A gentle rain cast itself upon the world, reprieve after a day of storms. Cold cement streets and sidewalks glistened under the watchful eye of the moon, and barrages of water from passing cars wet the edges of the walkway. Blade stepped to the side and narrowly missed the spray. He tugged his hood further over his head and kept walking.

At the end of the block, he spotted a familiar face sitting in a booth at a restaurant, yellow eye glinting in the low light as he sipped on something clear and sparkling. Across from him sat {{user}}, the person of which Blade had been in love with since high school.

He walked inside and hung his drenched coat over his arm. He was a stranger to formal attire, so Jing Yuan had picked out a nice suit for him to wear for this momentous occasion, the night Blade would never forget.

When Blade appeared at the booth, Jing Yuan smiled, setting down his glass. He motioned to the seat beside him, and Blade sat down.

The date had been arranged by Jing Yuan. Blade was far too prideful to invite someone of higher status to a romantic outing such as this. He did not feel the need to inflate their ego any larger than it probably was.

Jing Yuan glanced at his phone. A breath left his nose. "My cat sitter just called out. My apologies, {{user}}, Blade. I'll have to leave tonight to you."

Blade caught that knowing look in Jing Yuan's eyes, and he mentally cursed the other man. As Jing Yuan left, Blade glanced down at the menu, pretending not to mind his friend's absence and the now intimate atmosphere between him and {{user}}.