Hello there!

I'm back for another chapter!

Yes, I derailed from schedule. No, my mental health has not been the best lately. Yes, I know that is no excuse. I'm sorry for not keeping my word to you. And thank you for your understanding.

Still lightly anemic, I think stress might have a heavy hand with that

Dommie, boyyyy you know damn well you went through my phone when I was asleep and read this chapter the same day I posted, stawp playing

Giggly, yeah, I am a cliffhanger girlie. Sorryyyyyy

I hope you like it :)

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Fairy Tail. I do, however, own the rights to this story and OC characters that might appear in the future.

Chapter VIII: The Hard Confession

X—X

"I can't find her." Natsu walked inside the guild, immediately followed by Rogue.

"No clues either."

Ivy had been missing for hours now, and the sun was already setting. When she disappeared, and they realized she wasn't coming back, Fairy Tail was quick to split into groups to try and find her. But they were clearly coming up empty-handed. The mages started coming back from their searches, all with forlorn expressions: Gajeel and Levy, Freed and Cana, Lucy and Erza. The last bunch to arrive were Sting and Lector and when he did, he slammed the door shut with a murderous expression.

He scanned the guild, eyes landing on his target, and he lunged. Gajeel, perhaps already foreseeing what was coming, got in his way and shoved him back. But nothing could stop the maddened Dragon Slayer, who tried to attack again. This time, Rogue and Natsu held him back, and Gajeel pushed him back into their grip.

"What's wrong with him?" Gray let out. "Why are you trying to attack Juvia?"

"Stay out of this if you don't wanna get your ass beat, Popsicle." Sting roared, his voice gaining a feral tone.

"I can't believe I'm doing this." Gajeel groaned. "Let's just calm down and talk."

"Yeah, she can start talking, alright!"

"Gajeel-san, why is Sting-san acting so angry?" Juvia frowned.

"Sorry, Sting." and he turned to the rest of the guild. "Because you inadvertently caused his mate to disappear into thin air with no trace, so it's kind of understandable why he's acting like a vicious wild animal!"

"Ivy is your... mate?" Mirajane gasped.

"Unclaimed..." he growled, "but yes."

"Oh no..."

"Which is why..." Sting released his arms and glared. "Pretty little rain woman is gonna tell me what the fuck 'Banshee' means."

"It's her." Juvia gulped. "She's Banshee. Like Gajeel-san was Kurogane. Like Juvia was Rain Woman."

"How do you know?!"

"She remembers not... but Juvia was there one of the times Banshee struck. Juvia was there on a job and witnessed her sneaking out of the hospital and disappearing into the night. Only the next day did Juvia find out that Banshee had struck. Juvia did not speak a word of this to anyone... until today."

"How did she get that name?" he glared.

"Do you know what a Banshee is?" Juvia asked. "A Banshee is a spirit of a woman that foretells death. It is said that her scream is so piercing that will shatter glass... or kill someone. Juvia did not give her that name. She was known around the doomed lands and the hospitals of the dying soldiers."

"...hospitals?" he let out and gasped.

The blond took off running. No one dared follow him, but they knew he would find her. It took him about an hour, but he did it. Sitting on a bench facing no other than Magnolia's General Hospital was Ivy, shoulders slumped. Sting quietly but surely sat down next to her, taking a deep breath.

"...how did you find me?" she asked in a whisper.

"I will always know how to find you," he spoke calmly, even though his heart was beating a mile per minute. "But... Juvia told me what 'Banshee' meant."

She sniffed and lowered her head. "I told you... I'm trying my hardest to escape my past. I'm not a good person."

Sting looked down at his hands. "How many?"

"...23."

He swallowed hard. "Why?"

"Because they begged me to. To take away their pain, to let them sleep, to help them dream," she whispered. "I never wanted to, but they begged. But I did it nicely. I always sang them to sleep."

"Your grandparents."

"Grandma asked me to help her dream of flowers. Grandpa begged me to see Grandma again." she gulped. "I never put anyone to sleep that had another way out. They were always doomed. And I always..."

"Asked for permission." he realized.

"Yes." she turned her head and Sting saw the tear tracks running down her face. "Go ahead and leave. I don't deserve you. I'll get out of your hair and everyone's life. You'll never have to see me again."

Even though he knew that would never be an option, Sting's heart clenched in his chest. He could no longer imagine a life without her, without her constant reassuring smile, without the happy glow in her periwinkle eyes. Her touch, was so warm and gentle, her scent, was so tasty and perfect. He took a deep breath and spoke.

"...I killed him."

"What?" she looked into his eyes, and sniffed. He looked away and bit the inside of his cheek.

"Weisslogia. That dragon gave me everything. A home. A father figure. A dysfunctional family, but one nevertheless. Food. He gave me my magic..." he declared. "And when he begged me to kill him... I did."

"Sting-!" Ivy gasped, hands flying to her mouth.

"Over the course of years, I had enemies that died because of the wounds I inflicted." He raised his head to look up at the stars. "I never saw them take their final breath. I never heard their heart's final beat. Unlike yours, mine died alone, cold, and in the dark. They died because of me. I'm a killer, Ivy."

"...do you hate me?"

"I can't hate you, Ivy." Sting showed her a weak smile. "I won't even try."

"I've killed people."

"So have I. So has Rogue. So has Gajeel. So has Juvia." Sting grabbed her hand and frowned. "None of us are pure. But we all want forgiveness."

"Forgive me." She let out, looking at their joined hands.

"I already have." he smiled, and Ivy dove into his arms.

The moon was high in the sky when Rogue heard the room's door open. He turned on a lamp and watched as Sting carried a sleeping Ivy in his arms. The blond gave him a weak smile and placed her on the bed, removing her boots and covering her with a blanket. He brushed her hair back from her face and sighed. Sting was about to walk out when Rogue placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Stay with her. I can tell you both need that."

"What about you?"

"I've got the room next door." he declared. "Frosch and Lector are with me. Goodnight, Sting."

"Goodnight, Rogue."

–X–

When Ivy woke up the next morning, she frowned. She was in a strange room, with the noon sun shining through the window, and the bed below her was a little softer than what she was used to. The pillow was bigger, the sheets were softer and the blanket was thicker. Not only that but she realized she wasn't alone on said bed when she opened her eyes.

A mop of spiky blond hair rested on the pillow next to her. She noticed that, while she was inside the covers, he was over them, with a blanket covering him. His eyes were closed, long dark brown lashes brushing the top of his cheeks. His lips were parted, letting out soft exhales, and his face was devoid of any expression, peaceful and calm.

She looked down and noticed that he had stripped down to a pair of shorts the night before. She remembered what had happened, and how he had taken her into his arms even after she had told him the truth about her. She remembered his embrace, his tight hold as if he was scared that she would run away from her past, from her friends, from him.

Ivy shuffled to a more comfortable position and watched him carefully. This young man that had taken residency in her heart the moment he first smiled at her. The face she had seen in her dreams, which often times accompanied a pale shoulder with a white symbol was finally in front of her, inches away from hers. She pushed one lock of hair that stubbornly fell on his face back, and sighed.

He was something else. She didn't think it would be possible for anyone, especially him, to forgive her for her sins. But he did. And he confessed her his own, which made her feel even more special. She ran a finger across his forehead. He was a handsome young man. A powerful one. A devoted one. A kind one. A fierce one.

A dragon.

She blushed, remembering what Levy had told her the night before. How Gajeel and her had come to be together. What they went through. What they now felt. How their union, their claim on each other, had triggered a chain reaction to all the other dragon slayers. How she had left Ivy to guess the meaning behind her words and fill in the blanks. The orange-haired girl nibbled her lower lip and sighed.

Sting shifted in his sleep and Ivy pulled her hand away, not wanting to wake him up. "Noo, don't stop," he muttered his complaint, patting his way to her hand with his eyes closed and putting it back on his hair.

Ivy giggled and continued to brush back his spiky hair, admiring how soft it was. "Good morning, sleepy."

"M'rng." he spoke against his pillow. "Sleep well?"

"Fairly well. No dreams." she licked her lips. "How long have you been awake for?"

"A couple of hours, napping in between," he admitted, and Ivy blushed.

"And you still stayed?"

"You're warm and comfy," he smirked. "And you smell really good."

"I haven't showered in two days." she frowned. "How can I smell good?"

"Your natural scent," Sting explained, taking a deep breath. "It's really, really, really good."

"What do I smell like?" Ivy scooted closer to him, and the slayer pried one eye open.

"Honey, blueberries, and a twinge of freshly cut grass." he declared. "You smell like a warm Spring morning and sunshine."

"Do you like it?" she worried her bottom lip between her teeth.

"It's the most delicious scent." he sniffed. "Something's worrying you."

"How do you know?"

"Strong emotions tend to alter one's scent. Fear makes it acidic. Anger makes it stale. Recognition smells fresh. Lust makes it musky." he opened his eyes and looked into hers. "What is it?"

"... we're going to have to leave this room soon. Possibly go back to Fairy Tail. And I have to face them." she gulped. "They know what I did. What I am."

"They don't know much. But you don't have to tell them if you don't want to." he licked his lips.

"They will judge me. And what if they call the Magic Council?" Ivy gasped. "If they look inside my memories-!"

"Ivy." Sting raised a hand and cupped her face. "No one's gonna touch you. I won't let them. But Fairy Tail is not like that. They'll accept you."

"Sting, I..." she gulped. "I'm scared."

"Don't be," he whispered, brushing back her hair. "I'm not gonna let anyone take you away from me."

She nodded shakily; eyes locked with his. Sting continued to brush her orange locks back, gazing at her almost lovingly. She let a gentle smile grace her lips, enjoying the care and the affection from the dragon slayer. He moved to press a kiss to her forehead, and Ivy sighed happily. He was so warm, so comfortable and so important to her.

"What time is it?" she whispered.

"Almost noon." at her raised eyebrow, he explained. "Light Dragon Slayer, Ivy. Rise with the sun, lay with a sun."

"Cute." she giggled. "We should get up soon, no?"

"Yeah. You want to shower first?"

"No... you go first. You're not a fan of hot water, so I trust I'll have enough after you're done." she snuggled deeper into her pillow.

"How do you know I'm not a fan of hot water?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Rogue told me," she smirked.

"I thought I told you..." he propped himself up on his elbow.

"Yeah, this came up in the conversation." Ivy laid on her back, cheeks flushed. "Don't ask me how, though, because I don't remember."

"Oh-okay..." Sting raised an eyebrow. "I'm gonna go shower."

He got up from the bed and Ivy blushed but followed him with her eyes. He was a gorgeous man, with a lean body, broad shoulders, thin hips, and a nice round butt. His arms were thick – not as much as Gajeel's or Laxus, but the muscle was evident. He grabbed a pair of underwear and moved to the bathroom, but before he closed the door, he poked his head out and smirked.

"Wanna join me?"

A shriek and a thrown pillow were his answer, and he ducked inside the bathroom with a loud chuckle.

A/N: Everyone has a past.

Let's leave it at that.

Let me know your thoughts on this new story!

Lots of love from this weirdo,

LoneeWolf :)