Chapter Twenty Three

Torture

"Mother! Im home! You here?"

Fuyu yelled in the back and Rouge ran down the hallway towards her room. Knocking on the door she told him to come in.

"How was school? Where's your brother?" She questioned. No one in this house was related but then again, the family was semi-perfect.

"At the library. He got put in Geometry and Biology so he wanted to start figuring stuff out." If there was one thing Rouge underestimated about the other twelve year old, is that he could use some numbers. Everyone in their class (except for a few exceptions) had to study pre-algebra and physical science. Sting had been one of the few to go to bigger things.

Rouge wasnt jealous or anything. He excelled more at literature and arts. He was taking a class on helping improve his levels of biliteracy and multicultural literacy. He also took art class for the advanced while his class was just finishing up water colors (the two transferred in the middle of the year) he was using oils and making excellent pottery.

Fuyu sighed and looked out the window. "Would it have killed him to come and check in first before running off?" She murmured and Rouge chuckled. "I'm sure he is fine. He is a Dragon Slayer."

"Understand?"

Sting nodded and placed the communication lacrima in his back pocket where he also kept his back up money unless he had to run off.

Its happened plenty of times.

Fuyu had given him the card so that he could call her guild master or doctor or any of her close friends if any thing happened to her. Just like Porlyusica advised. The blonde boy was worried again. A whole lot of bad scenareos running through his disturbingly graphic imagination.

Dinner was over and Fuyu had already given Rouge his lacrima since he came home immediately afterschool. Sting had wanted some studytime at the library and had lost track of time. He about gave the blue haired woman a heart attack when he came home at eight at night. School dissmissed at four! Rouge was already asleep and kept the lacrima under his pillow, keeping it on his person the whole time. Sting had the same idea, keeping it in his pajama pants pocket at night.

Fuyu sighed and started washing the dishes. Sting collected his dishes and slid them down the counter. The woman had been strangely quiet around him. He was about to simply walk away when he felt skinny yet strong limbs encircle him.

"Mom?"

"You scared me."

His mouth gaped open when she said that. He was at the library, how was she afraid? As if she read his mind, she hit him upside the head and scowled. "Would you rather me go away after a mission for four hours and not check in at all?" Sting saw the point in that. He though probably considered that he would be more worried. Anything could happen to her.

...just like anything could have happened to him.

Sighing he apologized and hit her with the puppy dog look. She was determined to stay mad at him so he turned it up a notch. "I'm sorry, Ma. It won't happen again. Please forgive me?" Fuyu wavered at his unnaturally icy blue eyes and sparkles seemed to come out of no where. Sting smirked in his mind and added tears.

Fuyu broke down.

"Damnit! Alright! I forgive you!" She muttered throwing arms around his slim frame.

Sting sat in his bed, arms wrapped around his knees, tears

streaming down his pale skin. Rouge was downstairs in the attic, probably drawing or writing, leaving him to his thoughts. Lector was on the pillow, sleeping in an almost comma like state. He heard footsteps and wasn't quick enough to get under the covers and hide his face.

Fuyu opened the door, a concerned look crossing her face. She knew she smelt tears but thought it was her crying over how Laxus had changed in her sleep again. When she realized it wasn't her she automatically came in here.

"Sting, baby, what's wrong?" She questioned, sitting on his bed. He cried a little harder, shaking like a leaf. She wrapped her arms around him and drew him close. Her heart was pounding, wondering what was wrong with the boy.

"I had a nightmare. About Wesslogia." He cried out in a squeak. Fuyu held him tighter knowing that was his dragon. "What about?" She asked softly and he held on tighter. "That he was alive." Sting replied simply and Fuyu took on a look of increasing concern. "How would you know if he was dead? The dragons dissappeared seven years ago!" Sting sniffled and looked up from her lap into her unnerving red eyes.

"Simple. Because I killed him."