I do not own Fairy Tail.

Hey all. So I needed a break from trying (and failing) to write A Lifetime of Apologies. I just cannot get that chapter down for the life of me, and I'm stuck in a rut. So, I am switching gears up a little bit and gonna give some love to Fairy Tail. Despite the manga heading in... a less than favorable direction, in my opinion, I'm still a fan who can admit the entirety of it had potential, and that it's a pretty amazing universe that he created. But, alas, I don't particularly agree with some of the outcomes... either way!

This is an AU that probably won't be terribly long, but it'll be focusing on a few themes that I won't mention until the end.

This pretty much deals with a college Natsu finding out he's the responsible guardian for his young relative Wendy, where he discovers what it means to have a family again, as well as what it means to be a father.

There is mention of abuse, as well as darker themes, plus some sexual references. It'll be a T rating, so no lemons, but definitely some references. Also, expect coarse language. Romance, too. And, of course, the characters will be O.O.C.

The romance is up in the air at the moment, a choice between a few characters that I'll make a poll for. Here's the biggest thing: I don't really support NaLu. I know, you can leave and hate me now. I'm sorry, I just... I'm not the biggest fan of Lucy overall. She's a decent character, but there's seriously an abundance of NaLu stuff on here. There'll be a mention of it, but nothing that suggests it'll be the actual pairing.

So go onto my profile and feel free to vote! Review, as well! Fuck your flames, but I do think constructive tips are only beneficial, so I don't mind that at all.

Enjoy!

Natsu Dragneel was not, by any means, a thinking man. He wasn't dumb, per-say, but he had his moments when ideas were only as deep as 'I need another drink!' to 'I shouldn't pee on that wall...'. It wasn't particularly his fault- alcohol could take even the brightest of brains and dim them down to the level of a Neanderthal just discovering fire. So, to his credit, he had actually done pretty well.

Go back a few hours to where he had stopped thinking...

It hadn't helped that he couldn't even hear himself think over the mind-numbing electric bass, curtesy of Elfman Strauss's personal stereo set. Even if Natsu did have a thought, it would've been drown out by the ramble of the music, keeping his mind focused solely on the shot glass in front of him, snuggly secured within a pair of large, tan, fleshy mounds.

"Natsu! Natsu! Natsu!" The pinkette could hardly tell who had started the chant, but at that moment, he could have care less as he eagerly eyed the dripping cup of Fireball whiskey that was practically calling his name. While to an outsider, it looked like he was concentrating with great intent, he was actually trying to straighten his vision out so as to not miss and (accidentally) smother his face in something else... or someone else.

"C'mon dragon-boy, let's see what you got," had come the slurred, teasing voice of the busty brunette who had been 'holding' his drink.

Eyes narrowed at the challenge, Natsu had merely grinned with half-lidded eyes and laughed, before plunging downward and securing his mouth on the rim of the cup. As he went to try and drink it, the holder decided it was time to wiggle around, causing his mouth to slide over and bury his face into one of the fleshy holders, eliciting a quiet groan from the woman, masked by the 'ooh'ing from the crowd as a round of laughter erupted.

"Nice aim hot-head!" The taunt, whilst loaded with plenty of smugness, had been supplied by a dark, spiky-haired young man wearing only a pair of dark gray boxers, which also caused the pink-haired man to shoot up and shoot him a rather unpleasant message via his middle finger. However, he wasn't able to follow through with his intentions, as he was grabbed by his signature scale-like white scarf, and pulled back downward to engage in a fiery lip-lock with said brunette.

Though the alcohol had numbed his senses for the most part, he could still smell the tequila on her breath, as well as faintly taste the lime she chased it with. All the while, the crowd found more interest in a shot competition, quickly dispersing to give the two some more space.

"Cana?" Natsu mumbled through the kisses, hoping he didn't have the wrong girl. Cana, with unfocused eyes and a drunken smile, looked at him once, before pulling him back into the exchange, to which he all-too-happily re-engaged in.

Add in some lack of judgement thanks to the alcohol and fast-forward to present day, which is where we find our 'hero'...

"Ooooh..." Cana moaned groggily as a ray of sunlight peeked through Natsu's blinds, managing to score a direct hit on Cana's overly sensitive eyes. She quickly (or what would have been quickly if she wasn't completely hungover) burrowed herself in the closest thing to her, which conveniently happened to be the tan pectoral of one pink-haired man. "Someone turn that off..."

Natsu mumbled incoherently as he felt Cana beginning to stir, interrupting his rather lackluster nap. He groaned uncomfortably as he pried an eye open, only to find the room was far too bright for his liking. He clamped his eyes shut and sighed, hoping he'd just manage to fall right back asleep.

To his disappointment, he was interrupted by the dreary voice of his companion. "Natsu...?"

"That's me..." he replied back, just as eloquently.

"Fuck me, are you serious?"

Despite his state of mind, he couldn't help the self-satisfied smirk that crossed his lips. "I already did."

The girl scoffed and swatted lightly at her 'pillow' but made no efforts to move herself from his body. He radiated heat like a furnace, and she was in no hurry to relieve herself of that calming warmth, even if she was sleeping with one of her best friends. Natsu, on the other hand, merely laid peacefully on his back, his arm wrapped around the shapely form of a girl he'd known since they were young. He knew it was a little weird, but he also knew this wasn't the first time they'd ended up like this, so he did his best to ignore the thoughts that were slowly cropping up.

He just knew he couldn't bring this up around her father, was all.

"So how many times are we gonna do this before we actually learn?" Natsu asked, only to be shushed by the woman at his side.

She put her finger to his lips and pat his trussed hair. "Shh... you never speak of it after waking up."

Natsu rolled his eyes, but obliged by her request... this time. They laid in silence for a few more moments before a loud gurgle was heard, causing Natsu to smirk at a now red-faced Cana.

"Hungry?"

"Shut. Up."

"I guess you did work up an appetite."

"I mean it!"

"I'm just saying."

"Natsu, I will end you," Cana said semi-sweetly. Natsu put his hands up in surrender, before the two parted ways, allowing both to shiver slightly. Though Cana wouldn't admit it vocally, she immediately noticed the absence of warmth, whilst Natsu felt a cool breeze brush over where Cana had formerly been laying. He couldn't tell why, exactly, but he felt a little... disappointed, perhaps?

While Natsu threw on a pair of long pajama pants, as well as socks, Cana got a good look at her longtime friend. At 22, he was hardly the hyperactive, young kid she'd met him as. His once short pink locks were much longer now, and his canine teeth were unusually long, which gave him a feral look when he smiled with his hair. His muscles rippled and bulged as he moved around, signifying years of hard-working and training to allow him his impressive physique. His smile, once innocent and full of mirth, was now slightly devious, but no less charming, capable of swaying most girls with his teasing, onyx eyes. While she didn't harbor any type of crush on him, she also couldn't help but admire his growth since they'd met. Her attraction was purely physical when it came to him, and the both of them knew it; they just didn't know what do about it.

She knew nothing would be different when they went downstairs and had breakfast, and nothing would change when they studied later on. If they passed by each other on the way to class, they wouldn't blush madly or stammer in place, incapable of forming a few words together. Nothing would change- and she liked it that way. She'd had her time with a few guys and once they became intimate, everything changed. Their personalities, their motives, all types of things that she couldn't stand changing.

Maybe that's why, she admitted to herself, she kept coming back to Natsu.

"You done starin'?" Natsu teased as he eyed her from the corner of his eye.

Cana smirked and shrugged. "Depends; I see you taking a peek, too."

Now it was Natus's turn to go on the defensive, realizing he was, in fact, gazing at her bountiful bosom. She, too, had changed. She had grown in height and curves, her chest now a generous round that could catch the eye of many passerby's. Her stomach was toned, a testament to her habitual outdoor activities, despite her drinking habits. Her legs were toughened by marathons and she proudly wore leggings to prove those feats. Her confident visage was only outdone by her ability to out-think even the most tactical of people, something that earned her a reputation as a gambling freak of nature. She had a way with cards and betting, and she'd claimed her fair share of drunken victims during parties.

"Hard not to..." Natus mumbled softly, but still loud enough for Cana to hear. She smiled, but proceeded to slip on a pair of panties, as well as bra, before stealing one of Natsu's shirts. It was just big enough to cover her butt, which she knew wouldn't matter, as there wouldn't be anyone away even if they'd blacked out on the floor.

Her record as a seasoned drinker came in at times like this as she recognized the signs of a hangover, as weak as they were. Her head was a little fuzzy, and her mouth was a bit dry, but overall, she wasn't too bad off, despite the amount she'd taken in. Natsu, on the other hand, was a little worse off. Despite his calm demeanor, he was far from hungry, though he wasn't sick either. Food, just the thought of it, caused his body to ache, and he felt a little green at the mention of it.

"C'mon, let's go grab something," Cana suggested as she walked over to the door. She unlocked it, knowing it was a mark of Natsu to always lock the door, and walked into the hallway. Natsu followed behind, mentally preparing himself for the damages he'd be cleaning for the day. The wooden floor was cool beneath his feet; the repercussions of March.

As soon as he entered the hallway, Natsu could smell the booze, causing his stomach to turn aggressively. Though he vowed to not throw up, he couldn't help the queasiness that overtook him as he entered the living room. The table in front of the television was littered with empty cans of beer, as well as a few bottles of liquor. There was a chair randomly thrown in the living room that was on its side, though Natsu didn't mind. The couch was upright (this time) but the leather contained a darker patch, suggesting someone spilt some beer or liquor on it. The carpet below it also had a faint stain, suggesting someone was sitting and accidentally spilled, and simply bailed on the area. The TV was off, likely thanks to sleep-mode, as the speakers were faintly emitting static as they were on, but disconnected.

Natsu made a mental note to text Elfman to come pick them up if he wanted them back anytime soon. He was half-surprised that the large football player left without them, but figured it likely had something to do with one lovely Evergreen...

"Hmm, not too bad," Cana said from the kitchen. As Natsu peered over the bar, he was pleasantly surprised to only see cans and bottles, no broken glass or open food containers that were thrown everywhere. "I gotta say, seems like you have a simple day of cleaning."

Natsu smirked. "Don't you mean, 'we'?"

Cana rolled her eyes, but smiled. "Yeah, if you make me breakfast, it can be 'we'."

Somehow, Natsu had developed almost an unequivocal ability to cook, even with no one teaching him how. Cana suspected it had something to do with the fact that he had to rely on himself for most of his life, so cooking became one of his key findings. He also usually kept his domain fairly clean, another testament to his self-reliance. Cana shrugged the thoughts from her head as she walked over to the kitchen table. There were only a few bottles on the surface, so throwing them into the trash was a quick task that took little time, whilst the entire time, she could already hear her pink-haired friend cooking up some scrambled eggs.

As far as breakfast went, scrambled eggs with cheese ranked around her top choices, simply because it reminded her of better times where her mother and father were both around. After her 7th birthday, her mother passed away, leaving just her work-ridden father. Thanks to her hospital bills, he was forced to take on more jobs to keep the two afloat, which translated in him being away for longer periods of time, and as such, they became more distant. Though Cana still loved him and she knew he was just doing his best, she also held a little disdain that he wasn't around during times she needed him.

"What kinda juice you want?" Natsu's voice snapped her from her thoughts, bringing the brunette back to reality.

She thought for a second before answering. "Orange works."

"Make it a mimosa?" Natsu joked.

Though it was highly tempting, Cana decided to pass on it, opting to keep her meal clean this time. She hadn't yet gone to the gym, and having drank plenty last night along with whatever food she'd snacked on, she decided it was smarter to pass. Deciding to help out the pinkette, Cana quietly stalked behind Natsu before wrapping her arms around his bare chest and leaned her head against his shoulder. She felt his body tense, but once he saw Cana's face, his face broke out into a small smirk.

"Can I help?" Cana asked with a hint of seduction in her voice.

"You can pour the juice," Natsu suggested.

The young woman smiled and nodded, before slowly releasing Natsu from her hold and walking over to the fridge with a sway of her hips. Natsu was not immune to this, nor was he unaware, as he watch the shirt ride up ever-so-slightly and give him a peek at her well toned backside. He exhaled quietly through his nose and turned back to the eggs, doing his best to ignore the teasing nature of his longtime friend. Over by the fridge, Cana smirked.

She'd won this round.

"Can you find my phone? I gotta text Elfman about his speakers." Cana nodded in response as she grabbed two glasses from the cabinet and began pouring juice into them. Once they were full, she put the juice away and set the drinks on the table, before going into the living room to search for Natsu's phone. Through her fuzzy memory, she recalled seeing it stuck between the couch cushions during a rather lively match of wrestling between the pinkette and several friends of his.

A ghost of a smile touched upon Cana's lips. Even as an adult, Natsu still had his fiery competitive spirit.

A dull buzz caught Cana's attention as she dug through the sofa cushions, causing her to slip over and slide her hand between the couch segments. She felt her fingertips brush against the smooth surface of the phone, and she delicately lifted it up so as to avoid accidentally dropping it back into the couch. To her utter surprise, the phone was still alive somehow, and she was tempted to glare in Natsu's direction at someone owning the one phone that didn't die overnight.

Seriously; she was beyond jealous.

Her jealous ebbed away as she curiously pressed the power button, seeing that Natsu had several missed calls.

"Hey Natsu?" She called. She received a loud 'hum' in response. "You have a few missed calls."

"Mind checking from who? I'm a little busy," he shouted back.

Expertly unlocking his phone (mostly because his password was a straight line), Cana opened his voicemail and put the phone to her ear.

"Mr. Dragneel, I'm calling to inform you about a sensitive matter we must discuss. My name is Kazuya Roubaul of the Cait Shelter; I have recently come across documentation that you are related to one Ms. Wendy Marvell. If possible, we must discuss your relation, as well as possible familial involvement."

Cana frowned; she'd never heard of Natsu having any family outside of his deceased foster father. He'd certainly never brought it up, and he and her had shared several intimate familial details. The voicemail continued, causing her to pause her thoughts and listen more.

"Recent circumstances have made it so that we cannot foster young Wendy anymore, and you are the next one of hereditary descent that is capable of taking her in. Please contact me via the number I reached out to with as soon as possible, it is of the utmost importance. Thank you."

Cana slowly put the phone down with wide eyes. Natsu fostering a child? The mere thought was... almost incomprehensible. It wasn't that he was irresponsible- if anything, Natsu had proven he was plenty responsible by not only handling a small house, but also being capable of handling all payments, as well as taking care of himself from such a young age. His independence was only overshadowed by his innate ability to adapt to his situation. Still; Natsu didn't strike her as... a care-taking sort of person.

He couldn't stop partying long enough to take care of anyone.

Natsu's voice came from the kitchen doorway as he held his cup of juice. "Didja find out who it was?"

She merely looked at him with her still wide-eyes, causing him to frown.

"What?"

Cana exhaled and offered him a weak smile. "You've got quite the day ahead of you..."

Little did she know, that would end up being the understatement of the year.

So that finishes the prologue/chapter 1.

Things to note:

1) Cana and Natsu are best friends; yes. It's odd, but honestly, they've known each other in the guild for a long time, so I figured in this universe, it'd be interesting to give them relation. Plus, I could see them as siblings, so for this purpose, I don't plan on giving Cana the ability to change to love interest. If enough people want it, I'd consider it I suppose.

2) Natsu's personality in the anime is fight-first, think-never, and eat-everything. For this, translating it to this universe is difficult, because fighting isn't really a focal point. I'm going to try and incorporate fighting into his life as a sport or something, but overall, I don't think I'm gonna be able to match his personality, hence why he's different and OOC.

3) I still need to work on personal dialogue, so I'm definitely not claiming this to be a great chapter, but it's really just a test to see how I can improve my writing. So bear with me, and seriously, don't flame, cause it really doesn't help.

That's all; if you have questions, post em up, and don't forget about the poll. Enjoy!