The Muse•{Sting x Reader high school AU}

30

You walked in with Sting hand in hand, and as predicted, people were staring. It made you self-conscious. But Sting assured you not to worry.

You saw the group huddled together in front of you, Yukino and Minerva's backs towards you. But they turned around once Rogue pointed the two of you out. Yukino was the first one to practically run to you, and give you, what probably was, the biggest hug of your life.

"I'm so happy for the two of you! This is great!" She smiled widely. "Oh, I could just cry!"

"Calm down, Yuki." Minerva chuckled, placing a hand on her shoulder. "But we all are happy for you."

"Thanks, guys! Means a lot." Sting smiled, draping an arm around your shoulders.

"You both are just too cute." Yukino gushed.

You couldn't help but smile. You were on a high, and nothing could bring you down. Nothing at all.

"Hey, Y/n." You heard Lucy's voice, and was almost sing-songy. "I heard you spent an extra night at 'Lisanna's'." She chuckled, making sure to put air quotes around Lisanna's name.

"Yup. Totally did." You said through gritted teeth.

"Don't forget to tell me what happened, just so we can tell dad the same story."

"Oh right... dad." There it was. Your high was brought down.

How could you ever bring Sting around dad? Your dad would kill him first and then kill you! You weren't allowed to date, unless it was for some business thing that benefitted your father. And, he wanted you to be with Loke at that, if you did choose to date anyone!

What did you get yourself into!?

"Yeah, when do I get to meet your dad?" Sting asked.

"Wow, already talking about meeting the parents? You didn't even get that far in your other relationships. I'm impressed." Orga laughed a bit. Sting shot him a glare, and Rufus ended up hitting his stomach, which had no effect.

"Uhm... that's a great question." You said nervously.

"You don't want me to meet your dad?" Sting asked, his face falling a bit.

"It's not that, I'd like for you too, it's just a bit complicated right now."

"How so?"

"Dad doesn't want her dating unless it's for a business partnership." Lucy explained. Thank goodness you didn't have to. "That's why he wants her to be with Loke so badly."

"Loke!?"

"I don't think of him that way! Promise!" You assured him. "And he definitely doesn't like me that way either! He has a girlfriend! Aries!"

Sting's stomach started to burn. And his chest started to tighten. His head started to hurt. His heart was pounding. He felt sick.

"Maybe dad will come around. He got used to Natsu." Lucy shrugged.

"Yeah, no. Dad hates Natsu." You corrected Lucy.

"Dad can't really control who you choose to date."

"He will kill me! And then Sting! Or vise versa!"

"Don't be dramatic. He wouldn't kill his special girl." Lucy rolled her eyes.

"I— why would you say something like that? You know that I started doing all of this for you. Not for dad, for you."

"And I'm grateful for it, but I also told you not to do it. I could've handled it myself."

"Wait, what is going on?" Sting stopped the both of you. What did he get himself into?

"Y/n is the Heartfilia heir, if you didn't know." Lucy crossed her arms. "And I told her not to do it."

"I did it for you so you could be with Natsu!"

"I was going to be with Natsu either way. It didn't matter."

"Someone please explain to me what is going on!" Sting shouted a bit. Lisanna, who was talking to a group of people that included Natsu, came rushing over. Natsu did too.

"What's going on?" Lisanna asked, looked at you. You seemed distressed.

"Y/n and Lucy are arguing about an heir?" Yukino filled her in vaguely.

"Oh yeah! I remember that day!" Natsu smiled brightly. "Y/n pretty much took Lucy's spot as the heir so that me and her could be together because her stupid dad was... well, stupid. He still is."

"And as a result, she turned into dad's puppet." Lucy said, very nonchalantly.

"You think I wanted this?" You asked her, a waver in your voice. "I did it for you. Only for you! Because you had this amazing life, and I was the social outcast. I did it so you could keep and make the life you wanted!"

"And look where it got you, Y/n. Because of a stupid decision you made, you aren't free to do whatever you want. Again, dad's puppet. You were never a social outcast, you were just shy! That's normal!"

"I had no friends, Lucy! Not until Lisanna! I'd call that an outcast. I was never as social as you were."

"You should've been, because who knows? Maybe you and Sting would've started dating sooner and you never would have taken my spot as the heir."

Your face grew bright red. From embarrassment and anger.

"Wait, what?" Sting looked at you, confused. "How long have you liked me for?"

"She hadn't told you?" Lucy tilted her head.

"Lucy, don't you dare." You warned her.

"Lucy, cmon, this isn't very—" Lisanna tried to stop her for you.

Tried. She tried. Tried what she could. But you didn't blame her, it wasn't her fight.

It was yours.

And Lucy was right.

You did this to yourself.

You were to blame.

"She's liked you since her freshman year. So... about three years total? Give or take six months?"

You felt your stomach explode. Everyone in Sting's group, including himself, seemed shocked at the news. Instead of facing them, you stormed off. You had nothing to say. And there was nothing that you could say.

"Y/n!" Lisanna called after you, but Yukino held her back. Lisanna snatch her arm away, not to be mean, but to catch up to you. She followed you into the bathroom, where you locked yourself in a stall. You felt sick to your stomach, and felt like you were going to throw up.

Sting stood there dumbfounded. Three years? That long? And after everything he had done? That she was very clearly aware of?

"She liked him for three years? I didn't even know that." Natsu chuckled a bit.

"Look, I know I shouldn't have said anything, but—" Lucy tried to defend herself, but Sting stopped her.

"She would have came to say that on her own time. I think it's kinda shitty that you aired out her business like that. Especially when this is so new to her. To us both."

"To you? Come on now, Sting." Orga laughed. "You had a fling every other weekend when we were huge on going to parties."

"Yeah, like two years ago." Sting shot at him.

"Look, I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean for all of this to blow up." Lucy sighed. "I just wanted to get the point across that she could've been happy and not have to hide you from dad if she didn't put me first. It's a bad habit of hers, putting people first."

"You definitely could've gone about it a different way." Sting sighed, and walked off in the direction you went. But he wasn't sure where you went.