Letters From Your Smile

Summary: ''I want to keep those letters to myself. Those letters that tell me you were fine and laughing. Those letters... From your smile.'' StiCy one-shot. Entry for WolfieANNE's One Shot Contest!

Disclaimer: Fairy Tail© by Hiro Mashima

Crimson streaks with its edges tainted with bits of flaxen and marmalade were drawn with delicate details across the azure sky as the golden ball slowly dipped into a swirl of fog, marking the end of the day. Soft hums of the wind accompanied the fallen leaves' dance, their colors of every hue of brown blending into each other. Despite the picturesque view, two blondes and a salmon-head sat on the swings, their heads tucked down, eyes fixated on the ground. The tension between the silence was so thick you could use a knife and cut through it, but it was soon broken.

Abruptly standing, the male blonde caught the attention of the other two ten-year-olds whose heads snapped up at his direction immediately.

''Luce, you're gonna be back soon, right?'' the boy said, his blue orbs fixed onto the female blonde's glossy hazel ones.

''Yes!'' the girl replied energetically, despite the fact that her eyes shone with fresh tears.

''Then let's play together again when you come back! Promise?'' the pink-haired boy stood beside the blonde one, the two trying hard to not cry, but their efforts were futile since their eyes had already brimmed with tears. Holding out their clenched fists, they force a smile onto their faces, a contagious one, as the girl soon smiling herself, standing up to bump her own fist to the other two's.

''Promise!''

'Five years, huh..' Lucy thought to herself as she stared at the tall concrete building of Magnolia High. Five years had passed since that evening she had left for America. Five years since she last saw her two best friends, despite having sent letters to Sting. Anxiety bubbled inside her, wondering if the other two would still remember her. Did Sting still argued with Natsu a lot? Did Natsu still ate like a monster? But what scared her the most was if they could not recognize her anymore. That they had forgotten the blonde girl from their childhood. The fact that Sting had not replied to any of her letters for the past years did nothing to help pipe down her nervousness.

'Well,' the blonde thought, readjusting the handle of the bag slinged on her shoulder, 'guess I'll just go in and find out.'

''Sting Eucliffe! Get. Off. My. Chair!'' Natsu shouted at the blonde male sitting on his usual seat, his legs rested on top of the table, his closed eyes fluttering open at his voice.

''Eh? Its yours? Sorry but its school property, pinky.'' Sting replied swiftly with a smug smirk on his face.

''Why you blonde bastard!''

Before Sting could snap another comment back at him, the classroom door banged open to reveal an orange-haired man of middle age, and the noise from the class died down at the sight of him, the two boys inclusive.

''Well, class, we're gonna have a new addition to our class. She just arrived, so be kind to her y'all hear me?'' Gildarts declared to the class, earning a chorus of yes as a reply. Inviting the new girl in, both Sting and Natsu's jaws dropped to the ground, and they looked to each other, the same question going through their minds.

The new student has blonde hair just passing her shoulders and warm hazel eyes, a radiant smile painted on here face, her voice soft and sweet as she spoke, ''Hi, I'm Lucy Heartfillia. I used to live in Magnolia before moving five years ago. Pleased to meet you all!''

There was a split second of silence before two figures leapt out of their seats and rush forward, their voices in unison, ''LUCY! MY BRAIN IS BACK!''

Before they could reach Lucy, however, they were stopped by no other than Gildarts by the ear, causing their expressions to change from joy to one of a mixture of pain and annoyance as they yelped for their ears to be released. Soon enough, the two boys realized the fact that they were doing mirror actions, starting yet another bickering amongst themselves. Stifling a giggle, Lucy smiled at the two boys.

''Oi Sting! Natsu! You should know that you're making a bad impression on the lady here.'' the school's top one playboy, Loke, shouted from behind the class, causing a few other boys to join in and say a few 'yeah's or 'yeah right's.

''Oh don't bother, my image of their friendliness has been ruined since five years ago.'' Lucy smiled at the orange-haired boy from sent her a flirtatious wink in reply.

''You three know each other, then?'' Gildarts said, releasing the boys' ears.

''Yeah. Lucy's the best brain anyone can have. She's like, really smart.'' Sting replied, still clutching his ear dearly.

''Well! Then that settles it. You two let Lucy be comfortable in this school and that's all there is to it. And now,'' cue Gildarts' evil smile here, ''its time for a pop quiz!''

Six weeks passed in a swift motion as the three friends become reunited once again. The three were barely separable, always spending each moment trying to catch up with each other.

''Say Sting, have you gotten my letters from all these years?'' Lucy asked one random Tuesday as the two were walking together while Natsu was running errands for Gildarts. The question got Sting choking on the coke he was sipping, causing him to splat liquid out everywhere like a fish flapping its wet tail on land.

''W-why the sudden question?'' the male blonde replied, coughing down whatever coke remaining in his mouth.

''I don't know, its just that I've been writing to you but never once I got a reply. I was wondering if you even receive them.''

''Umm, well-''

''Lu-chan! Sting!'' A voice abruptly cut Sting's reply as a blob of blue hair appeared behind them. The current top two in standard Levy McGarden was running at inhuman speed at them, barely able to catch herself before bumping face first into them.

''Next class.. Gildarts-sensei.. I heard.. He's going to.. Give us.. Another pop quiz!'' Even though she said it in between gasps of breath, Sting took advantage of the situation immediately and ran towards the class while shouting a string of colorful curses and saying to Lucy he would go back first to study.

Frowning at the retreating back of her childhood friend, Lucy thought to herself, 'He's hiding something..'

Unknown to them, a shadowed figure had listened to their whole conversation. Natsu stepped out of the shadows in between the pillars and looked on as Lucy stared at Sting's figure. His hand was clenched into fists, the strain of the muscles felt numb on his wrist. Anger exploded after jealousy ignited the fuse of the bomb in him, his teeth grinding against each other. She had sent him letters, all these years they were apart. And what did she send to himself? Nothing. Not a single message to tell him how she was doing and she sent years of letters to Sting instead. And to think he had not replied to her? Is he truly an idiot more idiotic than him?

'Fine then, Sting Eucliffe. Don't come to me begging for her once she's mine.'

''Lucy!'' the pink-haired boy called out, instantly getting the attention of the mentioned girl.

''Yes Natsu?'' the brown-eyed girl answered, tilting her head to the side in confusion. Natsu rarely called her without the nickname 'Luce' so what he wanted to say must be of some importance. Levy had gone ahead to class first and since the bell had rung, the hallways were deserted, leaving the two to their own privacy.

'Well here goes nothing..'

''Luce, you know that we've been friends for years now, right?'' he started, his obsidian orbs meeting the girl's brown ones, ''Well I've been hiding something from you for a while. And I know that you know friends don't keep secrets. So I'm going to reveal this now..''

Taking in a deep breath, Natsu said it at once, ''I love you Lucy Heartfillia!''

...Cue the awkward silence here.

Wide hazel orbs the size of saucers stared into hard solid black ones, the determination in the latter never wavering as the seconds trickled by. Wind blew hard as silence continued to stretch further, before a soft whisper broke it.

''I'm sorry Natsu,'' the sound was soft as the wind, if the hallways had not been pin drop silence it may not be heard at all, ''but I love Sting.''

Crash! Natsu's heart went falling apart in small pieces like broken glass. Emotions swirled back and forth between pain, hurt and jealousy. His mind was paralyzed in shock and it took longer than seconds for him to process what she had said. Deep at the core of his soul, he knew. He knew he was like the third wheel in their friendship. The one who seems to halt the progress of their relationship.

But he still loved her.

Despite all that, he still fell for the blonde girl. Did, is and will. Always will. And he did not know why, but the words came spilling out of his mouth before he even knew it.

''Do you know why Sting hasn't replied to your letters at all? Its because he already has a girlfriend.''

Sting stood in his room over his table scattered with envelopes and other papers. Picking on up, he brushed a thumb against the white surface, his azure orbs staying on the cursive handwriting in black ink tainting the otherwise clean surface, much like ash in pure white snow.

''Say Sting, have you gotten my letters from all these years?''

Truth be told, he did receive all of Lucy's letters. In fact, he had kept them after reading. The metal box whose never changing spot was the corner of his desk contained his two major secrets, one of which wass that he had kept all her letters. Its not that he meant not to reply to them, its just the fear inside him holding him back. The fear of writing it badly. He was no genius like Lucy, everyone knows that. It was a miracle he could actually pass up till grade nine now. He feared Lucy would laugh at him or something. But secretly, he had kept them. Every single one of the 573 letters she had sent.

Suddenly, the door banged open, shocking the blonde to jumping point. Turning to scold whoever just barged in, his eyes landed on a panting Natsu, his pink hair plastered to his forehead with beads of sweat. Upon seeing the blue-eyed boy, the pink-head walked up and pressed a single envelope into his hands while mumbling something unintelligible and he could only make out the last few words.

''If you hate me after this, I don't mind. I deserve it anyway.''

''Oi Natsu! What's the meaning of that?'' Sting shouted after the figure leaving as soon as he had arrived. He looked down on the letter in his hands and recognized a familiar handwriting on top - Lucy's. Lucy sent a letter to him? Why? She was just here, there's no need for her to write letters to him while they were only a few kilometers apart. Curiosity and a sudden sharp anxiety pierced through him, his fingers shaking while he carefully opened the paper.

Dear Sting,

This letter is going to be shorter than any of my other letters, and is the last one I will ever send you. It is also the only one I wish you would never reply. I'm sorry to have ever thought we shared the same feelings, and this letter is just to let you know that I'm leaving. I'm going back to America. I hope that you would live a happy life with your girlfriend. All the best.

From,

Lucy Heartfillia.

As soon as he finished reading, his mind went blank. She's leaving. Again. And girlfriend? He never had a girlfriend! What exactly is she talking about?

Sting briskly put all the letters into the metal box and bolted out of the dorm, all the while passing by a surprised Rogue Cheney who stared at him as he ran like the devil.

'Please Lucy,' Praying to whoever would answer him, he begged, 'don't go until I have told you that I love you.'

''Thanks for taking care of me for the short stay, Levy-chan.'' Lucy smiled sadly at the sniffing bluenette. After being dorm mates for the past six weeks, the fact that the blonde was leaving devastated the bluenette. Sadly, all her convincing for the brown-eyed girl to stay was futile, as she had already made up her mind and once she did, it was harder to convince her otherwise than to move a mountain. She hoped something would happen, rather someone would come and stop her.

''Lucy!'' A voice from afar got closer by the second, footsteps echoing in the empty hallway silent against the rain pouring outside. Sting stood in front of her, soaking from head to toe, a box in hand, his eyes fixed on only Lucy.

''Luce. Please. Don't. Don't leave.'' The male blonde pleaded, looking straight into the other blonde's eyes.

''Sorry but I rather not be a third wheel in your relationship with you girlfriend.''

''What girlfriend?! I don't even have one!''

This got Lucy staring in confusion towards the male, from what Natsu had said, Sting was too preoccupied with his 'girlfriend' to even bother returning her letters.

''B-but Natsu said-''

''I don't know what that pinky said,'' Sting cut off, ''but I am hundred percent sure I have no girlfriend.''

''But you surely don't want me around right? You never even replied to my letters.''

This question got a silence going on. Lucy, not wanting to listen what he said next, attempted shoved past him to walk away.

''Wait! Luce wait! The only reason I never replied was because I was scared you would laugh at me! Look, see this if you don't believe me.'' Sting said, blocking her way, opening his precious metal box. The female blonde gasped looking at the contents. Hundreds of her letters were in there, all recognizable by her distinguishable handwriting.

''Sting, I'm touched that you kept them all these times.'' She smiled.

''That's not all! These letters,'' Sting blushed, ''I can recite them word for word.'' Seeing disbelief cross over her face, he quickly added, ''Try test it if you want!''

Picking out a random letter, he held it out to Lucy as he recited, ''Letter number thirty seven: Sting, this is my first fever in America. It's really painful. I have such high fever and headache that makes me want to cry. I can't sleep, and there's no one home. At this moment, I don't know who I can turn to. Guess what I did to make myself feel better. That is by looking at our childhood picture, I fell asleep after I looked at it. In my dreams...'' His voice trailed off as he saw Levy snatch the letter out of Lucy's hand and read it, her eyes skimming through the words and soon after, it was filled with shock.

''Maybe its just this one! Here let me pick!'' Levy said, taking the metal box and fishing out a random letter, ''Number two hundred sixty seven!''

Coughing to clear his throat, he said, ''Number two hundred sixty seven: Sting, I ate a really yummy strawberry shortcake today! Remember Erza-senpai really liked it? I'm sure she would love this one too! I wish I could share it with you.''

''Number four hundred eighty eight!'' Another number Levy said, still unbelieving.

''Sting, I really miss Magnolia these days. I really, really, really miss you. I hope you haven't forgotten me after all these years..''

Tears clouded in Lucy's eyes as Levy continued to call out numbers. Despite his ears being attentive to what Levy was saying, Sting's eyes were locked into a stare with Lucy's. She did not know what to say, or what to feel. Angry at the fact he kept this big of a secret from her? Happy for what he did secretly? She did not know.

''N-number seventy four..'' She stuttered out eyes still locked onto those pair of warm blue ones.

''Sting, I've arrived in unfamiliar place again. Unfamiliar people, unfamiliar things, but..''

''I thought of everyone around me as you. Then I feel very normal, very happy.'' Ending it together, Lucy rushed into Sting's open arms and hugged him tightly, the boy returning her embrace with his own.

''You idiot.. Why didn't you tell me?'' Lucy said into his chest, his scent, his presence comforted her in all ways possible. Stepping back a bit, he flashed a warm smile at Lucy's direction before swooping down to pull her into a kiss. It was awkward at first, but as he poured his emotions into his actions, Lucy melted into the kiss soon after.

''Well,'' Sting said after breaking off, ''I want to keep those letters to myself. Those letters that tell me you were fine and laughing. Those letters... From your smile.''

Serena's Talking Corner: Heya I'm back! This is a super late entry for WolfieANNE's one shot contest, and I hope its good! I hope the cover was decent! I took the background picture and edited it, but I'm still not sure if its good.. Anyways a big thanks to those who favorited and reviewed my previous one shot 'This Christmas'. Thanks so much! I hope you enjoy this one too! Also, I won't be uploading any one-shots for the moment, since I'm working on a multi-chapter fic. Stay tune for the updates! Don't forget to leave a review and thanks once again!

-Serena Fallenheart-