Nathaniel Pearson-Thompson

What impression do you make on people when they first meet you? Ordinary. Average height, average looks, the kind of person who blends into academic crowds. People are usually surprised when they find out I'm married to Eli.

What is your profession? I teach classics at the university. Ancient languages, literature, philosophy - the kind of subjects people think are useless until they need them.

Describe your ideal partner. Someone who challenges me, who isn't intimidated by intelligence, who can match my capacity for love. I seem to be drawn to beautiful, damaged souls who need healing.

What's the most important thing in your life? My family - Eli, Hailey, Samuel, Darren (and Jenny now too!) They're my whole world.

Your greatest extravagance? Books. I buy far more than I need, and now I buy them for Samuel too. Also those care packages - I probably spend too much, but their comfort is worth everything.

Is there anything you haven't done that you want to do? Take both my husbands on a proper honeymoon. Watch Samuel discover all the simple pleasures he's been denied.

Your quirky habits? I eat like I'm feeding a small army - my metabolism is ridiculous. I also tend to quote ancient texts when I'm stressed.

What quality do you like most in a man/woman? Loyalty. The way Samuel would die before betraying someone he loves, the way Eli puts family above everything else.

What trait do you most despise? Selfishness that hurts innocent people. Like Andrew destroying Eli's life for money.

What do you value the most? The safety and happiness of the people I love. Everything else is negotiable.

Favorite food Anything Eli puts on my plate. Aside from that, whatever monstrosity I can construct from vending machine offerings. I'm not picky so long as there's enough of it.

What would you consider your perfect night out? All of us together in our real home, no visiting hours or restrictions. Just... normal family time.

What was your first thought or impression when you met the person you fell in love with? With Eli: that he was impossibly beautiful and kind. With Samuel: that he was exactly what had been missing from our family.

What would you change about the person you fell in love with? I'd give Eli perfect health and Samuel a childhood free of trauma. Their hearts are perfect as they are.

What do you like most about the person you fell in love with? Eli's gentleness with everyone, especially the vulnerable. Samuel's fierce protectiveness and hidden sweetness.

What would you change about yourself? I'd be braver, more like them. I'd find a way to fix everything faster.

Tell me about your best friend. My brother Darren, though he'd probably say I'm too old to have a "best friend." He's been my constant companion since childhood, even when he disapproves of my choices.

Your thoughts on love? Love isn't finite. Loving Samuel doesn't diminish what I feel for Eli - it expands it. The heart has infinite capacity if you let it.

What are you most afraid of? That something will happen to Eli or Samuel in that place and I'll be powerless to help them.

What was your first thought when you met Samuel? That he was exactly what Eli had been missing without knowing it. And that I was in trouble, because I could see myself falling for him just as hard.