The music swelled softly through the vacant halls as the cleaning had started weeks ago, and the house empty and barren now save for a few of his sparse possessions seemed as blank a canvas as any artist needed. But Gale had never fancied himself very creative, despite his colorful upbringing and backward way of thinking. Chaz had once let him entertain himself with sketching though it certainly wasn't anything compared to his, Gale still had fun. He could stay in the lines when it came to coloring, and sew rather well--yet today he had never been more frustrated on such a simple project.

The old house was drafty and cold, despite how the fire burned brightly in the formal living room, and the ladder wobbled a bit too much for his liking. The blue tape wouldn't stick on the old walls and every time he ran a roller over a surface the old paint beneath just rolled with it. It was a mess, and as he sat a little defeated on the edge of the covered sofa he sighed. Maybe this whole 'no magic' thing wasn't for him just yet, despite how much he wanted to do this by hand as it was a labor of love.

The wind beat heavily against the windows, as a warm front moved up from the South but Gale swore he heard something else and froze a moment. The attacks were heavy on his mind, but he was careful in only telling a few people he lived here. His neighbors were pretty far apart so he doubted it was coming from their house, but maybe one of the goats had gotten free again (that was a fun morning). However, as he stood to look at the window he saw a car…a car! Exciting! Though…it looked a bit worse for wear, Gale didn't care it was perfect, and he wondered how fast it would go.  Someday he would like to get one, especially now that he was on his own living in Muggle London. There was something just steady and sure about them, but as his mind went adrift with a little day dream he was called back to reality at the knock on his door.

He had a visitor? Frozen, Gale wasn't sure what to do. Did he ignore them or just send them away. Who could be calling at this time of day? Maiko often came and made breakfast, but it was far too late in the day. And would she have driven? Perhaps they were just lost….either way the dirty old mirror on the wall reminded him that he couldn't answer the door in the state he was, and he covered his eye with the leather that sat beside his keys and took a deep breath before opening the door.

"Hello…can I help you?"

His little green flying metal death trap was barely putting along, but Kohaku insisted on driving rather than allowing Maiko to take him along in side-along apparition. Ugh. It caused a sort of motion sickness that Haku had never felt before, and oh he hated it. He let Mai teleport him a few times, but each was more unpleasant than the next. He was going to stick with cars (and maybe one day a motorcycle, if it wouldn’t give his sister a stroke).  Still, his sister said that a friend of hers needed help—the white haired one. And while Kohaku wasn’t usually in the business of painting other people’s houses, he was in the business of performing acts of kindness when the opportunity presented itself. 
From what Maiko had told him, the house needed a lot of work, and someone with a steady hand to help.

Kohaku got out of the car, and Maslow stumbled out behind him. He approached the house and knocked on the door.
“Mai said you needed help—I was going to be in the area anyway—“ Well, it was only mildly out of the way. As in fifteen minutes out of the way. “She’s going to come over later, but she very heavily suggested that I do some painting for you?”

 Kohaku crossed his arms over his chest and forced out a sigh. “You do know who I am, right?”

Gale felt his heart hammering in his chest as his nerves started to get the better of him. Of course he knew who this young man was, and even if he didn't he could take a proper guess. Haku looked a lot like Maiko, he had her kind eyes and golden skin. They had the same hair color, even if Maiko's held a little curl, and both wore such kind smiles. Though, Kohaku hadn't offered his just yet. But even if Gale thought he was being accosted by a perfect stranger--he knew that dog, and that dog knew him.

"I'm sorry, I don't." Gale teased going to one knee to welcome Maslow, "But you I do. How are you boy? Hmm? Come to pester the geese again? I have saved you something, come in..." Gale opened the door for the both of them to come in, "Your human may come too. Whoever he is..." With a grin he held open the door and watched the much taller young man, "It's good to see you again Kohaku." Did he hug him? If it were Mai he would have already been hugging her, but...the younger squib he truly didn't know very well.  Did they shake hands? Was that proper?

"You did not have to come out here," Gale did his best to try and mask his thick accent, shortening his vowels and consecrating on the consonants, "But I really appreciate it. She can be rather persuasive I know, and worries a lot. I'm sure if you made a full report that I have not burnt my house down that will be enough." He closed the door and blushed, wondering if Kohaku would take one look and run away.

"I really have everything under control, ca--" At that same moment the blue tape he was using to help protect the wood fell pulling down with it a bit of the wall, and his already pink face deepened in color, "Can I get you something to drink? Vodka perhaps. I could use a drink."

Maslow was absolutely ecstatic to see Gale. If doggy physics had worked differently, Kohaku was sure that the dog’s tail would’ve been thrown right off with how hard he was wagging it.  He rubbed the back of his neck and scratched behind his ear. “Yeah, it’s nice to see you too.” He shrugged nonchalantly. He hardly knew this Nightengale Kesali. By default, Kohaku assumed that he was just another one of Maiko’s weird wizard friends. After all, his name sounded very wizard-ish. He didn’t know many nonmagical folk who would have a name like that.

He did manage a smile at the mention of his sister’s persuasiveness. That was… One way to put it.

“You may have everything under control, but you can get more done with two people instead of just one.” He looked down at the blue tape that had fallen off of the wall. “Water would be fine with me.” He didn’t feel like tools and alcohol were the safest of combinations. Kohaku put his hands in his pockets and shifted his weight. It wasn't that he was uncomfortable with Gale by any means-- he simply didn't know what to say. What sort of things did he even like to talk about?

"So... What do you want me to help ya out with?"