Disclaimer: The characters belongs to Hiro Mashima

Yoh!

I'll post 5 Oneshots for this week. Next one will be Surprise and rate will go up for that one, so be aware.


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Seasons

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.It was autumn when they met for the first time. Probably it was just a coincidence, but Sting liked to say it was destiny. He wanted to believe it couldn't have been any other way.

Being an orphan kid alone in the world wasn't easy, Dragon powers or not. As much as they helped, they didn't erase the lonely feeling eating him inside. Kids made fun of him for not having a family, adults were scared he would lose the control of his powers and will kill them all. No one could understand why he wanted to find a dragon. No one believed him when he said the dragon was his father. It was always the same, town after town. Until one day, one day he found him, at the outskirts of the last town.

He had already given up for the day, as always rumors were wrong and people couldn't answer his questions. He was leaving when a sudden cold breeze brought a smell to his nose. It was so familiar it was almost painful, and he didn't even notice when his legs started to walk to the main source. When he was closer, he noticed it wasn't exactly the same smell he was looking for, but it was so similar that he had confused it at first. However, even if it wasn't who he wanted to, the smell still screamed the same. Dragon. The dragon wasn't Weisslogia, but a different dragon was better than none at all. Or so he thought, but at the trail's end there was no dragon but a boy.

A boy that looked the same age as him, who looked at him with a wary curiosity on his face, and who smelt so much as a dragon that he couldn't believe he wasn't one. Silence grew awkward between them, until Sting couldn't stop himself anymore and started to ask everything that crossed his mind. 'Who are you?' 'What are you doing here?' 'Why do you smell like a dragon?'. The other kid didn't answer his questions, but he said 'You smell like a dragon too' and that was a start. They were the same, kids raised and trained by dragons who lost their parents the same day, the same year. And they were looking for them, the only family they had. Since they had the same goal, they decided to travel together until they find the dragons. Two little nine years old couldn't know how much time it would take to accomplish their mission.

Winter was easier that time, because they were together and even when the cold weather still got to them, a new warm source helped to keep their bodies' temperature higher. Sting's heart felt warmer too, because he wasn't alone anymore. Even when his new friend was a lot quieter than him, he was still someone to talk, someone to hear him, someone to comfort him when he was feeling low. He was someone who understood, someone who missed his dragon as much as he did. That was enough for him, enough to make him smile, even when his feet felt cold and his stomach growled empty.

It was spring, some years later, when Sting learnt what jealousy meant. He had gotten used to the constant company at his side, and when Rogue decided to follow the lead of the Iron Slayer of Phantom Lord, he felt betrayed. It has no sense, because he never really left and they were together every time they could. However, Sting didn't like the change from having 'all his time' to having his 'free time'. The fact that Rogue even changed his name to get closer to the older man only made him feel worst. Then, the guild went to the war against Fairy Tail, was disbanded after their defeat and Rogue came back to him. He liked to tease him after that, saying that Fairy Tail had won because they had his idol, Natsu, with them, and that Rogue's master wasn't that good. Sting also liked to say that one day he would be better than all of them, and that he would be the best Dragon Slayer in the whole world. It was a little difficult to believe his words when Rogue kept defeating him every time they sparred together, using the new moves the Iron Slayer taught him. At the end, Rogue had showed him how to do it too, maybe just to stop his whining.

It was summer when he met the winged cat with weird clothes who wanted to travel with him. He said he had saw Sting fighting and that he knew he was the stronger one and he wanted to learn from him. Rogue was surprised to have a new little friend but he didn't complain. A few weeks after Lector joined them, Rogue found a green egg and decided to keep it. He made sure the egg was warm and safe all the time, until it finally hatched. A small and green cat left the egg, as winged as Lector was. Rogue fell in love at first sight, and swore he would protect him with his life. Sting laughed and said he seemed a mother hen. Rogue took it as a compliment.

It was autumn again when the news of Fairy Tail's death reached them, and not to long after that a tall and muscular man found them. He said he was the master of a new guild, a guild that would be the strongest one of all Fiore. And he wanted them to join him, because he had heard of them and their amazing powers. They accepted the offer without thinking too much. Joining a guild seemed funny, and a good way to keep improving and gathering information and news about dragons. It couldn't be that bad, and they could always leave later if they didn't like it. They had no clue at that time.

It was winter, a few years later, when Sting realized his feelings for the first time. It was right after they did their first successful Unison Raid. They had been training for months, failing once and again, because even when they knew and trusted each other from years ago, their magics were too different to just melt with each other. They had been facing their angry and disappointed master, who wasn't good at dealing with failures. It had been harsh , exhausting , but they finally managed to do it. Their opposite magics finally joined , in a whirlpool of black and white, their power released to the sky. It was so exciting to see, to witness it cutting through the clouds and further away. And when he had looked to his side, Rogue was staring to the sky, with a happy smile on his face. Sting's heart skipped a beat. It was the most beautiful thing he had seen in all his life.

Later, when they were back to their shared room and he was trying to sleep, he realized he was in love with his best friend. And he realized it was wrong, his feelings were wrong. He couldn't love Rogue, love was a weakness and he couldn't be a part of Fiore's strongest guild if he was weak. He needed to get rid of his feelings, he needed to get away from Rogue. And he did, as best as he could, even when he knew he was hurting him. Even when he was hurting too, as Rogue's confused and sad looks turned into cold glares. They were still a team, still the Twin Dragons of Sabertooth, but it wasn't the same. Nothing was the same. His feelings never left, but he learnt to conceal them.

It was spring when Sabertooth lost the Games for the first time. They were defeated but Sting didn't care, because he felt freer and lighter than ever before. He felt like he had gotten back something he had lost years ago and had missed all the time. He knew he wasn't the only one feeling that way, he knew everyone else felt the same. After getting Lector back and fighting the dragons, he guessed life gave him a chance to fix everything that he had broken chasing an ideal that wasn't his. It was a chance to fix his relationship with Rogue and get back what they had once. He loved him, yes, but it would have been enough for him to just get back the sincere friendship from their childhood. He was surprised when Rogue shook his head and cut his speech off by kissing him. Sting kissed him back anyway.

It was summer when, one night, Sting was lying in bed, looking at his mate's sleeping face. He loved to see him so relaxed, it made him feel at peace. He had always loved it, even when they were kids. At first it was just that the little puffs of air remembered him he wasn't alone anymore. Then, it was the reassuring feeling that someone trusted him enough to be so vulnerable at his side. Later, it became his only chance to look at him without fearing to be caught. Now, he was just happy that they were still together, after all those years and everything that happened between them. While he was still looking, Rogue stirred and slowly opened his eyes. They locked eyes for a minute before the Shadow Slayer yawned and asked drowsily.

"Something happened?"
"Just thinking" Sting answered softly.
"Thinking?"
"About how lucky I am to have you"
Rogue blushed, but let go a low growl

"Go back to sleep, Sting"