The Muse•{Sting x Reader high school AU}

17

There were fourteen people lined up, waiting to get on stage. Seven were artists, and seven were the artists' helpers. You were at the end of the line, per your father's requests: "If you can't be first, be last. People always remember the first and the last."

"Alright... first we have the heir to the Fujioka family, presenting his three pieces. We will start the bidding at... a thousand dollars."

The bidding went on a few seconds per piece, before they moved onto the second heir, then the third, the fourth, and fifth. As it started to get closer to your turn, Loke would try to ground you by placing a hand in your shoulder, which wouldn't go unnoticed by Sting from the crowd. He could see you talking to him, laughing with him, smiling with him, but he could not for the life of him figure out what you were talking about with him. What was he saying that was making you smile like that? And what could he do to get you to smile at him like the way you smiled at Loke?

"And now we welcome heir number six, from the Han family, presenting her three pieces. We will start the bidding at five thousand dollars."

"Five thousand? That seems like a bit much for a silly little painting." Orga scoffed. Rufus silently agreed, but the conversation was picked up by a by stander.

"Is this your first time here?" The older man said, to which Orga and Rufus said yes. Sting, Rogue, and Yukino started to pay attention to the man as he started to explain how the bidding worked, along with the starting amounts chosen. "The more popular the heir, the higher the starting bid."

"So the Han family is more popular than the Fujioka family?" Yukino asked.

"No, not necessarily. It goes solely based off of popularity of the heir. Women tend to be more popular than men, rightfully so." The old man chuckled. "But just you wait until you see the last heir they announce."

"Who, Y/n?" Sting raised an eyebrow. The man nodded, and then turned to the stage as the last piece by heir number six was sold.

"And now we have our final heir... heir number seven, of the Heartfilia family, Y/n Heartfilia."

The crowd clapped as you and Loke made your way up on stage. You wore a soft smile, giving the business tycoons a small wave as you walked across and helped Loke set up the easels to hold your three pieces. When everything was set up, you smoothed down the front of your dress, and looked across everyone's heads. You hated being looked at, especially like this, but you had to get used to it. When you confided in Loke with this problem, he told you to look over everyone's heads, which did work.

Loke stood next to you, his hands behind his back as your hands rested in front of your body. On stage, at least to your father and other tycoons, you both looked like a perfect couple, destined to be together. Both good looking, childhood friends, families were business partners... what wasn't perfect about that situation?

"Alright, we have piece number one entitled... 'Lucky Lucy number. 27,' a portrait of Lucy Heartfilia... and we will start the bidding at... fifteen thousand dollars."

"Fifteen!?" The group of five shouted, but no one paid any mind to them. Everyone started bidding.

"Sixteen!"

"Seventeen!"

"Eighteen!"

"Twenty! Twenty thousand dollars!"

"Twenty thousand! Do I hear twenty-one?"

"Twenty-one!"

"Twenty-three!"

"Twenty-four!"

"Thirty!"

"Do I hear thirty-one?!"

"I bid thirty-five thousand dollars!"