Here's the third. Three more to go. I should have waited until Thanksgiving to post this here, but whatever.
Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail.
Title: Nostalgia Lane
Pairing: Gray x Levy
Requester: anonymous
Prompt: "Thanksgiving Traditions"
Levy parked her car along the street in front of a large, old, brown house. Prominent on the lawn stood a weathered sign that needed a fresh coat of paint or two, but still clearly read, "Fairy Tail Home For Children." Levy spared it a fond smile, thinking of all the years she had spent here.
Opening the door, she stepped out - a brisk wind ruffling her sundress. The garment was not nearly warm enough for the time of year, she knew. But then, she would be spending most of the day indoors in a too-hot kitchen full of bustling people.
She just had to make it to the warmth of the house.
Shutting the door, she walked around to the other side and pulled it open. Levy wrestled with the two over-full paper bags of groceries, maneuvering them until one arm was wrapped around each. She withdrew, stepping back carefully around the car door. Then Levy gave the metal a quick hip-check to knock it closed, and once satisfied that it sufficiently was, she took a step towards the house -
Only to come to a grinding halt, nearly slipping and falling at the sudden stop.
Levy glanced back at the car to see what had stopped her advance, discovering her dress caught in the car door.
"Are you kidding me?" she muttered under her breath. A shiver passed through her as another gust ruffled her dress, goose flesh raising on her arms.
A deep chuckle drew her attention, and she looked towards the source. Fast approaching from the house was a dark haired man as ill-dressed for the weather as she in his shorts and tank top.
"Need help with those?" Gray asked, his arms outstretched for the bags before the words had even fully left his mouth.
Levy smiled up at her old friend. "Thanks, Gray. Timely rescue."
"I'm good at that," he said with a wink, balancing the bags carefully. Once Levy had extricated herself from the car door, he passed one of them back to her. "So, how's life been for you lately?"
"Pretty good," she told him. "I got a new job."
"Really? Where at?"
"The museum. They have a shipment of new - well, actually they're very old - scrolls that they need translated."
He shot her a grin. "That sounds right up your alley!"
"So how about you?" Levy questioned, as they passed by the old sign on the front lawn. "Still working as a pastry chef at that one bakery?"
"Patisserie," Gray gently corrected. "And actually, we're working on a new menu for the holiday season. You should stop by and check it out."
"That sounds great actually. I'll have to find time to do that."
As they approached the door, Gray leaned over to conspiratorially yet loudly whisper, "You'll have to beat Erza to it though. She'll eat through the entire shop on some days."
"Oh, will I, Gray?"
The man froze in place, eyes going wide with fear as he stared at the cross redhead in the doorway. Her eyes narrowed, and her foot tapping impatiently, Erza brandished a ladle like a sword in their direction. "You two are late! Natsu and I have been here since yesterday preparing."
"Why does that not surprise me?" Gray wondered aloud.
Levy stifled a giggle.
Erza huffed, turning and holding the door open for them. "Well, get in, then. The kids will be happy to see you two." She paused. "Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving."
"Happy Thanksgiving!" the pair chimed back, entering the home they had all once shared, long ago.
It hadn't changed much, Levy observed. The wallpaper had been updated, she saw.
But the warmth inside, and the casual bickering of Gray and Natsu as the pair ran into each other, was still very much the same.
