Love Sick

Chapter Fourteen: Electric Love

The pink-haired healer procurred a large dusty old tome and started to skim through it in total silence. The waiting unnerved Freed and it frustrated Laxus. It was like his time wasn't important. But instead of expressing or stewing in it he decided to try and soothe his stressing mate. 

He gently pulled the shorter man into himself and placed a kiss to his hair. Freed relaxed into him.

"Aha!"

Both men immediately looked up. "This clingyness. It is only temporary and gradually you'll be able to be farther apart and apart longer. Only if you properly give in to your instincts. This is because your bond hasn't been naturally progressing as it should and you forced unnecessary stress on your body" Porlyusica explained. Freed nodded and thanked her for her help.

"I recommend that you spend a little while resting at home. The both of you" she advised with a knowing gaze.

Freed was flushed.

"Thank you" Laxus grumbled.

...

"I don't know about but I could definitely take a nap once we get back" Laxus said as the duo walked back to his apartment. "But the day has barely begun. We haven't done anything yet so how could you be tired?" Freed asked. "I know but... Can't we just sleep until noon?" He had these big puppy-dog eyes.

"Because neither of know how long Bickslow and Ever's mission will be and we haven't figured out whay we're going to tell them yet" Freed insisted. 

"Just tell them that we're together but we're keeping our relationship private and ask them not to say anything so we can open up on our own time" Laxus shrugged. "I love them-" the blond tensed up at the admittance. "I really do, but can we really trust them both to not mention it to anyone at the guild?" Freed asked with genuine concern.

"I'm sure they can shut their traps long enough for usto get settled"

...

They didn't end up sleeping but they did decide to retire to the bedroom. The were on the bed, cuddling with Freed as the small spoon. One of Laxus' large arms resting over his waist, holding the smaller man to him. Freed clutched onto that hand and sensing distress the blond laced their fingers together.

Freed held his hand and desperately tried not to shake. 

"Whats wrong?" Laxus' voice was deep and rumbly, it had always reminded him of rolling storm clouds and booming thunder. It was the kind of voice that could make people easily intimidated but the rune mage only found himself charmed with it. So charmed that he almost forgot that his long-time crush had asked him a question.

"Huh?" How eloquent.

"I can tell something's off. Just tell me what's wrong, please. If I can fix it I will" Freed found no lies in that statement. He truly believed what his dear friend had told him, he would trust him with the world.

And that's why it hurt.

"Not wrong. Just... new. This whole thing is new and unexpected and I just need a little time to get my head around it. Adjust" Freed said with a shake of his head. It was a lie, of course.

Well, it wasn't really a lie but it felt like one. It stung like one.

"I'm sorry" the blond muttered, giving an affectionate squeeze to his hand. "Don't" the green-haired man grit out. "What?" Laxus asked. "Don't feel sorry. I'm a man just like you. I can't take pity" the rune mage said. 

While he could not see the lightning-wielder's face because of their current position, he was confident that Laxus was grinning like an idiot at that comment. He could feel it. They had been closer to close and thst meant that they knew each other very well. They could read the other's emotions..... most of the time.

But like the men they were, they could be incredibly bullheaded and ignorant. They were also blinded by the negative light they saw themselves in.

...

They agreed that no one in the guild would know that Laxus had his soulmate -besides the people who were already told who were obvious people to tell- until the rest of the Thunder Legion returned so that they could be told. And then they would go from there. 

Would they immediately tell their close friends that Freed was the soulmate? Would they tell the guild? And if they didn't then when would they become public? When would it be the right time? A month? A year? A decade? 

This was all proving to be very troublesome.

...

Freed and Laxus made lunch together, their arms brushing as they moved about. Despite already sharing a bed, cuddling, sharing a kiss and showering together, this felt much more intimate than anything they had together. 

It made them both feel a little nervous and blush. Freed's face was flaming red and Laxus' ears were tipped in pink. This reaction embarrassed Laxus more than anything else. He had been an adult for a long time and should not be acting like an preteen trying to approach his crush. This was hardly his first relationship either. 

But maybe it was the first relationship that he really cared about. The first relationship where he had something to lose. Not because he needed the relationship but because he couldn't imagine hurting Freed. This was the first friend he had dated.

"The house is almost finished" Laxus admitted after a moment of silence. 

It's true that he currently rented an apartment but most people would consider that odd for someone like the blond. His family had been guild wizards- and quite successful and wealthy ones at that- since his great-grandfather who had also acquired a great amount of wealth from his days before Fairy Tail. He was able to work himself quite young and as an S-class he could take on better paying jobs. 

One would think that he would have owned his own house by now. And technically he did. He was particular about his dream house so he was having it built from the ground up. 

With everything that had been going on, Freed had forgotten about the house.