It took Laxus a few moments to realize he'd just passed out. The weariness and booze had finally taken its toll. Even still, Laxus stood staring, his stomach sinking to an impossibly low place. What had he just done?

He's just forced oral sex on Gajeel.

Forced.

He sat there for what felt like hours, just staring at him. His body refused to move, finally released from whatever spell that had led him to this place. He felt tired and despicable. Secretly he prayed that maybe the other Slayer was too drunk to remember what had happened, that he'd wake up and have no idea of the events that had transpired that night. But he also knew the thought was equally stupid and deplorable. He'd just been raped. How could he not remember?

A slight tremble that went through Gajeel's body snapped him out of his spiraling thoughts. He hadn't moved an inch, his body trembling just slightly from the chill of being half dressed. Laxus contemplated what to do for a moment, his hands wanting to move but not finding the ability.

He couldn't just leave him like this: dumped in the middle of his hall shivering and half naked. Slowly, steadily, he rose to his knees and bent forward. Slipping one arm under his legs and another under his shoulders. After a silent breath, or maybe two, he lifted himself up to his feet. Gajeel's dead weight was heavy, but not too much for him to carry such a short distance.

He put him down as gently as he could and straightened, giving the Iron Mage a once over. Hesitantly at first, he reached down and shimmied him out of his shirt, folding it neatly and placing it on the dresser. When he turned back he let his eyes glide over his body, this time taking in details. Scars crisscrossed his skin, a macabre pattern on the Iron Dragon's flesh. Some were pale and fresh, others less prominent and dulled from years of existence. Each one held a painful story, though he could only guess at what they could be. He found himself leaning down again, his eyes drawn to one that ran across his hip. He placed a warm hand against it, running his thumb across the softer flesh. His eyes made their way up his chest, following some up them even so far up as his collar, slim ones that were probably aimed for his throat but came up short.

That's when his eyes notice a particular set of scars right at his jugular. The marks weren't old, only a couple months maybe. It looked like a bite mark, and a fierce one at that. Laxus's brows drew together as he lifted his hand and brought his up to the wound, placing his fingers on two of the more pronounced marks. Gajeel stirred beneath him, his eyes fluttering open for just a moment and locking with Laxus's. For a moment, he froze, not sure if he should feel horrified or try to explain his actions. Gajeel's eyes glittered like soft rubies in the dim light, not quite registering what was going on as he looked into Laxus's yellow. Then, without a word, they fluttered closed again and his stilled breath continued at a slower pace.

Laxus let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd kept held. He straightened and ran his fingers through his hair nervously before bringing up a blanket and letting it fall over Gajeel's frame. For a while he contemplated leaving and going back to his home whilst staring down at the passed out form below him. He couldn't think of what was worse: Gajeel not remembering and waking up wondering why the hell he was there or Gajeel remembering and Laxus not being there. If he didn't remember, he'd be able to pick up Laxus's scent as soon as he woke up, so there'd be no hiding the fact that he had at least walked him home.

Laxus let out a defeated breath. What was wrong with him? Why the hell had he even done it in the first place? His stomach churned with anger and disgust. Finally, he pulled himself away from the bedside and made his way to the couch, dropping onto it roughly and pulling his jacket to lay over himself. Whatever happened in the morning, he needed to be there. He lay there for another eternity before exhaustion finally allowed him to sleep.

Gajeel's mind was fuzzy as he slowly dragged himself out of his alcohol-induced coma. He pushed himself up slowly, his head feeling heavier than it had the night before. His eyes blearily focused on the room around him, momentarily resting on his shirt folded neatly on his dresser. He furrowed his brow, his mind trying to bring back memories of the previous night and coming up blank. Usually when he came home drunk he'd wake up the next morning to clothes strewn about haphazardly around the tiny house. It would be like Lily to pick up after him, but Lily was out on a mission with Charla and Wendy. So who…?

He threw his legs over the side of the bed and stumbled drowsily over to his bedroom door. The scent that greeted him from the hall made him stop, his nose wrinkling as he immediately recognized the smell. His eyes fell to the wall, apparent scratch marks trailing down the plaster made his eyes widen. A sigh from the living room made him start and he looked warily over to the couch. Blonde hair was just noticeable from where he was standing, along with a pair of boots sitting off to the side. His heart seized and he quickly backpedaled to the bathroom and slammed the door shut.

Even if the memories were fuzzy and broken, it didn't take a genius to figure out what happened. The smell of sweat and passion were still lingering in the air. Laxus's scent was clinging to his skin, wild and fervent, unyielding and uncontrollable. Angrily, hastily, Gajeel flipped on the water to the shower and stepped in. Immersing his body in the steaming water both invigorated his still groggy mind and relaxed his muscles which previously had been coiling into tight knots. A tremor shook its way down his spine and he rested his palms on the freezing tiles.

This was getting way out of hand and Gajeel needed to put a stop to it. He cursed under his breath. Why couldn't Laxus just control himself?

Laxus jolted awake with the sound of a door slamming. He heard water and quickly caught the scent of soap wafting on humid air down the hall. A tight ball began to form in the pit of his stomach as he realized that Gajeel had finally awoken from his alcoholic slumber. His mind immediately jumped into high gear desperately trying to bring up some sort of defense for when the Iron Mage finally came barging into the living room and giving him hell for his actions the previous night.

He was coming up sourly short. There was no way to defend when he'd done. In fact, he wanted Gajeel to berate him. That was what he deserved, after all. Hell, he'd probably just stand there and take it if the opposing Dragon Slayer laid into him with iron fists. He sank into the couch and pulled his jacket up to the bottom of his nose, looking akin to a child hiding from the dark under his sheets. If he could have disappeared right at that very second from total existence, he probably would have.

After several agonizingly slow minutes, the sounds of water stopped and the door to the bathroom creaked open. Heavy footfalls approached confidently and then passed the couch. Laxus tilted his head to the side, mentally bracing himself for whatever was about to happen.

Ruby eyes brushed over him with little to no interest, "Eh? You slept here all night, Sparky?"

Laxus felt like he'd just been hit in the face, "Uh… yeah."

"Hm," he grunted and made his way into the kitchen, "I ain't got much as far as food goes. Do you like eggs?"

"…eggs," Laxus was dumbfounded. What was going on? There was no way Gajeel couldn't remember what had happened.

Gajeel leaned up to pull a pan from one of the cabinets, "Yes. Eggs. What the hell? It's not like you've never had them before."

"I just…" Laxus sucked in a tight breath, "I'm just disorientated."

Ruby eyes met his. They were still slightly foggy from drink but that didn't stifle the mild agitation set on the Raven-hair's features, "I know you're not hung over."

"I know that, I just…" Laxus gritted his teeth. It was like there was a hidden challenge in Gajeel's gaze, a dare to speak. He suddenly felt like a child who was in trouble, Gramps daring him to give some semblance of an explanation even though they both knew he was completely in the wrong. He finally broke the other Mage's gaze, shame making him feel like he was about to throw up. Was he seriously going to just pretend like last night didn't happen?

"You just…?" Gajeel prompted, his voice followed by he sizzle of eggs hitting hot metal.

"How can you tell that I'm not hung over?" Laxus wanted to sink into the tiniest hole on the face of Fiore.

"Because I can't smell it. Not to mention if you'd been drunk as well I doubt my house would be in the shape it is right now," Laxus saw him cast his eyes to the hall where wallpaper was curling back like a wound on the wall, "We don't exactly get along."

"I'm working on it," Laxus muttered.

"Eh?"

"I said I'm working on it," Laxus brought his eyes back up to Gajeel's, seeing the question hiding amongst the blood red, "I got it. My magic hurts you more than others and it doesn't help that you make me lose my temper…" he quieted and looked down at his boots which were still laying on the floor next to the couch, "I'm sorry… for what I did to you when you were teaching me to control my dragon instincts. I'm working on it, I swear."

"Geehee…"

Laxus started at the giggle that escaped the Iron Mage's lips.

"The great Laxus Dreyer has graced me with an apology. Well, I guess this won't be a morning I'll soon forget," Gajeel laughed and dished the eggs onto a couple of plates, "Now get yer ass fed and out of my house."