Author's notes: Any characters from Fairy Tail belong to Hiro Mashima. Ethel and Alina are works of my own imagination and I hold creative license for them.

Sting and Rogue belong to Fairy Tail to help me with my plot; it simplifies things. Rogue may be OOC. Lemon scenes to be expected, so run away kiddies or skip them when they arrive.

"I need to research something before Sting and I go on a mission, kay?"

"Fro agrees!"

And with that, the Dragon Slayer waved his partner away and stepped into the bookstore. It smelt like parchment and ink, a rather pleasant smell to his extra sharp senses. He gave a blank smile to the old lady sat behind the desk who watched him with eyes that he felt saw through his soul. He shivered before stepping into a random aisle, hoping he found what he needed. One of the strongest mages in Fairy Tail and I'm shaking because of an old lady? Rogue shook his midnight locks out of his eyes before scanning the shelves. Barely a minute into his scan, the door opened and what he thought was a young woman rushed in in a whirlwind of light, laughter and smiles. He cocked his ear in intrigue as to who this girl was.

"Afternoon Ethel! Are they here?"

Her voice left him breathless. His ear strained to follow it, as if it was melody that once played, disappears into the soft wind. It was a voice full of promises.

The old lady at the desk laughed, used to her exuberant joy at whatever "they" was.

"They just arrived, they're at the back in the far left corner." Rogue could see the old lady smiling fondly at her. "Knock yourself out honey."

Before he could crane his neck to see who this enigma was, she fled. Captivated by this whirlwind of a girl, he vaporised into nothing more than a shadow and silently passed through the rows jam packed with knowledge, adventure, romance and magic. He finally reached the row just before the girl. She was sat atop a box legs drawn up to her chest, surrounded by what smelt like brand new books.

She was that excited over new books?

Rogue looked closely at her, the owner of the voice that seemed as perennial as the wind. She was wholly absorbed by the book she was reading, nibbling a lip as she read as fast as she could. Her eyes flitted here and there across the page. He could practically see the cogs in her head whirring as they tried to keep up with her. She had hair as dark as his he noted with surprise, falling in soft waves, stopping below her elbow. Dust was swirling around her as she sat still, absorbed by her book. The light shone directly behind her, illuminating her silhouette. She was the calm in the storm, radiating a perfect stillness and serenity as the world crashed and fell about her. She looked frail and adorable. Like a fairy.

He decided to stop staring and solidify his body again. He gently sat in front of her, folding his long legs beneath him and picked up the nearest book. All the while, she was absorbed by her book. Before Rogue could stop himself he spoke.

"That book looks very interesting. What is it about?"

She finally glanced up at him with a glazed look in her eyes that had pools of honey in them.

And consequently fell off her box with a squeak. Her head connected with the floor littered with books with an almighty bang. Ethel yelled from her desk, voice tinged with concern.

"Alina? Was that you? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine Ethel" Alina smiled in her direction. "Just tripped and fell"

Ethel laughed and told her to watch her step, they didn't need another accident again.

Alina looked up at the intruder that caused her to fall so catastrophically. He was watching her with surprised yet amused eyes. His red eyes met her caramel ones. A half smile played on his lips.

"I'm sorry" he began, "I didn't intend for you to fall. Are you okay?"

Alina smiled and blinded him. The radiance and good intention behind her smile shocked him. And pulled at something inside him.

"I'm fine thank you. Me falling is nothing new. I usually have a trip once a day" she added with a chagrin. "You had asked me something?"

Rogue shook his head clear and smiled back.

"I don't remember" he lied. "I'm Rogue" he added.

"Alina" she said with a smile. "So what brings you here? I've never seen you before."

"I came to research some things before I went on a mission."

"A mission?" Her eyes widened and the cogs whirred as she thought. "Are you… a mage?"

He smiled at her perceptiveness and nodded.

"Yep. I'm a third generation Shadow Dragon Slayer"

Her eyes practically popped out of her face. She then began to fire questions at him. Rogue merely smiled at her fusillade of questions and proceeded to try and answer them.

A small flash of white light came from where her hands where. As he moved his head to see it properly, it disappeared.

"What was that? Was that light you?" he asked.

She shook her head and replied "It may have just been a refraction of light."

He accepted her answer and asked her about her book again. At the invitation to describe her book her eyes lit up and somehow, her face got even brighter. Her delicate features quivered with excitement. She leaned forward in anticipation and opened her plum lips.

Her phone rang at that exact moment. Her face fell and lost some of that radiance it just gained. She pulled it out of her jeans and looked at the screen. Rogue noticed that upon seeing the caller, her face fell further.

She smiled at him and raised a finger as she answered, wait please.

"Hi Dad" she begun.

With his sensitive ears he heard the other side too.

"Where the fuck are you?" a gruff voice demanded.

"I'm just in the bookstore on Canary Street."

"Hurry the fuck up" he demanded, not caring where she was

"Yeah I am. I'll just finish reading the book I picked up." She smiled into the phone at the aggressive man she called "Dad".

"ARE YOU FUCKING DEAF? I SAID HURRY UP. SO GET YOUR USELESS ARSE HOME NOW. Fucking hell."

He hung up.

She smiled apologetically at Rogue, not realising he heard the whole conversation.

"I have to leave now. There's a family emergency" She lied right through her teeth Rogue realised.

"That's understandable." Might as well play along. I wasn't supposed to hear that anyway "I hope we meet again Alina" he added sincerely. There was something about her that fascinated him and he wasn't ready to let the mystery leave.

She smiled radiantly, and picked herself up. She called a bye to Ethel and thanked her, and then as quickly as she came, she left.