tinsel and trouble

2. family and friendship

Gray's grandparents arrive, and Gray's grandmother teaches him what their holiday is all about.

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The trip to the train station was surprisingly uneventful. Freed and Laxus stayed back at the house to finish cooking, so it was just Gray and the dragons. Natsu and Sting rode happily on his shoulders, while Rogue slept in his pocket. Soft flakes of snow drifted down around them, and Sting spent most of the trip trying to catch them in midair.

The train station was packed. Gray made sure to keep the dragons close as he nudged his way through the crowd, occasionally standing on his tiptoes to see over everyone's heads.

"Nilaaqu!"

The familiar nickname broke through the noise and jumble, and Gray felt his heart lighten when he saw Anaa nudging her way through the crowd toward them. Ataa followed close behind with their wolfdog Qinmiq, who looked very unimpressed by her leash.

"Aulhit, Anaa," Gray said, pulling his grandmother into a hug and kissing her cheek. She returned the gesture, laughing when Sting and Natsu both nuzzled her. "How was the trip?"

"Very fast!" Ataa said, moving in and grinning at Gray. He looked like he was about to say something else, but Qinmiq pushed past him, tail wagging frantically as she headbutted Gray's legs. He laughed, crouching down and scratching behind her ears as she licked his cheeks.

"I missed you too," he reassured her. Sting made a pleased sound, clambering down Gray's shoulder and over Qinmiq's head, which was nearly twice the size of him. He settled down on her back, kneading her scruff happily as he started to purr. "And Sting missed you, too."

Qinmiq gave Gray a soft woof, seemingly unperturbed by the sudden passenger on her back.

"Trouble again," Ataa said, holding out his hand to Natsu, who chittered and rubbed his head against Ataa's fingers. "You are being good?"

Natsu cocked his head to the side, eyes wide and innocent, and Gray rolled his eyes. "They haven't broken anything yet," he said in Isvanian. "But it's only been one day. Bad timing, I guess."

Ataa shook his head, holding out his hand for Natsu to clamber onto. "He is trouble," Ataa admitted as Natsu scrambled up into his hood. "But cute trouble." He raised his eyebrows at Gray and gave him a conspiratorial smile. "Both the dragon and the boy, yes?"

Gray felt his cheeks flush pink and he quickly turned away from his grandfather.

"Come on," he said, taking Anaa's arm and gesturing to the station exit. "Let's go home."

~

As soon as they returned to the house, Natsu and Rogue jumped down and bolted toward the living room.

"Stay out of the tree!" Gray shouted as he kicked off his boots and reached out to take Ataa and Anaa's coats. The lack of jingling ornaments or rustling branches in the living room was reassuring.

Sting, who had fallen asleep on Qinmiq's back, yawned and stretched out his front legs, kneading her fur and then hopping down to the ground. He nipped at her front paw and scrambled backward, tail flicking back and forth.

"Not in the house, love," Gray said regretfully, nudging Sting with his foot. Sting sat on his haunches and stared up at Gray with wide, sad eyes. "Don't look at me like that. Qinmiq's too big." Sting whined and pawed at Gray's leg.

Qinmiq walked over to Sting and, very gently, picked him up in her mouth by his scruff. He made an indignant sound but didn't struggle as she carried him into the living room.