Dusk Star had these feelings bubbling up inside him for years now, and he couldn’t stand one more day of it. He couldn’t stand one more day feeling like he wasn’t worth his father’s love. He couldn’t stand one more day feeling like he did something wrong just by existing. And he couldn’t stand one more day living in his sister’s shadow. This was his final option.
 
He slowly but surely made his way into the kitchen where his father was reading this morning’s paper, sitting across from him so as to not make things too obvious.
 
“Dad? Can we talk?”
 
“Yeah bud,” Flash Sentry mumbled from behind the newspaper, only peeking over for a split second. “Gal and I have training to get to in a bit, but I guess I have a minute. What’s up?”
 
“Oh…well, it’s exactly that Dad. The two of us haven’t had a father-son day…ever. We never hang out. You never make time for me. Mom makes time for me AND Gal, and she’s not even into the same stuff as Gal. I dont know…” Dusk took a deep breath and tried his best to keep his cool, but he could definitely predict his father’s next response.
 
“My work at the guard just has me really busy, son. Gal and I both. Making sure we have all the training down is really important, you know. I just don’t have the time like your mother does.” Flash lowered the newspaper and gave an almost fake smile. “You understand, right buddy?”
 
“THIRTEEN YEARS of training, Dad. I guess you can take a break from training when it comes to getting Gal ice cream and taking her to the park. It’s okay. I’ll just spend another day in my room. All alone.” Dusk stared down at the ground, slowly losing his temper as he pushed his chair away from the table and stood up.
 
Flash glanced over his newspaper once again, but did a double take as he noticed the colt huff off to his room. He got up as well and trotted after him.
 
“Hey, wait! It’s not what you think!”
 
Dusk stopped at the kitchen door before turning on his heels to look at his dad, his eyes shimmering with tears he tried to hide. “What is it then?”
 
Flash froze in his tracks, seeming at a loss for words as his expression changed to one of…remorse. “Son, I-“
 
“You what, dad? Not once have you acted like I’m your son or like you love me! I love you…Gal loves you..Mom loves you. We all do. It just hurts to never get any of that love back.” Dusk shakily reached out a hoof, part of him hoping that this would finally get through to his father…somehow.
 
Flash gazed down at the colt, almost seeming to reach his hoof out too before he scowled and sighed deeply.
 
“Dusk, I do everything I can to put a roof over our heads and dinner on the table. Your mother, Gal and I all work tirelessly to make sure we have a living and that you CAN go to your little school events. I’m doing all I can, and you just have to accept that I don’t have the spare time that you and your mother always do. You can’t always get your way, bud.”
 
“You…YOU BUCKING FLANKHOLE!” Dusk shouted, finally losing his temper as he released a powerful burst of magic to fight his fathers push against the door. “THIS ISN’T ABOUT ME GETTING MY OWN WAY! THIS…this about me being ignored and unloved!”
 
Slamming the door hard and breaking into a gallop up the castle steps and towards his mother’s study, Dusk needed love and affection right now. And she was the only one in the family willing to give it to him.
 

 
SLAM!
 
Twilight Sparkle jerked her head up at the noise and was immediately met with her son, head down and galloping towards her.
 
“Dusk!” She quickly opened her arms and pulled him into an embrace. “What was all that noise? Is something wrong?”
 
Dusk tried to cough up words but couldn’t, so he used a spark of magic to lock the door behind them so he could calm himself down. He gently nuzzled his head into the crook of Twilights neck, taking deep breaths.
 
“I…I talked to Dad about how I was feeling. About how I feel so~~” He stopped mid sentence to whimper and gasp for air “-unloved. He told me that I ‘can’t always get my way’ but that’s not what I meant at all!”
 
“I know, I know…” Twilight sighed and stroked the colt’s mane. “You’re not unloved, Dusk. Flash~~ er, your father just has a hard time expressing himself. With all of us, even me. You did nothing wrong.” She pulled Dusk in closer and he could hear her take a shuddering breath.
 
“I’m so sorry you have to go through this…”