[A/N] Loving the response to this so far... :)

Cana returned home, pockets pleasantly full of jewel. The job had been good and easy, nothing like paranoid rich girls to fill your pockets.

"Magnolia station, next stop."

Cana stood and slung her bag over her shoulder, scooping up her damned game of Faces. She waited for the door to open. In a flash of steam, the doors opened and she strode out into the station.

She didn't know what she expected when the steam cleared. But whatever she expected, at least it wasn't Laxus.

"What are you doing here, Evergreen?" She was too surprised to be angry. "I thought the Thunder God Tribe was on a job."

Evergreen adjusted her glasses. "We got back while you were gone. What have you done?" she asked coolly, cutting right to the point.

"Excuse me?" Cana recoiled, startled.

"To Laxus. He's been drinking consistently since he got back to Fairy Tail."

"And you automatically assumed it's my fault," Cana stated flatly. She brushed past her fellow guildmate, forcing down her anger. Fuckin' Dreyar.

"Yeah, I did." Evergreen fell into step with the card mage. "Do you know what you do to him?"

"I can only hope that he regrets jumping into your pants," Cana snapped acidly.

"Yeah, actually," Evergreen said sharply. "And regret isn't a good mood for him."

"Then he shouldn't have done anything to regret in the first place!" Cana glared at her guild mate. "Why do you even care, anyway? Aren't you sleeping with Elfman?"

"Laxus is my friend," Evergreen retorted. "And hey, at least I've got someone to sleep with, instead of falling into an empty bed that reeks of booze."

Cana clenched her fists. "Not a good way to get on my good side." She slid her magic deck from her pocket, ready and hoping for Evergreen to retaliate.

Evergreen, though, didn't reply to that. "Why are you so angry with him all of a sudden?" she asked instead.

Can stuffed her cards away, itching to beat the shit out of someone who deserved it. Grudgingly, she was forced to admit that Evergreen would not give her the pleasure. "Cause it's the first time he's been back in town since we broke up," she admitted gruffly, part of the truth.

"You never broke up," Evergreen reminded her tartly. "For the last year the story from both of you has been that you 'dumped his ass'."

Cana subsided, looking at the ground as they walked through the city.

"What changed?" Evergreen persisted. "Do you want him back?"

"No," she said with forceful conviction. Stuffing her fists in her pockets, she muttered, "I really don't."

Realization dawning in Evergreen's eyes, she tilted her head. "What did your cards say?"

"That is none of your business!" Cana said hotly. "Like I'd tell you anyway!"

Evergreen halted in her tracks, forcing Cana to stop and turn back to her. "Okay, Alberona, I get that you hate me for sleeping with Laxus, but I'm only trying to help here!"

"I don't need your help!"

"Then I hope for Laxus' sake that you get over this tantrum," Evergreen said coldly, turning on her heel.

Cana didn't watch her go; she was already headed towards Fairy Tail and her booze.

"Laxus."

"Go away, Evergreen," he told her tiredly, raising his glass to his lips. He wasn't at all up for sleeping with her tonight.

"Cana's home."

His fingers tightened on the glass imperceptibly. "So?"

"So I talked to her at the train station."

A pregnant pause ensued. Laxus slowly set the glass down. Clearing his throat, he asked, "What did she have to say?"

"Not a lot beyond anger at you."

Laughing humorlessly, he rasped, "And I assume anger is putting it mildly?"

"Yeah." Evergreen sat down beside him and waved for a beer. "She was headed back to Fairy Tail, if you care."

"I don't."

"Her cards told her something about you, you know," she said in a conversational tone, watching him from the corner of her eye.

"Knew that already."

"Did you know that they said something about you two getting back together?"

Glass shattered as Laxus' hand clenched suddenly. "Fuck you!" he snapped at his friend, alcohol dripping from his fist.

She glared at him. "No, fuck you, Laxus, 'cause I'm just trying to help you here."

He laughed again, that short humorless bark. "Oh, really? I thought you were more the jealous type than the helpful type, Titania," he mocked her.

Evergreen shot to her feet, cheeks tinged with indignant rage. "Why the fuck should I be jealous about a pair of bitchy, self-hating jackasses like the two of you?!" She downed the last of her beer, shaking with rage. "You're perfect for each other in that pathetic-ass sense." Stomping out, she yelled over her shoulder, "Here's to you and your talent at making women hate you!"

Laxus tossed a few jewel on the bar, with extra for Evergreen's drink and the shattered glass. He stood and left, heading the opposite direction from Evergreen's rage.

Laughing mockingly at himself, he whispered, "At least she didn't take off her glasses."