Broken Fairies {Fairy Tail}

Chapter 35- Stormy Mountains

Frea let out a short breath before letting her cheek come down to rest on his chest again, silver eyes flashing.

Thump

She heard it again as she settled her head back down, and her ear pressed against his chest with it. A soft and gentle thump that came in steady rhythm, easy to hear and feel faintly under touch, and even easier to find herself honing in on as her mind got wrapped up in it's beat.

His heartbeat was what pulled her out of sleep- the same heartbeat he'd told her focus on back in the Infirmary when she'd started to crumble, just a few months ago now. And just like back then she found herself focusing on it without really meaning to, the rhythm of it just the same as it had been- steady, strong, and so calming too... It wasn't just the sound of his heart that had that effect though.

Frea let out a quiet sigh at the thought, her eyes drooping despite herself as she did.

No, calming was just this all around. Being here in his place, on that couch, with her person all tangled up with his and not a shred of the concept of personal space to be had... Here where he'd brought her after saving her a situation she was in no good place to be put in, sticking close, being attentive, and so unbelievably nice and gentle where he rarely was with anyone- but had been more often than not with her. The same gruff, moody, strong as hell Lightning Dragon Slayer who she had known for so long, and yet the idea of something like this coming about with him had never crossed her mind. So that feeling of this being almost natural was all the more surprising.

But surprising or not, that was the truth of it, and truth still even when she couldn't make much sense of it then, or come to terms with how it could have come about, or when really. She didn't know, couldn't place it to a specific time or reason why- and it mattered little.

Because this... This feels right.

Thump-thump

She blinked slowly, the thump of Laxus' heart suddenly interrupted with the quick interjection of her own heart skipping in her chest in the quake of the thought... Or truth she supposed, and one dancing on the edge of a larger whole that still seemed to flit above her just out of reach. Something buried deep and there suddenly where she'd not known of it until just recently, something she couldn't name or place but something that almost yearned to be named. Something that yearned and pushed at her center with even more a fervor as she took in a breath of air and his scent flooded her nose, prickling and sweet with a sudden twinge of open earth and sky to it- and so suddenly intoxicating where it never had been.

Seriously, why have I never noticed he smelled this good before now...?

She hummed faintly to herself for the question but let it go. She had no mind to question the scent too much, nor that unknown thing stirring in her center. Her head and her senses were foggy still with drowsiness that kept firm hold on her with the help of the warmth of the embrace she and Laxus were stuck in, and the still persistent beating rhythm of his heart in her ears. All she really wanted to do was let herself linger in the calm and bliss of the moment- of which both sensations were sorely needed after all the turmoil as of late, and with the sleeplessness spurred by being wound up too tight and hounded by nightmares.

There had been no nightmares this time around though, not the whole while through and it had clearly been several hours, given the sun was now starting to set outside. She'd managed to get some sleep without being stalked by awful things, or getting dragged under the surface of water and memory. Instead she'd not even dreamed, her mind had fallen into a warm haze of sheer nothing that was much more calming than nothing should ever really be.

No dreams, no nightmares, just calm emptiness and warmth settling on a torn and frayed mind and body that needed nothing but that relief it brought. Just like it had brought, back in Adgnei and after crumbling and confessing so many things she never thought she would.