Side Story (4) - Chapter 5
The evening settled gently over the city, draping the world in a blanket of quiet, silvery light. The air was crisp, almost biting, but perfectly still, as if even the wind had chosen to pause and marvel at the winter sky above. Twilight had just given way to night, and the deep blue sky stretched endlessly, dotted with stars that shimmered like fragments of ice. Their glow was sharp and clear against the cold, winter air—a rarity that only came on nights like these.
The observatory sat at the edge of a quiet park, its silhouette outlined against the heavens, welcoming the few who had ventured out on this frigid night. Around the path leading up to it, small lanterns cast a soft, warm glow on the snow-covered ground, illuminating the gentle trails of footprints left by earlier visitors. The stillness carried a sense of reverence, as if nature itself was holding its breath in awe of the vast, glittering expanse above.
Raze pulled his jacket closer around him, his breath forming faint clouds in the air as he and Solace walked side by side. The night seemed to amplify everything—the crunch of snow beneath their boots, the faint rustle of Solace's scarf as it caught the breeze, the distant murmur of quiet conversations from others who'd gathered for the stargazing event.
Just as they neared the observatory grounds, Solace glanced up, her eyes drawn to the countless stars above. She shivered slightly, but not from the cold; it was the sheer awe of standing beneath such a vast sky, one that seemed endless and unfathomable.
They stood in quiet awe, their eyes lifted to the sky, letting the world around them fade away in the presence of the stars. The silence between them felt intentional, a shared reverence for the beauty that stretched out above. Raze glanced sideways at Solace, noticing the way her eyes seemed to catch the faint light of the stars, mirroring the sky's quiet intensity. For a moment, he forgot about everything else—the worries, the plans, the relentless pace of their usual lives—and simply took in the stillness, feeling oddly grounded in her presence.
Solace wrapped her arms around herself, not out of discomfort but as if to hold onto the warmth of this rare moment. She tilted her head back, her breath curling into soft clouds that drifted up toward the heavens, dissipating into the night.
"Feels like we're standing under an entire universe we know nothing about," she murmured softly, her voice almost swallowed by the vastness of the night. "Makes everything else feel… small."
Raze nodded, feeling that weight as well, the humbling sense of insignificance in the face of something so expansive. "Yeah," he agreed quietly, his tone reflective. "It's nice to get lost in it for a bit. No plans, no expectations. Just… here."
They shared a quiet smile, and for a moment, it felt as though nothing could disrupt the peace that had settled between them. It was rare to find moments like these—ones that seemed to freeze in time, untouched by the chaos of the world.
But as they took another step forward, Solace's gaze drifted to the side, and her eyes widened slightly as she recognized a familiar figure standing apart from the small crowd of stargazers. She lightly tugged on Raze's sleeve, drawing his attention to the person leaning casually against the railing near one of the telescopes.
It was Nyx.
Raze's brows knitted in mild confusion as he followed Solace's line of sight. He didn't immediately place her—she was someone he'd met briefly during the tournament last year, but she'd barely registered in his mind. Yet, judging from Solace's reaction, there was something significant about this encounter.
Nyx looked… different. She stood with an unusual stillness, her gaze directed upward, fixed on the stars with an expression of quiet wonder. The playful mischief and keen sharpness that usually marked her presence were absent, replaced by a softened, almost unguarded curiosity. She seemed completely lost in the moment, captivated by the vastness above.
"Isn't that…" Raze started, glancing at Solace for confirmation.
"Nyx," Solace confirmed quietly, her tone laced with surprise. She had never expected to see her here, much less like this. Nyx, who was always so calculated and cunning, now appeared almost… serene, standing beneath the winter sky, her attention entirely on the stars.
Raze watched Solace's expression, noting the hint of intrigue in her eyes as she took in the sight of Nyx in this unexpected context. He felt a similar curiosity rising within himself, wondering what had drawn Nyx here, of all places, on a night like this.
For a moment, the three of them—Raze, Solace, and Nyx—seemed connected by the shared quiet of the starlit winter night, each wrapped in their own thoughts yet subtly aware of each other's presence under the endless sky.
Solace's eyes swept over Nyx's figure, noting the striking contrast between her and the crowd of bundled-up stargazers around them. Nyx's silver hair flowed freely, catching hints of the moonlight, with streaks of vibrant blues and purples subtly woven through, giving her an ethereal, almost otherworldly appearance.
She wore a sleek, dark jacket embroidered with a constellation pattern along the shoulders and sleeves—tiny, shimmering stars that seemed to come alive under the faint light. Beneath the jacket, a cropped black turtleneck hinted at her usual edgy style, balanced by comfortable, fitted pants that let her move effortlessly. Small details, like a crescent-moon pendant resting just below her collarbone and rings that glinted on her fingers, added a touch of elegance, almost as if she'd dressed to blend with the stars themselves.
Solace noticed how Nyx seemed less guarded, her stance more relaxed, as if the night sky itself had softened her usual intensity. The quiet fascination on Nyx's face, paired with her uncharacteristically gentle posture, made Solace feel as though she was glimpsing a side of Nyx that few ever saw.
Nyx had been lost in another world amidst the stars, her usual edge softened by the vastness above. But when she noticed Solace and—oh, right… RyzeFlicker—she felt her gaze sharpen once more. RyzeFlicker, she mused, the name ticking in her mind without leaving much of an impression. Another ADC main, barely memorable at best, much like Soulchaser (Kade) with his own predictable tactics. In Nyx's world, supports and ADCs were all interchangeable, merely pieces on the board with little strategic weight. ThornBlossom… Nyx couldn't help the slight smirk that tugged at her lips as her mind shifted to Solace's username. Yes, it was almost more amusing to think of her that way—ThornBlossom, a delicate support whose presence had been mostly… idle.
Nyx's mind raced with the possibilities. Encountering an enemy—and someone who used to be a supposed ally—provided the perfect moment to stir the pot. Solace's sudden shift in allegiance hadn't gone unnoticed, and while Nyx hadn't particularly cared about her role in Zenith, she couldn't resist toying with this moment. She straightened, her gaze narrowing as she moved toward them, her steps unhurried yet purposeful, fully intent on taking charge of the interaction.
"Well, well, well… if it isn't Solace…" Nyx's voice held a subtle lilt, a mix of feigned surprise and amusement, her gaze trailing over Solace with a calculating intensity. "Seems like you've been quite… busy lately, haven't you?" Her tone dripped with subtle condescension, as if Solace's every move had been predictable and inconsequential.
Her eyes flicked over to Raze, but she didn't address him directly, instead letting her gaze linger with a vague disinterest. "Mingling with the… enemy, I see?"
Solace's expression tightened, a flicker of tension crossing her face as she held Nyx's gaze. She was used to Nyx's subtle digs and knew her well enough to catch the veiled disdain in her tone. But tonight, amidst the stars and under the quiet of the night, Solace felt a strange sense of calm that kept her from taking the bait immediately. Instead, she tilted her head slightly, a small, measured smile touching her lips as she replied.
"It's a big sky," Solace said coolly, letting her words linger with an edge of defiance. "Plenty of room for all kinds of people." Her gaze didn't waver, meeting Nyx's directly, as if to say she wasn't here to play into Nyx's games tonight. "Just because we're here together doesn't mean anything more than that." There was a quiet confidence in her tone, something grounded, that perhaps Nyx hadn't expected.
Raze, on the other hand, had been watching Nyx with mild curiosity, his stance relaxed but alert, sizing her up as if trying to remember who she was from that brief encounter at the tournament. Her dismissive glance hadn't gone unnoticed, and it almost amused him, like he was an afterthought in her mind. Fine by him; he didn't mind keeping it that way. But when Nyx insinuated that Solace had been "mingling with the enemy," he felt a flicker of protectiveness stir. He glanced at Solace, then shrugged, letting a playful smirk spread across his face.
"Funny, I don't remember needing an invitation to stargaze," he said, his voice casual but edged with something sharper. "But thanks for reminding me just how exclusive it is to be out here with people like you, Nyx." He said her name slowly, letting it hang in the air, as if to hint that he hadn't quite forgotten the tournament—or how little her presence had affected him back then. He kept his tone light, but his gaze was unwavering, a silent message that he wasn't about to let her undermine Solace in his presence.
Solace glanced at Raze, appreciating his response, and the two of them seemed to close ranks, standing subtly closer together, presenting a unified front. They didn't need to be defensive, not here, not under the vast night sky that reminded them of their own quiet resilience. And though they didn't explicitly push back against Nyx, their steady gazes and calm responses made it clear—they weren't here to play by her rules tonight.
Nyx's eyes narrowed slightly, the faintest hint of irritation flickering over her expression before she forced it away. She recognized when someone wasn't taking the bait, and there was no point wasting her energy on people who didn't bite. Tonight was supposed to be hers, anyway—a rare, quiet moment beneath the stars. She hadn't come here to spar with Solace or contend with some forgotten face from a tournament. And, deep down, even she felt the allure of letting the sharp edges soften, just for a night.
With a slight tilt of her head, Nyx shrugged, her expression easing into something more neutral. "Well, I suppose even enemies can share a moment of peace now and then," she muttered, her tone dropping its usual bite. Her gaze drifted back up to the stars, and for a moment, she almost seemed like a different person—lost, maybe even a little introspective, as if the vastness above reminded her of things she didn't often let surface.
She took a step back, breaking the small circle of tension that had formed between them, and folded her arms, nodding to a spot a little further along the railing. "Guess I'll let you two enjoy the show," she said, not quite meeting their eyes. "I was here first, though," she added, almost as an afterthought, a reminder that, in her mind, this was her domain tonight. But her tone lacked the usual possessive edge, as if she was surrendering, however reluctantly, a small piece of her solitude.
Solace and Raze exchanged a glance, both surprised at her unexpected retreat but feeling no need to press it. They watched as Nyx moved to a quieter spot along the railing, leaning against it as she turned her gaze upward, her expression softened in the starlight. She seemed... different, her posture more relaxed, her typical intensity dimmed under the night sky. The three of them stood there, separated by a few paces but somehow connected in the stillness, each absorbed in the silent beauty above.
And for that evening, an unspoken truce settled over them, as if the stars themselves demanded peace.