The night carried on in full swing as Luna, Kana, and Auren continued their impromptu karaoke session until well past midnight. The trio had long discarded the pretense of staying on-key—by the end, they were belting out duets, ridiculous dance numbers, and old childhood anthems that sent them into bouts of laughter so strong their stomachs hurt.
Between songs, while Kana flipped through the queue and Luna pretended to tune the mic like a diva, Auren leaned a little closer to Kana, his expression sincere.
"I think it's good, what you're doing," he said.
Kana glanced at him, brow lifted. "Cutting back on my shoots?"
He nodded.
"Spending more time with Mary. This kind of presence... it matters. You'd be surprised how much it can ease things—even if it can't cure anything."
Kana was quiet for a beat, then smiled softly. "Thanks, Doc."
"Try planning small stuff," he added. "Painting together, games, baking. Even things that feel silly—they give people something to look forward to."
Kana looked thoughtful, nodding. "Alright. Maybe we'll start with painting. She always liked messing around with watercolor when we were kids."
Luna, sensing the conversation drifting into a more private moment, gave them a gentle wave. "I'll head back first. Don't stay up too late."
"Who, us?" Kana called, already chucking a pillow at her.
Luna ducked it easily with a laugh and stepped into the hall, the cool wood under her socks grounding her in the sudden quiet. She padded back to her room and locked the door behind her before collapsing onto the bed, the lingering buzz of the night still dancing in her head.
She picked up her phone and texted her dad.
Luna: Good night, Dad.
The reply was nearly instant.
Emmerich: Good night, star. Sweet dreams. 🌙
She stared at the screen a moment longer, her thumb hovering above the keys. Then, after a moment of hesitation, she opened a new message thread.
Luna: Good morning, I guess. 😅 You'll probably see this when you wake up.
She hit send before she could overthink it. But to her surprise, three dots immediately appeared at the bottom of the screen. Her heart gave a small, startled skip.
Edward: You're up late tonight. The stars keeping you company?
Luna blinked at the reply, then smiled, shifting to sit up properly in bed as she typed.
Luna: More like indigestion from singing badly and eating too much midnight popcorn.
Luna: What about you? Why are you awake?
Edward: Paperwork. Field prep. A thousand boring little things that always pile up.
Edward: Though I did stop to test some field coffee. Verdict: still terrible.
Luna: You're oddly charming when you complain about coffee.
Edward: And you're oddly awake for someone on vacation.
Luna: I could say the same to you, Mr. Paperwork.
They kept going, messages flowing freely—trivial things, small quirks of their days. Edward talked vaguely about reviewing logistics and getting his hands on field drones again. Luna talked about birdwatching with Auren and how Kana cheated during karaoke. Every message warmed the night like coals under ash, quiet but comforting.
Eventually, after a long pause, a final message popped up:
Edward: You should try to sleep soon.
Luna: Tried. Brain's too awake.
Edward: Then watch the sunrise for me. I'll imagine it from wherever I am.
Luna: Deal. Sleep well, Edward.
Edward: You too, Luna. 🌅
The moment the thread went still, Luna put her phone down with a quiet sigh, smiling into the hush. But there was no sleep in her bones now. The gentle thrum of dawn tugged her out of bed.
Wrapping herself in a warm cardigan, she slipped out of the room barefoot, the hall quiet, the others still fast asleep. She tiptoed past closed doors and made her way to the front porch, breath fogging faintly in the cool pre-dawn air.
And there it was—the sky unfurling like a slow promise, blush-pink and soft gold bleeding into the pale horizon. The lake shimmered in the early light, birds ruffling their feathers, starting to sing again. Everything felt paused and gentle.
Luna stood there in silence, holding that moment close, her phone still warm in her pocket.
Just like he asked, she watched the sunrise for both of them.
The home cinema in the luxurious cabin was dim and cozy, built like a plush nest of reclining seats, thick blankets, and a giant screen that cast flickering colors onto Luna's half-sleepy face. She was lazily curled up on one of the loungers, a blanket cocooned around her legs, a half-eaten bowl of popcorn resting on her stomach as some fantasy action movie played in the background.
She barely registered the soft patter of steps until Mary plopped down beside her, stealing a handful of popcorn without asking. Luna didn't protest, just peeked sideways as Mary smirked.
"I already watched this movie," Mary said with a teasing edge. "Want me to spoil it for you?"
Luna raised a brow, then grinned. "Absolutely. I'm the type who watches the ending first, then the whole movie just to understand how it got there."
Mary let out a surprised laugh. "You little monster. Same. But don't ever say that around Kana—she treats spoilers like a personal betrayal."
Luna chuckled, rolling her eyes fondly. "I figured. She always insists on watching movies together for the first time so I don't ruin it for her. But honestly, I didn't get to watch that many movies growing up. And when I finally had time, Kana had already seen them all, so I never really got the chance to be a proper spoiler gremlin."
"Well," Mary said, grabbing more popcorn, "You're welcome to practice on me anytime."
They both giggled, half-focused on the screen as Mary whispered spoilers in Luna's ear, punctuated by dramatic eye-rolls and popcorn-fueled commentary. The two of them settled into a warm rhythm, the movie becoming less about the story and more about the shared company and silly remarks.
When the credits finally rolled, Luna stretched like a cat, her spine giving a satisfying crack. "Brunch?"
"Absolutely," Mary said, already halfway out the seat.
The two made their way to the dining room, where the comforting scent of freshly brewed coffee and warm baked goods greeted them. They were greeted by the sight of Auren, already seated, looking more like a sleep-deprived sage than a doctor. His hair was slightly tousled, and there were faint pillow marks on his cheek.
"You two look way too awake for this hour," Auren grumbled, stifling a yawn.
"You were the one doing tai chi before sunrise," Luna teased as she sat beside him. "Don't throw shade now."
"I woke up early because I couldn't sleep," Auren admitted. "Now I'm going back to bed after this. Kana's probably still knocked out until mid-afternoon anyway."
"She does hibernate like a bear when she has the chance," Mary said fondly as she poured herself tea. "We'll probably hear her rummaging for food around two or three like some cryptid."
They all chuckled as the servers brought in their brunch—a mix of western and traditional: buttery croissants, eggs benedict, grilled veggies, rice porridge, miso soup, and the ever-present side of bacon that made Auren perk up slightly.
The three of them shared a light, comfortable meal, punctuated by sleepy laughter and dreamy glances out the wide glass windows where birds fluttered and the lake shimmered in soft gold.
It was a rare morning with no pressure. Just tired eyes, full bellies, and the warmth of company that needed no explanation.
____________________________________________________________
The low hum of generators echoed faintly in the background of the temporary base, set up within the confines of a derelict industrial site just on the outskirts of the lawless city. The air carried the scent of rust, ash, and windborne grit—harsh and wild, just like the territory beyond the perimeter walls. Inside one of the base's makeshift operation rooms, Edward Sola stood at the head of a long folding table scattered with digital tablets, holographic displays, and secure encrypted communication devices.
He'd been up since dawn yesterday with no sleep, overseeing the logistics, calibrating the updated route markers for safe passage, rechecking the background of the local mercenaries hired to augment their numbers, and approving dossiers for the tech recovery team. The mission to track down Lin's trail—and more importantly, intercept any factions sniffing close to her legacy AI—was complex, dangerous, and politically volatile.
But as Edward finally closed a file and set aside the last urgent briefing report, his personal device buzzed softly. He glanced down, and the corner of his mouth lifted into a rare, private smile.
Luna.
Her simple "good morning" arrived like a soft breeze in the middle of a dust storm. The chaos of war zones and the intricacies of covert ops momentarily faded into the background as he read her message.
He leaned back in his chair, thumb hovering for a moment before replying, "You're up late. Still can't sleep?"
She replied quickly, and for the next while, they talked. Nothing deep—bits about her day, the camping trip, her food adventures, and idle thoughts. But to Edward, it was the most grounding part of the whole day. Despite his environment, he found himself relaxing as he responded between forwarding intel requests and issuing minor clearance orders. His fingers moved easily, one hand typing responses to Luna, the other skimming mission details from the base's command terminal.
He let himself smile faintly when Luna commented on the sunrise she would watch later. There was something soothing in knowing she was safe and at peace—even if he was surrounded by plans built for potential bloodshed.
But time was catching up with him. A digital chime reminded him of the pending security sweep briefing. He allowed himself one last glance at the screen before sending:
"You too, Luna. 🌅"
He lingered a moment longer than necessary before switching his personal device to silent. The professional mask slid back over his expression just as a knock came at the door.
"Enter," he said, voice smooth and composed.
Leroy stepped in, crisp in uniform, his bearing efficient and alert. He handed over a tablet. "Sir, the updated sweep data and terrain evaluations for the secondary route. All high-clearance points have been confirmed."
Edward nodded, taking the tablet and skimming it quickly. "Good. Make sure the team doing the northeast sweep double-checks the elevation grid. The terrain there's known for sudden shifts."
"Yes, sir."
Just as Leroy turned to leave, his eyes, sharp and trained, flickered toward the now-darkened device on Edward's desk. A single message still faintly glowed on the screen—a part of the conversation not yet cleared from view.
Luna: I'm glad you messaged. It makes being up late/early to watch the sunrise feel warmer. :)
There was no outward reaction. No shift in posture. But the edge in Leroy's jawline tightened almost imperceptibly. He gave a small nod, his voice even. "If there's nothing else, I'll prepare the team for deployment."
"Good. We move at 0700," Edward said, already pulling up another schematic.
Leroy gave a sharp salute, turned, and left the room. But as the door slid shut behind him and he walked down the steel-paneled hall, his eyes darkened, his thoughts a storm behind his stoic face.
Luna.
How close is Edward to Luna?
She was never far from his thoughts—but now, it seemed, she was becoming more entangled with a lot of men like Edward Sola. Edward Sola someone far too polished, far too connected. Far too secretive.
He said nothing as he returned to his team's prep station, but his mind remained restless.