Here is chapter 2 of Answers! Sorry for the wait on these stories Xp.
Answers
Chapter 2
Lucy gave a sigh as she finally stepped out of her bedroom, dressed in more appropriate clothes, and fresh out of a shower. Looking up, she blinked as she saw Cobra once again sitting on the couch drinking his poison, and Midnight was sitting on the floor, with his back braced against the side of the couch.
"You two didn't have to wait for me." She muttered, giving a smile as they both turned to look at her. Noticing as Midnight tensed, before getting to his feet, shuffled slightly before inhaling and facing her.
"Cobra said that you don't have any problem with me and him joining the guild?" He asked, and she blinked before giving a nod. Wondering why he would bring something like that up out of the blue.
"Correct." She stated, watching as he blinked before his brows pulled down in confusion.
"B..But..How could you...Why don't you have any problem with this?!" He shouted, causing her to tense slightly as anger flared in his gaze as he glared at her.
"Why should I? You obviously are working on changing. You deserve that chance." She stated, watching in confusion as he ran a hand through his hair. Wondering why he was raising such a fuss over the fact that she had forgiven them.
"It doesn't make sense! You should be rejecting us. You should be cursing our very souls to hell! We tried to kill your friends over Nirvana! Hell, I tried to kill you for some idea about freedom!" He shouted out, glaring at her, and she blinked before relaxing her body. Finally realizing what was wrong. Where she had forgiven him, he hadn't forgiven himself. Which was also probably why Cobra had looked lost when she had talked with him earlier.
A look over at the second generation Dragon Slayer confirmed her suspicions when he gave a faint nod. Giving a sigh, she stepped forward, making sure to keep it slow until she was right before Midnight.
"You want to change right? You want to prove that your past isn't who you really are?" She asked, watching as he blinked before giving the faintest of nods.
"Well then, why can't you accept that I forgive you. I've seen that you want to change, just like everyone else that teamed with Jellal. What's in the past is done, only thing to look to now is the future. I'll accept the person I see before me, not the one I met long ago. So long as that is what you want me to do." She stated, watching as both of them blinked, before Cobra gave a sigh before looking away. Trying to hide the grin that crossed his lips, but she had caught the slightest bit.
Turning her gaze back to Midnight, she tensed when he suddenly stepped forward and wrapped her in a hug. His fingers tight on the fabric of her sweater as if he was hanging on for dear life. She hesitated only for a moment, before relaxing her body and giving him a hug back.
She could tell that it would take some time for him-and possibly the others-to really see things differently, after all they were labeled as criminals for a long time. However, she wasn't about to let them think that she didn't forgive them. What was in the past was gone, the only thing to look forward to was the promise of tomorrow. It was something her mother had taught her, and something that she would gladly teach them.
Cobra could only watch the blonde as he walked along with her and Midnight toward the guild. His mind abuzz with how she had easily accepted everything so far. It still seemed surreal and that she would start accusing them at any moment, but from what he was hearing from her soul, it wasn't going to happen.
She truly meant it when she said that she forgave them. At the apartment, he had been filled with joy, something he hadn't felt in such a long time, and was so shocked by it that he had to turn away from her. Just the sincerity of everything that she had said to Midnight, that included all of them, was enough to think that he had a chance at an almost normal future.
Hell, even Midnight, the man of doom and gloom, was even beginning to think the same way. When he had hugged Lucy, he hadn't been sure what to do. However, he understood why he had done it. While sitting on her couch and talking with her, and hearing that she had no problem with them joining the guild, he had wanted to hug her. To suddenly just apologize over and over, just to hear her say she forgave him over and over. It was almost like a heavy burden had lifted off of his chest, and knew that it was more so with Midnight since he had nearly sacrificed her.
Even now, the man's soul was in a bliss state, something that Cobra never heard, but was kinda glad that it was there. He had always been slightly worried about the narcoleptic, Reflector Mage. Sure, he seemed fine when talking to the others, or at least mumbling to them during the day since he was usually in a daze because of his need to sleep. But, there had been nights, when Cobra had been awakened by his soul, which was in a panic because of all the memories of his past crimes.
Cobra never let onto the fact that he knew Midnight was in such a self-loathing state, merely because he wasn't sure how to approach it with the man. Sure, they were comrades in more than one way, what with both of them being in that damn Tower. But, that didn't mean he would welcome any advice by him. Sure, he saw the man as a closest thing to a friend, possibly a brother, but he could never vice it out loud since he figured that it wasn't viewed that way. And yet, here the man already liking the blonde like a sister if his soul was saying anything about it.
"Cobra? Everything alright?" The sudden question from the blonde caused him to glance up, and blink in surprise as he saw how close she was in his personal space. The familiar feeling of his body tensing up, preparing him to attack, caused him to quickly take a step back. And ignored how she blinked before frowning slightly.
"Fine. Just thinking." He muttered, hearing the questions going through her soul as to why he had jerked away like he had, only to blink as she quickly realized what she had done. Giving a mental curse to himself as her expressive brown eyes widened as guilt washed over her.
"S..Sorry. I..."
"Don't worry, it'll just take a while." He muttered, watching as she gave a small sigh, and then gave him a smile and nod.
"It's just that you were looking really down with whatever you were thinking about." She stated, causing him to blink before looking toward the canal.
"It's nothing to worry about." He muttered, watching from the corner of his eye as she gave a sigh, but didn't push. Regardless of how much her curiosity was eating at her on the inside.
"Alright, just so you know though. If you ever need to talk about anything, I would listen. As well as many members of the guild. If one of us is in pain, then we all are. One of our troubles, is a trouble to all of us." She stated, and once again the feeling to hug her, to pull her close consumed him. Causing him to tense slightly to prevent it from happening, only because he feared that he would hurt her by accident.
"I hear ya, Bright Eyes." He muttered, blinking at himself as the nickname slipped out. Fighting back a blush as Midnight gave a snicker while Lucy merely blinked before giving a giggle.
"Bright Eyes, huh? Looks like I got another nickname to add to the list. Although, I kinda like that one." She stated, turning around and started walking again. This time he glanced over at Midnight as he fell into step beside him, so both were walking slightly behind the blonde.
"Bright Eyes? Really?" Midnight muttered, causing him to scowl and narrow his gaze on him.
"No better than what you've been wanting to call her. What is it again, 'Dawn'." He shot back, watching as the faintest of blush appeared on the man's cheeks before he lifted the single finger salute.
"Fuck off." He growled, only for both of them to tensing as Lucy suddenly laughed and looked over her shoulder at them.
"So, I can add Bright Eyes and Dawn to the list. Both of those I like." She stated, causing Cobra to smirk as Midnight gave a groan and looked away from her smile. Cobra focused on her as they started up the steps to the guild, and blinked as he found his eye glued to her backside, watching as it swayed ever so slightly to and fro as she walked up the steps and through the door.
"Cobra! You're a new member now? Fight me!" The voice of Salamander caused him to look up, just in time to see a line of fire heading straight for Lucy. Just as cries began to ring out around the guild.
And cliffhanger! Man, I love those :3 hope you enjoyed!