Sanctuary

Chapter 2: Tension

Chapter 2: Tension

More than half the day had gone by, Freed and Laxus found themselves traveling through the woods. As they continued walking down the path, Freed couldn't help but feel awkward. This was the only job they'd gone on together completely alone. They barely spoke two words to each other the whole day. They had partnered off on jobs before, but Bickslow and Ever were always there to fill the silence during the trip.

Out of the Thunder Legion, Freed and Laxus were seen as the closest ones to each other. Freed was Laxus' right hand man. They understood each other well in and out of the battlefield. No matter what, they always had each other's backs. There was a mutual understanding when it came to the battles. The guild, their family, came first. To Freed, the Thunder Legion and Laxus were his family. So Freed was pretty upset after facing Tartaros. He recalls how Laxus immediately inhaled those bane particles to save everyone without thinking of the consequences. It really upset him. He always does that though. Jumping head first to save everyone without thinking about how Freed would feel if something had happened to him. Then, he tried to hide the fact that the particles were still in his system and were slowly killing him. Freed could feel his anger stir up in him again.

Why would he care about what Freed thought? It's not like Freed and Laxus were together. He did trust Freed's spell to cure him though.

Then why did they feel so distant from each other? All of their conflicts were resolved, but they have been getting into more petty arguments than before. Was Freed using it as some sort of defense mechanism to hide his feelings?

What feelings?!

"Freed? Did you hear me?" Laxus snaps Freed out of his thoughts.

"Sorry, what?"

"I said it's getting dark. We should set up camp for the night."

"Right. Let's find a good place, then I'll start dinner."

They walked further along the path when they saw an empty cave nearby. Laxus gathered materials for a fire and Freed prepared dinner for the two of them. He served Laxus then himself. He took a seat on the ground next to Laxus. The two of them ate their dinner in front of the fire. There was a warm atmosphere inside the cave, almost romantic.

Freed's thoughts from before still lingered in the back of his mind. He never told Laxus about how he felt because it was clear to him Laxus never felt the same way. He did try to make some advances after the grand magic games, and even scrubbed his back during their baths as an attempt to get more intimate. Laxus was clueless sometimes but not that clueless.

"How did you get so damn good at cooking, Freed?" Laxus asks, breaking the silence.

Freed shakes off his thoughts again and laughs, "It took a lot of practice. Growing up I had to cook for myself."

"Why is that? You've never told me about your childhood, you know that?" Laxus pressed.

"Yeah well.. It's not something I really like talking about" Freed responds. He picks up his and Laxus' plates and moves them aside. "When I was younger, it was just me and my mother. I've never met my father. Whenever I asked about him, she immediately changed the subject as if she was avoiding something. My mother taught me everything she knew about taking care of oneself. I guess she was the reason I learned how to cook and have the habit of acting like a parent to Bickslow and Ever" he lets out a small chuckle.

"Where is your mother now?" Laxus asks.

"Around the time I turned fourteen, she got sick. There was nothing the healers could do..." he trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck, "...and she ended up passing away a few months later"