Dragon Instinct

Chapter Five

The trip back to Magnolia was miserable. Laxus didn't speak to Freed unless necessary. By time he returned to the room the night before Freed was already asleep. Freed wanted to ask him what the kiss meant, but Laxus seemed determined to avoid him. He wouldn't let Freed enchant to get through the train ride, insisting on toughing it out. Although he refused to be sick in front of Eliana, going into another carriage for the trip.

"Is Mister Laxus mad," Eliana finally asked when they were almost to Magnolia.

"No sweetie, he just gets sick while traveling."

"But he hasn't been in here all day."

"Yeah, he's next door. On trains and other forms of transportation he gets really sick and he doesn't like people to see him like that." Freed told her.

She pouted crossing her arms. Freed chuckled softly, he could guess what her problem was.

"But...I wanted to sit with him."

"I'm a poor replacement I know. I can't quite get his grumpy face down."

"Or his voice," she said with a giggle.

"Nor that."

"But you do have pretty hair."

"Thank you."

"Mister Freed...is Fairy Tail a nice place?"

"The best. It's a wizards guild. Laxus' grandfather is the guild master. Children come stay all the time. I joined when my parents died." He told her.

"Like my mom..." she said quietly.

Freed winced looking down. He'd spent most the morning trying to explain things in a way she'd understand. She didn't understand why they were taking her from her home.

"Yeah," he said softly. "You'll like it there. I promise. Laxus and I are members."

"Okay."

Freed sighed standing up.

"I'm going to go check on Laxus."

"I'm coming with you!"

Freed stepped out into the hallway walking to the door of Laxus' carriage opening the doorway. Laxus was laying on the bench in his carriage, spiky blonde hair stuck to his face with sweat, his complexion pale. He looked as if he'd been poisoned.

"Oh you stubborn fool," Freed said softly stepping in kneeling beside him.

"Freed?"

"Yeah, it's me. Eliana's been worried about you," Freed told him annoyed, brushing his hair off his forehead.

"He looks horrible," Eliana said softly.

"On...once the train stops, I'll be fine," Laxus forced out.

"How'd he hear me?"

"Laxus has incredible hearing," Freed told her. "His sense of smell is even better."

"Oh..."

Freed walked over to the window looking out. He sighed in relief when he saw they were approaching Magnolia's station.

"We're about to pull into the train station Laxus, let me help you up."

"I'll be fine," Laxus said forcing himself up.

"Quit being a idiot. I help you all the time," Freed practically growled at him wrapping Laxus' arm around his shoulder pulling him up.

Freed was tired of dealing with whatever Laxus' new attitude was about. Laxus was the one who kissed him, if he couldn't deal with that then it was his problem. Freed wouldn't allow himself to feel bad about it.

"Mister Laxus, Mister Freed was worried about you all day, you should be nicer to him."

"This is how he always is Eliana. He's a grumpy ol' lug," Freed said giving her a wink.

Eliana giggled softly following them to Freed's compartment to get their luggage, Freed using his magic to balance them as the train stopped.

"That's our cue. Come on Eliana. This one will start feeling better in just a minute or so," Freed said leading them off the train.

Freed was thankful that by time they reached the platform Laxus' color returned to normal and he was able to walk on his own. He'd forgotten how heavy the dragon slayer was. Eliana grinned widely running to his side when she saw he was feeling better. He picked her up slowly brushing her hair out her face.

"Sorry I worried ya kid," he told her.

"I'm just glad you're okay Mister Laxus," she said putting her head on his shoulder. "Aren't you Mister Freed?"

"Hmm, yeah. Bickslow! Ever!" He said loudly, spotting them over the crowd.

It didn't take them long to get through the crowd, most people parting ways to let someone Laxus' size through.

"I didn't realize you guys would make it back before us," Freed said when he reached them.

"We just got back ten minutes ago," Evergreen said. "Oh! Who's this?"

"This is Eliana. She was the only person we found in the village."

Eliana hid her face in Laxus' shoulder, and he rubbed her back gently.

"Come on, let's get to the guild kid. There'll be plenty of good food there," Laxus told her, walking past Evergreen and Bickslow out the train station.

"Is everything okay Freed?" Evergreen asked softly.

"Fine."

"You're a terrible liar."

"Yeah well, he hasn't spoken to me since last night, and now he won't even look at me, but other than that, I'm great," he snapped.

"I thought you said things were okay?"

"They were. I don't what happened," he said softly, except he did, and it still didn't make sense. "We were getting along fine."

"I'm sure it's fine Freed. Come on, let's get back to the guild. Master Makarov will want our report," Bickslow said patting him on the shoulder seeming unaffected by Freed's uncharacteristic outburst.

Freed sighed nodding, letting Bickslow steer him towards the guild. By time they got there Laxus was already introducing a nervous Eliana to the guild. Most people seemed more surprised by the fact that the little girl was allowed to cling to Laxus like she was than they were about a new member.

"She's so cute!" Freed heard Wendy exclaim, and he had to agree with the Sky Dragonslayer. Eliana was an extremely adorable child.

"So, you gonna explain this?" Bickslow asked Freed quietly.

"Laxus heard her crying in the ruins and pulled her free, she adores him," he replied.

"And he doesn't mind?"

"I don't think he knows how to handle it honestly," Freed said quietly.

"Interesting. So, she was the only survivor?"

"Yes."

"Poor kid."

Freed was about to reply when Eliana hurried over to him wrapping her arms around his legs.

"Eliana...what's wrong? Where did Laxus go?"

"He went to talk to the old man," she said. "There's so many people.."

"There used to be more, but they're all really nice...mostly," he added as a brawl started between Gray and Natsu.

"What are they doing?"

"That's just how they get along. They've been like that since they were children."

She hid behind him slowly as Mirajane walked up to them smiling.

"Hello Eliana, I'm Mirajane."

She poked her head around Freed's leg slowly looking at the transformation mage curiously.

"It's okay Eliana, Mira is a friend of ours."

"I figured since you'll be staying here, we should show you the dormitories."

"Can't Mister Freed show me? Or Mister Laxus?"

"Well...no, they're separated by gender. Laxus, Freed, Bickslow, and Evergreen share a house in town."

"I wanna go with them then!"

Freed looked down at her before turning to Bickslow and Evergreen. He wasn't sure how Laxus would react to this situation, but he was certain it wouldn't be good. Laxus never did well around children, despite how well he'd handled Eliana's clinginess.

"Laxus is going to blow a gasket." Bixlow said, his totem dolls chanting "a gasket, a gasket."

"He's the one that wanted to bring her home."

"That's so sweet! She's adopted you two as family!" Mira cried happily.

Freed blushed a little trying not to let his mind wander with the implications.

"I guess I'll take her home and make her some dinner then. She seems a bit overwhelmed," Freed said softly. "Let Laxus know, if he even bothers to ask."

Evergreen touched his shoulder sympathetically as Freed picked Eliana up carrying her towards the door, leaving none to soon, as Gray's shirt went flying and a chair hit the wall just as he opened the door. Eliana looked back wide eyed and Freed couldn't help but laugh as he carried her home.

Laxus stood at the window of his grandfather's office quietly, the lightning sparking off him evidence of his foul mood. To his credit, Makarov hadn't made comment of it, but Laxus could feel his eyes boring into the back of his skull.

"Something you wanna say old man?" He growled out.

"I thought you split the group into teams so you could prove to Freed things weren't awkward between you two."

"I did."

"So how is it possible you came back in an even more foul mood than you did when you left."

"I screwed up."

"Oh?"

Laxus turned back to Makarov with a sigh. He always had a way of dragging information out of people, even when they didn't feel like speaking.

"It can't be that bad my boy."

"I kissed him."

Makarov's eyebrows shot up so high on his forehead Laxus thought they'd mix with his hair.

"I didn't realize you had an interest in men."

"Neither did I." Laxus said flopping into one of the office chair. "Never did, until recently."

"How recently? And is it men, or just Freed?"

"Just Freed...and I dunno. Right before I left the guild? When I saw him in Tenrou? I can't really pinpoint it," he said frowning, the lightning becoming more intense. "I didn't think anything of it at first but now..."

"Calm down before you blow the whole guild up!"

"Sorry."

Makarov sighed, relaxing as the lightning began to fade.

"Lately your feelings have become more intense?"

"It's getting harder to control myself."

"Do you think you should?"

"It's Freed! My closest friend. I don't want to wind up hurting him."

"Laxus, I think what's going on my be obvious to anyone but you," Makarov said sharply.

"What?"

"You've never shown interest in men before. You get separated from the one person in your life you've ever treated with respect, and when you see him for the first time in months you realize your feelings him are different from before. You're in love with him you fool!"

"I don't think it's that simple old man."

"What makes you think love is simple?"

Laxus groaned. He wasn't in the mood to hear any of this crap.

"You don't think he's your mate do you? With you being a dragon slayer?"

"A second generation one."

"The result is the same. You feel it don't you? The dragon that resides within your powers is restless. It's tired of waiting for you to act."

"I just, what if I'm wrong," Laxus asked quietly. "What if it's not him? "

"I think you know better than that. And Freed has been by your side this whole time." Makarov said patting his hand. "You couldn't create a better mate if you tried."

"I just thought the whole point of a mate was to mate?" Laxus said frowning. "Reproduce and all that?"

"Perhaps when the magic was first created, but with like all magic it came from the heart and morphed into something else. Instead of just a mate, think of it as a soul mate."

"You're as much a hopeless romantic as Mirajane old man," Laxus said with a laugh.

"Shut up and quit running from your problems. Go tell Freed. The poor guy is probably ready to throw himself in the river. At least tell me you found a way to explain that kiss."

"...Aw shit...he's going to kill me."

"What did you do?"

"...Between the kid and the train ride, I haven't said a word to him."

"You fool!" Makarov's head grew about four times as he yelled and Laxus sighed looking away. He didn't need his gramps to tell him. He really screwed things up.

"Yeah, I know."

"Anyway, why'd you bring the kid back?"

"I dunno...it felt like something was telling me I needed to." Laxus said, remembering how he felt when he first heard Eliana's sobbing.

"Interesting. I've only heard of that happening with the children of Dragonslayers."

"What?"

"Well, the children of Dragonslayers bring out the same instincts a mate does. They feel the urge to keep close and keep them safe," Makarov explained.

"I see."

"I assume she'll be staying with you and the others."

"Probably. She won't leave my side unless I make her."

"Seems like she feels the same connection you do. It's odd...Well at any rate, I'm more worried about the destruction caused by this guild. Any clues?"

"None that I could see. Their smell had faded by time we arrived as well."

"I see..." Makarov said sitting on top of his desk quietly. "I guess that's all then. I'm glad you made it home safe."

Laxus got up walking out the office silently. When he reached the main hall, he realized Freed was gone. By the scent of the room, he'd been gone for some time. He scanned the room quickly, seeing Evergreen sitting near Elfman at the bar, pretending to not notice. He walked up slowly.

"Where's Freed and Eliana," he asked as soon as he reached her.

"He took her home to make her dinner. What's going on with you two? He thinks you're angry at him."

"Don't worry about it."

"Laxus?"

"I just overreacted. I'll calm him down. You comin' home tonight?" He asked with a smirk.

"You keep that nose of yours to yourself!"

"Trust me, I don't like bein' able to smell things like that," he called over his shoulder, waving at her as he walked out.