A Short Short

by Jeely

Freed really, really shouldn't read gossip magazines. They only make him feel worse about himself. That is, until a certain someone comes to talk him out of it... Freed/Laxus short, K

Sorcerer Weekly, the largest and most popular publication of the magical world within Fiore. While it flaunts itself as a source of information regarding the latest jobs, the most reliable guilds, and the most cutting-edge in enchanted technology, the Sorceror is most known for its gossip and coverage of the kingdom's most prominent celebrity mages. A timeless classic - and the magazine's most popular section - is the column, "The Top Ten Wizards I'd Like to be My Boyfriend/Girlfriend," with the bulleted list closely followed by detailed reasonings, explanations, charts, and photo spreads.
It was the most recent edition of this column that was giving Freed Justine such a headache. It wasn't that his ranking had suddenly jumped from tenth place to fourth - due in part to his regrown hair and some odd temporal shenanigans resulting from the aging of his teenaged fans from seven years prior - but the height charts that followed.

This week's Sorceror made clear an unavoidable truth; Freed Justine was short. This shortcoming was only accentuated by the Thunder God who chose that very moment to use the back of Freed's head as a stool to lean against while the rune mage sat with book in hand.

"Do you always have to do that, Laxus…?" Freed asked hesitantly. Not that he took issue with the contact, but the rump resting on the back of his head perfectly illustrated what the magazine had pointed out.
"You should stop reading that garbage, it'll rot your brain," Laxus responded, then with a lick of his thumb turned a page in his own copy of the same magazine.
"But- But you're- You're avoiding the question!"
Laxus glanced down, having to lift his elbow to see the man he sat on, and pierced Freed and the offending article with what the rune mage was certain was a disapproving glare. After a brief second of tense consideration, Laxus spoke up.
"You're short. D'you really think it matters any? Not like it's ever kept you from kicking anyone's ass when it counted," Laxus said, then returned to his magazine.

Freed mulled over the Thunder God's words - words of such wisdom and clarity Freed was astounded he hadn't thought of it himself. But still, the height difference irked him…
"Besides," Laxus continued abruptly, "it's cute."

And suddenly, Freed didn't feel so bad about being the shortest man on his team anymore.