Risenfromash: I promised a fluffy epilogue to this story and then was incredibly slow in delivering it, but here it is… finally! Also, I have other Fraxus stories in the works including a couple sequels to this story and a k+ rated story called, "Meant To Be" ( or "Good Together" I can't seem to decide) that takes place when Laxus and Freed first meet one another. I'm hoping to get the first part of it up sometime this week so follow me as a writer if you want to be notified when I post it.

Finally, thank you to all of you who have reviewed this story. I found one review extremely touching and wanted to respond to it directly, but it was a 'guest' review so I couldn't PM the reviewer to let them know how much I appreciate their support. Hopefully, whoever it was will read this and know that they warmed my heart and are often in my thoughts.

Now for more silly yaoi fun.

Part 12: Epilogue

Always an early riser, Freed woke up with the dawn and realized he wasn't in his dorm. He looked down at the bed. This was Laxus' bed. He was in Laxus' bed. He whirled around, his eyes growing wide at the sight of the ginormous form of Laxus' body next to him. He hadn't imagined it. It had actually happened. All of it. His best friend had screwed his brains out all night and had told him he loved him and invited him to move in with him and had serious discussions with him about their future.

Tears formed in Freed's eyes. He was so happy he could squeal, but he didn't want to wake Laxus. I'm sure he's really tired after the workout he got last night, Freed thought with a devilish grin. Oh, Mavis! Laxus and I had sex! And it was amazing! Everything was just how he had imagined it would be, only better.

Freed danced out of the bedroom, high from knowing that all the feelings he had buried for so many years were now free to be expressed. His love was no longer unrequited. Oh, Laxus, you won't regret this. I swear, I will make you so happy. And I don't care if we tell people or keep it just between us. I don't care as long as we have each other. I'm the happiest man alive!

The only thing that would make it perfect is if I could find my damn underwear… Freed searched the apartment. This is why I tried to put all my clothes in a neat pile, he thought shaking his head as he recalled Laxus' impatience with him as they undressed. It was almost embarrassing to realize that Laxus lusted for him with the same intensity he did for him.

Finally, Freed managed to round up all his garments and after freshening up in the bathroom readied himself to leave. He would have liked to stay with Laxus, but he didn't want to smother his friend. He knew Laxus often liked his space the morning after and the rune mage had things he should get done. Just because they were in love didn't mean the rest of the world could be ignored. I'll just leave him a note so he doesn't worry, Freed thought pulling a pen and paper from one of his bags. In a neat hand he wrote:

Laxus, just wanted to let you know I had to get to the bank to deposit the jewels I earned yesterday. After that I'll be at the guild hall. Feel free to join me there. Love, Freed

P.S.

He wanted to write something more, something about how happy he was and how he was crying with joy and how very much he loved Laxus, but he decided that would only embarrass the lightning mage, so he crossed out the 'P.S.' and left the note as it was sans any semblance of sappiness.

The rune mage tiptoed back into the bedroom and laid the note on Laxus' bedside table before leaning over and burying his lips in the thunder god's spikey blonde hair giving him a soft kiss on the head. And then before he could change his mind he hurried from the apartment with his luggage.

A few paces from Laxus' apartment Freed realized something was wrong. Something was off. Could it be the soreness of his body after the marathon of love making he and his Laxus had- My sword! I forgot it!, Freed realized and turned around, dashing back to the apartment. Oh, good lord. I've got Laxus on the mind, don't I? When have I ever left my sword anywhere?, he thought with a silly grin.

Freed stepped to the left of Laxus' front stoop, bending over to pick up a loose cobblestone that concealed Laxus' spare key. But the key wasn't there. Freed stared in disbelief. The key was always there. Laxus was more than a bit forgetful and often didn't want the bother of carrying a key with him so he used the spare frequently. Freed set down the cobblestone and checked the adjacent ones thinking he must have grabbed the wrong one by mistake, but all the other stones were set tight.

Bickslow! That idiot, the emerald-haired man groaned under his breath. I bet you anything when he used it last week he didn't put it back. Freed sighed. Well, there's nothing for it. I guess I'll just wake Laxus up and have him let me back in.

Freed knocked quietly on the door and got no response, but he wasn't surprised. Laxus was a pretty deep sleeper. Freed knocked again, this time with more fervor. Then he paused for a moment and he heard noises from inside the apartment. Oh, good, he's up. I'll just get my sword and be on my way and he can go back to bed, thought Freed.

A moment later the door opened and Laxus was standing there wearing only his boxers, his hair disheveled, and, to Freed's chagrin hickies all over his neck and chest.

"What the hell are you doing on the porch, Freed?" Laxus asked groggily. "And why the fuck are you dressed. I figured we could-"

"I forgot my sword," Freed said looking down at his feet, suddenly feeling extremely self-conscious about the things they had done together the night before.

"Maybe that's because you shouldn't be getting up at the buttcrack of dawn on our day off," grumbled Laxus. "Come back to bed, Freed. I didn't give you permission to leave," the Thunder God said as he pulled his friend close to him, growling in a very sensual way as he pressed his body into the rune mage so that no doubt could be left in Freed's mind just how much Laxus wanted to get him back inside.

Freed's heart was fluttering, his eyes closing, his body melting into the embrace of the larger man when the two of them suddenly heard, "Uncle Freed! Uncle Laxus!"

Freed's eyes sprung open and both mages froze, their lips mere millimeters from one another's. Running down the street calling their names was Asca followed by her parents who were trying to rein her in.

"Hi!" Asca said running onto the stoop crowding the two men so that they had to get even closer to one another.

"Asca!" Bisca scolded from the street. "Don't bother Laxus and Freed. They're heading out on a job."

"No, they aren't. Laxus is only wearing his underwear. Only Gray dresses that way for missions," the little girl shouted back to her parents. "You had a sleep over, didn't you?" she asked the two men eagerly. Both mages blushed and stuttered, but no actual words came out. "Uncle Laxus what are those weird red marks all over you? You didn't try to punch a super-sucker fish, did you? Silly, Uncle Laxus," she giggled. "You gotta take 'em out from a distance. Even I know that!"

"Sorry, guys," Alzack said, his head hanging down, mortified by his daughter's intrusion into what was clearly a private moment between two of their guildmates. As he pulled her away from Laxus' front door, he hissed to her, "What did Momma and I tell you about badging up to people?"

"But Freed and Laxus aren't strangers. They're family!" Asca said turning and shouting over her shoulder. "Do you want to come to breakfast with me and Momma and Pappa? Mira Jane promised I'd get extra whipped cream on my pancakes. I bet she'd give you extra, too, if you asked."

The rune mage opened his mouth to thank the little girl for the invitation, but to his surprise Laxus beat him to it.

"Sorry, Asca," chuckled Laxus. "Freed seems to have forgotten that sleepovers aren't supposed to end till at least noon," and with a wink to Asca's parents, he added, "I gotta get him back in bed."

And with that Freed and Laxus disappeared from view headed back to continue their 'sleepover,' the bank and all other duties forgotten.