Day 7 of CoLu Week 2017! (Sorry about it being late, had crappy service yesterday!) Hope you enjoy!
Frost
Chapter 1
Lucy gave a sigh as she rested her forehead on her knees. Wondering how the hell these situations always seemed to happen to her. It was getting to the point that she was starting to get used to them, and figured that it would only be a short while later that she would predict when they would happen. Huh, maybe when it got to that point she would be able to avoid it!
"Don't think so, Bright Eyes." Cobra muttered, causing her to peek up and look at where he was sitting. Across from her in the small little cave that he had tackled her into to avoid being crushed by an avalanche. Only to have said avalanche block them in.
"Oi, not my fault! It was Salamander and Ice Prick that caused the damn thing in the first place. I just made sure you didn't get crushed." He growled, causing her to blink before shaking her head.
"I wasn't thinking it was your fault. I know that if it hadn't been for you then I would be under that." She muttered, waving at the snow and ice rocks that blocked the entrance, and sadly only exit. She didn't blame Cobra in any part of this, and wondering why he was getting so defensive about it. At his small grumbling she looked back over to him, and watched as he folded his arms across his chest and closed his eye.
It was something to be seen. Here she was, easily talking with someone who had tried to kill her friends, and who had a hand in torturing her at one point like nothing bad had ever happened between them. Then again, she did know that they were all trying to turn over a new leaf, start fresh, and show that they weren't complete homicidal maniacs. A glare from Cobra had her smirking before looking back around the little cave, thankful that her eyes had finally adjusted to the little light that was there.
It was about fifteen feet wide and twelve feet deep. Plenty of space for them to stay separated since Cobra had made it apparent that he didn't do contact unless he was the one to initiate it. Well, more accurately, the moment he realized that he had been shielding her body with his, and realized how close of a position it had put them in, he had jumped away with a snarl like she had burned him.
"Nothing to do with you! Never liked being touched!" Cobra hissed, causing her to blink at him before giving a sigh.
"Can you stay out of my mind!" She asked, watching as he blinked before shaking his head.
"No can do. You're thoughts are usually quiet and I can barely pick them up within your soul, but since we're in such a confined area, it's like you're whispering them out loud." He muttered, causing her to bite her lower lip.
"Sorry." She muttered, watching as his head snapped up before he gave her a confused look.
"What for?"
"Well, hearing everyone's thoughts has to drive you insane at some times. And now you have to listen to mine until the others can clear the blockage away." She muttered, wishing she knew how to keep her soul quiet for him. Looking up when he gave a sigh and huffed in amusement.
"Out of everyone's soul, yours is probably the most soothing I've heard. In a long time, at that." He whispered, causing her to stare at him, hoping that he would elaborate.
"I've put souls into three categories; Obnoxious as Hell, Tolerable, and Soothing. Yours falls into the third because your soul gives off a sweet melody that doesn't grate on my nerves. Whereas Salamander's or Meredy's soul sounds like they're hyped up on sugar and constantly raging from one thing to another that's Obnoxious as Hell." He stated, causing her to think a moment.
"What about Tolerable?"
"Most people fall into that category. It's only special people that can fall into the other two." He muttered, causing her to smirk before giving a shake of her head. That made her want to question him about where everyone they knew fell into.
"Titania, Jellal, Midnight, and Wendy fall into Tolerable. Salamander, Ice Prick, Blue Furball, White Furball, Sawyer, Richard, Sorano, and Meredy fall into Obnoxious as Hell. You fall into Soothing by yourself, along with Kinana." He stated, causing her to blink before giving a sigh of her own.
"You know that you don't have to answer just because I have a question."
"Nothing better to do, Bright Eyes. Besides, it keeps my mind off the fact that it's cold as shit in here." He growled, shifting when tugging his cloak tighter around him. She gave a hum before pulling her knees tighter to her chest as well.
It was cold, but then again being on a mountain in the middle of winter it was expected. She was just glad that she had dressed accordingly this time. However, the thick leggings, boots, sweater, and jacket still weren't a match now that they were caved in and it was starting to get late. No doubt the others were doing all they could to clear the rubble, but it was still going to take time, even with Natsu's fire magic.
"I'd say it will take about another three hours, they're going at it quickly, but some large ice rocks aren't cracking with one blow." Cobra muttered, his gaze toward the opening. She gave a sigh and hugged herself tighter.
"Um..How long does it take for the body to freeze?" She asked, watching as he blinked before rolling his eye.
"I'd say chill, but even I know that would be in bad taste." He groaned, causing her to laugh before looking back at the exit. She was only wondering because if felt like she was trembling on the inside, her body felt numb in places, and she was pretty sure that the little dip she took early wasn't helping the matter.
"Little dip?" He asked, causing her to shift before giving a sigh.
"Before our teams met up for the mission, Natsu and Gray had started a little tussle. Erza pushed them apart, and Gray stumbled back a little too far and knocked me into the pond that we were beside." She explained, peeking over when he went quiet and just stared at her. His gaze looked a little haze, like he was thinking of something before he truly focused back on her. Startling her when he stood suddenly and shrugged his trench coat off.
"Jacket off, Bright Eyes." He growled, waiting as she blinked but slid it off. Offering it to him when he held out his hand, and blinked when he suddenly held it close to his and began to spread his poison on both.
"Cobra, what..."
"Just melding them together, you need more heat or else you'll suffer from Hypothermia. I don't need you dying here Bright Eyes." He growled, finishing what he was doing and then dropping down beside her. Wrapping the make-shift blanket around both of them and tugging her closer. She blushed as he basically pulled her into his lap and pressed her against his chest.
"Just stay still." He growled, obvious discomfort in his voice and she started to push away.
"Cobra, you don't..."
"Just drop it Bright Eyes. I initiated this so I'll deal with it. So just stay there and keep warm." He growled, holding her tighter and she gave a sigh before relaxing her body against him.
"You don't have to do this." She grumbled, closing her eyes as he gave a low growl of annoyance.
"It's the only way to keep your body temperature up. You're the only person I would be willing to do this for, so suck it up and deal with it." He growled, causing her to blink before giving a small smile and shifted into a more comfortable position before nuzzling her face into his neck.
"Thank you Cobra." She muttered, smiling as he tensed and slid his hand up her back.
"Yeah, yeah, Bright Eyes."
Cobra glanced down as Lucy gave another shiver, before shifting and causing her to shift in return. He hadn't been letting her stay still since he had drawn her into his lap. If she remained still, then her blood would slow and she could quickly freeze. He had thought that they would be fine since the cave was small enough that they would maintain some heat from their bodies, but knew that was shot the moment she told him she had fell into a damn pond.
Usually Hypothermia risk was anywhere ten to thirty minutes depending on certain factors, the fact that she didn't have it already shocked. Then again, there was a good chance the Sky Maiden made sure to keep her from it. It seemed that Wendy had basically made her walk beside Natsu constantly, so the warmth he radiated kept the illness at bay. Now she would just have to deal with him for the moment.
"Cobra!" The shout caused him to blink before looking toward the blocked exit. It seemed that they had gotten a bit closer and his sensitive hearing could finally pick up on them.
"Everything's fine Salamander! Just get us out! Bright Eyes is getting closer and closer to Hypothermia." He barked out, looking down when Lucy peeked up, her body trembling and goosebumps littering her skin.
"That's the problem! The ice is too thick! Even with Natsu's constant attacks, the melted ice freezes just as quickly as we melt it!" Wendy shouted, causing him to blink and give a soft curse. Of course it would be cold enough that all the melted ice would refreeze just as quickly.
"Cobra! Can you release some of your poison? There is a little crack up near the top! I'll have Natsu aim there!" Jellal sounded, and he blinked before shuffling slightly. Ignoring Lucy's questioning gaze, he wrapped her tightly in their warm coats, before tearing a small bit and held it over her mouth and nose.
"Make sure this stays right there." He stated, before hoisting her into his arms. Stepping toward the ice he quickly found the crack and focused on his power before letting a stream out to it. Glancing down to make sure that Lucy was holding the cloth over her mouth and nose as it hit the crack, and the surrounding area. The poisonous smog floating back down and around them.
Any regular cloth wouldn't help her, but his cloak wasn't regular. It was a special material that filtered anything harmful to the human body, his poison included. Everyone on Crime Sorciere had some form of the material, used specifically if he had to use his powers while they were close. However, this specific poison was something to be feared, because he had created it after his fight with Salamander.
Once it touched a spark, it ignited! Not even this ice would stand a chance against it. However, he would have to move quick since they were surrounded in it. The moment he saw an opening in the ice, he would have to get out before the explosion activated around them.
"Cobra! We see it! Natsu!" Jellal sounded, and Cobra cut off his magic before bracing his legs and holding Lucy close. He heard the fire, heard the first explosion, another, and narrowed his gaze as he saw the ice crack. Giving a snarl, he threw his entire body forward, slamming hard against the ice, and grunted as he fell through. Just as the fire reached inside the cave.
Twisting, he covered Lucy's body with his as the explosion moved outward, the heat and acid smell making him curl his nose as the others screamed for him and the blonde beneath him. Waiting until the debris settled, he looked around before shoving to his feet and pulling the unharmed, but still shivering blonde to her feet.
"Lucy!" Salamander shouted, and he allowed him to tackle the blonde in his hold, only because his body heat was beneficial to her.
"Sky Maiden. She needs to be treated." He stated, finally stepping back as the young slayer jumped forward, her hands already glowing with her magic. He watched for a moment, listening to her soul, which had slowly began quieting in the cave, and relaxed as it started to grow in sound again. Relaxing some, he started to walk away, only to stop when Titania stepped into his path. He watched her closely, knowing that she didn't particularly care about him out of all the others, so his surprise was granted when she gave a bow.
"Thank you for caring and protecting Lucy." She stated, turning just as abruptly and joining the Fairy Tail group. Cobra gave a small grunt and then joined his.
"Uh, Cobra...Don't you need your jacket back?" Sawyer asked in his passing, but he shook his head.
"Don't need it." And for once, it was true. He hated the cold, nothing good ever came out of it, but at the moment, he didn't think he could ever be warmer.
Until next chapter!