It's a testament to how drunk they both are that they devise a drinking game around pick-up lines. The rules are simple: for every line they've never heard before, drink; for every line that would've worked, drink; for every line that makes them lose composure, drink.
"Baby, if you were words on a page, you'd be what they called fine print," Cana slurs with a dramatic leer, wiggling her eyebrows at Laxus. The blonde quickly attempts to freeze his facial expression, but when Cana flutters her eyelashes at him maniacally, he breaks into helpless laughter. Grinning, she shoves a shot over to him and he downs it obediently.
He smirks at her. "Apart from being sexy, what do you do for a living?"
"Drink. Bet on Natsu's love life. Occasionally blow shit up." She takes a shot. "Got me again."
"Woman, you're so easy to get into bed."
"Shut up, Dreyar," she grins good-naturedly. "Do you have a sunburn, or are you always this hot?"
"I'm always this hot."
"Moron."
"Hey Cana, did you sit in a pile of sugar? Because you have a pretty sweet ass."
She rolls her eyes. "Did the sun come out or did you just smile at me?"
"I'm so glad I've never heard that one before." Shuddering at the burn, he sidles over to her and slips an arm around her shoulder. "I was wondering if you had an extra heart… because you seem to have stolen mine."
Cana tosses back another shot without even blinking. "Yep, totally would have slept with you for that one."
"Che, no shit— I'm irresistible."
"Not with these lines, you're not."
"You just said you would've slept with me!"
"Obviously I'm having a terrible lapse in judgment." She thinks for a moment. "I think I've been having that lapse in judgment since we started this game."
"You know what would make this more sensible? More alcohol."
Cana cheers and clinks her empty glass with his. "Let me at it!"
They pause to tip back another round of shots, before resuming their game. Wincing at the taste of tequila, Cana bats her eyes excitedly at Laxus. "Your legs must be tired— you've been running through my mind all night."
"Excuse me," Laxus counters, "but I think I dropped something when you walked in: my jaw!"
"That's the worst line I have ever heard." She sticks out her tongue in disgust as she slams her now-empty glass down on the bartop.
"It works."
"That's appalling."
"Hey, not my issue."
"You're an idiot." Cana spins woozily in her chair. "I don't think I can feel my fingertips."
"Will you look for them in my pants?"
"I lied. That was the worst line I've ever heard."
"Che, fine. Give me the bottle." He swallows, pulling a horrified face. "This tastes like etherion."
Cana winks. "That's the point!"
Laxus blearily holds his glass up at eye level. "I bet this could kill a dragon."
"Probably." Cana hazily tips her head back onto the bar and giggles. "Hey, Laxus! You look cold— want to use me as a blanket?"
"…"
"Really? That would have worked?"
"… It was cute and shit. Whatever."
Cana cracks up. "You are such a sweetheart."
"I am not!"
"Yeah, yeah, save it, Sparky. I know what makes you tick now." A pause. "Are you blushing?"
"Shut it, Alberona."
"Can't. I already dropped my jaw."
Against his will, Laxus crumples into laughter at her comment. It's so random and dryly funny and classic Cana that it makes him want to drunkenly giggle. He resists the urge.
"Hey, dragonslayer, are you lost?" Cana murmurs in his ear, slinging an arm around his waist. "Because heaven is a long way from here."
His lips have long been numb to the alcohol's burn, but they tingle as he presses his mouth to the shell of her ear. "Is it hot in here, or is it just you?"
She turns her head to whisper seductively into the curve of his neck:
"It's just me."
"Clever." He laughs again, the sound bubbling out from some little-used cranny. It sounds odd to his ears.
Cana shrugs with a grin. "What can I say? I'm a truth-teller."
Her eyes look like deep, dark amethyst pools as she smirks at him, and he finds himself gazing quietly at her across the bar. The alcohol has flushed her cheeks soft crimson, and he gazes at her, unexpectedly enthralled. "If beauty were time," he whispers, letting his voice roughen into its deep rumble, "you'd be eternity."
She cracks up. "That's it, I'm yours for the night." Still giggling, she tips back another shot. "Oh, that line is wonderful. I'm going to use it."
"Copyrighted," he growls softly in her ear, teasing her with his breath against her neck. "You're only allowed to use that one on me."
"Possessive, aren't we?"
He draws back and meets her violet gaze with his. "Only about what I consider mine."
She freezes. "I'm not yours."
"You could be." The words slip out, unbidden, and hang in the air between them.
He sees the wariness flit through her eyes. "You're drunk. You don't know what I'm saying."
"I'm not drunk. I'm just intoxicated by you." He flashes her a bright, genuine grin. "And I know exactly what I'm saying."
"You won't remember this tomorrow, moron." She's smiling now, a small, private curve of her lips that makes him want to pull her to him and kiss her.
He leans in, resting his straight arms on both sides of her body. They're both pressed up against the bar. "I'll know that you must have been so beautiful that you made me forget all my pick-up lines."
She throws her head back and laughs jubilantly, baring the supple lines of her throat. His mouth goes dry as he lets his gaze rake over the smooth planes of her collarbones, yanking his eyes back up to her face with effort. She glances at him coyly, running a finger down his chest. "What time do you have to be back in heaven?"
He winks. "I'm totally free. When I saw you, I knew that heaven had been brought to me."
"… I should be taking a drink right now."
"So should I."
"I have drinks back in my apartment. Care to continue this there?"
"You know, I'd like to invite you over, but I'm afraid you're so hot that you'll skyrocket my air-conditioning bill."
"Dear Mavis, you are terrifyingly good at this."
"I can't wait to show you what else I'm good at."
"Hey, Cupid called. He says to tell you that he needs my heart back."
"No way, finders keepers!"