The Rajinshuu decorated for Christmas
-
On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
"What are you doing?"
Laxus froze in place, his tongue halfway out, just about to touch the metallic sticks of the Christmas lights' cable.
He looked up to see Freed leaning against the doorway, arms crossed over his chest.
"Uhh..." Laxus desperately picker his mind for an answer that wasn't licking an outlet plug. "Setting up the Christmas lights?"
Freed's lips pressed together, and his brows arched up. "Hmm, is that so?"
"Yeah, Ever ditched me to go sneak her boyfriend in." As soon as Laxus said that he heard shocked exclamations coming from down the hall. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Way to be subtle.
"Ooh Ever's gotta boyfriend!" Bixlow sang like a kindergartener that had just tattled on someone, and was proud of it. "Boyfriend! Boyfriend! Boyfriend!" His babies repeated, as they bobbed drunkenly around the room.
One of the dolls floated down the hall, a beat later there was a large crash sound accompanied by a very unladylike shriek.
Heels angrily stomped on the floor and Evergreen stormed into the room, her hair tousled and glasses askew, Bixlow's totem doll cackling like an evil chipmunk.
Laxus took a step back before Evergreen could plow through him, because she would. The pissed woman grabbed Bixlow by the collar, practically spitting venom, there was a reason she was often compared to Medusa. "You are dead."
"Where's Elfman?" Bixlow asked, not at all bothered by the outburst of violence. His eyes danced with amusement between the slits in his helmet.
"Window! Window! Window!" Bixlow's babies spiraled around, and then mimicked a fall.
Bixlow's jaw dropped. "Holy shit Ever! Did you push him out the window?"
"I'll push you out the window!" Evergreen snarled, and Bixlow burst out laughing, and she shoved him away. Bixlow stumbled back, then tripped over the couch, and fell.
Evergreen's mouth twitched with satisfaction as the way he choked on his laughter as his chest connected with the wooden floor. But that wouldn't stop Bixlow, he was laughing and laughing, rolling around on the floor as if there was a squirrel in his pants. Evergreen scowled, going from satisfied to raging as she yelled at Bixlow for acting like a child who overdosed on sugar.
Seeing his chance, Laxus slipped out the living room, taking solace in the much quieter hall. He could still hear Evergreen and Bixlow going at it, but the voices were much more subdued. He really needed his headphones right now, but they'd been confiscated so Laxus would 'socialize'. The whole idea was disgusting, he didn't even know why he agreed to having a Christmas party in the first place.
"Laxus." Oh there's the reason for the Christmas party now. Freed appeared at his side, a gentle but firm hand on his shoulder. How did Freed always sneak up on him?
For whatever reason Laxus never heard him coming, sometimes he'd smell him, Freed liked his expensive cologne, but he had never once heard Freed's footfalls. Was there a rune for silence? If so Laxus wanted Freed to slap one over Bixlow's mouth.
"Hey." Laxus' greeting came out rough, and he cringed. He quickly cleared his throat, right now it was scratchy mess. "Sorry, didn't mean for that to come out to harsh. You know how the cold is on the sinuses."
Freed frowned. "You sure it's just the cold? Is you're chest congested again? Is your mouth bloody?"
"I'm fine."
"Laxus."
"I'll live."
Freed glared and Laxus shrugged, the second part wasn't a lie, hopefully.
Freed's uncovered eye continued to bore into him, it was unnerving. Laxus felt his limbs stiffen as he waited to turn to stone, but Freed wasn't Evergreen, his eyes didn't turn people to stone. Even if they did he'd never use it against Laxus. Freed was much too loyal for his own good, it was the only fault he had, besides that giant stick he kept wedged up his ass.
"I'll go make some soup, make yourself useful and get the Christmas ornaments down from the attic." Freed turned and walked away, his green ponytail swishing behind him. He didn't even spare Laxus a glance.
Okay, Laxus' original count of Freed's faults was off. Bossy, obviously needed to be added to the list. Still Laxus could only count the flaws on one hand, overly loyal, stuck up, and bossy.
However, with Freed's strength, even if he was an octopus mutation he wouldn't have enough hands. Strong, smart, perceptive, calm, collected, dedicated, determined- the word 'bull-headed' also came to mind.
So did gorgeous, and Laxus thoughts took an even warmer turn, remembering what a 'nice ass' Freed had. Laxus had admired it many times, but he'd never been caught, if he did he would probably die on the spot.
'Nice ass, nice ass, nice ass.' The thought swirled around in his brain, as if one of Bixlow's dolls was chanting it in his ear.
Laxus shook his head, and made his way to do as Freed asked. He grabbed the cord hanging from the ceiling, yanking it down and revealing the folding staircase. He trudged up the wooden steps, and coughed as he shouldered his way through the tiny hole in the ceiling.
Laxus lifted his foot off the top step and slowly lowered it onto the attic floor. He knew he was a big guy, and the last thing he wanted was to fall through. Freed would probably have a cow, Laxus chuckled to himself, then went off to find the ornaments.
The attic was cluttered with plastic storage containers and cardboard boxes. It was also very cramped, Laxus had to stoop down to avoid bonking his head. He made his way through the attic, avoiding crushing boxes with his "giant man feet" as Evergreen called them.
Dust wafted through the air, visible thanks to the attic's warm lighting. Laxus buried his nose in the crook of his arm and tried his best to fight down the cough turning in his throat.
Laxus must've been taking forever because Freed's cowlicks poked out the entrance hole, followed by his head. His face was pinched and in his hands was a bowl of steaming soup, it was enough to make Laxus's stomach grumble.
Freed looked at Laxus, and his empty hands. "Having trouble?"
"You didn't specify where the ornaments were, and I'm still looking."
Freed sighed, shaking his head at what a useless man baby he'd been saddled with. Freed picked his way through the attic, then rested his hand atop a plastic tub filled to the brim with ornaments and wrapping paper. "You were saying?"
"That's not fair, you knew where they were." Laxus protested as he made his way over to the box of ornaments, ready to play pack mule and bring them downstairs.
But before he could grab it, the box disappeared in a cloud of purple runes. Laxus turned to glare at Freed. "If you could just do that then why did you send me up here?"
"To keep you occupied." Freed placed the warm bowl of soup in Laxus' hands. "You refuse to rest so I might as well give you something to do that wouldn't strain you."
Laxus' brows shot up. "Wouldn't strain me? I'm pretty sure the dust up here is gonna send me to an early grave."
Freed rolled his eyes, and started to fix Laxus' attire, folding down his collar and buttoning the buttons on his rolled up sleeves. "Someone's feeling dramatic today."
"You guys are dramatic all the time, it's only fair I get to be a bit dramatic every once and awhile." Laxus huffed and Freed chuckled, ruffling his hair.
"I think you've earned some drama time. Now eat your soup."
"Yes, mother."
Freed didn't even flinch at the tease, having heard it one to many times to be affected. "If I'm your mother then do what I say and eat your soup."
Laxus knew not to poke the 'mama bear' he did as told and obediently started to eat his soup. Freed watched all the while, as if Laxus spooning into his mouth was the most interesting thing he'd seen all day.
Laxus and the Rajinshuu might make fun of Freed for being bossy and acting like their mother, but there was no one else Laxus wanted watching his back. Freed was the one person in the world that had his complete trust, and Laxus knew listening to what Freed said was in his best interests.
He looked down at the almost empty bowl of soup in his hands, the knot in his chest loosened from the warm liquid he'd consumed.
Freed was right, the soup did help. Looks like the saying was true, "Mothers know best."