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Chapter 2: His Favorite Book
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20 years ago
Those restless eyes…
A young Freed Justine stared into the piercing grey eyes of the person sitting a foot away from him.
His eyes were filled with sadness and maybe anger. His grey eyes were not like other kids in the orphanage. His was almost scary. Like he wanted to kill somebody.
Being in the orphanage ever since he was a baby. Freed never resented his parents for abandoning him at the orphanage. He knew there was a reason why and he just believed that it was for the better.
The green haired boy held the book, what his parents gave before they disappeared, under his arms as he continued to stare at the golden haired boy across him. He waited for Sister Cana A. to pick him up. The green haired midget and her were going to buy the groceries for the week. He loved helping her or others for the matter, it made him useful in some ways plus Sister Cana always had a story to tell.
All of the sudden, the gold haired boy stared at him directly to the eyes. Freed suddenly titled his head downwards. He blushed out of the sudden. It was both embarrassing and humiliating at the same time. Sister Cana always said that staring at people for too long was both rude and obnoxious.
"Hey, there buddy!" A young feminine voice echoed across the hallway as both Freed and the boy across him looked at the woman at the end of the hall.
"Sister Cana!" A cute voice escaped from the mouth of the green haired boy as he ran to the young sister while the other stared at him with curiosity in his blank face. Thank god she came right on time!
Young Freed came crushing to the sister´s legs as he gave her thighs a hug. He was small compared to her tall structure. Cana reciprocated what the green haired did and gave him a hug.
"You ready?" She asked as the green haired nodded with excitement.
"Hey, we should invite that kid over there too" She pointed to the golden haired boy sitting across him as he still stared at them with his grey eyes. "Hey kid, what´s your name?"
"Laxus," His voice was deep and mysterious as muttered somehow didn´t wanted to speak.
Laxus was his name
Thought Freed as he looked again into other´s grey eyes. He was interesting and the green haired boy wanted to understand him even more. Why was his eyes were full of sadness…and hatred.
"Nice to meet ya, Laxus!" The brunette said with a toothy smile as she waved to Laxus. He just looked at her as if there was wrong. "Hey, wanna come with us? Where going shopping!" She asked as the young Freed secretly hoped he would agree.
He just nodded in agreement.
The car ride was quick and noisy; Sister Cana was the only one who spoke as she drove the rusty old orphanage car around Magnolia´s old bustling streets. The golden haired boy was disinterested the whole time as he stared the endless pavements of Magnolia. Freed in the other hand, kept listening to the older brunette´s endless story, from her forbidden drinking contest in pub near the orphanage to her idiotic father, she was hilarious. But the golden haired boy didn´t reacted at all.
The brunette parked their car near the fish place where they usually buy their seafood. Before she opened the door of the car, she warned the both the boys to hold their hands together because heaven knows if one of them got lost. It wasn´t like Magnolia was home of child kidnappers or criminals, it would be humiliating for both the orphanage and the owners if one of the kids disappeared.
"Hey, eyes on your stuff. Got it?" She warned them again, mainly Freed because he still carried his book from his arms as he held young Laxus´ hands in the other. He couldn´t just let it go.
They began walking towards the fish shop. As they opened the doors of shop, pungent smells of slime and newly caught fishes filled their nostrils. Young Freed hated it even though it just last for seconds before the smell around him became normal again while young Laxus apparent discomfort for a short period of time.
"Yo!" The shop owner greeted them with a friendly wave as Sister Cana let out a sight of breathe. Both the green hair and golden haired kids still held their hands as they scanned the whole shop, enjoying their company while to a lesser extent Laxus.
"Hey, old man!" The brunette greeted him with a friendly insult. Cana and the fish shop owner were friends that was the reason orphanage was the shop´s best customer. "What´s up?"
"Wife´s been naggin´ me all day about money and wants a new pair of shoes" He rolled his eyes. "God knows where will I find more money" He sighted as Cana looked at the fishes in front of him. She smirked.
"And God says that a discount of that tuna belly will help you find the money you speak of," She raised an eyebrow as she bargained against the shopkeeper, it wasn´t like allowed to use her power as a disciple of God but sometimes interpreting the word of the Bible according to her was needed. "Tell ya what Wakaba, the Holy Father brought us some wine from a rich donor, it cost around a hundred per piece. Give me all the tuna belly for free then I´ll trade you the wine?" She smirked triumphantly as the two young children gazed upon her as if she became the devil herself. She was like a businesswoman. "´kay?"
"Holy shit, a wine that cost a hundred per piece" His eyes widened as he realized that the tuna belly he was selling was just ¼ the price of the wine. Dammit, the sister was lying. He thought in his head, but the temptation of the wine was strong. He was a wine connoisseur even though Wakaba just like beers and wines a lot. Though selling it to someone could give extra money for his lovely wife. Would she lie? After all she was Cana Alberona, a devil that disguised herself as a nun.
"Come now Wakaba? Don´t you trust a nun?" She smirked as the shopkeeper gulped. As out of the sudden a wine bottle appeared in her hands, the wine that she was telling to him.
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"Ha!" She raised both of her arms in victory as she carried the entire tuna belly she bargained for free. "Were going to celebrate tonight, bitches!" She cussed as both the young green haired and golden haired turned around and looked at her.
"Sorry god," She said a quick prayer. She was a nun of course; she was not allowed to cuss. "You two, having fun?" She asked them as they walked towards to the large farmer´ s market 2 blocks away from the fish shop.
Only the young Freed nodded as young Laxus was in deep thoughts. There hands were still attached to one another. It was kind of weird yet Freed felt that even the eyes of the golden haired child eased. He felt that Laxus was somewhat happy.
They arrived at the farmer´s market. Cana sighted disappointingly as she saw the crowds of people pushing through one another as the whole market became a paradise of rats. It was just crazy, it´s just 12 noon.
"Fuck it!" She cussed again as she lost her temper. "I´m going in, you two be careful and stay right here in this spot," She stared at them as she dug inside her jeans and gave them 10 dollars each. "With this crowd, I don´t fuckin´ know if I´ll ever get cheap vegetables" She ditched her goody-two-shoes nun act as she rushed into the sea of people inside the farmer´s market, leaving the two children alone. She screamed: "Move bastards!" as she disappeared.
"Hey, wanna buy some candy?" Young Freed turned asked as he released his hands from young Laxus. It felt somewhat empty. He really wanted him to be friends; he was interesting unlike other children and Laxus´ eyes was filled with sadness and anger. Sister Cana always said that children should be happy all the time.
The golden haired boy just nodded in agreement as young Freed smiled.
"Yay!" He happily exclaimed as they disobeyed what their guardian´s order as he grabbed the golden hair boy´s wrist and ran towards the candy shop right behind the corner of a street.
They entered the candy shop and sweetness filled their nostrils. The whole store screamed candy and chocolates; from the art decorations to the giant gingerbread man hanging in a rope of somewhat realistic bubble gum. Young Freed´s eyes sparkled with happiness as if he already died and went to candy paradise as young Laxus noticed.
He was really weird and always damn too happy.
"Oh hello there!" A bald old man with fake wings in his back greeted them. "Hello there Freed, nice too meet again!"
"Hi Bob!" The green haired child casually greeted the owner of the shop, after all he usually buy his candies at his shop. He was a royal customer. With one step, young Freed suddenly went berserk and left the golden haired boy alone with Bob.
"Oh, hello there kid" Bob greeted also Laxus in turn greeted him with a slight smile. "What´s your name?"
"Laxus Dreyar," He muttered. The old man was weird, he thought in his mind. Why would someone that old wear lipstick and fake wings?
"Oh how unusual," Bob commented. "So you must be new at the orphanage?" The old man asked as he looked at the happy-filled Freed choosing every candy imaginable from the candy box and filling it in his brown candy box.
Young Laxus just shrugged. As Bob took a piece of lollipop from his counter and gave it to the young golden haired boy.
"Here, take this." Bob offered a lollipop as Laxus took it with gratefulness shown in his eyes. He didn´t know what to do, should he say thank you? Or was he going to pay for that. He just stared at the lollipop.
"It´s free consider it a welcome gift" Bob told young Laxus with a gleeful smile. "Kids shouldn´t be sad. I see that in your eyes. Future is kind of scary, kid. But, be like Freed over there." He pointed at the hyperventilating kid running around in circles as he took every candy and stuffed it into his bag. "Didn´t you know that he was abandoned by his parents when he was a baby? But still, every time I see him he was neither never sad nor angry that he was abandoned. You should do what he does, kid."
Young Laxus felt sentimental.
"Bob I´m ready to pay!" Freed cheered as he brought his bag that seemed to explode any second to the old man with wings.
"Oh my." The old man with wings felt scared. One wrong move and everything from the bag would scatter around his perfectly clean shop.
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"Jesus Christ!" Cana exclaimed as she carried plastic bags filled with fruits and vegetables. "Did you two bought candy?" She was shocked with them, especially with Freed. Freed´s mouth was filled with assorted chocolate and candy as he carried his paper bag and his book in one hand while the other hand Laxus quietly sucked the lollipop in his mouth, enjoying it´s sour flavor.
Laxus didn´t bought anything but he lost his ten dollars as Freed´s candy bag costed almost 20 dollars. He just sighted and gave him his money.
"What´s with kids today?" She asked herself as she shook her head. "Come on, were going home!" She told them as they began to walk the direction where they parked their car.
Laxus noticed something. As Freed ate his chocolates and candies in the backsit, he noticed the book that seemed he always carried with him. It was old and decaying yet there was some meaning behind the book. Was it special? The golden haired boy was curious, because he seemed always happy with the book around.
They arrived at the orphanage with a pink haired girl greeting them on the gates as kids were playing in the background. It was just 2 o´clock.
"Hello, Sister Cana!" Greeted by the pink haired lady with a nervous tone. She was very young and had a very beautiful figure that made her target by many men even though she was a nun.
"Yo, Sister Aries!" The brunette greeted the pinknette with relative causality. They were the only ones who runs the whole orphanage. That´s why there was chaos everywhere. "Got everything, where making some hot shit!" She accidently cussed out of the sudden as Aries covered her mouth in shock.
"Sister Cana, there are kids around you!" She scolded the brunette, who in turn made a quick little prayer again.
"Gosh, I´m not really fit to be a nun huh?" She sarcastically said as she unloaded everything from the car. "Hey, Laxus wanna come and help us?" She asked as the pinknette greeted him also before she left and went inside the large building of the orphanage.
He just nodded as young Freed kept eating his candy. "I want to cook too!" He exclaimed as some chocolate from his mouth fell into the cold concrete ground.
"No!" Cana was mad. The fact that Freed spent his money with candy made her angry, she shouldn´t have given him the money. "No cooking for this week," She said in an annoyed manner. "You spent your money with candy rather than saving it" She scolded as young Laxus observed them.
Freed loved cooking. He felt sad that he couldn´t be in the kitchen for a week. He learned his lesson…somewhat.
Sister Cana and Laxus left the green haired boy.
Freed just shrugged as he went to the spot where we always read his book; the book that his faceless parents gave him.
The book was called The Thunder God Tribe. The book revolved around a tribe called Raijinshū or The Thunder God Tribe, which was made up of three powerful mages that was the personal bodyguards of the thunder god.
Even though he had read the book many times, it was his favorite that´s the reason why he carried it all the time. It was a precious reminder of his faceless parents.
Freed continued to walk towards his personal spot as he ate his assorted candies. Everything was normal until they arrived out of a sudden.
Freed saw them and began to move to the other direction…they mean trouble. He disliked them because they were bullies and steal everything nice from kids around the orphanage. They were called the Twilight Orge and they always got away from trouble. Nobody dared to defy them, even the green haired kid.
He wasn´t not fast enough…as they reached him in a sudden.
"Hey kid, nice book" Thibault, the orphanage bully complimented the book that Freed held as his friends in circled him. "Can I borrow it?" A ugly 12-year old smiled maliciously.
Freed began to shake in fear as he covered his book with his arms.
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Laxus hated cooking, that´s the reason why he escaped the kitchen. He thought would take just a fraction of his time, but it took him almost forever helping them as they continued to tell their stories that didn´t interest him. He was planning to ask the green haired boy to take his place, since he was the only one who he knew and noticed he loved to cook.
Laxus´was somewhat happy; his anger from his eyes disappeared as the day passed by, maybe he just made a new friend?
He saw the short green hair of the boy he was looking for. He was sitting on the floor of the hallways. There was nobody beside them. The hall was empty as sunlight came through the large windows.
"Oi!" He exclaimed as he went to the boy sitting. "Hey, I was wonder-" The green haired turned around and made the golden haired shock. As he saw young Freed sitting on the floor with his left cheek swelling as continuous flow of tears fell in his eyes, sobbing quietly.
Freed looked at young Laxus as he remembered the very same eyes he saw last morning change from restless to somewhat happy. But…
"Who the fuck did this to you!" Laxus asked forcefully as he shook young Freed´s shoulders while he continued to cry. "Who?!" He asked again as Freed gave him an emotional hug.
"Th-they took my book." His voice was strained with sadness as he hugged the golden haired voice. "M-my bo-book." He cried harder as Laxus felt his sadness. Even though they just met a few hours ago, he was kind to him. Not many people were kind, Laxus learned that in the hard way.
"Tell me who stole it," He asked with a softer tone as he tilted the head of the younger kid and looked at him.
Freed saw something in his eyes…but he couldn´t explain what, he was too sad.
"Thi-thibault and his friends," He managed to say as he remembered what happened as his body became petrified in fear. They kicked and punched him as they forcefully took the book from his hands. They laughed as he cried; it really destroyed the happiness of you Freed. "Please don´t tell Sis-sister Cana!" They will kill him if the sisters found out that they bullied people.
Laxus didn´t know them but he knew what was the book young Freed carried a while ago.
The golden haired kid lifted the younger one and carried him to his bedroom. Young Freed continued to cry as the older kid carried him towards his bed. Young Laxus didn´t spoke as his eyes focused straight a head and he was in deep thought.
When they arrived at Freed´s bed, he placed him gently in his bed.
"Sleep," Was all the blond haired kid said as Freed for the last time looked into the grey eyes of the golden haired kid. All he saw hatred in his eyes before he fell into a deep slumber.
Laxus wanted to kill those bastards, so he was going too.
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The younger kid opened his eyes as his tears dried from the sleep. His cheek was painful still, and he felt alone without his book. He wanted to cry but couldn´t.
"Oi," A voice resonated his ears. He followed that voice using his head and saw Laxus standing at the door…badly hurt, with bruises in his face as he carried a book in his left hand. He was a mess. His t-shirt with a picture of a lightning bolt attached to it was covered with dirt and was torn apart.
"L-laxus," The green haired kid said as young Laxus came closer to him.
"Here," The golden haired boy threw the book into the lap of young Freed as he realized that it was his book. "Those boys were pussies," Laxus smirked even though he was incomplete agony. "It was nothing," He said cockily as if he didn´t got hurt.
"L-laxus," Freed was speechless as a single tear came out of his eyes as he looked at his book. "I-"
"Can I sleep in your bed?" He asked politely as the green haired kid looked into his grey eyes, the hatred was gone. "I just want to take a short nap, I-I´m a little tired" He managed to say in one single breath. His voice was filled with pain.
Freed immediately stood up from his bed as he assisted the more injured kid into his bed.
"Thank you," Young Freed managed said as the older just smirked before falling into sleep. Why would the golden haired kid, do such stupid thing?
just for him...
Freed fell into the floor as he hugged his book as he cried silently.
"Thank you, Laxus"
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A/N: Hope ya´ll liked it :D
Well, there are more back stories of them and more questions to be solved soooo...XD
Anyways, there will more characters and action! yay for violence (tho it try it in the real world) and lemon (I really need to practice and expand my vocabularies)
Comments and criticism are always welcome:) I still haven´t found any B-readers! :(
poor me