the noise of the arena thrummed in your chest like a second heart.

fairy tail and sabertooth facing each other once again.

you crossed your arms, feeling his gaze before you even saw him.

“are you going to keep staring or are you actually going to fight?”

sting’s voice came laced with that same provocative tone as always. when you turned your head, he was already smiling — that confident, beautiful, irritating smile.

“unlike you, i don’t need to strike a pose to get attention.”

golden eyes gleamed.

it was always like this.

since the first day of the games.

since his arrogant comment calling fairy tail a decaying guild.

since the first time you fired back at him properly.

you almost never exchanged anything that wasn’t a taunt… and yet you could never stop searching for each other in the middle of the crowd. even when you fought in different arenas. even for no reason at all.

that day’s match placed both of you as the main event.

when your name echoed through the stadium, fairy tail exploded into cheers behind you. natsu was yelling something, lucy waved like you were heading into war, and erza gave you that silent look of pride.

on the other side, all of sabertooth roared for sting.

he stepped into the arena like the world belonged to him.

and damn it… he looked good like that.

“you’re not running away this time, right, fairy?”

“only if you beg.”

“in your dreams.”

the signal was given.

magic exploded.

white light against yours, the impact cracking the ground. the crowd disappeared. the sound disappeared. all that existed was him — fast, strong, annoyingly good.

and smiling.

as if fighting you were the best part of his day.

you lunged again and, when your magics collided, he appeared too close. close enough for you to feel his breath.

“you’ve gotten better.”

low. no audience. no provocation.

the first sentence that wasn’t a challenge.

you hesitated.

mistake.

he used the opening and slammed you to the ground — without hurting you. his hands held your wrists for a second longer than necessary, golden eyes locked on yours.

“don’t lose focus.”

“then stop talking.”

“can’t.”

the world came rushing back with the roar of the crowd.

you shoved him away with magic and jumped back, your heart racing too fast to be just from the fight.

a draw.

officially.

but the tension remained.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀💕

that night, you stepped out to get some air — and found exactly who you wanted to avoid.

“knew you’d run from the celebration.”

sting leaned against the wall beside you.

no audience. no guilds.

just him.

“came to provoke me?”

“no… to compliment you.”

you blinked.

“you’re strong. you always were.”

the sincerity shattered any ready-made response.

the silence felt different from the rivalry in the arena — heavy, warm.

“when the games are over, we won’t have a reason to fight anymore.”

“who said we need a reason?”

his smile changed. softer.

one step. then another.

“is that an invitation?”

“don’t get excited.”

he laughed, his hand brushing against yours.

“we’re still enemies.”

“only in the arena.”

his eyes dropped to your lips.

“and outside of it?”

you grabbed him by the collar.

the kiss started like all your clashes — intense, competitive — and then melted into something far too warm to be hatred.

when you pulled apart, his forehead rested against yours.

“this is going to be trouble,” sting murmured, smiling.

“a lot.”

“can’t wait.”

sting believes that love isn’t about being “good enough,” but about being each other’s home.

and without a doubt, he feels at home with you.

he doesn’t make grand speeches (though he actually talks quite a bit); he shows it.

his gaze grows steady, his touch more present, his voice low — meant only for you, filled with sincerity.

and if he ever had to say it out loud for everyone to hear, he clearly would.

sting truly hates it when you hide what you feel.

even if he isn’t the most delicate with words, he tries hard to make you feel safe.

he notices everything — the way your mood shifts, how your eyes avoid his, even the silence you try to disguise.

he’s not the kind of boyfriend who asks directly; he gets closer slowly, as if trying to warm the air before touching the subject.

sometimes he’ll come up with some silly excuse, just to see how you react.

and if your reaction isn’t the same as usual (even if you try to fake it), he’ll know.

he wouldn’t even be able to explain how, but somehow your scent changes — and let’s not even talk about your expressions.

everything about you becomes more noticeable to him, as if his senses are tuned only to you.

you couldn’t say why, but that day felt heavier.

the laughter echoing through the guild hall didn’t seem to reach you. sting was there, as always — smiling, confident, surrounded by eyes that admired him.

and you, sitting quietly, wondered why someone like him was with you.

he’s sabertooth’s master… handsome, strong, radiant. and me…?

the thought almost brought tears to your eyes.

you thought you were being discreet, but the white dragon’s eyes were sharp — especially when it came to you.

he approached, leaning against the counter beside you, his arm brushing against yours.

“you’re too quiet today,” he said lightly, though the seriousness in his gaze gave him away.

you tried to smile, faintly, almost sniffling.

“just... thinking.”

“about what?” he tilted his head, and before you could answer, his finger was under your chin, gently making you face him.

“i just…” you sighed, eyes low. “sometimes i think you deserve someone better.”

for a moment, the air disappeared. sting blinked, as if he couldn’t believe what he’d heard. then he let out a soft laugh — not mocking, just the kind that slips out when someone says something unthinkable.

“you’re kidding, right?” he murmured, pressing his forehead against yours. “i thought you were the best part of my life.”

“look at me,” he said gently. “i used to be the kind of guy who thought he was invincible — until i met you. you balance me out, you know? you remind me that it’s possible to be strong and kind at the same time.”

his words came warm, like sunlight breaking through clouds.

he pulled you into a hug, and the world fell silent.

“don’t start with that ‘not good enough’ talk,” he whispered into your hair. “if anyone should be wondering that, it’s me.”

before you could reply, he kissed the top of your head.

“now, let’s stop with those thoughts, yeah?” — his grin returned, soft and bright. “i’ll prove every day just how amazing you are to me.”

the atmosphere of the grand magic games seemed to vibrate with every step you, natsu, lucy, and happy took through the hallways. the entire guild was in a frenzy, and even you, used to fairy tail’s chaos, felt that good, nervous flutter in your stomach.

the air smelled of magic, of adrenaline… and of expectation.

then you all turned the corner to return to your seats and came face-to-face with them.

sting eucliffe, rogue cheney, and frosch.

sabertooth.

natsu stopped in the middle of the path, flashing that competitive grin you knew well, greeting the other guild’s members in his friendly way.

lucy sighed and greeted them too, happy gave an excited “aye!”, waving to the other exceed.

you looked confident, greeting them without a hint of disdain, but the moment you passed by, a chill ran down your spine. you froze for a second.

it could have been some trick of gray tossing little particles of ice around, but actually, it was a look.

the look of the blonde from sabertooth, locked onto you as if he had just found something he didn’t even know he was looking for.

sting was his name, and he lifted his chin, his smile growing— a confident, provocative smile that suddenly lost half its arrogance when his eyes stopped on yours.

he looked you over far too quickly to be discreet.

and for the first time, sabertooth’s dragon slayer was… speechless.

“well, look who it is, the famous fairy tail, huh?”, his voice carried that exaggerated confidence, but his eyes weren’t on natsu.

not on lucy, not even on happy.

they were on you. only on you.

you crossed your arms, staring back at him with a mix of curiosity and… something far too warm to be just rivalry.

“and you must be sting eucliffe.”

“in the flesh,” he grinned even more.

then he bit his lip and looked away for half a second, as if struggling to keep his posture.

natsu noticed immediately.

“what are you looking at?”

“nothing that concerns you, ‘salamander’,” but his voice wavered on the last word.

because you had smiled — just a little — watching the two of them bicker.

and sting simply froze.

as if trying to memorize that smile of yours forever.

rogue watched silently, frosch waved a little paw.

“frosch thinks sting is blushing.”

sting coughed, almost choking on air.

lucy held back a laugh and happy threw out his famous: “ohohoho~~ someone’s in love!”

you felt your face warm up.

sting took a step forward — and when he spoke, it was only to you:

“what’s your name? i’ve never seen you in this noisy guild,”

his voice was low, almost sweet, completely different from the arrogance he had shown seconds ago.

you told him your name.

he repeated it, tested the sound, and liked it far too much.

“so… you’re a dragon slayer too, right?”, the question came filled with fascination, not competition.

“yes.”

“huh… explains a lot,” he smiled, but this time without any teasing.

it was gentle, drawn to you, almost vulnerable.

natsu tried to butt in again:

“hey! i don’t know what’s going on here, but get ready because fairy tail is gonna win!”

“you can try, salamander.”

sting only shifted his gaze enough to answer, but still sideways, still watching you.

as if you were the only one there who mattered.

and then he said — simple, direct, and dangerous:

“i’ll be waiting for you in the arena,” he paused. “and afterward too.”

his smile was slow, intentional, steady.

the kind of smile that made your chest warm.

and as he and rogue walked away, frosch kept waving at you.

sting looked over his shoulder one last time.

he didn’t say a word, but his eyes said everything.

“i saw you.

and i’m sure i won’t forget.”

then sting’s little cat, lector, flew onto his shoulder, staring at you with a charismatic smile.

ultear doesn’t show insecurity easily.

she is impeccable in posture, in emotional control, in that cold, elegant composure of hers.

so when she starts feeling insecure… she withdraws in subtle ways: speaks less, goes back to choosing every word carefully, seems one step away from pulling back altogether.

for most people, the change goes unnoticed.

or she simply starts blaming herself for everything, like when she used last aegis.

but to you? it’s as obvious as a storm rolling in.

the trigger, however, is often internal.

a random comment, a tiny mistake, someone mentioning her past.

sometimes, all it takes is seeing you laugh with someone else for a few minutes, and her mind already runs straight to the worst scenario.

it’s not jealousy — it’s fear of not being enough.

fear that you’ll realize “too late” that she doesn’t deserve someone as good as you.

she tries to hide it.

ultear hates looking weak.

so she becomes the master of emotional escape.

“i’m busy.”

“it’s just fatigue.”

“we can talk later.”

all said with a smile that’s a bit too calculated.

but her body gives her away.

her hand trembles a little before reaching for yours.

she looks away too quickly.

her touch becomes light, almost weightless, as if she’s afraid you might pull back.

when you ask what’s wrong…

she freezes.

literally holds her breath.

what comes next is always a half-broken, half-rehearsed confession:

“i just… don’t understand why someone like you would stay beside someone like me.”

ultear feels… “marked.”

no matter how much she’s changed, no matter her redemption, she always fears that you only see the scars.

fears that one day you’ll realize there are “better” people for you.

people without mistakes. without blood on their hands.

and that’s when you become her safe place.

you always speak gently.

ultear needs firmness, not harshness — she already punishes herself enough.

when you explain what you feel, when you hold her hand without hesitation, when you tell her she deserves love… it’s like melting years of ice built around her heart.

she melts. slowly, but completely.

she rests her forehead against yours, breathes deeply, tries to absorb every word.

her voice becomes softer, almost vulnerable:

“thank you… for not giving up on me.”

after that, ultear compensates.

she starts hugging you from behind more often.

holding your hand more firmly.

watching you with that warm, almost devoted gaze.

as if she keeps repeating in her mind:

“they chose me.”

but the insecurity comes back sometimes.

and that’s okay.

because ultear is learning, day after day, that relationships aren’t built on perfection.

and that you’re there for her. always.

not for the ultear of the past —

but for the ultear she allows herself to be with you.

the night was far too quiet.

you and ultear had spent the entire day on yet another mission with crime sorcière and were now resting in a small improvised shelter near a river. it was the kind of setting that usually soothed ultear — the sound of running water, the gentle wind rustling the trees, the intentional solitude she valued so much.

but tonight… something about her was off.

not enough for anyone else to notice.

but enough for you to sense immediately.

she had stepped a little away, sitting near the edge of the river, knees pulled close to her chest, staring at her own hand as if studying a memory that refused to fade. the moonlight lit her face, and for the first time since you started getting close, she looked… small.

not fragile.

just human (not that she wasn’t).

you approached slowly, sitting beside her.

ultear didn’t turn, but the tension in her shoulders told you everything.

“can i sit here?” you asked softly.

she gave a slight nod.

silence followed. long, tense, heavy.

ultear never talked when she was like this.

but you already knew this kind of quiet.

“ultear…” you said gently. “what’s going on?”

for a moment, she stayed rigid.

then something inside her simply… gave way.

she let out a breath she seemed to have been holding for hours, and only then did she look at you — and what you saw wasn’t coldness, nor calculation.

it was fear.

“you laughed so much with meredy today…” she murmured, barely audible. “and i realized that… nothing about me is as light as she is.”

you blinked, surprised.

ultear clasped her own hands, staring at her fingers.

“sometimes i really wonder… why you’re with me,” she said, voice gentle but wounded.

“i’m not easy. i’m not fun. i’m not… clean. i have a past that should scare any sane person away.”

she bit her lip, hesitating.

“and i’m afraid… that one day you’ll realize that.”

you moved closer without thinking, placing your hand over hers — and she froze, as if that touch was more powerful than any spell.

“ultear,” you said, firm but gentle.

“i’m not with you despite your past. i’m with you because you chose to change. because you fight every single day. and because you let me see who you truly are… even when you’re scared.”

her eyes glimmered in the moonlight — not from tears, but from pure emotion. a kind of vulnerability she showed to no one else.

“i’m not going anywhere,” you finished, giving her hand a soft squeeze.

for a moment, ultear remained completely still.

then she leaned into you, resting her forehead on your shoulder, her fingers gripping your shirt like she needed the contact to hold herself together.

“thank you…” she whispered, her voice fragile.

“you always say exactly what i need to hear.”

you smiled, slowly running a hand along the back of her neck, feeling the tension melt away.

she turned her face, resting her cheek against your collarbone, seeking more closeness than she would ever admit out loud.

“i get scared sometimes,” she confessed. “scared of feeling this much for you.”

“i feel a lot for you too,” you answered honestly. “but you don’t have to be afraid of that. i’m here.”

ultear breathed deeply, as if storing your words inside her chest.

then she lifted her face, meeting your eyes with an expression that was entirely hers — soft, intense, full of meaning.

she leaned closer, bringing her lips to yours, but stopping right before touching, like she was giving you the chance to pull back.

but you didn’t.

the kiss came slow, warm, careful.

full of the vulnerability she never allowed herself to show.

a silent request.

an even quieter promise.

and when she finally pulled back just a little, ultear rested her forehead against yours again.

“thank you for choosing me,” she said sincerely.

“today… and always.”