The first time Lala realized love was no longer just about them, it came not as a revelation—but as fear.
It happened on an ordinary afternoon.
Layla was playing on the living room floor, stacking wooden blocks with serious concentration, humming to herself in a language only childhood understood. Daniel was in the kitchen, sleeves rolled up, trying to fix a leaking tap. The house smelled faintly of soap and warm sunlight.
Normal.
Safe.
And yet Lala’s chest tightened without warning.
She watched Layla laugh at a block that fell over and felt a sharp, unfamiliar truth take hold:
Love could no longer afford to be careless.
When Love Grows Teeth
That evening, after Layla slept, Daniel and Lala sat together in the quiet living room.
“We can’t pretend anymore,” Lala said softly. “This
