"My love?"
Crepus, as always, announces his arrival with a sweetly affectionate nickname for you, and even after years of marriage, a flock of butterflies riots in your stomach, stealing your breath and warming your cheeks. Diluc's small fingers are tangled in the strings of your apron, but a delighted giggle rustles its way up to you, his eagerly expectant gaze locking onto the kitchen door as he waits for his father.
You're unable to hide your smile; the love you feel for him seeps out into your voice. "We're in the kitchen!"
The scents of garlic, basil and tomato cling to the air. You put the pasta water on to simmer and make fresh noodles before Crepus comes to find you.
Only, he isn't alone.
There's a child with him, a shadow of a boy, dressed in rags, clinging to Crepus as though he's a life raft in a particularly stormy sea. His skin is streaked with dust and mud, but his eyes are bright and clear, the blue of his iris swirling and pooling like ink.
"Oh." You say, faltering. Diluc inches his way behind you, burying his face into your side for comfort. "A guest?"
"My love, this is Kaeya." Crepus captures your face with his palm. He hesitates, as if searching for the words. "He'll be staying with us from now on."
Questions bubble up, weigh heavily on the tip of your tongue, but the look in your husband's eyes stops you. You understand instantly. There's no need for words. He'll explain later, when the children are nestled away in bed, tucked in with stories intended to nourish sweet dreams. You've learned to trust him, in what the two of you share together.
"Kaeya, right?" Mindful of your son pressed up against the small of your back, you bend with difficulty, bestowing your newest charge with a smile. You touch his cheek with a guarded tenderness, trying to soak up some, any of his fear and pain. "I'm [ NAME ]. This is Diluc. Welcome to our family."
