Disclaimer: I have never and will never own Fairy Tail, but if I did we'd see a lot more of Gildarts and Ultear.
Love at First… Punch?
The first time he sees her, she is sitting at a bar talking with Mira and a little pink-haired teenage girl. They're laughing about something and her smile lights up her face. Her black hair is held away from her face by a white headband with two cute little bows on either side.
He was sure it was love at first sight (He knows he's said this before, but this time he means it).
He approaches her and…
"Gildarts! FIGHT ME!" he hears Natsu holler. Out of the corner of his eyes he sees Natsu running towards him, a wide grin splitting his face, and his arm (complete with a flaming fist) is pulled back ready to punch him. Sighing, Gildarts effortlessly blocks the incoming punch before bringing his other arm around in a counterattack that sends Natsu flying into the wall.
"You win" is all Natsu can get out before he passes out.
His guildmates are all laughing, and he allows himself a smile at Natsu's antics before turning his attention back to the raven-haired beauty. She's alone now. Mira has moved to talk to Laxus, while the pinkette has started a conversation with Fried, Lisanna, and Bixlow.
He sidles up to her and introduces himself with a charming grin "I'm Gildarts. Gildarts Clive." She stares at him as if deciding how to get rid of him, and Gildarts feels his pride take a hit, but he quickly recovers. "And your name is…"
She sighs, but reluctantly grabs his outstretched hand "I'm Ultear Milkovich."
He sits down next to her, but she's gone back to ignoring him. Another hit. Damn. He tries again anyway. "Did you just join Fairy Tail? I haven't seen you around here before."
"Look. Mr. Clive. – "
"Please, call me Gildarts" he interrupts
"– I just want to drink in peace." Her words are blunt and the meaning is clear: Please leave me the hell alone. Gildarts can tell she's getting irritated now, but he can't throw in the towel just yet. He still has some tricks up his sleeve after all.
"Ok."
She thinks he's given up, but when he makes no move to leave, she impatiently turns to him "I thought you were leaving."
"Nah, this chair's comfy so I'm gonna stick around for a little. But don't worry I won't talk to ya." He grins cheerfully at her. But she huffs and turns back to her drink, intent on ignoring him
"Mira, I'd like a beer please!" He calls out to the barmaid. He sticks to his promise though, and gradually he sees her relax. Every once and a while he catches her glancing at him from the corners of her eyes, but he just smiles into his drink and waits for curiosity to get the better of her.
Soon enough, she blurts out "Why are you still here?"
"Why would I leave such a pretty woman alone?" If he looks carefully, he thinks he can see a faint blush on her cheeks, and for a moment he feels a surge of triumph.
"Haven't I made it clear I don't want to talk to you?!" Oops his mistake – the blush was actually an angry flush. Maybe it's about time he made a strategic retreat…
"I apologize." He's completely defeated now, his posture slumped and gloomy and utterly depressed. Ultear can't help but think he looks like a kicked puppy.
"Wait… I'msorry. I didn't mean to be so rude. I'm part of the guild Crime Sorciere, and Meredy and I are just here accompanying Jellal."
He gives her a blank stare so she elaborates, "You asked me earlier if I was new to Fairy Tail."
His expression clears and he flashes another grin at her, and maybe she finds it just a little bit charming (only a little bit, though). Perhaps her day is looking up she thinks as she tentatively returns the smile.
Ha ha! Yes, I got her to smile, he thinks before a loud ruckus draws his attention to the front of the guild. The source is a large man – a large, angry man. There's a sobbing woman clutching his arm, trying to calm him down or trying to restrain him – or maybe it's both – but it's obviously not working. Meanwhile, his guildmates are trying to calm him down and find out why he's at Fairy Tail, but their efforts are proving just as ineffective as the poor woman who came with him.
"WHERE IS HE?! WHERE IS GILDARTS CLIVE!" he knows where this is going, but he can't leave his guildmates alone to deal with his mess.
"That's me. What can I do for you" he's vaguely aware that Ultear has followed him.
"YOU! You Defiled my sister! now take responsibility!" the man's face is purple with rage, and if looks could kill Gildarts is sure he'd be dead a hundred times over. However, before he can reply, he sees the man pull his arm back in preparation for a punch.
Gildarts lets the punch hit him in the stomach, barely winded by the blow. This enrages the man even more and he picks up the first thing he can find – a chair. Gildarts is rapidly losing his patience, but he finds himself saying "Please calm down, and let's talk like rational adults."
At this point, the man is so blinded by rage that he doesn't realize his aim is a little off. Gildarts, finally fed up, intercepts the chair before it can find its target, Ultear. He's more than a little irritated, and he has realized there will be no reasoning with the man. He puts just enough force into his punch to knock the guy out before he hurts anyone (or himself). He turns his attention to the young woman. Her sobbing has calmed down, but her eyes are still teary.
"This must have been a tough day for you, huh? Why don't you go home and come back tomorrow if you want to talk things out." He smiles his most charming grin at her, the one that won her over in the first place (he's finally recognized her). Stunned, the woman can only nod her head. Out of the corner of his eye he sees a flash of familiar pink hair.
"Natsu, can you please carry her brother home." He turns back to Ultear, and smiles like a man didn't just try to kill him, and his sexual exploits weren't just broadcasted to the entire city.
"Where were we?" He sees an eyebrow twitch. Uh oh. She's too fast and before he knows it, he's joined the unconscious man on the floor.
Sometimes love sucks.
A/N: And I thought Cana was hard to write. I know these kinds of stories are usually oneshots, but I couldn't stop writing the first bit, so now it's gonna be a six-chapter ficlet.
Like always, please review, and let me know if there is anything you didn't like.