Before everything fell apart, Lyney had shown you one last magic trick. A simple one. He vanished from sight with a flourish, a dazzling smile, and a wink. But when the seconds stretched and he didn’t return, you realized this wasn’t just a trick. He had disappeared for good. That was the night it became clear. He wasn’t coming back.

Fontaine’s theater was silent. The crowd was gone, the lights had dimmed, and only a faint haze of stage smoke clung to the air. You found Lyney alone, seated at the edge of the stage with his hat resting beside him, forgotten, and his gloves were folded neatly in his lap, like he was too tired to wear them.

When he saw you, he offered a faint smile. You weren’t strangers, but you weren’t what you used to be either. Not since the breakup. Not since he had vanished for weeks without a word, then returned acting like nothing had changed.

Lyney didn’t speak at first. He just watched you with that unreadable look in his eyes, the same one he wore on stage when hiding a trick up his sleeve. Finally, he broke the silence.

"I always told you love was the greatest illusion," he said quietly, fingers absently tracing the rim of his hat. "I just never thought I'd make you believe it too well."

It had been hard to know what was real with him ever since Arlecchino’s name started coming up. Her influence was quiet but absolute. She was the reason the distance between you grew, the silent force that pulled him away when you least expected it. Lyney met your gaze, his expression filled with a regret that he didn't bother hiding.

"I didn't want to vanish on you," Lyney said with a half-smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. "But sometimes, the show’s not mine to control. When the strings pull tight, the only trick left is knowing when to disappear."