LXXI

After the TV fiasco, we had no choice but to figure out something else to pass the time. It was a fine Saturday, the kind of day where the sun was warm but not overbearing, and the breeze carried the faint scent of pine from the woods nearby. Perfect for a celebration. The problem was, I had no idea how to fill the day.

I’d had a few birthdays myself growing up with Grandma. They were simple—either a meal out or a feast at home, followed by the grand finale of opening presents. But for Leon, we’d agreed to save his presents for later, which left me scratching my head for something else to make the day special.

Leora wasn’t much help. She didn’t really have birthdays growing up, so the task of planning fell squarely on my shoulders. After some thought, I rummaged through the storage closet and dragged out an old Scrabble box from the toy chest.

“Who wants to play Scrabble?” I announced, trying to sound enthusiastic.

Leon’s response was immediate. “Boo~!”

Leora didn’t even look up from her phone. “Go die in a ditch.”

Whoa. Harsh words from my loving wife.

“Uhh… okay,” I muttered, feeling my ego deflate. “How about we buy a new TV? And maybe hit the arcade while we’re at it?”

That got their attention. For some reason, when it came to these things, Leon and Leora shared a single brain cell.

“WOOHOO~!” they cheered in unison, their enthusiasm making me laugh despite myself.

I headed out to the garage and rolled my mom-type SUV into the driveway. Don’t judge me—it’s practical. Leora immediately claimed the shotgun seat while Leon settled in the back.

“Dad, can I sit in the front?” Leon asked from behind.

“Nope,” Leora cut in, “Only adults sit in the front.”

Leon turned to his Mom, glaring at her. “Mom, shut up.”

“Whoa, attitude!” I shot him a warning look. “And seatbelt!”

Leora leaned forward and tugged on Leon’s seatbelt to make sure it was secure. Then, because she couldn’t help herself, she pinched his nose and ruffled his hair.

“Come on, get a life, Mom!” Leon whined, squirming away from her hand.

I had a sneaking suspicion Selena was behind his recent sass. She practically lived at our house half the time, and her sharp tongue was rubbing off on Leon in the worst ways.

Once everyone was settled, I pulled out of the driveway and headed for Goodwell Mall. It might’ve been a small town, but we still had a decent mall.

“Anyone want to catch a movie while we’re there?” I asked as we approached the main road.

“Ooh, I wanna watch Deadman!” Leon piped up, practically bouncing in his seat.

Leora raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t that rated R?”

I grinned. “We can watch it, Leora. We’ll just leave Leon in the kiddie pool area.”

“That’s unfair!” Leon protested, crossing his arms.

“Just kidding, buddy,” I said, chuckling.

Leora shot me a look that said she wasn’t entirely sure I was joking. Leon, on the other hand, seemed ready to launch into a full debate about why he was mature enough for an R-rated movie.

In the end, we skipped the movies and went straight to the arcade. Leon’s excitement was palpable as I exchanged some cash for tokens. He clutched them in his small hands, practically vibrating with anticipation.

Leon threw himself into the games with the unrestrained enthusiasm only a five-year-old could muster. He flitted from one machine to the next, testing his skills. The games that demanded physical ability, like the punching bag or basketball hoops, didn’t see him setting any high scores. But the racing games and shooting simulators? He absolutely dominated those.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Of course, I made sure to keep his aura locked using the modified Soul Chain I’d developed. It wasn’t just for fairness in the arcade—it was for his safety. I’d discovered that his aura, as remarkable as it was, had a troubling side effect. Prolonged use of it seemed to negatively affect his psyche. Selena had been the first to point it out, back before things could’ve spiraled.

I remembered the version of Leon from Hunterworks, the novel I wrote. There, he was a ruthless, borderline psychopathic character, willing to crush anyone who stood in his way. He’d only show his boyish charm when it suited his goals. It wasn’t something I’d intentionally written—it just seemed to happen as the story developed. Now, seeing Leon as my real-life son, I couldn’t help but wonder how much of that personality was tied to his aura.

Leora’s voice broke through my thoughts. “Rey, what’s that?”

I followed her gaze to a carousel near the back of the arcade. Its colorful lights spun slowly, and the painted unicorns and horses looked like something out of a fairytale.

“It’s called a carousel,” I said.

Her eyes lit up, and I could tell she wanted to try it. Leora didn’t have much of a childhood, so these small things always fascinated her.

“Hey, Leon, do you want to try that?” she asked, her voice full of hope.

Leon scrunched his nose. “It looks boring.”

Leora wasn’t giving up that easily. “Come on, it looks like it’ll be fun.”

“I don’t want to.”

I couldn’t believe my wife was trying to peer-pressure our son into riding a carousel. Before Leon could suggest another game, I grabbed Leora’s hand and playfully ran toward the carousel.

“Leon, we’re riding the carousel! We might leave you behind if you don’t catch up!” I called over my shoulder.

“You’re so mean!” Leon shouted, but I saw him sprinting after us anyway.

When I stopped abruptly, Leora bumped into my chest. She looked up at me, confused. I was a bit taller than her, and the way her wide eyes met mine gave me a mischievous idea.

“If you wanted to ride the carousel, you could’ve just said so,” I teased.

Her ears turned red, and she froze like a deer caught in headlights. I smirked, feeling a flicker of pride that I still had it in me to fluster her.

After paying the fee, I lifted Leon onto one of the unicorns. His earlier reluctance evaporated instantly.

“This… this looks…” He paused, then his face lit up with determination. “I am Leon the Great Knight, Master of the Sun, and Devourer of Chickens!”

A few people nearby chuckled at his declaration. Leora stood beside him, holding onto him as if he might fall off.

“He’s a big boy, you know,” I said with a sigh, a mischievous thought brewing in my mind.

Without warning, I scooped Leora up into a bridal carry, jumped onto a unicorn, and declared, “And I am Reynard, Master of the Pen, Husband to Princess Leora—”

I didn’t even get to finish before her elbow met my chin.

“Ugh,” I groaned, gently setting her down. So much for theatrics.

A few moments later, I was standing outside the carousel, nursing my bruised pride and taking pictures with my phone. Leon and Leora rode side by side, each on their own unicorn, as the carousel spun around.

The cheerful tune played once, then twice. Leon’s laughter rang out above the music, and even Leora looked like she was enjoying herself.

I rubbed my jaw absently. At least she held back. With all my aura focused on sealing Leon’s, I couldn’t afford to use any for self-defense.

Still, seeing the two of them happy made the whole thing worth it.

I was snapping pictures of Leon and Leora with Leora’s smartphone when I heard a familiar voice call out.

“Reynard, I thought I’d find you here,” Selena said, striding toward me.

She was eating cotton candy, her leather jacket slung casually over her shoulders, and her denim pants looking as sharp as ever.

“Oh, you’re home early,” I replied, lowering the phone.

“It’s my godson’s birthday,” she said, gesturing toward Leon. “I tried to get back as fast as I could.”

“You practically live in our basement,” I teased.

Selena devoured the last of her cotton candy in one bite, then pulled out a camera seemingly from thin air. “Go back inside. Let me take some pictures. I’ll get better angles than you, at least.”

“Ouch,” I muttered, tucking Leora’s phone into my pocket and handing the carousel operator more money.

I joined Leora and Leon inside, letting Selena take over photography duties. We posed for a few more pictures with her in them this time. After the carousel, we roamed the mall. We were tempted to watch a movie at Selena’s suggestion but decided against it, shopped for clothes for everyone, and finally bought a new TV.

By the time we got home, it was already late afternoon.

“Lena, help me in the kitchen,” Leora said as she carried some groceries inside. “Rey, you watch Leon.”

Selena raised an eyebrow. “What is this? A double standard? Women belong in the kitchen now?”

“Don’t be stupid,” Leora retorted. “Just help me prepare the table, reheat some food, and maybe cook a few more dishes. We’re having visitors.”

Selena blinked. “Aren’t you lot supposed to be off the grid?”

“We’ll be fine,” Leora said confidently. “We prepared, didn’t we?”

With that, the two of them disappeared into the kitchen, leaving me to deal with the wrecked TV.

I dragged the broken appliance out to the curb and set up the new one. Leon sat nearby, humming a tune as he played with one of the toys he’d won at the arcade. I kept an eye on him as I worked, making sure he didn’t get into trouble.

Once the TV was installed, the smell of food began wafting through the house. I barely had time to enjoy it before visitors started arriving.

Leon’s classmates trickled in, along with their guardians and a few of the neighborhood kids. I scrambled to set up the area by the porch, but Selena swooped in to help just in time. Together, we set up tarps, chairs, tables, and a few strings of lights. She even dragged out a case of beer for the dads who showed up.

I greeted guests, accepted gifts on Leon’s behalf, and did my best to keep everything running smoothly. Meanwhile, Leon was having the time of his life, laughing and talking with his friends.

Watching him, a smile spread across my face.

This was life.

This was the life I wanted.

~071