[A/N]: So I'm posting this today instead of tomorrow because I was told that I'm disappointing my fans. xD And yes, I completely believe that Cana's cards are sentient. And kinda like "JUST KISS ALREADY"

Aaand the word count on my laptop was wrong, so this isn't as long as I thought it was.

Risk. That's what the Fool meant. Cana felt a bit lighter, despite the fear clouding her mind.

She'd tried so hard to prove her cards wrong this week, but resisting only led to more pain. For once, though, she was making a prediction about her own life. It was personal this time, not like telling Lucy "You'll meet someone special today", or reassuring Erza that the world wouldn't run out of strawberry cake (though, really, who even needed cards for that? The requip mage probably funded the whole industry).

She'd had these cards since she was little; they were so familiar and close to her. She had poured her magic, her soul, into them daily for years; they knew her. There would be no guesswork if they decided to tell Cana's own future.

She tried one last hand.

The Fool

Already to the suit deck? Cana obeyed, wondering why her cards only wanted a single Major Arcana.

Queen of Swords

Ha, a woman who has suffered great loss. And─what the?

Reversed Three of Swords

Confusion. Okay.

Knight of Cups

The corner of her mouth crooked upwards. Change of a romantic nature. If her cards could speak, she knew how exasperated with her they'd be; they were so done with her shit, she knew, and it lifted some of the weight out of the pit of her stomach. "Okay, I─I think I get it." Being extra gentle with them, she carefully stacked her cards. "Thank you." She touched them lightly. Cana stood. "I'm listening now." You just had to slam it into my head. It was finally, blessedly, a definite answer.

She hadn't wanted to listen to the cards at all this week, that much she knew. But it was time to start. Let fate take her where it would, because now Cana had faith. She was still afraid, more so than ever before, but both she and her cards knew that she loved Laxus, and if the ancient magic in her tarot decks were telling her so definitively to take the risk, then she'd better take the damned risk.

For all the heartbreak it might bring. She would never be ready for that sort of pain, but, like her cards said, it was a risk.

…

He'd decided to return to Fairy Tail, after all. If he was going to be stuck thinking about her all day, he might as well do it somewhere with good beer. Besides, she'd be able to find him here…

"Laxus Dreyar!"

Again, the guild went silent, watching with eager anticipation of new, juicy stories. Laxus hoped it would be the last time he'd give them any such satisfaction.

Cana sauntered─sauntered, sashayed, glided, strutted, whatever the hell you want to call it because damn─up through the tables, her eyes flashing. Laxus set down his drink and slowly stood, bracing himself.

As she neared, though, he realized that the flash in her eyes wasn't anger─Cana was defiant; triumphant, even.

He could lose himself in those proud, catlike eyes. He proceeded to do so, thus startled out of his wit when she grabbed the lapels of his coat and yanked him towards her.

She kissed him fiercely, possessively, tenderly, her eyes squeezed shut. He caught himself on the edge of the bar and raised his other hand to the back of her head, tilting his head and hers to kiss her better. He was drunk with the feel of her, intoxicated with the rush of emotions boiling up inside of him. He loved it, loved her.

Cana slowly released his coat, pulling her head away from his lips. Her eyes flashed again. "I swear to god, Laxus, this time─"

"I know." He leaned in again but she stopped him, even though her body still pressed him up against the bar.

"Laxus, I'm serious." She gazed up at him, her expression passionate. "If you ever hurt me again, I will break you." Hanging in the air between them, unspoken, were the words if I don't break first.

He kissed her before she could stop him, briefly and gently. "I know." He leaned in to whisper, "I don't like it when you're not this brash."

She glared at him, then yanked him in for another kiss.

Holy god, he'd forgotten how good she was.

Distantly, he heard Mirajane yell, "That's all for today, people, they'll be at this for a while." He grinned fiercely against Cana and didn't deny it.

[A/N]: Just as a parting gift, check out this song: Beautiful Soul, by Jesse McCartney

I found it on my old iPod today, and if you listen to the lyrics it's literally this fanfic. Theme song, anyone?

If I get enough support, I'll post a couple of fluff pieces that follow this storyline. ;) As an epilogue, you know?