Sunday morning arrived slowly.
Sunlight spilled across the bedroom in warm gold bands while Los Angeles humd faintly beyond the windows.
Haley was still half-asleep beside Gael, tangled in blankets and very clearly refusing to move.
"I've decided," she mumbled into the pillow, "you're a public safety issue."
Gael laughed quietly without opening his eyes.
"That feels dramatic."
"You say that because you can still function."
"I am barely conscious."
"Liar."
Haley shifted closer with a soft groan before resting one arm across his chest again.
Honestly, she looked exhausted.
Happy.
Comfortable.
But exhausted.
Which only made Gael smile faintly to himself.
"You know what's unfair?" she muttered sleepily.
"You've asked that several tis in the last twelve hours."
"You look completely normal afterward."
Gael finally opened one eye slightly.
"What am I supposed to look like?"
"Human."
"That's hurtful."
Haley laughed weakly before imdiately regretting it.
"Oh my God, even laughing hurts."
That got a fuller laugh out of him.
"You're impossible."
"No," she corrected while pointing at him accusingly, "you're impossible."
Eventually, they managed to leave the bed soti near noon.
Mostly because Haley demanded food enough for a whole village.
The penthouse kitchen stayed quiet except for the sound of coffee brewing and Haley complaining from one of the stools while wearing another stolen hoodie.
"You know," she said while watching him cook, "you've beco suspiciously dostic."
"That's Claire's line."
"She's rubbing off on everybody."
Gael smirked faintly while sliding pancakes onto plates.
His phone buzzed against the counter.
Haley narrowed her eyes imdiately.
"If that's my family, I'm blocking all of them."
Gael checked the screen.
Claire.
Interesting timing.
"You summoned her psychologically," Haley muttered.
"That's not how phones work."
"It is for mothers."
Gael answered while Haley continued glaring suspiciously at the device.
"Hey."
Claire sounded distracted.
"Hi. Sorry—quick question."
"That introduction consistently creates danger."
"I need to know if Haley is alive."
Haley imdiately pointed triumphantly.
"SEE?"
Claire continued before Gael could answer.
"Because she texted 'recovering spiritually' an hour ago and now I'm concerned."
Gael physically covered his face with one hand while Haley looked deeply pleased with herself.
"That's entirely her fault."
"I assud," Claire replied dryly.
Haley leaned closer toward the phone.
"I'm exhausted."
"That sounds like a personal problem."
"It is a personal problem."
Claire sighed the sigh of a woman choosing not to ask follow-up questions for the sake of her own sanity.
"Okay. I regret calling already."
"That's fair," Gael admitted.
In the background, Phil's voice suddenly echoed through the phone.
"Ask if he wants to help build shelves!"
"No," Claire answered imdiately.
"I wasn't asking you!"
Haley burst out laughing while Gael shook his head quietly.
"You know," Claire muttered, "her father likes you an alarming amount now."
"That sounds threatening."
"He asked if you were free before he asked Luke."
"That's because Luke once drilled into a water pipe," Haley replied.
"IT WAS A LEARNING EXPERIENCE," Luke yelled faintly sowhere in the background.
Gael laughed softly despite himself.
The conversation drifted another few minutes after that:
Phil apparently buying incorrect screws again,
Luke getting banned from "helping,"
Alex refusing to leave her room before noon.
Normal chaos.
Familiar chaos.
And sitting there in the kitchen with Haley curled beside him and Claire casually calling to check on them—
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