As Gaspy struggled, short legs kicking and arms scratching at the bare skin of Cooper’s neck, Kat made an effort to climb onto the cat’s back and smack it into action like a common horse. The house-elf, meanwhile, made an effort to trudge over scattered toys in order to free the dog of the ribbons that had mysteriously wound themselves around its paws –and Cooper Evans began to come to the realization that he wasn’t exactly the best parent on the block. Or in London, for that matter. Still, he’d had a twin of his own, and had heard the horror stories about what he and his brother had gotten up to while they were still young. Add to that the recent loss, and he found himself able to understand why his two year olds were acting up in such a fashion. The one issue was that he wasn’t quite certain how to calm Gaspar and Katherine down –and apparently picking one of them up wasn’t working: not only did the second continue with their childlike debauchery, but the one in his arms had apparently already decided that he was quite old enough to walk on his own, thank you very much.

“Damn it,” he muttered, hearing a loud scoff as Snooky tripped on a magical bouncing ball whose special attribute was that it actually never stopped moving. Leaning down, Cooper placed Gaspy on the floor and gave him a stern look. “Stay still,” He ordered, pointing a diligent finger at the toddler –but as soon as he stood straight again, Gaspar was already wobbling towards his sister and the poor cat-in-distress. So much for a sodding Sunday off. Not only was he forced to nurse a hang over after the fake-engagement party of the night before, but he had to do so while contending with the two worst behaved and mischievous two year olds he was certain he would ever meet. With a sigh and two arms tossing into the sky in a sign of disbelief, Cooper climbed over the mounds of toys he really wished the twins would allow to stay put –Snooky had already put them away three times today-, and made his way to the small Labrador, untying the poor animals legs and watching it hurry off with its tail tucked in an offended fashion between its hind legs.

The sound of the door bell was enough to make the Auror jump out of his pants –part up turned nerves, and part fear. But Renwick hadn’t even bothered ringing the door that night, so there was no reason to believe he’d returned. Aware he was a mess of disheveled hair, dark smudges beneath dull eyes and a slightly too pail skin tone, Cooper once again made the effort of climbing over toys to get to his front door. Katherine, meanwhile, had managed to climb onto a very scared looking Captain Meow and was in the process of trying to help Gaspar up and sodding hell when had two year olds learnt to move this quickly? It seemed like just yesterday that they’d not been able to talk, much less walk. Now they were continually yapping about –although quite a lot of the time unable to modulate enough for Cooper to make sense of what they meant to say. Reaching the door, he glanced through the key hole and saw an oddly familiar figure. “Bertie!” He exclaimed as he opened the door wide, although perhaps he’d put too much of a fake sense of happiness into it. In the back of his mind he wondered where the sod his wand was, knowing he might just be required to show that it was still in its wand cozy. “What are you doing here?” As he tried to smile as if he was entirely okay, Cooper heard the crashing sound, the loud meow and the sudden and startled cries of two toddlers that could only mean that Captain Meow had decided to throw off his two passengers.

Maybe it was poor parenting, but Coop felt like crying himself.

He knew Cooper was having a rough time of it. Bertie felt like it was his duty as a friend to check in—after all, he was dealing with the loss of his wife, Bella. Now he was thrown into single parenthood and the life of a widower. His daughters were young and a handful, and he figured that Cooper could use all the help he could get, even if he denied it. He looked his friend up and down and shook his head. “You look dreadful. Drink a bit too much last night?” He let himself in and waved at the twins.

“That’s why I don’t drink. No hangover the next day.” Instead, he had drunk copious amounts of ginger ale and water. It was delicious.

“But why I’m here? To see you of course! And your little kidlets!” He let himself in and closed the door behind him. Adelebert threw an arm over Cooper’s shoulder and said quietly, “Are you alright? I know things are a little rough… If you need someone to help with Kat and Gaspy, I can help. Gertie can help too, I know she wouldn’t mind. She loves kids. There’s no shame in accepting a little help, y’know.”  He asked for help every day at work with filling out reports and proofreading letters that he needed to write. His writing and reading skills were laughable, and Bertie had learned to accept help wherever he could get it. Granted, this situation as totally different.

“Buuuut, I made something for you guys!” He reached into his bag and pulled out matching sweaters for the twins, as well as a knitted cap for Cooper. “Thought it’d cheer you up.”

Cooper felt his lungs expanding and shriveling with each breath as they threatened to send him into a state of hyperventilation and sodding hell why couldn’t the damned cat just play the part of horse for once in his lifetime? Fingers screwed around the doorknob, his eyes stayed on Bertie, although his shoulders were tense and his temptation to sob only grew with the sound of one of the twins leg’s failing to get into a standing position. “A bit?” He muttered. In his defense, he was doing much better than he had at lunch –but that actually wasn’t much of an improvement and freaking bloody sod how long did hangovers last? “I don’t remember sod –but I’m certain someone threatened me into getting pissed,” He tried to give an affirmative nod of his head but damn it, it was hard to move his head in any which direction –up, down, left or right- and maybe he should just ask Bertie to come back some other day.

But Bertie was already inside.

Coop wasn’t certain whether to look incredulous, kick the other Auror in the arse and shove him out the door, or simply enjoy the way a friend’s arm was currently sliding around his shoulder. “I’m- we’re good, mate,” He replied, an earnest yet tired tone in his voice. “But I’ll be sure to keep that in mind,” Truth be told, he made end up needing to accept the help his old school friend was offering, but he’d see soon enough: at the moment, he was focused on the items the bloke was pulling out of his bag and wouldn’t the twins just look so freaking cute in those sweaters? “Aw, mate, thanks!” He beamed, perhaps a bit too eagerly, but his reaction was an honest one as he accepted the gifts and glanced down at the twins who had decided to stop trying to resume their climbing onto the cat and instead were intent on staring at Bertie.

Placing his hat on his head, Cooper smiled as he moved first to Gaspy, swiftly lifting the toddlers arms over his head and dressing him with the sweater. When he turned to Kat, however, the girl had a suspicious look on her young face and her body language reeked with the declaration that there was no sodding way in hell she would be putting that on and apparently Gaspar had decided he agreed with his sister, as he was now busy trying to pull his off. “Kids,” He shrugged with an apologetic glance towards Bertie, as he halfheartedly swatted at Gaspy to stop fidgeting as he pulled Katherine towards him. “Two years old and they already have a fashion sense of their own!” And his daughter apparently was quite intent on keeping hers: as he kept his eyes on Bertie while trying to pull her sweater over her head, her body was a mess of kicking legs and swinging arms. “So, how’re you doing, mate?” Maybe Bertie just wouldn’t notice.