Summary: After getting an insult directed at Sabertooth by none other than Sorcerer Weekly reporter, Jason, Sting storms off in an angry fit. It's up to Rogue to calm his master back down.
A/N: This story is based on something I heard from a TV Program on National Geographic Channel once. It said Saber tooth Tigers were more related to possums than tigers. Imagine someone telling this to Sting!
"Cooooool!" Jason cheered in a fit of ecstasy, letting his camera flash all around Sting from different angles. Sabertooth's guild master had a smug smile on his face as he did some cool and –in the blonde's eyes- some badass poses.
"Defeating an entire army of golems all by yourself! That's just so COOL!" Jason cheered once more.
"Well, yeah. I guess it is." Sting responded proudly.
On the background, other Sabertooth members let out a chuckle. "Let's not tell Jason Sting was making a fuss about who ate the last cookie just five minutes ago." Orga grinned. "You said it." Rufus agreed with the same amusement, tipping his hat down a bit. Those comments earned the pair a glare coming from the white dragon slayer.
"Other than that, Sting," Jason began, holding his pen in attack mode. "have you ever heard that Saber tooth Tigers are actually more related to possums than tigers?"
A deadly silence fell over the entire guild. Sting's smug smile quickly disappeared and got replaced by a look of surprise. Somewhere in a corner of the guild, Rogue brought a hand on his forehead, shaking his head. He may or may not have heard that piece of information before.
But, possums? Saber tooth Tigers were related to possums?! Who was it that claimed that? If the rest of Fiore would get to know this, they would for sure call them 'Possums' instead of 'Tigers'. This was so embarrassing!
Digging his nails in the palm of his gloved hands, an intense glare was shot towards Jason, who suddenly felt a cold shiver going down his spine. "We are called the Tigers of Sabertooth and I want it remains that way. Possum or no possums. You hear me?!" The blonde roared out. Snorting loudly, Sting turned on his heels and stormed out of the guild hall without saying another word.
Staring at the place Sting once stood, Jason turned his attention to Rogue. The shadow dragon slayer pushed himself off of the wall he was leaning against and let out a deep sigh. Great. Now he had to look for an angry white dragon slayer and calm him back down.
Walking towards the doors, Rogue turned his head towards the other members. "You guys handle this. I'll go look for Sting." And without further ado, the raven left the guild hall as well.
Rogue had a few ideas where Sting might be so he decided to start with the place which was the most obvious. Sticking his hands deep in his pockets, Rogue exhaled deeply, watching how his breath disappeared in the cold.
It had been snowing the night before so everything was covered by a nice layer of snow. He didn't want to admit it, but Rogue actually enjoyed how the fresh snow cracked under his feet. The raven left town, going to an open field where he and Sting usually trained. No doubt the white dragon slayer could be found there.
And he was right. In front of a small heap of snow, Sting sat hunched over it. Moping, no doubt.
Letting out a sigh again, Rogue walked over to the blonde. "I knew you'd be here. Are you coming back? Everyone's— What the heck are you doing?!" Standing next to Sting, Rogue had to watch how the blonde stuffed his face with snow, angrily munching on it.
"What? I'm eating!" Sting grumbled, putting another handful of snow in his mouth. "Cold!" He exclaimed afterwards.
"Of course it's cold, it's snow! Stop eating that! God who knows what already happened in that! A dog could have peed in that already!" Trying to hit the remaining snow out of Sting's hands, Rogue felt incredibly annoyed by now. He could have guessed Sting would be doing such a thing. He could be such a kid sometimes!
"I think I know the difference between normal snow and snow that has been peed on, thank you!" Sting hissed back, trying to fend Rogue off.
"That's not the point. Why are you eating snow anyway?!"
"Because it's white and I like white things!"
"Is that your only excuse?!"
Their little struggle ended with Sting losing his balance and falling on his back. Rogue, who sat on Sting's waist, tried to look the blonde in the eye, which wasn't easy since Sting was looking the other way.
"You really are such a kid sometimes." The shadow dragon slayer muttered. "Jason only asked you a simple question. No need to get all defensive about it." A snort left Sting's lips.
"He called us possums. He insulted us." The blonde grumbled.
"The only one he insulted was you, Sting. I don't think the others feel that way. You're such a sensitive kid." Honestly this guy!
"So. Are you coming back to the guild now?" Rogue asked, wanting to leave this entire possum thing behind them.
"No." Oh, great. Sting was continuing that childish behavior of his.
"Alright. What do you need to make you feel better?" Better comply to whatever Sting wanted. That was the fastest way to get this over with.
"Kiss me."
Whoa, whoa, whoa! What was that? Did Sting really ask Rogue to kiss him? This was another one of Sting's childish pranks, wasn't it?
"I'm sorry. I think I didn't hear you. What was that you were saying?" There was no way Sting was serious about this.
"Kiss me." There it was again! And by the look on the blonde's face, he was very serious about it.
"Like hell I'm going to do that! Who do you think I am?" Rogue crossed his arms angrily, looking away from the white dragon slayer.
"Then I'm going to stay here. If I die because of the cold, it's your fault." Sting puffed his cheeks, looking away from Rogue on his turn.
"Are you really trying to manipulate me? You know that's called sexual harassment, right?" Looking back at the raven with a raised eyebrow, Sting pouted slightly.
"But, you're my best friend. How can it be sexual harassment?"
Sting's train of thoughts. It was something Rogue couldn't follow one bit.
"What makes you think I'm willing to kiss you anyway?" Rogue questioned, finding himself baffled at Sting's reasoning.
"Because you're still sitting on my waist."
Oh, crap. He hadn't realized that.
Quickly shooting back up, Rogue walked a few steps away from Sting, with his back turned at the blonde. The raven coughed, trying to hide a blush that suddenly appeared on his face. Sting on his turn stood back up as well, shivering and hugging himself. "I'm cold…" He murmured silently.
"Hey, are you going to kiss me now?" Sting asked once more. He really was dead set on having that kiss, wasn't he?
"Why do you want to kiss me anyway?" Rogue asked. He didn't get it at all. Why was Sting so fixated on having that kiss?
"Because I'm cold. You need to warm me up." Sting's reason sure was an egoistic one…
"If you want to get kissed that badly, why don't you ask Yukino to kiss you?" Rogue suggested, refusing to look the blonde in the eye. That suggestion made Sting frown.
"But, I don't Yukino to kiss me. I want you to do it."
"But why?!" Rogue turned himself around again, looking with wide eyes at Sting. The blonde looked down, a shade of red suddenly covering his face.
"Because I love you." Was Sting's whispered reply.
Wait. Did Sting really say he loved him? Did he heard that right? Looking at the blonde, Rogue was surprised by the expression the white dragon slayer now was showing him.
Guilt, sorrow, pain. Not to mention he looked like he could burst out in tears any moment now. But, he just said he loved him. Then why was he looking at him like that?
"But, I guess you don't feel the same way about me." Turning his back at Rogue, Sting began walking away. "I'm going home. I don't feel so well."
Rogue felt his heart sinking down his stomach. No. This is not what he wanted. He didn't mean to make Sting run away from him!
"Sting, wait!" Rogue called out, running after the blonde. Grabbing the other's wrist, the raven looked Sting in the eye but nearly choked when seeing tears in the blonde's eyes.
"I-I never said I don't feel the same way!" He never wanted to hurt Sting like this. He never wanted to make him cry!
Snuffing his nose, Sting's voice cracked as he spoke. "But it's so obvious. You don't love me like I love you. I shouldn't have asked you to kiss me. I'm sorry, Rogue. I'll be fine after a while. Not today or tomorrow though. But I will be someday."
This was going completely wrong. Rogue could feel his own heart being shattered to pieces. It was such a painful feeling. Such a devastating feeling. Was this the same thing Sting was feeling right now?
He only wanted to bring Sting back to the guild and now he was about to lose his best friend? That thought scared Rogue to bits. He didn't want to lose Sting. He wanted to stay by his side forever! Sting was the only one who could cheer him up, the only one who could calm him down, the only one he felt really comfortable with. Sting was the only person he actually really adored!
Realization finally hit him. He always thought he felt this way about Sting because they were best friends. But, was this how love felt like?
Strengthening his grip around Sting's wrist, Rogue refused to let him go. "Sting," The raven called out, feeling desperate. "Don't go. Don't leave me." Clasping his hands in the blonde's blue vest, Rogue buried his face in Sting's chest. "I don't want to be alone!"
This time it was Sting who looked surprised at Rogue. Placing both his hand on the raven's shoulder's, Sting started to speak softly. "I'm not leaving you alone. I just need some time to get over this. We'll be friends if that's what you want." Shaking his head, Rogue looked up at Sting. Now he was the one with tears in his eyes.
"Sting, I'm sorry. I thought… I thought I felt those things because you were my best friend. I was stupid to think that it couldn't be anything else. I thought it couldn't be… love."
Wait, was Rogue saying he did love him after all? Sting was so confused about this, he had no idea what to think.
"So, you love me after all?" He asked carefully. Perhaps he misunderstood it.
"That's what I said, didn't I?"
A moment of silence passed. During that moment, the only thing the two dragon slayers did was stare at each other.
Sting was the one who made the first move. Placing both his hands on Rogue's cheeks, he wiped a single tear away with his thumb. Leaning in closer to the other, he then gently pressed his lips against Rogue's. The raven closed his eyes -still having a firm grasp on Sting's blue vest- as he let him surrender himself to the warm feeling that was rising from deep down his stomach, warming his entire body.
When Sting pulled away, there was a small smile on his face, a smile that Rogue returned and soon hugged the other dragon slayer tightly.
"You can be such a kid at times, you know that?" An amused chuckle escaped Sting's lips as he returned the hug.
"But I have you to take care of me."
"I'm not your mom, Sting.
"Hehe. I know."
This surely had been a weird day. It started with possums and ended with Rogue realizing he was in love with his best friend all this time. Life was a weird thing. But, both dragon slayers were happy it happened.