Secretly
Summary: Freed has duties as the son of a Lord. One of these is getting married for business.
Link: AO3
Notes: This was based of a request by @pokeprism14, who asked for a Noble AU with Raijinshuu and Laxus. I hope you like it.
Secretly
“My apologies, good sir” said the girl nervously passing her hands over the wide skirt of the dress. “It wasn’t my intention to be rude and I apologize for the words I have addressed to you.”
“It’s not necessary,” Freed interrupted sympathetically. “I understand what you mean”.
Miss Heartfilia raised her head in surprise. “You do it?”.
Freed smiled slightly, honestly he was quite surprised he wasn’t the one who made the scene at the ball. Miss Heartfilia had preceded him. As soon as she found out about an arranged marriage between the two of them, she stood up and spoke inappropriate words to a lord’s daughter. Freed was quite surprised, and that was the only reason he hadn’t intervene.
“I am forced to marry for my father’s business too,” Freed explained calmly.
“Right,” Lucy murmured and she let out a deep sigh. “I think I have to go back inside and apologize to your father,” she added sincerely sorry. Freed just nodded as the girl took a short bow. “I’m really sorry for what happened, Sir”.
“Keep your best apologies for my father, he will be less understanding,” Freed said. Lucy nodded and politely took her leave, before returning to the ballroom that the two had abandoned.
Freed looked at her a bit dejected, honestly he hadn’t expected it. He knew that sooner or later his father would be going to marry off him to get more land and expand his power, but he didn’t think it would happen that soon. Above all, he didn’t expect to have communication at a ball that had nothing to do with his father’s business. That ball had been organized to organize a wedding between his cousin Evergreen and the son of Count Lessio. Speaking of that, he wonders what the girl was doing. Freed already knew that Evergreen was plotting something to circumvent her father’s decisions. She always did.
“I hoped to see some kisses between you and the beautiful Lady” said a voice behind him. Freed turned, surprised to see Bickslow in Count Lessio’s garden. He shouldn’t have been. Bickslow had a habit of sneaking into any ball in any way. Where there were beautiful women, food and alcohol he was there.
“Miss Heartfilia,” Freed corrected him.
“Whatever,” Bickslow said as he approached and stepped out of the shadows. Freed looked at him skeptical. The clothes Bickslow had worn were… weird on him. They were elegant clothes -compared to the clothes his friend usually wore- but even with those he couldn’t be elegant. Maybe because they weren’t the right size.
“How did you… what role do you play this time? Court minstrel?” Freed asked frowning. Bickslow smiled broadly and made an odd bow. Freed really had to teach him good manners if his friend wanted to continue sneaking into the dances reserved for the nobility.
“Personal painter of Count Lessio” he introduced himself.
“Painter,” Freed repeated skeptically, and then shook his head in resignation. He just hoped that his friend wouldn’t do any damage. Bickslow pulled out an apple and munched it under Freed’s increasingly frowning gaze. He really had to teach him manners. He was quite surprised that he still hadn’t been captured.
“Laxus wouldn’t be happy to know that you found yourself alone with the blonde Lady, were you talking about your romantic escape from the ball?” Freed blushed at the mention of his gardener. He looked away hoping that in the dark Bickslow wouldn’t notice the nuance of his face.
“I don’t see why Mister Dreyar should care,” he said in a lower tone than usual. Bickslow rolled his eyes.
“You’re not talking to a noble. And you can’t deny that there’s something between you and the handsome gardener. Something passionate and ardent and...”
“You better not do any damage and not get caught,” Freed changed the subject dryly, feeling his face burn at what Bickslow was saying. Every now and then he regretted having given so much confidence to him, but by now the damage had been done. Bickslow chuckled. Freed was about to say more but at that moment Bickslow turned slightly pale and said he had to run away, he fled among the plants in the garden as Freed turned to understand what had made him run away.
As soon as he saw the man who was walking briskly towards him, he understood why. The man was Lord Yura, Freed’s uncle and father of Evergreen.
“Where is my daughter?” snapped the irritated man. Freed frowned slightly but tried to keep an impassive expression.
“I don’t know, my lord,” he replied politely, although the respect for that man was little. Lord Yura was better than Lord Justine, but it wasn’t hard to be better than Lord Justine. “She’s probably doing the duty of a good daughter, being a foolish future wife like you taught her,” he couldn’t help but say. The man tensed up and Freed realized that he had perhaps gone too far. Not bad, anyway it was impossible that that would have any repercussions on him.
“I have to go back to Miss Heartfilia, with permission,” he greeted and then went back into the room. He had no intention of looking for Evergreen, although he had to admit he was curious about what his cousin was doing. Definitely nothing good. But Freed already had his own problems to think about, like the marriage his father had told him about. Again, he remembered Bickslow’s words about Laxus, and the mood quickly darkened. However, a relationship with the handsome gardener would have been impossible.
***
“What are you doing in here?” asked Count Lessio’s eldest son as he entered the study. Evergreen looked at him for a moment in surprise and then blinked naively.
“My apologies, my lord, I was looking at the wonderful mansion I’m going to live in and I’m lost. I really have no sense of direction” she lied and smiled gently. “You have wonderful curtains, I’m really curious to know the seamstress who made this. I would love to learn how to embroider such motifs...” she began to speak, hoping to divert the lord’s attention from the sheets of paper that Evergreen was peeking. It worked out well, after all no one paid attention to women, let alone if they could worry about business. The only thing they knew how to do was gossip, talk about embroidery, flowers and clothes. Evergreen hated playing that role, but it was sometimes necessary.
“I can introduce you to my seamstress, Miss,” said the kindest man.
“Thank you, my lord. I would be really grateful.” Evergreen smiled.
“Now we have to go back to the ball,” the man said. Evergreen nodded and walked away from the curtains, bumped into the desk and let the papers fall to the floor.
“My apologies,” Evergreen said dramatically as she stooped to pick up. The man snorted obviously annoyed, probably he was thinking that he would marry an annoying and clumsy woman. “I’m really awkward, I’m sorry to do so much damage,” Evergreen repeated picking up the papers and running her eyes quickly over the writing.
The man snatched them from his hand.
“It’s not necessary, the staff will take care of it,” he said, holding out his hand. Evergreen grabbed it and straightened her back, blinking again.
“Thank you,” she said. She had got what she wanted, as she had suspected from the gossip of the women at the ball, Count Lessio had a couple of shady deals. His father wouldn’t have been happy, and the marriage wouldn’t have taken place. Evergreen wanted to laugh, and then they said women were only good at embroidering and gossiping! She left the room while mentally thanking Miss Alberona, she must remember to send her a bottle of wine.
-A few days later-
“So, you’re not getting married to Count Lessio?” Bickslow asked after Evergreen recounted everything.
“Count Lessio’s son, pay attention!” the girl specified and smiled satisfied “No, I will not marry him”.
“Sometimes I think women are scarier than Lords,” Laxus commented, cutting branches from the plant. Freed smiled slightly trying not to look too much at the blond man. It was really a difficult task, especially when the man turned towards him giving him smiles in which Freed could melt.
They were in the garden of Villa Justine, they had brought a large blanket and he and Evergreen were sitting on it. The girl was telling of Count Lessio’s affairs and how she had managed to persuade her father not to let her marry the son of such a shameful Lord. She probably went too far with the stories, but Freed had to admit that she was smart. She had always been, as she had always been interested in family affairs, more than a woman should be.
Laxus was arranging the plants while he listened, while Bickslow was just there to keep company and hear as much gossip as possible. And the food of course, Freed had brought him what the cooks had prepared and a bottle of wine, knowing he would like it.
“So, who are you going to get married to?” Bickslow asked. Evergreen blushed slightly but kept her head up as she waved the fan in front of her face, probably trying to cover up her slight embarrassment.
“Not decided yet but probably Lord Strauss,” she replied. “An arrogant, foolish and rude man. Still, he looks better than the other men my dad wanted me to join, so I think it’s time to accept a marriage. Obviously, I deserve better, but I also understand the duties as a daughter of a Lord and...”
“And you like him,” Bickslow concluded with a huge, mischievous smile.
Evergreen blushed violently as Freed hid a smile.
“I don’t like him!” snapped the girl.
“Oh you do, otherwise you wouldn’t care about a daughter’s duties,” Bickslow chuckled. Evergreen closed the fan and she got up, ready to hit him with that but the boy hurried away.
“Oaf, come back here” Evergreen growled starting to follow him, a little awkward in her wide dress as Bickslow laughed and walked away among the trees in the garden. Laxus turned to the two friends and shook his head with a slight smile, then turned to Freed.
“She likes him?” he asked.
“Probably yes,” Freed smiled, genuinely happy for his cousin. At least she was getting married to someone she wanted. “You can sit here, it’s not a problem if you take a break,” he said placing his hand on the spot where Evergreen was sitting just before. Laxus seemed uncertain for a moment, then he dropped the tools in the grass and obeyed, sitting on the blanket next to him.
“Thanks,” Laxus said when Freed handed him a piece of cheese. Freed smiled and turned his gaze to the plant Laxus was pruning. He kept thinking about Bickslow’s words from a few nights ago, but the more he thought about it the more agitated he felt. He had to admit that there was something between him and Laxus, as long as Freed hadn’t misunderstood the chatter they had every afternoon. He also hoped that Laxus wasn’t intimidated by him as he was the son of the Lord Laxus worked for, but Laxus didn’t seem like the type. He had always been straight with him.
“How is your grandfather?” Freed asked.
“Fine. A little too fine to be honest. He started being annoying again. He asks for you,” Laxus said, taking the bread Freed was passing him.
“Did you tell him about me?” Freed asked surprised. Laxus blushed slightly.
“Well, yes, of all of you in general. He asks me about the job,” Laxus explained. Freed nodded slowly, wondering if the color of Laxus’ face was what he was hoping for. He didn’t have to think about it, there would be nothing with Laxus. He was to marry Lucy Heartfilia, by now his father had already obtained a good agreement with Lord Heartfilia. And even if he hadn’t married Lucy, there was no way Freed could have a relationship with a man.
“One day I might come over to your house and meet him,” Freed offered. He was probably going too far, but he really wanted to get to know Laxus’ family. The blond seemed pleased.
“Sure, he’d be happy. I just warn you that our house is a bit of shit. I mean, compared to this mansion is smaller,” Laxus said. Freed smiled soothing him. By now he was used to spending time with Laxus. And really, Bickslow had prepared him for the worst, Freed was no longer offended at all.
“I’m sure I’ll like it,” Freed said confidently. He probably would have liked anything to do with Laxus. Laxus reached out and ran his fingers through Freed’s hair. Freed looked at him surprised holding his breath for a moment, and found himself blushing more than he should as the blonde removed a leaf from his hair and placed it on the ground, casually. Freed avoided his eyes, feeling warm again.
“Sometimes it seems strange to me to talk to a Lord so quietly,” Laxus admitted.
“I’m not a lord.”
“Not yet,” Laxus smiled. “You are… very different from those I’m used to know,” he admitted in a low voice. Freed persisted in staring at the grass in front of him, knowing that Laxus’ compliments were sincere and without a second purpose. Maybe that was why he felt so agitated in his presence. Usually, the compliments didn’t have that effect on him, or they were false and therefore Freed was indifferent to them, or they came from people for whom Freed didn’t have the slightest respect, or he simply took pride in them. With Laxus he always felt embarrassed, even if hid it.
“I’m glad you think so, I would be very offended if you compared me with people like Lord Porla or my father” he commented and Laxus laughed slightly.
“Your father isn’t that bad,” Laxus objected. Freed rolled his eyes.
“Maybe with the staff he’s not so bad, with me he is” he retorted.
“Maybe because you’re the rebel son,” Laxus considered with an amused smile. Freed escaped a smirk.
“I wouldn’t call myself a rebel.”
“Oh, you are. I hear the discussions you have. Your father’s study window looks directly onto the garden, you know. I also hear the words a gentleman like you shouldn’t say. Bickslow and I influenced you, huh?” Laxus asked and Freed laughed slightly.
“It could be”.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if you act like Ever, getting what she wants with subterfuge,” Laxus laughed lightly. Freed would have joined in the laugh, but the memory of his cousin’s tale put him in a bad mood again. Maybe Evergreen could have prevented the marriage between him and Miss Heartfilia, but after that? His father would find another girl until he got married to a woman. Laxus noticed the change in mood and looked at him slightly curiously.
“Well, actually I have something new too,” Freed said in a bitter voice staring at the grass in front of him. “I’m getting married next month,” he admitted. There was a long moment of silence. Freed could not see the change in Laxus’ expression, every trace of a smile disappeared from his face.
“With Miss Heartfilia, this way my father will get land and secure a good deal with Lord Heartfilia. I talked to her at the ball last night and found out we have some common interests. I’m not totally happy but…” he broke off when he felt Laxus’ hand take his chin. The man forcibly turned Freed’s face and kissed him.
Freed froze, his eyes widening in surprise. A moment later he closed his eyelids and kissed him back as a flood of emotions swept over him. Laxus’s lips were strong and the kiss was wonderful. Freed realized that this was all he had wanted from Laxus from the first time he saw him. Everything he wanted every time he saw him. But Freed wanted more. His body moved on its own, his brain completely shut down as he forgot everything else. The fact that they were in an open garden where anyone could see them, the fact that he was kissing a man, the fact that if his father had seen them he would have chased Laxus from the villa. Nothing mattered now, just Laxus’ lips and his fingers through his hair.
Freed let himself be carried away by the kiss and placed his hand on Laxus’s neck, then slowly lowered it further than was acceptable. At that point, however, there was nothing acceptable, Laxus’s hand was wedged in his hair, their lips continued to join in a kiss that wasn’t chaste. Freed’s hand was getting lower and lower, brushing Laxus’ strong chest and sending bursts of excitement all over Freed’s body.
It all ended when Laxus broke away, short of breath and wide eyes. Freed slowly opened his lids, still lost in the magic of the kiss, and watched as Laxus hurried away.
“My apologies,” said the gardener, getting up quickly. Freed looked at him confused.
“Laxus...” he tried to call him, but the blonde had already taken all his tools.
“I have to go back to work, Lord Justine wants the garden perfectly arranged. And… congratulations on the wedding,” he said. Then he turned and walked away, while Freed stared at him in dismay.
-A month later-
Laxus couldn’t stop thinking about the kiss he’d given Freed. For a moment he’d almost feared he’d be kicked out of the Justine mansion, but of course Freed wouldn’t. He might be arrogant, but he certainly wasn’t evil. Laxus still kept insulting himself for what he had done, because that kiss had ruined things between them. If they used to see afternoons and spend hours chatting, Laxus no longer saw Freed. He hated himself for that, he would just have to hold back, it was obvious that there could never be anything between him and Freed. Even though Freed seemed as involved as he -Laxus kept remembering his hand resting on his chest as they kissed- he could never marry him, not even with one of Evergreen’s plans.
Laxus was trimming the various hedges trying not to think about Freed and Miss Heartfilia’s wedding the next day. Laxus had seen them several times in the garden, they spent a lot of time together probably to get to know each other and every time he saw them, Laxus got nervous. He was almost tempted to kiss Freed again, this time in private maybe. And maybe do more, get what he wanted for once. But he couldn’t do it, and things between them were now awkward.
“How long are you going to go on like this?” Bickslow asked with scissors in hand. Laxus glared at him, he didn’t know why Bickslow had become a gardener now, he wasn’t capable of it, he should continue to be a minstrel or whatever the hell he did in the villa.
“You’ll ruin the plant,” Laxus growled. Bickslow shrugged disinterestedly.
“Talk to him. We both know that Freed only gets married because he has to, but he’s in love with you.”
Laxus blushed slightly.
“This doesn’t change anything. He’s getting married tomorrow,” he retorted irritably. Bickslow snorted.
“So? Be his lover,” Bickslow said as if it were simple. Laxus refused to answer, despite the fact that he liked the idea. He didn’t care about having a secret relationship, however that would be his fate as he would never marry a woman. And the idea of being able to sneak into Freed’s room... Laxus blushed and mentally insulted Bickslow who made him think of things that weren’t appropriate during work. In any case, the idea of sharing Freed with Miss Heartfilia unnerved him a lot.
“Oh... that man is Count Lessio. I have to run away or he’ll wonder why a painter is cutting plants,” Bickslow said at one point. He dropped the scissors and quickly ran away, under the perplexed gaze of Laxus. He didn’t understand what the friend was talking about, but shortly after he saw the man approaching. He was clearly a Lord, and he was clearly pissed, unless that was his normal expression.
“Good morning, Count Lessio,” Laxus greeted politely with a half bow. The man looked at him from top to bottom and glanced at the plant that Bickslow had pruned. It was crap.
“I hope the rest of the staff aren’t so incompetent,” the man commented sourly. Laxus pursed his lips to keep from retorting, vowing he would punch Bickslow for that. Just then he heard a voice and footsteps behind him.
“Count Lessio, to what do we owe your visit?” it was Freed of course, and strangely he wasn’t in Miss Heartfilia’s company.
“I came to talk about business with Lord Justine.”
“We have no business with you,” Freed retorted. “And I doubt my father will want to do business with a man who tried to deceive his sister’s husband,” he added. Laxus at that moment remembered who that man was, the one who had tried to get his son to marry Evergreen. The man Evergreen had ruined. That’s why he was there, to ruin the Justine family too. Laxus kept finding all this business useless and terribly annoying.
“I want to talk to Lord Justine, not his son,” the man growled.
“Take a seat then, the butler will accompany you. But I wouldn’t be surprised if my father’s response isn’t very different,” Freed said. The man looked at him badly but luckily he walked away. Laxus resumed pruning the plant, hoping that Freed would move away too. But he clearly felt his presence behind him, and just hoped he wouldn’t start talking about the kiss.
“Laxus, can you... follow me for a moment?” Freed asked more quietly. Laxus was about to find an excuse not to, but Freed persisted. “This is only a short time, please.”
Laxus sighed and turned to him.
“Okay,” he murmured and followed him into the villa.
The two boys entered and walked down the hall until they reached Freed’s bedroom. As soon as he closed the door, Laxus felt uncomfortable. He had never been in Freed’s room before, and he figured no one had ever entered it other than the maids. On a mannequin on the side hung the dress that Freed would probably have worn to the wedding the next day. Again, Laxus felt some discomfort.
“Would you be willing to have a secret and clandestine relationship with a man?”
Freed’s question caught Laxus totally off guard.
“Er... sorry?” he asked fearing he hadn’t understood correctly.
Freed took a deep breath.
“I’m getting married tomorrow but… I don’t think it’s a surprise that I don’t want to. I have discussed several times with my father and there’s no way to convince him to cancel the marriage,” Freed explained. Laxus already knew, he could hear their arguments from the garden. “And even if I succeeded, he would find me another girl so it would be useless. So, I want to know, would you be willing to be my… lover?”.
Laxus was silent, thinking about what that entailed. Not that he had to think about it much, obviously he wanted to be Freed’s lover. And since they were in Freed’s room, he didn’t have to think about holding back. He took a step forward and wrapped his arm around the man’s waist, dragging him into an embrace and kissing him. When Freed returned, wrapping his arms around his neck, Laxus found himself tilting the head, deepening the kiss.
He walked away shortly after out of breath.
“Of course,” he replied, and Freed’s smile almost made him melt. God, Laxus wanted to push Freed against the wall and ruin him. Instead, he smiled and rested his forehead against Freed’s. “I guess I’ll have to share you with Miss Heartfilia,” he commented bitterly. It was the best he could aspire to, but he was okay with that too.
“It won’t be necessary,” Freed smiled. “I just hope her children won’t get their father’s pink hair.”
“Uh?” Laxus asked confused. Was Miss Heartfilia pregnant with someone else? Freed shook his head with a smile.
“I’ll explain everything to you. And as usual, we have Evergreen to thank. At the moment, however, I’d rather do something else,” he said with a mischievous smile.
Laxus gave a huge smile, thinking that he didn’t really care what Lucy Heartfilia did with whom. As long as he had Freed to himself, people could do whatever the hell they wanted. Instead, he pushed Freed against the wall, making a note to thank Evergreen and her ability to solve any problem.
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