Making A List...

Chapter 1

Disclaimer: All Fairy Tail Characters Belong to Hiro Mashima

Making a List...

Chapter 1

Gray walked into his dorm building, slamming the door behind him in disgust. Just what in the hell was he supposed to do now? Stupid Lyon, how could his own brother change plans on him at the very last minute? He wasn't even allowed to stay in his room over break, and everyone he knew had already left town to be with their families for the holidays.

He entered his room and stared at his suitcase, already packed on his bed and sighed. He'd have to fork over a lot of money to stay in a cheap motel. What a lovely Christmas he was going to have. He grabbed his suitcase and locked his room. He decided to head over to the coffee shop around the corner and consider his options.

Gray was sulking at a table when he heard a voice he hadn't expected order a Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha from the barista. He looked up to make sure and saw the rather distinctive pink hair of his friend. Could it be that Natsu had nowhere to go either?

Gray had been trying for months to figure out how to ask Natsu out, but whenever he tried it was a disaster. For years they'd had this ridiculous rivalry, and it was just ingrained into most of their interactions to bicker or rile each other up. Not exactly conducive to romance, but Gray could not deny that beyond the obvious attraction, at least on his side, there was more.

Natsu could be thoughtful, loyal, and funny. Just not with Gray so much, and he didn't know how to change that. Before he'd had a chance to come up with a plan of action Natsu had already noticed him and headed toward his table. He plopped himself in the chair across from him.

"So, what are you still doing here?" Natsu asked as he sipped the drink that most people would have considered scalding with nary a reaction. "I thought Lyon was picking you up."

"So did I," Gray complained, "It turns out he wasn't able to get the time off, and he forgot to let me know because he was," and here Gray brought his hands up in air quotes, "too busy to bother."

"Oh, that sucks," Natsu replied and took another sip of his drink while studying his friend curiously, "What are you going to do?"

"Hell if I know, I was looking up motels, but they're either full or expensive as fuck." Gray looked at the search results on his phone in frustration.

"Well, there's no need for you to shell out cash," Natsu shrugged, "You can crash on my futon if you want."

"Wait, really?" Gray's heart sped up at all the opportunities he might have to make Natsu see him differently. Winter was his best season. Gray loved everything about it, ice skating, snow, long nature walks followed by large mugs of hot cocoa with tiny marshmallows.

Christmas was his favorite holiday as well. He loved doing all the holiday stuff, and he was feeling very thankful at the moment to not have to spend such a big holiday by himself. This would be the first Christmas without Ur, and he'd been really pissed at Lyon that he hadn't seen fit to spend it with him.

"Sure, I'll be working most of the time, but you're welcome to stay. Happy will be glad to have the company," Natsu noticed the suitcase next to Gray's chair and stood up,

"We can go now if you want."

"Working?" Gray repeated with disappointment, "What about Christmas?"

"What about it?" Natsu looked at Gray with confusion, "I don't celebrate it, but it's a great time to get overtime hours." Misunderstanding Gray's reaction he quickly added,