Hot and Cold

Gildarts' Return

~*****~

I flinch awake when I feel someone sit upright in my bed. I turn over and grimace. "When the hell did you sneak in and why are you sleeping next to me?" I ask irritably.

Natsu doesn't say anything, he just sighs. "It was just a dream..." He murmurs.

I groan as I sit up, my hair drifting over my forehead. I push at it irritably before glancing at Natsu. "Was it a bad dream? Do you wanna talk about it?"

He grunted and flopped back down. "Man, your bed is comfy. Way better than the couch you make me sleep on."

I grimace. "I know. That's why I bought it. So, we're skimming over the nightmare business then?"

"You want some breakfast?" Natsu asked eagerly. "You got a bunch of food in your kitchen!"

I sighed loudly. "I guess so... Just don't eat everything in sight, okay? I'll run out of jewel if I keep buyin' groceries."

"Sure thing, so long as you don't mind me crashin' in your bed every now and then!" Natsu chirped. I laughed and shook my head.

"I don't. You're plenty warm to cuddle up to." I coo before walking off.

"Quit making my belly do weird things!" Natsu shouts after me. I wave him off.

~*****~

As soon as we get back to the guild, however, everyone goes bonkers at the fact that Gildarts is coming back. The entire town splits just for him and it's strange to think of. A very attractive man steps through the doors. He looks irritated at the decor of the guild hall. "Come on, ya old geezer, let's throw down!" Natsu cheered as he barged down the stairs.

"Welcome home~" Mira chirped.

"He's the most powerful guy in the guild?" Lucy wonders.

"Damn, he's hot." I comment. Lucy flinched to the side as I gazed after him.

"Sorry to bother you, miss. But I'm looking for a guild that used to be around these parts called Fairy Tail." Gildarts explained.

"This is it! Remember me?" Mira giggled. "Mirajane!"

Gildarts looked utterly confused. "Mira? Wow! You sure have grown up a lot, little girl! And did you change some stuff around the hall, too?"

"He didn't notice that from the outside?" Lucy asked.

"Dumb, but still hot." I comment.

"Gildarts!" Natsu cried again.

"Natsu! Hey pal!" Gildarts greeted fondly. "There's someone I recognize."

Natsu just giggled before leaping after him. "Good to see ya! Now let's party!" Natsu cheered.

Gildarts simply maneuvered him to slam into the ceiling. "Not now, kid." Gildarts chuckled.

"Oh yeah! He's still so awesome!" Natsu cheered.

"Same ol' tough guy we've always known." Gray chuckles.

"Genuine old fashioned man's man!" Elfman hummed.

"I'll say," I coo.

"I see a couple of new faces around here, too." Gildarts beamed. "A lot happened while I was gone."

"Gildarts!" Makarov greeted.

Gildarts turned that ridiculously beautiful head to gaze at the small wizard. "Oh, master! You're looking well."