Sting Eucliffe walked through the guild halls of his guild with his exceed companion walking right beside him. They'd just finished a grueling training session — well Sting did anyway, Lector just observed Sting working himself until he could barely move.

It's been barely an hour since Sting finished and he felt better but the muscles on his legs hurt especially — he was genuinely shocked he made it this far. Maybe this was a good time to relax in the guild pool? He thought to himself, but then again this was Sabertooth — the only time someone could relax in that pool was if you were the only person in there.

Sting then examined the unusually quiet guild hall and he was surprised to see that most of his friends and comrades were missing from the hall. He figured they were probably out on a job or just elsewhere. However, it was definitely a busy month for jobs, he knew that very well — after all he'd been a lot of paper work about it lately.

He figured, because it was so quiet today that maybe today was the right day for a relaxing swim to help his aching muscles.

As Sting walked towards the chair that only he sat in, the odd few left in guild hall greeted him, as he did in return. They all seemed to be overly pleased with his presence, although he wasn't all that surprised anymore — he may not be perfect at being Sabertooth's master, but even he knew that he was a heck of a lot better than their previous one.

Sting grabbed the bag that he left there earlier this morning, knowing full well whether it was packed and rowdy or not, that he was going to swim today, and made his way towards the toilet area to change into his board shorts.
The impatient Lector didn't wait for him - instead Lector left him behind and ran straight for the pool. Today was a warm day, and for someone who was covered in fur, it was really quite bothersome.

When Sting stepped out of the toilets wearing nothing but his swimming trunks, he realized that his best friend had ran off already without him.
"Couldn't wait five seconds…" Sting muttered, although he wasn't particularly bothered by it.

Sting approached the cupboard where they kept spare towels and placed his outfit inside, not many knew did this but it was to ensure his clothes would be entirely dry when he needed them again. When Sting took a breath, his trusty nose picked up the sweet scent of Yukino. Sting didn't see her when he walked in though, maybe she just left? A slight disappointed feeling took over, and he didn't even know why exactly.

Just as he grabbed a towel for both himself and his feline companion — knowing full well that Lector would not have grabbed one himself — he heard the familiar voice of his favorite Celestial mage.
She was giggling about something next to the pool edge and Sting enjoyed the sound of it, and the disappointment he felt ealier had left completely.

Sting turned to find that Lector was being held in her arms. Yukino wore her usual two piece, white and blue frilled bikini, and it wasn't the first time he'd witnessed her in this attire so he wasn't in any way flustered by it, but it also didn't mean he doesn't enjoy the view either.

The girl didn't notice his presence and a rather good idea (or maybe a not so good idea) had popped into his head too. Using his best sneaking skills, Sting got close enough for his plan but not enough for her or Lector to notice.

With just a few quick strides, he scooped the small woman into his arms, much like a groom would pick up a bride on their wedding night. Yukino squealed and gripped onto the maroon cat tight enough that Sting swore he changed to a blue color from lack of oxygen.

"St-Sting-sama… oh no, no no." She stuttered, trying her best to convince him not to throw her into the water. Sting grinned a devilish smile and Yukino knew that her efforts were pointless. It didn't stop her from trying to persuade him though.
Every muscle in Sting's body protested from the sudden movement and even the light weight that she is, his arms still felt like jelly. However not even that could let him pass up this opportunity.
Sting took a step back and Yukino tried wiggling out of his grip, but it was still a wasted effort.
"Hold your breathe, Yu-chan~" The nickname he suddenly gave her had rolled off his tongue, but unfortunately the girl didn't get to think about it because he swung and threw both her and the cat straight into the water. Both of them hit the water too fast for either of them to scream.

When Yukino came back up to the surface, Lector had latched himself on her side and she was thankful his claws weren't retracted otherwise she'd have some nasty scratches on her side. Yukino looked at Sting and he was grinning still. This time it was less devilish like smile - it was like a smile of a young boy. However, despite the fact that she found this smile of his adorable, she was still irritated with him enough to want revenge.
"Sting-kun, why me as well?" Lector whined from beside her.
"If were patient Lector, this probably wouldn't have happened." He said, referring to leaving him behind in the bathrooms.
Lector continued to whine to Sting about how mean he was while Sting defended himself, he had gotten so distracted from his arguing with Lector he didn't realize Yukino wanted revenge until her hand gripped his wrist.

He had time to look at Yukino, who had matched his wicked grin, before he was yanked into the cool water.
Being off guard and quite fatigued, Sting fell in the water easily, and it didn't look elegant whatsoever. He even made an even bigger splash than Yukino and Lector did together.

Both his best friend and the girl he liked ever so much, had their moment of laughing at him while he was under the surface of the water.

Seconds later, Sting floated above the surface, his energy had left him and he wanted no more than just to float there for eternity.
When Yukino approached him still laughing about her attempt of revenge, he could swear there were three Yukino's smiling down at him.
"Are you okay, Sting-sama?"
"Sting-kun trained for hours today and it was almost painful to watch." Sting didn't answer, but Lector did instead. Now Lector was perched on Yukino's shoulder.
"You worked yourself too hard again, didn't you?" Sting had stopped seeing three Yukino's, but he felt like he was in a whirlpool. He frowned at her and Yukino only sighed in response.
"I gotta get Strong like Natsu-san somehow Yukino." He muttered. She never understood the desire to do so - she always thought as long as you were strong enough to protect those that you held close, that it was fine the way you were. It was probably something she learned from the time she spent with her Fairy Tail friends. It's something they believed in after all.

"Yeah, yeah." Yukino looped her arm around his and pulled him towards the edge.
Sting questioned her motives, but he didn't stop her. He doubted he had the energy to do so even if he wanted to.
"Get yourself up and sit on the edge" Yukino said, as she grabbed her towel and wrapped it around herself.
"But Yukino-" He really did not want to move.
"Sting-sama." She cut him off with a stern voice.
He pouted but did as he was told. It was quite an effort too.

Yukino walked straight passed Sting and grabbed a smaller floating ring from the ground that had been discarded previously. Yukino thought that Lector could use it while in the pool. She gave it to him and he jumped off her shoulder and headed straight back into the water.

"Now you." She said as she sat directly behind him.
"What?" He questioned, but she never answered him. Instead, Yukino gripped his shoulders and began to rub her fingers against his tight shoulders. He didn't need an answer, and the noise he made from the pleasure of her hands rubbing his shoulders made her cheeks burn.

"S-St-Sting-sama," She wanted so badly to talk to him so he wouldn't make that embarrassing noise again.
"Yeah?" He asked, watching Lector float by in the ring. Feeling more composed this time, she spoke again:
"You just tossed me into a pool. Why am I doing this?" This seemed like an innocent topic to go with,so why not? She thought.
"Cause you simply don't want to displeasure your beloved Master." He said in a teasing way and turned slightly to see her look embarrassed, yet appalled at the same time. Leave it to this idiot to change it into something so arrogant.

"Besides, you pulled me in after. I'd say we're even." He added. The subject changed slightly, and Yukino was glad he did so.
"Oh we are so not even — you're always flicking water at me or something else to tease me." She pocked him in the back with her index finger accusingly. He cringed from the pain, but the pressure kind of felt good at the same time.

"That's cause you're so easy to tease Yukino." He replied, his arrogant grin was placed on his handsome face.
"That so?"
"Mhm" He mumbled, Sting then sighed from the relief of sore shoulders.
"Well in that case, I won't let it be so easy for you Sting-sama."
His unscathed brow raised slightly in question.
"I'll get you back for all those times, I swear it." She smiled at him sweetly despite the fact her tone sounded almost challenging.
"Oh you are now are you? Be a fair person though — wait until I'm feeling better."
"Aren't you feeling better now that I have given you a message?" To Sting's disappointment,Yukino had stopped the message and stripped from her towel — preparing to get him back once again.
"Yeah a little bit but-" He didn't have time to finish because the Celestial mage tried to push him into the pool once again.
However this time though, he caught her arms in time.
"Nah Yukino, no more cheap shots. You push me in and I'll take you with me though."
Yukino pushed with a laugh, taking him up with his challenge but it wasn't a fluke at all — with her body pressed against his, the both of them fell into the pool once again.

Lector swam away as fast as he could to avoid not only the weight of two people landing inside a pool but the massive wave that followed behind, because that would surely knock him off his floating ring.

In the end Sting was right, not even being alone in a pool with Yukino and your best friend could ever be quite as relaxing as you intended it to be.