CHAPTER 4: THE DOOR DIDN'T SURVIVE, SOMEHOW WE DID

The sound of hammering echoed through the front hall.

Or rather, aggressive hammering.

Sylvan was fixing the door like it had personally insulted his entire bloodline.

Ember stood beside him, holding a screwdriver she wasn’t actually using, mostly just watching with narrowed eyes.

“You’re hitting it too hard,” she said.

“I’m fixing it,” he replied flatly.

“You’re attacking it.”

“I'm not.”

She snorted. “You’re unbelievable.”

“Then why the hell are you still standing here.”

They glared at each other.

Then he reached past her for a tool and their hands brushed briefly, both froze for half a second before immediately pulling away like nothing happened.

Totally normal. Completely unnoticeable.

The door frame creaked as Sylvan tightened another hinge, jaw set in concentration like the fate of the world depended on this one screw.

Ember leaned against the wall beside him, twirling the screwdriver between her fingers.

“You know,” she said casually, “most people just knock.”

He didn’t look up. “Most people don’t kick doors like they’re declaring war.”

She shrugged. “It worked, didn’t it?”

“Debatable. The door disagrees.”

She smirked, then crouched down beside him, holding the hinge steady.

Their shoulders brushed.

Neither moved away this time.

For a second, the only sound was the quiet scrape of metal and their steady breathing.

“You’re holding it wrong,” he muttered.

“I am not.”

“You’re tilting it.”

“No. I’m stabilizing it.”

He glanced sideways, their faces suddenly much closer than either of them expected.

“Stubborn,” he said quietly.

She raised an eyebrow. “You’re one to talk.”

For a moment, neither of them looked away.

Then he cleared his throat and went back to tightening the screw.

Totally normal. Completely unaffected.

A few minutes later, he reached for another tool at the exact same time she did.

Their fingers brushed, warm, lingering just a fraction too long.

Ember pulled back first, pretending to examine the screwdriver very seriously.

“Careful,” she said. “You almost held my hand.”

Sylvan snorted softly. “Tragic.”

“But memorable,” she shot back.

He shook his head, but the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.

When he stood up to check the alignment, Ember stepped closer to inspect his work, leaning in just enough that a loose strand of her hair brushed his sleeve.

He froze for half a second before forcing himself to focus on the door.

“Well?” he asked.

She tilted her head thoughtfully.

“…It’s straight.”

“High praise.”

“Don’t get used to it.”

He wiped his hands on a cloth, then noticed a small scratch on her knuckle.

“You’re bleeding,” he said.

She glanced down. “It’s nothing.”

He gently took her hand before she could pull away, inspecting it with surprising care.

“It’ll get infected if you ignore it.”

She blinked, caught off guard by the softness in his voice.

“You’re being weirdly nice.”

“I’m just being practical.”

He let go a moment later, but the warmth lingered.

“…Thanks,” she muttered.

He finished tightening the last screw and stepped back.

“Done.”

She crossed her arms, pretending to inspect critically.

“I guess you’re useful sometimes.”

“Be careful,” he said. “Compliments might become a habit.”

“Don’t push it.”

But she smiled, just a little.

And he noticed.

Balance restored.

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Meanwhile....Across the room, Aurelia and Lyssara exchanged a look before turning to Eira.

“Let’s go home,” Aurelia said gently.

Eira shook her head immediately. “I’m not leaving Ember here.”

Her eyes drifted across the room and landed on Kael, who had somehow slept through every argument so far.

She narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

Florin clapped his hands together. “Why don’t you all stay for dinner?”

He smiled brightly. “And yes, I’m talking to everyone here except… you know who.”

He didn’t even look at lyssara.

Lyssara, who had already fainted an impressive number of times today, sat back down dramatically.

“Thank you for having me,” she said like she was accepting a royal invitation.

Eira plopped down beside her with snacks, happily watching Ember and Sylvan like it was live entertainment.

“This is so much better than theatre,” she whispered.

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Meanwhile The Autumn Energy (a.k.a. Sylvan vs Door)

Sylvan tightened the final screw with way too much force.

Ember leaned against the wall, bored.

“Done,” he said. Then glanced at her. “Go check if it looks normal from outside.”

She rolled her eyes. “You just want me out of your sight.”

“Temporarily.”

She stepped outside.

The door slammed shut in her face.

Click.

Locked.

Inside, Sylvan walked away like nothing happened.

Outside, Ember stared at the door in disbelief.

“…You did not.”

She kicked it open again.

The loud bang echoed through the house --

And Kael shot awake like someone had summoned him from another dimension

“What is happening?!”

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Kael blinked groggily, then noticed Eira happily munching on a snack packet Theron had clearly given her.

His eyes narrowed.

“That’s mine.”

He snatched it.

The snacks spilled everywhere across the floor.

Eira stared down at them.

Her lip trembled.

“…You dropped them.”

Kael blinked. “I--”

And then she started crying.

Loudly.

Very loudly.

The entire room began to shake.

Wind howled through the hall.

Windows rattled.

“Uh oh,” Florin said calmly.

Aurelia rushed over, gently patting Eira’s head. “It’s okay, it’s okay.”

Lyssara looked at her crying… and immediately fainted again.

Ember grabbed Sylvan by the collar and lifted him slightly off the ground.

“Fix it!”

“I didn’t do anything!”

Florin casually plucked a single strand of Lyssara’s hair and slipped it into a tiny bag.

“Research purposes,” he said cheerfully.

Meanwhile, Theron calmly stirred something in the kitchen like this was just a regular Tuesday.

“This is quieter than usual,” he muttered.

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After several minutes, Eira’s face turned bright red...

And suddenly frost spread across the floor.

The air grew cold.

“Oh no,” Aurelia whispered.

But before the situation could escalate further...

Kael grabbed a piece of snack from the floor and shoved it into Eira’s mouth.

She blinked.

Stopped crying.

And started chewing.

The shaking stopped instantly.

Everyone froze.

“…That worked?” Ember said slowly.

Eira swallowed, then wiped her face on Sylvan’s shirt.

He looked down in horror.

“…Why me?”

She sniffled. “Because you’re the father of my niece.”

He blinked. “I-- what does that even mean?”

No one answered.

Kael had already walked off with Florin like nothing happened.

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Theron continued cooking peacefully.

Lyssara remained passed out on the chair.

Ember sat sulking.

Sylvan looked like he was reconsidering every life decision that led him here.

Aurelia sighed softly, watching Eira happily munching on snacks Sylvan had quietly handed her.

“…What a day,” she murmured.

Eira nodded with a full mouth. “Best day.”

Sylvan groaned. “I need silence.”

Ember smirked slightly. “You’re not getting it.”

And the house settled into a strange, chaotic calm, like a storm that had decided to stay for dinner.

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