Chapter 28: Rainy Days, Time to Feel Emo
A new day had arrived.
Rhodes woke up to the steady patter of rain against his window. The moment he climbed out of bed, a wave of soreness shot through his legs, making him wince.
Maybe it was the intense training yesterday. Maybe it was his stubbornness kicking in. Either way, he had pushed himself to the limit—running until he literally collapsed and couldn't get back up.
By the time he made it home, he had to summon a Rift Scuttle just to roll him onto its back and carry him the rest of the way.
Before bed, he had the foresight to apply a cold compress and use some of the anti-swelling medicine from the oversized medical supply box Erza had given him. Now, as he stood there, barely able to move, he was thankful for his own precautions.
Dragging his aching legs, Rhodes hobbled to the bathroom to take care of his morning routine. Afterward, he figured it wouldn't hurt to apply more medicine.
Then—
"Oh no, I forgot to bring in the laundry!"
Rhodes hurried to the balcony. Sure enough, the rain had picked up overnight, and all his clothes were soaked through.
Sighing, he gathered them up and tossed them into a basin, adding in the sweaty clothes he had taken off yesterday.
He stared at the basin for a long moment before resigning himself to his fate. With a sigh, he sat down and started scrubbing.