#accused cheating

This was from a prompt that Carlos got a drunken piercing and decided to hide it for a little while from TK.  Cue the longest week of TK’s week as his mind goes to much worse places.  

The only light they had was from the TV mounted on the opposite wall with the volume turned down low.  TK much preferred the view of his boyfriend’s skin than whatever could be playing on the screen.  He had a hand around the back of Carlos’s neck and his tongue was happily sweeping against the roof of the latino’s mouth to make the other man shiver pleasantly.  It was early enough that they could spend some quality time together before it was time for bed.  His hand slowly moved lower to slip underneath Carlos’s shirt to stroke the soft, toned skin of his stomach when their kiss was gently broken unexpectedly and Carlos was looking at him apologetically.

“Sorry, Carino,” He said softly with one last peck to his lips.  “I’m really sore from my shift today.  I think I’m going to take something for it and head to bed.”

He was gone before TK could think about protesting.  He sat on the couch a bit dumbfounded and unable to process how weird that was.  Carlos had been up to taking himi apart when he had three broken ribs a few months ago and now with some muscle aches he was cutting them off before things could really start to heat up?  TK understood, but he still thought it was pretty strange behavior.  He moodily went back to watching the show playing on TV, the dismissal still rubbing him the wrong way even though it hadn’t been meant to sting.  It wasn’t until a commercial played with someone featured that looked a lot like Alex that he figured out why this was bothering him so much.  

He’d seen this before and it had taken him a minute to realize.

This is what Alex had done for months to him before the failed proposal.  The entire time he was cheating he found any excuse possible to slip away from him when they became intimate.  It was always something believable enough that he couldn’t argue, but still rather strange.  He was put aside and dismissed until Alex had no choice but to get rid of him in pieces.  It made his blood freeze when he realized and something heavy settled on his chest.   Alex had been the reason for his overdose.  He had almost died.  He couldn’t survive that kind of pain again.  It had left him empty for months and he was barely starting to truly be himself.  

The mere thought of having that kind of pain again made his breathing quicken.

He felt absolutely ridiculous at the tears slipping down his cheeks.  He knew this wasn’t like last time.  Carlos would never even think about cheating on him.  Their relationship was true, real and steady.  TK was falling in love again and this time he was completely safe with Carlos holding his heart.  He was being awful for even thinking this was the same thing.

Then again, hadn’t he thought the same thing when Alex pulled away?

~~

“Are we really back to this, Strand?” Judd’s voice rang out across the locker room and this was really the worst day he could have picked to start a fight.  Carlos had been avoiding him for a week now and his paranoia was getting the best of him and he was so damn angry.  He was angry at himself for once again being too afraid to just ask Carlos if he was cheating, and he was angry at the world for having this happen yet again.  Why couldn’t he just be happy?  Why was that too much to ask?

“Get off my back,” TK snapped in return as he shoved his gear into his locker.  He wanted to be grateful the shift was almost over, but then he had to go home and face Carlos’s weird behavior and have his mind run wild at the possibilities.  His mind had decided Carlos was cheating on him the way Alex had before, but he had no proof in the slightest.  Carlos never went anywhere besides the police station and home as far as he knew.  Except one night last week he had gone out with Michelle to that same gay club they had taken Paul to drink and have a good time.  TK had had no problem letting Carlos let off some steam with his boyfriend while he was waiting at home with aspirin and a glass of water before tucking a drunk Carlos into bed.  Was that when Carlos had slept with someone else?  DId he want a guy he could go out and have fun with instead of a guy riddled with problems that couldn’t take a sip of alcohol?  

“I’ll get off your back when you get it through your thick skull how to follow an order,” Judd folded his arms across his chest with a mixture of disappointment and anger on his face.  TK knew he had a tendency to take much greater risks when his mental health was suffering and this week he was finding it hard to deal with anything.  He was so scared Carlos was cheating, or had cheated, that he wasn’t sleeping and therefore had been having panic attacks all week.  He was exhausted and missed when everything was peaceful in his small world.   He had run into a fire against a direct order from Judd, and then his dad as well.  The building hadn’t been stable and TK had gone in anyways to save the last civilian inside.  It had been a heroic act, but also a very stupid one that had ignored orders.  “You could have been killed!”

“Well, if I had then you wouldn’t have to put up with someone not listening to you.”  TK knew that Judd was still suffering silently with his own problems and his offhand comment about dying on a call was a low blow, but he couldn’t find the energy to care.  

“Man, come on,” Judd pleaded with him.  “Don’t be like that.  We are just looking out for you.  I know you knew that building was compromised.  I wasn’t telling you anything you didn’t already know.  Why would you run into something like that?  I thought you were past the stage of being a spoiled brat.”

TK had to fight against a sob at the light jab that really meant nothing.  He knew he had started this fight and that Judd’s comment was only out of frustration and not of any true malice.  Alex had called him a brat when they would fight constantly.  He always teased him for his dad spoiling him and being his favorite back in New York.  There had just been too many reminders of Alex’s manipulative behavior this week and this was one jab he couldn’t stomach.  

“Kid, talk to me,” Judd’s voice was much softer now as a hand came to his shoulder to stop his path to the showers.  “What’s going on, little brother?  You’ve been off all week.”

“I think Carlos is cheating on me,” TK broke down and told the first person other than himself what he was terrified of.  “He’s been acting weird and pushing me away all week long.  This is how my ex acted for months before he told me he found someone else.  I can’t go through it again.  I can’t handle it.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Judd brought him into a light hug when it was obvious TK’s insubordination was more out of upset than anything.  “Carlos would never cheat on you, I mean that.  He’s not that kind of guy.  He’s crazy about you.”

“I thought that about Alex too,” TK said miserably as he swiped at his eyes and sniffed a few times.  The truth was he would survive Carlos cheating on him, but that kind of pain terrified him.  

“He knows he’d be castrated between your Dad and I if he even thought about cheating on you, kiddo,” Judd teased with a ruffle of his hair.  When TK glanced up he saw the other man’s eyes filled with sympathy and compassion.  “We’ve got your back no matter what, but I really don’t think he would ever even think about it.”

“I’m sorry about today,” TK muttered with his cheeks heating up.  “I act stupid when I have personal shit going on.  It’s a thing that I’m not exactly proud of.”

“You’ll make me grey before I’m forty I swear,” Judd patted him on the back a few times before giving his shoulder a squeeze and letting TK get on with his shower before he would head home.  He really had to talk to Carlos before things got out of hand more than they already had.  He knew the conversation wouldn’t change whatever the truth was.  Who didn’t love living in ignorance sometimes though?

~~~

TK had had the day off and he spent the whole thing pacing around Carlos’s house and psyching himself up for a conversation that made his stomach disappear.  He had to do it tonight and get it over with.  His stuff was already packed up, what little he had acquired over the last few months, and if the case was Carlos had found someone out he would calmly walk out and pick himself up again.  He would not tear himself apart if the worst case scenario was true.  His dad still needed him around and that would have to be enough to keep him strong.  

The headlights swept across the front window and TK sat on the couch with his knee jiggling impatiently as he waited for Carlos to come inside.  He ached for the days when those headlights had him stripping his clothes with a smirk on his face.  It had been ten long days since Carlos had hinted at wanting anything more than a few kisses from him.  Their whole relationship wasn’t about sex, but TK definitely felt closer being physically intimate with a partner.  

“TK?” Carlos closed the front door with a fond smile and took off his shoes.  “I’m so glad you’re here.  I’ve had a long day and seeing  you has made everything else worth it honestly.  Want to order some dinner?”

“Yeah, our usual pizza?” TK was glad for the distraction when the sight of Carlos made his throat tighten.  It was one thing to think of the most amazing man he knew cheating, but seeing those kind eyes and imagining them looking at anyone else the same way had his heart breaking.  

“You alright?” Carlos’s voice softened and of course the world’s best boyfriend would know when he wasn’t okay.  He couldn’t take the kindness right now.  If Carlos was going to break his heart then he needed to just get it over with.  

“Are you cheating on me?” TK’s voice shook horribly as he finally got out the question that had been bothering him for over a week.  He was proud he held his tears back as they instinctively wanted to fall.

“What?  Am I what?” Carlos’s look of shock seemed genuine enough and suddenly TK was thrown back to when he had accused Alex of the same and the waves of anger that followed.  Turns out he was right in the end, but he was afraid he had made Carlos angry at the accusation of something so horrible.  Could he ever understand that he was being judged by another man who had wronged him?  Did Carlos understand that TK was still barely held together with tape and glue after putting himself back together?

“I’m sorry,’ TK mumbled.  “I’m being stupid.”

“Hey, love, look at me,” Carlos’s hand came to cup his cheek as he forced their eyes to meet.  This time he couldn’t hold the tears back.  “I am so sorry for whatever I did to make you think that.  I would never do that to you.”

“You haven’t wanted to be with me for ten days,” TK said shyly as he nuzzled the hand on his cheek.  

Whatever reaction he expected it wasn’t for Carlos to turn the darkest shade of red he had ever seen and start swearing in Spanish under his breath.  

“Carlos?” TK was confused now and wondered what was actually going on.  That reaction wasn’t one of guilt so maybe his fears were as unfounded as Judd had told him they were.  Maybe his anxiety bran was thankfully wrong this time and had blown all of this out of proportion.  

“Dios mio,” Carlos muttered as he stripped off his shirt slowly and TK couldn’t miss the wince when he did so.  “I did this and I was too embarrassed to show you until it was healed.”

TK followed the vague gesture to his boyfriend’s chest and couldn’t miss the red and inflamed skin there.  He looked closer and saw a shimmer of silver and realized a ring was framing Carlos’s right nipple.  A fucking ring was sitting right there and had been the reason for so much grief.  One barely suppressed giggle was all it took before TK was laughing harder than he had in weeks and having to lean on the back of the couch to keep him upright.  The red deepened on Carlos’s cheeks as his boyfriend crossed his arms and looked away.  

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” TK gasped out as he tried to reign in his laughter and try to figure out what was going on.  “When the hell did that happen?”

“The night I went drinking with Michelle,” Carlos muttered   “Drunk me is a complete idiot and thought this was a good idea.  I thought you might hate it, but I didn’t take it out in case you liked it but then I wanted it to look better before I showed it to you.”  Carlos sighed a long suffering sigh before his brow furrowed and he looked at TK with a level look.  “Why would you ever think I was cheating?”

“It’s what my ex did,” TK replied, his mood sobering as quickly as it had broken down in laughter.  “When he was two timing me he pushed me away for weeks before that and called me crazy when I mentioned something was wrong.  I’m sorry I assumed the worst.”

“I’m so sorry,” Carlos came close, pressing a kiss to his cheek.  “That must have been awful for you.”

“Work hasn’t loved me this week.” TK grinned at him and felt the tension that had gathered in his stomach finally leave.  He happily wrapped his arms around Carlos’s waist and looked thoughtfully at the piercing next to his line of sight.  “I think drunk Carlos has some pretty good ideas.  The piercing suits you.”

“That’s all that matters is what you think.” Carlos hugged him tightly and TK surged onto his toes to kiss Carlos deeply like he hadn’t had a chance to all week.  

Laxus loved thunder storms. It was one of the few things that could calm him. The flashes of lightning, the roar of the thunder to follow, even the way the house shook after an extremely loud thunderclap helped relax his body and clear his head of troublesome thoughts.

The dragon slayer was grateful when he woke up to the familiar low rumbling of distant lightning. He had a fight with Freed the previous night, and he had been awake and tense for most of it, so the natural sounds provided some comfort.

His mind replayed all of the things he shouldn’t have said and done. As much as he wanted to blame it on the rune wizard’s stubbornness and ability to overthink things, he knew the spat was no one’s fault but his own. 

It had started with some strange guy Laxus saw when he went to a neighboring town with Freed. He was waiting for Freed outside some fancy candle shop, his nose far too sensitive for him to enter a place like that; the strength of so many different aromas gave him a headache. A man walked up to him, saying he was a big fan and wanted to write an article about him to submit to Sorcerer Weekly Magazine. He seemed nice enough, so Laxus obliged. The reporter asked him a slew of questions, some of which he requested not to comment on due to their personal aspect. 

The actions to follow were not so discreet. The journalist began to make comments about some of Laxus’s answers, things like “Working out every day must be what keeps those muscles so nice” and “I’m surprised you look so young after all the trouble you’ve been through in your life. They say stress makes you age faster, but you don’t look a day over twenty.” When Laxus talked he’d bat his eyelashes or lick his lips, neither of which would go unnoticed by the dragon slayer. He was starting to get annoying; he had already told the guy that he was taken, so why did he keep persisting?

“You know, I’m sure you’d be more relaxed if you had a boyfriend who was more ‘fun.’ Don’t you?” Laxus should’ve known that this what what the guy was insinuating the entire time. The reporter leaned in, simultaneously reaching into his bag. “My place, noon on Friday? I look forward to seeing you again.” He slid a business card into the dragon slayer’s hand, closing the fingers with his own and squeezing it before standing. He sent a sly wink at Laxus before strolling away, an exaggerated sway in his hips. 

The dragon slayer was at a loss for words. This guy had dared to try to make a move on him? He would never associate himself with scum like that! 

“Laxus.” Said man whipped around. A disgruntled Freed glared back at him. “I’m finished here. Let’s get back to Magnolia; I don’t wish to be held up by the village swamp rats when the sun goes down.” They left the markets, quickly leaving the town behind them. Laxus had offered to carry the box of candles in Freed’s hands– seriously, why did they need so many candles?– but the rune wizard refused. They walked in silence to their house on the edge of Magnolia, Laxus casting worried glances at his partner’s back from time to time. Why did Freed look so cranky? Did they not have the right candles? Did someone say something rude to him? Maybe he was just being paranoid and all Freed wanted was to get home and relax for a bit.

That didn’t seem to be the case, however. As soon as they were home, the rune wizard stomped into the kitchen and banged the box on the table, making glass candle containers rattle together. 

“Freed?” Laxus asked hesitantly. “Is… Is something wrong?” Freed slowly turned around. His eyes glared menacingly at the dragon slayer.

“Who the fuck was that wretched hussy sitting next to you?” the rune wizard demanded. Laxus could tell this was not going to end well; the charismatic man only resorted to cursing when he was extremely irate.

“He was a news reporter. Who did you think he was? My side ho?”

“You hate journalists. You avoid them like the plague. And you let him get awfully close to you, so yes, that’s exactly what I think.”

“You know, it really hurts me to think that you actually believe that I’d ever cheat on you. After all the things we’ve been through and done together, all the love and compassion I’ve given you, all of the feelings I laid out on the table, you really think that?”

“Well, when he said he wanted to meet you at his house, at five, on Friday and you didn’t say anything, it really sounds like you want to take up his offer!” Laxus was incredibly scared. Sure, Freed had definitely cursed before, but him raising his voice during an arguement was even less uncommon.

“I didn’t even have time to react before he left. Hell, I was still trying to process what he said! Trust me, I wanted to beat the shit out of that guy for even suggesting that!”

“Oh, I’m sure.” Laxus tried to hug him, comfort him in some way, but Freed stepped away. “Don’t FUCKING touch me, Laxus! If you want affection, go to that slut reporter! You’re far more interested in what he had to offer anyway!” The rune wizard was in tears now, his face beet red from the intense anger coursing through his veins.

“Freed, you need to calm down,” the dragon slayer said urgently. 

“Fuck off, asshole!” Freed slapped Laxus’s hand away and ran out of the kitchen. The dragon slayer followed, but Freed was far too quick. He slammed the bedroom door shut and locked it, leaving his partner alone in the hallway. 

“Freed, open this door,” Laxus demanded. He leaned against the door, hoping that the rune wizard would listen.

“GO TRACK DOWN THAT LECHEROUS SKANK THAT LOVES YOU SO MUCH!” Freed screamed back, his voice full of anguish.

“What happened that made you think I’d ever cheat on you?!” Laxus yelled back, desperation fueling his every word. “I’m not leaving you; I love you more than words can say, and I know you know that. If I have to sit outside this door all night for you to believe me, I’ll do it.”

It was times like these that Laxus hated having sensitive ears. Through the door, he could hear the muffled sobs of his partner, a sound that gave him his own reason to shed tears. His biggest weakness was a crying Freed.

His back hit the door, and he slid to the ground in defeat. He meant what he said; he’d sit outside that door the entire night, even if he had to feel his heart shatter into millions of pieces as he listened to Freed’s bawling. 

That was how he ended up in this state. Laying on the floor in front of the bedroom door, his clothes from the day before gone except his boxers, a throw pillow under his head and a blanket tucked around him… Wait. Where did his clothes go? And when did he get a pillow and blanket? 

It was then that he realized the bedroom door was ajar. With caution, the dragon slayer peered inside. Freed was still sleeping, curled up in the middle of the bed, pillows and blankets forming some sort of nest around him. Laxus treaded quietly to the side of the bed for a better look.

The rune wizard was wearing one of the dragon slayer’s T-shirts. Laxus was sure that he left his coat in the kitchen, but Freed must have gone down there to get it as it was wrapped around his lean body. He had the dragon slayer’s pillow clutched in his arms, his cheek resting on it in a way that made his lips puff out. His hair was in a high ponytail; another one of Laxus’s weaknesses.

Suddenly, Freed grimaced. At first the dragon slayer thought that he was going to wake up, but he just turned over in his sleep. The rune wizard mumbled something and started to whimper.

“Don’t… Laxus,” Freed murmured, tossing and turning a few more times. “No… Don’t go with him… Love you… I… so wrong… so wrong. Don’t leave.”

“Babe, wake up,” Laxus crooned, shaking his partner’s shoulder gently. “I’m right here.”

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry! Please… I can’t lose you. Need you… stay… Don’t go!” Tears fell from the rune wizard’s cheeks as he curled into a ball, clutching Laxus’s pillow even tighter than he was before. He was sweaty, his breath hitching in his chest as he began to hyperventilate.

“Freed, wake up!” The dragon slayer shouted.

Freed’s eyes shot open as he screamed, “NO!” 

“Babe, look at me,” Laxus urged. Turquoise eyes met his own stormy gray orbs. “I’m right here. It was just a dream. I’m not leaving you, okay? I promise.” The rune wizard sat up, attempting to ease his respiration. The dragon slayer rubbed his back but gave him room to breathe.

It took a few minutes, but eventually Freed’s respiration slowed to a normal rate. He stared at the wall for a bit before wiping his face, smearing the last remaining droplets across his cheeks. Then he crawled into Laxus’s lap. He clung to the blonde like a monkey, legs and arms clasped around that muscular torso. 

“I love you, Laxus,” Freed whispered.

“I love you more,” the dragon slayer replied, kissing his partner’s cheek. They sat like that for a while, lightning flashing outside the windows. The calming effect of the storm eased last night’s tension from both men.

“I’m sorry I got so carried away,” the rune wizard murmured. “I had an extremely vivid dream last week when you went on that dark guild mission. In the dream you left for that mission, and before you left you said you wouldn’t be back for a while. Then there was some sort of time skip and I was at the market and… and I saw you with another man.” Freed’s sniffling returned. “You guys were holding hands. He… He was wearing your favorite shirt, that purple one you wear a lot. And then… I asked who he was, and… y-you said he was your husband. A-a-and the guy pushed me on the ground. Y-y-you guys laughed at me. He leaned in to kiss you, but I-I woke up before that hap-p-pened.” He was breaking down again, clinging to the bigger man with distress. “The dream this time was similar, b-but near the end, you told me you hated me. Said I was t-too emotional, too small, too girly. The other guy joined you. B-both of you made fun of how I looked. He said horrible things. I-I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t breathe. Everything came c-crashing down on me at one time. You didn’t… l-love me.” He felt something being wrapped around him, then the sensation of swaying back and forth. It took a moment, but he soon realized that Laxus had wrapped his coat around his shoulders and was rocking him gently. 

“You’re the only one for me, Freed Justine,” Laxus said with adoration. “I never… I never believed that I could have a normal life until I met you. I didn’t believe in love until you showed it to me. I thought I was gonna end up like my dad, a heartless, sleazy, egocentric criminal, until you saw me off for my exile after the whole Fantasia incident. I found hope in the fact that I might see you again, that I’d have the chance to make things right with Fairy Tail so that we could someday have a future. Shit… I don’t even wanna think about where the hell I’d be if I hadn’t met you. Remember that when you get those crazy ideas in your head.”

“I will. Thank you, Laxus.” Freed kissed his partner’s shoulder before raising his head to look at him.

“Feel better now?” The dragon slayer wiped away the remaining tears.

“Much better.” The rune wizard placed a peck on Laxus’s scar. “But I still feel like shit for making you sleep in the hallway, so I guess a day full of spoiling you is in order.”

“Mmmh… That sounds nice. But I want you to really understand how much I love you, so I’ll have to spoil you too.”

“I won’t object to that.” Freed flattened a few unruly spikes in Laxus’s hair. “I’ll go make breakfast. I’m starving.”

After a delicious meal of homemade waffles topped with strawberries and whipped cream, Freed and Laxus spent the entire morning cuddled up on the couch watching their favorite movies. The storm never ceased, so the atmosphere was the most relaxed it had been in ages. They were able to enjoy each other’s company to full extent, remaining as close as possible while the films played in the background of their confessions of love and devotion.

When lunch was finished, it didn’t take long for Freed to fall asleep, his body nestled between the dragon slayer’s legs. Laxus took that time to snap a picture of him and the rune wizard together; Freed was too adorable, sprawled across the older man’s chest with his face squished up. He posted the image on MageBook and SnapChatter (which Bickslow forced him to download, since he was going to be taking up the guild master position within the next year or so, so he needed it ‘to keep up with the goings-on in sister guilds’). This was something he didn’t do often, but after their talk that morning, he thought it would be a nice surprise for his partner to wake up to. He’d post a picture of himself and Freed every day if it would assure the rune wizard that he couldn’t picture himself with any other man.

Laxus watched the movie a bit longer before feeling himself being drawn into the beckoning embrace of slumber. He was almost asleep, but opened an eyelid when he heard a knock at the door and the door knob turning. Bickslow and Evergreen entered, setting their umbrella near the coat rack.

“Everything must be going okay?” Evergreen asked quietly, taking off her heels.

“What do you mean?” Laxus queried.

“Freed texted me last night,” the fairy woman replied. “He was incedibly distraught, but I had a feeling he was overthinking what he saw and heard.”

“You’d be right about that. But he’s okay now, so that’s all that matters to me.” Laxus gazed down at his partner, who had mumbled something in his sleep.

“Awe, he’s so peaceful when he sleeps,” Bickslow cooed, grabbing his phone. “Let me get a pic!”

“Just share the one I put on MageBook,” Laxus rolled his eyes, but the seith wizard had already snapped the picture of the rune wizard. 

“Our big, softie Thunder God,” Bicks gushed.

“Shut up.” Laxus and the other two Thunder Legion members conversed quietly for a while, discussing the goings-on in the guild. Apparently things were pretty normal; Natsu and Gray got into a brawl, Mirajane was scheming ways of how to get certain members of the guild together, Erik came to visit Kinana… the usual. 

The dragon slayer felt Freed’s arms tighten around him. He looked down, thinking the rune wizard was about to wake up, but saw a grimace on his partner’s pristine visage instead.

“Shit,” Laxus murmured. “Freed, wake up.”

“What’s wrong, Laxus?” Evergreen asked.

“He’s having another nightmare,” the dragon slayer replied, shaking Freed’s shoulder. “C’mon Freed, wake up.”

“What do you mean, ‘another’?” the seith wizard questioned.

“He had one this morning, and it was really bad. I’d rather wake him up before it gets like that again.” Finally Freed began to stir. His grip tightened a bit at first, but once his eyes were open and he saw Laxus, he relaxed immediately.

“Seriously, how long are these nightmares gonna last?” the rune wizard grumbled. “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Try to make it a third time, and I think I can catch on to the truth.”

“That’s good.” The dragon slayer smiled and rubbed Freed’s back. “You’re shaking. It still scared you, didn’t it?”

“A little, but I’m better now.” He leaned up to kiss Laxus, and a camera flashed.

“This is SO going on my Pictagram,” the seith wizard gushed, his fingers already tapping away on his lacrima phone.

“No it’s not,” Laxus replied. “Send that to me. That belongs on MageBook, on my page.”

“You… You’d really post something that lovey-dovey on your MageBook?” Freed asked, his cheeks tinged magenta.

“I tagged you in something like that today.” Laxus shrugged. “This isn’t any different. I think it’s high time I stop worrying about my badass appearance, since I don’t really give a shit either way. If people don’t like that, they can block me. I should be able to post whatever the hell I want, especially if it involves my family.”

While Laxus was talking, Freed opened his MageBook and checked his notifications. He clicked on the icon that said, “Laxus Dreyar tagged you in a post.” The dragon slayer’s post came up, which included three pictures with a discription at the top. The rune wizard read:

After having a huge fight with my boyfriend last night, this is the best thing that could’ve happened today.

I was kind of oblivious to Freed’s feelings last night, which is what started the fight. To shorten the story, some guy from Sorcerer Weekly wanted to interview me and afterwards he was making a lot of suggestive comments. I didn’t want to make a scene, so I just accepted his number and planned to throw it away; after all, I might have been angry, but it doesn’t pay to be rude and I’d never even THINK of cheating on Freed.

We got home and I could tell Freed was mad about something. I asked him about it, and as it turns out, he COMPLETELY misinterpretted the reporter’s comments, believing that I could be cheating on him. Being the idiot that I am, I thought he was overreacting to the whole situation. The argument escalated from there. I was locked out of the bedroom after our screaming match, and since I was too stubborn to move, I sat outside the door and mulled over the whole thing.

That was when it dawned on me that I had to look through Freed’s eyes for a change, replay the scenario through his point of view. Doing that made me realize how bad that must’ve looked. I was up most of the night thinking about how awful he must be feeling.

When I woke up, there was a pillow under my head and a blanket over me. I hadn’t grabbed either of those things, and the door was open, so I could only assume that my amazing boyfriend took it upon himself to tend to my comfort, even if I had been kind of an asshole. He was asleep when I walked in, so I sat by him and waited for him to get up.

Then he started having a nightmare. Apparently I had left on a mission in that dream, and later on he saw me with some other guy who I called my “husband.” Me and this other guy had made fun of him and made gruesome comments about him. Then we left him alone, laying on the ground in a sobbing heap.

That completely broke me. I said to myself, “There’s no way I’ll ever give him a reason to think that he’s not enough.” Because that’s just it; he’s more than a simple boyfriend. He’s the thunder to my lightning, the vodka to my chaser, the fuel to my fire, and the rock to my roll. He’s the smartest, kindest, most amazing person I could ever want.

Today is gonna be his day. I’m gonna spoil him as much as I can just because he deserves it. My two favorite things in this world are Freed’s smile and Freed’s laugh, and I’ll make it my mission to make sure he’s doing those things all day. He deserves to smile. He deserves to laugh. He deserves happiness in whatever form he finds it in.

I love my rune babe with all my heart, and I would do anything to see him smile. 

Freed was shedding tears by the time he was done reading the post. The fact that Laxus had posted that on social media, whe millions of people could see it, was a sweet surprise. It was the most heartwarming thing Laxus had ever done.

“I never would’ve expected this,” he breathed, embracing his partner. “Thank you.”

“There’s nothing to really thank me for,” the dragon slayer replied, “but you’re welcome. I love you.”

“I love you too.” Freed sighed contentedly. “You’re comfy.”

“Is that a fat joke, Justine?” Laxus poked Freed’s sides. The rune wizard tried to wiggle out of his grasp, but Laxus had a firm grip. He knew how ticklish that spot was, and as his fingers continued to bombard his partner’s rib cage and abdomen, he smirked at the younger man’s reaction.

“I-It wasn’t… eek! You’re not fat!” Freed was laughing and shrieking as he squirmed. “It was… ack! It was an instinctual comment! EEEEEK! Stop! I was comfortable, damn it!” Laxus finally ceased his assault on Freed’s sides, leaving the rune wizard in a gasping, giggling heap on his chest. 

“I think I’m going to get some ice cream,” Freed said. “Anybody else want some?” 

“You know I can’t pass up ice cream,” Bickslow mused.

“I’ll have some,” Laxus said.

“Only if you have that vanilla one with the chocolate and caramel swirl,” Evergreen answered. 

“I’ll be back,” Freed called as he dashed into the kitchen. The sound of silverware rattling echoed into the living room. In under a minute the rune wizard returned, carrying four pint cartons of ice cream.

“The ice cream parlor had these on sale the other day, so I picked up one for each of us. Let’s see…” He began reading the labels and passing them out. “Superman for Bickslow, Chocolate Caramel Sundae for Ever, Raspberry Rumble for me, and Lightning Strike for Laxus.” Instead of giving Laxus his own container, Freed gave him the rasperry.

“This is yours,” the dragon slayer corrected.

“I know,” the rune wizard simpered. “We’re supposed to be spoiling each other, remember? Now open up.” Freed had scooped some of the yellow and blue ice cream onto a spoon and was holding it out for Laxus to take. 

“This is the only reason you wanted ice cream, wasn’t it?” the dragon slayer teased, eating the ice cream off the offered spoon. He scooped a spoonful of raspberry ice cream and held it out for Freed.

“Perhaps.” Freed leaned in to take the utensil into his mouth.

”What’s Lightning Strike?” Bickslow asked. 

“Lemon ice cream with a blueberry swirl,” the dragon slayer explained. “In other words, only the best ice cream in Fiore.”

“Whatever floats your boat, man.” Bickslow watched as Freed and Laxus fed each other ice cream. He took out his phone, but made sure the flash was off this time before taking the video. Mira’s gonna love this, he thought as he sent the clip to the She-Devil over Snapchatter and posted it to his story.

They were all close to halfway done with their desserts when Laxus had a devious idea. He scooped another bite for Freed, hoping it was going to pan out like he wanted. He waited until the rune wizard’s lips grazed the edge of the spoon, then pulled it up over his top lip, smearing ice cream from Freed’s mouth to the underside of his nose.

“And the lightning strikes again!” the dragon slayer shouted triumphantly. He snorted out a laugh when he met the rune wizard’s disgruntled gaze. 

“Awe, Laxus, you just wasted ice cream!” Bickslow whined.

“Did he really?” Freed asked. The three other people in the room gave him a questioning look. Without a word, Freed poked his tongue out, then hooked it up over his lip. The tip of his tongue touched the tip of his nose, and he drug the moistened appendage between his nostrals, effectively removing all traces of ice cream.

“NO!” Bickslow yelled in disbelief. “HOW?! HOW ARE YOU ABLE TO DO THAT?!”

“Why is that so surprising?” the rune wizard queried. “You can almost touch your eyeball with your tongue.”

“You know how much nasty stuff comes out of there!” Bickslow exclaimed in a very Freed-sounding voice. “Gross!”

“Says the one who licks his own face,” Laxus countered, preparing another spoonful for Freed.

“I guess,” Bickslow agreed. “But still! Freed’s always the one telling me what’s sanitary, but here he is, doing something he told me was nasty! Injustice!”

“I only did it to see your reaction,” the rune wizard confessed, resting his legs over Laxus’s thighs. “But believe it or not, I do some sort-of-nasty things every now and then.”

“Like what? Leave your dirty clothes on the bathroom floor?” Evergreen chided, rolling her eyes.

“Precisely.” He ate another bite of ice cream. “And there was that one mission I went on with Laxus where we didn’t get to shower for like four days. My hair was really greasy after that.” He shivered at the memory of running his hands through his scalp on the third day; he could almost feel the ghostly presence of oiliness between his fingers.

“Okay, let’s not talk about nasty shit while we’re eating food,” Laxus cringed. “Some of us like to enjoy our cheat days.”

“Yeah yeah,” Bickslow replied exasperatedly.

“So what’s on your agenda for today?” Evergreen asked the pair on the other couch.

“We’re just gonna chill out here for the day,” Laxus replied.

“Okay. I suppose we can get out of your hair after we’re done with ice cream.”

“What did you guys come over for?” Freed inquired. “Was there something you needed?”

“We just came to check on you,” Bickslow said. “You know; to make sure you guys were okay again.”

“I think we’re okay,” the dragon slayer assured, pulling the rune wizard against him. “It was nice of you to drop by, though. There’s never a dull moment when your Thunder Legion is together, right Freed?”

The rune wizard nodded in agreement. “Definitely, but it’s never quite complete without you around.” 

The group chatted for a while, finishing off the last of their frozen treats before the other Thunder Legion members took their leave. Once again it was just Freed and Laxus, cuddled up on the couch under a blanket. They ordered a delivery of pizza and breadsticks, which they ate on the couch as their movie marathon extended into the late hours of the night.

Laxus gasped as he looked out the window. “Whoa. When did it get dark?”

“No idea,” Freed replied as he yawned. “It’s got to be getting late, though.”

“It felt good to have a lazy day for a change.” The dragon slayer rested a hand on Freed’s hip. “Wish I could’ve taken you somewhere, though.”

“Trust me, I’m completely content with laying on the couch for a day. We rarely get a day for ‘just us’ anymore, you know? And it’s even more rare to find time to relax like this.” The rune wizard turned around in his partner’s lap so that he could wrap his arms on those burly shoulders.

“But?” Laxus saw a naughty gleam in Freed’s eyes. What was he up to?

“But…” Freed’s hand slid slowly down the dragon slayer’s chest. “If you… wanted to get some ‘exercise’ in for today so you don’t feel lazy… I might be up for that.”

Laxus touched the rune wizard’s forehead with his own, their breaths ghosting against each other’s lips. “You know I can’t deny my demon what he wants.”

“Of course I know,” Freed replied in a sultry tone. “After all, you know I like to spoil you in every way.” He whimpered as a hot mouth pressed against his neck, a shiver tingling down his spine. Then their lips met, a long, heated prequel for the workout to come.

Sometimes spoiling was done with gestures and words. Other times it might be with a favorite treat or a day for just the two of them. And when it’s neither of those… well, Laxus and Freed would mentally apologize to their neighbors if they were to hear anything that happened. No matter what form spoiling came in, they always ended up happier and more in love than they ever thought possible.

**************

Wow, so this took a veeeeeeeeeeeeeeery long time. I kinda decided last minute to put days 6 and 7 together, more because I kind of suffered through this and I feel like I’m already super late on the submission, so yeah… hope it’s not too sloppy and hard to follow.