Fairy Tail x Reader: Various One-shots

Rogue x Reader 2: Bandits and Him

I made an offhanded comment about needing money and it landed me here. I'm positioned cross-legged on a rock that overlooks a seething breed of bandits. We're a short distance from the outskirts of Shirotsume.

"Can we make this easy? Please? This poorly-planned robbery is already wracking my brain. I can't bear to take any more of your stupidity." I mouth off to the gaggle of men.

I find myself being distracted by the most irrelevant things. Despite there being 14 bandits, none of them have straight teeth. Six have mismatched socks, and of the remaining men, five are wearing sandals. Three of them have dimples. I can see it in the way they force apathetic grins.

Rogue has accompanied me on this job. You should know that. I wouldn't have taken the job if I were by myself. My thoughts alone leave me at a disadvantage. I am often distracted.

The thieves have their share of opinions. One of them talks until he's blue in the face, but I can't hear him anymore. I avert my attention to Rogue. His figure sneaks around the boulder that I am atop of, preparing for an attack. His steps are elegant and concise. He holds the grace of a ninja or a ballerina; although the line between the two is blurred.

I sigh. "What moral gain do you get from stealing from the town? You know there's programs in place to help you guys. If you need support, just ask. No need to be a dick about it." I move to stretch my legs out, they ache.

One of the bandits shrieks, "Oi Lady, quit forcing garbage words onto my men! We've been cheated by the government and you know it! Stop acting all high and mighty."

It's the same stuff that is spewed every time. I should be used to it. But I still flinch.

The men make a move to escape but Rogue appears with his katana drawn. I feel a warmth in my hand as I summon my magic.

An arrow. It is an extension of myself. And so, we are completely in sync.

As Rogue sounds for an attack, he charges at the bandits and I command my weapon. The arrow weaves in and out of the arms, shoulders and legs of the men. I only mean to incapacitate them, not kill them.

A sequence of bodies lay on the dirt beneath me. Rogue looks up at me and nods. "Good work, (y/n)."

"Hang on," I grumble. Something doesn't add up.

Add up.

Add up.

Fourteen.

No, thirteen.

"Shit, Rogue get out of the way!" I yell.

A single man. He went under the radar. He holds a small box in his hand. It's the size of an eraser.

The bandit grins before releasing the trigger. An explosion of rock and smoke propels me away. It's uncharacteristically silent following a small-range bomb. I'm quite surprised.

I sit upright. A throbbing pounds into the side of my head. My tongue feels numb. A shaky nausea overtaking my body. Chills. "Far out, I should've been more aware." Definitely a concussion.

My head is so overwhelmed right now, but I remember someone. "Ahem, person who I am with? The, er, black hair, what's-your-name? You know, you?"

I may have incurred some damage from the impact.

"(Y/n), where are you?"

Me. That's me.

"I'm here!" I shout. "I'm over here...Rogue!" His name rolls out of my mouth instinctively.

The nausea creeps up and out. The person who I come to recognise as my partner arrives at my feet just in time for me to empty the contents of my breakfast onto his shoes. "Oh my Mavis, I am so sorry. It's my head, it's killing me."

I look up and see his face. Rogue's eyes are fixed on his shoes. They look like quality leather.

"I promise I'll get you new ones," I say meekly, reaching a hand out to him.

Rogue looks embarrassed. "Don't even worry about it. Are you okay?" He grabs my hand and tries to pull me up. "Did any of the debris hit you? Or was it just the impact of hitting the ground?"

My legs quake under the weight of my body. The dizziness sets in. I barely stand up before my knees give out. I feel Rogue support me back onto the ground.

"Seems like you got a good knock on the head either way," he mutters. "Listen to me, (y/n). It's important that you don't fall asleep until we get back to the medics at Sabertooth, alright?"

I think I nod. But I don't really know. Right now it feels like my mind is disconnected from my body. It's all just thoughts in my head.

"You'll have to keep me entertained then." This is quite possibly my last quip before I go mute. Or pass out. Or both.

He smiles. My god. It makes the day so much lighter when he does that.

"As you wish."

I feel him pick me up. Heat floods to my cheeks, I think it's from the explosion, but I instinctively hide it nonetheless.

Its convenient to have the lacrima-powered car within metres of the battleground. Rogue tightens his arms around my neck and legs as he pushes himself up the final hill. We come within reach of the vehicle. He is quiet as he places me in the passenger seat and resumes his position as driver.

"It won't be long, (y/n). We'll have you in good hands shortly."

My eyes are weighted. Its strange because they feel heavy but its like I'm forcing myself to close my eyes. "I don't want to sleep."

Uh oh, that was meant to be part of my internal dialogue.

Great, nothing worse than uncontrollable word vomit. Except for real vomit I suppose.

"Hey," Rogue calls out while stopping the car.

He turns to face me and places both hands on my cheeks. "We're not far away. I promise. Hold out a little longer for me, please?"

I make out his expression to be confusion and exhaustion. "Mmm," is all I can afford.

The rest becomes blurry. I think I fall in and out of consciousness. I recall glimpses of Rogue and then the guild hall. My awareness fully returns in the medic's unit, or rather, the 'Hero's Return,' as referred to by our guild master; Sting.

The light is dim. A nice sentiment for a injured person. Rogue lingers at the foot of the bed with his eyes downcast.

"Rogue, I'm sorry that mission was a pain. I was just caught off-guard is all."

He crouches beside my bed and grabs my hand, pressing his forehead into it. "I'm sorry I couldn't get to you earlier."

I stretch my other hand toward his mop of dark hair and rub it reassuringly. "You've got nothing to apologise for. Those bloody bandits ruined our week. I suppose our next job's money can go towards a relaxing spa retreat, right? Or one of those overnight hikes to the big waterfalls?"

Rogue raises his head, his cheeks become heated. "I..um..what?"

"C'mon Rogue! I think it's time we told people anyway. I'm sick of hiding if it means I die without fully engaging in this relationship with you. Don't you agree?"

Not that the relationship defines me, but he is my best friend. A big part of my life.

Rogue's face is unreadable. He pulls himself onto the bed and looks right at me. "I'm incredibly exhausted. No more hiding. I just want to be with you."

I think he would have been with me either way. But that's why I love him.

I grab onto his shirt and rest my now bandaged head on his chest and drift into asleep. "Sounds good."