Closed heart (lucyxvarious)

Chapter 17 (part 2)

"…Have you awaken Lucy?" A husky voice rings throughout the room, forcing Lucy to open her eyes. Lucy looks up to see Cobra, with one of his hands resting on his hips and the other on his side.

"C…Cobra…" Lucy manages to whimper out, still thinking this is all a dream. "Is it really you?" She sits up properly on her bed and reaches her right hand out to touch Cobra's face.

She cups his cheeks in her warm, small and delicate hands. In return, Cobra takes Lucy's hand in his.

"I'm sorry for leaving you alone for so long… If only I was more careful…" Cobra pauses, taking his time. "I apologize for breaking my promise; I didn't stay by your side." Cobra looks sadly into Lucy's eyes, not breaking eye contact.

The atmosphere in the air was heavy, almost hard to breath.

"No… I said I would protect you, yet you got into an accident. I apologize for not being able to keep the promise." Lucy leans in closer to Cobra's face. They both blush violently, lost in each other's eyes.

"But let me ask you one thing Cobra… Why?" The tears threatening to fall from Lucy's eyes drip down onto the floor.

"Why did you disappear for a while? You made me so scared… I felt so alone in this world." Lucy asks quietly. Silence roams through the air; Cobra isn't saying anything.

"…When I woke up that one day," Cobra breaks the silence and pauses for a few seconds "I couldn't think of anything but wanting to meet you. I wanted to meet you quickly but…" Cobra tries not to make it obvious that he was chocking on his words.

"But…?" Lucy repeats. Her fingers slide down his right eye; it has a large scar.

"But I was scared," Cobra grits his teeth. "I thought when you would see me again, you would never forgive me. The thought just killed me" Cobra places his forehead on top of Lucy's, just like in the past.

"Then, I realized I left you all alone in this cruel world, you had no family and yet I had to get in an accident… So you were probably lonely so I decided to see you again" Cobra grumbles under his breath.

"Hey Lucy… There is something I have to tell you…"

Lucy tilts her head to the side "What is it?" They both stare into each other's eyes, getting lost in one another's.

"LUCY! ARE YOU OKAY?" Natsu bursts into the room and sprints towards Lucy's bed, interrupting Cobra. "YOU FAINTED AND I WAS SO WORRIED ABOUT YOU!" Natsu howls at Lucy, ignoring the other man present in the room.

"I'm okay Natsu" Lucy says letting out a large sigh.

"Are you feeling sad Luce?" Natsu interrogates Lucy.

"No, I just feel a great deal of weight and relief has been released" Lucy hides her smile underneath her hand covering her face.

Cobra glares at Natsu for interrupting his 'moment' with Lucy. Tapping Natsu's shoulder, Cobra grabs the attention of Natsu.

"Huh? Who are you?" Natsu asks curious and slightly uneasy from the man present.

"I am Cobra." In brief words, Cobra finishes his short introduction.

"…You!" Natsu's hands suddenly envelop with crimson colored flames. "You are the one who left Lucy!" Natsu's eyes widen and his eyebrows furrow. A murderous aura surrounds the two men standing in front of each other.

"Get lost! You don't deserve to be near Lucy; you hurt her!" Natsu reasons with Cobra.

"…" Cobra closes his left eye and stays silent for a minute. "What do you know?" Cobra opens his left eye slowly. "You don't know anything about Lucy's past or mine.