It felt like it took forever but finally they arrived at Laxus' house.
"For a moment I thought we would never arrive", Freed sighed and took off his boots. "If you would have let me walk normally or at least use my leg even a little bit -"
"Porlyusica said you should rest it", Laxus said and put his coat on the rack and Freed did same. "And you refused when I offered to carry you."
"It wouldn't have killed me to use my leg even a little", the rune mage said. "We would have arrived faster."
"Well we are here now."
Freed limped on the kitchen and opened the fridge.
"Good, Bicks haven't been here", he smiled and lifted the stew on the table.
"You did that?" Laxus asked.
"Yes, yesterday at dinnertime. It should be still okay."
"I'll heat this up, you go sit on the chair", Laxus said and moved the stew pot above the stove.
"You know what? I might just do that", Freed chuckled and let himself to slump on the chair in the living room. "I'm still exhausted because of yesterday."
"Now you have three days to rest."
"Two or three days."
"Three days."
"But if two days is enough -"
"Three days", Laxus said stubbornly and Freed huffed.
"I hope Ever and Bicks won't get disappointed", the green haired mage said. "Maybe they had already planned something."
"It can wait. And speak of the devil", Laxus murmured and almost at the same second the door flew open.
"Baby! You okay?!" Bickslow shouted and Freed gasped when he was pulled in a tight hug. "You guys have been missing since yesterday! Max just told me he saw you two walking in the street and you were using a cane!"
"Owie! Poor Freed!" his dolls wailed and one snuggled against Freed's cheek. "Don't cry!"
"I'm fine, Bicks", the rune mage sighed and pushed 'babies' aside. "My ankle just got strained."
"It was broken", Laxus corrected. "Bicks, hands off", he snarled and Bickslow quickly let go of Freed.
"Sorry. So, did you guys go see Porlyusica?" the seith mage asked.
"Yes, Laxus insisted", Freed nodded.
"Where were you two? In a honeymoon?" Bickslow grinned and his dolls giggled.
"Not exactly", Freed said and shivered when remembering that horrible island and what it held inside.
"We were at the Beetlenest Island", Laxus explained.
"What?! How you managed to drag Freed there?" Bickslow asked surprised.
"Actually I didn't know what there was before I got there", Freed huffed. "But enough about that. Why were you trying to find us?"
"Oh, nothing serious. We were thinking with Ever if we could go to a mission all of us. We found this really good one where we need to help one rich geezer go safely to the other town and we will get three nights there in a good hotel near the beach for free and a good amount of cash."
"Sounds actually really nice", Freed hummed with approval.
"And it's not until two weeks from now so you guys have enough time to concentrate on this mating season first", Bicks grinned making Freed blush.
"Good, otherwise I wouldn't agree with it", Laxus just stated without hesitation.
"So it's settled. What are we eating?" Bicks asked curiously. "Who did this stew?"
"Freed."
"Okay, then I'm hungry", tall man with helmet grinned and grabbed a plate.
"Who said you can have any?" Laxus said but with playful tone.
"Freed always makes enough for all of us, right baby?" Bicks said looking at Freed who crossed his arms.
"Old habits die hard", the rune mage smiled. "There should be plenty for us so no one remains hungry."
"That's our captain", Bickslow grinned and filled his plate while Laxus brought one to Freed. The Tiki dolls landed on the coffee table and settled there.
"So what have you been doing, Bicks?" Freed asked and looked at the dolls. They seemed unnaturally tired. Or as tired as dolls possibly could look.
"Oh, nothing", Bicks grinned. "Nothing you should worry."
"Why are you saying I shouldn't worry?" Freed asked narrowing his eyes.
"Uh oh..." the mage with visor suddenly gasped when he glimpsed outside of the window.
"Bickslow!" they could hear Ever's angry shout and again the door was almost ripped off from it's frame. "I'm going to freaking murder you!" brunette yelled and Bickslow did his best to hide behind Laxus – it didn't work well since he was slightly taller than the Thunder God. His dolls jolted and hid behind Freed's chair, trembling there in fear.
"Ever, what did he do now?" Freed sighed just eating his meal. This wasn't anything unusual in their team.
"Freed, glad you're home sweetie", Ever smiled but that smile turned cold and deadly when she glared back at Bickslow. "That bonehead blew up my wardrobe!" she screamed pointing at Bickslow.
"Blew up... Bicks, how on earth you managed to do that?" Freed asked confused.
"I only needed to borrow quickly one thing -"
"Please, don't tell us what you were going to borrow from Ever's wardrobe and why", Laxus snorted.
"You had no permission to enter my room! Or go through my clothes!" Ever screamed furiously. "No man has never permission to go pry on lady's wardrobe! Even you should understand that much!"
"But it doesn't count if it's not really a lady's wardrobe, baby", Bickslow cackled and was hit in the face by a shoe.
"Bickslow", Freed said before there would erupt bigger fight in the house. "Ever's right. What you did was utterly wrong. We agreed in the rules when we moved in that house and one of the rules was that we should respect each others personal space. You broke that rule."
"I'm sorry, Freed", Bickslow said quickly. It would never end well if you ended up breaking one of Freed's rules. Even Laxus followed those rules carefully. "I can fix that wardrobe for her."
"You will most definitely do that", Freed said.
"And then we can be buddies again?" the blue haired seith mage asked with a glimpse of hope in his voice and his dolls peeked behind Freed's chair.
"Come up with some really juicy punishment, Freed", Ever giggled. Freed might not like it when someone broke his rules but he sure did enjoy too much when he could come up with different punishments.
Freed smiled slightly what made Bickslow sweat.
"Today you will fix Ever's wardrobe", Freed finally said. "And tomorrow you will spend all day with Ever in the town shopping."
"That's just cruel, man!" Bickslow whined and Laxus shivered.
"That's what happens when you break the rules. And you will carry everything and pay everything. And you will not whine or complain while doing so."
"But then she's gonna spend all of my money!"
"Unfair! Freed's cruel!" 'babies' scolded.
"You destroyed all of her clothes", Freed reminded with adamant tone. "So it's only fair that you replace them."
"Thank you Freed!" Ever chirped and hugged Freed with joy. "Will you come with us tomorrow? I know this new place where you could find new shirts that will go great with your look. I could buy you a new shirt as a gift", she purred.
"Hey! It's me who's paying!" Bickslow growled annoyed.
"I know, but it's still a gift from me", Ever smirked smugly.
"He can't go with you guys, he needs to rest", Laxus said and brought second helping of food for Freed and sat down to eat his own. "Porlyusica said he shouldn't use his leg too much for three days."
"Only couple of hours won't hurt me", Freed said. "It's not like I can't use my leg at all and you know it."
"No and that's final", Laxus decided and for a moment there was a silence in the living room. Ever and Bickslow didn't know if this was good or bad, Laxus being so overprotective. Freed wasn't exactly a person who was used of being taken care of instead of taking care of the others.
Freed sighed. This was not the best situation to have a conversation about Laxus' ridiculous behaviour so he just let it go.
"How did you guys find this escort mission?" he asked so they could move into the next topic before the atmosphere was completely ruined.
"I got really lucky, I happened to be near when Mirajane was pinning the new mission sheets on the board", Bickslow explained and he also took second helping of food. Ever decided to join them. "I grabbed it in the instant I saw it."
"We're lucky! We're good!" his dolls snickered smugly.
They ate and chatted what they would do in those three days in the beach and hotel. Ever couldn't wait to get to go sunbathing, Bickslow wanted to go snorkelling and build sandcastles. Even Laxus sounded exited, saying how it would be nice to explore the surroundings at the beach. Freed of course could hardly wait to go through all the book stores in the town and then read the books while sitting under the sunshade. And of course Bicks and Laxus were also wondering if there might be a casino in the town.
Greenette put the empty plate on the coffee table and yawned and stretched.
"I think I'm going to take a hot bath", he decided and carefully stood up. "I'm glad I packed my lavender oil in my bag yesterday. Nothing else could possibly untangle this mess", he sighed and brushed his green hair with his fingers. It wasn't in that bad of a condition since he braided it for the night but still.
"I'll go make your bath ready", Ever offered walking in the bathroom.
"Thank you, Ever", Freed smiled. "So maybe I should do -"
"I'll do the dishes", Bickslow grinned and grabbed all the plates and skipped to the kitchen.
"So what am I supposed to do?" Freed said confused.
Finger snatched his belt loop and he was pulled on Laxus' lap.
"You can sit here in the couch with me", blond grinned. "And after the bath I wanna see you wearing my clothes again", he whispered making Freed blush rapidly.
"Laxus, I have my own pair of change..."
"Who cares. You look better in my clothes and it's not like you're going somewhere today."
Freed had no idea how he should take that comment. Was Laxus planning something?
Bath was set ready and Freed took his towel and pair of changes with him, closing the door after him. Voices from the living room got muffled quite well and that was fine, Freed really needed some time in his own thoughts.
He dropped his clothes in the laundry basket and put his towel on the hook on the wall. Then finally he could sank on the bathtub, sighing when his body finally started to relax. He planned to soak himself here until water would turn cold. This was exactly what he needed so he could forget all those ugly insects from yesterday...
He opened his turquoise eyes when he recalled what they spoke with Laxus then. And immediately his face turned bright red when he remembered what he promised.
They... would do it at some point. Well, sure, it was something that would happen eventually since he did accept being Laxus' mate. But when? And how? He had absolutely no experience in this area. He had of course fantasized all kinds of things... But this was reality! He had never believed that Laxus would ever be interested at him that way so Freed never thought how things would actually go.
Freed sighed and for a moment he let himself sank under the water, green hair floating all around the surface. Should it happen spontaneously? Or should they talk about it first? Oh god, maybe Laxus thought he had already had sex with someone and waited better experience than he could offer? Maybe it would only end in awkwardness and then everything would be ruined...
Freed gasped as he had to plop his head back to surface finally. The more he thought about this, more he had questions. Has Laxus ever done it with a man? Would he wait Freed to make the first move? Should they have some good wine or food or music...
With these thoughts Freed soaked himself in the bath for a good amount of time before he finally got up. He shifted to the shower and started to clean his hair delicately, still trying to figure what he should do. Maybe he should prepare a good dinner for Laxus? It certainly didn't sound like a bad idea. He was so nervous, maybe it would help? And yeah, maybe they really should talk these things through so they both knew what to wait and how to proceed.
Yes. That was his new plan. Now he felt more confident and not that nervous. Plans and rules always helped no matter what the situation.
Freed brushed his hair and this time he decided not to tie it up and his lightning bolt cowlicks appeared neither he wanted it or not so he did nothing for them. It was nice to let his hair open for time to time.
He dressed up – his own pants and Laxus' old orange hoodie – and stepped out of the bathroom. He was ready to take on whatever taunts Bickslow would throw at him because of the too large shirt that made him appear smaller than he was, but he was surprised when he could only hear silence.
"Laxus?" Freed called when he came to the living room but didn't see his teammates. "Bicks? Ever?" He opened the door to the little backyard but no one was there. Laxus' bedroom and quest room were also empty.
Where did they go? And why didn't they say something? Was it something urgent at the Guild? If it was, as the captain of the Thunder Legion he should be present too! It wasn't like he couldn't move at all!
Freed rushed to his coat and noticed there was a note on it. He recognized immediately Laxus' handwriting.
'Freed. Old man send us a word to meet him at the Guild. You stay home, he will understand that you need rest.'
Freed narrowed his eyes. What was this? So this whole rule about how they shouldn't leave notes but tell each other face to face where they were going was not something that Laxus needed to follow? Oh he would so make sure that his mighty Thunder God would regret his decision badly.
'I repeat: You stay home. That's and order.'
Freed gritted his teeth slightly and fight back so he wouldn't tear the note apart. Laxus knew he couldn't go against his orders! But what if this was something important and he should be there to hear it? He was not immobilized!
For a moment Freed actually considered breaking Laxus' orders this one time and go to the Guild, but then he saw Bickslow's sloppy handwriting at the corner of the note.
'If you need something to do you can spend your time guessing where I hid your boots!' And then there was a strange little drawing only Bickslow could tell what it was supposed to mean. Maybe it was for the best.
Freed scrunched the note into a tiny ball and threw it in to the garbage can. He took a deep breath and sighed, rubbing his temples trying to calm down. They did not do this just to annoy him, he needed to remember that. They just wanted him to rest. They were his teammates and only wanted to take care of him like he would do to them.
But damn he was still irritated! He limped back to the living room and sat down on the couch, trying to figure what he should do now. He felt himself so useless and he didn't like it one bit. He was used to always have something to do, especially when he was annoyed of something but now he didn't even have anything to clean!
The rune mage lifted the remote and turned on the lacrimavision. At this state of mind he couldn't concentrate reading so he could as well watch some brainless show until it was time to start doing dinner.