Jealousy

It was eight o'clock in the evening when the doorbell rang and Laxus heard someone coming to open the door. He just hoped it wasn't Freed, but it was very likely, as Bickslow wasn't there and Evergreen was in the bathroom. The girl always stayed there for hours, he doubted she had finished yet. The blond threw a look in the mirror, finished fixing his hair with the gel and then left the room.

Of course it was Freed who had opened the door and made Rufus sit in. The two obviously made an effort to have a polite conversation, but they all knew there was no good blood between them. Freed and Rufus had never gotten along in high school, they had always clashed over everything, probably because of their similar characters. But that certainly wasn't the reason Laxus had decided to go out with him, although it would've been satisfying to piss off Freed.

"Hi Laxus," Rufus smiled as soon as he saw him and Laxus forced himself to look at him and not Freed. It was the best idea, to go out and get distracted with someone. If that someone was Rufus, so much the better. Maybe he'd even have a little fun. Indeed, certainly, since the blond seemed to have an interest in him.

"Hey, I'll take my coat and I'm ready," he said.

"I made reservations at the Sabertooth, I hope it's fine," Rufus said. Laxus nodded as he grabbed his coat.

"Perfect," he said as he slipped it on. Then his eyes wandered to Freed, but the boy didn't seem interested in their date. Why would he have to be, after all? Freed wasn't interested in him. With some nervousness Laxus walked to the door, running a hand on Rufus' back and pushing him out. What had he been thinking? To make Freed jealous? To piss him off? Freed had never been interested in him, better stick it in his head once and for all.

"Have a good evening," Freed told them coldly.

"Thank you," Rufus replied with a smile as Laxus closed the door without deigning to greet him. Have a good evening. The asshole. Why the hell was he still so interested in what Freed thought? He was fucking pathetic.

"I knew Freed was back, but I didn't think he was living with you," Rufus commented as they started down the stairs.

"He can't find another apartment," the blond replied dryly, hoping that he too wouldn't start over with the same old story. He was starting to get tired of what people said, or what people thought. He could see curiosity in everyone's eyes. Rufus was no exception, and he was looking at him hoping to find something.

"Was there ever something between you two?" he asked. Laxus looked at him in surprise and felt the tension in his arms. Of all the people who had tried to figure out why they had drifted away, none had ever come this close.

"Where does the idea come from?" he asked him. Rufus shrugged.

"You were always together," he just explained. Laxus found himself once again unable to argue.

"No, we were just friends," he replied. It wasn't a lie. They were really just friends. Friends who kissed when they were drunk and who found themselves with their hands in each other's pants. Friends who rolled around in bed when his grandfather wasn't there, who drank just to have an excuse to take off their clothes. But still just friends.

"And now why don't you talk to each other anymore?" Rufus asked. Laxus gave him a dirty look.

"Our fucking business," he replied irritably. Luckily Rufus asked nothing more and luckily the evening went on better than it had begun.

"Where's Laxus?" Evergreen asked as she came out of the bathroom and left a trail of perfume behind her. Her hair was tied up in a turban and a few drops still ran down her face.

Freed was sitting on the sofa and he was pretending to find an apartment to stay in. He pretended, yes, because he didn't really want to leave there. He wanted to talk to Laxus again, and only there could he find any excuse to do so. Too bad he hadn't succeeded yet. He wasn't a coward, just, talking to the blond was difficult. Besides, he still hadn't quite decided what to tell him. Which was stupid, he'd had three fucking years to think about it.

"Out to dinner with Rufus," he replied, hoping his annoyance wouldn't be felt. Fortunately, however, in those years he had created a neutral tone to talk with, so that his emotions didn't leak out. And luckily her friend no longer knew him as well as she once did.

"Oh," Evergreen said in surprise.

"I didn't know he was going out with the boys," Freed commented keeping his gaze fixed on the computer, so as not to reveal his jealousy. Besides, senseless jealousy. He wasn't Laxus' boyfriend, the blond had probably dated a lot of other guys in those three years, and besides, it didn't make sense to be jealous after three fucking years. Despite this, Freed found himself seething with rage. Of all the guys Laxus could date, with Rufus. That first-rate asshole Freed never got along with.

"He's gay, shortly after you left, he came out" said the girl "I thought you knew" she added with a surprised and inquiring tone at the same time. Freed stared at the computer, refusing to look away.

He obviously knew. He and Laxus had kissed. Many times. They had touched. More and more times. They had never had sex but still, they had become very intimate. But it was all theirs, their secret, something they had never talked about, something Laxus had refused to talk about. Something Laxus apparently had forgotten. Because obviously alcohol made you forget things, especially if they were uncomfortable things to remember.

"I didn't know" he lied to her and closed the computer with a dry gesture. He got up and went to his room, telling Evergreen that he wasn't going to have dinner.

He couldn't sleep. He kept tossing and turning in bed without being able to close his eyes. Every time he did it, he remembered the old days, the way he and Laxus had fun. The way they hid from external eyes to kiss, to run their hands over each other.

Freed turned in the mattress, struggling to push those damned memories out of his mind. Why did he have to get lost in the past like that? Maybe instead of standing there hoping he and Laxus could talk, he'd better leave. Maybe he should've returned to Germany.

He closed his eyes wondering why he had returned to Magnolia. The university was just an excuse, he had done it on purpose to see his old friend again. But what was the use if he couldn't even talk to him? What was the point if Laxus had never been interested in him?

He heard the front door open and something fall to the ground. Laughter and chatter. Freed was instantly irritated. Laxus had returned and was with Rufus. He didn't understand what they were saying, but they didn't try too hard to keep quiet. In fact, they seemed to be enjoying making as much noise as possible. To let everyone know that they had fucked, that they had fun and that they'd probably do it again on the sofa in the living room.

At that awareness Freed's anger escalated even more. For years Laxus had refused to talk about what was between them, for years Freed had kept his secret and hadn't forced him to say anything, and now he was fucking quietly without worrying about being overheard with that asshole Rufus? How the hell he allowed himself.

Freed got up from the bed pissed off, ignoring the voice in his head that was telling him he was screwing up, that he wasn't Laxus's boyfriend, that he had no right to be jealous, that he didn't have to demand anything from him, especially after having escaped to Germany. But he didn't care. He needed to let off steam, and luckily for him there were two assholes on the other side of the wall who deserved to put up with all his wrath.

He went into the living room and saw the two boys making out near the door. The urge to punch both of them ran by the arms, but the two broke away realizing that someone had entered.

"Uh, sorry Freed, did we wake you up?" Rufus asked with ruffled hair.

"Yes," the boy growled, this time not bothering not to show his annoyance. He just wanted to insult them both, and maybe get the image of those two with their lips together out of his mind. "You're making a terrible mess, you'll wake everyone up," he snapped.

"Put on some fucking headphones and go," Laxus snapped, and Freed felt the urge to punch him again.

"No. He leaves. It's not his home and people are trying to sleep here," he growled.

"Um... well, I really would go," Rufus said noticing the air was blowing. He greeted Laxus with a sloppy kiss and left the apartment, under Freed's furious gaze. He was holding back, but he wouldn't be surprised if he walked through the door just to punch Rufus.

"What the hell is your problem, huh?" Laxus snapped as soon as they were alone. Freed was about to answer but the blond, obviously drunk, raised his voice. "This isn't even your apartment, you can't kick people out of the house!" he exclaimed.

"Well, I sleep here and pay the rent and the bills," Freed answered between his teeth. "I think I've the right to sleep in peace without having to hear two drunks fucking in the living room."

"No, you don't have it," Laxus snapped, advancing towards him "You're a fucking scrounger, you're only here because Bickslow and Evergreen have pitied you, but since you arrived you've been making their lives worse. They can't stand you anymore. To tell the truth, nobody can stand you anymore. You should go back to Germany to your dear daddy and have your asshole cleaned, as you're used to…"

The punch hit Laxus in the cheek without Freed even realizing it. His arm had gone off on its own, and he didn't feel guilty at all seeing the blond stagger slightly. To tell the truth, he felt a little better. He was beginning to repay the asshole for all the pain he had endured because of him.

Laxus turned to him, pushed Freed against the wall and a cabinet toppled to the floor. The flowerpot above broke into a thousand pieces but neither of them cared. Laxus punched him in the face and Freed gasped for a moment. He recovered quickly and was about to beat him again but at that moment the corridor light went on, and the two turned to see Evergreen and Bickslow.

"What the hell are you doing?" snapped the girl.

"Our fucking business," Laxus replied immediately, then grinned, taking a step away from Freed. "Indeed, they're your business too. This is all thanks to you, you're happy to have us reunited now, right?" he asked furiously.

"You fucking idiot," Evergreen growled as she stepped forward. Freed ran his palm over his jaw. Damn, Laxus had hurt him.

"Shit whore," Laxus spat. "You organized all this, only because you're not able to do your own fucking business. Next time maybe you'll learn not to get in the middle of my life" he growled at her.

"Shut your fucking mouth!" Evergreen yelled. "And here the assholes are you two. You can't even talk to each other civilly. But you're right, I was wrong to get in the way of your relationship. Go ahead and beat yourself up, but get it out of this apartment, because I won't take care of you two!" she blurted out.

"Oh, now you understand," Laxus commented scornfully. Evergreen gave him a dirty look. Bickslow stepped in the middle.

"Ok, you've been drinking. Let's calm down and let's all go to sleep, huh?" he asked.

"And pretend nothing happened? Well, let's keep pretending that everything's fine and it's not his fault." Laxus growled pointing at Freed. The boy remained silent. "Why don't you tell him how bad you were left when he left without even warning you? Why don't you tell him what an asshole he was to go live with his rich daddy without even a fucking goodbye?" he blurted out.

"Laxus, you're drunk. We better talk about it tomorrow," Bickslow said trying to calm down. Evergreen ran her hands over her temples in exasperation. Neither of them had denied what Laxus had said, however, and Freed felt himself sinking. Why the hell had he gone back to Magnolia? He had been a fool. He passed Laxus and went to the door.

"Hey, where are you going?" Bickslow asked.

"Laxus is right. None of you want me here," he replied, opening the door.

"Freed" Evergreen tried to say but her voice was obscured by Laxus's.

"Yes, go away. It's the only thing you can do!" he barked. Freed closed the door behind him as he heard Laxus' screams still in his ears.

Alcohol flowed into his body but Freed was grateful for it. It was only thanks to that that he could take refuge in a corner of the room and kiss Laxus. Feeling his hands on him, his lips on him, on his neck, all over his skin.

Laxus's fingers ran up his torso until they reached his belt and pulled it down. Freed moaned as he felt his hand disappear under his boxers and sat astride Laxus, kissing him madly and pulling his hair lightly. Good heavens, he hadn't thought a kiss would end like this.

Kissing at every party, at every hangover. Drinking and then locking himself up somewhere with his friend to make out and touch each other. He liked it so much, he didn't want to get out of there anymore, he didn't want that moment to end.

Freed pulled up his friend's shirt, but at that moment he heard someone knock on the door. Freed and Laxus broke apart, panting and red in the face. They didn't answer and the handle went down, but luckily the two had locked the door.

"Who's in here? Hell, why the fuck did you lock the door!" it was the voice of Cana. Freed jumped off Laxus' legs and buttoned his pants, while Laxus adjusted his shirt and stood up. When they were both presentable the blond opened the door.

"Oh, it's you two. What were you doing locked up?" asked the curious girl and Freed felt himself blush. A mischievous smile appeared on the brunette's face. "Were you fucking?"

"Don't bullshit, we were smoking weed," Laxus snarled right away. Cana's eyes widened.

"What?" she asked stunned. Freed didn't dare say anything, fearing that whatever came out of his lips would make the situation worse.

"Don't tell anyone," the blond growled and then left the room. Freed followed him carefully avoiding the gaze of the girl, who still looked at them in shock. Laxus was practically running down the stairs and Freed was following him, until he rolled over and hit him. He feared that Laxus would push him away, but instead the blonde held him straight.

"Hey, are you okay?" he whispered. Freed nodded vigorously.

"Yes," he said in a whisper, feeling the warmth envelop him again. Obviously Laxus wouldn't push him away, he liked him. Good heavens, Laxus liked him. Even if it only happened when they were drunk, it meant something, right? It meant that Laxus liked him at least a little. More than a little, considering what his friend had done to him. Considering what Laxus had achieved with his hands. He tried not to think about it so as not to make the situation worse in his pants, which were already quite tight.

"Let's get out of here," Laxus said and dragged him out of the Cana's house. Freed didn't object, he honestly couldn't wait to be alone with Laxus. The two went out and hid behind a tree in the garden. As soon as they were there, Laxus pulled him towards him, taking his face in his hands and kissing him intensely. Freed instantly reciprocated, clinging to his shoulders and feeling his heart explode with joy again.

"It's our secret, okay?" Laxus asked as they pulled apart. Freed quickly nodded. Anything, just to spend more evenings like this with Laxus. He was about to ask him if he liked him, if it could be more, but Laxus kissed him again, preventing him from speaking. And after all, why did Freed have to complicate things? They enjoyed themselves, and even if they only did it when they drank, that was just fine with him. That just meant he'd get drunk more often.