Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail - Hiro Mashima does.
"Mou!" Lucy pouted, swatting Sting's hand playfully.
"I'm alright. I just needed to tell you what I feel—so I can let go. So I can move on," the blond man sighed deeply. "Besides, someone deserves you more."
Lucy looked at him with wide eyes, as if shocked that he was even pushing him to Rogue.
"Ever since you've entered our lives, I knew you'd change something." Seeing the incredulous face Lucy was making, he rolled his eyes at her. "My instincts are sharp, Lucy. I'm not that dumb." Sting gave Lucy's head a light hit before continuing, "Don't give me that look. Hahaha."
"I'm not doing anything!" she giggled, shaking her head.
The Saber scrunched his face at her, fully not believing her. "But seriously, Lucy," he put a hand on her shoulder, staring directly at her eyes. "Rogue… he changed—for the better, because of you. I don't want that light on his eyes to disappear. I don't want him to build walls around his heart once again. As his best friend, all I want is for his happiness. He deserves it. He deserves you."
The sincerity of Sting's voice sent goosebumps all over her body. A lump formed on her throat. The uncertainty on the blonde's eyes didn't go unnoticed. Giving her a reassuring squeeze, Sting stood up, pulling her along.
"Don't mope around; you have to be true to yourself. Don't miss out on him—don't miss out on yourself," Sting gave her a polite smile before sighing. Putting his arms behind his head, he obnoxiously laughed, "If you can't even tell him the truth, you owe me ten tubs of ice cream."
She knew it was his way of lightening up the mood. It was to give her encouragement in his own little way. "Whatever! When I do, you owe me ten strawberry smoothies!"
"He! That's if you stop being a scaredy-cat!" the blond mocked.
"Watch me!"
"Don't watch me! Sting, just go away," Lucy moaned. Burying her face on her hands.
Too embarrassed to even move, Sting ungently nudged her forward, causing her to stumble.
"Wha—?!" she yelped, grabbing on poor Lector who was innocently flying next to her—dragging the exceed on the ground.
"Lucy!" Lector groaned.
"It's Sting's fault!" the Celestial mage whined. Pointing an accusing finger to the hysterically laughing man.
Giving him a glare, she stood up, brushing off the dust on her skirt. "Not funny!"
"It is! You're so shy that you can't even approach him!"
"It's because you're here!"
Rolling his eyes, he picked Lector and Frosch from the ground. "We'll go ahead. Make sure you walk towards him."
With that, they left the red-faced blonde to deal with the stoic dragon slayer by herself.
'Go for your happiness, Lucy,' Sting thought, smiling sadly at the thought of losing such a woman. Nevertheless, he smiled. He smiled for his best friend.
"Okay, Lucy. You can do this!" she cheered herself, raising a fist to the sky.
She darted her eyes around the hall through the small gap she opened the door with. Seeing as there are less people around, the blonde carefully went inside the guild. She snuck herself quietly to the dorm hall—as what Sting said Rogue would be at that hour.
Lucy couldn't even believe that she was sneaking in the Sabertooth Guild. She sighed, remembering that she did it for the sake of not embarrassing herself before she could even come out as a fool in front of the man she likes.
Seeing as the coast was clear, she quietly breezed along the hall.
'Bingo,' she cheered herself.
"Ro—" Before she could even knock, the door swung widely—revealing a half-naked Rogue clad in only a towel wrapped around his hips, who only stared at her. "AHHH!" she screamed, closing the door forcefully.
The stoic dragon slayer could only blink in shock as the next thing he saw was the wooden door on his face.
"I-I-I'm sorry! Please put something on!" she squealed behind the door.
Rogue merely sighed upon realization; this wasn't how he wanted Lucy to see him. Putting on a random shirt and trunks he grabbed from the closet, he quickly opened the door to reveal a flustered Lucy.
"…Lucy," he breathlessly called.
'I thought I was used to half-naked guys,' she squealed in her head, covering her face with her hands.
"Lucy."
'It turns out, I can't bear a half-naked Rogue!'
"Lucy!" Rogue called, increasing the volume of his voice as the lady in front of him seemed to be too lost in her own world.
"—ABS!"
The couple owlishly blinked in surprised. As realization dawned on them, they averted gazes—finding it embarrassing to look at each other.
Lucy covered her mouth in surprise, clearing her throat in the process. Straightening her back, she tried to appear sane in front of him. "Rogue."
The man stepped aside, opening the door wider as if inviting her to enter the room.
'Bad idea!' Lucy screamed inside her head. However, she composed herself and tried to calmly enter. She immediately sat on a nearby chair when Rogue invited her to. The blonde was too tense to even think straight.
"…Why are you here?" he bluntly asked. The scared look on Lucy's face made him pause for a moment, "N-no… that's not what I meant." The unexpected break from his usual character caught the blonde off guard—causing her stifle a giggle that almost broke out.
"I need to talk to you," she simply said.
He raised an eyebrow in question, "Why? Didn't you already talk to Sting? Am I really needed?"
'Huh?' the question left the blonde dumbfounded. It wasn't something she thought would come out of his mouth.
"Ro—" she was about to explain but the guy cut her off.
"No, whatever it is. It's alright. You don't owe me any explanation."
"But Rog—" Lucy stared at him with disbelief plastered all over her face. Really, how silly can Rogue be? She giggled in her head.
"Really, Lucy. Just… It's alright. Don't say anymore."
"Really, Rogue—"
"Lucy—"
"—ROGUE! FOR PETE'S SAKE, LISTEN TO ME FIRST!"
