Waiting For My Mate

Chapter 7

Freed, Bickslow and Rufus dashed through the streets of Magnolia, mostly staying in the narrow alleys and in the shadows. Suddenly Freed stopped causing Bickslow to almost run over him.

"What now, baby?" the seith mage asked quickly and scanned the roofs expecting to see Laxus' huge figure staring at them.

"The air", Freed said. "The storm is not over but lightning has stopped almost completely."

"Maybe we lost him?"

"Lost him! Lost him!" his dolls chanted with joy.

"You should know Laxus is not someone you can lose simply by running around the alleys", Freed reminded sharply. "No matter if he can smell us or not."

"Dragon Slayers have also sensitive hearing", Rufus pointed out. "If he is somewhere near us he can hear our steps."

"If I should guess... I think he is prowling", Freed said with frown. "If he is really determined to find us."

"He is", Bickslow assured.

"Then he is stalking us like a cat stalks its prey", Freed said. "Just waiting for the right moment to strike and keep himself hidden until then."

"He's more like a pissed off tiger or something. Tiger with lightning magic and all", Bickslow muttered shivering.

"In any case, he is after us and I do believe he is not that far. He might be just a few corners behind us or even waiting for us somewhere ahead. So what we need to do now is form some kind of a plan. When he finds us how do we stop him? Where should we go?"

"Maybe you could stop him with one of your traps?" Bickslow suggested.

"I don't have enough time to write runes for a trap that could hold him", Freed said shaking his head. It would take a lot of time to create such a trap. "So that won't work. And I figure we shouldn't attack him directly. We all would just end up in the guild's infirmary."

"I'm pretty sure not all of us..." Rufus chuckled quietly.

"There is one thing I do not understand at all", Freed muttered. "Why exactly is he after us?"

"Geez, what a mystery", Bickslow snorted and Rufus laughed. Freed just got even more confused because of their behaviour and it annoyed him. "Are you actually that dense or are you just pulling our legs?"

"Bicks, you are really starting to get on my nerves", Freed warned.

"Fine, baby. I'll explain this to you as simply as possible so use that super brain of yours and try to follow, okay?"

"Okay? Okay?" his dolls said and Freed nodded.

"You're his mate!" Bickslow almost shouted right into Freed's ear.

Silence surrounded them as Freed stared at his old friend with confusion, disbelief and astonishment on his face all at the same time. Not even remembering to scold Bickslow about making his ears ring by yelling or that he might reveal their location to Laxus.

"W-what?" he finally blurted and he still couldn't believe what he had just heard. Bickslow was joking, right? There was no way that could be true?

"Finally starting to put some pieces together, eh? Laxus is looking for you. And he's not going to be pleased when he finds out you were on a date with Rufus."

"B-but... It's not like we... It was just a blind date", Freed stuttered and he still couldn't believe what was going on. Laxus... He was Laxus' mate?! "I didn't go there because I particularly wanted to go, I went there because you asked me to do so."

"Brutal", Rufus sighed, but he understood.

"Like he could care less", Bickslow said with a smirk. "Our boss don't wanna share you. Sorry Rufus, we didn't know the situation here when we suggested the blind date", he said looking at the blond mage.

"No need to apologize", Rufus assured. "But if we keep on just standing here, Laxus is sure to find us."

"Yeah, that's right", Bickslow said. "Freed, what do you wanna do?"

"Huh?" Freed asked blinking his eyes. "I... I don't know?" He was more than delighted to hear he was Laxus' mate, it was like a dream come true for him! But... "He's not acting normal, right?" Freed asked.

"Well, not according to Master and others. He has just been waiting for you this whole week and hasn't even been talking with others."

"Just growling! Rawr!" the tiki dolls said.

"So it might be that this is not what Laxus actually wants", Freed said slowly. "He is not thinking rationally."

"Freed, the fuck you're saying?" Bickslow whined. "Isn't this exactly what you've always wanted?"

"Of course", Freed said without hesitation. "It's everything that I could even dare to dream. But when this... Mating season is over maybe Laxus will regret it?" he sighed. It was harsh and cruel but still true. How could they possibly know how Laxus would react after the season? "Even if this is what I have wanted more than anything in the world it is not fair to Laxus."

"No baby! No! You're starting to overthink this!" Bickslow yelled while grabbing his old friend and gave him a good shake. "Stop doing that! Away with those useless thoughts!"

"Stop! Bad Freed!" the dolls scolded circling around them.

"Bickslow!" Freed said and shoved his hands off. "You know I'm right. When he is back to his senses -"

"Shut up! You're his mate! He's been waiting for you this whole week and you know he's not exactly the most patient man, right?" Bickslow reminded. "If he really wanted someone else do you honestly think he would have waited all this time?" he asked now serious.

Freed couldn't say anything to that and just opened and closed his mouth.

"Thought so", Bickslow said grinning. "So don't get analysis paralysis, okay?"

"How do you even know what that means?" Freed asked.

"'Cause you're my friend, duh. And overthinking is one of your favourite hobbies."

Freed sighed but now he chuckled slightly amused.

"I guess you're right", he granted. "I might sometimes tend to do that."

"Of course I'm right so just accept it and let's get this ship sailing", Bickslow cackled.

"So what is the plan now? Should I just go and talk with Laxus?" Freed asked.

"Ehh... Not sure", Bickslow said what made Freed concerned. "Well, we don't know what Laxus might do. I mean we don't believe he would hurt you or something but he's now kind of unpredictable. In more dragonlike way."

"Like he is in some sort of a bestial mode now?" Rufus asked.

"Oh yeah, totally forgot that you're here too. I don't know, maybe? Master just told me to find you guys and try to take you somewhere safe."

"Maybe we should head to the guild house then?" Freed suggested. "It is not that far from here and Master and the others are there so maybe Laxus will refrain from causing any ruckus?"

"I should probably head to the train station", Rufus said.

"It's more than likely that Laxus already knows you and Freed met in the coffee house", Bickslow said. "Don't know if he can guess why you two met there, but if he finds you first but Freed is not with you and he has some kind of an idea what was going on..."

"It might get problematic", Rufus muttered. "To the Fairy Tail guild house then?"

"Yeah", Bickslow said and they started moving again.