Laxus stood in a secluded corner of the ballroom, trying not to boil over as he watched the two men talk.

Freed and the renaissance fair reject- Rufus- seemed to have really hit it off. They are talking pleasantly, all smiles as they conversed, probably about fashion or hair care or other things well groomed men like them cared about.

Then Freed laughed. Laughed! Together. With him.

Freed's laughter a bell-like sound Laxus could hear even across the crowded dance floor, thanks to his dragon slayer hearing. He remembered that sound from when they'd laughed together on jobs over the years. On the road, around the campfire, as they fought side by side.

Laxus growled low in his throat. His back was so stiff it felt like his shirt would rip any second now. His fingers curled, knuckles flushing white.

"HEY LAXUS!"

Natsu 2.0, the bleached blonde version, appeared in his vision, slinging an arm over his shoulder.

Laxus grimaced at clone's smile, the blindingly white teeth burning his retinas. "Buzz off, kid. I'm not in the mood."

"Yeah, you seem to be in a mood," he snickered. "And the name's Sting."

"Do I look like I care?" Laxus snapped. He was already pissy and the kid was just making it worse.

Another growl slipped out as he watched Freed smile, all soft lips and sparkling blue eyes. This drastically opposed by the hard line of Laxus mouth, his eyes dark and stormy.

Sting wasn't deterred; he had a knowing look in his eyes that made Laxus wanna punch him. "You look like you care a lot about tall, green, and handsome over there."

A snarl ripped out of Laxus, ull of animalistic violence that would've made any smart person step back.

"You know I'm right~" Sting sang. He was not a smart person.

"You trying to get killed?" Laxus asked, an underlying threat of violence in his tone.

"Aww, don't be like that-"

The lightning dragon glared.

"Don't worry, I won't take it personally." Sting assured him. Oh, what a relief. Laxus hadn't meant it personally at all. The kid carried on yapping. "I know your suppressed dragon nature is making you territorial and horny-"

Laxus put up a hand. "I'm gonna stop you there."

He held Sting with a look that made the 3rd gen's smile waver, unsure of what Laxus was going to say or do. "I don't give a rat's ass about this dragon bullshit you're flapping your gums about-"

"I'm serious!" Sting exclaimed, his blue eyes earnest. Laxus sucked in a breath at the slight likeness—Freed's eyes were blue as well. Except Sting's were a darker shade, more like the color of a berry. Compared to the ocean that was Freed's gaze, the blonde fell short.

What the hell? Was his mind composing poetry now?

Laxus shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. He eyed Freed and Rufus, gut clenching tightly, even as a rational part of his brain tried to tell him that Freed was his own man who could talk with however. Laxus didn't care. Freed was a strong, independent-

Then his vision swam with red. Oh, fuck no!

"Wait! Laxus! I wouldn't do that if I were- AY!"

Laxus plowed through Sting, who tried to shout after him, but Laxus wasn't listening anymore. (Well, he hadn't really been listening in the first place.)

He heard a distant heavy sigh, followed by a low voice. "Sting, just leave the poor closet case alone."

Laxus didn't care what people thought as he shoved through the crowd of people in puffy gowns and sharp suits, his vision tunneled after he'd watched Rufus leave a fleeting touch on Freed's arm., him handing the green haired man champagne being an excuse for skin contact.

Rufus had a slight blush on his cheeks, evidence of the affect the champagne he'd been drinking had on his senses. Senses of stupid.

Laxus thrust himself in between the two men, something a person with his body mass couldn't do politely. (Not that he wanted to be.).

Freed gaped at his rudeness. "Laxus, what are you-?"

"Hey, Ralph." Laxus greeted, a thin lipped smile on his face that told others to get away if they didn't wanna end up in a homicide report. "Mind if I steal my team mate for a moment?"

Laxus didn't wait for an answer, linking his arms with Freed's and guiding him away, leaving a sputtering and flabbergasted Rufus behind.

"Are you seriously doing this right now?" Freed hissed under his breath, agitated with the man's antics.

Laxus let go of Freed's arm once he found some sanctuary in an empty hallway. It was dark except for the silver blue moonlight that filtered through the windows, giving the marble floor an extra shine.

Stone statutes and pillows lined the hall, like they had a greater force watching over them. It made Laxus uneasy.

The blonde shifted his weight from side to side, feeling uncomfortable, especially with his new attire. Evergreen and Freed refused to let him wear his fur coat. It had become a safety blanket that he felt exposed without, like he had a hundred needled gazes poised just over his skin.

"Doing what?" He finally broke the silence to ask, going for obliviousness.

Freed didn't buy it, not for one second. He crossed his arms and glared at the larger man with his ocean eyes. Poetry invades once again. Laxus wanted to kick himself in the head. "Don't play that card with me. A blind person would know you're playing out some overrated jealousy trope."

Laxus looked down at his feet, scolded and a little turned on by the harshness in Freed's tone. His thoughts were certainly having a dirty dancing field day.

Freed sighed, heeled steps clicking against marble tile as he came in close. Laxus felt Freed's hands on him, nimble fingers fixing his borrowed suit's collar. Freed started to chastise him on being so unkept at a ball, and in the King of Fiore's castle, no less.

Another heavy sigh. "Why didn't you just accept my offer to dance earlier?" Freed's knuckles brushed softly against his sideburns and he leaned into the touch.

"Shit, Freed you know I don't do dancing." Laxus took Freed's hand in his, hand dwarfing the rune mage's, fingers thick and meaty in comparison. He smoothed his thumb over the callouses on Freed's palm, grown from his hard work and dedication to sword fighting.

Freed glared at him through lowered lashes, a look that sent heat pooling into his core.

Laxus brought up Freed's hand, placing a kiss to it with his chapped and roughed up lips. "I'm sorry."

Freed mouth quirked with a hint of endearment he was trying to fight off.

The lightning dragon brushed his lips against Freed's wrist, cheek nuzzling against the red coat sleeve. "Let me make it up to you?"

"Hmm..." Freed hummed. "I'd be open to a demonstration."

Laxus looked up at him, and two pairs of eyes started to fog over. He went in closer, angling his chin upward as he whispered in Freed's ear. "Happy to oblige."

Laxus left a trail of kisses down Freed's face, from ear, to jaw, and neck, both of them making little noises in the back of their throats.

Laxus hands started undoing buttons on the high necked collar. Freed always seemed to wear those, it was a welcome temptation (and excuse) to leave extra marks where they could be hidden the next morning.

Laxus turned them into a small alcove, pushing Freed flush against one of the staring stone statues. Who cares if you stare? the action said, I'll fuck my boyfriend right on top of you.

"These statutes are worth more than our house." Freed reminded him, ever the goody two shoes.

Laxus chuckled, eyes shining with mirth. "But you're worth so much more."

Freed scowled at the cheesy one liner, but made no further objections.

The dragon slayer burrowed into the dress shirt's fabric with his nose, the hard line of it nudging and scraping against Freed's collar bone. Strong hands gripping his narrow hips, Laxus open mouth leaving a trail of warm kisses and nips.

"Ah..." Freed's voice was barely a breath, intoxicated from the feeling of Laxus's mouth against his sensitive skin.

Laxus groaned softly as hands clutched at his button up, manicured nails digging in. He leaned into Freed's touch, encouraging the exploration.

His skin itched to be rid of the shirt, it was already tight stretched enough as it was, the buttons straining in their hold to keep the fabrics together.

A loud, gruff, cough infiltrated the space, making both men pause and look up from their position, tangled in each other's limbs and clothing articles.

Gajeel stood in the middle of the hall, clad in a dark teal and gray suit, his long spiny hair pulled back in a ridiculous ponytail in an attempt to tame it. (It didn't work.) Freed looked much better in ponytails, but maybe Laxus was just biased. He did have a hand down the green haired man's shirt.

"We're a little busy here." Freed called out, sounding annoyed. Laxus echoed the sentiment with a low snarl.

Gajeel put up his hands in surrender. His face was nothing but, with that cocky grin painted in it. "No need to be testy, dragon friend. I'm already taken."

Laxus didn't give a damn. His eyes bore into Gajeel, the fuck off message clear as day. Freed's hands fisted tighter in his shirt, twisting.

"Looks like you two have some business to get back to, gihi." A mocking taunt punctuated by his signature laugh before Gajeel strolled off, whistling a god awful tune.

Laxus kept watch until he disappeared around a corner, not back towards the dance floor, but another hallway. What was Gajeel even doing out here?

Freed buried his face in his broad chest, shoulders shaking with laughter. "I can't believe this."

"What?" Laxus asked, a teasing smile playing across his mouth.

"Us. In Mercurius Palace. Doing..." He trailed off, waving his hand around in the air as he searched for the way to phrase the end of his sentence.

Laxus finished for him, smirking slightly. "...Stuff."

"Yeah," Freed rolled his eyes. "Stuff."

"So... you uh... wanna get back to... the stuff?" Laxus asked, head pointed away but his eyes looking back towards the rune mage.

Freed nodded. "Definitely."

The dragon slayer obliged.


Yup, they hooked up at the royal palace. Go big or go home right? (That's probs what Freed think about Laxus lmao)

#LaxusIsSociallyAwkward2k18. We must protect him, and we all know Freed is the one in charge here. My majestic green haired prince.

Thanks for reading! This work is day 2 of the menslash week for the prompt: I don't care what others think. It kind of works bc Laxus doesn't give a shit.