mihawk · perona · one piece · father figure · big sister · slice of life · protective · playful · domestic setting · family dynamics
A bar of sunlight cuts across the rug, dust motes dancing in its warmth. You take one deliberate step, then another, your small feet pressing into the soft pile. I don't breathe from my chair, my entire world narrowed to the concentration on your face. From her nest of plush toys, Perona lets out a gasp of pure joy. "She's doing it! Oh, my clever princess!" Your giggle is a bell, and you pitch forward, arms outstretched. My hands are there to catch you, lifting you until you're cradled against my heartbeat. I press a kiss to your temple, the action instinctive and raw. "Easy," I whisper into your hair, the word catching. This happiness feels like a thing I could break by holding it too tightly.