The Beginning of Us

Born From Fire

Episode 1: The Beginning of Us

The house was never quiet.

Not with five kids.

Laughter echoed through the halls, footsteps running across marble floors, voices overlapping in chaos that somehow—

Felt like home.

“Daniel! Give it back!”

“No!”

Danielle chased after her twin brother, her hair slightly messy, her expression full of determination as Daniel held her book above his head.

“You’re too slow,” he teased.

Daniela sat nearby, watching the chaos unfold with a calm expression, flipping through another book.

“You’re both childish,” she muttered.

“I am not!” Danielle snapped.

“You are,” Daniel shot back.

“You started it!”

“And I’ll finish it—”

“Enough.”

Victor’s voice.

Instant silence.

All three froze.

Lucy leaned against the doorway, arms crossed, trying not to smile.

“Why is there always noise when I walk in?” Victor asked, raising a brow.

“Because they’re your children,” Lucy replied smoothly.

Victor glanced at her.

“…That’s not reassuring.”

Lucy smiled.

“I think it is.”

Behind them—

Two smaller boys ran past.

Alexander and Mikael.

“Race you!” Alexander shouted.

“You’re cheating!” Mikael yelled, chasing after him.

Victor closed his eyes briefly.

“…Five.”

Lucy laughed softly.

“You wanted a big family.”

Victor looked at her.

“I didn’t say this big.”

Lucy stepped closer slightly.

“You love it.”

Victor didn’t deny it.

Because he did.

Across the room—

Danielle finally grabbed her book back, holding it protectively.

“You’re so annoying,” she said to Daniel.

“And you’re dramatic,” he replied.

Daniela sighed. “I’m surrounded by chaos.”

Danielle turned—

And that’s when she saw him.

At the door.

Gabriel.

He stood there casually, leaning slightly, like he’d been watching the whole thing.

Older.

Taller.

Too confident.

Daniel’s best friend.

“Wow,” Gabriel said, smirking slightly. “You guys are loud.”

Daniel rolled his eyes. “You’re late.”

Gabriel shrugged. “I had better things to do.”

Danielle frowned slightly.

“I don’t like him,” she muttered.

Daniel smirked. “Good. Don’t.”

Gabriel’s eyes shifted to her.

Just for a second.

Then back to Daniel.

“Ready?” he asked.

Daniel nodded. “Yeah.”

They started heading out—

But as Gabriel passed—

He glanced at Danielle again.

Quick.

Unnoticed.

Except—

She noticed.

And she frowned.

“Why is he looking at me like that?” she asked.

Daniel didn’t even turn back.

“He’s not.”

Daniela looked up from her book.

“He is.”

Danielle crossed her arms.

“I don’t like him.”

Daniela smirked slightly.

“You will.”

Danielle shot her a look.

“Never.”

Across the hallway—

Lucy watched everything.

Carefully.

Victor stepped beside her.

“You see it too,” he said.

Lucy didn’t look away.

“Yes.”

A pause.

Victor’s expression darkened slightly.

“That’s going to be a problem.”

Lucy smiled faintly.

“Oh, definitely.”

Because some things—

You just know.

Time Skip — Years Later

The same house.

But quieter.

Different.

Danielle stood in front of the mirror.

Older now.

Confident.

Beautiful in a way that turned heads without trying.

Downstairs—

Voices.

Familiar.

She walked down—

And stopped.

Gabriel.

No longer just Daniel’s best friend.

No longer just a boy.

He looked up—

And their eyes met.

This time—

It wasn’t quick.

It lingered.

Dangerous.

“Hey,” he said.

Simple.

But something about it—

Felt different.

Danielle’s heart skipped—

Just slightly.

“…Hey.”

Daniel walked in, completely unaware.

“Let’s go,” he said to Gabriel.

Gabriel didn’t move immediately.

His gaze still on her.

Then—

He smirked.

And looked away.

“Yeah,” he said.

But Danielle stood there—

Still.

Because something just changed.

And she felt it.

She said she’d never like him.

But she didn’t realize—

He was never meant to be someone she liked.

He was going to be someone she couldn’t stay away from.

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