Empire of Nothing

Nova hadn't giggled like this in years.

Actual, honest-to-god giggling. The kind that made her face hurt and her stomach ache, the kind you forgot how to do when the world taught you to guard every emotion.

But here she was, in Zane's kitchen, wearing a ridiculous apron that said Too Cool to Stir, holding a wooden spoon like a sword while spaghetti sauce bubbled behind her.

"You stirred too hard!" Sasha howled, pointing at the red streak on Nova's cheek.

"She looks like she just left a battlefield," Kieran laughed, doubling over.

Nova wiped the sauce off her face with a dramatic sigh. "This is a hostile kitchen. I'm calling food services."

Zane, useless from laughing, nearly dropped a pot of pasta. "You're the one who declared war first!"

"I was defending myself!"

Rina peeked in, hands on her hips, shaking her head. "Lord help me, I raised five children."

Nova held up the spoon. "And I'm the favorite now. It's official."

Sasha gasped. "Excuse me?"

"Yep." Nova walked dramatically to Rina and hugged her from behind, voice sweet and poké-soft. "Right, Mom?"

Rina blinked, heart already melting. "Oh no… not the baby voice…"

"Mommy," Nova whispered, wrapping both arms around her like a clingy kitten. "They're being mean to meee."

The entire kitchen exploded in laughter.

That night, they stayed up late playing dumb party games.

Nova lost every round of charades but won everyone's hearts by being too into it. She curled up on the couch beside Sasha with a bowl of popcorn, half-asleep but still making sarcastic commentary.

Zane passed her a soda, then leaned against the armrest beside her. "You okay, Poké?"

She blinked. "Did you just call me Poké?"

"You literally said 'Mommy, save me.' Your title has been earned."

She groaned and threw a popcorn kernel at him. "Take it back."

"Never."

Kieran looked over. "So what's the plan, Nova? You staying here forever?"

"I mean," she said sleepily, "if you keep feeding me and letting me win at Uno…"

"You didn't win," Sasha hissed.

"Let me dream."

Everyone burst out laughing again.

For the first time in what felt like forever, Nova wasn't the problem.She wasn't the burden.She wasn't surviving.

She was living.And even if it was temporary…

She finally remembered what it felt like to be happy