Here's a third part for Eien's "Coming Home" prompt. Good grief. There might be one, or two more parts. Then it'll be done and I'll move onto other prompts. ...Which are mostly for CoLu. Should I just go ahead and add Cobra to the character heading?
Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail.
Title: Home At Last - part 3
Pairing: Cobra x Lucy
Requester: Eien ni Touko
Prompt: "Coming Home"
Lucy smiled to herself, seeing the Poison Dragon Slayer passed out on her couch, face turned into the junction between the back and the seat cushions. She'd had the opportunity to get to know the man well while he convalesced on her sofa after his accident with the canal. To the point where she could reasonably call him a good friend.
Kneeling beside him on the floor, Lucy propped her head up with her elbow resting on a couch cushion and just contemplated him for a minute.
Despite his completely recovered state, Cobra still occasionally showed up at her apartment whenever he was in the area. Most of the time, he seemed to just want to visit, or mutually (and goodnaturedly) complain about their respective teams. Which was perfectly fine by Lucy. He was easy company, which had surprised her to no end back when he first ended up at her apartment. His sense of humor was definitely more on the mischievous side, but he understood when he was pushing her too far and was able to back down. Lucy assumed that was his Soul Listening magic at work. To be honest, his magic fascinated her and he was more than pleased to explain its mechanics to her in detail when asked about it.
That was another thing she'd discovered about him - he was far more intelligent and sharp-witted than she'd thought back when Oracion Seis was still their enemy.
"It was by design," he'd informed her when she apologized for her assumption. "People underestimate you when they think you're a simpleton. By the point they realized they were wrong, they were generally already dead." Sensing her reticence on the topic of his past cruelties, he'd stared her straight in the eye. "In my defense, most of the time they were out to kill me first. But a lot those deaths were unnecessary, I know." The words were spoken with a level tone, but Lucy could see the brief flash of pain in his indigo eye. Cobra regretted his actions; he wouldn't have joined Crime Sorciere if he didn't. Not even for freedom. Cobra was rather honest like that. It was either all or nothing with him, a characteristic he shared with Natsu (though he would deny it when confronted with the idea).
Acting upon instinct, Lucy reached out to touch Cobra's spiky maroon hair. The locks, contrary to appearance, were soft. Apparently they just naturally spiked up like that, Cobra had no control over it. Reminiscent of a dragon's horned skull, it was yet another side effect of the lacrima implantation that had given him his Dragon Slayer abilities.
The act of running her fingers through his hair soothed a part of her she hadn't quite realized needed it. Much like how her apartment had suddenly felt empty when he had first gone. Her tiny rented space had become too large without his presence, and if she were to be honest with herself, she missed Cobra and his banter when he wasn't around. Lucy had gotten used to him being there while he had recuperated. Her home wasn't... complete without him.
So she wasn't going to complain when he showed up every once in a while at random.
"I think most people take offense to their hair being molested while they sleep."
Lucy squeaked and drew her hand back, holding it to her chest. "Cobra!" she exclaimed, her voice half an octave higher than its usual. "You were awake?"
"Yeah."
"...How long?"
He didn't respond.
"You... you never fell asleep in the first place, did you," Lucy whispered, mortified.
"...No. I didn't."
Lucy whimpered and covered her face, burning up with embarrassment. "Why didn't you stop me, then?"
"Felt nice," Cobra admitted.
Peeking at him through her fingers, Lucy leveled a mild glare at Cobra's still-turned back. "So you were just teasing me."
"Mmhm," he affirmed.
The Celestial Mage sighed and dropped her hands into her lap. She fidgeted with them.
"...Lucy?"
She jolted at the sound of her name from the Poison Dragon Slayer. "Y-yes, Cobra?"
He didn't immediately reply. When he did, he spoke carefully, as if each word were holding up pieces of his soul. "I don't like not being here, either."
Lucy could feel her heart pounding in her chest at Cobra's confession. Even though he couldn't see it, she offered him a quavery smile. "You know, everyone... everyone needs a place to come back to, a place to feel safe. So... you're welcome to consider this place your home, too." She paused, and then added, "But only if you want to, of course."
"...I would like that," Cobra told her.
Her smile became stronger, more certain. "Then next time you come, I'll greet you with a 'Welcome Home!'
She thought she saw his body trembling at her statement. But his voice, when he spoke, was steady and clear.
"Then I'll say, 'I'm back.'"
