easy as toast (james)

Atticus had hovered around James and the new baby whenever he was around, so this was the first time he'd spend any length of time with the boy. It was a relief that James's mum would still be around, though. She'd raised three children and came from a large, extended family: it was probably like preparing toast for her.

The night before, Atticus had all kinds of anxieties. He had dreams of a squalling infant being left alone with him, then Alayna came over and demanded the twins be put in his care for the day as well. It slowly turned into a nightmare where there were disappearing babies, his Father mercilessly bullying him for it, and eventually, a flash of wandlight where he woke bolt upright.

Urgh.

He knocked lightly on the front door of the Potter's house. The family wasn't familiar enough with him yet that he could floo in: he just hoped he wasn't putting them out by having to come to the door.

@James Potter

Hearing a knock at the door, James called out, "Aye, I'm coming!"

For the past few minutes, James had been trying to get his son, nearing 4 months of age, to finally let go of his hair for just a few minutes. He had gotten it trimmed recently so the pulling wouldn't be as painful and stressful on his scalp, but it still didn't stop the sprog from staying as close to his father as possible.

"Muuuuuuum!"

Walking the child to his playpen, he waited for his mother to come watch him before answering the door. Sure, Alcathous was too young to really go anywhere, but he didn't want to risk some kind of accidental magic making an appearance with nobody keeping an eye on him.

@Ginny Potter @Atticus Nott

"Comiiiiiiiiiing~!" she sang back to him, after finishing up in the kitchen.

Still wearing an old pinny and rushing into the nursery, Ginny passed her son with an affectionate touch of his shoulder before cooing down to her grandson. He really was a delight: at this age he was beginning to communicate, so it was nice to hear baby babble again while she was getting things done.

"Oh I know, I know - Daddy's going to bring Atticus in! You remember Atticus, don't you?" she cooed, letting him take a grip of her hand while he squirmed around on the rug.

@James Potter

"Thanks, mum!"

Now that his mum was there to keep an eye on the sprog, James ran down to the front door and quickly opened it, jumping onto Atticus for a hug.

"Mmm, aye, Atti! The sprog's awake right now, so he's prolly gonna try grabbing your hair when he sees ya!"

Getting off of him, James moved to the side of the door so Atticus could get in.

@Atticus Nott

When the door sprung open and so did a set of limbs in his direction, Atticus held out his arms to embrace him closely. His scent - although slightly tainted with whatever potion was in those nappies - warmed through his nostrils and unfurled inside his lungs. It soothed him. So much so, that he didn't particularly want to let go yet. It must have been a bit of a struggle to get out of his grasp, but James had achieved it.

Rightly so, he wasn't here for that.

"Will he?" he laughed, stepping into the house and side glancing at him. There was definitely some soreness in his scalp. "Whoa!" He immediately stopped to part his hair, and run his finger across the inflamed skin. "Does he really pull that hard?!" Shit!

@James Potter

James really wanted Atticus to always be around, even though that'd definitely involve getting some sort of flat or small cottage. It was a good thing his own father was working a decent amount, but he didn't want his son to be exposed to their arguments. Why wouldn't he want to protect his own blood from an emotionally hostile situation?

"Er, yeah, he does! I dunno how he does it. I know Macmillan's bloody strong, yeah? But I dunno if his grip would be as hard as the sprog's. Little dude's so bloody small, yet he has more strength than I do in one pinky finger!"

He began heading back to the nursery, only to turn around and head to the kitchen. "Er, are ya hungry? It's sorta hard to eat when ya got a lil' one always trying to get yer attention. I'm sorta looking forward to him teething 'cause he might pull on my hair less. I dunno how my mum put up with it when I was his age! Merlin, Evelyn's scalp must bloody bleed when she has him!"

@Atticus Nott

Well... there was definitely no screaming infant in the vicinity. That likely meant he was asleep, or Mrs Potter was keeping him preoccupied. Feeling the tension in his shoulders loosen, he followed James through the house. Oh - shit - this was the way to the nursery! He was sure of it!

Then he turned from the staircase unexpectedly, and went to the kitchen. Trying to keep his sigh of relief inaudible, he followed James gladly.

"James..."

Reaching for him, he wrapped his arms around him from behind, embracing him closely again.

"You should be looking after yourself," he told him gently, in his right ear. "Or at least let me take care of you..." His hands moved from his waist to his ribs, then over his middle, then to his hips. "You've lost weight." His index finger slid part way underneath his waistband. "I can't have that."

@James Potter

Melting in his arms, James looked towards Atticus with a small smile. "Y'know, I've missed ya taking care of me..." Which was exactly one of the reasons why they needed to live together! It'd be a net-positive for the both of them. One, Atticus gets out of his family's house. Two, he'd get away from his own father. Three, they'd have more space being just them and the sprog when it's his turn. Four, why not?

"I never have any bloody time for myself anymore, it gets hard." And once Evelyn returns to Hogwarts, he'd have custody of the sprog full-time until the holidays. It was going to be a tough, but worth it few months seeing his own kid growing up just like that. "Haven't been showering as much as I'd like to 'cause the sprog will prolly wake from his nap the moment I step in. Or he'd be hungry. Or he'd be a nappy change. He's bloody lucky he's adorable and well-behaved!" Chuckling, James stroked Atticus' jaw with his thumb.

@Atticus Nott

They were thinking along the same lines, but Atticus was far too shy to say anything about it. He had very little money now: after revisiting his vault when Hogwarts ended, there was barely a glimpse of gold left. The Goblins were under strict instruction not to transfer any gold from Daphne or Theodore's vault into his or Alayna's. His Mother could only withdraw a certain amount at a time freely, or had to show receipts for any transactions over a certain amount.

The chains of his Father's wrath were binding them, even as he sat in Azakaban.

The Goblins couldn't do anything. The Ministry only controlled them to a certain extent, and they were only interested in the gold: they didn't have sympathy for human affairs in the slightest.

But to just come out and say "we should live together" was just like saying "give me a house for free".

The adult world was... complicated.

Atticus felt his hand on his face, and smiled languidly at him.

"I know, I just wish there was more I could do to help you..." He didn't 'know'. Not really. He had no idea, actually. Still, brightly as always, he kissed James gently on the lips, then parted from him with slightly forced enthusiasm. "I know my way around here by now! I'll make you something. What are you craving?" He started opening cupboards, feeling the sting of his confliction still.

@James Potter

"Just being 'round helps me a ton, y'know? Gives me a lil break from the sprog while his grandmum spoils him, er, ya being 'round helps me feel more relaxed. I always end up missing ya whenever ya have to leave. It's bloody sappy of me!"

His cheeks reddened as he began to lean against one of the counters, trying to think of what he wanted to eat. Just thinking of food was causing his stomach to rumble loudly. How long has it been since he had breakfast? "Hmm, can ya make anything with chicken? Thinking I need some meat...."

@Atticus Nott

"You're so cute, James..." he breathed fondly, swelling with compassion for him. They would be gloriously impractical living together, he thought: nothing would ever get done in the right way, as Atticus would be besotted with him whenever he blushed like that.

Hearing just how hungry he was, Atticus chuckled and then contemplated the option of chicken.

"How about southern fried? I took home some seasoning from the restaurant - hang on..."

Pop

He apparated, and then.

Pop

"Oh yeah, I need..."

Pop

Back again, before he realised he needed something else. Several times he apparated in and out of the kitchen to various places, before everything was assembled. Atticus grinned at him. "This won't take long - I promise. Just get over here and give me a good kiss first." He tried to look very innocent while he tied on an apron.

@James Potter

Biting his lip, James chuckled; he always felt so radiant when Atticus complimented him or lost track of whatever he was doing just by being in the same room. It was so adorable seeing how quickly the look on his face changed when he entered the room...

"Aye, Southern fried would fill me right up!"

That was one of his major cravings since they left America after that weekend trip; he was going to see if Atticus would be able to take any time off soon when the sprog was in Evelyn's custody. It'd be nice to go to the other side of the pond for a bit...

Walking over to Atticus with a huge grin on his face, James pulled him in for a teasingly-short kiss. "C'mon, chef, you gotta get onto making it!"

@Atticus Nott

Anticipating more than just a light kiss, Atticus's eyes were still closed and his lips parted for a few seconds after it ended. He wouldn't let him get away with that. Hooking him around the waist with his forearm, he tugged him in until their lips smacked again, and he didn't relent until he was satisfied. Grazing his bottom lip with his teeth, he parted from him only when he got a clench of his rump.

There. That was satisfactory.

"I'm head chef of this kitchen now. Whatever I say has to happen in a timely manner."

Smirking at him, he turned and went about coating the chicken.

"How long do you think it will be until Alcathous can eat solids? At least then I'll start to feel helpful."

@James Potter

"Mmm, Atti..." Merlin, they couldn't help it in the slightest bit. How Atticus always managed to pull him right in and be so damn dominant and assertive and-

Imagine Fred's magazines. Imagine Fred's magazines. James didn't want to place his bets on whether they'd be able to get away with a quickie.

"Whatever ya say, cook." Peering over his shoulders, he nuzzled into the crook of Atticus' neck, licking his lips as he watched the chicken being prepared. Ugh, it just made the rumbling in his stomach grow angrier. "Er, in 'bout two months I think? 'Cause he's 'bout to turn four months, and the book said he'd be good 'round six months."

@Atticus Nott

The chicken was getting cooked in the fryer, and Atticus was keeping watch over it. Although his eye never left the pan, he still managed to reach around to James and give him a squeeze around the fleshy part of his hip. One of his favourite parts.

"I bet that damn book was Lien's doing," he muttered, chuckling lightly, "Seems like something he would do: try and find a way of systematically going through childcare like a manual. I'd just listen to your Mother. And your Grandmother! They've raised small army of children between them."

The smells filling the room were starting to be very pleasant.

@James Potter

"Ya can just keep doin' that, y'know?"

Which wouldn't help his dilemma of keeping it together while waiting to eat. It had been quite a while since they've last played...

Agh, the struggles of fatherhood!

Chuckling, James replied, "Er, yeah, I could." Sniffing Atticus' hair, he moved up one of his hands and started to give him a head massage. "I dunno 'bout asking grandmum for, er, advice. She gets on mum lots for, er, not doing things her way, y'know?"

Grandmum Molly had always been a rather stubborn character when it came to some things...

@Atticus Nott