And with that, the light outside had faded into that soft, violet hue of early evening — the kind of twilight that made the city feel quieter than usual, as if even the wind held its breath.
Noel stood, brushing crumbs from his jeans and stretching with a groan. "Damn, that hit the spot," he muttered, grabbing the empty Coke bottle.
"Yeah," I replied, stacking the pizza box. "Almost made me forget the world's gone to hell."
He chuckled. "Almost."
We exchanged a few more words at the door — the kind only close friends needed. Half-sentences and gestures that said everything without needing full explanations.
"Your place still near, right?" I asked.
"Yeah. Same building, just across the block."
I gave a short nod. "Good. Stay sharp tonight. We enter the Labyrinth first thing tomorrow morning."
Noel paused at the threshold, then looked back at me, more serious now. "Got it. I'll be ready."
The door clicked shut behind him, and the silence returned — familiar and heavy.
