A/N: Hey! Here is Chapter one! I unfortunately have no set times for the next chapter. I will be finishing the last couple chapters of my other story. Then I will focus solely on this one. Now last update I said the beginning isn't that dark, but I mean like the first half of the story won't be bad just some cussing and mention of murder. But as the story progresses, it'll have darker themes. Anyways, Thanks so much for the reviews favs and follows! I would love so much to keep hearing what you guys think! :)

Thank you! Enjoy!

Seventeen years later…

Natsu's POV

He darted through the doors of the convenience store, bumping into bystanders as he went. He heard them yelling insults and telling him to watch where he was going.

He kept his brisk pace, glancing back at them, flashing them a quick grin. "Sorry!" he chuckled, hurrying across the parking lot.

He spotted a police cruiser across the small lot and cursed under his breath.

The owner of the store rushed out the doors after him, yelling to the men in uniform. "Get him! He was caught stealing!"

He picked up his speed. "Well, damn, that's not very convenient. Hah," he joked to himself. "Good one, me."

The two officers shouted after him. "Sir! Hey, stop!"

He scanned his surroundings, calculating where he could go to get the boys in blue off his tail.

He wove sharply through the people on the sidewalk, tossing quick apologies as he passed.

He abruptly turned to his left, running between two homes. Then he hopped a short fence leading to a backyard and quickly hurtled over it again. His path led him into a neighborhood, with many cars lined up on the sides of the streets. He skillfully slid across the hood of a car and took off running once more. Honestly, he didn't have to do that, he thought to himself, but man it felt cool.

He glanced behind him, seeing the officers were not too far behind. "Don't you guys have anything better to do?" he said to himself.

He soon realized he wasn't far from an apartment complex where one of his close friends lived, and he quickly changed direction, a destination now in mind.

He breathed heavily, making a sharp turn into the parking lot of the complex.

He ran through for a moment before he finally approached the building belonging to his friend.

The cops continued to chase after him, almost missing him darting into the building.

He hurried up the two flights of steps, skipping every other one until he came to the very top floor, making his way to the door on his left.

He frantically banged on the door, checking behind him as he did. The door finally flung open, revealing a large, well-muscled man sporting multiple piercings along his face, with an expression full of disdain. "What the hell do you want—"

"No time!" He pushed past his friend, shutting the door behind him.

The man narrowed his eyes at him as he threw his long dark hair into a loose bun. "What did you do this time, idiot?"

The salmon-haired man strolled over to the balcony windows, partially moving the blinds that covered them to peek outside. "Oh, nothing… Ya know, same old, same old." He watched as the two police officers made their way into the building. "Shit…" he murmured.

"What?" his friend asked, curiously walking toward the windows.

He let go of the blinds. "Oh, nothing." He walked back toward the door and placed his eye to the peephole, listening closely as he heard the officers banging on the neighbors' door across the hall below them. "They're probably gonna knock on every door…" he mumbled to himself.

He turned around to see his agitated friend's scowl. "Who is?" he asked, crossing his arms.

Natsu scratched the back of his head, chuckling awkwardly. "Oh, you know… Just the, uh… the, um… cops. Ahem."

"What!?" He uncrossed his arms, flinging them to his sides. "What the hell did you do now, Dragneel?"

"Nothing!" Natsu made his way to the couch and sat down. "I just got caught… stealing from the convenience store over on Bargers Street." He gave his friend a shameful grin.

The large man pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing heavily. "Dude." He shook his head. "What did you even steal?"

Natsu pressed his lips into a line and pulled out two packs of cigarettes—one from each pocket.

His friend stared at the cigarettes, then at him, then back at the cigarettes. "Seriously, dude?" He shifted his gaze back to Natsu.

"What? I just spent my last dime on the mortgage, and I'm not going to have any more cash until tonight. There was no one in the store, and the owner went into the back. I figured I could just hop the counter real quick. But, ya know, he came back quicker than I expected."

His friend continued to shake his head. "We're adults now, Natsu. You can't keep pulling this crap."

Natsu rolled his eyes, stuffing the cigarette packs into his pockets as he stood. "Oh, whatever, Gajeel. It's not like I do it often. I'm just low on cash right now. And you were pulling the same crap just last year."

"Yeah. And I grew up."

Natsu fiddled with a well-tended potted plant on an end table. He figured it belonged to Gajeel's girlfriend—the guy could barely keep a goldfish alive, let alone a plant. He'd had at least three pet fish as a kid and never remembered to feed them. No way he'd remember to water plants.

"Oh yes, because you fell in loooove," Natsu teased.

"Shut up," Gajeel snapped. "Speaking of her, she'll be home any time now. And I doubt she'd like the idea of me harboring a larcenist."

Natsu shrugged. "Levy likes me."

Gajeel gave him a deadpan look. "Debatable."

Levy and Natsu actually got along pretty well. He still didn't understand what was going through her mind the day she asked Gajeel to be her boyfriend. He'd always thought she was way too good for him.

He flicked his wrist. "It'll be fine—"

A loud banging on the other side of the door echoed through the apartment. "Police! Open up!"

Their wide eyes darted to the door, then to each other.

"Fuck," Natsu hissed under his breath, frantically looking around the apartment for somewhere to hide.

"You idiot. I have a record—if they catch you in here—" Gajeel clenched his jaw, seething. "Just make a run for it out the balcony," he said quickly under his breath.

"Are you kidding me? There's probably one waiting for me outside, ready to make a move."

Gajeel huffed in response, thinking for a moment.

"Police! Open up!"

"Shit," the thief growled under his breath, vibrating with tension.

"Okay, go out the balcony and just climb down to the one below. Hide there until they leave. They've probably already hit that apartment."

Natsu pinched his brows together, throwing his arms out. "Dude—"

"It's fine," Gajeel assured him. "A friend lives below me. I'll shoot 'em a quick text. Just go."

Natsu eyed him for a moment. Hiding out on some stranger's balcony wasn't the brightest idea—even someone as reckless as him knew that.

"Seriously, it's fine. Go."

He sighed heavily and darted out the sliding door. He was absolutely certain he was going to regret this.

He crept over to the side of the balcony, staying out of sight from any officers. He stepped over the railing, grabbed the bars, then dropped down. Swinging his legs forward, he let go of the bars and landed cleanly on the balcony below Gajeel's.

He dusted off his hands, turned his head—and froze.

The sliding door leading inside was already open. Inside, directly in view, stood a woman. She was caught mid-step, her head turned toward him, eyes wide with a stupefied expression. A pink towel was wrapped securely around her, and her long, golden, wet hair draped over her shoulders.

They both stood frozen, staring at each other. The silence stretched until it thickened into an uncomfortable tension. One question hung in the air: Who was going to move first?

He decided he would.

As he took a cautious step forward, about to explain himself, he saw her suddenly step back, inhaling sharply—clearly preparing to scream.

Shit.

He lunged toward her, frantically shaking his head and waving his hands. "Wait, wait, wait! No, it's not what you think! Don't scream—"

Too late. She was already screaming, stumbling backward. Panic surged through him as he rushed forward, arms out. He grabbed her bicep with one hand and slapped the other over her mouth, muffling her cries. Her wide, petrified eyes locked with his as she pushed against his chest.

"Shhh," he whispered, pressing her against the wall. He used his body to trap her, pinning her arms between them and shifting his knee to the side, worried she might try to knee him in the family jewels.

Their breaths mingled in the close space. He slowly removed his hand from her bicep and brought a finger to his lips.

"Shhh... I'm sorry. I'm sorry," he whispered. "Please don't be scared. I swear I'm not going to hurt you. I'm just trying to hide." His desperate, pleading eyes searched hers as he ignored the unwelcome way his body responded to their closeness.

She furrowed her brows, screaming muffled protests against his palm.

"I'm not breaking in! My—my friend Gajeel, upstairs," he motioned upward with his head, "he said I could hide on your balcony. That's all." He gave an exaggerated shrug.

Her expression shifted from fear to confusion.

"H-he said he was going to text you," Natsu said quickly, watching as her head tilted slightly. "Your phone—where's your phone? We can read the text, and you'll see this is all a terrible misunderstanding." He laughed nervously.

Her deep brown eyes flicked to the left. He followed her gaze and spotted a phone lying on the bar countertop that separated the kitchen from the rest of the apartment.

He tried very hard not to notice that if he let his eyes drift down just a little, he'd have an unobstructed view of her cleavage. He wasn't some creepy pervert—and he certainly didn't want to become one now. Though this situation wasn't exactly doing him any favors.

"Okay, okay... I'm just gonna reach for it. And you're gonna see what a very unfortunate mistake this whole thing is. I'm just trying to hide from someone—nothing more." Slowly, still keeping one hand over her mouth, he stretched his arm toward the phone.

He grabbed it and turned the screen toward himself. Relief flooded him the moment he saw Gajeel's name light up.

"See?" He tilted the phone so she could read it too.

She squinted at the screen as the message came into full view. He leaned in, his cheek nearly brushing hers so he could read it with her.

My buddy is going to hide on your balcony for a min. No worries he's harmless

Then another message:

Stupid

And a third:

But harmless

"See? I'm harmless," he said, grinning at her with an awkward laugh, pointedly ignoring his friend's insult.

She lowered her lids, glowering at him.

"Okay, I'm gonna remove my hand now, and we're just gonna move on from this awful misunderstanding and be totally fine, okay? Please don't scream." He slowly pulled his hand away from her flushed face and took a few cautious steps back.

Her vexed expression didn't waver as she crossed her arms.

"I really am sorry. I—I didn't even know you were a woman. All Gajeel said was that his downstairs neighbor was a friend and I could hide there."

She narrowed her eyes. "Who the hell are you even hiding from?"

Natsu blinked. Her voice, though edged with irritation, was surprisingly soft—pleasant, even.

"Uhh, well…"

Their attention snapped to the door as loud knocking echoed through the apartment.

"Hello!? Ma'am? I heard screaming—are you okay?"

Shit.

She whipped her head toward him. "You're the one they're looking for? They were just here a minute ago."

He clasped his hands together, shaking them in a pleading gesture. "Please, please get rid of them. Tell them you're fine. I will owe you so big."

She gawked at him, mouth slightly agape.

"Please." His eyes were wide with desperation.

"Ma'am!?"

Her gaze flicked between him and the door. With an exasperated sigh, she uncrossed her arms. "Fine. Hide over there." She pointed behind the chair across from the sectional couch.

"Thank you, thank you," he whispered, darting to the spot.

He crouched behind the chair, peeking out just enough to watch her crack the door open.

"Hi, officer," she said in a cheerful tone.

"What happened? We heard you scream."

"Oh, that. I, uh... saw a spider."

There was a pause.

"A really big spider. Awful, really."

Natsu stifled a laugh at the lie.

"I thought I heard you speaking to someone?"

"Yeah, my friend. I called her to show her the huge spider."

"Okay… Did you get the spider?"

"Yup. With a shoe. All good now." Her voice was bright, probably accompanied by an exaggerated grin.

"Alright. Well, have a good day then. Stay safe. And again, if you see or hear anything about a suspicious man running through here, let us know."

Natsu tensed, heartbeat quickening.

"Oh, yes, of course. What does he look like again?"

"Young adult, salmon hair, average height, fit build."

"Oh." Natsu saw her nodding. "Is he dangerous or something?"

"Not that we're aware of. Just some lowly thief, as far as we can tell."

"Ahh, okay. Well, no, I haven't seen anything, but I'll let you know."

"Great. You have a good day, ma'am."

"You too. Bye-bye."

Once the door shut, Natsu popped up from behind the chair and into view. "Man, I thought they'd never leave." He flashed a wide, toothy grin.

She crossed her arms again, glaring.

"Well… again, I apologize, and thank you for helping me out." He chuckled, stepping closer. "I'm Natsu." He extended a hand. "Nice to meet you, even under these... unfortunate circumstances." He flashed his most charming grin.

He figured she probably hated him already, but he couldn't help wanting to know her name. She had saved him, after all—even after he'd barged in like some lunatic, probably making her think she was about to be axe-murdered. He didn't even own an axe, he thought to himself.

She eyed his hand.

"Do I at least get to know my savior's name?" he asked softly, smirking.

Was he really flirting? Now? He never considered himself shameless like that. But… she was stunning. Even while scowling, her warm brown eyes held something soft. Her fair skin, her drying golden hair in loose waves, her pink, plush lips pressed into a firm line—it all made his heart stutter just a bit.

He swallowed thickly, suddenly nervous. Not a common feeling for him.

She dropped her arms, pointed to the door behind her, and said one word.

"Out."

Disappointment sank into him, a slight pout forming. He didn't want to go—not yet. And the cops could still be lurking nearby.

"Well… can I just maybe wait a few more minutes? Just to be sure they're gone?" He raised his brows, flashing another hopeful grin.

She exhaled sharply, shaking her head. "Sure, whatever. But just for a few more minutes."

"Awesome, thank you!" He looped around the couch, flopping into the chair like he owned the place. "So…" He began drumming the arms. "How, uh, how do you know Gajeel? I mean, he's not exactly Mr. Friendly."

Her irritated expression remained locked in place. She hadn't moved an inch.

"Me and his girlfriend, Levy, are good friends."

He perked up. "Ahh. That makes sense." He pursed his lips. "So how'd you meet Levy?"

"We met freshman year of college," she replied, monotone.

"Ohh, okay. You go to FSU then? So you're a junior like her?"

She paused, then sighed. "Yup."

"I've got a few other friends that go there, too." Even if she kept giving him short answers, he didn't care. He wanted to keep her talking—wanted to keep hearing that voice. Soft, warm, wrapped in honey despite the edge.

His eyes flicked around her apartment. "So… Ashley," he tried, "Gajeel's lived here a while, but I've never seen you before."

He scanned the room again. There were a few boxes stacked in the corner beneath a mounted TV. Three bookshelves stood near the dining table, sparsely filled—only a handful of books were on the shelves, while the rest formed tall, uneven stacks on the floor in front of them. The walls were mostly bare, and though the setup differed slightly from Gajeel's, the structure of the apartment was clearly the same.

She raised a brow. "My name isn't Ashley. And I just moved in a month ago."

"Well, if you told me your name—"

"I'm not telling you my name."

"But—"

Something brushed against his leg. He glanced down to see a cat—a deep gray feline that shimmered almost blue in the sunlight pouring through the window.

"Oh neat! A cat!" He reached down, scooping the animal into his lap. It purred instantly as he scratched behind its ear. "Aww, you're cute."

"What the hell, Happy? You're not supposed to like intruders." She huffed, her cheeks puffing out adorably.

His chest fluttered, warmth spreading to his gut. His lips curled sideways. Maybe he wasn't getting a laugh, but a huff? That was something.

"See? Your cat likes me. And now I know his name—it's only fair I know yours." His smirk widened.

She narrowed her eyes at the feline. "Traitor."

"Hey, I can't be that bad if your cat's into me. They say cats are great judges of character."

"I don't know... that cat isn't exactly a genius." She shot Happy a look. "Look, perv, you've been here long enough. I'm sure they're gone. So get out."

"Hey! How am I a perv? My eyes haven't left yours. Solid eye contact the entire time."

"You had me pressed against the wall a minute ago!" she snapped.

"Well, I, uh…" His face flushed hot as the memory slammed back into him. The feel of her soft skin under his hand. Her breath against his cheek. The light citrus scent still teasing his senses. He'd tried hard to block those tiny details out and focus on not getting arrested—but now? Yeah, maybe he was a little bit of a perv.

He rubbed the back of his neck. "That wasn't, like, a perv move. That was just… to keep you from hitting me. Heh."

"You broke in!"

"I didn't break in—I just came to hide! I didn't even expect the door to be open or you to be standing right there! And I thought you were a dude!" He threw his hands up in defense.

"Yeah? Well, tell Gajeel that if he ever invites a criminal to hide on my balcony again, I'll black his other eye!"

He blinked. "Uh… I'm a little concerned about your use of the word 'other.'"

"Good. Go."

"Can I at least know your name?" He stood, gently setting the purring cat back onto the chair.

"No." She folded her arms again, puffing out another huff.

His lips twitched. He wasn't supposed to find her cute right now, but he absolutely did. If he couldn't get a laugh, then riling her up like this? Just as satisfying.

"Fine. I'll just ask Gajeel," he said with a shrug, turning toward the sliding door with a grin.

"Hey, where are you going?" she called, trailing after him.

He stepped onto the balcony, scanning the alley below. Coast looked clear. Then he climbed the railing.

"Dude, what are you doing?" She stood in the doorway; confusion stitched across her brow.

He caught that tiny furrow in her expression and felt a strange certainty settle into his bones.

This wouldn't be the last time he saw Gajeel's neighbor.

He gave her a playful salute and flashed a lopsided grin. Then he twisted around and vaulted over the railing, tucking and rolling as he landed cleanly on the ground.

He bolted, and as he glanced back, her eyes were still on him—watching. And just like that, a wave of butterflies stirred from head to toe.

He strolled along the sidewalk, heading toward his next destination. His eyes scanned the streets, confirming he'd lost the officers.
It wasn't the first time he'd been pursued—or in trouble with the law. He used to be much worse, back when he was a full-blown delinquent. And despite what Gajeel said, he had grown. Somewhat, anyway. Not like he had a choice.

He'd been solely responsible for his home for the past year. He'd barely stolen before—maybe once or twice, and it had always been stupid things like trinkets or gas station drinks. He was probably about eighteen the last time it happened. But lately? Things were rough. He was barely hanging on. He wouldn't get paid until tonight, and even then, every last dime was already spoken for. Bills, bills, and more bills.

The only reason he'd gone into that store was to grab a three-dollar drink, because that's all the money he had.
Then he saw the owner heading toward the back, leaving the place empty. He debated it for just a moment. It wasn't smart—he knew that—but it was only a couple packs. He figured the owner wouldn't miss them.
He was quick. Nearly back over the counter when the owner returned just in time to catch him.

He knew he should quit the habit anyway—but life, and people, made that almost impossible.

He hadn't been chased by cops in a long time. And when he had been, most of the time—not every time—he got away.

He pulled the, now slightly crumpled, pack from his pocket, placing one between his middle and index finger, bringing it to his lips and lighting it. He continued down the street toward a familiar hangout, his thoughts drifting back to a time he didn't get away...

He and two of his friends sat in hard plastic chairs inside the bustling police station, waiting for their parents. Phones rang at nearby desks, keyboards clicked, and officers passed with expressions ranging from disappointment to irritation.
"Think my dad's gonna kill me?" Natsu asked the dark-haired boy beside him, wiggling his wrists in the cuffs.
"Well, he is a cop," the boy said with a shrug. "And this is your second arrest. I don't know—maybe he'll go easy on you."
The burgundy-haired girl on his other side chuckled. "He just got suspended for beating the hell out of Macbeth, remember?"
"Oh yeah. Yeah, you're toast, bro."
Natsu sighed heavily.
"Good thing Mom and Silver are still out of town, huh?" she said, glancing at the other boy.
"Yeah, Dad I could handle. Ur? Not so much." The step-siblings shuddered in unison.
Natsu scoffed. "You guys aren't off the hook just because they're not here."
"Still," the boy said, "I'd rather wait 'til they've cooled off." The girl nodded in agreement.

Then, the doors opened. Natsu stiffened. His father walked in, spotting him immediately and stomping forward with a scowl that could curdle milk. He didn't even like cottage cheese, he thought to himself. Shaking his head lightly as he regained his wits.
"You think he looks angry?" Natsu whispered.
"Oh, dude, he's pissed," the girl replied, amused.
The boy beside him snickered. "Now I'm really glad Dad and Ur aren't—oh shit, there they are."
All three turned to see the older couple trailing behind Igneel. The man resembled the boy beside Natsu, and the woman shared Ultear's burgundy hair.

"Gray, Ultear. I'd like to say it's nice to see you kids, but…" Igneel narrowed his eyes.

"Hi, Mr. Dragomir."
He turned to greet their parents. "Silver, Ur. How was the flight?"
"Oh, you know. Jet-lagged and ready for bed—until we got a call about our idiot kids being arrested."
"You guys are in serious trouble," Silver growled.
"I mean, what the hell is this I hear about destruction of property and arson!?" Ur's voice rose.
"That was Natsu!" Gray jumped to throw him under the bus. "We told him not to light that fire under the bridge!"
"Hey! It was a bonfire! And there was no arson charge," Natsu muttered.
"It was massive, you idiot," Gray snapped. "And you were dancing around it like a caveman with crazy eyes and everything."
"I was not, jerk!"
Ultear giggled. "You kinda were. It was hilarious."
"Oh whatever."

"But who got caught with pot?" Silver folded his arms.
Gray dropped his head.
"And I'm pretty sure all of you tried to run," Ur added, glaring daggers at them.

"Great. Add evading arrest to your growing list," Igneel muttered.

Natsu dropped his gaze, hating the look on his father's face. He never meant to disappoint him—but somehow, he always ended up here.
"You're both grounded," Ur said firmly, waving an officer over to unlock the cuffs. "And you," she turned to Ultear, "you're the older sibling. You should be keeping them out of trouble, not joining in."

"Oh please, we're only two years apart. They don't need my help getting into trouble."

"Not the point." Ur sighed. "Come on. Let's go." She turned to Igneel. "Bye, Igneel. We'll call."
The adults exchanged stiff farewells as Natsu gave his friends a small nod goodbye, his hands still bound.

The car ride home was quiet. Tense. Natsu could feel the anger radiating from his father like heat.

"Dad…?"
"Hm?"
"I'm sorry…"
"Natsu…" Igneel sighed, voice taut with frustration. "I just don't know what else to do. Assault, theft, destruction of property, evading arrest, and now arson?"
"It wasn't an arson charge," Natsu mumbled.
Igneel shot him a glare.
"Right… sorry."

"You just got suspended, man. You're always in fights."
"I don't just beat on people for no reason. Macbeth was harassing Lisanna!"
Natsu wasn't a bully. He never had been. But he couldn't stand by and watch others get hurt. That's what always landed him in trouble.

"I get that," Igneel said. "But next time, go to a teacher. Or call me. Because if you don't get your temper under control, you're going to get expelled—and there's nothing I can do."
Natsu looked out the window, the streetlights flickering across the wet pavement.

"If you can't control your anger, how do you plan to have any kind of future?"
His one true skill was fighting. His speed, his strength, his sharp instincts—he was a protector. That's who he was.
"I thought the plan was to become one of Makarov's agents."
"They still get work from the government, sure," Igneel said. "Only because of their ability to get shit done. But he's got enough reckless idiots already. You've gotta earn your place. And that means getting your shit together."

Natsu slumped, cheek resting on his palm.
"Maybe we should reconsider therapy."
"Dad, that stuff didn't help. I don't want to sit around talking feelings with some overpaid stranger."
"Well, something's gotta give. You're fifteen. Before long, you'll be a man. And I can't spend every day wondering what kind of trouble you're in."

Natsu stayed silent.
"I know things have been harder since your brother left—"
"Zeref hasn't visited in years. Or called. He's got his own life. I don't care," Natsu snapped.
Igneel nodded, shifting away from the topic. "Just… think about therapy?"
Natsu sighed. "Fine. Whatever."
A smile tugged at Igneel's lips. "Thanks. Oh—and you're grounded."
"Figured," he mumbled.

"You'll have a court date. Probably just community service."
"Yippee."
"But hey, I'm sure Gray and Ultear will be there to keep you company. And try not to fight with Gray. You two bicker like a married couple."
"Hey!" Natsu glared.
Igneel laughed.

Natsu rolled his eyes, hiding his smile. That laugh—it always got to him.

"Now, for punishment…" Igneel stroked his chin. "No training for a month."
"What? That'll do more harm than good! What am I supposed to do with all this energy?"
"...You'll just have to train with Erza."
Natsu froze. "W-wait, let's not be hasty—"
"Nope. You're right. You still need training."
"She's a monster! She'll kill me!"
"She might," Igneel said with a grin.
"Dad!"
"You'll survive. Might even do you some good."
"Start planning my funeral now," Natsu muttered.
Igneel cackled. "You'll be fine."
"She's terrifying…"
"Yeah," his father said, chuckling. "She kinda is."

Natsu took a drag, smiling softly at the memory of his father's laugh.
He tilted his head back, watching the blue afternoon sky as smoke drifted upward.

He did end up training with Erza—for months. She kicked his ass. Bruises, broken ribs, dislocated bones… the works. But it did more for him than therapy ever did.
He'd tried it again, for a full year. Therapy. Meds. Diagnoses. Trial and error. Nothing worked. The medications just dulled him or made things worse. So he quit, against his doctor's and his father's wishes. He never was good at following advice.

He wondered what his father would think of him now.

He shook the thought off as he approached his destination: the place he practically grew up in. A famous bar and grill in the heart of Magnolia, home to an exclusive members-only club in the basement.

He looked up at the sign and smiled.
'Fairy Tail'

The 'T' flickering ever so faintly.

With a flick, he dropped the cigarette, crushing it under his heel as he stepped through the familiar doors—knowing at least a few friends were already waiting inside.