Epilogue: You said I tasted famous, so I drew you a heart but now, I'm not an artist, I'm a fucking work of art.

Iron and grease was a soothing smell; coupled with the feel of metal under her hands and Cana knew a kind of peace she once thought was beyond her.

It was getting late; the sun was sinking in the early spring sky. Still, she tolled by the fluorescent overhead lights, putting the last touches on the bike she was working on. It was legal, sure, but the stamps on its body made her think that its owner may have done illegal things. Natsu and his brother knew some strange people, and now she did, too, by proxy.

That was fine. She never overstepped her bounds or asked too many questions and no one ever reprimanded her for it. When she did good work on a customer's bike, she sometimes got a bonus, and her boss made sure to check all of her work so she never handed anything back half-assed.

There would be one day, she figured, when he wouldn't make sure to look over everything she touched. When that time came, she'd have a tattoo on her arm that marked her as an official ally of an organization that skated, somewhat ineffectually, under the watchful eye of the law.

She cranked the last bolt into place on the engine just as the outer door opened and cold air rushed into the shop. Cana looked up, expecting to see the owner of the bike, but was met by someone new.

"We're closed."

"I know."

Cana stood and rubbed her hands on the grease rag. "Then what do you want, Elfman?"

He leaned against the service desk like he belonged there, large and hulking, and this side of intimidating, if she was honest with herself. "It's been awhile."

"Because you were telling me stupid shit last time we were together."

He lifted the corner of his mouth. "I've moved past that."

"Suddenly, you don't love me anymore?"

"I'm not even sure I like you."

Cana felt an undeniable thrill. "Feeling's mutual."

Elfman said, "There's a party tonight."

"I heard; Mira's got her own place."

"You should come."

"If that's what Mira wanted, she should have stopped by herself."

"And you should have picked up the phone months ago and called her," Elfman returned.

Cana's cheeks warmed. "Thanks for the advice."

"Will you go?"

"With you?"

"I didn't want a date," Elfman said.

"You just wanted a girl to fuck at the end of the night?" Cana posed.

"Or before it." He'd gotten bold in the time they spent apart. Another thrill took her as she imagined his hand around her throat, and then his thumb in her mouth and his body filling her up.

"In the theatre again?"

"Or here."

"This is where I work," she reminded him.

"There's no one here and it's after hours." He was stiff; he couldn't hide that and didn't try. Elfman knew Cana's weaknesses almost better than Cana did herself and when he caught her staring too long, he both grabbed his dick and held out his hand.

Taking his invitation, she thought that somehow, nothing had changed, though at the same time, nothing was the same.

Dicks.

I have feelings about them, lol.

I'm writing a sister story to this called Stars in the Sky. It's a NaLu. And angsty. (Surprise?) If you're interested, it's posted to this profile.