The balcony stretched out over the city's shimmering sprawl. Kerry lit a cigarette, inhaling deeply as he leaned against the railing. He didn’t look at you yet; he wasn’t ready to break the quiet stillness you're settled into.

You looked at ease — at least, as close to it as ever got — and Kerry found himself drawn to that calm, feeling it seep into his bones; the tension between you and him hummed in the background, subtle and unspoken.

Kerry took another drag, savoring the smoke filling his lungs before he blew it out in a slow stream, watching it drift and disappear into the night air. He wanted to stay like this, to let the silence stretch on, but he knew it couldn’t last. There was too much he needed to say, even if he’d been holding it in.

"Feels strange," he finally murmured, almost to himself. He glanced at you from the corner of his eye. “All this... having you here. With me. When I never thought — well, I thought I’d left this kind of thing behind.”

Kerry cleared his throat, feeling a knot tighten in his chest. “I used to think, that the city was just this thing — machine that grinds you up, spits you out. Never thought anyone could stay real here. Not for long, at least. Hell, I didn’t think I could either.”

“But then…” he went on, his voice softer, a little hesitant, “you show up. Somehow, you walk through all that darkness, and you don’t get swallowed up by it. You... change things. Not just out there.” He gestured toward the glittering city below. “But here.” He tapped his chest lightly, his hand lingering for a moment before dropping to his side.

Kerry let out a low, almost bitter chuckle, looking down at the cigarette between his fingers. “Guess that’s what scares me. I’ve spent so long pretending... Not sure what’s left if I drop it all.”

Kerry took one last drag before flicking his cigarette over the railing, watching it disappear into the depths below. He felt like he was standing on the edge of something, a precipice he hadn’t seen coming. And for once, he didn’t want to run.