The bathroom filled with steam that carried the scent of lavender and something deeper—the particular comfort that came from family safe and whole. Afternoon light filtered through frosted windows, casting prismatic patterns across tiles still warm from the supernatural storm's passage. The very air seemed to exhale relief, pressure that had built over hours finally releasing.
Akira knelt beside the oversized tub, her pregnancy making the position awkward but necessary. The porcelain was cool against her knees, a grounding sensation after the chaos of divine intervention. Kova sat in water warm enough to soothe but not so hot as to overwhelm his small frame. Soap suds clung to his silver hair like tiny clouds, and she worked her fingers through the tangles with infinite patience.
"Sit st
