Lucy's mind was alive in a way that made clear her intelligence. She was witty, quick to make connections, and was always thinking of the next step to take. In this way, interacting with her made for an above-average experience (or dare he say, occasionally, fun).
Today it was a curse.
Immediately the memory from days before burst to the surface of her mind. For Cobra, the ease meant it took more effort to keep it out than in. For days that had been exactly what he'd done. Now, he felt the reasoning behind keeping them out begin to slip amid his frustration towards her. Did it really matter if he listened? He wasn't a snitch, at least not on the important stuff. Sure, he teased and ribbed and joked, but he had never crossed the line when it mattered. That and…he needed to know. He couldn't even properly articulate why, but a clear sense of yearning towards the thoughts and feelings of Lucy ate their way through the last shreds of restraint left, leaving Cobra like a dog to a wounded rabbit after being starved for days. It never stood a chance.
He was suddenly aware.