Sophia woke up to the sound of something crashing.
Not a scream.
Not an alarm.
Something… plastic.
She sat up in bed instantly. "Leo?"
"I'm okay!" came his voice from the living room.
Then, quieter: "The dinosaur is not."
She sighed, already smiling.
When she stepped out, she found her nephew sitting on the floor surrounded by toy chaos, examining a fallen plastic dinosaur with deep concern.
"He lost his tail," Leo announced.
Sophia crossed her arms. "That dinosaur survived extinction and lost a tail in my apartment?"
"He was brave," Leo said seriously.
She knelt beside him. "Then we will honor his sacrifice."
They taped the tail back on. Crooked. Uneven.
Leo nodded with satisfaction. "Perfect."
---
Breakfast wars
Breakfast became a negotiation.
Leo wanted cereal. She wanted eggs.
"I don't eat eggs," he declared.
"You ate eggs last week."
"That was old me."
She squinted at him. "Is there a new personality every week?"
"Yes."
She surrendered.
Cereal it was.
He poured. Missed the bowl. Tried again. Missed more.
Sophia watched milk flood the counter in slow horror.
"…We live here," she said softly.
Leo froze. "I can fix it."
"How?"
By wiping it with his sleeve.
She covered her face. "I should have stayed in bed."
They ended up laughing while cleaning, cereal crunching under their feet.
"What's so funny?" Leo asked.
"You," she said honestly.
He beamed. "I know."
---
Out into the world
They left the apartment with mismatched shoes (his fault), a forgotten jacket (her fault), and zero actual plan.
Perfect.
At the park, Leo ran ahead like freedom itself had six-year-old legs. Sophia watched from the bench, coffee in hand, sunlight warming her face.
For the first time in days, her shoulders relaxed.
A balloon vendor passed by.
Leo turned slowly.
Too slowly.
"Aunt Sophia…"
"No."
"But—"
"No."
"…Please?"
She sighed. "What color?"
Blue balloon.
Smiling child.
Instant regret when the balloon escaped into the sky five minutes later.
Leo stared up. "He's free now."
Sophia put a hand on his shoulder. "He lived a good life."
They mourned for exactly twelve seconds.
---
Ice cream diplomacy
Ice cream was inevitable.
Leo insisted on two flavors. Sophia insisted on one.
They argued.
They compromised.
He dropped his ice cream.
She pretended not to laugh.
"I'm never speaking again," he said dramatically.
"Thank God," she muttered.
He glanced at her. "…That was rude."
"You taught me drama."
Later, as they sat on the curb sharing napkins, Leo looked at her with sudden seriousness.
"You smile less," he said.
Sophia blinked. "Do I?"
"Yes. But today, you smile more."
Her chest tightened.
"That's because of you."
He nodded like he already knew that.
---
Tiny fights, big feelings
The problem came on the walk home.
Leo wanted to stay out longer.
Sophia knew he was tired—even if he refused to admit it.
"No," she said gently.
"Yes," he replied loudly.
They stood there, staring each other down.
"You're small," Sophia said.
"You're mean," Leo replied.
That one stung.
She sighed and crouched. "I'm not mean. I'm responsible."
"I don't like responsible," he whispered.
Neither do I, she thought.
They walked home quietly, fingers brushing, neither apologizing.
Five minutes later, Leo tripped.
She caught him instantly.
"I knew you'd save me," he said, sniffing.
She hugged him tight. "Always."
---
Night settles in
Back home, bath time became a battle.
Pajamas were rejected.
Teeth were brushed angrily.
By the time Leo fell asleep wrapped in his blanket, superhero cape still slipped around his shoulders, Sophia was exhausted in the best way.
She sat on the couch, lights dim, the city quiet.
Her phone buzzed.
Nothing important.
Still, she glanced at the time.
He would be done with interrogation hours by now.
She frowned at herself.
"Focus," she whispered.
She looked at Leo's sleeping face.
This—this was real life.
Messy. Loud. Warm.
And yet…
Somewhere behind cold walls, silence waited for her.
She leaned back, exhaling slowly.
Tomorrow, she would return.
To questions.
To danger.
But today—
Today had been gentle.
And she held onto that softness a little longer before turning off the lights.
---