CHAPTER 3 START
A/N – So now we know that Levy's making Gajeel a blanket. Lucy's getting Natsu a lighter and Natsu's making her a keychain. Gajeel is making Levy a – secret~ haha.
What are the other Guild members up to?
Levy and Gajeel weren't the only ones having trouble with their presents. All throughout the Guild, mages were stewing over the perfect present for their all-important Secret Santa partner.
That afternoon, after Natsu and Gajeel had left to work on their secretive project, Mira watched as her brother sweated and paced, worrying desperately over his gift. She smiled darkly behind one slender hand. She had assigned him Evergreen after they had pulled that horrifying prank on her during the S-class exams. It was her little way of taking revenge, but she didn't know who it was affecting more, her or Elfman. Unbidden, she had a sudden mental flash of a potential niece, and she sank onto her knees in tears and sobbed brokenly as she imagined Evergreen's face with…with Elfman's body.
"Sis?"
It was Lisanna, looking at her with obvious concern. She blinked back her momentary tears and smiled blearily at her little sister. "Don't worry about me, Lisanna, I'm fine, I just-" That horrible image flashed through her mind again and she covered her face with both hands, weeping with horror. Lisanna patted her sister's shoulder comfortingly, seeing her sorrow, but unable to comprehend the deep, evil root of it.
Looking up, she watched Elfman pacing like a trapped beast, muttering to himself and occasionally tearing at his hair. Her brow furrowed as she looked back at Mirajane, who was sniffling and murmuring something that sounded like "No, no, please don't let it happen," under her breath.
She hadn't remembered the holidays being so stressful that they would reduce both her siblings to tears! But then again - she smiled fondly at the sight of a weeping Mirajane – there were a lot of things that had changed in her absence. Gently patting her sister's back, she waited until her tears subsided before asking "What's wrong with Elf-bro?"
"I think he's just having some trouble with his present, that's all," Mirajane sniffled. Lisanna brightened. "Oh! If that's all, then why don't I go and help him out?"
Mira smiled through her tears. "I'm sure he would appreciate that very much!"
Without further ado, Lisanna hopped off the bar stool and walked over to her big brother, who was sitting on one of the long tables with his head in both hands.
"Elf-bro!" she called cheerily, taking a seat next to him. "What's wrong? Why the long face?"
"This…THIS MAN CANNOT THINK OF A FITTING PRESENT!" He yelled, and Lisanna smiled weakly as he started to howl in frustration.
"C-calm down, big brother! I'll try and help you!"
Elfman's howls subsided into subdued muttering and Lisanna patted his arm comfortingly.
"Who's your partner?"
Elfman pouted and for a second, he looked much more like the brother she remembered.
"REAL men do not so easily give up their secrets. At least not until after Christmas."
"But if I don't know who your partner is, how can I help you think of gift ideas?" She cajoled.
His jaw set as he thought about it before finally leaning to whisper. "It's…it's Evergreen."
"Ohhh…"
To tell the truth, Lisanna didn't really know much about Evergreen. None of them really did, since the Raijinshuu hadn't been very forthcoming with their personal lives even after Laxus had left. But out of all three of the Thunder Guard, she probably knew the least about Evergreen. Probably because she's so scary! She thought to herself with a chill.
Her eyes scrolled upwards to land on the aloof, beautiful face looking down at them from the second floor. Evergreen caught her gaze and turned away stiffly, but before that, Lisanna could have sworn that the stone empress had been watching her big brother.
"Well," she said kindly. "What do you know about her, Elf-bro?"
Elfman gritted his teeth, looking as if he was going to start shredding his hair again, and Lisanna quickly gripped his wrist to prevent it.
"Sh-She's scary…" he said, his voice low as he glanced at where Evergreen had been standing.
"Besides that," Lisanna encouraged. "Do you know what kind of things she likes? Her favorite colors?"
Elfman frowned as he racked his brains. Finally, "Fairies. Evergreen likes fairies."
"Good! That's a start, let's go look for fairy-related things then, Elf-bro!"
Lisanna stood up and tugged at her big brother's wrist until he stood up and reluctantly allowed himself to be dragged to Magnolia's main shopping center.
The Raijinshuu were gathered on the top floor in a secluded corner, and as one, they drew out their slips. Bixlow held his out and shook it.
"I got Titania. Of all the bad luck…" He gave a disapproving hiss as his dolls piped up "Bad luck!" "Titania!" "Bad luck!" He shushed them with a few soothing words.
Evergreen held hers delicately in two fingers, her voice shot through with disapproval.
"I got that blockhead Elfman."
Fried quietly overturned his own slip. "Mirajane."
Bixlow gave a raunchy wolf-whistle before breaking into raucous laughter and Evergreen gave him a pitying look. "Good luck finding something for the girl who has everything!" Bixlow chortled. Fried didn't even bother to respond. He already had a few ideas in mind, but there were things to arrange before he could make them happen.
"Have you already found presents for your partners?" he asked his fellow Thunder Guard members.
Bixlow shrugged, his tongue swirling along one canine confidently."Eh. I already found something. Even Titania shouldn't be able to resist, Baby!" His dolls grinned and bobbed up and down, speaking as one. "Irresistible!"
Evergreen shot Bixlow an unpleasant glare at his use of her much-coveted title, and slammed her fan angrily onto the table in front of them, discontent marring her usual perfect features.
"I can't figure out what an imbecile like Elfman would want!"
Fried gave her a sideways glance, hiding his surprise. "It isn't like you to consider what people actually want, Eve."
She flushed angrily. "You're the one who said that we should try and make nice with the rest of the Guild! I'm just…this is new for me!"
Fried nodded blandly, trying to hide a knowing grin. Bixlow wasn't as polite, cracking a huge tongue-waggling smirk at Evergreen. Unseen, they shared a victorious high-five under the table. They'd be collecting on their long-running bet with Cana and Erza about Evergreen and Elfman getting together any day now. Evergreen slammed her fist on the table, jolting them out of their stupid grins.
"Well?" She demanded. "Why are you two just sitting around? Talk! Do you have any ideas?"
"Do you?" Fried asked right back.
She sighed huffily, crossing her arms across her chest. "Yes. No. I don't know!"
"Hey, why don't you try something manly?" Bixlow sniggered. Evergreen snapped her fan open threateningly, but he didn't move, long used to her fits of pique.
"Well, I regret that I'll be unable to help, since I have other things to attend to, so I'll let Bixlow take over with potential ideas," Fried said, standing up smoothly and heading for the stairs.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Bixlow yelped." Don't leave me with her! You know she can be a harpy when she's pissy like this!" His dolls echoed him in their high voices, repeating the word "Harpy!" and "Pissy!" while giggling.
Fried just smirked as Evergreen yanked Bixlow backwards, digging her fingers into the slits of his visor. Her furious screeches and Bixlow's impudent retorts followed him all the way down.
"A harpy huh? You brain-dead puppeteer, I'll turn you AND your stupid dolls into driftwood by the time…"
Alzack was heading back to the Guild with a satisfied spring in his step as he thought of the warm, cinnamon-spiced cider that Mira had brought out just for the holidays. He'd been out all day looking for Secret Santa ideas, and he'd found a few things that would be absolutely perfect for Bisca! He couldn't wait to see her face when she opened up her presents! Sure, he was getting a few odd looks from other shoppers as a man holding a shockingly pink Heart Kreuz bag, but it was an indignity he was proud to suffer for his lovely Bisca!
He was strutting so confidently that he accidentally walked into a passerby, knocking several bags onto the floor. "Oh shoot! I'm sorry about that!" he stammered, kneeling and helping gather the fallen boxes and bags.
"Oh, please don't worry, it was my fault too!" The other shopper said, and they both reached for the final bag at the same time, hands landing on top of each other. They looked up and Alzack froze in shock. It was Bisca.
Laughing uneasily, they hastily retracted their hands, and there was an awkward moment of silence where neither of them moved before Bisca finally reached down and grabbed the errant bag, replacing it on her arm. Straightening, she turned to him with a bright cry of greeting, her face flushed lightly.
"Alzack! I-I didn't expect to see you here! "
"Same here, Bisca! So what are you doing here? Were you shopping?"
Bisca hurriedly stuffed her bags behind her, where they clashed against each other in a cacophony of crumpling paper. She winced. "Oh! That's…These are just…it's nothing! What about you? Is that for a girlfriend?" She asked quickly, pointing to the prominent pink wrapping that was peeking out of his Heart Kreuz bag.
"That! Oh! Haha, no, it's not like that at all! You see, that's just…it…it's a present for my mother!"
Bisca giggled nervously and they dissolved into stilted, awkward laughter that trailed rapidly into a deathly silence. Alzack fingered his desperately embarrassing god, why was it so pink Heart Kreruz bag as the seconds ticked past before finally blurting out "Well, I – I better get going!"
Bisca tittered and tried to wave with her bag-laden arm, which only resulted in a few of her purchases nearly sliding out, and she had to do a clipped half-step and quickly lower her arm to prevent them from escaping. "Y-yeah! Me too! See you later!"
They waved jerkily to each other, but as Alzack moved to leave, Bisca stepped in the same direction. "Oh! I'm sorry, blocking your way there."
"Haha, don't worry about it…"
They moved, again in the same direction.
"Sorry again!"
"No, it was my fault…"
They had to repeat this awkward shuffle two more times before they finally cleared each other, and Bisca gave Alzack a small wave, which he returned with a glassy smile before turning and speed-walking down the street with his head down, trying to hide his atomic blush under his long bangs. Oh my god! Why was he such a fumbling idiot in front of her! A present for his mother? What a lame excuse! Couldn't he have come up with anything better?
Even as Alzack was beating himself up, Bisca was walking away just as quickly in the opposite direction, the rapid click of her boots pattering a furious pace across the cobblestones. She was blushing too, unconsciously creating a massive fashion faux-pas as her red face clashed terribly with her green hair. Other shoppers walking by gave her curious stares, and one small boy tugged his mother's hand with an enthusiastic cry of "Look! Her face is decorated in Christmas colors!" but Bisca didn't hear, because she was too busy feeling mortified by her completely unseemly behavior in front of Alzack.
How could a casual conversation with him reduce her to a stuttering, blushing schoolgirl? She had actually tittered! Tittered like a self-conscious teenage girl around her crush, which…was actually not too far from the truth, she thought, sitting down on a bench and burying her face in both hands. To make things worse, she had been carrying his present with her, what if he knew what she was getting him now? Groaning, she patted her face with both hands until her blush subsided.
"Calm down, cowgirl!" She said out loud, with more conviction than she felt. No point worrying over spilt milk when it was already spilt. With a huge sigh, she picked up her two special purchases, opening one box and setting it on her lap.
A pair of finely-tooled leather boots with bright silver spurs looked back at her, and she had been so happy when she picked the design because it seemed to suit him perfectly, but now she fretted, plucking at her hair and chewing her lip with indecision. What if he didn't like them? Maybe the spurs were too gaudy…Was he even the type of guy who would wear boots?
She packed the boots back into the box, unable to look at them anymore, and pulled out the other package, gently parting the tissue paper to reveal a beautifully crafted pair of leather holsters, decorated with ornate silver detailing which perfectly matched the boots.
She had commissioned the boots and the holsters the instant she got Alzack as her Secret Santa partner, and had waited a whole two weeks for the craftsman to finish, but now her enthusiasm dimmed into uncertainty as she ran her hands carefully over the fine leather, wondering if he would even use them. Alzack had always been more of a practical guy…would he think that these were too showy? What if…What if he returned them?
A familiar voice broke her out of her downhearted musing.
"Bisca-san?"
She looked up to see Juvia, who was watching her shyly, her arms filled to overflowing with all sorts of bags and boxes.
"Juvia!" She cried, jumping up and hugging the water mage with a huge crunch of paper and cardboard boxes. Juvia froze in surprise, but returned the hug gladly with one laden arm.
"What are you doing here?" She asked enthusiastically, sitting back on the bench and clearing a space for Juvia next to her. The water mage sat with a grateful sigh, stretching her legs in front of her as she put down her multitude of purchases.
"Juvia is here buying presents for Gr- for her Secret Santa partner." Her cheeks turned slightly pink and Bisca grinned before asking the requisite "Who's your partner?" although she already had a pretty good idea.
Juvia's blush deepened, and she looked away before answering in a barely-audible whisper "J-Juvia's partner is Gray-sama."
"Oh! You got Gray? That's wonderful!" Bisca cheered.
"Isn't it?" Juvia gushed back before her demeanor shifted abruptly. "Wait. Are you saying that Gray-sama is wonderful? Are you Juvia's love-rival for Gray-sama as well?"
Bisca shifted away slowly as Juvia's hair started swirling upwards in a backdraft of magical energy, her eyes crackling dangerously as a peal of thunder rang out overhead. She held her hands up placatingly.
"N-no! Not at all! I meant that it's so wonderful that you got Gray, because he obviously doesn't belong with anyone besides you!"
Juvia's dangerous aura melted away instantly, and she brought both hands to her face, blushing demurely. "Do you really think so, Bisca-san?" She asked tremulously, eyes bright with unshed tears. Bisca nodded rapidly, diverting things back to safer territory.
"Sooo, what did you get him?"
"W-well…" Juvia reached for her legion of bags and started pulling items out of them, pushing them into Bisca's arms. "Juvia got Gray-sama this and this but then Juvia thought that it might be too showy, so Juvia got Gray-sama this and these instead and then…"
Bisca was rapidly disappearing in a veritable flood of presents, and she had to yell to snatch Juvia's attention away from her feverish love for Gray.
"Juvia! Juvia! Wait a minute!"
Juvia turned breathlessly back to her. "Yes, Bisca-san?"
Bisca's arms collapsed at that moment, sending the tower of presents tumbling onto the floor. She gasped and started picking them back up, stammering her apologies. When the majority of the presents were back in their bags, she turned back to Juvia with a sheepish grin.
"Juvia-chan…Don't you think that this is a bit too much?"
Juvia's lower lip trembled perilously. "Is it really? I…I never thought of it that way…Oh, what will Gray-sama think?"
She slid off the bench to her knees in a pool of dejection, sorrow radiating from her in a visible cloud. Bisca looked up nervously as thunder rumbled darkly above her. Kneeling next to Juvia, she put a comforting arm around her shoulders, ignoring how her friend was, quite literally, turning into a puddle of misery.
"It's nothing to worry about, Juvia! I'm sure you only have Gray's best interests in mind. Why don't we go back home and I'll help you narrow it down so that you can give him the perfect present?"
Juvia looked up at Bisca, her face the picture of utter despair.
"Y-you would really do that for Juvia?" She asked, voice wobbling.
Bisca nodded assertively. "Of course! You're my friend and Gray's my friend too! I just want to see you both happy!"
Juvia gave her a watery smile, and the gathering stormclouds dispersed slowly back into grey winter skies. "Thank you so much, Bisca-san!"
"Of course, and just call me Bisca from now on!" Bisca said sternly as she helped Juvia back to her feet, gathering her bags as they headed for Fairy Hills together.
A few hours later, Bisca bid her friend a fond farewell and headed back to her own room with her purchases in tow. She tossed the bags haphazardly onto her bed and fell face-first into her pillow with a relieved groan.
Tor-chan, her tiger, strode up with a concerned rumble, and she rubbed his ears as her menagerie of animals clamored in concern around her bed.
"It's all right guys! It's just been a reallly long day."
She blushed and shuddered at her recollection of some the more…daring of some of Juvia's purchases. She hadn't even known that they made such revealing clothing for men! After going through the immense number of potential presents that Juvia had bought, they'd manage to narrow the flood down to a single, ingenious bangle that allowed the user to requip into clothes from their closet at will. Juvia had been hesitant about that particular present because she preferred to, in her words "see Gray-sama's gorgeous, uncovered body at all times~!" but Bisca (blushing hotly at Juvia's blatant lack of shame) had insisted that Gray would appreciate the bangle greatly.
After sifting through the gifts for so long and keeping up a good game face in front of Juvia's glowing love for Gray, Bisca felt completely drained, but - she glanced up at the clock - it was only 4 o'clock! Well, on the plus side, she still had plenty of time to head over to the Guild, and Mira had said that she'd be opening a new barrel of that delicious cinnamon-spiced cider today! Her mouth watered at the thought and she decided that she'd go to the Guild for a quick drink and visit before coming back for her much-deserved bath.
Patting the nuzzling heads, fluffing feathers and smooth scales of her creatures, she bid them a fond farewell, promising to come back soon as their cries rang out from behind her closed door.
As she was reaching the end of the descending staircase in front of Fairy Hills, she heard a bright voice calling her name. Turning, she saw Levy, who was flying down the stairs, struggling into a warm jacket to brave the cold trek to the Guild Hall.
"Bisca! Wait for me!"
Bisca waved cheerily at the smaller girl, waiting until she caught up before they fell into step together. "Are you going to the Guild right now, Bisca? Levy asked breathlessly, pushing a bright blue tress behind her ear.
"Yeah, I am!" the sniper replied. "I heard that Mira has this delicious new drink…"
"Ooh, me too! I can't wait to try some!"
Bisca took in the shadows under Levy's eyes and her disheveled hair before asking "Levy, have you been up all night?"
Levy grimaced. "Yeah…I've been working on Ga- on my present for the Secret Santa. It's taking longer than I thought it would…"
"What are you making?" Bisca asked curiously.
Levy held up her hands to reveal bandaged fingers and laughed. "I'm sewing a blanket!"
Bisca's eyebrows jumped upwards in surprise. "Really! Who is it for?" She asked slyly, jogging Levy's side and waggling her eyebrows.
Levy giggled weakly. "That's…Well…"
"Ga-something, right? Why don't I take a guess, then? Juvia's got Gray, so yours must be for Gajeel-kun, now wouldn't it?"
"Biscaaaa!" Levy wailed, turning red. Bisca giggled. "I knew it! Don't worry! I won't tell anyone!"
Levy blushed, but nodded. "W-what about you, Bisca? Who did you get?"
Bisca just winked at her friend. "It's a secre~t!"
Levy whined and prodded the entire rest of the way to the Guild, but Bisca kept her mouth firmly shut. When the Guild Building finally came into sight, Bisca gave a relieved sigh at successfully escaping Levy's probing questions. As they approached the Main Hall though, Bisca gasped as she saw Alzack walking out. He froze in place as he caught sight of her, and they grinned shyly as they walked past each other, Bisca entering the Guild Hall right as Alzack exited.
Levy, who was just a step behind Bisca, was stopped dead in her tracks as she ran into a wall that had suddenly bloomed upwards from the floor in front of her. Bisca and Alzack found themselves in the same situation, and all three issued a scandalized "Ow!" as they ran into the invisible barriers.
"What is this?" Bisca and Alzack chorused. Bisca banged her fists on the wall, and red denial runes spread outwards from the point of impact. Levy, who was locked out of the Guild on the other side of the barrier, did the same, rapping her knuckles on the invisible square that Bisca and Alzack were trapped in.
"A…a rune trap? This is…Fried! Fried, what have you done?" She cried, crouching and trying to look past Bisca and Alzack into the Guild. Fried, who had been sitting casually by the bar, glanced up with a satisfied smile. He had been waiting for some mice to fall into his trap for a while now.
"Ah, you two are the second pair to be caught today. Please direct your eyes upwards."
Alzack, Bisca and Levy all craned their necks up. Alzack went pale and Bisca turned a violent shade of red as they both recognized a small plant with delicate white berries hanging over the entrance to the Guild. Levy started giggling as she realized what had happened.
"I-Is that…" Alzack stammered
"Mistletoe?" Bisca asked, her voice a squeak.
"Mistletoe!" Levy confirmed, dissolving into gasping laughter on the other side of the barrier as her friends squirmed uncomfortably in the small square. Fried nodded, getting up from his place at the bar and making his way through the growing crowd of Fairy Tail members, who had all gathered to watch in teeming anticipation.
Spreading his arms out in a grand gesture, he announced "The rules for escaping this rune trap are simple. Any two people caught under the mistletoe will be trapped until they kiss. Once you kiss, the rune wall will disappear. It is as simple as that."
Alzack and Bisca blushed hotly as the assorted mages ooh'd at Fried's words before turning back to them with bright, eager eyes. The inevitable chanting started, swelling to a roar.
"Kiss, Kiss, Kiss, Kiss!"
Bisca turned to Levy for help, eyes beseeching, to find her friend clapping along and chanting right with the rest of the crowd.
"Levy, please! Help us get out of here!"
Alzack joined in, giving Levy his most pleading eyes, but Levy, the master of huge, pleading eyes herself, was completely and totally immune to Alzack's sad attempt.
"Nuh-uh!" She said, wagging her finger at them with a huge grin. "You know what you have to do to get out! Now c'mon! We're all waaaiting~!"
Bisca bonked her head against the barrier repeatedly, causing red denials to spread out in circular ripples. All she wanted was a warm drink before her shower, couldn't her life be a bit simpler than this? She groaned and sank to her knees, her hat tipping forward to block her eyes as she hid her face with both hands. She sat silently until a tentative "Bisca?" sounded by her ear.
Peeking through her fingers , she saw Alzack squatting next to her, his hand extended hesitantly to touch her shoulder. The moment she looked up, he retracted his hand instantly, and her heart gave a disappointed twinge.
"Don't cry," he said, his voice shaking the tiniest bit.
She sighed and let her hands drop into her lap. "I'm not crying, I'm just…this is…"
She twitched in surprise as Alzack's hands landed squarely on either side of her face. She gave him a wide-eyed stare, mouth falling open in surprise.
"I'm sorry about this, Bisca." He was blushing, but resolute, and before Bisca could say anything, Alzack leaned forward and touched his lips to hers in a chaste, perfectly gentlemanly kiss that didn't last nearly as long as she wanted it to.
The rune barrier immediately dispersed around them, and every mage in the vicinity loosed a cheer loud enough to shake the rafters, but Bisca didn't see any of that, because the moment the barrier was gone, Alzack was on his feet and gone in a swirl of brown canvas, leaving her red-faced, open-mouthed and flabbergasted on the floor, mind still trying to process what had just happened.
Levy ran in and hauled Bisca's arm around her small shoulders, hefting the taller girl to her feet as mages caroused around them, patting Bisca on the back and shoulders and congratulating her enthusiastically.
"Yay! Congratulations, Bisca!" Levy cheered right along as she maneuvered the stunned sniper to the bar, settling her onto one of the bar stools before clapping her hands brightly. Bisca, still red-faced, didn't even acknowledge her, and Levy waved one hand in front of her face, with no response. She shrugged at Jet and Droy, who had immediately bounced to her side when they saw her enter and pulled them away, giving Bisca her privacy.
"I think she's in shock," she confided to her teammates, and they snuck to their usual corner to laugh about it more openly as they toasted their friends' good luck with some of the holiday cider.
"So what have you two been up to while I wasn't here?" Levy asked brightly after a deep swig of her drink. To her surprise, Jet and Droy both turned an appalling shade of green and spun away from each other to sit at opposite ends of the long table, leaving Levy, for once, alone in the middle. She looked left and right at their sour faces before taking another huge gulp.
"That bad, huh?" She asked wryly before pulling a book out of her bag and reading between contented sips.
Mirajane and Fried glanced down the bar at Bisca, who was still staring woodenly in front of her. She hadn't moved in the five minutes since Levy had brought her in, and Mira was starting to get worried. She turned to Fried, her brow furrowed in concern.
"Oh Fried, was it too much? Am I overdoing things? I just wanted to get everybody into a festive mood, but I think I've killed Bisca!" Tears trembled at the edges of her eyes and Fried snorted at her melodrama before reaching out and smoothing away the worry mark between her eyes with his thumb.
"Don't be ridiculous, Mira. She'll be perfectly fine. Look, see, she's moving. Er..."
Bisca toppled slowly off her chair, her delayed reaction at being kissed by the boy of her dreams finally catching up to her and sending her already-frazzled brain into overdrive. Fried looked back at Mirajane with a guilty expression and she burst into tears as she caught his eye. Hhe winced and patted her shoulder comfortingly.
"Mira, there's no need for worry, she will recover eventually…" Mira sobbed harder and Fried stammered, trying to cover up his slip. "I-I mean, look at how happy her face is!"
Mira's sobs slowed to sniffles, and she lowered her hands to look before breaking into a watery smile.
"You're right, Fried! Bisca's smiling!"
He laughed awkwardly, still patting her shoulder.
"See? It worked after all. I'm positive that she's er…in the holiday spirit now."
Mira smiled brightly at him and placed her hand over his and gave him a gentle squeeze, all trace of her tears gone.
"Thank you, Fried! You always know how to make me feel better!"
He smiled weakly at her, glad that he was sitting because that smile always made his knees go weak, and it would be completely unacceptable for him to collapse in an undignified pile at her feet. Looking left and right, she leaned forwards to whisper in his ear, and he had to fight the urge to lean back, because her proximity to him was…distressing. In a good way. He was just playing along, he thought, as he tilted his head to listen to her question, trying to ignore the whisper of her lips over his ear.
"So, I must know, who was the first pair caught in the trap?"
Fried smiled hugely, shaking with silent laughter.
"Who? Who?" Mirajane pressed, wiggling with curiosity.
"It was…it was Jet and Droy," Fried chuckled.
Mira's eyes went wide with surprise and she doubled over, her peals of laughter making everyone around her smile.
"Did they really…?" Mira trailed off, the question evident.
Fried smirked and nodded, "How else would they get out?" Mira broke into a fresh round of giggles.
"Well, Levy could have written them out," Mira giggled.
Fried stopped short in surprise. "I hadn't thought of that. I'd forgotten that she was able to break my runes. How careless of me to overlook that... "
Mira cupped her face in her hands and smiled at him conspiratorially. "I guess that means that Levy-chan and Gajeel-kun are going to require something special, then?"
Fried nodded, eyes already narrowed in thought, and Mira patted his arm.
"Thank you so much for helping me with my plan, Fried-kun. It was such a good idea!"
He smiled at her. "Only the best for you, Mirajane," and despite herself, Mira blushed under his gentle eyes.
As the days marched on towards Christmas, presents began appearing mysteriously under the tree. First came Erza's, a small package wrapped in silver paper, unmarked save for her name on a small, white tag. No matter how vigorously Erza shook it, nothing but a light fluttering came from inside. In the end, Natsu and Gray had to forcibly drag her away over her insistent yells of "I can figure out what's inside! Let me go! I can do it!"
She sat and stared intensely at the present from a distance away the rest of that afternoon, and people started taking the long way around after she blew Warren away for getting in her line of vision.
Next came Lucy's, a small package wrapped in bright red paper that was surprisingly heavy when lifted. Since Lucy wasn't back from her mission yet, Levy checked her present out for her, as did Gray, Erza and Happy. They couldn't come to a consensus, although they all agreed that it was too heavy to be underwear.
The mounting excitement in the air was palpable, and bets started to run wild as Guild members tried to predict who would get the most presents and what was inside. Charle's assistance was eagerly sought, but she scorned anyone who dared ask, wilting and leaving when Wendy (her Wendy!) came to her for prediction help with an abashed grin.
As the number of presents under the tree swelled gradually, an orderly system, complete with nametags and assigned spaces, was established to prevent the fights that broke out over ownership. How people were able to debate this was dubious, since the presents were all clearly marked to their respective owners, but people shrugged and joined in on the fun anyways.
Levy checked her little pile of presents every day, and judging from the rectangular shape of the wrapping, it was perpetually books. She was alive with curiosity about who her Secret Santa was and what they had gotten her, but every present came with a "From:" sign, and she thanked their owners excitedly, but her curiosity remained unabated.
A mere two days away from the Christmas Eve Party, Levy spotted a new present in her growing pile, a good-sized gift wrapped rather crudely in festive green wrapping paper. She ran to it eagerly and picked it up, immediately surprised by the unexpected heft of the package. Fumbling for the tag, she cheered when she saw the conspicuously absent "From" category. This was her Secret Santa present! Finally!
She hugged it to her joyfully before setting it down carefully and running her fingers eagerly along the wrapping. Now to figure out what was inside. Shaking the package gently, she didn't even hear a thump against the walls. There was only a heavy, shifting weight within that completely baffled her questing shakes. With a sigh, she retreated back to her table, unable to concentrate on anything else now that her Secret Santa present had arrived. It was so hard waiting for Christmas to come! She laid her head down on the wooden table, puffing her hair out as it fell into her face.
She had completed Gajeel's present several days ago, but she was so proud of it that she couldn't bring herself to wrap it up yet, so she was giving it a test-run in her own bed to make sure it was comfortable, and it was! She gave herself a congratulatory mental pat on the back. Good job, girl!
Well, with the party only two days away, she would have to wrap it up tonight, but she was so reluctant to do it! Maybe…maybe it was because she might never see it again, and after all the hard work she had put into it, wouldn't it be such a shame if Gajeel shredded it instead of using it? It was so comfy…She sighed deeply and rolled her head along the table to look back at her present, eyeing it predatorily before her eyes wandered to Gajeel's much-smaller pile, barely visible past the low-hanging boughs and ornaments.
Poor Gajeel! He deserved more than the few, lonely packages in his assigned space, and she frowned angrily. She'd definitely wrap his present tonight, and she'd make it huge and shiny and so pretty that everyone would want it and–
"Hey Shorty."
She jolted upright in surprise, her hair flipping over her face in wild disarray as she scrambled to push it back.
"Gajeel! What are you doing here?"
"Hmf. It's my Guild too. What, am I not allowed here or something?"
She flushed, anger and embarrassment warring each other. "No! That's not what I meant! You haven't been around these past few days, were you on a mission?"
His eyes shifted to the tree for a split second before he shook his head.
"No. I've been busy, that's all."
Before she could ask anything else, he nudged her hands, where several of her fingers were still in bandages from her misadventures with the needle.
"How'd this happen?" he asked brusquely.
"Oh…this is…it's…" She floundered helplessly, dithering and flapping her hands about like some sort of strange bird. Oh gods above! She hadn't thought up an excuse because she could tell anyone else that she'd been working on the present, but the moment he opened the gift, her goose was cooked! He'd definitely know it was from her! She was the only one with needlework wounds all over her hands!
Gajeel was still waiting for her reply, his eyes starting to narrow suspiciously, so she sat up a little straighter and sallied her lie forwards.
"I-I burned myself while I was baking! It's dumb, huh? Because I forgot to use oven mitts when I touched the pan and then I dropped everything, and I was cleaning for hours!" She giggled fearfully, trying to soothe her frayed nerves.
The end of her giggle turned into a sharp squeak of surprise, and she jerked back instinctively as he captured her right hand. He gave her a single glare and she fell silent as he carefully examined her index finger, running his thumb lightly across the plaster-capped tip. Despite herself, she started blushing. How could anyone expect her not to, when Gajeel's fingers were curled so warmly around hers?
He pressed the wrapping lightly, glancing back quickly to make sure he wasn't hurting her…before promptly ripping the bandage off. She yelped in surprise and tried to tug her hand back in vain, but he was already inspecting the wound in question, which…
"This isn't a burn."
His voice was flat, and Levy wilted as he dropped her hand back onto the table. She swallowed, caught in her lie, and opened her mouth to say…anything, but Gajeel cut her off with a jerk of his head.
"It doesn't matter. Just wanted to make sure it was nothing serious."
He swung himself off the table and strode out without another word, leaving Levy mouthing apologies futilely behind him, more confused than ever. He had been…worried about her? Her heart fluttered breathily in her chest and she shook her head. No! Stop that! She was so busy trying to figure it out that she didn't even notice as Lucy slid into the seat next to her, an absolutely evil grin on her face.
"So, we've moved onto holding hands now, have we?"
Levy screamed in surprise, whirling to face her best friend. Why did people keep sneaking up on her?
"Lu-chan! I didn't notice you! When did you get back from your mission?"
Lucy was sitting right next to her, legs crossed, her face propped up on one hand. She gave Levy the easy smile of a cutthroat detective interrogating a prime suspect.
"That's not important. Talk."
"Lucy…come on, you know nothing happened!" Levy wailed.
"Really? Because from where I was standing, it sure looked like Gajeel just walked over here to hold your hand before he left," Lucy said, leaning forwards eagerly for the kill.
"That's not what happened at all! Didn't you see? He ripped my bandage off!" Levy protested, showing Lucy her stripped finger. Lucy's mouth fell open, and her eyebrows shot upwards.
"Oooh! I didn't see that!"
Levy heaved a relieved sigh. Finally, Lucy was seeing things her way! But her friend's next words sent her into sputtering, blushing denial.
"So he came over, held your hand and ripped off an article of clothing before leaving!" Lucy clarified, fanning herself with one hand. "Levy-chan, you vixen! You two really shouldn't do such naughty things in public!"
Levy plonked her forehead onto the table, piling her hair over her face to hide her beet-red blush.
"No! Stop! Lu-chan! No! That's not…That's not what happened at all! And a bandage isn't clothing at all! It's not even an accessory!"
"It was on your person, and he ripped it off of you," Lucy announced with finality, and she patted her friend sympathetically on the back, leaning down to whisper "I think he likes you," before skipping back to her table.
Levy just stayed where she was, occasionally hitting her head with a closed fist. Why did Lucy have to say such evil things?
The next day, as Gajeel strode into the Guild during the lazy mid-morning hours, he noticed that there was a present in his pile that hadn't been there the day before. It was a large, eye-catching package, wrapped beautifully in rich gold-and-silver toned paper, and finished with an enormous trailing bow and ribbons. He snorted. How ridiculously overdone, but his curiosity was piqued, and he approached the box, glancing around to make sure that no one was watching him as he reached out to grab it, hefting it experimentally with one arm. It was pretty light, and he immediately ruled out anything made of iron.
A tentative sniff confirmed that the present was from Levy, and an anticipatory thrill raced through him as he wondered what she had gotten him. He pressed his ear to the outside of the box and shook it, listening hard to the telltale thump. Fabric? The hard clunk of something metal against the container…what the hell was it?
He was in the process of shaking it nearly to bits when he realized that this was Levy's present to him, and he'd feel guilty forever if he broke it before he even opened it, so he replaced it carefully, glancing around again to make sure no one had caught him in the act. He stalked away with an unsatisfied growl. He didn't like this part of Christmas. He'd never been one for patience.
And so the days counted down until the long-awaited Christmas Eve party. The entire town seemed to still in anticipation, holding its breath in preparation for the party to break. Things were about to get good.
END CHAPTER 3
I'm a complete idiot when it comes to formatting dialogue :/
A/N explanations.
Timeline stuff - Everyone got their Secret Santa partner on the 1st of December, but most everybody procrastinated wildly. When Bisca and Juvia were shopping, it was the 18th of December.
About the "From" tags. As I was writing, I suddenly thought…crap…if you know who's giving who what, then you could naturally deduce your Secret Santa by process of elimination, but in this case, I'm assuming that there are far more members in the Guild than the ones we've been introduced to. In that case, it would be natural not to get presents for EVERYBODY, especially if you don't know someone that well (like Fried might not get a present for Juvia or Gajeel, etc but it doesn't mean that he was their Secret Santa). WHATEVER. It makes sense in my head!
Also, Levy hoped that Gajeel might be her SS, but she was too practical to actually believe it. She just thought that he didn't get her a present because he didn't give anyone else a present either. (She would know, after snooping through everyone's gifts to look for a present marked from him in the hopes that she'd get one too.) She also totally forgot about Gajeel's dragonslayer senses. Silly Levy. (I think a lot of people in the Guild tend to forget, actually)