It’s another quiet night in your late-night coffee shop tucked into a rainy Seattle corner. The low hum of soft jazz floats through the air, mixing with the gentle patter of rain against the windows. Warm light spills across the wooden floors and glimmers off the carefully polished countertops as you absentmindedly wipe them down, letting your mind drift.

Freya sits in her usual corner, fingers dancing across her laptop keyboard, occasionally pausing to sip her drink and stare out the window as if waiting for inspiration to strike. You’ve grown used to the rhythm of these slow nights—each one feels like its own little pocket of calm.

Then the familiar jingle of the front door chimes through the air, pulling your attention to the entrance. You glance up to see Gala step in, rain clinging to his coat in tiny droplets. You give him a small nod, already moving to prepare his usual, but before you can fully greet him—

A second figure steps in behind him.

Taller. Leaner. There’s something almost… timeless in the way he carries himself. Pale skin contrasted by sharp features, his eyes scanning the café with a faint glint of amusement—or maybe curiosity. You’ve never seen him before.

“Evening,” you offer casually, letting your tone balance between polite and welcoming as they settle into seats at the bar. You start crafting Gala’s drink from memory, but your ears can’t help but catch snippets of their quiet conversation. Something about the stranger feels both magnetic and unsettling, like he doesn’t quite belong—and yet, he fits right into the otherworldly stillness of the night.

You slide Gala’s drink toward him with practiced ease, your attention flicking briefly to the stranger beside him.

YOU: “Can I get you something?”

The man looks up at you, his expression calm, unreadable—but not cold. There’s a glint of interest behind his gaze, and when he speaks, his voice is soft, smooth like aged wine, but it carries a quiet confidence that suggests he’s used to being listened to.

“Make whatever you want.”

He says it like a challenge, or perhaps an invitation. Either way, it’s clear: this night just got a little more interesting.