So... don't call you Mummy and Papa Arryn? No? Okay, fair.

What had Dom been up to?

After she and Declan had finally found an agreement upon their situation, they had settled comfortably into their new undefined relationship. Even so, they had never been more couple-y. Dom was pretty much a staple in the Leaky, even unofficially helping out behind the bar or when a waiter called in sick – mostly to help through the rushes so she could continue to annoy Declan while he bartended. She also had taken to spending nights at his place, even finally leaving a toothbrush and other toiletries in his bathroom.

Of course, Declan didn’t mind. Or, if he did, he didn’t say anything. But she gave him his space when she felt the need, she continued to go out with her friends, and she had even introduced him to Rose.

Things were going well.

She had followed up on Declan’s ideas for her careers, only after biting her nails and lamenting her inevitable failure to Rose for an entire weekend. Rose surprised her by forcing an introduction with a friend of hers from the Prophet, and the dream seemed to end as quickly as it had begun – she had no experience in either journalism, critiquing, hospitality, events, or food. Rose’s friend, however, suggested she either take hotel management courses or enroll in culinary school, and as the woman had a pamphlet for the latter, it was culinary school that Dom had settled on after another three days of nail-biting and dramatic flailing. It was an accelerated program with night classes, and the cost was low. She had to jump on it.

Declan had work, so she had to prepare for her first day on her own, with only Rose to keep her calm. She was ridiculously excited, having invested in a knife set, a chef’s jacket, and one of those poofy hats the chefs wore. With an excited thumbs up, Dom apparated off to her fate.

And a few hours later, she limped home in defeat.

Her jacket was covered in tomato juice, despite the day simply being knife skills. She had the wrong set of knives, no one else was wearing the poofy hat, and she had learned the hard way why nonslip shoes were a necessity.

She had not mentioned to Declan coming over, though she had promised to send him a note, vis a vis how her first night had gone. However, she felt the absolute need to see him, and so she apparated off to his place and slipped inside, used to coming in with no other warning than her voice.

“Dec?” she called. She could hear clanging coming out of the kitchen and, hoping he had dinner and beer that she could partake in, she wandered that way, her voice tremulous with the emotion of the day. “It was horrible, Dec! I fell, I spilled all over me – they called my knives toys! Even though I spent good money – that salesman, Dec, ripped me off- Oh! Also, I wore my favorite pants for good luck and these women laughed at me when they thought I wasn’t looking, those bitches-“

"Dom!" He gasped out by way of interrupting her, stepping forward and reaching a hand to her cheek, hoping it would quiet her. He was a little too late, though, because her insult was lingering in the air, and he could practically feel his parents' curious and affronted gazes turned towards the door that separated his room - the place they would be staying for the next two days - and the living room area attached to his kitchen. Thank Merlin the door was closed.

They had shown up around noon, and as he had only been expecting an owl, and as he had not yet mentioned anything to his parents because he had nothing concrete to tell them other than 'I really like her,' Declan hadn't expected them to meet. Sure, he had met her family, but only sort of. And not as something serious. So he didn't think she would be angry with him for postponing their meeting.

After a little trip down to the Leaky - by car, of course, as his parents despised the feeling of apparition - to show then what was what and how well he was getting on in London. They were worried, of course. They had no reason not to be, after their son had gone through such heartbreak. He had his friend Henry, Neil and Sadie knew, but what was that compared to family or a love he might have been pining over?

After returning, his ma had been hoping for a nap, affected by the flight despite how short it had been. Travel had never agreed with her, unfortunately, so Declan and his father had talked for a while before Neil decided to shower while Dec started making dinner. He would probably end up getting corrected about something come meal time, as his father sometimes just couldn't resist. But that was alright. With a journalist for a mother and a famous chef at a world-renowned hotel in Dublin for a father, it was almost impossible to avoid those things. And he actually found it rather endearing now, when it used to drive him mad.

So when Dom came in, practically crying at him, Declan let his spatula clatter into the pan he'd just taken off of the hob, thanking Merlin that he'd already shut off the flame.

"I'm sorry, love," he said gently, his voice quiet in hopes of keeping his mum from waking or his father from looking in. "I really am. It'll get better, I promise. Just show them that you can learn quickly, yeah?"

Declan lifted his other hand to her cheek as well, leaning in and giving her a brief kiss, instinctively.

Pulling back, he glanced towards the waiting supper, half-made though it was. "I really don't want to have to ask this of you, Dom, but I've got to. Can we talk about this in a couple of days? You can write me if you need to, but I've got plans and I need to make dinner for my-"

The door opened, and not one, but both of them stepped out.

"-...parents."

In her emotional state, she had not registered the panicked warning signs that were being put out by her partner, until he interrupted her and stopped her mouth with a gentle gesture. She pouted into his hand, resting her cheek against it, assuming he was stopping her before she got too worked up over it.

He apologized, quickly following up with some very-Declan advice. She shifted her weight onto her hip and brought her arms up, folding them protectively over her chest. "But, I don't-"

He cut her off with a kiss, and she returned it, conceding with the smallest, most pathetic of smiles.

He began to speak and she tiled her head in confusion. Had he... no, she was pretty sure he had never turned her away once she was there. Why, all of a sudden, could she not be there? She didn't think he would mind her sticking around if it were just Henry and... besides herself, who else visited him at home.

The word and the noise of the door didn't make sense to her. She turned, and the sight of two older strangers didn't make sense either. She looked at Declan, confusion deepening gravity's pull on her face.

And then it all made sense. And she decided she would have preferred confusion.

The realization dawned very obviously on her face, her features stretching with understanding, followed by a swift blush as she comprehended just what sort of impression she had just made.

"Oh, I- I'm so sorry, I- sorry. I didn't realize, I just stopped by without calling ahead, stupidly, I... um..."

Help.

Declan's mother let her gaze scan the blonde in front of her, and he could tell that she was trying to keep her eyebrows from lifting. If Dom had known, she wouldn't have come to his house dressed that way. He was completely certain of that. But she hadn't, and now she was being judged unfairly.

And Declan wasn't one to stand by something like that, now was he?

"Ma," he began firmly, fixing her with a steady, almost disappointed gaze. "Papa, this is Dom. I hadn't told her you were coming by and she wanted to talk about her first day learning to cook.

"Tabhair faoi a bheith deas."

Please be nice.

His father, the more relaxed of the pair of them, looked pretty amused. Probably by the tomato stains that nearly matched Dom's face. He stepped forward, leaving Sadie in the doorway, and glanced at Declan with an expression his son thought was meant to be reassuring.

"Dom," Neil greeted, introducing himself with an outstretched hand. "You're taking up cooking? I do hope that Dec had something to do with that. He got it from me, you know."

Declan rolled his eyes, turning back to the pan he was supposed to be keeping watch over.

"Is she-?" His mother began as she walked over, glancing between the two of them.

"A witch?" Declan asked automatically, not wanting her to have the chance to finish the question she was actually asking. "Yes. Though she did forget that we have cleaning spells." Looking over his shoulder, he grinned at Dom teasingly.

Changing his mind, though, and hoping for a moment to explain, he gestured for his father to take over dinner. "Don't worry about it, Dom. You look fine. Did you want to talk for a bit? Or were you heading home?"

"Don't be ridiculous, boy," Neil cut in, frowning at his son. "You're already making dinner and she's already here. She should stay."

Declan focused his gaze on Dom, silently questioning what she wanted to do. He had thought he was giving her a smooth, valid exit without being rude about it. She had clearly been frightened by the situation, but it wasn't up to him anymore.

"If she wants to, of course," he agreed cautiously.

Dom had spent enough of her short life being disapproved of to know that the beginnings of such sentiment were beginning to be directed towards her, and it was by a woman that shared some of Declan’s features, a bit of his eyebrows, some of his nose… She couldn’t even begin to read his father, which was somehow more comforting, and everything in her wished she could wiggle her fingers, proclaim she was a ghost, and disapparate away from this embarrassment.

Actually, they were muggles. That could work.

Before she had even lifted her arms halfway, Declan was speaking. He addressed his parents with such a steering tone of voice that she knew her fears of being judged were valid, and she felt her heart sink and then flail, like a bird pushed from the nest, crying ‘why’ to the unjust world. And he was speaking Irish to them! It must have been really bad. Ugh, she wanted to tear these clothes off- no, that probably would not help.

It was Neil Arryn who broke the tension, confirming her suspicion that he was the one she felt more comfortable with. She self-consciously wiped her hands on her pants, as though there were still some sauce present, before taking his hand, shaking it vigorously as she tried to maintain eye contact and look less like a beaten pup. His comment about Declan made her brighten, and she jumped on the opportunity to talk him up to his parents and make herself seem a little more put together. “Yes, actually, it was Dec-“

But Mama Arryn was speaking, and Dom clamped her mouth shut, trying to pretend like she had never said a word before, ever, in her whole life. She could see the hesitation in Declan’s mother about magic, and before she could stop herself, she was saying, “Oh, but I’m like the worst witch ever. I can’t do any magic, I’m useless-“

Which was a great thing to say to two muggles.

Her face immediately turned red, and the word “shit” slipped out of her lips in a murmur as she dropped her head in complete and utter dejection. Cut, scene, that was a wrap. Well, Declan, we had a nice run…
Declan tried to give her an out, but it seemed Daddy Arryn wanted to continue investigating. Dom looked between Declan and his parents, the latter of which still scared the shit out of her. But she figured the worst thing she could do was leave on this note. She nodded and then tried a smile. “Sure, if you don’t mind the company. I’ll just, I’ll go clean up a bit.”

And then she did her best not to run to the bathroom.

Declan's brow furrowed, and his eyes widened in a way that quite plainly asked 'What the hell are you doing?'

Even though it wasn't Dom's fault, he couldn't help it. She was going on about magic and then outright cursed when she didn't end up making any sense, and he could practically see his mother's shocked reaction despite the fact that she was behind him and he couldn't have brought himself to look at her even if he wanted to. He couldn't tear his eyes away from Dom, who was flummoxing and probably would have been flapping around if his parents hadn't been watching her.

To be fair, Neil was trying not to laugh as he turned back to the meal, even as Declan froze and tried to decide how best to proceed. He wanted to follow her, but he also knew that his mother would have something to say. Or worse, to ask.

So he turned around slowly on his heel, just sort of looking at them and waiting. Finally, and predictably, Sadie spoke.

"Is she ill?"

Much more surprisingly, Declan laughed. "You know, she might be after dealing with us."

Neil let out a laugh in response, and although Sadie only looked between the two of them, clearly lost, they must have been loud enough for Dom to hear. Which was also concerning in itself, once Declan thought about it. So he let his amusement dwindle down until he was just shaking his head.

"Look, I should've said something, but I actually really care about her. Don't scare her off," he requested, his smile fading into seriousness. Neither said anything, probably shocked by the fact that Declan was being so upfront about it and the fact that he was taking an interest in anyone after what happened. So he just nodded once before striding through the bedroom and up to the bathroom door.

"Dom, love? Do you need to borrow a shirt? I don't care if you transfigure one, but you're welcome to just grab one of mine if you want to." Declan offered, tapping his knuckles against the door lightly once he reached it. "Let me in, Dom. I told them. They know now and it's fine. They'll be nice, I promise."

The bathroom door closed behind her and she slumped against it, her hands coming up to press against her eyes. This might have been the worst day she had ever had. It was inevitable that she would embarrass herself in front of someone Declan cared about, but on top of a humiliating first day in a field she really wanted to do well in... it was too much. It was too much failure when she needed comfort, it was too much embarrassment when she needed confidence.

Her hands slid off of her face and landed heavily at her sides, and she looked around the bathroom that had become relatively familiar to her. In fact, from here, she could see a toothbrush she had left on the counter a few nights prior, and the fragrant bathroom spray she had purchased just to give a sense of her even when she wasn't there. It was this that made her recognize how grossly domestic and cute she had become.

She didn't actually mind.

She tore off the chef's jacket, leaving her in a black v-neck and her pink jeans. She spread the chef jacket on the counter, taking a look at the tomato stain, and slowly sank her head into the material with a groan.

There was a knock at the door and she listened to Declan's words, her eyes squeezing shut. I don't deserve him. The refrain that had become such a resident thought that it didn't even jar her, simply  caused defeat to sag her shoulders a bit.

The door unlocked and Dom stumbled into Declan, pushing her forehead against his chest. She mumbled into his chest, "I hate myself. That was so embarrassing. Why am I the worst?"

The door opened, thankfully, but when Dom emerged, Declan's expression flicked from concerned to surprised in an instant. Eyebrows lifted, he looked down at her as she collided with him, his arms curling around her automatically. Her words weren't really surprising, at least not to him.

"It was pretty charming, actually," he told her with a quiet laugh. But he didn't know if that would be enough to assuage her fears. "You aren't the worst. I should've told you they were coming. I just... thought you'd be busy or tired or something. I don't know."

His eyes drifted past her shoulder, landing on her toiletries. Surprised that he hadn't moved them before, he figured that his parents must have assumed they were just his things. In cleaning the flat, he'd moved his own but must have just left hers without thinking. It hadn't felt right to change the way she had left them.

"It's my fault," he decided firmly, leaving no room for argument. He leaned back, tilting his head to try and meet her gaze. "Okay?"

He lifted her chin with his fingers, passing his thumb over her lower lip. "I told them not to frighten you away," Declan informed her, smiling in a strangely content way, given the circumstances. "Ma is intense, I'll admit. But she'll cool off."

His hand drifted to her hair, smoothing down a stray bit of frizz. "Want to go back out?"

Declan was a good hugger, something she had not told him yet for fear of the hugs changing, even in the slightest. Every time she stepped into his arms, she felt the full weight of how much he cared, how much he wanted to be there for her. He might have hit his stride in pretending like he did not crave more from their relationship, but he was very telling in these embraces, and her acceptance of them spoke just as loudly, if he would listen. Her arms hung at her sides in dejection, but as she sighed against him, she let them swing around him loosely, just enjoying resting against him.

He tried to blame himself and she rolled her eyes as his tilted away to catch her gaze. She tried to give him a look of agreement, but her face fell as she remembered it all over again. "I called my classmates bitches..." And with another groan, her forehead met his chest.

But he pulled her chin up and she felt that fun squirmy feeling in her chest, which spread elsewhere after his firm words. She wondered if Dec knew how masculine he could be, how commandeering. Her eyes danced as she nodded in agreement, every word of his promising to protect her.

She nodded at his words and smiled a bit dreamily, leaning up to press a kiss on his lips. Embarrassment had to turn to misery had turn to comfort had turn to desperation for him and she found herself deepening the kiss, the sudden desire to throw him on the floor and take him there growing strong before she pulled away, her hands on his shoulders, looking just as confused at herself as he probably was.

"What am I doing?" she asked, not despairingly, but as though she genuinely did not know. "I can't make out with you, your parents are here." She slapped a hand to the side of her face, looking comically helpless. "I'm a train wreck."

Declan let out a laugh that was essentially a literal representation of "Hah!". Yes, she had said some phenomenally silly things over the course of that minute or two, but he couldn't blame her. "They probably are," he conceded good-naturedly. "Especially the blokes, I'm sure."

It was a very good thing, Declan decided somewhere along the way, that she had not wanted or needed to borrow one of the shirts. While some probably didn't feel the same way he did, he could admit to himself that the image of Dom in anything of his brought back exceptionally positive memories (apart from that one morning, of course) and thoughts in a specific direction, of a certain nature. He would have been distracted all the way through dinner, probably, so it was actually for the better. For everyone.

Regardless of the fact that she had not changed, however, Declan found himself quite distracted in a similar way. He let out a hum that was something between approval and surprise, his hands curling themselves into the fabric at the base of her spine. The fingers of his left hand did extend just enough to brush over her skin once he'd lifted the hem, but he couldn't ignore the fact that his parents were in the next room.

Neither could she, luckily. Not for the two of them, necessarily, but for his parents at the least.

He grinned down at her, amusement and adoration burning behind his eyes. After relinquishing her shirt, he stepped to the side, taking up her hand after it fell from his shoulder. He drew it towards him, pressing a kiss to the back before stepping off without giving her a chance to tell him she wasn't ready.

In the kitchen, Sadie had poured herself a glass of red wine, and there was one set to the side that Declan knew wasn't for his father, and he hoped more than assumed that it was intended for Dom. Perhaps his ma thought that if he and his father were cooking, Dom would want something to fidget with.

"Dec," Sadie said, gesturing towards the glass.

Ah, maybe not. But he could pretend it were true to try and break the ice. He reached out, sliding it over until it settled in front of Dom. "Eh?" Declan asked simply, gesturing towards it with one hand and giving her hand a squeeze before releasing her, walking around the bar to ask his father what was left to be done. To his immense surprise, Neil hadn't changed anything.

His eyes scanned suspiciously regardless, but he finally accepted it and smiled to himself.

"Are you learning at some big school or other, Dom?" Sadie asked finally, breaking the silence that somehow overcame even the sizzling of the grilling vegetables.

Declan knew full well that it was a sign of his mother's potential disapproval. A proper school would be something, but anything less would be met with two slow nods, indicating that, actually, she wanted to show her disdain but knew she couldn't. He didn't look to find out. Instead, he waited for Dom to answer before speaking up as well.

"It's funny, actually. She wants to travel and critique food and places and things. You two would love that."

Neil hummed his agreement pleasantly, while Sadie's eyebrows lifted, at least mildly impressed with the idea if not also amused with how his... whatever she was was so similar to the pair of them.

"Declan's father," Sadie pointed out proudly, "runs the kitchen for Dublin's finest hotel."

"He's kind of a big deal," Declan told Dom, looking towards her and smirking.

"I mean, they're not wrong," Neil said, not even looking up from the task at hand.