Just Misunderstood
Chapter 21
Take me with You
Lucy's vision was foggy, like she was looking up at the sky on a cloudy night, but as specks of light began to shimmer, she realized she was. Leo the Lion burned before her, his stars shone proud and bright even in the cloudy sky. He was beautiful, breathtaking, it was like a lifetime in repeat, every moment that had ever had together, every word, every hug, every tear. Regulus, the brightest star in his constellation, began to burn out slowly. Lucy's breath hitched. Denebola, Zosma, began to dim as well, and then the rest of the stars that made up Leo, and then they dropped, they shot towards the ground, and disappeared into nothing before hitting the ground. Leo fell. She clenched her eyes shut, and opened them again.
White against tan skin was before her, Cobra was there. Standing above her, his maroon hair messy and he was trembling. He looked scared. His eyes were bright, beautiful deep purple, He was gorgeous. That's all that came to mind. Her eyes filled with tears, as she studied his face. She fisted the material of Leo's suit and sobbed, for Leo was gone. She looked down and studied his face, his eyes were closed, his glasses cracked and a few inches away, his skin was pale, the normal pretty pink of his cheeks gone. The heavenly glow he seemed to always have was nowhere to be found. It was sickeningly silent in the guild hall.
She looked up at the ceiling, tears running down her face, because in that moment, he was gone. Leo was really gone. But as she looked back to Cobra, she had to thank every god, there is, was, or ever could be, that Cobra hadn't been the anchor, for Cobra was right here. But she missed him more than Leo in that second.
~and how she hated herself for it~
~JM~
"Loke?" She fisted her hands into the thick material of his suit. "Loke!" Cries left her and Cobra stepped back, the pure sadness in her cries causing his chest to tighten painfully.
He swallowed hard, his voice cracked, "You feel that Lucy? The crushing pain, the unbearable guilt? That's grief," he paused and kneeled beside her, "that's emotion."
He leaned forward and pushed something in her hand. She shook her head and a sob crackled through her body. She looked down slowly and her brows knit together, it was a key, it was blank and dim, no symbol on it. She glanced back up at Cobra, question on her face. He then smiled softly and pulled a gold bracelet off of Leo's limp wrist. Lucy's hand grew warm, the dim key morphed into another shape, and gold began to glow from it. The red symbol of Leo the Lion appeared in the center of his mane.
Lucy shook her head in denial, "What?" She breathed.
"That, Lucy, is Leo's Key, and Leo is," as if so dramatically on queue, Leo's body began to dissolve into soft sparks that lifted upwards. He disappeared but his key vibrated with warmth.
He was home.
"He's safe Lucy, maybe will take a little while getting back but, he is alive."
She covered her face, her eyes clouding over again, her chest hurt, she couldn't' breathe, "How?" she choked out.
Cobra sensed the overwhelming amount of stress just fall on her shoulders, he stiffened as well, "He spoke with the King, and he had an old set of the Zodiac keys, the ones before the rebirth, and he gave us a bracelet used to nullify spirit magic, it was used to punish them in ancient times," he spoke slowly, "We had to make you and the spell believe that he was dead, it was the only way to break the spell."
She trembled, her eyes wide, terror on her face. She was cold, but sweat ran down her skin. "Lucy?" Came Angel's soft voice.
She jerked up, she shook her head, "I hurt, I hurt so many people, I-I, I ripped through Eve with my bare hands! I set Erza to the Spirit World and felt nothing! I manipulated Wendy, a child! I-I oh my god. I killed Brain. I wasn't in control, but I was! I knew I should of felt things but I just didn't anymore, it's like I had this, this bloodlust and vengeance for everyone that wasn't you guys, where did he get that much power? No one should have that much, power, the power to do that to someone," she cried.
"He used the lacrima in your body to link the spell to cognition and magic, he used your memories of Fairy Tail to warp reality and feelings and then used Leo to bind it all together, someone you loved unconditionally. Someone you would never have to fight, and someone, someone that could never die," he trailed off. His voice low, "he shouldn't of done that, no matter how evil, and twisted we are, no matter the people we have hurt, you should have been the exception to that, cause you are everything that is good, and-and pure, and just we needed light in our lives and Brain knew that, he saw that you were going to change and help us and he tried to stop it. But, it didn't work, it would never work," he panted, his voice a mixture between anger and regret, "because jesus fuck Lucy Heartfilia, you have only been here like what a total of maybe like three days and if anything happened to you I would most likely move the Spirit World itself to fix it. And I don't know if that's because I sat there and combed through your entire life, or because," he was cut off.
"You what?" She asked.
"Please, Luce, not now I'm reflecting and ranting. Don't worry about it I completely skipped over anything nefarious."
A blush rose on her tear stained face, "Cobra!" She half yelled as she stood up, her legs shaky. He stepped forward to steady her.
"Are you okay?" He spoke softly.
She smiled slightly and nodded, "I will be," she took a deep breath, "I don't know if that's going to be anytime soon but your dramatic speech helped."
He laughed, a full beautiful laugh and Lucy looked up at him in awe. His hair was a mess, some of it matted down with blood and more of it sticking up in multiple directions. Blood dripped down from his forehead and different cuts and abrasions littered his tan skin. He wore a black tank top, with gray leather straps across his chest. His white coat was on, but the sleeves were long ripped off and a lot of it stained with red. His eyes were dangerously purple and they sparkled with a certain joy. It was the second time that day she was truly realizing it, that Cobra, Erik was almost intangible, so beautifully unintanable. She traced the small lines near the corner of his eyes, she took a deep breath and tried to focus on him, anything to get rid of the aching in her chest. She watched his dark eyebrow raise. Her hands arms were on his forearms, his on the back of her arm, he kept a firm grip, to keep her from falling. He felt the sudden opia come over him, a feeling he never really felt before, he watched her pupils, glittering and opaque. He felt vulnerable. But pulled her subtly closer. He leaned down, his head tilting, her eyes fluttered close.
"Uh," a voice muttered, "That was a very fast change of emotion," Angel's voice floated between them, "and wow Erik, tsk tsk, taking advantage of a girl through recent trauma."
Lucy blushed and he jumped back, "That was not what was happening," he ran his hair through his hair and grimacing. "I think we all should shower, we look a little suspicious like this."
Angel volunteered to go first and she happily skipped off to the bathroom. Cobra and Lucy sat there in comfortable silence, Lucy packing a pink backpack with immediate nessicaties, Cobra watched her from a seat at the bar, where a water bottle sat in his hand. He looked down sadness apparent in his eyes, even after his speech, about how much she truly mattered, he knew she could not stay. And as she neatly folded some clothes he could see her hands tremble, and her eyes water slightly, he knew how hard it was going to be to send her off. He also knew she did not feel the same, she may like him well enough, but he had seen all of her. He knew more about her than anyone, and a dull ache blossomed in his chest. It would take awhile to forget what happened here today, the suffering and pain would be with her the rest of her life. And he could have stopped it, but he didn't because he was scared of Brian and everything that came with him. Fairy Tail was Lucy's home. They protected her and made sure stuff like this didn't happen. He shook his head, and stood up as he heard the shower turn off. He showered next, Angel felt the tension in the air when he emerged, a new coat on his shoulders and his red pants on his hips. He looked towards Lucy whose mind was quiet as always. She sat waiting, a towel in her hands, she smiled at him and she showered. Angel cocked her head, "you guys were fine when I left what happened?"
"Nothing, I just," a silent pause devoured him, "She should go back to the Fairies," he spoke quietly.
Angel raised her brows in doubt, "She should?"
Cobra put his bag in the table and sighed, "Yeah."
"Have you told her that?"
He shook his head.
"Maybe you should ask her before you start making plans about her life," Angel almost snapped as she slung her bag over her shoulder, "Talk to her, I'll be outside."
~JM~
"You should go back to Fairy Tail," he spoke quickly, she paused in her movements and the towel fell from her hands.
"What?"
"You should go back to Fairy Tail, I was selfish, wanting you to come with us, but Fairy Tail is your home. You don't belong with us, I can't-I don't want you to belong with us, we are criminals, Lucy the things I have done, and-and the things I am going to do to survive… I am a monster, I have tried to deny it, but it's true. I am evil. You will never be safe with us, you will always be in danger. The spell is broken now, that is all Erza asked of us, you can now actively challenge the council, you can convince them you were tricked. Tell them about the spell, with Fairy Tail backing you… you could surely sway the council," he took a shaky breath, she stood right before him, her face unreadable, so he kept talking, rambling. Lucy shook her head and wrapped her arms around his neck, she hugged him tight, mainly to shut him up but maybe for another reason she doesn't quite know yet.
Lucy didn't care about the half-assed excuses he was giving her, he had saved her. He knew that Brain was evil, worse then them all. He didn't have remorse or regret, he only cared about power, but the rest of them… they were promised something dear to them. That's why they were doing it, they all had a prayer. Brain manipulated them all to believing that hurting and killing was the only way to obtain their wishes. Fairy Tail could wait, Lucy didn't care if they could clear her name, she knew that there was a chance they couldn't, and knowing her guild they would go to war with the council to keep her safe. She wouldn't let this become another Phantom Lord. She was done being protected, This was her mess, hers and the Oracion Seis'. She bore the guildmark and now she will bear the consequences, but she wasn't going to jail and neither were the rest. This was her guild, her guildmates. She would now protect them with her life if it came down to it.
~she would protect him~
"Take me with you," she whispered. Chills ran down his spine, and even he didn't know if it was from the breath on his ear or the words that came with it. Or maybe a little of both.
His heart raced and he pushed her away, he shook his head, "Don't touch me," he spoke but there was no malice behind it, he actually had to hide his smile. He slung his bag over his shoulder and started towards the door. Lucy stood awkwardly, her eyes downcast, he rolled his eyes and let her see his smile as he opened the door, "Well? Are you coming?" A smile broke on her face and she grabbed her bag and followed him out the door.
~JM~
They met up with the others a few hours later in a neighboring town. It was a quick meeting, in an old hotel. Cobra shifted nervously as he heard the council patrolling the streets, they were all uneasy.
"Who's going with who?" Midnight asked from his carpet, a satchel on his back.
Cobra sat on the bed, "I'll take Lucy, Hoteye and Racer, and then you and Ang," he raised his brows in question.
"That's fine, it will be like old times~," she happily said as she leaned on his carpet to press her cheek to his. He swatted her away but pulled her to sit next to him.
"So, you all know the drill, lay low for two weeks, don't stay in one town too long, no more than two days. Keep your marks hidden. Keep contact through the lacrimas, they can't be tracked."
"All of our stuff is safe in the Spirit World, just call Virgo if you need her, I told her to keep an ear out for you guys," Lucy said from her spot next to Cobra.
He nodded, "Our boat guy has been notified, he's getting a ship ready, It's gonna be at that abandoned port south of Greentown, it's small, remote and no one will know us there. Meet at dawn, two weeks from today, and then we'll be on our way to Enca," he stood and the rest followed.
Hugs and handshakes were shared, Cobra and Midnight hugged, a small smile on both their faces', "Be safe brother," Cobra whispered.
"Until we say goodbye on our dying day," Midnight muttered, but he bore a smile.
Angel wiped a tear from her eye as she hugged Racer, "I'll see you there," she winked at Hoteye, "I hear the streets are gold there." They hugged and then Angel turned to Lucy, she slipped her key ring off.
"These are for you," she handed her them.
"Oh my god my keys, than-," she stopped, "Wait these are yours too."
She shrugged, "I'm sure the Princess of the Celestial World deserves them more than I do, plus I'll be with Midnight so they wouldn't get much use anyway," she took a shaky breath, "I'll see you there Luce."
Lucy wiped tears from her eyes and smiled, they hugged. They left the hotel room two at a time, until it was only Cobra and Lucy left.
"Sooo.. how much do you know about me now?" Lucy asked.
Cobra laughed, he looked at her bright brown eyes and smiled widely, "Just enough to know what you are to me."
"And what's that?"
He opened the door for her and opened his mouth to close it again, "Soft enough to offer light, tough enough to take it away," he spoke softly.
"What does that even mean?"
"I'll tell you one day, when I am sure we will never see each other again," he looked down. And suddenly Lucy didn't want to know, she hoped that day never came, because she felt something similar, he was something to her that she would never tell him. So she fell into stride beside him and they walked out of the hotel in comfortable silence.
~End of Act 1~
