Let Your Heart Be Light

O-o

"Guys, I just got a call from Minerva," Yukino spoke softly not wanting Sting to possibly overhear her words. "We need to keep Sting here until we hear from her."

"I thought Rogue had some special thing planned?" Dobengal reminded her.

"He did, but he messed up, and Minerva went over to help," Yukino explained.

They all nodded in understanding, out of all of them Minerva was really the only one you should let near a stove. The way Rogue told it, Sting had started as many kitchen fires as Natsu Dragneel.

"So what are we supposed to do?"

"We might not have to do anything, he's been working hard these past few weeks but if he makes any move to leave we'll just have to stall him."

They all sat around trying to think of what they could do if that happened, so caught up in their plots that they almost missed Sting walking past them.

"Master Sting!" Dobengal exclaimed much louder than was necessary.

Sting turned with a flinch as his ears were assaulted by the noise. "What is it, Dobengal?"

"I need to give you my report for my last mission," Dobengal blurted out.

"Just leave it on my desk, I want to get home early today," Sting turned around and continued to walk towards the doors.

Dobengal teleported himself ahead of him, "No, you don't understand. It didn't go well, there was uhm a lot of destruction. The Rune Knights said they would have to contact the Magic Council and.."

"Okay okay," Sting sighed in defeat, "Let's go back to my office."

O-o

"Thank goodness you're here," Rogue burst open the door as soon as he smelled Minerva near.

"Calm down, we're fine," Minerva assured the nervous mage. "Why are you so nervous anyway? You guys live together."

"Today is our anniversary," Rogue informed her with another smile, "And ever since Sting became Guild Master we barely get to see each other."

"Ahh, that's nice, congratulations!" Minerva went to hug her friend but stopped herself after she remembered how possessive dragon slayers were about their significant others. Today was about them celebrating their love, she didn't want to cause a fight.

She looked at the mess Rogue had made in the kitchen and snorted hiding it behind a cough. "Alright, you clean up the mess you made, and I'll start prepping the ingredients."

They got to work, Minerva asking Rogue to turn on the music lacrima. Soon they were humming along as they went about their tasks.

O-o

Sting listened to Dobengal in disbelief as the Rainbow Beam mage told him what had happened. He didn't even remember Dobengal taking this mission, to be honest, the story he was telling him sounded almost like something Team Natsu would have managed. That was not good news for him, that meant damages would have to be paid out of their small coffers and reports would have to be filled for the Magic Council. With a sigh, Sting got the necessary paperwork out, and they began to fill it out together.

With that out of the way, Sting once again left his office determined to get home this time. He once again passed the table where his mages were sitting drinking away the afternoon, missing the signal Dobengal gave them.

All of a sudden he heard Yukino burst into tears, he stopped and tried to convince himself to keep moving, but he knew it was a lost cause. Yukino was his friend, and if she was upset, he had to see if he could help.