Flynn let out an exaggerated, drawn-out yawn—one of those yawns that came from pure boredom—while trying to finish his assignment. His room was unusually quiet. Dylan had stepped out to grab a few things from his apartment. Flynn didn't bother coming along—he was far too lazy to get up that early.
When he stepped out of his room for a break, he saw his father on the veranda, repairing something. For a moment, Flynn hesitated. They rarely talked—at least, not the way real fathers and sons did—but something inside him nudged him forward. He walked over and quietly took a seat beside Lucas.
"Son. Didn't see you there," Lucas said with a small smile, still focused on his work.
Flynn exhaled softly. "Dylan and I talked to his dad and Aunt Anna the other night. They're getting married next month."
Lucas paused what he was doing and nodded. "Well, that's good news. That means Dylan will officially be part of our family soon."
Flynn gave a faint, almost ironic smirk. "Actually... I've been meaning to tell you. Aunt Anna has been offering to send me abroad to study for a long time. But I always turn her down."
That made Lucas stop completely. He set his tools down and looked at Flynn. "Why would you reject that? That's a huge opportunity for your future, son."
"But I don't need some fancy future," Flynn replied quietly. "I'm fine with how things are."
Lucas sighed—a heavy, fatherly sigh filled with both concern and frustration. "But your intelligence is being wasted, son. If I had the means, I'd want you to study abroad too." He studied Flynn's face more carefully. "Is that really your reason? Or do you just... not want to be involved with your aunt?"
"Something like that..." Flynn admitted.
"Son," Lucas said gently, "everything that happened—it's all in the past. I've never held any grudge against your mother's family. They did nothing wrong to us. My advice? Give them a chance. You're Anna's only nephew... it wouldn't hurt to let her in."
Flynn looked away, his chest tightening. "But... I don't know if I can handle being away from you."
Ever since Flynn's mother died, Lucas had been the only constant in his life. He wasn't perfect—often clueless, sometimes scatterbrained—but he was there. Always there. Thinking about being far from his father made a quiet ache spread through Flynn's chest.
Lucas felt that ache too. His expression softened, touched and slightly trembling. He didn't expect Flynn to open up like this. They were never the type to share deep conversations. "Son... you're grown now. And I won't be beside you forever. If I were you, I'd take every opportunity that comes your way. Don't throw your future away just because you don't want to leave me. I'm not going anywhere. I'll always be here."
"Then... maybe you should get married too," Flynn murmured.
Lucas blinked. "W-What do you mean?"
Flynn let out a small laugh. "I know about you and Aunt Mary. Why don't you just marry her already?"
Lucas couldn't help but laugh softly too—surprised, embarrassed, and relieved all at once. "Would... that be okay with you?"
"I'm okay with it," Flynn said honestly. "Ever since Mom passed, you haven't done anything for yourself. You've always been taking care of me and Grandma Mina. Maybe it's time you put yourself first. And honestly... I'd feel better if it were Aunt Mary."
Lucas swallowed hard as emotion surged through him. "T-Thank you, son. I've wanted to tell you about us for so long... I just didn't know how. I didn't want you to think I was abandoning my responsibility as your father."
"It's okay, Pa." Flynn's voice cracked despite his efforts to sound steady. "Besides... I'll be with Dylan. I'll probably stay in his apartment while we figure out our plans for college. So go ahead and pursue Aunt Mary. It would make me feel better... knowing someone will take care of you when I leave your care."
His voice broke completely at the end. Tears pooled in his eyes before he could stop them. Even if he was ready for this new chapter, the thought still hurt, knowing he'd no longer be the only one his father devoted his time to. That ache was small but sharp, settling right in his heart.
"Thank you... thank you, son..." Lucas's voice finally cracked. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he reached for Flynn. "Even if this old man of yours gets married... you'll always be my only child. You'll always be number one in my heart. I would never trade you for anything in this world."
The dam finally broke.
Flynn hugged his father back just as tightly, their bodies shaking with every quiet sob. The veranda, usually filled with the calm hum of the neighborhood, carried instead the soft, painful, heart-wrenching sound of father and son crying into each other's arms—letting go, accepting change, and holding on at the same time.
And for the first time in a long while, they felt like a real family.
Just as Dylan returned to the house, he caught sight of them and heard enough of their voices to understand what was happening. He stopped himself from stepping inside.
Instead, he stayed outside, unmoving, letting the moment belong only to them.
He could feel the weight of their words even from a distance—the sincerity in Lucas's voice, the quiet ache in Flynn's. It was a rare, fragile moment between father and son, a moment tied to choices that would change both their lives.
So Dylan simply waited, heart heavy yet warm, giving them the space they needed.