Weeks living in Magnolia turned into months and before they knew, December and its holidays had arrived. Happy was free from school and with Christmas coming around, so was Natsu. Today was the last day of school before Christmas break for Happy and when Natsu came to get him from school, he overheard a few somewhat older ladies talking about him.
"Who's that hot guy?", one of them asked
"I don't know," an other answered "But he's been everyday for the last few months picking up that blue haired kid, I think his name is Happy."
"Should be his brother," yet another one said and Natsu had to chuckle in himself. He might be young, but not that young. To think people actually thought he was Happy's brother instead of his father. "Why is Natsu-san smirking like that?", a very familiar voice with a now very familiar way of speaking asked him. "Hi Juvia. It's just because those women over there think I'm Happy's brother instead of his father.", Natsu explained and Juvia smiled "Well, that could be a possibility, you really don't look your age."
Natsu pouted and said "Last day of school already. It really went fast, didn't it?"
Juvia smiled weakly and said "It sure did. By the way Natsu-san, do you celebrate Christmas with friends?"
"Nope. Just me and Happy. How about you?" "Juvia will be celebrating Christmas alone this year. Gray and Ultear are celebrating Christmas with their father this year."
"The guy that left you because twins were too much for him?" Natsu asked confused and Juvia nodded "Even though he didn't want to care for them together with me at birth, two years later he told the judge that he deserved to see his kids as well so now they are with him every other week and we switch on holidays," Juvia explained the pinket. Natsu mouthed 'oh' before he grabbed both of her arms. "I know!" he exclaimed enthusiastic. "How about you spend Christmas with Happy and me this year?" Natsu asked happily and flashed a smile at Juvia that was so bright it could melt the polar caps and speed up global warming. But she hated that it was melting the ice caps around her heart. "Juvia can't just spend Christmas at Natsu-san's house. We only know each other for a few months now," she said and Natsu shook his head "That's not a problem, right? We see each other almost every day; I'd say we've gotten pretty good friends."
Juvia still was a bit hesitant about this. "Come on. Our kids are best friends, we need to get closer too, right? And I wouldn't want you to be on your own on Christmas." Natsu said. "Everyone deserves a chance to be with family on Christmas. And I can be your family for one day." he said and flashed her that smile again. "Well, Natsu-san is not going to leave Juvia alone if she say no anyway. So Juvia'll come and celebrate Christmas with Natsu-san." she sighed seeing that she had no other choice and Natsu held up his hand for a high five. Juvia didn't really get the clue at first but when she got it she looked up at Natsu and asked him "Really? What are you, five?". Natsu lowered his hand again and scratched the back of his head "Sorry. I'm just exited to celebrate Christmas with a friend this year."
Juvia smiled when suddenly the three kids ran up to them. "Hey Happy? Do you mind if Juvia comes over to celebrate Christmas with us?", Natsu asked the blue haired kid who looked up at the question and shook his head no. "I don't mind, Juvi-nee is a nice person."
"J-Juvi-nee?" Juvia asked Natsu and the pinket just shrugged "I don't know where that comes from, honestly. He just started saying it. Well, anyway, See you on Christmas Eve, I'll text you the address." Natsu told her before he took Happy's hand and they walked towards their car.
"Will Gray and Ultear be coming too?" Happy asked when they seated in the car. "No. That's the reason why Juvia is coming. Gray and Ultear are spending Christmas with their father and otherwise Juvia would be all alone," Natsu explained and Happy just replied with the question "What are we going to eat today?"
"I don't know. What do you want. We'll need to buy the food for tomorrow already though. What do you want to eat on Christmas Eve?"
"We need a big Turkey! And croquettes! And... And!"
Natsu was strolling through the grocery store getting everything he needed to make dinner on Christmas Eve tomorrow when he got called.
"Hello with Natsu."
'Natsu, I heard you moved back into Magnolia. Is it true?'
"Zeref-Onii. I was planning on visiting you and Mavis next week."
'Forget next week. How about you come and dine with us tomorrow for Christmas?'
"I'm sorry Onii-san." "Happy put that back!" "I've got someone over tomorrow evening myself."
'Then how about we come over tomorrow evening too? We can bring our daughter Lucy so Happy has someone to play with.'
"I guess I can't say no to you?" Natsu guessed and the voice on the other side of the phone answered him 'No. So We'll see you tomorrow evening. See ya'
Natsu sighed as the phone hooked up. Now he would have to cook for his brother Zeref, his wife and daughter that was about the same age as Happy. "Happy, we need to get more food. Zeref, Mavis and Lucy are coming too," Natsu told Happy who was gazing at the fish with hunger in his eyes. "Guess we'll be eating fish tonight?"
Happy looked up and nodded vigorously. "Which one do you want?" Natsu asked as he saw Happy run to the other side of the fridge and run back with a package in his hands "This one, this one!"
Natsu put the fish in the cart as he crouched down to Happy "How about you get the croquettes; I'll get the turkey and we'll meet up in the candy aisle, then you can pick out something to snack tonight, okay?" Natsu proposed. Happy smiled widely and nodded before running off to get the croquettes.
The next day, Natsu had been in the kitchen for the most of the day. He wanted this Christmas to be perfect. He wanted to impress his brother for once instead of always being pushed into the ground by his superior brother that was better in almost everything. And most of all, for some reason, he wanted to impress Juvia.
The doorbell ran and Natsu yelled "Can you get it Happy? I'm pretty busy here." "Yeah!" Happy yelled back as he ran to the door. He opened the door to reveal Juvia with presents in her arms. "Hi Happy. Where's Natsu?" she asked "Daddy's preparing dinner," Happy told the bluenette. Juvia followed the boy with the same blue hair she has and spotted Natsu in the kitchen stirring in some pots wearing an apron. She walked up to him and asked "Can Juvia help you with something?"
Natsu turned around to see Juvia wearing a black knee-lenght dress with a collar and her hair down for once. "Y-you look beautiful," Natsu said, stunned. "You think? Juvia tried something different," she told the pinket who started sniffing the air and said "Shit! The turkey!" before opening the oven and saving the turkey. That was when the doorbell rang again "Natsu-san invited more people?" Juvia asked and Natsu shook his head "I didn't ask them; they invited themselves. It's my brother Zeref with his wife and kid," Natsu said before walking out of the kitchen and towards the door. As he opened it, three people indeed stood in the opening. A somewhat older male with black hair which, Juvia guessed should be in his late twenties, wearing an all black suit, a blonde woman that should be the same age as she and Natsu were wearing a pink dress that reached her ankles and a little blonde girl around the age of Happy and her kids.
The kid immediately ran up to where Happy was and they started talking about what they had done in school. Natsu let them in and showed them their places. "You're right in time. I just finished the turkey." Natsu told his brother with a slight tone of disgust in his voice. He really couldn't stand his brother. He had everything. Both of them had a great, good-paying job, they were a happy family, had a big house, everything!
When they were all eating, Zeref suddenly asked Natsu "You haven't introduced us to this lovely lady sitting here with us. Is she your new girlfriend?"
"No Zeref, she's my boss at work and her kids are celebrating christmas with their father. I didn't want her to be alone on christmas eve," Natsu explained his older brother. Mavis seemed to understand and smiled at Natsu but Zeref just shook his head "You really should start thinking about finding a new girlfriend Natsu. Happy needs a mother figure or he won't be able to grow up into a decent young man. Isn't it time for you to get over that stupid childhood crush of yours and actually do something with your life."
"Why don't you just shut up," Natsu mumbled under his breath so only Juvia could hear him.
When they finally left, Natsu was happy. He could finally breathe again without having Zeref tell him how he should do everything. "Let me guess," Juvia said as she helped the pinket washing the dishes "You don't really like your brother?"
"Not really. Ever since we were little he has been telling me how to live my life. You've heard him just now too, right? He's an asshole," Natsu said as he dried the last plate.
Juvia looked on the clock and saw it was getting close to midnight already "It's getting late already. Juvia should go home. Juvia really had fun Natsu." Juvia said and Natsu protested "Come on. It's only midnight. Watch a movie with us first." Natsu proposed.
Juvia had a fun night until now, so when Natsu proposed to watch a movie together before going home; she didn't even want to say no. This guy really was getting to her, too bad that he wasn't interested in her. Otherwise he wouldn't be so opposed to the idea of her being his girlfriend just earlier.
"A little bit longer won't hurt." Juvia told the pink haired male.
However, one hour into the movie, Happy had fallen asleep and Juvia herself was nodding off as well. Natsu had gotten up to get Happy ready for bed and when he had tucked the blue haired kid in, he went back to watching the movie with Juvia. Half an hour later tho, Juvia's body slumped against his and when he looked to his left, he noticed her sleeping form resting on him. He decided to watch the end of the movie and wake her up after that but when the movie did end, he couldn't get her awake.
"Juvia. You really gotta wake up if you still want to get home tonight." he still tried but it didn't work, he got no reaction out of the sleeping form of the bluenette.
Natsu sighed as he picked up the girl and carried her to his bedroom. He put her down in his bed and put her shoes next to the bed. Then he went into the bathroom and changed into his underwear. When he wanted to go to sleep, he guessed he should wear something a bit more appropriate so he quickly pulled a shirt over his head before going to sleep.
As he was laying in his bed he dared to turn around and look at Juvia for a couple of minutes. With her sleeping face and blue hair like this, she looked just like his deceased wife and Natsu had to remind himself a few times that his wife was dead and that this was his boss Juvia Loxar that was only sleeping in his bed because she had fallen asleep while watching a movie with him because he had asked her to celebrate Christmas with him because her ex-husband was celebrating Christmas with their kids this year.
Natsu just turned around and was asleep in no time so he could at least dream it was his wife lying here in bed with him on just one more normal christmas Eve that they had celebrated with their son like every other family did on Christmas Eve...