Disclaimer (from here and onwards): I do not own any of the characters at all. Although that would be pretty cool. Also, there is swearing, so if you are bothered by that, please do not read, unless you want to I guess.

ONE: MEMORY AVENUE

Looking back, her first taste of alcohol was the start of all of this.

Back then, she ached for the courage to tell him-Gildarts-that he was her father. With each passing day, whether he was in the guild or not, she cried a little inside. Back then, she wanted her father. No one else but him. Back then, she just wanted to know that she still had someone who loved her. With her mother dead, who else was there to care for her? To hold her? To sing her to sleep? So she waited patiently each day waiting for him to come back, waiting for the courage to tell him to come forth, and waiting for the day when she could finally smile brightly, honestly once again.

One day, when she was thirteen, something changed.

Cana Alberona was never one to act rashly. She made friends rather slowly, her closest friend being Gray. Since she joined the guild, Cana practiced Card Magic diligently. She had always been brilliant at cards; card games in general were her forte. However, the first thing she did when she turned thirteen was drink. A completely rash act.

The day she turned thirteen was supposed to be a joyous event, but due to another failed attempt at telling Gildarts the truth, instead of a smile, her lips were pulled into a deep frown. That was the day she was first offered a drink. By Laxus.

Laxus was one of the more alert members of the guild. While the others celebrated Cana's birthday by obliviously drinking and throwing benches and tables all over the place, all the while having a jolly good time, Laxus was one of the few who noticed the frown on the pretty, little girl's face. Having never been good with emotions, Laxus did the only reasonable thing he could think of: offer her a drink.

That was the first time she ever drank alcohol. That was also the day she realized that alcohol was her friend. The one thing that could make her forget her problems. The one thing that allowed her to feel truly free and happy for a short while. That was also the first time she was ever completely plastered, having had no experience with booze before. For once in her life, she felt relieved.

"Cana! Hey, Cana!"

"What?"

"Here," an eighteen year old Laxus said while shoving a glass of beer in her face. "It'll make you feel better."

"…Thanks?"

"No problem. Ahem. You know, on a day like this, you shouldn't be moping around. Man up."

The smile that had formed earlier, when he had first appeared, quickly turned to a frown. "You're a jerk."

"Tch. Thanks. I'm glad we cleared that up."

... ...

The many times she had issues drove her directly to alcohol to the point where she no longer got plastered easily. Instead, all that was left was that bitter taste of booze sliding down her throat. Instead of forgetting her problems for the night, they ran and reran over and over again in her mind. She couldn't forget. So she drank some more. Without meaning to, she became addicted. Her love for alcohol grew as she experimented with different drinks each and every night.

Then, she failed her first S-Class trial.

"Cana, try your best, okay?" Gildarts had said.

His words had made her happy. It was then that she decided, I'll tell him when I come back. If I become S-Class. If I can make him proud of me.

But she hadn't made it. She couldn't keep up. And so when she returned, she cried a little inside. She put up a brave front, laughed it off with many of the drunk members of Fairy Tail, and drank some more. Until he came along. The one boy who had become S-Class. The one boy whom she felt envy towards at that very moment. Laxus Dreyar.

She wasn't mad or anything. No. He had issues of his own. Wanting to become better than Master Makarov. That was a big one. So she wasn't mad. Not. At. All.

"Hey."

"What do you want?" Oh, fuck it. She would be lying if she wasn't bothered by it even in the slightest.

"Uh, well. Just wanted to say: Even though you didn't become S-Class, you were still great. Better luck next time, yeah?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"See you around."

That was when she realized that maybe, just maybe, Laxus Dreyar wasn't so bad after all.

But then, he became obsessed with power. And she fell kinda, sorta in love with Macao Conbolt.

It was another one of her off days. The previous week, thanks to Macao, had been full of depravity from the bittersweet substance called beer. He had suggested that she cut back on her beloved booze a bit since she seemed to be running a never-ending tab. Being the kind-hearted, sweet, and obedient girl (HEY, I CAN BE THOSE THINGS SOMETIMES, DON'T YOU DARE LAUGH IT OFF!) she was, she decided to take his suggestion into consideration. That is, until he found himself a new girlfriend. That was when her tab went off the charts once more. Poor, sweet Mirajane never saw it coming. One minute Cana was sitting on a stool, moping around. The next, she was drinking barrels and barrels of beer. Nonstop. Without taking a single breather, she drank like she had been in the desert without any available water source.

And, guess who happened to show up just in time to see her rehabilitation from beer go down the drain? Laxus fucking Dreyar, of course. Who else, but him?

He sits down next to her, orders a shot of whiskey, and downs it in one go. Both continue on with their drinking in silence for a while, until she speaks.

"Why are you here, Laxus? Shouldn't you be with the Raijinshu? I thought you only hung out with 'powerful' people." Cana spat out, bitterly.

He continues to down drinks as if ignoring her comments. Then, "I just thought, maybe, you needed someone to drink with. You know, like before."

Yeah, she did know. Before he became power hungry, he was her friend. Now, they ignored each other like it never happened. After all, he tended to drink up on the second floor of the guild, and she liked hanging out with the other guys, drinking merrily, happily, without a care in the world.

She missed him, but she'd never admit that to him.

And then the stupid festival happened, and he started that stupid contest for the guild.

It was times like these that made her pissed off beyond words. A guild was supposed to represent family. She had no family (besides Gildarts who knew nothing of her essentially) and so, when she 'awoke' from being turned to stone by Evergreen and learned of Laxus's stupid "Who's More Powerful?" contest, her fury arose, and, angrily, she set off with Juvia towards the town searching for the Raijinshu and Laxus.

... ...

Juvia fell down, smiling at Cana. She had sacrificed herself instead of falling for stupid Freed's trap. Cana was pissed. More so than ever. She couldn't believe them. Stupid Raijinshu. Stupid Laxus. How could they do this? Making nakama fight against nakama. Who the fuck did they think they were? God. Fucking god, she couldn't deal with this. Not now. Not ever.

Fuck, she hated him. For breaking her heart like this, she hated him.

Never, ever would she forgive that stupid, stupid man.

And so he was exiled. She never saw him again, except on the occasional mission or two…

There it was again. That feeling of recognition. She stared ahead. There was that familiar blonde hair and those headphones. Oh god. Was she seeing things again? Could that be it? It couldn't be him right? It just couldn't.

Even as these thoughts ran through her mind, over and over, she didn't budge. She refused to run up and see the truth. Even if it was him, what was there to say? What was there to do? Nothing. She was still mad, still upset. Even though it had been months now, and she's seen him how many times? Two? Three?

Oh fuck it. She was getting out of there. As fast as possible. Onto the next mission it was then.

…Until Tenrou Island.

The next time she saw him was at Tenrou Island. Next to her dad. Being made fun of for being exiled. She had laughed. It had been a while since she last saw him. He hadn't changed much. How long was it now? Probably a year..

She wasn't mad anymore. Still a little hurt, but that would pass. But she couldn't talk to him now. She couldn't even say hi. She still had to talk to her dad. Tell her dad the truth. Then maybe, just maybe, she would be strong enough to go up, say hi, and ki-Fuck. She had problems.

The next time they met, he was reinstated into Fairy Tail. No problem. She was drinking again, and he was sitting with the Raijinshu.

It had been seven years. Seven years of nothing. No memories, nothing. What a waste of time, Cana thought to herself whilst downing a glass of beer. Damn, how she missed this stuff. It had been too long. Way too long. She was downing her sixth-Seventh? Eighth? Who knows- glass, just as Laxus managed to detach himself from the Raijinshu, and sit down right next to her.

He wasn't as shy, nice, or even polite as he had been in their past conversations. Although maybe just a little bit?

"So you finally told him huh?"

"Yup."

"Wasn't as bad as you thought it'd be, then?"

"Nope."

"…Cana"

"Sup?"

"Go out with me?"

The fuck?.. "Nope."

"Why not?"

"Why go?"

"'Cause you're hot. And we'd make beautiful babies."

"Oh. Then, in that case, no."

"Damn."

"Yup."

And because The Heavens hated her, she met him again two days later. After a date with a fellow eighteen year old. Not. Strange. At. All.

It had been a while since she last went out with someone. So, for one night, she dressed up nicely, was taken to a fairly new restaurant down the street from her apartment, and had a good time with a good-looking guy. Until she realized that seven years had passed, and even though she was eighteen, technically she was twenty-five. So, technically, she was out with a younger-way younger-guy. That freaked her out a bit, and after the date, instead of walking her home, her date walked her to the park, where she told him it wasn't going to work out.

"It's not you, it's just. This is just too weird for me."

"Oh, I see."

"Yeah, you see, seven years ago, you were what? Eleven? Seven years ago, I was eighteen. It's just not going to work out. Sorry."

"No, it's okay. There's plenty of fish in the sea, right?"

"Ha, yeah. Sorry about this."

Then, because for once, she had a heart (unlike all of those other times back then, with those other guys), she kissed him on the cheek, got up, and left with no regrets.

She walked off towards the direction of her apartment. Just as she was turning the corner of the street, she saw him, sitting there on the stairs in front of her place. Walking up, somewhat loudly thanks to her shoes, she saw him look up and smile at her.

"Hey, so I heard you had a date, and I was just wondering if I needed to scare someone off. You know, just to piss you off and all that." He said casually.

She rolled her eyes at him. "Don't be such an ass, Laxus." She sat down beside him, pulled her knees towards her chest, and stared straight ahead. "I-It didn't work out."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. I realized he was too young. And I was basically being a cradle robber. So I stopped it. Before it could go any further. Didn't want to ruin him for other women, ya know?"

"Sure."

They sat together in silence for a while, her staring off into the distance, him just thinking. Then,

"I know we shouldn't be talking about this. I mean, you are back in the guild after all, but, during your exile…I kept thinking I saw you. On every mission I was on, I felt like you were there. Somewhere. And I know, maybe this sounds ridiculous. And maybe, you might even think I have feelings for you-which I don't, I swear. I'm off older guys for a while. But, I just have to know… Were you there?"

"I don't know. Cana, it's not like I would stalk you just because I had nothing better to do."

"I know. I guess. I dunno. I guess, I just wanted to talk to you back then. 'Cause without you in the guild, it was kind of lonely. Like, not lonely enough so that I couldn't have fun or all of that nonsense. More like, it was just weird without you. Don't-don't think of this in the wrong way."

"Don't worry. I won't."

"Kay."

"…So, ittle Cana-kins missed big bad me, eh?"

"Shut up!"

And finally, she realized the truth that had been in her face all along. Although, it was mostly thanks to Mirajane.

Fuck. Where the fuck was he when she needed him? She stalked off towards the bar where Mira was bartending. Sitting down on a stool right in front of Mira, she sighed. Big time.

"Hey, Cana. What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Just felt like chatting with stupid Laxus, but he's gone somewhere."

"Oh? I heard he's off to some far away mission. Apparently it might take a while too. Who knows, maybe he'll meet someone nice and fall in lo-oo-ve." Mirajane sighed happily at her last thought, all the while thinking: Omo, Cana and Laxus? MATCHMAKING IN PROGRESS.

"Hmph."

"Why don't you say good-bye? It'll take at least a good month or two before he comes back."

So, Cana Alberona up and left the Fairy Tail building (not to go after Laxus or any of that nonsense), but to get some fresh air. And if she just happened to run into Laxus, well, it's not like it would have been a big deal, right? They were friends after all. But, as she walked through the crowd, she began to think of all those moments they had together. And maybe, just maybe, she had feelings for him after all? God only knows how many times she denied it in the past. But then, why should she tell him? If he had feelings for her, he should say something first! But, she could be the bigger person…Ah, fuck it.

She met him again a few months later.

"Hey. You. Asshole. I like you."

"The fuck was that shit of a confession. At least make it a bit more dramatic and all that other shit."

"No way."

"Haha, you're cute. Maybe that's why I love you, Cana."

THE END.

(NOT REALLY)

- - - *extra

"OH MY GOD. WHAT THE HELL IS THIS? LUCY?"

"EEEK. SORRY CANA. SOO, SOO SORRY."

"WHAT. THE. FUCK. ME. AND. LAXUS? NEVER!"

"ACK. LEVY MADE ME WRITE IT. SHE SAID, YOU GUYS WOULD BE SO CUTE TOGETHER."

"EHHH? Lu-chan, how dare you blame me!"

"Oh? Cana wants me? Well, well, well."

"NO. YOU ASSHOLE. NEVER."

"Don't deny it, babe. The chemistry between us. It's sparkling."

"That. Was. The. Cheesiest. Line. Ever."

"OH MY GOD. THEY'RE KISSING. LU-CHAN, THEY'RE K-I-S-S-I-N-G."

"Omo, how cute. Where's the camera?"

"Aack. Nooo! Not the camera, Mira!"

"Oooh, look at this photo. How cutee!"

"Delete it!"

"Never. It's going in my photo album."

"Ackk! Do something, Laxus!"

"Why? I think we look hot together, babe."

"…Tch."