Dawn approached quickly, waking the slayers that resided in the cabin. As Cobra made his way into the kitchen, he saw Wendy brewing some coffee. He watched the smaller slayer flit about the room. He wanted to make sure they got to do something that they hadn't done in a long time before she left for Magnolia.
Cobra smiled, "Hey Queen Bee, want to go on a hunt this morning?"
Wendy smiled broadly, "I would love to!" she all but skipped out the door with her coffee, Cobra following close behind.
"I know it's a bit of a late start but I think we may find some deer roaming just to the north, what do you smell Blue Bird?"
Wendy sniffed the air she hummed, "Forget the deer Cobra, there is a mountain lion about 3 miles to the west."
Cobra chuckled darkly "That's my girl, first one there gets the teeth" with that said Cobra sprinted into the wood and started sniffing out the mountain lion.
Wendy laughed as she all but tossed the coffee mug aside sprinted into the woods right behind the poison slayer.
As the two slayers hunted the rest of the house woke up about an hour later. Bickslow checked on Lucy and suggested a change of scenery. He carried her into the living room and got her settled on the couch.
She smiled as she watched Midnight and Bickslow dance around the kitchen making breakfast. Carla awoke soon after and emerged from Wendy's room. She frowned when she didn't see Wendy.
"Where is Wendy?" she asked almost a little too loudly.
Lucy shrugged, "I am not sure Carla, I thought she was in her room with you."
Midnight looked up from the pan of eggs he was scrambling, "Cobra was up very early this morning, so I imagine she was as well."
Bickslow added his two cents, "They aren't in the house anywhere, the babies checked."
Midnight chuckled, he knew exactly what they were doing, and he knew the small white cat was going to lose her shit. "Carla, did you check the training area in the backyard?"
Carla shook her head, "No, I will go check there now."
As soon as Carla left the room, Bickslow began chuckling, "They are out hunting aren't they?"
Midnight nodded his head, "I believe they are, it's been so long, I am surprised they haven't done so before now."
Lucy just looked puzzled at the two in the other room, "What do you mean hunting?"
Bickslow cackled, "There is one thing we learned about little Wendy-Loo-Who, she loves to hunt. We figured it out while the four of us were on a mission one time. She came back with a little rabbit and the biggest shit-eating grin."
Midnight added, "Yes, Cobra got mad that she went without him since hunting satisfies his need to release some of his… aggression."
Bickslow laughed a little more as he added, "Yea, and little miss priss pants over there lost her shit. She doesn't like sweet little Wends getting herself dirty with the violent and unladylike actions of hunting."
Lucy laughed at the story, "Carla doesn't like Wendy doing much. I can see why Cobra never has anything nice to say about her."
Midnight dished out the eggs into a plate while Bickslow placed bacon on it as well, "You don't even know the half of it. Wendy deserves more respect than that small cat gives her and Cobra can't handle the controlling ways of Carla."
"I didn't realize Cobra and Wendy were so close." Lucy had an odd lilt in her voice. She wasn't jealous, but she had a feeling of being left out.
Bickslow brought over her plate and his own and sat next to her. "They're dragon slayers."
Lucy gave him a skeptical look as to where he was going with his statement, he responded to her questioning look, "I've read up on the dragon slayers, just as I am sure you did. I understand the dynamics a little better now."
Lucy did, in fact, read extensively on slayers since their guild had so many, she learned some interesting facts. Then she remembered, "Ahhh, little Wendy isn't so little anymore. She is a female slayer, the only one in this country." she chuckled, "So you're telling me that Cobra is the only smart slayer." She paused and her stomach dropped and she paled instantly as she entertained another more obvious connection.
Bickslow saw the instant shift and knew what it was about right away, "No Cosplayer, it's just a kinship between the two. Nothing more." He smiled down at Lucy when she saw the relief.
Bickslow stuck his tongue out, "Cobra is still up for grabs."
Lucy blushed deeply, "What? Why would I care about that? " she stammered.
Bickslow laughed at the reaction Lucy gave and he leaned in closer to her and said more quietly, "Maybe I'm interested?"
The moment after he spoke those words, she immediately pictured the two men making out which only made her cheeks feel like they were on fire.
Before any more could be said on the matter, Cobra and Wendy came in. Their laughter caught Lucy's attention as a welcomed change of subject. As she took in their appearance, she thought it should have shocked her. Instead, she smiled at how joyful and carefree the two looked as they went to the sink to wash their hands.
To say they were a little messy was the understatement of the century. Both the Poison and Sky slayer were covered in mud, dirt, and blood from head to toe. She watched as Cobra moved gracefully around the smaller slayer working in tandem to clean themselves up a little and get a drink of water.
"Oh man, you guys are so fuckin' dead when fancy feast comes back in from outside!" Bickslow cackled loudly.
Wendy looked up to see where Carla was, bracing herself for the lecture from her friend.
Cobra's laughter filled the room, "Fancy feast? Now that's a good one."
Wendy elbowed the man standing next to her, "Enough you two, she is my friend."
Cobra frowned looking down at Wendy, "Who treats you like a fuckin' baby".
Midnight just smiled and shook his head at the verbal antics. He knew the second Carla saw them in this state the shit would hit the fan and he had no intention of witnessing the hostility. He quietly put his dishes in the sink and went back to his room to take a nap.
Moments later Cobra said, "Oh shit, here we go."
No sooner did he utter the words than the group heard the shrill voice of the small white cat as she yelled, "WENDY MARVEL look at you!"
Wendy just smiled at her small friend, "Yes, I do need a shower and some clean clothes" she said as she tried to hurry with her water. She wanted to escape to the bathroom as quickly as possible to avoid any of the fallout.
Caral flew to the counter where the two slayers were standing, "You went out hunting again didn't you after I told you that is not appropriate for a young lady like yourself."
Before Wendy could respond Carla turned her attention to Cobra, at that moment Lucy held her breath because she had a distinct feeling that Carla was going to get poisoned or skinned alive.
Cobra growled at the small white cat, it was low and filled with venom and hate. "Don't" was all he said. He knew what the cat wanted to say and if she opened her mouth he would poison her and Wendy would kick his ass in return.
Carla having had enough of the slayer and his questionable influence on her dear Wendy ignored the first warning and attempted to open her mouth again.
"Look, Dutchess, if you don't want to end up as an afternoon snack for the scavengers then I suggest you keep your goddamned uppity mouth shut. Wendy is not a fuckin' baby and you damn well better learn to respect her and start treating her like the dragoness she is you fuckin' ungrateful cunt."
Carla stood, crossing her arms in utter disbelief at how she was spoken too. She looked toward Wendy who had an expression that told Carla that maybe she needed to do some soul searching on their way back to Magnolia. The look of relief, determination, and sadness in the small slayer's expression could only lend to the fact that Cobra may be speaking some truth.
"Goddamn right I am speaking the truth!" he all but yelled in response to Carla's thoughts. She took the situation at face value and realized there was no use in speaking to him. In a calm and level voice, Carla opted to ignore the slayer, "Come, Wendy, let's get you cleaned up".
The two friends left the room, everyone else remained silent, not sure what exactly just happened. The first to break the quiet spell was Bickslow, "Well, that went better than I imagined."
Cobra glared at the tall man sitting next to Lucy and his goofy grin. Cobra released all the tension he held at what the damn cat's thoughts had been spewing at him. He chuckled and filled himself another glass of water.
"You can use the bathroom in my room to clean up," Lucy stated as she watched the man finish draining his glass and put it in the sink.
He looked at the blonde, "What are you tryin' to say Tink?"
Bickslow looked between the two, "She's trying to say your filthy and you stink, so go get cleaned up you sexy beast."
Cobra raised his eyebrows, "Who exactly is calling me a sexy beast Echo?" and with that, he sauntered out of the room.
Bickslow felt a shiver of excitement travel down his spine. He took the surge of energy as the motivation he needed to get up to clean the dishes. As he did the dishes he watched as Lucy seemed to stare off after the direction Cobra had gone.
She was still his same Lucy but she had new facets to who she was now and he was excited and scared all at the same time to help her understand this new version of herself. He decided it was time to do something that was long overdue for them. He left the remaining dishes in the sink and went to his room to grab his nail file and polish.
Lucy was so lost in thought about how it made her heart beat faster watching the two men interact that she didn't even notice when Bickslow left the room. She only realized he was present when he flopped down on the couch in front of her with a handful of items. She smiled broadly recognizing the polish bottles and nail file.
Her beaming smile toward Bickslow made his entire being feel light and carefree. "It's been a while, and you are long overdue." Bickslow's slow and easy smile filled Lucy's heart with happiness.
This simple task held everything that she has been missing over the past long and sordid year. She held out her hand to him and he gently placed it on his propped up knee. She could feel his warmth in her hand and she closed her eyes and relished in how normal it felt.
As he filed her nails he talked of some of the antics the babies had gotten into. Just like that, the connection and bond that she and Bickslow had before her disappearance were back in place as if it had never been severed. The odd wet feel of polish being delicately added to her nails. It was the same feeling she always felt, that didn't change, it didn't matter that so much had happened since she last felt it.
As Cobra emerged from the bathroom and walked into the room, he watched them share their moment. He almost turned around to let them have their time together when Lucy turned her head toward the slayer. The happiness and ease that showed on her features were enough to stop him dead in his tracks. She lifted her free uncasted hand toward the slayer and wiggled her fingers, "What do you think?"
Cobra smiled at the excited blonde, "Looks, fan-fucking-tastic princess"
Bickslow popped his head up from painting Lucy's toes, a sly smirk on his face, "Your turn."
Just as Cobra was going to say no, he looked over at Lucy as she giggled and there was no way in hell that he was going to deny her that moment of joy. Besides, it's not like he wasn't used to it, Midnight did his nails all the time when they were younger.
Bickslow was pleasantly surprised when Cobra sat down on the floor in front of the couch and placed his hand on the table, fingers splayed, nails ready to be painted.
As Bickslow got off the couch and sat opposite of Cobra the three of them had a wonderful conversation about nothing entirely important.
Bickslow and Lucy were enthralled with Cobra's animated retelling of how he and Wendy hunted a mountain lion that morning. The moment was perfect by any measure.