By the afternoon, the medical corridor had finally started feeling less frightening.
The monitors had been removed.
The nurses weren't checking the room every few minutes anymore.
And most importantly—
Zarek's fever had stayed down.
The doctor gave final instructions while Leah listened carefully from beside the bed.
"Keep him warm. Make sure he drinks enough. He'll still be tired for a few days."
Leah nodded immediately.
"And the coughing?"
"It should ease gradually."
The doctor looked toward Izana then.
Who was still holding Zarek against his chest beneath a blanket.
Still.
Like he hadn't moved in hours.
"…He'll recover faster resting comfortably upstairs."
Izana only nodded once.
But his hand immediately checked Zarek's forehead again anyway.
The doctor noticed.
Leah noticed too.
So did Dante.
Dante sighed softly from near the doorway.
"…You checked his temperature five minutes ago."
Izana didn't even look at him.
"And."
"…It does not change that quickly."
Izana ignored him entirely.
The doctor gave up speaking after that.
Mostly because he clearly understood there was no winning against this level of parental paranoia.
Once the doctor left, Leah carefully gathered the nursery bag while Dante carried the remaining paperwork Elias had somehow brought downstairs earlier.
Izana did neither.
Because Zarek was still attached to him.
Literally.
One tiny hand remained curled tightly around the front of Izana's shirt beneath the blanket.
Every time Izana shifted slightly, Zarek made a sleepy unhappy sound until he settled again.
Leah smiled faintly at the sight.
"…I think he fused himself to you."
Izana adjusted the blanket higher around Zarek automatically.
"He's tired."
"Mhmm."
Very convincing.
Dante walked beside them as they finally left the medical corridor.
The mansion was brighter now compared to last night.
Warm afternoon sunlight spilled across the marble floors and long hallways.
Several staff members looked visibly relieved seeing Zarek awake and no longer in the medical room.
Unfortunately for them—
Izana had become unbearable.
A maid opened one of the hallway windows slightly as they passed.
Only slightly.
Fresh air.
Normal behaviour.
Izana stopped walking immediately.
The entire hallway froze.
His eyes lifted toward the window.
"…Close it."
The maid immediately rushed to shut it again.
"Sorry, sir."
Dante stared at him.
"…You are becoming insane."
"It's cold."
"It's barely open."
"It's cold."
Leah bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself smiling.
Zarek stirred slightly from the sound of voices.
Instantly Izana's attention returned fully to him.
His hand rubbed gently up and down Zarek's back beneath the blanket.
"…Go back to sleep."
Zarek relaxed again almost immediately.
Dante looked deeply offended by this entire situation.
"…He listens to you now."
"He's my son."
"That doesn't explain why he acts like you're the only person in existence."
Izana continued walking calmly.
"…Skill issue."
Leah laughed softly behind them.
Dante looked horrified.
"…That was a joke."
Izana ignored him.
Upstairs, the bedroom was quiet and warm.
The curtains had been partially opened, letting soft winter sunlight spill across the bed.
Leah started unpacking the nursery bag while Izana stood beside the bed still holding Zarek.
Not putting him down.
Just standing there.
Watching him.
Leah noticed immediately.
"…You know you can put him in the crib."
"No."
Leah turned slowly.
"…No?"
"He stays here."
"Here" apparently meant: attached to Izana forever.
Leah crossed her arms slightly.
"Iz."
"He was sick."
"That doesn't mean you need to hold him every second."
Izana looked genuinely unconvinced.
"He coughed."
"That was hours ago."
Another small temperature check followed immediately after.
Leah stared.
"…You're checking again."
"He's warm."
"He's a person. People are warm."
Izana narrowed his eyes slightly at her like he disagreed with basic biology.
Zarek shifted sleepily against his chest then gave a tiny cough.
Instantly Izana's entire focus sharpened again.
Leah sighed.
"…You're impossible."
He didn't deny it.
A while later Leah finally managed to convince him to sit on the bed at least.
Though even then—
Zarek stayed against his chest beneath the blanket.
Still sleeping.
Still clutching his shirt.
Izana rested one hand protectively against the back of his head while reading through messages on his phone one-handed.
Or trying to.
Every few seconds his eyes lowered toward Zarek again.
Checking.
Watching.
Leah sat beside him quietly for a while before eventually speaking.
"…You still haven't slept."
"I'm fine."
"You said that six hours ago."
"I am."
Leah studied him carefully.
The slower blinking.
The exhaustion beneath his eyes.
The slight delay before some responses.
He was exhausted.
Completely.
But too focused on Zarek to care.
Leah moved closer beside him.
"If his fever comes back, I'll wake you."
Silence.
Izana's fingers lightly adjusted the blanket again.
"…What if he coughs."
Leah blinked.
"…You want me to wake you if he coughs?"
"Yes."
"Iz."
"What."
"He has the flu."
Another small silence followed.
Then quietly—
"…I know."
That softened her immediately.
Because beneath all the overprotectiveness and control—
he was scared.
Still scared.
Leah's expression gentled completely.
"You need sleep."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
Leah reached over and gently took the phone from his hand before placing it on the bedside table.
"…Li."
"You're exhausted."
"I'm monitoring him."
"You're staring at him."
"…Same thing."
Leah almost laughed.
Almost.
Instead she carefully shifted closer and rested her forehead lightly against his shoulder.
"He's okay now."
Izana's hand stayed against Zarek's back.
Silent.
Then quietly—
"…When you called me…"
Leah looked up slightly.
"I thought something worse happened."
There it was.
The real reason.
Leah's chest tightened softly.
"You came home so fast."
"I was already leaving before the call ended."
"I know."
A pause.
Then Leah gently brushed her fingers through his hair.
"Sleep."
Izana looked down at Zarek.
Still hesitant.
Like he genuinely believed something bad would happen if he stopped watching him for five minutes.
Leah softened further.
"I'll stay awake."
"…Promise."
"I promise."
Finally—
very reluctantly—
Izana leaned back slightly against the headboard.
Still holding Zarek securely against his chest.
Still keeping one hand against his back.
But after less than ten minutes—
his eyes finally closed.
Leah smiled faintly when she realised he actually fell asleep.
Completely exhausted.
The room stayed quiet afterward.
Winter light slowly faded outside while both of them slept.
Zarek curled safely against Izana's chest.
Izana's hand still protectively covering most of his tiny back even asleep.
Leah watched them for a long moment.
Something warm and painful pulling at her chest simultaneously.
Because despite everything Izana was—
cold.
dangerous.
feared.
There was something almost unbearably gentle about him like this.
Hours later, sometime during the night, Leah woke slightly when Zarek shifted beside them.
The room was dark now.
Only moonlight spilled softly through the curtains.
Izana was still asleep beside her.
One arm loosely around Zarek protectively.
And even asleep—
his hand rested lightly against Zarek's stomach.
Checking his breathing.
Leah's expression softened instantly.
"…You love him so much," she whispered quietly.
Half asleep, Izana barely opened his eyes.
"…Obviously."
Then immediately fell asleep again.