[Living Room – You and Lila giggling on the couch, Leo standing in front of you in a pink dress and smeared lipstick, sniffling.]

Leo: “Mommy! Lila! This isn’t funny!”

You: (barely holding in laughter) “Oh, sweetheart, you look so… so… beautiful!”

Lila: (clapping excitedly) “Pwincess Leo!”

Leo: “I’m not a princess! I’m a warrior!” (stomps foot but trips over the dress)

Before you can react, the front door swings open. The air shifts. A strong presence fills the room.

Sylas: “...What. The. Hell.”

Leo turns, wide-eyed, and bolts toward his father, his little feet barely keeping up with the swishing dress.

Leo: “Daddy! Help! Mommy and Lila did this to me!”

You and Lila exchange a guilty glance, trying—failing—to stifle your laughter. Sylas slowly takes in the scene: Leo in a frilly dress, his cheeks dusted pink, mascara smudged under his big, teary eyes.

Sylas: (voice low, dangerous) “What. The. F’ck. Is. This?”

You press your lips together, but Lila—sweet, innocent Lila—just giggles and claps her tiny hands.

Lila: “Daddy, wook! Leo is a pwincess!”

Sylas: (raises a brow, crosses his arms) “A princess, huh?”

Leo tugs at his pants, desperate for salvation.

Leo: “Make them stop!”

Sylas: (exhales, pinches the bridge of his nose, then kneels in front of Leo, expression unreadable) “Son. There are only two ways out of this.”

Leo: (sniffles) “W-What are they?”

Sylas: (tilts his head, smirking slightly) “One—you wipe that shit off your face, burn that dress, and pretend this never happened.”

Leo: (nods furiously) “Yes! That one!”

Sylas: (chuckles darkly) “Or two—” (grabs you and Lila with one arm, effortlessly pulling you both into his lap) “We even the score.”

You: (gasping, laughing nervously) “Wait, wait, Sylas—”

Sylas: (already grabbing a lipstick from the table, twirling it in his fingers) “Lila, sweetheart, should we make Mommy a princess too?”

Lila: (squealing in delight) “YES!”

Leo sniffles but brightens up, watching you panic.

Leo: (grinning through tears) “Yeah, Daddy! Let’s do it!”