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classysassy9791 · 2 years ago

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When a job goes terribly wrong, the Fairy Tail guild is left to pick up the pieces. Mourning the deaths of their guildmates, Lucy can’t seem to find the strength to move forward. But she comes to realize one person understands. His madness was her mercy, and she finally began to hope that maybe he could make her heart beat again.

Fandom: Fairy Tail Genre: Adventure/Tragedy Warning: Character Death(s)

Ch. 1 l Ch. 2 l Ch. 3 l Ch. 4 l Ch. 5 l

Chapter 6 Word Count: 4,000 Can also be found on AO3 and FFN @ft-reboost Artwork commission by @kiliinstinct

Each droplet of rain alighted on Juvia’s skin was just enough coolness to command her mind to the present. It pulled her thoughts away from the pain of the past few days and the uncertainty of what was to come. She tilted her umbrella back, raising her eyes to the gray layer of clouds that blocked out the midday sun, promising the storm would continue well into the evening.

Juvia frowned. This time she wasn’t the cause of the weather. Her emotions had gotten the better of her after the news of their guildmates’ deaths. It had been a while since she had allowed Gloomy Juvia to be in charge of her existence. Now, her despair was evident in her tears rather than the rain. Sunny days were best for healing broken hearts, she had learned since her days serving in Phantom Lord. But Mother Nature had a cruel sense of humor.

She reaffirmed her umbrella overhead. From the bench she sat upon, she had a perfect view of the apartment building across the street. The double hung windows three stories up had remained dark all day.

“Hey, Juvia.” Blue eyes turned to her right to see Gajeel walking toward her, Panther Lily perched on his shoulder with paws over his ears, shuddering when a clap of thunder echoed in the distance. “What are you doin’ out here?”

She shrugged, granting him a smile. “Just enjoying the rain.”

Panther Lily studied the path of her sight to the complex. “I-Isn’t that Gray’s apartment?”

“Tch.” Gajeel folded his arms over his chest, glancing between the apartment and the bench he was sure Juvia had been occupying for hours. He gave her a disapproving look. “Don’t tell me you’re waiting out here in the rain for him.”

Juvia bit the inside of her cheek, shame pulling her gaze to the glistening walkway. Her pulse began to quicken, her fingers fidgeting in her lap with the fabric of the dark overcoat she wore. It wasn’t the first time Gajeel had chastised her for her overt adoration for the ice-make wizard. From the moment he had joined her at Fairy Tail, Gajeel had caught onto her little infatuation. She had done her best to tone down her attempts at grabbing Gray’s attention, but she admitted it was difficult to do. She had been immersed in gloom her entire life, and within a few moments of meeting, Gray had somehow managed to stop the rain.

“He’s-He’s hurting,” she tried to explain, her cheeks flushing with her poor attempt at persuasion. “Juvia doesn’t know how to help him.”

Gajeel’s carmine eyes considered her carefully. Juvia had always been a woman whose emotions were easily rattled. She had more self-doubt than anyone else he knew. The water mage had always excelled in her magic wielding, but when it came to holding onto a relationship, she floundered. Her excitement of sharing a bond with another person was often perceived as overzealous and, to be frank, annoying. He didn’t blame Fullbuster for behaving toward her the way he did.

That being said, it still irked Gajeel that Juvia had been left out in the rain. “You can’t help someone who doesn’t want it.” He took a seat beside her and laid his arms across the back of the bench. Juvia tilted her umbrella over him to share as Pantherlilly cowered under the bench beneath them. “I say leave him be. He’ll work it out in his own time.”

“Juvia’s not so sure he will.”

Growing up in Phantom Lord, she and Gajeel had both come from backgrounds of abandonment, and had learned they both coped with adversity in similar matters - quietly shutting away their pain and simply shouldering through whatever blocked their path. It granted them the building blocks to what had now become a close friendship. She would never wish to change her past because it had led her to her present, and yet, she knew her path had been more difficult than others.

Juvia had only been a part of Fairy Tail for a short time. She had heard snippets of her guildmates’ hardships and struggles, but she didn’t truly know the extent of the scars on their hearts. Yet, the atmosphere in Fairy Tail was so different from what she knew in Phantom Lord. Just like Gray had brought out the sun, Fairy Tail had done the same to her overall outlook. Where in the past she was expected to carry her afflictions by herself, now she had friends who outwardly welcomed to share her burdens, because that’s what it meant to be part of a family.

She sniffled, eyes turning to the dark windows three stories above. She had attempted to speak to Gray several times since everything happened. Each time, he had shot down her efforts. Consoling others during a time of trife had never been her forte, so she was honestly lost on what to do. Gray hadn’t been very approachable. The ice-make mage had almost literally become a block of ice - sharp, cold, unyielding. After drowning his sorrows with the bitter taste of alcohol, he had shut himself away in his apartment. It made her feel uneasy and worried about his state of mind.

“He’s lost three very important people in his life,” she said, her grip on her umbrella tightening. “Friends he grew up with. They laughed together. Fought together. Cried together. Juvia can’t imagine what he’s going through.”

Gajeel stayed silent as the rain continued to fall. He supposed he couldn’t empathize with what the rest of the guild was going through. After all, besides Metallicana and Juvia, he had never shared a deep bond with anyone - and Metallicana had disappeared without a trace. If he had lost Juvia, or even Panther Lily, he supposed he would be pretty fucked up, too. Even still.

He leaned forward with his elbows resting on his knees. “Well, he obviously didn’t invite you in, considering you’re out here.”

“Gajeel!” Panther Lily scolded, popping his head up from beneath the bench to glare at the dragon slayer.

“You’re right,” Juvia murmured before Gajeel had to defend his statement. “Gray hasn’t spoken much to Juvia since that night.”

He frowned and looked over at her with steely eyes. “Why do you continue doing this to yourself? Why do you continue to put yourself through this for him when he doesn’t even give you the time of day?”

She granted him a shaky smile. “If you’re not willing to love someone through their struggles, you don’t deserve them during their joys.”

As if agreeing with her words, lightning struck, a brilliant shock of white in the graphite sky. For a brief moment, it lit up the street, and Juvia could swear she saw someone in the apartment window three stories up looking back at her.

Romeo wasn’t sure what was worse: the fact that the guildhall had regressed into the silence they had suffered through for seven years, or that it had ever been gifted with ebullient chaos again. A wound that had been meagerly healed by immeasurable tears and fruitless anger, had suddenly been ripped open, serrated edges destroying any scar tissue that had formed. All the effort the Tenrou Team had put into winning the Grand Magic Games seemed to have been for nothing. The pain and loneliness of those left behind seven years ago was as palpable now as it was three months ago.

He clenched his hand around the orange scarf draped around his neck. A world without Natsu had been a hard concept to accept when the dragon slayer had disappeared with the rest of the guild’s powerhouses. After all, Natsu always had and always could defeat any enemy that had dared stepped into his bad graces. It was difficult to believe that Romeo’s hero had so easily been wiped from existence with no rhyme or reason. No one knew of the dragon attack on Tenrou Island until the spell had lifted and the Tenrou Team could recount the events to those left behind.

And then Romeo had watched as Natsu dominated Sabertooth during the games, and spear-headed a rescue mission against the Royal Army. Natsu had even managed to find a way to destroy the Eclipse Gate when the twelve keys of the zodiac and two celestial wizards couldn’t, a feat that brought them victory against several dragons. In Romeo’s eyes, Natsu was invincible. Unbeatable. Indestructible.

Unbidden tears burned his eyes. After everything Romeo had witnessed while being a part of Fairy Tail, he truly believed that nothing could ever destroy the heart of their guild, because Natsu would always be there to fight and protect those he held dear.

Until, he wasn’t.

“He’s not gone, stop saying that!” His voice cracked, his fists curled.

Just like when they learned of the disappearance of Tenrou Island, Romeo’s first instinct was to blatantly deny the reports. He refused to give any merit to the master’s claims that Natsu was dead. Natsu had survived a dragon strike. Romeo couldn’t fathom that a measly demon from the Books of Zeref could be the end of the dragon slayer he held in such high regard. A world without Natsu was impossible to compute, impossible to bear. It couldn’t be true - he’d never even had the chance to say goodbye, or tell him all of the things he had always admired about him.

And then the Thunder Legion brought the team home, further confirming what Romeo tried to contest. The following days brought mourning and the funeral. The Request Board became empty, the guild members looking more like skeletons than wizards. Demons had killed their family and escaped to who knows where. Meanwhile, his father and Wakaba were sharing drinks and cigars. Bisca and Alzack were doing their best to distract Asuka. Vijeeter stopped dancing. Nab hadn’t picked up a book in days. No one laughed or started fist fights. It was all so wrong.

“This is wrong,” Romeo murmured under his breath.

Macao set his mug down on the table and raised a brow. “What was that, Son?”

He clenched his hand into a fist and slammed it on the table, startling those who sat closest to him. “This is all wrong!”

“What are you talking about?” Wakaba pulled a deep puff from his cigar.

Romeo suddenly stood, dark eyes ablaze with fury. “Everything! Why are we just sitting around?! We should be going after the demons who-who-”

“No.” Macao’s tone left no room for argument, his signature guild master voice that conveyed his authority. Romeo hated when his father spoke like that. After the brutality they had gone through under the thumb of Twilight Ogre, Romeo had lost respect for that voice. “We’re not going after anyone.”

“But why?!” Romeo argued. “If Natsu was here-”

“Well, he isn’t,” Macao hollered back. “So forget it.”

The argument pulled Bisca’s attention away from Asuka in her lap. She frowned, watching the storm of emotions wage within Romeo. A boy whose passion and spirit that were just as robust as Natsu’s was - had been - threatened to spill over to the rest of them. His vigor could be contagious, if the resolve behind it didn’t waver, but Romeo was still just a boy.

“It’s not that we don’t want to,” Bisca attempted to soothe the young wizard’s ire.

“Then why?” Romeo cried out, his tears finally coming to fruition. “What’s stopping us?”

Wakaba sighed. “You’re too young to understand. This isn’t a job request or the Grand Magic Games.”

Alzack rested a hand over Azuka, her bright eyes peering up at him. “Going after the demons would mean war,” he explained gently. “And the battlefield is no place for inexperienced wizards or those without a strategy. We have to trust that the master knows what he’s doing.”

Romeo gritted his teeth. Trust in the master? He wanted to. He always had. But Makarov had been missing in action since the funeral; he remained holed up in his office with no explanation. He offered no hope that they would prevail, no solace for how they were to overcome this grief, and no plan as to how they would get revenge.

In Romeo’s eyes, Makarov had turned into a coward. How was he supposed to trust in that?

The days following Natsu’s death were the hardest Lucy had ever been through. The worst part about every day was the morning. Each night, while she tossed and turned in fits of nightmares, she replayed that day out on the battlefield. And every morning, she would wake up and her heart would break all over again as she reminded herself that her nightmares were real.

Natsu was gone. Erza and Happy were gone. And they were never coming back.

Lucy stared at her ceiling as the midday sun streamed through her curtains. Her keys laid neglected on her desk, scattered with her writing tools she hadn’t touched in a long time. She could faintly hear murmured conversations from people walking by on the street below her apartment window, but otherwise she had shut out the rest of the world.

She sighed, glancing at the disarray of her room. It seemed as if Natsu and Happy had come barreling into her living quarters uninvited and had made themselves at home for weeks. Her laundry needed to be done. Her cabinets had run out of dishes to hold, finding a new home in the sink. Blankets lay haphazardly on the floor and the couch, evidence of Lucy attempting to find a place of comfort to no avail.

“Good afternoon, Princess,” Virgo greeted as Lucy became distantly aware of the slight pull on her magic that signaled the maid spirit was around.

Lucy turned on her side with her back to her, curling further into her bedding. She shivered, clutching her heavy duvet tightly around her, but she was still cold. Ever since Natsu’s death, it was like she couldn’t get warm.

Her appetite had dwindled down to nothing. Her heartache had rung her out until she was dry inside, and no more tears would come. Her insides still felt as raw as if winter wind was blowing right through her skin. The last conversation she shared with Natsu haunted her, tormented her, replaying like an echo. She vividly remembered his expression twisted into one of pain that night before the mission, as he confessed his deepest fears to her. How was it that only hours later he was dead?

The quiet clinking of dishes stopped an hour later as Virgo finished tending to the household chores. “I’ll be leaving now,” she announced, but Lucy ignored her.

She finally drifted into a fitful doze as she felt Virgo return to the spirit world.

The slight distortion in the air was the only warning Makarov received before he found Doranbolt, Head of a Division of the Rune Knights, standing before him in his office. News of Fairy Tail losing three of its wizards in battle had quickly made its way to the Magic Council. Whenever a wizard died in conflict or of unnatural causes, it had to be reported to the Council for an investigation. This incident in particular had everyone on edge. It had been decades since such a tragedy had befallen a single guild.

“Doranbolt,” Makarov greeted with a hardened gaze. “I was wondering when the Council would send someone.”

He stepped forward and set a small file on Makarov’s desk. “Our investigation remains ongoing regarding Tartaros, but I figured I’d give you an update.”

The guild master hummed as he began scanning the documents. He had clued the Council in on Lucy’s admission, as going up against a dark guild would need all the intelligence he could gather. Most of the documents had been redacted due to containing sensitive information, but what was available to read was not much more than what he already knew. “This is hardly worthy of investigational praise,” Makarov stated dryly as he pulled his eyes away from the pages and leveled Doranbolt with a glare.

Doranbolt frowned. “Tartaros has always been one step ahead of the Council. And as you know, the Council isn’t exactly swift on looking into the more dubious tasks.”

“Dubious?” Makarov echoed. “Every dark guild fears Tartaros. What could be dubious about that?”

He curled his hands into fists. “They fear a guild with no evidence or merit to show. There’s no paper trail that even confirms Tartaros’s existence. At least, none in our records. Since the Council first became aware of Tartaros, nearly no new information has been found. They’ve always been more of a scary bedtime story than an actual threat.”

Makaro’ve anger was palpable. “Do you believe they are a threat now?!”

“Of course,” Doranbolt replied, swallowing thickly. “The Magic Council takes this attack on Fairy Tail wizards as an attack on the entire magical community. They aren’t taking this lightly. That being said, information won’t suddenly become available just because we need it to.”

“Then why not interrogate these dark guilds that fear Tartaros so much?” Makarov demanded, his voice raising with indignation. “Surely they have more information than you bumbling council fools.”

“Watch your tongue, Makarov,” Doranbolt snapped, his hand resting over the crest imbued on his chest.

“My children are dead,” he reminded with a dangerous tone. “And those responsible owe us retribution.”

Doranbolt studied the old guild master thoughtfully. Fairy Tail had caused a fair amount of trouble over the years, Titania and Salamander specifically, but never did any of the council members wish them death. After seeing them participate in the Grand Magic Games, Doranbolt understood their tenacious spirits and headstrong attitudes. Not to mention all the help they provided when going up against the Oracion Seis, Grimoire Heart, and the dragon attack on Fiore Kingdom.

The continent of Ishgar owed Fairy Tail a large debt, one that they may never be able to repay. Before being returned to his cell, Cobra had mentioned that the gates of the Netherworld were about to open. Is this new development with Tartaros what he could’ve meant?

“Obtaining that information is out of my jurisdiction,” Doranbolt began slowly. Mentioning the information Cobra dropped was not something he was ready to reveal just yet. Lahar wouldn’t approve of him meddling with the council’s doings, but Doranbolt wasn’t about to stand by and helplessly watch people die. Not again. “But I can see what I can do.” He disappeared in a flash, giving Makarov no time to respond.

Makarov exhaled deeply, feeling his age as his anger melted away. He was getting too old for this. Exhaustion didn’t even begin to describe what he felt the past few days. Settling back in his chair, he turned his gaze to his office window at the late afternoon skies. He stroked his mustache thoughtfully, mind turning over the visit from Doranbolt. The teleporter had bent the rules in the past regarding moral obligation. Makarov only hoped putting his faith in him again would not backfire. The fight ahead of them would not be easy, but he knew every detail he obtained regarding the wretched dark guild would be a step toward victory.

His office door opened and shut behind him, and he swiveled to see his old friend giving him an accusing gaze.

“What is it, Porlyusica?” he asked, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his desk.

She studied him a moment, and then, “I could never understand your love for those brats. Mankind is such an insufferable species.”

He smiled. “And yet, you’ve become quite fond of one of them, haven’t you?”

She scowled at his mention of Wendy, the only human she remotely liked. “Makarov, you have always been a man of action,” she pointed out, their long history coming to mind. “So, why is it that when three of your children have been killed, you have locked yourself away in your office while the rest of your guild grieves?”

All humor disappeared from his expression, and he glared at her. “I don’t appreciate you questioning my motives,” he grumbled. “I’m very well aware of the circumstances.”

Porlyusica pursed her lips. “You know who killed them,” she announced, able to see right through his tactics. “But you haven’t told the others. Why?”

“Because it’s Tartaros.”

She narrowed her eyes, now fully understanding his hesitation. “I see.” Her gaze roamed over the messy disarray of his office, where he had practically lived for the past few days. Knowing why he had been so adamant about keeping this piece of information a secret, she could appreciate his seclusion. However, “An obsession like this isn’t healthy.”

He suddenly pounded his fist on his desk, causing the wood to splinter. His dark eyes glared daggers, palpable rage filling his expression. “They killed my children!” he roared, all pretense of quiet conversation lost. “I’ll be damned if I don’t return the favor.” His shoulders shuddered with his fury as he seethed.

There was something about Makarov’s reaction that had Porlyusica tightening her grip on her medicine bag. His character had always been true in nature and absolute. But this time, she knew the danger ahead was very real and there would be no convincing him otherwise that he shouldn’t go into this battle. “You’re an old fool,” she murmured as she turned to take her leave. As her hand moved to pull open the door, she turned to look over her shoulder. “Make sure you don’t die.”

And before he could promise her he would be cautious, she had gone, surrendering an old man to his thoughts.

After Porlyusica left Makarov’s office, she made her way through the main hall of the guild, eager to return to the East Forest. She had had her fill of human interaction for a while, and hoped she wouldn’t need to be called on again anytime soon.

“Grandeeny, wait!”

Pausing to glance over her shoulder, the medicinal advisor took note of the little dragon slayer who she admittedly had become attached to. “I’ve told you not to call me that.”

Wendy looked up at her with wide, brown eyes. “Are you leaving?”

She sighed, adjusting her cloak around her shoulders before turning to address the child. “There is nothing left for me to do here. Heartache is one thing I can’t fix.”

“Can’t you stay?” she asked, tears in her eyes as she looked up at the woman who reminded her so much of her mother.

Porlyusica studied her closely, feeling pity for Wendy and everything she had been through at such a young age. She rested a gentle hand on her head. “Listen well, child. For a wound to heal, you have to clean it out. Over and over again. This cleaning process stings, as the cleaning of a wound hurts.” She tilted her head thoughtfully, narrowing her eyes. “Healing takes so much work. So much persistence. And so much patience. But, every process has an end and an appointed term. Your healing will come. And like all created things, someday your pain will only be a dull ache in your memory.”

Tears filled Wendy’s eyes as she sniffled. With a final pat on her head, Porlyusica turned to take her leave. Her words were left in the space between them, a young dragon slayer holding onto them with every ounce of strength she had left. Because for the first time since that day, there was a small shred of hope peeking its way through.

#fairy tail #lucy heartfliia #gray fullbuster #graylu #juvia lockser #gajeel redfox #romeo conbolt #makarov dreyer #fanfiction #fairy tail fanfiction #my fanfiction #sassy stays classy #the last of us #natsu dragneel #erza scarlet #porlyusica #wendy marvel

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eryiss · 3 years ago

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Ship: Freed x Laxus

Rating: Teen

Summary: Laxus has returned to the guild, but is still scared of not being accepted. Freed does what he can to help, and insists that Laxus attend some of the events held in the guildhall. Over the course of a year, and four different parties, the guild starts feeling like home again. And Freed, well... Freed has something to confess.

Notes: Hi. This was a little thing I wrote becuase I haven't done enough canon-verse writing; that and I want to procrastonate from uni work. I hope you all enjoy it, and sorry for any mistakes.

Links: FFN, Ao3

Part of the Party

The Summer Solstice

Freed was, despite what some might claim, rather fond of parties. Not so much in the way a typical Fairy Tail mage might do; he didn't find pleasure in getting as drunk as his body would allow, starting a fight, and collapsing in the mountain of rubble they'd created. Rather, he went to the guild parties to nurse a glass of wine, watch the inevitable decline in both intelligence and balance of his friends, and watch from the side-lines. It was his own form of enjoyment, and yet it had somehow given him the reputation as, as one of his guildmates had so eloquently put it, a boring stick-in-the-mud bastard.

That had been Natsu, who at that moment was wobbling haphazardly towards the bar, hugging Pantherlilly as if he were his own cat, singing at the top of his lungs with neither pitch nor tone. Hardly a reputable source of judgment, Freed concluded.

Still, that was the reputation he had gained, and he wasn't helping that tonight.

Rather, he was making it worse. From the moment he had arrived he had refused any drinks, had perched himself at a table on the second floor as to overlook the party but not be a part of it, and hardly spoken to anybody; not the most convivial actions for celebrating the summer solstice. It hadn't been for lack of wanting to be involved, but rather out of necessity. This was Laxus' first guild event since he had returned, and he hadn't been entirely enthusiastic to go.

It was a problem that had Freed worried. Laxus had been accepted back with open arms, and yet he was still skittish around anyone other than the Raijinshuu. He had been forgiven, but didn't seem to believe it, and avoided everyone as much as he could. Freed knew that, had he not been forceful with his friend, Laxus would have spent the night alone.

So they'd made a deal. Laxus would attend the party, but he was allowed to leave at any moment.

Freed felt that this was maybe too big a step taken too quickly, and he'd only realised that as they approached the guildhall. Laxus was… off-kilter, and this might push him over the edge. So, he had decided that if the worse did happen, Freed would be sober and waiting to help Laxus with it. But it didn't look like he needed it.

"You can't just watch him all night, you know," Mirajane commented as she walked up the stairs, holding a glass of chocolate milkshake; if he couldn't have alcohol, Freed would indulge in other ways. "You might enjoy yourself more. He's doing okay."

"I know," Freed agreed, taking the drink and placing the used glass from earlier on Mirajane's tray. "But I think, the longer he's down there alone, the better. He needs to be fully submerged without his crutch."

"His crutch being you, Ever and Bicks?" Mirajane asked, and Freed nodded. "That's why they're avoiding him, then."

"Indeed, although I suspect Ever would gravitate towards your brother no matter what," Freed chuckled a little, and Mirajane preened a little at the reminder. "Though I must admit, Bickslow, Loke and Natsu being so close does concern me. They're chaotic enough as is, I'd rather not deal with them all together."

"I think they're playing tic-tac-toe," Mirajane frowned a little. "I think it's only a matter of time before Loke suggests making it strip tic-tac-toe, but it's innocent enough right now."

"Perhaps bring me a bucket of water, I could probably pour it over them all from here should they get too involved in their game," Freed mused aloud, and Mirajane laughed a little at the thought.

They both remained in silence for a while, Freed watching as Laxus had a somewhat awkward looking conversation with Reedus, who seemed to be requesting Laxus model for a painting sometimes in the future. Freed smiled a little, hearing Laxus say that he'd consider it; a step in the right direction already. Before his excommunication, Laxus wouldn't have given a second before denying the request, it was nice for him to be making the effort.

Too engrossed in his pride for his friend, Freed missed the slightly sad look on Mirajane's face as she looked down at him. Because of this, when she spoke again, Freed found himself on the back foot and ill-prepared.

"Have you told him yet?" She asked, voice soft but words making Freed freeze. She continued. "It's just that you said that you would, and I really do think he'd-"

"It's not the time," Freed spoke softly, but with firmness.

"When will the time be, Freed?"

"He's," Freed began, but stopped and sighed. "His life is a mess right now. He has nowhere to live other than my sofa, feels like the place he's called home for most of his life doesn't want him there, and doesn't know what to do. It would be cruel to add something else onto that."

"I understand that, but it might be nice for him," Mirajane shrugged. "He likes you back, he always has. He's just not been ready for you until now."

"Well, if that's the case, then we can both wait until things are a little less precarious," Freed stated, putting an end to the conversation.

Mirajane didn't seem to want to push, so Freed looked over the banister to the lower floor to see that Laxus' conversation with Reedus had ended. He looked a little lost for a moment, and Freed let a smile flicker onto his face before it immediately died. Laxus couldn't see it yet, but Lucy was approaching him. She, more than anyone else in the guild, was the person Laxus was most scared of speaking with. He had been avoiding her like the plague, and by the expression of determination on her face, she had noticed.

Freed wanted to intercept, or at least break his own rule and be there beside Laxus. Many times, Laxus had expressed regret for how he had treated his guildmates, and more than anyone else he believed Lucy could not forgive him. Many of the others had known Laxus before his shift in character, but Lucy had only seen him at his worth. He couldn't believe that she would give him any benefit of the doubt.

He clearly didn't know her. Freed had thought that way, until he'd been forced to speak with her about fixing his issue with his hair – something that should have been humiliating, but had instead been easy, and without complication. The woman was kind, nothing less.

"He'll be fine," Mirajane assured Freed. "She just wants to get to know him, and he's been okay with everyone else. It'll be fine."

"I know," Freed said, not believing his own words.

They watched from afar as Lucy finally came face to face with Laxus. He was clearly tense, face unmoving and words stilted. Lucy seemed unaffected, chatting away as she so often didn't with enthusiasm and with cheerfulness. Freed had often wondered how so much optimism could be contained in a single person, but he was glad for it now. This was good, it was going fine.

Until it wasn't.

Freed couldn't hear what had been said, but without warning, Laxus erupted into lightning. He was consumed by it within a moment, and bolts of flickering magic shot out of the door, breaking it open and lighting up the city as it darted through the streets. Laxus was gone, and Lucy was left with her mouth agape, silent in her shock. Freed hissed, placing his milkshake on the table and storming towards the staircase. Teleportation runes had consumed him before he had reached the top step, and he found himself in his sitting room, with Laxus on the sofa, hunched over, crying weakly and trying to stop.

With a small breath, Freed stepped forward and placed a hand on Laxus' shoulder. Laxus tensed, but leaned into it.

"I am so proud of you," Freed whispered. "You were spectacular, and did so well."

Laxus didn't respond. That was how the rest of the night went, until Laxus' tears subsided, and he slept curled up, head resting on Freed's lap. All in all, despite how it had ended, Freed knew that this had been good for Laxus, and was something of a breakthrough for him. As the man gently snored, and Freed ran his hands through his hair, Freed repeated himself in a quiet whisper.

"I am so damn proud of you, Laxus."

---

Freed's Birthday

The singing was a little too much, Freed found.

Discordant, with its volume inversely proportionate to its talent, it sounded somewhat like a bag of cats trying to fight with a set of bagpipes in the middle of a tornado. Well, perhaps that was slightly hyperbolic and fanciful, but he'd had his fair share of champagne throughout the day and as such was allowed to enjoy his creative side.

He'd awoken to his team making him breakfast – pancakes, pain au chocolates, and cinnamon rolls – before he had been taken to the guild. As normal, it was a loud and rowdy affair. The peculiar tradition of his yearly fight with Natsu took place, a grand meal had been prepared, and he'd been sung to. Very very loudly.

Still, it was a nice day. A tradition.

It was good to have Laxus there, too. The blonde had been present for the breakfast, and Freed had expected that would be it for his inclusion of the day. A month had passed since the summer solstice party, and Laxus' time spent in the guildhall was still minimal. Other steps had been made – he'd modelled for Reedus, set up a weekly training session with Gajeel, and went on an incredibly unexpected mission with Happy – but he still struggled with the guild as a whole. He confessed that their team spirit was too much, and it felt like he was intruding.

Freed didn't want to push him. The first party had kicked him into action, and now Laxus was getting to know his guildmembers both old and new, and if doing so one-by-one was what it took then so be it.

But, Laxus had come. He'd eaten, drunk, and Freed had caught sight of him and Gajeel laughing together while the rest of the guild sang at him. It was nice to see, and it had made the signing more bearable. Slightly more bearable, anyway.

Then, the presents came.

As always, they were an onslaught of gifts, some personalised, others more general. Levy had gotten him a first edition copy of 'The Mechanics of Magic', Erza a grindstone to polish his sword on, Reedus a painting containing all of his team and Laxus in the heat of battle, and Lucy a set of quills and ink. He thanked them all graciously, touched by the effort that had been spent on them. His guildmates really were too kind.

The thought made him look up, glancing towards where Laxus had been. Freed hoped that, upon seeing the forgiveness and open kindness he was receiving, Laxus might feel more involved himself. When he looked up, he saw that Laxus had left the guildhall.

Dammit.

He sat through the rest of the gifts, trying to remain focused but unable to feel bad. Eventually they ended, and the party moved onto the next stage: Gajeel and his guitar. If Laxus' departure wasn't excuse enough for Freed to leave the guildhall and go into the courtyard, then the music certainly was.

Once outside, it didn't take him long to find where Laxus had ended up. Freed had hoped that his friend hadn't left altogether, and was gratified when he saw him sitting on the edge of the pool, his boots bedside him and his trousers rolled up. Freed smiled as he walked forward, kicking off his own shoes and folding his own trousers to his knees. He sat beside Laxus, letting his calves rest limply in the cold water in the pool. Laxus shifted a little, clearly in his own head and not having noticed Freed's approach.

"Hey," He murmured quietly. "Sorry I didn't… I couldn't… just got a bit much, y'know."

"I understand," Freed said immediately. "I'm impressed that you managed to-"

"You don't need to do that. I appreciate it, but I don't need you telling me that I'm making steps," Laxus argued, smiling a little. He bumped his shoulder into Freed's, as if to make sure Freed knew he'd taken no offence.

"Very well," Freed nodded. "I'm glad you're here though, it wouldn't have felt right without you."

"I can't let my right-hand man celebrate his birthday without me," Laxus grinned, and Freed chuckled quietly, lifting his foot and watching the ripples that the action caused. "Speaking of which, I should give you this," Laxus leant away from Freed for a moment, reached for something, and handed Freed a hastily wrapped box. He didn't meet Freed's eye when he handed it to him. "I was gonna give it to you in the morning, but wanted to force myself to come here so held off. So, erm, happy birthday."

"Thank you, Laxus," Freed smiled, taking the box with a smile.

"You don't know what it is yet," Laxus grinned a little. "Bicks didn't get you a speedo this year, maybe I wanted to keep up the tradition."

"If you did, then there would be a sense of irony because you'd be the one ended up in the pool," Freed chuckled. "And he did, actually. Somehow, and I can only blame Mirajane for this, he had it baked into my slice of the cake," Laxus barked out a laugh. "It was lime green. In a few years' time I'll have a whole rainbow of them."

"Wonder what he'll do when he runs outta colours," Laxus grinned, before nudging Freed again. "Open it."

Freed did as instructed, and halted a little when he realised what it was. It was an Armillary Sphere. It seemed to be made from solid gold, shining under the lamps strewn across the courtyard. He gently ran his hands over the incremental engravings, adjusting the device slowly with a look of wonderment on his face.

"It's beautiful," He whispered. "How did you…"

"I don't know if you remember, but we did a mission together a couple years back and finished it early. We got pretty pissed after, since neither of us had had a break for a while," Laxus was a little red in the face. "We were lying in a clearing somewhere, looking at the stars. And you suddenly started naming them all, telling me all the stories associated with the consolations. You kept going, you could even figure out our coordinates based on what we could see. You just kept talking about stars, and astronomy and I never forgot it. You mentioned that you used to have one of these in yer old house, and I saw it in an antique store before I came back to the guild and thought you might have liked it."

"It's incredible," Freed was a little breath taken. The fact Laxus had brought it before returning to the guild was just… "Thank you, Laxus. It's… perhaps one of the nicest things someone has done for me."

"Aw don't say that," Laxus laughed a little, but there was a quaver in his words. "Not when I've got the heights of the speedo collection to contend with. And what did Gray get ya? A monocle? Who the hell put him up to that?"

"In fairness, I did gift him a scarf for his last birthday. Which, with him is the equivalent of throwing a pebble into an active volcano with how long it'll stay on his body," Freed chuckled. "I did tell him that, so I suspect the monocle is his act of revenge."

Laxus made a little laugh, leaning back on his hands and watching the ripples across the water. Freed did the same, shifting slightly and allowing his side to press gently against Laxus'. Laxus didn't move, and Freed had a soft smile across his features as he allowed a yawn to split his lips. A party was nice and all, but this was better.

---

Halloween

"Fuck," Laxus gaped as he looked at Freed. "You take this seriously, huh?"

Freed chuckled a little at Laxus' reaction. As demanded by Bickslow, Freed had kept his costume a secret from everyone, including Laxus. That had been a difficult feat, given that Freed had removed his desk and books from his office, turned it back into a bedroom and they had become official roommates. The costume had been tucked away in the back of his closet for a month, and this was the first time anyone other than Freed himself had seen it.

As always, the Raijinshuu went in a themed costume. This year, fighters throughout history. Evergreen had insisted on being a Viking, Bickslow had chosen an old Rune Amry uniform, and Freed had decided on a gladiator.

The costume was hardly the most accurate, historically speaking, but Freed liked it. His torso was covered by a leather chest plate, complete with straps to hold it in place, a single metal shoulder guard, and a red cape that hung to his lower back. His modesty was protected by a tunic which ended above his knees. He had also adorned sandals that wrapped around his legs, and he'd forgone the helmet as it seemed unnecessary in the end. The look was completed with his sword that was attached to his hip, as normal.

"I forgot, you haven't seen any of our costumes, have you," Freed chuckled. "What do you think."

"It's…" Laxus seemed to pause for a moment. "Good. Really good- creative, I mean. You put a lot of effort into it."

"Thank you for noticing," Freed smiled. "Are you ready to go?"

"Give me a couple minutes to change," Laxus dismissed, and Freed frowned as Laxus retreated into his bedroom.

Laxus had been adamant that he wouldn't wear any costumes at all, because he wasn't into that kind of thing. It was what Freed had expected, and honestly he was happy that Laxus was willing to come at all. Laxus had been at the guild more often lately, and Freed felt that maybe his birthday party had helped with that. Perhaps it was nice to know that Laxus could get some time alone, gather his thoughts, but still be a part of the guild's events.

Freed sat on the sofa for a moment, having to adjust his position when he realised that his tunic had a tendency to ride up and show… everything. Better to know now than to make the mistake in the guild where his friends would be delighted to mock him for it.

Maybe he should allow for another anachronism and wear some boxers…

The door to Laxus' room opened, and Freed looked towards him immediately. A spluttering of laughter slipped out before Freed could stop it, and Laxus raised an eyebrow at him, amusement obvious in his face. He stepped forward, spread his arms to better reveal himself, and grinned.

"Just as good as yours, right?" He joked.

It wasn't as good as Freed's. Laxus' costume consisted of a fairly cheap red suit, a white shirt with ruffles of all things, and a pair of red devil horns. It was put together in a rush, had no detail given to it, and was perhaps to most delightful thing Freed had ever seen. One year ago, when Freed had been celebrating the holiday without Laxus, he wondered if the blonde might have scoffed at the Raijinshuu's new found fondness for Halloween. Now, Laxus had a smile that was almost goofy on his face, wearing a costume that he'd made for himself. Freed couldn't ask for more.

"It's certainly a costume," Freed smirked, and Laxus laughed.

"You know, I'm dressed as the devil," Laxus all but sauntered forward, a good look on the man. "And if you're a demon, that kind of makes me your king, right? And, as your king, surely you should show me some respect and kneel for me."

Rather than allow that comment to affect him – boxers really would have been a good idea – he immediately spoke again. "Say that to Mirajane and I'll pay your tab for a month."

"Nah, I like my organs on the inside," Laxus grinned, walking towards the front door.

"You know that the moment Bickslow and Ever seen that you're willing to wear a costume of any kind, they're going to drag you into our tradition whether you like it or not," Freed taunted as he closed the door and locked it behind him. "I'm afraid to say, Laxus, that this," He gestures to himself. "Is your future."

Laxus paused for a moment, then smiled a private smile.

"I can think of a lot of things worse than that, Freed."

---

New Year's Eve

Laxus Dreyar and Lucy Heartfilia were having a drinking contest.

It was perhaps the only thing that Freed had seen that might convince him that miracles were real. But there they were, two pints of beer in front of them both, drinking as if their lives depended on it. Even more ridiculous, Laxus had been the one instigate it. He'd brought the tray of drinks over, looked Lucy dead in the eye and claimed that, if she drank hers before he did his, then he'd pay for every drink she got for all of January.

Freed watched from above, smiling a little as he leant on the banister. As normal, he had spent the party with a glass of red, watching as his guildmates got drunker and drunker, making asses out of themselves for his amusement. It had been perfect, and he was delighted that Laxus seemed to be getting involved.

"Shit," Laxus cussed loudly when he placed his glass down. "Where the hell did you learn to drink like that?"

Lucy said something in return, but it was too quiet for Freed to hear. She had clearly won their wager, and Laxus seemed to be in good spirits despite the financial loss. They spoke for a little while longer before breaking apart, Lucy walking towards her team, Laxus looking around before spotting where Freed had decided to stay.

He took the stairs to the second floor two by two, grinning at Freed widely when he was face to face with him. He wasn't drunk – Freed had seen Laxus drunk before many times – but he was in high spirits. It was nice to see.

"Hey," Laxus greeted. "You still sticking up here, huh?"

"Best place to be," Freed shrugged, leaning on the banister when Laxus was beside him. "You can see everyone stumbling and falling, and there's no chance of one of them vomiting on you."

"You really know how to party, huh?" Laxus teased, and Freed chuckled.

For a moment, they watched over the guild. Their arms lightly grazed one another, and Freed found himself smiling a little. These moments hadn't happened before. Laxus hadn't ever allowed himself to slow down, to enjoy himself. Ever since Laxus had come back, he'd been more… contemplative. He allowed himself moments of calm and time to think, and Freed enjoyed sharing those times with him. Over the last year, he'd spent many hours in silent company with Laxus by his side, and those moments had become very dear to Freed.

"Was talking to Mira," Laxus spoke up again. "Said you made a promise to her, that you'd tell me something before the year ended."

"Did she?" Freed mumbled slightly. He would be having words with the interfering woman.

"She did," Laxus agreed, looking towards Freed with a soft expression. Freed kept his gaze on the guildhall below. "But, between the two of us, I don't think you should."

Freed froze. "You don't."

"Nah, I don't," Laxus agreed. "Because everything you wanna say to me I already know. Have for a while, but I've been too shit scared to deal with it. Not anymore, though."

"Is that so?" Freed asked, not conveying tone. Where was Laxus going with this?

"Yeah. Pushing away my feelings nearly fucking killed me, and it ain't gonna happen again. And the thing is, everything you were gonna say to me, I know I wanna say to you. But I don't think I've gotten to that point yet, so instead I'm gonna ask something of ya."

"Ask what of me?"

"I'm gonna ask you make a promise to me," Laxus stated. "I'm gonna ask that you promise that," he looked to the countdown clock above the door, "in forty nine seconds, you kiss me. I'm gonna ask that you promise to go to dinner with me tomorrow night as my date. I'm gonna ask you promise me you'll let me show you how much I fucking care about you, and how much I know I'm gonna love you the second I can," His voice wavered slightly. "Because I really-"

Freed cut him off, leaning up and cupping Laxus' cheek with his right hand. He leant forward, pressed their lips together and kissed Laxus for the very first time. Bells rang and fireworks exploded around them, but neither man cared. Freed melted into the kiss, and Laxus wrapped an arm around his waist to pull him closer.

"I promise," Freed whispered, before starting another incredible, explosive kiss.

#Fraxus #Freed Justine #Laxus Dreyar #Fairy Tail #Fanfic #Writing #One Shot #Word Count: 4.2k

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