Morning sunlight poured in through the translucent mana-treated windows, painting gold streaks across the floor of Ethan's home in Nexa. The familiar scent of clean linen, morning dew, and subtle traces of mana-infused wood greeted him as he stretched, rubbing the last bits of sleep from his eyes.
In the kitchen, Mia was already awake. She stood in front of the counter with her hair tied up in a lazy bun, dressed in one of the oversized sweaters Ethan had gotten her. A quiet smile tugged at her lips as she struggled to open a mana-sealed jar of spice with both hands.
"Need help?" Ethan said as he walked over, voice still groggy with sleep.
She looked up, mock-annoyed. "I almost had it!"
He gently took the jar from her hands, twisting the lid with a small burst of mana pressure. It gave a soft pop as it opened.
"Cheater," she muttered, grinning as she snatched it back and sprinkled some of the contents into the steaming pot.
"What's cooking?" he asked.
