Caring for a Dragon

Chapter 4

When Laxus first began to awaken, he just laid there for a moment, eyes shut, as he allowed his body to readjust to the world. He could feel someone breathing softly, next to him, which wouldn't have been so odd…had he not know that whoever it was wasn't on the bed, but rather next to it, off to the side.

Letting out a soft groan, he opened his eyes before turning his head to the side…only to be greeted not by the angelic face of his little demon. Oh no. Instead he found his green haired follower.

"The hell?" he yelled as he jumped back, making Freed, who had pulled up a chair to the side of the bed while leaning over so that he could stare at his loveable leader, frown.

Err, he was loveable to Freed. Very loveable. Like a big-

"The fuck you think you're doing, Freed?" Laxus growled as he scrambled to get away, pulling the sheets up around himself. He was never one to be timid with his body. Hell, everyone should look at it! It was great! He spent hours upon hours crafting it. Every inch of it was pure heaven!

…But Freed was creeping him out beyond repair at the moment.

"L-Laxus," he stuttered as he sat up, just staring at him. "I was worried about you. Mirajane asked me to come over and sit with you-"

"Sit with me? I ain't on my deathbed! And even if I was, this wouldn't be the right way to go about it!"

"B-But Ever told me that you thought that you were dy-"

"Not seriously, man," Laxus grumbled as he shoved out of bed, rushing to go find some clothes to pull on. "That was just to make the women feel bad for me."

"The women?"

"Ever, Lisanna, and Mirajane," he grumbled, struggling to pull a shirt over his head. "I just have the damn flu. So-"

"But I am here to care-"

"Dude, look, I put up with it, alright? You're…little obsession. But watching me when I sleep?" He groaned, glancing over at him. "I thought we went over that?"

"Well, you said on jobs that you did not wish for me to monitor your breathing habits, but-"

"Right. This applies to that rule."

There were a lot of rules when it came to Freed and Laxus. A lot. All made up by the Thunder God himself. Mainly because, though he was loyal to the end and was one hell of a mage, the dark ecriture user had some very odd tendencies.

He liked to…touch. A lot more than Laxus did. Bickslow shook his hands or would pat him on the back, but Freed very much so enjoyed hugging or even tried rubbing at his shoulders before. Which just wasn't cool with Laxus. And then there was the whole playing with his hair incident a few weeks ago which ended very, very badly.

Not that Laxus didn't know what was going on. 'cause he did. He was freaking smoking. Everyone was in love with him. They just didn't all realize it. Freed did. That was fine. He saw how attractive Laxus was (he was sex on wheels, seriously) and it was plainly clear. Whatever.

He just didn't have to be such a damn freak about it.

Freed stood then, from his chair, bowing immediately to his leader. "Of course. I only…I was only fearful for you. Of your health. And if you would like-"

"I want you to get out is what I want."

"O-Out?"

"Yeah," Laxus complained, pulling on a pair of jeans. He was starting to feel really hot though in that moment. Burning up, really. He knew it was because his body didn't want him being so active while it was sick, but it couldn't be helped.

"But you need someone to-"

"No, dude. I don't."

"But Mirajane said-"

"Mirajane was wrong."

"Really?"

Snort. "The demon's wrong about everything. Especially if it goes against what I say." Then, pausing, he glanced over at Freed before narrowing his eyes. "You doubting me?"

"Of course not, Laxus. I only-"

"Only what? Huh? You take orders from Mira now? Or me? What? Tell me. Now. Who do you-"

"You, of course, but-"

"But what? Huh? Huh? Huh?"

He was causing the man to tense up. There was nothing Freed hated more than when Laxus was disappointed in him. He strived daily to impress him, to worship him, to show him that he was worthy. Any critique against him really hurt his heart.

"It is only…" Freed took a deep breath before looking his idol in the eyes. "I am baking you cookies and they are still in the oven. I planned on making you breakfast too as well as-"

"Oh." Laxus paused then. "Why didn't you say something?"

Wasn't that what he was trying to do?

"Sorry, sir."

"Speak up next time." With that, Laxus headed out of the room. "I gotta take a leak. My, uh, throat's kinda sore. And I'm out of ice cream. I can't eat cookies without ice cream, can I?"

"No," he said slowly. "I am only worried, however, about your ability to keep your food down. The cookies were for if you felt better. If you don't-"

"Go get my ice cream, Freed," he grumbled before going into the bathroom. "And be quick about it."

"Of course, sir."

While Freed was gone, Laxus spent some time washing off his face. He felt rather hot, if not burning up. His stomach pains had seemed to ebb though and he was left just feel ill. Not dying though. Not if it meant freaky Freed was going to be all over him.

Upon his return, Laxus' most loyal follower came bearing ice cream, of course, but other things as well.

"I said ice cream," Laxus complained as Freed handed him the whole carton before heading off to get a spoon. "Not all this junk."

"It is not junk," Freed told him. When Laxus raised an eyebrow, he only bowed his head. "I mean, it is, of course, if you think so. But-"

"But nothing." He snatched the spoon form him before flipping the top off the ice cream carton. Glancing down at it, he grunted. "My favorite."

"Of course." Freed went to the bags that he had brought in then and began pulling things out.

"I noted that you are low on blankets, so I bought you one," he said, setting it on the ocuhc next to Laxus.

"I ain't low on shit. I'mma man. Men don't need-"

"I also saw this and thought it would be nice for Mirajane."

"A candle? Why-"

"Laxus," he said slowly. "Surely you know."

"Know what?"

He glanced around before saying slowly, "Take no offense, Laxus, but this place stinks. Horribly. With your enhanced sense, I thought you would notice, but-"

"It doesn't' stink." Laxus took a deep breath then, but with his nose all clogged, it was really a hollow gesture. "And Mira would have said something if-"

"I actually bought a few candles," he said, pulling some more out of the bag. "She can pick which scent she likes best."

"What are you now? My woman's keeper?"

Moving right along, Freed pulled a box of tissues from the box. "Here. You need these too."

He sniffled. "Tissues are for the weak."

"Laxus-"

"You sound like Mira. Which I don't like." He went back to his ice cream. "And go make sure my cookies aren't burning. And get me a drink while you're at it."

Sighing, Freed headed off to do just that. How did Mirajane put up with him all day? There was no one that Freed was more dedicated to, no one that he held in such high-esteem, but honestly? Sick Laxus was twenty times worse than regular Laxus. And coming from him, that was really saying something.

"My drink," Laxus called from the living room causing Freed to sigh and shake his head. "Freed. What are you? Huh? Dense? Hurry up! I'm sick or did you forget?"

"Mirajane can have him," he grumbled as he rushed to do what the man wanted. As he learned that day, Laxus was much better to just admire from afar. Though he knew he'd forget about that probably in the next week and be right back to worshipping him, in that moment he wished he had someone else there to help him out.

"And to think," he sighed. "You wanted him all to yoursel-"

"My cookies? What are you doing in th-"

"Coming, Laxus," he groaned. He would have thought that it would be a long day, but considering he hadn't even made it through the morning yet, he wasn't so sure he'd last.

"I can't believe that he let you do this, Laxus."

He only moaned, laying on his side. "I think he poisoned me."

"No," Mira groaned as he laid on the bathroom floor, staring at the toilet forlornly. "Why would Freed ever-"

"For rejecting his advances."

"What advances?"

Blinking, Laxus looked to the bathroom doorway where his girlfriend stood. "Babe, look at me. Who doesn't make advances towards- Oh God."

He sat up then, quickly, moving to hang his head over the toilet once more. Mira frowned before coming closer.

"Why would he let you eat all of that food? Huh?"

"I felt better," he groaned after he'd tossed his cookies once more. No, literally. "So we thought-"

"You big dopes, just because you didn't feel bad right then didn't mean you weren't still sick. Cookies were not on the detailed list I gave him to feed you."

"You made a list?"

"That's not the point."

Groaning, he moved to fall back to the floor again. "Mira, I'm sick."

"You're stupid is what you are."

What?

With a frown, he glanced back over at her. "Mira-"

"Freed told me how rude you were to him, Laxus."

Snort. "I'm a rude guy. What do you expect?"

Rolling her eyes, she came further into the room to get him a cold washcloth.

"Sit up," she groaned once she ran one under the tap before coming closer to him. "And let me-"

"You're not very nice today."

She only got down on her knees next to him as he moved to sit back on his butt. "I didn't have the best day at work."

"What?" He frowned as she took to rubbing the washcloth all around his face, paying close attention to his lips. "Is someone bothering my demon? I'll kill 'em. I'll kill 'em all. As retribution. I'll-"

He stopped talking then as scrambled away from her and back to the toilet. Mirajane only sighed before taking to rubbing his back and attempting to soothe him.

"Shhh. It's alright," she sighed once he was done. "See? All better. Your tummy just can't handle-"

"I'm not five," he grumbled, shifting to sit away from the toilet. She only went back to washing his face. "Mirajane."

"But you're still my sick little dragon," she told him softly. "And I gotta take care of you."

Groaning, he said, "Not if someone at the guild's bothering you. I'll strike the whole place with lightening. Fry 'em all. You like that? Huh?"

She was giggling then as he only leaned forwards slightly to rest his forehead against hers. Mirajane only stared at him for a moment. It wasn't until he tried to kiss her that she pulled back.

"I love you, Lax, and I would never reject you, but… Really, I'm not exactly big on vomit breath."

He only let his head fall then before mumbling, "Just leave me here to die then."

"Oh, Laxus." Standing once more, she reached down to take one of his hands. "Come on. Let's go get back in bed."

"I don't wanna."

"Yes, you do. Besides, if you go, I'll rub your tummy."

Well, with that sort of a prospect…

When they made it to the bedroom though, Mirajane only left him on the bed as well as their little stuffed dragon 'baby' before going back into the living room. He thought that she was just going to get him some water or pills or something.

Until she returned with Freed's crap.

"Mira-"

"It's a nice blankie for our bed. Freed's very sweet." She went to lay it down next to him. In her other hand though was one of his candles.

Smelling it, she said, "I think I like this one the best. Do you-"

"No candles."

"Oh, Laxus."

"I don't get you and Freed anyhow," he complained as she set the unlit candle down on the nightstand before climbing into bed with him. "Shouldn't you guys be, like, rivals or something? For my affection?"

"Mmmm," she sighed as she moved to lay on her side and begin stroking his tummy. Pushing up his shirt slightly, she did so right against his flesh. "You ever think, Lax, that maybe, just maybe, Freed's not attracted to you? At all?"

Snort. "No."

"That maybe this was all just in your head? Something that you thought up? Have decided is fact and are too bone headed to-"

"Mira, Mira, Mira," he sighed as he shut his eyes. Her hand felt very nice against his abs. Did he mention he had abs? Hell, yeah he did. "Everyone wants me."

"My poor little dragon's delusional." She leaned up to kiss his cheek. "And it has nothing to do with his fever."

"Do you honestly think that I don't have male sex appeal? When I have so much female appeal?"

"I think that you have a very inflated state of self because so many sleezy women used to throw themselves at you because they thought that you were the strongest mage in Magnolia."

"Thought?"

"And I think that it's slowly begun to eat away at your brain that you're only getting older and, eventually, that's all going to fade and be a memory," she went on. "Especially now that you're with me."

"I can still attract women if-"

"Are we forever?"

"Well-"

"Then you better stop attracting women." She let out a slow breath. "And the men that you think you are, but really aren't."

"Please. I could have Freed in here, right now, doing…you know that thing you won't do?"

"How do you know he'd do-"

"Trust me." He let out a slow breath. "I know."

"You're so full of yourself."

"And? I'm the greatest-"

"You're the greatest fucking mage to ever walk the planet. All planets. Ever. In existence." His cheek got another kiss. "You're also the most repetitive and predictable man I know."

Laxus only huffed. "Well, anyhow, Freed wants me. And I still really wanna do that thing too, while we're on the top-"

"No."

"Even though I'm sick? And might be dying? And it might be my last chance to fuck you while-"

"Even though," she sighed, shutting her eyes. "And anyhow, Laxus, I'm off tomorrow. So it's just gonna be me and you. All day. Alright?"

He only sniffled. "Alright. I'm feeling better already though."

"Uh-huh."

"Really."

"We'll see," Mira said. "I mean, I even think-"

She stopped then, sitting up as she skewed up her face before making the cutest little sneezing noise. It usually made Laxus smile. But at the moment, he only frowned.

"Mira-"

"It was just a sneeze," she reasoned as she laid back down. "Trust me. I raised Elfman and Lisanna when it was only the three of us, living in the little shack after my parents died. I have dealt with many, many illnesses. I'm immune to everything."

"If you're sure," he said slowly.

"Very. I don't ever catch anything."

Boy, he hoped so.

Next one's the last one.