Somewhere around three o'clock the whole town got scared when suddenly lightning hit down from bright blue sky and thundering filled the air. Laxus straightened himself, standing in front of Makarov's house and he walked past the port, opening the door.
"Oh, so you finally came", Makarov said when the blond haired dragon slayer stepped in. "Freed said you would come."
"Where's Freed? And Felix?" Laxus growled and there was a big vein throbbing on his neck. It was a miracle he was able to do as Freed had told and take care that the train would leave with Levy and Gajeel aboard. Thankfully there wasn't others who were feeling dizzy or anything else suspicious.
"Don't worry, everything is fine", Makarov assured trying to calm his grandson. He would only scare the kids if he stepped in front of them looking like he was ready to explode.
"Levy said that Humphrey guy was after Felix."
"Seems like Humphrey was making fun of you guys. At least for now", Makarov huffed. "Felix is fine and there hasn't been anything unusual happening here."
Laxus sighed relieved. He could of course smell Felix and Freed both of them, but hearing that everything really was alright was what he really needed. But after sniffing some more, there was something that made him feel uneasy.
He stepped at the entrance of the living room and peeked in. It seemed like tthe kids were playing a board game, Felix sitting on Freed's lap. The rune mage still had a blanket around him and he was sleeping against the back of the couch.
"He's sick", Laxus grunted. "I can smell it."
"He fell asleep only moments ago, refused to go in bed", Makarov explained looking in the living room as well. "He almost hurt himself when flying over in that cold weather in mountains. He needs some rest, but he should be just fine after few days."
Laxus stepped in the living room and Felix noticed him.
"Dad", he said happily. "You came home too."
"Yeah", Laxus nodded and he smiled slightly. Felix really was okay, it lessened the tension in his shoulders. "Don't wake up mama."
"We told him he should go to bed but he didn't want to", Felix huffed looking at the green haired man who was sleeping soundly. "He said he would wait until dad would be home too."
"Well, I'm here now", Laxus said. "So let's go tuck mama in bed."
"Are we gonna stay here with Gramps?"
"Yeah, it's easier that way", Laxus said and Felix slid off from Freed's lap.
The lightning dragon slayer gently pulled his arms under Freed's knees and shoulders, lifting him up.
"Did he eat?" he asked as Freed's head leaned against his neck and he could feel how his body was radiating heat because of high fever. It made the rune mage look so small and fragile, he just wanted to take care of him the best he could, do whatever he could so his mate would feel better soon.
"We had lunch an hour ago", Chester said. "He ate something as well."
"Good", Laxus nodded and he turned.
He carried Freed up the stairs and Felix opened a door for him in the bedroom. It was Laxus' own room he used when visiting Makarov and sometimes he had lived there when Ivan was away doing... Whatever the hell he had been doing.
There was one more room for Roxanne and Vellanja, while Felix and Chester slept in this one. Makarov of course had his own bedroom.
There was a bed big enough for two in Laxus' old room and he laid his husband on it. He was worried when seeing his pale skin sweating so much.
"Go tell Gramps that I need water and a towel", Laxus said and Felix nodded, leaving the room.
While waiting, Laxus removed the shirt and pants, leaving Freed only in his briefs. He got another blanket from the closet and made sure Freed was feeling comfortable. Soon Makarov came over with a bowl filled with warm water and a towel, leaving them alone.
Gently Laxus wiped Freed's skin, admiring again how perfect he looked even when he was so sweaty and obviously sick. It was like Freed simply couldn't look imperfect no matter what. He drenched the towel in water again, squeezed most water out and kept cleaning his mate.
He stopped when he saw now faint scar on his beautiful skin. It was a scar Laxus knew very well as it was on Freed's lower part of stomach. He remembered how troubled he had been at first, thinking Laxus would think it looked hideous. But how could he hate it since it was due something amazing? At first Freed had covered it with runes just like he covered those other scars he had, but stopped doing that when Laxus managed to assure him there was nothing wrong with having that scar. It didn't make him look foul or disgusting, it never would.
Carefully Laxus turned Freed to lie on his side and he started to clean his back. He frowned when looking at the skin there, moving towel along with it. He had seen those few other scars Freed had, they were pretty big but now faint, yet Freed still covered them. There wasn't really any extraordinary stories behind those scars, or at least Freed told Laxus that they had been caused during his training. More precicely, when he was trying to first time take over Valdeghar's form and it ended up him clawing himself.
Laxus cleaned rest of his body and then laid Freed back on his back and pulled the covers over him, making sure he wouldn't feel cold. Then he went to throw away the water.
"You should eat something too", Roxanne said but Laxus shook his head. "I didn't ask, I commanded. You sit down, there's plenty of stew left", the old woman said opening a lid from the pot.
After eating something Laxus went back to their room and he hung Freed's coat in the closet since they were going to stay over. He was just about to close the doors when he noticed something sticking out of one of the red coat's pockets. A card? Two actually.
Laxus took out the cards. Were these the ones Humphrey sent? He frowned and read them through. After that, he was more confused what the hell had happened. A kiss? What the fuck was Humphrey meaning with a kiss? Since when did he have a chance to kiss Freed?!
A massive amount of jealousy and overprotectiveness instantly lifted its ugly head inside the Thunder God and his hair was emitting sparks. Did that douchebag touch his mate? Freed wouldn't tell him, he was probably embarrassed and scared how Laxus would react. Did he do more than just kiss him? Laxus wasn't stupid enough to actually even consider that Freed would have done something like that out of his own free will. He'd rather die than betray Laxus!
But still... He hadn't mentioned anything about this. Did something happen that time when Humphrey and Ichabod attacked Naava Town? When Humphrey collared the rune mage? Now that he thought about it, it most likely was around then. Like hell Freed would easily let someone do something like that to him!
But how? How did he manage to kiss him? If he really did do that, did something else happen too? Laxus grunted and crumbled those cards inside his fist, trying to calm himself. He wasn't mad at Freed. There were questions he wanted him to answer to – not yet though, not before he was feeling better - but he wasn't mad. Freed would never cheat on him. It was that Humphrey who caused everything and in that moment Laxus decided he would hunt that man down no matter what. He would make him suffer for touching his mate like that.
Laxus tossed the crumbled cards away and he sat on the bed beside Freed. He looked at him, gently moving few green strands from his face. He would make damn sure Humphrey would never get near Freed again. This explained all the uneasines Laxus had felt for a while. He knew that something wasn't right with Freed. It was his instincts trying to tell him that someone had tried to take his mate from him. It was a horrible and angering to even think about something like that to happen.
If only Freed wasn't sick, Laxus would have kissed him, caressed him, claimed him and done all that again just to assure himself that Freed really was here and wouldn't leave him. Oh god he wanted to claim him so bad! Freed was his and no one else had the right to even touch his gorgeous skin or sniff his beautiful green hair! Laxus knew he was thinking too possessively, but right now it was how he felt!
The lightning dragon slayer laid down next to Freed and pulled him in his embrace. Right now the most important thing was for Freed to get better. After that... Well, they would see what would happen after that.
It was dark in the room when Freed woke up finally. His body felt heavy and he was not strong enough to get up. His head hurt slightly and he opened his eyes, looking around. Laxus was sleeping just beside him, his arms around Freed and that made him chuckle. On the floor, Felix and Chester shared a spare futon and both were in a deep sleep.
Freed noticed a jug on his nightstand and he reached out to pour some water in a glass. Him moving woke up Laxus instantly.
"You're awake?" he grunted still half-asleep.
"I just woke up", Freed said taking the glass. "You can keep sleeping, I'm not going anywhere."
"Good, because I wouldn't let you go anywhere even if you wanted", Laxus grumbled turning on his side towards Freed. "You need more sleep."
"I was just feeling thirsty. How long have I slept?"
"It's three in the morning now", Laxus said looking at the old clock on his nightstand. "You've slept twelve hours."
"That's... A lot."
"Not enough. Go back to sleep, babe."
Freed sighed and gave up, settling back on the bed. He smiled a bit when strong arms wrapped around him and he touched Laxus' skin that felt a bit cool since his skin was so warm.
In the next day Freed was feeling better already. At least he did his very best to seem like he was back to normal but there was no way to trick Laxus.
"At least I'm well enough to go home", Freed said while sitting on a bed. "And you should go to the guild and see what's the situation now."
"Erza can take care of that", Laxus grunted. "It's easier here anyway since Gramps can keep an eye on Felix."
"So why don't we ask if Felix could stay here and we go home?" Freed sighed. "I don't feel comfortable staying here while sick, I don't want that they might get sick as well because of me", he said as he lifted his feet from the bed, touching the cold floor.
"Freed -" Laxus started annoyed because of such stubborness but then he thought about it more. With Felix staying here, they could be just the two of them. He really liked that idea right now.
Freed looked at Laxus confused at first but quickly he realised what he was thinking and sighed while getting up. He was still feeling slightly weary, but at least he could walk. He would be fine after resting this day.
"Don't get any weird ideas", he said and took his clothes, starting to get dressed.
"I didn't get any weird ideas..." Laxus murmured.
"You did, I can see it from your face. I will go home, brew some tea, maybe take a shower and rest more. You are going to the guild."
"Yeah, yeah, got it", Laxus grunted finally giving up. Guess he really had to go see what was the situation, no matter if he didn't like it. He only wanted to follow Freed and help him with whatever he needed. Just stay there alone together in their house...
Oh shit, he really was getting weird ideas. Freed was sick, of course they couldn't do stuff like that, he had to control himself more.
It wasn't a surprise that Makarov had nothing against it that Felix and Chester would stay over maybe one or two more days. It all depended when Freed would feel better. Felix was of course against the idea, he wanted to come with them and help Freed get better as well. But after a long talk – crying, yelling, clinging – Freed and Laxus finally managed to get out of the house.
"I'll just go check what's the situation and I will come home right after that", Laxus said as they were standing in an intersection, from where Laxus would continue his way towards the guild house and Freed would take his own way towards their house.
"Alright, but make sure everything really is alright", Freed said. "I want to know how Levy is feeling."
"I'll do that", Laxus promised and kissed his husband lovingly, before they both took their own streets.
While walking home, Freed bought few things they needed. Most likely he wouldn't even get that much appetite that he would want to make some proper food so he might as well buy something so they could just make sandwiches. They were easy and even Laxus could do those.
Soon he stepped in their little front yard and reached his hand to open the lock from the door with his runes, when suddenly his whole body felt like it lost some strength, almost making him fall down. He felt dizzy, leaning against the door and keeping his eyes shut.
Was his fever rising again? It was more than possible, it wasn't a good idea to walk around while sick after all. It never was. He was so glad that Laxus wasn't here right now or the lightning dragon slayer would just worry too much and make a big fuss about this.
Finally the rune mage straightened himself, opened the door and stepped inside. He brought the bag in the kitchen but at that time he was already feeling dizzy again and he had to sit down for a while. Once he would be able to get up again, he should probably try and contact with Porlyusica. What if he was infected too because of that mold? It was always a possibility. Levy had said he felt dizzy too, was she feeling like this right now as well?
Freed groaned and he forced himself to get on his feet. He would not give up. He stumbled and took some support from the wall as he was heading towards the living room, but after few steps he realised he was already falling on the floor. His body was too heavy. His vision was getting darker and he felt the impact of his body hitting the floor but at that point he was already lost enough not to care.
It was warm when Freed started to wake up again. He felt disoriented, not sure if he was sick or not and he was wondering why it was so dark. Was it night already? After pondering that for a while Freed noticed it was because he hadn't yet opened his eyes.
The rune mage fluttered his eyes open and everything seemed fuzzy at first. He was staring at the ceiling and when he lowered his gaze he saw sharp, orange eyes clearly through all the fog. They were staring at him with worry.
Little by little Freed's vision got better and he realised that Laxus had obviously came home and carried him upstairs to their bedroom. It was really thoughtful and it made Freed smile slightly as he stared at his Thunder God. Laxus was taking care of him.
"How are you feeling?" Laxus asked, not too loud if Freed's head was hurting.
He had came after Freed instantly when he felt how something was wrong. He couldn't really explain it, but he just knew that he had to go after Freed immediately and he had found his mate lying on the floor at their home.
"A bit better", Freed almost whispered, still trying to wake up completely but it was like some part of his brain just refused to wake up. "I'm sorry if I scared you."
"Don't worry about that", Laxus said gently caressing Freed's cheek with his thumb. "I just want you to get better."
"I will", Freed hummed, lifting his hand and touching Laxus' hand that was caressing his face. "I already feel better", he assured, kissing the palm of Laxus' big hand. Just having Laxus around made him feel a lot better.
Laxus watched at the rune mage who was kissing his hand, feeling the warmth of his body. Without thinking he lowered his head, kissing Freed's neck, caressing his torso with his other hand. He really, really wanted Freed. He wanted to be gentle, claim him but not wear him out so his fever wouldn't come back. But he shouldn't do that, he should leave Freed alone so he could rest and get better.
Laxus was just about to pull back when suddenly hands wrapped around his neck and Laxus almost lost his senses when he felt hot lick on his ear. Oh shit! Freed was definitely in a mood!
"Freed", Laxus almost stuttered beccause of such a sneaky attack that made all the blood rush down. "You're still sick."
"I'm feeling better", Freed assured while nibbling Laxus' ear, feeling how the lightning dragon slayer was trembling because he was doing his ultimate best to fight against the temptation. Yes, he knew they probably shouldn't do this but he didn't really care. As long as Laxus stayed beside him, he knew everything would be alright.
"Fuck..." Laxus growled trying to force himself to get up and walk away but it was easier said than done. It would definitely not feel good enough to just jerk off in a bathroom or something.
"We don't have to be wild", Freed purred sensually, letting his hand travel on Laxus' chest, caressing those amazing muscles. "Let's be gentle, do it slowly and enjoy each other."
Laxus hissed and he just couldn't resist. Who the hell could resist it when Freed was sounding so lusty?
"Don't blame me later if you feel too exhausted to do anything", he grunted and Freed chuckled lifting his leg on Laxus hip, pulling him closer.
"I won't", he assured, kissing him.