Raze shouldn't have gone out again.
He knew that halfway through the second drink.
But the exam sat heavy in his chest.
Theory, structure, history.
Things that felt wrong in his hands.
He painted by instinct.
He didn't memorize by instinct.
"Artist," Noah had joked earlier, "you'll wing it."
Raze didn't feel like winging anything.
By the time he left the bar, the night felt thicker than usual.
Cool, still.
He walked.
At least, he started to.
Somewhere between the third block and the fifth, the world tilted slightly sideways.
He found a bench.
Sat down.
Tried to breathe through the spin.
Too drunk to stand.
Too tired to argue with himself.
Streetlight above him hummed faintly.
The city didn't sleep.
It just softened.
Footsteps approached.
Measured, not hurried.
He barely lifted his head.
A figure paused in front of him.
A girl.
Silhouette sharp under the streetlight.
She seemed to consider something.
Then—
"Can I sit?"
He blinked slowly.
"…It's public."
That was consent enough.
She sat down beside him.
Not close, not far.
Just present.
For a while—
Neither of them spoke.
The hum of the light above flickered faintly.
Cars passed in the distance.
Wind brushed along the pavement.
"It's loud," she said eventually.
He squinted slightly.
"What."
"The city."
Her voice was calm.
Steady.
"Even when it's quiet."
He let out a soft breath.
"Yeah."
She tilted her head upward slightly, looking at the streetlight.
"It buzzes."
He followed her gaze lazily.
"It does."
Silence again.
Comfortable.
Strangely.
He didn't ask why she was out this late.
Didn't ask how old she was.
Didn't ask anything.
She spoke again after a minute.
"You don't look homeless."
He laughed weakly at that.
"Good."
"You look tired."
"Also good."
She glanced at him then.
Actually looked at him.
"You're not fine."
He huffed softly.
"Neither are you."
That made her pause.
Just slightly.
The hum continued above them.
"You drink to quiet it?" she asked.
He considered that.
"…Maybe."
She nodded once.
As if that confirmed something.
"I prefer rooftops," she said.
He blinked.
"Rooftops."
"They're quieter."
That word again.
Quieter.
He squinted at her.
"Do I know you?"
She leaned forward slightly.
Streetlight caught her face properly now.
Green eyes.
Controlled expression.
"I'm Sable."
The name cut through the haze.
Raze stilled.
Sable.
His brain struggled to line it up.
Smurf.
Transfer student.
Rax.
The pieces tried to connect.
"…Right," he muttered.
She didn't elaborate.
Just sat there.
Just… watching.
Like making sure he didn't tip forward off the bench.
Minutes passed.
Or maybe longer.
He didn't know.
His head dipped once.
Then twice.
The last thing he registered was her voice—
"Don't fall sideways."
And then—
Black.
—
Morning.
Cold.
He jolted awake.
Alone.
Bench empty.
Streetlight off.
The world normal again.
No sign she'd been there.
He sat up slowly.
Checked his pockets.
Wallet.
Phone.
All there.
He looked around once more.
Nothing.
Just daylight.
And a faint memory of green eyes under yellow light.