Okay so I did mention in previous chapters that there were mentions of child abuse so… here it is. So warnings everywhere, it is a little dark but not dark, dark if you know what I mean? I don't like writing really dark things so sorry if it sucks, but you know, writers and their plot twists right?


Freed sat across from Laxus, trying not to fidget but was failing epically. Freed was hunched in his seat, his bangs masking most of his face as the longer pieces fell passed his shoulders. Laxus wasn't any better, his eyes never leaving his fiancé. Laxus wanted to sit next to him, to hold him, to whisper endearments in his ear so that he could relax. So that he could breathe. Laxus wanted to shake him to get answers from him, but knew that, that would push the love of his life away from him. He already hated the few feet that separated them now.

So now Laxus had to wait an unbearable silence that was eating him up inside. Somebody hurt his mate. Nobody hurt his love.

"My mother died when I was four" Freed whispered causing Laxus to freeze up, not wanting to miss anything, "people said we looked exactly same all the time."

"I bet she was beautiful," Laxus whispered seeing a ghost of a smile appear on Freed's face before it was gone the next second, "I took her maiden name because I loved her with all my heart. So did my…father."

"After a while… Hitori wouldn't talk to anyone. He'd shut himself away. He'd always get angry with me. Yelled at me at first because I reminded him of mom. There were always maids and butlers but I was always alone. At the time the town was poor and because my family was rich, none of the other kids would play with me."

Freed couldn't stand saying the word father anymore for the day since it was leaving a bad taste in his mouth whenever he thought about the man.

"Hitori always wanted me to be a merchant or a lawyer for the family, so I'd read book after book of everything. Memorizing anything I could get my hands on so Hitori could be happy again. But then I showed the potential for being a mage because I could use magic. It was little things at first, but being a mage in town was frowned upon. It was a rare thing and everyone thought mages were dangerous and every mage that passed through town was hated."

Freed took a shuttering breathe, making Laxus' heart jolt sadly. He leaned forward from his seat to gently grasp Freed's hands in his hoping Freed wouldn't reject his gesture of comfort. Freed looked like he was going to, and Laxus was not going to stop him, but Freed seemed to decide to accept Laxus' comfort which warmed Laxus' heart greatly.

"I tried hiding it from Hitori, but nothing can stay hidden forever. I was studying my magic every day. More than any of the law or trading books Hitori had in his library. None of the servants knew because I knew Hitori would just persuade them with money or threats if he every found out any of them knew about what I could do."

"He took me to another one of his business parties, I was five at the time, a year after my mother passed away. Hitori would pretend and smile for all of his customers, but I knew he loathed talking to anyone beneath him. When a waiter tripped over a woman's ball gown, I saw that he might land on the shards of the champagne glass. So I used a little magic to ease his fall, hoping no one would notice. But I wasn't in complete control of my powers so everyone saw magic come out of my hands and glow in the ballroom. That was the beginning of Hitori loathing me."

Freed squeezed his hands together, wanting to stop talking, but the words just kept flowing. His past just wouldn't stop coming out of his mouth.

"He wouldn't just yell at me anymore or ignore me" Freed whispered hearing Laxus audibly gulp. Freed shied his head away so that he wasn't able to see both his and Laxus' shoes a few inches away from each other.

"I'm here for you Freed. Take all the time you need. Just breathe for me love," Laxus whispered quietly as Freed took in a much need breath, no matter how much he was shaking before realizing he was holding his breath, slowly releasing it.

"Sometimes he'd hit me… if I didn't follow the rules. Or if I my motions weren't fluid enough or polite enough. He'd take a razor and shave off all of my long hair. Sometimes he'd cut my head but wouldn't stop until all the hair was gone. When he found my book on magic he burned it. When he saw me practicing magic he'd step on my hands or hit my hands with whatever was closest to him. My outfits had to be perfect. My stance. The way I spoke if I was ever spoken to."

Freed felt his throat closing up on him, his heart constricting painfully. He couldn't breathe and he was trying so hard not to cry at all the pain he was remembering. He didn't even remembering closing his eyes, but they were shut tightly. Everything felt so dark. Freed suddenly felt a warmth surround him before smelling apples and rain which made him calm down, letting out a grateful sob.

Laxus didn't say a word, and Freed knew he was going to wait till the end. He could feel his heart beat slowing as Laxus slowly glided his hands through Freed's hair before taking a deep and much needed breath again.

"One day, when I was six, a politician came from across the ocean to discuss business with Hitori. I was eavesdropping on the deal because if the guy said anything to upset him, I would get the result of his rage. What I heard next though… the politician offered a trade to my father. That he'd take me off my father's hands and in exchange, he would grant access to the second largest port in Fiore to father. Of course my father took it, no longer able to stand the sight of me at this point. The problem was, all the kids in town knew the guy was some kind of pedophile" Freed felt Laxus' grip tighten around him, a sense of possessiveness and anger could be felt from his mate.

"I think Hitori might have known it was true or just believing it to be rumors, but he didn't care. When the politician left, Hitori told me the news over dinner. I yelled and screamed at him in anger. What he did next I didn't expect. We had an old fruit cellar that we didn't use because it was several hundred yards from the villa and was too far to actually have a useful purpose. The cellar had several tunnels that lead to a drainage system that ran under the villa. Hitori threw me into the cellar and locked the door."

Freed curled up into a ball even though Laxus had his arms wrapped around him.

"It was so dark. So very dark. The walls were slimy and there was a sickly sweet odor of rotting fruit and something very close to the smell of sewage. I screamed and yelled and cried. I don't know how long I was down there for. I suddenly remembered a rune for light. I wasn't sure what runes were yet since I just started to read the chapter on them so I tried it. I failed and failed but then there was light. I could see the walls and the tunnels. I could see broken glass jars that once held spices or fruits. But the light never lasted long so I would write rune after rune as fast as I could till I was nearly drained of magic. That's when I made a choice. I could either try to escape, or I could die. That's where I learned dark magic. I wrote horrible things in runes if it would let me escape from the locked cellar door. Finally, the lock broke off. I don't even remember what rune it was now; I tried so many until my fingers bled. I crawled my way out to see that the moon was no longer full, so I was sure it had been a few days. That was usually how long it took to finish a business deal with someone.

I knew I would die if I didn't have some food, so I made another choice. Run back into the house and hope to not get caught by anyone, or run into the forest and hope I didn't die in a few days from starvation or dehydration. So I ran back into the house. It was quiet. I snuck into the kitchen, grabbing two bags of food and water. I quickly and quietly made it up to my room to grab one of the magic books my father didn't burn, one other pair of clothes, and money I was able to hide before I nearly ran out of that place, not caring at that point if I made noise. But when I walked across the back of the living room, there my father was, sitting in his chair, drinking a glass of brandy and looking into the fire. There was no remorse, or sadness, guilt, or anger. There was a hint of smile and his eyes were cold as he looked into that fire. I held in everything, before running through the kitchen and out the back door, never to look back. It was about two years later until I met you and you know the rest."

Freed took in a shaky breath as tears left him before he started sobbing. What Freed didn't know was that when he looked at his father that final day, his right eye had turned black, the entire iris and pupil a dark purple.

"I never told anyone. If anyone ever asked I would shrug my shoulders or lie. I didn't want to be known as a Hitori, I just wanted to be Freed," Freed cried as Laxus gently smoothed the top of his hair, holding him close. Freed cried for what seemed like hours before the train stopped and he was just emotionless and robotic. Laxus held his hand, walking them from the platform back to their home. He gently sat Freed down who hadn't moved since, before getting a cool washcloth, pressing it against Freed's swollen eyes.

Freed started to cry silently again, holding in his voice, as Laxus just wiped the tears away. He was so gentle and careful. So concentrated with just soothing Freed's eyes.

"Pretty pathetic to marry a guy with this much baggage huh?" Freed said bitterly, "thought you'd be on a rampage right now."

"The love of my life needs me, I hope, so I will make sure that he is okay, before I put any effort of slashing his pathetic father to charred ribbons," Laxus huffed, making Freed look at him for the first time since the party.

Laxus gently cupped Freed's cheek slowly, not wanting to startle Freed or at least give his lover a chance to reject him if he wasn't ready to be touched yet.

Freed looked down sadly before Laxus cupped both of his cheeks, bringing Freed's face up so that they could keep eye contact with each other.

"What you just told me, everything, doesn't make me think less of you at all, nor will it ever. I love you. I will always love you and I will die loving you."

Freed started to sob at this shaking his head, wanting to run away but Laxus kept him from going anywhere.

"No. You listen to me Freed Justine! What you just told me took more courage than what most people have in their whole bodies! Do you understand that? Until you told me that I never really knew how strong of a person you really were. You always kept to yourself, always kept secrets, wouldn't initiate conversations, and was the politest stick-up-the-ass person I'd ever met in my life when we first met"

Freed laughed out a sob, his eyes shut tightly, before resting his head on Laxus' shoulder, his arms wrapped around Laxus' broad shoulders to circle around Laxus' back. Laxus held him tightly, cradling Freed's head to his shoulder. Freed's cheek was pressed tightly to Laxus' mating mark, feeling loving sparks and possessiveness come out and touch his cheek.

"You must have been the strongest kid in the world to deal with bullshit like that from scum like that. You are amazing Freed Justine. And I love everything."

Laxus whispered into Freed's ear making the man look at him with red-rimmed eyes that no longer looked to hold thirteen years worth of pain. He actually had awe and disbelief in his eyes.

"Freed, I know you've been hurt, not just by him but also by me"

Freed was about to yell at him that all was forgiven but Laxus silenced him with a gentle finger pressed against Freed's lips.

"I know I'm not good with words and I want you to tell me when you are thinking of that stuff again; I can be pretty oblivious huh? I want to help any way I can. Get anyone I can to make you feel… not so alone in the world when you remember those horrible memories. I'd do anything to make you feel that you were strong enough to endure all of that. I don't want you to feel anything but triumph when you think of your father because you were strong enough to endure and overcome; don't give him the satisfaction that he made you cry, that he made you angry, or hurt, or scared. Please love I'd-"

"Laxus" Freed cried out hugging, the blonde to him tightly, the tears seeming to never end.

"You've always made the feeling of loneliness go away. You always kept the dark thoughts and memories away because you are just so bright. You make me feel so many happy, wonderful and good things. I'd need you more than anyone in the world to keep me from the darkness. And I promise, I will try to feel nothing but triumph over him."

Freed pressed his mating mark against Laxus' as the sparks ran through them both, Freed finally letting them calm him down.

"I was so scared that if I told you, you'd hate me or pity me. That you wouldn't want to marry someone like me," Freed whispered, grabbing Laxus' shirt tightly in his hands. Laxus gently pried Freed's hands from his shirt so that he could lace each of his hands with Freeds'.

"I'm supposed to be the idiot remember?" Laxus bopped Freed on the head gently who let out a stiff laugh that was a bit too breathy. Laxus could see Freed's tense shoulders and upper body begin to relax slowly.

"We can hold off on the wedding if you aren't ready you know? I'll wait forever until you are" Laxus placed his forehead against Freed's gently whose big blue eyes were swimming in so much emotion of happiness, relaxation, and joy. But what calmed Laxus' heart was the peace he could see in Freed's eyes.

"I've been waiting to marry you forever Laxus Dreyar because you are the single most perfect, wonderful, loving man I've ever loved in my life."

"Then why don't you save some of those tears for when we get married tomorrow huh? Freed Dreyar? Or do I need to ravish you before the honeymoon?" Laxus pressed the still damp washcloth to Freed's swollen eyes before Freed grabbed his hand, holding it to his chest over his heart.

Freed finally let out a laugh that just rang out in happiness and love and set butterflies loose in Laxus' stomach, making his heart throb in love.

"Did you have to take my heart Laxus Dreyar? Cause it feels like it wants fly out of my chest to stay with you"

"Of course I didn't take your heart Freed!" Laxus said seriously, before slowly smiling, making Freed sniffle cutely and look at him curiously.

"I took your heart, body and mind for only me since I'm possessive like that" Freed slowly smiled at that before Laxus placed a curved finger under Freed's chin, "but your soul is yours because it makes you who you are and the person I fell in love with. If I took that you wouldn't be Freed and my heart would break, my mind would drown, my body would fall because they all belong to you too."

Freed let out a happy sob before kissing Laxus roughly before the kiss turned gentle and sweet. Loving nips, slow graceful movements. Hands gently gliding between each other. They slowly just felt how the other was in their hands. How blue and gray eyes clashed. The shape of the others nose, cheeks, chin, ears, neck. They just slowly memorized everything of the other. The held each other and gentle kisses and touches were shared when it was needed after just feeling the other. The hours were just blending into each other before they both fell asleep, intertwined as much as humanly possible, before falling asleep in moonlight that was bathing them from the window.


I'm not much of a fan of dark stories but they do make great plot twists so what can I say? I tried to bring it back again with fluff, and I promise that the next chapter, which is probably the last chapter, will be nothing but fluff and utter gooshy goodness!