Frost and Iron: Gajeel x black oc

Sleepless and Shirtless

Chapter 10: Sleepless and Shirtless

The warm light of the  Fairy Tail guildhall had started to fade as night settled over Magnolia. After another exhausting day of missions, Aislyn found herself collapsing onto her couch. Her apartment was a modest one—a small, cozy space tucked into one of the quieter corners of the city. She appreciated its solitude, though it didn't stay quiet for long.

As she kicked her boots off, Aislyn thought back to the day's mission. It had been grueling, but what stood out most in her mind was her spar with Gray earlier that day. It was supposed to be just a quick practice, but with the two of them both having a habit of stripping during combat, the whole thing had turned into a half-naked competition to see who could outdo the other.

"If this keeps up, we'll both end up fighting naked," Aislyn muttered to herself, snickering at the thought as she threw herself down onto her couch.

Just as she settled in, the door to her apartment burst open.

"Aislyn!" Gray's voice echoed through the room, followed by Natsu's laughter.

Aislyn shot up, startled. "What the hell—?!"

In marched Gray, shirtless, followed closely by Natsu, who had lost his vest somewhere along the way. Behind them, Erza strolled in with a basket of food and a bemused expression.

"Seriously?!" Aislyn shouted, standing up, only to realize her own shirt was tossed somewhere across the room. "You people ever heard of knocking?"

Gray shrugged, completely unfazed by her anger. "We're having a sleepover."

Aislyn blinked.  "We're what?"

"Erza said it's been too long since we had a night to relax," Gray explained, throwing himself down on her couch. "So we figured, why not crash at your place? You're always by yourself anyway."

Aislyn groaned. "I'm by myself because I like it that way."

Natsu, who had already started rifling through her kitchen cupboards, chimed in. "C'mon, Ais! You need a break. Plus, we brought snacks!" He held up a bag of chips triumphantly before tossing them onto her dining table.

"And whiskey," Gray added, giving her a teasing look.  "Don't think we forgot."

Aislyn sighed, knowing there was no getting rid of them. She glanced at Erza, who just smiled as she set down the basket of food.

"I brought some extra blankets and pillows," Erza said, setting them on the floor near the couch.  "We thought you could use the company. You've been spending too much time with Gajeel lately, and the guild's been missing you."

Aislyn rolled her eyes but couldn't help the small smile tugging at her lips. "Fine," she muttered, grabbing a blanket and tossing it over Gray's head.  "But next time, knock before you storm in half-naked, alright?"

Gray pulled the blanket off his head, laughing. "You love it, admit it."

Aislyn snorted. "You're impossible."

As the night wore on, Aislyn found herself relaxing more and more. They spread out on the floor of her small living room, trading stories of past missions, and Gray and Natsu, in their typical fashion, engaged in multiple arm-wrestling competitions—both of them half-dressed and neither willing to back down.

By the time midnight rolled around, the group had devolved into a heap of laughter and exhaustion. Natsu had passed out halfway through a story about Happy, curled up like a cat on the floor, while Erza was still sitting primly on the couch, quietly sipping her tea.

Aislyn found herself sprawled next to Gray, who was lying on his back, his arms behind his head. He gave her a sideways glance, the usual smirk playing on his lips. "You know, I don't think I've ever seen you this relaxed."

Aislyn shrugged, her head resting on her arm. "Guess you guys have your uses."

Gray chuckled. "Admit it, you love hanging out with us."

"Sure, keep telling yourself that,"  Aislyn muttered, but there was warmth in her voice.