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Theo stood in front of the mirror. Dressed in a well-tailored sleeveless suit. His father’s arm cuffs on prominent display. He had had to fight for that, but he wanted his dad with him today. Even if he couldn’t actually be there. His tie was a mess and, with a sigh, he untied it to start again. Theo paused, each end of the tie in his hands. He was wearing a suit on his wedding day, marrying someone he loved and who loved him just as much. When had he accepted that something like this was possible?
Finishing, the last of his preparation - his tie was still a mess, but it would have to do - he heard a knock at the door.
“Come in, unless you’re Orion,” he said without turning to the door and hearing it creak open in response.
“Hello, Starfish,” That voice, it couldn’t be.
He spun to face the door. There, standing in the doorway, was the unmistakable figure of his father.
“What? How? I thought…” He babbled, none of the words coming out right.
“Faye,” his father replied, beaming “One last gift for your wedding day.”
Theo didn’t wait a second longer he ran over to his dad and flung his arms around him in a hug, quickly reciprocated by the older man.
“Look at you,” Morgan said, with an affection only a parent can ever truly know, holding Theo by the shoulders to look him in the eyes.
“I know,” Theo replied, with a sheepish grin, “I look so much like you.”
“No,” Morgan said, turning Theo to face the mirror, “you look so much like you.”
Theo felt tears in his eyes. Wasn’t it bad luck to cry on your wedding day? He didn’t care.
He felt his father squeeze around his shoulders as they shook with joyful sobs.
“Let’s get that tie fixed,” Morgan continued with a laugh, after Theo’s tears had stopped. He bent down in front of his son and began retying his tie. It took a little while, his hands were shaking, but eventually the job got done. He had never thought he’d be able to do something like that. Help his son tie his tie on his wedding day. Even after he’d learnt he’d had a son and fallen in love with him all over again, he’d assumed that he’d not be able to be there for Theo on his special day.
But he was.
They were both able to share this moment together. One last moment as father and son, a moment neither of them had ever expected to be able to share.
***
The wedding itself was a frenetic spiral of emotions and colours, but Morgan tried to memorise every moment of it. Walking his son down the Aisle to his husband. Theo’s vows. He even managed to give a somewhat decent speech afterwards, even if he did tear up during it. He focused on Theo trying to etch into his brain what his son looked like with every positive emotion that came that day. The tears of joy. The cocky grin. The look of adoration he gave Orion. He looked so happy. Morgan never wanted to forget that look.
Between all the excitement of Theo and Orion’s special day, Morgan took the time to spend some moments with Faye. She had grown into a woman he would have never imagined, in all the best ways. From princess to sorceress and it suited her wonderfully. Gone was his little girl, and in her place stood a powerful self-reliant and self-assured woman. What father wouldn’t be happy to see that.
Eventually, the time came. He saw the sun start to set and felt the magic within him fade. He hugged Faye goodbye and, seeing Theo caught up in dancing with his husband, decided it was best not to disturb him. So, he left, making his way through the doors into the court yard and over the grass. He knew he didn’t actually have to physically leave, but he didn’t want to draw attention away from Theo’s moment.
Morgan let out a contented breath, “Our little ones never let you stop them and look how amazing they became.”
“Dad?” Theo said, as he caught up with the retreating figure.
“Ah, sorry,” Morgan replied, turning to face his son, “I didn’t want to disturb you. You were having so much fun.”
“Thank you,” Theo said, his voice catching slightly. It wasn’t enough. How could it be. No words would ever be enough for this. Thank you, for loving Thalia. Thank you, for loving Theo. Thank you for accepting me. Thank you for being there. An uncountable number of thank yous were held in those two short words.
“You don’t need to thank me, Theseus,” Morgan replied with a smile, his figure starting to sparkle as the magic began to fade, “You and your sister are everything to me and I’m glad I got to see you grow up. Even if it’s not in the way either of us would’ve wished. I got to see my son get married. What father wouldn’t be thankful for that?”
Theo couldn’t tell if it was tears or the magic that made his father’s cheeks shine. But, he was pretty sure the blurriness was from his own tears.
“Goodbye, Theo,” Morgan was almost completely translucent now, “You have made me prouder than I ever could have dreamed.”
“Goodbye, dad.”
One last hug and Morgan was gone.
Even though the light of the magic and the sunset had faded, Theo still felt a glow within him. He had gotten to be a son. His father was proud of him. He was going to go back inside and see his husband, Orion. He finally had the life he never thought he’d be able to have.
As he turned and made his way back inside, he thought about the little ‘girl’ with a wooden sword and knew he’d be so happy with where he was now. With who he was now. Even if it had taken a while to get there.