"It appears you've already had a few too many," Mirajane responded, "Besides, you know I can't have anything to drink. It's guild policy."

"Pshh, who cares about the rules when you can have FUN!" the card mage drunkenly yelled.

"Sorry, maybe another day."

Although Cana was normally one to keep her guildmates in line, the situation changed drastically once she had enough drinks(Thirty-one and a quarter beers, if Mirajane remembered correctly).

"Fun Police," Cana mumbled under her alcohol-ridden breath as she stalked away.

Mirajane gave a sad little giggle. Cana was going to be so sick tomorrow.

The night soon dissolved into drunken brawls, most people fainting within the first few blows. It only got more chaotic as somebody picked up Freed and attempted to throw him across the guildhall, drawing an appropriately terrified screech from the man. Just like every year, the Sober Police eventually had to step in and attempt to break up the fight, which just made it even worse. In everybody's drunken confusion, they had apparently forgotten some of the key rules of the guild:

1. Freed makes the rules. Disobey them, and you will pay.

2. Don't touch Levy unless you like eating iron.

3. Don't hit Erza if you like having your extremities attached to your torso

In the ensuing fit of runes, iron, swords, and many other means of magic, Mirajane couldn't make out a single individual person. From her place outside the fight, it was just a wriggling mass of explosions and alcohol.

Oh dear. I hope nobody gets too hurt, she thought.

But of course, there was not being safe in this mess.

A scream cutting through the noise caught Mira's attention. Immediately, she turned towards the source, somewhere within the frenzy.

That was Cana.

The she-devil could feel her blood boil, magic pulsing through her veins as the fourth key rule was broken:

4. Whatever you do, if you want to live to see tomorrow, don't make Mirajane angry.

A shriek erupted from her throat as the magic in her body exploded out, shrouding her in a field of dark energy. The whole guild hall shuddered, everyone's eyes immediately drawn to her. Piercing blue eyes stared into the crowd, scanning everyone who stood before her before a deep growl rumbled in her throat, "This better stop right now if you all want to live to see daylight."

Although they were all still drunk, the rest of the guild could come to their senses enough to utter a collective, "Yes Ma'am."

The she-devil sighed, waiting for everyone to pull away from each other into a semi-organized group before returning to her human form. She frowned, not a pretty white hair out of place as she turned to Erza.

"Right," the redhead cleared her throat, "This has gone on long enough. Those of you sober enough to walk, take your companions home."

Once again, a synchronous "Yes Ma'am."

Over the process of the next half hour, the guild hall slowly emptied out as the members headed home, accompanied by those who lived near them. Freed, Erza, and Gajeel left with their partners as the crowd thinned, leaving Mirajane to take care of any remaining stragglers.

Or, straggler, singular.

Once everybody else had gone home for the night, Cana was the only one left, sprawled across one of the tables and reeking of booze. Mirajane smiled faintly as she walked over to the young woman, who was babbling incoherently.

"Come on now. Let's get you home."

Mirajane shifted Cana off of the table, slinging one of the card mage's arms over her shoulder as they staggered back to the she-devil's apartment. They were only halfway there when Cana started to make sense.

"Yer beautiful, y'know that?" Cana mumbled, "Yer real beautiful."

Mirajane blushed, but ignored the card mage, lest she have to remind her the next morning.

Cana drunkenly hiccuped, "Never met anyone as lovely as you, man or woman."

"That's nice of you to say," Mirajane responded, still refusing to look at Cana.

But, apparently, the card mage wasn't having it. She stood up, shifting her weight to her own feet. She turned on Mira, backing the she-devil into a wall, one hand planted beside the shorter woman's head, the other running over Mirajane's pale cheek.

"Cana, what has gotten into you?" Mirajane asked, but made no attempt to get away from her.

"I mean it. I really mean it when I say you're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen," the card mage said, eyes glowing with passion. She leaned in closer, hand traveling to tilt Mirajane's chin up to face her.

"Cana-" The she-devil started, but was abruptly cut off as the card mage pulled her into a deep kiss. The bitter punch of alcohol was still very present on her tongue as it slid into Mirajane's mouth, but it was intoxicating. She wanted nothing more than to indulge Cana's every wish, but she knew it was wrong. The card mage wasn't in control of herself, she couldn't let her friend do something she'd regret.

Mirajane gently pushed her back, cheeks burning, "I think we should get back to my apartment."

As soon as she let go, Cana began to collapse. Mirajane picked her up again with a squeal, helping the taller woman semi-consciously stagger the rest of the way back to her apartment. Once they got back, the she-devil opted to let Cana sleep on the carpeted floor, as she wouldn't know the difference when she fell asleep in approximately two minutes. Still, she pulled a blanket over her, and tucked a pillow under her head.

Mirajane changed into pajamas before climbing into the bed next to Cana. She tried to sleep, but her mind was racing, replaying the events that had just happened over and over. The card mage had never particularly been a flirty drunk, so could she have possibly meant what she said?

No, she assured herself, Cana was too drunk to think straight. There was no way she really meant everything that she said, no matter how much she wanted it to be true. She'd had a crush on the card mage for the longest time, but never in her wildest dreams would she have thought she would get to kiss her, or that Cana would ever reciprocate the feelings. Sure, the dating pool in Magnolia for women who loved women was small, but surely Cana would have found someone more attractive than Mirajane. It just had to be pure coincidence that she was around when the card mage got drunk enough to get flirty.

Even still, that answer was not enough to satisfy her still-pounding heart and racing thoughts.

She wasn't sure when it was, probably hours later, when Mirajane's worrying and overthinking finally wore her out enough to fall asleep. 

********

Mirajane awoke the next morning with the sun barely up to the sound of someone retching in the bathroom. It took her a few seconds to regain her bearings and remember the events of last night, and when she did, her face flushed bright red. Oh goodness, Cana had kissed her! And she was in her house! What was she going to do?

Luckily, she realized she would have a bit more time to think about it as she heard the shower start up. She flopped back on her bed, pulling a pillow close to her chest. What was she going to do? Going to say, after the girl she liked had drunkenly confessed her love?

She rolled onto her side, hiding her face behind the pillowcase as her mind raced a mile a minute. She wasn't sure how long it was before she heard the bathroom door creak open.

"Hey. Sorry if I took a while," Cana said, that irritably adorable grin on her face.

"N-no, it's alright," Mirajane replied as she sat up, sure her cheeks were still flushed bright red.

The card mage frowned, "Are you alright? You look a bit off," She slowly approached Mirajane, reaching out to touch her forehead when Mirajane jumped back. Cana flinched before the realization hit her, "Oh gods, what did I say last night?" she asked, putting a hand over her face.

Mirajane swallowed, "Do remember anything?"

Cana shook her head, "Nah. Nothing," she gave a coy smile, "Maybe if you remind me, I'll remember?"

The she-devil swallowed before adjusting herself to sit with her legs folded underneath her, "Well, you were pretty drunk but..."

The card mage gave a hearty laugh, "Well, that's a given!"

Mirajane hid her face behind the pillow again momentarily, "Well, on the way back, you were saying… weird things," she took a deep breath, regathering her nerves, "You said you loved me, and then you… you kissed me."

Cana's eyes went wide, "Is that all?"

The she-devil nodded, "Yes. Nothing else notable happened."

The card mage breathed a sigh of relief, a blush spreading across her cheeks, "Well, at least I didn't do anything I regret."

"Wh-what do you mean?" Mirajane stammered, "You said you loved me!"

Cana shrugged, grinning, "As I said, nothing I regret, and nothing untrue."

"You mean..."

The card mage nodded, "I do love you. I was too scared to say anything because I thought you would reject me."

Mirajane smiled, "To be honest, I've been wanting to say the same thing to you."

It took Cana a second to react, "Wait, really? You mean it?"

She nodded shyly. The card mage burst out laughing, throwing her arms around Mirajane, who couldn't help but laugh a little as well.

"Gods, everything about this is a little..." Mirajane started

"Unconventional? Ridiculous?" Cana asked. The she-devil nodded, and the card mage gave another of her impossibly adorable grins, "Just the way I like it."