Hi guys! Thank you guys again for the amazing support, I never thought this story would get this far XD I know I said that there was going to be a lot more Nalu in this chapter but it kinda ended up with more Stinglu. There's going to be at least two more chapters till the Nalu moment I had planned so I'm sorry ._.

I hope your not too disappointed XD Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 23 (Fire Eventually Burns Someone, No Matter the Cost)

Lucy's POV,

I had never felt so alive.

Not when I had first joined Fairy Tail, not when I had destroyed Tartarus. None of those times, compared to this.

I was painfully aware of my own heartbeat pounding in my ears; the world was suddenly too bright, too detailed. But this was it - this was how I was going to tell myself - no, convince myself - that the person I had chosen was the right one.

He had to be the right one. Because if he wasn't...

Then I wasn't sure who was.

I stared directly at him, ignoring the temptation to look past him to the person not far away from him, who was equally as surprised that I was here.

Repressing the urge to break into a run, I walked slowly towards them, each step taking way more time than it should. I couldn't run. This was important but that didn't change the fact that hundreds of people were looking now.

But they weren't as important as the people in front of me now.

Sting scowled at me, his blue eyes narrowed in fury. "What do you think you're doing here, Blondie?!" He hissed, stalking towards me. I took no notice and continued walking.

He soon realised I wasn't listening and continued to repeat his questions, but I could barely hear him, my heartbeat too loud.

Natsu, unlike Sting, didn't move and just kept staring at me, almost like he had never seen me before. I didn't meet his eyes; I couldn't, unless I wanted another mental breakdown.

My memories were already poking at my conscience, screaming at me to remember, but I ignored them as well.

My own problems weren't important right now.

Suddenly, I stopped in front of him. Being so close to him was wrapping me in his scent; it was nice, comforting. But it was still wrong.

It was still wrong.

Shut up, Lucy.

"I will ask you again, Lucy. Why are you here?" I looked up into his piercing eyes and uttered a few words that I had never said to anyone before. The reason?

It was reserved for someone else.

But my past decisions and promises didn't matter now either. I was living my new life, away from Fairy Tail, away from my old life.

I refused to let my old life bother me any longer.

This was the last thing I needed to throw away, the last thing I had carried with me for six months that reminded me of my old life.

My feelings for them, Fairy Tail.

"I'm here because I realised something this morning." He stared at me with wide eyes. "W-what?" He asked, his voice shaking. His eyes still angry. I took a deep breath and forced the words out.

"You, Sting Eucliffe, are also my mate."

Normal POV,

The world had stopped around Sting as he absorbed what Lucy had just said.

'You, Sting Eucliffe, are also my mate.'

Was he hearing her right? Did she actually say it?

No, this couldn't be it. Lucy would never say these things in the middle of so many people. They were in the Domus Flau, for god's sake.

But they were also in front of Natsu...

Was she trying to make a point?

Lucy half-smiled at him. "You don't believe me?" She whispered, her voice shaking even though she was trying to keep a sarcastic tone.

"And how are you going to make me believe you?" Sting snapped back, angry that this was probably his own imagination, that Lucy probably was not here.

Lucy hesitated for a few minutes. Sting stared at the blonde Mage's very real chocolate brown eyes that were burning with something he had never seen in her eyes before. Almost violent anger. At who? He didn't know.

But there was no denying it, confusion or not, this was the real Lucy.

Somewhere in his head, he knew this was wrong, not just the look in Lucy's eyes but that he knew, he knew Lucy wouldn't ever do this.

Don't get him wrong, he had waited for this moment for a long enough time. But Lucy's voice was missing something. He couldn't put a word on the feeling, though.

Before he could question the other Dragon Slayer's strange behaviour, he was cut off from his thoughts by a pair of warm, reluctant lips.

"Lucy..." He mumbled against her lips as his last effort to stop her from doing something that he knew she was going to regret. But she was persistent, too persistent.

He couldn't say he wasn't enjoying it.

A small hint of smugness was blooming in his chest as Lucy pressed herself against him, wrapping her arms around Sting's neck. He was kissing Lucy, him. Not Natsu, or anybody else. Him.

He gently bit her lip, teasing her as he finally gave in and kissed her back. To him this was bliss, what he had always wanted. It didn't even bother him that a few thousand people were watching them right now.

He slowly tilted her chin (which was so close to him right now) higher, so he could get more, feel more. He wanted more.

Lucy didn't resist and let him do whatever he wanted. Part of her was already telling her to pull away, to run, but she ignored it. She wanted this, she wanted this to happen.

But every time she let herself be pulled into the kiss, her mind would wind back to one person. And yes, it wasn't the person she was kissing right now.

Suddenly, Sting spoke, tearing both of them from their trance. "I haven't counted how many people are here, but I think there's a quite a lot, Blondie." He whispered huskily.

Lucy blushed bright red as she grew conscious of how close she was to Sting but didn't move. "A few thousand, I think." Lucy replied softly. Sting leaned his forehead against hers. "What was that for anyway?" "Too late now, don't you think?"

Sting laughed, his tone laced with bitterness. "We all know you'll regret this later." Lucy sighed and made Sting look at her dead in the eyes. "You still don't believe me?" Sting didn't answer. "I want to be with you, alright. Can't you just take that as the truth?"

Sting stared at Lucy, his head still foggy from the kiss. "I can't take it as the truth until you say it." He answered stiffly. Lucy seemed troubled and a little surprised at first, but nodded. "Tell me what you want me to say."

"I love you." Lucy forced a slight smiled onto her face. "It's a little too early for that, don't you think?" She answered. "I'm not taking any of this bullshit as the truth until you say it."

Lucy sighed. "I... Love you too."

Sting was silent for a few minutes before he sighed. "This isn't over Blondie." Lucy grinned genuinely this time, relieved that their conversation was finally over.

"I know." Sting nodded and let her go, when they realised the entire arena was ringing with cheers and applauses.

"They're so cute together!"

"I know, two of the most powerful mages in Fiore together. How romantic!"

"Why can't you kiss me like that?!"

Everywhere, people were cooing or shouting something about Sting and Lucy. Sting glanced back at Lucy, who was staring at them just as surprised as he was.

"You think they noticed?" Sting muttered under his breath. "Nope." Lucy answered, bright red.

"Well, folks, that was an... Interesting opening to the day! What do you think Yajima-san?" Yajima was shaking his head softly as he answered Chapati who was sitting next to him looking a little... Too excited.

"Yes, very interesting. But I don't think it's over yet, Chariot is going to be very interesting." Chapati glanced at Yajima expression as he followed his gaze to the arena down below.

"What do you mean by interesting, Yajima-san?" Yajima frowned as his gaze fell on a certain pink haired Mage standing forlornly to the side of the arena. "Very interesting indeed." He answered Chapati distractedly.

Chapati looked confused, not quite understanding what Yajima was implying. "Alright... Well, representatives, please direct your eyes towards the lacrima screens."

Lucy, realising that Chariot was about to start, gave one last look at Sting before leaving the playing field.

Natsu POV,

This wasn't fair, no, none of this was fair at all.

I wasn't listening to anything those nasty old farts were talking about as the arena finally started to quiet down after they had kissed.

I can't believe this, this... This. Lucy would never do this, not after I had missed her for six months, never. Sting did this to her, that bastard.

I'm going to beat him to a pulp.

"Oi, Flame Head!" I looked up to find out who had spoke when I realised it was only Gajeel. "What do you want, Iron Butt?" I hissed as he walked towards me, his expression unreadable.

"The game is starting soon and you're not paying attention. I don't care what you do later, but are you trying to destroy Fairy Tail's reputation, the old man's reputation?" I glared at him. "I'm not trying to destroy anything."

He smirked. "Right." He looked away as he spoke, as if he had had enough of me. I ignored Gajeel's sarcasm and clenched my teeth, this feeling of... This anger. It was so... I didn't know what to call it; all I knew was that I'd had it a few times before so it wasn't completely foreign. But it might as well be.

I mean I've gotten pissed at Ice Princess and Iron Butt before, sometimes even Erza. But this... This, I've only had for Luce.

No one else.

Suddenly, Gajeel chuckled and spoke, "I've always known you had a thing for Bunny Girl, but I didn't think it was that huge. Looks like it was; you look like a jealous boyfriend."

"Y-yeah well, Luce was my best friend." Gajeel rolled his eyes. "Best friend eh? Then why are you pissed?" I was silent. Gajeel was right, why am I angry anyway? Luce just used to be my best friend, no, she was still my best friend.

That will never change.

So why was I so angry that Sting was the one who had kissed her and not me?

And how did Gajeel know so much about what I was feeling anyway? Did he know something I didn't?

I turned around abruptly and grabbed Gajeel by the collar. "Do you know something I don't Gajeel?!" I snapped, knowing full well everyone else was too absorbed in listening to the rules to focus on us.

Gajeel stood there in shock, the collar of his shirt crumpled in my fist. But his look of shock was quickly replaced by a scowl. "Get off me, Flame Brain, unless you want to get hurt." "Tell me, Gajeel!" I hissed, ignoring his half-assed threat.

"The hell do you want, Fire Breath?! It's not my fault you didn't claim her first, sheesh." I froze. Claim her?

Those two words were telling me something, something...

Come on, Natsu think.

Gajeel, realising that I wasn't angry anymore, pulled his shirt out of my fist. "What do you mean by claim her?" I whispered, barely able to breath. He choked out a short laugh, not knowing whether this was a trick question or not.

"Claim her? Jeez, you are dense. I meant that if you liked her so much, then you should have made a move. You know, before Lightbulb over there did."

I stared at him. "Make a move?" He rolled his eyes, and pointed behind him. "We'll talk about this later. Chariot's starting and I ain't losing to you or him."

I sighed and started towards where he was pointing, pushing all thoughts of Lucy to the back of my head.

I'll kick Gajeel's ass at this first and then I was going to figure out what was really going on.

Does anyone else find Natsu's stupidity frustrating cause I do XD It was my first time writing in Natsu's POV so I apologise for any OOC-ness. Eh, I'll improve I'm the later chapters I'm sure of it. Also, how was the kiss? I'm bit rusty if you can't tell (Haven't written a serious kissing scene in months XD) Next up, Chariot and Erza vs Bacchus!

Read and Review!