Thank you LittlePrincessNana and Leoslady4ever for being supportive as always. Also, a huge shout out to Dragon'shost for being the best CoLu shipper of all time and a fantastic friend. I love you all!
NOW ONTO THE COLU!
The snow fell silently around him. The only noise that could be heard was the crunch it made beneath his boots. He craved the warmth of the fire he could see kindling through the bar's window. The voices and thoughts of the few people within were assaulting his eardrums but he didn't care. His feet were numb and his nose running as he cursed whoever created the white concoction. He opened the door when one voice stood out above the rest. Instantly, the rest were silenced in his mind. His eyes searched the room to find her on the end of the bar, sitting by the fire. She was staring sadly into her drink, wrapped in a white sweater and jeans. The continual twirl of her straw against the glass made a comforting rhythm. He listened in keenly to see if he could understand why she was alone on Christmas Eve but her soul was silent. She sat in a bar miles from her Fairy Tail home, sadness wafting off of her in waves of pain. Her message was clear, even to those without his abilities. She wanted to be left alone. He told himself he did it simply to rebel from what he was told, but he couldn't walk away from her if he had tried. Not like this, not tonight.
He sat on the stool next to her and ordered a beer. "Hey Princess."
She didn't bother looking up to see who the stranger was before she mumbled, "Screw off."
"Is that your Fairy Tail hospitality Blondie?" Her dark thoughts formed into coherent pains the second he mumbled her guild's name. Visions assaulted his mind; there was something about a broken key, some big house and Natsu going on a mission. The constant pain made it difficult to focus on any one thing.
"Last we met, you were a bit nicer to me and I was trying to kill you." Alright, maybe not the best way to distract her but still, it got her attention. Her chocolate eyes shot up to his face. She responded with a slight tilt of her head. He then remembered what his hair looked like and quickly shook his head like a wet dog. The snow flew onto the bar and floor, melting instantly in the warmth. It instantly revealed his maroon hair. Cobra? What the hell-
He watched her hands reach for her keys and shook his head as he sat next to her. "Relax. I'm not here to hurt you." Her shoulders hunched back over her drink as he studied her face. Now, that was unlike her. Hell, those Fairy Tail freaks were as paranoid as the next. To drop her guard around someone who had tried to kill her twice in the past? Oh no, this was not his typical fiery celestial mage. Exhaustion haunted her eyes and bruises were starting to form on her neck. This shell of her was something he could not handle. "So what are you doing out here? Did you have a mission or something? Must have been important."
She shrugged. "I guess I did. I just took it to get out of Magnolia."
He couldn't help but gape openly at her honesty with him. He picked at the wrapping on his beer, unsure of what to say. "Didn't you want to be with your family?" Instantly, her features went rigid and her jaw clenched. Crap, he screwed that up... "I mean isn't that what you Fairies do for Christmas?"
"What does that word even mean?"
Oh hell, that made it worse. Her soul screamed sadness until it became an excruciating pain to the point that he felt his own hand begin to rub slow circles over his heart, to try to ease the aching. How could he think it was okay to go on a mission, to leave her alone? Even Cobra realized the importance of Christmas and he didn't even know the half of -
"Alright Gloom and Doom," he cut her thoughts off. "Be careful what you're thinking. I can hear you, remember?" He rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm not really trying, but it's kind of difficult to shut that shit off so don't go thinking things you don't want me hearing."
Her voice was barely a whisper. "I don't care."
He turned back towards the bar, bringing his cool beer to his lips. After a few passing moments of silence, he spoke. "I think," he sighed, "it means being there for one another, protecting each other. The happiness in your heart is linked to them, you're linked to them. Especially the ones you choose." He felt her stare on his face as he took another swig of his drink. "Hell, what do I even know? I never had one except Cubellios anyways. Unless you mean fairies because being one of you means being bat shit crazy." He smelled the salt in her tears in an instant. The smirk dropped from his face instantly. He turned to her and his hand reached up to touch her back until he realized who he was. He refused to upset her even more and awkwardly let his hand drop. "Shit, I'm sorry Gloom and Doom. I didn't mean to -"
She shook her head, her blonde locks falling over her shoulders. "You didn't do anything Cobra. Do you mind?" She pointed to her temple and he knew she wanted to talk to him through her thoughts. He gave her a slight nod. Quickly, the sadness dissipated to make room for her memories.
She stood in front of a tombstone reading Jude Heartfilia. Her shaking hands placed a letter on it which read To Dad. Confusion, pain and devastating loss filled her memories as she backed up, staring at the headstones of her parents before turning away.
He was pushed through her memories to see her holding a broken key in her hand, the appearance of her mermaid spirit on the pad of paper in front of her. The pain made it clear that somehow she lost her. Tears fell down her face as she stared up into the night sky. Her longing shot through his chest until he was faced with the pink haired fire fairy.
"Luce," he shifted uncomfortably on his feet, "do you think it'd be alright if I went on this mission? I mean I know this holiday thing is important to you and stuff but this might lead me to Igneel. If you want me to stay of course I will and it will be awesome, but do you think I could go?" It felt physically painful to watch the smile she forced onto her face. The sadness washed over her violently like waves in a storm, but she could never deny her best friend the chance to see his father – especially at Christmas, the first Christmas she would be without her own.
"Of course you can go. It's a silly holiday. We can celebrate when we get home, because I was thinking of going on a mission anyways."
"Awesome! Thanks Luce!" He pulled her into a hug and left the guild.
Her real voice tore him from her memories. "It's my first time spending Christmas alone. I didn't want to stay at the guild and bring everyone down, so I left."
He never really knew how to handle these kinds of situations. Instead, he did what he knew best. He called the bartender over and ordered her another drink.
"Thanks." He nodded in response.
"It's my first Christmas without Cubellios or a guild." She gave him a nod and a sad smile of understanding.
No miracle happened that night to heal their wounds. They talked about random things, joked around and sometimes just sat in their sadness. It was a simple night of two people who barely knew each other, appreciating the company of someone who simply understood.
At the end of the night, he walked her to her inn and got his own room but when he arrived, sleep would not come. Instead, his chest ached and his brain was assaulted with images of the blonde. With a sigh, he stood up and got to work.
The next morning, Lucy opened her tired eyes. This was exactly why she didn't like to cry. It hurt when it happened and it drained you afterwards. She was tempted to stay in bed all day but knew it would only make her feel worse. With a sad sigh, she stretched her aching muscles and rolled over in her bed. She froze at the sight of a small, sad looking tree wrapped in tinsel with a box underneath it. She swore that was not there when she checked in. She was pretty positive it wasn't there when she fell asleep last night. It couldn't be possible that someone got into her room while she was sleeping. The door was dead bolted shut. Her head cocked to the side in confusion as she slipped out from her warm sheets to investigate what seemed to be a present. On top of the box was a note.
You're not alone, Gloom and Doom. Meet me downstairs for breakfast when you wake up.
Tears filled her eyes but she pushed them aside and stood, readying herself for the day. She put on a warm red sweater dress and called her spirits out. She would need their help today and then, she had some lingering questions for a certain dragon slayer.
She pushed open the icy door to the small diner attached to the inn, trying not to drop the two boxes she held in her hand. Her eyes scanned the room until it fell on a familiar mop of maroon hair. His eye studied her face as she slid one box in front of him and placed the one she found this morning on the other side of the table.
She gave him a warm smile. "We have to open them together." She slid into the booth and gave him a slight nod before turning to her present. A gasp escaped her mouth when she saw an empty frame, the word family burned into it.
"How did you -"
Cobra held his hands over the napkin on the table, letting small bits of his magic drop from his fingers. Instantly, the napkin sizzled with the burn of his poison. She gave him an understanding nod and continued to study the frame. There were so many pictures she could put into it, but that was a problem for another time. Grateful for the thought he put into a gift for a stranger, she looked up to thank him only to see his eyes shining at the open box and metal snake in front of him. "I know it's nothing great," she spoke cautiously, "I didn't have much time and my spirits helped me, but I thought..." she paused for a moment, "I thought I could give you Cubellios for Christmas." His eye moved from the snake statuette in front of him and for the first time in her life, Cobra gave her a warm smile.
Any thoughts of his Houdini entrance to her room now forgotten, her hand smoothed over the wooden frame once more. Chocolate eyes met an indigo one and she gave him her brightest smile. "Thank you."
He responded with a silent nod.
She considered calling him by his real name, but thought better of it in fear of changing anything about the moment. Instead, Lucy decided to enjoy the kindness between two strangers before speaking softly. "Merry Christmas, Cobra."
In a very quiet diner, a barely audible reply was heard. "Merry Christmas, Lucy."