Laxus waited for Mira to finish up Freed's make-up outside. He wanted to make sure he was within eyesight when Lucy showed up later and to make sure that Freed didn't see her coming in from the front of the salon. As per their agreement, Laxus would be meeting Freed at the back of the salon, so no one would see him with the make-up on. Lucy was to meet him at the front. He made sure that he asked Lucy to meet him when he knew Freed would be finishing up. He only set it up this way so that Lucy wouldn't see Freed with make-up on, although Laxus would have loved to show Lucy he knew Freed far better than she had.

Lucy pulled up within moments of Laxus arriving. Hopping out of her car, she gave Laxus a cheesy grin and walked over. "Hey." She said with a bright smile. "Thank you for setting this up for me again." Laxus gave him a smile back and walked her over to the front of the salon.

" It was my pleasure, Ms. Heartfilia. As mentioned before, I have a prior appointment, but Mira told me she'll be with you momentarily." That was a lie, but Laxus was sure Lucy wouldn't know the difference. The other blonde slowly nodded, curious to what Laxus would have had planned this evening but not bold enough to ask, considering how their last conversation went. It would seem that Laxus wasn't a fan of talking about his personal life.

Laxus left Lucy with Kinana at the door and made it back around behind the salon just in time for Freed to appear out of the back door. Laxus smiled (whole heartily this time), seeing the green-haired beauty peek out from the back door and scan over the parking lot for Laxus. "I'm right here," Laxus pulled the door open so he could see Freed fully. And beauty was less than the word needed to describe his love interest. Freed was absolutely breathtaking. Although he wore his usual style, jeans, a white t-shirt, and a matching dark blue cardigan, his make-up was flawlessly done, and his hair curled slightly at the ends with one side tucked behind his ear. Laxus let out a dreamy sigh as Freed shuffled over with his head slightly held down.

"Uh-um…well, I'm ready," Freed said softly. Laxus slid his hand onto his shoulder and guided him towards his truck.

"You look stunning." Freed tried not to let Laxus's words overly affect him, but he couldn't help the dark tent of a blush adorning his cheeks. Laxus looked down at him and smiled, "Absolutely amazing." Whenever Laxus said things like that, Freed could feel himself swooning. Freed had never really received compliments like this before. There were times when Evergreen would compliment him, or Bickslow would point out something noticeable, but it had never been words like stunning or amazing. Only Laxus had ever used those words with him before. It made Freed feel good, especially at the moment when he wasn't sure about himself. Freed didn't know where Laxus was taking him, but walking to Laxus's car, out in the open with make-up on, terrified him. What if someone parked in the back and was leaving the salon? They would see him! See the make-up on his face, judge him, talk about him! Freed could only shut his eyes and pray no one was around, that nobody would see him like this.

But then he would feel Laxus's hand pressing firmly at his back. It was almost as if Laxus knew how tense Freed was. Laxus took his hand and pushed harder, leaning into Freed's ear. "You're okay," Laxus reassured. "We're almost to the truck; once you're inside, I'll be the only person to see you like this." Freed leaned back into Laxus's hand, but the tension never left. He tried to calm his nerves, but every gust of wind, crack of a tree branch, and footstep felt like sounds of someone coming near them. It felt like Laxus's truck was an hour away; every step they took only took them farther from the vehicle. Yet, Laxus continued to coo into Freed's ear. "We're here, Freed. I'm going to open the door for you. Don't look anywhere but at me." Freed took in a sigh of relief as Laxus pulled away and opened his truck door. Freed practically threw himself into the passenger seat and didn't even wait for Laxus to shut the door, slamming it closed himself.

Laxus got in beside him and shot a smile Freed's way. "I thought you were going to have a panic attack." Freed relaxed into Laxus's familiar seats.

"I was freaking out, but I wouldn't have had a panic attack. If someone would have seen me, maybe." Laxus started the truck and put it into reverse.

"Then I'm glad we made it without that happening." Freed didn't respond; instead, he only closed his eyes and attempted to steady his racing heart. Besides trying to play it cool in front of Laxus, he really was close to having a panic attack. Honestly, if it were just him walking to Laxus's car alone, he probably wouldn't have been able to do it. He was grateful that Laxus had gotten out and walked with him. Even if it was a small move, having his larger body there as a shield was comforting. "I wouldn't have wanted to share your face with anyone else." Freed's eyebrow twitched, and he shifted in his seat a little.

"Laying it on thick with the compliments, huh?" Laxus skewed his face into a slight frown.

"Sorry If I was much, but that's truly how I feel, Freed. I don't want anyone to see this Freed, just as much as you don't." Freed opened his eyes and peered over at Laxus.

"Because you're easily jealous."

"I am. When it comes to you, I'm greedy." Freed tried to hide the way his words sent tingles down his spine.

"Where are we going?" Freed said, changing the subject, "Your house again?"

"No, I have another location planned."

"W-wait." Freed's anxiety immediately came running back. "Nowhere public. I-"

"I know. I just told you I don't want anyone to see you." Laxus peered over and sent him a smile. "Relax, Freed. Let me take control. I won't do anything you're uncomfortable with." And he did. The moment Laxus reassured him, Freed could feel himself relaxing again. It was like Laxus had complete and utter control over his body.

"I'm sorry," Freed said sheepishly. "I know you wouldn't. I'm just having a hard time getting over the fact that I'm outside the salon with make-up on." Freed took in a deep breath and then let it go. "I keep trying not to focus on it, but It's the only thing I can think about right now. This is probably one of the more intense moments of my life." Freed cracked out a crude laugh. "I know that may seem a bit overdramatic, but I'm honest."

Laxus stole a glance over to Freed from his peripheral. "I don't think you're being overdramatic," Laxus said softly. "Everyone reacts to experiences differently. To you, this is something far more meaningful. I got that from the last time you wore make-up. Obviously, there's more to your story, and I don't want to push you into telling me what that is, but I want you to know that I'm here for you, and you can talk to me about anything." Laxus took his hand, slid it over Freed's leg, and opened his palm onto Freed's lap. Freed stared at it for a moment, peering at the pale skin, the lines crossing over the middle to the back of the silver rings decorating his fingers. Freed hesitated at first, withering back and forward over if he should do this or not, but eventually, his body overruled his mind, and his fingers laced into Laxus's. Laxus grinned, feeling Freed giving his hand a small squeeze of appreciation.

"That's what these appointments are for," Laxus told him. "I'm going to push you to try new things, but we still go at a pace you're comfortable with. Whenever you're ready to discuss the mental aspects of all of this, I'll be here." Freed wanted nothing more than to confide in Laxus now. He knew talking about everything would make him feel better, possibly even draw them closer. His mouth twitched to tell Laxus of his childhood, fears, and triggers. If Laxus was to help him overcome this, he should know of the source, right?

Freed opened his mouth to begin spilling everything to Laxus when his truck pulled into a familiar parking lot. Wasn't this…the lounge?

"Laxus," Freed sat up in his seat, ripping his hand away and gripping the passenger door's armrest. "T-this…this is the karaoke lounge. We can't go here! They're always busy, even on weekdays."

Laxus was a bit disappointed at the absence of Freed's hand but shrugged it off. "I know. Someone we both know works here. I got her to pull some strings with the manager. We'll be alone." Freed lifted an eyebrow at that but reframed from asking more.

They pulled towards the back of the lounge, where Freed assumed employees parked. When Laxus shut the truck off, he got out, rounded the truck, and opened Freed's door. "Are you ready?"

Freed sucked in another deep breath. "Yeah, just walk fast." Freed allowed Laxus to lead him up to the rooftop of the lounge. Freed didn't know they had an outside bar/party area at the top decorated nicely with numerous foliage and lights. It suited his usual decor taste with all of the beautiful plants and vines crawling over the balcony space. The whole roof was empty. Not even employees were present. Laxus walked Freed over to a table and pulled out a chair for him. Freed thanked him and took a seat, scanning over the scenery before a familiar face peeked out from behind the bar counter. "L-Lisanna!" The young woman flashed the two a smile and sent a little wave. Freed snapped his eyes over to Laxus, finally taking a seat beside him. "I thought you said no one would see me!"

Laxus let out a sigh and picked up a drink menu. "Lisanna works at the salon; she's seen you with make-up on before. Since it was someone who worked at the salon, I figured you would be okay with it." Freed glanced over to Lisanna as she made her way over.

"Yes, but I've never actually spoken with her."

"Well, now's a good chance."

Lisanna dipped her head in a quick greeting when she finally made it beside their table. "Hey guys, good evening. I'll be your server today." She giggled at the end, liking how Freed pursed his subtle pink lips to hold back a whimper of discomfort. "I'll only get your drinks and food. You'll be alone the rest of the time."

Laxus pushed the drink menu over to Freed. "Drink something; it'll help you calm down." Freed cringed.

"Alcohol isn't really my ally when it comes to anxiety," Freed mumbled, but he still looked over the drinks. Lisanna gave them a moment, peering over their body language. Laxus had asked her to help him out a day or so prior. Before her conversation with Bickslow, Evergreen, and Elfman. She hadn't thought anything of it, considering she was helping Mira push them together at one point. But now, as she watched Laxus help Freed choose a drink, she could only wonder, was this all real to Laxus? Bickslow had said that Laxus couldn't possibly take Freed seriously, but she was seeing a different side of Laxus. He went even as far as to rent out the entire lounge roof just so Freed could wear make-up in public. She found that rather romantic; it couldn't have been just a move to sleep with him. She wanted to observe them more, find the truth out for herself. Maybe if she could figure their relationship out, it could calm Bickslow's worries.

"Okay," Freed finally said, pulling Lisanna out of her thoughts. "I'll get the paradise park on draft."

"And I'll just get a water," Laxus added. Freed gave him a slight eyebrow lift, but Laxus only placed a hand on top of his. "I'd rather not drink since I'm your driver. This is your night anyway." Freed slowly nodded and watched as Lisanna left to grab their drinks.

When Lisanna left, Laxus started, "I want to know more about you."

"Like?" Laxus cocked his head to the side, his eyes dancing across Freed's face.

"Your birthday, your likes, dislikes, anything you can think of to tell me."

"Well," Freed played with one of the rings on Laxus's finger, twisting it back and forth. "My birthday is February 18th... I enjoy literature, sushi…um, actual sushi, not just rolls. I- um- don't watch many movies or much TV; I tend to read or see plays instead." Laxus tried to think of anything other than Freed being the exact image he pictured in his head.

"What's your favorite play?" Freed racked his brain for the appropriate response. Lisanna came and dropped off their drinks, with Laxus asking for more time to look over the menu before Freed had responded.

"Uh…" Freed gulped. "Possibly, Angels in America. " Laxus only stared back at him. Freed blushed profusely, rushing to cover his tracks. "I mean- I like it! I have so many plays I've read and seen. I just felt like this one, in particular, was beautifully written. I also quite enjoy Andrew Garfield, and he played Prior once. I actually had only recently watched a performance of the play, so…um, the-um- themes weren't apparent to me. The message… It's beautiful- not what it appears if you've only heard of it."

Laxus blushed a little and scratched the back of his head, turning to look away. "Sorry… I'm not exactly following anything you're saying. I don't know the first thing about plays. I may know a thing or two about some shit I read in college, but other than that, I have no clue."

Freed seemed to deflate with relief. "Ah, so you don't know about Angels in America. " Laxus shrugged.

"You could tell me about it. I am curious. Especially since you seemed so passionate about it." Freed blushed as the thought-provoking story, and heavy themes flooded his mind.

"Uh…maybe not suitable for dinner," Freed said with a slightly nervous chuckle.

"Then another time," Laxus quickly said. "I do want to hear about it. It's important to you, and I want to know all about what makes you happy." Freed blushed as he listened to Laxus's words. It was fascinating how Laxus could go from utterly unbearable when he teased Freed to wholly invested. It was quite the tussle back and forward in whether Laxus was genuine or not. But seeing Laxus's cheeks light up slightly here and there whenever he spoke made Freed feel a bit more reliant on Laxus being honest with his emotions and words.

"I can't necessarily say it's important to me," Freed said.

"Important as in it's something you enjoyed once and continue to enjoy through memory." Laxus clarified.

"Ah-then yes, I suppose it is important." Lisanna returned then, and Laxus ordered. Freed hadn't looked at the menu, so he stumbled to find something. Laxus offered to pick for him, but Freed declined, feeling awkward if Laxus continuously led him throughout the night. Or his raging independence was getting the better of him. The lounge didn't really serve much food, focusing more on their drinks since it was more of a hangout spot. The menu consisted of finger foods and various burgers. Freed decided he'd stick with loaded fries, so he could eat with a fork and not completely embarrass himself.

After ordering, Laxus occupied himself by drinking down his water. He wanted Freed to be more of the aggressor in the conversation. For Freed to ask him things and fill in the empty spaces in conversation. He was expecting that to be something he and Freed would have to work on, but to his surprise, Freed fidgeted with his silverware roll and asked Laxus what play he read in college.

"I think it was something along the lines of a woman and her two brothers fighting over a throne. Lots of death or something." Freed perked up at the mention of a story he was familiar with.

"Oh! Antigone." Laxus flattened his lips and nodded.

"Yeah, that sounds about right."

"It's a common play used in English lessons." Freed turns completely to Laxus. "Did you enjoy it?"

"No," From the look on Freed's face, Laxus quickly fixed his response. "I… I'm not a fan of reading older text. The older dialect can confuse me at times. If not for Mira, I would have failed that class." Freed smiled, appreciating how honest Laxus was rather than being disappointed he wasn't a fan of a classic.

"I can respect that stance." Freed said slowly, "Do you read at all?"

Laxus shrugged, "If comics and manga count, then yes."

"I enjoy manga. What's your favorite?"

"I'm currently finishing up, Real by Takehiko Inoue." Freed nodded but wasn't familiar with the story. "Elfman reads manga heavily, and he used to pass stories onto me when he finished. It's been a while since he last did so," Laxus's face softened and drew out thinly, erasing his face free of any emotion. Freed studied this expression, finding a bit of pain behind his sudden aloofness. "This was that last manga he recommended to me, so I've taken my time dragging it out. Not wanting to finish it." That was…unmistakably the most sincere thing Laxus has ever told Freed. And although Laxus forced himself to show no emotion, Freed could feel the waves of sadness radiating off his shoulder. It was so intense Freed felt obligated to comfort him. He couldn't hug Laxus (it wouldn't have felt appropriate), but he could rest his shoulder on his. Laxus didn't move away but instead leaned back into Freed, supporting each other up until Lisanna came with the food.

After setting everything down on the table, Lisanna asked if they needed anything else before retreating back to the bar at the end of the roof, hoping they would continue being too engrossed in their conversation to notice her.

They eat in silence for a while until Laxus offers another conversation. "How do you feel now? Do you still feel nervous?"

Freed finished chewing before he answered. "It's not as bad as I thought. That could be because no one is really around." Freed mumbled slightly, "Most of my fear lies in strangers... being judged."

"Don't be so quick to discredit yourself." Laxus cut in over him. "I'm proud that you've gotten this far. You've done more than you would have done a week ago, and that's growth. Even if you feel like it's small. It's still growth." Those words were consoling to Freed. They showed a supportive side to Laxus that made him appeal to Freed more. Laxus had continued to comfort him throughout this entire experience and Freed greatly appreciated it. Looking back at his time with his parents, that was all he wanted. If they had just supported him and allowed him to flourish like Laxus and Mira, maybe Freed wouldn't have such low self-worth. Possibly Like Lucy, words from a friend would be enough to shift the aspect of his perception. If he didn't have low self-worth, problems like enjoying make-up wouldn't really be a problem anymore. He wouldn't have cared what others thought of him with confidence in himself.

"Thank you, Laxus, honestly." Freed looked up into Laxus's smoky-teal eyes, gazing back down at him with a sense of fondness. The gaze was wrecking Freed cognitively at night before bed or randomly when he'd space off at work. "You didn't have to go out of your way to do all of this for me. I know you…appreciate someone like me who likes a feminine style, but to go out of your way to help me build confidence makes me feel guilty."

"It's not about my kink," Laxus said. "Though I told you that, and it seems like I only did it for my own personal gain, It's more than that." Laxus looked away, preparing to say something embarrassing. Yes, once that was what helping Freed was initially for. Though he'd never admit that to Freed, Laxus wasn't ashamed of it. In the end, he wasn't expecting to gently fall for the green-haired man. No one could have. It was sudden and, quite frankly, threw Laxus off guard a little. Maybe it was something about Freed that coaxed him to the ideas of romance even when he'd never really thought of things like that. There was something breathtakingly calm about the other man that…tamed Laxus. Laxus knew of his own faults; he wasn't prepared for the consequences of his possessive behavior, as he knew it would eventually bite him later. For now, he was just happy to share moments like this with Freed, free from connotations of what they actually were . None of that mattered. They could have called this dating, hanging out, fuck- even playing; Laxus would still look back on this moment, watching Freed smile genuinely with pink dusted lips and sculpted eyebrows, and find it beautiful. "It's about learning to accept yourself rather than what others accept you for. Watching you grow and seeing you look happy makes me happy."

Freed didn't know how to respond. He thought they both knew it was apparent Laxus wanted more from their exchange more so in a sexual manner, but now Freed wasn't so sure about that. He'd been reading Laxus so wrong. And from the way Laxus worded it…was he thinking about more romantically with Freed? The idea burned Freed's cheeks. No way! Laxus told him it was too early to say he wanted a relationship with Freed. Freed was in no position to be in a relationship right now. There was far more that he had to figure out before he committed himself to someone. He would constantly feel guilty if he got into a relationship with someone while being so fractured.

The silence allowed Freed to listen in on the music playing below the roof. His chest tightened as a familiar sound came wafting into his ears. " At first, I thought it was infatuation. But, it's lasted so long " Laxus watched as Freed's face changed.

"This-" Freed said softly, "I know this song." It made him smile. His mind floated back to a time when he would skip arm in arm with his best friend. They would sing this tune, tone death and completely out of key. They would scream the lyrics to each other with brightly colored faces turning red from sunburn. This song imbodied his childhood, and not for its lyrics, but just from the memories surrounding it.

Laxus listened in as the song drifted up to the top of the roof. He had heard the song before, couldn't tell you its name, nor had any clue what the lyrics were, but he knew of it. Freed, however, swayed softly and mouthed the words. "Bickslow and I used to sing this to each other all the time when we were younger. We didn't realize until we were older it was a love song. I loved it so much, I learned how to play it on piano." It was then that the melody stopped. Freed could no longer hear the instrumental nor the sound of a light breeze gently passing by. All he could hear were the soft notes of the singer. They were chorused with the sound of a younger Freed and Bickslow singing along. Freed dropped his fork, focusing on those memories- of the sounds that made way for happier times. Without even realizing it, freed got overwhelmed, allowing for his emotions to get the best of him. What was he doing? Why was he here, with Laxus? Why wasn't he sitting on his living room floor with his best friend? Why weren't they talking? Why was Freed hiding his life from him? Why was Bickslow hiding his. Two little boys who used to sing lyrics of falling in love and becoming married couldn't possibly be drifting away, could they? How painful was it to realize your best friend, someone you considered a brother, was becoming a stranger?

Laxus could only watch as Freed's whole demeanor changed, and a lone tear dripped down his cheek. Laxus was alarmed at first, but then he became hyper-focused on Freed's words. He and Bickslow were so close that even a little song could bring Freed to tears like this? Why did that piss Laxus off so much? Their night together was going quite well until some prink decided to choose this song of all choices to perform. Laxus wouldn't allow it; he couldn't allow Freed to get swept up with his emotions and forget where he was, who he was with.

"Freed," The secretary jolted at the sound of his name and frantically moved to wipe his eyes free of tears.

"O-oh, Laxus, I'm sorry! I-I hadn't realized I was getting teared up."

"Stand up." Freed blinked back a twinge of confusion but obeyed and stood up beside Laxus. Laxus stood himself and swiftly pulled Freed into a hug.

"Laxus, you don't have to. I'm okay. I- just got caught up in memories, that's all." Laxus pulled back slightly, bringing Freed's arm up, clasped hand in hand firmly. He slipped his hand to the small of Freed's back and pulled Freed fleshly against his chest.

"I wasn't comforting you," Laxus rasped with a soft smile. "This is me trying to erase that memory and make one of our own to this song. After all," Laxus smirked and leaned down to press a soft kiss to Freed's forehead, "I'm jealous."

Lisanna watched in awe as Laxus waltzed Freed gently around the roof even long after the song had changed. This side of Laxus was new to her. While she'd grown up viewing Laxus like an older sibling, she had never witnessed such a docile side to the COO. This wasn't the Laxus she saw crying alone in closets when they were children or the Laxus that would bring her chocolates while she was in the hospital. Not even the Laxus that drove away the love of her life. This Laxus was foreign. If she hadn't pulled her phone out and recorded the looks of budding love between Freed and Laxus, she would have woken up the following day and thought it was all a dream.