Alcohol Blues

Last time: Wendy comes back to the guild where she's exposed by Natsu's exquisite sense of smell. Everybody's surprised with her change, mainly Charla. After yet another scold, Wendy has a verbal fight with her. Afterwards, overwhelmed by her anger, Wendy ran away. Charla cries and Erza resolves to help her. But, coming to the Fairy Hills, red haired woman is overwhelmed by Wendy's sudden sex appeal, and two of them end up making love.

One of Magnolia many taverns

Monday

9:00 pm

„Hey, you there, can I get another drink?" Cana asked, staring somewhere in the distance. By the look on her face, she was almost depressed. Yet, nobody knew why. She was sitting all alone, again, drinking. Erza came in the inn, later, along with Gray, Lucy and Natsu. Some of her other friends were also here. Surprisingly, as Cana noticed, Erza also looked depressed.

Bartender came, carrying plate with another mug of beer on it. Cana had simply chugged it down, continuing with her pale, empty stare. In the end, somebody finally noticed her depression. Lucy and Gray both kept looking at her with the worried look in their eyes.

„Cana, what's wrong?" Lucy came close, followed by Gray and curious Natsu.

„Great. Just what I need. I'm sorry, Lucy, Gray… I feel horrible these days, so I'd rather be left alone."

„Is there something troubling you? You can tell your Lucy everything."

„I'd rather talk in private. There are too many people around."

She looked at Gray with the pleading look in her eyes. Nodding, he turned away, pulling Natsu with himself.

Cana stood up, belching. After she brushed her mouth, she grabbed Lucy, pulling her through the door. She smelled like alcohol, but she wasn't drunk – yet. Cana almost never got drunk, no matter how hard she was drinking. Maybe that was one of the reasons? Or Lucy thought so, as woman pulled her through the dark street.

They've passed by Lucy's apartment, and many streets, before they reached the South Gate Park. Some people were still here, enjoying the quiet night. They were mostly couples, wanting a bit of privacy. Lucy shrilled, turning to Cana with baffled stare.

„Ca-Cana! I'm not into girls!"

Cana looked at her for a moment and then she laughed out, loud.

„I wouldn't mind feeling those breasts again."

„No, please!"

„Don't worry. I just want to talk."

Both of them sat down on the grass, in the silence, and Cana averted her eyes up in the sky. She looked so sad, under a pale moonlight, that Lucy felt pity. Sitting like that for a minute, Cana was the one who, finally, broke the silence.

„You know Lucy, I was in love, for a long time now."

„In love? Why haven't you told me that, before?"

Cana put her chin on the knees, staring forward, not even turning her head.

„How could I? He's not even interested in me anymore. And it's not like he'll be, ever again."

„But… who are you talking about? I don't get it, I'm sorry."

Cana swallowed a knot in her throat, turning around to Lucy with the saddest look which she saw until now.

„Isn't it obvious?!"

Lucy tried thinking hard about guys which Cana hanged around with. Gray was with Juvia. Natsu… it's better not going into that direction. Bacchus and Cana were only drinking buddies. Makarov could be her grandfather. In the end, she couldn't remember.

„No… I'm sorry, Cana."

"This is so embarrassing… It's about Macao, Lucy. You may have already noticed that he and Wakaba do not drink with me anymore. Well, there's a reason for it."

"Macao? That old man?"

Lucy remembered Macao and couldn't find out where, exactly, was his charm. He was just your ordinary, old man now. Seven years ago she thought he was a strong, brave wizard, but as the time passed by he was overshadowed. Now, he was just an old guy, and a father to Romeo. Listening to her words, Cana scoffed.

"It's not like your crushes are reasonable, Lucy. Take Natsu, for example."

"W-w-w-what?! You got it all wrong! You got it definitively wrong! I'm not interested in him!"

Lucy flustered, waving her hands all around. Cana smiled, a little bit.

"Either way, it's Macao, yes. Before we were all trapped on the Tenrou Island, we were drinking buddies. He broke up with his wife, and we used to hang out, a lot. I was in love with him so much, back then. But I couldn't find any strength to tell him. I thought it will destroy our friendship. And after I came back, he… he wasn't the same man as before. Nothing was left of old Macao in that husk of a man. He got so serious, spending all his time with the son. And so, our drinking together became seldom, until it finally stopped. And here I am, still besotted. Every day."

Finishing her sentence, she sniveled a bit, trying to hold her tears back.

"Cana… why don't we tell him, together? At least you'll be sure you've done all you could!"

"I can't! It's too late. I should've never tried impressing my father… if I didn't, I would've stayed there. Nothing would've changed!"

"That wouldn't accomplish anything, Cana. Besides, cards have unfolded this way. Nothing can be done about it, anymore. Please, don't be sad. You have to give yourself a chance to be happy, again."

Cana stood up, with a resolve on her face. Brushing her eyes off, she turned to Lucy.

"You know, Lucy, you're right. I'll go and tell him. I don't care what will happen after that. I want to write it off."

Reaching the apartment, Cana stood in front. One light was turned on, illuminating street through the closed shutters, with several flickering, yellow rays. He was still awake, Cana presumed. After a bit, she decided that the best course of action was to call out for him.

"Macao! It's me, Cana!"

She saw Macao's tired face as he opened the shutters, letting the warm summer breeze inside of the flat. He scratched his head in confusion.

"Cana? What are you doing here, so late?"

"I want to talk! Can you come down?"

"Ah… I have to dress up. Can you wait for a minute?"

"Yes."

After some five to ten minutes – Cana wasn't sure – Macao, indeed, came down. He wore his recognizable outfit. Yawning, he leaned on the building, looking at her with the tired eyes.

"Have I woken you up? I-I'm sorry!" she apologized with a slight bow.

"It's not a trouble. I've just put Romeo to the bed. Boy is ill with some troublesome flu. It just doesn't want to go away."

"H-have you tried giving him tea? I-it helps!"

Why are you so nervous! Stupid!

Macao giggled.

"If it helps, he wouldn't be sick anymore. I think boy's already tired of all the tea he's drinking."

Cana decided to stop dilly-dallying.

"Macao… I wanted to tell you something."

"Yes?"

"I, I think that I'm… I think that I'm in love with you! And I know that you probably have more important things on my mind but I can't get it out of my mind so…"

Macao blushed a bit, and then he let a loud sigh, scratching the back of his neck.

"Seriously, so troublesome… You know, Cana, back when I got dumped by my wife you were the only one who ever listened to me. It felt so good. But how could a score like you feel anything about me?"

Cana looked down, blushing heavily, avoiding looking him in the eyes as she clenched fists on each side of her body. Macao continued.

"And then you've disappeared. In those seven years I've remarried, and got dumped again. Romeo was tired of so many women in my life, so I had to make a choice. In the end, I choose my son over drinking and women. And I'm a happy man, now."

Cana finally looked up.

"Does it mean you're… not interested in me anymore? Can't we at least try, for the sake of the old times? You know, like, get besotted, talking crap about other guild members and such? Hold each other as we go home because we're too drunk to walk?!"

Cana felt despair inside of herself, but a narrow rope of hope was still holding her together.

"No, Cana… I'm sorry. Romeo is all I need right now. I can't do it, for the sake of my son. I've said goodbye to my old self, so maybe you should, too. Now, it's late so I have to go. Good night."

"No, Macao, please, wait! Wait! I still haven't told you everything!" Cana yelled, feeling her heart shattering in pieces.

Man turned around on the doorstep. She opened her mouth to say something, but alas, no words came out. She just wanted to keep him here, at least for one more minute. Waiting several seconds, Macao sighed.

"I'm sorry, Cana." He repeated, shutting the door as he went up the stairs to his apartment.

Crying as she walked through the street, all alone, Cana felt horrible. Maybe it was for the best that nobody was on the streets right now. It would be too embarrassing to see her crying her eyes out.

"I'm so pathetic!" she yelled out. Somehow spontaneously, Cana found herself in front of the hot springs. Seeing that it was late, and probably nobody will be there, she thought soaking herself in the steamy water would help her. And even if she cries, nobody will notice.

So she passed through the wooden door, going in the female dressing room. Weird enough, somebody was already here. She saw a long, blue dress, along with the pink underwear, neatly sorted out on the bench. But, it was obviously a girl so she wasn't bothered. After all, girls understand each other.

Taking her blue, stripped bra off, she let a sigh of relief. Feeling of a fresh air on the bare skin, and nothing alien constricting her chest was comparable to the flying free; like an eagle in the sky. Taking the rest of her clothes off , Cana wrapped herself in a towel. Scent of the water and incense filled her nose and mouth, making it somehow hard to breathe. She saw somebody on the opposite side of the pool. "Nothing worrisome." Cana uttered to her chin, seeing that from this far person will not be able to bother her.

"This water has some freakin' healing powers." Cana whispered. Soon as her naked body got embraced by the water, she let a sigh of relief. It felt so good. And the pale moonlight on the sky was making it even better.

Suddenly she saw that same person on the further side walking closer. Her figure gradually became larger as she neared her, and Cana almost yelled in surprise. It was Wendy. She wasn't paying any attention to Cana's nosebleed, walking with her breasts bared.

"Wow, Wendy! You sure have surprised me!" Cana yelled.
"I haven't thought you'll come here, by yourself." Wendy calmly said, sitting next to Cana.

"Ah, yes… I thought I'll find some solace here." Cana wasn't even trying to be sarcastic, and yet her words were marked with it.

"I was trying to find you." Wendy smiled.

"Me? Why?"

Cana was curious. She tried putting thoughts about Macao aside, for now.

"Have you heard about what had happened to me?"

Cana vaguely remembered something about an S-Class quest.

"Well, I know you've taken the S-Class quest by yourself. And when you came back it was like this."

"Yes… I've been cursed. Actually, I was told to find you, because you can help me lift the curse."

"Me? I don't know anything about the curses. Besides, I came here to take a rest from the troubles. Wendy, have you ever been in love?"

Wendy felt somehow nervous. This moonlight will not last for whole night – she reckoned.

"Me? No, not really. Okay, maybe once."

"Then, you know how much it hurts when you get rejected. It takes a lot to mend your heart to the way it was, before."

Wendy just came to the great idea, and she smirked, proud of herself.

"What's so funny?"

"Oh, it's nothing! You know, I'm a healer."

"But you can't mend a broken heart."

"I can… but it takes a special way to do it."

Cana looked at her. Wendy was having somehow crazed, determined look in the eyes, as she leaned into her comfort zone. It made her cringe a bit, and she moved away, a bit.

"Wendy, what the hell?!"

"I've heard about that one legend, Cana. It says that only a kiss under the moonlight can heal the broken heart. And since we're here, and there's moonlight, I thought we could…"

Cana gasped, feeling her heart racing. What was wrong with Wendy, all of a sudden? She was looking sexy, that was true, but this was way too fast and out of her character. And yet, she found out she couldn't resist.

"W-what is this all, Wendy?! I've just broken up! I can't!"

"Oh-ho. You did? Has that guy ever done this to you?"

Wendy grabbed her, giving her a long kiss. Cana tried moving away, but she couldn't. Involuntarily, she felt her body giving away but her heart felt even more shattered than before. She felt like an emotional wrack and like her pride was being stepped upon. Pushing Wendy away, she stood up.

"Stop this, Wendy! If you don't stop this I'm going to hurt you!"

Wendy also stood up, suddenly getting very angry. She was almost furious.

"I don't fucking care! I don't have a choice! Sex!? Like hell I would do it! I don't care about those things! But it's the only way to lift this damned curse up!"

Cana gasped, suddenly feeling a strong guilt for her friend. Just how hard was her situation? Maybe Wendy was having it worse than Cana. Cana's heart will mend over time. But, if the only way to revert Wendy to the way she was before was doing something she disliked…

"Wendy, tell me everything. Please."

- I hope you were all enjoying this until now-