Chapter 18: Not Possessive
Laxus hadn't required help walking down the many stairs of the tower. He'd needed it, but not required it, and Freed, with his uncanny ability to know these things, waited until they were out of sight before sliding under the Dragon Slayer's arm. Laxus leaned on him without speaking: sharp twinges still radiated from his lacrima, tugging on his magic.
As they paused for Laxus to catch his breath, Freed asked, "Why'd you tell him we're together?"
Laxus's voice came out quiet. "He pissed me off. I wanted him to know he lost. I'm happy; I love someone. That someone is a man, and rather pretty. I wanted him to see that with his own eyes."
"You like calling me pretty," Freed chuckled.
"He hated that word."
"Then I'm glad he got to see. Because I am fucking pretty."
A breathless laugh fluttered out of Laxus's chest. "Oh, Freed."
Freed grinned, ducking so his hair fell over his face. Laxus watched pleased heat spread across his cheeks.
With a deep breath, Laxus nudged them into walking again.
"What happened in there?" Freed asked. "I didn't really see."
"I thought he was using his shikigami. When I braced, my lacrima seized up… For a few minutes, it felt like I couldn't do magic."
Freed looked over, gaze sharp. "I thought the lacrima was just a tool to get you started as a Dragon Slayer."
"It was. Now it functions like a battery." Laxus shrugged and shook his head. "I'm not sure what happened. I was trying not to do magic. Unlike you."
"I was…anxious." Freed coughed. "I knew they'd 'capture' us and figured it would serve as protection until help arrived."
"As if you couldn't take my father on," Laxus scoffed.
"I didn't know what was happening to you. I don't like things I can't see."
"Things you can't study," Laxus added.
"Yes." Freed chuckled. "Don't worry, though: I won't turn you into a lab rat."
"I wouldn't mind." Laxus paused on another landing; the stairs went on for fucking forever. "You can inspect me all you want."
He leaned in for a kiss and Freed captured him eagerly, a hand slipping around the back of Laxus's neck. Freed's body was warm against his, pressing against Laxus with so much life inside him—with his heartbeat loud to Laxus's senses and his smell everywhere. When Laxus hugged him close, Freed's breath stuttered in the most exquisite way.
The taste of Freed's body was almost enough for Laxus to forget the aftershocks in his chest.
By the time they reached the bottom of the tower, Laxus regained most of his strength. The trek to Magnolia was several hours by foot, but neither of them argued for staying the night in town. Though he kept an eye on Laxus just in case, Freed felt everything would be better if they slept in their own place tonight.
A sense of unsafety wound through him. Alert. Freed truly didn't like things he didn't understand: they were the one thing that made him afraid. You couldn't create a strategy against the unknown.
They reached the guild as twilight was fading, wandering over to where Evergreen, Bickslow, and Cana sat playing a drinking game.
"The prodigals!" Cana called. "Back from a mission?"
"Something like that," Freed said.
Evergreen eyed Laxus as the pair sat.
"How'd it go?" she asked.
Laxus didn't look at her, waving down Kinana for a drink. After a pause, Freed said, "About as expected."
"The guards called him Freed the Dark," Laxus added proudly.
"Is that how you give your name these days?" Ever laughed.
"No," Freed protested. "They just knew who we were."
Laxus grinned. "Have you been cultivating a reputation, Freed?"
"Only as your bodyguard," Freed mumbled.
Cana burst out in a laugh and wiggled her eyebrows.
"Not just that, Freed."
Below the level of the table, Laxus's hand wrapped around Freed's hip.
"Hey," Freed said before Laxus could react; the Dragon Slayer still got nervous when people publicly acknowledged their relationship.
Freed watched him square his shoulders as if trying to look bigger. "Damn straight," Laxus grumbled.
"You mean damn gay," Cana chuckled.
From this close, Freed could see Laxus's skin darken in an angry blush. The Dragon Slayer picked up a drink to hide behind and took a gulp.
"Oi!" Bickslow shouted. "That's mine!"
Mischief played in Laxus's eyes as he took another sip, while Bickslow lunged across the table to wrest it back.
"Thief." Bickslow hoarded the mug against his chest.
"There was way too much alcohol in there," Laxus said, grinning.
"You made it look like I'm losing the game."
"What's the game?"
"Each person has to do a task given by the other two," Cana said. "If they succeed and survive, they take one drink. If they don't, they take three."
"Sounds like your kind of fun," Freed said.
Cana beamed.
As Laxus's drink arrived, the Dragon Slayer asked, "What tasks?"
"Things which risk waking them." Evergreen pointed across the hall at Erza, Natsu, and Gajeel slumping over a table, fast asleep. "Their team returned from a mission. Some were too exhausted to make it home before passing out."
"That's cruel," Freed said.
"It'll be crueler for whoever wakes Erza," Bickslow said.
"Where's Fullbuster?" Laxus asked.
"Next to his boyfriend," Bickslow chortled, "but on the floor. He fell a little while ago and didn't wake up. So. Want to join?"
"I think I'll just enjoy my drink."
"Come on. You drank half my glass, so you're caught up."
Freed felt the hand at his waist tighten.
"Not if Gray's there," Laxus muttered.
Despite his low voice, Ever overheard.
"Why?"
He glared at her. "Scents."
"That's quite considerate," she said. "More than you usually are. I'm impressed."
Laxus sulked. Across the table, Cana blinked.
"Wait, wait. Scents… Are you telling me Dragon Slayers get jealous? Gotta have your toy all to yourself or something?"
"Cana." Freed glared at her. "Toy? Really?"
"Sorry. I'm just saying."
Laxus narrowed his eyes. Freed expected the topic dropped, but a moment later Laxus spoke.
"It's called politeness, Alberona." He wasn't looking at her as he said it.
Appearing surprised he'd answered, Cana said, "Foreign scents contaminating one's datefriend isn't something most people consider, my dear."
"When everyone smells so damn strong…" Laxus shook his head. "I'm not going to leave my scent everywhere, wake Natsu up, and have him groggily wonder why Gray isn't the first thing he smells. The idiot might burn the building down seeing his boyfriend out cold and everyone else's scents all over the area."
He raised his eyebrows as if to say, got it?
"Oh gods," Cana chortled. "The possibilities are endless."
"How do scents work exactly?" Bickslow asked. Laxus was rarely this talkative about his magic.
"People have smells, and they rub off." Laxus shrugged. "A little in passing; a lot if they touch."
"So you won't let me rub myself all over Freed?" Cana snickered.
While Freed gave her the stink-eye, Laxus wrapped his arm visibly around Freed's shoulders.
"See, that's possessive," she said.
"Whatever. No it's not. Plenty of people would say the same." Too quiet for anyone else, Laxus whispered, "I just don't like sharing."
"Gods, you two," Freed interrupted. His whole body was warm, from Cana and Bickslow's laughter and from Laxus's gravelly voice.
He didn't like sharing…
Laxus looked around suddenly, no doubt smelling the change in Freed's hormones. The rune mage looked up in time to see Laxus's surprise turn into a calculating smile.
"I don't belong to anyone," Freed announced to the table. "I'm my own person. Would you stop pretending this is a game, Cana? These attitudes can hurt people. They do hurt people. Every day countless people are abused by their partners, who think they can own another person—"
"Alright, you're right. I'm sorry." Cana raised her hands in sincere surrender. "You know I didn't mean it like that, Freed. I didn't think. Sorry."
" 'Your own person'?" Bickslow grinned. "Whatever you say, Captain."
Freed flipped him off, then turned his finger on Evergreen when she busted out laughing too.
Laxus had gone silent. Kinana brought him his drink and he grabbed it like he needed something to hold onto.
The trio returned to their drinking game, and Freed and Laxus stuck around long enough to see Bickslow wake Gajeel when he accidentally sloshed cold water down his back. The ensuing fight made Freed sigh, ducking a chair that passed over their heads.
"Tired," Laxus muttered, clunking his empty mug down. "Home?"
"Yeah."
Freed didn't miss the way Laxus drew close as soon as they exited, running his fingers through Freed's hair. Freed was still a little…excited from Laxus's comments, and Laxus was clearly aware.
" 'I just don't like sharing'?" Laxus repeated, curious, as soon as they were inside his flat. His grin was audible, and he spoke it in the same deep tone he'd used at the guild.
"I associate that voice with the bedroom," Freed replied, with as much dignity as he could muster. As he hung his coat, Laxus's arms closed around him from behind, pulling him into a loose hug.
"You liked all that, didn't you?" Laxus asked. "It turned you on."
Freed went still.
Nerves thrummed inside him. Fear of the emotions that grew in his chest. Feeling his self-recrimination, familiar after years of hating this part of himself. Wondering if Laxus too would judge him for it.
"It's not healthy," Freed whispered. "Possessiveness is bad for relationships; jealousy is often a sign of things souring, or one partner being emotionally abusive."
"It's okay to have kinks, Freed."
Freed's mouth twisted as he turned around in Laxus's arms. "Is that what this is?"
Laxus hummed. His calm smile helped Freed's shoulders unclench. He didn't like that his desires ignored his logic. He was too ashamed to even think about it some days:
Freed wanted to belong to someone.
"You don't like being out of control," Laxus murmured.
"I know."
When Laxus's hand slid into his, Freed took a deep breath. Laxus didn't like being out of control either. And yet there were beautiful moments when they both let go: when it was just them, no one else, and they could be themselves together.
Freed loved those moments. He wanted to be someone who didn't always have to have everything together. Who could, at chosen times, surrender. It was the language of ultimate trust, and it was something he always wanted with Laxus.
"Would you humor me?" Freed asked.
Mouth half open to speak, Laxus laughed. "I was about to say that."
Freed blinked.
"You first," Laxus said.
"I was going to ask, well… I just never thought this would be real. You wanting me." Freed swallowed and interrupted himself: "But I am my own person. I do not need your protection, nor do you get to control me. We're equals here."
"I know all of that, Freed, and I agree. I only meant those comments as teasing. And to make Cana shut up."
They both chuckled awkwardly, foreheads together. Laxus closed his eyes. Breathing in. Out.
"I was going to ask…" Freed began again, then dropped off.
"We can do things," Laxus said slowly. "Just in play. Things you like. They don't have to mean something in our daily life—it'd be just between us. I like you and I want you to know that. I don't know how to say it sometimes."
"Are you saying what I think you're saying?"
Orange eyes opened and looked into his.
"Probably. What do you think I'm saying?"
Smiling, Freed looped his arms around Laxus's neck. "That you're interested in certain kinds of intimate play. Which, coincidentally, is what I was going to ask."
Laxus pinked—actually goddamn flushed—and drew him even closer.
"Yeah," he said.
"I like that." Freed's fingers combed up through the back of Laxus's short hair. A spark lit his boyfriend's eye.
"You like that other people rubbing their parts all over you upsets me? How I dislike you smelling strongly like other people?"
"Something like that." The words cracked.
"How about me putting my smell all over you?" Laxus nudged him down the hall, kissing his ear as he followed. "I'm…so grateful, Freed. For you. I'd be very concerned if I woke up and smelled a bunch of scents that weren't yours."
Exploring the front of Freed's trousers, Laxus made a sound of interest and ground slowly across the bulge growing there. Freed groaned. Laxus's words were making him twitch.
"Wh-What were you going to say?" Freed panted. "Earlier."
"I hoped this can be all play right now."
A smile slid across Freed's lips and he nodded.
"Good." Laxus opened the door to the bedroom and they moved toward the futon.
As both of them stripped out of outer layers, they kept touching each other. Freed running his palms over Laxus's chest; Laxus trying to kiss the newly bare skin of Freed's throat, shoulder, wrist. Freed pulled Laxus's shirt off and breathed him in.
"Bed," Laxus muttered, voice barely working.
Freed lay down on the futon and Laxus crawled over him. He stared down at Freed for a long moment, desire painted on his face.
Freed swallowed hard.
He loved Laxus. It was effortless and overwhelming. And unconditional of Laxus returning it. Freed was still surprised sometimes when Laxus did things like this: loving him, wanting him, needing him.
"You belong to me tonight, Freed."
The jolt in Freed's gut made his breath stutter, and Laxus leaned down to cover Freed's lips with his own. Iridescent joy flew down Freed's veins.
As the Dragon Slayer flicked his tongue between Freed's teeth, the rune mage felt along each glorious ridge and muscle of Laxus's back. His body was a masterpiece. Freed had studied him visually over many years, but touching him: the warm curves of skin felt perfect under his hands, beautiful and human.
"Freed—gods, Freed," Laxus gasped. "Damn…"
Laxus panted as Freed continued touching all over Laxus's chest, arms, ass.
"I won't share you." Laxus's voice was fast and breathy. "I'll cover you in my scent so everybody knows that. If anyone tries to touch you, I'll bite their hands off."
At Freed's noise of desire, he used those sharp teeth on Freed's chest.
"You can't get away with anything, either." Laxus grinned slyly, lowering himself down Freed's body. "I'd be quite upset if you let anyone else touch you."
Moaning, Freed tried not to thrust up, but Laxus's fingers working his belt off were an impossible temptation.
"It's just you," Freed whispered. "Only ever you."
"Yeah?" Laxus tugged at his trousers. "You ever fucked someone else while thinking about me?"
"Yes," Freed panted honestly. "More than once."
For a brief moment, Laxus looked surprised. When he fisted Freed through his boxers, Freed rewarded him with a shiver of excitement.
"Well, you won't have to pretend anymore," Laxus said. "I'm here now. And like I said…"
Pulling Freed's cock out, Laxus kissed his lips with molten desire.
"…I don't share."
Freed was panting now, loving the dark, warm promise in Laxus's eyes. As he looped his arms around Laxus's neck, he felt a sense of rightness. Laxus's words filled a deep, rarely-acknowledged need: to be wanted so profoundly someone would do anything to hold onto him.
It was romanticized, maybe. But he'd never had someone love him, not like this. He'd loved Laxus for too long and not been truly needed, not in a personal way. To be needed now—Freed was breathless with it. In awe that Laxus's face could be so full of open, sincere desire.
"My Freed," Laxus said, slowly sliding his fingers over Freed's cock. "My mate; my love."
Freed couldn't hold back the noises in his throat. "I'm all yours."
At those words, Laxus's eyes fluttered closed, expression vulnerable.
"Really?"
"Yes, Laxus. I love you."
The Dragon Slayer tightened his grip, and Freed thrust up against him.
"I'm never sharing this," Laxus said reverently. "You're far too beautiful for me to share."
Freed moaned, Laxus's hands on his body turning his mind to fudge. Laxus bit him hard, licked the red mark, and growled, "Nobody else on Earthland can claim you now."
"Good," Freed whispered.
A palm on his face made his eyes open. Laxus was staring at him from a few centimeters away. There was no teasing in his expression, no wink of I'm just playing for you. Because this wasn't a game: Laxus was doing this to show him affection.
"You are mine, Freed Justine."
Freed gasped, breathless.
Maybe, possibly, in some healthy way, the sentiment was true.
As Laxus sucked on his neck, Freed moaned and gave himself over to his boyfriend's tenderness.
When Freed came, bursting apart with a cry, Laxus's tongue slipped into his mouth like he could taste Freed's joy. Freed caressed his cheek as he came down from the high. He wanted to share it all.
The Dragon Slayer was still half-dressed, trousers unfastened by Freed's insatiable hands but still on. Laxus wore one and only one sock, which Freed found particularly hilarious.
"I love you," Freed murmured.
Laxus's hand graced his ribs.
"So you tell me. Often. If you're not careful, I'll start believing it."
Freed snorted, but sobered a few seconds later as he considered how serious Laxus might be. Surely he understood how much Freed cared for him.
"That was a joke, Justine." Laxus kissed his forehead. "Stop thinking."
"Like that's possible," Freed grinned.
Drawing slow circles on Laxus's skin, Freed watched him remove the last vestiges of clothing, down to his boxers. Freed licked his lips.
"Laxus…" Freed began, palms sliding down his body, but Laxus curled around him, shaking his head.
"No. Let me just love you like this tonight. Please?"
Smiling, Freed waited until Laxus nervously met his gaze.
"Whatever you want," Freed whispered, and Laxus drew him into a tangled embrace.
Snuggling close and feeling Laxus's chest rise and fall, Freed sighed happily. He fell asleep naked in his beloved's arms.
A/N: Starting off with a lot of smuttiness and fluffiness so you don't hate me later when everything gets sad ;p
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