Elias stood outside Aria's apartment again the next day, this time with a small bag in his hand and an awkwardly eager look on his face.
He knocked once, then took a half-step back, adjusting the collar of his coat.
The door opened almost immediately.
"You're early," Aria said, a soft smile playing on her lips.
"Five minutes," he replied. "That's progress."
She stepped aside, letting him in.
Eli was already at the door, barefoot, holding a crayon in one hand and a piece of paper in the other. "Did you bring it?"
Elias held up the bag like a peace offering. "Chocolate milk. Cold, just the way you like it."
Eli's grin could've powered the entire apartment building.
"I told Mommy you'd bring it."
Aria closed the door behind them. "You bribed our son with chocolate milk."
"Technically, it was a negotiation," Elias said, crouching to Eli's level. "Do I get my drawing now?"
The boy beamed and handed him the paper.
Elias took it carefully like it was something sacred. It was a stick-figure drawing again—this time with four figures. A small one labeled "Me," a taller one with long hair labeled "Mommy," a dinosaur labeled "Mr. Snuggles," and one more… "Daddy."
He stared at it for a long time.
"I look taller than your mom," Elias said eventually.
"Because you are," Eli said with a shrug. "But she's louder."
Aria snorted. "Excuse me?"
Eli only giggled and ran off toward the living room.
Elias held the drawing close. "I'm framing this."
"I figured you'd like it," Aria said softly. "He's been working on it since you left yesterday."
They walked into the kitchen together while Eli continued his morning ritual of spreading toys across the rug.
"I hope it's okay I came again so soon," Elias said, placing the chocolate milk in the fridge.
"It's more than okay," Aria said. "He asked about you first thing when he woke up."
That did something to Elias's heart. He wasn't sure what to call it, but it was both sharp and warm.
"You look tired," she added gently.
"I didn't sleep again," he admitted.
"Worried?"
"Terrified," he said, meeting her eyes. "I keep wondering if I'll mess this up. If I'll say the wrong thing, or… push too hard."
"You haven't."
"Yet."
Aria leaned against the counter. "You know, the first time Eli got sick, I cried more than he did. I thought I'd fail at everything. But I didn't. We just… figured it out. Together."
"I don't know how to do this," Elias whispered.
"You learn," she said. "One spilled juice box at a time."
They shared a smile before Eli's voice called out from the living room.
"Daddy! Come see the fort!"
Elias straightened, still not used to hearing the word. "I'm coming!"
He followed Eli into the living room, where the boy had draped a blanket over two chairs and stuffed pillows inside.
"Welcome to Castle Eli," the boy said proudly.
Elias ducked inside, barely fitting. "This place has excellent insulation."
"It's for knights," Eli explained. "And dinosaurs. You have to pick your sword."
Elias blinked. "Sword?"
Eli handed him a long, green pool noodle. "This one's yours."
"I was hoping for the blue one."
"Green is for daddies."
Elias accepted it solemnly. "Then I am honored."
They spent the next thirty minutes inside the blanket fort, defeating imaginary dragons and escaping lava. Elias made dramatic sound effects, much to Eli's delight. At one point, Eli declared Elias the "King of Stuffed Animals," and gave him Mr. Snuggles as a crown.
From the kitchen, Aria listened to the laughter, her chest aching in the best way.
Later, they sat on the couch, Eli between them with a coloring book on his lap.
"Daddy, what's your favorite color?"
Elias glanced at Aria, then looked down at his son. "Green."
"Why?"
"Because… someone very cool gave me a green sword today."
Eli nodded as if that made perfect sense. "Mine's red. Like lava."
Aria smiled. "Mine's blue. Like the sky."
Eli grinned. "We're a rainbow family!"
"I guess we are," Elias said, wrapping an arm carefully behind him on the couch. Not touching Aria. Just… being there.
Eli colored quietly, the TV on low in the background.
Aria glanced at Elias. "You're good with him."
He smiled faintly. "I feel like I'm winging it."
"That's what parenting is."
He chuckled. "Then I've got the best co-star."
Eli looked up. "What's a co-star?"
"It means we're a team," Elias said.
Eli pointed at Aria. "Then Mommy's the director."
Aria blinked. "That… is surprisingly accurate."
They shared another laugh.
Later, when Eli went down for a nap, Elias stayed.
"Do you want to talk?" Aria asked, sitting across from him at the kitchen table.
He nodded. "About everything."
And so they did.
They talked about Eli—his birth, his first words, the time he broke a lamp pretending to be Spider-Man. Aria showed Elias a photo album she kept hidden in the drawer. He flipped through each page with reverence, tracing the edges of memories he hadn't been part of.
"You kept all of this?" he asked.
"Every moment. Every memory. Even when it hurt."
"Do you… resent me?" he asked quietly.
Aria took a long breath. "I used to. But I've had time to let go."
"I don't deserve that."
"You're here now. That matters."
He closed the album slowly. "I want to make up for lost time."
"You can't," she said gently. "But you can be here for what's ahead."
He looked up. "Can I… take him out sometime? Just the two of us?"
Aria hesitated. "You think you're ready for that?"
"No," he admitted. "But I want to try."
She studied him for a long moment. "Okay. We'll start small."
Elias smiled—smiled. "Thank you."
They sat there a little longer, the air between them shifting.
"I never thought we'd be here," Aria whispered. "Not like this."
"Neither did I."
She looked away, emotions threatening to surface. "But I'm glad you are."
He nodded, reaching out this time—not to take her hand, but to gently brush a strand of hair behind her ear.
"I missed more than I can say," he murmured.
"I know."
Silence settled, soft and understanding.
From the hallway, a sleepy voice called out.
"Mommy? Daddy?"
They both rose instantly.
"Coming, sweetheart," Aria said, moving toward the bedroom.
Elias followed slowly.
He didn't know what tomorrow would bring.
But for the first time in years… he looked forward to it.