Love Sick

Chapter Eight: Bolt to The Heart

When Freed got the guild the next day he could hear a commotion. It sounded like there was a fight between some of the members. 

He felt his blood run cold as he entered the guild and pushed past some of the crowd to reveal who had been fighting. Laxus and Natsu had appeared to have been arguing with the hot-headedness of the duo causing it to become an actual fight. 

Immediately he felt the urge to say something, do something- he had to end the fight. It didn't matter that the blond was currently besting the other dragon slayer because that could all end in an instant and he really was too weak to be wasting energy with petty fights. 

Before any words could come out he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Evergreen. "It's no use. He won't listen to any of us and it's not like he's putting anyone in any real danger" she explained. "Yeah, baby! Guild fights like this happen all the time so you just got to chill out!" Bickslow joined in. He sighed. "What are they even fighting about?" Freed asked. 

"Apparently someone saw Natsu talking to you about secretly finding out who his soulmate is and then like an idiot they told him." Ever said. Wow, what a way to make a man feel guilty but he was secretly pleased that his role was played down as to not bring further attentiin to himself. "Yeah, he's not pissed at you though. Only Natsu, said something earlier about not wanting Salamander to mess with you, baby. Probably thinks he was going to corrupt his poor innocent captain" Bickslow said, cackling the last part. "Poor captain" his babies chirped.

So it was his fault.

Maybe he really was an idiot for telling Laxus about those conversations. It would have felt like a lie of ommision and breach of loyalty but at least he wouldn't be wasting his energy and tempting fate. 

Freed felt-just for a moment- that he couldn't do anything right. Like he was hurting Laxus.

And that meant he was a failure as a captain.

The lightning wizard prepared another blow, the guild hall lighting up with brilliant sparks. But as the other dragon slayer prepared to react; the attack never came. It was stopped short and trapped in what is essentially a glass box. A rune. 

Heated orange eyes snapped away from his opponent- his prey- to seek out his rune mage. They softened and held more questions than fire when they finally landed on the delicate form. 

"Freed-" he sounded out of breath.

With slow hesitant steps the rune mage closed off the distance between the two men. "What are you doing?" He whispered. It was low enough that the only reason the blond was able to hear it was because of his enhanced senses. "I-" once again his pleading was cut off. 

Freed was unaware of how the other man had maneuvered them, with his own solid body inbetween Freed and the other two adult male dragon slayers. That is to say, the dragon slayers did notice.

"You said you were going to talk to them not fight Natsu!" The smaller man hissed. "We were talking and then we just started talking with our fists instead" the blond grumbled. 

"Whatever! The fights done. We're going now because I need to talk to you" he said slightly louder. Despite being broader, taller and more physically powerful, Laxus let himself be dragged along by his captain as he lead the two of them out of the guild hall.

He almost missed the way Gajeel snickered, almost missed his throw-away comment that threatened everything.

"Whipped"

...

"I'm not fit for the title of captain" Freed said, finally breaking the silence.

"What?! What do you mean? You can't be serious" Laxus rarely got serious like this. Grumpy sure but not serious. 

The rune mage ran a hand through his long green hair. "I'm not very good at it. I'm not there for you enough" he sighed. Thinking about it all, he was on the verge of tears. "You're enough. You've always been enough. Don't push yourself too far. " the dragon slayer urged.

"Clearly I'm not enough" the green-haired man mumbled. It was something he hadn't meant to say. It was an accident.

"What?"

With crystal-like beads falling down his face, he confronted the man he loved. "Clearly I'm not enough! If I was then we wouldn't be in this situation, you wouldn't be in this situation! If I was enough you would be happy-" "I am happy. Freed what is this about?" The older man asked. 

"Happy?" His laughing was hysterical.

"Happy people don't do the things you're doing. Happy people don't stop fighting. Happy people don't sit down to discuss their funerals!" Freed yelled. "I'm not-. I haven't given up Freed I just don't have a choice. I'm accepting it and I'm happy because of that" Laxus argued back.

But the entire time he had kept his voice soft, he was upset with Freed's accusation but he would not take his feelings out on the other man. 

"You have given up. Why else am I the only one who seems to give a damn. I'm still fighting but you're not" the rune mage said. "Told myself a long time ago that I would never raise my voice, never subject you to my anger. Not again" the blond admitted.

This deflated the smaller man. 

"Why do you give a damn?" The dragon slayer asked. "Isn't it obvious?" He asked. Laxus shook his head. "Well, I'm not exactly S-class yet and I still have a lot more training to do before I'm ready to fight a god. And as your bodyguard I will have to fight anything that tries to harm you or take you away from me. Even a celestial being" Freed admitted.

Laxus brought him in for a hug, resting his chin against the top of the other man's head. And he smiled. This was going to be the perfect way to go.

(A/N: thank you all so much for the reads. I'm going to continue postingin groups of two for now but let me know what you think)