For those of you who read "Under Tables And Around Corners"... this is based on something I introduced there.
Sting clutched his nose, tilting his head back to lessen the tide of red seeping out of his probably broken nasal passage.
A clean rag was pressed into his free hand, and Sting gratefully accepted it. Once he had it held against his nose, he sent a grateful look towards the woman hovering worriedly at his elbow. "Thambs, Yubino," he mumbled.
She smiled. "You're welcome, Sting-sama."
"Moron," Rogue exhaled more than said, though his affection was clear. "I'll get some ice," the shadow dragon slayer then offered, slipping with ease into the kitchen which had so thoroughly denied his partner access.
With a sigh, Sting sank to the ground. He morosely nudged the glowing, purple runes in front of him with his toe, ripples of lavender washing through the whole structure at the disturbance. "I thob the enchabmen' woulb be gon' abber I bebame Builb Mabber," Sting commented in abject dismay.
Yukino smiled wanly at the dragon slayer, rubbing circles on his back and settling on the cold floor beside him. "I'm afraid the rune barrier is still in place, Sting-sama. The others probably are, too."
"Whyb meeb," he moaned.
"Because you were a monster during puberty!" Rogue called out beyond the barrier. "It's your own fault Jiemma blocked you from certain sections of the guild!"
Much as he would have liked to deny it, Sting had to admit that Rogue was completely correct. Puberty had been... a rough time. For everyone at the guild. Honestly, Yukino was lucky to have not been in the guild at that time.
"Maybe we should ask Fairy Tail for some help?" Yukino suggested. "I mean, I think they have a rune user. It must be inconvenient for a Guild Master to be restricted from half of his guild."
Her response was a nod. Then Sting returned to staring at the unyielding wall of words barring him from entering the kitchen.
"I jubb wambbed a boabo," he mused sadly.
The Celestial mage stared at him, perplexed. "I'm... I'm sorry Sting-sama. What was that?"
"Pobaabo."
When Yukino continued to look lost, Sting sighed and removed the cloth. "I just wanted... a potato," he clarified. His voice was still nasally (which he found to be a rather ironic term, given his nasal injury), but at least now he was understandable.
Sympathy stole across her face. "Would you like me to make you a steamed potato, Sting-sama?"
He nodded, and then pointed to his face. "How's it look?"
Yukino inspected it. "I think most of the bleeding has stopped," she observed. "Although... you should probably see a doctor to see if it's broken."
"Oh, it definitely is," Sting stated firmly.
She decided to take his word on it. "Either way, it definitely needs ice! It's very red, and appears quite sore."
Speaking of, where was Rogue with the ice?
Just then, a soft voice arose from the depths of the kitchen. "Uh... Yukino? I'm sorry... could you give me a hand with this? I am... I am locked out of the freezer."
Ah, right, Sting recalled. While Sting had been a holy terror during puberty... Rogue hadn't exactly been much better.
Sting snickered to himself, as Yukino went to help the other dragon slayer.
At least he wasn't alone in this hell.
