Laxus was disgruntled.
It wasn't every day that he admitted others had something he did not, but lately that idea had become increasingly clear, and it unsettled the thunder god. All around him were dragonslayers playing with their cats, happy couples holding hands, friends laughing and lounging together, Cana groping Lucy... Even Evergreen was getting fawned over by her knucklehead of a boyfriend and Bixlow was busy secretly wooing some poor sap with a possessed broom. Yet in the midst of all this, Laxus felt bereft. Lonely, even. He had no one to hold; no one to take to stupid, cliche movie nights; no one to share his bed, his victories and failings... Sappy as it was, Laxus wanted someone like that, someone to call his own. Still, it wasn't like a powerful mage and Grade-A asshole in his position could just go looking for a relationship like that or conjure one out of thin air.
But as Laxus' self-imposed gloom began to spiral downward, Freed's voice cut through the murk; "Here is your coat, Laxus, dry cleaned as you asked."
The thunder god turned to regard his captain, miffed that someone would approach him when he was so clearly intent on being grumpy. Although, he had sent Freed on that errand himself, so he allowed Freed to drape the garmet over his shoulders. "Might there be anything else I could do for you?"
Laxus was ready to brush the offer off and return to his stewing in solitude, but something occured to him then. While he'd been sitting here in a stupid funk, his ever-loyal captain had been out working tirelessly for him.
Maybe he wasn't as alone as he thought.
"Yeah, there is," Laxus responded, hatching a plan. "Meet me at my place in an hour." Freed readily agreed and hastened to comply, then turned tail to begin his new mission. So much for waiting an hour.
But then, that eagerness and loyalty was oddly endearing. Certainly moreso than the suitors Laxus was used to dealing with who reeked of lust and did nothing to conceal their shallow intentions.

An hour later saw Laxus heading home, where he found Freed waiting by the doorstep.
"You been here this whole time, Freed?" Laxus asked, a teasing jibe in his voice.
"Ah, well... More importantly, what is this job you spoke of?" Avoiding the question; about as close to an admission as Freed would give. The transparent sidestep earned a knowing smirk from Laxus, one that made Freed turn as red as his coat. "You know I've no other plans tonight, I can devote my full attention to this.. whatever it is you need."
"Good. You'll need it. Come inside," Laxus said, then pushed past Freed to enter his home. Freed followed him through the entryway - a messy affair with a disorganized shoe rack and an overladen coat hanger - and into the living room. The room was cluttered, dominated by a large lacrima entertainment system and a deep-seated leather couch, with a mahogany coffee table inbetween the two.
"Where should I...?" Freed began, but the question quickly died. He'd never visited Laxus' home - none of the Raijinshuu had - and the cozy, cave-like interior stood as a stark contrast to what anyone would have expected of the thunder god.
"Sit anywhere, I need to take a load off. I'll take your coat; you won't be needing it." The request surprised Freed, but seemed sensible enough. Freed shrugged the coat off and handed it to Laxus, who balled it under his arm. "Make yourself at home, I'll just be a minute." With that, Laxus left Freed to get a quick break of privacy in his bedroom. He shed his own coat, shoes, and socks, and took a rare moment to think about what he was doing - Laxus was on a roll today.
What if Freed was one of those prudish types and all the doting admiration was just the respect of an innocent fanboy? But no, Laxus could smell his friend's carefully restrained lust. Nothing fooled a dragonslayer's nose, after all, and Laxus found he enjoyed having Freed's scent in his own home.
He had made up his mind.

When Laxus returned to the living room Freed was sitting primly in the center of the couch, hands folded in his lap and boots tucked safely under the coffee table. The rune mage stood at Laxus' arrival, clearly ready to get started. "So, would you like to explain to me the details of this mission?"
Laxus didn't answer immediately, but instead took the seat Freed had just vacated. "Yeah, few rules," he began. Before continuing, he reached for Freed's waist and pulled the captain into his lap. "First, you stay still. Just... sit here for a while, okay?"
The sudden order caught Freed off guard, but he nodded his understanding anyway. The scent of confusion and desire was much stronger here in person, a fact that Laxus was beginning to grow proud of.
"Good. Next, don't go telling anyone about this. Not yet, anyway. It's a secret mission."
Freed nodded again and began to fidget. It took him a moment to get comfortable, but eventually he settled with his hands folded atop Laxus' forearms, which rested in his lap, and his head tucked beneath Laxus' chin. He still sat stiffly and a vibrant blush was just barely visible across his cheeks if Laxus tilted his head forward enough. "Is this the whole mission?" Freed asked hesitantly.
"Yeah," Laxus responded. "Don't worry, there'll be a reward."
"That's odd. I was under the impression that this was the reward."
Laxus had to suppress a laugh; apparently his captain wasn't as clueless as he'd thought. "Fine, have it your way. I'll make you work for it later." He tightened his hold about Freed's waist, and he could feel Freed relax. The two lapsed into a comfortable silence, reveling in their stolen moment of peace together away from the chaos of guild life.
When Laxus noticed they'd fallen asleep like that, the room had grown dark. It was Freed's snoring that had woken him, a surprisingly delicate sound. The rune mage was curled in Laxus' lap, clinging tightly to his arms almost like an oversized koala. A sharp jolt ran up Laxus' side when he realized his legs had long since gone numb, but the warmth afforded by the man in his lap made up for it.
It was something he'd only seen from afar or heard of in gossip and stories, and now it was his.
For once, Laxus was content.