AN: Hey everybody! So sorry for the late update, it's been finals week and life is hell. But now I'm done! Yay! Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter.

Notice: I own nothing, for I am not Hiro Mashima. Amen.

Chapter 7: Real Talk

Rogue grunted as he heaved himself up over the edge, into Kagura's secret seaside cove. She greeted him and helped him to his feet.

"Hey, Rogue. Glad you're actually on time for once."

"Very funny."

They both sat down, settled themselves in… the awkwardness of the moment was quite palpable. Both of the two fidgeted nervously on their seats, crossing and uncrossing their legs, never feeling comfortable in any one position. Rogue couldn't stop thinking about how much of an idiot he was… why did he have to be so insecure, so jumpy? If he'd just sat there for two fucking seconds… he'd be feeling very differently right now. Sting wouldn't be in the infirmary. Kagura seemed on edge about something, he just wasn't quite sure what.

Rogue coughed. "So… uh… what exactly were we planning to do again?"

Kagura licked her lips anxiously. "Well, uh… I guess I was sort of hoping to talk about… your 'insecurites.'" I sure was a whole lot more confident about this yesterday…

Rogue took a deep breath and tried to let the thoughts leak out of his head. He told her about how nobody noticed him anymore, how Sting was always busy, and how he'd been wondering what exactly his purpose was, if it wasn't as part of the strongest tag duo in Fiore any more. "And then there's this Shadow. It frightens me. I don't know when or where it will show up next, and I'm feeling so emotionally weak right now, it could take me over any time… I just feel so vulnerable and helpless… and I know Frosch can sense it too, but he needs me to be strong. I can't have myself being unable to protect him."

"Mmm-hmm," Kagura said distractedly.

"W-wait! You made me come here and you're not even listening to me!?" Rogue sweatdropped. "Wait… you seem distracted, Kagura."

"What? No, I…"

Rogue leaned over and put a hand on her shoulder. "That dream you had on the train. You've been having it again, haven't you?"

Kagura opened her mouth to protest, but then closed it again. There was no use denying it. Right now, Rogue's eyes were boring into her own too intensely. They would cut right through to reveal her lie.

"Yes, I am."

Rogue's gaze softened. "Tell me about it."

Kagura told him- she told him of her home in flames, of Jellal trying to kill her, of the mysterious man who shielded her with his body. She left out the part where she felt the same sensation in the exact same spot where Minerva stabbed her.

"Are you hungry?"

Kagura was taken aback. "Um… A little, I suppose. Why?"

"You had your hand on your stomach."

Kagura looked down. Her hand was right over her old wound. Dammit!

Rogue narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "What's down there?"

"H-hey, this is supposed to be your therapy session!" Kagura protested, but Rogue would not be stopped in his moment of caring. He scooped Kagura up in his arms, ripping off her skirted blazer to see what was on her stomach. Rest assured, he did this solely because he was concerned for her well being and had no other intentions whatsoever. Well, mostly whatsoever.

About four inches in diameter, right on Kagura's left abdomen, was a nasty, dark purple wound that had clearly been heavily and extensively treated with magic to the point of maximum possible recovery. Archenemy's power was so strong that the best even the strongest healing magic the kingdom of Fiore could do was to turn it into a glorified scar.

Rogue suddenly realized what he was doing and turned beet red, just the same color as Kagura's face. In his arms, Kagura was now wearing only a collared shirt and tie, cropped about halfway down her torso. Her black tights flatteringly traced her slim figure and legs all the way down to her boots. "Uhh..." Rogue mumbled, his face now steaming from embarrassment.

"Ro-Rogue, put me down!" Kagura said in an uncharacteristically high-pitched voice. "What are you-"

She stopped because Rogue had gingerly touched her wound.

Rogue felt the crunch of a fist against his nose, and he fell backwards and dropped Kagura. He felt himself falling out over the edge, but this time he was more alert than his previous experience. He turned into a shadow and zipped back into the cove. Kagura was unconscious. Rogue started to panic.

"What have I DONE?"

"Kagura! Kagura, wake up!"

Kagura's eyes fluttered open. "Where…"

Well, this was familiar. She was waking up to a nighttime camp-out after passing out, with Rogue's familiar red eyes looming over her. The only unfamiliar part…

Kagura sat up straight. "My blazer! Where's my blazer!"

Rogue held it up cautiously. "Right here. Sorry for, um… taking it. Earlier. You know."

Oh, that was right. Rogue had done… that. Kagura had never felt anything like that before. By all rights, she should have been angry, but because it was Rogue, it was somehow… okay. Different. Expected, even. Oh, boy. She couldn't stop thinking about how safe she felt in his arms… He's staring at you, Kagura. Say something!

"It's alright. It's more comfortable this way."

Rogue's jaw dropped, but he didn't complain about being let off the hook. He sat down behind her and put his legs to either side of hers, allowing her to lean on his chest. "I'm also sorry about… the wound. I didn't know that would happen."

"No, I should've warned you. I experience ghosts of the sensation every time I'm touched there. I've got to be careful."

"That's… awful. Being backstabbed by your own blade… I can't believe a member of my one guild would do something like that."

Kagura rubbed her hands back and forth against her thighs. "It's alright. Minerva's fault, not yours." She looked back and upwards, towards his face. "You know, we never finished talking out your problems."

Rogue shook his head. "I don't think that's necessary. Why should we cling to what held us down in the past, when we can create new memories in the present? Acknowledging our troubles only gives them more power."

"Come on, Rogue. The past isn't all bad."

Rogue started running his fingers absentmindedly through Kagura's hair. "You know what we should do? We should take turns sharing stories of things that happened in the past that make us happy."

"I… I'd like that very much."

"You go first."

"Well… okay." Kagura thought for a moment and took a deep breath. "When I was a kid," she began, "and Simon was still… was still…"

Her eyes began to well up with tears. Her voice choked. She toubled over in pain and began to sob. What's wrong with me? I haven't cried about Simon in forever.

She felt Rogue's strong hands running back and forth across her back, skillfully finding and smoothing out the tight points. Eventually they settled on her shoulders and began methodically rubbing out the stress. Even though Kagura couldn't see his face, she somehow knew he was smiling.

She stopped crying. Slowly, her breath returned to her. "…Sorry."

"Oh, don't apologize, Kagura," chuckled Rogue. "That's not the Kagura I know."

"Why, you-" she showed her displeasure at the subtle jab with a slightly less subtle jab- an elbow to the groin. While Rogue was doubling over and moaning in pain, Kagura regained her composure. "Come on, Rogue, snap out of it," she said eventually. "Maybe you should go first."

Rogue straightened up at Kagura's command. "Alright, fine. I'll go." He took a deep breath. "Don't you dare tell Sting I told you this, but… When Sting and I were kids, he told me about something his foster dragon, Weisslogia, did. Every time Sting got hurt in training- either physically or emotionally- Weisslogia would give him a kiss where it hurt." Rogue couldn't contain himself any more, and burst out laughing.

Kagura turned around to stare at Rogue in disbelief. "He what?"

"A kiss!" Rogue panted, hysterical. "The dragon would kiss him to make him feel better! Didn't matter what kind of wound it was, any kind of-" Rogue stopped. His eyes widened. He glanced down at Kagura's waist.

"Wait, what's-" Kagura's breath caught in her throat mid-sentence. She could feel an eerie chill forming on her stomach. "You don't think-"

When their eyes met, both stopped thinking rationally. The only thoughts that resonated through their heads were echoes of what had just been said.

Whatever wound… physical or mental… he'd kiss it, and it would feel better… Kagura thought.

Dragon's are wise, Rogue thought.

They each closed their eyes and let gravity take them where it would, which was conveniently leaning slightly toward the other.

And that's when the watchers unleashed their devastating surprise.

Again, I apologize for the super-lateness, hope the chapter makes up for it! As always, don't forget to rate and review, and I hope you all have a day full of wonders.