Epilogue #2
So far, Milo was coping well with his anxiety and it wasn’t keeping him from going to work and on an occasional date to the Hayden Planetarium or for a real picnic in the park.
Flying was extra stressful for a lot of people at the moment but Milo was also running an important new study at Starlight, in addition to their work on P versus NP.
Flying overseas would have been unnecessarily stressful for Milo and seeing his father struggle would only have compounded his anxiety.
“Consider it an early wedding gift,” Muriel said with a suggestive lift of her brows.
“That’s not up to me!” Elio held up a hand defensively. “We’re already married as far as I’m concerned, but Milo wants time to establish himself as an individual and a physicist. I think that’s good, though.”
“As long as that’s why and you’re not dragging your feet,” she said, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.
Elio shook his head. “I’ve known he was the one since Jonathon and Poldi’s wedding. I was just too stubborn to realize it until we started working together at Starlight. But I stopped fighting it after we were nearly vaporized by a collider.”
“A tale as old as time,” Muriel sighed nostalgically and paused. “I could tell right away that you two were made for each other. He’s in good hands with you and that sad, lonely boy under all those tattoos and piercings is safe with Milo.”
Elio humphed. “You’ve been watching me for a while too, haven’t you?” he said and she made an indignant sound.
“Of course, I was! I never liked the way the von Hessens and the Foundation treated your parents and I thought it was a scandal, the way you and your brothers were abandoned after they passed. I would have done something if Maximilian hadn’t stepped in and made them do the right thing.”
That explained why the old dragon had taken such a personal interest in their affairs and had given them free use of her apartment, but Elio was still incredibly touched.
“How can I repay you? I assume you won’t accept my money,” he said, earning an offending gasp.
“I most certainly won’t. I have more money than I need and you can’t afford to give anymore away. The utilities and taxes are on you from now on.”
“That’s still very generous,” Elio argued but Muriel pulled a face.
“It isn’t doing me any good and I can’t take it with me.
Jonathon is inheriting everything else and he has no desire to return to Manhattan or live in the Olympia ever again.
All that I ask is that you take good care of it, never let it go, and have a happy life there with Milo.
It’s time for that place to be a home again and the two of you deserve a space of your own. ”
“You have my word,” Elio said as he kissed her cheek.
Muriel allowed it, then shooed him off with orders to find Milo and dance with him. He was already dancing with Luna when Elio returned to the terrace. Thankfully, the band started playing “A Kiss To Build A Dream On” instead of a waltz.
“May I have this dance,” Elio asked as he took Milo’s hand and kissed it, making Luna burst into applause and giggles.
“Now, you look like a prince,” she told Elio before running to Riley and begging him to dance.
“She’s the only one who’s allowed to say that,” Elio said, cutting Milo off before he could make a joke or say something similar.
“I was just going to say you look very handsome in your tuxedo,” Milo said with a haughty lift of his chin. “I would never say that you’re my idea of Prince Charming.” He bit down on his lips to stop their twitching and shook his head.
“Come here,” Elio said as he gathered Milo in his arms and rocked them in time with the beat.
That was the limit of Milo’s dancing ability but that was fine with Elio, he hated dancing and only did it when his brothers or Muriel made him.
“You’re my idea of perfect, Milo Ashby. You’re my world and nothing will ever change that. ”
“You’re the center of my world and I know that this is fate, that we’re meant to be,” Milo said as he wound his arms around Elio’s neck, carefree and flirting as he swayed with the music.
“Is that so?” Elio asked, cocking a brow expectantly and Milo nodded.
“It’s why your parents named you Elio, when they made you for me,” he said with a tipsy grin but Elio stopped them, his heart pounding as tears stung his eyes. “Eli? What’s wrong?”
“That’s it!” Elio captured Milo’s face, laughing loudly as he kissed him. “That’s the answer!” he cried as he held Milo as tight as he could and spun them. He didn’t care if everyone was looking and thought he was drunk or unstable. He’d waited almost twenty years for this.
“What’s the answer?” Milo asked and gave Elio a gentle shake.
“My name! No one could ever tell me why they named me Elio. But now I know: because I was made to be the center of your world, and you were meant to be mine.”
Milo nodded, tears clinging to his lashes. “I’ll love you forever, Elio. For as long as there are stars and some particle of me exists, I will always be yours.”
They kissed and held each other as the band played another song and Elio was beyond grateful as he took in the other couples on the terrace. Each of his brothers was with their soulmate and all of their friends were happily in love.
Walker and Agnes Cameron laughed and glowed as they danced with Fin and Penny.
Giles and Riley were twirling Luna under the disco ball and Penn and Morris were already making excuses so they could leave.
Cadence was spending the night with Morris’s parents and Penn hadn’t been subtle about his plans for the rest of the evening.
And Dash was with Gavin, feeding each other cake and making their own plans to leave once the grooms gave them permission.
The Killian House was where it all started, when Reid sent Fin to rescue Walker.
And it was through Agnes and Walker that Reid came into Max’s life, just around the corner at Briarwood Terrace.
Thanks to Max and the Ashbys, Jonathon was reunited with Leo, thus beginning the von Hessen brothers’ New York adventures.
Each story had played out very differently for Leo, Theo, Matteo, and Elio, but each prince found their own unique fairytale, complete with their perfect hero.
For Leo and Jonathon, their future was in Schonbühel and Theo and Doobie had the bowling alley and a home full of rescue dogs and two fat, lazy cats in Oslo, New York.
Matteo and Truman were obnoxiously—and disgustingly—happy and would soon tie the knot in an elaborate winter wedding.
Elio and Milo’s love story would eventually include a set of von Hessen twins, Caroline—named after the first woman to discover a comet—and Maximilian II.
Both Elio and Milo would go on to publish several papers and win many awards, including a shared Nobel for solving P versus NP.
But nothing would ever be as rewarding for them as the bond they shared and being parents to Carrie and Mini Max.
One day, Maximilian II would go on to be the Margrave of Hessen, but he would have a full and happy childhood at the Olympia with Carrie and their parents and grandparents and they would often visit The Killian House and Briarwood Terrace where their many aunts, uncles, and cousins all lived happily ever after.
The End