Hello!

This is my first FT fic ever and it's not very good, so please be understanding.

This is first story of (possibly)seven and it could be regarded a bit like a prologue. I put there not much of real StingYu, I mostly focused on Lector. But next chapters will be better, I promise.

So... Let's just enjoy this awesome StingYuWeek!

Prompt: Lector

Summary: Lector realizes that something's up between Yukino and Sting. He has no idea how to find himself in this situation. He's afraid of being pushed into the background.

Timeline: between Tartaros arc and Avatar arc

Beta Reader: best of the best, ostara-san

Fairy Tail belongs to Hiro Mashima and owner of the image is Arya-Aiedail.

"Yukino is back!"

Sting immediately looked up from the papers he was contemplating when he heard Frosch's cheerful voice. Rogue and a few other guild members who were near to him just rolled their eyes while he bestirred himself to be the first to greet her.

"The world wouldn't collapsed if someone else had asked her about literally every detail of her mission" said Minerva ironically.

"I'm a guild master. It is my obligation to greet her!" replied Sting quickly.

"But you never greet me!" said Orga indignantly. He remembered his guild master always greeted him with just 'Oh, you're back?', only giving him about five seconds of his attention.

But Sting wasn't going to listen to him. Instead, already in the middle of his sentence, he was next to Yukino, greeting her and helping with her luggage. And even if her mission wasn't interesting at all (it was about working on some magical books), Sting listened to her story as if she had at least defeated a herd of golems.

"This two definitely have a thing going." Rogue smiled, while stamping one of the documents with their guild sign.

"Fro thinks so, too!"

"I remember... it's lasted for some time." said Rufus.

"Geez... Why can't they just confess and stop playing like this?" sighed Orga, crossing his arms.

"Our master is a little helpless with certain things. Well, so is Yukino." Said Minerva. Recognizing that the conversation was over, she just walked away.

Lector hadn't said a single word about his best friend's feelings for the Celestial Mage. In truth, it was a big surprise for him. He knew that Sting and Yukino were quite close, but he didn't expected it was that close. And he didn't enjoy it at all. But it wasn't something like he didn't like Yukino. Just the opposite - he really liked her, and he was happy when she returned to the guild. But Lector didn't want her to be with Sting and... take him away. He didn't suspect her to have any bad intentions, but he knew it was inevitable. It was typical for this kind of relationship. When two people are together, suddenly they want to spend every moment together, and they can't see the rest of world, and…

And Lector definitely didn't want it. He remembered how close he was close to Sting. He didn't want anyone to take his place. He was afraid if things were to go too far between Sting and Yukino, then Eucliffe won't have any time for him. He didn't want to be a fifth wheel.

"Is something wrong, Lector?" Asked Rogue. "You don't look fine..."

"Fro thinks so, too!"

"Eh? No, it's nothing..." Lector gave a fake laugh while he was rubbing the back of his head. He couldn't tell Rogue and Frosch about his dark thoughts. He had to do it by himself.

Quite simply, Lector's plan consisted of ensuring that Sting had so much work to do that he wouldn't have any time to make advances towards Yukino. Of course, he tried to do it discreetly, so that the guild master wouldn't realize it... And, somehow, he made it. Sting was busy all the time, explaining mostly non-existent misunderstandings between guild members and filling out paperwork which Lector was hiding so that they never lacked things to do.

But there was a side effect.

Sting didn't had any time for missions, so Rogue had to do them alone. That's why he and Frosch were more outside the guild than in. Completion missions alone took more time when Rogue did it alone rather than with someone. Lector couldn't spend time with them and Sting like always, so he feel a little lonely. In fact, he could spent time with other guild's members and he tried to do it, but nothing could be compared with spending time with Sting.

Lector pretty quickly started to consider his decision as wrong. At the beginning, he was sure that if he was able to deprive Sting from developing his relationship with Yukino, Sting would have time for him. But it turned out that he didn't even have time even for fooling around with him. But still, Sting didn't reject him what he would do if he felt in love. So it should be somehow good.

"Is everything okay, Lector-sama?"

Lector raised his head when he heard Yukino's voice. It looks like she was worried about him. He couldn't help but smile. She was always so kind…

"Why are you here? I thought you are with Sting-sama." She said. Lector noticed a stack of papers in her hands. No matter what, Yukino had always been ready to help Sting. Even if she didn't have to do it, even if he didn't required her to do it, even if during this time she could do a million better things, she was just sitting in guild's main hall and (often with Rogue) filling out paperwork for Sting.

Honestly... How couldn't I have noticed it earlier? Lector thought.

"Well, I was just about to go to him." Said Lector, jumping off from the table where he was sitting.

"Great! So we can go together."

Lector did not mind. Despite his plan about Sting and Yukino, he still really liked the Celestial Spirit Mage. Yukino was nice, often smiled, kind to everyone, worried about everyone and never refused to help. She was a good person. And that's why in that moment Lector felt really stupid, while he was thinking about how badly he treated her and Sting. Unconsciously, but still.

"You're the best, Yukino! I don't know what I'd do without you..."

"It's nothing, Sting-sama. Just remember, you can ask me for help whenever you need it."

"I know, I know... If the truth be told, no one else in this guild does as much for me as you. Bastards! They shouldn't just passively look at the suffering of their beloved master!"

Lector just stood and stared on this conversation between Sting and his probable love interest. Theoretically, it was just a friendly conversation, but only a complete idiot wouldn't see something more in this. The way that Sting was looking at Yukino from the moment she entered. Her smile, which she definitely gave only to him. Slow gestures of handling and receiving the documents - it was like they wanted to just extend that moment. It was impossible to overlook that something was definitely happening.

Lector didn't even notice when his eyes flowed with tears.

"I've done something horrible, right?" He sobbed, right after Yukino left the room. Sting raised his eyebrows in surprise, instantly focusing all your attention on his feline comrade. "I tried to stand in the way of your happiness. True friends don't do such a things, right? True friends support each other no matter what. I'm really not good buddy..."

"I don't exactly know what's going on, but it isn't the truth. You're really good friend, Lector!" Said Sting, standing up from the desk and crouching down in front of the Exceed. He had no idea what was going on and what he should do with this. How much he missed after those tons of paperwork?

"Sting-kun..." continued Lector, "if you are happy, I am too! So don't hesitate when you will have an opportunity to achieve your own happiness! Because no matter what, I will support you! Always!"

"Um... Okay!"

It should be added that Sting had never known the true meaning of this conversation...