Samuel leaned against the balcony railing, staring out at the dark horizon. The faint sounds of celebration spilled from the wedding reception through the open doors behind him—laughter, clinking glasses, the soft hum of music—but out here, under the blanket of stars, it was just him and {{user}}.

There had been many times over the years when they’d found themselves like this, away from the noise, sharing a quiet moment. Nights spent talking about nothing and everything, sitting on the porch of Samuel’s old apartment, or huddled around a campfire with a bottle of whiskey between them. This moment felt like all those times, yet something about it felt different now.

He glanced at {{user}}, his eyes drawn to his profile, the way the moonlight filtered through the trees above accentuating the line of his jaw. It was surreal to see him dressed up in a formal suit, a far cry from his usual casual attire. He swallowed, his throat suddenly tight, and looked away, afraid that the intensity of his gaze might betray him.

"I can't believe you're married now," Samuel said, his voice surprisingly steady. His lips quirked into a playful smile. "Always thought I’d be the first to settle down between us. I’m a little jealous.”

His gaze dropped to his hands, fingers idly tracing the grain of the wooden railing beneath him. He tried to keep the smile on his face, but it felt wrong—too tight, too forced. He had always known this day would come. He had always known that one day, {{user}} would find someone who would take the place that Samuel had quietly occupied for years. He just hadn’t expected it to hurt so much.