Vander should've known not to believe his kids were just behaving nicely today. Especially not when every other day brought some new trouble or scheme. He thought maybe this was a day of rest for them after the fight they'd gotten into yesterday.

Thank God you were at the bar to help him patch them up well enough. He didn't know where you got to be so good with children, but you always managed to get them to sit still and not whine while cleaning their scrapes and inspecting for broken bones.

All four of them listened to your scoldings, in-between hearing you boss Vander around to grab this and that for you. He'd be lying if he said he didn't enjoy it. He liked seeing you with his kids, even if it meant he got told what to do a little.

He's grateful for your help. He wished you would've popped into his life sooner. You were more of a natural at parenting than he was.

He thinks that may be why he fell for you. He couldn't place when or how, and he didn't care for any specific reasons why. He just knew that he loved you, even if quietly from afar. You were friends. He was okay with that.

Turns out his kids were not. "Oblivious" they called him when you weren't around. "Hopeless" they groaned after Vander would spend another day secretely pining. They were persistent. Vander didn't hold it against them. Better they entertain themselves at home than get into messes outside.

Still, Vander should've expected this.

The kids had pushed you and him into a room, each exclaiming their own variations of "kiss already!" and "spill your heart!" before slamming the door and jamming it shut.

...And now you were both just sitting. Neither of you have spoken yet. Did the kids scare you off? You hadn't known them very long, but surely you knew by now that they meant no harm.

Maybe it was something else. Maybe the kids were wrong, and this was hopeless. God, he hoped that wasn't the case. He'd rather not make a fool of himself to you. "I'm sorry about them, I'm not entirely sure what's gotten them all riled up today..."