A/N: Just some dumb silliness to see if I can get back to writing...

This is pre-slash.

In the Still of the Night

Gray woke up, eyes opening and staring into the darkness as his heartbeat slowed down.

He didn't remember what he'd been dreaming about, he just knew that it was something that wasn't… good.

He sat up, throwing the blanket in which he'd been curled up in somehow. His legs remained tangled in the cloth trap, despite Gray's sudden efforts at getting out of it.

A light sheen of sweat covered him, his hair plastered to his forehead.

Gray stood, walked to the window, distractedly taking in the slow sway of the curtains, billowing under the slow wind that came through the window. Gray pushed the window open, a decisive movement.

The moon was high, bathing the town in its silvery light, in games of light and shadow that changed with every glance.

Still, there was movement, noise. Probably coming from the guild.

Gray chewed on his lower lip.

It just wasn't fair that he had been kicked out just because he'd been told that he needed to recover, to rest. Gray still didn't think that having fun at the guild with his friends wouldn't be considered recovering. Heck, Natsu had remained there! Gray had been the only one – well, okay, that wasn't true; Natsu had been the only one to remain at the guild and the rest of the team been sent home. Why did that damned dragonslayer get to have preferential treatment? It wasn't fair.

Gray planned to tell him just that on the next day. Preferentially while kicking his ass. He would have his own ass kicked for doing too much effort but it was worth it.

The ice mage turned on his heel and walked back to bed, slumping onto it, a groan leaving his lips as he felt the comfortable embrace of the mattress.

This thoughts returned to Natsu, even if unexpectedly. Gray replayed their mission in his mind once again, scoffing at Natsu's antics. The flame brain just had a knack to go over the top with everything, didn't he?

At least the building hadn't fallen down on their faces… this time.

But it had filled him with relief seeing that pink hair emerge from the rubble, the colour slightly muted because of the dust but still noticeable in its wildness. Lucy had ran to him, Gray and Erza coming at a slightly slower pace.

But their victorious grins were just there.

They deserved it.

And deserved the rest that followed. At first, the infirmary wasn't too fun – as it usually wasn't – but if there was something his friends knew how to do was have fun. And so the days they'd spent there had breezed by. And then, off they went, commanded to their own houses for another period of rest.

Except for Natsu. Apparently.

Gray still thought that it was unfair.

Still wanted to punch him in the face.

Still wanted to sling an arm around his shoulders.

Still wanted to fight him and to show him how much better he was than silly fire mages. Well, maybe just one silly fire mage...

There's something, a thought, in the back of his mind that wants acknowledgement but Gray doesn't know what. It's might take a while, but it's there and he'll get it when he has to.

His energy seems to be draining away from him once again and, before Gray knows it, he's asleep once more.

Outside, the moon keeps lighting the slumbering town, party noises diminishing gradually.