Both of them snapped their heads up.
"Mika?!"
He was floating just above them, leaning in through a small shimmering portal. Behind him, they could see Yelena and Charlotte peering out from what looked like the living room of the main house.
Both of them were covered in what appeared to be cake batter.
"You—you were watching?!" Astrid's face went red.
"Of course I was watching." Mika rolled his eyes. "With you two, I was genuinely worried there'd be no progress at all, even after everything I set up. So I had to monitor the situation personally."
He smirked. "Good thing I did. That was getting dangerously close to an infinite apology loop. You're welcome for interrupting."
Both mother and daughter blushed furiously.
"Also." Mika added, pointing. "You might want to give Aster some breathing room or else she's going to pass out."
Both of them looked down. Aster was squirming between them, her tiny face scrunched up in an expression that was unmistakably annoyed.
