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As Serghei was grumpily complaining, Rad felt a ripple in the security charms he'd placed about. Father shouldn't be watching him, but on the chance he was, it was risky to be caught with Serghei. If it had been Father or any of the older boys, they would already be seeking an attack. That must mean it was an invited guest, meaning Linsey must have entered the home. Rad decided to use a cryptic phrase, which seemed to work, as the young woman then appeared.

"Linsey!" Serghei turned sharply, looking a bit alarmed. Rad simply lifted his hands, as if to display innocence. Of course, anyone that actually knew him knew he was just as deadly with no wand as he was with it. His vibrant blue eyes kept a watch on her, between looking over at his brother. Serghei looked stressed and worried, his gaze darting over to where his wand sat on the counter. Radovan listened as she said she could make a guess (one of six, most likely), but she added that he had a knowledge of her, then that Serghei hadn't raised a hand against her or anyone else. Well, that certainly sounded like the Serghei he knew.

Serghei asked him to leave, but the older brunet explained that he wasn't here for a fight. Thankfully, it seemed like Linsey agreed... sort of. She even said they should hear him out, which was good. She even called Serghei some sort of pet name, then noted that acts or defiance came at a cost. That, very much, was true. It even caused Serghei to soften a bit. "You're right, Draga mea. He's here for something, and while I'm sure it isn't entirely safe... I feel like we should try. Not like he's Dmitry. Oh, Linz, this is-" "Radovan Antonov. The Fifth in line. Serghei's older brother. It is nice to meet you." He bowed his head a bit, before standing back to his full height. "Yes, the next oldest immediately. He's... here of his own volition... and apparently says he can cook better than me?"

Radovan offered a smile bigger than Serghei had seen in a while, then he spoke up. "Yes, I can. But I can do everything better than you. Though, if Doamnă Linsey would like to check my cooking, apparently, you are quite skilled as well." At that, Serghei nodded, wrapping an arm around Linsey's shoulders. He wanted to keep her safe, especially knowing his brother's skill better than she did. "I daresay she could've made a living as a chef if she so chose."

As the room was filled with a worrisome tension, Radovan's gaze was flicking over everything in the room. As did Serghei and all the other Antonov men, he was trained on knowing every possible tactical advantage. Sure, he doubted his brother and his girlfriend would team up against him, and sure he knew he was a better duelist than at least one of them... but still. Some things were ingrained so deeply that it would take ages to even begin to undo. He noticed his brother glancing at his wand, then Linsey doing the same. Clearly, both were uncomfortable, but Rad was smart enough to know why. With a soft flick of his fingers, the wand in question was pushed toward its owner, at least until Serghei could grab it and push it back into his pocket. "Ah... danke." The older brunet simply nodded in response.

After introducing himself by name, Radovan was surprised when Linsey responded in Romanian. "Oh, vorbiți limba noastră maternă? Sunt destul de impresionat, deși pronunția ta ar putea folosi puțină practică." It would make things a bit smoother to speak in the language he and Serghei had started with, but he was fairly certain Linsey wasn't of Romanian descent. "We're still working on pronunciation. Linsey is better with the romantic languages. She is getting pretty good, though." The younger of the Antonovs spoke up in her defense, giving the blonde a small squeeze.

It was quickly thereafter that Linsey was defending Serghei on the subject of cooking. "I'm getting there. It takes a lot of practice." Serghei crossed an arm over his chest to rub at the other with a small frown. At this, Radovan figured he could throw his brother some sort of kindness. "It is not something that comes naturally to us. And so long as you are trying to make yourself better, then you already are." That caused the younger brother to look surprised. Of all the brothers, somehow Radovan had always been his favorite, and yet, unreachable. Perhaps it was the fact that he'd excelled in magic, both dark and defensive.

After Serghei said that Linsey could've made a living as a chef, Radovan listened as the young woman said she had the skill to take exams and actually earn the title. She must be quite skilled indeed. Linsey added that she would be happy to take over, so Radovan shook his head. "Oh no, please. It would be something of a favor to me. You see, I am not allowed to cook at home, so I must hide the activity like it were the most filthy of tasks. Besides, I am very good with multitasking." He smirked, lifting up the cookbook that Serghei had been using. "Stew? No. We shall go with something new." Serghei looked over at Linsey, then sighed.

"I'm sure the family is up to the usual level of insanity. It is why I came here. They are always... going to be this way. I do not believe there is anything to be done." With a small huff, Radovan gripped the hilt of the kitchen knife a bit tighter as he resumed chopping the vegetables. "They are always, and will always, be preparing. But now that I am away, we can begin to build up our own future. Just me and you... and perhaps Radovan.. apparently. Plus your family, which is far safer than mine." Of course, Serghei was keeping mum on specific family member. He looked over at Linsey, his dark eyes mirroring those of the youngest of the Antonov family.

After chopping the veg into a miniscule mince, Radovan rooted through the cabinet. Grabbing a box of flour, he looked over at the younger two. "Surely we can find happier conversation. Linsey, do tell me about yourself. Or about Serghei. Or anything. We can speak about our familie oribilă any other time." He chuckled softly, scooping some flour into the bowl of Serghei's mixer. "What... are you making over there." Serghei pushed to his tiptoes, trying to look over his taller brother's shoulder. "Găluște. Dumplings with meat and veg." He responded tightly as he continued on his work. Serghei shrugged over to Linsey, then sighed. "Is that something you can just do without a reţetă? Or is this unique to him?"

Serghei was confused as to why his brother had returned his wand. Was it a play that he would need to use it soon or had he noticed the younger trying to slyly get it back in his own hands. He hadn't moved to start a duel, nor to use any magic otherwise... so it probably wasn't a threat. His dark eyes glanced at Linsey, hoping that she was keeping track of things as well. If chaos did break out, he'd need someone to witness. Of course, he knew he wouldn't be able to hold off his older brother very long, but so long as he could keep her safe, he would be happy enough. Then again, Radovan truly didn't seem interested in fighting at this point.

As the conversation went to languages, Radovan seemed a bit impressed with Linsey's list. "We were taught the words of our homeland first. Then it was the words we would need for schooling. Then it was a more... common tongue." He nodded, with Serghei huffing. "Being Romanian, German, then English. And I'm working on Latin, Irish, and French as well." Serghei explained, despite being sure that Linsey had followed along. She was whip smart, after all. It also caused Radovan to raise an eyebrow. "Learning the languages of hers while she learns yours. How... quaint. Seems fitting for your Persoană Pentru Totdeauna, does it not?" He smirked over at Serghei, who huffed.

Serghei glanced at Linsey, knowing he hadn't used that specific phrase for their relationship.. yet. Maybe eventually. Radovan, however, lifted Linsey's hand, gently tapping a finger on the Antonov Crest worn there. It matched the one settled on his own hand. "Do you know what 'persoană pentru totdeauna' means? It is one's 'forever person'. The one whom they intend to spend out their days. So far all but two have theirs. It is nice to see that Serghei has found his Person. And I do hope you do not take this responsabilitate lightly. It is a big task, and a bigger request." He gently bowed as he released the young woman's hand, then nodded toward his brother, who looked like he'd been called on order. Of course, Serghei would not have chosen his person without thinking, and Radovan knew just that. Not only was it a heavy responsibility, but Serghei's specifically had been a promise to keep Linsey safe. Even though she wore the Antonov crest, he had vowed that she would never find herself harmed by the family.

Thankfully things settled a bit as they switched to discussing Serghei learning cooking. Rad said that so long as he was trying, it was better than doing nothing at all. Serghei looked over at Linsey when she questioned when one could say they'd claimed success. "I would say success is found when one is satisfied with their efforts. I would think that you have successfully learned to cook, even if you have not gone to University or anything. And I think I may some day reach a level where I might be satisfied as well." Sure, it'd probably be a while, since he still couldn't cook without making a terrible mess and sometimes a fire... but so long as it ended well enough, he was happy for now.

He leaned in a way that he would be able to watch his brother, who was ... doing something. He was a little miffed that the stew he'd wanted to try was put to the wayside, but he would just try it another day. It wasn't like he was going to stop his brother in the midst of doing something kind. "I thank you. It is difficult to cook in the middle of the night while minding warding charms." Radovan chuckled softly, knowing that neither the family nor the chefs could know of his exploit. If the wrong person found out, Radovan would be punished. And punishment in the Antonov family was seldom an easy task.

Finally, the conversation switched to Linsey. Serghei was hoping that his brother wasn't simply on a fact-finding mission, but it truly seemed as not. After all, if he were still working under Father's command, he likely wouldn't have shown a side of himself that Father would hate. Besides, Linsey said that her belief in second chances was true and reached further than just herself. But when she said that it would just be the five of them, Serghei felt a pang of guilt that they had to hide Ella from the Antonovs... again. But he let his girlfriend speak on herself. He knew she was smart enough to not give out too much information. "What a full list of titles. I too was Präfekt und Schulsprecher at Durmstrang. I also captained the Keltainen Quidditch Team. I played Beater. I also ran the Dueling Teams." Serghei hadn't been expecting his brother to divulge information either, which meant he couldn't be here on hope to only discover information... probably.

"Though I will say fashion is unique to you. I just wear what our family tailor makes for me. It is clothing and that is all I need." That much was true. Until very recently, Serghei had been the same way. Now he dressed for comfort, except for when he had to be out in the public eye. Though, even then, he tried to wear more color than the Antonovs typically allowed. And then it was about the magic known as cooking. Serghei had asked Linsey if this was something she knew, and she went on an explanation of her own skill and just how recipes came about. "Dumplings are only difficult when it comes to packaging them. The filling is mostly minced meat and vegetables, then the wrapping is just flour and water. It's just a matter of getting the ratios correct." Rad said as he turned on the sink, holding his fingers under the water to measure temperature. "Perhaps it is because I struggle with following recipes. I doubt I would be better making up my own, though." Serghei chuckled quietly, still watching as his brother used a measuring cup to add warm water to the flour. "Paste Rremoase Cu Ciuperci? That one was preferred in our house. Mother and... Well. Mother enjoyed it." He sighed quietly, and Serghei knew who Radovan was excluding. Honestly, he hadn't expected his older brother to notice, let alone care about Ella's choice in food. Dark eyes looked over at Linsey, a question in his gaze. He should do anything to keep her safe, even still... but was there a threat? She was safely at Hogwarts and no one there would turn her over to the Antonovs... but he had to be certain.

As Serghei watched Radovan hold Linsey's hand, he couldn't help a bit of jealousy. Of course, he also felt a bit conflicted over the jealousy. Growing up, they had very few personal items, all of which had to be approved by Father and Mother, so there weren't too many reasons to be jealous. But this wasn't just some.... thing, it was Linsey! It was his girlfriend. But then the older of the boys simply explained the meaning of the Persoană Pentru Totdeauna and the meaning behind it. Maybe it was because he somehow knew that Serghei hadn't told her all of that yet. He'd been trying to - rather awkwardly - follow the customs of those around him, rather than the more poignant meanings of the Antonov family.

But he perked up when Linsey started to explain stories from her home. Souls destined to seek out one another? True companions... that sounded a lot more charming. "Ah yes, the Irish version of exactly what I just said." Rad said, sarcastically. But Serghei couldn't help the small grin that slid onto his face as she said they were just experiencing life together. His dark eyes lit up with their honey color when she spoke on an eventual wedding. Sure, he'd hoped it would eventually end that way, but hearing the sentiment returned was something special entirely. "And I shall cherish that moment for all my life." He pulled Linsey into his arms, planting a loving kiss upon her lips before just holding her beside him.

And then they began to speak on what made success... well, successful, Serghei was a little startled when Linsey disagreed with his thought. She said that one would need to continue improving forever, which caused him to shake his head a bit. "Well, no. I will be happy when I deem myself happy with my level, I suppose. The answer we were raised to believe is that one must not consider themself successful without absolute and complete perfection." The boys spoke in harmony, their voices both sounding painfully stiff. Radovan rolled his eyes as he went back to work on the food. "But I believe if one does not let themselves become.... mulțumit... eh, complacent, in their goals, then satisfaction might forever be just out of reach." Or maybe he was way off. After all, it was very new that a goal need not result in perfection.

While discussing quidditch, Radovan seemed most at ease. He was quite surprised by Linsey's answers. But then he let out a low, barklike laugh at her question of houses. "No, we were the only two. Dmitry and Augustín were in Vihreä, like Father. Punainen housed Alexi and Demyan, while Musta is where Matej was placed. They all have their own merits, of course, but Father favored one over the others." Serghei nodded along, then figured he'd add some helpful information. "See, Keltainen is sort of like Ravenclaw. Where the creative, industrious, and ambitious go. Vihreä is for the authoritarian, charismatic, and calculating belong. Punainen is like your Gryffindor. Fearless, adventurous, and morally strong. Musta is for the more... self-preserving, impartial type. Though I will say our house mascots are cooler than Hogwarts."

While they spoke on fashion, Radovan unbuttoned his jacket and used a bit of magic to lay it over the back of one of the kitchen chairs before carefully rolling up his sleeves. The movement showed the silvery traces of some more scars laced up him, but neither of the boys seemed to notice. "Perhaps some day I will place an order. For now, I will use the one I have now. I am not looking for a wedding dress, though." He said, the smallest hint of a smile on his face. "Linsey is really good with dresses. Her... asociat however, has been good at making things for me. I would prefer their shop than the one we used." Serghei gently squeezed Linsey's shoulders, trying to convey pride in her and her career.

Radovan sprinkled flour over the counter and set out the dough before searching through drawers. Serghei handed over a rolling pin that had been hanging near the spoons and it seemed to satisfy. Both listened to Linsey as she explained her iteration of their beloved mushroom pasta, and then Rad looked a bit shocked when she said she'd also made an Albinita. "Oh, very good. I should like you to make these for me as well. I will also make mine. I make the paste with seared steak and a richer sauce than is traditional." Aw man, all this talk about food was just making him hungry. "It was so good. The best Albinita I've ever tasted. I don't think anyone could do better." Though he also didn't miss the subtle eyebrow raise from his brother either. What was that look for?

Summer had only just begun, and yet, it was in full swing. They'd already had a lot of family time, which was always nice. Ella really, really liked family time, if only because she'd spent so many years without. She'd been talking to herself in mirrors, trying to muster up the courage to speak up a little more. For now, she settled in playing the piano and singing to her family. No one could deny that she could sing now, especially having sang quite loudly to a crowd at the Talent Showcase. But thankfully, having been home a few days, things were able to simmer down a bit.

Quickly, she was invited to help out on an embroidery project for Milan, helping a real client! It was very neat! After the day, she hurried over to Linsey, the two planning on going over to Serghei's house for dinner. Apparently he'd gotten a really fancy chocolate cake from a local bakery that he wanted to share. Finding her sister, Ella offered over a hand. Once they made it to Kenmare, Serghei greeted them, a little bit of flour in his hair. "Bună seara, vouă doi! I was trying to make pasta, but somehow the noodles got more floury than anticipated. It may be everywhere." Serghei chuckled softly, pressing a soft kiss on Ella's crown before drawing Linsey into a deep, romantic sort of kiss.

"Good evening, Serghei. I'm sure Linsey can help figure what's causing the mess." Ella responded, adding a little titter. Serghei was Ella's opposite in the kitchen. He was messy and wild, and often figured he could just guess on measurements, while Ella was incredibly tidy and followed recipes like scripture. Unfortunately, his food usually worked out, if a bit chaotically, while hers ended in raw or burnt or, in one case, raw and burnt. It simply wasn't fair! She climbed up onto one of the barstools at the kitchen island, fishing out a half-finished embroidered flower that she would work on while Linsey helped sort out the very, very floury mess.

"See, somewhere in here I added too much, but adding more water just makes everything sticky and clumpy. I think it may need an expertin to correct." Serghei offered a lopsided smile, his cheeks a bit flushed as he regarded the mess. Thankfully, Linsey was pretty skilled at fixing food he managed to mess up... and without teasing him like Radovan might.

Serghei had made a fairly big mess with his pasta, but he was sure it was somehow repairable by Linsey. Thankfully, she came over for dinner rather frequently and usually had no issue with fixing things up. He'd long since figured he was far better as an assistant in the kitchen than a lead chef. "Mult apreciat, dragul meu." He grinned over at her, leading the way to his kitchen. He was ever fascinated by watching her work, especially as she sang a tune. It wasn't one he'd heard before, but she often sang songs he'd either never heard or had only heard in other languages. Serghei worked on cleaning up some of the mess he'd made while Linsey's phone chimed.

He listened to Linsey speak to one of the senior members of their church (which had so kindly accepted Serghei as well) about a music arrangement. He looked over to see his little sister deep in thought about the situation. He, of course, didn't know enough about music to help in any real way. "What if you went a half-octave down? That song is really pretty, but it's more an alto tone. Try moving the step from C4 to C3 and see if that balances it." Her quiet voice came out as she pulled out a sketchbook from her bag. Locating a pencil, she wrote the short set of notes she remembered in their current pitch, then moved them down to the next step.

Serghei gently wrapped his arms around Linsey's waist from behind, snuggling against her and gently setting kisses along her collarbone and up her neck. Hopefully it would be enough to get her to remember that it was supposed to be her time to relax. After finding success, he gave a coy bite at Linsey's ear before noticing Ella pointedly looking away from them, her cheeks a bit flush. Oops. He chuckled softly, then gave his love an extra little squeeze around her middle. He'd apparently gotten too used to them having alone time while the teen was at school.

Before he could say anything else, the sharp sound of an apparation called his attention toward the living room. "Who---" Serghei started, stepping back a bit. At the same moment, Radovan half sprinted into the kitchen, looking disheveled and having a look of wild distress. "Serghei! Gott sei Dank habe ich dich gefunden. Es ist soweit. Er kommt. Du brauchst einen Zeugen und musst den Schatz verstecken. Ich kann versuchen, Zeit zu gewinnen." He grabbed Serghei's shoulder, noting the younger's eyes going wide. "Wie viel Zeit kannst du mir geben?" He immediately stepped to attention, wandlessly calling his wand to his hand. "Zwei, vielleicht drei Minuten. Das ist alles."

And with that, the older of the brothers was gone, apparated away. Serghei let out a breath then turned. "Linsey, please listen. We are about to be visited by Father. I very much doubt it will be a pleasant visit. Ella, come, please." He helped the small girl off the stool and sank to his knees, quickly clearing out a large cabinet just behind Linsey. "Please, you must stay hidden, little one. I don't want you to get hurt again." Thankfully, she understood, and thankfully, she easily fit in the small space. Once she was secure, he stood and pulled Linsey close. "Linsey, dragul meu, please. You have to try to remember everything you can. I'm not sure why he's coming, but it will not be good. Keep Ella safe, and when I give the word, I need you to grab her and go. Apparate away. Do not let yourself or her get caught. And..." he paused, trying to prevent himself from crying. He had to be strong now.

"Once you leave, do not come back. I will come find you, okay? Please know that I have to become someone I do not wish to be to keep you both safe. And that no matter what, I love you." He pulled her into a hug, pressing a kiss against her. He stepped back a hair, straightening his clothes. His father was already coming for some -probably terrible- reason, and Serghei needed to do anything he could to keep the others safe. If Radovan could only give them a couple minutes, then Markus was likely already on the way.