The noise of the lounge softened as Sol stepped outside onto the floating walkway, letting the cool, synthetic breeze brush against his skin. Below, the city pulsed with neon light, an ocean of color and movement stretching endlessly in all directions. The artificial sky above flickered subtly, mimicking the soft twinkle of distant stars. It wasn't real, but for a moment, it almost felt like it.
He exhaled slowly, gripping the railing. The weight that had sat so firmly on his shoulders for years felt… lighter. Not gone, just distant, like a song playing from another room. For the first time in longer than he could remember, he wasn't running. Wasn't thinking about what came next. Wasn't trying to outmaneuver danger lurking around the corner. He was just… *here.*
And he didn't know what to do with that.
His moment of reflection didn't last long.
"Oi! Where'd you sneak off to?" Jack's voice cut through the hum of the city, followed by the sound of approaching footsteps.
Sol sighed, glancing over as Jack and Lloyd joined him, both holding fresh drinks. Jack handed him one without asking, grinning like he was far too pleased with himself.
"We're not done with you yet," Jack declared. "I refuse to let you get all quiet and broody on us now."
Lloyd took a sip of his drink and smirked. "Besides, Jack still needs to recover from his tragic failure."
Jack groaned. "Are we seriously still talking about that? I've moved on. It's in the past."
Sol smirked, taking a slow sip of his drink before shooting back, "Better than having my date stolen."
Lloyd, mid-sip, nearly choked, his expression going blank for a moment. Jack erupted into laughter, doubling over as he clapped his hands together.
"Oh, this is the best thing I've ever heard!" Jack cackled. "Lloyd, my guy, he got you good!"
Lloyd opened his mouth, closed it, then just sighed, rubbing his temples. "I hate both of you."
Lloyd nodded toward the lounge entrance. "Still why'd you nearly trip over yourself staring at a waitress on the way out?"
Jack dramatically placed a hand on his chest. "That was a coincidence. A tragic coincidence."
Sol huffed a quiet laugh, shaking his head. Before he could reply, a new voice joined them.
"Well, aren't you a rare sight?"
Sol turned to see a lounge server standing nearby, holding a tray of empty glasses. She was striking in a different way than Veyna—soft caramel skin, a cybernetic implant that glowed faintly beneath her collarbone, and deep, playful eyes that lingered on him longer than necessary.
"You're not like the usual guests we get here," she mused, tilting her head. "Something about you… stands out."
Jack immediately perked up. "Oh, this is excellent."
Lloyd, sipping his drink, muttered, "This is ridiculous."
Sol arched an eyebrow. "That so?"
The server stepped closer, ignoring the other two entirely as she focused on him. "Definitely. Hard to tell if it's the way you carry yourself or just that face of yours, but either way, I approve."
Veyna, who had just walked out to join them, paused mid-step. Her golden eyes flicked between Sol and the server, the casual flirtation registering instantly. Her expression didn't change much, but the air around her shifted—a subtle but unmistakable shift in energy, like a knife sliding into its sheath just a little too forcefully.
"Oh?" Veyna mused, voice light, but with an underlying edge. "Didn't realize we were taking personal fan requests now."
Jack sucked in a breath. "Oh shit."
Lloyd smirked behind his glass. "This just got interesting."
The server, either unaware or unbothered by Veyna's presence, leaned just slightly into Sol's space. "Well, if I knew he was in such high demand, I would've introduced myself sooner." She extended a hand. "Lea."
Sol, unsure of why this was suddenly a thing, shook her hand. "Sol."
Veyna's lips curled into something that wasn't quite a smile. "How charming. You're awfully bold for someone who's only just noticed him."
Lea blinked, finally giving Veyna a proper look. A slow, knowing grin spread across her lips. "Ah, I see. You're one of those."
Veyna tilted her head. "One of what, exactly?"
Lea's eyes glimmered with amusement. "The type that only notices what they have once someone else is interested in it."
Jack covered his mouth to muffle his laughter, eyes darting between them like he was watching the greatest drama of his life unfold in real time.
Sol, for his part, was deeply regretting stepping outside.
Lloyd, ever the instigator, leaned toward Sol. "Well? Who's winning?"
Sol sighed. "I hate both of you."
Veyna took a step forward, placing a deliberate hand on Sol's shoulder. "Oh, don't misunderstand. I noticed long before you did."
Lea raised an eyebrow, her amusement never fading. "Interesting. Then why do you look so annoyed?"
Veyna smiled, saccharine and sharp. "Because I don't like sharing."
Jack lost it. He bent over laughing, clutching his stomach. "Oh my god, this is the best thing that's ever happened. This is karma in its purest form."
Lloyd, smirking, nudged Sol. "Well? You handling this, or are we calling for backup?"
Sol, at this point, was barely holding back his own sigh. He downed the rest of his drink in one go before setting the glass down with a quiet clink.
"I need another drink."
Jack, wiping away tears of laughter, clapped a hand on his back. "That's the spirit!"
Veyna, still smug, linked her arm through Sol's. "I'll get it for you."
Lea smirked. "Careful. Wouldn't want to give the wrong impression."
Veyna's smile widened. "Oh, I'd say my impression is very clear."
Jack wheezed, leaning against Lloyd for support. "Oh, I *love* this ship."
Sol exhaled, his gaze flicking between Veyna and Lea, both of whom looked entirely too amused with themselves. He could already tell there was no way to win here. There was no escape—
Unless.
Without a word, he let his illusion affinity take hold. The neon lights flickered slightly, and then, just like that, he was gone.
The air where he had been standing shimmered faintly, then stilled, leaving only the four of them standing in stunned silence.
Jack blinked once. Twice. Then he burst out laughing, doubling over as he slapped Lloyd on the back. "HE RAN! He actually ran away! Oh, this is the greatest thing I've ever seen!"
Lloyd groaned, rubbing his temples. "I can't believe it. He Houdini'd out of a conversation."
Veyna blinked, looking at the empty space where Sol had just been. Her brows furrowed, and she turned in a slow circle, scanning the immediate area. "What the hell? Where did he go?"
Lea's playful smirk dropped as she glanced around. "Did… did he actually disappear?"
Jack, still catching his breath, threw his hands in the air. "Oh, this just keeps getting better! My guy literally vanished to escape! I've never respected him more!"
Lloyd sighed, shaking his head. "This is ridiculous. Did he really just—"
Veyna narrowed her golden eyes. "That's not normal. That's—" She stopped herself, crossing her arms. "That's annoying."
Lea huffed, shifting her weight onto one hip. "I don't know whether to be impressed or insulted. Was talking to me that bad?"
Jack clapped his hands. "I love this! He's got both of you stunned. He wins! The man wins!"
Jack was still laughing, barely able to breathe. "Nope, nope—he straight-up noped out of existence. Poof! Gone. I love it."
Lloyd exhaled slowly. "So. Do we… look for him? Or just let him have this one?"
Veyna clicked her tongue, clearly irritated. "He has to show up eventually."
Lea smirked. "Unless he's better at hiding than you think."
Jack doubled over again, laughing uncontrollably. "Oh man, I am never letting this go. The great Sol, the unshakable mountain, ran from a conversation."
Jack wiped away a tear of laughter. "Nah, we let him stew. He'll come back when he realizes he still has to pay his tab."