The gates of the Augustus mansion creaked open as the sun began to set behind the hills, painting the sky in hues of orange and gold. A lone figure stepped through the threshold—tall, cloaked, with snow-white hair that shimmered in the evening light.
He was finally home.
Noah's POV
The air smelled like home.
Familiar roses. Warm stone. The faint scent of freshly baked bread from the kitchens.
I let out a slow breath and removed my cloak, dusting it off as I stepped onto the path toward the main doors. The training with the Headmaster had been brutal, isolating… but worth it. I'd grown. Stronger. Sharper. But damn if I didn't feel like something had been gnawing at my chest every night I spent away from them.
Scarlett, Layla, Lyra…
How were they holding up?
Did they miss me?
I smiled, pushing open the doors.
The moment I stepped into the grand hallway, a blur of crimson slammed into me like a meteor.
Scarlett's POV
I don't even remember running.
One moment I heard the door open. The next, I knew.
I flung myself at him, wrapping my arms around his chest, pressing my face into his shoulder. I couldn't stop shaking.
"Noah… Noah… you're finally—"
"I'm home," he whispered, hugging me back tightly. "Sorry I made you wait."
I didn't want to let go. I didn't care if I looked foolish. I had counted every day, every breath without him.
"I hate you," I whispered, tears burning. "I missed you so much."
He smiled softly, brushing my hair back. "I missed you too."
Layla's POV
I stood at the top of the stairs, arms crossed, eyes wide.
He was back.
He was really back.
I had promised myself I'd be dramatic when he returned. Maybe pretend I was angry. Make him grovel a little.
But the moment I saw him holding Scarlett, something cracked inside me.
I stormed down the stairs.
"You absolute jerk," I yelled. "You didn't even leave a kiss goodbye?!"
He looked up at me—eyes soft, warm, tired.
"I was in a rush—"
I tackled him next, dragging him and Scarlett into a three-person pile.
"You smell like smoke and sweat and magic," I muttered, burying my face in his chest. "I love it. Don't ever leave again."
His hands trembled slightly as he patted my back. "I'll try not to."
"Try?" I growled, tightening my grip. "Try?! I will curse your bones next time—"
"Layla," he laughed, voice hoarse, "I missed you too."
Lyra's POV
I didn't run. I didn't shout.
I just… watched.
They all swarmed him. They cried. They laughed. They touched him like he might vanish if they let go.
And yet… he looked around.
Searching.
His eyes landed on me.
And he smiled.
Not just any smile.
My smile. The one he reserved just for me. Subtle. Gentle. Knowing.
I stepped forward slowly, arms folded. "You look thinner."
He raised an eyebrow. "You look prettier."
My cheeks warmed. "Idiot."
I stood before him, then without warning, I slapped his chest lightly. "Three weeks. You left without a word."
"I didn't want you to worry."
"I worried anyway."
"I know." He reached out and touched my wrist softly. "Did you miss me."
I didn't say anything just looked away but he got the answer, as he close the distance and press my head against his chest.
This warmth of his that I missed so much finally, I will be able to sleep again.
"…Welcome home," I whispered, barely audible.
Julia's (POV)
I stood near the corner of the hallway with Richard, watching the girls cling to Noah like cats reunited with their sunbeam.
"My, my," I said, fanning myself. "It's like a harem reunion scene."
"Don't say things like that," Richard groaned, rubbing his temples.
"It's true. Look at Scarlett—she's crying. Layla's inhaling his clothes. And Lyra looks like she wants to stab him and hug him at the same time."
I chuckled, then walked up to my son, waiting patiently as the girls reluctantly gave him breathing room.
When his eyes landed on me, something shifted.
He stepped forward and hugged me—tighter than he ever had before.
"…I missed you, Mom."
I ran my fingers through his snowy hair.
"You've grown, my little star," I whispered. "But you still cry in my arms like a boy."
"Only with you."he said in my arms.
Richard's (POV)
When Noah turned to me, I simply placed a hand on his shoulder and gave a nod.
"You're stronger," I said.
"So are they," he replied, glancing back at the girls.
I smirked. "Then you'll need to work harder to keep up."
"Gladly."
He looked at them again—Scarlett wiping her eyes, Layla clinging to his arm, Lyra subtly pressing her shoulder against his.
He had left a boy trying to find his worth.
He returned a man they couldn't imagine living without.
-------
—Noah's POV
Dinner had ended, but the emotional weight of the reunion still lingered in the air like the soft scent of roses after a storm. The girls didn't let me out of their sight for even a moment. Every time I shifted, a pair of eyes tracked me—sometimes filled with warmth, other times with quiet resentment for my absence.
The living room was alive with flickering firelight. Pillows were strewn about. Cups of hot cocoa steamed gently on the low table. It felt like a place untouched by the chaos of the world. A pocket of warmth. Safety.
Scarlett was the first to sit beside me, pulling her legs up onto the couch and curling into my side like it was the most natural thing in the world. Her soft red hair brushed my shoulder as she laid her head there without a word.
"I counted every night," she murmured. "Fifty-eight. That's how long you were gone."
I froze.
Her voice trembled slightly as she added, "I didn't sleep a single night properly. I even made Layla sleep with me most nights just to trick my body into thinking you were still beside me. It didn't work."
I placed my hand over hers. "I missed you too, Scarlett. More than I thought possible."
She looked up at me, those crimson eyes shimmering faintly in the firelight. "Don't leave me again. Not without saying goodbye. Not like that."
Before I could respond, a familiar presence dropped herself onto my lap with zero hesitation.
"Oi, move over, Scarlet. You had him for like—five minutes," Layla huffed, nuzzling her head into my chest. She threw a smug smirk toward Scarlett, who simply scowled in return.
"You didn't even ask."
"Didn't need to," Layla replied sweetly. "Noah knows I'm the clingy one. Right, my dear sword boy?"
"…Sword boy?" I raised an eyebrow.
"It's a term of endearment," she replied innocently, then whispered into my chest, "I missed this heartbeat… I really did."
I didn't have the heart to push her off.
Just then, a quiet voice interrupted.
"I didn't know how much I depended on your presence until it disappeared," Lyra said, walking into the room with a cup of cocoa in each hand. She handed one to me and settled cross-legged on the carpet at my feet.
Her black hair glinted with silver strands from the fire. She didn't reach out physically like the others, but the emotion in her eyes was unmistakable.
"Every night, I kept the lantern by the window lit," she admitted. "Just in case. It felt childish, but… some part of me hoped you'd walk through the door."
Scarlett blinked. "Wait… that was you? I thought it was Layla."
Layla shrugged. "I would've done it, but I was too busy writing him love letters I never sent."
"You what—?" I turned to her, blinking.
Layla beamed. "Yep! I wrote one every night, sealed with a lipstick kiss and everything."
"You have lipstick?"
"Oh Noah, my dear sweet dense idiot," she sighed dramatically. "I have everything."
Scarlett shook her head and looked at me, lips curling into a small smile. "You really kept us on edge, you know?"
"I didn't have a choice," I said softly. "The Headmaster—he's not the type you can refuse. But he did tell me he informed you all…"
"He did," Lyra confirmed. "But that didn't stop the silence."
Julia's voice cut in as she walked into the room, arms folded, leaning against the doorframe with that signature amused expression she wore when watching her kids get into trouble.
"You know, you girls look like you just got your husbands back from war. Dramatic, beautiful, and slightly pathetic."
"Mooom!" Scarlett groaned.
Julia laughed. "I'm not wrong. Lyra's been walking around like a ghost. Layla threatened to curse the wallpaper. And Scarlett cried while making soup. Soup, for god's sake."
"I didn't cry," Scarlett mumbled.
"She did," Layla whispered. "It was adorable."
Richard called from down the hall, "Let the boy breathe at least! He just got home!"
"We're not suffocating him," Layla protested. "We're just… emotionally overwhelming him with our presence."
"I'm fine," I chuckled. "Honestly… I missed this."
Julia stepped forward, placing a hand on my shoulder. Her voice softened. "We missed you too, Noah. The house has been quiet without you."
"And cold," Richard added, walking in with a book in hand. "But I suppose that's what happens when the fire goes missing."
My chest tightened. These people… this warmth… it was more than I deserved.
"Then let's keep the fire burning tonight," I said.
Julia smirked. "You're not sleeping alone, are you?"
Three simultaneous "Nope!" rang out from the girls.
"Didn't think so." She winked. "Just keep the snuggling PG-13."
Layla feigned disappointment. "So much for PG-18…"
Scarlett threw a pillow at her. "You absolute menace."
We laughed. For the first time in a long while, all of us just… laughed.
Later that night, blankets were laid out. A proper sleepover, just like old times—but now with unspoken emotions swirling in the air.
Scarlett curled against my right side under the blanket, hand on my chest.
Layla clung to my left, her legs already tangled with mine.
Lyra rested her head on my thigh, her fingers gripping the hem of my shirt gently, as though afraid I'd vanish again.
The fire crackled.
Their breathing evened out.
I stared at the ceiling, a strange peace settling over me.
I had learned to split time. I had seen countless futures.
But this moment—this quiet warmth—this was the only thread I ever wanted to protect.
-to be continued...
A/N:
Hello, Author here!
For those who are wondering:
PG-13 – It's an innocent, emotional, or slightly suggestive scene. Think of soft romance, cute teasing, or moments that make your heart flutter without crossing any lines.
PG-18 – That's where things get a little spicier or more mature—deep romantic tension, intense emotions, or scenes meant for a more mature audience.
Hope that clears things up! Now, back to the story...
See you all in next chapter..