Charis sat on my lap, her small frame leaning against mine as I carefully fed her pieces of fruit from the tray beside us.
Her anxiety had taken a visible toll, and though she tried to mask it with a quiet demeanor, the way she clung to me betrayed her emotions.
She nibbled at the food without complaint, her silver hair brushing my arms as I held the tray in one hand and steadied her with the other.
Around us, the room buzzed with a mixture of tension and levity.
Kuzunoha lounged to my left, seated with one leg crossed over the other under her long-flowing gothic skirt, her ever-present smirk dancing at the edges of her lips.
Viviane was across from me, her orange eyes sharp yet warm as she leaned back, arms crossed casually, though the faint furrow in her brow hinted at her lingering irritation.