Notes: I started writing this with intent to make a one-shot, then I realized I needed a lot more words to write about their relationship. So now I have yet another fic to add my ever growing list. It probably won't be too long, and it will be a bit of a slow build so don't expect immediate romance.

Updates will probably be sporadic, but hopefully I manage to do at least a one chapter a month.

And now I will be quiet and let you guys read.

Cana frowned, barely listening as Lucy talked about the cutie in her journalism class. She loved her friend dearly, but she had more important things on her mind than skater boys with pink hair and freckles.

Important things like her photography project.

Normally it would be an easy assignment, something that Cana would breeze through with no problems. Her camera was like an extension of herself. She was never without it because one never knew when inspiration might strike …

But lately … lately there had been no inspiration.

"Yo!" Fingers snapped in her face and she started, shooting a glare at Lucy. "Earth to Cana."

Cana huffed. "I'm sorry if I'm not in the mood to listen to you talk about truly lickable abs."

Lucy arched a brow, pressing her lips together as her eyes sparkled.

"Stop staring at me like that!"

"Cana, since when have you ever not been in the mood to talk about attractive people?" Lucy rested her hand over Cana's, aiming for concern but Cana could still see the laughter in her eyes. "Are you sick? Dying? An alien?"

Cana drooped in her seat, her lips twitching. "None of the above." She sighed and ran a hand through her hair, frowning when her fingers caught on a tangle. She needed a haircut.

"So …" Lucy said when Cana fell silent, her thoughts distracted. "If you're none of the above then what are you?"

"Screwed. And not in the good way." She groaned and dropped her head to the table.

"You know you'll probably get ebola or something if you do that."

"I don't care," Cana muttered, turning to press her cheek against the table. Thankfully there was nothing sticky at the moment, or she might've screamed.

"Okay then. It's your funeral."

"Good, then I won't have to worry about the photography project."

"Ahh." Cana felt fingers slide through her hair and massage her scalp. "You poor thing."

Cana let herself be comforted, at least until Levy bounded up and dropped her stack of books on the table with a bang. She yelped as the sound vibrated through her entire body, shooting up to glare at Levy.

"Hey guys!"

Levy was her usual cheerful self, her smile bright as she sat next to Lucy.

"Did you find your books?"

Levy's shoulders dropped with her sigh and she rolled her eyes. "Almost. I couldn't get my English 202 textbook because they were out. They said they'd get more next week, but I need it for tomorrow."

"You can always check the library?" Lucy suggested.

"Yeah, you'll be there later anyways," Cana added.

Levy made a face, pulling her already impressive stack of books closer. "There's nothing wrong with enjoying reading."

"Whatever you say, nerd."

Levy pouted, looking far too cute for her own good, and Lucy patted her shoulder, barely suppressing a smile.

Then something over their heads caught her eye, and she half rose out of her seat to get a better look.

Blue.

So much blue.

Cana couldn't make out much from the distance, but she liked what she saw all the same.

Her hair seemed to be a few shades lighter than Levy's, mostly covered by a light gray, knit beanie. She was lighter than Levy's warm-brown skin tone, but not quite as light as Cana's own skin. Her navy dress was strapless, hugging her chest and flaring around her waist before stopping at her knees. A leather belt was around her waist, a dark brown leather jacket thrown over her shoulders.

She was absolutely stunning.

"Should we tell her she's drooling?" Her attention snapped back to her friend, and she shot a glare at them.

"I am not." But she wiped at her mouth anyways, just to be safe. Levy laughed and Lucy shook her head.

"What were you staring so hard at?" she asked, glancing over her shoulder. "Oh."

When Levy turned to look, Lucy looked back at Cana with a smile that just spelled trouble.

"What?"

"That's Juvia," Lucy said, her eyes practically glittering. "She's in my creative writing class. A poet."

"Oh?"

"I don't know much about her, other than what she said in introductions last week. But she's apparently from Russia or something, and she's single." Lucy wiggled her eyebrows and Cana groaned.

"That's not—I'm not interested in dating her." When both Lucy and Levy just arched a brow she stuck her tongue out. "Okay, so maybe I might be. But that's not the only reason I'm interested." She grinned at them both and pushed herself to her feet, grabbing her bag and her camera.

"Now if you ladies will excuse me, I have a photography project to pass."

She quickly cut across the courtyard, pausing for a beat when she noticed the man next to Juvia. Dark hair and clothes and holy crap that was a lot of piercings. He glared when she got too close, the glare intensifying when she didn't stop but walked right up to them.

"Hey," she said brightly, making sure to flash her widest and brightest smile. The big guy scowled, crossing inked arms over quite an impressive chest. Metallic black-gray scales crept up to his elbows, then they seemed to melt into his dark skin only to be scattered over his biceps as if they'd broken through the skin. "Nice tats."

He grunted, but she thought maybe his scowl had lessened just a bit.

"Hello," Juvia murmured, staring at Cana. Her eyes were blue, like the sky after a storm and her mouth—her very kissable mouth—was painted a blue as dark as her dress.

She was gorgeous.

"Will you let me take photos of you?"