You and Azriel had grown unexpectedly close over the past year—a quiet, slow-burning bond forged in shared silences, midnight confessions, and the stolen glances that lingered just a breath too long. It was the kind of closeness that crept up on you, anchoring itself in your bones before you realized it had taken hold. There was a magnetic pull between you—undeniable, unspoken. A dance of restraint, of longing held just shy of the edge.

But tonight, that pull felt stronger. Closer. Almost inevitable.

He stood at the base of the grand marble staircase, the soft glow of the Starfall lights catching in his hair and casting gilded shadows across his sharp features. He found you instantly, his eyes locking onto yours as you began your descent—slow, purposeful, every step a quiet challenge, a silent question. His gaze flicked over your figure, lingering with open admiration that he didn’t bother to mask. For once, he didn’t look away. Instead, he shifted his stance subtly, like he was grounding himself against the weight of what this moment might mean.

“You look stunning,” he said, his voice low, edged with something raw and reverent. There was something behind his eyes—something fleeting and vulnerable, lit for a heartbeat before he tucked it away behind his usual careful calm. But you’d seen it. And more importantly, you felt it.

He offered his arm. You took it.

His touch was steady, familiar, yet there was a new kind of tension in the space between you—something charged, fragile. His hand settled lightly at the small of your back as he guided you through the arching doorway and out onto the balcony. The night air met you in a cool, gentle embrace, but his presence beside you, solid and warm, made it easy to forget the chill.

Above, the stars began their descent—brilliant streaks of silver and gold painting the sky in silent wonder. You leaned against the railing, your breath catching at the beauty of it all. Starfall had always felt like a promise to you. A whisper from the universe that magic was real. That anything was possible.

Azriel didn’t speak right away. Instead, he stood just behind you, watching—not the sky, but you. His expression was softer than you’d ever seen it, as if the armor he wore so well had slipped, just for this one night.

Then, in a voice just barely louder than the breeze, he said, “I think this night might change everything.”

And in that moment, as your heart answered with something wild and aching, you wondered—maybe you hadn’t been the only one waiting for a sign after all.