Thalia sat motionless. Eyes wide. Lips slightly parted. The television's glow reflected in her pupils like stars dancing across ocean water.
The moment Solar touched down, her heart thumped against her chest.
Her cheeks flushed pink. Her breathing hitched.
She was seven years old again, watching from the hospital waiting room as he stopped a collapsing building from crushing an civilians.
Chris and Kyle exchanged a glance from the couch.
Kyle whispered, "She's doing it again."
Chris grinned. "Yup. She's so gone."
On the screen, Solar stood tall in front of the red carpet entrance. Even through the television, his radiance shimmered. The glow around his body wasn't just lighting, it was sunlight incarnate, a divine aura so intense that even high-end cameras had to recalibrate their exposure just to capture him properly.
Solar was a living miracle.
A mass of muscle and might, he stood nearly seven feet tall with shoulders broad enough to blot out the skyline behind him. His hair glowed like molten gold, cascading in waves past his shoulders, shining brighter than the lights above. His skin was flawless, kissed by sunlight itself, and his face, as though it was carved like the statues of Olympus, yet softened by kindness.
His suit was a simple, skin-tight white, lined with gold accents along his arms, his sides, and down his legs. A flowing white cape that reached down to his boots and almost envelopes him like giant wings, billowed behind him, trimmed in the softest yellow light.
On his chest: the radiant symbol of the sun.
Simple. Iconic. Immortal.
Thalia clutched a pillow to her chest, eyes glistening.
"Look at that entrance!" she squealed. "He's so freakin' cool."
The reporter returned, mic in hand, her voice nearly drowned out by the cheers behind her.
Solar turned toward her, his presence calming the crowd as if the sun itself had graced them with a warm afternoon breeze.
"Solar, what a delight it is to have you here tonight," the reporter beamed. "Tell us, how do you plan to spend this very special evening at the Gala?"
Solar's voice was deep, smooth, and filled with quiet confidence, the kind that made people believe again.
He smiled, and the world smiled back.
"First off," he said, raising a hand in a soft wave, "I want to say thank you to everyone watching at home, and to the brave souls across the globe who fight every day for peace and progress, hero or not.
"Tonight's about remembrance. It's about the ones who didn't make it eighty years ago, and the ones who risk their lives every day in service of something greater than themselves. As for me?" he chuckled, eyes glinting.
"Well, I plan to enjoy a few drinks, catch up with some old friends, probably lose another dance-off to Amp... again, and try not to break anything expensive."
The crowd burst into laughter. Even the cameraman couldn't help the chuckle that snuck into the mic.
Solar winked.
The reporter leaned forward, undeterred. "Tomorrow marks the very first Hero Awards ceremony. Will you be attending? Rumor has it, you're in line for quite a few honors."
Solar raised a brow, the corners of his mouth curling into that boyish, god-tier smile.
"Well, I won't lie… I've got my suit pressed, my speech half-written, and my alarm set. So unless a black hole opens up over Manhattan or someone needs me to carry a cruise ship again, I'll be there. Bright and early. Literally."
More cheers. Applause. Fans screamed from behind the barricades.
---
Back in the apartment, the screen cast long golden shadows across the room.
Thalia turned toward her Chris, dead serious now.
"We have to go to that ceremony tomorrow," she said, gripping Chris' shoulders with both hands.
He blinked. "Wait, what?"
"I'm not kidding. It's history. It's literally the first of its kind. Solar's going to be there. The Solar. The Hero Awards aren't even open to the public yet, but I bet, no, I know, I can find a way."
Chris raised a brow. "T, c'mon. It's invite-only. That place is going to be crawling with powered elites. CEOs, politicians, every A-list hero from here to Tokyo."
She leaned back into the couch, eyes still glued to the screen, smile unfading.
"So we just need to crash it."
"No... You wouldn't..." Said Chris.
"C'mon dude, are you with me or are you with me?" Thalia said as she stood up, her hands on her hips, head tilted, lips twitching into a smirk.
Chris exhaled through his nose, arms crossed. "Well you're not really giving me much of a choice here T…"
He rolled his eyes and added with a crooked grin, "Fine. Let's do it."
"YESSS!!" Thalia leapt in the air like a child who'd just won the lottery, spinning dramatically before planting her feet down with conviction.
"You won't regret this, I promise."
Thalia darted to the window and gave it a gentle knock with her knuckle. Her mother, back pressed against the glass, turned her head at the sound. A tiny crack opened in the frame as she slid the pane up.
"Uh, Mom? Chris and I are gonna be out tomorrow evening. That okay?" Thalia asked, doing her best to sound casual.
"I don't think I've got any shifts tomorrow," her mom said, "So yeah, it should be fine. Have fun. And be careful."
"We will!" Thalia replied.
Her mom raised the window just a little more and leaned her head through the gap, scanning the room before her eyes settled on Chris.
"Oh hey, Chris, I didn't hear you come in."
"Hello, Auntie," Chris said with a respectful nod and a warm grin.
"How're your mom and dad doing?" she asked. "Tell them I said hi."
"They're fine, thanks. I will," he replied, bowing his head slightly out of respect before backing away.
Thalia's mom gave a tired but genuine smile, then slipped her head back out the window and resumed her cigarette, the ember flaring softly against the night sky.
The moment the window closed, Thalia spun around, eyes wide with barely contained excitement. She bounced on the balls of her feet, twisting side to side, her energy almost too much for her own body to hold.
"Okay!" she said, hands clapping together. "What are we gonna wear?! We can't crash a billionaire's party dressed like shmucks."
"Cue the outfit change montage," Kyle muttered without looking up from the TV.
Chris let out a laugh. "The kid knows what's up."
Thalia was already halfway to her bedroom. "This is gonna be epic," she called out behind her. "Tomorrow… we sneak into the most exclusive event of the year."
She paused in the hallway, then peeked her head back into the living room.
"Also," she added with a sly grin, "we're gonna look hot doing it."
Chris shook his head with a smirk as Kyle giggled.
Somewhere in the distance, outside their apartment window, the city buzzed and glowed. Billboards flickered with hero logos, holograms shimmered across glass towers, and a streak zipped through the sky, a Hero on patrol, just part of the New York skyline now.