Menelaus rambles a lot about not only Helen, but also Hermione. About how she used to say Olive like "Olifs". How she lost her first tooth running too fast and running into a low branch while out with Helen. How he'd sometimes wake up to Hermione leaning over him and poking his face to say, "Dad, can we go see the horses?" even though it was barely daylight. How she was much nicer waking Helen and how he thinks Hermione did that on purpose because she found "dad's face funny". How her favorite color was every color.
And Odysseus listens.
And he thinks about how his son only had a few teeth coming in when he left, teething on everything. How he could only say one syllable with his babbles. How his son needed balance to stand but Odysseus was so proud that Telemachus was very good at rolling over. How his son loved pulling at his and Penelope's hair.
How his son would be talking, walking, maybe even lost his first tooth by now. And he doesn't even know if he'll ever know his son's favorite color.
I'm really, REALLY, trying to hold back from writing a Dorym reunion one shot just in case next episode gags me with a spoon but the desire is STRONG, ya'll.
That last desperate Sending from Orym. Seeing our boy finally break under the weight of everything after being so unwielding, so brave, so incredibly, absolutely strong for all of his friends, for his family. And the person he cried to, the person he wants to be there for him the most is Dorian. The friend that left all that time ago. The friend he said to, resolutely, sounding so incredibly determined "this isn't goodbye, it's see you later". How much it hurt to hear his voice break and sound so, so small when he said "I'm struggling. I need you."
And then Dorian. Finally having the life of adventure and freedom he wanted all along. Finally getting to see the world away from the expectations and the observations and the judgements. His brother is safe, his friends are safe (at least he thinks they are). But why does he feel so empty? Why does it feel like he's missing a part of himself? Could it have something to do with a halfling fighter he's been itching to call on the Sending stone every night for months?