Just Misunderstood

Chapter 24

Act 2

Rōzu Fuyu no Saiten

There was a lot of awkward tension after that, the rest of the day passing by in an emotional blur. Kara had pulled them out of the snow, and inside for tea, she tried to avoid too many questions, knowing it may not be her place to ask them. But even Lucy could see the question in her eyes, the way her eyes would flick between them when exchanging words, the way she eyed the closing cut on Cobra's forehead and the dragon bead necklace on his neck. She could feel how hard the Miko was keeping questions from tumbling out of her mouth.

They all kept the conversation light, Kara walking on eggshells and Cobra thankful for it. His eyes still stung and his body felt drained, he had not let himself feel that much emotion in a long time and was not ready to dive more into his past than he already had. Kara had been excited to show Erik to everyone, ready to throw a party to celebrate his return, so he did have to explain the fact that they were on the run, and even in Rozu should try and keep his return a secret, just for a little while longer.

She didn't press the matter further, merely smiling graciously and pouring more tea. Kara was in and out of the living space, trying to tend to her shrine duties all while trying to keep her eyes on Erik. Lucy could tell that she was afraid that he would disappear again. It was well after lunch, that the shrine began to empty again and she settled back on the floor by the table. Cobra and Lucy had been talking aimlessly while eating the lunch Kara brought them. Angel and Midnight checked in at one point with their daily report as well.

"Sorry, it's so busy here with the festival tonight," she said with a small smile.

Cobra perked up, "The Winter Rose Festival?"

She nodded, "Yes, it's usually in December but we had a bad storm and we just couldn't fit it in until now."

Cobra sighed and flicked his eyes to Lucy, "Hm, that could be fun," he smiled, "I kinda missed those."

Kara stiffened, "It probably wouldn't be a great idea for you to go," she coughed, "With you trying to lay low and everything."

His shoulders sagged some, "Damn, you're right."

"Lucy, you should still go though! It's beautiful, you should definitely see it before you go?" Kara said, pouring her more tea.

"By herself?" Cobra said like it was completely out of the question.

"Come on, Erik, she's a big girl, she doesn't need you to babysit her."

Lucy shifted uncomfortably, she really did not want to go to a festival that probably revolved around customs in a country she knew very little about. But she didn't want Cobra to feel bad, and she did kind of wanted to see what exactly a winter rose festival entailed.

"Could you go with her Kara?" He said as he leaned back, his hands supporting him.

Kara choked on her tea, "Absolutely not! Do you even know how busy it is here during the festival! I won't have a second to myself."

Lucy looked down, feeling out of place again, "I will be fine by myself, Karada is right Co, I am a big girl. Besides," she touched her keys where they were placed on the table, "I think, I'm going to try and call Leo… Maybe he could go with me," she trailed off.

Cobra rolled his eyes, "That cat," he scoffed, "That should be fine, I know he won't let anything happen to you."

Lucy's shoulders stiffened and she clenched her jaw. She looked away, "Yeah."

Cobra winced and shook his head, he knew he probably could have worded that better. The whole Leo subject was still a weak point for her, understandably, "Who is Leo?" Kara asked.

Lucy smiled but it was forced, Cobra could tell, "A friend, he was… injured, recently and I haven't been able to talk to him since," her voice was quiet. Her eyes began to water and she sighed and looked to the ceiling, wiping her face.

"Luc-," Cobra began but she stood up.

"I'm going to go and see, if, if he is good to come out," she took only his key from her ring and excused herself outside to a little clearing behind the shrine. Cobra tried to get up to follow her but Kara rested a hand on his arm.

"Sounds like they need some alone time," he was hesitant but he sat back down, his eyes trained on the door. It was times like this he wished he could hear Lucy's thoughts, to know what she was feeling, so he knew exactly what he could do to ease her pain.

The air outside was cold and snow was still falling slowly. She shook off any shivers and held Leo's key close to her heart and closed her eyes. She held it out in front of her, she took a deep breath. Lucy turned the key and whispered, "Open, Gate of the Lion. Leo," she felt the familiar tug on her magic and a golden light warmed the cold air.

She clenched her jaw as her hands trembled.

And as the light dimmed, she saw him. At first, she thought he was a constellation, every tip of his hair, every angle on his face, every crease in his suit was a star. He was just so beautifully him, his hair was so perfectly orange and fluffy, his eyes green and unhindered by his glasses, his skin held such a heavenly glow. His arms were crossed, his face unreadable. Lucy shifted and opened her mouth but she couldn't say anything, she could just stare at him. Tears filled her eyes and her voice cracked but no words could leave her mouth. He smiled, it was breathtaking, her heart melting at the sight, "Welcome back, Princess," he said as he opened his arms.

"I should be saying that to you! Silly cat!" She cried as she ran to him. Slamming into him enough for him to have to step back. He squeezed her tight as she sobbed into his chest.

"This feels familiar," he tried to play, to poke some fun but his chest hurt. He had been so scared. So scared that Lucy would completely lose herself, that she would never be herself again. But as he held her he realized that even though she had every excuse to be broken she stood here, sobbing into his chest, but in one piece feeling emotions she should. He knew as tears filled his own eyes that everything was going to be okay. She was going to be okay, and as much as Leo hated to admit it, he also knew that Cobra was the reason why. So he smiled at the sky and thanked the slayer. Knowing that he could hear him.

~JM~

"This was Erik's mother's you know?" Kara said as she fastened the hairpin into Lucy's bun.

"Yes, he told me," Lucy said as she popped a blueberry into her mouth. They sat in Kara's room, the older girl getting Lucy ready for the festival.

"I'm sure he must have told you a lot, did he tell you about me?" She asked as she stood. She handed Lucy some simple makeup products.

Lucy took them from her, "Not really," she said. Lucy was nearly shocked at her own pettiness, there was just something about the way Kara had asked that, Lucy didn't want to give her the satisfaction of knowing he had indeed told her about Kara and Ryian.

"Probably just didn't want you getting jealous," she smiled as she sat on her bed.

Lucy remained silent and applied her makeup, trying really hard to be nice. It wasn't that Kara was rude or anything, she just… seemed to really not like Lucy. And Lucy really could not tell why.

It was late evening, the sun just barely peeking over the horizon, and Cobra was getting Loke ready to escort her to the festival. Lucy, just, didn't really know how she felt about it all. She was happy to be experiencing the culture of Rozu but she just felt so painfully out of place. And she was worried about people suspecting her and Leo of not belonging. Cobra had mentioned that blonde hair is a rare trait from the northern regions of Rozu and people would just assume she was from there and just go along with it if people asked. But he had been worried about Leo, bright orange hair was just not something that is seen here at all. So she summoned Cancer for him and all three of them had been held up in Cobra's old room getting the Lion ready to blend in some.

Kara had put Lucy in a light gray wool kimono with purple flowers adorning the bottom and sleeves, she had tied a purple obi around her waist and given her some wool tabi socks and some leather snow boots to help combat the few inches of snow that had collected. Kara laid back on her bed, her Miko garb dirty from her various activities, "It will be nice to have some catching up time with Erik, I missed him so much, I never really believed he was dead, even when everyone else moved on, I didn't, I couldn't," she trailed off and Lucy nodded. Saying nothing.

"How long have you and Erik been traveling with each other?"

"I met him about two weeks ago, give or take," she answered as she finished her makeup.

"Wow, that isn't very long," Kara mused as she sat up.

"Nope, but," Lucy giggled a bit, "I guess, I can say that Cobra knows me better than anyone, he did, well, comb through my entire life. He knows everything I have ever done or thought," she said.

Kara nodded, "With that, power, of his?"

"Yeah, Cobra's got some pretty amazing powers, I hope to learn a lot from him, after all, I'm still a new dragon slayer, he can teach me a thing or two," Lucy said aimlessly as she fixed her hair a little.

"But of course, he can not keep his powers if he stays here, he'll have to bind his powers like his father did," Kara said.

Lucy whipped around, "What?"

"He didn't tell you? Rozu is fond of magic and we appreciate its beauty but only Mikos and Monks may hold powers, and of those, they are only allowed purification magic. It keeps the balance, that is why we don't like outsiders. Vincent, Erik's father, was a pirate but he had some mind manipulation magic, and he had to strip them to stay here with Rose. And of course, you could never stay here with Erik, anyway, for they allowed that once and it was only because he was loved by a Rozuarian, and sadly, you are not," she said as she looked at her nails.

Lucy's heart dropped, she looked at where her hand was on the ground. She knew… that she and Cobra weren't going to be together forever, they were only together for convenience, and because Cobra felt responsible for what had happened to her. She cared for him, she knew that, she wasn't denying that. And she knew that he felt the same about her, but they weren't in a relationship, they weren't in love, they were barely friends when she thought about it. They were just… together. There was no commitment to whatever 'relationship' they had, if he chose to stay in Rozu instead of going to Enca… it would make sense, and she couldn't stop him. And that scared her.

"Karada, that wasn't your place to tell her," Cobra's voice said in the doorway, he glared at her, hearing her intentions with the words she spoke. Lucy looked up, an unreadable expression on her face, Cobra shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose, "You guys should be leaving soon, it starts in a few minutes," he sounded agitated. Leo stepped out from behind him and Lucy's earlier mood was almost completely dissolved.

The normally so bright and shining Leo the Lion stood before her in an outfit similar to Cobra's but it was all black with gray vertical stripes running down it. His hair was black, and neater than usual, his usual unruly curls straight and down like his hair when she first met him. He wore normal glasses, a pair with big black frames, probably to try and hide his face as much as possible. His face held a red tint as he looked away, "I look stupid don't I?"

Lucy stood and smiled, Cobra clenched his jaw and looked away, "No you don't. It suits you more than I would have thought," she said.

"Well thank you. You look beautiful Princess, purple has always been your color," he blushed and rubbed the back of his neck, "You ready to leave?"

She nodded and glanced at Cobra, his eyes were focused on a wall and she touched the tips of his bangs as they began to hang in his eyes, "Your hair is getting long," she whispered.

He pulled the strand down to straighten the curl, "You think? Cancer is in there cleaning, you think he could give me a trim," he mused softly.

"It looks good, makes you look younger," she gave him a sad smile.

"Okay guys, remember, try not to talk to anyone, if anyone asks, Lucy you are from the Northern Village and Leo is your escort. Just have fun, get some food, play some games, the festival is pretty laid back culturally wise. Not too many strict customs, so you guys are gonna be fine. The fireworks start at seven, but it all ends at nine so I don't want to see you back here until at least nine-thirty," she explained as she pushed the two towards the door, "See you then!"

The two stepped into the snow, Kara closing the shoji screen behind them, "Damn she wanted us gone," he laughed.

Lucy scoffed and began walking, the cold not as bad as she thought it was going to be, "She's excited to be alone with Cobra."

"I thought you said she was married," Leo said as he fell into step beside her.

"She is."

"So, platonic? Familial? Did she just miss him? Why is she being passive aggressive towards you," he asked.

"I don't really know, maybe she just missed him, I mean they did grow up together and they promised to marry each other. I'm sure she just wants to catch up without having to worry about me," she mumbled.

Leo nodded slowly, "Are you okay? We walked in on some heavy stuff. And as your spirit, I can tell when something is really bothering you."

She smiled sadly at the ground, "I don't know, I just… care about Cobra, but I'm not really in a place to," she sighed and slapped her cheeks, "It's okay! We are going to have fun, there's food, games, prizes, fireworks! It's going to be fun, now, hurry up!" She laughed as she trotted ahead of him, he smiled and followed after her into the crowd that was slowly forming.

~JM~

The first hour of the festival went by pretty quickly, the duo participating in a few games and winning a few small stuffed animals, they ate Rozuarian food, which entailed a lot of seafood which Leo was very happy about. It had been a little before seven when Leo began to pull her to where the fireworks would be seen the best; when in a shock, a whistle was heard. She looked up as the gunpowder exploded into a dozen different colors, others went off with it, showering the sky in beautiful light. She was dazzled by the beauty, she hadn't seen fireworks since she was just a kid. She looked around to find the crowd abundant around her, she hadn't even noticed it gather, but Leo nowhere in sight, "Leo?" She shouted.

She was being tousled by the crowd, her small frame drowning in the sea of people. Suddenly a hand grabbed her own and she was pulled from the myriad of bodies.

"Ah, there you are, the blonde does come in handy," Leo's voice said, a little relief apparent. She looked down at their hands, his fingers still laced with hers, "It's… really crowded. So we should hold hands, okay?" His voice came quiet, but she still heard it over the boom of the fireworks.

As Lucy stood there, her seventeen-year-old self, hearing the fireworks… surrounded by the body heat that tried so desperately to drown out the cold, she smelled the food stalls and the water from the games, the feeling of Leo's hand…. All together made her wish she was with just that one person…

-she longed for him-

She looked up at Leo as he said her name, and her eyes filled with tears.

Suddenly, she was encased in strong arms, and she was thrown over a shoulder. A blush rose to her face, because through the light of the fireworks a masked figure held her, but even in the dim light she saw the unmistakable maroon hair curling about, "Sorry, Leo, I'll be taking her away," his voice came clearly, and with that he was racing through the crowd.

"Cobr-! Let me go!" She huffed as she struggled against his shoulder. He ran into the forest, and up concert steps, to the old shine they had visited before.

"I wanted to come here, just where we could watch them," he sat her down on an old table inside. He put his arms on either side of her legs and pressed his forehead against her knee as he caught his breath.

"Why-," he looked up at her, "Why were you crying?" He huffed out, she gave him a watery smile and slipped her fingers under his mask, lifting the stolen kitsune identity.

Sweat beaded on his forehead and his hair was sticking in all which ways, his eyes pleaded with her, she smiled, they were so brilliantly purple.

"I just would have rather seen the fireworks with you! I love Leo but… I came here with you!" She half shouted as she covered her eyes.

He laughed but it held no malice, "God, Lucy you're going to be the death of me," she went to touch his arm but he grabbed her wrist, "Don't move," he rested his head on her shoulder, "Right now, I feel like I might do something, I don't know what but… I don't know how to touch you."

Lucy for the first time in a few days felt hot, like a summer day with no air back in Fiore, the air in the shrine was heavy, "Then… can I touch you?" She whispered. Her hand went to his arm and he looked up, his hand slid up her wrist, her other hand went to his cheek.

"LUCY! ARE YOU OKAY!" Leo slammed the shrine door open, sending sutras flying across the small room as Lucy fell backward off the table, Cobra hitting his knee on the underside of it and cradling it as he fell back.

"You're so loud! Jesus!" The snake-charmer shouted from the floor.

Lucy laughed loudly from the floor and pushed herself to sit up, "Happy Winter Rose Festival Guys," she said as giggles still left her.

Cobra shook his head but a smile was adorned on his face, he brushed some stray pieces of hair from Lucy's eyes, "Let's hope for many more," he whispered softly.

Lucy raised her eyebrows at him and he smirked, "After we meet the others in Enca of course," Lucy beamed a smiled at him and he helped her up.

"So you aren't staying?"

He scoffed, "God no, I love it here. And it will always be my home, but I would go stir crazy working at the shrine especially if I had to give up my powers," he touched the hairpin in Lucy's hair lovingly, "We got a job to do. We got people to meet, names to clear! I can't just stay here. Especially not if it means I gotta leave my best girl," he smirked.

Lucy laughed, "Yeah right," she nudged him.

"Come on, I gotta get back, Kara's gonna be pissed," he said as he fastened his mask back on.

Wow, I am so sorry I have been gone for so long, I just had a really tough time with this chapter and it came out pretty mediocre but now the rest of Act 2 will pretty much flow nicely so expect the next chapter on June 12, 2019.