“Oh, thank heavens.” Kyungsoo breathed a sigh of relief as he caught sight of Minseok walking down the stairs, “Sir, I don’t believe these small humans know how to do anything but cry.”

Minseok truly felt bad for leaving Kyungsoo and Jongin with the twins while he met with Jongdae and the others but the situation couldn’t be helped. At least now he had the time to assume the task of watching the children, though the thought of doing so terrified him.

Lillian and Theodore, perched on two wooden chairs, took little note of their father’s arrival, their tears still flowing freely. Minseok approached the twins, and then it occurred to him that he didn’t have the faintest idea of what to do next. He didn’t want to pick them up, no – Lillian had practically taken his head off when he had carried her before.

“Perhaps they are hungry. Did you feed them?” Luhan asked, taking his time walking down the stairs, the sight of the hysterical children inhibiting him from assuming a quicker pace.

Minseok hadn’t thought of that. He looked towards Kyungsoo, who promptly muttered something under his breath before he started to open a cupboard. “What do they eat, sir?”

“They…” Minseok wasn’t exactly sure. What did three year olds eat? “Do we have bread?” Bread sounded like a safe food, soft and tasty.

“Yes, sir.” Kyungsoo went digging for the bread that he had so carefully baked the day prior.

“Lillian, Theodore.” Minseok attempted to get the children’s attentions by calling their names. It didn’t work, the crying continued.

“Are you tired?” Luhan approached the twins, assuming a small smile that he hoped appeared harmless, he squatted down so he was at eye level with them. “Are Lily and Theo tired?”

Minseok would have commented on the nicknames, but he was too busy hoping Luhan had found a surprising ability to deal with children and their tantrums.

Theodore nodded, sniffling. Minseok felt like screaming from the rooftops, praising Luhan like he had won a decisive battle or cured an illness. Luhan reached a hand out, carefully patting Theodore’s head. Lillian watched, her tears beginning to dry.

“You must be scared. Poor things.” Luhan reached his other hand out, assuming the same careful petting motion on Lillian’s head. Minseok felt helpless, perhaps even a bit delinquent in the fact he hadn’t calmed his own children. He decided to try his hand at speaking to the twins. He crouched down next to Luhan, smiling.

“Kyungsoo is going to get you bread. Do you like bread?” Minseok asked, finding it hard to hold back from offering his own measure of comfort by the child’s cheek. He didn’t want to frighten them. Lilian nodded.

“Ah, yes, you don’t know who Kyungsoo is.” Minseok realized he hadn’t really introduced the twins to his valet, nor to Jongin. “Kyungsoo is Dadd-”. Minseok stopped himself suddenly, hesitant to call himself their father. No, he couldn’t, not yet. Luhan sensed his worry and continued, “Kyungsoo is the man with big eyes. He helps us by taking care of the house. Doesn’t he look like an owl?”

Jongin tensed, looking from Kyungsoo to Luhan and back to Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo was holding a knife, slicing pieces of bread for the children. Jongin was suddenly afraid for Luhan’s safety so he butted in, “I am Jongin! I help Kyungsoo. It is nice to meet you.”

The children looked at Jongin for a moment before turning to Kyungsoo.

“Owl!” Lillian laughed, pointing at the valet.

“Young miss, if you want bread I suggest you reconsider who you call an owl.” Kyungsoo glared.

“He is a bit of a sourpuss, isn’t he?” Luhan whispered to Lillian, the girl giggling and nodding at Luhan’s words.

Kyungsoo finished cutting the bread, pushing it towards the children he announced “I need to dust, sir.” It was clear the valet was not happy about being likened to a bird. He walked to the stairs. When Jongin didn’t follow he burst out, “Jongin needs to dust too. Jongin!”

“Coming.” Jongin offered up another smile for the children before scurrying off after his fellow valet.

Minseok picked up one of the small pieces of bread, offering it to Theodore then doing the same with the other piece, giving it to Lillian. The children seemed happy with the offering, each taking a big bite.

“Just like I was as a child.” Minseok mused, recalling how his Father for his voracious appetite.

“We need to get a room ready.” Luhan commented, “Though I dare say Kyungsoo is going to push me down the stairs if I ask him to do so.”

“Yes, he probably will.” Minseok grinned as the children continued stuffing their mouths with the bread. “Should we put them to sleep in our room?”

“Our room?” Luhan considered it. He felt a bit odd about having the children sleep on their bed, where, well…

“I don’t see another option, Luhan.” Minseok sounded slightly annoyed at Luhan’s reluctance, and the use of Luhan’s first name – which at times made Luhan turn into a lovesick fool – now sounded more like an insult.

“As you see fit, Minseok.” Luhan answered blandly, not bothering to argue.

***

Minseok didn’t want to leave the children alone, even when they slept. Getting them to sleep had not been easy, they had fussed and started crying again when Minseok and Luhan carried them up the stairs to put them to bed.

“Minseok, we really need to consider a nan-“Luhan didn’t get to finish his sentence, Minseok springing up to get closer to the sleeping children, his actions startling Luhan.

“Oh!” Minseok breathed a sigh of relief. “I thought Theo had stopped breathing.”

Luhan realized his husband was experiencing a rush of emotions at once, a rush of emotions that parents often had a long time to prepare for. Or, more likely than not for those in their social class, worries that a nanny assumed, not the parents.

It wasn’t that Luhan wanted them to assume the “normal” parenting routine of the upper class. No, that was not something that he wanted at all. Seeing the children for an hour, or even less, during the day – always at a prearranged time – assured only that the parents and their children would never be truly close. However Luhan did want someone with actual child rearing experience caring for the children, and that was why he desperately wanted to summon Lisbeth to their house.

Luhan watched as Minseok carefully climbed into bed, lying down a few feet away from the sleeping children, his eyes never leaving them. It was quite the sight. Luhan could see the resemblance, so very evident in the children’s eye shape, their small mouths and chubby cheeks. It was like looking at the childhood version of his husband, and to be honest that made Luhan’s heart beat rather erratically. It was a feeling of something...loving, sentimental, and thankful.

Luhan kept watch, not daring to approach the bed and intrude on the three of them. He watched as Minseok’s eyes grew heavy, his eyelids drooping. Within a few minutes Minseok was snoring softly, asleep next to his children. Luhan wished he could capture the moment, the peace and beauty of it. Taking one last look at the sleeping trio he carefully crept from the room. He needed to ask Jongin to help him prepare a space for the twins, he didn’t dare talk to Kyungsoo yet, not after is owl comment.

***

Minseok was dreaming the most wonderful dream. He was on his favorite horse, galloping around the countryside of the D’Adderleigh estate, the wind in his hair, a feeling of freedom. And then something smacked him in the face. His dream world slowed down – another smack. Opening his eyes he was greeted with a pair of tiny hands, tugging at his nose. It took him a moment to realize where he was and what was going on.

“You can’t pull my nose off, you naughty girl.” Minseok laughed as Lillian, realizing he was awake, scurried away from him. Minseok sat up, smiling. Theodore awoke a moment later.

“Mama.” He called out.

Minseok froze. Did they know? How exactly long had it been since they had seen their mother?

“Mama.” Lillian mimed her brother’s call, and without fail the fact that their mother was nowhere in sight had the pair breaking out into sobs, their calls for their mother intensifying in volume.

Minseok felt like crying too. What could he possibly do? He had no idea, how to tell them, how to calm them. “Mama is…she is…” He couldn’t finish his words because he couldn’t fathom how to.

The bedroom door creaked open, Kyungsoo appearing. Minseok was surprised to see him, given how little he seemed to like the children. Little did he realized Kyungsoo had, a few hours prior, received a rather stern lecture from Jongin (“At least try to like them, they aren’t going anywhere. Wouldn’t it be best if they like you in turn?”).

“Do the young master and mistress want to play with the owl?” Kyungsoo smiled, opening his eyes wider at the children. The valet’s actions seemed to do the trick, the children staring at him. Kyungsoo approached hesitantly, flapping his wings a bit, internally screaming at how far he had fallen from the proper behavior of a valet.

Minseok mouthed the words “Thank you” to his valet, truly grateful that the tense situation seemed to be diffused, at least for the moment. Of course he would have to tell them what happened to their mother…eventually - he just hoped he found out how.

***

“They certainly go to the bathroom a lot.” Luhan sighed, not understanding how such small humans could produce so much waste, their fifth time with a chamber pot having ended only a few minutes before.

“Hm.” Minseok grunted. He was walking behind the twins as they explored the large sitting room, grabbing at every object they really should not be allowed to touch.

“Jongin should have the room ready soon, I asked him to make sure everything breakable was out of arms reach.” Luhan explained. He managed to get between Lily and a vase, just in time, as she almost fell into the wood column the vase was resting on.

“Up!” Theodore yelled, pointing at the drapes. Minseok reached down, picking the boy up. This small request by his son did wonders for him, the first time one of the children had asked to be held by him.

“Aren’t these pretty? Your grandm – Um, The Earl of Easton’s mot – The Duchess of Hayden picked out this pattern.” Minseok explained, stopping himself before he said the words mother or grandmother. The child reached out, feeling the fabric. Theo ran his hand over the drape and then, without warning, took a fistful of the fabric and pulled. The drapes came loose, falling to the ground as Minseok stepped away so he could avoid being covered by them.

“Perhaps showing them the house was not a good idea.” Luhan muttered, attempting to herd Lily away from the bookshelf.

“They need to know where they live.” Minseok snapped, walking towards the middle of the room, Theo still in his arms.

“Sirs, the room is ready.” Jongin poked his head into the sitting room, offering a wide smile for the children.

“Thank you, Jongin. Thank you a million times over.” Luhan struggled to pick up Lilly, ecstatic that there was now a child safe room in the home.

***

A child safe room only went so far. The twins were fussy, not wanting to lie down to sleep, throwing their food, and causing a mess. Kyungsoo, playing the friendly owl, made another appearance though meeting with only moderate success. Luhan launched into a story, which also worked for only a short period of time. Finally, as the sun set, they drifted off to sleep- or more like cried themselves to sleep.

Luhan and Minseok, both uncharacteristically exhausted, found themselves eating the dinner Kyungsoo prepared without conversation. After dinner, Luhan was going to suggest they discuss the nanny subject in more detail though one look at Minseok and his drooping eyelids had Luhan dismissing the idea.

“Go to bed.” Luhan urged.

“Will you listen for the children? In case they wake?” Minseok asked, not about to forget his children.

“Yes, I will. Kyungsoo and Jongin are here too.” Luhan shooed Minseok out of the dining room and towards the stairs.

“When will you be up to bed?” Minseok asked. If he wasn’t so tired he would realize that this was the first night since their wedding that he was going to bed alone.

“In a little while. And don’t worry, I shall make sure one of the men are ready to listen out for the children before I retire.” Luhan assured his husband, watching as he slogged up the stairs towards a few precious hours of sleep. Once Minseok was out of sight Luhan went to find Jongin. He located the valet in the kitchen, helping Kyungsoo organize the week’s menu.

“Can I help you, sir?” Jongin asked as his employer walked into the room.

“Yes. You can. Listen, I need you to visit my parent’s house and ask for Lisbeth to come over first thing tomorrow morning. Though please do so without letting my parents know. They aren’t aware of the children yet and I would like to tell them in person.”

“Does Minseok know of this request, sir?” Kyungsoo asked, suspicious.

“No, and I would very much appreciate if you didn’t tell him. He is too tired and emotional to think clearly at the moment.” Luhan explained, hoping the valet would accommodate his request. He wasn’t always on the best of terms with Kyungsoo therefore it was a gamble asking him for a favor.

“Emotional and not thinking clearly?”

Luhan spun around, missing the fact that Jongin and Kyungsoo both jumped a bit in shock as Minseok stood at the bottom of the stairs, glaring.

“Minseok.” Luhan was caught.

“Luhan, perhaps in the morning we can discuss at what exact moment you decided you could make the decisions for MY children.” Minseok spat, a pained expression on his face.

Luhan watched Minseok stomp up the stairs, his chest tight. The way Minseok had emphasized MY children – it was an ugly, vicious feeling, Luhan thought. It was meant to exclude Luhan from the picture, assert a sense of ownership, a sense of ownership and responsibility that was not to include Luhan.

“Is Lisbeth a nanny, sir?” Kyungsoo asked quietly.

Luhan choked back his tears and turned to Kyungsoo. “Yes, she is.”

“Jongin, you better send for her and quickly. I agree with Luhan, Minseok is not well.” Kyungsoo stared at the stairs, as if he could conjured the image of an angry Minseok stomping up them. “Children make people go insane, apparently.”

The three men stood there, all agreeing with the statement without needing to utter a word.

Later that night Luhan took a chance, opening the door to the bedroom he shared with Minseok. He glanced inside. Minseok wasn’t there. Luhan guessed he had went to sleep by the children. Closing the door softly Luhan went back downstairs to sleep on the couch in the sitting room.

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a/n- Oh, the joys of parenthood! I will likely have the next chapter up tonight so I am not going to leave a long comment here ^^