Time Changes Everything

Attacks

    Thank Gods it was nighttime, it made it easier to hide from people when it was dark out. Trying with all his might to forget about the way he left Lucy behind, he slowly made his way to the train station, praying that they were still running despite how late it must've been. 

   Thanking every God out there as he boarded the heap of metal, he promptly collapsed into his seat, closing his eyes tightly to fight off the wave of nausea that rolled over him as soon as the train surged forward. It didn't take all that long for the train to arrive in Magnolia, Cobra stepped foot off the train albeit a bit shakily. Ignoring the few stragglers that passed him by, he made his way to the small hideout he had built while Lucy was out on her jobs. Sighing once he stepped foot in the small building, he laid himself out across the small bedding he had laid on the floor. Closing his eyes, he finally let himself relax. 

   Away from her warm eyes as she watched him, away from her bright smiles that scared him more than the haunting memories from his childhood, away from her laughter that calmed and riled him up at the same time, away from her. He couldn't stand to be there. He simply couldn't. There was something frightening in putting your trust in someone and he didn't want it to turn back to bite him on the ass. There was no way he would do something that idiotic again. He had made that mistake with his former friends and he wasn't about to do it with a blonde he had threatened to kill more than once. 

   Cobra took in a shaky breath, closing his eyes as he calmed himself down. Deciding to retire for the night, he'd deal with his emotions tomorrow, he let himself drift off to a dreamless slumber. 

   Waking the next morning, he stopped by the guild to check to see if Lucy had made it home yet. Finding her slouched against the bar, her milkshake in hand, he silently left, completely unnoticed by the inhabitants of the guild. He did this each day, checking in without making his presence known. He watched with bated breaths as Laxus hauled Lucy up to the infirmary, watched as Gajeel tagged along and didn't come down for hours, watched as that metal head actually blushed when he was caught staring at her, then that bluenette confronted him about his crush. Gods Cobra really just wanted to rip that slayer to shreds, but if he let himself be known, he'd have hell to pay from Sparky, he was a force to be reckoned with if it had anything to do with his adoptive sister. 

   He didn't have the right to be jealous of Gajeel though, he didn't have claim over Lucy. Just because fate has tied them together didn't mean they would end up with each other. Soulmates rarely found one another, let alone ended up together. He would have to suck it up, Lucy was a grown woman, she could date whoever she wanted. It wasn't like he was looking for someone to grow old with, he didn't have the courage to do that. 

   Sucking it up, he strolled into the guild after about a week of pussyfooting around. All eyes were on him and was exactly like how it was the first time. Threats were thrown at him, a few people threw things, but Lucy made no move to protect him. She sat at the bar, her back turned to the door. Her head was pressed into the wood counter, a glass of what he thought was beer in her hand. Ignoring all the verbal threats and physical objects that were thrown his way, he reached the stool next to the blonde and took a seat. 

   Glancing at her out of the corner of his eye, he frowned a bit when he noticed she was passed out, drool dripping from the corner of her mouth. A certain black haired dragon slayer was watching him from a few stools over, his eyes narrowed in distrust as Cobra reached out and brushed some of her hair from her face. She looked like shit if he was being honest, but going a week without seeing her made him barely notice the way her hair hung limply around her shoulders and the black circles under her eyes. Her skin felt oily and slick with sweat as she slept, but he just ignored it. Picking her up from her stool, he carried her up to the infirmary where they could be away from the loudness of the guild.