After dinner with the babies, Alina stayed beside their small warm bodies until both of them drifted off, their tiny breaths soft and steady against their pillows. She brushed their hair one last time, whispered good night, and quietly stepped out of the room, closing the door with the gentlest click.
Dante was leaning against the hallway wall, arms folded, the dim light catching the edges of his sharp features. He looked up the moment she appeared, and something warm flickered in his eyes.
"Will you stay with me for a few days too?" Alina asked softly as she walked toward him, her fingers nervously twisting the hem of her sleeve. "And babies too… for the holiday?" Her voice carried a hopeful tone.
"Actually," Dante said, slow and thoughtful, "you can have Sable and Lucien with you for the whole holiday."
Alina's eyes lit up instantly, sparkling as if she had been handed a small miracle, and he found himself staring again, entranced by how openly she showed happiness.
