Sable straightened a little, hands folded neatly on his desk. "I will bring Mom," he said softly, glancing at her with a shy smile.
Her heart ward instantly, but she nodded calmly, trying to keep her composure in front of the class.
Then she looked at Lucien.
"And you, Lucien?"
Lucien smiled faintly, crimson eyes gentle. "I will bring my father," he replied calmly. "He might look serious, but he listens."
Boo leaned toward Drake and whispered loudly, "Principal Sir coming to parents’ eting... this will be legendary."
Drake whispered back, "Do you think he’ll bring the cactus?" Boo had told everyone about Dante’s cactus before.
Boo nodded solemnly. "We must be prepared."
Felix sighed, resting his chin on his hand. "Why are you both like this?"
Alina tapped her file lightly, trying not to laugh. "Alright, everyone. That’s all for announcents today. This term, we’re going to learn many new things, play together, help each other, and most importantly... have fun."
Several babies perked up at the last word.
"Now," she added gently, softening her voice, "it’s nap ti. Let’s calm down, find your mats, and rest a little."
A few groaned dramatically, so yawned instantly, and Sable looked ready to lie down right away.
As they slowly settled, Alina watched them with a soft, fond expression.
***
After nap ti ended, the babies slowly left with their guardians. Alina gathered her things and walked toward the principal’s office, still smiling softly to herself as she thought about their laughter earlier. When she opened the door, Dante was not there yet. Instead, Sable and Lucien were sitting neatly on the chairs, their school bags resting at their feet.
Sable looked like he was still trapped in the soft world of dreams, his eyelids heavy and his little head dipping forward again and again as he fought sleep with poor determination. Lucien, on the other hand, looked calm and alert as usual.
"Mom," Lucien greeted when he saw her.
Alina’s heart ward instantly. "Hey," she said gently, stepping closer. "Where is your dad?"
"He went to et Fluffy," Lucien replied quietly.
Alina nodded. Fluffy had already left yesterday after finishing her training, returning to wherever his strange little world existed. It felt oddly quiet without him.
"Let’s not wait here," she said softly. "We’ll go ho."
She lifted Sable carefully into her arms. He barely stirred, his cheek pressing against her shoulder as if it were the most natural pillow in the world. With her other hand, she hooked her finger gently around Lucien’s pinky, and the three of them left the office together, moving at an unhurried, peaceful pace.
At ho, she laid Sable down on her bed. He didn’t even wake up, only shifting slightly before curling deeper into sleep. He looked impossibly soft like that, lashes resting against his cheeks, breathing slow and even.
Such a sleepy little baby, she thought fondly.
Lucien hovered near the doorway, smiling faintly. "Sable really likes sleeping too much, Mom," he said with quiet amusent. "Do you rember how he fell asleep on his train seat? He didn’t even notice the noise."
Alina laughed under her breath. "How could I forget?"
She rembered it clearly. Sable had slept through everything, while Lucien had struggled with the movent of the train, unable to relax. She had ended up holding Lucien in her arms, hugging him close and whispering softly until he finally cald down, his tension slowly lting against her warmth.
"You don’t sleep easily," she said gently, brushing a hand over Lucien’s hair. "You think too much."
Lucien shrugged a little, pretending not to care, though his expression softened.
"Go freshen up," she told him softly. "I’ll make lunch."
***
While Sable continued sleeping peacefully, Alina moved around the kitchen, preparing sothing simple and warm. Soon, the sll of food filled the space, wrapping the ho in a comforting, dostic calm.
She tried to wake Sable once, brushing his cheek lightly. "Sweetheart, lunch is ready."
He stirred, opened his eyes just a crack, and mumbled, "Not hungry..." before turning over and drifting right back to sleep.
Alina couldn’t help smiling. "Alright, sleepyhead."
So it ended up being just her and Lucien at the table. They ate together quietly, sharing small comnts about their day, the class, and the ga earlier. It felt peaceful in a way that made her chest feel warm, as if this simple, ordinary mont was sothing precious she wanted to keep forever.
Lucien stayed close to her while she worked, sitting quietly beside her as she typed and scrolled through research on her laptop. From ti to ti, he would glance at the screen with mild curiosity, but mostly he just enjoyed being near her, resting his chin on the edge of the table or leaning lightly against her arm. The house felt calm, filled with soft afternoon light and the faint rhythm of Sable’s slow, sleepy breathing from the bedroom.
Little by little, Lucien’s energy faded. His posture softened, his eyelids growing heavier with every passing minute. At so point, without even realizing it, he slid closer and rested his head beside her, his body relaxing into a comfortable, warm curl. Alina noticed when his movents stilled and his breathing beca slower, deeper, the sharp focus in his crimson eyes replaced by quiet drowsiness.
She smiled softly and closed her laptop, careful not to disturb him. "Already sleepy?" she murmured fondly.
When she lifted him into her arms, he stirred slightly, eyes fluttering open in confusion.
"Mom...?" he whispered sleepily.
"Sleep," she said gently, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead. "You can rest."
She carried him into the bedroom and laid him beside Sable, adjusting the blanket so both boys were tucked in comfortably. Lucien shifted closer to his brother, settling naturally at his side, his expression finally relaxing into peaceful rest.
Then she went back to the living room.
***
She paused in the doorway, montarily startled by the unexpected sight of him sprawled across her living room couch like a fallen god who had decided furniture was rely a suggestion.
Dante was stretched out lazily on the sofa, which was clearly too small for his tall, broad fra. One arm rested over his eyes, the other draped over the backrest, his long legs extending far past the arm of the couch. The cushions were slightly compressed under his weight, and the whole scene looked both unfairly handso and mildly ridiculous.
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