The dining room glowed with warm light as evening settled over the mansion.
Snow pressed softly against the windows outside, blurring the gardens into pale white shapes.
Inside, the long dining table had been set with careful precision—candles lit in glass holders.
Christmas decorations woven through the centrepiece, and the faint sound of crackling fire drifting in from the nearby lounge.
It should have looked formal.
It didn't.
Not anymore.
Because Izana was sitting at the head of the table with Zarek on his lap like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Leah sat beside him, relaxed against her chair, occasionally glancing at them with a soft expression she didn't even try to hide anymore.
Elias was seated further down, calm as always, observing everything like he was quietly documenting the collapse of his expectations.
Clara sat opposite, still adjusting to the reality she had walked into earlier that day.
And Dante—
Dante looked like he was reconsidering every life decision that had ever led him to this moment.
He loosened his tie slightly as he sat down.
"…I've survived worse meetings," he muttered under his breath.
Clara looked at him immediately.
"…Have you, though?"
Dante didn't answer.
That was answer enough.
Izana, meanwhile, was entirely unbothered.
Zarek sat comfortably against his chest, half-curled into his father's suit jacket, tiny fingers gripping the edge of Izana's shirt like it was the safest thing in the world.
A servant placed food on the table, and conversation slowly began to build.
Clara leaned slightly forward, studying Izana with clear curiosity.
"…So this is your life now."
Izana didn't look up from adjusting the blanket around Zarek.
"…Yes."
"That was very quick."
Leah smiled faintly beside him.
"…It wasn't quick."
Dante exhaled.
"…It felt quick to everyone else."
Elias calmly sipped his drink.
"…It felt inevitable."
Clara gave a small hum of disbelief.
"…I still remember when you refused to let anyone stand within two metres of you."
Izana finally looked up at her.
"…That is still true."
Clara nodded slowly.
"…Interesting development."
Zarek shifted slightly on Izana's lap, making a small sound as he pressed his face into his father's chest.
Izana immediately rested a hand against his back.
Slow.
Steady.
"…It's too loud," he murmured.
Leah glanced around the table.
"…We're literally just talking."
Izana looked at Zarek again.
"…Still loud."
Clara blinked.
"…You've become softer."
Izana's expression didn't change.
"…No."
Dante muttered immediately.
"…Yes, you have."
Izana ignored him.
Zarek made a small grab at Izana's tie, tugging it slightly.
Without hesitation, Izana gently loosened it and let Zarek hold onto the fabric.
Clara watched that with open disbelief.
"…You just let him do that."
Izana calmly responded:
"…Yes."
Dante leaned back in his chair.
"…If I touched your tie in a meeting, I would lose a finger."
"…Correct," Izana replied.
Clara turned slightly toward Leah.
"…How are you alive?"
Leah smiled.
"…Honestly? I ask myself that sometimes."
Elias gave a faint, almost amused sound.
"…She adapts well."
Zarek suddenly made a soft noise, shifting again as he rubbed his eyes.
The entire table quieted slightly without even meaning to.
Not because they were told to.
But because everyone had started reacting to him now.
Clara noticed it immediately.
"…Why did everyone just go silent?"
Dante answered flatly.
"…Conditioning."
Izana ignored all of them and gently bounced Zarek once.
"…Tired?"
Zarek gave a small whine in response.
Izana's voice softened immediately.
"…Alright."
He leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to Zarek's head.
"…It's okay."
The baby settled almost instantly.
Clara stared.
"…That's not normal."
Dante sighed.
"…It's worse. It works."
Leah leaned slightly into Izana's side, watching quietly.
There was something almost surreal about it still.
The way Izana didn't hesitate anymore.
No stiffness.
No uncertainty.
Just instinct.
Zarek was his.
That was all he needed to know.
Clara picked at her food slightly before speaking again.
"…He looks like you."
Izana didn't react immediately.
Then:
"…He has Leah's hair."
Clara tilted her head.
"…But your eyes."
Izana looked down at Zarek for a moment.
The baby blinked slowly up at him, still half asleep, red eyes matching his perfectly.
"…Yes."
Dante muttered under his breath:
"…That is mildly unsettling."
Clara smiled slightly.
"…It's kind of adorable."
That made Leah laugh softly.
"…Kind of?"
Clara gestured vaguely.
"…It's emotionally confusing."
Elias added calmly:
"…That describes this entire household."
A soft hum of agreement went around the table.
Zarek shifted again, now fully leaning into Izana's chest.
His breathing started slowing.
He was slipping into sleep.
Izana noticed immediately.
His hand moved instinctively to support Zarek's back more securely.
The conversation around the table continued quietly, but the tone shifted slightly as they all registered the change.
Less noise.
Less movement.
Even Dante stopped complaining.
Zarek gave one final small sound, fingers curling tighter into Izana's shirt.
Then—
he fell asleep completely.
The room went still.
Not dramatically.
Just naturally.
Even the candle flames seemed quieter somehow.
Izana looked down at him for a long moment.
Completely still.
Soft expression settling over him without effort.
Leah watched him closely, the faintest smile on her lips.
Clara didn't speak.
Dante definitely didn't.
Izana carefully adjusted Zarek's position, making sure his head was secure against his chest.
Then he stood slowly, keeping one arm firmly supporting him.
"…He's asleep," he said quietly.
Leah nodded.
"…I see that."
Izana looked around the table once.
"…Continue."
Dante blinked.
"…We can't continue a mafia discussion while you're holding a sleeping baby."
Izana's eyes shifted slightly toward him.
"…Yes, you can."
Silence.
Clara slowly leaned back in her chair.
"…This is unbelievable."
Izana didn't respond.
Instead, he adjusted Zarek again, making sure the blanket stayed in place.
Then he turned slightly toward the hallway.
Leah spoke softly.
"…Where are you going?"
Izana answered without looking back.
"…Nursery."
Clara tilted her head.
"…Why?"
Izana paused at the doorway just slightly.
Then, in the same calm voice:
"…Don't wake him."
And he left the room.
The moment the door closed behind him, the dining room stayed quiet for a few seconds longer than necessary.
Dante finally exhaled.
"…I hate this job."
Clara stared at the door.
"…No one would believe this."
Leah smiled faintly, looking down at her untouched plate.
"…I didn't at first either."
Elias picked up his glass again.
"…And yet here we are."
Outside the hallway, Izana continued walking slowly toward the nursery, Zarek asleep against his chest.
Careful.
Steady.
Like the entire world had narrowed down to exactly that moment—and nothing else mattered at all.