The teasing gradually subsided as the four friends settled into the morning's relaxed rhythm. Ethan had crawled back into the fort, muttering something about "five more minutes," while Mia perched at the edge of Fina's bed, chattering about a new book she'd been reading.

Aiden, still seated beside Fina, didn't let go of her hand. His touch was reassuring, a quiet constant that steadied her as the morning unfolded.

"Alright, lovebirds," Mia teased as she stood, stretching. "I'm starving. Is there any chance we can raid your kitchen?"

Fina laughed, her cheeks still pink from Mia's earlier teasing. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure there's something. Let's go see."

Ethan groaned from the fort. "Bring me something back. I'm not moving."

"Lazy," Mia muttered, rolling her eyes.

Fina stood, tugging Aiden's hand. "Come on. Let's feed Mia before she starts eating the furniture."

"Hey!" Mia protested, but she followed them out of the room with a grin.

The three made their way downstairs, the smell of freshly brewed coffee wafting from the kitchen. Isabella was at the stove, flipping pancakes, while Alessandro sipped his coffee at the table. They both looked up as the trio entered.

"Good morning," Isabella said with a warm smile. Her eyes lingered on Fina, soft with affection. "Sleep well?"

Fina nodded, glancing at Aiden. "Yeah. It was nice."

Alessandro raised an eyebrow, his gaze flicking between Fina and Aiden. "Nice, huh?"

Fina's cheeks flushed. "Papa!"

"What?" Alessandro asked, feigning innocence.

"Stop it," Isabella chided gently, though her smile hinted at amusement. She turned her attention to Aiden. "Would you like some pancakes, Aiden?"

"Yes, please. Thank you, Mrs. De Luca," he replied politely, his tone as composed as ever.

Fina pulled out a chair at the table, sitting beside her father. Aiden took the seat next to her, while Mia busied herself grabbing plates from the cabinet.

"Where's Ethan?" Alessandro asked, setting his mug down.

"Still in the fort," Fina said with a laugh. "He's not much of a morning person."

"Clearly," Mia added, setting plates in front of everyone.

As Isabella began piling pancakes onto their plates, Alessandro leaned toward Fina, his expression softening. "You look better today, mia stella," he said quietly.

Fina hesitated, her fingers tightening around her fork. "I think I'm starting to feel better," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

Alessandro's hand covered hers, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Good. That's all I want for you."

The table fell into a comfortable silence as everyone ate, the only sounds the clinking of silverware and the occasional comment from Mia about how good the pancakes were.

The rest of the morning passed uneventfully. Ethan eventually stumbled downstairs, grumbling about being woken up, but his mood quickly improved when he spotted the stack of leftover pancakes.

By early afternoon, the four friends were sprawled out in the living room, a movie playing in the background. Mia and Ethan were huddled under a blanket on the couch, engrossed in the film, while Fina and Aiden sat on the floor, leaning against the armrest.

As the credits began to roll, Mia yawned and stretched. "Alright, guys, it's been fun, but I should probably head home before my mom sends a search party."

"Same," Ethan added, standing and brushing crumbs off his shirt.

Fina walked them to the door, hugging Mia tightly. "Thanks for coming," she said softly.

"Of course," Mia replied. "Anytime."

Ethan ruffled her hair. "Take care of yourself, okay?"

"I will," Fina promised.

Once they were gone, Fina turned back to Aiden, who was waiting in the living room.

"Looks like it's just us now," he said, his lips quirking into a small smile.

Fina hesitated, suddenly feeling a pang of nervousness. "You don't have to stay if you don't want to."

Aiden stepped closer, his gaze steady. "I want to."

Her chest tightened with emotion. "You're too good to me, you know that?"

He smiled, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "You deserve it, Fina."

They spent the rest of the afternoon together, talking and laughing, the weight of the past few weeks feeling just a little lighter. For the first time in a long time, Fina felt like things might actually be okay.

As the afternoon sunlight began to soften, the two of them remained in the living room. Fina curled up on the couch, hugging a pillow to her chest, while Aiden stretched out at the other end, one leg propped up on the coffee table.

They had switched to watching another movie, though Fina wasn't really paying attention. Her mind wandered to how comfortable everything felt with Aiden there. She glanced over at him, noticing the way his focus lingered on the screen, his fingers idly tapping the armrest.

"You okay?" Aiden asked, his gaze flicking toward her.

Fina nodded, though her expression was thoughtful. "Yeah. Just... thinking."

"About what?" he prompted, leaning back against the cushions.

She hesitated, hugging the pillow tighter. "I guess... just how different everything feels now. I'm not used to feeling... safe."

Aiden's brow furrowed, his expression softening. "You deserve to feel safe all the time, Fina. And I'm here to make sure you do."

Her chest tightened at his words. Without thinking, she scooted closer, resting her head on his lap. The movement surprised both of them, but Aiden didn't hesitate. He gently rested his hand on her shoulder, his thumb brushing back and forth in a soothing motion.

Fina closed her eyes, exhaling slowly. "This is nice," she murmured.

Aiden smiled, his hand moving to smooth her hair. "Yeah, it is."

For a while, they sat in comfortable silence. The movie played on in the background, but neither of them paid much attention to it. Fina felt herself relaxing completely for the first time in what felt like forever.

"Do you want to talk more about it?" Aiden asked softly, not wanting to push but leaving the door open.

Fina opened her eyes, looking up at him. "Not right now," she said honestly. "But... thank you for asking."

He nodded, his fingers continuing to comb through her hair. "Whenever you're ready."

Her lips curved into a small smile, and she shifted slightly to get more comfortable. "You're really good at this, you know," she teased lightly.

"Good at what?"

"Making me feel better."

Aiden chuckled, his voice low and warm. "Well, you make it pretty easy."

She laughed softly, her cheeks tinting pink. "You're such a dork."

"And yet, here you are, using me as a pillow," he countered, his grin widening.

Fina smirked. "Touché."

The moment was interrupted by Alessandro's voice from the doorway. "Am I interrupting something?"

Fina sat up abruptly, her face flushing as she turned to see her father leaning against the doorframe, his arms crossed. He raised an eyebrow, clearly amused.

"N-No," she stammered, her voice higher than usual.

Aiden, to his credit, remained calm, though he gave Alessandro a respectful nod. "We were just watching a movie, Mr. Romano."

Alessandro's gaze lingered on them for a moment before his expression softened. "Relax, ragazza. I'm just checking in."

Fina let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding, her shoulders slumping. "Okay."

Isabella appeared behind Alessandro, a small smile on her lips. "Dinner's almost ready, if you two are hungry."

"Thanks, Mom," Fina said, her voice quieter now.

As Alessandro and Isabella retreated to the kitchen, Fina turned back to Aiden, her cheeks still warm. "I think they like you," she said, her tone teasing.

Aiden laughed. "I hope so. I don't want your dad to hate me."

"He doesn't," Fina assured him. "If he did, you'd know."

"Good to know," Aiden said, his smile softening.

Fina hesitated before leaning back against him again, her head returning to his lap. "Is it okay if we stay like this for a little while longer?"

"Of course," Aiden said without hesitation, his hand returning to her hair.

And so, they stayed like that, wrapped in the quiet comfort of each other's presence, as the world outside faded into the background.

As the warmth of the moment settled over them, Fina felt herself unwinding in a way she hadn't in ages. The steady rhythm of Aiden's fingers running through her hair lulled her into a sense of peace she hadn't thought possible.

"Fina!" Isabella's voice carried from the kitchen, breaking the spell.

Fina groaned softly, reluctant to move. "Yeah, Mom?"

"Come set the table, amore!"

She sighed, sitting up slowly and rubbing her eyes. "Guess I have to go."

Aiden chuckled. "Duty calls."

Fina shot him a mock glare. "You're coming too. No way I'm doing this alone."

"Yes, ma'am," Aiden replied, standing and stretching before following her toward the kitchen.

When they entered, Alessandro was placing a large dish of baked ziti on the counter, the rich aroma filling the room. Isabella was bustling about, arranging bowls of salad and baskets of breadsticks.

"Grab the plates, Fina," Isabella instructed. Then she turned to Aiden, smiling warmly. "And you can help her with the glasses, Aiden. Don't let her boss you around too much."

"Too late," Aiden joked, earning a laugh from Isabella and a playful shove from Fina.

They worked together to set the table, Fina stealing glances at Aiden every so often. He caught her once, raising an eyebrow in silent question. She quickly looked away, her cheeks burning.

Once the table was set, the family and Aiden gathered around, the chatter and laughter filling the room. Alessandro insisted on telling an embarrassing story from Fina's childhood, much to her dismay.

"Papa, stop!" Fina groaned, covering her face with her hands.

"What? It's a good story!" Alessandro defended, his grin widening.

"It's mortifying," Fina muttered, though she couldn't stop the smile tugging at her lips.

Aiden leaned over, whispering, "You're cute when you're embarrassed."

Her eyes widened, and she smacked his arm lightly. "Shut up," she hissed, though her face betrayed her amusement.

After dinner, the family dispersed. Alessandro and Isabella retreated to their room, leaving Fina and Aiden alone in the living room once more.

They decided to watch another movie, though it wasn't long before Fina found herself dozing off. She didn't even realize when she leaned against Aiden's shoulder, her breathing evening out as sleep overtook her.

Aiden glanced down, smiling softly at the sight of her. He adjusted his position slightly, careful not to wake her, and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

The house was quiet, the only sounds the faint hum of the TV and Fina's steady breathing. Aiden felt a strange sense of contentment settle over him.

But just as he was beginning to relax, Alessandro's voice broke the silence.

"Well, isn't this cozy?"

Aiden froze, turning his head to see Alessandro standing in the doorway with his arms crossed, a knowing smirk on his face.

"Papa!" Fina's sleepy voice protested as she stirred, sitting up quickly. Her face flushed as she realized the situation.

Alessandro raised an eyebrow. "Relax, ragazza. I'm not mad."

Isabella appeared behind him, clearly curious. "What's going on?"

"Nothing!" Fina said quickly, standing and smoothing her clothes.

"Hmm," Alessandro hummed, clearly unconvinced. He turned to Aiden. "You staying the night, Aiden?"

Aiden looked between Fina and her father, his usual calm demeanor slightly rattled. "Uh, I hadn't planned on it."

"Well," Isabella interjected with a gentle smile, "if it's getting late, you're welcome to stay. We don't mind."

Aiden nodded, grateful for the offer. "Thank you, Mrs. Romano. I appreciate it."

Fina's heart raced as her parents retreated upstairs, leaving her and Aiden alone once more. She turned to him, her face still red. "Sorry about that."

Aiden laughed softly, pulling her into a side hug. "Don't worry about it. Your dad's just looking out for you."

"Yeah," she muttered, resting her head on his shoulder again. "He's good at that."

They stayed like that for a while longer, the quiet comfort of each other's presence making the world outside feel miles away.