3RD PERSON POV - Sabertooth Nightclub
A hand reached out and picked up a glass of champagne, raising it to their lips and sipping gently on the fine liquid.
"My patience is wearing thin, Loke," Sting Eucliffe, the young entrepreneur who has made it at the age of 26.
An article based on Sting's life story was recently published. He got a step up in the Investor world thanks to his stepfather Jiemma Orland and got into Estate Development and Site Management through his stepsister Minerva.
Sting has always wanted to stand out, and be different. His mighty success was introducing a club that focused on diversity and difference from other normal clubs, which ended up drawing more customers to Sabertooth's various products.
"C-Come on, Sting, when have I ever disappointed you? It's just that this piece of merchandise is a little tricky in comparison to the others I brought to you," Loke rubbed the back of his head as he sat across from Sting on a crimson-cushioned sofa.
"Tricky? So you are admitting that you find it hard to pay me my money?" Sting grinned as he took another sip of his rich champagne.
"Now, now, don't put it that way..." Loke frantically waved his hands in front of him, "I'm just meeting a new challenge is all. This woman is my colleague, and somewhat of a friend, so dragging her here is a little harder than I had hoped,"
"Well, all of this waiting has gotten me a little impatient. How can I even trust that this person you're bringing is good enough to work for me?" Sting shrugged his shoulders, hoping to hear the greatest description from his bagel boy.
Loke brought his hand to his chin, "Ah well, You have to see her for yourself, honestly, she's beautiful and kind, she just has that desirable side to her. It gets a little tempting when you have to pretend to be just friends around her,"
Loke closed his eyes and smiled, "She is gorgeous; that bust, that ass, and her soft lips. It's hard not to imagine having sex with her. I'm not surprised her figure and mindset is incredible, considering she runs yoga classes and used to be a Personal Trainer before joining Fairy Tail, but man, I'm just waiting for the chance to get a piece of her,"
"This woman..." Sting spoke up with that same smug grin on his face, he gently placed his cup down and cracked his knuckles, "This woman you are talking about... her name wouldn't happen to be Lucy Heartfilia, would it?"
For some reason, Loke froze. He wasn't expecting Sting to hit it on the nail just like that.
"Uh, yeah," Loke poured himself a cup from the bottle that sat on the majestic table in front of them, "I didn't know that you knew of her?"
Sting l stared at Loke with these intimidating eyes whilst a smile was plastered on his face. He suddenly closed his eyes and sat back on the couch he was on, "Has she eyes on somebody in your workplace, like, a potential love partner?"
"Doubt it. Almost everyone fawns over her at work, including Dragneel so it's hard to pick from the bunch," Loke replied with a confident expression. Even though he knew good and damn well that Natsu shows the least interest in Lucy, at least from what he knows
Sting raised his head a little and his expression shifted to a grim and annoyed one, "Who is Dragneel?"
Loke stopped midway through sipping his drink, "Oh, uh, he's me and Lucy's colleague. Lucy always shows kindness towards him and he just brushes it off like he's swatting a fly or something, it's annoying sometimes,"
"What sort of kindness?" Sting asked.
Loke thought for a minute, "You know, like, saying good morning or offering to help out and stuff. Usual Lucy antics, she's incredibly helpful at the office,"
Sting let out a relieved sigh and chuckled as he looked up at the ceiling, "That's good..."
Sting smiled happily as he looked down at his drink and gently moved his glass cup in a circle to stir the ice cubes around.
"Lucy Heartfilia... it's been some time since I heard her name again," Sting grinned as he took a sip from his glass. He hissed at the intense burn of the drink as the liquid ran down his throat.
"From that line alone, can I assume that you and Lucy used to date?" Loke raised an interested brow at the blonde who smiled back at him with a toothy smile.
"I used to be the love of her life before she went psycho on me," Sting laughed.
Loke remained still, mouth slightly open from what he was hearing.
Sting pointed at the scar on his eyebrow, "She gave me this scar right here along with a few on my back. You fuck around with a bitch like her, then you might find yourself in a casket,"
"Did you cheat on her or something? I don't... understand," Loke spoke gently, treading on his words carefully, "
"I don't expect you to. You don't know Lucy like I know Lucy, if she wants something, SHE WILL get it, no matter what," Sting laughed a little as he brought his drink to his forehead.
"I don't know... I don't really get that kind of vibe from her, she's-." Loke started but was interrupted by Sting.
"A Genius. That's what she is. She has the fools at your workplace tied around her pinky finger, doesn't she? Did you know that she's the immediate daughter of Jude & Layla Heartfilia... do you even know who they are?" Sting pointed at Loke with his pinky finger as he held his cup.
"No, I have no clue-."
"And you claim to be her friend. No wonder it's taking you so long to get her," Sting stood up and walked towards the railing, "Lucy isn't your casual blonde from down the lane, she's much more... you never know what she's thinking,"
Sting began chuckling as he grazed his finger over his scar. Loke just stared at his back, completely lost in the situation.
He clutched the glass tightly as he began chuckling to himself, "Loke... I'll erase your debt if you bring me Lucy, I don't care who SHE IS with, or what SHE wants, just bring HER to me,"
"Is that a real offer?" Loke stood up from his seat.
Sting just nodded his head, "You have my word. Bring me Lucy and you'll have your freedom,"
Loke's eyes lit up with excitement as he silently cheered.
"Just keep that Dragneel f*cker away from her," Sting dropped back into his seat, he folded his legs and brought his glass to his lips.
He groaned upon seeing his glass empty and tapped the golden bell that sat on the table.
"Yeah, sure... I'll try," Loke said with a grin. He sat in his seat behind him.
He felt more relaxed now, grinning to himself as he began to devise a plan to get Lucy to Sting. He felt a little bad but he's been in debt for months and this was practically his chance to leave the clutches of Sting.
At the Gym...
A bit later into the day, Lisanna found herself sitting in the break room for the staff. She told herself that she wanted to workout, but found herself staring at her phone for hours, carelessly scrolling through short videos on YouTube.
She just wanted anything to take her mind off of what occurred earlier today.
Gildarts put a cup of orange juice in front of Lisanna who was playing on her phone with a small pout on her face.
He was in the middle of putting together some equipment that would be in a newly refurbished room at his gym. He sat back down on the stool and picked up a screwdriver, to continue putting together a bench.
"What's your deal, ay Lissana? You said you came to exercise, but you've just been sitting here doing nothing,"
"I've been thinking..." Lisanna started.
"About?" Gildarts yawned.
"Mr Dragneel has been released from the Hospital," Lisanna said bluntly whilst staring at her phone which made Gildart's spine crawl with absolute coldness.
Gildarts sighed and forced a relaxed smirk, "Ugh, well ain't that some news... How's Natsu holding up?"
"How do you think? He's shivering and acting like he's daddy's favourite boy," Lisanna sighed in annoyance.
Gildarts shook his head, he put extra strength into screwing in a part for the bench, "Could've sworn we severed that connection-, ugh, don't tell me..."
"Zeref," Lisanna said.
Gildarts sighed as he slightly dented the screw he was screwing in, "Sh*t. I shouldn't be surprised. You know what you have to do,"
"Yep..." Lisanna slouched onto the table. It's always been her job to uplift Natsu in every possible way that she could.
From way back when...
Flashback...
"What was it like?" A younger Lisanna asked with a tint of pink lighting up her cheeks and her sea blue eyes were wide with fascination and a need to want to know more.
Cana, a long-flowing-haired brunette who cunningly smiled at the interested Lisanna, patted her head and ruffled her hair, "I've told you many times how it is, it feels great here and there,"
"I mean... well," Lisanna's face lit up with a rose tint now, "... how does it feel with Natsu...?"
"Hehe, you're too young to know, Liz. But if you're so curious, would you like to join us next time," Cana wiggled her brows at Lisanna who blushed ferociously at the request.
"What? No! Pssh, Natsu is like a brother to me! I will never do that with him," Lisanna folded her arms, pouting, as she looked away from Cana who cheekily rubbed Lisanna's shoulders to persuade her.
"Come on, I know you want to~ I won't tell Mira," Cana spoke cunningly.
"Nope, not doing it!" Lisanna continued to pout.
Cana groaned aloud, "Good grief, why don't you tell him that you like him already? I don't mind sharing him with ya',"
Lisanna turned back to Cana with an annoyed expression now.
Lisanna furrowed her brows, "You know why already-."
"Yeah, but I'm sure Natsu will understand," Cana laid back against her bed.
"Not after everything he's been through," Lisanna fidgeted with her hands.
Just then, Cana's room door swung open and the rough-haired pinkette stepped in with patches of oil stains all over his upper body, face and hands.
He growled with annoyance as he glared in the girls' direction, "Seriously, tell Gildarts to fix his own damn car,"
Cana yawned, "C'mon Babe, you know he won't. Besides, I need to use it, and how can I when I don't know how to-."
"Yeah, yeah, that's why you have me around," Natsu chuckled lightly and began wiping his hands on his pants.
Whilst doing that, Cana darted her eyes at Lisanna who caught onto it with her own eyes. The two shared a confusing, and slightly awkward moment of misunderstood gestures.
Cana was telling Lisanna to go for it, whilst Lisanna didn't quite get the picture. Which to Cana, was a sign to 'go ahead with it.'
With a cunning smile, Cana said to Natsu, "Hey Babe, I was thinking that when we have fun next time, Liz can join us! It'll be quite an adventur-."
Natsu looked up with a neutral face and half-slit eyes, "Gross,"
"Ouch," Lisanna thought as she covered her face in embarrassment.
Cana laughed lightly and began to conversate about the car with Natsu who didn't seem too perturbed and found the task to be quite easy.
Lisanna watched them with her arms around her knees as she peered up at Natsu, watching him as he spoke to Cana and explained what was going on with the car.
She knew her role in Natsu's life wasn't going to be what she had always dreamed of since she was young, but she was happy being content with the cards that life dealt her, and that was being his Best Friend; being there for him when he needed her.
As badly as she wanted to feel what his lips were like, how his hands were like, or how it felt to make love with him, her fate was sealed to always be second to whoever came first in his life.
That's how it is.
And that's how it will always be.
She doesn't complain, she doesn't cry, she just smiles, and takes it all.
All she can do is protect him and that's what she will do.
It's her duty as his Best Friend.
End of Flashback...
Lisanna fidgeted with her fingers before standing up from her seat, "Welp! I'm off to back him up! Later, Uncle Gildarts,"
She said with an excited tone, quite the opposite of how she was feeling earlier, and all in a split second too.
She made her way to the exit of the break room, whistling an odd tune as she got on with her day.
"Liz..." Gildarts called out as he was putting together new equipment for one of the new rooms he was refurbishing for the gym.
Lisanna turned to him slightly as she opened the door.
"... How long do you plan to play the 'best friend' role?" Gildarts said as he looked straight at her, their eyes connecting, "Are you ready... for Natsu to be with someone else? To not need you anymore?"
Lisanna remained quiet, but suddenly smiled, "Natsu will always... need me,"
She said a little hesitantly, as she turned to leave the break-room.
As she walked down the hallway to the exit, thoughts intruded her mind. What Gildarts said was a thought to ponder... because once Natsu does find a significant other, what will be her use?
A girlfriend is quite literally a guy's best friend, and the same goes for a husband and wife. She'd have to depart from Natsu's life since she would be replaced and whilst she didn't want that...
That's just how life goes.
She had already come to terms with the fact that she and Natsu couldn't be together, and she was okay with that. But, not being in his life is what scared her the most.
Once she got to the exit, she took out her phone, and turned it on to call Natsu. As she tapped on it and the phone began to call, she breathed in and then out...
"Hey Liz, what's up?" Natsu spoke on the other side of the phone.
"So! Do you need me to back you up, like always? Maybe I should bring a box of tissues too, to wipe the tears at your sudden reunion," Lisanna laughed lightly.
"Very funny. You can rest for the day, wouldn't want you embarrassing yourself with that cheap tracksuit you always have on," Natsu said from the other side of the phone with a snarky tone, "We both know that's the only 'expensive' thing you wear,"
"No! It's- You know what, I'm not going to bother explaining to you how pristine the tracksuit is, I'm going to have to knock some sense into you when I see you," Lisanna smiled to herself.
"Seriously, don't worry about it. I've got this, just go ahead and rest for today..." Natsu hummed.
Lisanna raised a brow, "Oh, are you sure you don't need me there?"
"I'll be fine, besides, Lucy is joining me this time around," Natsu responded. He cleared his throat as if he was suppressing a sound from leaving his throat.
"Lucy... is accompanying you?" Lisanna said with slightly widened eyes.
"Yeah. I saw her today, we talked, and she offered to accompany me," Natsu said a little more seriously now, "I know it's something you and I usually do together, but I'm going to try this without you on this one. I think I'm ready to face the music. I know I don't say this a lot, but I appreciate you helping me all the time, Liz. I know I bonk you on the head here and there, but I'm grateful for you. Thanks for everything... oh, I gotta go, chat to you later?"
"Yeah... Yes! I mean, finally, no more needing to carry you on my back! Thanks for giving me some GOOD NEWS for once," Lisanna said cheerfully in a forced manner.
"Whatever, Liz. Talk to you soon," Natsu chuckled and ended the call.
Lisanna held her smile as she took her phone from her ear and turned it off, "Well... at least they're becoming close friends..."
To Be Continued