The taxi dropped them off on a street that was dripping in American suburbia. Druig pushed his sunglasses higher up his face as he stepped out of the vehicle, his eyes on Soro as the slimmer man brushed his hair from his face. Hands coming up to tie the longer parts back out of his face as behind them Sersi paid the driver. The car sped off down the street was they surveyed the area. 

Family homes. All with garages and perfectly maintained lawns. Children played in the streets under the sunlight, enjoying the warm weather, while parents watched through living room windows or from garden chairs. It looked like something from a magazine. Human. Typical. It was strange to picture Phastos here, but Soro had brought them here. So here is where he must be. 

Druig watched as Soro led them down the street. His feet sure and the sun dancing off is shark cheekbones and dark eyes. In his leggings and oversized tshirt he looked like a person coming back from a morning jog. The shirt was white and exposed his collarbones to the light. Druig thought about biting them be decided to save it until later and when they ere not in public. Until then, he sped up to walk at his side. His hands in the pockets of his leather jacket but their shoulders brushing. Soro shot him a small smile before speeding up towards a specific house. 

This house was not much different than any of the others. A car was parked outside and the garage door was open. A little boy in a red coat was throwing a football back and forth with a man with olive skin. As Soro drew closer the boy looked up and let out a shriek of glee. "Uncle Sorrow!" He dropped the football and came barreling into Soro's legs. 

The long haired man laughed and caught the boy, hefting him up easily despite his slim frame and setting the boy on his hip. One hand ruffling the child's curls. "Jack! How's my favourite troublemaker?" 

Druig paused at the edge of the fence and watched in surprise as the boy seemed to beam with happiness. Sersi and Icarus at his side. Beyond the boy, Phastos was knelt fixing a child sized bike. At the noise, he stood up and came over. Druig tried not to raise an eyebrow to the shirt and cardigan combo the other was sporting. His whole attire practically screamed 'dad'. 

"Soro", the man who had been playing catch with Jack smiled, shooting nervous glances at the three other eternals standing to the side, as he approached. "Who are these? We did not know you would be stopping by". He was a middle aged slim man with olive skin and dark features. His hair was closely cropped and beard neatly trimmed. It was strange to picture Phastos with someone but the softness which Ben regarded his son was unmistakable. 

"Hey Jack. Ben. These are my other friends from college", Phastos greeted in a overly friendly voice. "Soro", he nodded. "For once you could give us a heads up when you come by". 

"Sorry", Soro shrugged, one hand tickling Jack. The little boy giggled and squirmed until he set him down. "I broke my phone". 

"Why do I even bother?" Phastos sighed. "At least it wasn't your glasses this time". He glanced over and frowned at Druig. "Ben. Jack. You know Soro. This is Sylvia. And this is Issac. And-"

"Druig", Soro stepped up to the man's side and intertwined their hands. "He's my husband". 

"Oh, the mysterious husband", Ben's wariness softened considerably. He stepped out and held a hand for Druig to shake. "Nice to meet you. But Soro told us you were separated". 

Druig shook the hand and grinned a sly grin just to irritate Phastos. "I've been trying to win him back. Not to jinx it but I think I've been doing pretty well". Soro elbowed him and rolled his eyes. 

"Dear, we've talked about this", Phastos sighed as he tried to nudge Ben away from Druig. "He's not to be trusted". 

Ben laughed. "You said the same about Soro and Jack adores him". He reached down to lay a hand on the boy's shoulder. 

Jack however had been frowning at Icarus. "Dad! That's superman". He pointed. 

"Very funny Jack but that's not superman", Phastos tried. Ben grinned behind him as Jack began bouncing on his toes. 

"No! No! That's superman! I saw him on tv. He was in London fighting a monster. And you were with a cape and shooting laser beams out of your eyes". 

Sersi seemed to be trying to bite down a laugh as Icarus stared at the excited child. "I don't wear a cape", he winked. 

"Oh Sorry". 

"I don't know", Druig drawled. "I'd like to see you in a cape". 

"Okay!" Phastos interrupted before the two blue eyed men could start sniping at each other. (It was a routine the rest of the eternals were used too after centuries of it). "Well, we should just go inside right?" He began backing up the drive. "Can I call you Clark? Is that what you go by now?"

"You've called me worse", Icarus replied as they followed. 

"Uncle Soro! Uncle Soro!" Jack raced back over to take Soro's hand. "I got a good report card so dad and Abu brought me a new book. This one's about the ocean". 

"The ocean?" Soro asked, letting the child tug him towards the door. "That's so cool. Do you want to show me?" Jack grinned as he nodded. 

"There's a whole page on sharks and there's a part on Ocapuses". 

"Octopi", Ben corrected. 

"Octopi. But my favourite is the cuttlefish. Because, cause it makes art on the sand, right? Under the water. Like it's drawing. I like drawing too. Which is why I like the cuttlefish cause it draws too". 

Druig smiled as Soro and the excitably chattering child disappeared through the front door of the house. "He's surprisingly good with kids", Sersi remarked next to him. "I always seem to forget that fact". 

"Did you forget how he used use his powers to make skipping ropes for children in the market of Babylon?" Druig smiled at her. "Soro has always loved kids". 

"I know. I just forget because I haven't seen him in so long", her smile turned slightly sad. "We haven't seen each other in five hundred years. Yet Soro has visited each of us. He has checked in on all of us during that time. Some of us were just too caught up in our own lives to notice. I forget how much he held us together". 

Druig stepped through into the hall of the house and glanced around. It was all dark wooden floors with a high ceiling, white walls with framed family photos. The only clutter was the children's shoes by a cupboard and cartoon covered backpacks hanging from a coat rack. Down the hall, Jack's voice was echoing back to them. Interspersed by Soro. 

"And this is a hammerhead shark. I think he looks funny". 

"I agree. It must be hard for him to see where he is going. But I am sure he does just fine". 

"Dad says that the eyes are like that so he can spot more fish to eat, which is cool. This shark has stripes". 

Druig smiled slightly. He had never thought of having a family. Nothing beyond the eternals, their little group. Then nothing beyond just him and Soro. Something like this, like what Phastos had built for himself, was never on his mind. He had his husband and he was content with that. They may never want or be able to bring a child into their lives, definitely not any time soon. But seeing Soro with Phastos' son, how good he was, softened something in Druig's chest. He was fine never having children. But he wouldn't mind having one either. If Soro ever wanted one, if they survived what was coming, then he did not think that he would mind something like this. 

"Funny how sometimes you can only realise things in hindsight", he remarked as he kicked off his boots. Then he padded off down the hall, following the sound of Soro's voice. 

unedited 

who missed Soro and Druig? I have. They're adorable.