Ava sat on Kia's lap while he carefully picked at the sparkling glue knot in her hair.
Eli hovered close, giving dramatic commentary like a tiny reporter.
Ryan stood at the counter, pretending to wipe a clean surface so he wouldn't make eye contact with Kia again.
Everything was calm.
Almost peaceful.
Until Eli opened his mouth.
"Daddy likes you," he blurted.
Ryan's hand froze mid-wipe.
Kia's fingers stilled in Ava's hair.
The entire kitchen went silent.
Ryan turned very slowly.
"Eli," he said with a warning voice, "what did you just say?"
Eli nodded innocently, happy to explain.
"You like him. You smile more when he's here."
Ryan blinked.
"I do not—"
"Aha!" Ava chimed in loudly.
"And yesterday Daddy was looking at your picture on his phone."
Ryan's soul left his body.
Kia's eyebrows lifted in slow amusement.
Eli jumped in again, excited to contribute.
"And Daddy said your voice sounds nice when you talk!"
Ryan stepped forward quickly.
"Okay, that's enough—"
Ava gasped dramatically.
"Oh! Oh! And Daddy was blushing one time! Like red-red! His ears were hot!"
Ryan choked.
"Ava—"
Kia was covering his mouth now, hiding a smile that threatened to expose all his teeth.
But the kids weren't done.
Eli tapped his chin thoughtfully.
"Daddy gets shy when you look at him too long."
"I DON'T GET—" Ryan snapped loudly—
But Ava cut him off by clapping her hands.
"And Daddy said you smell nice!"
Ryan froze like a malfunctioning robot.
Kia looked at him.
Slowly.
Deeply.
Warmer than before.
"…Oh?" Kia said, voice soft, teasing, dangerous.
"I smell nice?"
Ryan's face shut down, rebooted, then shut down again.
"I didn't say— They're making things— I wasn't—"
But Eli held up a finger.
"Daddy also said—"
Ryan SWEPT him up into his arms instantly.
"BED. NOW."
Ava yelped laughing. "But it's not bedtime!"
"It is now."
"It's 7 PM," Eli pointed out.
Ryan glared.
"I don't care. Sleep."
Kia burst into a quiet laugh, shaking his head.
"You can't put them to bed just because they told the truth," Kia teased softly.
Ryan's chest tightened with indignation.
"I am NOT blushing," he announced to the entire kitchen.
"And I do NOT smile at you. And I definitely did NOT say you smell nice."
Kia stood slowly, walking toward him.
Ryan backed up on instinct, holding Eli like a shield.
Kia's smile was warm.
Soft.
Too soft.
"Okay," Kia said gently.
"If you say so."
And Ryan's heart — traitor that it was — somersaulted inside his chest.
The kids giggled.
Ryan glared at all three of them.
This was a nightmare.
A warm… stupid… heart-thumping nightmare.
Omg, is this what he gets for being to close with his kids and he also tell them thing bug he never told them to say it uo others, what a traitor.
Kia facing the kids and telling them not to tell people their daddy's secret, and that whatever their daddy told them should only be know by them. The kids now looks remorseful and looked at their daddy guiltily, saying softly, daddy we are sorry.
Ryan could only sight softly and tell they to go to their room and sleep, which also finding how to convince kia that it was not true.
Author pov:
Hey fams, I have been quite busy lately but I will still continue posting like 4 chapters par day. Love you all😘😘