Sarima woke to the delicious scent of chicken soup drifting through the house. Her small feet patted softly against the cold floor as she hurried out of her room and toward the kitchen.
Her father looked up from the counter and smiled warmly, a knife in one hand and half-cut carrots beneath it. Steam curled from the pot beside him.
"Someone's awake early," he said.
Sarima grinned and climbed onto a chair, resting her chin on the table.
Her mother walked in moments later, still rubbing sleep from her eyes and suppressing a yawn. She paused at the doorway and smiled at the sight.
"You started without me again?" she asked.
"I'm making breakfast, not rebuilding the house," her father replied.
Her mother laughed quietly and crossed the room, pressing a quick kiss against his cheek before reaching for a bowl.
Sarima watched them with happy contentment. This was normal, her father cooking, her mother pretending to help, warm soup on cold mornings she smiled to herself.
"Dad?" Sarima called.
"Yes, baby?" Sullivan answered.
Leilah lifted the lid of the boiling pot, checking on the soup.
Sarima grinned. "Since you're free today, can we play Snow Clash?"
Her mother turned and gave her a look that clearly said, we discussed this yesterday.
Sarima's smile faltered slightly.
"What?" she asked innocently, even though she already knew.
Her mother's eyes narrowed at her.
Leilah raised an eyebrow. "What did I tell you?"
Sarima looked away.
"…That Dad should rest today."
"And?"
Sarima sighed dramatically.
"…And that I shouldn't ask him to play."
Sullivan glanced between them before smiling.
"That seems a little harsh."
Leilah looked at him immediately.
"You worked six days straight."
He shrugged. "And now I'm home."
Sarima's eyes lit up instantly. "So that means yes?"
"Of course. Anything for my baby."
He smiled and handed her a sliced carrot.
Sarima's attention snapped back to him immediately and her face lit up. She took the carrot and grinned before hopping off the chair.
"I'll go get ready!" she announced.
Before Leilah could respond, she jumped down and ran off happily to sort through her snow clothes.
Leilah watched her leave before stepping closer and wrapping her arms around Sullivan from behind. Her hands rested against his stomach before sliding lightly to his chest. She leaned against him quietly and closed her eyes for a moment, inhaling his scent.
Sullivan chuckled softly. "You're supposed to be helping."
"I am," she murmured.
"I see" he chuckled.
Leilah smiled against his back. "You spoil her too much."
Sullivan shrugged lightly. "That's what fathers are for, she won't always ask me to play."
"And when she refuses to listen later?" she questioned
He smiled. "Then we'll blame genetics."
A snowball struck Leilah's jacket.
She stopped mid-step, glancing down at the burst of white clinging to the fabric. Her boots were planted deep in the snow, steady and unmoving.
For a brief second, there was silence.
Then laughter erupted from both enemy snow forts on either side of her. Two makeshift "fortresses" of piled snow stood like rival camps, each hiding excited voices behind them.
Leilah stood behind the left fort, its packed walls rising neatly around her position. Across from her, Sullivan was already half-sheltered behind his own, a pile of uneven snow stacked like a quick defense.
And between them, slightly smaller but noticeably more chaotic, Sarima's fort sat proudly, already responsible for the attack.
Leilah slowly turned her head toward it.
"So it was you."
From behind the smallest fort, Sarima's voice rang out instantly.
"Direct hit!"
Sarima peeked out of her fort, preparing her next throw.
A snowball hit her from the right.
She froze.
Slowly turned.
Sullivan lowered his hands innocently from his fort.
"Traitor!" Sarima shouted.
Leilah, from the other side, finally smiled.
"Welcome to Snow Clash."
Snowballs continued to fly through the yard. Sullivan's throws were precise, each one landing cleanly against the weaker edges of the other forts, steadily pressing forward.
With each successful strike, his score climbed, and more sections of his fort were reinforced with packed snow.
Leilah caught Sarima's eye across the snow.
No words were needed.
In the next second, both shifted their focus.
"Now!" Sarima shouted.
The two forts turned on Sullivan's position at once.
Snowballs flew toward his fortress, striking the walls and weakening them with every hit.
Leilah and Sarima stood from behind their own forts and launched attack after attack, barely giving him time to recover.
Their pace quickened.
Soon enough, Sullivan collapsed dramatically into the snow and raised both hands.
"Alright, alright. I yield to the snow tyrants!" he shouted.
The attackers looked at each other with satisfied smiles.
Then...
Two snowballs flew through the air and struck both of them.
There was a second of stunned silence before another one followed.
Sarima gasped.
Leilah slowly turned.
Sullivan looked entirely too innocent lying in the snow.
The alliance was over.
Soon they were throwing snow at each other again, laughter and giggles filling the cold air.
Eventually, all three ended up lying on the snow together, catching their breath as pale clouds escaped their lips.
Sarima stretched her arms and legs out and began moving them excitedly.
"I'm making a snow angel."
Leilah yawned and stood up. "Alright, let's go in before one of you catches a cold and spreads it to the rest of us"
Sarima immediately groaned and threw her arms dramatically into the snow.
"But we're not done yet."
Sullivan stayed where he was and nodded in agreement.
"I think she makes a compelling argument."
Leilah looked at him.
"You are the adult."
Sullivan thought for a second.
"That's a serious accusation."
Sarima gasped softly and pointed at him.
"Dad!"
Sullivan raised a hand. "Sorry, I forgot."
Leilah folded her arms.
"Inside."
Father and daughter exchanged one long suffering look before grumbling together and dragging themselves up from the snow.
"This house has no freedom," Sullivan muttered.
"No freedom," Sarima repeated sadly then she frowned. "You're not even going to argue?"
He lowered his voice."Trust me. We already lost."
Leilah stared at both of them before turning and walking back toward the house.
They followed after her anyway.
The three of them sat near the fireplace covered with a thick blanket, warming themselves up. A knock sounded at the door and her mum got up to get it.
The sound of the door rattling brought her back to reality.
Sarima slowly opened her eyes and squinted against the light spilling in from outside.
Someone stood in the doorway.
"Come out." Asher's voice resonated through the quiet room.
Sarima pushed herself up from all fours. Her body ached from the cold and the hardness of the floor.
She took each step carefully, as though she might collapse if she moved too quickly. Even then, she wavered and caught herself.
"You have a visitor. Mum said you should wash up."
Asher didn't wait for a response before turning and walking away.