A Shadow's Light

Did you miss me?

With a blurry sight, Sting shifted his eyelids, fluttering them as they adjusted. He wiped his hands over his eyes, slipping bits of sleep away from the corner of his eyes. As he lifted his hand to his forehead, he felt the rough touch of leather, only to realize his head had been bandaged.

He lifted the thin blanket off his body, blinking in slight shock of his legs and arms, that were also bandaged. Sting heaved his legs over the bed, not being able to remember what happened last night after he fainted, yet quickly stopped from moving by a loud, concerned voice.

Lector came rushing in with his arms waving in the air like some sort of manic, pleading Sting to stop moving. " Sting-kun! You're awake, but you can't move. Please don't move-- " His voice began to choke, cutting off the end of his sentence.

Bewildered, Sting mumbled something under his breath before leaning down towards his childhood friend. " Why can't I move? I feel fine. " Lector shook his head in denial. " You can't move yet, Sting-kun. The doctor said no. "

Sting looked around to realize he was in a hospitalized room, full of life-saving equipment and other things only doctors know how to use. Before he was able to question Lector futhur, a knock on the door prevented him from speaking.

Entering the room was a man in a long doctor's suit. His uniform consisted of mostly white, with a small logo patch on the shoulder. He calmly made his way over to Sting, his black hair mainly fell to the right, covering one of his eyes.

He looks so familiar..

Sting's eyes widened when he realized whom he encountered. However, before he could fling himself towards his long lost friend, the man placed a finger on Sting's lips. He lowered himself down until he was eye-level with Sting. 

A small smirk played on his lips, letting out a short chuckle, cupping his hand over Sting's cheek. Sting placed his hand on the doctor's, suddenly having a cracked feeling on his lips. His throat felt sore and dry, but he managed to croak out a few words.

" Rogue.. Where have you been? " It was almost an achievement he was able to speak that alone. Rogue stared at him, glaring into his eyes, like he was trying to look into his soul or something. His smirk didn't disappear, as Sting watched his eyelids fall half-way in a caring gaze.

Rogue placed himself besides Sting, moving his hand away from his cheek and allowing it to lay next to his other hand in his lap. He turned away and looked down at Frosch, who looked right back up at him, over to Sting then Lector, then finally back to Rogue.

It was hard to notice at first, but it didn't take Sting long to see it. Water, clear as crystal, formed in Rogue's eyes and drifted to the corners before trickling down his face and dropping to the floor. Sting felt like he was about to have a heart attack.

He's crying.. Why? Was it something I did? Was it something that happened?

The state he was in was unbearable to Sting, whom shut his eyes tightly and turned away as if in serious pain. His thought track continued on and on, trying to find an answer as to Rogue's sudden emotional change.

Is this normal? Has Rogue always been like this? No..

" Rogue. Are you oka-- " He was cut off by Rogue covering his mouth with his hand.  He smiled sweetly, tipping his head to the side. Gradually, the room began to darken as Sting became dizzier by the second. Drifting in and out of consciousness, he heard Rogue whisper with a lingering emotion he couldn't quite figure out.

" Did you miss me, Sting? "

The blankets flew off as Sting quickly sat up in his bed, looking around with sweat sliding down his face. Lector rushed in and stood by his side. " Sting-kun, Sting-kun! What happened?! " He pleaded desperately. Sting looked down at him, the tears swelling in his eyes, as his heart beat was heard within' the walls of the room.

" It was just a dream, nothing more. "

But it felt so real..