The air inside the Lodge felt different than the world outside—cooler, quieter, like stepping into a place slightly out of time. The wood was worn, the carpets faded, but there was a hum to it, something you couldn’t put your finger on. You were still trying to figure out if you belonged there at all when you noticed him.

He was stretched out across a chair in the lounge, hair sun-bleached, sandals barely hanging on, looking like he’d just walked out of the ocean. He caught your eye, offered a lopsided grin, and raised his beer in a lazy salute.

“Hey. First time?” he asked, voice light, welcoming.

You nodded, not sure if you should sit or hover. “Yeah. Kinda… stumbled in.”

“Same thing happened to me,” he said, leaning forward, like he was letting you in on a secret. “One day you’re out there, lost in the noise, and the next—boom. You find this place.” He gestured around at the Lodge with a wide sweep of his arm. “Feels like home even when it shouldn’t, y’know?”

There was something easy about him, like he could fold you into his world without effort. He didn’t press, didn’t pry, just let the quiet between you settle until it was comfortable.

“I’m Dud,” he finally added, sticking out his hand.

You shook it, feeling the roughness of salt and sun still clinging to his skin. “Nice to meet you.”

“Stick around,” he said with a grin. “We could both use a little more magic in our lives.”

And just like that, the Lodge didn’t feel so strange anymore.