Chapter 136:
They parted ways at Oak Town, but not before Serrill gave them a weak razzing the next morning.
"Seriously, guys? Can't keep it in your pants for one night?" he said when they approached in the frosty dawn, his tone dripping sarcasm.
"Jealous?" Gajeel grinned, all teeth, "No one forced ya to save it for marriage, Serrill."
"I'm not-!" He twisted his lips, appalled at how this could have gotten so turned back around on him so quickly, "You… uh… well, you're... damn it."
"Ya cut me to the quick, Serrill," he cackled, "Come on, use that big brain a' yers. I believe in you."
"With the way you run your mouth, one might think you're compensating for something!" he shouted excitedly, "Ha! Did it."
"Why would I need to compensate for anything when this mouth knows two languages with which to perform lip service?" Gajeel grinned like a devil and Serrill blushed, "Just call me the patron saint of speaking in tongues."
"Fucks sakes, Gajeel," Laxus snarled, "Stop it."
"Eh? I'm just bein' an ass... and he started it," he muttered, cocking a brow at him, "It ain't like I wasn't there when you where talking big to your friends?"
"That was... the Raijinshuu were different," Laxus crossed his arms, flustered and trying to hide his blush, "They're my... they were my..." he lost steam and scowled, "They were my best friends."
He huffed and made some excuse about tracking down Davian and gathering their things together. Gajeel ran his fingers through his hair, worried the tangled ends between his fingers.
"Ah... I didn't mean to make him upset," Serrill said, "Should I apologize?"
"Nah. He's just missin' his friends. He'll be fine," Gajeel replied easily, "And just so he's not embarrassed, we had a little spat, by the way. Didn't want to wake you two up with our arguing, so we took it away from camp."
"Oh... shit. I didn't make things worse, did I?"
"Oh, no. We figured it out. It wasn't a fight or anything," Gajeel snapped his fingers and smirked, "Ah! That reminds me. You been practicin'?"
"Practicing?" Serrill asked, baffled.
"The drums," he gave him a sly look, "Or did ya think ye could weasel out of our arrangement?"
"Oh! Right... after the equinox," Serrill pushed him playfully, "But yeah, I've been giving it a go. You were right. The new arm is amazing."
"I'll keep an eye out for a venue, then, eh?" Gajeel said, shooting him a lopsided grin, "Maybe we can finally get you laid. You've been dry since, what, the stone ages? Old man?"
"I'm twenty-nine!" Serrill laughed, "I'm only three years older than you!"
"Practically geriatric. Don't worry, grandpa, I'm sure the Major will hold your hand all the way down. He seems the white-knight type."
Serrill blushed so hard his ears turned red, "You better watch your step. The nearest cliff we get to I'm tripping you."
"Aw hell, then who will keep you safe from the wolves?"
"There are wolves out here?" he asked, color draining from his face. Gajeel just laughed and walked off, refusing to elaborate, "G-Gajeel… Gajeel, wait!"
"You should really be the one helping Levy with this, you know, not me," Laxus said, pondering over the tome in front of him. The two books Sal had given him were immediately brought to the guild, immediately offered to the glowing bluenette who jumped up and down to be able to translate more Draconic. Now Gajeel sat with his arms crossed, leaning patiently with his back to the table next to his love and sipping malt.
"I'm not much help. I can't read it," he said, splaying his legs wide, nearly tripping Jet as he walked by who just rolled his eyes in response, "If ya read it to me, I can tell ya what it means, though."
That was one odd thing about Draconic. It wasn't a one-to-one translation. Oftentimes, the sentences made little sense, and like a cypher they had to rearrange words here and there to try to glean meaning. Gajeel, though, made sense of it all easily.
"Why did they talk like this? It's so confusing," Laxus muttered, "Like speaking in riddles… backwards. Backwards riddles."
"It's cause these are old," Gajeel said, "They had a more human friendly way of speakin' later. Less abrasive on the throat, too."
"Hm?" Laxus rested his chin on his fist, curious, "How do you mean?"
"When Metalicana first taught me, he used a type of Draconic that had more human sounds and the grammar was closer. But it's like... how we consider illiterate people ta talk? That's how they veiwed it. The older I got, he taught me more eh, formal ways to talk, and to make deeper sounds in my throat. Growls and shit. Real good for screaming heavy metal," Gajeel gave him a smug look, "And my breath support? Fuckin' great."
"Because you can speak Draconic?" Laxus smiled.
"You've heard me sing Metalicana's lullabies."
Recognition sparked in Laxus's eyes, "True."
Songs in Draconic didn't have as many breaks for breath as human songs. The reason was simple. Dragons have large lungs. They spoke the way they sang, melodically, stringing words together in one breath and nearly unbroken. It was one of the many reasons people had a hard time understanding him when he traipsed into Oak Town as a child. He'd had to relearn human cadence, and Jose had sneered at him for slurring his words in his presence many times as a teen.
"So," Gajeel said after a while, when Laxus once again sighed in frustration. He leaned closer to him on the bench, catching his golden eyes, "When you wanna start learnin' to speak it?"
"Hm? Oh… whenever, I guess," he said, thoughtful, "Not sure how useful it would be… I have you, after all."
"Yeah, right," he replied slowly, resting his elbows on the table and leaning back so his hair fell over the pages. He gave the blonde a playful look as he brushed his hair away, "Figured that was the next step on your little self-discovery."
Laxus narrowed his eyes at him, a questioning smile on his mouth, "What?"
Gajeel shrugged, "Well, y'know… why not? Might be useful…" he paused, his stomach twisting a little with anxiety, "In the summer?"
"Oh," Laxus said dumbly. All the frustration harshing his edges melted. His eyes glittered with affection, "Yeah… maybe it would."
"Ew gross…" Jet jeered, making a gagging noise as he returned with drinks for he and Levy, "Get a room!"
"Jet," Levy frowned, "Act like an adult."
Laxus grimaced and buried his nose back into the book in front of him. At about that moment, Gajeel's eyes caught movement by the door. He watched Freed slip in silently, eyes downcast as he walked into the guildhall. His good humor was suddenly nowhere to be found, and the feeling that gripped him made iron begin churning in his gut. Jealousy was rare for him, and vicious.
He shouldn't have done it. It was petty, reckless, and vindictive, but the idea of him saying Laxus's name made indignation flare hot and spiteful in his chest. He ran his eyes up the side of Laxus's neck, leaned close and kissed him while slipping his hand down his side, his hip, his thigh. He felt him shiver and dared to run his tongue and teeth against him, slipping his hand swiftly down towards his groin.
"Gajeel!" Laxus hissed quietly, grabbing hold of his hand and giving him a sharp look.
"Hm?" he smirked as innocently as he could muster.
Despite Laxus giving him a disapproving frown, he glanced over to where Freed had been. The latter now balled fists, turning an outraged shade of red before spinning on his heel and stomping back out of the hall. His self-satisfied smile was plain and short lived.
"Oh my," Mirajane said, her tone dripping with scandal. Gajeel shot her a glare.
"What?" Laxus said, noticing the exchange, "What did you just do?"
"That shit about Freed really got you mad, huh?" Jet teased knowingly, a borderline sympathetic look on his face, "A bit much, don't you think?"
"You don't hear me airin' all your dirty laundry, Jet," Gajeel snapped, "Unless ya wanna talk about yer first time gettin' high?"
Laxus's eyes widened when he heard the door to the guildhall slam shut. Gajeel steeled himself when he saw the realization hit him. Laxus gave him an unamused look, and that might have been worse than him being angry.
Gajeel gave a dismissive shrug, "It's my pride as a man, swête weder. What can I say?"
"Pride? Or jealousy?" Mira prodded with a wicked giggle.
"Thanks… I'm sure it'll be so much easier to make amends with the Raijinshuu now," Laxus snarled.
Gajeel pursed his lips, trying to ignore a guilty twang in his chest. Mercifully, Laxus looked back down and began translating again. Mira gave him a haughty smirk as she walked back to the bar. When he looked at Jet, he just shrugged, eyes dodging to Levy as if to say he'd do the same. Levy just shook her head at him, also resuming her work. Gajeel's stomach twisted.
"I'm gonna go into town," he muttered, leaning to catch Laxus's eye again. The blonde staunchly ignored him, "Want anything?"
"No."
"Dinner, swête weder? Fish or steak?" he asked sweetly. He shot him a look, "Fine, I'll get whatever I want. We'll have old, rusty forks for dinner."
"Fine," he replied, dour and terse.
Gajeel studied him, "I'll meet ya at home, then."
"Yep."
Gajeel sighed, "You're going to stay angry with me? After all the times you've been just as bad?"
Laxus glanced up at him, finally. His anger abated slightly, "I'll see you at home, mun ædr."
Gajeel leaned down and kissed his wrist. Laxus said nothing but let his fingers trail down his shirt as he rose from his seat. An unspoken forgiveness but appreciated all the same. He was the one who'd wanted Gajeel to act jealous, after all. He couldn't be too angry getting what he wanted.
He strolled out of the guildhall and took a deep breath, trying to scent Freed's direction, finding it, and following after. His stomach twisted and writhed, not quite decided on what his goal was yet. Apologize? Hell no. He couldn't even picture the idea in his mind without a scowl. Sure, he'd been nice enough to keep his business to himself when everything had gone down with Bickslow, and sure he'd offered to help him, setting aside his feelings for Laxus, but he was still the guy who was lusting after his boyfriend.
He wouldn't forget the look of betrayal he'd seen darken Laxus's features when he'd told him of what had happened that finally sent Bickslow over the edge.
He remembered being popular at Phantom Lord. He remembered being used for status or curiosity or even whatever drugs or drink he had on him. He hadn't minded it because for him is was a reprieve. For Laxus, knowing his best friend thought of him in such a way was devastating. A part of him didn't want them to make amends at all. Fuck Freed. Laxus had a better friend in Lily, Mira, or hell, even Levy, at this point. But the other part – the part he was trying to listen to – knew Laxus wouldn't be happy without his oldest friends by his side. And he didn't like the sour taste it left in his mouth to know he was the one that got between them, even if it wasn't intentional.
But he wasn't going to fucking apologize. No.
He stopped in the path.
This wasn't going to work. He was still too angry.
The idea of trying to approach Bickslow alone, though, made him... anxious. He wasn't scared of him, but he was still a dark shadow in his mind with glowing green eyes. Whenever he thought of him, his mind conjured the dark room, the smell of weed, the spinning of the room, his body looming over him and pressing him into the mattress. The psychedelic pull of a will outside his own imposing itself on him. His stomach writhed. No. No, he couldn't... not alone. Not again. He never wanted to be alone with Bickslow again.
He took a steadying breath.
A buffer. He needed a buffer. Someone who would keep Freed or him from flying off the handle at each other. Where in the hell was Evergreen when you needed her? Off with Elfman somewhere? Where did they like to sneak off to?
He set off again towards town, a place in mind. Luckily, he wasn't far off the mark. They were near the sakura trees, now mostly barren, tucked back off the path where they wouldn't be easily spotted. They were making eyes at each other, which was weird to say the least. He didn't think Evergreen could be soft for anyone but apparently, he was wrong. They did both go stiff at seeing his approach, Elfman blushing like a boy caught kissing behind the pews by a suspicious pastor. He stuttered through excuses for them being there, muttering about being a man. Gajeel didn't care.
"I need your help," he said, not in the mood to mince words.
Evergreen flicked out her fan, covering half of her face to hide her blush, "My help? With what?"
"Gettin' Freed and Bickslow's asses in shape."
She rolled her eyes so hard he thought they'd fall out of her head, "You should quit now before you waste your time."
"I'm serious," he said, "Laxus doesn't want the Raijinshuu to break up, but he also doesn't know how in the hell to start a conversation about it."
She paused at that and lowered her fan ever slightly. She glanced to Elfman who shrugged at her. She let out a little huff, "Well... if that's your goal then of course you need my help. Freed certainly won't listen to you."
Gajeel made a wide gesture with his hand. Quietly saying so you see why I'm here. She watched him another moment, narrowing her eyes as if trying to figure out whether he was being mendacious or not.
"Surely you know how stupidly Freed is infatuated with Laxus. And I mean stupidly. He'd never act on it, obviously, but..."
"I'm not the jealous type... usually..." he muttered, "I'll get over it. Whatever. I'm not gettin' in between Laxus and his friends. And he misses you guys, so..."
"He misses us?" she said, sounding genuinely surprised.
Gajeel furrowed his brow at her, "Of course."
"Well... I..." she paused again, now looking much more concerned. She dropped her voice as if she were afraid someone would overhear them, "What about Bickslow?"
"He said he wanted them to talk when he got back," Gajeel shrugged, "I can only assume that means him too."
"But he..."
"Evergreen are you helping me or not?" he asked again, this time impatient, "I'll bug the hell out of Freed myself. I just don't wanna go to Bix's place alone."
In the next second she was standing, marching past him with a flip of her hair as if this had all been her idea from the start and not his. Again, she flicked out her fan and without another glance back to him she said, "Well, come on, then."
He curled his lip, pushing down a gripe about how unwilling she had just been, and caught up to her. She wasted no time, picking the fastest route to get to Freed's house. The emerald-haired mage must have gone straight home because they could see movement in the windows. She had a key in her hand and was putting it into the lock before Gajeel could protest and swung the door open without even knocking. It seemed this was a common occurance because Freed's high-pitched raving spilled out the door at them, receding further into the house, clearly directed at who he was sure was coming into his home.
"-just benefiting from Laxus's intelligence! That insufferable libertine...! G-Gigolo! He's so dense that light bends around him! A walking rusty screw with the sexual sophistication of an ass!"
"You're really going off this time," Ever shot Gajeel a look over her glasses, "What did he do?"
Freed's voice sailed to them from the other room. A kitchen perhaps? Gajeel didn't care to look for him, just waited in the middle of the living room as Freed continued to drag his name through the mud unaware he could hear him.
"You wouldn't believe it! He was basically feeling him up – him and his cheap, dime store, fake leather-studded jacket – and in broad daylight like I wasn't standing-... I mean... Mirajane was standing right there! And Levy and Jet! It was absolutely demeaning! How dare he treat Laxus that way!"
"Wow, that's... crude," Evergreen said, raising her brows at him. Gajeel just crossed his arms and mouthed he started it. Evergreen's lips pressed into an unamused line as if to say you're all acting like children. Which was... fair. He was a little out of line. But he also didn't care, "A gigolo, though? That one is a little harsh."
Gajeel furrowed his brow at her in protest and pointed to his jacket, mouthing this is real leather! at her. She twacked him on the back of the head with her fan. It didn't hurt, but it was agitating all the same.
"They are dating, Freed. If Laxus didn't say anything..."
"Everyone knows Laxus doesn't like public displays of affection at the guild! He and Mirajane hardly even touched each other all the years they were dating! I might have seen them kiss once! And here comes this, this, caricature of every known loathsome characteristic of hypermasculinity, plus some-!"
Gajeel tilted his head to the side and narrowed his eyes at the doorway. Hypermasculinity? Him? He had long hair, for Mavis's sakes. If anyone was a caricature of hypermasculinity, it was the guy who literally walked around the guild muttering about being a great man! Not that Evergreen would probably agree with that. He looked at her questioningly and she just smirked and shook her head.
"I think he's a lot more serious about Gajeel than he ever was about Mirajane." Evergreen replied, inspecting the end of her fan, "You should probably get used to it."
"I will not get used to that...! That...! Rockstar-Wanna-Be treating Laxus like some floozy he took home from a bar! The disrespect! If it were me, I would have-!"
"Well it ain't," Gajeel snarled, "So get the fuck over it."
"Rockstar-Wanna-Be was the one that did it?" Evergreen said with a keen smile, "Not walking rusty screw?"
"I'm a fucking great singer," he replied, and added a bit snidely, "Laxus likes it."
The stillness was as stiff as it was filled with the dread of one realizing they had just been caught. He heard the sound of boots against the carpet as Freed walked towards them. He stepped into the doorway in an almost timid way, like he was scared to check and see for sure if Gajeel was actually standing there. His faced was pallid, and he gave Evergreen an accusatory glare.
"You could have told me someone was with you, Evergreen," he hissed.
"In the middle of one of your temper tantrums?" she smiled at him from behind her fan, "Why would I do that?"
"Say it to my face," Gajeel said.
Freed glanced at the ground, at the chair off to his right, the wall behind him, "I'm not sure what you mean."
"Go ahead. I know yer thinkin' it. Say it to my face." Gajeel spat, "Unless yer just a coward?"
His face flushed red. His fists clenched. He squared his shoulders like he was ready to fight, though he didn't draw up his fists.
"You! You're just…! Why you?" he struggled out, angry and hurt, "You don't treat him the way he deserves at all!"
"Please tell me how I'm supposed to treat the paragon Laxus Dreyar," Gajeel said, dripping contempt.
"He deserves to be cherished! To have someone excited for him! You hid your relationship like you were ashamed of dating a man as incredible as him! What kind of homophobic-"
"Mighty big words from someone who's been fuckin' his friend for... years?" Gajeel cut him off, his composure palpable as armor as he tried not to give him the satisfaction of his anger. Freed turned a deeper shade of red and so he blazoned on before he had a chance to yell some new insult back at him, "We didn't want people in our business. We barely had our shit figured out. For the longest time we didn't even think we'd work out and we didn't want to deal with everyone else bein' in our shit on top of it. And like you said, he don't like bein' wrapped around each other in public. I don't give a shit if people stare, he does."
Freed blinked at him, derailed.
"I thought you were all pent up? Come on, don't stop talkin' all sweet to me now," Gajeel needled at him, "Unless that's really all ya got?"
"Y-you…! You're not good for him!" Freed began again, "You're angry and moody! Laxus needs someone who will encourage him! Lift him up! But instead he has to constantly help you figure out your issues!"
"I know. That's why I started goin' ta therapy." Gajeel replied tightly.
"You… you're in… therapy?" he asked.
"Yep. Because I knew I would just drag him down. I didn't want him to fix me. I hate people trying to fix me. But he wanted me to get better," Gajeel explained as calmly as he could manage, "and I like ta think I'm helping him. We talk about shit, how he handles stress and his temper. Ya can't just sing his praises all the time, that doesn't help him. He has to know where he can improve, too. That's what you do when you care about someone, ya try ta help them be better. We've both changed a lot. And we both think they're changes for the better."
"Oh… well… I-I just… if he thinks…" he muttered, offput. He fidgeted with his belt as he realigned his thoughts, "You're just so uncouth! You talk like some common prison rat! You're not right for him! He deserves better! You're…! You're…!"
"A degenerate bastard? A vermin-ridden son of a bitch? A mongrel whoreson? A murderous piece of shit ex-mercenary?" Gajeel offered with a smirk, "Come on, Freed, are ya tryin' to hurt my feelings? Because you're doin' a piss poor job. Tell me something I don't already know."
He somehow turned an even deeper shade of red, angry but running out of things to say, "You know you're bad for him but you're chasing him anyway? As if you could ever measure up to his greatness! He's amazing! And he can do anything he puts his mind to! He's...! He's...!"
"I know," Gajeel said patiently.
"You don't! You haven't stuck by his side like we have! You don't know him like us!" he yelled, stomping his foot in a way that would have been comical if he weren't so upset, "We've known him for years! We grew up together! We've always been the Raijinshuu! I'd follow him anywhere, even to fight our own guild! Our own friends! I'd do anything for him!"
"So yer a good friend, Freed, but that's all you are! And clearly, that's all you want."
His eyes snapped wide, aghast, "I…! I've wanted to date him for years…!"
"Then why didn't you?" Gajeel asked.
"Well… because I… he was straight!" He replied haughtily, as if he'd made some sort of point.
"So? That don't mean you can't give it a try. Ask," he replied, "But ye didn't. And you didn't try when you knew we were fighting. No, Freed, you went back to Bickslow. You ran to Bickslow when you wanted someone, not him."
Freed looked stricken, "Well that's… Bickslow is… that's completely different."
"You're in love with the idea of Laxus. But he ain't really all that, is he? He has a temper. He lashes out when he's stressed. He's stubborn and there's nae changin' his mind when he's decided somethin'. He's subject to delusions of grandeur just like anyone else with no one ta tie him back down again. He's yer friend, Freed, and I don't think ya even want to date him. You've made him into something he's not in your head and you want to date that."
"I have not! I…! I do not!"
"Do you know how hurt he was when he realized how ye've been thinkin' of him all this time? He trusted you. And now he doesn't think you know the real him at all, just whatever pretty little picture you have in your mind. And who could blame him? Who fantasizes about their friend while fucking someone else?"
"Freed…" Evergreen gasped, "You didn't…"
"I didn't… I didn't mean to…" he faltered again, taking a step back like he might run away, "Why would you tell him about that? He didn't need to know!"
"Like hell! He deserved to know about that just as much as he deserved to know about what Bickslow did," Gajeel snarled, his grip on his temper slipping, "And you defended him because you knew you did something wrong, too. Bickslow is a dick but I've never seen him be mean ta you. He'd treat ya good if you let him. But instead, yer chasing after a fantasy that you wouldn't even go after if the opportunity presented itself."
"I didn't… you two are dating! I'm not going to try and convince him to break up with you… that's wrong…"
"What do ya mean it's wrong?" Gajeel asked, cocking a brow at him, "If you really thought I was bad for him, that I was toxic or dragging him down or changing him in a way that made him worse, then a good friend would try to break us up. So why don't you?"
"B-Because it's… it's not my business! Laxus is smart. He has good judgement. If he thinks you're… that is… I mean…"
"So fucking admit it, then! He fell hard for a mal-tempered son of a bitch, but somehow we're good for each other and it ain't endin' anytime soon and you damn well know it," Gajeel sneered, far past exasperated, "All this and yer stringin' Bix along without a damn of what it does to him. You got someone who cares about you, and you won't give him a chance."
"Why do you care?!" Freed burst out, charging up and thrusting an accusatory finger at him, "Bickslow did something awful to you, and you're here trying to convince me to give him another chance? Why don't you mind your own business!"
"Then don't give him a chance!" Gajeel roared back at him, "Cut the shit off, Freed. I don't care if you two date or not, but all you're doing is using each other and bringin' out the worst in everyone in the process!"
"And that has nothing to do with you!"
"So you'll tear apart the Raijinshuu because you can't be a decent person and break it off? You'll fuck up decades long friendships because you can't let go of your feelings for Laxus or Bickslow?"
"Why is this all on me?!" Freed demanded, throwing his hands up, "Why do I have to fix anything?! Bickslow is the one who started all of this! Hooking up with no strings attached was his idea!"
"No strings? Is that why he wasn't allowed to see anyone else?"
Freed's eyes were wide and his mouth snapped shut. He glared at him, "I don't have to put up with this. This is my house and I can make you leave."
"So you were dating. You were dating and still lusting after Laxus like a bitch in heat? What the fuck Freed!"
"That's pretty low, Freed..." Evergreen agreed with a grimace, "and you weren't subtle, either."
"You don't know what you're talking about! I'm not the problem here!" Freed yelled, clenching his fists, "Bickslow is!"
"You both are," Gajeel said, "Now you're going to fix it. Because I'm gonna bet anything that asshole is moping in his house right now, refusing to come out because he feels like a piece of shit – rightfully so – and you're the one who pushed him there. So here it is, Freed, figure out what you want. You're not dating Laxus. You never will. Now do you want to date Bickslow or are you going to let him move the fuck on? Choose."
Freed turned around on Evergreen, "Why aren't you defending me?"
"Because he's right," she said sharply, "Your drama is tearing us apart. At least Bickslow knows what he did was wrong and is willing to try and make things right with Laxus. I stayed out of it because I thought you two could be adults and figure it out yourselves, but you didn't. We're going to track down Bickslow next and try to make amends, but we need your help to do that."
She snapped her fan towards him, "Now decide. Laxus has made it clear who he loves. Will you support him or are we cutting you out of the Raijinshuu?"
Gajeel was a bit shocked at what she'd said. He wasn't trying to force anyone out of their little friend group, but Evergreen was steely-eyed and determined. She lifted her chin, daring him to fight her on it. Gajeel watched as the denial on Freed's face melted into heartache and his lip began to quiver.
"It's… not fair…" he said quietly, "I loved him first."
It was very true that Gajeel was a sucker for women's tears. What he was quickly learning was that maybe he was a sucker for anyone's tears. As soon as they began slipping quietly down Freed's face, he felt a harsh pang of remorse stab into his chest. Maybe he'd been too harsh. But when he went to raise his hand to comfort him, Evergreen slapped it down with her fan, a disapproving frown on her face.
"Don't start," she said strictly, "You've had plenty of time to mourn your lack of a relationship. You should be crying for messing things up with Bix."
"I am!" he blurted, wiping a tear away with his palm, "He's right and I hate it! I knew I'd never date Laxus. I just thought it would be Mirajane or Cana or anyone else! The fact that he's bi made me feel like I missed a chance that I never really had. And now, because I was bitter and hurt, I hurt Bix and… and I…"
He devolved into a round of sobs. Gajeel eyed Evergreen's fan warily before again extending a hand to awkwardly pat him on the shoulder. Freed practically fell into his arms, crying and apologizing. He held him aloft, trying not to grimace.
"I'm sorry if I ever made you feel like you weren't good enough for him! He loves you and that's all that matters! A good friend would accept that and stand by him anyway! I'm so sorry…" he sobbed, "…and now Bickslow hates me and the Raijinshuu is falling apart and I've ruined everything! He probably won't want anything to do with me anymore! I don't want to break up the Thunder God Tribe!"
"It's… it'll be… fine…" Gajeel said, more than a little uncomfortable, "He seemed pretty stuck on ya still… I'm sure you can fix it."
"You really think so?" he asked, tears still streaming down his face. His face was blotchy and red, his eyes ringed and appearing sunken, and somehow he'd messed up his hair.
"Ya can at least try, yeah?" Gajeel shrugged, "Apologize?"
He nodded a little before tightening his grip around Gajeel's chest, hugging him as he continued to cry heaving sobs.
"Oh, you're not really a bad person, are you? Trying to help him make amends with his friends when we've been so mean to you? You're a good man, Gajeel."
That made him wince. He twisted his lips, trying to hide his disdain and ignoring the barely-contained laughter Evergreen was failing to hide behind her fan.
"Freed, you are such an ugly crier," she giggled.
He finally let Gajeel go to glare at her, "I'm pouring my heart out and you have the nerve to call me an ugly crier?"
"It's not my fault you look like the guy who's been bitten in a zombie movie whose trying to keep it quiet," she quipped.
"Well at least I don't have the charisma of a wet sock!"
Gajeel let out a tight breath and listened to them have it out. It was like siblings fighting, which made him think maybe they could get their collective shit together. He'd bring them to the house to meet Laxus and send them all out to get dinner together or something equally as inane, and they'd all be back to normal again. But even as the hope started his stomach pitched, because now they'd have to talk to Bickslow.
He tried to stem his nervousness as they walked, occupying himself with soothing Freed who was even more anxious than he was. He kept talking with his hands, apologizing, and Gajeel kept telling him it was fine. Evergreen lectured him occasionally, telling him he needed to apologize to Bickslow whether he decided to try to date him or not.
Soon enough, they were turning onto his street. The rubble had been cleared, and the houses were mostly fixed. Some were missing paint still, or shingles, and of course there was still quite a few craters in the middle of the street, but it was on the way to recovery. Gajeel felt iron pitch in his stomach when he saw Bickslow's townhome perched like a wounded dove by the sidewalk, wings splinted in a hasty repair that hadn't yet been painted to match the rest of the siding. Trepidation settled like a stone in his gut. He steeled himself and tried to stuff it down.
Evergreen knocked on the door. When there was no answer, she knocked again. A third time and Freed was again fidgeting.
"Maybe he's not home," he whispered.
"Which is why ya feel the need ta be quiet?" Gajeel asked, tipping his head back to glance in one of the windows. Through the curtains he could see the glowing eyes of totems before they vanished farther into the darkened house. His skin crawled with the thought of children's giggles following them as they disappeared, "He's home."
"Bickslow!" Evergreen yelled crossly, "Stop hiding, you ninny!"
"Anyone heard from him the last week or so?" Gajeel asked. He sniffed at the door and was immediately hit with the stench of weed. He gripped the doorknob, "Ah… he's high."
"How do you know?" Evergreen frowned.
"I can smell it… or at least he smoked recently."
The handle was brass but that didn't matter. The inner workings were some sort of steel alloy that responded to his magic when he concentrated hard enough. He pulled open the door and stepped to the side, not wanting to be the first to enter.
The pungent odor of weed wasn't as fresh as he'd originally thought, but fucks sakes, had he done nothing but smoke the last two weeks? Cruelly, Evergreen flipped on the lights. They were greeted with the bottoms of bare feet crossed over the arm of his couch. He was comically large laying across his couch with his arms covering his eyes, the wreckage of satisfied cravings littering the coffee table and floor alongside curled chips of wood and carving tools from crafting new dolls after Laxus had destroyed his old ones, the likes of which were perched in the chair whispering and giggling to each other as the three entered. A disgruntled noise left him as they approached.
"Mavis' sakes, Bickslow…" Evergreen snapped, casting her eyes to the floor and wrinkling her nose in disgust, "You're a mess."
"Leave me alone, Evergreen," he groaned and rolled over.
"Come on. You've wallowed enough. Get up," she said, smacking his foot with her fan for good measure, "Laxus is back. We're going to go talk to him."
"He can get me himself, then," he grumbled.
"Ye don't think it would be better if ya see him yerself?" Gajeel asked, his tone darker than he'd really intended it to be. He just couldn't shake how much he didn't like being here again. His eyes were snaking down the hall, his gut writhing at darkened doorways to rooms he had no business being in.
It took him a minute to realize the silence had direction, and it was directed towards him. He glanced back to the couch and saw Bickslow was no longer hiding his eyes, but had lifted his arm just slightly to gaze at him. Gajeel wouldn't look at him directly. No, twice learning this lesson was more than enough. He instead looked at the totems, eyes glowing as they too watched, their silence more unsettling than their giggling.
"He misses his friends," Gajeel said, "and that includes you. He just doesn't know how to move forward. But if you all try, I'm sure you can."
"Oh yes," he said flatly, "I'm sure he wants me around his boyfriend who's too scared to look me in the eyes because I sexually assaulted him while he was intoxicated."
"He said he'd give you a chance when we left. You don't think you owe it to him to give it your all?" Gajeel asked.
He let out a harsh laugh, "It won't end well. I fucked up too big on this one."
"Y'know, most people apologize when they realize they did something wrong. And if they're actually a good person, they try to be better."
"You think you're an expert on this shit since you're in therapy," Bickslow bit back at him, "I thought you hated fix-it people? Hypocrite."
"I'm an expert because I've also done really awful shit because I was hurting." Gajeel replied as evenly as he could manage, "I thought you were a sociopath, but apparently you can admit you've fucked up. That means you can also do something about it."
"I am a sociopath." He said. Even though Gajeel couldn't see his glare, he could feel it and it made his hair stand on end, "I manipulate people for the fun of it. My magic requires it. So you should both leave me then hell alone. If Laxus wants to talk, he'll come find me."
"Why do you have to be such an asshole, Bickslow?" Freed said abruptly, "They're trying to help you. Look at yourself! When was the last time you left the house? When was the last time you ate? This place is a mess and-!"
Bickslow was very suddenly on his feet, stomping up to Freed with his fists clenched. Gajeel started to go for them, sure he was about to punch him, but Evergreen threw up her arm and stopped him. She crooked a brow at him, her lips pursed as she shook her head.
"Let them fight it out," she said with a sigh as if they were all hopeless and she was just here to watch the show unfold.
"You have absolutely no say in how I live my life!" he roared at Freed, "In fact, I don't even want you in my house! I broke it off! We're done!"
Freed was so short in comparison to him, he had to toss his head back to look at him, "You're obviously guilty! Just apologize and get it over with! No one wants to be around a giant man-child who does nothing but sulk!"
"You're one to talk! How long have you been pining after something that's never going to fucking happen?"
"I know it's never going to happen, Bickslow!" Freed yelled, his voice cracking, "And I know I've hurt him because I couldn't let him go. I know I've hurt you-"
"And I'm done playing second to some relationship you have in your head! I deserve better!" he bit back at him, a buzz in his voice that threatened violence if pressed and prominently displayed in the way he stepped forward, looming over Freed like a bear standing on its hind legs.
"You do deserve better!" Freed screeched back at him, "And I'm an awful person for ever making you feel like you don't!"
Bickslow's eyes blew wide, looking as stunned as if he'd just been smacked. His anger vanished, his shoulders dropped from their harsh rigidness. Then Freed started breaking down, crying loudly and obnoxiously, and wiping his eyes like somehow it would make a difference. Bickslow held his hands aloft like he would catch him, like he dropped something fragile and didn't know what to do now, like he was a big, bumbling man and if he touched Freed too forcefully he'd shatter. For the first time, Gajeel thought maybe he wasn't just an asshole.
"I'm never should have agreed to hooking up. I knew it was a bad idea as soon as you brought it up. But it was so nice being held and you're so kind and I'm so sorry I turned you into this…" Freed was sobbing while Bickslow just stood there unsure of what to do, "I knew I never really had a chance. I thought he'd be better but I was wrong. I think I fell in love with you Bix and you deserve so much better than me! I hurt you so much and I don't know how you could ever forgive me but I'm so sorry-!"
Bickslow glanced over to Evergreen with panic on his face. She curled her fingers to the heavens in frustration and mouthed hug him. He gave her an even more panicked look and she huffed, stomping up behind Freed and pushing him into Bickslow who caught him awkwardly and began petting his hair.
"Hopeless," she hissed at him as she marched back over to Gajeel who was equally speechless.
At the same moment Freed looked up at him with large, beseeching eyes, Evergreen had grabbed Gajeel's shirt and was dragging him behind her.
"Is there any way you can forgive me?" he gasped between tears, "I understand if you won't give me another chance…"
Bickslow gingerly tucked a long, emerald strand of hair behind his ear, "You're such a jerk, you know that? You know I can't say no when you cry."
"Goddamn…" Gajeel muttered, dragging his eyes from the live soap opera when Bickslow leaned down and kissed him. Evergreen practically threw him outside and slammed the door. She crossed her arms and leaned against the doorframe, fanning herself with nothing short of annoyance written across her face.
It occurred to Gajeel that Evergreen had known exactly what needed done to get Freed and Bickslow, and even him, to make amends. She'd goaded on Freed so he'd rant and make him agitated, and then stood and let them fight until Freed inevitably broke down. Then she knew, again, how to set him and Freed up in their argument with Bickslow, and again to make Gajeel just step back and let the couple argue as well.
"How often do you do this?" Gajeel asked. She gave him a sharp look over her glasses.
"Men always complain about how much drama women have, how we're catty and start problems for no reason, but even as much as I don't like Mirajane, I kept my comments to myself when she and Laxus were dating. Womenhave discretion," she motioned behind her to the door, "They're like children, all of them. Even Laxus… especially Laxus. I don't know how you put up with him, honestly. At least you can read those two like a book."
"See, I was gonna say the same about you," Gajeel said with a smirk, "You're always reigning them in. Like herdin' cats."
"I know how to handle them," she tutted.
"Like their older sister keepin' the family together," he grinned and she smirked behind her fan, "They don't appreciate you enough, Evergreen. They would have all fallen apart without you ages ago."
"You have no idea," she replied with a haughty laugh, "but I love them, so I'll put up with them."
They both froze when they heard something clatter inside the house. Gajeel gave her a questioning look. She fanned herself an little harder and stepped off the porch. He didn't understand why until he heard Freed cry out from inside, and then he was quickly following after.
"There's a café a few blocks from here," she muttered agitatedly.
"Yup,"
"They could at least be quiet. They knew we were outside…" she fussed, turning pink as she chided them behind her fan.
They were turning down the street to the café when Gajeel felt… something. A buzzing began in his stomach. Something shifted in the back of his mind like sand falling down a rigid dune. He was forgetting something. Something important.
He furrowed his brow, trying to place this familiar feeling. He'd told Laxus he'd bring home dinner but that had been more a ploy than anything, something to get him off his trail and ease his mind. His gut twisted. He swung his eyes down the street, his gait slowing to a stop as he looked around him. Evergreen paused, crooking a brow at him in a quiet beckon to follow. His heart was starting to beat a tad harder.
Wasn't this… familiar? Well, not this. Not walking down the street with Evergreen to a café while their guildmates had loud makeup sex. Something else was familiar. He was… he was missing something. Something important. Like catching a scent wafting by and it vanishing before it could be placed, he was grasping for something he couldn't hold in his hands. Was it familiar? There was nothing familiar about this, actually. No, he was forgetting something. Yes, that was it. What was he forgetting?
"Gajeel?" Evergreen said, narrowing her eyes at him, "Come on."
"I… something's… not right." He replied stiffly, looking up and down the street. There were people milling about. This place wasn't packed, but there were people aside from just he and Evergreen. A few more alleys over and there were more shops so that all made sense.
"What is it?" she replied, putting a hand on her hip as she waited for him to elaborate.
"I don't know."
What was he forgetting? It was making him anxious, nervous. Like he was being watched. His stomach twisted again, a wretched fluttering like moths trapped and trying to escape. He'd felt this way before and he couldn't place it. Something was wrong. What was it? He didn't hear anything out of place, didn't see anything strange. He breathed in deep the air and didn't scent it, either. It itched at him, clawed at him, a gut-wrenching, acid-drip feeling that something wasn't right but what. It was like the din of insects, a low hum that grew louder with his approach until his mind realized it was buzzing. He was right there on the edge, like trying to reach through a curtain to the window on the other side. He was pressing against it, reaching and pushing his fingers against fabric trying to feel what was past it. He could almost touch it with his fingertips. It was right there. Soon he'd feel along the edges, the ridges, and flip the lock that kept him inside but something was wrong. What was he forgetting?
"Gajeel," Evergreen said, putting a firm hand on his arm and gaining his attention, "nothing's wrong."
"Hm?" he asked, gritting his teeth.
"Look around," she said, swirling her fan in a circle to motion around them, "Everything is fine."
Gajeel looked around them again, his eyes travelling to rooftops, the streets, the people walking and occasionally staring. Everything was normal. Right. Everything was fine. He wasn't forgetting anything. He'd accomplished what he had set out to. He and Evergreen would sit at the café for twenty minutes and return to Bickslow's townhouse, get the two lovebirds and head to Laxus so they could all be carefree Fairy Tail friends again. This had all gone exactly how he'd wanted it to.
There was nothing wrong. They had all the time in the world. The equinox wasn't for three more days. There was plenty of time. And Gajeel hadn't noticed anything strange.
Yes. Everything was fine.
"Yeah…" Gajeel said, running his fingers through his hair, "Ah… sorry. I got disoriented."
Evergreen squinted at him, "Right. Come on, then."