The Morning... Heat

Kikidori woke up first, blinking groggily as the faint glow of the infernal sky bled through the heavy crimson curtains of their bedroom. The room was warm—too warm, even for Hell's standards—and Kikidori groaned, running a hand over his face before sitting up. He glanced at Ere'ana, still peacefully asleep beside him, her silver hair spread out like a halo against the pillow.

He smirked. "Always looks like an angel, even in Hell," he muttered under his breath.

Sliding out of bed, Kikidori stretched, his wings flexing briefly before he folded them neatly against his back. Hell's heat was unforgiving, and the lack of clothing certainly helped, but he knew the moment Ere'ana woke up, she'd insist they put something on. Decorum and all that.

Ere'ana stirred, her violet eyes fluttering open. "Morning," she mumbled, her voice still soft with sleep.

"Morning, angel," Kikidori said, leaning down to kiss her forehead. "Hot as hell in here. Literally."

Ere'ana gave a small laugh, sitting up and pulling the sheet around herself. "You'd think I'd be used to it by now."

Kikidori smirked, walking over to grab some clothes from the nearby dresser. "You've been here long enough. But, to be fair, Hell wasn't exactly built for comfort."

Ere'ana rolled her eyes, standing and following his lead. She pulled on a simple white dress, while Kikidori opted for his usual dark pants and sleeveless shirt, which made it easier for his wings to move freely.

"You think Yumi's awake?" Ere'ana asked, tying her hair back as she glanced toward the door.

"She's probably still knocked out," Kikidori said with a shrug. "Kid was up late last night, probably plotting new ways to embarrass us."

Ere'ana sighed. "She gets that from you, you know."

"And yet you love me anyway," Kikidori said with a grin, earning a small smile from her.

Once dressed, the two made their way downstairs to the dining hall. The castle was quiet, save for the occasional creak of the old stone walls. Kikidori reached the bottom of the staircase first, yawning as he entered the dining hall.

To his surprise, Yumi was already there, sprawled out on the couch in the corner of the room, her phone in one hand and a half-eaten piece of toast in the other. She looked up when they walked in, a smirk immediately spreading across her face.

"Well, well," Yumi said, sitting up. "Look who finally decided to grace us with their presence."

Kikidori raised an eyebrow. "Morning to you too, brat."

Yumi grinned, taking another bite of her toast. "Sleep well?"

"Better than you, apparently," Kikidori shot back. "What time did you even go to bed?"

Yumi shrugged. "Late. Not like I have classes to worry about anymore."

Ere'ana sat down at the table, pouring herself a cup of coffee. "You still need to figure out what you're doing next," she said gently.

"Relax, Mom," Yumi said, waving her off. "I'll figure it out. Not like the world's ending or anything."

Kikidori chuckled darkly. "You say that, but knowing our luck, it probably is."

Yumi rolled her eyes. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, Dad."

As they sat down to eat, the family fell into their usual rhythm of banter and laughter, the awkwardness of the previous night forgotten. Despite the lingering heat and the weight of recent events, moments like this reminded them that even in Hell, there was room for light.

The End of Chapter 11