Fanfiction series: Odds and Ends
Title: An Acquired Taste
Pairing: Macau/Cana
Rating: K+
Word count: 1421
Summary: Cana is an acquired taste. It took some time for Macau to learn to appreciate her.
Notes: Very underappreciated almost-canon couple. May-December romance, I suppose. The longest one yet.


There was an almost visible cloud of depression hanging over one Cana Alberona as she sat at one end of the bar counter, nursing her drink and staring gloomily forward. Mirajane didn't ask her what the problem was, merely refilling her glass everytime it got empty.

It was a Friday night and every Friday night, Macau was out on the town with his girlfriend and Cana drank to forget about the occurence. It was the only time she allowed herself to wallow in self-pity, being too proud to show her hurt otherwise. She was, after all, Cana Alberona, a veteran mage of Fairy Tail who always kept her cool, especially in a crisis. She was no feeble, ordinary girl, like that bimbo Macau dated. She was strong, dammit! She downed her drink and slammed it on the counter.

"Mira!" she waved the white-haired barmaid over. "'Nother one."

Mirajane refilled her glass without saying a word but Cana motioned her to stay.

"Don't look at me like that," she spoke, the words not yet slurred. "I don't wanna pity. It's no big deal that he's out there with that stupid bimbo, enjoyin' himself. I'm all right, just need a little drink to tide me over in my loneliness."

Mirajane nodded as she listened. The speech was very familiar, Cana had been saying similar things every Friday ever since Macau found himself a girlfriend. Once she got it off her chest and drank what equaled two full bottles of a hard liquor, she would get up and stumble home to sleep her depression off. Next day, she would appear, bright and early, ready to take on the world again. Mirajane didn't need to do anything, just keep the drinks coming and lend a sympathetic ear now and then.

The barmaid returned to her job, cleaning the glasses and watching the goings-on in the guild. It was a rather quiet evening. There was a recent influx of jobs and more than half of the mages were out on their missions. It was very peaceful in the guild and hard to even imagine the ruckus that would occur when more of the members stopped by.

The main door opened and Mirajane looked up, ready to welcome the newcomer. She was rather shocked when she realized it was Macau. He was clean-shaven and Mirajane wondered if he was heading for his date and why he stopped at the guild first.

Macau himself took a look around the guild and stared for a moment at Cana who had her back turned and didn't notice his presence yet. He seemed to think something over before he nodded to himself and walked over.

"Hey, is this seat taken?"

Cana turned around, staring at him, her glass half-way raised.

"What?" she got out.

"Is this seat taken?" he repeated with a grin. Cana lowered her glass and looked him up and down before answering.

"No, it's free."

"Good, would you mind if I joined you?"

But he didn't wait for her answer and sat down, waving Mirajane over.

"I'll have the same thing as the lady here," he ordered and Mirajane smiled, setting the drink in front of him. Cana seemed to get over her surprise by then and pointed a finger at him.

"What are you doing here?"

He blinked at her innocently.

"Having a drink with a pretty girl, obviously."

Cana blushed but told herself it was an effect of the alcohol she had consumed beforehand.

"Aren't you with a wrong girl? What about your girlfriend?" her mouth twisted around the hated word but Macau waved it off.

"It fell through. I broke up with her this week."

"Why?" it was the only thing she could think to ask him. Broke up with his girlfriend? For real?

"The same old thing as always. Nagged at me about being a mage, how dangerous it was, how she wanted me to settle down with a normal job... it was like my ex-wife all over again."

"Ah," Cana said, falling silent. Well, it was... expected, really. Ordinary people simply didn't get what being a mage was about, at least not all of them. There were exceptions, of course, but few and far between. For most civilians, mages were a wild and mysterious bunch, better left to their own devices. "So, are you going on bender to forget?"

"Nah," Macau said. "Not worth it. The only thing I would get would be a hangover. No, I think I'd prefer to keep you company. There's no better medicine for a heartbreak than a drink with a beautiful woman, after all."

He was smiling at her and it was the second compliment from him that evening but Cana was weary, not wanting to risk more heartache.

"I'm not going to be your rebound girl," she warned him. Macau just laughed it off.

"Cana, trust me a bit, won't you?"

"Get me another drink and I might."

He nodded, complying with her demand. They sat there in companionable silence, only occasionaly speaking of anything that came to mind. It was strangely reminiscent of their usual routine but there was an undercurrent of something new in their interaction. Some kind of awareness that hadn't been there before. When Mirajane brought to their attention that it was close to midnight, both of them stood up, Cana swaying far less than usual on a Friday evening but still enough to be noticeable.

"C'mon, I'll walk you home," Macau offered, studiously ignoring Mirajane's subtle winks and eyebrow wagging.

"Thanks," Cana murmured, leaning onto his offered arm. The streets were emptying as they walked them slowly, the fresh air sobering Cana a bit. As they approached the Fairy Hills, Macau started speaking.

"I think I have learned my lesson this time."

"Huh?" Cana looked up at him, his profile blurred against the artificial light of the streetlamps.

"About dating. I'm going to take a pause from it... spend more time with Romeo, maybe do some jobs, drink with my friends... things like that."

"That's good," she told him, slightly disappointed. It seemed he was going to forget about romance again and there went her chances of gaining his attention. Still, at least he wouldn't be dating anyone. That was better than the previous situation.

"Yeah, and then, when I want a girlfriend, I'll look for her in the guild."

Cana stopped.

"What did you just say?" she asked.

"That my next girlfriend's going to be a mage. Someone who can understand that kind of life."

"Oh, you have anyone in mind?" Cana's voice dripped with sarcasm. She should have known he had already had his eyes on someone.

"As a matter of fact, yes."

"And care to tell me who it is?" when she got her hands on that woman, whoever she was...

"This pretty brunette I have known for a long time," there was an unmistakable glee in his voice. "You probably know her. Uses cards, drinks like a man... but she rejected me tonight," he mused. "Maybe she's not interested."

Cana turned to him, her balled fists propped at her waist.

"I didn't reject you, you moron. You didn't even ask."

"And that thing with the rebound girl?"

"Pfft," Cana tossed her head back, confident as never before. "Any self-respecting girl would tell you that. And I insist on that. No rebound girl for you."

Macau raised his hands in a placating gesture.

"I know, I know. That's why I said I would wait before asking you."

They regarded each other wearily. Their feelings were out now and their relationship had changed, yet... Yet it didn't feel awkward at all. The change was a good one. Something that had been muddled had been clarified and confused feelings were straightened out. It felt... right.

Cana shook her head and then stepepd closer to Macau, looping her arm through his.

"Walk me home, okay?"

"Sure."

"And you might start thinking of just how you want to ask me out properly. I am a closet romantic, you know and I deserve the best after waiting on you for that long."

Macau rolled his eyes fondly. Cana was certainly an unique woman with an unique outlook on life.

"If I knew what I was getting into..." he trailed off, teasing her.

"You would still do it," she told him uncompromisingly. "Because you have learned your lesson this time, didn't you?"

He glanced down at her, seeing her smiling at him and smiled back.

"I sure have."


So, next one is Happy/Charle. After that, I'm not sure. The couples left are: Arzack/Visca, Gerard/Erza, Leo/Aries, Luxus/Evergreen, Lyon/Sherry, Mistgun/EdoErza and Panther Lily/Shagotte. And I know some of them are... well... unusual but give them a chance. Pretty please?