Cobra found her lying in a pool of her own blood.
Her soul screamed its agony to him. The hurt of his earlier rejection was now overshadowed by the fear left behind from the attack and pain from the knife wound. Overriding it all was pure terror.
Her soul knew it was dying.
The scents in the alley were overwhelming – Lucy's blood, Ken's blood, trash, urine, unknown debris. He recognized the guy kneeling over her putting pressure on the wound. The lion spirit was crying and whispering to Lucy to keep her awake. Cobra fell to his knees on her other side, drawing her attention to him.
"Lucy," her name came out as a choked whisper, a prayer he didn't know how to recite. She had become everything to him in such a short time. He couldn't lose her now. The relief she felt at the sight of him had guilt weighing down on him. This was his fault. He shouldn't have left.
Her lips trembled as she whispered his name and reached for him with a blood soaked hand. Cobra held her bloody hand in one of his and stroked her face with the other. So much blood was still pouring from the knife wound that she was fading from consciousness quickly. When her eyelids drooped, he tapped her cheek while saying. "Hey, hey stay with me."
Her eyes popped open again and she looked at him with a glassy stare. He could feel her attention fully on him, trying to distract herself from the pain by narrowing her focus down to only his face. She whispered, "Please don't leave me."
"Never again," He assured her, and he meant it. He'd never walk away from her if she survived this.
Midnight's footsteps sounded as he made it to the alleyway. Taking in the situation in a heartbeat, he asked, "Has anyone contacted the healer?"
Leo looked up at the men who had tried to kill his beloved key holder once upon a time. With her lying on the ground near death, he couldn't help but wonder at the irony that either of them cared now, having put so much effort into murdering her in the past. Pushing away the distracting thoughts, he answered, "Yes, Virgo left to find Wendy. She already checked the guildhall and is on her way to Fairy Hills."
Nodding, Midnight said, "I'm going to follow the mage's trail."
Cobra whipped his head back to his friends saying, "Do not engage him."
The smaller man rolled his eyes as he turned away muttering, "I'm not stupid."
Looking back at the lion spirit, Cobra said, "We need to move Lucy now. If we wait for Wendy to get here, she'll bleed out. Her soul is already starting to fade."
Leo didn't look up as he answered, "I can take her through the Celestial World and have her at the guildhall's infirmary within seconds, but I can't take you. You don't have the right magic or clothing to protect you in the other realm, so you wouldn't survive."
Lucy's soul panicked at the idea of Cobra leaving her side. She looked at her spirit friend and whispered, "No, Loke. He will be ok." There were so many things she was trying to convey with those few words but she couldn't put her thoughts together to do it.
Cobra held her hand tighter to reassure her he understood, having heard everything she wanted to say. "We're soul bonded. If she can go there, I can go there. Just do it. If I die, it's not your problem."
Leo agreed, not bothered at all by the idea of Cobra dying. He didn't exactly dislike the guy but he didn't care for him being with Lucy.
Hearing the spirit's willingness to try, Cobra slid his hands beneath Lucy's knees and shoulders while Leo kept pressure on the wound. A wail of pain slipped from Lucy as the change in position agitated the injury. In the space of a single heartbeat, the world shifted around them, bright light replacing the dull evening glow as the trio was transported into a world surrounded by starlight. The now familiar scent of the Celestial World filled Cobra's nostrils, and then was gone, leaving the smell of antiseptic in its place. A second burst of glowing light faded to reveal the guildhall's infirmary.
Cobra laid Lucy down on a bed, careful not to pull her away from Leo's hands where they kept pressure on the wound.
"I've informed Virgo of our location. She has Wendy en route. They are nearly here." Leo told Cobra, unaware the other man had heard the entire exchange. Cobra didn't know the spirits could communicate telepathically and wondered if it was all of them or only this guy since he was their leader.
Lucy was no longer conscious, her fight to stay awake ended as she slipped into the darkness. Her breathing had become shallow and her heart rate too fast as it tried to pump the thinning blood out to her organs. Her end of their soul bond was becoming dull, her always vibrant emotions fading away into nothingness as her body lost the battle between life and death.
Cobra knelt on the floor next to the bed, putting his head level with hers. He stroked her hair and whispered in her ear, "Stay with me, Lucy. Just a little longer."
He felt the answering trill in her soul and knew she heard him on some level. He wanted to reach out to her soul the way she had done when he was dying but had no idea how to do it. Instead, he opened up his end of the bond as wide as he could and focused on letting her feel what he felt for her. He hoped that maybe if she could feel how much he wanted her to stay, to be his, then she would find the will to hold on a little longer.
The door to the infirmary burst open as Wendy ran inside with Virgo. "Lucy!" The blue haired teen exclaimed in shock at the sight of so much blood covering someone she loved dearly. Her healing magic was active before she even reached the bed, glowing hands extended to her sister. She hovered her hands on either side of Leo's, just above the stab wound. As she worked, she muttered to herself about severed arteries and punctured organs. The damage sounded extensive but the healing happened quickly as the tissue and skin knitted back together nearly blemish free. It still wasn't enough. Wendy turned her attention to Lucy's blood supply, stimulating the production so life could be circulated back into the blonde's body. Finally, Lucy's breathing slowed, the respirations becoming deeper as her heart rate returned to a normal level.
Wendy moved on to healing the bruises forming on Lucy's face that Cobra hadn't noticed before. It looked like the dark mage tried to beat Lucy into submission. Intense anger surged through Cobra with the knowledge. He was going to kill the guy, and slowly. It wasn't often that he enjoyed taking a life, he'd mostly become indifferent to it, but this time he would savor it.
Once finished with her face, Wendy moved down to Lucy's hands, reducing the swelling in her knuckles. The healer said, "She must've hit him pretty hard because two of her knuckles are nearly broken."
The information made Cobra feel a little better, but not much. He still planned to kill Ken very painfully as soon as possible. At least now he knew what Erza said was true; Lucy could hold her own in a fight, which made Cobra feel like an ass for his earlier behavior.
Wendy's magic faded as she finished healing. "I'm going to start an IV but I'd like to clean her up first since she's stable now. Virgo, can you help me with that?"
The maid bowed slightly as she said, "Of course, Miss Wendy."
Leo drew the privacy curtain around the bed, stepping outside it while saying to Cobra, "Come on, you don't need to be there for that."
"I'm not fucking leaving her." Cobra snarled, ready to fight if it meant staying with Lucy. Why the hell did every man close to Lucy want her? Even the damn lion was possessive of her. Cobra was well aware of how amazing she was, but this was fucking ridiculous. She was bonded to him. No one else could have her.
Before the tension could escalate, Virgo cut in, "If I may, Leo," she nodded slightly in deference to her leader before continuing, "Our Princess's intentions toward the Poison Dragon Slayer are clear, and the two have already been intimate. There is no reason to protect her modesty from a man she intends to share herself with."
Leo growled but jerked the curtain fully closed, leaving Cobra inside with the fleeting curiosity of how the spirit knew so much. Wendy's face was a deep shade of red, embarrassed to hear so much about Lucy and Cobra. The teen had no idea there was something between the two of them and this was an awkward way to find out.
She stuttered a bit as she directed Virgo, "O-ok, Virgo, it's safe to clean the wounded area but be gentle. There will still be tenderness at the site."
A bucket of water and clean hand towels appeared on a small table next to Virgo. Wendy jumped a little in surprise, "Oh! That's convenient."
The pair set to work wiping the drying blood away from Lucy's skin and changing her outfit into one Virgo summoned magically. Cobra helped them by cleaning the hand he was still holding and then wiping down the rest of her arm. He changed the towel out for a clean one and then started on her face, wiping away the blood dried to her lip where it had been split by a fist. Cobra nearly vibrated with rage, realizing how much she'd endured in the short time she'd been in Ken's control. He desperately wanted to pick through her soul to hear exactly what happened but she was too deep into unconsciousness. Her soul was just a steady hum of silence. It was hard for him to hear knowing how active her soul normally was.
When the two women finished their tasks, Virgo returned to her own world with her dirtied supplies and Wendy set about starting the IV for Lucy. As she worked, Leo came back inside the privacy curtain. Cobra had heard everything turning over in the guy's mind while he waited outside the curtain but was ignoring him entirely, only focused on Lucy. He didn't want or need the spirit's apology and didn't care if the guy accepted the bond he shared with Lucy.
Because of that, he didn't bother looking up when Leo began speaking. "Look man, I'm sorry for how I acted. Lucy is the best contract holder most of us have ever had, so we're all really attached to her. It's hard to see her hurt, especially knowing there was nothing we could do to prevent it. We noticed the danger too late and by then were blocked from her magic. Without the connection through her magic, we can't open out gates to her exact location."
Cobra tucked that bit of information away to think on later and said, "I really don't give a shit about any of that and don't want your apology." He picked up on the lion's shock at his rudeness, which he also didn't care about, but he felt like he should add, "I'm glad you were there to help her afterwards, though. She might not have lived if you hadn't been there to slow the bleeding."
The zodiac leader nodded, accepting the words as the best he would get. "Well, I'm going back through my gate but we'll all be watching in case she needs anything." Leo watched Cobra until he looked up and then added, "She's really important to us."
Cobra held the other man's gaze, hearing everything that went unsaid. This spirit's bullshit was getting really fucking old. Cobra was impatient on the best of days and this was definitely not a good day. He finally answered, "She's important to me, too."
Leo disappeared in a shower of sparkles, leaving only Wendy in the room with Cobra and Lucy. He listened in on the youngest dragon slayer's soul, hearing her thoughts flitting between medical related topics to concern for Lucy. Eventually she settled on something she wanted to say to Cobra. "We all love her, but no one more than Natsu."
She paused to gather her thoughts and then turned to Cobra as she went on, "They're really close, which I'm sure you know. He's going to be out for blood when he finds out what happened. He's not the brightest, so he'll probably be after you first. It will really hurt Lucy if you two can't get along."
Cobra clenched his jaw, irritated with all the unwanted input he was receiving. He just wanted to be left alone to wait for Lucy to wake up. He could hear the young woman waiting on him to say something, so he finally said, "I'll try."
She nodded once, as if that settled things. "I'll be around. Just yell if she needs me." Always thoughtful, Wendy brought a stool over to Cobra before leaving the room, knowing it was unlikely he'd leave Lucy's side even long enough to walk across the room for it.
When the door closed behind Wendy, Cobra let out a huff of pent up energy. They were finally alone, so he didn't feel like he needed to hold back anymore. The anger he felt quickly morphed into the emotion he'd kept trapped inside – fear. Hearing and feeling her soul fade as she died… He had been so afraid of bonding with Lucy because he might lose her, but he'd nearly lost her anyway. Even without a completed bond, the agony of losing her would have driven him insane. All the time he spent pushing her away was for nothing.
He let out the tears he'd been holding in, allowing himself the emotional release with no one around to witness the weakness. He'd almost watched Lucy die, holding her hand in his as her life faded away. Her blood still scented the air in the room, keeping the highlights of the last hour on repeat in his mind. When he'd finally decided that pursuing this thing with Lucy might not end in disaster, she's nearly been taken from him. He couldn't keep pushing her away, not when doing so was hopeless. She was forever a part of him, so he may as well take everything she was willing to give.
He gently stroked her hair, not bothering to speak out loud. He allowed his emotions to trickle across their bond, its continued existence reminding him she was still there while also sharing what he felt. There was no response but he didn't stop. He wasn't always great with words, so he thought about things he wanted her to know, hoping she would pick up on them through their connection.
Master Makarov came and went, checking on Lucy's condition without alerting the other guild members of the incident. Not many knew what had happened since Lucy had been transported through the Celestial Realm. The ones that saw Wendy rush into the infirmary were told she was helping Makarov, who claimed he'd been choking on a grape. Cobra thought the old fucker was crazy, but the plan worked. He could hear the souls in the guild concerned about the old man going senile but that was nothing new for them. The evening went on as usual for the members of Fairy Tail.
It was a peaceful few hours, broken up only by Wendy coming and going to check on Lucy. After the last check up, Wendy deemed her patient stable enough to spend the rest of the night unmonitored then left for Fairy Hills to get some sleep. The calm atmosphere ended abruptly when the inevitable happened.
Late into the night, Natsu slammed into the infirmary with flames racing across his body and a scale pattern covering his skin in full Dragon Force. The privacy curtain caught fire as he jerked it open. His voice was lower than usual, almost gravelly sounding as he growled, "What happened to Lucy? Did you hurt her?"
Cobra had prepared himself for this moment, and as much as he wanted to beat the little bastard for accusing him of doing this, he did the complete opposite. Outwardly, he remained calm and unmoved as he answered, "No. I didn't do this to her. The asshole we've been after tried to abduct her but she fought him off."
The flames grew hotter as Natsu demanded, "Where is he?!"
"Put out the damn fire you started before you hurt her worse than she already is." Cobra insisted in an even tone, but when Natsu ignored him to stare at Lucy's unconscious form, he lost his patience. Standing to his feet he shouted, "What the fuck is wrong with you? Put out the fucking fire or I swear to all that is holy I will eviscerate you and hide the evidence so Lucy thinks you abandoned her again."
The cheap shot at Natsu's poor past choices got his attention. He extinguished the fire in the room, including the one raging across his body. The Fire Dragon Slayer said, "You can try, buddy, but it won't work. You're not enough to take me out."
Cobra rolled his eye and sat back down on his stool. "Shut the fuck up and listen. I'll tell you what happened. And no, it had nothing to do with me."
"We'll see about that." Natsu muttered as he sat on the edge of Lucy's bed, ignoring Cobra's territorial growl while letting out one of his own.
And so Cobra told the story beginning with when he noticed her soul disappearing, including the details he'd picked up from the souls of the two spirits. They'd witnessed some of the fight between Lucy and the dark mage through a viewing portal in their world. Ken had tried abducting Lucy but it didn't go as expected since she fought back with some skill. When he realized he couldn't take her with him, he started using the stone to drain her magic in the alley. His mistake had come when he tried stealing Lucy's keys, hoping to use them as an additional power source. Lucy's determination to defeat him doubled at that point, her protective instincts kicking into high gear. When she headbutted Ken hard enough to break his nose, he stabbed her and left her to die in the alley.
The part Cobra didn't understand was why Ken needed to recharge the stone so soon after it had absorbed Jellal's attack. The dark mage had believed it to be ready for absorption, but maybe something happened. Since the guy was on his feet after taking a strike from Cobra's poisoned claws, the dragon slayer thought it was possible the magic had been drained in healing the wound.
Now mostly calm, Natsu asked, "So what did Midnight find out?"
"Not much."Cobra answered, knowing the details since he'd made a point of listening intently to Midnight's soul earlier in the night. "He followed the guy's blood trail until it ended a few blocks away. He checked the area to make sure the guy wasn't hiding out somewhere but didn't find anything."
Natsu stood up saying, "I'll go check. I can probably track him by scent if he left blood behind."
"Doubt it. He's impossible to track by scent once he activates the stone's power."
"Psh, that's because it was you trying. I'll find him." Natsu declared as he stood up. Cobra did his best to contain his reaction as Natsu leaned down to put his forehead against Lucy's, whispering promises of finding the guy that hurt her. It wasn't a romantic gesture, but the familiarity of it bothered Cobra. The two friends were too close for his comfort, but there wasn't a fucking thing he could do about it. He knew he had to accept it if he had any chance of a future with Lucy.
Cobra let the other dragon slayer leave without bothering to try convincing him his search would be fruitless. He was confident in his own tracking abilities, so he knew the other slayer wouldn't find anything. He was just glad to be alone with Lucy again.
He checked her wound one more time, just making sure it still looked good. The pale pink line was about three inches long but looked more like an old scar than a recent injury. He pulled the hem of her shirt back down and covered Lucy with the thin blanket, hoping she wouldn't get cold. Cobra sat with his body draped over the side of the bed and his head resting on Lucy's thigh. It wasn't exactly comfortable, but he'd slept through worse. It was after midnight so his body was pushing him to rest. He was willing to do it since he didn't expect Lucy to wake up until morning, being accustomed to sleeping this time of night. Plus, the blood loss would keep her weak and in need of rest.
The feeling of fingers gently carding through his hair woke him a few hours later. He recognized Lucy's touch without opening his eyes or using his magic. She seemed to know he was awake but didn't say anything, just enjoyed touching him.
He could hear her going over the events of the night before as she sorted through fuzzy memories. The burnt privacy curtain was a clear sign that Natsu had been in the room at some point but she didn't feel like asking for the details yet. He obliged her need for silence, also not in the mood to speak.
They stayed that way until Lucy's bladder couldn't be ignored any longer. Cobra didn't wait for her to ask. He just stood up and walked around to her other side to remove the IV needle. Lucy assumed he'd done this before when he proficiently removed the needle and replaced it with gauze, then secured the gauze with tape.
When he helped her to her feet, she leaned against him for a moment, taking in the feel of his body against hers, warm and alive. They were both alive and together. He leaned his head against hers, whispering in her ear, "I'm so sorry. I'm not leaving again."
His words seemed to break the dam she'd kept in place. She wrapped her arms around his waist as her body shuddered with tears slipped down her cheeks. She didn't try to explain, knowing he could hear and feel the turmoil in her soul. She'd been so afraid, having never been so close to death before. Terror unlike anything she'd ever felt had consumed her when she felt the end nearing. Through all of it, he was there with her, a constant presence in the darkness engulfing her. He kept her steady, acting as a beacon to guide her back.
Cobra just held Lucy tightly, running a hand up and down her back to soothe her. Guilt ate away at him for allowing this to happen to her. He blamed himself, even knowing it was truly his fault. But if he'd been there, if he'd been next to her, he could have helped fight the mage off. After engaging him once, Cobra knew the guy's fighting style and was confident he could defeat him in hand to hand combat.
"This isn't your fault." Lucy whispered against his chest, having picked up on the direction of his thoughts. He didn't acknowledge her words, just pulled away enough to guide her toward the small restroom in the infirmary.
Lucy stood in front of the small mirror after taking care of her needs and leaving the bloodied gauze in the trash. Her face looked perfect with no signs left behind of the beating she'd endured. She was proud to know she'd held her own against him, but it hadn't been easy. The guy was big, tall with muscle on his frame. Her freedom had come at a price, one she paid at the end of his fists and the pointy side of a knife. She hadn't taken a beating like that since being abducted by Phantom Lord and left in Gajeel's not-so-sane care.
She lifted her shirt, running a finger along the scar on her stomach. The blood had mostly been cleaned from this area but there was enough left behind to clearly see it had covered her torso. It must have been a horrific sight.
When she walked out the door, Cobra was standing on the other side leaning against the wall. She asked playfully, "You peeping on me?"
He curled his lip in disgust as he answered, "Hell no. If I was going to try to catch a glimpse of you naked, it wouldn't be while you took a piss."
Soft laughter escaped her, the light feeling alleviating some of the lingering anxiety. She took his hand in hers, glad he didn't pull away. She needed the contact right now to remind her she was ok.
The light outside the infirmary windows was faint, meaning dawn was approaching. Lucy wanted to be home before anyone came into the guild.
Cobra turned his back to Lucy and knelt down. "Climb on. It won't take long if I carry you."
Lucy didn't object to the offer, glad she didn't have to walk the distance. It wasn't very far, but she wasn't sure she would make it all the way there in her weakened state. Once she was secured and they were on their way out of the infirmary, she said, "We need to stop ending up in here."
"No shit." He said as he descended the stairs. "I hope this isn't going to be an ongoing trend for us."
Lucy liked the way that 'us' sounded coming from him. The bond between them had remained open since she woke, so she knew the hesitancy he had harbored towards her was gone.
As they exited the building he added, "I know you want to spend time with me but that is not the place to do it."
She smiled as she said, "I seem to remember you being the one in the infirmary bed last time."
"Don't know what you're talking about." He denied jokingly. "The blood loss must be affecting your memory."
Her soft laughter warmed him inside, easing his tension. She was ok and he was never walking away from her again.
Once they made it inside her apartment, Cobra left Lucy seated on the couch with instructions not to move until he got back. She wasn't planning to go against his orders since she was fairly certain she would collapse if she tried to stand. Holding onto his back while he carried her home took enough energy that she was sure she wouldn't have made it without his help.
She lay down on her side, pulling the throw blanket over her body to stay warm. The disgusting smell of her hair was stronger with it smashed against her face. It wasn't just the usual day old oil from her scalp, but grit and blood caked together in the strands. Her entire body needed a serious scrub down with all the bloody residue left behind. Wendy and Virgo had done a great job of cleaning her up, but a wipe down with a wet cloth just wasn't enough. A shower and long soak in the bath sounded fantastic, but that wouldn't work out too well if she passed out and then drowned.
A short time later, Cobra returned with toast and orange juice. Lucy sat up, letting the blanket fall to her lap as she accepted the plate and immediately leaning against his side for support after he sat down. As she nibbled on the toasted bread, he sniffed dramatically and said, "You really do smell like shit."
Lucy huffed before saying sarcastically, "You're so sweet. It just takes my breath away."
"I do my best." He picked up the glass of juice and put it in her hand, forcing her to drink it. She glared at him over the rim as she swallowed it down. He offered, "I can help you shower."
She placed the empty glass back on the low table while trying to hide her smile as she said, "Your selflessness amazes me. Will you even help me wash my body?"
"I think I can handle that."
"I'm sure you can handle it." She answered flirtatiously. "But seriously, I don't think I can do much more than sit there."
"Don't worry about it. You can rock my world later." They both smiled at that, fully intending on making it happen.
While the shower warmed, Cobra helped Lucy undress. She didn't need a lot of help removing the clothing but nearly fell over while pulling the shirt over her head and then again while taking off her shorts. In contrast with his flirting moments earlier, he was completely respectful of her nudity, not taking advantage of the situation. But if he got in an eye full or two, who could blame him?
She lowered herself into the tub on her own as Cobra knelt on the outside. He unhooked the showerhead from the wall, glad she had one with a long hose, and used it to wet her hair. The water was dark as it rinsed away the dried blood and other things caught in her hair. He was glad she had asked him to wash her hair before filling up the bathtub or she would have been stuck marinating in the nasty shit.
Lucy hugged her legs and turned her head to the side to rest her face against her knees. It had been a long time since someone washed her hair. The last one to do it was Aquarius back when she was a small child. The reminder of the spirit that was a mother to her in many ways left a pang of sorrow in Lucy's chest. She was determined to find her lost friend one day.
Cobra listened in on Lucy's soul, mostly out of habit, though it wasn't as if she were trying to shield herself from him. The depth of their connection made it almost as if they were having a conversation about the mermaid. Maybe one day he could help her find the key when it resurfaced.
He let the peace of the moment seep into his soul, soothing him as he massaged the shampoo into her scalp and then rinsed the suds away. The mildly sweet scent of her body wash filled the air as he squeezed some onto her loofah and handed it to her. He would definitely help her wash her body if she asked but didn't think that would be the best idea. He was managing to control his desire for her naked, wet body but rubbing soap all over it without a reaction might be a little too much to ask.
She plugged the drain and turned the faucet on high to fill the tub with water. While doing so, she reminded him conditioner was important through her thoughts, so he worked the moisturizing stuff into her hair, remembering the time she'd told him she planned to put some in his hair one day.
"I can do it right now, if you want." She offered with a look over her shoulder. "You aren't smelling so great, either."
He only raised an eyebrow in challenge, and then proceeded to undress when she smiled at him in answer. It didn't take long for him to climb into the bath with her, surprised they both fit.
Lucy twirled a finger as she said, "Turn around. I can't wash your hair with you facing me."
He sighed, feigning exasperation but actually enjoying the interaction. Lucy reached across him, intentionally pressing her bare breasts into his back as she switched the water flow back to the showerhead. She settled onto her knees and began the process of washing his hair.
The small amount of food and glass of juice had her feeling much better than before. She wouldn't say she had energy to go exercise, but she had enough for this. Her fingers worked through his thick hair, lingering in places to massage his scalp. She could feel him practically melting beneath her fingertips and smiled at the change in his demeanor. Just 24 hours earlier he'd been trying to escape from her and now they were sharing a bath.
"Fucking crazy, I know." He mumbled in a relaxed sounding voice. Bath time with Lucy was fantastic. He would take her up on the offer any time.
When she finished rinsing the conditioner from his hair, she rinsed her own and then stretched upward to hang the showerhead back in its place. While she was reaching up, Cobra turned his body around to face the other way with his legs stretched on either side of the bath and then pulled Lucy down to sit between his legs with her back resting against his chest. She didn't object to the change in position, allowing him to adjust both of them until they were comfortable.
She let out a sound full of blissful relaxation as she leaned her head back against his shoulder. Her arms rested lightly in her lap with his wrapped around her, holding her tightly against him. He nuzzled the side of her face with his, silently enjoying the moment.
After awhile, he spoke his thoughts aloud, "I don't think I've ever been completely naked with a woman before."
"Really?" She asked in surprise without opening her eyes.
He hummed and then went on, "Never stayed around one long enough to get comfortable, I guess."
Lucy smiled and said, "Well, I fully intend to see your perfect butt naked as often as possible." When he laughed, she added, "I might even try to take a bite out of it."
His chuckle grew until she could feel his chest moving behind her back. He had a nice laugh, one she didn't hear often without a hint of teasing or malice mixed in. Once his laughter subsided, he said, "I don't know why the hell you want me, but you're stuck with me now."
"Good, you'll see eventually." She said, hoping one day she could show him what she saw in him. Her inebriated description of him as sweet on the inside but pokey on the outside might've sounded ridiculous but it was accurate, even if he couldn't see it himself.
His hold on her loosened as his hands started exploring. Gentle fingertips touched lightly along her arm, down to her hand until they brushed along her outer thigh. She didn't protest when his other hand, still crossed over her stomach, started gliding up and down her side with his thumb brushing just beneath her breast. Her breath hitched when the hand on her thigh crept inwards while the other traced along the underside of her breast, rising up to cup the mound fully.
Cobra's voice was husky as he said, "We should probably get out of here if you still don't feel well."
Voice breathy, she said, "I'm good. We can stay." To bring her point home, she spread her thighs slightly while pressing back against the firmness growing behind her.
A sharp intake of air was Cobra's only response as he slid his fingers up her thigh until they reached her core while he rocked his hips against her back. Her soul was still open to him, increasing the pleasure he felt into something he'd never experienced before. He wasn't even inside her yet but he could feel her wrapped around him, her soul surrounding his as their bond buzzed with life.
His fingers worked her until she was moaning, nearing an orgasm from his touch alone. He kissed along her neck, sucking the smooth skin roughly, pushing her over the edge. When she came, her soul sang with a melody that enchanted his soul, pulling him to new heights with her. He lifted her hips, turning her around to face him and sunk his length into her. Lucy threw her head back at the sudden intrusion, the pain and pleasure combining into something fantastic, stealing her breath away.
The feel of her warm, wet heat surrounding his length was almost too much to take after going for so long without release while the sexual tension built between them. He held them both still for a moment, giving them a second to adjust before he moved.
Thrusting deeply into her, he captured one of her bouncing breasts in his mouth, using his hands to help her move up and down on his cock. He could feel her fatigue returning rapidly and knew this would have to end quickly but he was going to fucking enjoy it.
Water sloshed over the side of the tub, going unnoticed as it pooled on the floor. Lucy placed her hands on either side of Cobra's face, pressing their lips together in a wild kiss full of tongue and teeth. Now that he'd finally accepted their bond, she wasn't letting him go again.
Her thoughts and overwhelming affection pushed Cobra over the edge. He pumped into her roughly as he came with an intensity he'd never felt, pulling Lucy into a second orgasm with him. Their souls merged together until they harmonized into something new and different, the sound rang like the echo of a church bell in Cobra's ears. Even Lucy could hear it through their connection. A bright light burst from the joined pair, swirling around them in a sparkling pattern resembling Lucy's magic.
The lovers panted in silence, floating on the high of ecstasy. Lucy kissed Cobra's lips again, though gently this time, with her hands still cupping his face in a loving embrace. His hands slid up from her hips to wrap around her, holding her against him as he returned the kiss.
When their lips parted, he whispered, "We made a really big fucking mess."
Lucy laughed as she looked to the side, wondering if there was more water outside or inside the bathtub. She shrugged while saying, "Eh, that's what towels are for."
They stood and let the rest of the cooling water drain as they tossed towels onto the floor, then stepped over the side. With only one towel left, Cobra toweled off the water on Lucy's body and then dried his own, not worried about either of their hair. It was halfway dry having been above the water so long.
Lucy wrapped her hand in his as they walked the short distance from the bathroom to her bed, not wanting to be parted physically for even a moment. They slid under the blanket without bothering to dress and curled up together. It hadn't been long since they'd woken up in the infirmary, but both were exhausted after the long night and amazing sex. Lucy pressed her lips against his chest where her face lay against it. He returned the gesture, kissing the top of her head, glad she could feel what he did so he didn't have to try figuring out the best way to tell her how much she meant to him.
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I hope this made up for the cliff hanger at the end of the last chapter. Call me evil, but I cackled out loud each time someone told me how terrible it was of me to cut off the chapter with a cliff hanger.
I'd also like to acknowledge the lack of editing in the last few chapters. I'm aware there are likely grammatical errors I overlooked throughout the story and I may correct them at some point, but no guarantees. I read over each before posting, but am less focused on editing as I am on packing the chapter with content. So, sorry to anyone who cares but at the same time STFU and just be glad the chapter got posted.
And leave a review! Or message me! I want to hear what you guys think. It's the fuel for my writer's soul.