You're m'lady

The family that Elijah Krum had for himself was as fractured as a broken pane of glass. The woman to whom he should have declared eternal, not ephemeral, vows was as far parted from his life as she could get. What linked them was their child who with every passing day was beginning to look more and more like her mother. Alike her mother, Alice had been gaining all of the attention in the world from the people that Elijah had around him. Athena’s boys were more than slightly enamoured with the littler girl who was trying her hardest to keep up with them. Theodore was, suffice to say, completely in love with her and Cael, there for her monthly check-up because the man seemed to do everything, talked more with her than he did to Elijah. Patient confidentiality from the word go. But it was her mother who hadn’t gotten that same time but now Elijah was going to change that – whether his conscience hated him for it or not.

There was generally a whirlpool of hatred that surrounded Elijah and Mira but this had been whipped up into something foul with the introduction of the Marriage Law. He hadn’t wanted to separate her out. What he hadn’t bargained on was it being done for him and what he certainly hadn’t expected was his inactivity in rectifying the situation. Thus, like an already blistering wound he’d allowed it to fester until he was actually genuinely terrified about going to see her. This was a woman who he had known since he was born and yet he didn’t want to face her. She had every right to throw a frying pan at him and half a dozen curses thereafter. Elijah decided as he was preparing to leave his home that morning that he’d keep hold of their daughter in the hope that she’d think twice about hurting him if Alice could be harmed in the process.

That morning was a drizzly, pre-Christmas, very-December affair and Elijah zipped up a standing Alice – one little fist curled around the hat stand – into her raincoat before donning his own jacket. Thus, picking up the satchel of all the gear she needed once more, he headed out into the world, checking on the house with a few spells before reassuring the hold of the wards on his home. Once he was sure of the security he jumped back inside and took the hands of the twins who, between themselves, had managed to get their hats, scarves and gloves on all in one peace. Fauve he’d already accounted for that morning when Theodore and Cael had turned up to take her to some ridiculous art lesson that they thought was a good idea. Elijah decided not to argue with them and knew they’d bring her back covered in paint and papier-mâché but as long as she had a good time he didn’t mind. When they had children he’d get them back. That he was sure of.

When everyone was ready, Elijah apparated with them and off they went, appearing once more with a crack on Mira’s doorstep. The children – and Elijah – were all equal parts dizzy but content enough. It was Avery’s house, technically, but it was Mira’s to live in. He opened the door with relative ease, the lady of the house no doubt aware that he was going to be there, and called out Mira’s name. The boys hurried off in search of something interesting to explore and set going a Newton’s Cradle before moving on to something else – the television remote being the first port of call.

“Mira?” Elijah called out again, moving into the kitchen. “Love, are you about?”

He did hope he had the right house. Being arrested for breaking and entering with three children wasn’t how he wanted to start the day.

Christmas had descended upon London.

Shops had been playing carols for a month now, lights were strung around trees, and happy couples walked the streets hand in hand. This was all particularly demoralizing for the young blonde who would be spending Christmas alone in her flat. The question of being able to spend her infant daughters first holidays together was still unsure and even if she was invited to the Krum's, she wasn't sure if that was something she was ready for. Mira was still getting used to living on her own and a large family Christmas wasn't something helpful, especially since she no longer belonged to the family in question.

Mira's own house was understandably bare of decorations. She had hung little ornaments on a potted plant that rested on her kitchen table and had enchanted them to glow lightly, echoing the Christmas lights that were present everywhere but her house. There were no stockings and only a small pile of wrapped gifts sat in her bedroom, waiting to be distributed to the few people whom she had deemed important. It seemed that these numbers were constantly dwindling - no more family, no boyfriend, few friends - those who were still in Mira's life were becoming increasingly precious.

Going to the shops had been slightly painful when she had passed by the art store, pausing for a moment with the consideration before moving on. Mira had gotten Elijah a gift for Christmas every year since they were ten and she had started receiving allowance from her parents. It had been a burden in her younger years and from Christmas to Christmas the quality and thoughtfulness of each present waxed and waned. This year she had been determined to end the sentimental tradition and had almost made it - purchasing him a pair of quickly picked out cufflinks at the last minute.

He was coming today - something that she would have been unhappy about if it weren't for the young girl he was bringing with her. Living separately from her daughter was verging on unbearable and Mira was just waiting until after the holidays to tell her ex-fiancee about Alice's new room down the hall, which she planned on making occupied very soon. Mira figured that was the biggest present she could really give Elijah, not taking their girl away for Christmas.

Noise broke out near the doorway of the house and Mira dropped her book, coming out into the main house to greet the guests. The twins ran past her without distracted 'hellos', intent on getting to the muggle TV that was set up in the living room. She allowed them to pass as her gaze drifted up to the father, who held a a small blonde child in his arms. An excited grin appeared on her lips as she moved forward to where the pair stood and held out her own arms in request. "May I?" she asked, addressing Elijah with a tone much cooler than her smile a moment before.

When Alice was curled in her arms she smiled down at the infant once again, grateful to have her close. She glanced up at Elijah, "You're staying for a bit?" she asked, tilting her head towards the twins on the couch. It wasn't a problem, exactly. Mira just hadn't mentally prepared for having the Krums over for long periods. "There's not much food in the fridge but takeout menu's are in that drawer," she nodded towards the hutch by the door, "I was thinking about ordering out today."

Mira had been cooking more for herself lately than ever before but she was still more or less pathetic at it. Eating out was a safer option when it came to being guaranteed an edible meal.

It wasn’t lost on Elijah that as soon as Mira took their baby away from him he was completely naked and in the firing line. There was no use wrenching Alice back from her mother and running away before Mira could draw her wand. This had been the woman he was once going to marry, though. In tandem this was also the same woman who quite possibly did and had every reason to hate him with every fibre of her being. He desperately didn’t want her to but they were past him being able to talk himself out of little predicaments and promise to change.

Elijah sucked in a hesitant breath and he nodded briefly before sliding his hands into the pockets of his trousers, watching as Alice leaned into her mother, smiling contentedly. He rolled his lips together and nodded again before looking around the kitchen, wondering what it was that he was exactly meant to be doing. Perhaps he would have been more use leaving out through the door in through which he walked and just been and done with it. She was being cordial but she was brought up like that. She didn’t actually want him there.

“I can cook,” Elijah offered optimistically before clearing his throat, his eyes darting around his feet awkwardly before popping back up to Mira’s face. “If you want. It’ll be easier, I think. Or, or… yeah, take out. Take out works. Whatever you want. Maybe we could go to the park later. Give the boys a bit of a run around… tire them out so they’re easier to put down this evening. Um.”

Elijah straightened up, taking his hands out of his pocket, something in his head berating him, reminding him that he was in fact an adult and he really needed to start acting like one before she traded up. She had every right and reason to, too. He wouldn’t have blamed her but Merlin, he would’ve had to have quietly done away with the poor bloke. But that, that was just ridiculous and not adult at all – even if the idea was tempting. He didn’t even know if she had been dating and he knew if she was it wasn’t with her match because he had been chucked in a cell.

Only to be later sprung by Athena and Theodore but that was an entirely different kettle of fish all together that we shan’t comment on.

“Would you, uh. Look, there’s this thing on in a few weeks … dinner party nonsense. I was wondering if you wanted to maybe go with me? Just… just this once. If it’s not too much trouble. I mean, it’s fine if you don’t want to but I’d really, really like it if you...if you’d go with me. Please?”

And bless him, he even smiled.