In the cell of prisoner 100977, Cobra was seated in the middle of the floor meditating. Well, to everyone else it would have appeared to be meditating but in all honesty what he was really doing was attempting to block out all the sounds around him, which for him was quite the physical feat. Unfortunately his attempts were not proving fruitful. He was still hearing how the prisoner three cells down planned on trying to break out, and how a warden ten feet away hated his job. His enhanced hearing was making him go crazy in the small enclosed space. He almost wished he never learned the sound magic that gave him the ability to hear a person's thoughts so well. The only time he found himself craving all the sounds is when she made her visits.

He had told her previously to stop coming. He repetitively kept saying he didn't want her here. But she either saw through his lies or she just wanted to spend time with him. Truth be told he didn't care which thought was more accurate he just craved her company.

He had stopped thinking of her as Cubellios after her first few visits. Her beauty in human form intoxicated him by just being in her presence. Cubellios was his snake friend of the past. Cobra dared not think of his future, or at least he made every attempt to not think of it. But on the rare occasion when he did, when he thought of a new life in his possible future, a life outside of the bars of the prison the picture forming in his mind always included Kinana.

Cobra liked the fact that to Kinana he wasn't Cobra. He was simply Erik. In her eyes, he had done nothing wrong. She pleaded his case more times than Cobra liked to think about. Even though he had pleaded with her to stop coming in his heart of hearts he wanted her there more than he would completely admit to himself. He craved the few times they had to talk, even though he mostly just listened to her enchanting voice.

One time he had heard her think about the times she sang for the Fairy Tail, and she had thought that maybe Erik would appreciate it. So, he had asked her to sing. He was curious about her voice when he heard how proud she was of that little thing about herself. Parts of him had wish he had never asked though. Because he now depended on the memories her singing to put him to sleep.

She had a beautiful lyrical voice with such a melodic tone that he was sure she made angels weep from the beauty of it. He remembered one song clearly she sang and it seemed to define how he felt about her. He wanted to live with her but how could he in such a place. But he wasn't sure he could survive without her either.

https://youtu.be/ivOKYsZE454

See the stone
Set in your eyes
See the thorn
Twist in your side
I wait for you

Sleight of hand
And twist of fate
On a bed of nails
She makes me wait
And I wait without you

I can't live with or without you
I can't live with or without you

Through the storm
We reach the shore
You give it all
But I want more
And I'm waiting for you

I can't live with or without you
I can't live with or without you
I can't live...
I can't live with or without you

And you give yourself away
And you give yourself away
And you give...
And you give...
And you give yourself away

My hands are tied
My body bruised
She's got me with
Nothing to win and
Nothing left to lose

And you give yourself away
And you give yourself away
And you give...
And you give...
And you give yourself away

I can't live with or without you
I can't live with or without you
I can't live...
I can't live with or without you

Kinana had the song playing through her head ever since she sang it to Eric. At the time, it had simply been a song. But now there was more to it then simple notes and lyrics. Now the lyrics held an immeasurable amount of meaning. She couldn't live with him when he was locked up. She also couldn't imagine a world without him in it.

As she walked up to the building that housed the jail she hoped things were going to be different. Master Makarov was currently in a meeting with the magic council. He was telling them the importance of Erik's release. Why it was dangerous for him to be locked up and that he needed the opportunity to find his mate.

In her heart of hearts she hoped that she was his mate. She knew beyond a shadow of a doubt her feelings for him. It was his feelings for her she wasn't sure about. He was insistent about pushing her away, telling her to never come back. These pleadings of his never changed. Would he react like that if his feelings for her were the same as her feelings for him?

She really couldn't be sure. Part of her said no he wouldn't. But Erik was more complex than most. He gave her the impression that he kept a lot of feelings and reactions locked in.

Kinana knew one thing for certain. That somewhere within her lost memories that she knew Erik. That they had been great friends, and that Eric, while he would not admit it aloud, cherished that friendship greater than anything on Earthland.

Kinana was let in the prison and signed the guest sign in sheet. She walked through a stationary set of lacrimas that scanned her body for anything that might help a convict escape. Afterward, one of the many wardens escorted her, even though she knew the way like the back of her hand. Erik would already know she was there and would probably be mentally telling her to go away already. Hopefully, he wouldn't 'hear' the rest yet. She didn't want to give him false hope.

As she walked around the corner she noticed that Erik was sitting in the middle of the cell. His good eye was closed. Erik didn't open his eye but she knew he was probably attempting to ignore her presence like many times before. It never worked and eventually Erik would sigh and then give in to talk to her. She grinned to herself.

"Think you know me pretty well do you?" He asked, his eye remaining shut.

"I'm at least learning to know you." She smiled and saw the left side of his lips attempt to quirk upward.

"How many times do I have to tell you that coming here is just a waste of your time?"

Kinana tried not to think about it. But once he said that her mind immediately conjured up her reason for being at the jail this time. She thought hopefully of how Master Makarov was still now in the meeting with the magic council.

"Why? Why would he do that for me?"

Kinana sighed. "We discovered something recently. It appears that Acnologia, while he did transform into a dragon partially because of all the dragons he had slain. It was also partially because he never found, or at least never claimed his mate. His soul became tainted and his dragon slayer magic corrupted his physicality. Er, I guess would be the best way to put it." She chewed on her bottom lip. She wasn't really sure she explained the situation well. She just hoped that Erik understood the implications of what information she was able to give him meant.

Kinana watched Erik's face. It was nearly impossible to read his expressions. He was always careful to give anything away. She still made the attempt to catch even the slightest change in expression. "It appears if a dragon slayer doesn't find his mate by his 24th or 25th birthday his magic may corrupt him. So, Master Makarov, is pleading with the magic council the importance of setting you free." She chuckled slightly, "I don't think even the magic council wants to attempt to mess with another dragon right now."

Erik sprung up suddenly. Kinana took a step back. She wasn't afraid. His hasty change from sitting so serenely to jumping up with curiosity burning in his eye simple surprised her. "Looks like your guild master succeeded. But, they are holding your guild responsible for my behavior. You'll have to get used to me being around."

Kinana wouldn't show outwardly how excited she was at the news. But she was pretty sure that Erik already knew. In fact before he turned his back on her she saw the half smile he always attempted to hide from her. She smiled at his back and thought happily how things would be different from here on out.    

The song is a cover of U2's song With or Without You.  To me it just seems to fit this couple's relationship.  

Sidenote:  Personal observation and question to you all. I have noticed that in many anime involving dragons on some level there happens to be a recuring theme where a dragon only has one eye. In Kamisama Kiss Tomoe took the Dragon King's eye. In Fruits Basket Hatori lost his eye in an accident when Akito became enraged. In Fairy Tail now Erik (Cobra) lost his eye to gain more power. So I was trying to research to see if maybe there was a Japanese folklore about a dragon losing an eye. But I have found nothing. If anyone knows why this is a recurring theme please let me know.