#if darryl and grant aren't father/son goals by the end of his podcast i'm gonna riot

[ma-lark-ey]

Darryl had put this conversation off long enough. Far, far long enough. Two years, to be exact. Him and Carol were filing for divorce, and Grant still didn't even know. He had been left to tell him that, as Carol wanted very little to do with her family anymore.

He knocked the door, waiting for a response before poking in. "Hey, kiddo, I uh... I need to talk to you 'bout something." Grant looked up from his spot on his bed where he was playing on his Switch. Darryl could hear Terry Jr and Grant's new "friend" Kai coming through on some call website. (Of course, Darryl Wilson knew this Kai was no simple friend, he had seen the way Grant acted with Yeet, and this new boy who has joined the group is treated no differently.)

Grant took a second to mute his microphone and looked at Darryl. "Yeah, Dad, what's up?" Honestly,,the football father was glad him and Grant had patched up their relationship a few years ago.

"I um... You should hang up on your friends for now. This may take awhile. Tell 'em you'll be back on later." Darryl took a seat on Grant's bed. Whether the mess of his room was Grants depression or just the fact he's a teenage boy, Darryl will never have an answer.

He didn't miss the concern and fear in Grants eyes as he quickly said bye to his two closest friends and hung up, shutting off his Nintendo.

"Dad did... Did something happen? Is everything okay?" Grant looked like he wanted to lean on Darryl, but didn't know where the rest of this situation would go.

"Um.. Yeah, yeah everything's... Its fine. But um... I don't think you're naive enough to not notice your mom and I have gotten pretty... Distant." He scratched at his neck nervously. God, this was so much harder than he'd thought it'd be. But, its okay. It needs to be done. Its gonna be better for everyone involved when he knows.

"Yeah... I... It worries me, Dad."

"I know, kid. I've... I've been putting this off for awhile. I wanted- i wanted mine and Carol's marriage to last at least until you were out of the house. Cause, I feel like that would be easier on you. But, its just... It can't, Grant and um..." Darryl pressed his palm to his eye to try and keep his emotions down for a little longer. "God, fuck..."

"You're getting divorced. I-I figured." Grants voice was shaking, that slight tremble that you wouldn't notice unless you knew how to look for it. His boy was gonna cry.

"Yeah... Your mom's moving out, Grant. And I- I'm so sorry. I tried to hard, Grant. I know how hard this is, and I didn't-" Darryl was cut off when Grant hugged him, a tight hug. The father didn't waste a second in returning the favor, squeezing his son as tight as he could.

"I'm gonna stay with you, right? Or its at least gonna be even? I-I dont- I..." Darryl could hear the unsaid words. 'I don't wanna get taken away from you.'

Grant had seen his fair share of custody battles in his school friends growing up, not the main group, but there were always more friends than the twins, Nick, and Terry. He saw so many kids not get a say in which parent got primary custody and wind up completely isolated form their dad. He knew how often dads lost all custody to the kids during divorce.

"Grant I... Your mom already signed off her rights to you. You're all mine, kiddo. Staying right here." He expected the sob that left Grant, and he held him with as much love as he could give, which was all of it. His whole heart belonged to his son, every sliver.

Darryl couldn't begin to understand how much hearing that had hurt Granted. He understood Carol's reasons for leaving Grant completely to Darryl. 'He's got a relationship with you, Darryl. While I have that natural mother-son bond, there's just not as much there. And, Darnell doesn't have the space for another kid. I don't want him winding up sleeping on the floor or something when he stays with me.' It made sound sense.

"Grant, I-I know how that sounds. But, its just temporary. When your mom gets her own place, or until her and Darnell get a bigger place, you're with me, and she'll come visit all the time, promise. Her and I are still best friends. Your moms not going anywhere." He assured, pulling Grant to practically be in his lap so he could bear hug him while he cried. Darryl looked over Grants room. The Minecraft mural they had done when he was nine, that still stood because it was Grants favorite thing. The pride flag hanging above his dresser, where the too was decorated with pictures of his friends and random trinkets that mean something to him. The couch just below the mural with a TV across from it, a beanbag or two hidden in the closet. The five of boys always stayed uo crazy late duelling each other in Mario Kart or Call of Duty. Grant or Lark always won. At the head of Grants head was a framed page from one of The Library's books from when they lived in Faerun.

Every inch of this room was filled with Grant, with all the memories he had. It was beautiful.

Darryl looked and saw Carol standing in the doorway, the pain her face at seeing Grant so weak made him realize she hadn't seen Grant full on cry like this in a very long time. Not much had happened to make Grant cry like this in her time with him.

She sat behind him, putting a gentle hand on his back and running her thumb back and forth. And, the family sat there like that. Not quite grieving together, but preparing for the change that was too come. Too soon for Grant, too late for Carol, and... Maybe it was at just the right time for Darryl.