Asher pushed open the door to his home, a modest yet cozy place on the outskirts of the city. The warm glow of the lights greeted him as he stepped inside, and before he could even say a word, his mother, Elara, rushed toward him, enveloping him in a tight hug.
"Asher, my sweet baby boy, where have you been?" Elara's voice trembled slightly, a mix of relief and worry. "I was worried sick about you. I even called Bran and Mika, but they said you went home hours ago."
Asher awkwardly returned the hug, feeling guilty for not getting home sooner. "I'm sorry, Mom," he muttered, trying to reassure her with a small smile. "I just lost track of time."
Sitting quietly in the corner of the room, Joshua observed the scene with calm, yet watchful eyes. Joshua had always been a quiet presence in their home, a man Asher had grown to see as a father figure. But Joshua was far more than that. He was an angel sent to protect Asher, tasked with keeping his true identity hidden and watching over him from the shadows. Over the years, Joshua had been given a human form to blend in, and in that time, he had grown attached to both Elara and Asher, a family he wasn't meant to have.
Joshua sat under the dim light, his broad figure almost blending into the shadows. His sharp eyes met Asher's, but the boy quickly looked away, feeling the weight of Joshua's silent scrutiny.
"Asher, what am I going to do with you?" Joshua asked, his tone laced with a mixture of concern and exasperation as he exhaled slowly, the tension in the room easing just a little.
Asher scratched the back of his head, a sheepish grin spreading across his face. "Forgive—"
Before he could finish, Joshua stood up and, with surprising speed, grabbed Asher by the hair, playfully pulling him toward the dining room. "Let's go have dinner, you troublemaker," he said, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
Elara chuckled softly at the scene, her heart finally at ease seeing the two most important people in her life together. "You boys," she muttered fondly as they headed to the dinner table.
The three of them sat down to a simple but hearty meal. Laughter and light conversation filled the room as they ate, the warmth of family life washing away the worries of the day. Asher, though usually distracted and carefree, enjoyed these moments of peace with his mother and Joshua.
After dinner, Joshua stood up, grabbing his coat. "I'm going for a walk," he said, his tone back to its usual calm and composed manner. He gave Asher a brief look before stepping outside into the cool night air.
Asher's mother began clearing the table, humming softly to herself as she washed the dishes. Asher watched her for a moment, his thoughts drifting. Despite the chaos of his day, moments like these grounded him.
But he knew deep down that this peace wouldn't last forever. There were things he didn't yet understand about himself, about the war long before he was born, and about why so many people seemed to hate him. For now, though, he let the warmth of home ease his troubled mind.