↳ 𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐑 ー 𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐘

𝐗𝐈𝐈 ー 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐞

◉

Hearing her terrified screams echoing through his ears, Kaden stirs with a deep inhale, guiding his head from the pillow to check on the woman sleeping soundly beside him. Untouched. Unscathed. Exactly how she should be.

Leaning down to kiss her shoulder, his arms slip around her body to hold her close. He settles again within seconds. Catches her faint hum before she turns in his embrace, her head tucked beneath his. Knuckles rest against his chest that rises and falls rhythmically.

Grayson swings his legs over the edge of his bed with a heavy sigh, running his hands over his face and through his dishevelled hair.

Dropping them to his thighs, he stands, about to head to the gym when he notices Hope partly hidden behind the doorframe. Bubbles is tucked safely under one arm.

"This isn't your room."

"Can I sleep wiv you?"

For a moment he squints. Realisation dawning on him gradually. She really walked herself all the way downstairs and through the dark house just to be with him. Even though her parents are just down the corridor.

"What's the password?"

She ponders for a few seconds, rubbing her heavy eyes with her bottom lip pushed out. "Love you."

How could he say no?

A soft nod of his head is more than enough for her to tread into the room, and with how tired she appears, he lifts her up onto the bed instead of letting her climb up. He lays beside her and stretches across his side of the bed, an arm bent beneath his head.

Unexpectedly, she shuffles closer and curls into his side. His grey eyes blinking open once her head rests on his chest. With her eyelids drooping, she murmurs something almost incoherent before succumbing to her tiredness.

"Night night, uncle Gwayson."

Hesitantly, he places his hand on her back. It rises and falls with every breath she takes. Chin raised, he stares up at the ceiling.

Come morning, Sierra peers into the empty bedroom with a frown appearing. After searching the upstairs then the downstairs and having no luck, she eventually strayed to the one room she hadn't yet checked because the man hates anyone invading his privacy. Even though he shamelessly leaves his door wide open most of the time.

Cautiously poking her head around the door, she sighs contentedly to find Hope sat beside Grayson, entranced by the cartoon blaring loudly from his phone. One of his arms is draped around her as he stares quizzically at the brightly coloured and overly happy characters on the screen.

Kaden habitually watches her stroll into the kitchen and join him by the island. A tatted hand resting on the countertop that she slides hers over.

"She has him wrapped around her finger." She giggles softly to herself. "They're watching cartoons together."

"Cartoons." He places the glass down with an amused smirk. "He'll be braiding her hair next." She chuckles louder at the thought.

○ ○ ○

A little while later, the grinning girl skips into the kitchen and, somewhat, patiently waits for Grayson to stride in behind her and lift her onto one of the stools.