I did plan on eventually continuing this story, and was glad to have gotten a couple likes and favorites, and a comment (thank you so much, swallowmysoul!). I had the chapter mostly written out, but eventually changed it and now I'm pretty happy with how it turned out for the story. I'm glad I'm not alone in this ship, haha! Let me know what you think!

"Why do we even bother with him?" Macao muttered as he watched his friend walking back from the bar, but not without winking at just about every woman he walked past. He arrived at the table and set three drinks down.

"That's why," Wakaba said with a grin, picking up one of the glasses. Macao chuckled and took his own.

"What's why?" Gildarts asked, having just joined the conversation.

"Free drinks. That's why we're friends," Wakaba said, and Gildarts laughed. As per usual on Thursday nights, the three of them were out at one of the bars not far from their office building.

"It certainly isn't for your perverse nature," Macao muttered, taking a playful jab at his friend. Gildarts looked appalled.

"I'm not perverse! I just… enjoy the touch of a woman," he said.

"Don't we all," Wakaba murmured into his drink.

"And you're one to talk!" Gildarts then said to Macao, blue eyes brightening as a grin spread across his lips. "Where were you last Thursday? One minute you were going up to get another drink and the next you were gone. Find a lucky little lady, did you?"

Macao laughed as Gildarts wiggled his brows, but shook his head.

"We're long past the days we recount every detail of our sexcapades," he said.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean we don't wanna know how she was in bed," Wakaba said.

"She was good. Went back to her place for some whiskey and took things to the bedroom. That was that," Macao said, taking a drink. He certainly wasn't going to tell them that it was the best sex he'd had in a very long time; that she tasted better than anything he'd ever had on his tongue before; that when he woke up the next morning to her sleeping at his side, he actually wished he didn't have to go right away. He wanted to keep all of that to himself. Yes, he knew it was only one night, but, if given the chance, he would take her again and again.

"You didn't feed her the 'my wife may have cheated on me' line, did you?" Wakaba asked.

"It's not feeding her a line if it's true."

"You did say it," Gildarts said, slapping a hand on the table. "Well no wonder you got laid. She was giving you pity sex."

"It was not pity said," Macao said with a scoff.

"It was pity sex," Wakaba confirmed, but Macao said nothing. He'd let them believe what they wanted. He knew pity sex, and what Cana gave him was anything but. And even if she did, it was still a great time and he wouldn't change a thing.

"Still more than what you got," he said, chuckling when he saw his friend's eyes narrow.

"Oh, by the way, Gil, I'll be out for a week next month. Millgana's got a family vacation planned," Wakaba said.

"You always wait until I've had a few drinks in me to bring up stuff like that," Gildarts said, rolling his eyes when Wakaba grinned widely. "You're lucky, though. Things are slowing down a little and I don't think we'll need you much, anyway."

"See? It always works out."

"Yeah, and we'll see if you've still got a job when you come back."

"You wouldn't fire me even if I screwed up every document I've ever filled out," Wakaba said, leaning back in his seat. Gildarts just scoffed and took a drink, but his eyes said that it was all still in good fun.

After the three drank together for a few hours more, Gildarts checked his watch and sighed.

"I should get going. I've got a big meeting in the morning," he said as he stood.

"Hey, thanks for the drinks," Macao said.

"See ya tomorrow, then, bossman," Wakaba said. Another half an hour and Wakaba said he needed to be heading out as well, but Macao said he'd stick around for another drink. He didn't need to be in until later tomorrow, anyway. Standing, he went to the bar, finding an empty stool and taking a seat. He pulled his phone out to check something quick, and while he did so, he heard a drink being placed before him - a whiskey, to be exact.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't order -" Macao looked up and was met with playful violet eyes.

"Wait… you slept with the same dude from last week?" Cana groaned, burying her face in her hands.

"Yes…"

"...Are you sick?"

"What? No -"

"Shit, you aren't pregnant, are you?"

"No! Jesus, Gray!"

"Hey, it was a valid question!" the man said, holding his hands up in defense. Juvia giggled softly at his side.

"Yeah, but I wouldn't - forget it, look, I don't know what's up with me. But… I actually really enjoyed it," Cana said, sitting upright against the back of the sofa.

"Well, that's understandable. It's sex." Cana and Macao had ended up talking quite a bit again and Macao had stayed at the bar until Mira told Cana she could head out a little early. The two made their way back to Cana's apartment, where she pulled out the same bottle of whiskey from the week before and teased each other with words until they couldn't hold back any longer. And, like last week, the only proof that he had been there at all was the satisfying ache in her body and the empty whiskey glasses on the kitchen counter. She had gone to her friend's place not long after she woke, needing advice on what to do next after last night.

Last Night

Cana wanted to laugh at the way Macao fell to the bed beside her, but she was so worn out at this point that she couldn't bring herself to do it. Besides, there was a comfortable silence between them now (another new thing to her - post-sex silence was never something she found to be comfortable), save for their heavy breathing, and she was okay with that.

Macao shift and turned onto his back, then looked over at her. Her eyes were closed, but she could feel his gaze upon her.

"Cana?" The brunette hummed in reply. He didn't say anything right away, though, and silence stretched between them again before he broke it. "Could I take you out sometime?"

Cana's eyes snapped open and she stared up at the ceiling, her quiet mind suddenly turning to chaos. "Uh…"

Macao cursed and ran a hand down his face. "Shit… Probably not the best time to ask something like that. Sorry, just -"

"No, no, it's okay." Slowly, Cana sat up and brought the sheet with her. Why was she feeling self-conscious all of the sudden? She was normally fine with being in the buff. "It's just that I don't - I'm not really dating right now."

Macao sat up as well and looked at her, nodding in understanding.

"Okay… then how about this - no date. We just… meet up and talk." Cana looked at him and he saw that he might just have a chance. "What are you doing next Friday?"

"I'm working," she said, almost wishing he had asked a day that she was free before mentally shaking her head.

"Then I'll come visit you. No date, just something casual." She bit her lip and he was quick to reassure her. "You don't have to answer now, and if you want to say no, then I'll avoid the bar you work at in the future. No hard feelings."

She was still chewing her lip and it took all Macao had not to lean over and take it between his own teeth. Finally, she offered him a soft smile.

"I'll think about it," she said, and Macao smiled in return. She then settled back into the bed and turned her back to him, once again willing herself to fall asleep.

When she woke the next morning, he was gone, leaving her unsure as to when he actually left, but she wouldn't dwell on it.

As Cana was heading to the kitchen to clean up the glasses, she noticed a white card beneath one of them. On it, was a scribbled number with the words text me beneath it. Beneath that was or call me, then or whichever you prefer. Then, on what little space remained on the business card, was - Macao. That had Cana laughing - it was as though she wouldn't know who had written it. Or that his name wasn't already on the other side of the card along with his business information.

Macao Conbolt

Vermillion Industries

Cana's brows furrowed, but she decided not to dwell on that piece of information too long and went back to cleaning up.

"I know, but it's more enjoyable than normal. This guy makes it so fucking good that I can't stop thinking about it. And I swear he went down on me for about half an hour just because he liked it. I mean, what guy does that?"

"Hey, I do!" Gray shouted in his defense at the same time Juvia bashfully muttered "Gray never disappoints Juvia…"

"Besides men in a committed relationship," Cana said, rolling her eyes. She then scoffed. "Hell, sometimes not even they like to do it."

"Bacchus was just a prick," Gray said with a dismissive wave of his hand. Juvia nodded in agreement.

"You don't have to tell me. I think I know better than anyone."

"I don't know about that. You were pretty blinded for a while," Gray said, but Cana just crossed her arms.

"This is hardly a conversation to have while sober."

"It is only nine in the morning."

"White russians exist, you know," she said. Gray sighed and stood.

"Coming right up," he said, heading into the kitchen. Juvia moved to the sofa, and sat next to Cana.

"He asked me out, Juvia," Cana said, burying her face into her hands. She felt Juvia place her hand on her back, rubbing softly.

"And you don't want that?"

"That's the problem - I don't know. You know I don't date - at least, I'm not dating right now. It's all a hassle and you never know what kind of guy he's gonna end up being."

"But?" Juvia asked, sensing Cana had more to say. The brunette sighed and lowered her hands.

"But with Macao everything just feels natural." Cana groaned and slumped against the back of the couch. "And I hate saying that because I've only met him two times."

"Well…"

"I can assure you, I don't believe in love at first sight - not like how you do, Juve." The blue haired woman flushed softly and smiled.

"Juvia didn't believe it either." Cana gave her a look and Juvia raised her hands. "But that's not what I'm saying. Juvia knows you aren't like that. Even so, I think it's at least worth a shot, right? If you say things feel natural, what could it hurt to test the waters? I mean… you already know he's great in bed, right?"

She has a point, Cana thought, chewing on the inside of her lip. Plus, with how everything went last night, she definitely wouldn't mind getting that same treatment more often.

"Though it may be difficult to know when the two of you will be seeing each other again," Juvia said, tapping her chin lightly in thought. "Thursdays do seem to be your lucky day."

"Well… I do have his number…" Cana said softly, almost ashamedly.

"Wait… You have his number?" Gray said when he came back into the room, placing the cocktail in front of Cana on the coffee table. "Jesus, Cana, something really is wrong with you."

"Oh, shut it. He left it for me so I could get back with him about the date," Cana said, rolling her eyes and throwing a pillow at him.

"You're going on a date with him?"

"He asked me out. Sort of. It's not really a date. Either way, I don't know what to do," she said, and Gray threw the pillow back at her.

"Watch it, buddy. You spill my drink, you're dead." Gray rolled his eyes, a smile on his lips.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Anyway, I gotta head to work."

"You haven't solved my problem yet," Cana said.. Gray shrugged, then donned his jacket and went to Juvia, giving her a deep kiss that made Cana wonder if Gray was just going to give work the bird and haul Juvia into their bedroom. Even so, she groaned into her white russian and rolled her eyes, feigning annoyance. Truth be told, though, she missed that the most - the casual kisses and touches. Of course, she'd never say that out loud, especially not to her friend.

Gray pulled away, albeit reluctantly, and Juvia flushed softly, smiling at him as he left. It all got Cana thinking as she looked down at her phone. She had put Macao's number in for when she was ready to give him an answer, but each time she thought she had one, she ended up staring blankly at the new message screen.

Finally, she began to type, having finally decided her on her answer.

I'll see you next Friday - Cana