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DAYS WE DREAMED OF
Natsu loved Christmas.
The whole season was just fun- the decorations, the lights, the food, the gifts... but being with the people he loved was, of course, the best part.
He loved the big celebrations the guild threw every year, though there hadn’t been one last year, on account of the guild being disbanded. On the bright side, he got to spend Christmas with his brother at a quiet little inn in the Aiken Mountains, just past the Avesta desert, early in their trek across Alvarez to find a lead on a cure for Zeref's curse. It had been far quieter than he was used to, but it was nice. And he knew it was the first time Zeref had gotten to spend the holiday with anyone in centuries.
This year was different again- and in the best possible way.
The guild had their celebration early this year- apparently his mother had asked Gramps if they could have their celebration a few days before Christmas, and Makarov had been happy to oblige her- as she wanted a chance for the entire Dragneel family to celebrate Christmas together.
Natsu had tried to get them to let him host their party in his cabin outside Magnolia, but everyone (except Happy) had vetoed the idea on the account of his home being too small.
So instead, they were having it in Zeref's suite in the Imperial Palace.
The first time Natsu had visited Zeref’s ‘room,’ he’d been shocked- because ‘room’ really wasn’t the right word. His own palace room wasn’t shabby at all, but Zeref’s was basically a whole apartment: kitchen, sitting room, sunroom, a huge bedroom, a bath chamber… the works.
He was almost offended Zeref got all of this while he just had one room... but as it had been pointed out to him by others (repeatedly), that because of his curse, Zeref needed his own space- somewhere that was safe, but big enough so that he didn’t feel trapped.
Well... that made sense, he guessed. But he wanted his own suite, too!
Invel had vetoed the idea so far.
He sighed.
"Everything okay?" Lucy asked, smiling at him from her seat beside him.
Natus huffed. "Just thinking how unfair it is Zeref gets all this," He gestured to the suite they sat in, "and I only get one room."
Lucy giggled. "Really? Jealous, much?"
"Natsu," His mother called from the kitchen, where she was working on Christmas dinner, "have some compassion for your brother. After everything he's been through, don't you think he's earned the big room? He also built this empire from the ground up, after all."
Natsu slumped, knowing his mother was right. "Yeah, I guess."
"Let's be honest, Natsu, you don't need more space to make a mess of." Lucy said with a chuckle.
"Hey!"
"Heheheheh." A mischievous voice snickered behind her. "You only say that because his space is about to be your space Lucy, since you loooooooove him!"
Lucy sighed, exasperated. "Yes, well, I would hope so. We are engaged, after all."
Happy's jaw dropped. "You're supposed to get embarrassed and deny it!"
Natsu and Lucy both laughed. "Yeah, not anymore.” Natsu said, sliding an arm around his fiancee. “Find a new bit, buddy."
Happy fell to his knees dramatically. "My power... gone, just like that." He shot them a wounded glare. "This is all Invel and Dimaria's fault! They've ruined everything! Worst Christmas ever!"
He was drowned out by more laughter.
The door opened and a cheerful voice asked, "Oh, did we miss something?"
They turned to see a bright-eyed Larcade and a disheveled August, his short pale blonde hair sticking out in every direction, heightening his similarities to his uncle, approaching.
"Just Happy having an existential crisis." Lucy said, ignoring the exceed's offended stuttering. "I'm a bit surprised to see the two of you arrive together."
"Ah!" Larcade's smile widened. "I actually arrived early, but I grew concerned when I noticed my big brother-" August visibly cringed at the title, "wasn't here yet. So I went to check on him and found him beside himself in his room. No doubt because his new flame wasn't able to join us tonight."
August groaned, dragging a hand across his face. "I overslept from a nap. That is all. I was most certainly not beside myself. And stop calling me that."
"What? Big brother?" Larcade said in a sing-song voice, looking far too amused. "And nice deflection, but you can't fool us. We all know you'd much prefer if she were here!"
"I'd much prefer it if you weren't here," August muttered.
"Hey! You can be honest with us, August!" Happy said, flying over. "We all know you looooovve-"
August flicked his hand and Happy's voice instantly vanished. The exceed flailed about in mute protest as Natsu and Lucy howled with laughter.
Ruth poked her head out of the kitchen. "August, sweetheart, please play nice."
August sighed. "Yes, Grandmother." He waved his hand again, restoring Happy's voice.
"You're mean!" Happy wailed, retreating behind Natsu.
Larcade tsked playfully. "Mom did say you should work on your people skills, remember?"
"I'd like to think I'm doing an exemplary job, not strangling you right now." August replied flatly, not meeting his eyes.
Before anyone could laugh or Larcade could fire back, another door opened in the suite's hallway. "Ho ho ho! Merry Christmas!"
Out stepped a man dressed in full Santa attire, from the red coat and hat down to the clearly fake white beard, beaming proudly. Ruth practically squealed in delight, Lucy smiled at ‘Santa’s’ entrance, and even August and Larcade paused mid bickering, surprised by Father Christmas's sudden arrival.
Happy gasped so hard he nearly inhaled a marshmallow he was definitely not thinking of swiping from the hot cocoa tray "SANTA!?"
Natsu cringed. "Ugh. Dad, no. We're too old for this."
"Too old?!" Definitely Santa and certainly not Thaddeus Dragneel boomed. He turned to his wife. "Mrs. Claus, make sure that one gets coal in his stocking and skimpy portions at dinner tonight!"
"What?!" Natsu shot up. "That's abuse!"
"Come on Natsu," Lucy giggled. "Don't ruin the fun."
Thaddeus dropped his act for a moment, stepping close to whisper, "Hey, kiddo, this isn't only for you. It's for the grandkids- and Happy- too!"
Natsu pointed over his shoulder at August and Larcade. "Dad, your grandkids are older than you are!"
Thaddeus's face fell. He trudged dramatically to the corner of the room and plopped onto the floor. "Why would you remind your old man of how much he's missed- on Christmas Eve of all days!?" He cried in apparent devastation, refusing to look at anyone.
"You broke Santa!" Happy wailed, pointing an accusing finger at Natsu. "SCROOGE!"
Natsu rounded on him. "I am NOT!" He barked back. "Take it back, or I'll-"
Ignoring Natsu and Happy’s squabble, Larcade walked over and patted Thaddeus’s shoulder. "We love the Santa outfit, Grandpa. Really. Neither August or I had Santa growing up."
August, in an extremely rare moment of sibling solidarity with Larcade, smiled and nodded.
The Dragneel patriarch brightened instantly, springing back to his feet."Really?! That's great! I didn't have Santa either! He didn't even exist when I was alive before!"
That earned laughter from the whole room.
"MERRRRYY CHRISTMASSS!!!" A bright voice sang out from the hallway.
Mavis twirled out from the bedchamber wearing the most atrocious Christmas sweater imagineable- poorly stitched on snowmen with googly eyes, tiny bells sewn along the hem, and a massive, unintentionally crossed-eyed reindeer plastered across the front. Every step she took jingled loudly.
"Isn't it perfect?" She asked, beaming.
"It's very you, First Master." Lucy said with a chuckle.
"Adorable." Ruth agreed. She glanced behind Mavis, and then, brow furrowed, asked, "Wait, where's Zeref?"
Mavis's smile faltered ever so slightly, and she turned back to the bedroom door, cracking it open. "Zeref! Come on, everyone's waiting on you!"
"Absolutely not!" Zeref shouted back immediately. "I refuse!"
Mavis huffed. Ruth narrowed her eyes before declaring, "Zeref Dragneel, if you don't come out this instant, I will drag you out myself!"
At that, Natsu's face lit up. "Oh wait, can I?!"
He didn’t wait for an answer.
He darted past his mother and Mavis into the bedroom. There was a startled yelp, a thud, and finally a muffled, "Natsu, don't you DARE-"
And then Natsu burst back into the suite, proudly hauling his big brother by the back of his sweater.
His own very ugly Christmas sweater.
No jingling bells like Mavis’s, but small flashing red lacrima lights blinked across the fabric, and a crooked gingerbread man clutched a giant lopsided candy cane.
The room was silent for a moment before everyone burst into laughter.
His mother clasped her hands together. "Oh Zeref, you look so sweet!"
Zeref looked even more depressed than he usually did.
Thaddeus stroked his fake beard, examining his eldest. "I'll have my elves whip something much better for you, my boy. That, um... thing... you're wearing won't do."
Mavis gasped, offended. "Hey! I worked really hard on that!"
"I would like my robes back, please." Zeref muttered.
"Nah, this is an improvement!" Natsu said with a wide grin.
"Get your eyes checked." Zeref grumbled at his brother. "No one else thinks that. Plus, Mom and Dad still think like I do about fashion, right-"
He turned to his parents, finding they both wore uncomfortable smiles. "After seeing all the new styles in this era… I'm afraid not, dear." Ruth admitted.
"Yeah, they're... what's the word... dated." His father added with a nod.
Zeref stared at them in disbelief, utterly betrayed.
"Well, glad that's finally settled!" Natsu said with a grin. "Now, let's eat!" He lunged for a bowl, only for his hands to be smacked away with a wooden spoon.
"Not until I'm finished, young man." His mother scolded.
Natsu yelped, while everyone else laughed.
Dinner was everything Natsu hoped it would be. Warm, loud, and full of laughter. The emperor's suite in the Imperial palace, which previously had only known silence from its sole occupant, now felt warm and alive- like a real home.
After the food came the gifts.
Natsu gifted Zeref a dark, well fitted jacket. Zeref tried it on, and found- shockingly- he didn't hate it. Mavis approved.
Thaddeus gave Ruth a small box, containing a golden ring- a new wedding ring to replace the one lost centuries prior. She cried, and so did he, behind his fake beard.
Happy was practically drowned in the amount of fish he received.
Most surprising, at least to August, was when Larcade slid a rectangular shaped gift his way. He opened it, brow furrowed- only for his eyes to widen seconds later.
"The Second Volume of Di'Anno's Advanced Application of Theoretical Arcane Sorcery?" He read, startled. He spun on Larcade. "But how? I've searched for this for decades!"
Larcade smiled, rubbing his neck sheepishly. "I listen... sometimes-"
He was cut off by August abruptly hugging him.
Meanwhile, Natsu opened a gift from Lucy: a handmade, stuffed dragon resembling Igneel. "I know he couldn't be here with us... but... and I know it's silly, but... I thought having something physical to remind you of him here with you might be nice, you know?"
"Luce... thank you." Natsu whispered, squeezing it tight to his chest as he handed Lucy a small bag.
Reaching inside, her breath caught as she pulled out an imperfect, but clearly lovingly crafted replica of Aquarius's key.
"Do you like-" Natsu was cut off as Lucy met his lips with a passionate kiss.
The night slowly wound down. Mavis passed out in a big chair by the fireplace, and Zeref draped a blanket over her. At her feet, Larcade snored on the rug with Happy sprawled across his chest. August read his new book with a focused intensity. Thaddeus and Ruth dozed, curled together on the couch.
Lucy slept against Natsu, her hand in his.
He gazed out one of the wide windows overlooking the sparkling city below. So much had happened to reach this moment. For so long, he'd wondered if an ending like this was even possible- his family restored, his brother smiling without fear, his parents alive again, and of course, a place for his guild family in this new life he'd carved out for himself.
Lucy's fingers tightened around his, grounding him. A physical reminder this was very real. He allowed a smile of victory to settle on his face.
After so much loss, so much struggle...
Natsu and his family had finally taken something back from the world.
A future together.
A home together.
And now... a Christmas he would remember for the rest of his life.
The Christmas where his family was whole again.