Andrew smirked and let out a boyish laugh. “Don’t change the topic.” 

Rolling her eyes, Helena finally told him, “We were just talking. Like people do, you know? …we actually have a lot in common.” When she could see her brother about to press her further on the subject matter, and her head already aching from the effort she was putting in not to blush at the thought of what had actually happened between her and Dylan, Helena rushed out, “Anyway, I’m going to sleep… I’ll see you in the morning.”

Andrew watched his sister leave with a curious expression upon his face, though the dizzying of his head and his slightly blurred vision made him drop his want of an interrogation and reach for a glass. After downing half a pint of water, he headed upstairs to brush his teeth, thankful that his cold limbs had a warm body to heat themselves against when he crawled beneath the duvet. 

The next morning, the infamous ‘Peabody Hangover’, coined by none other than Peter, who was used to dealing with his boyfriend’s alcohol-sickness after a good night out, held heavy in the air. Helena sat at one end of the kitchen table, Andrew at the other, while Peter ordered them to keep sipping at their water, hovering over the cooker as he fried some bacon. “The smell is horrendous,” Helena complained, usually a fan of Sunday morning ‘bacon butties’, and turned her nose up in distaste. Her hand shook a little as she brought the cool glass up to her lips and took a large mouthful water to drown her nausea. 

Turning to the children who were sat between them, Andrew stated, “Let this be a warning to you, kids. Don’t drink.” Helena rolled her eyes at her brother and the children smirked quietly amongst themselves whilst finishing their breakfasts. 

“There, that should help,” Peter said, pleasantly hangover-free, as he placed two plates down in front of the two adults. The Peabody siblings stared at the plates with mixed reactions, but it was Andrew who finally took a bite from his bacon and egg toasted sandwich, trusting his boyfriend not to have poisoned it beforehand. 

“Can I have a bite?” Nicky asked, having turned down the opportunity to have his own only moments earlier, and Helena allowed him the first bite from her sandwich before tucking in. Leah sat quietly between them, her empty bowl having been pushed aside to make room for her colouring book.