The bet (Sting x Lucy)

chapter 26

Lucy pov
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"What do you mean that the guild disbanded?! And nobody stopped it?"

I looked at natsu as we sat at a restaurant. It was awkward, to say the least. Natsu was munching on his food as I told him about what happened.

"Natsu, it was just masters decision. I'm sure be had a reason." I said quietly. Sometimes, I felt the way he did. Mad that nobody stopped master Makarov from his decision. But now that I think about it, I know that we didn't have a say no matter what.

"That doesn't sound like you! Are you saying that you just stood there and took it?!" He yelled at me. I sighed before giving him a slight glare.

"Honestly Natsu, I don't think you have much room to talk." Natsu looked at me, shocked. He didn't expect me to talk back. "I mean, you disappeared for what? An entire year? And without saying anything to anyone! You're no better!" I exclaimed, letting my emotions get the best of me.

"But Luce, I left you a note." I felt even more hurt at him trying to make an excuse.

"And what?! You couldn't even say goodbye in person." I said as I felt my eyes get teary. "I was heartbroken! Loosing you, and then the rest of the guild right after?! You should've seen how horrible I was after that! I neglected myself. I let myself loose tons of weight and didn't leave my room for weeks!"

Natsu gave me a sad look as I stood up and threw some cash on the table. "That should cover it." I mumbled as I left the restaurant.

"Luce! Wait up!" I heard natsu and happy say simultaneously. I kept walking until I felt a hand on my wrist. I looked back and saw natsu, holding onto me. Happy was flying above him, with a concerned expression.

"What happened to you? Like, how did you get better?" He asked me. I didn't meet his eyes and slowly moved my arm out of his grasp.

"If it wasn't for Yukino, I'd probably be dead right now. I owe her my life and so much more." I said quietly. Natsu suddenly smiled.

"So you survived! And that means that everyone else did as well. I think we should get the guild back!" I looked at natsu, shocked at the nonsense coming out of his mouth.

"I can't." I said, hesitantly. Natsu and happy looked confused. I raised my hand, showing them my guild mark. "I'm a part of sabertooth now. And another reason I can't.." I trailed off and showed him my other hand, with my ring.

"Woah! Do you have a loan to pay or something?! That's a really pretty ring!" I sighed before shaking her head at happy.

"I'm engaged." I said, causing their jaws to drop.

"YOU'RE ENGAGED?! TO WHO?" Natsu asked rather loudly. I quieted him down before grabbing a magazine and showing it to them. The headline read clearly. It was about my sighting at the train station. Jeez, these reporters work fast.

"Fiores hottest couple; Lucy Heartfillia and Sting Eucliffe are getting ready to tie the knot. Lucy has made it official, by correcting a reporter, saying that Mr.Eucliffe is her fiance." I heard Natsu read aloud.

"Lucy! You're dating sting?! The white dragon slayer?" I nodded my head and blushed as happy questioned me.

"We've only been gone a year, and you've already moved on. Look at you, you're engaged and making popularity charts. I always thought, that it'd be me, you, Erza, Gray, Wendy, and Happy." He paused and I noticed the tears building up in his eyes. Natsu suddenly pulled me into a hug, as if trying to hide his tears

"But instead, I've caused you pain by leaving you behind, I don't even know where the others are. And yet, I'm so upset. I'm upset that you managed to live life without me around. I know I shouldn't be, but I, I don't know." He said while his voice cracked. I started to feel bad, he seemed really upset.

I pushed him away while giving him a small smile and met his eyes. It had been such a long time since we were like this.

"What if I help gather everyone up. I just won't be able to come back." I said. But, that made me feel worse. Why should I ask them to give up their current life when I can't even do that myself?

But the idea made him smile. And his melancholy feelings seemed to go away. "For now, you can stay in a hotel with me tonight. I'm heading back home tomorrow." I said before starting for a nearby hotel.

I found one called 'Homey rose' and it seemed cute. Happy and natsu basically worshiped the ground I walked on as we went into the hotel. I went up to the receptionist and smiled.

"Hello, I was wondering if you had any vacant rooms for one night?" I said. The lady at the desk looked me up and down before pulling out a folder.

"Our cheapest room for the night is a one bed and one couch room. Will that be alright?" She asked me. I nodded and she wrote something down.

"That will be just fine thank you." I said as she handed me the hotel key.

"You'll be in room 223. Enjoy your stay." She said in a flat tone. I took the key and smiled. I then turned back to Natsu and Happy, and they understood that I wanted them to follow me.

We got to the room and I set my stuff down next to the wall. Natsu headed to the couch and sat down while yawning.

"What are you doing?" I asked him. I looked up at me and smiled.

"I'm sleeping on the couch!" He beamed. I rolled my eyes and grabbed him arn, pulling him into his feet.

"I'll take the couch tonight. I imagine that you haven't had a proper bed in quite some time. One night won't kill me." I said as I sat down on the couch, going through my bag for pajamas. Once I found them, I went into the bathroom to get changed.

'I know that he has good intentions, but this makes me feel guilty. Knowing that I've moved on just like everyone else but I'm asking them to come back. I can't even do that myself, so why am I acting like they will? Why am I being so selfish?" I thought as I changed. I sighed and brushed out my hair, trying to think of something else.

My mind immediately went to Sting and the others. I wonder how the contest went. Minerva probably won, knowing her. But as I want to leave the bathroom, I heard natsu and happy talking. I pressed my ear against the door, trying to hear what they were saying.

"I still can't believe Lucy's getting married." I heard happy say.

"Yeah, I didn't expect it either. Maybe I can convince her not to go through with it." My almost gasped as I heard natsu talking.

"Why would you do that? She's happy and is even making a name for herself. You want her to be happy, right?" I heard happy question him.

"Of course I do. That's why I'm taking her back to fairytail. She belongs with us, not sabertooth. We had her first." My eyes widened at what natsu was saying.

"If fairytail were still here, she would've never joined that guild. Or be with sting. It's all circumstancial. I'm sure she'd be happy to go back if something were to happen to her and sting." I felt hurt, with the way natsu was thinking.

I opened the door, staring directly towards natsu and happy. I could tell I was glaring, and that look from me made him know.

I knew.

"Is that really how you think of me?" Natsu opened his mouth, but no sounds came out. "If something happened to sting, it'd make me want to stay even more and take care of him. We've been through a lot together, and if you can't accept that I might put someone else before you then I don't know what to tell you." I said before grabbing my bag and put the rest of my things in it.

I took the key out of the pocket and threw it at Natsu, before marching to the door.

"Return the key to the desk tomorrow morning. Goodbye Natsu." I mumbled before leaving. I started for the train station and didn't pay attention to the reporters and the paparazzi around me as they tried to get a quote from me.

I bought myself a ticket home and quickly got in the train before Natsu might've caught up to me. I needed sting. He was like my rock and I don't think I could survive without him.