Chapter Text
Sting was suspicious. His best friend, roommate and secret crush for ever was acting strange. Sure, Rogue was more on the goth side, but he'd stopped going out except at night and his appetite was all but gone. The blonde noticed Rogue was even more pale than usual as well.
"He's a vampire, I'm telling ya." He texted his best girl friend, Yukino, who was also his self proclaimed fag hag.
"Rogue is not a vampire Sting." Yukino texted back. She knew his secret but promised not to tell anyone.
It was true, Rogue slept during the day and went out at night. He was more pale than usual with bags under his red eyes. Truthfully he was keeping a lot of secrets from his roommate. But he was worried if he told him he'd not like him anymore. Or worse kick him out. Rogue lay awake in bed, his curtains drawn to keep the light out. He'd not been feeling well lately.
"He is too! He's in there all in the dark, and he doesn't eat anymore. Not even the stuff from you guys..." Sting replied. He was in bed, painfully alone, his cat Lector asleep by his feet.
Yukino sighed to herself. "Just go talk to him." That was the best she could do. Not like Sting would believe her anyway. Some of Rogue's secrets were pretty wild.
Rogue was curled in a ball cuddling his cat Frosch. He was thinking about telling Sting about himself but didn't know how to bring it up.
Sting was literally rolling around in his pajamas on the bed. "But he's been extra moody!" Replied the blonde. Lector hissed and swatted at Sting, having been kicked in the face, again.
"Dammit Sting! Just go talk to him." Yukino was irritated enough to swear. She was on a date with Minerva and wanted be left alone with her. "I promised I wouldn't tell." She added more calmly.
He huffed, sending a string of emojis to the frustrated woman. "Fiiiiiinnnnnneeeeeeeeee." He replied, going out his bedroom and right across to Rogue's room.
"Rooooogggggguuuuuueeeeeeeeeeeee. Answer the dooooooorrrrrr." He whined.
Rogue sighed loudly. What did he want now? The dark haired man got up out of bed, wearing red striped boxers and a black t shirt. He opened the door slowly, he was visibly tired and stressed. "What do you want?” He spoke with annoyance.
Sting had on a white T-shirt and white boxers with a weird blue pattern on them. He frowned, seeing Rogue. "You look like shit... Let's go get some food! I'll pay even!"
Rogue frowned. "I can't." He said shortly ready to close the door. He wasn't ready for this... He liked Sting too much for him to just reject him. Not like the blonde would like a goth anyway but for some reason they got along well. Rogue never thought about dating until recently but he did like living with him.
Sting grabbed his hand, giving Rogue the absolutely most pitiful look he could muster. His grip was firm but not rough. "Please, Rogue. I know you don't like going out, but it's like one in the morning. We don't even have to go in, just get food through some drive thru." He was actually serious sounding, the worry clear on his face.
Rogue sighed. "I can't because I have to work." He blurted out. Which was a lie for tonight was his day off. He worked the night shift at the burger place Sting was talking about. He stepped backwards and plopped himself on his bed leaving the door open. "I need the extra cash so I got a job working the night shift. It's why I've been sleeping during the day." He explained his head in one hand.
Sting visibly pouted, shoulders sagging. "How about I come get food and you eat lunch with me then? When do you get to eat?"
Rogue shook his head. No that wouldn't be good... Then they'd just get closer. It would feel like a date to Rogue. And he wasn't ready for that.
His red eyes glanced over to his garbage can in the room. "Shit!” he said out loud and scrambled to hide the box that was sitting on top.
Sting frowned more. "What about breakfast?" He asked, only to be startled by Rogue's scrambling. "I mean, if you don't wanna be seen out with me, I get it. I'm not goth and shit and that'd probably ruin your image..." He sighed loudly.
"NO! I mean it's not that... I just... "Rogue trailed off. Now was the time he'd have to tell him the truth. He was hiding the box behind his back when he moved to place it in Sting's hand. It was a box of black hair dye. "I... Have to tell you something...."he trailed off, looking at the floor, his bangs covering his face.
"Hey this is an awesome shade, Rogue." He held it up beside his best friend/crush. "The blue in it is nice." Sting was clueless to the real reason. The blonde frowned, seeing Rogue's posture.
"You're clueless..." Rogue rolled his eyes as he spoke low. " I dye my hair black, I don't go out during the day, I'm pale as fuck! Can't you see I'm not who you think I am!" Rogue, frustrated, yelled at his roommate. Someone he felt like he couldn't live without for some reason.
"Even if you're a vampire, you're still the man I love... Fuck!" Sting was scarlet as Rogue's eyes, and his blue eyes were wide. Shit, not only had he said his suspicion but confessed all at once! The blonde took a step back, ready to go hide forever.
Rogue paused and stared at the other red eyes wide. He decided to ignore the fact the idiot thought he was a vampire and cut to the chase. "Did you.... Just say you l-love me?” Rogue had never felt this way about anyone before. He wasn't sure he knew what love was. He had identified himself as asexual/aromantic but ever since meeting Sting he wasn't so sure what he was. There was a slight blush on his pale cheeks. What should he say back?
Sting stopped, looking right into Rogue's eyes. He saw the flush of pink, wait was Rogue blushing?! "Y-yeah... Since like forever." He confessed, looking down at the floor. "It's why I keep trying to get you to eat and stuff..." He trailed off.
"I... Think I… like you..." Rogue blushed a little more looking away from the blonde. "But I'm not a vampire you idiot." He added rolling his eyes and looking back up at Sting.
"Are you sure?! Cause that would be pretty fucking hot." Sting replied, completely serious.
He grabbed Rogue's hands in his own. "So can we get food together now? You can eat normal food since you're not a vampire!"
"I... I guess why not..." Rogue decided to let the 'blissful idiot' keep on believing whatever he wanted. It wouldn't be easy explaining to Sting that he was albino anyway. "If we go to my work we get a discount." Rogue offered with a small smile, not trying to free his hands all.
"That's even better!" He said, his fingers ending up linked with Rogue's. Sting was surprised that Rogue's hands were so warm.
Rogue's smile grew even more a little. Why was this idiot so... Cute? He had never called anyone that before. Maybe he'd have to give a relationship a try.
"Shouldn't we get dressed first?” he pointed out as they were both in just boxers and a t-shirt.
"oh, right." He said, a grin on his face. The blonde did smile a lot, but the grin he gave Rogue was different, new. It had legit happiness behind it, instead of his usual arrogant expression.
"Hold on, I have to see if i have any clean clothes..."
Rogue shook his head but with the smile still on his face. He felt... Giddy? Was that the word? He wasn't sure the weird fluttering in the pit of his stomach was. It was both scary yet exciting.
Rogue pulled on a pair of black skinny jeans and pulled his hair up into a ponytail. He stood in the common room waiting for Sting.
Sting came tripping out of his room a couple minutes later in a different T-shirt that had a dragon on the front, a gift last year from Rogue, and a pair of black jeans.
"Okay, let's go!" He paused, eyes falling on Rogue and those wonderful skinny jeans.
"what are you staring at?" Rogue asked, he always felt uneasy when Sting did that. He thought of himself as ugly looking. At least dying his hair helped make him feel a little better.
"How the hell did you get those jeans on?" He asked, since they seemed to be painted on. His own jeans were loose fit, completely opposite Rogue's. The blonde walked over to Rogue fully, and brushed a bit of loose hair out of Rogue's eyes.
Rogue felt the urge to punch him and walk away for touching him and for Sting's comment. Then he realized he was only trying to compliment him. No one's done that before so he didn't know how to react. "I... Huh... Let's go." Rogue said and promptly headed towards the door.
Sting *really* wanted to throw himself at Rogue and smother him with affection, but he didn't think Rogue would like that very much, even if the crimson eyed man liked, or rather tolerated, it in Sting's daydreams. He was content to tag along, eyeballing the Goth's hand for holding.
Rogue kept glancing back at Sting. When he realized what he wanted he almost unnoticeably moved his hand for Sting to take.
Sting linked two fingers around Rogue's last two, a smile on his face as he tagged along. The pair must have been quite a sight, as different as night and day, walking hand in hand toward the burger joint.