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Of Lightning and Long Locks	By : Rhov Category: +. to F > Fairy Tail Views: 2452 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail nor do I make money for this fanfic.

Chapter List
- 3
- 4
- 5
Chapter 4
Training
It had begun to rain shortly after they got to their hotel. Although they had planned to leave town right away, Evergreen was still suffering from mental trauma, and Freed wanted to write that letter to Wolfheim as soon as possible, just in case the Ten Wizard Saint showed up early. They decided another day in town would not be so bad. At least everyone forgave their weird hair, since the whole town was affected by Teddy's curses.
Rain tapped on the window as Freed sat at a desk, working out how to word his letter. Since he was busy, Bickslow's massive hair made going anywhere impossible—he had to get a separate room because his hair was larger than the bed—and Evergreen had locked herself in her room, Laxus left to get food for all of them. When he returned to their shared hotel room, Freed looked up and smiled.
"Whatever you bought smells good," he said, setting his pen down.
"This town is apparently famous for their fried chicken, or so they claim. Bicks and Ever already have theirs." He lifted a bag. "This one is ours."
Freed stretched out his arms. "How are they adjusting?"
"Ever's locked herself away and has turned to wearing a bag over her head like the other townsfolk. Bickslow says he wants to keep the afro, but he can barely move around with it. That damn hair is seriously almost as big as his room and hits the ceiling, so he's walking around crouched over. He's thinking about sleeping out in that barn Mr. Strawberry converted for people with hair too large for their own good. Apparently, he's not the only globe-head that brat created."
"And how about you?" Freed eyed the golden hair. "That's a lot longer than it was just an hour ago."
Laxus glanced at the hair that was now to his rump. "Yeah, it's growing back. I might have to zap it off again in the morning. How's the letter coming along?"
Freed sighed and looked down at the parchment. "I think I've got it worded right. I wrote it on behalf of you, by the way."
Laxus looked over in curiosity. "Why me?"
"Well, Wolfheim is one of the Four Gods of Ishtar. That woman is right: I'm just a minion."
"Hey! You ain't nobody's minion," he insisted, enraged that Freed would think that.
"Yeah, but I'm not the grandson of a guild master, or even an S-Class wizard." Freed shrugged humbly. "I'm not important enough to deserve an audience with a man like Wolfheim."
"You're the captain of the Raijinshuu, strongest fuckin' team in Fairy Tail, so that's a hell of an important position."
Freed smiled lightly to hear him say that. "Thanks. Still, you're well-known and well-respected by other Ten Wizard Saints. Plus Wolfheim knows Makarov, so there's a chance he won't totally dismiss us as a waste of time. Your renown strength and your connection to Makarov just might get us our audience with Wolfheim."
Laxus set out the food. "Fine, use my family's name if you gotta. It's useful for some things. I just want that kid to be taken care of." He fixed a plate with chicken, corn, and potatoes, and handed it to Freed. "Eat up."
He accepted the plate but looked at Laxus it amazement. "You're normally not this concerned about children."
"I ain't," he said defensively. "I just kinda know how that kid feels. He's gonna have a rough life dealing with a grandfather that famous. Everyone will compare him to Wolfheim, and he's gonna hate every single comment that ends in just like his grandfather. Still, at least he deserves a chance to learn, to be strong, to compare himself to his grandfather, have him as the standard to surpass, and have others recognize him, even if they just compare him to his grandfather so much that he hates it."
Freed ate a little food as Laxus talked, but hearing him say that, hearing him empathize with that boy after everything Laxus had been through with his own dealings, made Freed proud. "You said some wise words to that boy today."
"Only crap I learned the hard way," he grumbled, tearing into the chicken with an appetite. "You did good, too. You really outsmarted that kid, as expected of you."
"Thank you," he said with a tip of his head.
They continued to eat, commenting on the food—the fried chicken really was delicious—and wondering if the storm would let up enough so they could leave in the morning. Every time Freed began to talk, Laxus would watch him. He had looked at Freed a lot over the years, always the same. He swore, the man never aged. Now though, it was odd. Laxus was used to Freed's right eye being covered by hair. Now with the crew cut, Laxus got to see both eyes. He was used to the cowlicks, but they were gone. He was used to long hair that gleamed green in the light, yet that also was cut to the scalp.
"Was Evergreen right?" asked Laxus. "Is that really how your hair looked back then … you know, when I was gone?"
Freed paused. That's right, Laxus had never seen his hair short before.
"Unfortunately, yes," he answered, coming across as sounding a little stiff as he shoved aside memories of the heartbreak and regret he had felt during that last major haircut.
Laxus frowned as he eyed the short hair and how it changed the entire appearance of Freed's face. "Did you really cut it that short? I mean, I heard ya cut it, but … seriously?"
Freed forced his face to be neutral and he poked at his food. "This short, yes."
"You didn't keep it in that style for very long."
He scoffed and stabbed a wedge of potato. "Would you? It looks terrible."
"I dunno," Laxus said, sipping a beer. "I think it looks good."
Freed jolted and looked up with his jaw dropped. Did Laxus actually like his hair short?
"I think it looks better longer," Laxus added in, "but it's not hideous this way. You probably look good no matter how your hair is cut."
"Th-thanks," he said awkwardly. The foul memories of the past evaporated with a burst of giddiness that Laxus thought he looked good.
Laxus focused on his bottle of beer. Dammit! He thought maybe he could flirt a little since it was just the two of them in that room, but obviously this was not working.
How the hell do you flirt? I don't normally do this shit. Still, he looks fucking hot. I miss the long hair, but damn, this hairstyle is good on him. Even that goddamn mullet looked good on him. He just looks good no matter what. Sheesh, stop staring at him, he's going to notice. Maybe I need to get drunk to flirt.
With that thought, Laxus finished off his beer and opened another.
Freed ate a little more but glanced furtively at Laxus. He kept shoving his golden hair back a few times every minute, and once he had to pull hair out of his mouth as he ate. It was adorable, but Freed knew how frustrating it could be.
"I bet you can't wait to get rid of that hair."
Laxus grunted in agreement.
"You could always go out of town and use your magic to cut the hair even shorter."
"Yeah, but it'll just keep growing back. I was talking with one of the people in town. He also used magic to give himself a haircut, but it grew back. He said it appears to grow about twenty centimeters an hour, depending on the person." He glanced at how long his hair was already. "I think that's about right. It keeps getting longer and longer."
"Just cut it super short with your Heavenly Halberd. That way it'd take a whole day before it gets too cumbersome."
"Nah. It pissed me off. I got defeated by my own fuckin' hair. Out of all the things I've worked on to not be weak, to be strong enough to protect you and the others: hair! Fuckin' hair! This could happen again in a future battle, so I wanna know that I won't be totally useless."
"You're not useless. You're just not used to how you need to move when you have long hair."
"Precisely! I need to get used to it. I need to … to train. Train how to fight with long hair."
"Well, I could help you."
"Good. I was gonna ask, but I wasn't sure if you were busy."
"Well, I'm done with the letter. The rain isn't letting up, so it looks like we'll be staying overnight. How about I find a place in town where we can spar inside? Nothing too extreme, just to help you figure out how to maneuver with long hair."
"Yeah, that'd be good." Laxus sighed and yanked on his hair. "I swear, this is going to make me go insane."
Freed finished his meal and patted Laxus on the shoulder in moral support. "Don't get drunk," he warned. Then he pulled on a coat and grabbed an umbrella to go search for a place they could spar. By the time he came back, he saw that Laxus' hair was already past his knees. It really was growing at an incredible speed.
"I found a place. It's a dojo, but the owner said we could use it to long as we don't destroy anything."
"I don't need to practice my magic. I just need to figure out how to move around."
"Then it's perfect. You might want to pull your hair back. I'll check on the others." Freed left to the next room over and knocked on Evergreen's door. "Laxus and I are going to spar. Would you like to join us?"
"I'm not going anywhere. Not like this. It's terrible."
"It doesn't look that bad, really," he said, but he let her be. He had felt the psychological effects of the hair curse, so he sympathized with her trauma. He walked over to the next hotel room and knocked. "Bickslow?"
"I'm not naked, come in."
Freed was glad for that blunt assurance at decency. He peeked inside and saw Bickslow sitting on a chair with his humongous afro touched the ceiling. "We're going to spar a little. Are you up to coming?"
"Nah," said Bickslow. "This thing is a bit too big to be moving around much. I'll stay in for the night."
"I hope you can figure out a way to sleep."
"Yeah, me too. Have fun on your date."
Freed turned away with a surly scowl. "Shut up." He shut the door a little too hard.
Bickslow chuckled mischievously. Freed had really blushed brightly when he said that.
So it was just Laxus and Freed. The rain was coming down steadily, so they shared the umbrella the hotel lent to them. Freed stood close to Laxus, their arms touching, because he knew Laxus would rather hold the umbrella over him and get wet, but Freed was more worried about Laxus' hair getting wet.
Silvery sheets of water and a deepening twilight made it hard to see the town and the weird hairstyles now getting drenched. A little electrical glow from Laxus' hand lit the way for them as they avoided puddles. Freed knew he was blushing at sharing an umbrella with Laxus, but he was glad it was too dark for others to see how happy this made him.
They reached the dojo, and while Laxus shook off the raindrops from the umbrella, Freed went on ahead until he found the owner, busy putting away some gear. His hair had been turned all white with a black stripe down the middle, mimicking his white uniform and black belt.
"Ah, welcome, welcome! It's good to have guests come here." The man bowed deeply, and Freed bowed back. "We are done for the day, so please feel free to use the entire space." He saw Laxus coming up, and the owner recognized him from the Grand Magic Games that one year. "It truly is an honor to host wizards like yourselves, but I request that you refrain from using magic. This is a place for martial arts, not magic arts."
"We need to practice physical movements, that's all," Freed promised. He handed over a bag of Jewels. "Rent for an hour."
"Take the rest of the night, if you want. No one's going to come in, not with this hair curse. Normally, only advanced students would be here at this hour, yet the place has been empty for days. So there's no rush. We have spare uniforms, if you wish to use one. Just put it in the hamper when you're done."
"I apologize for the late hour," Freed said, bowing again.
"Not at all, not at all. On a good day, I may have students in here past midnight, but as I said, no one is coming in. Renting to you is a big help for my family. Just shut the door on your way out and it'll lock on its own. If there's any trouble, I'm in the house attached to the dojo."
With that, the owner left. Freed removed his shoes and proceeded forward, immediately going to a rack with plain white uniforms.
"I'm not sure if they have one in your size," he said, swishing through the clothes.
"I don't want comfort. I wanna know I can move with this hair."
Freed pulled out a uniform and glanced it over. "I, for one, want to get in some practice. I rarely focus on martial arts. Do you know Tai Chi? That will help you to start getting used to where your hair is and feel how it moves with your body."
"Shit, haven't done that in years," Laxus grumbled.
Freed began to change into a uniform, but Laxus only took off his shoes and the slightly damp shirt, letting it hang up with his wet coat. As he entered the training area, he watched Freed. They used to change in front of one another on missions, and it was no big deal; they were guys, so he saw Bickslow and Freed naked a lot. Now though, it was different. He had begun to notice Freed. Watching him strip down to his underwear made Laxus' eyes wander over that ivory skin and those lean muscles.
Freed felt so comfortable doing this, though, so Laxus reasoned that there was no way he was actually attracted to him. Sure, Freed idolized him, but that was it. He wondered what sorts of men Freed was into. Smart and funny? Social and elegant? Everything he was not!
Freed turned around, dressed in the white gi, and nodded at Laxus to begin.
"All right, so what do I do?" asked Laxus.
"First, you need to feel the movement of your body. Your hair will follow your body naturally. How your hair moves depends on how heavy and long it is. You and your hair are one, so don't fight it. Move with it. After a while, you'll simply know where your hair will be, and you can counterbalance to that. For instance, if I'm moving like this."
He began the first few moves. Laxus followed along, not a fan of Tai Chi, but he had learned it somewhere along the way, probably Makarov trying to calm his teenage angst.
"If your hair is tied low, the ends don't swing everywhere. If you tie it high, it's out of your shoulder area, but it can fly loose around the knees. So see, although a ponytail is nice, lower ties are good in battle because you can feel where your hair is going to be, and it won't catch or fly wildly. It can get in your face, but you will know where the longer parts will be and can use that momentum to your advantage."
"Why not a braid?"
"Braids become whips. Since my hair is short for now, let me show you with your own hair." He went behind Laxus, and in just a minute Freed managed to braid his golden hair. "Okay, it's messy but it'll show you what I mean. Spin around."
Laxus turned around quickly, and the braid whipped around to hit him in the waist.
"See, a braid is denser, so the movements can get fast and out of hand. The braid becomes a weapon. Now, let me show you how I wear my hair."
Laxus stood there as Freed messed with his hair. If he blushed, he hoped Freed thought it was just embarrassment at the length of his hair, not that it felt nice to have Freed pamper him. Before he knew it, his hair was tied down low, just as Freed often wore it.
"There. Try spinning again." Laxus spun, but the hair only swayed at his knees. "That minimal movement is why I use that hairstyle. Now, for you, we're going to try this without your hair pulled back at all. If you're struck with cursed hair again, it probably won't be neatly braided."
"Yeah, it was all over the place, getting caught on everything."
"So, let's take your hair down." He removed the hair tie. "Now, let's go through the forms. Do you remember them?"
"I'll follow your lead. It'll come back to me."
Freed nodded, and he began the moves, half a dance, half a battle in slow motion. Laxus stood behind him, following along, watching Freed's limbs stretch and move with utmost grace.
"Feel where your hair goes. Pay attention to how heavy it is."
Laxus continued his movements. "It's weird. I can feel it swaying around."
"Be aware of that swaying, predict where it will go, and move to make the hair go where you want it."
They continued through to the end of the routine.
"Good. Let's go through it once more, and this time I'll watch you, see how you're reacting to your hair."
They began again at the opening form and went through it. This time, Freed got to see Laxus in motion. Seeing such a massive, tall, bulky man move with grace was truly amazing. He almost thought Laxus would punch his way through it, or lumber through the forms with awkwardness. Instead, Laxus had closed his eyes as he focused on his hair.
"You're starting to get it," he said after they ended. "Time for something more aggressive. In battle, you'll mostly be running and jumping. Run a lap around the dojo. Feel the hair fluttering behind you."
Freed stayed where he was while Laxus jogged around the large room. With his shirt off, all of those muscles were on display. Watching Laxus simply jogging warmed Freed's chest.
Although … the hair fluttering behind him was comical.
"Goddammit!" Laxus shouted, yanking the hair up like a limp vegetable. "It keeps getting between my knees and pulling."
"Well, that's one of the things you either have to learn how to avoid, or learn to ignore. Now, try doing a zigzag pattern across the room, one corner to the next. Feel the shifts in the hair and your balance as you leap from side to side."
Laxus set about training with utmost seriousness. Freed watched the zigzagging motions, how the Dragon Slayer leaped easily from side to side, his thigh muscles bulging, but instead of observing how Laxus flowed with his long hair, Freed's eyes kept focusing down to Laxus' hips and how they turned with his body.
"Dang," he whispered, biting his lip slightly.
"Something wrong?" Laxus called back, still jumping from side to side.
Freed slammed his mouth closed. He had forgotten that Laxus' hearing was impeccable. "I was just thinking: dang, your hair is even longer now."
"Yeah, and it sucks. How am I supposed to get used to the movement when the length and weight keeps increasing. Fuck, how do you even walk with hair like this?"
"Well, I've had my hair long for years. It's second nature. As a person grows their hair long, they gradually accommodate to the length and work around any troubles until there isn't any annoyance at all. For you, since you've always had your hair short, it makes sense that you're not used to how it should move when it's long."
"It sucks. I hate it already. I'm ready to zap the whole damn thing off."
"Before you do that, let's run through a few more activities. We have the place for an hour, after all."
Laxus sneered and tried to shove his hair away. "I feel stupid just running and leaping around."
"Then how about dancing?"
Laxus raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"Seriously," Freed said with a slightly shrug. "When you're dancing, you have to know where every part of your body is, including clothes and hair, and how small changes as you're going forward, backward, or spinning around will affect the rest of your body. Dancing is the best way to focus on body movement, and that includes the movement of your hair."
Although Laxus was not much of one for dancing, he pouted and folded his arms. "I guess you know best."
Freed smiled and trotted off. "Here, I saw this as we entered. The dojo has some music." He went to a lacrima sound system and looked through the offered songs. "Ah, a waltz. Perfect."
Music started, and Laxus looked around. Rather than a dojo for martial arts, suddenly it felt like he was in a dance studio. Did this building actually serve as both? It was such a small town, the space probably got used for many things.
Freed glanced back at him and how Laxus was glaring around the room. "You … do know how to dance, right?"
Laxus swung his gaze back, ready to shout defensively, but he realized he did not need to with Freed. Knowing him, he was probably just curious if he had to start at a beginner level or if he could jump right into advanced lessons.
"I'm good enough," Laxus said, and he took up the starting position.
Freed saw Laxus' hands ready to accept a partner. He bowed, stepped up, and adjusted himself slightly to take a following role. Their hands met, and with a nod from each, they began a very simple step.
Freed could hardly believe it. How long had he wanted to dance with Laxus? Now here they were, bodies swaying together, that massive hand roughened from fighting now gripping his hand, and that arm thick with muscles wrapped around his slender waist.
"You know, I once asked you for a dance."
Laxus jolted. "Huh? You did?"
"Yes, at the ball in Crocus, right after the Grand Magic Games."
"Man, I was so out of it after that fight with Jura, and then the dragons, I barely even remember the party afterward." He tried to think back to that time, but the whole thing now was a blur. "Did you really ask me to dance?"
"Yes. You just turned away." Freed glanced aside, remembering how heartbroken he had been in that moment. "I … thought you were trying to ignore me. You were very popular with the ladies that night. Maybe you were ashamed at the idea of dancing with a man."
"No!" Laxus shouted, and his voice got caught in his throat, almost hitching. "No, I … I totally didn't hear you. I didn't really want to be there anyway. I was exhausted. Seriously, I didn't know you had asked me to dance."
"Oh. I guess that makes sense. It was crowded, my voice was just lost."
Thinking about it still hurt a little, that feeling of being rejected and outright ignored by the man he adored after it took Freed a lot of courage to ask him to dance, but he supposed he had read into it too much. Of course Laxus would not have turned away like that without even acknowledging his offer. He had fought hard, he was busy that night, and Freed's offer had been rather meek and filled with apprehension. He had not been ignored, just drowned out.
"It's good to know you weren't avoiding me."
"Of course not, Freed," he said with a tender smile. "I'm sad I missed out. Maybe I would have had more fun."
Freed was struck silent for a moment, but then he looked aside, shoving away his wild imaginations and wishful thinking. "You must have really hated that ball if dancing with me would have been more fun than having the favor of nobility."
"To hell with nobility! It was all fancy dress and tiny sandwiches and shit. I'm not used to that, don't like it. It's just not me. I look stupid in that sort of costume." His eyes flicked down at the slender man in front of him. "You always look good when you dress fancy."
Freed almost stumbled in his dancing and looked up in astonishment. Those clear, blue eyes were focused on him, and it made Freed shiver a little. "Uh … th-thanks." The song ended, and Freed stepped back. "Up for another?"
"Sure, I think I'm finally getting the hang of this."
"How about I lead this time?"
Freed, lead? Laxus had not even stopped to think that maybe Freed was used to being the lead and guiding his dance partner. He was a man, after all, and in classical dancing, men led. It spoke volumes of Freed's dancing talent that he could flip roles so easily. Laxus figured it was fair to take turns, at least.
However, as another song started up and Freed took his hand, this time with his hand on Laxus' waist, Laxus struggled to adjust to how he should stand. Where did his free hand go? Where was the first step of the waltz? He barely knew how to dance, and he had never paid attention to how his female partner danced. He barely paid attention to having a partner at all.
"I've never danced following someone," he warned.
"It'll be fine. I'll make sure to guide you."
Laxus gulped, but he had to release his uncertainties. He trusted Freed with his life, so he could at least trust him to dance.
They stepped off, and right away Laxus tripped going backward. The three-step pattern was easy enough to learn, but it took a few rounds to get used to dancing by stepping behind him and following backward, not leading forward.
"Realize," Freed schooled, "you're moving backwards now, and your hair—"
"Ow!" Laxus just about fell as his hair was yanked. Luckily, Freed's hand on his waist grasped him right away and held him up by sheer arm power.
"Yeah, it can get caught between the legs." He pulled Laxus back up and helped him to fluff his hair out of the way. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," he growled. "I ain't giving up yet."
So stubborn, but that was something Freed admired in Laxus. He was tenacious and endured any challenge. "Let's try some more." They danced, and after a few more pauses as Laxus yanked hair from between his thighs, soon Freed saw the difference. Laxus swayed his body just a little bit more, so that the hair swished out before stepping. "There you go," he praised. "You're getting better."
"I have to focus all the time on where my stupid hair is going."
"After a while, you just know, and it becomes second nature. It's part of your body, so feel it like it's just a piece of you."
Another song began, and they continued dancing. Then another song, and Freed got more adventurous, guiding Laxus around like the dojo was a royal ballroom. Certainly, they were over their alloted hour, but the owner said they could stay as late as they wanted. Laxus almost did not want this night to end.
"Freed?" he asked softly.
Freed had lost himself in thought, as he often did when dancing. "Hmm?"
Laxus glanced to their hands intertwined, the hand on his waist, and the way Freed guided him so surely, Laxus never once wondered where he was going to go next. His talent really showed when he was the one in charge.
"When you asked me to dance that one time, who did you think would lead?"
That question honestly stunned Freed. He could not recall what precisely he had been thinking that day, since it was so long ago. "I guess I hadn't thought … I mean, I assumed that … I'm just used to dancing lead, but I've had dance partners in the past who insisted on leading. Maybe I would have waited to see what you'd do, like I did tonight. I saw you take up the lead stance, so I accommodated. To be honest, I don't think I put any thought into it at the time."
Laxus nodded thoughtfully. "You dance pretty good. I know I stink." Before Freed could protest, Laxus cut in, "If we ever do this again, I want you to lead."
Freed's mouth dropped. Laxus … wanted him … to take the lead?
This is about dancing, you idiot. He just means being the lead partner in dancing. Stop over-thinking everything. That's what you did back then when he turned away from your offer to dance, and in the end it meant nothing at all. Same with this. Just stop it already!
"Sure, I can do that much," he said, forcing up a proud smile.
Laxus' brow furrowed slightly at the answer. "Good." He fell silent after that and brooded.
Dammit, he didn't get it at all.
He looked down at Freed. Younger, smaller, thinner, normally with that gorgeous hair: he knew the stereotypes, and to hell with them all! He was trying to tell Freed what he wanted between the two of them, but of course it was too subtle.
Seriously, how the hell do you flirt with someone?
After that song was over, the two stepped back, both a little self-conscious now. Freed looked down at his hand, which still felt warm from the massive fingers that had held it. Laxus was trying to think of a way to ask Freed if he wanted dessert, or a walk, or anything to keep this night going before returning to the hotel and the others waiting for them.
"Ready for a little light sparring?"
Laxus jolted up. Sparring?
"No magic," Freed reminded him.
Oh right, this was supposed to be about training. Laxus had been thinking that maybe he could turn it into a date, but to Freed this was nothing more than a training exercise like normal. Of course he doesn't think this is a date. We're best friends, and I'm not his type at all.
"Mixed martial arts, then?" asked Laxus.
"If you're up to it."
Then began to fight using only punches, kicks, and throws. Laxus had power, he could lift Freed with ease and throw him to the ground, but Freed was agile. Every throw ended in him rolling out of it, often with kicks to Laxus knees to bring him down instead. Outside, the rain picked up, lightning flashed, but they were so focused on fighting, nothing distracted them.
Nothing, that is, until Laxus' long hair became an issue again.
He had just managed to fend off a kick to the chest, grabbed Freed's ankle, and brought him down in a way he could not roll out. Victoriously, Laxus dropped down to pin Freed, only to get the ever-growing hair wrapped up in his own hands, trapped under his knees, and tangled Freed in a cage of golden hair.
"Ow, damn, it's pulling," he shouted, grabbing at his scalp.
Suddenly, hands had his shoulders, and he was flipped effortlessly. Weight pinned him down, and turquoise eyes gleamed in triumph. Freed had him pinned and straddled over his chest.
"Gotcha!" he said playfully.
Laxus gulped hard at the feel of being pinned down between Freed's thighs. However, before it could get awkward, Freed moved off, jumped up to his feet with a spring, and extended his hand down to help. Laxus took a moment to shove the hair away with many muttered curses, then he took Freed's offered hand. Even standing up from the ground meant his hair got caught under his feet and pulled before he could fully stand upright.
"Even if your hair is caught, you keep fighting," Freed lectured. "It's just some caught strands of hair. It's not going to kill you if they rip out."
Laxus grumbled petulantly, "It hurts."
"Fighting always hurts."
He had a point. Ripping a few hairs out was nothing compared to the injuries he had taken.
Freed wiped sweat from his face, walked over to a sink, and washed up. Laxus accepted a hand towel and wet it to wash away the sweat. Then they set about cleaning the dojo.
"You know," Laxus said as he swept the floor, "I now have a lot of respect for you and anyone else who fights with long hair. How can Erza and Mira do this? It's a lot harder when you have hair in the way."
"It just takes a little extra mindfulness of your own body," Freed said, honestly not sure if long hair made fighting harder, or even easier since sometimes the hair provided balance and momentum. Laxus again shoved his hair back, but got his fingers caught in a knot. "I better brush your hair before we go back. It's a mess."
"Much oblige," Laxus said, leaving the knots to Freed's capable hands.
Laxus had often brushed Freed's hair, but now on the receiving end, he was amazed by how good—and how erotic—it felt when hair was that long. Freed took his time working out the knots, then pampered Laxus with a long, gentle brushing.
"Man, it really feels good," Laxus hummed.
"You mentioned earlier about wanting to pay me back for that shave."
"Yeah. That was the first time someone had ever shaved me. I thought I'd balance the scales, do a first for you."
"Well," Freed reasoned, "this is it."
Laxus glanced behind his shoulder. "Brushing hair? The hell you talkin' about? You brush your hair all the time."
"I mean someone else's."
"You and Evergreen are always doing each other's hair."
"I mean a man," he said with embarrassment. "I've never brushed a man with long hair before. It's … it's really nice," he muttered. "It's a first."
"Oh…" A first? Something as simple as this? Then again, with Freed's penchant for long hair, perhaps this was a bigger deal to him than it seemed to Laxus. It could even be a fetish.
Oh God, he doesn't want me to keep it at this length, right?
"It still looks terrible on you," Freed said teasingly.
"Oh hell yes!" Laxus laughed, slightly relieved that Freed was not going to request that he leave it long, because by God, he probably would if it made this man happy.
Freed sighed in contentment. "I'll probably be the only person ever to brush your hair when it's long."
"Yeah, my first and only."
Both froze. Laxus' eyes went massive and his face paled as he realized what he just said. Freed's cheeks went instantly red, and his throat choked up with a slight cry of surprise.
"Wow, that came out wrong," Laxus said, trying to laugh it off.
"R-right," Freed muttered.
Laxus sighed silently and scowled while thinking, No, it didn't.
"I'm gonna head off first," Laxus declared, moving away from the hairbrush without turning around to show his blush.
"We only brought one umbrella."
"I won't need it. I'm gonna whack this hair off before bed so I don't strangle myself to death in my sleep. Then I'm gonna get a snack."
"A snack? I didn't notice lightning."
"Oh, it's out there. I can smell it."
Freed watched him go. He sighed and began to change out of the uniform.
First and only.
He slammed his eyes shut. Of course Laxus just said that without thinking. A person who actually had a crush on you would not say weird stuff like that and then laugh it off as nothing.
Freed felt like he was the only one here acting awkward.
He wadded the white uniform up into his hands and growled out his frustrations. These feelings were tearing him apart inside. Every time he thought he had a handle on his infatuation, something happened that put lewd thoughts back into his mind.
He needed to get over this. Maybe there was a magic potion to stop being in love with your best friend.
Outside, Laxus stepped into the rain and raised his head to the sky, letting his annoying long hair slick back. He wondered, if he stood there long enough, could he wash away the filth he felt in his soul for having these perverted thoughts about Freed?
"Fuck," he whispered.
First and only? How stupid was that? For one, he would not be Freed's first, nor would Freed be his. And only? That was really too optimistic.
Laxus slapped his hands over his face, combed the drenched hair back, then dragged his fingers down, clawing at his cheeks, as if he could dig these feelings out of his brain and bury them in the mud puddles, drown them in the rain barrels, and sear them with the flashes of lightning he saw off in the distance.
"The hell's wrong with me?" he said in frustration.
He stomped off into the night, wanting to lose himself in the storm until the lightning numbed away all his anguish.
A/N: For those who don't follow me on Tumblr and Facebook, I have long hair. Really, REALLY long hair. I've even done modeling thanks to having hair almost to my ankles. So Freed's little discourse on moving with hair, all of Laxus' little frustrations, and Freed's admittance that, when you have long hair for years, you aren't really bothered by it anymore, or you learn to deal with it, are all totally from experience. Yeah, my hair gets caught in things, but I don't really even notice anymore unless it's a hard enough pull to rip the hair out.
I'm learning Tai Chi, and one thing I noticed is that my movements are really different depending on how my hair is done that day, be it a bun, braid, ponytail, low tie, or loose. So that part of the chapter is based on something I'm just realizing: how you style your hair really affects martial arts and body movement. Once I realized this, I began to do Tai Chi with my hair down, so I can find my sense of balance better.
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Of Lightning and Long Locks