"Man, I love and hate Christmas," Natsu grumbled to Gray. "Lucy never likes what I get her. She complains if I ask her, she complains if I look in her journal, she doesn't even like it if I snoop around her apartment." He settled his beer stein down with a thump. "I've gotta get her the best present this year."
Being more than half drunk, Gray snorted. "You'll never guess what all the girls have been wanting." He played with his necklace, looking at it like he'd never seen it before. "Wasn't I wearing a sweater a minute ago?"
The fire dragon slayer rolled his eyes at his companion. "Yup, it went missing along with your pants. Please keep your shorts on, I want to keep my dinner digesting where it belongs."
"That's what all the girls want this year, it's a new fad." Gray laughed again as he tipped the rest of his drink down his throat.
"Girls want me to digest my food?" Natsu motioned to Mira for a refill. "I knew you were a dumb snowflake Gray, but that's really stupid, even for you."
"No." Gray was disdainful, "I was talking about these new sweaters - they're nice. You wouldn't be able to appreciate'em."
Mira brought Natsu's refill and gave both boys a blinding bright smile. "I know Lucy'd love one of those sweaters! They're so cute!"
Gray gave Mira a sly look, "Yah, everybody loves those sweaters - and it's just so hip to have matching couple sweaters, isn't it?"
Briefly confused, Mira slowed down her mopping of the bar counter. She giggled a little as Gray waggled his eyebrows at her and decided to play along. "Oh yes, the his'n'hers sweaters." She directed her words towards Natsu, "Lucy would absolutely love the his'n'hers sweaters."
The ice mage pointed to his empty glass, Mira nodded and flounced away. "Natsu, out of the kindness of my heart, I'll help you with picking up your present."
Finally a bit suspicious, Natsu squinted at Gray. "Since when do you actually want to help me?"
"Oh, that really hurts." The ice mage did his best to look contrite. "Christmas is a time to get along with your fellow guild mates. Can't I make up for lost opportunities? You pay for it and I'll pick it out. I guarantee Lucy will love this year's gift."
Grinning like a loon, Natsu slowly nodded. "Sure, I guess. I should maybe even get Happy a sweater to match! That would be so cool! It would be like a team effort!"
Returning with Gray's drink, Mira set it down and exchanged another long look with the drunk ice mage. Mira tilted her head and nodded almost imperceptibly. "I know the very store that sells the his'n'hers sweaters."
Natsu grinned happily, "Gray's gonna pick it up for me - but thanks anyway Mira."
"Oh, okay then. I just know Lucy is going to love her Christmas sweater." With a giggle and another bright smile, the demon barmaid winked at Gray who couldn't help but guffaw.
Christmas Eve at the guild hall was crowded. The tree in the corner fairly groaned under the weight of decorations, rivalled only by the amount of gaily wrapped gifts piled under. Team Natsu came storming in from the cold and joined Juvia at a table near the tree.
"This year you're gonna love my present, Luce!" Natsu slung a friendly arm around the blonde. "And so will Happy."
The blue exceed floated gracefully down to the center of the table, "I'm easy to shop for Natsu. I love every kind of fish there is, except those flying fish. They taste as bad as Lucy looks." He giggled and launched himself back into the air.
"If it wasn't Christmas, I'd skin you and have slippers made from your hide!" Lucy frowned at the flying cat. "I swear he stays up late at night to dream those insults of his up."
Mira came bustling up to the table with her order pad in hand, "What can I get you guys?" Her smile matched the brightness of her eyes, "This year we all get to unwrap one present from under the tree at midnight!" Mira jotted down the shouted orders and promised to return quickly.
"Lucy! You gotta open mine!" Natsu smiled his widest, happiest grin at the celestial mage. "This year I know you'll love it."
"I suppose Natsu. There's no way your choice in gifts can get worse, is there?" Lucy gave a half-hearted smile to the slayer. Levy and Gajeel ambled over as Mira returned with drinks and soon the table flowed with good cheer. Erza drank mug after mug of beer, becoming louder and more boisterous.
The guild was temporarily quieted at midnight by Mira shouting for order. The buzzed Erza stalked over to the tree and commandeered the distribution of presents. As each guild member reported to the tree, she rooted about and selected which gift they would open.
Finally, the moment Natsu had been waiting for arrived. He just knew Lucy would love this year's gift. Lucy accepted the box Erza thrust into her arms and hastily started unwrapping it, encouraged by Natsu's beaming face.
She held up the soft pink sweater and smiled happily. "I recognize the packaging, this is from the exclusive Belter Street Boutique! I want to put this on now!" She turned and scampered off to the restroom.
Gray hid his smirk behind his hand and watched Erza hand Natsu a similarly sized box. Joyfully clueless, the pink haired boy tore off the wrapping and held up a butter yellow sweater. Happy pouted with his non-fish shaped parcel, but slapped on a bright smile as Erza equipped her sharpest swords in his direction.
Hands on hips, Erza surveyed the slayer and exceed members of Team Natsu. "What are you waiting for? Put them on." Her eyes glinted with Christmas zeal, "Mira told me of the team building exercise." The armoured woman thrust a package at Gray, "Enjoy."
Gray looked bewildered, "What team building exercise?" He began to open his gift and his face paled as he lifted the lid of very familiar packaging and revealed a dark blue sweater. "I can't wear this!"
Three of Erza's swords dipped to orient themselves at the ice mage. The scarlet haired woman crossed her arms and smiled grimly. "Do not worry, we have different colours, but we all match in style." Her body became enveloped in a display of light and then Erza was revealed wearing a bright green sweater and jeans.
Lucy bounded over, and several males had to pinch their noses to stem the streams of blood. Her pink sweater was soft and clung lovingly to her curves, her generous cleavage on display due to the wide slash in the design of the garment.
Erza glanced down at her own showcased breasts and addressed Lucy. "I have to keep a very important appointment. Don't let these idiots cause too much trouble." Happy was busy admiring himself in his snowy white sweater, wearing it backwards, the use of his wings unhindered with the cleavage slash. Natsu had his sweater on properly frontwards and seemed oblivious to the amount of pectoral muscle on display and was assisting the protesting Gray with his.
Juvia sat with her own unopened package in her lap, staring unabashedly at the ice mage. With a few last curse words and insults, Gray was properly attired in his own pectoral baring sweater. He grimaced and pouted, feeling uncomfortable. Juvia grinned and exchanged a high-five with Mira.
Natsu laughed at the ice mage, "You look stupid!"
"Dipshit, you're wearing one too!" Gray sniped back.
"But I look good."
Levy ran a hand over her own soft sweater and then patted a despondent Gajeel on the back. "Don't feel bad, I'll pick you one up in a boxing day sale.