Of Lightning and Long Locks

Spoiling Each Other

They played pachinko and a game of gō, Freed with his crew cut and Laxus with his hair pulled back by Freed into a pony tail that hung to his shoulders and kept getting longer as the day went by. Unfortunately, there was no cinema around. They walked together through the small town, but many of the shops were closed with the hair curse affecting all the villagers.

"Hey, ya hungry?" Laxus asked instead.

"A little. By the time we walk to the restaurant, I probably will be."

"Then come on."

The restaurant Laxus had reserved was probably the most high-class in this provincial town. What had caught Laxus' eyes was a certain dish. This town specialized in fried chicken, but this restaurant also served a coq au vin that Freed had loved as a child.

They sat in a nearly-empty restaurant, just the two of them, a bottle of wine, and music from a violinist whose poor hair had been shaped into a massive music note, yet he still played with a look of peace on his face, as if he could only handle his hair catastrophe by losing himself in music.

"This is really good," Freed mentioned. "It's pretty amazing, these small town restaurants. They often have some of the best food."

Laxus loved simply gazing at him. He was so elegant, so refined, it was a pleasure just watching him sip his glass. Everything about him put Laxus at ease and warmed his heart.

"Are you enjoying it?"

Freed swallowed his wine and nodded. "Mm! Thanks."

If it had been any other time, with any other man, Freed would have thought that this was immensely romantic. Now, considering it was Laxus who took him there, and especially after the awkwardness of last night, he truly had no idea what to make of it all. His heart wanted to think of this as a date, but his mind knew that was wishful thinking. Laxus was straight. How many women had he randomly slept with on missions? Hell, he might end up in the bed of some town girl later tonight. Freed knew he had to accept this, no matter how much it hurt. Last night was nothing more than a...

What? Mistake? Fluke? A one-time-thing? Laxus had never called it any of that.

Freed still didn't know what to think of it.

Laxus sighed, set down his fork, and looked out the window at the lake that sprawled outside the restaurant. It really was a romantic setting. He just wished this could have been a real date. Maybe that had been on his mind when he booked the reservations. He would come back, clarify everything, Freed would shout out that he had wanted to be touched, he liked it, he wanted more, and ... well, after that, his mind had taken some stupid turn toward them hugging and confessing in sappy words. God, he never should have let Mira read that romance book to him years ago. He had thought at the time that if he let her, she might put out. She was prim and proper, though, and he had been a big jackass back then. Now ideas from that mushy book floated through his mind, and it made his heart ache even more.

He caught sight of movement and glanced over as Freed lifted the wineglass to his lips. Freed was so refine, it made Laxus feel almost intimidated. He wanted him, and he was scared of him. He was such a gentleman, far too good for a man like him, and yet that made Laxus instinctively want to spoil Freed.

The long lashes raised, and turquoise eyes met his, shining in candlelight, his cheeks pink from wine. Laxus almost choked on his food. Shit, he was sexy! Just that, just one damn look, and Laxus felt his face growing warmer. He looked away sharply, wishing his heart would slow down.

Freed wondered what was wrong. Laxus had stopped eating, but what was weirder, he was hardly drinking. Yet his cheeks were definitely flushed. Could he be blushing?