Part 1
The morning came too quickly.
Kael woke up in his own room, not in the Order's medical bay. Warm sunlight slipped through the gap in the curtains. His body ached in a few places, and there was a new bandage on his ankle, but other than that, he felt fine. The Order's medical team worked fast.
He sat up in bed, trying to gather his thoughts. The memory of last night's battle—the fire, the destruction, and Ignis's cries—felt like a nightmare that had just passed. But he knew it was all real.
He glanced at the study chair in the corner of his room. There, sitting quietly, was Lyra. She must have been watching over Kael all night. Her eyes were closed, her head slightly slumped; it seemed she had fallen asleep sitting up. Her long silver hair was draped over the back of the chair, shimmering softly in the morning light.
Seeing her, Kael felt a warmth in his heart. He got up slowly, took the blanket from his bed, and carefully draped it over Lyra's shoulders. Lyra stirred slightly in her sleep but didn't wake up.
Kael walked quietly out of his room. The atmosphere in the apartment felt different. More… tense.
In the living room, he found Chroma sitting on the carpet as usual, holding her sketchbook and a pencil, but she wasn't drawing. She was just staring blankly at one of the closed guest room doors.
His sister, Elara, peeked out from behind the sofa, looking at the same door with a mixture of fear and curiosity.
"Big Bro Kael," Elara whispered when she saw him. "Is… is she in there?"
Kael nodded. "Yeah. She's our new family member now."
"She's not going to… explode, is she?" Elara asked again, her voice anxious.
"She won't," Kael reassured her, ruffling his sister's hair. "She just… needs time."
That guest room door was where Ignis was resting. The Order had modified the room with a special temperature control system and heat-resistant materials, just in case. But since being brought here last night, Ignis hadn't come out at all.
Kael walked to the kitchen to make coffee. He needed the caffeine to face the day. As he was waiting for the water to boil, he heard soft footsteps behind him. It was Rina. She must have come early to check on things.
"How are you feeling?" Rina asked softly. She was already in her casual clothes.
"Better. How's your leg?"
"It's been treated. I can walk normally," Rina replied. She glanced towards Ignis's room. "How is she?"
"I don't know yet. She hasn't come out since last night," Kael said with a sigh. "I don't know how to start. How do you talk to someone who tried to burn you to a crisp yesterday?"
Rina was silent for a moment, considering the question. "Maybe," she said slowly, "you don't have to talk. Maybe you just need to show her that this isn't a prison. It's a home."
She picked up a tray. "We'll start with breakfast."
Part 2
Kael made toast and eggs, while Rina brewed an herbal tea that she said was calming. They prepared an extra portion on the tray.
"I'll do it," Kael said, taking the tray. This was his responsibility.
He walked slowly towards the closed guest room door. Every step felt heavy. He stopped in front of the door, took a deep breath, and then knocked softly.
"Ignis? It's me, Kael. I brought you some breakfast."
There was no answer.
Kael waited for a few moments. "I'll just leave it in front of the door, okay? Eat it when you're hungry."
He knelt and carefully placed the tray on the floor. As he was about to stand up and leave, the door creaked open, just a few centimeters.
From the crack in the door, a pair of sharp, orange-gold eyes, like those of a hawk, stared at him. It was Ignis. She was no longer wearing her menacing volcanic armor, but just an oversized gray t-shirt that hung loosely on her frame, revealing her long neckline and delicate collarbones. The sweatpants she wore couldn't hide the slender shape of her legs.
Without her fire and fury, the "Blazing Warrior" aura vanished, replaced by a completely different charm. Her red hair, usually tied up high, was now messy and cascaded over her shoulders, a few strands falling to partially cover her face, giving her a wild yet fragile look. Her sharp features and slightly pouting lips, combined with her wary gaze, made her look not like a monster, but like a beautiful and unapproachable wildcat. Kael had to swallow for a moment. It was hard to believe the girl with such an alluring appearance was the same person who had nearly burned down half the city yesterday.
"I don't need your pity," she hissed, her voice hoarse.
"This isn't pity," Kael replied calmly. "This is breakfast. Everyone in this house has breakfast together."
He emphasized the word "house."
Ignis fell silent, her eyes still staring intently at Kael.
"If you don't want it, that's fine," Kael shrugged. "But Lyra might finish it. She has a huge appetite."
He turned and started to walk away, giving Ignis a choice without any pressure.
He had only taken a few steps when he heard the door creak open wider. He looked back. Ignis came out of the room, quickly grabbed the tray, then went back inside and closed the door without another word.
Kael smiled faintly. It was progress. A small first step.
He returned to the living room. Lyra was awake now and sitting on the sofa, looking at him.
"Did she take it?" Lyra asked.
Kael nodded. "Yeah."
"Hmph. At least she didn't burn the tray," Lyra said, her tone still a bit sharp, but Kael could see the relief in her eyes.
Just then, Chroma approached Kael and showed him her sketchbook. On the page was a new drawing. A picture of a slightly open door, and from the crack, a single beam of warm light entered a dark room.
Kael understood. Chroma understood too. Ignis's healing process, just like her own, would start from a small crack, from a single light of hope.
"This is a great drawing, Chroma," Kael praised.
That day, there were no fights. No threats. Only an awkward silence, small hesitant steps, and the effort to live under the same roof. Kael knew the road ahead was still long and difficult. Getting Lyra and Ignis to get along would be a challenge in itself. Teaching Ignis to trust others again would require incredible patience.
But as he saw all of his "family" gathered in one room—even if they were still keeping their distance from each other—he felt that he was ready to face that challenge.
True warmth didn't come from fire, but from togetherness. And in that apartment, a new, warm flame had just been lit.