Percy had discovered that nothing could make you realize your inadequacies as a father quite like divorce could. He and Audrey were on good terms, but with the girls going back and forth between houses, Percy felt a pressing need for his house to be just as nice of a place to be as the one the girls had lived in their entire life. If he messed up, they might want to stay with Audrey and never come visit him.
In the days leading up to Lucy's birthdayーthe first for either of the girls since Percy had moved outーhe had spent all of his free time searching for ways to make it her best birthday in memory.
One of his first and seemingly most simple ideas was blowing up lots of balloons. Lucy loved them, and they'd been a part of each of her birthdays since her first. This year, though, he was determined to one up the past.
He'd purchased every maroon balloon the store in Diagon Alley had possessed.
That number had been exactly one hundred, and the shopkeeper had been hesitant to fulfill his request, as if Percy could start a war with one hundred balloons at his disposal.
It was only after all one hundred balloons were blown up and Percy needed to use the restroom that he realized he had made a mistake.
There was a knock on his apartment door, and Percy swore under his breath. Navigating through the mess, he made it to the door and opened it without popping his fourth balloon of the last hour. Standing on the other side were Percy's ex-wife and daughters, right on time.
Lucy and Molly let out cheers when they saw what awaited them, and they ran past him, offering no greetings, to frolic through the balloons. Percy cringed, knowing the next pop was only a short time away.
He tried to let their laughter calm him, but the stricken look on his ex-wife's face heightened his anxiety.
"Is every room like this?" she asked, hesitating before taking a small step inside the door.
"Only this room and the kitchen," he said sheepishly.
Audrey's frown deepened.
"That's the entire flat except the bedrooms and bathroom."
Percy could only shrug in response.
A balloon popped, making both adults jump as the girls cheered.
"Molly," Audrey warned, moving further into the apartment to scold their oldest daughter.
She stepped on a balloon in the process, popping it, and froze, turning slowly to glare at Percy, who smiled back as brightly as he could manage as fear took over his body.
They had cake together as a family, though a family far different than the one they had been when Percy and Audrey were married, and it was nice. As long as they stayed at the table, they could forget that they were sitting among a sea of balloons.
After the dishes were washed, Audrey hugged the girls goodbye, and Percy walked her to the door. As she turned to face him and say her goodbyes, one of the girls popped a balloon. They'd become so desensitized that no one reacted except for the girls giggling together.
"Was it worth it?" Audrey asked him with a sharp glint in her eye.
"I feel like punching myself in the face," Percy replied flatly, already dreading the constant balloon popping that would occur until the last balloon was gone.
"I can help with that."
The small smile on Audrey's face revealed her amusement, and Percy grinned back. It was nice having her as a co-parent and friend. Towards the end of their marriage, when they were still living together, his unfortunate decision-making would have led to an argument, but as it was, they could share in the amusement before she left him to deal with the consequences himself.
"Don't let them stay up too late," Audrey said, glancing at her watch.
"Eight o'clock sharp," Percy promised with a quick nod of the head.
Audrey stepped forward to wrap him in a hug, patting his back as she pulled away.
"Your intentions were good, Percy. Try to remember that when they pop the fiftieth balloon."
"Thanks," he said with a laugh, waving as he shut the door behind her.
Prompts:
Hogwarts Challenges and Assignments
Seasonal Challenges - Colour prompts: maroon
Seasonal Challenges - Birthstones: Tourmaline - (dialogue) "I feel like punching myself in the face." / "I can help with that."
Seasonal Challenges - flowers: Chinese bellflower - (object) balloon
Word count: 708