The sound of laughter greeted Elias as he stepped into the warm, bustling restaurant. His mother’s voice carried over the hum of conversation, teasing his father about his obsession with trying every new gadget he stumbled across. It was a familiar dynamic—comforting, even—but as Elias walked toward their table, the knot in his stomach tightened.

It had been weeks since he’d last seen them. Weeks of chaos, questions, and unexplainable experiences that he couldn’t begin to share. And now, here they were, sitting together like nothing had changed, oblivious to the storm brewing in his life.

“Elias!” His younger sister Emma spotted him first, her eyes lighting up as she waved him over. Her white coat was folded neatly over the back of her chair, a subtle reminder of her accomplishments as a surgeon—a constant point of pride for their parents.

“Hey,” he said, managing a smile as he slid into the empty chair beside her.

His older brother, Mason, looked up from the menu, his expression calm but always faintly critical. Dressed sharply, as usual, Mason exuded the air of someone who had life perfectly figured out. As a successful civil engineer, he carried the unspoken expectation that everyone else should too.

“Look who decided to show up,” Mason said with a smirk, his voice teasing but edged with something sharper.

“Good to see you too, Mason,” Elias replied, his tone light but distant. He glanced at his parents, who were seated across from him. His father gave him a warm smile, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes, and his mother reached out to squeeze his hand.

“It’s about time we saw you,” she said, her voice soft with a hint of reproach. “You’ve been so busy lately.”

“Work,” Elias said quickly, the excuse slipping out before he could think too much about it. “It’s been… hectic.”

“Hectic, huh?” Mason leaned back in his chair, folding his arms. “Is that code for finally getting your act together?”

“Mason,” their mother scolded, shooting him a look. “Be nice.”

“I’m just saying,” Mason said, raising his hands in mock defense. “Elias disappears for weeks, and now he’s suddenly too busy to call? Sounds like a miracle to me.”

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Elias forced a laugh, though it felt hollow. “Yeah, well, miracles happen.”

Emma nudged him with her elbow, her expression playful but kind. “Ignore him. He’s just jealous you get to freelance while he’s stuck in an office all day.”

Mason rolled his eyes. “Freelance is a fancy word for unemployed.”

Their father cleared his throat, cutting off the brewing sibling argument. “That’s enough,” he said firmly, his gaze flicking to Elias. “We’re just glad you’re here. And I have to admit, I’m curious—what kind of work have you been doing?”

Elias hesitated, his mind scrambling for an answer that wouldn’t lead to more questions. “Architecture projects,” he said finally. “Small-scale stuff, mostly for private clients.”

“Clients?” Mason raised an eyebrow. “Or are you just designing things for fun?”

“Mason,” their mother said again, her tone sharper this time.

Elias forced another smile, his hands tightening into fists under the table. “It’s real work, Mason. Pays the bills.”

His father nodded approvingly, though there was a flicker of doubt in his eyes. “That’s good to hear. Architecture is a tough field to break into. We’re proud of you for sticking with it.”

“Thanks, Dad,” Elias said, though the words felt like ash in his mouth. Pride. The word carried so much weight, and he wasn’t sure if he deserved it anymore.

The conversation drifted to safer topics after that—Emma’s latest surgeries, Mason’s ambitious new project designing a public transportation hub, their father’s retirement plans, and their mother’s ongoing book club drama. Elias chimed in where he could, laughing at the right moments and nodding along, but his mind felt miles away.

After dinner, as the group lingered over coffee and dessert, his mother leaned forward, her gaze soft but probing. “Elias,” she said gently, “you seem… different. Is everything okay?”

His heart skipped a beat, panic flaring in his chest. “Different?” he asked, forcing a laugh. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t know,” she said, tilting her head. “You just seem… quieter. A little more serious.”

“Maybe he’s finally growing up,” Mason quipped, earning a glare from Emma.

Elias shook his head, waving off the comment. “I’m fine, Mom. Just busy.”

She didn’t look entirely convinced, but she let it go, smiling instead. “Well, whatever it is, we’re here for you. Always.”

“Thanks,” he said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.

As the evening wound down and they said their goodbyes, Elias couldn’t shake the feeling of being an outsider in his own family. They were so rooted, so sure of themselves, while he felt like he was barely holding it together. The gap between their worlds had never felt so wide.

“Take care of yourself,” Emma said, hugging him tightly. “And don’t be a stranger.”

“I won’t,” he promised, though he wasn’t sure if it was a lie.

As he walked away, the familiar warmth of his family’s presence faded, replaced by the cold night air. His chest felt heavy, his thoughts churning with the weight of everything he couldn’t say.

The artifact. Axiom. The crystalline being. None of it belonged in their world, and yet it was the center of his.

For now, he had to keep it that way.