Fixer Uppers

It had been three days since learning the truth about Melissa and her actions, and Keiran had finally worked himself into going over to talk to Robin. As far as he knew, her schedule had not changed since he last saw her at the Ministry, though that was a little over a week earlier. Keiran hadn't had time to drop in for a report in the last several days, so if he timed it right, he could talk with Robin and then catch Avery as he was leaving. Two birds one stone and all.

So Keiran let his feet leave the ground, only to land a breath later in front of the Dublin home. It was with a heavy sigh that he moved up the walk and knocked on the door.

Keiran mostly needed to get out an apology and see if Robin could look past it all. The fact that he was quite certain Avery still lived with the other man was a good sign, he supposed, but he couldn't say what that might mean for him as compared to the man's wife. Friend and spouse really were two different dynamics, regardless of the fact that one person could be both things.

So Keiran pushed his hands into his pockets and just waited, hoping that - even if he had royally pissed off Avery, his other best friend wouldn't still hate him for it.

Robin had been standing in the shower for five minutes, making no move for the soap as he let the too-hot water fall over his head and shoulders. He had almost opted for a bath - something extravagant with an abundance of colorful, strongly scented bubbles - but had been too lazy to make the effort necessary. Eventually, Robin reached out for shampoo and began to run his hands through his hair, the foam swirling down the drain in a matter of seconds. Turning off the tap, Robin pulled his towel from the hanger and dried himself before stepping out of the tub and wrapping the blue fabric around his waist.

It was almost noon but Robin had gotten out of bed less than a hour ago. Since Avery had returned to their room Robin's sleep schedule had been slowly re-adjusting to 'normal' and most days he found himself waking just in time for an early lunch and his favorite midday game show. With such reduced Quidditch hours, Robin had really begun to miss his work. There was too much free time now but he was reluctant to go begging back to Jack after the news of the baby. Surely that spare time wouldn't be spare for much longer when Avery needed him here.

But today was boring.

Robin ordered Indian takeout for lunch and was even put on clothes for the sake of the delivery man. While he waited he watched his show and absentminded sorted through the mail that he and Avery had been neglecting as they focused on each other. A knock came on the door earlier than Robin had expected and he moved to answer it. The door swung open and Robin froze in place, surprised to find that the man on the other side was not holding a bag of Indian food but was his best friend, Keiran Hayes.

Without missing a beat the Russian stepped back, waving his arm to give the older man a silent offer to enter. After Keiran had entered, Robin shut the door behind him and spun lightly on his heels to face his unexpected visitor. He examined his friend for a moment before shaking his head slightly and asking "You want something to drink?"

Robin moved to the sofa and fell into the cushions, unable to quite make out a reason for the older man's appearance. Keiran looked, to put it lightly, a bit out of sorts and Robin couldn't help but hope that he was not the bringer of bad news. But what else could it be? After their last encounter Robin certainly doubted this was a casual visit (kissing wives and punching noses were not things that generally lead to pleasant conversation). He wasn't sure he could take another blow just when things were recovering from the last disaster.

Suddenly, Keiran couldn't believe that had chosen to go to Robin with his issues. The man would not necessarily forgive him his sins, and likely wouldn't get past the irony of it all. For all he knew, Robin still didn't believe Avery when she said she initiated it. Not that Keiran wanted the man to have trouble trusting his wife - not at all. But he needed them to be okay. Otherwise, what he wanted to share would fall on deaf or even uncaring ears.

Robin let Keiran in, though, and even as the younger man sat, the elder couldn't bring himself to follow suit. "No, I don't think that would be wise," he replied slowly, hands stuffed into his pockets. Typically, this action was on accompanied by his choices during teaching or feeling like he wasn't in control of a situation. In changing his stance he felt stronger, but certainly more cut off from his best mate.

Glancing around the room, not much had changed since his last visit, except that there seemed to be more pillows stacked on the couch and several blankets on one end. Robin hadn't been sleeping there, had he? Otherwise why would Avery need so many extra bits and bobs around their sofa? His brow furrowed only briefly before he remembered why he had come. To ask forgiveness and beg for advice. Or, maybe it was begging for the former and asking the latter. Regardless, he let his chin drop, gaze falling to the floor in uncertainty of both himself and the thoughts of the man seated before him.

"Robin, I... I don't know if you've talked with Avery about everything very much, but I truly want to apologize. I should've taken her to Mira's earlier. This one was on me, honest. If I hadn't let her drink, she wouldn't have started anything." Shaking his head, Keiran looked up and attempted to make eye contact with Robin. "Mate, I didn't know. I really didn't. She didn't explain until she was well past tipsy and by thn it was too late to convince her otherwise. It didn't matter how many assurances I gave, because she was too far gone to really listen. And I'm not trying to pass the blame here, but... I think it was shared, and I really hope that you have forgiven Avery. That you can forgive me."

His jaw clenched and he swallowed once before shifting his weight and explaining. "See, it's going to sound really hypocritical and all the rest when I say this, but I need some advice." Keiran hesitated, wishing he had accepted the drink, but kept on. "Um, see... Millie had an affair. For a while apparently, though I didn't find it in me to ask too many questions. I just kind of tried to accept it, y'know, because I'd obviously worked her into it. And, I mean, we sort of made up - in the... Well, basest sense of that phrase - and come morning I thought it would be better. That I'd move past it. But I took her to the house I bought and..."

Keiran's words stopped suddenly, realizing what huge cards he was about to lay out on the table for Robin to see. A sad expression overtook his face, but he forced himself along. "And I had this image in my head of our family. Millie and the kids were in the backyard and... I was stood inside. Distant, not included. The man she couldn't love and the father the twins had never learned to care for. So I blew up at her again. Out of fear, mostly, I guess. But she went off and we both took a breather before she came back and offered to sort of step back and start over.

"So I'm trying. But in my head I just see her with whoever he is -- and I'm certain that he's been in the flat and spent time with the kids. Kelly, she- mate, it took her ages to recognize me that day when Millie and I came back from the house. I don't know what I'm doing there anymore. I'm not sure who I am, now. What I thought I knew is gone, and now I'm just ranting on to you when you could probably care less, really."

Groaning, he sank into an arm chair, head in his hands so he could tug at his hair in frustration. "Hell... This got so wrong so quickly. Robin, I'm... I dunno. It's all been turned on me but Millie, she meant it. Avery didn't. And I just thought... I thought she wanted me, you know? I guess I did some pretty bad things to mess up my life like this, but I'm not even sure what. All I've been able to think about is those kids and how much I'm failing Millie for not being sure her friends are safe. But she clearly didn't have the patience to find out why I was out late or didn't come home for lunch some days. I mean," he added, looking up, "would you stay with Avery if she had really meant it? If she had officially deemed it an affair in her mind, and had chosen someone else over you?"

Marriage had changed Keiran Hayes. Robin could remember the first time he had met the other man, accidentally starting up a half-hearted conversation at a Quidditch party. Over the course of the evening - and the succession of drinks - the conversation had grown increasingly more lively, interrupted only by calls for beer or angry swearing when someone was cruel enough to remind them of the lower points of the game. By the end of the evening Robin had all but forgotten the disastrous calls of the referees.

But who was this man standing before him? Robin wouldn't have imagined the day that Keiran Hayes would stand before him and apologize. Or, more than that, ask him for advice. Advice about relationships. Robin openly stared as the older man spoke, his forehead crumpling further into confusion the longer he listened.

Yes, it was a bit hypocritical and Robin knew that he probably should have been angrier that Keiran was sitting before him with the nerve to vent about his own marital problems when it was his actions that had caused months of pain and uncertainty in Robin's own marriage. He had been given the same apology at least three times now, the only difference being that whoever begged his forgiveness blamed themselves each time. Keiran was practically offering himself up to be attacked now but for reasons unknown to Robin he couldn't bring back the anger he had no immediately felt on Christmas.

Robin wasn't quite sure who he blamed now. It certainly wasn't Avery but the lingering discontent with the situation wasn't directed solely at his best friend either. Was it at himself, for letting her leave in the first place? He was sure it was mostly Avery's letters that helped him now, explaining the history between her and Keiran as well as sufficiently assuring Robin of where her affections lay. But whatever the reasons he found himself strangely at peace with the last two months. Perhaps more than he should have been.

Robin ran his hands through his hair, oblivious to the way it began to spike up at odd angles. He leaned forward, considering the question. It was several long seconds before Robin turned to look at Keiran. This sort of conversation was deeply uncomfortable for the Russian. The friends avoided talking about their 'feelings' with almost a religious dedication, most discussions about women being limited to their physicality. It was like Robin had been practicing for this moment, spending long hours with Avery to probe deep into his brain and she searched for the intimacy that he was so un-programmed to give her.

"Yes." There was another pause and Robin couldn't stop the corners of his mouth raising slightly. "I -" He shook his head, disbelieving that this conversation was actually taking place. "I love her. No matter what happened I don't think I could just let some asshole come in and take her without a fight. I mean, mate, Millie's your wife. It's up to you - you can sit here, complain, and watch her walk away. That's completely fine. Or you can ditch your pride, go home, and remind her - show her - exactly why she should stay."

A pause, a shrug. "Someone needs to show they care first and you can't expect it'll be her."

A frown etched itself on Keiran's face, and the desire to throttle Robin was becoming more real, more tangible the more the younger man spoke. He was pleased for the pair of them, admittedly, that Robin could admit it, now. But that didn't change the fact that Keiran was annoyed with the rest of the words being sent his way. He knew it would be prudent to keep his frustration down, but the words escaped before he could reprimand himself for even thinking them.

"Sorry, have you even been listening to me?" Keiran snapped, leaning forward in his chair. "I said we had tried to work it out. I mentioned the new house I bought. What about that doesn't add up to my trying?" He paused, letting out a huff and staring at the carpet so he wouldn't have to actually see his friend's reaction to his reply. "I don't mean to come off as harsh, mate, but if you really thought I would just walk away...? You must not know me as well as you thought you did.

"I'm not so different, you know," Keiran pointed out. "I'm still as possessive and determined as ever. That's not changed. The only difference is that those traits now cover my relationship with Millie, and my role as father to those kids. I've done a shit job of it, but at least I can admit that."

Shaking his head, Keiran sent a disappointed gaze Robin's way. "It's like you're not yourself at all. And I haven't heard from Avery in a good couple months. What the hell happened between you two?"

Robin watched Keiran's face change and he kept his own purposely blank. His friend was snapping at him angrily and it took every once of Robin's energy to keep his eyebrows from rising as he absorbed the other man's anger. While Keiran was clearly ticked, Robin still wasn't sure he bought his words. Buying a house was all well and good but, regardless of what his friend was saying, Robin really did know his friend as well as he knew himself. Would Keiran Hayes ever be able to open up enough emotionally to really try in a marriage? Robin wasn't so sure.

Instead of responding to his outburst, Robin kept quiet. The pair rarely argued themselves but the Russian had seen his companion go off on several other unfortunate souls over the course of their friendship and Robin was not eager to fuel that fire. He was doing everything he could not to react - to not show the annoyance or frustration that was beginning to grow - when Keiran started to gaze at him in a look that Robin could only describe as disappointed.

Keiran looked a little like his brother in this moment. Disappointed, annoyed, and just a bit condescending as he surveyed the younger man. It was an uncomfortable association and Robin tried to dismiss it the best he could.

Robin frowned at Keiran's last words. For some reason he had almost assumed that Avery would have been keeping in contact with Keiran and Robin began to realize that he really had no idea what had been happening for them. How was it possible that Keiran had missed two of the most difficult months in Robin's life? The wounds of his recent battles were too fresh and Robin wasn't sure if he was ready to go over everything that had happened out loud with the other man. But after Keiran's long confession he felt like he had little choice.

"It hasn't been.. great." Robin shifted uncomfortably. "Things have been rough since Christmas. I f*cked up, we fought, and she sort of shut down on me. And then of course there was the whole New Years thing." As Robin said it he remembered just how little Keiran knew. If Avery wasn't talking to him than there wouldn't have been anyone to tell about the attack. He was one of her best friends and he had no idea that she had almost died. Robin wasn't sure if this realization made him feel guilty or nervous about being the one who might have to break the news. "I just - I almost lost her." In a couple of different ways. "That changes things."

Frankly, being pregnant was not a lot of fun. At least, not for a woman like Avery. Yes, she got to sit down all day now that she had been required to take up a desk job, but that didn't mean she was pleased with everything that was going on in her life. She and Robin weren't working out, after everything that had happened as of late, but she just wanted things to be normal again. Was that too much to ask? She desperately missed lazy mornings on weekends, going out just because, and more than anything...?

Well, she just missed Robin.

He wasn't treating her like he used to, and she couldn't figure out what she had done to scare him off, aside from the obvious. After the accident, he had seemed to want things to work. But without Robin putting in the effort, Avery was afraid of scaring him even more by trying too hard.

Regardless, she was off early that day, and was pleased for it. Her bum was annoyed with having to sit for so long, and she would be around for lunch, so maybe Robin would be at the house, too. Their house. Right. She had to keep reminding herself to call it that. He had assured her that things were equally theirs now, so Avery was determined to do as he asked. It would make it easier, right? If she just accepted it? Them?

She opened the door to their home slowly, thinking that, maybe if she surprised him, their afternoon would get off to a good start. But it didn't work. The first thing she heard was Keiran practically shouting at her husband, apparently about her. Though, honestly she wasn't sure, because she only caught the end of it, and Robin started answering in a far quieter, more uncomfortable tone. Her heart sank, but she was somehow a bit pleased with Robin's words. He may have been hiding the truth about their fight, and their accident, but it was obvious that he cared. He had told her, sure, but it was different to hear him say it aloud to someone like Keiran. Avery may not have known the context, but it half sounded like he was defending them against whatever Keiran believed their relationship was.

Keiran sat up as Avery peered around the corner, finding that Robin was in a chair facing away from her. She was actually fairly glad to note it -- at least he wouldn't feel any real embarrassment for having spoken up. It was something she wasn't sure Robin would be glad that she had overheard. It wasn't like Avery had ever been the sort to listen in on things, besides. Robin knew that.

"Look, mate. I don't know what happened at New Years," Keiran pointed out, voice quieter this time. "And I'm sorry. I am. For whatever it was. I just.. I needed someone to tell me I'd chosen right by sticking with her, you know? After she gave up on me."

Deciding it was probably best to cut in before the two men got any more uncomfortable, Avery started into the room right as Keiran attempted, "I've missed having someone to-"

"Keiran!" She greeted too brightly, making her way over to Robin and passing him a look that clearly said that he needed to act normal. It worked, thankfully, to some extent -- Keiran couldn't see the expression through her curls. Rather than waiting for any sign of response, she lowered herself onto his lap. "Sorry, I don't mean to interrupt bro time, or whatever this is. But I got off early."

Looking over at Keiran, she was vaguely concerned when she saw his shocked look. Was something wrong with her sitting with her husband? "Avery," he began slowly. "I don't want to seem insensitive if I'm wrong, but... you're expecting, then?"

She blinked twice, then let out a quiet laugh, ducking her chin. Looking up at him again, she nodded. "Not insensitive. I am, yeah. Since before Christmas. We found out on New Year's Eve, but things have been strange. I'm sorry I didn't say."

"I get it," Keiran admitted gently, nodding as well. "I don't want to poke at anything, but... something happened? I thought Robin said..."

"He did, probably," Avery cut in, her tone clearly hedging. One hand reached for Robin's as she bit her lip, glancing over at him. How much detail would she have to give? She wasn't sure she could manage all of it. "I was... out with Gavin, and we were heading to meet up with his wife, y'know? But this guy ran past - well, he actually ran into me - but as I turned to look at him, um. Another guy came from, like, nowhere and attacked Gavin, and then, um," Avery attempted to shift her weight, the inner corners of her eyebrows pulling together in frustration. It had been over a month. It shouldn't have been so difficult to get it out, she chided herself silently.

"Y'know, I tried to scare them off. But we were both pretty messed up, so Gavin's wife took us up to St. Mungo's." Avery nearly pointed out that Robin had actually apparated there, but it felt almost like a secret between the two of them, so she instead just added, "Robin came, and while they were checking to make sure nothing had been broken and things like that, the healer noticed. I think Robin knows the gender, but I didn't want to know. Not sure how long he can keep it up, though," she added cheekily, glancing back at Robin again.

"You're okay, though?" Keiran asked belatedly, a slightly confused look going between the two across from him. When Avery nodded, he seemed to settle a bit, his anger diffusing somewhat as the explanation ended. "Good. And, um, congrats. I know stuff is weird right now, but I'm sure you two will be great parents." He gave a firm nod, as if it would convince himself, too, and not just them. Avery didn't really want to question it, though, so she sent a smile in return and squeezed Robin's hand gently.