Melpomene looked down at Nikkos as she pressed her lips to Telos' forehead, but she only paid mind to the young dog for a moment. She remembered how tiny he'd been once, tripping over his mother's paw in the corner of Ares' office, when Telos wasn't much more than a glimmer inside her. And now look at him, from a glimmer to a lost soul to a reality, held close in her arms, his wide eyes taking in her face, making her heart pound so hard in her body she thought she might shake apart.
Oh, there were so many reasons she might shake apart. Melpomene bowed her head over her son, and he grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled and she thought she might die of relief. Yes, love, never let go. I'll never let go of you again.
To Ares she said, "Come in, you incredible man," leading him back to their rooms where she could sit down and unwrap Telos and examine him properly - or feed him first, her breasts hurt. "There's a bottle of whisky on the bench, have as much as you want. Oh Ares, you did it. You found him." She never should have doubted, never.