Freed confronts their mother and their feelings about the unexpected visit. Laxus and their friends comfort them in their own ways.

a/n: all of gray and freed's dialogue in italics is them speaking french

tw for transphobia, intentional/repeated misgendering, mentions of dysphoria

-----

"I can get her to leave, if you want?"

Gray's voice was soft as he spoke to Freed in French – he had moved to stand next to Freed, close but not touching. Freed breathed a soft sigh of appreciation, but shook their head. Gray forcing their mom to leave wouldn't end well.

"No, let her explain herself," they replied. They were a bit curious as to why she was here anyway. Freed turned back to her. "Well? What do you want?"

"Can't a mother visit her daughter?" Her mother – or Karen, as Freed had started thinking of her – gave her a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Come, Amanda, be civil." Freed's throat tightened and blood rushed to their cheeks. They hadn't heard that name in a long time, and didn't want Ryos or Gray to hear it either.

"You haven't talked to me in ten years," Freed hissed, crossing their arms over their chest and feeling heat travelling down to the back of their neck. "And stop calling me Amanda." They were proud of how firm their voice was, even though they felt like they were falling apart inside. They turned to Gray and reached out to grab his arm. "Can you call Laxus?"

"Of course," he said, darting an angry look at Karen. "Should I – we – stay here?" Freed realized that Ryos was still standing behind them, hand on Kiya's arm, a puzzled look on his face. Ryos knew that Freed was estranged from their parents, but Freed didn't talk about them often.

"Please?" Freed said quietly. "I mean, Ryos, if you have to head out with the kids...but Gray, if you wouldn't mind..." They ran their fingers over their jeans anxiously.

"Whatever you need," Gray said softly, returning the arm squeeze and pulling out his phone. He moved back into the common area, dialling Laxus' number. Ryos nodded that he would remained, too, and followed Gray.

"Can I at least come in?" Freed turned back to see that Karen was still standing there, posture exuding irritation and discomfort. She was a short woman with reddish-colored hair, and Freed looked nothing like her.

"No," Freed replied, voice wavering. "You're not welcome here." They swallowed heavily, feeling like they were sixteen years old again. They were suddenly extremely self-conscious of their appearance – dark skinny jeans, combat boots, unbuttoned collared shirt over a dark tank top. Their mom was certainly going to notice that they were binding – they'd never been particularly flat-chested. They reached up and fiddled with the beanie that covered most of their bright green hair.

"You're going to make me stand out here?" Karen asked incredulously. "I've come all this way!"

"I came all this way by myself when I was sixteen because you watched dad hit me and threaten to send me away." Freed's voice was sharp and bitter. "So unless you have a very good reason for bothering me at work, I want you to leave." Their heart was pounding so loud they were surprised that Karen couldn't hear it.

"You're so hostile," Karen murmured, sighing and adjusting her blazer. "I've been looking for you for almost a year." Freed snorted.

"Almost a year, huh? How about the nine years before that? You didn't seem to upset about your missing kid then." The flush was spreading from Freed's cheeks down their chest, and their hands were shaking so badly they had to make fists to hide it. They'd never expected to see their parents again.

"Well, things change," Karen retorted. Then her expression softened. "I don't understand you, but you're still my-"

"Don't say daughter," Freed whispered, almost pleading. "Please, don't say daughter. I explained it to you already." Karen rolled her eyes.

"But you are my daughter!" Freed squeezed their eyes shut, feeling tears building behind them. I'm not a girl, they whispered to themself. I'm not a girl, I'm not a girl, I'm not a girl. Karen sighed. "Fine, you're my child. Better?" Her voice was laced with irritation, but Freed felt relief at the small victory. "Anyway, your father always says that God encourages forgiveness. You need to put all that business behind you and come have dinner with us."

Freed blinked in confusion. Their mother expected them to just...forget what had happened? Forget the past ten years? They would never accept Freed this way, in this place, with these friends. Freed had always maintained that there was good in their mother and father, and whenever Laxus spoke ill of them, Freed had defended them, claiming that no matter what they did, they were still their parents. But now, seeing their mother standing on the porch after ten years, all they felt was hostility and anger.

"I don't need to do anything," Freed spat, taking a step back from the doorframe. "I'm perfectly happy here without you. I made a life without you. I went to school, got my citizenship, did my masters. I help kids like me all the time here." They gestured to the sign above the door that read Magnolia Pride Center in rainbow letters. "I have a boyfriend that I love, and great friends..."

Gray reappeared at their side as they trailed off, swallowing heavily.

"Laxus'll be here soon," he said in French, placing a gentle hand on Freed's elbow. He gave a disdainful look out the door, but Karen just cocked her head at him curiously. "Want me to stay with you or wait over there?"

"S-stay," Freed said quietly. Gray acquiesced, leaving his hand resting on the back of Freed's arm. They gave him a half-smile, then turned back to Karen. "Why now? It's been a decade. What do you want?"

Karen sighed, reaching into her purse and pulling out a thick sheet of paper. She went to hand it to them, but when Freed made no move to open the screen door, she shoved it into the mailbox.

"Your brother is getting married," she said finally. Freed blinked. "He wants you to come. Please have dinner with your father and I and talk about it. We're all here for a few days."

Gabriel was getting married? Freed hadn't seen him since he was fourteen, a gangly boy who religiously attended Bible studies and followed their father's rules to the letter. Why would he want Freed at his wedding? They'd never been particularly close, even as children.

"I don't...I need to think about it." Freed's voice was small, and Gray's shoulder pressed against theirs, giving comfort. "Write your number on the back of the invitation. I'll call you if I decide to come." Karen sighed, exasperated.

"Aman-"

"DON'T CALL ME THAT!" Freed shouted, hands balling into fists. They inhaled shakily, feeling dizzy. Karen recoiled at their angry expression. "My. Name. Is. Freed." They took a deep breath, trying to breath out the tension that was running through their body. "It's been Freed for ten years. If you can't respect that, we have nothing more to talk about."

The low rumble of a motorcycle thrummed at the end of the street, and relief flooded through Freed's body. Laxus was here.

"Fine...Freed..." The word seemed to tumble off of Karen's tongue uncomfortably, and she made a face. She grabbed the invitation from the mailbox, pulled a pen from her purse, and scribbled a number on it. "There. Please call me. Think of your brother."

The rumbling slowed down and Freed saw Laxus pull up to the curb behind Karen, popping out the kickstand on his cruiser and tugging off his helmet. He stalked up the sidewalk, giving Freed a fond look through the screen door before looming behind Karen, looking as intimidating as all six and a half feet of him could.

"You want her gone?" He rumbled at Freed, giving Karen an unfriendly look as she turned and stared up at the blonde man. She was clearly confused and more than a little frightened.

"Yes," Freed said this time, feeling exhausted and finished with their conversation. They leaned heavily on Gray, who wrapped an arm around their waist.

"You heard them. Leave." Laxus' voice was firm, but Karen looked determined.

"I have the right to speak to my dau-"

"You don't wanna finish that sentence. Get. Lost." Laxus took another step closer, snarling down at her. "You don't have any rights. Freed's an adult, and if they tell you to get the hell out of their place of work, you do it. If you decide to stick around, Gray's gonna call the cops and I'm gonna enforce Freed's wishes." Karen swallowed, hard. "Now fuck off before I make you regret it."

Karen decided that tangling with Laxus was futile, and she backed down the steps, flashing a final look at Freed.

"Please think about what I said," she pleaded, pulling a set of car keys from her purse. "I hope you call."

"We'll see," Freed replied softly, feeling the tension ease slightly with each step that she took toward her vehicle. Once she was in it and pulling away, Laxus darted up to the door, opening it and stepping inside.

"Are you okay?" He asked softly, pulling Freed into his arms. They collapsed against his chest, trembling with adrenaline and exhaustion. "Hey, you're safe now, she's gone." Laxus kissed Freed's temple, large hands running up and down their back as he pressed them tightly to him. "You're okay. Come sit down, babe."

Freed let Laxus lead them into the living room, pulling them down onto the couch while keeping both arms around them. Gray sat down on the floor nearby, glancing over at Ryos who was settled on the adjacent couch with Ada.

"What the hell did she want?" Laxus looked up at Gray, who waited for Freed to nod before he began to explain the exchange.

Gray's words ran together and everything around Freed went blurry as they buried their face in Laxus' chest, trying to take deep breaths. The memory and sensation of their father backhanding them and their mother's acceptance of it kept playing over and over in their mind. The terror from that day, the fear and the loneliness and sadness and anger seemed to be surfacing again.

...like one of those transvestites...you're a girl...poisoned your mind...expected better of you...

When they'd finally settled in here with Bix, they'd called their parents, desperately hoping that maybe they'd changed their minds, maybe they were terrified that their child was gone and it had made them realize how precious Freed was to them. Karen had answered, but when she'd realized it was Freed calling, she had paused, then replied with I don't know anyone by that name, don't call here again. Freed never had.

"What can we do?" Laxus' voice rumbled through his chest, and Freed started, realizing they were crying. They scrubbed at their face with the back of their hand, embarrassed.

"I just...I don't know," they admitted, looking down at Gray and seeing an expression of sympathy and sadness on his face. Freed reached out a hand to him and he grabbed it, squeezing reassuringly. "Can...someone bring me that invitation, please?" Ryos immediately hopped up and moved to the door, opening it and grabbing the thick paper from the mailbox. He handed it to Freed.

God has brought them together, and now

Mr. and Mrs. Christian Williams
request the honor of your presence
at the nuptial mass at which their daughter

Meredith Claire Williams

and

Mr. Gabriel Kenneth Justine

will be united in the
Sacrament of Holy Matrimony

All the relevant details followed – of course it was back in Wisconsin. Freed hadn't stepped foot in America since they'd run away. There had been many days when they'd been tempted to go back, thought of buying a plane ticket home and hiding this part of them so that their parents would love them again. But those thoughts were in the past...right?

"Do you wanna go home?" For a moment freed thought Laxus was talking about going back to Wisconsin, and they shuddered. Laxus' voice was soft, and Freed felt comforted by his hands drawing circles on their shoulder. They leaned into the touch, sighing softly. Laxus was safe. "We can order takeout and watch a movie?"

"Yeah, maybe," Freed said quietly. They rubbed the thick paper of the invitation between their fingers, trying to sort out the whirling mess of thoughts in their head. "I don't know what to do."

"You don't have to decide anything right now," Ryos said, shifting on the couch as Kiya tugged on his sleeve. He passed his phone down to her, gesturing for her to play on one of the child-friendly apps he had downloaded. "It says the wedding isn't until July."

July? Freed glanced down at the invitation again and swore. July thirteenth – right in the middle of Pride camp.

"That's..."

"Hey, don't worry about camp," Gray said gently as Kiya moved over to him with Ryos' phone and plopped down in his lap. He ruffled her hair affectionately. "If this is something you decide you want to do, Ryos and I can take care of it. We'll figure something out." Kiya grabbed Gray's finger and directed him to something on the screen.

"I don't want to go," Freed said automatically, skin crawling at the idea of going back to that tiny, conservative community. They had seen news articles in the past few years that talked about the rise in LGBT youth being kicked out or sent to conversion camps, and their former home had been referenced more than once. "I'm not going back there. They're not..."

They groaned, dropping their face into their hands. Laxus rubbed their back gently in soothing patterns. The tears were there again, hot and unexpected, and Freed wiped at them in frustration.

"They don't care about me." Freed's words were muffled by their hands. "They hate me. I'm just a...joke to them, and I haven't seen Gabriel since he was fourteen, so why would he want me at his wedding? Do they expect me to braid my hair and wear a dress?" Their voice became more hysterical with each question, and Laxus tugged them back to his chest, kissing their forehead.

"I wish I knew what to say," he said quietly, stroking Freed's bangs away from their face. "I know what it's like to have shitty parents, but...well, you know my solution. It isn't great."

Freed laughed a bit through their tears. Laxus's mom passed away when he was young, and his father had been just as (if not more) religiously extreme than Freed's parents. He wasn't a particularly nice person, and Laxus had finally severed ties with him a few years ago. They'd only spoken twice since then, and after each time, Laxus had been in a terrible mood for days.

"Also," Gray added quietly, giving Freed an understanding look, "if you did want to wear a dress and braid your hair, that would be just as valid as any other way you choose to dress." Freed's breath caught and the tears came harder, blurring their vision as they looked up at their friend. Gray was the only person besides Laxus who knew about Freed's struggles with occasionally wanting to dress in more 'traditionally feminine' ways – they always felt like it somehow minimized their non-binary identity.

"My dad didn't get it either," Ryos added hesitantly, chewing his lip. "He called me his 'daughter' until he died. And I always felt like I wasn't justified in hating him because he wasn't hitting me or anything, but having someone call you something you aren't just...chips away at you every day. Like you're losing pieces of yourself." He shifted Ada in his arms, letting her head rest on his shoulder. "I'm sorry your mom was doing that."

"Thank you," Freed murmured, wincing at the thought of her mother calling her Amanda. "I never...I didn't tell anyone that name. Or my old..."

"That's irrelevant," Laxus said, glaring over at the door as if Karen was going to appear and start insulting people again. "You're not a girl and you're not that name. You're you, and you're Freed, and that's all anyone needs to know. Everything else is none of their fucking business." Freed squeezed Laxus' hand, leaning their head against his chest. He sighed. "I know I wasn't always...the best at the...gender stuff." His face flushed red and he looked uncomfortable, while Gray and Ryos just looked curious. "I'm sorry if I ever made you feel like this."

"Oh, darling," Freed smiled, remembering the awkward boy they'd met all those years ago. Laxus had certainly come a long way since then. "You're wonderful and could never make me feel like that. I do want to go home, though." They sat up, tugging the beanie off their head and undoing the bun underneath, then running their fingers through their hair. "I have to be back in-"

"I've got it," Gray insisted, waving away Freed's protests. "Ryos and I can handle a bunch of rowdy teenagers, right?" Ryos rolled his eyes, nodding. "Besides, I'm not Skyping with Natsu tonight, he's on some weird shift rotation, and I love him, but I'm not waking up at three in the morning to talk to him." Laxus laughed, shaking his head.

"Alright, babe, let's go." He stood from the couch and reached down, helping pull Freed to their feet. They fiddled with the invitation, then handed it to Laxus. He folded it in half and tucked it into the inside pocket of his jacket. "You got your helmet?" Freed nodded, gesturing to the front desk.

"Text me if you need anything," Freed said to Gray and Ryos, who both shook their heads.

"We'll be fine, get outta here," Gray insisted, scooping up Kiya and depositing her on the couch. He followed Laxus and Freed to the front door, then nudged Freed, holding out his arms. Freed smiled and stepped into the embrace, resting their head on Gray's shoulder and breathing deeply. Gray always smelled like a mix of coffee and his coconut shampoo – it was reassuring.

"Thank you," they said, leaning back and smiling. "I might call you later."

"Anytime," Gray said, squeezing Freed's arms and then leaning over to give Laxus a hug as well. Laxus wasn't generally a physically affectionate person, but he'd opened up enormously to Freed's friends over the past few years.

"Ah, so you don't love your husband enough to talk to him at three in the morning, but my partner can call you anytime?" An outsider might have thought Laxus was being threatening, but Gray had known him long enough to see that he was teasing.

"Yeah, well I don't have to deal with Freed putting his laundry next to the basket, or leaving the wet dishcloth in the sink, so I have a bit more patience for them." Freed rolled their eyes and grinned, then grabbed Laxus's hand and nodded their head at the door.

"Let's go home."

~

"Bix, we don't have to watch a movie, I kno-"

"Shush." Bix shook his head at Freed, gesturing in the direction of the living room. He was already in his pyjamas – a pair of flannel pants and a baggy 'Guns & Roses' t-shirt – and his blue hair was spiked out in every direction. "Just...no romances. Those are boring to listen to." He grinned. "Ev, you gonna help me make popcorn?"

"Only so you don't burn yourself like last time!" Ever was already in the kitchen, reaching into one of the cupboards for the popcorn popper. She placed it in the usual spot – everything had a specific place so that Bix would have an easier time finding things. Him and Ever had been living here for nearly thirteen years now, so Bix had had plenty of time to get used to the layout.

Freed had moved in with Bix and Ever ten years ago – or rather, Bix and ever had kind of "adopted" them – and a couple years ago Laxus had decided to move in as well. There had been some talk about getting their own apartment, but all four of them felt so much like family that none of them could imagine leaving.

"How about 'Pulp Fiction'?" Laxus suggested, and Bix grinned enthusiastically. "That okay, babe?"

"Anything is fine, honestly," Freed replied, following Laxus into the living room and snuggling up next to him on the couch. They could hear Bix and Ever arguing about whether they should use margarine or butter for the popcorn, but Freed tuned them out and focused on the sound of Laxus' heartbeat through his sweater.

"You okay?" He asked, tucking Freed under his arm and gently undoing their bun, then running his fingers through their hair. Freed hummed at the sensation – growing their hair out again was one of the best decisions they'd made. When they'd first started to realize they were non-binary, they'd cut it all off in an effort to look more androgynous. After a while they'd come to realize that was a stupid idea, and that they missed their long hair.

"No," they admitted honestly, rubbing their eyes. Exhaustion had settled heavily into their body on the ride home. Most of it came from the confused questions swirling through their head. They hadn't felt this uncertain since they were sixteen. "What if...she's right?" Laxus made a questioning sound. "My...Karen. What if she's right? What if I do need to let go and try to make peace with them?"

Laxus didn't answer, but Freed knew that wasn't because he wasn't listening. Laxus tended to think things over for a long time before responding.

"I don't think it's about whether she's right or not," he said finally, looking down at Freed. "It's about what you want. Do you want a relationship with them?"

"All I ever wanted was for them to love me," they said, feeling young and vulnerable and on the edge of crying again. "I just...I didn't want them to hate me. But they wouldn't even speak to me, for years, and then now they're showing up just out of the blue, and how did they even find me?" They sighed in frustration.

"How'd who find you?" Bix made his way into the living room with a bowl of popcorn that he held out for someone to take. Laxus accepted it, settling it on his lap, and Bix sat down in the large chair next to the TV. His service dog Baby followed him, sitting down next to the chair and nuzzling him for a treat.

"My parents," Freed replied. Bix's expression shifted immediately, eyebrows furrowing in concern.

"Shit, that's...wow." Bix nudged Baby. "Go give kisses, Baby. Freed needs some love." Baby obeyed dutifully, squirming between the couch and coffee table to cuddle up beside Freed. She bumped Freed's elbow with her nose, licking their hand and resting her chin on their leg. Freed smiled, letting the silky feeling of the dog's fur comfort them.

"Thank you." Bix nodded, pulling his legs up under him until he was cross-legged. He wasn't a small man, but he managed to make it work.

"So they just...showed up?"

"Mmm. At the Pride center."

"Oooh." Bix whistled. "That must have been fun. Was someone with you, at least? Were they awful? I'm probably asking too many questions, sorry."

"It's fine." Freed tried to inject some levity into their voice, scratching behind Baby's ears. "Gray and Ryos were there, and it was just...my mother." Freed had spent so long thinking of Karen as a stranger that it was difficult to call her by anything other than her name.

"She was awful," Laxus added in a grumbling voice. "She didn't respect you at all." He tossed a few pieces of popcorn in his mouth, then offered one to Freed, who took it, nipping his finger gently.

"She doesn't...know any better, I think?" The words sounded like an excuse as soon as they left Freed's mouth, and they sighed when Laxus shook his head.

"Look, I was an ass when I first met you, and I deserved every bad name you might have called me." Freed saw Bix's eyebrows raise in amusement – he'd been the one that Freed had vented to after their first encounter with Laxus. "And they're doin' the same thing, so if they're being assholes, we're gonna call them assholes."

"Who's an asshole?" Ever finally joined them, bottle of beer in each hand. She offered one to Laxus and he accepted, nodding in thanks. Freed shook their head, continuing to steal pieces of popcorn from the bowl. Ever leaned against the side of Bix's chair, looking at Freed expectantly.

Freed let Laxus repeat the entire story for Bix and Ever, who both made sounds of sympathy.

"So what're you gonna do?" Bix asked.

"I'm not going to fucking Wisconsin," Freed grumbled, and they could feel Laxus laughing silently underneath them. They rarely swore, and when they did it amused Laxus to no end. "I mean...can you picture me at a wedding out in rural Wisconsin? In a church?" Ever snorted, and Freed felt their lips turning up at the corners. "I'd show up in a...a suit or something, with bright green hair and this thing," they gestured at their septum piercing and Ever gave them a thumbs-up. "With my boyfriend, and it would just be...oh my god, I'm sure people would actually die of heart attacks."

"It's not like you haven't been to a wedding before," Laxus argued, and Freed rolled their eyes.

"Natsu and Gray's wedding doesn't count. They got married on the beach and we all wore shorts, and then Natsu pushed Gray into the ocean." Everyone laughed at the memory of Gray, soaking wet and spluttering, hair drenched with salt water, stalking toward the man who had very recently become his husband and then dragging him into the waves as well. "Plus, Gray's brother-in-law officiated it – it wasn't religious."

"Is that what's bothering you? That they're still, like, part of that cult?" Bix's voice became serious and Freed considered the question for a moment.

"I guess I just don't understand what's changed," they said eventually. "I've tried to reach out, and they've never wanted anything to do with me. So why now?" Freed thought of the invitation and shook their head. "I don't think it's the wedding – or at least, that's not the real reason. If they're still in that community, they either are intolerant, or are exposed to intolerant people all the time. And I haven't changed, so..." They threw their hands up in frustration. Baby whined and nuzzled their hand again.

"Are you thinking of calling her?" Laxus' voice was neutral as he shifted under Freed, tugging them tighter to his chest. "You don't...there's no rules. Whatever you decide to do is fine."

"I know," Freed replied, sighing. "I still need to think about it." Laxus nodded, feeding Freed another piece of popcorn and smiling when they kissed his hand. Ever stood up and clapped her hands together.

"Alright, are we watching this movie or what?" Freed nodded. They were done thinking about this for now, and movie night with their friends was the best way to turn off their brain. Ever flopped down on the couch on the other side of Freed and grabbed the remote, turning the television on. "Bix, you want the descriptive stuff on your headphones?" Bix shook his head.

"Nah, we've watched this one enough times." He grinned. "Lots of shooting, lots of drugs, and Marcellus Wallace does not look like a bitch."

~

"Babe?" Laxus' voice came through the closed bathroom door. "You okay?"

"Mmm," Freed replied. "Be right there." The movie was over and now they were standing in the bathroom, in nothing but their boxer-briefs, angrily staring at their reflection in the mirror. They'd taken their binder off before supper but had compensated by wearing a baggy hoodie. The red marks from the binder still stood out against their pale skin.

"You could get surgery," Ryos had said one day while they were working together, getting materials ready for a LGBT friendly sex-ed presentation at the local high school. "It was...huge for me. I hated myself without the binder, and I just feel...better now. More like myself."

Freed had considered it. Looking at themself in the mirror now, they felt stable. Acceptable. Seeing their breasts didn't make them want to throw up or hide under the duvet forever. But other days this wasn't the right body. It never had been. What would be the right body, though? They'd never wanted to be a boy, just...something else.

They groaned, tugging on an old t-shirt of Laxus' that hung to halfway down their thighs. Then they turned to the sink and began to brush their teeth.

"You alright?" When Freed came out of the bathroom, Laxus was already under the covers, kindly dressed in a t-shirt and sweatpants even though he usually slept naked. Some days Freed couldn't handle that kind of contact, and it made their heart melt that Laxus had considered that today's events might have put them into that kind of mood. They sighed, sliding under the blanket and sidling up to Laxus, wrapping a leg around his.

"Mhmm." Laxus let Freed rest their head on his chest, then brought a hand up and began to comb it through their hair. Freed hummed appreciatively, tipping their head up to kiss the side of Laxus' neck. He moaned softly, shivering as Freed nipped at his jaw. His hand drifted lower, trailing down and resting in the hollow of Freed's back.

"What're you up for?" He turned and propped himself up on one elbow, gazing at Freed. The light from the streetlamps highlighted his scar, and Freed reached up to trace it. Then they pulled him down for a kiss, slow and soft and lazy, running their fingers down his chest and over his thigh. Laxus groaned, deepening the kiss and causing Freed to shiver. A heat began to spread from between their legs, and they nipped at Laxus' ear.

"Touch me," they whispered, grabbing Laxus' wrist and guiding it down between their thighs. Laxus hummed, ghosting his fingers over the fabric of Freed's underwear. His hands were warm and Freed squirmed under the sensation of him almost touching them.

"In or out?" His fingers made their way up to the waistband of the boxer-briefs, tugging them down gently. Freed shimmied their hips to help him, kicking the underwear to the floor. Laxus' hand trailed down their stomach, drifting down to the inside of their thigh. Freed gasped, shifting their hips and encouraging Laxus toward their center.

"B-both," they stuttered, fisting their fingers in Laxus' hair as his fingers dove straight for their sensitive spot. "Ahh...y-yeah." Laxus smiled, leaning down and kissing Freed again, hard and passionate, while moving his fingers in a gentle circle. Freed arched up off the bed, trying desperately to push against his hand.

"You're gorgeous," Laxus murmured, pushing himself up until he was sitting between their legs, pressing kisses to their stomach and thighs. Freed's chest tightened and they reached down to draw a thumb across Laxus' cheekbone. "I'm serious. You're gorgeous and you're you and nobody else's opinion changes that." He kissed right above the tuft of soft curls above where his fingers moved. "Can I use my mouth?"

"Laxus...yes..." Freed whispered, then threw their head back and let out a cry as Laxus switched to using his tongue and slipped his fingers inside Freed instead. They weren't always up for this, but when they were, Laxus was a god. "Oh...aahhh...mmmm..." Freed moved their hips a little, moaning at the sensation and arching up onto Laxus' tongue. They weren't going to last long tonight.

"You're fucking amazing," Laxus mumbled, tongue dipping and swirling and holy hell Freed was going to come soon. Laxus' free hand moved up to grasp Freed's, pinning it to the bed and swiping soft strokes across their pulse point.

Freed couldn't hold out much longer and soon they were tensing up, arching their back and then crying out as the waves of bliss rolled through them, radiating from their center. Laxus helped them along, continuing to move and kiss and caress until they shuddered, pulling back from the oversensitive sensation. They collapsed back onto the pillows, hair spread out underneath them, and pulled Laxus to them until he was lying on their chest.

"It's...fine..." They murmured as he started to adjust his position to avoid touching their breasts. "Today...it's okay." He smiled up at them and pressed a kiss just under their ear.

"Good?" He murmured, nuzzling their jaw.

"You know it was amazing, you ridiculous man." Freed ran their fingers through Laxus' close-cropped hair again, then nodded down to where his obvious hardness was pressing against their leg. "Your turn?" He shook his head.

"I'm good," he said, pulling the blanket up over them and arranging them so that Freed was once again cuddled up on his chest. "I just wanted to see you smile today." Freed exhaled softly, feeling tears forming in the corners of their eyes. They sniffed, burying their face in Laxus' neck.

"I don't deserve you," they murmured, letting Laxus pull them tight to his chest. He kissed the top of their head, then rested his cheek there.

"Yes, you do," he replied. "Now sleep. And whatever you decide tomorrow, I'll be behind you."