It Doesn't Matter || Sting Eucliffe Love Story (Book 1)

~ Chapter 13: I'm Sorry ~

Everyone's eyes widen, and they looked over to Akiko. She was still unconscious though. She opened her mouth slightly, muttering "You... Did... Nothing... "

"Oh? So even if she's unconscious, she can talk and hear me?" Minerva chuckled. "How marvelous."

"What?" Natsu growled.

Sting, Rufus and Orga got in front of Minerva, being her bodyguards. Sting kept his smirking attitude up, despite being extremely worried for his mate.

"What is going on down there?" Chapati asks, noticing the tension between the Sabertooth and Fairy Tail team. "Both teams are on the ground and are ready to rumble!"

Everyone from the audience began to cheer, wanting for a battle between the two teams.

"Shut your mouths, all of you!" Shiro hissed in pure anger, making everyone shut up in a heartbeat. He glared at the Sabertooth members. "I don't care if you are the strongest guild in Fiore, you better be wise to heed this warning, you filthy scumbags! Listen carefully. Making an enemy of Fairy Tail is a decision you will regret! Don't think that Akiko won't give you a piece of her mind once she wakes up," a smirk came to Shiro's face, taunting them. "She hasn't even shown you her full power yet."

"What?" Minerva growled.

Shiro didn't reply, just slithered back to his injured partner.

---

She's still hasn't gotten to full power yet. But why? Rogue thought to himself, confused. Why is she holding back? It certainly can't be because she was at a small disadvantage in the water. Can it?

---

Akiko laid in the infirmary bed, her eyes closed and her breathing quite steady. Around her neck was a familiar white snake, not daring to part with her. The two teams stood together, looking at her grimly. The sounds of her painstaking scream still stuck in their heads. Laxus muttered "Idiot. She seriously needs to learn to keep her temper in check," and he wasn't joking, he sounded like it but he wasn't.

Natsu growled "Sabertooth's going to pay."

"You got that right."

The black-haired female stirred slightly, catching the two teams attentions. "Look, she's waking up!" Happy said.

She opened her eyes, revealing her red orbs. She closed her eyes again as she saw her friends, she murmured "Sorry guys... I shouldn't have fooled around so much in the water..."

"Say what?" Natsu asks, confused. "Why are you apologising?"

"For making you guys worry...," she breathed out. "If I had finished it quickly... I would be in this mess..."

Laxus said "You got that right."

"Laxus!"

Akiko chuckled slightly, before drifting off to unconsciousness again.

Mira said "I think she's going to be ok."

"But we still can't let those guys get away with this kind of crap," Cana pointed out.

"I feel the exact same way."

"Lousy scumbags."

---

Porlyusica looked at Akiko, her eyes laced with confusion. She hears the door open and snapped her head over, she frowned as she saw who it was. It was Sting Eucliffe. She asks "What is someone like you doing here?"

Sting said "Can you please let me have some time alone with her? Just for a little while? Please."

Porlyusica raised an eyebrow, before looking at Shiro. He hissed, but nodded. "Try anything to her, and you'll lose your head, Sting Eucliffe," the snake warned. Sting nodded, before the two left the blonde with the unconscious female.

He looked at her sleeping form, sitting down at his seat with a glum look on his face. He mumbled "I'm so sorry that I couldn't protect you."

The sound of her screams was like glue to his mind, it wouldn't leave his thoughts and his heart would clench every time he thought about it. "I'm sorry," he mumbled again.

He thought of himself as pathetic. He couldn't even protect his own mate, someone he found very important to him even if he didn't know her so well. Everything about her was so perfect, and now here she was just unconscious and injured.

"Hmm, why are you apologising?" Her voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

His eyes connected with the familiar rays of her red eyes. They were soft and weak, something rare to see in her eyes. She was strong, as strong as Gildarts some will say. Although, her inner morales aren't as strong, sometimes making her weaker than she usually is.

He didn't answer her, making her frown slightly. She muttered, sounding annoyed "Don't ignore me."

"I couldn't protect you," he muttered. "I just stood there and watched as M'lady did all those terrible things to you."

She raised an eyebrow, before staring at the ceiling. "Don't apologise. It isn't your fault I'm in this state, it's not like you could've just entered the Naval battle. Besides, I know what your guild was like. If you had tried to stop Minerva, things would've gotten shaky for you," she said, breathing in. "And... I would rather not have that happen to you," she placed a hand on his cheek, his eyes widen. A small smile came to her lips. "Someone as sweet as you doesn't deserve something like that."

A dark blush came to his cheeks and he diverted his eyes from her. She chuckled at his action, ruffling his hair up before placing her injured hand beside her. "You're so easy to embarrass sometimes. Just remember, we're friends. No matter what, kay?"

"Y-Yeah...," he responded.

"You should get back to your team before they get suspicious," she said in a serious tone. "Fight with all you've got, ok? I have a feeling you're going to fight against Natsu. Just know that I won't be cheering for you."

He smiled, slightly sad that she wasn't going to be cheering for him but she does have her own guild to cheer for. "Right. You should try to get better while you're at it," he joked.

"Just shut up," she said, pouting. "Just leave before you get someone suspicious on your tail, Mr True Dragon Slayer."

He chuckles, before leaving the room. Porlyusica and Shiro returned to the room, noticing the small smile on her lips, they concluded that they had a good talk and nothing bad had happened while they were away.

Be careful Sting. Please.