Fic in question: https://archiveofourown.org/works/64951624
Ok so I noticed that Yuder is super passive in his friend-making while thinking about all the relationships in Turning—sure, he picked up Sunz and Emon, but that was for work purposes. Same for the Cavalry with friendship by proxy. So, without that utilitarian drive for friendship, or proximity creating closeness, Yuder’s very much out of his depth when it comes to showing his interest in friends/lovers/etc. It sounds like in 1TL, his first crush on Kishiar started out as a kind of puppy love; showing enthusiasm in training, hoping for recognition and praise, the faintest romantic spark before it got crushed by his manifestation. Ejain, if memory serves, showed interest first in Yuder. Enon was probably a proximity-fueled siblinghood.
Yuder has no real reason to be close to Nathan other than shared missions and Kishiar as a central topic, and I have faith in Yuder (or Enon, hearing about this as a fed-up hyung) to realise that building a relationship based on a third party, no matter how close they both are to that third party, is certainly not ideal. I think Yuder could have genuine interest in Nathan on a technical level that expands into personal interest, like a much more jaded, mature version of his 1TL crush on Kishiar. At the same time, I think it’s really fucking funny that Nathan still thinks Yuder is 21 (when this fic is set). He's probably thinking something like, 'why tf is this 21-year-old, barely an adult really, already so gone on my liege??? Concerning.'
If you saw the previous pics post, you know who's coming next. (๑╹ω╹๑ )
Yukino Aguria. Feisty little tigress of Sabertooth. ... Well, formerly. (๑╹ω╹๑ )
When did they meet?
Simply enough, like Chelia, Natsu first officially met her during the Grand Magic Games. They were on rival teams, with Yukino filling in for Minerva since she was on a job for those first few days. Natsu and Yukino didn't get to interact much, they just observed each other during the matches and different events.
Then Kagura and Yukino clashed in the coliseum. Natsu was pretty impressed with her summoning Pisces and Libra~... Though he was also impressed with how tough Kagura was. Unfortunately for Yukino, Kagura proved too strong, and she loses despite the apparent advantages she seemed to have...
Sabertooth's Master, Jiemma, wasn't too happy about that. So that night, he excommunicated her from the guild. Yukino was left heartbroken and thrown out into the streets. ... Where she meets Natsu and Happy more properly. (๑╹ω╹๑ )
When did they grow closer?
Left abandoned, Yukino decides the proper thing to do is go visit Lucy, who she knows has most of the Golden Keys (Lucy has eight total in this series; more on this later). She feels Lucy can do so much more with Pisces and Libra than she can, but Lucy can just tell Yukino has a deep love for her spirits and refuses to accept them. Even after Yukino explains if all 12 Gold Keys are gathered, Lucy can open up a gate to another world... Lucy just turns her down, and Yukino accepts her decision.
Though she barely knew Natsu and Happy, she does break down outside and open up to them about her recent troubles with getting excommunicated. She felt humiliated about the whole ordeal, and now she has nowhere to go...
This is where the plot begins to diverge from canon. (๑╹ω╹๑ ) While Natsu understands it's important for Yukino to make up her own mind where to go from here, he insists that she stay the night with Fairy Tail. Whether she shares Lucy's room, his room, or whatever. Yukino is rather taken aback by the earnest urging of the Dragon Slayer, and politely tries to turn him down, not wanting to be a burden.... But Natsu drags her back inside to explain to Makarov what happened, and the Guild Master agrees with the overprotective pyro that Yukino should at least stay the night. Fairy Tail can't turn a blind eye to someone in need.
... Of course, Natsu still sneaks out and goes to attack Sabertooth for hurting Yukino so deeply... And Minerva still intervenes and decides to resolve their issues during the games. However, Yukino remains with Fairy Tail in the coming days. Arcadios never gets a chance to approach her one-on-one. (๑╹ω╹๑ )
So Yukino finds herself amidst a new family willing to take her in, a family that cares greatly for her. The longer she stays in their midst, the harder it is for her to insist she's not worth the effort, to just leave them.... Yukino warms up to Lucy. To Lisanna. Mira. It's so different from what she knew in Sabertooth, Yukino is blown away by the camaraderie and the warmth.
... And Natsu doesn't let up on hanging around her, either. Perhaps because he finds her situation of abandonment similar to how he lost Igneel.... Perhaps he sees a bit of Lisanna in her. Whatever the case, whenever he doesn't have to be with Team A during the games, Natsu goes back to seeking Yukino out... cuz she's his new buddy~...
The games and the dragon invasion afterward proceed rather similarly. Just without Yukino getting caught up in the Project Eclipse nonsense. (๑╹ω╹๑ ) She does get kidnapped like Lucy, and one other person, but they're similar enough events.
Things change some more during that grand gala for the guilds that banded together to slay the dragons~... She's glad Sabertooth is turning over a new leaf, and a part of her does want to go back with them so that she isn't a burden to anyone else...
... But she can't. Maybe it's partly because a part of her is still hurt they abandoned her before. Maybe it's partly because she doesn't want to leave the warmth of Fairy Tail behind. Whatever the reasons, Yukino eventually accepts her new friends' entreaties to join their guild. On the condition that if she feels strong enough to return to Sabertooth someday that she be allowed to, and those terms are easily accepted.
In the coming weeks and months... Yukino's bonds with Mira, Lisanna, and Team Natsu grow. (๑╹ω╹๑ ) Like Juvia, she sorta just gets absorbed into the team. What's one more, right~? Not only is she a Celestial Wizard, she's a master hand-to-hand combat artist. She helps deal with the Eclipse Spirit fiasco, then later Tartaros... And even later, Alvarez...
When does friendship turn to something more?
Getting adjusted to Fairy Tail isn't all that hard... They have Dragon Slayers galore with Natsu, Wendy, Gajeel, and Laxus. The only real thing to let stew is how eccentric and lively they all are... Yukino drinks up all the love and comfort. (๑╹ω╹๑ )
And... with Natsu, Yukino gets to see Sting a bunch still. Sting was one of the nicest people to her in Sabertooth, and for a while she still admires the kind of person Sting becomes from a distance. Yukino isn't quite bitter or resentful of Sabertooth... After a while she just comes to accept she didn't want to let Fairy Tail go. After they took care of her in an hour of need... After Natsu tried doing so much for her.
Natsu isn't the brightest bulb. He's always picking fights and yearning for adventures... But Yukino finds a charm to that. That he isn't like other guys who leer at her well-endowed body or thinks she can't handle a tough assignment... If he does grope her or other girls, it's a pure accident. ... And after a while Yukino-chan doesn't mind the touching. (๑╹ω╹๑ ) ... Or Natsu breaking into her room and making himself at home.
He showed her his home a few times. Compared to Fairy Hills, it was pretty much a cabin in the woods... But Yukino didn't mind it. Natsu's home has its charms, and he was willing too share it with her. She especially liked the Memory Wall~...
Sooner or later, Yukino comes to accept she developed feelings for the pyro. He wasn't even trying to win her over... And it's a bit nervewracking to know she isn't the only woman eyeballing a certain pyromaniac dragon~... But even so. Mira-nee offers her support. And Lisanna-imouto. n___n And one other huge supporter, but more on her later~... Of course there are other women like Juvia and Chelia who are more greedy and not so willing to share... But with Mira-nee's help, Yukino-chan gets the courage to pursue her mans. Rivals be damned. (๑╹ω╹๑ )
On Natsu's end... The parallels with Lisanna are certainly a part of what drew him to Yukino. However, it's also her fierce, independent spirit. She's shy, sure.... But Yukino-chan's so loyal, and she really gets along with Happy, Wendy, Lucy, and everyone else. Like most girls he falls for, a lot of the romantic feelings go under his radar at first. Mostly emerges when he's super protective... But eventually he goes along with the dates and outings that Yukino wants to go on, and they have a lot of fun.
... White-haired girls sure seem to have a thing for him. (๑╹ω╹๑ )
