Winter light filtered softly through the tall windows of the mansion.
Muted.
Pale gold against white marble floors.
The fireplace crackled quietly in the living room while soft Christmas music played somewhere deeper in the house.
The mansion felt calmer lately.
Different.
Not quieter because people feared speaking.
Quieter because warmth had settled into it.
Leah sat curled slightly into the corner of the large sofa with a blanket over her legs while Elias sat across from her in one of the armchairs.
A cup of tea rested untouched in Leah's hands while Elias calmly folded a page of his newspaper.
"…And then Dante apparently spent twenty minutes arguing with the florist."
Leah blinked once.
"…Why was Dante arguing with a florist?"
Elias adjusted his glasses slightly.
"…Because Izana requested specific ribbon colours for the Christmas decorations."
Leah stared at him.
Then slowly started laughing.
"…You're lying."
"I'm not."
"That cannot be real."
Elias gave the faintest smile.
"…Apparently the red ribbons were the wrong shade."
Leah covered part of her face with one hand.
"…Oh my god."
"And according to Dante, Izana said—and I quote—'The tree looks unbalanced.'"
That made Leah laugh harder.
Real laughter.
Soft and tired but genuine.
"…Poor Dante."
"Yes."
Elias folded the newspaper neatly.
"…He looks exhausted lately."
"That's because Izana keeps making him experience emotional trauma."
Elias hummed quietly.
"…The organisation survived gang wars more easily than fatherhood."
Leah smiled into her tea cup.
Her eyes drifted toward the large Christmas tree near the fireplace.
The lights glowed softly across silver ornaments and dark green branches.
And beneath it—
sat a carefully wrapped present.
Black wrapping paper.
Dark red ribbon.
Perfectly neat.
Leah's smile softened instantly.
The present Izana bought for Zarek.
The stuffed lion with blonde fur and red eyes.
She still remembered the way he'd described it afterward.
Calmly.
Seriously.
Like it was the most important purchase he'd ever made.
Her fingers tightened slightly around the warm tea cup.
Elias noticed her looking toward the tree.
"…Dante said he spent nearly thirty minutes choosing that."
Leah looked back toward him immediately.
"…I'm not surprised."
Elias folded another section of newspaper quietly.
"…The shop owner apparently showed him almost every toy in the building."
Leah smiled faintly.
"…And Izana probably examined all of them like weapons."
"That is exactly what happened."
Leah laughed softly again before her eyes drifted back toward the tree once more.
Warmth settled quietly in her chest.
Because none of this felt real sometimes.
Izana.
Christmas presents.
Nurseries.
Teddy bears.
Play mats.
It still felt impossible compared to the man she'd first met.
And yet now—
this version of him felt more real than anything else.
The room settled into quiet again afterward.
Fireplace crackling softly.
Christmas lights glowing faintly.
Then Leah suddenly frowned slightly.
"…It's too quiet."
Elias looked up from the paper.
"…Hm?"
"I haven't heard Zarek for a while."
A pause.
Then—
"…Or Izana."
Elias lowered the newspaper fully now.
The mansion really had gone unusually silent.
Leah slowly set her tea down.
"…That's suspicious."
Elias gave the faintest amused look.
"…You say that like they're dangerous together."
"They are."
Leah stood carefully from the sofa and adjusted the blanket off herself.
"…Last time it got this quiet I found Izana asleep in the nursery at three in the morning."
Elias looked unsurprised.
"…Reasonable."
"No it isn't."
"It is for him now."
Leah shook her head softly, though she smiled slightly anyway.
"…I'm going to check on them."
Elias nodded once.
"…If he's asleep again, let him rest."
Leah glanced back toward him while walking toward the stairs.
"…You sound emotionally attached to this too."
Elias calmly lifted his newspaper again.
"…I raised Izana."
A pause.
Then quieter—
"…Seeing him like this is… unexpected."
Leah's expression softened slightly at that before she finally turned and headed upstairs.
The second floor hallway was peaceful.
Soft afternoon light stretching across the floor beneath the windows.
Leah walked quietly toward the nursery.
And immediately noticed the door was slightly open.
She smiled faintly already.
Because somehow—
she knew.
Leah pushed the door open softly.
And stopped.
The nursery was warm and dim.
Soft winter light filtered through the curtains.
And on the play mat near the center of the room—
Izana was asleep.
Flat on his back against the padded mat.
One arm stretched protectively around Zarek.
Zarek was curled tightly against his side with his tiny head resting on Izana's arm.
Fast asleep.
One little hand still gripping the sleeve of Izana's black shirt.
The teddy bear with the red ribbon rested near Zarek's chest.
Scattered toys surrounded them both.
Building blocks.
A cloth book.
One plush lion.
And near Izana's hand—
a stack of soft blocks partially built into a tower before collapsing sideways.
Leah's entire expression melted instantly.
"…Oh."
Quiet.
Warm.
Because it was obvious what had happened.
Izana had been playing with him.
Probably trying to keep him entertained.
And somewhere in the middle of it—
they'd both fallen asleep together.
Leah stepped further into the nursery slowly.
Careful not to wake them.
Her eyes stayed fixed on Izana.
His tie loosened slightly.
Dark hair messy from sleep.
One hand still resting near Zarek even unconsciously.
Protective even asleep.
And somehow—
he looked more peaceful here than anywhere else.
No tension in his shoulders.
No guarded expression.
Just tired.
Warm.
Safe.
Leah crouched slowly beside them.
Zarek shifted faintly in his sleep at the movement but immediately settled again against Izana's side.
Leah brushed a few strands of dark hair away from Izana's forehead gently.
He didn't wake.
Exhaustion had finally won.
Her chest ached softly at the sight.
Because she knew he barely rested properly anymore.
He worked.
Watched Zarek.
Stayed awake during the night whenever he cried.
And still somehow spent every free moment beside him anyway.
Leah's eyes moved toward the scattered toys again.
Then toward the unfinished block tower.
A small smile pulled at her lips.
The feared head of a mafia organisation had fallen asleep building blocks on a nursery floor.
The thought should've been ridiculous.
Instead it felt strangely perfect.
A soft sound behind her made Leah glance toward the doorway.
Elias stood there now.
One hand resting lightly against the doorframe.
Watching quietly.
His eyes moved from Zarek—
to Izana—
then finally toward Leah.
For several long seconds, he said nothing.
Then quietly—
"…I never thought I'd see this."
Leah looked back toward Izana sleeping on the floor.
"…Me neither."
Elias watched the scene another moment longer before speaking softly again.
"…He used to sleep with a knife under his pillow."
Leah's expression softened slightly.
Now he slept holding his son instead.
Elias seemed to think the same thing.
Because his gaze lingered on Zarek quietly before he finally stepped back from the doorway.
"…I'll leave you to them."
Leah nodded softly.
Elias disappeared down the hallway again without another word.
The nursery became quiet once more afterward.
Just soft breathing.
The faint hum of winter wind outside.
And Christmas music barely audible downstairs.
Leah looked at the armchair near the wall briefly.
Then back toward the floor.
A moment later she carefully lowered herself onto the play mat beside them.
Slowly.
Trying not to wake either of them.
The mat shifted slightly beneath her weight.
Izana stirred faintly at the movement.
Brows tightening slightly in his sleep.
But the second Leah's hand rested gently against his chest—
he relaxed again immediately.
Even asleep.
Leah smiled softly at that.
Then carefully curled closer beside them both.
One hand lightly brushing over Zarek's soft blonde hair.
The other resting near Izana's arm.
Zarek shifted once more in his sleep.
Tiny fingers still tangled in Izana's sleeve.
The teddy bear pressed safely against his chest.
And surrounded by scattered toys, soft afternoon light, and quiet warmth—
all three of them eventually drifted into sleep together on the nursery floor.