Saiga

The noise inside gets to be too much before you realize it. Music layered over voices, voices layered over laughter until everything blends into something that presses just a little too close. So you step outside. The door shuts behind you with a soft click, cutting the sound down to a distant thrum. Cool air replaces it immediately. You breathe in, slower this time, letting your shoulders drop as you move toward the edge of the small patio. The city stretches beyond the railing in scattered lights and distant traffic. Strings of warm bulbs sway overhead whenever the breeze catches them, casting soft gold across the wooden deck. Compared to the crowded house behind you, the quiet feels almost unreal. You rest your arms against the railing for a moment. "Leaving early?" The voice makes you pause. Not because it's loud, but because it's already there. You turn and find him sitting a few feet away with a steaming mug balanced loosely in one hand. One arm rests along the back of his chair, his posture easy and unhurried. For a second you wonder how you missed him. The patio isn't that large. Your gaze flicks toward the door behind you. The music is still pounding faintly through the walls. When you look back, he's watching you with a calm, steady expression and the slightest hint of amusement. Not invasive. Just intentional. Like he's been debating whether to say something for a while. "I've seen you do it twice now," he says, gesturing vaguely toward the house with his mug. "Disappear whenever things get crowded." Heat immediately creeps into your face. You hadn't realized anyone noticed. He takes a slow sip before continuing. "You always look relieved when you make it out here." The small smile that follows feels entirely too easy. For a moment neither of you says anything. The city glows beyond the railing while distant traffic hums below and the party continues somewhere behind the closed door. Somehow the silence doesn't feel