𝙨𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙨. sting eucliffe

02 | games

[ July 1st X791 ]

[ lightly edited- Apr. 2020 ] 

Sting growled.

As much as he wanted to admit it, he couldn't, but Rogue, Lector and Frosch could tell. Sting was pissed. The blonde dragon slayer sniffed the air, but the scent was gone. As fast as it came, it had vanished, the intoxicating scent of Ariana leaving his nose and completely vanished from the area.

He'd been waiting for her to come back. She said they'd meet again, and he hated her for saying it. Raising his hopes, and just stomping on them without any regard of his feelings. He thought, had she not considered what she'd done to him? He was only 12, of course he'd remember a woman as beautiful as Ariana. Then she battled him and kissed him, permanently making her mark in his life. They'd spent months together, growing their relationship. And then she left. For seven, seven damn years.

"Sting, what's up with you?" his red coloured exceed asked, slightly worried about his best friend.

The blonde didn't answer and instead continued to think back and remember. "Stupid Ariana," he mumbled and balled his fists tightly. "I made a promise, and I'm going to keep it. I'll beat you this time." he said and gritted his teeth, trying to get the image of her smiling face out of his mind. Almost every time they met he'd say the same words to her, repeating them like a mantra as if they'd suddenly make him beat her. 

If they were in the middle of a battle, what good would his memories for her do? Only hold him back and make him weaker. They'd only make him think about his petty little crush on her as a 12 year old, and think about the kiss, their fight, and her. Those memories of her would do nothing to help him. Might as well forget them.

But he hadn't.

He'd held onto them for seven years, a small thought in the back of his mind, hoping, desperately hoping that's she'd come back. Come back to him.

"I'm fine Lector." he said and finally got his head out of the clouds, blinking several times to try to get himself focused again. He couldn't afford to do this when the Grand Magic Games were right around the corner. Midnight. There was no way that he'd win if he began thinking like this. Thinking about her like this. The bleached blonde male shook his head, cleared his mind, and looked at his guild mates.

"I'm fine." he repeated and gave the three of them a grin, flashing his canines.

The team of four walked into the hotel that their Grand Magic Games lineup was to be staying at. Sting and Rogue in one room along with their exceeds, and the rest spread out to their discretion.

The blonde dragon slayer ran a hand through his bleached locks and sat down on the bed that was closer to the window of the room, Lector following close behind him and jumping up to sit down beside his partner and best friend. Sting was frustrating and confused, his feelings conflicted. As much as he wanted to get her out of his head, he couldn't.

He wondered how old she was now. Should be 25 at least. It's been seven years after all. He thought, is she still as beautiful as she was? Probably still as gorgeous as she was the day the two met. Then his mind began to wander, and before he could stop himself, he laid back on the soft bed and let his mind drift into thought.

Was she stronger? Faster now?

He had been training, and he knew that she sure as hell must've been too. What else could she have been doing? She couldn't have forgotten that she was his target now, along with the exception of Natsu Dragneel.

And then, Stings mind wandered to the thought of her face, her smiling and beautiful face. Her cerulean blue eyes filled with life and sparkling like sapphires. Her hair a shimmering yellow, falling like a cape of strung gold behind her. He hadn't himself for thinking about her in any way other than a rival and someone he had to beat, but he had no control over what he was feeling right now.