Water rippled gently around them as steam curled against the tiled walls.
Draven slowly turned his head toward Lucifer.
There was a dangerous sparkle in his eyes.
"Ohhh," he said softly. "So that's how it is."
Lucifer blinked up at him, still gripping a stubborn fistful of his hair.
"Thought you were on my side, huh?" Draven continued, narrowing his eyes in mock betrayal. "Guess I was wrong."
Lucifer's expression didn't change.
Calm.
Collected.
Dignified.
Draven leaned in closer.
"You helped her."
Lucifer's tiny brows furrowed as if he completely rejected the accusation.
"Conspiracy," Draven declared.
And then he struck.
He lowered his head and began peppering Lucifer's cheek with exaggerated, rapid-fire kisses.
"Take—this—traitor!"
Lucifer's cheeks instantly flushed a deep pink, but unlike Elenya, he refused to laugh.
He tried. He truly tried to maintain composure.
Tiny arms pushed against Draven's face with all the strength his miniature body could muster.
It was… not much.
Draven ignored the resistance entirely.
"Oh? Silent treatment now?" he teased, blowing another dramatic raspberry against Lucifer's cheek.
Lucifer's expression cracked for half a second—a tiny twitch at the corner of his mouth—before he forced it back into stoic neutrality.
"Unbelievable," Draven muttered. "You're actually enduring it."
Behind them, the water began to stir.
The cat had decided this was unacceptable.
With a determined splash, it paddled across the tub, little paws working furiously. Its fur was soaked flat against its body, ears slightly drooped, but its eyes were locked onto the chaos.
It swam closer.
Closer.
Then planted its front paws against Draven's shoulder, stretching its neck forward to inspect whatever injustice was taking place.
Draven blinked, glancing sideways.
"…Are you supervising?"
The cat leaned in further.
Draven lazily lifted one arm—the self-appointed part-time lifeguard—and gently nudged the cat's forehead away without even looking.
"Back. This is a private disciplinary matter."
The cat slipped slightly on the wet skin, scrambling to keep its balance, tiny claws barely catching.
Lucifer seized the opportunity.
With a sudden determined shove, he pushed Draven's face away and turned his head aside in dramatic refusal.
Draven froze.
Then slowly looked at him.
"…You dare."
Elenya, still floating against his arm, pointed at Lucifer and burst into another fit of giggles.
The cat, thoroughly offended by being dismissed, splashed water at all of them with an indignant paw.
Water hit Draven's face.
Silence.
He stared at the cat.
The cat stared back.
Lucifer, cheeks still pink, quietly released Draven's hair.
Water dripped from his hair as he moved.
The cat had just splashed again — bold. Reckless.
Draven's eyes narrowed slightly.
In one smooth motion, he reached down and grabbed the tiny creature by the scruff of its neck.
The cat froze mid-paddle.
"—Mrrraow?!"
Its limbs flailed helplessly as he lifted it from the water. Droplets scattered across the tiles.
A low, offended growl rumbled from its chest as it waved a paw, attempting to claw at his hand. The tiny claws scraped harmlessly against his skin.
Draven let out a quiet chuckle.
"Looks like someone doesn't like being held like this."
The cat twisted dramatically, tail flicking in protest.
He stepped out of the tub, water streaming down his body, the babies balanced easily against one arm while he held the squirming menace aloft with the other.
The cat let out another indignant sound.
Draven's tone shifted instantly.
"Shut the fuck up."
Calm.
Flat.
He gently placed the cat on top of his head.
The transformation was immediate.
The cat adjusted its paws.
Curled slightly.
And settled like it had always belonged there.
Draven stared forward blankly.
"…Unbelievable."
He shifted both babies securely in his arms.
"Alright. You two. Bath time's over."
Elenya blinked up at him, damp curls sticking to her forehead. Lucifer stared quietly, water droplets still clinging to his lashes, expression calm as ever.
Draven stepped fully out of the tub.
He grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist, tying it securely. Another towel hung loosely around his neck as he began drying his hair with one hand.
The cat remained perfectly balanced atop his head, tail draped lazily down the back of his neck.
Draven glanced upward.
"If you fall, I'm not catching you."
The cat blinked once.
Did not move.
Steam still lingered in the air as he began drying his siblings carefully, movements far more gentle than his voice ever suggested.
The bathroom door opened with a soft creak.
Warm steam rolled out into the hallway.
Draven stepped through first, barefoot against polished wood, a towel secured low around his waist and another draped loosely over his shoulders. Water still traced down his chest and arms in slow droplets. The cat sat comfortably atop his head as if it had always belonged there, tail swaying lazily.
In his arms, Elenya and Lucifer were bundled in towels, clean and warm, their damp hair clinging softly to their foreheads.
The maid stood waiting just outside, posture straight, expression composed as ever. In her arms was a neatly folded stack of clothing.
"My lord," she said calmly, bowing her head slightly. "Wear this. They are a little large, but they were the only garments that are neither feminine nor excessively oversized."
She stepped forward and offered them.
Draven glanced down at the clothes without moving to take them immediately.
Loose black trousers. A white shirt. A dark long coat—simple, but well-made. Not noble attire, but clean. Civilian.
He shifted Lucifer slightly higher on one arm before finally taking the stack with his free hand.
"…You went through their things?" he asked flatly.
"Yes, my lord. Only what was necessary."
Elenya squirmed, reaching up and grabbing at the towel hanging around his neck. Lucifer simply stared at the maid with quiet red eyes, observant as ever.
Draven stepped past her without another word, moving into one of the empty rooms upstairs.
The maid followed silently, closing the door behind them.
Draven laid the babies down gently on the bed first. The mattress dipped slightly under their tiny weight. The cat leapt from his head onto the bed as well, circling once before settling near Elenya's side.
Draven removed the towel from around his neck and began dressing without hesitation.
The shirt slid over his shoulders, loose but fitting well enough. The trousers were slightly long, but manageable. He fastened them securely, then shrugged into the coat last.
When he finished, he rolled his shoulders once.
It fit.
Not perfectly.
But it worked.
The maid stepped forward with smaller folded garments. "For the young master and young miss."
Draven nodded once and began dressing them himself.
Elenya kicked lightly as he slid her arms through soft fabric. Lucifer remained still, watching him with that unreadable expression.
The cat pawed curiously at the hem of Lucifer's sleeve.
Draven glanced down at it.
"Don't start."
The cat blinked innocently.
Once both babies were dressed, Draven lifted them again, one in each arm. The coat shifted around him as he adjusted his hold.
The maid observed him quietly.
"You look fitting, my lord."
Draven didn't respond immediately.
He walked toward the door.
Just before stepping out, he paused slightly, gaze lowering for a brief moment.
"…How long until sunrise?"
"Several hours still," the maid replied. "You may rest if you wish."
Draven adjusted the babies in his arms again.
"I don't need it."
The cat climbed back up his shoulder, settling comfortably at the side of his head.
Draven opened the door and stepped back into the hallway.
Downstairs, faint sounds of a television echoed through the house—Aldric's laughter mixing with it.
For a brief moment—
It almost felt normal.
Almost.