sea shells come and go, from one place to another. you lose them easily, and tend to find more beautiful ones as replacement. like many things in life.
love, opportunities, changes.
but not us.
take note: female reader
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•∞•
"Oh god," Lucy breathes out, handbag dropping to the floor.
I frown. Was it really that serious?
"(y/n)..." she whispers, my name a bare breath as it passes her lips. "that's Rogue Cheney."
Silence.
"Uh, yeah, I know," I reply, wholly not understanding what the entire fuss was about. That's his name. And?
Lucy's back was still against me, not a single muscle having moved since she came into the room and laid her eyes on him. It felt as if you were in some sort of thriller.
Cue the ninjas swinging through the windows.
Kidding.
"We need to get him out of here."
In a flash, Lucy mastered the fear she'd displayed and started to scatter across the room with a desperate sense of urgency as if someone's life was on the line. She grabbed the cloak he was wearing(the one I had neatly washed and ironed), wrapping it around the sleeping body.
"Help me!" she cries, head whipping towards me, blonde locks violently smattering against her cheeks.
I watch her as she attempts to lift Rogue off the couch.
She struggles- his weight more than she can handle. And yet, she keeps going.
"Help me!"
I look into those brown eyes, ones I'd become so familiar with. Familiar with the eyes full of laughter and spirit- anger and discipline when it comes to those who cross with her family. Now, all I see is pain and panic and distress.
"No."
She stops.
I shake my head again. "I will not abandon a man who is injured, no matter where he comes from or who he associates with."
Lucy lets her head fall, bringing her hands up to cover her face. She managed to move one of Rogue's legs off the couch, yet he was still deep in his slumber. "You don't understand, (y/n), this- this is, we just, please, do this for me? We need to get him out of here, back to Sabertooth–"
"Why don't we ask the rest of the guild–"
"No!"
The wooden planks seem to tremble as her cry echoes off them, as even they could hear and feel the rooted torment etched into that one word.
As if on cue, Rogue's scarlet eyes open. He groans, and Lucy freezes. She backs away from him as he sits up, step by step, before hitting the wall. She jumps in fright at the noise- as if having forgotten how small this room is.
His eyes meet his. I manage a small smile before he looks at Lucy.
The stranger's dark brows furrow, eyes moving up and down. They become brighter with something- recognition?
"Hey, do I know you from somewhere-"
"No you don't," Lucy cuts him off, and my eyes widen in surprise. I can tell she's trying to sound strong and tough- but her bottom lip is wobbling and she isn't looking Rogue in the eye. "you don't know me from anywhere."
"Lu," I whisper, hands reaching out to give her some comfort.
"I'll see you later, (y/n)," she nods at me. The next second, she's out the door.
We both stare.
"That was... weird," I mumble. What got her so defensive?
"Agreed," Rogue adds. "I'm not sure why she reacted like that. Was it because of me? Did I say something wrong?"
I can't help but smile at the genuine worry in this tone. See, this guy isn't so bad. "I don't think so. Well, don't worry your pretty little head about it–" my smile morphs into a grin at the pink on his cheeks from my comment. "–but seriously though, this is the last time I'm gonna ask. Do you want some french toast?"
•∞•
The air fills with the scent of cinnamon and milk as two toasts roast on a pan. Our third batch, to both our guilty pleasures. I had plopped myself down on a kitchen chair next to the couch, as we greedily shoved down the french toast. Everyone bonds through food, right? And now I know we have something in common!
"More cinnamon next time?" I ask him through a mouthful of toast.
He doesn't seem to be bothered by the overload of food in my mouth- as if he himself knows someone that's both obnoxious and unsanitary in his life. He nods, albeit shyly.
He swallows another mouth full before popping the question that's been on his mind all day.
"Why are you helping me?"
He looks straight at me. I can see the hesitance on his face- porcelain skin kissed by the noon sunlight, yet his dark hair remains stubbornly resistant to its rays. Rogue's eyes, however, are shaded with a past that has had me curious for quite a while now.
"You know about the rivalry between Fairy Tail and Sabertooth. How we go head to head. Yet you're good friends with Lucy Heartfilia, one of Fairy Tail's main members."
His statement rings through the room.
I sigh. These people don't understand, do they? Lucy, Rogue as well. "It's actually pretty simple, Rogue. Caring for another in need, no matter who they are, is human nature. I don't go against the rules I govern my life with. This might be a betrayal to the rules of Fairy Tail, I don't know, but I refuse to betray myself."
That extinguishes the words on his tongue. He says nothing as we fall back into silence- a more somber one this time, full of words left unspoken.
The burning smell of french toast shakes us from our reveries.
"The toast!"
I yell, throwing(more like carefully placing, I'm a loser and won't break a single plate) my plate onto my chair and rushing into the kitchen. I moan in agony at the sight of the black toast- it was going to be so good, so delicious...
And now, ruined.
Rogue looks at the sight in amusement.
I scratch the back of my neck nervously, unconsciously thinking of who else does that. "Well, that's the end of that. Friends make each other french toast in time of need," I wink, before ducking under the counter for more bread.
The not-really-anymore stranger closes his eyes. "Friends..."
•∞•
oh gosh, im sorry for updating so late. i was going to do all of these fun extra chapters for xmas and new years, but nothing came of it. these last few weeks have been kind of rough, but im picking it up, so stay tuned!! 😅
also, i was wondering about longer chapters. i try to avoid them- purposely because im scared you guys are gonna get bored. are you guys okay with longer chapters, between 1500-2000 words?
