Modern AU. Mostly UST, romance and angst, but some lemon will likely (read: will) find its way into certain parts. There's some NaLu involved, although it's mostly just supporting cast for the Stingue.

I was spending some time on filling in gaps and editing, but then my muse suddenly decided it was enough with that and started writing massage-related smut instead…so uhm…I'll be posting the smut after this (also Stingue obviously) and this one is just going up for now.

Read part 1-2 first

Originally posted on Tumblr (FlipSideofC)

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Rogue stomped away angrily. He was *not* in love with Sting. He loved Sting, certainly, but that was completely different. He'd never felt any particular need to kiss the idiot… well ok, maybe once or twice, but considering they'd been joined at the hip since they were 5 that hardly counted, right? He just wanted to be with him constantly - that was enough.

…but if he's in love with Lucy now you won't get to, the nagging voice told him, making him choke.

Rogue passed by the living room and was just going to enter, when he noticed Sting and Lucy sitting close. At least from his point of view, it looked like they were kissing.

Rogue couldn't breathe. He whirled away to his room. Natsu better help fix this now, Rogue thought desperately, feeling like the worst best friend ever.

Rogue returned to the living room later, noticing that the girl had left. Sting looked up from the sofa, grinning brightly.

"Hey Rogue, there you are! Why didn't you join us earlier?"

"I don't share", Rogue muttered.

Sting raised his eyebrow. "Huh?"

"I'm not into threesomes."

"What are you talking about? I'm not doing anything with her."

"Yeah right."

"What's it to you anyway?"

Rogue kissed him hard. "You're *mine*."

Sting looked at him, wide-eyed in chock, but he didn't appear to mind, so Rogue kissed him again, taking his time to evaluate the feeling. It wasn't bad. In fact, it was very very nice. Sting tasted damn good, felt damn good. Rogue indulged in just being close to the blond. They were entwined on the sofa, holding each other, kissing softly. Rogue relished the feeling of just being with Sting again. He'd be happy like this for hours, wrapped in Sting's arms, just kissing him.

Then Sting pulled his ear. Hard.

Rogue groaned. "Sting, stop that." The pulling didn't stop though. "Sting, if you don't stop I won't kiss you again."

"So so married."

"What?"

"I said you're so married - and you should wake up before your left ear is longer than the other."

Rogue blinked. "Natsu, why the hell are you pulling my ear?"

"It just felt like an easy way to wake you up from your lovely dream. ….it *was* a lovely dream, right?"

Rogue flushed. "Shut up!"

Natsu smirked. "So, our lovebirds said they want to go swimming. Grab your gear, we're not leaving them alone one minute."

Later that evening they were all watching a movie in the living room. Rogue was fidgeting. Natsu had dragged Lucy away, so it was just him and Sting left. Had it not been for that damn dream, Rogue would've been perfectly happy just sitting there, finally alone with Sting again. Instead he was replaying the dream over and over in his head.

Sting peered at him.

"Rogue, are you ok?"

Rogue flushed when Sting's face came into kissing distance.

"Y…yeah. Just tired. I think I'll go to bed."

Sting looked downcast at that and Rogue mentally hit himself.

That night they kissed on the sofa again. Only this time there were magically less clothes involved.

The dreams continued on the same subject night after night, making Rogue want to scream in frustration. Why were they always on the f-ing sofa anyway? Rogue thought angrily. Why didn't they do it on a damn bed, like normal people? Wouldn't that be more comfortable? Not that he seemed to care about that in his dreams at all.

Now that Rogue thought about it, he *had* kissed Sting for real once. They were 16 and just slightly drunk. Someone had made the mistake of telling the blond about the importance of one's first kiss. You should *never* *ever* tell Sting stuff like that - he was so ridiculously romantic. Rogue cursed whoever had, because Sting babbled on and on about it.

"What if it's someone I don't love? What if I have bad breath?"

Rogue rolled his eyes. "Do you have bad breath now?"

"No?" Sting said, blinking. "Why…?"

Rogue was *not* romantic, but since it meant so much to Sting he didn't just smash his lips against his, even though he was annoyed. Instead Rogue delivered what he thought was a perfectly acceptable brief first kiss on his best friend's stunned lips. It certainly shut Sting up, which was the whole purpose.

"There, no bad breath and you love me, you're welcome. Now let's watch this movie."

Sting had been uncharacteristically silent afterwards, but Rogue figured he was probably trying to rewrite the whole thing in his head.

Rogue groaned. The dreams were becoming worse…or better. He wasn't sure if he wanted to wake up or keep dreaming so Sting could continue. For a bloody romantic, Sting was certainly fond of sticking all parts of himself inside …well *everything* - and the sounds he made when Rogue did the same to him were the most erotic noises Rogue had ever heard. Then again, it wasn't as if the real Sting did anything of the sort - he'd have to remember the Sting in his dreams was just a figment of his imagination - and it was becoming increasingly clear to Rogue that his imagination was both vidid and lewd.

Rogue noticed Sting and Lucy alone again, watching the sunset. He immediately moved to leave, but Lucy spotted him.

"Rogue! Come join us! Have you seen Natsu?"

"I think he's looking for you" Rogue said, not feeling up to watching the sunset next to the tight blond couple.

"Oh, thanks. I'll go look for him then" Lucy said, leaving him alone with Sting.

"So…watching the sunset together…?"

"Yeah, that's what you do with people you love" Sting mumbled, glancing at him.

"I hope you'll be really happy" Rogue muttered, too annoyed to hide his feelings - and as usual not getting what Sting said.

"Gee, thanks" Sting spat out sarcastically. "I'm glad you're so *happy* for me."

"Oh for fuck's sake, just marry her! Have an arranged marriage like your father wants. It's not as if you're interested in anyone else!"

Sting stared hard at the sunset, hands clenched.

"That's just it. I am."

"What?"

Sting turned around, mutely looked at him in despair. Rogue was silent, trying to process their confusing conversation.

"I…I'm going to bed. Goodnight."

Rogue blinked. What the *hell* just happened?

Lucy and Natsu arrived. "Where's Sting?"

"He…left" Rogue murmured, looking deep in thought.

"Oh… are you going to join us?"

"No… I really need to talk to him."

"Well finally! Go confess *now*!"

"Wait…! You're in love with him too? Oh that's just perfect!" Lucy was almost giggling in pleasure.

Natsu blinked "What? You think it's good? You don't like him?"

"Natsu, I need to talk to you…"

Rogue quickly left them alone, trying to think. Lucy didn't love Sting - and she seemed to think Rogue loving him was a good thing. Sting loved someone else. He had looked at him, feelings too raw to hide anything. Sting had feelings for *him*? Why had he never said anything!?

Sting's conversation the night when he called him home from France flashed through Rogue's head. The words repeated over and over again. How could he have been so dumb he didn't notice? Rogue cringed when he remembered what he told Sting then. No wonder the blond gave up on him. No wonder he was so sad. Rogue felt his heart clench painfully. How long had Sting had these feelings?

Sting was on his bed, arm over his eyes, when Rogue entered the room.

"Go away Rogue. I want to be alone contemplating the utter shittiness of my life."

"What's shitty with your life then?"

"My father is a medieval idiot. I am engaged to a girl I don't love. And my best friend, whom I've been secretly in love with for years, hates me." "There. Happy? Can you leave now?"

"I don't hate you."

"What?"

"Your father is an idiot and you're engaged to someone you don't love… but your best friend doesn't hate you, so your life is only 2/3 shit really."

Sting was silent, not in the mood to finding anything funny right now. He could feel Rogue sitting down on his bed and frowned.

"Sting, look at me." Sting stubbornly didn't move his arm. "Look at me."

"Not now Rogue."

"Sting!"

Sting slowly lifted the arm away, looking at him. Rogue blinked.

"It's funny, I don't know how I could have missed it."

"Missed what?" Sting asked tiredly.

"Your feelings. We've been together for years and years and I never noticed."

"I didn't want you to notice."

"I should have realized anyway."

"Why? You didn't even understand it when I actually tried to tell you."

"Sometimes you meet the love of your life early and you just can't get them out of your heart…" Rogue said softly.

Sting stared at him. "You remember?"

"Of course I do. I always listen to what you say, even when you're sprouting romance. I just didn't know you were talking about me."

Sting sighed. "Well… I am glad you don't hate me, but I'd like to be alone now if you don't mind."

"Ah yes, I do mind. There's something I need to try first."

Sting looked at him, annoyed and bewildered. "Wh…?"

Rogue kissed him softly. Sting's eyes widened.

Rogue frowned. "That wasn't bad, although actually I think it would be nicer if you kissed me back."

"What the hell Rogue! Would you stop messing around!?"

"I am not messing around, I'm trying to kiss you."

"Why?"

"I think… well I know - I love you too…and I'd like to try kissing you again if you don't mind."

Sting looked stunned so Rogue kissed him again anyway.

"Rogue don't… please don't play with me. Not you. My heart is not strong enough to handle that."

"I am not playing!" Rogue said exasperated. "Would you…"

Rogue's eyes widened as Sting finally kissed him back. Shit, yes… that was better. Rogue had always thought 'toes curling' was just a figure of speech, but apparantly not.

They kissed for a long long time. When they finally stopped Rogue managed to open his mouth first.

"That was … I want to kiss you again".

Sting snorted, pulling him closer.

"I've had these dreams about you…" Rogue mumbled.

"Yeah? What were they about?"

"Kissing… and other things."

"Tell me more about these 'other things'" Sting said teasingly.

Rogue flushed.

"I could tell you about my dreams of you first", Sting mumbled in his ear.

"Yeah?"

"I've had a bit longer to collect wet dreams… I have kissed you everywhere… touched you everywhere… taken you in every way possible."

Rogue flushed, feeling hot. "Show me."

Sting smirked.

"Rogue…do you trust me?"

"With my life."

"Well…the question is really if you trust me with your ass, because you need to relax."

"…and they call you the romantic one."

"No. Wait. Please don't move. Let's stay like this for a while."

"You know…I used to think there was no way to get closer than we were."

"Yeah…this is basically as close as it gets."

To say that Jiemma was angry when Sting told him he wouldn't marry Lucy Heartfilia was an understatement. When the blond then went on telling him he was going to marry Rogue instead, Sting thought his father would have a seizure. José didn't speak to Rogue for weeks when he broke the news to him. The pair spent some of that time away on vacation though - not that the tabloid pictures of them kissing helped calming their fathers down much.

Sting would have tried to reason with Jiemma, but the man was too irritable to appreciate splendid arguments such as 'I'm just marrying another suitable heir' (heck, even José accepted that one). They figured they would get used to the idea in time (it's not as if they had any spare heirs lying around). Sting however estimated that Jiemma stayed annoyed with him until he offhandedly informed him he was a grandfather.

Rogue still flushed slightly whenever he remembered Sting's proposal. Rogue thanked whatever diety that existed he had realized the depth of his feelings in time. Sting was his grinning, romantic idiot, the light of his life, a dork he never wanted to be without.

Sting and Rogue paused outside the orphanage, having asked someone to fetch the manager.

"Brings back memories, right Rogue?"

Rogue nodded and automatically reached for his hand. "It was a good place."

"Have you booked a meeting?"

"No, but we grew up here, so we wanted to surprise her."

The older lady arrived shortly, looking curious, eyeing the pair. A happy blond. A more solemn, but content, dark-haired man… holding hands. Her eyes widened.

"S…sting? Rogue!?"

"Hah! You did recognize us!"

"As if I could forget you twins. I am so glad to see you are still best friends."

"We are more than that actually", Rogue said, holding up a ring-clad hand. Sting waved his as well.

The old lady laughed. "I am not surprised, although I didn't think your fathers would approve."

"They didn't", Sting agreed, grinning.

"So then you're here to adopt?"

"Yes. We thought it appropriate to return here."

"Do you have any preferences? Age? Gender? Looks?"

"No," Sting replied.

"Someone right for us", Rogue added softly.

"One or two?"

The pair exchanged looks and Sting replied for both of them. "That doesn't really matter. Why?"

The lady guided them to the playground. "See those two over there?"

Sting and Rogue observed the pair - two little 4-year olds. One energetic boy and a girl with a sweet smile. They were instantly charmed. After a somewhat lengthy process they found themselves proud fathers of Lector and Frosch.

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Notes:

I have an old Gruvia draft which is about an arranged marriage, so it was probably at the back of my head and then went all Stingue (right now everything goes Stingue). The Lector and Frosch part at the end was put in due to some really cute picture of them as kids that i saw on Tumblr earlier. I think Sting and Lucy are great as siblings. I usually have a hard time with StiCy (there are a few well-written exceptions) - perhaps because I am still hoping for the Twin Slayer Paradox to be true.

Like I said in the beginning, my muse suddenly (mid-editing) decided to start writing another Stingue, so as usual this is just a fragmented draft. In an earlier version of this, Sting did marry Lucy briefly, although it was with the blessing of Rogue and Natsu, just to fool their fathers. Also, Jiemma had a seizure, became confused and died just after Sting told him he'd divorced her and married Rogue + adopted 2 kids. I didn't feel like ending the story with someone dying though (even if he was happy), so nha.

Scrapped parts were supposed to be something along these lines:

They're all sprawled on Sting's bed, Lucy and Natsu having interrupted the other couple cuddling. When do you guys get control of your heritage? Natsu asks. The other 3 blink. When can you control everything yourselves? 21, Lucy says. Same, Sting agrees. That's a year away, Rogue points out, Jiemma and your father won't let you halt the wedding that long. So get married. Huh? Get married for a year, then divorce when you're 21. Sting and Lucy blink. Hey it's not a bad idea… Rogue, Sting says, will you marry me later? Sting, Rogue complains looking very embarrassed, don't propose to me in front of other people. I'll propose in private later, I just wanted to ask before I kind of marry someone else. Idiot, Rogue grumbles. Hey that's no answer. *Yes* I'll marry you, now stop that. Natsu, will you wait for me? As long as you want. Oh Natsu. Hey go to your own room being sappy with your secret lover, fiancée dear. We'll leave so you can be sappy with your secret *gay* lover, fiancé dear. I win, Sting grins. Rogue tries to look annoyed.

Sting? I brought some people you might want to see… this is Lector and this is Frosch. Your grandchildren. I am glad… I hope… you're happy in your marriage. Actually Lucy and I divorced and I married Rogue instead, but we adopted these kids so we're good right? Jiemma wheezed and chuckled. You always were a funny kid… always joking. Sting…my son. Jiemma closed his eyes. Dad? I mean… father? Jiemma clutched his hand and then he was still.