𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐦𝐞 | 𝐣𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧

𝟐𝟑

𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐀 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐑𝐔𝐁𝐘 sat at the table with half-eaten bowls of cereal, their spoons forgotten as their eyes darted between their parents like tiny detectives collecting evidence. martina leaned closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "do you think they talked things out?"

ruby bit her lip, watching her dad grin at luna like he'd forgotten how to stop. "i mean... they look fine. since they came back from italy, it's been... different. but we can't count out césar."

martina frowned, her little brows knitting together. "true. my abuela alma always said... when papá was alive, mamá used to smile a lot with him. that smile ..." she nodded toward luna, who was shaking her head with a playful ay, jordan, no seas ridículo. "that's the same smile."

ruby's spoon clinked softly as she set it down. "you're right... and my dad ..." her voice dipped, a soft kind of wonder to it. "he's also smiling. like properly smiling."

martina gave a knowing look, a tiny smirk that mirrored luna's stubborn streak. "then we just have to make sure it stays like that."

ruby leaned in, whispering conspiratorially. "operation jorluna continues."

they both stifled giggles, but the sound made luna glance over with a raised brow.

"qué hacen ustedes?" luna asked lightly, eyes narrowing with suspicion.

"n-nothing!" martina squeaked, shoving another spoonful of cereal into her mouth.

ruby quickly followed suit, cheeks puffed out with cornflakes as jordan chuckled, shaking his head. "those two are up to somethin'," he muttered under his breath.

luna gave him a side-eye, but the corner of her mouth curved anyway. "you think?"

"know it," jordan replied, still watching the girls with that softened expression that made ruby's heart swell.

at the table, martina leaned close to ruby once more, whispering fiercely around her cereal. "we're running out of time. if we don't speed things up, césar might ..."

ruby kicked her lightly under the table, eyes flicking toward their parents, who were still lost in quiet conversation. "shhh. not now. just... look at them. maybe we won't even have to."

martina followed her gaze, and for a moment, her shoulders relaxed. luna was smiling, jordan was laughing, and in their little corner of the kitchen, it almost looked like the world had finally remembered how to be kind again.

a little while after, the two girls had barely managed to tiptoe back to ruby's room without luna catching them. martina closed the door slowly, pressing her ear against the wood for a moment before turning back, her eyes wide with excitement. ruby just shook her head, dragging her onto the bed, whispering like they were plotting a secret mission.