“Dad? Can we talk?”
 
Dusk Star sat across from Flash Sentry, staring at him with hopeful, pleading eyes from behind the morning paper. What he was really doing was interrupting Flash’s morning routine before he went to work, begging for attention like he always did.
 
“Yeah bud,” he mumbled, barely peeking over the newspaper as he tried to ignore the colt. “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,” Flash could hear him take a deep breath. “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 don’t know…” he trailed off as if waiting for a response.
 
Flash suppressed the urge to groan. Here we go again. Being accused of neglect just because of work. It was like that kid didn’t know how good he had it, how Flash just didn’t have the time to do much outside of the guard. He still made sure he had everything he wanted.
 
“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 plastered on a smile. “You understand, right buddy?”
 
“THIRTEEN YEARS of training, Dad.“ Dusk said in an unusually frustrated tone. “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.” Flash looked up from his newspaper just in time to see him get out of his chair and huff out of the room.
 
”Hey, wait!” Flash got up as well and chased after him. “It’s not what you think!”
 
The colt froze at the door before turning on his heels to look at Flash. “What is it then?”
 
Flash froze in his tracks, staring down at Dusk’s shimmering, tearful eyes. It was almost heart-wrenching. This colt just wanted to spend time with his father. He wanted somepony to eat ice cream and sail boats with. He knew exactly how that felt; his own father was in jail for most of his life, and he himself had always longed for that father-son connection. Sure, they didn’t have anything in common, but it wouldn’t hurt him to skip guard training for a day and make the kid feel good. And all these years, he hadn’t given Dusk the time of day. He was no better than his own father. He couldn’t help but feel regret over it.
 
”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.” The colt reached out a hoof, as if pleading for Flash to give him a chance.
 
But as Flash looked into the colt’s violet eyes, Flash realized one thing: they really didn’t have anything in common. This child was not his son. No, he was a harsh reminder of how Twilight had hurt and betrayed him. Just because of a few relationship problems that could’ve been worked out easily. And now, he was being expected to raise and love this kid as his son as if nothing had ever happened. Why should he be obligated to push it all under the rug and raise the product of an affair? The symbol of betrayal and failure to have a normal family? He couldn’t take it.
 
”Dusk,” Flash scowled, sighing deeply as he dug up his old excuses. “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, releasing a powerful burst of magic and pushing against the door. “THIS ISN’T ABOUT ME GETTING MY OWN WAY! THIS…this about me being IGNORED and UNLOVED!”
 
As the colt slammed the door and galloped away, Flash was left in shock at the sudden outburst. And yet, he made no effort to chase after him or reason with him. After all, he shouldn’t have to.
 
That kid was not his son.