Acnologia was dead to begin with. There was no doubt whatever about that. He was a greedy and cold hearted man who in life took advantage of the poor, ignored the needy, and specialized in causing pain. No one mourned his death and everyone consider his demise a good riddance. There was only one man in Magnolia who was as greedy and cold as him and that was his business partner Zeref Dragneel.
He was a money lender who was as bitter and cold as the winter ice that covered the ground outside. He cared for nothing except himself and money, having little to no love in his heart. His former employees would say that he was the worst employer who ever lived and they were probably right. Zeref only had one employee left, Gray Fullbuster. A man as poor as dirt who could barely afford the clothes on his back nevertheless he was a hard worker, a devoted husband, and a loving father of four, determined to do anything and everything he could to take care of his family. But poor Gray didn't earn nearly as much money as he deserved and he was Zeref's most loyal and hard working employee. True he had considered finding work else where but there were no other positions open that could pay for his needs.
"Fullbuster!" Zeref shouted from his office one cold Christmas Eve morning.
"Ye-Yes Mr. Dragneel?" Gray shuddered nervously.
"How much coal to put in the fire this morning?!"
"Only one as usual sir."
"You wouldn't lie to me would you?"
"Oh no sir! Never!"
He gave Gray as suspicious glare.
"Mr. Dragneel would it be too much to ask if I put just one more piece of coal in the fire? The ink is a little frozen."
"Coal costs money! If you dare stick another in that fire it will come out of your pocket Fullbuster!"
"Yes sir."
Zeref then went into his office to count his money like he normally did. Hours later Natsu Dragneel arrived at the door, Zeref's younger brother and only living relative but you would never suspect that they were related. Unlike his older brother, Natsu was a warm and generous man who always willing to give and help out whenever he could. As children the two had been quite close but upon reaching adulthood they drifted apart and Zeref grew to resent his brother. In fact he didn't even come to Natsu's wedding but despite that Natsu never stopped trying to repair their broken relationship.
"Merry Christmas brother! God save you!" Cried his cheerful voice who came upon him so quickly that this was the first intimation.
"Bah! Humbug!" Zeref scoffed.
"Christmas humbug? Oh Zeref you don't mean that."
"I do. Merry Christmas! Bah! What right have you to be merry? You're poor enough."
"What right have you to be dismal? You're rich enough."
Zeref Dragneel was pretty much the only person in Magnolia who could not find happiness and joy in that wondrous time of the year known as Christmas. In fact he despised the holiday, believing that is should be abolished.
"Humbug!"
"Don't be cross Zeref."
"What else can I be? When I live in such a world of fools as this? Merry Christmas indeed! If I could work my will every idiot who goes about with 'Merry Christmas' on his lips should be boiled with his own pudding and buried with a stake of holly through his heart!"
"Zeref." Natsu pleaded.
"Natsu!" Zeref returned sternly. "Keep Christmas in your own way and let me keep it in mine!"
"Keep it? But you don't keep it."
"Let me leave it alone then. Much good it has ever done you!"
"There are many things from which I might have derived good, by which I have not profited, I dare say, Christmas among the rest. But I am sure I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round—apart from the veneration due to its sacred name and origin, if anything belonging to it can be apart from that—as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys. And therefore, brother, though it has never put a scrap of gold or silver in my pocket, I believe that it has done me good, and will do me good; and I say, God bless it!"
Gray involuntarily applauded. Becoming immediately sensible of the impropriety, he poked the fire, and extinguished the last frail spark for ever.
"Let me hear another sound from you Fullbuster!" said Zeref, "And you'll keep your Christmas by losing your situation!"
"Sorry sir." Gray apologized. "I...I was just keeping my hands warm."
"You're quite a powerful speaker, brother." Zeref said turning to Natsu. "I wonder you don't go into Parliament. Now why have you come? Can't you see that I'm busy?"
"I apologize for the intrusion but I wanted to invite you to have Christmas dinner with me and my wife tomorrow. Lucy has been very eager to meet you."
"Then I'm afraid she'll be quite disappointed."
"But Zeref I've told her so much about you, how you and Layla were so close. It shocks me that after all Layla did for you, for us. You wouldn't even meet her own daughter."
"I care not for Layla or her daughter."
"How can you say that? And why must you always push me away? Why can't we be like we were so many years ago?"
"Why did you get married?"
"Because I fell in love."
"Because you fell in love. Love! Bah! The only thing in this world more stupid than Christmas!"
"Zeref please."
"Good afternoon."
"I want nothing from you."
"Good afternoon!"
He went back into his office, slamming the door in his brother's face. Natsu sighed feeling very hurt.
"Don't take it personally Natsu." Gray said. "He treats everyone like that, in fact he treats me a lot worse."
"I just wish that we could be friends again but it looks like that'll just be a wish and nothing more."
"Miracles do happen."
"You're always so full of hope Gray. How's your family?"
"Well off, Juvia recently started making and selling quilts for extra money."
"Is she any good?"
"Yes but nobody wants them."
"Well my wife and I could always use a quilt to get warm by the fire with. I'll stop by your house on the way home and buy one from your wife."
"Really? Oh thank you, thank you so much."
"Anything to help a friend especially one who has a boy as sick as yours."
Gray's grateful demeanor dropped into a melancholy one when he heard those words.
"How did you find out?"
"Lucy saw him with your wife in the market the other day. Is he getting any better?"
"We pray everyday that he is."
"I wish I could do more than just buy a quilt."
"That in itself is enough, trust me."
Natsu slipped back on his hat and coat, preparing for the journey home.
"Merry Christmas Gray." He said.
"Merry Christmas Natsu." The underpaid clerk replied.