The next morning she woke early, a smile on her face at the sight of Lily lying curled up next to her head. Sighing softly she sat up and stretched before climbing off the couch. Folding the blanket she placed the pillow on top of it at the end, quietly making her way to the kitchen only to be startled at the sound of Pantherlily greeting her. Smiling at the exceed she greeted him warmly before setting about making breakfast for herself and Pantherlily, as well as Gajeel, though not sure if the food would be warm enough by the time the slayer woke.
Finishing up with the dishes she dried her hands and began putting everything away, greeting the iron slayer when he entered the kitchen, smiling as he grunted in response. After completing that task she gave Lily a rub behind the ears, thanking Gajeel for allowing her to stay the night before heading out and returning home. There she did her routine, cleaning herself up, dressing in a pair of black shorts and a purple tee with a black heart stretched over her breasts and styling her hair. She slipped on a pair of black ankle boots before grabbing a purple belt and putting her keys and whip on it in their respective places.
After locking up she began making her way to the guild hoping Cana would forgive her for not showing up for drinks and she could make it up to the brunette somehow. Entering the guild her brown orbs searched for the drunken brunette, easily spotting her at the bar with a mug of alcohol in her hands. Taking a breath she eased her way through the rowdy guild members to the bar and taking a seat on a stool. She called out to Mira for a smoothie, the barmaid nodding her head before she turned to the card mage wincing at the look on her face.
"You stood me up." The blonde winced again, looking at her friend apologetically.
"I'm really sorry Cana I –"
"You better have a good reason for missing out on our girls' night." Lucy closed her mouth biting her lip.
"I-"She began but wasn't even sure how to begin the explanation. She had walked with Gajeel so he wouldn't get rained on and then somehow ended up staying the night at his place. "Uhm, well you see it's hard to explain." She tried again and her friend turned to her with a familiar look on her face.
"Oh, what were you getting laid?" The woman teased causing the stellar mage to immediately flush, shaking her head vehemently.
"N-no" She stuttered out and Cana pouted.
"So you missed girls' night for no reason?" She sighed, propping her head in her hand. "And here I was going to take you shopping this morning after breakfast." The blonde immediately perked up.
"We can still go shopping." At her words Cana laughed before humming in thought.
"I don't know after you abandoned me last night I'm not so sure I want to go anymore."
"Cana!" She whined. "Please, I promise to drink with you tonight, please, please; please?" She gave the brunette her best puppy dog eyes causing the woman to let out a bark of laughter.
"Alright, alright. We'll go shopping, but you have to spend the night with me tonight." Lucy nodded her head in agreement and after finishing their drinks left the guild, arm in arm, making their way to a few shops.
~~x~~
They had spent several hours out shopping before they decided to make a stop at a restaurant to eat lunch. Looking over the menu she found something to eat and ordered after Cana, looking up at the card mage when she spoke.
"So, if you weren't out doing the dirty –"
"Cana!" Lucy hissed, flushing in embarrassment.
"What did cause you to miss out on our fun?"
Letting out a sigh the blonde tried to think of a way to explain to without her misinterpreting it. "I – ah, last night on my way to the guild I sort of ran into Gajeel. After I walked with him so he didn't get rained on and I somehow just ended up staying the night."
Cana raised a brow at her, another pervy smile slipping onto her lips. "So, you were out doing the naughty – and with Gajeel too." Lucy opened her mouth to protest. "You know I didn't think he was your type of guy." She teased, leaning in for what Lucy knew would be to inquire about details. "So –"She began. "Give me all the details. How big is he? Was he good? Does he have piercings?"
"P-Piercings?!" Lucy squeaked out her face flushing deeply at the mental image that crossed her mind. "Cana I – t-that wasn't what I meant."
The brunette's smile widened. "Oh? What did you mean?"
Lucy huffed trying to suppress her blush. "I-I meant that I literally stayed the night, like I slept on his couch stayed the night – al – well Lily was there but –."She shook her head feeling more focused. "The point is that it's not what you think it is."
"You really slept on his couch?" She asked eyeing the blonde just in case. Lucy nodded her head and Cana sat back in her seat pouting. "Well that's no fun." Lucy rolled her eyes at her friend, blush still on her face. "Well, you may not have gotten any but I sure as hell did." The brunette spoke with a grin and Lucy flushed but her curiosity grew.
"So, if it's who I think it is – Is there – I mean you've been pretty monogamous for how long now?"
"About a month, but I wouldn't say there's anything like that going on. Sex with him is just that good." Lucy snorted.
"I hope you don't tell him that. His ego is big enough as it is." Cana let out a short laugh.
"Do you think there will be?" The card mage gave a shrug of her shoulders, turning her attention to their food when it arrived. The duo nodded to the waiter in silent thanks before continuing their conversation.
"I don't know and I'm not going to think about it. I'm just going to enjoy everything and see where things go."
The blonde nodded as she took a bite of her food, the two carrying on their conversation moving toward less perverse topics before getting into work along with Lucy's minor depression over her recent job being a total failure and the loss of potential rent money. This caused Cana to promise Lucy a night of alcohol indulgence and fun to clear away her worries making Lucy smile.
After lunch the two continued shopping for a little while longer before stopping at Lucy's place where the celestial mage left her things and packed an overnight bag for Cana's. The two left the apartment making their way to the guild for drinks and to hang out with everyone for a bit, Cana managing to swindle several of their guild mates into a drinking contest and Lucy had to laugh at how easily they fell for it and how quick Cana could drink them under the table.
Shaking her head in amusement the blonde sat among her friends drinking and chatting with them, briefly hearing Natsu complain about their last job before Gray insulted him which automatically began a fight between the two. Shaking her head once again Lucy smiled as she lifted her mug only to pause at the tingling sensation on the back of her neck. She gave a quick glance around not sure why she felt this way. Was someone watching her? Glancing around once more, she then shook off the feeling and continued drinking. The next thing she knew Cana had somehow managed to bring her into a drinking contest with a few other guild mates.
She didn't know what time it was when they finally left the guild however she did know that she was having a hard time walking and leaning up against an equally drunk friend wasn't making the trip any easier. Letting out a giggle the duo found their way to Cana's dorm, stumbling in and collapsing onto the floor, bursting into fits of laughter. Cana found her feet before she did, telling her once she could stand to make her way over to the sofa while she grabbed more alcohol.
By the time Lucy made it to the sofa she had heard several crashes followed by strings of curses before Cana finally emerged from the kitchen with several bottles of liquor and no cups. Lucy let out a soft snort knowing that Cana had dropped the cups – or threw them in annoyance. Moving over she giggled as her friend fell onto the couch, laughing loudly then sitting up and placing the bottles – picking up the couple she dropped – onto the table.
"Remind me not to bother with cups the next time we drink, eh?" Lucy giggled and reached out for a bottle.
"Cana, by the time morning comes I don't think I'll be able to remember much of anything." Cana chuckled and raised her bottle.
"Mission accomplished!" Lucy frowned in confusion, taking a drink from her bottle. "So, I got to ask you a question Lu-Lu-chan." Lucy scowled at the nickname given to her by the brunette, but nodded her head.
"What's that?"
"I'm just curious as to why you're bothering with dating?" Lucy's brows furrowed. "I mean why not just give that up and stick with something more –fun?"
"You mean why not do, what you do?"
"Exactly!" Cana half shouted before taking another drink. "I mean it's definitely great."
Lucy shook her head. "I don't because I'm not into doing that kind of thing. I mean I'm not looking for 'the one.'" Lucy did her best air quotes, careful not to spill her alcohol. "But I want someone just as special – I think, or someone who you know –"Lucy cut herself off and turned to Cana. "What about you? Why don't you bother getting serious?"
Cana blinked at her before shrugging and taking a drink of her alcohol. "I don't know, maybe I'm just waiting for the right guy to get serious with, but I'm also just enjoying life as it is right now." She nodded to herself before taking another drink. "But enough about me. I think –" Cana leaned toward Lucy. "You should seriously reconsider the whole dating scene and get it on, particularly with Gajeel. That man looks like he'd be good in bed – and out of it."
The brunette grinned at her, giving her several nudges and Lucy merely rolled her eyes, pushing the woman to her own side of the sofa. "Drink your alcohol Cana, and put in a damn movie." Cana let out a short laugh before stumbling her way over to put a movie on, Lucy shaking her head once again at her drunken friend.
When the light of the afternoon, hit her face the next day, the blonde cringed, turning to bury her face in the sofa, letting out a groan as her head throbbed in pain.
"You okay over there?"
She groaned once more shifting to glare at her friend, hissing as she squinted, her eyes against the light. "Does it look like I'm okay?"
The card mage let out a chuckle. "You look like hell."
The blonde sent her a look. "Thanks." Turning to get comfortable she tensed as a sudden wave of nausea hit her, quickly getting up she ran to the bathroom, collapsing in front of the toilet and began to empty the contents of her stomach. After a few minutes she could see Cana standing at the doorway through her peripheral vision. She let out a heavy sigh. "I honestly hate you." She mumbled out, flushing the toilet and standing unsteadily.
The brunette laughed before handing the celestial mage her tooth brush. "You say that every time."
Lucy glared at her friend as she took the tooth brush, cleaning herself up. Leaving the bathroom, she followed Cana to the kitchen, taking a seat at the island, her head falling into her hands. "Why do I drink with you?" Lucy whined, grateful when Cana slid a glass of ginger ale to her.
The brunette smiled, leaning on the island across from her. "You know you ask the same questions after every night of drinking with me, I'm pretty sure you know the answer to that one."
Lucy let out a soft laugh sighing heavily. "My head is killing me."
"Take a drink of the ginger ale." Lucy nodded her head slightly, wincing at an oncoming headache before taking a drink of the ginger ale. Setting down the glass Lucy looked up at her friend curious about her chipper attitude and the fact that she was up before Lucy. Noticing the smile on her face she sat up, eyeing the woman suspiciously.
"Why, the smile?"
Cana chuckled, giving a slight shrug of her shoulder. "No reason" She placed her cup in the sink before heading over to her front door. "I'm just about to head to the guild for a bit. You staying?"
Lucy's brows furrowed before taking another drink. "Why do I feel like that's a lie?"
The brunette smiled at her. "Because it is"
Shaking her head the stellar mage took a final drink from her glass. "No, I'm going to head home and sleep the rest of this off." Cana nodded.
"Catch ya later Lucy." She winked before leaving.
Letting out a heavy sigh the stellar mage slipped off the bar stool, putting her cup in the sink before making her way to the door, slipping on her boots she left the dorm room and Fairy Hills, slowly making her way home, in dire need of a shower and some sleep.
As she stood in the tub, hot water pouring over her skin she let out a heavy sigh wanting to swear off alcohol for the rest of her life but she knew that it wouldn't happen. Another sigh escaped her as she finished up her shower, climbing out to dry and dress before climbing into her comfortable bed to sleep the rest of her horrendous hangover off. She snuggled into the mattress, making a mental note to look for a job since her rent still had to be covered.
~~x~~
Morning came too quickly and though she wanted to go back to sleep for just a little longer she needed to convince her team to go on a well-paying job so that regardless of minor destruction they should at least get something and she'd be able to cover her rent. With a heavy sigh the blonde got out of bed and made her way to her tub hating that she couldn't take a bath. Finishing with her morning routine she made her way to the guild, taking a breath before she entered the building searching for her partner and best friend. Approaching the bar she called for Mira.
"Morning Lucy" She greeted warmly. "What can I get for you?"
"A strawberry smoothie, please but also do you know where the rest of Team Natsu is?" She inquired, glancing around just in case she somehow missed them.
Mira smiled. "One strawberry smoothie coming up" She chirped. "Oh and Natsu and Happy left this morning to fish, Erza, last I heard she was going toward Oshibana for a job and Gray headed out for something this morning as well."
"Oh." Lucy slouched slightly disappointed with this but then perked up at the thought that if she went on a job by herself then she'd be able to keep all the reward money. Smiling she called to Mira. "Forget the smoothie; I've got a job to look for." Hopping off the bar stool she quickly made her way over to the job board to find a job that would have at least enough reward to cover rent. She'd worry about food coverage later.
Skimming the board she frowned slightly at the multitude of ones that involved fighting. Crossing her arms over her chest she huffed, now regretting not making sure her savings would cover the costs. Her eyes flickered over to the ones that involved multiple mages needed and while it was tempting it would involve having to find a partner before she could get to go on one.
"Lu-chan" At the sound of the script mage calling her name she smiled brightly turning to the blunette.
"Morning Levy-chan" She greeted.
"Rent due soon?"
Lucy nodded her head reluctantly. "Yes, I'm trying to look for a job but there isn't really anything available right now." She pouted, hearing her friend giggle.
"How about going on an interguild job with me?"
Finally managed to get chapter 3 posted. Sorry it took so long. I had majority of this done but every time I sat down to finish it something came up. Luckily I managed and chapter 4 should be easier to get out and should be out quicker than chapter 3. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I once again apologize for the delay.