Tell me, is this just a dream? 'Cause I'm really not fine at all.

Falling easily into step with the elder man, Baldric weaved between the students who were finishing up breakfast and beginning to move up and off to conduct their day ahead – though many looked as though they were going straight back to bed, especially the sixth and seventh years. Some were already clearing off towards the library and so it was into a hallway thrumming with activity that the pair stepped. Baldric fiddled absent-mindedly with his tie as he walked, running his fingers across the soft material that felt fairly expensive. He turned it over just before Keiran began to speak and blanched a little bit – though his mouth curled into a smirk. Did he own any of his own clothes anymore or was all of it Ben’s?

“Oh,” Baldric replied dumbly, colouring. “But you could’ve. Should’ve, really – given everything that happened. So, no. You could’ve. Thank you.” He smiled a little and ducked inside of the office, relishing the warmth in direct contrast to the draughty corridors. As students began to filter through during the day the stone would warm, though. Baldric was half looking forward to just going for a wander and being privy to a few moments of mischief as the first years played a version of capture the flag or as a bickering Gryffindor and Slytherin duelled somewhere else. It would be an interesting day to watch pan out, to say the least.

At Keiran’s words, Baldric’s face lit up, turning from the absent-minded grin his mouth had lifted into, lending credence to the idea that the Gryffindor was well aware of the development in the law, into a smile that was simply full of happiness for the elder of the two. Another wedding. Provided everything went smoothly. Baldric couldn’t see any reason why it wouldn’t. It would be one they called call their own, too. So it was certainly worth keeping the blonde in the dark. He thought of his own lover, fiancé… Baldric bit back his smile, readjusted his features and tried to calm himself down, though he couldn’t help the quickening of his heart.

“I … wow,” he uttered finally. “She’ll love it,” he agreed, taking his hands out of his pockets.

Baldric chuckled and nodded, already imagining the put out look on his friend’s face. She’d not mind after a while. Upon realising she had a day to herself, she’d probably go for a run with the dog or chase the dust bunnies out from underneath the sofa and do some washing. With some music on in the background, the witch would be happy to do the menial tasks that work meant she had to put off. She’d probably even enjoy stripping the bed and putting the covers back on again if it meant she could dance around in her socks and her pyjamas all day. The only issue, Baldric imagined, would be getting her out of the rooms once she was in ‘house-proud’ mode. If anyone was allowed to sit on the sofa and muss up the cushions, it’d be a miracle.

“I’m sure I can rope him in,” Baldric chuckled, wondering whether lunch and some hot chocolate would twist Ben’s arm enough to see him agree to spend the evening with two babies. He didn’t think it would take much. The twins’ routine was such that they could follow it without too many hiccups. That said, knowing their luck, the twins would probably be up all evening, determined not to miss whatever Bendric were doing in case it was interesting. It probably wouldn’t be, unless trying to coax the cats down from on high to eat and trying to find space to lay on each other around the dog counted as intriguing.

“I’m not sure about even,” Baldric added gradually, his lips passing thoughtfully over the words. “But we’re getting there, aren’t we? Are you going to take her out to dinner, then, or something a bit more elaborate? Simple, though, I’ve found, is always the best way to go.”

Keiran shook his head at Baldric's claims that he shouldn't have helped bail Bentley out, given that he could only hope that Millie would have done the same for him if he had done the wrong thing, himself. Wouldn't she? He would have stormed the prison if that was what it took. After all, it was true that the past could hurt. But Keiran had found that he could either run from it, or learn from it. The same was true, it seemed, of Baldric's Ben.

But the topic became focused on Millie, so he decided to let it go for now. He could continue to ignore Baldric's attempts at making up for it at a later time. Keiran had a feeling it would take quite a while, anyway. It was funny, he realized, that between the pair of them, Keiran had become a bit of a father figure for the younger man. And yet they were only eight or nine years apart.

"Brilliant," he replied, nodding. "Perhaps I'll ask Millie to take the twins over, and take a couple things with her. If you can distract her for a time, that should work." But then Keiran hesitated, his expression switching over to one of concern. "You don't think... You don't think Millie will still be angry with Ben, do you? I mean, I've told her she doesn't need to be upset about it, but we haven't really talked about it since, so I don't know for sure."

Keiran let out a little sigh, his shoulders sinking. "If you have reason to be worried about it, I can ask her to go over before Ben gets here. It's up to you."

When Baldric asked about Keiran's plans, he opened his mouth to explain, but then deflated a bit at the last statement the blond made. As Millie undoubtedly knew by now, Keiran was a bit of an odd duck. Especially for a Slytherin. He was perhaps one of the more romantically-inclined snakes, and he had indeed been considering different ideas in his mind.

But, in truth, it had not been very long since he had received the news, so all of his thoughts were fairly unfinished, unpolished. But all of them were pretty expansive, if he were being honest. Wasn't that what someone was supposed to do when they proposed? With Killie, it wouldn't be exactly the same thing, but it was close enough that it felt just as important to him.

"Well, I had a couple ideas, but if Millie wouldn't put up with something... elaborate, as you said, then I may need to rethink." Keiran answered finally, furrowing his brow as he thought it over. "But if it's too much, she would likely think that something was wrong, rather than what it really is: good. You're probably right. Simple will work. I'll just need maybe half an hour," he decided, settling on the first idea that had come to mind when he read the Prophet at breakfast.

"When do you want me to send her over?"