BROKEN AND BRUISED

CHAPTER 3

Cobra woke up to the sweet aroma of bacon, he looked around him and didn't recognize where he is, until his eyes landed on a petite woman making the holy food, she was blonde with a killer body, he never knew someone like her but when he looked at her, for some unknown reason, his dragon purred.

That could only mean two things, she was either his mate or his kin, and since he didn't feel the need to go mark her, then it was the latter.

The blonde was humming a tune he never heard before, and when he took a sniff, the smell of bacon overtook his senses but another smell lingered in this house, another… dragon slayer.

He quickly got up on guard and without noticing, he bumped into a small wooden table resulting in making a squeak noise. The blonde turned to look at him, and he was stunned, for her deep brown eyes captivated him and made him feel a warmth that had him questioning all his life choices.

"Um, so I see you woke up." He was under a trance with only looking into her eyes, but now after hearing her angelic voice, he was captivated even more.

"Uh, yes thank you for taking care of me." HE THANKED HER?! Cobra needed to get out of here, he doesn't know what she did to him, but whatever it was it was dangerous because suddenly he became nice.

He went to walk for the door only to stop when pain hit him like a ton of waves and he fell to the floor clutching his stomach, the blonde rushed to his side and helped him up at once, he wanted to protest but to see the worry in her eyes stopped him from doing so, maybe he could enjoy the attention he was getting at the moment and let go of the rest.

She helped him to the sofa and let him down on it, then went to get him some food to eat. She came back moments later with a plate of bacon and eggs and some painkillers and set them in front of him.

He took a bite and held in the moan that was going to escape from his mouth, her cooking was pure bliss and he was seriously debating going back to the oracion seis, maybe he could fake an amnesia, that way he could stay here and in case the rune knights came here he would just say he doesn't remember anything. But he has another problem, the other slayer, he could smell his scent on the blonde but she wasn't marked nor did he smell the identification as mate so that means she is his kin.

"Are you enjoying the food?" she asked while looking at him with a smile on her face.

Looking at her Cobra was filled with warmth, he doesn't have much experience with this because never in his life he received this much kindness, so he was lost to what to say and he could only nod.

"So are you here alone?" he wanted to keep her talking because her voice was soothing him and her souls was like music to his ear. His eyes widened at that, 'Souls?'.

"No, I actually live with my brother here." She replied to his question, but he already knew that, but why say brother, he could smell they were not related, that means she knows that he is her kin, and she considers him a brother. Cobra was getting convinced more and more to tell her that she was as well his kin.

They continued to have small conversations until he saw the insignia on her hand, the Fairy Tail guild. This was going to be a problem.

"Can I tell you something?" he asked.

"About what?" she replied. Cobra wanted to be certain about doing this, because after this there was no going back, and he was about to ask her about his magic and if she would accept being his kin until he heard Brain's voice in his head.

"Cobra where the hell are you?! I just got news that four guilds have made an alliance to stop our plan, get your fucking ass back here."

He grimaced "Do you know which guilds?". To speak the truth he didn't want to know the answer.

"Does it fucking matter?"

"Yes it does so answer the fucking question."

"Blue Pegasus, Cat Shelter, Lamia Scale and I think the last one is this rambunctious guild Fairy Tail."

He should have known, for people like him, life would never work out. He took a deep breath and let it out. He looked at the blonde who looked at him worriedly.

"Are you okay sir?" he looked at her eyes, listened to her soul, it was sincere. But he couldn't take that risk.

"No I'm not, and neither will you be." He let out a small poison only to knock her out and not do any other damage.

The blonde's eyes widened and she looked at him, whispering a "But why?" before passing out, he caught her before she hit the floor and laid her on the couch.

"Because you are way too good to be real, at least for someone like me." He said as he looked back at her, slowly he made his way to the door and left.

"I'm on my way Brain."

XXX

Gajeel was walking back home when he felt it, the small tingling feeling he felt whenever something was wrong and that could only mean one thing.

'Lucy!'

He ran back home and got to the cabin to see the door open and a weird smell lingered there. He ran to the door and looked inside to find the blonde passed out on the couch, he went beside her and started to softly shake her.

"Oi Bunny wake up."

She started stirring and ever so slowly, she opened her eyes, only to stare into red furious, worried eyes.

"What. the. hell. happened?" he growled out.

"Uhhh, I don't know if I should tell you what happened." She looked fearful at him, he relaxed a bit and sat next to her.

"Okay, I will try as much as I can to stay calm."

"That's not very reassuring Gaj." She deadpanned.

"What why?" he looked taken aback by her answer, he was a very patient person.

"Because the last time I heard that from you, the next day I heard the news about the damaged forest near the mountains."

"And what does that has to do with me?"

"The forest was damaged because of the weird shaped iron that came out from the dirt, and can you imagine the number of it?!"

He looked away and scratched the back of his neck "You went and saw it?"

She nodded, "And imagine my surprise when it took the form of the guy who was trying to hit on me."

He sighed and looked back at her "Did you see the one on the tree? I had great pleasure doing that."

She looked thoughtful for a bit and then lighted up "Oh you mean the one where his intestines were being held by his own hands? That was really cool, I didn't know you can do that in iron."

"Well it takes an artist to do that. Oh and did you hear what happened to the guy?"

"You mean the fact that he left town?"

"Yes, in my opinion he shouldn't have come at you like that."

She looked at him weirdly "Are you serious?, he just said 'hey you have a nice body, wanna hang?' and before I knew it there is a huge forest dedicated to ways of skinning him, killing him, butchering him and so on."

He looked away and then back at her "Enough changing the subject, tell me what happened."

And she relayed to him what happened this day, at the end of it he looked thoughtful for a bit.

"So you are telling me you saw fangs like the ones I have? And he had a scar on his face? And he let out a poison like substance?" he asked, he wanted to confirm his suspicion, and if it was true, hell will be brought on earth.

"Yes, but he seemed weird. And I felt very safe with him I don't know why he did what he did."

"What do you mean weird?"

"Like for a couple of minutes, his eyes fogged. I don't know what that means."

Gajeel admitted that was weird, maybe it wasn't the person he was thinking of. But nevertheless he decided he will follow with his plan and follow the team when they go on their mission.

"Bunny, promise me you won't do that again, if not for yourself then for your baby."

Gajeel was out to trick her, but he didn't care. Lucy noticed that, promising him will tie her to her words, he knows the importance of her promises, and she hated him for that, but he was right, the baby was a priority.

"I promise Gaj."

XXX

"Where the hell were you Cobra?" fumed Brain from his seat.

"Banging a purple haired girl." He said ever so naturally, he had to be careful for Brain could use telepathy.

"You and your purple preference, what is up with that?" asked Angel as she looked at her nails.

"Well I see it's better than white heads."

She growled at him "Don't make me bring out Gemini on your ass."

He smirked at her "Bring it, you and I both know you would be out cold before you even call them out."

"Enough!" intervened Brain between the both of them "Go see your snake Cobra, she has been whining all day long."

He turned back and walked away from them. Cobra went to his room and saw that Cubellios was sulking on his bed.

"Get up girlie, I'm home."

She beamed at him and rushed to hug him, as in smother him with wrapping her tail around his body and crushing him.

"Yeah yeah, I missed you too." He pat her on the head and laid down on his bed. This was a long day and it was still noon. A couple of minutes later he was called into a meeting to discuss the problem that is the alliance the guilds made to stop them.

They made it to Brain's office, aka the cave they were staying at…

"So, I hope everyone heard about the alliance against us?" asked Brain as he eyed his mages.

They all nodded their heads, "Then I hope you all also heard about the plan to ambush them?"

Everyone nodded their heads except for Cobra, "Ambush them?"

Brain looked at Cobra "Ah yes, you were busy fucking a girl to notice me giving out instructions of the plan. They are going to meet up at Blue Pegasus's guild house, Angel is going to infiltrate them and take out the big guy Jura, got info that he is coming. And we will lead them to get at a rendez-vous where we will meet up and face them together to get rid of them once and for all. Understood?"

Cobra clenched his teeth and only nodded, he could only hope that the blonde doesn't come with them.

XXX

Lucy was now fending herself from the three males of Blue Pegasus that are flirting with her. They are supposed to meet up with the guilds at the guild house of Blue Pegasus, but she was not prepared for what happened when they came in.

Music played in, roses were thrown out and the hell with all that perfume?! Next thing she knew, she was going from a guy to another and all are either asking her on a drink or a massage or something else, and then a forth guy came in sliding on the stairs and straight at Erza, but he got kicked to the face by the one and only Titania.

The rest of the guilds came in and it was a shock to see Lyon and Sherry, and it was even more of a shock to find out that Cat Shelter send out one little girl, called Wendy Marvell with her exceed Charle, the girl turned out to be a sky dragon slayer.

Of course Natsu had to run off and chase a smell and now there they are face to face with all the oracion seis members in front of them. But there was something weird, there was one of them that was trying to hide himself behind his snake.

"Cobra, the fuck are you doing?"

"Just checking to see if Cubellios had any injuries."

"Focus you fucking idiot."

"Yes sir."

He got out from behind his snake only to send her straight at Erza, Lucy looked at him with wide eyes, and before she knew what is happening, Erza was down on the floor screaming in pain, and Wendy was being taken away.

She held on to Wendy while the rest went to Erza.

"Hold on Wendy." She said as she tightened her grip on the girl's hands.

"I'M TRYING." Wendy shouted and before Lucy could comprehend what is happening, she was thrown across the field and she anticipated crashing into a hard tree, but she felt something warm on her back and heard a crash.

"Damn Bunny, are you alright?"

She turned around and saw Gajeel in his iron form, then she hugged him while she cried "You idiot are you alright?"

"Oi Bunny, who you calling an idiot?" he said as he hugged her back.

She wiped away her tears and looked around, right now there was only Erza and Hibiki, who ran towards her to check if she was alright.

"Lucy-san are you alright?" he asked as he helped her up.

"Yes I am thank you for your help."

Gajeel looked at her with a hard glare, which Lucy returned with an eye roll "and you too Gaj."

"Damn it Bunny how many times have I told you not to call me that?!" he bristled as he helped himself up.

"Later Gaj now we have more suppressing matters, where are the others?" she turned to Hibiki and asked.

"Natsu went after Cobra, the man with the snake, Lyon and Gray went after Racer, and the rest I am trying to find out with my archive magic."

"Okay that's great I know exactly where I am going to go." She said as she pushed past him only to collide with a hard chest.

"And where is that Bunny?" he asked, his red eyes boring into her soul.

"To wherever the hell Cobra is."

He laughed, Gajeel laughed like a maniac while Lucy tapped her foot "Are you a fucking idiot? That ass can kill you in a second."

"He won't." she went up in his face.

"And how are you so sure he won't? Because last time he drugged you and left you unconscious, if I fucking remember correctly." He was on the verge of ripping something, the need to protect his kin was taking control over him and he needed to find that ass and kill him for what he did to Bunny.

"Because Gaj, remember when you told me that I am your kin?" she looked into his eyes, that turned a shade darker of red, and tried to calm him down. He nodded and she continued.

"I felt something, a light and warm feeling that tingled my soul, and I felt the same thing with him, I felt safe."

His eyes widened, 'you have got to be kidding me?! Leave it to Bunny to be everyone's fucking kin.'

"I'm coming with you."

"I can take that."

Hibiki was on the sidelines staring between the both of them, dumbfounded by whatever the hell that was happening. He was shocked but he got back to his head when two tender fingers snapped in front of him. He looked at Lucy and Gajeel who is standing with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face, Hibiki figured that he never won a fight with the blonde. "Yes?"

"Can you help us find where Natsu is please?" her sweet voice, her doe eyes, had Hibiki almost drooling, but a growl from the slayer behind her snapped him awake "Yes sure just give me a second, I will put his location in your mind."

"Okay thanks Hibiki." She clapped her hands together and turned to look at Gajeel, only to see the scowl on his face. She rolled her eyes at his child antics and came close to his ear "For the love of god, don't ruin another forest."

He smirked down at her while she winked up at him "Can't make promises Bunny."

Suddenly the location of Natsu appeared in her head and both her and Gajeel took off after Lucy thanked Hibiki.

XXX

Angel stood in front of her with a key in hand, while Gajeel was lurking in the bushes. When Gajeel sensed that someone was ahead they agreed on this little trick, for Lucy to go first and for Gajeel to be the element of surprise, but she didn't imagine that her opponent was going to be a celestial mage, a one that abuses her spirits at that.

And she discovered the hard way that she cannot call Loke nor Aquarius, for Angel had both Scorpio and Aries. And now Angel was fending herself with Caelum, a spirit that can be used both as a shield and a weapon. Suddenly Lucy got an idea, she slowly got up from the river they were fighting in, she was kind of low on magic, but she will be able to do it, there is no other choice, she was training with Gajeel for a whole week to be able to do it.

"I hope you are ready Gaj." She shouted as she brought her hands together and closed her eyes, Angel took a step back "What the hell is she doing?" the funny thing was that Gajeel was thinking the same thing, from the tree he was sitting on, but then he understood what she meant, and he only hoped for it to work. He closed his eyes and relied on his other senses.

A small light began circling Lucy and her body began to emit a soft light, before she opened her arms and shouted "SHINE!", a bright light covered the area they were fighting in and Angel covered her eyes. Slowly the light faded and Angel began to open her eyes until she heard "Iron dragon roar!" she opened her eyes wide and her vision was still blurry, she didn't see the spell coming her way and got sent back into a tree, resulting in knocking her out.

Lucy fell on her knees and began coughing, in a second Gajeel was near her "Don't do that again alright?" he picked her up and went after Natsu.

"Oh please it was fucking amazing let me have my fucking moment." Lucy said as she nuzzled in his embrace.

He looked at her then let out a booming laugh "I feel like I'm rubbing off on you Bunny."

She let a small giggle "Well I have to say you are quite the bad influence."

"Oi Bunny, watch it or I will drop you."

She laughed as Gajeel started muttering something about ungrateful people. Truly without Gajeel she wouldn't be able to pull off what she did, to get your magic out of your body then suck it in, is a risk that at times can lead to your death if you didn't know when to suck it back in.

XXX

Natsu was in the air thanks to Happy, fighting against the poison dragon slayer, that was Cobra, who was at the moment flying on his snake.

Natsu was frustrated that he wasn't able to land a hit on his opponent. Just as he was about to attack, a blinding light enveloped the area ahead of them, and the feeling felt so warm he instantly knew who emitted it, but Cobra was just drawn to this light, and he stood on his snake staring at it. Natsu took his chance and landed a punch on the guy that made him lose balance and fall on the cliff.

Sure it was a cheap shot, but Natsu was going to take it. Happy dropped him on the ground and he barreled towards Cobra at high speed readying one of his spells until he was pushed back by Cobra's roar and off the cliff he went. Happy screamed and flew at max speed to catch him, but his magic was low and he couldn't keep it up much.

Cobra stood satisfied on the cliff, till something like a rope flew beside him and attached itself to the fire dragon slayer's foot and pulled him back.

He looked back and he saw the blonde with a whip in hand, beside her the slayer that he smelled in the cabin. The blonde retracted the whip and in front of her crashed Natsu to the ground.

He looked up at her with a toothy grin "Thanks Luce. Eh Gajeel what are you doing here?"

Gajeel sighed beside her and muttered "And you wonder why I worry."

"LUSHIEEEEEEEE" Happy flew straight to Lucy's chest and hugged her "Thank god you are here." He sobbed on her chest while she hugged him and soothed him "It's alright Happy I'm here."

She looked back at Cobra to see him have a look of longing in his eyes, but he quickly masked it once he saw her looking at him. He readied himself and Gajeel stood protectively in front of her "Go I will take care of this."

"But Gajeel the whole point for me to come here was for me to talk to him."

"Look at him, does he look like he wants to talk?"

She looked back at him and he smirked at her "Guess I should've killed you back then Blondie."

Her eyes widened at his comment while Gajeel growled, but she shook her head, she somehow knew it wasn't right, but she let Gajeel handle it while she took care of Natsu.

XXX

The rune knights came and collected the prisoners, the alliance defeated oracion seis and were now being looked over by the medics of the knights. Lucy sighed for the tenth time this day.

"My god Bunny, what the hell is wrong now?"

She looked at him and back at her bandaged arm, "I don't believe it's true."

"What is?"

She sighed again and got up from where she was sitting, Gajeel was going to get up to follow her but she turned to him "Don't worry Gaj, I will be back."

She was out of his sight before he could respond to her. She went to the rune knights who were having trouble bringing Cobra in the carriage.

"You fucking idiots, I'm telling you I hate rides, I prefer to go walking on foot and not by this evil thing."

One of the rune knights noticed Lucy coming closer and went to her "How may I help Lucy-san?"

"I just need to talk to Cobra a bit please?" she demanded with a sweet smile and a sparkle to her eyes. The rune knight in front of her blushed and stuttered "Lu-Lucy-san, i-it is not safe."

"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine." She said as she pushed past him and went to Cobra. The knight was still stunned that he realized a little too late that she just passed him.

Lucy reached Cobra and he looked at her "Back for more Blon…die?" he whispered the last bit as her tiny hands circled him in a hug and held him tight. The knights, the prisoners like Jellal, Midnight, Angel and the others, the alliance members all looked at Lucy and Cobra. Gajeel stood up to see what is happening and he just couldn't believe how big Lucy's heart is.

Cobra stood stunned, he fought hard to keep in the tears that threatened to fall. Never in his life was he held like this, and it felt… nice.

"I'm… sorry." He whispered to her while he buried his face in her neck.

"I know, and I also know what I am to you."

He stiffened at her words "And I would love for you to be my brother. I will come visit you in prison." She looked at him in the eye "I promise." Then she gave him her biggest smile.

Cobra remembered a conversation he had with Angel about the importance of promises to celestial mages…

"Why is it so important?"

"Because you fucking idiot, if I broke a promise I can lose all my magic. It's how it works. That's why I don't promise you shit."

"Then how the hell you abuse your spirits and get away with it?"

"Because in the contract there is nothing that says I shouldn't or couldn't." she said as she fixed her nails.

For the first time after a long time, Cobra smiled a genuine small smile while Lucy released him from the hug. That small smile of his started to fade when he saw Lucy's devious eyes. 'What the hell is she think-'

"LUCY KICK!"

He was out cold on the ground while the others gawked at the scene with open mouths and wide eyes. She dusted her hands while muttering "That's what happens when you drug me ass."

She turned to the knights with a smile, and they flinched a bit "Now he won't give you trouble on the road back to headquarters."

She waved them goodbye while they were still too stunned to move or close their mouths. And that night, Lucy got four new keys added to her family, a new member joining Fairy Tail, and a crying, breathless Gajeel from too much laughter.