"You may come in" Porlyusica says with a roll of her eyes. She's been hearing hushed voices outside the infirmary door for about twenty minutes now and needless to say it's only adding to her annoyance. It's bad enough the master called her in when she was hardly even needed, but to top off the inconvenience cake, she had to deal with those rowdy children riled up to ten kinds of hell.
"Does he really not remember anything?" The celestial Mage asks quietly no sooner than she gets through the door, followed by a small purple haired girl Porlyusica had never officially met before. It isn't a surprise the blond was determined to wait hours to see him, her compassion is far beyond the typical, but the newer fairy.. Granted, she doesn't know all that much about her, but she finds it hard to believe the soft spoken bar maid would have any interest in this man.
"Appears so." Is all the answer the elderly healer gives. She has her suspicions about the slayers's honesty, but she doesn't voice them. It's not her business whether he's lying or not, she's simply here to heal. And since she has done all she can do in terms of healing, hopefully she'll be able to be out of this place before sundown.
"Are you leaving..?" The smaller girl of the two asks quietly as she packs her stuff in the small bag she had brought. If she had known there was a chance she had to stay here overnight she might have brought more than a small suitcase of potions.
"Hopefully"
"Is he gonna be okay?"
"I don't know"
"Isnt there anything you can do about his memory?
"No"
"Do you think he will ever get it back?"
"I don't know."
"How much did he rememb-"
Porlyusica cuts the purple-haired girl off by shoving a large bottle of blue liquid into her hands roughly. "If he starts to wake up in pain, give him just a sip of this. I cant offer the answers you seek, but no ones stopping you from asking him yourself" She makes her way to the door, all too eager to remove herself from the girls presence. Whoever she is, shes awfully worried about the criminal. The blonde, on the other hand, keeps quiet about her worry, if shes worried to begin with. She takes a seat on the bed next to Cobra's with no further question, which the Porlyusica cannot be thankful enough for.
'Damned kids..' She huffs and quickens her steps down the hall. The last thing she wants right now is to be stopped by someone with even more questions, more than likely ones she doesnt even have answers to. Why those children care so much about a wretched criminal is beyond her. She gets to Makarovs door in record time, knocking against it hard enough to wake him, had he been sleeping.
"Come in." His voice sounds weighted with concern, and the way he sits stiffly on his suddenly cluttered desk further shows it. Finally, a somewhat reasonable response for having a criminal laying, uncontained, in your infirmary. "Are you leaving already?" His bushy brows furrow together as if its the strangest thing in the world. Shes been here for nearly 12 hours, that's far more than enough time in her opinion.
"Don't look so confused. You didn't even need me in the first place. We both know wendy is more than capable of handling a few bruises and burns" She stresses the youngest slayers name, as if saying it with any more emphasis would make the master force the sky slayer to see reason. For one reason or another, Wendy refused to be near him. Especially in the half-awake state he was brought in at. Porlyusica always had a soft spot for that child, but never has she wanted to smack her upside the head more for making her come all the way out her just because she was scared of touching a criminal that didn't even have the capability to move. Hell, he probably wont be able to move for a few days, but shes still willing to bet Wendy still wont help him. She sighs heavily and looks up at the tiny master pacing the surface of his desk.
"I understand you said he had a pretty sever case of amnesia, but.. Is there any way you can, perhaps, prob his mind to test his word?" She has to fight the urge to face palm at the question. She possesses no magic, and this guild has no medical machinery at its disposal. What does he expect her to do, stick a tube in his ear and take a look?
"Perhaps Wendy can" Its a longshot at best, but as long as the master believes its a possibility he will be further convinced to make the slayer finally grow up. He only shakes his head. Of course, did she honestly expect him to push his children in any way? How foolish of her.
"Knowing everything he's done.. I don't blame her for refusing" His eyes trail down to the floor, no doubt in thought. To her knowledge, he's directly injured several of their members and even tried to sacrifice one to a clock. Not to mention the onslaught of innocents he killed. He's got quite the criminal record, although he hasn't made much trouble as of late. Probably intending to make the council get off his back. But she's in no position to assume things about people she hardly knows.
"Yet the very person he almost killed is sitting nearly next to him. It will do no good to baby them, Dreyar." Her eyes narrow when his gaze meets hers.
"I know how to treat my children. And frankly, that man deserves a little pain." Makarov gets that look in his eyes, that childish stubbornness that he should have long outgrew. It's apparent she will never win with this man, so she saves herself the trouble of even trying.
"Well if you need me, please hesitate to call." And with the stone cold farewell (if you can even consider it a farewell) she turns on her heal and leaves.
Lucy's POV
I'm not sure how much time has passed when his body finally moved from what could very well be the worlds most uncomfortable position. His arm is awkwardly hanging off the bed at an angle that digs the corner of the mattress into the top of his lower arm, and his other arm is laid flat in a position that makes me think it just might be broken. His body probably feels terrible after that fight.. Natsu truly did go overboard, and not in his usual 'oops I blew up the entire building' overboard, it's much more severe. Cobra had done nothing to warrant his wrath, yet even I was ready to call Taurus just for the simple fact that we happened to cross paths. Now, thanks to a rough blow to the back of his skull, everything he knows is gone. Literally. I really could care less for the poison slayer, but.. Even if he did try to sacrifice me to a damned clock, he doesn't deserve this.
A deep groan tugs me from my thoughts, which is probably for the best. I already feel like I'm drowning in a sea of guilt, and i didn't do anything to him.. But I didn't do anything to stop Natsu, either. In a way, I wanted him to suffer. But not like this, this is beyond suffering.. He isn't even allowed to grieve for what he lost, because he can't remember it.
His eye slips open and stares lazily down at the floor. I watch as he tries to move his limbs. It hurts me just as much to watch the pain in his features. The way his body flinches with each movement and anger swirls in his single amethyst eye. He has every right to be pissed.
He's able to push himself to a sit, which must be a good sign. When he first was brought in he was hardly able to breath regularly on his own. At least he's healing nicely. Either that or he's as stubborn as Natsu when it comes to pain. I'm willing to bet it's the latter, judging by how his jaw clenched and his nails dig into the mattress when he can manage to even move his legs to a more comfortable position. He still somehow manages to look intimidating even when he's so weak..
I shift uncomfortably when I realize his eye has lifted to bore right into mine. God, he makes scary look soo good.. Oh my god wait he can read my thoughts can't he? Oh Mavis please spare me.
I can feel my face going bright red as his eyes refuse to look away. I remember when my father once told me 'never part from an animals stare first, it shows weakness'. Cobra may not classify as an animal, but he comes pretty damned close. Oh god I wonder.. Nope. I'm NOT going down that path. We fall into an awkward staring contest and I have to struggle to keep my mind from the gutter. It's hard to not let it slip a little when he's half naked and staring at me like he just might devour me.
"Am I supposed to know you" He says in a raspy, oddly deep voice. My mouth opens and closes a few times as I struggle to shove down all my inappropriate thoughts -and mavis is there a lot- to try and find a decent answer to his question. He is, but I doubt he would remember me in the slightest, even if he had his memories.
"You tried to kill me once." I blurt before I can think better of it. "To sacrifice me to a clock." I quickly add, conviced it would make things a little better but no sooner than the words fell from my mouth I cringe. I mentally face palm. Now I probably sound insane! Good job, Lucy!
"Infinity clock?" His eyebrows furrow. His eye doesn't seem to be looking directly at me anymore, but past me. But.. Had he got the name from my thoughts? I doubt think I was thinking about the name. Could he search my mind as he pleases, even past my immediate thoughts? What about my memories? I don't know how comfortable I am with this..
"It sounded familiar." He clarified before I even have the change to ask. His eyes zone back on mine and resume our staring match. The silence feels thick enough to suffocate and I find myself wishing kinana hadn't left half an hour prior. Speaking of time, what time is it? I contemplate breaking my eyes away to look for a clock, but I decide against it. As if is lose that easily.
The faintest wisps of a smile twitch at his lips. "It's 10:34 pm" His voice is just as broken as it was before as he speaks. How did he know? "There's a clock on the wall to your right." I almost make the mistake of looking, but quickly stops myself. What a sly fox.. Though I'm not that stupid. I pull my legs up and fold them in a cross-cross position atop the infirmary bed. I'm glad I've decide to dress in jean shorts and a tank top, I don't think I'd want to walk around in sheer tops in front of a criminal. I definitely wouldn't put rape past him.
"Well your a little too full of yourself if you'd think I'd go out of my way to rape you" My face flames up as his words. Full of myself? As if.. Though it did sound kinda like that, but still. He seems like the pervy type. Every guy I've met so far is. Well, aside from Natsu. But he's so dense he probably doesn't even know what 'pervy' even means.
"Aren't you the charmer." I give the best sarcastic smile I can muster.
"Mhm, you really seem to think so at least." A small hint of a smirk slips through his near emotionless mask. My face heats up once again, and at this point the embarrassment is just getting annoying. He has such and advantage with the whole 'mind reading' thing. I bet if I got s peek into his brain he'd so be loosing this fight.
"Fight? You making it more than it is."
"Then how about you look away?" I suggest sweetly. As expected, he doesn't take his eye from mine. He just shrugs, a barely their movement. He's obviously still in pain, but to offer him the medicine Kinana left her would mean looking away.
"Maybe I'm just starin cause I like your eyes." Oh sweet Mavis have mercy, he sounded so hot as he said that.. I know it's probably a sore throat but god damn. Nope. No Lucy, don't do this. You should feel bad! You hurt him, you made him loose everything. Oh god I made him loose everything. He doesn't know who he is because of me. Maybe that's more beneficial for a lot of people, but still.. Just because he killed some people, harmed much more, and tried to sacrifice me doesn't mean doesn't deserve to remember who he is. Okay okay, when I put it like that it seems totally reasonable, but honestly.. He was just following orders. For all I know he could have been against it. Who am I to judge so quick?
"So... Do you really not remember anything?" I ask softly, hoping its just some lie. Natsu couldn't have hit him that hard.. right? There had been a lot of blood but, really now.. amnesia? It doesn't seem possible. Yet with the way he's sitting here, somewhat calm despite the fact hes sitting in the very guild he proved to hate, makes me believe it.
"No, its was all a lie. Just a clever plan the finish you off for good" He narrows his eyes with a growl. It takes everything I have not the break my eyes from his his hand lazily out stretches and sends a thin trail of poison whipping out towards me. No no he would have killed me way before if that was the case there's no way- Eep that came really close! I quickly scoot back as it narrowly misses my hair. The fact that it missed alone is enough to tell he isn't serious, but his dry chuckle is still just as reassuring.
"Damn and I thought I was stubborn.." He says so lightheartedly, but no sooner than the words leave his mouth his eye glosses over and he does that looking-at-me-but-not-really thing.
"Cobra?" I ask quietly, fearing that's all it took to trigger his memory. But that's what I want right, for him to be himself again? Althought I wouldn't mind if he decided to wait until he wasn't sitting our guild.. Time slows to a crawl as I wait for any sign that could perhaps lead to my swift demise, but nothing comes. He just sits there, his head seemingly in a different dimension entirely. Dear mavis kill me for even thinking it but, he actually looks kinda.. I don't know, cute? Its not a word I ever expected to associate with him, that's for sure.
"Call me cute and next time I might actually aim." I'm startled even further back on the bed by his sudden words. Despite having been staring at it for an incredible amount of time, I didn't notice the change in his eyes as his focus turned back to me.
"Well how about you get out of my head you creep.." I grumble and try to ignore the inferno flaring in my face for the millionth time. I don't think I ever blushed this much in the span of, what? Twenty minutes? This is just ridiculous..
He doesn't offer a response, and it only makes things so much more awkward. Why don't I just look away? What am I truly gaining here? Absolutely nothing. So why do I have this burning need to win this stupid little game? My fists clench in my lap as a struggle to find any rhyme or reason to my actions. He isn't a dog, I don't need to prove my fucking dominance. He's a criminal I just so happened to play a part in mentally crippling and I shouldn't even be near him this long in the first place! I should be telling someone he's awake, give him his medication, SOMETHING. Yet instead I'm sitting here in a pathetic staring match! And for what? Nothing! Mavis, I'm so stupid!
I listen to the seconds tick by, each one as painfully slow as the last as I wait for.. I don't know, anything. But he just sits there like a statue, hardly even blinking. I have to shift multiple times, suddenly aware of all my limbs and how uncomfortable they suddenly are. No position seems good enough as I move from criss cross, to sitting with my legs out, then a to sitting my legs, only to settle back on my earlier criss-cross. I clear my throat as a halfheartedly fix my hair just to occupy myself.
"So. You don't remember anyone?" I ask in hopes of starting some sort of conversation. Besides, if he remembers even one person he used to know it brings us that much closer to bringing him back to himself and getting his creepy ass out our guild.
"No" He says with about as much emotion as a pile of bricks. Ugh is he normally this difficult? I wouldn't doubt it. Stupid slayers and their stupid stubbornness. I drum my fingers on the fluffy blanket. If you cant beat them, join then, right? I try not to think of how slow time seems to be trudging along as I stare into his eyes and wait.
"Hnn..." I groan after the first minute pasts.
"Hnngggg" I groan louder after a few more. Who has this king of attention span.
"Uggghhh" I groan after what feels like an eternity as I flop on m stomach, my eyes of course still glued to his.
"Come on! This is ridiculous!" I whine, but all iget out of the one-eyed bastard is an amused smile. I huff and fold my arms under my chin and kick my feet up In the air.
"Am I interrupting something?" I tense at the sweet voice, quickly pushing myself up and-without a second thought- turning my head to look at the oldest Struass sibling that has somehow managed to click open the door without me noticing. She raises a brow with curiousity and I blush once a-fucking-gain as I realize how weird it mustve looked when she walked in.
"No, I.." I pause as my eyes widen as my eyes reel back to the smug looking poison slayer. "No wait that didn't count!" I shout a little louder than intended. Theres no way that's remotely fair! Mira distracted me, I want a rematch! Wait.. what am I even saying?
"What are you talking about?" His eyebrows furrow as if I'm insane, but I can see it the triumph in his eye.. And now hes making ME out to be the crazy one! Agh hes so lucky hes injured or id claw that eye of his out with a fork...
"Lucy are you feeling alright? He didn't do anything.. did he?" Miras delicate hand pats my back as I bury my face in the infirmary bed pillow.
"No... I'm fine... Just.. give him the stupid medicine or whatever..." I sigh and lift my head a little to look at him. Hes still staring at me, of course..
"Alright. Perhaps you should go home, the guild will be closing soon." She says softly and gives my back a final pat before pulling back. Almost closing? It was just 10 not too long ago.. I look around for a clock, but find none. Why that little.. My eyes lock with his and he gives me a small, almost taunting, smile. If the guild was amost closing it had to be near one in the morning! I came in here around 6pm.. Theres no way..
I huff and drag myself to a stand. "Are you leaving ass face in the guild alone..?' I grumble as I snatch my jacket up from where it had fallen on the ground.
"Unfortunately so. But he will be sedated." Mira sounds more than displeased with the idea, and frankly I'd be just as tense about it. What if he wakes up, with his memories no less? He could.. Well, now that I think about it I doubt there's much trouble he could cause when there's no one here. Hell, that would solve a world of problems if he happened to regain his memories tonight. He could just silently leave with no harm done if we're lucky.
"About that.. I think I'll pass on the whole sedative thing." He quickly speaks up when Mira pulls a large syringe from a nearby drawer. I stay I few moments longer, only to see him suffer at the wrath of the white-haired bar maid.
"Are you able to run?" Mira asks with an arch of her perfect brow.
"Probably." His answer is hesitant at best. Run? He could hardly sit up. He watches warily as she sinks the needles end into the light gray bottle and draws out a dull pink liquid.
"Then feel free to try and do so" I can only smile at the defeat in Cobras eye as he sticks out his arm and glares at the take-over Mage. It's better off like this anyway. If he managed to come this far healing wise over the course of a day, he should be nearly fine in two more days tops. Oh but wait... He hadn't had anything to eat, huh?
I quickly exit the room before I can voice my concern. He should be resting anyway, food can wait until tomorrow. Hopefully he'll be better by then..
I falter as I head down the hall, stoping entirely and glancing back to where I came. You know, he was almost decent. Just then, in the time I spent in there. He seemed fine enough. Maybe it was just whatever drugs he was given or perhaps the shock or pain of it all, but he had been calm. It was.. Kinda nice, actually. Much better than what he was. I know I'm being completely biased here, but I don't think it'll be all that bad for everyone else if he just... Stays like that. For a little while at least.
I start walking slowly, reminding myself how late it's gotten. I zip my jacket up and head down the steps to the first floor of the guild hall. All the lights are off aside from the bar's, leaving the place in a dim light. The only people left here are those who were passed out at tables (no doubt from one too many drinks), Lissana and Kinana, who are working to clean the place up. I glance over to the purple haired girl, looking her over. I don't know much about her at all, but she had been just as worried about him for some reason or another. I'm tempted to ask her why that is, but I pass it of as her just being a nice person. Besides, she looks exhausted.
I push through the guild doors and shiver as the chilly night air hits me.
I know Cobra has his own life, and I'm sure despite everything there has to be at least one person her cares about, or at lease one person that cares for him. It kills me to know that he might not be able to return to that. But yet I still can't shake this urge to know just what would happen if he doesn't go back to it all so soon. I want to know what he's like, truly like. Beyond the hatred and violence. But then again.. Could you really call what he is right now the same person as he was before?
I sigh and look up at the clear night sky as a walk. Oh Natsu, how do you always manage to get me into this kinda of shit..
A/N- Jeez I didn't know where I was going with this T-T . But I think it turned out decent. Sorry if it has more typos and such, I did this chapter on mobile and autocorrect can be a pain. Anyways, i sincerely hope you enjoyed ! I'm starting to really love this pairing and hopefully I'll be able to make the next chapters a little longer OvO
