Soft morning light slowly filled the medical room.
The storm from the night before was gone now.
Only pale sunlight filtered through the curtains, turning the quiet room gold instead of cold.
Nothing had moved for hours.
Leah slept lightly against Izana's shoulder, curled close beside him in the chair.
One of her hands still rested against Zarek's blanket unconsciously, like even asleep she needed to make sure he was there.
Izana hadn't slept at all.
Not even for a minute.
He sat motionless in the chair with Zarek asleep against his chest beneath the blanket, one hand supporting his small back automatically.
Every tiny sound Zarek made pulled Izana's attention immediately.
Every cough.
Every shift.
Every uneven breath.
Even now his eyes stayed lowered toward him instead of the sunrise outside.
Zarek stirred slightly in his sleep.
Izana's hand instantly rubbed slowly up and down his back.
"…Easy."
His voice stayed quiet enough not to wake Leah.
Zarek settled again almost immediately.
Still warm.
But not as burning as before.
That was the only thing keeping the tight pressure in Izana's chest from getting worse.
A quiet knock came from the doorway.
The doctor entered softly carrying a tablet.
He paused slightly when he saw the scene in front of him.
Izana awake.
Still holding Zarek exactly where he had been hours ago.
Leah asleep against him.
"…Good morning," the doctor said quietly.
Leah stirred faintly at the sound.
Izana looked up immediately.
"…How is he."
Straight to the point.
The doctor stepped closer carefully and checked Zarek's temperature first.
A few quiet seconds passed.
Then finally—
"He's improving."
Leah opened her eyes fully at that.
"…Really?"
The doctor nodded with a small smile.
"His fever broke during the night."
Relief hit the room instantly.
Visible.
Leah let out a breath that sounded almost shaky before covering her face briefly with one hand.
"Oh thank god."
Izana's eyes lowered immediately back toward Zarek.
And for the first time since arriving home—
some of the tension finally left his shoulders.
Not completely.
Never completely.
But enough.
The doctor continued checking a few things while speaking softly.
"The coughing should improve gradually now. He'll still be tired today, but the worst part has passed."
Leah nodded quickly.
"…Can we take him upstairs later?"
"If his temperature stays stable, yes."
Leah visibly relaxed again at that.
The doctor finished writing something on the tablet before glancing toward Izana.
"You should both rest now."
Izana's answer came instantly.
"…No."
Leah looked at him tiredly.
"You haven't slept."
"He was sick."
Like that explained everything.
To him, it probably did.
The doctor gave up trying to argue almost immediately.
"…At least eat something."
Izana ignored that entirely.
The doctor sighed softly before leaving the room again.
Silence returned afterward.
Quiet.
Warm now instead of tense.
Leah looked sideways toward Izana after a while.
His eyes were still fixed on Zarek.
Still checking his breathing every few seconds.
Still resting one hand protectively over most of his back.
Leah's expression softened.
"…You stayed awake all night."
Izana didn't look away from Zarek.
"…Yes."
"You could've slept a little."
Another small cough left Zarek in his sleep.
Izana's hand immediately rubbed his back again.
"…No."
Leah smiled faintly despite everything.
Of course not.
A few minutes later Zarek slowly started waking up.
Tiny movements first.
A soft sound.
Then his eyes opened slightly.
Still sleepy.
Still sick.
But calmer now.
Izana immediately adjusted the blanket around him more securely.
"…Morning."
Zarek blinked slowly up at him.
Then weakly grabbed the front of Izana's shirt.
Leah leaned closer immediately and brushed soft fingers through his hair.
"Hi sweetheart."
Zarek looked toward her briefly.
Then immediately buried his face back against Izana's chest.
Leah blinked once.
"…Oh."
Izana said nothing.
But the faintest shift touched his expression.
Almost smug.
Almost.
Leah narrowed her eyes slightly.
"…Don't you dare look pleased."
"…I'm not."
"You are."
Zarek made another sleepy sound and tightened his grip on Izana's shirt.
Leah stared.
"…Wow."
Izana pressed a soft kiss against Zarek's head.
"…He's tired."
"Mhmm."
Very believable.
A quiet knock interrupted them again before Elias entered the room.
He paused slightly at the sight.
Leah awake now beside Izana.
Zarek curled against Izana's chest.
And Izana still fully dressed from yesterday because he clearly never went to bed.
Elias's expression softened slightly.
"…How is he?"
"The fever broke," Leah answered immediately.
Relief crossed Elias's face too.
"That's good."
He stepped closer quietly and rested a gentle hand against Zarek's hair for a brief second.
Zarek barely reacted.
Too comfortable where he already was.
Elias looked toward Izana afterward.
"You should rest."
"…Later."
Elias almost smiled slightly at that response.
Because again—
of course.
A while later one of the nurses returned with food and coffee.
Leah accepted hers gratefully.
Izana barely acknowledged his.
Leah noticed immediately.
"…Eat."
"I'm fine."
"You've had coffee and anger for the last twenty-four hours."
Izana finally looked at her.
"…That's inaccurate."
Leah raised an eyebrow.
"…Which part?"
"…I haven't had coffee."
That earned an exhausted laugh from her.
Even Elias looked amused.
Zarek stirred slightly at the sound.
Immediately Izana's attention returned fully to him again.
Leah watched quietly.
The way his hand adjusted the blanket.
The way he checked his forehead again.
The way his entire body seemed calmer now that Zarek's fever was lower.
And suddenly—
all the stress from yesterday finally hit her properly.
Her eyes burned unexpectedly.
Leah quickly looked down before anyone noticed.
Too late.
Izana noticed immediately.
"…Li."
She shook her head quickly.
"I'm fine."
"…No."
Her lips pressed together briefly.
Then quietly—
"…I was scared."
The words came out smaller than she intended.
Izana's expression softened instantly.
One arm shifted carefully around her waist, pulling her closer against his side while still holding Zarek securely.
"…I know."
Leah leaned into him immediately.
Exhausted.
Relieved.
Still emotional from everything finally calming down.
"I thought something was really wrong," she admitted softly.
Izana pressed a kiss against the top of her head.
"…He's alright."
This time—
she believed it.
Near midday, Dante finally arrived back at the mansion.
He walked into the medical corridor looking exhausted from travel and immediately stopped when he saw Izana walking slowly toward him with Zarek asleep against his chest beneath a blanket.
Dante stared.
"…You're still carrying him."
Izana continued walking calmly.
"…Yes."
"He's asleep."
"…Observant."
Dante looked toward the tiny hand still gripping Izana's shirt.
Then toward Leah walking beside them.
"…Did he survive the plague."
Leah laughed softly.
"It was flu."
"Same thing."
Izana ignored him completely and adjusted the blanket slightly higher around Zarek.
Dante watched the movement.
Then sighed dramatically.
"…This is unbelievable."
Leah smiled faintly.
"He wouldn't let anyone else hold him."
Dante looked immediately interested.
"…Seriously?"
Leah nodded.
"I tried taking him earlier."
"Then?"
Leah pointed toward Izana.
"He started crying until Izana took him back."
Dante stared at Izana for a long moment.
Then slowly smiled.
"…Congratulations."
Izana looked unimpressed already.
"…For what."
Dante gestured toward the sleeping baby attached to him.
"…You're his favourite now."
Zarek stirred slightly in his sleep at the sound of Dante's voice.
Then weakly grabbed more of Izana's shirt without even opening his eyes.
Dante looked horrified.
"…That's actually ridiculous."
Izana looked down at Zarek.
And despite himself—
the faintest real smile finally appeared.