Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Rain hammered at the glass like the incessant tapping of an unwanted visitor. It hadn’t stopped for days; not terribly uncommon for Magnolia summers, but enough to make Freed wonder if something had happened between Gray and Juvia.

He sighed, sliding his favorite leather bookmark between the pages before setting it on the old oak coffee table.

While Freed didn’t particularly mind going out on jobs in the rain, he much preferred the comfort of his home, sipping piping hot tea and reading and cuddling with his husband.

However, none of the requirements had been properly met; Laxus had left almost an hour ago, and his tea had gone cold and his book unread as he found himself wistfully watching the door.

He put his elbow on the armrest of the couch and rested his head cheek upon his palm. He imagined he looked like a hound waiting for his master, and felt more than a little pathetic in it. Laxus had gone out on a quick job, he should be able to enjoy the rainy day just fine without him. He had for many years before they had started dating.

Even so, he couldn’t help but feel as though something was missing.

Just then, Freed was startled by a loud clap of thunder. He sat up straight, looking out the window. He didn’t think he’d seen any lightning.

Before he could overthink it any more, he heard a loud bang as the door swung open. He practically jumped off the couch before rushing to his husband’s side.

“You’re back!”

“Miss me much?” Laxus joked.

“Always.” Freed stood on his toes to kiss the Lightning mage. As their lips pressed together, he startled at how cold and damp they were.

The Rune Mage stepped back, “Laxus, you’re soaked!”

“Have you seen the storm? Of course I am.”

“Why didn’t you take an umbrella? You’re dripping water everywhere!”

“Guess I didn’t think of it,” Laxus muttered, all the while refusing to meet Freed’s gaze, “‘Sides, we can wipe up the water.”

Freed sighed, “I’ll go get you a towel.” Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Laxus begin to take a step, “And don’t go on the carpet!”

Laxus groaned jokingly behind him.

Freed quickly fetched a towel from the linen closet, knowing Laxus wouldn’t wait long for him before deciding to trail water onto the carpets. He traced a quick rune on it before returning to the entryway.

Laxus muttered a thanks before taking the towel from him, “Did you warm this?”

“Maybe,” Freed responded.

Laxus smiled, “I’ll never understand how I snagged someone as thoughtful as you.”

“And I’ll never know how I fell in love with such a clueless oaf,” Freed fired back.

“Hey! You’re making me sound like Elfman!” Laxus protested.

Freed shrugged, “You two aren’t entirely dissimilar.”

“You mean like my sexy muscles?” Laxus asked, flexing for emphasis.

Freed smothered a laugh in his palm before lightly shoving his husband, “Just dry your hair!”

Chapter Text

It had been several hours since Gildarts’ five minutes of glory. Even so, Freed found it nearly impossible to wrap his head around everything that had happened in those mere five minutes.

Laxus was back. At least, in a literal sense.

But the Laxus who was with them now was not the man Freed had once known.

He sat beside the Lightning Dragon, the cool night breeze that foretold the coming autumn tugged at his hair as he watched the stars flicker to life in the falling twilight.

“I thought you’d be more enthused about my return.”

“I am. It’s just… hard to process, is all.”

“You can say that again,” Laxus said with a snort.

“I can only imagine how you feel about all this.”

“Since when have you been so empathetic, Freed the Dark? Has my absence really changed you that much?”

“Please don’t call me that. You know I hate that nickname.”

“Sorry.”

Freed smiled, “And I’d hardly say I’m the only one who’s changed. I can’t remember the last time I heard you use a word with four syllables.”

“Are you kidding me?”

“My apologies, that may have been a low blow.”

“The hell is that supposed to mean?” The Lightning Dragon demanded, lightly shoving the rune mage. Freed couldn’t help but laugh.

“But in all seriousness, you have changed. You’ve become far kinder and gentler.”

Laxus huffed, “You’re making big claims there. I’ve only been back in the guild for a few hours.”

“Believe me, I would know.”

“Of course you would.”

Freed tilted his head, “I’m sorry?”

“Just that… you’ve always been the one to keep an eye on me. I felt like you were always watching me.”

“Is that a good thing?”

Laxus thought for a moment, “I guess, yeah. It felt nice to have someone looking out for me.”

“Then I’m glad I could be of service.”

“It’s more than… It’s not service, Freed. I don’t want it to be service that keeps you by my side.”

“My apologies,” the rune mage responded. He was silent for a long moment before he spoke again, “What would you like it to be, then?”

“Huh?”

“What would you like our relationship to be?”

“Jeez, Freed,” Laxus sighed. He thought for a moment, unspoken desires threatening to claw their way up his throat before he cut them off, “I want it to be whatever it is. I don’t want us to be forced to be anything we aren’t.”

“I suppose that’s fair.” He was silent for a brief moment, “Would you say that our relationship has changed since your return?”

“You mean, within the last eight hours?” Laxus asked incredulously. Freed didn’t say anything, instead waiting for Laxus to answer his own question, “Yeah, I guess it has.”

“Good,” Freed said with a smile, “I’m glad it has.”

Chapter Text

Laxus had always had an unusual habit of disappearing. No matter where they were, at least once a week, he would vanish. Nobody ever bothered to question it. It was Laxus, after all.

But he'd never been gone for this long before.

"Do you think one of us should go look for him?" Bickslow asked.

"I'm sure he's got it under control." Evergreen said, waving at him dismissively, "If he needed something, he'd tell us."

Bickslow snorted, "You sure about that?"

You sure? You sure? Their babies echoed.

"Bickslow is right," Freed said, "I think I should check on him."

"You're just saying that so you can be alone with him," Evergreen retorted.

"I am not!" Freed snapped, perhaps a bit too harshly. Bickslow cackled at that. The rune mage groaned, "Fine, believe what you like, but I'm going to go make sure he's okay."

"Good luck!" Bickslow called after him as he turned to leave.

********

Freed followed the path of hastily broken branches and poorly concealed footsteps. Wherever Laxus had gone, he’d gone in a rush, but still didn’t want anyone to follow him. The rune mage chewed his lip, looking for anything that might give him so much as a clue as to what was going on.

It was well-known that Laxus liked to keep secrets and keep to himself. However, since his return from exile, this had rarely extended to the Thunder Legion. Sure, he didn’t tell them everything, but he let them in enough that they could tell when something was wrong.

As the lightning mage’s closest confidante, Freed was scared, and almost a little offended, that Laxus was keeping something from him. He just had to hope it wasn’t anything too major.

As he approached a clearing, Freed heard Laxus before he saw him. The sound of heavy, strained breathing shook Freed to his core.

“Laxus!”

The lightning mage looked up. He hissed a curse under his breath between pants as Freed approached him.

“What’s going on? What do you need?”

“I’m-” he winced as he was cut off by a rough cough, “I’m fine. Don’t worry about it.”

“You can’t just tell me to not worry about something!” Freed yelped.

“Keep your voice down!” Laxus hissed back.

The rune mage opened his mouth to protest, but stopped himself. He glanced around the clearing.

“Now, are you going to tell us what’s going on with you?” Freed asked quietly, his voice still edged with panic.

“Just you.”

Freed considered for a moment, “Fine. But Ever and Bickslow won’t be happy if they find out.”

“You think I don’t know that already?” Laxus sighed, “It’s… it’s the bane particles I absorbed during my first fight with Tempester. They’re wrecking all my organs, but my lungs got the worst of it since I breathed them in.”

The rune mage listened silently, his lips pressed into a thin line.

“I talked to Porlyusica before we all went our separate ways, but she said there’s nothing she can do about it. Most healers only know how to treat diseases related to Ether-Nano.”

“That would make sense, since only the exceedingly rare demons utilize bane particles.”

Laxus chuckled, “Just our luck that Fairy Tail ended up having to deal with them. Porlyusica also told me that the rest of you all shouldn’t have any lasting side-effects, since-”

“Because a wizard’s body is capable of dealing with small amounts of bane particles on its own, and they didn’t absorb nearly as many as you did.”

“Yeah. Why do you know all that. Were you spying on me?”

Freed sighed. He slowly lowered himself to the ground, sitting on the grass next to Laxus. This secret… he’d kept it so close to his chest, for so many years. So few knew the secret of who- or more, what- he truly was.

But if his secret would help Laxus, then so be it.

Nonetheless, he practically had to force the words off his tongue, “There are things even you don’t know about me.”

Laxus let out a huff of laughter, “No, shit.”

Freed held out a hand in front of himself. He examined it, like he had countless times before, looking for cracks in his façade, looking for any evidence that would challenge his humanness.

“I am not… I am not entirely human, Laxus.”

Laxus looked at him, “Well, yeah. I mean, you use demonic magic-”

Freed shook his head, “That’s not what I mean. Mirajane uses demonic magic, but her blood is still purely human. I, on the other hand…” He sighed, “Well, there isn’t exactly a word for it, because there aren’t any others like me, but I have been calling it half-demon.”

In his periphery, he could see Laxus’ eyes grow wide, “So, what does that mean?”

“My father was human, but my mother was a demon created by Zeref. I am a hybrid of both species.”

“Oh.” Laxus whispered, “Shit. I-I mean, I guess… it makes sense, I should have figured.”

Freed winced at that.

“No, not like that. I mean… your demon forms, the way you were the only one left standing when Tempester released all those bane particles… It makes sense, I guess.”

“I’m sorry,” Freed said quietly, almost shamefully, “That I didn’t say anything earlier.”

“I get it,” Laxus said.

“A-and I understand if this changes your opinion of me. I would happily leave if-”

Freed didn’t finish his sentence before Laxus’ arms were around him.

“Don’t you ever suggest that.” the lightning mage growled, “Whether you’re human or demon or whatever the hell you identify as doesn’t matter to me. You mean the world to me, and I’m never gonna let you leave me.”

Freed sighed, burying his face in the larger man’s shoulder. Slowly, he wrapped shaking arms around Laxus.

“Thank you.”

The lightning mage didn’t respond. His silence told Freed everything he needed to know.

Freed wanted to chase the warmth of his body when Laxus let him go, “Do Ever and Bickslow know about this?”

Freed nodded, “They knew me before I had the ability to hide it from them.”

“Right. But why- I mean, I’m happy you told me- but why are you saying this now?”

“Because my runes contain bane particles.”

“Yeah, and?”

“If…” Freed thought for a moment, made sure his theory made sense, “I don’t know anyone who can cancel bane particles, but since we know that there are more demons than the ones we faced in Tartaros, I would bet that Fairy Tail’s luck will lead us to encountering more of them.”

Laxus chuckled, “You’re probably right.”

“If you were to stand inside one of my enchantments at the same time it was canceled by bane particle neutralization, it would, in theory, also neutralize the bane particles that remain inside of you.”

“Oh. So if-”

“If you were to face someone who has that ability, it could heal you. Or, at least prevent any further damage.”

“Freed, you’re a genius.”

The rune mage ignored the heat rising to his cheeks at the compliment.

“In addition, because you have bane particles inside of you, I can teach you how to cast bane-runes, so I wouldn’t have to be near you.”

Laxus shook his head, “I always want you near me.”

“I know,” Freed responded, “But we don’t know what the future holds. And if we’re separated, or if something happens to me, I want you to still be able to thrive.”

They were both quiet for a long moment. Finally, Laxus reached out and put a hand on Freed’s shoulder.

“Thanks, Freed. This means the world to me.”

Freed smiled. He couldn’t help the words that tumbled off his tongue, “And you mean the world to me.”

Chapter Text

The soul was an objectively fragile thing. 

It was prone to breaking without ever being physically damaged, and could be snuffed out as easily as a candle on a dinner table. When it did fall apart, it was one of the hardest things to piece back together. There was no medicine or surgery that could fix a shattered soul.

Of course, Freed had known this long before Bickslow had told him. One needn't be able to see souls to understand their delicacy.

Freed had watched more souls than he could count fizzle out before him in the time that his own had burned.

He knew it had to be done. He knew all souls had to come to an end eventually. It was merely a matter of time.

Nonetheless, the ephemerality of life frightened him like nothing else could.

The idea that his own could be extinguished before he was able to do all he needed to do, say all he needed to say, made his bones tremble beneath his skin.

He pretended he feared naught but fear itself.

That was simply the cleverest lie he'd ever told.

There were some things he was terrified to leave unsaid, for he feared the weight of them would prevent his soul from ever leaving the mortal earth.

But a burden so heavy as that was difficult to shed.

Nevertheless, his teammates were persistent.

"You should tell him," Bickslow said as they sat down next to Freed, their babies voicing their agreement.

"And where is this coming from?" Freed asked.

"You were thinkin' about it," they responded with a shrug. Freed sighed, there was nothing he could hide from his teammate.

"What good would it do me to tell him?"

"Getting it off your chest, for one," Evergreen cut in as she sat down on his other side.

"You're one to talk," Freed hissed.

"Say that again, I dare you," she snapped, grabbing the arm of her glasses threateningly.

"You can't be your best self if something's weighing on your soul," Bickslow said.

"I think I would have something much bigger weighing on my soul if…" Freed trailed off. It didn't feel so much of an if as a when . He'd been by Laxus' side for years, and he'd never shown even a hit of affection. There was no way he felt the same.

"Look, he's going to catch on eventually," Evergreen responded, "I'd rather you two get over it now than keep dragging it out."

"What do you mean, 'catch on eventually?'"

Evergreen and Bickslow exchanged a glance before the Seith Mage spoke, "I think he's the only one who hasn't caught on to your little crush."

Freed froze, "Am I really that obvious?"

The two nodded simultaneously. Freed sighed.

"Fine. I'll…" His heart pounded in his chest at the mere thought of it, "I'll do something about it."

********

"Laxus!"

The lightning mage turned, the setting sun making his messy blond hair glow like flames, "Oh, hey, Freed."

The rune mage panted a little as he jogged to catch up to Laxus, "I'm glad I caught you."

"Good timing, too. I just got back."

Freed nodded, "You're exactly on time. Just as I'd expect from you."

Laxus let out a huff of laughter, "You seem to think I'm greater than I am."

"Nonsense. I'm just good at observing patterns."

"Touché."

"I do think you're great, though."

The faintest smile crossed Laxus' lips, "I'm just on my way to the guild hall, if you want to join me."

"Of course."

The two mages walked in perfect stride with each other, as they had for years.

"So, is there any particular reason you came to find me on the edge of town?" Laxus asked.

Freed stiffened, "No. I just wanted to walk with you."

Laxus watched the rune mage, but his expression gave away nothing. Eventually, he shrugged, "If you say so."

The two walked in silence save for the sound of boots on cobblestone for what well could have been hours before they approached the Kardia cathedral. Instead of walking around, Laxus stopped in front of its massive doors.

"I'm gonna go inside. You don't have to come with me."

"May I?"

Laxus shrugged, "Sure."

The two men walked side by side through the great doors. The choir echoed through the massive building as the two climbed the stairs to the balcony, cast in a rainbow of colors by the sunset through the stained glass high above the altar. They leaned against the old wood railing, casting shadows on the pews behind them.

"I've never been here in the evening," Freed breathed, "It's beautiful."

"It is." Laxus agreed, "This is my favorite place in Magnolia."

"Really? I wouldn't have expected that."

Laxus nodded, "I've always loved listening to the choir. When I was young, I would come here when I was upset and just listen."

"I suppose your love for music transcends genres."

They were silent again, listening to the choir far below. Kardia Cathedral was ancient, as old as the town itself. Despite that, it never seemed to grow old. The love and tenderness of those who cared for it kept it looking new and strong, even after so many decades.

Freed heard a gentle voice beside him, an echo of the choir. He turned, watching Laxus' lips move faintly as he sang along under his breath, just loud enough for Freed to hear.

"I don't think I've ever heard you sing before," the rune mage mused.

Laxus stopped. His cheeks flushed a little, "Sorry."

"I never said I didn't like it," Freed said quietly, "You have a beautiful voice."

"You think?"

Freed nodded. He stepped closer to the lightning mage.

"If I'm being honest, it's not the only thing I like about you."

Laxus looked away, "What's there to like about me?"

Freed reached out, placing a hand on his bicep ever so gently, "You're kind. You're honest, you're loyal. You're…" He paused. Laxus was watching him now, blue eyes scanning him.

"Honestly, I don't think it would be possible for me to name everything I love about you."

"'Love?'"

Freed froze.

"You just said you loved me," Laxus said.

"I… I suppose I did," Freed responded, suppressing his panic, "I'm sorry. I didn't–"

Before he could finish his sentence, there was a hand under his jaw, ever so gently tilting his chin up. His eyes fluttered closed as soft lips pressed against his own. Freed wrapped his arms around Laxus' neck, holding him close. His heart sung along with the choir as they kissed, bodies pressed together.

He sighed when they finally parted, his heart aching from the distance between them.

"I don't want you to ever apologize for loving me," Laxus whispered, his voice husky.

"I can see that now."

"'Cause I love you, too."

Freed's heart skipped a beat at finally hearing those three simple words. He reached up, gently wiping the tears from Laxus' cheek.

"There's no need to cry, my love. I promise, I'll never leave your side."

Laxus laughed quietly. In the dying light of the setting sun, high above the choir singing of love and life, he kissed him again.

Chapter Text

It was over.

Finally, finally, finally, it was over.

Even so, Laxus' heart pounded as he marched through the streets of Magnolia.

They could have died. All of them could have died.

Laxus had never been religious, but if someone told them a divine being was watching out for Fairy Tail, he would have believed them in an instant. It shouldn't have been possible, that he was walking home with his guildmates following at his heels.

But with every step, his mind repeated one name.

Freed, Freed, Freed.

What would he have done if he was gone?

Laxus couldn't even bear the thought. If he'd never been able to hold him in his arms again, look into his eyes, hear his laugh…

Freed had gone to the western edge of Magnolia to round up their guildmates with Gray. Every minute they were apart hurt Laxus like fire burning him from the inside out. His heart raced with panic that he couldn't see him, couldn't make sure he was okay, even for mere minutes.

The guild cheered behind him as they approached the plaza that stood before the guild hall. Screams and shouts and singing, as rowdy as they had ever been. Laxus and Erza were the only ones who remained silent.

"Finally," Erza breathed beside him.

Laxus nodded. He scanned the plaza for any sign of the other groups.

"Are you alright?" Erza asked.

"I'm fine," he lied. Erza shrugged.

Just then, another parade entered the plaza from the west.

Laxus' heart skipped a beat.

Freed.

Before he stopped himself, he stumbled into a run, leading the collide of their parties. The rune mage barely took four steps towards him before he was swept off his feet into Laxus' arms. He laughed, loud and free, as he wrapped his arms around the lightning mage's shoulders. He held on even as Laxus set him down, holding the taller man at his level.

Even bruised and scarred and smeared with drying blood, he was beautiful.

Laxus wasn't sure what he was thinking when he ran his fingers through Freed's thick hair, holding him close as he kissed him.

A startled gasp escaped Freed, but he didn't push Laxus away. Instead, he wrapped his arms tighter around the lightning mage's neck.

Laxus could hear gasps and shouts around them as the crowd stared. It didn't matter to him. Nothing mattered except this man.

They both sighed when their lips finally parted. Laxus kept his eyes closed as he leaned his forehead against Freed's.

"I thought you wanted to keep us a secret," Freed whispered.

Laxus laughed softly, "I don't give a damn. You're the only thing that matters to me."

"Always the romantic, you,” Freed said as he gently tapped the lightning mage’s nose.

Laxus couldn't help but smile, "Welcome home."

Freed nodded, "Welcome home, my love."

Chapter Text

In the months since the end of the war with Alvarez, the relations between guilds had blossomed in the stirred soil. As the guilds worked together to fix what had been destroyed, hope and prosperity began to rear their heads once more.

Of course, a natural consequence of this was the exchange of culture between them. Whether this was a good thing or not…

Well, Laxus was having mixed opinions about this most recent development.

He'd seen the posters advertising the show around the town. He couldn't help but sneer when he saw one hanging in the guild hall. Mira followed his gaze to see what had caught his attention.

"You should join!" She said in her usual cheery tone.

Laxus stared at her, shocked, "Are you kiddin' me?"

"Many of the guild's male wizards are already signed up. It's a night to express yourself in a new way!"

"In case you haven't noticed, I ain't the type to express myself."

"I know, that's why having you perform will make it even more fun!"

"So you want to use me for a publicity stunt?"

A new voice cut in, "You know that's not the case. We all just want to see another side of you."

Laxus turned to face Freed as he sat down on the barstool. The lightning mage sighed, "Not you, too."

"Yes, me. Besides, I think you'd look hot as hell in drag."

Laxus gritted his teeth, fighting back the heat rising in his cheeks. Mira giggled all too innocently.

"Fine, I'll consider it." Freed and Mira both visibly perked up at that, "But don't look so excited!"

Freed stole a sip from Laxus' beer as the lighting mage growled under his breath, "So, who else is performing?"

"It's supposed to be a surprise!"

"Is Elfman participating?"

Laxus nearly choked on his beer at the suggestion.

A coy smile played across her face, "Maybe. Maybe not. You'll just have to come and see!"

The image of the Strauss brother in drag and makeup… no, Mira was just teasing him. There was no way she was–

"Oi! If you want beer, buy your own!"

Freed smirked, "What, you're not going to treat me? That's not very chivalrous."

"You're terrible," Laxus growled as he stood up to leave. Before he could go, Freed placed a peck on his cheek.

"At least consider it," the rune mage whispered, his breath hot against Laxus' ear, "I might have a surprise for you after if you do."

Laxus swallowed at that. His steps stuttered briefly as he made his way out of the guild hall.

********

In the end, Laxus decided against participating (much to Bickslow and Mirajane's chagrin). However, with some convincing, Ever had managed to drag him to the guild hall the night of the show.

"Why do I want to see a bunch of people in drag?" He protested.

"It's fun, Laxus! Everybody gets to express themselves in new ways!"

"'Sides, you're literally bi," Bickslow said, "Why wouldn't you want to see a bunch of folks in slutty outfits?"

"'Cause that ain't my shit!" Laxus snapped, "And I ain't lookin' at anyone else like that!"

"Who knows," Ever said in a sing-song tone, "You might surprise yourself."

"I get the feelin' you two know somethin' that you aren't tellin' me."

Evergreen and Bickslow exchanged a sly glance, "Maybe, maybe not. You'll just have to see."

********

Laxus was shocked at how many people were in the guild hall. It was a cram of bustling bodies, with barely enough room for him to stand without bumping shoulders with a guildmate or otherwise.

Who knew that this many people would be interested in seeing men dressed like women and vice versa. Sure, some of them pulled it off (Elfman not amongst them). He didn't see the draw to it. Or at least, he didn't think he did.

That was, until he saw Freed waltz onto the stage.

Laxus nearly choked on his beer.

Black leather straps criss crossed the rune mage's body, wrapping down his thighs to connect to boots with heels higher than Laxus thought possible, paired with matching gloves that reached his biceps. He'd used some form of transformation magic to fill out the skimpy leather bikini that left nothing to the imagination as it hugged his hips and chest. His long hair had been tied out of his face into a high ponytail, showing off smokey eyeshadow and black lipstick to match the leather adorning his body.

"Holy shit," Laxus whispered under his breath.

Freed strutted across the stage with an all-too-practiced ease, each step perfectly placed to accentuate the swing of his hips. When he noticed Laxus towards the back of the hall, he gracefully hopped off the stage. The crowd parted for him like the Red Sea, which Laxus realized was the work of his runes as he walked towards the lightning mage with laser-focus. 

In one smooth motion, he wrapped his arms around Laxus' neck(he was nearly as tall as the lightning mage with the heels). His left leg hooked around one Laxus' as gloved fingers ran through his hair. Laxus moved to put a hand on Freed's exposed waist, but was deflected by runes.

"Touching is against the rules," Freed whispered in his ear. Laxus swallowed thickly, feeling the breasts the rune mage had transformed onto himself pressing against his own chest. He stood stiff as a board as Freed's lips grazed over his earlobe before moving down to his throat. He felt a warm tongue lick a stripe up to his adam's apple before moving to the juncture of his neck and shoulder.

Laxus grimaced as the rune mage bit his neck, hard. A soft whine escaped him before Freed let go with a satisfactory huff, before licking and sucking at the spot he'd bitten.

As quickly as he had come onto him, Freed backed away, a smirk playing across his face.

"What? That's it?" Laxus asked, ignoring the begging tone in his voice.

"If you're a good boy, you can get more later," Freed responded, his voice low enough that no one else could hear. Before Laxus could respond, he made his way back to the stage. He turned around fast enough to make his fake breasts jiggle before shooting Laxus a wink.

Oh gods, was it about to be a long night.

Chapter Text

It had been exactly one year since the last time Laxus had cried. Then, there were tears of grief and sadness. But now…

All he could think was that there was no possible way he could express all the love he felt for the tiny infant he held in his arms.

Swaddled in blankets was the most perfect baby boy he'd ever seen.

"Oh, Laxus," Freed breathed, "He's beautiful."

"I know," he agreed, "Our son."

Our son . The words still felt so foreign on his tongue. Our Son . A new life, brought into their family.

Like his father and grandfather and great-grandfather before him, he was born in the guild hall under the careful watch of the guild. As his surrogate mother rested from what had been a thankfully easy birth, they took him to meet the rest of his family for the very first time.

All of the commotion in the guild hall instantly fell silent when they pushed open the door from the infirmary. It had been exactly one year since the guild hall had last been this still, this silent.

They all watched him and Freed silently, waiting for them to speak. He could almost feel himself cracking under the pressure when his husband placed a gentle hand on his bicep. He breathed a sigh of relief as Freed spoke, his voice only barely shaking.

"We welcome a healthy baby boy into Fairy Tail."

Perhaps the only time the guild celebrated without screaming so loud it shook the very building was the announcement of a birth. Laxus leaned down to kiss his husband as their family cheered with a rare restraint.

The clinking of armor preceded Erza as she approached them, "Congratulations to you both."

Freed smiled, "Thank you, Master Erza."

She shook her head, "Please, you know not to call me that."

"It's been a year, and you're still not used to it?" Laxus teased.

"Has it really been that long?" She mused.

"To the day," Freed confirmed.

"Perhaps it's a sign of good luck that your little one was born today of all days." Erza said quietly, "May I see him?"

Ever so gently, Laxus passed his son to Erza. Her breath caught in her throat, "He looks so much like him."

"Erza, he's only a few hours old,” Freed said, a hint of laughter in his voice, “To say he looks like anyone right now almost sounds insulting.”

“You know what she means.” Laxus gently nudged his husband. Freed sighed.

“Does he have a name yet?” Erza asked.

The two men exchanged a glance before Freed responded, “Not yet. We want to sit on it, make sure we call him something that suits him.”

“A fair call, I suppose.” Erza looked down at their baby boy, “Welcome to the guild, little one.”

The guild cheered quietly as Erza handed him back to Freed.

“Do you want to stick around the guild?” Laxus asked.

Freed shook his head, “I think I’d prefer to get some air.”

“Good idea. I don’t think I want him getting exposed to alcohol so young. He might end up like Cana.”

“Hey!” Cana protested. Both men chuckled.

“Let’s go,” Freed said quietly. He stood on his toes to kiss his husband before they walked side by side out of the guild hall. The two breathed for what felt like the first time in hours once the doors were shut behind them.

“Do you have anywhere in mind?” Freed asked.

Laxus thought for a moment, “Let’s go to the cathedral.”

“The cathedral?”

Laxus nodded, “There’s someone I want to meet him.”

After a moment, Freed nodded, “Of course, my love.”

The two walked side by side in silence, thankful as their baby continued to sleep despite the commotion of the streets. Quiet words of congratulations followed them as they made their way towards Kardia Cathedral.

As they walked, the unspoken answer to Erza’s question hung over them like a dark cloud. It was an obvious choice for a name, to the point that his surrogate mother had assumed it was the one they would call him. But, of course, Laxus knew better than anyone the burden a name could be.

He didn’t want their baby to be a reminder of what the guild had lost only a year prior. He didn’t want him to live in the shadow of a man nearly every member of the guild would remember, as he’d done for so many years.

When they finally came to the cathedral, they instead chose to walk alongside it. Laxus ran his hands along the smooth stone exterior, following the grooves he and many others had worn into the building over so many years. He’d done the very same when he was little, and couldn’t help but wonder if their baby would adopt the habit as well when he came of age.

When they came to the wrought-iron gate that marked the edge of the graveyard, Freed stopped.

“Would you like to hold him for this?”

Wordlessly, Laxus nodded and took their son into his arms. He rocked him gently as he began to squirm.

The gate creaked as it always had as Freed pushed it open, his hands trailing along it to feel every bit of rust and imperfection. Laxus figured the fence hadn’t been replaced in all the centuries the cathedral had stood as the heart of Magnolia.

Laxus took a deep breath. He didn’t know why he was anxious; he’d lost count of how many times he’d been here over the past year. It wasn’t like his grandfather would react poorly to another member of his family.

Regardless, Freed placed a gentle hand on his bicep, as he always had when he could tell Laxus was nervous, “It’s alright. No need to be afraid.”

“Yeah, I know.”

Freed led him silently to where he knew they were headed. The gentle pressure, the warm, comforting presence, was all Laxus needed to keep going.

Even so, his breath shuddered in his chest when they stopped in front of the grave.

The engravings were still fresh and crisp, and the headstone had yet to be taken over by moss and erosion.

He had been buried right in the middle of the graveyard, surrounded by a garden of roses in full bloom and under the boughs of a great magnolia tree. Everyone in the guild knew that Freed had cast an enchantment to keep the little garden alive regardless of the time of year, but the guild took turns tending to it regardless.

Laxus sighed, the very air in his lungs trembling. He didn’t exactly know where he was speaking to, so he spoke to the magnolia tree, “Hey, Gramps.”

Freed gently squeezed his bicep. Laxus couldn’t help but smile slightly at the gesture.

“I-I’m not sure if you can hear me, wherever you are. But if… if you can, I wanted you to meet my-” he looked over to Freed, “Our son.”

“He’s beautiful, just like your grandson.” Freed said, his voice quiet but steady, “Erza said she thinks he looks like you, but I don’t know if you would think to take that as a compliment or not.”

Laxus nudged his husband playfully. Freed smiled back at him coyly.

“He’s perfect. You always talked about the guild being your children. When you said that, I didn’t understand what it meant. I think… I think I get it, now that I’m a father.”

Laxus’ breath caught in his throat. His vision blurred as tears welled in his eyes, “I’m… I’m a father now, Gramps. Can you believe it?”

Perhaps this was what it meant. To love another human so much that he would sacrifice everything for him without a second thought. He loved his husband, more than he could possibly say, but this was… different, in a way he didn’t think he could ever put into words.

“I wish you could have met him.” As Freed spoke, Laxus realized he was crying, too, “He’s wonderful, Master. He’s so small, and yet… I can already tell, he’s going to be something extraordinary.”

Laxus nodded, “We just… we can’t figure out a name that’s as perfect as he is.”

They both stood silently, as if waiting for an answer. Laxus didn’t know why they were waiting, it wasn’t like-

It struck him like a bolt of lightning.

“Yuri.”

After a moment’s hesitation, Freed nodded, “It’s a beautiful name.”

“It was my great-grandfather’s. He was one of Fairy Tail’s founders, but nobody seems to remember him. He’s the only one that died before he could make a name for himself.”

“I see.”

Laxus chuckled, “It feels a bit like going against myself.”

Freed shook his head, “Yuri had no predecessors to live up to. I want our son to blaze his own path, while still remembering where he came from. To reach for the stars, while still keeping his feet on the ground. To know how to hold two things in balance that seem like they should oppose each other.”

Laxus smiled. He’d never understand how this man could understand him so absolutely.

Freed hummed, “A name of many meanings, depending on what language it’s derived from and how it’s spelled.” He looked down at their son, ever so gently brushing his knuckles against a round cheek, “And a boy with unlimited potential, while being rooted in our guild.” He smiled, “I think it’s perfect.”

Laxus smiled at their son, “Maybe Gramps sent it to us. Maybe he knew what we were thinking.”

“I wouldn’t put it past him. If nothing else, I’ve learned that this guild holds many secrets, and magic like no other."

Laxus kissed his husband before gently knocking their foreheads together, “Welcome to Fairy Tail, Yuri.”

Chapter Text

Laxus wiped the sweat from his forehead as he panted, watching the herd move further into the pasture. Maybe it was the storm last night that had made the cows so rowdy, or maybe he was out of practice, but he could have sworn that they hadn’t been so hard to move before.

He patted the neck of his horse, “You did good, Elexion.”

His legs ached as he swung himself out of the saddle. Gods, had it really been that long since the last time he’d ridden?

He sighed as he led Elexion to the gate. He’d only just been allowed to move back onto his grandfather’s ranch, and he was already being put to work. He guessed it made sense, since he’d only been allowed back at the ranch manager’s insistence.

As he swung the gate closed, he heard a low whistle. He looked up, about ready to punch whoever this was in the face. However, he stopped short when he recognized the green-haired man sitting on the fence.

Freed Justine, one of the stablehands. He’d been working there since before Laxus had gotten himself thrown in jail, but they’d somehow managed to avoid speaking to each other. Laxus had only learned his name from snooping through paperwork, much to Gildarts’ amusement.

He gracefully leapt off the fence, dusted off his knees (even though his jeans were somehow impeccably clean), and sauntered over.

“You must be Laxus,” he said. His voice carried a certain lilt; Laxus could tell he wasn’t from the midwest, “Fairy Tail Ranch’s number-one bad boy. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“Oh, gods,” Laxus groaned, “Whatever they said, about half of it is true.”

Freed laughed. Fuck, his laugh was cute, “I’d certainly hope so. The rest of the ranchers had quite a few stories about you.”

“By that, I’m guessing you mean Cana.”

“I will neither confirm nor deny,” Freed responded with a shrug.

Laxus was going to kill that boozehound.

“What are you doing out here?” Laxus dared to ask.

Freed thought for a moment, “Would it come across as odd if I said I was watching you work?”

“Nah, not really.” Laxus was trying to suss out his intentions. Did he not trust him? It hurt, but Laxus supposed that was fair. Or maybe it was to watch his horsemanship?

“Good. Because I liked what I saw.”

Laxus froze. Fuck, how was he supposed to respond to that?

“Thanks, I guess.”

Laxus was going to die of humiliation before he ever got the chance to kill Cana.

Freed laughed, “You certainly are an interesting one.”

“Is that supposed to be a compliment?”

“You can take it as you like.”

Laxus sighed. Why couldn’t he just say what he meant?

He looked up the dusty road, “We’re, like, a mile from the barn. Did you really come this far just to watch me?”

Freed chuckled, “It may not have been my wisest move.”

Laxus thought for a moment, “Do you want a ride back?”

Freed blinked, clearly surprised, “I would, but I don’t know how to ride.”

“Why do you work on a ranch if you can’t ride?”

Freed shrugged, gazing up at the clear blue sky overhead, “To get away from the city, I suppose. I’ve always dreamed of being free, out in the wild west, not trapped in the concrete jungle of DC.”

Laxus rolled his eyes, “Okay, I get it. We can save the backstory for later.” He patted Elexion. Despite how much he’d worked (mostly to keep himself between Laxus and the ground), the palomino stallion had barely broken a sweat. He brought his mount over to Freed, “Here, I’ll help you on.”

“But I just said-”

“You won’t have to do anything, just enjoy the ride. Now, put your hands on his back and lift your left leg.”

Freed shuffled over to the stallion before placing his hands on his back.. He was thankfully light as Laxus hoisted him onto Elexion’s back. His knuckles were white as he gripped the cantle. Laxus swung easily into the saddle ahead of him.

“Are you sure this is safe? What about the eighteenth-”

“It’s fine, we’re not going very far. Besides, Elexion’s a big boy, he can handle it.”

“I suppose so,” Freed said, “So how do I…”

“Wrap your arms around my waist.” Hesitantly, Freed complied. Laxus was grateful the other man couldn’t see the heat rising in his cheeks as his stomach flip-flopped inside of him. “Are you ready?”

“I-I think so,” Freed said nervously.

“You’ll be fine. I promise you Elexion won’t do anything.”

Freed sighed, “I suppose I’ve got no choice but to trust you.”

Laxus cast a glance over his shoulder, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I think you can figure that one out on your own,” Freed responded.

Laxus nudged his stallion into a slow walk. He felt Freed tense as Elexion’s back began to sway beneath him, and loosen again after the first couple steps.

In the fifteen minute ride back to the barn, neither man spoke. Laxus was grateful for the space it gave him to process the way his body reacted to Freed’s arms wrapped around his torso, chest pressed against Laxus’ back.

Laxus dismounted first, before helping Freed unceremoniously slide off of Elexion’s back. He tripped on the gravel road, all but falling into Laxus’ arms before he righted him.

“Thank you,” Freed said, “I’ve never… wow. I can’t believe I’ve lived twenty years without experiencing being on the back of a horse before.”

“I’m a little surprised, too. You’re a natural.”

“You think?”

“Definitely.” He thought for a moment, heart racing as the words tumbled out before he could stop them, “Y’know, I’d be happy to give you lessons sometime, if the old geezer lets me.”

Freed’s blue eyes lit up, “Really?”

“Of course.”

“Thank you, Laxus. That means the world to me.”

“Hey, Freed-o! Where have you been?”

Laxus startled at the sound of voices coming from the barn. Evergreen and Bickslow, two of the other stablehands, were standing in the doorway, wearing matching cheshire grins that made Laxus want to punch them.

“Fuck. Sorry, I’ve got to get back to work.” Freed said. He took Elexion’s reins and began jogging back to the barn. “I’ll be seeing you!”

“Yeah, See ya, Freed.”

Freed stopped dead in his tracks. He turned to face Laxus, a coy smile on his face, “I don’t believe I’ve ever told you my name.”

Shit. Laxus could tell by their laughter that Ever and Bickslow had overheard.

“Don’t worry. I’ll have plenty of time to tell you later.”

With that, Freed walked back into the barn, Elexion in tow. Laxus watched for far too long before he finally made himself turn away and head back to the ranch house.

One way or another, he was so fucking screwed.