what we choose to become

chapter 3

Sting has a nightmare while waiting for Rogue to wake up.

TW for child abuse 

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THEN (Age 10)

"STING!" Jiemma's voice was as loud as he was enormous, and ten-year-old Sting flinched from it, lowering his eyes and backing up against a wall. "Look at me when I'm talking to you, boy." Sting acquiesced and looked up slowly into the angry face of his guild master. After half an hour in combat training with Minerva, Sting was exhausted and bruised and just wanted to go to his room and rest. But apparently, Jiemma had other plans.

"Yes, sir," he said softly.

"How long have you been a member of Sabretooth?" Jiemma demanded, roughly grabbing Sting's arm and dragging him down the hallways into his office.

"Six months, sir," Sting replied.

"And how much have you improved in combat since then?" Sting lowered his gaze to the ground again, ashamed. He had been sparring with Minerva and sometimes Orga every day for that past half a year, but his powers had only improved incrementally. He spent most of his time being terrified of the two of them. Minerva was cruel, even at only thirteen years of age, constantly telling him how weak and pathetic he was.

"I will try harder, sir." Sting's voice was so quiet it was almost imperceptible, and he was about to look up to gauge his guild master's reaction when an enormous hand landed a blow across the side of his face, sending him flying into a bookshelf, which toppled over, spilling books across the floor.

"..." Jiemma's lips moved, but the ringing in Sting's ears was so deafening that he couldn't make out what the man had said. He raised a trembling hand to his face, then dropped it to protect himself when Jiemma threw a kick at his midsection. He sobbed, gasping for air and lying face down on the cold, stone floor. Jiemma grabbed him by the back of his jacket and backhanded him again, one of his rings cutting into the soft skin above Sting's right eye. Blood began to drip from it and he could taste it, hot and coppery.

This is different, he thought. Minerva had just spent the last thirty minutes beating him in the training area, but this felt different. His chest heaved and he hung limply in Jiemma's grasp, squeezing his eyes shut and hoping it would be over soon.

Eventually the ringing subsided, and he found himself on the ground, blood streaking his shirt and pants, and an aching throb pulsing around his temples.

"I will not tolerate weakness in this guild." Jiemma's voice was firm and emotionless. "You are a dragon slayer and I know you have that power. Improve."

~

NOW

"Sting, wake up." A hand on his shoulder roused him from his sleep and he looked up to see pink hair leaning over him. Natsu. Sting shrugged the hand off his shoulder and sat up slowly, wincing from the various aches and pains throughout his body. "You okay?"

"Mn." Natsu was looking at him with concern, but Sting determinedly refused to meet his eyes. He must have said something in his sleep – the nightmare was still fresh in his mind and he shook his head sharply in an attempt to remove it. Looking around, he realized that he had fallen asleep in the bed he was sitting on last night. Or this morning. It all seemed like such a blur – grabbing Rogue and running through the city for hours until he finally found Fairy Tail. His hands and arms had been numb by the time they found Honeybone Inn, but he had refused to put Rogue down. The only thing keeping him going had been the soft puffs of air against his neck that let him know that his friend was still breathing.

Sting glanced over to the bed next to him – Rogue was still unconscious, but an older woman with bright pink hair was leaning over him. Rogue's shirt had been removed at some point, and bandages were wrapped around his chest. Bruises covered his arms and what could be seen of his torso, and his face was also swollen and discolored. And – Sting was unsurprised to see – his guild mark had also disappeared. By the time Natsu and Sting had finished talking last night, his had been entirely wiped away as well.

"Hungry?" Sting looked up at Natsu again to see that somehow the pink-haired slayer had procured an enormous plate of breakfast food. Sting was about to decline when his stomach rumbled, making him realize how hungry he truly was. He nodded without speaking and Natsu sat down next to him, setting the plate of food between them so they could both dig in.

"How is he?" Natsu asked the pink-haired woman, who made a sound of annoyance.

"He'll live," she snapped, then turned to look sharply at Sting. He dropped his gaze to the ground, but she reached out for his chin to force him to look at her.

"Don't touch me!" Sting scrambled backward on the bed and slapped Porlyusica's hand away, feeling the tears welling up again. Fuck, he thought. This was a terrible idea. What the hell have I gotten myself into? They're going to find out and it will just get wor – but he's gone now. He can't hurt us anymore. The realization hit him right in the chest and he gasped, then bent over his knees and started to sob.

BE QUIET. The voice in his head sneered at him. SHUT UP. CRYBABIES AREN'T ALLOWED IN SABRETOOTH.

"Shut....up..." Sting ground out between clenched teeth. Natsu and Porlyusica glanced at each other nervously, unsure of how to handle the situation.

"S...st'g?" A quiet mumble drew all of their attention to Rogue, who had cracked open one eye and was peering at Sting. "Y...'kay?"

Sting leapt from the bed and maneuvered himself around Porlyusica, then dropped to his knees beside Rogue's bed and grabbed his hand.

"Rogue," he whispered, leaning down and pressing his forehead to the other boy's. He let out a shaky breath and rested his other hand in Rogue's dark hair.

"Nn - 'm fine," Rogue pushed the words out through teeth clenched in pain. "Safe?" He slowly reached up his less injured arm and rested it on Sting's head. Sting let out a soft sob.

"We're safe," he whispered, letting his tears drip onto Rogue's face. "We're safe and he's never going to hurt you again. I promise, I promise, I promise..." his words trailed off and Natsu's eyes widened in realization.

"That...that wasn't the first time, was it?" He placed his hand gently on Sting's shoulder, who shook his head, still crying. Rogue gazed up at Natsu and gave him a sad smile, running his fingers through Sting's hair. Natsu scowled deeply and struggled not to tighten his grip on Sting's shoulder.

"He's gone now," Sting murmured as he raised his head. "He's dead, Rogue." The injured boy's face showed no surprise or regret, only relief. "And we're...safe here." It came out as almost a question as he looked sideways at Natsu. Anger, frustration, humiliation, relief, fear – a thousand emotions flickered across Sting's face. Natsu smiled and squeezed his shoulder gently.

"Of course you are," he replied. "Welcome to Fairy Tail."