No Filter, No Denial
Synopsis -
While doing a casual card reading for Lucy (perhaps involving her love life), Cana accidentally uses a new, untested "Truth Serum" card she got from a dubious source. The card backfires, making Cana unable to lie about her feelings for Lucy, while Lucy becomes unable to misinterpret obvious romantic cues.
***
"Okay, okay, I know you're dying to know," Cana said, sprawling across Lucy's bed with her trademark barrel propped against the nightstand. She shuffled her deck with practiced ease, cards dancing between her fingers. "Let's see what the cards say about your love life."
Lucy sat cross-legged on the floor, notebook forgotten beside her. "I don't know why I let you do this. You always pull something cryptic and then laugh at me for a week."
"That's what makes it fun." Cana grinned, then held up the deck. "Besides, this is a new set. Got it from a guy in Era—said it was enhanced with 'truth-seeking properties.' Perfect for figuring out who your fated partner is."
"Truth-seeking?" Lucy raised an eyebrow. "That sounds suspiciously like something that could backfire spectacularly."
"Relax, Luce. What's the worst that could happen?"
Famous last words.
Cana laid out three cards face-down, then flipped the first—The Magician, reversed. "Hmm, trickery or self-deception. Classic you."
"Hey!"
The second card—The Tower. "Oh, dramatic change incoming. Spicy."
"Cana, I don't like where this is going—"
The third card practically glowed as Cana flipped it. Instead of the usual Lovers or Two of Cups, this card was silver and ornate, depicting a heart split open like a geode, revealing crystalline truth inside. Unfamiliar script curled around the border: The Naked Heart.
"Uh." Cana squinted at it. "That's... not supposed to be in here."
Before either of them could react, the card erupted in blinding silver light. Lucy yelped and shielded her eyes. When the glow faded, the card was just ordinary paper again, crumbling to ash in Cana's hands.
"What the hell was that?" Lucy demanded.
"I don't..." Cana trailed off, suddenly looking panicked. "Actually, you know what? I'm sure it's nothing. Just a—" Her eyes went wide, and she slapped both hands over her mouth.
"Just a what?"
"—CORRECTION: Just a truth compulsion spell that's going to make me mortifyingly honest about my feelings and I'm already panicking because I've been hiding how attractive I find you for literal years and oh gods why can't I stop talking—"
Cana dove face-first into Lucy's pillow, screaming into it.
Lucy stared. "...What?"
"Nothing! Forget I said anything! I'm fine! Everything's—CORRECTION: Everything is terrible and I want to die and also your nose crinkles when you're annoyed and it's the cutest thing I've ever seen!"
"My... nose?"
Cana grabbed her barrel and took a desperate swig. "I need this to cope with—CORRECTION: I actually only drink this much to distract myself from how much I want to hold your hand and take you on dates and maybe kiss you until we're both breathless!"
She immediately choked on her drink.
Lucy felt heat flooding her face. "Cana, what—"
And then she saw it.
Floating above Cana's head, visible only to her, was a translucent gauge marked ROMANTIC INTENT. Currently, it was maxed out, glowing bright pink and pulsing with magical energy.
"Oh no," Lucy whispered.
"What? What's 'oh no'?" Cana looked up, mascara slightly smudged, expression desperate.
"There's a... thing. Above your head. It says 'Romantic Intent' and it's—"
"Of course it is! Of course this spell makes it VISIBLE!" Cana buried her face in her hands. "Lucy, I am so sorry, this is the worst possible—CORRECTION: This is actually what I've wanted to tell you for months but I'm a coward who uses alcohol and deflection instead of just being honest!"
Lucy's brain was short-circuiting. She'd always thought Cana was just... flirty. Touchy. That's how she was with everyone. But the gauge didn't lie, and suddenly every hair-ruffle, every casual arm around her shoulders, every "You look good today, Luce" was recontextualizing itself in her mind at lightning speed.
"We need to fix this," Lucy said faintly.
"Agreed!" Cana jumped up. "Library. Now. Before I—CORRECTION: Before I tell you that your hair looks like spun gold in the sunlight and I've written your name in the condensation on my barrel at least forty times!"
"You WHAT?"
"LIBRARY. NOW."
***
They made it exactly three steps into the guild hall before disaster struck.
"Yo, Cana!" Natsu called from across the room. "What's got you all red? You sick?"
Cana's mouth opened. Her expression turned to horror. "I'M TERRIFIED THAT YOU'RE GOING TO REALIZE YOU LOVE LUCY BEFORE I GET THE CHANCE TO TAKE HER ON A REAL DATE!"
The entire guild went silent.
Natsu blinked. "...Huh?"
"I DIDN'T MEAN TO SAY THAT!" Cana practically shrieked, then grabbed Lucy's wrist and bolted for the stairs.
Behind them, Lucy heard Mirajane's delighted gasp and knew they were doomed.
They burst into the archives, slamming the door behind them. Lucy immediately started pulling books on curse-breaking and card magic while Cana paced frantically.
"Okay, okay, we can fix this," Lucy muttered, speed-reading through a tome on magical compulsions. "There has to be a counterspell, or a time limit, or—"
"I think you're the most brilliant person I've ever met," Cana blurted.
Lucy's hands froze on the pages.
"Your dedication to your spirits, your writing, the way you stand up for your friends even when you're scared—" Cana slammed her fist against a bookshelf. "CORRECTION: ESPECIALLY when you're scared, which makes it even braver, and I love that about you!"
The Romantic Intent gauge pulsed brighter.
"Cana—"
"I know! I know this is a disaster! I know you probably don't—CORRECTION: I'm terrified you don't feel the same way, but even if this spell breaks and you never want to talk to me again, at least you'll know that someone sees how incredible you are!"
Lucy's chest felt tight. She looked up from the book, and the vulnerability in Cana's eyes made something crack open inside her.
"Why didn't you ever say anything?" The question came out softer than intended.
Cana laughed bitterly. "Because I'm Gildarts' daughter, Luce. I'm good at running away from things that scare me. And you? You terrify me. Because what if I screwed it up? What if I lost you completely?"
The Romantic Intent gauge flickered, and suddenly a second one appeared above Lucy's own head. This one read EMOTIONAL RECOGNITION and was steadily climbing.
"Oh," Lucy breathed. "Oh no."
"What?"
"I have one too now. It says 'Emotional Recognition' and it's—" She watched the gauge rise as her own feelings crystallized with startling clarity. "It's making me acknowledge things I've been ignoring."
"Like what?" Cana's voice was barely a whisper.
Lucy set down the book. "Like how I always save a seat next to me for you at the guild. Like how I worry when you go on solo missions. Like how I've been writing a novel where the love interest is a confident, card-slinging brunette with commitment issues and a secretly soft heart."
Cana's jaw dropped. "You... what?"
"I thought it was just character inspiration!" Lucy's face burned. "But the gauge is telling me that's a LIE, and apparently I've been in denial about my own feelings because it was safer than risking our friendship!"
They stared at each other across the dusty archive, both breathing hard, both terrified.
"So," Cana said carefully. "Hypothetically. If this spell wasn't forcing us to be honest—"
"I'd still be too scared to say anything," Lucy admitted. The Emotional Recognition gauge pulsed in confirmation. "Just like you."
"We're idiots."
"Complete idiots."
A long pause. Then Cana started laughing—helpless, slightly hysterical laughter that made her sink down against a bookshelf. "Gods, Luce. We're such a mess."
Lucy couldn't help it. She started laughing too, sliding down to sit beside Cana. Their shoulders pressed together, and even that small contact made the gauges above their heads flare brighter.
"You know what the really stupid part is?" Cana said, still giggling. "Our dads abandoned us for different reasons, and we both developed the exact same coping mechanism—pushing away anyone who might actually matter."
Lucy's laughter caught in her throat. "I... yeah. Yeah, that's exactly it."
"Gildarts ran because he was scared of being tied down. Your dad ran into work because he was scared of being vulnerable. And here we are, doing the same damn thing in different ways."
"Wow, that's depressing."
"Right?" Cana tilted her head against Lucy's. "But also, maybe we could be less like them? Together?"
Lucy's heart stuttered. "Together?"
"I mean—" Cana gestured helplessly at the gauges. "The cat's out of the bag. The card's been played. And honestly? Even if this spell breaks right now, I don't think I can go back to pretending I don't feel this way."
"What if I mess it up?" Lucy whispered. "What if I'm not good at... at this?"
"Then we'll mess it up together." Cana found Lucy's hand, lacing their fingers together. "That's what partners do, right? We already know each other's worst qualities. We've seen each other drunk, crying, scared. If we can survive that, we can survive anything."
The Romantic Intent gauge and the Emotional Recognition gauge suddenly flared brilliantly, then shattered into glittering dust.
They both blinked.
"Did it... break?" Lucy asked.
Cana experimentally opened her mouth. "I think you're attractive."
No magical compulsion. Just truth.
"Oh thank gods—"
"But I meant it," Cana interrupted. "Every embarrassing word. The spell just made me say it out loud, but I've felt this way since Tenrou. Maybe longer."
Lucy squeezed her hand. "I know. And I... I think I've felt the same way. I was just too stubborn to admit it."
"Classic Lucy."
"Says the woman who drinks to avoid feelings."
"Touché."
They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, fingers still intertwined. Then Lucy said quietly, "So what now?"
Cana stood, pulling Lucy up with her. "Now? Now I take you on that date I accidentally yelled about in front of the entire guild."
"Cana—"
"I'm serious, Luce. No more hiding. No more running away like our idiot fathers." She reached into her pouch and pulled out not her usual barrel, but a bottle of expensive wine—the kind with an actual label and everything. "I've been saving this. Thought maybe someday I'd have a special occasion worth opening it for."
Lucy stared at the bottle, then at Cana's nervous, hopeful expression. The gesture was so uncharacteristically thoughtful, so deliberately vulnerable, that it made her throat tight.
"You really mean this," Lucy said. Not a question.
"Every word. Magically compelled or otherwise."
Lucy stepped closer, close enough that she could see the flecks of amber in Cana's brown eyes. "Okay."
"Okay?"
"Take me on a date. A real one. With the fancy wine and everything."
Cana's answering grin was incandescent. "Yeah?"
"Yeah." Lucy smiled. "But if you get drunk and start yelling about my 'spun gold hair' again—"
"I make NO promises!"
Lucy laughed and let Cana pull her toward the door, their hands still linked.
***
They emerged from the archives to find the entire guild pretending very badly to not be listening.
Mirajane was practically vibrating with excitement. Gray had stopped mid-sentence in his argument with Natsu. Even Master Makarov had paused his drinking to watch.
"So," Erza said carefully. "Should we expect an announcement?"
Cana raised their joined hands. "Lucy and I are dating. Anyone got a problem with that?"
"FINALLY!" Happy sobbed. "Do you know how long we've been waiting?!"
"YOU KNEW?" Lucy sputtered.
"Everyone knew, Lucy," Levy said gently. "Except apparently you two."
"The pining was painful to watch," Gray added. Juvia nodded sympathetically.
Lucy buried her burning face in her free hand while Cana just laughed.
"Well then," Cana announced. "Since everyone's so invested, you'll be thrilled to know our first official date is tonight. We'll be taking that fancy wine, Lucy's favorite books, and absolutely no interruptions to her apartment. Got it?"
"Got it!" the guild chorused.
"Good. Now if you'll excuse us—"
Mirajane appeared out of nowhere, shoving a picnic basket into Cana's arms. "I packed snacks! And candles! And—"
"Mira, we're going to Lucy's place, not camping—"
"ROMANCE REQUIRES PREPARATION!"
Twenty minutes later, they'd finally escaped to Lucy's apartment, laden with Mira's "emergency romance supplies" (which included, inexplicably, three different types of chocolate and a bouquet of roses).
Lucy kicked off her boots and flopped onto her bed. "That was mortifying."
"That was hilarious." Cana set down the basket and wine, then joined her, lying on her back and staring at the ceiling. "Though I stand by my panicked confession in front of Natsu. That was peak romance."
"You literally screamed about being terrified of him stealing me."
"I SAID I STAND BY IT."
Lucy rolled onto her side, propping her head up. "You know, without the spell, I can lie to myself again if I want to."
Cana's smile faded slightly. "Yeah?"
"Yeah. I could tell myself this is just friendship. That we're just confused. That it's safer to keep things the way they were."
"Could you?" Cana's voice was carefully neutral.
Lucy reached out and traced a finger along Cana's jawline. "But I don't want to. The spell made me see what I was ignoring, and now I can't unsee it. I don't want to unsee it."
Cana caught her hand, pressing a kiss to her palm. "Good. Because I'm done running. From my feelings, from you, from the possibility that maybe we could actually be happy."
"We've got terrible role models for healthy relationships," Lucy pointed out.
"Then we'll figure it out ourselves. Together."
"Together," Lucy echoed, and the word felt like a promise.
Cana sat up and uncorked the wine—a rich red that probably cost more than her usual barrel. She poured two glasses and handed one to Lucy.
"To magical mishaps," Cana toasted.
"And inconvenient truths," Lucy added.
"And beautiful best friends who write novels about me without realizing it."
"CANA!"
They dissolved into laughter, glasses clinking, and when Cana leaned in to kiss her—soft, tentative, tasting of wine and hope—Lucy thought that maybe magical disasters weren't always such terrible things after all.
Later, curled up together with empty glasses and Mira's chocolate demolished, Lucy murmured, "Hey, Cana?"
"Mmm?"
"My nose really crinkles when I'm annoyed?"
"Catastrophically cute. It's a problem."
"Noted." Lucy smiled against Cana's shoulder. "For the record, you have a really attractive laugh. The real one, not your fake 'cool big sister' one."
"Are you flirting with me, Heartfilia?"
"I'm practicing. How am I doing?"
"Terribly. It's perfect." Cana pressed a kiss to the top of Lucy's head. "Keep going."
So Lucy did.
And for once, neither of them ran away from what they were building—something honest, messy, real, and entirely their own.
***
Epilogue: The Morning After
Lucy woke to sunlight streaming through her window and Cana's arm draped over her waist. For a moment, she panicked—then remembered. The card. The confessions. The date that had turned into falling asleep together, talking until three in the morning about everything and nothing.
"You're thinking too loud," Cana mumbled into her hair.
"Sorry."
"Don't be." Cana yawned and propped herself up on one elbow, hair spectacularly messy. "Morning."
"Morning." Lucy bit her lip. "So. This is real, right? Not just the spell's aftereffects?"
Cana's expression softened. She cupped Lucy's face gently. "Lucy Heartfilia, I am completely sober, entirely un-cursed, and absolutely certain that I want to wake up like this again. Preferably many times. Is that real enough?"
Lucy's smile could have lit the whole room. "Yeah. That works."
"Good. Now come on—we have to face the guild, and Mira probably already has our wedding planned."
"CANA!"
"I'm not even joking! I bet she has a binder!"
They arrived at the guild hand-in-hand to find Mirajane had, in fact, prepared a banner reading "CONGRATULATIONS CANA & LUCY!" complete with hearts.
"MIRA!"
"What? I'm just excited for you both!" Her smile was pure innocence. "Now, have you thought about a spring wedding or—"
"We've been dating for twelve hours!"
"That's plenty of time to start planning!"
Lucy buried her face in Cana's shoulder while Cana just laughed, holding her close.
And if anyone noticed that Cana's "emergency alcohol barrel" went mysteriously unused for the next week—replaced by fancy wine bottles and actual dates—well.
Nobody was surprised at all
The End