The water was skin searingly hot – just how she liked it.
Plumes of vanilla scented fog restricted the blonde's view of her much loved bathroom, the one place that was her solace. In here the continued annoyance and intrusions of one Natsu Dragneel were restricted, for even as dense as he could be, the Dragon Slayer did not burst into her bathroom.
Lucy hummed a soft tune as she lifted a bottle of conditioner to her nose and inhaled the lush jasmine scent. Her nimble fingers made quick work of smoothing the silky product through her locks, leaning her head out of the water jet whilst she moved on to soaping up her body.
The suds worked their magic to coat her water slicked skin, little clouds of soap bubbles covering her private areas as if they wished to give her the illusion of some more privacy. Lucy's mind wandered as she luxuriated in the warmth of the shower, turning to allow the powerful jets to massage into various aches in her shoulders and neck.
Through the thick steam a glimmering shadow formed within what should be the vacant bathtub, Lucy squinted for a second before a familiar voice rose out of the mist.
"Nice bathroom you have here Lucy, maybe I should move in?" Cana offered at the exact time that the fog clouds parted as if instructed by magical forces.
There sat Cana Alberona, one leg lifted into the air as she watched the water droplets fall from her honeyed skin. The brunette met Lucy's startled gaze with the quirk of a single brow and the faintest tug of her lips into a smile.
Lucy squeaked as the sudden revelation of her friend in the bathtub allowed for the water of the shower to wash away every last trace of bubbles from her bare body. One arm wrapped protectively around her ample chest as the other shielded the area between her legs.
"Cana! What the heck are you doing in here?" the blonde demanded in absolute disbelief.
The heat of the shower was now an irritation as it beat aggressively off her flushed skin, the continuous pound of the water felt like relentless prickly scratches that only worsened the situation. The blonde watched as Cana stroked at her raised leg with both hands, her hazel eyes firmly locked onto Lucy throughout the movement.
The brunette ignored the question to pose one of her own, "got any booze?"
Lucy huffed through her nose, the disbelief quickly changing to frustration at her unwelcome guest, "booze? No, of course, I don't have any booze here!"
Cana sighed loudly, "then get in the bath already."
Lucy did not know what madness had come over her – why on earth was she sharing the cramped bathtub with her guildmate, and most importantly, why was she looking so glum?
They sat awkwardly with arms encircling their slender legs, chins poised on knees. Cana's gaze held nothing but melancholy, her feet paddled absently below the surface creating little ripples that travelled from Cana to Lucy and back again.
"Everything alright Cana, you don't look happy?"
Those normally fiery hazel orbs swung towards Lucy, but no flames danced within their depths. Dull and lifeless brown, misery settled heavily on both their shoulders and a pang of empathy echoed within Lucy's sensitive heart.
It was hard connecting this image of Cana with the normal exuberant one that Lucy was used to. The brunette was usually full of life – and spirits, if truth be told – but there was none of that now. No sparkle of her chipper self remained, no cutting sarcasm that she used without care to barb at her drinking buddies, Macao and Wakaba.
Worry was quick to take root within the blonde's gut, twisting like the spread of ivy on an ancient and weather-beaten crumbling wall. Cana dodged the question, once again choosing to ignore it and asking her own instead. If it weren't for the anguish on her pretty sun-kissed face, Lucy would have been grinding her teeth in irritation.
"You ever think that men just ain't worth the hassle, Lucy?" she answered, leaning her cheek against her knee as she stared up earnestly at her blonde friend.
"Uhh…"
"Sometimes I think about quitting the guild altogether. Packing my bags and just leaving it all behind," she continued before Lucy could give a proper response. The emotion shifted in her eyes, a determination flickered to life as the colour drained from Lucy's face at her words.
Cana stood suddenly from the fragranced bath causing water to slosh over the sides in her hasty movement. Lucy's chocolate coloured eyes inched slowly up the brunette's body all whilst her cheeks lit up like illuminated signs. She swallowed thickly, struggling to ignore the sinful curves of the woman before her.
It certainly had not crossed Lucy's mind previously, but now as she sat enraptured by the naked form above, all she could think about was how beautiful Cana was. Of course, physically she was stunning; with golden skin, shapely legs that curved into rounded hips, smooth flat stomach and breasts that stood perky and proud. Long flowing dark brown hair, hazel eyes that often shone with mirth and the cutest rosy lips that curved into a cupid's bow.
However, it was more than simply skin deep.
Cana Alberona was a beautiful person. Fiercely loyal to her friends and guildmates, tenacious almost to a fault and wise beyond her years. She had been a part of Fairy Tail longer than others of a similar age, and in that time she had witnessed her fair share of the absolute joys to be found as well as the soul-crushing lows of guild life. It was no secret that the brunette liked a drink, and at times Lucy had deemed it as excessive, but who was she to pass judgment?
With scarlet cheeks, Lucy awoke from her momentary stupor to process the words of her friend. Cana was considering leaving Fairy Tail, what madness was this? A hand shot out to wrap around the brunette's ankle, preventing her from exiting the tub.
"Where has this come from? Tell me, why are you suddenly bothered by men? Did someone do or say something inappropriate? You tell me right now and I'll go Lucy Kick them into next week!" Lucy asked, her voice rising in pitch as her anger swelled.
The soft look on Cana's face was mesmerising, and the faint pink blush to tinge the apples of her cheeks was adorable. As quickly as she had stood, Cana lowered herself back into the water. She settled her neck against the edge of the tiles, tipping her head back and closing her eyes on a sigh.
"Lucy, the things I've seen…
"I don't even know where to begin. No one specific has done anything to upset me lately, of that I can assure you, so there is no need for you to march to the guildhall to kick ass. Although I would pay to see that," she whispered the last part under her breath with a wicked smile on her rosy lips.
"I guess I just never felt like the older generation in Fairy Tail did a good enough job raising us youngsters. I mean, they were content to let Natsu and Gray beat the ever-loving shit out of each other for years. They thought it was hilarious, and only Erza ever bothered to end those brawls.
"Surely that should have been someone older that broke them apart? Took them aside and taught them the value of working together, shown them how training rather than brawling would have made them stronger and closer. But, no… they left it to a young girl that had already seen her fair share of pain and trauma. A girl that was learning to heal without outside help, it disgusts me to think back on it."
Lucy was stunned.
She was aware of some of the events in Fairy Tail's history, of how Erza had always been the only one to stand in between the two hot-headed males. As well as the knowledge of what the young Erza had experienced within the Tower of Heaven. Although the fearsome Titania definitely seemed the type to want to carry her own burden without interference, the fact that very few attempts had been made by the elders to help alleviate her pain was hard to swallow.
"It's worked out for the best, look at Erza now – no one dares stand in her path without pissing themselves, but it could have been disastrous. No one really seemed to care, not for Erza, not for Natsu or Gray, not for Mirajane and her insane anger issues, and not for me…"
The blonde watched in fascination as a steady trickle of water flowed over Cana's hand as she lifted it out of the water only to dip it back under the surface as she vented. Her mind was a riot as she listened to a perspective she had not considered previously, a frown tugging her brow lower and the sink of her teeth into her lip.
She opened her mouth, still unsure of exactly what would spill out, but before even the faintest noise could escape, Cana continued her tirade. Her shoulders which had been stiff and raised to almost her ears had relaxed somewhat, clearly, this speech was proving to be a cathartic experience.
"And don't get me started on the idiots my own age! They don't seem to care about anything other than proving who is the strongest, as if that is the only thing that matters in this world. Constant pissing contests and barbed comments to mask true feelings. They fear the truth of their emotions, and I am willing to bet my last barrel of booze that it has been caused by the neglect of the likes of Macao, Wakaba, Gildarts, Reedus and even Master Makarov.
"It's like they see it as a weakness to admit that they care for one another, utter nonsense and I'm sick of it!"
Cana rushed from the bath, striding with purpose as she opened the bathroom door only to slam it behind her. The last image in Lucy's mind was that of Cana's butt swaying from side to side as she stormed from the room. Under better circumstances, it would have been a welcome distraction, but not right now, she couldn't afford such lewd thoughts when her friend was clearly hurting.
In the time it had taken Lucy to emerge from the tub and wrap a fluffy pink towel around her length, securing it above her chest before she pried the door open, Cana was fully dressed. The brunette pulled her hair into a hasty high ponytail and strode towards the door where her sandals lay abandoned.
Dressed in dark coloured capri pants and a turquoise bikini-style top, this was the Cana that Lucy was more familiar with. The blonde was moving before she thought her actions through, gripping Cana's wrist and turning her around with more force than she thought herself capable of.
"Just cause men are shit, it shouldn't mean you leaving Fairy Tail. What about us girls, huh? We'd miss you. Screw that, I'd miss you…" she enthused, lifting her ensnared wrist to press the palm of her hand upon the towel resting directly over her wildly beating heart.
Loose strands of hair fell forward to partially obscure hazel eyes that had become misted with the start of tears, a faint wobble pressed against rosy lips as Cana listened to the words that held nothing but truth, love and warmth.
Lucy was dumbfounded as the brunette darted forward to press her lips against her own. Her free hand grasped at the back of the blonde's damp hair, tugging her closer as their plush lips moved in a slow rhythmical dance. Her wide eyes closed slowly as she eased into the kiss, surrendering to the feel of Cana's mouth on hers, she tasted like cinnamon and sugar and she wanted more.
She dropped Cana's wrist and placed her hands tentatively on her bare lower back, short nails stroking at the skin that rippled with goosebumps in reaction. The softest moan bubbled from the brunette's mouth and Lucy swallowed the sound eagerly, her boldness increasing tenfold as she flicked her tongue playfully against her lower lip.
Cana slowly opened like a freshly blooming flower, tentative and languid as Lucy pressed her advantage and swiped her tongue over pearly teeth. Despite not being the one to initiate the kiss, Lucy was more than willing to take the lead which both surprised and excited the blonde.
The heated kiss only broke when Cana ripped her mouth from the celestial mage, who appeared to be on a personal mission to learn every inch of the plush mouth that had been connected to her own. She missed the taste of sugar and spice instantly, licking her lips to savour the taste that lingered there for a second longer.
Lust drunk eyes focused on a panting Cana, her own gaze a perfect mirror image of the desire she felt. The coil of want tightened in her lower belly like a venomous snake, primed to strike at a second's notice and for the first time, it was not the image of a certain Dragon Slayer that turned the blonde into a quivering mess.
"I'm sorry. I – I have to go…"
On those rushed words Cana span on her heel and flew from the apartment, leaving the door wide open in her haste to retreat. Lucy could only stare at the fleeing figure, sandals clutched in hand as she ran barefoot from possibly the most sinful kiss she would ever experience.
Lucy touched her kiss swollen lips, the only reminder that the kiss had indeed happened, whilst a sense of dread settled heavily in her stomach to replace the desire that had been steadily building. She bit deeply into the tender flesh of her lower lip as she mused on what her next course of action should be.
Cana was mortified by what had transpired within Lucy's apartment on that fateful day. She did not regret for one second the kiss she had pressed to the beautiful blonde's plump lips, hell no, but she had not handled it particularly well.
What a coward she was to run, especially when Lucy had so willingly melted into her embrace and kiss, even going as far as taking over and plundering her mouth with delicious intent. The memory of feather-soft lips that tasted of warming vanilla and the stroke of a heated tongue that teased her own haunted her dreams on a nightly basis. She was left a mess of mixed emotions, and it was eating her up inside.
It was fair to say that since that event, Cana had done everything in her power to avoid Lucy, and thankfully the outgoing blonde had been swept up into another one of Natsu's infamously wacky adventures. This had allowed Cana ample opportunity to drown her sorrows in cup after cup of booze, much to the growing annoyance of one Macao Conbolt. He could go to hell for all she cared, any feelings she may have harboured for the male in the past had been obliterated with one too many disappointments.
The impending S Class trials loomed ominously, and this time she almost wished not to be chosen by Makarov, perhaps in that event she could pretend that it was simply not meant to be this year.
Yeah right, Cana. Keep dreaming! You'll never be strong enough to tell him the truth…
She watched through bleary eyes as mages whizzed by her at lightning speed. The job board had never been so empty, completely picked clean by the idiots that bared their teeth like dogs, snapping viciously as they fought over each mission that was posted. Cana felt sorry for the likes of Lucy, who probably had absolutely no clue what had caused this crescendo in activity, and was likely puzzled by the members of the guild that suddenly found the motivation to actually get off their lazy asses and work for once.
Draining the tankard in her greedy mitts, she wiped the trickle that spilled down her chin with the back of her hand and attempted to stand. How long had she been drinking? Her unsteady equilibrium told it must have been most of the day, for it was not often that alcohol had this effect on her balance.
Cana half-heartedly waved her goodbyes to Mira behind the bar, completely oblivious to the look of concern that was plastered on the white haired girl's face. She valiantly tried to steady herself on the wall outside, her head tipping forward as the sudden movement and weight pulled her off balance and crashing face-first into the alleyway. Her head caught on the brickwork, and the inebriated mage fell unconscious with her last thought being that of her own damn foolishness…
Never gonna be worthy of his love.
Natsu's incessant whining was starting to give Lucy a wicked headache, each piercing word of injustice served as a stab to her eye and left it twitching in irritation. She understood his disappointment at being beaten to the most lucrative of missions by Gray, but did he have to keep on going on about it?
Rubbing her aching temples, she rounded on the pink haired male and held up a hand to halt him in his tracks.
"C'mon Natsu, can't you give it rest now? Gray got the mission, we were late in getting to the guildhall and it's not like we came away empty-handed," she reasoned, waving a scroll into the scowling Dragon Slayer's face.
His mouth morphed into a petulant pout, and damn was it not adorable. The blonde struggled with not reaching out to pinch at his cheek and tease him over his cuteness, but she knew this would only prolong his temper tantrum. Instead, she took a steadying breath, readying herself to become a mediator in his own war with his emotions when she heard a low groaning noise.
"Did you hear that?" she whispered.
Lucy spun on the spot trying to identify where the noise had come from, but Natsu was already heading straight into the alley that ran alongside the guildhall. She jogged to catch him up and found herself looking upon the fallen figure of Cana.
Her brown hair was covering most of her face, but it was clear her eyes were closed and a small trickle of blood seeped from a shallow cut on her brow. Another low groan met their ears as Lucy rushed to her side and swept the hair from her face.
"Cana? Can you hear me?"
There was no response from the prone brunette, and worry began to gnaw at Lucy's gut. Natsu was crouched beside her now, a frown on his face but no longer caused by his own predicament.
"Do you think she was attacked?" Lucy asked, grabbing Natsu's shoulder and shaking him aggressively in her concern.
"Nah, she smells like a brewery. It wouldn't be the first time that Cana has passed out drunk. I'm betting she hit her head stumbling around out here," he retorted whilst hooking his arms around Cana's fallen form. Natsu lifted her with ease into his embrace and stood to his full height, "we should take her home to sleep it off."
"No!"
The pink haired male gave Lucy a curious look at her sudden outburst, his head quirking to the side as his glittering onyx eyes searched her own. Lucy looked away, trying to fight the creep of heat that was rushing up the sides of her neck. Cana whimpered and shifted in Natsu's hold, and Lucy barely held back from stroking lovingly at her scrunched up face.
"We – we can't leave her alone with a head wound. Let's take her to mine and I'll look after her. You'll still be able to go on the mission on your own, I know Happy would love some time with just you," she was waffling, her words strung a little too close together and she held her breath as her companion assessed her intent.
Lucy breathed a sigh of relief as Natsu's trademark toothy grin swept across his handsome face after a beat, either she was a better performer than she thought, or he really was completely oblivious to matters of the heart.
Either way, it was a win for now, and a worry for another time.
Hushed yet familiar voices filtered into her foggy brain, two people were bickering back and forth and she wished for nothing more than peace. Cana got her wish as the conversation ended, and the click of a door closing was the beginning of silence. Swept back under the heavy blanket of unconsciousness, her last thoughts were of how warm and comfortable she felt, and the scent of vanilla that settled upon her senses like a welcoming embrace.
Cana was unsure how many hours had passed since she had fallen in the alleyway outside of the guildhall, of how long had gone by since that whispered bickering conversation followed by the closing of a door. She cautiously opened one eye and found herself within a bedroom wrapped in the twilight. Her fingers explored, feeling the soft cotton sheets that she lay nestled within.
She gingerly shifted onto her side and came face to face with the sleeping form of Lucy Heartfilia. She was slumped in a chair, her feet resting on the edge of the mattress and her chest rising and falling evenly with her head resting on her propped fist.
For a few moments, the brunette merely admired the sight. Taking in all the minute details of the gorgeous girl that she was so deeply attracted to. The almost imperceptible scrunch above her nose, the long black lashes that fanned against her fair cheeks and the way her stomach twitched every few seconds. The strip of bare skin between her top and skirt relaxed in sleep to tighten with every slight twitch. It was all utterly adorable.
"Luce?"
Her voice was hoarse, and swallowing was not a fun experience. It was as if she had chewed glass and she longed for a tall glass of cool water and was beyond relieved to find one perched on the nightstand. Cana drained the contents in one long swallow and felt instantly better for it.
The blonde jolted, her head slipping off her raised fist and almost sending Lucy headfirst into the arm of her chair. Wild eyes swung from side to side, almost as if she were expecting an attack of some kind, and Cana could only laugh at the humorous display.
"You're awake, thank goodness. Are you alright? I cleaned the wound on her forehead, but I wasn't sure if you hit anywhere else," Lucy mumbled, rubbing her sleepy eyes and then squeaking at the implication of having thought of checking over her vulnerable body whilst she slept.
Lucy covered her face with her hands, the parts she could still see were beet red and it only prolonged Cana's laughter. Her stiff limbs protested as she sat up on the bed, reaching for her friend and wrapping her in a reassuring hug that ended with her pulling the blonde upon the bed with her.
It had only meant to be a friendly cuddle, but as Lucy peeked through her fingers with those captivating eyes, Cana felt the surge of desire build in her fluttering stomach. A cacophony of butterflies erupted to tickle every inch of her insides until she wished to squirm and wriggle. Lucy must have felt it too, the blonde stiffened as her breathing became laboured.
Those heated memories of their shared kiss flooded back and the air thickened above their heads. Cana would swear that lightning crackled around their entwined bodies as she pressed her nose into the crook of Lucy's sweet-smelling neck.
Cana zeroed in on the slightest of movements from the precious body in her arms, she noted how Lucy leaned to the side giving her far more access to her neck, and with a final prayer sent skyward, the brazen brunette took the final plunge.
Her lips pressed firmly on Lucy's pulse point, kissing the skin with intent and listening for the little whimpers of delight that climbed from her throat. Every mewl bolstered her further and the kisses became feverish in their urgency.
She wanted to devour Lucy, to taste her intimately and learn every inch of her gorgeous body. Cana would do everything to absorb every act that would take the blonde straight to breaking point and beyond, wringing pleasure from her again and again until they both could not breathe from the mind-numbing sensations.
A haze fogged Cana's mind as Lucy sought out her lips, two interlinked bodies tangled in white sheets as clothes were removed with haste. It was both too much and not enough, every stroke of fingers was a new discovery and the possibilities seemed truly limitless.
Passion burned bright, two dear friends that had found solace in each other. Each with their own problems, but together they could solve any issue and they would do. Cana revelled in the feel of velvety lips that wrapped around her breasts as wandering fingers sought out the pleasures to be found between her legs.
The tight bubble of lust grew in earnest, and soon the sound of decadent moans and lapping tongues on slick skin filled the air. Lucy turned out to be more dominant than she had expected, often reversing their positions to be above Cana, directing the pleasure and she was happy to indulge the blonde.
Lucy tasted divine – like the ambrosia of the gods – she was sure she would never get enough, but that thought was not a welcome one as she knew that she could not keep Lucy for herself. In the end, she knew wholeheartedly that the celestial mage belonged with her Dragon Slayer, and she would not dwell on that inevitable fact.
Their orgasms hit almost exactly at the same time, the ripe juices of their pleasure covering tongues and soaking chins. Lucy trembled above Cana as she stroked her through her high, playful laps at her oversensitive bundle of nerves that would send the blonde into frantic spasms.
Lucy was quick to seek her own revenge by continuing to work her soaked knuckles along Cana's glistening folds – back and forth they went, and Cana longed to press her thighs together to halt the incessant and far too stimulating movement.
In the end, it felt somehow absolutely right that the pair snuggled under the mussed up bedsheets with legs entwined. Giggling like school girls as they learned such intimate facts about one another, it was the best distraction that Cana could ask for, but it would have to end soon enough. This could not last forever, although she may wish it to be possible.
Cana wrapped the bedsheet tighter to her chest and propped herself up on her elbow to gaze down at Lucy, memorising how her hair was wildly messy from their lovemaking and the confident smile that played on her kiss swollen lips.
"Luce, I've got something important to tell you. It might explain why I was feeling so down the other day and give you a bit of an insight into why I am not so keen on men," she explained, looking everywhere but into Lucy's concerned and piercing gaze.
It would be painful telling this tale, surely she deserved a little more fun before all had to be said and done? Cana smirked as an idea sprouted in her wicked mind.
"But first, bring those sweet lips over here will ya?"