The day after their visit to the ancient tree felt quieter in a different way.
Not empty.
Just calm.
The kind of calm that lingered after something meaningful had happened.
Izana was working in his office again, though more lightly than usual.
Leah had decided to keep Zarek occupied in the dining room with crayons, paper, and an impressive amount of scattered creativity.
Zarek sat with his tongue slightly poked out in concentration, his lion plush placed carefully beside him like it was supervising.
Leah watched him from the side, sipping her tea.
"Careful with the crayons," she said gently.
Zarek didn't look up.
"Otay."
Five minutes later, the table looked like a battlefield of colors.
And Zarek looked very proud of himself.
"Done!"
Leah leaned closer.
"Oh? Let me see."
Zarek turned the paper around like he was unveiling something important.
Leah blinked.
It was… a drawing.
A very serious drawing.
Several figures stood on the page.
Large circles for heads.
Stick-like bodies.
Wild lines for hair.
A sun in the corner that looked more like a frightened star.
But Zarek knew exactly what it all meant.
He pointed immediately.
"Mama."
Leah smiled.
"Me?"
Zarek nodded.
Another figure.
"Da-da."
Leah's smile softened.
"And that's you, huh?"
"Me!"
Of course.
Then:
"Lion."
A scribbled lion shape.
"Teddy."
A slightly more confused bear shape.
Leah was already smiling when she noticed the final figure.
A smaller one.
Off to the side.
Not labeled yet.
She pointed carefully.
"And this one?"
Zarek didn't hesitate.
"Baby sister."
Leah froze.
For a second, she just stared at him.
"…Baby sister?"
Zarek nodded like it was obvious.
"Family."
That word was said with such confidence that Leah had no immediate response.
Instead, she just exhaled a quiet laugh.
"Oh no."
Zarek tilted his head.
"Why no?"
Leah shook her head, still smiling.
"Nothing. It's just… you're very committed to this idea."
Zarek nodded seriously.
"Important."
A few minutes later, Leah brought the drawing to Izana's office.
She didn't say anything at first.
Just placed it on his desk.
Izana looked up from his paperwork immediately.
Then at the drawing.
Then at Leah.
"…What is this?"
"Your son's masterpiece."
Izana studied it carefully.
Far too carefully.
Like it was a strategic report.
Leah pointed gently.
"That's me, that's you, that's him—lion, teddy…"
Izana nodded once.
Then his eyes landed on the extra figure.
A pause.
"…Baby sister."
Leah leaned on the desk.
"Baby sister."
Silence settled.
Not awkward.
Just familiar.
Izana finally looked back at the drawing.
Then said flatly:
"He's persistent."
Leah laughed.
"Very."
And instead of commenting further, Izana did something simple.
He placed the drawing to the side of his desk.
Not thrown away.
Not ignored.
Kept.
Leah noticed immediately.
She didn't say anything about it.
But her expression softened.
That evening, Leah suggested something quietly.
"Movie night?"
Zarek's reaction was instant.
"Yes!"
Izana, after a short pause, agreed as well.
Which alone made Dante suspicious when he heard about it later.
But Dante was not invited.
So he survived.
Barely.
The living room was transformed.
Lights dimmed.
Blankets everywhere.
Pillows scattered across the sofa.
Zarek sat between them, already holding his lion plush like it was part of the event.
The movie began.
A simple family film.
Nothing dramatic.
Just warmth, laughter, and everyday moments.
Zarek narrated half of it.
"Dog."
"Yes."
"Big dog."
"Yes."
"Very big dog."
"Yes."
Leah was smiling the entire time.
Izana, as usual, was quiet.
But present.
Always present.
At some point during the movie, Zarek's energy began to fade.
The excitement of the day finally catching up with him.
His movements slowed.
His head tilted slightly toward Izana.
Leah noticed first.
"He's tired."
"I see."
Zarek protested weakly.
"No tired."
Then yawned immediately afterward.
Leah chuckled softly.
"Sure."
A few minutes later, he had shifted fully against Izana's side.
Lion plush still in his arms.
Teddy bear tucked awkwardly between them.
His breathing evened out.
Sleep arrived without announcement.
Izana adjusted him slightly so he was more comfortable.
Leah watched quietly.
A soft smile forming.
Moments like this still felt new in a strange way.
Even after everything.
Even after two years.
She leaned slightly closer to Izana.
The movie continued quietly in the background.
Then, after a long silence, Leah spoke.
"Zarek really thinks a baby is just… going to appear."
Izana didn't look away from their sleeping son.
"He's two."
Leah smiled.
"That's your answer for everything."
"It works."
That made her laugh softly.
A pause followed.
Then Leah's expression changed slightly.
More thoughtful now.
Less amused.
Izana noticed immediately.
"What?"
Leah hesitated.
Not because she didn't know what to say.
But because she was choosing how to say it.
Finally, she spoke quietly.
"When he talks about it…"
A glance toward Zarek.
"He sounds… excited."
Izana waited.
Leah continued.
"I think he'd really love it."
Another pause.
Then, more softly:
"And… I think I would too."
That finally made Izana look at her.
Leah didn't look away.
Not nervous.
Just honest.
"I'm not saying now," she added quickly, a small smile returning.
"Just… someday."
A beat of silence.
Then Izana turned his gaze back to Zarek.
Sleeping peacefully between them.
His small hand still loosely holding onto Izana's sleeve.
"…Someday," he repeated quietly.
Leah nodded.
"Someday."
No pressure.
No decision being made in that moment.
Just an understanding.
A possibility left open.
The movie eventually ended.
Neither of them moved right away.
Because Zarek was asleep.
And disturbing him was a risk neither of them wanted to take.
Leah rested her head lightly against Izana's shoulder.
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
"If it ever happens…"
She glanced at the drawing sitting on the nearby table.
The one with four figures.
"Do you think he'll be a good big brother?"
Izana answered without hesitation.
"Yes."
Leah smiled.
"I think so too."
A long pause followed.
Comfortable.
Familiar.
Then Izana added quietly:
"He already acts like one."
Leah laughed softly.
"That's true."
Another pause.
Then, almost absentmindedly, Leah murmured:
"Imagine if he actually believes we're just going to… order one like he thinks."
That finally earned the smallest hint of amusement from Izana.
"…That would be problematic."
Leah smiled.
"Very."
They both fell quiet again.
The room dim.
The movie long finished.
And in the soft stillness of the mansion, with Zarek asleep between them and his drawing waiting on the desk—
it didn't feel like a decision had been made.
Only that, for the first time, the idea didn't feel distant anymore.