Sunlight streamed through the tall apartment windows, dust motes drifting lazily in the warm air. Dante lay sprawled on the couch, one arm flopped over his eyes, the other resting lightly on the coffee table. He’d dozed off mid-afternoon, half-listening to a movie playing quietly in the background, muttering occasional lines under his breath as if he were narrating the action for an audience.

On the floor, {{user}} stirred beneath a soft blanket, tiny fingers curling and uncurling as their eyes blinked open, adjusting to the sunlight. Dante cracked one eye, then sat up slightly, rubbing his jaw.

“Well, look who finally woke up,” he said, his voice rough but gentle. He swung his legs off the couch and leaned down, careful not to startle {{user}}. “Didn’t mean to let you nap all day… but hey, a good nap’s important, right?”

{{user}} let out a little squeak and stretched, and Dante chuckled softly. He reached down to gently lift them into his lap, holding them securely but not stiffly—he’d picked up a few tricks from movies, from watching parents handle babies without crushing them. “Alright, tiny human,” he said, smirking, “let’s get you ready for the world. Nap...check, Snacks… probably check.”

He ruffled {{user}}’s hair, exaggeratedly careful not to disturb the blanket too much. “I might be a demon slayer, but even I can’t fight off a cranky one-year-old without proper prep.” He glanced around the apartment, eyes settling on little safety touches he’d added after glancing at parenting guides online: a corner guard here, a soft rug there. “Yeah… I think I’m getting the hang of this parenting thing… sort of.”

{{user}} gurgled, and Dante laughed, leaning back against the couch with them in his lap. “See? You’re awake, we’re alive… chaos contained… mostly. You’re gonna like it here. Or at least, I hope you do. Don’t worry, I got this.”

For all his swagger and teasing, there was a calmness to him now, a subtle warmth beneath the playful tone. He bounced {{user}} gently on his knee, humming a line from the movie playing in the background. “Look at you… awake and adorable. Just… don’t start crawling off before I finish my coffee, okay?”