Just a Rogue x Kagura angsty AU fic. Other pairings will appear throughout.
"C'mon man, you can't sit at home for the rest of your life."
The blinds were pulled up swiftly, the dark haired man squinting at the harsh sunlight what came through the window, his eyes adjusting to the light what was illuminating the apartment.
"Leave me alone, Sting."
The blonde huffed at his friend who sat in the armchair, staring aimlessly ahead of himself. He took in the man's appearance; his face void of any emotion, several week old stubble - borderlining a full on beard - across his jawline making him appear older than he actually was. His raven hair a dishellved mess and eyes what were once a bright ruby colour, now dull with dark cirlcles outlining them. He was dressed in a simple grey t-shirt and dark sweatpants, making Sting wonder how long he had been in them clothes, or even showered for that matter since the last time he had visited his friend.
"No Rogue, I've sat back long enough, letting you handle this all alone and watched as you've slowly destroyed yourself. As your friend I've had enough, I'm not letting you do this anymore." the blonde spoke, his voice filled with determination as his hands clenched into fists at his sides.
Rogue didn't muster up a reply, almost as if he had completely ignored anything his friend had said.
Letting out a sigh, Sting glanced around the apartment, his eyes locking on several empty liqour bottles what littered the coffee table.
Yukino is gonna flip if she sees all of these, the blonde thought as he picked up the bottles, securing some of them under his arm as he carried all of them to the kitchen, disposing of them.
Walking back to the living room Sting sat on the couch opposite Rogue, "Please, Rogue. It's been four-"
"I know how long it's been." the dark haired man snapped, his voice sharp as he shot his friend a harsh glare.
The blonde nodded as he directed his gaze to the floor, arms resting on his thighs as he leant forward, "It wasn't your fault, Rogue." he spoke after several minutes of silence passed between the two of them.
Rogue stayed silent yet again.
"You shoudn't put the blame on yourself, you couldn't have done-"
"You know nothing." Rogue gritted out, his voice low.
"I know that you did everything in your power to stop what happened." Sting countered.
Rogue shook his head, refusing to let Sting's words comfort him. Standing from his seat he made his way into the kitchen, "I said this once and I'm not saying this again, leave me alone Sting."
"No."
The dark haired mans frustrations were beginning to build at his friends resistance, slamming to door of the fridge shut. With a beer in hand Rouge returned to his previous position of the armchair in the living room.
"I don't think so." Sting huffed, reaching over and snatching the unopened bottle from his friends grasp, throwing it on the couch beside him earning yet another glare.
"What the fuck?"
"I already told you this Rouge, get it through that thick skull of yours! I'm not letting you destroy yourself like this. I'm not going to tell you again! Get up, go take a shower and clean yourself up, we're going to the agency." Sting snapped, his tone clear and loud yet his voice wavered between order and wanting to break down, the sight of his friend tearing him apart on the inside.
"I'm not going." Rogue huffed out, crossing his arms as he slouched in his seat as he averted his gaze away from Sting. He looked like a petulant child who couldn't get what he wanted, rebelling against his parents wishes.
That reaction was the thing what caused something to snap within the blonde, his jaw setting as his hands clenched into fists again, nails digging into the palms. "I don't give a damn what you want, Rogue. If you don't get your ass out of that chair and into the bathroom I'm gonna drag you there and clean you up myself!"
Before Rouge could muster up a reply he was dragged up from his seat by the collar of his shirt, being forcefully pulled down the hallway of his apartment, heading straight to the bathroom. "I wasn't kidding Rogue, don't test my patience." the blonde growled as he dragged his friend across the floor.
The darked hair male struggled against the grip of the blonde, letting his body go limp as he slumped to the floor making himself dead weight. "Dammit Rogue, stop being a stubborn asshole!" Sting gritted out, slowly pulling his friend across the floor.
Unbeknownst to the pair the didn't realise the woman enter the apartment, halting as she stared at the two men - in this moment in time were acting like a pair of children - with wide brown eyes.
"When I told you to help him, I didn't mean drag him around on the floor!" the white haired woman stated as she looked between the two men.
"If he wasn't such a little bitch and actually listened-"
"Insulting him isn't going to get you anywhere, Sting." Yukino sighed, yet her words fell upon deaf ears as the two men began to bicker, slinging insults at one another.
"If you had just listened to me at the start and left we wouldn't be having this problem!" Rouge grunted, pushing the blonde away from him, breaking him free from the mans grasp.
"Asshole."
"Fuckface."
"Guys!" Yukino called out, raising her voice which gained the pairs attention. These boys will be the death of me, she mused. Yukino looked at Sting who let out a sigh, looking defeated. "I tried." he spoke, voice quiet.
Yukino nodded, "I know." she mumbled before turning her attention to the man what was slumped on the floor, taking in his appearance. This wasn't the Rouge she knew, she didn't even recognise the man in front of her, he looked almost hopeless. Taking a few steps she leaned down to her friend, "Oh Rogue..." she sighed, saddened at the sight of the dark haired man.
Rogue's eyes softened at his friends expression, feeling a slight wave of guilt coarse through him, ashamed that his friends were seeing him like this.
"Rogue, please come back. We need you...the agency needs you. Everybody is worried about you, Gajeel is...he just wants his brother back."
Hearing his brothers name softened Rogue's expression altogether, "Gajeel...I...I'm so sorry." he breathed, voice cracking as his eyes welled up. Falling further down onto his knees Rogue cradled his head in his hands, feeling someone's arms wrap around him from behind as he let out silent sobs, his body shaking.
What have I become?
"Please Rogue, we need you back. We need our friend back."
Macao Conbolt's gaze stayed on his step-daughter as he watched her carefully from the doorway, taking in her form as she retreated back to the chair after retrieving a book from the shelf.
It's the only other place she would be if she wasn't locked away in her room away from everyone.
She had been this way ever since her brother...oh Simon.
The man's step-son, the eldest of the Mikazuchi-Conbolt children, had been killed whilst he and his sister were out in the town of Magnolia shopping.
Kagura had been the last one to see her older brother alive and the first to witness him die as he passed away in her embrace, holding his limp body in her arms as she let the tears flow.
Ever since then his daughter had been distant, which was understanable. She was still grieving the loss of her eldest brother, the man who was her best friend, her protector from the harsh world.
Macao never thought he would have to see his children go through this grief again, after the passing of their mother three years ago, who suffered ill health before she parted ways to the afterlife.
It was tough on the family, taking them long to adjust to life without her loving presence there to greet them everyday before they slowly got back on track, only now to lose another family member a few months prior.
Kagura sat in the armchair with a book in hand, however her father knew she hadn't gotten past the first page, lost in her own thoughts.
Her mind constantly replayed that day over and over again; the sound of gunshots ringing through the town square, her brother covering her from harms way only to be caught in the crossfire. His body going limp, slumping to the pavement as the colour slowly drained from his face, his skin going cold to the touch as blood slowly seeped through his clothes, staining them a maroon colour.
Her hand stained in the same colour, trying to preserve her brothers life as she screamed for somebody to phone an ambulance.
The metallic smell of the blood polluting the cool air as she watched her brother's life slowly fade away before her very eyes, tears leaving his eyes as he savoured his last moments with his sister, speaking his last words before taking his last breath.
The sound of sirens could be heard in the distance as she repeated her brother's name breathlessly, tears flowing as she clutched his hand tightly, fearing to let go as she propped his lifeless body against her own.
Feeling a drop of water fall onto the back of her hand, Kagura looked down at the book to see the page stained with tears, mixing with the ink causing some of the words to run. Wiping her cheeks she took a deep breath before turning the page, hoping to get lost in the book and not her thoughts what plagued her mind.
Macao pulled the door to, leaving his daughter alone. "I'm so sorry, Olivia." he sighed, running a hand through his receding hair, leaning against the wall as he hung his head.
"Dad?"
The older man lifted his head to meet the eyes of his son, the youngest Mikazuchi-Conbolt child at the age of sixteen, Romeo.
He was Macao's son from his previous marriage to the boy's mother, who had left due to her husband being more occupied with work than his wife and son.
Her departure had been sudden and out of the blue, leaving Romeo at the care of his father, wanting the man to feel the burden she felt when she was left alone to care for their young son, who constantly asked for his father.
Macao then met Olivia Mikazuchi in the same year, who he would then marry two years later, gaining two step-children in the process who he loved dearly, Simon and Kagura - who were seventeen and fourteen at the time.
Five years of happiness passed before the family was struck with the grief of losing Olivia, only to lose Simon three years after.
"Yes Romeo? What is it?" the man asked his son.
Romeo looked at the doors to the library before looking back at his father, "Is Kagura okay?" he asked, inquiring about his sister, his voice quiet.
Macao was about to reply when they were interrupted by Wakaba Mine - a close family friend and Macao's business partner.
The brown haired man looked between father and son, sending the younger Conbolt a smile before turning towards the elder. "Gildarts has arrived, he's waiting in the office."
Macao sent the man a nod before turning his attention back to his son, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Right now? No, she isn't okay. But she will be okay eventually because you and I are gonna help her through this, she just needs us to respect her time, to support her and be there when she needs us, okay?" he spoke, answering his sons question.
Romeo nodded, a sigh leaving his lips as his eyes cast downwards to the floor, "I just wish she wouldn't go through this alone..."
"We all grieve in different ways kiddo, she'll come around eventually. Just give her time." Wakaba spoke, sending the teenager a comforting smile.
The older Conbolt nodded in agreement at his friends words, also knowing how much Romeo cared for his older sister and wanted nothing more than to comfort her and protect her, just like Simon had done before him. But he knew it would take time - not just for Kagura - but for the three of them to get back to how they once were.
"I know son. If you'll excuse me..."
"Right, of course. Sorry for delaying you from your meeting. My aplologies Wakaba, I'll see you later." the dark haired teen shot them both a small salute before heading down the hall to his bedroom.
"So what did he find out?" Macao asked - referring to the private investigator who was waiting for the men in the office - as he and Wakaba walked through the house, making their way to where Gildarts was waiting.
"I don't know, as soon as he arrived, I came to get you immediately." his business partner shrugged his shoulders lighting up a cigarette as they entered the office.
"Gildarts!" Macao greeted the copper haired man who stood in the corner of the office, back resting against the wall.
"Macao, it's been a long time old friend," the tall man smiled, walking across the room to hug the dark haired man. "You too, Wakaba." he added, giving the brown haired man the same treatment.
Macao's smile left him, his demeanour falling into one more serious, "I'm guessing you found something out?"
Gildarts nodded, "I investigated more into the shooting, as you asked."
"And?"
"It seems that Simon's death was no unfortunate accident."
Macao's hands tightened into fists upon hearing the investigators words, "Are you saying..?"
"Yes, he was assasinated," Gildarts nodded. "I'm so sorry, Macao."
A hand came to rest on his shoulder in comfort, he guessed it was Wakaba as Macao bowed his head, his eyes closing as his mind wrapped around the information.
Somebody wanted my son dead? What about Romeo and Kagura? Are they at harm? he thought.
"Wait didn't something similar happen a few days ago?" Wakaba asked, shooting Gildarts a questioning look.
Gildarts noddeed, knowing what his friend was referring to. "Jude Heartfilia's daughter was targeted recently, attacked whilst she was on an outing. They have yet to identify the person, and they refuse to state their name or who sent them. The only thing they confirmed to was that they were sent to kill Lucy, however her guard Loke managed to take down the person and keep the girl from harm."
Macao let out a sigh as Wakaba shook his head in shock, "Poor girl."
They both knew Jude and his daughter Lucy, often seeing them at the country club they were members at. Macao knew that Kagura and Lucy were quite good friends, as was he and Jude.
"Girl was shook up, don't blame her." the red head huffed.
The two men nodded in agreement, any incident such as that was bound to shake anybody up.
Silence filled the room, Macao noticing the look on the investigators face, knowing that he was caught up in his own thoughts. "What are you thinking?"
"I feel...this isn't going to end here. With Lucy targeted and the loss of Simon, I fear for Kagura and Romeo's safety."
Macao's sighed, his suspicions answered. Neither of his children were safe, not anymore.
"So what do you think I should do?"
"I have a suggestion..."