When Alina finally stepped out of the bathroom, dressed in her nightwear with her hair loosely falling over her shoulders, she paused at the doorway for a mont. Dante and the boys were still awake, the dim light casting soft shadows over the bed. Lucien was half-lying against his father, his eyes bright despite the late hour, while Sable sat closer to the edge, absently playing with the blanket as if waiting for her. The sight made her chest feel warm and strangely fluttery all at once.
She walked over quietly and stopped on the other side of the bed, beside Sable. Only then did she truly realize how tall the bed was. She hesitated, lifted one foot slightly as if testing it, then froze. The mattress was far higher than she had expected, and for a split second she stood there awkwardly, unsure how to climb up without looking ridiculous. Heat rushed to her cheeks, and she bit her lip, suddenly very aware of three pairs of eyes on her.
Lucien tilted his head, curious. Sable blinked at her, then looked down at the height of the bed, his brows knitting together in concern. Dante noticed too, his gaze shifting to her with quiet understanding. Alina let out a small, embarrassed breath and laughed softly under her breath, wishing the floor would swallow her whole as she tried to figure out how to get onto the bed without turning the mont into sothing even more awkward.
Dante let out a low, quiet chuckle when he noticed how stiff she had gone, her shoulders drawn tight and her fingers curling nervously at her sides. He pushed the blanket aside and moved toward her side of the bed with unhurried steps, the mattress dipping slightly under his weight before he climbed down. Alina’s face burned the mont he ca closer, her heart thudding far too loudly in her chest as she stood there, unsure where to look.
"Let help you," he said gently, his voice calm and steady, as if this were the most natural thing in the world. He paused in front of her and imdiately noticed how tense she was, how straight she stood, as though afraid even a small movent might be wrong. Understanding flickered in his eyes. He crouched slightly and stretched out his large palm toward her, open and patient. "Miss Alina, you can use my hand to climb," he offered, looking up at her.
Alina stared at his hand in shock, her breath catching. "Sir... no," she said quickly, shaking her head, flustered. To her, it felt improper, almost unthinkable. He was a lord, the principal, soone so far above her in status. How could she possibly use him like that?
Dante straightened slowly, studying her for a brief mont before speaking again, his tone still gentle and careful. "Then... may I hold you?" he asked instead.
Her mind went completely blank. Heat rushed to her cheeks, and after a heartbeat of frozen hesitation, she nodded, too overwheld to form words. Dante stepped closer and wrapped his arms around her securely, lifting her with surprising ease, as if she weighed nothing at all. Alina let out a small, startled breath as he placed her carefully onto the bed, steadying her until she was safely seated.
Lucien watched with wide, fascinated eyes, while Sable smiled brightly, clearly pleased that everything had worked out. Dante stepped back imdiately, his expression composed once more, as if nothing unusual had happened. Alina sat there for a mont, her heart racing, hands gripping the blanket as she tried to calm herself, her face still glowing red from the simple, unexpected warmth of his touch.
Sable carefully reached for the blanket with small, deliberate movents, as if afraid even the slightest tug might disturb her. He pulled it up over Alina’s shoulders with quiet concentration, smoothing it gently the way he had seen her do for the babies so many tis before. His little face was serious with responsibility as he looked at her and whispered softly, "Teacher, sleep," as if those two words alone could chase away every fear she had.
Lucien shifted closer as well, turning his body toward Alina. His bright eyes lingered on her face for a mont longer than necessary. There was sothing deeply comforting about her presence between them, sothing that made his chest feel warm and settled in a way he could never quite explain. He adjusted his pillow slightly and lay still, clearly content, as though this arrangent made perfect sense to him.
Dante watched the scene in silence, his chest tightening gently with an unfamiliar rush of emotion. He reached out and turned off the light, and the room fell into a soft dimness, shadows settling peacefully along the walls and across the tall bed. The world outside seed to fade away, leaving only the steady rhythm of breathing and the warmth of shared space.
Sable and Lucien lay there happily, small smiles lingering on their faces as sleep slowly crept in. To them, it felt like a dream co true, nestled between the figures they trusted most.
Sable lay very still, tucked beneath the blanket, his small body warm and relaxed as he listened to the quiet breathing around him. In his sleepy mind, the mont felt soft and precious, like sothing he would want to rember forever. To him, it felt as if he was lying safely between mommy and daddy, wrapped in a warmth that made his chest feel full in a way he did not yet have words for.
He peeked sideways and saw that Teacher’s eyes were closed now, her face calm and peaceful. She looked gentle and safe, like she belonged right there. Sable felt his ears grow warm with shyness as a small thought popped into his head. Maybe, once she was truly asleep, he could hold her hand for a little while. Just a little. That way she would not feel scared anymore.
The idea made him smile softly to himself. He did not move yet. He only curled his little fingers against the blanket and began to count to ten.
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