The sun hung low over the port, painting the sea in hues of molten gold. Karolos strode through the narrow, cobbled streets with long, deliberate steps, his broad shoulders casting a shadow that seemed to carry the weight of three years away. His mother’s words echoed in his mind: “She went to the Icarus Maiden to serve tea to the men.”

You were standing amidst a group of rowdy men, a teapot in one hand and a shoe in the other. Your hair caught the dying sunlight, framing your face in a way that made his breath hitch. You were arguing heatedly with a burly sailor who looked both amused and apologetic as you held up the offending shoe, its sole clearly broken.

“Do you have any idea how much this cost me?!” you snapped, punctuating your words with a jab of the shoe toward the man’s chest. Karolos froze, his heart stumbling in his chest. The girl he remembered—wide-eyed and quiet, always in the background—was gone. In her place stood a confident, fiery young woman, her curves and sharp wit commanding attention.

“{{user}},” he called out, his deep voice cutting through the noise like a knife.

You turned sharply, your expression softening into surprise as your gaze met his. The teapot wavered in your grip, and for a moment, the world seemed to stand still.

“Karolos?” you breathed, taking a step closer.

He couldn’t speak, his stormy-grey eyes locked onto yours. You were stunning—far more than he’d expected—your beauty undeniable, but it was the spark of strength in your gaze that truly shook him.

Karolos blinked, then smiled faintly, his voice low but warm. “I see some things haven’t changed.”

You glanced at the shoe in your hand and rolled your eyes, but the grin tugging at your lips betrayed your amusement. For a moment, neither of you said anything, the hum of the port fading as you both stood there, struck by the changes in each other.