Kael had barely finished washing the rice when Noah started crying.
He stopped at the kitchen sink and looked toward the living room.
"Noah?" Kael called.
The crying continued, so Kael wiped his hands on a towel and checked the time. It was almost noon, and he had planned to prepare lunch before the baby woke from his nap. Sera was in the second bedroom, sorting through some things she had left packed in a bag since moving into the apartment.
He had promised to handle lunch, and he intended to keep that promise, but Noah’s cries were getting louder by the second.
"Give me a minute, buddy," Kael called toward the living room.
He returned to the kitchen, turned off the tap, and hurried to finish preparing the vegetables. When Noah cried even louder, Kael stopped chopping and stared at the carrots on the board.
’So much for having a peaceful afternoon.’
He put down the knife, washed his hands again, and went to the living room. Noah was awake in his crib, his little face scrunched up as he cried and waved his arms.
"All right, I’m here," Kael said as he leaned over the crib. "What’s wrong? Hungry? Wet diaper? Did you have a bad dream?"
Noah only cried harder.
Kael picked him up carefully, supporting his head against his arm. He tried rocking him gently, but the crying didn’t stop. He walked a few steps across the room, then turned around and walked back.
"Come on, little man. Help me out here," Kael pleaded.
Noah kicked his legs and turned his face toward Kael’s chest. Kael adjusted his hold, wondering whether he was making the baby uncomfortable.
He had managed to settle Noah several times over the past few days, and each time, he had felt a little more confident. Now, with lunch waiting in the kitchen and the baby crying in his arms, that confidence was quickly disappearing.
Sera appeared in the doorway.
"What’s happening?" she asked.
"He woke up early, and I can’t seem to calm him down," Kael replied.
Sera walked over and studied Noah for a moment. Instead of immediately taking him, she asked, "When did he last eat?"
Kael thought back before answering.
"About two hours ago. Maybe a little more."
"And when did you last change him?" Sera asked.
"Before he went to sleep," Kael replied.
Sera nodded. "All right. Let’s check a few things."
She touched the outside of Noah’s diaper, then looked at his face. His crying came in short bursts, and he kept turning his head toward Kael’s chest.
"He might be hungry," Sera said. "But don’t assume that’s the only reason a baby cries. We have to look at what’s happening."
"How do you tell the difference?" Kael asked.
"Sometimes you can’t tell immediately. That’s why you check one thing at a time," Sera explained.
Sera took Noah from him and held him against her shoulder. She gently rubbed his back, then shifted him slightly when he continued fussing.
"See how he’s turning his head and opening his mouth?" Sera asked. "Those can be signs that he’s looking for food. If we wait until he’s crying this hard, feeding him can become more difficult because he’s already upset."
Kael watched closely, trying to remember what she was showing him.
"So I should pay attention before he starts crying?" Kael asked.
"Exactly," Sera replied. "He might move his head around, bring his hands toward his mouth, or start making little sucking motions. None of those signs guarantees that he’s hungry, but they give you a clue."
Noah let out another cry, and Sera glanced at Kael.
"Could you bring me the feeding bottle? It’s on the counter beside the kettle," she asked.
"Got it," Kael replied.
He hurried to the kitchen, picked up the bottle, and returned. Sera checked it before feeding Noah, making sure everything was ready. Within a short time, the baby’s cries faded into small, impatient noises.
Kael let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.
"That looked easy," Kael remarked.
Sera gave him a sideways glance. "It looked easy because I’ve done it more times than you have."
"Fair enough," Kael admitted.
"Besides, he might not always be hungry when he cries," Sera continued. "Sometimes he needs a diaper change, sometimes he’s tired, and sometimes he just needs help settling down. You’ll learn his habits as you spend more time with him."
Kael nodded. He had expected fatherhood to involve a lot of work, but he hadn’t realized how much attention it required. There were no clear instructions printed on Noah’s blanket, and the baby certainly wasn’t going to explain what he needed.
He would have to learn by watching, trying, and sometimes getting it wrong.
Once Noah finished feeding, Sera held him upright and gently patted his back. A small burp followed, making Kael raise his eyebrows.
"That’s it?" Kael asked.
"That’s it," Sera replied.
"I was expecting something more dramatic," Kael admitted.
"Do you want him to surprise you next time?" Sera asked.
"No, thank you. I’ll take the small one," Kael replied.
Sera laughed quietly. Noah’s eyes were beginning to droop, and his body had relaxed against her shoulder. She continued holding him for a little while before carefully placing him in his crib.
The baby stirred but didn’t wake fully, and both parents stood still, watching him.
"Is he asleep?" Kael whispered.
Sera gave him a warning look. "Don’t jinx it."
Kael pressed his lips together to keep himself quiet. They waited another moment as Noah shifted his head, made a tiny sound, and settled again.
Sera slowly stepped away from the crib.
"All right. He should be fine for a while, but keep an ear out for him," Sera said.
Kael looked toward the kitchen. "Lunch."
"Your lunch, you mean," Sera replied.
"Our lunch," Kael corrected her.
"You volunteered to cook," Sera reminded him.
"I was hoping you’d forgotten," Kael admitted.
"I haven’t forgotten anything since you started walking around like a retired athlete," Sera teased.
Kael sighed. "I’m never going to live that down, am I?"
"Probably not," Sera replied.
Sera returned to the second bedroom. She had been sorting through her belongings because she wanted to find her documents and make a list of the things she still needed to arrange. Kael had assumed she would remain nearby after helping with Noah, but she simply told him to call if he needed her before continuing with her work.
For a moment, Kael stood in the living room, listening to the quiet apartment. He knew Sera had her own things to take care of, so he couldn’t keep calling her every time he ran into a problem.
He returned to the kitchen and picked up the knife. The vegetables were still waiting on the chopping board, and the rice hadn’t gone anywhere either. He resumed preparing lunch, this time keeping an ear open for sounds from the living room.
He worked more slowly than he wanted to, checking the clock occasionally. A few minutes later, he heard Noah make a small noise from the crib, and Kael immediately put down the knife.
He walked to the living room and looked inside. Noah was moving his hands and turning his head, but he wasn’t crying.
Kael leaned over the crib.
"What’s the matter, little man? Are you waking up?" Kael asked.
Noah made another sound and brought one hand toward his mouth. Kael remembered what Sera had shown him, so he watched for a moment instead of picking the baby up immediately. Noah’s eyes were still mostly closed, and his movements gradually slowed until he settled back into sleep.
Kael straightened and looked at his son.
’So I don’t have to panic every time he makes a sound.’
It seemed obvious now, but he had been treating every noise as an emergency. He still needed to be careful, of course, but he could learn to observe before reacting instead of assuming that every small movement meant something was wrong.
Feeling a little more confident, Kael returned to the kitchen.
Lunch took longer than expected, partly because he had to keep checking on Noah and partly because he nearly added the salt twice while thinking about the baby’s feeding cues. By the time he finished cooking, the food wasn’t anything special, but it was edible.
He set the plates on the table and called Sera.
"Lunch is ready," Kael called.
Sera came out carrying a small notebook and sat down after putting it aside.
"You managed?" Sera asked.
"Against all odds," Kael replied.
Sera tasted the food while Kael watched her expression carefully.
"Well?" Kael asked.
"It’s good," Sera replied.
"Just good?" Kael asked.
"Do you want an award?" Sera teased.
"I was thinking of a little praise," Kael admitted.
Sera pretended to consider his request before responding. "Fine. You made a decent lunch while taking care of Noah. I’m impressed."
Kael smiled. "I’ll accept that."
They ate together, and Sera told him she had found the documents she was looking for. She wanted to organize them properly and think about what she needed to do over the next few weeks. She hadn’t decided on everything yet, but she was glad to have a little time to work through it.
Kael listened while they ate. He didn’t offer to solve everything for her or tell her what she should do. Instead, he asked whether there was anything she needed help with.
"Not right now," Sera replied. "I just need time to sort it out."
"Then take your time. I’ll keep an eye on Noah," Kael assured her.
"Thank you," Sera said.
After lunch, Sera returned to her notebook while Kael cleaned the dishes. Noah slept for a little longer, giving them both a rare stretch of quiet. Kael had just finished wiping the kitchen counter when a familiar notification appeared in front of him.
[Family Care Task Completed.]
[Task: Remain Patient While Caring for Your Child.]
[Evaluation: You responded to your child’s needs, accepted guidance, and learned to observe before reacting.]
[Reward: Family Care Efficiency +1%.]
Kael read the notification twice.
There was no money, no increase in strength, and no new combat skill. The reward was small, but it made sense. He had spent the morning learning how to care for Noah instead of simply trying to get through the crying as quickly as possible.
He dismissed the message before Sera could notice him staring into empty space.
Then he glanced toward the living room, where Noah was still sleeping, and the bedroom, where Sera was quietly working on her own plans.
Kael had started the day thinking he needed to become stronger so he could protect his family. That goal hadn’t changed, but he was beginning to understand that strength alone wouldn’t make him a good father or partner. He couldn’t spend all his time chasing power while expecting Sera to handle every difficult moment with their son.
Sometimes, what his family needed was someone who could stay calm, pay attention, and give the people around him room to grow.
Kael still had a long way to go, but he was starting to understand what that meant. Becoming a better father wouldn’t happen after one successful afternoon, just as becoming a capable hunter wouldn’t happen after a few exercise sessions. Both would require patience, practice, and the willingness to learn from his mistakes.