Keith entered their bedroom quietly, closing the door behind him with a soft click. "Sephy's asleep," he said, turning to look at the woman sitting on their bed.
No matter how many times he saw her like this, hair loose around her shoulders, wearing one of his old shirts, Akira still took his breath away.
"What are you looking at?" she asked with a teasing edge, though her smile seemed a bit forced tonight.
"My wife. Who else?" Keith walked toward the bed and settled beside her. Akira immediately snuggled up against him, her head finding its familiar place on his chest.
"Let's sleep. We have work tomorrow," she said hurriedly, but Keith could feel the tension in her shoulders.
"There's still time," he said smoothly, his arm tightening around her. "Let's talk about something first, shall we?" He gently cupped her chin, guiding her to meet his gaze. "Why wasn't I told about Phoenix Academy?"
Keith had done his research after dinner. Phoenix Academy wasn't just any institution—their acceptance process involved rigorous tests that pushed candidates to their absolute limits, examining both willpower and physical capabilities. The mortality rate during training wasn't something they advertised.
Akira immediately broke eye contact, her voice small. "I didn't want to worry you."
"She's my daughter, so I have every right to worry," Keith shot back, though his tone remained gentle.
Akira pressed her face against his chest, her words muffled. "I was scared of what you'd think. You've always been so protective of her." She looked up at him with vulnerable eyes. "A single scar on her and you'd kill without a second thought."
Keith studied her face for a long moment. She wasn't wrong. If Phoenix Academy dared to fail his daughter, if they let her get seriously hurt.He would make sure the institution ceased to exist. The depth of his protective instincts sometimes surprised even him.
"I suppose that's fair," he conceded, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.
But then his expression grew more serious. "What's going on with you, though?"
Akira looked up at him in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"Don't pretend. You've been acting strange lately, as if you're trying to hide something." His red eyes searched her face intently.
"Oh! Oh no, no, no," she looked flustered, her cheeks flushing. "I was just... working on something."
"I see." Keith looked at her deeply but decided not to press further.
While she might not have told him directly, he had a pretty good guess about what was happening. Akira's power had been fluctuating recently—growing stronger in ways that suggested she was approaching a breakthrough. Soon, she might reach levels that rivaled the gods themselves.
The thought both thrilled and worried him. Power like that would draw attention from beings who were better left undisturbed. But there was still time before her breakthrough, and if worst came to worst, he'd simply wage a divine war to protect his family. After all, a judge couldn't be a proper judge without knowing how to be decisive when it mattered.
Keith pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Good night, dear."
Akira seemed surprised at how quickly he'd let the matter drop, then she noticed where exactly his hands had settled. She squirmed slightly but eventually relaxed against him. "Good night. Don't be annoying—just go to sleep."
"You like it, don't lie," he said teasingly.
Her face flushed red as she pressed herself closer to him. "Meanie."
Keith laughed softly, the sound rumbling through his chest, and gradually the night drifted them both toward sleep.