"Do you think Mom’s family will like us...?"
Sable paused mid-fold, his little hands going still. For a mont he looked nervous again, his eyes soft and unsure. "I...I don’t know... What if they don’t like demons...?"
Lucien shook his head imdiately, eyes bright with conviction. "Mom likes us. So they will also like us. And we will say ’hello’ softly so Mom will be proud." He nodded again, as if sealing the promise with invisible ink. "And we will not jump everywhere. And we will not howl like Luna."
Sable giggled softly at that, but then he sighed in relief. "Okay... then I’m taking my cutest socks too..." he whispered, placing them gently inside his suitcase.
They sat there for a long ti, surrounded by tiny piles of clothes. Every little movent they made carried a quiet excitent, a hope that when they t Alina’s family, they would be welcod with the sa love she gave them.
Suddenly Lucien stopped mid-fold, his fingers frozen around a little shirt. His eyes narrowed in thoughtful seriousness, the kind that always made him look like a mini Dante.
"...Sable," he whispered, leaning closer as if sharing top-secret demon information, "I think Mom wants to hide the fact that we are demons from her family."
Sable’s eyes widened so much they looked like two shiny moons. His little hands flew to his head out of habit—only to feel smooth hair and no horns. His shoulders drooped imdiately, his lips trembling in a small pout.
"...But why?" he whispered sadly, as though the whole world had suddenly beco confusing.
Lucien sighed softly, his tiny brows squeezing together. "I don’t know either. Maybe because Mom is human... and maybe humans get scared if they see horns." He paused, thinking even deeper. "And also... we are going to see different things. Like trains. And big cities. Things they use instead of magic."
Sable’s mood shifted instantly, curiosity bursting in his chest like a little firecracker. "Train?? And city??" he squeaked, eyes sparkling again.
Lucien nodded with a tiny air of importance. "Yeah. I read about them. Trains move very fast on long roads. And city is very crowded. Humans live without magic or witchcraft or spells. They do everything with machines."
Sable’s mouth fell open in awe. "So... humans don’t even use basic magic?"
"No," Lucien said, dead serious.
"...No magic spells to clean house?"
"No."
"...No portals for school?"
"Nope. They walk."
Sable gasped dramatically. "HOW DO THEY LIVE?"
Lucien shrugged, lifting his tiny folded shirt with a wise expression. "I don’t know. But Mom is human. And Mom is amazing. So human world must be very interesting."
Sable nodded, suddenly feeling very proud. "Then we must behave very good... so Mom’s family will like us... even without horns."
Lucien smiled gently and touched his arm. "They will like us. Because we are Mom’s babies."
And Sable’s little heart lted all over again.
When Alina finally stepped inside ho, dropped off by Dante’s shadow monster since he was busy at Nightshade Court, two tiny figures shot toward her like fluffy missiles. Lucien and Sable stood right in the hallway. The mont their eyes t hers, their faces lit up like morning sunbeams.
Alina’s heart lted instantly. She crouched without even thinking, gathering both of them in her arms, kissing their warm cheeks one by one. Their tiny arms wrapped around her neck, their small bodies soft and cozy against her chest.
"How was your day, Mom?" Lucien asked, blinking his long eyelashes in that innocent, charming way that always made her heart flutter.
"Yeah, how was your day!" Sable added quickly, leaning closer so she would kiss him again.
"My day was pretty fine," Alina said, brushing her fingers through their soft hair. "How about yours, my little ones?"
Sable straightened proudly, his tiny chest puffing out. "We packed our suitcase all tis!" he announced, eyes glittering with excitent.
Lucien nodded seriously like he had just completed an important mission.
Alina’s brows lifted in surprise, and she smiled so warmly she felt her cheeks ache. "Good boys," she murmured as she rubbed their heads lovingly, "you two are so responsible."
Both boys glowed under the praise, leaning into her hands like happy kittens.
As she hugged them tighter, an unexpected wave of excitent washed through her. She could almost picture it already...walking through her human city with their small hands tucked in hers, showing them streets, markets, malls, amusent parks, little cafés, bright shops... all the things they had never seen. She imagined their wide eyes, their little gasps of wonder, their tiny fingers tugging her sleeve every ti sothing amazed them.
Maybe they really could stay with her family for so ti.
Maybe she really could take them shopping, buy matching clothes, try street food together, show them the amusent park rides...
The thought filled her chest with a soft, glowing happiness.
"Mom," Lucien tugged her sleeve gently, "can we... go today?"
"And can I sit next to you on the train? I want to see everything!" Sable added, bouncing on his toes.
Alina laughed, hugging them both again, her heart warm and fluttery.
"Yes, sweetheart," she whispered into their soft hair, "we’re going to have the most beautiful ti together, but we will go tomorrow, okay?"
****
anwhile Dante was already simring with irritation, because sohow—he didn’t know which loose-mouthed demon dared—those old fossils had found out that Alina was staying with him. And of course, the mont he entered the council hall and sat on his tall throne at the head of the long stone table, the elders were already restless, whispering like snakes.
Elder Roman stood up first, his voice sharp enough to scratch stone. "You’re crazy! Why did you even choose a human as a teacher? Let’s forget that it’s past matter but—why did you bring her to your ho, lord? Have you completely lost your senses?"
Dante didn’t even blink. The only movent was the slow curl of his fingers against the armrest, a sign his patience was thinning.
"I don’t think I should tell you," he said, his voice smooth but carrying a warning that pulsed through the hall like thunder. "And yes—she is staying with . And yes—I brought her to my ho myself."
His tone alone made several elders straighten like they’d been stabbed with cold iron.
Elder Haron scoffed, shoulders stiff with annoyance. "Lord, nowadays you contradict our decisions openly. Are we here only for show?"
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