Morning came quietly through the curtains.
Soft light.
No urgency.
Just there.
Leah was asleep against Izana's chest.
One hand resting lightly on his shirt.
Fingers barely curled.
Breathing slow. Steady.
Izana was awake.
Already.
Not moving.
Just watching her.
Listening to her breathing.
Feeling the weight of her against him.
Then she shifted.
Once.
Then again.
Her breathing changed.
Slightly uneven now.
Izana's eyes narrowed just a fraction.
"…Li."
No response.
Her fingers tightened briefly on his shirt.
Then—
she sat up too fast.
Hand over her mouth.
"…Bathroom."
She didn't wait.
Didn't look at him.
She was gone immediately.
Izana was up right after her.
No hesitation.
No delay.
He followed.
The bathroom door was half open.
Leah was already bent over the toilet.
Both hands gripping it tightly.
Her shoulders tense.
Breathing uneven.
Izana stepped in.
Closed the door halfway behind him.
Didn't speak yet.
Just moved behind her.
Leah shook her head faintly.
"…I'm fine."
Another wave hit.
Harder.
She froze.
Izana's hand went to her hair immediately.
Held it back.
His other hand settled on her back.
Steady.
Firm.
"…Breathe."
Leah gripped the toilet tighter.
"…I hate this…"
Izana didn't respond.
Just stayed with her.
Close enough to support.
Not crowding her.
Not rushing her.
Minutes passed.
Slow.
Uneven.
Her breathing rough.
Then—
it eased.
Leah exhaled shakily.
"…Okay…"
Izana didn't move yet.
Still watching her.
"…Still dizzy."
Leah closed her eyes.
"…You don't have to narrate everything."
"…You're not hiding it well."
That got a small, tired laugh from her.
"…You're very observant."
"…Always."
"…Unfortunately."
Izana didn't react.
Just waited.
Letting her settle.
Leah leaned back slightly.
Letting her weight rest into him for a second.
"…This is getting worse."
Izana looked at her reflection in the mirror.
"…It's expected."
Leah frowned faintly.
"…That's not comforting."
"…It's not meant to be."
She exhaled slowly.
"…You really don't soften anything."
"…No."
A pause.
Then quieter—
"…I appreciate it anyway."
Izana's hand pressed slightly firmer against her back.
Not enough to move her.
Just enough to be felt.
Then—
"…Finished."
Leah nodded faintly.
"…Yeah."
He didn't wait.
Lifted her immediately.
Careful.
Controlled.
Like he'd already decided.
Leah sighed into his shoulder.
"…I can walk."
"…No."
"…You always decide too quickly."
"…Correct."
"…You don't even pretend to negotiate."
"…No."
That got a faint breath of a laugh from her.
"…Unfair."
Back to bed.
Slow.
Precise.
He lowered her carefully onto the mattress.
Adjusted the pillow behind her.
Pulled the blanket slightly higher.
Leah leaned back.
Eyes half-lidded.
Tired again.
"…This is getting worse."
Izana looked at her.
"…It will pass."
"…You keep saying that."
"…Because it's true."
Leah studied him for a second.
Really looked at him.
"…You've been looking things up."
"…Yes."
"…About this."
"…Yes."
"…How much."
"…Enough."
She blinked.
"…When."
"…Yesterday night."
Leah paused.
"…While I was asleep."
"…Yes."
She exhaled slowly.
"…That's concerning."
"…It was necessary."
A faint smile touched her face anyway.
"…You take everything seriously when it comes to this."
Izana didn't respond.
Just leaned in.
Pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.
Then lower.
Her stomach.
Leah watched him.
"…You've started doing that more."
"…It helps."
Zarek kicked lightly.
Immediate.
Leah placed her hand over it.
"…Yeah. He's awake."
Another small kick followed.
Izana's hand stayed there.
Grounded.
His thumb moved once.
Slow.
"…Calm."
The movement softened.
Leah noticed.
"…He listens to you."
Izana didn't answer.
Just kept his hand there a moment longer.
Then—
"…Stay here."
Leah raised an eyebrow slightly.
"…Where are you going."
"…Back."
"…That's not an answer."
"It is."
"…You're difficult in the mornings."
"…Not only mornings."
That got a faint smile from her.
"…True."
A pause.
Then softer—
"…Don't take long."
Izana glanced at her.
"…I won't."
He turned slightly.
Paused at the door.
Looked at her once.
Then at her stomach.
"…Behave."
Quiet.
Directed downward.
Leah huffed softly.
"…You're talking to him like he understands."
"…He does."
She shook her head slightly.
"…You're impossible."
"…Effective."
Then he left.
The kitchen stopped when he entered.
Not gradually.
Instantly.
Sound cut off.
Movement paused.
Even the air felt different.
The head chef stepped forward.
"…Good morning."
Izana didn't respond.
His gaze moved once across the room.
Then—
"…Pan."
The chef blinked.
"…Sir?"
"…Pan. Bacon. Eggs."
A pause.
Then immediate movement.
"…Of course."
Staff moved quickly.
Ingredients brought out.
Placed neatly.
Carefully.
Izana rolled his sleeves slightly.
Stepped to the stove.
No hesitation.
No uncertainty.
Just focus.
One of the younger staff whispered.
"…Is he actually cooking?"
Another shook his head faintly.
"…Don't talk."
Izana turned the heat on.
Placed the pan down.
Bacon first.
The sound filled the silence.
Sharp.
Controlled.
Then eggs.
Cracked.
Whisked.
Poured.
Everything precise.
Measured.
The chef spoke carefully.
"…For her?"
"…Yes."
A pause.
"…She hasn't been eating well," the chef added quietly.
Izana's hand slowed slightly.
Just for a second.
"…I know."
Then continued.
No explanation.
No extra words.
Just action.
He adjusted the heat.
Watched the texture.
Folded the eggs into the bacon slowly.
Not rushed.
Not careless.
Something light.
Something soft.
Something she could keep down.
The staff watched.
Silent.
Because this wasn't something they had seen before.
Not him here.
Not like this.
The chef spoke again, quieter.
"…You've done this before."
Izana didn't look at him.
"…No."
A pause.
"…You learned quickly."
"…It wasn't difficult."
Silence followed that.
Because they understood.
It wasn't about difficulty.
It was about reason.
When it was done—
he turned off the stove.
Looked at it briefly.
Then plated it.
Simple.
Clean.
Warm.
He picked it up.
And left.
Leah was sitting up when he returned.
Waiting.
Not impatient.
Just aware.
Her eyes lifted immediately when he walked in.
Izana placed the plate beside her.
"…Eat."
Leah looked at it.
Then at him.
"…You made this."
"…Yes."
She blinked slightly.
Then a faint smile appeared.
"…You went down yourself."
"…Yes."
She studied him.
Longer this time.
"…You didn't have to."
"…You weren't eating."
That made her pause.
The smile softened.
"…You noticed."
"…Yes."
A beat.
Then—
"…You always notice."
Izana didn't respond.
Just sat beside her.
Close.
Present.
Leah picked up the fork slowly.
Took a bite.
Paused.
Then—
"…Okay… that's actually really good."
Izana nodded once.
"…Good."
Zarek kicked lightly.
Leah placed her hand over her stomach.
"…He agrees."
Another small kick followed.
Izana's hand moved closer.
Resting beside hers.
Not covering.
Just there.
"…Eat more."
Leah smiled faintly.
"…Yes."
She took another bite.
Slower this time.
Then glanced at him.
"…You're quieter today."
"…You're talking more."
"…I always talk."
"…Not like this."
She tilted her head.
"…Like what."
"…Comfortably."
That made her pause.
Really pause.
Then softer—
"…I think I just like mornings when you're here."
Izana looked at her.
Held her gaze.
Didn't respond immediately.
Then—
"…Then I'll be here."
Leah blinked slightly.
"…That sounds like a promise."
"…It is."
She smiled faintly.
"…I'll hold you to it."
"…You already do."
That earned a small quiet laugh from her.
She leaned back slightly.
Still eating.
Still watching him.
Another kick followed.
Stronger this time.
Izana's hand steadied automatically.
His thumb moving once.
"…Easy."
The movement softened again.
Leah watched that.
"…You really do calm him."
Izana didn't answer.
But his hand didn't move.
Leah leaned back further into the pillows.
Relaxing slightly now.
"…This is nice."
Izana looked at her.
Then at her stomach.
Then back.
"…Yeah."
A pause.
Then quieter—
"…It is."
Leah's fingers brushed lightly against his.
Still resting beside her stomach.
Not gripping.
Just there.
Izana didn't pull away.
Didn't move.
He just stayed.
And for once—
nothing in the room asked to be fixed.
Nothing needed control.
Nothing needed force.
Just—
quiet.
And them.