Laxus Dreyar doesn't do romance.
He finds her adorable when she's drunk.
They're sprawled in a quiet corner, his back against the wall, legs spread out in front. She's curled up in his lap with a bottle in her hand. Snow falls heavily outside, he can see through the windows, but inside it's warm and bright. She presses her nose into his shoulder, and tells him that "I'm gonna drink Gildarts into the fucking floor next time he challenges me."
He strokes her back soothingly. "I know you will, Thunder."
She's sulking. "He's ruining my reputation. Says I passed out first." At his raised eyebrow, she huffs and flops against him, her back to his chest. "Well, I didn't."
Mavis, she's cute like this, all pink-cheeked and tipsy. "Of course not."
Mollified, she takes a moody sip from her bottle and watches the ongoing party through narrowed, hazy eyes. "Gildarts is stupid."
"You're half-Gildarts, Thunder," he murmurs into her ear.
She hits him weakly in the side. "Well, he's half-stupid."
He ducks his head into the curve of her neck, presses a fanged grin against her smooth skin as she pouts. "Whatever you say."
Fire explodes to his left and Gray comes hurtling into the wall beside him. Natsu violently follows, further shattering the wood into splinters. Lucy's restraining a flustered Erza from beating the boys up more.
"They're loud," Cana murmurs, sleepily nuzzling her way further into his chest. He supposes that's true. Mira and Gajeel are leading a karaoke contest at the front of the room, complete with full speaker system and crackling static. Gildarts is drinking with Makarov at the bar, both taking turns smashing their mugs down on the bar top and calling to Kinana for "Another round!" Evergreen's assaulting Elfman with her fan while Bickslow and Lisanna laugh from the sidelines.
Ah, just like normal.
"Cana-chan!" Macao and Wakaba skid to a halt in front of them. They're wide-eyed. "Is it true that Gildarts beat you in a drinking contest?"
She raises her head, fixes them with a baleful, poisonous glare. "No."
Macao frowns. "Are you sure? Because I'm pretty sure he said—"
She tilts her head up and levels a pleading gaze at Laxus from under his chin. "Laxus, will you zap him? He doesn't believe me!"
Laxus snickers. He loves wiping that smug leer off Conbolt's face. "With pleasure, Thunder." Lightning crackles into life around him, much to Cana's delight. Macao pales and starts to sweat anxiously. "I, uh— Cana, I never meant—"
"We'll be going now," Wakaba squeaks, taking Macao by the shoulders and marching him back towards the bar. "No need for zapping!"
Watching them go, Laxus lets the magic fade with a satisfied smirk. Cana giggles to herself in his lap. "They're both stupid."
He shrugs. "You're the one who insists on drinking with them, Thunder."
She grins happily. "I like stupid people." Pause. "That's why I like you!" She says this with the wide-eyed shock of discovering a type of alcohol she's never tasted.
He scowls at her, holding a hand to his chest in mock-hurt. "That's the only reason you like me?"
She turns around so she's facing him, waving a finger in his face. He tilts his head forward so his forehead rests against hers. She purses her lips, concentrating on pronouncing her words correctly. "No, baka. I like you because you bring me sweet buns from the pastry shop. And you give me your coat when I'm cold. And you carry me home." She thinks for a moment. "And you're hot."
Brow furrowed in deep contemplation, she's so cute it hurts. He drops a quick kiss on her lips. She blinks. "What was that for?"
"Liking me."
"That's stupid. Of course I'd like you."
She says it like it's a given fact. It warms something deep inside him, and he feels the glow resonate through his entire body. Of course I'd like you.
Her mouth opens in a huge yawn and she shakes her head like a kitten, letting out a breath and swiping at her eyes. She snuggles down back into his chest, drawing the edges of his coat around them both to form a toasty burrow. "Wake me up tomorrow."
He dips his head to nuzzle hers. "As my lady commands."
As the party winds down, he'll pick her up, wrapping her in his coat to keep her warm as he walks them back to her apartment. She'll twine her hands in his sleeves, asking him to stay with her, and he'll fold himself next to her and hold her until she wakes up in the morning.
"Why doesn't Laxus ever do anything romantic?" he'll overhear Mira ask Cana the next evening at the bar. "Don't you want him to show up with flowers and sweep you away into the sunset?"
He'll see Cana shrug and grin wordlessly. Mira and the rest of the guild look for romance in chocolate and midnight picnics and declarations of love. They don't understand that for Cana and him, romance comes in the form of normal day-to-day life. Bringing over sweet buns. Lending a coat. Listening to drunken rambles. Offering soothing words after defeat. Mocking their nakama. Watching over the guild together.
"Does he even believe in romance?" Lucy will join in, animated and intrigued.
Cana will smile to herself and sip her drink, watching the guild carry on their shenanigans. She'll catch Laxus' eye across the guild and wink, blowing a kiss in his direction before turning to her rematch with Gildarts. That evening, she won't need a knight to sweep her away into the sunset at all— she'll have a dragon to carry her home.
