The elevator doors slid open, and Julian stepped out without hesitation.
The lobby had thinned by the time he reached it. The late hour softened the space, leaving only a few scattered figures moving through it without urgency. A receptionist glanced up briefly as he crossed the floor, then returned to her screen. The quiet suited him. It made it easier to hold onto the control he had built back up since leaving the rooftop.
He pushed through the glass doors and stepped outside.
The night air settled around him immediately, cooler than the rooftop, steadier, carrying the distant hum of the city without pressing too close. Julian moved down the steps, his pace even, his attention forward, already putting distance between himself and everything that had just happened.
He slowed to a stop, the movement didn't come from hesitation or uncertainty. It came from the sudden presence that cut cleanly across his path.
Lucian stood directly in front of him.
