apart to kneel between them.

"You want me to cool you down then?" Gray whispered against her lips.

"Yes."

A devastating grin spread across his face, and Gray's lips brushed lightly over to her ear. "Then I should find out where you're hottest… Shouldn't I, Lucy?" He heard her breath stutter, felt her nod quickly, and lightly flicked his tongue over her earring. The knowledge that she wanted him just as much as he had wanted her for so long put Gray back in his comfort zone. He groaned when her dainty hands started their own exploration of his back and sides. His next breath was filled with her sweet peaches and cream shampoo, her vanilla body wash, and the musky scent of the sweat she had been pouring before her dehydration really took hold. Normally, it would have been a bit of a turn off for him to smell a woman's old, dried perspiration, but with Lucy... He really didn't care. They had been on enough missions together with no access to water for bathing, that everyone on the team just came to accept it. It was something he was used to where Lucy was concerned, just one more thing that he found working in her favor. There was only so much a few wetnaps could do in a pinch, and he'd had the pleasure of bunking with her on a few occasions where they had both been pouring sweat all day - mainly because Natsu had drawn the short straw of bunking with Erza.

Lucy moaned when Gray's teeth and tongue teased her throat, and she internally grimaced at the realization that she hadn't taken a shower after sweating enough to fill the guild's olympic swimming pool. Still, Gray didn't seem to mind that she probably didn't smell like a bouquet of roses, and she was far too interested in what else he could do to her. His fingers circled one hip, then the other, and Lucy whimpered with need when he brushed over her pelvis with so little pressure that she barely knew it happened. "Right there," Lucy whispered breathlessly.

He grinned and let his cool breath fan over her flushed skin when Lucy's trembling hands stilled in anticipation. "I think you're right," he rasped sensually. "You're much hotter here." Closer and closer, his fingers inched their way to her sex at an agonizingly slow pace. Gray kissed his way back up to her plump lips when he felt the first few short curls against his fingertips. "Here, Lucy?"

Lucy moaned as Gray's palm flattened over her pelvis, brushing her golden curls one way then the other. "L-Lower, Gray," she whimpered. There was a flash of excitement in his midnight blue eyes, and she shivered when his hand rotated as if it was in slow motion, then finally moved down until he was cupping her sex. One finger slipped between her folds, and the heat within her swelled to combat the sudden chill washing over her.

No matter how often he had imagined what it would be like to see Lucy this way, to be the one to cause the sweet blonde to cry out in pleasure, he wasn't prepared for just how deeply Lucy affected him when his finger breached her entrance. A single plunge, one gasp from her, and he was done for. His mouth descended on hers ravenously, his tongue pushing past her parted lips as he finally let go of any reservations he may have had before. Lucy wanted him, and her body had willingly given in to his whims. A low groan spilled from him when her hips rocked against his hand in a silent plea to move, and he pulled back only to push two fingers into her dripping sex.

Lucy's hand tangled in Gray's hair while his tongue plundered her mouth, muffled moans punctuating each deep thrust of his chilly fingers. She didn't waste time trying to fight how her body reacted to the combating temperatures, and instead just rode wave after wave of lust by giving just as good as she got. Her free hand slid down his chest and stomach, her fingers dipping between his muscles, and finally brushing over the coarse hairs above his arousal.

Their lips separated once her hand wrapped around his shaft, and Gray let out a shaky breath with the first slow stroke. "Lucy," he moaned, nipping at her plumps lips, "You're burning up." He made a small ball of ice and brushed it over her clit, eliciting the most alluring moan from the blonde beneath him. Faster and faster, he circled that sensitive bundle, then dropped his creation to her entrance and pushed it in as deeply as he could manage.

"O-Oh my god!" Lucy's eyes fluttered closed when that sudden intrusion sent a larger shiver through her. Her sex clamped down on the ball just when his fingers pushed back into her core. "Gray! O-Oh god, it's s-so cold!" she moaned. Still, even with the sudden tingle that started spreading through her, that quick shock to her system had Lucy's body lighting up in more ways than she knew possible. Her thumb swiped the large drop of moisture from his tip down over him, and she began matching the fast pace he set with his fingers.

"Fuck, Lucy," he groaned, his hips rocking every time she reached the base of his aching shaft, "Holy shit that's…" His words died in his throat when she leaned down and left a series of small hickeys along his shoulder, each one punctuated with a sharp nip at his flesh. He began moving faster, feeling her walls fluttering around his fingers and the increased moisture of the ice melting inside of her. The sudden battle for dominance between them, each trying to make the other go completely still while they were awash in pleasure, was something he'd never experienced with a woman before. They usually just sat back and let him please them for as long as he wanted, but not Lucy. He very nearly stopped several times just so he could focus on how her lightly calloused fingers felt while moving over him, but he refused to give up.

Lucy's eyes went wide as the first thin line of cold water trickled down from her sex. "I-It's… Mmm… It's melting…"

He gave her a devilish grin. "Oh, I know, Lucy. That's how hot you are..." His fingers circled once they were fully buried in her core, and he felt only a small sliver of what he made that was still frozen. "My ice is almost completely melted." His hand twisted, and he pressed that last bit of ice against her front wall, curling his fingers on each withdrawal.

Lucy felt her body tightening faster and faster, and her hand finally stopped moving over him. It didn't stop Gray from thrusting into her slightly loosened grip as she began panting heavily, but she was lost in sensation. A pair of cool lips closed over one nipple, causing her to jolt in surprise. While they had been kissing, she hadn't realized that Gray's tongue was actually a few degrees warmer than the rest of him. But she was definitely aware of it now. As that lithe muscle circled her puckered tip, she started to feel completely overwhelmed by the warring temperatures in her. The raging inferno that accompanied her arousal was in a fierce battle with the icy pleasure spearing through her, leaving her sitting right on the edge of her release.

With one last, tender suck to her breast, Gray's gaze lifted to Lucy's flushed face. "I probably should have told you." He chuckled while kissing his way up her chest and throat to nip at her ear again. "Ice has the ability to delay an orgasm," he whispered. "You get right to the edge and then… You're stuck." He pulled his fingers from her sex, brushing the last bit of ice over her clit until it melted completely. "The only way to get you to cum," he continued while adjusting himself so she was brushing his throbbing tip over her, "Is to warm you back up a bit."

Lucy nodded and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "Please," she whimpered. His lips pressed gently to hers, and his hand tenderly cupped her cheek. It was the perfect moment that happened in every single one of those romance novels. The one where the man would confess his undying love for the woman before making slow and passionate love to her for the first time. Instead of a wordy confession though, Gray gave her something even better. That soft and amazingly sweet smile that he hardly ever let out, the one that she had only seen when the first snowflakes of winter fell and he was looking up at the sky. All the words in the world couldn't have expressed as much as that one smile did. That singular moment, with such intense happiness and contentment shining in his eyes, had her heart swelling to the point of bursting.

Gray had never really been one for lovey-dovey speeches, or even for letting himself get to the point of needing those flowery words that women seemed to love hearing. The way Lucy looked up at him had the normally aloof Ice Make mage's hardened heart cracking its iced shell. He had seen Lucy smile countless times - it was one of the millions of things he loved about her - but this one in particular was completely new to him. It was light and free, so soft in comparison to the usually bubbly personality that accompanied the blonde, that he knew no amount of words could express just how damn beautiful she was. Instead of even trying to blunder through some sort of confession, Gray did the next best thing.

Lucy's eyes slid closed as Gray lowered his lips to hers in a slow and passionate kiss that had her toes curling and renewed warmth filling every bit of her. Her legs slid over his, then locked around his narrow hips just as he pushed forward. Twin pleasured moans filled the air around them, and Lucy kept her lips pressed to his while he started to move. His chest glided over hers, the slight chill to his skin puckering her nipples even further. She gasped when he rocked his hips, letting out a shaky breath with just how good it felt to have every inch of her sex filled by him.

A low groan fell from his lips as Lucy's legs tensed, urging him to move faster. His hand slid down from her cheek to lightly hold her hip, pausing on its journey to tease one breast, and then he gave Lucy just what she wanted. Her moans increased in volume with each plunge into her core, and he felt the heat welling up in her again. It wasn't often that he was given the chance to experiment on a woman with his ice. At least, not past the point of rubbing some ice over her nipples or clit. He had yet to find a woman that actually enjoyed it, until Lucy. Even though the higher temperature of her body had melted the majority of that ball he'd made, Gray was still able to feel the residual chill it left in its wake. And damn did it feel good.

"Gray," she moaned loudly, "Oh, right there!" Her hips rolled wantonly, and judging by the expression on Gray's face when she said his name, he didn't mind in the slightest just how loud she got. His hips angled slightly, and Lucy's eyes rolled back while her body bowed up from the bed. "Oh god… O-Oh god, Gray!"

His hair had fallen down over his eyes at some point, but he didn't care. He could feel just how close Lucy was already, the orgasm he'd denied her with his ice finally trying to push her right over the edge and into bliss. He wanted her screaming his name so loudly that his neighbors would be banging on the floor beneath them and the ceiling above. He wanted everyone to know that he'd finally gotten a chance to show her just how he felt about her. His hips snapped forward, and the answering scream from the blonde paired with the molten look in her eyes did him in, forcing his thrusts to come more urgently. His entire body was on a mission to make sure Lucy never forgot this. He certainly never would. "Fuck, Lucy… You're gonna melt me…"

A wickedly seductive smile pulled at her lips, and Lucy planted her feet on the bed before rolling her hips faster. "Good," she rasped. "That's what I've always wanted." She wanted to be the one that took the lead and threw him over the edge, but it seemed he had a different plan. His icy fingers dug into the supple flesh of her rounded cheeks, pulling her onto him harder and faster than she'd thought possible. Their panting breaths mingled as his lips hovered just over hers. Chilly air fought against the heat within her, but this time there was nothing that could stop it from taking over. She clutched at his back, her fingers desperately clawing at him to keep herself grounded while she crested that peak into bliss.

His teeth ground together when she finally found her release, with her sex tightening almost painfully around his swollen shaft. The way she screamed his name with her climax, how her eyes had stayed locked on his with the first spasm of her sex, had him finally giving in. He pounded into her quivering core with every ounce of strength he possessed, and gave one last rough thrust before he froze in place. The intensity of his release shooting from him in thick streams stole his breath in an instant, and he collapsed on top of her with a soft groan while his hips bucked with every shot into her. He was vaguely aware of her ankles locking around him, pushing him into her and keeping him in place while she continued shuddering and writhing in ecstasy.

Lucy's lips curved into a languid smile when he began peppering her neck with small, tender kisses, the fingers on one hand sifting through his slightly sweaty hair. "Looks like… I melted you… after all, Gray," she panted, another soft moan spilling from her when his softening shaft twitched.

What could barely be considered a chuckle left him, and he lifted his head to look into the honey brown eyes of the woman in his bed. "In more ways than one, Lucy." Gray's eyes closed briefly when she pushed his hair away from his face, then slowly opened to see that she was practically glowing with happiness. His heart swelled and his breath stalled. This was something he had been sure would only happen in his dreams, where nothing bad could come of it. There would be no shift in the relationship he had with Lucy, just the two of them remaining teammates and dear friends, but now… Did things have to change? Did they pretend this never happened? He wasn't sure if he wanted anything to come of this, but only because he couldn't bear to lose her friendship if things went south. In an ideal world, Lucy would be his lover, his girlfriend even. Maybe one day, something more. Was that something she longed for as much as he did?

Lucy's eyes slid closed and she sighed, fully sated and feeling better than she had in a long time. She barely suppressed the shiver of pleasure that rocked through her when Gray finally withdrew his spent member from her sex, but instead of rolling off to the side like she had assumed he would, he simply stayed right where he was - keeping as little space between them as possible. She had craved this kind of contact with him for so long, but denied herself. Change could be a good thing, great in most instances, but this? Could what they had just done be a catalyst to propel them into a happier future, or something that was filled with heartbreak and regret? Doubts swirled in her mind, leaving her feeling more confused than she'd ever been before. Where did they go from here? Did he even care about her the way she did about him?

He watched that small shift occur in her, felt it in the way her muscles tensed slightly while her brow pushed together. Propped on his elbows above her, Gray waited for Lucy to open her eyes again. Uncertainty clouded those beautiful eyes of hers, maybe even a little fear. He could see her searching for answers to the millions of questions that lurked within her, and didn't hide just how lost he felt in all this. He nibbled his lip in his indecision, unable to choose between pulling away and sinking into a long, passionate kiss. Her lightly calloused fingers brushed over the scar on his forehead, then traced the line of his jaw. "Lucy, I-"

"Gray, I-"

They paused, both flushing in embarrassment. A small chuckle from him was answered by a timid giggle from her. "You first, Lucy."

She took a deep breath, then shored up her courage. "Where does this leave us?" It was a question she was sure should have been addressed before they went further than kissing, but it hadn't been on her mind at the time. Now though… She needed to know where he stood in all of this, because a lack of communication would break the shaky bridge they had started forming.

"I… Was gonna ask you the same thing, actually," Gray answered.

"Oh…"

He didn't know how to take that. Had she been looking for an out from him? Did she want him to say that they should pretend it never happened? "I mean..." he continued, his voice soft and uncertain.

"You… mean?" she prodded when he stayed silent.

"I don't know…" Gray sighed in resignation and glanced away, then jolted in surprise when her soft, decadent lips pressed lightly to his cheek.

She waited until his gaze shot back to hers, a hopeful smile struggling to make its presence known once midnight blue met brown. "Maybe," she whispered, "Maybe we could… I don't know…"

"Yeah," he answered, a small smile spreading across his face when he saw the light blush on her cheeks that hadn't been there moments before. "We could…"

"Yeah?"

Gray's smile widened. Apparently, they were on the same page. Confused as hell, trying to sort it all out, and wondering what the other wanted. 'Time to just go for it, Gray. You can do this.' He lowered his head and let his lips brush over hers tentatively, hesitantly, just to test the waters and see how she responded. And damn, did she respond. A soft moan filled the air, the minimal distance between their lips closing in an instant. Maybe he was the one that couldn't get enough of her, or maybe she had pulled him down until they were molded to each other. Either way, he couldn't find it in himself to care. He pulled away briefly, grinning when her head lifted to follow him. "Tonight?" he asked before she kissed him again.

"Uh-huh."

His lips left hers again. "A date?"

"Definitely," she smiled. "Now get back down here and kiss me. I'm still hot, and I need those bad boys to cool me down some more."

He chuckled and kissed her again. Slowly, Gray rolled onto his side, his legs tangling with hers and not in inch of separation between them. It wasn't until she pushed him onto his back some time later and straddled his hips, that Gray came to a startling conclusion while he covered his hand in ice and let his fingers trail over her slender waist..

They might not be leaving his apartment for quite some time.

.The End.

So yeah! My very first GraLu! Just a one shot on this one, there won't be any extension to this story.

Luckily, the AC is still working, and we couldn't be happier where that's concerned! I hope you all enjoyed this little bit of heat-induced lemony goodness!

Note: Gray and Lucy should NOT have had sex with her having passed out from heat exhaustion and dehydration. I ask that you suspend disbelief, and accept that his magic was enough to counteract any negative side effects of her body's temperature rising during sex.

Also, don't forget!

~MidLu Week, October 2015~

LittlePrincessNana and I have decided that it's high time Midnight gets some love. So, we've created MidLu Week. The dates are from October 25, 2015 – October 31, 2015. And here are the prompts:

Day 1: Birthday

Day 2: Clock

Day 3: Pin-Up

Day 4: Copy

Day 5: Silence

Day 6: Makeup

Day 7: Halloween

There was such a great turnout for CoLu week (hosted by Dragon'sHost and Eien ni Touko) that we wanted to see if we could get the same affection for our favorite Narcoleptic Reflector mage.

~BixLu Week, November 2015~

LittlePrincessNana and I have officially lost our goddamn minds. So, we've created BixLu Week, and decided that it should begin on All Souls Day. What better day to give our favorite Seith mage some lovin'? The dates are from November 1, 2015 – November 7, 2015. And here are the prompts:

Day 1: Fix

Day 2: Hidden

Day 3: Home

Day 4: Doctor

Day 5: Vendetta

Day 6: Fluffy

Day 7: Space

I'd like to let you all know right now that my own entries for BixLu week will be an entire chapter story. There will be multiple postings on certain days just so you all don't have to read it all in one chapter, so be prepared. I think you guys will enjoy it.

Please let me know if you're planning on writing for either of these pairing weeks, so I can make sure to check out your stories! Now, my minions! Get those fingers to the keyboard and get to work! I know I'm extremely excited to see what you all write!

So! Review, Follow, Favorite! I love you, guys!

~~GemNika.