Cam Girls Ch. 11: 7 Days of Christmas
It is finally here.
Who knew all I had to do was chug an unhealthy amount of energy drinks to get this done?
Magic.
Up next for updating is Lost Girl.
Enjoy. ;)
Levy paced the bedroom with her hands behind her back. Gajeel watched quietly from the bed as his tiny pocket girlfriend wandered from one side of the room to the other deep in thought. She was like a secret agent on a mission. Natsu was not to know of their plans until they reached the camp site. Lucy made it abundantly clear that this was to be a surprise for him. Levy was honored that Lucy had entrusted her with such an important event. Of course, it also wasn't surprising. Of all of them, Levy and Juvia were the Ultimate planners. Levy rolled her eyes, understanding that the real reason Lucy came to her first was because she was closest. But, no matter. Lucy wants a big Christmas surprise for Natsu, she will have it. Levy straightened up and turned to face her grizzly of a boyfriend who was huddled up on the bed among her pillows and stuffies.
"You. What do you know about Natsu? Has he ever told you about camping with his family?" She questioned him like as if he was on trial. Levy took planning very seriously. Everything had to be perfect if responsibility was placed into her hands. Gajeel thought back to when he and Natsu lived alone. If he were being completely honest, they didn't really interact all that much aside from fighting and arguing. They communicate more now than they ever did before, oddly enough. But, Gajeel couldn't think of a single time Natsu had mentioned camping. He shrugged and shook his head, feeling a bit guilty that he couldn't give her the information she needed. She hummed to herself quietly when she realized that she had no other option. She would just have to send Gajeel in to gather some information. Hopefully he wouldn't blow it.
"Gajie, will you do something for me?" She smiled and crawled onto the bed, slinking into his lap expertly. His studs raised inquisitively at the way she twisted his name into some cutesy pet name. What was she up to? He groaned internally, hoping that whatever she wanted wasn't too daunting or tedious. He wasn't sure about her behavior. All of this sly cheekiness was questionable. He didn't like it. Not one bit. Okay. Maybe a little bit. He grunted and sat back to get a good look at her sprawled out on his lap.
"Whadd'ya thinkin' shrimp?" He asked cautiously, his eyes never leaving hers. She smirked and tapped the tip of her slender finger on his nose. His eyes narrowed instinctively at this action. Did she just... boop his nose? He knew Levy was cunning and sassy to boot, but as soon as that dainty little finger came in contact with his studded sniffer, he knew she was about to send him off to do some dirty work. Only problem... What dirty work? He lifted his hand and gently flicked her little button nose back.
"Hey! It's nothing too difficult... I just need you to maybe pull some information from Natsu without actually telling him anything?" She leaned into him and balled her fist against her chest as she gave him the largest puss and boots eyes he has ever seen on a human. He squeezed his eyes shut and turned away, ignoring her stare. Eyes shouldn't be that large. It was intimidating. He sighed and nodded, crossing his arms over his chest while still avoiding her owl gaze. He felt her bounce and arms wrap around him in an iron grip. She was petite, but she certainly had some power in her. He opened his eyes just barely and peeked down at her from the corner of his eyes. She had her face nuzzled in the crook of his neck. The corners of his mouth twitched into a smile and he placed a rough hand on the back of her head, playing with the messy blue strands of hair that flowed freely over her shoulders.
"Ya know that ice fucker would be better for the job, but since ya asked so nicely... leave it to me, short cake." The smile she responded with reminded him of the Cheshire Cat from that Alice in Wonderland story Juvia used to love so much when they were kids. He didn't really know exactly how to approach Natsu with the intent to gather such personal information, but he told Levy he would and dammit, he was going to. He listened to her ramble off plans and spout off three different versions of packing lists as he tried thinking of how to ask Natsu about camping. Camping was... Well, camping. If you didn't know how to go camping, you could just look it up. But Gajeel knew from Levy's constant rambling the past few days that she was trying to make this personal. She wanted to know of any special traditions or activities Natsu and his family took part in while camping. She wanted to know what foods they brought, what they packed, their routine, the whole enchilada. She was a nosey little shit, but she meant well. If she wanted this information, Gajeel would get it for her, even if he had to beat it out of him. Okay, so it probably wouldn't go that far, but it's not like that isn't how their conversations typically end up anyhow. He patted her on the head and lifted her from his lap, setting her off to the side.
"Where are you going?" She sat on her knees and grabbed the hem of his shirt tenderly. He paused mid way off the bed and turned his head back to look at her. She looked confused. Sure, she was talking a bunch of plans and stuff, but didn't she just ask him to do something for her? Winter break was next week. It's not like they had a whole lot of time. If she wanted info, it was kinda now or never.
"Ya want me to talk to Salamander, right? Now's good a time as any. Ain't like we got a shit load of time to waste." She released her hold on his shirt and sat back on her legs. She smiled sweetly and nodded, shooing him away with small hand movements. She didn't expect him to do it so quickly, but she was pleased that he understood that they were pressed for time. She needed to talk to the girls about the trip anyways. Especially Lucy. Since this was Lucy's idea, she needed to ask her for some input. She couldn't so everything herself. Well, she could, but she wasn't about to. Maybe for Gajeel, but this is Lucy's surprise for Natsu. There's no way she isn't getting involved.
"Right. Go on. I need to talk to the girls anyway. Do you mind taking Natsu away so we can use the apartment to discuss the plans?" She asked with a sheepish smile. She knew Gajeel wouldn't know where the hell to take Natsu of all people, but maybe he could come up with something convincing. Maybe. Gajeel groaned, but nodded and pulled the bedroom door open, waving behind him before shutting it. He went to the front door and pulled on his boots. Natsu was sitting on the couch, flipping through the channels with Lucy cuddled up beside him, Happy and Lily curled up in their laps peacefully. Once his boots were laced up, he grabbed his jacket and slid it on.
"Oi, dragon breath, let's go." Gajeel barked out from the entryway. Natsu snapped his head around and frowned. He hadn't planned on going anywhere today and since when does Gajeel ever ask him to go anywhere with him? If he didn't know any better he would assume that Gajeel was planning to finally murder him and dump the body. But, he did know better. Gajeel looked tough and spoke a big game, but at the end of the day, he lived with the guy and he could tell you without a single doubt, Gajeel Redfox was a big softy. Lucy leaned over to look down the hall to the entryway from her position on the couch.
"Why should I go anywhere with you, bolts for brains?" Natsu smirked and waited for a response. He liked Gajeel. Even if they fought all the time, Natsu considered Gajeel a close friend. Same for Gray and Jellal. He didn't really fight with Jellal, though. Nobody ever did except for Erza. But, Natsu wasn't sure if you could consider that fighting... Jellal just wasn't the type for petty arguments and meaningless brawls. Gray and Gajeel, though... Those two were Natsu's main source of stress release, as was he for them. They all enjoy a good fight. Although Jellal doesn't fight with them, he does rather enjoy sitting on the sidelines making bets with the others. He always wins, too. Ah, yes. Fights are pointless and silly, but if you can make a quick buck off of your friends' shameless fight to the death, why not, right? Jellogic. Gajeel picked up Natsu's shoes and tossed them across the room, knocking the side of Natsu's smug little head.
"Lunch. I'm buyin'. Let's go. I won't ask ya twice." If there was any way to get Natsu out of the house in a hurry without asking questions, it was free food. If Gajeel knew anything about Natsu, it was that his 4 favorite things were family, Lucy, Happy and food. He and Gajeel were alike in this way. They had some common ground after all. As expected, Natsu shot off the couch, Launching Happy onto the ottoman. He stumbled to the entryway, tugging on his boots clumsily. Gajeel chuckled and shook his head. So predictable. Natsu yanked his coat from the coat rack and shuffled it on eagerly. You would think the boy hadn't eaten in ages the way he acted when it came to food. He could only imagine how much food they would need for the trip with this human garbage disposal being there. Just thinking about the cost was giving him a headache. Natsu was already out the door and heading down the flight of stairs towards the parking lot before Gajeel could blink.
"'Ey, bunny, shorty's got stuff to talk to ya about. Ya'll get this shit sorted while I deal with smokey the dragon." Gajeel gestured with his thumb to the door, spinning on his heels and slamming the door behind him to catch up with Natsu before he left without him. Lucy smiled and stood from the couch to go check on Levy in her room. She knew exactly what he meant when he said to sort things out. She was happy to know that Levy was setting plans into motion. Lucy wasn't the greatest planner. You would think she would be because of her passion for writing, which requires a certain level of planning, but no. Lucy was a terrible planner. She once planned a birthday party for Juvia and forgot to pick up the cake. Event planning was not her strong suit at all. She sprinted to Levy's bedroom door and flung it open unceremoniously waltzing inside with an elated grin. Levy's eyes shot up from the clip board on her lap where she was scribbling out lists feverishly.
"Hey, Lulu. Did Gajeel take Natsu?" She asked as she set the clipboard on the bedside table. Lucy nodded and smiled as she plopped down beside Levy on the soft as a cloud mattress. Levy whipped out her cell phone and began typing out a quick message. A few beeps and a send later, she shoved her phone back into her pocket and sighed. Levy leaned back against the headboard and crossed her legs. Lucy did the same.
"Now what?" Lucy yawned. She expected Levy to start immediately spouting plans, but she was being oddly silent. Lucy peeked around Levy at the clipboard on the bedside table. She could only see the top page, but it already looked like Levy was doing some sort of advanced theorem shit. How could you fit so much on one sheet of paper? She couldn't even see paper anymore. Just words. It's just camping. What the fuck, Levy? Lucy glanced at Levy from the side with silent judgement. At least she knew there was no way this trip could go wrong. Levy wouldn't allow it. When it came to planning, Juvia was like an overachieving housewife, but Levy was more like a fucking cyborg. There was no room for error. Ever.
"Now we wait." Levy stated calmly as she stretched her little keebler elf legs and wiggled her tiny, rosy toes. It was then that Lucy understood why Levy wasn't firing off ideas. She must have been texting everyone to meet them at the apartment for planning. Well, if everyone was going to be invading their living space she might as well prepare some snacks for them. Lucy crawled off the bed and went to the kitchen and pulled out the ingredients for chocolate chip cookies. It could be a little bit before everyone arrives, so baking something will give her something to occupy the time.
Levy picked back up the clipboard and chewed the end of her pencil mindlessly. The page was entirely full, but empty at the same time. Until Gajeel came back with the information she needed, all these were were ideas. She could do nothing with them if they weren't exactly what she needed. Nevertheless, there were matters to be discussed that required everyone, even Gray and Jellal, which is why she texted them as well. This was going to be big and she needed all hands on deck.
A rushed knock and swift creak sounded from the entryway of the loud apartment. Erza wrinkled her lightly freckled nose and winced as she entered the smokey apartment. Following closely behind her, Jellal's brows knit together in concern. Their ears were repeatedly assaulted by the infuriating screech of the fire alarm and the sound of cries and shouts of anger coming from the kitchen. Erza assumed that Natsu must have made another attempt at cooking. He once tried to make a homemade dinner for Lucy as a surprise date night, but failed beyond redemption. She peeked into the kitchen, fully expecting to see Natsu being scolded by Lucy and Levy, but instead she found a different scene. Lucy had her arms tightly wrapped around Levy's head, smooshing her face into her pillowy cleavage. Lucy wailed, begging forgiveness while Levy struggled in the distraught blonde's hold shouting muffled obscenities. Erza's eyes wandered to the source of smoke. On the counter was a tray of burnt cookies, or rather, charcoal. The smell of charred chocolate permeated the air. She cleared her throat and stepped into the Kitchen, Jellal at her side. Lucy's cries stopped immediately and Levy's eyes peeked at Erza over Lucy's strangle hold. The only sound that could be heard now was the ever present whining of the alarm. The scarlet haired dominatrix tapped her foot and crossed her arms, smirking at the scene before her.
"Now, now children. Let's not make a fuss." Lucy dropped her arms to the side and put her head down in shame. Levy sucked in a sharp breath of air and coughed after inhaling some burnt cookie smoke. Jellal sighed and grabbed an oven mitt off the counter. He used the mitt to grab the hot tray and dumped it's contents into the trash, afterwords setting the tray in the sink. He climbed up onto the counter and pressed the button on the alarm above them, stopping the ear grating screech. When he climbed back down, he leaned his back against the counter and reached into his pocket, pulling out his cell phone. He flipped it open and began dialing a number. A few musical beeps later, he turned towards the hall.
"I'll order pizza..." He stated tiredly. Erza nodded and brushed past him to join the girls. Lucy was a wonderful cook, the best of all of them, aside from Erza. However, baking was not Lucy's forte. Levy was the baker of the group, Lucy and Erza were the cooks and Juvia was very talented with making homemade ice cream and candies. Juvia could also bake, quite well actually, but Levy's baking certainly surpassed even Juvia's delicious treats. They each had their own special something to bring to the table. Erza patted Lucy on the head. She sniffled and looked up, a weak smile on her face. Levy crossed her arms and shook her head at Lucy. Instead of watching the timer, Lucy had gone into her room and put in her earphones while playing Neko Atsume on her phone. This was why Lucy was a bad baker. It had nothing to do with the ingredients or mixing or even flavor. Lucy just had a habit of getting distracted. Everyone has their flaws.
"It's just cookies. Jellal will handle it. Now, mind telling me what this 'Secret Meeting' is about?" Levy hadn't disclosed to the others why they were meeting only that it was important and needed to be kept quiet. Levy darted out of the kitchen and ran past Jellal towards her room. Erza looked behind her in the direction Levy ran off to, an eyebrow cocked high into the air. Lucy shrugged and pulled herself up onto the counter. When Levy returned she was carrying the clipboard of horrors. Lucy sighed. This was going to be one hell of a meeting if she was planning to go over EVERYTHING written in her notes.
"As you know, Winter break is coming up. Lucy decided that she wanted to do something special involving all of us for Natsu this Christmas. It will be his first Christmas with us and she wants to make it memorable. Natsu told her about missing his camping trips with family. So, we are all going on a week long camping trip for Christmas, that is, if you are willing?" Levy explained. Erza's face lit up and her smile only shined brighter. She nodded excitedly and ran to the hall dragging Jellal back into the kitchen with great enthusiasm as he desperately tried to finish the order on the phone. He managed to end the call before Erza successfully dragged him to them.
"WE'RE GOING CAMPING FOR CHRISTMAS!" She cheered. Jellal turned his head to look at her, not remembering making any plans for camping. His confusion turned on the girls and Levy shoved the clipboard in his face. He took it from her and began to read what was written. He stopped reading after the first line when he realized there was no paper even left through all of the pen. He slowly lifted his gaze to the wall behind the two girls and stared blankly ahead. He shoved the clip board back to her. No way in hell was he reading that.
"I'd rather just hear it from you." He deadpanned. Erza puffed out her cheeks and narrowed her eyes at him. Levy shrugged and turned to the living room, flipping through the filled pages of her clipboard. Lucy nodded and patted Jellal's shoulder.
"Me too." She chuckled under her breath. Erza shook her head and followed Levy into the living room. Before Jellal and Lucy could do the same, the front door swung open and the smell of peppermint, creamy chocolate and caramel filled the house, replacing the smell of the charcoal bricks in the trash can. Juvia pranced into the kitchen holding a covered tray of something with a small tin of something else on top, Gray walking at a leisurely pace behind her carrying a large drink dispenser carefully. Side by side they placed their items on the kitchen island counter top. Lucy wandered to the counter and lifted the lid of the small container, peering inside. She frowned. Juvia had made homemade caramels. Of course she did. Still curious, Lucy set the tin aside and lifted the lid of the large tray underneath. Her mouth dropped. Leave it to Juvia to show her up. Not only had she made caramels from scratch, she also made homemade peppermint bark. For fuck's sake, Juvia. Although, Lucy didn't blame Juvia. Lucy just really didn't understand how Levy and Juvia were so damn good at this kind of stuff. But, when she thought about it, she couldn't complain. When it came to cooking, She was unstoppable. There's the light at the end of the tunnel. Lucy snagged a piece of peppermint bark and pointed to the drink dispenser questioningly. Juvia smiled and grabbed a cup from the cabinet, pouring a brown liquid into the cup from the container.
"Juvia made homemade hot cocoa!" She handed Lucy the cup, beaming with pride. Lucy took the cup slack jawed. Dammit, Juvia.
"HOW?!" Lucy squealed a bit louder than she intended. Gray chuckled and turned away, joining the others in the living room. Juvia giggled at Lucy's outburst, taking it as a compliment. She grabbed another cup to make herself a glass. She smiled cutely at Lucy as she brought the cup up to her lips.
"With love." She giggled before taking a sip. Lucy's face fell. If she didn't love Juvia so much she would hate her. She decided to try the creamy, alluring liquid for herself. It smelled heavenly and knowing Juvia, it would taste just as good if not better than it smelled. The woman was a fucking goddess. The cold glass of the cup pressed into her soft lower lip as she tipped it back to allow the warm drink to enter her mouth. immediately upon contact, the flavor exploded in celebration on her taste buds. As expected, it was one of the greatest things she has ever tasted. Fucking Stepford wife and her perfect ass everything. God, she loved her so fucking much. Lucy set down her cup after chugging it's contents and grabbed both containers of Juvia's special brand of crack.
"I'm gonna take these to the others. Handle the drinks?" Lucy called behind her. Juvia nodded and began gathering the necessary mugs. In the living room, Jellal and Erza sat together on the love seat and Gray had stretched out on the couch while levy had pulled out a whiteboard and was writing the words "Camping Trip" at the top in orange expo marker. Lucy set the treats on the coffee table in front of them and sandwiched herself between Jellal and Erza while nibbling on a piece of peppermint bark. Lucy held the minty chocolaty goodness in her mouth as she reached down to pick up Happy off of the floor at her feet. When she sat up, Erza reached up and snapped off a piece of the bark that was hanging from her mouth. She winked and popped it in her mouth, smiling contentedly at the decadent flavor. Lucy frowned and pulled the sweet from her mouth.
"Rude." Lucy smirked and continued nibbling on the festive treat. Levy reached down to the table and plucked a caramel from it's tin. Juvia entered the room smiling brightly with her hands full of mugs. 3 mugs in each hand. Much like with groceries, it was one trip or nothing, go big or go home. Gray sat up and took three mugs from her to help out. He set Levy's on the table and held the other two. Juvia graced Jellal, Erza and Lucy with her cups of liquid orgasm and retreated to the couch where Gray handed her a mug. Levy turned around and grabbed her mug, taking a sip before proceeding.
"Now that you are all here, let's get down to it. Lucy would like to do something special for Natsu this Christmas involving all of us. This is his first Christmas with us, as it is for you two." Levy gave the boys pointed looks. "That being said, Lucy learned from Natsu that his happiest memories are camping with his father and brother, so since Winter break is fast approaching, we are going to spend an entire week camping this Christmas. Capiche?" Gray's face showed panic. He sat forward and placed his mug on the table while shaking his head.
"Look, I like the idea, but I always spend Christmas with my family. I can't just break that tradition... I..." He was trying to find a better way to put it, but Levy didn't miss a beat. Without even a second thought she stared at him dully and shrugged.
"Bring them with." The room fell silent and everyone snapped their head up to look at her. Everyone knew that Gray had a big family. Just them going was already a large group, but bringing Gray's family, too? The camp was going to end up looking like a small village.
"A-are you serious? That's too many people!" He scoffed. Levy shook her head and began writing on the board creating a little chart. After a minute she stepped back to reveal her work. On the board was a circle that read "Us" and then beside it a circle that read "Gray's family". In the center of the diagram it read, "Better camp".
"On the contrary, the more people the better. Here's why; We provide what we can for this trip, but so can Gray's family. If we all pitch in, this trip will have a higher success rate. Even more so if we have more people pitching in and participating, see?" She drew a smiley face on the board and placed her hands on her hips, proud of her quick thinking. Gray tried to find a flaw in her logic, but failed. The only problem was actually getting his family to agree to it, although he knew his family was down for anything. They were quite the lively bunch. On the plus side, his family used to go camping all the time, so they had plenty of camping gear in the garage, which would be useful. He nodded to levy and grabbed his mug, sitting back with Juvia. Erza was grinning from ear to ear. She had never gone camping before and getting to go with everyone she considered family was more than she could ever hope for. She was confident this would absolutely be the best Christmas ever. Levy thought for a moment and shuffled through her notes. She nodded and lifted her head to look at her friends in front of her.
"Invite more people. Is there anyone you guys would like to bring that could contribute?" Erza's thoughts immediately went to Evergreen. She didn't know what her home life was like or if she even had plans, but it didn't hurt to ask. Jellal could only think of Erik. He wasn't really close with anyone else aside from them and Erik has been trying to meet Erza for some time. He didn't see why not. Lucy gasped and shot out of her seat.
"OH! I could contact Natsu's Dad and brother! But how?! I don't even know their numbers!" She ran her hands through her hair, ruffling the silky strands mindlessly as she paced in front of Levy and the whiteboard. Levy tugged Lucy's hair and smirked.
"Child's play. I can have their contact information for you by the end of the day." Lucy blinked down at her tiny friend. Levy was truly unstoppable. Lucy nodded and squeezed back in between Jellal and Erza. Levy walked over to Juvia and plopped down on her lap. Juvia wrapped her arms around her snugly and squished her into her chest like a teddy bear. Gray shook his head. They were all like sisters, so comfortable together. It reminded him of his family. It was nice.
"I had Gajeel drag Natsu out of the house for some quality bonding time. In other words, sticking his nose where it doesn't belong so that we can make this trip extra personal and special for Natsu. And if we can get his father and brother to join in, it will be even better." Levy stated confidently. Lucy was so excited she was shaking. She would have invited her father, but that was a lost cause. He had a business to run after all. Still, the thought of him spending every Christmas alone really haunted her. She always sent him a card and a Christmas photo, but she never received a response on them. Her father would always have his assistant deliver a gift to her. Always flashy and overpriced. She appreciated that he even acknowledged her existence, but sometimes you just want what money can't give. Levy wanted to go over all of the plans she had written, but until Gajeel came back with the necessary information, her hands were tied. They decided to just hang out a bit longer while they waited for Gajeel and Natsu to return. The door bell rang and Juvia shoved Levy into Gray's lap. The peppermint bark hanging from his mouth dropped and landed on her forehead. Unamused, she shoved it back into his mouth and went back to the whiteboard. Juvia answered the door with a cheery smile. Her smile only grew when she saw who it was. Sting Eucliffe, a friend of hers from school, stood at the door with 3 boxes of pizza.
"Juvia, this your place? The name on the ticket said Jellal? Friend of yours?" She nodded and took the pizza from him, setting them on the entry table against the wall.
"Well, Juvia lives a few doors down, but yes. Jellal is a friend." She signed the ticket despite the fact that she was not Jellal. Sting looked behind her and then back at her.
"Natsu Dragneel lives here, right?" He asked curiously. She nodded and handed him the ticket.
"Yes, why?" She knew that Sting and Natsu worked at the same pizza joint, so it wasn't odd for him to know the address or to ask about him.
"Just wondering. Can you let him know that boss said the shop is closing for repairs next week? He figured that the holidays would be a good time to work on some minor issues since we will all be wanting time off anyhow." Juvia nodded and leaned in for a hug. She waved goodbye and shut the door. She waltzed into the kitchen and set the pizza's on the counter in a single graceful motion and without stopping, swept into the living room like she was making some grand entrance.
"Natsu won't be working next week! Shop is closing for repairs!" She sang. Lucy bounced in her seat. Things were working so well for them so far. Erza gasped. She had forgotten about work. Jellal was getting the week off because the office he worked at always closed on holidays, but she didn't know what Mira had planned. She would have to work that out later she decided. Levy had gotten the week off for Winter Break from the library because Magnolia library also closed for holidays. Gray worked at his family's glass shop and they made their own hours anyways. Juvia was given the week off. Aquarius had gone soft on Juvia, not that she was complaining. Gajeel was granted the week off from the auto shop in town. They closed on holidays like other places, so giving him a few days off before Christmas wasn't much of a problem. They all ventured into the kitchen and stood around the kitchen island conversing and eating together while they awaited Gajeel and Natsu's return.
"Oi! Flamer! Slow down! What's the rush, ya hot head?!" Gajeel shouted after the pink haired pizza boy who was racing ahead. Natsu grinned wide and came to a stop, waiting for Gajeel. Natsu was always excited for food especially if it was free food. But, that wasn't the only reason for his excitement. Gajeel had never asked him to go anywhere before. They had lived together for a couple of years and never once had Gajeel invited Natsu anywhere. Sure, Natsu didn't mind, but it was nice for Gajeel to invite him out. Although, Natsu knew there had to be a reason behind it. But what?
"I'm hungry! That's what!" He shot back playfully. Gajeel rolled his eyes as they approached Justine's. Natsu pulled the door open and flung himself inside. Gajeel caught the door before it swung shut and let himself in. Evergreen stood at the entrance and grabbed two menus.
"Welcome to Justine's. Two?" The pair nodded and she led them to a small corner booth. "Enjoy." She waved behind her as she walked back to the front of the restaurant. Natsu looked through the menu eagerly. Gajeel skimmed through the menu briefly. He wasn't picky when it came to food, neither was Natsu. Bixlow approached the table with a friendly grin, his pen and pad ready to take their order.
"Sup' guys? Welcome to Justine's. The name's Bixlow. What can I get for ya today?" Gajeel raised a studded brow to Natsu, waiting for him to order.
"I'll take the sriracha burger with a side of jalapenos and a Mountain Dew." He answered swiftly. Gajeel was shocked with how quickly and how little he ordered. He expected for his wallet to be screaming after this adventure. Bixlow scribbled down the order and turned to Gajeel expectantly.
"Just-ah... The house burger. medium rare, bleedin', but not mooin', ya got me? ." Bixlow smiled and nodded, jotting down his order.
"Sweet. Hang tight, ma dudes." He slipped his pen behind his ear and jogged off to the kitchen. Gajeel focused his attention on Natsu, who also had his attention on him. Natsu knew there was a reason Gajeel took him out of the house. Now all he had to do was wait for Gajeel to rat himself out.
"Alright Salamander. You and me are gonna have a heart to heart. Don't ask why." Natsu smirked and nodded, leaning back and crossing his arms as he did so. Oh, yeah. Something was definitely going on. Heart to heart? This was going to be interesting.
"...Okay... Start." Gajeel tried to keep in mind that this was Levy's will and because she placed her trust in him, he wasn't going to let her down. He knew this was obvious even to Natsu, but he hoped that there was a chance Natsu wouldn't figure out what was up even if he did figure out that something was up. As long as they could hold him off of the details until they get to the camp, everything will be golden.
"Yer uh... familiar with the outdoors, right?" Gajeel kicked himself mentally for going straight for the kill. How does asking about the outdoors equal a heart to heart? Come on, Gajeel. Get your shit together. Natsu narrowed his eyes playfully and smiled, showing his sharp canines. Was he asking him about camping? 'I wonder who could have mentioned that.' He mused, a clear image of his loving girlfriend playing through his mind. Now he knew for sure that Lucy had something to do with this. He decided to continue playing along. He knew that by the time they left this restaurant he would know everything he needed to know. Just keep talking, Gajeel. Just keep talking.
"Yep, sure am. What do ya wanna know?" Gajeel groaned internally. His face looked so fucking smug. Gajeel wanted to punch it. Did he already know? He could practically feel the smugness radiating of the little fucker in waves. It was annoying. Plus, the way he said that made Gajeel feel like he was asking Natsu for tips. Fuck that shit.
"Look ya little shit, Just tell me about yer little trips with yer family. I just need to know... for Levy... I-uh... wanna take her camping sometime." Smooth move Gajeel. That wasn't obvious at all. Although by saying that he wanted to take Levy camping, it would make any camping gear or mentions of camping in the house seem normal. Okay, maybe this was a nice save. Natsu fortunately bought it. He could see Gajeel doing this for Levy, that's just the kind of guy he was. Although he didn't know why his personal trips were relevant, but maybe Gajeel just wanted it to feel a little less... generic? and a little more personal? Natsu didn't know, but Levy and Gajeel were his friends, so he didn't mind helping out.
"Heh. Fine, I'll tell you all about it. Whatt'ya wanna know?" Gajeel couldn't believe he bought it. The smugness was gone and he actually looked... Sincere. Holy shit. He didn't fuck it up. Well, lunch isn't over yet. He tried to remember all of Levy's ramblings from earlier. Her voice spouting off questions rang through his mind and he sat back, ready to gather the Intel she asked for.
"What foods did ya bring, drinks and shit? Any special traditions er anything?" Natsu furrowed his brows. Why were his family traditions important? Maybe he wanted to start some traditions with Levy. Yeah... He could see that. He shrugged and put his hands behind his head.
"Nothing too special. Although we did have this one thing we always did. Dad would take me and Zeref to a clearing on the mountain side late at night when the stars are brightest. Then he would point out all the constellations with us. Draco is my favorite. As far as food goes, we just packed whatever." Gajeel grunted as he sat back. He could work with this information, but he thought there would be a lot more. He then remembered that this was Christmas. Maybe he had some Christmas traditions with his family. He grinned triumphantly. Levy would surely reward him for this later.
"Whaddabout Christmas? Any traditions er special things ya do?" Natsu leaned forward and narrowed his eyes into suspicious slits. What does Christmas have to do with camping? Gajeel began to panic. He was sure his goose was cooked now. Maybe he could back track, get out of it somehow.
"What's this really about, metal head?" Natsu pressed. Gajeel thought quickly and sat back, looking away.
"I'm takin' Levy campin' for Christmas." Well, he didn't lie. Natsu stared for a long agonizing minute, but then a smile broke out on his face.
"Why didn't ya just say so! Ahaha! The only Christmas tradition we have is that we do handmade gifts instead of store bought. More personal, ya know?"Gajeel once again had dodged a bullet. He nodded and looked up to see Bixlow strolling over with their food and drinks. He set their plates down in front of them and distributed their drinks. He gave them a quick salute and wandered off to another table across the restaurant. Gajeel took a large gulp of his drink and set it back on the table.
"Handmade, huh? Ain't that cute. Ya got any plans fer Christmas? Whaddabout yer family?" Natsu's grin faded into a sad smile and he sighed.
"Just gonna spend it with Luce and Happy this year. My Dad is probably going to be working and my brother goes to school a few hours away." Gajeel could tell that Natsu was a bit upset by this. He knew that Natsu was glad to be spending Christmas with Lucy and Happy, but he also knew that spending it with family is important, too. He missed a few Christmases with Juvia these past years and spent them alone instead. It was lonely, not like home. Gajeel wondered if there was a way to get his Dad and Brother in on the trip. He would have to talk to Levy about it later.
"I missed out on Christmas with Juvia for two years in a row. Having someone is better than having no one. Yer gonna have a good Christmas. Bunny girl will make sure uh that." He took a bite out of his burger and wiped his mouth. Natsu stared blankly, but then nodded with a hopeful smile.
"Yeah, your right." Gajeel couldn't think of any other questions. He didn't find out as much as he thought he would, but what he found out should be good enough, hopefully. The two sat in silence eating for the remainder of the time. Natsu was looking forward to Christmas with Lucy. He had loved her for so long, being with her for Christmas was a dream come true. Sure, his Dad and brother being there with them would make it even better, but there was nothing wrong with just being with Lucy and Happy. Either way, he was home.
"LUCE! I'M BAAACK!" Natsu roared as he charged through the door and into the apartment. Gajeel slumped in behind him and shut the door while simultaneously kicking off his boots. When they had entered, the sounds of low chatter and giggling was clearly heard from the kitchen but it soon stopped when Natsu launched himself into the room. The stares he received really didn't sit well with him. First, Gajeel actually invites him somewhere and talks to him about personal stuff and now EVERYONE is staring at him like he is made of fire. Confused, Natsu slowly turned to face Lucy, who was frozen in place, her shoulders up by her ears while she held a piece of peppermint bark half way in her mouth, her cheeks puffed out from the mouthful of chocolate she had stopped chewing. Her eyes were wide and terrified, setting a feeling of uneasiness low in Natsu's belly. Gajeel slowly and quietly entered behind Natsu and scanned the room. Levy wasn't there, but everyone looked like they had seen a ghost. Gajeel moved his hands in a 'Carry on' motion, trying desperately to make them act normal. They were blowing Levy's plan all to shit. Jellal caught Gajeel's hand motion and nodded, raising a glass of cocoa towards Natsu instinctively.
"Welcome home, Natsu. Juvia made cocoa. Have some." Juvia nodded and shoved a mug at him nervously. He accepted it warily and looked around harboring great suspicion towards his friends. Things just didn't feel right. Was this an intervention? Did he do something wrong? He hadn't set fire to anything since high school, so it couldn't be that. Terror flooded through him, coursing through his veins like blistering lava. Was Lucy leaving him? Was he being kicked out? His heart raced and pounded against his rib cage, threatening to break through his bones like fragile glass. Sweat pooled on his forehead and his chest tightened. His free hand gripped the edge of the kitchen island, steadying himself. His head was spinning and he felt the urge to run, scream... SOMETHING, but he couldn't and he WOULDN'T. He didn't want to over react and make a scene. He told himself that he was just jumping to conclusions. Surely his friends that he trusted wouldn't have a meeting about something like that... RIGHT? Lucy choked down the chocolate in her mouth and grabbed Natsu's shoulders. She could tell something wasn't right with him. He looked... Ill.
"Natsu. Hey, Natsu! Look at me! Are you alright?" She pulled him into her arms and let him slump against her. It was like he was weak. He slowly patted her back and nuzzled his nose into her shoulder gently.
"Yeah, Luce. I'm fine. I'm just gonna go lay down, alright?" He brushed past her and out of the kitchen. Everyone looked around in awkward silence at each other. When Natsu entered the bedroom, Gajeel let loose.
"Ya fuckin' idiots are gonna blow it. Who knows what tha hell he is thinkin' now! He's got anxiety, ya fucktards." It is true that Gajeel didn't know a whole lot about Natsu, but he did know anxiety when he saw it. Juvia used to have it pretty bad when she was younger, before Gajeel helped her form the tough as nails skin she has now. It was one thing for Gajeel to ask Natsu funny questions that didn't make sense, because Gajeel could deal with Natsu's anxiety, but there was no way he could have known everybody was going to fucking pull a show stopper. He expected more out of them. Big mistake. Levy heard him scolding the group from the bedroom. She had gone in there to put away the white board. She rested her hands on her hips and cleared her throat. Gajeel crossed his arms and stepped aside, letting her into the kitchen.
"Lucy, you should go check on him. Try not to give up the surprise unless it is absolutely necessary." She nodded and raced off to the room. Juvia pressed her lips together and furrowed her brows as she hugged Gray's arm tightly against her chest. She felt so bad for not noticing. She felt bad for freezing in the first place. Gajeel noticed her expression and reached her in 2 big strides. He patted her head and tilted her chin up to look her in the eyes.
"It's not yer fault, raindrop. It's not anyone's fault. None of ya knew. I shouldn'tuh yelled. I'm sorry." She sniffled and nodded, releasing Gray's arm and flinging herself into Gajeel's chest sobbing uncontrollably. Gajeel sighed. He hadn't comforted his sister in so long. He really didn't look it, but nothing was more important than loved ones for Gajeel. He gently stroked her cerulean curls, allowing her to cry as long as she needed until she felt better. Gray wanted to help her, but he really wasn't good with crying. He always felt like he made things worse. He was glad Gajeel could comfort her, even if he couldn't, or at least he felt he couldn't. Erza frowned and crossed her arms as she leaned back against the kitchen sink. Her head dropped low over her chest. She knew it couldn't be helped now, but she felt bad for freezing when he walked in. She wasn't very good with surprises. Her blunt straight forwardness tended to get in the way of sneaking around. It just wasn't her style. But, regardless, she wanted to do her best to keep this a surprise, but with Natsu's anxiety, this was going to be a bit more difficult than any of them had thought. They would have to be extra careful and keep in mind to act as natural as possible. Erza decided that she would treat these plans not as a surprise for Natsu, but rather as a plan that was none of his business. Perhaps if she kept that mind set, things would be simpler. One could hope.
In the bedroom, Lucy found Natsu sitting against the headboard with his knees to his chest, Happy wrapped in his arms tightly, his face buried in the cat's blue fur. He didn't hear Lucy enter the room. She gently shut the door, careful not to make a noise and tip toes over to the bed. She gently sat down beside him and placed a tender hand on his shoulder.
"Natsu... Are you alright? What's wrong?" He lifted his head, exposing a reddened face with watery eyes. Lucy had no idea that Natsu had anxiety. He never showed it, not in front of her anyways. But, when she thought about it, they had never given him a reason to experience any anxiety before. Although, one doesn't necessarily need a reason to experience it. Sometimes it just happens, but it hadn't 'Just happened' with Natsu around them before. She realized that he must be really upset about their reaction. She was wondering what exactly he was thinking was going on to make him react so badly. She couldn't blame him though. It wasn't their greatest moment.
"Yeah... It's just... Why is everyone acting weird. I don't understand it. Did I do something?" Lucy's heart was shattering. He looked so broken. What made her feel worse was that she knew that she was partially responsible. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his forehead, stroking his messy, cherry blossom spikes soothingly.
"You didn't do anything. I'm sorry we were acting strange. They... They are helping me do something special for you... Because we love you. I love you. So, don't worry. Just know that it's going to be great. You'll love it. Okay?" Natsu stared up at her feeling a bit embarrassed by his behavior. He was right, it really was nothing to worry about. He just couldn't help it. Her forehead pressed against his. He could smell the peppermint on her breath. Her chocolate eyes peered into his, reflecting a deep gold in the light shining in through the curtains. Her hands cupped his cheeks as her eyes fluttered shut. Her lips found his, leaving a searing tingle on his chapped lips as her soft ones vanished from his as quickly as they appeared.
"Okay..." He breathed. He felt calm. Happy leapt from his arms and curled up at the edge of the bed. His knees lowered and his legs stretched out in front of him. Lucy climbed into his lap and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. She began placing soft kisses gently all over his face. His forehead, right cheek, left cheek, chin, nose and finally his lips. This time, she lingered. He could taste the peppermint and chocolate on her lips as she deepened the kiss. His hands traveled up her sides under her sweater. Her warm skin comforted his icy fingertips, courtesy of the chilling cold outside. She gasped against his mouth as the frosty bite of his touch traced from her hips to just under her bust. He felt bad for doubting her. He knew she loved him. She loved him.
When Natsu and Lucy never reemerged from their room, the other's took the hint and went home. They had things to handle anyways. Gray and Juvia had some planning to do with his family, Jellal needed to speak with Erik and Erza needed to speak with Evergreen and Mira. Levy saw their friends out and shut the door behind them. When the door clicked shut, she turned to face Gajeel.
"So... Did things go well?" She asked feeling hopeful. He smirked and nodded, lifting her off the ground and dragging her off to their room. He kicked the door shut and dropped her onto the bed. She giggled and crawled over to the corner of the bed to make room for him. He dived onto the bed next to her, nearly launching Lily onto the ceiling fan. The cat raised it's hackles and let out a cry. When he landed back onto the mattress he simply curled back up and went to sleep as if nothing had happened. Levy smiled and turned her attention to Gajeel who was laying on his stomach beside her, his long, wild raven hair spilling over his back, shoulders and onto the bed, tickling her outer thigh.
"When he goes campin', he has a thing about watchin' the stars. And he has a special Christmas tradition, too. Handmade gifts." Levy expected more, but she had to be honest, the simplicity of his traditions made things so much easier. she smiled and played with the ends of his unruly hair. "Oi, Levy? Do... Do ya think we could somehow gettaholda his pops and bro?" Levy nodded and pointed to her dresser where her laptop sat.
"I was already planning on it. Leave it to me, jolly green." Gajeel narrowed his eyes and released an annoyed huff. She could try all she liked, but nothing tops shrimp.
"Uncle Lyon! Don't drop me! You're leaning too far forward!" Meredy squealed in terror as she teetered atop Lyon's shoulders. She was lacing the edge of the roof with Christmas lights while Lyon gave her a boost. He straightened himself up and gripped her legs tightly to steady her.
"Sorry!" He gave a breathy chuckle as he shifted her weight on his shoulders. She 'eeped' at the sudden movement and grabbed the edge of the roof for support. She wasn't very good with heights and he wasn't helping. Ultear swatted Lyon in the back of the head with a door wreath. It jingled as it made contact with his silvery spikes.
"If you drop her and she is injured, I will injure you twice as harshly." She warned. He thought back to their childhood when Ultear would take on both he and Gray at the same time. She always came out victorious no matter how hard they fought. She was a monster. Sweat pooled on his forhead and he nodded quickly. Meredy rolled her eyes and tossed her head back.
"Moooom. I'm fine. Uncle Lyon won't hurt me... on purpose... And even if he does, he can always make it up to me with Rocky Road ice cream... Right?" She smiled down at him with the innocence of a box of abandoned kittens. His face softened and he patted her leg gently.
"Anything for you, love bug." She was the light of his life. When Ultear adopted her and brought her home, Meredy took to him immediately. Of all of them, Meredy was closest to Lyon. He was her closest friend and her favorite uncle. Although, she only had two uncles. Between Lyon and Gray it was no competition.
Silver stood atop the roof, stringing lights and setting up LED animatronic reindeer. Ur was hooking up a blow up snowman in the yard. Ultear saw two figures approaching the house in her peripheral vision as she hung the wreath on the front door. She turned around to get a better look and smiled when she saw that it was Gray and Juvia.
"Well, would you look at that. Now the whole gang is here." She crossed her arms and leaned back smiling confidently. Gray smirked and raised his hand, waving to his family. Juvia smiled and bent her arm at the elbow, giving a short wave. Meredy turned her head and nearly flung herself from Lyon's shoulders. He held her tightly and tried to steady himself. The momentum of her outburst nearly sent them falling backwards. Realizing what she had done, Meredy hunched forward and wrapped her arms tightly around Lyon's head like a terrified cat stuck on a tree. Juvia giggled and parted from Gray, who was now chatting with Ultear. She stood in front of Lyon and pried Meredy's arms from over Lyon's eyes.
"Nice to see you, too, Meredy. Lyon." She smiled and held on to Meredy's hand as Lyon gently set her on the ground. Meredy flung herself onto Juvia, wrapping her legs tightly around the bluenette. Juvia laughed and held her tightly. Meredy was such a happy girl. Juvia loved being around her. She was like sunshine. Lyon put his hands on his hips and watched the two with a dopey grin on his face. How could he not be happy, when his two favorite girls were shining so bright? He had accepted that Juvia loved Gray. He could live with that as long as she was happy. He would find a love of his own someday, he knew. He was more than happy to just be her friend. It was far better than nothing at all.
"Juvia! You are spending Christmas with us, right!? And is Uncle Gajeel coming, too?! And what about Levy and Lily?! Oh, pleaseeeee!" Meredy begged excitedly, her pink curls bouncing all around as she gripped Juvia's hands tightly. She smiled and glanced at Gray. He was also watching her, Ultear too. Gray nodded.
"Actually, Meredy... You are all spending Christmas with us. We are all going on a Camping trip for Christmas. It will be for an entire week. What does Meredy think?" Silver hopped off the roof and tackled Juvia like a linebacker, lifting her high in the air and onto his shoulder. his laugh echoed down the suburban street.
"Now that's what I'm talking about! I love having the family together for Christmas!" Ur jabbed Silver's side and laughed.
"Put the poor girl down. You probably scared her senseless, Silver. Honestly. My, my. We haven't gone camping in years. We will finally get to pull out the old equipment!"Ur clasped her hands together and smiled. Meredy threw her hands up and glomped Lyon mercilessly. He wheezed as she squeezed the life out of him. 'Just like her mother.' He thought as her grip tightened like a Boa Constrictor.
"I am so excited! Will EVERYONE be there?!" She gasped, tightening her grip even further, much to Lyon's life force's dismay. Juvia nodded. Gray shoved his arms between Meredy and Lyon, prying the little leach off of his brother, sparing his life. Lyon gasped for air quietly and patted Meredy's head, giving Gray a silent look of gratitude.
"Yep. Everyone is going and then some. Big group... tiny village..." Gray's voice trailed off awkwardly. Juvia frowned and swatted his arm.
"It's for Natsu. It will be wonderful, Gray Sama." She chided. He huffed and rolled his eyes. Ultear covered her mouth to stifle a laugh.
"Oh, this is going to be fantastic. A week in the wilderness with this family and more? What could possibly go wrong?" She gave her step dad a pointed look. This didn't go unnoticed by papa Silver. He shrugged his shoulders and a look of confusion crossed his face.
"What? Don't look at me! If anything, I will make this trip better." He argued. Ur pursed her lips and wrinkled her nose as she looked at the ground. She patted Silver on the back and shook her head.
"Whatever you say, honey." Silver balked at his family's betrayal. They just didn't appreciate his special brand of humor. He crossed his arms and buried his nose in the fur of his jacket, silently moping.
"Juvia thinks I'm cool. Right?" He peeked at the petite blunette over the fur of his jacket. Juvia froze for a second, nodding stiffly with an equally stiff smile.
"Of course, Silver Sama!" She squeaked out between clenched teeth. She didn't lie though. She loved Gray's father and his crazy antics. He was warm and kind. He loved his children and treated her like his own. He was the father she never had. He caught her off guard, that's all. Gray ruffled her hair and grinned at his old man.
"Aw, come on, Juvia. You don't have to sweet talk the guy. We all know he's lame." Gray was just teasing and Silver knew it, but Juvia took it seriously. Her hands waved wildly in front of her as she lunged between them, her cheeks wore a pretty crimson in the frosty air.
"But Juvia really doe-" Silver cut her off with roaring laughter and an affectionate pat on the head.
"He was just teasing. Now c'mere you little shit." Silver brushed past her and lunged for his son. Gray's jacket flew off and into Silver's face, granting him a few seconds to escape. The family watched as the two ran in circles around the front yard. Juvia laughed with tears in her eyes. She couldn't have found a better family.
Across town, Jellal and Erza had separated to handle their own business. Once again Jellal had found his way to Sorciere. The rustic bar was decorated with lights and garland, even a tree decorated the corner by the bathrooms. Behind the bar was a woman of average height with short plum colored hair and fair skin. Upon hearing the jingle of the door, she spun around with a welcoming smile. Her eyes were a stunning emerald green.
"Welcome to Sorciere!" Her voice range through the bar like a silver bell. Jellal didn't want to be rude, but he had never seen her before. His eyes swept the area quickly, but he saw no trace of his childhood friend.
"Thanks... Is Erik in, or?" His brow arched curiously with his question. The girl set down the mug she was handling and smiled as she skipped to the door behind the bar. She pushed open the swinging door and called out for Erik. She turned back to Jellal and pointed with her thumb over her shoulder towards the door she had just came from.
"He'll be out in a minute." He nodded and took a seat at the bar. Kinana busied herself with wiping the counter leaving an awkward silence in the air. Fortunately, it wasn't silent for long because lo and behold, along came Erik.
"It's about time you came back. Still no red, huh? Speaking of... This is Kinana, my girl. Kina, this is Jellal." The girl stopped wiping and gasped excitedly as she went to reach for Jellal's hand.
"It's so nice to meet you! Erik has said so much!" She giggled. Jellal eyed Erik suspiciously. He could only imagine what Erik said. He was known for being an asshole. Jellal shook her hand and smiled.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Kinana. Actually, I am here to ask what your Christmas plans are." He stated bluntly. Erik smirked and leaned back against the counter.
"Just me and Kinana this year. Why?" Kinana held Erik's hand and focused on Jellal.
"Well, Erza and our friends have planned this ridiculously large camping trip for an entire week as a Christmas surprise for our friend, Natsu. They insisted that we invite others. Personally, I think the numbers will be a tad out of hand, but if they insist, who am I to say no? So, would you and Kinana like to join in on the madness?" Jellal leaned forward over the bar, his elbows propped on the counter with his hands interlocked below his nose. His golden eyes had a playful glint about them, but maintained their usual seriousness. Erik shut his good eye and shook his head, chuckling.
"That is the dumbest thing I have ever heard." He squeezed Kinana's hand and looked at her with curiosity. She smiled and nodded.
"But, what the hell? We're in." Jellal smiled, but then immediately frowned and looked around the bar. He waved his hand around at all of the decorations.
"The bar?" Erik shrugged and glanced around the room.
"Eh, Christmas is our busiest time of year. Lonely schmucks coming to booze it up, ya know, the usual and then some. They could do without the booze this year I think." Jellal shook his head and smiled. Yeah. Erik was definitely an asshole.
Erza pulled open the door to Mira's shop. She had planned to talk to Mira first and then meet up with Jellal at Justine's for dinner where she could talk to Evergreen. She had Ever's number, but she wanted to invite her in person. The door jingled and Mira popped out from behind a rack of clothing she was organizing.
"Erza! You aren't on the schedule for today..." She began, but Erza smiled and shook her head. Mira stopped talking and waited for an explanation.
"I actually came by to ask about our Christmas hours?" Mira smiled and walked over to the counter, setting down a stack of jeans. She smoothed out her shirt and reached under the desk, pulling out the store schedule log. She flipped to the next week and turned it to face Erza.
"We aren't open next week! Sorry for not saying anything! I forgot. I know we would make a lot of money during the holidays, but I would rather spend time with my family, you know?" Erza was relieved to know she had the week off and wouldn't have to worry about it, but then she remembered Levy's extended invitation.
"Oh, that's wonderful because all of my friends were planning a week long Camping trip for Christmas this year... Speaking of... Isn't it just you and your siblings?" Erza didn't want to strike a nerve, but she remembered Mira mentioning that she lived alone with her brother and sister. When her parent's died they had left her siblings and their clothing shop in her care since she was of legal age. That was 5 years ago. Mira was now 23 years old. Her siblings had come of age since then, but they all still chose to live together. It was more affordable this way. Mira nodded and turned a photo of her and her siblings towards Erza. Erza had seen the photo a hundred times. Mira and her sister looked nearly identical, but the brother was rather brawny and out of place beside them. Funny, but somehow they all just fit anyway.
"Yeah. We tend to spend Christmas just us three. We're used to it. It's so nice that you are going to have a big Christmas this year ,though, with so many loved ones. I know that this must be exciting for you." Mira was familiar with Erza's background. They had talked quite a bit during slow hours over the years.
"Yes, I am looking forward to it... They told us that we should invite others... If you and your siblings would like to come along, we would love to have you." Mira's face lit up the shop. Her smile reached the heavens and tears pooled in her icy blue eyes.
"Really?" Erza nodded and smiled.
"Of course. You're my friend, and if you are a friend of mine, you are a friend of theirs. We would be more than happy to have you and your family join us." Mira's lip quivered as her hands flew into the air. Her arms pulled Erza into a tight embrace.
"We would love to come! Oh! I am so excited!" Mira loved being around people, but since their parents died they had mostly kept to themselves. She was dying to get out and meet some people and she knew her siblings were, too. They were all pretty social people. They would have socialized more with others, but found it a bit difficult to rejoin the world after the year they spent in seclusion after their parent's passing. Everyone that lived near them knew about their parent's deaths and were awkward around the siblings to say the least. Mira felt like maybe this trip would be exactly what her and her family needed after all of these years. She was so glad to have Erza as a friend. Erza hugged her back and smiled. This was going to be the best Christmas ever. She just knew it.
Erza had spent a little more time with Mira, helping her organize and just chatting to waste time before heading to Justine's to meet Jellal. Erza wandered down the barren street towards the Restaurant, the chilling wind stinging her eyes and assaulting the sensitive tip of her freckled nose. She buried her nose into the tan scarf around her neck. She peered up to make sure she wouldn't run into any light poles. When her eyes lifted from the ground she saw Jellal leaning against grey stone wall of the restaurant. She smiled and reached her hand out for him. He returned her smile and offered his arm.
"Things went well, I understand?" He smirked down at her. She smiled and nodded. He pulled open the door and helped her inside. As expected, Ever was Hosting again, as usual. Ever smiled warmly at the pair this time and nodded to her 'sister.'
"Erza. It's good to see you again. Table for two?" She nodded and Ever led them to an isolated booth near the front. Before she could turn away to return to her post at the entrance, Erza gabbed her hand.
"Ever, could you... perhaps talk for a minute?" Evergreen blinked rapidly, her train of thought derailed. She nodded after a moment of gathering her thoughts.
"Sure, just... give me a minute." Like clockwork, Bixlow was already making his way towards the table. Ever plucked the pen and pad from his hand and shoved him towards the host table. He dug his feet as best he could into the stone tiles below, trying to resist her shoving.
"Hey! Wait a minute! Give that back!" He argued, trying to reach behind him while still resisting with his legs.
"I'll handle this one. Take my spot for a bit, alright?" Bixlow groaned and stopped resisting. He crossed his arms and slumped his back, trudging his way to the front. Ever rolled her eyes and took a seat beside Erza.
"So, what's going on? Something happen?" She leaned forward and rested her arms on the table top, turning her head to give Erza her full attention.
"Our friends are doing a week long camping trip for Christmas this year and insisted we invite others. I understand that you work, but I wanted to invite you." Ever honestly felt touched that Erza would invite her. They did just recently reconcile after years of being apart after all.
"Is that so? Well, yes, I do work, but the thing about Justine's is that Freed, as in Freed Justine, owner and chef of Justine's, takes holidays very seriously. He is... Festive. So, we won't be open at all next week. We all, that is, Me, Bixlow over there, Freed and our friend Laxus all share a cramped apartment together and Freed wants us to spend Christmas together for Christmas this year. You, my darling sister, have just spared me from spending Christmas with these fools in a sardine tin apartment. I'll go." Jellal chuckled quietly behind his closed fist. Erza peeked around Ever towards the sulking Bixlow up front.
"And, what about them...?" She pointed to the dejected waiter. Ever opened her mouth to answer, but Jellal cut her off.
"They should come too. More the merrier, right Erza?" Evergreen balked at his suggestion. She loved her room mates, but she literally spent all of her time with them. They shared the tiniest two bedroom apartment just so that Freed could afford to keep his restaurant running and pay them less because they all shared a place. Keeping the business between them certainly made things a hell of a lot easier. The restaurant wasn't a big thing, but the locals loved it, which kept the bills paid. Although, Laxus helped them out quite a bit. He didn't work in Freed's restaurant. He owned a local tattoo shop which used to be owned by his Grandpa and was passed down to his father when his grandpa became the dean of Magnolia University over 10 years ago. His father died of a heart attack a couple of years ago and Laxus took over the shop in his place. Freed met Laxus first at Magnolia university. Laxus was coming to visit his Grandfather for lunch around 3 years prior, just before his father died. Freed was a student there taking culinary classes. Freed was carrying an experimental pot of curry to class and was so focused on not sloshing the curry everywhere that he completely missed the over-sized blonde guy walking in front of him. Laxus not only gained a curry stained shirt that day, but also a lifelong friend. Next, Laxus and Freed met Bixlow. Freed would often come and sit with Laxus in the shop, watching him work. His artistry was brilliant. Freed admired Laxus greatly. Bixlow came in to get a tattoo one day in the strangest place. He wanted the Chasing Fairies logo on his tongue. Laxus knew of Chasing Fairies. It was his grandfather's business after all and it benefited not only his shop, but the university as well. Nearly all of the students at the university and even some of the teachers were in on it in some way or another. Magnolia's finest. Being such an outspoken weirdo, they all became fast friends. Ever was last to join their little group. They found her at Sorciere one night. Laxus caught a creep trying to slip something into her drink and made an example of him publicly. Erik kicked the guys out of the bar, but only for that night. The creep, however, Erik banned him for life. Erik may be an asshole, but he stood for what was right. Ever thanked the guys and parted ways, but she came in to the tattoo shop a couple of weeks later contemplating a tattoo and found them all there. They got to talking and that's that. Friendship solidified. Erza nodded and smiled.
"Yes, the more the merrier, indeed. They should come." Ever grimaced at her so called sister. Oh, the betrayal. She sighed and nodded.
"Alright, alright. BIX, FREED! WE'RE GOING CAMPING FOR CHRISTMAS, GOT IT!?" Her voice echoed through the half empty restaurant. Freed busted through the kitchen door.
"CAMPING? WHY WOULD WE GO CAMPING? What about our little tree?" He pouted. Ever huffed in annoyance and stood from the table, pointing at Erza.
"My sister says we are camping. SO WE ARE CAMPING." She roared. Bixlow shrugged and snatched his pen and pad back from her.
"Fine by me. There will be food, right? Like, we aren't going to be foraging for berries or nothin', right?" He shot a worried glance between the couple. Erza laughed and smiled.
"No. There will be food, I assure you." A wide grin broke out on his face.
"Then I'm down to partayy. FREED, WE'RE CAMPING." The jade haired chef sighed and shrugged.
"Fine, If I can't persuade you to stay, I suppose I have no choice but to forfeit this battle. However, I have one condition." He approached the table and rested his hands on his hips, his eyes settling on Erza.
"I will handle any and all cooking." He insisted. Erza smiled and held out her hand to shake.
"Deal."
Zeref's morning had started off like any other. He was alone. He lived alone in a one bed one bath apartment in the cheapest neighborhood near Alvarez university. He was currently jobless. He had been working at a movie theater, but it shut down a few weeks ago. Fortunately, his father was able to help him out while he searched for a new job. His rent was extremely cheap and he used public transportation to get anywhere. Zeref never went out, which also saved him money. He really missed his brother and father. He was upset when Natsu chose to go to Magnolia University instead of joining him at Alvarez University, but he got over it. For a long time Zeref had no friends, but a few months ago that changed. A girl came to the movie theater by herself. He learned that her name was Mavis. She had long, blonde hair and eyes like clover. She was pretty short, too. She could hardly see over the ticket counter. He didn't understand why she was alone, but it was really none of his business. Not long after that, he saw her at the campus library. She was surrounded by a pile of books and had her nose buried into a particularly thick book. The Mythology of Fairies. She noticed him staring and recognized him from the theater. They hit it off right away and became close friends. He learned that she was alone because she herself had no friends or family.
That morning, Zeref received a call from his father informing him of a surprise Christmas camping trip that Natsu's friends had arranged as a surprise for him. Igneel made it clear that he would come and pick Zeref up and that they were told guests were welcome. Zeref was happy that his brother had found such amazing friends. Maybe he should have gone to Magnolia University instead of Alvarez. It would be closer to home, that was for sure. Zeref pulled out his phone and sent a text to Mavis.
Family is going camping for Christmas. Said I could bring a guest. Want to come with?
-Z
While he waited he made himself a bowl of cereal. As he poured the milk into the bowl, his phone beeped.
It's a date.
-M
He smiled and dropped a spoon into his bowl. He could always count on Mavis.
As the weekend was fast approaching and preparations were being made, Lucy decided to take some time amidst the chaos to visit her father. The old geezer was probably working himself to death and wouldn't have time for her, but she would be damned if she didn't see him at least once before Christmas. Lucy wiped the tears from her wind-struck eyes and bundled her coat tightly against her body as she approached the old Heartfilia Manor. Her family was of Maternal lineage, and as a sign of respect for that heritage, her father took her mother's family name as his own when they married. So, to be technical, Heartfilia Railways belonged to the Heartfilia Family. Now that she thought about it... She didn't really know anything about her father's side of the family. Not a single thing. Her brows furrowed as she reached the large double doors of her old home. She didn't even bother knocking. Her father wouldn't notice her just barging in anyways. With both arms she shoved open the heavy doors and waltzed in unannounced. An old woman poked her head around from the middle of the spiral staircase. Her gasp echoed through the lifeless home.
"Lady Lucy! You've returned! Come in child! You must be freezing, have you eaten?! Come, come!" Ms. Spetto rushed about the girl checking her over like a mother hen. There was always one good thing about coming home. The Heartfilia employees were more family to Lucy than her father ever was. She hated to admit it, but Work was her father's child. She was merely a mouth to feed. Especially after her mother died. her father was kinder before, but after her mother died he grew cold and detached. Papa just didn't suit him anymore. Regardless, she still loved him. He was her father and nothing changed that. Lucy smiled down at the tiny old woman fussing about.
"Ms. Spetto, I'm fine! Really. Where is papa?" She shook the package in her hands nervously, showing that she had a reason for visiting. Ms. Spetto smiled warmly and waved her hand towards the stairs.
"In his study, dear. Go on up. I'm sure he will be delighted to see you." Lucy stifled a sarcastic laugh and forced herself to refrain from rolling her eyes.
"Yeah. Delighted. Sure." She muttered under her breath as she ascended the stairs. Two flights of stairs later, she reached the floor where her father's study resided. their house was so large because they also used it as a work space. No, home never could just be home. Not for papa. Lucy paused when she reached to mahogany double doors to the study. She looked down to the marble floors and squeezed her eyes shut. She hated this place and everything it stood for. Why couldn't her father learn the most important life lesson? Money can't replace love. She sucked in a deep breath and released it, calming her nerves. Her fist raised weakly into the air and she let it fall three times against the hard wood.
"Come in." Her father's voice called out through the door. She placed her hand on the door and took one last deep breath, pushing it open as she exhaled. Her father never looked up from his paperwork. As expected. She sighed and slowly approached his desk. She once made him rice balls as a child after her mother died and offered one to him for lunch because he had been working so hard and she just wanted to be sure he was eating enough. It had been her birthday that day. Not only did he harshly turn her away, he also forgot her birthday. Lucy shoved the memory away and continued moving forward. She wondered if this time would be a repeat of then.
"Papa." She stated when she reached his desk. His writing stopped and he actually looked up at her.
"Lucy." He looked shocked.
"I know you're busy, but I just wanted to drop this off for you. I'm going to be going on a camping trip with friends for Christmas... So... Here." She didn't mean to sound so matter of fact and harsh, but that's how he made her feel. She handed him the package without making eye contact. She locked her eyes on the bookcase to the right and kept them there. Her father accepted the package carefully.
"Lucy... I- I wan... Merry Christmas." He muttered in a hurt tone. she glanced down at him. He opened his desk drawer and pulled out a small box and presented it to her. She bit her lip and took the box. He had never handed her a gift personally before. But, she was right in front of him. It was probably just convenient. She sighed and widened her eyes briefly before turning her attention to him, forcing a smile.
"Yeah... Uh... Yeah. You, too, papa." She whispered, nodding her head awkwardly as her fingers twisted the delicate white ribbon on the package.
"Open it on Christmas, alright?" He asked softly. She nodded and shoved it into her purse.
"Yeah. On Christmas. Got it." She shifted awkwardly for a minute, not knowing how to react to his attention. She had wanted his attention for so long, but now that she had it... She didn't know what to make of it. It made her angry. Where was that attention when she needed it most? She felt heat rising to her face, tears pricking at her eyes and the stinging in her sinuses. She had to go. She turned away and quickly waved her hand as she took large strides to reach the study doors as quick as possible.
"Have a good Christmas. Don't work too hard." She choked out before rushing out the doors. She heard her father call after her but elected to ignore him just as he had ignored her for so long. It was petty, but she couldn't stand him right now. Through her tears she couldn't see anything and she slammed face first into something solid and ... warm.
"Lucy! I'm so sorry! Are you alright!" She recognized this voice. When she opened her eyes she saw a flash of green. Suddenly there was a hand extended out for her. When her eyes focused she smiled. Her only childhood friend, Brandish, was kneeling in front of her, offering her a hand.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Brandy... You work here now?" Brandish's mother, Grammy, used to work for the Heartfilia's before she died. She was mugged at a train station and killed by a brutal stabbing. Before that happened, Grammy would always bring Brandish to work with her. Since Brandish was the only child around, they naturally became best friends. After Grammy's death when Brandish and Lucy were 13, Lucy hardly saw her anymore. But, Lucy would know Brandish anywhere. She had a very... unique look. Her and her mother both had stunningly green hair and they both wore these weird hair accessories that looked like black cross antlers. Lucy didn't know how brandish made those things work, but she rocked them like nobody ever could. Seriously.
"Sure do. Your father sought me out after high school and offered me a place among his staff. Said that my mother was a valued member of the staff, like family, and that he promised if anything were to happen that I would be taken care of. So ... Here I am." She shrugged and smiled as she pulled Lucy up from the floor. Lucy nodded and smiled. That sure was nice of him. Maybe he isn't all that heartless after all. Lucy gasped and was overcome with excitement. She hadn't seen Brandish in forever. It would be great to have her come along on the trip, too if she could.
"Oh! Brandy! My friends and I are going on a week long camping trip for Christmas! We leave On Saturday. Oh, please say you don't have plans! I'm sure papa will let you go if you ask!" Lucy looked into her emerald eyes pleadingly. Brandish's eyes were wide in alarm at her friend's sudden outburst, but her panic soon faded into a happy smile.
"I'll ask, but I can't guarantee anything. Here, put your number in my phone. I will message you with his response later." Brandish pulled her phone from her pocket and handed it to Lucy. She accepted it and quickly typed out her name and number before handing it back.
"I can't wait! I gotta go, but I'll see you later hopefully!" Lucy pulled Brandish into a long hug before releasing her and skipping to the steps, waving her hand over her shoulder excitedly. Brandish waved back and looked down to her phone with a small smile. She hadn't had a decent Christmas since her mother died. Maybe spending the holiday making friends and being with Lucy was exactly what she needed.
Later that day Brandish tapped on the study door and peeked her head in.
"Mr. Heartfilia, I have a request."
Later that night, Lucy sat on her bed drying her hair from having took a shower. Happy rested at the foot of the bed peacefully. Natsu was in the living room watching The Iron Giant with Gajeel while Levy was baking a hefty batch of granola bars. She had already made 4 other batches, which made Natsu suspicious but she just told him that they were for her and Gajeel's camping trip, which wasn't a lie. Natsu asked if that was all they were surviving on because there were so many. She told him that Gajeel would probably down half of them in one day. Natsu didn't argue because that is exactly what he would do. Couldn't argue with that logic.
Lucy tossed her towel into the laundry hamper in the corner. On the nightstand her phone vibrated and beeped. She reached for it instantly. She had been waiting for a message all day.
Tell me where to meet and I'll be there.
-Brandy
Lucy squealed with excitement. She had missed brandish so much. She was thrilled to have everyone going.
Meet us at 413 snowflake circle, Magnolia, FI, 79214. It's a friend's house.
-Lucy
She set her phone down and wiggled in place. Everything was working out perfectly. Everyone had been informed about the whole hand made gifts thing and prepared something. They didn't make something for every person each, they simply made things for their significant others and close friends if they so chose to. Lucy made a gift for Natsu, Juvia, Levy, Erza and now she had to make one for Brandish. She knew exactly what to do. She still had a couple of days to pull it together. Her phone beeped again.
See you soon!
-Brandy
Lucy smiled and set her phone aside. She hopped off the bed and swung around the door frame, launching herself into the living room. She skipped over to the back of the couch where she was about to pounce on Natsu from behind, but stopped when she heard sniffles. Her jaw dropped so hard she was certain it snapped off. Natsu and Gajeel were both crying... no, not crying, bawling like babies fresh from the womb. She looked at the screen and chuckled. She couldn't blame them. The Iron Giant hits everyone in the honey nut feelios. Poor guys didn't even see it coming. Lucy looked to the kitchen and laughed when she saw Levy with a mixing bowl in her arms. She was smirking at the pair as she mixed the contents of the bowl carefully. Lucy stood beside levy and crossed her arms.
"Let me guess... You told them it was a bad ass movie." Her smirk never faltered. Without delay she responded.
"Yep." Lucy laughed and shook her head.
"Well, it is a really good movie, so you technically didn't lie." Lucy offered. Levy looked up to her and smiled.
"That's what they get for eating an entire batch of my granola bars." Lucy giggled and covered her mouth as she looked back into the kitchen. Every available surface was covered in granola bars. Lucy dropped her hand and brushed past her petite friend, grabbing a baggy of the bars.
"Uh, Levy... Exactly how many of these do we even need?" Levy shrugged and continued mixing.
"Better safe than sorry." Lucy slowly placed the baggy back on the counter and nodded. Yes, there was no way Levy would allow this trip to fail. Cyborg's honor.
AUTHOR'S NOTE
Oh my god this took me DAYS to write. DAYS.
Next chapter will be the camping trip.
Sorry for the deception!
I really thought that I would get the camping trip done this chapter, but I have 7 days of camping to write about and that tacked on to this...
Lord have mercy.
15,140 words is enough for you all to suffer through for one chapter.
Next chapter will be titled 7 Days of Christmas Part 2. Lol
Tell me what you think! :D
And hell no I am not editing any of this shit.
Any mistakes? OH FUCKING WELL.
NOPE. NUH-UH. NO WAY IN HELL.
Too lazy.