The castle was quiet again, an unusual stillness settling over the household. The earlier storm of arguments had passed, and everyone seemed to be enjoying the peace. Kikidori reclined on the living room couch, eyes half-closed, while Ere'ana sat nearby, reading one of her celestial books.
Kael sat on the floor with a set of blocks, stacking them with a focused expression. "Look, Dad!" he called out, showing off a precarious tower of mismatched shapes.
"Nice, kid," Kikidori said lazily, waving a hand in Kael's direction. "Try not to knock it over."
Kael grinned and turned back to his project, humming to himself.
Suddenly, a faint creaking noise broke the silence. Kikidori's sharp ears caught it first, and his eyes darted upward. Ere'ana's brow furrowed, and she slowly set her book down.
Then came the muffled moans.
Kikidori immediately groaned, rubbing his temples. "You've got to be kidding me."
Ere'ana sighed heavily, glancing toward the ceiling. "Already? They couldn't wait another day?"
Kael, oblivious to the tension in the room, tilted his head. "What's that noise?" he asked, his innocent eyes wide. "Are Yumi and Akuma fighting again?"
Kikidori snorted, biting back a laugh. "Uh, not exactly, kid."
Ere'ana shot Kikidori a glare, clearly warning him not to say anything inappropriate. She turned to Kael with a forced smile. "They're... um, having a private discussion. Let's not bother them."
Kael frowned, clearly not convinced. "It doesn't sound like a discussion. It sounds weird."
The creaking grew louder, accompanied by a particularly high-pitched noise that made Kikidori wince. He stood abruptly, muttering under his breath, "I need a damn break." He left the room, heading toward the kitchen to avoid further awkwardness.
Ere'ana, now left alone with Kael, took a deep breath and tried to redirect his attention. "Why don't you show me your tower again, sweetie? It looks so tall!"
Kael hesitated, his gaze flicking toward the ceiling. "But it's getting louder. Maybe they need help?" He started to stand, and Ere'ana panicked.
"No, no, no!" she said quickly, grabbing his arm. "They don't need help. They're... just fine. Really. Let's stay down here, okay?"
Kael squinted at her, clearly suspicious. "Are you sure? It sounds like Akuma's hurt or something."
Ere'ana's face turned a deep shade of red as she struggled to come up with an explanation. "I'm positive, Kael. They're just... playing a game. A very... loud game."
Kael perked up at that. "A game? What kind of game?"
"An adult game," Ere'ana said quickly, hoping to end the conversation.
Kael pouted, crossing his arms. "That's not fair. Why can't I play?"
Ere'ana opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out. She glanced desperately toward the kitchen, where Kikidori was leaning against the counter, clearly listening and barely suppressing his laughter.
"You're not helping!" she hissed at him.
Kikidori shrugged, a smirk tugging at his lips. "You're the one who wanted more family time, angel."
The noises from upstairs finally stopped, and Ere'ana breathed a sigh of relief. Kael, however, was still looking at her expectantly.
"Okay, fine," she said, standing and picking him up. "Let's go outside and play a game of our own. How about that?"
Kael nodded slowly, still eyeing the ceiling. "Okay... but I want to know what game they were playing later."
"Maybe when you're older," Ere'ana muttered under her breath, carrying him out of the room.
From the kitchen, Kikidori chuckled. "That kid's gonna need therapy," he said to himself, shaking his head.
End of Chapter 4