Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail characters

Part Three

"It feels so nice…" Sting whispered, sitting in the big pool located at the centre of monstrous house of major; pool with hot water that nicely touched their tired body. "I didn't even realize how much I was tired of this whole 'master's game'…" He added after a long while.

Rogue smiled gently under his nose. Sting really was overdoing lately. So many businesses were left by Jemma and Magic Council, as well as the rest guild's Masters, demanded suddenly the White Dragon Slayer to settle everything as quickly as possible. And there were so much to do lately that it didn't surprise him to see how much Sting looked tired these days. The black haired mage felt the results of Jemma laziness as well, trying to help his friend with everything.

"You know what…?" Sting started after a long while of the silence.

"Hmmm…?"

"When we will be back in the guild already, I will announce you as the vice-master of the Sabertooth," the blonde murmured.

"Stop joking around, Sting. There is no such a thing like vice-master."

"But there will be. I will make such a thing to exist," Sting said with stubborn face.

The shadow Dragon Slayer sighed. What his friend was thinking? Vice-master? What was that? Ridiculous…

"Stop it, Sting. Even if you do this, I don't fit such a position," he answered, looking at the darkening sky and wondering how much diamond scales the citizens already collected from the big beast in the centre of the city.

Sting snorted loudly.

"Not fit? Yeah, right. You did a big deal of work lately. It was awful to hear so much praises on the Master's meetings they were giving to me, knowing that it was you who deserved them."

His friend shrugged.

"I don't care about praises. I'm satisfied with only helping you."

The blonde laughed.

"And without your help I would be banned from Sabertooth for laziness as well, Rogue."

"You surely would," the Shadow Dragon Slayer smiled thoughtfully and silenced for a long while.

He really liked to help Sting in this whole master's work. After all, his friend wasn't good in paper work and especially not in long and hard thinking. Sting loved to act not think over every single matter. Probably the previous head of the guild was like this too, and the left business proved it.

Rogue would give everything to be able to help Sting further. The White Dragon Slayer changed the guild in really good way. Now they were guild that took care of their comrades, not guild that always chased the title of the strongest. Now power didn't matter for them so much like the old days. Without this permanent stress about being the strongest, with his awakened power, and with his open nature Sting was able to make really wonderful guild. Rogue loved this new guild. He always wanted it to be this way. He only hoped it wouldn't disappear now.

The black haired boy looked at the half moon, barely visible already on the darkening sky. He himself would never by able to turn the whole guild into something called 'home'. Sting did it, but he was working from the shadows. Just supporting his friend. Helping, when he could.

Shadows. Yes, it was how he loved to be, to work. From the shadows, from hiding. Silently.

But he hated the idea that these shadows wanted to consume him right now. If they would…

Rogue was so focused on his thoughts that he didn't even notice when Sting sighed impatiently, moved from his spot and approached him. Only when the fist of the blonde made small crater in the rock Rogue was relying on – just a few centimetres away from his face - the black haired boy placed his eyes on his friend with surprise.

"That's it!" Sting growled with frustration. "Maybe I'm not the most intelligent mage on the world, but I could see that something is wrong with you!"

"Nothing…"

"And you should stop lying to me, Rogue! We are friends!"

Shadow Dragon Slayer gulped, hypnotized by the frustrated eyes of Sting. It was the first time he saw him in such a state. Desperate, frustrated and decided to do everything.

"You think I'm not seeing it? That I'm blind?" Sting continued, gasping strongly his fist and looking inside the red eyes of his teammate.

The silence fell between them. Rogue wasn't even able to say a world, immobilized by the fierce look of the White Dragon Slayer. What he should say anyway? That for a few weeks he was lying? That he was loosing his mind? That the shadow returned?

"I know you don't want to sleep, that you avoid it by any costs," blonde whispered, suddenly taking Rogue's face into his hands. "I know everything. Today in the cave you hesitated because of some reason I'm not aware of. You never hesitated in the middle of the fight, but this time you did. Tell me, Rogue, what are you afraid of?"

Rogue took one, deep breathe. For all this time he was sure Sting didn't notice anything. That his behavior was as natural as it could be. But it seemed he was just blind himself. Everything just went too far and Sting noticed.

But… What he should do now? Try to avoid the truth? Or tell him? How Sting would react?

"Don't lie to me," Sting said before Rogue could open his mouth. "How could I help my friend if I don't know what is going on?"

The Shadow Dragon Slayer sighed deeply. If Sting noticed so much, then it was the damn time to tell everything. Maybe his friend would be able to help him.

"I'm sorry, Sting, I just was…" Rogue murmured hesitantly, not knowing how to start.

"The biggest asshole ever?" the blonde finished with slight smirk.

Rogue chuckled as well, finally being able to turn away his eyes from Sting's blue orbs.

"It is about shadow, Sting," the words came out of his mouth as he observed the moon on the dark sky. "I think I'm loosing my mind…" he added after a while.

As if it would be so simple. Loosing mind… just this. But what if there was something else? Something more? Something dangerous? What if it wasn't only his imagination, but real danger?

"It started a few weeks ago. Firstly as nightmares. As if it was talking to me in sleep. Whispering, trying to make me crazy. Hunting me every single night. That's why I tried to not sleep. I was afraid it would posses me again and I would kill everyone in the guild."

Sting slipped his hands from the face of his friend and put on the trembling shoulders of black haired wizard. He could feel how stressed Rogue was, how tense and yes, really afraid. The slim, skinny body was shivering as from the coldness of the night, but blonde knew it wasn't from the cool wind that passed through the spot where they were right now. The red eyes were darker than always, and now since Rogue started to talk, not hiding anything, they seemed to be almost crazy. Frightened.

The White Dragon Slayer never imagined to see his friend frightened. Not this gloomy, composed wizard, always having his mind calm.

"Only whispers in the darkness," Rogue added, lowering his head as if in the act of guilt.

"That's why you hesitated today? In the cave? That if you would use Shadow Drive it would appear?" Sting asked, gasping his hands on the shoulders of Rogue. How his friend could hide something like this? He never sensed anything strange, anything was to be noticed around his friend. Or maybe he was too focused on all these businesses Jemma left? So he ignored all signs?

But Gajeel described him the feeling the Iron Dragon Slayer felt when the shadow was around before possessing Rogue and while the possession. After what happened at the Games he made sure to look over Rogue all the time. And there was nothing around his teammate. Any strange feeling, any evil vibrations. Not at night and not during day. So was it only Rogue's imagination? But why? Because Rogue always loved to be in shadows? Because he was separating himself? Or because he still felt guilty about what his other self did?

"No, not because of that," Rogue answered, gasping strongly his fists. "Just before activating my Drive I heard it. It called me. And said I will merge with him if I would activate Shadow Drive."

Sting frowned. Yes, he was focused on the fight with wyvern, but because of his sharpened senses while fighting he would surely notice if something was wrong around. He would surely notice the shadow, there was no mistake in it.

"I hesitated and because of that Frosh and Lector… were put in danger," Rogue whispered.

Sting sighed.

"Idiot. There was no danger there. Not with two of us. Or maybe you thought I wasn't able to protect them?"

"No, of course not. But for a while I thought that despite our whole knowledge, I would fall into the arms of the shadow if Frosh would die."

The blonde stepped back a little.

"Look at me," he demanded with his all willpower.

After a long while of hesitation Rogue gulped and again looked into the blue eyes of Sting.

"Firstly you are the complete idiot, hiding everything from me. I told you I would never allow you to fall into the hands of darkness. So if there would be any danger for you, I would fight with it back to save you," Sting said with strong voice. Ugh, really, he felt a little disappointed with Rogue. He was sure his friend would never hide something like that from him. "And secondly. There was no shadow, Rogue."

The black haired mage blinked a few times.

"What? But I heard it!"

"Listen to me. I know that only you could hear this awful stalker, but thanks to Gajeel's description I know what I should sense. It is impossible that something so evil and dark would skip unnoticed. For common mage it could be impossible to sense these vibrations, but don't forget I'm Dragon Slayer. What's more this shadow is some form of magic and magic leaves the trace. There is no way I wouldn't sense shadow that emanates with evilness. And especially not shadow that wants to posses my friend. When we were fighting today I didn't sense it. I never sensed this shadow around you."

The words hung in the air. Sting said everything he wanted to say and now Rogue had only to accept this. There was no shadow around him and even if it would, he, the White Dragon Slayer and the Master of Sabertooth would stop it from hurting his best friend. How, in the first place Rogue could take everything on his shoulder alone? He should know it was dangerous for him to be alone, and now everything proved this.

"So… It seems that I only lose my mind lately," the Shadow Dragon Slayer sighed deeply and Sting could see shy smile on his face. It was so rare for him to smile. Especially lately. The blonde thought it was because they two were rarely having jobs together, but it seemed the cause of it was quite different. Now it looked like the black haired boy felt relieved. "But I think it is serious problem as well…" after a while Rogue added and the smile disappeared.

"What problem? There is no problem expect your annoying habit of facing everything on your own, Rogue. If it was only your imagination, then you are at fault yourself," Sting said, turning back and leaning against the same rock as his friend. "I suppose you are still feeling guilty about what happened at the Grand Magic Games, don't you?" he asked, looking at the stars, glowing at the sky.

"Yes, a little…" Rogue agreed.

"A little? It doesn't seem 'a little', Rogue. It looks like 'pretty much'. But I thought you finally dealt with it."

The Shadow Dragon Slayer shook his head.

"I thought that too, but apparently it isn't so easy thing to do, Sting. I just can't believe that somewhere in the future I let Frosh die. That I wasn't able to protect her. Just imagine it yourself, Sting. Imagine that you could not be able to protect Lector. Or remember when for a few minutes you though he was dead. Or when he was captive in Minerva's hands."

Sting gulped. Yes, it was horrible time. When he was watching as Jemma blew Lector away he thought he would destroy everything. He almost killed their Master. And he thought only one thing that time. 'I wasn't able to protect.'

So, how he could be angry at Rogue for feeling guilty? Even the knowledge about being not able to protect surely could be fatal for his gloomy friend.

"Ugh, it was the worst thing I ever felt. Being useless. Seeing my friend dying, or taken as a hostage…" Sting agreed. He didn't want to experience something like this again. Never.

"And now imagine killing your friend with your own hands. Imagine the awareness your hands took the life of someone you spend most of life with. Person you fought beside, you laughed with, smiled with, eat together and even have a bath in hot springs together," after a short while the Shadow Dragon Slayer continued. "You think it is so strange to feel guilty, even if it could not happen in the future, Sting?"

The blonde looked at the sky and then at his friend. He had absolutely no idea how he would feel in the situation Rogue expirienced right now. They two were friends, so what should happen if one would kill the other? He himself couldn't imagine situation when he would be forced to kill Rogue, because right now he was sure there was no such a situation. And his teammate surely couldn't imagine himself. But… Even that, somewhere in the future… Rogue killed him.

Of course now it wouldn't happen, but what despair pushed such a composed mage, caring for them to kill his best friend?

"It is not only about the Games. It is not about the dragons I could summon in next few years. It is not about the future Lucy I killed," the quiet words of Rogue reached him through his thoughts. "But… how weak I will become to let Frosh die and how twisted to kill you…"

"Will? Are you idiot?" Sting busted in irritation. The black haired mage looked at him with surprise. "There is now way I would let you change so much! I told you this before, Rogue. I won't let you fall into the darkness. As long as I'm light, I will destroy all shadows around you."

After a while Rogue smiled slightly.

"But it still could happen, Sting. Like today. Because of my stupidity I almost let Frosh lose her life," he said thoughtfully, but feeling really grateful for Sting's words. They encouraged him so much! "And this awareness is killing me slowly. You have no idea how many times I wanted to give up. How many times I was close of letting my enemy kill me. It could save many problems, wouldn't…"

Rogue didn't manage to finish his sentence. Sting just caught his shoulder and punched with the full force. The black haired boy felt as his nose broke and the blood started to flow.

"Save many problems…?" Sting asked, shaking from anger. "I can't believe you said that. I can't believe you thought about dying, just because some asshole from the future messed with our times!"

The Shadow Dragon Slayer gasped, while the blood was leaving slowly his broken nose. He surely didn't expect such a reaction from his friend.

"Is it so hard for you to believe in me, Rogue?" Sting asked, still not able to calm down. His body was trembling, his hands were gasped on the white shoulders of Rogue; even his voice was shaking. "Do you think I'm not able to protect any of my two friends? Why? I always thought you have some faith in me. But now, it seems you wanted to settle everything by yourself. It hurts, Rogue."

He silenced for a long while. Only his gasping was audible in the space around, it seemed even the wind stopped just to observe what would happen next.

"It would save problems only for you," the White Dragon Slayer continued. "Did you think how Frosh would feel after your death? How I would feel?"

Rogue gulped. Of course he thought about this. And it wasn't like he tried to suicide. He only… tried to consider what would be better for them all.

"You are such an idiot, Rogue."

"Yes, I know, Sting," the red eyed wizard murmured really embarrassed. Now, when he finally said at loud all his doubts and all his thoughts… He felt really stupid about having such gloomy thoughts. About considering his death as the best solution.

"Never even dare to think like this again. If you do I will kick your ass. And if next time you will have such problems, don't face them yourself. If I have to remind you, we are friends, Rogue," Sting let his friend go and returned to his seat, slowly calming down. It was unthinkable that because of Rogue's stubbornness he almost lost his friend. What if Rogue would try to suicide and he wouldn't know about it? Without even having the opportunity to help?

"I won't…" Rogue answered, wiping the blood from his face, forcing his nose to return to its original position and sighing deeply. He was really blind lately. He should tell everything to Sting from the very beginning. Not hide and face it alone. He did the worst thing. Something he never should consider as the best way of settling the problems. Because of that he almost fell into this trap of shadow. "I will never do this again…"

"Good," Sting murmured, swearing that if his friend would again think so shamelessly then he would really kick his ass as long as some sense would be knocked into this black haired head. "Next time I won't forgive you so easily, moron."

The silence fell but any of them heard some slight chuckle, coming out of some shadow, that after a while disappeared in the darkness of night.

The End

AN: So, that's all. I hope it is not too tragic as I thought it would be ^^

And... Yay, they are back again in the manga!