Exhilarate || Sting Eucliffe x Reader

Night Sky

(Y/n) felt herself shrink as Natsu's eyes burned into hers, his forehead puckering gradually as the silence between them lingered. He wanted answers that she didn't seem to know herself. 

But before she could utter a nonsense answer, Sting laughed in an (almost) unrecognizably harsh manner- void of its usual buoyancy. He swaggered his way over to Natsu, who watched the blonde's movements. 

Oh dear...

"Natsu Dragneel..." Sting greeted, haughtily, hovering over her brother's figure. (Y/n), who was so fixated at the scene ahead, barely noticed as a fully-awaken Lector squirmed out of her grasp. The maroon exceed followed in his friend's lead, making his way over to Happy. 

Natsu's eyes met hers briefly before narrowing at the smirking Sting. "How do you know us?" Anger bubbled at the base of her brother's throat. Natsu-nii never liked to be intimidated, especially by someone so arrogant. 

"(Y/n)-chan and I?" Sting says, following Natsu's gaze at (Y/n); she watched the corner of his lips pull further upwards, "We have a bit of a history..." 

He winks and she suddenly feels flush. Sting then promptly turns back to Natsu. Her, already irritable brother, growled lowly in response. 

W-what does Sting think he's doing...? 

"But you..." He continued as smug as ever, crouching down to be face to face with Natsu, "Everyone knows who you are... You're the so-called Dragon Slayer that couldn't slay a dragon. You sure you could keep that title?" 

Finding satisfaction in Natsu's worked-up expression, Sting stands with his arms folded. His aura radiates a sort of eminence- it's sort of sexy... 

On the other hand, Natsu's jaw clenches tighter; he lets out an almost feral snarl. 

Sting jabs his thumb into his chest, proudly, "I'm what you'd call a true Dragon Slayer. I'm part of the far superior third generation!" (Y/n) feels herself sweatdrop at his overwhelming confidence. Nii-chan really knows how to feed Sting's charisma, huh?

"Yeah, you wish you were half as strong as Sting-kun! Not only was he raised by a dragon, but he has a Dragon Slayer lacrima inside 'im!" Lector gushes, butting into the conversation. Andddd of course, Lector does too...

Then, Natsu's face finally seemed to perk up. "You're a Dragon Slayer too? Did your dragon disappear in the year X777?" He seemed just as curious as (Y/n). How could she never have thought to ask before...? 

"You could say that..." Sting trailed, his demeanor seemed to darken, suddenly. He looks down, seemingly inspecting his clenched fist, "I killed him, with my own hands. That's what really makes me a true Dragon Slayer."

(Y/n) feels herself go rigid. Her eyes search his figure, reading his despondency. Surely... surely, he was remorseful...? He had to be... The Sting Eucliffe she knew was not heartless...! 

"You scum!" Natsu accused rather quickly, his anger rising again, "He raised you as his own!" 

Her brother looks just about ready to unleash his pent up anger on Sting. As he moves to stand, (Y/n) rushes over between the two. Her hand rests on Sting's chest, and thankfully, he relaxes slightly under her touch. 

Although their gazes are on her, (Y/n) focuses on the shiny pavement. She inhaled and exhaled, the tension diffusing with her breathing. 

"Look- it's nearly twelve, so we'd better get going..." She gives Sting a short glance as she pulls Natsu to his feet and ushers him away. Her brother stomps ahead with Happy, his thoughts of interrogation were overcome by his boisterous frustration.