A/N: I could write Stingue all day and I don't care whether they might be Ooc (though feel free to tell me if you think they are) or people don't like it, it's a pairing which is really important to be so I do what I should have done long ago and write this short-story collection. Stories are around 1k words long. Don't expect regular updates though. Have fun~

Title: Find me

Genre: K+?

Warning: Spoilers for the GMG Arc

Summary: An Alteration from the actual events. What if Natsu's timing was off and he crashed with F!Rogue not into/trough the gate but a few meters next to it? What if Rogue told him about his Shadow and Frosch but fled to regain his strength? And what if Sting found him?

Inspiration: A F!Rogue/Sting pic, I couldn't help myself

The dragons were attacking each other, earth shattering while their killer instinct took them over, attacks so strong that, eventually, Sting and Rogue were separated.

The smell of blood and death reached the blond's nose, yet he tried to focus on finding his partner since he wouldn't stand a chance without him (an actual bitter truth he didn't mind so much any more). It was faint, but he finally picked up his scent, finding him in the shadows of an ally. His smile, however, vanished at once, mirrored the shocked expression of the person he found.

"Rogue?"

He wasn't supposed to be found. He intended to rest for a moment, his body hurting all over. After crashing trough the building and just barely managing to miss the gate, he told Natsu about his shadows, the cause of them. But this didn't mean that he would give up. Could give up. He didn't like the idea of escaping but he had no other choice – on the other hand he was used to flee in the future he came from. Vanishing in the shadows, hearing Natsu shouting after him, he cursed inwardly. It wasn't supposed to go like that, but he should have expected that Fairy Tail was going to complicate things. But he decided that this wouldn't hinder him. For now he was going to wait for the dragons to finish, to weaken the other mages while he replenished his magic. This was his last chance. However things won't go according to plan, especially if one wants them to.

That it was Sting who thwarted his plan was something he didn't calculate.

The blond took hesitant steps towards the person whose older look confused him. It was Rogue's smell, but why...? "Who are you?" The apparent stranger kept quiet. "Answer me!" "The future mustn't happen like that." It were the first words the stranger spoke and yet the voice was so similar that Sting questioned his sanity. "What the hell is going on? Why are you – "

He missed him. The loud voice, the grin which had still been on his lips as he killed him, the loving glance which had told him not to hate himself. It had been necessary. Sting had been injured after a terrifying fight against a demon who took Frosch's life, an inflicted wound slowly killing him. But before he passed away on his own, he allowed Rogue to kill him. Ordered him to, so that he could take his light, become stronger and prevent this future. And he had sealed his shadows with this. He caused him to come back to his senses, overthrowing his shadows as he saw what he had done to his partner. And now he could use his dark shadows within him, wasn't controlled by them – what drove him was his own desire. Looking at Sting's younger self, he wondered whether it really had been what he had wanted him to do. He suddenly doubted it. Now that he saw him like that, he questioned what had happened he wasn't aware of.

"I'm talking to you!"

Without another word, he pulled Sting closer, pressing their lips together. Sting's first shook was replaced by struggling but the other one was stronger even though he was exhausted. He grabbed both wrists, holding him in place as he kissed the corner of his mouth, up to his eyelid and his temple, repeating this motion once, twice.

It left Sting spechless. Was this really his Rogue? He looked much older... but since he talked about the future... His confusion came to a stop when the older person did something he expected the least. He buried his head in the crook of his neck, taking a deep breath. "Sting..." Did he just hear him murmuring his name? Sting could have run, the strength of the grip fading, yet he couldn't find the courage to do so. Was this person seeking comfort? Why? He wondered about that, thinking whether he should return the embrace, might it be just out of pity.

While the was hesitating, the other's body was dissolving.

"Wha –" "They destroyed the gate. Lucy and Yukino. The dragons will vanish as well." He had the feeling that he owed him this explanation. There was another urge, to kiss him again, but he knew that Sting wouldn't feel it any more, a tingle maybe, he would just imagine. Besides, it wasn't his Sting. He only wished that he had closed him in his arms a last time – he did, but now he couldn't feel it any more.

Sting couldn't look at this.

"Rogue?" No, no, no he repeated over and over in his head, yet he couldn't stop it. The black-haired male was – for a split second – glad that it had been Sting who had found him. Hearing his name from his mouth a last time, something he thought that he didn't deserve any more, he was thankful.

There was a faint smirk on his lips, a regret in his eyes; then he was gone and his smell as well.

Sting kept standing there, wondering whether he had just imagined this. Shaking his head in disbelief and despair, he turned around.

He needed to find Rogue. His Rogue.

He found him with their Exceeds.

"I'm sorry, I was worried about them, so –" Without giving Rogue a chance to finish his explanation, Sting wrapped his arms around him, pressing their bodies closer. "Sting?" He didn't let go, strengthened his grip instead. "I'm still here", Rogue assured him, the only words he managed to say without feeling like a liar. "I know." He returned the embrace. "I know." "Sting?" "I won't let you alone", he finally muttered against his hair, voice shaking, "Never." "Don't say that", he wanted to reply, but the only response was a mouthed "Thank you."

"I can't breath", the black-haired male eventually broke the silence which engulfed them, their Exceeds sitting on the ground and keeping quiet, realising that their partners needed some time for themselves. "Sorry", Sting grinned, letting go before he sheepishly rubbed the back of his head, reality catching up to him. "Are you all right?" Concern was written on Rogue's face, his own wounds and pain unimportant when he saw how his partner who had been so optimistic before and chased his fear away appeared lost. "I... think so. Yes, I'm fine." He arched an eyebrow, not sure whether he should believe his words, but the blond left him no time to address it. "We should see how the others are doing." "Yes..." Sting didn't hesitate, reached for his hand and laced their fingers together. Rogue had no idea what to think of this – why was he acting as if he would vanish any seconds? "Sting?" If he thought that he couldn't look more worried, he had proven himself wrong with the way he spoke his name; the blond realised this as well, but just shook his head. "Later." This didn't satisfy him, but he couldn't force his partner.

They remained silent on their way to the other's, regaining their composure while they kept their hands linked.

No words were needed and Sting was glad that he found him in the end.

Hope you liked it :3

Zinnia is a flower. Look it up if you like.