CHAPTER 3

Author Note: Sorry this took so long! I had to abandon my original plan for where the story was going and had writer's block after that. I might not post the next chapter for a while because Finals is coming up, and I am a shitload of all kinds of unprepared. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy the story and a big THANK YOU to everyone who comments, favorites, and follows! :) (I really don't have any idea where this is going so if you all have suggestions, I am more than happy to hear them!)

"Who the FUCK is that?!" Laxus hissed to no one in particular, half standing up from the bush they were sitting behind as Bixlow said at the same time (entirely too loudly), "WHOA! I didn't know Freed had a girlfriend!" "Girlfriend! Girlfriend!", his babies mimiced.

"SHUT UP! DO YOU WANT THE ENTIRE FOREST TO KNOW WE ARE HERE?!" Ever whisper-yelled at the others, grabbing Laxus' arm and forcing him back behind the bush, despite the fact that she also wanted to stand up and scream in outrage. How could Freed not tell her something like this? Whatever this was . . . they were practically family! They never hid stuff this big from one another! . . . Well, besides Freed's HUMONGOUS crush on Laxus . . . but Freed never hid anything from her!

"She is not his girlfriend!" Laxus protested, a little quieter now. "Freed doesn't date! Besides, she's not his type!"

A familiar voice came from behind them. "How would you know what my type is, Laxus?" The implied you never saw how I looked at you anyway passed over no one, except the person it was directed at.

The three whirled around, their faces comically surprised. Squeaks of "But . . . !" "How did you?!" and "Hey! Freed, buddy . . . you got any cake?" ("Cake! Cake!") were heard.

"Freed put up wards around my property so I would know if anyone uninvited was here, and we teleported here in case you guys were harmful. You want to introduce me to your friends? I assume these are the ones I have heard so much about!" Laini added cheerfully. She wasn't quite so cheerful under the surface, though. One of these people had to be Laxus, and from how Freed had described him over the years, she was pretty sure which one that was. Laxus was the reason Freed was hurting now, and had left his friends, and no matter how grateful she was for the extra time they would be able to spend together, she couldn't just let anyone get away with hurting him. If she thought it would faze the big blonde even a little bit, she would have already chopped him to bits and fed him to her cat, but she had a feeling that physical pain wasn't much of a hindrance to him. She could, however, see how to REALLY drag him through the mud, and it just might make him finally acknowledge his feelings for Freed . . . It really was because of his constant denial that they were both suffering so much.

Her magic, after all, was seeing into the hearts of people (from what she understood, Bixlow's magic was similar, but she couldn't do as much as he could with it, just see into people). She could always tell when someone was lying, who they loved, what secrets they held closest to their hearts. This was part of the reason that they were matched together, Freed would be perfectly able to protect the household and make binding agreements for business purposes, while she would be able to tell if someone was trying to dupe them, or hurt them in any way. The only problem was, she couldn't turn it off, which was why she now lived up here. It got pretty tiring, very quickly. There is some stuff you just don't want to know about the common passing stranger. But now she could use it to her advantage. She smirked inwardly, completing her plan within a few seconds.

" . . . and this is-" Freed was saying, about to introduce her to the others, before she interrupted him.

"I'm Elaina, but you can call me Laini. I'm Freed's fiancee."

It had it's desired reaction for the most part.

Bixlow giggled, his tongue lolling out.

Freed glanced at her strangely before giving her a look that said I have no idea what you think you are doing, but you wouldn't do it without a reason, and I trust you . . . but don't mess it up.

Laxus' face looked shocked, then absolute devastation flashed for a moment, before he locked the defeated look behind a blank one. It didn't matter, as she could see plainly, just how betrayed and upset he really felt, and the anger at himself that he felt anything at all to this news besides happiness for a treasured friend who finally found love (he thought he understood now why Freed never seemed interested in anyone, as he had this gorgeous woman waiting for him. Freed was just his best friend. He was only upset that he hadn't told him. Yes, that was it. He was upset that this beautiful, adorable- uh, friend hadn't told him he was engaged).

But there was one thing Laini had not taken into consideration. She chalked it up to living so long without having to use her skills as a part of any plan. But excuses didn't lessen the pain in her eardrums.

"WHAT!" Ever's shocked screech reverberated throughout the wood. It startled birds and small animals into running in terror from the mage. The rest of the group couldn't help but feel envious of the animals that were allowed to flee from the fairy's ear-splitting wrath.

"WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW SHE EXISTED UNTIL ABOUT THREE SECONDS AGO AND NOT ONLY ARE YOU TOGETHER BUT YOU ARE ENGAGED?!"

Freed backed up as Ever stomped towards him, only stopping when his back hit a tree.

"Erm. Ever-" He started before looking pleadingly at Laini.

"WHAT. THE. HELL. FREED?" Ever was seriously confused. She knew for a fact that Freed had been pining for Laxus for years, yet here he was, engaged in under a week. You don't just get over the kind of love she knew he had for Laxus in three days. She knew because there was no way she could ever get engaged so quickly after a break-up, she would spend her days sobbing on the floor of her apartment with chocolate if she and Elfman ever- Erm. They weren't even really together although she wished- Not the point. She had to stay focused.

"Ever, um, could we, uh, talk for a moment. Alone?" Laini said weakly.

Ever turned sharply to face the other girl, her eyes glowing behind her glasses. Freed slumped heavily against the tree. "I think that would be a good idea- what was your name again? Laini?"

"Yeah."

The girls walked back to the cottage together, leaving the boys alone between the trees.

Bixlow laughed. "I have to pee." ("Pee! Pee!"). "I'll see you two later!" ("Later! Later!"). Bixlow ran off towards the house. He knew it didn't matter if he heard the girls' 'talk' because it would just be Laini explaining her brilliant plan. He knew straight off what was happening, there was no way Freed would ever give up Laxus, especially for a girl, and he had looked into her soul. His own, admittedly less brilliant plan was now in full force. Freed never could resist Laxus, and Bixlow knew Laxus would ask Freed to come home.

"So, uh, Laxus. How are you?"

"I'm ok. Erm. Congrats."

"Yeah, about that-"

"FREED! LAXUS!" Laini shouted. The two mages jumped. "You boys can come in now! And hurry up! I made cookies earlier and you want to get here while they are warm!"