It made sense to make it official, that there could be no more languishing on the point and preventing what was necessary as it was right. It was almost mystifying, the twinge of nostalgia he felt when checking over mental points while working on a proper present for the inevitable occasion. He wasn't sure if Hylonome would want him there for the event? He was her General, yes, but she'd always liked to make her own calls. She'd been so driven to be on her own, even from the start; made her own path fresh and lovely over every weed-ridden hurdle.

All the girls seemed that way, once they'd gotten their bearings. Actaea especially who'd taken an out of his home the second she'd gotten the more conflicting parts of her civilian life under-wraps. Like Mizuki--- who needed him almost never and was so busy being out doing whatever young people did that he saw her only rarely, and in those instances? It was always a good time, but it still wasn't like before.

He wondered when Hylonome would inevitably leave and his nest would once more be completely empty save for guest rooms? None of these women were children, they didn't need him *quite* that same way--and Hatsya had been adamant in assuring him of these things, had taken the mantle and run with giving out much needed instruction, covering the basses he failed to. She'd certainly helped make all the girls people he could be proud of....

And Prehnite was indeed proud of all of them, but right now? Of Hylonome, truly, and it was the strangest, warmest thing he'd experienced in quite some time. To have the privilege of reaching out to Xyla for something of a more joyous nature, instead of using the large and lovely Mau to lament his woes to while trying to wrangle the inevitable accidental signatures in his home down into 'civilian only in the house!' much like 'a please leave your shoes at the front door' sign -- and hadn't that taken some working? Practice? Timely reminders?

He almost missed it now---