Lucy spent the evening at an outdoor café. She had stopped by a bookstore and had a new novel propped on the table in front of her as she sipped tea and nibbled on pastries. She let her mind completely sink into someone else's story for a while. She had dreamed about Sting again both of the previous nights, and now she had even more reason to hate him. Who just leaves their teammate on the ground like that? Lucy was irritated at all of the Sabertooth mages for not helping Yukino after she lost the battle, but for some reason she was particularly angry at Sting. Not that she should expect anything else from someone who claimed to have killed his own dragon parent. Noticing the fading light, Lucy decided she should head back to the inn. With all the weird Raven Tail activity, she really didn't want to be out in the dark.

She was nearly there when she was pulled into an alley and pressed against the cold wall. This was getting old really fast.

"Am I going to get a single evening without you accosting me?" Lucy asked. She glared up at the blonde who apparently wasn't content to merely plague her dreams; he had to be constantly in her face in reality, too.

"Maybe," he said with his trademark smirk. Still, he did back away so that she wasn't pinned in anymore.

"Well spit it out. What do you want this time? And no, I am not kissing you again just to get rid of you." She crossed her arms under her chest and maintained her angry look.

"I wanted to thank you for helping Yukino," he said. He wasn't looking at her, and the words were so quiet that she almost wasn't sure that she'd heard correctly.

"Well I wouldn't have needed to if her own teammates had been there for her," Lucy huffed. Sting rubbed his neck, and if Lucy didn't know him better, she would have thought he was actually feeling guilty.

"We aren't like you guys," he finally said. "In Sabertooth, you walk on your own power or you don't walk. It's that simple. Yukino lost."

"But she fought so hard. Against nearly any other opponent she would have won easily. And as it is, she did an amazing job," Lucy said. "Don't you think she feels bad enough already? She needs her friends there to help her."

"We aren't friends," Sting mumbled.

"What do you mean?"

"Sabertooth isn't about friendship, Sunshine. We aren't a hearts and flowers kind of guild like you fairies." Lucy started to interrupt angrily, but he held up a hand, and for some reason she let him continue. "I'm not saying it's a bad thing. At least, not entirely. It's only been two days, but I'm starting to remember why your guild was at the top before you and the others disappeared for seven years. All I'm saying is that Sabertooth doesn't rely on that kind of strength. Honestly, I'd say we don't even understand it."

"Your guild sounds like a really lonely place," Lucy said quietly. Sting laughed, but it wasn't a happy sound.

"You could say that, I guess. But it's what we are and every member understands it."

"If you keep going like this I might start to think you're not such a jerk after all," Lucy said softly. She gave him a small smile. It was the first time she had smiled at him in all of their encounters. He kind of liked it. And that was a problem.

"I was also wondering something," Sting said. "I noticed when we made our bet that you smelled like Natsu. But he wasn't the only one hanging all over you today. What gives?"

"What business is it of yours?"

"I'm just wanting to know if you're fucking both of them," he said nonchalantly.

"Pervert!" Lucy squealed and tried to Lucy Kick him into next week, but he blocked her leg and tackled her to the ground.

"I'm going to take that as a no," he said with a laugh. "Good. I wouldn't want Natsu's seconds."

Damn. She should have just told him yes so he would back off. But the question had caught her off guard, especially after their more open conversation, and instinct kicked in. Literally. Sting brushed his lips over hers before rising to his feet and offering her a hand up. She considered knocking his hand away, but decided to accept it after all. For once he didn't use the contact to pull her to him.

"Just so you're aware, I have no interest in a casual fling with you or anyone else. It's not my style," Lucy said as she brushed off her skirt.

"Can't say that I'm the relationship type, Sunshine."

"Then why don't you leave me alone!" She shouted. He winced at the volume before his face settled into what Lucy was beginning to recognize as his thinking expression. She really needed to avoid him if she was starting to read his expressions like this.

"Maybe I just like messing with you," Sting said after a moment. Then he added, "You know, you're really not like other girls."

"How so?" And she just rose to the bait. Oi. This conversation needed to end soon before one of her teammates stumbled across her conversing with the enemy.

"I'm still figuring that out," was all he said. Then he smirked again and started walking away. "By the way, nice undies. Pink looks good on you."

Lucy blushed. Why did she have to like short skirts so much? She shook her head and went to the inn.


Sting hadn't really intended to talk to her again. He was just putting off the inevitable. He knew when he returned to his guild's inn that the master was going to punish him in some way. Probably Yukino, too. He hoped the man wouldn't be too harsh on her. She had fought well, but that Kagura was a beast woman. He squared his shoulders before entering the inn. He would take whatever Master Jiemma dealt out. You didn't become the strongest guild by allowing weakness. That's something Fairy Tail didn't understand.

But are they really so weak? Sting couldn't help but wonder. Sunshine had said she was the weakest of her team, and she was clearly a force to be reckoned with.

He didn't have time to pursue these thoughts further as he found the entire guild assembled before the master. Yukino stood at the forefront.

"Sting, it's not a good idea to keep me waiting after you've already disappointed me," Jiemma said. The large man glared from his thronelike seat. Not that this was new; it's like the man didn't know how to do anything except glare at everyone.

"My apologies, Master. I was unavoidably detained. It won't happen again."

"See that it doesn't." Sting bowed his head and took his place next to Yukino. "Sting, your performance today was unacceptable. But, as you have always been one of our major victors, I'm willing to give you a second chance. Fail me again, and you will suffer the consequences."

The master dismissed him with a wave, and Sting stepped back to stand with Rogue. He couldn't believe the crazy old man had let him off so easily. Not even a real tongue-lashing. Maybe Yukino would be as lucky?

"Yukino. This was your test, and you failed. Sabertooth cannot abide such weakness as you displayed today. You placed your life in the hands of your enemy, and then you accepted the aid of another enemy. Take it off."

"Yes, master. If that is what you wish," Yukino whispered. She removed her clothes and folded them beside her.

"Take it all off," Jiemma said darkly. Yukino trembled slightly, but she did as he commanded and removed her guildmark. "Now get out of my sight."

The girl picked up her stack of clothing and rushed from the room. Sting couldn't believe it. One loss and she was out? And humiliated on top of that? What the hell?

"Is this really how a guild behaves?" Rogue murmured beside him. Sting silently agreed, but he said nothing. He knew that he had helped make Sabertooth this way. The guild had been largely unknown before he and Rogue joined with a couple of other strong wizards. The guild's reputation was built on them, and it had attracted other strong fighters over the years. None of them had ever cared about friendship. The only reason for being a part of a guild was to get stronger. That was all he cared about then, and it was all he cared about now.

So why did Yukino's devastated face haunt his dreams that night?