A/N: Hope you like the story.

Snowglobe

It is said that if you shake the snow globe while making a wish, it will come true.

Many people said that it was true.

Could it also be true to you?

The streets were mostly empty, the town still in slumber under a blanket of snow.

Snow had been falling more regularly so there was mostly the hustle and bustle of the town maintenance crews. The sun was starting to breach the horizon but Natsu was entering the coffeehouse. He had some things to set up before Erza's products could be placed in the showcase.

Natsu let out a breath. The coffeehouse might be still and a bit cold to how he was used to it, but it was much warmer than outside.

For there was a crispiness that seemed to have been added to the air, a sharp coldness that seemed to freeze a person from the inside-out, no matter how well bundled one might be. Though, Natsu couldn't help but think it was good business for both his coffeehouse and the teahouse that was nearby. Everyone was welcome to come inside and get warmed up.

Magnolia's favourite festivity was coming, and that meant that the craziness in the town would shoot up. But it was always great fun. Some people had already started decorating their houses and it was just the beginning of the month.

Natsu had busied himself with starting all the necessary machines, lighting the space, righting the seats of the tables in the centre of the room and was starting to order the necessary things at the counter. A few trips from the kitchen to the counter and then the pastries were all set in the showcase. Natsu couldn't help but be amazed both at the look but also the flavour; Erza sure was outdoing herself as of late!

Everything was set. Now, it was time for the really early birds of customers to get inside. It was just a matter of time and there were some regulars who were bound to be appearing in a few moments.

Natsu flipped the sign at the door and the first zombie-like customers dragged themselves in. Well, one of them was much more zombie-like than the other.

The greeting was in the tip of Natsu's tongue but he knew that it would go unheard. He knew that only one thought was running through the minds of these people and that word was coffee. The pleasantries had to wait.

"So, what's it going to be for you today, Levy?" Natsu asked chirpily. The combo of mumble and glare he received made him grin. "I see, the usual. How about you, Elfman?"

"Coffee. Black." Was the stilted answer.

"Sure thing." He said before busying himself with preparing the coffees. "Do you want a pastry?" he added, distractedly glancing at them.

"This." Was the answer he got, said at the same time in different voices as each pointed at the preferred pastry.

"Okay. Go sit. I'll bring the drinks to you." Some mumbles were the only answer he got.

Humming, Natsu finished preparing the coffees and turned to get the pastries; a chocolate croissant for Levy and an oatmeal muffin for Elfman. The latter looked cute with small cookie antlers and eyes, while the nose and mouth were applied on the side.

Natsu calmly served his friends at the table because the first wave of customers were about to come; the Quatro Cerberus group was supposed to be finishing the maintenance of the streets and whatnot and they were bound to arrive at any minute. And then there would be a break until the morning rush hour. It was a good thing that his friends and colleagues were getting there – finally. So he walked towards the kitchen, stopping and leaning against the door jamb.

"Good timing…" Natsu said teasingly.

"Oh, shush." Lisanna shot back with an eye roll as she finished tying her apron.

"What? It's about time you got here."

"Your idea to open the coffeehouse half an hour earlier than usual to give a bit of a respite to the early workers is tiring." She said as she lightly punched Natsu in the arm.

"Hey, it wasn't all me. You guys were in on it too. Now, come up to the front, Kinana should be coming around soon too. And we're starting to have customers."

"You're so silly, Natsu." Lisanna said as she went to the counter. And right on time because the first members of Quatro Cerberus were entering the coffeehouse.

Natsu and Lisanna quickly took care of the orders and, as expected, the semi-calm came. Natsu leaned against the counter and looked around the coffeehouse. It was warm and cosy, the light walls giving some room for breathing. At the same time, the walls to his left and front were filled with booths while the one to his right, where the windows were, had tables with comfortable seats. More of such tables and chairs littered the middle of the coffeehouse. And Natsu knew that in a bit, lots of people would be filling said tables.

He then looked at the table by the entrance. That was where announcements, pamphlets and such were left and, in a place of relevance, was a snow globe.

There was a story behind the snow globe. It was said that it would make wishes come true. Well, wishes made when a person shook the snow globe while making them, that is.

It was something that brought some people, especially kids, to the coffeehouse. Sometimes there would be a line of people. Natsu found it cute. And he would like for it to be true but he was too pragmatic to believe in such a thing, despite some friends having done it and swearing by the snow globe.

Yet, Natsu had never shaken the small globe and made his wish. The only times he would touch the thing were when he was cleaning and, of course, that he had to pick it up. A few of the tiny snowflakes would twirl around the snowman inside but that was all. He didn't pay it enough mind.

Usually Natsu was busy, work and friends took a good chunk of his time. His whole group was pretty close and tended to find trouble, or have trouble finding them… until the moment Erza put a stop to it, that is. If there was something people in the town knew, it was that Erza could be pretty scary sometimes. The only ones to face her head on were Mirajane and Cana. And sometimes the battles of wills between the three were said to cause avalanches. No-one dared getting in the way when that kind of storm was brewing. And now the group had a big project in hands, preparing the several events of the Christmas celebrations. It was a lot of work, and pretty crazy.

Of course that among all of that, he always had a small hole that couldn't be filled and for which the phone or video calls couldn't suffice. His father, Igneel was always travelling and hadn't come home in years and that saddened Natsu a bit. He missed the comforting warmth and calm that seemed to surround his father at most times. It was home.

So, not to let those thoughts reach him, Natsu's solution was to work. He was even taking some secret baking lessons with Erza.

During work time Natsu had a lot of fun with Lisanna. She was his best friend since they were little and they knew each other pretty well.

Lisanna was telling Natsu stories of the renovation that Magnolia's Inn was undergoing. Her sister Mirajane was the owner of the inn and she seemed to be ready to flay the contractor and workers because they seemed to have forgotten what was supposed to be renovated and it was utter chaos.

"But," Lisanna was saying, "I'm sure that in a couple of days things will be back on track. You know Mira…" she exchanged a look with Natsu before they burst out laughing.

"Yeah, I know Mira… those people are in for some terror." Natsu said amidst his laughter.

"Yesterday Elfman had to mediate so that there was some peace. You know Elfman."

"How did they endure the manly speeches?" Natsu said in mock horror. "But now I know why he was acting so curt earlier…"

"Elfman prefers to sleep during his nights." Lisanna said in a nonchalant tone. "He's not so into having to escape from the line of fire for those couple of hours before he has to go to the town hall…"

"I bet."

"Still, there's time until Christmas. So everything's going to be up and running on time. And I heard that we might have more guests this year compared to last."

"That's great news."

"Yep. Those guests probably bring kids so Bisca and Alzack are going to make some money."

"It's all good." Natsu agreed. "Hopefully it will be a good season for us all."

"Yeah." Lisanna agreed. "Oh, but now let's finish this. The rush hour is upon us."

And so, the pair started getting things ready for the upcoming hurdle of the day.

Later, they had dinner with Lucy and Levy before parting for the day.

Natsu went to bed thinking that things were going well – everything seemed to be going according to plan.

They'd noticed that there had been more movement in the town but the coming snows would cut the pass that was up north of the town – to go to the other side people would have to go the long way, use the southern road. Fortunately that one didn't tend to close off.

The next few days went by without much difference.

They got into the groove of the routine, with some customers and the two main maintenance teams of the town appearing at the coffeehouse early and keeping them all busy. But they had a lot of fun amid all the work and running around.

And then, things changed.

Two people – city people – got to the town's main road and the car broke.

The harried duo got out of the car and walked into the coffeehouse.

And outside, snow started falling, hard.