To say that Laxus was nervous would be an understatement, but the same could be said when the word "stubborn" came into play. Not a single bit of his body language betrayed the way his heart palpitated and stomach churned, but it was all there.

He would go as far as to say that nothing had ever scared him more, including his father.

In ten minutes he had a meeting with his grand father that he had asked for and arranged. In ten minutes everything he'd bottled up since he was a child would come crashing down on him like the rolling thunder clouds on the horizon, and he hadn't a clue to tell him if the rain would gift him with the water he needed or if the waters would flood and drown him.

He's not going to be upset with me. Laxus tried to reason. It's Gramps, he's not going to care. He could think things all he wanted, but that didn't necessarily make them true. Even attempting to steel his mind and heart could do nothing for what he felt. It's not like it matters anyways. I'm an adult, and I can do what I want with my life.

It wasn't long before Laxus stopped playing mind games with himself. No matter how he felt and what he could or could do with his life, he wanted to be accepted. He didn't want this to change everything he'd slowly rebuilt. Honestly, it be easier not to say it at all. He thinks, But I need to. For both of them.

It wouldn't be right to leave his only family in the dark, and even less so to be ashamed of the truth.

Small footsteps interrupted his mind, keeping it from running anymore rampant than it already had. "What was it you wanted to talk to me about, brat?" Makarov's voice was low and soft, as if he could already sense that Laxus was ready to run away. The tension was thick enough to cut with a knife, and it remained that way for as long as the silence between them lasted. "Did you finally find a girl and want to ask advice?" Makarov's laugh was loud and free, the tension broken for him, but it did nothing but crush Laxus more. "Alright," Makarov whispered once he calmed down, "I can recognize when I've made a joke inappropriate for the situation. What's going on, my boy?"

Laxus remained quiet for a while, and Makarov went to sit beside him. After a while the air seemed to become a little less thick, and Laxus felt a bit more confident that his chest wouldn't collapse. "It's something like that, I suppose," he said finally, but Makarov didn't react beyond placing a hand on his grandson's shoulder. The dragon slayer's mouth opened and closed a few times, but the words wouldn't leave.

"Take your time, brat," Makarov spoked quietly, and Laxus did.

With a shaky breath and words light as air, a small sob nearly slipped out of Laxus's mouth, "He's not a girl, Gramps."

Laxus was almost immediately enveloped in his grandfather's arms. "Of course not," he was told, "Because if he was, society wouldn't have made you believe there was anything wrong with it." At some point Laxus's head ended up in his grandfather's shoulder, silent tears soaking the fabric as Makarov ran a hand through his hair the same way he did when Laxus was a kid. "None of your father's beliefs are mine, Laxus. Who you love makes no difference to me, brat."

"I'm sorry," Laxus choked out, "I'm sorry, Gramps."

Makarov only pulled him closer, "Don't apologize for loving someone." They stayed there for a while, the quiet far more comfortable than it he seemed calm again. "So," Makarov paused for moment, deciding to go with humor, "Is it Freed?"

A startled laugh slipped through Laxus's lips, "Am I that obvious?"

"No," Makarov admitted, "you aren't readable at all, which it was worried me in the first place." He pointed across the room to a photo of Laxus and the Raijinshuu. The four of them all had their arms around each other, and Laxus's face displayed a rare smile. "Freed is another story. He was worried about you, but he refused to tell me why."

"Oh." It was all the lightning dragon slayer said for a while, but he was a bit preoccupied. I swear he's too perceptive for his own good. If he's figured out why I decided to talk to Gramps now, then he'll have ruined his own surprise.

"Do you know why he was so worried about you, besides the fact that you two seem to already be dating?"

"Yeah," Laxus mumbled. "We are already together. Have been for six years." Not nearly long enough. He thinks. Not when our forever barely feels like an instant.

A giant hand whapped him upside the head just barely hard enough to knock him forward. "Six years and you didn't tell me until now?" Laxus shrugged awkwardly as he tried not to laugh at the falsely-offended face of his Grandfather. "Honestly, I'm I'm hurt. Waiting six years to tell your poor old grandfather that you have a boyfriend. It's like you waited until you were going to-" Makarov froze in place as he choked on his own spit.

"That's because I did." He ran a hand through his messed up hair as he took a small ring box from his pocket. "I'm going to ask him Gramps, and no matter how much I didn't want to, it didn't feel right not saying anything."

A massive smile was stretched across Makarov's face despite the shock of it all. "I need to plan a party then!" He headed towards the exit with a joyous spring in his step.

"That's not necessary, Gramps," Laxus nearly shouted.

"The biggest party Fairy Tail has ever seen!"

"Gramps!"

This was for a lovely anon on my tumblr. Feel free to send me a request, and I may write it!