Before the Dawn

Disclaimer: All Fairy Tail Characters Belong to Hiro Mashima

During the week that Rogue was gone, Sting did his best to keep busy. He tried not to think about what might be happening and focused on the things he wanted to say. Lector and Frosch tried to help, and Sting was happy that they kept him company. He was so anxious he might have gone crazy otherwise.

Jiemma, never one to miss an opportunity to pit his wizards against each other, devised a contest to determine which wizards would be representing Sabertooth in the Grand Magic Games, even though pretty much everyone was sure he'd already made up his mind. As soon as Rogue and Rufus returned there would be a tournament, the top scoring mages would go to the Games.

For once Sting was grateful for his Master's machinations, all the wizards were so determined to at the very least make a good showing that there were plenty of people to spar with. Most of them were not very challenging, but he was able to learn some fighting moves to complement his magic. His lack of control was still a concern for him, most of his moves were light based, and they could seriously injure someone if he weren't careful. He'd begun trying to direct the energy to other parts of his body, using it to enhance his punches and kicks rather than always depending on his lasers. By the end of the week, he'd become somewhat adept at it. There was one thing he knew he still had to work on and it was his speed. Both times Jiemma and Minerva had bested him it had been because he had not moved fast enough. He rather hoped that when he mastered his new power that would change.

Rogue and Rufus arrived laden with books they'd been allowed to check out from the library. Sting tried to sniff Rogue as discreetly as he could, but by the outrage on Rogue's face, he wasn't subtle enough. He walked past him to Master Jiemma's office without a word, obviously annoyed. Rufus laughed and with a wink went straight to his room. Not a good start.

o-o

"Is that what you really think of me?" Rogue startled him from his training a few hours later, causing him to be knocked off balance by the training dummy as it spun outside of his control.

"What?" Sting attempted to act dumb, running a hand through his hair while he looked for a towel to wipe off his sweaty chest and back which he couldn't help but notice Rogue was openly staring at. He looked around for his shirt and put it on.

"You know what," Rogue snapped, "You were scenting me to make sure I hadn't done anything with Rufus."

"You're right, I'm sorry. It's just that, " Sting went on to explain what had happened when he and Rufus had gone searching for Minerva, but Rogue interrupted him.

"I know, he told me." Rogue sighed, "I know I hurt you, but you have to believe me when I tell you, I never meant to."

Sting nodded, "I know that. I don't really know what came over me, it felt like my world had ended. Stupid, huh?" He looked at Rogue nervously waiting to see how he would react to his words.

"It wasn't entirely your fault," Rogue conceded, confusing him, "I learned a lot about our magic in the time I was gone, and about our bond. Things the dragons never told us. What you were feeling, it's what they call your inner dragon reacting to what it felt was a challenge on your claim on me. Because we've never fully mated it makes you feel very insecure."

Sting had no idea what that meant, and it must have shown on his face because Rogue chuckled and held his hand out to him. Sting quickly took it, hungry for any contact with his mate no matter how small.

"Come on," Rogue said dragging him with him to the guild's library where the books he'd brought back were already laid out on a table. They sat down next to each other as Rogue showed him different passages in the books that referred to what he'd explained, while his other hand was held captive by Sting under the table.