The two alternated between looking at each other, getting embarrassed and looking away, only to look back again as they grew curious. Neither said a word. Yet even as they remained in the same spots as before, Cobra could feel the distance shrinking. The flame inside still quivered. It'd been exposed but not gone out, but that was no guarantee it wouldn't happen in the future. It was a terrifying, yet not entirely pessimistic, view of the future. One that he realized he would have to now put aside for an entirely different problem.

Cobra coughed. "I know what I just said and all, so I hope this doesn't sound like I'm backing out, but…"

"…There's something we should take care of first, right?" Lucy said.

He nodded. "I think you understand that even better than I do," he said, pointing at the mess of notebooks on her desk. She blushed again.

"I'm not exactly sure how helpful they'll be. I didn't get to too much after…I left yesterday." She stood and began to tidy up the space.

"I'm sure the demon will appreciate it nonetheless. If she stops drooling over them." His jab was met with an eye roll, but one accompanied by a smile. "She's…been waiting outside for you for quite a while it seems."

Stacking the notebooks away, all except one, Lucy hummed in acknowledgment. "I should talk to her as well soon," she said softly. "She was the one who suggested this in the first place, after all." Somehow, he knew she wasn't just talking about the current problem they were facing.

The pile looked like an unorganized mess, but within minutes, Lucy had already packed and was walking towards him. Notebook in hand, satchel around her middle stuffed with a few more. Lucy stared at him, her eyes even with no tears. "One last thing though…you promise that we'll talk once this is done?"

He gave her his best serious face. "Yes, I promise. I swear…" he faltered. What did a person like him even swear by to show that he was serious? Last time hadn't exactly worked out that well…