Aaren does not blush. He's a hardened soldier, blushing isn't something he does. He does, however, do the emotional equivalent. "I- That would-" Pause, fond smile. "You're a terror," he accuses - the warmth in his voice and emotions taking any bite from his words.

"Yup!" Percy says simply.

"Our terror though!" Lan declares as he lands next to them and promptly gloms onto both of them. "What's Percy doing to gain that title?"

"Operation Cupid'ing."

"Oooh. Tell me more."

"See, dad has developing a crush on Felicia since she started talking, and she is a uniquely well-meaning person. I am sure they are a great match."

"...Yup. Sounds likely. So...why is Dad not asking her out?"

"Aside from the fact that I literally just met her?"

"There is that, also a bit insecurity because she might say no. I don't think she will."

"You should totally ask her out, Dad!"

"Not at a first meeting," Aaren says firmly.

"I guess you should arrange a second meeting then."

Aaren smiles slightly. "I might just do that."

"Maybe somewhere nice and picturesque where you can bring a picnic basket with food you made."

"Terror," Aaren says again, hugging Percy.

Hugs!

Many hugs!

Lan joins the hugs.

"What an adorable family," Felicia confides with Angelique.

"They really are," Angelique agrees. "Aaren is definitely one of the good people, and he's doing his best to raise his kids the same."

"How did you two meet?"

"Oh. Gosh. That's- Well. If I'm being honest, we met through his older brother, Steve. Steve and me have had something of a working relationship for most of our lives, and when Aaren got discharged, Steve was worried. He asked me to step in and well... Me and Aaren just kind of clicked, and the rest is history. And then when he adopted 'Chelle, he camped out here for a bit of extra help."

"Aww, was he the guy that adopted a baby elemental? I remember hearing something to the effect."

"Yeah. He was the only lightning elemental nearby when 'Chelle's mother was too panicky to let anyone near her without trying to electrocute them. It wasn't necessarily ideal, but the two of them worked it out. And Aaren is pretty certain that 'Chelle is the best thing that ever happened to him. Or one of them. Closely followed by Lan, and now, I expect, Percy."

"That's very remarkable," Fernanda interjects.