Fairy Tail Origins One-Shots!

Can't Be Home For Christmas (But Maybe You Can Be With Me Instead)

What better way to start off the holiday season than some good old fashioned ANGST? (And Hurt-Comfort)

Any angsters, where are my angsters?

Also, this is a College AU where David's mother died recently rather than when we was like 10.

Yay. Fun.

—————

David shouldn't be this upset.

After all, it's just a holiday— his father and family were probably busy. Who cares if he was by himself? It was just Christmas.

Wow. Just Christmas.

What a strange thought.

Christmas had always felt like this huge important thing. It only happened once a year, so it was a time to look forward to. It was a time to open presents and drink hot chocolate; watch movies and string up decorations; spend time with family and make memories together.

So why was this one any different?

Because his mother died 7 months ago. And his father hated him. But he was still in denial.

It probably wasn't that different, if he's being honest. Maybe his father and step mother and step brother were all gathered around the TV back at home, clutching warm drinks with cold fingers as another movie was watched, huddled together under a blanket. Maybe it was his own fault that David was missing out.

Maybe he just needed to text first.

But he already did, didn't he?

He glanced at the shitty plastic tree Lucas had set up in the corner of their lounge room, covered in garish tinsel and Dollar Tree decorations. Only one present sat beneath it.

It wasn't from his family, and the ones for them had already been sent in the mail, although David doubted they cared. The ones for Lucas and Galrin had already been sent, too. If they had arrived yet was a different question.

David had originally hoped to visit Lucas's house for Christmas and give his two friends their presents in person, but he couldn't put aside the time or money to buy the train ticket. So, instead of spending it hugged close to his loved ones, David was spending Christmas staring at overdue assignments, chewing his pen as he procrastinated.

Something clicked steadily behind him, making David's nerves stand on edge.

The silence was too loud, and the ticking was too quiet.

Tick tock tick tock...

Why were tears welling in his eyes? He shouldn't be this upset.

It's just a holiday.

It's just an excuse to eat store-bought ginger bread and buy overpriced presents, nothing more. It's a day that can be spent huddled in bed clutching apple cider, or ice skating smoothly across a river, or alone at home with only a bed as your companion. There were millions of ways to celebrate Christmas - this one just happened to be new for David.

He sighed and shoved his calc assignment away from him. He didn't like this way of celebrating Christmas.

The clock continued to tick.

He thought wistfully of Lucas, Ritchie, and Brandon, none of which would be back at the university for another week or so. Far too long, in David's opinion; but he couldn't blame them. If his family had invited him over, he would've done everything in his power to visit them.

But his family didn't invite him. His family hates him.

David opened his phone with a sigh, searching for any new notifications. None. Not even Twitter or YouTube were willing to end his boredom.