A/N: This is my first Fairy Tail fanfic! I've wanted to do one for ages, but I couldn't think of anything to write. Wild Rhov helped me out by giving me the plot for this (she's so lovely, be sure to check out her FT stories!) There's going to be mature content, so viewer discretion is advised. If I go over the "M" limits drop me a friendly message or a review, I'd rather fix the issue than have the story removed. I'm not sure how much detail I can use before its deemed inappropriate! Anyways, I hope you enjoy it! I'll try to update as often as I can, but between two jobs, writers block, other fanfictions, and life in general, it can be challenging.

Image: I originally had an image by Milady666, however after experimenting I was able to create my own, using images from the anime as a base and editing them to suit. Larger version available on my deviantart account under blissful-birdy.

Disclaimer: Fairy Tail is not mine, in any way, shape or form.

Hot Ice

A Fairy Tail Fanfiction

By The Lonely She-Wolf

Chapter 1: Lucy's Frustration

The guild was a blur of noise and colour, of singing and dancing, of drinking and brawling. To anyone else this kind of party may have been fatal, but to the members of Fairy Tail, this was a real party. Amongst the chaos, no one noticed the absence of one of their fellow comrades.

No one but Gray.

He had noticed Lucy's absence immediately. The last time he had seen her, she was at the bar, sipping her drink quietly. Looking over once more, he saw nothing but her abandoned glass, still half full. She had given them the slip, vanishing from the guild.

Concerned, Gray left the frenzied celebrations to search the moonlit grounds. The courtyard remained void of life, as did the swimming pool. He searched high and low for the blond, yet it seemed as though she may have simply gone home. Just as he was about to admit defeat, he heard a sniffling sound from the balcony above.

Knowing immediately who it would be, Gray headed back inside, ignored a challenge from Natsu, and made his way upstairs. As he opened the heavy, wooden door, the light from inside streamed out across the balcony, illuminating Lucy's hunched over form. Frowning, Gray closed the door, immediately cutting off the noise from within.

He approached her cautiously, stopping only a short distance behind her.

"What are you doing out here?"

She looked up at him, her face half hidden by shadow. He saw glistening tracks upon her cheeks, left behind by recently shed tears. He felt an ache deep within upon seeing the physical evidence of her sadness. He hated nothing more than seeing Lucy cry. Having identified him, she looked back up towards the heavens, sniffling as she wiped her cheeks.

"I was just looking at the stars. My Mama taught me about the constellations when I was little. I think our fascination with them is a Celestial Wizard thing." Although she was speaking to him, he could tell her mind was up with the stars, not with him.

He sat down beside her, crossing his legs. He noticed then how peaceful it was outside. The sounds of the party within were still noticeable, but it was nothing more than a dull buzz. Lucy sniffed again, quieter this time.

"What's the matter?" He questioned, determined to find the cause of her current frame of mind. If it was that flame brain or someone else within the guild that had upset her, he would beat them to an icy pulp! "Has Natsu said something bad to you again? Or was it Happy?"

"No, it wasn't Natsu, or Happy." He heard her huff. "My Mama's anniversary is today. She died today, all those years ago." Her voice choked at the end as silent tears wracked her frame once more. Gray felt a lump rise in his throat painfully as he was plagued by sympathy for Lucy. He could understand how she felt. He had lost his own parents, as well as his mentor, at a young age. Even now, he still ached over his losses. He knew Lucy felt no differently. Time numbed the pain, but it always remained, ready to surface once more.

"I'm afraid I'm n-not the best of c-company at the m-moment. I'm s-sorry," she blubbered, struggling to choke out her words between sobs.

Overcome with emotion, Gray swept her into his lap, holding her against his chest. He cursed mentally as he noticed he had lost his shirt once again. He thanked his lucky stars that his pants were still present. This wasn't the most appropriate time to harbour a subconscious stripping habit.

He held Lucy silently, stroking her hair gently as she continued to give in to her grief. He kissed the top of her head, wishing he could do more to help her. He was glad he could do this much at least.

She soon settled, her breathing becoming regular once more. She leant against him, finally relaxing within his embrace. She sighed quietly, sounding at peace.

"Lucy," he whispered, longing filling him as he looked down at the familiar form nestled within his arms. How long had he ached for her now? For how many months had she plagued his dreams, dominated his desires? He had kept his distance for the sake of their team, residing to the fact that they were better suited as friends.

Now, he could barely contain his emotions. Lucy was so close, yet she felt so devastatingly far from his reach. She pulled back to look up at him, her eyes roaming across his features. In the moonlight, her features were muted, but Gray could still tell that her eyes were red and swollen from crying. Even so, she had never looked more beautiful to him. He felt himself leaning in closer as his instincts took charge. To his surprise, she copied his movements, her eyes closing slowly as she leant up towards him.

Swept up in the moment, he didn't hear the sudden rush of noise as the door to the guild hall opened.

"Hey guys, what're you doing out here?" A familiar voice asked. The two sprang apart at the sudden interruption. Gray had never wanted to kill his rival more than he did in that moment.

Gray couldn't help but hiss with annoyance. He saw Lucy turn away from the dragon slayer to hide the evidence of her grief.

"I came out here to get some air. The guild was giving me a headache," Lucy lied. "Gray was just checking up on me."

"We gave you a headache?" Natsu pondered, scratching his head.

"Yes idiot. You lot are loud enough to give the whole of Magnolia a damn headache," Gray growled.

"You're just as bad as they are," Lucy reminded him.

He scowled at the unwelcome reminder. "How could you compare me to this flame brained idiot?"

"Who you calling an idiot? Pervert stripper!" Natsu raged.

Gray jumped to his feet. "Come over here and try saying that again!"

"Pervert stripper!" Natsu taunted.

"Why you little…" he started towards his rival.

Just as Natsu swung his fist towards Gray, the door opened once more and Erza stepped out onto the balcony. Seeing the dragon slayer attacking the unmoving ice mage, she whacked Natsu on the head with an armoured fist.

"No fighting!" She roared, dragging the pink haired boy into the guild to deal out further punishment. Natsu struggled in vain against the scarlet haired woman, knowing full well what he would be made to endure. Gray watched with some amusement as his rival was dragged away, seeing it as nothing more than karma for having interrupted his time with Lucy.

He went to follow, knowing that this was something he would be a fool to miss.

Remembering Lucy, he looked back to her.

"Coming?" he invited, reaching out his hand. She nodded, placing her small hand in his. He pulled Lucy to her feet and together they headed towards the warmth and chaos of their second home. Gray hesitated at the doorway, looking over to Lucy with regret. He wondered if it had been best that they had been interrupted. After all, why would she ever want someone like him?

She gave him a small reassuring smile, and something passed between them silently.

It was a wordless promise that they would finish what they had started that night, with the stars as their witness.

Lucy threw down her pen, finding herself unable to focus on her latest chapter. A pile of screwed up papers littered the floor, combined with a trail of pens she had snapped in frustration.

"I can't write anything!" she howled, rubbing her temples harshly with the heel of her palms. She had spent all afternoon trying to finish her latest instalment, thinking all the while about Levy's impatient demands.

With a huff, she stormed away from her desk. Snatching up her keys and purse without hesitation, she left for the guild. The air still remained warm outside, with only a faint breeze to cool her skin. The sun had set only an hour ago, yet the streets remained quiet. Her footsteps echoed across the cobblestone street as she pondered on her position. Her rent was due in a little over a week, she was low on funds for other expenses such as food and her chapter remained unfinished.

Lucy stopped suddenly and took a deep breath. She could feel herself getting worked up, which she knew wouldn't do her any good. As her mother had taught her, it was better to be productive than to wallow in her own anger or misery.

She started forward again, quickening her pace. She hoped Natsu and the others were at the guild. A job was the obvious solution to her problems, and it might even give her the needed inspiration to work past her writer's block.

The guild was relatively quiet when Lucy entered. Well, quiet for Fairy Tail at least. After a quick glance around the room she found Gray and Erza sitting at a table in the corner. Natsu and Happy were nowhere to be seen.

After a moment's thought, Lucy decided to grab a drink before making her way over to their table. Mira's pleasant greeting immediately reassured Lucy that nothing was amiss within the guild. After collecting one of her favourite fruity drinks, Lucy went over to where Gray and Erza were still deep within discussion.

As Lucy slid in next to Erza, Gray gave her a nod in greeting.

"Ah Lucy, I'm glad you're here," he said casually, his shirt suddenly non-existent.

"Gray your clothes!" Lucy shrieked, heat rising to her cheeks. While the ice mage fumbled around for his missing items of clothing, Erza addressed her.

"As Gray was about to explain, we're looking into accepting a new job. Natsu remains away with Lisanna and Happy for the time being, but we still need to make a living. We thought it best to offer that you accompany us."

Lucy wasn't surprised to hear that the new couple had run off for a few days together. It had been a few weeks already since Lisanna had shyly asked the dragon slayer out on a date, and now the two were rarely seen apart. To begin with, Lucy had been insanely jealous of the white haired girl, but she had accepted the new development, abandoning all romantic feelings towards Natsu.

Lucy sighed with relief. "I came here with a job in mind. My rent money is due soon and I'm running low on funds. Have you found anything?"

Gray returned at that moment. "There's one up near my hometown. A dark guild is causing trouble and they need someone to pull them into line. The reward is half a million jewels," he explained while buttoning up his shirt with deft fingers. Erza nodded in agreement.

"Between the three of us it should be easy enough. I wouldn't expect to be gone for any longer than a week."

"Perfect! When do we leave?" Lucy asked, proceeding to take a sip from her glass.

"Tomorrow morning," Erza answered, "we'll meet at the train station."

The ride was unnaturally quiet. Lucy and the others had become accustomed to Natsu's sounds of motion sickness. Without it, the unusual hush served as a constant reminder that their team mate was absent. Lucy watched the landscape fly by in silence, her thoughts wandering back to earlier that week.

"What are you doing out here?"

She had looked upwards to see Gray standing beside her, his eyes hidden by shadow. The darkness of the night was pierced only by the subtle glow emitted from the moon and stars. Lucy had been gazing at them, remembering everything her mother had taught her about the little specks of light. She looked back up to the sky as she reached up to wipe her cheek. She was surprised to feel beads of moisture upon her skin.

Tears.

"I was just looking at the stars. My Mama taught me about the constellations when I was little. I think our fascination with them is a Celestial Wizard thing."

Gray sat down beside her, crossing his legs. The guild's balcony had been deserted aside from them, although the sounds of boisterous dinking could be heard from within. She sniffed a little, trying to hide her emotions from Gray. He had still picked up on it.

"What's the matter? Has Natsu said something bad to you again? Or was it Happy?" The concern was clear in his voice. Lucy could clearly remember the warmth his words had given her that night.

"No, it wasn't Natsu, or Happy," she had stopped to take a deep breath, letting it all out in a huff. "My Mama's anniversary is today. She died today, all those years ago." She had then burst into sobs again, offering Gray a sniffling apology in between. "I'm afraid I'm n-not the best of c-company at the m-moment. I'm s-sorry."

He didn't reply, instead pulling her closer, against his bare chest. She could remember the warmth of his protective embrace. The thought made heat rise into her cheeks, and she stole a glance at the other two to make sure they hadn't noticed.

Erza was reading a re-quip catalogue, and Gray . . . was staring at her with an unusual intensity. She bit her lip as she noticed his dark expression. Something deep and lustful stirred within those dark blue eyes, it made Lucy's insides squirm.

She looked away quickly, pretending to gaze out the window once more. She nearly melted like Plue after a hot bath upon hearing a small chuckle from him. She chose to ignore him, forcing her thoughts back once again to earlier that week.

He had held her for what felt like a lifetime, stroking her hair while she let out her tears of grief. She had gradually calmed down, leaning against him with her eyes closed. She let out a deep sigh, of contentment? It seemed almost selfish of her, to find comfort on a night like this.

"Lucy," he had whispered, his fingers still moving through her hair.

She remembered pulling back to look at him, her eyes roaming over his face. The lighting was poor, but she could still make out his basic features. Angular lips, strong jaw, the scar across his forehead, and those dark, all-consuming eyes of his. She had stared into them, feeling herself slipping away into a place where there was no pain, no grief, only warmth. She had leaned in closer, until she could feel his breath against her skin. Although he was an ice-mage, he didn't feel cold in the slightest, which surprised her. She closed her eyes as he came closer, giving into the need she felt stirring within her.

"Hey guys, what're you doing out here?" She heard Natsu call. The two leapt apart, and Lucy felt one of her rampages coming on. She subdued it, realising that such a strong reaction would make the dragon slayer suspicious. Sure, he was thick sometimes, but even he would be able to figure it out if given the right clues.

Lucy returned to the present, her cheeks burning even hotter than before. She pondered on what would have happened if they had gone uninterrupted. She thought about that for the remainder of the train ride, among other darker things. She could still feel his eyes roaming over her, but she avoided his gaze, terrified of what she might do if she found herself falling into those burning depths again. And so, they travelled in silence.

At the end of the line, they took a cart to carry them for the rest of the journey. With Erza's mountain of luggage there was barely enough room for the three. Erza sat up front with the driver, who was clearly intimidated by her, leaving Gray and Lucy cramped together in the back.

Lucy avoided him as best as she could in such a confined space. However, their legs remained pressed together, making her task difficult. She tried her best to ignore the heat seeping into her bare leg, but she was easily distracted by it. Her frustration grew alarmingly quickly as she realised they would remain like this for the next few hours. Why couldn't Gray sit with the driver?

"Something bothering you?" Gray asked quietly, his voice heated around the edges.

"There's no room!" Lucy whined, not looking at him.

"I don't mind. I'm quite comfortable where I am."

Lucy was startled by the honesty of his remark. He was happy sitting like this with her? Her frustration grew into something else, making her fists clench. The tension between the two rose, and Lucy looked at him hesitantly.

"Gray! Your clothes!" she hissed, trying to scramble away, only to find herself stuck against the mountain of luggage. He looked down at himself, his expression vacant.

"Well, would you look at that," he mused.

He made no move to pull his shirt back on, or his pants for that matter. Lucy's discomfort rose, along with other sensations that she deemed inappropriate in such a situation. They remained silent for a long moment, staring at each other. Lucy's eyes betrayed her feelings. Confusion and fear were evident, but Gray was surprised to see there was frustration thrown into the mix. At the same time, Lucy noted that his eyes had taken on their dark appeal again, and she could feel herself getting pulled into their dangerous depths. The tension rose higher as they maintained their gaze, searching each other for clues.

Gray was the first to break the moment, running his hand through his dark hair momentarily before moving to retrieve his clothes. Lucy released the breath she had been subconsciously holding, and closed her eyes in defeat.

She could have sworn there was something there between them. Between the events of the other night and what had just occurred, Lucy had believed that something had taken root between them. She realised now that she was wrong.

To avoid further disappointment, she summoned Plue. The little spirit appeared joyfully, seeming unperturbed by the lack of room the enclosed cart offered.

"Hey Plue," she whispered to the spirit while petting his head.

"Pun-puuunn!"

She was relieved to have extra company, it would protect her for the remainder of the trip, she was sure of it.

Gray watched the two of them with amusement. He was annoyed with himself for having missed such a prime opportunity, yet he knew this wasn't the time for it. He knew Natsu would give him shit if he got wind of it, but Gray was a romantic and taking a girl in the back of a crowded cart was not his style. He could see Lucy's disappointment quite clearly, but he refused to give into his own needs under these circumstances.
They travelled in silence for the remainder of the journey, aside from the small noises that Plue made from time to time while Lucy continued to pet him.

A/N: Not my best, but it does get better a few chapters in. As my skills develop further I'll come back and re-write parts of chapters and add on extra parts to improve it. If there's any major changes or additional scenes I'll make a note of it on the latest chapter I've posted since then. Please review! I want to know whether you guys like the story, where I can improve, or anything else. Even just a simple "I liked it." If I know people are reading/enjoying it, I have more motivation to keep writing. You guys are the ultimate force that drives me. Just know that! :)