Fraxus Week Days 6 & 7: Spoiling Each Other/ Playful Shenanigans
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 shouldnât have said and done. As much as he wanted to blame it on the rune wizardâs stubbornness and ability to overthink things, he knew the spat was no oneâs fault but his own.Â
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.Â
The actions to follow were not so discreet. The journalist began to make comments about some of Laxusâs answers, things like âWorking out every day must be what keeps those muscles so niceâ and âIâm surprised you look so young after all the trouble youâve been through in your life. They say stress makes you age faster, but you donât look a day over twenty.â When Laxus talked heâd 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?
âYou know, Iâm sure youâd be more relaxed if you had a boyfriend who was more âfun.â Donât you?â Laxus shouldâve known that this what what the guy was insinuating the entire time. The reporter leaned in, simultaneously reaching into his bag. âMy place, noon on Friday? I look forward to seeing you again.â He slid a business card into the dragon slayerâs 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.Â
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!Â
âLaxus.â Said man whipped around. A disgruntled Freed glared back at him. âIâm finished here. Letâs get back to Magnolia; I donât wish to be held up by the village swamp rats when the sun goes down.â They left the markets, quickly leaving the town behind them. Laxus had offered to carry the box of candles in Freedâs handsâ seriously, why did they need so many candles?â but the rune wizard refused. They walked in silence to their house on the edge of Magnolia, Laxus casting worried glances at his partnerâs 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 didnât 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.Â
âFreed?â Laxus asked hesitantly. âIs⌠Is something wrong?â Freed slowly turned around. His eyes glared menacingly at the dragon slayer.
âWho the fuck was that wretched hussy sitting next to you?â 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.
âHe was a news reporter. Who did you think he was? My side ho?â
âYou hate journalists. You avoid them like the plague. And you let him get awfully close to you, so yes, thatâs exactly what I think.â
âYou know, it really hurts me to think that you actually believe that Iâd ever cheat on you. After all the things weâve been through and done together, all the love and compassion Iâve given you, all of the feelings I laid out on the table, you really think that?â
âWell, when he said he wanted to meet you at his house, at five, on Friday and you didnât say anything, it really sounds like you want to take up his offer!â Laxus was incredibly scared. Sure, Freed had definitely cursed before, but him raising his voice during an arguement was even less uncommon.
âI didnât 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!â
âOh, Iâm sure.â Laxus tried to hug him, comfort him in some way, but Freed stepped away. âDonât FUCKING touch me, Laxus! If you want affection, go to that slut reporter! Youâre far more interested in what he had to offer anyway!â The rune wizard was in tears now, his face beet red from the intense anger coursing through his veins.
âFreed, you need to calm down,â the dragon slayer said urgently.Â
âFuck off, asshole!â Freed slapped Laxusâs 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.Â
âFreed, open this door,â Laxus demanded. He leaned against the door, hoping that the rune wizard would listen.
âGO TRACK DOWN THAT LECHEROUS SKANK THAT LOVES YOU SO MUCH!â Freed screamed back, his voice full of anguish.
âWhat happened that made you think Iâd ever cheat on you?!â Laxus yelled back, desperation fueling his every word. âIâm 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, Iâll do it.â
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; heâd sit outside that door the entire night, even if he had to feel his heart shatter into millions of pieces as he listened to Freedâs bawling.Â
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?Â
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 slayerâs 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 slayerâs 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 Laxusâs 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.
âDonât⌠Laxus,â Freed murmured, tossing and turning a few more times. âNo⌠Donât go with him⌠Love you⌠I⌠so wrong⌠so wrong. Donât leave.â
âBabe, wake up,â Laxus crooned, shaking his partnerâs shoulder gently. âIâm right here.â
âIâm sorry⌠Iâm sorry! Please⌠I canât lose you. Need you⌠stay⌠Donât go!â Tears fell from the rune wizardâs cheeks as he curled into a ball, clutching Laxusâs pillow even tighter than he was before. He was sweaty, his breath hitching in his chest as he began to hyperventilate.
âFreed, wake up!â The dragon slayer shouted.
Freedâs eyes shot open as he screamed, âNO!âÂ
âBabe, look at me,â Laxus urged. Turquoise eyes met his own stormy gray orbs. âIâm right here. It was just a dream. Iâm not leaving you, okay? I promise.â 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 Freedâs 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 Laxusâs lap. He clung to the blonde like a monkey, legs and arms clasped around that muscular torso.Â
âI love you, Laxus,â Freed whispered.
âI love you more,â the dragon slayer replied, kissing his partnerâs cheek. They sat like that for a while, lightning flashing outside the windows. The calming effect of the storm eased last nightâs tension from both men.
âIâm sorry I got so carried away,â the rune wizard murmured. âI 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 wouldnât 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.â Freedâs sniffling returned. âYou 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.â He was breaking down again, clinging to the bigger man with distress. âThe 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 didnât know what to do. I couldnât breathe. Everything came c-crashing down on me at one time. You didnât⌠l-love me.â 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.Â
âYouâre the only one for me, Freed Justine,â Laxus said with adoration. âI never⌠I never believed that I could have a normal life until I met you. I didnât 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 Iâd have the chance to make things right with Fairy Tail so that we could someday have a future. Shit⌠I donât even wanna think about where the hell Iâd be if I hadnât met you. Remember that when you get those crazy ideas in your head.â
âI will. Thank you, Laxus.â Freed kissed his partnerâs shoulder before raising his head to look at him.
âFeel better now?â The dragon slayer wiped away the remaining tears.
âMuch better.â The rune wizard placed a peck on Laxusâs scar. âBut I still feel like shit for making you sleep in the hallway, so I guess a day full of spoiling you is in order.â
âMmmh⌠That sounds nice. But I want you to really understand how much I love you, so Iâll have to spoil you too.â
âI wonât object to that.â Freed flattened a few unruly spikes in Laxusâs hair. âIâll go make breakfast. Iâm starving.â
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 otherâs 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 didnât take long for Freed to fall asleep, his body nestled between the dragon slayerâs legs. Laxus took that time to snap a picture of him and the rune wizard together; Freed was too adorable, sprawled across the older manâs 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 âto keep up with the goings-on in sister guildsâ). This was something he didnât do often, but after their talk that morning, he thought it would be a nice surprise for his partner to wake up to. Heâd post a picture of himself and Freed every day if it would assure the rune wizard that he couldnât 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.
âEverything must be going okay?â Evergreen asked quietly, taking off her heels.
âWhat do you mean?â Laxus queried.
âFreed texted me last night,â the fairy woman replied. âHe was incedibly distraught, but I had a feeling he was overthinking what he saw and heard.â
âYouâd be right about that. But heâs okay now, so thatâs all that matters to me.â Laxus gazed down at his partner, who had mumbled something in his sleep.
âAwe, heâs so peaceful when he sleeps,â Bickslow cooed, grabbing his phone. âLet me get a pic!â
âJust share the one I put on MageBook,â Laxus rolled his eyes, but the seith wizard had already snapped the picture of the rune wizard.Â
âOur big, softie Thunder God,â Bicks gushed.
âShut up.â 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.Â
The dragon slayer felt Freedâs arms tighten around him. He looked down, thinking the rune wizard was about to wake up, but saw a grimace on his partnerâs pristine visage instead.
âShit,â Laxus murmured. âFreed, wake up.â
âWhatâs wrong, Laxus?â Evergreen asked.
âHeâs having another nightmare,â the dragon slayer replied, shaking Freedâs shoulder. âCâmon Freed, wake up.â
âWhat do you mean, âanotherâ?â the seith wizard questioned.
âHe had one this morning, and it was really bad. Iâd rather wake him up before it gets like that again.â 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.
âSeriously, how long are these nightmares gonna last?â the rune wizard grumbled. âFool 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.â
âThatâs good.â The dragon slayer smiled and rubbed Freedâs back. âYouâre shaking. It still scared you, didnât it?â
âA little, but Iâm better now.â He leaned up to kiss Laxus, and a camera flashed.
âThis is SO going on my Pictagram,â the seith wizard gushed, his fingers already tapping away on his lacrima phone.
âNo itâs not,â Laxus replied. âSend that to me. That belongs on MageBook, on my page.â
âYou⌠Youâd really post something that lovey-dovey on your MageBook?â Freed asked, his cheeks tinged magenta.
âI tagged you in something like that today.â Laxus shrugged. âThis isnât any different. I think itâs high time I stop worrying about my badass appearance, since I donât really give a shit either way. If people donât like that, they can block me. I should be able to post whatever the hell I want, especially if it involves my family.â
While Laxus was talking, Freed opened his MageBook and checked his notifications. He clicked on the icon that said, âLaxus Dreyar tagged you in a post.â The dragon slayerâs 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 couldâve happened today.
I was kind of oblivious to Freedâs 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 didnât 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 doesnât pay to be rude and Iâd 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 reporterâs 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 Freedâs eyes for a change, replay the scenario through his point of view. Doing that made me realize how bad that mustâve 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 hadnât 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 âhusband.â 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, âThereâs no way Iâll ever give him a reason to think that heâs not enough.â Because thatâs just it; heâs more than a simple boyfriend. Heâs the thunder to my lightning, the vodka to my chaser, the fuel to my fire, and the rock to my roll. Heâs the smartest, kindest, most amazing person I could ever want.
Today is gonna be his day. Iâm gonna spoil him as much as I can just because he deserves it. My two favorite things in this world are Freedâs smile and Freedâs laugh, and Iâll make it my mission to make sure heâs 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.Â
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.
âI never wouldâve expected this,â he breathed, embracing his partner. âThank you.â
âThereâs nothing to really thank me for,â the dragon slayer replied, âbut youâre welcome. I love you.â
âI love you too.â Freed sighed contentedly. âYouâre comfy.â
âIs that a fat joke, Justine?â Laxus poked Freedâs 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 partnerâs rib cage and abdomen, he smirked at the younger manâs reaction.
âI-It wasnât⌠eek! Youâre not fat!â Freed was laughing and shrieking as he squirmed. âIt was⌠ack! It was an instinctual comment! EEEEEK! Stop! I was comfortable, damn it!â Laxus finally ceased his assault on Freedâs sides, leaving the rune wizard in a gasping, giggling heap on his chest.Â
âI think Iâm going to get some ice cream,â Freed said. âAnybody else want some?âÂ
âYou know I canât pass up ice cream,â Bickslow mused.
âIâll have some,â Laxus said.
âOnly if you have that vanilla one with the chocolate and caramel swirl,â Evergreen answered.Â
âIâll be back,â 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.
âThe ice cream parlor had these on sale the other day, so I picked up one for each of us. Letâs seeâŚâ He began reading the labels and passing them out. âSuperman for Bickslow, Chocolate Caramel Sundae for Ever, Raspberry Rumble for me, and Lightning Strike for Laxus.â Instead of giving Laxus his own container, Freed gave him the rasperry.
âThis is yours,â the dragon slayer corrected.
âI know,â the rune wizard simpered. âWeâre supposed to be spoiling each other, remember? Now open up.â Freed had scooped some of the yellow and blue ice cream onto a spoon and was holding it out for Laxus to take.Â
âThis is the only reason you wanted ice cream, wasnât it?â 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.
âPerhaps.â Freed leaned in to take the utensil into his mouth.
âWhatâs Lightning Strike?â Bickslow asked.Â
âLemon ice cream with a blueberry swirl,â the dragon slayer explained. âIn other words, only the best ice cream in Fiore.â
âWhatever floats your boat, man.â 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. Miraâs 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 wizardâs lips grazed the edge of the spoon, then pulled it up over his top lip, smearing ice cream from Freedâs mouth to the underside of his nose.
âAnd the lightning strikes again!â the dragon slayer shouted triumphantly. He snorted out a laugh when he met the rune wizardâs disgruntled gaze.Â
âAwe, Laxus, you just wasted ice cream!â Bickslow whined.
âDid he really?â 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.
âNO!â Bickslow yelled in disbelief. âHOW?! HOW ARE YOU ABLE TO DO THAT?!â
âWhy is that so surprising?â the rune wizard queried. âYou can almost touch your eyeball with your tongue.â
âYou know how much nasty stuff comes out of there!â Bickslow exclaimed in a very Freed-sounding voice. âGross!â
âSays the one who licks his own face,â Laxus countered, preparing another spoonful for Freed.
âI guess,â Bickslow agreed. âBut still! Freedâs always the one telling me whatâs sanitary, but here he is, doing something he told me was nasty! Injustice!â
âI only did it to see your reaction,â the rune wizard confessed, resting his legs over Laxusâs thighs. âBut believe it or not, I do some sort-of-nasty things every now and then.â
âLike what? Leave your dirty clothes on the bathroom floor?â Evergreen chided, rolling her eyes.
âPrecisely.â He ate another bite of ice cream. âAnd there was that one mission I went on with Laxus where we didnât get to shower for like four days. My hair was really greasy after that.â 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.
âOkay, letâs not talk about nasty shit while weâre eating food,â Laxus cringed. âSome of us like to enjoy our cheat days.â
âYeah yeah,â Bickslow replied exasperatedly.
âSo whatâs on your agenda for today?â Evergreen asked the pair on the other couch.
âWeâre just gonna chill out here for the day,â Laxus replied.
âOkay. I suppose we can get out of your hair after weâre done with ice cream.â
âWhat did you guys come over for?â Freed inquired. âWas there something you needed?â
âWe just came to check on you,â Bickslow said. âYou know; to make sure you guys were okay again.â
âI think weâre okay,â the dragon slayer assured, pulling the rune wizard against him. âIt was nice of you to drop by, though. Thereâs never a dull moment when your Thunder Legion is together, right Freed?â
The rune wizard nodded in agreement. âDefinitely, but itâs never quite complete without you around.âÂ
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. âWhoa. When did it get dark?â
âNo idea,â Freed replied as he yawned. âItâs got to be getting late, though.â
âIt felt good to have a lazy day for a change.â The dragon slayer rested a hand on Freedâs hip. âWish I couldâve taken you somewhere, though.â
âTrust me, Iâm completely content with laying on the couch for a day. We rarely get a day for âjust usâ anymore, you know? And itâs even more rare to find time to relax like this.â The rune wizard turned around in his partnerâs lap so that he could wrap his arms on those burly shoulders.
âBut?â Laxus saw a naughty gleam in Freedâs eyes. What was he up to?
âButâŚâ Freedâs hand slid slowly down the dragon slayerâs chest. âIf you⌠wanted to get some âexerciseâ in for today so you donât feel lazy⌠I might be up for that.â
Laxus touched the rune wizardâs forehead with his own, their breaths ghosting against each otherâs lips. âYou know I canât deny my demon what he wants.â
âOf course I know,â Freed replied in a sultry tone. âAfter all, you know I like to spoil you in every way.â 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 itâs 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 Iâm already super late on the submission, so yeah⌠hope itâs not too sloppy and hard to follow.Â
Iâm kinda having an art block right now as well, so if anyone is waiting for art from me, thatâs why. Itâs been one of those busy summers where thereâs just so much going on I kinda lose my drive to write and draw, and it really sucks. But Iâm trying my best. I have a few sketches that are almost finished, so hopefully I can get those up before too long. Iâm rambling now, so bye! And thanks for reading my fics!Â