He still couldn't believe it at all. But only because he had to take the train in the early morning hours to get to work on time, he'd stumbled across his childhood friend. Now they sit here in a restaurant and have dinner together. „So, why are you still in Japan?" was he now asking Sting while taking a sip off his tea and he looked right at the handsome blond man sitting right across from him.

He had agreed to join Sting for dinner so that they have a chance to exchange what they've been through since both of them got adopted. Before, he had called Sting to meet him at Tonbei Park if he was interested at all to meet him. There he met his friends as usual for a Parcours race after his work was over. „Two things are still keeping me in this country" is Sting now answering him and he noticed again the radient smile resting on his lips.

„I thought, you are supposed to live with relatives in North Europe"
„I got adopted by a nice couple, who are quite interested in European Culture and that's the main reason why I was able to come around in some of those countries"

was Sting now explaining to him still with a smile resting on his lips and a short nod occured from his side.

„What about you, Rogue?"
„A married couple from Nagano adopted me. Since they thought they weren't able to become parents on a natural way, they decided to adopt a child"

was he now saying, looked right into these sapphire-blue eyes and still he couldn't understand how he had missed the clue so easily.

How could he have been so blind as to not recognize the blond young man at all? Soon their conversation turns to what they have done after finishing school and when Sting starts to be secretive about his job, he starts to wonder why his friend is so eager to invite him to a concert of a band he never heard of before. But in the end he gives in and makes the promise to be there, when Sting asks him to come.

************

His secret meetings with Gray on a regulary basis start to become scarce in life. Somehow he has a hunch what is going on, but he wants to wait and see the true outcome. Besides, he wanted to know what Band it will be he's going to see. So he decides to buy a single and listens to it the whole weekend. Even at work he pays full attention to the melody and scribbles down the key it's written. The pattern behind is simple. Out of curiosity he studied two semester of music and learned there how to play the bass. For him this instrument is more a hobby to him. Once in a while he tends to play it, but he's still far away from being so skilled to join a professional band.

„What are you writing down, Rogue-san?"
„The key, this song is written"

is he answering the daughter of his chef as she looks at him.

With a smile she hands him an envelope with his name written on it and immediately he knows the person, who sent it. There is only one man he knows at all to have such a terrible handwriting. A short smile rests on his lips. Even back in school the teachers weren't able to decipher Stings handwriting. That's the reason, why most of their teachers graded him worse than he actually was. Some things seem never to change at all. When he stands up to get himself a cup of tea he shortly sighs.

Even through he just recently met Sting again, it makes him realize how lonely he currently feels deep inside. Back then they stuck together, no matter what. They walked together to school. Learned together. Shared a room together. Comforted each other, when one was plagued by vicious nightmares. At least he had someone at his side he can fully trust. But right now? He has only a handful to call friends around him. Besides, he is with Gray in a relationship he can't really describe what kind it is. Why is he just now wishing the time back he shared with Sting, when the two of them were still children?

Both of them are now full grown adults. Having a life of their own with its own share of problems. Yeah, maybe they can stick together as friends like they used to be. But somehow he begins to doubt things will turn out to be this way. Ten years have passed since they saw each other. The last time he saw Sting was in the night before the blond got adopted.

He was sad and scared at the same time. Without making any noise he sneaked over to the bed of the blond boy, crawled under the blanket and cuddled at Sting. Silent tears were running down his cheeks as he closed his eyes, hiding his face in Stings crook of the neck. Next thing in the morning he had left the room silently before the caretakers would come to wake them up.

Shortly he bites his lips as he sits at his work station, staring at the tea in his hands. Why is he right now remembering how much it hurt to be left behind? He never had the guts to tell Sting the truth. Even now, he was afraid to tell the handsome blond man about his true feelings for him. All this years he was hiding what Sting really means to him.

Only recently he opened up in front of his adoptive parents and told them honestly, he isn't at all interested into dating girls. He feared, they might abhor him for what he is. But he was surely surprised about their reaction. When his adoptive mother just told him it doesn't matter at all and that they only want to see him happy, no matter what gender his partner is, a honest smile appeared on his lips. He sure ended up living with such an understanding family and therefore he is more than grateful towards them.

************

He's been busy with work and when he leaves late afternoon he's quite surprised to see Gray waiting outside for him. The older one never picked him up from work before. So this has to be something serious. „We really need to talk" is Gray only saying to him as ne notices, that he isn't really looking at him. With a short nod he follows the older one and his mind is racing. What could it be, that Gray needs to talk about with him? A deadly silence is clad around them right as they reach Grays apartment and he bites his lips, not really looking at Gray as he thankfully accepts the reached glass of water.

„I need to apologize to you, Rogue. I haven't been honest enough to you. You really deserve someone better than me" is Gray after a while saying and deep inside he can feel how everything is churning. No, please. Don't let it be what he just thinks it could be. „The past six month I've been dating Juvia and right now I agreed being in a relationship with her. I'm really sorry" are now the next words coming from Gray as he claws the texture of his jeans staring at the floor and in this moment he feels like his heart is ripped out of his chest. „At least your honest enough to tell me the truth" is right now his only response as he gets up, then he leaves Grays apartment before he could see the upcoming tears coming down his cheeks.

This had been his first relationship at all. Despite the fact he was unsure what kind it was. Yes, in a way he had started to develope deeper feelings towards Gray. But now everything is shattered into pieces. In a way he's relieved, that the older one is so honest to at least inform him about the decision he did. But that still doesn't stop the pain residing right now deep within his chest. To know, he's all on his own again is gnawing deeply on his soul. His only wish had been with someone who takes him the way he is. But why does it seem to be so impossible at all to find the right partner?

Once he is in his own apartment he can feel his tears flowing like a river. He feels so down, that he locks himself up the next couple of days and avoids going outside at all. Right now he isn't in the mood at all to see someone. He just wants to be on his own and drown in this shere pain resting deep inside his soul. At work he just told his chef he isn't feeling well and therefore he would stay at home. In a way this is true. Because in this state he isn't able to perform the work properly at all.

It been now a week since Gray broke up with him and he's wrapped up in his blanket as he hears the door bell ring. For a while he tried to ignore it. But as he can hear a voice he knows, he sighs deeply, gets up and shuffles to the door. Still wrapped in his blanket he's quite surprised to see Sting. „I was told you are supposed to be sick. So I kind of got worried and wanted to check on you" is the blond now saying as he rubs his neck and a sheepish grin rests on Stings lips. In a way it makes him feel now a bit better. The blond always had been clumsy about expressing his own feelings. „How have you figured out where I live?" is he right now asking, after Sting enters his apartment and his ruby-red eyes are fixed at him as he follows him towards the living room. „Your co-worker easily sold you for an autograph" is the blond right now telling him with a radient smile resting on his lips and he immediately knows who this certain someone could be.

„In a way I'm relieved to know you are not sick at all, but something else is bothering you" is Sting right now saying as they sit now on the sofa and if he has to be honest, he isn't able to hold back the upcoming tears infront of Sting. He has no explanation at all to this. It had been like this back in their childhood as far as he can remember. The blond had always been the only one he allowed to see the vulnerable side of himself. So therefore he allows his tears to flow and before he can proper react, he's embraced by Sting. There are no words needed at all. Right now he feels understood. Right now he feels being comforted. Right now he feels safe & sound again.

„Who's responsible for making such a mess out of you?"
„Gray broke up with me"

is he only answering as he hides his face in Stings crook of the neck and like back during the days they shared in the orphanage, the presence as well the scent of the blond have a calming effect on him.

„I'm going to beat him up for good what he did to you"
„Please, Sting, don't. He was at least so honest and confessed to me, he's in a relationship with someone I know too"

comes now out of him as he cloeses his eyes and he can feel slowly but surely his tears are drying. Somehow Sting wants to say something but he stays silent. Maybe he only needs Sting to be around him next to his feline companion Frosch.

„At least you do me the favour and visit the concert I invited you to" is Sting right now saying to him as he feels his hand to rest on his shoulder and he only nods in agreement. If he has to be honest to himself, he's glad their paths are intertwined again.