Hey all. I managed to get through my exams and keep to my bi-weekly schedule, which I'm quite happy about. Just need to do my driving test and I'm fine for some time, so I should be able to keep up with the schedule without trouble, and maybe have some bonus updates if I have the time. Anyhow, I hope you enjoy the chapter. It's set a few months after the last one, I hope you don't mind too much, I didn't want to drag out the awkward bonding for longer than needed.
As always, thank you so much for any comments and kudos you leave. They mean so much.
Hope you enjoy and thanks for reading. ^.^
Chapter Ten – The Reunion
Clicking his tongue gently against the sides of his mouth, Laxus leant forward as he waited for an opening in the late evening traffic. Magnolia was illuminated by an armada of streetlights and neon advertisements, stars shining down from above in the cloudless sky. Laxus hardly ever drove in the evening, he usually didn't have any reason to leave his apartment at such a time, so he always enjoyed it when the opportunity arose.
The reason for his late-night driving was that Freed had been invited by one of his clients for an impromptu high stakes game and had asked Laxus if he was available to drive him. The client had apparently been forced to reschedule an overseas business trip for whatever reason, meaning Freed had been forced to rush forward their meeting to that night; apparently this client was another of Freed's highest earners and would only agree to gamble once or twice a year, therefore Freed needed to act fast before losing the opportunity entirely.
Laxus had been somewhat shocked when he got the call. At that point, he had been working for Freed for over a month and, until then, Freed had given him at least a days' notice every time he required Laxus' services. It was something Laxus had appreciated as it allowed for a certain level of predictability in his day to day life, but the sudden call wasn't all that unwelcome. If nothing else, it would mean he could get some more money at the end of the month, and he wasn't all that busy anyway.
Throughout the time of Laxus' employment with Freed, the two men had started to get closer than the typical boss and employee dynamic that Laxus had expected. Their initial trip to Mirajane's bar had become a semi-regular thing, with the two of them spending an evening there together once a week, as long as they both had the time. A friendship had begun to form between the men and the tension of their earlier kinship had dissipated somewhat. That was in no doubt attributable to Cana, who had insisted on making the men take shots every time something awkward or uncomfortable between them occurred.
The cheap booze and regrettable hangovers had made both men learn what the limits of conversation were and what topics weren't to be approached. Cana may have been obnoxious, but her help was undeniable.
And, as much as Laxus felt himself confused by this, he enjoyed having Freed as a friend. He was significantly calmer than the majority of the people that Laxus knew, which he appreciated as the idea of working with someone like Cana was a thought too terrible to entertain. But with Freed, they could find pleasure in silence but could hold a conversation with ease. The friendship was, rather shockingly, easy.
On occasion, Laxus found his mind wondering back to the possibility of him having an attraction to his boss. Over the time, he had managed to sort his thoughts out better than in the blind panic of a single day. He'd come to the conclusion that he could no longer deny Freed was a handsome man. He also realised that he didn't need a relationship and had no romantic feelings for Freed, so undergoing a pointless inner conflict was childish and unneeded; Freed was a good boss and becoming a good friend, there was no reason to complicate things by panicking over feelings that had yet to occur. And, if any feelings did occur at any point, he would deal with them at that time and no sooner.
"Again, I'm sorry for it dragging on for so long." Freed spoke up from the passenger seat. "He's usually less stubborn than that and gives up quicker."
"Don't mind." Laxus nodded slightly. "At least I got to sit in and watch instead of being in the car. It was kinda fun. You really don't hold back, huh?"
Watching Freed gamble had been a shock to say the least. When entering the client's office, pleasantries had been exchanged and drinks poured. The two men had chatted as if old friends, something Laxus assumed did purely for politeness as there was an underlying sense of tension with every word. After a minute or so of this pseudo-friendship, they walked to the man's desk and begun playing. And, as they played, Laxus was given a front row seat as to why Freed was referred to as a demon when he gambled.
His actions were quick and harsh, as if he had planned ten steps ahead of the opponent. He spoke no more than absolutely needed, his voice taking on a harshness that Laxus had yet to hear from his new boss. But Freed's eyes were what Laxus was most interested in, they were emotionless and slightly narrowed with an antagonistic darkness in them. Even his body language had a layer of cockiness that Laxus had certainly not expected. Watching Freed, Laxus knew this was a man in his element and had complete control of the room.
It was quite a sight to behold. And Laxus felt himself oddly enthralled by it.
The night had continued on, with both men saying barely anything to each other as money exchanged hands. It hadn't been as one sided as Laxus had expected, with a few moments looking as if Freed was going to make an overall loss. But his boss was never unwavering or unconfident, and the end result proved hi methods worked well. The blonde had to hold his tongue in shock as the eye wateringly large amount of money was placed in Freed's briefcase.
"With him, no. He's wealthy enough to take losses like that." Freed continued, smiling a little. "With the less financially-stable clients, I'm more lenient. As long as they don't annoy me, of course."
"Makes sense." Laxus chuckled, knowing that he would be the same if he were in Freed's situation. "Were you always like that? Like, smart with how much you take from people and who you get a lot from."
"At the start I wasn't. I never intended for it to be my main source of income." Freed shifted in his chair slightly, so his body was angled towards Laxus. "Originally, I gambled for fun and whatever money I could get, so I washed anyone out that would play with me. When I realised I could live off my winnings if I was smart, I reassessed my playstyle. I needed regular clients, so I needed to make sure they were never too demoralised by their losses."
"Ever had anyone refuse to play you?" Laxus asked, curiosity peaked.
"One or two, yes. Mainly in the early days when I hadn't quite got the balance right. Occasionally, people gets close to leaving me now." Freed chuckled a little. "But I know how to change that. Let them win once or twice in a row and they're just as egocentric as before."
Laxus chuckled a little, trying to imagine the merciless version of Freed he had seen that night purposefully losing, having to deal with a gloating rich person who was unaware that their victory was part of a manipulation. He could also imagine that, if Freed took gambling as seriously as everything seemed to suggest, he wouldn't be all too happy with having any loss. Even if it was on his own terms.
The way Freed spoke also interested Laxus. It truly did seem like he had gambling down to a fine art, that he had his clients in the palm of his hands and knew exactly what was needed to maximise his profits. Somewhat of a contrast to the blonde, who was rolling with whatever life dealt him.
"You're acting like it's a business." Laxus commented quickly, blocking that train of thoughts before it came. "Guess it kind of is, in a way."
"I've always tried to make it seem that way. It's why I refer to them as clients, it gives it a more formal edge to what I do." Freed smirked a little, interpreting Laxus' words as some form of praise. "I like to make them think that the meetings are more than just a night gambling. It makes them feel more inclined to continue."
"That why you make 'em sign contracts and stuff?"
It had been a shock to see the client fully prepared to sign what looked like a contract, something Laxus assumed Freed had written himself. At the end of the night, the client had also signed another piece of paper that resembled a receipt. The blonde hadn't mentioned anything, but had found himself wondering exactly what the point was.
"Partly. Mainly its for safety." At Freed's words, Laxus raised an eyebrow. "I make a lot of money from these sessions, I'm always in danger of becoming cash rich with large, sudden amounts of money. The contract allows me to prove I haven't gained any money illegally. The receipts show I pay the correct amount of tax. They're just there so I can have a financial safety net, on the occasion I'm investigated for whatever reason."
"You're a smart man, Freed." Laxus grinned a little. "Why you hired me, right?"
"I suppose that's true. I do make it a rule that I make smart decisions." Freed's smirk was obvious. "And every rule needs an exception, right?"
Laxus barked out a short laugh. This was another side of Freed that the man had revealed that Laxus was growing fond of. He had quite the sharp wit and, even if Laxus sometimes found himself at the knife-edge of this wit, Laxus was just glad to see it. In reflection, the polite but restrained Freed that he originally met was a contrast to the Freed he saw after a few months of knowing him. Even if the change was subtle, Laxus was glad of it. The blonde much preferred the snarky Freed he could joke around with.
As the blonde brought his attention back to the road, he watched as Freed switched the stereo in the car on and played whatever playlist he wanted to listen to. It had been revealed that both men had a shared taste in music: mainly being that they didn't have a specific genre they liked but were willing to give almost anything a chance. The first song of Freed's playlist was, that time, an instrumental electro-jazz piece. Laxus made a note to get the artist's name.
Stopping at some traffic lights, Laxus chuckled as he looked to the left. Some drunk college kids were staggering down the road, a sober looking woman steadying a stumbling man. He sometimes wondered if he had missed out on much by not going to college, he also wondered if Freed felt the same way.
Glancing towards the man, he saw Freed wasn't looking anywhere near the drunken idiots. Whether or not it was because he felt he had been short-changed by his lack of college experience, Freed was looking down at his phone. Perhaps he did have some regrets about not being able to go to college, he seemed like he could be an extremely intelligent man given the right environment. Well, he was obviously intelligent already to have managed to make a business out of gambling, but he probably would have been like a college professor or something if things were different. Maybe he would take a course or something eventually, he probably had the money and time to enrol.
The loud sound of a horn blaring behind him snapped him out of his thoughts. He glanced up quickly to the green traffic light and quickly sped off down the road, half tempted to make a 'polite' gesture to the car behind him to tell him to be patient. Instead, as he glanced around, he saw an amused expression on Freed's face.
"Lost in thought?"
"Tired." Laxus lied. "Long day I guess. Morning workout."
Freed waited a moment before speaking again. "You're getting better. At lying, I mean. I almost believed it, the detail was good."
"Saw through it, huh?" Laxus grinned. "What gave it away?"
"You have the loudest yawn in the city, Laxus. You could be tired half a block away and I'd hear it. A lie is more than the statement." Freed smirked. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I was just curious."
"I don't mind." Laxus continued as he turned a corner. "Seeing those kids, always makes me think about what it would have been like in college. I mean I know it wouldn't be anything like those crappy movies and TV shows, probably just a lot of work and stress, but I kinda feel like I've missed out on it, you know?"
"Yes, I suppose so. Although it's nice not having such a large debt hanging over me." Freed said, looking up from his phone. "Why didn't you go?"
"Loads of things, I guess." Laxus sighed. "Don't want the debt, I guess. And I didn't wanna have to make gramps support me when I ain't even living with him, 'cause I know I wasn't gonna be able to manage money when I was eighteen. And, honestly, I was a bit of a dick when I was a kid. Rebellious, what the school always called me. Second I was outta school, refused to think about going someplace else to learn in. Still, doin' alright for myself now so I shouldn't complain."
Freed nodded, and Laxus had to wonder why Freed hadn't gone to college. But he didn't ask, Freed was still his boss and, although he considered them to be friends, he didn't expect invading his personal life like that would be all too acceptable. Instead, he focused on the music.
As always, it wasn't long before a song by their shared favoured composer came on. Bickslow's music was always found in Freed's playlists; Freed brought all of his friend's music to support him and, as Bickslow seemed to change the genre he made on a bi-weekly basis, there was always something of his in Freed's playlists. Laxus didn't mind, there was a certain soul aspect to his work that Laxus appreciated. He wondered if he could ever meet with the composer, partly because he wanted to compliment him in person rather than in a YouTube comment system, and partly because Freed had painted him as eccentric to say the least; Laxus wanted to see how much of Freed's words were an exaggerations.
Fingers tapping against the leather of the wheel, Laxus saw Freed's garage building approach. It wasn't too far away from Laxus' apartment, a couple of blocks which would only take twenty minutes to get to if he walked at a brisk pace. The evening walk would be pleasant and his bed was starting to call, so he was glad he would soon be out of the car.
Even if, when he got home, he would be greeted by an empty apartment.
Soon enough, the gates to the garage were slowly opening and Laxus drove into the building. The lights flickered on as he drove and pulled into Freed's designated parking area. The car's engine stopped and both men slowly climbed out, Laxus leaning on the roof of the vehicle and looking at Freed.
"Your next appointment's on Wednesday, right?" He asked after checking the diary app on his phone.
"Yes. Although, I'd appreciate it if you could get the car cleaned sometime before that." Freed groaned at the reminder of his appointment. "Karen is intolerable, even the smallest spec of dirt on the car and she'll refer to me as a pig throughout the day. It's how she works, tries to insult and demoralise you until you make a mistake."
"She sounds pleasant."
"As pleasant as standing on wasp's sting." Freed chuckled. "It's worth it, though. She's as blindly cocky as the rest, so she makes enough mistakes to wipe the grin off her face."
"You know, with the whole taking money from the rich and green motif thing you've got going on, you're pretty close to robin hood." Laxus grinned. "Give some money to the poor and wear tights, you're basically there."
"How do you know I don't?" Freed matched the grin.
"Really?" Laxus chuckled. "Wait, the tights or charity?"
"I'll leave that up to your imagination." Freed laughed slightly. "See you next week, Laxus."
"See ya, Freed." Laxus chuckled.
The blonde watched as Freed walked down the illuminated road towards the gates of the building, Laxus locking the garage and walking to vending machine to get himself a cup of sub-par hot chocolate. Freed soon was out of sight and Laxus was nursing a steaming paper cup, walking down the road and towards his apartment building.
His mind began to wonder as he walked, and a smile began to form. Over the short time he had been working with Freed, he began to feel just a little happier about his life. He could have conversations with his grandfather without the worry of money causing an issue, he no longer had to wake up early in the morning to do a job he hated, and he was starting to become more social. And not just with Freed, his trips to Mira's bar were more of a chance to talk with his friends than they were to drink his time away, and he had to say he was enjoying it more than he expected. Alberona-Tax excluded, of course.
He wasn't the type to walk with a spring in his step, but the small smile on his face was enough for anyone who knew Laxus to tell he was in a good mood. He even chose to forego his headphones, which he usually wore when walking as to make sure any passer by knew he was not to be approached.
At that moment, he felt oddly content.
Which of course meant, from a karmic standpoint, the scales of fate were tipped slightly too far in his favour. But life was more than willing to fix that and return him to his perpetual state of mediocrity. Something which proved true when he turned the corner to his apartment building and saw something that caused the blonde man to stop where he stood and double take, gulping almost audibly.
Before him was a woman. Middle aged, blonde hair falling low below her shoulders and face covered in the wrinkles of a forty year old; forty-nine, to be exact. Her clothes were extravagant for the area, a long trench coat with fur covering the collar and leather boots hiding her legs. Her sharp posture and oddly vibrant hair were distinctive enough to classify her as recognisable, specifically to those who were regular viewers of the Fiore News Network. To them, she was the European foreign correspondent known as Sophia.
Laxus walked forward, the soft sound of his boots against the pavement seemingly deafening now as he approached the woman. As she turned, Laxus was presented with full access to the face of a woman he wished never to see. A woman who most knew as Sophia, but he knew by a much more personal term.
"Mom?"