NaLu: The OTP to Rule Them All

THIS IS REAL THE END

1-5: steal 6-10: consume 11-15: master 16-20: battle with 21-25: hoard 26-31: transform into

I can 1000% guarantee that someone has flailed and gushed and swooned over at least one of your fics because it spoke to something in them.

You have connected with more people than you know and you should be completely proud of yourselves.

“what are you writing?”

“it’s a….story.”

“oh cool, what’s it about?”

“…uh…”

A/N: FINALLY wrote this. Based on my friend’s present for her husband. Her story was a lot less cute and a lot more hilarious.

“It’s a luxury item, that’s all I’ll say,” Rogue said simply but then added, “A very famous brand too. I know you’ll love it.”

Sting stared at him with huge eyes, desperately trying to catalog what kind of present it could be given the hint. Rogue chuckled a bit at the childish expression, with the corner of his lip tucked beneath one canine and spiky hair fluffed up wildly, since he hadn’t bothered to comb it yet. Rogue, on the other hand, was a morning person, and he was completely dressed and ready for the day with a cup of black coffee in hand for him and some creamed coffee in the other for Sting.

Celebrating Christmas was a rather new tradition for both them and the guild as a whole, and Sting’s excitement at the holiday was infectious and cheering. And, for the first time ever, Rogue did not have to roll his partner out of bed with a hefty shove or wake him up with a bullhorn. His sleep crusted eyes were rubbed and his body out of the bed and in motion before he even full woke up, bouncing towards the living room.

“And you can’t do it alone,” Rogue dropped another hint, unable to help himself, hiding a smile behind his coffee cup rim. “You’ll need me to help.”

“Like hell I will,” Sting grunted back, zeroing in on said box and picking it up to shake it. The insides clattered around at the rough treatment, making Rogue glad it wasn’t a fragile luxury brand item like jewelry. “It’s my present.”

Sting abruptly dropped it, zooming to the other side of the tree and snatching up a familiar looking box. He thrust it unceremoniously at Rogue, forcing him to juggle the coffee before setting both mugs down to save his shirt. Slowly picking up the box, he wondered what Sting had gotten him. When asked, he’d said he didn’t need anything, because he didn’t. He could buy most anything he wanted – as little as that was – and just being in the presence of an overly excited Sting was entertaining and reward enough to make him want to participate in this holiday without anything extra.

“Socks?”

He took it back. He had been expecting something at least a little more glamorous and heartfelt from the other man than socks.

“Yup. You said you needed some when you were doing the laundry the other day, remember?” Sting beamed. “They’re even plain and boring, just the way you like them.”

Rogue suddenly didn’t regret his teasing and hype of his gift.

“Annnnnddddd… I got you this! It’s really for Frosch, but since you’re such a stick in the mud and harder than hell to buy for, I got your Exceed the coolest present ever, for you! And for the little one too of course.”

Sting produced a gift basket crammed haphazardly with all of Frosch’s favorite things and bent down to set it at the little Exceed’s level. The happy cry was enough to melt Rogue’s heart and earn his forgiveness for the sock betrayal.

“Hey, what about me, Sting?”

“I didn’t forget you either, little buddy. Here!”

Sting, barely holding himself together at that point, didn’t even wait for Lector’s thank you before exploding back towards his present. Snatching it up, he proceeded to shred the wrapping paper, sending confetti of green, gold and red paper onto the floor carelessly.

“A…lego set?”

“Y-yes, you like luxury SE cars and puzzles, so I got you a model for us to work on together. For your office.”

“Rogue, this has 1187 pieces…”

“I know.”

“And a 185 page instruction manual.”

“I know.”

“Awwww, if you wanted to spend time with me that badly, you could’ve just asked!” Sting yelled, grabbing him up in a crushing hug. Rogue sputtered, turning bright red at how transparent his present had been. He really thought it was being sneaky about it. Sometimes it was hard to get the guildmaster all to himself. Sting let go, ripping open the box and dumping all the pieces out on the table, “Let’s start now!”

“Sting! That’s not how you start a model!”

“Whatever. You grab two pieces and see if they fit together! Stop making it so damn hard!”

“No, look, there’s an instruction booklet.”

Sting zapped it, “Not anymore! Quit being a baby.”

“Sting! You better hope we can figure this out now! It’s was fucking expensive, and so help me, if you just destroyed the key to putting it together…”

The two were still yelling at each other, shoulder to shoulder, when the rest of the guild came to find them, wondering why they were two hours late to the morning celebration.

1. How she just tappin random buttons in the beginning

2. How she says “I am confusion”

Word count - 1456

Lucy hated the holiday season. She understood that for many, it was a time to be spent with family and loved ones, where presents were shared and memories were made. But in her household, not much changed from regular routine. She was still ignored largely by her father, whom during the Christmas season, was even more busy than usual, and while she was sent multitudes of presents from suitors across the country, not one person had bothered to wish her a Merry Christmas, apart from the staff, whom after tonight, would return to their homes for their holiday leave. And, of course, there was the holiday ball. An annual event held in the Heartfilia mansion, where wealthy business owners from across the country travelled to celebrate their yearly successes. Only the highly esteemed and wealthy were allowed to attend, and it was the most formal of festivities. Lucy stood in the corner, a glass of sparkling champagne in her hand, as she stared aimlessly at the crowd that had gathered in their ballroom that evening. Clad in a ball gown of navy blue - the bodice of which was adorned with small crystals which provided the illusion of the night sky, the skirt draping down to the tiled floors - she observed how the guests chatted happily amongst themselves, discussing dull topics including the weather and other dreary affairs. The hall had been decorated grandly; fairy lights were hung delicately from every banister, eggnog and pudding were beautifully arranged on the table and were being served by the kitchen staff, and various ornaments hung from the towering Christmas tree, which overlooked the hall from the back of the room. Every once in a while, her solitude would be interrupted by men, of which their names she couldn’t remember, most of them potential suitors, as they kissed her hand and whispered sultry remarks in her ear. She took a sip from her glass and sighed. She’d much rather be in her room at this moment, lost in a good book, instead of having to deal with these men, leering over her as if she were a piece of meat. Did they not know that she was much, much younger than most of them? She’d only just turned eighteen for heaven’s sake. She was still, practically, a minor. Lucy continued scanning the room, looking for some idle way to cease her boredom, when she noticed her father approaching her. She grunted to herself, but quickly put up a small smile to hide her annoyance. When he was close, she noticed that he was not alone.