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Chapter Four: Building Bridges

Silence blanketed the medical room where Cobra sat on the bed along with a watchful Natsu and Makorov who stood off to the side. They were careful not to get too close for fear of stepping into the still nervous male's comfort zone. Natsu didn't miss the small flinch when the nurse's gloved hands touched his skin, meant for healing where Cobra only saw a misuse for pain, it made her eyes a tad more sympathetic.

Natsu wanted to say something to her fellow dragon slayer, maybe about how everything would be fine now, but for whatever reason, her throat would turn dry when he looked at her. It just didn't seem right. The last time they met, he was confident and slightly cocky, strong enough to almost beat her even. Almost. Yet now he was... scared.

She didn't need to be a genius to see that much. He had been hurt in a way she couldn't really comprehend by people whose job was to protect. It angered her knowing she couldn't stop them. When she thought of them doing what they did... she briskly turned on her heel and stomped out of the room, ignorant of the confused look from Makorov.

"Natsu..." Her master's softened voice reached her ears just as she reached for the handle. She knew what he wanted to say 'He needs you.'

Neither she nor Cobra would admit to it, but as unbelievable as it may sound, they did have some sort of connection, most likely due to both of them being dragon slayers mind you, but still... Natsu didn't like how being around him was making her feel.

Hopefully the twisting sensation in her chest would cease once they were back home and she saw the rest of her team waiting for her.

Cobra remained silent the entire time as they ran blood tests and such, saying they wanted to make sure everything was "Okay" before discharging him or whatever. A bitter feeling settled over his heart while a small amount of bile crept into his throat.

He still maintained the blank expression as before. Only flinching ever so slightly when the cold latex-gloved hand of one of the nurses touched the skin of his arm. It felt so cold.

He was starting to dislike cold things in general, it was like darkness. Always providing nothing but loneliness and pain for anyone within it, forcing them to face things better left buried in the past where they belonged... for him, they held nothing but terror.

"Natsu..."

Cobra shifted his violet orbs, seeing the fire dragon slayer now standing by the door. She was leaving? Why did that make him feel... sad... scared even?

Back in his cell, he felt so warm when she was close to him, almost reminding him of the way his mother once had done so. That was probably why he shoved her away now that he thought of it, he didn't like remembering her to be honest. It had become far too painful recalling the kind words she always spoke and that gentle, loving smile that seemed to radiate with the sun itself.

He missed her.

He missed her so, so much that his heart tore itself to shreds each time he had to push away another thought on the matter.

He wasn't sure when, but he guessed at some point Natsu must've turned and saw the look of grief on his face because the next thing he knew, warm arms were embracing him, pulling him closer so that his body was pressed against her own. He said nothing at first, his arms remaining at his sides as Natsu merely stood, holding him.

"It's okay... you're gonna be okay now, I promise. It's alright to cry." she whispered into his ear, feeling his muscles go rigid, slowly reaching up to grip the front of her shirt as he buried his face into the girl's shoulder, almost instantly coming undone at her words. Uneven, deafening sobs passed his lips as his body shuddered against hers, but still she didn't let go, instead tightening her grip on him, seeming to pull him closer.

He had not forgotten the elderly master standing off to the side, still watching the display with saddened eyes, but chose not to pay it any heed as the master remained silent on the matter.

"I... don't want to be alone anymore."

Silence hung in the air after he said those words, the truth of them weighing down on the elder master's heart as well as Natsu's, her brown eyes widening ever so slightly truthfully expecting more resistance on the matter. They were enemies the last time they met, after all...

Heaving a sigh, mostly composed of relief, Makorov walked over, placing a hand on Cobra's shoulder and giving him a small squeeze of reassurance. "All right then, we'll take care of you. Starting today, you are our nakama."

Though Cobra remained silent, he felt as though an immeasurable weight had just been lifted off him. For whatever reason he wasn't sure, he couldn't yet comprehend it, even as he stayed in Natsu's embrace, crying all his pains and frustration out as best he could.

Somehow... a small part of him just couldn't seem to relax however, a twisting, sinking feeling seized him again.

It was like a warning, telling him that this moment wouldn't last. That it was bound to end up like all the other peaceful times of his life... ripped from him and torn apart before his very eyes. Then, he would be forced to run again. Running from a fate he had no desire to be a part of...

Dead leaves and twigs littered the ground as a dark, shadowy figure stepped forward, listening to the crunching of the small dead plant life beneath their shoe.

They continued walking aimlessly before coming to a halt and looking up towards the sky above them...

"Cobra..."

A shadow flew in the open air, casting a massive shadow down over the lands below as the monster flapped its wings focusing on the mass of earth beneath him, searching for something.

The huge beast was a mix of black and blue, a long, strong looking tail accompanied by muscular arms and legs along with dark hued wings, flapping as it picked up its speed.

GRRROOOWWWRRR!

Cobra stiffened, hearing what he could've sworn to be a loud enraged growl.

The fear must've shown clearly on his face because the next thing he knew, a comforting hand touched on his shoulder, squeezing it as though to pull him out of his momentary, fear-induced daze. He looked back and met a pair of warm, chocolate, almond colored eyes.

"You okay?" Natsu asked softly as they walked. Makorov paled at the thought of having not one but two dragon slayers stuck on a train where they would get motion sickness. He said something about not wanting to have to pay for anymore furnishings which pretty much went in one ear and out the other with Natsu.

Cobra gave a weary nod, figuring it best not to burden her with the knowledge of his past. He already knew sooner or later he would wind up leaving them, he had to in order to keep them safe... it was just a question of when.

"You seem pale all of a sudden, are you sure you can walk?" Natsu continued pestering him, partially because she merely wanted to be helpful. The guy was her nakama now, and though he tried to beat her face in a few hours ago, she saw no real reason to hold a grudge.

Her question went unanswered though as Cobra merely trudged along. A shadow fell over his eyes, turning back into the unresponsive prisoner from back in the cell.

"Oh hey, I know!" Natsu suddenly chirped, appearing back beside him, a wide toothy grin now in place of the previous frown of disappointment. "Why don't I tell you about our guild!?"

"Let's see..."

Cobra was silent as the pinkette beside him pondered the best place to begin her vast explanation of all things Fairy Tail. She talked about her team and each member, specifically recalling both good times and bad with each of them before moving onto other members, branching out as she covered the more powerful ones, briefly mentioning the name of Gildarts. By the way she spoke of him, Cobra could easily tell that the man was like a father figure to her and it made him suddenly curious.

"Igneel..."

Nastu paused mid-step, looking at Cobra, along with Makorov who was a bit ahead of them.

"Huh?"

Cobra bit his lip, struggling for a moment, wondering if maybe it was better to simply not to ask when he felt Nastu's hands suddenly cup his face, turning him towards her and seeing the blazing intensity seared into her eyes. "Tell me what you said."

It wasn't a command, merely a request.

Cobra swallowed thickly for a moment. Heat rose to his face, dusting his nose and cheeks thankfully going unnoticed due to the glare from the setting sun behind them. "Um, Gildarts is he... anything like Igneel to you?"

Makorov tensed for a moment. Never before had anyone asked Natsu about her adoptive parent before to be honest, for fear of striking a sensitive nerve with said girl. Some simply chose not to believe while others merely went along the lines of it being inconceivable for a child to have been raised by a dragon, a mythical beast as rare as fairies themselves.

He couldn't be sure how Natsu would react.

When he didn't hear the impact of a fist in Cobra's face he took that as a plus, slowly turning to look over his shoulder. He was mildly surprised when he saw Natsu actually smiling. It was warm and nostalgic and so... not like Natsu.

"Yeah, you know now that I think about it, I guess he is." Natsu said softly, removing her hands from the poison dragon slayer's face and continuing to walk.

"What about your parents, Cobra? What are they like?" Natsu inquired. After a couple more seconds of silence, she felt the atmosphere around Cobra shift, changing into a darker one, his violet orbs looking downcast as he shuffled along, clenching his hands into fists at his sides.

"Cobra?" Natsu called out, receiving a subtle shake of the head from said individual as he briskly walked past her. His shoulder brushed against her own and he whispered softly into the open air "Don't ask."

Natsu was left standing dumbfounded by the quick change in demeanor, wondering if perhaps his family was similar to Lucy's and they maybe just had some hard times between them... either way it made her worry a bit more. If Cobra did have parents somewhere, then why didn't they come to help their son in his time of need?