"I feel like I actually went to considerable lengths to establish my willingness to deshoe all your horses."

"So your plan is - to stay here with Telumë, talk to lots of people - do we get any grandchildren -"

He relaxes slightly. Squeezes Telumë's hand. "Not for a long time. But - someday, I think so."

"And should we have a party - I haven't had time to make you presents, I was dead -"

"I know. I wasn't expecting presents."

"I did spend a couple of decades in the Halls working out the formulae for some artifacts I wanted to make, once Mandos explained that he was doing time-compression so we'd all get out at about the same point however long it took us to heal. But I don't have my notes so I'll need some time to rework them and some time more to actually build them."

" - okay."

"And I have no idea what would even be a good wedding present for Findekáno, what with his lack of a personality."

"Well I am not planning to get married again anytime soon, I don't think I have it down quite yet."

"Hmm."

"But, you know, should that day come, I think it'd mean a lot to him if you'd tell him he was family."

"Well, he would be. By marriage. That's - how marriage works. Though maybe we'll have to reconsider that at some number of husbands, if you want forty."

"Absolutely not. I have learned my lesson about complicating my romantic life and will stop at two."

"And I don't know if it's transitive - if Telumë marries someone else I am unprepared to venture a theory about whether they'd be a Fëanorian or not."

"He married lots of people long ago so I am trying to have expectations there might be some awkwardness eventually. ...he loves me more, though."

"I should hope so!"

"I do." Telumë takes a step closer to Maitimo so he can lean his head against his husband's shoulder, finds himself smiling. "Fëanáro, do you remember the advice you gave me a long time ago, about marriage, and the importance of finding a partner with common sense if you yourself have only the uncommon kind? Well, I think Maitimo and I are both more the uncommon sense type, though at least we have different kinds so it covers the gaps a little. Findekáno, however, has common sense in spades, which is why I cannot possibly object to my husband marrying him too, since it is at this point the only way for him to follow your very good advice. I suppose you can decide whether or not common sense counts as a personality and what it would indicate about wedding presents." 

"I guess it's a little bit of a personality trait? A boring one, though.

I will acknowledge he has good taste."

- Maitimo steps forward and gives his father a hug. Neither of them move for a long time.

Awwwwwww that seems like a pretty good outcome here, all things considered.

He glances over at Nerdanel. That was not really the conversation I was expecting to have first thing upon your arrival here. 

I was not sure whether it would be a good idea or not! We spent a long time with Mandos, discussing things. Maybe it was helpful. Are you all right? It sounds like Maitimo has figured out how to structure everything in a way he feels good about, and I'm glad of that, but marriages do take two people.

...That's a good question. 

Yes. It is - not uncomplicated, I think there are still some things that I need to work through, and - I will always wish it had happened a better way, but I am very happy to be married to him. 

I'm glad of that. Hug?

Hug!

...He has a mother-in-law. Also a father-in-law. That's such an odd thought. He literally cannot remember ever having something that close to parents. 

Afterwards everyone seems worn out on emotionally fraught conversations and the Quendi are content to tour his city and be impressed and make plans for a belated wedding party, in a year or so once they've had time to make the presents.