2

Lexaeus

"Now look, I'm telling you, man, she does like you," Zexion said as we sat down at the cafe. We'd just got done with another day, a tough one. We both worked in the energy plant, us and a few other guys. Every week at least once the two of us would wind down in this cafe in the first district. It was always pretty crowded, but we went anyway. The longer the better I suppose, Zexion and I had been best friends since we were little kids, I can't think of someone I have a better time with.

Although at the moment Zexion was focused on hooking me up with our waitress. "Lexaues, I'm telling you, she's got it for you, come on," he wrapped his arm around my shoulder, and pointed me at her with a big grin across his face. "All you gotta do, is go up to her, and say, 'Hey babe, you wanna go out?' That's not too hard now is it?"

"Zex, I'm really not in the mood. Maybe another time."

"Jeez man, that's what you said last week, and the week before if I'm not mistaken." This time he put his hands on my face. Normally I'd make someone pay for that by breaking their wrist, but like I said, Zexion was my best friend. "Come on, you know you want to, look at her! How can you resist?"

I brushed his hands from my face, "If she's so great why don't you go for it?"

Zexion gave me his innocent, misunderstood look. He was over-dramatic, mostly because he was a kidder, I'd gotten used to it, but it still annoyed the hell out of me sometimes. "Cuz it's not me she's got the hots for. Lex, buddy, I am telling you, as a woman expert here, she definitely thinks you are cute."

"Sorry Zex, not buying it." I said taking a sip of my water.

"OK then, you know what I'm going to do? I'm gonna ask her for you."

I opened my mouth to shut him up, it just so happened our waitress was making her way to us to take our order. "Zex," I muttered under my breath, "if you try to pull anything I will hurt you so bad."

The waitress came over and smiled brightly, "Hi can I take your order now guys? Or just the usual?" While I didn't agree I should go out with her, I did agree with Zex that she was pretty. I elbowed Zexion in his side, warning him not to pull anything. Although I realized too late he might just interperet it as a signal to go ahead.

"Yea the usual," Zex said, and then he got that sly look, and I knew he was going for it, "But actually, one thing, my friend here was, you know, wondering if you..." but the waitress wasn't looking at us anymore, she had her gaze fixed on the sky behind us. Zex looked back and I followed his lead, and there was the wierdest thing I had ever seen. A...shower. Some kind of meteor shower. But it was different, it was bright, like a purple/blue tinted glow, cascading down the sky. I sat there and oggled it, but Zex, Zex stood up and went outside, so the balcony wouldn't obstruct his view I guess. I could hear people talking, saw them pointing at the sky. And while all of us saw it as a beautiful display, fascinatng, even enchanting, but Zex...

I had never seen him like this. Not recently at least. My memory flashed back to our childhood, and thoughts I had about him. He was great, but it always seemed that he was missing something. Not that he was inadequate, far from it, I have never known a better man. But there was always...something...missing from his life I thought. Like he was, I don't know, special in some way. I always figured he'd become a great leader or something. A powerful scientist or what-not. I had thought that when we both applied to the work in the plant. He seemed too good to be working a menial job and rooming with his childhood buddy in the third district.

As he stared at the sky, I saw him become enveloped in his own thoughts. I could see a thousand possibilities racing through his eyes. And for the first time in my life, or in his I think, I saw happiness. Not ha-ha happy, but, contentment. He seemed like he belonged, for once, and I felt...happy...for him for that.

And Zex stood that way, staring at the sky, transfixed by it, even long after the last few meteors had fallen, and he told me to go on home without him, and he didn't come in until really late, I had fallen asleep before it, and he was awake before me the next morning, something that hadn't happened in a long while. Whatever void he had in his life, I think it was about to be filled.