Chapter 28 - Familial Longing

*“You are enough to drive a saint to madness or a king to his knees.” ― Grace Willows*

***Neron***

“I first learned of my Foresight ability when I was close to inheriting the Asnuz Pack. It plagued me with vivid visions of this charming young woman calling out for me for days on in. As you can imagine, I didn’t have a Luna at the time.” Grandpa ripped into his salmon with his fork and popped a piece into his mouth. He breathed out a satisfied sigh as he chewed. “I had many questions, and my grandfather had the answers. May Selene and Odin bless his soul.”

Lead Omega Luli set pitchers of water, sliced lemons, and a bowl of cilantro lime rice on the dining table, bowing low when she stepped back. “Enjoy! Let me know if you need anything.” She turned on her heels and returned to the kitchen. My family and I were in the dining hall, alone in a space to be a true family.

Kiya left an hour before to tend to Alana and Aiyana. I had invited her to eat with us, but she declined the offer.

“*You spent three days with me in a luxurious hotel*. *Spend time with your family*.”

And here I was, surrounded by my family, eating Luli’s famous garlic butter salmon while listening to Grandpa’s stories. The corner of his eyes crinkle with his smiles as his animated hands flailed with his storytelling. Mom sat between Nuria and Grandma and Grandpa sat beside me.

“I’m sure Celly has told you our family history, so there’s no need to rehash a tired tale.”

“*Pappa*,” Mom muttered shyly, pink dusting the apples of her cheeks. “You don’t have to call me that.”

“Eh, now you’re too old for your nickname? Bah!” Grandpa waved his hand before turning to my sister and me. “Your mother was known as Celly back in Oslo. She hated how simple her name sounded and insisted everyone call her Celly because it was ‘cooler’. Ah, the stories I have about your mother’s unholy behavior—I think you two would enjoy them.”

Mom blushed harder.

“I know I would!” Nuria pipped up with a grin. “I had to have gotten my troublemaking streak somewhere!”

“Really? I could’ve sworn you were adopted. The storks had to have picked you up from *somewhere*.”

Nuria scowled and flipped me the bird.

Grandma laughed, grabbing her glass, and tilting the pitcher to pour herself some water. “Don’t worry, *barnebarn min*. We’ll have time to talk about how Celly used to cause trouble to the family, but let us get back to the story, ey?”

“Of course, *hjertet mitt*.” Grandpa chuckled while adjusting himself in his seat. “After getting some insight from my grandfather, I kept track of my visions. I recorded them in an old notebook I have back home, from when they occurred to what I saw. As time went on, my visions began alluding to danger involving the mysterious woman. A month later, my father and I had to aid in a conflict in a distant pack. It escalated to a mini-war where I’ve met the woman of my dreams by protecting her from an attack.” He turned to Grandma and smiled widely. “That’s how I came to know my Eisa as my Luna.”

“So, your visions told you where and who Grandma was,” Nuria said.

“Yes. However, Foresight is a finicky little shit. Visions can happen spontaneously, with or without a trigger. It has a nasty habit of showing what it *needs* to show you when it *wants* to show you.” He grunted, pursing his lips like he had tasted something foul. “Sometimes, I have visions when I’m awake.”

“Jakob will go into a trance, almost as he’s—ah, what’s the word—*disassociating*,” Grandma added. “It's difficult to pull him out of pulling out of that stupor when it happens.”

“It’s a good thing he has you, *Mamma*.” Mom shined an appreciative smile, patting her hand lovingly.

“Does the trance last long?” I asked, curious.

“Eh, maybe two minutes, give or take.” Grandma shrugged her shoulders. “It’s not every day it happens, but it does occasionally.”

“Great,” Nuria grumbled, sliding her fork across her food. “I’ll randomly go into zombie mode. How fun.”

“It’s not that bad once you get used to it.” Grandpa grabbed the rice bowl, shoving a large helping onto his plate. “Having psychic powers is one hell of an adjustment when you don’t know what you’re doing.”

“Is there anything else that comes with having Foresight that you know of?” I asked as I took a bite out of my salmon. “I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to wake up one random morning to find out I have telekinesis.”

Grandpa laughed a hearty belly laugh, patting my back. “Oh, nothing like that, big boy! Alva’s blessing gifted us to see the future, but it’s a rare to have additional powers along with it. The last person I think had a plus one would be my grandfather’s grandfather.”

“I don’t know.” A devious smirk rested on Nuria’s face. “I think having telekinesis would be coolr.”

I frowned. “Yeah, so you can ruin my life with it.”

“Oh, please.” She flipped her hair behind her ear. “I wouldn’t *ruin* your life, Sasquatch. I’d destroy it!”

“Not if I destroy you first, you little gremlin.”

“Bet you can’t, Snow Yeti.”

“Wanna bet, Pipsqueak?”

“Can’t you two try to get along like normal adults, especially in front of your grandparents?” Mom groaned, shaking her head before she flicked both our noses. Nuria whined, and I scrunched up my face, cringing.

“No.” We said in unison.

“And he started it!”

“Give them a break, Celly.” Grandma nudged her shoulder with an elbow. “Sibling banter is healthy! They have years to catch up on that! It’s their special way of showing that they love each other. Nuria’s fire and Neron’s cool mesh well together. Let them have their fun.”

I wouldn’t call Nuria’s antics ‘fun’. They were methods of torture.

Shrugging my shoulders, I continued eating while ignoring the pieces of rice Nuria flicked at my face. Grandpa regarded my sister and me with a curious look, tapping his chin with his finger.

“Her fire and his cool, huh?” His lips curled into a smile, but quickly disappeared when he shook his head. “*Barnebarn min*, what I can tell you both is that it gets easier to live with time. Your ability works hand-in-hand with your emotions. The more powerful they are, the more visions will appear.”

“How did you manage it all?” Nuria asked.

“I understood what my triggers are. My biggest one was when I’m overly stressed, especially concerning your *mormor*.” He reached over and grasped Grandma’s hand, running his thumb over her knuckles. “Sometimes, the visions serve as clues to tell you when to calm down; when to think before you act. On the contrary, they can also tell you when you need to fight. However, keep in mind that what I’ve experienced with my ability won’t be your experience, necessarily.”

A flood of disappointment crashed into me. My Foresight has been giving me more headaches than pleasures. My throat dried at the thought of my most recent vision, the one where he was there taunting me, destroying everything I’ve worked hard for.

I tightened my grip on my fork. “*Morfar*, all the visions we have won’t come true each time, right?”

“It’d be rare if it didn’t.” Grandpa replied. “But I’m not saying it doesn’t happen. There’s a few that I’ve gotten that didn’t come true. *Very* few.”

I breathed in the sweet scent of relief. A minuscule chance is better than no chance. I didn’t want to face the reality that my biggest nightmare could return for my destruction. It *couldn’t* happen, not while I’m still breathing. My life was good now, and I didn’t want that bastard ruining it. The chance that horrid vision not coming true was the only sliver of hope I hung onto.

It *can’t*.

My eyes found Nuria’s briefly. The mischievousness from earlier vanished like mist. She huffed out a silent breath before returning to her dinner. Whatever visions she had marred her flawless face with worry. Her expose to Garnet Moon to spend time with her could’ve been more than just getting to know Phoebe. There’s no way we’d allow our mates to sit in danger.

Grandpa continued to talk about the Foresight throughout dinner, adding in anecdotes from our extended family members we have yet to meet. A warm feeling bubbled in my chest when I laughed along with my family.

Family bonds together, breathes together, and laughs together. My inner child was singing his praises. The night progressed, but the love didn’t stop. Grandma and Grandpa took a trip far from their home just to advise Nuria and me on our newfound powers and to see Mom again. If someone were to ask me, years ago, if I’d believe this would happen, I’d say no. I wouldn’t believe someone as terrible as I was could have their family again.

But they’re here. I can feel them, see them, and enjoy pleasures with them. I hope more moments like this would come in the future.

And I hope Kiya and the girls would share this moment with me as well.

---------------------------------------------------

The cool night wind drifted through the open crack of my window, tickling my bare chest. It was a cool and peaceful night with the moon present the illusion it was full. Dark clouds floated by with its failure to shield the celestial diamond. I laid in my bed with a blanket over my torso, counting the miniature stars dotting the night sky.

I couldn’t sleep.

I spent the last hour tossing and turning, frustrated at my inability to fall asleep. My thoughts were quiet, Onyx was silent, my body was calm, yet my body was restless. I tried everything from a warm shower to drinking cool water to removing my shirt, but nothing helped.

And I knew why.

Kiya wasn’t next to me.

The last two days in Miami, we’ve slept in the same bed. My horrific vision was the catalyst to it, but having her body beside mine put me to sleep faster than any trick I learned from Andreas. Kiya’s warmth and saccharine scent relaxed my body and my mind. It knew she wasn’t in my bed, so it’s keeping me up as an act of revenge.

And it was frustrating.

I groaned in my hands, rubbing my face. Why did things have to be so damn difficult? I shouldn’t want Kiya beside me, but I do. I *fucking* do. Her bedroom was three doors down from me and I missed her. I *fucking* miss her. She spent the evening with Alana and Aiyana, so she must be exhausted. She needs sleep. Who am I to disturb her like a needy puppy wanting comfort?

Goddamnit, I *am* a needy puppy wanting her comfort.

“Gah!” Never have I thought the touch of a beautiful woman would render me defenseless. I liked it. I loved it. I wanted to relish in this feeling always.

Yet, it begs the question of whether Kiya feels the same about me. We’re back home away from the pressures of the gathering, yet the moments we shared in that hotel room were special. Maybe that’s all it was. All good things come to an end, eventually.

I didn’t want it to end. I didn’t want *us* to end.

Fucking hell, I’m *dying* over here.

Kicking off my covers, I trudged my body to the bathroom only to be interrupted by knocks on my door. I raised an eyebrow and grabbed my phone off the lamp table and pressed the power button. “It’s almost midnight…”

Onyx perked up from his slumber. The night is ruined. “**You should open the door**!”

“*And here I thought I’d didn’t have to deal with you tonight*.”

“**Oh, shut up**. **I’m the best thing that has ever happened to you**. **And I know whenever you can’t sleep because it bleeds into me, lumberjack**.”

“*You seemed to be sleeping peacefully earlier*.”

“**Don’t believe everything you see, anyway**. **Have you tried knocking yourself out**?”

I scoffed. “*No, but I’ll put it on my to-do list*.”

“**Was that supposed to be sarcasm**?”

“*Yes*.”

“**Boo, you suck**.”

The knocking grew louder, but was more hesitant this time. The scent billowing through the cracks told me who was behind the door. Onyx grew excited as I grew curious. I sauntered to the door, unlocked it, and swung it open. The woman who plagued my thoughts jumped in her spot, twiddling with her fingers all while looking everywhere else but my face.

She was wearing a peach pajama tank with matching shorts that looked way too good against her skin.

“Kiya,” I said, unable to hide the smile in my voice. “Is everything alright?”

“Um, y-yes. Everything’s fine.” She stuttered, biting her bottom lip. Onyx panted at the cute gesture. Kiya’s eyes trailed from the ground, slowly ascending upward until she arrived at her destination. Our eyes locked like chains. My lungs stilled. A tickle crawled its way up my esophagus along with the craving to hold her body against mine.

Dizziness crawled at the corner of my eyes. Her presence, her scent—every damn thing about Kiya made my mind float on water. And my lips burned to connect with hers again.

Kiya gulped, her eyes widening and shrinking as her mind ran its course. Her mouth opened, then closed. She hid her fidgety fingers behind her back and huffed out through her nose. I waited patiently, with my hip anchored against the threshold of my door. I crossed my arms and buried my hands under my upper arms not for warmth, but to resist the urge to destroy the distance between us.

“Is there something you need?” My low, strained voice asked. My innate instincts were *screaming* at me from the lowest pits to touch Kiya, but I couldn’t. Believe me, I wanted too *so bad*. The coily-haired beauty inhaled sharply, blinking rapidly as she puffed out her chest.

Then she deflated.

“I should go.” She blurted, turning on her heels. “S-sorry to bother you.”

“Wait.” My hand shot out to grab her wrist before she ran off. The fated sparks exploded underneath my skin, jolting my body with want. Kiya paused, turning her head to face me again. Her eyes burned into mine, not with anger, but with…*I don’t know*. “Please, tell me what’s going on.”

Kiya blinked once, sighed, and returned to her spot in front of me. Her eyes fluttered close, her lips moving like she was reciting an internal mantra, then she opened them again. “I couldn’t sleep.”

“Really?” I questioned. “What a coincidence. Neither could I.”

“I thought sleeping in my own bed would make me feel better, but it’s making me feel worse.”

She seized my attention. I pushed myself off the door, straightening my stance. “Did you have a bad dream?”

“No. I’m just realizing how deeply you affected me, Neron.” Her gaze sharpened like knives. “I can’t sleep because…you’re not next to me. It’s not like at the hotel, but I…um…”

“Um?” I teased with a smile. “You can tell me.”

She puffed out her cheeks in defiance. “It’s not easy for me to be this honest, you know! And wipe that smirk off your face. The last thing I want to do is stroke your ego.”

I snorted, hiding my grin behind my hand. Kiya shot me a glower that could kill me, but it only made me laugh harder. Onyx, on the other hand, reacted to her sass in a way that would make me think he took too many shots of caffeine. The dumb dog pranced and pirouetted in my head like he’d just won an award.

“You miss me.” I concluded.

“No, I don’t.”

“Has anyone told you how talented you are at jumping on the defensive? And lying?”

“Mayra has told me that once or twice during our sessions.”

A cute pout rested on her lips when she looked away. I lowered my hand to show off my somewhat-smug smile, yet it seemed to have given her stubbornness more ammunition. Plus, her reddening cheeks, combating against her rich brown skin, was always a delight to see. “Come on. Tell me what you were going to say.”

“Nothing. I wasn’t going to say anything.”

“Then, my angel, why are you here?”

“To tell you to put on a damn shirt.”

“Am I distracting you? Is that why you can’t look at me?”

“Yes.”

I hummed, tucking a few strands behind my ear before sizing the woman up. Kiya realized the vast height difference between us, and her bravado faltered, visibly gulping again. “You wanna know what I think?”

“Oh, enlighten me ol’ wise one.” She sneered but failed to keep her composure with her trembling voice.

“I think you enjoyed having me sleep beside you, and you want that again.”

One step forward, one step back; the pattern our feet engaged in before her back hit the adjacent wall. Kiya babbled incoherent words until an audible squeak escaped her lips when I closed the distance between us, our chests almost touching. “You’re giving yourself way too much credit.”

“Then look me in the eyes and tell me I’m wrong.”

The tension amongst us was thick enough to carve out with a knife. It tautened my muscles and fanned the fire burning inside me. My eyes lowered to Kiya’s kissable, plump lips, parted slightly before jamming shut. Her brown lost the battle to her red. Her cheeks were inflamed.

“I’m not looking into your eyes.” She retorted.

“And…” I pressed a palm against the wall above her, gazing down at her. “…why wouldn’t you?”

“Um…t-they’re…um…”

“Use your words, love.”

“I’m trying to!” She puffed out her cheeks. “You’re not making this any easier!”

I shrugged my shoulders. “I have all night.”

“Your eyes are dangerous, Neron.”

I tilted my head to the side, deeply intrigued. “Dangerous? That’s a first. Can you explain what you mean by that?”

Kiya fluttered her eyes close, inhaling slowly and deeply, following it with an extended exhale. Her lips spoke words I couldn’t hear. After a few seconds, she opened her eyes again, her deep browns sparkling gently under the dim light of the hallway.

“Looking into your eyes is like sailing across the ocean on a boat. You think you have things handled only for your boat to collide with a rock. It breaks apart, you sink and before you know it, you’re drowning. The blue sucks you in and you’re forever lost in its depths. That’s why they’re dangerous because I…” She sucked in a sharp breath.

“You get lost.” I finished for her. Kiya nodded slowly, casting her eyes down to her fingers again, intrigued by her cuticles. She doesn’t know the one who was utterly lost is me. She doesn’t know that the moment we kissed in that bathroom set off a fire that couldn’t be doused. “How does that make you feel?”

“I don’t know.” She rubbed her upper arm. “The haze of the supermoon is gone and I’m seeing things clearer now than ever before. I’m feeling things I’ve never felt before and it’s both a good and a bad thing. Good, because it feels good. Bad because it’s terrifying. You make me want to do things I’ve never done before, Neron.”

Internal conflict was painted across her face as she pivoted from one leg to the other. I didn’t like that. A war was going on inside of her and she didn’t know which side to take. It pained me to see that I caused it all, and I wanted to do anything and everything to mend it. I bit the inside of my cheek, thinking. My hand pressed against the wall descended to her shoulder, gripping it gently to tell Kiya ‘*I’m here*.’

“You’re feeling the full effects of our mate bond, which you haven’t before. I can’t say much because what you’re feeling right now, I’ve always felt. You make me want to do things too, Kiya. You don’t want to make the wrong decision. It’s okay if you feel conflicted because you’re not sure of what you want yet.”

*Perhaps this was fate’s way of saying Kiya doesn’t want to be with me*.

“Neron?” Kiya looked up at me again. “I’m not sure if I could blame the mate bond this time. Yes, it holds some responsibility, but…I…”

“Kiya, what *exactly* are you feeling right now, toward me?”

“Desire.”

My heart fluttered off-beat when Kiya looked into my eyes once again. A dangerous move not just for her, but for me as well. Her cheeks continued to blossom in color and her browns twinkled brighter than I’ve ever seen them before.

However, there was an air of hesitancy surrounding us.

Unsure to move forward. Unsure to make the next move.

I didn’t want to make the wrong move. I’m struggling enough as it is. However, it doesn’t change how I feel about Kiya. I refuse to do anything that’ll make her uncomfortable. My breath hitched when she pressed her palms on my chest, just above my pectorals.

“You know what’s funny?” Her lips rose into a smirk. “It feels weird, and I like it. I might be insane, officially.”

“You’re not crazy, Kiya.” I insisted.

“I’ve accepted that I am a long time ago. You know there’s a lot of things I want, right?”

“Yes, and so do I. We all have wants and needs.”

“Well, what do you want, Neron?”

“Honestly? I want to kiss you so bad right now.”

“And I want to kiss you. You still owe me one from the hotel before the girls interrupted.”

Sharp, breathless laughter escaped my throat when I lowered my forehead to touch Kiya’s. She hummed and shined her perfect rows of white teeth. “Now, I can’t let a debt go unpaid, right?”

“Absolutely not.”

There were no such things as simple kisses. Kiya lifted her face to mine and laid her lips on top of mine. One started off as a gentle smooch dissolved in a fiery ocean of unbridled desire. Kiya’s arms flew around my neck and her hand scrambled for purchase in my hair. She tugged my strands, albeit gently, snapping something deep within me. My heart pounded against my ribcage, my growling ripping through my throat as I lifted Kiya off the ground. I could only focus on how soft her lips felt against mine, how addictively she invaded all my senses, stoking the fire scorching their way from my core to my groin.

With the wall as her support, she locked her legs around my waist, yanking me impossibly closer to her. My hands found their home on the underside of her ass, holding her up as I sucked her flavor out of her mouth. By the time I became aware of my fingers, they were pinching her firm globes, her sharp squeaks filling my mouth.

*Perfect*. *Absolutely perfect*.

We were on the cusp of losing control once again. The feel of her hands roaming anywhere and everywhere they could reach was near forbidden, marking their touch into the grooves of my muscles. Every moan she made, I swallowed. Every growl I made; she took it in stride. I had entered nirvana, and I refused to leave, even to breathe.

However, rationale seeped into the haze. What was our relationship now? Could we keep going on like this without knowing where we stand with each other? With great reluctance, I broke the kiss, resting my forehead on hers. My lungs were fed oxygen through my panting. Kiya’s panting fanned my chin as she caught her breath.

“We aren’t friends anymore, Kiya.”

“What?” She asked, confused.

“Friends don’t do the things we’re doing, you know?”

Goddess, I’m *really* starting to hate that word.

“No, but…” She bit her lip again. I resisted the impulse to surge forward and take that lip into my teeth. “There’s a thing called ‘friends with benefits’ but…I don’t think we’re that.”

“What makes you say that?”

Kiya cleared her throat. “We aren’t exactly…intimate. The *clothes off* type of intimate.”

Once the puzzle pieces connected, my own cheeks flared with fire. I admit, the thought or rather *images* have crossed my mind more times than I like. Onyx doesn’t make things easier since 99% of his brain was in his balls.

Goddess, I’m such a *man*. I wanted to devour this woman.

“R-right.” I breathed. “We aren’t exactly doing *that*, are we?”

“No…yeah…but…actually, I want—”

Two high-pitched giggles interrupted our discussion. We jerked our heads toward the direction fast enough to see two heads hide behind a distant, partially opened door.

“**You brought home a pair of cockblocks**!” Onyx grumbled, the most upset of the situation.

Kiya blew out a sigh and I shook my head, lowering the woman onto her feet again. “Girls, come on out.” I ordered. “We know you’re not asleep.”

There was a pause, then the girls shuffled out of their rooms wearing their blankets over their heads. They stopped in front of Kiya and me, smiling up at us to feign their innocence.

I wasn’t falling for it.

“Hi!” Alana greeted. “What a nice night we’re having.”

“Why aren’t you two in bed?” Kiya asked, crossing her arms. “It’s past midnight. Girls your age need lots of sleep to be healthy.”

“We couldn’t sleep.” Aiyana answered. “Why are you two up? It’s past your bedtime, too!”

“We were…” I cleared my throat. “Talking about adult stuff.”

“Does that involve kissing?” Alana bounced her eyebrows. Kiya and I groaned in shame. “Are you two *sure* you aren’t married?”

“We won’t tell anyone!” Aiyana hopped on her heels. “It’ll be our little secret!”

“No, we aren’t married and you two need to get back to bed.” Kiya ordered, pointing to their bedroom door. “Go on!”

The girls made a U-turn and scuttled into my room instead, with their blankets floating behind them.

*Halloween came early this year*.

Kiya and I looked at each other before sauntering into my room to see the girls perched on my mattress. They looked at us with their big ol’ eyes, waiting for our response.

“Is there something you don’t like about your room?” I asked.

“No, it’s fine…” Aiyana spoke hesitantly. She looked at her friend for help. “It’s just…”

“Can we sleep with you?” Alana asked. “Our room is nice, but it’s scary at night.”

It wasn’t their room that was scary. It was sleeping in a new place far away from the people they know that was scary. A grave miscalculation on both Kiya and I’s part when we settled the girls in their new bedroom. Kiya turned to me and gave me a look that begged me to let the girls stay.

“It’s their first night…” She whispered. “Just this once?”

I looked back at the girls, smelling their fear through their scents. They pursed their lips out, their eyes watering. There wasn’t a force in the world that can make me deny them.

My bed was big enough to fit the two of them, anyway.

“Alright.” I sighed. “You two can stay, but only for tonight. Tomorrow, you both sleep in your beds like the big girls I know you are.”

“Yes!” Alana pumped her fist in the air. They fluffed my pillows and laid their heads on it, covering their small blankets over their bodies. “There’s a lot of room, Neron! Come!”

“As long as you don’t push me off the bed.” I joked, walking to the closet to slip on a shirt.

“Is Kiya going to sleep with us?”

“Um…” Kiya scratched the back of her head. “I don’t think I can fit.”

“You can.” I corrected. “My bed is big enough for the four of us.”

“Of course it is. You’re huge.” She teased. “If I end up falling off the bed, you’re dead meat.”

“Ooooh, I’m so scared.” I taunted, walking out of the closet with an extra blanket. I tossed it to her, which she caught with both hands. “It’s for the girls, right?”

Kiya blinked, eyes swishing from the girls to me. She nodded. “It’s for the girls.”

Aiyana and Alana squeaked when Kiya and I hopped on either side of the bed. She flanked Alana’s side, and I flanked Aiyana’s. The mix of four blankets encased us in a pleasant warmth that made the girls’ smile as they adjusted their heads on the pillows.

“See! We all do fit!” Alana exclaimed.

Kiya chuckled. “Yes, we do.”

“When we go shopping tomorrow, can we get coloring pencils?” Aiyana asked. “And paper? I want to draw. I never got to do that.”

“Another artist!” I grinned. “We’ll get some. I can also teach you a few things.”

“You can draw, Neron?”

“Yes, I can.”

“He’s the best.” Kiya shot me a wink, forcing my cheeks to heat.

Aiyana grinned at me, excited. “Cool!”

After a few minutes, both girls drifted off to sleep, their heads tilted against one another. Kiya and I leaned over to check and laughed quietly before settling back down on our sides.

“Goodnight, Kiya.”

“Goodnight, Neron.”

I adjusted my head on my pillow, about to drift off, when I felt a gentle warmth encase my hand. Looking down, I saw Kiya’s hand intertwined with mine, locking our arms around the girls over our blankets. Gentle breathing entered the air, and I knew Kiya had fallen asleep.

I followed right after, not without a smile on my face.