AN: I do not own Fairytail

I'm glad you all enjoyed yesterday's chapter. I enjoyed writing it.

Day 6 – Pilot

Cobra had stayed with Lucy the whole day, making sure she didn't hurt herself or burn the house down when she tried to make mac and cheese on the hot plate. He tried not to laugh at her too much because, if she remembered any of this, he would be in more trouble.

Thankfully he had remembered to call the guild and let Mira know that Lucy was sick, he was taking care of her and they wouldn't be in for at least two days, otherwise they would have had everyone knocking on his mates door to find out why she hadn't come in.

The next day was a whole different story. Cobra still stayed by Lucy's side all day, except for when she sent him out to get things from the market, mostly painkillers and strawberries, lots of strawberries.

Lucy was angry with Cobra the whole day, while she was suffering, what she had dubbed, 'The worst hangover ever,' but Cobra was at her beck and call. Anything she wanted, he did it or got it for her, and he never complained once, not even when she screamed and yelled so loud that he thought his ears would bleed.

Who knew Cobra was so good at massage? He certainly hadn't known. But he knew now and so did Lucy, and he was sure Lucy would not let him forget it. He didn't mind if it meant he got to put his hands all over his mate.

Cobra learned to make Lucy's favourite strawberry smoothie, it wasn't the same as Mira's, but good none the less. He also had to clean up the apartment, under the watchful eye of his overly cross girlfriend, but he would do anything for her.

Lucy forgave him on the second day after the incident, when she felt better, and he had apologised for the hundredth time.

They worked out why Lucy didn't know about the poisoned juice. He had informed her about it, but he shouldn't have done it while she was reading a good book. He also agreed to write in big red letters TOXIC on anything that he put poison in ever again.

They thought it best not to tell the guild about the incident, and had made sure Loke new not to say a word. Lucy still wanted Cobra alive, after all, and if the guild found out... well... she doubted there would be much left of him.

Lucy was sitting at the bar with Cana, Levy, Erza, Lisanna, Evergreen and Mira, apparently the girls had to catch her up on the latest news of the guild since she had been 'sick.'

Cobra sat at a table, off to the side, all by himself with a sullen look on his face. He still felt he needed to do something to make it up to her.

Cobra was so absorbed in his own thoughts he did not hear the other slayer approach.

Laxus sat down opposite Cobra, "Everything alright."

Laxus watched Cobra carefully, with a frown on his face. Had his little sister not fully recovered. How sick had she been. Maybe if he got back from his mission earlier he could have helped look after her.

"She is doing fine. Much better." Cobra interrupted Laxus inner-turmoil before it got too bad.

"Then why do you look so sullen?" Laxus asked.

"I still haven't told her she's my mate." Cobra replied, well it was the truth, in a way, he hadn't told her.

"You need to hurry up, before she starts thinking you're just with her for a good time. She already knows about mates. What I haven't told her, Levy probably has." Laxus leaned on the table as he talked to Cobra, "You don't have to do anything fancy, but if you want to do something take her out star gazing. She loves that."

Kinana had been passing by their table and heard Laxus last sentence, so she stoped to put her two cents worth in.

"If you want to take Lucy star gazing, but want it to be different, a new high-tech observatory opened in Hargeon town. The article I read on it said that the telescope is so easy to use that anyone can pilot it. I don't think Lucy would have ever been able to pilot a large telescope before." Kinana stoped talking and went red when she realised she had both the dragon slayer's complete and utter undivided attention.

"That's a great idea Kinana, Thanks. Could I have a read of that article you mentioned?" Cobra asked.

"Sure I'll drop it by on my way back." Kinana smiled, glad she could help her friend.

And Kinana did as she had promised, dropping the magazine off along with a mug of beer, for Laxus, and a mug of Cobra's favourite, lemon juice and lead powder.

Cobra called up the observatory and got tickets, paying the extra fee so that Lucy would get a chance to pilot the telescope herself. He booked a hotel room for them for the night so they could stay at the observatory as long as Lucy wanted too, and not have to worry about a late night train trip back to Magnolia.

Cobra told Lucy his plans, except for the part about her being able to pilot the telescope. He wanted to keep that as a surprise. Hopefully sometime during their date, he would find the right time to tell her she is his mate.

Cobra was nervous and he new he wasn't hiding it well, as Lucy had been giving him strange looks throughout the day.

Everything had gone smoothly so far, they had checked in to their hotel room early, so they could get ready for their date.

Cobra had taken Lucy out to a nice, not over the top, restaurant for dinner and they had enjoyed their meals, even if his didn't have poison in it. He didn't kick up a fuss like he usually would about them being discriminatory to his tastes and he didn't beat the hell out of the male waiter, who kept looking at Lucy's boobs.

Cobra was trying to be on his best behaviour after all, although he may have 'accidently' brushed up against the waiter on his way back from the toilet. The fact that that staff member had to go home with a stomach bug shortly afterwards had nothing to do with Cobra. Nothing at all. Well... nobody could blame him and Lucy would never know.

They then walked to the observatory. Lucy enjoyed looking around the gallery, attached to the observatory, looking at the pictures and reading information about celestial events, Astronomy and Astrology. Lucy shared with Cobra what information she already new and even told him when she found a new piece of information that she hadn't known.

When it was their turn to use the telescope, Lucy was absolutely thrilled that she was allowed to pilot it. She found stars, constellations, etc. and showed them to Cobra, telling him all she knew about them, along with funny anecdotes about her spirits.

All too soon there time was up and the sad look on Lucy's face nearly broke his heart. Yes, he has a heart, but don't tell anyone, it is only for Lucy. Cobra promised Lucy he would bring her back another time and her smile was back on her face.

As they walked back to the hotel, hand in hand, Cobra knew it was time. If he waited any longer he would find reasons to postpone telling her.

"Lucy." He spoke into the silent night.

"Yes." Lucy replied, giving Cobra her undivided attention.

They stoped walking and faced each other. She knew it must be something serious, as he had used her name. Maybe he was about to tell her what had been making him so nervous all evening, well all day really.

"I... ah, I need to tell you something important." Cobra reached out and grabbed Lucy's other hand.

"Go on." Lucy encouraged him.

"Well..." Cobra took a breath, looked Lucy in the eye and blurted out, "You're my mate."

Lucy blinked and let out a breath she didn't realise she had been holding.

"Is that all?" She asked.

Cobra just stared at Lucy, with his mouth slightly open. Well that wasn't the reaction he had been expecting.

"I already knew that." Lucy explained.

"How?" Was the only word that came from a still slightly stunned Cobra.

"I have a dragon slayer for a big brother, a dragon slayer best friend, another dragon slayer on my team, a friend who is mated to a dragon slayer, another friend who basically takes care of two other dragon slayers and a dragon slayer for a boyfriend. What they didn't tell me about dragon slayers, I researched and found out myself." Lucy explained, "And the signs that I was your mate were so glaringly obvious."

"Signs?" Cobra asked, apparently still to shocked to form more then one word sentences.

"Well.." Lucy started, "You asked me to be your girlfriend on our first date, even though for as long as you have been part of the guild you have never been on a date, let alone had a girlfriend."

"How do you know that?" Apparently Cobra was starting to function properly again.

"Mira." That was all the clarification needed, she had her ways. Lucy continued. "Laxus did not attack you or go all big brother on your ass after we started to sleep together and he never tried to warn me about you or anything like he usually does with anyone I date. You have shown me a side of you that no one else gets to see. The way you growl 'mine' sometimes is a dead giveaway. You have practically moved in with me. Should I keep going Cobra?"

Cobra just laughed and gave Lucy a heart stoping, toe curling kiss.

"You are way smarter then anyone ever gives you credit for, Little Star." Cobra said, then got a serious look on his face. "Does this mean you know about mating and being claimed?"

"Laxus and Natsu have mentioned it and I've read about it, and if that wasn't enough Levy gave a detailed explanation when Gajeel claimed her." Lucy replied.

Cobra smiled at Lucy. Should he ask her if he could claim her tonight or wait awhile.

Before he could decide, Lucy spoke, "I wouldn't mind if you wanted to claim me now."

Cobra sucked in a breath, "Ok."

Then he picked Lucy up and raced her back to the hotel, before she could change her mind.

AN: Read and Review please