A few hours passed and soon it was 6:00 am, normally Draco's internal clock would take effect, rousing him from his sleep.
However, this morning was a bit different.
Cuddled next to him on the bed was the petite figure of Bahamut, the dragon goddess, so his internal clock decided to grant him a few extra moments of cuddling and inner bliss.
Draco was someone who enjoyed cuddling something soft to make sleeping more comfortable.
It was a habit he had picked up during the time of isolation in the forest.
On some nights when the monsters of the forest were restless, their ominous voices would unsettle his siblings, causing them to gather and huddle around him for protection.
This soothing embrace of family eased their fears and provided the warmth they craved.
As the years went by, the need for this physical comfort became less frequent as they grew and adapted to their environment.
However, even now, either Eleni, Dimitra, Vasileios, or Vasiliki would occasionally come to cuddle with Draco during their sleep.
Clair, Nikolaos, and Michalis had simply found other ways to cope.
Around 6:45 a.m., Draco remained fast asleep, unaware that another member of the household had already risen – Clair.
After waking up, Clair went about her usual morning routine, brushing her teeth, taking a bath, and meticulously tending to her hair.
As she went about her tasks, she couldn't help but take a deep whiff of Draco's worn clothing, indulging in her somewhat sketchy desires.
'Hmm, is Draco still not awake?' Clair wondered, puzzled by the uncharacteristic silence that filled the house.
Normally, the aroma of Draco's delicious cooking would have already permeated the air, but this morning, the kitchen remained quiet.
This could only mean that Draco was either still asleep or occupied with something else.
'Could this be a chance?' she thought, as Draco oversleeping was a rare occurrence.
This presented an opportunity for Clair to perhaps 'relieve some sketchy desires.'.
Just as she was about to open the door, as this was an opportunity she couldn't pass up, she quickly reined in her thoughts.
'What was I about to do? You might just make him hate you instead. Didn't you promise yourself to take it slow and steady.' she chastised herself, taking a step away from the door.
Just as she was about to turn away, an idea suddenly struck her.
'What if I made breakfast today? That should earn me some Draco points,' she thought, her eyes lighting up with the prospect of impressing him.
With newfound determination, Clair made her way to the kitchen to assess the available ingredients.
'Okay, I just need to make something simple and easy. No need to attempt anything extravagant,' she repeated to herself, determined not to mess up.
Clair decided on a straightforward menu – toasted bread with eggs, sausage, and steamed vegetables.
It was a dish that was hard to mess up, and she felt confident in her ability to execute it.
As for the drink, she opted for plain milk, foregoing the time-consuming task of making fresh juice.
Quickly taking stock of the missing ingredients – eggs, fresh bread, and milk – Clair opened the compartment labeled 'grocery funds' that Draco had set up for anyone to use when restocking the kitchen.
With a sense of purpose, she set off to the nearby local stores to purchase the necessary items.
There were many local stores around the area they lived, so it didn't take long for her to go and return.
Carefully approaching the door after her shopping trip, Clair was surprised to see Eleni, Dimitra, and Vasiliki already waiting by the entrance.
It was evident that they had woken up early and were fully prepared for their daily dungeon run.
"Good morning!" the trio greeted in unison, their voices brimming with enthusiasm.
"Morning," Clair replied, quickly unlocking the door to let them in.
As they stepped inside, Eleni suddenly started sniffing the air.
Sniff! Sniff!
Eleni's face immediately contorted with dissatisfaction as she failed to detect the aroma of Draco's handmade breakfast.
Clair quickly noticed the change in Eleni's expression and quickly addressed the situation.
"Draco is still asleep, so I'm making breakfast today. Would you all like to help?" Clair offered, her tone gently inviting.
"Ooh, that's rare of him," Dimitra remarked, her eyes gleaming with curiosity.
"True, yesterday must have really taken a toll on him," Eleni surmised, her brow furrowed in contemplation.
Vasiliki, on the other hand, remained silent, her mind already racing with mischievous thoughts.
'Oh my, could this be a rare chance to mess with Draco nii?' she pondered, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"I know that look, Vasiliki. So, you better not even try," Clair warned, her gaze fixed on the younger girl.
"Tsk, relax. Why would you think I would want to make Draco nii angry with me?" Vasiliki quickly replied, her tone laced with feigned innocence.
"I'm guessing the other boys are still asleep," Vasiliki said, swiftly changing the subject.
"Yeah, they should get themselves together and stop relying on Draco to wake them up," Clair added, a hint of exasperation in her voice.
"Hmm, but that still applies to us in some different areas," Dimitra chimed in, her expression thoughtful.
The room fell silent for a moment, the weight of Dimitra's words hanging in the air as they all thought back to Bahamut's words during dinner.
Sensing the need to break the awkwardness, Eleni promptly snatched the grocery bags from Clair's hands and headed towards the kitchen.
"What are you all waiting for? Breakfast isn't going to make itself," Eleni scolded, her voice filled with determination.
Clair and Dimitra immediately followed suit, their footsteps echoing through the room, they couldn't afford to lose to Bahamut.
Vasiliki, however, remained in the living room, a mischievous grin spreading across her face.
"You girls go ahead; I'll go wake the boys up," Vasiliki called out from the living room.
"Sure, but don't waste too much time messing with them," Clair replied, her voice carrying a hint of warning.
Vasiliki didn't waste a moment, quickly making her way to the hidden compartment where the spare keys for each house were stored.
Grabbing the key to the boys' house next door, she set off on her mission.
Back in the kitchen, Clair, Eleni, and Dimitra had divided their duties to make the breakfast preparation more efficient.
Clair focused on the bread and veggies, Eleni on the eggs, and Dimitra on the sausages.
'It's a bit disappointing that I couldn't make everything, but this setup isn't bad,' Clair thought, carefully flipping the bread on the pan.
"Hey, Clair, is it okay if I add cheese to the eggs?" Eleni asked, her gaze fixed on the sizzling pan.
"Wouldn't that make it too salty? I saw you add some salt and pepper earlier," Clair replied, her brow furrowed in concern.
"Hmm, maybe," Eleni muttered, but decided to add the cheese anyway.
"No, stop! At least add only a little and taste it before adding more," Clair yelled, her voice tinged with frustration.
"Uhm, Clair," Dimitra called out, her tone hesitant.
"What?" Clair asked, her voice still laced with annoyance.
Clair's eyes followed Dimitra's outstretched finger, and her heart sank.
One side of the bread was completely blackened, while the other side was a light golden brown.
"Oh, no," Clair said, her voice filled with frustration.
"See what you caused, Eleni?" Clair scolded, her eyes narrowing.
"Wait, what did I do? It's you who didn't focus on your task," Eleni retorted, her defensive tone rising.
"Calm down, both of you," Dimitra interjected, her voice soothing.
"We all agreed to do one task each. Clair, focus on the bread alone and nothing else. Eleni, focus on the eggs, and I'll focus on the sausages, okay?" she said.
Clair and Eleni exchanged a brief glance, the tension slowly dissipating as Dimitra's words sank in.
They knew that bickering would only slow down the process and delay the much-awaited breakfast.
"You're right, Dimitra. Let's get back to work," Clair said, taking a deep breath and returning her attention to the bread.
Eleni nodded in agreement, her focus shifting back to the eggs, while Dimitra tended to the sizzling sausages, the trio working in a newfound harmony.
As the aromas of the freshly cooked breakfast filled the air, Vasiliki's mischievous escapades in the boys' house were about to unfold, setting the stage for an eventful morning.
A/N: Sorry for the slow pace, will be speeding things up in a few chapters 😖.