Chapter 9
Just Breathe
Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or its characters, only my own OC's, Energy Magic, and Ideas
.:+:.
...what in... That... That old... Bastard...
Her world was groggy, her senses heavy and her mind sluggish just trying to come back to terms with everything.
... he used Magic... to make me... fall asleep... I hate it... when people do that... shit...
She let out a low breath, grumbling under her breath softly as she worked to force her heavy eyelids open, squinting a little and wincing at the bright light that met her as she did so.
She felt like she weighed about a hundred pounds, and her mind felt like it was trying to process that amount of thoughts- with little to no success... she really hated how groggy sleeping charms made her feel. In the moment she hated it, and she hated it because the drowsiness persisted even when trying to wake up... it would take a while before she was fully awake, and she hated the heaviness and the inability to really focus.
Her eyes opened halfway, her vision blurring in and out a bit as she tried to settle her focus on the roof, giving her time to try and adjust to the light filtering in from outside... morning light, she'd been asleep for a long while she guessed.
And her mind had been... empty. No Naraka, no Median, and better yet- no memories.
She huffed under her breath, irritated as it made her to have that Old Geezer put a sleeping Spell on her... maybe it wasn't so bad. She felt just a bit better, more rested...
Hmph...
Her hand drew up to rest the back of her wrist against her forehead, her eyes falling closed again and biting the inside of her cheek when she caught sight of the bandages around her hands, and remembering why they were there.
... I was so worked up...
She felt a little less lightheaded too, where her fever had caught up again last night it had dulled down once more, she wasn't freezing her ass off at least, but still a little chilly.
The feathers lining the end of the sleeves of the coat she still had her arms threaded through brushed against her nose lightly, shaking free just a little more of it's owners scent... wait.
Her nose twitched again, her eyes narrowed to slits as she sweatdropped.
... no, his scent is fresh... it's not the coat...
Frea drew her hand away from her face, shifting slightly as she shakily forced herself up into a sitting position, hissing lightly under her breath but all grogginess fading fast as she stopped, hunched slightly and her body flashing bright again in pain- but her attention wasn't on that.
... when in the... hell...?!
Laxus was sitting in the chair by the window with his feet propped up on the edge of the bedframe, arms crossed about his chest and leaning back, eyes closed. She could hear his Magic Headphones playing music quietly, though he'd have to actually be awake to be hearing any of it.
But why the hell was he even there? He hadn't been at the Guild last night, he wasn't supposed to be at the Guild last night- let alone long enough to have warranted him falling asleep.
She sweatdropped, her heart settling slightly from the unexpected surprise. Her eyes flicked from him toward the window, blinking once or twice to see that it wasn't even early morning... if she had to guess it was almost 10. Hell, she could hear people talking from the main hall, and yet she and he seemed to have been left entirely undisturbed.
She cast a quick glance back toward the door, sweatdropping a little more.
Her back fell back against the pillows as she struggled for a few moments to push herself farther up the bed and sit up a little easier, her stomach flashed with pain when she moved too much and she had to bite down on her tongue to keep herself from making too much noise. She came to a halt once she had settled enough, this time she managed to sit up nearly all the way to lean against the stack of pillows behind her, growing halfway vertical with the ground for the first time since jolting up into the same sitting position the first night. She winced though, holding her stomach and chest as she waited for the newfound ache of pain to dull down along with her slightly elevated breathing... damn it just sitting up straight was almost asking too much.
.. but sleeping as deeply as she had... had done her some good. She felt a little better, even after having stayed up so late, and having Wendy, Porlyusica and Wendy in here the day before with her.
Her hands slipped from the coat pockets slowly, pausing only half a second to blow a trailing piece of hair from her face before slowly folding it up.
She could move just a bit easier too... just a bit. Moving her hands and arms wasn't as much of a struggle as it had been yesterday.
... was sleep really enough to warrant that, though...? Or was it maybe...
She shook her head slightly, biting the inside of her lip as her eyes fell on the jacket, her silver gaze glinting a few moments.
... maybe... because... I've been so... Exhausted...
"One day at a time."
She let out a low breath, agitated slightly that his words popped into her train of thought like that- again.
Her eyes cast sideways toward said person, grimacing slightly.
... why was he there? He hadn't... he had been hovering, she knew that, she could tell. He was keeping a close eye out, more so than he ever had, and she knew why.
It's because he saw... he saw me fall apart like that. He saw how broken I am... and I think he knows this time is different... this time is worse. I managed to pick myself back up with Tomaru, with Death Bolt and Kasumi... but this time...
He's been hovering, waiting... To see if I was gonna fall apart again... Damn it.
... I might...
Her fists clenched, balling up as she held the coat tightly, growling in agitation and uneasiness as she shook her head at herself. She could feel it, lurking and stalking, biting at her heels... she could feel her emotions creeping up, threatening to send her spilling into that state of utter disarray she had been in when he pulled her back out of the Reach. She didn't want to go there again, didn't want to feel that... she didn't want to fall apart like that again. But she wasn't sure she could hold herself together forever.
Damn me, and damn all of this
She'd tossed the coat at him in her agitation and her rush to keep herself from breaking apart, hissing instantly at the pain that moving like that put her in and hating herself more for doing it at all- but even the pain from moving was better than contending with that endless pit.
She cringed harshly, holding her body as she bit back at the pain, her eyes snapping shut a few moments.
The jacket hit him the face, jolting him from his sleep as his feet hit the floor, the coat sliding down his nose as he settled her with an icy stare, a vein ticked on his forehead and not at all happy at the wakeup call.
"What the hell, woman?" He growled lowly, she could feel his annoyance sparking like electricity, very much like his Magic.
"Why the hell are you here?" She grumbled lowly, her pain subsiding enough she wasn't working to not wince. Her glittering silver gaze snapped open to meet his aqua blue one, and he blinked, looking no less enthused and simply giving her a flat look, "And how long have you been sitting there? I thought you went home."
He huffed, sitting up in the chair and pulling the jacket off, letting it rest over his knee as he rolled his shoulders,
"I was at home." Was the gruff reply. "Then Mavis showed up in my house in the middle of the night spoutin' something about someone locking her out of this room, and demanded I head over here." Frea blinked, looking slightly taken aback by the explanation and a little uneasy too. Laxus however still looked miffed about having his jacket thrown at him. But he noticed the look of nervousness flicker across her face for a minute,
"Someone was in here with you. And whoever it was locked her out, and put the cat to sleep outside." He stated matter-of-factly. Frea's eyes flitted say from him, sweatdropping slightly as her eyes fell to her lap. He huffed again, his eyes watching her intently. "She was worried someone had showed up to come after you, so she came and bothered me... And of course there was no one around when I got here." His eyes flashed as Frea seemed to sigh in exasperation at the words.
"You knew whoever it was that showed up, didn't you?" He asked bluntly, his tone neutral as Frea grumbled under her breath, nodding slightly.
"... Yeah." She grumbled slowly, for a minute she looked almost as agitated as he felt about her throwing his coat in his face.
"Well?" He grumbled after a minute of silence, and a minute where she failed to elaborate further on the thought. She blinked, glancing up at him,
"... Well what?" She replied lowly, he frowned slightly.
"You ain't gonna tell me who it was?" He replied shortly, she blinked, looking reluctant. For a minute it seemed like she didn't plan on telling him at all,
"... He's... He showed up, at the Harvest Festival." She murmured softly, looking a bit uneasy. Laxus stiffened, ever so slightly, his thoughts immediately turning to one person- that same person who had showed up out of the blue and who had been so very, very familiar with Frea- almost suspiciously so, given Frea had never mentioned him before that night.
"For now I'll leave you in the company of this gentleman." Iidren smirked, gesturing toward Laxus who blinked, settling Iidren with a deadpan stare. "I don't doubt the man that can defeat a Wizard Saint will have any trouble keeping such a powerful woman like you out of trouble, hmm?" Iidren smirked, chuckling as Frea sighed slightly. Laxus simply settled Iidren with a neutral stare,
"Till then, Dove!" Iidren called as he headed away, waving over his shoulder and disappearing quickly.
His thoughts immediately flashed there even though it made little sense- given he hadn't recognized the scent last night, and he would have if it had been Iidren.
"... Right after we split up. He brought me up the hill in the forest and we.. Talked. About a lot of things. He wanted to know what I was planning to do about what... Mordren might do. About what I planned to do, at the time not knowing precisely what danger was coming." Frea went on, ignoring or otherwise unaware of his thoughts wandering- only to snap his attention back, blinking once in slight shock when it became clear it wasn't Iidren she was talking about.
"... it's nobody you'd know... And quite honestly, I don't even really know him either." Frea mumbled, "... But he's trying to be helpful... And he just came by to talk, that's all." She sighed slightly, oblivious of the questioning stare he had settled on her while she was looking down at her hands- and the bandages wrapped around them.
"... I'm sorry Mavis dragged you here for that, I didn't even notice she was outside the door." Frea sighed, shaking her head slightly as she glanced up, but by now that questioning stare had fallen utterly neutral. She blinked, her eyes glinting slightly as her attention moved from him toward the window, she didn't really like the flat stare so she moved her eyes away.
He was fairly sure there was something, or several things she didn't mention just then. The answer was rather vague and her thoughts seemed to wander away from him entirely... Secrets again.
He growled inwardly at that, his eyes watching her carefully, looking for every little faint sign, everything and anything that gave any hint to what she was thinking about... And more so how she was feeling.
It agitated him a little she was sitting up instead of laying down, but for the moment she seemed to be doing fine enough... Physically anyway.
But he knew better than to think she was fine, there was something under the surface, something nagging at her though she hid it well enough. But at this point, he just knew. He just wished she had the good sense not to keep it all to herself, but of course... This was Frea he was talking about.
"... Gajeel's here today." She hummed under her breath, earning a blink from Laxus at the sudden comment- and the way in which she changed the subject so quickly. She sighed faintly, her eyes falling closed for a moment. Laxus quirked and eyebrow, for a moment recalling picking up said Iron Dragon Slayer's scent in the room last night, though he didn't ask more about it.
Her head tilted in the direction of the door, pausing a few moments as her focus latched to the Energy signatures in the Main Hall, counting them down in her head as her attention flirted between each and every one with such ease.
"... It feels like... Everyone is at the Guild today... Actually..." She mumbled half to herself, "... Except..."
... Pulled away by the Council already, huh...? And the Kid went with her...
She sweatdropped slightly at the thought, swallowing a little.
What was she going to... Could she even explain any of it? To anyone? Let alone the Council?
The thought of trying to explain it to Master Makarov was unpleasant, and less so with a Council full of people she had never particularly liked, or hardly even liked her.
Her thoughts broke apart the instant her body ignited in chilly, searing pain- pain that raced through every bone, every muscle and every nerve all at once- racing like a fire from her center and making her cringe. Her eyes snapped shut, her shoulders hunching as she held her arms around her, her fingers digging into her shirt as she tried her best not to hiss- but the pain didn't let up for moments that felt like hours and even the Guild and everything in it was lost to the feeling. Worse than a thousand swords running through her person all at once, this felt like... Like her blood had turned to fire. An icy, chill, raging fire.
It... It gets worse... E-every... Time... I...it...
And still it wasn't anywhere near as painful as it had been when Mordren was trying so hard not to-
Her breathing had sped up at the pain, without her even realizing it had. Enough that she could feel the breaths catching in her throat in a way that threatened to have her coughing again if she didn't calm down soon, her chest ached more and more at the uneven breaths, and the accelerated pace of her heart pounding was agony all on its own.
... If it gets worse than this...
"... it's alright... L...ove." She smiled, sadly, her tears still falling. "... It was worth it... To know you... I j-j..ust...regret... I could not... k..keep you f-from... falling."
Frea yelled for him to stop, knowing full well he couldn't hear her, knowing full well this was memory... and it happened regardless of how much she didn't want it to.
Mordren had lift a hand, formed in the shape of a gun as he pressed his finger against her chest, his eyes still so dull and devoid of any feeling.
Scarlet sprayed out behind that woman like a fountain, the stone stained and slick with it as she fell back, her pale blue hair a bloody mess and her body no better.
She felt it, so utterly, agonizingly painfully... She felt him, in so much pain it was blinding her. So much grief and disbelief and regret she was gasping at the waves ramming into her.
Mordren was screaming on the inside, tearing himself apart as he drowned under what sheer evil had crept into his soul, kept him unable to stop himself, to keep himself from doing all he had- he lost all control, he fought for it and never regained it again.
What will he had to fight against that corruption died the minute he tore a hole through her chest, and he became what he had been when Frea knew him.
God... monster.
.. I... I could become... That...
Every little thought, every little worry and fear and concern that had rammed into her last night when talking with Saige suddenly reared up again. She could feel her body grow tense at it, feel the franticness settling in again and she could feel herself quickly losing focus on reality too.
"Frea."
Her thoughts snapped away from rummaging around inside her own head at that low, steady voice. A voice that brought her back with ease. Snapped her attention back from that endless pit and kept her away, kept her from falling into it. Very much like he had in the Reach.
Her eyes opened slowly, her head tilting up and blinking in weary, tired surprise to find that Laxus had gotten to his feet and was sitting on the edge of the bed right in front of her, his aqua blue gaze narrowed and looking slightly tense as he kept his eyes locked to her, watching in stiff silence as her body relaxed again and she seemed to calm down... Slightly.
He wasn't sure where that pain had come from all of a sudden, or even why- but the minute her breathing sharpened he had gotten to his feet, a little worried that if she got worked up again they would have a repeat of three nights ago. All annoyance at having been woken up so rudely just moments before was gone the instant he saw her pain flare up like that.
That part of him that had been tense and watchful since that night- thinking that maybe if she got wrapped up in her own head too much again she'd fall apart, and he figured she didn't want that... And honestly he didn't want that either. Seeing how quickly her rather shaky health had grown all the more fragile when she started freaking out, he wasn't really looking forward to have her make herself worse if he could- or at least try, to make sure she didn't end up in that state again.
Of course a part of him doubted anything he did would make much of a difference. He was fairly certain that sometime, and probably sometime soon, she was going to break apart. She was gonna fail to keep face and those fractured pieces would crumble even more than they had... If they weren't all fallen and crumbled away already.
"... You good?" He asked slowly, she blinked, looking a little dazed for a split second, before her eyes fell again, leaving his entirely- but not before he saw that very, very unnerving faint flash of fear in her eyes. The same fear he'd seen that night, the panic, the worry, and the pain.
She didn't answer him immediately, some part of her wasn't willing to. She could still feel his eyes on her even though she wasn't looking at him, she could tell he was watching her carefully- and another small part of her hated the feeling.
Sleep did her some good, yeah... But not enough.
And there was that endless pit creeping up again. She could feel it, stalking her, just out of sight... And always ready to snatch her up and send her spiraling. It had nearly snatched her up before... Before he managed to grab her attention on to him.
She could lie and hide and she could pretend all she wanted... She forced a smile and a cheery attitude with Moon, Chase, and with Master and Wendy and Carla... She even forced herself to stay relaxed and calm with Mirajane and Gajeel. She didn't want them to see what a mess she was, she didn't want the Guild to know, because she knew how they would react- they would worry, they would pity her even, and they would look at her like she was broken... And she knew she was. She was completely broken and she didn't want them to realize it.
It just... It sucked, knowing that she didn't have much choice with him. Because that had already happened, she'd fallen to pieces and she said so many things, admitted so many things to him and he wouldn't be forgetting any of it. She couldn't take what she said or did back.
... And at this point... I don't know if I have the will... To just keep... Pretending...
She swallowed slightly, her shoulders hunching a bit as she clasped her hands together a bit tightly in her lap.
... And... I don't... With him... The idea...
She bit the inside of her lip, her chest growing warm with some small, fleeting feeling she had felt before and still it shocked her. It was... It was something she hadn't ever imagined she'd feel. The feeling that there was someone... Someone maybe she wasn't afraid to just let herself fall apart in front of, like she was with everyone else.
She hated the idea that someone would ever see her like that, she always had and she worked so hard to keep it from happening.
But now...
"... Not really." Was the low, shockingly... Honest, answer. Laxus blinked, a little taken aback by the response, his eyes narrowing slightly and a little more tense for it.
He couldn't say he expected her to just admit it like that. Let alone so quickly, she hadn't even attempted to argue or make some excuse, she hadn't even tried to simply say 'I'm fine' like she'd been doing with everyone else when they asked her that same question.
... But maybe he shouldn't have been.
Not given what he had said to her. About how he was willing to listen, that he didn't care what she did or didn't tell him, how it didn't matter if she was afraid or worried or whatever... There had been a part of him that thought, maybe- with how feverish and panicked she had been that night that maybe she didn't remember everything he'd said or rambled about. It wouldn't surprise him at all if bits and pieces of it were blurred and muddied for her, given that at the time he had started talking aloud even knowing she might not have been awake enough to hear him at all.
Especially so given they really hadn't brought it up to one another since. Frea had mentioned nothing of what she'd rambled on about, and she certainly hadn't said anything in reply to what he said apart from what she'd managed to stammer right before falling asleep on him again.
He sweatdropped slightly, his eyes flashing as he swallowed. Frea's hand moved up, tapping her fist against his chest lightly as her eyes remained locked on her hand, he blinked at the action.
"... But... I... I'm trying..." She mumbled so softly her voice was hardly a whisper, even with his heightened hearing. "... I want... I want to believe... You're right... I want to think maybe... I won't..." her eyes narrowed to slits, her fist clenching harder as she kept the side of it pressed against his chest still.
"... It's... It's just... Really hard... Right now..." Her voice fell into nothing then, but not before he heard the words hitch slightly in her throat, her eyes snapping shut as she grimaced, he could tell how hard she was fighting to just stay calm- and it really wasn't working.
"... You... You said you didn't... Care... How... S...screwed.. Up I am..." She hissed lowly, "... Y..you told me I didn't have to... Pretend... But damn it... If I don't... I'm... Gonna..." Laxus grimaced slightly,
So she did remember what he said.
"... I'll take it all, even with the attitude, the temper... It doesn't matter to me what you've done, or what you might do, and it doesn't matter to me what you're afraid of, or how broken you feel. If you need it, I'll take it all... All the bad and the good, all the fears and the worry, all the hurt. You don't have to keep thinking you've got to keep it all to yourself, or put on a face for everyone else. You don't need to pretend with me, I don't care about all the details, I don't care if you fall apart on me... I just care that you stay." His voice dropped to something low and calm, but almost... husky in a way. He swallowed against the flash of an ache in his chest, he felt her still shaking against that hand that still brushed against her cheek ever so softly.
He supposed there shouldn't have been any real doubt she wouldn't.
"... If I don't... Pretend... I might not... Be able to... Put myself... b...back together... Again..." Her words were quickly becoming more hushed and fragmented as her emotions rose up in wild time, what will she had to keep them at bay was failing.
That made his heart drop into the pits of his stomach, what tenseness that had settled in his core since that first night hit a sudden sharp high. This is exactly what he had been keeping an eye out for to happen, watching and waiting to see if she would break down again, and now she was starting to... And he hated it still.
She was trying so hard, clinging so desperately to that face she kept up because she didn't think she'd come back from letting herself fall apart all the way. She didn't think she had the strength nor the will to pick herself back up if she crumbled all the way. So she held herself back, but she couldn't do it forever- and the more she tried, the more painful it became and the more it hurt her.
Her fist fell from pushing against his chest, her shoulders hunching as she let her head hang, her breathing coming in short, forced breaths that bordered that panicked gasping she had fallen into that very first night, still struggling so, so hard to keep it all together.
She was so worried, and afraid. That woman he thought he knew so well all these years was shaking and frightened and so unbelievably fragile so suddenly, it took so very little to push her to the edge, and send her shattering. And still she was trying to force herself not to break. Force herself not to fall apart and the more she tried, the longer she sat there- the more quick her breathing was getting, and harsher too. She was trembling again, from panic or fear or pain it wasn't all that clear... And maybe it was all those things at once. She was getting worked up so quickly and so easily and she hadn't even been awake for more than a few minutes.
Laxus swallowed that lump that had formed in his throat, his eyes falling closed as he let out a small, silent, slightly forced sigh. He shook his head a little, sweatdropping as his eyes dropped halfway, glinting.
He'd been lost on what to do when it had been Mavis on the verge of tears, but for some reason with Frea-
She stiffened the instant she felt his hand fall atop her head lightly, her eyes snapping open from having shut them- her breath hitching in her throat.
Laxus pulled her a little closer, one hand resting lightly on the top of her head while the other trailed faintly across her shoulder and toward her back, pulling her toward him, so softly and destroying what space had always managed to stay in between them. The hand on her head shifted slightly, holding the back of her head softly as he let his chin fall lightly on the top of her head, her forehead brushing against his chest - and her heart jumping in her own and eyes wide at the sudden contact that was almost entirely unbelievable coming from him.
He was... He was hugging her.
"... Seriously woman... Just breathe, alright?" He murmured lowly, she could feel the wash of warmth run against her neck from the breath he left out just then. "... You're freaking yourself out... The more you do that the worse you're gonna feel... So just relax, alright...?" She was still so rigid and so tense, she heard him but honestly the words did nothing for her, and he could tell. Her breathing failed to relax and hitched a little more, rattling and harsh in his ears and his stomach knotted at it.
He pulled her a little closer, just faintly but enough she noticed and her heart fluttered slightly.
"... You hear my heartbeat?" He asked lowly, earning a blink of surprise from her, though he couldn't see it. And he didn't wait for an answer either, "... Just focus on that, keep your focus on listening to it and nothing else, got it?" His voice was so low and so steady she found herself a little taken aback, even more so at the gentle instructions.
She swallowed a little, forcing her eyes to drop closed and to let her forehead rest against his chest a little more, her ears and her focus turning toward that steady, even beat she could pick out easily enough with her heightened hearing. She took in a small, shaky breath as she did her best to block the world out and simply let her mind become consumed by it.
It took a long time to manage to block off the thoughts and ideas and to beat back that pit that was trying so hard to swallow her whole. Little by little every swirling fear, every nagging thought, and even the constant throbbing of all the Energy in the Guild and the people pounding away at her head was lulled into near non-existence. Dulled and muffled as every portion of her mind and her focus just honed in on that soft, quiet rhythmic beating, her body losing its taughtness and her heart slowing again in tune with her breathing though she hardly noticed. Her fingers curled nearly absentmindedly around the bottom of his shirt, leaning into him a little more since it was easier than trying to hold herself up all on her own.
The panic settled down and left her feeling drowsy and strung out, and the warmth that came from his body and his arms wrapped around her person threatened to send her mind into something of a haze, that warmth mixing ever so pleasantly with that light, sweet, and slightly sharp scent that had grown so very familiar.
Sharp and light, like dry rain in a thunderstorm. And tinged by that same sweeter sort of scent all Dragon Slayer's shared.
Laxus felt the knot his stomach had settled into, untie itself a little once he heard her breathing steady and more so to feel her body relax under his hold. That wash of slight relief was enough to ward off any nervousness at having her lean into him a little more, enough so he was holding her up more than she was herself. And he didn't care just then. All that mattered to him was the fact she'd managed to calm down again, and for now they had avoided her freaking out enough to hurt her.
He sighed slightly, taking in a long, slow breath as his eyes fell closed, her scent dancing around him and on his nose heavily as he settled his own attention on listening to her breathing slow down more for a few long moments. He didn't dare let go nor shift even an inch, or put any space between them- not unless he was absolutely sure she had relaxed enough not to have her emotions spiral out of control again.
An odd gesture coming from him, to be sure. They both liked personal space and he had never been a very touchy-feely sort of person, and nor had she. But in all honesty, he felt in that split instant that maybe she just needed it, and that was fine by him, as long as it helped. So screw it, if it was weird for him to do or how nervous and flustered it made him feel deep down, Frea had him doing all sorts of things he never would have dared recently, and it had started to become such a regular occurrence he wasn't even really sure what could be considered normal or usual between them, or for himself anymore.
"... Better." He grumbled lowly, his tone soft as he sighed once a few more moments had gone by and he heard her breathing ease to the point he could hardly hear the shallowness of the breaths, or how her lungs rattled- as they had been doing since being wounded as she had. "... You gotta quit overthinking everything... you're stressing yourself out more than you already are... there ain't any reason for it..."
Frea's eyes blinked open slowly, her attention latching to his voice slowly as the sound of the words lulled her gently back away from the sudden drowsy haze she'd been falling into.
"... It isn't gonna matter to me if you break down. And don't keep thinking you gotta keep hiding how shitty you feel because you won't be able to get over it if you do... You will, trust me." He murmured softly. "... You're ridiculously stubborn, and bull-headed, and there isn't a thing you don't get done once you set yourself to it. Quit freakin' yourself out over 'maybe' and just set yourself to believing that you will get through everything and it will get better... You do that, and that annoying stubbornness of yours wouldn't dare let you fall apart and never pick back up again." He grumbled a little, "... But you can't just keep pretending and bottling it all up, it'll just keep tearing you apart that way. You've been hiding your whole life... And I know why, I get it, Frea."
He knew well enough she wasn't the sort of person that let other people know about her pain too easily. To everyone she knew she was strong and brash and fearless... And she still was, but that didn't mean she couldn't hurt, couldn't break and couldn't be afraid. Stubbornness maybe, and maybe a bit of a pride thing too... But more so she wasn't comfortable with letting other people know how deep the hurt went, and she probably didn't want the Guild to know just so they wouldn't look at her and see the bad.
Stupid maybe, because there wasn't a doubt how much the people in the Guild cared about her and it really wouldn't make them think of her any differently if they saw her fall apart. It might hurt them, worry them, sure. And it would certainly shock them... But she was still Frea.
Frea of Fairy Tail. And she was still Family.
But it would be hypocritical of him to scold her for hiding when he did the same thing. He was the same- he didn't like letting his feelings and emotions be known by anyone. He wouldn't be caught dead falling apart and he would do anything to keep everyone else from seeing it if he did. So he understood why she was hesitant, and above everything else, he knew well enough by now that however self-destructive and annoying it was of her, Frea did have her reasons.
She always had a reason for keeping something to herself and staying quiet. Many of them were good reasons, and some of them not so much... But there was a always a reason.
And one of the larger reasons?
Because even thinking about some of those things she had buried away was wrought with pain and terror and memories of things he sure as hell didn't blame her for not wanting to touch ever again. He knew better than to bring it up and refrained from asking things he thought would be a sore subject... And he still didn't intend to press her even now. If she wanted to talk about something she would, and he accepted that.
She didn't have to talk if she didn't want to, but she didn't have to hide her pain either. That probably hurt just as badly as thinking back on those things.
"... I ain't gonna ask, and you don't have to talk about anything you don't want to. That's not my business." He mumbled, "... Just quit trying to hide how you're feeling all the time. It's not worth it. It only hurts you more than you already are." She blinked, her eyes halfway closed and her gaze settled on her hands still holding on to his shirt, not moving, and not even hardly reacting as she just listened to him talking.
There was a lump in her stomach, a heavy, dense knot that had worked its way into a million different tangles. It had been there the second he had pulled her up out of the Reach, it had knotted ten, twenty, fifty times over when she woke up, becoming heavier and denser as she cried and cursed him in her head for doing something so god damned stupid. Making it hard to breathe and more painful as every fear that she would end up like Mordren bombarded her like bullets- like those dark, sickly powerful bursts of his Magic that had torn her apart in the middle of their fighting.
That knot tightened, it's tightness stretching out to every inch of her body as the minutes ticked by, the hours even when she had been so exhausted she was barely awake and he had stayed with her over the night. It knotted and twisted in a hundred fold those few moments she'd managed wakefulness and Master was there, the ropes wounding tightly around her heart and her lungs and pulling violently tight when she felt his relief and saw his tears.
It didn't get better when Chase and Moon had come in, it had grown heavier when she realized that Chase knew. It didn't unwind even a centimeter when Wendy, Sherria and Porlyusica had been working away, nor when Mira had sat with her so content and calm and just talked.
It got worse, steadily, continually- and then Gajeel.
Her core had knotted itself so tightly she felt sick, shaky and frail and off-balance...
The visit from Saige felt like Tomaru had run his sword through her core a dozen times over, and the queasiness and the feeling of being sick just got so much worse. It all rammed into her the minute the sleeping Charm wore off and now here she was, all worked up with her mind and her body ready to burst at the hastily thrown together seams and that knot spreading it's lines farther, wrapping around her throat and her heart and making her breathing begin to fail altogether. She was suffocating again and nothing made a dent, nothing could pull her away from it, keep that knot and that rope from pulling tighter and tighter... And yet something had, twice now.
It made no sense, it wasn't even all that logical, or even hardly believable. And she was wasn't even sure just why, either. But something about him had that knot in her core slowly, slightly unraveling. There was something about him that had her mind settling enough to think and her nerves to lull a little into something that feigned calm.
In all honesty, she felt that even if Moon or Chase had attempted to comfort her just then and try to convince her to calm down, it wouldn't have worked. All their quiet assurances would have bounced off and that rope would still be choking her. She might not have even managed to be calmed down like she had if it had been either of those two in the room when she started losing it- and he had calmed her down so easily, like he had instinctively known what to do and what would work. That simple, soft order to listen to his heartbeat and focus on nothing else was simple and small, and yet it worked so well.
Most of their lives being in one another's company had been nothing but tense. They used to not be able to stand being in the same room together let alone talk to one another. He pissed her off, royally sometimes and quite often, and she knew she pissed him off too... And quite a bit, based on how many times he made it clear. Never in a million years had the idea they could even be civil to one another seemed plausible.
And yet that once cold and scathing remark of calling her 'stubborn' and 'bull-headed', 'annoying' and so many other things just didn't have the bite they used to. When he snapped at her it had turned from true annoyance and scorn to something lighter, and more amused.. More trifling. When he called her things, he didn't do it to be mean, or even hurtful- he did it to get a rise maybe- but it was like teasing... And it was fun. Content even.
That person who she never imagined being around without wanting to punch him had changed to someone else. Where she was now being held in his arms, held- and he was doing it to try and calm her down, he did it to help her. Even when closing that personal space between them may not have been what either of them were very comfortable with in the first place... And even just then, she wasn't uncomfortable at all, and she couldn't feel nervousness sparking off of him either. Not embarrassment or flustered, tense and uneasy maybe- but she knew that wasn't because of what he was doing, and more so over how she had reacted.
She knew it, that things between them had changed- drastically... But she couldn't find where the shift had started. She couldn't pin it down, not an exact moment, not an exact instance... It had started changing long before she ever realized it.
And even though it made little sense, and even though it may have been very out of character for either of them- she really couldn't ignore it either.
He had managed to make her calm down and settle that terror and panic racing through her and he did it easily.
Even after days of sitting and having all the thoughts and worries trapped in her head and conjuring up all new fears and the like, it took something a simple as holding her and telling her to just breathe, and just focus on one thing- to get her body to relax and that knot to unwind even that little bit. Even the words, though usually she would have tensed at them, or felt a little uneasy... She was just so calm now she could let them sink in and remain steady about it.
What he had said to her that first night had stuck with her. But she was so stressed out over it all she hadn't been able to put much stock or hope in them. There was that part of her that couldn't let her hope and trust in what he assured, even though some part of her wanted to.
But now...?
... I haven't... Felt any semblance of calm... Since everything... Not one second where I wasn't tense, since even before coming face to face with Mordren... I've been spiraling this entire time...
There was something warm stirring somewhere in her core, something light... Something pleasant and oh so different from that chilly dark. Something that combated that, and the knots her body had worked itself into so tightly.
... Is that... Optimism... Or... Hope, maybe...?
... Did calming me down like this... Make it possible... To even manage to try and just hope... That what he's saying is...?
Her eyes dropped closed again, letting out a low, silent breath.
... Or did calming me down ... Make it possible to just... Convince me... To really try...?
"... And hell if I'm gonna let you keep tearing yourself up by burying it all when you don't have to." That little bit of gruff, stern Laxus that worked its way into the otherwise easy, soft string of words- was that little bit of usual that had been somewhat lacking. It was like him saying he wasn't gonna let her do something, but it wasn't quite that- it was a little more.
It was his way of telling her that he was willing to be that one person she didn't hide for. Even if she didn't want to let herself show someone that, he didn't care, and he was sure as hell gonna keep pressing that until she gave into it. He knew well enough that she needed someone she could just stop pretending in front of, someone who'd just listen and someone who she wasn't worried over having them think differently (or less) of her when she did fall apart.
And if she was gonna be so good damned stubborn about hiding it from every other person she knew- she'd have to settle for him. Him because she'd already fallen apart and he already saw what she hadn't wanted anyone else to see. There was no changing that. So pretending was useless by now.
But his tone lost a little of that softness with those last few words, and that stern, slightly gruff side shown through.
He wasn't gonna take no for an answer. And honestly?
Impossibly, unbelievably, for the first time, in maybe ever... The idea of letting someone that close and letting them see that part of her did not end in uneasiness, or with a sharp, instinctive, no.
"... You have either the worst... Or best... Timing..." She mumbled softly, her words hardly a whisper even he hardly heard it- but he did, and he blinked, sweatdropping slightly. She felt a small flash of nervousness from him then, though he didn't pull away- and a part of her was thankful he didn't. That warmth and that soothing feel that came with it was not something she wanted to let go of just yet, it was too pleasant in comparison with all the bad.
Laxus felt a small shiver run up as his spine and his heart jumped as Frea's hands moved, her arms hooking lightly behind his back as she returned the embrace wearily, her nose burying itself into his shirt.
It was crazy he had given into hugging her, and he had only done so to keep her from freaking out too much. But it was insane that she was doing it back. And he felt his face heat up slightly despite himself.
"... I'm actually starting to wonder if... The real Laxus got kidnapped and you're an imposter..." She murmured lightly, her tone was exhausted but there was teasing in it too, and that faint hint of genuine mirth caught him entirely off guard. "...hmm... Who'd have known you could be so good... At making people... Feel better...even with the simplest thing..."
Her hold around his back tightened just a little, he blinked.
"... It's working though... I haven't been this calm... In way too long..." She breathed, "... thank you... For all of it... Everything..."
He stiffened in slight surprise at the thank you, and how much he could hear she meant it.
"... I'll try... And turn my 'stubbornness'... On something more productive too..." Her voice was very very low by then, and in truth her head was falling further and further into a pleasant haze, though she did her best to stay at least focused enough on him to keep talking.
"... It'll take.. A little... To work myself around... To all of it... All you're saying... But I will try..."
I have to try... I want to try... I want things... To be OK...
... And for the first time... I'm not afraid of falling apart in front of someone... Just one person, though.
She wanted... Even though the world seemed determined to not letting her have her way.
She could feel herself tilting dangerously on the edge of exhaustion and sleep again, and the feeling of his body warm against hers, and how relaxed she had become, she could hardly keep focus on him and the waking world anymore. Hardly noticed her own hold around his back was failing as her arms became too heavy for her to hold up, and hardly noticed him as he shifted slightly, that hand that had been holding the back of her head falling to her shoulder. Her attention had waned too much to even really register the fact he had pulled away just a little, though he was still holding on to her- and good thing too, she had long since stopped holding herself up on her own.
"... Promise..."
"Lady Celene...!"
Lahar nearly stammered her name, light bouncing off his glasses as he hurriedly moved up toward her, looking shocked and anxious all at once.
Aisha hardly glanced up at him from her silent, cold staring at the two Rune Knights who had halted her nearly immediately after having entered Era. She grumbled hotly under her breath, purple gaze glinting in annoyance while Chase beside her simply looked bemused and exasperated all at once.
The Rune Knights jumped slightly at the sound of Lahar's voice, turning their wary eyes behind them and toward the man, sweatdropping. Lahar let out a breath, coming to a halt behind them and waving a hand to the side.
"Stand down, I've been expecting Lady Celene on official business." He announced shortly, "I will take care of escorting her and her companion from here out, please return to your posts immediately." The Knights nodded stiffly, before moving off with hardly a word and leaving Lahar, Aisha and Chase alone in the center of those grand marble hallways.
Lahar dipped his head in Aisha's direction, his face pulled tight and tense as he found himself searching both her expression and her companions for any sign or hint as to just what sort of news they had arrived to pass on. The last two weeks had been quite the hassle for Lahar to quell the Chairman and the Council on the matter of arresting Fairy Tail, it had taken no small amount of pushing and insistence to get them to remain still and not to act, even with the Druhma officially called into place. The more time that passed the more agitated the Council became, and tensions in Era were running short now. Lahar was even honestly a bit worried the Council was planning to move even despite the Treaty and the law, and he very much didn't look forward to the resulting conflict.
"... Apologies, Lady Celene. Had I known you were arriving I would have prepared." He murmured,
"Don't worry about it." Aisha murmured lowly, earning a blink of surprise from Lahar, though Chase smiled slightly at her reply.
Chase could feel the annoyance pricking from her, and the slight embarrassment too at how formal Lahar was. He realized she had been away from Adgnei and that life for so long it was a little odd to be treated like a Noble all of a sudden, and a part of him was sure she never enjoyed it in the first place- though she hid that.
Lahar straightened up slightly, eyes glinting as he bit the inside of his cheek for a small moment.
"... Am I to hope you've arrived to repeal the Druhma, my Lady?" He asked quietly, tensely.
Either that, or she was here to announce that the Energy Dragon Slayer had, after two weeks... Finally gone.
"Yes." Aisha replied softly, Lahar blinked, his heart jumping at the simple confirmation. "... I am now officially repealing the Druhma, her life is out of immediate danger."
Lahar let put a low, inaudible breath, nodding slightly.
"... I am happy to hear that." He replied honestly, "... I was unaware that Miss Frea had been so heavily wounded when we first arrived, I hope she's doing better now...?"
"... She's still in pretty bad shape." Chase answered this time around, earning Lahar's attention and slight grimace at the words. "Enough that she can't leave the Guild, not for a long while yet." Lahar blinked,
"Which is also why we are here." Aisha murmured, "Given her condition, I would have liked to have held off Repealing the Druhma for a little longer to try and afford some extra time... But given how quickly the news spread she was going to at least make it, I am sure the Council would have heard soon enough. To avoid any thoughts that we were trying to avoid the issue, I felt it better to tell you now, so the Council heard it from me personally, and not as a rumor."
"... Yes, I think that's probably for the best." Lahar agreed softly. "I am sure the Council will appreciate you taking time to inform them so quickly... But I take it, given what you're saying, that you don't intend to let the Council take measures to arrest Miss Frea?" He swore he saw some dangerous look flicker across the face of the man standing beside Aisha, though it was gone so quickly he wasn't sure. "... If she is not well enough to even leave your Guild Hall, I doubt you intend to let the Magical Investigation Unit come marching in to interrogate her either."
"No." Aisha replied lowly, Lahar sweaydropped.
"... The Council is not likely to heed your wishes, Lady Celene." Lahar mumbled, looking nervous a moment. "... And I personally do not wish to cause trouble with Fairy Tail, for any reason... But there may be nothing I can do to convince the Chairman to hold off for any longer now."
"The Guild isn't going to let the Council step all over them." Chase murmured lowly, "If they even try to come in and start anything, you're gonna have a whole Guild full of angry Wizards to deal with." Lahar sweatdropped a little more, the words were steady and neutral, but he knew a warning when he heard it.
"... I do not doubt it." Lahar murmured, "... But I do doubt the Chairman will care. He's been more worked up these last few weeks than I can ever remember. Even fighting with Fairy Tail would seem acceptable to him at this point." Chase seemed to grumble under his breath at that. "Regardless of what I explained to him of the Druhma and the reasons why it was called in the first place, his mind has been set on one thing. He intends to investigate what happened between your Guild and the Wizard named 'Mordren' with every level of scrutiny. He will not rest until he has answers and someone to answer for what went on... And unfortunate as it is, that person he holds responsible is Miss Frea. And it has seemed to matter very little to him her injuries and her health."
Chase grimaced slightly, his eyes flashing as he bit the inside of his cheek.
"Why is he pinning this on Frea?" He growled, Lahar sweatdropped a bit more at that. "I was there too, I was fighting Mordren just like she was, but I don't see the Chairman ordering my arrest."
Aisha sweatdropped, her eyes falling closed with a small sigh- cursing him in her head for bringing it up, lest it end with him in cuffs. He didn't seem all that concerned though.
"And even more than that, what happened didn't harm anyone but her." Chase growled, "Mordren may have sent the Continent to sleep, but that was it. No city's were damaged, nothing was destroyed outside of Teach's home. Nobody got killed, or attacked, the only real damage was done to her. To the rest of the damn country, Mordren doesn't even exist and never will, and no one has any clue what happened. What danger there was was dealt with and contained, the bad he did didn't get any further than that mountain. As far as the Council and the rest of the country is involved, they had no part in any of this. It didn't affect any of them, or you, whatsoever." His eyes flashed, his tone dropping slightly as Aisha cast him a silent stare.
"Where does the Chairman and the Council even have any right to call Teach suspect? She did nothing wrong, she's the only reason nothing worse happened." Chase growled coldly, his placid nature shattered in a wash of agitation he hadn't been expecting.
But he knew better- because he knew how the Council had treated Frea before and how unfair they had been with her. A part of him felt he shouldn't be surprised that this had been the Council's response, but it still infuriated him.
"... I do not doubt that, given what I have seen of what happened." Lahar replied steadily, "... But I think you need to understand this; the Council is scared."
Aisha and Chase alike blinked, taken aback by the words and how serious the man was as he said them.
"What little we know and understand of what happened between Mordren, and you and Miss Frea, is much too little for the Council and the Chairman's comfort." Lahar murmured, "The simple reality is we do not understand what happened or why, nearly at all. And the not knowing is unsettling. The Council is unsure where such a Powerful Dark Wizard came from, for what reason, or if someone like Mordren will appear again. The Council's rush to arrest Miss Frea and pin the blame is in reaction to their fear and uncertainty... From the Readings we recorded of that day, Mordren had the Power to level the country, and the Council is very, very uneasy at the reality. They want to know what happened and what it means... And they just don't know."
"... people are afraid of the unknown. And when they are afraid, they often lose reason and better sense." Aisha intoned quietly. Chase grimaced slightly, glancing her way as he sweatdropped a little, his anger simmering down now.
He didn't feel it was a good enough excuse, but he knew it made sense, so he let it be for now.
Besides, he had accompanied Aisha because he felt he needed to, but he wasn't really in any position to be questioning the Council, or potentially making them more angry than they were. If it had been someone other than Lahar he may have said too much already.
"... Indeed, My Lady." Lahar murmured quietly. Aisha sighed, crossing her arms over her chest as she cocked a hip, her eyes falling closed a moment in thought.
"... If it is answers the Council is looking for, it may do better to question those involved outside of Frea." Aisha murmured after a moment, "... It may not prove useful to question the members of Lamia, Saber, Mermaid, Pegasus and Quatro for what they saw and heard, but it would keep the Council busy. And may earn a bit more time. What they are likely to know and understand about Mordren is very little, but I am sure the Guild Master's can manage musings the Council might find interesting... though I doubt any of them would be excited at the process, I don't think they will object." Aisha's purple gaze blinked open to land on Lahar, steady and neutral as he blinked.
"With the Druhma repealed, the Council has right to start it's investigation. Where you were barred from approaching the other Guilds and ours, you can do so now." She murmured evenly, "... If you cannot keep the Chairman from starting to work, perhaps you can persuade the Magical Investigation Unit to start it's investigation and questioning with the other Guilds. If the Chairman wants every detail he can manage, there should be no objection to questioning the other Guilds. And in the meantime, I'll pass along what other bits of information I can to try and sate the Council's appetite as well."
Lahar and Chase blinked, their eyes riveted on her and that very clear, calm demeanor she had so suddenly, how sure and certain she was. Her words were more like orders than suggestions, but subtly. That flare of someone who was used to juggling the political and rules and regulations showed itself, and the person who had grown so used to, and so good and dealing with the government was making an appearance. She was entirely at ease facing the Council's demands and plans, and seemed entirely unfazed by their reaction.
Chase has long since realized how good she was at handling the Council, she got information easily and passed it along and handled all the little bits and complicated pieces together so easily. She was very good at what she did, he knew.
But what had Chase reeling was the seriousness in her, the lack of hesitation and the complete absence of annoyance too. She had complained before about getting involved with the Council, but she was putting herself right in the middle of it and it's plans and she did it without a second thought or even an ounce of wariness.
It shocked him... But it also made him smile, just a little.
To the best of her ability, she was putting herself in the position to help in every single way she could. To help the Guild, to help Frea too. Aisha cared about the Guild more than she'd ever admit, and a part of him figured she cared about Frea- but only because she knew how much his Old Mentor meant to him.
And he loved that about her. Even if she was stubborn about admitting to it if he asked.
... He didn't need to ask though. He knew.
She was still so calm and collected as her gaze remained locked onto Lahar, who seemed just as fixed on Aisha as Chase was in that instant.
"... I know it is asking a lot of you, but if you manage to convince the Council to start with the other Guilds, it will give us... it will give Frea, more time. And I'll keep sending what information I can to give her as much time as I can too." Lahar blinked, his eyes narrowing as he seemed to muse on it for a moment, uneasiness and uncertainty sparking from him like little jolts of electricity.
Slowly, Lahar nodded, swallowing slightly.
"... I will do my best, My Lady..."
... Did she seriously...?
Laxus sweatdropped slightly, his eyes glinting as he felt Frea lean into him a little more, her hands falling entirely as her breathing became so very low and slow.
... Don't tell me she fell asleep...?
And like that? Sitting up must have been hell alone, he couldn't imagine how uncomfortable falling asleep like that would be for her, especially given the wounds.
"... Frea..." He murmured quietly, her forehead was still pressed up against his chest so he couldn't see her face.
There was a lack of an answer, and he swallowed slightly.
... Idiot.
"... Still awake... Just... Sit there a bit longer... Kay...?"
That very low tenor of her voice caught him entirely off guard, she sounded exhausted, and drowsy and honestly he was thoroughly shocked she'd managed a reply at all.
"... You should probably lay down." He replied quietly, though he made no move to force her to do so, and instead just rest his hands lightly on her lower back, careful to place then nowhere near the wounds that had gone through her stomach and her chest, his arms crossing around her figure a little more and regardless of what flash of nervousness that suddenly ignited in his core. His words lacked the conviction needed to make them more a demand than a suggestion, he wasn't really looking to argue, even if having her lay down was a better option.
"... I will... In a... Minute..." She replied even softer this time around, what little energy she had left to keep herself talking was fading quickly. "... You're... Really warm... You know..." He blinked,
So are you.
He didn't say it out loud though, but he could feel the heat prickling off her skin still. She was clearly still running a fever, though not a bad one, just one more testament to how bad a shape she was in.
And one more reason why he simply gave in to what she wanted for a few more minutes. Because this wasn't all that much like her. But it was her trying, he supposed- to stop acting like she was OK all the time.
It was maybe enough that she had promised to try, and this time she seemed to have decided to stick to it.
They sat in stillness for a few minutes, neither of them saying a thing more and not saying a word when Frea finally pulled back, his hands gently pulling away as she sighed slightly, her eyes closed and trembling just faintly as she kept herself sitting up instead of leaning on him. Her arms wrapped around her stomach softly, sweatdropping and looking more pale and worn than she had before, and enough he bit the inside of his cheek at it.
She let out a shaky sigh, wincing slightly under her breath. Her silver eyes opened to trail up toward him, the edge of her lips twitching in some small, sad smile for a moment.
This means things are changing, a lot... But maybe that's OK...?
She hoped so... She hoped even if they changed, it wouldn't be enough that things between them went back to awkward and tenseness.
Even if he sees how screwed up I am...
He was a little nervous for a minute there when she hugged him back, she felt it, and worried too... But not tense. If anything... For those few minutes it had been utterly content. For both of them.
Who knew, hmm...?
"... You're a freak." She smiled slightly, chuckling a little and earning a small hiss soon after as it sent a few jolts of pain running through her stomach and chest. He flinched slightly at that, though her eyes had snapped shut and she didn't see it.
"...tch... Just go to sleep already, you stubborn ass." he replied gruffly, she smiled a little more at the not so scathing remark.
But there it was again. How she managed to go from panicking to the point of hardly being able to breath- to looking so relaxed, so calm, and even smiling. It wasn't forced either, he could tell, tired as hell, in what unbelievable amount of pain she was in, and even with her entire world seeing to have been turned upside down (and still he wasn't entirely clear why), she still managed to smile again, tease him, laugh... and it was genuine.
How anyone could come back from so much bad and so much pain, how she had time and time again and still it confused him. It amazed him too. And it was that very thing he knew- she'd pull through, she'd work through it, get to that point of being OK again... She always managed it, even when she shouldn't be able to.
He knew she'd be able to do it even when she didn't think she could. There wasn't a doubt in his mind.
But she was still one giant mystery... Just maybe, now, he was starting to understand a little bit more.
"Heh... how hypocritical... You're the most stubborn bastard I know.." She replied lightly and without missing a beat, he frowned slightly. "... But you're also one of the kindest ones I know too, even if you don't come off that way at first glance..." She added in quietly, and this time he felt his face heat up more than it ever had before, his eyes snapping away from her and jaw clenching in agitation spurred from sheer embarrassment at the compliment.
It had the desired effect though, and she smiled faintly even as he promptly stood up from sitting on the bed, she could hear him grumbling under his breath.
"Tch..."
Frea leaned back a little, falling against the pillows and letting out a small sigh as she shook her head slightly to herself. She shifted a little to let herself lay mostly all the way down, though still propped up a little and biting down on her tongue to keep herself quiet at what pain came with moving again. Laxus was still standing stiffly by the bed, his arms crossed over his chest and looking somewhere between miffed and uneasy, his back having turned slightly on her in his agitation, but he glanced back when she settled down.
Her eyes had fallen closed against the ache of moving to lay down again, her breathing rising again in reaction to it, before coming to a halt and trying to catch it again, her hand falling gingerly on top of her chest as she lost focus on everything else for a few moments
Her eyes snapped open in foggy confusion, feeling something fall on top of her head and over her face. Her hands moved up slowly, eyes glinting as she pulled the coat away enough to see, sweatdropping slightly.
"... what is thi..?" She murmured after a moment, her eyes trailing toward its owner, who was standing a little farther from the bed, looking disgruntled still as he simply huffed in response, and cutting her off before she managed to fully ask the question.
She blinked, a little confused as his hand suddenly landed on her head, with him looking agitated still, and a little tired too all of a sudden.
Frea's eyes widened slightly though, her eyes glinting slightly as she caught sight of the bruises and... Bite marks, that were poking through past his sleeves on his arm. Staining across his skin and looking painful, and a little irritated.
Her heart jumped slightly, eyes glittering as the breath caught in her throat in shock,
...w-wait... Those look like the wounds he got when we were in... The... Reach...
... No... They stayed? He actually got hurt...?
She bit the inside of her cheek, swallowing slightly.
She hated that. It was already bad enough he could have died, but he actually got hurt.
"Just go to sleep." He grumbled lowly, his tone leaving no room for more questions or even any thought of arguing the point. His voice snapped her thoughts away and halted the sudden churning in her stomach, her eyes leaving the injuries and meeting his eyes.
She noticed not just those, but also that faint, nearly imperceptible tinge of red on his face though. And despite herself, what guilt had suddenly started swirling was broken apart in surprise.
She sighed slightly, her eyes falling halfway despite herself, his hand still atop her head as her hands fell to her chest, curling into the jacket and pulling it up to her chin, taking in a long, slow breath.
... You weren't supposed to get hurt.
Her eyes fell closed entirely.
... he dropped his coat on my face... like he intends to just... leave it again...
"... mm... fine..." She breathed lowly, his hand hesitated a moment longer, before he pulled it away from resting atop her head, she felt him pull away only faintly as her thoughts started falling. She was too tired to keep herself up,
... it is because... I said I was cold...?
She was asleep in seconds, she couldn't keep herself awake and he had been able to tell how hard a time she was having just trying. Her breathing had settled into that low, deep rhythm of sleep almost the minute he had pulled his hand away, and he grimaced to himself, feeling that ache in his chest again, coupled annoyingly with a knot in his core.
His face still felt hot and he hated it damn it.
He turned his back on the bed in his agitation, growling under his breath and eyes snapping shut, hating it more when he couldn't manage to bring his heart rate down after having it speed up in the midst of that conversation.
What the hell... Is wrong with me...?!
He knew why he felt so... Grahhh, flustered, damn it.
"... But you're also one of the kindest ones I know too, even if you don't come off that way at first glance..."
He could handle all the rest of it, the contact (even if it was odd), he could handle the way she was acting and he could handle how she had fallen apart, but that last sentence- shit!
He felt his face burn a little brighter.
She did drive him insane, and he hated how he reacted, but he couldn't help it- and that agitated him to literally no end. He hated it, but that made him nervous... hell, that made him feel embarrassed and he didn't not like the feeling.
He took in a low, long breath to try and settle himself down a little- it did little good and he growled hotly.
His attention snapped around toward the sound of the handle of the infirmary door starting to turn as someone prepared to come inside, eyes narrowed and sweatdropping still.
The room lit up briefly in a flash of yellow, the figure of Laxus by the bedside disappearing in an arc of gold that disappeared in instants, leaving the room empty and silent as Moon poked her head in, blinking as her pale blue eyes scanned the room and found no sign of that Lightning Dragon Slayer she had seen sleeping there earlier that morning.
She sweatdropped slightly, smiling faintly to herself with a small shake of her head. She was fairly certain she had sensed him (his mind anyway) just seconds before, and figured he had disappeared the minute he realized she was headed in- though she wasn't quite sure why he would leave so suddenly, but a small part of her was amused.
Moon stepped inside the room quietly, shutting it closed behind her as she approached the bed, hopping lightly up into one of the nearby chairs after pushing it closer. She settled in, smiling slightly as she leaned over, crossing her paws over the bedtop and resting her head in them. Her eyes traced over her very much asleep Partner, glinting sadly as she noticed he had left his jacket not the once, but twice now- meaning it had been deliberate, like she had guessed the first time around.
Moon's tail brushed lightly over the coat where it settled across the Energy Dragon Slayer's hand partway, smiling to herself.
"... you know he's been acting kinda strange." She murmured quietly and nearly to herself, "... hmm... maybe not so strange... it's because he's been worried about you, Frea. Like everyone else has been, but I think maybe... he's been more worried than anyone else." Moon's eyes dropped halfway, a small, weary purr rumbling in her throat a moment. "... I wish you could tell, you're so clueless sometimes... you are both so clueless, it's tiring." Moon chuckled under her breath.
"... that's alright... I'm just glad you've got someone other than me that cares that much... and more, too..."
Alrighty! A bit of a fluffy chapter, but hopefully you enjoyed it none the less!
The next chapter is gonna be more lighthearted! So please look out for that~
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