"What did you do?" Freed said, voice ominously low. Juvia looked around, as if seeking help, as Freed, Gray and Rogue stalked towards her from three different directions, their expressions not in the least bit friendly.

"Um..I….I…." Juvia's swallowed.

"It was a love potion, wasn't it?" Freed demanded.

"….yes" Juvia admitted, looking down at the floor.

"God damnit…again Juvia?" Gray ran his hand through his hair in frustration.

"I was sure this one would work…I practiced and everything so nothing would go wrong…I'm sorry" Juvia addressed her apology to Freed. He frowned.

"Why are you apologising to me?" Freed asked, confused. Juvia flushed, glancing between he and Laxus. Oh. She worked out in two minutes what Laxus nor I could work out in months….Freed just nodded at her tiredly. His anger draining away. She really hadn't meant to…but that's the problem. She never does. She never means to cause harm but something always goes wrong and she just doesn't learn….no. She doesn't give up. She has feelings for someone and she doesn't give up. She tells them all the time, makes sure they know how she feels…and she keeps fighting. Which is what I should have done. I shouldn't have give up. I should have been braver and told Laxus how I felt…or at least been braver once he'd told me how he felt…small steps after all.

"Fuck" Gray spat. He sighed and looked up at Juvia. "I didn't want to have to do this, I thought you'd get the hint when I kept turning you down but I can't let this carry on, it's getting ridiculous. I'm sorry Juvia but I can't return your feelings. I mean it" Gray stressed.

"But..but….if you gave us a chance…maybe you might."

"You're gonna make me say it aren't you" Gray mumbled to himself. Freed looked at him curiously. The ice mage took a breath and looked at Juvia, his entire expression serious. "I don't like girls Juvia" Gray said quietly. Juvia's eyes bugged out.

"Y-y-y-you…but…maybe if…." Gray's eyes rolled heavenward and he inhaled deeply through his nose.

"I'm gay" He said bluntly. Juvia's shoulders slumped.

"I'm sorry Gray" she said quietly. The ice mage sighed, his expression morphing from serious to weary.

"It's okay" he said awkwardly. Freed just blinked. I didn't quite see that one coming….a high pitched giggle set Freed's teeth on edge and the little group spun towards the table. Freed's eyes zeroed in on Laxus. Mira was groping his bicep, and Laxus was flexing it for her. Showing off. Smirking proudly. As they watched, Mira slid even closer to Laxus, her hand running up his chest and then back down again, fingers trailing over the muscles's in Laxus's stomach, before she started to slip her hand up and under his shirt.

"Oh wow" he heard her murmur, leaning in closer towards him. Freed refrained from snarling, but he did start forward, hand on his sword until a hand grabbed him, keeping him back.

"It's not their fault Freed, they don't know what they're doing" Rogue said quietly. Freed knew he was right, it would be unfair to shout at Mira….she had no idea what she was doing and she would never want to hurt Freed. This wasn't the Mira he knew. But she had her hand under Laxus's shirt…she was touching the strong abdominal muscles Freed had admired so much, unobtrusively of course….the muscles Freed had dreamed of running his fingers over. He couldn't help the surge of jealously that hit him. He wanted to go over there and rip her hand away. Tell her that Laxus was his. He was the only one allowed to touch him. But Rogue was right. Freed tore his eyes away, trying to ignore Mira's giggling, and Laxus's deep voice murmuring back at her. He turned to face Juvia.

"What did you use?"

"This…" She pulled a half full bottle out of her pocket. Gray took it from her, eyes roaming over the instructions.

"You used half the bottle?!" he screeched. "You're only supposed to use a pinch!" Juvia flushed sheepishly.

"I….I wanted to be sure…" Gray just stared at her. "I mixed it with my water, to make it easier to throw…it was only supposed to hit you but you left the table just after I threw it and it hit Mira's hand and then exploded and-" Juvia babbled nervously.

"Everyone inhaled it." Rogue finished for her.

"At least it was contained to the one table" Freed conceded. Juvia looked at him gratefully, before her eyes slid slightly to the left of Freed. They went wide. Don't be Laxus..don't be Laxus….Freed turned slowly.

Mira was sitting in Laxus' lap, one hand curled around his bicep, the other stroking his bare skin. She'd undone the buttons of his shirt, so his chest and stomach where bare. Her fingers where running over the hard ridges of his stomach. Up and down. Up and down. Laxus was leaning towards her. The arm not propped up on the back of the seats was on her lower back and inching….I really hope Elfman doesn't see that. Freed thought numbly as he took in the sight. His throat closed and he tried to swallow around the lump in his throat. He'd gone straight past angry, angry had passed in a heartbeat. Now he was upset. Really, truly upset for the first time in a very long time. He knew it wasn't Laxus' fault, nor Mira's. They weren't in control of themselves. But it hurt to see the man he loved being pawed at by someone else, smiling down at someone else, letting someone else touch him in places only Freed should be allowed to touch. He felt a hand on his arm.

"Calm down, it'll be okay" Gray said gently. Freed shook his head. He couldn't tear his eyes away from the sight in front of him, so he saw the exact moment when Mira started to lean towards Laxus, lips aimed for Laxus's own, the hand not molesting his torso, cupping his face. Freed broke.

"NO" he shouted, tears welling in his eyes. Mira's face collided with an invisible barrier. Freed's runes sparkling in the air. Gray was gripping his arm, stopping him from rushing forward. From doing something he might regret because in that moment he was upset enough that he wanted to send Mira flying away from Laxus as fast and as far as he could.

"Fix it. NOW" Freed shouted at Juvia.

"I don't…um…"

"Juvia" Gray growled. She turned sparkling eyes to Gray.

"But….I love you Gray. I've loved you for so long…." Oh for the love of-we don't have time for this. Freed ground his teeth.

"I know" Gray said softly. "And I'm sorry I can't return your feelings. Truly I am.." Gray paused, choosing his words carefully. "But I love someone else." Juvia's head dropped and she nodded sadly, sniffling. Freed turned anguished eyes back to Laxus. His barrier was holding for now, but his control was tenuous. His emotions where raging and he wasn't sure how much longer he could hold it.

"I got the antidote this time….just in case" Juvia mumbled. Thank the Gods for small mercies. Freed tried to calm down.

"What the hell Freed?" Laxus addressed him for the first time since their argument and Laxus's tone made his heart clench. Freed gazed in to Laxus's eyes, and his concentration snapped. Laxus looked so irritated…at Freed. He never looked at Freed like that. Ever. Like he was a pain…annoying…a hinderance. Freed could feel tears clogging his throat, as Laxus turned back to Mira, smirking and raising his eyebrows suggestively. Mira giggled and started to lean in again.

Freed ripped his arm out of Gray's grip, and moved as fast as he could. He threw himself towards Laxus, pushing Mira back off of the dragon slayers lap and on to the bench with one hand. Laxus spun to face him and Freed threw himself at the older man before he could speak, burying his face in Laxus's neck and wrapping his arms tightly around him. His knees resting on the bench seat. Freed felt tears slip free, sliding down his cheeks.

"Freed…what…." Laxus said, confused. He was stiff in Freed's embrace, making no move to touch him. Completely unresponsive. "You're kinda killin' my vibe" he heard Laxus's voice rumble through his chest but he refused to let go. Clinging on, he cried in to Laxus's neck, arms squeezing tighter.

Juvia hurriedly shook some of the antidote powder in to her hand, quickly following after Freed and desperate to fix things for the rune mage. Mira turned towards her as she approached, but before the older girl could say anything, Juvia blew the powder in to her face unceremoniously. Mira's eyes went wide, and she sucked in a startled breath. Perfect. Juvia saw that same pink glow briefly…and then Mira was blinking in confusion. "What…" she shook her head slightly, catching a glimpse of Freed holding on to Laxus tightly, his face hidden in the other man's neck but his shoulders quite visibly shaking. Mira's head snapped in their direction immediately and her face paled.

"Oh dear…is he okay? What happened?" she asked Juvia, concern evident in her voice. So….they don't remember what happens when they're under the influence of the potion. Juvia thought sadly.

"He will be" she said determinedly. "He just, um...really needs Laxus right now" Mira smiled at Freed with sympathy, briefly rubbing his back before collecting her tray and hurrying back to the bar as if nothing had happened. Juvia blinked after the other woman momentarily, then turned her attention to Laxus. The big man looked helpless as Freed clung on to him.

"Uh, Juvia…little help here?" He asked her, as he finally noticed her, gesturing down to Freed. Laxus looked at her expectantly, and she nodded. Relief flashed in his amber eyes before turning swiftly to alarm when she brought her hand up and blew more powder in his face, rather than prying the rune mage off of him like he'd expected. She watched his sensitive nose twitch, before he sneezed. The pink haze flashing briefly. I'm so, so sorry Freed. But I fixed it….I hope.