Hate

[Ian Hunt]

I lean up against the kitchen counter, with my jaw clenched tightly shut so I won't say anything that could jeopardise the hostile but non-violent atmosphere in the room. I keep my eyes fixed unrelentingly on Owens who's sitting at the counter on the other side of the room though. I don't know what it is about him holding Alex that winds me up so much, but I know that I really don't like it.
It's been at least five minutes since he turned up, asking for Maddie but it feels like an awful lot longer in light of the fact that neither of us have said a word.

"She is coming home right?" I snap after a very long silence.
I'm very irritable with everyone at the moment, and my mood is not being helped by sitting in the kitchen with my least favourite person in the world.
It's the first time I've turned up here where he's answered the door and I hate it. I hate that he answered the door and that he lives here with my baby cousin. My hatred for the idea is inconceivable.
I move Alex higher up in my arms, noticing how much it seemed to annoy him that I'm holding his child. The only reason I can hold his child is that it's Maddies as well.

[Madeline Speare]

It felt like the day had gone on for hours. I wasn't too fond of going back to work already seeing as Alex was only two weeks old. Shrugging off my jakcet, I stop noticing how quite it was. "Ian?" I call, not growing to fond of the silence."Alex?"

[Ian Hunt]

"Kitchen," I call sharply into the other room as I hear Maddie call out.
I'm not sure if I'm relieved she's back or dreading the encounter that is now unavoidable.
I don't remove my eyes from Owens.

My head snaps up as I hear her voice, calling into the hall at exactly the same time as Hunt, "Here, MJ!"
I can't help how my eyes narrow slightly at his tone.

[Madeline Speare]

I stop, hearnig Charlie's voice as well. My eyes dart down to my hand, where the ring was. No or never
Heading into the kitchen, I walk over to Ian, giving Charlie a weak smile.
"Hey," I mumble, kissing Ian, softly on the cheek.

[Ian Hunt]

"Hey," I reply, only glancing at her very briefly as she kisses me on the cheek, keeping my eyes firmly on Owens otherwise.

I stand up as she kisses him on the cheek, annoyed at him instead of her even though he's done nothing to initiate the contact.

[Madeline Speare]

Alex gives a small laugh, reaching out for me, unaware of the obivious tension in the room.
I grin weakly, walking towards Charlie and taking Alex from him,"Hey baby." I hoist him higher into my arms,"I missed you."

[Ian Hunt]

I can't help but relax slightly as soon as Alex is back with her, staying very quiet on the otherside of the room and wishing I could melt backwards into the wall.

"Afternoon MJ," I manage stiffly after a moment.

[Madeline Speare]

Alex laughs again, reaching up for me, holding onto my necklace as I hoist him higher,"Hey baby." I grin, then look back up at Charlie, raising an eyebrow." 'Afternoon MJ?' Who are you, Unlce Tony?" I laugh.

[Ian Hunt]

I glance at her, then briefly back at Hunt to reconfirm that he hasn't in fact moved at all since I last looked.
"Yeah, sure I'm Uncle Tony. I might as well be Jesus. I don't care right now. Can we get out of here?"

I snort softly through my nose, dropping my gaze to the floor, muttering under my breath.

[Madeline Speare]

"Charlie," I mutter softly,"Come on, don't be like this."
Alex laughs, reaching out for Ian, behind me."Shush, Alex. Not now baby."

[Ian Hunt]

"How am I supposed to be then?" I reply sourly, then watch as as Alex reaches for him, turning my gaze towards Hunt, "Enjoying fatherhood?"

I roll my eyes, deciding not to reply, although unfortunately this means also ignoring Alex.

[Madeline Speare]

"Stop it, this is not the time nor place." I mutter, blowing my bangs from my face.
Alex whimpers slightly, seeing as Ian isn't paying attention to him, still trying to reach out for him.

[Ian Hunt]

I fall silent again, glaring at the kitchen floor, now in a worse mood than when I'd come in.

My gaze flickers sideways to Owens briefly, before I take a step forward, gently taking hold of Alex's hand as he reaches out, "Hey, I'm here, it's alright."

[Madeline Speare]

"You are not ten years old anymore Charles, stop acting like it," I mutter, trying to keep my voice level.
I watch Alex grip onto Ian's finger, calming down as he steps forward.

[Ian Hunt]

"Ha!" I manage indignantly before I fall silent again, shooting a filthy look at Hunt.

"Yeah, grow up," I can't help but smirk crookedly in his direction, muttering the words under my breath, before returning my attention back to Alex again.

[Madeline Speare]

I turn back, giving Ian a look that told him to be quiet, then gently hand him Alex.
"Charlie, come on." I mutter, putting my hands on his shoulders."Your my superhero, remember?"

[Ian Hunt]

I roll my eyes but keep silent, taking Alex from her.

"Hmm," I mumble, having to force myself to look back up at her, "Please, can we get out of here? I can't talk to you when he's here."

I snort softly, hoisting Alex higher in my arms, "Your maturity continues to astound me, I must say."

[Charlie Owens]

"Oh yeah, yeah, thanks for your opinion," I growl, lifting my gaze from Maddie to glare past her again, "Tell me, is your need to offer it where it's not welcome due to years of being unable to talk back with your...uh...allies? I've heard the dark lord looks down on that sort of thing."

[Madeline Speare]

"Stop it, stop it both of you." I mutter, dropping my hands to my side,"We are not doing this, not here. Not in front of the baby."

[Charlie Owens]

I force myself to drop my eyes from him back to her again. I really hated this feeling; like I'm being torn apart between hositlity with him and being...me with her.
I can't quite meet her eyes, so I just drop my gaze further, then they're drawn by something catching the light on her hand and I frown softly, "Maddie, you're wearing a ring."

[Ian Hunt]

I have to bite my lip very hard from responding to his death eater remark, but manage just about, then I freeze up for a moment as he notices the ring, having to fight the urge to leave the room which has suddenly grown very strong.

[Madeline Speare]

I stop, looking down at my hand, then forcing myself to look back up at him,"Yeah, I am."

[Ian Hunt]

I glance from her to him, then back to the ring again, "That's an important finger to be wearing a ring on, MJ."
My brain seems to be lurching forward sluggishly, refusing to quite acknowledge this without it being explained in so many words.

I half make a move to leave, then decide against it, passing it off by just shifting from leaning on one side of the counter to the other, eyes fixed on Alex.

[Madeline Speare]

"I know." I say softly,"It's not as if it's there on accident Charlie,"

[Ian Hunt]

I have to take a moment to decide how I feel about this. I know it's negative, but I'm not sure on what scale of anger I'm on right now so I need to buy myself some time.
"How long?" I manage, barely stopping myself from twitching.

I decide that it really is time to leave if I want to at least try to avoid the inevitable confrontation, because I'm all too aware I've promised no wands or swears in front of Alex but can't quite work out how to do it without starting anything.

[Madeline Speare]

"Couple days," I mutter,"It wasn't exactly planned." I glance back at Ian, who's still holding Alex then back up at Charlie.

[Ian Hunt]

I stare at Maddie for a moment, trying to summon some dregs of fake enthusiasm for her sake but find none. I follow her gaze as she looks behind her, and grimace involuntarily, eyes narrowing slightly.

I make an involunatry movement, freeing one hand so I can reach for my wand if I need to, keeping Alex still with my other arm, arching an eyebrow in response to his cold glare.

[Madeline Speare]

"Charlie, don't. Please don't make a scene,' I beg softly, taking his hand.

[Ian Hunt]

"Okay," My voice sounds slightly hoarse even to me and I don't remove my eyes from him, "Okay, no scene."

I keep staring right back, hand next to my pocket where I know my wand is. Just in case.

[Madeline Speare]

"Wand," I mumble, holding my hand out to him, then turning back to Ian,"Yours too, hand 'em over."