A few months had passed since the twins had come into the world.
Time didn't feel like it had rushed forward so much as… settled.
Like everything had finally found its place after a long period of waiting and shifting.
The mansion wasn't quieter now.
It was fuller.
Warmer.
More alive.
In the living room, Leah sat nestled against Izana on the sofa, her head resting lightly on his shoulder.
His arm was wrapped around her without effort, as if it had simply always belonged there.
Leah let out a soft breath.
"They're loud again."
Izana didn't look away from the scene in front of them.
"They're playing."
Leah tilted her head slightly.
"That's what I said."
A pause.
Then Izana replied calmly:
"…Yes."
That earned a quiet laugh from her.
On the carpet in front of them, Zarek was fully in control of the situation.
As usual.
Enzo and Elara were both on the soft play mat surrounded by toys, cushions, and what Zarek had declared were "important baby zones."
Zarek stood with his hands on his hips, looking extremely serious.
"Enzo here."
He carefully repositioned a soft toy beside his brother.
"Don't move."
Enzo immediately reached for it anyway.
Zarek sighed deeply.
"…Always moving."
Elara, slightly farther back, watched everything quietly, blinking slowly as if evaluating the entire operation.
Zarek turned to her next.
"Elara… quiet baby."
Leah smiled softly.
"She hears you."
Zarek nodded as if this was expected.
"Good."
Izana's gaze remained steady on them.
Not intrusive.
Just present.
Observing.
Leah noticed.
"You're watching again."
Izana responded without hesitation.
"I am."
Leah smiled faintly.
"That's the same thing."
Izana paused briefly.
"…Noted."
That small exchange made her smile deepen.
Zarek suddenly straightened.
Then turned sharply toward the sofa.
"Mama! Da-da!"
Leah blinked.
"Yes?"
Zarek pointed dramatically at the floor.
"Come play."
Silence.
Izana blinked once.
"…Play?"
Zarek nodded very seriously.
"Family play."
Leah let out a small laugh and shifted slightly against Izana.
"Oh. That sounds official."
Izana looked down at her.
"You want to participate?"
Leah raised an eyebrow.
"You're asking me like it's optional."
Zarek nodded eagerly.
"Yes!"
Izana exhaled slowly.
"…Understood."
Leah laughed again.
"Even he said yes for me."
Izana didn't argue.
Instead, he stood first, then offered her a hand without hesitation.
Leah took it.
"I haven't sat on the floor in years," she murmured.
Izana replied calmly:
"You used to sit there often."
Leah glanced at him.
"Before three children made it a full-time job?"
"…Yes."
That earned another soft laugh from her.
They both sat down on the carpet with Zarek and the twins.
Immediately, Zarek took command again.
"Game."
Leah tilted her head.
"What game?"
Zarek thought seriously.
Then pointed at each person like assigning roles in a very important mission.
"Da-da guard."
Izana nodded once.
"Understood."
Zarek continued.
"Mama helper."
Leah blinked.
"I'm the helper?"
Zarek nodded firmly.
"Yes."
Leah leaned slightly toward Izana.
"I think I've been demoted."
Izana replied calmly:
"It appears so."
Leah laughed under her breath.
Zarek pointed to Enzo.
"Enzo important baby."
Enzo immediately reached for Zarek's finger again.
Zarek paused.
"…Yes."
Then pointed at Elara.
"Elara quiet baby."
Elara blinked slowly, watching everything with calm curiosity.
Leah smiled softly.
"That seems accurate."
Izana added quietly:
"She's observant."
Zarek nodded.
"Yes."
Like that settled everything.
The game continued in Zarek's very structured way.
Enzo, however, had no interest in structure.
He grabbed at everything within reach.
Especially Zarek.
Zarek tried to reposition him.
"Enzo no—."
Enzo grabbed his finger instead.
Zarek froze.
"…Again."
Leah laughed softly.
"He likes you."
Zarek looked deeply offended.
"I not toy."
Izana's voice was calm:
"He disagrees."
Zarek looked at Izana.
"…Da-da no help."
Izana replied simply:
"I'm guarding."
Zarek seemed to accept this logic immediately.
"Good."
Elara remained quieter, sitting slightly back, watching everything unfold with steady focus.
Leah reached out gently and adjusted Elara's position.
"She's very calm."
Izana nodded.
"…Like you."
Leah glanced at him.
"I wasn't always calm."
Izana replied without looking away from the children:
"You are now."
That made her pause for a moment.
Then smile softly.
"…That's your influence."
Izana didn't respond to that.
But his hand subtly moved closer to hers on the floor.
At one point, Enzo let out a small sound and reached toward Izana.
Zarek immediately noticed.
"Enzo go Da-da."
He looked serious again.
"No."
Izana watched the interaction quietly.
Leah leaned slightly closer.
"Jealous?"
Zarek heard that.
"No jealous."
Pause.
"…Just rules."
Leah smiled.
"Of course."
Izana's gaze softened slightly.
"They're bonded," he said quietly.
Leah nodded.
"They are."
The room slowly settled into a calmer rhythm.
Zarek eventually stopped issuing instructions and simply sat between Izana and Leah, leaning slightly against Leah's side while still keeping one hand near Enzo like a self-appointed guardian.
Enzo eventually stopped struggling against everything and simply stayed where he was.
Elara remained calm, watching them all with quiet eyes.
Leah exhaled softly.
"This is nice."
Izana answered after a moment.
"It is."
A pause.
Then Leah added:
"It feels… normal."
Izana looked at her briefly.
"…Yes."
Leah glanced at him.
"Too normal?"
Izana shook his head slightly.
"No."
Then, after a pause:
"Good normal."
Leah smiled at that.
"…I like that."
For a while, no one spoke.
Just the soft sounds of movement.
The children.
The quiet crackle of distant warmth in the house.
Zarek leaning slightly more heavily against Leah as his energy finally slowed.
Izana's arm resting steadily nearby, ready without needing to move.
A family sitting together on the floor.
No urgency.
No chaos.
Just life.
And peace that had been earned, not given.