Finished - January 20, 2020

Word Count - 2399

Music - Two Steps From Hell - Snowball Fight

Summary:
Weather in Magnolia takes a turn and Fairy Tail enjoys a day of snow! Fun outdoor activities in the cold temperatures, including a snow ball fight, sledding, ice skating and more!

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Defeated eyes stared at blankly at the thermometer currently sitting at 14* Fahrenheit (-10* Celsius). Lucy's teeth chattered as she pulled the duvet around her shoulders tighter. It was only 8:00 in the morning, but it was freezing!

The night before, there had been weather warnings and snow watches, so Lucy was not surprised when she opened her drapes. Beyond her window was a plush world of white, the entire city of Magnolia was covered in a thick layer of snow.

All the stores agreed to shut down and even Fairy Tail wouldn't take any requests for the day, knowing the weather predicament. Yet, even if there were no requests, there would still be people there.

Lucy gave up the thought of trying to heat her apartment, considering how much using the heater would cost and decided to simply spend they day at the Guild. It would be warm there and all her friends would be there too.

She grabbed her warmest clothes and walked out of her cold apartment to the frigid outdoors, from there she made her way on foot to the Guild. Her commute had never felt longer, the same path she walked daily, because of the cold now felt like an endless quest.

By the time she finally entered the Guild, she couldn't feel her fingers or toes and she was shivering violently. The heat of the Guild surrounded her and felt wonderful, just the positive energy of home made her feel better.

"Lucy? I accepted you to stay home today." Mira greeted from the bar. "I know how much you don't enjoy the cold."

"Y-Yeah." Lucy tried to laugh with her, but was still having a hard time warming up.

Looking around she saw, Erza, Grey, Natsu and Happy all sitting at a table, so she made he way over to them. Erza was wearing warmer clothes, just like Lucy, but the boys didn't look cold at all! Natsu was wearing a hoodie and jeans, while Grey had the absolute nerve to be shirtless! Just looking at him made Lucy shiver.

"Aren't you guys cold?" Lucy asked exasperated , approaching her table of friends.

"Hello Lucy." Erza greeted calmly.

"Hey Luce!" Natsu scooted over, giving her room to sit on the bench next to him.

"Ice." Grey reminded Lucy of his magic cooly.

Lucy felt silly for asking the question now and sat next to Natsu who shrugged. "Fire."

"Thats just not fair." She complained, still not warm.

"Oh come on." Natsu draped his arm across her shoulders. "You'll warm up in no time."

Well, now she would. She thought to herself. Natsu felt like a blanket taken fresh out of the dryer, heated and soft. She scooted herself closer to him, more so than she would normally do in public. But at this point she didn't care, she was cold and he was warm.

Natsu simply chuckled at her childish actions. Then took note of his friends grinning at him from the other side of the table, sending obvious taunting waves. He stuck his tongue out at them and the conversation moved on.

"We should take advantage of this weather." Erza stated, a look of determination filling her eyes.

"Take advantage?" Grey asked.

"Of corse." She stood from the table. "We cannot let a day like this go to waste."

"And what exactly do you intend on using it for?" Lucy asked.

"What else would one do on a snow day?" She smirked, pulling on her coat.

"You don't mean..." Natsu suddenly stood from his seat, his face completely serious.

"I do."

"Oh, it is on!" Grey seemed to understand what Erza was saying, but Lucy still had no idea what they were talking about!

She followed them outside the Guild doors to see what they were planning, because what ever it was, it didn't sound good.

Lucy was reluctant in going back into the cold, but her curiosity took the better of her. Watching them take their places in the snow. The three comrades crouched, preparing themselves for battle.

"Charge!" They simultaniously roared.

However, it was not the brawl Lucy was expecting. For there was a severe lack of flames, swords or ice. Instead her friends all started to hurl large amounts of snow balls at each other.

"A snow ball fight?" Lucy almost burst out laughing. "You had me all worked up for nothing."

"Hey! Blaze brain." Grey launched a snow ball into Natsu face, hitting him dead on.

"Oh, you are on Blizzard butt!" Natsu retaliated immediately with an even larger projectile.

Lucy suddenly had flashbacks to when her friends had a "pillow fight", but of corse no fight was casual with Fairy Tail. Therefore she assumed that this would be the same, so she should leave while she had the chance.

As she was turning back to open the Guild the doors, her head was pushed forwards by a cold force. Chilly powder fell down her neck and into the back of her jacket, making her movements freeze.

"Oh no." Someone muttered from behind her.

"Who. Threw. That?" Lucy turned around swiftly, her eyes seeing red.

The two boys squeaked, holding onto each other in fear of the angry girl. Erza shook her head disappointedly, but no one answered her question.

"I said, Who. Threw. The. Snow. Ball." She demanded again.

Both Natsu and Grey pointed at each other, still not adhering to her request.

"Then it looks like I will just have to destroy you both." Lucy cracked her knuckles and started to form a sphere out of the snow beneath her feet.

"Run!" With Natsu and Grey fled for their lives, but not without the angry mage following them closely.

The game continued, the vicious sport included magic and whit. Soon enough half the Guild was engaged in a giant tournament of snow dodge ball. Grey even made a large hill of ice for sledding, while others decided to make snow men or snow forts. At the end of the day, Grey took down his ice mountain and turned the Guild courtyard into a flat ice floor, making a very simple ice skating rink. Except no one had actual ice skates, instead, it was a slip rink.

"Come on Luce." Natsu grabbed Lucy's hands and dragged her to the ice floor. "Lets skate."

"But Natsu-" She tried to argue, but he was obviously was not listening.

Together they entered the rink at full speed, only to slip and crash upon it slippery surface. Natsu and Lucy sliding to a elongated crash upon each other.

"What did you think was going to happen idiot?!" Lucy yell at him, atop of her.

"Haha! I just got excited." He rubbed his head and sat up.

Lucy tried to stand up from the ice floor, but found it was almost impossible to do so and kept tumbling back down. She noticed Natsu was having the same problem, up and down and up and down the both of them bobbed. Each laughing harder with each fall, making it even harder for them to concentrate on actually succeeding in their task, resulting in even more laughter.

"H-Here." Natsu gasped for breath through his fit of amusement. "Lets try it together."

Lucy still could not stop herself from giggling as she took hold of his forearms, neither party stopping their laughter as they attempted once again to stand. But of corse, they flopped to the ground in the cheer of their own hilariousness.

Neither one was able to move until the ferocity of their giggles died down and their breathing became regular once more. Their stomach muscles sore and eyes wet with happy tears.

The sun was starting to set and most of the Guild members had left, completing the fun filled day. Lucy was tired, her body was physically tired and she felt ready for bed. But now that the sun was going down and she wasn't moving around, she was starting to feel cold again.

It was odd, because she had completely forgotten all about the low temperatures for the majority of the day! She had been having so much fun, that she was too focused to think about it. She probably had Natsu to thank for that, he was by her side all day. She turned her head to him, who was looking at the setting sun.

"Thank you." She whispered, but she knew he could hear her.

"Thanks for what?" He turned his attention to her confused.

"For being there for me."

Natsu cocked his head to the side. "I don't see why that is such a surprise. You know I will always be there for you Luce."

Lucy could feel a slight heat in her face, luckily her nose was already red from the cold weather. She nodded and smiled at his comment.

"Lets go back inside the Guild, you look cold." Natsu stood with ease and held out his hand for her.

"H-How..." She gawked at him.

"What?"

"How did you stand up so easily?"

"Oh." Natsu scratched the back of his head and and looked away shyly. "I just heated up the bottoms of my feet, to melt the ice underneath."

"You mean you could have done that the whole time?!"

"I forgot." He shrugged.

"Unbelievable." Lucy sighed and took his hand. However, she did not have that superpower and had much difficulty managing the ground beneath her.

Natsu helped the fumbling girl stand, leaning most of her weight on him. Obviously Natsu did not forget about his magic, he just wanted to spend some time with Lucy and he was having so much fun, why spoil it?

Natsu basically dragged her off the ice, because she wasn't even close to standing. Grey always made his ice floor extra slick, for its purpose was to trip his enemies. But Natsu was thanking Grey for it now, because Lucy was clutched tightly unto his sleeves. Trying to find her balance and failing epically on the slippery surface. She was still laughing and her face was lit up like a star, she was beautiful.

Unfortunately for Natsu, they escaped the ice and Lucy found her footing on the pavement. But not before he tripped her one last time, sending her falling into his arms. He caught her with ease and laughed, using this excuse to hold her while she caught her breath.

Natsu felt nice, even though he was severally underdressed for the weather, his body felt warm. She wanted him to hug her for forever, she felt safe with him.

"Are you falling asleep there?" Natsu stirred her peace, laughing.

"Was I?" Lucy rubbed her eyes and pulled away. "Sorry, I guess Im more tired than I thought."

"Then let's get you home, it's getting late anyway."

Lucy groaned.

"Why the grumble? Don't you want to go back?" He asked.

"I do." Lucy sighed. "But I don't have enough money to heat my apartment, so it's really cold there. Thats why I have been here all day."

"Luce." Natsu folded his arms and grinned. "You know who you are talking to right?"

"I know. But I didn't want to bother you."

"You never bother me, you should've just asked."

"Really? Im sorry, I guess it was silly." She giggled slightly.

"Now come on, let's get you home."

Together they walked back to Lucy's apartment, the journey seemed much shorter of a trip than the odyssey of her morning commute. Instead, she was filled with joyous conversation and light hearted banter.

Taking out her key, Lucy opened the door and entered the equally frozen apartment. Somehow it felt even colder than the outdoors.

Lucy shivered and didn't dare take off her jacket as she rubbed her hands together. Natsu stood in the center of the room and lit himself on fire, Lucy stood close enough to him to feel the heat, but not too close to burn herself. Natsu stayed aflame until the majority of her apartment was heated, he was a very efficient heater.

"Thanks Natsu."

"No problem." He sat next to her on the couch, she could still feel the heat coming off him, it felt great. She snuggled herself closer to him once again, hoping she wasn't over stepping his personal space. But he gently placed a warm arm around her shoulders, securing her spot next to him.

The sun had gone down, but the warmth had finally come. Lucy was cozy and comfortable. Her body sore from all the running around and good time spent with her friends. Her family. Time she would never trade for anything in the world. For these were the days of her life that she would cherish and remember for the rest of her life. As Lucy remembered the events of the day, she drifted off, falling asleep on Natsu's shoulder.

The boy also seemed lost in thought, then noticed Lucy's soft breathing. He chuckled to himself as he took note of her sleeping figure. But she probably shouldn't sleep on the couch. So he scooped her up and brought her to the bed, but before he placed her in, he noticed she was still fully dressed. Lucy still had on her boots, coat, scarf and everything she had been wearing all day in the snow.

"Oh, please don't kill me." He begged out loud.

Natsu unzipped her coat, gently pulling it off her shoulders and hanging it on the hook next to her door. Next he took off her boots and socks, noting how smelly her feet were. He needed to remember that for future teases. Natsu respectfully left her in her t-shirt and pants, not daring to go any further. Then he finally tucked her into bed. He was about to leave when he remembered, if he left the heat would leave with him and Lucy's apartment would just go back to the freezer it was before.

Giving in (quite easily) he walked back to Lucy's bed and hopped in with her. He would risk a beating in the morning if it meant she would sleep well.

"Good night Luce."