A/N: A Birthday Surprise, A Fairy Tail Thanksgiving, and A Fairy Tail Christmas are companion fics! They can be read together or alone, but if read as one they go in the following order:
A Birthday Surprise 1-3, A Fairy Tail Thanksgiving 1-3, A Fairy Tail Christmas 1-3, A Birthday Surprise: Epilogue (4).
But, as I said before, they can be read on their own just as well!
A Fairy Tail Christmas
Part 1: An Invitation
By: xSteleAliniax
Beta'd By: SamGreg
December 17th
Lucy stood at the request board in the guild hall, mouth set in a thin line and eyes narrowed in deep thought. She chewed absently on a fingernail, which was starting to become a habit of hers. There were exactly three jobs on the board that morning. Either everyone had rushed in at the crack of dawn to retrieve jobs, or no one was hiring at the moment.
"Oh, man. This sucks." She grumbled, eyes flicking between the three flyers.
Rebuild a Town Hall.
Rescue a Missing Giant Hamster.
Decode an Ancient Script.
"Are any of these even wizarding jobs?" Lucy huffed in annoyance.
"Oh, Lucy! There you are!"
Lucy turned to see Mirajane walking towards her with a glittering mint green paper in hand and a huge grin on her face. Lucy immediately narrowed her eyes in suspicion. That was the look that said Mira was up to something.
"NO." Lucy said when Mira was close enough to hear her. The white-haired mage stopped in her tracks, a look of surprise flashing across her face. She shook it off quickly, though, and resumed walking with her usual giddy exuberance.
"I have something for you, Lucy!" Mira sang, waving the glittery paper between them like a flag. Lucy sighed in defeat and took the paper from Mira's hand.
"What is it?" Lucy asked, flipping the paper over to reveal a colorful border of candy canes and holly. The heading at the top of the page read in swirling red ink:
Secret Santa Party! Come Join the Fun!
Lucy blinked in confusion as she read the rest of the flyer.
Lucy,
You've been invited to a Secret Santa party! Lucky you!
Lucy rolled her eyes. This was undoubtedly written by Mirajane herself, who continued to stand near Lucy as she read, looking utterly pleased with herself.
The theme, of course, is Christmas! So wear your best holiday outfit, and come by the guild hall at 6:00 PM sharp on Christmas Eve!
There will be snacks, drinks, and entertainment provided, but feel free to bring your own if you like! This followed by three perfectly drawn hearts.
Following the entertainment portion of this party, we will open all of the Secret Santa gifts together! Won't that be fun?! Also followed by hearts, this time accompanied by smiley faces.
Make sure you draw a name ahead of time in order to give yourself enough time to buy the perfect gift! But don't forget, this is a SECRET SANTA, so mums the word!
I'll see you Christmas Eve!
Mira.
"A party, huh?" Lucy's tone conveyed complete disinterest, but Mira apparently chose to ignore this because her face lit up with excitement as she bobbed her head in a nod.
"Oh, yes! Doesn't it sound super fun?!" She practically squealed with delight. Lucy hadn't seen the take-over mage this happy in a long time.
"Yeah, super!" Lucy agreed with forced enthusiasm. "So, where do I draw a name?"
Mira pointed to a small cardboard box that sat at the far end of the bar, wrapped in red and white striped paper with a bright green Fairy Tail emblem on all four sides. Lucy walked over to it and found that there was a small hole on the top, barely large enough for a hand to fit through, and some kind of cloth concealing the contents inside.
"Is everyone in the guild going to this party?" Lucy wondered, chewing on her nail again as she looked over the box and its shiny wrapping.
"Not this time!" Mira assured her. "Only about fifteen to twenty people."
"Has everyone already chosen a name?"
"Certainly not!" Mira giggled. "Only five so far. You still have a lot to choose from!" Mira winked.
Lucy resisted to urge to scowl and put her hand inside the box, rifling around the slips of paper inside. They were about the size of one you might find inside a fortune cookie, but these were smooth, like laminate. She plucked one from the box and held it out toward Mira. The white-haired mage shook her head, still wearing that excited grin, and placed a finger to her lips before turning and skipping away.
Lucy sighed and shook her head at the strange woman. How had she gotten herself into this?
December 22nd
A few days later, Lucy and Levy were perusing the mall in search of Secret Santa gifts. Though neither was certain whom the other had gotten, they were each confident that it was neither of them, seeing as each girl had chosen a male name. So, shopping side-by-side was safe enough.
Lucy hated doing things like this. She enjoyed shopping for herself, but it was much too difficult to shop for someone else. What if they didn't like what you bought for them but were too nice to say anything? Or, worse, what if they did say something?
She remembered when she had gotten Natsu an encyclopedia on dragons for his birthday one year, and how he had immediately stuck his nose up to it, saying, "Luce, when am I ever gonna read something this big and wordy?" to which she responded with a Lucy-Kick before storming out the door.
She had learned after that that it didn't matter what the book was about, if it had more than twenty pages and most of them (all of them) weren't filled with pictures, Natsu wouldn't read it.
She didn't buy him any more books after that.
And, of course, she remembered all the gifts she had given to her father as a child, and how much he seemed to despise them, no matter how hard she worked on them.
Maybe Lucy was just a bad gift giver.
"What's with the sad face, Lu?" Levy asked, calling her attention back to the present. "What's on your mind?"
"Nothing," she sighed, then turned what she thought was a reassuring smile toward Levy. "I'm just thinking about the party!"
Levy grinned.
"At least Erza isn't the hostess this time."
Lucy laughed as memories of their Thanksgiving dinner flashed through her mind. Erza had set them all up into teams in order to get all the shopping, decorating, and cooking done in a time specific manner. Of course, when Thanksgiving Day rolled around and they were all settled at the table, that was when chaos broke lose, as was Fairy Tail tradition, she supposed.
"Maybe there'll be a proposal from a Secret Santa," Levy winked conspiratorially at Lucy, who scoffed and rolled her chocolate eyes.
"If you're talking about Natsu, you and I both know he's too dense to do something even remotely that romantic."
"He bought that mountain for you!" Levy pointed out, in reference to the over-the-top gift the Dragon Slayer had given Lucy for her birthday that year.
"That's true…" Lucy agreed slowly. "Still, don't you think that was kind of a weird gift?"
"I thought you loved that mountain?"
The duo stopped walking when they saw a nearby bench, taking a short break to rest their legs.
"I do!" Lucy answered honestly.
A fond smile spread across her face as she recalled the day Natsu had given it to her and all the pointless walking he had made her do just to get up there. It was much simpler now that he had showed her the shortcut, said shortcut being Happy, that is.
"And, you're right. It was pretty sweet of him. Still…" Lucy trailed off, suddenly feeling anxious.
"Do you want Natsu to propose?" Levy asked in a quiet tone, leaning close so as not to be overheard by passersby.
"…No?" She answered unconvincingly. Levy snorted a laugh.
"Sure, Lu."
Lucy sighed. She wasn't fooling anyone.
"I don't know, Levy. We haven't been dating that long. Isn't it a little early to be making assumptions about potential proposals?" Lucy lifted a finger to her lips and chewed on a nail as she thought.
Did she want Natsu to propose? She honestly couldn't say. They were already sort of/kind of living together, so she supposed marriage was the next logical step in their relationship. But, damn, marriage was just such a terrifying thought! And it wasn't that she didn't think she would be with Natsu in the future, but marriage sounded so final. So permanent.
"I mean, we've only been dating eight months!"
"That's how long you've been official," Levy said, emphasizing the last word, "but, Lu, you and Natsu have been together a lot longer than that."
Had they? She remembered all the moments they had shared prior to when Natsu had asked her out. Not a whole lot had changed for them after that, she realized.
Except for the kissing, her mind helpfully supplied. She blushed scarlet and looked down at her non-existent watch to hide the fact.
"Oh, look at the time!" She said, scrambling to get to her feet with all her bags. Not only had she bought for the Secret Santa party, she had also found some things for a few of her other friends as well. "We better get going before it gets dark!"
December 23rd
The next morning, Lucy awoke enveloped in Natsu's warm, strong arms. This was common for the duo, as Lucy grew cold in the winters and Natsu was her personal furnace. But, today it felt different. The way his arms wrapped around her body, holding her tightly even in sleep. The way his heart seemed to beat in the same rhythm as hers, as if they had been formed from two parts of the same whole. The way her head fit perfectly on his chest, like he had been created just for her, and vice versa.
Now you sound like a cheesy romance novel! Lucy chastised herself, then shrugged out of his embrace, sliding out of the covers and slipping into her pale, pink robe. She looked back down at him as she tied the satiny belt around her waist. He still lay there peacefully, undisturbed by her movements. The only indication that he had noticed her absence was the hand that searched the spot where she had just been with subconscious movements.
With a fond smile, Lucy turned toward the bathroom to start getting ready.
She took her time showering, because it was still fairly early and she knew her Dragon Slayer would be out cold for a while. Once that task was completed, Lucy walked back out into her bedroom in just her bath robe to find Natsu still asleep, arms and legs spread out on the bed like a starfish. She stifled a giggle and went to her dresser to find something to wear. With clothes in hand, Lucy went back to the bathroom to dress, since it was still warm in there from the steam of her shower.
She slipped into a pair of skinny jeans, and paired that with a turquoise shirt with a silver lily pattern, and gray boots that touched her calves. Since it was a winter wasteland outside in Magnolia, Lucy blew her hair dry completely before pulling it back into twin tails and adding two silver bows with turquoise flowers on the tops.
By the time she had finished putting on some eye shadow and a touch of mascara, Natsu was awake and stumbling into the bathroom. She grinned at him through the mirror, but he just groaned something unintelligible and started stripping out of his clothes.
Right there in front of her!
"Uh," she began, cheeks heating, "what do you think you're doing?"
"I'm gonna take a shower, Luce." He replied, as more clothes came off. With cheeks the color of scarlet, Lucy turned her back on him and fled the room without another word.
She decided to use the time while Natsu was getting ready to make them a quick breakfast. She didn't have a lot of time to do so, however, because Natsu took significantly less time getting ready than she did. So, she settled with making them each an omelette, with green chili, ham, and shredded cheese. She sprinkled in some garlic salt, then poured the mixture into her omelette pan before setting to make some toast.
When Natsu came out the bathroom door, with only a towel wrapped around his waist, Lucy was just finishing up with the last omelette. She had made two for Natsu, each extra thick, just the way he liked them, and three pieces of toast slathered in butter and cinnamon sugar.
When she turned around with his plate in hand, she nearly dropped it to the floor. Her brown eyes trailed down his exposed chest, lingering on the space where his abdomen curved in that way. She blinked in surprise at his lack of clothing, and apparent lack of concern, as he sat down at the table.
"What's with the funny look, Luce?" He asked her with a frown. "I'm starving over here!"
"Y-You're-" She stammered, unable to think coherently with those taut muscles bared to her.
"My name is Natsu," he said, enunciating each word slowly as if she were some slow child. She narrowed her eyes at him. "And your name is Luuushiii," He winked, and she scowled, gripping the plate so hard in her hand she was sure it would break.
She huffed in annoyance and pointed in the direction of the bathroom with her free hand.
"Go put on some clothes! This isn't a spa!" She exclaimed, hoping Natsu didn't notice the heat still coloring her cheeks.
"Why? I don't wanna get dressed yet." His tone whining. Her eyes looked heavenward.
"Natsu, so help me, if you don't get some clothes on right now I swear I'll throw your food out the window." She threatened, then, in case he thought she was fibbing, she started making her way over the kitchen window.
Natsu hopped out of his seat with haste and started walking back toward the bathroom with a pout. As he did, the towel he had wrapped around his waist fell to the floor. Lucy gaped as he sashayed his hips purposely before sending a wink over his shoulder at her. Chuckling, he closed himself in the bathroom.
Lucy glared daggers at the closed bathroom door before turning to put his plate by his usual seat at her table. With a huff, Lucy took her own plate to the table as well, and started eating while Natsu dressed. It would take him five bites to finish his meal, so she could start ahead of him and probably still be eating when he was done.
The bathroom door opened and Natsu came out, dressed in a pair of dark green shorts, a black shirt with a green Fairy Tail insignia on the front, and black sandals. Lucy gave him a disapproving look over her coffee cup as he sat down across from her.
"What?" He asked, before digging into his omelet.
"Natsu, it's forty degrees outside." She stated in a measured tone.
"Is it?" He stuffed nearly half the omelet into his mouth in one bite and chewed.
"You can't be wearing shorts and sandals, Natsu!" She exclaimed, gesturing at the windows, and the snow, which had been falling pretty steadily all night. "You're going to get sick!"
"Pfft," Natsu scoffed. "I don't get sick, Luce."
"Natsu!"
"Lucy!" He mimicked her, making her growl angrily at him. He chuckled. "Luce, I don't get cold, and I don't get sick." He made a fireball appear in his left hand, the one not currently shoveling food into his mouth. "Fire mage, remember?"
"That doesn't make you impervious to illnesses!" She argued. He just rolled his eyes and ignored her. After another minute, she gave up trying to convince him and finished off her plate.
"Let's go see if we can find a job," Lucy suggested, once they had finished eating. "I went by yesterday but didn't see anything! And my rent is due soon."
"You could always come live with me and Happy," Natsu grinned a cheesy smile. Lucy blushed at the insinuation, and thought back to her conversation with Levy the day before.
Maybe there'll be a proposal from a Secret Santa.
Do you want Natsu to propose?
"Don't joke about such things!" She chastised, sliding from her seat before stomping toward the door, ignoring the stunned look on his face as she did.
XxX
"I can't believe this was the best we could do," Lucy grumbled in annoyance, as she and Natsu made their way back from Freesia Town, where they had to help rebuild their town hall. Which, coincidentally, just so happened to have fallen because of a certain idiot walking beside her. Fortunately, though, no one but the two of them had remembered, so they managed to squeeze out the full reward, however pitiful it may have been. But, it would pay her rent, and that was what mattered.
"It pays your rent," he pointed out, echoing her thoughts. She turned a smile his way.
"Yeah, you're right."
"But what about our dinner?!" Happy whined where he hovered along beside them. His head and wings were slumped forward in the most pathetic way. Lucy rolled her eyes.
"What do you care? You both always eat at my place anyway."
"She's right!" Natsu chuckled. Lucy rolled her eyes. It was true: the two boys ate her out of house and home almost every day. However, the plus side of that, was that now Lucy got two-thirds of their job reward versus her usual one-third. So, it almost evened out.
Almost.
"So, who'd ya get for Secret Santa?" Natsu asked casually. Lucy fixed him with a firm gaze.
"Don't even think about going snooping, Natsu!" She warned him, thinking of the gift she kept hidden in one of her drawers. "You'll find out who I got on Christmas Eve, just like everyone else."
"Fine," he mumbled, then moped the rest of the way back to Lucy's apartment.
A/N: Hellooooooooo! Stele here with another special for you! XD So, some of you may be asking,
"Stele, I thought you were already doing a Secret Santa story with Grizzly98? What gives?"
Well, yes, I am doing a Christmas special with Grizz over on her channel. But, whereas that one is more romantic and fluffy, this one is purely humorous. If you need a good dose of Nalu fluff, then definitely head over to Grizz's channel and check out our collab. But, if you just need some good laughs, then read on! Actually, you should definitely read both XD
Now I'm rambling… Anyway, I'd really, really love for you guys to give me your thoughts on this! This is only part one, so don't worry, the story continues for a part 2! As I stated on my profile page, I typically go overboard on one-shots and that's where most (all) of my three-shots come from. And this was no exception XD