Picking up the tray of food from the bar counter, Freed smiled at Mira.
"Thank you Mirajane, I'm sure when Laxus wakes up he is going to be very hungry." He said with a soft chuckle.
The woman in questions laughed at his remark and nodded in agreement. Her bright eyes shining with glee, the through that the Thunder Legion had been getting better had put the entire guild in a far better mood. "I'm sure he will be, now go before he wakes up!" She said.
Freed let himself laugh at her statement, and with one last 'thank you', he was walking back to the infirmary.
Opening the door with the help of Evergreen who was already walking out, she smiled at her Captain and helped him step through the threshold.
"Is he still asleep?" He asked, his voice barely above a whispered, just in case his God was truly resting. With a small smile on her pretty face Ever shook her head.
"No he's been awake for a while now." She replied. "I think he's waiting for you?" The witch added.
Widening his eyes in surprise he stopped under the door way and turned his head to look at his friend. "What do you mean he was waiting for me? Was it for his lunch?" Confusion made it hard to process any other information and the thought of keeping Laxus waiting for anything had a blush of embarrassment form on his cheeks.
Shaking her head again, Evergreen reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Freed that's not it. He just wants to talk to you." Knowing that the Rune Mage would have just asked even more questions, she pushed him further into the infirmary and closed the door behind him with a loud bang.
The roughness was to snap Freed out of whatever trance he was under and to make sure that Laxus knew that the man he wanted to see was already there.
Freed sent a glare at the door over his shoulder and began to walk to the bed on the far side of the room. A curtain kept any prying eyes from seeing the man behind the white fabric.
Slowly moving closer, he balanced the tray on one hand and with the other moved the curtain to the side. Laxus looked up at the sound of rustling fabric. Sitting up a bit straighter in bed he kept his eyes on the greenett.
"It's good to see you awake Laxus." Freed said with a relived smile on his face. All the tension in his body melting away at the sight of the Lightning Mage.
However his friend didn't show the same enthusiasm.
Seeing the other man distressed, Freed put the tray of food on the nightstand by the bed and took a seat close to the older man.
"Laxus, are you alright?" He asked softly.
Turning his head to the side, Laxus couldn't stand to look at the other's face. Guilt and shame made a bitter taste form in his mouth.
"Do you know how the town ended up?" He demanded, his voice was far harsher then he had intended and he soon regretted it when he saw the way that Freed recoiled back as if he just been struck. Finally deciding to look at his face, Laxus was able to see the tears that made Freed's dark blue eyes shine. Behind them there was a look of hurt and betrayal.
He was going to need to have a talk with the old man and demand why he lied to Freed.
"Of course I have. Over one hundred people have been kill." A shadow of rage crossed over Freed's eyes and for a moment his face was pulled back to a snarl. "People that don't even use magic have been affected."
A dark laugh was ripped out of Laxus' throat and he let his head fall. "I shouldn't even be here. If I had tried harder then you and the others wouldn't have gotten hurt and the town would have been safe. Maybe if I had breathed in more of the gas." The last part was almost said with a wishful tone.
Silence fell between the two old friends and for a moment Laxus thought that Freed had just up and left.
But soon the sound of his voice rang through the room.
"Laxus you idiot!" He screamed.
Shock made Laxus freeze for a moment. His eyes was glued on Freed but he couldn't see a good portion of his face, his hair making, for a moment, a curtain.
When Laxus finally found his voice, all he could do was choke out a "What?"
Throwing his head up, Freed reviled his face. Tears slowly slid down his cheeks leaving wet tracks in their wake. His eyes were wide and pleading. He couldn't control his shaking hands and all he could do was make them into fists against his chest.
"Don't ever think that! There was nothing more you could have done. If you had breathed in anymore gas you would have been killed!" He cried. "You selfish fool!"
Laxus didn't know how to deal with emotions, it was pretty obvious with the way he handled First Master Mavis. So what was he supposed to do when the most calm and collected person he knew began to break down right before his eyes?
"You said that we we're the things most important to you. Well you're the most important thing to us! How do you think we would have reacted if you had lost your life? Our job is to protect you!" The tears that Freed let fall seemed to have no intention in stopping. A dull ache formed in his heart as he replayed back what had happen in the town. He almost lost the man he loved. Just the mere idea was something that can have him close to hysteria.
"What would happen if I lost you?" He questioned. "Please I'm begging you! Don't go where I can't follow." Letting his head fall once again, his voice had turned into a whimper.
Something warm grew inside of Laxus' chest and blush rushed to his cheeks. Without knowing what he was doing, he reached out and placed a hand on top of soft green hair, right between the two lightning bolts Freed was so dead set on keeping.
"I think that after a while you would be fine. You have Ever and Bickslow after all." He said, a small smile formed on his lips. His height forced him to look down at the other man, but when he was finally able to coax Freed to move his head up, he saw a look of determination light up his dark blue eyes.
Shaking his head he cried out once more. "They're not you! For years it was just you and me! You were the one to find me and bring me to Fairy Tail! You were the one to give me a home! The one that was there for me! I can't lose you again!"
Freed loved Laxus and even if his God would never feel the same way he you would at least do everything in his power to try and keep him safe.
The sudden declaration caught Laxus off guard, at that moment he was willing to admit that since he had seen Freed after so long on Tenro island, his feelings had changed to something more than close friendship. For months he thought that if he pushed those feelings to the side and ignored them for as long as possible, then that they would vanish. They never did so Laxus did his best to control himself, even when a voice screamed in his head to kiss Freed senseless.
The only person that would never turn their back on him was Freed. The man said himself that he would follow Laxus through hell and back. Taking that into consideration, Laxus would do the same thing.
"I don't care if I'm selfish, if it means not having to see you die. Then to hell with it! I'll be the most selfish asshole in the world. Just I can make sure that you're safe." He voice was barely above a whisper. Laxus let his eyes fall and he leaned down to rest his head against Freed. Who at the moment was looking at him with disbelief.
Then Laxus noticed how close they were and the way that their breaths seemed to mingle with one another. Freed's scent surrounding him and somehow dulled the ache in his entire body.
Moving his hand to cradle the back of Freed's head he said softly. "You're worth fighting to the death for, and no matter what, I will do my best to keep you safe."
With those final words he closed the gap between them and their lips met in a soft and delicate kiss. The sudden action had Freed gasping in surprise and his hands shot up to cling onto Laxus' strong shoulders.
The Lightning Dragon, feeling his Captain's mouth fall open, took the opportunity and let his tongue peek out and lick at the other's bottom lip. He was given a small moan in return and the sound of it alone set his blood ablaze.
Freed's taste was something that Laxus never wanted to give up. It was a so sweet and pure that it had his head reeling.
Slowly but surely Freed began to gain confidence and was able to meet Laxus' tongue with his own. The moment that they touched a dam of passion and pent up lust broke free.
Laxus' growled at the back of his throat and moved to kiss Freed harder, but a sharp pain shoot through him as he was reaching to pull Freed closer.
Gasping in pain he pulled away.
At the sound Freed's eyes flew open and his hands had slackened. He rose up to gently push the blonde back against the bed. A blush colored his cheeks. It seemed that his body was functioning in auto-pilot and the sudden kiss had him in a state of shock. His mind reeling.
"Laxus you have to be more careful. I don't want you to get hurt again." He said under his breath.
Luckily for him, with Laxus dragon hearing he did not go unheard.
With the lack of reaction coming from the Rune Mage, panic started to rise in the blonde's chest. Thinking that he had gone too far and the kiss was not wanted, he let himself be pushed back and looked up at his Captain.
"Freed I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-"
Before he could finish his sentence a soft pair of lips were pressed against his own.
But as quickly as they came, the pressure vanished and he opened his eyes.
"When did I close them?" He thought.
Freed pulled back and let a small smile formed on his lips. The act itself seemed to change Freed entirely. His usual frown had made him look distant, almost untouchable. Now with the small smile, it made him seem so young. The light filtering through the window, made a golden light surround him.
In all honesty, he looked like Laxus' Guardian Angel. For all he knew maybe Freed was truly that.
He moved his hand and with not forethought, he had his fingers running through long green hair. Freed's smile widen at the touch and it took Laxus' breath away.
"Don't apologize. All I want is that you eat. Your lunch is getting cold." His angle whispered