Time Changes Everything

Who is he?

   Lucy remembers the soft rumble of his voice, so steady as she stayed there floating in nothingness. She didn't see who it belonged to, nor did she ever figure that out, but even months after the incident with the Infinity Clock, she can't get that wonderful voice out of her head. Natsu and the rest of her family didn't seem to notice how she seemed to get lost in thought every now and then, nor did they see her tears when she dreamt of the voice that haunted her every waking nightmare. Lucy was certain that if they did find out, they would only pester her about it, she didn't want to have to explain her weird fascination with finding her mystery man. 

   She didn't bring it up, not throughout all of the Grand Magic Games, or when the problems with the dragons surfaced, she's kept it to herself rather well and she was determined to keep it that way. She went on missions with her team rather frequently, enjoying the break of constant headaches about that voice, but it would always come back to haunt her. She heard it in her dreams every night she slept, as if it was mocking her. She wasn't sure how much longer she could take the constant deep rumble of his voice, speaking to her as if she was his only outlet for his worries. She remembered every word, he mostly talked about his worries and his troubles, asking her if he should just come clean and face the world head on with what he has done. Lucy was sure she would've told him the same thing he came to, not to give up, not to surrender even if the world didn't agree with him. 

   She remembered the way his voice would raise an octave or two when he heard something, what she didn't know, but she was certain he knew that she supported him. So why? Why hasn't he come back? If he trusted her enough to tell her his worries, why wasn't he here to tell her all about them? She promised him that she would be there, through his tough times, that she knew he heard, giving by the way he stuck around with her after that. Yet, as soon as she broke free from that clock, he wasn't there, he wasn't anywhere.

   Lucy started going on solo missions in any random area, in hopes of finding that soothing voice she was sure would never leave her mind. None came up with what she was looking for. Her family was sure to notice her lack of sleep and weary body when she returned from her missions, but they never brought up her dark circles or the bruises riddling her body that were clearly not from the mages she ran across in her missions. She didn't even take dangerous ones, simple ones like watching over a store or returning a lost item. Still, no one said a word to her, leaving her to self destruct alone. 

   This wasn't what she wanted. Lucy thought as she stared up at a group of mages that somehow managed to catch her off guard. She picked this mission because it seemed so easy. She was supposed to secure a damned flower off this cliff, yet these guys just seemed hellbent to cause her problems. She had tried to fight them off, she really had. She summoned nearly every one of her spirits that would've helped in this situation, yet they were all beaten by that one man. Narrowing her eyes at the guy she deemed dick face, she spat on the ground, a final act of defiance as he stared her down.

   If she had ran into him in any other circumstance, she would've been floored. His bright yellow eyes shined brightly, yet they weren't looking at her with kindness, there was a morbid look to his eyes that darkened the otherwise beautiful hue. His blonde colored hair stuck up in spikes, making Lucy wonder if they were as sharp as they looked. His lackeys left long ago, realizing that he wouldn't need the help to fend her off, casting her a dirty look before they sauntered off and into the woods, the creeps were probably watching from a tree or something. 

   "Ya know, I almost feel bad for doing this, such a peach like you should be enjoyed before it was to be devoured, oh well." The man shrugged, holding a hand out for a killing blow. 

   Lucy could only watch as he charged up his attack, watching with crazed glee as she seemed to lie there and accept defeat. She knew if her family were to find out about her lack of determination, they would be mad, so mad with her that she let the enemy win, but there was nothing she could do. She couldn't beat this guy by herself, she could barely stand on her own with stairs, let alone a mage way stronger than her. Closing her eyes tightly, she prepared herself for the pain she was sure she was about to feel, yet when nothing happened, she peeked one eye open, both of them nearly shooting from her head. 

   A head of unruly maroon colored locks that seemed to defy gravity was standing over her, giving the man in front of her a harsh glare that sent him running on his way. A singular indigo eye flashed in her direction, the other being covered by a scar that sealed his other one shut. The snarl that was curling his lips up had her squeaking and covering her face. A deep chuckle had her peeking out from beneath her fingers, the sound of the voice oddly familiar to her. She looked back up to the man, watching as his gaze never left hers even as he sat down a few feet from her, simply watching as she pulled herself up from the ground. 

   She didn't give him a thanks in response to him helping, she knew that wouldn't matter to him, she did however give him a small grin. He seemed content with her offering, nodding to her before he stood up, brushing off his pants as he turned to walk away.

   "Wait!" Lucy couldn't help herself, that voice she heard earlier, she was certain she had heard it before. "Who're you?" 

   "What, you can't remember me? Pity." Was all he said in response, rounding on his heel and hightailing it out of there.

   Lucy attempted to call out to him, to get him to stop and come back, but he never did. She knew that voice, oh she knew it so well. It was that same voice that haunted her, she just didn't expect it to belong to that face, let alone the man the face was attached to. 

   "What am I going to do now?" Lucy lamented, bending down to pick up the damn flower that had her out here in the first place. 

   Ignoring the pain that threatened to put her to sleep, she hobbled back to the man who assigned the job, ready to get her payment and have a nice long talk with Wendy about some wounds that were in need of attention. On the train ride home, she couldn't pull her thoughts from the man that saved her life, even though he tried to steal it from her twice, Cobra.