Sting blinked a couple times, unable to believe what he was seeing. If he was anyone else besides a guild master he may have taken her up on the offer and blamed it on liquor later, but he just couldn't do that. Even just looking into her eyes he knew he couldn't let something happen to her.
There was no way, absolutely no way, he could be looking at the woman in such a state.
"Lucy?"
Her fingers toyed with the fastening of his jacket, purring as she spoke. "Come on, let me show you a good time. You want to have fun with me, don't you?"
He had absolutely no idea what she thought she was doing, or how he even ended up crossing paths with her. He hadn't heard anything about most of the Fairy Tail members in months, not since the guild dispersed almost a year ago. He'd just finished a meeting between the guild masters in Crocus earlier that day, and he was supposed to be heading back to the guild.
Fairy Tail was a taboo topic, one that was usually brushed over in the meetings. May of the former guild members transferred to other guilds to continue practicing magic, and most everyone was accounted for.
But Heartfilia? He hadn't heard from her in months, not since she stopped doing issues in Sorcerer Magazine and posing. He'd heard a rumor at one point that she was trying to become a writer with the paper, but that was the last of it. He hadn't heard anything else on the blonde since.
And now here she was, offering herself to strange men at night? He could barely believe what he was seeing, the reek of alcohol on her breath almost overpowering. How the hell did someone like her end up here?
Still perplexed, he gently grabbed her shoulders and held her an arm's length away to get a good look at her. Yup, it was definitely Lucy, even if he barely recognized her in the shadows. He'd seen her wear some sexual clothing before but damn, she was really putting herself in a dangerous situation here.
Giving her a quick once over he felt something inside him stir, and surprisingly he found it was not sexual desire. Sting wouldn't exactly call her bottoms well, anything. He supposed they were supposed to be a pair of shorts, but they were so tight and thin it was closer to underwear than clothing. He thought it was a little cool tonight, and couldn't imagine how she was feeling.
Speaking of, he could tell that the cool was getting to her. Her nipples poked out at him through the thin t-shirt, not leaving anything to the imagination. She had tied back her hair in two high pigtails, and maybe if he was a sicker person he'd find her attractive this way.
But it was her eyes that really gripped him. The pupils were so large her eye color barely showed through. Even in the dim streetlight he could see that she was blitzed out of her fucking mind, never mind the stench of alcohol.
"What are you doing out here?" he asked, not letting go. He wasn't entirely certain what else she would try to fiddle with if he did. "Where are your keys?"
"Oh, at my place," she continued, tilting her head in what he supposed was meant to be cute. Since she could no longer touch him she changed tactics, sliding her fingers down her taunt stomach to the waistband of those so-called shorts.
Fucking hell.
"Stop that," Sting demanded, giving her a firm shake. "What the hell are you doing? Why are you out here in the god damn slums trying to sell yourself?"
Lucy pouted, and he was starting to think she had no idea who he was. "What? You don't like dirty? I can play good too. Whatever you want handsome."
He grunted, briefly glancing away. All he wanted to do was take a shortcut back to the guild hall.
But this? What was he supposed to do with an ex Fairy Tail mage slumming it out and trying to sell sex for money? He assumed it had something to do with whatever godawful drugs she was currently on.
And people actually paid for this?
Morally, he couldn't leave her there. She obviously crumbled after Fairy Tail and her magazine spread for one reason or another, and if this was the low point since their disbandment he feared what brought her to this level.
No, he didn't know her well but he couldn't leave a familiar face behind like this. She quite clearly needed an intervention.
"Lucy, look at me," he urged, using one hand to hold her chin while the other worked at pushing her hand away from him again. "Why are you out here?"
"Men always come looking at night," she cooed, licking her lips. "It's the best time for business. Don't be shy."
"Do you know who I am?" he continued, unwilling to be deterred. "Do you recognize me?"
She titled her head, briefly letting her hands drop as she studied his face. Her brows knitted together, like she was trying to figure it out. Her fingers reached up, running through his messy hair. He jerked at the sensation, unwilling to let her think he was enjoying this. He needed her to understand he didn't want her like that. "You look familiar I suppose. Blondes come here all the time. That's why I'm popular."
His fingers tightened on her chin, unable to believe what he was hearing. "I didn't come here looking for you. I'm trying to go home. Remember, I run a guild?"
She leaned forward a little, and the smell that assaulted his nose nearly took him out. Her dilated eyes looked him over, eyebrows rising a hair when something clicked in her brain. "S…Sting?"
He felt a little better when she suddenly recognized him, glad through her muddled mind she could recall a familiar face. Before he got a chance to say anything she panicked, jutting out a foot to kick him as hard as she could in the shin.
Sting cursed, reaching down to rub his leg. She took the opportunity, throwing all her wait into showing him over. Surprising he fell on his butt, eyes widening as the scantily clad blonde turned and fled, the heels she was wearing clicking against the ground as she ran.
He watched her go, the smell still heavy in the air. Should he follow something so conflicted? Clearly she was struggling with addiction for one reason or another, but he wouldn't believe for a second that someone like Lucy Heartfilia had no other option but to sell her body on the streets.
Letting her go would be easy. He didn't come here often, and there was a strong chance he'd never end up running into her again. Let the Fairy be someone else's problem.
But if he didn't help he wondered what would happen. Clearly she was lost, the shell of the Celestial Spirit wizard he met at the Grand Magic Games. She didn't even have her keys with her for crying out loud! Her method of attack was physical, and he wondered how well something like that would work if her attacker fought back.
He couldn't do it. He couldn't just leave her to her own devices. Clearly that already happened, and the results were horrible. If he got up now he could follow her scent. Maybe if he found where she was staying he could convince himself he was fine, and go back to not worrying about wayward fairies.
He couldn't face Yukino if he didn't make sure she was okay. Sabertooth's own Celestial Mage often wondered if there was any news of Lucy. He wouldn't be able to lie to her if she asked again, and the white haired beauty would never let him live it down if he just left out there.
Groaning, he stood. Better to chance her now before the trail began to fade.
Lucy hadn't gone far, her scent lingering in several places as he followed the scent. He could tell she struggled to run off, either staggering or resting as she went. She couldn't have gotten far, the dangerous mixture of drugs and alcohol in her system muddling her senses.
It didn't take him long to figure out where she'd gone, the scent mixing with many others as he skidded to a stop outside a building, his senses already telling him he was dangerously close to the red light district of Crocus.
He scowled, staring at the sign on the outside of the building. There was absolutely no way he could leave a fellow mage in a brothel.
Steeling his nerves, Sting approached the building. The lingering smell of sex and liquor seeped from the very foundation of the building, and he found his stomach churning as he threw the door open. If someone tried to stop him, he figured they'd be too blitzed out of their minds to put up much of a fight.
Inside, it was as bad as he assumed. There were too many bodies piled on a couch, some passed out while some appeared to be fading in and out of consciousness. He didn't have to approach to know they were drugged, a strange smell rising from the sunken couch cushions. He looked away, immediately realizing the probability of someone trying to stop him was pretty low.
Finding Lucy was almost too easy. She was upstairs on the second floor, and as far as he could tell she was alone in the room. As he approached someone he didn't recognize stepped in his way, a girl who seemed to forgo a top sometime earlier.
"Hey handsome," she slurred, tripping over her own feet as she approached. He didn't try to help when she teetered in her heels, collapsing onto some of the discarded couch cushions a moment later.
Cleanliness was clearly not a priority here, and if Sting didn't get a whiff of clean air soon he was going to be sick. How could people live like this?
Approaching the door he was certain Lucy was hiding behind he banged on the wood, glancing around when no one seemed concerned that he was here. "Lucy!"
A groan came from inside, though it didn't sound pained. When nothing happened, Sting knocked again, wondering if he should just try the handle. "Lucy-"
The door opened, something Sting hadn't been expecting. Staring at him now was Lucy's lion spirit Loke, a face he did recognize. But the lion appeared aged, his glasses askew and his eyes haunted.
Sting dropped his hand, surprised as the spirit stepped aside. "Come in."
The room was as trashed as he imagined, a few paperbacks strewn across one corner and a ratty bed resting on the floor. There was a lamp resting on the ground, and a bookcase that seemed to double as a dresser. The clothing piled on one of the shelves barely passed as a swimsuit, and Sting crinkled his nose at the rising smell. She could really use a shower.
The girl in question was sprawled out on the mattress, her spirit Virgo sitting beside her, trying to convince her to drink. They appeared to be the only ones in the cramped room, her keys resting on the floor beside the maiden.
Sting shot Loke a look. "What the hell is going on?"
"She's not doing well," Loke said instead, seeming to ignore his question. He attempted to straighten his glasses when Sting realized they were busted, the bridge over his nose broken and one side higher than the other. "We can't get her to leave."
"What is she doing here?" he asked, looking around. "What are any of you doing here?"
Virgo looked up then, and Sting was surprised to see her eyes were wet. He'd never seen the pink-haired woman cry before, and it was something else indeed. "She's not well. She won't let us take her away."
"Then get Natsu to do it," he scowled, looking around. No way did her partner let this happen. Natsu would never let the girl fall so far; this had to be a mistake. "He-"
"Don't say his name!" Loke roared, surprising the blond as he jumped back. "He hasn't been around for princess in almost a year!"
Sting's eyebrows shot up. He'd assumed like everyone else that Natsu had to be nearby. It seemed impossible that the pinkette would abandon her after the guild's disbandment. "What? Where did he go?"
"Who cares," Loke growled, looking towards Lucy again. She was clearly out of it, her eyes fluttering as her arms jerked around every few seconds. There were scratch marks on her wrists that weren't there when Sting saw her earlier, barely deep enough to draw blood.
"What happened?" he asked again, refusing to move closer. He didn't know Lucy like her spirits did, and he wasn't sure how her lion would react if he got closer.
"She's addicted," Virgo replied, lifting her head again. "She won't leave because she doesn't know where else to get some."
Sting frowned, glancing between the pair. He could smell their unease, how each spirit was barely holding back rage. "Get what, drugs?"
"It's the only reason she stays," Loke sneered, glaring at Sting. "He has his claws in her."
"Who?" he asked, trying to keep up. Whatever was going on clearly wasn't new, and when his eyes fell on Lucy again he noticed how thin she looked. Before he'd only accounted for the lack of clothing she had, but in the dim light of the room he could see that her taunt stomach was actually too thin, sucking in just past her hipbones. In the crop top he realized he could make out several of her ribs, and her wrists did seem exceptionally bony.
Eyebrows shooting up, he shot a look towards the distressed lion. "How could you let her get like this!?"
"She won't let us take her away!" Loke seethed, turning to glare at Sting. "She finds ways to trick us back into our keys, always. She won't allow us to take her to help. We still serve Lucy, even if she's not in her right mind." He shook his head, the telltale signs of tears beginning to prick the corners of his eyes. "She… she'll threaten anything if we challenge her. She doesn't have limitations anymore."
Sting frowned, disturbed by how much he agreed. The nearly-naked girl was nothing like the bubbly, kind mage he knew as part of Team Natsu. She'd been ready to let him take her in a fucking alley! He didn't want to think about what else she was okay giving up.
Wetting his lips, he got a bad feeling in his stomach. "She just comes back here at night?"
"If she's too high," Loke scowled, "or if she's made enough for the night. Sometimes… sometimes she brings people back-"
Loke cut off, shaking his head as he paced the small space. "I thought you might be a client until I heard your voice. I recognized it immediately and assumed you weren't here to… sleep with her."
Cringing, Sting tried to get that picture out of his mind. This was a lot more than he bargained for. He expected someone to pop out and fight him, argue that he couldn't see the drugged, disoriented girl.
Instead he found two broken spirits, clearly devastated by their master's choices. He tried to not look into their eyes, seeing the silent plea there.
What could she possibly be doing to keep her most devoted spirits from seeking out help? How long had she been in the brothel giving herself to whoever would pay? His stomach flipped at the thought, the horrible smell around them seeming to close in.
He cleared his throat before speaking. "Do you guys have someplace to go if you left?" he asked, his eyes glancing around. He couldn't imagine anything in this room held true value to Lucy, but he didn't know how he'd manage to take it if it did.
Loke shot him a look, the pain in his eyes magnified. "Lucy lives here. She has for weeks."
"So you guys don't have anywhere to go if I helped you leave?"
Shaking his head, the pair of spirits exchanged a glance. "We can't carry Lucy out; it's obvious. No one's supposed to leave once they agree to work here. I tried once, and I got beaten too badly to remain outside my gate. It's hard to fight everyone when she's fighting us too."
Sting frowned, feeling his pulse begin to quicken. They were stuck between a rock and a hard place. He couldn't imagine a sane Lucy would be in a position like this, but she obviously wanted to stay for one reason or another. She'd make a fuss if they tried to leave, and if her spirits couldn't make her what was he supposed to do.
He thought he could do a good deed for the day, maybe get her back to her apartment and head on his way. He had no idea Lucy made her money exclusively by selling herself, or that her home was nothing more than a closet upstairs that overlooked an alley –
Cocking an eyebrow, he shifted to the other side of the room and peered out the window. "Ever tried going that way before?"
"We tried twice," Virgo said, meeting his gaze when he turned. "Once… the owner found us and Lucy sent us back. We don't know what happened after that. The other time she… she forced Taurus's gate closed after he jumped-"
Virgo cut herself off, pressing a hand over her mouth. She pointed, Sting's eyes following the line to Lucy's shoulder. Now that he focused on it, it did look off. He couldn't say exactly what was wrong with it, but it definitely looked misshapen. Obviously the fall left some lasting damage, and any guilt her spirits felt would keep them from trying again.
If they thought walking through the house was a bad idea, that window was the only other option to get back out. And Lucy couldn't wake up and make him disappear mid jump. The worst that might happen would be if she screamed.
Opening the window, he leaned out and relished at the smell of clean air. It wasn't that high up, and he figured if she didn't squirm it wouldn't be too hard.
Sting took a deep breath, remaining where he was. He should've just sucked it up and let Yukino yell at him. He wouldn't be in this mess now, and he wouldn't feel the overpowering guilt if he walked away. He wouldn't have known the hell Heartfilia managed to get herself into.
And why. He wouldn't have to wonder why.
If he walked away now, he wouldn't be able to continue being a guild master. He wouldn't be able to stomach knowing he left a wizard in need because it was easier.
Sighing, he looked back towards the two spirits, hints of hope twinkling in their eyes. "I can probably jump out of here with her. We aren't high up. You said one of the other spirits tried?"
Loke nodded, his movements stiff. "Lucy forced his gate closed. She woke up before he'd gotten out the window. That's how she managed to force him back mid jump. She landed on her shoulder and broke it."
Sting scowled, understanding the spirits hesitation. The idea hadn't worked twice before, why would it work better now. "And the other time, when you got caught?"
He shook his head, the devastation showing on his features once more. "She won't say. When her brain isn't muddled… I can see her. Our Lucy. She won't tell us what happened."
"So you can't tell me who to expect," he grumbled, seeing the severe flaws in the plan. "Or what?"
"I think the owner is with one of the girls," Virgo interrupted, cringing when Loke's eyes flashed. "He should be preoccupied for a while longer, big brother."
He didn't need either spirit to elaborate; he got the picture. They'd been waiting for Lucy to be out of it enough to intervene again, and hopefully not be stopped. She needed to be far away from her vise, and the situation was a perfect set up to try. After listening to the problems they had in the past, he imagined they wouldn't get another chance like this again.
Sting looked down at the former fairy, wondering if this was a form of kidnapping. He found his eyes couldn't rest on her too long, his stomach flipping at the unhealthy skinniness and the large amounts of skin.
He'd noticed there were bruises on her skin, something else he hadn't fully realized until now. Clearly the clients she slept with were rough, which had his blood boiling.
Like it or not, he couldn't leave her there. His mind was made up before the spirits ever spoke up.
"Can one of you grab her things?" he asked, pulling off his jacket. He ignored the wake Loke tensed, tossing the garment to Virgo. "Put that on her at least."
The woman's eyes flashed. "I could-"
"Just do it," he sighed, glancing at the meager belongings. His eyes swerved to the shreds of fabric she appeared to be wearing as clothes, his nose wrinkling. "Is there anything in here she needs?"
Loke nodded, grabbing the few books and her key ring. He focused on the empty bookcase for a moment before snarling, turning away. "We can find her something to wear from the spirit world."
Glad that Loke had the same mindset Sting turned back, intending to pick up the mage. She still seemed completely out of it, and Virgo kept touching her several times to ensure she was okay.
Lucy didn't even seem to notice. Her breathing had steadied, and he wondered if she was asleep. Glancing between the spirits he moved forward, deciding to get this over with sooner than later.
He knew how long the owner would be occupied.
"Take these," Loke interrupted, moving forward to hand Sting the keys. "She tried… she tried to throw them into the river once when she was angry. Keep these until she's okay. We can check on her even if you're the one holding them."
Sting grasped the ring of keys, feeling the heaviness in Loke's words. Lucy, who had fought tooth and nail previously to protect her friends, wanted to throw them into a river? What had to snap in her mind for that to seem like a good solution?
He didn't know this fairy well, but the pain she was experiencing was palpable. Something had to happen to swerve her sense of right and wrong in such an obtuse direction, but he couldn't begin to fathom what.
Hooking her keys onto his belt, he nodded to the spirits. Loke pushed the window open as far as it would go, Virgo backing up so Sting could pick up the mage. She felt too frail in his arms, almost tossing her when he exerted too much force picking her up. She was practically skin and bones.
His stomach rolling, he faced the window. Loke took it a step farther, removing as much of the frame as he could without making too much extra noise. Virgo jumped out first, disappearing over the sill.
Sting's grip tightened on the girl in his hands. Whatever happened, he had to get her out of this toxic place and to someplace safe. He wasn't sure if he could make it back to the guild hall quickly, and there was no telling how long she'd stay conked out.
"I'll meet you on the ground," Loke explained, the handful of books still tucked in his grasp. "In case someone comes up here."
He wasn't sure that was something to fear. So far he hadn't noticed any new scents, and the ones he did he really didn't want to scent. Propping himself up on the windowsill he checked both ways, searching with his eyes and nose to make sure they weren't falling into a trap.
He hoped not.
Hopping over the sill he braced himself, landing as stiffly as he could to not jostle the woman in his arms. She groaned but didn't wake, her eyes continuing to flutter behind closed lids. A second later Loke followed, looking relieved that they even made it that far.
"Now we just-"
Loke jerked, jumping as one with Virgo out of the way as a beam of magic shot past. Sting ducked and rolled, putting himself between Lucy and the attacker.
"It's the owner!" Virgo shrilled. "Get Lucy out! We'll return to our keys when we finish!"
Normally Sting would argue, but he'd seen the loyalty spirits displayed when protecting their master. If both Loke and Virgo were prepared to buy him a bit of time to get Lucy away, then there had to be a reason. Nodding once, he turned and bolted, even though every muscle in his body screamed at him to stay and fight.
Sting covered several blocks in a matter of minutes, his ears on high alert for any sounds of pursuit. Out here he could breathe the fresh air, the suffocating stench of the brothel fading as he put distance between them. His nose didn't notice anything amiss, and once he felt they were a safe distance he finally slowed down, pausing to lean against the side of the building as he panted.
Lucy was still passed out in his arms, her fingers twitching every now and then. When she woke he knew she'd be volatile, but he didn't know what to do with her.
Bringing her back to the guild was logical, but he didn't know if he could make it before she woke up. He also had no idea what time it was, and at any given moment it could begin to brighten as dawn approached. The last thing he needed was to be seen dragging an unconscious girl around in alleys.
Setting Lucy down on the cleanest spoke he could see, Sting dug out the lacrima in his pocket. He hadn't had the intention of using it, but he always kept one just in case. Flicking on the screen, he already knew he was screwed.
Whatever happened now, he'd altered Lucy's future for better or worse.
"Sting?" Rogue asked, wiping sleep from his eyes as he came into focus. It was apparently still plenty late, and in the background he could see Frosch stirring. "What's going on?"
Sighing, he wondered why he had to decide to try and be a nice guy today. "I need some help."
A/n: So… I shouldn't be posting new stories but the draft for this story has been on my computer for a while now and I decided it was time to publish. I have yet to write a story about Lucy getting hurt when Natsu left so here I am, giving it my own spin.
I will update my other stories, I just needed something new to work with. Let me know what you think and if I should continue! For some reason, I just love Sting and Lucy! R & R.