on november 3,one month since venus was born, zenith decided to bake a cake to celebrate which sounded very childish but for once, he wanted to be childish. not a single day went by when he didn't see a smile on aurelia, harry or theodore's face. 

"just don't burn the kitchen." harry teased, walking inside the kitchen where aurelia and theodore were already seated on the dining chair. 

"shut up harry." zenith rolled his eyes while mixing the flour with egg yolk. 

"where's venus?" harry asked pulling a chair for himself. 

"sleeping." aurelia answered in a duh tone and before she could warn him not to wake the little girl up, harry was already out of the kitchen. 

he jogged upto aurelia's room and quietly opened the door not to wake venus up. he carefully picked her up in his arms and retreated to the kitchen, earning a playful glare from aurelia. 

"oh fuck!" zenith cursed, accidentally dropping the blendervon the floor causing venus to stir in her sleep. 

"if you don't control that big mouth of yours, then the first word that venus would say will be exactly that." theodore scoffed earning a sorry from zenith in response. 

"here, I'll help you." aurelia offered making her way upto zenith. putting the cake in the oven, zenith collapsed on the chair, wiping the fake sweat from his forehead. 

venus woke up few minutes prior to zenith placing the cake on the table. he took the cream sachet and wrote for venus ♡. 

after crying a little, venus finally fell silent when theodore took her in his arms and swayed her in his arms.

"oh she really dislikes the three of us." zenith faked being offended causing the other three to chuckle at his comment. 

"you guys forgot me huh?" the four of them turned to look at the door where stood bradley with a paper bag in his hand. 

"oh hey." zenith smiled, pulling him in a hug while harry shook his hand. 

"who's he?" theodore asked, leaning down to whisper in aurelia's ear. 

"oh he's zenith's friend. from america."

"oh hello. we didn't have a proper introduction yet." bradley smiled, standing in front of theodore,"i am bradley, zenith's friend."

"i am theodore. nice to meet you." theodore smiled nodding as he couldn't use his hand to shake with bradley.

"hello venus." bradley smiled, pinching her cheeks lightly,"i got something for you."
everyone watched as he pulled a small box from the paper bag and flipped it open, revealing a chain with the letter 'V' hanging from it.

"oh you didn't have to." theodore said.

"no, no, i wanted to." bradley smiled slightly.

"come on. it's time to blow the candles." zenith announced, clapping his hands to gain their attention. everyone circled around the cake and at last, aurelia blew the candles. the rest of the night went in chit-chat, harry teasing zenith for not blowing up the kitchen and bradley taking some photographs with aurelia's camera on zenith's request.

"I'll leave now." said bradley after a while. 

"I'll go and sleep." harry said after bradley left.

seeing that zenith was still not ready to leave the drawing room, theodore placed venus carefully in the crib and made his way towards the main door, followed by aurelia who bade him a goodbye.

**

"harry, are you sure you'll be able to take care of venus?" aurelia asked for the hundredth time as she walked inside her room to grab her coat.

"don't you trust me?" harry frowned, following her inside while theodore waited in the long hallway.

"i do but-"

"no buts then. don't worry aura, i'll take care of venus." harry reassured, leaning by the entrance.
aurelia nodded hesitantly and placed a kiss on venus' forehead before walking out.

 zenith had informed that aurelia needs to have some regular check up just to make sure that she's healthy and not prone to any other disease.

once they entered inside st mungos, they went straight to the receptionist who informed them to meet the healer at fourth floor.

"if you don't mind can i go visit my grandfather?" theodore nervously asked when aurelia pushed open the door to enter the room she was prescribed to go. few days back theodore got the news from his grandmother that his grandmother was suffering from dragon pox. 

"oh of course." aurelia smiled, happy with the fact that no matter what theodore still cared for his grandfather who was recently suffering from dragon pox.

theodore hurried downstairs to the second floor, searching for the ward his grandfather was admitted into. when he finally found the old man lying down on the hospital bed with pock marks on his skin, theodore quietly made his way inside and sat down on the stool kept nearby.

"theo." his grandfather spoke when he felt somebody taking a seat near him.

"how are you?" theodore asked uncomfortably as he could feel the tension between them.

"fine."

"why weren't you at the party?" theodore couldn't help but ask as he was extremely hurt by the fact that his grandfather didn't show up. theodore waited for an answer, fiddling with his thumbs while watching his grandfather comprehending the right words to reply.

"i just didn't want to." the old man answered much rudely.

theodore just nodded in response, gulping the lump forming in his throat.

"your father married the woman i chose for him and eventually they fell in love theo. why couldn't you do the same?"

theodore stared at the man lying in front of his eyes before clearing his throat to reply,"because i got somebody else. she makes me happy, is that nothing to you? i am happy with her. i am a father now and i. . . i just feel so good. it's amazing to have a little one who you know would be calling you dad one day. it feels amazing to know that after all the hardships,you finally have all the happiness you deserve." theodore took a deep breath to steady his pulse rate before continuing,"and father? this is the most happiest i have ever seen him since mother left. and i think that's all matter, we are happy, we are good."

silence soon enveloped them and it was so frustrating.

"so um i'll leave now." said theodore, lightly slapping his hands on his knees,"let me know if you need anything."

without waiting for a response which theodore was sure that he won't get, he made his way out of the door and reached the floor aurelia was on.

"have you told him yet?" theodore was about to open the door which was left ajar but stopped when he heard zenith's voice.

"no." aurelia replied, holding back her tears.

theodore knew it wasn't right of him to eavesdrop but he couldn't hold himself back and peeked through. aurelia was seated on one of the beds while zenith sat on the armchair in front of her.

"are you planning on telling him?" zenith questioned further.

"no." aurelia shook her head,"i just can't do it zenith. theodore is so happy and i just can't hurt him."

"you do know that it can hurt him later, right?" zenith sighed earning a curt nod from aurelia,"well, it's up to you aurelia. but just know that no matter what i am with you."

he got up slightly from the chair and engulfed her in a hug before placing a kiss on her forehead. but to theodore it seemed something else. 

whats going on between them? horror struck, theodore wondered. he felt a pain arousing in his heart when the negative thoughts clashed with his faith in aurelia. his blood boiled with anger and he barged inside, startling zenith and aurelia who instantly pulled away from each other.

"theodore." aurelia smiled but when she noticed how mad he looked, her smile faded away.

"you arsehole! how dare you touch her!" theodore shouted, grabbing zenith by his collars and dragged him away from aurelia.

"theodore -"

"hey, hey listen." zenith tried to stop theodore who was shooting daggers at him but was cut off with a punch.

"how dare you!" theodore rasped, pushing zenith in the wall.

"theodore no!" aurelia panicked, getting up from the bed. she ran up to them trying to pull theodore away from zenith. jerking her hands away, theodore finally pulled away, glaring at aurelia but his eyes held the glint of betrayal.

"I've seen what's going on between you two!" theodore snarled before pointing his finger accusingly at aurelia,"and you? i never expected this from you."

"theodore, try to understand-"

but before aurelia could say anything, theodore exited the room, slamming the door behind himself. the faith in aurelia lost in front of his negative thoughts and misunderstanding.