Kai sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the floor. The familiar walls of his old room felt smaller now, tighter, almost suffocating —but not entirely in the same way as Leon's presence had. There was a quiet in the air, a calm that he wasn't used to, and it unnerved him more than he cared to admit.
A knock came at the door.
Kai's head snapped up, and for a moment, he considered ignoring it. But the knock was deliberate, patient—firm enough to insist, polite enough not to demand.
"Come in," he muttered, voice clipped.
The door opened, and Leon stepped inside, calm and measured as ever. Behind him, Richard lingered silently, keeping the perimeter, while Jake remained outside, likely pacing, waiting for any sign of drama.
Kai crossed his arms, jaw tight. "What do you want?"
Leon stepped further in, closing the door gently behind him. "To talk," he said simply.
Kai's eyes narrowed. "We talked enough outside." he said gaurded.
Leon didn't flinch. He moved slowly toward him, stopping a few feet away—close enough to be imposing, far enough to give space. "Not about what I want," he said. "About you. About us. About what you're feeling now."
Kai let out a bitter laugh. "You really like control, don't you?"
"I like results," Leon replied evenly. "I like understanding. I like knowing the people I care about are safe—even if they can't see it yet."
Kai's scowl deepened, but he didn't speak.
Leon stepped closer, lowering his voice just slightly. "You've been away for two years, Kai. You ran, yes. You needed distance. I understand that."
Kai's eyes flicked up, wary, searching for any trace of mockery. He found none. Just calm, precise control.
"I don't want to force you to call me 'dad' anymore," Leon said softly, "because that isn't the point. You've already done that—twice. And it meant something. Even if you hate it, even if you don't admit it yet, it mattered. To both of us."
Kai's jaw worked, but he remained silent.
Leon's gaze softened slightly, a faint edge of warmth under the control. "I know you're angry. I know you think I… I don't care about your freedom, about who you are. But I do. I've always done my best to protect you. That doesn't mean you always agree with me. But it does mean you're never truly alone."
The words hung heavy in the room.
Kai shifted, restless, but the tension wasn't the same as before. His body wasn't squirming. His instincts didn't scream at him.
It was different.
"Maybe…" he muttered after a long pause. "…maybe I understand that more than I thought."
Leon nodded, acknowledging the first step. "Then start there. Understand that you belong. Not because you must, but because this family… your family… wants you here. Wants you. All of you. Even the parts that fight and run."
Kai's eyes softened ever so slightly. He looked down at his hands, his grip on himself, and then up at his father again. "…I don't know if I can trust you fully yet," he admitted quietly.
Leon's faintest hint of a smile brushed his face. "You don't have to. Not yet. But you can try. That's enough for now."
For the first time since he had been brought back, Kai let a breath out that wasn't sharp or angry. A breath that carried weight, yes—but also relief.
Jake barged in then, unable to restrain himself any longer, and threw his arms around Kai again. "About time," he said, laughing. "See? Not everything is terrible!"
Kai rolled his eyes, but the tension in his shoulders eased slightly.
Leon watched quietly from the corner of the room, still calm, still precise, still powerful—but satisfaction lingered beneath the surface. Small. Quiet. Enough.
Kai didn't move away this time.
And for the first time, he felt that maybe… just maybe… he could belong here again.
With his family. He felt that maybe he could feel at home again.