Eight months after our first tête-à-tête it happened again. I remember hover over Ever's shoulder, squealing with her in delight over the robin's egg sized emerald that graced her left ring finger. She and I clinked champagne flutes and toasted to her continued happiness with Elfman. I kissed her on the cheek and slinked off to the side to make room for more well-wishers. The air in the guild hall was pretty stuffy due to the giant rainstorms that had moved in earlier that day. I decided to grab my third refill from the bar and slip out onto the covered balcony to get some air and reflect on my life a bit.
Gently closing the door behind me, I walk over to the railing and gaze out over the drenched town of Magnolia. I really do love the rain. The almost suffocating humidity I could do without, but I loved freshness it brought out in the world around me. I took a deep sniff of the air, hoping to smell petrichor, but that wonderful rain dirt smell was covered by someone's cigarette smoke. Realizing I wasn't alone on the balcony, I whirled around and was face to face with the last person I had wanted to be caught alone with. "Laxus!"