It's been four days, and he feels like this little dance he has with Brendon is becoming suffocating each day.

Explaining it would be complex. But it's not because he doesn't want to be around Brendon or anything. He feels like he's doing this for Brendon's own good.

That's right, for Brendon's own good.

"I've seen Brendon crumble and break down over something like this. Please don't be another one that breaks him."

Spencer is apparently Brendon's best friend. He specifically searched for an apartment close here to watch over Brendon. And that talk with Spencer just shows that he means well for Brendon.

It just brought him guilt, if he was honest. Just when he was starting to warm up his feelings to Brendon; to the point where he thought about giving it a chance. It's Brendon's change of demeanor in these past few months that made him see that the once boy who barged his car almost a year ago seems more like a man each day.

Dallon feels like he may not be the right person for Brendon, but he started to think about wanting to be.

He's been careful for so long. He knew the younger man's infatuation but it seems he wasn't careful enough that he's the one ending up falling deeper instead. He's older than Brendon. He should know better.

Dallon musters the strength to sit up from his bed, despite the protest that his body and emotion feels. He knows he's over thinking this, and Matty would have hit him in the head for being so ridiculous.

But Brendon matters to him much more than he thought he'd be that he couldn't bare hurt him.

Well, that's another problem to add in his list.

"What should I do, Zero?" Dallon turns helplessly to his puppy, looking up at him innocently from the floor. How he'd wish to be just as oblivious to the world's problems like Zero is.

Dallon hears soft steps from outside of his room. The steps halts in front of his door, and Dallon gulps; is Brendon gonna knock at his door?

He holds his breath, waiting for a sound to hit on his door but it doesn't happen. Dallon watches the shadow from under the door shift, then disappears just as the sound of the steps disperse.

Dallon sighs, hiding his face behind his hands out of frustration.

*****

He knew that the very moment Dallon came home that day was odd. And then the following days just became confusing.

Dallon is avoiding him.

Did he do something? Did he make Dallon mad at him or something?

Brendon can't take the silence he has to go through around Dallon. He wants to tell him how his day went, or how he's doing a great job at the cafe. In turn, he wants Dallon talk about how his day was. Were the kids good? What activities did they do? Did he talk to Nikki?

After making their breakfast, he thought he should at least make the first move and talk to the older man. He doubts Dallon would make the move between the both of them due to his anxiety.

That's how he's standing right at Dallon's door, arm raised as he readies himself to knock at the hard wood that separates them.

Well, he knew he was ready. But is Dallon ready?

With a sigh, he thought he'd just make a quick note for Dallon. Pushing the stoic man into talking isn't gonna work.

He retrieves a pen from a drawer and a small paper to write on these words:

"I made you breakfast before I go to work.
We haven't properly talked in a while. But I want you to know that I'll be waiting for you, whenever you're ready to talk. :)

-- Brendon xx"

Satisfied with his note, he places it under Dallon's mug, filled with warm coffee with no sugar. Just how he likes it.

Brendon's gaze lingers wistfully at Dallon's door. He stalls a bit, hoping the other man would come out. But after some minutes, he gives up with a sigh.

He decided that he'd make a better move once he gets home. He needs to talk to Dallon.

****

"Why do you look sad, Uncle Dally?"

Dallon blinks, startled at a little girl's voice talking to him. He turns his gaze away from the playground filled with kids, and looks down to see Nikki looking up at him expectantly.

"Up!" The little blonde exclaims as she raises her arms, asking to be carried.

How could Dallon resist his niece?

He hoisted the little girl in his arms with a grunt, raising up slowly to keep their balance. Nikki squeals as she was being raised, and Dallon couldn't keep himself from smiling at the adorable response each time.

Nikki turns to look at him with a serious expression in her little features. To Dallon's shock, she brings her tiny hands to the side of his cheeks. Her soft palms rubbing against his skin that made it seem like all his aches are disappearing just from the gesture.

"Daddy said I have a vewy impotant m-mi-mi-shun." Nikki tells him, in which he assumes the word she was pronouncing was mission, her expression still as stern as she continues. "It's vewy, vewy important."

Just to humor her, he asked. "Oh? And what's that vewy important mission?"

Dallon noticed a glint of something in his niece's eyes, before she responds, taking a pinch of his cheeks wide.

"Daddy told me it's my duty to make Uncle Dally smile. So, I'm going to do this everytime you're sad!" She answers as Nikki continues to squeeze his cheeks wide to its extent, then giggles, probably at the silly face being formed in his features.

"Buh 'et herts."

"What did you say?"

Dallon prys off her little hands from his cheeks, and exchanges his free hand on the stretched out cheek.

"I said it hurts." He said, as he rubs a hand on one of his abused cheek. "You should play with your classmates instead rather than talking to me, you know?"

"But I like talking to you. Tyjo and Jish said they like talking to you too."

"Tyjo and Jish?"

Nikki points at the two little boys playing sand castle. The small almond eyed boy, who's part Japanese, is little Josh. And the boy beside him is a quiet kid named Tyler. They were almost inseparable, and their nicknames do sound adorable.

Dallon approaches the sandbox with Nikki in his arms. The two boys seem startled by their appearance. He had to lean down and place Nikki at the sandbox to reach their level.

"Hi." Dallon greets awkwardly, despite being with these kids for long months now.

"H-Hello." Tyler greets shyly in return, then he turns to Josh with a nod. There's silent communication between the two that left Dallon impressed by the state of their friendship in such a young age.

Josh follows after Tyler's prompt. Uttering a small 'Hi' with a shy wave at his direction.

"They're weally shy." Nikki explains, and Dallon had to stifle a laugh at how she sometimes forgets to pronounce her 'R's.

"Uncle Dally is sad." The little girl explains to her two friends. "So, I think we should let him play with us today."

"Nikki--"

"W-Why are you sad, Teacher Dallon?" Josh asked softly, as he turns to Tyler with a concerned look.

"You look nice when you smile." Tyler adds, as his lips start to reveal a toothy smile. "It's a good smile in the waworld."

How could you stop yourself from smiling after hearing that?

"Teacher! Teacher Dallon!"

Dallon turns to the sight of Bronx approaching their little gathering at the sandbox. He turns curiously to Tyler and Josh, to Nikki, then back at him.

"What are you doing?" He asked in wonder.

"Uncle Dally is sad. Daddy told me it's my m-mi-shun to make him smile." Nikki announces.

"Us too!" Tyler joins in, along with an eager nod from Josh.

"Can I join?"

Dallon watches their interaction with interest as if they aren't just conspiring evil thoughts just to do their plans.

And now the kids are huddled together in a circle, whispering to each other.

"I think we should tickle him." One of them says.

No.

"No." He outright refuses that made the kids pout at him in disappointment.

"Maybe you're l-l-lovesick?" Bronx says that made Dallon raise an eyebrow at him on how he even learned that kind of word. Who even told him that?

"Uncle Joe told me Daddy has that." Bronx explains. "Sometimes when he misses Mommy, and sometimes when it's about Teacher Pat--"

"Okay, okay I get it." He interrupts, as he turns to a bright shade of red at the detail of his co-teacher's relationship. "M-Maybe." He finally admits.

Nikki seems to beam at his reply. "You like someone?"

He can't believe kids are willing to offer him advice. "Y-Yeah. But I can't like him back."

"Why not?" Josh asked. Dallon is a bit surprised that they didn't react to the him pronoun. Well, he shouldn't be since they're just kids.

"Because we're different. It's hard to explain."

"He's rich, and I have nothing. He's young and good looking and I'm just... me." Dallon thought grimly.

The kids just turn to look at each other, and then they look back at Dallon. Their inquisitiveness leaves him unnerved.

"Mommy likes red and Daddy likes green, but they like each other." Nikki supplies. "Maybe your someone will like you even if you like diffewent colors."

"Or even if you like tacos and the other one likes burritos." Tyler adds.

"Or if you like dogs and the other person cats." Bronx chimes in.

"Or how Tyler and I are frens even if we're different." Josh says, as he smiles at Tyler beside him.

When people grow up, we take things too complex. Even when the answer is just a simple 4 in a 2 + 2 equation, we would think of different methods, or different ways to get answers from such an easy question.

It's nice being a kid. It's when all the answers were so easy when we don't think too much about it.

And it would be a lot easier, if he talks to Brendon about it.

He still has worries about the whole 'I think I like you' thing. Probably because he doesn't know if he's gonna do it right, and he also doesn't want to hurt Brendon in the future.

Dallon should take lessons from these kids about learning to enjoy things in front of you rather than fretting of what's about to happen. All he needs to do is get ready for it for whatever may come.

And maybe, he'll be okay.

****

It was just the slip of his tongue.

He forgot that Matty is still pissed as hell at Dallon's older brother.

And now Brendon watches warily at the dark disposition that the curly haired man is exhibiting at the very thought of Dallon's brother.

"The nerve of him, coming back to Dallon's life!" Matty exclaims, the hard tone and volume of his voice is enough for the other customers to glance at them with worried expressions. "He's a coward for leaving Dallon and his younger brothers behind."

Brendon used to wonder about why Matty is so fixated for Dallon's well being. He's aware that they treat each other like brothers, but it seems a bit too extreme for someone who isn't Dallon's actual relative.

But then, he remembered Dan's words to him way back when he asked:

"Matty wanted to be a brother for Dallon that he couldn't be for his own."

"Matty, if this makes Dallon happy, wouldn't you want that for him?" Dan says, trying to ease his friend's frustration and anger. "Wouldn't any brother want to see their sibling happy?"

It seems to be working when Brendon sees the tension from Matty's shoulders slacken in defeat.

Brendon is pretty sure no one else can convince Matty like Dan could.

"I just-- yeah. Yeah, you're right. I hate that you're always right." Matty grumbles, and Dan doesn't seem to take offense about that when he laughs.

"That means I'm doing a good job being your friend. Now off with you and sit down. I'll make you your drink."

Brendon isn't usually the type to notice these things, but the way Matty's wistful gaze lingered at Dan's retreating form for almost a split second made his breath hitch for noticing such detail.

"You should tell him." He blurts out of the blue that made Matty look at him incredulously.

"What?"

"N-Nothing!" Brendon stammers, averting his gaze from Matty's expectant stare. "I should, uh, help Dan. Bye."

He walks briskly from the older man, and mentally scolds himself for that his mouth can't seem to keep itself shut.

Brendon settles to clean up the tables to distract himself from his little mishap, hoping that Matty doesn't ask about it in the future.

He hears the door open, signaling a customer's entrance. Brendon turns to greet the customer but stops at the sight of the newcomer.

The man wore a crisp black suit that emits a professional appearance that would leave anyone intimidated. But for Brendon, it's like seeing an old time friend.

The other man turns to him, as he caught Brendon's gaze. The suited man's lips morphs into a disbelieving, blinding white smile at the sight of him.

"Brendon?"

Brendon returns the smile with a wide grin.

"Hey, Pete. Long time no see."

****

"How's Mom and Dad?"

Pete has been a friend of his family for years. Seeing him again has brought some nice memories that Brendon cherishes as he was growing up.

The lawyer offered to drive him home once his shift at the café finished. Brendon didn't have time to have a decent talk with Pete during work until now.

"Well, you're Mom's worried sick." He said with a concerned tone, keeping his eyes on the road. "If she knew that that would happen then she would have stopped your father's plan on marrying you off with Orzechowski's daughter. She's your best friend, so your mother assumed..."

"I get it. I just wish Mom told me." Brendon says softly, feeling kind of glad that his Mom wasn't entirely on that plan. "...And Dad?"

"I haven't seen him in a while. I've only met your mother last week at a social event. Your mother says he's busy so, I never got to talk to him."

"Why am I not surprised?".

"Brendon--"

"If you're gonna say he cared about me, then that wedding wouldn't have been planned in the first place." Brendon says with finality, his voice sharp with every word.

Pete stays silent for a moment, as he turns to the corner of a street. He parks in front of a school, in which Brendon realizes is the place that Dallon works at.

"People make wrong choices." Pete spoke, his voice solemn, and Brendon just knew he's been gone far too long from his old life to see such an expression on Pete's face.

"And sometimes, people make wrong choices for the people they care about." Pete turns to him with a soft gaze. "I'm a father, Brendon. I know I've made those choices just for my son."

Brendon doesn't have anything to counter against that.

They both hear the school bell ring, and they see the children starting to file out. Brendon sees Dallon from the car, helping the kids with their backpacks.

He then remembers the little predicament he has with the brunette. And seeing the older man assist the kids with such a charming smile in his face makes it harder for him to keep his heart in check.

"Stay here, Brendon. I'll just get Bronx and--"

"No, I'll join you. I wanna meet up with someone anyway." He says to Pete, letting himself out of the passenger seat.

Both men wait expectantly, as the kids start to leave from their school.

"Brendon! Brendon!"

Brendon and Pete turn to the voice of a little girl being held by her mother. The child's mother turns to them curiously to see who her child is calling.

"Nikki!" Brendon calls back, giving the little blond a wave.  The little girl seems to beam at the acknowledgment. And now Nikki is pulling on her mother's hand towards them.

"Hi, Brendon! Look! Look! I got a star today! 'Cuz I'm a good girl." She says excitedly, showing off the little star stamp printed on the back of her hand.

"That's great!"

"Yup. And we made Uncle Dally smile today. Bronx, Tyjo and Jish helped me."

All three adults chuckle at the little girl's stories. Brendon is glad Dallon such a sweet niece such as Nikki.

Pete excuses himself from the discussion once he heard his last name being called and went off to get Bronx. Nikki, the little wonder, joins the lawyer and went to the playground to go to Dallon.

"Are you a friend of Dallon's?" The child's mother asked once they were left alone.

"Y-Yes, ma'am."

"That's good." The woman smiles at him kindly, and Brendon can see where most of Nikki's features were taken.

"My husband just found out recently that Nikki's teacher is the younger brother that he's been looking for." She says, turning her gaze to Dallon who has Nikki in his arms. "After Weston, my husband, earned enough money, he went back to his hometown to look for his brothers. Who knew one of them was just around the neighborhood?"

"Maybe they were meant to find each other and start over again." Brendon told her. The woman turns to him, the kind smile never leaving her lips.

"I agree. Weston's been happier than I've ever seen him since he found Dallon again." She says with a chuckle. "I keep teasing him that his wrinkles are disappearing."

"Dallon's just as happy. And that's all I could ever ask for."

Nikki's mother turns to him with an eyebrow raised. "Are you sure you're just friends?"

Brendon clears his throat. The question left him startled. "Y-Yeah?"

The woman hums at his answer, clearly not believing him. "If you say so. I don't think just some friend of Dallon's would ever ask for that. But hey, if you like him, I'd say, go for it."

"I-I'm--"

"Weston won't mind, if that's what you're worried about." The woman says with a knowing smile. "You seem like a good guy and I know these things. How do you think I found my husband?"

Brendon couldn't help but laugh at her bluntness. It seems Weston and his wife could be complete opposites that worked well together.

It's not impossible for him.

"Brendon?"

Nikki's mother gives him a nudge towards the man he's been waiting for, looking at him with surprise.

He has no flowers, or chocolates to offer him. But hopefully, just one smile is enough.

"Hi, Dallon."

****

[A/N: They all know each other isn't that a surprise ahaha

And uh, sorry for the subtle ship I did with Matty and Dan? Uh, like, there's a reason for everything in my story so, idk. If this is like a Notp or something for you, please bare with it for a bit since it's just a minor mention that would probably an important part in the story later on. Ahaha oops.

And, I dunno. Like, I'm thinking of writing a sequel? Not a long one like this, mind you. Probably just a super long one shot or something. Well, I don't know about you guys, but this so called sequel already has a prompt written on my drafts so hey another surprise!

Thank you for reading this became 6k+ so fast oh my g o d sorry for the mistakes in this one. Have a great day! Love you guys!

P.S. To everyone who thought Tyler is Dallon's dad at the first chapter sorry to disappoint you HAHAHA]