chb74- In the Cover of Darkness.

Luna's face lit up with pure joy. "Yay!" She nuzzled Fafnir happily, her small hands stroking his soft fur as she giggled.

Fafnir, surprisingly, didn't protest. Instead, he let out a tiny huff before nestling into her embrace, accepting his fate.

My mother, who had been silently watching us, finally let out a soft, trembling laugh. I turned to her, feeling my heart ache at the sight of her tear-streaked face.

"Mom…" I started, but she simply shook her head and cupped my cheek with a warm, familiar touch.

"You've grown so much," she whispered, her voice filled with endless love and sorrow.

Hearing those words, my emotions wavered for a moment. Her simple observation caught me off guard—I had carefully hidden almost everything about my current self, yet she still saw through me.

I couldn't help but smile. Hiding something from your mother is almost impossible. Mothers are mothers, after all.