It had only been a day since Aralyn's first fall, and while she seemed unbothered by the experience, her newfound mobility came with its fair share of chaos. This time, she was tottering around the dining room, determined to explore every corner.
Kikidori leaned casually against the wall, arms crossed, watching her with a bemused grin. "Look at her go. She's got more determination than most demons."
Yumi, ever the watchful mother, followed closely behind Aralyn, ready to catch her if she stumbled. Akuma, meanwhile, was seated at the dining table, sipping on some hell-brewed coffee.
And then it happened.
Aralyn, ever so determined, decided to climb up onto one of the chairs. Her tiny hands gripped the edge, and her wings fluttered for balance, but her foot slipped, and she went down again. This time, she landed on her butt before falling flat on her back. The *thud* wasn't loud, but it was enough to make everyone turn.
For a moment, there was silence. Then Aralyn blinked up at the ceiling, let out a confused little cry, and whimpered softly.
Kikidori couldn't help himself. He doubled over, laughing so hard he nearly fell to the floor. "Oh my God! *Again?* I can't—this kid is hilarious!"
Yumi's eyes flared with fury. "DAD! " she snapped, rushing to pick up her daughter. "What is *wrong* with you?"
Akuma set down his mug, glaring at Kikidori. "You think this is funny?"
"Uh, yeah," Kikidori replied, still laughing. "I mean, come on, the way she—"
Before he could finish, Yumi grabbed another fork from the table and hurled it at him with precision. This time, it didn't miss. The fork embedded itself right into Kikidori's chest, the prongs sticking out at an awkward angle.
"Whoa!" Kikidori exclaimed, looking down at the fork sticking out of him. "Nice aim!"
Yumi's fury didn't stop there. "Akuma, get him!"
Akuma stood, summoning a ball of hellfire in his hand. Without hesitation, he launched it straight at Kikidori. The flames hit him square in the chest, sending him stumbling backward. The force was enough to knock him off balance, and he fell to the floor, landing with a heavy *thud.*
But Kikidori just lay there, still laughing. He grabbed the fork, yanked it out of his chest with a casual motion, and held it up. "Seriously, Yumi, you could make a living in the Underworld Olympics with aim like that."
Yumi's jaw dropped. "Are you kidding me? You were just stabbed—and hit with a fireball! And you're laughing?"
Akuma crossed his arms, shaking his head. "You're unbelievable."
Kikidori sat up, brushing ash off his shirt as if nothing had happened. "What? It's not like it hurt. Plus, I've been through worse." He pointed the fork at Yumi. "Next time, try a knife. It'll probably stick better."
Yumi looked like she was ready to scream, but Ere'ana entered the room at that moment, carrying a basket of laundry. She took one look at the scene—Kikidori sitting on the floor with a fork in hand, Yumi holding a fuming Aralyn, and Akuma glaring—and sighed deeply.
"What now?" Ere'ana asked, setting the basket down.
Yumi turned to her, exasperated. "Dad thinks it's funny when our daughter falls, so I threw a fork at him. And he didn't even care!"
Ere'ana pinched the bridge of her nose. "Kikidori, really?"
"What?" Kikidori said innocently, standing up. "She's fine. Angels are built tough. And honestly, the way she fell—it was comedic gold."
Ere'ana gave him a withering look. "You're impossible."
Kael, who had been silently watching from the doorway, couldn't help but laugh softly. "He's got a point, though. The way she fell was kind of funny."
"Kael!" Yumi and Ere'ana said in unison.
Kael raised his hands in surrender. "I'm just saying!"
Ere'ana sighed again, walking over to Yumi and taking Aralyn from her arms. "You need to stop encouraging this kind of behavior," she said to Kikidori.
Kikidori shrugged. "Encouraging what? A sense of humor? That kid's going to grow up with a tougher skin because of me."
Akuma muttered under his breath, "Or she's going to grow up traumatized."
Ere'ana shot him a look. "Not helping."
Kikidori twirled the fork in his fingers before tossing it onto the table. "Anyway, are we done here? Or is there going to be another round of 'stab Kikidori for laughing?' Because if so, I'd like a warning next time."
Yumi glared at him. "I can't believe you."
Kikidori smirked. "Believe it, kiddo. I'm unshakeable."
"Unshakeable, my ass," Yumi muttered, storming out of the room with Aralyn in tow.
Akuma followed her, but not before giving Kikidori one last glare. "Try to act like an adult for once."
Kikidori saluted him sarcastically. "Will do, boss."
Ere'ana stayed behind, crossing her arms as she looked at her husband. "One of these days, your sense of humor is going to get you in real trouble."
"Maybe," Kikidori said with a grin. "But until then, I'm just here for the laughs."
The end of Chapter 28