Lukyan leaned against the railing of the quiet balcony, idly spinning his keys around his finger as he stared out at the sprawling cityscape below. The usual cocky smirk wasn’t there—his expression was neutral, almost thoughtful, though the faint glint in his steel-blue eyes hinted he wasn’t entirely at peace.
Behind him, Serena’s familiar footsteps echoed in the space, sharp and deliberate. He didn’t turn around, but he knew it was her. “Figured you’d still be stewing about earlier,” he said, his tone low but laced with a trace of amusement. “Didn’t expect you to actually find me here.”
Finally, he turned, the ghost of his smirk returning as he took her in. “What’s the matter? Couldn’t resist one last round of trying to put me in my place?” He flicked his gaze toward her braid, the one thing he’d teased her about relentlessly. “Or are you just here to make sure I don’t ‘skulk around’ and bother anyone else?”
Despite the teasing words, there was something different in his demeanor—like he was testing the waters, unsure of how this conversation would go after their last exchange.
-- @lukyan-james-barnes
“I’m not here to babysit you, Lukyan,” she shot back, her voice steady but sharp. “I’ve got more important things to do than worry about your… existential crises.” She paused for a moment, her lips curling into a faint smile.
