Hello there!

I'm back for another chapter!

I am aware I did not post last Friday. No, I could not find the time to post. I hope you can understand that I don't have a lot of time free. Posting today because I remembered on my way to work to do it. Yes, I still love you all. No, I am not mad, but I am sorry.

Just found out I'm lightly anemic, so yayyyyy (read: sarcasm)

Dommie, thank you baby, and yes. 'Do it for the plot' is my motto

Giggly, Hi! Sorry, please have a new one!

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 VII: The Fairies' Guild

X—X

The sun was halfway up in the sky when the Sting pushed open the large wooden doors of Fairy Tail's guild. Almost all heads turned in their direction and erupted in cheers when they saw the Twin Slayers walking inside their guild. A few came to greet them – a young man with pink hair, a blonde woman with stars in her eyes, and a blue Exceed that crashed against Frosch.

"Sting, what are you doing here?!" the one with pink hair asked. "What happened to your gloves?"

"Makarov called. I borrowed them." the blond looked around. "Where's Wendy?"

"Right there." he pointed, and a short blue-haired young teen, hearing her name, walked to them.

"Sting. Rogue." she nodded. "It's good to see you."

"Likewise. Can you help me here, Wendy? Ivy-!" the blond frowned and turned around. "Ivy?"

"Over here." she raised from her kneeling position and walked to the slayer. "Yes?"

Silence fell around the guild. Sting noticed the eyes of every single dragon slayer falling on her, and jumping back to Sting. She shuffled on her feet, wrapping one gloved arm around her torso. The man with pink hair eyed her up and down and sniffed the air. He noticed Sting moving closer to her a subtle inch, but it was an inch that a few people noticed.

"Oh, there are your gloves." the man with pink hair noticed. "Hi, I'm Natsu!"

"I-Ivy." she nodded and bowed her head.

"Wendy, can you take a look at Ivy's arms?" Sting asked. "She got hurt during our last job."

"Of course!" the youngling smiled brightly and took her hand carefully. "Hi, Ivy, my name is Wendy. Would you come with me?"

The redhead nodded and allowed Wendy to lead her to the infirmary, but not before exchanging a look with Sting. He gave her a nod of reassurance and she smiled. Once they were gone, Sting walked to the bar and ordered two drinks. Mirajane eyed him with a glint but began preparing them. Rogue took a seat next to him and took a deep breath.

"Makarov left for the morning. You're welcome to stick around though." Mirajane declared. "I'll be more than happy to get to know more about the new addition to Sabertooth."

"Stuff it, Mira." Sting rolled his eyes "I'm not telling you shit."

"Oh, I never said I'd ask you," she smirked. "Ivy, however..."

"Mira..."

"Sting..." she raised an eyebrow.

"Don't bother her."

"Won't promise."

"Hey, Sting!" Natsu shouted, "Let's fight!"

–X–

Sting fell into the seat next to Rogue, panting. He and Natsu had already gone at it hard, a fight that escalated too quickly, and that was ended by Erza. He looked up to see who was Rogue sitting with and cursed: Gajeel and Levy eyed him with interest, and Lily sipped on his kiwi juice.

"Hi, Sting." Levy smiled.

"You were right," Gajeel commented. "She's pretty. Smells good too."

"...thanks. Don't say anything, though."

"She doesn't know yet?" Gajeel frowned.

"No." the blond gulped. "It's... not an easy subject to touch."

"You told them?" Rogue frowned.

"Tin man smelled her all over me."

"You do scent mark her every chance you get." the Shadow slayer commented, and that earned him a smack on the back of his head.

"What's 'scent marking'?" Levy frowned.

"What Gajeel did to you every chance he got way before you two mated." Sting let out. "Pheromones. Touching, borrowing clothing, even something as simple as nuzzling you, or... fixing your headband."

"O-oh." Levy blushed. "G-good to know."

Sting looked up to the infirmary door, taking a deep breath. He frowned and gulped. "Is she okay?"

"She's a little scared." the blond frowned. "Sounds nervous too."

"You're really in tune with her, aren't you?" Levy observed.

Sting nodded slowly. Lector jumped on the table and pulled at the slayer's jacket, and he looked at Natsu, who danced around Lucy while the blonde laughed. Mirajane watched the two with a relaxed smile, and his eyes fell on Laxus, who sat at the edge of the bar, quietly sipping his beer. He turned to Gajeel with a raised eyebrow and the man smirked.

"Oh yeah."

"When?"

"About... a week after Levy and I," he explained. "Not much has changed, but... one can tell."

"Clearly. And dumbfuck is still as clueless as ever."

"He knows, on an instinctual level. He's proven that much already."

"What happened?" Sting turned back to look at Gajeel.

"Loke. He came around, about two weeks ago, acting all charming, and throwing myself at Bunnygirl. The only reason why he didn't beat him to a bloody pulp was because Stripper, Ezra, and I held him back."

Sting cursed and leaned back on his seat. "And no one is gonna tell him?"

"That was his father's job. Not mine." Gajeel shrugged.

"What is going on?" Levy glared.

"Natsu-san has a very instinctual knowledge of who his mate is," Rogue explained. "He acted on such apparently two weeks ago, but I suspect that he himself does not know what exactly he's feeling, or why he snapped so harshly."

"And the thing before?"

"Laxus. He's marked his mate as well."

"Who is it?"

"By the look of pure satisfaction on her face?" Rogue frowned. "Mirajane."

Levy gasped, and Sting looked up to see Ivy and Wendy stepping out of the infirmary, the redhead holding his gloves in her hands. She smiled kindly at the young slayer, and the two were quick to climb down the stairs. Her periwinkle eyes found his dark ones immediately and she gave him a little wave. Sting stood up and she jogged up to him, smiling brightly.

He stepped into her personal space and leaned down, grabbing her right arm. She let him move it around, eyes longing on the thin line that scarred her just below her shoulder. He ran his thumb over it, and Ivy sighed, placing her hand over his. She looked into his eyes and gulped, watching as thousand-and-one scenarios played behind his eyes.

"There was only so much Wendy could do," she spoke softly.

"I almost strangled Dobengal for taking you on a job that involved bandits, yet I was the one that scarred you." he gulped.

"Dobengal took me on a basic mission in which I got hurt because I had to step in and save his ass. Bandits are a bit easier than corrosive poison-spitting giant lizards, Sting." her smile was challenging, and Sting let out a chuckle.

"Still... I'm sorry."

"Buy me a drink and you're forgiven." Ivy raised an eyebrow and the blond booped her on the nose.

"Deal."

Someone cleared their throats and Sting turned to glare at Gajeel.

"Hi!" the blue-haired mage stood up and took her hand. "I'm Levy. You must be Ivy."

"Pleasure to meet you, Levy." Ivy smiled.

"The big mountain is Gajeel, and the Exceed is Lily. Can I treat you to a milkshake, Ivy? The boys are not done talking."

"Sure!"

They walked to the bar, where Mirajane awaited them with a shit-eating grin on her face. Ivy sat down next to Levy, and Lucy was quick to join the two, as Gajeel and Rogue grabbed Sting and Natsu, and pulled them outside. The last thing the blond heard before the doors closed was Ivy's sweet giggle.

–X–

She was nowhere to be found when he finally stepped out of the meeting with Makarov. Rogue had taken off already, on a mission to find a motel to sleep in. He promised to book a room for them, but Sting never liked it when he gained a particular glint in his eye. He asked Cana where he could find Ivy and the woman, well on her fifth barrel, responded.

"Levy dragged her to the library when she found out Ivy knew her runes. They've been there since."

So, the light dragon slayer went to the library. He saw Gajeel, snoring away on a reclined chair, Lector and Lily playing cards, but no signs of the two. He heard Levy's giggle and followed it to the back of the library.

The orange-haired mage sat on a table, legs crossed and skirt tail falling behind her. Her hair was completely flickered back, something of odd occurrence. Sting knew she liked some strands to fall down her chest. Her lips were parted, her hands glowed and she had a ball of runes in front of her, being held by both herself and Levy.

"Okay. Does the family have a symbol?" Ivy asked.

"Not quite. But I can attribute one." Levy answered.

"Think of the symbol and draw the lock rune." the Script Mage drew a strange symbol with her light pen.

"Now what?"

"Do you know the rune alphabet?"

"Yes."

"Write the family's name." And Levy did so.

The ball of runes was absorbed into the object – a book of sorts – and Levy gasped. She shrieked and threw her arms around Ivy's neck, almost causing her to fall backward. When she pulled away, the redhead pulled two locks of hair over her chest and smiled. She picked up the book and gave it to Levy, who cradled it like it was something precious.

"Thank you, Ivy. Are you sure it's going to work on me, though?"

"Does the book feel heavy?"

"No more than normal."

"Then it will." she smiled. "Legally and magically speaking, there's a bond. And if what you told me holds any kind of truth... yours is deeper than a marriage bond. So yes. It will work on you."

"Thank you so much, Ivy."

"Anytime, Levy."

"Ladies." Sting stepped up to them and nodded.

"Hey, Sting." Levy greeted. "How was the meeting?"

"Enlightening," he admitted. "Might have to step out with him if this gets any worse."

"What's going on?" Ivy frowned.

"Just some... dark guild troubles." Sting pressed a kiss to her head. "Don't worry about it."

"Shall we get going then? I know a great restaurant!" Levy suggested. "Gajeel~!"

"Sure." the two stood up, and it didn't take long for the Iron Dragon slayer to fall into step with them.

"What kind of food do they serve?" Ivy asked as they stepped out into the guild.

"Oh, all kinds! Vegetarian, noodles, these delicious sushi rolls that you just have to-!"

"Banshee?"

Ivy froze.

She stopped walking and slowly looked up to see Juvia, head cocked to the side and looking at her. Sting frowned. Ivy's heart was close to beating out of her chest, and he could smell the salt of her tears, scent tainted with pure and unaltered fear. He felt her take a small step back, trying to get away from the situation happening in front of her.

"Ivy?" Levy called slowly.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm so sorry."

And before anyone could stop her, Ivy took off in a run and disappeared.

A/N: Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh I wonder what that was all about?!

Let me know your thoughts on this new story!

Lots of love from this weirdo,

LoneeWolf :)