I do not own Fairy Tail or any of its characters.

Chapter 2

'So much for fun' was what Cana thought as she was in the tub with Natsu sitting back to back. They both tried to wash their own bodies while sitting face to face but after a while it got pretty awkward between the two when they kept making eye contact with each other in the tub. And they couldn't go shoulder to shoulder as the tub wasn't wide enough. You'd have to be made of steel to not feel a little weird when you're washing your body in front of a not so close friend in a bath tub. As blunt and forward as Cana usually was she was unusually embarrassed. She wasn't one to hide her body but being in a tub with a childhood friend had her nervous. Natsu however was a different story. Having bathed with Erza as kids and seeing Lucy naked more than once and going to a guild filled to the brim with very attractive females, Natsu was almost immune to the female anatomy, almost. He'd never admit it but he did at times take a gander at his female guild mates but it was few and far between. Besides he saw Cana in clothes that left little to the imagination on a daily basis as it is. Seeing her naked wasn't all that shocking to him. A little surprising but only a little. After only 5 minutes of facing one another Cana suggested they go back to back to change things up, which Natsu agreed to as he could see that Cana was uncomfortable. Since then neither mage was able to get a word in edge wise to break the awkward silence. Not like either one had anything to say to the other since they weren't that close but the silence between them was eating them alive.

"Yo, Cana, can I ask you something" Natsu started.

"Yeah, what is it" Cana responded back. She was genuinely curious to what Natsu wanted to ask her. They never just sat down and had a conversation before even though they knew each other for years. She talked with Gray and Lucy, and on occasion with Erza but Natsu and her would only say two words to each other before going on about their business. Even though numerous places would be better for a conversation than in a bath tub (in another person's home mind you), Cana could think of worse.

"Why did you join Fairy Tail" Natsu asked. He turned his head to get a glance of Cana in his peripheral and he saw, and felt, her body get tense for a second before relaxing again.

"Why do you wanna know" Cana asked. "That's a pretty personal question you know."

"I guess. I'm only asking because I know or at least have a good idea about everybody else's past. Few people show up to Fairy Tail just for the hell of it. Because everybody in Fairy Tail has a reason for being there and a story to go along with it. I joined because I thought it would help me in finding Igneel. Over time the guild started to become my family just like Igneel and I decided to put off my search every now and then. Erza joined to forget the pain her past caused her and the same with Gray. Mira, Lisanna and Elfman joined because they had nowhere else to go after leaving their village and they also grew to love the guild just like everybody else. We never talk, so I don't know anything about you other than you can out drink everybody in the guild besides Master. So my question is what is your story, Cana" Natsu said with a serious tone of voice. Cana was speechless, she had never heard Natsu talk like that. The whole time she knew him she assumed he was some lovable idiot who loved fighting and food who would spout nonsense that would either have you shaking your head or have you in stitches. So seeing Natsu show a whole other side of himself, and to her of all people, left her shocked. But strangely it was comforting at the same time. For some reason she felt she could trust him with her secret. She had told her full story to Lucy and to the master and they kept the secret, so she was sure she could tell it to Natsu.

"Gildarts" Cana said.

"Eh? Gildarts? What's he got to do with it" Natsu said.

"You remember on Tenrou Island when I said told Gildarts was my father? And don't say you didn't see because Lucy told me you and Happy were peeking" Cana said with a smirk.

"Hey, I wasn't the only one! Lucy was too you know, so blame her for peeking too" Natsu defended with a pout on his face. To add to his childish behavior he crossed his arms over his chest and looked forward. Cana giggled at him and leaned back, enough to push Natsu forward before leaning forward again into her original position. Getting the hint that she was only teasing him, he let his pout go and just smiled. Turning his head he saw Cana looking at him in the corner of her eyes with her famous smirk.

"So, Gildarts made you join the guild" Natsu said.

Turning her head to look forward again Cana signed before she answered him.

"You can sort of say that" Cana said.

"Huh"

"I joined the guild because of Gildarts but it was because I finally wanted to me my father" Cana said with her head downcast.

"What do you mean" Natsu asked.

"Natsu can you keep a secret" Cana said but her voice was barely above a whisper. Natsu rose an eyebrow but agreed nonetheless.

"Yeah sure Cana"

"Sigh, my mom raised me until she died when I was very young…" Natsu didn't know what to say. He figured that Cana's past might be painful but he didn't see that coming.

"But before she died she told me who my father was and to go look for him. She said that he was a mage at Fairy Tail and was their strongest one. After some time I finally found the guild…and my dad. I was genuinely surprised to find that Gildarts of all people was my father, but I was so happy too" Cana couldn't help but smile after reliving that memory. To see her father for the first time, she didn't know when she ever felt such joy.

"So why did you wait until Tenrou Island to tell him" Natsu said. He was confused, Cana and Gildarts had been in the same guild for years but the two barely interacted. She wanted to meet her father but she rarely said two words to the guy when he finally came back from his lengthy SS-class missions. If Cana wanted to meet her dad so bad, why did she finally tell him the truth many years later?

"I thought I wasn't worthy enough" Cana said. Her voice was barely a whisper but Natsu could hear it loud and clear thanks to his enhanced senses.

"Worthy of what" he asked.

"Gildarts never knew he had a daughter. Apparently he and my mom separated before she ever knew she was pregnant with me. And with Gildarts constantly on the move, it was impossible for her to tell him. I remember she told me that was the reason they split, he loved his job too much and she didn't have it in her heart to separate him from it" Cana said with a sad smile on her face.

'Poor Cana' Natsu thought. He himself never had real parents but he did have Igneel and he could partially sympathize with her on the pain of losing a loved one.

"When I found out just how strong of a mage Gildarts was, I was too scared to tell him who I truly was. I thought that he would accept me if I wasn't a powerful mage. That's why I worked hard to make it to the S-class trials, but I only proved how much of a failure I was when I lost. All five times" Cana said in a depressed tone. Thinking about her numerous failures at the S-class exams put her mood into a downward spiral. It was so prevalent that even Natsu could feel it and he didn't like it.

"You aren't a failure Cana. If anything you're one of the strongest mages in Fairy Tail because you were selected for the S-class exams" Natsu said.

"But I didn't become S-class either time" Cana responded.

"So what? At least you were selected. Multiple times. That's more than anybody in the guild can say. You were selected by gramps because were strong and he saw something in you that separated you from the rest of us. Just because you didn't make S-class doesn't mean you don't have the heart of one. Making S-class with Erza, Mira, Laxus and Mystogan with your enemies is suicide. Those guys are monsters" Natsu said with a shiver when he thought about his last comment.

"And I'm pretty sure Gildarts wouldn't have given a rat's ass about you being S-class or not. He may be monstrously strong but even he isn't so full of himself to think that others are below him just because of some title. Besides he'd be lucky to have you as his daughter. You're smart, kind, strong and you're pretty. If Gildarts did reject you as his daughter he'd be the biggest idiot in Earthland" he finished.

Cana was floored. She couldn't believe that this was the same Natsu that she had grown up with and briefly fought alongside with on Tenrou Island. 'He thinks I'm all those things? Wow' Cana thought. His personality had done a full 180 from when he accidently discovered her in Lucy's tub. Who knew he could act so maturely. Nonetheless she appreciated what Natsu said to her. She should've told Gildarts the day she found him that she was his daughter. Would've saved her years of internal torment on whether or not she was worthy of being his daughter. Maybe then they could've had a real father daughter relationship rather than the estranged one they have now.

"Hehe thanks Natsu. I wish you would've told me this sooner rather than later. Who knew you could speak such wisdom. To think that there is actually a brain up under that pink mop top" Cana teased. To emphasize her point she reached back with her hand and knocked on Natsu's skull with her knuckles.

"Hey I've got plenty of smarts!" Natsu exclaimed shaking off her fist.

"Riiight" Cana pressed on.

"I do dammit" Natsu yelled. Cana only giggled at his childish behavior.

"Anyway thanks for listening Natsu, I've never told another guy about that, not even Gray. You really know how to flatter and cheer a girl up" Cana said. She turned her head to look at Natsu and she saw him doing the same. Natsu's big grin was plastered on his face, making her own grin widen as well.

"Don't sweat it Cana. That's what nakama are for. And it just goes to show that I'm better at than that Snow Perv once again ahahaha" Natsu said while maniacally laughing at the end. 'Those two would view anything as a challenge if it came to one upping each other. Why are boys so stupid?' Cana thought with a sigh. Although she still saw him as a lovable idiot, she now had a whole new outlook on said idiot. In the past few minutes she's seen a side to Natsu that she didn't even knew he had. The side that was serious outside of a battle. The side that could give worldly advice that you would have to go to a sage or a monk for. The side who's words seemed to lift your spirits in the worst of moments. A side that would protect you till the end of time and would go to hell and back for you. Cana would be lying if she didn't find this side of Natsu intriguing and she would also be lying if she said she didn't find herself attracted to Natsu after hearing what he thought about her.

"Hey Natsu turn around" Cana said.

"Huh why, I thought you liked sitting like this" Natsu questioned.

"I did but my back is killing me and I would like to lean on something softer than your shoulder blades and spine. And the edge of the tub is also out of the question. And if we go face to face again, we'll have to keep our legs pushed into each other and that isn't very comfortable either. So turn around and make it snappy" Cana told him.

"Man you're pretty bossy you know that" Natsu growled. With some slight shuffling on his part and water being splashed about, Natsu was now facing the same way as Cana. She leaned back until her back met Natsu's chest. When she looked down into the water she could see Natsu's legs on either side of her own and when she turned her head she could see that Natsu had his arms on the edge of the tub.

"Now isn't this position better Natsu" Cana said flirtatiously. Too drive home her point she began to snuggle herself into Natsu making the dragonslayer even more confused. Tilting her head up she looked up at Natsu's face seeing how lost the dragonslayer was.

"Yeah its better, but why did you want you want to sit like this again" the naïve dragonslayer asked.

"Because I needed something comfortable to lean on and your side of the tub is warmer than mine is" Cana said with her best innocent look, which wasn't so innocent.

"Oh ok then"

"So Natsu can I ask you something"

"Sure Cana, what's up?"

"How did it feel to grab Lucy's boobs" Cana asked with a seductive smirk while still looking up at Natsu. Natsu nearly boiled them alive out of embarrassment when he heard the question being asked of him but he kept his powers in check. He was sure he'd get his ass kicked for turning Cana into a boiled lobster. At the time of the dragon war he didn't think anything of grabbing Lucy's boobs. He saw them as a distraction and the best way of dealing with distractions was to get it out of sight. And that's what he did. With his hands. A few days after the war while he was laying in his hammock, it finally donned on Natsu what he did and let's just say that Happy and he had to go out and buy new hammocks and a couch the next day.

"What the hell kinda question is that Cana!" Natsu exclaimed. 'Mira was right, it's so cute when he blushes" Cana thought.

"What, it's only a question. Happy said he saw it happen" Cana said with teasing look in her eye.

"That traitor! No fish for a month for him" Natsu yelled with fire in his eyes.

"Besides I felt them myself, and I must say they are pretty damn impressive. Just trying to compare notes is all" Cana said never break eye contact with Natsu's face. She was eating up the scene of watching the fearless dragonslayer being reduced into a quivering puddle of embarrassment over fondling his partner/best friend. Having the image of Cana fondling Lucy's naked breasts was enough to force a little blood from Natsu's nose. 'I'm a pervert, dammit. I'm nothing like Gray, or Master or Gildarts' Natsu thought valiantly. Shaking his head to get the erotic scene out of his mind he turned his head to the left to avoid Cana's piercing lavender eyes.

"I-I don't remember. It was a long time ago. I was getting all fired up so I don't remember how Lucy's boobs felt" Natsu said while looking away from Cana's gaze.

"Oh is that right? Well since you can't remember , let me help jog your memory…" Cana took her hands out of the tub and placed them on top of Natsu's.

"Uh, Cana what are you doing with my hands" Natsu had lost his blush and once again had a confused look on his face. Cana had taken Natsu's hands from the edge of the tub and placed them under the water. She slowly put his hands on top of her thighs.

"C-Cana what-"

"Shhhh don't speak. Just let it happen" Cana whispered. She had adjusted herself in Natsu's lap making her body sit up straighter against his chest. Her head was equal level to his own, her hair directly in his face. For some reason he felt the compelled to take a whiff of her scent. A mix of alcohol and citrus fruits was what entered his nose. Surprisingly the citrus had a stronger scent and the mixture wasn't that bad. Cana slowly led Natsu's hands up her smooth thighs and trailed them up her lean and toned stomach making both of them moan out. Natsu had no idea what was happening but he didn't have it in him to make it stop. For some reason, unknown to him, he actually enjoyed this. Cana dragged Natsu's hands until they stopped just at the edge of her large breasts, his thumbs and index fingers grazing her underboob area.

"Cana what the hell are you doing" Natsu said. He had to know what the hell was going on. Friends don't make other friends touch each other like this while in the bath. Sure Erza believed in skin ship but she never did something like this with him and Gray. 'What's her deal' Natsu thought with a raised eyebrow. He didn't know it but he had slight blush on his face after Cana's little act.

"Why Natsu I'm just doing what you said. Making bath time fun" Cana said coquettishly. As she said it she made Natsu's rough hands cup her breasts making both mages moan aloud. Almost instantly Cana felt something poking her in her lower back, meaning she got the reaction she was looking for in the usually dense dragonslayer. "Ooooh, we're about to have a very fun time by the feel of things, don't you think Natsu~" Cana said while purring out his name. With his hands still under her control she squeezed them with her own making his palms squeeze her breasts; they were so large his hands couldn't contain them as they were spilling through his fingertips. Cana had tilted her head back until it rested on Natsu's broad shoulder, a smoldering and lustful look in her eye that scared Natsu shitless. What fresh hell had he gotten himself in this time?