𝐖𝐄 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐅𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐘, 𝖺 𝗀𝗅𝖺𝖽𝖾𝗋𝗌 𝖺𝗅𝖻𝗎𝗆

the calm after the storm (is it really?)

The base was quiet that morning. Sunlight poured through the slats of the kitchen windows, dappling the wood floors in gentle gold.

Frypan was already at the stove, humming as he stirred something that smelled like cinnamon and survival.

Nico sat at the table with a cup of tea. His eyes were blank. Haunted.

Brenda walked in, glanced at him, and raised an eyebrow.

"You good?"

He didn't answer right away. Just sipped his tea, blinked once, and said,

"...She threw a lamp."

Brenda sat across from him. "Still thinking about Vicky last night?"

"She screamed in three octaves and then said 'I forgive you' like it was a prayer," he muttered.

Brenda held back a laugh. "You know, it's kinda normal. For them."

"Normal?"

"Yep."

"I've seen krakens. Ghost ships. A man who swallowed a compass. None of them scared me like that."

Before Brenda could respond, Matt stumbled in — hair a disaster, one sock missing, shirt inside out, eyes empty like he just spent the night in emotional purgatory.

He moved like a zombie and slumped into the chair beside Nico.

"...She made me read her poetry at 3 a.m.," he whispered to the table.

Nico's brows shot up. "Why?"

"She said the baby could hear. And the baby deserved beauty."

Bea entered then, gently placing a bowl of cut fruit in front of Nico and a soft pat on his shoulder. "You okay?"

"He's been through things," Brenda said with a grin.

Then... "Good morning, sunshine!"

Vicky walked in, hair braided back neatly, cheeks rosy, smile bright as summer. Radiant. Angelic. Innocent. Like she didn't nearly commit spousal manslaughter with a pillow five hours ago.

She waddled over to Matt and kissed his cheek sweetly.

"You look tired, love. I warmed up your slippers."

Matt blinked. "You—thank you?"

She smiled and poured him a glass of orange juice.

Nico just stared.

Bea leaned close and whispered in his ear, "She's in her morning phase. That's the safe zone."

Nico whispered back, "I don't trust it."

Then Harriet, Sonya, and Nancy walked in carrying clean laundry. Sonya grinned when she saw Matt's face.

"So. How was poetry hour?"

Brenda snorted. Matt groaned. Nico held onto his tea like a lifeline.

Vicky beamed at the girls. "He cried."

Matt buried his face in his arms.

Bea gently rubbed Nico's back. "See? You'll do fine. You just have to survive the phases."

Nico narrowed his eyes. "There are phases?"

Bea smiled. "Oh, so many."

The girls cackled. Vicky kissed Matt again. And Nico?

He quietly got up...

...and started making a second pot of tea.

Because if he was going to be a dad one day, he needed caffeine, courage, and possibly a helmet.