Author's Note: Hey everyone, I hope you all are enjoying the holidays as much as I have and then some. I was able to find some time to upload this holiday one-shot, but not for an update for my main first fanfic. Some of the characters here are minor OCs from that fic just in case some people don't know who they are, but I'm sure it could be read without having to read it. I hope you like this slightly short, but sweet one-shot about one Christmas year with our favorite ice mage. Review, enjoy and Happy Holidays everyone!
It was the joyful holiday of the year in Fiore, Christmas had come with the people of the land celebrating and it was no different for the guilds either. Helpful charities, gift giving for the children in their towns or cities and their own Christmas parties were in full swing as the night went on. All were great sights to see, but it was something that couldn't be compared to Fairy Tail. If this particular guild of rambunctious mages were known for anything, it would be that there isn't a word known as small in their vocabulary. Where their parties were a sight to see on their own and the citizens of Magnolia understood that the only thing that beats them is the Fantasia Parade.
This year was no different, the excitement and cheer that came from the guild could be heard blocks away even as it was coming to a close. Even if it was almost over, many of the guild members weren't partied out for the last bit of their party; the Secret Santa Exchange. If there was anything that many of the members waited for it would be that, since it was always interesting to find out what they got each other. It was a surprising thing when it came to gifts some people gave to each other and it would be marking the second one Gray wasn't attending in the seven years he's been apart of the guild.
The young fifteen year old ice mage didn't dislike his guild mates to avoid going to the parties, but these two past years have been different for him. As it stands, he was invited to two homes for the holiday; the first came from his good friend Michael's father since Gray's been around them for the past seven years and the second actually surprised him when the family he had been doing jobs for had invited him to come over, the Cromwell family. Although he was already given someone to be their Secret Santa, namely a pink haired annoying moron, he asked Lisanna to give the moron's gifts to him since he couldn't make it. The ice mage knew that at least the flaming hot head would feel a bit better that the white haired girl gave him the gift rather than him. Of course Gray wouldn't give him a direct gift, more like he got a gift to give to Happy since he's been feeling sorry for the blue furred cat.
It took a little searching across a few towns, but Gray's managed to find a flame retardant solution that Happy could pour over his fur since he's been accidentally burned by the pink haired boy as of late. The ravenette knew that the dragon slayer was careful with Happy, but he guessed that puberty was doing something with his magic since he was supposedly raised by a dragon and his body acted much differently compared to a regular mage. Still, the ice mage went on to buy a few more gifts as well, as a way to show that he appreciated what a few others did for him and that included Michael, Michael's father and the Cromwell family.
At the moment, Gray was one his way over towards the Cromwell household since he's already visited Michael's home. He gave Michael's father a new watch he saw in a store when he took his first job in Crocus, the book store keeper needed one since he tended to lose track of time a lot. As for Michael he decided to get a little payback for the teasing he got a year before when he discovered the book he received for his birthday to be an R rated erotica. Gray had bought Michael's first ever porn magazine and laughed his ass off when he saw the teen's face flush red and his father was trying to contain a nosebleed when he looked over, but he was merciful enough to also get also get Michael a lacrima recorder since he always spoke of wanting to remember "times like these." For the Cromwell's however, he was much more thoughtful in not playing pranks with them so he picked out appropriate gifts.
With Terrance, the man who had hired him to begin with and the father of the family, he bought him a number of colognes since he had no idea what a grown man who wasn't Wakaba or Macao would want. Mrs. Cromwell was a little tricky for his views of mother figures were based on his own mother and Ur, but what he could piece together was that they cared for family the most so he got her a locket that could store photos of her family between the opening halves. Finally the hardest one of them all was their two year old daughter Carrie, which he had absolutely no idea what a girl her age would want. Gray thought of the most basic things a little girl would like and it came to a dead end with a doll, so being the nice person he was he got her a doll in her likeness.
Buying gifts wasn't his forte, though he tried to the best of his abilities to get gifts that were suitable for each person, but the one case he was lugging on his back was a gift he was nervous to give. Luckily for him, the anxiety that he would be building up wouldn't begin as he was now standing in front of the Cromwell residence. He hoped the guild was doing okay with a by now raging Natsu after receiving his gift.
At the time Gray was hoping, said mage was knocked down onto the floor by an angered Erza who witnessed her beloved Christmas cheesecake burn to a crisp as Natsu's enraged flames flew out in multiple directions. She wondered what had set him off and wandered over to the unwrapped gift he opened and saw a bottle filled with a light blue solution inside. The scarlet haired girl read the inscription on the side and quickly figured that the ice mage was toying with Natsu, however she heard Lisanna trying to reason with the pink haired slayer.
"Come on Natsu, can't you see that Gray got you a gift to use on Happy. He was thinking about Happy and his burns, so he got him something to make sure that you don't accidentally do it again."
"Yeah, but it needed to be a gift for me!" The pink haired teen pouted as Erza made her way over to him.
"Natsu, understand that you are in a way Happy's father so you must think of needs for him before yourself. If you caused his burns on accident, then Gray thought of getting the most useful gift for you. Yes he has tauted you in the message, but he was thoughtful nonetheless." Erza knew that she was defending the ice mage, but Natsu had to learn that sometimes not all things need to be about him.
"Alright I get it, I'll make sure to put this stuff on Happy if it'll make sure he doesn't get burned." Natsu was reluctant to agree, but he too was worried about how he was harming Happy and also scared of going against Erza.
"Anyways, where is Gray? He wasn't around for the gift exchanges." Erza was the one who got Gray and while everyone was giving their gifts to the others, she wasn't able to give hers to him.
"He said he wasn't able to come, something had come up and asked me to give his gift to Natsu." Lisanna replied as the requip mage nodded her head in understanding before heading off to the guild doors. "Where are you going Erza?
"Nowhere in particular, just for a walk." She answered before continuing her way towards the guild doors, tightly gripping a small wrapped item in her hands away from all eyes to see.
Gray could say that being part of a family was something that he longed for after what happened back in Isvan and actually being considered so brought him a silent joy to his very being. From Michael and his father to the Cromwells, they gave him that opportunity to be a part of one, just like Fairy Tail did for him. With seeing the faces they made when they opened their gifts was a moment he wouldn't forget, after all this was a first when it came to buying presents for other people and it felt nice compared to how he'd been feeling ever since things couldn't work out with Cana a few months prior.
Even so, the ice mage wasn't about to let that get him down of all times, especially now that little Carrie was smiling happily at the new doll he gave her. She received plenty of gifts that were just as nice, maybe even better, to the one he gave her but for some reason he got the sense that she was much more pleased with that doll than anything else and he was glad she enjoyed it.
"Thanks Gray, but does this mean that you're trying to tell me something?" Terrance asked as he squirted a little in his hand to smell his new cologne.
"Yeah, it means you stink old man!" Gray replied, smirking at the older man's shocked reaction to his claim all the while Alice (Mrs. Cromwell) giggled at her husband's face.
"Daddy's stinky, Daddy's stinky!" Little Carrie chanted much to the older man's chagrin, but he simply laughed it off, full knowing that it was all in good fun.
"These were nice gifts Gray, but we're sorry we didn't find you something just as nice." Alice spoke up as the young ice mage shook his head in reply.
"It's fine really Mrs. Cromwell, getting more clothes helps me on my budget. Losing them is such a hassle so I'm grateful to all of you for getting me some." It wasn't a lie either, with the clothes they gave him for a present it would help him save a little more money for the following year.
"Thank you Onii-chan, Carrie wuvs her new dollie!" The little girl came up to his side and hugged the older boy's leg with one of her hands still holding her new doll.
"You're welcome Squirt." Gray replied as she went off to play with her other toys. "Thanks for having me here, I better get going since it's getting late." The young ice mage said as he began to store away his gifts and place the case on his back, until Alice stopped him before he left.
"Here's one more gift from us to you Gray, we thought it to be a special gift for you to keep." Gray received the small and slightly heavy rectangular present from her and unwrapped it.
A small smile formed on his lips when he found it to be a picture frame with him and the Cromwells standing in front of their cafe, remembering it to be the day their specially made pie garnered over a dozen well acclaimed reviews that gave them a much needed boost for the business. Gray had been called in to help with multiple jobs that day and didn't expect for them to include him in their photo marking the day when their cafe was starting to change for the better. It was a tiring day for him, but it still was a good memory that was saved away in his mind.
"Thanks, it's a great gift." Gray replied as the Cromwells bid their goodbyes and saw him off, also thanking him for coming over.
The ice mage had his lowest moments during his time at the guild due to his past and some recent predicaments, but it was times like these that he was grateful for the people he met. He knew that he tended to be an ice cold prick at times, but what not many people understood was that it's only a defense mechanism he has to overcome one day. Nonetheless, he wasn't about to let these low feelings get to him and decided that he'd be happy for what he's got which reminded him that he had to give one final gift to someone that's also had it rough like him.
As he walked through the streets of Magnolia, decorated with the holiday spirit, a lone figure walking down the street caught his attention as the armor she wore shined with the lights around her. Gray quickly made his way over to the only teenage girl he knew who would wear armor on Christmas and was met with an angered glare as soon as he got close to her. Erza wasn't so pleased that Gray skipped out on the guild's party and would give him the benefit of the doubt that he had a good reason in doing so.
"Where were you Gray? You didn't go to the Christmas party and you had Lisanna give your gift to Natsu instead." Erza crossed her arms as she continued walking, subconsciously making her way towards a very memorable spot.
"Well Merry Christmas to you too Erza." Gray sarcastically remarked before shutting up and quickly deciding to answer her unless he wanted to get punched. "I was invited over to a few homes to spend some time with the families and I asked Lisanna to do it because I wouldn't have time to get to both homes. Plus I'm sure he reacted better when he found out I gave him a gift, but Lisanna presented it to him instead."
"Very well, I guess you did have a good reason in not coming; however, what about your Secret Santa? Don't you want to know who got you and what gift you received?" Erza questioned, still holding onto the small wrapped gift in her hand.
"It's fine, I'm sure one of the guys got me and bought me another joke gift like glue to make sure my clothes stick or another stripper I.D. like the one Laxus got me last year." Gray replied as he now started taking into account of their surroundings, seeing an all too familiar bridge slowly approaching.
"I-I see, well let's hope it is something more meaningful this year, shall we?" Erza said, noticing how Gray began to walk faster as he made his way over towards the bridge nearby.
She followed him as he made his way onto the bridge overlooking the water below, the spot of the beginning of their friendship off to the side near them. Erza wondered how they got here, remembering that Gray was simply following her to wherever she was going. The scarlet haired teen wondered why she was thinking of coming here of all places until she heard the ice mage nearby heave a sigh of relief as he placed down the case he was carrying on his back. She wondered what was in it and why he was lugging it around him, but he simply smiled her way as he raised it up onto the cobblestone railing.
"Even if you weren't the person I was going to be the Secret Santa for, I...um k-kinda got you a gift." To say that Gray was flustered was an understatement, since this was the first time he was giving Erza a direct gift unlike the unnamed cakes he got for her birthday.
"W-Well thank you Gray that's really kind of you, b-but you didn't have to get me anything." Erza could feel her cheeks heating up, sure she's received gifts from other guys before but it felt so much different now with the ice mage giving her one.
"Modesty is nice and all Erza, but I think it's time you indulge a little." Gray tried to keep his cool as he opened the case, the wrapped item finally being pulled out of it as he handed it over to Erza.
The scarlet head received it gratefully, already telling that it was a sort of blade from it's shape; however, she felt an interesting chill coming from it and began to tear the wrapping paper off of it. She was met with her reflection as the sword gleamed with how new it was and the chill coming from it had signified it to be an elemental based weapon, obviously having to do with the ice. Erza swung it a few times to get a feel for it; the weight of the blade was balanced with the stances she took, her speed in the practice attacks she did was not hampered at all and she could feel an interesting sense of magic flowing throughout the blade. The requip mage was impressed with the craftsmanship of it as it was well done, on the same or higher level with the best swords in her arsenal. All in all, it was a well made sword and she felt touched that Gray got her something she had no idea she would receive.
"T-Thank you Gray, I didn't expect you to give something like this." It was a truly formiddable weapon and she internally hoped her gift doesn't fall flat in comparison to his gift.
"Glad you like, it took sometime for me to get together the neccessary Jewel and other minor things, but it was well worth it in the end." Gray was pleased that she did like the sword as it was more or less one of the biggest things he's had to do that entire year to get, but it didn't matter as he watched her use her skills to see how the blade fares. "Plus I got it to be an ice elemental type sword to give it my personal touch to it, so all you've got to do is use it like the weapons you use in your Flame Empress armor."
"How did you get such a weapon like this Gray? It costs an incredible amount of Jewel to buy and one that is of such great quality is hard to come by." She truly was curious, since it took her a long time to find a suitable staff for her Flame Empress' armor.
"During a job I saved an old guy and his apprentices from being killed from an attack by bandits, I later found out that he was the leading blacksmith of the Hariz-Wolfe family and wanted to repay me with a specially made magic weapon." Gray noticed the surprised expression on Erza's face and guessed that the old man he came across was someone really important. "I noticed how hard you tried to find that staff for one of your armors so I thought I could give one with a little touch of ice magic."
"Gray, I...I don't know what to say. Such weapons forged by those from Hariz-Wolfe are rare to come by and only the highest of elites get the chance to own such items, but you're simply giving me one of the as a gift? I couldn't accept something this great from you, you should keep it since it was made for you." Now Erza really believed that her gift could not compare to the one Gray got her, it was leagues above it and she was unsure if she should reconsider getting something else.
"I may be good at the weapons I make, but something this great should go to the one person I know with the equal skill to wield it, who'll be able to give it justice." This was no doubt his gift to Erza and he'll be damned if he'd allow her to think she isn't worthy of the sword.
Erza was at a loss for words and tried to think of a way to get Gray to take it back, but if she knew him than the ice mage was as stubborn as they come and decided that she had no choice if he really believed in her skills that much. "I appreciate the kind words you've said and I won't make you a liar to your claims Gray. If you think you're right and that I should wield this weapon, than I shall."
"Damn right I'm right, the Great Gray knows best." Gray said, boasting about his own greatness while the mage in front of him looked slightly uneasy and soon grew worried for her. "What's wrong Erza?"
"The thing is Gray, I'm the one who's your Secret Santa." Erza slightly felt that her gift was inferior in comparison, but she wasn't going to back down from her original gift no matter how small it is since it was one she thought of with her heart in mind. "Here's the gift I got for you."
Erza gave him the small wrapped package and watched as he got rid of the wrapping paper to reveal a silver necklace with a shield pendant attached to it. Gray looked at it with such a perceptive eye, as if he was a jeweler looking at a fine diamond brought to him and Erza slowly began to feel her palms sweat within her gauntlets as she waited for the ice mage to say something. She swallowed the saliva that formed in her mouth when he finally looked up and waited for him to downsize her gift, but she would allowed it since it was hardly something comparable to the ice magic infused sword.
"Thanks Erza, it's a great gift." Gray replied as the scarlet head looked at him incredulously for his reply.
"You're not disappointed by it or are your trying to save face and not embarrass me for such a small gift?" She would understand if he wanted to avoid hurting her feelings, but she preferred him to be upfront about what he truly thought.
"Why would I be? It's the thought that counts, right?" Gray securely wrapped it around his right wrist and moved on to close the case. "I'm sure you put lots of thought into it and if you think that I wouldn't understand then tell me why you got it for me and I'll understand."
"Well...I bought you the necklace because...it's a way to express what you mean to me." It was Gray's turn to give her a curious look as she began to look everywhere but at him. "To tell you the truth, I t-think of as my shield; one I can go for help me to defend against the pains I suffer."
"I'll do my best to stay that way and remember what I told you over there," Gray had pointed to the spot where for the first time saw Erza cry, "you're not alone anymore."
"But I feel as if no one else will understand, no one but you Gray. I don't know how I can tell, but I feel as if you have undergone something like I have." Gray gave a small sigh, but still gave her a smile to show that he was still with her.
"And that's fine by me, I'm here for you Erza and so is everyone at the guild. Always remember that." Gray said as he placed the case right back onto his back and picked up his other gifts.
"Again thank you Gray, for everything..." The scarlet head soon went into step with the ice mage, leaving her new sword to dangle over her shoulder until she thinks when the time is right to put it away.
"Even so, the armor you wear only encases your heart from any more pain and I'm your real shield against the pain that's already there." The ice mage thought as he looked down at his wrist towards the shield pendent and began walking back to the guild with Erza at his side.
"But I must ask, why did you wrap it around your wrist?" Erza wondered why he didn't put it over his neck alongside his sword necklace.
"That's simple, this is the wrist you used to flip me over your shoulder the first time we fought. Plus this will be the side you can lean on and the one that will pick you up when you are down." Gray replied as she gave a small chuckle at the ice mage's oh so suave moment, right until she remembered something she needed to say.
"I almost forgot...Merry Christmas Gray." Erza said giving the mage one of kindest smiles he had ever seen on her and gave her one of his own genuine smiles back.
"Merry Christmas Erza"