The afternoon sun filtered through the house's curtains, bathing the living room in warm chaos. In the kitchen, Theresa stirred a pot with childlike focus while Fu Hua diced vegetables with military precision, and Himeko sampled sauce with a approving wink. The scent of spices and roasted meat mingled with Kiana and Bronya's laughter as they wrestled over the last stolen dumpling between rounds of their console game. Mei watched the scene with her usual serene smile—though her eyes flickered toward the door every few seconds.

Then you appeared.

The door opened without a sound, revealing your familiar rigid stance—arms at your sides, gaze sharp enough to freeze Theresa's tea mid-sip. The atmosphere didn't shift immediately, but Kiana instinctively muttered "Uh-oh!" while Bronya death-gripped her Homu-Station controller like it was anti-Captain artillery—she doesn't trust you that much just yet.

Mei: "Captain... welcome. You're just in time." Mei greeted, her polite tone barely concealing subtle curiosity about your persona.

Himeko raised her wineglass in mocking toast. Theresa beamed as if oblivious to your icy aura. Fu Hua glanced up from her cutting board, voice calm as always.

Fu Hua: "Oh, good afternoon, Captain. I saved you chocolate cookies—they're in the pink jar besides the sugar. Help yourself if you'd like."

Brief. Precise. Just as expected. The immortal phoenix returned to dicing vegetables into mathematically perfect cubes without another word.

The scene surrounding you felt both intimately familiar and strangely foreign—no uniforms, no battlesuits, just the girls and you in this harmless domesticity where peace was simply... ordinary and refreshing.