Milo watched the man from across the inn, hiding his face behind the hood of his dark blue cloak and a cup of ale. He had been obsessed with this moment for weeks, yet if either his mother or Corym knew where he was, they would likely throw a fit. 

The man across the room - he was dreaming of him more and more frequently. He wasn’t sure if it was simply memories or if Ashtai was pushing him in his direction. In any case, Milo let his curiosity get the better of him, and, after hours of asking around, found his target, counting copper pieces in the corner of a dusty inn. 

Milo wondered how quickly he would recognize him, but he never guessed it would be immediate. His copper hair was now streaked with white, but his gray eyes were bright behind his glasses, his scars hadn’t faded, and the single gold ring still shone on his hand. 

Milo never thought he would see his father again, but now that he was looking at him, he felt almost too nervous to approach him. He looked at his own rings on his hands, nervously fiddling with one. Maybe this was a bad idea. Milo finished his ale and left two gold on the table - a hefty tip, but not one he couldn’t afford. As he stood and turned to leave, he felt a hand on his arm. 

“Excuse me, sir, do you have a moment?” 

Milo turned to see his father in front of him, mouth tight and eyebrows tight. 

“I- Yes, what is it?” 

“I noticed you look at me from across the room, is everything alright?” 

Milo lowered his head as much as he could, covering more of his face with his hood. “Yes, I just thought you looked familiar, my apologies if I made you uncomfortable.” 

“Your hands…” 

Milo realized his mistake then - he didn’t wear gloves. Not many families wore rings to represent their members, and even fewer had white tattoos cover their forearms. 

Those were Anani traits. They weren’t meant to be hidden. 

The man reached forward and carefully pushed Milos hood off of his head. Milo didn’t resist - he couldn’t. He found himself trembling and nervous.

“This can’t be...” his father exhaled. “This isn’t possible…” he started swearing profusely, causing some people in the inn to glance in their direction. The words were more than obscene. 

“I didn’t know how to approach you…” 

“Milo?” 

He nodded, letting a shy smile slip. “I… yeah, that’s me.” 

“I- oh spirits I need to sit down.” 

Milo helped his father back to the table he was at. “Nice to see where my tendency to faint upon surprise comes from,” he teased, trying to ease the tension. He waved at a waiter, asking for a glass of water. 

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t know how else to approach you.” 

“It’s alright, I just… this is surreal… I have been wanting to visit your family for years, but I was released from jail during the war and I can’t imagine how busy the Keepers have been with it… and after, well, I guess I’ve been too nervous.” He finally looked at Milo, a smile erupting on his face. “You’re so handsome, we have so much to talk about. How is your mother? And Norah?” 

“My mother is doing well. She still tattoos people, but she never got married. I think she misses you. Norah… I don’t know how to tell you this...” 

“Is something wrong?” 

“She died eight years ago, she fell ill…” 

His father - Rowan’s - mouth fell open and tears welled in his eyes. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, I had no idea… is this why you’re here?” He finished his glass of water. 

“Please, don’t apologize, you had no way to know. The rest of us are alright. In fact, I, ah… want to invite you to the Anani estate, one week from today.” 

Rowan grinned and shook his head. “Look, you’re sweet, but they’ll never accept someone from the outer circle in that house. But if you want to meet here once a month or so, I would love to get to know you.” 

Milo couldn’t help but smile. “I’m inviting you… It’s still odd to say. I’m inviting you to my wedding. My fiance is from Outer Holn.” 

“Your wedding?” He chuckled. “I guess you’re now in your thirties… it still feels like I met your mother yesterday. In any case, your fiance is lucky. She must be wonderful, if your family accepted her.” 

Milo felt a blush creep over his cheeks. “Well, he is certainly trying his best to be accepted.” 

Rowan’s eyes widened. “He? Spirits, times have changed, when your mother and I were an item your grandfather was quite insistent on the family line being maintained 'pure'.”

“Truly. And it becomes more crazy.” 

“How so?” 

“He is half drow, and half changeling.” 

His father let out a short laugh. “You’re joking.” 

Milo shook his head. “Not even a little bit. Our bonding got accepted a few months ago, the ceremony is in a week. I know that the announcement will be in the newspaper in a few days, but I intended to invite you myself, rather than have you discover it by accident. But if you don’t feel comfortable going, I understand.”

“This is incredible.. You’re setting an example, you know?” 

“I appreciate that, thank you.” 

“Will Eliza be there?” 

Milo smiled. “Of course. She doesn’t know I’m here, though, I thought maybe you could surprise her?” 

Rowan nodded. “Yes. Yes I’ll go there. Thank you” 

Milo exhaled in relief. “No, thank you. I can’t believe this is happening.” 

Rowan stood and added a few copper pieces to the tip left on the table. They left the inn together, Milo telling his father about his studies, feeling almost like a child again. Eventually, they arrived at a crossroads. 

“I need to go, the family is going to wonder where I’ve been…” 

Rowan nodded and looked at Milo. “Its an odd question, but may I come with you?” 

The pair fell back into conversation naturally as they made their way to the Anani estate.

—-----------------------------

As Milo opened the door to the estate, he couldn’t stop trembling. Since he was a child, he and Norah would speak about what it would be like to have their father living with them. They imagined how he might be like, how happy they would all be. 

And here he was, for the first time in far too long. 

“I’m home!” Milo called. 

“Finally, where have you been? We were waiting for you to join us for dinner but-” as Milos mother turned the corner from the side lounge and looked up, she gasped, dropping the cup of tea she was holding, unbothered to pick it up. 

“Eliza…” Rowan seemed just as stunned, for a moment, before picking up the pieces of the broken tea cup from the floor. “I’m sorry, maybe coming here was a mistake, it’s been too long and I-” 

Eliza held up a hand, immediately silencing him. “Rowan… How did you… I mean…” 

“Our son found me.” 

Milo smirked at his mother, who promptly reached up to smack him over the head. “Milo Renn Anani, you-... I can’t even be mad at you.” she looked back at Rowan. “Spirits, this can’t be real…”

Rowan stepped up to her, suddenly more confident. “If it isn’t, what’s stopping us from enjoying ourselves?” 

Milo had never seen his mother blush as she did then. It was odd to see her in somebody’s arms like that. He promptly turned away when he noticed Rowan tilting her face up for what was likely a kiss, and made his way to his room. Smiling brightly, he entered to find Corym reading on the windowsil. 

“You’re back? You seem happy, but stars, where were you?” 

Instead of answering, Milo strode across the room and stole a kiss from his fiance. Corym smiled into it and pulled back. “Not that that wasn’t a pleasant surprise, but what’s got you in such a good mood?” 

“There’s someone downstairs I’d like you to meet” he explained, unable to contain a smile as he pressed another, shorter kiss to the corner of Coryms mouth. 

Seeing his fiance with his father, sitting on the couch as the latter held his mother’s hand, speaking together as if they had known each other for a lifetime… Milo knew, this was his family. It felt complete. He reached out to find his sisters spirit and found it easily, holding it close to his own as he watched the scene in front of him, feeling like he was glowing. 

And when Rowan Summers asked if he could stay with them in the Anani estate, Milo was certain that his mother would never let go of him.