Hushed Willows no skin like the skin you woke up in

he is not expecting lily to appear -- surely her children are still too little? -- but it is not an unwelcome surprise. "lily," he returns, softly, and then, "i'm well, thank you. it has been a while." too long, though at least in her case it's slightly justifiable. pregnancy fills him with an uncomfortable sort of longing; he'll swallow it for olive (and she's so good at making him part of it anyway) -- but the rest, oh. well.

"how are the little ones?" he asks, the hidden apology for not coming to visit yet not-so-much. still, all that guilt belongs to his old name: pulling it into the light, he adds, "i'm sorry i haven't been by yet -- i needed to get rid of my old name, first."