Hello, people! Nightlingbolt here! Welcome to my semi-new project!

So I guess you're all wondering what this is. Well, I'm having some doubts about keeping Sting as Lucy's love interest for this story, which I do want to get back to. So I basically rewrote the first chapter of Figuring It Out to fit Rogue rather than Sting. I'll explain my reasons later in the story, but I just wanted to get some input on the matter. If people prefer Rogue to Sting, then I'll keep this up. If not, I'll continue the story as it is with Sting. With that said, enjoy the chapter!

I do not own Fairy Tail or its characters, Hiro Mashima does.

Lucy Heartfilia was having a perfect night. She had completed a mission by herself, she could pay her rent for the next two months, and to top it all off, her boyfriend had been waiting at the station with an invitation to dinner. Said boyfriend was currently lying in bed with her.

Two months had passed since the conclusion of the Grand Magic Games and the aversion of her future self's prophecy of Fiore's apocalypse. During that time, Lucy had rediscovered a young boy whose life she had unknowingly changed, now a top member of the Sabertooth guild by the name of Rogue Cheney.

Being from rival guilds was a challenge for her and Rogue, but they had managed to cope in the short time they were together. About once a month, Rogue would find some mission in or close to Magnolia, complete it without incident, and spend a few days with Lucy before returning to Sabertooth.

While visiting, Rogue was free to go anywhere as long as he stayed away from Fairy Tail. Lucy knew just how protective her guildmates could be, especially Natsu and Erza, and she didn't want Rogue getting in any unnecessary fights. Rogue didn't care much for not being able to prove himself against Gajeel or Natsu, but he figured Lucy wanted to date a little longer before she was comfortable enough telling her nakama. They wouldn't accept him at first, but he knew Lucy would vouch that he wasn't as cruel as the rest of his guild.

Lucy woke up to Rogue nuzzling her neck. "Rogue... you're still awake?" she asked lazily.

"I tried going to sleep," said Rogue. "But your scent is keeping me awake. It's... intoxicating." With that, he kissed the nape of her neck.

"Ooooh... Rogue," cooed Lucy.

"Relax," said Rogue, roughly, yet tenderly. He started to use his tongue, causing Lucy to gasp in surprise, and eventually, pleasure. He used this distraction to massage Lucy's breast. That in itself earned him a moan. "Give in to me, my Treasure."

"Yesss..." moaned Lucy letting herself fall into the sensations. She trusted Rogue not to force her into anything she wasn't ready for, and to stop if she felt he was going too far. Still, Lucy encouraged him to push the envelope time and again.

A hand slipped under her nightgown onto her stomach. Lucy purred as Rogue's sharp nails scratched her tummy teasingly "Does this please you, Treasure?" asked Rogue.

"Yes... more...!" gasped Lucy.

Suddenly, the bedroom door flew open, and Natsu stormed in, loudly saying, "Lucy, you gotta help me with something!"

Lucy screamed, jerking away from Rogue before Natsu could comprehend what was going on. "Natsu, can't you see I'm with someone?" she yelled.

Natsu glared at the bed, and Lucy covered her mouth, realizing exactly what she had said. Needless to say, he was not pleased to see the Shadow Dragon of Sabertooth.

"Good evening," said Rogue, effortlessly hiding his nervousness. He knew the Salamander's strength all too well.

"What are you doing to Lucy, asshole?!" demanded Natsu angrily, his flaming fist lighting the room.

"Quiet. You'll wake Frosch," said Rogue.

"Answer the question!"

"Very well," said Rogue. "Until you barged in, I was pleasuring my girlfriend."

"Your WHAT?!" exclaimed Natsu.

"You heard me," said Rogue defiantly. "Or are you too stupid to know what the word means?"

"You-!"

Lucy grabbed her Flueve D'etoiles and whipped Natsu, then Rogue, swiftly and painfully. She smirked at the sharp cries of pain she drew out of them. "Now shut up, both of you!" she said dangerously.

"Aye," groaned Natsu.

"Yes, ma'am," said Rogue, wincing from the pain.

"Good," said Lucy. "Now, Natsu, you needed to talk to me about something?" Natsu nodded. "Rogue, go get a glass of water or something," Lucy ordered. "This sounds private."

Rogue sniffed the air. "Oh, it's very private," he said with distaste as he left the room.

Once Rogue was gone, Natsu glared at Lucy. "So that guy's your boyfriend?" he asked disapprovingly.

"I thought this was about you," said Lucy sternly. "Now what's this all about?"

Natsu sighed She was right, this was about him. "I had sex," he said. "With Erza."

Lucy's mouth hung open. Natsu? And Erza? Doing... that? "You had sex," she repeated.

"Yeah."

"With Erza."

"Yeah."

"When?"

"Tonight."

"Tonight?" Lucy's shock turned to anger. "You mean you left afterwards?"

"Um... yes?" replied Natsu nervously.

"So let me get this straight," demanded Lucy. "You and Erza had sex, and you didn't stay the night."

"Yes," said Natsu. If Erza didn't kill him, Lucy sure as hell would.

"How?" asked Lucy.

Natsu sighed. "Well, we just got back from our training trip, and she invited me up for a shower and a movie," he said.

"Wait, Erza let you into Fairy Hills?" asked Lucy. "I thought men weren't allowed there."

"They are as long as a resident invites them in, and even then they're only restricted to the host's dorm. The rule was mainly implemented to keep the guys from peeping," explained Natsu.

"But if a tenant invites a guy in willingly, that's a different story," Lucy concluded.

"Don't believe me? Ask Master Mavis!" said Natsu. "She made the rule!"

Lucy nodded. "So Erza invited you for a shower and a movie," she said. "Then what?"

"We decided on 'Special Punks,' which she said was the third Lacrima from the left, so I grabbed it, and when she activated it, it turned out to be 'Embers.' I went to stop it, but Erza said it was her favorite movie, so I pretty much said 'screw it' and settled in to watch it."

Lucy knew both those movies. "Special Punks" was your typical action movie, while "Embers" was flat-out romance, complete with a... sex scene! "So then what happened?"

"Late into the movie, Erza snuggled up to me, saying how the main character reminded her of me," said Natsu. "We kissed, I saw a flash, and next thing I knew, she Requipped into some sexy lingere. We kissed some more, off came the bra, and..."

"Easy, Natsu!" said Lucy suddenly. "I don't need a play-by-play!"

"Sorry," said Natsu. Both mages were blushing heavily.

"So how'd you leave it?" asked Lucy.

"I told her I needed to get home so Happy didn't start to worry," said Natsu. "She seemed to understand, but she still seemed upset with me."

"Well, she just had sex with you, and you didn't even bother to stay over," said Lucy dryly.

"I felt... awkward!" said Natsu. "I mean, I've wanted her ever since the Tower of Heaven, and all I could think about was finding some kind of sign that she wasn't about to kill me!"

"If what I know about Erza is accurate, she probably decided she wants to make you suffer before killing you," said Rogue from the doorway, two glasses of water in hand. He offered one to Lucy, who took it with a thank you.

"Oi! What about me?" demanded Natsu.

"Take mine," said Rogue. "I don't particularly need any." Natsu took the glass without a word.

"So what are you going to do?" asked Lucy. "I mean, you like her, right?

"Yeah," said Natsu.

"What about Erza? Does she like you?"

"She sure seemed to," said Natsu. "I'm gonna ask her tomorrow."

"Oh, no! You're gonna ask her more than that!" said Lucy forcefully.

"What am I gonna ask her?"

"You're gonna ask her out, dumbass!" said Lucy. "You know. On a date?"

"A date?" exclaimed Natsu.

"Of course!" said Lucy. "You obviously like her, and if you want her to like you back, you need to make what you did tonight mean something! Get it?"

"Got it!"

"Doubt it," quipped Rogue.

"Good," said Lucy. "Now get your sorry butt home before Erza tracks you here and kills me because she thinks you're seeing me!"

"Aye!" said Natsu hastily. Lucy was scary, especially when fearing Erza's wrath. He downed his water, opened the window to jump out, but stopped short, remembering something.

"By the way, you still need to explain him," said Natsu, pointing at Rogue. With that, he jumped out the window.

With Natsu gone, Rogue looked at Lucy. "I assume I've been cockblocked?" he asked.

"Pretty much," said Lucy. "Natsu's my best friend, but he's very tiring, especially when he gets all overprotective. I'll make it up to you tomorrow, Rogue Good night." She kissed Rogue on the lips, then sunk back into her previous position and shut her eyes, making a note to pester Natsu until he finally settled things with Erza.

And there you go. Figuring It Out, as written with Rogue.

There's going to be a poll on my profile asking who you prefer with Lucy for this story. Whoever wins will be the focus for the rest of the fic. The poll will close as soon as the Rogue version catches up to the Sting version, so... I'd say about a month, maybe even less.

So that's pretty much everything. Until next time, peace and love from Nightlingbolt.