"There is a difference between caring for someone and caring about someone. I don't think you have any understanding of what the fuck that means."
*five minutes later*
Loud swears echoed from down the hall. Glass chips were scattered along the floor. Crooked paintings barely hung on the wall and for some reason, they were damp.
"Do they have to make this much of a mess? I know it's my job to clean up, but why must they be THIS careless?" The maid tied up her hair and straightened her glasses.
A bodyguard leaned against the wall and cringed to the sound of more glass and fine china dishes smashing against the floor. His tattooed face scrunched up. "You know Laxus and his gramps don't see eye to eye, Evergreen."
"Doesn't mean they need to break everything! Thank goodness they aren't breaking each other, but jeez." The hired girl put her hands on her hips and scolded the source of destruction. She pointed to the end of the hall. "Bixlow, go stop them."
"Can't. Too scared."
"What?!"
The sound of two plates being destroyed was followed by a third voice, more yelling, and then the head butler speed walking away from the chaos. Bixlow looked back at Ever. "Can't. Too scared."
"Bixlow!"
"Hey! I bet they're talking about what's happening today. Do you really want me to discuss my couple pairings?"
"Never mind. What's going on Freed?"
"Laxus is upset about getting married… I think." Freed heard a crunch under his foot and noticed all the rubble. "You need to clean up, the Heartfilia family will be here anytime now. Bixlow, please help her." Freed walked off, frustrated with Laxus' tantrum. However he did feel some empathy. Laxus had only talked to Lucy once at a corporation gathering. That was only a quick introduction. Most of his time there, Laxus was watching her hand maid dance and laugh with the rest of the help.
Freed remembered that maid well. Most of his staff had an excruciating hangover and were forced to take a day off. But that isn't the only reason she was so memorable. While Laxus was watching her, he smiled . The poor boy only gave a smirk every now and then.
The doorbell rang.
"Damn it! Not now!" The young man thought to himself. "They can wait in the east parlor while I get the dysfunctional family presentable." He muttered. Freed smoothed his shirt, straightened his black vest and took a deep breath. He opened one side of the large doors.
"Thank everything holy! It's just you." Freed exhaled.
"Sup Freed? Ivan's still out right?" The man poked his head into the large home.
"Mr. Clive, stop asking. I don't think he's ever coming back. Well, legally he can't come back." The manager opened the door wider to let the guest in, but he was a bit puzzled. "Sir, if you don't mind me asking, why are you here?"
Gildarts Clive was a very close business partner to the Dreyar's. He specialized in demolition and later moved into the construction side of the business. The coastal areas were in desperate need of cities. With Makarov's freelancing company and Gildarts' need for workers, they had grown a strong bond.
"I'm aware that Jude Heartfilia is going to be here soon. I need to discuss trade roots with him about his railroad sector."
Freed nodded. His arrival could work out in the engagement's favor. "Before you sit and wait, could you please try to break up Makarov and Laxus?" The sound if crashing plates rang throughout the mansion. "Mr. Heartfilia won't be here long with those two fighting."
"Bixlow isn't doing his job?" The bulky man asked. The butler gave an ashamed expression. "It's fine, I do the dirty work anyways." chuckled. Gildarts paced to the chaos, but stopped suddenly with a sorry look. "By the way, Natsu is with me. I told him to stay in the car, but… he's Natsu." He took off his blazer and tie, laid them neatly over a chair and ran off.
"Oh, this is going to be one heck of an afternoon." Freed sighed. He pulled back his hair, and prayed that this day was going to reap something beneficial.
Footsteps were rushing towards the front door. Freed turned and saw Laxus trying to get away from his elder.
"Why can't you just-"
"No!"
"Laxus come back here and listen to me!" Makarov demanded. The short old man stopped, his shoes making a teeth grinding squeak on the tile floors. "Why do you have to act like your father?!"
The grandson didn't stop, and he didn't dare to look back. He stepped out the door and slammed it shut. The chandelier above the group of people rattled and jingled.
"Is he going to be okay?" Gildarts asked, stunned by the man's harsh words.
"He'll have to be." Makarov glared up at Freed. "Can you please make sure my grandson isn't doing something stupid?"
"Yes sir." The butler's expression didn't change and neither did his voice. In his mind however, he was cursing his master out. Freed cared about Laxus so much, and that's what made the job hard. He didn't want to see his friend upset or insulted, but that happened almost everyday, and it'd been happening for as long as Freed could remember. He was just now realizing that this marriage wasn't going to change much between the last two Dreyars.