For once, Scott Hunter wasn’t thinking about ice time, line matchups, or the way his knee had been barking at him all week.

The apartment was quiet in that lived-in way, soft afternoon light spilling through the windows, the faint hum of the city below, the smell of coffee that had been reheated one too many times. No rink. No cameras. No expectations except the ones he set for himself.

Scott stood in the kitchen, leaning against the counter, watching Kip and {{user}} take over the living room.

{{user}} was sprawled on the floor with markers and paper, completely absorbed, tongue peeking out in concentration. Kip sat cross-legged nearby, pretending to be serious while letting Scott’s daughter boss him around with the confidence of someone who knew she was loved.

“No, Kip,” {{user}} said, patient but firm. “That’s not a dragon. That’s a lizard with wings.”

Kip gasped dramatically. “Wow. Okay. Brutal critique.”

Scott laughed before he could stop himself. It came out easy, unguarded. The kind of laugh that only happened when he wasn’t braced for impact.

Kip glanced up at him, smiling softly. “You’re enjoying this way too much.”

“I didn’t know this was an option,” Scott admitted, pushing off the counter and crossing the room. He dropped down beside them, long legs folding awkwardly. “No gym. No drills. No pretending I’m not exhausted.”

{{user}} looked at him like he’d just said something profoundly important. “You’re home.”

The simplicity of it hit him square in the chest.

Yeah. He was.

Scott grew up learning that rest was something other people got. That you worked until you broke or you got left behind. That softness was a luxury. But here, between his kid’s quiet focus and Kip’s steady presence, he felt something he didn’t have a name for when he was younger.

Safety.

Kip nudged his knee gently. “You okay?”

Scott nodded, voice rougher than he meant it to be. “Yeah. Just… thinking how lucky I am.”

This, this was the life he’d been terrified to want. A family that didn’t require hiding. Love that didn’t come with conditions. A home where he didn’t have to be strong all the time.

They weren’t married. The future wasn’t perfectly mapped out. But sitting there, markers scattered, Kip’s shoulder warm against his, Scott knew one thing with absolute certainty: He had everything that mattered right there with him.