Time Changes Everything

Who is she?

   Cobra recognized her instantly, her blonde hair was a lot longer than it was the last time he saw her and her brown eyes held a pain that he didn't see previously. He wasn't sure what had possessed him to help her, she was an enemy to him for fuck's sake, so why? Why did she feel so important? He remembered the way her soul screamed out for someone to help her, to just make her feel less lonely, he remembered her sorrow well, but it didn't make him happy like it usually did, it only made him upset. 

   She was his only scapegoat for his feelings, he thought she was going to die, so he might as well tell someone about his worries and what troubled him, what he didn't expect was for her undying support for him to stay strong and fight for what he believed in, even if others didn't. That's what motivated him the most, not the fear of being imprisoned if the Rune Knights were to catch up to him, nor the trouble he would be in if Brain found out he was disobeying him. Her support alone kept him going for as long as he did.

   He almost pitied her, the blank look in her eyes as she stared down at him as he ranted, it unnerved him. Never before had he seen such cold eyes, not even the ones in the tower compared. The light that shined through, the brightness that shown through all darkness, even his own, wasn't anywhere in sight, not then. It was one of the reasons why he signed up to keep guard, to watch her as she lost herself right in front of him. It tore him up inside, the raw emotions he couldn't control bothered him, yet he couldn't find it in him to be bothered by them. They made him stronger, they made him hope again. 

   He thought about visiting her, just to see how she was doing. He was there for the GMG, watching with uncontrolled anger as that heartless bitch practically killed her. He saw the pain in her eyes then, the way she coiled in on herself as the arena went silent as her sobs echoed throughout the entire stadium. If it weren't for the fact that he had a reputation to upkeep and that he was wanted by practically everyone, he would've been the one to rush down there and take her to safety himself. After that battle, he hadn't seen her since, but seeing her again now, it brought on a whole mess of emotions he would rather live without. It wasn't safe for either of them to silly themselves with a relationship that was bound to end in disaster. 

   It didn't change anything though, even as weeks past from that last run-in he had with her, he found himself unable to break himself from those dangerous thoughts. Steeling his resolve, he made his way to Magnolia on a mission to see it through. He was going to see her again, that he was sure of. 

   The guild known as Fairy Tail laid out in front of him had his bones shaking. He had never been so close to staring death in the face, but if it was to see her again, he would gladly do so. Taking in a breath, he pushed open the doors, almost flinching when they slammed open and everyone's heads turned towards him instantly. The sudden rush of people's thoughts had him in near tears, the loud shouts of outrage that their souls cried out in at the sight of him had him recoiling. 

   He could feel the way her soul called out to him though, speaking louder than anyone in there. The disbelief written so clearly on her face had a small smile spreading across his face, but it was wiped clean when a fist was thrown into his face. He heard Lucy's shout of disapproval and the sudden flare to her soul that screamed out to him, begging to him that he was okay had him completely forgetting the pain that spread across his face at the punch that was thrown at him. The dimwitted fire dragon slayer was growling at him, his fist smoking as he stared him down. Cobra did nothing, simply standing there as Natsu threw another punch at him, knocking the air from his lungs as he went for his gut. 

   Lucy stepped forward, ready to rush to Cobra's aid, but was stopped when a pair of arms wrapped around her waist, holding her back. She screamed in outrage, lashing out at the man holding her in place, but Laxus didn't budge, simply letting her hit him as he held her. Tears poured down her face as she was forced to watch as Natsu beat Cobra to a pulp, his tanned skin being torn open and burned as Natsu let lose his rage on him. Her cries for Natsu to stop never ceased, nor did her struggles to get out of Laxus' grip, but she knew that it was no use. Cobra's eye flashed over to her, the indigo eye boring into hers as she clawed at the arms holding her in place.