“Wait, are you sure you don’t want to read a book with Daddy—” Before Joshua can even finish his statement, his toddler was already wriggling out of his arms to stumble across the room in haste. He lets out a sigh, setting the picturebook aside. Joshua’s gaze connects with yours as a soft smile spreads across his face. “I swear to Metia, I can’t understand where she gets all this energy from.”

He’d been a sickly and understated child, but having his daughter grow up a ball of energy was vastly the preferable option, even if it’s sometimes hard for him to keep up. Still, as long as she’s in good health, he doesn’t care how hard he has to work to stay in her orbit. “Don’t run in the Hideaway!” he calls, standing up to join you by the door as your daughter zooms off on her next greatest adventure.