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Catch the Thunder	By : Rhov Category: +. to F > Fairy Tail Views: 17789 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: Fairy Tail is the property of Hiro Mashima. I make no money, I just do this for my own pleasure.

Chapter List
- 18
- 19
- 20
Chapter 19

An Awkward Family Reunion

Laxus looked up at a house with marble columns, sculpted hedges, where limousines were pulling up behind him and the music from a string quartet played somewhere within. The door he faced had what was easily the largest wreath he had ever seen outside of mall displays. The whole house had been decked out, nothing gaudy, but gleaming Christmas lights lit up each tree along the poplar-lined drive all the way up the private road to the mansion, with a circular driveway and a fountain in the center glowing with red and green lights.

He looked down at his suit. Freed had bought it for him, claiming it was merely another "Hanukkah gift." Laxus regretted telling him about that, because it gave Freed eight days of excuses to buy things for Laxus, things he had always wanted to get but felt too awkward to give as presents without a good reason.

So here he was, wearing some over-priced, tailor-made suit with patent leather shoes that probably cost as much as his rent. Laxus had slicked his hair back, but it still spiked out no matter how he tried to comb it. He felt ridiculous wearing clothes like this, but as he faced this house that loomed like some giant monster ready to swallow him, he was glad he at least was dressed in the right "armor."

Freed looked completely stunning, of course. He wore a burgundy suit coat buttoned up, his white dress shirt showing underneath, and a bow tie knotted perfectly. He had tied his long green hair back, with only the bangs draping down, covering one side of his face like usual. Maybe it was the Christmas lights, but his turquoise eyes gleamed brighter tonight. His face showed a complex mix of happiness at coming back home for the holidays as well as hesitancy about facing his parents with his boyfriend.

Deep down inside, Freed was aware that his parents already knew Laxus, and in one of the most intimate ways. That made this meeting even more awkward. It had to be done on Christmas, when his parents hosted a massive party for coworkers, clients, and contributors to their various charities. They would be restrained by social rules, forced through propriety to keep smiling, and greet their guest with politeness. Any other day and it would almost assuredly lead to an argument. He was gambling on his parents' steep sense of keeping up public appearances. For any other family, this sort of sudden reveal would utterly ruin the holiday.

Although he fully believed that his parents would behave themselves around Laxus, despite knowing who he was and what he used to do, his heart was still racing. He had been sweating all day, terrified at the prospect of an all-out fight with his parents.

Best case scenario: his parents accepted that Laxus had left behind his old life in order to make Freed truly happy and warmly accepted him.

Worst case scenario: either flat out disowning Freed, telling him he was no longer their son, cutting off from all funds, financial abandonment, and they would be escorted off the property with an order never to come home again; or they had security drag Laxus away while locking Freed up in a room to separate the two of them, pull Freed out of college, possibly dig up enough dirt on Laxus to have him arrested while safeguarding their own involvement with him, all so they could guarantee the two never met again.

That was a hell of a worst case scenario, and it scared the crap out of Freed.

Laxus glanced down quietly. He had seen Freed's nervousness in the car, tapping his fingers on the wheel, driving extra slow, and not just to appeal to Laxus' carsickness. He had frequently asked Laxus if he just wanted to skip the party. Laxus knew it was Freed himself chickening out, so he kept saying he wanted to go. They needed to get this over with, no matter the outcome. They both agreed, Christmas was the ideal time. If it worked out, the party would be great. If there was trouble, they could slip away from his parents and go to another part of the house, schmoozing with friends, and hopefully escape an all-out altercation. If things truly exploded, they could leave, simple as that.

And if it utterly went to hell … Laxus had brass knuckles hidden in an inner jacket pocket. He was prepared to fight for his lover.

Laxus was not about to leave this mansion without Freed. He already warned Freed, if his parents did something stupid, like hit Freed or demand he stay home while sending Laxus away, he was ready to fight any lame security guards, anything at all, to make sure Freed went home with him. The blush of happiness when he declared that showed that Freed wanted to spend this whole night with Laxus, no matter what happened with his parents.

For now, Freed was nervous, staring at the door, clenching his hand and releasing it over and over. Laxus was getting impatient just standing there.

"What's the matter?" he snapped.

Freed licked his lip. "I've never been nervous coming back home," he admitted.

Laxus eyed the door, the Romanesque columns, the massive fountain, and the limos of the many distinguished guests. "With a house like this, I'd be nervous every day."

Freed had to smile at that reminder of the difference between their worlds. "I grew up here, so I'm used to it, I guess."

"Well, if you don't knock, I will."

Freed jolted out of his trance. "N-no, I will." It was his own house, after all. He could at least knock. He lifted his hand and looked at the lion-headed door knocker. He took a deep breath and let it out. "Here we go." He lifted to brass knocker and tapped it to the door softly.

Laxus rolled his eyes. "Oh, fuck that!" His heavy fist pounded into the door, reverberating through the whole entryway.

Freed jolted and looked over in horror. "Laxus!"

Those blue eyes gazed down scathingly. "What?" he growled.

Freed cringed and looked away. "Nothing." Maybe that was how people knocked on doors in the city, but he knew his soft knock would have been more than enough. The butler had likely already seen them on the video feed coming from the security camera overlooking the entryway.

Sure enough, the door opened immediately with a heavy creak of solid oak. A tall, stiff man in a dutiful tuxedo stood at the ready.

"Master Freed," he greeted with a bow.

Laxus hissed under his breath, "Master?"

Freed tapped his arm to get him to be quiet. "It's just a title," he explained in a whisper.

Laxus grumbled back, "Yeah, whatever."

Freed hoped he could behave before they even entered the house. "Um … Hi, Bas. Merry Christmas."

The servant smiled and tipped his head cordially. "Of course, Master." He eyed the blond with a stern gaze. "And this is?"

"O-oh! Um … this is … uh…" Freed looked to Laxus for help. He remembered when they first met, Laxus hated giving out his real name. He had made Freed wait until their third date before even giving him his last name. He had no clue how Laxus felt about his private information leaking out now, especially since his father had once been a client.

Laxus seemed to understand the hesitation, and he was happy that Freed did not just blurt it out. However, he was here to meet his boyfriend's family. They should meet him for who he really was. Besides, it wasn't like he could go by Thor in this situation.

"Laxus," he told the butler.

The butler's eyes widened. "L-Laxus?" However, his duty was not to question this shocking revelation. "Of course … ahem … I shall introduce you."

They stepped through the door and into a vestibule where their thick winter outercoats and scarves were removed by maids in a feminine style of tuxedo. Laxus was slightly disappointed to see that the Justines did not use French maid outfits. He would have loved to steal one and make Freed wear it.

"Are Mother and Father here?" Freed asked as he followed the butler through a corridor where a few guests had slipped out to get fresh air away from the main party.

"They've already arrived," Bas informed him.

Laxus leaned into Freed's ear. "Arrived? Don't they live here?"

Freed gave a slight shrug. "Sometimes."

"What do you mean, sometimes?" Laxus decided not to pursue it. "Weird family," he muttered to himself.

Bas opened two doors, and they stepped out onto a balcony. The room was massive, soaring two floors of the house, the dancing down below in a ballroom, then the upper floor encircling in a mezzanine lined by a gleaming white marble balustrade.

Laxus leaned over to Freed. "Weren't we on the ground floor?"

He leaned over as well and whispered, "The land slopes here. The west side of the house is one story deeper than the east side. Look at the windows," he said, nodding to the floor-to-ceiling windows lining the western wall. "It's dark out, you can't see it, but those sparkling lights are the city below."

"The houses on the hill," Laxus muttered. As a child, he used to gaze up at the hill above Magnolia and admire those mansions. Now, he was standing in one.

Bas intoned in a deep and resonating voice, "Master Freed has arrived." Then he bowed and stepped aside.

"Master," Laxus grumbled again.

"Laxus, quiet!" Freed warned, sounding serious.

"It's just weird hearing him call you master."

Freed smirked. "What? Are you the only one who gets to be called master?" He leaned forward deviously. "Or are you afraid that I'm going to make you call me master some day?"

Laxus knew he was joking. Still … "Fuck you," he grumbled.

"Quiet," Freed softly warned.

"Go to hell," Laxus said with a glare.

Freed chuckled, and he stepped toward the stairs, giving a bow to the crowd.

People down in the ballroom gazed up as the heir to the mansion strode with graceful steps, alighting down the sweeping staircase with such a genteel gait, it was like he was floating. Behind him plodded someone who most assumed was merely a bodyguard, given the sheer size of the man. They turned and resumed their conversations.

Suddenly, a graceful woman in a green gown that matched her emerald hair came forward and gave Freed a warm hug. "Oh, honey!" she said with motherly affection. "I … o-oh!" Her eyes widened in a moment of horror as she saw the man behind her son. She stared, face twitching, but she forced herself to smile. "Who's your … friend?"

Freed realized right away, his mother had recognized the former sadist-for-hire. This introduction had to be pulled off as naturally as possible. "Mom, this is Laxus Dreyar."

She tried hard to smile, but her lips kept twitching. "L-Laxus? W-well." She laughed awkwardly. "Uh … um … well, my name is Liberty." Delayed by shock, she thrust her hand out, took his in a delicate hold, and curtsied with utmost propriety.

"Nice to meet you, ma'am," Laxus said in as polite of a tone as he could muster.

"Uh … y-yes." She looked around at the crowd with a flustered nervousness, as if anyone might also recognize him and wonder why this man was in her house. Instead, she snagged the true master of the house and yanked him over like a shield. "This is my husband, Llewellyn. Dear, this is our son's friend, Laxus Dreyar." She quickly whispered something into his ear just as the man's eyes widened at seeing his former dominant standing in front of him. Whatever she said, he calmed down, or at least he put up a mask of civility.

"Ah. Welcome … Mister Dreyar, was it?" he asked, much better at keeping up appearances than his frittering wife.

"Yes, sir." Laxus' face gave away nothing at all.

"Nice to meet you … Mr. Dreyar." He stretched his hand out to shake, but when Laxus took the palm, those fingers were trembling. He was good at keeping things under control, but Llewellyn Justine was obviously overwhelmed by a chance to touch him again.

Laxus just barely managed to keep his eyes from rolling as he quietly intoned, "Same here, sir."

Freed broke the tension by exclaiming, "Father! What happened to your nose?"

The businessman lightly touched the bruising that copious amounts of makeup only slightly hid. "Oh, you know how it is. Playing a hard game, took a chance swing…" His eyes drifted up to Laxus. "Backfired and got hit."

Laxus just stared at him. Most of the bruising was gone by now. The makeup did a good job at covering some of the damage, but anyone who knew Llewellyn well would see that his nose was slightly crooked.

"Wow, looks pretty bad," Freed said in concern. "Did it break?"

Llewellyn waved it off. "I know a good plastic surgeon. He'll fix it right up after the new year."

Laxus kept his face impassive. "That's too bad, sir."

Llewellyn gazed up, mournful but hiding his emotions with professional composure. "Yes … it is."

Freed glanced between the two. The atmosphere was thick. If this continued, someone was going to notice and wonder. He scanned the party and suddenly caught sight of a good distraction. "Oh! There she is." With a nod to his parents, he yanked Laxus aside. "Here's my sister, Everg- … who the hell is that?" he whispered in astonishment at the behemoth beside his brunette sister.

"What?" she asked with her mouth full of hors d'oeuvre. "Oh, it's just you, Freed." She realized he was staring at the huge man. "Hehe, yep! This is my boyfriend," she said in a chirpy tone. She yanked the massive man away from the shrimp cocktails. "Get over here, Elfman. Stop pigging out."

His mouth was full as he stated, "This is good food."

She gave a sigh and let him go back to eating. "He's a bit of a brute but…" She grabbed Freed's sleeve and yanked him in excitedly. "Look at his muscles!" she quietly squealed. "Oh my goodness, he's so … oh!" She suddenly caught sight of Laxus. She grinned, cocking an eyebrow up with interest. "Hello, who's this?"

"Hey! Mine!" Freed snapped possessively. "Back off, sis."

"Oh darn," she mumbled. The cute ones were always gay! However, a perfect smile was instantly on her lips. "Hello," she greeted with a high-society titter that was precisely like her mother's. "I'm Evergreen." She presented her hand out, wrist limp, a feminine gesture she had learned.

The blond took the hand, dipped over it, but did not kiss the fingers. "Laxus," he greeted.

Freed was amazed that Laxus knew these little tricks people did at parties like this. Maybe he had seen enough movies to get the gist of proper behavior. Or could it be his mother taught him some rules of etiquette in his youth?

"Laxus," she said, considering his name as well as his physique and finding both to be unique and pleasant. "Nice. Oh, uh, and this is Elfman Strauss."

Elfman waved again, his mouth full of shrimp and sauce. Laxus drifted over to the food table to eat some of what this large man was having. If it was good enough for him, it should be edible for anyone. While the two brawny men talked, Evergreen leaned over to her big brother and said in a playful singsong.

"Mine has bigger muscles than yours does!"

Freed rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on! This is not a competition."

"Of course it is," she smirked. "Yours isn't half bad, though."

"Yeah, yours looks … better than the last one," Freed said hesitantly.

She waved that off. "Oh, shush."

Freed scanned the crowd. "Where's Bickslow?"

She scoffed softly. "Like I know! He's off playing with his dolls or something."

Freed rubbed out tension between his brow. "Oh God, not those!"

Just then Laxus came up to the siblings holding a cracker with some unnameable mixture on it. "Dolls?"

Freed shook his head. "You don't want to know."

For once, Evergreen fulled agreed with him. "No, you don't want to know," she said with a high, grating voice, stiffening at the embarrassment of having a brother like him. She gave out a sigh, just glad that Bickslow was not totally ruining the party this time.

Laxus ate his cracker in one bite and folded his arms. "Oh, gimme a break. What is it, sex dolls?

Evergreen almost screamed but choke up. Freed turned aside with a blush.

Laxus realized, he stepped on a land mine. "Oh great…" he moaned.

Evergreen struggled to speak, but finally she gave up, grinning to overcompensate for her blathering. "Ah … E-Elfman, um … let's … uh … well … Oh! I … I see someone over here." She laughed and waved a cute farewell. "Bye!" Then she yanked Elfman with her over to some younger members of the crowd.

Laxus and Freed stood by one another with the guests all around, chatting and oblivious to what just happened.

Laxus quietly realized, "I really walked into that one."

"Y-yeah," Freed admitted. It was less of walking into it and more like crashing through with a spiked bludgeon.

"Ooookay," he whispered, looking around at all the hobnobbing. "Your family is officially weird."

Freed shrugged faintly. "Yeah." Despite their status, they had their issues.

"They're not bad, though," Laxus decided. "Your sister seems friendly."

Freed's eyes narrowed. "Yeah, she's friendly … too friendly." He saw that Laxus did not catch what he was implying, so he leaned up to his ear and covered his mouth with his hand. "She was staring at you."

"Yeah, so? I'm a lot to look at."

"Oh, don't get cocky!"

Laxus chuckled at his jealousy and possessiveness.

They walked around, Freed waved to a few people, but no one came directly up to him. Frankly, he was glad. He never felt fully comfortable amongst his parents' friends, colleagues, and business partners, as well as people hoping to win favors from the Justine family. Finally, they were alone again, watching dancers but standing to the side.

"So, meeting my folks," Freed whispered, easily spotting his mother dancing with a well-known venture capitalist while his father chatted up an elderly local politician. "Was that just weird?"

Laxus had hoped not to say anything yet. "Che! I'll be honest. Yeah," he confessed. Awkward … as … hell! Still, the meeting went as smoothly as he could hope for.

"At least they behaved themselves." He spared a look up and saw Laxus staring in the direction of Llewellyn. "Um … what did you say to them … you know, when…?" He could not think of any delicate way to say it. "I mean, they know you're no longer … taking … clients. Right?"

Laxus patted his shoulder. "Freed, they were the first ones to know."

"Really!" he cried out. Laxus called up his parents first? He supposed that showed how much honor Laxus felt toward his mother and father. "So they know?"

"Yep."

"Maybe that's why Father gave you that look. I'm sure he was disappointed."

Laxus peered back over toward Llewellyn. "Yeah … he was," he muttered, thinking of the irony.

Freed heard more than Laxus was willing to say. "What, did he make you an offer? Stay on and I'll pay you triple?" As he chuckled, he saw Laxus' eyes dart to the side. His heart immediately sank. "Oh God, he did." He felt his stomach turn sour as he realized an offer like that showed just how much his father had wanted him … wanted his boyfriend!

"Hey." Behind his back, out of sight of everyone, his large hand slipped over and rubbed up Freed's spine, hoping to soothe his worries. "It's over, okay?" he whispered with sweet tenderness. Those low rumbles made Freed smile immediately, and Laxus loved to see the relief in his face. "Only you now." Only this man! Only him! His fingers traced along Freed's spine, sending jolts along his nerve. "That life, it's all over, so—"

"BABIES!"

Laxus jolted and almost grabbed Freed to protect him. "What the hell?"

A tall man ran forward, flying down the stairs and weaving through the crowd, barreling toward them. He grabbed Freed into his arms and crushed him into a hug. The man squeezed and shook Freed back and forth in happiness.

"B-Bickslow! Settle down." Freed could barely breathe as his brother smothered him.

"Babiiiiiiiies!" the man yelled.

Freed finally pried the arms off. "Yes, babies," he chuckled awkwardly, hoping not too many people were staring. Unfortunately, they all were. As Bickslow stepped back, Freed waved his hand across his nose and whispered, "Oh God, you reek of marijuana!"

He cleared his throat and snapped a finger to Bas with a sharp point toward his younger brother. The butler nodded. They were prepared for situations like this. Bickslow had to be aired out and sobered up. While Bas hurried off, Freed decided he absolutely had to keep his brother away from the guests. Introductions!

"L-Laxus, this is my brother, Bickslow. Bickslow, this—"

Without waiting, the man turned and grinned with his tongue lolling out. "Hi!" he cried out loudly. "Are you my brother's boy-toy?"

Freed slapped his palm to his face. Oh, he just had to put it that way!

Laxus merely looked amused. "Other way around. He's mine to play with."

"Laxus!" Freed moaned under his breath. These two together were instant disaster.

"Cool!" smiled Bickslow.

Freed looked at Bickslow, who had the glazed look and widened pupils of being high in his eyes; then he glanced to Laxus, who was holding back a smile. "Riiiiight," he muttered. He saw Evergreen completely ignoring the scene, pretending she was not at all aware of the situation. Bratty sister! "Hey, uh … Evergreen's got some candy for you."

"Candy? Gimme!"

Bickslow rushed off and collided into his sister, hanging onto her and almost slobbering with his tongue hanging out, demanding candy. Evergreen had a moment of panic. The glare she shot at Freed could have turned any normal person to stone, but Freed was used to her scathing annoyance.

Laxus eyed the siblings for a moment longer. "Okay, he is stoned, drunk, and totally sexed up."

Freed gave an apologetic shrug. "That's about right for Bickslow."

Laxus nodded slowly. "I like him."

That made Freed laugh. "Yeah, you would," he muttered. "So, you just met the entire family."

"Not bad." It was refreshing to know there was a weirdo in every household. It made the Justines more down-to-earth than his worries had built them up to be. "So, what else do we do at this party?"

Freed shrugged. "We eat."

They were standing by a table, so Laxus eyed the numerous dishes. "I don't even know what this crap is."

Freed sympathized, but it was still amusing. Laxus really did look out of place here. "How about I get you a drink?"

He groaned. Yes! Alcohol! "I could really use it."

"Be right back." He walked over to a table where a bartender was attending to the many guests seeking out the Justine's famous wine collection. However, they had a whole wet bar full of different spirits. Freed hoped they had something Laxus would like.

The blond listened to the music. At least that was pleasant, a string quartet playing Dmitri Shostakovich's The Second Waltz, something uplifting and playful, not as stodgy as other composers. Laxus thought it might be nice to stand by them, let the musicians know they were appreciated. However, before he could take more than two steps, someone came up beside him.

"Thor?"

Without turning around, Laxus' voice dropped to a growl. "I'm not Thor." He glared around and stared hard at Llewellyn Justine. Of course this man waited until he was alone to confront him.

Llewellyn gave a tiny pout. "Laxus, was it?"

He gazed cautiously. "That's right … Mister Justine."

His words were always cold, but this time there was harshness to his voice. Llewellyn raised his head, keeping a dignified visage that Laxus almost never saw in their sadomasochistic playtime. "Look, about that day. I apologize," he said formally.

"Good," Laxus said curtly.

Llewellyn's composure was being put to the test. He glanced around. Although no one was watching him directly, he knew parties like this. No one stared, but everyone was passively watching. He dropped his voice as low as possible without being drowned out by the buzz. "I just need to know that you're not hurting my boy."

Laxus gave a closed-lip chuckle. "Definitely not, sir." He glanced at the alcohol table, where Freed was trying to place his order and apparently having issues.

Llewellyn followed his gaze. His son truly had grown up. "He looks well."

"He should. I've been taking care of him, making sure he eats. You should have seen the crap in his dorm fridge. I demanded that he get real food." Laxus watched as the man's eyes dropped in conflicted emotions. How must this be, for a father to lose a wanted male lover to the son he never fully accepted as being gay?

"It must have been awkward, finding out who he was." It was certainly awkward for Llewellyn to find out his dominant was also his son's boyfriend.

Laxus rolled his eyes. "That's an understatement." Awkward? He still had a sick feeling in his stomach when he remembered how he almost lost Freed that day.

"He … knows?"

Laxus hesitated. It might be easier to lie, but this man deserved the truth. For being one of his best clients, for behaving himself up until the very last day, for years of good pay and good drinks, he deserved the truth.

"Yeah, he knows. We kind of figured it out together."

Llewellyn's body stiffened ever so slightly. "So he knows about me, hmm?"

Laxus saw the fear and sadness twitching the man's face, but never breaking through to the surface. What must this be like as a father, to find out that your son knows your darkest, kinkiest secret? Laxus was not close to his family anymore; his grandfather rarely spoke to him, his father was missing and on the run, his mother was dead, and he had no siblings. He tried to imagine it, though. What if his mother was alive? What if she suddenly found out what Laxus did for a living? How embarrassing would it be for him? Llewellyn was keeping his emotions under control, but just barely.

"He's a lot like you, sir," Laxus said in a casual tone, but he realized the sudden surge in music as the string players crescendoed to a forte gave them some more privacy. He leaned into Llewellyn's ear. "Very much like you, actually: a masochist, submissive, likes some of the same kinks as you—"

"Not here," he snapped quietly, and anger flared in the man's eyes.

"Yet unlike you," Laxus pressed on, lowering his voice as the surge in music sank back down, "Freed is a perfect slave. He's the only person in the world allowed to call me master."

"I … I don't want to know about that!" Jealousy. Definitely this was jealousy! It had been Llewellyn's pleading and beseeching Laxus by calling him master that led to his broken nose.

As a sadist, Laxus was fascinated by pushing his former submissive into such a tight corner. He would have loved to push harder, really drive this man to desperation, but he had to be kind for Freed's sake. This was Freed's family, after all. He wanted Freed to enjoy this party, not regret coming here.

"I'm saying it how it is, sir." Laxus leaned down over Llewellyn and glared at him. "So don't you dare get on his case, because morally, you're not the slightest bit above him."

Llewellyn stared hard. If this hulk of a man was into business, he would be a truly intimidating opponent. Luckily, this was not a business meeting, no stocks and bonds were in jeopardy, but something far more was in danger. Here, at this party, this sadistic man could easily bring down Llewellyn Justine in front of everyone who held him in admiration. As the magnate stared up at the former strip dancer, he realized what sort of hold this blond brute had over him. One word, or merely the wrong gesture, and his social standing would crumble in an instant.

Laxus smiled as he saw the pride in this man's face trembling and cracking. "Now, let's pretend like we don't know one another, you're a cutthroat businessman, and I … am a humble electrician."

Llewellyn jolted. "You're a what?"

"Well, I am now."

"I thought you…" He glanced around cautiously. "…danced."

"Not anymore," Laxus shrugged lightly. "I have to thank you, sir. You taught me a good lesson. I couldn't keep doing what I was doing and still be the type of man that Freed deserves." He gave a casual shrug. "I gave it all up. For him," he emphasized. "That's how much I love him." His blue eyes narrowed. "So don't you dare get in our way. Got it?"

Llewellyn swallowed back any feelings he might have. "Understood," he said quietly.

"Good." Laxus smiled in a condescending way. Just then, he saw the green-haired man approaching. "Hey Freed," he grinned, eagerly taking a cup from him and drinking. Instead, he made a face. "Oh God, do they water this shit down?"

"Watch your language," Freed warned.

"Yeah, I forgot," Laxus grumbled. He tried to drink more and made another face. Too much tonic, not enough gin. This was a weak drink for people with weak stomachs.

Freed eyed the two with worries. It was obvious these two were in the midst of a heavy discussion. He had heard people around the room whispering about it, wondering who the handsome tall man with a scar was, why Mister Justine was so interested in him, and why the business tycoon looked so intimidated. He had heard everything from guesses that the large man was a soldier and son of some powerful politician, to worried whispers that maybe he was in the mafia and threatening extortion.

"Hey, Father," Freed greeted, his voice mumbling as he wondered what he could say.

"Hello, son," the father said stiffly. He forced an amiable smile. "How's school?"

School? Ah, of course! They had to make the appearance of normality. Of course a father would ask his son about the progress of his education. That was only natural.

"Um … good. Aced everything. I made the Dean's List for the Fall semester," he smiled, hoping that would make his father proud. "I'm still in that honor society." Nothing was working. His father still had a harsh face. "Next semester is my last, so I've already arranged which classes I need to take. Everything seems to be … going well." Was there really no way to please this man?

"That's good," Llewellyn said placidly, still keeping his emotions suppressed. "Don't slack on your studies in your final semester. You wouldn't want to get distracted by too much … entertainment."

Freed's eyes flitted between his father and his lover. Was this a hint? Did his father not approve?

Laxus stood to the side. They were garnering attention, and he knew that was bad. "Oh fuck this. You both know the truth," he whispered.

Freed jolted. Was he acting strangely? Glancing around, he saw the cliques whispering and glancing over. "Laxus," he sighed.

"I'm not going to say anything out loud, but obviously you two … you need…" Why the hell was he mediating? This was most awkward for him, after all. He was the stranger here. "Ya know what? Fuck this. I'm gonna go talk to your mom. You two go somewhere else and work this out. That's an order … to both of you!" He stomped away, and at least half of the eyes in the crowd—especially women—followed him rather than stare at the father and son.

Freed gulped hard. He had felt protected by Laxus' mere presence. Now that was gone. He had to face his father directly. "M-maybe we could … um … talk in the parlor."

Llewellyn's face never lost its severity. "Yes, perhaps we should." He turned sharply and marched out in a stride that let others know not to come up to him and try to start small talk.

Freed sank in anguish. This was the dire moment, a confrontation between father and son over a man both had known intimately. Dragging his feet, he followed his father out of the ballroom.

Laxus weaved around the party. He knew eyes lingered on him, yet no one actually came up to him. He was glad, too. One of his fears for this party was that he might meet up with yet another rich bastard who also knew the thrill of the Thunder God's sadistic ways. Luckily, not a single person was familiar, except for a couple of people he thought he had seen on television. Were they actors? Politicians? Media moguls? He didn't know, didn't care, so long as they didn't know him.

Luckily, Liberty was in a moment of lull. She had just finished speaking to Bas about the best way to get Bickslow out of the party without attracting attention. Before she could return to gossiping with high society ladies, she found a mountain of muscles in front of her.

"Hello, ma'am," Laxus greeted.

"Uh, Thor … um, I mean … uh, what was it again?" she asked.

"Laxus," he said. After four years of knowing him as Thor, it was not all that surprising that she got his name wrong.

She nodded, trying to commit it to memory. However, the oddity of the name stunned her. "Is that your real name?"

"Yes, Laxus Dreyar. I couldn't give you my real name. I'm sure you understand."

"Um, yes. Circumstance being what they were," she said with a plastered smile as she realized those curious about this tough-looking stranger were now staring at the two of them. "Um … look, uh … sorry if I might have said something inappropriate that day about you being a…" She paused to find the right word. "…a dancer."

He rolled his eyes. That life was behind him now, but he figured it would haunt him for a while longer. "I'm not anymore, if that's of any consideration for me being accepted at this wonderful party of yours." His words were tight, feeling anything but accepted amidst the posh surroundings.

Liberty looked stunned. "Wait, you quit?" she asked a little too loudly.

"Yes. Freed didn't like it, and I like Freed."

"Oh," she said, considering this carefully. "It must have been a lucrative job, though … considering what we paid," she added quietly. She had been the one who handled paying Laxus for his services. She knew just how expensive his time was.

"I won't lie. Yeah, it was," he had to admit. His new job paid him weekly, but it was only a fraction of what he used to make in a single night with a client.

Liberty smiled faintly. "And you gave that all up … for Freed?"

Laxus shrugged and took a sip of the weak swill that passed for a drink. "Pretty much, yeah. He's a hell of a guy. I didn't want to lose him."

"Wow," she muttered, and she laughed softly. "You're quite devoted."

Laxus lowered his cup, and his face was utterly serious. "I want to be."

She blushed, feeling happy for her boy. Laxus might be intimidating, but she heard the honesty and ardor in his words. "I'm glad my son has someone like you, instead of someone like his fath-…"

"Hey," Laxus cut in. "No badmouthing him. Not at this party. I told you two, right? Let Freed have his happy family moment. It's bad enough that he knows what Llewellyn and I were up to."

Her equanimity utterly shattered. "H-h-he knows?" she cried out.

"How do you think I found out who his parents are?"

"How did he find out? How did you find out?"

"We kinda—" He paused in frustration. "Shit, I'm repeating myself to both of you." He let out a sigh. Although ideally, he would tell both of them everything at the same time, perhaps it was best to tackle one at a time. There was nothing else to do but explain all over again. "He had a family picture in his dorm room, I freaked out because I recognized you two, he immediately questioned: why would I know his parents? It all just kind of came together. I figured out whose son he was; he figured out who one of my clients were."

Liberty stared at him, but suddenly she placed a hand down on a table, her face paling, knees shaking. "Oh God," she whispered, feeling faint. "So my son knows about his father." She realized she had to calm herself. A maid walked up and offered her a glass of water, which she waved off. She did not want anyone nearby as she talked to Laxus. "Does he know I had a hand in this?"

Laxus tried to look supportive, or as best as he could pull off. "Ma'am, he loves you very much."

She nodded stiffly. "Then, he knows."

"Yes, he does," Laxus admitted. "And he still loves you. Like I said, he's a hell of a guy. You should be proud of him. I don't think many sons would be that…" This time, it was Laxus pausing, searching for the right word. "…understanding about their parents, realizing adults do these sorts of things." He lightly patted her on the arm. "He's a smart kid."

She smiled with her eyes cast down and a light blush. "Yes, he is."

Laxus smirked at her motherly expression. She could be cold one minute, skittish the next, but right at that moment… "You have this look that says 'He's my little pride and joy.'"

She chuckled and shrugged awkwardly. "His father might be cold, but Freed and I were always close. The … resemblance between him and me … um … it's been noted," she said awkwardly. "Perhaps that's why he turned out to be homose-…"

"Hey!" Laxus snapped, jolting her into silence.

"I … I didn't mean it badly," she assured him. "I do have to wonder, though. I mean, he looks like his mother. Maybe that's why he … ah … ahem … picked up a bit of my … femininity … um…"

"Ma'am," Laxus said with a scolding glare.

"Yes?"

His eyes narrowed and his voice dropped to a private whisper. "Shut up right now."

She croaked out a protest at being ordered in her own house, yet that gaze was overpowering even to a proud woman like her. She pursed her lips together and did not say more.

"Thank you," Laxus said with an ever-polite smile. He was utterly sick of niceties. He glanced around the room, wishing Freed was with him again. "I need something stronger than this goddamn piss-water."

"Blue Label?" Liberty offered. She met eyes with the butler standing against the wall, present yet unseen. Was it sign language she gave him? In any case, Bas nodded and left to obey.

Oh God, he could have hugged her! "You know my taste, ma'am."

"Please, call me Liberty. Having you call me ma'am reminds me of … those times," she said with scorn blazing in her eyes.

Laxus smirked playfully. "How about I call you Mom?"

She rolled her eyes. "Oh God, no!"

He could hardly help but laugh at her reaction. Liberty was so much worse at hiding her emotions than Llewellyn was. Talking with her, edging out her emotions, was loads more fun.

Her face suddenly pale in horror. "Wait … that … that wasn't some sort of hint, was it? Y-you and … and my boy?"

Laxus shrugged. "We're not engaged, if that's what you mean."

"Oh, thank God," she sighed in relief.

Too easy! He had to tease her some more. "Maybe in the future," he mused softly.

"Ahh! Uh … mmmh…" She instantly choked back her loud cry and pretended it was all a cough. "You're joking, right?" she hissed in a panicking whisper.

He stared down at her hard. "Who says I am?"

She stared, eyes wide, but her mind a blank. On one hand, this was the man she had known for four years as the professional dominant—not much more than a male prostitute in her mind—who she was forced to watch with jealousy and even a bit of revilement as he pleasured a husband she realized she could no longer fully satisfy. She had every right in the world to hate Laxus, especially when she found out that Llewellyn had wanted his dominant over his wife, had offered to pay him, keep him around, pamper this prostitute, when he could not even be loyal to her, the woman who had shared his bed for over twenty years and bore him three children. However, on the other hand, she realized that Laxus had given up quite a lot merely because Freed did not like it. He had reformed himself, all because of his love for her son. With the bitterness of Llewellyn's infidelity still painful in her heart, seeing this sort of devotion was reassuring. There were still good men out in the world, and her son had been lucky enough to find one.

"For the moment, no," Laxus assured her. "But … I really do like him." A smile came to his lips, only to fade. "I think he deserves better, though."

That surprised her. "You think so?"

For a while, she had thought this man was simply an interloper, a gold-digger, there for the family money. However, the sadness in his blue eyes as Laxus glanced around at the ballroom showed her the truth. He knew this was a level of haut monde that surpassed his own social upbringing, and instead of a covetous gleam she had seen in plenty of suitors going after some upper class bachelor to get at the money, Laxus looked almost repulsed by this level of wealth.

"Look at me, amidst all this," he scoffed. "I don't belong here."

She had to agree; rather than trying to fit in, Laxus was fighting against the smothering miasma of high society.

Laxus nodded over to a food table. "That guy, Elfman. Know anything about him?"

"Um … not really. He has two sisters, a famous opera singer whom our family knows through our connections with the opera house, and a young student at a community college interning somewhere, I can't recall exactly."

"Rich?"

"Not particularly," she shrugged. She knew that Elfman himself was not wealthy, but his sister Mira was the prima donna of the opera house the Justines supported with their patronage, so the family was not destitute either.

"So he's like me," Laxus realized. "Cool. I'm gonna go talk to him. And get that Blue Label. Bring it to the table with us. Maybe I'll make friends with this big guy," he smiled, walking off.

"Um … yes … right away," Liberty said awkwardly, not used to be ordered around in her own home.

It truly was strange that her daughter brought home this massive man, hardly refined but not the worst she had dated, on the same day that her son brought home his intimidating boyfriend. Two men, both huge, both with scars on their faces and shoulders twice as broad as her. Truly, their family was going to be the talk of all the high society parties this winter.

"So Father, that's how it is."

To the best of his ability, Freed had just explained how he met Laxus, a highly condensed version of how they hooked up—no mention made that Laxus had assumed Freed was buying sexual favors—and their current situation: dating exclusively, Laxus quitting his clients, and his new job as an electrician.

"I see." Llewellyn knew there was probably a whole novel's worth of lewd details involved in this tale, but he did not press for more. He had once seen his son at the South Pole Club, so he knew that must have been where he met Laxus. Their relationship began near the beginning of the past university semester, so around August or September. The point Freed mostly stressed was that Laxus was loyal and their relationship was serious, not frivolous.

Freed was normally good at reading the faces of others, but his father had trained not to give away his inner thoughts through a perfect poker face mask. He had no clue what his father thought of this relationship, but at least no harsh words had been spoken yet, no demands to break up, no threats to pull him out of school and lock him away.

"And … um … I'd really appreciate it if you let me and Laxus be the way we are." That was the most important part. He did not want his parents butting in. Freed did not care if they disapproved, so long as they did not attempt to separate him from Laxus.

After having listened to his son talk about the man he had known for four years as Thor, the man he had been infatuated with before Freed was even a legal adult, the man he had thought was truly the destined mate he had been searching for all his life … he needed a drink!

He walked through the parlor to an oak cabinet. Inside was a carafe of brandy. He poured two glasses, one for himself and one for his son, guessing that if his nerves were this frazzled, and he had trained to keep his emotions bottled tightly, then his son who had a far more delicate emotional level, just like his mother, was probably a powder keg ready to explode. Sure enough, Freed took the brandy glass, and the liquid trembled with the nervous shaking of his hands. He gladly drank it down and hissed at the strength.

Llewellyn sipped his in a more refined manner. "Well, you're apparently aware of how I know him."

"Yes," Freed said with a pain in his chest. It was still hard to imagine that Laxus had done those sorts of things to his own father.

Llewellyn nodded and sipped some more. As a father, there were many negative things he wanted to say, scolding Freed for hooking up with a strip dancer who he knew nothing about—at least Laxus had come recommended to the Justines—let alone the issue of how easily any of their associates could recognize Laxus. Anyone who knew him as a client would know precisely what this young man used to do as a living. It was easy to blackmail their family if they threatened to let it spill that the eldest son and heir to the Justine fortune was intimate with a strip dancer who prostituted himself for sexual favors.

However, for every argument he had, he turned it back around onto himself. If Laxus had agreed to his proposed deal, given up Freed, accepted the money, lived with him, then all of his worries would have applied to himself just as much as they now applied to Freed.

"I probably shouldn't judge you," he admitted quietly.

Freed looked up in shock. "Huh?"

Llewellyn gave his son a sympathetic smile. "How can I?"

Truly, his son was doing only what Llewellyn himself had wanted to do. It was Laxus who picked Freed over him, and he could not bring himself to hate Laxus for making that choice. If anything, now realizing what the dominant sadist must have been going through, the mental anguish of wanting to remain faithful to Freed while hearing his boyfriend's own father fawning over him obsessively … he probably got off lucky just getting punched in the nose.

Llewellyn stared at the burgundy liquid in the glass. Slowly, sagely, he told his son, "Let him do what he wants, but always warn him if he's going too far. Obey him, but don't smother him. If it doesn't work out, there are many dominants out there."

Freed blinked, staring silently. It took him almost a solid minute to figure out what his father just said. When it fully sank in, he began to laugh. "Oh my God, I'm getting BDSM advice from my father!" It was so outrageous, he set the glass down to laugh. "We never even had a sex talk."

Llewellyn shrugged blithely, "I figured you were smart enough not to need the sex talk. Bicklow was another issue."

Freed laughed, and Llewellyn finally joined in. They had not really bonding in this sort of way since … well, maybe never. Freed had always been closer to his mother, very few traits of his stern and business-savvy father. This was the first time they had something similar between them, and it was ironic that it was the one trait Llewellyn had hoped his children would never find out about.

He looked at his grown son. He saw Liberty in him, an inherent beauty, the flowing hair and long eyelashes, even her same beauty mark, traits that were strange for a man, but he could understand how Laxus fell so easily for him. Freed was likable from the moment you met him, passionate in everything he did yet often skittish, which made people want to shelter him. Definitely, he and Liberty had sheltered Freed, although he had often gone down his own path at their disapproval. Competition fencing, for example, and being openly gay when he was still a teen.

Now he had truly struck out on his own, a relationship he must have known would be met with disapproval long before he found out about Laxus and Llewellyn's connection. As much as he wanted to oppose their love, Llewellyn also found it charming that a stern character like Laxus was there to bolster his son.

"I'm glad he's good to you."

Freed smiled at the gentleness in his father's tone. "He is." Freed felt his cheeks warm up as he thought about those moments when Laxus was tender and attentive. That was a side he probably never showed to clients. "He … um…" He wanted to say something, but speaking about this to his father was definitely awkward. "What I need is … more gentle than what he's used to." He saw his father nod in understanding. "I'm not into the hard stuff and … and sometimes that's what he needs."

That confession surprised Llewellyn. "How do you deal with that?"

"There's a club. He works there as an electrician now, sometimes as a bouncer, and sometimes … as a … um…" How could he put it politely? "…as a demonstration expert." The slight tip of his father's head showed that was too generic. "Flogging, paddling, showing interested club members how to do it right."

"Ah," nodded Llewellyn. He had been to clubs like that. It was how he got caught cheating the first time.

"When he has those days, I go and watch. That way, I'm there, I can see everything he does. He's only done it three times since starting there." This new arrangement, Laxus working in public instead of private, was still new to both of them.

"And that's okay with you? Watching him?" Llewellyn asked in concern. This was a lot like how Liberty had to sit and watch as Laxus' sadistic treatment got Llewellyn in the right mood. He knew she never completely liked their arrangement, but it had saved their marriage for a time.

"It's … awkward," Freed confessed. "I mean, I see what his potential is, and I know … that's … it's way more than I can give him," he whispered. Knowing that truly was depressing at times. "But then, he turns to me." A small smile flitted onto his face. "He just gives me this look, like he's saying, 'Yeah, I need this, but … it's just a need. No emotion.' There's no love in it. His love is … here," Freed chuckled, pressing his hand to his chest. "In my heart."

That was what kept this arrangement working. Whenever Freed felt miserable, seeing the power of Laxus' paddling, knowing he would have screamed safewords long before then, and especially seeing other people getting aroused due to his treatment and demonstrations, those looks Laxus gave him banished away all doubts.

"He'll keep looking at me while paddling someone else. I don't want to say it's vicarious—that's kind of weird—but I like to know that he can get what he needs and still be loyal to me. I was always worried before. I'd worry … what if he found someone better? What if he had more fun with one of his clients?"

Llewellyn dropped his head. He was just one of many clients. Laxus probably thought little of him. Just another ass to beat! Yet their arrangement, and the other arrangements Laxus had, must have truly burdened his son.

"Now, I can watch what he does, and I see … I see for myself, it just doesn't affect him. He needs it mentally, but physically?" He shook his head. "It … doesn't affect him. But then, what I do…"

He smiled bashfully at memories. Even when the submissive before Laxus cried out in utter bliss, Laxus never got hard, not even once. Not until he could grab Freed and hear his moans, feel his body, and only then did something stir in his leather pants.

"This is weird, talking about this with my father," Freed admitted, "but … even just a little bit of what I can give to him, even that small amount, is enough. It's enough for him, and somehow that's just amazing to me."

Llewellyn had to admit, it was hard to hear this truth. Never once had Thor—Laxus, he had to remind himself—gotten aroused. Even that last day, when Llewellyn tried so hard to stir him up, forcefully caressing him, whispering sweetly, moaning heatedly, palming him with urgency, the sadist showed no signs of physical pleasure. His son could effortlessly give to Laxus what Llewellyn could never provide. Laxus' words echoed in his ears.

'I have my own life and a man I love. I don't care how much money you give me, you would still be nothing more than a client, and I have never—ever—fucked a client. If you think something as stupid as money could bribe my boyfriend, you obviously have forgotten what real love is truly like.'

Laxus had turned down a life of luxury and pleasure for Freed. He had given up an incredibly lucrative career all because Freed did not like it. As much as Llewellyn had been enamored with his dominant, Laxus was never his master. Only Freed could call him master.

"You've got something special, son."

Hearing those words from his father made Freed smile. "I like to think so," he said with hope. "I got lucky. Maybe we both got lucky, finding each other."

"I'm sorry if … if how I knew him … if it was a cause for anguish."

"You didn't know," Freed said, not a single bit of blame in his voice. "I mean, he said he knew you guys for four years."

"Something like that, yes." Four wonderful years! Or at least, that had been his opinion. For Laxus, he was nothing more than a long-term contract.

"So, that was long before I knew him." Freed placed a hand on his father's arm. "It's fine, really."

Llewellyn was not sure how to feel about being forgiven by his own son. "I'm happy for both of you," he said. It was the closest he could give to approval with his heart still broken by Laxus' rejection. That room, those memories, the connection he thought had existed between him and the thunder god, had been just a fantasy. It was time to accept the harshness of reality. He gulped the last of his brandy and slammed the glass down. "How about I take you both somewhere? Come on, let's find your boyfriend."

"Oh! R-right."

Hearing his father call Laxus your boyfriend felt amazing. All of his fears about this meeting were gone. They left the parlor and returned to the ballroom. As they strode into the room filled with music and chatting, it was easy to pick out the two who had not been raised in this lifestyle.

Freed cringed. "Oh wow, those two totally stand out."

"Yeah, they do," frowned Llewellyn.

Laxus and Elfman must have shared plenty of drinks together, sharing a bottle of Blue Label between them, not even bothering with cups. They were telling a bawdy joke and laughing loudly, while the other guests kept their distance and stared.

"My God, they're terrifying the guests. Okay! We're definitely going to do this." He stepped forward swiftly. "Come, son."

"Ah! Y-yes, Father." Freed rushed to catch up. They walked over to the two burly men.

In his most civil voice, Llewellyn greeted them. "Mister Dreyar, Mister … Strauss, was it?"

"Yo!"

"Sup!"

Llewellyn could smell the alcohol on Elfman's breath, and their informality really stuck out. "Riiiiight … um … Laxus, would you come with me and Freed?"

He set down the scotch bottle. "Oooh God." This was what he had dreaded.

"It's not bad. Come on, both of you. Evergreen?"

She was in the middle of a gaggle of girls, but she scurried off from their gossip at her father's call. "Hmm?"

"Has your boyfriend seen…" He tried to think of a good place. "…the backyard?"

Her eyes narrowed behind her glasses. "You're trying to get him out of here."

"Yes," he said bluntly.

She stomped her foot and rolled her eyes. "Daaaaad!"

"Just until the guests settle down again." He leaned into her ear. "And try to sober him up. You brought him; he's your responsibility."

Evergreen looked over at her drunk boyfriend, then glared at her father. "I hate this family," she whispered scathingly. She grabbed Elfman just before he could pick up the Blue Label bottle, and she tugged him toward an exit.

Llewellyn's face never changed from its pleasant mask, but he let out a soft sigh of frustration. "It's like raising them through teenage puberty all over again. Seven years of parenting hell," he whispered so no one would hear. Then Llewellyn gave a genteel smile all around, silently assuring his guests that it was safe now; the scary large man was gone. "All right! You two, come with me." He turned sharply and marched away.

Freed and Laxus followed his stride and heard the party behind them liven up again.

Freed leaned over to Laxus. "Where are we going?"

"Hell if I know!" he whispered back. He stared at the back of Llewellyn's head. What did this man have planned for them?

Next Chapter: "A Very Merry Christmas"

A/N: Audio for the chapter: http://chirb.it/GBFgtH

Sorry for the wait. The issue with this chapter was...it's cursed. Yes, cursed!

I broke my wrist months ago and something didn't heal right. It's hurting, so back in December I asked if someone would help me type up this chapter if I made a recording of the dialogue (basically me ad-libbing and making shit up as I go, they type up the spoken words, I write up the rest). Someone eagerly raised their cyber-hand, yet only a few days later and before I could send them the audio, they had computer failure which forced them to back out. So I asked again, another person volunteered, and her computer broke just days later. Just as I was beginning to fret, a fan leaped out of nowhere BEGGING me to let him type up one of my chapters. I decided 3rd time's the charm, right? Not so! First, since the audio was really quiet when transferred from my phone to Google Drive, I ran it through a program called Audacity. Normally, this is no problem. However, for whatever reason, Audacity kept crashing. Every time it crashed, it completely corrupted the file and I had to download it again from my phone. This happened 4 times before finally I made a version that was okay. I then gave it to the kid. Things cropped up in his life, and three weeks passed (normally this process takes 2-3 days) so I got worried. He insisted he had all but 10 minutes done. Then, on the day I requested that he send whatever he had and he could finish the rest later, his laptop broke, taking what he had written into cyber oblivion. So, all of that work was lost, and 3 weeks of waiting wasted. I was fed up, so I began to type it on my own, wrist pain be damned! While I was typing, as if to confirm "yes, this is a cursed chapter," my power suddenly went out. Thank God for auto-save! But still, all these system failures were just a little too eerie to be coincidence. Another fan read about this "cursed chapter" and volunteered to take a chance. I gave her only half of the audio since I had begun work on it already. I'm still waiting for that, so I decided to split this chapter into two parts, since it was rather long already, and so you don't have to wait any longer.

Something like this has never happened to me in all these months of lending out audio files of ad-libbed dialogue for others to transcribe while my wrist heals. It was just too weird. My only guess is, something out there doesn't want this story to end.
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