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Waiting Games

Natsu would never admit to it, but during their match above Nirvana, she felt there was something about Cobra. It wasn't just the magic he used. At first that was what she chose to dismiss it as, a small budding of kinship-only Cobra was neither an actual dragon slayer nor a member of her guild. Because of the odd feelings she felt, she found herself missing blows, too distracted of thoughts of things that shouldn't be.

Cobra read her like a book. He dodged every punch and kick she threw, all the while never losing that smirk of his. It was infuriating!

He was infuriating.

Those were the thoughts running through Natsu's head while she limped down the darkened corridor heading for lacrima one. She ignored Lucy's attempts to dissuade her, saying she was in no condition to fight, saying someone else would rescue Cobra, someone strong like Erza.

'She doesn't understand. No one does!'Natsu snarled mentally just as she felt her one busted up leg buckle pitching forward, biting her bottom lip to stem the urge to cry out feeling the bone crack from the strain.

She needed to reach Cobra, fast. Otherwise he would...

"No. I won't let that happen again."A new voice cut in, interrupting her train of thought. The familiar burning almond eyes melting away into a pair of glittering golden pupils, raw with power and a demonic glow around them looking ahead. "I'll kill anyone who gets in my way this time."

True to it's word, Zero had been mercilessly ripped apart by hands no longer human, the resolve behind them set in stone: Get Cobra. To say the Oracion Seis leader had been horrified by the change was an understatement, but none of that mattered to her.

"Mine."

There was a small tremor from the snake charmer who was roughly pulled to his feet, a set of claws positioned behind his head while her other arm snaked around his waist. She buried her lower half of her face against his hair inhaling the sweet musky scent of pine and distant berries-something that came as a result of Cobra being one of the few of his guild always traveling-she nipped at the skin of his neck.

"N-Na...tsu..."

She paused, feeling his hands come to rest against her as though pushing her away. She growled.

Behind her, the distant echoing of footsteps pounding reached her ears. Taking a whiff of air she only barely recalled the name of the familiar looking blunette who came running in.

Jellal.


"Wake up."A voice snarled at Natsu.

At first the pinkette gave no response, other than the sounds of her loud-not to mention annoying-snoring. She rolled over onto her side oblivious to the small subtle twitch of the brow the other person gave. Well, if one could even call them a person.

"Tch, Useless."It spat just before rearing back it's foot and slamming it directly into poor Natsu's ribcage. The pinkette's eyes snapped open wide, giving out a loud retching sound as she flew back slamming into an invisible wall.

"Oh good, so you're finally awake..." The voice said, a heavy layer of sarcasm dripping from their words.

"*cough*W-what*cough*What's going on? Where am I?"Natsu asked swiveling her head around and seeing only nothingness around her. No walls, no ceiling, no floor. Nothing. She briefly glanced down to make sure she still at least had her beloved scarf-Igneel's memento-and breathed a small sigh of relief noting it was still wrapped securely around her neck.

From the corner of her eye Natsu caught sight of a light, turning her eyes forward she saw an odd looking swirling circle with a picture being displayed in the middle: "Cobra!" She yelled rushing forward without thinking, only registering he was there in front of her somehow. However when she was but a few feet away the sharp end of a blade touched against her neck keeping her form the object of her recent frustrations and grief.

"What the-!?"

"And just where do you think you're going?" Natsu swallowed, her eyes following the blade down to the hand-or rather claw grasping the handle-looking towards the monster wielding the beautiful looking blade. Their noticeably sharpened fangs set into a cold smile regarding her with just a shred of curiosity glinting in those horrid, cold, cruel eyes of hers. "Didn't you get the message?"

As soon as the words left her mouth Natsu felt a powerful force slam into her sending her flying once again, hearing the she-demon cackle. This time she spat up blood before glaring.

"He's mine."She snarled, the small traces of humor gone in an instant replaced with a deadly seriousness. Behind her the faint sound of Cobra muttering Natsu's name made her ears twitch, sparing a small glance over her shoulder and frowning.

"I'll have to fix that." She said, mostly to herself while Natsu was busy picking herself up off the invisible ground. Her only thoughts focused on Cobra and why this demon seemed so interested in him. Not to mention figuring out just who the hell she was anyway!

"But first.."

The demon turned, directing it's cold gaze onto Natsu.

A cold fist closed around the fire dragon slayer's heart.


Cobra could faintly register the feeling of fingers touching against his cheek, caressing it in a gentle manner. His eyes fluttered open, momentarily blinded by the glare of-

"The sun?" He mumbled expecting darkness rather than sunshine. He assumed he had somehow died, if not from magic exhaustion then surely from the substantial amount of blood he lost right? Apparently not.

"I'm...alive?" He whispered slowly letting his own words sink in, averting his eyes from the light peeking in through the window curtain to look down at his hands, flexing them experimentally for safe measure.

"But how?"

He was so lost in thought he hadn't noticed someone seated in a chair beside his bed, nor how they pulled their hand back seeing him open his eyes. He was too in awe of the fact he was still breathing, and with relative ease and lack of handcuffs, to really seem to care...

"Finally awake, eh?"

He turned about halfway before a clawed hand grabbed him by the throat all but slamming him back down onto the bed and cutting off his precious supply of air. "Gahh!" He yelped, wincing feeling the sharp talons dig into tender flesh drawing small amounts of blood.

"Hmmm, not a bad sound." The stranger mused prompting Cobra to re-open his eyes once more, having screwed them shut in a brief moment of pain, his face turned an unhealthy shade paler when his eyes zeroed in on the horns-people didn't have horns, at least not normal ones right?-followed by a pair of cruel looking glittering golden eyes. Her skin looked different, blackened marks covering a good portion of the sun-kissed tan she had, and her previously cocky grin was twisted into something far more horrifying and sinister in nature, only the unruly pink locks gave her away.

That, and the fact Cobra could hear two different voices inside her head.

"N-Natsu!?"

The hand around his throat tightened menacingly, small embers of flame flickering at the fingertips.

"Don't say that name." She ordered calmly, a hand of his closed over her own trying to pull it off his throat so he could breathe again while the other curled into a fist, pounding on her back. She ignored both in favor of leaning closer, her hot breath ghosting over his lips making him internally gag.

"C-can't...breathe...!"He choked out. She tilted her head watching him struggle a little longer until finally she relented her hold on him, her grip going slack and allowing him to take a much needed gasp.

"*cough*W-who*cough, cough*a-are you!?" He rasped struggling to sit up after she pulled away, leveling a dark glare at her. She scoffed seeming more amused than frightened. His fingers touched the area of his neck wincing when he felt the slightly charred skin, it would surely scar in some way.

"My name is E.N.D. You would do well to remember it."

'E.N.D.? Sh-she killed Brain...back in the lacrima chamber!'He thought masking his fear with astonishment. Killed was an understatement, this...monster decimated the previous guild master.

"W-what*cough,cough*What do you want?" Despite his inner dragon instincts telling him otherwise, he couldn't stop his body from trembling.

She noticed too.

"Foolish little human, asking a demon what they want? That's rule number one, you know, never ask what you aren't willing to give." Something was gnawing at the farthest reaches of his mind, telling him he needed to leave. Now. He decided not to argue with it bolting for the door the moment he decided-only his legs refused to cooperate, buckling the instant they hit the floor, and he took a tumble down.

His face headed for the ground, stopping when a pair of warm arms grabbed him-righted him before he could collapse. They were E.N.D's arms.

"Despite what you may think, hurting him will be the last thing on my mind."

Though she spoke aloud, Cobra could hear she was arguing with Natsu-the real one-he shivered unable to stop the sudden wince he felt when her now very sharp nails dug into the skin of his forearms where she held him in place. Her eyes never left his face, going so far as to grasp hold of his chin swerving it forward when his gaze fell anywhere other than her own two cold eyes. She smirked leaning her face forward the few remaining inches and letting her lips brush over his.

"W-what are you...doing?"He bit out quietly.

"Stop it!" Natsu snarled, sounding dangerously close to snapping. "He doesn't want-"

"Shut up." The newcomer, E.N.D. commanded and much to Cobra's surprise Natsu complied, or perhaps she had silenced the roaring pinkette some other way. If the oddly satisfying glint in her eyes was anything to go by, then he thought it best not to ask. Not much he could do against the person-or thing-that managed to defeat Brain.

It was her next question that brought his dazed world to a halt-snapping him on full-alert and causing his cheeks to flush an unhealthy scarlett that would have put even Erza's hair to shame.

"Are you a virgin?"

"W-what!?" His eyes widened, then narrowed into a murderous glare. He began to struggle, much like how he used to back in the R-system, attempting to claw for freedom when he felt her pull him closer.

He spat out curses like wildfire, his magic already picking up on every single uncensored thought that passed through the demons head, making him kick harder each time. Before he knew it he was back on the bed, a clawed hand clamped over his mouth while the other gave a rough pull at his belt. He whimpered in vain, hands fisted and pounding on her back.

He heard the sound of metal clicking, coming undone, the feeling of leather around his waist loosening unmistakenly-Nononono-

The door flung open.


Natsu had never felt such rage.

Forced to watch while that-that thing molested Cobra before her very eyes. With her hands. Using her lips to brush against his, and oh god when he moaned for her, she just-wait, no! She shook her head ridding it of such thoughts. Her brown eyes pinched into a glare that settled on the being before her.

E.N.D.

The she-devil was looking more than satisfied with her progress allowing the remaining members of the alliance-Blue Pegasus, Lamia Scale and the remaining members of Fairy Tail all came rushing in, Erza having flung open the door, and with them, much to Natsu's surprise were the rune knights-they struggled greatly in their efforts to pry the demon from the former oracion seis member. Natsu wanted nothing more than to punch her in the face.


Cobra panted. The remnants of salty tears stung at the corners of his eyes before he hid them against the sleeve of his jacket, refusing to show any signs of the eternal breakdown he was moments from having. First his nakama betrayed him, and now he was almost being raped by the very person who liberated him? What a shitty day.

"C-Cobra?"

The snake charmer swallowed the bile in his throat taking all of a moment to somehow re-compose himself enough to face the duo that stood at his bedside-Lucy and Wendy-they glanced at one another worriedly, then back at him.

He wanted to laugh at the irony of the situation.

Their nakama had just been hauled off to who knows where by both the magic council and friends, yet here they were worried for him; why?


Lahar often considered himself a reasonable man, even when dealing with the more than rambunctious members of a guild such as Fairy Tail. While he realized some of the higher ups often held the guild in low deserving of respect or even acknowledgement, the rune Knight captain was more than willing to give credit where it was due, so perhaps that's why-be it coincidence or not-he was immensely surprised when he came into the office early that morning...

"Good Morning Captain."

If one could have seen Lahar's face, they would have been shocked to see such vivid emotions sweep across the usually stoic face;fear,confusion,anxiety. Certain members of the guard would have no doubt laughed if they saw him looking as scared as he did. Then again, it would be foolish not to be, when coming face to face with the legendary dark wizard herself...in his office.

She was smiling no less! For one such as her to stroll into the heart of the Magic Council, and smile? Well, needless to say she was either incredibly stupid or unbearably arrogant in Lahar's eyes. Maybe even both.

"H-"

"How did I get here?" Zatanna cut in, a soft bemused chuckle slipping through her lips.

Giving a numb nod, Lahar barely took notice of the small movement of fingers Zatanna made before hearing the door slam shut behind him. He was jolted from his brief reverie and left cursing himself, and his hand flew to his weapon, however idiotic the thought of fighting might have seemed, he was damned if he didn't try.

"There is no need for violence."Was Zatanna's calm retort, not all phased by the blade, mere inches from his face. "That is," The black of her eyes faded turning a blood red that made Lahar's iron-grip on his sword go slack with fear radiating from his being. "You wish to turn this into a bloodbath?"

Silence filled the space between them.

Though a part of Zatanna wanted to draw out the small little 'meet & greet' she did after all rarely get an opportunity to just sit and talk it seemed. She knew her reason for coming needed to be addressed, and quickly too if the rising magic she felt was any indication of what was to come.

"Please, come and sit. I think you'll be interested to hear what I have to say..."

Hearing it was certainly one thing, but seeing with his own eyes was something he couldn't quite put into words, the scene that greeted him; Natsu Dragneel, a demon? Zatanna's own kin? How could no one have known?

More importantly, what would become of the girl now?

He helped wrestle her away from the shell-shocked Oracion Seis member, Cobra, and none too soon from the looks of it as she was preparing to do something he just knew she would regret. She snarled and kicked at first, successfully knocking back a few of the weaker members-Sherry, Ren,Ichiya, heck even Jura stumbled-before picking up on the small plea that fell from Cobra's lips-

"Stop."He said in a sharp exhale of breath, Lucy and Wendy rushing to his side.

Immediately the two girls realized their mistake when an ungodly growl came spilling from 'Natsu's' lips and she attempted to lunge at them.

"Natsu, stop!" Erza tried, all but shoving the smaller girl back with little to no success.

"He's mine!Get away from him, or I'll fucking kill you!"

Lucy and Wendy shared a terrified glance at the one whom they still somehow considered a friend, not believing her to be in her right mindset. What else could turn her so incredibly violent?

Much to everyone's surprise, it was Hibiki's words that finally seemed to register and snap her attention towards the side when the proclaimed 'lady-killer' placed a very uncharacteristic slap against Natsu's face, fixing her with a frosty glare. Silence fell between them, and Lahar was starting to wonder if it was such a good idea to wake up this particular morning after all.

"E.N.D.-sama, if you do not calm down, Erik is going to die."

Half the room expected the now demonized Natsu to bite the others head off, turning all her frustration on him. The other half wondered if maybe the after-effects of Nirvana were affecting each of them more than they initially thought.

Sparring a quick glance at Cobra, still bedridden and face still flushed, but still met her gaze. She saw him shrink back ever so slightly, an almost submissive form of self-defense that caused a smirk to crawl up onto her face as she relaxed, allowing herself to be dragged away.

This wasn't over. Far from it.


Things were quickly spiraling out of Lahar's control. Well, that is provided he ever had it to begin with, but things seemed to be unraveling far too fast, leaving too many unanswered questions in their wake.

Just what was Natsu-chan's connection with Zatanna?A part of him wished to go along with the dark wizards words if only to give insight to the problem at hand, but then there was another issue that needed to be addressed: Would Natsu turn into another Zatanna?

Only time may tell, but at what cost?


Just give her what she wants.

'Easy for him to say, lousy stripper.'Cobra snarled in his head, severely displeased with the turn of events. Nevertheless, he was running out of options, it was either this or forced into a cell alongside those who had just betrayed him. Neither was very appealing, the cell was looking more tolerable though.

"You're trembling."E.N.D. smirked realizing her voice had snapped the poor snake charmer from whatever reverie he had been stuck in, the soft gasp that fell from his lips was like music to her ears. But she didn't want to hear him gasp, no, she wanted to hear him moan. To listen to the sweet musical sounds of him begging while she pounded into him.

She figured Cobra must have heard her train of thought since the shaking of his hands increased, by now his lower lip was beginning to quiver looking quite fearful. It was a delicious sight to behold for her.

"Do you always look at people like you're about to eat them whole?" Inwardly cursing himself for the slip of his tongue, he couldn't help but blush further seeing the very not-so-innocent way her tongue seemed to roll along her lips, eyes sparkling with barely contained mirth.

"Only ones I can stand, though I'd be willing to do far more exciting things to you first, you know"Her eyes went down to the location of his belt buckle wiggling her brows suggestively, a smug smirk carved across her face when he hissed like an animal backed into a corner."Perhaps loosening you up will make you more susceptible to-"

"You really are a demon. Talking so casually about-"He stopped himself, his throat betraying him, feeling it become dry and non-functional under her probing stare. The glittering golden orbs continuously roaming over his body, like they were searching for wherever the visible chink in his armor was, the best possible way to break him without any kind of effort on her part.

You hold her weakness, Erik.

Steeling his nerves, he slid a hand forward running his palm up against her outer thigh.

With a pained grunt he felt himself get flipped, the growing familiarity of the bed beneath his back making him question how long before the demoness's patience ran out completely.

"You like to be in control."He breathed, his breath ghosting over her lips while his eyes turned half-lidded, E.N.D. could feel her hard fought-for control starting to wane. This human-how could he have such an effect on her?-she wanted him, more than anything. And she couldn't even fathom why.

He shifted beneath her, the sharp talons that were now her fingers making him acutely uncomfortable given the way they dug into his flesh with ease. Unruly pink locks fell, brushing against his face and making his heart race while the sheets became crumpled beneath his fingers. To say the situation was unfavorable would be an understatement, though if there was ever anything to be grateful to Brain for, it would be his constant training for any and all scenarios-and cobra did mean every scenario.

He regretted laughing at Angel back then.

Cobra withheld the sudden urge to flinch away feeling her bury the lower half of her face in the crook of his neck and shoulder, a sharp hitch of breath escaping him feeling her inhale deeply. Shivering when he felt the ever so slight edges of sharp, pointed fangs nip down at his flesh creating goosebumps.

E.N.D. herself was at a standstill, on one hand she refused to give any sort of indication this one human held any control over her, but on the other she wanted-no, she needed him-she wanted everything from the soft, spiked red colored hair to the caramel-colored skin that was currently being pressed up against her. Violet eyes dimming, darkening a shade or two.

"Well now..."She began, all the while smirking that infuriating smug grin of hers that make Cobra want nothing more than to rip out her very eyes. Successful or not, he would probably still be free of her, either by death or another means. It was just a matter of whose.

Cobra was ready to be done with this unpleasantness, but E.N.D. insisted on drawing things out of course. It was all Lahar and Hibiki's fault really, those bastards!Cobra inwardly hissed feeling the way her eyes burned into him, a hungry possessiveness that seemed oddly out of place on her usually soft looking features.

"When's Natsu coming back?" He wasn't even sure where the question had come from.

E.N.D. paused only to frown at the question, eyes narrowing ever so slightly, looking contemplative.

"Is that who you wish to see right now?"She finally responded, ignoring the minute flinch he gave when her sharp nails ran over his skin. His back arched involuntarily giving a weak cry feeling a nail lightly puncture near his neck, drawing blood."Would that make you happy?"

No.He refrains from scoffing the word out. He hadn't been happy in ages. That wasn't about to change.

Still, for whatever reason he found himself nodding, though it felt oddly forced since given the choice he preferred the dumb pinkette over this demonic version. He panted slightly keeping his face turned away from her some, unaware of when her eyes shut in concentration-or maybe it was resignation?-before re-opening, still in the midst of flickering to a much warmer shade of brown.

Natsu was back. And while he wouldn't admit it out loud, Cobra was relieved the demon had granted his request, however brief the peace might have been for him...