Sorry this is late~ I hope it's worth the wait.
Verse: Canon Verse, but diverges from original plot. So kinda an AU.
Rating: T for language and violence
Summary: Sting could hardly breathe... It was Rogue, alright...but it wasn't his Rogue.
Stingue Week Day 6: Past
Sting hadn't been this terrified in his life.
His magic, his Dragon Slayer Magic, is failing him in the one situation he needs it the most. It's one purpose, to slay dragons, isn't working. His attacks are useless against the towering dragon by the name of Scissor Runner. It brushed off every blow as if it were nothing more than a gust of wind, a droplet of water against sleek scales. He is helpless, weak, useless.
This is supposed to be easy. This is supposed to be his destiny. He was born for this very day. Here, his magic should shine.
But it didn't.
Sweat glazes his forehead, slick on his rough skin. His hands are bruised underneath the dark blue fabric of his gloves, the insane amount of fighting he's done in the recent few days catching up to him. Blood seeps through deep cuts in his chest and back, crimson staining his vest. Guilt and worry sinks into his heart; who knows how Rogue is doing. Is he just as helpless as Sting?
Sting swears under his breath, wiping blood from his face. He needs to go find Rogue as soon as possible. Scissor Runner is laughing and taunting him, and Sting can't help but to be angry. He's so frustrated, upset, and in pain. This fight is not what he wanted. He wanted to just go find Natsu and spar with him. He wanted to laugh and smile with his friends...the way he'd never gotten to in the past.
Sting takes off running, the dragon pouncing after him. Sweat falls from Sting's bangs, dripping to the ground. His breathing is unsteady, coming out of his lungs in sharp, short bursts. He follows his nose, hunting for Rogue's scent in the sea of blood and ash. Catching it, he takes off in the other direction than he'd originally been heading, his teeth sinking into his lip, holding back the pain from the wounds in his flesh. Just...a little...further...
He finally rounds the corner, screaming Rogue's name. His partner looks up at him, red eyes wide. His lips part in an attempt to say Sting's name, but before Sting can reach a distance close enough to hear him, the building crumbles in front of him.
"Rogue!" he screams again, pounding on the rubble in front of him. "ROGUE! LISTEN TO ME! YOU'RE GOING TO BE OKAY, JUST KEEP FIGHTING!" He grips onto the rubble, trying to create a gap big enough for him to fit through. "I'M HERE, I PROMISE! KEEP FIGHTING, I'LL BE THERE SOON! HANG IN THERE!" Tears of frustration fill his eyes. He can hear the dragon approaching behind him, laughing at the Twjn Dragons' misfortune.
A dark shadow looms above Sting. His head whips up, expecting it to be Scissor Runner. Instead, the large dragon known as Motherglare is above him. The cold of black and white dance with the heat of red and orange, flashing like fireworks on Motherglare's back.
Sting watches in horror as Natsu's opponent gains the upper hand. The Fire Dragon Slayer falls from the sky to the ground, right near Sting. A bloody wound is covered by a blue cloak, crimson seeping through the fabric.
"Natsu-san!" Sting cries, rushing towards his fallen friend. He falls to his knees beside Natsu's battered form. Behind him, Scissor Runner's laughter only grows closer.
Natsu looks up at Sting, coughing as blood surfaces on his lips. "I'll be fine..." His eyes widen when Motherglare suddenly starts to circle and slowly descend. "Shit!" Natsu grabs Sting's shoulder, using it to pull himself to his feet. "Sting, you need to get out of here, that man, he's-"
But before Natsu could finish his sentence, Scissor Runner attacks. Together the two Dragon Slayers leap to the side, barely dodging the attack.
Natsu's eyes widen in terror, Motherglare dangerously close now. "No, no, no!" he hisses. "Not down here, not with Sting, he'll try to-"
"LOOK OUT!" Sting screams, leaping towards Natsu. He knocks Natsu to ground, the magic sent by Scissor Runner flying right over their heads.
A figure with a large cape drops down beside them, standing above them confidently. "Well, well, Natsu Dragneel, it seems I've got you where I-"
His voice suddenly stops short. Sting untangles himself from Natsu, dusting himself off. "Fucking hell I-"
Scissor Runner prepares to attack again when the tall figure suddenly shouts, "NO, SCISSOR RUNNER! HOLD YOUR FIRE!"
Sting blinks, now facing the man in front of him. Natsu mumbles something from the ground, too quiet to be heard. Sting's eyes widen. The man's red eyes are just as wide, sweat sliding down the side of his face. His hair is both black and white, pulled into a long ponytail. Sting could hardly breathe... It was Rogue, all right...but it wasn't his Rogue.
Everything is wrong. Rogue's scent is off, stained with darkness. His eyes are strained; as if he's seen things that haunt him even know.
To Sting's shock, Rogue's lip trembles violently, haunted crimson eyes filling with tears. "St-Sting..." he whispers, his voice cracked and broken.
Sting takes a step closer to him, concern flooding across his features. "Rogue?"
"Y-You're...alive..." Tears slide down Rogue's cheeks, pooling at the jawline of his face.
"Yeah..." Sting says softly. "I'm here...it's okay..." Sting is so confused. He had no idea how this happened, or why Rogue is crying in front of him, asking if he's alive.
"Sting!" Natsu coughs, getting up from the ground. "He's evil! Don't listen to anything he says! He killed Future Lucy!"
Sting turns to glare at Natsu, lips curled into a small sneer. "No," he snaps, stepping closer to Rogue. "He's crying, Natsu! Do you really think I can let him stand there and cry?! It's Rogue, I know it is!"
"No, Sting!" Natsu shouts. "That is not Rogue anymore! He's evil, trust me! He has your magic! He kills you in his timeline!"
Sting's eyes widen again, fear coursing through his veins. He turns back to Rogue, this Rogue from the future, body trembling as he asks, "Is it true?"
Future Rogue falls to his knees, sobbing uncontrollably as he buries his face into his hands. "I'm so sorry!" he sobs. "I'm so sorry!" He quickly turns hysterical, entire body shaking violently. Sting is back on his knees, embracing Future Rogue's form in his arms.
"Shhh..." he whispers soothingly. "I'm here now...I'm with you..." He slowly runs his fingers through the tangled white hair of Future Rogue's ponytail, trying to calm him down. He looks over his shoulder at Natsu. "Oi. Natsu-san. There's still a dragon over there...do you think you can hold him off for a bit while I calm Rogue down?"
Natsu folds his arms across his chest. "No!" he snaps. "I won't let you treat that monster like he's a victim! He's not! It's all a trick!" Natsu looks outwards through the city, towards where the gate should be. "I'm going to destroy that gate and send him back to where he belongs!"
"NO!" Sting screams, pulling Future Rogue closer. "I WON'T LET YOU, NATSU-SAN! HE'S OBIVOUSLY HURT!"
"HOW CAN YOU KNOW?!" Natsu roars. "AND WHY SHOULD I LISTEN TO YOU, STING?! YOU WERE MY ENEMY A FEW DAYS AGO!"
Sting stops cold. Natsu is right...there were enemies only a few days ago... "All the more reason for you to stay out of this," Sting replies coldly, his gaze cold as ice. "Leave me to deal with Rogue."
Natsu's eyes narrow in anger. "What, you think I'm lying about Future Lucy dying, Sting?! I can't lose her, you hear me! She's important to me, and I don't want her future to be that way!"
"THAT'S HOW I FEEL ABOUT ROGUE!" Sting fires back, tears coating his face. Natsu freezes up. "You're acting like I'm incapable of emotions! Jiemma is not here to hold me back anymore! I will release all the feelings I have right now in telling you that Rogue means so fucking much to me and if you try to stop me from saving him I will not hesitate to fight back!"
Natsu's eyes glaze over with fire. "Okay," he spits. "Fine. That means that you won't stop me from burning that goddamn gate to the ground." With that, he takes off towards the gate.
"Sting..." Future Rogue coughs. "D-Don't let him d-do it...I c-can't...lose you...again..."
"Fuuuck..." Sting hisses, head whipping towards the side. "Don't worry, I won't let you-"
"STING!" screams a familiar voice. "STING! WHERE ARE YOU?! ARE YOU OKAY?!"
Sting's blood turns cold. It was Rogue...his Rogue. And suddenly, he was faced with a horrible decision. There couldn't be two Rogues, could there? No...one of them had to die... And as Sting looks at the sobbing, tainted man in his arms, years ahead of Sting, and hears the screaming of the Rogue he knew and cared for on the other side of the rubble wall, Sting knew what he had to do.
"It's too late..." he whispers to Future Rogue. "Natsu-san...is way stronger than me..." He gently brushes Future Rogue's bangs to the side. Sting can't help but to let a gasp escape his lips at the sight of Future Rogue's scarred eye. "H-How?"
Future Rogue is sobbing harder now. "I...was weak..." he chokes out. "W-We were fighting the dragons..."
"STING!"
Sting curses under his breath. "ROGUE!" he screams back. "STAY THERE, DON'T WORRY, I'M TRYING TO GET THROUGH!" He hated lying, but in this case, it was necessary. If his Rogue found out about this dark future...it would tear him apart. "Go on," he says softly to Future Rogue, slowly lying him down on the ground while still holding him in one arm.
"And I...I got h-hit..." Future Rogue gasps out. "M-My eye...it was streaming...b-blood...and I couldn't s-see..." He looks straight up into Sting's bright blue eyes, self-loathing evident in his expression. "I was weak...and I let it all happen... Another blow came soon after...and it would've killed me...b-but you jumped in front...and you...you died in my arms..."
Sting can hardly breathe. How could Natsu think that Rogue was a monster? Had he really killed a version of Lucy?
"You t-told me...that I had to live...and you g-gave me...your magic to m-make me strong enough to live...b-but my own magic was so strong...and I f-fell into darkness...and I vowed that I'd somehow s-see you again...and that when I did...I would t-tell you...that I'm sorry for k-killing you..."
"You didn't kill me," Sting whispers, tears sliding down his cheeks. "I died for you...there's a difference...it was my choice, not yours..."
"But...it happened b-because...I w-was weak..." Future Rogue chokes out. He reaches upwards, hand cupping Sting's cheek. "Y-You know...the dragons were supposed to come through on their own...I had nothing to do with it...d-do you know why I decided to bring them through...?"
Sting shakes his head, not understanding. What intentions could Rogue possibly have?
"I learned Dragon Manipulation Magic...to control the dragons...t-to stop them from k-killing you..."
Sting's eyes go wide. "Y-You...You did...what?!"
Future Rogue nods, trying to smile, but failing. "Y-Yeah..." he coughs. "I w-wanted to not only s-see you again...b-but I wanted to s-save you..."
Sting shakes his head in disbelief. "Idiot," he whispers, placing his hand over Future Rogue's. "I can't believe you'd do something as crazy as that..."
"D-Don't lie and say you wouldn't...do it for me..."
Sting stops at that, shocked. Was he...? "Well..." he says gently. "I'd certainly try to save you if something happened to you...but I doubt I'd go as extreme as putting all my old friends in danger..."
"I know..." Future Rogue whispers. "You're a better person than I ever could be..."
Sting feels another tear slide down his cheek. "Don't beat yourself up..." Behind them, a loud explosion interrupts the mood. Sting can feel the heat of fire from where he sat, and it ached inside his chest.
"That was the gate, wasn't it?" Future Rogue coughs. Sting watches in horror as the older man's body begins to glow gold. But to his shock, Future Rogue simply laughs. "Good..." He closes his eyes, breathing in deeply. "A moment ago...I didn't want to lose you...then I realized...I still have you...or more like...you still have me..."
His eyes snap open as he tightens his grip on Sting's cheek. "Promise me this," he says firmly. "Promise me that you'll protect your version of me...the real me. Keep him from slipping into darkness...and tell him what he means to you...don't ever let him think down on himself like I do..."
Fully sobbing now, Sting cries out, "Yes! Of course! I'll stay by his side and I'll keep him safe! Because I can't save you now, I'll save you in your past!"
Finally, a true smile spreads across Future Rogue's lips. "Good..." His hand falls from Sting's face, limp at his side. He looks up at the darkened sky, tears starting to slow their falling. "There was something I never got to tell you, Sting..."
"What's that?" Sting sniffs, furiously trying to wipe away his tears with his free hand.
Future Rogue moves his gaze back towards Sting, the sad smile only growing. "I loved you," he says softly. "And I would say that I still love you know...but...I doubt anything I feel anymore is real...not when I'm so tainted and broken..."
Sting's heart breaks in his chest. He leans down towards Future Rogue, trying to hold back more tears. "Oh, Rogue..." he sobs. "I...I hate to say this but...I can't...return your feelings...I don't know how I feel about...you...no...about him..." He looks away, tears sparkling in his eyes. "I'm sorry..." His voice is shaking. "B-But I can't love you...if I did love anyone...it would be...my Rogue...but even then...I don't understand...how I feel..."
Future Rogue lets out a small puff of air, a mix between a sob and a laugh. "I know, Sting...I know...if you're going to love someone...love my past...love who I really am...don't love the shadow on the wall..."
"You're still Rogue," Sting says fiercely. "I don't care if you don't think so, or if Natsu-san doesn't think so...but I can see the good in your eye...shining deep inside...you have a heart somewhere, Rogue..." He leans down, without any second thoughts or doubts, and gently presses his lips against Rogue's forehead.
"Don't worry..." he whispers soothingly. "I'll be here the whole time..." He takes Future Rogue's hand in his, gently rubbing his thumb over Future Rogue's knuckles. "And really...if you'd like me to say it...then I will..."
"Say what?" Future Rogue laughs. "That you love me? Oh no, I don't deserve to hear that. I've killed people, Sting. And I don't mean you...I mean others. Innocent people...I was so blind, driven by grief, that I killed people who didn't deserve it... And so...the only thing I should hear is that I'm dying...because I know I am...and I'm glad...I'll finally get to be with you...even though I really don't deserve it...I am selfish..."
"Love isn't selfish..." Sting grins through his tears. "You can't control it..." He holds back another sob as the golden light only glows brighter.
"It's time..." Future Rogue says softly. "Sting...one more thing...please protect Frosch too...won't you?"
"Of course," Sting replies, squeezing his hand. "I won't let anything happen to either Rogue or Frosch... I promise..."
"Goodbye, Sting," Future Rogue breathes shakily.
"Goodbye, Rogue..." Sting responds with a watery smile. "Don't worry...you'll see me again soon..."
Future Rogue closes his eyes, lips parting as he breathes out, "Yeah...I'll...be...with...you...again..."
With those final words, Future Rogue's body lifts into the air, sparking and glowing with blinding light. Sting can't help but to scream and sob, watching as his broken partner from the future fades into nothing. Tears blur his vision, so much so that when the rubble wall explodes around him, he doesn't see the caped figure rush towards him and take him into his arms.
Sting buries his face into Rogue's shoulder and sobs violently as Rogue rubs circles on his back. He didn't understand why his partner was crying, but he said nothing, simply letting Sting let out all of the pain inside.
It was what he needed, after all.
Future Rogue's eyes open to a blue sky.
He frowns, wondering where the hell he could possibly be. What is this place, so bright and welcoming? The golden grass underneath him is soft, like a blanket.
"What is this place?" he whispers. His eyes widen when he realizes his voice isn't dark with echoes like it used to be. Instead, it's light and soft, just like his voice from before. His hand snakes up to his eye, gasping out loud when he feels a second eyelid brush against his palm. "But...how?"
He takes a hesitant step forward, finding that no white ponytail fell behind him. His hair is shorter again, and all black, just the way it was in the past. He keeps walking, confused and in awe of the beauty around him.
A blinding white light hits his eyes, so bright he can hardly see. He turns away, shielding his eyes, only to freeze in place when a bright, cheerful voice calls out, "Hey! Rogue!"
Future Rogue slowly lifts his head towards the light, jaw dropping as the familiar silhouette of a spiky haired man comes into view. "Why do ya look so surprised? Get over here, idiot!"
Tears glitter on Future Rogue's cheeks as he steps towards Future Sting, reaching out with a single hand. "St-Sting..."
"That's it," Future Sting grins, his face coming into view. He takes Future Rogue's outstretched hand in his, eyes shining. "Guess what?"
"Wh-What?" Future Rogue stammers.
"I love you, you dork," Sting laughs. "And guess what else? We're gonna be together forever in this beautiful place. How's that sound?"
"You..." Future Rogue can hardly breathe. "It sounds...I...this is a dream..."
"Nope, no dream," Future Sting beams, taking Future Rogue's other hand as well. "This is all real. You're real, I'm real, our love is real. No more pain, eh?"
Future Rogue breaks down right then, sobbing as he falls forward into Future Sting's arms. "Thank you, world!" he wails. "I'm sorry for everything I've done! Th-Thank you for g-giving me Sting back!"
"Silly," Future Sting teases, running his fingers through Future Rogue's hair. "I've always been with you..." He slides a hand down to Future Rogue's chest, stopping right over his heart. "I've always been in your heart."
Future Rogue smiles against Future Sting's chest, filled with overwhelming joy. "I love you."
"I know you do," Future Sting laughs. "And I love you. And I'm never going to leave you."
Future Rogue lifts his head to look into Future Sting's eyes. "Promise?"
Future Sting's smile is brighter than the sun. "I promise."